Disclaimer: If I did own it then this would be in the movie wouldn't it? Seeing that it isn't I guess I don't own anything. Dreamworks does and I wouldn't take it from them. They did an amazing job.

It's different this time.

He hugged himself shivering from the cold, he was so cold, hungry and worst of all alone. Silent tears ran down his furry cheeks. Why wasn't his daddy coming to help him? Was it because he was bad and wandered of while daddy fought Makunga? Maybe his daddy didn't want him anymore?

Whimpering when more water entered the crate the mean man had put him in. He crawled in the corner of the crate hugging himself for more warmth. The lion cub cried silently as some of the cold water splashed in his face. He just wanted to go home...

Alex...

He was so scared! What if he never saw his parents again?

Alex...

He didn't want to be alone!

"ALEX!"

Alex' sea blue eyes shot open. He was laying on the beach on his part of the island. Looking up he saw Marty and Melman looking down at them with concerned expressions on their faces. He forced a smile. "What's up?"

"What's up!" Melman repeated loudly. "Marty and I woke up when you started crying. You were tossing and turning in your sleep. I thought you were having a seizure!"

Alex sat up. It was then that Alex felt the dampness on his cheeks. He had been crying. "I.. had a bad dream." He said trying to brush it of. "No biggie." He said getting up.

Marty tilted his head, unconvinced. "You sure because you look li-"

"I just want to be alone right now Marty!" Alex harshly cut him of before stomping of in a random direction. It wasn't like he had any idea where he planned on walking to he just didn't want to talk to his friends at the moment.

He walked for a while, finding a nice spot on a hill he sat down not really carring for the nice view he had over the island from this spot. He hugged his knees remembering his nightmare. He didn't even turn around when he heard hooves digging into the ground behind him. "Go away Marty."

"Ya done being alone yet?" Marty asked sitting down besides the lion.

Alex ignored him and continued gazing at the sky. He saw a piece of wood in the sea. Sighing loudly he muttered "Stupid crates."

"That's what you were dreaming about?" Marty guessed.

"Sorta.."

Marty blinked when he realized the answer. "The first time?"

The silence was all the answer he needed. "Aw Al." Marty sighed as he remembered the small starved cub that was brought to the zoo years ago. "I'm sorry."

At this Alex finally turned to face his best friend. "For what?"

"We should have remembered." Marty explained. "The crate and then it fell into sea... Again in your case. We should have known it was different for you." The zebra suddenly perked up his mood brightening. "Did you remember something? Your family?" He asked. When they were younger Alex had gotten upset when he realized he was forgetting about his family.

Alex sighed. "Just this feeling... Of losing."

"Losing?" Marty repeated frowning.

Alex nodded. "I felt like I was losing everything!" He cried making dramatic hand gestures to empathize his point. "My home, my family! I lost everything! I can't even remember what my parents looked like! And... it's happening again." The last part was said in a quiet whisper.

"No you're not." Marty told him in a gentle tone putting a hoof on Alex's shoulder. "It's different this this time."

Alex blinked. He looked at the zebra with wide blue eyes. "How?"

"Because bro," Marty started grinning. "We might not be at the zoo anymore but you didn't lose your family this time Al. " He said smiling. "We're all still here, Me, Melman, Gloria. And we don't plan on going down without a fight."

Alex smiled. "Thanks Marty."

"No prob," Marty said giving his version of a shrug.

For a moment Alex looked uncomfortable. "Do... Would you mind if I slept on the 'fun' side of the island?" He asked looking hopeful. "Just for the night."

"Not at all Ally-al." Marty answered happy his best bud would be coming over to his side of the island. "Mi cassa is su cassa."

"Just for the night." Alex repeated. "I still want to try and go home."

"Of course." Marty nodded.

Author: Sorry if this seemed wrong. It's been a while since I've seen the first movie and this is the first and probably the only time I wrote something for the madagascar fandom.