Sans wandered through the woods, searching for traces of his friend, he desperately wished he could go back and not upset her. He began to wonder if she was lost, or hurt, or worse… he tried not to dwell on the fact that it would be very hard to find an injured mute lost in the woods.

The moonlight either couldn't breech through the canopy of the forest or was now hidden behind the clouds, Sans couldn't tell but either way it was too dark for him to see anything. He grew increasingly anxious as more time passed with no signs of Frisk. He called out to her uselessly, as if she could respond he thought cynically to himself.

As he wandered his eyes adjusted, he could swear he passed the same tree four times, but he couldn't be sure. Rain started to fall, answering his earlier question, and also bringing up a new concern, it wasn't very warm out and his hoodie wasn't waterproof, meaning the only protection Frisk had from the temperature wasn't going to do her any good, if he did find her she could end up very sick. He quickened his pace and called out again, more for himself then for Frisk.

He wandered in what he could only assume were circles for what seemed like hours, he mentally chastised himself for leaving his phone in his room. He realized he was getting nowhere relying on sight alone and decided to focus mainly on sounds, he heard running water, a river? He headed toward the sound hoping maybe Frisk would do the same thing if she were lost. He came to a halt as he reached the edge of a steep drop, peering over the edge.

There was a river a little piece away from the small cliff he stood upon, he looked around for a place to climb down, double-taking as his sight scanned over a bright blue lump in a bed of ferns next to the rushing water, "Frisk!" he cried out, climbing down as quickly as he could, taking no time to search for an easier route. when he reached the bottom he ran to her side, she was curled in a tight ball, she was covered in mud, and burrs were tangled in clumps in her long hair, she was sobbing and shaking, whether from the cold or from her cries Sans wasn't sure, probably both.

"Frisk?" he spoke her name but she didn't move, she was so wrapped up in her panicked fear that she couldn't hear him. he placed a hand on her shoulder, she jumped away from his touch, cracking him over the head with a large stick he hadn't noticed she had.

He stared stunned for a moment, watching as realization appeared on her face, she gasped and threw the stick away, fresh tears coming to her eyes, she crawled weakly toward him falling easily into his arms, crying hysterically, he didn't move, holding her close and petting her hair.

"I'm so sorry Frisk," Sans spoke sadly, remorse gripping him tightly, "I didn't mean to scare you like that."

She shook her head, sitting up awkwardly, 'I knew you'd come find me.' She shifted off of her left leg a little more, Sans noticed, but she continued, 'I'm being stupid, I'm trying to protect you by pushing you away, but you won't leave me…' her tears seemed to finally stop, 'you know me better then that, then anyone.'

She was smiling, despite the pouring rain, she stared at her hands as she placed them in her lap, Sans felt like it had been forever since he had seen her smile, "Frisk." She looked at him, "do you know why I can't ever leave you?" his words took her off guard, she shook her head, "because I don't want to." She looked confused, but he offered no explanation, only smiling at her and standing, he held out his hand, "let's go home." She reached for his hand, but suddenly withdrew, gaze falling to the side. "What is it Frisk?"

She shifted uncomfortably off her left leg again, 'I fell,' she signed indignantly, 'I ran right off the edge of that cliff…' she pulled up her left pant leg, revealing a swollen red ankle, 'I hurt myself.'

Sans knelt down gently touching her ankle, she cringed, "It's sprained." He said shaking his head, "you're not walking anywhere." He helped her on to her good foot, turning his back to her, "we gotta get back somehow, you're soaked to the bone, hop on."

He helped her climb awkwardly onto his back, and they set off, they wandered up the river, Sans hoped towards home, after they walked a bit Sans spotted a slope he could use to get back up the cliff, as they reached the top sunlight started to break through the trees, it had stopped raining and it was dawn, Frisk shifted worriedly, Sans realized she would be in big trouble with Toriel as soon as she noticed Frisk was missing.

It didn't take long for them to find a path, as they walked it Frisk sneezed periodically, she definitely had a cold. Sans laughed and she hit him lightly upside the head, "Tori is going to kill you Frisk, " she sighed deeply, "Oh you won't be alone, she's going to have some choice words for me too…" he said, not looking forward to what was waiting for him outside of the forest.