"Sans."
Sluggish moans from a slow to wake skeleton was the reply.
"Sans, wake up."
The comedic skeleton started to stir.
But his hopes of waking to Frisk, were quickly crushed when he saw Kain and Gaster.
"It's good to see you're alright, that brat didn't do anything to severe to-"
Gaster merely gave Kain a look, no words were ushered but a clear order was sent.
He left them alone.
Neither of them said a single word, but as Sans glanced over his surroundings to realize his situation Gaster could read hundreds of thousands of signs coming from his grandson.
"No, She, isn't here, and it is for the best."
"You don't know what's for the best Gaster…"
No smile from the returned scientist, he merely gave Sans a emotionless look.
"You really believe with all your soul that, THAT human is Frisk don't you?"
"Of course."
…
"What happened to you Sans? I've watched you through many timelines but never, NEVER have you been as foolish as you are NOW!"
Gaster's angered tone of voice disturbed Sans on varying levels.
It felt like hearing Frisk say that she was disappointed in him.
Gaster took a moment to calm down and recollect his composure.
"Listen Sans, I will ONLY say this ONCE, you are being fooled, CHARA NEVER LEFT, If you want proof than look at your hand."
Their attention shifted to Sans's crack riddled hand.
"We BOTH know what kind of wound that is, and we both know that VERY few things can cause that."
He didn't reply to Gaster.
"I'm sorry Sans but until you can accept the fact that Chara is still inside Frisk, I can't let you leave here ."
Gaster turned to leave Sans but stopped when he was called.
"Gaster, why can't you accept that Chara isn't in Frisk anymore?"
"Sans, You feel it don't you? The hollow sensation inside you, like a part of you is missing?"
He didn't reply, not that it mattered, Gaster knew the truth.
"I've watched you and Frisk for a very long time, and despite all the mistakes Frisk made, she could never, NEVER expose your soul to the void, she doesn't have the connection to the void to do so, in fact, the only beings that do, is me, and CHARA, well, and you too…"
It clicked, like a gear falling into a place, a signal sent to switch on a machine, Sans couldn't deny it, it made sense now.
The 'treatment' he received.
"I am sorry Sans, but the evidence is clear, I am not foolish enough to harbor hatred to the human for actions that she had no control over but there is simply no way to free-"
"There is."
Gaster remembered and chuckled.
"No, You're mistaken."
"Why? It worked last time-"
"Your Gaster Blaster didn't force Chara out, she was constantly fighting for superiority as she fought you, in the end, she was merely worn out, your attack only pushed her over the edge, and it doesn't matter, any attempt to use your power will only worsen your condition."
Sans knew that it was true, any attempt to use his powers in this condition would only further the damage, like tearing a barely healed muscle apart with intense exercise.
"What will you do?"
"Whatever I can to ensure that Chara is gone, even if it means ending Frisk's life to-"
He couldn't finish his sentence before Sans reacted.
The comedic skeleton pushed the thoughts of harming himself into the darkest recess of his mind as he summoned up a pair of Gaster Blasters.
"Try it."
Gaster had to admit that Sans's sudden actions were commendable, despite being foolish, it took only a second with both Blasters fully charged to bring sans to his knees, the cracks on his hand started to spread up his arm, but as they spread Gaster did notice something about the blasters.
They had crack lines coming from their eye sockets, spread out to their mouths where very large spheres of energy waited to be expelled in lethal beams of devastation.
These, wounded blasters, would, in theory, be able to destroy Chara entirely.
Unfortunately for further experimentation they faded away before Gaster could attempt any sort of test on them, fortunately it save Sans's life, while the scientist was examining the blasters the cracks spread at a ridiculous rate, they had traveled all the way up his arms, onto the ribcage and finally stopping, right where Sans's soul once rose from, that spot seemed, protected somehow.
…
Gaster was torn at the sight before him.
The scientist in him was absolutely giddy with excitement, never before had an opportunity presented itself to examine a monster suffering from what is quite literally, a soul slowly being eroded, degraded until the eventual outcome of, complete destruction, the scientific breakthroughs from researching Sans's condition both physical and beyond could prove to invaluable, and could possibly hold the answer for maintaining a soul after its supposed demise without the need of DETERMINATION.
But the grandfather in Gaster, was disgusted, horrified and most of all, afraid.
This was Sans, his Grandson, his ONLY remaining Grandson, he wanted him to live, to be happy, not to suffer with this condition until finally he suffered a fate far worse than mere death.
When a soul fades, it is one thing, but when a soul is destroyed, that is a nightmare of unfathomable proportions, the kind that he would never wish upon even his most hated enemy.
In the end, his parental instincts won out, Gaster did all he could to try and help Sans with the pain, there was nothing that they could do to reverse the damage, but there were things that they could attempt to slow the degradation.
When sans was treated and asleep Gaster, completely lost his composure, after he left the room he punched the wall with all his might, the pain served to remind him, he was alive and he needed to do everything he could for Sans and the mere handful left.
Chara must've had some plan to abuse Sans for her own personal gain, she would have likely thrown him to the wind when he outlived his usefulness, and now that he was free from her, she would most likely not hesitate to end him, in her eyes he would have discovered the truth, he would recover his hatred for her and she must know of the devastating potential of his powers now that it was tainted with the void, whatever her intentions were originally with tainting him would now only prove to be a danger for her, one that she would remove.
Gaster despised this, this feeling, he was so useless, he wanted to help sans, help him with his condition, help him see the truth about Chara, and he wanted to help Frisk, he watched them for so long and they really did make a great match, but, there was really no way to tear Chara out without killing the vessel she hides in.
To free Frisk, he'd need to kill her, and Sans would never forgive him for doing that.
"There has to be another way, there always is…"
While Gaster tried and frustratingly failed to search for alternatives to save Frisk without ending her, Chara enjoyed the somewhat silent walk to the capital, her host was, unable to stay quiet, to say the least and although it proved to be an interesting conversation, it annoyed Chara that Frisk was to passionate now, especially after she saw how Grillby was killed.
"Come on Chara, we both know you can't win, Sans WILL know the truth when you reach him and he WILL kill you."
She sighed in frustration.
"Alright, how about a little wager hmm? We both know the comedian will know the truth by the time we reach him, I don't think he will be able to even lay a finger on me, if I'm right, you will remain quiet unless I speak to you."
"What do I get if I'm right?"
"Ha-ha, well if you are right than Sans will kill me, kill you, so you will finally be able to rest in piece, I won't ever bother you again."
Frisk fell silent as she contemplated that, she had somewhat forgotten that the end of Chara, meant the end of her.