Work Text:
Deep in the bowels of the 4th level down in the massively gigantic playtime co. toy factory, there is a light hidden in the darkness.
The safe haven.
A place where many survivors, whether they be plush, rubber, plastic, or made of clay, are protected from the horrors of the outside.
Catherine, one of the extremely rare human survivors, was taking a well-earned break before going to plant the explosives like Poppy told her to, and snuggling with her precious kit.
She’d been over the moon when she and Daphne had arrived, reuniting with him after thinking he was dead, surprised that he had survived and protected Sam and Kissy from whatever monster attacked them while she was on the elevator.
(Then again he’d used to be the apex predator of the playcare.)
So now she and Theo were cuddled up in one of the pillow fort beds, just relaxing in each other’s presence.
Snuggled up in Theo’s arms, who was happily purring, Cathy lets the gentle hands of sleep take her over.
~~~~~
It’s 1990, and a 25 year old Catherine Grambell is very excited.
She’d recently signed up for the “adopt-an-orphan” Initiative that the company recently introduced in an attempt to hopefully help many of the newly acquired orphans get adopted by the workers to help them feel more at home(Or at least that’s what they told the employees-), and today was the day she was finally going to meet her new child.
She was sitting on a blue couch, waiting for Stella Greyber, the head of playcare, to bring the kid to her.
All she knew about her kid was that it was a boy, and that he was less than 2 years old.
She couldn’t wait to meet him.
“Okay, here he is.”
Stella’s gentle voice says.
Catherine looks to the Hispanic woman, who had a smile on her face and was carrying a blue bundle in her arms.
She smiles, standing up.
Stella walks over, showing Catherine the sleeping 1 year old boy.
“This is Theodore.”
She says softly. “He doesn’t have a last name, so you can give him yours if you want.”
Catherine’s eyes sparkle when she sees her soon-to-be son.
“Theodore Grambell…”
She says, gently stroking the baby’s soft light brown hair. “It has a nice ring to it.”
Stella gently hands her the baby.
“Be careful with him…” she says with a giggle. “He’s a bit of a naughty boy.”
Cathy gently holds Theo in her arms.
“I think I can handle it.”
She whispers. “Dealing with naughty kids is my specialty.”
Stella nods, smiling. “And that’s why we chose him for you.”
The two ladies giggle.
Then, the baby wakes up.
Cathy notices, looking down at him.
His brown eyes matched the color of her own perfectly…
“Hey little guy, I'm your mom!”
She says gently, raising her hand up to let him feel her hand.
Theo babbles, grabbing onto her fingers.
“Aww, I think he likes you!”
Stella says.
Cathy smiles gently.
“I hope he does, because he’s stuck with me now.”
They giggle.
As Theo gums on her fingers, Cathy feels happy.
“I’ll leave you two to bond for a bit.”
Stella says, turning to leave. “Come see me when you’re ready to start the paperwork.
Cathy nods. “Okay.”
Stella smiles. “I hope you guys get along.”
She says before walking back into her office.
Cathy sits back down on the couch with Theo in her arms, still gnawing on her hand.
She looks down at him.
“Hey Theo?”
The baby looks up at her, his brown eyes full of wonder.
Cathy smiles softly. “I promise… that for however long I work in this factory…”
She giggles a bit. “Which will probably be until I die in this economy…”
She leans down, kissing Theo on the head.
“I’ll do my best to love, care for, and protect you, for as long as you need, little one.”
Theo giggles, leaning against her chest.
Cathy’s heart melts.
For that moment, everything was okay.
~~~~~
Then, Cathy wakes up, back in the safe haven once again. .
“Well good morning.”
Theo says, nuzzling her head.
Cathy smiles, hugging him softly.
Her son may not be what he once was, but she still loves him like he’s her own.
Even if they’re not related by blood, they are related by heart, and that’s what truly matters.
“Theo…?”
She says softly.
“Yeah?”
Cathy takes one of his large paws in both her hands.
“I know things will never be the same as they used to be… but…”
She looks into his big eyes.
“You will always be my precious kitten…”
Theo purrs, smiling softly and nuzzling her head.
“Thanks, mom…”
He says. “I’m really glad you finally came back…”
Cathy gently kisses his cheek.
“Me too, sweetheart.”