＃ＫｎｅｅＳｕｒｇｅｒｙ pt. 21
The next
morning,
Plankton
stirred, his
eye opening
slowly. The
sunlight
streamed in
through the
living room
windows,
highlighting the
bandage around
his leg. He
blinked a few
times, his
memory of the
previous day
coming back in
fuzzy fragments.
He looked down
at the crutches
by his side,
his mind
piecing together
the events. "What
happened?" he
muttered, his
voice hoarse.
Karen emerged
from the kitchen,
seeing him
awake. She
smiled warmly.
"How's the
leg today?" she
asked, approaching
the couch.
Hanna, who
was already
up, had
sat down on
the other couch.
Plankton
looked around,
his gaze
landing on
his crutches.
"It's... fine,"
he said, his
voice groggy. He
tried to sit
up, but the
pain shot through
his leg,
causing him
to yelp.
Hanna jumped
up, rushing
over to help
support him.
"Oh, be ca---"
"I don't
need your
help," he
snapped, his
frustration
boiling over.
Karen watched
the exchange
with a knowing
look. She knew
his pride could
be stubborn.
"What happened?"
he repeated,
his antennae
twitching with
agitation. "Where's
my... where's
my...?"
"Your cast," Karen
finished for
him. "It's off.
The doctor
replaced it with
a bandage." Plankton
frowned. "Why don't I
recall..."
"It's the
medication,"
Hanna said
gently, her eyes
filled with
concern. "It m-"
"Don't tell me
what I know,"
Plankton snapped,
his voice sharp.
Hanna took
a step back,
surprise etched
on her features.
"I just... I just
wanted t---"
"I don't
need you telling
me what I know
about my own
body," he
continued, his
eye narrowing.
Hanna sighed,
knowing his
pride was
wounded. "Plank-"
"Let's not fight,
you two," Karen
interrupted, her
tone firm but
kind.
Plankton looked
away, his
antennas drooping.
"I just... I just
don't remember,"
he mumbled,
his voice
smaller. Hanna
knelt beside
him, her
expression
softening. "You were
under anesthesia,
remember?" she
said gently. "You
might not remember
much from the sur—"
"I know what
happened," Plankton
snapped, his
eye flashing with
something that
wasn't quite anger,
but rather
desperation. "Don't
baby me, Hanna. Just...
don't." Hanna's
mouth dropped open,
surprised by his
harshness. "Plankton,
I-I-I-I…"
He
cut her off,
his voice
getting louder.
"I don't need
you to tell me
what I felt or
what I said. It's
my leg, my surgery!"
Hanna took
a deep breath,
trying to stay
calm. "Okay, okay,"
she said, her
hands up in
surrender. "I'm
just trying to
he-"
But Plankton
was already
getting worked
up. "Can't you
just leave me
alone?" he
barked, his
frustration
mounting. Hanna
stood her ground,
her eyes filled
with a mix
of surprise
and sadness. "I'm
only trying to
help," Hanna said.
"You're still
weak from
the surgery."
Despite trying to
tell him to take it
easy, the word 'weak'
hit Plankton. Hard. "I
don't want you here,"
he said coldly, his
voice eerily calm.
Hanna's eyes
widened, hurt
shimmering in
them. "Plankton, I'm
not leaving, but w---"
"You heard me,"
he interrupted,
his tone leaving
no room for
discussion. "I don't
need you." Hanna
swallowed hard,
trying to hold
back tears. "But
you're still
recovering," she
whispered. "I can't
just leave you."
Plankton's eye
narrowed. "I said
I don't want you
here," he
repeated, his voice
like a knife. "You
don't get to decide
that, Hanna. You've
already done enough."
"But I--"
"I said I DON'T
WANT YOU
HERE! Just get
out." Hanna
stood there,
stunned by
his words. She
felt as though she'd
been slapped in the
face. Tears
threatened to spill,
but she held
them back, her
chest tight with
hurt. Karen stepped
in, placing a
hand on her
shoulder.
"Hanna, maybe
we should give
him some space,"
she suggested, her
voice calm.
Hanna's eyes
flitted to Karen's,
searching for
understanding.
"He's feeling
vulnerable," Karen
explained gently.
"The surgery, the
recovery... it's all
taking a toll on
his pride. He's
used to being the
one who's in
control, and
right now, he's
not. It's hard for
him to accept
help." Hanna
nodded, though
her eyes were
still misty. "I just
want to help,"
she murmured.
Karen's gaze
softened. "I know
you do, Hanna. And
you've been
wonderful. But
sometimes, when we
offer help, it can
accidentally make
someone feel weaker."
"I didn't mean
to do that," Hanna
said, her voice
small.
Karen gave
her a comforting
squeeze. "I know.
But think about it
from his perspective.
He's always
been so independent,
so strong-willed. Now,
he's stuck in a
situation where
he can't do
everything himself.
It's a blow to his
ego."
Hanna nodded
slowly, understanding
beginning to dawn
on her. "But I was
just trying to
make sure he's okay.
I didn't mean to say he's we-"
"I know you didn't,"
Karen interjected
quickly. "But to
Plankton, those words
might feel like
you're questioning his
strength." She paused,
letting that sink in.
"He's always
been the one to
pull himself up by
his own bootstraps,
figuratively speaking,"
she continued. "This
whole experience
has been a stark
reminder that he's not
as invincible as he'd
like to believe."
Hanna took
a deep breath,
nodding. "I see,"
she said finally.
They watched
as Plankton
tried to shift his
weight on the couch,
his bandaged leg
clearly causing
discomfort. Hanna
felt a pang of
guilt for upsetting
him, albeit unintentionally.
With a heavy
heart, she turned
and headed towards
their guest room,
giving him the
space as
requested. The
hallway felt
cooler without his
snappy retorts and
quick wit. She knew
his words were
driven by pain and
frustration, but they
still stung.
Once inside the
guest room,
Hanna sat on the
edge of the bed,
staring at the
closed door. The
silence was
deafening, her
thoughts racing.
She hadn't meant
to make Plankton
feel weak, only
to assist him in
his time of
need. It was clear,
though, that she
had inadvertently
stepped on a
sensitive area,
one she had
overlooked due to
her own eagerness to
support.
In the living
room, Karen walked
over to Plankton,
his breaths
still heavy with
frustration. "You know
she didn't mean
anything by it,"
she said softly.
"She's just worried
about you."
Plankton's antennae
twitched. "I know,"
he said gruffly. "But
I can't have her
seeing me like this."
Karen sat down
beside him,
placing a gentle
hand on his
shoulder.
"You're not
weak, Plankton,"
she assured him.
"You're just...
Plankton. And it's
okay to take it easy."
He sighed,
his body
slumping into
the couch. "I know
it's just... I don't
like being
dependent on
others."
Karen nodded.
"I know, baby.
And you'll still
always be the
Plankton I fell in
love with. Your
my charming,
clever, albeit
tiny, troublemaker
of a husband, and
nothing changes that."
He leaned into
her, his expression
softening. "Thanks, Karen,"
he murmured. Karen
kissed his forehead.
"Now, let's get you
set up with some
pain meds, okay?"
Plankton nodded,
his antennae
drooping slightly.
Karen returned
from the kitchen
with a glass of water
and a small
plastic cup holding
his pills. She
handed them to him
carefully, her
expression a
mixture of
concern and love
as he took them.
As the medication
took effect, the
pain in his
leg began to
ease. Plankton's eye
started to droop,
his body relaxing
into the cushions.
Karen pulled a
soft blanket over
him, his snores
soon filling the
room.