(By Marc Hercé on Pinterest)

"Thinking of that bag of bones?" A shrill voice said.

I stiffened, following the voice that echoed within.

A few timid steps caught me in a trance within the woods.

and there, I saw....

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»*****«

There I saw...

"Howdy Frisk!" Flowey cheered, his smile stretching widely making me stop in my tracks.

"How's life going with those idiots?" Flowey asked with a devious grin.

I sneered at the cocky flower.

"They aren't idiots! They're my friends! And if there's an idiot here, that pertains to you!"

I haphazardly picked up a stick and waved it in front of me in attempt to fend for myself.

"Feisty ey?" He said, cocking his head, barely moved  of my threatening display.

I grumbled and kept my guard up despite the poor excuse of a weapon I had in hand.

Alarming bells have been ringing in my head since then, telling me to leave the scene immediately. But my feet stood firm in the cold ice beneath.

"Frisk, Frisk, Frisk, you never ever listened to my warnings have you?" He said, disappearing out of view, which was followed by a sinister laugh.

My eyes darted everywhere, swiftly twisting and turning from every rustling sound surrounding the forest.

His voice now merely a distorted echo amongst the towering pine trees.

"Don't worry, everything will end soon." He chuckled, the voice permeating my ears in a sickening way.

"We'll come and rule all." I staggered on my feet, as my vision became blurry and dim, fading in and fading out in focus.

"W-we..?" My voice now a croaky whisper from the sheer cold wind.

"Every monster you value and love will perish!" The ice beneath me started to collapse as it shook. Cracks littering the ice like roots.

Run

I dashed away from the breaking ice, but the speed was too fast that I'm afraid that I wouldn't make it.

Taking sharp intakes of air, my vision started to fail me.

"And you can't do anything about it."

"Because....YOU'LL DIE BEFORE YOU COULD EVEN SAVE THEM!" Big vines sprouted and it slashed the  ice underneath, my weight crashing down with brute force.

"HELP!" I yelled, but fell short when vines covered my mouth, struggling to drag me down the freezing river, I flinched.

"H-help..." I murmured, my voice muffled from the cold water as I drowned.

Flowey's sadistic laugh was soon followed by a familiar voice.

"kid!" Was all I heard as the darkness enveloped my vision.

|| Sans' POV ||

As we soon reached the house, Papyrus busted the doors free.

"I'LL MAKE SPAGHETTI FOR EVERYONE! NYEHEHE!" Paps blurted, dashing into the kitchen in a second.

"Count me in!" Undyne yelled, racing towards the kitchen with paps, which was followed by a loud crash of cutlery.

Mettaton followed suit and so did I.

'can't have any funny business around'

"Oh papy darling? Are you alright?~" 

"I AM FINE METTATON!"

Mettaton drew closer to Papyrus and that got me fuming in an instant, so I glared daggers at him? her? whatever.

That seemed to teach that glittery robot, scooting away from Papyrus hesitantly.

"Oh dear! Look at the time! I'll be late for my talkshow!~" Mettaton threw an exasperated sigh and fetched the pink fur coat on the rack.

'a busy schedule or I just had that effect on that robot, heh.'

"I'LL SAVE UP SOME SPAGHETTI FOR YOU, GOOD LUCK!" Papyrus waved, earning a flustered smile from the cheeky robot.

"Do tell Frisk that I look forward to see her again. Bye darlings! ~" Mettaton cooed, waltzing out the doorway into the snow.

Speaking of Frisk...

Where's is she...??

It's been awhile and she's not here yet.

I frowned, my instincts telling me that's something's definitely wrong as I stared at the wall clock, recounting the minutes that might've passed.

"Where is frisk? I thought she'll catch up?" Alphys pondered, fiddling with her fingers with unease.

An unsettling feeling suddenly burned in the pit of my non-existent stomach. And I can tell that I'm not craving for any ketchup at the moment.

Then it hit me.

Something's definitely not right... 

"i don't know...i'll go find her, maybe she got lost in the woods."

Reaching for the door, my anxiety started to reach its peak.

'I hope it's not what I think it is.'

"tell paps I'll go find her, i'll be back in awhile. stay here." I called, slamming the door shut.

I teleported near the skating rink.

"kid! where are you!" I called, as the chilling wind obscured my view. My footsteps went deeper and deeper by the minute as the snow started to thicken.

"shit! it's dangerous out here."

My efforts turned out to be fruitless from the endless white view ahead of me. But I stood my ground.

Until I saw a yellow object, buried in the snow beside the bench where I last saw Frisk.

I crouched down and picked it. Its was a buttercup petal, not just any buttercup, but one of his.

"HELP!" A scream and cry rang into the woods.

"kid! hold on i'm coming!!!" I yelled, dashing into the unknown of white and greens. Sweat started to form beads on my forehead, and my ankles were dying from too much strain and physical exertion.

I sprinted towards the frozen lake, and a sickening crack of ice followed beneath, until I saw Frisk's hand, struggling to escape the thorny vines from drowning her.

That darn ass Flower!

My sanity was drained in an instant and I felt my power surging within me, ready to blast and break free from its restraints.

Flowey was retreating back into the woods, but Frisk was slipping away and I needed to get to her first.

Dammit!

I clenched my fists and ran towards the icy waters. Removing my hoodie, I dived into the deep and dark waters as my lone eye illuminated the dark.

She was covered with big vines, the thorns embedded into her small figure turning her paler and paler by the second.

I tried to break her free, but it was too thick to  break using my bare hands. Summoning the surging power within me, I blasted the vines as it faded into nothingness.

Scooping her up, I struggled to swim back into the surface.

Soaking wet, I desperately gasped for air and choked from the cold.

Her clothes were ripped and bruises peppered her entire body, making my heart sink at the sight.

I started checking her pulse and it was starting to decline in a slow pace.

Hold on pal, just a little longer please...

Picking her up in my arms, I wrapped my jacket around her and teleported back to the house.

As I flung the door open, Alphys rushed beside me as I laid Frisk on the sofa.

"What happened to her?!"

"flowey..." I muttered.

"H-he's b-back?!" Alphys stiffened, making way for room.

"yes I'm afraid so..." I mumbled wrapping her with blankets. Alphys then grabbed a few towels from the nearby cabinet and dried her soaking body.

I merely watched her on the sofa, concern and a pang of guilt weighing heavily on my mind.

"will she be alright?" I tremulously asked.

If something happens to her again...

I don't think I'll be able to forgive myself.

"Yes, she'll be OK in awhile, I just need to clean and patch up her injuries." Alphys reassured pulling some bandages, medications out of her kit and applying them on her bruises.

"But I think you should rest and dry yourself off too, Sans." she added, handing me a spare towel.

"thanks al..."

It's been so long...

That

thing

is back.

After this, I need to be more cautious and on guard at all costs.

Who knows what that weed will do next...

"i'll put her upstairs" I offered and carried her tightly onto my chest, into my room.

But first of all, I don't want to worry Paps and the others too much about Frisk.

That'll be my job.

I'll just tell them that she passed out from the coldness.

I ruffled her hair lightly and draped the blankets on her.

She isn't safe here...

Heavy footsteps were heard from mid-stairs and Paps called.

"SANS! THE SPAGHETTI IS READY! GET YOUR LAZY BONES DOWN HERE!"

"comin paps" I called back, taking one last look at her still form before slowly closing the door.

"WHERE IS THE HUMAN?" paps asked, setting the plates down.

"she passed out from coldness." I explained, hopping on the chair.

"REALLY? IS SHE ALRIGHT?" paps asked, plopping beside me. His demeanor shifted into uncertainty and sadness in an instant.

"DOES SHE NEED ANYTHING?? MAYBE SHE'S HUNGRY?"

"she needs to rest paps, don't worry too much."

She'll be fine, as long as something like this never happens again.

But I can't help but blame myself for not making it soon.

I was still doubtful to tell Papyrus about the whole incident, but maybe, it's better this way.

Papyrus should never worry about anything, because, as the older brother, I should keep it that way, always.

Only me and Alphys shall know of the events that had happened earlier.

"she'll be alright, just got chilled to the bone I guess?" Making that remarkable pun seemed to pull away the sadness in his eyes and that made me feel much better.

"SAAAAANS! PLE- "

"shh, you'll wake her up paps." I said, shushing paps, but he maintained a strained look of annoyance on me as he fetched the used plates on the table.

"Thanks for the s-s-spaghetti P-papyrus!" Alphys smiled, handing him the extra set of dishes from the living room.

"You need more than just instant noodles to keep on shape, Al" Undyne commented, earning a flustered squeak from Alphys.

" 'YA HEARD THAT SANS!? KETCHUP AND GREASY FOODS WILL NEVER DO YOU ANY GOOD TOO. HONESTLY, IF I DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO PREPARE SUCH AN EXQUISITE MEAL, YOU WOULD NEVER ACHIEVE SUCH BATTLE BODY AS MINE!" Papyrus retorted in a less booming voice, but the firmness in his stand remained on me.

"and i never would, you're the coolest bro around, heh."

After enough kitchen chores, Alphys decided that it's time to leave.

But before they did, Undyne asked me what really happened earlier, seeing that Frisk is nowhere to be found to join us.

But I wasn't ready to break the ice about it.

The lesser who knows, the better.

Luckily, Alphys caught on before Undyne started pressing me for answers or either to "see for herself" for confirmation upstairs.

Undyne was insistent but Alphys knows better, and suggested to take their leave since she needed to get back to her lab asap.

Convincing Undyne enough, they took their leave. Undyne eyed me warily and bid me to wish Frisk well before leaving the house, but Alphys decided to linger for a moment once everyone was out of earshot.

And I knew all too well that she would.

"Keep her safe, sans...don't forget." 

Her words were more of a warning than of a reminder, but her expression remained blank.

"heh, I won't."

The words left me sounded firm but dry.

Alphys gave me a pat on the shoulder before finally leaving to whence Undyne went.

Everything was just starting well and now, things are about to go downhill...

Keep her safe.

Don't lose hope.

Stay determined.

All of this depends on me, and I have to make it right.

I must keep her away from Flowey and her, before its too late to save her in this timeline.