"I. I feel."

Sans watched Farrah hunching over. The bone should be coming out soon. "You want me to double check on it?"

"Will it make me feel better?" She complained.

Farrah. Complaining about simple help? She really wasn't feeling well. "Might be time. Good 'cause I hate this hobble."

"Oh, it is just so terrible for you." Yeah, she wasn't herself at all. That was complete sarcasm. Outside, she looked like she was in minor pain. Farrah didn't bow to minor pain. From that reaction?

Yeah she was biting her lip, trying not to scream. Sans poured some of his magic over her. Looked like today was the day to be free.

By the Barrier

Sans arrived early to make sure of a decent curtain setup to hide Farrah, but there was already a setup. With a familiar looking goat around it. "Asriel."

"Today is the big day, huh?" Asriel asked as he pulled back the curtains all the way. Inside was a hospital bed complete with blankets and pillows. "It is all ready for you."

"Yeah, great. Any time I don't gotta work on something, it gets a thumbs up from me." Sans didn't want to seem suspicious. "You can head out now. I got it from here."

"Oh, I don't know about that," Asriel countered him. "Aren't you going to need a doctor?"

Heh. "Don't got a human doctor down here, so not really a thing. She got plenty of help. It'll be fine."

"Well, then maybe you should get another woman to help," Asriel recommended. "After all. It's a baby. A human baby. Right? I think there will be some embarrassing areas that maybe a good female friend with the same kind of . . .?" He shrugged. "Unless, you two have that kind of relationship."

"Um? Well, there was a duo thing we did some time ago with her," Sans said. "Several people were in our house for it. Not talking about tacos." What was he up to? Sans tried to judge him slightly.

"Undyne and Alphys are on a romantic outing right now in Hotlands," Asriel said. "Give them for the excuse. Mother will ask once she thinks things through."

Sans watched him walk away. He got the feeling that Asriel might know something. Either that they were bolting soon, or that Farrah was only having a bone. Guessing won't help. Farrah needs to get out here.

Sans came back with Papyrus and Farrah. She had a little extra trouble making it. Without a shortcut, it would have been one harsh journey. He entered into the curtain area, checked around it lightly for anything hidden since Asriel had been acting strange earlier. Seeing nothing, he went ahead and took a shortcut back to get his x-ray machine.

When he arrived, Farrah was half sitting, half sitting-slouching, half-raising her body on the hospital table Asriel had in there too. "Relax. Prop yourself up a little higher." He got a slight jolt higher, but Farrah was still in a strange position. That was strange. It was just his leg bone, this should be a bit painful, but not too bad. Why was she navigating all over the place?

Sans checked the x-ray. "Let's see, is it still busting a move in there?"

Papyrus came over and looked at it. "Not as jumpy. It's sunk a little lower." Both of them watched Farrah. "Rather more painful for her than I thought it would be. Humans are just too fleshy and sensitive. Wish we could do more."

"It won't be long. Almost over, Farrah." Sans hadn't dared to make a joke lately. Farrah really didn't seem in the right kind of mood for one. "Afterwards, we can go back home and start Sloppy Sans."

"Sloppy Sans?"

Sans turned around and saw Asriel there. I knew he was going to be trouble.

"Sloppy Sans is Sloppy Joes, only Sans renamed them," Papyrus explained to Asriel.

"Yeah. No way Joe is sloppier than me," Sans said. Of course, no chuckle from Farrah. Serious amount of pain. Papyrus was right, they judged it wrong. He upped his magic over her. "So, what are you doing over here, Prince Asriel?"

"I'll only be here a minute," Asriel said. "How is she doing?" He looked over by the x-ray with great interest. "Wow."

"Uh?! Babybone's look weird," Papyrus said as he turned it off. "Nothing to see there. I'm sure the babybones will be born with no trouble. None at all."

Asriel simply rubbed his fur backwards slightly on his head. "Convincing the wrong person."

"Farrah?"

Tori's voice. Sans watched as Asriel suddenly left. He watched the goat head toward his mother.

"Hello, mother," Asriel said, stirring her away. "I had to leave. It's crowded in there with five people."

"Five? Who are the others?" Toriel asked her son.

"Undyne and Alphys. They are helping Farrah through the hard part." Asriel used the excuse he told Sans to use last night.

"Oh, that's a relief." Toriel smiled and waved at Sans. "Really. I know the whole marry thing . . . but . . . that's more politics and . . ."

Yep, Toriel would have wanted to stay. Asriel kind of saved our bacon. How come? "No problems. It won't be too bad," Sans said, trying to calm Farrah down. "It's supposed to hurt. That's normal, won't last long." Hopefully.

"Of course it hurts. It hurts very much, but the reward is always wonderful afterward." Toriel hugged Asriel. "It's worth the pain." Another echo from Farrah.

"Don't think she wants to hear that right now," Sans said to Toriel before waving at her and going back behind the curtains. He turned on and checked the x-ray machine again. It was harder to see now, Farrah was in a position that, well? He knew he shouldn't, but some things. They just had to be said. "I bet it'll slide out soon, Farrah, considering you're in the shape of one." Her arms were propping her lower body up, like there was something beneath the bed that wouldn't be good for her back. Her feet were the only thing grounded on the table. Her head was pushed backward so far, if it nudged anymore, it would break her neck.

Papyrus looked back toward the x-ray too. "Wait. It's not flipping anymore?"

Papyrus was right, it seemed to become still now, and it wasn't close to dropping out. It actually seemed to sink the other way. Dang, what the heck? This whole time the bone has been acting right. If it kept leaning, it was going to run into something in Farrah's body that it shouldn't. "Okay." Sans went toward Farrah. "Hey Ms. Slide, I need you to slide down more. We've got a problem."

Farrah didn't even want to talk, and she wasn't cooperating.

"We have to push it back up, and get it to start coming out," Papyrus said to Sans.

Yeah, but without seeing the bone? It was inside of Farrah. I have never magically grabbed a bone from something I can't see. It's way too dangerous. We didn't have her go through this pain because we wanted her to make squealing sounds. The Great Papyrus. If we mess up what we pull-

"We'd disembowel her, I know," Papyrus said out loud. It didn't seem to matter. Farrah couldn't seem to hear. "It's a part of you, Sans. Feeling for a piece of yourself, you would have the best chances. I know the risk, but if we don't do something, that bone will keep falling and hit her soft organs, look at the x-ray!"

Sans looked back at the x-ray machine. Papyrus was right, it was getting too dangerous. This bone wasn't going to shift back up, and it wouldn't come out on it's own. Sans looked outside the curtain and saw Asriel not far. "Plan B. What do you really know?"

"I know that there's just a bone on that x-ray," Asriel said casually. "Why are you bothering with asking me though? Is something wrong?"

Sans looked around. He had expected a larger crowd to be lingering. "Farrah is having the last piece that is supposed to break the barrier finally. How come no one's coming yet?" Farrah's yell, Toriel's knowledge, someone should have come to watch. They were supposed to be breaking the barrier.

"Why would they? There is still one more piece," Asriel said. "The dad's birthday of the bone. I mean babybones," he said sarcastically. "Remember?"

"Not this way." His and Papyrus' birthday, yeah. The rest of the Underground might be thinking that, if someone spilled all the original steps involved. "Did you help with that?"

"Less people around in the beginning is better," Asriel answered. "So, what is wrong?" Asriel looked inside. He looked at Farrah. "She became a kid's slide." He looked toward the X-ray. "The bone moved."

"Yes, and it moved in the wrong direction!" Papyrus panicked. "I don't know what to do anymore! It's risky to move it, but it's more risky to just leave it there. It will hit her sensitive human organs!"

Asriel scratched his cheek lightly as he kept looking at the X-ray. "Oh, I see. Neat."

That's neat? Farrah was in trouble and that was-

"She is going to die, it's not neat!" Papyrus yelled, putting his feelings much more succinctly.

Sans stared at Asriel. He didn't look like he cared for Farrah's fate at-

"369 times, human. I don't know. Maybe I should watch out."

Huh? Sans just remembered something. A memory he couldn't have had before. Last time Farrah was down in the Underground, she was younger. In his vision, she was just about as old as she had been now. She was in the water, staring at him, but upside down. Meaning, he was upside down when he was talking to her. Hm. He looked toward Farrah, and noticed she stared back at him.

How?

She was communicating at least telepathically again with him. Did you remember something weird too, Farrah?

"249 times you were nice. 102 times you barely talked to me. I get the second, that can be typical where I used to be from," Sans joked with a wink. "Not everyday a human in crisis sneaks Underground and gets so bent out of shape they start bathing in the middle of Waterfall. Tempted to help. Really, really tempted but? You kind of killed my brother at some other time. A lot. Me too. Bad scores. 369 times, human. I don't know. Maybe I should watch out."

"I'd never!" Farrah yelled from her weird position. "I'd never bathe in Waterfall right there, never!"

"Oh, the memories are coming back from the other timeline, aren't they?" Asriel asked.

In Another Timeline

She continued to stroll. She had just fought Papyrus again. She let him win. She was tired of it. Winning. Losing. It just took more energy to kill. She didn't want to kill everything senselessly to have that power. It was just a waste of time. Actually, everything was a waste of time. Every little thing. Before this, she had never wanted to kill or needed to kill. But after reaching a good finish line, seeing the sun and then suddenly being right back at the beginning with no one knowing you? It wore her down.

She tried everything too. She even tried to stay with Toriel. Everything. Eventually though, something always happened. She was discovered in some way. She died in some vicious fashion. The monsters who were her friends before never showed, and she would be trapped. Trapped to die. Trapped in an abyss forever, until she was taken back to the beginning again.

Over and over and over. There was no escape. So, she lost it. She tried it. She murdered, and nothing happened. She murdered everybody, and nothing happened. She would continue to still end up at the beginning. No one knowing except one lousy flower. But that flower never talked to anyone important. Or, at least no one who would ever do anything. Besides, what would it matter?

Nothing. It wouldn't matter at all. Move. Don't move. Several times her memory seemed to regress and she'd find herself in a new position too. It was mostly toward the early days. Maybe in the first year or so? After that, it was just constant. Constant walking. Constant talking. It was always the same. It never changed. Never.

The only that changed from each time, was her. She felt a little happiness when she realized she still grew older over the time. While everyone else reset, time kept going for her body as it did with her mind. Meaning, she wouldn't be trapped there for an eternity. She would die one day naturally, and the pain and misery would be over.

Nothing really mattered. All she could do was take care of herself until that day came. She wrinkled her nose and looked at the water. She needed a bath. She had to take one sometimes. She stopped caring about formality, embarrassment, or what could be in the water. If she felt embarrassed, later on it'd just be over anyway. Didn't matter.

She took off her clothes and hopped in the water. It was cold. Nice and cold. Made her feel alive.

"Uh?"

Oh. Sans found her. She was sunk in the water up to her neck, he couldn't see anything. Not that she much cared anyhow. Maybe an inkling would have cared, but then she'd just change it next time around. She watched him lie down and look at her upside down. His skull hung above the water. "What?"

"I can read you like a book."

"More like a calculator," she disagreed. "I'm bathing. What do you want?"

"You know? I was kind of thinking of doing you a favor. Like, make sure you actually get out," Sans said. "Kind of not so easy when you just take a bath between here and Snowdin. Just saying."

The more strange the action, the different reaction. Something different. "Then lure me out, Mister Skeleton."

"Oof, human. You don't make things easy."

"Oof, Mister Skeleton. Maybe I am tired of easy. It's all getting old." She didn't know what he'd do, but it didn't matter. A new action. That's what she wanted.

He seemed to start doing his calculator thing. "249 times you were nice. 102 times you barely talked to me. I get the second, that can be typical where I used to be from," Sans joked with a wink. "Not everyday a human in crisis sneaks Underground and gets so bent out of shape they start bathing in the middle of Waterfall. Tempted to help. Really, really tempted but? You kind of killed my brother at some other time. A lot. Me too. Bad scores. 369 times, human. I don't know. Maybe I should watch out."

Hm. There went something different. "I won't kill again. I haven't for awhile. I don't really even know why I did, it just started to happen."

Sans didn't answer back at first, still doing his calculator thing. "I can't tell when or if that's true."

"Yeah. You're a calculator." She knew his limits. Well. "I fought you a lot."

"I can see that Pretty Eyes."

Wait. Did he just flirt with her? "Pretty Eyes? Can you forget the other numbers you see?"

"No, you're a monster killer. You still have pretty eyes though." He shifted his skull. "How come? I see what I see, but I don't know how it's true."

Strange. This conversation. So different. So exhilarating. I wish I didn't have to leave. He's so different now. If I were a monster . . .

If you were a monster, what?

Hey. Don't intrude on my inner thoughts. He shouldn't be able to do that. None of the other monsters could.

Guess I've got a tighter connection with you than even I understand. Normally, I just wouldn't care for an average human making it out. I see numbers, but I feel something else. Do I know you?

I don't know. Is he flirting again? I just don't know flirting well enough. Should I flirt back? Probably shouldn't. I did end his life a lot.

Few things get under my bones more than you. I'll make you a deal. Those clothes look like they aren't the best. Come on out, and I'll get you something new to wear. Pretty new scarf? It'll keep you warmer.

A scarf. I really want some new clothes.

"What was that?" Sans stared at Asriel. He had to know. "You know more stuff than you should, and this whole other memory thing isn't cute. Tell me what's going on."

"Not as much as you think," Asriel said. "When you first came back, it wasn't quite the time all three of you remembered, it was a little before that. You made me aware of a few things, and I had to take some steps to help. I do need these soul bits, so I have to keep my end of the deal," Asriel admitted. "Basically, you did some kind of science move where Farrah was bearing some kind of weapon."

"A weapon?!" No, that was impossible. "Never, we'd never do anything like-"

"I said scientificky," Asriel interrupted Papyrus' rant. "Sans used his own leg with the power. He managed to change quite a few things that normally happened, but he did say that this part would be the hardest, and I should be here to use one of those strange things. So. May I kiss your wife?"

Farrah arched her back in a weird position. The bone was so intense inside, and she was starting to get a few memories back. Sans didn't just come after her and magically bring her back lickety split. She remembered feeling depressed, in despair, and as confusing as it all was on the brain, at least it distracted her from the pain.

And then, she felt fur against her lips?

Asriel kissed her! She wanted to take her feelings out on him, but she started to feel very different. She heard Papyrus start to shout.

"Asriel kissed Farrah and she just-she just?!"

It wasn't the world's biggest kiss, and when she was freed from that strange event, Farrah watched Sans come over.

"Are you oka-a-a-ay?" He said it almost like a bleat. "Normally I don't think hubs are supposed to let others kiss their wives, but this was okay. Not ba-a-ad at all."

Why was Sans teasing with those noises? Farrah felt her body able to relax and stretch again. She also noticed as it relaxed that her hand did not look like her regular hand. It had fur.

It was a paw. A goat paw. "Did I . . . turn into a goat?"

"Temporary," Asriel promised. "Welcome back to the true horror of timelines for amalgamates. Even if you escape, there are consequences. Luckily, this one is helpful right now. You have a little bit of boss power, enough to survive. However, I am fairly sure your husband can help much more."

A goat. She was a goat. "I am like some open conduit."

"Yep. That's a tale for another time," Sans winked. "Didn't see that coming."

"So Farrah will turn into whatever touches her?" Papyrus asked. "She didn't have that problem before."

"She is an amalgamate, giving birth to Sans' bone, in a way that probably even you two can't figure out, to open the barrier. Even if it is just a leg bone, magic is pouring in and out thanks to it and you. All of it broke her wide open. Sans said that might happen when you first came back." Asriel smiled at Farrah. "Don't feel bad, it was bound to happen. No one would leave you in vast amounts of pain and eventually get killed. You are the legendary Pacifist human that did save all of the monster kingdom before, but aww. Look at you. You make a cute goat."

Farrah would have answered but she felt a strange shift in her body, and all the pain came rushing back!

"The power was that short lived with a kiss? Well, I can't help much more," Asriel answered. He looked toward Sans. "Looks like you'll have to lock lips with your wife. Or? Whatever skeletons can do."

Sans heard a blood curdling scream from Farrah. She had been protected from the pain, and that relief was just taken away. "Kiss her again." He'd remember to kick his own butt later for trying something so stupid! Why didn't Asriel confess that little tidbit until now? Occam's razor. He's an asshole. Asriel could just be enjoying them being in the dark, or it could be something else. Why didn't he just write what he did on a piece of paper, why did he confide in Asriel of all people? Messing with human DNA with magic, there is going to be some nasty side effects 'cause of this. I know it. Being trapped in another timeline though, it was going to take something radical to get us out.

Asriel groaned but kissed Farrah until she became a boss goat monster again. "It doesn't last long. Get your stout pelvis over here. She is your wife, you come do something."

Sans looked at Papyrus for a little while. Not much choice.

Asriel backed away slightly, his eyes wincing. Sans and Papyrus had actually brought out their magic tongues. One blue, and one orange. A skeleton's tongue was rarely ever seen. Most monsters didn't even know they existed. One would consider it an honor, a gigantic sign of trust to see it, but- "You two are licking her cheeks like you are a pair of her dogs."

Papyrus pulled his tongue back in. "See here! We are trying to help. If she were a skeleton, all of her pain would be gone. Some royal composure and support please!"

"She isn't turning skeleton," Asriel answered. "You'll have to get closer than licking cheeks and I am sure you've probably figured that out. I am out of here." Asriel left the both of them. Farrah was starting to moan in pain.

"Damn. Didn't think it . . ." Sans looked over at Papyrus. How to phrase it? "So, um, do you want me to make out with her?"

"Yes please, just don't waste time!" Papyrus insisted.

Farrah was barely even conscious of his presence again. Now all of the extra, extra pain made sense. Okay, no time for explanation or thinking about it. Not the way I ever wanted to start this, but no choice.

Sans opened her mouth, closed his bony eyelids, and snaked his tongue inside hers. Humans from the inside tasted different. Soft and fleshy. Tender. Warm to his cooler tongue. Don't think about it, her bones are probably gonna fuse together if you don't do this.

Then he didn't taste the soft flesh anymore. The tongue wasn't as warm either. It wasn't cold, but cool. Longer. Magic was vining back on his.

"Farrah is skeleton, you did it, Sans!" Papyrus congratulated him. "Now just stay like that, until this whole ordeal is over.

Sure 'cause that was easy? Sans opened his bony eyelids.

There were a pair of eye sockets staring right back, wondering what the heck he was doing and what was going on. Sans would have broke the contact, but Papyrus explained it all. Farrah seemed to deal with it considering the other option was pain and maybe death.

She was dealing with it. Her tongue didn't go after his, but he knew it must be a magic tongue. He could feel similar vibrations when he touched it.

She started to try to move her tongue. It would be difficult for her, it wasn't her usual little pink tongue. Unless it was? Had her tongue stayed pink, or was it a different color? Knock it off, don't think about that.

"Sans, it is coming, I see it sticking out! Should we pull it out?" Papyrus asked. "Brother?"

Sans left her mouth and immediately stood at the edge. Skeleton meant no fleshy barrier. It was practically out on its own, sticking out of the medical blanket that had covered her. "Careful." He gently pulled on it with his magic sense. As it came to his grip, Farrah was already changing back to human.

Just in time.

"Great," Asriel said as he patted Farrah's shoulder. "Since the babybones was supposed to be half monster, I'll lie and say it was dusted. Mother won't question it."

"Aww, thanks Asriel! Mighty good of you to do that for us," Farrah winked. Goat Farrah winked.

Sans watched as blue and green magic seemed to wind its way around Farrah. "Yeah, magic, amalgamacy, and human DNA. This might change a few things." He held his bone tight. All of the concentrated magic in it was intense. He held it up to the barrier, watching it finally dissipate away like it was nothing but a harmless fog.

Papyrus went over and patted Farrah's hand. Now she turned into a skeleton goat. "It will be okay? I am sure this constant changing is only temporary."

"I know you are right!" Farrah said excitedly putting her bony hand over his. "The worst is over, only good things can happen now!"

"Yes, that is just what I was thinking!" Papyrus admitted.

Uh oh. Sans had a feeling it wasn't time to celebrate just yet. He went over and touched the top of her goat skull. "Ya alright there?"

Her voice was slurry and smooth, like his now. "The whole birthing bone thing wasn't a walk in the park, but eh, I'm alright. Could go for a Sloppy Sans after that whole mess, but I figure we got more important stuff to do, right?"