Chapter Text
Boo pushed her hair from her face, leaving a long streak of blue paint on her forehead. The late afternoon sun had faded into a dusky burnt orange sky as day shifted to evening, and the light in the apartment had dimmed with it. Mrs. Matilda had left an hour or so ago after homework had been finished, leaving Boo with dinner warming in the oven for when Kittie got home from work.
Left to her own devices, Boo had turned to her favorite activity, painting. At first she had only doodled, letting the colors and shapes distract her from her boredom. But as the evening shadows grew, she began to feel anxious, and her paintings began to reflect her feelings. Laying on the floor in the living room, she could feel the dark closet in Mike’s room, even though she couldn’t see it. Sometimes she was able to push aside the fear it swirled within her, but at other times it swelled, drowning her in shards of memories and feelings that left her filled with terror.
Trying to distract herself from the fear, she turned to painting. Suddenly, the sounds of Sully coming up the stairs pulled her from her thoughts. Shifting to her feet, she stood to open the door for him.
“Boo, can you-“
Boo swung the door open before he finished. Sully grinned, motioning with his head toward his arms full of paperwork and briefcases.
“Thanks. I don’t think I could’ve got the door.”
Boo smiled quietly, holding it open while he came inside. He dropped the papers by the door and turned to give her a quick hug.
“How was your day?”
Boo shrugged in his arms, letting her eyes close against his fur. “Long. How was yours?”
Sully pushed her back from him, holding her chin up so that he could see her eyes. “Are you ok, hon?”
Boo tried her best to push down her earlier feelings, and smile. “Yeah, I’m fine. Just had a lot of homework. But I finished it all, and Mrs. Matilda left dinner for us in the oven.”
Sully didn’t look fully convinced, but dropped the subject, moving into the kitchen. “She did, huh? What is it?”
“I don’t know, but it smells good.”
Sully opened the oven door and they both stood over it, letting the amazing smells curl over them.
“Dragon snap-pea casserole with fresh bread. Looks good!” Said Sully, pulling the dishes from the oven. “Boo, will you set the table please?”
Nodding, she moved to the cabinet and started to pull out the plates. Her back was turned to the hallway, when suddenly a sound of rustling behind her made her jump. She turned quickly, almost expecting to see Randle reaching menacingly toward her. She swiveled frantically, looking for the source of the sound.
“Boo?”
The gentle question was laced heavily with concern. Boo looked tearily down to her feet and saw that she had knocked several plates and glasses onto the floor, shattering them. Fearfully, she looked back up to Sully.
“Hold on- don’t move.”
Setting down the casserole, he picked his way toward her, careful to avoid the dangerous shards. Reaching out his arms, he picked her up gently. Cradling her to his chest, he picked his way out of the kitchen and sat her gently on the couch.
“Stay here while I clean it up, ok? I don’t want you to step on any glass.”
Boo’s eyes filled with tears and she tried to sputter out an apology. “I-I’m, s-sorry Kittie, I didn’t mean to…”
Her words trailed off into full sobs. Sully picked her up again worriedly, holding her while she cried. “It’s ok, baby, it’s not a big deal. I have plenty of plates, I promise. It was an accident.”
Boo only cried harder, pulling away from him and curling into a ball on the couch. Sully reached for her, and she shifted away, as a dam inside her broke. Fear filled her eyes as she started to shake with the sobs wracked her body.
“No. No. No.” She moaned, hiccupping through her tears, “I don’t want to, I don’t want to!”
“Boo! What’s going on Honey? What are you talking about? It’s just a few plates.”
“I don’t want to!” She wailed, crumpling in on herself.
Ignoring her attempts to pull away from him, Sully reached for her, wrapping his arms around her and drawing her to his chest. Holding her hand and back he tried to still her shaking. Pushing her ear to his chest, he rocked her gently, letting her hear his heartbeat.
“Shhh, shhh, be still. You’re safe here. I’ve got you. I’ve got you.”
They sat like that for a long time. Slowly, the sobs began to fade, and she hiccupped the last few with a final shuttering breath. Sully still held her tightly to himself, but he shifted her in his arms so that he could see her face. Looking down at her closely, he searched for the reason for the outburst, but couldn’t decipher it from her swollen and splotchy face. Swinging one arm under her legs and keeping the other behind her back, he picked her up, carrying her to the back bathroom
Boo closed her eyes, the occasional tear still streaking down her cheeks. She could feel the feelings of fear and terror still lurking inside her. Rolling her head into Sully’s chest, she tried to let his steadying presence push down the fear.
Reaching the bathroom, Sully sat her down on the counter gently. He reached for a washcloth and ran it under warm water, wringing out the excess. Holding the back of her head securely, he started to wipe at her face with the warm rag.
“I can take care of myself,” she sniffled, pushing her head away from him.
He growled softly, grabbing the back of her head again. “Hold still.”
As he finished wiping her face, Sully held her chin and tilted it up, bringing her eyes to meet his. As they did, Boo shifted her eyes away, tears filling them again.
“Look at me.”
Boo shifted, slowly bringing her eyes back to his face.
“I want you to take a deep breath.”
He waited quietly, letting her slowly fill her lungs and then exhale. “Good job. Again.”
Boo huffed, but obeyed, taking another shaky breath. Sully held her chin for another second, then moved to look at her feet.
“Did you step in any of the shards?”
Boo shook her head slowly. “I don’t think so.”
Sully looked over her feet gently, then nodded. He stood slowly, leaning against the bathroom wall. Boo shifted on the countertop, her legs dangling over the edge. Sully watched her closely for a moment, before moving to stand in front of her. Gently, he reached for her hand, his huge paw engulfing her small fingers. “I want you to tell me one thing that is making you afraid right now.”
Boo didn’t respond and Sully waited, letting her fingers run through the fur on his palm. Finally, she whispered, “I don’t know. I just feel it coming, like a big wave trying to wash me away.”
“You feel what coming?”
“The fear. It feels like it’s welling up inside of me, and I can’t breathe.”
“The fear of what, baby? What are you afraid of?”
Boo looked up, eyes spilling with tears. “I don’t know! I know it’s irrational. I know he can’t get me. But I just feel like he’s coming, that he’s going to show up one day and drag me away.”
“Who is?”
Boo down silently, “Randle,” she whispered.
Sully sucked in a deep breath. Boo could see the way his face changed as anger rolled over him. He wrapped his arms around her tightly, pulling her to himself. They sat like that for a long minute. Finally, he released her and brought one paw up to her face, holding her gaze gently.
“Boo, I promise you. He will never touch you again.”
Boo could feel herself shattering at the words, falling in on herself as she began to cry again. Sully scooped her up from the counter and held her against himself, sinking down to the floor of the bathroom. Rubbing her back gently, Sully worked to keep his anger in check. Quietly kissed her head. “My girl. You’re safe with me.”