"Runnin' off fumes," he answered with another huff. The other Sans' took his sweet time getting back on his feet, his face an absolute work of rage. Now Sans knew why Frisk always looked so fearful when they fought in the past. He could look pretty scary when he wanted to.

Sans stood as well, keeping his stance defensive and summoning a barrage of bones at the ready.

The other growled, sending a shudder through the timeline native skeleton, and readied two gasters,"Y O U T W O A R E M O R E T R O U B L E T H A N Y O U ' R E W O R T H."

As he prepared for an attack, the foreign Sans launched himself at the pair, dragging his gasters with him, though when he was but a few feet away, he suddenly stopped and looked intently behind him. He didn't move for some time, and it was beginning to make his counterpart antsy, his fingers twitching in apprehension. But it came to an end soon enough as the other Sans let his hands fall to his sides.

"H-heh.... Fo-for-fortunately for yo-ou, I have.... O-other mat-t-ters to attend t-t-to-o,"he turned his leer towards the pair,"b-but don't wor-ry. I'll be b-b-ba-ck."

With that, the other Sans turned back towards the opposite wall and the same crackling sound from earlier echoed loudly as reality seemed to tear and welcome him into stark whiteness.

Sans stared at the scene in awe. Never before had he seen anything like this, and he might not ever again. As fast as he could, Sans ran after his double as he stepped inside the void and it began to close. "Wait," he shouted, but it was too late as the last seal disappeared with a strange vacuum sound.

Sans just stared at the spot for a moment, trying to process what had just happened.

He'd been right about the other universes, but never had he expected to actually meet another version of himself, much less fight him. Did that mean there were others like that Sans? Was there a Papyrus like that? Would they both come next time?

No, he didn't have time to think about this!

Frisk! He had to take care of her first. And Paps. And help Alphys' with her research. And finished his own immortality research. And attend his sentry over the Underground. And actually start training. And act like all of this stress wasn't going to kill him. Then he could worry about them.

He could handle it. Right?

Completely forgetting about everything as he lost himself in thought, Sans began to mutter to himself. His words were just a jumble of partially formed thoughts, nothing that really made any sense, but he couldn't help it. He absently reached to shove a hand in his pocket and only then snapped out of his trance, noticing he didn't have it on.

Frisk remained kneeling on the ground. She worked her jaw in anticipation as she watched the two skeletons. In that moment, she would give anything for real fighting experience. Even if it was just extra HP, she could still stand alongside Sans. That was the downside of a pacifist route, she supposed. If things got too rough, she couldn't really protect herself. Then again, there weren't any monsters in their Underground like that Sans. Even at max HP, Frisk doubted she'd be much of a match for him.

Kneeling like that on the sidelines, Frisk felt completely useless. She rocked back onto her toes and shifted nervously. The fight had suddenly stopped, and all she could do was cautiously watch the unstable Sans. When he suddenly elected to end their fight there, Frisk let out a shaky breath of relief. She lowered her head and let her stiff neck and shoulders relax the faintest bit.

Her attention went down to the ground, yet her head quickly snapped back up when she heard her Sans shout. She looked on in horror as he moved to follow the other Sans into that strange void. She moved to get up, yet stumbled and collapsed back to the ground. She passively wondered how much HP she had lost, but her main attention was on her dear friend.

"Sans don't!" She reached out for him, fully expecting to see him disappear into whatever that place was. When he didn't, she let herself relax her arm but didn't relax fully. Concern for him pushed her to successfully stand.

"Sans?" She approached him gingerly, out of fear that she might startle him. She didn't understand a word he said, and that just made her worry more. Watching him closely, she saw him move his hand. It didn't take her long to realize that he was going to put his hand in his pocket...Which wasn't there. She looked down at herself and realized that she had been wearing his jacket the whole time. Quickly, she shrugged it off and put it around his shoulders.

"It's okay," she softly said. Her hands remained on his shoulders, though their grip was light in case Sans wanted his space.

She tried to keep her strength, she really did. But she couldn't keep herself from leaning against him, relieved that he was still there and not a pile of dust. She nuzzled softly at his head.

Sans didn't even notice Frisk's presence until he felt something being draped over his shoulders and a gentle weight leaning against him. He looked to see her nuzzling against him and let out a gentle huff, placing a bony hand over hers.

He didn't know when the other Sans would be back, but he guessed they'd seen the last of him for today. At least he hoped so.

But now what? He needed to go check on Papyrus, but he didn't want to bring Frisk with him(she had to be exhausted), and he wasn't about to leave her by herself. Tori. He could take her to Toriel's and she would be safe.

He knew that Frisk had been capable of ending her, but against a foreign monster, the old goat wouldn't hold back. And as much as that damned flower hated everyone, even he would keep an ear out for her.

"We're heading to Tori's,"he said plainly, wrapping an arm around Frisk's waist before he teleported to the doors of the ruins.

He looked up at the doors, contemplating his words before he spoke softly, still a bit dazed,"Don't tell anyone about..... Him. I don't want anybody to worry. Tori's gonna know something is wrong as soon as she sees us, just say we had a rough night. I know she's like your mom, but you can't say a word about it to her. Lie if you have to."

Calmly he knocked on the door and put on his best fake smile. It was pretty convincing, if he might say so, even if his face was in a perpetual state of a grin.

He'd rest a moment with Frisk and Tori, then be off. He didn't want to even think about what might happen to Paps if the other Sans found him. After all, he had no qualms full force attacking his double, so what would stop him from hurting Papyrus? And sure Undyne was strong, but she couldn't defeat him, and she sure as he'll couldn't fend off that corrupt version of himself. No, he had to protect them all. He had to.

Frisk was visibly uncomfortable at the idea of lying to Toriel. She knew it had to be done, to keep her from worrying about this new threat, but it still left her with a pain in her heart. She had never lied to Tori before. There was never a reason to not tell her the truth, as the old queen understood anything to the best of her abilities.

But this situation was different. Frisk swallowed and nodded stiffly, keeping her mouth shut as they teleported away.

It didn't take long for Toriel to open the door. She recognized Sans' knock well, and at first greeted them with delighted surprise.

"Back so soon, you two?" She eyed them both. Sans' smile was fake, though it was hard for even her to tell. And Frisk was visibly shaking. The old goat's smile fell into an expression of great concern.

"H-Hey, Mom. We thought we'd...Stop by for another visit. Is that okay?" Frisk did her best to seem cheery and happy, despite not moving from Sans' side. She didn't rush into Tori for a hug, and that was perhaps the most telling thing of all.

"My child, are you all right?" Instantly, Tori was over Frisk. She ran a paw through her messy hair, smoothing it and picking out some dirt that had been stuck in it. "What happened?" She turned her attention to Sans and put her other paw on his shoulder, giving him an equally concerned look. He looked worse than Frisk!

"It's okay, Mom! Really! It was just, uhh...A long night." Frisk stole a quick glance at Sans. "Let's just head in," she said as she took her mother's paw and held it.

Toriel gave them a skeptical look, but stood up straight and moved to allow them inside. She turned her paw to hold Frisk's hand tightly, then led them into the hall.

Once inside her living room, Toriel fused over Frisk like she was mortally wounded. She got her a change of clothes, as her outfit had been torn and stained in the fight. It must have been when she was dragged around by those strings. Frisk, of course, didn't dare say that. She simply did as Toriel told her. After that, the old goat sat her down on the couch and gently cleaned the dirt from her face. She also bandaged a small scrape that was on Frisk's cheek.

"Mom, really! I'm okay, I promise!" In all honesty, Frisk was a little embarrassed. First she couldn't do much to help Sans in the fight, and now Toriel was completely babying her. She appreciated the concern, but didn't feel like she deserved it.

All the while, Toriel was quiet. Every once in a while, she'd glance at Sans, as though waiting for the real reason they were both in such a state. She didn't pry it from him, though, and simply let them both relax and eat some of the leftover pie.

As soon as Sans was gone, however, Toriel stood firm and crossed her arms. "Frisk, I want you to tell me what really happened. And I want you to tell me now."
Frisk stared in the direction Sans had been, startled by Tori's sudden firmness. She looked up at her, feeling like a small child that was dangerously close to being grounded. "I...I did tell you! Nothing happened, it was just--"

"A rough night. Yes, you have said that many times now, my child. No matter how many times you say it, I will not believe it."

Frisk slouched and looked to the ground.

"Tell me the truth."

"I...I can't, Mom. I'm sorry, but I can't."

"Why not?"

"Because you won't understand!" Frisk shot her head up to look Toriel in the eye. From her spot on the couch, it was hard to see her expression clearly...But she knew it was a hurt one. "I mean...It's complicated. Please, just trust me when I say it's for the best that you don't know. That no one knows."

Toriel let her arms fall to her sides and stepped back. She turned away from Frisk. "I see..."

Panicking, Frisk stood and went to Tori. "I love you, Mom. It's nothing that's worth worrying about, I promise. Everything will be fine!"

"You're not fine now, Frisk!" Toriel rounded on the young woman, her expression fierce with hurt and worry. She gasped when she realized she had just yelled, and lifted a paw to her chest. "Please," she said much more softly. "Tell me, my child."

Frisk stared at her for a long moment, then lowered her head. "I can't...I'm sorry." Her bottom lip quivered, and she quickly bit onto it to keep from crying. She had shed far too many tears that day.

Toriel was quiet. She waited a moment, then slowly nodded. Again, she turned away. "I am sorry, my child, but I do not want you coming to me in such a condition again. My soul cannot take it."

"I understand, Mom." Frisk slowly stepped up to her and put a hand on her arm. "You don't have to worry about me, I promise."

Toriel didn't respond. They stood like that for a long moment before Frisk finally stepped back. "I'll...wait for Sans in the hall." She paused, and when she didn't hear any argument, she slowly headed towards the stairs. She could feel her heart shatter from the immense guilt, and it was not unlike all those years ago when Toriel begged her not to leave the ruins.

Downstairs, Frisk leaned heavily against the door. She tilted her head up to look at the ceiling, trying to get the tight, sinking feeling in her chest to go away. This was for the best...She had to tell herself that. Sans was right - no one could know about that other Sans, or the possibility of other realities. They had to stay blissfully ignorant.

So why did she feel so bad? Sucking in a breath of the cold air, Frisk put her face in her hands. She took slow breaths as she waited for Sans.

Even as he could feel Frisk shaking when Tori opened the door, Sans didn't let himself speak a word, just nodded along with Frisk. The things they knew would be too much for the queen, hell, it was almost too much for him.

Back before Frisk had finally settled down in this timeline, when he and Tori had.... A thing... He'd tried to explain the resets to her, and she'd nearly lost her mind. He couldn't do that to her again. And that was part of the reason he didn't pursue her this timeline or the few before. He didn't want to put anyone in that position. So as the old queen led them inside and looked to him for the answers Frisk wouldn't give, he simply shrugged and stuffed his mouth with another bite of pie.

Honestly, with how stressed out he was, the skeleton felt sick with each bite he took. But he couldn't bring himself to stop, it was the only way he knew how to cope.

About halfway through his piece, he set his plate down on the table and excused himself, feeling he'd rested long enough. He needed to get to Undyne's and make sure all was well. And if it wasn't? Everyone would have a bad time. Especially that not-quite imposter Sans.

All to eager to leave, Sans didn't even walk down the stairs before teleporting away, appearing outside of Undyne's house. He looked himself over a moment before setting to tidying himself up. Sadly there was little he could do about the dirt stains on his face and clothes, but hopefully neither Undyne nor Paps would pay too much attention to it. Maybe he could just pass it off as him finally training? As if. Papyrus would know that was a sad lie at best. Still, he wouldn't let that stop him.

With a long sigh, he concentrated and teleported to the other side of the door, watching the chaos of spaghetti ingredients flying all over the quaint home. Undyne was at the counter pounding tomatoes, while Papyrus stood over the stove shoving dry pasta into a pot roughly, adding other smashed ingredients afterwards.

The scene was almost enough of a distraction to make the stout skeleton forget his initial mission.

"C'mon, Papyrus! Beat those ingredients down like you would an intruder!" "NYEH! NO INTRUDER SHALL PASS THE GREAT AND MIGHTY PAPYRUS",the tall skeleton bellowed as he began beating the ingredients down into the pot with a conjured bone.

Neither noticed Sans until he let out a chuckle and smoothly spoke,"Looks like you two are havin' a smashing good time."

Taken by surprise, Undyne threw a spear in his direction without missing a beat. Sans easily teleported out of the way, though immediately regretted it as he staggered a bit on landing. And it didn't missed either monster's notice.

Instantly, both Undyne and Papyrus were huddling over him, his brother's face a worried mess,"SANS! WHAT IS THE MATTER, BROTHER? ARE YOU HURT?! UNDYNE, DID YOU HIT HIM WITH YOUR SPEAR?!! "N-no! It missed! I swear!"

Righting himself, Sans looked up at them and forced his grin back on his maw. He didn't want them to worry.

"Heh, don't worry, bro. She's pretty good at spearing me," man, that one was cringe worthy, even to his own ears(or would be if he had any),"Seriously, I'm good."

Neither looked convinced.

"BROTHER, WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE? AND WHERE IS FRISK? I THOUGHT YOU TWO WERE GOING TO REST TODAY," Papyrus questioned as he looked around like she would suddenly appear. Then his worried and innocent gaze rested back on Sans. Something was definitely wrong,"BROTHER, YOUR CLOTHES.... WHAT HAPPENED?"

" 's nothing, Paps, really. I just-"

"Sans! You look terrible! It wasn't 'just nothing'! You look like you just had your ass handed to you," Undyne spoke harshly, her gaze hard, though it softened just a fraction at the glare he gave her for the curse.

"I just need to get some sleep, but I wanted to check up on you guys first, alright? End of story," he growled to the fish monster.

He should leave now before they worried any more. Or worse, if Undyne tried to beat it out of him.

Any other day he could take her, but not here. Not like this.

" SANS, PLEASE TELL ME WHAT IS WRONG. YOU ARE EVEN MORE DISHEVELED THAN YOU NORMALLY ARE! PLEASE," at Papyrus' pleading, Sans felt guilt bloom in his ribcage and wished he could honestly say it was nothing. But it wasn't. And he hated lying to Paps. Even if it was for his own good.

"I'll see you at home, Paps," and without another word, he teleported back to Tori's, falling to the ground as vertigo engulfed him. Had he really used that much magic today? Or maybe it was a combination of that and his meager few minutes of sleep? Either way he silently agreed with himself that he wouldn't be teleporting again any time soon.

Slowly he stood back up, only to see that the house was empty and untouched from when he'd left. Even his half eaten pie was still sitting on the table where he'd left it.

Fear instantly replaced his exhaustion.

He slowly walked around the house, checking every nook and cranny before making his way to the bedrooms. First he checked Frisk's old room, only to be met with emptiness. Next he tried to check Toriel's room, but it was locked.

"Tori," he called with a knock, but received no answer.

He knocked again and heard a faint shuffling inside before a note was slid under the door.

'<i>Frisk is waiting for you in the hall.</I>'

The skeleton frowned at the message and turned to make his way to Frisk. Why was she out in the hall and not inside? This wasn't like her and Tori. Regardless, he descended the stairs and made his way through the hall until he found her leaned against the door.

She looked miserable. He was sure he didn't look much better.

Just from how Toriel was acting, Sans could guess that they'd had some kind of falling out. And it was practically his fault. Maybe... Maybe he could talk to Tori in private about it. He wouldn't tell her everything, just as much as he thought she could handle.

He desperately wracked his skull for some lame pun, but nothing came to mind. So instead he just silently walked over to Frisk and brought her into a tight hug, rasping softly in her ear,"Come on, kiddo. Let's go home."

Frisk didn't know how long she had been standing there. It could have only been a few, it could have been several...She didn't know. She shuddered. The hall provided shelter from the wind and falling snow, but it did little to shield away the cold.

She hadn't heard Sans approach, so she tensed when he pulled her into a hug. The hall had been so still, so quiet aside from the wind outside, that the sudden change startled her. Relaxing at Sans' words, she pulled her hands away from her face and returned the embrace. Wrapping her arms around him, Frisk could swear that he felt...different. Maybe it was all in her head, but it wasn't hard to see how exhausted he was. She held him tight, yet silently feared that he would turn to dust right then and there, that any touch could break him.

It was hard to remember that he only had one HP. He was incredibly hard to hit, confident in his magical abilities, and rivaled Undyne when it came to smarts in battle. He was the strongest boss monster around, and no one knew that better than Frisk. But he had his limits. Frisk knew that, too.

It made her think. Who else could take him away from her and Paps? Would it only take another Sans catching him off guard? When he was this tired, how easy would it be to just...blink and he'd be gone? She swallowed hard and hugged him a little tighter. "Yeah, let's go."

She lingered for a moment, hesitant to leave his arms, then finally backed away to open the door. As it creaked open, a rush of wind and ice billowed in and made her shiver.

Frisk was quiet as they walked, watching the ground as she moved. She stuck close to Sans, occasionally brushing against him. Rather than feel flustered at being so close to him, she found it as a great comfort. After what happened, he was still there. He hadn't left her.

"So," she finally said, clearing her throat a bit. "That was...another you, right? Someone from an alternate universe?" Her gaze was still cast to the snow at her feet. Of course, she knew the answer, but figured it would make a good opener for what they should be talking about.

He followed her wordlessly out into the cold, mostly on autopilot at this point. It was almost dreamlike, surreal even. He couldn't really feel the biting nip of the chilled breeze, couldn't really hear her walking beside him. Maybe if he just closed his eyes he would wake up in his bed....

"So.... That was... Another you, right? Someone from an alternate universe?"

Sans had to take a moment to focus on the question, almost sure that he'd imagined it. White pin pricks very duly glowing now, he debated internally whether they should start this conversation now or wait until they'd both recovered. Frisk would probably be easier to brush off if her questions got too deep now rather than later. "Yeah..... I've never met any of 'em before, but... Knew they were out there, ya know,"he spoke a bit slow and slurred. Maybe he should just teleport them the rest of the way home? They were exhausted after all, and the thought of snuggling down with a soft, warm human was incredibly appealing.

But instead of his body listening to his head, his mouth continued on rambling,"But... Wonder why he came here. Could'a gone to any universe, and he came here. And now.... When everything's settlin' down, he wants to destroy it..."

He stayed silent for some time, his hazy mind trying to comprehend what the universe had against him finally being happy. Why did every timeline end at his expense? Did he really deserve all of this? Did he deserve happiness? Probably not. Maybe all of those times he'd heartlessly murdered Frisk were catching up with him in the form of his corrupt doppelganger.

"I don't want this to end."

He hardly even registered the words had left his mouth, but didn't say anything more as he slid his cold bony hand into Frisk's. He couldn't fathom the thought of starting over again, much less having everything just end.

No.

He wouldn't allow it.

He was finally happy, everyone was. He wouldn't let it be ripped away like that. He would fight until he was dust if he had to, but everyone's joy, his joy, it would have to be pried from his cold, dead fingers. And if he died by that other Sans' hands from his efforts, then at least he died trying.

Frisk dragged her gaze up to look at Sans, taking in his,appearance as he spoke. She listened, but couldn't keep her attention from mostly being on how exhausted he looked. How much magic had he used? Obviously too much if he was choosing to walk, rather than teleport them back home. Frisk wrung her hands together nervously, vaguely hoping it looked like she was only trying to warm them up rather than worrying over Sans.

And it wasn't just concern for him. She worried for their timeline, for their safety against such a foreign and dangerous counterpart. She worried for Sans' happiness, for out of them all he deserved it the most.

She looked away, and jumped when she felt cold bone against her skin. Letting the action take some of her stress away, she tightened her fingers around his. "Neither do I." Perhaps this wasn't the best time to have this conversation, but it had to happen sooner or later. Preferably when Sans was too tired to brush her off and try to change the subject.

"I won't let it."

Not without a fight, even if it was against a being with far more abilities than her. Would the saves help? As a failsafe against damage that would otherwise be irreversible without resetting completely? She hadn't saved in years...She wasn't sure if she even had the power, anymore. Just when she had a good reason to use it...How ironic.

"I've seen one of the other universes before," she suddenly said. "I don't know how, maybe it was a glitch in whatever controls this whole thing." She looked down at the snow, her gaze unfocused like she was lost in a far off memory. "Everything was so...wrong. Flowey was good, but he begged me to kill him. Everyone else was so bitter and angry."

"I lasted...maybe an hour? I probably would've made it a little farther if that version of you hadn't found me." She squeezed Sans' hand. "No matter how much mercy and determination I showed, he just got angrier. Like he had no idea what kindness was." She rubbed at her eyes with her other hand. "I can't imagine what it takes to break someone like that."

"I never want to go back there again, Sans."

The short skeleton, though knowing that Frisk couldn't possibly win against the other him, felt reassurance at her claim, and even let himself relax a bit. Though it quickly dissipated into stressful tension in his bones as she began to describe her time in another universe. One where he was cruel and heartless. One where he knew no mercy.

His hand tightened in hers, sockets going black now, both from exhaustion and the horrible feelings of guilt swirling in his soul.

Back then, in those last few resets, had he not been exactly the same as the Sans she'd described? There were times when Frisk had begged for mercy before the last strike, but he'd refused. And he killed her. And never once had he felt an ounce of guilt for it, at least not until now. Now he felt like a true monster for what he'd done, and he wished every single day that he could take it back. Not just his actions, but his hurtful words as well.

He shuddered at her last words.

He couldn't imagine living in a world like that, though he'd be lying if he said he hadn't thought bitterly about his life. Before this timeline, he'd lost all hope and motivation for striving for a better future.

He'd been depressed and tired, and sometimes thought about how there was no point in fighting. And every time it reset, he felt that hole in his soul grow bigger and bigger. And so he'd decided that, maybe, that just might be the answer.

Damn, all of this thinking was hurting his head.

Up ahead he could see the blurred colors of what he knew was home and held Frisk's hand tighter as he all but dragged her towards the house. He could feel his strength failing, his bones and magic shutting down slowly. He didn't want to scare Frisk, but he desperately needed to rest, they both did.

He didn't say a word as he rushed to the door, opening it, and stumbling over the threshold.

Sans stood there a moment, listening to the house for any signs of life. And then he heard the comforting sound of Papyrus clashing around in the kitchen. Without any warning, the short skeleton collapsed in relief, his mind succumbing easily to the foggy darkness that had been looming over him for some time.

Frisk let her words hang between them, considering them and those vague memories for some time before Sans began to drag her. Blinking out of her thoughts, she held no resistance against him, hurrying her pace to match his. She was a little surprised at his sudden pulling, but didn't question it as she spotted their home up ahead. Considering the distance between the ruins and Snowdin, it was a miracle they had made it there in one piece.

Seeing him stumble, Frisk moved to his side, prepared to catch him in case he fell. She wasn't entirely sure if she could hold him up, being that she didn't have much physical strength even when she wasn't tired. Of course, she didn't have much time to question herself before Sans collapsed completely.

A pang of fear hit her as she scrambled to catch him before he hit the ground. She pulled her hand from his and wrapped that arm around his waist. Her other arm grabbed his own and set it around her shoulders, allowing her to awkwardly pull him further inside. She had never been more thankful that the couch was so close to the door.

"Papyrus!" She cried out, fearing for Sans' health. She knew he was exhausted, but never had she seen him like this. Her chest tightened with panic, while her sore muscles screamed in protest against Sans' heavy bones. Struggling over to the couch, she bent down slightly to carefully deposit her dear friend down on the cushions.

Papyrus had been busy fixing a delicious serving of spaghetti(complete with an extra helping of love just for Sans) when he heard the front door open. Figuring it was just Sans and Frisk coming home, he didn't pay mind to the minor disturbance and continued his vigorous cooking. And then he heard a muffled stumbling sound followed by Frisk calling out for him.

The tall skeleton felt his soul twist sickeningly as he dropped everything and dashed into the front room to see Frisk laying an unconscious Sans on the couch.

He jaw worked wordlessly as he moved to his brothers' side and hovered over him. He picked the smaller skeleton up and placed him down more comfortably before turning to the human,"W-WE..! WHAT H-HAPPENED?! I-I-I...!" The poor skeleton had no idea what to make of the situation, much less what to do. He'd never seen Sans like this before, so frail and exhausted. He was strong, no matter how sad he was on the inside, but now... Now he looked so weak and small. Like anything, any simple touch would break him.

He stuttered out a dry sob before dashing back into the kitchen to grab his phone off the counter and immediately dialed Alphys' number.

He reentered the living room as he waited with bated breath for her to answer, his free hand resting on his brothers' skull. He knew something had been wrong earlier! Why hadn't he just begged Sans to stay at Undyne's with him?

"P-p-p-papyrus! You d-d-don't have to call every t-time y-y-y-you want to b-borrow a movie!"

At the pick up, the tall skeleton clutched the phone like a life line and sputtered out hysterically,"A-ALPHYS! PLEASE! YOU HAVE TO COME QUICKLY! S-SANS, H-H-HE-! HE PASSED OUT, AND I DO NOT KNOW WHAT TO DO! PLEASE! THIS HAS NEVER HAPPENED BEFORE! OH, PLEASE, ALPHYS! I AM SCARED!" "Wha-?! Papyrus! S-slow down! J-j-just keep calm, o-ok? C-can you see a-a-anything physically wrong with him? Any b-broken bones or c-c-cuts?"

Papyrus rubbed the gathering tears from his eye sockets with a sniff and he looked his brother over, shaking as he did,"N-NO. HE DOES NOT HAVE A F-FEVER EITHER."

"A-alright! I'll b-b-be over faster than you can b-blink, ok? J-j-just stay w-with him and call m-m-me if anything changes!"

The younger skeleton nodded, not trusting his voice as he gently hung up and sunk to his knees beside the couch. Carefully, he took one of Sans' hands in his own, praying to whatever higher power was listening that the shorter would be alright. He closed his eyes a moment, taking a shaky breath to somewhat compose himself before looking over to Frisk. Knowing Sans, if Frisk knew what was wrong, he'd probably asked her not to say anything, but even so, Papyrus still gave her the best smile he could manage,"ALPHYS IS ON HER WAY. SHE SHOULD BE HERE SOON."

He looked back down at Sans, taking in just how tired the other appeared, even when he was resting. Why hadn't he noticed anything before it came to this? Why didn't Sans tell him anything?

Grinding his teeth softly, Papyrus debated on asking Frisk, though he was positive she wouldn't give an answer. Still, he had to say something, otherwise he'd burst right back into hysterics all over again. Quietly, Paps took a deep breath,"F-FRISK... I KNOW THAT YOU ARE PROBABLY IN ON WHATEVER IT IS THAT SANS DOES NOT WANT THE REST OF US TO KNOW, BUT..... CAN YOU AT LEAST TELL ME IF THERE IS SOMETHING I CAN DO TO HELP? I... I DO NOT WANT TO LOSE HIM, NOR DO I WANT HIM TO CARRY EVERYTHING BY HIMSELF, SO...", Papyrus cut himself off with a shrill sob.

Frisk could only throw Papyrus a hopeless stare as she moved out of the way. She gave him all the space she could while still hovering near the couch, wringing the front of her sweater nervously. Her gaze went from Papyrus to Sans, then back to Papyrus. She watched him as he left and came back with his phone, no doubt calling Alphys. Her heart sunk at that, knowing that this really was serious if the royal scientist had to be disturbed. The idea that Sans just needed a few good hours of rest completely flew out the window.

The young woman fidgeted with her hands, faintly aware of her fingers and knuckles popping softly at the motions. Her attention had once again drifted to the unconscious Sans, but snapped back to Pap when he addressed her. She saw the smile he forced, and attempted to return it yet could only nod. In a time like this, she knew she had to be strong for Papyrus. The skeleton lying motionless on the couch was his only true family, had been his only support system for so long. If he lost Sans...

If he lost Sans, what would happen? In all the timelines, Frisk never recalled such a scenario. In truth, it chilled her to the bone to think about. She'd do anything in her power to not find out. Right now, she had to be strong for him. He didn't need her breaking down too, though that was what she was desperately fighting against.

Taking in a deep, calming breath, Frisk lowered herself to the edge of the cushion beside where Paps was kneeling. She hunched over as she took Sans' other hand in both of hers, relishing the warmth the bones gave off. It always surprised her how his hands could be so warm, when she expected them to be cold and hard like any other bone. If she focused, she could feel the light hum of his soul, much like anyone would be able to feel the pumping of her pulse. For a small moment, that was all she knew. She held his hand tightly, squeezing it as she ran her thumb over his knuckles.

Frisk looked up only when Papyrus spoke again. The sheer pain in his eyes dragged her heart down to the pit of her stomach. She looked at him for a long moment, trying to think of some kind of excuse, something that would make Papyrus feel better while still keeping him out of the loop. She tore her eyes away to stare at the bony hand in her grasp. She took in a breath, licked her dry lips, opened her mouth and...

And was this how Sans felt? Is this what raced through his mind when similar questions were asked of him? He wanted to protect everyone. He wanted to keep his family safe from things he didn't fully understand and likely never would. The crushing weight of it all was numbing and unforgivable.

"I...I do know, Papyrus. And it's all so much more than anyone other than Sans and myself can handle. You don't want to know, Pap. Trust me, you don't. Our regrets are...They're heavy." Frisk swiped tears from under her eyes. "This world is so messed up. And if there's one truth I can tell you, it's that it's all my fault. I did horrible things, Papyrus. To you, to everyone, and especially to Sans." Finding that she could no longer look at the tall skeleton, Frisk again put her gaze on Sans' exhausted face. "But I'm doing everything I can to make it up to all of you. And I will until the day I die." She gave her friend's hand another squeeze.

"Right now, Sans needs you to stay here with him. I think that's all he can ever ask of you, and it's the best thing you can do for him. If you do that, he'll always be okay." She gave him a smile, warm despite it being forced.

Papyrus had been ready for the shut down, but, not this. This was.... not what he'd been expecting. And Frisk, she was so strong and confident normally, sometimes she'd have the same look that Sans did when he was having a particularly bad day, but other than that, she was... not like this. She sounded hollow and heartbroken as she spoke of having done himself, Sans, and everyone else wrong, and followed it up with how she would spend the rest of her life trying to make it up to them.

But he could recall no wrong she'd done to him.

When they'd first met, the child had seemed a bit nervous, closed off, and not willing to talk much to the tall skeleton. Papyrus had been deeply wounded by her actions, but he'd always felt that perhaps it wasn't just as simple as her refusing his spaghetti, or her not really wanting to be around him or Sans. He hadn't dwelled on the thought too long though, instead he gave being her friend his all. He even talked Sans into doing the same! Though, he had refused at first, muttering about how "now might not be a good time" or "she's been through a lot, just let her be", but Papyrus would have none of that. It was only through both his and Sans' persistence(and perhaps some encouragement from Toriel) that she'd finally come out of her shell and became a real friend to them all.

And now his dear friend was distressed over not only Sans and his wellbeing, but some evil she was convinced she'd committed and was determined to mend. Paps' soul tightened uncomfortably in his ribs and a strange sensation slithered across his cervical vertebrae. It was like a sensation he remembered from a dream, or perhaps the kind of nightmare that you forget as soon as you wake up. But something else filled him as well.

All of a sudden, a knock tore Papyrus' attention from Frisk and the skeleton all but ran to the door and threw it open to see none other than Alphys with a halfhearted smile and a bag of tools in hand. He quickly ushered her in, following almost right on her heels as she made her way over to the couch and looked at the shorter skeleton. "E-excuse me," she nearly whispered as she pulled Sans' jacket off of him and his shirt as well. She looked over his ribcage intently, searching for wounds or cracks or fractures before opening her bag and pulling out a strange machine that she sat on the floor before hovering a shaky hand over his chest. "Y-y-you two m-might w-w-w-want to l-look away,"she said softly. After all, it was rude to look at another monster's soul without permission, but they needed to find out what was wrong and if her was alright.

Papyrus gently tapped Frisk on the shoulder and began walking to the kitchen, hoping she would follow. They had their fair share of things to talk about, it seemed.

But as he finally reached the kitchen, he couldn't find the words to say.

What could he say?

He was lost as to what deed Frisk had ever done that deserved her self condemned punishment. She was so kind and sweet. She'd never hurt a fly, much less say or do something to hurt anyone. But she was convinced she'd done something.

Pushing the thought away, he walked over to the cabinet and pulled out the hot chocolate mix before moving around to find a pot, fill it with water, and set it on the stove to boil. He kept unnaturally quiet the entire time, not sure where to begin, or better yet, where to start. Usually it as Sans and Frisk having these talks, but it typically started with some sort of argument, and Papyrus did not like to argue with anyone, especially not Sans or Frisk.

As the water came to a boil, he moved the pot off of the burner and pulled two mugs down to fill them, putting two scoops of the cocoa mix in each before stirring them and bringing them to the table.

The air felt tense and he couldn't look at the human. He felt awkward, and the lack of talking wasn't helping in the least.

Finally, after a few more agonizing moments of silence, Alphys walked in with a relieved smile on her maw,"S-sans is perfectly f-f-fine! He's just s-super exhausted. Let h-him sleep for a few hours and he'll be r-right as rain!" Papayrus rushed over to the lizard monster, relief clear on his bony features, and walked her to the door with many thanks for her coming out to check on Sans.

Once she'd left, he walked back over to Sans, noticing his shirt and jacket had both been put back on. He smiled fondly at his older brother, glad that there had been nothing wrong.

He didn't know what he would have done if anything had happened to him.

But he didn't forget the problem at hand.

He looked to the human. "FRISK... I DO NOT KNOW WHAT IT IS YOU THINK YOU HAVE DONE TO ME OR SANS, BUT...." Papyrus walked over to her and pulled her into a gentle hug,"I JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW, THAT WHATEVER IT IS, I FORGIVE YOU. AND I STILL BELIEVE IN YOU. WE ARE FAMILY, AND I TRUST BOTH YOU AND SANS WITH ALL OF MY SOUL. PLEASE DO NOT TORTURE YOURSELF WITH THIS, BECAUSE YOU DO NOT DESERVE IT. YOU ARE GOOD AND KIND AND DESERVE TO ONLY SMILE."

The silence that hung in the air made Frisk uncomfortable. Deep down, she knew she had no reason to fear Papyrus. In all her years and timelines, she had never managed to actually get on his bad side. She'd playfully tease him until he got annoyed, but it was always in good fun. She couldn't recall a single time that Paps had gotten angry with her, or gave her any reason to fear him - aside from the first time she met him. She dreaded fighting him, up until she realized he stopped every time he got close to crushing her soul.

Papyrus was all that was good in the Underground. There was no need to worry about him. Still, she was relieved when there came the knock at the door. Knowing it must be Alphys, Frisk reluctantly released Sans' hand and scrambled to get up and out of the way. She gave the royal scientist a smile, though it wasn't as warm as she hoped it was.

Her thoughts went back to Sans. She was quiet, watching with some interest as Alphys began to remove her friend's jacket and shirt. She couldn't keep herself from blushing, suddenly curious though trying not to blatantly stare. Despite all her time spent around monsters, Frisk still had a hard time remembering some of their etiquette. Souls were still so foreign to her, she found it hard to look away when one was within view. That, and it wasn't at all often that she saw Sans like that...if ever. She tensed.

Papyrus tapping her was another welcome relief. Frisk nodded and followed him without a word. She sat down and stared at the table while Paps got the hot chocolate ready. She tried to think of something else to say, something that would lighten the atmosphere a little. But everything she thought of would be ineffective at best, and hollow at worst. So, she stayed quiet.

The hot chocolate tasted wonderful, as it always did, yet Frisk had a hard time focusing on it. She glanced up at Papyrus every other moment, wishing she had better communication skills. She took another sip of her hot chocolate. It made for a good distraction, yet she finished it much sooner than expected. She went to take another drink, only to find the mug empty. She stood and placed it in the sink.

While she was up, Frisk looked over her shoulder at Alphys and smiled at the good news. She allowed herself to let out a long breath and relax, glad to know that Sans hadn't pushed himself past the point of no return. She finished up at the sink and came into the living room just as the door shut behind Alphys. Her eyes were on Sans, yet quickly moved to Papyrus when he spoke her name. That alone got her attention, and she smiled as she heard what he had to say. She shouldn't have expected anything else from him, even if she still didn't think she really deserved it.

She hugged him back tight, finding so much comfort in the embrace. She tensed a bit when he said he still believed in her - the memories of those very same words stung like hell, and it took her a moment to relax and come back to the current timeline.

"Thank you, Papyrus. You're the greatest."

She stood like that for a moment. To her, Sans' hugs were always so firm and protective, while Papyrus' were gentle. It never ceased to amaze her how different they were - the only thing they had in common was being skeletons. She wondered that for a moment, cherished the hug for a second longer, then finally backed away.

Despite Pap's insistence for her to sleep in his room, or perhaps take Sans' despite the mess, Frisk chose to curl up on the other side of the couch. She told Pap it was to keep an eye on Sans, both for his health and in case he had a nightmare - and she wasn't lying. But she also didn't want to disturb the tall skeleton's rest. It had been a trying day, and Pap had training with Undyne in the morning. With a smile, she gratefully accepted a blanket from his room.

"Good night, Paps," she whispered before settling down on the couch. Careful to not disturb Sans, she curled into the corner and drapped the blanket over herself and him. She knew he couldn't really feel the cold, and he had his jacket, but...well, that was just another weird human thing she did. Satisfied, she got as comfortable as she could before shutting her eyes.

Morning came quickly. Frisk slept soundly, her mind too exhausted to conjure up nightmares. She still seemed comfortable enough, despite how twisted her body was from the strange angle. Her arm was draped over the side of the couch, while her face was buried against the arm of it.

Sans couldn't remember. He had no inkling of anything, except that he was Sans, Sans the skeleton. It was dark all around him, but it was pleasant, warm even. He liked this place, it felt safe and cozy, like something he knew he had experienced before, but just couldn't recall for the life of him.

And then he felt himself being pulled at, a gentle, coaxing tug that wasn't unbearable, but was far from comfortable. Exposure was his next sensation. He felt- no... He was exposed, he could feel it. The darkness began to grow cold, eerie, and he swore he just saw something move out there in the inky blackness. The cold was getting worse, he was shivering. He hated this! He just wanted to go back to his safe, warm darkness where he wouldn't be disturbed.

After what felt like an eternity, peace settled back into him, the warmth returned, he no longer felt exposed.

But the chill remained.

He felt violated on the deepest level.

But he couldn't voice this. Couldn't move to curl in on himself. And most terrifying, he didn't know what was next.

Suddenly, as if wherever he was just recalled his trauma, warmth enveloped him. It was strong, caring, and peaceful, but powerful. He relaxed at last and tried to connect with the warmth, let it consume him, but he couldn't. It was as if there was a thin, but very there barrier between himself and the warmth. Sadness struck him, but didn't consume him. He stayed with the warmth, comforted by its presence.

He couldn't think of anywhere he'd rather be.

---

Sans woke, for once, not in a sweat, and no cry of terror on his maw, but warm, relaxed, and maybe just a tad uncomfortable. With a small groan, he stretched and raised his head, only to blush at what he saw.

Frisk's face was buried in the arm of the couch, and he was practically laying on her backside, one skeleton leg by her head, and the other somehow finding a way under her stomach. With dread he wiggled his toes and flushed completely cyan. He could feel the softness of her breasts on either side of his bony foot.

How could she even sleep like that? It couldn't be comfortable!

Then he tried to think back to how they'd even gotten in this position. The last thing he remembered was.... Coming home from Tori's, and then... Collapsing.

Guilt rang through his soul.

He'd worried her, and most definitely Papyrus too. Damn, he was supposed to be the strong one. The one who kept it together no matter what. And he just... Passed out.

Whatever, he could deal with that in a moment, right now he had a slightly more.... pressing matter to deal with. Slowly, he tried to pull his foot out from under Frisk, doing his best not to wiggle his toes or wake Frisk.

Frisk stood at the center of a field. It stretched for as far as her eyes could see, fading off into the horizon. Tall blades of grass tickled at her clothes. They swayed with the breeze, soft and alive despite their yellow shades. The field was so bright, golden even, yet there wasn't a single flower petal in sight.

She had never had such a dream before. The air was so crisp and clean in her lungs, like there was nothing to get in the way. The unseen birds around her sang so beautifully, their songs clear and shrill. The sunlight was harsh on her face. The sun made everything so much brighter, almost blindingly so.

The sun.

Frisk lifted her head to spot the yellow orb glaring just off the horizon. The heat was stifling, yet it felt so nice, so unfamiliar after so many years. She looked down at her hands, seeing how the natural light bounced off her skin. She curled and stretched her fingers, admiring their golden glow. She sucked in another breath and realized why it felt so crisp. She wasn't in the Underground. There weren't miles of rock and dirt and glowing moss above her head. She was on the surface. She inhaled again, held her breath, and let it out slowly.

But where was she? She looked around, squinting in an effort to see past the sunshine. There were silhouettes, their darkness a steep contrast. She couldn't make out any color, but could name each one just from the shapes alone. Sans. Papyrus. Alphys. Undyne. Toriel. Asgore. Frisk smiled.

They were all there, all of her closest friends. Her family. The barrier was gone - the monsters were free. The sight brought tears to her eyes and a heaviness to her heart, though both were out of joy and relief. That was the greatest happiness she had felt in a long time. A very long time.

Something moved. The wind stopped.

Everything faded. Frisk watched as her friends' silhouettes disappeared, and turned to see the sun blink out of existence. Just as the field began to follow, she blinked her eyes open and found the fabric of the couch in her face. She blinked a couple more times and found a couple tears at the sides. She wiped them away and started to position herself to sit up, when she noticed her awkward entanglement with Sans.

"Oh, sorry!" She lifted herself so he could move his foot, and tried to sit up to put a line of space between them. Her movement wasn't as smooth as she wished it was, though. Sitting back against the armrest, Frisk rubbed at her eyes. Mid-motion, she finally noticed that her favorite short skeleton was awake. Sans was awake! She gasped and looked up at him.

"You're awake! Oh my god...Sans, I was so worried!" Without warning, Frisk scooted over to his side of the couch, practically flying as she wrapped her arms around him in a hug. "Are you okay? How are you feeling?"

Sans' soul nearly leapt out of his chest when Frisk began to wake up, freezing completely until she sat up so he could move his foot. Luckily, she didn't seem to notice where its previous location had been, thank whatever god was looking down on him. However, as she tried to sit up, still somewhere between actually being awake and blissfully asleep, she was awkward and shaky, and he couldn't help but snicker quietly at it.

However, he was once more scared shitless(if such was even possible) when she realized what was going on. She almost seemed to shortcut across the couch before flinging herself at him in what was possibly the tightest hug he'd ever received, but he wasn't complaining. He just hugged her with equal enthusiasm, not minding that she was practically laying on top of him.

As Frisk voiced her worry, guilt crept up the stout skeleton's spine. He tried to chuckle it off, though it still sat in his metaphorical gut like a stone,"'m fine. fit as a fiddle. actually, i don't think i've ever felt better to tell the truth."

For the past who knows how long, Sans had never woken up refreshed and at peace, but aside from the feeling of guilt at his weakness, he was feeling it now for the first time. It almost scared him a bit how well rested he felt. Maybe he should work himself to exhaustion every day... Nah. Too much work.

However, the thought brought back the memory of his double.

He would really need to get on the ball in training with his magic. They didn't know when the glitch was coming back, but he'd made it clear that he would return, and until then Sans needed to make sure he was ready.

He looked down at the happy human in his arms, warmth spreading over his ribs as he did,"so, what all did i miss? anything exciting?"

Frisk smiled up at him. She couldn't recall the last time Sans appeared so well rested. He had his better nights, sure, but she could have sworn he looked so much healthier. A massive weight had been lifted from her shoulders, a weight she hadn't known even existed. Apparently, she stressed about Sans and his health far more than she realized.

"Nah, nothing happened. You weren't out for too long. But you might want to reassure Papyrus when he gets up." And that's when it dawned on her. How early was it? She sat up a bit, loosening her grip on Sans as she peered up at the taller skeleton's bedroom. The door was still closed. For once, her and Sans were up before Paps! She didn't want to imagine just how early it was, but she wasn't going to waste such a perfect accomplishment!

Frisk gave Sans one more beaming smile before she completely pulled away from him. "I have an idea!" She stood, straightened her clothes a bit with the note to change out of her pajamas soon, and turned to head into the kitchen. She didn't say anything else, though the brisk way she walked gave off her excitement and happiness.

Despite her several years in that timeline helping Papyrus cook, Frisk hadn't made anything herself in a long while. Papyrus normally beat her to the punch when it came to making meals, which she didn't complain about at all. But it was time that she do the cooking, especially after all the turmoil and tears the small family had gone through the last few days. The skeleton brothers definitely deserved it.

Pancakes were simple enough for her to remember, along with bacon and hashbrowns. She moved pots and pans around she she went about cooking breakfast, trying to keep their heavy clanks quiet so as not to disturb Papyrus if he was still sleeping.

It wasn't long before she had the food ready and served on the table. She was no master chef like the Great Papyrus, but she certainly made a good meal.

He followed her gaze when Frisk pulled away and looked up to Paps' door, thoroughly surprised to not see the taller up and about already. Oh stars. That meant only one thing. It was super early.

Papyrus would never let him live this down.

Sans could pretend to be asleep when he woke up and then everything would be right and dandy, but as Frisk moved to the kitchen, he suddenly didn't find lazing around on the couch very appealing anymore. He laid where he was a moment longer, staring after Frisk and feeling the warmth in his chest fade, before he stretched once more and sat up. He debated only a moment before getting up and walking to the kitchen doorway to watch whatever it was Frisk was doing. And it probably shouldn't have surprised him to find her making breakfast as much as it did.

She was always helping Paps in the kitchen, but it was very rare to find her cooking by herself. Still, he didn't mind in the least. It was refreshing to watch her cook, and he didn't think he could look away even if he wanted to. There was something mesmerizing and.... right about watching her. From the slight sashay of her hips when she moved, to the way she paid such delicate attention to how well done the food was.

The entire time his eyes stayed glued to her.

At least until she finished up. Kicking himself into gear, he helped to set the table before taking a seat, keeping his eyes to the suddenly interesting woodwork of the table and tracing an idle finger over the gentle and familiar swirls.

It wasn't long until the sound of Papyrus' door opening caught his attention and made for a very welcome distraction.

At first the taller skeleton walked down the stairs, as usual, parading into the kitchen, suited and ready for the day, starting with making his most delicious breakfast, but stopped when he saw the table set with both Sans and Frisk awake.... Sans! "OH MY GOD! SANS! YOU'RE AWAKE, BROTHER," he wasted no time in rushing over to pull the older into what was yet another hug of a lifetime. And again, Sans didn't really mind it.

"sup, bro," was the eloquent masterpiece that left him as he hugged Papyrus back, a little gentler than he had Frisk, but none the less loving.

A bit appalled at the lazy vocabulary of his brother, Papyrus pulled back with a pout,"DO NOT 'SUP' ME! HOW DO YOU FEEL? ARE YOU ALRIGHT?" Sans grinned and nodded,"yep, healthy as a horse, bro. i feel great, actually. never better." Paps nodded with a smile of his own and set the short skeleton back in his seat before looking over the spread on the table, with practically stars in his eyes,"FRISK, DID YOU COOK ALL OF THIS? IT LOOKS DELICIOUS! THANK YOU!"

Frisk was finishing pouring three glasses of orange juice, when she saw Papyrus walk into the kitchen. She looked up and smiled, adoring the sight of the two brothers hugging. Compared to the absolute dread from last night, their warm interaction was incredibly welcome. She nodded when Paps noticed the food, a slight blush on her face. "Well, I thought you deserved someone cooking for you for a change," she said, a bit bashful as she turned to put the juice carton away. "Especially since I woke up so early."

Honestly, she couldn't remember a better morning. Their mornings were either full of blissful ignorance, or the quiet aftermath of a night full of nightmares. But this morning was calm and peaceful. It lacked any true heaviness, and for once Frisk felt honestly and truly happy. If only every morning could be like that.

After dropping the last pan into the sink to soak, Frisk plopped herself down at the table and grabbed the syrup. She ate quietly, enjoying every bite. She didn't burn anything, or mess up the pancake batter. She was normally such a klutz when she tried to take on adult responsibilities, so it was nice to know that she was figuring things out.

"So I uh...Had a pretty interesting dream last night." She stared down at what was left on her plate. Frisk didn't normally speak of her dreams, even if Papyrus was often curious as to what sort of images could cause her such fear at night. And she never wanted to force Sans to relive a genocide timeline. So she kept them to herself, but this dream was so unusual, she couldn't help but share it with both skeletons. "Everyone was in it. I don't know where we all were, but it was beautiful...Really bright and yellow." She paused, remembering the warmth on her face. Her mind must have snagged that from a moment from her childhood, before she fell - a time she could no longer remember at all.

"We were on the surface."

Finally, she looked up and glanced between the brothers. She didn't say anything else, but her gaze fell on Sans. She had such a hard time remembering every reset, so she couldn't tell if she had ever gotten them to the surface or not. She hoped she hadn't, if only for the fact that their perfect ending would have been stripped away. Now, to achieve such an ending would take more drastic measures. Her window of time to get them last the barrier had just about closed, and the only way would be for her to give up her soul.

She shut that thought down. No, she wasn't going to ruin their wonderful morning. Instead, she smiled lightly and looked back down at her breakfast. "I never really dreamed of the surface before...It was nice."