(Canceled) Before I Shatter (FNAF Highschool) (Book 1 of 3)

Chapter 26

===Foxy's POV===

My whole body feels sore. My eyes sting with pain as I open them to the harsh artificial light, and my nose burns with the smell of rubbing alcohol. Everything around me looks so clean and white. I must be in the hospital. I think to myself as I try with fatigue in my entire body to prop myself up. The window to my right reveals nothing but is enveloped in a thick blanket of shadows. It must be late. I wonder how long I was out for. Just as I think of this, Mangle's face pops into my mind and suddenly I'm completely awake.

"Mangle!" I practically shout, and there is a sudden movement to my left. I look over to find my mother wide awake in a chair next to my bed.

"Foxy! You're awake!" She too exclaims a small pool of tears beginning to form in her eyes as she holds my hand.

"Where's Mangle?" I ask without any formalities which doesn't seem to bother her like it once would.

"She's not here. She's probably at home asleep." She replies. I rest my head in my hand and exhale heavily. I'm tired, even though I was asleep for God knows how long. My head aches and I find it a bit difficult to breathe.

"How long have I been asleep?" I ask, worried for how much I might have missed.

"Only a couple of weeks... Foxy, we've all been so worried about you." Her choice of words confuses me.

"What do you mean, "we've all"?" I ask curious to whom she could be referring. She tells me that Mangle, Freddy, Bonnie, and Chica had all come to visit me while I was asleep. I can understand Mangle coming, but that lot. I don't get why they would come. But something else catches my eye. Another person standing right behind my mother.

"Oh Foxy, this is my... friend. Her name is Scarlet." She says stepping aside and a girl my age, maybe a bit younger, steps forward and I can feel my heart stop. Her eyes, the color of her hair. I know all those features. They were my fathers. So why does this girl have them? Could she be a sister of my father? No. No my father was an only child, so who is she?

"Who are you?" I demand to know which seems to startle both of them. My eyes turn hard and cold as I search for an answer.

"My name is Scarlet Steele and..." The girl turns to look at my mother, as if to ask what to say. My mother sighs, and asks Scarlet to wait outside the hospital room. She complies willingly, leaving myself and my mother alone in the room.

"Listen Foxy. I know I haven't been the best mother. I know that ever since your father I've been distant and that's no ones fault but my own. However, I want to try and be a better mother to you, meaning that I have to be honest with you about what is really going on." Something about the tone of her voice and the way she speaks concerns me. She has never once in my life talked to me in this way, and I can tell something big is coming and I'm not going to like it.

"Mom. What is going on?" I can feel my heart pick up and my breath quicken waiting for her response. My stomach drops as she begins to speak again. As she reveals the truth.

"Foxy. When you were young. Maybe three. Your father... He... He had an affair." My heart stops. No. Not my father. He would never do that. "He had an affair with a woman and she... got pregnant." Everything instantly clicks together in my head. Scarlet. She's my sister. I've lived this far in life without knowing that I had a sister. I've spent most of my life alone. Feeling as though I had no one left, but the entire time I had a sister.

"He realized his mistake and came back. I didn't forgive him at first, but he earned his way back in. Though, when he found out about the woman he had been with being pregnant he didn't know what to do. I'm so sorry that you had to find this out now Foxy. But you're father is still the same man that you knew. He's still the best dad you could've asked for." I don't know what to say. So many emotions come and go. Anger. Disgust. Joy. Sadness. I'm angry that my father did this; I'm disgusted that he did this. I'm happy, happy that I have a sibling. But sad. Sad that she'll never get to meet him.

"I want to go home." I say rather plainly, turning my head back towards the window. Looking out on a city blanketed in consuming shadows.

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"Well, everything looks good. You've recovered quite nicely Mr. Aru." My doctor says with a smile. "There is something more I would like to discuss with you though. Those scars. On your chest. If you don't mind my asking, where did they come from?" I stay silent and stare out my window. Waiting. Longing to be free from this prison of medicine. Silence hangs awkwardly in the air until the doctor dismisses his question and tells me that I can leave whenever I feel I'm ready then takes his leave.

Finally, I can be free. Finally I can go home. Finally, I can see Mangle again. As soon as the doctor leaves I jump out of bed as fast as possible and change into my regular civilian clothes. Why hasn't Mangle come to visit me since I've woken up? I wonder as I exit my room and head down the hall to where my mother is waiting to take me back home. Her and I don't say anything to each other as we walk out of the building. The fresh air hitting my lungs and the wind blowing my hair around. The sun beams down on me and warms my pale skin. Finally free.

"Thank you mom." I say suddenly generating a surprised response from my mother.

"For what?"

"Thank you for being here now. Thank you for watching over me." She gives me a big smile and we both climb into the car and begin towards home. She asks me all sorts of weird questions about my coma. If I dreamed while I was asleep and if I could hear anything at all whilst in the coma. I reply no to both questions saying that the only thing I remember is darkness. No sensation. Just black. She shivers a little at the thought which makes me smile slightly. She's finally acting like a mother.

When we pull into the driveway something feels off. The front door lies wide open and all the curtains inside are drawn shut. When I step out of my mothers car I take a long look around and don't notice anything out of the ordinary. No cars or even people. Cautious I lead the way towards the house and enter. For being the middle of the day, the entire house is dark. Not a shred of light falls through any window. I creep silently down the hallway towards the main living room and jump as all the lights turn on. Everyone in the room yells surprise and a banner drops revealing the message that had been printed on it. 'Welcome back Foxy!' I recoil a little at the sight of it all. Freddy, Bonnie, Chica, Toy Freddy, Toy Bonnie, Toy Chica all stand underneath the banner clapping and popping party poppers. One pops into my head as all this happens. I hate this. But I come to love it the instant I feel a familiar set of hands covering my eyes. I can't help but smile and laugh as I spin around and embrace Mangle. Her and I shed a few tears and properly greet each other with a kiss at which both Bonnie and Toy Bonnie yell in unison,

"GET A ROOM!" I can't help but smile. I can't help but laugh at how lucky I am.