I know I didn't put a year, but this takes place in 2001. I put it in the same year that the movie came out. The few dates I mention put it between the November and February 2001 and 2002 calendar.

Disclaimer. I don't own Monsters, Inc or any of the characters in the movie. Though I'd like too. For I'd write a better ending for poor Randall.

Ok, I'm ready for you haters! Come on give me your best shot! Just you try it!

Ok got that out of my system. You'll all see what I'm talking about at the end of the chapter. Nothing too bad, but I can imagine that you all can guess what's happing here.

Chapter 25

XXX

Danielle slid in the dark wood and red velvet plush of the booth. She was on her lunch hour and like Margot had said, she had shown up and was now sitting across from her. "Hey Margot."

"Danielle." Margot looked up from her menu. She looked up as Liss came over to take their order. Margot looked up at Liss and smirked, "I'll have the small chief salad, light Italian dressing and a unsweetened tea."

Liss gave her a fake smile, dislike clearly on her face, "Alright," she turned to Danielle, "D?"

"I'll get a small bowl of Bisque with a small chief salad as well, light Ranch, sweet tea." Danielle took Margot's menu and her own and passed it to Liss.

"Are you sure you want to get the Bisque? I mean it looks like you have gained little weight." Margot asked as she eyed Danielle.

Liss rolled her eyes to Danielle with a 'can you believe her? look "I'll have the order out to you shortly." She shook her head as she walked off.

"I have not. I've actually lost some. I do actual work, it'll get burned off." Danielle tried to keep her temper under control.

"Yeah, well…I hope you can still fit in that dress. When was the last time you wore it? Three years ago?" Margot asked as she took in the scenery. "I still can't believe that you work in a restaurant. Isn't it embarrassing?"

"No. This is one of the best and well renowned restaurants in Baton Rouge. I like working here, besides it only until my residency is over." "Danielle said.

"You haven't even graduated. If you even do." Margot sniffed.

"I will. Classes aren't so hard any more."

"Even your math? Cause face it Danielle, you were never good at math."

Danielle flushed though she knew it was true. She was horrible at math. But Randall had been making it easier. He helped break it down better then the professors did or had time for. She smiled then, "I've been getting some help. My marks rose. I'll graduate." She said pleased.

"I'm not sure about that. We'll see won't we?"

Danielle glared at her sister then turned her head to stare out the window in silence. They both sat in silence while they waited for their food, Margot looking over the silverware trying to find something to pick at. When Liss brought their order out, both sisters begin to eat in silence as well.

"Your hair." Margot said suddenly.

Danielle looked up, "What?"

"Your hair. It's different. Longer."

"Oh. Well…I decided to let it grow out again. For awhile at least." Danielle said as she picked up a lock of her hair.

"It looks nice. You do have pretty hair Danielle. You always have. It was a pity that you hacked it off." Margot smirked slightly as she took a sip of her tea.

"I cut it because I became busy with work and college. I don't have as much time to stand in front of a mirror and primp." Danielle frowned.

"I'm busy too, but I till find time to style and do my hair. And put make up on. Tell me, do you still have any make up?" Margot fixed Danielle in a stare.

"Ah…I think?"

"You think? Damn, sis. You're hopeless." Margot rubbed her temples.

"I'm not hopeless."

"Yes, you are. You act like you're allergic to lipstick and eye shadow." Margot rolled her green eyes, "Will it kill you to look nice once in awhile?"

Danielle's eyes flashed hurt, "Why are you so mean to me?" She looked down at her plate and pushed it away.

Margot laughed cruelly, "I'm your older sister. I'm supposed to be. Oh here," Margot reached into her purse and pulled out a white velvet box, "the pearl earrings and necklace is there." she slid it across the dark cherry wood table.

Danielle blinked back tiny tears and picked it up. She opened it and looked down at the white pearl earrings and the pearl pendent that hung from a silver chain. Knowing her sister, they were very much real. "Thanks." Danielle said quietly.

Not noticing or even caring, Margot then pulled out an envelope. "Here's the ticket as well."

Danielle picked it up and looked down at it, suddenly feeling a desire to shove both items back at her sister and telling her that she decided to stay home. She'd prefer more of Randall's teasing, snarkiness and even his mocking all rolled in one then this. "So," Danielle cleared her throat, "how's the kids?"

Margot scoffed. "They're kids. But I ask you, why is it almost every kid believes that there's a monster hiding in their closet?"

Danielle took a sip of her tea to hide her small smile. "I don't know."

"Marshall believes that there was a huge blue furry monster that had scared him every night, while Julie said that a big smelly purple furry hairball like monster had scared her. Now they're saying it's a short round green monster with one eyeball scaring them." Margot rolled her eyes and took a drink of her tea.

Danielle bit her lip, "I see."

Margot picked up her fork and took a bite of her salad. "If I remember right, you even said that you had a monster in your closet."

"Yeah, a crab monster."

She laughed, "Yes, I remember. Dad even made you some stupid stick to shut you up. If monsters are real, how come I never had one?"

Maybe they thought that you were too mean to scare. Danielle thought, but she shrugged instead.

"Yeah. Well, I have to get going." Margot stood and a dropped a few bills on the table. "Here, this is for Lissette," she passed Danielle some money. "Oh before I forget, this is an early Christmas present. Wear it to the party." Margot then pulled out a small black satin box and pushed it into to Danielle's hands. "See you Christmas Eve. Bye." With that Margot pulled her coat on and walked out the door.

Danielle was left alone.

She looked up when Liss put her tray on the table and slid into the seat where Margot had been sitting. "She's a piece of work. I can never understand how high and mighty and snotty she became. And the sad thing is, she was raised right in the swamp with you."

"I think she was born that way. By the way, here's your tip." Danielle passed the money to Liss.

Liss took it and opened the bill to reveal one dollar. "Oh, how generous of her," Liss said sarcastically.

Danielle giggled a little, "I know. Here," Danielle reached into her own pocket and pulled out a ten.

"Oh no. Keep it." Liss looked back down at the dollar, "You know, I think I might frame this." she held it up, "Hell, it's more then she normally gives."

Danielle grinned, then opened the box that Margot gave her. "She must have felt generous." Danielle looked down at a large pearl hair clip.

Liss looked over. "Ohh. Nice. You going to wear it to the party?"

Danielle shrugged, "I might." she looked at her watch, "Well, time to clock back in."

XXXX

Danielle walked into the house and straight to her room. She dumped the contents of her shopping bag on her bed and pick up a bottle of liquid makeup and made a face.

"Hey."

Danielle looked over to Randall. He was standing in the doorway. She smiled. "Hey."

Randall took it as an invitation to enter the room and walked over. "How did the lunch with your sister go?"

"Went exactly the way I expected. Randall, do you still want a sibling? I'll give you mine."

Randall grinned, "No thanks. I'm rather used to being an only child now."

"Damn." Danielle sat down on the bed. "You sure?"

"Positive." He picked up the glass bottle that Danielle had been looking at in disgust., "Covergirl?" he read.

"Yeah, make up. Did any of the women monsters wear make up?" Danielle asked as she began to sort the cosmetics.

"Some do. Not as many as you think. Not like I have seen on the TV here." Randall made a face, "Do you humans really cover your faces with that stuff?"

"Some of us do." Danielle sighed and gathered the tubes and bottles up and walked to her bathroom and tossed them on the counter. She walked back and saw that she had forgotten a tube of lipstick.

"Forgot one." Randall handed it out to her.

"Yuck." Danielle made a face again and then shot an annoyed look at Randall when he laughed.

"So you don't wear the stuff?"

"Not if I can help it. I have make up older then my cat." Danielle went to her closet and opened the doors. She then shot a look at Randall. "Do you mind?"

"What?"

Danielle rolled her eyes, "I'm going to change," she then gave him a smirk, "so unless you want to watch, please leave."

Randall's green eyes widened and actually blushing slightly, he bolted from the room, light snickering catching his ears as he pulled the door shut with his tail.

Danielle was still laughing as she changed out of her work uniform. Though she worked mostly back in the offices, her boss, Ray, liked all his employees to wear a strict dress code. Danielle's mostly consisted of black or white palazzo like pants with black, red, or white blouses with always a black vest. It was almost too dressy for Danielle but she dealt with it. At least he wasn't trying to make her wear the make up gunk on her face like some people did. Danielle stopped laughing and growled to herself as she ripped down her favorite clothes that she liked to wear after work. A long white collared baby blue midsleeve cotton shirt and soft gray cotton lounge pants. Why was it Margot and their mom thought she needed to be someone she wasn't? Margot, she could understand. She had always loved the more girly things in life. Their mother now…. that redheaded woman was a mystery. Ida, her mother, had been born and raised in the backwater. Didn't even speak English until, she started school at a late age of 8. Even then the school had only taught the very basics. So why was it she wanted Danielle to be like her yet be more of a social butterfly like her sister? It confused Danielle to no end. Her mother wanted her cake and wanted to eat it too.

Danielle, she just wanted to be herself. Live on the edge of the swamp but not be too ignorant of the city life. She just wanted to make it through the college that she had slowly been plucking away at and become a veterinarian or at least a veterinary technician at the zoo.

She changed and made her way out to the kitchen for a cup of the heavenly drink called coffee. When she got there she saw that a mug had already been set out for her. "Thanks Randall," she mumbled to herself. She poured the black coffee into the mug and reached for the cream and sugar then stopped remembering what her sister said. She looked down at her body. She wasn't fat. She had perfectly normal body, a nice healthy size of 12-14. The only thing that she didn't practically like was her hips. "Do I look fat?" she asked her self quietly. She then shook her head, "No, I'm happy with my body." Her moment of female unsure over she nodded to herself and picked up her mug, but still forgo the cream and sugar. She walked into the living room to relax. Randall was sitting on the couch. He looked up at her with an interesting look on his face, one that Danielle couldn't decipher. She shrugged it off and headed to her brown velvet chair and sank down in it.

"So, what did your sister have to say for you want to push her off onto me?" Randall asked as he turned the TV down.

Danielle twisted so that that she could face him but still be curled up in the chair. "The normal stuff that sisters say. But she did mention more on the 'Monsters in the kids' closet'."

Randall leaned forward excitedly, "What did she say?"

"She told me that Marshall, the boy, believed that there was a huge blue furry monster that had scared him every night, while Julie, the girl, said that there was big smelly purple hairball like monster that had scared her."

Randall thought for a moment trying to remember all the Scarers he knew with those descriptions. He racked his brain, trying to remember the time zones. Suddenly he laughed.

"What?"

Randall was really having a good laugh now. Oh, the irony! He saw Danielle get annoyed but she waited until he was done. "I think I know exactly who those monsters are! The 'smelly' hairball is a monster that worked on the same scare floor as me. His name is Luckey. The other, and this is good, I really think it could be Sullivan!"

"Sullivan?" Danielle tried to remember where she heard that name. "Isn't that the monster rival you had? The one that banished you?"

Randall nodded. He couldn't believe his luck! One of the two children's doors that he'll be going through in two months time, will led him straight onto the very same floor he used to work! The odds had been slim that it would have led him to that very floor, but these odds had worked that way. Now he had to decide if this was a good or bad thing. He then realized something. He looked back over at Danielle. "You said 'had'. Was she using that in past tense?"

Danielle thought about it then nodded. "She had used past. But she also said that the kids are saying that it's a short round green monster with one eyeball that's scaring them now."

Randall stared at her. The only short round green monster with a huge eye was Wazowski. Randall stood up and began to pace. He then stopped and looked over at Danielle. She was watching him intently. "This just gets better and better. That eyeball is possibly none other then Wazowski! Sullivan's little idiot friend." Randall sniggered, "This is just too good! Your old monster is Waternoose, your nephew's monster had been Sullivan, Waternoose's friend, his own pride and joy," this was spoken with extreme sarcasm, "and now both your niece and nephew is being scared by Sullivan's little buddy!" Randall laughed again.

"Hmm, but didn't you also say that this Wazowski was an assistant? Why would he be scaring?" Danielle asked.

Randall stopped laughing and looked thoughtful, "I don't know what happened after I was banished. I don't know if Sullivan and Waternoose made up, though the last I heard from Waternoose was him ordering me to kill them. Even if Sullivan turned Waternoose in, then the factory must still be running. If Wazowski is still around, then so is Sullivan. Where Sullivan goes, Wazowski goes. If they turned Waternoose in and he was arrested, then someone must be running the factory. Maybe they got so desperate for Scarers that they even have Wazowski scaring."

"I'm not sure…is this a good thing?" Danielle asked unsure.

"Yes! If Monsters are still scaring, then Monsters Inc. is still open and all the scare doors are operational. That means I can slip though one of the doors when a monster comes out to scare one of them." he explained enthusiastically.

"Ok, I got that much. How are you going to get in without being seen? Into the house and into the closet?"

"You visit your sister and I'll be…" Randall disappeared.

Danielle let out a surprised yelp then rolled her eyes. She'll never get used to that. She then realized she did a mistake. She had taken her eyes off from where Randall had been standing. "Randall?" she looked around trying to spot his outline. If he moved she could see his shape, but if he stayed still, then she had no idea where he was…like right now. "All right Randall, this isn't funny."

Suddenly her coffee was pulled from her hands. It seemingly floated in front of her. Then a purple hand appeared and in a purposely slow rippling effect, an arm appeared and the color traveled up the arm. Danielle tipped her head back and looked up. Randall was grinning down at her, perched on top of the chair, his long body wrapped around the chair. He handed her coffee back. "I'll be blended and I'll slip in and wait in one of the kids rooms. I can hide and then when Wazowski comes out to scare the kids, I can slip in through the closet."

"Sounds good. Hey Randall?" Since Randall hadn't climbed down from the back of the chair she twisted so that she could see him better.

"Yeah?"

"You have any plans on what you are going to do when you get back?" Danielle asked.

Slight worry and uncertainly crossed his face. "I don't know. I haven't thought that far ahead." Randall climbed down and leaned next to the chair. He crossed his arms but one finger tapped thoughtfully against his lips. His lips were pressed together in a natural baby-pout. "I normally like to have things planned but this is one that I think I'll have to wait and see. I know that until I know exactly what happened after I 'left' I can't let myself be seen or draw too much attention to myself."

"And what about the two other monsters? The ones that banished you? Sullivan and Wazowski?"

Randall shook his head. "Again I'm not sure. As much as I'd like to use that 'monster-be-gone stick' on them both…. I don't think that it'd be the smartest thing to do. Maybe later." He smirked at Danielle.

She rolled her eyes and took a drink of coffee.

"So," Randall moved away from the chair. He walked over to the couch and sat down. "You ready for that party of yours?"

Danielle snorted, "No." she said bluntly.

Randall laughed, "Do you even have the formal wear?"

"For your information, I do. It's somewhere in the attic."

"Is that your solution for everything? Hid it away in the attic?"

"You keep on Randall, and I'll redefine the phrase 'Monster in the Closet' to Monster in the Attic'." Danielle threatened. "You'll sleep up there."

Randall just grinned knowing that the threats were empty, "You, know, with this fuss that you're making, I can't wait to see what the big deal is."

Danielle blanched. She had no plan whatsoever for him to see her. Even if she had to climb out the window to do so. She couldn't imagine what he would say. But she had a feeling that it would be more teasing.

XX

Randall sat on the bed that night. He had his bad leg unwrapped as was staring down at it. Swelling was down, but it was still sorer and had more bruising then he and Danielle liked. But as she said, he also had that cracked fibula. But she took him; at least he didn't have any myositis obsidians forming. Randall took a deep breath and slowly stood. Sharp nettled pain shot through his leg, and he hissed lowly. He lifted the leg again, grunting at the jarring movement. He took another breath and lowered the leg and tried putting more weight on it. He bit his tongue in a pained yelp. Slowly he began to walk to the door. He groaned but continued the walk. By the time he reached the door, he was covered in a small sheen of sweat. He stopped and took a break. He was breathing heavily and felt weak in the knees, but at least he hadn't collapsed. He turned back around and made his way back to the bed. By the time he made it, he had gotten used to the pain though it was throbbing horribly now. Randall sank down on the bed and groaned painfully. "Damn it," he snarled. It was taking longer to heal then he cared.

His plans for the smelly humans living down the may have to be pushed back a few days. He had planned on paying them a little visit the night Danielle went to the party. He didn't know if the plan he had formed would work but he sure was going to try. But for said plan to work he had to leave behind the horrible cast. He'd just have to wait and see if he could tolerate the pain of the jarring around that he would be doing. He had been watching the little humans for the past two weeks while Danielle was gone. He had learned their schedule and habits and had seen things he never wanted to see again. Randall shuddered feeling slightly traumatized. He pushed the horrible memories back and picked up the ace bandages and began to rewrap his leg. It was still throbbing but the pain had died off. Strapping the cast back on, he stretched out on the bed as much as he could without hanging over the end. He'll keep working at it, putting more weight on the leg. There was still three days until the party.

XxX

Danielle stared at herself in her bathroom mirror.

She grimaced and made a face. She felt like a clown. True, she wasn't even wearing that much makeup, but she could feel it on her face. She groaned low in her throat. She had spent almost two hours curling her baby fine auburn hair. Hair that absolutely refused to cooperate with her. Finally after hours of work her hair gave up the battle and was a frizzle mess of frizz and curls. She had pulled it back and clipped it with the pearl hair clip that Margot had given her.

She frowned at herself. She really didn't want to go. Suddenly she felt like crying. But she bit her lip. I will not cry, I will not cry. She thought. Shifting uncomfortably she pulled the emerald green satin dress up. Why had Margot got her one like this? It was a horrid strapless that left her flecked shoulders bare. There were tiny pearls sewn into the bust and the skirt fell to her knees. She was wearing her sister's earrings and the necklace.

I look like a girl.

You are girl, a tiny voice told her.

Yeah, but tonight I look it.

The voice laughed cruelly sounding like a mix of Margot and Randall's voices

Shut up.

Sighing, she glanced at the clock. She had been ready for a few hours, having trying to time it so that she could slip out without Randall seeing her. Picking up the girly shoes she poked her head out her bedroom door, listening. She heard the TV, but nothing else. So she crept down the hallway. She paused right before she entered the living room. Danielle peered around the corner. Randall was not on the couch. She hadn't heard him in his room as she passed or the bathroom. The other place he could be was the kitchen unless he was watching her this moment while he was invisible. She hoped it was the latter. She pressed against the other side of the wall and peered around the counter and into the kitchen. It was then she heard running water. Then she saw him. He was at the sink rinsing a mug out. I'm a blur. I'm a blur. I'm a green blur that will be across the living room and out the door before he knows what happened. She waited and watched and when he turned his back, was a blur. Her hand wrapped around the doorknob.

"So…. this is that dress that you complained so much about?"

Danielle froze and let out a groan. My luck. This is just my luck. She didn't turn around just yet.

"You even put that makeup on the tattoos? I can still see them."

"Well, they will just have to deal." Danielle still didn't turn.

"So they will. Should make for an interesting party. Can you turn around?"

"No," she said, puffing her lower lip out in a pout in spite of the fact that he couldn't see her.

"Why not?"

"I don't want you to see me like this. You'll just make fun and I'm really stressed enough and I'm not in the mood to play 'retorts' with you."

"I've seen you covered in mud and worse," he pointed out reasonably. "How bad could it possibly be?"

Danielle felt a gentle hand on her bare shoulder.

"Please?"

"Oh, god. That's not fair."

"Life isn't fair."

Seeing as she had no choice since he had seen the back of it, she sighed and turned. Not looking at him, she took this time to go ahead and put her shoes on. He's being awfully quiet, she thought. Still not looking at him she pulled the other shoe on, "What? No mean remark? It is that bad?" her voice cracked. She knew that she wasn't being herself, but she found she couldn't help it. He was just hiding his mocking grins and sinkers until she looked at him then he'd laugh at her. Feeling stressed enough; she felt foreign tears come to her eyes. "Look…I'd really appreciate it if you'd just ether not say a word, or just hurry up and laugh so I can go and get this over with." she finished pulling the shoes on and stood up.

She had thought all kinds of things she'd see on his face. Amusement, laughter, sheer mocking, sardonic disgust, cynicism. Shock was not one of them.

His green eyes were wide. She could see that he had been ready to make fun, but it had died off. She didn't know what was worse; the mocking or the silence he held.

Finally she couldn't take it any more. "Please hurry up and get it out of your system."

Finally Randall shook his head. "No. You look…" he stopped when he saw her distress. He was surprised to see her look like she was about to cry. Her eyes did seem brighter with unshed tears. Realizing how stressed she was right now he actually felt bad. In a small hesitation but bold move he reached out and took her hands in his own lower hands and reached his left top arm out and curled a finger around one of the loose curls near her forehead.

Danielle blinked at him, surprised at his boldness. He curled his finger around the escaped curl. He had a soft gentle smile on his face.

"Oh, no, don't cry. You look wonderful."

Danielle widened her eyes. This was unexpected. She felt the heat of a blush rise and before she knew it she was blushing nervously and the pink tinge went from the top of her forehead to her chest. "I-thank you. That does mean more then you know." Danielle then pulled her hands away.

Randall dropped his hand and nodded, "You better get going or you'll be late."

"Yes. I'll see you later tonight." She then grabbed her coat and opened the door and awkwardly walked to her truck, clearly not used to walking in the shoes she was wearing. She got in and within minutes she pulled out of the driveway and took off down the road.

Randall stared out the door and then shook his head. "This is getting more complicated then I thought it would," he muttered to himself.