Chapter 7: Healing

The backyard is covered in mist as a smaller goat and a taller goat shuffle towards the edge of the property. The clouds are sobbing. The taller goat wears a long purple dress and has short horns, face complemented by a pair of periwinkle glasses. The smaller goat lacks any horns; his skinny frame sports a green and yellow sweater and his hands hold a golden locket in the shape of a heart.

"Another day, another visit. While it doesn't replace her gravesite in the Underground, it's the memorial and the thought that counts", Toriel says.

"Yeah, mom," replies Asriel.

Asriel reaches a small mound of dirt. A small wooden cross made of sticks is placed at the head of the plot, with a small green shirt with a single yellow stripe stretching across the middle. A picture of a rosy-cheeked child sits at the base of the cross. He stares at the picture, bows his head silently, and takes a look at the locket. The front of it has the phrase "best friends forever" engraved into the metal. He clenches the locket in his hand and begins to cry. (Howdy, Chara…I haven't forgotten about you…I'm here.)

"I'm sure she will love it, my child", Toriel says.

"Yeah, mom…I hope so." Asriel nods and places the locket onto the top of the grave. He then pulls out a chocolate bar from his back pocket and places it next to the locket. "See, Chara? I brought your favorite candy…I hope you…like it."

Asriel's modest cry increases to a sob. His body shakes. His stomach churns and his mind races. After a moment of his body arresting his soul, he gets up suddenly, spins around towards his mother, and hugs her tightly. "Mommy…I'm sorry…I don't understand…"

Toriel looks down at Asriel and gently rubs the top of his head. Her eyes widen and her mouth opens slightly, with her face turning a little pale. "What are you sorry for? You've done nothing wrong; what's troubling you so?"

Asriel takes a moment to breathe, then speaks. "You know how I…was Flowey? I…I'm not proud of how I acted, but…I got to live again, at least, even with…what I did in my Flowey body. I was given a second chance, and now I have my body back too, but…"

"But what, my child?"

"Why not Chara, too? It's just not fair…and…I'm sorry that I didn't say this sooner, but…I need to tell you…I can't forget…"

"Can't forget what, my dear?"

"…I…I can't forget that…I held Chara's hand when she died…"

Asriel burrows his head into his mother's dress, hiccuping heavily. Toriel bends down and kisses him lightly on the top of his head. "I'm so, so sorry, my child." A couple of tears of her own form, mixing into the rain as it falls. "Any mother's heart would break hearing what you went through…and, it doesn't make much sense to me, either. My heart aches just like yours."

Asriel's voice raises slightly. His head pops up to face his mother's gaze and his brow furrows slightly. "But why was she taken?! She was taken from me…from you…from dad…"

Toriel bites her lip, takes a moment to breathe, and then nods. "Life is short…and sometimes, the world is cruel. Very cruel…but, I suppose that it's our own fault for putting it this way."

Asriel's face relaxes slightly. The tears stop for a moment and his body stops trembling. "So…what can we do?"

"We remember her. Even after all that's happened, we can still honor her. It's what she would want."

Asriel nods and smiles. "You're right, mom." He bows his head. (It kills me that I can't see her, but…we can at least remember what a good sibling she was…and a best friend, too.)

Toriel nods and pets her son on the head again. "Your sister was definitely different…but a good kind of different, idiosyncrasies and all."

Asriel's smile solidifies a little. "Yeah…that does help me feel a little better."

Asriel turns back to the grave, and Toriel places her hand firmly around Asriel's shoulder. Asriel's eyes burrow into the grave and he quietly talks up to his mother. "Mom, I need to tell you something else, too."

"What is it, Asriel?"

He bites his lip and his body shakes slightly violently. "I'm really sorry about the plan, mom…about everything…" His crying returns and swells. "I'm really sorry about hurting you…and dad…and the others too."

Asriel tightly hugs his mother and she speaks gently to him. "My child…I forgive you. We all have…it's ok."

"Thank you. I just…I hurt you and dad and everyone so bad, and in a lot of ways…and I really hate what I did, but…"

He stops. Toriel lowers her gaze. "What is it", she asks.

Asriel manages to crack a slight smile. "I'm also lucky…that I became Flowey, in a weird way…because without that resurrection…I would've never had the chance to…come back to you, and dad…meet Frisk…"

Toriel looks at the side of the yard, at the grave, and then kneels and stares at Asriel intently, ruby eyes glowing while gripping onto his shoulders. "Mom? What's wrong? I hope I didn't say anything wrong," Asriel says.

"No, my child. I just…" Her ruby eyes glisten and shine with fire. She smiles and hugs him tightly. "I'm so…so proud of you."

"Thank you, but…why would you be proud of me?"

"Because you're my child." Toriel looks up into the sky, with her mind thinking back to the past. "I'm very thankful that I learned from your father that you were truly alive…but seeing you in your own flesh again a few weeks ago…that was different, in a good way…that feeling of shocking joy cannot be replaced…you weren't gone for good, and now you're closer to me than ever." She then lowers her head again and shakes it. "I'm still unsure about how to handle your Flowey body and all events attached to those days, but…I am thankful that you're still alive."

Toriel lets out a few happy tears and Asriel bites his lip. He then looks up at his mother again, tilting his head. "So, mom…what are you saying?"

"Whether you go by 'Flowey' or 'Asriel'…you're still my child."

Asriel stops. His frown slowly turns into a bright, warm smile and his eyes stop running water. They hug each other tightly and he says, "I love you, mom…thank you for always loving me."

"I love you, too…and I'm so glad we can be together again."

They release each other from their embracing and Toriel guides Asriel towards the house again. "Now that we've paid respects to your sister, you should get ready for church. Don't dilly-dally."

Asriel nods and the red disappears from his eyes, with white returning. "Ok, mom. I promise."

The mother-son duo re-enter the house. Asriel walks back to his bedroom and pulls a green and yellow striped tie off of the nightstand. His brother, Frisk, is adjusting his own outfit on the opposite side of the room. He slowly turns to look at Asriel and his mouth twitches into a smile. "Hey, bro…you feeling alright?"

Asriel responds without looking at Frisk. "I'm ok, I guess."

Frisk nods and buttons up his dress shirt. He sinks his head slightly. "If you tell mom that you're sick, I'm sure she'd get it if you had to stay home. Besides, you've only been re-goated for a few weeks. I could imagine that it's been an adjustment."

Asriel shrugs and finishes laying out his dressy clothes. "I'll be ok, Frisk. The past is behind me, too…I live a new life now. And, I'm gonna try to keep moving forward." Asriel smiles warmly and looks down at his body. "I have two good legs, right? I should get up and use them."

Frisk nods and smiles, adjusting his tie length and heading for the door. "Well, let me know if you need anything, bud. I'm here for you."

"Thanks, Frisk."

Frisk exits the room. Asriel then looks up at the wall behind his bed. A picture of Chara sits above it, with her smile glancing down at him. He stares at the picture and bows his head, nodding with his hand over his heart. After a few seconds of silence, he walks back to his nightstand and grabs a small, wooden cross necklace. He lays it beside his clothing on the bed, places his hands on his hips, clicking his tongue and nodding proudly. "Time to get dressed."

…

A bright beam of sunshine echoes through the waiting room of Ebott Hospital. It hits Frisk smack dab in the face. He has his phone up to his ear and the earlobe burns a bright red color. "I'm aware…I'm sorry, I'm trying to handle it…don't call me 'passive'. This is hardest on me most of all because my brother was the one harmed; be patient…sorry, sorry. A lot has been on my mind…I've already talked to the police; they're handling it…we'll keep you all safe…yes, bye bye."

Toriel glances over at Frisk and her brow covers with worry. Frisk places his cellphone back in his pocket slowly, with his eyes sinking slightly. "My soul aches", he mutters to himself as he covers his eyes with his right hand and slouches slightly to the right. Frisk shakes his head and leans his head back, letting his spine relax as his narrow, quiet eyes glance up at the television screen above him. As the bright colors from the television flash in his face, a garish commercial appears on the screen before him.

"hOI", the voice exclaims. "gots a boo-boo in teh heartz? take temmie pills! make your heart feelz bettur!"

Frisk sighs deeply and rubs his hands through his flowing chestnut hair. (I love Temmie, but her saccharine voice has been played at every commercial break. We've seen this same ad four times in the past hour.)

Temmie begins to talk far more rapidly on the screen. "Thispillisonlytobetakenforheartrelatedinjuries. Nottobeadministeredtochildrenoryoungmonsters. Ifpainpersistspleaseconsultadoctor." Temmie then clears her throat and finishes the advertisement. "Now available at tem shopz near you!"

Frisk stops slouching in the chair and brings himself up again. "I think my heart would stop hurting if we got a break from seeing the same commercial all the time. Come to think of it, though… something feels funny." Frisk then grips onto his chest. His soul trembles. Growls, even. The soul flip flops and tosses and turns within his body, and he mutters to himself again. "This is the 20th time this week my soul has felt weird. What is going on with my body?"

Frisk's soul relaxes. Toriel leans over to him and softly pats him on the head. "Now now, my child. It won't be too much longer before the nurses are done checking on your brother! You don't seem well, but I'm sure he will be alright. Not to worry."

Frisk folds his arms and leans back in his chair. "I can worry as much as I want", he says in a sharp and pointed tone.

Toriel folds her arms, with her ruby eyes piercing his face through the lenses of her glasses. "Do not get lippy with me."

He looks at Toriel again and sinks his head. "Oh, no…mom. I'm sorry." He sighs and rubs his hand through his hair. "I don't mean to be disrespectful. I'm just…thinking about Azzy a lot."

Toriel nods and lets her eyes rest for a few moments before opening them again. "I forgive you, my child. Just remember to watch your tone carefully. This is as hard on me as it is for you."

From the hallway, Toriel's ex-husband approaches. He is holding a bright bouquet of golden flowers. They droop slightly over the tall vase, but the color is still very much present within the flowers. The pedals radiate, while the stems have a slightly brown shade closer to the top of each stem. Asgore beams and gently sits down next to Frisk. "How are you holding up, champ?"

"Not well, dad."

"I am sorry to hear that. Don't give up hope, though."

Frisk heavily places his head into his hands, with his eyes burning slightly. "Yeah, I know. I just hate waiting. I'm worried about Azzy and whether or not his next test and procedure went well and what will happen next and I don't want him throwing himself in harm's way again and…" Frisk stops speaking. He blinks a couple times and takes a quick sip of water from the water bottle on the stand next to him. He slowly removes the bottle from his lips and then places it onto the floor. "I'm trying my best to relax, but things are very weird right now."

Asgore leans back in his chair and slightly slouches his position. "Yeah. It was a large injury that he sustained. It wouldn't surprise me if he was in the hospital for a while. Monster anatomy is significantly weaker than human anatomy, at least when it comes to endurance."

Frisk shakes his head, takes another quick sip of water. "I already know that, Asgore."

Asgore coughs twice in rapid succession and rubs the back of his neck. "Well, it is still incredible how our Asriel put his life on the line for you. He has his mother's compassion and his father's bravery! I'm proud of both of you."

Frisk bows his head and stares at the water bottle. His voice softly yet gruffly spits from his teeth. "What does that have to do with anything?"

Asgore rubs his hand through his bright blonde beard, and shakes his head. "I apologize. Perhaps this is a bad time for me to talk in such a way. I'm just proud of both of you is all."

Frisk continues to stare down at the water bottle. Toriel places her hand on his back and begins to rub it. He says, "I'm sorry. I know that you're trying to cheer me up. But, there are a lot of problems here. I don't know why this happened in the first place, and I can't stand that. Plus, I'm stronger than him. I don't mean to offend him, but I'm a human. And, what if the attacker attacks me or Azzy again? I'm especially worried about how his procedure is going right now." Frisk breathes deeply and stops staring at the bottle, slowly bringing his spine to an upright position and blankly staring out the window. "He's been through more than enough already. It's not fair."

Asgore stares out the window as well, and while he does so, he quickly runs his hand through his hair. It strokes and flows through the king's fur. He clears his throat and clasps his hands together. He turns towards Frisk and leans in.

"I can't help but think about how when we were first freed, he didn't follow us out," Asgore says. He clenches his hands together more tightly and stares back outside. "I did visit him. My son was such a beautiful flower, and stayed that way even when he was the only resident left. I must also say…" Asgore stops. He gulps deeply and a couple sweat drops appear at the base of his right horn. "Every time your mother and I went to visit, he never allowed himself to be sad...or angry...or upset. Showing love…he said he wanted us to 'just let us be and be free', as he put it. We had very wholesome family time together, even though goodbyes were bittersweet each and every time."

Before the nostalgia trip in Asgore's mind can continue, Frisk jumps up from his chair and cuts off Asgore. "Wait, Mom was with you too? When you two visited Azzy?" Frisk then quickly turns his head towards Toriel, but she turns away and blushes fiercely. He rubs his teeth together and a pair of twin tears appear. "Mom…why didn't you tell me?! So, when you said…you were going for a night out on the town, you were headed to Mount Ebott with Asgore? That was multiple times, too. And…that means Azzy didn't say anything either when I went back to give him his true body again. He was lying, too."

Frisk clenches his fists together and then releases the tension in his hands, breathing deeply. Toriel sighs deeply and clenches her hands together, in a position that resembles a set of prayerful hands. "My child…Asgore broke the news to me soon after we moved into town here. Pathetic, is it not? Why would I hide it? I just…it just reminded me of how I didn't protect him enough." Tears begin to roll down her face. "Forgive me, my child. I didn't want to worry you, so I didn't say anything. You had your ambassador tasks and I wasn't sure what your feelings would be on the visits themselves. You were busy and stressed enough."

Frisk sighs and rubs his hand down the back of his neck. "I get that, but I would've come visit him with you if you just said something, even if I was really busy with ambassador tasks."

Asgore quickly hops up from his chair and embraces Toriel, gently patting her on the back. Toriel's body stiffens for a moment, but then it relaxes again. She lets her head rest in Asgore's right arm. "Thank you, Asgore. But…what are you doing?"

Asgore's voice swims slowly and methodically like honey in a jar being twirled with a spoon. "You cannot blame yourself for what happened to our child. You have done well to nurture him. But don't forget, he revived soon after his mortal wounds. He was Flowey, but still. And then, he was re-goatified. He never left us for good!"

Asgore gently releases Toriel from his grip. She grabs the tissue box beside her and wipes her eyes, slaying the twin waterfalls. She then hands the box to Frisk, who wipes his own eyes and she takes a moment to breathe deeply. "I'm still concerned about his Flowey days, but I appreciate the reminder. However, the grief…and the war…that's why I divorced you in the first place, because it was all pointless...maddening…calamitous." She angrily furrows her brow. "Quite frankly, I'm not sure if those wounds will ever heal."

Asgore nods quietly. After blowing her nose, Toriel looks up at Asgore again. Her voice shifts into a deeper and stronger tone. "I have a bigger question though: why are you bringing up this dark past when we have our son back? I would rather never live through that one horrible night again. Why are you bringing up such tragedy?"

Asgore presses his fingers together and stutters. "Well… that's because I should tell you something, since we're being honest." Toriel stares at him with a bit of apprehension, but then Asgore collects himself and continues. "We had nothing left. Of course, I still had the Underground to rule…but Asriel never left my mind."

"Yes, I know. And?"

"Please don't get mad…"

"Yes, continue."

"You see, Toriel, I…when your back was turned…I took some of his dust, and…I…"

"Go on."

…

The plan went horribly wrong.

Asgore's mind races as his meaty hands hold a small pile of ashy dust and a flower seed. His face is covered in tears. He runs while fists are firmly clenched. The windows in the laboratory fly past his eyes at lightning speed. Asgore reaches the end of the hallway, and with a mighty kick, he breaks down the door. A tall figure from across the room turns his head towards Asgore. His figure is extremely shadowy and opaque. The figure jolts his head upward, with his shifty eyes peeking out from under his hat. Asgore bawls as he gently opens up his hands, revealing the dust.

"PLEASE, SAVE MY SON", Asgore cries.

"Your highness…my condolences."

"Can you…do anything?! You're the royal scientist, after all. You're the smartest person in all of the Underground."

"I will do my best to resurrect your child. However, please be patient. This could prove to be disastrous. And, I'm not sure if I'll be successful. Even still, I will attempt my best work."

"Thank you…so, so much."

…

Asgore breathes deeply. "Long before Alphys...many scientists ago, there was a royal scientist that I asked to study a way to revive our son. Using the dust, he did get close a few times, but nothing to any avail. During his tenure, however, he did grow a large flower that grew out of the same patch in which our son fell. I grew fond of this flower and I had hope that he'd one day return…even though bleakness was setting in. Then, when Dr. Alphys came along, I asked her if she could experiment and see if she could use it figure out a way to break the barrier; get power out of souls." He shakes his head. "At this point, hopes of seeing my son again had grown dimmer than ever. But then, I come to find out that Alphys absconded with my favorite flower. I had no idea as to why, aside from the fact that I wanted her to study a way for us to have our freedom. But, the flower returned more different than ever and I got to know this talking flower, and he sounded familiar. That's when I put 2 and 2 together and realized that my son resurrected; he was alive. I realized that Flowey was Asriel soon after this flower re-appeared in my garden, even though he was in a different body and his voice was of a somewhat different pitch."

Asgore sighs deeply and he speaks quietly. "Although, I didn't realize that DETERMINATION was the reason why when I re-discovered the flower after her experiments were completed. In any event, our son was back...but not himself. I then received confirmation after the barrier broke that she indeed was experimenting on the flower, injecting DETERMINATION into it, and it caused our son to revive."

Toriel forcefully holds up her hands and now her face is contorted and filled with a burning, consuming fire. "Hold it, Asgore! So, you really knew this WHOLE TIME that Asriel was that Flowey thing?! Even before being freed?"

Asgore holds up his hands. "Toriel, please hear me…I only knew that that Flowey was Asriel after Alphys' experiments were completed! And, she didn't tell me that my guess was correct until after the barrier broke. Even if she didn't tell me though, I knew our son was Flowey."

Toriel hotly sputters. "And this means you begged for his revival to happen, too! I thought you only knew about Flowey AFTER the barrier broke, not before!" Her voice raises and people start staring again. "He's my child, too! Did it ever occur to you to EVEN TELL ME?!"

The room falls into a deafening silence. Toriel shakes her head and rubs her hand through her red hot face. She holds her forehead tightly. (Oh no, the public isn't supposed to know about my son's past. It would cause a stir; relax Toriel.)

Toriel nods solemnly. "I'm sorry…very sorry. Please continue."

Asgore nods, with his voice lowering. "Even though it contained Asriel's essence, he couldn't feel love. There was no feeling of kindness, compassion, or heart."

Toriel walks forward and folds her arms. "So, what are you saying?"

"He was our child…but he wasn't our child."

"I know. Part of me is still very bewildered as to how our sweet little boy could attack and maim so many people."

"I've known this since that flower returned to my garden…which would've been a relatively short time before Frisk's travels through the Underground began."

Toriel hangs her head, with her eyes emitting a dull red color. Asgore continues. "I was wrong to lie to you and not let you know until after the barrier broke. For that, I am deeply remorseful, and I realize now that I left out vital details that you should've known." Asgore sinks his head deeply. "I never got the chance to tell you because I believed it wasn't a good time. However, perhaps I should've been honest with you sooner."

Toriel bites her lip. "Why tell me all this now? This is too much for me to take in all at once."

"To give you some hope. He's not that foul creature anymore; we finally found a way to have our son back in his flesh. It's all thanks to Frisk and Alphys."

Toriel's face grows redder. Her brow furrows and she clenches her fists. "Hope? Bull. You've just made things worse."

Asgore's eyes tremble and his face shrouds with indigo hues, like he's running out of air. "But, Toriel…"

"NO," Toriel snaps. She takes a moment to breathe and points her pointer finger into his chest. "You listen to me. First, you have to bring up the past needlessly. Then, you drop this knowledge in my lap like it's no big deal!"

"I was trying to make you feel better…"

"THE WAR, Asgore!" She takes a moment to gulp, then her voice expels more white-hot rage in Asgore's face. "There's that, too! This just re-emphasizes your carnage-filled projection! It's disgusting. Did you really think waging war on every human to fall down the hole in Mt. Ebott would help dull the pain?"

Asgore says nothing. He lowers his head and rubs his hand through his hair. Toriel sputters and lowers her voice to a near-deafening whisper. "I remember every child's name…Chara came first. Then it was Perry. Brianna. Indy. Penelope. Kyle. And Jasmine." As Toriel's whispers fly into Asgore's ears, her sobs return. Her eyes burn red as her soul twists and wails in agony. Her limbs shake as she clenches her fists on her dress. "They were like my own children…and you slaughtered them…like animals."

Toriel takes a moment to bow her head, and she looks back up at Asgore. Her whispers punch Asgore's very soul. "Can you see why this is too much for me to take in? And, can you see why we can't remarry? I cannot accept any of that." Toriel takes a long, hard look at Asgore and her voice bleeds. "Only two children of mine survived and are alive today, and those two are Frisk and Asriel. You better thank your lucky stars that it's the case, because if it weren't for them, you'd be far worse off than you are now. Know it."

Toriel recoils and Asgore's face sinks. He taps his finger for a few moments on his knee, and then speaks. "Toriel…you have every right to be enraged. I…killed your children…I'm deeply sorry."

"'Sorry' doesn't cut it", Toriel hisses.

"I know. I fully understand now."

"NO, YOU DON'T," she exclaims as more people stop and stare. She shakes her head. "I know that our son was redeemed and was far kinder during our visits to see him after the barrier broke, and I'm thankful and blessed for it. However, even with our son's redeemed state, his Flowey form still reminded me of all that you did and all that we went through. You cannot forget things of that nature, and even with him having his real body back now, those memories will never fade."

Asgore nods gently and rubs his hands together. "No amount of apologizing will ever make up for what I did." He sighs and taps his foot. "I do believe that I'm a changed man…at least I hope I am. I'm not sure whether you accept that or not, but I understand if you don't. I'm a horrible being…but I try to be less horrible with every passing day. It began with the peace treaty, and now I'm just trying to live life…being an honorable citizen while loving my children. It's the best that someone like me can do…I cannot change the past, but I hope to change for the future."

Toriel gently strokes her chin and taps her foot. She rubs her temples vigorously for a minute, and then releases the sides of her cranium. "Asgore…I…"

"Yes?"

"I know you're trying. But, you need to realize that I cannot see you the same way as I did before! We live in different times."

"I understand that."

Toriel glances at him, with her ruby eyes softening slightly and her pupils losing some aggression, but still keeping the sharpness to a degree. "Asgore."

"Yes, what is it?"

"I don't think I've forgiven you, but…I'm trying to process as much as I can. I've had many years to process but it still hurts…like you wouldn't believe. But, I can respect how you're trying. Just understand that my soul is still in agony and I'm left unsure about many things still."

Asgore smiles slightly and releases a deep breath into the air. "Thank you, Toriel. I'm willing to accept that."

Asgore then picks up the vase again and holds it in his hands. Toriel manages to force a smile onto her face, and her eyes lose any sharpness left. "Asgore."

"Yes?"

Toriel's smile increases, with the corners of her mouth stretching across her face strongly yet carefully. "Thank you. I mean it."

Asgore shakes his head. "No, no. Please don't thank me. Both you and I know that I don't deserve any gratitude."

"You might be right, but…the least I can say is that you cared about me enough to tell me the truth."

Asgore's face freezes. The gears in his brain turn for a few moments, then he calmly grins. "I appreciate it. And, you're a good mother too. You've always been a better parent than me…that is clear."

Toriel smiles widely but then frowns again. Asgore looks over at her, with his eyes trembling and shrinking. Toriel continues to stare at the floor. "What is it, Toriel?"

Toriel's eyes tremble further. The waterworks turn back on. "I…I just hope I'm a good mother…I'm so thankful that my Asriel resurrected…I still go back and forth on his Flowey days and how to reconcile that, but what helps is that he received his real body again, too."

"Yes, he did resurrect as Flowey. And, now he has his real flesh again," Asgore cheerfully replies.

Toriel shakes her head. "But…I can't say the same for my Chara…"

Asgore sinks his head. "Oh…you're right; I'm sorry. I miss her, too."

"Yes…she's still in the ground." She stares at her knees. "I wish I could've done something different…"

Toriel looks at Asgore again and sobs, with feeling like there's a boulder on her shoulders. "A-Asgore, I…"

"Yes?"

Toriel leans forward quickly and hugs Asgore tightly. Asgore's eyes light up and he drops the vase on the ground, shattering it. Asgore looks down at the broken vase as the flowers lay in misery on the floor, covered in a pool of water. "Am I a…good mother?"

"Toriel…it's not your fault." Her tears flow onto Asgore's shirt. Asgore nods and speaks with warmth in his voice. "I'm sorry for how awfully I acted, too." Asgore chuckles sadly, then frowns slightly. "I remember when I told you to love your kids enough to tell them the truth. I think that just shows me that I'm a hypocrite too, because I waited to tell you."

Frisk looks at the flowers, and then motions to one of the nurses. This time, a monster nurse walks over. She briefly nods politely at Frisk, pulls out a dust pan and broom from the nearby custodian closet, and cleans up the mess on the floor. As she sweeps the mess into the pan, Frisk gently pats Toriel on the back.

Toriel dries her eyes and looks at Asgore again. "Thank you for your comforting words. I appreciate and respect how you've matured. But…I'm not entirely sure about being close, yet. Perhaps not 'friends', but…good acquaintances?"

"I can live with that. Although, I do have a request."

Toriel raises an eyebrow. "What would that be?"

Asgore twiddles his fingers and slightly bites the corner of his mouth. "If you allow…may I visit Frisk and Asriel every weekend?"

Toriel's eyes light up and stand on end. "Rather than once a month?"

"Yes. I could spend time with them in my flower shop and florist business. Maybe we could drink golden flower tea together and watch the stars. And, you can come too! But, only if you want."

Toriel rubs her hands through the fur on the back of her neck. She taps on one of her horns, and speaks. "To be honest, if you asked me that question a year ago, I would've never, ever considered answering with a 'yes.' But now, I will allow it under one condition: please remember that I'm not ready to take you back. I don't want to see any advances."

Asgore nods. "It's a deal! Thank you very much."

Frisk nods and smiles. "I'm glad that we can be together more, Mom and Dad. I'm happy."

Toriel nods and rubs Frisk on the top of his scalp. "You're welcome, my child. I believe this would be best for our family."

Toriel gets up from her seat and shakes Asgore's hand. "I will talk to the lawyer on Monday and let him know that we are agreeing to change our custody arrangements."

Asgore smiles. "Does this mean we're friends?"

"Again, not close friends. Acquaintances at the moment."

Asgore nods humbly. "I still accept."

As the Temmie heart medicine commercial comes back online, a monster doctor comes out to the lobby, decked out in bright white clothing. She nods at the family and points towards Asriel's room. "Mr. and Mrs. Dreemurr? Ambassador Frisk Dreemurr?"

Toriel shakes her head, with her tongue sharpening slightly. "Just Toriel is fine. I no longer go by that name, legally. I suppose my reputation precedes me, though."

"Oh, my apologies Toriel. Anyway, you should know that Asriel's procedure is finished. All of his vital signs are working well, and his body is continuing to heal from the injury. You are free to visit him now."

Frisk excitedly walks into Asriel's room. Toriel looks up at Asgore and nods. "Shall we," she says.

…

As the three walk into the room, Frisk's eyes scan the floor near Asriel's bed. On the nightstand, there seems to be a stack of religious ska albums, along with a dark black book with golden page highlights sitting next to it. Beside the nightstand, there is a series of seven books within a cardboard box, with a swirling artwork of a lion on the front of the box set. The goat child himself, Asriel, has a set of black earbuds on. His green-ish eyes are glowing with life, despite his eye sockets containing strong, dark circles. His white coat is somewhat disheveled and matted. As he gently bops his head to the music playing on the black cd player laying on his bed, he turns his head to see Frisk and his parents standing near him. His eyes light up even more, and he turns off the music while taking his earbuds out behind. "Howdy, Frisk! And mom, and dad too", he beams.

"My child! It's so wonderful to see you again," Toriel says. She walks over to Asriel and gently hugs him. Asriel smiles, chuckles, and then Frisk and Asgore follow suit.

"My son, how are you doing?" Asgore leans in towards his son, and Asriel smiles.

"Pretty good; I've got good news! My recovery is going well and I'm recovering faster than expected. So, I'll be home this weekend! Or, Monday afternoon at worst."

Frisk smiles slightly and pats Asriel on his left shoulder. "That's great, Azzy."

Asgore nods and smiles widely. "And so will I!"

Asriel sits up slightly more in his bed so his body is at a 110-degree angle. "Huh? What do you mean?"

Asgore's smile slightly widens. "I'll be visiting you and your brother every weekend!"

Asriel's eyes flash with stars flying through them. "Wait, every weekend now?"

His face lights up and Asgore continues. "Of course. And, if your mother allows it, we'll have butterscotch cinnamon pie for breakfast."

Asriel looks up at his mother, who nods softly. Asriel's eyes glow like the richest turquoise stones. "I can't believe it- it's actually happening. This is great! Thank you, thank you, thank you!" Before he can continue sharing his thankfulness, he begins coughing. He coughs harshly, and there's a rattle in his chest. His parents worryingly look at him, while his sibling gently rubs his shoulder. After a few more seconds of coughing, Asriel clears his throat and takes a sip of water from the glass on the nightstand. "Wowie, I'm sorry to worry you…ahem, guess I'm still recovering."

Asgore nods. "It's quite alright, son. And, if your mother allows it, we can take a trip down to my florist business…Flower King! It'll be like back when we spent time in the royal gardens in the Underground. Your mother may come too, if she wishes."

As Asriel's eyes continue to dance, Frisk grips onto Asriel's shoulder. He presses his lips together and looks at his brother. "Now Azzy, there is one condition that we should tell you."

Asriel's semi-green eyes go from colorful and lively to monotone and slow, as if the color has shifted to gray. "Wait…what's the condition?"

Toriel nods at Asgore, steps forward, and clears her throat. "My child, we love you. So, you should know the truth."

Asriel leans in towards his mother, with his eyes poking forward. "Ok mom, what is it?"

Toriel rubs the back of her head. "I know you want your father and I to be back together, but this doesn't mean that we're necessarily getting back together." She lowers her gaze to the floor. "While we're seeing eye-to-eye more, I'm not sure if we're ready to remarry. I'm sorry."

Asriel's eyes lose the stars. His pupils go all-black. He picks up his water glass again, takes another sip, and holds it in his hands. "Why?"

Toriel rubs her neck and blushes. "I'm sorry, Asriel. What do you mean?"

Asriel clamps his jowl and he tightly holds the water glass. It begins to shake as his grip tightens. "Why are you still separated? It's been 2 years since I got my body back and I still don't know why you divorced."

"Asriel, please…listen to me…"

"Is it my fault", Asriel sharply asks as his eyes narrow and burn.

Toriel's eye twitches and her face fills with blue aura. "What on earth do you mean?"

Asriel lowers his gaze and bites his lip. "Is it my fault that you and dad hate each other?"

Frisk gasps slightly. Toriel shakes her head and her ruby eyes run gray. She runs to Asriel and hugs him tightly, with tears appearing in both of their eyes. The water glass falls of the bed, splashing and shattering. "My child…please…please don't say that…"

Asriel's voice raises a little. "But mom, before I became Flowey, you and dad loved each other! And now…you…you're not together! And, you still haven't told me why you divorced…I don't understand…I know that something bad happened between you, but I still don't know what that bad thing was." Asriel's sobs increase as he continues to hug his mother. "Am I the…bad thing?"

Toriel's sobs match Asriel's now in magnitude. Asgore begins to cry himself, while Frisk begins to gently rub Asriel's back. "My child", she says. "It is never the child's fault for separation…this burden is mine to bear, and it's the same with your father. It's my fault…and your father's fault, too. But, it's not yours'. It never has been."

Asriel then turns to look at Asgore and he bites his lip. "Mom…do you and dad still love me?"

"Always, my child."

Toriel lets go of her child and the crying gradually ceases for the Dreemurr family. Asriel takes a moment to adjust his breathing tube attached to his nose, and sighs. "I've been praying every night that you and dad get back together." Toriel softly nods and Asgore bows his head, with a heavy blanket of air covering both of them. He continues. "I know you already know that, mom, but…I love you very much. And, I don't want to see you fighting and hurting anymore. That's why I do it."

Toriel sighs and taps her foot. Her brain speeds up in velocity. (Would it be better if Asgore and I just remarried for the sake of our children? I don't want to see my Asriel suffer anymore…but with Asgore, I don't know…but Frisk would benefit from it too…but…I don't want to see my children in pain anymore! I need time to think about this.)

Toriel breathes deeply. The heavy blanket of air lifts from her head and she builds up as much energy as she can within her being. "Asriel, do you remember the six human souls?"

"Yes, mom. I do."

"Do you remember how monsters and humans didn't used to get along? And, the barrier was formed because of it?"

"Um…yes mom, I do."

Toriel bites her lip harshly. (Phrase this right, Toriel. This is your child's mental well-being we're talking about here.) She breathes deeply. "Your father was so upset by the humans mistreating us that he wanted to retaliate. However, I believe that violence is never the answer." Her frame shakes. "That's why we separated; non-negotiable differences in worldview."

Asriel lowers his head and rubs his eyes free of any leftover tears. "Oh."

Toriel jumps back one step and her eyes widen as Asriel's head sinks. His complexion goes gray and her soul twists. (Oh no, I screwed it up! No no no no no.)

Asriel shakes his head and sadly chuckles. He looks up at his mother and father, calmly smiling at them. "Mom…I'm really sad. But…I'm also happy."

Toriel gasps slightly. (Oh…he's not mad?) She relaxes her body. "Why, my child?"

"I want you and dad to get back together…but, I'm not sure if that'll ever happen. I get worried about both of you." He sinks his head. "Sometimes…sometimes I think and pray 'God, do you even hear me? Why won't my parents remarry? Will they ever remarry?'"

Toriel rubs her hands together and presses the knuckles together as tightly as she can. "I'm sorry, Asriel. We've made this much harder on you than it needs to be."

Asriel shakes his head. "Mom, I don't hate you or dad. And, I know my requests are heard…I hope…" He stops to breathe deeply, then continues. "It may not always be what I want, but…maybe this is what I need." He shrugs. "It stinks, but I'll get stronger because of it, I hope. But…I'm at least glad that I get to see dad more. The more I'm around you, and dad, and Frisk…the happier I am."

Toriel nods slowly. "I still haven't been the best parent for you, and I'm sorry."

Asriel's little face shrouds with worry and he shakes his head. "No…please don't say that." He bites his lip. "Well…I am a little mad that you and dad aren't remarrying…and I'm sad about that, but that doesn't mean you're a bad mom. You're the best mom…and I love you. It's just…really hard to think about."

Toriel walks back over to Asriel and hugs him tightly. "How about this…while I'm not promising that I'll remarry your father, I'll re-consider my thoughts and feelings."

Asriel smiles and his face recovers the warmth that it had a couple minutes ago. "Ok, mom…thank you for thinking about it."

The sun rays coming in from the window on the opposite side of the room shine on all four members of the Dreemurr family, causing the room to glow gold. One of the human nurses knocks and walks into the room. "Dreemurrs, just checking to see if Asriel is doing well."

Asriel waves. "Oh, howdy! I'm doing ok. Thank you for taking care of me."

Toriel bows politely and Asgore smiles widely. "I concur. Thank you for taking care of my child. You're doing a wonderful job", says Asgore.

The nurse takes a step back, then rubs the back of her head and smiles. "I appreciate it. And, I understand why nobody would like a hospital, but your son has been one of our kindest patients. It makes my job a little easier."

Asriel smiles and waves at the nurse. "Thanks! I do my best."

The nurse nods and leaves the room. Toriel grabs a spare chair while Asgore sits on the spare, empty bed. The Dreemurrs exchange pleasantries and the room fills with wholesome, warm conversation. From the hallway, a tall purple monster in a black hoodie walks past the room and quickly peers inside. She sees that the family is talking and laughing, and lifts her head upward a little.

"Ah, family time. Then I won't bother them. But sooner or later, we will meet. And the ambassador and the prince have gotta know the crap that's going on with…him." The purple monster hisses when the word "him" is spoken. After very quietly cursing to herself, she narrows her eyes, stares at the other end of the hallway, and shakes her head. The monster rubs the back of her neck and quickly walks towards the exit at the end of the hallway.