"You really are an idiot."

Having stopped your body from floating any further down the river, he latched his vine around your waist and lifted you onto the grass. As you sat up from the ground, you could still feel a small bit of the magic beverage still sparking through your body.

'Guess it was a bad idea to drink so much.'

"No duh! Why did you even do it?! I thought you wanted to reach the end as fast as you could not get plastered on the way!"

{Cause it's fun!}

'I...I'm not sure actually... maybe... '

I just wanted to forget...

Having the last of magic spark dissipate from your body, you soon realised how cold inside and out you really were. That the only thing keeping you warm was the magic drink and now that it's gone, you could feel the cool breeze through your wet clothing. Getting up from the ground, you marched your way back to Snowdin.

"Where do you think you're going!?"

'I left my stuff in Snowdin. I can't go on without it.'

Vines quickly wrapped themselves around your ankle, causing you to stumble to a stop. "You idiot!" Looking back, you could see Flowey staring at you as if you had lost your mind. "Do you really think you can go into that snow infested dump in the state you're in?!" You looked at yourself but didnt find anything wrong with the way you were. "You're soaked right through! Seriously how much of an idiot are you!? Even I know that a human's body is too frail to withstand the cold air in wet clothing. You don't even have fur to protect you!"

'Flowey, really, I'll be fine. I can handle-'

"I don't care if you think you can handle it! I'm not going to play your little nurse if you get sick from being an idiot! So just stay put and let me help you!" His words cut whatever intent you had of going back. Flowey noticing what he had said and the look of warmth in your face, made him hide his own. "I-i just wanted you t-to get out, that's all..."

"Thank you..." you softly said. Flowey's reddish blush grew across his pale face as he quickly glared back at you.

"I'm not doing it for you!" Not giving you the chance to talk back, he sunk back down into the ground. Even though Flowey could be harsh with his words, there was no denying that he really became one of your dearest friends. All alone and with nothing else to do, you sat down near the cave walls, wrapping your arms around your legs. As much as you appreciate Flowey's help, you didn't like to sit around doing nothing. It left you with only your thoughts to bring you company. Alone and empty, you found that the only thing holding you up from despair was the light your friends kept showing you. Cause at this very moment you could feel the full extent of how not having your own soul could leave you so empty. It was terrifying.

{You wouldn't be feeling so crappy if you just hurried it up. Why are you wasting so much time!}

You sink deeper into yourself, doing your best to drown Chara out. But Chara made a good point, why has it taken you so long to get through? Shutting your eyes, you could start to feel your mind sinking deeper and deeper into sleep. Doing anything to speed up time from this feeling. Were you scared of reaching the end? Were you scared of what was waiting for you there? Are you scared of getting close to them again?

The answer was yes.

Without your determination to press you on, you were very much afraid. Something inside you, told you have to cherish every single moment you can spare with your friends. That at any moment, it'll all come to an end just as it did last time. Your first time going through the underground, you were fuelled by your determination to reach the end. To get the ending everyone wanted. To get the ending you believed you wanted, even if it ment not enjoying the company to the fullest with everyone around you. That moment you had at the restaurant with Sans, you should have seen how right he was. Did you really have to go? Couldn't you have enjoyed your time before heading off? Why was it so important to confront Asgore that you couldn't hold it off for a few more days.

"down here you've already got food, drinks, friends...is what you have to do...really worth it?"

"Was it really worth it?" You mumbled to yourself.

"What was really worth it?"

"Flowey?" You gasp out, for his voice startled you, having no idea when he had arrived. Looking up from your huddled spot, you saw that he had brought more then just your things. How long have you been out for him to gather all this stuff, you wondered.

"You humans mumbled the weirdest thing in your sleep." He muttered to himself as he unravelled the bag of items.

'Flowey, what's with all this-'

Flowey threw bundles of clothes at your face before glaring at you. Whatever you had signed must have angered him with how his eyes bore into you.

"Could you stop with the signing already? It's really annoying when I have to keep looking at you to know what you're trying to say when you could speak just fine." Your hands tighten around the new set of clothes. You never once thought on how much trouble it was for other people to constantly be in the look out for what you where doing with your hands. You thought of your reasons that refrained you from talking, but the more you thought about it, the more you wished you could forget. She wasn't here and so far, no monsters had said anything when they did hear you. So what's keeping you from speaking now? "I don't care what your reason is, because all I know is that it doesn't matter. Nothing that happened to you up there matters now that you're down here. So just be your idiotic self and get out of here!"

You quietly watched Flowey as he looked away from you, his blush returning and his teeth gritting, proving how embarrassed he was of his own words. He was right. You had no reason to be afraid. After all the time you had spent underground, no one has ever looked at you in any ill manner you could think of. Before you knew what you where doing, your arms wrapped themselves around Flowey. The sudden hug caused him to jerk but he didn't struggle against your hold. "You're right..." your voice gently came out, your words caressing against his soft petals. Holding him so close, his gentle flower smell filled your nose and you could feel warmth emanating from his small body.

You wondered if you held on to him any longer, if he would push you away out of annoyance, or if he would wrap his vines around you. Feeling your stomach flutter inside, you release your hold on him and cupped his face in your hand. His eyes simmered, confused on what you where doing. Before he could say a word, you placed your lips on to his own. They were soft against your lips that left you smiling when you parted away. Your heart fluttered at the sight of Flowey's face as he stood speechless by your action. His whole face was painted a light pink and eyes wide that it almost filled his face. "I'll get ready as soon I can, then we can get going, ok?" You said as you gathered the new set of clothes from the ground.

Flowey's blush deepen into a deep red before looking away, calling you an idiot which only made you smile even more. Walking towards an empty cave, you missed the small smile that grew on his face as his vines felt the warmth that was left on his lips.

Inside the dark cave behind the veil of water, you took a closer look at the bundle of clothes you held close to your chest. Which you could only guess he must have found at the Waterfall dump. He had brought you a dark blue shirt, baggy pants, a thin worn out jacket and large roll of bandages. You weren't sure what the bandages were for until you looked down. "A skinned knee...?" You didn't even notice it, but you must have gotten it when you tripped and fell into the river. He must have seen it when he lifted you out of the water and must have went looking for something to help cover the small wound.

{Stop grinning like a fool already!}

Sorry, it's just...the whole thing is so sweet-

{Who cAres! If he really cared, he would have brought you some monster food and be done with it! You know how much time you wasted with your stupid sentimental bull shit!}

Chara sounded irritated, more than usual and made you wonder if you made her mad again. She kept grunting in frustration when you kept stalling to find what was causing her foul mood. After all this time, you were still trying to figure her out.

{Just...just... Why the hell do you keep throwing yourself at other people!? Why can't you just keep to yourself?! Why...w-why...did you have to kiss him!!? What does that have to do with getting them out of here-}

Chara? You're not jealous are you?

{Jealous!? What would I be jealous about!! How dead in the brain are you to even ask that!}

Curious on how it might feel.

{Feel what!?}

"First kiss..." You whispered out, interrupting Chara's little spout. The sound of dirt shifting caught your attention towards the enterance of the cave. But no one was there. Wasting no more time, you peeled away your soaked shorts.

I wanted to feel how it is to have a first kiss while I still had the chance... and who better to have your first one but with a flower.

Chara didn't speak while you changed into your new clothing. Having put on the baggy pants, you went on to peeling off your soaked sweater from your dampened skin. Feeling the weight of your chest being released from the sweater, you stared at the roll of bandages that laid near your feet. Without another thought, you picked up the roll and begun to unwind it. Chara spoke up when you started binding yourself.

{Why the fuck would you do that? You're just going to hurt yourself doing that.}

I doubt a little binding could hurt me as bad as other things I had to endure in my life. It's just hard to dodge with them in the way.

Fully dressed, you left the small cave to find Flowey waiting patiently for you to return. Grinning to yourself, you skipped into his view. Once his eyes meet yours, you gave yourself a little twirl. "What do you think? Does it suit me?" Flowey pouted, avoiding your gaze saying it was fine. Grabbing your stick and pocketing the small items you had, you were ready to go. Flowey cleared his throat to get your attention.

"Can you stick your arm out..." he mumbled. Tilting your head to the side, you complied with his odd request. He then began stretching his vines from the ground towards you. Slowly detaching his roots, he curled himself around your stretched out arm. Seeing your cheesy grin, he gritted and glared at you before turning away. "I-I'm just making it easier to follow, that's all! S-so just shut up!" Hiding your laugh underneath a cough, you decided not to comment how content he looked at the moment.

Making your way through the rest of Waterfall, you reached the blinking neon sign with the sentence"WELCOME TO HOTLAND". You continued to walk forward with Flowey holding into you. The darkness of Waterfall was slowly turning into a blinding bright light at the end of the tunnel. The soft sound of water running turned to the distant sound of lava bubbling up ahead. The heat growing at every step you took that Flowey gripped your arm tighter from the change of temperature. Passing the empty sentry station, you crossed the bridge towards the water dispenser. After handing Flowey a sip of water, it didn't take you long to make it to the large laboratory that stood out from the rest of the scenery surrounding it.

Once the two of you were right in front of the front door, it automatically opened for you, sliding up and vanishing into the doorway to allow the both of you inside.Before you could enter, Flowey quickly untangled himself from you and rooted himself back to the ground behind you. "I'll catch up with you later." Glancing back at you he quickly shifted his gaze. "I can't have anyone knowing that I exist..."

"I get it."

"Bye." Sinking into the ground, you chuckled slightly before you faced back to the open door. Stepping in and away from the door, it shut behind you. With the entrance sealed you could instantly feel the cool air waving over you. Your body got more comfortable and adjusted to the change in the air. Careful not to bump into anything from the lack of light, you placed your hand against the wall. Not that you couldn't figure out what's in front on you, you just didnt want the off chance you might step on top of something and creating a noise. You weren't sure if it was just you reaching the middle of the room or you making a sound, but you didn't want to tip off Alphys just yet.

You followed the wall until you reached the base of the escalator. Tapping it with your shoe to see if it was off or on, you climbed to the second floor. In Alphys' bedroom, you went straight towards the table. Finding what you where looking for, you went back down using the same escalator you used to get there in the first place. Pocketing the item, you reached the middle of the room and Alphys appeared just like you remembered.

"Ummm...H-h-hiya!I'm Dr. Alphys." Flustered and tripping over her words bought the world of nostalgia back to you. It was nice to see her again. You never noticed until now how rehearsed her words were. Now that you think about it, Mettaton must have helped her with her lines. Even though they might not look like close friends to the others (e.g. Catty and Bratty), you knew they were wrong. They might not look it, but you could tell they were close.

Just on cue, Mettaton came bursting through the walls. Confetti and colorful lights adorn the area as small Mtt bots with cameras surrounded the both of you. Following Alphys' hand jesters, you easily past all of Mettaton's questions. When the game show ended, Mettaton blasted through the ceiling, leaving you alone with a frazzled Alphys. Walking towards her, you took out your phone. "Dr. Alphys? Do you think I can have your phone number?"

"Y-y-you are a-asking me f-for my n-number?!" You nodded, "I-I mean sure, uh y-yes! B-b-but...why?" Her last word left her lips in a small whisper. Seeing her fiddling with her claws, you placed your hand ontop of her head. "Oh! U-uh..." you smiled at her and told her why not. Not mentioning anything about her status you simply told her that you just enjoyed the thought of making a new friend. Alphys seemed to like that answer and took your phone. Seeing how ancient it was, she went to the back and upgraded it for you. "Here you go! I've upgraded it for you. It's got a key chain and I added a couple of special features. I even signed you up for the underground's No. 1 social network! N-now we're officially friends!"

You giggled at her enthusiasm, which made her only more nervous. Sweating with a hint of blush, she coughed into her hand and excused herself to go to the bathroom. Rushing away, the bathroom door closed behind her. Noticing her yellow feet tapping underneath, you went near the exit so she could hear the door swipe open. Stepping away from it, you quietly went back and placed your back against the wall near the closed door. Alphys, wanting to check if you really had left, the door swipe open and she took a peak outside.

Taking your chance, you quickly stepped away from the wall "Gahaa! Y-you're still here!?" She gasped out before scrambling her back to the far wall of the small room. You rushed right in before she could get a chance to close it. "W-wait! Y-you can't be in h-here- W-WHAT ARE YOU DOING!?" Knowing that it was an elevator and not a bathroom, you were quick to press the button that would lead you to the basement. "I-I...you..." Alphys fumbled with her words, panicked as the elevator started to descend.

You relaxed your body against the wall, while Alphys scrambled around with an open panel of wires, trying desperately to stop the elevator from going any further. "Dr. Alphys, are you okay over there? I don't think it's a good a idea for you to mess around with that when the power is on." Alphys huffed as she dropped the tangle mess of wires before facing you.

"N-no I am not ok!" You're pretty sure it's not really good a thing to be thinking about this but, Alphys being mad was fun to watch. You couldn't help it, you never seen her like this and it was kinda cute. "F-first you l-lied about w-wanting to be my friend just so you could s-sneak into places y-ou have no right to be in-" At that moment you took out the numerous unopened letters that you took from her desk, which Alphys gasped out before swiping them away from you. "Y-you took this!? H-how...h-how could you! This was not yours to take! Y-you c-can't jus-"

"I didn't lie about not wanting to be your friend. I...I just think you should really tell them what happened." Alphys looked nervously at her letters, trying her best to cover them in her hands.

"I-I don't know w-w-what you're talking about..." You side glanced towards her, noticing how she wasn't looking at you anymore with her angry expression. She wasn't even looking at you period as her eyes fell to the ground filled with guilt.

"It's hard to lose someone you care for. I can't even imagine how it would feel to know if they are even still alive. Having that small sense of hope that they are, that they might be able to see them once again, it... must be hard living like that." Drops of water falling against paper made you face back at the quiet doctor. It hurt to see her in tears, even more so that it was you that did it. But you want to help her.

"I've done things...h-horrible things... I can't..."

"You were trying to save everyone."

"But!"

"They were falling. There was nothing you could do to save them. Except help those they love." Alphys eyes shinning with unfallen tears, stared at you, listening your words. "You wanted to free their family and friends from this underground tomb before anymore would fall."

"T-that still doesn't excuse what I did..."

"Maybe not, but you still did try to make something out of something that was hopless. You're not the type of person who would do something to harm anyone for fame, money...or power. You did it to help, even if it was wrong, you had good intentions." The elevator finally opened, revealing the dark musty basement that was the true lab. Hands folded behind your back, you skipped out of the elevator and faced the doc with a warm smile. "You might have messed up, you might have failed...But you know what." You stick your hand out towards her. "They are alive!"

Alphys looked at your outstretched hand, nervously reaching towards it. She looked up at you, searching your face. You gave her an encouraging smile, reassuring her that it was going to be ok. Feeling her scaly hand, you held on tight and led her out of the elevator. Hand in hand, you both walked through the true lab. Your joined footsteps echoed through the cold corridors. As you pass through, you would glance towards the monitors on the wall, silently reading the passages there. "C-can...can I ask you a question?" Alphys voice piercing through the hum of the ventilation. Through your peripheral vision, you could see Alphys looking ahead. Feeling her nervousness through your joined hand, she still persevered to look ahead.

"Only if I can ask you one in return." Her hand slacked in your grip, but you tightened yours in return, giving her whatever strength that was left inside of you.

"O-okay..." gulping, she tried to find the words to her question but decided to let you ask first.

"Does Sans now about this?"

"S-sans?! W-why would you bring him up?"

"Just some things I noticed. The dog food in your lab, Papyrus once said that Sans had a bag of it in his room."

"T-that...could be any number of reasons..."

"The hidden room behind his house, how some of these passages on the wall doesn't look like you had written them and the bits and pieces that show he's smarter then he lets on."

"W-well...You see..." it was Alphys' turn to grip your hand as she let out a sigh, "No. Well, y-yes he knows but only because he stumbled across one of them. But no, he wasn't apart of it. You see, he had accidentally left a part for his..machine. Something he was working on when he was my assistant."

"He worked for you?"

"W-well..he still does, but just as a sentry guard. But yes, he used to work with me in the lab. Except he was...is smarter than me on a lot of things but being who he was, he'd let me take most of the credit myself."

"I wonder why he left."

"He...he wasn't happy here. Probably because of something in his past."

"Did something happened to him?"

"I-I'm not sure..l-I don't even think he knows, but I did find him and his brother around here when they were small. I can't remember much, but they looked... lost..."

"Do you miss him?"

"W-what?" Alphys stopped in her tracks, trying to understand what you just asked.

"It sounds like you've known him for a long time and even worked with him. Do you miss him now that you're working alone?"

"W-well...I might have had a small crush. But!" She quickly dismissed with the shake of her head and hand. "I-it passed as quickly as it came." You laughed at how ashamed she looked. You were curious to find out more, only to have her continue without you asking. "H-he was constantly f-flirting but then it was just annoying how he didn't want to put any effort in his work a-and those puns!" You laughed out loud, imagining how Sans might have bothered Alphys just to see her spaz. "I-I still see him around though..."

"Yeah?"

"Every so often, I'd visit him at his hot dog stand. J-just to have a bite to eat and say hi.."

"That sounds nice."

"I-I-I guess it does..." Alphys looking a bit more cheerful and confident, she asked you the question she was meaning to ask from the beginning. "A-about t-that question...h-how did you know? A-about all this?"

"I've been here before." Alphys looked so confused, but you knew if anyone would believe your story about timelines, then she would be the one. So, you told her. The whole first run in the underground, how you had broken the barrier, how every time you died or was determined enough, you could load to a previous save point. When she asked what happened after the barrier was broken, you found yourself unable to tell her much. Only that you regret what happened after. She didn't press you, but did listen intently to any answers you did give her regarding what you know about the resetting. Which wasn't much.

"Wow...I was...right! I have to be, i-if you could travel to d-different timelines, t-then that makes alternate universes even more plausible!" You're not quite sure what she's trying to say, but you let her carry on seeing how excited she was. "K-kinda wished Sans didn't take that machine of his. Just imagining the possiblity... I-I-I just can't b-believe it! But it does make me wounder...w-what happened to the timeline where you died?"

"Hmm?"

"W-well...it's just a theory but, every time you die, does the timeline you where in carry on? Just without you in it? Creating a time line where you didn't exist anymore, basically splitting it and creating a new path where you do exist?"

"I'm not sure about all that, but I do know Sans knows about the reset."

"H-he does?"

"I've never told him, but I guess he figured it out on his own. He once said that I was an anomaly, that I kept consuming timelines over and over."

"Oh...that doesn't sound good." You arched an eyebrow, waiting for her to elaborate more. "W-well if what he said is true, then...not only is it possible that you are creating a different parallel world with each reset, but you might be consuming timelines with each death. If you continue, you might off set the balance of things..."

"I guess you're right, that doesn't sound good."

"Who's to say that the world's you have left behind from th-those countless resets didn't have some b-bad, un-fath...u-uh...just not good endings?" You hope that wasn't the case. Just imagining a world still existing where your friends had to continue living on with the loss of their friends, because of you, left an unbearable pain in the pit of your stomach.

Reaching the furthest corridor that appeared to be a break room fully stocked with a round table, fridge and microwave, Alphys pulled out multiple bags of foods. Placing each different food content in different bowls and placing them on the table, Alphys lets out a small breath before flipping a switch. The switch sounded a small alarm that echoed throughout the lab and very shortly, you could hear multiple sounds growing closer. In a horrific scene, all of the Amalgamates slowly squirmed through the small door opening. All of them piling on top of each other created pressure against the metal frame. One by one, the Amalgamates started squeezing themselves out of the pile with an oozing pop, leaving Endogeny the last one to ooze on right through.

After their meal, you held onto Alphys' hand, giving her support to face her patients. Nervously she explained to them that they were going to be discharged from the lab. That they would be reunited with their loved ones. Upon hearing the news, you could sense the glee radiating from their bodies. A few at a time, you joined Alphys in escorting the Amalgamates to the top floor, never leaving her side. "I-I don't know what will happen...but..."

"I'll be right behind you, so don't worry. I promise you that it's going to be okay." With Alphys standing in front of the Amalgamates, the front door swiped open. As she led them out, you were the last one to walk out. Stepping out of the lab, you heard a cough. Looking down, you noticed Flowey standing with their vine stretched out for you to take. Smiling at him, you took his vine in which he wrapped himself around your arm. Keeping a distance from Alphys' group, you kept texting Alphys encouraging words every time she seemed to back away from explaining the monster's of their family member. Soon she stopped relying on your texts, something about your words turning into full blown flirting, which only turned her into an embarrassing mess.

"Whoopty doo, all the failed experiments are with their families, now what are you planning to do?" Flowey said, taking your attention away from the warming scene of the Royal dogs seeing their parents again.

"Now that Alphys has regained the confidence to face her problems, we can now use the elevator to go straight to New Home." With your goal in your heart, you and Flowey made your way back to Hotland, to face any challenge that awaited for you.

Meanwhile at the colorfully decorated house in Snowdin, the Skelebros rested in their room, Grillby and Undyne were lounging in the living room, with Fuku quietly nursing them out of their hangovers. "...I'm sorry..."

"Don't worry dad, just rest okay?" Fuku said fitting a pair of earmuffs over her father's head. To help with the slight headaches he was having from Undyne and Papyrus screaming back at each other. Something about the other one being too loud.