Based wholly on a conversation a friend and I had about Toriel possibly going with Frisk in game. I had to write it out for 'em. For my friend Dante!
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Toriel wonders if she has made a mistake as her hand curls into a fist against the stone door. She could feel a child's familiar presence at her hip, she could feel them looking at her.
"Are you certain you want to go outside still?" She had to ask, even after the fight, even after she held that child close as they cried on her. She had to ask. "Do you still want me to go with you?"
Her gaze dropped down to the child, Frisk. Their messy hair obscured their eyes, but she could see them biting their lip. Toriel can only guess what battle lay in the young human's mind. The child nodded slowly. "Yeah. Yeah to both."
"We can always stay here, where it is safe." The thought of leaving her sanctuary is frightening as much as losing this child to Asgore. Toriel weighs Frisk's well being over her own insecurities. She could not lose another child. She refused to lose another child.
"I wanna see, I wanna see everything. I wanna make everything right." Frisk reached out to take her free hand, giving it a squeeze. They are so young, but brave. It makes Toriel feel a fool in some regard. Such optimism feels dead in her now, after so much, it only takes a single child's hope for her to find herself hopeful as well. This child of few words, but lofty serious promises. A child who shivered in her grasp, looking at her with wide brown eyes crying over a battle turned hasty draw. Then they had asked in a soft nervous voice. They asked if she could come with them. They didn't want to be alone anymore.
Toriel offered the child's hand a gentle squeeze in turn, pulling herself from her thoughts. They could not dawdle any longer or she would back down.
"We will make things right." It's a promise. A promise she and Frisk intend to keep. Even if Toriel herself has to yell at Asgore, has to break the barrier herself. She will give this child a good life.
She only pulls away to place both hands flat upon the door. With careful measured strength, the great stone doors creak outwards and open. A flurry of snow falls in the wake of the door being moved after so long. In the first time in many, many decades she has seen this snow in person or felt the bite of the harsh cold. It isn't what snow is like on the surface, but it is close, as close as any monster can get now.
"Mom?" The word still makes her soul shake, such a simple word has such power. A simple word with such love behind it. "Do you think they're gonna be nice?" Uncertainty is there, she can feel Frisk press closer as they stare out at the snowdrifts and path that lay before them. The subtle shift of the caverns make this place look so much larger than it actually is. Big enough to be daunting to a child.
"Yes, a few will be. Others will be frightened, but I am here with you." Toriel offers out her hand again and Frisk readily takes it. She laces her fingers with Frisk's own, a quiet support.
"I'm here with you too." Frisk promises up at her, a determined edge settling on their features. All Toriel can do is laugh gently as they walk out together. The subtle shift of 'weather' is odd, ruffling the heavy fur covering her body.
Frisk stands out in their purple winter coat, too large snow boots crunching as they walked hand in hand. Toriel finds herself hoping this is a fresh start.