Chapter 3

In the morning, when he woke up and went downstairs, he saw that Piko had slept on the couch. She DID take off her armor and was in her normal day clothes. But Dream swore a part on her red shirt looked a little more... red than usual.

Dream descended the stairs, rubbing the sleep from his eyes, to find Piko still asleep on the couch. He noted that she had changed from her armor into her regular clothes - a red shirt and black pants. But something caught his eye.

He squinted, moving closer. A patch on her red shirt seemed darker, more crimson. His heart leapt into his throat as he realized what it was - blood.

His mind raced as he knelt down next to her, his hands hovering over the darkened spot. She must have been injured in the fight yesterday, and she didn't tell him. He felt anger flare up in him, not at her, but at himself for not insisting on checking her over last night.

Gently, as not to wake her, he lightly pressed around the area. Piko shifted but didn't wake, and he felt a slight bump under the fabric. It was a bandage, he realized, and let out a sigh of relief. At least she had tended to the wound.

He stood up, looking down at Piko's sleeping form. He felt a rush of emotions - worry, relief, frustration. But above all, he felt a deep sense of care for Piko.

He decided he would let her sleep and do the day's chores. And while he did, he would think of ways to show Piko how much he cared for her, that he was there for her - in every way possible.

Piko woke up, and looked around. "Man, did I really sleep here?" She sat up, rubbed her head then stood. Dream heard her back, legs, arms, and neck pop as she streached.

Dream was in the kitchen, busying himself with breakfast when he heard Piko stir. He turned around just in time to see her sit up and rub her head, a confused look on her face. He couldn't help but chuckle at her bewildered expression.

"Yeah, you did," Dream confirmed, walking over to her with a warm smile. "You must have been really tired."

He watched as Piko stood and stretched, a series of pops echoing in the quiet room. She let out a satisfied sigh after, rolling her shoulders back.

"Guess so," she replied, running a hand through her hair. Her eyes then landed on Dream, a soft smile playing on her lips. "Did you make breakfast?"

Dream nodded, gesturing towards the kitchen. "Eggs and toast. Your favorite."

He watched as Piko's eyes lit up, a small spark of happiness flaring within them. It was a small gesture, but Dream felt a sense of accomplishment. If he could make her smile, even just a little, after everything she's been through, then he was doing something right.

"Come on," he said, offering her a hand. "Let's eat."

Dream watched as Piko quickly finished her meal and started to pack her bag. She was in a rush, and he couldn't help but worry about her. She had just been through a tough battle, and here she was, ready to head back out again.

"Yikes! I gotta go. If I keep being late, Undyne's gonna kill me," Piko said, her words rushed as she tried to get everything ready. She donned her armor and moved towards the door, but paused just before she stepped outside.

"Okay, I know I forgot something, but I'm gonna remember it the moment I get to my station," she muttered, looking back at the house with a furrowed brow.

Dream smiled, shaking his head. "Piko, wait." He walked over to her, holding out a small object. It was a small pendant, shaped like a music note. He knew how much she loved music, and thought it would be a nice token for her to carry.

"I thought you might like this," he said, handing it over. "A little charm for good luck."

Piko looked surprised but took the pendant from him, a soft smile on her face. "Thank you, Dream," she said, her voice warm. "This means a lot."

With a final wave, Piko stepped out of the house, closing the door behind her. Dream watched her go, a sense of pride swelling in his chest. He knew Piko was strong and capable, but he also knew that everyone needed a little bit of luck now and then.

As he turned to clean up the breakfast dishes, he couldn't help but smile. Piko was safe, she was doing what she loved, and he was there to support her. And that was all he could ask for.

As the television flickered to life, Dream's heart dropped into his stomach. The news was on, and the headline was about the fighting on the outskirts of Snowdin Town.

"The fighting carries on in the outskirts of Snowdin town! Here's the footage one caught," the news anchor was saying, and a clip of the fighting started to play on the screen.

Dream spotted Piko in the midst of the chaos, her armor shining in the harsh light of the blizzard. She was holding her own, ducking and weaving between enemies with practiced ease. A surge of pride filled Dream's chest as he watched her. But then his blood froze in his veins.

An arrow was flying straight towards Piko. The clip ended abruptly, leaving Dream staring at the frozen image of Piko, unaware of the danger coming her way. His heart pounded in his chest, his breath coming in short gasps.

"We have sentinels and more reinforcements handling it right now," the reporter continued, but Dream barely registered their words.

He was on his feet before he knew what he was doing, racing towards the door. He had to get to Snowdin. He had to make sure Piko was okay. His mind was filled with images of Piko, the arrow, the way she had smiled at him that morning.

He couldn't lose her. He wouldn't.

With a last look at the television, Dream dashed out the door, his heart pounding in his chest. He had to get to Piko. And he would do whatever it took to make sure she was safe.

"Dream?! Where are YOU going?!" His manager asked, hand on her hip.

Dream skidded to a halt as his manager stepped out of her office, a surprised look on her face.

"Dream?! Where are YOU going?!" She asked, her hand on her hip. Her eyes narrowed suspiciously, taking in his panicked expression.

"I... I have to go," he stammered, struggling to reign in his panic. "Piko... she might be in trouble."

His manager's expression softened. She knew about his close relationship with Piko. "What happened?" She asked, her voice filled with concern.

"There was a battle," Dream explained, his voice shaking slightly. "On the news... they showed footage. Piko was there, and at the end... an arrow was heading her way."

"That was footage from yesterday!" His manager exclaimed, her eyes flashing with anger. "Why are you causing such a scene over old news? Piko is probably fine!"

Dream's heart pounded in his chest, his mind racing. "But... but what if she's not?" he asked, his voice barely a whisper. "What if she got hurt and didn't tell anyone? What if she needs help?"

His manager sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Dream, I understand that you're worried, but panicking isn't going to help anyone. Why don't you try calling her instead of rushing off like this?"

Dream froze, realizing the logic in her words. Of course, he should try to reach out to Piko first. He nodded, pulling out his phone and dialing Piko's number, his hands shaking.

He waited, listening to the ringing on the other end, his heart in his throat. He had to know if Piko was okay. He had to make sure she was safe.

"Kinda not the time to call Dream!" Piko said. Dream could hear BOOMs and BAMs from her end.

The line clicked, and Dream's heart pounded in his chest as he heard Piko's voice on the other end. But it was not the calm, soothing voice he was used to. Instead, it was rushed and strained.

"Kinda not the time to call Dream!" she shouted. In the background, he could hear the sounds of explosions and chaos. His heart sank. He had been right. Piko was in the middle of a battle.

"Piko! Are you okay?!" Dream asked urgently, his voice shaking. "I saw the news, the footage from yesterday. Are you hurt?"

There was a pause, filled with more loud noises and what sounded like Piko cursing. Then, her voice came back on the line, sounding slightly out of breath.

"I'm fine, Dream. Just a little busy right now," she said, trying to sound casual despite the chaos around her. "Don't worry about me. I can handle this."

Dream felt a surge of frustration and helplessness. He wanted to be there, to help her, but all he could do was stand there and listen as she fought.

"Promise me you'll be careful, Piko," Dream said, his voice filled with worry. "And call me when you're safe, okay?"

With that, he ended the call, his heart heavy. He could only hope that Piko would keep her promise and stay safe.

As the hours ticked by, Dream found himself unable to sleep. The house was quiet, too quiet without Piko's presence. He kept glancing at the clock, his worry growing with each passing minute. It was 1:00 in the morning, and Piko still wasn't home.

He tried calling her again, but his calls went straight to voicemail. His mind was filled with worst-case scenarios, each one more terrifying than the last.

What if she was hurt? What if she was in danger and he wasn't there to help her? What if...

He shook his head, forcing those thoughts away. Piko was strong, capable. She could handle herself. But that didn't stop the worry gnawing at his heart.

He paced the living room, his mind racing. He tried to distract himself with TV, but he couldn't focus on anything. His mind kept going back to Piko, to the sound of her voice on the phone, to her promise that she would call him when she was safe.

But she hadn't called. And she still wasn't home.

"Dream," he whispered to himself, his voice filled with worry. "You need to calm down. Piko is okay. She has to be."

But no matter how much he tried to reassure himself, he couldn't shake the feeling of dread that settled in his heart. He just hoped that Piko would come home soon, safe and sound.

Dream's heart leaped at the sight of a familiar figure approaching the house. It was Piko, her armor scratched and dented, her backpack slung over one shoulder. She looked exhausted, her shoulders slumped and her steps slow.

Without a second thought, Dream rushed to the door and threw it open, relief washing over him. "Piko!" He exclaimed, his voice filled with a mixture of relief and worry. "You're okay!"

Piko looked up at him, a tired smile on her face. "Hey, Dream," she said, her voice hoarse. "Sorry I'm late."

Dream's heart ached at the sight of her. She looked so worn out, so tired. He reached out, helping her inside and guiding her to the couch. "You should have called," he said, his voice soft. "I was worried."

Piko sighed, leaning back against the cushions. "I know, I'm sorry," she said.

Dream could only imagine what she had been through. He reached out, gently brushing a few strands of hair from her face. "You should rest," he said. "You look exhausted."

As Piko stood to make her way upstairs to her room, Dream noticed a slight limp in her step. His heart clenched at the sight. She really had been injured. His concern from earlier came rushing back, stronger than before.

"Piko," he called out, rushing to her side. "You're hurt."

She glanced back at him, a small grimace on her face. "It's nothing, Dream. Just a small scratch."

But Dream wasn't convinced. "Let me see," he insisted, gently guiding her to sit back down on the couch.

"I'm fine, Dream," Piko said again, trying to brush off his concern. But Dream wasn't about to let it go. He knew Piko, knew her stubbornness and her tendency to hide her pain. He also knew that she wouldn't get the help she needed unless he persisted.

"Piko," he said, his voice firm. "You're not fine. You're hurt, and you need help. Please, let me help you."

She looked at him then, her eyes weary but stubborn. She opened her mouth, perhaps to argue, but Dream cut her off.

"No arguments, Piko," he said, holding her gaze. "You need to take care of yourself. And if you won't, then I will."

Piko sighed, finally relenting. "Alright, Dream," she said, a small smile on her face. "You win."

With her permission, Dream gently began to examine her, his fingers careful and light. Despite her protests, he could see that her injuries were more than just a 'small scratch'. But now that he was able to help, he was determined to make sure she would be okay.

She took off the bottom part of her armor, and pushed up the leg of her pants. On her leg was a huge gash. It was still moist with blood. Her leg was covered with blood.

Dream's heart clenched as Piko revealed the extent of her injury. A large gash ran down her leg, the wound still fresh and bleeding. Her pants were soaked with blood, the dark stain a stark contrast against the pale fabric.

"Oh, Piko," Dream breathed out, his worry spiking. This was worse than he'd thought. She needed medical attention, and fast.

Immediately, he went to fetch the first aid kit, his hands shaking slightly. As he cleaned and bandaged the wound, he tried to keep his worry from showing. He didn't want to alarm Piko more than necessary.

"You should have said something," Dream said quietly, his voice barely above a whisper. "This is serious, Piko. You could have lost a lot of blood."

Piko gave a small shrug, wincing slightly as Dream finished bandaging her leg. "I didn't want to worry you," she said, her voice soft.

Dream looked up at her, his heart aching. "Piko, I'd rather be worried than lose you."

Once he was done, he helped Piko to her room, making sure she was comfortable before leaving her to rest. As he closed the door behind him, he promised himself that he would keep a closer eye on her from now on. He wouldn't let her hide her pain anymore.

In the morning, Piko slept in. Made since, because of how tired she was. She woke up at 9:45. Sure, she was late for work, but little did Piko know, Dream had unplugged her alarm clock. He found that she'd been waking up at 5:00, which was extremely unnecessary because she went to work at 9:00.

When Piko finally awoke, it was already 9:45 in the morning. She sat up quickly, panic setting in as she realized she had overslept. She was supposed to be at work by now. Piko glanced at her alarm clock, only to find it unplugged.

Frowning, she got out of bed and limped to the door, her leg still sore from the previous day. She found Dream in the kitchen, humming a tune as he prepared a late breakfast.

"Dream, why was my alarm clock unplugged?" she asked, leaning against the door frame.

Dream turned to her, a smile on his face. "Morning, Piko. I unplugged it. You needed the rest."

"But I'm late for work!" Piko protested, her eyebrows furrowed in concern.

"Don't worry about that," Dream said, waving her concern away. "I called in for you. They know you need the day off."

Piko stared at him in surprise. "You did what?"

"Dream, I can't just skip work."

"You were injured, Piko," Dream reminded her, his voice firm. "You need to rest and heal. Work can wait."

"But..."

"No buts," Dream interrupted. "Now, sit down and have some breakfast. I made your favorite."

She sat down, still angry, but ate.

After a bit of eating, piko said "You realize they need me out there, right Dream? We don't know if they've caught the monsters from the RUINs, and lots of people can die if I don't-" As if sent from heaven to make sure to prove Dream's point, Ava turned on the TV where the breaking news was "REBELS CAUGHT! Today the royal guard managed to restrain the rebels! Captain Undyne, head of the guard, wanted a special thanks to the following soldiers:" As the reporter listed off names, Piko's name among them.

Piko's words were cut off as Ava turned on the TV, the breaking news making everyone in the room fall silent. The rebels had been caught. The royal guard had managed to restrain them. And Piko's name was listed among the special thanks from Captain Undyne herself.

Piko stared at the screen, her mouth falling open in surprise. She had been so worried about the rebels, about the potential harm they could cause. But it seemed that her fellow soldiers had managed without her.

"Oh, sorry Piko," Ava said, a smirk on her face. "You were saying?"

Piko looked at Dream, her eyes wide. He gave her a small smile, his eyes filled with understanding.

"See, Piko?" he said gently. "The world doesn't stop turning just because you take a break. You're allowed to rest, to heal. You don't have to carry the weight of the world on your shoulders."

Piko was quiet for a moment, taking in Dream's words.

"Wow. I can't believe I'm getting a mutiny coming from my friends," Piko said, her tone light as she continued to eat.

Dream chuckled, shaking his head. "It's not a mutiny, Piko. It's just us wanting the best for you. And sometimes, that means reminding you to take care of yourself."

Piko rolled her eyes but there was a small smile on her face. "Alright, alright. Message received, loud and clear."

Dream beamed at her, pleased that she was finally understanding. They finished their breakfast in a comfortable silence before Piko excused herself to get ready for the day.

As she disappeared into her room, Dream couldn't help but feel a sense of relief. Piko was safe, the rebels were caught, and for once, Piko was taking a much-needed break.

All was well in their little corner of the multiverse.

There was a knock on the door.

The knock on the door startled Dream out of his thoughts. He frowned, glancing at the clock. It was still early, and they weren't expecting any visitors.

Pushing his curiosity aside, Dream got up to answer the door. He opened it to find a figure standing on the doorstep, a familiar face that brought a smile to his face.

"Hello, Dream," the visitor greeted, their voice warm and friendly.

July 23,2023

The knock on the door startled Dream out of his thoughts. He frowned, glancing at the clock. It was still early, and they weren't expecting any visitors.

Pushing his curiosity aside, Dream got up to answer the door. He opened it to find a figure standing on the doorstep, a familiar face that brought a smile to his face.

"Hello, Dream," the visitor greeted, their voice warm and friendly.

Standing at the door was Sans and Papyrus. "Hello there Dream! We're here to check on Piko. Is she quite alright?" Papyrus asked.

"Hey guys," Dream greeted, stepping aside to let them in. "Come on in. Piko's upstairs. She's...she's doing better."

Sans gave him a knowing look, a small, sympathetic smile on his face. "Heard about the incident. Tough break."

"Yeah," Dream agreed, leading them into the living room. "But she's a fighter. She'll bounce back in no time."

Papyrus nodded, his expression serious. "That is good to hear. We were quite worried when we heard the news."

Dream smiled, grateful for their concern. "I'll let her know you guys stopped by. I'm sure she'll appreciate it."

As Sans and Papyrus settled into the living room, Dream made his way upstairs to Piko's room. He knocked lightly on her door, calling out softly, "Piko, Sans and Papyrus are here. They wanted to check on you."

After a moment, the door opened and Piko stepped out, looking surprised but pleased to see their friends. "Sans, Papyrus," she greeted, a small smile on her face. "It's good to see you."

"You ok Piko?" Sans asked. "You look Bone-tired." "SA-ANS! No puns!" Papyrus said. Piko giggled.

Sans's pun earned a roll of the eyes from Papyrus and a giggle from Piko, the sound lightening the mood in the room. "I'm okay, Sans," Piko reassured, her smile genuine. "Just a little tired, that's all."

"Make sure to take care of yourself, Piko," Papyrus advised, his voice full of concern. "You are an important member of our team, and we need you to be healthy and strong."

Piko nodded, touched by their concern. "I will, Papyrus. Thank you."

The rest of their visit passed in pleasant conversation, Sans and Papyrus doing their best to lift Piko's spirits. By the time they left, Piko seemed much more herself, her laughter ringing through the house.

Seeing her in better spirits, Dream felt a sense of relief wash over him. Piko was strong and resilient, and with the support of her friends, he knew she would recover in no time.

The very next day, Dream saw Piko get up at her usual time, and pack her bag for work

The following morning, Dream watched as Piko resumed her usual routine, packing her bag for work with a determined look on her face.

"Are you sure you're ready to go back?" Dream asked, concern etched in his voice. "You don't have to rush things, Piko."

Piko offered him a reassuring smile. "I'm ready, Dream," she said. "I've rested, I've healed, and now, I need to get back out there."

Dream watched her for a moment, searching her face for any signs of doubt or discomfort. But all he saw was determination and a strength that never failed to amaze him.

"Alright," he said at last, nodding in understanding. "Just promise me you'll be careful, okay?"

Piko laughed, her eyes twinkling with amusement. "When am I not?"

Dream couldn't help but chuckle at her response. "Just promise me, Piko."

"I promise, Dream," she said, her voice sincere. "I'll be careful."

With that, Piko left for work, leaving Dream alone in the quiet house. As he watched her go, Dream couldn't help but feel a sense of pride. Piko was strong, brave, and resilient, and he was lucky to have her as a friend.

That night, just like the others, Piko didn't come home at her usual time. In fact, she didn't come home. Dream woke up at 5:00, and still nothing.