Monsters Inc, Boo's Back
By Beth C
*****
Sulley stood before the white door sprinkled with pink flowers, amazement showing on his face. It couldn't be, could it? He had seen the door shredded with his own eyes, yet here it was. "Mike..." he said with a soft voice. "Is that?" He couldn't say it, couldn't believe it.
"Sorry it took so long, pal." Mike held up his splintered and bandaged hands so Sulley could view them. "It was a lot of wood to go through." He paused one second, then continued. "You know it only works if you have every piece."
Sulley lifted the papers off his clipboard and withdrew the last piece of the door that he had taped there so long ago when the door had been shredded. He carefully lined it up and placed it in the hole, pressing it down with one nail until it clicked into place. The door registered as complete and powered up.
Sulley grasped the knob between two fingers and took a breath. It had been a year now since he had last seen Boo. Would she even remember him? He took one last glance at Mike and saw a reassuring smile on his pal's face. Mike had done this for him. Mike had known how unhappy he had been, even though he was now the CEO of Monsters, Inc and the power shortage had been solved. Mike had worked for the year, sifting through the woodpiles, gluing the pieces together one by one.
Sulley turned the knob with determination, and cracked the door, ready to face what was on the other side. Either she would remember him, or she wouldn't. It was that simple. He stuck his head inside the room carefully, not wanting to frighten her if she was inside.
Night was just falling in Boo's world, Sulley could see the remainder of the sunlight glinting off new fallen snow outside her bedroom window. Somewhere in the room he heard the sound of a space heater clicking on, keeping the occupant of the room warm. Her bed was still right across from the door, and he could see someone sleeping in it.
"Boo?" He called out quietly to the form laying on the bed.
Upon hearing his voice the little girl sat up. "Kitty!" Her voice was full of surprise and happiness. She immediately scrambled out of the bed, dragging and discarding the blankets that had been covering her and ran over to him as he took a single step into her room. He didn't see one fall and partially cover the heater in his newfound joy at seeing her again.
"Kitty!" she squealed again and climbed into his arms.
He relaxed and felt his heart lift at having her recognize him so readily. He hugged her close to him, letting her stroke his soft fur with one small hand. Nothing had felt this good for so long. One moment stretched out for eternity as time seemed to stand still.
"Is everything okay?" Came Mike's voice from behind them.
When she heard his voice, Boo pushed herself down from Sulley's embrace and before he could stop her, ran out the door and over to Mike. "Mike Wazowski!" She giggled and hugged her green friend.
Sulley turned around and watched as Mike returned the hug, noticing that his friend had missed her just as much as he himself had. Sulley got his first real good look at Boo now. She had grown a bit taller, her hair was longer, but still in the same two ponytails. She was wearing a purple shirt and pink shorts, and purple socks covered her feet.
"How ya been, kid?" Mike greeted her with one skinny arm still wrapped around Boo.
Boo released Mike and smiled at him. "Missed you!" she said while pointing one chubby finger at his lone eye.
Mike blushed and Sulley could see a deeper green shade his cheeks. "I missed you too, Boo."
Boo turned her attention back to Sulley as he stepped out of her room. He had begun to notice a temperature difference between the Human world and Monster world. Boo's room had seemed uncomfortably hot to him. He closed the door behind him as she jumped in his arms for a second hug, snuggling comfortably into his fur. "Missed Kitty lots."
Sulley blinked away tears of happiness as his heart filled with love for the little girl that had changed his whole world. He owed everything to her.
Mike coughed lightly. He hated to break up the reunion, but he knew if he didn't, Sulley would not let her go. "Sulley, I hate to be the bad guy here..." he trailed off, not voicing the rest.
Sulley broke the hug, holding Boo comfortably in one arm. "I know, Mike." He sighed once knowing that he couldn't keep her here with him, that this reunion was only meant to show him that she had been okay after he had left her. He couldn't help but wish for just a few more minutes with Boo. He looked into her dark eyes. "Boo? You know I've missed you, but it's time for you to go back in your room now."
"No." Her answer was immediately stated as she crossed her arms over her chest. "Stay wif you."
Sulley placed the little girl down and she stood defiantly in front of him. "Boo, you can't."
She did the only thing open to her and grabbed on to one of his legs, wrapping her small body around it tightly. "Can too," she declared with a small pout.
Sulley looked to Mike, his eyebrows raising in surprise. "Can we just let her stay for a little bit?"
Mike shrugged. "It's your decision, Sul. Just don't make a spectacle of it. Maybe just a few minutes more. Even though we know that kids are not toxic, the general public doesn't know yet. Seeing her could still cause another panic. You remember last time, right?"
Sulley looked down to the dark haired toddler and patted her head. "Boo? You can stay for a few minutes, okay?"
Upon hearing that she didn't have to go right back, she released his leg and reached for his hand. "'Kay." She smiled brightly at him. "Go," she insisted tugging at his hand and moving away from her door.
Mike followed the two of them to the far side of the room. Boo had tried to head for the hallway doors, but Sulley had steered her towards a small table that was covered with empty boxes. He brushed them aside with one hand and cleared a space on top of it. Boo climbed up and sat down, indian style, crossing her legs.
Sulley pulled up a chair and waited as Mike did as well. "So, Boo. You can talk now. Right?"
Boo was looking from Mike to Sulley and then the nearly empty room. "Some." She pointed at her chest. "Not Boo."
Sulley realized that they really didn't know her name. It had been on her file that he had never got the chance to see, and by the time he went to find out more about her the file was gone, having been shredded by Roz. "What is your name?" he asked her.
"Karen," she said pronouncing it Kawen.
"That's a pretty name," Mike told her. "As pretty as you are."
Karen put one finger in her mouth, thinking of something. When she removed it she pointed at Sulley with a crestfallen face. "Not Kitty?"
"You can still call me Kitty if you want. However my name is James Sullivan or Sulley." Sulley told her with a small smile. He really liked it when she called him Kitty. No one else would ever call him that, he reserved that only for her.
"Zames Swallvan." She rolled the name over her tongue.
"Not bad. Try Sulley."
"Sullwee." The sound of it made her laugh so she said it again this time with more enthusiasm. "SuuulllWWWEEE!"
Even Mike had to smile at that. "Good job."
Sulley passed the next few minutes with Karen by playing her favorite game with him, hide and go seek. She eagerly hid behind the boxes and would laugh when he found her. Even Mike got in on the game, finding her once or twice. There wasn't many places to hide in the storeroom, so eventually she tired of the game and came to sit on his lap. Sulley remembered that in her world it was way past her bedtime, and time she should be getting home to get some rest.
He hugged her once, and nodded to Mike, who agreed that it was time for her to go. He got up and headed for her door, leaving him alone to say his good-bye to her. "Karen, someday I'll get to sit with you and tell you just how much you mean to me. Right now you need to go back to your room and get some sleep, okay?"
Her small face started to fall at the mention of her room, she buried her face into his chest and he could feel her cold, wet tears hitting his skin. He lifted her chin up with one finger and used his others to wipe her cheeks dry. "I'll come visit you again."
She hiccuped back a sob, "Pwomise?"
"I promise." He stood up now and followed Mike back to her door, keeping one large arm around her.
Mike had already begun to power up the door again when he noticed that as the connection was made between the two worlds an increase in temperature was evident. This had never happened before, something wasn't right. "Uh, Sulley?"
"Yeah, Mike?" Sulley approached the door, and instantly could tell that something was wrong.
"Something's not right here." Mike stated the obvious.
Sulley placed Karen down away from the door. "You stay here. Mike, go stay with her while I check this out." He waited until Mike was over near her then reached for the knob which was now searingly hot. "Mike, you better move back a bit more, this could get dangerous." He called out to those behind him in a sing-song voice.
He couldn't have been more right. When he opened the door to her room, he was forced back by rushing flames and an intense heat. Her room was engulfed in fire, it was burning everything in sight. The flames licked at her curtains, toys, even her bed. Sulley managed to reach for the door, barely able to grab the knob and pull it shut before yanking his hand away in pain. He slammed at the power button with his other hand, deactivating and cutting the connection between the two worlds. The room immediately cooled.
Karen had seen the spectacle and was screaming in terror. "Hot! Hot! No! Mommy!" The lights in the room flickered wildly. She grabbed on to the first available thing which was Mike's leg.
Sulley bent down and scooped up the frightened child, bringing her tear-stained face to rest on his shoulder. "Shh-shh," he soothed trying to calm her down.
She clung tightly to his fur, sobbing harder but screaming less. Sulley began to rock her from side to side looking in bewilderment at Mike.
"Stay here, Sulley." Mike said as he headed out to the main Laugh Floor. Sulley continued to rock and comfort the girl until she finally sobbed herself to sleep in his arms. Mike returned a few minutes later with one of the company blankets. Sulley took it from him and draped it over the sleeping girl. "Mike what are we going to do now? I'm sure her parents must be worried about her."
Mike thought for a moment. "I don't know, Sul. It seems we have a knack for getting ourselves into situations that have never been handled before."
Sulley shifted her weight a bit until she was no longer hanging over his shoulder but now resting in the crook of his arm. "We are going to be noticed missing soon."
"Why don't you just take her home for now, Sul?" Mike suggested. "I'll go distract everyone and you can take the back way out. I'll meet you at home once my shift is over and we can work out something then."
"I think that may be the best thing," Sulley agreed. "Take my clipboard back to my desk and if anyone asks, I left because I didn't feel well. Tell them it was something I ate." Sulley reached over and covered Karen completely up so no one could see what he would be leaving the building with, especially Roz or Celia.
"Ok, pal. Good luck." Mike picked up the clipboard and walked out to the Laugh Floor, making a big commotion and drawing everyone's attention. Sulley waited until the coast was clear and sneaked down the halls. He made it out the back way and carried his precious cargo home.
*****
That's the first chapter... Chapter 2 will be up soon!
By Beth C
*****
Sulley stood before the white door sprinkled with pink flowers, amazement showing on his face. It couldn't be, could it? He had seen the door shredded with his own eyes, yet here it was. "Mike..." he said with a soft voice. "Is that?" He couldn't say it, couldn't believe it.
"Sorry it took so long, pal." Mike held up his splintered and bandaged hands so Sulley could view them. "It was a lot of wood to go through." He paused one second, then continued. "You know it only works if you have every piece."
Sulley lifted the papers off his clipboard and withdrew the last piece of the door that he had taped there so long ago when the door had been shredded. He carefully lined it up and placed it in the hole, pressing it down with one nail until it clicked into place. The door registered as complete and powered up.
Sulley grasped the knob between two fingers and took a breath. It had been a year now since he had last seen Boo. Would she even remember him? He took one last glance at Mike and saw a reassuring smile on his pal's face. Mike had done this for him. Mike had known how unhappy he had been, even though he was now the CEO of Monsters, Inc and the power shortage had been solved. Mike had worked for the year, sifting through the woodpiles, gluing the pieces together one by one.
Sulley turned the knob with determination, and cracked the door, ready to face what was on the other side. Either she would remember him, or she wouldn't. It was that simple. He stuck his head inside the room carefully, not wanting to frighten her if she was inside.
Night was just falling in Boo's world, Sulley could see the remainder of the sunlight glinting off new fallen snow outside her bedroom window. Somewhere in the room he heard the sound of a space heater clicking on, keeping the occupant of the room warm. Her bed was still right across from the door, and he could see someone sleeping in it.
"Boo?" He called out quietly to the form laying on the bed.
Upon hearing his voice the little girl sat up. "Kitty!" Her voice was full of surprise and happiness. She immediately scrambled out of the bed, dragging and discarding the blankets that had been covering her and ran over to him as he took a single step into her room. He didn't see one fall and partially cover the heater in his newfound joy at seeing her again.
"Kitty!" she squealed again and climbed into his arms.
He relaxed and felt his heart lift at having her recognize him so readily. He hugged her close to him, letting her stroke his soft fur with one small hand. Nothing had felt this good for so long. One moment stretched out for eternity as time seemed to stand still.
"Is everything okay?" Came Mike's voice from behind them.
When she heard his voice, Boo pushed herself down from Sulley's embrace and before he could stop her, ran out the door and over to Mike. "Mike Wazowski!" She giggled and hugged her green friend.
Sulley turned around and watched as Mike returned the hug, noticing that his friend had missed her just as much as he himself had. Sulley got his first real good look at Boo now. She had grown a bit taller, her hair was longer, but still in the same two ponytails. She was wearing a purple shirt and pink shorts, and purple socks covered her feet.
"How ya been, kid?" Mike greeted her with one skinny arm still wrapped around Boo.
Boo released Mike and smiled at him. "Missed you!" she said while pointing one chubby finger at his lone eye.
Mike blushed and Sulley could see a deeper green shade his cheeks. "I missed you too, Boo."
Boo turned her attention back to Sulley as he stepped out of her room. He had begun to notice a temperature difference between the Human world and Monster world. Boo's room had seemed uncomfortably hot to him. He closed the door behind him as she jumped in his arms for a second hug, snuggling comfortably into his fur. "Missed Kitty lots."
Sulley blinked away tears of happiness as his heart filled with love for the little girl that had changed his whole world. He owed everything to her.
Mike coughed lightly. He hated to break up the reunion, but he knew if he didn't, Sulley would not let her go. "Sulley, I hate to be the bad guy here..." he trailed off, not voicing the rest.
Sulley broke the hug, holding Boo comfortably in one arm. "I know, Mike." He sighed once knowing that he couldn't keep her here with him, that this reunion was only meant to show him that she had been okay after he had left her. He couldn't help but wish for just a few more minutes with Boo. He looked into her dark eyes. "Boo? You know I've missed you, but it's time for you to go back in your room now."
"No." Her answer was immediately stated as she crossed her arms over her chest. "Stay wif you."
Sulley placed the little girl down and she stood defiantly in front of him. "Boo, you can't."
She did the only thing open to her and grabbed on to one of his legs, wrapping her small body around it tightly. "Can too," she declared with a small pout.
Sulley looked to Mike, his eyebrows raising in surprise. "Can we just let her stay for a little bit?"
Mike shrugged. "It's your decision, Sul. Just don't make a spectacle of it. Maybe just a few minutes more. Even though we know that kids are not toxic, the general public doesn't know yet. Seeing her could still cause another panic. You remember last time, right?"
Sulley looked down to the dark haired toddler and patted her head. "Boo? You can stay for a few minutes, okay?"
Upon hearing that she didn't have to go right back, she released his leg and reached for his hand. "'Kay." She smiled brightly at him. "Go," she insisted tugging at his hand and moving away from her door.
Mike followed the two of them to the far side of the room. Boo had tried to head for the hallway doors, but Sulley had steered her towards a small table that was covered with empty boxes. He brushed them aside with one hand and cleared a space on top of it. Boo climbed up and sat down, indian style, crossing her legs.
Sulley pulled up a chair and waited as Mike did as well. "So, Boo. You can talk now. Right?"
Boo was looking from Mike to Sulley and then the nearly empty room. "Some." She pointed at her chest. "Not Boo."
Sulley realized that they really didn't know her name. It had been on her file that he had never got the chance to see, and by the time he went to find out more about her the file was gone, having been shredded by Roz. "What is your name?" he asked her.
"Karen," she said pronouncing it Kawen.
"That's a pretty name," Mike told her. "As pretty as you are."
Karen put one finger in her mouth, thinking of something. When she removed it she pointed at Sulley with a crestfallen face. "Not Kitty?"
"You can still call me Kitty if you want. However my name is James Sullivan or Sulley." Sulley told her with a small smile. He really liked it when she called him Kitty. No one else would ever call him that, he reserved that only for her.
"Zames Swallvan." She rolled the name over her tongue.
"Not bad. Try Sulley."
"Sullwee." The sound of it made her laugh so she said it again this time with more enthusiasm. "SuuulllWWWEEE!"
Even Mike had to smile at that. "Good job."
Sulley passed the next few minutes with Karen by playing her favorite game with him, hide and go seek. She eagerly hid behind the boxes and would laugh when he found her. Even Mike got in on the game, finding her once or twice. There wasn't many places to hide in the storeroom, so eventually she tired of the game and came to sit on his lap. Sulley remembered that in her world it was way past her bedtime, and time she should be getting home to get some rest.
He hugged her once, and nodded to Mike, who agreed that it was time for her to go. He got up and headed for her door, leaving him alone to say his good-bye to her. "Karen, someday I'll get to sit with you and tell you just how much you mean to me. Right now you need to go back to your room and get some sleep, okay?"
Her small face started to fall at the mention of her room, she buried her face into his chest and he could feel her cold, wet tears hitting his skin. He lifted her chin up with one finger and used his others to wipe her cheeks dry. "I'll come visit you again."
She hiccuped back a sob, "Pwomise?"
"I promise." He stood up now and followed Mike back to her door, keeping one large arm around her.
Mike had already begun to power up the door again when he noticed that as the connection was made between the two worlds an increase in temperature was evident. This had never happened before, something wasn't right. "Uh, Sulley?"
"Yeah, Mike?" Sulley approached the door, and instantly could tell that something was wrong.
"Something's not right here." Mike stated the obvious.
Sulley placed Karen down away from the door. "You stay here. Mike, go stay with her while I check this out." He waited until Mike was over near her then reached for the knob which was now searingly hot. "Mike, you better move back a bit more, this could get dangerous." He called out to those behind him in a sing-song voice.
He couldn't have been more right. When he opened the door to her room, he was forced back by rushing flames and an intense heat. Her room was engulfed in fire, it was burning everything in sight. The flames licked at her curtains, toys, even her bed. Sulley managed to reach for the door, barely able to grab the knob and pull it shut before yanking his hand away in pain. He slammed at the power button with his other hand, deactivating and cutting the connection between the two worlds. The room immediately cooled.
Karen had seen the spectacle and was screaming in terror. "Hot! Hot! No! Mommy!" The lights in the room flickered wildly. She grabbed on to the first available thing which was Mike's leg.
Sulley bent down and scooped up the frightened child, bringing her tear-stained face to rest on his shoulder. "Shh-shh," he soothed trying to calm her down.
She clung tightly to his fur, sobbing harder but screaming less. Sulley began to rock her from side to side looking in bewilderment at Mike.
"Stay here, Sulley." Mike said as he headed out to the main Laugh Floor. Sulley continued to rock and comfort the girl until she finally sobbed herself to sleep in his arms. Mike returned a few minutes later with one of the company blankets. Sulley took it from him and draped it over the sleeping girl. "Mike what are we going to do now? I'm sure her parents must be worried about her."
Mike thought for a moment. "I don't know, Sul. It seems we have a knack for getting ourselves into situations that have never been handled before."
Sulley shifted her weight a bit until she was no longer hanging over his shoulder but now resting in the crook of his arm. "We are going to be noticed missing soon."
"Why don't you just take her home for now, Sul?" Mike suggested. "I'll go distract everyone and you can take the back way out. I'll meet you at home once my shift is over and we can work out something then."
"I think that may be the best thing," Sulley agreed. "Take my clipboard back to my desk and if anyone asks, I left because I didn't feel well. Tell them it was something I ate." Sulley reached over and covered Karen completely up so no one could see what he would be leaving the building with, especially Roz or Celia.
"Ok, pal. Good luck." Mike picked up the clipboard and walked out to the Laugh Floor, making a big commotion and drawing everyone's attention. Sulley waited until the coast was clear and sneaked down the halls. He made it out the back way and carried his precious cargo home.
*****
That's the first chapter... Chapter 2 will be up soon!