~Y/n's POV~

It was all so dark... everything around me was completely black. There was no ceiling, floor, or walls. I was standing on pure, unending, darkness.

My heart began to pace as I spun all around in a circle, this couldn't be happening. I was back? I couldn't be back... I was just with my parents and Ink.

My breathing started to quicken. I could hear it echo all across the empty space, making me panic even more so. I can't handle being here again... there has to be a way out.

"H-H-Help!" I screamed, shaking and stuttering. My cry echoed back towards me, and I collapsed to the floor with tears streaming down my eyes. No... no... no...

I rolled myself into a ball, my breath was quick, heavy, and uncontrollable. Tears were pooling on the nonexistent ground much faster than in the normal world.

"Please... no more... I can't... Ink..." I whispered, my voice barely recognizable. I was shaking like a leaf on a windy day, before the ground suddenly collapsed underneath me.

I was falling, falling into the sea of darkness. My shrieks echoing all around me, with only myself to hear them. I was speeding up with every second, never knowing what I was going to land on. Until, eventually... I hit the bed.

~~~

I could feel Ink's grasp around me, keeping me safe. My breathing was still heavy, and my heart was still thudding against my ribcage. I wasn't crying at the very least.

I took deep steadying breaths, it was just a nightmare... that's all it was. I'm not in the VOID and I will never be in the VOID again... hopefully.

I decided to focus my attention onto Ink's slumbering form. He always looked adorable but he looked especially cute when he was asleep. I noticed he had some bags under his eyesockets which was odd to me. He's never had any trouble sleeping before, is it because we're in a different house and he's not used to it? Oh, right. We're in my parent's house. They're probably awake by now, what time is it?

I rolled over in the bed and squinted at the clock across the room, from what I could see it looked like it was around 10:30 am. The sun was shining through the nearly shut blinds which meant I should probably get up.

I slowly escaped from the blanket's warm and inviting grasp. I didn't want to but I did want to spend the day with my parents. I looked back to Ink and saw he hasn't moved an inch which was another odd thing. He usually wakes up to the smallest movement.

I decided to brush it off for now, I couldn't worry about him right now, for I smelled bacon. My stomach growled at me from its confines, and I wasted no time in listening to it's orders.

I swiftly walked down the stairs two at a time, the sounds of the bacon popping as it was being cooked being my guide. I nearly tripped on the last step, I always forgot it was a bit loose.

I poked my head into the kitchen, and saw both dad and mom working on breakfast. Mom was making the bacon and dad was making... is that what I think they are?

"Good morning, honey!" My mom greeted, noticing me while she flipped the bacon.

"Are those... smiley faced pancakes?" I asked, my mouth agape with wonder and nostalgia as I peeked over my dad's shoulder.

"You bet'cha, exactly the same as I made them when you were 7. I'm surprised you still remember me making these." He answered, drawing a smile with the syrup.

"How could I forget?!" I exclaimed excitedly, not wasting anytime when he handed me the finished plate. I had barely sat down at the nearby table when I started to wolf it down.

They were as fluffy as I remembered them, if not even more.

"Slow down there, we don't need you choking." Dad said, putting a hand on my shoulder as he sat down next to me with his own pancakes. He was too late, I was already coughing after a piece went down the wrong pipe.

Mom handed me a half full glass of orange juice that I gulped down at once. Much better.

"Thanks." I said after the final cough, my voice still a bit hoarse.

"No problem, sweetie. Do you know if, uhm, Ink, would like anything?" My mom questioned, hesitating slightly on Ink's name.

"Well, he can't really eat human food... being a skeleton and all." I explained, somewhat awkwardly. It must seem a bit odd to them that I was dating a skeleton. I'm not sure how acquainted they are with monsters.

"Right... we actually wanted to talk about that." Mom said, sitting down across from me with an unreadable expression and hands folded in front of her.

Oh no.

"We're really happy that you've found someone, really. But... a skeleton?"

"What about him being a skeleton? Is there something wrong with him being a monster?" I asked skeptically, eyeing her intently. I never thought her to be closeminded... I hope I'm just reading her wrong.

"I want someone who can protect you, hon." My dad chimed in, not making eye contact with me. I couldn't help but feel this was a personal blow. I told them all the things I've done to protect the multiverse and they still think I need protection?

"Well for one, Ink is one of the most powerful beings in the entire multiverse. And two, I don't need any goddamn protecting, thank you very much. I can defend myself." I snapped, getting angrier by the second.

Just to make a point, I grabbed my dirty plate with my mind using some of Gaster's magic. I could feel my violet eye spring to life in a fire of magic and my parents looked uneasy. While still maintaining eye contact with them, I placed the plate in the sink and started to wash it off, all while using magic.

"It's just... we lost you once. We don't want to lose you again." My mom muttered, looking down at her hands. Just like that, my anger was lifted. I felt my magic die away and the plate clatter against the sides of the sink.

"Guys- I- I'm sorry. I misunderstood." I apologized sheepishly, starting to feel really bad for snapping. I rubbed the side of my arm while looking down at the floor to avoid eye contact, unlike before.

"I should be the one apologizing, I hadn't meant for it to sound like that. We're just... concerned." Mom said, still looking at her hands. She looked so sad... I'm such an awful daughter.

"We just want you safe and happy." Dad added in again.

"And I already am. Ink is the most amazing person I've met. He treats me right and he's saved my life on more than one occasion. He's the one that got me out of that... that... VOID. He's the reason I can even be here." I reasoned, getting shaky when I mentioned the VOID. I never wanted to think of that place again.

"You're right, of course. We're sorry, sweetie." Mom said, getting up and giving me a hug. I hugged back, of course, and Dad soon joined in as well.

~~~

Ink still hadn't woken up and it's been at least two hours. I was really starting to worry now, he's never slept in this late. Is he alright?

"I'll be right back." I announced to my parents. We had been catching up in the living room, things really have changed. But my main priority was Ink.

I walked up the stairs to the spare bedroom and was about to open it when I heard Ink talking to somebody. Who could be here?

"You've been acting off, I just want to help." I heard him say through the thin walls. It didn't seem right for me to be listening through the door, so I opened it slightly. I poked my head through and saw Ink was sitting on the edge of the bed.

"Listen, I know we've had... disagreements, but that doesn't mean we have to be enemies." Who was he talking to? I peeked in even more and saw nobody else in the room. He was literally talking to the wall.

"You don't have to be miserable, Bl- huh? What do you mean someone's at the..." Ink had turned around and made eye contact with me. We simply stared at each other for a few moments, and I noticed more and more sweat began to form on his skull and his expression become more panicked.

"Um, who were you talking to?" I decided to finally ask, glancing back at the wall. Nope, still nobody was there. Ink was broken from his small paralysis and began to full out panic.

"Uh- um- no body! No body at all!" He exclaimed anxiously, his voice much higher than normal. He swiftly stood up and tried to rush past me, but I grabbed him tightly around his arm.

"Ink." I said, my voice in a very warning tone. I glared straight into him, hoping to make myself clear. "We don't keep things from each other."

Ink tried to wiggle free of my grasp, but I held stronger than ever. I could feel his soul beating fast, and he was extremely sweaty. What could he be so panicked about?

"I- I- Uh- look at the time! Should probably, uh... do... something that isn't asking what I was doing." Ink winced at his own words, knowing just how bad of an excuse that was. I raised my eyebrows at him, not impressed in the slightest.

"Ink." I said again, in a much more calming tone. Being strict wasn't the approach I should be going for. I was worried about him, and I should make that clear. "You can tell me anything."

Ink finally stopped struggling to escape me, and I could feel his soul start to settle. I thought he was about to tell me what was wrong, but he suddenly teleported into thin air.

I was now just standing in the doorframe, all alone. Ink just... ran away from me.