(Wow, this chapter was up fast. I don't know, I just kinda sped through writing it last night when my muse was good and flowing. I'm so pleased with the reception this fic has gotten, especially for my little Emma. I know it's hard to make likable OCs, but I'm glad everyone seems to adore her. There's plenty of art and such of her and Randall, and Boo on my fic's tumblr, thescalypurplemonster. You'll also find lots of sneak peeks and cute little story snippets there.

My trip has been going wonderful by the way. c: I went to the Disney store and got plushies of Randall, Boo, and Mike. I even got the deluxe figurine set. Now if I could only get someone to make me a plush of Emma I'd be all set...

Next chapter synopsis: Through Emma's photography, the gang realizes the idea of a company scrapbook is a great idea.)

Randall cursed his life and everyone in it as he dumped another bucket-full of sudsy water onto the three year old's sticky brown hair, and watched in distaste as the maple syrup mingled with the bath water.

Sullivan really should know better than to have a quart of syrup at the bottom of the pantry, where it was so easily accessible. Then again, he as a caretaker should have kept a closer eye on the twerp, he supposed.

When did I become a caretaker? He muttered to himself as he scrubbed the sticky mess off the child's back and arms.

The kid had stealth, that was for sure. He should have gathered that enough from the hide and seek game, but how she so easily snuck into the kitchen behind his back and managed to get into a whole bottle of maple syrup was beyond him.

It was probably the first time he had ever used her name (or what the two buffoons dubbed as her name anyway) when he saw her there in the golden puddle. At first he thought she was sitting in the world's largest pee puddle up until she licked it.

"Bubbles!" Boo babbled as she watched one of the soapy spheres float over to the ceiling. She jumped up to reach one hovering over Randall.

Randall rolled his eyes and scowled as the little three year old beamed up at him with her wide, doleful eyes. "Yeah, yeah, you're not cute, so stop trying to woo me." He looked away when she giggled, worried a smile might slip if he didn't. "Twerp number two, hand me the sponge."

Standing by watching the scene in amusement, Emma leered playfully at the monster and tossed the sponge at his head. He caught it with lightning reflexes and glared at her. "Em-ma."

"I'll call you Emma the day you stop calling me Funny Face."

"Funny Face is perfect though!" Emma grinned, "it's...silly and suiting. Randall just sounds intimidating and you are not intimidating."

He rolled his eyes to the high heavens and whined. "Oh, great, that's exactly what I want to hear." He probably lost his intimidating stature the day he told his first joke. "Ugh, what's in this stuff to make it so sticky?!"

"...Syrup?"

"...Shut up." He grabbed the giggling Boo and started scrubbing her belly and sides to rid it of the sticky residue. He scrubbed vigorously and harshly as a penalty for her naughtiness, but the child only giggled and squealed as the sponge tickled her.

"Stop laughing!" Randall exclaimed, raising one of his many arms over his face for coverage as the toddler laughed and splashed. "You're not supposed to be enjoying this, I am trying to punish you!"

She hiccuped and giggled and Randall rolled his eyes in partial endearment. He lifted the soaked little girl from the tub and wrapped her in a towel Emma gave him. "I did not sign on for this."

"For what, bathing Booberry, or just having to look after us kids?"

"All of the above, wait—Booberry?"

"Yeah! I think she looks like a Booberry."

"What is with you and nicknames anyway?"

The three of them turned when they heard the sound of jingling keys, and a door opening. One of them did more than just turn as she tossed her towel to the floor and bolted towards the front door.

"Augh, wait, twerp!" Randall shouted as he scrambled after the naked toddler on all limbs. "Show some modesty, you forgot your clothes!"

Three different voices that were talking stopped and turned into laughter the moment the naked blur came barreling towards them. She attached herself to Sulley's arm, gleefully chirping, "Kitty!"

"Oh my," Celia gasped through a giggle as she rubbed the toddler's head with a tentacle. "When did you get so rebellious, sweetie?"

"Boo!" Sulley chuckled as he lifted the bare-bummed child into the air. "Isn't it a little too early in the year to be running around in your Birthday suit?" The other three monsters laughed, and a flushing Randall skittered hurriedly over and snatched the girl.

"Hey she takes after you, Bug Guy!" Mike snickered. "You never wear clothes!"

"Neither do you!" Sulley laughed.

"I'm gonna save you all some time to point out we're all freaking naked," Randall deadpanned as he pulled a pink nightgown over the girl's head and lightly pushed her away from him. "Don't ask, we had a little maple syrup incident. You need locks on your cabinets, Sullivan."

"Ha, been meaning to get some... Hey, what's with Emma?"

Randall blinked when he realized the kid wasn't beside him. They had both run after Boo the same time. He spun around and was perplexed to see the nine year old hanging back at the hallway and digging her fingernails into the wall for support. "What's with you, kid? Out of shape or something?"

Emma had to take a few breaths before she could speak. "Yeah, that's probably it. I'm not like Tina, I don't like many sports, and no one ever wants me on their teams anyway. So I don't get all the exercise she does." She shrugged carelessly and pattered over to the group of monsters in her stocking feet. "Wow, more of Funny Face's friends?" She blinked up at Celia's hair. "Why does your hair have eyes? ...And mouths?"

Celia smiled and knelt down to the nine year old's level. "My, she's an inquisitive one. Is this Emma, Michael?"

"Hehe, yep. That's Randall's kid."

Randall felt something entwine inside his heart at the words, and Emma, judging by her smile, seemed to feel the strange sense of warmth as well. She beamed up at him, but he quickly looked away. "Uhhh..." He shook it off and looked over at George. "Sanderson, what are you doing here?"

"Ohhh, I just wanted to check on the new recruit. Welcome to—er, back—to our team, Randall!"

Randall stared. "What?"

"Oh, right!" Sulley knocked his fist against his head in embarrassment for being so absent minded. "Almost forgot to tell you Randall, I've decided I think you're ready to try out being on the floor." He must have realized how pale the lizard was because he smiled reassuringly. "It's just to try out. If you're not ready, no one will make you do it. I think you're comfortable around kids enough."

"I don't like kids," Randall tried to growl.

"You like us!" Emma piped.

"Now that's up for debate..."

"Just give it a try, Pal," Mike advised. "You'll do fine. You've made Emma laugh quite a bit. You've got some funny bone in ya."

"Take it from me," George began as he slung an arm around Randall's scrawny shoulders. The lizard tensed and froze. "I didn't think I could even go back to those rooms after everything that happened with the CDA. I didn't feel like being shaven bare again. But since I've been with Jessie—oh, it's been a blast. I just love all the kids, but Jessie..." He beamed with pride and joy. "Jessie's my kid."

"That's kind of what we call it now," Mike said as he gestured over to Boo. "The kid you bond with above all the other ones is your kid. It's like Sulley and Boo. Or you and Emma."

"Yep, that's Randall's kid!"

Randall stared straight ahead, his mouth working to form a sound, but nothing was coming out.

"George, you should bring Jessie to the apartment sometime!" Sulley suggested. "You can sneak her over here in Boo's new costume. I bet the kids would love each other."

"What a fantastic idea! You'll love Jessie, she's my little pride and joy! She calls me Daddy Monster." When the other monsters looked at him he smiled sadly. "She's in a foster family."

The group of monsters exchanged sad looks, but the moment was broken by Emma, who perched her chin in her hands on Randall's tail and grinned up at the lizard. "Hey, can I call you that?"

"You do and I'll glue your lips shut."

It was the first time in a month he had been allowed on the Laugh Floor, and he couldn't help but be annoyed with the way he was treated. No, no one fled in terror or cowered to the ground, but instead stood protectively in front of their laugh canisters, as if they feared he'd bust it. He emitted a low, humiliated growl, while Sulley felt his own mouth twitching in pure amusement.

"They're just being a little cautious. I mean, you knocked out power for an entire day last time, and a lot of canisters needed to be replaced. You even blew a few door lights!" His face turned serious. "Monsters are protective of their children."

Randall sneered and was about to announce that a pile of rubbish, but when he thought of anything happening to Emma's, or even the twerp's door, his words died. "...Well. I mean, I was a little woozy when you had me try to clean these windows. Of course I tripped."

"Yeah, well don't worry, we've made sure to keep the long brooms a good fifty feet away from you," the furry monster teased. Randall only pouted. He flinched harshly when Sulley patted his back. "You'll do fine, Randall. Don't worry."

"No I won't," Randall snapped, becoming distressed and anxious the closer the time of his shift arrived. "I'm not cut out for this, Sullivan. I scare kids, I don't play with them."

"Come on Randall. Boo and Emma adore you, and I'm sure the rest of the kids will. You have a nact with kids—one you don't even realize you have."

He glared at the brute as if he was utterly insane, but he felt his head tilting to the side in shocked confusion. "I...do?"

"You do. When you're not hostile to them, and—you know, not trying to, uh, rip their faces off, you're actually really good with children. Two little girls already like you, what's going to stop all the others?"

Randall pondered on this as Sullivan slowly started walking away. The whistles blew, and the monsters began filing into their doors. Randall eyed the yellow door in front of him with hesitance, and stayed back by the props after even the slug-like monsters finally slithered in.

He glanced around hesitantly, feeling like a kid on his first day of school. Actually, he felt as he had the first day of college. And somehow, just like that day, as he turned his head he saw the same green monster urging him on and waving towards him.

Confidence boosted, the serpentine monster tucked a bunch of juggling balls under his arm and slithered in through the door. He crept up the wall, and perched in the corner. A light shone on him and he froze, turning to see a seven year old boy staring at him with wide, intrigued eyes.

Alright, tell your dignity to go play outside for a while, it's time to do this! He started his routine he had been practicing the past month and tossed several balls up into the air and started juggling them. The seven year old put his hands to his mouth in wonderment. Randall tossed two of the balls over to the next wall, and then jumped to it as well, catching the balls before they hit the floor.

"Wow!" the boy gasped between his fingers in excitement as Randall continued his circus routine. The lizard continued to wow the kid as he jumped from wall to wall with the balls constantly in motion.

Time for the grand finale! Randall curled in his body and flipped in the air as he landed on his feet in the middle of the child's rug. "Ta-daa!"

And just as he had planned, the several balls still in the air came down on his head. With every bonk of the ball he changed colors and made a different, hilarious expression, until the last ball rolled to the floor.

The child's eyes widened further and he slowly lowered his lands to his lap and leaned forward. Randall closed his multiple fists in anticipation and leaned forward as well. Come on, come on, come on...

The little boy positively burst into laughter, falling back onto his bed and kicking his feet up into the air. Randall felt his frills perk up in excitement despite himself, suddenly no longer caring about the indignation of what he had done as he realized what he had finally accomplished. He snickered, gave a bow, and bolted back out the door to a group of cheering monsters.

"Way to go, buddy!" Mike exclaimed, watching as Sulley took the canister full, and to everyone's amazement, had to stick another in to catch the last of the child's laughter. "You did it! You did it!"

The lizard felt the largest, genuine grin snake up on his lips, and he crossed his arms in his old arrogant ways, yet somehow still kept a smile of humility. "Well of course I did." He glanced at Mike and even at Sulley in a little-bit-almost-gruff admiration. "I guess I didn't have...the worst of coaches."

A little red monster eagerly scurried up to the lizard, clapping his hands and bouncing like a flea. "Wow! You did it, sir!"

"Hey Fungus," Randall said in surprise, "you're not stuttering."

"You-you did great! You did even better than me when-when I first tr-tried!" Ah, there was the Fungus he knew.

"Yeah, well, I'm good at adapting I guess."

The little monster hesitated, and gave a nervous little grin. He really started stuttering then. "U-um, my...my main monster I help out is applying for-for a new position and when I-I'm not doing shifts of my own, I was wondering if you maybe ne-ne-needed any help now that you-you're back on the floor?"

Randall stared at him and blinked in shock. Slowly, probably the softest smile, and one he didn't even realize he had appeared on his face. He must have realized it eventually since he flushed and gave a gruff, careless shrug. "Uh yeah, sure, whatever. You could make yourself useful to me, I'm sure. You always used to be."

Fungus's many eyes brightened, and everyone's mouths hung as he suddenly lunged forward and hugged the monster tightly around the waist.

"Fungus," Randall instantly hissed, tensing every muscle. "Let go of me right freaking now before I stuff you in the shredder." Some things never changed.

The monster yelped and quickly released him. He still smiled though. "B-boy, I never realized til now that I actually missed you."

"Yeah, yeah, enough with the sappy crap. Just go get me another door..." He watched as the little monster scurried off. Missed you too, you annoying little bean...

The sounds of laughter resonated through-out his skull as he made his way back to Monstropolis State Prison. He had a feeling he'd be hearing that all night, but it definitely wasn't something he hated hearing, especially when it was Emma's or Boo's.

According to Sullivan, he set a company record for the most laughter produced in a first day. It was no ultimate scare record, but it definitely was something. The kids loved him, and somehow, Randall didn't find that notion as repulsive as he thought he would.

And yet, he thought to himself as he approached the prison guard, he knew there would be someone in here that wouldn't appreciate that news very much. At all.

"I'm here to see Silvester Boggs"

The guard led him in through the halls, towards the high security portion of the facility. He was undisguised this time, and regretted not wearing one when the guard snickered, "Oh, be careful you don't trip and knock our power out as well."

Mortified, the lizard scrambled hurriedly to the chair he was in a month ago, and waited for his brother to appear and 'scare' him.

The air flickered, and Silver appeared with a smirk. "Boo."

"Oh, not going to scare the scales off me this time?"

"Naw, I wouldn't try the same scare the second time in a row." His brother sat in his chair and leaned forward. "How you doing, cupcake? Knock any more power out lately?" He grinned in amusement when Randall slid slowly down in his chair in humiliation.

"Oh Gods..."

"Aw come on. We don't have much to laugh at in this place, after all." He snickered. "Knocking out the city's power. That's so something you'd do." He cleared his throat and straightened himself. "So how has everything been lately? What's your plan to get everything back to the way it was before?"

Randall bit down on his tongue. "I...uh.. well that's kind of why I'm here to see you. About me taking over the company, I'm...not."

And just like that, the eagerness slipped from Silver's face. His face lowered and darkened, eyes narrowing dangerously. "What."

"I mean, there's no point in trying!" Randall shrugged. "The company is doing fine the way it is. We're producing ten times more power than we ever were before. There's no need to change it. I've been working on the floor and it isn't...it isn't that bad. There's nothing wrong with the way things are."

"Nothing wrong?" Silver snarled. "You wear clown get ups and act like idiots, and—what is on your tail?"

Randall hesitated and picked up a long, foam string off his tail. "Oh, silly string."

"Gods..."

"Hey, that actually wasn't part of the bit I did. Wazowski started it. He glued the chair I was in and it stuck to my butt. So I got a hold of the silly string. And then it went from there..."

Silver growled. "See, this is what I'm talking about! Look at what you're letting yourself turn into! You're one of the top scarers, you graduated with honors, and you're reduced to...this! Silly string? Really? What happened to your plan? When did you decide to join their little clown team?"

Randall growled. "I didn't come to get patronized, okay? I'm just trying to make a freaking living here! I'm trying to get things back to being as normal as they can be for now. I just want to be back to the company. And I am."

"And how are you getting by?" Silver snorted. "You were never much of a comedian. Actually, you sucked."

"Well kids find a lot of things funny, like your misfortune." He chuckled. "Or at least, Emma does." Silver's eyes narrowed further."

"Emma?"

"Yeah...she's..." He hesitated, and then said with a light fondness," my kid. She's the one I worked with for a while."

"So you're just gonna go along with this then." Silver hissed; it wasn't even a question. He knew his brother, and he knew when he made up his mind. It just made him angrier. "That's it?"

"Fine, I guess I am," Randall growled, "despite how much I know you'll hate me for it. I'm doing the best thing I can right now. For me anyway."

"And you actually trust them?" his brother retorted. "These monsters that illegally banished you? You really think any of them even care about you? Whose to say they won't fling you through a door over the littlest mistake?"

He looked reluctant, like he lost a bit of his confidence. Then he shook his head. "Emma and Boo would never let them. Ever."

Silver's frills flared in a rage. "What do you owe a couple of girls?! What did that one brat do for you above what I've done?"

Randall lost it. "I owe one of them a lot! I owe one her life—she saved mine. I don't care if she's just three or a stupid twerp, she's the reason I'm not DEAD in the human world! And in these past few years, what have YOU done for me beyond framing me and hurting me?" He blurted it without thinking. "You'd kill me if it meant you could get everything you wanted!"

It was then rage was wiped from Silver's face. His eyes widened, and his frills gave a silent, stunned twitch.

Randall's breath hitched. "I didn't mean that. I'm sorry..." He bit his lip, feeling his insides clench in guilt. "Silver-" He lurched back in the chair as his brother nearly pounced on the screen, snarling.

"I SAVED your life! I could have let you grow up the way I did, but I didn't! I could have done to you what he did to me, but I didn't! I protected you, taught you all you know! I taught you how to fight so no one would be able to hurt you!"

Randall swallowed a lump and looked painfully back at his brother, eyes wet at the rims. "..."

"I could have used you as my punching bag, and take everything out on you," Silver went on, his voice shaky with rage and pain. "I could have used you as my outlet, but I made sure that never happened..."

"I said I'm sorry!" Randall protested, his voice just as shaky. "Look, I do appreciate you taking care of me-"

"Then prove it! We're still brothers, we should be helping each other! Get me out of here and we won't need anyone but each other!"

"No," Randall growled. "I'm tired of having just you, and I'm tired of living by your stupid motto of needing no one. That's how I wound up banished to begin with. I can't...only trust one person, that's behind BARS no less."

Silver's frills fell flat against his head and neck.

"I'm sorry. I'll always visit you, but you can't just keep trying to turn me away from everyone." He turned to leave, but his brother slamming a pair of fists onto the desk stopped him.

"If you go with this your whole life's work is gone! Everything you worked so hard for-"

"The machine is GONE! It's been thrown out! I know, that was my room when I first came back here! There's nothing left but the blueprints!"

"So you still have the blueprints!" Silver exclaimed, "You can make it better than it was before! It won't matter if it's screams, or laughter, or—heck, dancing—you can just get it all!"

"NO. We're not going to kill children for energy we can get a harmless way. The company would never forgive me for that. You honestly think harming more children would have me be respected?"

The older monster gave an exasperated snarl. When he glared at him this time it was with more desperation than anything. "What is it gonna take to make you see what you're doing?! I just-!" He groaned to himself. "I don't want to see you hurt again, okay?"

Randall furrowed his brows, a look of turmoil on his face. Finally, he angrily shook his head. "I don't...I don't need you to take care of me. No one is gonna hurt me. They haven't yet."

"Then wake up before they do."

That silenced him, and it was the first thing his brother had said since the visit that he couldn't shrug off, as much as he wanted to. He slowly shut his eyes and looked away.

"...You said you have the blueprints, right? You can rebuild the machine. And if you're so intent on protecting the brats, you can find a way to make it without hurting them. You got a masters in engineering, I know you'd be able to find a way. It's better than the clown camp."

Randall pondered on that for a moment. He would be able to find a benign way to use the machine, that he knew for sure. Somehow, it still felt wrong. It was just as Sullivan had said, scaring was tainted now. He'd never be able to use that machine again.

"I could never try again with that machine, not after what it was for."

"Fine," Silver growled, no longer debating his hard-headed sibling on this. If you won't, I will...

Randall felt more like a stranger than he ever had before as he slowly approached the apartment he now shared with the two monsters. His key copy felt wrong to hold, his brother's warnings echoing in his head. They were impossible to ignore, and that's what made it worse.

Mike smiled as he stepped out to meet him. He still had bits of silly string on him. "Hey buddy, how'd it go?"

Instinctively, defensively, Randall snarled. "Don't freaking call me that. I am NOT your buddy."

Despite the many times Randall had snapped that in the past, this was the first time Mike looked truly affected as he blinked in hurt. Randall's eyes slid shut in guilt.

"Wazowski...ugh. Sorry, I didn't mean that. I just...don't feel well."

"You too? Emma's not feeling that good either apparently," Mike commented, causing Randall's eyelids to shoot up. "She went to the doctors. Turns out she has a cold, but she still wanted to come over. I brought her over after Sulley took Boo over to see George." He shrugged. "Who am I to turn a sick kid down? Anyway...what's wrong with you?"

"Nothing," Randall muttered. "My brother just...got some stuff into my head, that's all."

Mike winced a little. "Like what?"

His eyes fell to the floor, and they shut. "Nothing." He felt Mike's eyes still on him and he growled. "He just...told me that no one will care about me, and that I'm fooling myself."

"Well. You don't really believe that, do ya, Buddy?" He plopped on the couch directly beside Randall. The lizard tensed when he felt his arm brush against him by accident.

"I...I don't know. How could anyone trust me after what I did? How will everyone ever stop hating me?"

The green monster smiled one of those encouraging smiles he always gave him when they were in college, and he needed his confidence boosted. "Trust? Sulley let you take Boo to your mother's! Alone! Without either of us! I'd say that's pretty trusting, wouldn't you?"

"..."

The small monster hesitated, as if debating if he should say this. Eventually he did give a slight smile. "And me, you trust me...don't you?"

The lizard lifted his head toward Mike. Old roommate. Old nemesis; the one to help toss him into a door, and at the same time, he was also the monster that coached and looked after him. His instincts and paranoia told him to snap at the little olive, but he found he couldn't shake his head or snarl at him. Instead, he gave a slow nod.

"Well that's all you need for now, to trust. Monsters will trust you eventually. Sull' and I do. Boo and Emma do, Fungus, Celia's okay with you, and so is George."

"Okay, yeah, I get it," Randall snapped lightly. He gave Mike a look of appreciation. "Thanks, Wazowski."

"It's Mike you know, Lizard Boy."

Randall's mouth opened for a moment, but it firmly shut. His walls came back up. "I like Wazowski." He ignored the despondent look on the little monster's face as he slithered towards Sulley's room, where he knew Emma would be.

Randall was surprised the nine year old didn't come bounding towards him when he opened the bedroom door. She didn't even look up at him at first, tossing Boo's ball lightly against the wall. Randall knew her well enough to know she only did that when something was wrong.

"Sluggish from the cold, kid?"

The child seemed to take a while to realize he was even there, but her head quickly snapped up to him. "Huh? Oh, yeah. I'm fine, just a bit tired." Her eyes were distant and hazy.

"...You don't look like you have a cold."

She shrugged a little. "Aw, it's just a little virus is all." She finally did give a smile, which made it easier for him to breathe, as she pounced randomly on his back. "I've still got some kick in me!"

He yelped as the little thing attached herself to his neck, and pulled herself up onto his head. "Hey, get your butt off my face!"

Emma giggled and wrestled on his head for a moment, before she gave a noticeable wince of pain and slid back down. He grabbed her in his arms, glaring. She only smiled back, another one of those shy smiles he had warmed up to.

"You know, you're like...the only one I ever want to play with. You and Boo, and Mike and Sulley. I never play with anyone else at school or at home. I dunno, I guess it's cause I don't like anyone as much as I like you."

He stared at her in wide eyed silence. The crooked little smile got to him and he flushed and looked away. "Yeah, well...I don't play with anyone either. I haven't since..." Memories came to him of him and his brother roughhousing in the grass, giggling, and pulling at each other's frills. He tried to push those thoughts away; Silver was too painful to think about right now. "I don't usually play either. I guess you just bring that side out in me."

She beamed up at him, and he felt something else twist in his heart when she leaned her cheek against his chest. His heart seemed to be doing that a lot lately.