Against All Odds

Part 2: Chapter 1

"...SHE SHOULD HAVE BEEN HOME BY NOW..."

The frazzled skeleton sat at the kitchen table, boring holes into the clock with his eyesockets. They'd been lucky enough to make it past their wedding, what with the threats from Papyrus' kidnapper leaving them in an uncertain lurch. It was a happy event, if only slightly marred by the undercurrent of anxiety about the threats leveled against them. As soon as the honeymoon was over, however, Undyne immediately got back to work. She vowed that this monster, this serial killer, would be brought to justice, no matter the cost. But given the very real threat all of them, especially Undyne, possibly losing her life while Papyrus was held hostage, the skeleton wished that she wouldn't have said that.

A few moments later, the front lock clicked open and Undyne walked through the door, bedraggled. She dropped her things near the front door, shuffling over to the kitchen table, where she sat down, elbows on the table, hands rubbing her temples.

"UNDYNE!" Papyrus said. "SO HAPPY TO HAVE YOU BACK HOME! HOW WAS YOUR DAY?" He went about tidying up her pile of discarded belongings as he waited.

"A nightmare..." she growled. "I'm still not sure if we've got any leads on this ba-" She would've finished her sentence but Papyrus had quickly made his way over and was now massaging her shoulders. The fishwoman let her arms drop to her sides as she leaned back in the chair. "Mmmmman... that feels good, Papyrus, thanks."

"MY PLEASURE," he chirped as he kneaded her shoulders.

"He claimed another victim today. Really old guy. Still have no idea who did it. Just a bunch of possible threads of information." Undyne said, lying against the chair with her eye close and mouth slightly agape. "Keep doing that. Don't ever stop."

"ROGER." replied Papyrus, digging his thumbs into her back just the way she liked it.

"How was your day?" Undyne asked through a sigh.

"WELL," he began. "ON THE WHOLE, IT WAS ALL RIGHT. WE WERE TRYING OUT A NEW ANGEL HAIR DISH TODAY; LOTS OF PEOPLE STOPPED AT THE TRUCK. WE EVEN GOT A LOT OF GOOD CRITIQUES ON HOW TO IMPROVE IT. BUT... I DO MISS HAVING YOU HOME AT THE USUAL TIME."

Undyne, staring up at him upside-down, gave him a sympathetic look. "Yeah, it kills me too that I can't spend as much time with you. But if anything, the extra hours are helping. We think we've got a new lead."

"REALLY? THAT'S WONDERFUL. AND KIND OF A RELIEF."

"Well don't breathe too easy, we're not sure." With a contented sigh, she slipped down in her chair a bit, only to snap awake a little. "Ugh... man, I'm exhausted. Gonna call it a night here; thank you so much for the massage, I really needed that." She stood up, held his hands, and gave him a gentle kiss. "Are you going to sleep tonight?"

Papyrus shuffled nervously. "W-WELL, I'M NOT SURE..."

She shrugged. "We could at least cuddle, if you want..."

It had not been an easy first few weeks of marriage. In fact, it hadn't been an easy few months. Ever since the kidnapping, any sleep Papyrus did have was plagued with nightmares. Undyne was doing her best to help him, mostly by cuddling if he woke up in the middle of the night. She'd hold his shaking bones close, gently stroking his skull until the sound of her heartbeat lulled him to sleep once more. But Papyrus had taken to forgoing sleep for days at a time before crashing in the middle of the day and waking up with still more nightmares.

And these nightmares had caused problems during the daylight hours as well. On a day where Undyne needed to get into the house earlier than her usual arrival time, she found that all of the windows and doors had been triple locked, bolted, and chained to prevent any and all entry. When Papyrus finally woke up and let her in, he sheepishly explained that he had no memory of it. Undyne just pulled him close into a warm, understanding hug; knowing him for as long as she had, she knew it was what he really needed at that moment.