Memory Lane |wilbur soot angst|

Prologue

{A/N: this fic is done btw, all chapters are completed I'm just editing them}
TW: character death

Phil should have known sooner. Maybe he could have prevented Wilbur's death and the fall of L'Manberg then.

There were warnings along the way. Ones that gave hints that his son needed help. Phil wished he wouldn't have ignored them. Somehow it was easier pretending everything was okay instead of acknowledging the issues at hand.

Once he had heard Techno was joining the DreamSMP server with Tommy and Wilbur. As soon as the letters from Wilbur stopped. When he heard Wilbur became a single father. The moment Wilbur took debating seriously and could make people cry with his arguments and witty (and sometimes very personal) remarks. Maybe even back to when the young Wilbur was bullied through most of his years in school.  Thinking back all the way, even when Wilbur started writing songs that weren't particularly happy.

There had been so many chances for Phil to help the brunet. Yet he took none besides the one where he stabbed a sword through Wilbur's chest.

The blond sobbed as he held his dying son. The insanity finally disappeared from his eyes and they looked clear and happy for a moment. Then they glazed over with a fog of death as they fluttered closed for what would be the last time.

Maybe he was just asleep, Phil's brain supplied for comfort. Phil shouldnt believe it and truthfully he didn't. However it was the only thing keeping him together right now.

The man hated that everyone called Wilbur the villain. He had died and there was nothing for him. He destroyed the one thing he could have left behind. Wilbur did what he thought was right in his mind, and everyone shamed him for it when he's not even around.

How would Wilbur feel if he was here? Phil knew he was sensitive to what others thought of him no matter how hard Wilbur had tried to hide it. They weren't whispered of hatred, they were more like shouts. They travelled through the air quickly though, everyone knew what everyone was saying. People were happy he died, one person even congratulated Phil on the kill. Phil had turned away from them in disgust and went back to his house.

Then, a smidgen of hope appeared. It came about in a happy version of Wilbur. All the parts of him that were gone by his death. All in the shape of a little grey and wholesome ghost. Phil had nearly cried when he met Ghostbur. This was his second chance! This was the universe giving him a chance to right his wrongs.

"I'm sorry I don't remember that."

The universe always has a plot twist to destroy anything Phil cares about. How could the blond apologize and make up to Wilbur if Ghostbur didn't even remember the reason for this. Ghostbur was a shell of wilbur, just a small fragment of him that got hidden away when L'Manberg was created. The part of Wil he missed most, but a part that was nothing without the rest.

The ghost was good company though. Kind and forgave way too easily. Seeing Ghostbur happy made Phil feel better about himself. He didn't feel as guilty as before.

In all honesty, Phil hadn't liked Friend at first. The sheep was annoying and the wool seemed to get everywhere. He tolerated Friend for Ghostbur's sake. Friend grows on people though, and now he wasn't sure if he was annoyed at the blue sheep. Friend made Ghostbur happy, and seeing Ghostbur happy was almost like seeing Wilbur happy again. Anything to see his sons pure smile after so long of it not existing.

"Is there any way you could remember?" He asked.

Phil didn't get an answer. Ghostbur stared at him then floated away while holding some blue.

A week later Ghostbur came up to Phil with an answer. The grey ghost had told Phil about something Karl mentioned.

The human brain was very complex. For it to organize it better and play back memories, each memory is separated by doors as they're easy for the brain to visualize. If a person forgets about a memory completely, the door disappears, if the memory is hazy the door is broken down and hard to open, and if it's amnesia the door is locked.

Karl had figured out how to access the memory doors to help him remember when he time traveled (though he didn't tell Ghostbur that last part). Karl even figured out how to bring other people into your mind to look at the memories for a short period of time.

"Karl said that maybe if I bring you in, you can help me remember. And we can look at Aliveburs memories." Ghostbur said with a nervous smile. He wanted so badly to make Phil happy. The ghost had noticed that whenever he was around, Phil looked at him sadly. That made Ghostbur sad and Ghostbur didn't like to feel sad.

If seeing Aliveburs memories would make Phil happy then Ghostbur would gladly do it. Karl helped teach them how to do it and gave them the few tools they needed for it and went on his way.

Phil was less than hopeful. He didn't know how trustworthy Karl was and he didn't exactly trust Ghostbur to make the logical choices. Yet he was pleasantly surprised when the next time he opened his eyes he was not on the SMP.

The realm they were in was beautiful. The floor looked like glass but much more elegant and the rest of the walls and roof (if there were any) was like a galaxy. With purples, pinks, blues, reds and oranges it was elegant and mysterious. There were dark oak doors on each side, spaced out a lot but Phil could clearly see there were a lot. Too many to count.

Ghostbur tapped his shoulder and pointed at one of the many doors. Phil looked at him confused, what was special about that door?

"We need to look at that door. I don't know why, it's just like telling me too. Can you come with me?" Ghostbur questioned.

"Sure." Phil said. The two walked towards the door Ghostbur had motioned too. The ghost tried opening it, but upon testing that it was locked looked at Phil.

The blond didn't see a harm in trying. The knob turned easily in Phils hand. The two looked at each other confused. Why could only Phil open it if it was Wilbur's memories?

"Ready mate?" Phil asked before opening the door the rest of the way. Ghostbur nodded firmly and in they went.