Chapter 11
The next morning, Ava was sleeping next to Grillby as he had stayed over after they had arrived back at the skeletons' house. The door softly opened and small feet padded inside before a small form crawled onto the bed, sitting for a moment and gazing at the two. Grillby, having sensed it was Amelia, smiled and held out an arm. "Come here, little candle," he cooed soothingly.
Amelia, seeing this, crawled in between her parents, slipping under the covers that Grillby had lifted up for her and settling down, snuggling into his hug when his arm came around her protectively. Ava stirred a little and opened her eyes, smiling as she saw Amelia between her and Grillby and the child was snuggling with her father. "Good morning," she said, her voice a little sleepy.
Grillby opened his eyes. "Good morning, my lovely flame," he said to her, reaching over and tracing her face lovingly before looking down at the little girl that was wide awake between them. "And good morning, my little candle. Did you sleep well?"
She nodded before turning to look at her mother. "Mommy, you and Daddy really mean it that I can stay, right?" She asked. "Even if...the judge doesn't grant the adoption?"
"Yes, sweetie," Ava said, hugging her daughter and kissing her forehead in affection. "You're stuck with us, honey. No matter what."
The child giggled before squeaking and laughing as warm fingers tickled her stomach and a finger playfully poked her belly button. She turned over to find her father was responsible for that and he chuckled as he scooped her up into his arms, still tickling her and making her laugh. "You can't escape, little one," he cooed before blowing a raspberry right over Amelia's belly button, making her squeal with laughter as Ava watched, smiling at the heart-warming scene.
Just then, the door opened and Chara and Frisk ran in with giggles, jumping up on the bed and trying to hide behind Ava, who chuckled again. "Let me guess, your father turned into a tickle monster," she said knowingly.
"Yes," Frisk squeaked with a giggle.
She chuckled. "But girls, you forgot," she said. "I'm your father's partner, which means I'm a tickle monster too."
Both squealed and tried to run, but Sans had come in just then and caught Chara while Ava caught Frisk. The skeleton smirked at Chara and tickled her stomach, making her laugh happily. "I've got you, kiddo," he cooed to her.
Frisk was squealing with laughter as Ava blew multiple raspberries into her stomach and then playfully munched at the ticklish stomach, sending the brown-eyed child into hysterical laughter. "Cootchie, cootchie coo!" The half-human cooed in a playful voice before letting Frisk up, seeing the child was gasping for air.
Grillby saw that his daughter was also gasping for air and stopped the tickle torture, holding her in a hug as she recovered. Sans did the same with Chara, who let out some leftover giggles as she clung to him, a huge smile on her face.
Gaster came into the room and smiled. "Ah, so that's what all the merriment was about," he said with a chuckle. "Breakfast is nearly ready downstairs."
"We'll be there shortly, bro. Thanks," Sans said.
Ava and Grillby then got up, stretching as Amelia clung to her father, who chuckled in amusement. "Alright, you best hurry and get dressed, my little candle," he said.
"Yes, Daddy," she said as he gently set her down.
"Same goes for you two," Sans told his daughters.
"Yes, Daddy," Frisk said and she scampered off with Chara behind her and Amelia hot on their heels.
Sans teleported downstairs while Amelia headed for the bathroom in her room and changed into jeans and blue t-shirt while Grillby swiftly dressed in his work uniform, since he would be going to work later that day. Amelia came out and Grillby smiled at her, going up to her and hugging her while giving her a loving kiss that she returned. "Good luck with the judge, my love," he said to her.
She smiled, but then looked pensive. "I admit I'm hoping it will go well and that our sheriff friend was speaking the truth," she admitted.
"I'm sure it will," he said, holding up a hand and the heart that represented her innermost self came to rest in his hand. He gently held it and the flame mark on it glowed softly. Ava gasped at first, but then relaxed.
"No matter how many times you've done that, I still get surprised when you do it," she said with a smile.
He chuckled. "You trust me, my love?" He asked.
"Always," she replied trustingly.
Smiling, he gently pressed a kiss to the heart and she took a deep breath, the sensation calming her and filling her with love. Most thought that such an action was only used to join with their mate, but if one monster deeply trusted another, then the sensation could be used to either calm the other down if they were agitated or to remind them that they weren't alone.
Ava held onto Grillby as he gently carressed the heart in his hand, going a bit weak in the knees. "Grillby," she said softly. "You're going to have to carry me downstairs if you keep that up."
He chuckled. "I would gladly do so, my love," he said lovingly. "Though my intent was to make you feel better and more relaxed about your upcoming meeting."
She smiled. "You did," she said. "I feel better, thank you."
Smiling, he gently guided the heart back to her and as it vanished, he scooped her up bridal style in his arms and carried her downstairs, making her smile as she rested her head trustingly on his shoulder, her arms wrapped loosely around his neck.
Amelia giggled when she saw them and Sans raised a brow bone at them. "What were you two up to?" He asked, a teasing note in his voice.
Ava turned to look at him. "My husband-to-be was reassuring me that all would go well with my upcoming meeting with the judge," she said honestly.
"I hope it does too," said Frisk, looking a bit worried.
Chara fell into thought and then perked up. "Auntie Ava, what if we go with you?" She asked.
The monsters and half-human looked at her in surprise and she elaborated. "If he sees how happy we are with you guys, then it will hopefully sway him to agree to let you guys adopt us."
The adults looked at each other. "She does have a point," Gaster said.
"But it would be dangerous," Grillby said, his voice worried. "We already know their birth fathers are hiring people to look for them."
"What if only one of us goes then?" Frisk offered. "Maybe Amelia, since Auntie Ava and Uncle Grillby have adopted her."
Ava was thinking about it and finally came to a conclusion. "Sans, you know where the judge lives, correct?" She asked.
He nodded. "We brought his daughter right to his home," he said.
"Perhaps...we should all meet him there."
He caught on. "It'll be a safe area and then the kids can talk to the judge if need be," he said with a nod.
"That's a good idea," said Papyrus. "Let's do so after breakfast."
An hour later, they were in the living room of a modest, yet nice house. The maid screamed when they arrived and the butler came running, but then relaxed upon seeing them and soothed the maid. "They are friends," he said. "They saved Miss Charlotte and her daughter."
The maid calmed down at that, especially when a nineteen-year-old girl came into the room holding a baby what was a year old and she smiled widely. "Sans! Ava!" She said happily, hugging them. "Father is out at the moment, but he'll be back shortly."
Ava nodded. "Sorry to drop in unannounced, Charlotte, but it's a matter of some urgency that we speak to your father as soon as possible," she said.
"Of course," the girl said before seeing her daughter looking at the two curiously. "These two rescued you before you were born, honey. They're heroes."
She then smiled. "Let's all have a seat," she said and asked the butler to deliver drinks and snacks, to which he and the maid at once headed out.
"Sorry about giving the maid a scare," said Gaster.
"It's alright," Charlotte said before setting her daughter down on the floor and the baby stood up, walking over to Sans and reaching up. He glanced up at the young mother, who nodded in permission. "Go ahead."
He reached down and picked up the child, smiling at her. "Hey, kiddo," he said.
The baby hugged him and then reached for Ava, who accepted her and the baby hugged her too. "She's just a sweetheart," she said to Charlotte.
"Thank you," said the mother.
Suddenly, the door banged open and they jumped up, the monsters and half-human activating their powers quickly, but then relaxing upon seeing it was the judge, but he looked a bit frantic before seeing them and relaxing. "Sorry for that," he said. "But I just got word from Michael that three girls are in danger and that I've got to warn the Judge and Jury of the mountain."
Ava and Sans stood up straighter while the half-human gave the baby girl back to Charlotte. "What's wrong, Your Honor?" She asked.
He looked grim. "There is a bounty hunter after the girls," he said. "All three have a hefty price on their heads to be brought back to their fathers alive."
Frisk and Chara clung to Sans while Amelia clung to Grillby, whimpering. The two monsters hugged the kids to try and soothe them and Ava looked grim too.
"Then there is no time for ceremony," she said. "Your Honor, our king has granted Sans permission to adopt Frisk and Chara and granted Grillby and myself permission to adopt Amelia. I have the papers here, but we need you to grant the adoptions too to make it valid for both the human and monster races."
"Of course," he said. "Let me see them and I'll sign them at once."
Seconds later, the papers were signed and he nodded. "I'm sorry to seem rude, but you must go," he said urgently. "Take the children into the mountain and hide. We'll keep quiet of your whereabouts."
"Thank you," Gaster said, knowing the judge was taking a huge risk by doing this.
Sans nodded. "We have to go," he said, his magic surrounding them.
Ava quickly placed her protection mark on the judge, his daughter, and granddaughter. "You three will be safe with my mark," she said before stepping back and feelings Sans' magic envelop her.
"Good luck," Charlotte said to them.
"You too," Papyrus said with a nod before they vanished, arriving back at the house. Gaster quickly used his magic to teleport the house to the Underground, which surprised the children as they clung to their parents while Ava quickly made a call.
"It's me. I need you to keep an eye on the mountain," she said. "We had to move to keep our kids safe."
"The rumors were true then?" Asked the person on the other end. "You had adopted human children?"
"Yes," she said. "The king and our judge friend have approved the adoptions."
"I'll keep an eye on things," the person promised. "Good luck, honorable Jury, and take care."
Nodding, she signed off and looked at the others. "Mettaton will keep an eye on the mountain for us," she said.
"Which will give us time to help our new family members settle in," said Papyrus with a smile. "How about we make some cookies to start with? I saw some cookie icing in the pantry the other day."
Frisk, Chara, and Amelia perked up at that and Sans smiled. "I'm for that," he said.
"I believe I can say we all are," Grillby said with a chuckle.
Ava smiled and nodded as they headed into the kitchen, all of them safe for now.
But they were going to have to be careful until all was truly safe again.
Oh, boy. It's going to get intense, but don't worry. :) There will be bonding with the kids and their new parents. :)
Please leave a review, but no flames! :)
GoldGuardian2418