A/N: SANTA CLAUS ARRIVED EARLY THIS YEAR– no, really, it's just the last update of 2018. XD I really hope you enjoy this.

Warning: Graphic depiction of violence towards the ending.

"And there's the Moon, shining bright in the military hospital!"

The bedridden koala laughs, pointing at himself. "That's me."

Munro climbs up the chair, greeting his friend with a pat on the shoulder. "It's good to see ya, buddy. Ash."

"Hey, Munro."

"Oh! Ash, is Johnny around? I really gotta talk to him."

"Uh… yeah, he's getting us some chips just down the hall."

"Great. I'll be right back!" With that, he jumps off the chair and runs outside of the room, just as Laura walks in.

"Hey, you guys!"

"Laura! Hey, what's up?" Ash asks, climbing down and hugging the woman.

"Oh, not much. Munro needs to collect all of your statements again, as you already know, so I figured I'd drop by to... say hello and just hang out until my shift starts."

"I thought you had been fired after you booked us that room for free," Buster asks.

"Well… yeah, I was. But who told you my shift is in a restaurant?" she half-asks, a cheeky smile plastered on her face.

Buster frowns at her. "W-well, then… what?"

"Oh, nothing big. Just thought I'd put that engineering degree to good use."

Buster's eyes double in size with surprise. "Shut up."

"No can't do, it's already out there!" she laughs.

"Get in here and give me a hug, then!" Laura quickly does as told, bringing the bedridden koala into her arms. "Oof!"

"Sorry!"

"Nah, it's–" he stops mid-sentence to cough. "Fine. That's great, Laura! I'm really happy for you."

"Thank you," she sing-songs as she gets a hug from Ash also.

"Dude, that's like... awesome! And I've been meaning to ask you since that night why is it that you weren't practicing," Ash informs.

"Oh. Yeah, some things got in the way before, but finally, finally I got a stable job. and I'm constructing this really cool building! I can't... well, the guy who asked for it was really eccentric, the shape of it is a mix between that of a lion and the Emparrot State Building. It's crazy. I-it... it's crazy," she laughs. "I can show you the blueprint, if you want. I just don't have it on me right on."

"Oh, sure! Sounds interesting."

"And by that description, even funny," the other koala follows suit with a small giggle. "That's really good, Laura. Really good."

"Thanks, Moon. But hey, enough about me. How are you doing?"

"Oh, getting better with each passing day. Hey, did you know I'm gonna be released tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow, that's great!"

Ash nods. "It really is!"

"But hey, it doesn't mean I'm 100% just yet. I'll still need crutches or even a wheelchair to move around because of my leg, plus I won't be able to do much effort for a while. I should probably get someone to run the theatre meanwhile."

"Or you could just get an assistant," Laura suggests. "I mean… not loathing on Ms Crawly, but I think that all the tasks you perform would be too much for her."

"And I wouldn't want to overload her with those, either," Buster agrees. "Huh. An assistant… might be a good idea."

"Yeah, Moon, it is!" Ash confirms. "Plus, assistants are a fancy people thing, it's gonna be fun!"

Both koalas almost snort laughing at that. "Now where did you come up with that, love?" Buster asks, bringing her close to him.

"Hey, Laura's fancy and she had an assistant at the bar and restaurant."

"I didn't, really," the woman says, resting her handbag against the enormous chair. "I was the bar section manager, so I was the boss to some employees there. Just now, at the firm, that I got an assistant. His name's Ben, he's a sweetheart, not your type, Moon," she jokes.

"Noted," he replies, a fake bored tone in his voice. The woman just lets out an amused chuckle.

"And let me tell you, having an assistant is great. They bring coffee, take most calls for you, organize your schedule… you can focus only on what has to be done."

"Assistants are babysitters for adults," he jokes, making both women laugh. "Yeah. An assistant. It's growing on me."

"I'm back and I brought a monkey with me!" Munro calls out, poking Johnny's leg as they walk in.

"You're the monkey, you marsupial," Johnny says, fakely hurting as he laughs. "I brought those chips you wanted, Ash," he finishes, passing her a bag.

"Thanks, man," she replies, already opening the bag and grabbing a handful of chips to herself. "Anyone wants some?"

An almost unyson "nah, we're good" is the reply. Following suit, Johnny gives Moon his own bag before sitting down at the couch.

"Alright, now that it's a reunion… do you think perhaps we could get the rest of the crew here to make like a testimony feast?"

"Explain to me again why do you need me to testify one more time?"

"Because Frisk exploded the LASPOD's evidence room and your testimony was lost in it," he's hardly done explaining when his phone rings. An unknown number. He quickly picks it up. "Hello?"

"Hello, I'd like to speak to Murno Belleville, please."

"Murno or Munro?" The animals in the room laugh and he briefly follows suit.

Typing can be heard on the other side. "Oh, right! Terribly sorry, Mr Belleville."

"It's alright, my name can be tricky. So what can I do for you?"

"I'm calling on behalf of Calatonia Surveillance Systems to update you on your request of access to the images recorded in 551 Echo Drive Street."

Munro frowns. "Yeah, you called me already. Said the images weren't in your possession."

This is the woman's turn to pause. More typing. "Erm… no, sir, the images are being sent to your email as we talk. Usually our images are encrypted, but we're always help to decode them to help police."

"I'm telling you that the company called me and told the images weren't in its possession."

"There's no register of a prior phone call being made to your phone, Mr Belleville."

"Yeah, that's because it wasn't made to my cell phone, you called my house."

"What's the number?"

"213-455-3708."

Silence ensues as the woman types once again. "Hmm… no, Mr Belleville, no phone calls were made to that phone either."

"Then, what was–" he stops mid-sentence, finally realizing what that meant. "Thank you, miss. I really appreciate it. Is there an estimation of when I'll receive the images?"

"They should be arriving at your email in a few minutes, Mr Belleville. Is there anything else I can help you with?"

"No, nothing at all. Thank you again, miss."

"Calatonia Surveillance Systems thanks you for your time and trust and wishes you a good day."

Munro slides the phone back into his pocket like the world stopped revolving around him. You son of a… you'll get what's coming at you.

"Who was it?" Laura asks.

"Calatonia Surveillance Systems."

"Again? What did they want?"

"Oh, nothing. The images from the theatre are being sent to my phone as we speak."

Laura makes a confused face at that. "But hadn't they called you saying that they didn't–"

"It was a fake phone call, Laura. All of it was fake."

"How so?"

"Frisk's smarter than I thought."

"Okay, I guess this'll do!" Munro says. He then leans into the table and presses the off button of his recorder. "Ah. Finally. This here is enough evidence to lock up those bears for good."

The crew ahead of him either nod or let out breaths in relief, namely Buster and Ash. Other than Rosita and Nana, everyone who had been in the flood was present. Munro had been confused by the pig's complete lack of collaboration, but a brief explanation from Buster and Ash made him understand what was happening clearly. Rosita wouldn't help him because he knew about their relationship and wouldn't arrest Buster. Huh. Seemed fair to him. He then made sure, of course, of profusely apologizing to the couple for the damage his words caused. Both had said it was no big deal and that they knew that something like that would happen sooner or later.

"At least let me buy us all some dinner to make up for that."

"Really, buddy, there's no need. There was no way you could've predicted Rosita was here when you came in to talk to Ash."

"I shouldn't have predicted anything, I should've seen her. She's almost three times my size!"

"Munro, really," Ash intervenes. "We both knew that hate would start as soon as someone found out."

"Still wanna pay dinner." He pulls out his phone. "What are you two fancying? We'll follow suit," he assures, shooting his fiancée a glance. Laura merely chuckles.

Buster sighs. "Alright then, you win. But how are you bringing the food in here without the nurses knowing?"

"The same way my friends used to sneak food in whenever one of us got shot, through the window," he points to it. "Just throw a rope tied to a wooden piece outside and pull the food up."

"Or we can just say it's for the three of us," Laura suggests.

"Nah, that'll make them look over at us every minute. My way is way easier," he says with a cheeky grin. "So, this new Moroccanis restaurant just opened on the other side of town, and I thought we could give it a go. It sounds really good."

"I haven't eaten takeout food in weeks, I'm up to anything," Buster informs.

"Yeah, I'm up to anything as well. Let's try the Moroccanis food," Ash agrees.

"Moroccanis food is far from being my favorite, but it's worth a shot!"

"All right! Let me call them up."

"Remind me to teach both of you how to use Ubear Eats later, too," Ash comments.

"What's that?" Laura asks.

"The best food ordering app in the world. Neither of you will ever make a phone call to a restaurant again."

"Can't wait! Oh, hello, is this Salah's Food and Bar?"

"Great restaurant."

"Yeah, totally approved."

"Totally," Laura repeats. "Even I liked it."

"Then I'm a lost vote," Munro laughs. "I think it's not all that."

"I mean, it's far from the best food I've ever tried," Ash speaks up, "but it was a pleasant surprise!"

"Yes," Buster agrees. He then lifts his cup, clinking it with his friend's. "Thanks for insisting."

The four laugh as a quiet knock is heard. Soon after, the door is thrown open and an otter struts in. One otter that Munro knows well. One otter that, no more than five days prior, he had considered a brother.

"Heeey, you three! The nurse let me in, I should've made more noise, I'm sorry," he says, moving over to the chairs in which the two couples had been eating in. "And I brought everyone some coffee! Moon I already know that likes coffee with cream," he begins, passing the koala his cup. "Ash, I deduced it would be black. Is that right?"

"Uhh… yeah, man. Thanks." She then takes her own cup, sipping on it.

"Welcome. Some coffee with sweetener for Laura," he extends the cup to her. She warily takes it. "And coffee with cream for you, Captain," he finishes, extending him a cup. Munro, however, doesn't take it. He doesn't even move, his muscled frigid with bottled up anger. He stares at the man, who then retreats. "You're... lactose intolerant, aren't you? Ack, sorry. Somehow, I mixed it with a gluten allergy..." he starts again, walking over to a trash can.

Munro can feel his body slowly start to shake, shake in anger and rage. How dared this man – the man who had been lying to him for Pete knows how long and who had recently put his family in danger – walk in here and treat them like friends. Before he can think about anything, he's following the otter.

"So when I went to pick up the coffee, I did–" Frisk's stopped by a swift punch on the nose that sends him stumbling into the ground. "Captain, what the hell?!" he asks, holding his nose in pain.

"Munro, don't," Laura begins, quickly moving over and putting a hand on her fiancé's shoulder.

He, however, moves her hand away as he closes the distance between him and the otter once again, and kneels down to punch him. "You son of a dog! You worthless piece of–" he then grabs the man by the lapels of his shirt. Frisk tries holding him, but to no avail. "You gave them my wife's name?! My friends' too?! How could you?! I trusted you!" All the while, he repeatedly punched the otter in the face.

"Quit it!"

"The thing with the images too, how did you fake that?! How did you and freaking Jones faked that?!" He pushes the man back to the ground.

"Ah! Stop it, it wasn't–"

"You killed Fergunson! You put Buster in this hospital and now you gave them a green card to murder my family!"

"Captain, stop it! Someone help!"

"You get the hell up!" Munro then snatches him from the ground, his face with small drops of blood that had been forcefully taken from the otter. "I'll tell you something, Frisk, and I'll tell you only once! If you ever come near me, or Laura, or anyone from that theatre or the LASPOD again, I swear in the name of everything that's holy that I'm going to murder you, now do you understand me?!" He gets dangerously close to the otter who was now clinging onto his shirt. Frisk nods, bruised and terrified. Munro then releases him, pushing him into a wall. The otter soon takes off, running outside of the room.

Munro comes near the trio once again, panting. Both Buster and Ash are scared, staring right at him. Laura's expression, however, he can't read. Finally, when his blood pressure lowers, he grabs a couple tissues, quickly washing the blood out of his face and hands.

"What the hell were you thinking, Munro?"

"I don't know, okay? I wasn't," he replies, wrapping his bruised hand in a bandage.

"You just gave them one more reason to come after you! Plus, whatever is with the story of us being in danger?"

Munro looks up. No, no, no, no. Once again, his mouth had gotten the best out of him. He sighs. "Remember earlier today, when I told you I had went to the battalion to sort something out?"

"Yeah. Why?"

"I didn't– I didn't sort anything out. Earlier today, I got a letter that was delivered straight to our door. It had two pictures inside, pictures I remember seeing in Moon's office at the theatre. One was you and Buster, and the other was Buster and Ash. Your full names were written on the picture and in the envelope it said 'you have been warned'. So the real reason of my trip was to anticipate the mission. Get them before they get us."

"You told me gangs didn't come after folks from your branch. What–"

"Well, I was wrong, okay, Laura? I was wrong about all of it. Crooks don't care about which branch you are… they come after you and that's that." He then turns to the younger couple. "And sorry about my fit of anger back there. I shouldn't have done that."

"It's alright. I can't imagine how you feel, knowing that Frisk's the reason we and your family are in danger right now," Buster says. "Do you feel better, now?"

Finishing up with the bandages, he looks up at the man. "Yeah, Moon. I feel better."

"Baby, I'm home!" Aspen calls out, walking inside the kitchen and resting several paper bags on the counter. "I bought fish sticks for dinner! How do fish sticks with fried potatoes sound li– Ah!" she screams at the sight of her husband. "F-Frisk, honey..." she moves closer to him, lightly touching his face. "What happened to you?!"

"Munro–" he coughs out. "Munro happened to me."

Aspen takes a moment to recognize the name. "The LASPOD guy? Why would he do this?!"

"It doesn't matter, love, it really doesn't. Let's just have dinner."

"Frisk… you have to report this to the Chief! He can't go out hitting officers just because he's in a higher level!"

"That's not– that wasn't really the reason, baby, don't worry about this, okay?" His slacked demeanor falters when he sees his wife's eyes filling up with tears. "Oh, baby, don't..." He moves closer, gently wiping her tears with his thumbs as he smiles the best he can.

"I don't want you to die!" she cries out, hugging him close.

Her words strike Frisk in a different way. Die? Would Munro really kill him? "Do you think he'd kill me?" he asks, pulling away slightly.

"Without thinking twice," is the reply she gives him. "Didn't you tell me yourself that their branch was ruthless and violent? Without mentioning trained. He'd kill you in two seconds…"

Frisk grows concerned as he hugs his wife. She did have a point. The LASPOD was known for having a strict no tolerance with crooks policy, but would Munro… kill him? His mind suddenly wanders back to earlier that night. Those punches. His cries for mercy meeting an iron fist and being disregarded. Munro had literally done all that… in front of his friends and family. He gulps. What would he have done if no one was watching?

"Frisk?"

"U-uh..?" he replies, a bit air-headed. "Oh. I'm fine, love, really."

"Okay." She pecks his lips before pulling away. "Just… be safe, okay, baby?"

"Yeah… okay, honey. I think… I think I know what to do."

It was a great night for the Roxy Nightclub. And why wouldn't it be? It was the most famous nightclub in town, and it was rarely not crowded. Koslov Nikolaev Carmichael and his brothers were enjoying it thoroughly, as they had made about $10,000 bucks just until this point and, as the saying went, "night's young."

"And there we go," he begins, showing his opponent a Straight Flush. "You lose. Pay up, monkey boy," he finishes, his accent thick as he looks at the baboon ahead of him.

The baboon, no older than 25 or 26, leaves his money on the table as he walks out.

"One more great game, huh, boss?" Dmitri says.

"Yes. But as they say in Americat, night's young," he says, grinning madly. "Can't wait for the next one.

With that, Petrovich's phone rings.

"'Ey Petro, what did we tell you about leaving that nasty thing on while we're on the club? What if it's a cop?"

"It's not a cop. I mean… not one that doesn't work for us." He then shows Koslov the phone.

"Frisk. What the hell does he want?"

Petrovich shrugs as he answers. "What, Frisk?"

"Petrovich, hello. Can you please pass the phone to the boss?"

The bear does as told, passing the phone to Koslov. "What, Frisk? Didn't I tell you to wait for our contact?"

"You can kill him."

"What?"

"You can kill him."

"Him who?"

"Munro Belleville."

A/N: There we go! If you like the chapter, please drop a review. :)