What a Doll || Doll! Andy

Chapter 9: Mourning and Accepting

Claus was up late thinking of plans to protect the others from this new potentially deadly threat. Andy was entrusting him to protect everyone. Claus didn't want to let him down.

As Claus was tossing around ideas and writing some down, someone noticed.

"C-claus...?" Claus saw a tired Felix standing at his door. "What are you doing up?"

"I-it's nothing, Felix..." Claus lied to the sleepy fish. "I just have some stuff on my mind... That's all..."

"I-is it about... Andy...?" Felix said in a yawn.

"Y-yes, it is..." Claus got up. "So.. why are you up so late Felix? I thought Margret had you go to bed hours ago..." He tried to change the subject.

"W-well..." He started. "I was asleep... But I couldn't stay asleep..."

"What's wrong?" One thing everyone knew about Felix was that he could sleep through a twister if you let him. So Felix not being able to sleep now is a bit concerning...

"Well... I know you told me it's not my fault... but..."

Claus knew what was going on now. Felix may have started to blame himself for Andy's death again... "You thought about Andy's death again..? And thinking if there was any way you could have prevented it...?"

Felix slowly nods his head... "How did you guess...?"

"It's a bit too common to think like that while grieving... But you are not alone..." Claus took a breath. "While she may not show it much at the moment, Margret is still grieving too and may also have those thoughts as well. The same could be said for Melody... and myself..." Claus looks at Felix. "We all wish we could have done something to prevent his death... but death works in twisted ways... It's an inevitable end everyone will one day meet... and... one day we will join Andy..."

"O-oh..." Felix stares at the ground, processing Claus's words and what he's trying to say.

Claus walks over to Felix and pulls him into a hug. "Don't worry Felix... We all need time to grieve. We will all get through this... Andy is-" Claus paused. It would be hard to explain Andy's spiritual presence to Felix and Margret. "Andy is in a better place..."

"O-okay Claus..." Felix was crying a bit. "Thanks..."

Claus patted Felix's shoulder. "Anytime... now I know a certain little fish who needs to go back to bed... It's late Felix..."

Felix dried his tears before he yawned. "Okay, Claus..." He started to leave but stopped and looked at Claus. "You should get sleep too Claus... Andy never liked it when you were tired in the morning. He said you were like a grumpy troll." Felix smiled a bit.

Claus was a bit offended but gave into a smile. "Don't worry. I'll try to get sleep."

"Night Claus.." Felix went to his room.

"Goodnight Felix..." Claus watched as the kid left, and then he shut the door to his room.

But he knew (For once), Felix was right... He needed sleep too... He won't get anywhere in the plan against this demonic threat Andy's Spirit warned him and Melody about if he drains himself mentally and physically.

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In the morning, Claus saw Margret. He could tell she had a sleepless night too.

"Did you have a restless night, Margret?" Claus asked.

Margret didn't seem to hear him so he tapped her on the shoulder. She was startled but seemed relieved to see it was just Claus.

"Oh... Hi Claus... Do you need something..?" She sounds tired. It was out of character for her.

"I was just asking if you had any sleep last night. You look quite drained..."

Margret tried to paint a smile on her face but decided against it. "Well... If blinking counts... maybe about an hour..."

"Alright... What is on your mind..?" Claus figured her reason might be the same as the one Felix had.

"Well... I was just thinking... about..." She stopped.

"About Andy..?" Claus guessed.

"Yeah... It's unfair to him... He died so young... He had so much ahead of him, just like us... I mean, Heck, me and you are older... if anything, he had more of a chance than us and he was taken way too early... He wasn't even an adult yet! He was still a child!" Tears started to fall down her face. "I-it's just... IT'S JUST NOT FAIR!"

Claus took a deep breath and encouraged Margret to do the same. After a minute, she calmed down a bit. "I know Margret... I know it was unfair... but death is a tricky thing... No one can predict it, nor when or how it will come... Death is never fair... and it never will be..."

"I know... It's just... the farm just doesn't feel right with Andy gone... It's like him just being around made this place be what we knew it as... and now that he's gone... This place just isn't right..."

"I know... I noticed that change too..." Claus stated. "I know it's really different without him... We are just used to him being around that we feel something is off now that he's gone..."

Margret took a deep breath before speaking again. "I-i... I also felt something wrong... like... something is watching us... but... not in a kind way..." Her voice was barely above a whisper.

Claus was worried. Does Margret know of the demon? He had to ask. "What do you think is watching us?"

"I don't know... but it feels like whatever it is... It's stalking us... waiting for something..." Margret's words only concern Claus more. It was the demon... but Claus can't tell Margret... If Margret and Felix learn of the demon Andy told him and Melody about... It would only worry and panic them.

"Perhaps it is just your mind playing with you..?" Claus tried to steer away from the true reason. "You did barely sleep last night and you've been grieving... You haven't had a clear mind in a good while..."

"Yeah... You could be right Claus... Maybe I just need to calm down and rest sometime today..."

Claus smiled. "You could rest now and I could try to make breakfast-"

Margret stopped him. "Nope. We both know you can't cook even if your life depended on it, and I don't need a repeat of the "Scrambled Eggs" incident." She smiled. "But I appreciate the help and thought."

"Still mad about that? It was a few years ago..." Claus was embarrassed, but the mood lightened a bit.

"I still have that burnt pan as a reminder to myself to not let you in that kitchen." She said as she walked to the kitchen.

"Alright..." Claus was embarrassed that the moment was brought back up but was happy seeing Margret was in a bit of a better mood. "Well, just promise you will rest sometime today, okay? I know you need it. This is the first time you've had bags under your eyes in years."

"I will Claus. I promise." She smiled and then remembered something. "Oh, that reminds me. Mel wanted me to tell you she wanted you to go outside and walk around with her for a while... Or something like that... She told me when I just woke up..."

"Alright, I'll go with Melody. Oh, and Felix might sleep in. Let him get the sleep. We've all had restless nights last night."

"Alright, I will." She said as Claus walked away.