You woke up within the familiar confines of Papyrus' room. Though this presence wasn't there, you could see him reflected in your surroundings. A gentle smile spread over your face as you sat up, the covers of a red, racecar bed falling off as you stretched. Across the room was a bookshelf of books varying in topic from simple, "Peek-a-boo Bunny" to manuals on the basics of quantum physics and how to apply them. You'd always admired his wide, open variety.

The carpet was still it's usual, shaggy, zigzag pattern. A few action figures were on the ground, but you left them. He was probably studying battle formations like usual. A yawn fell over your dazed state and you stood, not really wanting to think about your dream visit. Had it been unsettling? Hell yeah. But you didn't really have a feeling about it one way or another. It felt like just a visit.

That is, if it was normal to just be 'visited' by death. You shrugged off your thoughts and smacked your hands to your face, jolting yourself aware. You waddled to the door and opened it wide, surveying the first floor from the top of the stairs. Sans seemed sound asleep on the couch, but he stirred at the noise you made opening the door. He was awake. Frisk was resting against his side, snoring lightly.

You felt a pang of guilt because you were in bed while he laid on the couch, but he seemed content with where he was against Sans. You smiled and gently closed the door behind you, descending the stairs soon after. You crept into the kitchen and looked around, opening the fridge and scanning it's contents. As it landed on a box of leftovers, you shrugged and pulled them out. It was just a half - eaten burger, but since cooties weren't a thing who cared?

You popped it into the microwave and waited patiently, watching the kitchen carefully as you waited. Since you woke up, you'd been observing everything. Every little crack and quirk of every place you went. With your fate approaching quickly, you felt you needed to look.

You're not gonna be able to see this all soon. Take it in while you can.

The microwave beeped loudly and you jumped, grabbing the door and swinging it wide open. You plated the burg, still pondering the same thought, when a lazy - looking skeleton lolled into the room. His expression it's usual half-lidded eye and smile but you could see the underlying concern he held.

"Hey there kid, ya hungry?" He asked.

You sent him a sarcastic look and motioned to your microwaved food. "No Sans, I'm as stuffed as a Thanksgiving turkey." You mused jokingly. "Why else would I steal your leftovers?"

"I wouldn't eat that." He said.

"Oh? And why is that?" You challenged, taking a defiant bite.

"Well, it's been what, two weeks since I brought back leftovers?"

If this were a cartoon, that would be your cue to turn green and started waving drunkenly. You spat the substance out and shoved the rest down the garbage. "Why didn't you throw it out?!" You growled.

He laughed. "Sorry (Y/N), guess I was being a numbskull, huh? Heh, tell you what. For the low low price of your time, I'll take you out to Grillby's. You can eat fresh food and we can talk."

The way he finished his statement made you sudder. It was about time he knew ALL of the story, not the version you'd dulled down for Frisk. You sighed and nodded.

"Yeah, let's go. But let's make sure Hades stays here. Frisk will probably wonder where we all went if even he was gone." You said.

He nodded and offered a hand to you, mocking the fashion of a classical gentleman. "M'lady?" He said curtly.

You snickered and took his hand. "Thank you kind sir." You nodded.

A freezing chill shook you then you reappeared. It felt as though you'd displeased someone with your classic display. Shuddering slightly, you turning towards Sans and followed him to the bar.

He sat sit and you followed in suit, ordering a large basket of fries for the two of you. You picked off the food quietly as silence stretched between yhe two of you. Sans sighed after a long drawl from his bottle of ketchup.

"So kid, are you ready to tell me the COMPLETE truth?" He asked calmly, understanding of your situation.

You took a deep breath and averted your gaze, eyes focused on an aged scratch on the bars surface. "You're gonna think I'm crazy, but then again, you've seen a lot of fucked up shit."

You both laughed lightly but quickly settled into a serious silence. Your face falling, you began to explain. "Wait I told the two of you, about my reason for taking so long to reset, wasn't completely true. Yeah, there was a glitch, but I didn't loose the reset like I said I did. Something... else kept me from resetting."

"And that would be..." Sans pressed.

You rolled your eyes, a sad smiling painting your face. "Geez, you're impatient. Heh, well, I guess this is kinda important." You shook your head and rested it against the bar. "Okay, in lamest terms I can use, I died."

Sans was quiet, confused most likely. "Uh, yeah. That what's happens when your soul is shattered." He joked.

You shook your head and kept your gaze glued to the hard wood. "I mean, I actually died. My soul... it completely detached from my body, and it's ability to reset. That's why I was gone so long. I really passed on... for awhile..."

Sans was silent. "How did you... did you get back here then?"

You chuckled. "Well, actually, I met you. But not you. His name is Sans but it's not you. I call him Reaper."

"Reaper?"

You nodded. "Yep, just like the Grim Reaper. He's like you except he can't touch living things and looks like he's in an infinity goth faze."

Cold ripped through you and you snickered. It wouldn't surprise you if he was somehow listening to you. No doubt he wasn't happy with your spouting of your secret. Or he just didn't like the teasing. "When I... died... I appeared in a blank place where all the freshly dead go. I was lost and scared, with no memory of, well, here. I needed to be judged. But before my soul could be reaped, I wondered off and found this place. It was the Garden of Life, literally. The goddess of life, who looked exactly like Toriel, took me in as her child. Not exactly releasing me back to life but allowing me to live with her as a companion.

I didn't know I was dead... I just thought it was right. She was nice, I was happy, it was great. But then Reaper showed up. He told me I was this lost soul and I needed to be reaped. When I denied him, he showed me a glimpse of the life I'd forgotten. It was actually one of our parties, New Years Eve. But when I started resisting the memory, scared because of my missing past, I twisted the magic against itself and almost returned to a dead body... he pulled me back."

Your face fell and your eyes watered lightly. You thought you were past it, but the event still made you feel a sense of betrayal. Sans looked at you with haphazard worry. "You actually died... heh, guess that experience must have been pretty grim." He joked.

You snickered and wiped your watering eyes. "There's more to it Sans. Lord knows I never get a break." You teased.

Running a hand through your hair, you sipped at your water then sighed. "I'm going to die Sans."

An errie silence settled between you. You waited for his response as you wiped condensation from the glass of your cup using your thumb. You'd said it in such a matter-of-fact tone it must have surprised him.

He cleared his throat and laughed. "We all die at some point kid. It's the inevitable." He attempted to lighten the mood but you barely formed half of a smile.

"I know you're smarter than that. Stop acting like a numbskull. After I set free all the monsters, I'll die. It's the real reason I'm so hurried to free everyone. I want to see the surface... with Frisk and everyone, just one more time."

Sans shook his head. "Come on kid, don't talk like that. You're not gonna-"

"You of all people should understand Sans. I know I'm going to die soon because I was told as much. And every night my body reminds me that my time left is slipping away."

"What?"

You met his gaze you grabbed the end of your shirt, pulling it up. Your healing ribs caused Sans to recoil. "What happened?" He asked, breath stolen as he realized I'd had it the entire time.

"My body... it's not completely real. The only reason I'm here is because I forced a reset. That was my mistake. I expended magic I didn't have in the first place. Since I'm not a stable magic user and it's practically necromancy keeping me on my feet,the body is realising steadily. Every night is a gamble. Some nights I don't have a dream. Some nights I relive a battle from the last run. Some nights I get visits from the Reaper.

Every time I relive a battle, the wounds I obtained from the battle are left on me in reality. I'm dying slowly and surely."

Sans was dumbfounded. "Kid, don't worry. We'll find a way to-"

"You won't find anything!" You snapped, effectively silencing him. A solemn tear slid down your smiling face. "I can't be saved, not this time... I just, just want to see him happy. I want to see Frisk smile as much as I can before I die."

Sans threw an arm around you and pulled you into a gentle brace. You sniffled, chuckling softly. "You baby bones, you're gonna make me cry."

You felt a fat, wet tear head and you realized he was crying as well. You returned his hug and buried your face in his jacket. "Promise me something, won't ya?"

You pushed back and looked up at Sans. "Don't let him stop smiling, okay? He deserves a happy ending. I don't want to be the one to make him reset everything."

Sans choked on his words but nodded. You laughed and wiped his tears with your sleeve. "Put it on your tab. I want to get back."

He nodded and called Grillby over, exchanging a brief 'man nod' that meant 'put it on my tab' apparently.

You two walked home in quiet and arrived at the front soon, eyes dry and cold to blame for your frosted cheeks and tipped noses. Frisk came running from the kitchen and wrapped his arms around you.

"There you guys are! I was worried you guys got blown away in the storm."

Giggling, you patted his head and knelt down. Wrapping him in a tight hug, you beamed. "Nah, you can't get rid of me that easy." You teased.

He snickered. "I love you (Y/N.)"

"I love you too Frisk." You cooed, arms tightening around the small, innocent child.