A Monstrous Mistake

Chapter 11: Home Again

Sulley, despite still obviously being in pain, immediately got between the boys and the CDA agents. Alberto was practically crushing Luca's hand, but he was so scared that he barely felt it. As grateful as he was to have been saved from Grimelson (who several of the larger agents were dragging off the Scare Floor), he was still terrified of what the agents planned to do with them.

"We don't want any trouble," Sulley said to the agents, "but if you want to hurt those kids, then you'll have to go through me." 

"And me!" Mike exclaimed as he came to Sulley's side.

"We aren't going to hurt the kids," said Agent #0002. "That was never our mission. We only want to send them back to through their door."

"That's why I brought them with me," Celia explained. "I overheard from some agents that they always planned to send Luca and Alberto home. I told them what was going on once Michael called me."

"Oh," Sulley said, sounding both surprised and relieved. "In that case we're sorry for interfering."

Luca, relieved that the agents didn't want to hurt them, spoke up. He still needed some questions answered. "If you wanted to send us home, then why did you lock us up?"

"That was for your own safety." Agent #0002 answered. "We noticed that Grimelson seemed more than willing to attack or hurt you. Now that he's out of the way, we'll be able to return you home without an issue."

"'Out of the way'?" Sulley asked. 

"Waternoose has agreed to terminate his employment at Monsters, Incorporated. He's being taken into custody as we speak."

"Good riddance," Mike muttered.

"Okay," Alberto started, evidently feeling braver now that they were out of danger. "Luca and I will go home, and we won't cause any more trouble. But, we want you to promise that you won't scare Francesca, or any of the kids in Portorosso, again." 

The agent nodded. "Consider it done. In order to avoid another incident like this one, Number One has ordered that all doors to Portorosso be shredded. You two won't be able to return to the Monster World."

He turned to Mike, Sulley, and Celia. "As for you three, while you did interfere with our mission, you did allow us to capture Grimelson and clearly had the boys' best interests in mind. We'll let you off with a warning." The three let out sighs of relief.

"But," he continued, his voice deadly serious, "this had better be the last time we hear of you hiding kids from the human world."

"Trust me," Mike said, his voice full of confidence, "we'll never keep a human--or part human--kid from you again."

"Very good." He spoke into the communicator on his wrist. "Bring a door shredder and all keys for doors in Portorosso, Italy."

Luca and Alberto, despite being under close watch by the other agents, were allowed to watch them shred the doors to Portorosso. Alberto loved it, and asked if he could shred a door (he was given a very firm "no"). Luca thought the machine was a little loud, and stood a few feet away. Still, they were both a little disappointed when the next-to-last door had been shredded.

"I guess this is it," Sulley said as the boys made their way to Francesca's door. 

"I guess so," Luca said. Funnily enough, in spite of everything that had happened to he and Alberto since they'd started their adventure, he was almost sad to see it end. He turned to the two monsters who'd risked and done so much to help them. 

"I can't thank you enough for helping us."

Alberto gave him a buddy punch in the arm. "How about just saying 'thank you'?" he teased. "Like this: thank you, Mike, Sulley, and Celia."

"You're welcome," Sulley answered, grinning. 

"My pleasure," Celia responded, her snakes chirping in agreement.

"You two had better not get into anymore trouble," Mike grumbled with his arms crossed, and tried not to look at the boys.

Alberto laughed a little. "We'll miss you, too, Mike." 

"The door's ready," one of the agents announced, getting their attention. "You may enter at any time."

"Ready, Luca?" Alberto asked.

Luca nodded. "Andiamo." They were about to start for the door when someone caught them both. 

Sulley, keeping a hand on each boy's shoulder, smiled playfully. "Aren't you two forgetting something?"

"Oh, right." Alberto shook himself free from Sulley's grip, and took off his water pack. Luca smiled, embarrassed, and took his off as well. Agent #0002 took them from the boys. All of the monsters watched in awe as the boys changed into humans. 

"Well," Luca said, "thanks again, but we should probably get home before we scare any more monsters." 

"Goodbye!" Sulley, Mike, and Celia all called together, waving. 

Alberto opened the door, and walked in. Luca looked back and gave a small wave before following his best friend. Just as the door closed, they were tackled.

"Where WERE you?" Luca instantly recognized Giulia's voice. Even though she was angry at them, it clear how happy she was to see them.

"Eh, you know," Alberto said nonchalantly, while throwing a knowing look at Luca. "Monster stuff." 

---

 The second the door shut, the power was cut off. Two agents took the pink closet door and placed it in the shredder. Soon the last closet door to Portorosso was a pile of pink wood chips. 

"You know," Mike said as the three of them left the Scare Floor, "I think I'm going to miss those kids."

"Oh, Googley-Woogely, just admit it," Celia responded. "You secretly like kids."

"Or at least," Sulley added, "kids that like you."

"Hey, give me a break! You have to admit that those two weren't half bad. At least they knew the face of fearless heroes when they saw them." 

"Mike, Celia saved us back there. Not to mention Luca's and Alberto's lives. I think she's the one who qualifies as a hero."

"Yeah," Mike admitted, looking at Celia with a lovesick grin. "I guess that's true." The three monsters then went back to work.