Toriel refused to leave the Ruins after that. She vowed that those doors would never open again. She wasn't going to lose Frisk. A part of her knew it was wrong but her overprotectiveness overpowered that.

The next day, Frisk had surprised her by putting on their coat apparently eager to go back to Snowdin.

"I ready, mommy," they said. "We going?"

"No, my child," she said gently.

"Oh. We going later, then?" they asked.

"No. We are not going back," she informed.

"You mean, today?"

"No. Ever."

"Ever?"

"It means we are not going back to Snowdin again," she explained.

"What? Why?" Frisk asked.

"It is too dangerous there, my child," Toriel answered.

"No it not," Frisk retorted. "It fine."

"It is not."

"But… my friends. Will I ever see them again?" Frisk asked, sounding sad.

"I am afraid not," Toriel said.

"But… but why?" Frisk asked, tears beginning to spill. "I miss them. Why can we not see them?"

"I have told you. It is too dangerous out there," Toriel said.

"But… why? Why it bad?" Frisk asked, sobbing.

Toriel wanted to explain but decided against it. Frisk probably wouldn't understand the reason if told.

When no answer came, Frisk continued to cry. "Why you doing this?" they pleaded. "Did I do something wrong?"

"No, no, not at all," Toriel tried to assure, reaching out to hug them. "It is not your fault."

"Then why? Why can we not go?" Frisk asked, still crying.

"I have told you. It is not safe," Toriel said. "I am only protecting you. Do you understand? It is safe here. You are safe."

Frisk turned and ran to their room, closing the door behind them.

Toriel felt bad now, but she assured herself that she was doing the right thing. She was protecting Frisk. She was keeping them alive. That was a good thing.

Right?

A few days passed. Frisk barely left their room now and when they did, Toriel saw how sad they were. She kept mollifying herself by telling herself that they were alive and that was worth it.

She went downstairs to the door, hoping Sans was on the other side. She could hear someone standing in the snow just outside. She knocked on the door hoping to get a response back.

"is that you, toriel?" she heard Sans asked.

"Yes, it is. It is nice to hear you again, my friend," she replied.

"heh. wish i could say the same," the skeleton replied. "how's your kid doing?"

"None too well," Toriel answered. "After I told them they could never go back they ran back to their room and have hardly left it."

"not surprised, considering you broke their heart by locking them in there," Sans said.

"It is for their own protection," Toriel insisted. "They are safe here, and away from Asgore."

"yeah, but safe doesn't mean happy," Sans pointed out. "my bro asked me when frisk was coming back and he got upset when i wasn't able to give a clear answer. and from what he said, the other kids are not too happy that one of their own is missing."

"I am sorry, but I must keep Frisk safe," Toriel said.

She heard Sans sigh. "you know, i've had to do things that made my brother upset before. keep him away from some fairly bad people who were influencing him in the wrong way. it did upset him, but after i explained why, he forgave me."

"So, then you understand why I am doing this?" Toriel asked.

"if it was a different scenario, sure," Sans said. "i understand that you're tryin' to protect your kid, but part of that means keeping them happy. and they aren't too happy right now."

"I would think you understand that sometimes we must hurt those we care about to protect them," Toriel said.

"yeah, from dangers they don't understand. from things that could hurt them because they're too young to know what's dangerous and what's not," Sans retorted. "but toriel, this is too far. you're not just hurting the kid, you're punishing them, and you're not telling them why."

"It is for their own safety."

"and what are you protecting them from? the king? you saw it. they were right there. he had every chance to hurt them and they were unscathed. if he wanted to kill them, he would have done it."

"He still could," she said.

Sans sighed again. "look, i get it. you don't want to see the kid hurt. i respect that. but toriel, how do you plan to keep them happy locked up in there?" he asked. Before she could speak, he pushed on. "you can't give them everything they need in there. sure, you could give them what they need to survive, but there's a big difference between surviving and living. the kid can't live in there, cut off from their friends. also, by denying them freedom and keeping them locked up, you're hurting them in several ways. you could damage them. by trying to protect them, you'll slowly kill them."

Toriel was hurt by that statement. But she would not be swayed. "It is still better here."

"then i guess there's nothing left to discuss," Sans said. "i've said all i could and you won't change your mind."

"I just want my child safe. I trust you understand," Toriel said. Several moments passed as she waited for a response. "Hello? Are you still there?" Still nothing. "Sans, I am sorry, but I am just doing what I can for my child." Still nothing. She was talking to air. She sighed before turning to leave. "I am sorry."

Sans didn't hear any of it. Nor did he want to. After he said his piece, he teleported right to his post, head down on the shelf. He didn't have the stomach to go back there anymore. He was too mad with her. She was being incredibly selfish and he couldn't stand it. So, he wasn't going back to that door, ever.

A couple weeks passed. Sans remained at his post, never going to the Ruins door. Each day that Frisk failed to show, Papyrus asked when they would be coming back. Sans didn't have the heart to tell his brother that they were never coming back.

At times, as he sat at his post, he could hear faint knocks coming from the door. He refused to go investigate, not wanting to confront Toriel. He was too mad with her to talk to her, even through a door. So, he kept his distance.

He was relaxing in the lawn chair at his outpost, watching as snow fell from the ceiling. He heard something from deeper in the forest, dismissing it as more knocking. However, he soon heard a faint crunching sound. Someone was walking up the path. Was it Toriel? He didn't care if it was. If she was coming to apologize, he didn't want to hear it.

The sound of crunching snow got louder as whoever it was got closer. But he just kept looking up, trying not to pay attention. If he had though, he would have noticed that the crunching was too soft and too fast to be from the large goat woman.

"Sans?"

Sans nearly fell out of his chair. That wasn't Toriel's voice. He looked down, leaning over the bench to see Frisk standing in the snow, arms crossed.

"frisk? w-what are you doing here?" Sans asked, surprised.

Frisk shivered, and Sans realized they didn't have their coat on.

"It cold. Mommy not let me come back. But I miss my friends," Frisk explained.

Sans came around to the kid, taking off his hoodie and giving it to them, hoping it helped warm them up.

"you shouldn't be here, kid," Sans said. "it's too cold. plus, your mom will be mad when she sees you gone."

"Not take me back," Frisk pleaded. "I not want to go back. Not if I cannot see my friends."

Sans sighed. Frisk was looking at him with their brown eyes, glistening with tears. They were begging him not to take them back. It meant Toriel would come looking for them, and she wouldn't be happy. But the kid wasn't happy being locked up either. Well, he might be able to swing things around with this. But not here. The kid was freezing in this weather.

He stood up and quickly wrote a note, leaving it on the stand. Then he picked the kid up and took them to his house.

Frisk marveled at how they just suddenly appeared in the skeleton brothers' house.

"bro, you here?" Sans called out.

"YES, I AM IN THE KITCHEN, MAKING SOME LUNCH," Papyrus informed. "SHOULDN'T YOU BE OUT ON PATROL, BROTHER? WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?"

"well, ya see, someone showed up at my stand."

"WHO? WAIT! IS IT…" Papyrus came out of the kitchen to see Sans carrying Frisk. "FRISK!"

"Papy!" Frisk said, reaching out for him. The taller skeleton picked them up and spun around.

"YOU CAME BACK! YOU CAME BACK!" Papyrus cried over and over.

"just for the time being," Sans said.

"WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?" Papyrus questioned.

"well, their mother didn't bring them. they just showed up on their own," Sans explained.

"HUH? DID SHE LET YOU COME SEE US?" Papyrus asked.

"Not really," Frisk sheepishly admitted.

"YOU SNUCK OUT?! FRISK, THAT IS HIGHLY IRRESPONSIBLE OF YOU," Papyrus reprimanded.

"I had to, Papy. Mommy would not let me leave," Frisk explained.

"WHY NOT?" Papyrus asked.

"I not know," Frisk explained. "She not esplain."

Papyrus sighed.

"i left a note for her at my station," Sans explained. "hopefully she'll see it and come here. until then, let's keep the kid comfortable."

"VERY WELL," Papyrus decided. "WELL, LUCKY FOR YOU, I'M MAKING LUNCH. IT WILL BE READY SHORTLY."

Papyrus put Frisk down and they went over to the couch, laying on the cushions. Sans came over and sat next to them.

"I not want to go back home," Frisk said to Sans.

"i know, but you belong there. me and pap can't give ya the care you need. your mom can," Sans explained.

"I not want to be locked at home again," Frisk said.

"i know. i'll talk to your mom, see if i can't get her to change her mind," Sans said.

"Thanks, Sans," Frisk said.

"LUNCH IS READY!" Papyrus said, entering with a plate of spaghetti in each hand. He gave them one plate each, along with a fork to eat it with. Sans ate first, Frisk mimicking him.

"ARE YOU ENJOYING?" Papyrus asked eagerly.

Frisk's response was to spit out the bite in their mouth. "Icky."

"DOES THAT MEAN YOU DON'T LIKE IT?" Papyrus asked.

"Yes," Frisk said. "It very bad."

"BUT SANS ALWAYS LIKES MY FOOD," Papyrus defended.

"uh, yeah, uh, no offence, bro, but uh… your cooking is… kinda bad," Sans admitted.

"WHAT? BUT YOU SAID-"

"i was trying to not hurt your feelings," Sans said.

"SO YOU LIED TO ME? REPEATEDLY?"

"i didn't want to upset ya," Sans admitted.

"UGH, THAT MAKES IT WORSE," Papyrus said, pinching the bridge of his non-existent nose. "SANS, DON'T SAY MY COOKING IS GREAT WHEN IT REALLY IS BAD. WHAT IF I GAVE YOU FOOD POISONING?"

"we don't have stomachs, so i don't think there would be anything to worry about," Sans said nonchalantly.

"UGH." Papyrus took both plates of spaghetti back. "MY APOLOGIES, FRISK. I SHALL SEE WHAT ELSE WE HAVE." He returned to the kitchen and rummaged through the cupboards for something for Frisk to eat. He was about to try and cook more pasta, but Frisk might not like it a second time, especially since Papyrus didn't cook it right.

"HMM. UNFORTUNATELY, WE DON'T HAVE MUCH IN THE WAY OF FOOD THAT ISN'T PASTA," Papyrus said.

"hey, i got a bag of chips they could eat," Sans offered from the couch.

"I MEAN REAL FOOD!" Papyrus said. "HMM… PERHAPS A SIMPLE SANDWITCH WILL SUFFICE."

After a few moments, he returned with a peanut butter and jelly sandwich on a plate.

"HERE. APOLOGISE FOR THE BAD PASTA," Papyrus said, handing the plate to Frisk. Almost immediately, they began eating the sandwich.

"looks like they like it," Sans said.

"YES, UNFORTUNATELY, I'M NOT SURE WHAT WE'LL HAVE TO EAT OURSELVES," Papyrus admitted.

"eh, i'll just grab a burg from grillby's," Sans said.

"SANS, THAT'S NOT A PROPER MEAL," Papyrus admonished.

Frisk didn't listen, just occupied themself with their lunch, eating away, glad to see their best friend again. But worried about how their mother would react when she found them.

Toriel stepped out of the Ruins, walking through the snow. She had looked all over the Ruins and couldn't find Frisk. Fear had set in that some Monster had kidnapped them and taken them to Asgore. But perhaps they had just gone to Snowdin. She would check there first and ask the skeleton brothers if they saw her child.

She walked past Sans' sentry station and noticed it was empty. Then she saw the piece of paper on the wood. She picked it up and read it. She breathed a sigh of relief as she did. Frisk hadn't been kidnapped. Sans had brought them to his house after they came to him. She decided to head there. She put the paper down before heading for town.

After Frisk finished their sandwich they laid down on the couch, trying to keep their eyes open.

"DID YOU ENJOY IT, FRIEND?" Papyrus asked. Frisk sleepily nodded.

"uh oh, looks like it's someone's nap time," Sans said teasingly.

"No. No wanna sleep," Frisk mumbled.

"NONSENSE. YOU'RE A GROWING MONSTER AND NEED YOUR WINKS," Papyrus said. "NOT TO WORRY. MY BED IS PERFECT FOR NAPS." He picked them up, carrying them in his arms as he went to his room. He opened the door and laid them in his car bed.

"Why your bed look so funny?" Frisk sleepily asked.

"OH, I HAVE HEARD THAT HUMANS MADE THESE WONDERFUL CONTRAPTIONS CALLED 'CARS'. AND I WANT TO DRIVE ONE SOMEDAY. BUT, BEING STUCK BENEATH THE MOUNTAIN AS WE ARE, IT'S JUST A DREAM. SO, SANS FOUND THIS BED IN THE DUMP AND WE FIXED IT UP. NOW I CAN CRUISE WHILE I SNOOZE."

Frisk giggled sleepily as Papyrus pulled the blankets over them. "Papy, can you stay with me?" Frisk asked.

"SURE. I'LL BE RIGHT HERE, FRISK," Papyrus promised and pulled a chair close to the bed. After a while, Frisk lost the battle trying to keep their eyes open and fell asleep.

Sans sat on the sofa and looked up at the ceiling. He was going to wait there until Toriel showed up. Hopefully she would be in a more pleasant mood than the last time he saw her in person.

It took a while, but eventually, the door opened and in stepped Toriel.

"Sans," she said upon seeing him.

"heya, old lady. took you long enough to get here," Sans said.

"Is Frisk alright?" she asked.

"kid's fine. they're asleep in pap's room," he explained.

"Thank goodness. I feared the worst there," she breathed in relief. "Well, I thank you for watching them and making sure they do not get into trouble."

She started walking towards the younger brother's room when Sans got up and stood in front of her.

"we need to talk," he said.

"Can it wait? I need to bring Frisk home before someone-"

"No. It can't," Sans said seriously. He grabbed her arm before teleporting them both to his room.

"What is the meaning of this?" Toriel asked.

"look, the reason i didn't just bring the kid back was because they don't want to go back," Sans explained. "they were crying when they came to me. they hate that you've locked them in the ruins and they don't want to go back if it means they can never see their friends again."

"I understand that. But it is safer for them there," Toriel said.

"thing is, tor, you haven't explained why. and that makes them think you're punishing them for something they did, when we both know that isn't true."

Papyrus had heard the door to the house open and peaked out to see Toriel enter. He watched as his brother teleported himself and the tall woman elsewhere. Then he heard voices coming through the wall and took a good guess where.

He sat back down and sighed. He worried about the outcome of this.

"Papy?" Frisk sleepily asked.

"FRISK? WHAT'S WRONG?" he asked.

"I thought I heard something," they said, sitting up and rubbing their eyes.

Papyrus sighed before speaking. "IT'S YOUR MOTHER. SHE'S HERE TO TAKE YOU BACK HOME."

"No," Frisk said. "I not want to go home."

Papyrus came over, laying a bony hand on Frisk's shoulder. "YOU NEED TO TELL HER THAT."

"But… she will get mad," Frisk said.

"SHE'S YOUR MOTHER FRISK. SHE WON'T GET MAD AT YOU," Papyrus assured.

"I not want to go back if I can never see you again," Frisk said.

"THEN TELL HER," Papyrus insisted. "YOU NEED TO TELL HER THAT YOU DON'T WANT TO STAY LOCKED UP IF IT MEANS YOU CAN NEVER SEE YOUR FRIENDS AGAIN."

"But… she get mad," Frisk said.

"FRISK, HAVE YOU TALKED TO HER ABOUT YOUR WANTS?"

Frisk shook their head.

"THEN YOU NEED TO TELL HER. A PARENT'S JOB IS TO CARE AND PROVIDE FOR THEIR CHILD. ALSO, THE KID HAS A JOB AS WELL."

"We do?"

"YES. TO TELL OUR PARENTS WHEN THEY'RE DOING SOMETHING WRONG. TO LET THEM KNOW WHEN THEY'RE GOING TOO FAR. PARENTS DO WHAT THEY DO TO PROTECT THEIR KIDS. SURE, SOME OF THEIR RULES MIGHT SEEM UNFAIR AT TIMES, BUT THEY ARE FOR A REASON. BUT YOU ALSO NEED TO LET THEM KNOW WHAT YOU WANT. YOUR NEEDS ARE IMPORTANT AND YOU NEED TO LET THEM KNOW WHAT THEY ARE."

Frisk thought on Papyrus' words, sitting in silence as they debated.

"What are you saying, Sans?" Toriel asked.

"i'm saying that you're being too protective of them and it's hurt them," Sans explained. "you're not being fair, and it's hurting your kid."

"I just want to keep them safe," Toriel defended.

"safe from who? the guard? we've already established that they don't know frisk is human so they're not in any danger there. the other monsters? they've all seen frisk at this point, or heard of them, and they wouldn't hurt the kid."

"Asgore is what I am protecting them from," Toriel said.

"really? cause i was there for that conversation too, tor, and it didn't sound like he was willing to kill them. if anything, he was gonna wait for them to come to him."

"It is precisely for that reason I am keeping them in the Ruins," Toriel said.

"somehow, i doubt that would stop them if they wanted to leave. and tor, you're giving them a reason to leave. hasn't it occurred to you that the reason you didn't know your kid left was because they wanted to get away from you?"

"But why would Frisk…"

"because you hurt them," Sans interrupted. "they're scared of you and they don't want to go back to being isolated from everyone. i know you want to look out for and protect them, but right now, you're doing a poor job of that."

"How dare you," Toriel snapped. "I have cared for Frisk for…"

"their whole life," Sans interrupted. "i get it. you don't want to lose the kid. you don't want to see them killed, and you don't want to bury them. but have you considered that that'll happen anyway?"

"What do you mean?"

"you're a boss monster, old lady. and frisk isn't your kid. which means, unless i'm missing something, that you're not aging. frisk, on the other hand, is. they're getting older every day, and eventually, unless something happens to you, that means they'll die before you. and you'll have to bury them. sure, it could be decades, but it could also be a few years if you keep them locked up."

Sans statement hit Toriel hard as he forced her to confront that awful truth. She hadn't considered that aspect at all. Frisk would die one day, from age if nothing else, while she would stay the same.

"You… you are saying that Frisk will die anyways, no matter what I do," Toriel realized. Sans nodded. "But… but if I let them remain out here, they could be killed. And if they ever desire to go to the surface then they will have to confront Asgore and he will kill them."

"and if you leave them in the ruins, they'll slowly wither away from depression and isolation, or, worst case, find a way out and confront the king anyway," Sans pointed out. "so really, there's no place safe for them, really. and despite what you think otherwise, you can't keep them around forever, and you can't protect them forever. and, to be honest, i don't want the kid to hate you. they need care and love from their parent, but they also need care from others, and by cutting them off from their friends you're depriving them of that."

Toriel was silent during all that as she considered Sans' words. "So, I should let them come back here, knowing they could be killed?"

"it's either that, or they'll run away again and probably hate you forever," Sans said. "it really all comes down to this, tor. which is more important to you: the kid's safety, or their love?"

Sans turned to his door and opened it. "i've said my piece. you can take the kid with you now."

"You are not going to try and convince me harder?" she asked.

"if you haven't been swayed by now, nothing else i could do will change anything," the skeleton admitted. "so, i leave the rest to you."

She exited the room heading to Papyrus' room. She opened the door to find the skeleton comforting her child. Frisk looked up at her, appearing apprehensive.

"My child," she said as way of invitation.

Frisk stepped away from Papyrus, facing her. "Mommy," they began. "I… I not want to go back home. Not if it mean I never see my friends again."

"I know my child," she said gently. "I… I just want to protect you."

"From what?" Frisk asked. "It safe here."

Toriel couldn't say anything in response.

"Mommy, I… I miss my friends," Frisk admitted. "I don't want to not see them again. I know you care for me, but you hurt me."

Toriel gasped at Frisk's speech, surprised at it. "I just do not want to lose you. And… I fear what could happen if I let you roam."

"WE CAN PROTECT THEM," Papyrus offered. "I PROMISE, FRISK'S MOM, THAT SO LONG AS THEY REAMIN HERE, I WILL DEFEND THEM WITH MY LIFE."

"and i promise the same," Sans said from behind her. "trust me, the kid will be in good hands."

"Mommy?" Frisk spoke.

"Do you really miss your friends that much?" Toriel asked. Frisk nodded.

Toriel sighed once more. "Okay," she began before kneeling down to Frisk's level. "I will… I will let you come back as often as you like," she said, Frisk's face lighting up. "Just promise me you will be safe," she said.

"I promise," Frisk said.

"And… promise me you will not go anywhere without informing me first," she requested. "I… I need to know where you are so I can come get you if you are in trouble."

"I promise," Frisk agreed.

"I care about you so much, Frisk," she said. "I could not stand it if I lost you. So please, no matter what happens, promise that you will always come home."

"I will," Frisk said. Then they walked forward and wrapped their arms around her neck.

"I love you, Frisk," Toriel said, returning the embrace.

"Love you too, mommy," Frisk said.

Sans smiled a genuine smile at the sight, doing his best not to cry. Papyrus, however, was past that point, tears flowing from his eye sockets.

Toriel squeezed her child, wondering what she had just agreed to. But she took solace in the fact that Frisk still loved her, and that they would always come back.

End of Chapter 6