a/n: Italics denote Chara.

-Dashes- around a text block denote a memory.

Chapter Nine

Sans narrowed his eyes and slowly lowered his hand from where it had been hovering over Frisk's chest. The red glow of their soul faded. "looks like you're in the pink." he grinned.

Frisk gave him a blank look.

Sans shrugged, "it's an old saying."

"SANS!?"

"not now, bro-"

"SANS! THEY-"

Sans held up a hand for Papyrus to shush and glanced over to Frisk with a relaxed smile, "hey, kid, why don't you head upstairs and get changed then we'll figure out breakfast, alright?"

Frisk glanced from Pap to Sans then reluctantly went up the stairs to Paps room, closing the door behind them. They pressed their ear to the crack in the door. The brothers had moved to the kitchen but Papyrus was still easy to hear.

"THEIR HP..."

"yeah."

"IT USED TO BE TWENTY BUT NOW IT'S NINETEEN-!"

Sans said something softly.

"WHAT SHOULD WE DO? I CAN'T-"

"pap... just..."

Frisk stepped back from the door and went to the closet, grabbing their clothes and quickly changed into them, throw their pajamas on the ground in a pile. They pressed their hand to their heart and concentrated, nothing happened. They furrowed their brow their soul flashed briefly under their fingers. Nineteen HoPe.

Frisk slowly went downstairs and gravitated to Papyrus, grabbing his hand and leaning into him.

"ARE YOU UNWELL? DO YOU FEEL SICK?" Papyrus asked them.

Frisk shook their head, "...tired." they mumbled.

"we could call in sick?" Sans asked optimistically.

"WE ARE NOT SICK! WE ARE ALL FINE!"

"you might be fine but i am bone tired."

"SANS!" Papyrus said in exasperation.

"how bout some Grillby's?" Sans asked.

"THAT PLACE IS HORRIBLE AND YOU KNOW I HATE IT."

"he does this egg biscuit thing, tastes great with ketchup."

Papyrus sighed in exasperation.

"come on, bro, just once won't hurt. we're all too tired to cook anything." Sans wheedled.

"...FINE." he grumbled, "JUST THIS ONCE."

Sans lead the way to Grillby's. Papyrus sulking after him with Frisk in tow.

"hey, grillby!" Sans called as they entered, "three of those egg breakfast things with extra ketchup on the side."

Grillby's was mostly empty this early. Grillby was at his usual place behind the bar, he nodded at the order and disappeared back to the kitchens.

Papyrus slid into a booth with Frisk, keeping his arms tucked tight to his sides as if the grease would rub off on him if he touched anything.

Lesser and Greater Dog were the only guard dogs in the restaurant, they perked up when they saw Frisk come in and approached the booth, tails wagging. Frisk let go of Papyrus' hand and slowly slid off the bench. Lesser Dog sniffed them over and made a low whine. Greater Dog popped out of its armor and pressed against them.

Frisk ran their fingers through Greater's fur, they sat down on the ground and both dogs tried to crawl into their lap. Lesser Dog licked Frisk's chin with perhaps too much exuberance. Despite themselves, Frisk smiled. Encouraged, Lesser Dog licked more and Greater Dog, feeling left out, joined in. Frisk tried to pull their face away, the dogs kept wiggling closer til Frisk fell over and was buried under dog.

"FRISK! ARE YOU-"

A faint giggle escaped from beneath all the white fur.

"see, it was a good idea to come here." Sans said as he walked back over holding a plate and bottle of ketchup.

Grillby followed behind him with two more plates which he sat on the table. He paused in front of the pile of dog and tapped his foot impatiently. Greater and Lesser clambered off Frisk with ears low and tails tucked between their legs. Grillby offered a hand to help Frisk back to their feet.

Frisk regarded the gloved hand curiously and tentatively took it, letting Grillby pull them up. His hand was hot by not painfully so. Frisk's hand prickled.

Grillby nodded his head to Frisk and returned to the bar.

"food's here." Sans said.

Frisk blinked and shook their head slightly, quickly sliding into the bench next to Papyrus. Sans' egg biscuit was quickly engulfed by ketchup. Frisk did their best to eat but they weren't very hungry and the food sat heavy on their stomach. Eventually, they gave up and slid back out of the booth to pet Greater and Lesser while Papyrus and Sans ate, and pretended not to see the worried looks Papyrus kept giving them.

"some things can't be fixed pap." Sans said, "they're young, they'll bounce back in no time."

"I JUST WISH I COULD DO SOMETHING..."

Sans smiled, "you are."

Papyrus' brow furrowed in frustration.

"maybe frisk ought to help me out at the sentry station, today."

"BUT-!"

"you gotta report to undyne today don't you?" Sans asked.

Papyrus nodded weakly.

"she's probably heard a human's in the underground. Anyone whose met the kid wouldn't tell her but that won't stop others..."

"WHAT SHOULD I SAY?!" he tapped his gloves together anxiously.

"the truth, probably, you're a horrible liar." Sans stabbed a fork into the ketchup swamp and somehow managed to strike food.

"I CAN'T TELL HER THE TRUTH!"

"you tell her, there was a human, you captured them but they escaped. that's the truth. hopefully she'll start searching waterfall and we can figure something else before she catches on." He ate the last bite of his breakfast and grabbed Frisk's plate, scraping the leftover third of biscuit into the condiment lake.

"YES... THE GREAT PAPYRUS WILL THINK OF A FOOLPROOF PLAN THAT WILL INVOLVE NO ONE GETTING HURT OR CAPTURED!"

"that's my bro. you gonna eat that?" he pointed at Papyrus' plate with his fork.

Papyrus frowned and ate the biscuit in three quick bites, grimacing as he finished and springing to his feet. "COME, WE HAVE WORK TO DO!" he marched outside with more pep in his step than before.

Sans walked over to Frisk, petting the guard dogs goodbye, "whata ya think about hanging out with me today?"

Frisk nodded and grabbed the edge of his jacket, following him outside.

"I HAVE THINGS TO ATTEND TO TODAY," Papyrus told Frisk, "BUT TONIGHT I SHALL PREPARE A SPAGHETTI FEAST, JUST HOW YOU LIKE IT!"

Frisk smiled and nodded.

"HUG?" Papyrus held out his arms.

Frisk ran over and Papyrus picked them up and spun them around is a tight squeezy hug. "NYEH HEH HEH!"

Frisk spun a little once back on the ground.

Sans reached out "here." he grabbed their hand, "i know a shortcut."

"JUST DON'T FALL ASLEEP ON DUTY FOR ONCE!"

"wouldn't dream of it." He winked and pulled Frisk after him.

"SANS!"

They popped out just a little ways down the path away from Snowdin.

Sans stuffed his hands in his pockets, "so what do you want to do?" he asked, "pap'll be busy for a few hours and sentry duty is no fun."

Frisk looked at him in confusion.

He shrugged, "i don't really know how to cheer someone up, but i can take you anywhere you want."

Frisk thought for a moment, "...Napstablook."

"what?" Sans asked.

"they live in waterfall, at the snail farm."

Sans expression froze, "the snail farm right next undyne's house? you're kidding, right?"

Frisk shook their head.

"well, she's probably not home..." Sans rubbed his head and sighed, "i think i know a shortcut." He held out his hand.

They grabbed his hand. The world became darker and warmer. Frisk pulled their hat off and unwound their scarf. They hurried towards Blook's house.

"kid!" Sans hissed, "get back here!" nabbing their arm and pulling them back.

Frisk frowned, and leaned against his grip.

"just let me check ahead-" Sans startled and pulled Frisk behind him.

"oh, no..." Blook said softly, "sorry, i interrupted you didn't i? you guys looked like you were having fun." they looked teary, and slowly began fading away, "i just wanted to say hi, oh, no..."

"Blook, wait-!" Frisk said but the ghost was already gone.

"that was your friend?" Sans said bewildered.

Frisk nodded frantically and pulled him up the path, "They live up this way."

Sans' kept pulling them back, glancing around, tense as a cat.

Frisk lightly knocked on Blook's door before opening it and walking down the narrow hallway. "Hello? Blook?"

Blook looked up from their computer, their mouth a little, o, of surprise, "oh... you came..." they looked down at the floor, "sorry, i... wasn't expecting that. it's not much but make yourself at home."

"This is Sans. He's my friend." Frisk said.

"...nice to meet you. i'm napstablook."

"how'd you meet frisk?" Sans asked, leaning against the wall.

"oh... in the ruins."

"that so."

Frisk interrupted hesitantly, "...Blook would it be alright if I hung out with you for a little while?"

"well... if you want" they smiled weakly. "i don't really have anything here though..."

"Could I listen to your music?" Frisk asked.

Blook nodded, perking up a bit. "what do you like...?"

"All the things, please."

"if you're gonna be here for a while, i'm just gonna go check where und-some things." Sans said, "i'll be back."

Frisk nodded and waved.

Sans returned a half an hour later looking drained. "...what are you doing?" he asked.

Frisk and Blook were laying in the middle of the floor staring at the ceiling.

"laying on the ground feeling like garbage." Frisk said.

"...it's a family tradition..." Blook added. "do you want... to join us?"

Frisk patted the floor beside them.

Sans stared at them, then shrugged, and laid down on the floor beside Frisk, sticking his hands in his pockets. "you having fun?" he asked.

Frisk glanced over at him, "just wait." they assured him

Sound slowly faded and the world seemed to get darker, and slower. Each breath felt deeper and when Frisk closed their eyes they felt like they were floating in the middle of space. It felt endless and infinity peaceful.

The silence was broken by the trilling of Sans' cellphone. He pulled it out and looked at the display, "...it's been an hour? wow," he clicked the speaker on and set the phone down between them, "hey pap." Sans said.

"WHY AREN'T YOU AT YOUR STATION?"

"we're on break."

"SANS!"

"alright, alright, we'll be right there." he heaved himself up with a groan, "come on kid, before pap pops a knuckle."

Frisk stood up and stretched, "Tanks Blook. It was nice to see you again."

"s-sure...come by again... if you want." Blook said.

Sans held the door open for Frisk, "you feel better now? you look better."

Frisk nodded.

San's took them through a shortcut back to the ruin's exit sentry station. He sat down at the sentry station, propped his feet on the counter and leaned back in his chair, closing his eyes.

"I SAID NO SLEEPING!" Papyrus yelled as he stomped up the path.

Sans opened one eye, "it's the kid's shift."

Frisk waved.

Papyrus stomped his foot, "SANS!"

Sans' slid his feet off the counter and replaced them with his elbows. He propped his hands under his chin, "how'd the meeting with undyne go?"

"SHE- GOOD...?" he furrowed his brow, "SHE RUSHED OFF RIGHT AFTER I TOLD HER THE HUMAN ESCAPED."

"thought of any master plans?"

"NOT YET, IT'S ONLY A MATTER OF TIME!" He nyehed, "I NEED TO GET BACK SOON... I NEED TO FIND UNDYNE AND MAKE SURE SHE IS NOT HERE. SO I NEED YOU TO STAY HERE SO I CAN KEEP HER NOT HERE."

"alright. we'll stay put. don't work yourself down to the bone."

"JUST SO LONG AS YOU BONE UP ON YOUR GUARD DUTY WHILE I'M GONE! NYEH HEH HEH HEH!" Papyrus quipped and trotted back towards Snowdin.

Sans chuckled to himself, "pretty good."

Frisk knocked on the counter.

"what's up, kiddo?" Sans asked.

"Wanna go for a walk."

"where you off to?"

"I wanna sit by the river..." Frisk point up to where the path split, "I'll be careful."

"yeah? pinkie swear?" he held up one boney pinky and wiggled it.

Frisk smiled and linked pinkies, "pinkie swear."

"alright."

They walked up the path to the river and sat down on the river bank, watching the dark water rushing by.

Frisk steeled themselves and took a deep breath, "Chara?" They felt a stirring in the back of their mind, a swelling of uncertainty and fear.

"I-" Frisk swallowed and hesitated, "I'm..." they twisted a loose thread between their fingers and whispered, "...I'm sorry."

...you- Chara gave a choked, hoarse laugh, you can't- you just! ...i can't believe you. ...it's my fault! It's all my fault! You can't apologize to me!

"you said you didn't mean to do it..."

yeah, they agreed reluctantly, but i-

"and you said you were sorry...so many times..." Frisk felt themselves beginning to tear up and hurriedly blinked them away, "and I pushed you away. I left you alone when you were as scared as me."

Chara scoffed, what? i was fine. i deserved it for what i did. I deserved it.

"No, you didn't!," Frisk wrapped their arms around their chest, "...I was mean..."

you don't have a mean bone in your body.

"that's not fair." Frisk said softly.

...yeah, maybe...i guess...if you want to apologize you can...

Frisk took a deep breath, "I'm really sorry, Chara."

...it's ok. ...i'm sorry i got you into this mess.

"I missed you a lot."

i-...me too.

"Can I ask you a question?" Frisk asked.

You can ask me anything you want.

"From the beginning the nightmares weren't all mine were they?"

...no...

"Hey, Chara..." Frisk sniffed, "you never s-stopped talking to m-me after we escaped the barrier, did you?"

don't cry... you're such a cry baby

"...chara..." Frisk tried to wipe their eyes, "...I'm so sorry... I left you alone..."

cut it out, you already apologized remember?

"yeah, but..."

It's fine, it's different now, isn't it?

"Yeah," Frisk wiped their eyes, "we're friends now."

"Chara?"

You consider me a friend? Even after everything i've done?

"of course."

Chara laughed, despite everything, you're still you.

Frisk smiled. They picked at a thread on the jacket, "I have an idea... if I tell you, will you promise not to laugh?"

Ok, i promise not to laugh.

"I was thinking... maybe... we could save him?" they pulled the thread free, "...save Azzy."

Farther up the path Frisk could hear the distant sounds of a Icecap and a Snowdrake laughing. Frisk let the string go and watched it drift slowly to the ground. A clump of snow flumped off a tree branch.

…...i...i...

An intense mix of disbelief, hope, fear and elation washed over Frisk. They shivered and let out a shuddery breath.

...i don't- They whispered, i-i'm so scared of- every time i do anything someone i love ends up hurt...i don't want to hurt anyone anymore.

"What if I want to do it?" Frisk asked softly, "Will you help me?"

…...

Frisk squeezed their scarf tightly in their hands.

Chara chuckled weakly, i'd do anything for you, dummy...

Frisk let out a breath they didn't know they had been holding, "I'm scared too." they said, "but I want to do it. If I have to do it all over again, I want to do it better... I want to save everyone."

I have a feeling I know the answer to this but, do you have a plan? Chara asked.

Frisk opened their mouth then hesitated, "...I don't wanna say it out loud. Will you please switch with me?"

Ok? Chara took control of Frisk's body. "Spit it out."

He just needs one soul... Frisk said, and Pop-pop has six.

"But- No! We won't be able to break the barrier!"

We can break the barrier later, Frisk said, We'll all be together, Chara, if we're together then everything will be better!

"FRISK?"

They jumped and hurriedly got to their feet.

"they're right up here, bro."

Papyrus trotted around the corner, "ARE YOU READY FOR THE SPAGHETTI FEAST!?"

Frisk took control again and nodded.

"I AM VERY EXCITED AS WELL!" He picked them up and set them on his shoulders, "SANS SAID YOU WERE FEELING BETTER?"

"Uhuh." Frisk said.

"WONDERFUL! NYEH HEH HEH!"

They all marched home together and made a wonderful spaghetti feast. Frisk made the noodles and Papyrus made the sauce and both were very nice, Sans even ate his. They watched tv together, though Frisk and Sans slept through most of it.

Upstairs, Papyrus' moved his mattress onto the floor and Sans mattress, with fresh sheets, was put beside it. All sorts of blankets were scattered across the bed amalgam.

"WHAT DO YOU THINK OF MY INGENIOUS PLAN?" Papyrus asked, "I CALL IT, 'THE GREAT PAPYRUS' NO MORE NIGHTMARES' PLAN!"

"Amazing!" Frisk said bouncing into the middle and burrowing under the blankets.

"it's kinda like a sleep over. haven't had one of those since I was a baby bone." Sans said plopping onto his mattress.

Frisk popped up and engulfed Sans in a blanket, "Gotchu!"

"yep. one hundred percent trapped. never gonna escape."

Frisk giggled.

"YOU ARE NOT EVEN TRYING!"

Frisk wrapped themselves in a blanket and grabbed Papyrus' leg.

"AH! THE HUMAN HAS CAPTURED ME!" He sank to his knees, "I CANNOT ESCAPE! THEY'RE TOO STRONG!" He collapsed on the mattress.

They threw a blanket over him.

"I AM DEFEATED!"

"well, you got us. what are you gonna do now?" Sans asked with a grin.

Frisk crawled up to Papyrus' head and pressed their forehead to his. They crawled over to Sans and did the same, "boop."

Sans stared at them and shook his head slightly, "you're too much kid." he smiled.

They plopped down in the middle of the bed, pulled a blanket up to their chin and held up both arms, "Hands!" they demanded.

"what's this now?"

"Hands!" Frisk repeated impatiently.

Papyrus and Sans both obediently held up their hands. Frisk reached out and took one in each hand and squeezed them tight.

a/n: There will be an update on Saturday as per usual.

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