Sick Day

"Good morning, Miss Ritchi!" Minion greeted as he entered her apartment. He'd picked the lock once more and disengaged the disguise as soon as he had shut the door. It was the normal routine when kidnapping her from her apartment during the daytime; use a disguise, pick the lock, spray and go. The boys had been working on putting the invisibility generator into the watch but had been running into problems and so continued to use various faces they'd found over time as their disguises.

The robot fish spotted a pair of feet hanging off the edge of the couch and made his way around it.

"I think you'll like this newest spray the boss came up with! It smells like pineapples! Now-oh…" he paused as he took in the view before him. "Miss Ritchi, are you feeling quite alright?"

Roxanne was curled up on the couch; she was a sickly pale with dark bags under her eyes. A hot water bottle rested over her stomach while a cloth lay draped over her forehead.

"Can we just cancel today Minion?" her voice cracked as she curled in on herself and looked up at him miserably. She'd been feeling slightly off for the past few days but had woken up feeling like death. She'd hated to do it but had called in to the station and used up one of the many sick days that she had acquired over the past two and a half years of working there. She hated to miss work but she could barely blink without her head feeling as if it were splitting. And of course there was her stomach to contend with.

Minion went into instant doctor mode and placed a single metal finger on her forehead. After years of tending to Megamind he'd insisted on having some sort of sensors placed into the metal hands. It had been but a few seconds before he pulled his hand back as if he had been burnt.

"Miss Ritchi, you're burning up! That's it, there's no way we're going on with the plan today. Have you had anything to drink?" he asked. Roxanne shook her head but a fraction. This set Minion into action; he knew that he would catch hell for taking so much time in getting back to the Evil Lair, but those guardian instincts were kicking in. He set to making a pot of tea for Roxanne, and set the mug down on the coffee table in front of her.

"You just rest up Miss Ritchi, I'll tell the boss that today is off."

Megamind sat hunched over a worktable and did not turn when he heard Minion approach.

"There you are Minion! What took so long-" he paused as he spun around, and he was confused as to why there was an obvious lack of a certain reporter over a certain hench-fish's shoulders. "Where is Miss Ritchi?"

"She's…home Sir. She's sick, so I thought maybe we'd….give her a sick day?" he said. Megamind studied his friend for a moment before he laughed.

"Oh very funny Min-yon! A very funny April fewls joke!"

"But…it's November sir."

"Where is she? The back seat?" he opened the car door to find it empty. His head turned back to Minion. "Really Minion, where is she?"

"I told you Sir; she's sick. She needs her rest."

"You dimwitted creation of science! We do not give sick days!" Megamind turned and swung a leg over the jet-bike as he kick started it to life. It was not long before he landed on the familiar balcony and pushed the doors open.

"Miss Ritchi, perhaps you have become confused about our arrangements, but let me assure you that evil does not grant sick days!" he looked down on the reporter. Roxanne had barely moved since Minion left except to sip at the tea that he had made. It had helped to soothe her stomach and sinuses, but she still felt exhausted and achy. Megamind's eyes scanned over her face and he saw just how pale and tired she looked. She coughed meekly and covered her mouth with the blanket that she was wrapped up in. She was so sick she'd forgotten to even attempt to be sarcastic.

"Think you can make an exception for today?" she croaked. He grimaced as he looked down at her. She looked positively miserable; so very different from the spunky vivacious spirit that he had grown so used to.

"Evil is not prone to acquiescing to their victim's requests. But I suppose… just this once. But don't expect this type of treatment all the time, Miss Ritchi." He sighed and went to turn but was stopped as his eyes caught the kettle of tea. "I'd drink that while it's still hot. Minion's tea can fix any sickness…but it tastes awful once it's cold." He smirked and left the reporter alone once more.

When evening rolled around Roxanne was woken up by a light tapping at her window. She slowly rolled from the couch and opened the window to let in the waiting brain bot. She was confused as to why the strange creation had come to her apartment, and for a moment she worried that she was about to be kidnapped. That was; at least; until she saw the strange little lunch pail that hung from its claws. It seemed to be waiting expectantly and she hesitantly reached out and took the pail. She placed it on the coffee table and slowly opened it to find a steaming thermos of fresh soup inside with a note on top.

"Some fresh homemade soup will help, be sure to eat it all.

But don't tell the boss!"

Roxanne smirked as she read the note. Minion was funny that way; he was so good at spilling Megamind's secrets and yet so good at keeping hers. She also knew the risk he had taken by sending her the soup and was grateful towards him. She'd have to find some way or another to thank him. As she opened the thermos and she realized just how hungry she was. She took a slow sip of the delicious soup. Over time she'd learned what a knack Minion had for cooking and was glad that he had such a skill. Sometimes she swore that if it wasn't for take-out, microwaves and Minion's sneaking her treats at the kidnappings that she would surely starve. She barely found time to cook anymore. Her eyes turned upwards as the brain bot bowged at her and flew out of the open window. She closed it quickly before the cold could get in and then sunk down into her couch, enjoying the warm delicious soup while her appetite lasted.

It was nearly two weeks later that Roxanne found herself kidnapped once more.

"Miss Ritchi, we meet again. Feeling better I trust?"

"Well I was. Would it kill you to wash that bag?" she replied in the familiar sarcastic tone she'd reserved especially for him. Her eyes flashed to Minion for but a second and she offered him a thankful smile before her attention was diverted back to Megamind.

He continued on with some long-winded monologue about his newest plan and she cut in with her normal witty retorts.

Well, sick days can't last forever. Back to business as usual.

So, as of late I've really been considering writing a sequel to What They've Needed All Along. I have a few ideas but I'm wondering if I should expand on them and write one large sequel, or just keep them as one-shots and mini-stories for this story here. Opinions?