I do not own the quote or picture above, they belong to their respectful owners.

I'm so happy that everyone has enjoyed the rewrite so far! I hope you all continue to enjoy it as the story goes on.

The AU characters won't show up in this chapter - and most likely the few other chapters, depending on how long I make the chapters. So, if anyone wants to give their opinions on who should show up and why, then please give them! I loved reading all the last ones in the first chapter.

Although, I am honestly debating if I should go with canon!AU characters, or my own versions of those characters. For example, Warverse AU characters, Twisted AU characters, a new multiverse I am working on (Yes, I am creating a new version of Error and a whole Multiverse to go with it, meaning a ton of new versions of characters as I create the whole AU. So be looking forward to that story!) or really any of my versions of characters. It would give me practice with some of my own versions of characters after all. Maybe the machine Sans uses brings in counterparts from another Multiverse, not from his own Multiverse - counterparts still, but ones that come farther away than other AU's.

But, then again, you all might not want to use my own versions of the characters, as they might not be what you expect them to be lol. Especially the new one I am working on. And canon characters are well known to everyone - and well loved as well for the most part. It's a thought. I'd love to hear everyone's thoughts as well! It's fun reading comments, any comments actually lol. Such creative minds my readers have - some are such violent ones too. I love it!

Anyway, I hope that you all enjoy this chapter!

-Chapter Start-

When Papyrus first opened the front door of his brother's and sister-in-law's home, he knew something was deeply wrong.

The whole air in the home felt stale. Felt like there was nothing to fill it. No love, no laughter, no happiness. The tall skeleton could practically taste the sadness washing over the air.

Gulping, he slowly went in and shut the door behind him. Glancing around, he saw no one. He would have thought with Sans coming back to spend much needed time with his wife, that there would be more happiness surrounding the home. Like when they first moved in together, the very adoration and love seeping from their SOULS into the wood of the home. But, he can no longer feel the love in the home.

'You didn't feel any love in this house for a long time.' A very familiar voice hissed in the back of his mind. 'This house hasn't been a home since your brother decided to stick his dick in another person without his wife knowing and consenting to it.'

Shaking off the voice has became second nature to him. Ever since Sans had......lashed out, Papyrus had of course tried to be a good brother. Trying to help his older brother, as Sans was the one to do so much for him. It wasn't right what Sans did, but Papyrus held hope that everything would work out in the end. Sans just needed help getting there is all. And everyone made sure to help out!

'But who helped out Hope? You know, your sister-in-law? Your friend? You could have easily took time out of your oh-so-busy day to just sit down and talk with her about everything that is going on. Talking with her, not talking to her - hearing her side of everything and how she feels.' The voice asked with a bitter laugh. 'Oh, but why would you listen to me? I'm just your conscious after all - the voice of reason you don't see. I am it. I am the guilt, the sin, that is crawling. Up. Your. Back.'

"That's not true! Hope.....Hope was-is going to be fine! She....She loves Sans after all! And Sans loves her - so much! They'll work through this!" Papyrus quickly whispered to himself, worry and so many other emotions slipping up on him. The voice in the back of his mind didn't answer him, but Papyrus had a feeling it was laughing at him still. As if what he said was a very funny joke.

Taking in a shuddering breath, Papyrus, with a dropping SOUL, walked more into the house-no, it was a home.

It had to be a home......right?

Figuring that Sans and Hope might be sleeping in, Papyrus walked up the stairs. There was no noise after all, and he couldn't smell anything cooking, or upstairs was the only conclusion he could draw up. If he was wrong, then he would check the whole place before trying to call Sans. Again.

After calling twenty times, if he has to make it twenty-one, he might considering calling the police to call in about two missing people. Especially when he tried calling Hope, but it didn't even ring for him. But her phone could just be dead. It's happened before after all.

'Excuses~'

Ignoring the mocking coo from the voice that might never leave him, Papyrus sighed when he finally made it up the stairs - only to blink when he saw the master bedroom's door wide open. Fingers twitching, Papyrus had the strangest feeling to just turn right around, go back down the stairs and leave without looking back. The air growing more tense.

With hesitant steps, Papyrus slowly went to the open door - peeking in. His eyes widened and his SOUL dropped with what greeted him.

Sans, his brother, standing near the dresser looking so lost and hopeless. Eye sockets dark and blank, dark marks under his eyes showing he had no sleep, some jewelry in one hand and clinching a fluffy pink sweater to his chest. It looks like Sans didn't sleep, eat, shower, or do anything but cry with the marks on his cheeks.

"S-Sans, I thought we were going to meet up at the hospital two hours ago. Everyone is worried-!" Taking a step into the room, Papyrus gently called for his older brother, only to freeze with a sharp gasp when Sans' head snapped to him. Eyes coming back, but they were swimming in tears now.

"Papy......she's gone." Sans choked out, body trembling as tears started falling from his eyes. "Hope....Hope....."

Cold ice felt like it was poured onto his bones. Papyrus rushed to his brother's side, kneeling down besides the crying Monster. Every worst case scenario was running through the younger skeleton's mind. Hope could have been hurt. She could be dead. All he knows for sure is that she is gone.

Gone can mean so many things.

'It's something you should have expected!' The voice inside of him laughed, bright and happy. It was as if.....as if the voice knew what Sans was talking about. As if Papyrus should have seen coming. The voice sounded happy about it too. As if.......as if, Hope being gone is a good thing.

How can that be? When Sans was here, crying his SOUL out?

"Sans, what do you mean Hope is gone?" Papyrus softly asked, reaching out to grab his brother's trembling shoulder. "Where is she?"

Gasping out for air, Sans let out a soul shattering sob. "I don't know where she is! P-Paps, she's-she's divorcing me!" The smaller skeleton huddled the jewelry and pink sweater closer to him, as if they were about to go up in smoke. Papyrus then numbly realized that those items were Hope's. "I-I came home last night - she's gone! Papers on the table! I-I-My world is gone! My love, my soul, my hope, my everything is gone! Gonegonegonegonegone-!"

"D-Divorcing?!" Papyrus choked out in shock, feeling like he was just dumped into the coldest ice water in the whole world.

'You should have seen it coming.....'

"S-She's not-Hope is-!" Sans sobbed out, not making sense as he quickly went into Papyrus' arms for comfort. Papyrus automatically wrapped his arms around his weeping brother. Eyes looking at nothing, feeling horrific shock taking over.

'After all, why would someone like Hope stay with a cheater? You've read those dating books.'

Shaking his head in denial, Papyrus blinked only to give out a little gasp in shock when he saw tears falling down. Lifting a hand to his face, he pulled it back only to see the hand wet. Crying. He's crying.

Why? Everything.......everything was-is. Everything is going to work out fine in the end........right?

'When someone cheats, lies, or anything like that - there is no more trust. Something fundamental to any type of relationship. Why should she stay with someone not deserving of her loyalty and trust? Tell me Papyrus, why should she stay?' The voice softly asked out, sounding like it doesn't need a answer at all. Because, deep down, both knew the answer.

That still doesn't make it any easier though. Not when he still has to help his brother get through this. Not when he still wishes that everything will work out in the end. So, for now, he will hold his brother tightly, both of them crying while he tries to calm down his older brother.

But, in the back of his mind, the voice asked another set of questions. One that made Papyrus cry all the harder.

'Work out for who? Sans? Lora? Yourself? What about Hope? If it works out for anyone else but her, is that really the right thing to do when she was the one who was hurt the most? When she is the injured part here?'

'No. It's not the right thing to do.' Papyrus knew this well. But his brother did so much for him, practically raised him, gave up so much for him. How can't he wish that everything will work out for him? That Hope might come back and everything will be like normal? Papyrus is losing family, is losing his only sister. Sans is losing his wife. Everything is crumbling around them.

{"Sure, Papyrus. Later."}

Hope's voice came back to him, the last time he really talked with her. He had asked her to cook with him, trying to get her to smile and be happy. Trying to get her to understand that while everything is crazy now, with time, everything will be back to normal soon enough. Trying to get her to see that Sans loves her more than anything.

'Hope.....where is our 'later'?' Papyrus mentally cried, starting to tremble himself as he holds his shaking and sobbing brother tightly to him. 'Hope.....Sister.......why can't everything just go back to normal?!'

But Papyrus knew the answer to that.

He just didn't want to see it. Didn't want to understand it. Wanting to keep being in denial no matter how many times the voice in him tries to drag him out of it - the voice growing in strength and volume with every passing day.

Then the voice in the back of his mind laughs - a knowing laugh as it says something to him that will haunt him for years to come. Words that will always be in the back of him mind for the rest of his life.

'Actions have consequences. Didn't you know that?'

-----------------------------------------WITH HOPE----------------------------------------------

"Thanks for letting me use your guest room, Nicole." Hope softly thanked late in the morning, nibbling on her scrambled eggs.

"It's your room now, until you move out." Nicole assured, stirring her coffee before taking a sip. Sighing at the taste, Nicole glanced at her best friend. The dark marks under the taller woman's eyes were lessened. Not gone, but lightened. There was more of a happy and rested twinkle in the hazel eyes that were behind large green glasses. 

Really, if it was Nicole, she would have left that cheater sooner. It broke her a little inside through the months. Watching her best friend slowly breaking down because of what the others, not just her soon to be ex-husband either but nearly everyone else, had done to her. Trying to pressure her into keeping a relationship with an obviously undeserving husband. But it wasn't Nicole's choice on the matter if Hope should stay or go, it was only Hope's. Nicole can only give advice and a shoulder to cry on. So it lightens her heart to see Hope taking a stand and doing what is right for herself.

To see Hope slowly getting better is a gift unlike any other. Sitting at the kitchen table, both dressed in their pajamas, reminded Nicole of happier days. Nicole herself in her underwear and tank-top, Hope in one of her childish sweaters and pajama pants. Both just having woken up and stumbled to get something to eat. It reminded her of before Hope met Sans, when both were younger and not even thinking about marriage.

Before Hope even met Sans. Nicole didn't hate Sans back then, didn't wish him harm unlike any other, but she always had a feeling about him. That he was hiding something - that there was something wrong with him in some way or another. She had ignored it because of how happy the couple had looked. But now, Nicole can't help but wonder if this is the first time he cheated on her. Or if he was hiding something else about himself, something that could effect Hope. Because if it just effected himself, that's his business. But effecting others? It's no longer just his business. It wasn't just his business when he married Hope. Did he do something worse than cheat on Hope? Or something worse than cheating in general - he did work for the government after all. Too many conspiracy theories to name when the government is involved.

Or maybe she was paranoid when it came to others interacting with her not blood related little sister. But it seems she was right in a way. Paranoia was right in this case. Nicole should have never trusted Sans with Hope's welling, heart, health, and everything that she is.

Shaking her head lightly, Nicole pushed those thoughts away as she put down her coffee cup. If she didn't, she had a feeling she might throw the coffee cup at the wall, pretending that Sans is right there. Instead of doing that, no matter how good that might make her feel, Nicole turned her full attention on her friend who is sitting right across from her.

"Do you want to just have a lazy day today?" Nicole softly asked with a little smile, taking a bite of her toast.

"Don't you work?" Hope frowned in thought, mentally trying to recall what day it even was.

"Nah. I took off a few days for you. My boss understands - he's fond of you, remember? He always asks when you are going to visit the park and natural garden. I think he sees you as a granddaughter. After I explained what was going on, he offered me a few days off and said I could take more off if need be." Nicole waved off Hope's worry and concern. "Today, I think is a lazy day."

Leaning back on her chair, Hope wondered to herself when the last time she took a lazy day. Sure, she might have laid in her bed a lot this past year, but that was mostly because she needed to lay down to cry at the time. To have a fun lazy day with her best friend in the whole wide world.....that sounded like something any doctor would order her.

"I want to watch "Adam Ruins Everything" and a whole bunch of cartoons." Hope bluntly stated, making Nicole chuckle and lean onto the table.

"As long as we also watch the "Lion King" and the "Avengers"." The shorter woman negotiated in a humored filled voice. Hope made a show of thinking about it before bursting into giggles.

It might take some time, but slowly and surely, Nicole is certain that Hope would one day be able to fully put this all behind her and move on.

Doesn't stop her from wanting to commit premeditated homicide because of a certain Monster that really should have known better than to mess Hope. Didn't he think about Hope's friends and family, what they would do or think?

But, for now, Nicole will push those lovely thoughts of dancing on Sans' dust away. To have a fun, lazy day with her best friend. To be there for her and enjoy every moment of it.

Hope, meanwhile, felt like something in her was slowly but surely coming back together.

It was the best feeling in the world, something she hasn't felt in a long time and something she needed to feel. Lighter. Without worry or stress. Nothing hover over her to remind her of what had happened. Nothing in her feeling like it is going to shatter or break apart. She can only hope that this feeling stays with her for a long time. That this is a sign that slowly, surely, everything will work itself out.

The, one day, she'll actually get her happy ending - that it's not only in fairy tales and myths.

---------------------------------WITH PAPYRUS----------------------------------------

Reading the official paperwork over while sitting at the kitchen table, Papyrus made a deep frown at what he saw. A lot of the wording went over his head admittedly - he never went to law school and didn't watch law shows. But it's simple to make out in summary.

Doesn't make it any easier to see the words "Divorce" and "Affair" all around the paper.

"Everything she owns, that is under her name or she bought herself, she gets. Doesn't want the house or furniture. If anything of her's is damaged before she gets them, have to pay for them to be replaced in full. Plus some maybe, depending on the item and personal value." Papyrus started mumbling to himself as he read down the papers, trying to make sense of the swimming words with his tear filled eyes, looking worn and tired while doing so. "Alimony is $165,374 - emotional distress and mental anguish?!" Choking when he saw those words, Papyrus had to fight back the tears that wanted to fall, mumbling to himself as he keeps on reading the papers. "Emotional distress.....$36,947. Mental Anguish, $27,710. Total monetary value - $230,031! Sans, did you read all of this? Any of this?!"

Putting down the divorce papers down with lightly trembling hands, Papyrus looked at his brother sitting across the table from him. His eye sockets completely dark. Sans was just blankly looking at nothing. Papyrus wouldn't be shocked if Sans didn't even hear him at all. He has never seen his brother looking so.....broken. It made Papyrus fear that Sans might do something drastic eventually.

'Oh, like how he lashed out the first time? If he's willing to have an ongoing affair for about two months because of finding out his soon to be ex-wife had a medical problem, something she can't control, making having children risky and a high chance of never having one to start with, then I would hate to see what he lashes out about this.' The voice comes back in the back of his mind, laughing at everything that is going on. 'I hope he doesn't get any big ideas. You never know what a desperate person will do, will you?'

A shiver goes up his spine. Gulping dryly, Papyrus knew he had to try and talk to Sans. There was no stopping a divorce. Nothing could change this, and he had to make Sans see that this was all going to be fine.

Even if Sans is losing the love of his life, the love that holds his very SOUL in her hands.

Even if Papyrus is losing his only sister, one of his best friends who he had thought would always be there.

'Why would she be there for you when none of you were there for her? Take, take, take - never giving back - that's all you've done to her!' The voice whispered in a hiss at him. Making some tears fall from his eye sockets.

Blinking away the tears, Papyrus started to ignore the voice once more. He had more important things to worry about right now. Like getting his brother better and happy.

"Sans.....Sans, you.....understand what is going on, right?" Papyrus softly asked, reaching out to take Sans hand in his own. Sans didn't even twitch from the touch. Taking in a deep breath, Papyrus went on, knowing that this needed to be asked. "Sans....when are you....g-g-going to....si-sign....." Face twisting in sadness and grief, Papyrus choked on a sob, not wanting to go on. But, he had to get it out. He had to. "The....di-papers?" In the end, Papyrus found himself too weak to say what these papers were for. It hurt too much to even think about all this happening. It was as if saying what they were would make this all too real even though it was actually happening.

Sans' eyes flickered back into his eye sockets. Slowly turning his head to look at his little brother, tears started falling from his eyes once more. "....Sign.....them.....?" He slowly asked in a rough voice, face blank in a worrying way.

"Y-Yes." Papyrus nodded, gently letting go of Sans' hand when his brother just stared at him blankly. "You....you only have 90 days - r-roughly two months - before you have to sign. Th-The papers say if you don't sign by the time 90 days are up - which might have started whenever s-she signed them - y-you'll have to go to c-court."

Sans slowly looked at the papers. Then, to Papyrus' sinking SOUL, his face shattered like glass. "I don't want to sign them! I WON'T SIGN THEM!" Slamming his hands on the table, Sans sobbed as he glared at Papyrus, as if it was all his fault. "HOPE IS MY WIFE!"

"Sans-" Papyrus tried to gently interject, only to be ignored in Sans overemotional explosion.

"I LOVE HER WITH ALL MY SOUL, THERE IS NO WAY IN THE VOID I AM SIGNING THOSE PAPERS!"

"Sans, I-!"

"-THIS IS NOT HAPPENING! HOPE LOVES ME TOO, THERE IS NO WAY SHE WOULD-!"

*BAM!*

"ENOUGH SANS!"

Sans jerked back, mouth snapping shut when Papyrus sharply stood, slamming his hand on the table hard with a shout of his own. Sans started to tremble once more as he watched tears silently fall down Papyrus face.

"Th-That's.....en-enough....!" Sniffing, Papyrus steeled himself. While he can't stop the tears falling, while he can't stop the feeling of him dying inside, he has to make his brother see that there is no stopping this. He wants nothing more than to hug his brother and tell him that everything will be alright - but that might lead to disastrous actions. No, he has to at least try, so that hopefully Sans might not do anything stupid.

So he doesn't lash out again.

"Sans, this is real! These di-di-divorce papers are not going away!" Taking a breath to calm himself, he tried to wipe the tears away from his face with shaking hands. But they just kept falling. "Sans, you know that when a divorce happens, there is no stopping it."

"Th-That's-!" Choking, Sans shook his head in denial. "There has to be a way!"

Sighing, rubbing his face and feel so tired, Papyrus knew this was tearing Sans apart worse than anyone else. There was no way to make him understand while like this. "Maybe....Maybe when you see H-Hope next time, you can talk to her and-" Papyrus started to hesitantly say, only to get cut off by a now beaming Sans - hope shining in his eyes like stars.

"You're right, Paps! That's the way to stop this whole thing - if Hope drops it, then it goes away!" Beaming, Sans reached up to wipe his tears away, looking like so much weight is off his shoulders. "I just have to find Hope and explain everything to her! She has to know that I still love her and that everything is going to be fine from now on! I can make her see it, I can! no one loves her as much as me, and I know she loves me just as much!"

"Sans, that's not what I-" Papyrus started to say, only to be ignored by Sans, who quickly stumbled out of his chair.

"I can't go to Hope looking like this! I'll have to wash, change-Oh, I should clean up our room too, so that she doesn't have to worry about it when she comes back home!" Sans blissfully said, rushing to go upstairs.

"Sans, we don't even know where-!" Papyrus tried to call out, only to sigh when Sans just went up the stairs in a run, a door soon slamming shut.

Putting his face into his hands, Papyrus lowly groaned to himself "Sans, what the fuck." and wondered what he would have to do to get his own older brother to listen to him. Yes, this is a highly emotional time and he understands that this is going to be harder than anything they have ever gone through, but this doesn't mean they have to drag this out. It would just lead to more pain in the end.....wouldn't it?

'Hope Honey is not coming back. Why would a self-respecting and loving woman do that?' The voice in the back of his head asked him softly.

Lifting his head a bit, Papyrus sniffed as he realized that....that Sans is going to drag this whole thing out. Sure, he too wants his brother and Hope to get back together, for everything to be happy and like before, but deep down, he knows that it is not going to happen. The only way for this to happen is for Hope to drop the divorce on her own freewill, and honestly, Papyrus knows that it is not going to happen in this lifetime. Or any lifetime.

'Denial, that's what Sans is in.' The voice scoffed loudly, making Papyrus flinch. 'I wonder, if he lashes out again, harming Hope even worse, will you take his side again without thought? Oh, who am I kidding, you've done it once you can do it again - it's just like cheating, isn't it?'

Sitting back down slowly, Papyrus blankly looked down at the wooden kitchen table. If he concentrates, he could hear Hope typing on her laptop, working on her next book. He could hear Hope in the kitchen, singing along to some song that is playing loudly on her phone as she cooks and bakes. He could hear laughing at some TV show, cartoon, anime or whatever on the TV. He could hear Hope just talking for a moment, as if nothing was wrong.

Blankly looking at the wooden table he has shared so many meals and snacks with Hope, he realized that all of that was never going to happen again. His sister didn't want to be his sister anymore. Didn't want to be in this house. Didn't want to be near them.

Feeling so cold, Papyrus realized with dread that his family was falling apart.

And there was nothing he could do about it.

-End Chapter-

I had to do math for this chapter, lol! I didn't just pull those numbers out of air. I looked up how much scientists make in a year generally, as well as a author (but that kind of job is hard to calculate, so I went with the most average number for that) had to look up how much an average alimony costs, had to look up how emotional distress and mental anguish is calculated and if it can be added into a divorce (which, by the way, it can! Truly, you can sue for anything and everything.) and how to calculate something like that. Really, I did too much math for my liking, but I like keeping it realistic as can be. If I messed anything up in the legal area of this story, please remember that I am not a lawyer and did not go to law school.

Anyway, back to the end notes!

Every action has a consequence. It could be a bad consequence, it could be a good one. It's the fact of life really. And someone else's actions can have consequences that effect you - can effect everyone and people you don't even see or know about.

Papyrus taking his brother's side fully, willingly being blind to Hope's hurting, is an action. The consequence to this is his conscious getting louder, his guilt trying to eat him alive and make him see what he did wasn't right. What he did goes against his own morals. Especially when he is supposed to be friends with the person who is hurting, hurting because of his own brother's actions. Papyrus' little voice in his SOUL grew loudly over time, so much that he can hear it clearly - his conscious is not going to leave him alone any time soon.

Sans, well, everyone knows his actions by now - and those actions are going to just grow in number as times goes on. Right now he is in the seven stages of grief pretty much, and stuck on denial pretty hard. Only time will tell if he gets to the acceptance stage or not.

Hope herself had to go through the stages during those months she stayed with Sans after he told her he cheated - and she has honestly accepted that she can't stay with Sans, that her marriage is pretty much dead, even if it's only on her side. She has went to the acceptance stage - and she's hoping to move on to a better life as time goes on. The signing the divorce was the sign of acceptance. Is she still hurting? Yes. Does she want to, at times, hurt Sans for what he did to her? Oh, you better believe it. She's still healing, or trying to heal, from all that has happened. She might have accepted that all this has happened to her, but that doesn't mean that acceptance means not feeling anything about the whole situation.

Nicole, on the other hand, is more than ready to throw down if Sans so much as shows his face around her or Hope. She is beyond pissed - and is more than willing to show that in words and/or actions, damn the consequences she may get. Nicole always thought something was off about Sans, that he wasn't telling something important about himself to Hope and her. That he was hiding something. She's not wrong - it's about the RESETS and things like that - but she's not right in this case. Sans only had one affair, with Lora, and told Hope about it once he got the woman pregnant. Still not right of course, but Nicole is trying to rationalize why she felt off about Sans and came to her own conclusions for the most part.

A divorce doesn't just effect the people divorcing. If effects the whole family, all the friends as well. When two people get married, they are essentially marrying their family and close friends together as well. When those two people divorce, it effects everyone around them and close to them. It might effect the main family (the two married and children if there are any) more than anything, but that doesn't mean the in-laws are not effected as well. That the friends are not effected as well as everyone else. It's usually a hard and emotional thing to go through - bringing all kinds of pain depending on why the divorce is happening and how it is happening. Sometimes, it's easy and simple, both sides want it and know why they want it. Most often than not, they are messy and get drawn out for a verity of reasons.

I wanted to show that other characters were affected by the fact that Hope is divorcing Sans. I hope that a portrayed that right and enough. Although, more will come in later chapters as well. Like Undyne and Alphys will be shown later and how affected they are later on. Almost everyone in this story is affected after all - besides, you know, the background characters maybe.

In any case, I hope that everyone enjoyed this chapter! I can't wait to get to reading the comments lol. I always look forward to them.