Thank you for sticking with this book for almost a full three years, growing with me. It's been amazing to have this place to come to whenever I get a little too stressed.
I love you guys so much and It mean the world to me that you've read this story to the end.

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Standing there, a smile curves upon your bleeding lips and dirty face. The air still had a crisp and cold tinge to it, just the same as the day you jumped into the underground.

The sun had just barely risen over the horizon, and still has the power to paint orange and pink streaks across the pale blue sky, matching with the naked, silver trees perfectly. You didn't realize it, but an abundance of tears collected in your eyes, foe which emotion they were for, you couldn't be sure.

A puff of warm air curled up into the atmosphere from your breath, forming a thin cloud. It had nothing to worry about as it floated away in the slight breeze, and neither did you. It was over as soon as it began, so why did it feel like years?

A relieved smile cracked across your face as you closed your watery eyes and took in another blissfully chilled breath. There were a few chirps from snow birds around filling the quiet air with something other than a cool breeze.

Sans looked around with a content, happy gaze as he placed his comforting hand gently on your shoulder.

Opening your glassy e/c eyes you grinned to the sky with wobbly knees, threatening to buckle any second. "We finished it." You said breathlessly. The silence in your mind made you feel whole again.

"You did good kid." He spoke softly in a sigh behind you looking out on the expanse of the world. A soft shuffling behind you made both you and Sans turn around.

There they were.

The monsters stepping out of the mountain for the first time, blinking against the sun they'd never seen, murmuring and gasping at the sight. Collectively feeling the same weight lifting from their spirits was too much for some as many sobs poured for the crowd.

The sun was warm and kind despite the crisp nip to the air, this was something you didn't realize how much you missed until just returning to the surface. A wave of emotion hit you, welling tears up only for them to finally fall down on the dusty ground.

This had to be most breathtaking sun rise to ever grace the planet. It's beams felt like relief, the painted sky made it so the troubles you had just moments before simply vanished, washed out by natures kind welcome back.

The heard of monsters sat in awe before the flaming life and watched the rest of its rise together.

Determination was in abundance on the mountain that early morning.
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It didn't really occur to you just how beat and bruised you looked upon seeing other humans on the streets. They all watched in utter fascination of the monsters pouring down the mountain side and filtering into the town.
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After being gone for this long you decided it was best that you return to your home at the edge of the other side of town.
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Walking down a country dirt road out with the expanses of dying green and yellow fields surrounding you on all sides, scoffs of snow still settled atop the frozen crops. This was the nostalgia of home.
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Standing at the base of the aged wooden porch, you could feel the worry set in, so much had happened and you'd gone through so much.
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How could you explain it all?
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Taking a deep breath you walked up the creaky stairs and pulled open the screen door. The familiar creak of the weathered door greeted you.

Stepping inside was the same old home you'd known for so long, but it felt different. It looked almost like a tornado went through the house years ago and it had never recovered.

After taking in the slightly dusty mess, quick and heavy footsteps sped down from the top floor only to stop dead in their tracks at the bottom. The look of utter shock seemed to freeze his tall figure at the sight of you standing in the doorway, letting the sunlight filter inside behind you.
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His hand dropped from the rail. "Y/n..." He said breathlessly and wide eyed. You offered a timid smile at his staring eyes. "Hi Dad." Voice quiet and somewhat raspy you looked down at your metal foot. "I'm sorry, I-, it's a long story." You looked back up with a worried look. "I'll tell you if you want, unless you need time to process all this." You said, gesturing to yourself, meaning the fact that you just strolled right in, in such disarray, physically and mentally after being missing for a good amount of time.
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He let out a choked sob, then rushed towards you, pulling you into his chest tightly and protectively. "Thank you thank you thank you." He cried and kissed the top of your head. "My baby, you're alive! You're alive I love you so much never forget that! Please never leave me like that again." He sobbed into your hair, running his hand over the back of your head.
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This was the first time in a long time he acted like a father to you, a true one. You couldn't help but revel in this feeling of fatherly affection as you were finally so close to him like you were as a child.
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However, another family wasn't so lucky to reunite this way. The worst part about getting back to the surface was the fact that you had this news and had to be the one to deliver.
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You couldn't will yourself the courage to go there alone so Sans went with you. When Papyrus heard about Ike he immediately made spaghetti specially for the family, giving it to you to give to them. It was a sweet gesture that made your grateful heart swell.
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So with Sans by your side holding a big tupperware container full of spaghetti you stood before Ike's family home. It seemed like the whole day was building up to this moment.
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Gently you knocked on the door, only for Ike's wonderful mother to open the door eagerly. She lit up immediately at the mere sight of you standing there and ushered you and Sans inside the small, warm home settled in the suburbs. She wasn't all that phased by the skeleton walking in with you, afterall the monsters had been all over the news that day. The only thing she was interested in was the whereabouts of her son.
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You avoided her eyes as much as possible, but once you openly told her about her son, the horrified look in her eyes was impossible to miss. She hunched over on the sofa she'd sat herself down on and sobbed, coughing like she was about to throw up. She cried Ike's name through the constant whaling of her pain.
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You were quick to sit next to her, letting her lean against you. Her shaking arms wrapped around you and squeezed your body tightly, as if trying to get you to tell her it was all a lie. Ike's ten year old little sister appeared in the hall, confused and scared. The mother beckoned the child into her arms as they both held onto the last bit of family they had left.
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It was a quiet walk home with Sans. The night was cold and your tears felt like they were freezing to you face and your foot felt brittle.
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The skeleton held you as close to his side as possible, putting his cheek on your head as you learned against him. You knew Ike was happy with the angels, but seeing his kind family in that state killed you.
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The following week Ike's funeral was held where you had buried him, down at the bottom of the drop. It was a small service, only his family and closest friends attended.

As per Ike's request, you left the chair next to you empty and I truly was like you could feel his kind presence next to you. Like he promised, he was sitting right next to you.
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After a couple months passed the funeral and you and Sans had been spending the best of the days together, making new memories.
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Whether it be making spaghetti cookies with Papyrus, reconciling with Undyne and Alphys to a point that they don't mind hanging around you, karaoke night, reminiscing on Froggits most iconic moments, stomaching Toriel's snail pancakes or simply making mini trash tornadoes in many public places, it was all a part of something that you'd never trade for the world. You and Sans had even arranged for you to move in together in the city.
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And throughout this whole, wonderful and  new experience of life, you never once forgot about Ike. Neither did many, as words spread about Ike's tragic passing, humans and monsters alike supported his mother and sister, following suit of Papyrus' first gesture of spaghetti. They'd gotten home grown fruit and vegetables, countless casseroles and spaghetti dishes, and a fresh butterscotch-cinnamon pie every week.

The support didn't stop there, in fact many went to visit Ike's grave and decorated it with a plethora of gifts, starting with flowers, pieces of paper with small notes on it and even a few knit angel dolls.

You visited him often, usually talking to or playing a song for him. You even brought him his favorite kind of soup. He loved it of course because you would used to force him to love it.

But this visit you paid was different. "Hey Ike, you look like dirt." You said then laughed lightly, fishing through your bag then setting you gift perfectly on top of the gravestone before continuing.

"So um, now that the humour is out of the way uh... I just want you to know this is gonna be a little more serious than usual. And, yes, I know how you feel about serious but this kinda needs to happen, so just bare with me, uh..." You took a small breath in, then let it out slowly, patting your sides with your extended arms. "You were my bud. You still are and I just really don't want to let go of you... But I know that I have to because I can't hold on to something that's already gone right?" You laughed with a sniffle, looking down for a moment. "Ahem... You know your mom really loves you, so does your sister in case you didn't know. They come here every day and put the most beautiful wreath of daffodils and roses that I've- I've ever seen in my life and um..." Your throat seemed to begin to close in on itself, making this progressively more difficult to force out, with a now plugged nose from the tears about to fall. "... look Ike- I love you, I love you so much and I'm gonna really miss just hanging around you. You and your- your beautiful soul." You started to cry and placed a shaky hand to your forehead, grief swimming all around you. "Ike I never wanted this for you and I miss you like hell!"

The grave stood still and quiet in the chilly damp air as you broke down before it. rubbing your nose on your jacket sleeve, trying to calm down as much as you could you said. "I-I promise I'll never forget you, you'll always be my best bud."

You shook your head looking down once more. "And I guess, all I can say now is goodbye." You unclenched your fists of jacket sleeve before letting a heavy breath. "But, I can't say that. I can't say goodbye to you."  You smiled dolefully at the grave.

"So I guess.. uh heh, later skater." You gave him the finger guns through a messy laugh that quickly broke down again when you were only met with a haunting silence, the void of Ike's laughter seemed to tear through your heart. Unwillingly you let more tears slip out with a loud sob as you quickly waved your hand back and forth above your head.

A blue glow wrapped you up in a pleasant warm despite the sad, cool truth raking through your body. It brought you up to the edge of the drop to be met by Sans, standing the patiently for you as he placed you a safe distance from the edge next to him "How'd it go?" He asked, genuinely wanting to know it you were alright.

 
You stretched a sad smile across your face as you said in a quiet voice. "It was good." You nodded slightly then looked to Sans. "I'm glad I did that now."
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Sans smiled empathetically and offered you a compassionate hand to hold to which you gladly excepted. "Wanna get outta here?" He asked, concerned about your emotional stability. You nodded as you wiped your eyes free of tears. Walking hand in hand to the future together.

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While down there remained the grave, covered with flowers and loving gifts. And there placed atop all of that, proudly sat Ike's happy reindeer toque.

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Thank you guys ♡