Disclaimer: I can hope, wish and dream that I own SpongeBob, but it's just wishful thinking. Stephen Hilenburg is the owner.

Title: Love Potion 4

"Sure, SpongeBob. I'd be glad to pass on some of me impartial wisdom." he replies. "Always remember that it's money that makes the world go-"

"-that's not the kind of guidance I need Mr. Krabs." I interrupt. "It's not about money."

"Oh, is that so?" he comments, leaning back in his stiff chair. "Then what seems to be the problem, lad?"

I feel slightly hesitant before I speak. "Well it's...about a girl." I answer meekly. "A girl I've known for a very, very long time. We're good friends and I'm sure you know her too. She sometimes comes to the Krusty Krab, and she even worked here once as-"

I stop speaking.

I also nearly jump out of my chair, scared to death at the sound my ears hear (it sounded like smashing fists). Looking to the source of the sound, my eyes widen to what was once Mr. Krabs' desk, destroyed to smithereens. Debris is everywhere. I look to the only person in the room who could've done that (no way in Davy Jones Locker is it me). I'm gawking (and mentally trembling) at the feral glare Mr. Krabs is throwing at me.

"Lad," I gulp at his tone of voice. What have I done now? "you're a good fry cook and all, but you'll walk the plank if you think I'll let you be with me only daughter Pearl. I'll even-"

Wait a minute. His only daughter? Pearl...Pearl! That's definitely NOT who I was talking about.

Throwing my hands up in surrender (because I can't find my white flag), I interrupt Mr. Krabs for the second time today. "Mr. Krabs, I am NOT talking about Pearl!" I splutter. "It's Sandy! Sandy Cheeks!"

The 'crazy' look in his eyes (that can rival Gary's in the mornings) fades away and I can recognise good ol' Mr. K again.

Wiping his brow, he says, "Whew, that's a relief. I could've keelhauled ya, and sent you to Fiddlers Green." I try not to wince at his once threats. "Now, tell me boy, what's the problem with you and the land squirrel?"

I fiddle with my fingers, not really sure what to say and where to start. Plenty of things have happened between me and Sandy. Plenty things of confusing things that Mr. Krabs might question me on.

"C'mon Mr. SquarePants, I ain't got eternity in me life span."

My mouth opens, and out comes the explanation of the days that transpired between me and the Sandy. The Sandy who wasn't-acting-like-herself-but-still-looked-talked -and-smelt-like-herself. I talk about the questions she asked, the game we played but I don't dare elaborate on the massage incident (Mr. Krabs might think that something else happened).

"Aye, it is what I feared." my boss states. "I didn't think it'd happen now though. Darn Mr. Squidward."

My eye brows furrow, what does Squidward have to do with anything? Mr. K begins mumble inaudible words I can barely pick up. I hear: lazy cashier won...bet...not me money...SpongeBob maturing. Is he speaking gibberish again?

"What you on about Mr. K?"

His eyes take notice of me. He shakes his head. "Forget what I said, Lad. Let's sail back to ye problem." His green eyes (or are they black cause of the pupil?) pierce into mine. "How old are ya?"

"Twenty two, twenty-three in a few months." I happily answer.

"Hmm," he hmm's scratching his chin. "I'm surprised ye don't know what's going on. Well it is you after all. As she is a land creature, there's no really telling what her motives are but, she is all women," he states. "a pretty lass when I think about it." my eyes twitch at his words. "It's quite obvious Mr. SquarePants. The lil' squirrel find you to be quite fetchin'."

"So by that you mean..."

"That she likes ya. Yes, that's what I mean." he affirms.

Why does everyone keep saying that? I know Sandy likes me. I like her too as well. "Mr. Krabs, I know Sandy likes me I like her too."

He sighs and begins to scratch his chin again. "How can I explain this to ya...er, the lass has a um...what's the word Pearl and her friends use?" he questions himself. "A crack, creak, cruise, crumple? No, I've nearly got it...crush? That's it! The land squirrel is crushin' on ya boy, or maybe a lil' more so considering that interestin' game you've played with her."

"A crush?" My head shakes at that. "No, no, no Mr. Krabs. We've been friends for years and if Sandy liked me like that then surely-"

My mouth closes when he shakes his head at me.

"Love works in mysterious ways SpongeBob." the way he speaks indicates that he's got experience.

I don't how to reply to that because the situation is still absurd. Me and Sandy? Together? Like a...a couple? I never thought of that. Ever! That idea of us being more than friends isn't something I've even thought could be possible, I mean she's smart, strong and she's like, well, I think she's pretty. Squidward has joked around and called her my girlfriend and me her boyfriend but he was just kidding around. He didn't mean it.

"I-I guess so," is all I can say. "I've never thought that, I mean, me and Sandy?"

Mr. Krabs nods his head sympathetically at me. "Truth be told boy, many of us thought it'd be you that be attracted to her. Seems like fate constructed her own plans," after scratching his chin for the third time today, he begins to chuckle. "unless her plans weren't working and she gave the squirrel a love potion to drink."

A smile at little that. A love potion. That would explain Sandy's different actions towards me a lot easier than her actually crushing on me. Ha! Still, it's funny how a few days ago, Sandy had created that pink lil' love potion for those two yellow birds: Hina and Kalani.

What had she been saying again?

'We scientists do this all the time. This potion is to help these two birds fall in love.'

Oh, yeah. I remember that while she poured one half of the potion in Kalani's cage, I had the other half and was going to pour it in Hina's, but she had escaped (sneakily so) and grabbed the potion away from me and...and...whoa, I need a rewind there.

Okay, firstly, Sandy had tripped trying to catch Hina. Hina's claws had let go of the pink potion. When I ran to Sandy, her head was bleeding. There was no sharp or spiky things on the floor where Sandy had fell and the only sharp thing that could've hurt would've been the glass Hina had dropped...Oh dear Neptune! Sandy had said about the potion that, 'it has absolutely no effect on sea critters.' Sandy isn't a sea critter! She had tried to hold a breath underwater in the Krusty Krab and nearly killed herself doing so (I'll never forgive myself for that incident). Then that means that...it means that...she's in love with me, because of the potion. Therefore, the Sandy who wasn't-acting-like-herself-but-still-looked-talked -and-smelt-like-herself was only not acting like herself because of the potion.

As I abruptly stand up from my chair, I don't pay attention to it toppling over.

My own eyes pierce into my bosses. "Mr. Krabs, I require I long lunch break today. Preferably now." Even if Sandy's actions are at stake and I'm determined about this mission I must embark on, I can't forget my manners. "Please?"

A loud baritone laugh is not what I expect from my boss. "Finally acting like a man I see. About time. By all means, go."

My smile stretches to edges of my face. "Thanks, Mr. Krabs!"

When I'm halfway opening the door, I arc my head back hearing my boss call my name.

"Yes, Mr. Krabs?"

"The impartial wisdom I've given to you comes with a charge, boy." I nod my head at this. Naturally, to financially support the necessary SECRET things of the Krusty Krab, Old Man Krabs tend to charge me for: working at the Krusty Krab ($100 an hour), breathing and for simply existing.

"Instead of charging ya for money, you will purchase and replace me damaged $68.00 desk."

That did sound reasonable.

"Sure, I'll get right on it. I won't rest until I find you the exact wood style your desk once was." I pick up one of the debris. "I'm sure it's that Red Oak type, but sure does look like dark Maple and also-"

"SpongeBob." is what he says, cutting me off in a serious tone.

Despite myself, I gulp. "Yes, Mr. K?"

"That is mahogany."

"O-okay, Mr. Krabs." I stutter. "Mahogany, I got it. Thank you again."

.

.

First thing first. Sandy takes priority over finding Mr. Krabs new desk. I gotta get her back to her old self no matter what. I also need to get a sample of that potion from somewhere in her lab. With my hands shoved in my pockets, I stroll down the way home brainstorming an innovative plan.

'Hmm, me and Sandy didn't exactly part in the most pleasant way, so I cant just enter and greet her like normal...Think SpongeBob, think...I got it! I'll stealthily enter her tree dome at night and then sneakily enter her lab and then locate the love potion.'

I continue walking, realising I've stopped. 'What else am I forgetting? Of course, spy clothes! I'll have to look the part if I'm going to be playing it. I do look dashing in a black suit.'

.

.

Crouching behind barnacle covered rock, I peer out from the left side and reach for my high-tech binoculars (from Goofy Goober's surprise bag) . I survey the view in front of me. The tree dome can be seen, and Sandy cannot. Good. She must've gone to bed by now. I glance at my watch. It states: 21:01. One minute past nine o' clock, time to dig my way under. Good thinking on my part that I brought my helmet with me this time. I don't want to suffer from a concussion again.

After I rise out of the hole, I dust the dirt off my suit. Immediately, I tuck and roll under Sandy's picnic bench when feeling the 'attacks' hit me. What the heck was that? It felt like bullets, no, no that. Sandy's not really a mad psychotic scientist. Peering out of the bench, my eyes focus intently on what the attack was. I gasp in amazement that it was...rain. It's raining in her tree dome! I've been in it before when it snowed but never have I seen rain before. Well, this must be my lucky day today cause now I don't have to continue wearing my bubble helmet (which does weigh a few pounds).

Skilfully, I'm tiptoeing my way across to Sandy's lab (so I don't alert any wild bull worms trained to sniff me out), once I'm inside, I freeze, waiting for it, anticipating to see it, but...huh, that's weird. In the spy movie, there were these sizzling hot red lasers all over the scientific lab. Tartar sauce! I was hoping to perform awesome acrobatic moves over them to retrieve the important object (which is the potion).

Moving on, I spot and move to the place Sandy had been when she had gotten hurt. The broken glass and pink liquid (the potion) that was once on the floor a few days ago is non-existent. Fish Paste! Sandy must've clean the mess, I can't think of any other reason.

'There's no way this can be end. There was another half to the potion, wasn't there? Remember, remember, remember...yes, there is. Kalani's snacks! Sandy had poured the love potion all over his food, there's gotta be some traces of it there.'

Today's is my lucky day. I must've gotten a four-leaf clover stuck on me when I tuck rolled on the grass, because the bird's snack is indeed still covered with the pink liquid. Where my handkerchief is supposed to be, I pull out the small plastic wallet from my outer welt pocket on my suit and place one or maybe two bird snacks for good measure into it.

Inside, I grin in glee. Looks like I've learnt a lot from the Jam Beau spy movie that came out last year. I glance at my watch 21:30. That's record time! MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!

.

.

"Clever, so that's how y'all trespassed 'ere." comments a female voice with a Southern drawl I (unfortunately at this moment) know all too well. I guess this MISSION is UNACCOMPLISHED, unless I talk my way out of this.

"S-Sandy, how are y-you doing this fine night?"

I hear what seems to be a chuckle from her, I feel slightly on the edge now. Sandy, dressed in a lilac coloured bathrobe (or night gown?) leans away from her tree and slowly walks over.

"I've been better," the tone of her voice is emotionless. It makes me wince, "but I think the question is what the heck are you doin' here at this time of night SpongeBob SpyPants?"

"Heh, heh, good one Sandy." I praise, scratching the back of my head. "Well, um. I was just, er-"

"-er what?"

My mind's working over time, scrambling hard for something good to say. "Spying around?" I answer (quite pitifully).

"I can see that." she answers. "If I do say so myself, you look rather dashin' in that suit of yers."

I mumble a 'thanks' and Sandy shakes her head, but there's no smile on her face. The rain keeps pouring down lightly in the tree dome and I wonder why Sandy doesn't mind getting wet. 'Maybe she doesn't mind because she doesn't care.' speaks my mind. This worries me.

She holds out a hand, halting my words. "On second thought, I don't even wanna hear it." she says, sitting down on her bench, crossing one leg over the over. "I just want ya to get out of 'ere, preferably now." one finger of hers points bluntly to the exit. "Count yer blessing's that I ain't even gonna call the cops on yer behind."

I stare at her, and she stares intently back. I can't seem to find anything positive in her eyes. Considering what happened, I guess it has been five days since we've last seen each other. Like I said before, we didn't exactly part in the most pleasant way. She must be hurting, just as I am.

"Sandy-"

"-No." she says, cutting me off.

I clench my fist by my side thinking that this mission is gonna be the hardest of all. Somehow, some way, I swear by all that is good in a krabby patty that I won't leave her house tonight until I fix our relationship.

.

.

"A few days ago, we didn't exactly part in a friendly way, did we?" I start off, gently and incredibly slowly, walking my way over to her.

She laughs, though I notice that it's dry, emotionless again and almost bitter. "So that's how you describe it?"

"Sandy, I might know what's going on, I mean I think I might know that-"

"-know what? What exactly do y'all know?" she questions. "What could you or anybody else know about the feelings and the emotions that flow within me?"

When her eyes pierce into mine, I cast my head down, not knowing what to say.

Her fingers began to massage her forehead. "Dang nabbit! Why am I attracted to such a kid like you? Something must be wrong with me, no, something is wrong with me." she exclaims frustratingly. I'm not angry at her for stating me of being a kid (even though I'm 21, I mean 22). "Every time you touch me I-I...I get this feelin' and my body jolts in this weird way while my body heats up to a high degree and I don't know why." She looks up at me in all seriousness. "Whatever I do, it's obviously not something y'all don't like."

How do I reply to that? There's some truth but also a lot of confusion in the way.

"I know y'all don't desire to be with me like...you don't like me like that. I know now." she trails off, but why does she keep saying that I don't like her?!

"Sandy," I say with gravity. "you gotta stop with this I don't like you mumbo jumbo 'cause I do too like you. I like you a lot and-"

"Prove it!" she demands.

I take a step back. "W-what?"

"If y'all ain't lyin' then I want y'all to prove it."

"H-how? How can I?" I question myself even.

"Kiss me."

I swallow hard at that.

I gulp again because I know exactly where she wants me to kiss her. Something in my gut tells me that that's exactly where.

.

.

A few minutes must've past 'cause Sandy sighs now and looks to her left. I know she's disappointed, or annoyed (maybe it's a combination of both).

"I understand," her voice so detached, it makes my heart want to break. "Honestly, I get it."

I can't stand to see her in this state, let alone let her think like that. It's as if she's the personification of crestfallen and the rain pouring down isn't helping. Her facial expression is more upsetting than five days ago. It's more heart breaking than the time she told me she was leaving Bikini Bottom. I can't stand it. Sandy's my friend. I care about her, love her to the point I'd even die for her. That's why I'm gonna show it to her, therefore I will.

My hands grabs her shoulders before she can even think of getting up.

Taking one glance at her, I wish that any another emotion will shine brightly after this.

It's quick and it's sudden and I'm not entirely sure what I'm doing but I do it (even though I've never done this before).

With my face intimately close to hers, I angle my head, shut my eyes, and gently press my lips against hers.

I've never done this before. Never, ever. This is my first time. I don't think I'll ever forget this and my mind tells me I won't. That's a relief, cause I don't want to. It's a nice feeling.

I slowly pull away, profoundly afraid that I've really kissed in the wrong place (since she didn't respond back), but that doesn't seem to be the case. Gauging her facial expression, she's looks shocked and I rather like that emotion than crestfallen. Her shock is not the Plankton's stealing the Krusty Krab formula shock, but the Plankton stole the Krusty Krab formula and is ruling Bikini Bottom again shock.

Not even before I can: question, speak or even apologise, but before I can even think of doing so, her lips are on mine without my notice. They're firmer, warmer and so much softer than mine were or could ever be.

I'm kiss back to the best of my ability, because, because...because I want to. I really want to, to the point where I have to. This kiss, us kissing (I still can't believe it). I can't describe fully in words but this just feels...me and her. It just feels amazingly good, almost like a dream, no, better than a dream.

Simultaneously, our lips break apart due to the need of oxygen. After seven seconds, simultaneously again, our lips connect once more.

Tentatively, the kiss was gradually changing a notch. As Sandy's mouth began to massage against my own, out sprung this sweet, sweet wave of pleasure throughout my body when I imitated it against hers as well. I don't know what came over me (Honest to Neptune), but on impulse, my tongue slid out my mouth, fondly caressing her soft lips over and over again. She tastes like, like...barnacles! What is that flavour? I couldn't contemplate much on her taste when hearing her softly moan and pull me closer then ever before.

Her hands already on my shoulders, firmly lifting me and herself further on her picnic table. Only for a few seconds are lips are detached from another, however (maybe impulsively) I make sure to attach us two again, barely realising I'm on top of her on her own table.

The sensation of delight in my body seems to be spreading to my every limb and bone, warming up in temperature every time her fingers teasingly stroke inside one of my pores, play with my bow tie and especially when her legs (nice, comforting and furry) wrap around me. Moments before we (desperately need to now) break apart for much needed oxygen, I realise that my tongue isn't the only thing experimental in my body, my pearly whites are too. I gently bite on her bottom lip caught between my teeth and I hear a mystifying sound that intensely excites and frightens me all the same.

Instantly, I move my face far away from hers.

That moan of hers, louder than the first softer one and so much more meaningful than the previous one from five days ago, gives me the shivers. Dear Neptune, she moaned my name. My name...just by saying it, she's caused the once wave of pleasure to burst and melt inside of me (how does that make sense?). It can't be pleasure, this thing, this feeling or sensation has to be something more.

.

.

Our eyes lock when meeting. Speechlessly, we gaze at each other, not wanting any words to break out the trance we're in. I'm not sure how we both seem to know this. Finally, I'm aware of our distance to another and I think my eyes might've woken a little. Deciding not think on that too much, I focus on what I can hear instead of see. My ears pick on her panting, my own even and I focus on hers more because I don't mind it. There's something about the fact that I'm responsible fore her breathlessness that creates a second wave of something within me.

Not wanting another melt down inside me to occur, I change my sight to her face and I admit that it's strange seeing her up close like this. My eyes take in her the: small curls of a fringe growing at the top of her head, her nose, her eye lashes, her brown eyes and the most significant; her lips.

Why I'm noticing this now is beyond me, but Sandy's eye lashes are: black, fairly long and dark, accompanied with her eye colour which aren't black or just dark. They're brown, a chocolate brown, no, not even that. There's two other shades I can see, there's: a bronze shade that seems to spark and, is it auburn? How can I have not noticed this? It suits her well. I move onto her pink nose which I've always found adorable. It's pink, a light feminine pink which isn't Sandy favourite colour at all, but it suits her well.

Her lips are intriguing to me considering that I've been, well what we've been doing. At the moment, they're still tinged slightly pink or red or a rosy pink. Either way, I can't stop staring at them without remembering how tender and moist they were when they were pressed against mine, or how succulent they felt when...I hear muffled chuckles, my brow raises and I look her. It only makes her muffled chuckles un-muffled and there's no way I mind the sound. It's pleasant, joyful, musical even.

It comes crashing down on me. Everything does. Why in Davy Jones Locker am I realising now, now that Sandy, Sandy Cheeks; my friend of ten years isn't the same cute gal who saved me from a man-eating clam but...I gulp. A beautiful girl I've come to know so fortunately well. A beautiful girl who might be crushing on me. I don't have the same reaction I had at the Krusty Krab.

.

.

I grab a one of her wandering hands that was too close to pocket with the potion...Jumping Jellyfish! The potion! Remembering the mission and what I've retrieved and what it means, and my prioritises, I look at my watch and glance at the time: 22:30! It's been an hour that I'm here, or is it how long we were both kind of active with each other.

"Y'all need to be somewhere?" she questions, probably cause she saw me look at my watch.

"Yeah," I drawl, "I gotta go pretty soon."

"I, see." she states. Biting her own lips (which makes me want to do it instead). I see that she's worried about something, it has to be what we've done or what it possibly means.

"Sandy, I, what we did, I was really er, you and me..."

She places her finger on my mouth, shutting me up. "When you talk a mile per hour, even I don't have enough of an attention span to listen fully." her light tone fades. "I just wanna know one thing. You tell me the truth, that's all I ask. Do you regret it?"

I don't even need to think it over. With what I felt there and then, what I'm feeling now. "No. I don't."

She breathes out a breath I think she may have been holding. "Thanks for being honest with me."

"You're welcome."

I get off the picnic table and Sandy slides down it instead, sitting down on the bench. Minutes pass by, since I don't know what else we could possibly say to each other.

"I guess I'll see you around, Sandy. Hopefully sooner this time." I promise.

"I'd like that, but don't ya think you could seal that promise for me?"

"With what?"

She grins, and places a finger to her lips.

Even if I'm blushing redder than the stop sign for boat mobiles, I don't hesitate like the last time to kiss her, but as I draw nearer, Sandy yet again places one of her fingers on my lips, preventing me from accessing hers. There's a smirk on her face and I feel a little disappointed (and secretly annoyed). Our lips our literally just inches apart and if she would just remove her finger then maybe we could be kissing.

"On second thought, never mind" she says (quite cheekily if I do say so myself).

"Why?" I question and groan at the same time.

"SpongeBob, it's ten at night, we'll both be going to sleep soon and having dreams." It's been a long time since I've seen a mischievous smile on Sandy's face. "I dunno about you, but I purty like my dreams squeaky clean. I don't wanna relieve in detail how intimate we were together." she replies. "I wouldn't be able to sleep properly while imagining your tongue licking my lips once more, would y'all agree?" she questions in a low tone that makes my legs tremble.

"Y-y-yes, I do too a-agree."

"Thought so." she nods her head, and rises up to her feet. She places a pat on my head and walks off to her tree house. I don't miss the way her bathrobe clings to her because of the rain or the smile she throws at me looking back. I don't hesitate to return it back (embarrassingly so).

A/N: FOUR is my favourite number so maybe that's way this chapter is too LONG. I think they kind of fixed their relationship on a good note. Just some things to clear up confusion in case there was any:

-Lil' SpongeBob is growing up, in 'Love Potion' he is at least. He's beginning to realise there some stuff out there he enjoys doing or particularly likes. Despite him being a child stuck in an adults body, that child has to mature a little.

-Jam Beau is actually the word 'Jambeau' which sounds a little like French for ham, but is actually a real-life yellow fish in the sea. Jam Beau is fictionally in my fanfic the personification of James Bond.

Hope you as the reader enjoyed it (tell me your favourite part), criticism and advice is very much welcomed.