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Chapter 10

A Warning

Mr Krabs and Squidward entered the house just to be greeted with the scent of freshly baked cookies and the sound of laughter from the living room. They both smiled at the familiar sound, there was something nice about living together even if it was temporary. They'd all be going home today.

"Ahoy!" Mr Krabs greeted as he entered the living room. On the floor there was an overturned board game, half the cookies were eaten and the other half sat in a tin next to the youngest's knee. SpongeBob was laughing and cheering as Sandy and Patrick play wrestled on the floor.

"You cheated!" Sandy chuckled evilly, "You will pay!"

"I didn't cheat! I'm just better than you, you just gotta accept that!" Patrick joked back playfully,

"We said 'hello'!" Squidward huffed as he sat on the couch, the fight quickly stopped. SpongeBob leapt to his feet.

"Did you find out if Phineas is ok? Did you find my phone?" He blurted worriedly, glancing feverishly between the two.

"Phone's gone, you're gonna have to buy a new one." Squidward informed him with a shrug.

"Aw man!" SpongeBob pouted, "That's gonna take forever!"

"About Phineas…" Mr Krabs began, trying to break the news delicately. "We visited him."

"Is he ok?" SpongeBob asked, fidgeting with his fingers.

"Yeah, his nose was a little bloody but he was fine." Mr Krabs assured the boy, "He said you two were attacked, he said you ran away and left him behind."

SpongeBob bowed his head as tears stung his eyes, he felt so guilty and ashamed.

"I'm such a coward! How could I do that to him!?" He cried in distress, he suddenly turned angry. "I'm such an idiot! I shouldn't have left him alone and I shouldn't have drank! This is all my fault!"

"It is not!" Sandy stood and put a hand on SpongeBob's shoulder but he just shrugged it off, he didn't believe he deserved comfort.

"Buddy, you were drunk and scared!" Patrick insisted gently, still sat on the floor. "Nobody blames you."

SpongeBob stayed silent, staring down at his feet.

"We told Phineas that you two aren't to see each other anymore." Mr Krabs finally admitted. SpongeBob, Sandy and Patrick looked at the two in shock.

"What? Why!?" The freckled boy insisted.

"Because of what happened! A real friend would never have let you get that drunk and hurt!" Squidward sat forward sternly,

"But this is my fault!" SpongeBob snapped, "I'm the one who got drunk, I'm the one who got hurt, I'm the one who ran away! I'm the bad friend, not him!"

"You are not a bad friend!" Patrick shook his head and stood up,

"I need to at least apologise!" SpongeBob looked up to his two coworkers pleadingly.

"No." Mr Krabs frowned, "You are not to go near him. That's final."

"But-"

"No!" Mr Krabs warned, putting his foot down. "It's for the best."

SpongeBob just nodded meekly, he trusted his friends with his life and if they told him this was for the best then he believed them.

He quietly excused himself and headed up to the room, he decided just to grab the few things he brought and go home. He needed Gary's comfort and, for once, he wanted to be alone to think about all that happened.

He collected his things, thanked his friends again for their help and hospitality before heading out the door and homewards.

He walked down the path, splashing as he went. The rain was beginning to pick up again, SpongeBob was beginning to think the weather hated him. He would be soaked through before he got home. He glared at the sidewalk as he fast-walked, he still felt ashamed and foolish for the events of the previous night.

He wished he had just stayed with his friends, he wished he had been more careful and most of all he wished he weren't such a coward.

He sighed as his walk turned into a jog, he just wanted to get home.

Mr Krabs decided to give the others a lift, the rain was coming down hard and he didn't want them to get too wet. He understood SpongeBob needed space, he'd been through a lot of emotions in the last 48 hours or so.

As they drove towards Sandy's house they passed the Krusty Krab and the Chum Bucket, Mr Krabs wasn't looking at the buildings but Sandy told him to stop.

"What is it?" He asked as he slowed down.

"Look over there! At the Chum Bucket!" Sandy breathed, peering out the window. "Who is that?"

They all looked over, struggling to see through the rain. As the figure arrived at the doors, the overhead light cast a cold glow over his face.

"That's Phineas!" Patrick gasped, they watched as the man entered the restaurant.

"What's he doing at that dump?" Squidward curled his lip in disgust, he then noticed Mr Krabs had his eyes narrowed.

"I bet that no good Plankton is behind all this." He snarled, "They're in cahoots!"

"They're what?" Patrick asked dumbly.

"He thinks they're working together." Sandy cleared up for him before frowning at the two men in the front seat, "But on what? They haven't done anything?"

"Haven't they?" Mr Krabs looked at her.

"No!" She shook her head in disbelief, "What are you talking about?"

"He thinks Plankton's behind the attempted kidnapping." Squidward stared at his boss warily, "But you're forgetting Phineas was hurt too, why would he hurt the guy he's working with?"

"I don't know but I don't trust it." The oldest began driving again, a stern frown on his face.

"What else is new?" Patrick huffed, relaxing back in his seat. He didn't see a connection, he just assumed the guy was hungry and had no taste.

Mr Krabs snarled but knew he had no proof, really he had nothing to base it on other than his hate for Plankton. He'd be keeping a close eye on things, he wasn't going to let everything get out of hand again.

SpongeBob lay on his couch, Gary was sleeping and purring on his stomach. He stared up at the ceiling feeling awful, he felt so guilty he couldn't breathe. He petted his cat gently, trying to take deep breaths and think of how he could make things right without disobeying his friends.

At least he was back to work tomorrow.

Said nobody ever. Let me know what you think!