Chapter 5

The next day, Dream woke up, and Piko was gone. At first he thought that she left for work, but work wasn't til 9:00.

Dream frowned, glancing at the clock. It was only 7:30. Piko never left this early for work. He pushed back the covers and got out of bed, calling out for her. "Piko?"

There was no answer. Dream felt a pang of worry. He walked through the house, looking for any sign of Piko, but found nothing. She wasn't in her room, and her car was still in the driveway.

He tried calling her phone, but it went straight to voicemail. Dream's worry grew. Piko was never this unreachable. He turned to Ava, who looked just as concerned. "Ava, when was the last time you saw Piko?"

Ava frowned, thinking back. "Last night, before we went to bed. She said she was going to watch some TV and then go to sleep."

Dream ran a hand through his hair, his mind racing. Where could Piko have gone? And why didn't she tell anyone?

It was 10:00, and still no sign of her. She hadn't shown up for work.

Dream's worry turned into full-blown panic. He dialed Piko's number again and again, each time the call going straight to voicemail. He tried calling her workplace, but they hadn't heard from her either.

Ava was pacing, her face pale with worry. "This isn't like Piko," she said, her voice shaking. "She wouldn't just disappear without telling us."

Dream nodded, his mind racing. He tried to think of any place Piko might have gone, any clue she might have left behind.

Dream walked to work worried, and saw footsteps going to the back of their shed.

The footprints seemed fresh, the morning dew still clinging to the imprints in the grass. His heart pounded in his chest as he followed the footprints to the back of the shed. The door was slightly ajar, a thin sliver of darkness peeking through.

With a deep breath, he pushed the door open, the hinges creaking in protest. Inside, the shed was dark and musty, filled with old gardening tools and boxes of junk. He squinted, trying to make out anything in the dim lighting.

And then he saw it. A small piece of fabric, torn and caught on a rusty nail. It was a bright, familiar pink - the same color as Piko's favorite jacket. Dream felt a lump in his throat as he picked up the scrap of cloth. He had found a clue, but it only led to more questions.

Where had Piko gone? And why would she leave her favorite jacket behind?

He opened the shed, and saw Piko crouched down, eyes shut. It looked like she'd being doing some heavy crying. She was holding a few photographs in her hand.

"Piko!" Dream rushed over to her, dropping to his knees beside her. "Are you okay?"

Piko didn't respond, her eyes still tightly shut. Her hands were trembling as she clutched the photographs. Dream gently reached out, taking one of the photos from her.

It was a picture of them - Dream, Ava, and Piko, and another one was of her with around 6 other girls, and the last one was her with 6 other people Dream didn't recognize They were all laughing, a moment of happiness captured in time. He flipped through the other pictures, each one a snapshot of their times together.

"Piko," Dream began, his voice gentle. "What happened?"

"I'm fine Dream. Just found my old photo album..." Piko said, rubbing her eyes.

"Clearly, you're not fine, Piko," Dream said gently, his eyes full of concern. "You've been crying and you didn't show up for work. We were worried about you."

Piko sighed, not meeting his gaze. "I... I just needed some time to myself," she admitted. "I found this old photo album and... it brought back a lot of memories. Some of them were good, but some of them were... not so good."

Dream nodded, understanding. "Do you want to talk about it?" he asked, his voice soft. "I'm here for you, Piko. You don't have to go through this alone."

Piko was silent for a moment, then she nodded slowly. "Thank you, Dream," she said quietly. "I think I'd like that."

"This is... my family. My Mom and Dad... I had 4 older siblings. The eldest is Lilia. We lost contact after she got a job, and it was rare to see her around. And then there's Olio. She taught me all I know about my Ukulele. She's MUCH better at it than me. I wonder if she still plays..." Piko said, holding up the picture of Piko and 6 other people

Dream looked down at the photograph, studying the faces of Piko's family. He could see the resemblance between Piko and her siblings, the same bright eyes and warm smiles.

"It sounds like you have a lot of wonderful memories with them," Dream said softly. He could hear how much Piko loved and missed them.

"And here's my brother. He always played pranks, and was super smart. Kinda like Sans in a way. But scratch the whole laid back and pun making. Yet when things amounted to it, he still kept me safe. Like telling me not to go on certain stairs because they could collapse. And here's my sister. My twin, actually..." Piko said, looking at the other girl who would look exactly like her if she had longer hair and no glasses.

Dream looked at the photo of the brother and the twin sister, his eyes softening. He could see the same protective nature in the brother that Piko had described, a serious expression on his face that contrasted with the playful smirk on the twin sister's face.

"They sound incredible, Piko. I can see why you admire them," Dream said, his voice filled with sincerity. "And I can see the resemblance between you and your twin. You two must have been really close."

Piko nodded, a nostalgic look in her eyes. "We were... we are. She's my other half, you know? We did everything together. We still do, in a way. Every time I sing, every time I play the Ukulele, I feel like she's there with me. It's comforting."

Dream gave her hand another squeeze, his heart aching for her. "I'm sure she feels the same way, Piko. You're a part of her just as much as she's a part of you."

Piko smiled at him, her eyes shining with unshed tears. "Thank you, Dream. For listening, for understanding. You're a good friend."

"And you're a good friend too, Piko," Dream said, returning her smile. "I'm here for you, always."

"But... missing them makes me think thoughts that... I don't like to think." Piko said, putting the pictures in her pocket.

Dream nodded, understanding her pain. "It's hard, Piko. Sometimes missing someone can hurt so much, it's almost unbearable. But it's okay to feel that way. It's okay to miss them. It's okay to feel sad."

He paused, looking at her seriously. "But it's also important to remember that you're not alone in this. You have people who care about you, people who want to help. You don't have to go through this alone."

Piko nodded, sniffling slightly. "I know, Dream. I just... I just miss them so much."

"I know, Piko," Dream said, hugging her tightly. "But remember, they're a part of you, just like you're a part of them. And that will never change. No matter where you are, or where they are, you'll always be connected."

Piko hugged him back, her tears soaking into his shoulder. "Thank you, Dream," she whispered. "I needed to hear that."

Dream just held her, providing her with the comfort she needed. "Anytime, Piko. I'm here for you, always."

Dream pulled back slightly, looking at her with concern. "Piko, what do you mean by 'ways to get back to them'?"

Piko hesitated, her gaze dropping to her hands. "I... I've been thinking about... about trying to find a way back to the surface," she admitted. "But I know it's dangerous. I know it's probably impossible. But I can't help but think about it."

Dream was silent for a moment, processing her words. He knew how dangerous such an attempt could be, how many things could go wrong. But he also knew how much Piko missed her family, her friends. He couldn't blame her for wanting to go back.

"Piko," he said slowly. "I won't pretend to understand what you're going through. But I want you to know, whatever you decide, I'll support you. We all will. You're not alone in this."

Piko looked up at him, a small smile on her face. "Thank you, Dream. That means a lot to me."

"I'm glad I can come to you. but this is what I'm worried about." Piko took out a book, and opened it to a page called 'Passing the barrier' The page read 'It's true, a monster with a human's soul can cross the barrier. But in order for a human to cross, they need the soul of a boss monster. Boss monsters are a rare kind of monster, and there are only a few in the underground. For example, King asgore, queen Toriel, captain Undyne and Dr W.D. Gaster.'

Dream's eyes widened as he read the passage. The implications were clear and they were chilling. "Piko... you're not thinking of..."

"No!" Piko quickly interrupted, looking horrified. "I would never... I mean, I want to get back to the surface, but not like that. I would never hurt anyone, especially not them."

Dream let out a breath he didn't realize he'd been holding. "Good. I know you're desperate, Piko, but there has to be another way. We can find it, together."

Piko nodded, looking relieved. "I'm glad you understand, Dream. I just... I just miss them so much."

Dream reached out, taking her hand. "We'll find a way, Piko. I promise."

"But that's what I men't by bad thoughts. I can't control what thoughts enter my head, and so... This entered my head once. only once." Piko said, looking down sadly.

Dream nodded, understanding dawning on him. "Piko, it's okay. Everyone has dark thoughts sometimes. The important thing is that you didn't act on it. You recognized that it was wrong and you didn't let it control you."

Piko looked up at him, her eyes filled with gratitude. "Thank you, Dream. I... I was so scared to tell anyone about this. I was afraid they'd think I was a monster."

"You're not a monster, Piko," Dream reassured her. "You're one of the kindest, most compassionate people I know. Don't ever forget that."

Piko nodded, a small smile appearing on her face. "Thank you, Dream. I don't know what I would do without you."

"You'll never have to find out," Dream promised, giving her hand a gentle squeeze. "I'm here for you, always."

"Thanks... I think I'm just going to do some more research. If you need me, I'm gonna be in the library." Piko stood up.

"Of course, Piko," Dream said, rising to his feet as well. "Take all the time you need. And remember, if you ever need someone to talk to, or even just some company, I'm here for you."

Piko smiled at him, her eyes filled with gratitude. "Thank you, Dream. I'll keep that in mind."

With a nod, Piko turned and left the shed, leaving Dream alone with his thoughts. He watched her go, his mind filled with worry for his friend. He knew Piko was strong, but he also knew how much she was hurting.

He made a silent vow to himself then and there. No matter what, he would be there for Piko. He would help her find a way back to her family, back to the surface. And until then, he would do everything he could to make sure she knew she wasn't alone.

The next day seemed like the most boring day ever. There was nothing on the news, and Dream didn't have any work that day, so he went on a walk. Who knows, maybe even visit Piko at her post. "Hey, Doggo. I'm gonna take my lunch break, can you fill in for me?" Dream heard Piko's voice say from around the corner. "An why should I? 'ya probably would like to hang out more with your kind. Darn humans." Doggo said. "Hey, I took an oath. If a human comes this way, I WILL capture it. I promised captain Undyne I would." Piko said.

Dream rounded the corner, smiling at the sight of Piko and Doggo. "Hey, Doggo, give Piko a break. We all need some time off every now and then."

Doggo grumbled but nodded, moving to take Piko's place.

Piko gave Dream a grateful smile. "Thank you, Dream. I could really use a break."

"How about lunch?" Dream suggested. "I brought some sandwiches, we can share."

Piko's eyes lit up. "That sounds great, Dream. Let's do it."

They found a quiet spot to sit and eat, chatting and laughing as they enjoyed their meal. Despite the seriousness of the situation, Dream found himself enjoying this moment, this simple act of sharing a meal with a friend.

And as he looked at Piko, her eyes bright and her smile genuine, he felt a sense of hope. They would find a way to get her back to her family. They had to. For Piko's sake, and for the sake of all their friends in the underground.

Later that night, Dream got a text from Piko. 'Hey, got stuck with the night shift. Not gonna be home for a while.'

Dream sighed as he read the message, concern for his friend creeping into his thoughts. Piko had been working so hard lately, taking on extra shifts and spending long hours in the library researching a way to break the barrier. He couldn't help but worry about her.

Quickly, he typed a response. 'Okay, Piko. Please take care of yourself and don't overwork. Remember, we're in this together. If you need anything, don't hesitate to ask.'

He hit send, hoping his message would offer some comfort. He spent the rest of the night restless, wondering how Piko was doing and hoping she was okay. He made a mental note to check on her in the morning, and maybe bring her breakfast to start the day on a positive note.