Against All Odds

Part 1: Chapter 1

With the morning stillness inside the house, no one would've guessed that there had been chaos in the nearby neighborhoods that night. Undyne dragged herself out of bed with a stretch and a yawn and headed downstairs to where her happy fiancé was busy at work in the kitchen. Shuffling to the kitchen table, she pulled over a chair and sat down on it backwards.

"GOOD MORNING, UNDYNE." said Papyrus as he cheerfully flipped a pancake on the stove. "DID YOU SLEEP WELL?"

"I guess so," she muttered, reaching for the TV remote and turning on the television. "Had a weird dream, though."

"REALLY?" Papyrus asked with interest. "WHAT ABOUT?"

Undyne shrugged. "I dunno... it involved you and some weird quest for a... new kind of pasta? You seemed excited."

"A NEW KIND OF PASTA? THAT SOUNDS INTRIGUING!" Papyrus said as he tipped a few pancakes onto her plate. "I HOPE THIS ONE COMES TRUE. WHAT DO YOU THINK WE SHOULD NAME OUR NEW PASTA?"

"Hmm..." She stared at the plate in front of her. "I guess we could make it like kids' pasta, only in the shape of spears and bones. And we can call it... umm... I don't know."

"'I DON'T KNOW'... UNDYNE, ARE WE MAKING A MYSTERY BRAND PASTA? IT SOUNDS MYSTERIOUS AND DELICIOUS."

"Different shapes in every box. Always a surprise." Undyne speared an entire pancake on her fork and took a bite out of it. "So, what's on your agenda today? First day off in like... what, 2 years?"

"VERY FUNNY." Papyrus deadpanned. "AND FOR YOUR INFORMATION, I WAS PLANNING ON DOING SOME HOUSEWORK, ALPHABETIZING OUR BOOKSHELVES, AND CLEANING OUT THE GUTTERS."

"So basically it's just like every other day." Undyne took another bite out of the pancake and pointed it at him with her fork. "You need to relax, my man."

"I RELAX WHEN YOU'RE HERE." Papyrus winked at her. "RELAXING IS FUN WHEN YOU HAVE COMPANY."

"Hmm maybe we need to take a day off together sometime." Undyne shoved the entire rest of the pancake into her mouth and grinned.

Their attention was diverted when the 'breaking news' music began to blare from the TV speakers. "This just in: police crews are investigating what appears to be a double murder out on Green Tree Drive. The bodies of two people, a man and a woman, were found just outside their home with stab wounds directly to the heart. No witnesses have come forward, and police are urging people to take extra precautions as this appears to be the latest in a series of serial murders."

"Damn it." Undyne muttered, taking out her phone. "And my phone's dead, they've probably been calling all morning. Perfect. Sorry, Papyrus, I have to get going."

The skeleton's face fell. "OH... ALL RIGHT. HAVE A GOOD DAY, UNDYNE!"

"Love you." Undyne said as she grabbed her bag and rushed out the door.

"I LOVE YOU-" Slam. "...TOO."

Papyrus sighed and put Undyne's two remaining pancakes in a tupperware for later. He knew she loved her job as a cop but sometimes it consumed all her focus, causing her to forget the little things. Like finishing breakfast. Or making small talk with her handsome fiancé. Or kissing said handsome fiancé goodbye before rushing out the door.

But it was all right. He could live with that as long as she was happy.

Xxx

"Thank God you finally got here; did your phone die or something?" Chief Barkley shook his head as Undyne stormed in through the meeting room door. The other officers were gathered around the table, drinking coffee, tea, and anything else that could pry their tired eyes open.