#William:Vanessa

[springbandit]

"No, not like that. Like this." William corrected her, tilting the animatronic fox's head forward rather than backwards. "If you go the other way, the eyes will only fall into the mech and get tangled up. Once you remove the bracket, tilt the head forward and they should pop right out into your hand." His voice was full of patience, but it was clear he wanted her to get it right. He let one come loose to demonstrate his point before putting the bracket back in and resetting the fox to its usually four legged standing position. "Try again."

@daydrcamings

[springbandit]

"He will. In spades." he promised her, still smiling but more sincere than he was before. He knew he had a ways to go before earning the 'father of the year' award, but, he wanted to at least be in the runnings. "Well, I hope that changes one day." he offered, not wanting her to feel pressured to rush the healing she was clearly having to put herself through, but, not wanting to tell her it was okay to submit to it either. "What suits, Ness?" he asked, trying to think back to what he'd found when going through storage. However, his memories were muddled and there was still a large gap where he'd been attacked. "The shelling on what I build is plastic, they're not suits, they're just cosmetics."

@fcdcdmcmories

"HE HAS TO EARN IT," she teased back in response, shaking her head a little bit, because.. yes, she had to admit that he was.. different than she remembered. was that a good thing? yes and.. right now, she wanted to think so. of course that she did. "and.. i don't know about that, dad. i've known being terrified better than anything in my entire life. i don't see that changing anytime soon," very true. "that no one is going to forget what happened in the past. are .. are they here? the suits?"@springbandit

[springbandit]

❝ Please don’t ignore me. ❞ (Vanessa & William)

"Ignore you? Nessa. I would never." He hadn't seen Vanessa since he'd gotten out of the hospital. But, it hadn't been by choice. He could barely move and he wasn't even sure where to find her. They were both merely victims of circumstance. "What can I do to make it up to you? Name your price." he offered a dull smile, sitting forward in his chair to try to pay her more attention, and see her more clearly without his glasses. "Ness, you know I'm always here for you, right? I know it's not that easy, but, I'm really trying."

@fcdcdmcmories

[springbandit]

"Be careful. You just sounded generally concerned for me." (Vanessa & William)

"Vanessa, please. You know I care about you. Despite everything, memories or not, you're still my daughter. I don't want anything bad to happen to you, that's all. The world can be a dangerous place, and I just want you to be cautious. It's not about me. It's about your safety, and that boy has shown time and time again that he's unstable and unwilling to do anything to better himself." William sighed, running a hand through his hair as he inwardly fought with the turmoil that came from Vanessa and Mike continuing to be friends. It was a betrayal. He'd tried to kill him mere months ago. How could she choose him over her own father? "You mean a lot to me, and I'd really rather see you happy and unharmed. Besides, you could do a lot better. You're a little young to be settling."

@fcdcdmcmories

[springbandit]

❝  i am in pain . that’s the only way i get your attention . ❞

"Come now, Vanessa. We both know that's not true." He furrowed his brow, looking over to his daughter. His thoughts were a usual garbled mess of conflicting emotions and contradictory action plans. But, the one thing he knew was certain, was that his daughter had his attention. "You've always had a special place in my heart. Even when I remember nothing, I remember you. Perhaps, not in a way you find pleasing, I'll admit." He looked upon her with a great sadness. A recognition of lost potential. Their relationship the dullest of flames, fighting to survive. "Please. Let me tend your wounds. It's the least I can do."

@fcdcdmcmories

[springbandit]

"I'm worried about that, Vanessa." he answered, thinking on it carefully and speaking as honestly as he could. "What if...What if I hear it - and - I don't feel how I'm supposed to?" He could tell from the abuse Mike had hurled at him that there was death involved. Death likely from his hands. Deep down, there was a part of him that was worried he wouldn't be as disgusted by the whole thing as he should be. He tended not to be an emotional man, but, right now, he was dependant on getting them right. "What if it's better to start with a clean slate?" he stopped himself from talking further, as he wanted to make sure he'd thought over everything. "What would be best, for you? That's what matters to me. If you want me to know, you can tell me. But, if you'd rather I didn't, I'll stop asking questions."

@fcdcdmcmories

"DO YOU REALLY WANT TO KNOW THE TRUTH? i can tell you. i can tell you about freddy's. i can tell you about.. the kids. mike and his family. all of it. but.. you have to want to know." she wanted to tell him but then again.. she also didn't know what she was supposed to do. did she really want to bring him back? could she really? was it fair for anyone else? she didn't know. was it? probably not. goddamn it. "that's why.. maybe.. you need to know the truth, dad. so you can avoid becoming like .. him?" like the man that she remembered. like the monster. that terrified her. right? "then we can do that. i promise. i'll be right here."

[springbandit]

He gave a quiet scoff, exhaling out of his nose in response to her remark. "It's not modesty; it's honesty. You are remarkable in quite every way. Yet, aside from a handful of your features and some of your more troublesome attitudes, none of it can be attributed to my craftsmanship. It's all your doing." William was not a modest man, and had she been more loyal, he would have sang her praises as loudly as he did with any of the more mechanical creations he had under his command. However, their relationship was far more complex than that of maker and machine. "I do wish I could have met him in my adult life too. There would have been many an apology owed my way, but, I would have also liked to thank him. He would have thought the absolute world of you." he smiled, turning slightly to briefly trace his thumb along her hair. "Your mom's parents don't know a good thing when they see it. Any hatred they harbour towards you only comes from seeing me. You're not the trouble in this family - never have been." He didn't truly know any of this as fact, as it was all lost to his memory troubles, but, he was confident in the accuracy of his guesswork. "You do?" he queried, his tone soft with a touch of disbelief. Even though the specifics of his transgressions eluded him, he was certain that forgiveness was not easily purchased. "Nessa, I don't want to make you rush into anything. Especially if you're not completely sure you're ready." he added, a note of concern threading through his voice.

@fcdcdmcmories

".. DAD, COME ON. I'VE NEVER KNOWN YOU TO BE THE MODEST TYPE?" he wasn't the modest type, as far as vanessa was concerned, but he was really trying and so, how could she ever not be alright with that? and want it, too? after all, she missed having him in her life and actually trusting him, did she not? yes. yes, she absolutely did and no, she didn't see it being different anytime soon, no. "i wish.. i wish i could have met him, then. it'd be nice to. only met mom's parents and .. well, they weren't on the nice side either. pretty sure they despised me too, you know?" yes, she had a feeling that they had grown to hate her because she had decided to become a cop and to follow in her mother's footsteps. "we are alright. AND WE'RE BETTER THAN THEM, OKAY? which is why.. what happened in the past? i forgive you. i really do forgive you for all of it. you know?" @springbandit

[springbandit]

His features softened as she told him she was proud of him. He didn't realise just how much he'd needed to hear it until it was there. He sighed, smiling. "Thank you. I won't let you down, okay?" he bowed his head for a moment, thinking more on the situation as a whole. If Clara meant this much to Vanessa, then, she either really preferred her, or he'd been so neglectful that she'd had no choice but to pick up the pieces. Either way, he knew what he had to do to keep her on side. "Oh, you're telling me. When I was the age you are now, you were already a teenager. The older you get, it's like you don't even see it passing at all." He didn't fully remember any of it, and perhaps that made it seem like the gaps were so much larger. Or, perhaps the nature of time truly was brutal. "Of course, after you. But, don't go too fast, I'm still a bit rusty after being laid up."

@fcdcdmcmories

"I KNOW. MOM TOLD ME THAT YOU'RE TAKING THIS REALLY SERIOUSLY AND.. I'M PROUD OF YOU. really." he was making an effort and since that was all that she could have ever wanted from him? vanessa was happy. he was trying and right now, that was all that she had ever wanted in the past. right? yes. "just kidding, just kidding. been a while since we've joked around and.. it's good." a nod, as she laced her arm through his. it had taken a lot for them to be here and it was something that she hadn't even realised that she wanted. at all, no. "it does. it passes and we barely notice it," a grin. "follow me?" (@springbandit)

[springbandit]

"You're not giving your old dad very much credit." he tried to smile, not wanting to show any fear that the other could pick up on. He would make things peaceful for them both, even if he had to go to extreme lengths. "We will make it happen. Believe me." he urged, certain of what he was saying could be backed up. "I won't let him hurt you, I promise. Nobody is going to hurt you. He got lucky this once. It won't happen again." he hated hearing that she was terrified and he knew there was nothing he could say or do in the state he was in right now to make it go away. "What scares you, Nessa? It's okay to be scared, but, don't do it alone."

@fcdcdmcmories

"YOU KNOW THAT IS NOT GOING TO HAPPEN, DAD. NOT AS LONG AS.. CERTAIN PEOPLE ARE AROUND HERE." was that going to be it? was the past going to keep on following them? yes, it seemed so and.. right now, she didn't think that would be changing anytime soon. not in the slightest. right? "we will. we can do it. we'll make it happen. i know that. it's just.. and i hope so. i've never seem mike so angry. there's a part of all of this that terrifies me." (@springbandit)

[springbandit]

"Come now, I won't have either of us living in fear." He wasn't agreeable to the idea of having to lay down and put his life on pause because other people didn't know how to behave. "Complicated or. not, we'll find a way through it." He wasn't the most optimistic person on the planet, but, his stubborn determination would make up for what he lacked in spirit. "We'll reunite them and hopefully everything else will fall in line. If not, we'll reevaluate then. Try not to fret, okay? I'll do whatever it takes."

@fcdcdmcmories

"DAD, I DON'T THINK THAT'S.. THAT'S GOING TO BE HAPPENING ANYTIME SOON," not while there were people from the past in here. not while there were people from the past in here and yes, she absolutely despised each and every single one of them. not mike -- that was complicated and not the rest of his family. that was even more complicated. of course that it was. "not while the people from our past are still here. that's going to be complicated. you know?" she shook her head. "i don't know. i just know.. that he's probably not aware of it all." (@springbandit)

[springbandit]

He looked to the floor as she explained her stance. Of course she wasn't as eager to try and move on as he was. She was healing from something he couldn't begin to understand. In a way he'd been spared. Whatever had taken his memory, be it sickness or something he couldn't yet explain, had shielded him from the trauma that his daughter had been left to pick up the pieces of, alone. "I just want to live my life, with you in it. A quiet life. No more surprises." He'd heard stories of what he'd allegedly done, and he didn't want to hear any more of it. It didn't disgust him, and, that alone meant he needed not to dig further into that sore spot. "His family are alive? He told me..that I.." he furrowed his brow, now bothered that things were making less and less sense. "So, if they're still around. Whatever was all of this for?" he gestured vaguely to himself with a limp hand gesture.

@fcdcdmcmories

"NO, DAD, IT'S NOT. AND... THAT'S.. THAT'S NOT WHO YOU ARE ANYMORE. right?" it wasn't who he was now and yes, vanessa was slowly trying to remind herself of that. he deserved a second chance. she had given one people who had not deserved in the past and she wanted to do the same thing for him. she just hoped.. she just hoped that it was worth it. when all was said and done. she did. "i believe that you want to do different and.. you deserve a second chance. you really do." looking down at her hands. "i believe that.. if i can reunite mike with his family? his brother and his sister? maybe, i can make things right between .. well. all of us." @springbandit

[springbandit]

"I know, sweetheart." He didn't want to dwell on the question, especially if it made her feel bad. He'd had so many accusations and stories levied at him within recent times, he just wanted some peace and calm. "Ness, it's my job to worry about you." he shook his head, his gaze leaving her again. "I know I haven't always been very good at it. I know I failed you." He clenched his teeth, trying to find the words he needed. "But this time it's different. You have to believe me. You and me against the world, okay? Nothing else matters." He looked back as she mentioned making things right, not completely sure he was on board with the idea. "Make what right? Talk to me."

@fcdcdmcmories

"YOU DON'T HAVE TO APOLOGISE. JUST KNOW THAT.. I WOULD NEVER DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT TO YOU. not ever." maybe in the past they had not seen eye to eye and maybe that had been the problem, but.. then again, she also liked to think that was on the past. for good, she hoped so. for good. "it's.. i'm all grown up now. you don't need to worry about me. truly. i've always taken care of myself and i don't see that being different anytime soon. it's okay." what did she need? she needed to make things right, but .. she was too terrified to admit that. "i just need to make all of this right. and when i do? everything will be okay again." @springbandit

[springbandit]

“Of course, I’m sorry. I knew you didn’t, I just.. it’s been a lot.” He didn’t want to offend her, of course not. He just had so many racing thoughts and fears that it was a dull comfort to get direct answers. “I’ll always worry about you. You’re my daughter; the most precious thing a man can have.” He smiled, trying his best to take a deep breath but having to cut it short to accommodate his injuries. “I’ll be better before you know it, don’t worry about that.” He tapped her hand gently with his fingertips, allowing the silence to linger for a little while. “Ness? You’re not on your own anymore, okay? Anything you need…you know where I am.”

@fcdcdmcmories

"NO, I DIDN'T. DAD. HOW CAN YOU EVER THINK THAT?" she would have never done something that ended up hurting him. never. yes, perhaps there was a part of her that had once been mad at everything that had happened, but .. right now, that was not something that she walked to think about. not anymore. not at all. "don't worry about me. i'm going to be okay. always am, one way or another," and for a moment, she found herself smiling sadly, as she shook her head a little bit. "right now? the only thing that i need is for you to be better. get better. alright?" @springbandit

[springbandit]

"You didn't know about this, did you?" he couldn't help but ask what was on his mind. A real expression of fear upon his face. His own daughter wouldn't conspire against him, surely not. "Please, take the greatest of care." he didn't want to let go of her hand. He was worried if he let go, it might never come back. Mike was determined to kill him and take Vanessa away from him, he'd said as much. And, in his current state, he had little hope of protecting either of them. "Enough about him. Please? Tell me about you." He turned his head, not wanting his daughter to see him so emotional. "Tell me how to be a good dad. What do you need? What can I do for you?"

@fcdcdmcmories

"BUT I SHOULD HAVE, DAD. I SHOULD HAVE KNOWN. i should have known that you and.. and mike would never be able to been the same town without this happening and.. i should have known that." she sighed, running a hand through her hair, because.. it made all the sense in the world that this was happening. of course. "don't worry. he's not going to hurt me. that much i know, but .. i will talk to him." she would make sure that he would never hurt her father again. she had to. right? "i will, don't worry about it. i know .. i know what i'm doing." (@springbandit)

[springbandit]

“Don’t you dare blame yourself, okay? You couldn’t have known.” He hated the idea of putting more hurt onto her than he already had. “He’s not a friend, Nessa. He’s dangerous. If something happened and I wasn’t there to protect you, I’d never forgive myself.” He hated this. He hated feeling so weak and helpless. As soon as he was back on his feet, then he’d be able to sort things out between them. But, not now. "Please, I'd really rather you didn't go at all, but, if you have to, bring something to protect yourself. Don't do what I did."

@fcdcdmcmories

"NO, DAD... I DO. I DO NEED TO APOLOGISE. it's my fault that mike is in our life in the first place. i should have never dragged him and his sister into it. i'm sorry." she shouldn't have done that. she should have never done such a thing. she should have let him go and she should have let him make his own life and .. the fact that she hadn't? it was not something that she would ever forgive herself for. not at all. "i can't. he's my friend and .. i need to talk to him about this. about everything. he needs to know that he can't do this and actually get away with it." no. no. no. "it's not your fault. this just .. we need to leave the past in the past." (@springbandit)

[springbandit]

"No, no. It's okay." he tried to comfort her, not wanting her to get trailed into what was going on between him and Mike, worried he would potentially hurt her too. "You don't need to apologise for anything." He wasn't too sure of their friendship and always assumed that Mike overplayed his hand to try and hold it over him. He didn't believe for a moment that she really had any part in what had occurred. "Just...stay away from him, please? If something happened to you.." he squeezed her hand, although he didn't have much strength to offer. He bowed his head, overwhelmed by their conversation. "I'm so sorry, Vanessa. I promised you a fresh start...not all this."

@fcdcdmcmories

"YOU HAVEN'T.." lost her? was that what she had been about to say? then again .. in so many ways .. he had, hadn't he? he had already lost her and she was the one who had made that decision many, many years ago, because of what he had done. because of what he had done and how it had terrified her in so many ways. "it's okay. i know that now. none of this is your fault. at least .. not right now. okay?" she told herself that she could stand by him. she told herself that she could stand by him and that she could keep him safe if he swore to never hurt anyone else again. right? "dad, i'm so.. i'm so sorry. i don't know what came over him, but.. he has no right to do this. absolutely no right and i'm so very sorry that he did. I REALLY AM." (@springbandit)