Chapter 11

"Are you ready, Mr. Squarepants?" a man in a suit and tie entered a room with the sponge who stood in front of a standing mirror. Spongebob looked over himself as he wore a fancy black suit and tie.

"Today's the big day, isn't it?" Spongebob asked Patrick who stood in the room with him. Spongebob turned towards his best friend before looking towards the man who entered the room.

"Is it almost that time?" Spongebob asked him, the man smiled at him, "Everything is set up, sir." the man said, "Great, we'll be out in a moment." Spongebob dismissed before turning towards Patrick who tucked a white rose into Spongebob's chest pocket, "I always knew I would be your best man." with tears in their eyes they laughed together.

"Well Pat, this is it." Spongebob said as they turned to go towards the door.

As Spongebob went past the doors he entered another room that was swarming with doctors, and a disposable smock was thrown onto him.

As Spongebob put on the smock he could hear someone screaming, and then the next second he heard the cries of an infant. The doctors in front of him turned around and gently placed a little baby sponge in his arms.

"Sponge-" Spongebob heard his name called, as he looked up he saw that it was the love of his life.

"Libby." he sniffled as he approached her with their child.

"Oh, she's beautiful." Libby softly said as she reached to touch the baby's hand.

SpongeBob gasped as tears filled his eyes, "She?" He asked before he looked down to see that his daughter was staring at him and she was the most precious thing in the world.

SpongeBob looked back towards Libby and smiled at her, "You're beautiful." Spongebob said before he closed his eyes and kissed her.

Once he opened his eyes he found himself in a completely different room. Libby and their child had disappeared, and he was alone.

"He's awake!" Sandy's voice could be heard as she and a few others rushed to his bed.

"Lucy! And Libby! Where are- where am i?" He asked before he remembered 1 the last thing he remembered he was at the Chum Bucket with-

"Libby! Where is she!" Spongebob shot straight out of bed before he was shoved back down by Sandy's strength.

"It's alright, Spongebob. Yer in tha hospital, that nasty old Plankton really did a number on ya guys." Sandy said as he calmed down.

"Sandy? Please tell me you've seen Libby." he croaked, his throat felt dry and sore.

Sandy sighed as she looked down at him, and she nodded her head and gestured to his left. He turned to see a curtain blocking the way.

Without hesitation he jumped out of the bed and ran to the other side. He pushed the curtains open to see the love of his life lying in the bed unconscious.

Tears filled his eyes as he grabbed the railing of her bed to keep his knees from falling.

Seeing her in this condition hurt even more, he no longer cared about what led them here, it wasn't like she would have actually known how things would end.

"Oh Libby, this is all my fault, if I had just told him." He sobbed, he directed his attention towards her stomach, even though Karen explained everything he couldn't erase the images of the tiny picture on the screen or the dream he had.

Though they hadnt been together long, he couldnt help but to secretly wish that she were pregnant; under different circumstances of course. A child that looked like her, her fair skin, her hair, her eyes and his nose, a perfect mix of the two. A daughter that he could spoil rotten, or a son that he could have that same bond with. Spongebob would be the greatest dad in the world with an amazing wife. A perfect family of his own, but he couldnt have that without her.

It didnt matter what Plankton had tried to do, what her mission was, in the end she proved to him that she loved him too! Oh what it would be like, just the two of them and their snails. Pack up the Pineapple and leave town, go on tour, see the world together, getting to know each other on a whole nother level, it would be perfect.

"She's so beautiful, even like this." He smiled as he reached to touch her cheek.

"The doctor said she'd be fine but y'all went through a lot, and so she's just really tired and I'm willing to bet that she'll be feelin it when she wakes up." Sandy placed her hand on his shoulder before she looked towards Libby.

Spongebob smiled, drying his eyes, a relief, "I'm so glad. You hear that, Libby? You're going to be ok." Spongebob said as he reached for her hand, staring at her beautiful face, he realized just how much he loved her, how much his life depended on her.

"If you wake up, the first thing I'm going to do is walk up to your father and ask for your hand, we can get married and we can travel the world, anywhere you want to go, I'll be there." he said as he stroked her cheek.

"Hey boy, yer awake!" Mr. Krabs said as he entered the room sporting a few bandages himself.

But the sponge ignored him and turned back to Libby. His response earned an awkward silence and a few glances were exchanged. Mr. Krabs expected to at least get a smile from the guy, but nothing?

"Right. Heh. Ya look better. Ya know, yer job is still yers if ya want it boyo, despite everything you caused and all. I can't blame ya fer falling into Planktons trap, I mean she is pretty good lookin." Mr. Krabs shook his head with a chuckle.

SpongeBob began to grip the railing of the bed Libby was sleeping in, for her sake he'd keep his mouth shut for as long as he could.

"Ya know Mr. Krabs, I don't think he's in the mood to talk right now." Sandy turned to the greedy crab.

"Stay out of this mammal, this is between me and me frycook, it has nothing to do with you so butt out." Mr. Krabs spat at her.

"Why you! I oughta."

"Sandy, no." SpongeBob placed his hand on her shoulder before he stepped in front of her.

"You have some nerve coming here at a time like this! My girlfriend, whom I love very much, is recovering from a traumatic fight that You caused!" SpongeBob jabbed Mr. Krabs' chest.

"The only reason she is here is because of that stupid formula! I wouldn't want that job back even if you begged!" SpongeBob shouted at him before he stepped back, shocked at the words that had left his mouth before he could think.

It terrified him that he could say anything and not feel an ounce of regret, yet the entire time he had been awake he hadn't once thought about Mr. Krabs or the Krusty Krab and it was chilling.

"Lad, ya don't mean that, I get it yer still upset, Plankton did cook ya up a bit so that would explain all the crazy talk." Mr. Krabs defended.

"I'm not crazy, but maybe you're right, maybe he jumped started a few loose wires that weren't working properly before because I can see things a lot more clearly, and you have no idea how much it hurts but it's time for me to finally grow up." SpongeBob said he sighed.

"I have always loved and respected you, Mr. Krabs, and I always thought the feelings were mutual but I now see just how naive I really was." Spongebob said, shaking his head, "Lad, ya know that I care about ya, like ye were my own-" Mr. Krabs said as he reached for his shoulder but Spongebob slapped him away.

"Don't Touch me. You have no right to be here, you say you care but you forced me to sit and watch as Plankton nearly killed Libby, and what could have been the death of my Own Child!" Spongebob raised his voice before he started to cough from his sore throat.

Spongebob lowered his voice again, "What recipe did you give him exactly?" Spongebob asked, Mr. Krabs opened his mouth but words wouldn't come out, Spongebob shook his head, "If you cared you wouldn't have risked their lives like that. What if Plankton figured out you gave him a false recipe? You put their lives in even greater danger."

Mr. Krabs began to roll his eyes, "Yer being dramatic, the girl lived and she wasn't even with child, so quit yer complaining." Mr. Krabs said.

"You didn't know that! You didn't know until after. What would you have said to me if there was one?" SpongeBob asked as he cried, "And if somehow you knew there was a child, what would you have done? Would you have told him?" Spongebob asked, not that he needed to.

Mr. Krabs stumbled on his words, "there wasn't one, when are you going to get it? It doesn't matter, yer cryin over a child that never even existed." Mr. Krabs said.

"It matters to me! It-." SpongeBob started to cough covering his throat again.

"Forget it, I'm wasting my breath trying to get through to you, but you wouldn't understand, even if you wanted to because you've never actually loved or cared about anyone but yourself, and it took me until now to realize that, and I want no part in it." SpongeBob said before he turned around to face Libby, ending the conversation completely.

Mr. Krabs was left speechless, never in the many years had Spongebob spoken to him like this; like an adult.

"Well it's obvious that she has ye brainwashed, one taste of the good stuff and yer all mush." Mr. Krabs crossed his arms and puffed out his chest when he was suddenly dropped to the floor.

"Say One more thing about her! I swear to Neptune I will- No! let me go!" SpongeBob shouted as he was pulled off the crab by the hospital staff who put a needle into SpongeBobs side which caused him to become drowsy.

"No- I have to be awake. When Libby- oh" SpongeBob slurred his words before he passed out.

A few Hours later

"Where? Wha?" Libby questioned with her soft tired voice, she couldn't remember what happened, or where she was.

The sounds of the machines and the strange smelling room, she guessed that she was in the hospital.

And she noticed that she wasn't alone in the room. To her right she noticed another bed and in that bed was-

"Sponge-" her realization of remembering who he was, and the last time she had seen him.

In that place, the Chum Bucket, he was across the room screaming and crying for her.

Then she recalled all of the things before, the job, her former boss and how he tricked them all, and how she betrayed SpongeBob.

Tears started to fill the rim of her eyes, she had hurt him and had caused everything to happen. If only she had been honest with him.

Libby slowly and carefully pulled the bed sheets off of her and turned to get up from the bed.

It hurt to move, there were many burn wounds that had been opened up that were created by the strong electrical currents.

"You're up, great! We thought you'd never wake up." Said a familiar voice as they walked into the room.

"Squill-" Libby struggled to speak, "in the flesh, when we heard about your accident we just had to fly down here and see you, we hope everything is ok." Squilliam Fancyson said as he, Kelpy G and Carper entered the room.

"Is that little sponge man over there?" Colonel said as they noticed the other person.

"We're glad to see that you're alive and well, and you should thank Neptune." Kelpy G said.

"Since your accident we figured we'd come visit so that we would come down here and tell you the good news ourselves." Squilliam said before he looked at the other two for a signal.

"We've decided to take you under our wing together, we think that you got a lot of talent that should be shared with everybody." Colonel Carper said with a hoot.

Kelpy nodded his head in agreement before Squilliam inserted himself again by saying, "Once you are well enough to be released from this dump we can hit the road." he said.

This was all such good news for her to hear after just waking up, her dream of becoming an idol, and to think all it couldn't have been possible without Spongebob.

"Wait, what about Spongebob? He's the reason why you are all here." Libby said as she looked at the sleeping sponge, none of them knew how long it would take for him to wake up.

"What about him? We're not here for him." Squilliam said.

Kelpy G stepped forward, "I think what the young lady is saying is that she wants to take him with us, is that right?" Kelpy G asked her, and Libby smiled until she began to think, in order for him to come with her he would have to give up his life here.

"I couldn't have done any of this without him." she said to them, "I just don't think I can leave him." Libby shook her head.

The guy exchanged glances before looking back towards Libby.

"Now why would you go and say something dumb, look your man here messaged us, and I think he'd tell ya to go for it." Colonel Carper said.

"What he means to say is take some time to think it over while you recover, your lover would understand, and I think he'd be furious if you didn't take the offer." Kelpy G said as he placed a tentacle on Carpers shoulder before they turned to leave.

Libby sighed as she leaned back in her bed, did she really just turn them away? The men that could have helped her, and she turned them away for him.

What would her parents think? Giving up your dreams for a man? But at least he was someone you could take home to your parents.

"That took a lot of courage to do what ye did."

"Huh? Oh, it's you." Libby said as she looked to the door to see that SpongeBob's boss was standing in the door.

"Glad ta see that yer alive and well, Plankton did a number on ye." Mr. Krabs chuckled.

Libby glanced over towards Spongebob who was still asleep before looking back towards the crab.

"Why are you being so nice to me?" She asked, "I thought you couldn't stand me." She said,

Mr. Krabs sighed, "I never said that it's just, I was only looking out for me form- for me boyo. He means a lot to me and I just want what's best for him, and he seems to think that yer what's best." Mr. Krab said as he approached her.

"But let's face it, yer no good. Ya used him like a worm and broke his heart, ya say ya love him but ya know it's impossible to love him." Mr. Krabs reminded her.

"It's not for you to decide, and you only care for yourself. You know for as long as he loves me he won't want anything to do with you." Libby glared at him.

"Are ye really gonna give up yer career for him? Ya don't even know if he still wants ye after the stunt you pulled." Mr. Krabs laughed.

He was right, she didn't know.

"Do you really think he'd want ye back after all ya put him through? After finding out that everyone was right about you, it would be embarrassing if he took ya back." Mr. Krabs admitted.

Tears started to fall down her cheek, "get out." She said before she turned her back towards him.

The next morning

"What do you mean she's gone?" SpongeBob asked as he flung out of bed and ran to the other side of the room where he'd seen her last and found her bed empty.

SpongeBob shook his head turning around to the others that were in the room with him.

Tears fell from his face, "she can't be! You're lying, she would never leave me!" SpongeBob cried before he pushed past everyone in the room.

"Where is he going?" His mother who had come with his father asked.

After what felt like twenty minutes Spongebob had made it to Libby's place, the only other place she could be.

As he approached her door, he noticed that the door was open and he ran thinking that Libby had just gotten home but when he got there he saw that the apartment was completely empty and that it was the cleaning crew inside.

"Where is she? Where did she go?" He began to ask the workers who exchanged glances.

"If you're talking about the young lady who lived here, she left late last night. To where? We don't know, we only clean what we're told." The worker said as they continued to work.

The news hit him like a ton of bricks at once, their words echoed through his mind and he hadn't realized when he had gotten home, his house felt so big and empty he was all alone and she didn't even wait til he woke up, she couldn't even say goodbye!

He gave up everything for her, including his relationship with Mr. Krabs, now what was he going to do? He couldn't go back to the Krusty krab, not after everything he'd said.

SpongeBob yelled as he tossed furniture, unable to control his heartache, he had loved her more than his job!

Maybe it was true, maybe it really was all an act and she didn't love him.

"Meow?" Gary approached his owner, feeling the pain that his owner felt.

SpongeBob turned to face his snail when he noticed that Gary held something in his mouth.

"The formula." He said as he reached for it, this was proof that Libby hadn't taken it! She never betrayed him!

"Why can't we be perfect? Our love was so unreal-"

SpongeBob turned his head towards the TV that was left on. He couldn't believe his eyes, there she was!

"So why can't I forget you? You were so good to me, and this can't be the end, this isn't fair Mr. Square the way you care, I just want you to know it was more than a one time love affair, I love you." Libby sang on the tv.

SpongeBob stood back in silence as he listened to her, "Mr. Square? She still loves me!" He gasped as he picked Gary up and hugged him as SpongeBob held Gary as he looked around his house at the mess he created.

"I guess I should start cleaning this place up." He said as he set Gary down before walking over to a bookcase he knocked over when he reached for a book a loose paper fell out.

As he picked up the fallen paper he noticed the writing.

"Spongebob SquarePants, the Flabby patty" SpongeBob laughed as he tucked the paper back in the book.

"I remember those, people really loved them." As he said this, he realized something, people Loved these back in the day!

So much in fact that it almost put the Krusty Krab out of business!

"This is it!" SpongeBob exclaimed before he opened the book where he had a few secret recipes of his own that he had made over the years and was proof that he didn't need Mr. Krabs to succeed.

The following day the official Happy Sponge Shack was launched. The menu contained a few recognizable foods: The Flabby patty, the pretty flabby! Which worked great for parties!

By the end of the day the Happy Sponge Shack was a huge success, everyone raved about it. The Krusty krab wasn't prepared for their newest and biggest competitor which ironically placed a building right down the road from the Krusty Krab, and naturally with better food, prices and treatment customers flocked to the new restaurant.

And Libby went on to be a world-famous actress and songwriter, there wasn't a single platform she wasn't on. The radio, television, newspaper, even the billboard.

Even with all the fame and money she made it was never enough to fill the hole that she had, she would catch herself looking back every now and then, back to when she knew him.

She often wondered how he was, and what he made with his life, if he met someone else.

The thought of him possibly moving on and loving someone else the way he loved her ate at her, she wondered how things would have been.

But she could never go back, not after everything that happened before.

Libby sighed under her breath as she stared out of a window overlooking a busy city.

"I wonder what you're doing now. When you look at the sunset, do you think of me? The way we used to be? I'd give anything, just to be in your arms again." She sang under her breath before she looked back into the room and saw her little snail watching her.

"You miss him too, don't you girl." She said before she left the window and walked into another room.

Is this the end? will there be more? we will see.