Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

He had begun to sense something in his empty void. It had started off weak; he doubted that he'd have noticed it at all if it wasn't for the lack of anything else around. Just like a whisper seems deafening in silence.

Over time, it grew stronger. It began to tug gently at his soul, and he couldn't help but wonder what could cause this. The sensation it brought was not familiar, but it was welcomed as opposed to having no sensation at all. The soft tug turned a pull, the pull turned to a yank, until it felt like the something was trying to wrench his soul out of his chest. He didn't mind, because something was better than nothing. Nothing had been all he'd had for so long.

It wasn't long before a blinding light overcame him and he was no longer in the void.

Laure's morning started with a thump and a sore head. Groaning, she dragged herself off of the worn wooden floorboards and stretched her arms as high as she could. Satisfied with that, she stumbled towards what barely passed as a kitchen — a small fridge, a very limited countertop, a sink, and an oven with a stovetop (there used to be a microwave apparently, but the last tenant had stolen it) — and wrestled to open the stubborn fridge door with what little strength she had this soon after waking up. She took a moment to catch her breath once she succeeded before inspecting the eggs. Upon opening the egg carton, Laure discovered that 'eggs' was actually 'egg'. With an exasperated sigh, she got out a frying pan and cooked herself a single fried egg for breakfast.

She ate in silence, trying to focus on chewing and not letting her mind wander. Depositing her plate and cutlery by the sink so she could wash them that night, she shuffled towards her old-looking closet. Brushing her shoulder-length brown hair out of her eyes, she used the mirrors on the inside of the closet doors to check that she looked presentable. Black pants, light grey shirt, brown checkered scarf. Good enough.

A little while later, Laure was busying herself by putting returned books back on their shelves in the library. She was fast and efficient, getting through a full trolley in no time. She returned to the library's front and picked up a book of her own before she sat down behind the desk. The book she held was a vintage-style hardcover, one she had read countless times before. The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes and Other Stories. Masking tape on its cover read 'LAURE MACKENZIE'; Laure was well aware that there was danger in bringing her own book to a library, however minuscule, given that all the other staff knew this was hers even without the label. She had worked at the library for years, at first a volunteer, then a paid librarian once she'd completed the necessary degree. It was more of a home to her than the cramped space she resided in, and her co-workers were like family. Flicking through the lightly worn pages, she arrived at a halt when she reached the ribbon marking her place. And then the world around her faded away as she got lost in the maze of words on the page.

"Hello?" Someone's voice brought Laure back to reality, and standing on the other side of the desk was a brown-haired midteen boy who had been trying to get her attention. "Hi," he said. "I was looking for books on World War II?"
She blinked at him. "Oh, okay. Yes. This way." She got out of her seat and led the way over to the history section. She ran her fingers gently across the books' spines, eyes scanning the codes printed there as the two approached the war books. "Ah, here we go." She took one book off the shelf and handed it to the boy. "There are more in this area, this will get you started."
"Thank you," he said, smiling politely.
She responded, "No problem, it's my job to help." And with that, she headed back to the desk at the front to get her head stuck once again in the fantasy tales of a great sleuth.

She had only been reading for maybe ten minutes before another interruption brought her out of the book. "Hey, Laure." That was Hettie's voice. Hettie was older than Laure, she had worked at this library before Laure could talk. Everyone knew her as the kind old lady with slowly greying auburn hair. Her signature pieces of clothing were cardigans of all different colours that she embroidered with simple flowers herself. "Bryce is taking over the front for a bit," her honey-like voice cooed. "Want to come with me on a break?"
"Okay." Laure could never say no to Hettie, and the older lady used this to make sure Laure looked after herself. Laure grabbed her bag quickly, making sure Sherlock was safely tucked in there, and they exited the library together.

Her keys hit the counter with a clash and a clatter, tumbling off the edge. A flop sounded as Laure made contact with her bed. She let out a deep sigh and proceeded to lie there for five minutes. After that, she pried herself off of the soft blankets and sluggishly made her way towards the kitchen-like area. In the fridge were two carrots, one potato, a box of cereal she'd misplaced, and a leftover sausage from a previous meal. She took everything out, put the cereal box to the side, and started preparing her 'meal'.

The cooked potato was alright, a little on the bland side. Laure had left the carrots raw and chopped them up into sticks, and they weren't bad. The sausage had been reheated in the frying pan she'd used that morning. After eating, she brought her dishes to the sink and started washing up. She dried them once she was done, and put them in their places in the cupboard under the counter. Now that she was out of food she really needed to get groceries, even if she just wanted to sit on her bed reading her book. Grabbing a pen and a scrap of paper, she wrote a list of food items she needed and left through the front door once again.

It was two weeks later, and Laure was going crazy. She knew that she frequently misplaced things, but it had never been this bad. Most mornings she would go to the counter for her keys and panic when they weren't there, only to find them on the chair she kept as a bedside table. There would be times where she didn't get around to the dishes before going to bed, and the next morning they would be gone from sight, and she would find them clean and packed away.

On this particular morning, Laure woke up with a splitting headache. She got up with a groan and went about her normal morning routine without much incident. She was just about ready for work, only needing to get her scarf, when she froze. She swore that she'd left her scarf on the counter yesterday, but it wasn't there. Neither were her keys, but a quick glance at her bedside chair showed that she didn't need to worry about that as well. At first Laure was only slightly troubled, because she put her scarf in a variety of places, but after scouring her entire living space she couldn't find it. She searched, again and again, looking in every place she could think of several times over. It wasn't there. It wasn't anywhere she looked. She shoved her left hand in her mouth and bit down on it as she continued scouring her surroundings, an old nervous habit she'd never gotten rid of. She upturned every inch of her home, leaving a mess everywhere she went. She even looked in the oven, despite it being one of the most unlikely places for it to be.

Laure paused in her searching and tried to calm down for a moment. Her breaths were quick and shallow despite her efforts. She got out her phone and sent an email to her workplace, hands shaking as she did so. Immediately after she grabbed Sherlock and sat back down on her bed to read. Slowly, after maybe half an hour, her breathing evened out and her heart rate dropped. The library emailed her back, saying that they got her email and that everyone there hoped she got better soon. After that nothing interrupted her, and the hours flew by as she was lost once again in the mystery written on the pages in front of her.

Chapter Text

After the scarf incident, Laure decided to set up something new. She found an old spiral-bound notebook with a black front that she'd barely used and started writing in her tasks for at home in there. When she finished one, she would put a tick in the little box next to the task using her favourite black pen, which had a nice comfortable grip. If she followed the plan, she would hopefully be a lot less confused.

At first, Laure had difficulty getting into the swing of things; she would often forget to tick things off. It wasn't long, however, until she remembered every time. She continued to do this for a few days, and as she did this she found something surprising. All of the tasks that she didn't remember doing were ticked off, but the ticks were a different style to hers. They were neat, cursive, a harsh contrast to her sloppy, half-hearted ticks. She didn't know what to make of this, so the next day when she set the book up with her tasks, she wrote a little note at the top. 

If you are not Laure, please use the blue pen provided.

She thought it was a bit silly but she left it there and got on with her day.

Laure arrived at the library half an hour before it was supposed to open and let herself in. She filled a trolley with returned books and set about returning them to their shelves. After that, she checked for any book reservations and collected those. She printed out names on little dockets and put those in the books' covers and then placed them neatly on the reserved shelf, all ready for to be picked up. She was just updating the status of all these books on the library system when Bryce and Hettie arrived together. "Laure," Hettie exclaimed upon seeing her. "You're here early again?"
Laure turned away from the computer and gave the two a smile. "Yeah, I am. How are you two? Still got girl troubles, Bryce?"
Bryce sighed dramatically, bringing the back of his hand to his forehead as he said, "Alas, my belovéd partner's birthday is coming up, and I have yet to find a gift suitable for someone as magnificent as she."
Laure grinned at him. "Oh, whatever shall you do?"
Hettie laughed warmly, and suggested, "Why don't we go down to the shops tomorrow and give you a hand?"
"Yeah, that sounds great," Bryce said. He looked at Laure. "You in?" Laure went through the idea in her head. Tomorrow was Saturday, the weekend. She had nothing on. "Yeah, I'm in," she responded. She turned back to the computer with a small smile on her face as she finished updating each returned and reserved books' status.

The rest of her shift was quiet; not too many people went to the library on a Friday. Aside from some chats with the other library staff, she didn't do much at all. Hettie insisted that she left when she noticed Laure was still there 15 minutes past the end of her shift. Laure decided to head to the shops after that, scouting out good places to visit with Hettie and Bryce tomorrow. She found a couple of places with a variety of things that Bryce's girlfriend might like. She went home feeling like her trip was worth the effort, and ticked off a few more things from her list.

When she reviewed the list after dinner, Laure found that yet again there were neat ticks, and this time they were written in blue. Immediately she looked behind her as if she expected someone to be there, but she couldn't see anyone. She left a short note at the bottom of the page. When she went to bed that night she double-checked the door and windows were all locked.

Laure woke up and went straight to her little notebook. Under her message was another, written in cursive handwriting.

Who are you?

I am Dr W. D. Gaster.

Chapter Text

How are you getting into my home? And why are you doing stuff like washing the dishes and moving my keys?

 

I will answer your second question first. You leave things all about and don't finish tasks. I feel obligated to finish what you don't. As for your first question, I am here and I haven't left. You just don't seem to be able to see or hear me.

 

What are you? Why are you here?

 

I am a monster. I was trapped long ago and recently managed to escape. Now I appear to be stuck here.

 

Mount. Ebott is on the other side of the planet. Why aren't you over with the other monsters?

 

They are free now as well? That is good.

 

You didn't answer my question.

 

We weren't trapped in the same place.

 

Where were you trapped, then?

 

The void between realities and timelines.

 

You are really confusing me.

 

Yes, it is all rather confusing. I will tell you a fuller tale if you wish.

 

Please do.

 

I am, as I have told you, Dr W. D. Gaster, former Royal Scientist of King Asgore in the Underground. I brought light to the darkness we lived in through my inventions, and my greatest was the Core. It converted geothermal energy into magical energy and powered the whole Underground. I would go into further detail but I am sure you don't care for that. I discovered the existence of the Void at some point and began theorising, then experimenting. It was during one of these experiments that I became trapped in it, ripped from existence.

 

I am sorry that happened to you, though that doesn't explain why and how you're here.

 

I was not finished. If you want me to keep doing your dishes you have to be patient. I only have so much influence on the world, and I can only do so much in a day. I was in the void for a very long span of time, although how much exactly I cannot say. There was nothing but myself in the Void, no way to track time. Towards the end of my imprisonment, I felt a tugging on my soul that gradually grew stronger. Then all I saw was white before I ended up here.

 

I didn't ask for you to do my dishes. It's your choice.

 

Really? That is what you choose to focus on?

 

Well, what is there to say about the rest of it?

 

I suppose you are right.

 

Why don't you leave and go find the other monsters?

 

My soul appears to be bound to this area, preventing me from doing so.

 

I can't see or hear you, and you said you only have so much influence on this world. Are you a ghost monster or something?

 

No, my dear, I am not. I simply do not fully exist yet.

 

What kind of monster are you, then? Also, 'my dear'?

 

I am a skeleton.

 

You didn't answer my second question.

 

Yes.

 

Are you going to?

 

No.

 

Okay.

Chapter Text

Laure spent her free time for the next few days trying to find a way to contact a monster. She figured that if what this Dr Gaster said was true, monsters would probably want to know that he's back from the Void. If he wasn't telling the truth, she'd be able to find out this way. She was at the library, using her phone for her search. On the screen was a page about the monsters' Ambassador, a girl who fell into the underground and broke the barrier. She was 15, yet she was surprisingly mature for her age. She went to a school founded by the monster queen. "Aha!" Laure exclaimed.
"Has MacKenzie found a lead in her case?" Bryce asked, brushing a lock of dark hair off his freckled cheek.
Laure grinned, "Yes, actually."
"What did you find?"
"A school run by the monster queen. Schools usually have a way to contact them, so parents can ask questions about where they're sending their kid."
"Excellent work, MacKenzie. Soon you'll be out on the streets, solving murder mysteries." Laure laughed at that. "I shall leave the Great Detective to her work."

Quickly, Laure typed in the school's name into Google. She had to scroll past some news articles about monsters and schools to get to the school website. She tapped on the "Contact Us" tab and found what she was looking for. An email address. Copying it into a blank email, she wrote her message, pausing every now and then as she went, deleting it all and starting over twice.

Dear Mrs Dreemurr,

I apologise for bothering you; I understand that you are a busy woman, being the queen of monsters and running a school. I have something that I think would be worth bringing to your attention.

Someone claiming to be a Dr Gaster has been corresponding with me. He says he is a former Royal Scientist. I thought that monsterkind would like to know where he is, if he is telling the truth. If you can find the time to reply, I'd appreciate it a lot if you could tell me whether you know him or not.

Sincerely,
Laure MacKenzie.

Normally, Laure would ask one of the other library staff to proof-read her email, but she hadn't told anyone else of Dr Gaster and she didn't want to raise questions she couldn't answer yet. All she'd said was that she was looking for a way to contact monsters. Now that was done, and all she needed to do was hit "Send". Her finger hovered over it for a few seconds before she pressed down and the job was done. Time to wait.

Laure checked her phone as she was getting eggs out of the fridge. She had an unread email in her inbox. It was from the queen. An egg slipped from her hands and smashed on her foot, getting yolk and whites all over the fuzzy sock she was wearing. She stared at the egg like it had personally offended her, and in a way it had. Placing her phone and the other eggs on the counter, she swiftly cleaned up the mess and rinsed her soggy egg sock in the sink. Then she was back on her phone and opening the email.

Dear Laure,

No need to apologise, dear. I do know of Dr Gaster. I know his brothers personally. They wish to come see him and ask if he wants to come home with them. Could you please let us know where he is?

Warm regards,
Toriel.

Laure immediately began typing an email in response.

Dear Toriel,

There is a bit of a complication. According to Dr Gaster, he used to be trapped somewhere called "the Void". Apparently, it's somewhere that doesn't exist, and now that he has returned from there he doesn't fully exist yet. I'm still confused on the matter myself. All I know for certain is that I can't see or hear him, yet we have been communicating using a notebook and a pen.

If his brothers want to come still, then they're going to have to come a long way. As I understand it, most monsters are in America, near Mount Ebott. Dr Gaster and I are both currently in Australia. I don't know if this will be an issue or not.

Sincerely,
Laure.

As she was writing, she heard a pen scribbling behind her. She checked the notebook when she was done.

You've been in contact with Queen Toriel, I see. I have some questions.

Laure chose to hold off sending the email, in case this discussion had any information in it she wanted to add.

Shoot.

 

What have you told her?

 

In the first email I sent I said that we had been talking. Didn't say how. I asked her if she knew you. I haven't sent any other emails yet, though I have one ready to go. Is there something you want me to add?

 

Could you ask her how Sans and Papyrus have been going?

 

Are they your brothers?

 

Yes.

She added the question to the email.

What have you written in the email you are going to send?

After reading this, Laure just put her phone down next to the notebook, email open. She waited a minute or two, then scrolled down so Dr Gaster could read the rest of it. She went back to the kitchen and continued prepping her breakfast. She grabbed milk, salt, some thick bread, and a bowl. Cracking open two eggs and adding some milk and salt, Laure began whisking together an egg mixture for some basic French toast. She came back to the notebook and read what was written there.

Where is Australia? I have not heard of it before.

Laure chuckled at this.

Geez, I didn't think about that. Australia is an island country, kinda south on the globe. I'll get out a map of the world later to show you.

 

Could you add that in addition to not fully existing yet I am also bound to this area?

 

Of course. Anything else?

 

That is all for now. Thank you.

Laure had finished making and eating her breakfast at this point, having done that between reading and writing new messages. She quickly read over the new version of the email.

Dear Toriel,

There is a bit of a complication. According to Dr Gaster, he used to be trapped somewhere called "the Void". Apparently, it's somewhere that doesn't exist, and now that he has returned from there he doesn't fully exist yet. I'm still confused on the matter myself. All I know for certain is that I can't see or hear him, yet we have been communicating using a notebook and a pen. Dr Gaster has also reminded me to say that he is bound to this location, so, unfortunately, he won't be able to return with his brothers for the time being.

If his brothers still want to come, then they'll have to come a long way. As I understand it, most monsters are in America, near Mount Ebott. Dr Gaster and I are both currently in Australia. I don't know if this will be an issue or not.

Sincerely,
Laure.

P.S. Dr Gaster wishes to know how Sans and Papyrus have been.

Good enough.

Sending the email, Laure got ready for the day.

Chapter Text

The monsters had begun to remember someone who had been long forgotten. Dr W. D. Gaster. The name had been floating around in conversations for a while. Many remembered that he was the creator of the Core. Confusion arose; how could everyone in the Underground just forget someone so important and impactful? The Dreemurrs called their ragtag group of friends together to discuss this. After the barrier was broken, Toriel begrudgingly agreed to return to her old title of Queen of monsterkind. She had been standoff-ish around him at first, but gradually their broken relationship was rekindled, and they were back to loving each other wholeheartedly, despite past mistakes that they'd both made.

Once the whole group had finally arrived, Asgore gazed over everyone. Undyne and Alphys were together in a corner. Alphys was nervous as usual, wringing her scaly yellow hands, and Undyne was trying to put her at ease. It was working just a little bit. Papyrus and Sans were standing by the oak table, Sans grinning widely and Papyrus trying to hide his own grin behind a frown. Toriel was by his side, chatting with their adoptive daughter, the saviour of monsters, the angel who made the Underground go empty, the Ambassador for monsterkind. Frisk. He was still in awe of what the child had accomplished. Deciding it was time to begin, Asgore cleared his throat and the room went quiet.

"As you all know already, we are here to discuss this Dr Gaster that has been forgotten until recently."
"Who is this punk? Where has he been all these years?" Undyne interjected.
Papyrus exclaimed, "He is our older brother."
Undyne stared at him. "Are you saying that your big bro just abandoned you? For years?!"
"Uh, Undyne—" The tall skeleton began.
"He was trapped." Sans came to the rescue.
"Yes, that is what Laure told me," Toriel states. "She sent me another email just earlier this evening."
Papyrus yells, excited, "Really? What did the human say?"
"She said that Dr Gaster had been trapped in the Void and that he didn't exist while he was there."
"The Void, huh? I remember he used to work with the Void," Sans said thoughtfully. "Ran tests and stuff."
"Th-that would explain w-why we didn't-t remember him before," Alphys added.
Toriel continued. "She also said that he doesn't quite exist yet and that he is currently bound to his location."
"So he can't come home with us?" Papyrus asked, his face forming a real frown this time.
Toriel sighed. "Not yet."
Frisk hadn't said a word since they'd started and decided to speak up. "Where is he?"
"Ah yes, thank you, my child. You bring me to the other issue. He is in Australia."
"Australia?" Undyne questioned. "Isn't that the boiling-hot place in the middle of nowhere with snakes, spiders, and crocodiles?"
"Yes, I believe it is," Toriel responded.
"HECK YEAH! You can count me in for the trip!" Undyne cheered.
Alphys reasoned, "B-b-but Undyne, Australia is on the other side of the world."
"Since when has that stopped me?!" Undyne shot her signature grin at her girlfriend.
"My brother and I will also be going, of course," Papyrus announced.
"Can I go? Can I go?" Frisk bounced up and down.
Toriel replied, "No, my child. You have school to go to."
"But," Frisk debated. "This is an issue concerning a monster. And I'm the monster Ambassador. I should go."
"This is a family issue, so Sans and Papyrus will handle it."
"Why does Undyne get to go and I can't?" Frisk complained.
"Because I'm gonna wrestle a crocodile!" Undyne yelled.
"Isn't that pretty dangerous? You wouldn't want the crocodile to get hurt," Sans joked.

Asgore listened to others, chuckling at their antics. "Then it's decided," his warm voice rumbles through the room. "Sans, Papyrus, and Undyne will go to Australia to investigate and do... other activities."
"Hold on a minute, Fluffybuns." Toriel places a warm hand on Asgore's arm. "We do not know where in Australia yet. And we should tell Laure first."
"Okay, Tori," Asgore smiles at his wife.

Chapter Text

I have told you about me, yet I do not know much about you.

 

What do you want to know?

 

Where do you work?

 

At the library.

 

That mustn't pay very well if you are still living in a space comparable to a closet.

 

Rude.

 

I am only stating what I see.

 

I have student loans to pay off.

 

Ah, I see. That, however, doesn't change the closet-like nature of your living space.

 

No need to rub it in, I'm well aware of the size of my home.

 

How about friends?

 

The other library staff.

 

Well, don't you get about.

 

Again, rude.

 

My apologies.

 

You don't mean that, do you?

 

Not one bit.

 

Did you reorganise my fridge?

 

It was messy.

 

Everything is in alphabetical order.

 

I've been told I have a problem.

 

I wholeheartedly agree.

 

Rude.

 

Now you know how I feel.

 

Touché.

 

Are you getting bored staying here all day?

 

Just a little bit.

 

Do you like sudoku?

 

Yes, I do.

 

I hope this helps cure your boredom.

 

OH THANK YOU SO MUCH THIS IS AMAZING

 

Wow. You really like sudoku.

 

You can never fully understand how I feel right now.

 

Did you finish the book already?! It hasn't even been 24 hours!

 

I have been deprived of entertainment for a very long time.

 

I'll buy you a few more puzzle books when I get the chance. Any kinds you absolutely hate?

 

Anything is fine with me.

 

Here's another sudoku book, as well as a couple of assorted puzzles books.

 

You are amazing.

Chapter Text

Dear Laure,

Sans and Papyrus have been going well. I'd say more but the two can tell him themselves. Speaking of which, a small group of us are happy to come to Australia. Where in Australia will they be going? Also, if you have any tips for preparing for Australia, please let us know.

Warm regards,
Toriel.

Laure hurriedly wrote a reply after reading through the most recent email. After sending that she left a note in her notebook before leaving her home for the day.

Toriel says your brothers have been going well. She says they can tell you more in person when they come here.

Laure closed the library door gently behind her as she entered the familiar building. She'd always loved it here, she felt at home among the wooden bookshelves. When she was younger, she liked to just lie there on the blue carpet and mindlessly read the titles on the spines of books. Laure drifted over to the back room reserved for library staff, wondering why everything seemed quieter than usual. Libraries were usually quiet, but today something felt off. She twisted the door handle and nudged the door open, darkness welcoming her on the other side. Suddenly, the lights were back on, and a group shout assaulted her ears. "SURPRISE!"
"Wha..." Laure didn't know what to say to the sight in front of her. The room was covered in colourful streamers, and there was a handpainted sign at the back.
Happy Birthday, Laure!
Oh. It was her birthday.

"Uh, thanks, guys. You really didn't have to..." Laure trailed off.
"Nonsense!" Bryce said enthusiastically. "An astounding person deserves an equally astounding party."
"...Thanks."
It was her birthday?
Bryce put a strong hand on her shoulder and guided her across the room. "Over this way, and you can receive your gifts." He sat her down on a chair, and a couple of the others went off to the side to grab something. When they came back, they had a large basket in their hands that was filled completely with chocolate. On closer inspection, Laure noticed that there were many different kinds. Bree, one of her coworkers who she didn't talk with as regularly but still considered like family, spoke up. "We all went out and bought some chocolate for you since we know you like chocolate so much." Laure indeed did like chocolate. A lot. She smiled widely as she accepted the basket. "Thank you very much. I really appreciate it." Not a moment after that she had something wrapped in bright orange wrapping paper bounce off her face. Laure sat there startled, then she narrowed her eyes at Bryce, who was snickering to himself. She carefully opened the messily-wrapped present, trying not to rip the wrapping paper any further than it already had been, and inside was a shirt. She held it up, the wrong way around initially, and read the quote on the front.

When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth.

Sherlock Holmes, of course. Looking over at Bryce again she grinned, "Thanks."
Hettie came over to Laure's side and handed her another gift, wrapped neatly unlike the shirt from Bryce. "Here you go, dear." Carefully opening this gift too, a book bag was revealed. It was made of fabric, yet it was sturdy, and it had Hettie's signature embroidered flowers on it. It was just the right size for Sherlock, which she brought with her to work every day.

Laure was happy. The library staff had made sure she had a great birthday, even if she didn't remember it herself. There was a cake, there were fun and laughs, overall it was a good time. She guessed that she'd probably receive cards from family over the next week or so, depending on how fast they got through the postal system.

Laure arrived home at the end of the day with her arms full and a smile on her face. She dropped her keys on the counter, knowing Dr Gaster would move them — it had become a joke between them — and placed her gifts on her bed. Immediately she went to the bathroom to try on the shirt from Bryce. She had started getting changed in the bathroom when she knew that Dr Gaster was around, and tried to ignore the fact that he'd have seen before then. Laure was pleased to find that the shirt was loose on her slight frame, the way she liked it. She came back out and glanced at her notebook, spotting a new message. She wrote a reply, still smiling.

Where did you get all of this?

From work. I'd completely forgotten it was my birthday.

She started sorting through her loot. The basket full of chocolate was too big for her fridge, so she reluctantly took out the chocolate and packed it into the fridge in a more space-efficient way. Still wanting to put the basket to good use, Laure put the basket at the foot of her bed and decided to put her scarf and her book there from now on. She slid Sherlock in the book bag from Hettie and placed that into the basket. She wandered back to the spiral-bound notebook.

Happy birthday.

I half expected you to make some comment like "How do you forget your own birthday?".

I likely would have done so if I wasn't guilty of that myself.

Suddenly, Laure remembered an earlier promise. She ran off for a moment and started rummaging through her stuff. She came back triumphant and laid out a map of the world next to the notebook. She drew an arrow in the notebook leading to a part of the map and, after some thought, wrote the best summary she could think of.

This is Australia, the country we're in now. Australia is known for being hot, as well as for the animals here. Probably other stuff too. I don't really know.

Absolutely amazing.

What animals are here that make it different?

We've got kangaroos, koalas, dingoes, and echidnas, to name a few. I can show you pictures later if you want. Australia is also known for deadly wildlife, too, though while you're more likely to come across a venomous snake here than in Europe, it's not like we're wading through them whenever we walk out the door.

Laure went on her phone while waiting for a response, and saw another email from Toriel she'd received earlier in the day. She skimmed through it and grabbed the pen before Dr Gaster wrote anything

You'll get to see your brothers in a few days, as well as someone called Undyne.

You're joking.

No, I'm not. They'll be staying in a place I suggested that isn't too far from here.

Laure didn't see any response to that for the rest of the day, despite checking periodically. She went to bed wondering what Dr Gaster was thinking that made him speechless all of a sudden.

Chapter Text

The room was filled with the buzz of chatter. Some people were excited to see their loved ones, others were waiting anxiously. Laure stood awkwardly between a couple with very bored children and two crying ladies. She pulled her scarf over her mouth nervously and adjusted her grip on the cardboard sign she was holding up. She had made it hastily before leaving, writing the names of the monsters she was to meet in thick black marker. The clock on the wall read 22:54. The flight she was waiting for had arrived about ten minutes ago. She watched as more people streamed through the doors, eager to leave the airport and get somewhere more comfortable, and she saw the crowd around her slowly thin. The clock read 23:26 and the room was nearly empty when Laure finally saw the monsters she had come to collect. A confident stride combined with blue scales and contrasting bright red hair pulled back in a ponytail caught her eyes first. This had to be Undyne. She was wearing ripped jeans and a black top which did nothing to hide how muscular she was. Walking next to her was an equally confident-looking monster, but where she had scales, this monster was bone. One of the brothers, then. He was tall and wore a scarf that matched his friend's hair in colour, along with an orange t-shirt and black pants. The third was also a skeleton, shorter than the other two. He was wearing most notably a blue hoodie and fluffy pink slippers, which struck Laure as odd, but she chose to shrug it off. She picked up her cardboard sign she'd put down during the wait and gave the group a little wave. The shorter skeleton spotted her first and got the attention of the others.

"Hello, human," The tall skeleton greeted. "You must be Laure. Toriel informed us that you would be here."
Undyne leaned in with narrowed eyes, "Where is the closest place I can wrestle a crocodile?"
"I... uh..." Laure stammered. "I... don't know?"
"Undyne! There are more important things at the moment," Papyrus reminded.
Undyne scoffed, "Like what?"
"Like getting to the hotel we'll be staying at."
"Oh, right."

Laure kept quiet while she led the monsters to her car, choosing to listen to their conversation without adding anything. Despite the lack of a formal introduction, she learned that the taller skeleton was Papyrus and the shorter one was Sans. When they arrived at her car, Undyne and Papyrus sat in the back and Sans made himself comfortable in the passenger seat to her left. The drive was much the same as the trip to the car, with the louder monsters having a debate over cooking styles in the back while Sans seemed to be napping. This made it all the more surprising when Sans spoke up suddenly. "What do you do, Laure?" he said. Laure was very proud of how she managed to not flinch and swerve the car.
"Sorry, what did you say?" she asked after taking a deep breath.
"What's your job?" he rephrased. The two in the back went silent, interested in her answer.
Laure took a moment to find her voice again. "I... I work in a library."
"A library?" Undyne repeated. "That's boring."
"Undyne!" Laure spotted Papyrus giving his friend a look in the rear-view mirror.
Laure laughed softly, "Yeah, a lot of people think that. I guess it would be boring for most. I don't mind, though." The car was quiet for a while until Sans spoke again.

"How is he?" Sans asked.
Laure knew who he was asking about. "He's been quiet the last few days, but otherwise he seems fine."
"He's probably been rendered speechless by the prospect of someone as cool as me coming to see him!" Papyrus announced.
"Probably," Sans chuckled. Laure laughed again as she gazed at the open road ahead of her.

Laure got home past one in the morning that night. She tossed her keys on the counter after locking the door and she flopped on her bed with a sigh. She stayed there for a moment, just breathing in and out. She started thinking about Dr Gaster and dragged herself upright to check if he'd responded to the note she'd left earlier.

I'm going to get them now. I'll be dropping them off at their hotel before coming back home.

Thank you so much, Laure. Thank you for showing me kindness while I've been here. Thank you for making it possible for me to see my family again. From the moment I was lost in the Void, all I wanted was to see them. It's so strange to think that I'll finally be able to do this tomorrow. Thank you.

A sad smile found its way onto Laure's face as she read this. She wrote a reply without hesitation.

It's the least I can do. I know what it's like to be separated from someone you care about. I know the anguish that comes with it, as well as the hope, however irrational and painful it may be in some situations. If I can help someone who's gone through this, I will.

With that, Laure let out a yawn and went to bed.

Chapter Text

Laure was prepared for the day. She'd swapped shifts at the library so she had the whole day off, and she'd woken up early to do some last-minute tidying. The monsters she'd met yesterday were to arrive at 10:30 that morning, giving Laure some time to get some rest after the late night. Laure had suggested they come the next day so that they had some time to adjust to the new time zone, but they had insisted they would be fine to come that day. She talked with Dr Gaster and the plan was that he'd speak by writing in the notebook and everyone else would speak aloud. They agreed that it was the easiest way to do things. Dr Gaster wanted to help Laure tidy but she didn't let him, as he'd need to save his energy.

Ten minutes before the monsters were supposed to arrive, Laure was sitting outside nervously. She wrung her hands as she looked up and down the street. Someone went past walking an enthusiastic-looking beagle, struggling to keep the dog from sniffing everything in existence (it certainly looked like that was the dog's intent). Time went by with no sign of them, and Laure was getting more and more anxious. Suddenly, Laure heard a shout. "HEY!" She whipped her head around and spotted Undyne giving her a wave, with the skeleton brothers next to her. They were both grinning, Papyrus looking especially excited while Sans was more laid back, though judging by how tightly they were holding hands they were more than a little nervous.

"Hi," Laure said as she stood. "He's looking forward to seeing you," she added after another glance at the brothers. "You have nothing to worry about." They visibly relaxed a bit, but they kept their hands intertwined. "That's what I'VE been saying!" Undyne exclaimed, grabbing Papyrus in a headlock.
Papyrus yelled, "AAAAHHH! Please don't noogie the skeleton!" Undyne paid no attention to that, much to Papyrus' grief. Laure smiled, "Did you want to come inside?"
"HECK YEAH!" Undyne fisted the air.

Laure led the way and got the monsters settled inside. She didn't have much in the way of seating – she had two wooden chairs with cushions, one by a small table, the other the one she kept by her bed – so she offered up her bed as well. Sans took the offer, while Undyne saddled one of the wooden chairs, leaning forward onto the chair's back. Papyrus sat rigidly straight in his chair, bouncing his knee up and down. Taking this as her cue, Laure spoke up. "Uh... you know of Dr Gaster's... situation?" The group nodded. "He'll be writing in this notebook here. He can see and hear us, so we can just talk normally and read what he says." Laure had moved the table to the middle of the room earlier so everyone could see better. The room was silent for a while, save the tapping of Papyrus' foot. Undyne grew agitated, "What are you waiting for? Say something, one of you!" Papyrus glanced at her and opened his mouth as if to speak, but no sound came out. Then a new noise could be heard: the scribbling of a pen. All eyes were on the notebook. A blue pen could be seen moving on its own, writing something. It hesitated for a moment, then continued. Laure hadn't actually seen this yet herself, as she would always check the notebook between tasks. She watched with wide eyes, wondering why she hadn't taken the time to see this before. The pen dropped, and Papyrus asked, "Do you think you could read it out for us, Laure?" She blinked, then the request registered in her brain. "Oh, right! Sure." She stepped closer to the notebook and read the message aloud.

"Sans, Papyrus, I am overjoyed to see you again. I never thought I would, but here we are, thanks to this kind human reaching out to monsterkind about my arrival here." She blushed when she read that part. "I've been so nervous about this, but I'm very happy you came. And Undyne, thank you for supporting my brothers with this. It means a lot to me."

Papyrus abruptly started speaking, "We've missed you so much, brother! Even when we didn't remember we knew something was missing, and now we know that's been you! I had been feeling guilty for not remembering you before, but Sans explained to me that there was no way I actually could. I'm so glad you're back, even if we can't see you."
"I'm glad too," Sans added. "Paps already said just about all of it. Do you think you could patell-us a bit more of what happened?"
"Sans, don't ruin this with your horrid puns!"
"Don't you find them humerus?"
"These are all old!"
"I've still got a femur to tell."
"SANS!"
"You break your funny bone? Is that why you're being so sternum with me?"
"I CAN'T TAKE IT ANYMORE!"
Undyne and Sans both shouted at the same time, "Papyrus, no!" He ignored them and leapt at the closed window. He soared gracefully through the air, but before he collided with the glass, a blue glow surrounded it and the window opened. He flew through the opening, leaving a stunned Laure standing in his wake. "Sorry about that," Sans grabbed her attention again. "He does that sometimes. It's a real pane in the glass." Muffled screams could be heard from outside, though Laure swore she could hear a hint of laughter in them. Undyne just sat there with her hand to her face, shaking her head slowly. "We made him promise to tell no puns on the plane trip," she said like that explained everything.

The pen was at it again, and everyone watched. When it stopped, Papyrus asked eagerly, "What does it say?" Laure turned and blinked at him. He was back inside, and the window was closed. If it wasn't for the leaf caught in his scarf Laure would be questioning if anything had happened at all. She decided to not mention anything and just read out Dr Gaster's message.

"You two haven't changed one bit, I see. All I know for certain about how I'm here is that something was pulling on my soul, and it brought me out of the Void. I don't know if it brought me to a random location, here, or it had something to do with this area. My binding to here suggests the latter, though nothing is certain. I am happy to speak of this more, however, I am very interested in hearing how you've been, what with transitioning to life on the surface."

Papyrus grinned, "Oh, the surface is pretty cool!"
"Not as cool as you, bro," Sans added.
"That is indeed true, brother." Laure couldn't help but giggle a little at their antics. Papyrus continued, "I wake up early every morning to watch the sunrise. I take pictures, too!" Suddenly Laure felt guilty. Her home didn't exactly have the best view so she couldn't show Dr Gaster the sunrise or sunset in person. She hadn't even thought to show him any pictures, while Papyrus already had his phone out and was going through some. "This one is from last week. This here was when human Frisk had a sleepover at our place. That's her there!"
"Frisk is the kiddo that freed us all from the Underground," Sans supplied for Dr Gaster.
"Oh! This is the first one I took a picture of."
"Are you done yet, or are you gonna bore us with pictures for the next few hours?" Undyne prods.
"You're one to talk," Sans' grin widened. "Your first glimpse of the sun had you looking like a fish out of water." He held up his phone, which had a picture of a stunned Undyne with wide eyes and her jaw dropped open. Sans kept going, "You could fire a ballistic missile out of there." At that ridiculous image, Laure was laughing harder than she had for quite a while, and she wasn't alone. Undyne was guffawing to one side and Sans was chuckling to the other. Papyrus let out some 'Nyeh heh heh's, too. As she laughed some part of her registered another noise, a soft distorted snicker that seemed to be coming from by her shoulder, yet it sounded miles away at the same time.

"I'm not saying I don't think the sun is cool, because it is cool," Undyne remarked when the laughter faded. "I'm just saying that there are more interesting things, like wrestling crocodiles!"
"You're, uh, really determined to do that, aren't ya?" Sans asked. Undyne responded with a toothy grin.

Laure asked curiously, "What would you say your favourite part of the surface is?" The trio stood there thoughtfully for a moment. Papyrus was the first one to respond. "I do enjoy seeing the sun every morning, but my favourite thing here would have to be meeting so many new people. Everyone knew everyone in the Underground, or that's what it felt like, at least. While I do care dearly for my old friends, making new friends up here has certainly been a highlight of the surface. And now I can say that I have a friend that lives on the other side of the world to me!"
It took Laure a moment to understand what he was saying, "Wait, do you mean me?"
"Of course!" Papyrus exclaimed happily. This made Laure blush for the second time that day.
"Well, MY favourite things are the challenges and adventure. There are bigger boulders to suplex, more complex techniques to master, and crocodiles to wrestle!"
Laure laughed again. "I really do wish I could help you with that, but I'm afraid I don't know where you can find a crocodile you can wrestle. I would love to see the outcome, though." Laure was only mildly concerned for Undyne's wellbeing, as from what she had gathered about the monster woman she could handle herself quite well.

Laure turned to the skeleton on her bed. "What about you, Sans?"
He hesitated before answering. "Everything is new here. The Underground got... repetitive. Seeing so many new things is refreshing." Dr Gaster started writing again after that.

"From what you said, Sans, I can guess some of our earlier theories proved to be correct."

Sans' gaze drooped down to his feet. "Yeah..."

"I am very sorry about that. I wish I could have been there to help you with that."

"It's no problem, bro. No use beating yourself up about it."

Laure felt a degree of awkwardness being the person to voice Dr Gaster's words at this point. She felt like she was intruding on something private and personal, even if she didn't understand what it was. There were many questions that Laure wanted to ask them, but it was fairly obvious that prying would be a bad idea. It was at that moment that Laure's phone obnoxiously decided to ring. She felt a blush creeping onto her face yet again as she scrambled to grab her phone and mutter a quick "I'll be right back" as she darted out the door. She looked at the caller ID and a picture of Bryce pulling a dramatic pose looked back at her. She answered, getting slightly irritated with her embarrassment. "Hey, what is it?"
Bryce replied in an uncharacteristically serious tone, "There's been a fire."
Laure blanched. "A... a f-fire?"
"Yeah. At the library. No one got hurt, though that much can't be said for the building."
"O-okay..."
His voice was laced with concern. "Hey, are you okay? Do you want me to come over?"
"...No. I'll be a-alright."
"Are you on your own?"
"No. There are people inside."
"Okay. Just let me know if you need me at all."
"Okay. Th-thanks." Laure hung up and stared off into the distance as she was consumed by her thoughts.

Chapter Text

After maybe ten minutes Papyrus came to check on Laure. He found her standing and staring blankly. "Laure, are you alright?"
Her gaze remained unfocused as she mumbled, "I'm alright. I'm f-fine."
Papyrus frowned. "I don't think you are." She said nothing, so Papyrus took the initiative and guided her back inside. He closed the door behind them and then led Laure over to sit next to Sans on the bed.

Undyne frowned. "What's going on?"
"I don't know," Papyrus stated. "I just found her like this."
Laure muttered, still seemingly unresponsive. "I-it's fine. I'm f... fine."
Undyne stood quickly and the wooden chair she was on fell forward. "You are not fine!" Laure had no response.
Papyrus moved in front of Undyne and placed a hand on her shoulder. "I am not sure that is the best approach at the moment."
She looked to the side and sighed, "Fine, okay." She picked up the chair and saddled it again. Sans made a move at this point, gently turning Laure to face him. "Laure." No response. "Laure, look at me." Her eyes shifted towards him. "There, that's good. Could you tell me what's gotten you like this?" She opened her mouth but she didn't speak, then she closed it again and looked away. Papyrus stepped in again. "Laure, please tell us. We want to help you."
She looked at him and swallowed. "F... f-fire."
"A fire?" Undyne repeated a tad too loudly. Laure's shoulders hunched and she drew in on herself a little more. The fish-like monster noticed this and spoke quieter. "Where... where was it?"
"Li... l-l-library." Her eyes shone with building tears.
Undyne slammed her fist onto her leg. "Who would do such a thing? I swear I'm gonna hunt them down and–"
"Undyne, there's no need for that," Papyrus expressed. "We don't even know what happened! It could have been an accident." As they were conversing, Laure slid off the bed and hugged her knees tightly to her chest. Sans saw this, but he didn't know what to do. She was retreating in on herself, that was clear, but would pushing her to open up more help? Or would it make things even worse?

Suddenly a green spark shot from Laure to a spot in front of her, vanishing afterwards. She didn't seem to notice, but the monsters in the room did. The air where the spark had disappeared to darkened a small bit, spreading to form a faint silhouette. The silhouette was bent over Laure with hands resting on her upper arms. Laure blinked through her tears as she felt this light touch on her arms, which then shifted into a faint hug. She couldn't see anyone at first, but upon closer inspection, she too noticed the silhouette. She sat there, stunned until she realised what this might be. "...D-Dr G-Gaster...?" She heard a noise like someone was speaking from far away yet also next to her ear, though she couldn't make out words. She pulled away, got up, and shook her head to clear it, wiping her eyes. "This... this... this is good!" She wore a smile that was almost convincing, were it not for the slight tightness of it and the events beforehand. "Does this mean you... exist more?" The silhouette stood before her, seemingly staring at her, before moving to the notebook and picking up the blue pen. Laure hesitated in going to read it, so Sans did instead.

"While I am intrigued by this development, I do not wish for you to pretend to be happy. Helping you is of more importance at the moment. To do that I must understand your situation further. Are you comfortable with talking about your personal concerns with all of us here?"

"I've only just met you," Laure began. "But I've also been part of your personal stuff, so I should let you be part of mine."
"If you aren't comfortable doing it, don't guilt yourself into it," Sans remarked. "As you said, we've only just met."
"I..." Laure thought about the last part Dr Gaster said. Would she be comfortable talking with all of them? Probably not, even though she felt like she should be. Just with Dr Gaster? "...Maybe later, with just Dr Gaster."
"Okay." Sans glanced at the silhouette. "You better hold her to that, bro." The pen was writing again and Sans read out the message.

"I will. If we aren't going to do that now, then the next priority would be the changes in my situation."

"Yeah." Undyne shifted in her seat. "You all saw that spark thingy?"
Laure gave Undyne a confused look. "Spark thingy?"
"Yes, the green lightning that came from Laure!" Papyrus exclaimed.
"Wait, what?" Laure sat down on the bed again.
"If I didn't already know you were a good person with all of what you've done, I would be interrogating you right now," Undyne commented.
"You don't know about it?" Sans asked.
Laure blinked. "I... what?"
Sans explained, "We saw a green spark come out of you and now we can kinda see our bro." When Dr Gaster wrote again, Laure stepped forward to read out what he said.

"This seems to strengthen and improve my theory that this location, or rather you, have something to do with why I'm no longer in the Void. Though now that this has happened there is something important I must do."

As soon as those words left her mouth, Dr Gaster's silhouette beckoned the two skeleton brothers into a hug. They gladly accepted.