Chapter Text
It had been a long day, which wasn't anything new, because every day was a long day for her. She was in the middle of getting yelled at by a mother when the on-duty nurse came and said ‘he’ needed her. Relieved that an exit had opened, she quickly reassured the mother that her child would survive and bid both her and the nurse goodbye. When rounding a corner, she stopped and quietly laughed. It wasn't a cruel laugh, just a quick, light chuckle. There wasn't any reason for it, just a habit she had since she was a child. Her mother had been a strict woman who believed a child's cry only meant weakness, so she had to adapt from a young age to avoid being punished. And that woman made sure she would never forget…
"Lost in your head again, Nes?"
She...Nessa blinked and looked at the doctor, her friend, Sans, or as he was called by many, Sci. To most people he looked just like a normal skeleton in a lab coat. But whoever had met him knew not to underestimate his appearance, because he was the head doctor of the hospital.
"You wanted to talk to me?" she asked while trying to slow down her heartbeat. Thinking about that woman always left her rattled.
Sci gave her a smile, although a little strained. He opened the door that was behind him and walked in. Eyes widening, she just now noticed that while deep in thought, she had arrived at her destination. She needs to start paying attention, or she'll walk off a cliff one day. Walking in, she took a seat in front of his desk.
"Nessa, you know I care a lot about you, and you're like a sister to me –"
"What did you do this time?" She cut him off, looking at him with suspicion in her eyes.
He sweat-drops. "I'm going to be sending you to help some people."
"And they need a nurse; why?"
"Let’s just say they are involved in constant fighting, and most of the time their injuries are so severe that healing magic alone doesn't cut it."
She nods. "Okay, and how long will I be gone?"
"A year"
"A YEAR?!" she stands up shouting. "I can't be gone for a year, Sci; I have patients that need me, not to mention a shitload of paperwork that's waiting for me."
He raises his hand. "Everything is settled. I found a replacement, and don't worry about the paperwork." He looks at Nessa with a pleading smile. "Please, you know I would never force you to do something like this. But they need a nurse, and you're one of the best ones we have."
Nessa sits down, massaging her temples. "Okay, but if they try anything funny, I won't hold back."
Sci grabs her hands, squeezing. "Deal. And don't worry about that. I have an agreement with their boss, so if anything happens to you, he will deal with it personally."
"Who are these people anyway?” she asks while standing up.
"You'll find out soon enough. They didn’t want me to disclose any information because of safety reasons.”
...
'Safety reasons, my ass. Whose safety was he talking about?! Theirs or mine??' She shouts in her head while trying to stay calm. Standing in front of her was Nightmare, the King of Negativity himself. She had met him once, but just in passing when he was exiting Sci's office. The only thing she remembers from that time was the feeling of fear and his smile when he opened the door for her.
He was big, not in height, but his aura was large, imposing, something to be careful of. His whole body was covered in this goop-like substance, constantly moving, as if it wanted to drip off but couldn't. For a man so feared, he was dressed in a simple get-up of a hoodie and shorts – and were those...slippers?
Now she has never been one to judge a book by its cover, but she will admit that being in his presence didn't really spark any sort of comfort. He was well known across the multiverse for what he and his lackeys do. Although the hospital she worked at was located in Sciencetale, which meant it was automatically neutral and protected, everyone still feared the ones known as the "Bad Sanses".
"Nessa REDACTED, REDACTED #452, REDACTED, AU destroyed." Nightmare speaks while looking through a folder about her. "It says you were a head nurse, almost a doctor, before your universe was destroyed." He looks up at her, his one single cyan eye light glowing.
She nods. "Yes, sir."
"When I came to Sci asking for a healer, you were the first one he recommended, which tells me you are good at what you do." He looks her up and down, his eye light lingering on the heart-shaped necklace around her neck. "My team consists of many different personalities; every one of them comes from hard backgrounds, so please do not take it to heart if some of them show disdain towards you.”
She nods. “I understand, sir.”
He smiles at her. “You know you do not have to finish every sentence with sir. While I do appreciate your manners, we will be working with each other for a year, so Nightmare will do just fine.”
“Yes, si- Nightmare.” She stops herself, blushing a bit because of her slip-up.
“Is there anything else you would like to add?” he asks while leaning back in his chair.
She straightens up, instantly composed. “I would like to know where the infirmary is or where you keep the medical supplies. Knowing a bit about everyone would help as well – any specific allergies, illnesses, or conditions so I know what I’m working with and what to prepare for.” She pauses. “And my sleeping quarters, of course.”
Before Nightmare can answer, there is a knock on the study door. “Ah, just in time. Come in, Cross.”
Nessa turns around to see this ‘Cross’ character. She freezes, seeing another Sans, this one dressed in all monochrome. His whole wardrobe seemed to follow a criss-cross pattern, from his fluffy hoodie all the way to his boots. While looking at him, her eyes focus on the heart-shaped necklace, the same one she’s wearing around her neck.
She feels like she's going to be sick.