TO SEE OR NOT TO SEE
(by NeuroFabulous)
𓇼 𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐏𝐆-𝟏𝟑 🕊️🩰🐚
Pt. 15
As the anesthesia
began to wear off,
Plankton's snores grew
quieter. His antennae
twitched slightly, a sign
that he was coming back
to consciousness. Karen
was there, her hand
still in his, ready to face
whatever the waking world
brought with him.
His eyelid fluttered open,
his pupil dilated and
unfocused. "Mmph," he
mumbled, his mouth
filled with gauze. Karen's
heart jumped. She leaned
in closer, her voice soft.
"Hey, Plankton, you're okay.
You're back!"
Plankton looked at her,
his antennae twitching.
"Wha...?" he mumbled,
his speech slurred from
the anesthesia. He tried
to sit up, but the nurse,
Octavia, gently pushed
his shoulders back down.
"Easy, Mr. Plankton,"
she said. "Take i---" "Wha...
Whath...?" Plankton interrupts.
Karen leaned closer.
"You had your wisdom teeth
taken out," she explained
gently. "You're going to be
a bit sleepy and your mouth
is going to feel funny."
Plankton's antennae twitched
as he took in her words.
"Teef?" he slurred, his voice
higher than usual. "Owies?"
Karen nodded, her smile
soft. "Yes, but you're all
done now." She gently
stroked his cheek. "You
were so brave."
Plankton's antennae
twitched as he tried to
comprehend. The world
was a blur, his mouth
still numb and filled with
cottony gauze. "Windom
teef?" he mumbled.
Karen's eyes filled with
compassion as she
nodded. "Yes, sweetie,
they took them out to
make sure you don't
hurt." She held up
his plushie, now wet
from the drool. "Remember
your friend here?"
Plankton blinked, his
eye focusing on the
plushie. He nodded
slightly, his antennae
slowing their twitching.
"Fwens," he murmured,
his voice faint. Karen
pressed the stuffed animal
to his chest. "You did
so good," she whispered.
"Now, let's get you home
so you can rest."
Chip stepped forward,
his own anxiety
easing slightly at the
sight of his dad's
confusion. He reached
for the plushie. "Da-"
But Plankton's eye
widened. "No!" he
protested, his voice
slurred. "Ith’s mime!"
Karen's eyes met Chip's.
"Let him have it," she
whispered. "It's a
comfort object." Chip
nodded, stepping back.
The nurse, Octavia,
smiled gently. "Okay,
Mr. Plankton, let's get
you sitting up now."
Plankton's antennae
twitched as he complied,
his movements slow
and clumsy. Chip couldn't
help but feel a pang of
sympathy at the sight of
his dad so out of sorts.
Karen helped him
into a sitting position,
his eye still unfocused.
"Whewe am I again?" he asked,
his voice small and lost.
"You're at the dentist,"
Karen said, her voice
soothing. "Remember the
surgery?"
Plankton blinked, his
memory foggy. "Teethies?"
He looked around the room,
his antennae quivering.
"Ith wath scawy," he said,
his voice trembling. "Buth
now it'th aww done?"
Karen nodded, her smile
reassuring. "Yes, sweetie,
it's all done. You're okay."
Chip watched, his heart
swelling with emotion.
His dad's confused speech
from his numb mouth
was a stark reminder of
his vulnerability.
"Buth I don't feew ith,"
Plankton said, his antennae
drooping. "Mowf, funny."
Karen nodded, her eyes
never leaving his. "It's
because the doctor had to
make your mouth sleepy,"
she explained. "But we'll get
you home, and you can take
more naps to feel better."
Chip watched his dad,
his heart aching. The
brave front Plankton had
put on was gone, replaced
by childlike bewilderment
from the lingering anesthesia.
"C-can go hone now?"
Plankton mumbled, his voice
still thick and slurred. Karen
nodded, her eyes filled with
pity. "Yes, we're going home
right now." She turned to
Octavia. "Can we go?"
The nurse nodded.
As they helped Plankton
into the car, his movements
were still clumsy, his coordination
off from the anesthesia.
He leaned heavily on Karen,
his antennae drooping.
"Thath way," he murmured,
his eye pointing in the
general direction of the
car. Chip stepped aside,
his heart heavy as he watched
his dad's unsteady gait.
Once inside, Karen
buckled him in and put
his blanket over. "Here
you go," she said, her voice
soothing. "Everything's going
to be okay."
Falling asleep as Karen drove,
Plankton's head lolled to the
side, his mouth open, drool
pooling in the corner. His
snores were low and rhythmic,
his antennae still, and his mouth
was slack. Karen giggled. "Plankton
how you doing?" He stirred, antennae
twitching slightly. "Mmf,"
he murmured. "Tham."
Karen's eyes filled with love.
"We're almost home," she said.
"Just a little longer."
Plankton nodded,
his antennae
still droopy. "Karen
I'm tiwweeddd!"
Karen couldn't help but
laugh, her heart
warming at his slurred
speech.
"Whewe's Chip?" he asked
suddenly, his voice groggy.
Karen looked in the rearview
mirror. "He's right here,
behind us," she assured him.
"Keeping an eye on you."
Chip felt his cheeks warm
with the attention. Plankton's
confusion was so innocent,
like a child's, it was hard
not to be drawn in by it.
He leaned forward. "Hi, Dad,"
he said gently.
Plankton's antennae twitched,
his eye searching the
backseat. "Chip?"
Chip nodded, trying to
smile. "I'm here, Dad."
Plankton's gaze was
glassy, his voice slurred.
"You...shay?" "Yes, Dad,"
Chip said. "I'm right
here."