A New Life and Healing Ch 9

Disclaimer. I don't own Monsters, Inc or any of the characters in the movie.

Slight warning for cursing, drinking, and sexual talk.

xxx

For the last hour she had been lying on a big blanket under a huge oak tree in the back yard with Randall reading. He had propped himself up against the trunk and she had lain on the ground with her head pillowed on his belly. His three-fingered hand stroked her head and threaded through her soft hair. Bread was chewing on a soft toy, as she lay stretched out on the blanket as well. The smell of the fresh grass, rich earth, and gentle wildflowers invaded her senses, and she had dozed off in the warm country air.

Randall himself was catnapping, his eyes closed, his mind was turning in lazy thoughts, but one thing was certain…. he felt happier than he had in a very long time and that confused him a little. He was happy here with her and even Liss, but part of him felt like he shouldn't allow himself to feel the joy he felt in this beautiful moment, but the other part of him believed that she could take the pain away from him.

The more he thought on this the more he began fidget and twitch as anxiety began to rise. His twitches became so bad that Danielle opened her eyes, "'Andall….ya' doin' it again…." she mumbled as her hand curled around his tail, her accent stronger in her sleepiness.

He looked down at her. "Sorry…"

Danielle sat up, "You were dreaming again last night too. What's wrong Randall? You know you can talk…"

Looking down and away he nodded, "I know…. it's just…."

"Just what?" She pressed gently. "How can I help, if you don't throw me a bone here."

Randall nodded, still not looking at her. "It's just….I don't feel like I should be happy….after what happened…after…."

"Randall…." fingers slid under his jaw and she made him look at her. "You have every right. It ALL over now. ALL you have to do it move on…it's going to be rough….I know that. But I'm here…. and I'm not going to leave. We just take one day at a time, and Randall…if I have to everyday tell you this…then damn it…I will. You are more then a boyfriend…you are a friend…. someone that has been through a lot. I know it's going to take years but I know that it's going to be worth it."

Randall met her eyes and stared into them. Finally raising his hand his soft-ridged fingertips caressed her cheeks before he allowed her to hug him tight, he resting his head against her back. Always afraid that this was too good to be true, that it would end and he would be alone again. That he would be abandoned…when he had just got happy and even to the point of trusting.

He trusted Danielle…. to a point. She had saved his life, didn't ask much in return. In those months before that fateful night at Mardi Gras, though he had gotten to the point of flirting, teasing and playing, he had held back and was still reserved, but he had grown fond of her. And then…. it had taken getting drunk to break out of that shell and wall for just a few hours and to let lose and enjoy himself, letting another THAT close to him.

It had been fun, relaxing, but something had been missing, and he had figured it out as he had lain under the beds of her niece and nephew.

He had wanted more. He had grown very fond of her and if the Monster World had been cut off…. all he could do was start a new life. Going back to her he had been relived that she had wanted him to come back. On the way back home had agreed to try. Little did he know what was laying in wait for them.

Of all the monsters to help them out of the mess with Waternoose and Jester…it had been Sullivan and Wazowski along with Fungus to help them. Waternoose had died in the warehouse fire and he and Danielle had hid out at Sullivan and Wazowski's place to the disgust of Wazowski. If Randall hadn't been so worried about Danielle's asthma and her dislocated wrist, he would have enjoyed the eyeball's discomfort. It would serve him right for all the times in collage…but the hiding out was short lived as Randall had to go to the CDA and they put his scaly hide on trial. It had been sheer luck that he had been acquitted and rather fast too. A trail of only three days. Eager to brush this under the rug and move on, a lot had been bypassed.

In those three days, Danielle had waited patently, sleeping on the couch with him. It had been in those days that both had come to realize how much they loved each other.

Not wanting to part, but she not able to stay, she had opened her home and life to Randall. He had accepted, after all…. what did he had left in the Monster World?

Nothing.

So though he had been hesitant to go back with her when she and asked, he had really wanted to go.

Because it was a fresh start, and a fresh start where he wasn't alone. For years he's been scared and wary to let anyone close to him, so he had behaved in a way to chase others off even though deep inside he was longing and desperate for someone…even just ones approval and for that special companionship…someone that won't abandon him.

He needed someone…and when she had said those three little words…and had even gotten him to say them…. his world had shattered. But in a good way. It was now about putting those pieces back and start anew.

It was hard…. but as Danielle stroked his jaw, his scars, and his fronds, he knew as long as a rocky of a road it was going to be…. as long as he had her there with him…helping and understanding…he would be all right.

For a long time they both was like that, even to the point that Danielle leaned back against the tree and Randall had laid his head down in her lap as she stroked his fronds carefully, he falling into a half meditated state.

It was only when Liss dragged the barbeque out of the garage that Randall finally 'woke' up. He rolled over and looked at Danielle.

"Hey, Beb," she said softly as her fingers moved down his chest. His chest puffed out a little and he grinned at her.

"Hello, Toots," he said, sliding her lab and laying on his side and propping himself up on his elbow, she doing the same. He took her fingers in his thicker ones and pressed her hand against his chest fully as he leaned and kissed her as tenderly as he could. Every inch of her was soft and curvy. The sun was bringing out her freckles on her shoulders and chest and the ones on her hips that peeked out from under her shorts and t-shirt. She had the slightest sunburn that gave her a healthier look. She may have been another face in the crowd to other humans, but to him, to a monster that had got to know her beyond the past beliefs…she truly was beautiful and even exotic to him.

Being bold out in the open, though it was only Liss and the dog, Randall ran a hand down her hips.

"Hey!"

Both Randall and Danielle looked over at Liss. She was leaning against the shiny barbeque grill. She grinned and waved at him. "All right Randall…you had said you wanted to grill for our last day here. It's all ready…I even got your gear for it."

"Gear?" Randall looked at Danielle as he climbed to his feet and then pulled her up.

She giggled. "You'll see." She took his hand and led him over to where Liss was and Liss snickered as she handed him a large spatula and a folded up apron.

Randall looked at the two giggling young women and unfolded the black apron and then looked down at it, white letters on it cooking apron that said 'Kiss me...or I'll spit in your food'. Randall stared at it and then guffawed.

Liss grinned and sniggered. "Yeah...I figured you'd like that. D wanted to get you just a plain ol' 'Kiss the Cook' one."

Danielle rolled her eyes and playfully pushed Liss. "Well, excuuuuuse me."

Danielle was mixing the salad as Liss cut some vegetables as Randall fired up the grill. They both laughed and giggled and talked as they watched Randall with the grill.

At one point Liss got quiet as she watched Randall.

"So what do you think of us?" Danielle asked, sincerely as she looked over at Liss.

"Honestly?"

"Well, I like to think that you wouldn't lie to me," Danielle said with a smile. Liss laughed and then looked more serious.

"I guess I have a hard time really relaxing that Randall is a monster…I mean….he talks and thinks and acts like a regular guy. It strange that one minute I'm talking and teasing him and then the next I REALLY look at him and I see this huge wide PURPLE face with these teeth that can put a croc to shame, the scales, the extra limbs… fuck…half the time I forget that Randall's different. I'm always having to remind myself..."

Danielle nodded. "I know how you feel. But…I don't see that anymore…"

Liss nodded, "He seems to really care and…. love you…but…my concerns of you and Randall….together… are not as superficial as you think…but with his…problems….his clingy and neediness and even the stress of what happened….with his attitude and shit….chances are it will be the start of a life-long commitment. Are you prepared for that? "

Danielle paused in her cutting the tomatoes and was silent for several moments. "Yes, I am," she said after a while. "I understand everything you've just said. I really do." She sighed softly, "I see a very smart guy that has been through a lot, that still, no matter how well he seems…he still has….some kinks to work out…but how many times does a girl get to say her boyfriend saved her life? I saved his….he saved mine."

"True…." Liss then put down the three hamburgers she was pressing out and wiped her hands and hugged Danielle tight. "I was just making sure that you're happy and safe and sure."

Danielle smiled, hugging her back. "I am and thank you Liss…" she let her go and Liss went back to prepping.

"So…can I uh... ask you somethin'?"

"Yeah, sure."

"It's kinda weird," Liss said suddenly and uncommonly hesitant.

"That's ok. Go for it." Danielle was looking at her weird. Liss normality blurted out what ever she wanted to say without a care in the world. "What's your question?" Danielle smiled.

"Um... it's kinda personal... you don't have to answer..."

"Liss... the question?"

She cleared her throat. "Um... what's sex like... for you I mean... with him... as opposed to a human guy...is it you know... uncomfortable? Scary? Weird?" she paused and hesitantly added, "Good?"

Danielle blushed a little. It was a bit awkward, but she didn't mind much... This was girl talk and Liss was so sincere-looking as she peeked at her shyly, her signature boldness gone.

"It's good... different, but good. Randall's a bit heavier that a human guy, and much stronger. And he's like long…." she turned red when Liss began to grin at her, "I mean his body is long! You can't imagine the positions he can and has to twist in…but I think…it just makes it more…..um…interesting…and," Danielle saw Liss motioning for her to tell her more and she knew what she want. "and he's um... y'know... bigger... " Danielle blushed even redder

Liss laughed at her and then hugged her one armed, "Good to know you are being taken care of in that aspect!"

"Liss!" Danielle hissed as she threw a cherry tomato at her and it bounced off her forehead and bounced onto the floor where Bread chanced it down and ate it.

Liss just giggled at her and then nodded and turned serious again, "You know D, I might not let it show, but I'm are damn jealous of you. I'd love to have what you have. But," she continued, "I'm also so happy for you. It gives me hope that'll I'll be able to meet someone special too."

Danielle's eyes softened, "You will," She was very touched by her friend's words.

"Would anyone like my last steak?" Danielle asked, pushing her plate away. "I just can't eat another bite." Liss grabbed and put it on Randall's plate. They had gotten her to eat a bit of meat. It had tasted so funny to her after years and years of not eating beef.

"He can. He's still too skinny." Liss winked as Randall huffed, but both girls knew it was just show with him. Both stole little glances at Randall while they ate. He had gained some weight and had filled out wonderfully. However he was still very lean and Danielle believed that he was naturally very thin. But lest his backbone and ribs wasn't showing and his appetite was way up from the first time he had ate a real meal.

"So Randall…with Danielle out of collage and working two jobs, what are you going to be doing?" Liss asked.

Randall thought as he chewed on a piece of the streak. "Do what I normally do I guess. Work on the project in the barn."

"Oh yeah…what is that anyway?" Liss asked as she slipped a piece of meat to Bread.

"Liss! Not at the table! You spoil her… " Danielle said as she saw.

"Yeah? And you don't spoil her enough. She's a little old lady…she deserve it. So Randall want is it?" Liss asked again.

Randall sniggered, "I'm not telling…."

"It's a motorcycle." Danielle said. "He's building a motorcycle from scratch." her voice was a mix of pride and horror at the thought.

Randall shot her an annoyed look. "I was trying to keep it secret."

"I think it's cool. A motorcycle….I dated a guy that had one….I got to ride on it. When you get it finished are you going to try to get Danielle to ride on it?"

"Empathize the word 'try'. She doesn't even go near it." Randall smirked at the red head.

Danielle stuck her tongue out at him. "No. The thought terrifies me."

Liss sniggered. "Chicken. Come on….I bet you both would look good in leather."

Danielle snorted in laugher, "Yeah…I can see that now…. though Randall would look very good in leather."

"Hmm…maybe…" He thought, "Though it's not even close to being done. It's slow with all that I have to scrap around for very low prices."

"So…. that means you might be free some days. How about I come and get you once a week. I got these wonderful videos on meditating and yoga….it's been helping me…might help you."

Randall stared at Liss as Danielle began to giggle. "Meditation? Yoga?"

"Yep! It's very relaxing and everything. It'd do you good since you're kinda high-strung."

"What? I'm not high-strung!" Randall said, aghast.

"Yeah, you are," Liss said, "But so am I. Takes one to know one."

By now Danielle was laughing so hard that she was fighting to breath and her gasping breaths rattled and she wheezed. Randall sighed and fished into her pockets and pulled out her inhaler and shook it like he had learned and handed it to Danielle. She grabbed it and sucked in the shots of the bitter medicine as Randall rubbed her back and Liss looked at her concerned. "I…..h-hate that…."

"I know Toots…just take it easy….." Randall said rubbing her back still.

Danielle shot him an annoyed glance, she hating when people told her to 'take it slow'." However she let it ride, as she knew he was genuinely concerned for her. Soon, she got her breath back, with aching lungs, she looked down at the bit of the small hamburger that they had gotten her to eat, plus the last bite of the stake that was on Randall's plate that was once hers. She was surprised she had been talked into eating meat. Then again…it had been really strange eating meat again, though, it had tasted rather nice.

Liss then hopped up and grinned. "Okay! So…I thought…."she began to pick up the paper plates and throw them away, "Since this is our last night here…" She then picked up a cooler and put them on the table and opened it. Both Randall and Danielle peered inside. There was a six-pack of beer and a bunch of wine coolers.

Randall pulled a wine cooler out and looked at it and then snickered. "Flavored Kool-Aid?"

Danielle grabbed it from him. "I'd have you to know…. I like flavored Kool-Aid. We're all not big hot hotshots Mr. Boggs."

"Hmph." Randall pulled out a brown bottle and looked at it. "Coolers?"

"Yeah… didn't know what kind you'd like." Liss said as she picked up a wine cooler as well and opened it and took a drink as Danielle had done the same.

"Hog piss is still hog piss…it all tastes the same to me anyway." Randall snarked as he opened his bottle and took a drink.

This made both girls choke on the their drinks as they laughed and Randall walked away smug and proud of himself as he drank his beer.

"I can't believe you talked me into this Randall!" Danielle said as she hurried down the small path that had small sapling trees and bushes on either side. The other two houses was silent, one having its occupants in it, having arrived late that evening. The house was dark and still, the small family asleep.

Randall snickered. "I wanted one last swim before we left and this is the only way without them calming there's an 'gater' in Arkansas." He snorted.

Danielle smirked then as she paused by the water. "For your information….'Gater' there ARE alligators in the swamps of southern Arkansas."

Randall swung his head back at her as he laid the towels down. "What?!"

Danielle snickered and then looked out at the moonlit smooth water of the lake and blushing deep, she pulled the long t-shirt off, showing that she was naked underneath.

This had been Randall's idea.

A late night swim…and in Danielle's case…. skinny-dipping. It had taken Randall an hour of begging and sweet-talking to get her to give in.

She took a deep breath and tossed the shirt up on the table and hurried into the cold water, letting out a gasp. "D-d-damn it! It's cold!" However she moved deeper until it was up to and over her breasts.

Randall sniggered as he moved down to the water. "Cold?"

"Feels like a tub of ice water!" She said as she shivered, though she was getting used to the cold water.

With a smirk and not believing her, he stepped in but then jumped back. "Damn!"

"I told you…now come on…. this was your idea…. don't make me drag ya in here by your tail!"

Randall sucked a breath in and hurried through the water gritting his teeth as the cold water closed over him. He swam over to Danielle and she giggled and she wrapped her arms around him, both soon forgetting the cold.

"It's nice out here, Randall, good idea," she said. "Look at the stars." She then looked up at the star speckled sky, Randall doing the same as he slid a big three-fingered hand down through the water and to her waist to rest high on her hip making her shiver that had nothing to do with the cold water. They both lowered their heads to look at each other.

Randall always looked like he was thinking about something, working things out in his head. Heck, he just looked smart. Those eyes took everything in, analyzing, cataloguing, quantifying, and qualifying. No detail was too small for him to over-look or brush off, and Danielle loved that about him.

"I don't want to hide all the time," he said. "I want everyone to know."

"Know what, Beb?" she asked as his other hand moved over her belly, making her twitch.

"I want everyone to know how you make me feel. And I want them to know how I feel about you." Randall pulled her in a little closer.

"How do you feel about me, Randall?" she asked quietly. They had had said 'I love you' a few times in the past few months and both wanting to say it more, it always on the tips of their tongues. It slipped out sometimes, during making love after, or while they was teasing each other or even fighting, but they had found that their actions was so much better.

"I love you." He felt Danielle lean heavily into him as her knees went weak for a quick moment and she held on to him as her eyes welled up. It crossed his mind many times if there was a time in their relationship where he would have worried that she was horrified or repulsed, but he knew her well enough now to know that she would never think anything like that about him.

He felt confident and happy as he pushed his large wide head toward her smaller one to kiss her lips as he took her small, five-fingered hand in his big, three-fingered one and pressed a kiss to the palm before he pressed it against his chest over his heart.

Danielle's throat tightened and a couple of tears leaked down her cheeks. She was never a weepy girl. It took a lot to make her cry and she was slightly indifferent to mushy romance though she had her moments, she was usually too busy to play a star eyed cooing girl, but she had never known Randall could be so sweet and even romantic. It was a wonderful surprise. "Oh Randall, I love you too," she whispered. Then she smiled and a little laugh escaped her. Randall laughed too, wrapped all four of his arms around her waist and they spun in the water. However Danielle slipped on the smooth pebbles and sand and she crashed down into the water, dragging Randall with her.

When they came back up the mood wasn't broken, though they was both laughing and giggling, as Danielle brushed her wet hair back.

Randall, himself felt excited and breathless. He wanted to sweep her up in his arms and led her off to somewhere beautiful and romantic and make love to her under the stars. He wanted to touch her creamy body and watch it arch under his touch in the blue-white light of the moon.

He wanted a lot of things.

But he knew he couldn't do that…. this swim was pushing their luck already…but now…. Danielle was tugging his hands as she tried to pull him toward the shore. "Come one Randall…. let's….go back to our room…." she gave him a look with a small smile and he returned it. Well…it would be under the stars…they would just have a roof and ceiling blocking them….

XXX

The door opened in the darkness of the night and a large dark shape slinked into the room. It was large, over six feet tall, dark amethyst fur that helped him blend into the dark shadows. Years of experience made him calm and cool about this job. He watched the sleeping girl in the bed and as a car drove past outside, the headlight caught his purple blue eyes and they flared in the light like a cat's.

Seeing that the girl was asleep still, he slicked down on all fours muscles rippling under his thick fur and showing for all of his huge size and weight he was very agile and quick. He started to make his way to the bed when something made his freeze. Jumping up still silent he made his way over to the closet door and pulled it open.

The power had cut out at the factory…

Again.

Refusing to panic, but feeling ice in his blood he closed the door and waited. And opened it again.

Nothing.

Breathing hard now and the girl now stirring, he closed it again and opened it and saw the factory's floor, he diving through just as the girl sat up and the power went out again.