Previously

After a while of being lost in my thoughts, I finally open my eyes...

To see that he has disappeared?

There's no trace of him anywhere like he just vanished into thin air. Just poof! And he's gone. I whip around, trying to find any sign of him. There's absolutely nothing except darkness and the, now, eerie stillness.

"Paperjam?"

Only silence met my question.

'Was that a hallucination? Maybe an illusion? No, no. It seemed too real. He can't be fake! Then again... I'm not in the most sane state of mind.'

"Paperjam?" I call out again, this time a little more desperate.

Still nothing.

'I don't want to be alone again!'

"W-Where'd you go!?" I stand up and do a few 360s.

Darkness all around.

My breath quickens and sweat starts running down my head. The silence is suffocating and if Paperjam could appear, who knows what else is lurking about!?

I bite my lip and sit down again, nervously picking at the hem of my shirt.

"Calm down, (Y/N). All you have to do is wait for him. He'll be back soon!" I reassure myself with little to no avail, "Just sit still and don't get swallowed by the darkness...or think about what could be creeping up behind you...or listen to the unsettling silence..."

Now

After he left, I continued to panic and then proceeded to burst into tears.

Having Paperjam with me felt relieving but terrifying.

I could tell his actions were truly genuine and that he wasn't lying. But my brain is being a stubborn, little dummy and is refusing to accept it. Paperjam is telling me all these kinds of things that I did but don't remember. Amnesia is absolutely frightening.

But what is also relieving is the fact that I have the ability to communicate with someone from the outside world. The downside to that is how close to freedom I am, yet still so far from it. It's just barely out of my reach!

Take me back to life for all I care! I just don't want to suffer in the loneliness of the in-between!

* * * * * *

PJ's POV

"Hey...Dad?" I nervously shuffle downstairs to Dad in the living room, looking through a pile of artwork and grading them.

"Yes, Jammy?"

"Can I...can I stay overnight in (Y/N)'s hospital?"

He gives me a confused look before asking, "I thought you were trying to move on from her. Are you backing out now?"

"N-No! I just um..." I sigh, "I'm hoping that she would wake up some time so I can properly apologize for the stuff I pulled."

He sets down his papers and looks at me, "Fine, but get Papa's permission too, alright?"

I nod my head and head upstairs to the master bedroom.

I peep my head through the doorframe, seeing Papa marking a few papers.

"Papa...?"

His eyes dart up to meet mine and he puts his pen down, "PJ. What's up?"

"Can I stay overnight at (Y/N)'s hospital sometime in the next few days...?" I ask cautiously.

"Why? You wanted to move on, didn't you?"

"Well, I was hoping that she would wake up some time and I could apologize for the stuff I pulled."

"And you're not just trying to win her over?"

"No...not unless she wants to, anyway. I don't want to force anything on her."

"What did Dad say?"

"He said yes and to ask you for permission too."

"Alright, if he's okay with it, I am too. I didn't know that Ebott Hospital allowed overnight stays. When do you plan to go?"

"I was thinking this coming Saturday. But we need to notify the hospital by Friday."

"You know what you're going to bring with you?"

"Um, a general idea."

"Alright then. I can drop you off at 9 pm on Saturday. Sound good?"

"Yeah, sounds great."

"Good. Now, shoo. I need to finish grading these papers," he jokingly does the shooing hand gesture.

I crack a small smirk and leave him to his peace.

* * * * * *

I pull up a chair beside her bed and sit down, staring at her neutral expression. She is in such a poor state...

"I'm sorry you're like this, Angel Eyes," I murmur, brushing some stray hairs out of her face, "You don't deserve this."

The continuous beeping sound of the heart monitor is unsettling to me. It always was, but the upside to that is at least she's alive. If I hear a flatline in the middle of the night, I wouldn't know what to do with myself. The thought of that happening is so terrifying, I don't even want to begin to imagine that possibility.

I take her left hand and slowly intertwine my fingers in hers, unintentionally brushing against the bandages wrapped around her forearm. Her hands are cold but soft. I hold her hand in both of mine.

I start rambling about things I don't quite remember and before I know it, an hour has ticked by.

"Oh, I didn't realize it was already 10," I say out loud, "I should leave you to really rest now."

I let go one of my hands and gently caress her cheek with my thumb.

"Good night, (Y/N)," I speak softly and stand up, releasing my grasp on her.

I brush my teeth and get ready to sleep as I curl up on the couch across the hospital bed. I feel so bad knowing that she's trapped in that dark place with nothing but herself and her thoughts.

I snuggle into the blanket to get warmer and close my eyes. It takes me a good half an hour before I feel drowsiness wash over me. The last thing I hear before I enter dreamland is the consistent beeps of the heart monitor.

* * * * * *

(Y/N)'s POV

It has to have been at least a few days since he's visited. The silence is still as unsettling as before.

I've been constantly cautious of my surroundings, praying that nothing will sneak attack me from behind or something.

Luckily, it's just paranoia, but that means I have to stay on my toes the entire time. I'm physically exhausted but can never find the reassurance to rest without worry. I'm too restless and my body just refuses to shut down.

"(Y/N)?" A distant voice calls from behind me.

I turn around to see the same magenta-glowing figure approaching me.

"PJ!" I yelp as I scramble to get up and run towards him. I tackle hug him, in which he wobbles a little before steadying us both.

"Woah, what's wrong?" He returns the hug.

"Just..." I inhale sharply, "Happy to see someone familiar."

"I'm here, I'm here," he pats me on the back reassuringly.

I release him from my hug and we sit down.

"From our last conversation," he pauses for a moment, "Do you believe me?"

I've had way too much time to decide on an answer, "I do. I do believe you."

He sighs in relief.

"How is everyone?" I pipe up.

"More or less okay. But a lot of them are still really nervous. Skate is still pretty traumatized consi—"

"Sorry, but who's Skate?" I hate having to interrupt him like this, but I need to know who is who before I know their story.

"She's my friend and wa- is one of yours as well.

I start to recall her. The terror that rushed through my veins when she saw me in the library on the first day. But instead of being rude, she sincerely apologized for the jerks who tried to hunt me down. From then on, she was just the friend I needed to survive Underhigh. But since the incident with the letters, we haven't exchanged any words at all. I really should have said something, but I automatically assumed she took his side.

"Continue?"

"Skate is still pretty traumatized since she was the one who found you."

"She was the one who-" I widen my eyes, "Oh my God, I shouldn't have put her through that.."

"Do you think I should try to tell her I have contact with you? She's really worried."

"And please ask for her forgiveness for me?"

"I'll call her in the morning."

"Okay. Okay, thank you so much," I reach for another hug.

He gladly returns it.

"So who else don't I know?" I pull away.

"Umm, my family. My parents?

"What are their names?"

"Ink and Error."

I ponder for a moment, "Doesn't ring any bells..."

"They took you in when you didn't have a proper guardian."

Mr. Ink and Mr. Error have always been so kind. They helped me when I reached out and gave me a place to live. Even after the incident with the notes and I moved out, they still offered to pay for house expenses and helped me with any legal matters.

"They are such kind monsters."

"They really are. And what about my brother, Cil?"

"Cil..."

The sweet innocence cinnamon roll. The wholesome, easy-to-love little brother.

"I remember him," I say, cracking a small smile, "Anyone else?"

"Maybe Fresh?"

"Hmm..."

Fresh, the only monster who reached out to me after the incident. He was someone I could lean on when my world darkened.

"He's a good friend."

"Yeah. I can te-" he stops mid-word.

"...What? What's wrong?"

Behind him, in the distance, a white rectangular shape aggressively flickers.

"You can't hear it!?" He shouts, panicking.

"Hear what!? What is it!?" I shout right back, terrified at his tone.

"I need to wake up! Now!"

"Wait, you just got here! Why!?"

He starts fading quickly without warning.

"Flatline."

In only a matter of seconds, he's evaporated into thin air.

"Flatline?" I repeat to myself, "Am I dying?"

The almost blinding light emitting from the afterlife answers my question.

I cautiously approach it until it is right in front of me. I shield my eyes with my hand and squint. I stick my arm through the entrance.

To say it feels weird is an understatement. There is a thin layer of water-like substance when I first stuck my hand through it. After the first layer, nothing else feels particularly unusual. It feels normal, maybe even happier? I take out my hand to see not a single drop of the weird "water residue" on my arm.

I take in a gulp of air, close my eyes, and walk through the entrance, not slowly but not quickly either. It feels like I was walking into another dimension, another reality.

After fully entering, I don't open my eyes just yet. I sense my surroundings. It's so calm and peaceful. I feel relaxed and content.

I slowly open my eyes.

White. Lots of white.

Three distant figures stand, their backs faced to me. I immediately recognize them.

"Mom! Dad! Ms. Avery!" I shout, running up to them.

"(Y/N)!" My mother exclaims, approaching me. Her tone isn't positive. It's more anxious than anything.

"Mom! I thought you'd be happy to see me."

"Dear, I am. It's only because..." she trails off.

"Because what?"

Dad steps in, "Sunshine, even if you're here, you still have so much more to offer if you stay alive."

"But...but I'm dead, aren't I?"

Ms. Avery puts a hand in my shoulder, "(Y/N), look over there," she points at the entrance. It started flickering again.

"What does it look like?"

"It's flickering. Why?"

"It means you aren't supposed to be here yet. You can still be alive and well. We don't want you to end up here unless there's no other choice."

"B-But what if I want to stay?"

"Sunshine, please don't pass up your chance to go back to the living."

"No, I want to stay! Why won't you let me stay-!?" I can feel the sobs rising from my throat.

Dad puts his hands on my shoulders and looks me straight in the eyes, "How do you think PJ would feel if you never woke up again?"

"No! That's not fai-"

"Listen to me very carefully, (Y/N)," he states in a serious tone. He almost never calls me by my name, "Your boyfriend is panicking on the other side and begging for you to be okay. The least you can do is take the chance at life while you still have it."

". . ." I feel the tears trickle down my face.

"And not only just your boyfriend. Your friends, your teachers, and so many others. You need to understand how they are feeling in all this."

I stop, "...When you put it that way..."

"Now, tell me (Y/N). The exit to this place is going to flicker shut in less than a minute. What are you going to do?"

"I'm...I'm going back out..."

"You're going back out."

"I'm g-going to live as long as I can. I'm going to fight through this. I'm going to live!"

"You're going to live!"

I step back a bit, "I'm going to miss you guys..."

"We will too, dear. But this is what's best for you," Mom replies hopefully.

I give each of them one last hug before running off. Just in front of the exit, I turn around and wave goodbye to them. They return the gesture and I step out of the white void. I pass through the water-like substance into the black abyss that I've grown a large disliking for.

As the passageway closes behind me, I can still see them waving. Hope is spread across their faces. I wave back and the portal closes before me.

I sit down, hugging my knees close to my body.

"I promise..." I let a single tear dribble down my cheek. I wipe my eyes away from any more tears.

"I'm fine, I'm fine," I try to convince myself, "I'm going to live... Live for the people who still care about me."

I can feel determination run through me.

'I'll be determined! I won't let myself die so easily! I refused! With my family cheering me on from afar and my friends waiting for me on the other side, I can't lose!

I won't lose!'

The sound of a pair of footsteps running towards me interrupts my thoughts.

"(Y/N)! Oh, thank Asgore!" PJ hugs me from behind. It sounds like he's been crying.

"PJ. What's wrong?" I turn around and wipe some of his tears away with my thumb.

"I-I," his voice shakes violently, "I thought I lost you!"

He buries his face in the crook of my neck and sobs. I gently pat his back and let him lean on me.

"Shhh shhh," I quietly coo, "It's okay. I'm here and I'm not leaving anything time soon."

"I really thought..." He weeps, voice muffled.

"It's alright. You don't need to worry about that right now," I rub small circles on his back to calm him down.

We don't say any more than that. PJ continues to softly sob while I comfort him to the best of my abilities. After a while, he's quieted down.

"Do you want to explain what happened?" I ask, his head now resting on my shoulder.

"I..." He stammers a bit.

"Take it slowly."

"When we were talking before...I heard...I heard a high-pitched noise. I immediately knew it sounded like a flatline. I panicked and left here... When I woke up, I still heard it. Doctors rushed me out of your room..."

"Doctors? Were you spending the night at the hospital with me?"

"Yeah, I was... I wanted to visit you."

"You didn't have to do that."

"No, I wanted to. Anyways, the doctors worked on you while I was escorted outside. They wouldn't tell me anything!"

"Calm down, PJ."

"S-Sorry... The nurses left me in the dark and I was so confused... A long half an hour passed by and they finally told me what was wrong..." He stops.

"And...?"

"Your body wasn't producing enough determination, so they had to give you doses of it through an IV needle. But your body was rejecting it. You didn't have enough determination in you, so that's why you flatlined. The...the doctors said you were going to die...!" He exhales shakily.

"Breath. 4 in, 7 hold, 8 out," I start counting slowly while PJ follows. He used to do this to me, didn't he?

"They said it would've taken a miracle to bring you back to life... But, you...heh, you actually pulled through..." His voice breaks at the end, "They said that you had a sudden surge of determination and your heart started beating again."

His tears start coming down again, but this time, they were tears of relief.

"They wouldn't let me back in the room because they needed to keep you monitored. But that's okay. They gave me my stuff and took me to another room. I fell asleep peacefully, knowing that you were going to be okay. You're in good hands."

"I'm one lucky girl."

"I'm so glad you're okay...!" He squeezes me in his hug.

I feel a tear prick the corners of my eye as I smile. I close my eyes, the tear seeping out and running down my cheek.

"Me too, PJ..." I hold him tight, "Me too..."

~A/N~
How's that for a chapter?
I hope you liked it!
It's a little sad, but if you handled the other situations, I'm sure you handled this just fine ^^
And just in case you actually need some *hands you a box of tissues*
And don't mind me just having writer's block, stressing about class, and trying to get chapters out every week :')

Word count: 2962 words (including A/N)

*nopes out*