Cares of Communion (Bendy and the Ink Machine)

10- Return

Author's Notes: This is yet again the last chapter in this book. The next one is titled Dances of Duality and will be available on my profile soon if you can't see it there already.

__________________________________________

"And I will give this people favor in the sight of the Egyptians; and when you go, you shall not go empty..." – Exodus 3:21

__________________________________________

It must have been a dream.

The warmth that enveloped her swaddled and rocked until she fell asleep, but when she awoke? It was neither in Joey's arms nor the arms of his chair that she was left among. No, there were no arms of any kind at all.

Except maybe the invisible ones of the embrace of complete and utter mystery.

She stirred, a grumble in her throat. Francine felt well rested for what was certainly the first time since she had begun to live with paper and ink. Grateful. Despite her reservations, she was...grateful to Joey for that- for what seemed to be sincere care for her, genuine regret for what he took away.

Just like Joey, how bittersweet this was for her to know.

And that's why she didn't notice what was different for a while. She was caught up- perplexed with how Mr. Drew could find it in his heart to be so sympathetic even when she was the very first he had seen and spoken to ever since he did this to them all. Amazing, even, that this...care was what was left with him after all this time, when merely some weeks had left Francine fighting day after day to not be bitter.

And that's why even though something in her gut disagreed, Francine was allowing herself to let his desires echo through her heart over and over. He wanted to be alone, unknown to everyone he could keep at bay. He wanted her to stop chasing what she did not comprehend. But he seemed to put both of these wants aside, just for one reason and one reason alone-

His most recent desire of her was for her to seek him out to prevent so that this woman would be alone with her fears not a second more. Not if he could help it.

And that...that was the most that anyone could offer, no matter what lifetime she picked.

She supposed that's why she...was so unquestioning of his attentiveness, of his gentle nature and his acceptance of what must have been the worst fate of all. A villain she couldn't paint her imprisoner to be, even if it could make her more comfortable, her circumstances more conquerable. And even as she didn't know necessarily...how she'd ever find him again, as the studio chose that for her rather than she...- she knew she'd take the opportunity once more. So good to see someone human. So good to be listened to rather than interrogated.

And just as she had begun to forget that others cared about her too even in their harassment, she finally noticed.

This wasn't his office. This wasn't the angel's path. This wasn't even any random place she had been dumped in, as if a portal deemed her time with Joey done and spat her out to filthy halls.

No, this was purposeful.

As she lifted herself up from a lay upon the gurney, she heard the tick! of that never ceasing, mocking Bendy clock. She saw a hammock, just behind all the things she clung to so dearly and thought were lost yet once more and for good.

Francine had woken up inside the safe house, the very same place she never expected to be able to enter ever again just a few days before. So in the most stomach churning mixture of gratitude, awe, and dread, she unlocked the door and left to find her roommate, unsure what lie to make up to explain this revelation.

Joey was right. The studio was kind to her...unusually kind. Just like an old man that somehow wanted everything and nothing to do with his own sins. What a precarious place for her new home to be, and she began to know this just as he did. Something in the walls could feel- could love her, even, or at least feel sorry enough to give her back what she had missed so very much.

Something could care for her but refuse to let her go, and that was the most terrifying thing of all.