Disclaimer: I don't own SpongeBob SqaurePants. He and the rest of the characters belong to their rightful owner the genius; Stephen Hilenburg.

Notes: The title 'L'avenir' is indeed French meaning 'The Future'. This story is set around where Sponge is 20 to 22 years old (Sandy would be 19-21). It may seem OOC to the extent where SpongeBob is thinking about his future more than a fry cook-I still wanted to explore this though. Thanks for the reviews and enjoy!

Title: L'avenir


When he had halted her enthralling explanation of proteins and enzymes in plants, he asked her if she wanted to see the beauty of an underwater sunset. He had startled her in some way due to his question being: random, unforeseen and unexpected. Nevertheless, her reply was yes. Despite living in sea for more than eight years, viewing the disappearance of the sun undersea, was not featured in her priority list.

.

.

"It's not fair," complained SpongeBob. "I mean, just look at it! It rises everyday, remains forever as the brightest star in the world but, but at least it has the opportunity to change it's colours in the sky."

"Okay?" She replied, in quite a baffled manner. His outburst made her observe him concerningly.

'Great going SpongeBob, this is the second random thing you've said to her today' he thought. SpongeBob gave the squirrel a tight lipped smile to prove to her that he was as fine as sunshine. He then lied back down on the grass of jellyfish fields, waiting to for a few more seconds before the sun went below the horizon in the west. He closed his eyes in frustration, realising that he had voiced out personal thoughts which had been plaguing his mind for some time with it's complex issues unresolved.

"Don't mind me Sandy," he said, about to erase his outburst from ever happening. "My brain is just a little soaked up today with incy-wincy stuff because after all, I am a sponge," he paused there to laugh at the inside joke he made. "It's not like I'm envious of the sun or confused." he said quietly.

'There's somethin' not hooked right with him today' her mind proclaimed.

Sandy could read the yellow Bikini Bottomite's body language as easy as she could read a book for a twelve year old. This talk about the sun is an out-of-the-blue topic the sponge has sprung up. His tone of voice throughout has been low in pitch and slightly mature-that is not SpongeBob; it is not him at all. The squirrel presumes that his mood is 'blue', and distressed. In her head, she starts to recall the tight-lipped smile he gave to her that was definitely not a genuine SpongeBob smile. 'His teeth were concealed and knowin' him like I do, he loves to show off his cavity-free pearly whites. He's withholding some sort of secret or anxieties on somethin' from me' she notes mentally.

.

.

A sound, ranged between the emotion of fright and surprise was unleashed out of SpongeBob when his view was his friend, the female squirrel above him. Sandy seemed to be practically straddling him by the way she positioned herself even though she was not restraining the sponge with physical contact anywhere.

'I'm probably blushing, but I just can't help it. Sandy's piercing her brown eyes into mine, what is she trying to find?'

The squirrel detected the tinge of red present on the sponge's cheeks, however that dose not count as anything serious because it's obviously due to the close proximity for the moment that she's put themselves in (they weren't in such positions everyday). She spots out how he keeps looking to the side to avoid her stare on him. It then hits her! As Sandy gently yet firmly holds the sponge's face to view his eyes-giving him no option but to stare back at her. All the sayings from family members come running that 'the eyes are a window to a person's soul'.

'I know for a fact that eye's are a significant aspect of non-verbal communication we send to other folks. SpongeBob has always got striking, spirited sapphire eyes when happy, at ease or just bein' plain ol' him, so this development of his blue eyes a shade darker than usual which I suspect is teal an' azure ain't too good. I guess I got cut straight to the point with him now'

.

.

The yellow male sat up when Sandy got off of him. He then turned his eyes on her, warily studying why she did what she did or what she was thinking of doing now.

"Sorry, if I put y'all in an' awkward or confusin' moment." says Sandy.

SpongeBob shakes his head with an almost genuine smile on his face. "Nah, it's okay Sandy. I mean, we are close friends an' all but, wasn't that a lil' too close for comfort?"

Sandy wants to smile at the fact that the real SpongeBob is starting to creep back in today but she refrains from doing so. There is an issue that needs to be settled and most likely discussed.

"Look, I've realised an' you surely have too that you're not your normal self today," she points out. "Why, you're gettin' green with envy over the sun, actin' completely addled an' you're blue eyes have lost their shine. When y'all smile, you ain't showin' ya' teeth." says Sandy.

'So she did notice'

"...When I met you Sandy, I find out you're a scientist, karate expert, then an inventor and now, you're a psychiatrist too? What else are you not?" exclaims the sponge in awe.

She shrugs her shoulders, admiring how he admires her but she can recognise an evasive attempt on his part.

"I might have taken a psychology class somewhere in college but back to the point, spill the beans SpongeBob. Why are y'all depressed, anxious and sadder then a puppy with their chew toy ripped to shreds by a lawnmower."

"Nothing escaped you," quietly mutters the yellow male. "Hard decisions pop up in life but like my uncle in the Bay of Biscay would say to me; c'est la vie. I better get used to it...It's just that...I'm scared."

"Of what?" asks the squirrel.

"The future! My future! Who am I now and what I could be and, and if I love the Krusty Krab or if I truly love Bikini Bottom like I say I do and just those 'if' questions flying all over the place in my head. I'm so confused."

"You ain't the only one, I am too partner. Mind tellin' me what you're confused about exactly?"

SpongeBob gives out a deep sigh of relief because finally, he's going to talk to a friend when he's been hiding such secrets for quite some time. Before he turns his whole body to Sandy to explain everything, he notices that the underwater sky of what was supposed to be sunset has turned into a scenery of twilight. They've missed it! Him and Sandy have missed the sun's resting time.

'Fish paste! I really wanted her to see it too but it doesn't seem like Sandy minds at all. I'll have to find a way to make it up to her'

.

.

She hugs him because half of what he says is wonderful news and she wishes he'd told her and other of his friends sooner so a whole celebration of congrats could have been planned.

"I'm proud of you! Honestly, I'm prouder than a mother who's sorry good-for-nothing' delinquent son enters college."

"Thanks, Sandy." The sponge manages to say. Sandy's arms are wrapped so tightly around him that he's sure he'll split in half. Setting such thoughts aside, he doesn't mind being hugged by Sandy that much. When she lets go, he's sure that something in his body is screaming in protest.

"It's not an' easy decision, there's been many in you're position like that blue fish that used to work in the Krusty Krab you told me about. He made it big."

The sponge clicked his fingers. "Oh, I know who you mean, Jim. He's one of the greatest fry cooks in the sea. He left everything, quit the Krusty Krabs and went for it. I-I don't know what I'd do and what I want to do."

It occurred under six months ago where SpongeBob SquarePants had been offered the opportunity of a life time by a culinary talent agent, who had seen his skills in the kitchen and saw the great potential that could become a gift if trained. One of the benefits of the opportunity was the chance to become a well renown fry cook in the whole of the Pacific Ocean. The second was the chance to train and learn advance and exciting skills from culinary masters like Jim and many extraordinary others. The third benefit had to be the tastiest one, to eat and dine some of the finest and exquisite restaurants in the whole ocean.

As fantastic as this new future sounded, there were many flaws. SpongeBob would have to leave his friends and family and only have Gary accompany him on such an adventure. His beloved city would probably become the sixth or last loved after he visited so much more in wealthier and cultured districts. His job at the Krusty Krab would no longer be his, it would been given away to the undisciplined teenagers who didn't know how to handle a krabby patty with care or take pride in upholding the Krusty Krab name. Could he do it? Live for a year or two without: his best friend Patrick, his best friend (super secret crush) Sandy, his best friend Squidward (in his eyes), his wonderful boss Mr. Krabs (in his eyes again), Ms. Puff, Plankton, the mail man or even old man Jenkins. The pros and cons weighed each other so equally.

.

.

"I feel like, like...," the sponge re-sorted his thoughts so he could articulate his words properly. "It's like I'm going through a cycle again of growing up again." he said.

Sandy failed miserably to contain her snicker. "Considering you're 21, shouldn't y'all already have grown up."

At first he was shocked but then he couldn't help but grin and join in on laughter. He wasn't one to miss out on a joke since, he kinda of was the joke.

.

.

"My Aunt Clara, in Louisiana, gave me some purty good wisdom about the future. For folks who are anticipatin' it, scared and worried."

"What'd she say?" asked the sponge.

Sandy the squirrel's native tongue of English changed to one she had learnt due to some family ancestry; French. "Nous avons peur de l'avenir à cause de choses qu'il tient dans ses mains, donc nous devons être courageux et prenons les choses dans ses mains."

SpongeBob wiped a tear from his right eye. "T-that, that sounds inspiring, motivating and entirely captivating to my ears Sandy but...I have no clue to what you said."

"I thought you'd say that. Translating at best from French to English, it means that 'we are afraid of the future because of the things it holds in it's hands, so we need to become courageous and take the things in it's hands."

"Oh, that's what it means. I still have one question though, what kind of things does the future hold."

Sandy opened her mouth and then closed it. She decided that a real-life example would be more understandable to the yellow sponge than an eighteenth century philosopher's theory.

"Take me for example, arrivin' here in this lil' city. Y'all know how I get homesick sometimes...Leavin' mah family and two good friends for mah once-in-a-lifetime adventure as a be a scientist slash inventor under the sea, was one of the hardest decisions I've ever made," Said the female squirrel locking her gaze up to the ocean surface, knowing that the people she loved where on land. "I remember bein' scareder than a cat at the dog pound when I actually decided to pursue it."

As if it was of any relevance, the squirrel was now noticing that the indigo twilight scenery was disappearing and leaving space for the darkness of the night to form. She arced her head to face SpongeBob who was of relevance.

"I chose to be courageous and take things from the future. I got: the opportunity to be an employee for Tree dome Enterprises, experience life under the sea in a breath-taking way, try out extreme death-defying stunts that ain't even available on land but probably the best had to be making friends," said the squirrel in a soft tone towards the end.

"Between you and me, there's this certain friend I'll never forget. He showed me where my home truly lies, proved to be a skilled sparing partner in karate, displayed to me never ending happiness but most importantly, he showed me that my future in Bikini Bottom was bright. I, myself opened the door to my future but he held my hand and went along with me."

"So, you were never quite alone?" inquired the skilled sparing partner.

She shook her head to the left and right. "Never."

.

.

"If or when I open that door, the door that will lead me in my new, scary and exciting future...You'll take my hand and lead me in?" questioned doubtfully the sponge.

Actions spoke louder than words. Sandy Cheeks grasped SpongeBob SquarePants hand in hers to prove her point. Her hands were so bind to his that he knew that, if an earthquake was to strike down on Jellyfish fields, and he and Sandy were to fall down in a huge crater; their hands would still be linked. She'd be with him every step of the way into his future. He wouldn't want it any other way.


Ending 2:

"If or when I open that door, the door that will lead me in my new, scary and exciting future...You'll take my hand and lead me in?" questioned doubtfully the sponge.

Actions spoke louder than words. Sandy Cheeks grasped SpongeBob SquarePants hand in hers to prove her point.


Ending 3:

"If or when I open that door, the door that will lead me in my new, scary and exciting future...You'll take my hand and lead me in?" questioned doubtfully the sponge.

Actions spoke louder than words. Sandy Cheeks grasped SpongeBob SquarePants hand in hers and gave him her answer. "Course I will."


A/N: Three endings because I liked them for all different reasons (and because I was indecisive). Give me your point of view and tell me readers, which ending you preferred the most. Constructive Criticism and advice are always welcomed here.