The next few weeks passed in a blur as the lab got back into the swing of things, sweeping Sans up in the process. Before he knew it, he was wandering around without a cane and returning to some semblance of normalcy in the hectic chaos that seemed to be the lab's natural state of existence. Strangely, Sans saw less and less of Alex.

But, even as the lab returned to its natural state, a tension started to appear between the other scientists and Sans was unable to be oblivious to it when it started to become palpable. He was well aware that many were still acting stiffly around him. While part of that was normal due to his occasional night terror (he would forever be grateful that nightmares were now a whole lot more common and a whole lot less violent upon waking up) and his lack of remembering a good number of those that worked in the lab, he could tell something had shifted recently. He just couldn't put his finger on what.

He entered the dining room, smiling at the familiar faces and not so familiar faces. Alphys, Undyne, Asgore, and several humans Sans was still remeeting were already seated at the table. Some monsters and humans mingled about as Papyrus and Toriel were still bringing in food from the attached kitchen, along with another human and several monsters. Sans took his customary seat across from where his brother normally sat and greeted the others warmly.

He looked up at his brother as Papyrus placed a large platter of pork chops in the middle of the table. "You help cook tonight, Pap?"

"Of course," Papyrus replied happily, placing the bowl of mashed potatoes a bit farther down the table. "I am always glad to help out in the kitchen when the opportunity presents itself."

Sans chuckled. "Learning lots?"

Papyrus placed a heavy hand on Sans's shoulder, grinning. "Always."

It took a while but eventually everyone settled at the table. Sans happily pulled a pork chop onto his plate, well aware his brother was watching him. He took the proffered bowl of mashed potatoes from Toriel and piled some on his plate, exchanging quick quips with her as he in turned passed her the stuffing. Talk was light and fun and Sans found himself content in the group of familiar and not-so-familiar faces and absolutely delicious food. He really had to hand it to Papyrus; the skeleton knew how to cook and Sans was grateful for that.

"I should not be surprised that he forgot come to dinner like he had promised."

Sans looked up at his brother only to find Papyrus's gaze on the empty chair to Sans's right. Sans glanced at the chair himself, not following. "Who didn't come to dinner?"

"Alex."

Sans's grip convulsed around the knife in his hand. Ah. So that explained Alex's absence. He was avoiding Sans. Sans had no idea why but he did know that he hadn't seen his "lab partner" in what had to be two weeks now and it had to stop.

Sans looked to Papyrus, offering a smile. "I'm sure he's just caught up in his work, Pap."

Papyrus nodded and went back to his plate but the dejected look remained on the skeleton's face. Sans felt the corners of his smile twitch towards a frown. He was not about to share his sudden revelation with his brother. He made his smile grow, suggesting, "Why don't we take a plate down to him when we're done? I'm sure he could use the distraction."

Papyrus looked up, surprise quickly turning into pleasure. "That is a great idea, brother. How did I not think of such a simple solution?"

Sans chuckled, the smile slipping into a real one. "Worry eats at the intelligent brain, dear brother of mine. I'm sure you would have cooked something similar up sooner or later."

Papyrus choked on the bite he had taken and, while there were several moans and groans from those that had overheard, Papyrus's eyes danced with joy at the pun.

But when guilt quickly followed suit, Sans's own joy fell. It wasn't hard to figure out what the guilt had been and he hated the reminder that he was just an impersonator in this timeline. No matter how hard he tried to get back what he had forgotten, the amount that was still black in his mind was overwhelming.

Dinner was over soon thereafter. Sans pitched in to clean up the mess as Papyrus put together a tray for Alex. Sans bit back his opinion when he caught sight of such a large meal. He was pretty certain Alex would barely touch a third of the food even if the scientist needed to consume all that Papyrus was preparing for him. Instead, he grinned and offered, "Looks great, bro. He'll certainly appreciate the thought."

Papyrus smiled and followed Sans down to Alex's personal lab. Sans stopped at the access panel and imputed his personal code. The door opened without a hitch.

Sans froze just over the threshold.

Irrational terror seized him by the throat and slashed the breath from his body. His magic flared as panic threw itself into the toxic blend. The sound of the tray and its contents crashing to the floor barely registered in his brain as he tried desperately to breathe, to get away from something he couldn't even see.

His limbs wouldn't respond.

Magic burst from his left socket as pain erupted from the right. It felt like he was burning, as if flames were licking at his feet and attempting to swallow him whole. The world spun around him. He felt like he was falling. The face that swam into view was nothing he recognized, let alone register any features that would have told him who the figure was. Smoke swirled around him, burned his face and stung his already burning sockets. There was something– no, someone coming towards him and he knew that he had to do something, had to react or they were going to hurt Papyrus. They were going to hurt his brother and another but he couldn't remember who else he was trying to protect. Who else was he trying to save?

"SANS!"

Sans jerked away but Alex's firm grip on his shoulders only tightened. Sans gasped for breath, his entire body shaking as the world around him snapped back into place. Whatever he had lived through, whatever memory he had just relived, was slipping through his fingers as he shoved aside the rolling emotions to focus on whatever Alex's gaze swiftly moved to behind him. Sans turned to look up at Papyrus only to find the taller skeleton not at his normal height. Movement below him drew his eyes to his brother curled up as small as he could with his long limbs, hands over the back of his skull and knees on either side.

Sans couldn't remember a time he had seen Papyrus so small even as fragments of flame consumed memories flickered through his mind before disappearing completely, the sensation of having seen this before, if not quite like this. It made no sense but then Sans didn't ponder on it long enough to figure out why.

Sans stepped out of Alex's grasp surprisingly easily seeing as how tightly the other had held on. He knelt beside Papyrus, reaching out a shaking hand to touch his brother's arm. This close, he could hear faint whispers coming from his brother but whatever Papyrus was saying, it was too faint and too garbled for Sans to make out. Papyrus flinched from Sans's touch but Sans kept his hand flush to his brother's arm.

"Papyrus," he croaked. Sans swallowed. His throat felt like he had been screaming. Had he screamed? He couldn't remember now. "Hey, Pap. Look at me."

There was a sharp intake of air as the stream of words suddenly came to a halt and Papyrus's head came up enough for his big, terror filled sockets to lock onto Sans. Iridescent blue tears were streaming down the lanky skeleton's face, the same color as the Patient soul Papyrus possessed, and Sans had no doubt he had his own iridescent blue tear tracks, his mirroring his Integrity soul. Sans rubbed at the tears on Papyrus's face, asking, "You with me?"

Papyrus sniffed, slowly uncurling to sit on the floor as he rubbed at his other cheek. He nodded, reaching out with both hands and rubbing away the tears on Sans's cheeks. Papyrus gently pulled on him and Sans moved forward without resisting. He settled down in Papyrus's lap, the lanky skeleton wrapping around him. Sans, in turn, held onto his brother's arms, gladly giving his brother whatever comfort he needed. Sans needed it just as desperately.

"I've seen day terrors before, but I've never seen one so extreme in two people simultaneously." Sans looked up at Alex's soft notation. Papyrus had buried his face into his brother's shoulder and Sans doubted Papyrus would move anytime soon. Alex knelt, looking from Papyrus to Sans. "Whatever you two went through, whatever got triggered, was really bad. Sometimes, in severe enough cases, a monster's own magic will recreate any physical injuries that had occurred at the time of the initial trauma, even a day or two after the attack. It would probably be best if you both talked with an actual doctor relatively soon."

"Thought you were a doctor, Dr. Fatum," Sans challenged, unable to keep from cracking a joke, a smirk graced his face even as his voice cracked in turn.

Alex relaxed at the quip, standing with a snort. "So are you but you don't see anyone lining up for treatment."

Papyrus let out a burst of air in a huff of a laugh against Sans's shoulder. Sans chortled but what humor had been there was quickly dashed at Alex's question.

"Do you happen to remember what you recalled?"

Papyrus flinched but didn't respond and Alex didn't press. Sans, for his part, shook his head as he rubbed one of Papyrus's arms. "No. And I wish I did." Sans rubbed at his right socket. "If for nothing else to know what the heck had triggered us." Sans looked at what he could see of Papyrus's skull. "Do you remember anything, Pap?"

Sans nearly took the question back but Papyrus simply sighed into his shoulder, muttering, "Only the echoes of terror. It all seems rather fickle now that it has passed."

Sans looked up to Alex but the human was shaking his head. "I heard and I'm grateful even if that's odd. I'd rather you two not suffer from memories you've clearly forgotten."

Sans hummed in agreement but said nothing more. After a moment, his brother shift around him. Alex stood and put some distance between. Sans was rather disappointed. He wouldn't admit that a part of him was a bit concerned as well.

"I'm sorry about your dinner, Alex," Papyrus offered. He stood Sans up before clambering to his own feet.

Alex waved him off. "It's not a big deal. I'll just go to the kitchen and snag some leftovers. I need out of the lab anyways."

"Cleaning supplies?"

Alex gestured at the cabinet behind Papyrus. "If there's something else you need, there's a janitorial closet down the hall."

Papyrus went off to the cabinet as Sans leaned over and picked up the tray. "You shouldn't let him worry so much, Alex."

Alex gave him a strained smile. "I try not to but you know me: easily lost in work."

Actually, he didn't, but Sans felt it wouldn't help to state the obvious. "The avoidance is new, though," Sans replied, his gaze on the dishes he was gathering.

There was a pause before Alex replied, "I wasn't trying to avoiding you, Sans. I have weeks worth of work to catch up on before bosses start breathing down both our necks and I'm attempting to avoid them putting pressure on you while you're still recovering."

Sans looked up but Alex had moved away to one of the tables in the rather sizable room. It was one of many completely trashed with bits and pieces and all sorts of notes everywhere. Sans finally took in the entirety of the lab and the larger picture was just as wrecked as the couple of tables he had first seen. One wall was completely covered by papers and pictures, a few strands of string here and there to tie some sections together. He could make out his own handwritten notes mingled in with the same handwriting that had filled a notebook full of questions over a month ago. Some pages were dominated by one handwriting or the other but a large amount had both handwritings scrawled across the pages, even the typed pages had notes scrawled in the margins and over the text in both handwritings. He caught sight of nearby pages and his gaze roved over them quickly.

The situation slammed into him, hard.

They were running out of time.

They were running out of time and Alex was doing everything in his power to compensate for Sans's lack of memory by trying to figure out something – anything – that could at least delay the inevitable for just a little longer.

Papyrus reappeared with some supplies and Sans took a shaky breath to re-center himself. He could worry about the end of days and his lack of contribution towards a solution later. Right now, he had to help Papyrus clean up a mess. Alex didn't come near them, falling back into work without a glance in their direction. Sans glanced his way once while cleaning and was surprised when there was a lack of negative emotions towards the human. In fact, a part of him was amused and the other part relieved. Though he couldn't remember, it seemed that Alex had been speaking the truth; the human was easily sucked into whatever challenge had been set before him.

"You sure you don't want us to bring you food, Alex?" Papyrus clarified.

Alex looked up, blinking at them from behind his glasses. It took a second but his brain finally registered what had been asked because he gave a sheepish grin. "I'm sure, Pap. I can only ignore my bladder for so long so I'll grab food after a restroom break."

Papyrus nodded, a determined look on his face as he turned and walked out. Sans followed after, waving back at Alex. "Get some sleep some time tonight, partner."

Alex waved at him and gave a hum in response but the human was already turning back to whatever he had been looking at. Sans sighed as the lab was left behind. He hoped his memories came back soon. He didn't need to be the reason Alex keeled over dead from overworking.

That was a thing, right? Whether it was or wasn't, knowing he wasn't there to help made him feel exhausted. He couldn't imagine shouldering all that stress by himself and he had lived through numerous resets where he had been powerless to do anything.

The dining room was dark but there was still a light on in the kitchen. Some human was there leaning against the counter opposite of the running microwave, a bowl already warm being consumed. They nodded in greeting to the brothers but returned their attention to the microwave as it beeped. Papyrus disposed of the waste while Sans placed the dishes and tray into the sink. He turned on the water to as hot as his bones could handle and started to wash the soiled dishware.

"Have a good night," the human spoke, exiting the room.

"You too, Mavis," Papyrus called out in response. Their interaction was a fleeting notice in Sans's mind as he got lost in thought.

There had to be a way for him to help. Maybe he could get Alex to talk him through what they had already done. After all, it wasn't like Sans wasn't remembering so telling him things that he should have remembered shouldn't hurt, right? That way there wouldn't be a need for Papyrus to be disappointed when Alex didn't show for dinner and Sans could stop feeling like Alex was avoiding him.

He shouldn't have asked his question.

"Sans, are you alright?"

Sans jerked and splashed hot, soaping water all down his front and across the counter. He took a step away from the sink as he groaned softly. And that's what he got for getting lost in thought. Papyrus was already there cleaning up the mess, though, and Sans quickly rinsed the bowl in his hand. "Thanks, Pap." His shirt was already starting to cool and he suppressed a shudder. "I'm ok, bro. Just tired."

Papyrus took the proffered bowl now free of soap, all nice and clean, and dried it. Sans turned off the water and grabbed a nearby hand towel to attempt to get some of the water out of his shirt. It wasn't till he was almost done getting what moisture he could out of his shirt that Papyrus spoke up again.

"Do you know anything about our...episode earlier?"

Sans shook his head as he dried his hands and forearms. "Nope. Though, I do have my suspicions. With what notes of Gaster's I remember and have read since, I don't think there's much stretching of the imagination to say that it was associated with that monster. I just don't know exactly what the episode was about, let alone what triggered it."

Silence fell over the kitchen broken only by the soft clink of Papyrus putting the bowl away. Sans hung the hand towel back up feeling oddly disconnected from all of it.

"I'm going to go make sure Alex takes a break," Papyrus voiced, resting a perceptive gaze onto Sans. "You'd best head to bed, Sans. You look exhausted."

Sans chuckled. "When am I not?" Stepping away from the counter, he smiled softly at his brother. "I'll see you at breakfast, then?"

Papyrus nodded.

They shared a brief hug before parting ways in the hallway.

His room seemed far colder than it normally was as the orange light of his lamp filled the room. He wasn't sure he even wanted to attempt to sleep but he wasn't sure he had much of a choice in the matter. Switching into pjs of sorts was easy, though, and made it far easier to at least climb into bed. Exhaustion pulled at every bone but Sans was certain his mind was too chaotic to fall into anything peaceful.

He didn't know just how right he was.

Alex jumped, blinking at the door as someone pounded on it briefly. He pushed his glasses up to rub at his eyes before he glanced at the clock. It was too early in the morning for someone to be pounding on his door. Whoever was outside his door pounded on it again. Reluctantly, he left his work. "This best be quick," he grumbled to himself. He didn't have any time to waste.

He keyed the door open and it slid apart to reveal a very nervous and very flustered yellow dinosaur monster. "Alphys?" he questioned, surprised. His grumpy mood deflated a bit as his brain focused on the conversation. Work could wait for a brief moment; she never bothered him in his lab, let alone pound on any door. He needed the break anyways. "What-"

"I-it's Sans," she stuttered, ringing her hands. "H-he's h-having a n-night terror."

She hadn't even finished the last two words before Alex was already running. She kept right with him, rushing, "Undyne and Pa-Papyrus are trying t-to wake him."

Alex scoffed, taking the stairs three at a time. He didn't bother to wait for Alphys as she quickly fell behind.

He had been made Sans's partner for a reason. He had been trained with Sans's magic for a reason.

Undyne and Papyrus's voices reached him as he rounded the corner. Toriel was outside the room with two others. They looked his way but moved when he didn't slow down. Grabbing the door frame, Alex made the sharp turn into utter chaos.

Undyne has a spear in hand but she was on the defensive, attempting to keep Papyrus behind her even though he was fighting her protection. Papyrus was talking, trying to get his brother to hear him, to see him, but Alex could tell that whatever Sans was seeing, it wasn't this.

"Sans!" he called out, already halfway into the room. Sans's gaze snapped to him and Papyrus used the lull in attacks to get closer. Sans didn't let him get far, throwing the lanky skeleton into Undyne with a flick of the wrist and blue magic pulsing. The pair crashed to the floor and Alex felt fear and adrenaline fill his veins as Sans rounded on him. Sans lashed out, blue magic engulfing Alex's soul. Alex only had enough time to let out a startled breath before he was slammed into the wall.

Sans shouted in an odd language, one that seems to not quite work in his ears. The only thing he gleaned from Sans's shouting, though, was what the night terror was most likely about. That was the last clear thought Alex had before his mind was engulfed in white.

Papyrus came to with a start, a familiar scream still ringing through his skull. It took his brain a moment to process that the scream had not been part of his dream and any drowsiness remaining vanished. He threw back the covers and raced out of his room. His long strides took him into Sans's room where he found the stout skeleton sitting on the edge of his bed.

"Sans?" Papyrus inquired gently. Sans's gaze snapped to him. It felt like he had been drenched in ice at the sight of the blue magic pouring from Sans's left socket, right empty of its normal pupil light. Papyrus ignored the fact that Sans wasn't really looking at him as he stepped farther into the room. He brought his hands up hoping that his brother would be more at ease with seeing his palms. "Sans, are you ok? You with me, brother?"

Heavy footfall behind him told him Undyne and Alphys had shown up. He ignored them too. "Sans?"

Undyne gripped his arm, suddenly behind him and armed. "Papyrus," she ordered, gaining his gaze. "Don't."

"Let him go," Sans snarled. Papyrus looked back at Sans, excited, but his excitement diminished when he saw the bones materialize around the stout skeleton. Undyne pulled Papyrus back forcefully, guarded. The bones shot towards them and Undyne blocked a good number of them. "Let. Him. Go."

"The hell is he speaking?" snarled Undyne, grabbing Papyrus and pulling him to the ground as a barrage of bones sliced through the space they had just been occupying.

"You can't understand him?" Papyrus asked, as Undyne got up, blocking another attack. She shot him a startled look, demanding, "You can?!"

Papyrus got up, sidestepping an attack that slipped past Undyne's defense. He didn't answer her question, though, calling to Sans, "Sans, please. It's me, Papyrus."

There was a flicker, a fault in the coming attack and Papyrus thought he saw Sans return to himself for a brief moment, a flicker in his sockets. But, whatever progress he had made was shattered when Alex came in, calling Sans's name. Papyrus took the diversion to slip around Undyne. He didn't even make it half way before his soul was turned blue and he was thrown into Undyne, slamming into the floor painfully. Papyrus rolled off of Undyne as he watched Alex slam into the wall, the blue soul in his chest blazing with Sans's magic. Pain flickered across Alex's now pale face as sweat started beading the pale skin.

"You! I'll end you!" Sans shouted and Papyrus watched as something dawned on Alex just before Sans embedded an attack into Alex's torso. Alex gave a strangled scream.

"Sans!" Papyrus cried out, leaping towards his brother. "No!"

Sans lashed out at him blindly, catching Papyrus by surprise. Papyrus landed hard on his rump in an attempt to dodge the attack and still ended up getting nicked; a bone scrapped the side of his skull. "Sans!" Papyrus choked. "Don't."

Somehow, someway, that did the trick. As Papyrus sat there, a hand on the throbbing scrape on his cheekbone and tears pricking the back of his sockets, he watched as Sans awoke staring at him. Sans's gaze didn't remain on his brother, though. Sans looked to where his magic was active and jerked back as if he had been burned, the magic in the room dissipating in a heartbeat, all physical attacks dissipating. Alex collapsed to the floor a foot and a half beneath him with a groan. Alphys ran to Alex's side as Undyne got up hesitantly to join her. Papyrus missed the wary look she cast Sans as she passed behind the lankier skeleton. Sans took a step back, his hand curling at his chest. He turned to Papyrus in hesitation and Papyrus watched with bated breath as Sans seemed to war something out in his head before reaching towards him. Papyrus felt relief flood him as he shifted his weight to take Sans's hand. He involuntarily flinched as he rolled on a very sore part of his rump. Sans instantly jerked his hand back and Papyrus could clearly see on Sans's face what Sans had interpreted the flinch as. Papyrus reached out towards Sans, his brother's name on his tongue, but Sans left the safety of the lab in a final burst of magic.