Disclaimer: I do not own Undertale.

A/N: This takes place in the ninety-seventh bad run. That was the one where Sans died and Frisk had written him the letter that he would find later. No one specifically asked for it, but I thought you'd all like to see it anyway.

Iterations

Bad Run: 97

Ninety-Seven.

Frisk had never stopped fighting. Not for a single iteration. But no matter how hard she fought, she never seemed able to regain control. It was just so much stronger than her. And it wasted no time. Flowey was a smear against the floor before he had even fully emerged from the ground. A quick step into the shadows and Toriel was dust, stabbed from the back. Not a word was said as it massacred the Ruins, from either the being within her body or the monsters it hunted. Only dark laughter and screaming.

And then they got to the door. She felt a vindictive sort of satisfaction when it hesitated with its palms against the door.

"Shut up," it snapped at her under its breath before shoving the door open.

And there he was. Fast asleep.

Disbelief in stereo, the closest to in sync they had ever been.

It smiled. Frisk trembled. It hummed softly as it skipped up to the slumbering skeleton. The lips on her body spread wider than they ever had as it looked down at him in glee. Neither of them had gotten a good look at him since the bad runs began, having been put down immediately each time. Sweat dotted his skull. Even as he slept, his breathing was uneven. He was quivering as blue magic crackled along his body. His right eye-socket was lower on his skull, his right shoulder held a dip that it never had before. His right hand, usually hidden in his pocket as he fought, had slipped out. It was nothing but an indistinct blob. Sans was melting.

"Poor thing," it cooed mockingly. "Didn't anyone tell him too much determination was dangerous for monsters?"

It knelt in front of him and leaned towards him, knife in hand. "Don't worry, friend. I'll put you out of your misery."

It ran the side of its knife over his neck, then along the portion of his collarbone that was exposed by the wide collar of his shirt. Then, it slashed diagonally, cutting him from left shoulder to right side of his pelvis. The knife was twirled in its hand as it watched him slowly turn to dust. Its grin wavered then fell. Dissatisfaction flooded its body. It stood, huffing in frustration as it dusted snow off its pants.

"So boring," it murmured. "Frisk, quit blubbering for a second. It's annoying."

She snarked back. She thought it loved causing pain.

It rolled its eyes heavenward and let out a loud groan. "Jeez. I do. Screaming, angst, anger. That stuff is hilarious. Crying, on the other hand, grates on my nerves."

It paused, considering. Then its grin returned. "Actually, this run's gone stale. Why don't you play the rest of it?"

The return of her body was jarring and she fell to her knees. Her body felt almost foreign. She stayed there, on the snow-covered snow and buried her head in her hands, willing the disorientation to subside. Absently, she noted as the presence in her mind receded, going back to sleep. Frisk opened her eyes. They immediately flooded with tears. Clothes and snow and dust.

She bit her lip, trapping the sobs within herself. Sans had kept his promise as long as he could. It was time to keep hers.

His dust, still warm with his magic, had melted the snow he had sat upon. The two had mixed, making a sickly grey sludge. Very little actual dust was salvageable, but she took what she could. Keeping them safe within her pocket.

Papyrus jumped, laughing with delight as Fluffy Bunny took him off guard as always. Frisk smiled at him, reaching out to tuck him in again. He had jumped straight out of his blankets. She chuckled as he burrowed deeper into the blanket burrito she had him in. She leaned forward and pressed a kiss to his skull. The skeleton blushed and beamed up at her. Giving him one last pat, strolled over to his bookshelf, sliding Peek-a-Boo With Fluffy Bunny back into place. She murmured a soft goodnight and turned to leave. She had just barely stepped into the doorway when he called to her.

"FRISK?"

"Yeah, Papyrus?"

"CAN WE VISIT SANS TOMORROW?"

She spoke around the lump in her throat. Her voice was weak as she denied him. "Sorry, Pap. No can do."

"I MISS HIM."

"Me too." She really did.

"...HE'S NEVER LEFT ME ALONE BEFORE."

She whirled around, taking in his forlorn figure. He was sitting up now, staring down as he wrung his hands. Determination surged. She marched back over to his bedside. She cupped his skull in her hands, tilting it so he met her eyes. She placed a hand on his chest, right over where the small vial of dust dangled, and pressed her forehead to his.

She spoke firmly. "He didn't leave you."

"BUT–"

She shook her head. "No. He didn't go anywhere and he definitely didn't leave you alone."

He tried to look away and she gently forced him to meet her eyes again. "Look around, Papyrus. The action figures on the desk, the books on the shelf, this racecar bed that you're laying in right now. Who gave you those?"

"SANS."

"And what about your 'battle body'? The one that you're wearing. The one you never take off. Where did you get it?"

"I MADE IT WITH SANS."

"Why am I here, Papyrus? How did I ever get to you?"

"YOU MET SANS. YOU'RE SANS' FRIEND."

"That's right. And I'm your friend too. Maybe he isn't here to crack jokes or lend a hand, but looking around he's so part of all of this – so part of us – that he can't ever be gone. Do you understand?"

He seemed to relax slightly. "OKAY."

"I mean it. He wouldn't have left if he thought he would be leaving you alone." Sitting on the bed, she reached for him and pulled him into her arms. "You have me, okay?"

Long arms wrapped around her tightly. "YEAH. I'VE GOT YOU."

She pulled away just slightly. "That's right... Do you want me to stay here with you tonight?"

His expression said 'yes' but he shook his head. "I'M A STRONG SKELETON. I DO NOT NEED YOU TO BABY ME."

She forced a smile. "Yes, of course. I'm just being silly."

His whole body seemed to curl into itself as he braced himself for her to leave. She really could not leave him like this.

"Why don't..." she paused, thinking of an idea he would accept. "Why don't we have a sleepover?"

He seemed to light up with relief and excitement. "A SLEEPOVER? WHAT A WONDERFUL IDEA!"

He yanked her underneath the blankets with him and curled up around her.

They were both asleep in seconds.

She sat in the hallway, leaning against Sans' bedroom door. She had woken up alone. Papyrus had, no doubt, already left to go about his day. She had no work today. She turned her letter over in her hands. She would slip it under the door to his lab later. But she felt like she needed to actually talk to him now. Knuckles softly hit the door behind her twice.

There was no response.

"I know I should probably tell a joke or something, but I don't have any. That was more your kind of thing anyway. I wrote you a letter. I hope you get it next time around and it makes you feel a bit better. I want to tell you something, but I'm not sure if you'd be upset. So I'm just going to tell your bedroom door. Monsters have their dust spread on the things they like, right? I couldn't tell Pap you were really gone so I just made my best guess. You... really don't seem to like a whole lot. I sprinkled some on the condiment bottles in your Snowdin sentry station and on the quantum physics joke book. I put some in a vial and put in on a string. I told Papyrus it was a friendship necklace. I thought that you two should stay together. He never takes it off... and... I hope this isn't to presumptuous of me but... I keep another vial necklace of my own. I feel kind of guilty, keeping it without your permission, I mean. But I just... really needed you here with me."

She buried her head in her arms.

"I really hope it resets soon."

A/N: Just a little tidbit. Will be back to the regular action next chapter. Hope you don't mind.

Thanks for reading.

Until next time friendlies,

Dfsemina