PREVIOUSLY...

Archie: I think we should all go home and get some rest. We've been through quite a lot today.

Bob: I agree.

(Later, in a police car...)

Officer 1: How you managed to get into Big Idea without us knowing is beyond me.

Officer 2: Yeah. Once he gets wind of this, you won't be goin' nowhere!

Eddie: Oh, I wouldn't say that. (He breaks out of the cuffs and knocks out the other officer.)

Officer 1: What the-?!

Eddie: Sorry, officer, but this is my stop. (rams open the door and jumps out)

(Later, when Bob and Larry come back from the hospital...)

Bob: Um, what do you know about, uh, relationships, Larry?

Larry (perplexed): What did you just say, Bob?

Bob: I was asking what do you know about relationships. As in...you know, how you and Petunia are together?

Larry (very sly): Oh...so, who are you thinking about, Bob?

Bob: For some reason today, I can't seem to stop thinking about Madame Blueberry...

(At Bob's house, Bob, Madame Blueberry and Larry are staring at the TV...)

Reporter: An hour or so after his apprehension, Eddie Russell broke out of the police car taking him to jail, and is presumed to be on foot.

Larry: Okay, I'm officially freaking out now!

(At the hospital, Pa and the others come to a frightening conclusion as to why Eddie would break out...)

Mr. Nezzer: You mean to tell me that...he's going to go after Madame Blue?

Pa: Come on, fellas! We've gotta warn Bob before it's too late!

(In the Big Idea viewing room...)

Mr. Lunt: That...was alarming. But also pretty romantic at the same time. And now, I have conflicting feelings over this whole thing!

Pa: I think the writer said that the next two chapters are going to explain why Eddie's around-and not so he can steal that scallion's job.

Larry: Plus, we get to meet Eddie's boss in this episode.

Mr. Lunt: I have a feeling I'm not gonna like him, either...


(If Veggie Tales were a soap opera, this is how it would turn out.)

Iheartgod175 presents:

Hugs and Kisses: A Love Story

Created: January 25th, 2013

Published: January 28th, 2013

Rated: K+ (For the romantic stuff and drama.)

This Chapter: September 9th, 2013

Plot: A new episode parodying Casablanca is being filmed, and the producers have decided to throw in some romantic scenes. Bob, who is the head producer of this episode, isn't at all fazed by this...until he learns that said romantic scenes are going to feature him and Madame Blueberry, who are playing the main characters! Since he's never had any experience in the romantic field, he's a nervous wreck about the whole thing; Madame Blueberry, however, is delighted, being that she has quite the crush on the tomato. It's not long before romance happens behind the scenes...Bob/Madame Blueberry, with some Larry/Petunia and minor Archie/Lovey.

Author's Note: Chapter 11 went over a complete overhaul over the weekend, and I have to say, I'm quite proud of this chapter. It's possibly the best one I've written for this story, up there with chapters 4, 7, and 9. Today, we'll be meeting Eddie's boss, and get into the details of this little plot that brought Eddie there in the first place. If you thought Eddie was evil, you really won't like his boss either...

Disclaimer: As much as I love Veggie Tales, I never will own them. The series belongs to Phil Vischer and Mike Nawrocki, the creators. If they decided to suddenly drop the company into my hands, then this story would be real. Other than that, don't count on it.


Chapter 11: The Incident, Part 1

The Raw Onion was known throughout town as the shadiest bar around. It was a small building that looked like it had been there since the early 1900's, taking up space where an old warehouse used to be. The place had been through its own share of renovations, of course, but not even a shiny exterior could conceal its dark history. The Raw Onion was known to be a hideout for criminals, con artists, and other sleazy lowlifes hoping to evade the cops. No matter how many times the city tried to shut it down, the bar would remain in business by means of persuasion-financial persuasion.

And Julian Maverick was the go-to veggie for financial persuasion.

He had come upon the bar about five years ago, when he'd managed to secure a shady deal with another company. Ever since he'd saved the bar from going sky high, he was treated like royalty whenever he showed up to the bar to secure deals. He got the best seats, the best service, the best...well, you get the picture. It didn't help that he'd acquired several of his employees from this shop.

Eddie Russell was one of them.

It had been a long time ago, but Julian had remembered seeing the zucchini effortlessly swipe a business right out from its owner's nose. Eddie was ruthless, controlling, determined and unyielding: exactly what Julian was in a nutshell. He didn't fly off the handle easily or go on a destructive spree like Eddie did, but everything else fit him to a T.

Julian tuned out the news, taking a sip of his root beer. He had no reason to worry about Eddie. The zucchini had street smarts, and knew the land well enough to lead the cops on a wild goose chase through town. He could be in this part of town by now, Julian thought.

As if on cue, the door slammed open and a carrot dressed in a torn leather jacket and a white shirt ran in. He looked like he was going to fall over.

"Boss, Eddie's here. He's demanding to see you," he said.

Julian took another sip. Without looking at him, he said, "Send him in."

The carrot didn't have time, for the door crashed open again to reveal a mud-covered Eddie Russell storming in. A couple of huge cucumbers dressed in chefs' hats went after him, yelling the whole way.

"You can't come in here! This is the VIP room!" the first chef yelled.

"You can't tell ME where I can and can't go! I'm Eddie Russell, and I can do whatever I want!" Eddie yelled.

"Say one more word, punk, and I'll knock your mouth clean off!" the second chef said. He was holding a spatula, and wouldn't hesitate to use it.

Julian sighed. Why was he the peacemaker in these situations? He stood up, and the three turned to him, forgetting that he was there.

"Easy, gentlemen. There's no need for you all to start fighting. Eddie is an employee of mine, so he's allowed in here to see me if he needs to," he said. The two chefs backed off then, although they looked daggers at Eddie before they left the room.

Julian drank the rest of his root beer and looked at Eddie with a pleasant expression. "So, I take it things at Big Idea didn't go well?"

"To heck it didn't." Eddie grabbed one of the towels from a chair, spread it over the seat and sat down. "Those idiots made the mistake of angering me. And to top it off, I have no way of making it inside without being spotted."

"Maybe hurting their precious employees wasn't a smart idea. Tell me, Eddie, what exactly went wrong?"

"After I took care of the staff in the lobby, I went upstairs and got rid of the previous producer's things. Not long after that, the scallions came in, demanding to know what I was doing. After I gave them my two cents, I fired them-but that got cancelled out by the tomato," Eddie said.

"You told me he got sick and left for three days," Julian said.

"One of his employees called him. We argued for a little bit, and then the blueberry showed up. She said that I didn't deserve to be an assistant producer, and then it turned out she called the cops. The tomato got in the way before I could have really got her," Eddie finished bitterly.

"If you'd hit her, you do know that Bob or any of the staff would have come after you, right?" Julian said. "I don't think you want to know how it feels to have angry employees come to your house, with forks and knives and questioning you in a civil manner..."

"You've experienced that?"

"Three times." Julian smiled. "It was quite fun, actually."

"The point is," Eddie said, trying to get back on track, "is that my plans are ruined because of that stupid blueberry. She ruined everything for me!"

"Is it safe to say that you also ruined your own plans? Going around threatening employees and then putting one of them in the hospital...you really do have no control over your temper, do you?" Julian said.

Eddie huffed. "You really like pointing out people's flaws, don't you?"

"Hey, I'm not perfect either, but I'm just stating the facts. However, I wouldn't go and get all worked up just yet. There might be another way to get rid of Big Idea, and get revenge," Julian said. "I have a backup plan that will definitely allow us to swipe Big Idea's most interesting production out from their noses. And once that happens, Big Idea won't stand a chance against Radical Animation."

"That'll be difficult to do. I haven't exactly gotten off on great terms with the staff there," Eddie said. "Besides, that blueberry and that stupid gourd are the ones who are intent on kicking me out!"

Julian remained silent for a long moment, and then he smiled, dangerously. "Well, then, it appears that in order for my plan to work, we're going to have to sneak our way in...and get rid of those obstacles in our way."

Eddie looked flabbergasted at first, but then, an evil smirk twisted his lips. "Ah...I like the way you think," he said.

Julian signaled to the waiter to bring more root beer. "Of course. My way always ensures that we get the most done...and get some fun out of it as well." He leaned back in his booth, smiling.

"Big Idea, prepare to be cut out of the picture...permanently."


The next morning, Bob woke up in an empty bed. He nearly jumped out of it, worried about where Madame Blueberry had gotten off to, but his worries were short-lived as he caught a whiff of cinnamon and bacon in the air. Apparently, she was fixing breakfast for him and Larry. The tomato got up, made his bed, and started to get ready for work.

As soon as he opened the door, he saw Larry standing there with a plate of French toast, eggs and bacon. Judging by the crumbs on his face, and his hungry expression, it had to be good.

"Hi Bob. Madame Blue made breakfast for us. She's an awesome cook," Larry said.

"Thanks, Larry. Oh, and tell her I said thank you," Bob said.

"No need to, dear. You're welcome!" Madame Blueberry came into the room then, wearing Bob's green apron and holding a cup filled with milk. Bob gratefully took it.

"So, uh, did you two sleep well last night?" Larry asked.

"Yeah! The comforters were really soft, like Madame Blue said," Bob said. "And I loved the pillows, too."

"I think the only pillow you loved was Madame Blueberry," Larry said. He had to choke back a laugh when he saw Bob's shocked expression. Madame Blueberry blushed darkly.

"Well...to be honest, Bob, you do make a very nice pillow," she said. Bob's face exploded into at that, and Larry burst out laughing.

After a moment laughing and teasing, Madame Blueberry shooed Larry out of the room. "Go on, Larry. Let Bob eat his breakfast before it goes cold!" she said. Larry obeyed, although he continued to chuckle to himself as he left.

"Thanks, Madame Blue. I don't think I could have lasted another second," the tomato replied before he dug into his breakfast. His eyes widened at how good it was. Granted, it was cooler than he'd liked it, but delicious nonetheless.

"Wow, this is really good! I didn't know that you were such a good chef, Madame Blue," he said.

"Oh, I'm far from a chef, dear. I can cook pretty well, but if you ask me, I think you have better cooking skills than me," she replied. Bob blushed a little at this compliment.

"Well, uh, I'm not a gourmet, but I do know how to make a lot of foods," he replied. "My older brother Andrew thought I couldn't make a 'manly lunch' at a tailgate party we had. So, I invented my world famous steakhouse burger. He doesn't say that anymore."

"When it comes to burgers or sandwiches, I can hardly make one at all," Madame Blue admitted. "But you're a pro when it comes to those, Bob."

"Aw, thanks." Bob set his plate on the floor, and turned to Madame Blue. Soon, he remembered what Larry had said to him yesterday: If you really do like her, Bob, go and make your move. I'll even bet she likes you back.

"Um, Madame Blueberry, there was, uh, something that I wanted to ask you about yesterday, but I never got the chance to," Bob said. Madame Blue was quite surprised by the change in the tomato's tone. It had gone from easygoing to nervous in no time flat.

"W-What is it, Bob?" she asked.

Bob swallowed. It was now or never. "I really don't know how to say this, but I'll flat out ask you." He took a deep breath. "Do...do you like me, Madame Blue?" he asked.

At that moment, Madame Blueberry thought that a million butterflies had come up in her stomach. She wanted to say it so badly, and yet...

No. This time, no matter who was witnessing, she was going to tell him.

"Bob, I...I don't like you," she said softly.

Bob felt like he'd been crushed by a fifty ton weight. "Y-You don't?" he asked, not bothering to hide how hurt he was.

"No...I love you! I've been in love with you for the last fifteen years, Bob, and I haven't been able to tell you until now!" she said, shaking Bob to get her point across.

To say that Bob wasn't expecting this at all would be an understatement. When he finally got his mouth working, all he could do was stammer. "Y-You were...in love...with me? T-The whole fifteen years we've known each other?"

"Yes. The moment I met you, on my very first show, I knew you were the one. Forget the other blueberries out there; I had my eyes set on you. I did everything I could to get you to notice me, but you never did. You were so busy...but everyone else noticed," Madame Blueberry said. "Everyone, especially Larry and Mr. Lunt, wanted me to tell you. In fact, they were going to flat out tell you. But I was worried."

"W-Worried?"

"Worried that you'd laugh at me, or you wouldn't understand, or that you wouldn't have any feelings for me. Like every other guy I had a crush on," she said. "Plus, you told Mr. Lunt yesterday that you only thought of me as a friend. So, I was going to put off telling you."

Bob's face was a mixture between shock and anger: he was shocked because he hadn't known about Madame Blue's romantic history, and he was angry at all the other guys who had the nerve to turn her down. And he was also mad at himself for being so oblivious to how she felt about him when he clearly supported everyone else's relationships, and for being so insensitive about how she felt.

No wonder she didn't tell him sooner.

"I'm so stupid," he muttered. His angry remark caused Madame Blueberry to stare at him in shock.

"Bob, you're not stupid at all! Why would you-"

"No, Madame Blue, I was being stupid! I didn't realize that you were in love with me the whole time! I completely ignored you while I was helping everyone else recognize their feelings for each other...and I was being insensitive yesterday," he said. "I'm ashamed of myself. Madame Blueberry, will you forgive me?"

"Of course I can, Bob!" she said. "If I didn't want to forgive you, you would know."

The tomato relaxed, relieved that she'd accepted his forgiveness. "That's a relief. I wanted to tell you something, too. Something I, uh, realized yesterday."

"What exactly is that?"

Bob looked into Madame Blue's eyes and said, "Madame Blueberry, I...I love you, too. I just never knew I did...until yesterday, when I realized how important you are to me. I think when you kissed me, it woke me up to how I really felt about you. That, and Larry helped, too."

Tears stung Madame Blueberry's eyes, and fell down her cheeks. Bob recoiled, thinking that he hurt her feelings in some way.

"Madame Blue, did I say anything wrong?" he asked.

"No, Bob. In fact, you said everything that I wanted to hear," she said, sniffling. "Here I was thinking that you didn't like me...am I glad that wasn't the case."

Bob smiled, and leaned in close. "I'm glad, too," he whispered softly, and closed the space between them with his lips. Madame Blueberry eased into it as she returned the kiss with a small sigh. They closed their eyes to everything, enjoying this one moment of pure bliss. This kiss was definitely overdue for both of them.

When they broke away for some much needed air, they gazed into each other's eyes dreamily. After a moment, Bob broke the silence.

"Gosh...why did I wait so long?" he asked, more to himself than to Madame Blue.

The blueberry giggled. "I was going to ask you the same question," she teased. "But it's like they say: better late than never, huh?"

"I guess so. If I had waited any longer, I think someone else would've swooped in to take you," Bob said. "And I don't think you want to see a jealous tomato." It was at that moment that he heard a squeal out in the living room. Bob and Madame Blue turned around to find Larry standing there. His face was a mixture of sheepish embarrassment and sly teasing.

"Larry, what are you doing?" he asked.

"I was about to come in and tell you guys that we needed to get ready to go, but, uh, you were having a moment," Larry said. A smirk then came upon his face. "It took you long enough, Bob. You were driving me nuts wondering when you were going to figure it out."

"You knew, Larry?"

"Of course! Yesterday, I nearly flat out told you, but I wanted you to hear it from her," Larry said.

Bob blanched. Apparently, Pa and Khalil hadn't been the only ones trying to get him and Madame Blue together. Everyone had been in on it, but he didn't notice.

"Wow," he said finally, when he'd put it all together. "The whole staff was trying to make this happen, huh?"

"Pretty much," Madame Blueberry said.

"Hey Larry, what happened? What's going on now? We can't see anything!"

"Oy! Quit shoving me, Jimmy!"

"We can't see what's going on if you're in the way, grandpa!" A multitude of voices came from behind Larry, and Bob and Madame Blue stared at the cucumber in shock. Larry started to sneak out of the room.

"Larry." Bob's voice was a mixture of anger and bewilderment. "Was that Mr. Lunt and Pa on the phone?"

His best friend poked his head back in the room. "Did I forget to mention that this is all on my Vphone's webcam and Mr. Lunt and the others are, uh, watching this from the computer at work?"

Madame Blueberry was shocked, but not as much as Bob was. Larry turned around and ran, and soon, Bob was chasing him around the house.

"Larry, get back here, and turn that camera off!"


When Archie and Lovey walked inside, the first person they ran into was Philippe. The French pea was smiling brightly, so they knew something was going on.

"Philippe, what are you up to now?" Archie asked.

"Bob and Madame Blueberry are officially together now! Larry got the whole thing on webcam!" he said.

This did surprise the two, Archie in particular. "Well, it took them long enough! Did it turn out that he liked her as well?"

"Oh yeah. And they kissed each other. We had to keep Mr. Lunt from cheering so loudly on the other end," Philippe said. "You won't be able to see the video now though. Bob made Larry cut it off."

Lovey chuckled. "Well, it's a relief that they finally confessed to each other. I think Mr. Lunt or Pa would have told him if he didn't figure it out."

"Yeah. Oh wait, here they come now!" Archie and Lovey turned to see Bob, Larry and Madame Blueberry come inside. It seemed to Archie that Bob and Madame Blue were walking together, while Larry trailed behind.

"Aw come on, Bob! Don't tell me you're still mad at me for capturing you and Madame Blue on camera," Larry said.

"Larry, I never taped you and Petunia when you two became a couple," Bob grumbled. "That was Mr. Lunt's doing."

"I knew he was lying when he said he 'accidentally' left his camera on!" Larry said.

"The point is, Larry, I don't like it when people get into my personal business," Bob said. "Especially where my love life is concerned."

"Sorry, Bob. It's just that everyone was waiting for you to make your move," the cucumber replied.

"It's fine, Larry. I forgive you," Bob replied.

"Well, we don't have to wait anymore!" Mr. Lunt and the others came out of the break room. One look at the grin on his face told Bob that he was pretty happy. "Congrats, man."

"Thanks, I guess," Bob replied, smiling a bit.

"See, what did I tell you? You're happier already!" Pa grinned. "I told you you'd be happier with a girlfriend!"

"Yeah! You two looked so cute snuggling together!" Petunia said.

Bob blinked. "H-How did you know about that?"

"Larry took a picture of you two and sent it to Mr. Lunt. He sent it to everyone at the staff," she explained. Bob turned around to glare at Larry. The cucumber gave a sheepish smile, and then he took off running. Bob found himself chasing Larry down again.

"Larry, don't you know the meaning of 'privacy'?!"

As everyone went to stop Bob from doing any harm to Larry, they didn't notice the side door sliding open. Two vegetables wearing dark clothing snuck inside, each carrying a large black bag. They closed the door with a light click, and they went to the emergency stairs. As they climbed the stairs, the first veggie took off his ski mask, revealing his black hair.

"Are you sure they won't notice us, Julian? I'm a pretty familiar face around here," Eddie said.

"Don't worry," Julian replied. "Just follow through with the plan, and we'll have them under us in minutes."


"Well, thanks to that Eddie jerk showing up, we're gonna have to reschedule shooting for tomorrow," Scallion 3 groaned. Like Mr. Lunt and Bob, he had gone to the hospital to get a check up on his eye. Thankfully, it'd go away in a couple of weeks. That didn't stop his scallion buddies from questioning him about it, though.

"Don't worry. He's behind bars right about now," Scallion 2 said. He and Scallion 3 were in his office, taking out Eddie's things and getting the room back in order. He could hardly believe that he had nearly lost his job yesterday afternoon. It was all thanks to Bob and Madame Blue that he was still with the company.

"I wouldn't say that too soon." Both scallions turned to see Scallion 1 enter the room, carrying a couple of papers. Compared to yesterday, he looked grim and hardened.

"Hey, buddy. What's going on?" Scallion 3 asked before taking a sip of root beer.

"Guys, I can't stand to be here anymore, not with that madman on the loose. You obviously haven't heard that Eddie's on the run," Scallion 1 said.

Scallion 2 stared at him in shock, and Scallion 3 spat out his root beer. "What?!" they exclaimed.

"Yesterday, Eddie broke out of the police car that was taking him to jail. He could be anywhere. And from what Pa and the others were saying, they could be going against this company. That's why I can't work here anymore. I'm leaving," Scallion 1 said.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa. Back up," Scallion 3 said. "You can't just walk out of the picture, dude! One of the first scenes that we have to film is your piano scene, and you have to be present for that. You think Bob's just gonna let you walk out of here?"

"He's right. Plus, we have the cops on speed dial if that creep even comes within ten feet of the building," Scallion 2 said.

"He attacked Mr. Lunt, one of us, and Bob yesterday. Do you want the same thing to happen to you?" Scallion 1 was on the verge of tears. "I'm pretty sure Bob can find a replacement. There are many talented vegetables out there who can sing and play the piano. I'm sure most of them have names."

"But why are you so intent on leaving this company?"

"Because I have a feeling that Eddie's going to be back, and he's going to destroy this company from the inside out. He told me so," Scallion 1 said.

"He told you that?" Scallion 3 was incredulous. "And how do you know this?"

Scallion 1 looked over his shoulder, as if he were being followed. "What I'm going to tell you is something that I learned three days ago. I told him this-" he motioned to Scallion 2- "and I think you need to hear it as well. I just don't want Bob to know what's going on. It could seriously put him danger."

"The guy's already in danger if he doesn't know more about that freak!" Scallion 3 said. "You have to let Bob know, man!"

"Let me know what?" All three scallions froze and turned around to see Bob standing there, screenplay in hand. Judging by the puzzled look on his face, he'd overheard Scallion 3's last remark. Scallion 1 cleared his throat first, breaking the icy silence.

"Mr. Tomato, there are things about Eddie Russell that you need to hear about," he said.

Bob's gaze darkened. "I don't want to talk about that guy again," he said, and turned around to leave.

"No, please! If you don't listen to me, this company will be destroyed!" Scallion 1 shouted. Bob stopped, about to turn the corner, and stared at him. "Please, Mr. Tomato. I don't want to resign knowing that I left this company in the wrong hands!"

"Y-You're resigning? Why? I was never informed of this!" Bob said.

"Well, he just told you, didn't he?" Scallion 3 said. "He's afraid that Eddie's gonna come back and wreak havoc on this company, and he doesn't want to be here when it comes under his control."

"I know he is!" Scallion 1 said. "I didn't want to tell you, but I've done some digging about Eddie, and unless you want this company to go underwater, you need to listen." The last words were stressed with a particular urgency, and Bob came back inside, still curious as to what Scallion 1 needed to say.

"Okay, I'm listening," Bob said, sitting in a chair next to the door.

Scallion 1 told him, starting with the first time he'd met the guy, and when he'd had him against the wall of the bathroom. Scallion 3 was shocked, but Bob was furious. After Scallion 1 was finished, there was a long moment before Bob started speaking.

"Okay, we need to call security and make sure that this guy doesn't get within ten inches of this studio!" Bob said. "And when did you hear about this?"

"Three days ago. I hadn't expected him to be such a...a monster," Scallion 1 admitted.

"Apparently, neither did everyone else." Bob got out of the chair. "I can't believe that he's trying to destroy Veggie Tales..."

"Probably because he's jealous," Scallion 3 said.

"Jealous or not, he's not going to destroy this show, or this company, or even touch the people I care about!" Bob said. "We're going to stop Eddie, no matter what happens."

Scallion 1 looked relieved. "Thanks for understanding, Bob. I know that you have a lot to do, since you start filming soon."

"That's alright. To be honest, I can't wait until filming's over. Being the head producer is no walk in the park," he said. "I should be thanking you. With this new info about Eddie, we'll be able to put him in jail for good."

"Do you still need me to be at the studio?" Scallion 1 asked.

"Yes, I do. You're the only person eligible for the role. It would only push filming back even more if you three left, and I've noticed how hard you and your friends been working to be involved more in the project itself. I don't want your efforts to be put to waste. And you can forget what Eddie said to you yesterday; the only thing he cares about is himself, and he'll do whatever it takes to reach his goals, even if it hurts people. Your three may not have names, but you are as equally important as Larry, Archie and I. If you want to leave, then that's alright. I have nothing against your decision. But-" Bob stopped when he noticed that Scallion 1 started crying. "Are you okay?"

Scallion 1 sniffled. "T-That's…that's the nicest thing anyone's ever said to me!" he said. Bob handed him a box of tissues, and he gratefully accepted them. "With that kind of speech, I don't think I'll resign yet."

"Yeah, me either," Scallion 3 said. He and Scallion 2 took some tissues and blew their noses.

Bob smiled. "That's good to hear. I don't think there's another person who'd fit the role better," he said. Then he looked up at the clock. It was almost time for him to head downstairs to check on the rest of the staff. "Well, I'd better get ready to go. Thanks for telling me about this."

"No, thank you for listening to what I had to say," Scallion 1 replied. Bob nodded, and then he left. He felt so much better now that he had told Bob what was going on. "Glad I got that off my chest."

"Indeed. And I'm happy that we're not leaving Veggie Tales," Scallion 2 said. "So, let's see what my first objective is today..."

"Your first objective of the day is to remain where you are." All three scallions visibly stiffened when they heard that voice. They all turned around to see Eddie Russell standing there. He whipped out a paintball pistol, and pointed it at Scallion 1. The other two scattered for cover.

"I knew you lied to me. Stupid rapscallion, did you think I would be fooled so easily?" Eddie grinned as he watched the Scallions' eyes practically bug out in fear. "I've come back to do two things: to destroy this company, and to get my revenge. Starting with you."

Scallion 1 barely had time to yell for help as Eddie opened fire, and he was covered in red paint. The other two were soon covered in yellow and blue paint. Scallion 3 tried to move, but found that he was stuck to the ground.

"Wait a second, this isn't paint!" he said.

"Julian insisted on bubblegum pistols along with the real ones, which I prefer more to these toys," the zucchini replied. "You boys stick around. I'm going to help my boss take control of this company once and for all."

"NO!" Scallion 1 tried to move, but when he leapt into the air, he fell to the ground with a thud. Eddie just laughed and he closed the door. The Scallions heard a sound that sounded like twisting metal.

"What is he doing?!" Scallion 3 yelled.

"This should hold you until we're finished. By the time you try to break out, it'll be too late," Eddie said through the door. He laughed again, and then he left, leaving the Scallions trapped in the office with no way of getting out.

"Oh no," Scallion 1 groaned.


As Madame Blueberry followed Bob to the electronics room, she became aware of a sound coming from upstairs. It was as if someone was slamming their body into a door. The banging became a pounding, and at last she realized what was going on: someone was probably locked up in a room upstairs and they couldn't get out.

Bob noticed the noise as well. "What is going on up there?" he asked.

"I'm not sure," Madame Blue replied. She and Bob looked up as a huge crash resounded from above.

"I'm gonna check upstairs, you head to the electronics room!" Bob said, and he rushed up the emergency stairway that led to the second floor. Madame Blue was about to head to the other room, but then she felt a nagging sense of danger as she was about to turn the corner.

"I'd better stay back here. I just have this gut feeling..." She turned around and was about to head the other way when she heard a yell behind her. Two yells, actually. She whirled around to see Jean-Claude and Philippe running like a ghost was on their heels.

"Jean-Claude, Philippe! Where are you going?" she asked.

"Some weird asparagus broke into the control room for all of the electronics, and now they're going haywire!" Jean-Claude explained.

"He somehow snuck in after George left! Where's Bob?" Philippe said. As if on cue, Bob came down the stairway, looking out of breath and anxious.

"I need a crowbar or something! The Scallions are stuck in the office upstairs, and they can't get out!" He then noticed that the three of them were staring at him in shock. "What's going on? I thought you all were in the electrical room."

Jean-Claude was about to answer when a massive crash from the other side of the studio occurred. Then there was a loud boom that resounded through the hall and shook the walls. Without a word, they all ran towards the electrical room to find out what was going on.

When they reached the other side, they were greeted with chaos. Ruined camera equipment was scattered all over the floor. Several background pieces were smashed to bits. The stage lights were broken, and three wires blazed with electricity.

Bob was shocked. "Who did this?!" he yelled.

"I did," came the calm answer. Everyone present looked to see a tall asparagus walk out from the other side. He was wearing a dark blue suit with a crisp white shirt, and he was carrying a remote for something. Despite all the massive damage he'd caused, he looked like he was enjoying a walk in the park.

"Who are you and what are you doing here?" Bob asked.

"Allow me to introduce myself. I am Julian Maverick, CEO of Radical Animation. You'll do good to remember that name in the future, for I'm going to be in charge of this production," Julian said.

"Says who?" Jean-Claude asked.

"Says me. I've come to do one thing, and that is to take over the entire production of Carrotblanca. Once I do, that's when things start going downhill for this company." Julian smiled evilly, resembling Eddie's dangerous smile. It sent a shiver through Madame Blueberry.

"Why are you and Eddie so intent on taking control of Carrotblanca?" Bob asked. "What's it worth to you?"

"It's quite simple, actually. My company is being threatened by your company, and since Veggie Tales caused us to lose millions of dollars after our series was cancelled, I decided that the only logical thing to do was to take it out. I hired Eddie to fulfill that plan, and so far you've ruined it...but not this time." Julian's voice changed to a growl at this statement.

"That didn't answer his question." Madame Blueberry stepped in then. "What is so important about Carrotblanca that makes you want to destroy Veggie Tales?"

"Carrotblanca is what every news station ever talks about now. If you release that movie, the profit from it alone will drive me out of business! I told Eddie that the only way to keep my company afloat is to get rid of my rival's biggest production-and that is Carrotblanca. My plan was simple: have Eddie hired as assistant producer, then get him promoted to head producer. Afterwards, he'd be free to rewrite the script to fit a more...adult audience. When people saw that Veggie Tales had gone from its morals, they'd turn its back on it. Even if Big Idea tried to redeem itself by making another one, the damage done by that film would be tremendous. Big Idea would be so ashamed that they'd close down in disgrace. Afterwards, my company will become the most influential animation company in the world!" Julian said.

Bob was shocked. "And you're planning to do that by ruining our reputation?!"

"Of course. I've done it to five other animation companies before-three of which Eddie had a hand in," Julian said. "All those companies ever did was preach about good morals. No one needs that anymore."

"If your goals for this company are to send bad messages to kids, then you can forget it!" Bob was beyond furious. "You'll have to get through me before you can do anything to Big Idea, its staff, and the people I care about!"

Julian blinked, as if he'd never received a threat before. Then, he grinned. "Alright. I'm flexible." He then pointed the remote at Bob, who started back in fear. "Since I told you my plans, I'm going to have to destroy everyone who knows about them. Starting with you."

It was at that moment that Mr. Lunt and Larry walked in on the scene. They had been sent by Pa and Archie to see what was going on in the electrical room, and they couldn't believe what they were seeing.

"You're not coming within ten inches of him!" Larry yelled, startling everyone. He and Mr. Lunt pushed through the others to step in front of them.

"Don't forget what Eddie did to the stupid gourd, cucumber. I'd hate to do the same thing to you," Julian said darkly.

"'Stupid gourd'?! Why you little-" Mr. Lunt was held back from carrying out his rage on the asparagus by Larry and Bob. "Let me at him! He's gone too far this time!"

"Stay where you are, gourd. The only one I want is the tomato." Julian grinned evilly. "Eddie, would you like to do the favors?"

"Gladly." Eddie Russell walked over to Julian then, a very satisfied smirk on his face. He took the remote from the asparagus. "Say goodbye to your sweetheart, Madame Blueberry, because he's getting cut out of the picture…permanently!" Eddie laughed psychotically as he pressed the button on the remote, summoning the four foot tall robot into the room. Everyone stared in shock at where this was going.

"These guys are crazy!" Bob said.

"Thank you for the compliment. Goodbye!" Julian laughed as Eddie then threw the remote down on the ground, smashing it to pieces. The robot started to go completely out of control, and Eddie took off running, leaving the Big Idea staff alone in with it. Julian ran in the opposite direction.

Madame Blue was angry. "Julian, get back here!" she yelled, and before Bob could stop her, she was chasing after the crazy asparagus.

"Mr. Lunt, you go after Eddie! Larry, follow Madame Blueberry! Jean-Claude, Philippe, come with me!" Bob ordered. Everyone split up at that moment, and Bob and the French peas ran out of the electrical room, the robot right on their heels.

"What do we do?!" Jean-Claude yelled.

"We need to head to the lobby and get help!" Bob shouted back. He and Jean-Claude were halfway to the stairs when they heard Philippe yell for help. They turned around to see that he had tripped, and the robot was inches away from him.

"PHILIPPE!" Jean-Claude was down the hall faster than Bob could say anything as he rushed to save his brother. Bob also picked up the pace as the rampaging robot came closer to the peas. When he reached them, the robot raised its arms, ready to bury them into the floor.

"AAAAAHH!" they all screamed.

TO BE CONTINUED...

Next time on Hugs and Kisses:

Madame Blueberry: You're not going to get away with this, Julian!

(Julian turns around, and pulls out a pistol. Madame Blue stops in shock.)

Julian (grinning psychotically): Let THIS be a lesson to those who ruin my plans!

(Before he can shoot, Larry grabs a book and hurls it at him, hitting him square in the face. He falls over in pain.)

Larry: Let THIS be a lesson to those who threaten my friends!

(Pa and Archie get Bob and the French peas out of harm's way.)

Pa: I knew we shouldn't have left the batteries in that thing!

Archie: Batteries...that's it! Jimmy, Jerry, get some sodas from the vending machine!

(Mr. Lunt is chasing after Eddie...)

Mr. Lunt: Get back here!

Eddie: Try to get past THIS, stupid gourd!

(He smashes open the door to the camera room, and at once lasers start flying out of it.)

Mr. Lunt: When I get to him, he's gonna wish he'd just given up!

Stay tuned for Chapter 12: The Incident, Part 2

So, Madame Blue and Bob are finally together...and now Eddie Russell and his crazy boss are trying to keep them apart by getting rid of them. Can Bob and co. stop the maniacal duo? You'll have to wait and see! Don't worry, there are no veggies that were harmed in this scene. Well, maybe next chapter. Julian flat out draws a gun on Madame Blue, but he won't get a chance to shoot it.

Julian's character is pretty much the calm, calculating type, but even he has crazy moments. I made him be a pretty good contrast to Eddie-and I made sure that he's as hated as Eddie.

Fear not, dear readers. Next chapter is the last serious one that we're having, and then we get back to the lighthearted ones. I'm thinking of ending this story in four more chapters or so. I might even bump the rating up to T with how the action's going.

I hope you enjoyed, and please tell me what you think of it so far!

God Bless, iheargod175