(Merry Christmas Eve everyone! I've got 3 chapters coming out all at once to make up for the 3 month absence)

~Y/n's POV~

It was actually time... I couldn't believe it. Even though I felt really weird dressed up like this, it didn't stop me from being internally excited.

At least I was until I realized the rest of the Sanses also have to see me like this. I felt goosebumps rise along my skin as me and Cross walked along the hallway. It didn't help that it was chilly without a shirt.

"Something wrong?" Cross asked me, noticing my shift in disposition.

"Um... could you... stay near me? I'm worried about how HL may react..." I answered honestly, there wasn't a point of lying.

"Of course. You should know that he's been somewhat put under control since you last saw him. He won't try anything." Cross moved closer to me like I requested. The fur of his hoodie and the fabric of his jacket brushed against my bare arm. It felt slightly less cold now.

It was only mildly reassuring that HL might not act up. It was still going to be kind of terrifying just to be in the same room as him. Even if he did try and 'attack' I would hope Cross would intervene. Or if the time was right, it would be Ink.

"That reminds me," Cross suddenly stopped in his tracks, causing me to as well. "I need you to listen to whatever me or the others tell you to do, alright?" His face had gotten more serious than it was before.

"...How come?" I questioned suspiciously, narrowing my eyes slightly. There was no way in hell I would be listening to someone like HL.

"I'll make it worth it to you."

"Nothing matters to me more than getting back to Ink, you can't top that."

"So you definitely plan on escaping to him?"

"Can you blame me?! Look, you've been great to me and I appreciate that but you couldn't of expected me to want to stay here."

"I didn't. I didn't expect you to want to cooperate either. I'm still the villain in your eyes, aren't I?"

This made me pause for a moment, staring intensely at his face. "I'm not sure... are you a villain?"

Cross seemed taken by surprise at my response. He sighed to himself, "I suppose I haven't made a good name for myself but I assure you what I'm doing is worth it."

I couldn't come up with a rebuttal in time and Cross started walking again. I definitely didn't want to be left alone in this hallway so I followed him in step. I hadn't figured out a single motivation that he could have. He hated the rest of the group and the group seemed to fear him in turn. I didn't know a damn thing about his history, maybe that played into it? What exactly was worth kidnapping me, even though didn't seem to have wanted to?

We had almost reached the end of the corridor, a lone door in front of us. I could hear murmurs of speech inside. Cross glanced over to me, looking down at my 'outfit', then he glanced back at the door as we approached it. He reached into his jacket and pulled out a blanket that definitely shouldn't of fit in there. Without hesitation, he wrapped it around my shoulders so my body would be hidden.

"Just take that off right before we go through the portal. Ink won't be there for another few minutes so you can hide behind me until he gets there."

I nodded and felt a swell of appreciation in my chest. Why was he being considerate now? His behavior made my head hurt sometimes, I just couldn't figure him out.

Cross opened the door and the room instantly fell silent. There weren't as many people in here as I thought there were going to be. In fact, there was only Killer, HL, and Horror. This was the first time I had seen HL in a long time, he looked... different. Cross wasn't kidding when he said HL had been put into control. He wasn't wearing a needlessly skimpy outfit anymore, still a bit lewd but in a more comfortable way. It was a long sleeved jacket instead of the ripped vest and while there was still a crop top underneath, it didn't display as many ribs. When he laid eyes on me, there was no hint of lust.

Horror looked worse for wear, I understand now how he was paid for hurting me. The crack in his skull had been chipped at more and he had several cuts running across his face. I felt my stomach drop a bit. Cross had done that? Why was he willing to hurt his own followers rather than me?

Cross looked up at a clock on the wall and a portal materialized in the center of the room. "It's time," He announced as he grabbed my arm a little more roughly than he seemed to have meant to. The others stood up without a word, were they too intimidated by Cross to talk? Just what had Cross done to make these murderers fear him?

Right before we stepped through the portal, Cross murmured to me, "Remember, you need to act defenseless."

"You still haven't told me why I should listen to you." I muttered back as we took a step inside.

For the briefest moment, I saw Cross' eyes both turn a terrible red. It matched the color of the scar under his socket. The color of human blood and DETERMINATION. "You wouldn't want to make me angry."

His voice was different again. It was the same as he had displayed to Killer. Was this how he had intimidated the others into silence? Well, it wasn't going to work on me.

I was going to make him angry.

~~~

Where was he?

It's been hours since Ink should have showed up but there hasn't been a sign of him anywhere, or any of the others for that matter.

The universe of choosing was Overtale. It was the exact hilltop we had that fated battle 5 years ago. The area had slightly changed since we left it. More trees had grown around but the area was still quite sparse. There was more wildlife, birds chirping in the new trees, more crickets hopping around as the moon rose, and a friendly lizard who had skittered on the rock I was sitting on.

Only a few mutters had been shared between the skeletons. Cross was sitting next to me and hadn't moved a muscle (not that he had any). The others had been pacing around the perimeters, most likely keeping watch. We've been here since sunset, it had to of been at least 9 or 10 PM now.

Would Ink normally wait this late? Was he still forming a plan? Had he not gotten the apparent message Cross sent? Maybe this was a blessing in disguise. Sure, I was still stuck here but that was better than Ink getting injured. Or worse...

A shiver went up my spine at that grim thought, and the cold wind that swept through the leaves. Cross had given me the blanket again after fishing it from the portal, but it wasn't enough. My fingers still felt like ice and my nose was runny.

The figure next to me finally shifted after looking like a statue for nearly two hours. He looked over at me with tired eyes and took off his jacket. Without a word, he handed it to me. I accepted without hesitation, putting it on as quickly as possible. It was still a short sleeve jacket so it didn't offer full protection against the chill, but it still offered grateful warmth. Not to mention this hoodie was incredibly fluffy as I put it over my head.

"Thank you..." I murmured while wrapping the blanket around me once more. I tucked my knees towards my chest to conserve even more body heat. Cross only nodded in acknowledgement. He looked strange without the jacket on, being in just a black turtleneck sweater.

Out of the darkness of the trees, Horror approached us silently. Discomfort flooded through my body but he wasn't even looking at me. "We've been out here for hours, Cross. He's not coming."

"He will. We just need to be patient."

"We have been patient and we're done waiting around for nothing."

Cross' skull snapped towards the cracked skeleton, a horrible noise echoing through the air as it did so. I scooted very slightly away from the scene that was unfolding.

"We stay here until he arrives. Or are we going to have more issues?"

"We can draw him out sooner if we harm her." Horror gestured in my direction without looking at me.

Cross stood up quickly and grabbed Horror by the collar of his sweater. "You lay another hand on her and you won't be as lucky as last time."

"What are you going to do, huh? Only make more bragging rights on me?" He grabbed at the hole in his skull, letting his fingers slot perfectly with the deeper cracks.

"I don't hear you brag about your past traumas." Cross was now wielding his infamous red weapon after forming it from nothing. It was still on his side, but was clearly still a threat.

Horror scoffed, "You've been going soft, Cross. Look at you, giving your jacket to the girl we're meant to have kidnapped. But instead of treating her like the prisoner she is, you've been treating her like she's some kind of pet you need to take care of. I think it's time we put the dog down, Cross."

I took a sharp inhale of breath and stood up as quick as Cross had. Before I could even think about giving Horror a piece of my mind, Cross put his arm out in front of me. This made me even more pissed as I tried to force my way around him, but he still shifted himself to be in my way.

"C'mon, Cross. Let the girl try and have her way with me."

"No." Cross growled at the both of us, pushing me so I stumbled backwards. I was lucky I didn't fall, that could of been bad if I landed on my stomach. I had to remember I still had a child to protect along with myself. I needed to be smart and strong for both of us.

Horror hadn't been as fortunate as me and had been successfully pushed over onto the grass. He hissed as he landed right on his battered skull. Before he had a chance to get up, the red knife was stabbed through his chest. I sighed as I watched the possession happen. Little did I know, this seemed to be the opportunity someone was looking for.

I felt something coming up behind me before I could react. A hand was placed quickly but gently over my mouth, only a signal to be quiet. I looked up to see if Ink had finally come to rescue me after all.

That... wasn't Ink.

~~~