Notes: In this I am going off the headcannon that Deeper Down is a direct sequel to 'Fragile Promises.' Another fanfic written by Zeragii over on Ao3 that I highly recommend you give a read! That's why Sans is able to 'remember' each RESET to an extent.
Chapter 4: Time Passes
"H-His HP's holding s-steady. It-It's at 0.26. No changes." A voice that sounded like Alphys spoke through the darkness. Sans felt so lousy, so exhausted…
"Hmm, I suppose it won't get much higher than that. He's used a lot of magic, and is still the one most at risk to this Illness. He's going to need rest," Gerson spoke up this time. "There will be no roughhousing or any of the sort until he at least gets one night's sleep and looks a little bit less like solidified dust."
Everyone winced at his wording, but nodded in silent agreement.
"Will he...be able to eat?" Toriel spoke up now, in the hazy darkness that gripped Sans still to unconsciousness, concern in her voice. "After he is healed?"
Gerson spoke again, after a moment and a gentle hum. "He might. It would help with the healing process. His HP might be up to its full capacity for now, but that doesn't mean he'll be feeling like his old self. That will take time, nourishment, and rest."
Toriel made a small noise, as if agreeing, before opening something that sounded familiarly like a tent's flaps opening. "I will go get him something then," she informed.
"Something easy," Gerson called after her as she left. "Nothing that would take too much energy to absorb into his magic."
Darkness enveloped Sans again. He let out a wince as he felt something hard being tied to his humerus. 'a splint.' Sans realized as he started to stir, keeping his sockets shut. He felt so tired, wanting to stay in the blissful embrace of sleep as long as he could. He felt bandages being wrapped around his body and soft whispering here and there that he could not quite catch.
"That should be good for now." Gerson spoke again. "You've done all you can. We just have to let him do the rest of the healing all on his own."
"What About His Soul?" Papyrus asked, sounding as close to a whisper as he probably could get. His brother's voice was so gentle and low, even by Papyrus's standards. This startled Sans a bit, not a whole lot but enough, as he'd forgotten they were now on the Surface and Toriel had taught everyone to use 'indoor voices' in the campsite, now that all the monsters were essentially smooshed together.
Papyrus was never that quiet, unless something was seriously wrong. He'd always been profoundly uppercase, even when he was a little babybones, whereas Sans was as lowercase as a skeleton could get-or at least as far as Sans knew anyways, him and Paps being the only Skeletons left alive and had only each other to compare themselves to.
Not only that, but Sans was suddenly all too aware of a burning sensation deep within his chest and Sans shot up in pure terror, startling his younger brother and everyone else that was still in the tent. His trembling returned full force, his small hands scrabbling against the sheets and pillows he'd been laying on.
"Sans? Sans! Brother, What Is Wrong?!"
"f-fri...frisk! fri-isk!" Sans shuddered, his face filled with urgent panic. Instantly Sans's eyes snapped open, his back arching as he drew in a haggard gasp in terrible pain and fear.
The flower.
Sans suddenly seemed to recall everything in that instant. A hand began clawing at his ribcage, trying to remove the bandages desperately. Flinching as he'd felt a stray brush of air through his eye sockets, paranoid now to the extreme, because maybe it wasn't just air, but maybe it was a petal or a leaf and now he was reaching for his right eye socket, where he was sure he'd find vines and thorns and petals, and a high voice jeering at him.
Instead, he found nothing; his own empty eye socket, with the addition of what felt like a bandage.
Sans continued to feel over his vacated face, his own shaky, labored breaths ringing in his ears. His breath still sounding panicked, a hand still attempting to claw at his ribs and he was vaguely aware of someone gently holding him back and easing him back down onto the pillows and blankets. "Easy, lad...easy," Gerson soothed him. "There, there."
"Sans?"
Sans gasped again, turning his head. Frisk was sitting in a cot beside the bed, tucked in a corner. Watching him. Safe. No vines surrounding her or holding her arms. No nothing.
Sans was also made aware that she'd also been holding a hand to his skull, one thumb gently rubbing over the center of his forehead as he breathed. "f...frisk..?" Sans slurred, the rough state of his own voice taking him by surprise; it sounded like death warmed over, his words coming out of his permanently grinning mouth all creaky and scratchy. A result of him screaming his skull off before the others had arrived, he realized. Sans seemed to relax only slightly, realizing that she was safe though he could barely see through hazy, blurry vision.
Now it was Papyrus's turn as he leaned forward until his forehead was almost pressed against Sans's, a familial gesture filled with love and worry. Being careful not to push Frisks hand away. He reached out with a shaking hand and stroked Sans's cheek, murmuring softly. "It Is Okay, Brother...You Are Safe Here, With Me And Undyne, And Alphys; With The King And Queen. Well, Was With the Queen, She Left To Get You Some Food. Oh, And G-Gerson. You Remember Him, Right, Sans? We Need You To Calm Down A Little. Alright? You Are Safe." Papyrus choked on a sob. "I-I Won't Let Anything Else Hurt You."
Sans's gaze was hazed and unfocused, but he calmed the instant he recognized Papyrus's voice, weakly reaching out, and Gerson and Frisk let him. Sans latched on to the front of Papyrus's orange shirt. His soul, which had started quivering in distress, calmed, as did Sans's harsh gasps for air. His spine lowered back to the makeshift bed, his trembling visible but his demeanor far less panicked.
"p-pap-"
"Yes, Sans. Yes, Brother, I Am Right Here."
Sans wasn't sure how long he sat there, holding his brother as though he would disappear at any moment. But right now, he didn't really care about the current passage of time; he was just beyond grateful that he had come for them. And Frisk was safe with them as well, back at camp. He focused on the fact that she was alive and out of the clutches of that… whatever the heck that demon-thing was.
"It's about time you're awake, smiley trashbag."
Sans startled harshly, his first instinct was to protect and deflect and dodge shooting up into the red at the high-pitched, familiar voice.
The sound of the flower's voice brought back even more painful memories: Broken, shattered wrists, images of vines leading inside his rib cage and phantoms of pain; a deep-rooted fear. His soul being cracked open, then those same vines leading into his body, wrapping around fragile bone. Controlling his limbs. Vines shattered more bone as they squeezed. The intrusive thoughts made Sans lock up rigid, his hold on his brother's shirt tightening up hard enough that his phalanges creaked under the pressure. For a minute eternity there was an all-consuming terror and hopelessness.
The memories assaulted Sans relentlessly, and with forced control, Sans expression became wary, but blank, showing no emotion whatsoever. A measured and carefully neutral look as his hidden defense mechanisms began to take over, making Sans appear cold, and uncaring. A desperate way of coping and to appear as un-entertaining as possible.
"...why's he here?" Sans asked evenly.
"I-It's okay, Sans…! He's harmless now, he's no longer being possessed." Frisk said in a calming manner. "He's okay now."
"'okay?' a-are you serious frisk? he-he made me att-attack everyone! undyne, alph, ev-even p-papyrus…! how-how is any of th-this… okay!?" Sans couldn't help his voice cracking at the end, tears threatening to fall as he struggled to keep his defense mechanisms in place. "i...i could..could have killed them!"
Sans felt as if he was going crazy, as he focused his eye lights searching around the tent. Gerson, Paps and Frisk were the closest ones to his bed. Flowey sat on the floor, a few ways away. Off standing guard by the entrance, was Undyne, Alphys and Asgore. Undyne was covered in bandages, much like Sans noticed he was. Only, Sans also noticed he had splints on almost literally every single broken bone. And noticed he looked almost like a mummy now, everything had been wrapped up past his neck downwards.
Sans then stared at the boney hands still clinging to his brother's shirt, as he trembled. Reality sinking in. Frisk had destroyed the RESET button, not even Flowey could reset anymore, and this wasn't going away, Sans thought as he finally took in the sight of his bandaged body. Also realizing that everyone inside this tent must have seen his SOUL when he was knocked out. Since Skeleton Monsters couldn't just desummon their souls. Their SOULS were always visible underneath their rib cages, how could they not have seen it?! Not to mention Flowey blatantly also telling them all he'd cracked his SOUL further, and Sans felt himself suddenly faced with the idea of a future where he would have to carry these marks of his own weakness forever and slumped back further into the bed in shock.
He'd always been pathetic, of course. He'd always been apart and strange and wrong for as long as he could remember anymore. Permanent one HP that would not get any higher no matter how much he slept or how much he ate, it just flat out refused to get anywhere past that limit. His SOUL was also far from healthy, littered with so many hairline fractures from the past RESETs, and his biggest secret ever besides the knowledge that he could remember them all and had made Frisk promise not to tell.
But it had always been a source of perverse pride, that at least he was good at hiding that fact from everyone around him. No more of that. No escape.
A cracked SOUL after all, was impossible to heal. He should know. He carried the hairline cracks since forever and now he had an even more massive one dead center of it.
Sans swallowed, suddenly filled with an overwhelming desire to see his own SOUL as well, never having much of a chance since this all started. Why not? Everyone else got to see it…
As carefully as he could, he released his brother's orange shirt, moving both his hands in front of his chest as he focused. Magic gently called out his SOUL as he summoned the tiny organ outward, his eyes closed to concentrate.
When Sans felt it phasing through his broken ribs, and splints holding them together and the fragile tiny organ held in his hands, he opened his sockets again and froze into place. His sockets widened, eye lights becoming tiny pin pricks as his gaze was drawn to the pitiful soul, mangled and deformed, hovering weakly over his two palms. It did look the slightest amount better, not as dim as before and the crack no longer bleeding but it still would have given anyone nightmares upon the sight of it.
All expression bled away completely, even more so than the feigned mask he'd put on when he heard Flowey's voice earlier. He simply lay there, half propped up by pillows and sheets, staring at his soul with a numb, hollow look.
"Shit…!" Undyne cursed. As all the other monsters cringed as well at the sight of it, including her. Whimpers of sympathy escaping each of their lips as they watched Sans carefully.
Gerson felt his own soul sink. Not waiting to see what sort of reaction Sans would exhibit after the momentary shock wore off, Gerson turned to look over his shoulder at the other gathered monsters in the tent. "He should be fine now. Or, as fine as can be expected. A little privacy might be in order, don't you think?"
Asgore, Alphys and Frisk immediately nodded, frowning a bit in concern. Frisk moved to pick up Flowey, now in a little shoe she was using for a pot and followed the King and scientist out the door. Flowey looked behind, feeling a bit...odd. A ghost of guilt plaguing him as Sans continued to stare blankly at his own mangled up soul in his hands.
Undyne raised a brow, confused, before her eye had settled on Sans and Papyrus's devastated expressions, and then she understood and followed the king, scientist, child and flower outside.
"Do You Want Me To...?" Papyrus trailed off. His gaze was nothing short of a plea.
"No. You stay here," Gerson directed, his eyes returning to the still catatonic Sans. "Your brother will need you for this." Bracing himself, the old turtle leaned forward and placed his hand between Sans's face and the distressing view of the soul. For a moment Sans stared, as though he could still see through it, before he blinked and seemed to come back to himself a bit. His bones started to rattle softly, the result of the tremors now wrecking his small form. "Now, now, none of that. I know there's nothing good in what has happened, but you have to understand it could have been much, much worse. Sans, can you hear me?"
Sans didn't respond, his trembling the only answer he seemed capable of giving.
Gerson sighed and looked to Papyrus. Taking a careful, steadying breath, Papyrus once again moved to sooth a hand over Sans's skull, mindful not to bump away Gerson's view-blocking hand. The other gently moving to one Sans's wrists that still held his own SOUL there in his palms.
"Brother? Sans? Can You Hear Me? I'm Right Here. Please, Sans, Answer Us?"
There was a long pause, in which Sans shivered and breathed in a way that sounded both painful and strained. And then, like a blessed prayer, Sans whispered out an answer. It was so weak, so frail sounding that Papyrus almost scooped him up again regardless of his brother's condition.
"m'here..."
"Good. Good," Gerson jumped in quickly. "That is very good. Now, Sans...Your soul is...It needs to go back into your chest, my boy. I don't want to force it, and we know you don't want that either. So, I need you to breathe...that's it. And relax. Yes. Mm. Try not to think about anything other than your brother. About how he keeps you safe. How you keep him safe."
It was working, to a degree. Sans was still shaking quite badly, but the rattling had died down a bit. His breathing was still far too fast, but he wasn't gasping or choking. Paps' weak grip on Sans's wrist, tightened ever so slightly.
"You Can Do it, Brother," Papyrus praised.
Together, Papyrus and the old turtle managed to get Sans to relax enough that the soul was able to be coaxed back into the safety of Sans's ribs and then it disappeared. Sans had instantly choked out something that sounded uncannily like a sob as Sans felt the burning pain again in his chest return, and that had been it for Papyrus to handle.
With the soul safely tucked away behind bandaged up broken ribs, he reached out and pulled Sans to his chest, muttering apologies after apologies,, promises of protection, and various iterations of 'I love you's spilled forth from the deeply stricken younger brother. Sans had joined right in, clinging to Papyrus's orange shirt and burying his face into his brother's chest. He wasn't making any sounds, but the shaking and slight bobbing of his shoulders suggested that he too was crying.
"It's Okay Brother, You're Safe Now. Everybody's Safe." Papyrus cooed, allowing for Sans to sob into his shirt. Sans didn't have the strength or will necessary to stop the tears, or even pull away. Instead, he simply buried his face further into his brother's chest and sobbed all the harder.
Papyrus felt his soul drop, some part of him feeling quite guilty that there was nothing to be done about Sans SOUL. It was still too fragile to touch directly, and Paps knew a cracked soul was permanent and deadly. They only hoped that when they healed Sans's physical injuries it'd do something positive for him inside as well. And knew he'd be watched to make sure he wouldn't Fall Down. It was important to keep Sans as calm as possible and allow him to rest.
Sans continued clinging to his brother, some part of him knew he'd done the right thing, sacrificing himself to protect Frisk. Even if it was such a traumatic experience to see the result of what he'd done visible on his SOUL. He was sure he'd be questioned about all the other hairline cracks. He only hoped that when Frisk explained to everyone about The Forgotten she'd still kept her promise that he remembered the RESETs, and that he only knew of them due to dejavu memories everyone else had experienced. For now, however, as it seemed no one would question him this day and allow him a bit of rest, he just chose to simply cry into the safety of his brother's arms. Grateful he hadn't hurt him or any of them that badly.
Gerson nodded sadly to himself, carefully bracing his hands against his knees and rising to his feet. He didn't say anything, not wanting to interrupt the brothers' moment. He made his way out of the tent without a word to them, only stopping to face the small group of anxious friends outside. Toriel was among them, a bowl of what appeared to be broth held firmly in her hands.
"You can go in now, but..." Gerson paused. He glanced back at the tent entrance at the two brothers still inside. "Give them a moment."
Toriel nodded.
"If his condition changes, or any complications arise, please inform me. I may be able to help."
"Yes, Gerson. Thank you."
"Don't thank me just yet," the old turtle murmured with a shake of his head. "That monster is still far from being alright. Traumatized, I'm sure from having that flower inside his own bones and controlling his movements and his magic, not to mention from his SOUL being damaged directly... It is going to take a fair amount of love, compassion, and hope to get him to even a fraction of where he was before. However..." He smiled, taking in the worried faces of Frisk, Asgore, Toriel, Alphys, and Undyne. "But I think the lad is in very good hands in that regard." He gave Undyne a playful glare. "Play nice, alright? I know how you can get."
Undyne gave him a weak grin.
With that, Gerson left, leaving those outside the tent standing in awkward silence.
Asgore, Toriel, Frisk, Alphys, and Undyne entered the tent with all the caution that they could muster. There was no gaiety in their steps, nor smiles on their faces; expressions were somber and worried. Toriel led the way, the bowl of warm broth heavy in her hands. The sight that they were greeted with, as the tent flaps flopped closed behind them, was a sad one indeed.
Papyrus was still kneeling on the ground, right where he had been when they left, his arms wrapped around the smaller form of his brother. Sans was pulled firmly against his chest, Papyrus's hand gently soothing over his back. Both had been crying it seemed, visible by the tear tracks on Papyrus's face and the way that Sans was sniffling softly. Both looked quite spent and tired. Sans body was limp and Papyrus looking even more ready to collapse from exhaustion. Especially given the fact, ever since Papyrus had gone on ahead of everyone carrying his brother, to the second the two Boss Monsters began healing, until now, Papyrus hadn't once given himself a chance to rest for even a second. Wracked with grief and worry while Sans was so close to dusting.
"...Papyrus?" Toriel spoke softly, edging closer. The thin skeleton looked up, blinking tiredly. "Is it...alright if we come a little closer?"
Frisk shifted slightly, both hands wrapped tightly around the small shoe carrying Flowey who, still somewhat looked a bit guilty for stressing Sans out earlier. A bit of Asriel starting to poke through the soulless flower.
Papyrus continued to stare at their friends, considering, before he glanced down at his brother and then giving them all a small nod. "Quietly," was all he said.
The group slowly made their way further inside, even Undyne was being mindful not to make so much as even a sound. Toriel moved forward first, crouching down at Papyrus's side. The skeleton gave her a small smile that was only a shadow of its usual positivity, Papyrus carefully easing Sans away from his front gently.
"Sans? Brother, Look...Our Friends Are Here To...To Make Sure You Are Alright."
Sans looked distant, unfocused, dark shadows beneath his sockets and eye lights just barely visible. It took a moment, and a bit of coaxing from Papyrus, before his gaze shakily focused onto Toriel's compassionate face.
"...h-hey, t..." he whispered, voice hoarse and shaky. Still sounding a bit gravelly, recovering from all that screaming he did before. Even hours later.
Toriel smiled, eyes moist with tears but held back. "Hello, my friend. It is good to see you awake finally." She looked down at the bowl in her hands, and then back to his weary face. "I made you something to eat. It is only broth, but...Gerson said I should try and get something into your system. I also made sure to imbue it with extra magic as well, so you can refill your own reserves from..." She trailed off, not wanting to risk Sans freaking out again.
Had Sans had skin, he might have turned green, either from the thought of healing, or that which Toriel had not mentioned but hinted towards. "n-not...really all th-that hungry..."
Undyne squatted down on Papyrus's other side, her hand shifting to rest ever so lightly on Sans's shoulder. He flinched at the touch but didn't move away. "Come on, punk. Just try it, even a little. You've lost...a lot of magic there, buddy. And your HP is still really low too, it'll help."
"Please, Brother," Papyrus begged, rubbing a thumb along a mysterious bruise on the side of Sans's skull, an injury magic had only soothed, but not healed. "You Need To Regain Your Strength."
Sans had never been one to be able to ever resist his brother's wishes. Even though the very thought of eating had made him feel sick to his metaphorical stomach, Sans finally gave in with a weak nod.
Papyrus propped him up gently into a sitting position. One arm sliding beneath his brothers back, grabbing his shoulders, and the other moving in front for leverage as Paps settled himself half onto the makeshift bed so that Sans could rest his upper body against his shoulder when it became apparent Sans couldn't quite sit up on his own for long. Sans grimaced, an arm shooting out to grab his brother's arm, eye sockets fluttering shut closed when the vertigo hit, dizziness plaguing the tiny skeleton monster as his bones trembled slightly beneath the bandages and splints. "s-shit…!" Sans cursed.
Papyrus frowned, a groan of sympathy having escaped his throat as he paused, allowing for Sans the time to recover and for the vertigo to ease a bit.
Toriel was about to say something about the cursing, but held back. Knowing Sans must still be in terrible pain since they were forced to stop healing him, and simply left Sans to recover essentially on his own. Not to mention since his SOUL was still cracked, the wound open and still tender and raw.
Undyne's steadying hand helped shift him until he was somewhat comfortable. Ready to dive in, should Paps arms get tired from holding his brother's weight as he sat, even though Skeleton Monsters weren't all that heavy to begin with anyways. After all, Sans weighed about less than half that of Frisk, and Papyrus maybe 5 pounds more, being so tall and lanky.
Sans tried to feed himself, but his hands were shaking so badly that he ended up spilling the first few spoonfuls before they even reached his teeth and the absorption magic could take it in. Toriel had instantly taken the initiative, taking the spoon away from him and then proceeding to help feed him. Green healing magic began to appear as Sans slowly drank at the soup, though most of which he wasn't able to fully absorb as some of the particles began to float in the air before disappearing. His bones gained a little more of their usual luster, the gray replaced with a slightly marred white beneath the bandages.
Alphys ran a few scans, keeping her readings to herself. They were distressingly low, nothing like a healthy monster should look like. Though then again, Sans had never been a 'healthy' monster, what with only having that measly one HP… but now it was like one good wind would dust him the way he was now.
The whole ordeal was rather embarrassing for Sans. He knew he was just being a burden, not able to sit up on his own, nor even being able to feed himself, but the others all seemed perfectly willing to do it for him. Toriel's gentle coaxing helped him keep down the broth, and Papyrus's soothing hands eased his trembling. Undyne looming over him was more comforting than he would have ever imagined it to be. She was like a guardian angel standing watch; proud, unwavering, protective. Alphys and Asgore were also nice to have nearby, kind and careful presences that eased some of the ache in his soul.
It was a while before Sans finally refused to eat another bite. Even then, he had not eaten very much, as not even half the bowl was gone. He curled back into Papyrus's embrace, breathing slow and a hand laid over his chest, guardedly over his damaged soul. The others had all taken seats on the floor around him, talking in whispers with each other as he let his sockets rest at half mast. He was only half conscious by that point, drifting in between sleep and wakefulness. Though even then, he was still aware of their muffled conversation.
"...H-He is st-still very weak."
"Poor little punk. Why, I swear when I find the asshole who hurt him, I'll-!"
"Undyne. Language."
"...Sorry."
"So what are we going to do?" Toriel's calm voice rose above the others, though only just barely. "Sans SOUL is still cracked. We inspected it earlier after helping the bones to reattach and...it's deep. Not to mention, even though Flowey is no longer er, 'possessed?' That demon is still out there. It might try and take Frisk's determination again."
"We need to keep moving. Get as far away from Mt. Ebott as we possibly can, before it can attack again. And the Humans of Ebott City. We continue Sans' plans from earlier. Find somewhere safer. Somewhere, where hopefully Humans are less likely to remember the War and would be more accepting." Asgore spoke this time, a whisper at best.
"What About Sans? He's Too Weak To Move On His Own, And We Have So Much Stuff…" Paps spoke, his tone still trying to sound as close to a whisper as he possibly could.
"I'll help you carry them. You can just focus on taking care of your brother, alright?" Undyne gave a gentle slap to Paps back, jerking him forward the slightest amount, though not hard enough to jostle Sans in any way, his skull resting over his brother's chest, shoulder on Paps's lap.
"Are You Sure, Undyne? I Can Carry Some Of Our Stuff In A Backpack, I'm Just Unsure If It Might Still Be Too Early To Move With My Brother In His Condition."
"We'll just have to make do. I'll talk to Gerson, see what he thinks." Asgore said. "I'll keep in touch."
Sans cringed slightly against Papyrus, knowing they were talking about him. He let out a tiny whimper at the thoughts of the Forgotten still out there, fresh memories returning once more at the thoughts of being held captive. Defenseless. Horrifying vines digging deep inside of his rib cage and torturing him. His trembling returned full force, his small hands scrabbling against the front of Papyrus's shirt, his breathing escalating to heavy pants, soul pulsing with magic as his hand clenched over his chest clutching at his bandages.
"Sans? Sans! Brother, What's Wrong?!"
"f-fri...frisk! fri-isk!" Sans shuddered, his face filled with urgent panic. Sans once more tried removing the bandages around his ribs.
Undyne stepped forward to help Papyrus gently restrain the other as Sans only became more and more distressed. "Hey, easy! Whoa. Come on. Just-!" She barely dodged being kicked in the chest. She grabbed Sans's ankles, while Papyrus grabbed his brother's wrists.
Sans instantly stilled, so suddenly that it was creepy. His sockets become completely dark, spine rigid. There was a beat, then two, before a string of desperate whimpered words gritted out between the small skeleton's teeth. Frisk gasped, recognizing this reaction.
"n-no...n-no! p-please! n-not again, sto-stop! please d-don't-" Sans begged, seeing himself once more in the Judgement Hall, and vines wrapping around fragile bones and vines digging into his ribcage and stabbing into his soul and there was nothing for it but pain and-
Asgore stepped forward, brow furrowed. He nudged Undyne's hands away from San's feet, and then Papyrus's hands from Sans's wrists. "I...am not sure, but I believe we have...triggered him somehow." Asgore bent, gently pulling the trembling, sobbing monster into his arms. Sans was dwarfed, like a child in the king's arms. "I have seen it. In monsters who have been through war."
Undyne looked guilty, also recognizing the signs. "Shit."
"Breathe, my friend," Asgore urged, soothing a glowing hand over the small skeleton's skull. Sans gasped, but the resulting pulse of magic seemed to clear his head a little. He latched onto the plating of Asgore's armor, almost desperately.
"f-frisk-!"
"Sshh, Sans," Toriel cooed gently, standing closer so she could add her own comfort. "Frisk is safe, remember? She's here. Shhh"
"f..fr...frisk?" Sans asked again, confused and the female Monster was unsure if he'd even heard her at all.
He was still trying to claw at his ribs, a little less now however as his eye lights focused onto Toriel's face and then Asgore's.
"Yes, Sans. Remember? You're safe too now, with me, Asgore, Papyrus, Undyne, Alphys and Frisk. No one's going to ever hurt you again. We'll make sure of it. Shhh...There we go." Toriel continued to coax, gently she eased Sans hands away, noticing the bandages had come loose slightly and she frowned. Knowing she'd need to rewrap them again so the bones could heal properly and in place.
Sans was still shirtless, other than the bandages and his black and white striped shorts as he laid in Asgore's arms as the two Boss Monsters continued to calm him down.
Frisk decided to stand up as well. Putting Flowey down on the floor as she walked over to her mother and reached up her hand to grab Sans's own. "Sans please… I'm okay. I promise I am. You saved me."
Sans turned his skull to look at the child from his position and tears filled his sockets as he took in the human. "f-frisk…!" He cried reaching out for her.
Asgore lowered himself onto the floor, helping Sans to sit up in his arms and gather the human into his arms as Sans began to sob, clinging to Frisk. As if afraid if he'd let her go she'd be in danger again as they clung.
Frisk hugged the trembling, frail skeleton back. Being mindful of the still broken bones underneath all those bandages and splints holding him together. She started to cry a little too as he held her. "Th...Thank you Sans… For everything. I'm so sorry, Sans. I'm sorry you had to be the one to suffer for me again." She whispered to him.
Sans shook slightly, holding her desperately still. So grateful he was that she was unharmed as Sans cried. Frisk and the others in the tent didn't know how long it took but eventually, or apparently Sans had cried himself to sheer exhaustion as he began to fall back into a numbing sleep. Asgore gently helped pry Sans away from Frisk, gently handing him back to Papyrus who let Sans to fall sound asleep in his arms.
The Forgotten was still out there, and though that bothered him greatly, Papyrus felt that they finally had a chance to rest for a little while. He was determined to keep his brother and Frisk safe from it no matter what. He wasn't going to let anything this terrible happen again, so long as he could do something about it.
Asgore and the others looked somberly over to the two skeleton brothers. "You should get some rest, Papyrus. I will discuss with Gerson and Toriel what needs to be done now, and you and the others will be informed."
Papyrus nodded, exhaustion also finally starting to win the war over his body, as he held Sans gently against his body, his hand soothing over Sans skull in a soothing manner. "Okay."