Grillby was silent as her words sunk in slowly. "You're…expecting," he managed numbly.

She swallowed, and nodded. He was silent for several long moments, before grabbing two of her hands, and looking up, his flames wavering. "Why didn't you tell me sooner!?" he demanded—though his voice wasn't that loud.

"I didn't want to tell you with everything else like this…" she managed, biting her lip briefly. "I wanted it to be a surprise for when we fixed everything, but now…"

The weakened elemental was silent with conflicting emotions stirring within him, his light brightening and dimming as he thought. He was overjoyed, distraught, and angry, and he wasn't sure which to feel first.

He was worried about Chara and Alma…

He was rather cross with Muffet not telling him before the battle.

And yet…there was some pride and joy that overwhelmed the other emotions, and briefly, he pressed his head against her. Oh, the child was far too young for him to notice its presence, even with his magic at normal levels, but still…it was somewhat comforting.

"…Grillby?"

He raised his head. "I am not happy about not telling me sooner," he stated. "However…" His light dimmed and a soft look came to him, before a gentle glow filled the area around him. "…you have me so conflicted, but…I am happy about this…" The warm glow vanished. "But you need to get to the lab right away and have Mettaton look you over," he chided. "He wasn't looking for a child when he did those simple scans down in the city."

"But I'm not leaving you here," Muffet protested.

"Fiona is here though—"

Muffet grabbed him. "You're coming with me."

"…how?"

"I'll carry you."

His flames darkened out of embarrassment. "That's true, but…" Somehow, his flames darkened further. "That's not the issue."

"It's not?" She looked at him, blinking a few times, before it clicked. "Oh…well, I can fix that." Before Grillby knew it, she had measured his new stature, got silk from her other spiders—and made him an outfit out of it. She even sewed his wedding ring onto a cuff so that he could still have it while he was like this.

It wasn't much longer before they had a meal, and made their way down to the Lab. When they found Mettaton, he had one moment of joy for them—before suddenly scooping up Muffet, and rushing downstairs with her. "Muffet!" he chided as he set her down on a table, instantly beginning scans as Grillby slipped down to get out of the way.

"You were expecting, and you went into a fight—and you were drained—I should not be the last one hearing about this!"

"You're the second one hearing about it," Grillby replied.

"I might as well be the last!"

Though his yelling was out of worry, and eventually, he sighed in relief, looking to Muffet. "Your child should be all right, Darling—just, for the love of the Gods, don't use your magic much…your child needs everything you've got. In other words." He touched her forehead. "Baby first, all other priorities second."

"I agree with this plan," Grillby stated hastily.

Muffet huffed…but smiled a little. At least one child was safe…

A week passed by, and Frisk raised their head quietly as they heard a door open, and the clacking of claws. Due to Frisk being mostly human, they had been staying at a human hospital—heavily guarded—but that didn't stop Rex from finding them—something they were grateful for.

"Yo, Frisk? How you feeling?"

"Better," they assured—touching the bandages on their head. The scarf was back on their neck where it belonged.

"They said they'd take the bandages off today…"

"Nervous," Frisk mumbled.

Rex gave a grunt as they jumped onto the bed and plopped down next to Frisk, nuzzling them. "Yo, they said that while hurt, you should recover. Your sight might not be perfect, but…it'll heal…"

Frisk nodded, fumbling to find the lizard's shoulders, and hugged them quietly. "…it's lonely at night…" the fusion whispered. "Even with the tiara off…I can't hear them."

"They were drained pretty bad…even you were…seeing as you can't reset right now." The first thing they had done when they got back was look for stars—but Frisk had not felt them.

"It's scary…they were always there before…and now…I can barely sense them…"

"But that means they're still there," Rex assured; giving a little rumble of comfort. "So long as they don't use lose any more magic, they'll get better eventually…

Frisk sighed, pressing their face into the monster's shoulder. "But I want them back now…"

"I know you do…" Rex murmured softly. "But…" They sighed in relief. "I'm glad we got you back, ya know…"

Frisk was quiet. "I'm sorry that I can't reset right now…"

"Don't worry about it," Rex insisted. "If everyone gets better, you won't need it at all."

"I don't like it though. I haven't been…like this since I entered the Underground. I don't have their magic…or mine…I can't even be sure of what will happen to me if I get killed before the magic comes back."

"You're not going to get killed," the other child vowed. "I will stand vigil if I must!"

"I kinda wished the hospital would let you stay…"

Rex gave a sheepish chuckle. "You kidding? Do you have any idea how much trouble I was in when I got home?"

"You were in trouble?" Frisk asked in surprise.

"Well, yeah…I kinda snuck out, after all…"

"Are you grounded?"

"Sorta? I'm allowed to come and visit you at least, but…" They sighed, and plopped their head on Frisk's shoulder. "I can't watch television anymore."

A little grin appeared on the child. "Is that why you're coming to visit? Because there's movies here?"

They could almost see the look of dismay on Rex's face. "What? No, I would never—" They stopped as Frisk burst into a giggling fit. "Oh," Rex replied. "That's funny hm?" they asked as a smile crept along their muzzle.

"Yes~"

"I'll show you funny!" the monster exclaimed.

Frisk squeaked as the monster nuzzled their neck. They squealed, frantically trying to push the lizard away. "No fair—no fair—no fair!"

"Who said I had to play fair?" they teased. "You got yourself into this one." As they continued tickling the squirming child, they flicked their tail, brushing Frisk's side with it. The child shrieked, blindly trying to push Rex away—to no avail.

By the time anyone came in to check on them, Rex had pinned them on their stomach, nuzzling the back of their neck that they struggled to protect. Jeremiah dead-panned at the sight…and then smirked. "I thought you were supposed to protect the Ambassador," he teased.

Rex poked their head up, but kept Frisk pinned as they smiled. "Only I can mess with them?"

Jeremiah snorted and hobbled in. "How's our little Ambassador doing?"

"I'm okay," Frisk assured as they sat up. "What about you?"

"They ask the one who didn't even get scratched," he murmured in amusement. "I've been okay. My leg is a little stiff from all that moving around, but other than that…Michael's back on his feet, but William…" The smile faded a little. "He's still in intensive care…it was pretty bad…"

"He didn't look well," Rex mumbled.

Jeremiah shook his head. "Was beating to a pulp by a crowbar. Cuts and bruises, broken bones, and some internal stuff probably. Not my area of expertise…but, he's alive, and now that he's under all this care, he should recover…"

"Yo…" Rex started softly, but then faltered.

"Hm?"

Frisk 'glanced' up toward Rex's voice. "What of…Clarabelle?"

Jeremiah's eyes narrowed, his smile vanishing all together for a moment. "We've followed procedure with her death, but…I don't think William's getting another assistant for a good while…"

"But who will help him then?"

Jeremiah's grin came back. "What kind of question is that? He has Michael to order around, it'll be fine."

Rex snorted.

"Though," Jeremiah started as he found a place to sit, instantly relaxing his battered leg. "I think I'm going to be helping out a little," he murmured. "I…I still can't believe Clarabelle of all people…someone like that was hovering right by our Leader for years…" His yellow eyes sparked with energy. "I'm not going to let that happen again."

Jeremiah then turned with a little smirk. "Hey, Rex, after this, you're going to have to work hard to keep that title of yours. Michael and I may not be in charge of watching out for Frisk, but we're definitely going to up our game to keep William alive."

"Yo," Rex started with a chuckle. "With…after what happened out there, I think I've got a few methods to delay you…"

"Oh, right, I've been hearing some things about that. All second hand. Mind telling me what's up?"

"Well, you know how I was considered not to have magic…?"

Jeremiah nodded slowly. "I heard about that shortly after meeting you the first time."

"Well…" Rex moved so that Frisk could sit up. "I…told my parents about some strange…things I did, and, we went to the doctor, and we…" Rex laughed shakily, nervous and excited at the same time. "I…do have magic. It's…just been dormant."

"Why would it be dormant though?"

"The doctor said it's…not a magic he's seen before," Rex replied. "There's seven known types…and I don't match any of them."

Jeremiah froze, and perked in curiosity. "A new magic? But…even humans shared the seven types—albeit with differences, but…" He breathed out, shaking his head in disbelief. "What do you know about it?"

"Not a whole lot," Rex admitted. "Just my general abilities, which…well, we learned one thing."

"What's that?"

Rex levitated their dagger in front of them. "I can do this, but…" As the dagger drifted away, almost as soon as it would have been out of arm's reach, it shook, and then fell. "I can only do it really close to me."

"It's still pretty useful for you though," Jeremiah pointed out.

Rex smiled. "Thanks, just…" There was a low mumble.

"What's up?"

"Just how my magic got labelled. It doesn't have a term for it yet, like 'Determination' or 'Integrity', so they're going by its magic color."

"So…what's wrong with that?"

"It's pink," Rex mumbled, slightly embarrassed by it.

Frisk giggled, and snuggled into them. "But I like pink though."

The lizard smiled. "At least there's that…"

Jeremiah chuckled, and then turned as the door opened, a doctor tapping it as he entered. Frisk turned, relaxing as the doctor started to speak.

"I see some visitors snuck in when I had my back turned," he joked, while Rex playfully flicked their tongue out.

"Now how are you, Little One?" he asked as he approached the bed.

"I've been okay…"

"Good to hear," he murmured. "Are you ready for those bandages to be removed?"

Frisk gulped. "I…I think so…"

The doctor patted their head between their horns. "It'll be all right," he soothed, before he began unraveling the bandages. Frisk flinched against the light that greeted them, but at first, they didn't open their eyes. They felt Rex shift around, and felt their face near their own.

"Yo…Frisk?"

Slowly, they opened their dual colored eyes, blinking rapidly.

"Can you see me?"

To say Frisk 'saw' Rex, would be giving their vision a lot of credit. What Frisk saw was a big smudge of color contrasting against the other white blurs surrounding it. Frisk bit their lip. Their vision had a long way to go before it got better. Still…they hugged the monster, and answered: "Yes…I see you."

Nights were the same to Frisk. They didn't want to sleep, but their body would eventually betray them…and it would begin again. They stood as a human in a black void. They shuddered as the Corruption—in their original form, stepped forth, twirling their blade.

Stop them…stop them and the happy ending could be persevered! Frisk lunged with a cry, racing at the former child. They smirked, crimson orbs glowing as they drove a closed fist into Frisk's stomach. The child coughed as they were forced to the ground. They struggled to get up, looking up as monster souls danced around the other human.

Frisk lunged—and the child vanished.

Just give up…

No! Frisk leapt to their feet. They could defy time and death—they would put things right! …but the resets had failed them.

Just give up…

Frisk spun as the souls started to move, and then they gave chase, eyes wide as they reached desperately, trying to capture them. If they could bring the souls back—the happy ending could still come to them!

One by one, they grabbed them all, holding them close. It'll be okay…they'll fix this…there was a low rumbling, and Frisk turned wildly as the dragon reared its head up out of nothingness…and blasted its attack. They tumbled, shrieking in pain as the souls entered them. They rolled, sliding on their front…and dual colored eyes opened.

Just give up…

No…no, they couldn't! They could fix this, they could fix this! They looked up, seeing Asriel looking down sadly at them—before vanishing into a flurry of petals.

Just give up…

They couldn't. The fusion got shakily up, staggering left and right. The beast monsters…they tried—they did everything they could…but nothing they did would pull through for the creatures.

They didn't want to, but they…

Just give up…

The fusion looked down, not even reacting as hands grabbed them, taking them away. Ropes and chains, shots and pains…a crowd of voices crying out, and then falling silent.

Just give up Kid…I did… His broken defeated voice echoed in their ears.

They shook and shuddered. They were fighting so hard for their happy ending—that was all they had ever done. Yet, in the end, all they managed was to make it worse, and worse…they failed Asriel…all their friends and family…and now, they were all alone.

"Just give up," they whimpered. "…why am I still fighting, I just…I want to give up…but…"

They suddenly jerked up, eyes blazing as they gave a shout, breaking free of constraints, and falling roughly. "No…" they managed shakily. "Can't give up…if I give up—you won't ever see! I'll stop it—I'll fix everything, I'm not going to give up—because you need that!"

And so time passed by…Weeks…a month, as the monsters started the slow recovery of their magic, and wounds started to heal. However…there was no sign of Reaper's Harvest…the group was in shambles still…

And the nightmares persisted.

MAJOR AUTHOR'S NOTE, PLEASE READ:

This is the end of Corrupted , but not the story. The story continues on ThronesofWar's profile, the writer of Souls Entwined, and Armless Embrace, which I recommend reading before continuing to the next part of Corrupted File, as it's a collab, and things won't make as much sense if you don't read those.

If you have read those, than make your way onto Forging Rifts, which SHOULD be up by the time you're done reading, or very soon after. oWo;