(A/N: For the original comic, click on the link here: http://zarla.deviantart.com/art/In-an-isolated-system-670884628)

"Where is he? He's been late more and more often lately...."

You felt uneasy inside. And judging by the expressions of Alphys and Asgore, they felt similarly. 

This had been lasting for many months now. Asgore would host a meeting with the head scientists of the Underground, and W.D. Gaster always came in 10-15 minutes late. Which was rather strange, because - up until several months ago - Gaster always came in on time. Always. 

On the other hand, when he did come in for the daily meetings, you could not help but notice that something about him was amiss. And the difference in his appearance became more apparent every time you saw him: His glasses were sometimes askew, his lab coat and clothes were wrinkled and disheveled, and dark circles were gradually forming underneath his eye sockets. 

It was unlike him. It was not the Gaster you knew. 

Then again... ever since the monsters had been banished from the Surface and sent into the Underground, he had never really been the same. 

Still, you could not help but worry. All you could do was fumble with your (h/c) hair and put your hands in the pockets of your white lab coat.

"M-Maybe he's, uh.... M-Maybe his alarm clock d-didn't go off?" Alphys guessed while adjusting her glasses. "Or m-maybe he's trying to p-print out the papers for the Core readings...?"

"Maybe," Asgore sighed. "But I'm starting to -"

The door to Alphys' lab suddenly slid open. W.D. Gaster walked inside, cradling his skull with one hand.

"Nnh. I'm here," he groaned, almost yawning in mid-sentence. "My apologies, Your Majesty. I got caught up in something. I should have all the readings you requested...." 

Asgore's eyes suddenly widened. Alphys gasped and put her hands over her mouth. You wondered why they were suddenly shocked upon seeing Gaster again. 

When you turned your gaze over to the Royal Scientist, you froze.

He looked even worse than the last time you had seen him. Not only were the circles under his eye sockets darker, but there were cracks on his face. One rose from the top of his right socket and went over his cranium while the other sunk from the bottom of his left socket and barely touched the corner of his mouth. His glasses were crooked, once again, and his lab coat was different: There were patches of new white fabric on his sleeves and around the front where the buttons were located.

You tightly held onto your books and tried to ignore the sinking feeling you had inside.

Gaster noticed that the three of you were staring at him, and he frowned.

"Is... something wrong?" he asked. 

"D-Doctor Gaster... w-what happened to your face?" Alphys stammered. "I-It's cracked...."

Gaster put a hand to his skull again. "Oh.... Oh, nothing. Just an accident. I don't want to discuss it...."

"And your coat!" Asgore gasped, noticing the patches and stitches.

"Ah - yes, I had to do some repairs. Thankfully, I still had the sewing box the queen...."

Gaster and Asgore fell silent for a brief moment in time. Their expressions darkened slightly.

"... Well, I tried to fix it," Gaster said as he started pulling out the papers from within his black satchel. "Anyways, about the Core - "

"What happened?" Asgore asked.

"I told you, I don't want to discuss it."

"You were limping when you came in. You're shaking even now.... You're still in pain, aren't you?"

Indeed, Gaster was shaking. His phalanges trembled every time they touched the edges of the papers in his hands. His grip on them tightened, and he frowned again.

"This meeting isn't about my personal health," he said crossly. "If we're not going to talk about the Core, then I might as well leave."

"When did this 'accident' occur?" Asgore inquired. "How serious was it?"

"I-I can do my b-best to heal you if you want!" Alphys squeaked. 

You gained an ounce of courage and approached the skeleton monster. 

"If you're in pain, then you might need help," you stated. "Please... we know you've been having problems with your healing powers lately. If there's anything we can do to help you, don't be afraid to tell us...."

His expression softened, but then hardened again. Gaster stared at you, Alphys and Asgore for a few silent seconds before he put his papers back inside his satchel.

"Fine," he grumbled as he turned to leave. "Call me when you want to be serious. I have work I need to get back to."

"D-Doctor Gaster..." Alphys tried to speak....

Until Asgore stepped forward.

"W.D. Gaster, you will answer me when I speak to you," the King growled. "Are you still wounded, and how severely?"

Gaster stopped in his tracks. "I'll deal with it on my own. It's not your concern."

"You are being extremely childish right now. Come here."

"It's not your concern - "

Asgore lunged and grabbed Gaster's right arm with one furry fist.

"Come here!"

"NO-!"

Gaster struggled to get away, but Asgore was stronger. The King of the Underground lifted Gaster off the floor and held his bony waist with his free hand. Gaster squirmed and thrashed, desperate to get away, but Asgore seldom moved.

"Why is it so hard to get you to take care of yourself?" Asgore demanded as he started to use his healing magic. 

"Stop!" Gaster gasped as he continued to struggle. "Stop... stop...."

Alphys started using her healing magic, and then you set your books aside to join them. Your (s/c) hands started to glow green and you helped Alphys and Asgore heal Gaster.

"Stop... stop it.... Stop it...." 

Together, the three of you used your magic, and it was strong enough so that you could look into his mind....

Somewhere, in your minds' eye, the three of you saw him, kneeling inside what appeared to be a cage made of bones. It was surrounded by colorful auras of lavender, pink, orange, green, yellow and red.... The walls of the cage started cracking, and he was trembling as if he was cold... or terrified....

"Stop it.... Stop...."

In the physical world, Gaster continued to struggle. His thrashing became more and more frantic and violent, until he finally gained enough strength and power to break free. He summoned an array of white and blue bones, creating a wall between himself and you, Asgore and Alphys.

"STOP IT!"  he shrieked. 

Asgore and Alphys jumped back, and you yelped out of surprise. Gaster fell to his knees, clutching onto his chest. His breaths were ragged and uneven, and he couldn't stop shaking.

"Stop... Stop caring about me..." he gasped. "It would be easier for you all if you didn't." 

Without looking at either of you, Gaster hurriedly stood and left the laboratory. Asgore and Alphys could only watch as he left, their expressions both hurt and concerned.

"I'm really worried about him," said Asgore. "He can't keep this up much longer.... He just can't." 

You felt the tears sting your eyes, but you refused to let them fall. You drew a slow, shaky breath, and then you hurried after him.

"Gaster!" you cried. "Wing, wait!"

"Miss (Y/N), please," Asgore said from behind. "It may not be wise to -"

"I know, Your Majesty," you interrupted as you kept walking, "but I have to try."

"(Y/N), wait!" Alphys cried.

But you ignored them both. You hurried outside, just in time to watch as Gaster started to walk back to his own laboratory. 

Without a second thought, without any form of hesitance, you ran after him.

"Wing!" you shouted, your voice echoing off the volcanic walls of Hotland.

Upon hearing your voice, Gaster stopped. He kept his back turned toward you as you approached him. He was eerily silent.

"Wing," you panted. "What... What was that all about? What happened...?"

"(Y/N), I don't want to discuss it," Gaster remarked. "It is not your concern. Just leave me be...."

"You know I can't do that."

"Then try." 

"Wing...."

"Tell them they can call me when they want to be serious and when they want the Core readings."

He went to walk away again, but you stopped him once more when you raised your voice: "Wing-Dings Gaster, why won't you listen?! Why won't you talk to me?!"

He said nothing.

"Wing," you continued. "We just want to help you. We know you're in pain, and we know something's wrong. We just want you to trust us enough to tell us! And we want to help you. Please, let us help you. Let me help you..."

"You cannot help me, (Y/N)," Gaster murmured. "No one can. Not this time. This is something I have to deal with on my own. If you know what is best for you, then you will stay out of it and leave. Me. Be." 

He tried to walk away again, but you stopped him with your words. 

You were persistent. You were not going to back down easily.

"You may be able to pull that attitude off with the others, but you're not going to do that to me," you said in a near-growl. "Not after everything we've been through, after everything you've done for me and everything I've done for you. So you better start talking, or so help me, I'll drag you back to my place and strap you down to a dissection table until you start talking." 

Gaster stayed silent again. His grasp around the strap of his satchel tightened. You gave yourself a moment to collect yourself and take a deep breath.

"So... what's going on?" you asked calmly. "Why haven't you been taking care of yourself? Why are you shutting us out? What are you so afraid of?"

"(Y/N)...."

"You have to tell me, Wing. I can't help you if you can't tell me what it is that's troubling you. Alphys, Asgore and I want to help you, Wing, not hurt you. We know you're in pain...."

He remained silent. He brought his hands up to his chest, and they curled into fists. 

"Wing," you murmured.

You stepped closer to him and touched his shoulder. Gaster jumped and swiveled until he faced you. His skeletal face tensed, and his left eye socket started flashing red, yellow and purple. You cringed and stepped back, suddenly afraid and uncertain. 

"Please, I just want to help you," you implored as his eye socket stopped glowing. 

"You can't," he said tersely. "No one can. Not even you." 

"Gaster, I - "

He turned away from you again. "Go back to the lab."

"You know I can't do that."

"That was not a suggestion, (Y/N). Go."

"I'm not leaving until I get some answers, and you know it." 

He sighed, lowering his hands, which began to shake. "I see your persistent nature hasn't changed in the slightest.... Fine. If you will not go back... I will make you!"

Gaster suddenly turned on you again, summoning three skeletal blasters. Your (e/c) eyes widened, and you jumped back. Gaster's blasters seemed to glare at you, and they growled as their reptilian eye sockets glowed white. 

You always hated these things. The blasters were one of the only inventions of Gaster's you hated. For you, one shot would finish you and deplete your HP. One shot would be all it took.... One shot and you would turn to dust....

"This is your last warning, (Y/N)," Gaster said, the lens of his glasses flashing in the orange light of the surrounding lava. "Stay away. Go back, or I will... I'll...."

The hand he used to summon the blasters started to tremble. You could see the fear in his eye sockets.... Even the skeletal blasters seemed to hesitate. You then had a feeling that he was bluffing, that he was only doing this in an attempt to frighten you and make you run away....

"I'll make you! Go back! Do you hear me?!"

"Wing," you murmured. "I know you're better than this. This isn't you, Wing...."

"Is it?!" he spat. "You... You don't know me! Everything I've done, all the mistakes I've made.... You don't... You don't know me as well as you think you do!"

"Gaster, please... you're hurting...."

"So what if I am?! My pain means nothing! It's irrelevant! It always has been! I am better off being alone; it's what I deserve!"

"I just want to help you!"

"I DON'T WANT YOUR HELP! I DON'T NEED YOUR HELP! I DON'T NEED YOU, AND I DON'T NEED ANY OF THEM!"

"I know you don't mean that...."

"You.... You think you can -- do you really -- does it look like I give a -- I don't...."

Your voice broke. "Gaster... you're crying...."

Indeed... he was. Through his mask of rage, the tears began to fall. They fell, ceaselessly, slipping from his eye sockets and down his cheekbones. He placed a shaking hand over his face, and the blasters that hovered over his head quivered.

"Ha... ha..." he exhaled. "I...  I don't know why...."

"I think it's because you're afraid. You're hurting...."

"You...." He put both hands over his face. "What did you do to me...?"

His bones started rattling. A strange sound escaped him. You felt a pit form inside your stomach, and you stepped closer to him.... He turned on you again, his left eye socket flaring red with anger.

"No.... NO!" he screamed. "YOU STAY BACK! G-GET AWAY FROM ME!" 

He thrust his hands forward. The blasters opened their mouths, preparing to fire.... But then, in the face of the danger, you finally reached him. You gently took his wrists and lowered his hands. His expression softened. His rage turned into shock and fear.

"That's enough," you murmured. "Stop fighting. Just let me help you."

"I... I don't want... I don't need.... I...."

He was breaking. The blasters faded into nonexistence, and his walls broke down, crumbling to irreparable pieces once and for all. He pulled away from you and covered his face. He started... sobbing. He collapsed onto his knees, the bones clacking against the rock, and the tears that landed on the rock floor evaporated due to the heat from the lava.

But there were plenty more to come.

"I'm so sorry."

You knew that you succeeded. You got down on your knees and pulled Gaster into your arms, hugging him tightly and letting him sob into your shoulder.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry..." you could hear him say. 

"Shh," you hushed. "It's all right. It's okay, Wing. I got you."

"(Y/N), I'm sorry... I'm so sorry...."

"Shh. It'll be all right, Wing. It's all right. Just let it out."

Gaster cried. Hard. He eventually hugged you back, and his phalanges dug into the fabric of your white coat. His body wracked with every heaving sob that came, and his tears stained your coat.

"I keep... hurting..." you heard him say. "I'm... hurting.... Everything hurts...."

"I know," you whispered. "I know. But you don't need to worry. I'm here for you, Wing. And I'll be here for you as long as you need me to."

"I d-didn't... m-mean to.... I just.... I wanted to...."

"I know. You don't need to say anything." 

"I'm so... horrible.... I've done so much wrong...."

Your embrace around him tightened. "I don't know what's going on, I don't know what's happened... but we'll figure something out. We'll walk through this together. I don't care what it takes; I'll help you." 

"I don't want to hurt you. I can't... do this.... I can't hurt anybody again.... I can't... keep...."

His embrace around you tightened even more. And you held onto him. You refused to let go.

You were determined to help him.

After a while, Gaster started to quiet down. His body was still quivering, but he had fallen silent. And you could tell he was still crying, because the tears continued to fall and land on your shoulder.

Some ways away, you heard the door to Alphys' lab open and close. A pair of footsteps hurried over to the place where you and Gaster were kneeling on the ground.

Asgore stopped and gasped, his eyes widening with alarm.

"Oh, my goodness!" he exclaimed. "What happened over here? (Y/N), is he... is he all right?"

"He's fine," you said, looking up at the King. "I think he just... needed to let a few things out. And I think we need a few more minutes."

"Oh, all right.... Should I get Doctor Alphys out here?"

You shook your head. "No. But thank you, Your Majesty. I'll take care of it from here."

Asgore seemed awfully reluctant, but he finally nodded and stepped back. "Very well. I will leave him to you, (Y/N). Take care of him. And call us if anything happens. I don't want him to hurt himself anymore than he already has."

You nodded. "Don't worry. He's in good hands now."

You turned back to Gaster and let your cheek rest on his skull.

"I'll take care of him."

.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.

It took a while. A long time. But, eventually, Gaster calmed down. When he did, you kept your arms around him, gingerly holding one of his hands, and you took him to your old house at the far end of Hotland. It was a small house, but it was quite comfy, nothing complex.

You led Gaster inside, and you let him sit on the sofa in the living area. You removed your coat and hung it up on the coat rack by the front door.

"Make yourself comfortable and try to relax," you said to him. "I'm going to go make some tea in the kitchen. Would you like any?"

"Yes, please," Gaster replied quietly.

"Golden flower tea with a teaspoon of cream? No sugar?"

Gaster smiled lightly and nodded. He was impressed at how you remembered how he liked to drink his tea. 

You smiled and went inside the kitchen. You got to work, boiling the water in the teapot and preparing the golden flower tea. From time to time, while you were in the kitchen, you took a glance in the living area to check on Gaster....

The Royal Scientist barely moved. He still sat on the sofa, and he kept his gaze on the carpeted floor. He looked so... lifeless. It almost frightened you. 

But you kept your chin up. You tried to stay positive. 

Once the water was finished boiling, you prepared the tea, pouring it into two separate teacups and added a small plate of shortbread cookies to the tray. You walked into the living room and sat beside Gaster, and you gave him the cup that belonged to him.

"Here you are," you said. 

"Mm. Thank you, (Y/N)," he murmured, gently taking the cup from your hands. He took a small sip, and the flavor of the tea seemed to breathe a little life back into him.

You smiled. "I can see that helped a little bit. Asgore's kind of right, you know: A nice, hot cup of tea can solve a few things."

"To some degree... yes," said Gaster.

You took a sip from your own cup, but you kept your eyes on Gaster. 

He still looked dead. Well, of course, that was partly because he was a skeleton, but really... he looked lifeless. Hopeless. Depressed. Guilty. 

But what made him this way? How? Why? So many questions raced through your mind. You had to find the answers. 

"Wing..." you said while cradling your own cup of tea. "Do you... want to talk?"

"It... is not something that can be so easily discussed," Gaster responded. "It's not for the faint of heart either...."

You moved closer to him. "You know you can tell me anything."

"Yes, but - "

"Please, Wing. I can't help you if you don't tell me."

His weary gaze turned and found you.