Disclaimer: PoM does not belong to me.

Skipper didn't understand.

Why did he leave? Sure, the penguins had their ups and downs, but so did everybody. Not to mention he's not the kind of guy to just up and leave, without any warning.

So why did Private go?

A little under a week ago, the penguins had woken up and he was just... gone. No trace of the little penguin anywhere, and no one had seen him. It's as if he had simply vanished into thin air, almost like he was never there to begin with, sans the stuff he had left behind. But you can't just get up and walk away! This was his home, his life. And anyway, how did nobody notice him leave? Surely someone would've... oh wait. Private knew this zoo as well as the other penguins, he could've taken a sewer route and no one would have been able to tell the difference. It made absolutely zero sense, and baffled all the penguins.

You pick now to just up and disappear? We miss you... ya little runt! Skipper growled angrily at his own thoughts. Why did Private pick now, of all times, to be selfish and leave? Why didn't he give any warning as to his apparent unhappiness. Or did he, and Skipper just never noticed?

A sigh escaped the leader penguin's beak. Unless Private could actually explain it, he'd never understand what went through the little guy's mind. He always seemed happy, so innocent and so carefree. So young, so naïve. And Skipper would never know what he was thinking that night. Perhaps it had been a spur of the moment decision. Perhaps it had been planned, after days, weeks, months, maybe even years of self-loathing and decision making. Perhaps he hadn't even run. For all Skipper knew, he had been kidnapped, thrown into a cell, beaten and kept prisoner... maybe he just felt rejected.

Skipper leaned back in his bunk. It didn't feel right without Private. Sans that innocent charm and cheerful disposition, everything seemed less homy. Even his pillow refused to provide him with comfort, because ever since Private left, it had felt terrible, with a part of it slightly raised. As if there was something beneath it...

Skipper could've slapped himself at that moment.

Flipping over his pillow, he found a CD. A quick walk to the radio, he put it on, because it had to be from Private. How did he know? When Private had first joined the team, he had drawn different patterns on things that he had given to the others. For Kowalski, it was a checkered pattern. For Rico, wavy lined strips. And on whatever he would give Skipper (as well as the CD), he would draw intricate vine designs. How beautiful... in a pattern nobody could ever duplicate. That's how Skipper knew this was from Private.

He pressed play.

1, 2, 3, 4

Skipper frowned in disappointment. He had been hoping for a message, not numbers. Guitar playing came afterwords, leaving Skipper confused. It sounded.. sad.

And then a female voice sang.

I am going away for a while
But I'll be back don't try and follow me

'Cause I'll return as soon as possible

So he did run away. Skipper's heart tightened to the point of borderline implosion. But... he'd come back? Was this song really worth trusting? Well, why else would Private leave this behind? Surely, only if it was important. And he didn't wanna be found... well, not yet, anyways. But he'd be back. Surely he would.

See I'm trying to find my place
And it might not be here where I feel safe
We all learn to make mistakes

But Private hadn't made any mistakes! ...Or had he felt that he had? Skipper now remembered, with guilt, all the times he'd reprimanded Private for the stupidest things. Was that what made Private feel he didn't belong here? He felt safe here. Wasn't that enough. Safety does not make a home. Skipper had heard that before. But just what did it mean? Now, he knew.

And run from them, from them
With no direction
We'll run from them, from them
With no conviction

He doesn't know where he's going... he just had to get away from here. Hurt and anger tore at Skipper from the inside. Private ran away because he felt restless! That's it! No real reason! Well, when and if he comes back...

'Cause I'm just one of those ghosts
Traveling endlessly
Don't need no roads
In fact they follow me
And we just go in circles

Who are they? Private left with a group? Skipper shook his head. No, no, it was a metaphor.

Now I'm told that this is life
And pain is just a simple compromise
So we can get what we want out of it

What had Private wanted that was worth the pain of giving up his friends; his life? Was finding out where he belonged worth giving up the home he'd always known? Perhaps it was simply the journey, to find out what he'd already known.

Would someone care to classify
Our broken hearts and twisted minds
So I can find someone to rely on

Skipper frowned. So Private couldn't rely on them. No a voice inside him told the distraught leader, He wants someone to understand him. The thought made Skipper feel better. Despite a deep caring for his friend and teammate, Skipper would probably never truly understand him. He barely understood him now!

run to them, to them
Full speed ahead
Oh you are not useless
We are just

Skipper understood. Private needed this, whether he wanted to or not. Skipper couldn't have stopped this eventual departure. It wasn't his choice. And Private understood that the friend he called leader needed to be reassured. He wasn't unimportant... he was simply forced to follow a different path. The paths would cross again. Skipper would just have to wait.

Misguided ghosts
Traveling endlessly
The ones we trusted the most
Pushed us far away

Here, the guilt came back. Skipper remembered a rather recent happening, almost a month ago. Private asked him if he had ever wanted to go to the stars, during one of those rare, peaceful moments. He had confided in Skipper his secret fascination with them. And Skipper's response?

"Their just balls of gas, Private. Now get your head out of the clouds, we've got training bright and early tomorrow morning."

That must have stung deeper than Skipper had thought.

And there's no one road
We should not be the same
But I'm just a ghost
And still they echo me

No, they weren't the same. And they never would be. Private was an idealist, a dreamer, one who would never fail to see light, even when trapped in the darkest abyss. Skipper was a realist, a penguin who only took the time to see the facts, and never the opinions. Perhaps the opinions matter more than he knew. Perhaps he should stop to smell the roses.

They echo me in circles

The music dimmed to a stop, ending with a final pluck of the guitar. Skipper was glad Private had left this, lest he never know why Private left, or if he had figured it out, feel extremely guilty. It was a quest of the soul. Others had taken it, and know it's Private's turn. He'd never know just what would happen, but when Private comes back... he won't be the same.

Neither would Skipper.

"Skipper?" the Penguin turned to his lieutenant, Kowalski, and his Demolitions expert, Rico, as the two entered the base, having spent the last few hours searching the park for clues, "We didn't find anything, but..."

"We're aborting the mission."

If penguin jaws really could drop to the floor, then that's where Kowalski's would be," Wha- but sir, don't you want to find Private?"

Skipper turned away, not wanting the others to see the tears forming in his eyes, "Yes, but he's gonna be home before you know it. We've just gotta wait," leaving Kowalski to ponder that, Skipper climbed up the ladder and out into the night. It was unusually clear; Skipper could make out a multitude of stars, as well as the moon. Wherever Private was, could he see it?

Skipper smiled, realizing that the moon looked like a smiley face, when you focused on it and two nearby stars. He'd never taken the time to appreciate that stuff... but he would now. Looking up at the moon, and hoping Private was too, he whispered words that faded into the night...

"I'll be waiting, my little misguided ghost."

One-Shot? Unusual? You decide.