One: When All The World's Asleep And Tired

"Oh, for god's sake, kid-boy," Undyne sighed. "Stop crying. It's just school!"

"Undyne," Alphys hissed, her hand on Asriel's back. "Sh!"

Frisk was on the floor with Undyne, Nicky and Basket. Basket was on Undyne's lap, Nicky kneeling before her, and Frisk sat next to Undyne. Asriel and Alphys sat together on the couch, Asriel's face covered and his shoulders shaking. In his hand was a letter that reminded them of Nicky's age, and how it was time to enroll her in school. He held it in his fist, crumpling it, as if by doing that would make it less true.

Nicky was making faces at Bass when she heard the word 'school'. She paused and looked at Frisk. "Mami?" she said, blinking.

Frisk nodded. "Yes. You're going to school."

Nicky lit up. "When?"

Frisk sighed. "In a few weeks."

Nicky clapped happily, and as a result, so did Basket with a shriek. Undyne was trying very, very hard not to laugh - and failing - which in turn brought a smile to Frisk, though it was a touch sad.

Alphys understood Asriel; though school was a natural step, she understood how hard it was for him. For years, he'd spent his days with Nicky at his centre, and now he had no idea what to do with himself. He had options; he could go back to work, either with Frisk or at the school, or stay home and start up his Let's Play channel again, but it wouldn't be the same. Alphys understood, because it was how she felt when she thought about Basket.

She was right. When they got the letter, Asriel had wanted to burn it (and almost had; there were burns around the edges.), but Frisk grabbed it before he could. That was when he'd started crying, though Frisk called the school immediately to confirm with them Nicky's placement in the fall. Alphys, Undyne, and Basket were already over for a playdate (thanks to a PD Day) when the letter arrived.

Nicky noticed her father's state and got to her feet, going to his side and tugging on his sleeve. He looked up and saw her looking at him with concern, and wordlessly, he pulled her into his lap and hugged her tight, trying to swallow his tears - and pain.

"Papi, is school bad?" she asked him softly.

"No," he admitted. "It just means you're growing up."

"Papi! I'm not growing up!" she protested. "I'm gonna stay six forever!"

"Right," he agreed shakily with a small smile. "I forgot." Nicky smiled at him and gave him a kiss on the cheek, before she slid down off his lap and resumed making faces at Basket.

"She's going straight into grade one?" Undyne asked.

Frisk nodded. "She's too old for the two kindergartens, but smart enough for grade one - especially since she can read."

"Auntie Alphys taught me," added Nicky, pulling another face.

Undyne waited until Basket finished shrieking before saying, "I hope we can do that, too."

"Bass is a bright girl," Frisk said easily, giving Basket a pat on the head - something she made a face at.

"I-I think it's a good idea, going to Toriel's school," said Alphys, mostly to Asriel. "That way, she's surrounded by friends and family."

"And safe," Undyne added darkly, though both Asriel and Frisk nodded in agreement.

Alphys put a hand to her mouth, her eyes wide. "Right. I forgot. How will your opponents react?"

"We..." Frisk exchanged glances with Asriel. "We never planned on telling them. Ever."

"They'll find out, Frisk," sighed Undyne, pulling Basket's hand out of her hair absently. "You know they will. You need a plan."

"A plan for what?" Asriel snapped, not liking her tone.

"For her first day, at the least," Undyne shot back. "She needs protection. She's the first human-monster at that school, or at any school, ever." She rolled her eyes. "Duh."

Both Frisk and Asriel blushed, clearly not having thought of that prior to her mentioning it. What Undyne said, however, made sense; there was likely going to be a media zoo at the least, and they had to be prepared.

"I'll call Darian, see if he knows anyone we can borrow," Asriel said, getting to his feet and pulling out his phone, leaving the room to make the call. Frisk watched him with sad eyes, but said nothing.

Alphys looked down at her hands. "I'm sorry. I tried, but..."

"Is Papi okay?" Nicky wondered, her eyes also on Asriel as he vanished into the bedroom. "He looks sad."

"He'll be fine," said Frisk at once. "You know your Papi."

At that moment, she got a text from Toriel: "Ui jsuist gheard thjer bnews! Sdo wexciuted!1!" It took Frisk a moment to understand it, as clearly, in her excitement, Toriel had button-mashed her message. She couldn't help but laugh, anyway. She was glad Toriel was happy about the news.

"Oh, she's gonna fuss," said Undyne when she read the message.

"But likely in a good way," added Alphys, now joining them on the floor. "She's protective, but it's not a bad thing."

"I know," Frisk agreed. "I just hope Nicky doesn't mind."

"I love Ehmma," Nicky said with a smile. "I can't wait to see her at school!"

"Not just your ehmma," Alphys said kindly. "But your ehmpa and your aunt Undyne, Uncle sans, and Uncle Papyrus!"

Nicky's eyes widened in surprise. "Really?" She turned to Frisk, who nodded, and she clapped again with a grin.

"Thanks, Darian," Asriel was saying, before he hung up the phone. "He's gonna call around, see if he can get some of his old buddies to come and watch the school."

Frisk sighed in relief, her hand going to her chest - just below her heart. She hadn't realised how much she'd wanted that until she'd gotten it. "Thanks, love," she said to him.

He sat down beside her and nodded. He looked calmer, though there was still sadness in his eyes. "I'm worried, too," he admitted.

"Why?" Undyne wondered, as Basket attacked her ears with delight. "It's not like you've been getting..." When their faces fell, Undyne bit her lip, then muttered, "Oh."

"Y-you've been getting threats?!" Alphys cried. Nicky turned to her, surprised by her tone, but she didn't change it. "For how long?"

Asriel covered his eyes with one hand, sighing. Frisk looked down. "Since she turned five," she admitted.

"Thanks for telling us," Undyne said dryly.

"Hey," Asriel snapped, lowering his hand to glare at her. "You don't need to know everything, Undyne."

She glared back at him, but Alphys said, "Not everything, but some things. Especially if you want us to help, right?"

"We don't!"

Frisk shot Asriel a look, and he scowled but shut up. "Sorry," she said, meaning it. "We just... didn't know how to handle it. Honestly."

"Who the hell threatens a five-year-old?!" Asriel exploded, his hands hot. "Who the hell is that depraved?!"

Nicky stared at him. He rarely swore now, so hearing him do so - and in such an angry tone - shocked her. She could tell he was very angry. She went over to him and put a hand on his shoulder, and he looked at her, his face softening.

"Papi!" she said sternly. "Language!"

The sincerity in her voice made him laugh, which brought laughs from Frisk and Alphys, and a smile from Undyne.

"Sorry," he said softly, meaning it. "I was just angry."

Nicky grinned. "S'okay, Papi!" she said, giving his shoulder a pat. "Just be nice, okay?"

Frisk sighed, looking at their daughter amiably. "Smart, wise words," she said sadly.

That night, Asriel suddenly woke up alone. He didn't know what it was that had awakened him, but whatever it was, he still woke up alone. He was wide awake at once, getting to his feet and leaving the bedroom, looking for Frisk as he did. He expected her up, either in front of the TV silently or in her office hunched over her computer and stacks of paper. When he found her in none of these places, he went to the last likely place she'd be.

Carefully keeping his eyes lowered, he went out to the balcony and found her sipping tea - chamomile - and sitting in one of the chairs, her eyes unfocussed before her and full of tears. She would pause to either sip her tea or wipe the tears from her eyes, but she did little else, and all was done in silence.

"Frisk," he said softly, and she started, her eyes wide in surprise, before she focussed on him. She looked away, clearing her throat, but he rolled his eyes and knelt down in front of her, taking one of her hands in his. "What is it?"

She stared at him, her eyes filling again, unable to help it, now. "Will she really be okay?" she whispered, putting down her mug of tea. "Will she really be safe?"

Asriel nodded, rubbing her hand gently. "Yes," he agreed. "As much as possible."

Frisk looked away at that. "And how safe is that?" she wondered darkly. "She's still a mix of both. It's so easy to forget that, to forget I'm human, and so is she. She's going to see hardship."

Asriel nodded. "I know."

"Don't we owe her better?" she wondered, still not looking at him. "Don't we, as parents, owe her better than what we got?"

"I didn't finish school," he reminded her gently. "So, yes. I'd say we're doing just that."

She looked back at him, blushing in shame. "I'm sorry. I-I forgot."

He smiled. "It's okay," he said, meaning it. "It's easy to forget. Sometimes even I do, it's been so long." Frisk nodded, picking up her mug and sipping her tea again. Her eyes were on his, now, so he went on. "I know school was rough for you," he admitted, and she nodded again. "But I also know that Nicky is smart, and determined. If anyone can face it, she can."

"Can she?" wondered Frisk. "Or are we just hoping she does?"

Asriel thought about it seriously. "Maybe both," he admitted. "But maybe that's the trick to it. We have to have confidence, so she does, too."

"I'm not confident," she admitted finally. "I'm scared."

"I know," he said again, gently, giving her hand a squeeze. "But I'm here, and so is everyone else. We're not alone, remember?"

Frisk smiled faintly at that. It was true, after all. They were surrounded by people who loved and supported them, often without question or hesitation. It was a comforting feeling, and it helped her calm down a bit more.

"And Nicky won't be alone," he added, smiling back, unable to help it. "She's got the same family."

"Whether she likes it or not," Frisk agreed, her smile widening into a grin at the thought.

"Exactly."

Frisk took a deep breath, shut her eyes, then exhaled it. When she opened them again, they were clear, though still a little teary. "Asriel," she whispered. "Can we protect her?"

"Not always, no," he said sadly. "But we can do everything we can to do so."

"Is it enough?"

"It has to be."

Frisk paused, looking away. Then she said, "Asriel? Take me to bed?" When she looked back at him, her eyes were full again, and she bit her lip.

Asriel took her hands, got to his feet, and pulled her to hers. Arm-in-arm, they slowly walked back to bed, two parents wary of letting their young beacon of hope go.