I don't know how long I cried, sitting in front of her remains. I couldn't help her, I didn't know.

But I still felt guilty.

I got up after god knows how long, sick of the stupid flower's rambling and satisfied expression. Standing straight, I felt the flower's stare through my back. He had a bout of sick laughter, and I immediately knew he had a devious smile stretched across his face.

"You see? I did tell you you would regret the decision."

I barely heard him, turning to face his way. I couldn't think, couldn't breathe, couldn't see all that well. Shakily, I took a deep breath.

"It was my only choice. She would've killed you first, and I didn't want that to happen since I like watching you slowly fall apart," The flower smiled wider, expecting to go with him, run, anything showing fear. I could tell he loved the expressions of those he tormented. Just like my father.

I walked right past him, not answering. My vision was blurry with tears, the purple hall darker than usual. The flower followed, calling out to me, annoyed that I wasn't responding.

Silently, I just kept walking. Up the stairs, into the living room, walking right past the comfortable chair we used to sit at together to read stories. Walking past the dining table where she ate dinner with me, making food puns and laughing. Walking slowly into the kitchen. The flower crept through the floorboards, watching me go around in a zombie like fashion.

I took the rest of the butterscotch and cinnamon pie from the fridge, taking the five slices with me down the hall.

Opening the door to her room and walking slowly, I set the pie on the end table. The room was now starting to smell like the pie.

I stripped myself of my sweater and socks, simply crawling into her bed, weakly curling up silently. The sheets smelt of her.

Toriel isn't here anymore. She's a pile of dust downstairs.

Right then, I broke.

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Waking up after a few long nights of wailing and crying was probably the most terrible feeling besides getting stabbed in the eye. For a long time, all I did was stay in Toriel's bed, eat some of the pie, and fall right back asleep.

I liked the feeling of just waking up. Warm and comfortable after a nice long nap. A really good nap. It was only when my brain started to roll onto my problems did I hate waking up.

Blinking my eye open, my heart wrenched the very moment I gained the ability to think straight. My head hurt and felt like it was overstuffed with cotton. My bones felt like they weighed ten tons or more. The heartache felt too much to handle.

My healing eye was starting to irritate me enough to drag myself out of bed to redress it. It felt like so much effort had to be put into every movement I made.

It was then, staring at the mirror in the bathroom on the right side of the hall across from Tori's room, that I decided to continue past the Ruins with a heavy heart.

It might've sounded silly, but I took to wearing clothes that reminded me of her. I found a pin she used to wear sometimes. A small silver pin of the snitch and triangles. She told me about the snitch and triangles and their actual name and origin, but I couldn't remember it at the moment. Putting it in my pocket, I went into my room and rummaged through my closet again with huge bags present under my eyes.

I found a clean long sleeved shirt that was the same exact purple as Toriel's dress was. I pulled off my brown one I was currently wearing and carefully tugged the silky shirt on. I attatched the silver pin onto the left side near my collarbone. I remembered that I felt a cold chill through the door the last time I talked to Sans with Toriel through the door. It felt like so long ago now.

I pulled on some comfortable black pants and collapsed on the wood floor to pull some socks on, too tired to lower myself correctly.

Pulling the backpack I was given for my adventures in the Ruins from under my bed, I tossed it on the bed. Pulling it open, I methodically put clothes, the gold I collected from my many adventures in the Ruins, and the rest of the pie wrapped up inside. I grabbed my favorite sketchbook and pencil set, shoving them in the bag too.

Dragging it to the door, it felt very light, not heavy at all. I went to the doorway and looked back one last time at the bedroom I once called my own. With a sense of cruel and twisting sadness, I closed the door with finality.

Walking to the front door that led to the rest of the ruins, I grabbed a thick coat that was a dark red with deep pockets, a hood, and five black buttons. I draped it over my arm, leaning to grab my trusty white shoes with two stripes, carrying them in my hand rather than tracking mud all over the house.

I stopped and looked into the next room, staring directly at Toriel's reading chair, remembering the time I put a whoopee cushion under the actual seat when Toriel went to sit to read to me like always. She laughed so hard...she actually farted herself.

I smiled at the memory, but it was gone as quick as it had come, realizing I had been staring at a dusty, empty, lonely chair for the past minute. My mood plummeted instantly.

Making my way down the stairs once more, I slowly walked down the halls once more.

It's about time I meet Sans face to face.

When I got to the huge intimidating doorway, I made quick work of putting my coat and shoes on, fixing my backpack on my shoulders. It fit perfectly on my back, not hindering me at all. I put my hood over my head, covering my ears and eyes easily.

There was a knock at the door.

"Knock knock...you there?" The voice sounded tired this time, like he was worried. My eye widened. He was already there, at the door.

"We haven't talked in awhile...you must be pretty busy with the kid to not meet up twice in a row...you okay?"

Realizing I couldn't speak or convey anything through voice and since Sans was waiting for an answer, I had to do something.

Quietly, I went up to the door and knocked four times, softly.

Silence, the wind on the other side the only noise for a few moments. I knocked again just a pinch louder, wondering if he was still there.

There was the answer, right after.

"You the kid the old lady talked about?"

Silence.

"ah, that's right. you can't speak. I remember..."

Another few beats of silence. His voice got a tone lower, as if luring out a small kitten from under the couch.

"why don't you come on out, kid? I can speak in hands...it's okay. not going to hurt'cha...I promised."

I listened to him, pressing my hands to the doors with a soft thuds of noise. I heard footsteps backing away from the door, indicating Sans heard my movements.

Knowing I wouldn't hit Sans accidentally with the door, I pushed hard. The doors creaked in protest against my strength, but slowly they opened.

The burst of cold wind bit at my face and hands, immediately sinking into my coat. The white snow compared to the dark purple hallways was so bright I had to squint a lot before my eye got used to it.

There stood a stout skeleton. A little smaller than me, a couple inches. He wore a comfortable blue coat with fuzz on the hood, black basketball shorts, and...pink slippers? Huh. His eyes were interesting, white dots that served as eyes floating in complete darkness that were his eyesockets. He had a smile on his face though I could tell it was stuck like that.

'Nice to put a name to a face,' I signed with a small smile. Sans looked concerned...did I look that awful? I know I got a lot skinnier and I look like th dead walking but...

"Yep. Though I expected to see the old lady with you...where is she?" Sans asked. It was a genuine question.

My happy front instantly shattered with the throb of pain stabbing my heart, frowning and my eye stinging with the familiar feeling of tears about to appear once more.

Touchy subject. I turned slightly, hiding my eye from the skeleton in front of me. Sans looked confused, slightly put off even.

"kid?"

I pointed to the open doors behind me with a shaky hand, so overtaken with emotion I couldn't sign. It only took one look behind me for Sans to see the pile of dust that was...once Toriel. Sans stood rigid, the pips of his eyes instantly back to me. His expression looked...dangerous? I couldn't tell.

"What happened?"

I raised my hands again to sign, trying to find the words to explain that I lost Toriel to a stupid motherkilling...

'Flower.'

Sans' eyes widened if that was possible, but he quickly recovered as he watched me break down into tears, crouching down. He looked a little flustered, not sure how to handle the situation.

"Hey, hey, kid. Relax, don't cry. The water will freeze to your face out here, and it's reaally uncomfortable."

That made me snort, but the salty water continued to stream from my eye as I furiously rubbed it away.

"How about we go find Papyrus? He's a cool guy. I'm sure he would be able to cheer ya up."

Remembering what Sans told Toriel and I about 'The Great Papyrus', I was looking forward to it already. I nodded and started forward, Sans half a step in front of me to lead.

---------------------------

After exchanging small stories about Tori (keeping details to minimum as to avoid breaking down again) and Papyrus, we made it into Snowdin in no time. I grabbed a Cinnamon Bunny or two to munch on, nibbling on one as we went through town. Sans went quiet, and I wondered if he was okay judging by the vacant look on his face cast to the soft white snow in front of him as he trudged.

Even with the smile, his eyes looked so sad. It was like my human mother used to do. She would smile at me and tell me it's okay as she got smacked, but her eyes...

I was about to ask but he suddenly stopped walking.

"We're here. He should be here since his shift should be over by now."

I turn my gaze from Sans to the two floor house. It was a decent house, nothing fancy. I couldn't help but notice there were two mailboxes. One was stuffed with junk mail and other things, while the other was perfectly empty (I assumed) in complete contrast, the name 'PAPYRUS' scrawled on the side. Smiling a little, I followed Sans up the steps.

We stepped into the small house, the blast of warmth comforting. It smelled like pasta and sanitizer. The first thing I saw was the couch in contrast to to strange theme of the carpet and walls. It looked so comfy right about now...

"SANS!"

I jumped at the loud voice, my eyes snapping up to a very tall skeleton in...very strange clothing at the top of the staircase.

So that's what Sans meant about his body armour.

He wore a grey rounded chest piece that only covered his ribs and exposed his spine. He had hefty shoulder pads and some blue and yellow spandex to cover his pelvis. To top it off, he had a long brilliant red scarf that flowed to impossible wind like a cape.

"Hey bro," Sans answered with a lazy wave, "we have a guest."

"A GUEST?!" Papyrus practically launched himself over the railing and doing a backflip, landing gracefully in front of me. It was dazzling but very startling. I scrambled back a little as to not be run over, but there was no need. Papyrus stood tall, and held out his hand.

"NICE TO MEET YOU, GUEST! I AM THE GREAT PAPYRUS!"

I smiled and took his hand in a very firm handshake on his part. With a rattle of his bones, he set his left hand on his hip and swung his arm to present the house.

"WELCOME TO THE SKELETON BROTHERS HUMBLE ABODE!"

I realized Sans left my side and crashed onto the couch, though I was still in his view.

Laughing nervously, I signed, 'thank you.'

Papyrus looked at my hand in wonder.

"WHAT WAS THAT MOTION?"

"The kid said thank you in hands," Sans translated for me, flopping backwards onto the couch. Papyrus looked happy, even though he too had a smile stuck to his face. He chattered on about giving me a tour and I followed along quietly, smiling the whole way. His bombastic attitude was contagious.

And with that, I was warmly welcomed into the house by the two skeleton brothers.

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