Days off were not a common occurrence for the members of the Snowdin Family, especially not during the summer when the activity in the streets was high. Snowdin rarely fought with the other established families, but they all had to contend with small upstarts, thieves, and rogues that, in any organized group, could be dangerous and bad for business.

This particular day, the Snowdin Family leader had decided to take his closest people out to lunch. Surrounded on all sides by his six top men and consigliere, Don Garrett R. Sans stepped out into the sunlight and placed his Homburg hat tilted forward on his head to block the bright rays. Considered fairly handsome by most, the Don was most recognizable by the long scars on his face and his missing eye, and he had been at the head of Snowdin Family since he'd put a bullet between the eyes of his predecessor twenty years prior with the entire family at his back supporting a change of power. Now thirty-nine, Don G was watching over a comfortable period of mostly-peaceful business dealing in smuggling and operating an underground gambling ring.

"Hm… what do you all say to dessert? My treat, of course," the Don spoke up, taking a pack of cigarettes from his vest pocket and a matchbook.

"An ice cream date, eh, boss?" The massive, blonde-haired powerhouse behind him chuckled. Grey, along with his two brothers Les and Wolfe who were there with them, were three of G's longest-standing men who had supported him in his takeover of Snowdin. All three had taken knives or bullets for him at some point, and G had done the same for all of them at least once.

"Well, we already had a romantic lunch date, Grey. Might as well have a sweet ending." That earned laughs from each of his close-knit group save his always-quiet consigliere who was distracted with a notepad. She was working constantly, and not because she had to, but because G knew she was just a workaholic and a perfectionist. The best way to get her attention, G often found, was to simply take her work away. Plucking the notepad out of her hands, G gave her a half-smile and tucked the pad away into his vest before striking a match and lighting a cigarette. "Join the land of the living, Kitten."

With a long sigh, the young woman glanced at the Don and followed at his side as he led the way down the sidewalk. Les and Grey chattered while G's two smuggling aficionados, a couple named Rissa and Jeremy, walked happily hand-in-hand. Brando, who they all called Doggo, was trailing a bit behind with Wolfe, the two constant (and G believed, romantic) partners always guiding one another as Doggo was nearly blind and Wolfe wasn't good with people. Everyone in the family had had a 'partner' except for G until Kitten appeared some years ago when she was a hotheaded, fourteen-year old mystery girl. Seven years under the Don's tutelage and protection had turned her into a straight-faced, incredibly dangerous advisor. Being the only person who knew almost every secret the Don had, he kept her close as she could be as much a target as himself, though she could destroy any threat to either of them if given the chance.

Coming upon a small line up to the little ice cream stall on the corner, G pulled out his wallet and gave a large bill to Les. "Take everyone up and let them get whatever they like."

"Anything for you, boss?" Les asked, folding the bill and pressing it into his vest pocket for the time being.

"Hm… just a sundae. Kitten?"

"I'm fine," she answered quietly from her usual place just beyond G's right shoulder.

"If she wants any, she can share mine," G sighed, patting Les's shoulder before he turned to join the line with the others.

Turning to Kitten, G raised an eyebrow over his missing eye. "You've been quieter than usual."

"I should be working," she muttered, brushing a strand of her long, dark brown hair behind one ear. She wasn't bad to look at, as many people mentioned only to lose a few teeth shortly after. With light tan skin and dark brown hair and eyes and a slender but strong frame, she never wore makeup beyond a touch of foundation and eyeliner just to look professional, and she was always well-dressed like most family members in dark slacks, leather shoes, and a white dress shirt. They all normally wore vests and jackets too, but it was too warm out for all those layers.

"You haven't taken a day off in over a year. And neither have I. Just relax and enjoy it," G insisted calmly, glancing over to Wolfe as he caught Doggo's shirt sleeve before he could trip over a discarded box near a building at the corner. "None of the boys have been off since spring either. And it's always good to go out, just my best and me, and enjoy doing and talking about normal things."

"Normal?" Kitten asked with a sideways glance at G.

"Things like… Les and his wife expecting a baby, Grey getting engaged… I'm still waiting on Doggo and Wolfe to tell us that they're getting married."

"Wolfe hasn't gotten up the courage to ask yet," Kitten muttered.

"Our fearless Wolfe is afraid of asking a question that Doggo will obviously say yes to?"

"Mhm."

"Heh. I'll have to tease him about it later." G took a long drag from his cigarette then, noticing Kitten glancing around secretly. "Relax. The area's clear today."

"So says Papyrus."

"So says our best lookout and all of his sources," G corrected her. "It's my little brother, Kitten. He takes my safety as seriously as you do, but with a lot more smiling."

"You can hardly blame me after all the threats leveled at you and the other Dons lately."

"I don't blame you. I just wish you'd trust Papyrus. He's the best at his job and he doesn't let anyone work with him that he has even the slightest doubt about."

"I don't trust anyone that much, G. Not even you," Kitten murmured, crossing her arms as she watched Les speak to the man selling ice cream.

"I know you don't, and I appreciate it even if it gets annoying when you find out I'm lying."

"It's because you lie to spare my worry, and you only make me worry even more."

"Aw, you worry about me?" G asked with a chuckle and a smile to the young woman.

"I worry about how the hell this family would recover if you got yourself killed," she grumbled, and G wrapped an arm about her shoulders with a deep laugh.

"You know what? I'll take it."

"Here you go, boss," Les spoke up as he came trotting back to G with the little plastic bowl of ice cream and fudge and peanuts. Looking at Kitten, he hesitated to speak to her. "And uh…I… I got an extra spoon… if you want, Miss K." Les offered her the plastic spoon and she sighed, taking it with a quiet 'thank-you.' Except for Wolfe, Grey, Doggo, and Rissa, the entire family tended to avoid talking to Kitten about anything 'unimportant' and they always promptly answered her whenever spoken to. She had no qualms about beating respect into anyone, even though G often told people she was a pacifist.

Les left them to step over to Grey, who had both their ice cream cones. Kitten glanced over at G's sundae as he took a bite, and she sighed before reaching over to take a spoonful as well. G decided not to comment and tease her. Even something as simple as sharing ice cream was too personal for Kitten, and she had always been far too professional and stiff for her own good. It meant she got things done and done well, but it also meant that her closest relationship was with G as his secretary and consigliere.

...

About an hour later, G unlocked the door to his office and stepped inside with Kitten close behind. He opened up the window and turned on his desk fan to get fresh, cool air flowing. He didn't mind when Kitten took his hat from his head and picked up his jacket to hang them on a stand in the corner. He did, however, take notice when she returned to his side and fished around the inside of his vest to retrieve her notepad.

"If you wanted to feel me up, you could've just asked," G muttered with a half-grin.

"Hardly, old man." Straight-faced, Kitten settled in her usual seat on the opposite side of his desk, picking up a pen to begin jotting down notes for later.

"I thought I told you it was our day off."

"You did. But just because you're all being lazy doesn't mean business won't continue as usual tomorrow. I have a lot of paperwork to finish up tonight."

"No, you don't. You'll do it tomorrow."

"G," Kitten glanced up, her eyes warning him that she couldn't just leave that work for later.

"Kitten, I'm serious," G reached across and snatched the notepad away once more. "You're going to come with me and play cards with the boys tonight, rather than drowning yourself in work as per usual. Capiche?"

"I don't gamble, Don."

"We're not using real money. Instead, the losers are going to split the cost of lunch for the main office next Friday. The winner gets fifty dollars cash from me."

Kitten sighed deeply, sitting back in the chair. "Fine. But I swear if you interrupt my work tomorrow-"

"I won't unless I absolutely have to, I promise," G made a cross over his heart with a smile, and Kitten rolled her dark eyes. "I'll even make sure there's a cinnamon bun on your desk tomorrow morning. Maybe even your favorite kind from the west end, if you're good tonight." That caught her attention and G's smile widened to see a tiny hint of blush on Kitten's face, embarrassed at how well he knew her and her sweet tooth for Snowdin cinnamon buns.

"You're an ass," she grumbled, and G reached across to lift her chin so she was looking straight at him.

"You enjoy it. And you hate that you enjoy it," he teased softly, and she swatted his hand away.

...

A long night of poker, champagne, and cigars meant a late wakeup for Don G and his close-knit circle. But when he found the main office door unlocked and the smell of fresh coffee wafting from the mini-kitchen behind Kitten's desk he found that a sizable stack of paperwork was already done and ready to be filed in the 'outgoing' box on the desk. The door leading to his own large office was still locked, but a paper bag was hanging from the handle with a logo from the local cafe down the street. G had brought a box of his own from Kitten's favorite pastry shop, the promised cinnamon bun still warm inside.

"Kitten?" He called, setting the pastry box down and shrugging off his jacket. He glanced at the clock to see it was already half-past nine. He was half an hour late, but Kitten was always early no matter what because she was incredibly punctual, and she actually lived on the second floor of the three-story headquarters. G had his own room leading off from his office that he stayed in when things were too dangerous to leave, but his usual residence was a two-story, small house on the north end near the river, and his neighbors were all members of Snowdin Family.

"Coffee?" Kitten called out from the little kitchen.

"No sugar today, please." G unlocked his office door, taking the little paper bag and stepping inside to hang up his hat and jacket. He noticed a letter had been slid under the door, and he picked it up before taking his seat behind his desk. "What's this letter?" He asked as Kitten stepped in, finding the envelope completely unmarked.

"… I don't know," she murmured, setting a cup of coffee with a touch of cream down at the head of his desk. "Here." He offered the letter to her and, taking safety precautions, she turned on his desk lamp and held up the letter to make sure there was nothing untoward inside. While it probably would never happen to Don G, there was one time a few years back that another Don had been sent an envelope with anthrax powder inside. Thankfully no one had gotten sick, but it was a huge scare shortly followed by another assassination attempt in the form of a car bomb.

Finding the envelope unthreatening, Kitten opened it up and checked inside before taking out the single piece of paper, scrawled with a simple message in shaky letters. Before she could read it, G took it back and unfolded it, finding grime and flecks of blood dried on the paper. He knew the handwriting, but it was written as if the sender's hands couldn't stop trembling.

Don G,

Don't go home tonight.

-U

"Shit," G growled, giving the letter over to Kitten as he stood up quickly. He had to tell himself that couldn't run off and evacuate his home neighborhood like his gut told him to. He needed Kitten's level head.

With an intense gaze she glanced at the message. "Undyne. But why doesn't this feel right?"

"I'll call Asgore and ask where she is. You check the night watch logs, find out if anyone came in late."

"Done." Kitten turned and hurried out toward the hall while G went to the telephone mounted by the door to his extra bedroom and quickly put a number into the rotary dial.

He waited about twenty seconds before the calm voice of Asgore's secretary answered. "Mr. Dreemurr's office, this is Kelly. May I ask who's calling?"

"Kelly, it's Garrett Sans. I need to talk to Asgore immediately."

"Oh, Don G. I'm sorry but Mr. Dreemurr isn't here right now. You just missed him."

"Then can you tell me where Undyne is?"

"Miss Undyne was admitted to the hospital just a while ago, sir. Mr. Dreemurr wanted to keep it quiet but of course he wouldn't mind you knowing."

"Goddammit… Listen, did anyone deliver a letter to my headquarters last night? Any of your people?"

"Not that I know of, sir. What's happened?"

"I won't say much, but a message with Undyne's usual mark was slid under my door and I need to know if it was really her that put it there."

"I'll try to get ahold of Mr. Dreemurr, sir, and if Miss Undyne is awake and coherent, we'll try to let you know."

"Thank you… Kitten and I should be around."

"Be safe, sir."

G hung the phone back on the hook, feeling suddenly more anxious than ever. He was a patient man, but knowing Undyne was in the hospital and that there was a threat leveled at not just him, but his home, made him pace rapidly in his office waiting for Kitten. By the time she returned, he'd lit up a cigarette to try to relax.

"Undyne was here last night," Kitten confirmed as she stepped in and handed G one of the night watchmen's reports. Undyne had come by with a package for Grey from New Home, the package had been cleared as merchandise, and Undyne had been allowed inside unchecked, leaving ten minutes later. One watchman had noted that she seemed to be limping.

"Son of a bitch, why didn't those idiots stop her if she was hurt?" G growled. "Whatever, I'll deal with them later. She's in the hospital and Asgore's gone to see her. His secretary's going to call back." He turned to get his hat and jacket, and Kitten stepped over to her desk to hit a button on her intercom system, her voice going through to the second floor kitchen where she Grey and his brothers would be drinking coffee this time of morning.

"Les, get the Don's car."

Two seconds later, Les answered back with the panel on the kitchen wall, "Gotcha, Miss K. Should I bring anyone?"

"Just Grey. Have Doggo and Wolfe head home and evacuate some of the families that live near the Don's house, just in case. There may be threat. Move your family too. Hotel rooms will be paid for."

"Fuck… I got it. We'll meet the Don in the back lot."

"You're headed to Grillby's?" Kitten asked as G came out adjusting the harness around his shoulders under his jacket where his twin Colt .45s were holstered.

"I need to know who's been skulking around lately," G said through clenched teeth, holding the cigarette while he made sure he had everything he needed.

"Wallet, pen, notebook, guns, glasses?" Kitten asked calmly.

"Check," he answered simply, striding toward the door. "Call over there once you get any information."

"Will do." The door shut behind him and Kitten sighed quietly to herself, her determined gaze turning to his desk through the open door, where the grimy message still lay. If Undyne was warning them, and she was hurt, it was something threatening more than just Snowdin Family.