A/N: Well, here it is. The last chapter. I must tell you I have at least six versions of this in my notebook. I had such a terrible time with this one part. (pats bald spot) But my hair will regrow and I think I am well-satisfied.
luigifan2234: I'm real sorry it wasn't very dramatic. It WAS going to be very dramatic and suspenseful until I hacked it in two. It may have seemed like romantical fluff, but trust me, it all adds up to something.
northernlight33: Tank you so much fo all deh awesome reviews! hugs I hope you find this last chappie to yer liking!
sponge-fan: Thank you so so much for the fave! I'm glad you like it that much. You've been great.
A. Nonymous: Yay! Glad you love it! And no, she's totally talking about Patrick. rolls eyes Of course she means Dennis, fool! j/k Thankees again.
anonymous dudes: Thanks! Yes, poor Patrick.
Okay, now that my extremely long introduction is over, please read and...hopefully...enjoy.
Part Diez
They talked for the remainder of the meal, and rest assured the food was the finest under the sea. A world-class band was quickly got to perform. Photographers came in and flashed their cameras several times. A little girl even came up to ask for Mindy's autograph. The attention blew his mind; it was just too much to handle. Mindy seemed perfectly at ease, but she'd gotten this kind of treatment all her life. He was thankful when they finally left.
"Where to now?" Mindy asked. He smiled as they climbed on the motorcycle.
"I figured we could just go somewhere peaceful…" he said. Mindy leaned her head on his back as he made for Seashell Park.
When they alighted he looked sorrowfully at her dress, now pretty much covered with soot. She followed his gaze and laughed, twirling her skirts.
"I could start a new fashion!" she said, wiping her palm across the dress. "For all those chicks with rebel biker boys!"
He hit her playfully in the arm. She exclaimed haughtily and, sticking her chin out, shoved him roughly into the ground. His mouth dropped a little as he stared up at her, eyebrows raised, laughing in disbelief.
"What'sa matter?" she teased. "Can't admit you just got plowed into the ground by a girl?"
"Yea right!" he said, wiping the dust off his face. "I let you have that one!" He grabbed her arm and yanked her down beside him. She laughed wildly as he hugged her close to his side. The silliness seemed to leave them as they both stared up at the night sky.
"Where would you be right now…" Mindy said, "if you had never come back to Bikini Bottom?"
He didn't want to answer. Truth be told, he was still ashamed of the man he had been.
"Well…" he began, choosing his words carefully. "I'd probably be on the road somewhere."
"And?" she prompted. He wasn't fooling anybody.
"And missing you ever single moment," he said, kissing her head. She smiled and snuggled closer.
"If I wasn't a princess," she said quietly. "I'd be a nobody…"
He sat up and stared at her blankly.
"How can you say that?"
She shrugged. "It's true. Remember when we were in third grade? And that new kid came and made fun of me all day and stole my glasses…until someone told him I was Neptune's daughter…"
"You can't think like that. You're the most likable person I know."
She grinned faintly. "No offence, Dennis, but you don't know that many likable people."
He laughed. He really didn't associate with many people people.
"But listen," he said, hugging her tight. "You mean everything to me. And I would love you no matter what."
She smiled, closing her eyes. "No matter what?"
"No matter what."
He leaned against the light post on the corner, looking down the deserted street. Mindy emerged from a late-night store, chewing on a piece of candy and waving a paper.
"Look what I found, Dennis," she said, grinning mischievously. She stopped mid-chew and pointed to the magazine.
"It's you!" she said. "Aren't you cute?"
Dennis' brow furrowed. He was on the cover of a tabloid!
"When was this?" he asked, staring at the picture.
"A week or two ago…outside GG's…" She finished her chocolate and smiled. "Remember?"
"How could I forget?" he said, giving her a kiss.
"Hmm…" she sighed happily. He raised his eyebrows and looked around suspiciously.
"There's no more photographers around is there?" he joked. She rolled her eyes.
"I better take you home," he sighed. Wet drops of rain were beginning to fall, making disappearing circles on the sidewalk. "Your father will kill me."
"But I don't want to go home yet!" Mindy pouted. He gave her a knowing glance. She sighed. "Fine." She half-turned and smiled mischievously. Suddenly she popped his hat off his head and snatched it out of the air.
"Hey, hey!" he exclaimed, grabbing his head. She skittered away with a smug look on her face.
"You are unbelievable," he laughed. The rain started to come down harder.
She cocked an eyebrow, smiling sweetly and holding it out his reach. "Oh am I? Well you won't leave without the hat and I'm not giving it to you. So there."
"Riiiight…" He lunged, trying to catch her off guard, but she smoothly flung the hat into the road. It landed with a THWOP on the soggy wet ground.
"Well…" she giggled, crinkling her nose, her wet hair hanging in matted clumps around her face. "Believe that."
He popped her under the chin and mussed her hair. She shook away playfully and, resided, slowly went to retrieve the hat. The rain fell more steadily, and as she bent down she slipped and lost her balance…and fell smack into an oily puddle that had begun to gather near the sewage drain.
Dennis laughed, noting her comical expression, her muddy red dress and his black cowboy hat squeezed tightly in her hands. If his sketchbook could be unearthed from his messy apartment he would have to draw it.
She glared at him somewhat resentfully, her lower lip jutting out in indignation. Suddenly, in the driving rain he saw a flash of light reflecting off her glasses.
He turned toward the source and froze in horror. A boat was barreling toward them, showing no sign of slowing down.
"Mindy! Get up!" he yelled. Her gaze was now transfixed on the approaching headlights, her mouth hanging open in a dazed stupor.
"Now!" he screamed. She snapped back to reality and scrambled up. She tugged on her dress and panic filled her eyes. She yanked fiercely, but the hem remained steadfastly snagged in the thin slats of the drain.
"I'm stuck!" she cried, her words lost in the wind. Frantically he ran towards her, unable to think. He took hold of her by the elbows.
"Ready…" he panted. He pulled with all his might, anything to get her out…but the dress was twisted too tightly and the material was too strong to rip. She squeezed his arms tightly.
And then he fell, tumbling backwards, trying to get a stand on the slippery sidewalk. The force sent Mindy falling again, and a ferocious ringing began in his ears.
"MINDY!" he cried. The glaring lights of the boat blinded him on one side and he shielded his face. All he could hear was an earpiercing scream, then a squeal of tires and a sickening thud. And the worst silence the world has ever known…
When he turned around he froze in shock. Tears streamed quietly down his face. No. It couldn't—
He hesitantly crossed the road. He dropped to his knees and grabbed her hand. Her eyes flicked upward. She moaned painfully.
He barely recognized her. A severe wound cut through her side, the blood spilling out and blending with the red of her dress. He other arm lay broken and out of socket. Her glasses were shattered. She clutched a corner of his vest, gasping for support.
"Dennis…it hurts…"
His insides twisted violently. Oh, Mindy…this was all his fault. If he had only been able to save her…
"You'll be fine…don't worry, you'll be fine…" But his words came out as a sob.
Policemen pulled up sometime in the confusion. He recognized Nancy and Fred's voices but didn't look up.
"The paramedics are on the way," Fred said.
"They think they know the guy who did it," said Nancy. Dennis suddenly realized the boat had totally vanished. "He's been all over town, causing accidents. May be that he wasn't even qualified for his driver's license…"
"Does someone have a hold of the king?" Fred barked into a walkie-talkie.
"Clear away people!"
Indeed a small crowd was already gathering around them, faces cut of the same stone, all holding their breath and hoping…
Mindy coughed violently, her body convulsing, her face going pale. It broke his heart to watch.
"Oh, Mindy…" he whispered, squeezing her hand and bringing it up to his face. "I'm sorry…I'm so, so sorry…" He shook as he sobbed quietly.
"Dennis…I can't…it hurts so much…"
His lower lip trembled. "No, Mindy. No. Just hang on. Help's on the way…"
She looked at him with lidded eyes, smiling wanly.
"We had a fun time tonight, didn't we?" she said.
"Mindy…what are you talking about?"
"I'd say it was one of the best days I've ever had…" she said, pressing her lips together, tears flowing down her face.
"Mindy, please…God no…you're scaring me…" He squeezed her hand tightly, not daring to let go.
"Sir…you're gonna have to clear away…" said Fred. Mindy shook her head.
"No…" she croaked. "Let him stay…I want him here…" The officer backed away reverently, biting his lip.
"Dennis…please…I can't…"
"Yes you can! You're not gonna die, you hear! You're not gonna die!" He grabbed her by the shoulders and practically shook her, weeping in her arms.
"Please…just tell Father…"
"God, Mindy, no…don't do this—"
"Tell him I love him and-and not to be so harsh with people."
"Please…"
"I love you," she mouthed. She closed her eyes. Her hand went limp. He'd seen death before… He sobbed bitterly, still clutching her hand, the will within him draining away…
Suddenly an ambulance appeared and the paramedics rushed out.
"Where?" one called, holding a stretcher. He whirled around, anger coursing through him.
"You're too late!" he shrieked, casting frantic looks at them all. His voice shook. "She's already dead!"
He looked down at her cold, bloody form and turned on his heel and ran, reading to scream. Behind him he heard cries of "Long live the king!" He ran faster, afraid to think.
He slowed down when he reached his home. He trembled, backing up, staring at his hands, now soaked with bloody tears. He closed his eyes, waves of nausea rolling over him. If he hadn't slipped, she wouldn't have fallen directly in it's path…she would still be alive.
He flung open the door of the house, the dark shadows pressing in upon him. He sank to his knees and buried his face in his hands, grief wrenching him apart.
"I tried, Mindy…I really did…" he sobbed, her name sending him into a fresh round of tears. He thought of all the lives he'd wrecked…starting with Chad and the numbers adding fast. All the people who had ever cared for him were dead. And even though he had tried to change from his murderous ways, he'd really ended up hurting, killing the one he'd loved most.
Mindy was life. Mindy was dead.
It would have been better for everyone if I had never been born.
He stood and staggered into his room, his eyes blurry from crying. He sat down on the bed, running a hand through his hair. He seemed unable to escape his thoughts.
"I tried…" he whispered. "If it wasn't for me you'd still be alive."
All he could hear was the ticking of the clock.
"I can't change…" he put voice to his fear, shivering. "Mindy…" He trembled and clasped his hands together.
My Life has stood—a Loaded Gun—
In Corners—till a DaySadly he looked up to see his gun lying on the desk, last used when he'd almost shot SpongeBob…He shivered. What he had been then—that was the best if was going to get. He couldn't change…and without Mindy…She had believed in him, and he'd let her down.
"Just because someone has the power to kill…" she had said. He put his head in his hands. What about the will to die?
"Lord, forgive me for everything I've done," he whispered hoarsely.
Slowly he grabbed the gun and held it to his head.
For I have but the power to kill
Without—the power to die—
Termina
A/N: If you guys have questions, comments, or requests for my next story, please include it in your review and I will right a short Author's Epilogue in response. You guys have been the greatest.