Disclaimer: I don't own POM.
Skipper silently gazed up at the clear night sky in deep thought as he stood outside the penguin habitat at the Central Park Zoo. After staying with Alex and his friends for awhile longer on the circus train they eventually took to the skies once again with their new jet packs and flew back to the big apple.
While they were all home again safe and sound the fearless leader couldn't help but think back to that very moment when he, Kowalski, and Rico were inside Dave's evil lair watching the octopus aim the beam at Private. He still had hideous nightmares about being trapped inside that cage, frantically trying to get that bloody paper clip out of Rico so they could bust out and save their little brother from certain doom.
The last thing he would see long after the flash of green light had faded was Private's little feathers softly float down around the table he was once strapped to. One lone black feather would rest on his flipper as the teardrops of guilt and sorrow slowly slid down his face before he felt his feet give out from underneath him, and finally drop to the floor with a tiny whisper. His once hard boiled heart now forever broken.
While Skipper was usually a rather laid-back and tough as nails kind of guy, he would become paranoid and infuriated whenever he was pushed to his limits. Especially if Private were to be put in any sort of danger. He knew that he would do anything to protect his teammates from harms way, whether it was from a feral beast and his killer instincts, or a crazy animal control officer. He'd never leave a man behind.
Ever since Private was hatched back in Antarctica and had joined the team, Skipper had only thought he was nothing more than cute and cuddly bait or a secretary/mascot unlike Rico and Kowalski who were the brains and the brawn of the penguin commandos.
Admit it, Skipper! Classified was right, it was your fault that the boy almost faced his doom because of your plan! You owe him an apology! He could hear his gruff voice echo within his subconscious.
Skipper was about to waddle back inside when the hatch flew open where he came face to face with Kowalski and Rico.
"Sorry to bother you, sir. We're just checking to make sure everything's okay out here."
"Everything's fine, Kowalski. I just needed some air to help clear my thoughts, and there's no crime to be spoken of." Skipper informed his lieutenant.
"Splendid."
"How's Private doing?"
"He's been asleep for an hour or so, the poor guy is no doubt completely exhausted from another long day. Probably still dreaming about his former crush Cupid." Kowalski reported before scribbling something down on his clipboard.
Their commanding officer slowly nodded and turned away from his men with a pained expression on his face. "Glad to hear that. At least his dreams aren't filled with fear or loneliness. The poor boy's been through enough in his young life, and he doesn't need that flipping octopus and his henchmen invading his innocent mind."
"You hadn't really been feeling like yourself lately since we arrived back home, Skipper. Is everything alright?"
When they didn't get a reply Kowalski and Rico went over towards Skipper who now sat quietly near the end of the island, his eyes locked on the large pool of water that surrounded his home.
The tallest of the penguin brothers carefully placed a flipper on Skipper while he and the demolition expert sat next to him. He could now easily tell by the look in his ice blue eyes and sound of his usual gruff voice that something was wrong, and of course it had to do with their super spy mission involving Dave and the North Wind.
"Sir, what happened to Private wasn't your fault. If anything it was the North Wind's because they slowed us down. We tried to catch up and save him from Dave, but we were too late."
"I know that, Kowalski. I know Private's safe from Derek now, but deep down in my gut I can't help but still feel like this whole thing was all my fault. He could of died because of my selfish actions, and even my own nightmares were trying to tell me that!" Skipper answered with a mixture of sadness and anger in his voice.
"Classified was right, it should of been me who was taken away and not Private. Heck, that pooch had way better plans then I did. He doesn't realize just how much it hurts to have a member of his team be ripped away before his own eyes."
"We both truly understand how much that memory still hurts you, but don't be so hard on yourself for this. At lest now Private is finally back home with us safe and sound, and we don't have to worry about losing him anymore." Kowalski explained gently while Rico nodded in agreement.
"And Classified's plan may of been brilliant, but you're a much better leader then he is because unlike him you don't care about any cool spy gear. The only thing you heavily rely on is both your gut and the penguin credo, and you would never surrender when it comes to a fight. It's time to let go of the past and focus on the present, Skipper."
Skipper signed knowing Kowalski was right. He shouldn't let some past memories get in the way of his current everyday life. No matter how traumatized he was by his nightmares. Private was finally safe and out of danger, and that's all that really matters.
"You're right, brainiac. I should stop beating myself up over something that's happened in the past, and only think about what's happening right now."
"Exactly. We don't care how good of a leader Agent Classified may think he is, or even about his plans and equipment. There's only one team that we all fully trust, and would always be apart of until the very end. Team Skipper." Kowalski finished, both he and Rico saluted making Skipper smile and return the gesture.
"Thanks, boys. I couldn't ask for a better crew. Now go keep watch on the concrete jungle just to make sure everything's okay, and that's an order."
Kowalski and Rico smiled then hugged Skipper before they left to go on nightly patrol.
"That's our skipper."
Once they were gone Skipper then went inside and climbed down the ladder to see Private sleeping peacefully in his bunk covered in a warm blanket Rico had coughed up for him.
Even though he didn't want to wake his young cadet from his innocent dreams, the skipper knew this couldn't wait until sunrise. It would continue to nag him all night until he snapped like a twig, and he was a bad penguin to be around whenever he'd gotten furious.
"Private, wake up. There's something important I need to tell you."
Private stirred in his bed and finally opened his eyes to see his big brother standing there.
"S-Skipper, what's the matter? Is Dave back to plot his revenge on us?"
"Negative, young Private. I can assure you that he will no longer be an issue to us, he's stuck inside a snow globe, and won't be getting out anytime soon."
"Oh, right. Um, what is it you need to tell me?" Private asked after he hopped out of bed with a yawn.
Both Skipper and Private sat next to each other on the bottom bunk before Skipper said what was on his mind.
"I just need to apologize for making you the diversion while we were in Shanghai, and I'm sorry that I didn't listen to what you truly wanted for your birthday. You were only trying to prove yourself worthy of the team, but I just ignored it. I only took you for granted."
"It's okay, I understand. You're our skipper after all, and it's our job to follow your every command like the loyal crew we are."
"Still, I've been such a fool and was blinded by the mission to realize that you're following in my footsteps. You're more then just cute and cuddly to us, and I was wrong to think other wise. I know you're gonna make a fine skipper of your own elite unit one day, my little solider."
"Is that really true, Skipper? Do you really think I have what it takes to be a fearless leader like you?"
"Affirmative. I'm really proud of you, Private. And I'll never take you for granted ever again, understand? For now on you'll be treated with the same amount of respect like Kowalski and Rico."
Private smiled a tearful smile and gave the skipper a big hug. "Thanks, Skipper. And I promise I won't let you down."
The former ruffled at the latter's feathers on the top of his head with a proud smile making him giggle.
"I know you won't, but I want you to promise me something."
"What?"
"Don't ever turn into Agent Classified and rely on any fancy high tech equipment to get you and your teammates out of peril. Go with your gut instinct because that's how we roll with the punches. And always remember the penguin credo that we never swim alone."
"You can count on me, sir." Private chuckled and hugged into Skipper again, who wrapped his flippers around him and hugged him back just as tight. Not wanting to let go.
But he knew sooner or later he had to. The boy needed sleep in order to handle the training exercises his commanding officer gave the group during their early morning routine.
Skipper then got up and pulled out a folder marked classified from inside his pillowcase before he placed it on the table. Inside laid those three embarrassing black and white photographs that the chimpanzees kept of him making out with his wife Lola when they were stuck back in Africa.
"Those sneaky chimps better think twice before they blackmail me again, and if Ringtail ever finds out about this I'll get Rico to hit him with a tranquilizer dart." He growled with rage and quickly hid Private's eyes with his right flipper when he too saw what was hidden inside the secret file.
"Skipper, what happened to your wife anyway? Did she runaway with another bobble head again?" Private asked out of curiosity.
Skipper hesitated before he gave him his answer. His relationship with Lola was a thing of the past, and something he really didn't want to share with anyone or even look back on. The thought of ever being in love with a piece of wood seemed completely odd and downright ridiculous to him now then it did then. Just another hidden secret he would never reveal and take to his own grave.
"That's classified, Private. Now get some more sleep."
He jammed the file into the shredder near the table. The embarrassment and awkwardness was shredded from his past, along with all the other important documents he didn't want anyone else to see or get ahold of.
Private saluted with a smile and crawled back into his own bed. He could easily tell Skipper still felt a little embarrassed by the whole marrying a bobble head thing by his sudden quick reaction.
"Aye aye, Skipper."