Abandoned Past

Chapter 11: Healing Touch

"Alright just a few more clicks and we should be good to go."
Daddy yanked back his hand as the wires sparked, hissing as he waved it to rid his finger of the stinging. Donuts room was protected to prevent him floating through the walls. Dragonfruit had explained that there was a malfunction after the skeleghost returned to his quarters. After leaving the office and coming back, the doors slammed shut and the generators restarted, powering up the cells. Some were left unlocked, some were left locked.
"Can you really hack an electric door lock?"
Dragonfruit asked, peering over the humans shoulder as he tugged and followed wires, twisting them to figure out which ones would unlock the door.
"It's not really hacking. More like overriding the system so it malfunctions and cuts out the supply of power to the room."
"So...like engineering?"
"Yeah let's go with that."
The large skeleton huffed, moving back before leaning against the wall. Tail flicking occasionally, he crossed his arms over his chest and rhythmically tapped his phalanges against his forearm. He was curious. The human had definitely changed since they had all last seen each other. But it was subtle. As if he was a little more...wiser? More knowledgable? It was weird.

"Sir?"
"Yes?"
"Do you think you can help Donut? He's been like this for a while..."
Daddy sighed heavily, tugging at a wire before disconnecting it. Emitting a high beep, the human stood upright before pressing the button above the wiring.
"Let's find out, hey?"
Watching as the doors slid open, a figure slammed into Daddy and almost threw him back into the wall. Being caught by Dragonfruit, the figure grasped at the others hoodie desperately.
"D-Dad!"
His stomach dropped, hands hooking underneath the others arms as he heaved him off. Donut was not in good condition. His ectoplasmic tail was dripping like brownie batter, his bones almost rubbery. This was not good. Hauling him back into the room, Dragonfruit followed as he attempted to avoid the mass amount of ectoplasm coated on the floor. It was everywhere. A hint at how desperate he was to get out. To seek help.
"Easy. Deep breaths, sugar."
Donuts breathing was ragged, Daddy attempting to get him to regain control. As the others breathing paced, he shifted as the human summoned the skeletons soul. It was in bad shape. He knew Donut had problems but this was beyond what had happened in the past. Something wasn't right. Summoning the green magic that they had seen far too many times, the human concentrated on piecing the other back together. If his soul cracked even more, Donut wouldn't...

"Dragonfruit. Get Cranberry out of his cell. Once I'm finished with Donut, we're leaving."
The skeleghost wailed, clawing at the hard metal beneath him as his soul tightened. The seams had to be closed. Dragonfruit swallowed before turning and sprinting down the hall. They were gonna get out! Daddy would surely take them now! Right....?

Turning his attention back to Donut, the green magic illuminated the room in a desperate attempt to bring Donut back to a stable condition. He wouldn't die. Not on Daddy's watch. Blocking out the severe wails and screeches from the skeleton grasping at his hoodie, his hand pressed against the green and blue soul and gave one more surge of magic.
A lump formed in his throat as the grasping skeleton went silent, sockets black as his skull rolled back. Was he... No. Donut was stronger than that he couldn't be...
"No... Donut!"
Abandoning his soul and allowing it drift back into the skeletons chest, tears welled in the scientists eyes as he shook Donut. No response. Continuing to shake him and desperately call his name, he pulled the other into his chest as his face buried into Donuts shoulder. He... He couldn't save him. He couldn't save anyone. Why did he believe that he could? Tightening his grip on the limp monster, Daddy's body trembled as he choked back an ugly sob and held his breath. He'd.... He'd lost another one. Another being that had a whole life ahead of him. Flinching slightly at the firm squeeze on his forearm, his cheeks flushed as tears rolled down and soaked into the cotton mask upon his face. His eyes widened slightly as his hair was pushed down in a weak pat as if something was attempting to comfort him.
"Dad... I didn't think you'd come back."
Pulling away from the other, Donuts face had a weak grin plastered on it as he let his hand drop onto his stomach. He looked tired. Tired, weak...but alive. Daddy's eyes lit up, letting a laugh exit his chest before pulling the other back into a tight embrace that Donut immediately returned. Pressing his face into the others shoulder again, words poured out of his mouth like a gushing waterfall as his breath continued to quiver and betray him.
"I'm so, so, so sorry. I-I'm sorry for abandoning you all. I'm sorry for not coming back sooner. I'm sorry you had to live in agony for so long. I'm-"
"Dad, please. You're gonna make me cry..."
With the skeletons voice breaking, the sound of footsteps caused them to break the embrace. Daddy turned towards the door, Dragonfruit seeming out of breath as Cranberry soon followed after. Hurriedly wiping away any remaining tears, the larger monster seemed relieved to see Donut was alive. Weak and looking god awful but alive. Cranberry's multicoloured eyes wandered away from Donut, given his own quarters were starting to get infested with the ectoplasm. Locking with Daddy's, tension grew within the silent room before the skeleton shifted on his feet.
"Came back... Huh..."
Cranberry mumbled, his sentence broken into key words that Daddy Sans could understand. He was one of the less intelligent skeletons in the facility, his physical strength overpowering that mental hiccup. Cranberry had never really been close to anyone, considering he was prone to violent attacks.
"Heh... Yeah. Guess I did."
Hooking his arm under Donuts ectoplasmic tail and the other underneath his arm, the skeleghost leaned against the human and then Dragonfruit as he was transferred. Cranberry snorted, huffing as he received a short but welcomed rub on his skull.
"See you... Nice."
"It's nice to see you too."
Squeezing past the two and into the hallway, Daddy paused before looking back to the skeletons. Three found. Now he just had to go get the others.

Moving to walk to the left of the corridor, he froze as a terrified scream rang through his ears and brought him to his knees. He knew that scream from anywhere. Blinking away the sudden tears that formed behind his eyes, he frantically stumbled to his feet and sprinted down the corridor. Hearing the clacking of the skeletons behind him and the morphed words of questions. Rounding corners at such speed to the point where he slipped and scrambled back up, Daddy had no idea where he was going. But as he ran, it became louder. Bursting through one of the doors, the blinding light caused him to screech to a halt and attempt to adjust his sight. His stomach dropped when it came back. Guava was strapped to one of the familiar metal tables the experiments were always put on. So much blood and dust had been contained in this room. The orbs in his sockets were dilated, his ribcage rising and falling at a rapid pace.
Daddy turned his head as footsteps were heard, the three skeletons remained close behind the human. A dark chuckle rang through the room, causing the skeletons to wince and cower just a bit. A figure stepped out of the shadows, a permanent grin planted on his mask.
"It's been a while... Doctor."