A/N: I can't let it end this way. I just can't. This is sort of like Moondance part two, but... different. Later and... different. Oh, why can't I just let this die, it's KILLING me. XP Hopefully you love this as much as you did the last chapter!

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Skipper's Reaction

Marlene sat in front of a very full moon, watching it from atop her habitat. A dark figure, however, was watching her.

"Marlene." It said. She turned around, hand grasping her heart, but breathed a sigh of relief when she saw that it was just Skipper. "What in the name of eels are you doing up here?" The otter just gestured to the moon. He looked at it, then down, then back around to her. "Yeah, real special, aren't you supposed to be in bed?" He asked.

A grin played on Marlene's lips, even though she could feel sharp tears stinging her eyes. "You're so sympathetic." She said, looking up at him. He was about to stroke his own ego when she rolled her eyes. "Sarcasm."

Unfortunately, he missed that. Not sure what else to do, he waddled up to her a little. "So what ARE you doing up here." She stayed quiet for a while longer.

Just when Skipper was certain she didn't want to talk about it, she spoke. "It's a, uh... really important day today." She managed to get out. But Skipper was still confused, and pried to get her to tell him more. Finally, she erupted. "It's my anniversary, alright!?" That shut him up, but she was far from finished. "Today was the day I first met and fell in love with Azai Zho. And I just came up here for a moment of remembrance and I can't even get that, can I?" She yelled, turning away from him and plunking herself back down.

Of course, Skipper was shocked. Ever since he'd found out about Marlene's past, her husband, her children, he hadn't really made it a point to mention them. In fact, he had all but forgotten about her mate being dead...

Marlene's dark form was hunched over, quiet, and Skipper was more than uncertain of what to say, so he left. Once alone, Marlene looked out at the moon, and finally noticed she was crying. Ever since he died saving her, she had been having a hard time. It was even worse when she had to move. Away from everything she knew and loved, her pups on the other side of the country... and her, by herself, knowing nothing, no one... alone and afraid.

Then she met the penguins, and it was as if her life had a new meaning. They would go on adventures, and she'd sometimes tag along, just to see what was doing. And, in a way, they became her new family. Them, and the lemurs. It was just... throughout all of it, she wasn't sure how to tell them about her past. About her family in California. About everything. So, she simply didn't. And no one seemed to care. Until about seven months or so ago, when they stowed away with her, to figure out why she was acting so strangely. Why she had tried to sneak off without telling them. And where she was going. It was then that they found out... about Roz, and Cube... and Zee. It wasn't like she didn't want them to know, she just didn't want them to find out like that!

She sat quietly for a while longer, going over that song he sang to her that night so long ago.

Can I just have one more moondance with you... my love?
Can I just make some more romance with you... my love?

Marlene hugged herself tightly, so much so that she could almost feel her arms going numb.

Then she met Skipper... and something

Skipped.

In her mind. It felt as though her mind was on a track. Like she had forgotten something, or that one important thing was just... not as important. Not anymore. Because Skipper was there... She stopped and looked up at the moon. Marlene sighed. Thinking about Skipper on the anniversary of her husband? Wasn't that like cheating on him? Or at least, severely dishonoring his memory.

She laid back, not even paying attention to the throbbing pain that caused. Zee was dead. She couldn't bring him back. Skipper was there. He was always there. Even for her pups when they needed him.

Marlene sat up and looked over the zoo. It was dark, and there wasn't much going on, except for a few paper wrappers rustling in the wind... a rat here or there, probably gathering food for their king... a brown shadow... wait...

That shadow... looked more sandy brown than really brown... like Cube, only... bigger...

Her heart gave an impossible leap, jumping to her throat. It couldn't be... but she had to make sure. She jumped down and rushed off of and out of her habitat, barely being seen by Skipper, who had just thought of turning in for the night after a quick dip in the pool.

The penguin didn't know what she was rushing towards, but anything that could make Marlene run that fast had to be important. He followed her, still a little tired, but alert.

When Marlene finally caught up to the shadow, her breath was already shallow, and seeing it up close and personal made her breath hitch even more.

"Zee... But... how...?"

The shadowy figure turned to her, his shoulder catching in the moonlight and turning slightly static. The female backed up. He wasn't real. And even though he caught the scared look, he smiled. "Calm down, Marley. It's okay." It was him. That was his voice, his cool mannerisms shining through the realm of reality and possibility. She wanted to reach out and touch him, but she automatically knew it would be a bad idea. He watched her with hooded eyes, a loving smile crossing his face. "I've missed you too." She clasped her hands together, really trying to hold back the urge to cry.

Skipper watched the scene with disbelief. There was no way... He was... That wasn't possible.

The pretty brown female took a step closer to the male, just watching him with these intense hazel eyes. "Zee, I'm..." There was a lot of things she could say she was. Tired... lonely...sad... frightened...confused...worried. "I can't believe you're here." She decided on that because everything else sounded kind of stupid in her head.

He nodded. "I noticed." She giggled a little and he, Skipper noticed bitterly, never took his eyes off her. What the penguin really wanted was to just grab Marlene and then leave...

But then what? Confess to her how he felt? That wasn't going to happen. Things between friends never worked out, he had thought that from the very beginning. And he and Marlene were best friends, aside from his troop. 'I'm just some guy who's in love... and she's never gonna feel the same way.' He thought, staring longingly at the pair. "But it's time to snap out of it, Marley." She looked confused, and scared. What did he mean, snap out of it? "Marlene... It's time you moved on. The mini's have." He always called them that, even when their oldest had gotten a little taller than Marlene. She only shook her head, while he seemed to fade in and out of focus. "Listen to me, nooo, Marlene, listen—LISTEN!" He yelled that last part as she tried to turn away, to get away, to just not be there.

"Marlene, listen to me." He appeared in front of her, even though she had turned around. "You can't keep doing this. You're driving yourself crazy." He peered into her face, her eyes, and for a split second, Skipper didn't feel jealous anymore. More like... relieved. Acceptance. And sort of glad that this guy had shown up. "You need to move on. You loved me once, and I you." He said, spots of moonlight showing up in his eyes as he shook his head. "But not anymore. You need to live... and love." He said, the final word echoing around her as a single lily—her favorite flower—rested at her feet. She picked it up, and looked around, a certain chill rising up her back again.

Before she knew it, darkness swallowed her up, and she felt lightheaded and upside down...

When she opened her eyes, she was lying on her back, on the high up rocks of her habitat, the sun about to rise. Marlene rubbed her eyes. She was alone again, but she didn't feel as alone as before. It had all been a dream, but it felt so real. As if she was there... and she was watching herself, and Zee... and Skipper.

The otter remembered. She was thinking about Zee, and Skipper... no, Skipper was there, wasn't he? She had gotten mad at him and then... Oh. She sat up and looked over at the penguin habitat. It was still quiet. No one had gotten up yet, not even the lead penguin, she thought. She had gotten mad at him, hadn't she? What was it that dream-Zee said? Live and love? Marlene stood up and was going to walk back down to her habitat and sleep the day away, when she looked down and was shocked by what she saw at her feet. A lily, like the one in her dream, was facing the rising sun, away from the moon, she noticed. A tiny smile played at the otter's face.

It was time to move on.

Skipper watched her from his hiding spot, certain she hadn't seen him. Her little smile had brightened up his day considerably, and hope soared high that day.

End!

A/N 2: I was listening to a bunch of different music, got a wild hair, and then... out popped this little sucker. Honestly, it's a new concept, compared to the rest of my stories, which were thought out meticulously before I even THOUGHT of posting them. This one, on the other hand, was more of an... immediate conception. BOOM! There it is. And yes, lines were stolen. If you can figure out which one(s), you may have a cookie, and be my friend.