TRUTH AND NAIL v Finally, the car pulled into the driveway, and Karen turned off the engine. She looked back at Plankton, his chest rising and falling with each snore. "We're home," she said, her voice a gentle nudge. His eye flickered open, his gaze still unfocused. Karen stepped out of the car, opened the door and unbuckled his seatbelt, his body still limp. "Wha..." Plankton mumbled as she gently nudged him awake. His eye blinked slowly, the world coming back into focus. "Home?" he asked, his voice a hoarse whisper. Karen nodded, a soft smile playing on her screen. "Yes, darling, we're home," she said, her voice like a warm embrace. "Let's get you inside." But then Sponge Bob shows up at their door. “Hi guys! Where have you been?” Karen's smile was bright despite her exhaustion. "Plankton just had his wisdom teeth out," she explained, her voice a gentle whisper as Plankton noticed Sponge Bob. Sponge Bob's face lit up. "Oh no, buddy!" he exclaimed, his voice full of concern and empathy. "How ya feeling?" Plankton blinked at him, his gaze unfocused, his mouth half open in a sleepy smile. "Wis...dom...teef?" he slurred. Karen couldn't help but laugh at the sight, her heart swelling with love for her goofy husband. "Yeah, buddy," she said, helping him to his feet. He swayed a bit, his legs still wobbly from the anesthesia. "Let's get you to the couch." Plankton leaned heavily on her, his steps exaggerated and unsteady. Everything was a blur, but the warmth of Karen's body was a comforting constant. Sponge Bob goes in with them. "Let's get you comfortable," she murmured, guiding him to the couch. His eye closed, his head lolling back. "No, no," she laughed gently, pushing him forward. "Just a bit more." Plankton's snores grew softer as she maneuvered his body, his weight sagging against her. "Karen?" he mumbled, his voice a sleepy whisper as SpongeBob sat by him. Her smile grew, her screen twinkling. "Yeah, honey?" Plankton's eye rolled back, his words slurred but earnest. "I love you." It was a declaration so out of place and so unexpected that Karen froze for a moment, her heart swelling. Sponge Bob's smile grew wider, his eyes sparkling. "Aw, Plankton," he said, his voice full of warmth. "You're feeling the love of the anesthesia, aren't ya?" Karen couldn't help but laugh, the tension of the day lifting slightly. "I guess he's feeling extra affectionate," she said, her voice a playful tease. Sponge Bob chuckled, his laughter bubbly and infectious. "Looks like it," he said, patting Plankton's shoulder. "You take it easy, buddy." But Plankton's mind was stuck in a loop, his words a jumble of slurred affection. "Spongey...Spongey..." he murmured, his eye half- closed and his smile lopsided. Sponge Bob leaned in, his face a mask of concern. "You okay, Plankton?" Plankton's eye rolled to meet his, a sleepy smile spreading across his swollen face. "You...Spongey... youw my besht...besht...buddy," he slurred, his voice a thick, sloppy mess of words. His arm flopped over, slapping Sponge Bob on the side with a half-hearted pat. Sponge Bob's laughter filled the room, bubbly and genuine. "Aw, Plankton, you're too much," he said, his voice full of affection. Plankton's smile grew slower, his head lolling to one side. "Yew...yew are...are my besht...buddy," he managed, his arm flopping around like a ragdoll's. Sponge Bob took his hand, holding it tight. "And you're mine too, buddy," he said, his voice warm. "Besh...buddy...Spongey," Plankton murmured, his voice like a sleepy child's. He tried to focus, his eye blinking in the bright living room light. Sponge Bob's smile was a beacon in the fog. "You had a big day." Plankton's head nodded slowly, his eye half-closed. "Big...day," he echoed, his voice a slur. His hand found its way to Sponge Bob's arm, gripping it with surprising strength. "You...you...were there." Sponge Bob looked at Karen, his expression a mix of confusion and amusement. "Yeah, I'm here for ya," he said, his voice gentle. Plankton's grip tightened, his eye still half-closed. "No, no," he murmured, his words thick and slow. "You...you were...were...were there...always." His voice trailed off, a hint of emotion in the slurred sentence. Sponge Bob's confusion deepened, his gaze flicking to Karen for guidance. Her laugh was a soft chime, her screen alight with joy. "It's just the meds, Sponge Bob," she said, her voice a gentle reminder. "He's still pretty out of it." Plankton's head lolled back. "They took...my...teefth," he slurred dramatically, his voice a theatrical whine. "All four of them!" His arms flailed in the air like he was recounting a battle with a sea monster. Sponge Bob's eyes went wide. "All at once?" he gasped, his sponge-like form leaning forward with curiosity. "How'd you manage that?" Plankton's hand waved dramatically. "They...they...they put me in a chair," he slurred, his voice rising with each word. "And then...then they...took...my...TEefth!" He pronounced it with the gravity of a Shakespearean actor, drawing out the 'f' for maximum impact. Sponge Bob's eyes grew rounder, his smile still plastered on his face. "Wow, Plankton, sounds like you had quite the adventure!" Plankton's chuckle was a strange sound. He threw his hands up, his body swaying with the motion. "They...they had these...these...things!" He paused dramatically, his eye squinting as if trying to remember. "Needleth?" Sponge Bob's eyes went wider, his curiosity piqued. "Needles??" Plankton's head nodded exaggeratedly, his smile now a full-on grin. "Yes, yes needleths!" Sponge Bob leaned in, his eyes wide with fascination. "How’d they you to sleep with needles?" he asked, his voice filled with wonder. Plankton's eye closed, his face a mask of dramatic remembrance. "They...they put this...this...tube," he said, his fingers tracing an invisible line on his arm, "and then... whoosh!" His arm fell lifelessly to his side, his head lolling back. "I was in... space... then...the I was...gone." His smile was serene, his mind lost in the fog of the anesthesia. Sponge Bob's eyes sparkled with laughter. "Then what happened as you woke up?" Plankton's head jerked up, his gaze wild. "Woke up?" he murmured, his voice dreamy. "They...they had these lights..." He waved his hand in the air, describing a constellation that only he could see. "Bright lights...so bright... like stars...stars in my veins!" Sponge Bob leaned back, his laughter bubbling up. "Stars in your veins?" he repeated, his voice full of delight. Plankton nodded, his expression earnest. "Yes, yes stars," he murmured, his eye half-closed. "They shone so brightly, and then..." He paused, his fingers twitching. "They...they...took my teefth!" His voice grew loud with accusation. Sponge Bob couldn't help but laugh, his giggles filling the room. Karen just watched, her heart full. Plankton was rarely this affectionate, especially with Sponge Bob. It was a side of him she hadn't seen in ages, and she found it strangely charming. Plankton leaned into his newfound friendliness, his arm sliding over Sponge Bob's shoulder. "You...you make me...happy," he slurred, his eye half-closed. Sponge Bob's smile grew even wider, his laughter now a full-on chuckle. "Well, that's what friends are for," he said, his voice warm and gentle. Karen watched, her heart swelling with joy at the sight of her husband, usually so stern and focused, being this tender and open. "You're so funny when you're like this," she said, her voice a soft laugh. Plankton's smile grew slower, his hand reaching out to poke at Sponge Bob's side. Plankton's face lit up with glee. "So...squishy," he murmured, his voice full of wonder as he gave him a gentle pat. Sponge Bob's laughter was a delighted squeak. "What's gotten into you, Plankton?" he asked, his eyes twinkling. Plankton's grin was silly and wide, his head lolling to one side. "The...stars...Spongey," he murmured, his voice a sleepy whisper. "They're still in me." His hand reached out again, poking Sponge Bob's side with a gentle touch. "So squishy..." Sponge Bob giggled, his laughter like bubbles in the ocean. "You're a funny guy, Plankton," he said, his voice full of amusement. Plankton's hand paused, his finger hovering over Sponge Bob's side. "Am...am I?" he asked, his voice a slurred question. "I feel... funny." His head tilted, his eye looking at his finger with curiosity. Sponge Bob nodded, his laughter bubbling up. "You sure are, buddy," he said, his voice filled with warmth.

TRUTH AND NAIL ii The nurse returned. "How's he doing?" she asked, checking the monitors. "Just woke up briefly," Karen said, her voice a whisper. "He's still pretty out of it." The nurse nodded, jotting notes on a clipboard. "That's normal," she said. "The anesthesia takes some time to wear off completely. You can take him home now." "But he's still..." The nurse nodded, her voice firm but gentle. "It's normal. He'll be groggy for a bit, but he's stable enough." With her help, Karen managed to rouse Plankton to a semi-conscious state. He blinked at her, his eye unfocused and glazed over. "Tek me…” Karen nodded, smiling at his attempt to form coherent words. "Yes, sweetie. We're gonna go.." He sat up with a start, his body moving before his mind caught up, the world tilting and spinning around him. Karen's hand was quick to steady him, her voice a gentle reminder of where he was. "Easy," she said, her voice like a soft pillow for his pounding head. "You're okay." Plankton blinked, his eye trying to focus on her screen. "Wha...wha...wha...?" he stuttered, the words fighting to escape his numb mouth. Karen's smile grew wider, seeing the confusion in his glassy gaze. "It's okay, honey," she cooed, her voice a balm to his bewilderment. "You're just coming out of the anesthesia." He then notices the nurse standing by. "Nurse?" he croaks, his voice hoarse and his tongue thick in his mouth. "Nurse?" he tries again, his voice a bit stronger. The nurse looks over, seeing his struggle to make sense of his surroundings. She smiles, "You're okay, Mr. Plankton. You had a little surgery." Her words are clear, but they hit him like a foggy echo. "Sur...surg...teef?" he slurs, his mouth feeling like it's filled with cotton balls. "Yes, you had your wisdom teeth removed," Karen says, her voice a soothing melody in the white noise of the recovery room. “Who’s there?” Plankton's voice was a faint rasp. The nurse and Karen exchanged a knowing glance. He was coming around more, but still not fully with it. “It’s me, Plankton,” Karen whispered, leaning closer. Her screen swam into view, a beacon of familiarity in the sea of white. He squinted, trying to focus. “Karen?” he mumbled, his throat dry and raw. “Yes, it’s me,” she repeated, her voice a gentle lullaby. “You’re okay, you just had your wisdom teeth out. You’re still a little sleepy from the surgery.” Plankton's hand reached up to his face, feeling the swollen jaw and the cottony numbness. “Teef?” he managed to murmur, his voice a gravelly shadow of its usual self. The word felt strange and foreign in his mouth. “Wisdom teeth, darling,” Karen reminded him, her tone soothing as a warm blanket. “They took them out to stop your pain.” “Buh, buth Karen haz aww the teefs?” Plankton's slurred words hang in the air, a question mark painted on his confused expression. Karen laughs lightly with amusement. "No, sweetie. Let’s get you standing up." With the nurse’s help, Karen eases Plankton to his feet. The world swims around him, a blur of white walls and the steady beeping of machines. He tries to stand on legs that feel like jelly. "Easy, darling," Karen says, her arm around him, supporting his weight. "Take it slow." The nurse nods, guiding his elbow. "Just a few steps to the chair." Plankton's legs wobble like a newborn deer's, his feet shuffling along the cold floor. "Tek me ho...ho...home?" he slurs, the words like molasses escaping his mouth. "Soon, baby," Karen soothes, her arm tightening around him. She can feel his confusion like a heavy fog in the air, but she's determined to be his compass in this disoriented state. Plankton's eye darts around the room, trying to make sense of the shapes and sounds. "Wha...wha...where...?" he stammers, his mouth still not fully cooperating. The nurse smiles kindly, "You're in the recovery area. You had a little procedure to take out some teeth, remember?" Karen helps him into a chair, his body moving slowly as if through molasses. His gaze flits to her, his mind still groggy. "Tee...th?" he mumbles, his tongue sluggish in his mouth. Karen nods, her smile warm and comforting. "Wisdom teeth, darling. They're gone." “Wav...wav...Karen?” Plankton’s voice was a faint echo. “How will I eath?” The words were jumbled, his speech a slur. “Soft foods for now, love. We’ll manage, don’t worry,” she said, her voice like a lullaby. Plankton's head nodded slightly, his eyelid heavy. “Than...thank...you...” he slurred, his speech still a puzzle of sounds as they walk down the corridor.

TRUTH AND NAIL iii Karen felt his weight shifting, his body swaying towards sleep again. “Stay with me, Plankton,” she murmured, her voice a gentle prod to keep his consciousness afloat. He blinked, his eye trying to focus on her face. “Wha...?” he mumbled, his words trailing off like a forgotten melody. Karen's tightened. “You’re okay, Plankton,” she whispered, her voice a gentle caress in the stillness of the room. “You’re just tired from the surgery, that’s all.” But even as she spoke, Plankton’s head lolled to the side, his mouth open slightly, drooling. Karen reached over and wiped it away, her fingers coming back wet. "It's normal for them to nod off like this," the nurse assured Karen with a kind smile. “Let’s walk to your car..” But as they shuffled along, Plankton’s knees buckled, and he slumped against Karen, his mouth falling open in a deep snore. Her arms tightened around his waist, her strength supporting his sudden weakness. "Wha...?" Plankton mumbled, his eye fluttering open, his mind trying to catch up with his surroundings. "You okay?" Karen asked. His head bobbed slightly, nodding in sleepy agreement. But as they shuffled closer to the exit, his knees buckled again, and he was out cold. Karen's grip tightened, keeping him from collapsing. The nurse chuckled softly, "It's okay, Mrs. Plankton. This happens a lot after the anesthesia. Wake up, Mr. Plankton.." But Plankton's snores only grew louder, his head lolling onto Karen's shoulder. Her laugh was a gentle sigh as she looked at his peaceful face, marred only by the occasional dribble of saliva. "Come on, love," Karen whispered, her voice a soft nudge. "Let's get you to the car." With the nurse's help, they managed to make him stir in his sleep. Plankton's eye cracked open, his gaze unfocused and glazed. "Karen?" he murmured, his voice a slurred whisper. Her eyes searched his, the love in them a beacon in the starkness of the hospital corridor. "You're okay, sweetie," she said, her voice a gentle reminder. But Plankton's response was a snore, his head lolling forward again. Karen's grip tightened, his weight leaning heavily on her. "Wake up, Plankton," she whispered, her voice a caress in the air. The nurse chuckled. "It's just the anesthesia," she assured Karen. "Let's get him to the car." Plankton's eye snapped open, his mind fighting to wake up. But each step was a battle against the fog. Karen's arms wrapped around him, her grip firm and loving. His legs threatened to give out, his knees like jelly, but she held him upright. "Come on, darling," she cooed, her voice a beacon through the haze. "Almost there." They made it to the car, Plankton's snores filling the quiet of the parking lot. The nurse opened the back door, and Karen managed to get him sitting upright, his head lolling to one side. "Wha...?" he mumbled, his eye opening a crack. "We're going home," Karen soothed, her voice a soft song. She fastened the seatbelt around him, his limbs heavy and uncooperative. As she drove, Plankton fought to keep his eye open, his head drooping forward before jerking back up with a snort. "You okay back there?" Karen called over her shoulder, her eyes on the road. A faint snore was his only reply, his head lolling against the headrest. She chuckled, a mix of concern and affection, her screen flitting to the rearview mirror. His mouth was still open, a string of drool connecting his bottom lip to his chin. Karen reached back, carefully wiping it away with a tissue. Plankton's face twitched in his sleep, but he remained oblivious to her touch. The car's gentle hum lulled him further, his snores punctuating the silence of the drive.

TRUTH AND NAIL iv His eye flickered open again, his gaze unfocused. "Wha?" he mumbled, his voice slurred. "Home?" Karen nodded, her smile a beacon in the dark. "Almost," she said, her voice like a gentle breeze. Plankton's eyelid fluttered, his mind a foggy haze. "Home...?" he slurred, his voice barely a whisper. "Almost, darling," Karen reassured him, her voice soothing as the car's gentle purr. His eye rolled back, lid heavy with sleep. The nurse had warned her about this, the anesthesia leaving him groggy and disoriented. But the sight of him, drooling and slumped over, was still a bit foreign. "Home, soon," Karen soothed, her voice a whisper in the quiet car. "Just stay awake." But Plankton's eye closed again, his head lolling back. His snores were the only sound in the car, a steady counterpoint to the hum of the engine. "What's your favorite color, Plankton?" she asked, trying to keep his thoughts afloat. His eye blinked slowly, his gaze unfocused. "Buh...blu?" he murmured, his voice a faint echo. Karen's smile grew wider, full of love and amusement. "Good boy," she whispered, patting his hand. "Stay with me." But Plankton's eyelid were heavy, his mind a swirl of confusion and exhaustion. His head fell back again, his snores a rhythmic accompaniment to the hum of the car. "Stay with me, love," Karen coaxed, her voice a soft lullaby in the silence of the night. His chest rose and fell with each snore, his body relaxed. Plankton's head jerked upwards with a snort, his eye wide for a moment before the sleep dragged it shut again. "Home?" he murmured, his voice thick with sleep. Karen's eyes never left the road ahead, her grip tight on the steering wheel. "Almost, darling," she said, her voice a comforting purr. "Just stay with me a bit longer." But Plankton's body had other plans. With a snort, he slumped over again, his head bouncing on the headrest like a rag doll's. Karen knew he was okay. Just...out of it. "Plankton, stay awake," she urged, her voice a soft caress in the darkness. But his snores grew louder, his breathing deep and even. "Wha...?" Plankton's head jerked up, his eye widening in surprise. "Where am I?" Karen glanced in the rearview mirror, her smile tight. "You're in the car, sweetie. We're almost home." Her voice was a soft reminder of reality, but his mind was still swimming in a sea of anesthesia. "Home?" Plankton slurred, his voice a faint echo. His head lolled to the side, his eye trying to focus on the passing streetlights. "Almost," Karen said, her voice a soft whisper. "Just stay with me." But Plankton's eye closed again, his snores filling the car. Karen sighed, her grip tightening on the steering wheel. This was going to be a long night..

TRUTH AND NAIL i “Karen Plankton‽” Karen stood up as the receptionist at the dental office called her. She’s been in the waiting room as her husband Plankton’s in surgery. She followed the nurse into a brightly lit room where Plankton lay on his back, his mouth agape, snoring gently. The anesthetic had done its job, leaving him completely oblivious to the world around him. The surgeon looked up from his chair, a smile creasing his mask. "Mrs. Plankton, your husband's wisdom teeth extraction was a success," he said. "You can stay with him as he wakes up." Karen sat by his side, her hand resting gently on his arm. The steady hum of the machines filled the space, punctuated by occasional beeps. The nurse adjusted the IV, ensuring the flow of fluids remained steady. The doctor entered, nodded at Karen, and began to check the surgical sites, but he didn't wake up. The surgeon leaned over, his eyes studying the readouts with care. Satisfied, he turned to Karen, "He'll be coming around in time," he assured her. Her screen never left Plankton's peaceful face, his cheeks slightly puffy, his mouth slack and open. A trickle of drool slid from the corner of his mouth, and Karen couldn't help but chuckle softly, even in the tension of the moment. He'd never let her see him like this if he had a choice. The nurse offered a reassuring smile, "It's normal, dear. The anesthesia can do funny things. Just wait. He'll be back to his usual self by tomorrow." Karen nodded. She leaned in closer to Plankton, his normally stern face was relaxed in sleep, his brow unfurrowed. It was strange to see his sharp features softened, his expression one of peace. The nurse left them, and Karen took the chance to whisper, "You're going to be okay." The nurse had warned her about the disorientation that often came with waking up from surgery. Patients could be confused, even a little babyish, as the world swam back into focus. Some had a tendency to say things they didn't mean or remember later. So, when Plankton's eye flickered open, Karen was ready. "Wha... where am I?" he mumbled, his voice slurred and eye glassy. Karen took his hand, squeezing it gently. "You're in the recovery room, sweetie. You had your wisdom teeth out." The words seemed to float around him, like bubbles in his befuddled brain. "Wisdom teed?" he muttered, blinking slowly. "Wha awe those?" Karen stifled a laugh, her emotions swelling with love and concern. "They're teeth, darling. Don't worry, you won't miss them." Plankton's gaze drifted around the room, taking in the sterile whiteness and the blinking lights above him. "Teef?" he slurred, his mind still groggy. "Wheh take out teef?" Karen gently stroked his hand. "Just the wisdom ones, sweetheart," she whispered, her voice soothing as a lullaby. "They were causing you trouble." "Trubble?" Plankton repeated, his speech slurring more with each syllable. His eye closed again, lid heavy with sleep. "I know it's confusing right now, but you'll understand soon," Karen said, her voice steady and calm. Plankton's eye opened again, a bit wider this time, and he squinted at the light. "M'th... m'th... my mouf feels..." He tried to form the words, but his tongue felt thick and clumsy. "It's normal, darling," Karen said, her voice like a gentle breeze. "The anesthesia can make your mouth feel funny." Plankton's eye drifted to the ceiling, his thoughts racing but his words failing to keep up. "Bright wight," he murmured, his voice distant and lost. "It's okay," Karen said, wiping the drool from his chin with a tissue. "The lights are just to help you wake up." "Wake up?" Plankton repeated, his eye trying to focus on her screen. "Wha happened?" "You had a little surgery," Karen said, her voice soothing and calm. "They took out your wisdom teeth. Remember?" Plankton's eye searched hers, confusion and fear swirling in his gaze. "Sur...surgery?" he managed to say, his voice weak and unsure. "Why?" "Don't worry," Karen soothed, her voice a soft caress. "It was just a little thing. They took out some teeth that were causing you pain." Plankton's eyelid flitted, trying to make sense of the words. "Teef? Pain?" he slurred, his hand reaching up to probe his mouth. "No, no, don't touch," Karen hurried to stop him, her grip firm but gentle. "They're still a bit tender." Plankton's hand fell back to the bed, his mind racing but his body slow to respond. "Tends?" he murmured, the word strange and foreign. "Every ting sho..." His thoughts trailed off, the word "different" eluding him. Karen watched him, her smile a blend of amusement and tenderness. "You're going to be okay," she repeated, her voice a constant in the sea of confusion. "You're just a little out of it." "Ooot of it," Plankton echoed, his voice a faint rumble. He tried to sit up, but the nurse had warned Karen about this too. The sudden movement made him dizzy, and she placed a hand on his shoulder, gently pushing him back down. "Take it easy, sweetie," she cooed. His eye searched hers, like a child lost in a supermarket. "Karen?" he murmured, her name sounding like a question. "I'm here," she assured him, squeezing his hand. "You're in the hospital, Plankton. You're okay." "Hospit...hospit...tal?" he slurred, his eye darting around the room again. "Why?" "You had wisdom teeth, Plankton," Karen said, her tone as soothing as a mother's. "Remember?" "Wis...dome tweed?" Plankton slurred, his mind spinning, his thoughts muddled and slow to form. "Ow?" Karen chuckled gently, her screen sparkling with humor. "It's all right, dear," she cooed. "They just removed your wisdom teeth. You're feeling a bit loopy." Plankton's eyebrow knit trying to piece together the puzzle. "Widom...teef?" he repeated, his voice still slurred but with a hint of recognition. "Yes, sweetie," Karen said, smiling down at him. "You had your wisdom teeth removed. You're going to be fine." Plankton's hand wobbled in the air before it fell to his side, his mind a swirl of fog. "Where...where am I?" his voice was a faint murmur, his eye glazed over. "You're in the hospital," Karen said, her voice steady as a lighthouse beam. "You had surgery, darling. Remember?" Plankton's eye fluttered closed, his head rolling to the side as if the weight of the world was too much. "Sur...gury?" he slurred, the syllables like molasses on his tongue. "Yes, Plankton," Karen said, her voice a lullaby in the stark room. "It's all over. You're safe now." He mumbled incoherently, his words a jumble of letters and sounds that barely formed coherent thoughts. "Wh...wha...was it?" his mind grasped for understanding, his eye half-closed and unfocused. Karen leaned in closer, her voice a lifeline in his foggy sea of confusion. "It was just a surgery, Plankton. To remove your wisdom teeth." "Wis...wis...dome...teef?" he murmured, the words still strange in his mouth. He blinked slowly, trying to recall why he was here. Karen nodded, her smile reassuring. "Yes, they took them out. You're all done." Plankton's eye rolled back in his head, his body going slack again. "Tek...tum...out?" he mumbled, his mind still swimming in the murky waters of unconsciousness. Karen nodded, her hand still on his arm. "They're gone, sweetie. You're okay." But he’s fallen asleep again, his snores filling the silent room, his chest rising and falling with each gentle breath. Karen watched him, her love squeezing with a mix of amusement and concern.

TRUTH AND NAIL vi Karen couldn't believe the transformation. This was not the Plankton she knew, not the one who was always scheming or complaining. This was a Plankton who was loose, free from his usual inhibitions, and it was both endearing and a little unnerving. But mostly, it was just funny. He poked Sponge Bob's side again, his giggle a strange sound in the quiet living room. "Still squishy," he murmured. Sponge Bob's laughter was like a bubble bursting. "Plankton, you're loopy!" he exclaimed. Plankton's eye fluttered open, his gaze unfocused. "Loopy?" he repeated, his voice slurred. "I'm not a loop, I'm a...a...a...sea creature!" He giggled, the sound like a leaky faucet. Sponge Bob couldn't help but laugh harder, his eyes watering with mirth. "You're right, Plankton," he said, his voice shaking with amusement. "You're a sea creature. A very loopy one." Plankton giggled, his body jerking with each laugh. "Loopy, loopy," he murmured, his hand still on Sponge Bob's side. His eye lit up with an idea. "Peekaboo!" he exclaimed, hiding his eye behind his hand. Sponge Bob's laughter was like a symphony of bubbles, filling the room with joy. "Oh, Plankton, you're a riot," he said, his voice a delighted chuckle. He played along, covering his eyes. "Where did you go?" Plankton's giggle was a strange, wobbly sound. "I'm still here," he slurred, his voice muffled by his hand. "I'm...I'm right here." He peeked through his fingers, his eye twinkling with mischief. Sponge Bob chuckled, his voice warm and welcoming. "Where'd you go, Plankton?" he asked, playing along. Plankton's eye peeked out from behind his hand, his grin wide and goofy. "Boo!" he exclaimed, his voice a sloppy whisper. Sponge Bob's laughter was a delightful sound, echoing in the quiet room. "You got me, Plankton!" he said, his voice filled with surprise. Encouraged by the reaction, Plankton's hand dropped to his lap, his gaze turning to Karen. "Wanna...wanna play?" he asked, his voice still thick with anesthesia. Her eyes danced with laughter. "What game, love?" Plankton's smile grew, his voice a sleepy whine. "Pat-a-cake?" Karen's laugh was a gentle surprise. "Pat-a-cake?" she echoed, her hand moving to his. "Okay, darling." Their palms met with a slap, Plankton's movements slow and awkward. "Pat-a-cake, pat-a-cake," he murmured, his voice slurred. They played the game, their hands moving in a clumsy dance, a silent reminder of his groggy state. Sponge Bob watched, his laughter a gentle wave in the background. "Looks like someone had a bit too much fun at the dentist," he teased, his voice a soft caress. Plankton's gaze found his, his smile a sleepy grin. "Dentith?" he slurred, his hand waving vaguely. "No, no, not dentith...." Sponge Bob nodded, his laughter subsiding to a gentle chuckle. "Alright, not the dentist," he said, his voice understanding. "What game do you want to play then?" Plankton's head lolled to the side, his eye half-closed. "You know...the one with... the animals," he murmured, his words thick and slow. But Plankton's head was already lolling back, his snores a soft rumble in the quiet room. Sponge Bob looked at Karen, his expression a mix of concern and amusement. "Should we...?" he began, his voice trailing off. Plankton's snore was his only reply, his mouth open wide and drool spilling onto the couch. Karen chuckled, patting his hand. "He's just tired," she said, her voice a gentle excuse. Karen covered him with a soft blanket, his snores growing louder as he sank deeper into sleep. “You can sleep on the other couch across by him,” Karen told Sponge Bob. The anesthesia worn off over night, and Plankton only woke up the next morning on the couch at the same time as SpongeBob. Plankton sat up with a start, his eye wide. "Wha... where...what...?" his words tangled in a slurry mess. Sponge Bob stirred on the couch across from him, his eyes blinking sleepily. "Morning, Plankton," he said. Plankton's eye focused on his friend, his mind racing. "Sponge Bob?" he said, his voice sharp and clear. "Wath...what's going on here?!" Sponge Bob stretches his limbs. "Well, good morning to you too, Plankton," he said, his voice filled with cheerful energy. "You had your wisdom teeth out, remember?" “I know I went to the dentist but, what happened after I came home?” He said, mostly to himself. Sponge Bob sat up, rubbing his eyes. "Well, you were pretty out of it," he said, his voice still a bit groggy from sleep. "But you were also pretty funny." Plankton's gaze darted around the room, his mind spinning. "What...what do you mean?" His voice was sharp, his usual snappiness creeping back in. Sponge Bob chuckled, his body still relaxed from his nap. "You don't remember?" he asked, his voice a tease. "You were so affectionate, calling me your best buddy and all." Plankton's eye narrowed, his confusion morphing into suspicion. "I did no such thing," he said, his voice a firm rebuttal. "I'm not that...that..." Karen stepped in, her laugh light. "You don't remember?" she asked, her voice a gentle tease. "You were so lovely and affectionate last night." Plankton's face scrunched up in disbelief. "Affectionate?" he repeated, his voice rising. "To him?" His thumb jerked towards Sponge Bob, who was now watching him with a knowing smile. "I...I can't have said that." Sponge Bob shrugged, his laugh bubbly. "You sure did, Plankton. You were poking me and calling me your best buddy." Plankton's disbelief grew, his eye wide with shock. "I...I did not!" he protested, his voice a high-pitched squeak. "That's...that's not me!" Karen couldn't hold back her laughter, her eyes twinkling with mirth. "Oh, it was definitely you, darling," she said, her voice a sweet contrast to his indignation. Plankton's expression shifted from shock to outrage. "But...but why?" he sputtered, his face flushing a deep shade of red. "I don't...I don't do that sort of...that sort of thing!" Karen's laugh was like a melody, light and playful. "You did, love," she said, her voice a soft reminder. "You were just a little...loopy." Plankton's hand flew to his mouth, his eye wide with horror. "No, no, no," he murmured, his voice muffled by his palm. "That can't be right." He looked at Sponge Bob with an accusatory glare. "Who put me up to this?" Sponge Bob's laugh was like a burst of bubbles. "You don't remember?" he asked, his voice full of delight. "It was all you, buddy. You were feeling the med..." "The medicine!" Plankton exclaimed, his face paling as realization hit him. "The anesthesia made me say those things.." His voice was a mix of relief and horror. Sponge Bob's chuckle was infectious. "Don't worry, Plankton," he said, his voice warm. "We all have our moments." But Plankton was not to be swayed. "That's not like me," he insisted, his voice a mix of dismay and irritation. "I'm not...I'm not like that!" Sponge Bob's chuckles turned into a full-blown laugh. "Well, you were last night," he said, his voice a gentle ribbing. "You were all warm and fuzzy. But you did eventually fall asleep and started snoring.." Plankton's face was a picture of disgust. "Snoring?!" he said, his voice a mix of outrage and embarrassment. Karen's laugh was like a small wave on the shore. "It's okay, honey," she said, patting his leg. "You were just really tired." "I...I don't snore," he asks, his voice firm. Sponge Bob couldn't help but chuckle, his laugh bubbly. "Well, you did last night," he said, his voice a gentle reminder. Plankton's eye narrowed, his usual snappiness returning with full force. "I...I snored?" he asked, his voice skeptical. Karen's smile was sympathetic. "You did, darling," she said, her voice soothing. "But it's all right. It's just what happens when you're tired." Plankton's eye shot to hers, his expression a mix of disbelief and irritation. "But I...I never snored," he insisted, his voice a protest. “Right, Karen?” Her laugh was a gentle tide, washing over his protests. "You do snore, Plankton," she said, her voice a warm caress. "But it's nothing to be embarrassed about." Plankton's face was a mask of disbelief, his voice a tight knot of denial. "I snore?" he repeated, as if the word was foreign to his vocabulary. Sponge Bob's laughter was a delightful sound, his body shaking with mirth. "Yes, Plankton," he said, his voice full of affection. "But don't worry, it's not so bad. I mean, you're not as loud as Patrick." Karen's giggle joined his, the two of them laughing gently at Plankton's expense. But their laughter wasn't cruel, it was the kind that comes from knowing someone so well that their quirks become endearing. "I...I do?" Plankton asked, his voice barely above a murmur. Sponge Bob nodded, his laughter subsiding into a knowing smile. "But hey, we all have our little quirks, right?" Karen's eyes sparkled with amusement. "It's part of who we are, love," she said, her voice a gentle reminder of the truth.