From my current planning, this story shouldn't really go above 20 chapters, if I include an epilogue. :P

Enjoy, as usual.

Chapter 9 – Reunion

As the sound of knocking travelled throughout the pineapple house, SpongeBob wearily opened his eyes. Was someone at the door? He checked his alarm clock – it was nearly midnight. Who on earth would visit him at this time of night?

SpongeBob got out of bed and threw on a dressing gown around him. As he scuttled out of his room, Gary heard his movements and woke up. The snail was puzzled as to why his owner had suddenly woken up and gone downstairs. (He didn't hear the knocking of the door.) But he decided to go back to sleep again.

SpongeBob climbed down the stairs and rushed to the door. As he was about to unlock the door, he froze. He remembered that it was strange that someone would want to see him late at night; so who exactly was at the door? The sponge didn't want to think about the worst results of his predicament, but he couldn't.

The mysterious stranger knocked the door again. SpongeBob then started to panic and sweat uncontrollably. If he didn't open the door now, then maybe, the stranger would crash the door open himself so he could get him? The sponge was extremely scared, but he knew he couldn't keep his visitor waiting any longer.

So he unlocked the door.

SpongeBob only slightly opened it at first and peeked through the hole; he wasn't taking any risks.

A familiar pink face peeked through back, and shouted, "Hi SpongeBob!" at him.

SpongeBob threw the door open immediately – it was Patrick! Thank Neptune he was OK! The sponge ran outside his house and hugged the starfish tightly, not wanting to let go of his best friend. Patrick hugged SpongeBob back, and he was right to do so – he thought he would never see SpongeBob again. Then, they both pulled out of the hug and started to sing and dance with each other in front of the pineapple – both were glad to know that the other was fine.

Sadly, the moment was interrupted by Squidward, who could hear the squeals of joy outside. He stormed out of bed and forced his bedroom window open.

"WILL YOU TWO IDIOTS SHUT UP?" the cephalopod yelled down to them. "Some people are TRYINGto sleep, including me!" And after that, he slammed his window shut. In all Squidward's honesty, he hadn't really noticed that Patrick had gone missing for a few days.

The two stared at Squidward's window for a few seconds, then celebrated again, only much quieter.

"Patrick!" said SpongeBob happily. "Where were you? I'm so sorry about that stupid fight! Will you forgive me?"

The sponge looked directly into Patrick's eyes at that moment. His eyes looked glassy, as if he was about to cry. SpongeBob would have deduced that it was because of the moment, but he could see that strange emotions were also whirling in the eyes of the starfish – fear was one of them, along with trauma and adrenaline. Did something happen to Patrick? Something terrifying?

"Is there something wrong?" SpongeBob finally asked him out of concern.

Patrick became solemn. Was now really the best time to tell his friend what'd happened to him?

SpongeBob was no mind reader, but he could tell that Patrick had witnessed something that he shouldn't have seen. If so, wouldn't Patrick be telling him about his ordeal now? Was it too horrifying for him to speak about?

"Do you want to come in, Pat?" asked the sponge. The starfish nodded, and went into the pineapple, saying nothing else. SpongeBob had to know where Patrick had gone to, and what awful thing had happened to him.

"I-I-It was gruesome..." Patrick stuttered as tears fell down his face. He was sitting on SpongeBob's couch, holding a cup of tea as he wore a blanket around him, courtesy of his friend. SpongeBob could only listen as he heard Patrick's story – about Plankton, and the mystery of the missing Bikini Bottomites.

"He's killing people randomly at night," the starfish explained. "He's been doing it for years now – I mean, he used to dig up corpses from graveyards, but that was too risky, so he went onto murder..." Patrick faltered and sobbed quietly, not taking any notice of SpongeBob. The sponge only sat there and comforted Patrick, his mouth open wide at what he was hearing. Plankton the Murderer? Sure, the man had done some horrible things, but murder? SpongeBob had never even thought that Plankton would go that far...

"He's got a room filled with dead bodies," Patrick started to speak again. "It was awful, buddy. Like something out of a horror movie, only worse." Patrick shivered, not wanting to remember that room. SpongeBob could almost feel the starfish's emotions – he nearly shivered too.

"...And he's using those bodies to make his chum," explained Patrick further.

SpongeBob shot up immediately. "No..." He shook his head and stood up from the couch. He started to walk slowly around the living room, unaware of what he was doing. It was unbelievable; Plankton couldn't be doing this. Surely Patrick was lying to him? But he was visibly shaken; he couldn't be lying. Patrick would never be able to make up such a horrific lie.

Meanwhile, Patrick watched as his friend paced around the living room randomly. He could understand how SpongeBob was feeling; it wasn't something that could be taken in, or believed easily.

SpongeBob finally turned to face Patrick, tears forming in his eyes. "I'd better call Sandy," he announced, his voice wobbling. "I'll tell her that you're home, and to come to my house tomorrow morning." The sponge sniffed after that sentence.

Patrick nodded. Someone else had to know besides him and SpongeBob – this secret was too terrifying to keep to themselves.

Sandy went silent as Patrick told his story to her the next day.

All three of them were sitting around SpongeBob's kitchen table – the sponge himself kept his head low as Patrick told his ordeal to Sandy. The starfish was still visibly upset, but he did his best to compose himself in front of her. The squirrel, however, remained stoic, as if she wasn't that much affected by the resolution of Plankton being a killer. SpongeBob wondered if that was just her way of taking it all in, like with him walking around aimlessly, then crying.

Sandy remained quiet after Patrick had finished his story. Then, there was an awful silence. SpongeBob gulped, while Patrick shifted awkwardly and Sandy played with her thumbs. As time passed on aimlessly, sunlight burst through the kitchen window innocently, as if it didn't know – or didn't care - that there were three creatures in there that knew that one of their hated enemies was a serial killer. While the presence of daylight seemed to make the kitchen appear pleasant and cheerful, the mood between the trio was sombre and depressing.

After a long while, Sandy finally spoke; "So Plankton is murdering innocent fish, then grinding them up for his chum." She spoke in a serious near-monotone. SpongeBob noted that it wasn't like Sandy to be like this, but he could understand, considering the situation they were all in. Patrick glanced at the squirrel's eyes, and noticed that they were becoming dilated.

"Are you OK, Sandy?" asked Patrick worriedly.

"I-I'm fine," Sandy replied, her voice breaking. She started to shiver a little, which also made SpongeBob notice.

"Are you sure?" the sponge asked, truly concerned about her.

"No, I'm fine!" she replied, her voice getting louder. She stood up from her chair and and started to back away for no reason. SpongeBob deduced that this was either how Sandy was reacting to the whole thing, or she was probably hiding something from them. The sponge didn't really like to think that Sandy was keeping things away from the two at this time, but she was behaving in that manner.

"You're not hiding anything from us, are you?" SpongeBob asked directly, standing up from his chair and walking around the table.

"N-NO!" Sandy shouted at them, backing away further.

"Sandy..."

The squirrel was close to tears by this point. She would never keep dark secrets away from SpongeBob and Patrick – especially SpongeBob. But she knew she couldn't tell themabout...

Sandy burst into tears and fell to the kitchen floor. No, she couldn't tell them that. It would look like she was a part of Plankton's plan. Patrick stayed at his seat, while SpongeBob came near, crouched down, then hugged her. He regretted ganging up on Sandy with an accusing question like that. Now wasn't the time for that.

Patrick left his chair and joined the two in the hug. As the three of them sat down on the floor, still comforting each other, the starfish suddenly thought about Karen – he hoped she was alright. Patrick didn't really want to think about what Plankton would do to her if he found out she helped him escape, but the thought was too dreadful to forget. Patrick hoped that Karen knew what she was doing before helping him.

Time passed on without care, and sunlight continued to stream through the windows. It was a beautiful day, but none of the friends in the kitchen were happy. Sandy continued to cry, albeit much quieter, and Patrick and SpongeBob carried on hugging her, and each other. They didn't know what to do next – would the police believe them if they reported Plankton? Should they tell Squidward or Mr. Krabs or someone else? The trio were all completely lost.

A madman was afoot; and they had no idea on how to stop him.

I must really like Character Derailment in this fic. Sandy has it the worst. X|

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