Okay, I had been kicking around this idea in my head for a time and finally decided to kick it into full swing. :)

Now this story will be a GrillbyxOC story. :) And this story does have mentions and described incidents of abuse. Nothing too graphic, but still serious.

Undertale belongs to Toby Fox. I only own Emma and Lilly.

The Fire Of My Heart

Chapter 1: Unexpected

"Thank you so much, Grillby," said Dogressa as she paid him for the meal she and her associates had eaten.

"You're welcome, Dogressa," he said with a smile. "How is motherhood treating you?"

"It has good days and days that are a bit crazy, but overall, I'm happy to be a mother," she admitted with a smile as her husband came up to her and she smiled at him. "I was just telling Grillby how I enjoy motherhood."

Her husband smiled. "You are a wonderful mother, dear," he said.

As they left, Grillby wiped down the table, noting the time and realizing it was almost time to close up shop. Sans was in his usual spot at the bar and Frisk was with him, though the child looked ready to fall asleep. Chara and Asriel were beside her and they looked ready for bed too. Sans put some gold on the counter and saluted Grillby. "Well, I'm off, Grillbz," he said. "Got to get these little munchkins ready for the dream star."

The fire elemental chuckled at that. "Goodnight, Sans," he said to his friend.

Frisk, Chara, and Asriel hugged the bartender. "Night, Uncle Grillby. Love you," the brown-eyed girl said as her siblings echoed her.

"I love you too, little ones," he said, hugging them. "Goodnight and sweet dreams."

The children smiled and gathered close to Sans, who teleported them and himself away, leaving Grillby alone in the restaurant. With a sigh that was happy because the day had been good, but also relieved that the day was over, the bartender turned off his neon open sign and locked the door, setting to the task of cleaning up the bar, putting up the chairs, sweeping and moping the floors, and doing the final money reports.

As he was doing these evening tasks, he sighed again, taking off his glasses and rubbing at his eyes. Lately, he had been feeling lonely and hoping to find someone to spend time with, but any lady that had come into the bar was either married, having just divorced and not looking for another, or just didn't make his heart skip a beat, though there had been quite a few that were pretty.

He sighed before going back to his tasks. He had just finished the money reports and was about to mop when he looked up and saw a child standing at the door and she had her face pressed against it as if hoping someone was inside. Seeing him, she immediately began knocking on the glass, her small face urgent as she was saying something, but he couldn't hear it though the glass.

Going over to the door, he unlocked it and opened it partway to speak to the child. "Are you lost, young one?" He asked in concern as he didn't see any adults around.

The little girl, who couldn't have been more than four years old, looked up at him, tears in her eyes. "Please, can you help my mommy?" She asked, her voice pleading. "She's hurt and I can't wake her up."

Grillby stood up at hearing that, coming outside. "Where is she, little one?" He asked.

The little girl headed to the left before turning to look at him. He followed her as she led him to the alley nearby and the little girl kneeled next to a woman who Grillby could plainly see was a victim of abuse.

Bruises stained her face and it looked like she had a black eye. He noticed her hands were injured as if she had tried warding off a knife attack and she had some shallow cuts on her arms. Grillby looked around before looking at the little girl. "Who hurt your mother?" He asked her.

The child looked around in fear as if the person that hurt her mother was lurking around the corner. "Did this just happen?" The fire elemental asked.

"No," the child said. "He hurt Mommy this morning. Before he went to work. Mommy and I fled and we have to keep running, or they'll catch us."

"Who?" Grillby asked.

The little one looked around before looking at him. "My grandparents," she said. "But I don't like calling them that. They're mean."

The fire elemental decided he had heard enough. "Did you see your father hurt your mother?" He asked, deducing it had to have been the child's father.

She nodded. "He made me watch," she said. "Told me that if I didn't behave, I'd get what Mommy got."

Grillby was about ready to burst into flame when the child's words hit him. Leaning down, he gently picked up the woman bridal style, noting that she didn't weigh much at all. That concerned him greatly before he turned to look at the child. "Let's get you and your mother someplace safe," he said, deciding he could mop the floors in the morning. Making sure he had his keys, he locked the door to the bar again and started walking for home, noticing the child stuck close to him and was looking at her mother in worry.

"Will Mommy be okay?" She asked.

"She will be," he soothed. "I'll see to it that she is."

The little one looked down to the ground before looking back up again. "Thank you," she said. "For helping Mommy. No one else I asked would."

Grillby felt upset that someone had ignored a child's plea to help her mother. "You're welcome," he said. "I'm happy to help. By the way, what is your name?"

"Lilly," she replied before holding up four fingers. "I'm four years old."

He smiled. "You're a very brave girl, Lilly, seeking help for your mother," he said.

She looked a bit shy at that, but smiled, liking the fire elemental right away.

They soon arrived at a nice home that had two stories and was very comfortable looking. Lilly waited patiently as Grillby walked in and set the woman in his arms down on the couch. He then placed his hands outward and hovering over the young woman, his hands glowing green. Lilly watched in awe as her mother's injuries healed one by one, making it look like she hadn't been hurt in the first place. She looked up at him, still in awe. "Are you a superhero?" She asked.

He chuckled. "No," he said gently. "Just a monster with healing powers."

She cocked her head to the side puzzedly. "You don't look like a monster," she said. "Just a person made of fire."

Grillby chuckled at that. "Well, I am a monster made out of fire," he explained before doing a check on the woman in front of him.

Name: Emma

Age: 22 years old

LV: 1

Attack: 1

Defense: 10

HP: 200

Main traits: Patience, perseverence, and kindness

Will do what she can to keep her daughter safe and away from the people that hurt her.

The heart that he could see was blue, purple, and green. He nodded and saw she was resting comfortably. He then grew curious and turned to Lilly, doing a check on her.

Name: Lilly

Age: 4 years old

LV: 1

Attack: 1

Defense: 2

HP: 100

Main traits: Kindness and integrity

Hopes her mother will be alright. Is afraid her father and grandparents will find them.

A green and indigo heart was inside her and the fire elemental nodded before making his decision. "Lilly, you and your mother will be staying with me for a bit," he said. "Is that okay?"

She looked up at him and nodded. "I like you," she said. "You're nicer than a lot of people."

He smiled. "I do try," he said.

Lilly then remember something. "What is your name?" She asked.

"Grillby," he replied.

He was surprised when the child went up to him and reached up for him. He picked her up and she wrapped her arms around his neck in a hug. "Thank you, Mr. Grillby," she said.

He smiled, returning the hug. "You're welcome, little one," he said before setting her down and picking up Emma, carrying her to his room with Lilly following. The fire elemental gently set the young woman down and watched as the child climbed up and crawled up next to her mother, settling down and falling asleep instantly. The young woman, as if knowing her daughter was there, instinctively curled her arm around the child protectively.

Grillby nodded and then lay down beside the two, glad that he didn't have to open up tomorrow.

Because he had a few questions for Emma when she woke up.

Hmm, will Emma trust Grillby when she wakes up? Stay tuned to find out. :)

And please leave a review, but no flames!

GoldGuardian2418