W. D. Gaster - An Undertale Story

Chapter Twenty-Two

   Gaster yawned loudly as he woke up in the morning on the clean hospital bed with his sons. He stretched out his arms, some of his bones popping as he did so. When normal monsters popped their bones, it wasn't something anyone payed attention to. It was normal. But when a skeleton pops their bones, it's visible and causes anyone who sees it to cringe that isn't used to it. But nobody was in the room with Gaster except for Sans and Papyrus, so he didn't have to worry about someone saying "ew!" or "that's disgusting!".
   Papyrus was still asleep. He was youngest, so he always slept a little longer than Sans or Gaster ever did. Papyrus had brung his brown teddy bear to the hospital, so he currently had it gripped in his arms as his snores came out loudly. Gaster chuckled under his breath. Papyrus was sleeping right next to Gaster, so Gaster decided to rub Papyrus's arm with care. He then looked at the counter in the room.
   Sans had apparently woken up earlier. Gaster couldn't be sure how long Sans was awake, considering he had been asleep whenever Sans would have waken up. Sans was at the counter with a paper and pencil, seeming to be drawing something. Gaster wanted to see what it was, but no matter how high he rose up in the bed or how much he squinted, he couldn't see what Sans was drawing.
   "W-what's that?", Gaster said, his voice slightly wavering. He was thankful to hear himself be able to speak, his voice only shaking a bit. It was a sign that soon he could go home. Sans perked his head up at the sound of Gaster's voice.
   "Morning, Dad!", Sans said, turning around to face Gaster with a wide, happy smile. Gaster smiled back. Sans walked over to the hospital bed and pulled himself up to the bed. He wrapped his arms around Gaster's shoulders, gripping him tightly.
   "Woah!", Gaster yelped in surprise. Sans laughed a bit, pulling away from the hug. "So, what were you drawing over there?" Sans's eyesockets popped open wide at the question. Then he realized that Gaster must have seen him with the paper and pencil at the counter.
   "Well, it's not a drawing.", Sans said, slightly shrugging. The answer intrigued Gaster. That must have meant that Sans wasn't drawing, but writing.
   "Alright then. Let me rephrase.", Gaster said, shaking his head a bit. "What are you writing about over there?" Sans rolled his "eyes" and got off of the bed. He walked over to the counter and picked up the piece of paper. He then brought it back to Gaster. Gaster took the paper softly from Sans's hands. He looked over it.
   The writing that Sans made created a story. The story was about a child that decided to go for a walk in the woods. But when she entered, she couldn't find her way out. She got so lost in the woods that she had to spend several nights sleeping on grass or in trees. But one day, she came across a small mansion in the woods. In the mansion, there were several blood-sucking creatures. Vampires. The girl met them. The vampires each had their own view on the little girl. One wanted to keep her in the mansion. One wanted to kill her. Another wanted to be her best friend. And there were others. The story went on a little more, but it stopped at a point with a kind vampire. Gaster was amazed by Sans's writing, considering he was only six years old, almost seven.
   Gaster looked at Sans, amazement shining in his eyesockets. "Sans... this is amazing.", Gaster said, a smile spreading across his face. Sans smiled, giggling a bit. He took the paper and later it on top of the counter again. He then perked his head up and looked back at Gaster with a wide smile.
   "What?", Gaster asked.
   "Your voice is better! Once they detach the machines from you, we can go home!", Sans exclaimed, happiness visible on his face and audible in his voice. Gaster smiled back. Sans was right.
   "Alright! Go see if you can find the doctor.", Gaster said. Sans nodded his head quickly. He then darted out the door, dashing down the hallway. Gaster laughed, then looked down to Papyrus. Papyrus looked so peaceful, asleep. He looked like an innocent little angel, although that's what he was. Or acted like, anyhow. Gaster really didn't want to have to wake Papyrus up. But it appeared that the three skeletons would have to be leaving soon, so he had to wake him up.
   Gaster shook Papyrus lightly. Papyrus groaned a bit, shaking his head into the chest of his teddy bear. Gaster laughed softly. Papyrus was so adorable to him. But he shook him once more. "Papyrus, now, wake up.", Gaster said in a calm, fatherly voice. Papyrus opened one eye a bit. He then opened the other. Gaster smiled. "Good morning, son." Papyrus saw that Gaster was awake and leaped up in the bed, wrapping his arms around Gaster excitedly. Gaster laughed loudly, wrapping his own arms around Papyrus.
   "I love you, too!", Gaster said, laughing even more. Papyrus smiled at his father. He was so happy that Gaster was awake. Suddenly, Sans came bursting through the door, causing both Gaster and Papyrus to jump in surprise.
   "I found the doctor!", Sans said in a sing-song voice. Gaster and Papyrus both laughed a bit more. They were laughing no only because of Sans's random singing, but also because of how they had jumped before. Sans laughed along with them.
   Then Dr. Skeevsky came in through the door with his clipboard of Gaster's readings. "Hello, Dr. Gaster.", Skeevsky said in a politely happy voice. "How are you this morning?"
   "I'm good! I can speak well now and I'm hoping I can go home.", Gaster said. Skeevsky nodded, walking over to the hospital bed.
   "Definitely! Your tests show that you look fine.", Skeevsky said. Sans and Papyrus smiled even wider than they had before, somehow possible. Gaster smiled, too. Skeevsky chuckled a bit before saying, "Although you might have to get used to that eye." Gaster chuckled too, slightly shrugging.
   Skeevsky walked over to the soul monitor, turning it off. He then took all of the tubes out of Gaster's arms that were attached to the IV bags. Then he turned off a few more of the machines. "Alright, now I just need to go get your clothes and belongings from the spare room.", Skeevsky said as he walked out of the room.
   Gaster looked down and noticed that he was wearing a hospital gown. He didn't know that he had been until now. He pushed the covers off of himself, causing Papyrus to get off of the bed. Sans took Papyrus's hand, pulling him away from the bed. He didn't want Papyrus to get in Gaster's way.
   Skeevsky came back into the room with a clear bag. In it, there were Gaster's clothes, shoes, and his keys and other belongings. "Here you go, Dr. Gaster.", Skeevsky said with a smile. Gaster took the bag. The doctor was about to leave the room, but Gaster stopped him.
   "Wait.", Gaster called out. Skeevsky turned to Gaster.
   "What? Is there something wrong?", Skeevsky wondered in a slightly concerned tone of voice.
   "You keep calling me 'Dr. Gaster'. You realize that you don't have to call me that, right?", Gaster explained. Skeevsky shrugged.
   "Well, as I've said before, I follow your work. So, to me, you are Dr. Gaster. And not only that, but you are also the Royal Scientist. That's why I call you that, sir.", he said in a reasoning voice. Gaster seemed to understand. But he still found it ironic that the doctor was calling Gaster a doctor as well. Just a different kind of doctor.
   Skeevsky closed the door and left the room, leaving only Sans, Papyrus, and Gaster there. "Alright, I'm going into the bathroom to change. You two stay here.", Gaster said to his sons. Sans and Papyrus nodded. Gaster smiled, walking into the bathroom that was joined with his hospital room. He changed into his clothes and came back outside to find Sans and Papyrus, who were talking to each other while playing some kind of card game.
   "Alright. Time to go home.", Gaster said. Sans and Papyrus looked up and smiled happily. The three left the hospital, going to their home in the Hotlands.