Monster and Me

Summary: Mary Gibbs is a world renowned children's book author with a secret to her success- her books are based on a real place called Monstrocity

Disclaimer: I don't own Monster's Inc.

"Twenty Two Years later"

Mary Gibbs was four years old

She counted it with her little toes

One…two…three…four

That's how many years she'd grown

Her day had gone by very slow

All day long she played alone

But then a bell made her looked at her clock

it was time to play with spot

only of course if he only showed up

"Um…" Mary leaned forwards, resting her chin on the back of her left hand. "Jeez…what should happen…" She let out a sigh before she pushed herself away from her desk, the swivel chair spinning in a long slow circle as she glided across the room to her drafting table. "…I don't know why it matters so much…the words anyways…" Mary picked up her paintbrush with tender care and began to lightly build shapes on her canvas.

Since her childhood had been filled with adventures in Monstropolis Mary had plenty of imagination fuel. A stray piece of hair fell from its place behind her ear and once again Mary cursed her decision to go back to bangs; she reached over and grabbed a bobby pin from her little pink box she used for random necessities.

After restraining the offending tuff of hair Mary brought her legs up and crisscrossed them. She moved forwards and dipped her brush into the white paint and mixed it in with the red until a soft pink came into focus. But as she began to introduce the color to her canvas Mary heard a noise, soft but definitely not just the usual creaking the old place often made.

It came from her bedroom.

Mary untucked her legs and gently rolled her chair under the desk. She tiptoed through the doorless entryway and headed with careful steps to her bedroom down the hall. An odd yet relevant thought crossed her mind, a memory from her childhood when she was still scarred of monsters in the night and Mary had left her room to go to the safety of mom and dad. Now here she was in this big house all alone…twenty odd years later is a similar situation.

"I've got a really really big bat…" She leaned against the door but pulled back when she heard someone bump into her dresser, knocking over something. "A really big metal bat!"

Then a voice rumbled from behind the door, deep and monstrous.

"You haven't owned a bat since fifth grade when that Sid kid chipped your tooth."

Mary smiled. She squealed as she threw the door open and bum rushed the intruder of her room. Even as a young woman Mary never tired of seeing Sully and often found that being in his presence fueled her inner child. Sully lifted Mary up, his giant paws tucked under her arms. Mary scratched his blue paw while rolling her eyes.

"I was so into working on my book I completely forgot you were coming!" She smiled for a moment then let out a long relieved sigh. "I'm here all alone you know? I thought someone may have broken in! You should have said something sooner!"

Sully gently lowered Mary to the wooden floor with a slightly irritated look on his face. He looked around the room in search of the object he had knocked over; Sully picked up the stuffed toy, the character from Mary's book that happened to look quite a bit like him. Mary watched him carefully as she subconsciously began rocking back and forth. It was summer so the floor was warm; she didn't mind walking around barefoot. For just a moment she resembled that child she had been all those years ago. A soft smile remained on her face even as Sully lectured her.

"What happened to Doug?" Sully questioned as he adjusted the placement of his stuffed counterpart. "He was a pretty good guard dog…kept you company."

"Doug died." Mary sighed. "Two years ago."

"Oh." His long face dropped. "…I suppose that explains why I haven't seen him…"

"Oh Kitty" Mary giggled as she grabbed hold of his paw and began to tug. "If you weren't ten feet tall with fangs and claws I'd worry about you." When Sully didn't budge Mary tilted her back to look up at him. "What's the matter Kitty?"

"Boo…" Sully rubbed the back of his neck nervously, which to his dismay brought a gloss to his friend's eyes. "…I know I said we'd spend some time together…but you see…the factory…" He clamped his mouth shut when Mary's arms dropped weightlessly to her sides. "…Um…"

The glare coming from her dared him to say he came here only to postpone his promise. Sully tried to spit the words out with all his might, but it broke his heart to see her upset and when she suddenly crossed her arms and turned away he broke. A gentle smile from him assured Mary that victory belonged to her. She relaxed entirely and grabbed hold of his paw.

"C'mon." She led him down the hall, down the stairs and into the living room; Mary shut the blinds before turning on the T.V. "Here." Mary tossed Sully the remote, which he struggled to keep a hold of. "I'll be right back."

Sully was taken aback by the intensity of the volume and instantly sought to lower it by fumbling with the remote and being momentarily distracted by his inner turmoil.

"Um…" Sully finally got the remote to stop bouncing around in his paws, but every time he tried to adjust the volume weird things started happening. "…oh…almost got it…and…Yes!"

"What was that?" He heard Mary call from the kitchen.

"Nothing!" Sully was relieved when the television screen flashed white and then faded to black. "Finally." He looked towards the light in the kitchen; Sully felt exposed out in the living room, having spent the majority of his visits carefully hidden upstairs in Mary's room. "Boo…you know being that well, being here is breaking the rules…" He began, hoping he could convince her to postpone. "And you know that I'm already on probation…maybe…this is not such a good idea. Today. "

In a heartbeat her head poked from behind the kitchen threshold; Sully noticed that she had tied a pink bandana over her hair. Those brown eyes of hers were enlarged, pouting as she inched her way out into the living room. Hands softly folded she approached her friend. Sully suddenly wished he had just kept his mouth shut- nothing was worse than upsetting her. But Mary again grabbed his paws and led him to the couch with a smile; she made him sit. After the furniture groaned under his weight Sully tried to stand but was sternly motioned to remain seated.

"What did you promise me?" She pointed her slender finger at his large nose, completely unafraid of the ten foot monster. "What was it James P. Sullivan?"

With a sigh Sully brought his paw to the back of his neck and picked at the fur there. Those large brown eyes just kept starring at him. Sully looked away as he answered her in a defeated tone.

"I promised I would never break a promise, but Boo-" He lowered her hand and tried to convince her to allow him to change the plans. "…in your world…"

DING!

Sully jumped from his seat on the couch and in an instant dove behind it. Mary giggled at his failed attempt to hide and the fact he mistook the timer for the doorbell.

"That's the popcorn." Mary patted Sully's head as she headed back to the kitchen. "My house is no different from the factory. It's night. Everyone in this neighborhood is well past their prime and they've gone to bed. Stop freaking out okay." She vanished into the kitchen.

"It just seems a bit risky! What if someone sees me?" He argued as he returned to his seat on the couch subconsciously. "I would never be able to see you again." Those words left his lips with such horror that Sully's heart dropped with the thought.

"It's just a movie. An hour and a half no one will ever question on either side." Sully shifted slightly and heard wood cracking beneath him, but when he tried to stand Boo suddenly shouted. "And don't you get off that couch! Guests sit on the couch!" She came into the living room with a giant bowl of popcorn. "And you're my guest."

Mary stopped as she noticed how very uncomfortable Sully was on her tiny couch. But with a smile she offered a compromise and within a few minutes the couch was pushed aside and Sully lay comfortably on the floor with Boo sitting Indian-style on his back. Just like old times when she'd go watch T.V at uncle Mikey's. More often when she was younger and it was easier to pass her off as a monster.

"Make it so." Mary chuckled as she settled into her place on Sully's back and shoved some popcorn into her mouth. "Mighty Joe Young"

She raised the remote and turned the T.V back on then switched it to Video. She had picked the movie out weeks ago and felt it was one Sully could relate to. Also, it seemed the perfect one to make him feel a little guilty about not visiting her. Mary made herself comfortable on the fluffy back of her monster friend, eventually rolling forwards and laying on her stomach perching her face in her hands.

As the film went on Sully, who had spent the entire week running himself ragged at Monsters Incorporated drifted in and out of consciousness, but for the most part followed the entire movie. In all Sully enjoyed it as well, feeling a strange sense of déjà vu with himself and the fifteen foot mammal in the film. As the credits began to roll Sully felt a sense of warmth…and guilt.

"We don't really have movies like this in my world…" He trailed off as he leaned back and caught her limp arm hanging over his back; as Sully listened to her even breathing and noticed the feint feeling of dead weight he came to the conclusion that at some point Mary had fallen asleep. "Mary?" Knowing he couldn't stay all night Sully softy tried to wake her. "…Mary…psst…the movie's over."

Rolling over onto her side Mary curled up into a ball mumbling arguments as to why she did not have to wake up. Sully gently leaned to one side trying to roll her flawlessly from his back. However, as Mary began to roll off his back the sensation sparked a falling dream and she awoke with a start. Startled by the small yelp that escaped Mary, Sully leapt to his feet and hovered over the frazzled woman fearing he had harmed her in some way.

Mary sat up with wide eyes, holding a hand to her chest as she heaved heavy breathes. Her eyes met Sully's which were filled with concern and then she realized that during the film she must have fallen asleep. A laugh escaped her as she accepted the monsters offer of help. Sully lifted her to her feet with ease, her weight minuscule compared to his strength.

"I was more tired than I thought…distracted by you actually showing up." Mary murmured.

"Aw Boo…" He felt guilty knowing she didn't count on him to show up regularly for visits. "…I'd never leave you if I could help it."

Guilt pinched Mary as she realized the implications of her words. Hurting Sully, her best friend, was never something she enjoyed. Making him feel a little guilty, sure, but not hurting his feelings- ever. By offering him a smile Mary apologized and then proceeded to pick up the kernels of popcorn she had spilled when she had rolled off his back. Naturally Sully helped her clean up the mess and put the couch back into place.

The two of them wavered as they stood, both exhausted entirely. Mary smiled softly.

"Did you like the movie?"

"Yeah. It was…good." Sully wiped his face, trying to keep his eyes open. "The uh…plot seemed a little…familiar…maybe."

"Yeah." Mary giggled as if he had finally caught on to a joke. "I reminds me of you…sometimes when I'm here by myself I just…play it on loop."

Her eyes darted away as a memory came to her; Mary slowly reached up and removed the pink handkerchief headband, letting her mid-lengthed hair fall freely. She scratched her head to loosen the strands. Sully stood awkwardly as Boo smiled to herself- sometimes women were so strange.

The two of them went up the stairs as it was already daybreak in Monstropolis. As the closet door creaked open Boo stood besides Sully with her brown eyes on the ground. Even over the years through boyfriends and promotions neither of them had ever outgrown the bond forged in Mary's infancy.

"I'm glad you came to visit Kitty." Boo finally said with a smile. "It means the world to me. Our time together means the world to me."

How Sully could ever feel happier in entire monster life he would never dispute, especially when her sincere comment ended not with silence, but a soft kiss on his cheek followed by a tight embrace. Mary was nearly lost in the blue fur but that was where she felt the safest, where she would always know in her heart she belonged.

Peaceful times had come to both of them after the kinks in both their worlds were smoothed out. They had fights and disagreements but they always remained friends. Always.

"Goodbye Boo." That deep voice of his was full of sorrow. "I…I don't know when I'll be able to visit again."

"Just come when you can." Her soft voice replied as she reached out and grabbed hold of his finger. "I understand that you're busy."

In the blink of an eye a big deal becomes a second thought- one of the perks to her no longer being two. His large paw came down gently on her head to tussle her raven hair, green eyes met blue and then Sully tried to swallow the knot in his throat. But she smiled and then he felt a little better saying it.

"Goodbye Boo."

"Goodbye Kitty." She tightened her hold before letting him go. "The factory will be open soon won't it?"

"Yeah." Sully opened the door and morning light from the monster's sun came shining through. "But…how about next time I come pick you up…you can come and visit your Uncle Mikey and Auntie Cecilia? They miss you as much as I do."

"I don't think anyone could miss me as much as you." She hugged him again with a tighter squeeze. "No one could miss you more than me. I love you." That soft voice faded away as she buried her face into his fur.

"I…love you too Boo."

Sully reached down and picked her up, reminded so much of that night he thought he would never see her again; the factory bell rang and brought Sully back to the present. Mary had laid her slender hand on his nose; she avoided eye contact the moment the bell rang. She was lonely in this big house all alone.

"Boo." His claw gently tilted her chin upwards. "I will come back. I promise." He paused and then slowly let her back down on the floor; Sully planted a small kiss on the top of her head as he always did and then he slowly closed the door.

Boo waited for a moment before she opened the door. Only a closet.

"Goodbye kitty…be safe." She smiled faintly; still saddened by his departure but glad he actually came by the end of the week. "I should go to bed…but…"

Mary sat down at her desk with a soft let her fingers hover over the keyboard for a moment, then with gentle confirmation began to type…

Mary ran with hope and a smile

She opened her closet and loved what she saw

Spot danced through the closet door

At exactly ten past four

Mary danced while Spot played tunes

They went on as best friends do

But when the sun began to set

Mary Gibbs had to go to bed

Spot tucked little Mary in

And placed a kiss upon her head

Then spot tiptoed to the closet

He shut the door and all was quiet

All was good

*I had always wanted to write a Monsters Inc. fanfic and at least now I did. It's been so long since I last posted a story. Perhaps I will begin writing regularly again, but that all depends. I hope you enjoyed my little glimpse into the future.