Gaster was tired, tired like never before, but he didn't dare close his sockets.

His human child, his daughter, lay resting against his chest, draped in one of his white lab coats he kept in his office. Her tiny fists balled against her chest while her legs would jerk every now and again in her sleep. Her chest slowly rising and falling with each breath she took. Every movement, every little twitch, she made Gaster found caught his attention and it kept him awake.

Everything she did showed Gaster that she was alive and not…

So long as he saw her moving, Gaster knew she would be alright.

So if it meant he would go a few hours without sleep just to make sure she was still breathing, Gaster would do it. Sleep seemed like a less important thing right now. The scare from earlier, almost losing her, had shook him down to his core and Gaster wanted to do nothing but make sure his little human girl was safe and out of harm.

After cleaning both the child and himself of the DT, Gaster gave the child a medical examination. Gaster remembered reading how children born prematurely could have problems, but as he checked over the child he found none. She seemed healthy in every way, she was just a bit smaller than most babies, but Gaster want to make sure.

He of course found nothing wrong and it relieved Gaster of some of the worrying he had.

Now, as she lay resting in his arms, Gaster found himself at a moment where everything was both peaceful and worrisome. The child brought a tranquility that Gaster hadn't felt in the past few months; he no longer had to keep secrets from his family and could bring his little girl home. Bringing her home though is what worried Gaster.

How would his family react to this human child? How would they take to him keeping this, from soul to child, kind of secret from them?

How would the King and Queen handle it when he showed them his human child?

How would the whole Underground react?

So much had changed in these past few months and Gaster wasn't sure what would happen next. What he did know was three things.

One: he needed to bring his daughter home.

Two: Introduce her to his family.

Three: … give her a name.

Gaster still had yet to come up with a fitting name for his daughter, and now that she was here it made him feel slightly embarrassed. Gaster did think he would have another month to think about it though, to give him some credit. But since the child was here it seemed as though he had to pick one.

"What should I call you?" Gaster asked as he stared down at the sleeping form in his arms. She gave a tired sneeze and Gaster smiled at the way her face scrunched up when she did so. "No, I don't think that is good enough."

Looking at his desk, Gaster saw all the papers and notes he had accumulated during this whole event. Maybe something in here would spark an idea for a name? Using his free hand, Gaster flipped through the papers. Chemicals didn't sound like they would make good names. Neither did equations or symbols. Letting a sigh escape him, Gaster set the papers down.

"This is pointless," he said as he looked back to the child. "You are just too… perfect for any normal name."

When the child did nothing but sleep on, Gaster turned back to his notes. It seemed as though he had flipped through almost all of them and had ended up at the very bottom of the stack. Picking up the paper Gaster read over it. It was one of the few papers that had survived the explosion that had created the child's soul; the very first of many concerning her soul and later her body.

The title still had Sans and Papyrus' doodles on them and at the sight of the, now smudge, drawing Gaster smiled. Reading over the title, Gaster reminisced over how he had been going to scold his sons for messing with his paper work but remembered how it had brightened the boring day.

"Freelance Research in System Kinetic-Knowledge or Ketchup according to Sans." Gaster chuckled as he read the title aloud. "That was what made you, even if it was by accident…"

Freelance Research in System Kinetic-Knowledge (ketchup)

F-R-I-S-K

"Frisk…" Gaster said as he let the name slip from him. It definitely wasn't a regular name, technically it wasn't even a name, but the more Gaster said it to himself the more it sounded… fitting for the child in some way. "How about that? Frisk?"

Glancing down at the child Gaster was shocked to find that she was now awake and staring up at him. Her misty blue were locked on to the skeleton, and for the first time since her birth she sent the feeling of happiness and content of their bond. The presence of her feelings eased Gaster, he had worried that this bond they shared would sever once she was born but apparently not.

"Frisk it is then."

Putting the files back in their folder, Gaster stood from his desk and made his way over to the corner of the room. A while back Gaster had found a broken old filing cabinet at the dump, and after some modifications he had converted it into a makeshift crib. He had seen plenty of cribs at the dump (many need of repairs), but it would be too suspicious if someone saw him taking one with him. So he took the next best thing.

The 'crib' was deep enough that the child, Frisk now, wouldn't be able to roll out and unless someone walked right up to it and saw that it didn't have a top they would just think it was a regular filing cabinet Gaster was using to store files. The inside was lines with the softest fabric Gaster could find and padded down with fluff from some old pillows. It wasn't the best, but it would serve its purpose until Frisk grew too big for it.

Placing the child down in the cabinet, Gaster felt a smile creep its way onto his face. Frisk looked so peaceful, wrapped up in his lab coat the way she was. Her messy mop of brown hair was flopped in her face and she was suckling on a corner of the fabric she was wrapped in. Her eyes were slowly starting to close, about to fall back to sleep, but her gaze stayed on Gaster. Those blue eyes held nothing but trust and love in them.

Rubbing the child's cheek with his hand Gaster pulled away to reached for the second level of the filing cabinet. The first level of it had been changed into Frisk's bed, while the second drawer had been used to fill the things a baby needs. Tiny clothes Gaster had found and hanged on to from when Sans was a babybones, formula, and everything else.

Gaster knew that the lab could get pretty cold so he knew Frisk would need at least a long shirt to sleep in. Digging through the clothing he had, Gaster stopped. Folded at the bottom of the pile was a larger shirt; the one Sans had bought months back when Gaster first created Frisk's body. It was far too big for Frisk to wear now but…

Picking up the fabric, Gaster ran his digits over the clue and magenta. Something about it made Gaster smile. He couldn't say what was the reason, but just imagining an older Frisk wearing the shirt Sans unknowing got for her seemed so sweet. Putting the shirt back Gaster grabbed a more fitting size shirt for Frisk to wear.

Placing the clothing on the small child Gaster found that Frisk wouldn't release his lab coat to be replaced with a warmer blanket. She sent the older skeleton the feeling of annoyance and Gaster gave in with a chuckle. So young and yet so determined.

"Fine, have it your way." Gaster said with a calming tone. Truthfully, seeing Frisk sleep with his coat warmed his soul and the way she snuggled her little body into the fabric was too adorable to not let her have her way.

Glancing up at the clock, Gaster nearly fell over from his shock.

6:00 am.

He had been here for at least under five hours! That alone was worrying, but what really made Gaster concerned was the fact that Grillby had to leave for work at 6:30 and Sans and Papyrus had to be at daycare by seven. Knowing the fire monster and his sons enough, they were probably worried sick about him when they woke up to finding him not there.

Feeling beads of sweat fall from his head, Gaster looked back down at Frisk. She was still asleep, and from what he learned, probably for a couple more hours. Gaster didn't want to leave Frisk, but he wanted to ease his family into the information that was Frisk.

Contemplating his choices, Gaster decided that though it wasn't the smartest of choices he would leave to go back to his family. Frisk could always get ahold of him through their bond when she woke up and Gaster would just teleport himself back to the lab before anyone knew the wiser. Brushing a few strands of her hair away from her face, Gaster leaned into the cabinet/crib and nuzzled Frisk's forehead gentle.

"I'll be right back." Gaster promised. "I won't be gone long."

Making sure the door to his office was locked with a snap of his fingers, Gaster quickly teleported himself as far as his magic would allow. He had wasted a lot of it recently so it would only transport him so far. He made it as far as intersection between Waterfall and Snowdin.

His house wasn't far from where he ended up, and soon the building came into view. The house's lights were on and it filled Gaster with dread. Pushing the door open the skeleton was crashed into by a quick force and it caused him to go falling into the snow; unprepared for the assault.

Having the wind knocked out of him Gaster laid there for a few minutes in a daze. When the worried sound of babbling finally reached him though he shook his head and turned to find Sans and Papyrus clinging to his chest. Both boys were staring up at him with worried expression and looked on the verge of tears.

"Where'd you go!?" Sans asked with a shout. "You weren't here and didn't leave a note!"

Gaster was about to answer his son but when a bright glow loomed above him he stopped. Slowly raising his head Gaster found Grillby standing above the trio and his flames were growing hot enough that the snow around them started to melt.

"Inside." Grillby said, his voice sounding like a blazing inferno. "Now."

Gaster didn't need to be told twice as he and his sons quickly got up and shamefully walking into the house. Gaster found that he couldn't meet Grillby's gaze as the living flame slammed the door behind them. Grillby was more than angry. It was as if Gaster was gasoline and the closer he got to Grillby the closer he was to exploding.

"Sans, take Papyrus into the bedroom and finish getting ready. I'll take you to daycare in a little bit." Grillby said, his voice straining to sound calm as he spoke to the child.

Sans only nodded as he took Papyrus' hand in his own and dragged his sibling back into the bedroom. He knew a fight was going to start and Sans knew that it was best to not be in the way of the arguing adults. Papyrus obviously didn't know this and as his older brother tugged at his hand he kept looking back at his father with worried glances; not wanting to leave him.

Giving the boy what he hoped was a reassuring smile, Gaster waited till his sons were out of the room before he dare look at Grillby. The fire monster's body was stiff and ridged, the flames of his head had shortened down to a couple of inches, and from what his glasses told he was looking at the floor. Gaster knew Grillby was like a ticking time bomb, anything he said could and would set him off but he needed to explain.

"Grillby I-"

"No." Grillby interrupted sharply. His flames growing by the second and the room suddenly became hotter. "I don't want to hear your excuses. I already knew where you went."

"… You do?" Gaster asked, a bit puzzled by what Grillby said.

"Of course I do, I can read you like a book Wing Ding." Grillby said and it made Gaster flinch. No cute nicknames here. This was serious. "You went to your lab and did whatever it is you do with that Core of yours."

Well, Grillby had half of that correct. Gaster had gone to the lab but it was not for the reason he thought. Rubbing the back of his neck, Gaster let out a sigh.

"Something happened, Grillby, and I-"

"I said I don't want to hear your excuses!" Grillby shouted as his flames turned a bright red. "… We talked about this Gaster. I know it's difficult for your because it's who you are, but there needs to be two way communication between us; not just me."

Gaster felt a heavy sense of guilt wash over him at hearing Grillby's words and how emotionally strained they sounded. Both Gaster and Grillby knew the older skeleton had a nasty habit of keeping things to himself. It wasn't completely Gaster's fault, it was just who he was and how he worked, but the two had talked a while back and had decided that they would work on this. Gaster promised to be more open and less secretive now that he and Grillby were together, but it wasn't something that would be fixed in a day.

"You could have left a note," Grillby said, his voice softening and his flames slowly dying down. "Or told us before you up and left. Do you know how worried I was when I found you gone? How worried Sans and Papyrus were? Whatever it was that happened could have waited five seconds for you to at least wake me up and tell me you were leaving."

'No it couldn't.' Gaster thought as he rubbed his sternum. A dull pain was still deep in his bones from the DT that had gotten on him and it reminded Gaster of how close he had been to loosing Frisk… Frisk.

Gaster still needed to tell Grillby and his sons about the child.

"Grill, I need to-"

"Not now Gaster." Grillby said as he walked past the skeleton and to the bedroom where the boys were in. "I don't want to yell anymore, and if I keep talking to you I know that's all I'm going to do. I'll take the boys to daycare, seeing as you will be leaving shortly."

"Leaving? Where exactly am I going?" Gaster asked with a hint of worry in his tone.

"If you were here you would have known that a royal guard stopped by looking for you." Grillby said as he stopped in front of the bedroom door. "Apparently the King and Queen wanted to see you and that it was urgent. Poor guard is probably still out looking for you."

Oh.

"So I suggest you hurry up and get your bone butt going." Grillby said as he opened the door and beckoned for Sans and Papyrus. As the boys came out, fully ready to go, they stared up at their dad with worrying sockets.

"Is… everything alright?" Sans asked as he kicked at nothing.

"Yes, Sans, nothing to worry about." Grillby said seeing as Gaster was at a loss for words at the moment. "We just… had a little argument over something."

"No little." Papyrus said as he rushed over to Gaster and clung to his leg. "No fight. Please?"

Staring down at his son, Gaster felt his soul clench in pain. Bending down to where he was at more eyelevel with his youngest Gaster placed his phalanges under Papyrus chin and moved his head to where he was looking at him.

"I promise, no more fighting." Gaster said as he gently nuzzled his son's forehead. "Now, go have fun today for me will you?"

Giving his father a happy 'Nyeh hehe!' Papyrus nodded. This child could never stay sad for long Gaster thought as he watched the younger boy race over to the door to where Sans and Grillby stood waiting. Sans looked at Gaster with worrying glances but said nothing, and Grillby looked as if he was still trying to keep his cool with being in the same room as the older skeleton.

Watching as the three left, Gaster felt like he was swimming in a sea of guilt and regret; and he was drowning in it. Gaster could see why Grillby had been upset with him, the skeleton had done goofed on his part, but if he had been given enough time to explain himself he knew somehow knew Grillby would have more than understood.

Letting out a breathe he didn't realize he was holding Gaster stood.

Guess he better grab his things.

He didn't want to keep the King and Queen any longer than he had done already.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

As Grillby walked the two children to daycare his mind swam with all sorts of emotions.

He was mad at Gaster

He was irritated with him.

Grillby felt disgusted with the skeleton.

Indignation.

Disappointed.

Confused.

Fearful…

Rubbing his free hand over his face, Grillby let out a sigh. He didn't like the way he had acted towards Gaster, it was not in his nature to be so unreasonable or spiteful, but he had been so distraught when he found out that Gaster wasn't in the house and it only worsened when the children found out.

He knew he shouldn't be too upset with Gaster but it was hard to also not be. For as long as Grillby had known the skeleton, Gaster had always kept everyone on a short rope and never let anyone get too close. The only exception to this had been Grillby and Gaster's first partner.

At the thought of the Gaster's fallen partner, Grillby felt his soul burn. The flame monster had always harbored feelings for Gaster and when he had found out that Gaster was involved with another it at first hurt, but he grew to accept it. Gaster's partner was a gentle soul and there was nothing to love about them. It had hit everyone when their passing happened.

The bond Gaster had with his partner had been a strong one, obvious by the two children Grillby was walking with, and the living flame knew that he may never truly have that with the skeleton. Try as he may, as they both tried, there still would parts of Gaster that would be kept secret; even from Grillby. In a way, that was why Grillby cared for Gaster; a little bit of mystery was interest.

But only so much secrecy could be kept in a relationship and still keep it a healthy one.

"Are you and Daddy going to stop seeing each other?"

Snapped out of his thoughts, Gaster turned his attention down to Sans who had just asked the question. The boy was holding his one hand while Papyrus held the other, and from the terrified expression he sported Grillby could tell he truly meant what he asked.

"What? No, Sans, we only had a… disagreement. One argument won't stop me from seeing your father." Grillby said as he gave Sans' hand a reassuring squeeze. "Besides, if I stopped seeing your father, I would miss seeing you and Papyrus."

A small smile crept onto Sans' face but it looked a bit forced. His sockets and their large white pupils turned down to the ground, watching as his boots crunched in the snow, and showed the deep thinking he was doing.

"Sans," Grillby said as he stopped walking to stare down at the boy. "I'm not going anywhere. I promise you."

From the way the boy refused to look up at him Grillby knew he had guessed correct in what Sans was worrying about. Sans was worried about Grillby leaving, and if the older monster had to guess why he would say it had to do with what happened to his other parent. Sans had lost one of the most important people in his life too early and now he was afraid of losing Grillby.

It touched Grillby that Sans worried about him leaving, but it wasn't healthy for someone so young to be worrying like that.

"…Okay." Sans said as he finally looked up at Grillby with his normal warm smile. "I believe you."

"We be late! Boondoggle!" Papyrus screamed as he tugged at his brother's hand.

"Papyrus is right. You'll be late for daycare if we don't hurry up." Grillby said as they started walking again.

Grillby would be lying if he said he didn't want this; the feeling of being something special for Sans and his brother.

He would also be a liar if he said he didn't want to make this relationship with Gaster work.

This odd little family had grown on him far too much for him to lose them.

So what if this relationship had a few rough patches?

Grillby could work with that, maybe even one day smooth things out with said rough skeleton.

He sure hoped he could.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

The walk to Home gave Gaster enough time to think about things.

He could understand why Grillby had been upset with him, he would have been too if it was the other way around, but Gaster didn't think of leaving a note or anything at the time. Frisk had been in so much pain that…

"No," Gaster told himself. "Don't think about it. She's fine now, that's all that matters."

From what Gaster could feel through their bond, Frisk was still asleep at the lab, but he didn't want to leave her alone for much longer. Quickening his pace, Gaster soon saw the shape of the home of the King and Queen. He had wanted his family to be the first to hear of Frisk, but since he never got the chance to he figured he could start with the royal family.

He wasn't sure how they would react to hearing this news, especially Toriel seeing as she had been warry of him since when Chara first fell, but he figured they would a bit sympathetic since they were raising a human themselves. They probably would also be able to give Gaster some pointers on things a human would need.

Finally reaching the door to the castle, Gaster gave it a couple of knocks. He didn't have to wait long before it swung open and Toriel stood there looking at him with a worried expression. Her eyes were red and puffy and her once pristine white fur was ruffled and twisted in uneven clumps. Gaster could see the hand that held the door was shaking and with how she was leaning on it he estimated that she was about to pass out and fall down if not for it.

"There you are!" Toriel shouted as she grabbed Gaster by the chest of his sweater and pulled him into the building. "Please hurry!"

"W-what is the matter my Queen?" Gaster asked as Toriel all but dragged him down a familiar hallway.

"Just hurry." Toriel said as she brought them to a door and pushed it open.

Inside stood the king, he looked just as unraveled as his wife, and he loomed over a bed. The lights were off and only a few candles lit the room, but it was enough for Gaster to make out what was on the bed. Lying on the bed were the two royal children, Asriel cuddled up against Chara and his face was wet with tears. The human child…

She looked near dead.

Her skin looked clammy and milky, her half opened eyes were bloodshot, and her chest was rising and falling in an uneven pattern. The green and yellow sweater that mimicked the one Asriel wore had splotches of blood on it and from what Gaster could make out it had come from the child's mouth from the small trail coming the corner of lips.

"Friend," Asgore's booming voice sounded tense and tired. "Please, you must help my child."

Gaster stood there for a moment, unsure what to do, but when he felt a warm hand take his own he shook his head. Turning to find that it was Toriel who had taken his hand, Gaster found her staring up at him with pleading eyes.

"Please." She said as tears slowly started to fall down her cheeks. "Save my child."

Nodding his head Gaster walked over to the bed and sat down at the foot of it. The children did not stir but the prince did open his eyes to stare up at the skeleton. Those muddy brown eyes looked unhappy but Gaster thought he could make out the look of knowing.

"How long has she been like this?" Gaster asked as he checked Chara's pulse; it was very weak.

"We found them this way when we came to wake them." Toriel said as she moved to stand next to her husband.

"Neither of them has spoken a word to us." Asgore added as he reached out to pet the heads of both children.

Gaster knew nothing was wrong with the prince, he was just fine, but the human…

Hovering his hand over the child, Gaster did a magical scan and nearly gasped at what his magic told him. The child had… had poison running through them; a lot of it. There was so much of the toxin running through the child that…

"There is nothing I can do." Gaster said quietly as he found himself taking the human's hand in his own. "It is too late."

"No!" Toriel screamed as she buried her face in Asgore's chest.

"Please Friend, there must be something?" Asgore pleaded with the scientist, but from the look in his eyes… he already knew the answer.

"The… it is only a matter of time now." Gaster said, sparing the grieving parents the vile details his magic had found. With how much poison was in the child, it could only have been introduced manually.

Meaning the child had done this to herself…

Or with some help.

"I can… make the passing less painful." Gaster said as he looked up at the King and Queen. "But I need some time alone with them."

"Of course Friend," Asgore said as he led Toriel to the door. "We'll be outside."

Once they left, Gaster turned back to the children. Asriel watched him with a blank expression and Chara, Gaster wasn't too sure she was completely with them, looked to be studying him. Gaster's hand was still holding the human's and from the way she gripped it he figured she knew that he knew.

"Why?" Gaster asked. "Why do this to yourself."

"I… I tried to stop her." Asriel finally spoke up as he buried his face into Chara's neck.

"C-Crybaby," Chara said but it only resulted in a coughing fit and more blood. "This is t-the only way t-to save everyone."

"What?" Gaster asked, his confusion only growing with his concern.

"S-Someone c-can take my soul." Chara coughed loudly. "And go t-to the s-surface to gather t-the other souls."

So… this is what they meant. This small human, a child, was sacrificing herself for the monster who had taken her in… Gaster found his hand squeezing the one he was holding.

"There are other ways you could have done this." Gaster said, not too entirely sure how he should feel about this. "Safer ways."

"B-But none… that would matter as much as this." Chara said softly. "I… I wanted to do this. Asriel, everyone… deserves to be on the surface; to see the sun."

Asriel was crying loudly now and he hugged Chara tightly, though Gaster couldn't blame him. His friend, his sister, was giving herself up for him and all monsters. It was something that Gaster found himself wishing that happened at a different date… how would this affect how he told everyone about Frisk?

"C-Can I talk to Asriel… alone?" Chara asked quietly; almost gone.

"… of course." Gaster said as he stood up from the bed. Stepping out of the room, Gaster found the two grieving adults sitting down in a chair. Toriel was incoherent as she cried and Asgore looked like he was trying to be strong for his wife but he had his own tears falling.

"I am sorry." Gaster said as he stood before the others. "I wish I could do more."

"It… it is alright." Asgore said as he rubbed Toriel's back. "Thank you for your services."

Knowing that was the king's way of asking him to leave, Gaster nodded his head and made his way to the front door. When he made it outside the building he felt a familiar tugging on his soul; Frisk was waking up and calling him. Letting a sigh escape him, Gaster teleported himself to the lab feeling emotionally drained.

Too much had happened today. First he had nearly lost Frisk, then had been chewed out by Grillby, and now… Gaster did not want to ever know the feeling of losing a child; none of his.

As he made it to his office, Gaster was welcomed to the sound of soft crying come from Frisk's crib. Walking over to the cabinet, Gaster peered down into it to find his little girl whimpering with tearful eyes.

"What is wrong little one?" Gaster asked as he picked Frisk up and held her close. She didn't smell in need of a diaper change, another thing Gaster had learned from his books, and she wasn't hungry from what the bond told them. So what was making her so upset?

Frisk clung to Gaster, her tiny little fist bunching up his sweater as she gripped him tightly. Gaster could make out the feeling of fear from what the child was sending him and as he rubbed her back he could only feel it worsening.

"It's alright." Gaster said as he nuzzled her forehead. "Nothing is-"

Gaster found himself pausing. There was a sudden disturbance in the air, in the magic around him, and it made his spin tingle. It felt as if something was shifting, changing, and it… didn't feel right. The magic that filled the underground suddenly felt suffocating and twisted. It made Gaster was to run and hide, take his children and Grillby with him, and keep away from whatever this new force was.

Frisk obviously felt it too as her tears began to fall faster and as she buried her face into Gaster's sternum. Something had just happened and it couldn't just be them who were feeling it.

Suddenly the change in the magic around them felt closer and it made Gaster clutch Frisk closer to him.

From outside the lab an unearthly scream was heard, and the magic that followed it was unbelievably powerful.

Frisk cried at the sound of the scream and it only made Gaster hold her tighter. Whatever this force was… he didn't want it anywhere near his daughter. Hiding himself in his private lab, Gaster nestled the two of them in a corner of the room and waited for this, whatever this was, to pass and leave.

It didn't take long, as soon as it came, it left.

Once the unfamiliar magic was long gone, Gaster felt himself relax as well as Frisk. Whatever was behind that powerful magic didn't feel safe and Gaster was glad it didn't stay long. Running his hand through Frisk's brown locks of hair, he gently cooed to the child in an attempt to calm her down. She was trembling like a leaf in the wind and nothing Gaster said calmed her.

Whatever had passed the lab had terrified her greatly and Gaster found that he was just as scared.

He never wants to find out what that magical force was.

Wow...

the feelz were strong here.

Maybe Gaster will have better luck telling someone in the next chptr?

Until next time:

Girl Supersonicboy OUT!