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Chapter 74 - Healing

As the couple entered an area with a rail track and red pipes around the area, the ground and walls started shaking, which shocked them and made them look around. "Is this the Prototype's doing?" Michelle asked.

Kevin growled a bit. "He better not lay a finger on Katie and the others..." he said in a low voice.

Michelle twisted the knob, switching from the Omni-Hand to the orange hand. "They'll be fine; remember the stuff she told you back at the Doctor's lab?" she asked rhetorically. "I saw it with my eyes; she can handle herself."

Kevin crossed his arms. "Oh yeah, she told me all about it..." he said. "She also told me the stuff that happened before you two entered his lair..."

Michelle flinched a bit. "The storage trap and electrocution trap, I'm not too upset about because you had no choice," Kevin continued before sternly looking at her. "But the way you freed that little dragon plush from the vital chamber... that was all you..."

Michelle looked at Kevin with a nervous laugh and a sweatdrop. "U-Uh... I don't—" he retracted the claws on both of his hands before grabbing her cheeks and lightly pulling them, which made her flinch, tears pricking her eyes.

Kevin sternly looked at Michelle while lightly pulling on her cheeks. "Did you really think you could keep that hidden from me?" he asked rhetorically. "Your mistake was trying to tell Katie not to tell me; I can easily tell when she's lying."

Michelle looked at Kevin. "I only did it to prove a point to the Doctor," she said in a muffled voice. "Plus, I tucked the fist I used into my jacket sleeve so I wouldn't cut myself."

Kevin stared at Michelle before looking down with a sigh and letting go of her cheeks, which made her let go of the right arm cannon's handle and rub them in circles. "Yeah, yeah, actions speak louder than words and all that," he said.

Kevin looked at Michelle with gentle eyes. "But when Katie told me what you did... it honestly scared me..." he continued.

Michelle looked at Kevin, surprised, as he knelt and held her hands in his before looking at her palms. "If something awful ever happened to you... I could never forgive myself..." he said before gently rubbing his thumbs against them. "And if someone ever hurt you..."

Kevin looked down and trembled. "I would've lost it right then and there..." he continued.

Michelle frowned as Kevin pulled his hands away from hers; before he stood up, she quickly hugged him, which surprised him. "I'm sorry..." she said.

Michelle looked down. "I didn't mean to scare you like that," she continued. "I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me..."

Kevin looked at Michelle before sighing and wrapping his arms around her with a gentle smile. "You're back here with me and the others alive; that's all I care about," he said.

Michelle smiled and looked at Kevin before they kissed; after they pulled away, she looked at him. "C'mon, the explosives aren't gonna plant themselves," she said.

Kevin nodded as he stood up before the couple sprinted forward; when they turned right, they saw Baba Chops near a yellow brick-like device with a digital clock that was held by duct tape with two wires: one red and the other blue, connected to it on top of a box and a hole in the wall.

Michelle grabbed the right arm cannon's handle and aimed it at the wall near Baba Chops before pulling the trigger.

A flare shot out of the orange hand and hit the wall, which startled Baba Chops before they leaped through the hole. When the couple was close to the box, Michelle picked up the device and examined it. "Is this...?" she asked.

Kevin nodded. "It's a mining charge," he said before turning his head to the left. "If I remember right, there should be three more in the foundation."

Michelle put the mining charge in her right jacket pocket before turning left and grabbing the left arm cannon's handle. "Well then, let's find them," she said.

Kevin nodded as he walked to the left, which made Michelle follow; soon after, they spotted a cart with a jump pad on it.

Michelle looked at the cart's handle and grabbed the left arm cannon's handle before aiming at it and pulling the trigger, launching the blue hand and grabbing it. "This probably holds some importance," she said before the couple continued walking, which pulled it in the process.

Soon after, the couple entered a large room with large blue pipes on the walls and roof, three storage tanks, and multiple valve handles. "So this is the foundation..." Michelle said in a low voice.

Kevin nodded. "The place she wants to blow up..." he said.

Michelle turned her head to the right and spotted an opening with a rail track. "Let's gather the charges first; then we'll go from there," she said.

Kevin nodded before the couple approached the opening; after they went through it, Michelle brought the cart with the jump pad to the hole above the ground.

Soon after, Michelle pulled the trigger, which made the blue hand retract back to her; after the minecart was near the hole, the jump pad powered up. Michelle turned her head to the tunnel on the opposite side before approaching it, which made Kevin follow.

When the couple reached the large hole, they saw a long metal canister filled with liquid nitrogen. "Liquid nitrogen," Michelle said before looking at Kevin. "I'd step back if I were you; I don't want to hurt you by accident, and it might cause a loud noise."

Kevin nodded before stepping back and placing his hands on the sides of his head. Michelle aimed the right arm cannon at the canister before pulling the trigger.

As the orange hand shot a flare, Michelle let go of the arm cannons' handles and sprinted away from the hole; when it hit the canister, she quickly covered her ears before it exploded.

After the couple uncovered their ears, Kevin turned his head to the back. "I think I remember seeing an area with a small gap; that should take us to what's on the other side," he said.

Michelle nodded before walking past Kevin. "I can check it out; just in case the liquid nitrogen is still in the air," she said, which made him nod.

When Michelle entered a small area with a yellow machine, a couple of empty metal canisters, and a couple of mining tools inside a metal barrel, she spotted the gap before approaching it and slowly going through it.

When Michelle was on the other side, she spotted another mining charge on top of the box before picking it up and putting it in her left jacket pocket. "Two down, two to go," she said before going through the gap.

When Michelle was out of the gap, she spotted Baba Chops and Poe near the area. Before Michelle could do anything, a dough arm with red claws slammed against the ground, which startled the Nightmare Critters and made them run away.

Soon after, Kevin stood near the opening with a slight growl. "Those little shits..." he said in a low voice.

Michelle approached Kevin. "I got the second charge; let's find the remaining two," she said, which made him nod before they left the area.

After the couple entered the tunnel on the right, they turned right and saw a pathway with a small hole before approaching it. When the couple was close to the hole, they crouched before going through it.

After the couple stood on wooden boards, Kevin spotted a mining charge on top of a box before stretching his left arm and grabbing it. "That makes three," he said before it went inside him.

Michelle looked at Kevin. "The last one should be near the jump pad," she said.

Before the couple approached the hole they entered through, the wooden boards under them broke, which shocked them. Kevin quickly wrapped his left arm around Michelle before digging his right claws into the ledge, which held them in place.

The couple looked down as the broken wooden pieces disappeared in the darkness. Kevin sighed annoyingly. "Well, that fucking sucks," he said before looking up and stretching the arm holding Michelle to the ledge.

After Kevin placed Michelle on the ground and let go of her, he pulled himself up; they looked at the hole ahead of them. "Oh, that ain't ominous as hell," he said sarcastically.

Michelle sighed and grabbed the right arm cannon's handle. "Unfortunately, we don't have a choice," she said.

Kevin nodded before the couple crawled through the hole; when they were on the other side and stood up, Maggie Mako and Icky Licky came out of small holes. When Icky Licky leaped toward Michelle, she aimed the right arm cannon at him and pulled the trigger.

The orange hand shot a flare at Icky Licky, which made him scream and hit the ground before running away. Before Maggie Mako got too close to Michelle, Kevin grabbed her, which made her flinch.

When Kevin brought Maggie Mako close to his face, he snarled with his fangs showing, which terrified her. After Kevin let go of Maggie Mako, she ran away; Michelle looked at him. "Wow, I'm surprised you didn't slice her in half."

Kevin sighed. "Believe me, I wanted to..." he said before looking at Michelle. "But I shouldn't waste my energy on pointless stuff like that; keeping you safe is my top priority."

Michelle smiled before the couple walked forward; after they dealt with a few of the Nightmare Critters, they returned to the center tunnel.

Michelle twisted the knob, switching from the orange hand to the purple hand. "Saved the best one last; it should lead us back into the foundation," she said.

Kevin nodded as Michelle approached the cart with the jump pad before getting on it. Michelle aimed the right arm cannon at the jump pad and pulled the trigger, launching her into the air before landing in the cave.

After Kevin pulled himself up, the couple sprinted forward; soon after, they saw a mining charge on top of a box. Kevin grabbed the mining charge. "And now we've got all four," he said as it went inside him before the couple sprinted forward.

When the couple reached the opening, they saw a metal catwalk before going down the rocky ramp.

After the couple got on the catwalk, Michelle spotted a light blue VHS tape on top of a barrel. "Hey, it's a VHS tape," she said as she let go of the right arm cannon's handle before sprinting forward.

Kevin stared at the tape before uncomfortably looking away and crossing his arms; when Michelle was close to the barrel, she picked it up and examined it. "You probably got some good intel," she said.

When Michelle turned her head to Kevin, she noticed his expression, which concerned her. "Kevin?" she asked.

Kevin flinched a bit before shaking his head. "Y-Yeah... it definitely holds something..." he said in a low voice.

Michelle looked at Kevin, worried, as he quickly walked forward. "We should get going," he continued before turning left.

Michelle stared at Kevin before nodding and following behind. When the couple entered the opening, they saw a large gap; Kevin spotted a pipe above the gap before stretching his right arm and wrapping it around it.

Kevin looked at Michelle. "C'mon, there's probably something important in that other building," he said.

Michelle nodded before approaching Kevin; when she was close to him, he carried her in his left arm before stepping back.

Soon after, Kevin sprinted forward and jumped before swinging to the other side. After Kevin let go of the pipe and landed on the ground, he placed Michelle on the ground before they entered.

The couple saw a small room with a purple keycard on a desk, a couple of lockers, two filing cabinets, a Bubba Bubbaphant cutout, and a TV with a light blue VHS player below it. "There's the TV," Michelle said.

Kevin remained silent before looking down with a frown; Michelle turned her head to him and noticed his frown before turning to him, concerned. "Is something wrong?" she asked.

Kevin looked away and crossed his arms. "I... well..." he said in a low voice.

Michelle stared at Kevin before looking at the tape in her hand and holding it out. "This tape contains the day you killed Jack's parents, doesn't it?" she asked.

Kevin closed his eyes and clenched his arms. "Yeah... it does..." he said in a low voice.

Michelle hummed before looking at the tape. "Then I don't have to watch it," she said, which shocked Kevin and made him look at her.

Michelle looked at the ground and raised the hand that held the tape. "I can easily destroy the tape and—" she was interrupted when Kevin gently held her wrist, which shocked her. "I don't want you to..."

When Michelle turned her head to Kevin, she saw his somber eyes. "I want you to watch it," he continued.

Michelle looked at Kevin, concerned. "Are you sure?" she asked.

Kevin nodded before letting go of Michelle's wrist and stepping back. Michelle stared at Kevin before looking at the tape; soon after, she sighed before approaching the player. After Michelle inserted the tape into the player, the couple looked at the TV as it booted up.

Soon after, the couple heard heavy breathing in the background. "Sir, ma'am, I ask that you remain calm whenever you interact with the... patient," the scientist said. "He's only been awake for a few days now. In many respects, he's still adjusting."

The couple heard footsteps in the background. "Is that... is that him? Is that my boy?" a woman asked.

"Yes, ma'am; it is," the scientist said.

"Oh, George, that's our boy... Jackie..." the woman said.

"Why does he look like that? What did you do to him?!" George shouted.

"Stop it, George! Just stop!" the woman shouted. "That's our son in there; our SON."

Kevin looked down and crossed his arms. "Dear, look at it; that's not even human!" George shouted.

"Let's just talk to him; y-you'll see," the woman said. "Let's just go in there and talk to him."

Kevin clenched his arms. "Can we? Can we talk to him?" the woman asked.

"Yes, ma'am, you certainly can," the scientist said.

Soon after, the couple heard a vault door open in the background. "Go on in, whenever you're ready," the scientist continued.

The couple heard footsteps coming from the TV before the vault door closed in the background; soon after, the heavy breathing became louder. "Jack?" the woman asked.

The couple heard footsteps from the TV. "Jack, I... I want you to know... I'm so, SO sorry," the woman said. "I've never forgiven myself for what happened..."

Michelle frowned a bit. "I've played it all back a million times in my head, and I know, I KNOW there had to be... SOMETHING I could have done," the woman continued.

Michelle covered her mouth a bit. "I could've reached just a little further. I could've noticed a little sooner. I could've—" the woman cut herself off before sighing. "But we have you back now. That's what's important."

Kevin gritted his teeth. "We can—" Doey interrupted the woman. "Who... are... you..."

Michelle stared at the TV, heartbroken. "J-Jack? H-Honey, it's me; it's mommy," the woman said.

"M-Mommy..." Doey said in a low voice.

"Yes, yes! It's mommy and daddy," the woman said.

The couple heard the heavy breathing get quicker. "You remember me, don't you?" the woman asked.

"Leave... me... alone..." Doey said.

The couple heard sniffling. "Hey, hey, you'll be OK; I promise," the woman said. "Mommy's only here to talk."

"No, no, I don't WANT to talk; get out!!" Doey shouted.

"Susan, I think we should leave..." George said.

"Jackie, I'm staying right here," Susan asked. "I'm not leaving you; not ever again, do you hear me?"

The couple heard larger steps coming from the TV. "The gentle voices lie; I know what they do!" Doey shouted. "They lie... and they poke... and they hurt!"

The couple heard growling coming from the TV. "Susan, Susan, get away from it!" George shouted.

"J-Jack...? Mommy won't lie to you, Jackie. Mommy won't hurt you," Susan said. "I'd NEVER hurt you."

The couple heard someone punching against the vault door on the TV. "Hey... hey, open this door!" George shouted.

The couple heard something slam in the background, which made Michelle gasp while Kevin winced. "Oh God... Susan!" George shouted.

The couple heard heavy footsteps as the banging in the background grew louder. "Please! OPEN THE DOOR!! PLEASE!!" George shouted.

The couple heard George's screams before they heard another slam in the background; they heard silence from the TV until they heard Doey cry.

When the TV turned off, Michelle uncovered her mouth and stared at the screen with a slight tremble. "Oh my God..." she said in a low voice.

Kevin trembled. "It happened days after we turned into Doey..." he said in a low voice.

When Michelle turned to Kevin, dark teal dough tears landed on the ground, and he dug his claws into his arms. "Back then... I had no idea they were Jack's parents..." he continued. "I... I didn't want us to get hurt again..."

Kevin started hyperventilating a bit and quickly shook his head. "The damn gentle voices..." he said in a low voice.

Michelle stared at Kevin before tears fell from her eyes; she sprinted toward him before hugging him, which shocked him.

Kevin looked at Michelle with dark teal dough tears pricking his eyes. "None of this is your fault," she said. "That scientist... used you and the other two to get rid of any familial ties to the outside world."

Michelle trembled and clung to Kevin. "This company manipulated your emotions to get what they wanted..." she continued. "As someone who knows the same experience you three went through, I'm so... so sorry..."

Kevin stared at Michelle before dark teal dough tears fell from his eyes; he wrapped his arms around her slightly tighter before they collapsed to their knees. "I don't deserve someone like you..." he said. "Not only as my friend... but as my girlfriend..."

Kevin trembled and rested his head against Michelle's shoulder. "I love you..." he said in a low voice before he started crying.

Michelle gently smiled with tears pricking her eyes and stroked Kevin's back. "I love you, too..." she said in a low voice.

After the crying subsided and Kevin pulled away, Michelle placed her hands against his cheeks and wiped his dark teal dough tears away with her thumbs before kissing his forehead. "C'mon... let's finish this up," she continued.

Kevin slowly nodded as Michelle pulled her hands away before standing up; she looked at the purple keycard before approaching the desk. When Michelle was close to the desk, she picked up the purple keycard in her left hand before the couple left the room.

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