"Ok, Plankton I'm going to give you something to help you relax."
The nurse prepped a syringe, the cold liquid sliding into his gum line. The doctor's voice grew distant. Karen's hand tightened around his, as the anesthesia took hold. Plankton closed his eye, numbness spread. He felt his heart rate slow and his muscles relax as the world around him faded to a gentle buzz.
The anesthetic was administered, and doctor's instructions to count back from ten echoed in his mind, but he never made it past seven.
The doctor's skilled extracted the troublesome teeth. Plankton's face remained still, his breathing deep and even under the influence of the anesthesia.
Karen squeezed his hand again, hoping he could feel her support through the unconsciousness.
The doctor's face broke to a satisfied smile. "All done," he said, gesturing to the nurse to start cleaning up. "Everything went smoothly." Karen nodded to express her gratitude. "We'll keep him here for a bit longer to make sure he's fully recovered from the anesthesia, but you can stay with him."
As the doctor stepped out, Karen pulled up a chair next to Plankton. His features looked almost childlike, and couldn't help but feel a twinge of protectiveness. He might be trouble, but she cared for him deeply. The nurse bustled around, removing various tubes and monitors attached to him, and soon the room was quiet once more, filled only with the low murmur of the machines.
His chest rose and fell in a steady rhythm, and Karen sat there, holding his hand.
The nurse finished her work and gave Karen a nod, indicating that she could talk to Plankton if she wanted. Leaning in close, she whispered, "You did good. Just a little bit longer, and you'll be back." Plankton's eye fluttered open, and he groaned, his speech slurred from the anesthesia. "K-Karen?"
"I'm here," she said, smoothing back his antennae. His eye searched for a moment before the reality of the situation set in, and he tried to sit up. "Easy now," Karen said soothingly, gently pushing him back down. "You're okay. The surgery's over. You did great!"
Plankton's gaze darted around the room, trying to focus. "Where... where are they?" he mumbled, his voice thick and groggy.
Plankton's eye narrowed in confusion before drifted shut again. "Did we get... the formula?" he slurred, his mind still clinging to his latest obsession.
Karen couldn't help but chuckle. "Not today. But don't worry." She watching him closely as the anesthesia wore off.
"You've been out.."
"So, we didn't get it?" he asked.
The nurse turned to them, noticing Plankton awake. "How are you feeling?"
"Woozy," Plankton slurred words thick and slow.
The doctor nodded understandingly. "That's normal. The anesthesia will wear off in a bit, but you'll be feeling a bit out of it for the rest of the day. You'll need to keep that ice on your jaw to reduce the swelling."
Plankton's eye searched Karen's face, his mind still fuzzy.
"Why you smiling?" he asked.
"I was just thinking about how you're going to have to eat mashed peas."
Plankton groaned. "Mashed peas?"
Karen nodded. "Don't worry, I'll make sure you have plenty of jellyfish juice to keep your strength up. Let's get home," Karen said as she helped him to his feet. He swayed slightly, and she went to steady him.
The walk to the car was a blur for Plankton. He leaned heavily on Karen. "Why the floor tiles look like they're moving?" he murmured.
Karen chuckled, her hand round his waist. "It's just playing tricks."
They made their way out to the parking lot Karen opened the door, and Plankton stumbled in, collapsing onto the backseat.
"You ok?" she asked.
"I think... I think I'm ok," Plankton mumbled, eye slowly closing again. "Just need... to sleep."
Karen nodded and got into the driver's seat, starting the engine. As they pulled out of the parking lot, Plankton's head lolled to the side, and he began to snore softly. She couldn't help but chuckle at his vulnerable state. It was a rare sight to see the ever-scheming Plankton so out of commission.
The drive home was smooth. Karen glanced back at him, his face relaxed and peaceful.
When they arrived at the Chum Bucket, Plankton's snores grew as she helped him in. He barely stirred as she placed a cold pack on his swollen jaw and handed him a glass of jellyfish juice.
Plankton took a sip, his eye fluttering open. "Ah, Karen," he slurred.
His eye were glazed over as he tried to adjust the ice pack. Karen puts it back in the right spot, tucking a pillow behind his head, patting his shoulder gently. "You need strength...."
He reached for the notepad, scribbling illegibly. "Got to keep planning," he mumbled, voice a distant echo of his usual enthusiasm.
Karen couldn't help but chuckle at his determination. "You should focus on getting better."
Plankton's eye widened, and he tried to sit up, knocking the ice pack to the floor. "The formula!" he exclaimed, his words still slurred.
"Shh, it's ok," Karen said, placing a hand on his shoulder and gently pushing him back down. "The formula can wait."
He mumbled something about "Krabs" and "plan," but words were too jumbled to make sense. Karen recognized the signs of his usual scheming, even in his state. This was the Plankton she knew, always thinking of his next move, even when he could barely keep his eye open.
As she cleared a space on the cluttered lab bench for him to lie down, she noticed his scribbled notes on the notepad. The words "Patty" and "formula" peeked out from a mess of squiggles and half-formed thoughts. She couldn't help but feel pride. Plankton might be a bit loopy from the anesthesia, but his spirit was sharp. She picked up the pad tried to make sense of the scrawl.
Plankton watched her, his eye tracking her movements. "You're not... stealing my ideas, are you?" he accused, voice still thick with sleep.
"No," Karen said, trying to keep a straight face.
The room was a swirl of colors and shapes to Plankton as he attempted to focus on Karen's face. He closed his eye. "I'm perfectly... coherent," he slurred, trying to sit up again. The room tilted dangerously, and he had to grab the edge of the bench to steady himself.
"Let's not have you knocking anything over clumsy."
"I'm not clumsy," he protested, his words coming out in a slow drawl.
"Ok," Karen said, holding up her hands in mock surrender. "I believe you, Mr. Graceful."
Plankton slumped against the pillow, the effort of arguing too much for his post-surgery state. He mumbled something about jellyfish jelly. Karen shook her head. She knew he'd be back to his usual self in no time, but for now, he needed to rest.
The hours ticked by, the only sounds being Plankton's snores. Karen sat glancing over at him. His chest rose and fell in a deep, steady rhythm, and she couldn't help but feel a sense of relief. The surgery had been a success.
As the sun began to set, Plankton stirred. His eye popped open, and looked around the room with a wild look. "Karen, where are we?"
"You're home."
Plankton blinked, gaze unfocused. "Home," he repeated, as if trying to convince himself. "But what about my teeth?"
Karen couldn't help laugh at his bewilderment. "They're gone. The doctor took them out."
Plankton's expression one of shock. "They're really... gone?"
"Yep," Karen said, voice filled with amusement. "You don't have to worry."
Plankton's expression mix of confusion and relief. "But... how? I don't remember anything."
Karen chuckled. "That's anesthesia for you. It's like a vacation from reality."
Plankton blinked, his mind racing to catch up with the situation. "Vacation?" he murmured, the sounding foreign in his mouth. "No, no, no," he protested, flailing about as he tried to sit up. "We must... we must... " His words trailed off through the anesthesia haze.
Karen placing a firm but gentle hand on his shoulder. "Plankton, please. You just had surgery."
"But the Krabby Patty... the formula... we can't lose it," he slurred, voice cracking.
Karen's smile softens. "Don't worry just focus on you getting better."
Plankton stilled, and he nodded slowly, antennae drooping. "Ok," he murmured. "But as soon as I can, we go back to work."
"Of course," Karen said soothingly, pushing him back down onto the makeshift bed.
The room grew quiet again, save for the occasional snore from Plankton and the low hum of lab equipment.
Hours passed by the time Plankton stirred again. His eye blinked open a glimmer of lucidity in his gaze. "Karen?" he called out, his voice still slurred but with a hint of urgency.
"I'm here," she said. She had been keeping watch.
Plankton sat up slowly, the anesthesia's finally lifted. His jaw felt heavy. "How long was I out?"
"A few hours," Karen replied, her voice calm and assuring. She had been expecting this moment, when the fog of the anesthesia would clear.
"I feel like I've been hit by a Krabby Patty press," he grumbled, holding his jaw gingerly.
"It's normal," Karen said, her voice steady. "Give it time. The pain will ease up."
"What about the... the formula?" he asked, his voice strained.
"It's safe," Karen assured him. "Mr. Krabs doesn't even know you're down for the count."
The mention brought a spark of energy to Plankton's eye. He pushed himself to his feet, the cold pack slipping to the floor with a wet thud. "We can't waste time," he said, his voice stronger now. "We must... we must..."
But before he could finish his thought, a wave of dizziness washed over him, and he stumbled flailing. Karen caught him, grip firm but gentle, and helped him back down to the bench. "You're not going anywhere."
Plankton groaned, stubbornness battling with his body's insistence on recovery. "But the... the Patty," he mumbled.
"I know," Karen said, her tone a mix of sympathy and amusement. "But you're in no shape right now. Besides, we've got a week of mashed peas to look forward to."
"Why does it have to be mashed peas?"