Sup folks, I've written other fanfics before, mostly anime, mostly Inuyasha. This is my first attempt at an Undertale fic. No idea where this is heading, but something magical will arise.

"Come on, Sans," Dad calls softly. "Grab Papyrus and let's go home together."

I sigh and hop off the high bar stool. Stuffing my hands in my fluffy pockets forcefully, I wear a scowl on my face, furrowing my brow.

"Why must I do everything?" I mumble. He glances back down at me through his glasses resting at the tip of his nose.

"Why Sans, you know your little brother enjoys your company much more than mine. Besides," he adds. "We need to hurry so you guys can have time to feast on my famous dish!"

"It's not famous if only three people know about it."

"Oh, well," he chuckles nervously. "Doesn't that make it all the more special? Moreover, Pap needs someone to look up to, someone he can lean on."

Not wanting another responsibility speech, I shuffle down the small corridor. The florescent lights flicker above me while Muffet's spiders scurry beside me. I glance behind me to see Dad hunched over his work with sad eyes. He looks so tall, even sitting hunched over. I tsk and continue down the hall.

Sure, him being the royal scientist does have its perks. 'Home' is an escalator ride away and we get all the food we want. But I just don't like what he does: sit on a stool or run around in a panic; swirl chemicals in a bottle or write reports. I haven't seen him, but I've heard Dad mumble things about the King and the underground. Sometimes, when something goes wrong, I hear the word 'determination' float around. Of all those things I hear about, I still only see the white walls around me. I've never even stepped out of the lab because Dad says the real world is too dangerous.

Laughter bounces down the hall to me. A small smile tugs on my cheek bones as I lean against the door at the sight laid out before me. My brother, Papyrus, squeals with laughter as he runs around the computer lab. The dozen or so spiders line up and down the rows, clapping as Pap runs amok. A glint of silver catches my eye on Pap's back.

"Look Sans!" He runs towards me. Tripping on the uneven tiles, panic fills his eyes, a flicker of orange, before I catch him in my arms. Pap steadies himself, the orange light fades as he realizes he's safe. Little eyes full of excitement search for my face. "Look, these kind spiders have made me a cape!"

"A cape for Papyrus!" cries a spider to my left.

"A cape for the great Papyrus!" cries another, "The kind skeleton of the spider clan!"

Sure enough, tied around his little neck is a cape spun and woven from his playmates. It shown beautifully in the artificial lighting. I smile as I say, "That's good, Pap. You wanna go home, buddy? Dad really worked himself- to the bone."

I flash him a dorky smile that sends him into a fit of giggles. Nodding, he takes my hand and we turn to return to the front of the lab. Though I'm the older brother, Pap is already as tall as me. Man, I'm hoping my growth spurt will kick in any day now.

"Dreemurr…"

I jump, shoving Papyrus behind me. I scan the walls, now blue from my eyes and surprise. That voice had been soft, like steam escaping a pipe. I almost didn't catch it. Finding nothing, I relax somewhat, but keep my guard up. Pap looks at me with a concerned face, but I give him a guess-it-was-nothing look and shrug. By the time we reach Dad, papers are flying from the hectic madman.

"Yo Dad," I call to him, his back to me. "We're ready to go home and-"

"Not now Sans," he cuts me off. I blink. "I'm finally onto something. This could change things. We can better ourselves with this!"

Knowing he was on the train for Talk-ta-yourself Junction, I shake my head and head for the escalator. Pap stands solid, gazing at our father. Hurt is easily written on his face, but Dad didn't even bother to glance at his sons. Before his eyes can change to orange, I scoop him up and onto my back.

With the best fake smile I can manage, which I have been mastering sadly, I tell him, "Pap, why don't you make dinner tonight? I bet it would be amazing!"

That hurt look melts away. As we ride the metal stairs home, Pap decides he was going to make spaghetti, Dad's 'famous' dish.

"Wouldn't that surprise Dad delightfully so, Sans?" He cheers, bouncing happily up and down on my back. "He'll come in, all tired like he usually does, but I, Papyrus-"

"You mean the 'Great Papyrus,' don't ya kid?" I interrupt him, boosting his self-esteem. His face beams as he chatters excitedly, "Yes! I, the Great Papyrus! I'll make dinner and everyone will be happy, won't they Sans?"

I step off the escalator and we are immediately in our humble home. The first room is the kitchen with a table for three nearby. A pure white screen separates this side of the room from the beds. After that, there's another escalator that will take us back down to the lab.

"Do you need any help?" I ask as I set the tiny skeleton over my head and onto the floor. Pap simply puts his hand up and stats, "Nope, I'm going to prove that I can do this all by myself!"

"Alright, Pap," I laugh. "but I'll be sitting right here in case you need anything, 'kay?"

I sit down and rest my head on the table. It's really late, way past Papyrus's bedtime. I start to doze off while listening to my little bro clash pots and pans. After about ten minutes, I hear, "TADAAAAAAHH!"

I open my eyes to see a plate of noodles and red sauce. Granted, the noodles were not cooked because he can't use a stove yet. I scoop a boney finger in the sauce and taste it: ketchup.

"I-I-I know it's not as good as Dad's," He whimpers. I turn to him in my chair and give him a big hug.

"Papyrus, this is the best plate I've ever had! You must make more, the duty of sustaining this family with delicious spaghetti falls you, Pap," I announce with a wink.

At that moment, I hear a crash downstairs. His eyes flicker orange as I tell him, "Stay here Pap, I'll go and check on Dad."

I leave him behind with his dinner as I bolt across the flat towards the escalator going down. Taking the stairs by two, I reach the bottom floor in no time, but I know what was done, was done.

I stop in my tracks, frozen by the sight before me. Dad is on the ground, panting. Papers fly abundantly, shielding us from the black shadow towards the back of the room. Instantly, I run for dad's side. He doesn't look good: he's conscious, but he's badly wounded. His skull is smashed in, cracks dance on his face, even his hands have holes in them.

"Dad…." I squeak out. "What happened?"

He jerks his head up at me, fear in his eyes. His eyes dart around until they find the 'thing' in the back, only fifteen feet away from us. The only thing that divides us from 'that' is a handful of work stations. Dad pulls me close.

" " he cries. " "

I shake my head slowly. "Dad, I…. I don't understand…"

Did getting hit in the head hinder his ability to speak? Did the 'thing' in the back do this to him? Before I can get any answers, I'm snatched up off the ground. My jacket saves me from splatting all over the ground. I look up, but only see darkness. My eyes glow a bright blue as the creature flings me down the hall. Hitting the metal wall with such strength forces my head to fling back. The sharp pain spreads all through my body. I slump to the cold floor and don't get up.

Even with the black creature shifting my way, I don't get up.

I barely see Dad with my fuzzy eyes waving his hands frantically,yet I remain motionless on the floor.

The creature picks me up. Without hands, its magic must be what's holding me up in the air. I barely register that we're traveling down deeper in the lab, to the parts Pap and I were never allowed in. Keeping my eyes open takes up too much energy, I can't even lift my head. I feel us pause.

I vaguely hear Dad's voice, though the language is completely foreign to me. Again, I am thrown- down, down, down without hitting a bottom. The air is getting hotter and hotter. I open my eyes to see the window getting smaller and smaller.

I was going to close my eyes. I was going to let go, to accept my fate.

But then the pain seeps in.

The torture slips into every joint, every bone. I feel as if I'm being consumed by a thousand fires- no, a thousand suns. I let out a scream from deep within my soul. Then it too, experiences true pain. My soul cries out as it's being torn apart in this everlasting freefall.

It can't be long now. Surely release will come soon.

I look up back at my last glimpse of home, my only regret being that I told Papyrus to stay upstairs. How scared he must be right now…

" " I hear Dad's voice so close to me, I search for him. There, right in front of me, is the skeleton I call 'Dad' : W.D. Gaster. He's reaching for me with his hollowed out hands, determination etched in his broken skull. Finally, realization dawns on me and I reach back for him. When he grabs me, he pulls me close.

The pain is so intense, tears flow freely from my eye sockets. In that moment, however, as he completely surrounds me with his body, silence fills the space around us. I don't know why, but a feeling of dread washes over me as if I predict the end for the both of us is near. Dad whispers in my ear, "I'm sorry."

The pain disappears, the world stops as I pull back to see him smiling. Not a happy smile, but the one that tries to sing happiness with a sad song.

He slowly spins us around to where he is the one cushioning the blow. It's then that I see where the mysterious creature had thrown us.

Into the core.

No one has ever been exposed to core's effects. No other living specimen has ventured into the core, let alone come back alive. But Dad, for some reason, doesn't seem worried about me.

No…

His eyes flash blue and orange.

No!

He let's go of me and falls faster than me. Magic flames sprout from the hollows of his hand and dance deliberately towards me. I slow in the air and hear a soul-curdling shriek, one that shatters the heart into an impossible small flecks of despair. The creature is engulfed in an orange light connecting the beast to Dad. As it gets closer, I'm being pushed towards the window of home. As we near each other I hear its hiss, "Dreemurr…"

My eyes widen, but the beast is soon sent spiraling after my dad, away from our world. I'm thrust through the window and collide with the opposite wall. The screech of the metal door sealing shut brings a very small relief to mind.

I don't get up from where I've collapsed. My body is racked with pain and exhaustion. My soul is drained of feeling.

An hour later, an hour of laying in the dark between paralyzed with pain or numb because of it, I manage to see the precious hues of orange slowly creeping my way.

Dad? Did you somehow make it around that horrible creature and make back to Pap and me? We need you. This is our only home-

Just as the source of the warm glow rounds the corner, it dawns on me that Dad is never coming back. Pap walks slowly in the dark. When the power went out, I'm not sure.

He hasn't spotted me yet? God, he's gonna ask where Dad went, where he is… I have to get him out of here before anything else goes wrong. Thank whatever power above or below that he's safe.

"P-Pap?" I manage to get out. My voice is deeper, and drags all the way out until spoken. My little brother shines his lights on me and is by my side immediately.

"Sans… what happened? There was so much noise and you're beat up and where's Dad and-"

"Pap, we need to get out of here. Now. Once we do that, I'll answer any questions you have."

But how much truth they have in them is a pretty slim idea at the moment.

I manage to pick myself up and shuffle through the corridors. After too many lefts and rights, I'm forced to have Papyrus support me through the remaining halls. As we pass through Dad's work area, where we first encountered the black creature, I hear the same letters I've been hearing. The same letters in a different order.

"Murderer…"

I glance at Pap, but he doesn't make any notion that he's heard the soft, dark voice as well. A chill run downs my spine, but instant relief levitates some of the worry as soon as we pass through the door to the outside. That is when the unspoken dam breaks.

"Sans ," Papyrus starts. "We're are undoubtabley outside now, so let me ask my questions. Where is Dad, Sans? In all our time walking out, we never saw anyone else besides ourselves. Why are you so injured, dear brother? "

I squeeze my eyes shut, as if doing that small act could drown out the world. The Hotlands are dry and miserable, but are a paradise compared to this conversation. I feel Pap's shaky hands tighten around me as we continue walking away from the large building looming in the early hours of morning. Compared to the core, it's freezing out here.

"I… I can't talk about it, Pap."

We slow until we come to a stop, exhaustion and pain sending me into shakes and shivers. My bones rattle like a wind chime caught in a constant gust.

"Sans," He starts. I can't look at his eyes. I know if I do, my heart will break more so than it felt in the core. "Sans, I need to know what happened to our-"

"Stop!" I shout, denying the truth from myself as much as him. I can't say the words out loud. I take his head between my hands, our eyes connecting. Blue versus orange. "Stop. Talking. About. Dad. Just stop! Don't even think about it-"

His eyes…. He isn't even looking at me anymore, but past me rather. I search his face until I see my own hands. A blue flame emits from my hands, swirling around Pap's head lazily. In shock, I let go. Immediately Papyrus closes his eyes and collapses.

"No!" I cry. No, I can't lose them both, not in one day! "Papyrus come back! Papyrus! Pap…."

My own pain fades as adrenaline sinks deep in my bones. I pick up my last connection to this world, my only sense of family. He's so little, so fragile. That silver cape made by the kindness of his friends, or rather, by his kindness they made the cape for him.

"Pap, please!" I fall to my knees as I cradle him in my arms. "Please don't do this to me."

I study his face and feel joy as his face twitches. He gently wakes up and his eyes connect with mine.

"Hey Sans, how's it going? What are we doing here?" Papyrus says calmly. He stands without a problem and I struggle to do the same. "Gosh I, the Great Papyrus, am positively starving. Sans I will make my famous dish: spaghetti!"

I stare at him, not sure of what I'm seeing, of what I'm hearing. He looks at me sheepishly and adds softly, "Though it's not really famous if only two people know it."

Oh god. I did something to his mind, his memories. He doesn't remember dad, but he remembers what we always ate, he remembers me. He just doesn't remember dad…

"That's alright Pap, it's famous enough for me!" I cheer half-heartedly. "Besides, if you practice at it, I'm sure you will be so famous, everyone will love you and you'll be too popular for little old me."

"Never, dear brother of mine!" He declares. "But anyway, we need to get home… I just can't seem to remember where that is, nyeh heh heh heh…."

I take his hand and just start walking. I tell him, "Don't you worry, big brother Sans never forgets where our home is. It's far away from here, so it'll take a while. And I might pause here and there to remember exactly where it is, but we'll get there soon." I lie. But there is one truth: I was going to take us as far away as possible from this hell hole. I never want Pap to experience what I went through.

I vow to never use these powers forced upon me. Not unless there is no other way, not unless Pap's life is in danger. And if anything ever happens to him… God help their soul from me throwing them down into the core. No, I won't even lift a finger against another soul unless absolutely necessary.

We start walking towards the far end of the rocky terrain, following the river when-

"NYAAAA!" I bolt upright in bed. Sweat drenches the sheets as the room lights up in blue. Why did I have that dream? It's been years since Frisk broke the barrier and freed the monsters. It's been even longer since that fateful night occurred. I just start to calm down when I hear footsteps pounding down the hall. My door bursts open and there stands Frisk in her night wear, hand resting on the knob. Her eyes meet mine and the blue glow dies down.

"Sans," She asks, walking slowly my way. She sits on the edge of the bed and takes my hand in hers. "Sans are you alright? Another bad dream?"

I settle for a more comfortable position and smile dumbly at her. "Yeah, kiddo. It's okay though, I'll be okay."

"Sans," she laughs softly. "I'm not a kiddo anymore! I'm twenty years old now."

"Yeah, I suppose you are." I smile sadly. It's hard to see her grow up while I don't age. Oh well, most people are like that towards the people they protect, aren't they?

"Do you want me to stay?" Frisk whispers, "Or do you think you're strong enough to battle this one out?"

"Heh, I'll be okay. I'll see you in the morning, kid."

She leans over and kisses my cheek. Non-romantically, of course but a slight blush creeps across my face at her cutness. We've been friends since I pulled the whoopy cushion – hand shake joke on her. With her being ambassador of the monsters in the human world, the stress has pulled her closer to our world. Though, if she travelled to Mt. Ebott in the first place, did she like the world she lived in very much? I shiver at the thought, of what she might have done. Even all this time, I've never dared to ask to talk about it.

Frisk raises an eyebrow. "Are you sure? I don't mind snuggling up to you like I did when I was younger."

Ah. We both leaned on each other after we made it out of the underground. She had nightmares of her times under the mountain, of events that happened in and out of this timeline.

I laugh, "Well, I won't object if you do." I pat the space next to me and scoot over. Frisk lays down next to me, wiggling until she gets comfortable. Tomorrow would be a whole new day.

The ten year anniversary of the breaking of the barrier.