"You look like sh*t... you alright?"

The statement was accurate. Too accurate. Gwen was very well aware of the bags that dragged down under her eyes, she never was good with makeup. Sans seemed a little caught off guard from her appearance, looking at her awkwardly.

"I didn't get much sleep, no," Gwen admitted.

There wasn't much Gwen could do. Once she admitted to herself the truth she had been trying to avoid for so long, she realized the problem. After the war, the entire world had been joined after a new Government, to avoid war. The war was believed to be caused by sinners, thus their system.

Red was going to die no matter what, the most she could do was prolong it by continuing with the case. A few calls were made that night, and while it wouldn't be the first time she had stayed up late to do that, it was by far the most important phone calls she ever made.

Nothing. There was no alternatives to this. The guilt had built upon her, crashing down on her soul every second she remembered the horrid fate she would be sending these skeletons to. No where to escape, no where to run. They were trapped in this system, just as she was.

So, she would continue for now.

The note was slipped to Sans, the skeleton opening it with an expression of confusion.

"This is a picture of the evidence, where the crime happened," Gwen said, "Do you have any responses to it?"

Sans was smart, she understood that rather quickly. It took no time before he understood what she was doing, sliding the note back to her.

"None, but... yeah, I agree, he was stabbed there," Sans muttered.

With a twist of her wrist, she was disposing of the note in her pocket, not to found. No one needed to know what it said. What mattered was that Sans agreed with what was on it, that he was on her side.

"I have to keep interrogating, as you can understand," Gwen said, "Blue had said he managed to find a key, to escape. I'm assuming he used it?"

"Yeah, he did," Sans said, "It's why we were taken here, to this universe. Because we managed to escape from the other house, and we knew where to run to. We all knew the structure of the Underground, and we knew people in that universe to run to, to get help. Here, we didn't have anywhere to escape, or anyone to turn to."

"The others testified that Papyrus didn't leave often, only to go to the store," Gwen said, "And when he did, he was always with you guys. I'm wondering-"

"How we escaped if he was always home?" Sans finished for her.

The woman nodded. She couldn't feel the cross necklace around her neck before. It was the most exhilarating feeling she has felt in awhile.

Sans shifted, wincing when his injured foot had pressure on it. Only then did Gwen finally piece together the evidence, looking at Sans with her soft green eyes, filled with determination.

"Your foot, you had said there was beartraps around the house," She said, "And you knew about them, which means if you had escaped, you would have been watching out for them."

The skeleton gave a curt nodding, seeming to allow the truth of their first escape to spill into the naturally cold air.

"You've been protecting the others this entire time, and it would make sense if you would then, too." Gwen let her voice go quiet for a moment, her own fingers intertwined on the table. "You were the distraction, weren't you?"

"Papyrus always favorited me over the others," Sans said quietly, "If I got hurt, he would be so focused on me that he wouldn't notice the others escaping."

~~~~~~

Blue had been extremely helpful by getting that key from Undyne, by managing to hide it from their kidnapper. However, it wasn't him that used it. No, it was Red, who had agreed with Sans to scout out when Papyrus was finally out once more.

They had been in that darned house for over two months, and climbing out the window felt practically refreshing. Sans and Red were the only two of their skeleton group that stepped out, simply to analyze their situation. The window cut off so much of their view, and Sans almost cried when he felt grass for the first time in forever.

Papyrus would be back soon, they knew that. They had to use this rare time to prepare their escape. The two located where the bear traps were, so Red could lead them safely away the next time Papyrus was gone. If any of them got a foot injury, they wouldn't be able to even run.

Thus, the two crept along the grass, keeping weary of any other sounds as they located each and every trap around the house. If they had managed to break out and escaped in a rush, there was no doubt they would have gotten snagged by one and would have dropped fast, unable to escape. All Papyrus would have to do would be circle around the house until he spotted them.

But there wouldn't be enough time to get far even if they managed to dodge the bear traps, Papyrus was barely gone for long enough periods of time to even get out of the forest. None of them had maps, either, so they could get lost. Which meant Papyrus would be able to track them down, and they'd have no choice but to come back unless they would starve. Red and Sans were able to conclude if they managed to have enough time to get out of the forest, then they would have a significantly better chance of escaping. But there wouldn't be enough time to escape, not without...

Not without a distraction.

"Papyrus loves me most," Sans had said, "I look just like his Sans. You guys would be able to escape, to go get help. You could come back for me."

Red looked at him, red eyelights tinted with worry. "Are you sure?"

"We know Alphys is still alive, she can help us!" Sans said, "All we'd have to do is go find her on the surface, or go back Underground. The Old Lady behind the door said she never intended to leave, even if we escaped to the surface, remember? She said she couldn't look at humanity after she failed those kids. She could help."

There was a curt nod from Red. They were the only two who had knocked on the door from their group, only they knew about her. If they could get behind the doors, they could all be safe. She could come back, get Sans.

"But what about us? He'll still know we're gone, and what if he decides to just bring you back and once he gets you rechained, he goes after us? We wouldn't get very far," Red said.

"Not if he doesn't notice your gone," Sans said, "We have awhile to build up to the escape. I can act more desperate, and when I get hurt, I can distract him. Act like I need him. Papyrus loves me, doesn't he?"

~~~~~~

Everything had come to this moment. Sans spent the next two weeks building up to it. Scratching more at his cuffed leg until he started bleeding. The scratches did sting, but he knew it would be far worse.

And it was.

When Papyrus left the next time, everyone was out of the window in an instant. Red took charge, guiding them through the bear traps. But not Sans. No, he held back, standing with his back to the house. Blue had been the only one to give him one last look before he too disappeared into the forest, leaving Sans alone to stand.

And stand.

The anxiety and fear was like a brick that hung at his soul, yet the feeling was nothing new. He danced from foot to foot, knowing full well that soon, he wouldn't be able to.

Only when he heard Papyrus' car approaching did Sans' breath catch, pausing. The car stopping had him looking down, the key pressing so painfully against his phalanges. A cruel reminder that he was about to be chained again, that he was willingly going to disable himself, and that he was going to disable himself, unable to escape from the man he was hated.

But the reminder was fresh. The others were going to use this to escape. They were going to be free.

This was for them.

So he sucked in a breath, and with a determined soul, he took the step forward.

Right onto the bear trap, dead center. The pain was excruciating, much like the scream that managed to tear from his throat. Sans slammed his eye sockets shut as he tore his leg to the left, fully aware that this would worsen his injury. And sure enough, it did, the unbearable pain causing Sans to fall against the grass, screams escaping just as the tears did. He could barely feel the warm blood pooling down his now broken bones, the spikes of pain far more present.

Sure enough, there was Papyrus, happening upon Sans without checking if the others were in their room. Yeah, that was right. Focus on Sans, don't look at the open window to an empty room. Sans forced himself to twist his still captured foot again, causing more bones to crack and splinter. Another cry of utter pain sounded, no doubt causing Papyrus to hurt. He better f*cking suffer from seeing Sans like this.

Papyrus had managed to get Sans unhooked from the trap before he carried him inside, quickly retrieving the medical kit. Sans let himself clutch at his red scarf, not bothering to stop the tears or cries. Make himself loud, keep himself in pain. Look panicked, look vulnerable. Papyrus liked being needed, and this was giving him everything he wanted. A crying Sans, hurt and holding him back, begging for his loving brother to make him feel better. The expression was one of trying to sooth the smaller, but Sans could see the giddy smile on Papyrus' face as he helped Sans.

"I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry-" Sans chanted, hugging back at Papyrus.

"You shouldn't have tried to leave, you caused this to yourself," Papyrus hummed, his voice the terrifying quiet that Sans hated. "But don't worry, Papyrus will make it better!"

"I'm sorry, I won't e-escape again," Sans hiccuped.

Keep looking at him. The others were getting distance. Sans had to keep his attention. Sans forced himself to focus on the pain, to force himself to sob fatter tears.

"No you won't," Papyrus said, rubbing Sans' back, "You won't escape anymore, right you silly bones?"

Sans wanted to throw up.

That's how they stayed, for the rest of the day. Papyrus holding onto Sans, who kept himself a crying mess as long as he could. He even let Papyrus feed him again, choking down mouthfuls of the awful spaghetti before he started crying again, causing Papyrus to need to sooth him down once more.

It had been a good amount of time before the distraction finally wore out. But by then the others were far gone, no doubt having managed to escape from the forest. Sans had been sitting in the living room when he heard the plates meant for the others clatter to the ground in the other room.

Papyrus had come back to the living room to find Sans giving him, for the first time in his captivity, a confident face.

"You looking for someone?" Sans asked, smiling brightly. "I'm a really good fake crier, aren't I?"