TRIGGER WARNING: This goes a bit more into Jake's backstory - with mentions of drug abuse and being taken away from his parents. I figure it's important to leave this kind of warning in case this may bring hard memories up for anyone.

Sulley squeezed Jake's hand tightly.

Driving down to the courthouse had been a nightmare traffic-wise. But honestly, as Mike parked a small distance away, Sulley saw the bigger problem: reporters. No doubt, as Jake's adoption was the first monster-human adoption they wanted to know everything. But Sulley had hoped they may at least give him a day or two.

"Vultures," Celia scoffed. "Think they'd let us in the back way?"

Sulley grimaced, he highly doubted it. But he was more concerned for Jake at the moment. Sure this was a happy occasion, but he also knew it was hard on him. Being adopted forced kids to confront a lot of emotions, the least of which being he was being adopted by his ex-monster in the closet and not a human.

Jake already told him he wrestled with insecurities of not beinf "good enough" for human families. Something which made Sulley sick to his stomach. Now they'd no doubt shout questions about just that and open up wounds Sulley didn't want them to.

"Jake," The boy peered up at him. "No matter what happens, stay beside me. I'll keep the cameras off of you."

The boy shifted uncomfortably to lean against Sulley. He always got quiet when overwhelmed he learned, but Sulley was not having any of this. He opened the door carefully and without warning Mike or Celia started his walk to the courthouse steps. Reporters or not, he was not allowing them to be a second late after the crazy traffic.

"Mr. Sullivan! Over here, Mr. Sullivan!" One shouted.

"Is it true you ate the child's father!?"

"Jacob, Jacob can I get a smile for the front page!?"

"Mr. Sullivan. Aren't you afraid of the toxicity?"

"Jacob, are you being forced? I heard rumors -."

Sulley didn't let that last reporter finish. He let out a deafening roar instead, one that silenced the flood of busybodies quite quickly. He gestured for Jake to hurry up the steps while he stayed behind. He knew they wouldn't go away without something, but he was going to say it, not Jake.

Clearing his throat, he started very pointedly: "Jacob is healthy and happy in my care. And there is nothing going on behind the scenes. No toxicity, no cannibalism," He told them without missing a beat. "You can read a full press release on monday. Until then, I suggest you leave my kid alone before I -."

"Whoa, cool it big guy!"

Mike to the rescue, as usual. He stepped in front of the crowd, holding his hands up in hopes to diffuse the situation. "Alright guys, listen up. The big guy just wants some privacy today. Emotions are high and we're running late," He pointed out calmly. "I will field any questions, as long as they're tasteful."

That was Sulley's cue to leave, which he did. The courthouse was big, and old. Probably as old as the city he figured. But he found Jake quickly on a bench near the entrance between two statues of famous judges whose name's escaped Sulley. "Uncle Mike and aunt Celia are handling the vultures," Jake smiled slightly in response to Sulley's comment. "You OK?"

Jake nodded. "Just nervous," He admitted finally. "Last time I was in court, they were taking me away from my mom."

Sulley frowned, taking a seat beside him, he took his hand again. They'd been over how Jake had become a foster kid a dozen times. And no matter how much he discussed it, Sulley felt like it never got easier. "I know, today is gonna be hard," He offered gently. "But I promise you, they'd have to pry you out of my cold, dead paws."

Jake nodded again. "Do you think she'd..."

He couldn't finish the sentence, but Sulley understood why. Talking about his mom was a sore subject that Sulley always treaded lightly. "Your mom was just sick, Jake. Addiction is a tough thing," Jake peered back up at him. "She gave you up for a better life because she loved you. I'd like to think she'd be very happy."

Jake's eyes twinkled, no doubt Sulley's positive words helped. He'd been told by all his resources to absolutely not bad mouth his biological parents. And thankfully, despite their shortcomings he had kept to that. "I love you, Sulley." He replied before leaning against his fur.

"I love you too."

More than he'd probably ever know.

His mom, becore she passed a few years ago had explained it best. Loving your kid was unlike any feeling you could describe. It felt like placing a missing piece of a puzzle you'd spent years never knowing you had been searching for. God, he wished she was there with some of those "sage words". All he had was dad now and well... As he'd mused they hadn't spoken since his expulsion. Even when his mom came around and things changed, he never did.

He swore to himself he would never be that way as a dad. "You OK, big guy?"

Sulley only looked at his son and smiled sadly. "I'll be fine. Let me go get us checked in."

As he looked at him though, his thoughts drifted to the first time he really looked at him.

FOUR MONTHS EARLIER

Jacob Green looked terrified.

It had happened so innocently that Sulley couldn't fault the monsters that fouled this up. Jake was thirteen, and in a kid's thirteenth year, they outgrew their monster. His door had been scheduled to be shredded, on time, as expected that afternoon. And it had indeed been shredded, on time, that afternoon.

What everyone had failed to check while running a final diagnostic was that the coast was clear. Instead, Jake had somehow gone through the closet and was now stranded. Good grief.

The boy sat on a couch in his office now, definitely shaken. Sulley noted him to be a short, thin kid with auburn hair and the brightest green eyes hed ever seen. He seemed to carry himself like a young adult, but the Pokemon themed pajamas definitely betrayed the childhood innocence he still had. However fleeting that was now that he'd reached adolescence.

He'd been staring for a good five minutes panicking in his head before Jake spoke: "Are you gonna stare at me all day?"

"Huh?"

"I said, are you gonna stare at me all day?" Jake replied sharply. Nerves bubbling to the surface. "Or is someone going to tell me what the heck is going on here?"

Had he just sassed him, really? Sulley tilted his head as he tried to comprehend that this little guy just mouthed off to a monster but still! Scratching the back of his beck, the blue behemoth found the best way to respond: "Look kid, this is kind of... Complicated," Sulley stated as he stepped out from behind his desk. "I don't even know where to start explaining this to a kid -."

"I mean I get some of it," Jake motioned around. "Clearly this is some kind of "Monster in the Closet" operation. Like, that part's pretty obvious."

"Heh, fair enough," Sulley snorted. "Want to tell me how you found this "operation"?"

Jake tensed up at that, as if Sulley had touched a nerve. Or worse, like he was afraid of something. But after moments passed he explained. "I was uh... In my closet and there was a bright light," He pointed out. "At first I thought I was dreaming. But then your whole factory goes into chaos calling "Code Boo" or whatever."

He was in the closet when they opened the door? That seemed highly unusual to Sulley. Part of the reason they did what they did at night was to ensure no one would probably be in there. "It's like... 11:30 in the human world," Sulley pointed out. "What were you doing up that late?"

"... I plead the fifth."

Great, the kid was going to be a hard nut to crack it looked like. "Well there's bad news and good news. Good news, you're here when monsters don't have a soul-crushing fear of human children anymore," He pointed out. "Or it'd have been a lot worse."

"What's the bad news?"

"You came on the night you were aging out of our program," Sulley pointed out. "Meaning your way back home is currently in several thousand pieces."

Jake straightened, and Sulley couldn't tell if there was fear or relief in his features. The boy did seem to catch on quickly though: "So does that mean I'm stuck here?"

"Only temporarily!" Sulley encouraged. "We can put the doorway back together... In time."

"How long?"

Well, it'd taken Mike months last time. But now they had other monsters to help, so... "I don't know that part. Maybe a few weeks?"

"A few weeks!?" Jake shouted in surprise. "How can I survive in a Monster world for a few weeks!?"

That was a good question. Sulley and Mike had managed to clear human urban myths up over the years. But no human had spent more than a day or two there, and that had been Boo. They were talking a kid staying long-term and that could cause even more chaos, he feared.

"We're working on that part. Don't worry," Sulley pointed out. "A friend of mine is coming down to sort out the details."

Had he just called Roz his friend? What was he thinking? Still, he could see the fear laden in Jake's eyes and felt his heart sink. He really did have a soft spot for kids, didnt he? Even when they weren't as small and cute as Boo had been. "Don't worry, kid. We'll have this sorted out in no time." He encouraged. "Until then, why don't you try and lay down to get some sleep?"

Jake looked at him, but only huffed lightly. "Thanks...?"

"Sulley," He offered. "And if anyone gives you trouble you can tell them to report to me."

Jake didn't offer his name, but did lay down on his office couch in exhaustion. It was at that time, as he turned away that Sulley noticed a bruise for the first time. A faint one, just above the collar bone that he'd seen as just a trick of the light at the time...

"You can't put him into containment! That'll just make this whole thing worse."

Sulley was surprised with his own outburst at Roz when she and the CDA arrived an hour or so later. That was their big idea? Making the kid a basic prisoner? Roz hummed as she pushed her glases up the bridge of her nose and starsd at Sulley. "Sullivan, the last time a human child was left to their own devices here it nearly lead to a sociatal collapse," She pointed out. "It's in everyone's best interests..."

"Society has changed, Roz. Ever since we introduced Jokesters," Mike motioned to the entirety of their "Laugh Floor" for emphasis. "Everyone knows human children aren't toxic now. They even like their kids!"

Roz sighed and gave another pointed look at him. "Be that as it may, old prejudices die hard. I highly doubt anyone is going to temporarily house him," She explained. "Not to mention take on the responsibility of keeping him from exposing us."

Sulley laughed nervously. "Exposing us? No one would listen to a kid."

Roz lifted an eyebrow and slithered forward. "You can never be too careful, Sullivan," She pointed out. "Just because the kid seems sweet doesn't alwsys make it so."

Mike tugged on Sulley's fur then, motioning him to step aside. Somehow, what he had to say was crazier than Sulley figured it would be. "Sulley, tell her you'll take the kid! This is your chance!" Mike had finally cracked, Sulley decided. "What? You love it last time!"

"Boo was two, Mikey. This is a teenager!" Sulley argued back in a whisper. "I don't know fhe first thing about looking after one of those!"

Mike, however, as usual wasn't listening. Instead he turned right to Roz and announced. "That's OK, Roz. We'll take care of the kid!" He explained before Sulley could say no. "We did it once, how hard can it be?"

"Wazowski, do you have any idea what a teenager is like?"

Mike frowned. "I mean, Celia and I have her nephews. And we're trying!"

Roz shook her head, then turned to Sulley. He knew that the elder monster held a lot more respect for him. No doubt she wanted to hear his thoughts: "And you really want to do this, Sullivan?"

No, Sulley really didn't. But as he opened his mouth to say that, something stopped him. Guilt hit him like a gut punch. All he could picture was that poor kid from the office sitting in an isolation chamber. Being guarded twenty-four seven by those CDA knuckleheads.

As much of a bad idea as he saw this being, he wouldn't let that happen. "I mean, ever since Mike and Celia tied the knot my apartment's been pretty empty," He replied in defeat. "I still have my spare bedroom he can have."

Roz hummed again and breathed a sigh of irritation. She put her hands behind her back and looked between them slowly. "I don't think I need to tell you how important a task like this is. Kids at thirteen have their doors shredded for a reason," She explained tensely. "By that time the amount of memories they retain is dangerous, we all risk exposure."

"We'll handle it fine, Roz," Mike encouraged. "When have we ever let you down?"

Roz didn't entertain an answer to that, but did at last give her answer. "Very well, Jacob Green will be your problem, for now," She pointed out tensely. "But this is your reminder we'll be watching."

"We know, you're alwysd watching!"

She left with the CDA after that, leaving Sulley and Mike alone on fhr Laugh Floor. It was at that point Sulley turned to Mike and said what he wanted to. "Are you insane!? You just volunteered us for teenager duty," He explained. "I didn't even like myself as a teenager!"

Mike smirked. "It'll be good for you, you big hairball," He encouraged. "By the end of this, you'll just have two words for me: "Thank you"."

Sulley really doubted it at the time, but Mike would end up being right.