Once Upon a Time: Pixar style

Elastic Snaps

Dr. Whale and Laura Reed were on a date at Ellen's Diner.

"So, um, where were we?"

"You'll meet my class tomorrow." He nodded in understanding, and then as she continued to speak, his gaze drifted to behind her. Michelle was clearing tables, scantily clad in a white shirt showing her midriff with a green mini-skirt and high heels. "They're coming to the hospital as part of the Volunteer Outreach Program."

"Oh, yeah. That's a great program." Dr. Whale quickly shifted his eyes back in time to respond. He tried to remain focused as she talked but kept quickly glancing back at Michelle. "I mean, not that I don't want kids. I do." He soon lost interest in the conversation, and his gaze was fixed on what was behind Laura Reed. "I want kids, marriage, true love. I want it all. But that of course is..." She noticed he wasn't paying attention to her. Slowly, she turned her head to see him ogling Michelle, who has finished cleaning the table and carried a tray as she passed them. "...wildly inappropriate for me to discuss on a first date. Michelle?"

Michelle stopped and turned back while holding the tray in the air with one hand. "Yes?"

"Check, please." She looked down, sadly.

Soon after, Laura Reed was walking down the street after her disaster of a date. She stopped and stared ahead. She approached a car and found Jack inside, reading the newspaper with a flashlight.

"Hey. You okay?"

Jack turned off the flashlight and looked at her. "Out of all the tight spots I've been in, staying in my car doesn't even rank in the top ten."

"You're sleeping here?"

"Till I find a place."

"You decided to stay for Hilary." she smiled.

"Yeah, I guess." Jack stepped out of his car and shut the door. "This town doesn't have any vacancies. Is that normal?"

"Must be the curse."

"Why are you out so late?"

"Well, I'm a teacher, not a nun. I had a date."

"Looks like it went well."

"As well as they ever do. I guess if love was easy, we'd all have it. You know, if you'd like, I do have a spare room."

"Thanks, but I'm not really the roommate type. It's just not my thing. I do better on my own."

"Well, goodnight. Good luck with Hilary."

"Yeah." Jack gazed at Laura Reed as she walked away.

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The next day at the town hospital, the kids from Laura Reed's class were around, hanging decorations. She noticed Hilary was walking around as if looking for something.

Hilary found a door marked 'Exit' and focused on it. She saw through it and into the downstairs psychiatric ward. There was a corridor with several doors on each side. She saw into one room and the resident inside, a muscular, blond-haired man with blue eyes.

Laura Reed came over to her. "There you are, Hilary. We could really use your help with the decorations."

"There's someone down there."

"That's a restricted area. You shouldn't be near there." She warned her. "Some of the people in there could be dangerous."

"But-"

"No buts." She began to lead her away. "Come on. " Hilary glanced back at the door as they walked back.

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