Just as Gaster predicted, when you see Papyrus the next day, he's already feeling better. Gaster isn't letting him leave the house, but he's up and about and only just a little sniffly. You spend the day at the skeletons' house, you, Sans, and Papyrus playing video games while Gaster sits at his desk, working on some pet project or other. When you bring this up, and ask why he's not working on your new staff, he tells you it's because he gave up on the staff because you were being too much of an impatient, whiny little child who bothered him so often that he couldn't get any work on it done anyway.

You can't tell if he's being serious, or just joking because you asked about it, and when you try to ask about that, he just tells you to stop bothering him.

Not long after, Thanksgiving comes around, and soon after, Christmas. You realize it's been an entire year since Gaster was saved from the Void.

After dinner on Christmas Day, Undyne opens up the spear-sharpening kit that Alphys got her, and proceeds to sharpen her spear.

Gaster makes some remark about Undyne not needing to do that, because the spear's sharpness remains unaffected by any physical wear or use.

"What would you know about Magical spear care?" Undyne laughs.

Gaster just snorts. "I made a thousand Magical weapons, among which were your father's glaive and your mother's spear. That, in your hands, is my very own craftsmanship, inherited from your parents."

Undyne looks at Gaster. Then she looks at her spear. Then she looks back at Gaster. "You... knew my parents?"

"I knew them well. Your father was one of my closest friends."

You think that shouldn't surprise you, because Gaster was the Royal Scientist, so of course he knew people, but it still does surprise you.

Undyne's next question surprises you even more. "Do you... know what happened to them?"

"Hm?"

Undyne speaks slowly, her voice quieter than usual. "When... when I was very little, they both just... disappeared... in Hotland... I was told they tripped and fell into the lava, but I know that's not right, because my parents never would have just tripped!"

Gaster doesn't immediately respond. When you look at him, he's wearing a peculiar expression, and you realize it's because he's doing his best to stifle some other expression, brought on by an unwanted emotion.

He looks like he has been unexpectedly bitten in the back by remorse. "I-... yes. I was-... I was there."

For a long time, everyone is silent. Then, Undyne asks, "What happened to them...?"

Gaster doesn't meet her gaze. "... It..." He almost whispers. "... It was my fault... I-... it was the beginning of the DT project, and... I had started experimenting on living monsters... he-... he volunteered... and-..." He takes a deep breath, and slowly forges on. If his expression is anything to go on, this is a rather painful recounting for him, especially considering Gaster is even more adept at disguising his emotions than Sans is. "They hadn't even been at my lab for the next experiments, it was just a visit. As they were leaving-... your father's body finally gave out to the strain the determination was putting on him, and... he started to-... your mother tried to carry him back to my lab, but he was too heavy, too clumsy, and-... and they-..." Gaster doesn't finish, instead taking another breath, and finally looking at Undyne. "I'm sorry, Undyne," he murmurs, "it was my fault."

Undyne just blinks. Without a word, she gets up, and walks out of the living room, and down the hall. Alphys follows her.

Sans and Papyrus are quick to come to Gaster's side, consoling him and telling him it wasn't his fault. He counters that it was, but there's nothing he can do about it now. He seems sad and regretful, but you think he's come to terms with it.

After a moment, you go to follow Undyne and Alphys to make sure Undyne is okay, too.

As you slip down the hall, you hear Alphys's voice from the study, where they've presumably gone. "U-Undyne... you can't b-blame Gaster. I-it was an experiment, a-and your dad v-volunteered. I-I'm sure he was a-aware of potential c-consequences."

Undyne, who you see as you peek around the door, is pacing back and forth across the floor, just sighs. "I know, I know... it's just... that's not what... I wanted it to be, you know? They-... they were supposed to be heroes."

Alphys is sitting in one of the large armchairs. "They were, in the war..."

"I know!" Undyne lets out a frustrated cry, pressing her hands against her eyes (er, eye and eyepatch). "... I know... I-... I just wish he had told me sooner..."

You decide this is when you should interject. "But would you have believed him?" You say, stepping into the room.

Undyne looks at you. You see there are tears in her eye. "What?"

"Would you believe Gaster if he has told you sooner? I mean-... this strange guy who doesn't have much credibility because no one really knows him comes by and tells you how your parents die. I mean, sure, Sans and Papyrus would believe him in a heartbeat, but let's face it: they're great, but they're also... well, they're Sans and Papyrus. They're not necessarily the most reliable sources." You pause. "... So maybe it's better Gaster told you now, because now you know you can trust him."

Undyne is silent.

Then Alphys stands up and takes one of Undyne's hands. "U-Undyne... d-does this, in any way, r-really change what you think of your parents?"

"... No..."

"A-and isn't it better t-to finally know what really h-happened to them?"

"... Yeah..."

Alphys gives Undyne a small smile. "S-so then, why are you upset? I-I'm sure that, either w-way, your parents are s-still watching over you."

Undyne doesn't say anything, but lifts Alphys up and hugs her.

The small yellow saurian hugs her back. "B-better, now?"

Undyne just nods.

"Good!" You grin. "Because I think I heard Mom say something about pie being ready, and if we don't hurry, I bet Gaster will eat it all!"

Undyne gets a jokingly furious look on her face. "Oh no, he better not! He's not allowed to drop a bombshell like that on me and eat all my pie! Come on, Alphys, we have some dessert to save!"

You just smile as Undyne drags her girlfriend out the door.

Some time later, after pie, you see Undyne and Gaster talking. They're out in the hall, and you're on the couch, so you can't hear more than the soft murmur of their voices, but Undyne has a solemn look on her face, and Gaster quietly nods every once in a while.

And then Gaster does something. What he does is incredibly unlike his usual attitude, but it puts to rest any doubts you ever had about Gaster being a good person.

He holds out his arms, then gently pulls Undyne into a hug.

It's not the kind of hug he gives Sans and Papyrus. It's not the tight, unrelenting hug, full of unending love and acceptance. It's not the hug of paternal pride and protection that he gives his sons. In fact, it's a kind of awkward hug. Undyne is only loosely embracing him back, and doesn't quite seem to know what to do with her head, and Gaster doesn't do that thing where he cradles the person he's hugging's head to his chest.

But it's a hug nonetheless, and when Gaster and Undyne come to rejoin the rest of the group, they both seem just a bit happier.

§

A/N

Not long ago, a small mouse sat curled up in the nest of blankets of a bed, wondering what and how to write. Little did she know, lurking in the shadows of her room was a vile, ferocious beast. It crept and prowled, silently stalking around, waiting to prey upon the unsuspecting mouse.

Eventually, as the mouse sat pondering her blank paper, the beast saw its opportunity. Quick as a striking cobra, it lunged!

Sensing the impending doom not a moment too soon, the mouse leaped to the side with a shriek. Then she turned to face her attacker.

It was the horrible, infamous Writer's Block!!

The mouse let out a gasp of terror. What could she, a simple mouse, do against this creature of pure evil and spite that had slain so many writers like herself?

The beast lunged again, and fearing for her imagination, the mouse scampered away. The Writer's Block was quick to give chase, though, and, heart beating, the small mouse ran for all she was worth.

It was hopeless, she knew. The Writer's Block was relentless in its pursuit of artists. Whether wielders of words, colors, sounds, or anything else creative, the Writer's Block found them all eventually. There was no escape.

But-...

But people were relying on her!

That hardly mattered to the beast snapping at the mouse's tail.

But she had to finish the story!

That made no difference to the slavering predator running at her heels.

But—

But she wanted to write!

She would write!

And if this was her final stand against the Writer's Block—

Then-

Then so be it! She would go down fighting!

Skidding to a halt, the mouse turned around and pulled out her pen. She held it in front of her, brandishing it like a sword in the direction of the oncoming Writer's Block. Her pulse sounded wild and fast in her ears, and her feet urged her to run.

But no more! This was it! The final battle! Win or lose, she would cower from the beast no more!

With a savage roar, the Writer's Block lunged forward. And the mouse—

The mouse, eyes tightly closed, lashed out with the pen, blindly striking in a wide arc.

There was a sort of sssskrtch like the sound of a pen on paper, and a savage howl, but no impact. No pierce imagination-killing claws, or bite of creativity-eating teeth.

Peeking one eye open, the mouse saw the Writer's Block lying on the floor, motionless. A dark line of ink stood out on the white surface of it's chest.

She had won. The small mouse had beaten the Writer's Block.

Sighing in relief, the mouse took her pen and went to return to her writing.

Behind her, the Writer's Block's foot twitched.

The mouse had won. This time. But the Writer's Block was not entirely done for yet, and there was no guarantee that it wouldn't be back in the future...

Anyway, thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoyed it! Comments and votes are my Favorite Things, and every notification I get makes my day!