𝖣𝖠𝖱𝖤 𝖳𝖮 𝖡𝖤 𝖣𝖨𝖥𝖥𝖤𝖱𝖤𝖭𝖳
(𝖡𝗒 𝖭𝖾𝗎𝗋𝗈𝖥𝖺𝖻𝗎𝗅𝗈𝗎𝗌) pt. 5
Karen saw the flicker
in Plankton's eye that
signaled his return to
the present. She then
motioned for Chip to
back up. Plankton let go
of the bear, his gaze
flitting around the room
as if searching. Karen
wiped the drool from his
chin. "Welcome back," she
whispered, her voice
calm and soothing.
Plankton's eye met
Karen's screen. "I'm
here," she said, her
own voice thick with
relief. "You had another
seizure, but it's over now."
Plankton nodded
slowly, his antennae
drooping as he tried
to piece together what
had happened. The fog in
his mind was lifting,
but the weight of his
emotions remained as he
looked over to Chip.
Chip's eyes met his,
full of uncertainty. "Dad,"
he began, but his voice
trailed off as Plankton's eye
flickered with recognition.
Chip's own eyes lit up with
relief and hope.
Plankton's antennae
slowly raised, his gaze
focusing on his wife
and son.
"I remember," Plankton said
through gritted teeth. The
memory of Chip's innocent yet
hurtful word stung. "He said
I was... 'slow'. He said it!"
The anger in his voice
was palpable, his antennae
quivering with agitation.
Karen's heart ached
for her husband's pain, but she
knew that anger was a part
of his post-seizure
frustration. She approached
the bed, her voice calm
but firm. "Plankton, Chip
didn't mean it that way. He's
scared and confused. He
doesn't know how much that
word can hurt."
Plankton's antennae
trembled with anger.
"But it did!" he
exclaimed. "It does!"
His voice grew louder,
no longer slurred.
Karen's eyes searched
his, understanding the
pain he was feeling.
"I know you're upset," she
said gently, "but let's talk
about thi—"
"Talk?" Plankton spat, his
body tensing with rage. "How
can I talk to him after what
he said?" The words echoed in
his mind, a cruel reminder
of his fears.
Chip took a step back, his
heart racing. He hadn't meant
to cause such pain, but the
look on his dad's face was
unmistakable. He had hurt
his hero, the one person he
looked up to more than
anyone else. "Dad, I'm sorry,"
he whispered, his voice
shaking with emotion. "I
really didn't kn-"
But Plankton was beyond
hearing apologies. His antennae
were a blur with rage. "You
think I'm 'slow'?" he roared,
his voice echoing in the
small room. "You think that's all
I am?" His words were
sharp as knives, cutting
through the tension.
Chip felt the sting of his
father's anger, his screen
filling with tears. "No, Dad,
that's not what I mea-"
But Plankton's rage was
a force unto itself. "How
dare you!" he yelled, his
voice shaking the walls. "After
everything I've done for you.."
Tears spilled from his
single eye, his antennae
quivering uncontrollably.
"How could you say that?"
he sobbed, his voice
breaking with pain.
Chip's eyes were wide
with shock and fear at
the sight of his father's
distress. He hadn't really
seen Plankton cry before,
and the raw emotion was
overwhelming.
Plankton's sobs were
deep, his antennae shaking
wildly as he wept into
his pillow. Karen stood
at the side of the bed, her
heart breaking as she
stroked his back.
Chip watched, feeling
his own eyes burn with
tears. "I'm sorry," he
repeated, his voice small.
"I didn't know. I won't
say it ever ag-"
But Plankton didn't
seem to hear him, lost
in his own grief. His
sobs grew louder, his body
shaking with the force
of his emotions. Karen
could see the hurt and fear
reflected in her son's
face, and she knew they had
to get through this together.
"Chip," she said gently,
guiding him closer to
his father. "Your dad needs
love right now." She placed
his hand on Plankton's
back. "Tell him you
love him."
Chip took a deep
breath, his hand trembling
slightly. "Dad," he began,
his voice cracking. "I love
you." Plankton's sobs
continued, unabated but
his antennae quivered
slightly, as if acknowledging
his son's presence.
Karen watched as Chip
sat on the edge of the
bed, tentatively placing
his hand on Plankton's
back. "I'm sorry," Chip
whispered. "I didn't mean
to hurt yo-"
But Plankton's sobs
interrupted him, his
body wracked with emotion.
His antennae thrashed about,
his crying a silent
testament to the
pain he felt. The room
was suffused with his
sorrow, a stark contrast to
his usually stoic demeanor.
Chip felt the weight of his
father's grief, his
own chest tightening
as he watched the man
he idolized break down.
He had never seen
his father so exposed,
so vulnerable, and it
frightened him.
He swallowed hard,
his throat thick with tears.
"Dad," he tried again,
his voice barely above a
whisper. "I didn't mean to
hurt-"
But Plankton's sobs
drowned out his words, his
body convulsing with
the force of his grief.
Karen wrapped her arms
around Chip, pulling him
closer to her side. "Let him
cry it out," she murmured.
"He needs this."
The room was filled
with the sound of Plankton's
sobs, each one a raw
expression of the pain
he felt. His antennae
twitched erratically, as if
trying to find a way to
express the emotional
thoughts inside his head.
Chip sat there, frozen, his
hand hovering over
his father's back, unsure
of what to do next.
Karen watched them both,
her own heart torn by the
scene before her. She knew
Plankton's autism made
his emotions intense, and
this misunderstanding had
triggered a deep-seated fear
of rejection. She also knew
that Chip didn't intend to
hurt his father—he was just
a child, trying to understand
a complex world.
"Chip," she whispered,
her voice thick with
emotion. "It's ok.
Just love him."
She nodded
towards Plankton.
Chip took a deep
breath, his hand
shaking slightly. He
slowly placed it on
his father's back, feeling
the warmth and tremble
of his dad's shoulders.
"I love you," Chip
managed, his voice
barely audible.