Fell That Tree

The man stared ahead, not noticing the lush greenery, blooming flora or even the baby deer staring back at him from a distance before lowering its head to the ground for the grass. He sighed, for what was the hundredth time that day, and laid back on a flat patch of land, trying to relax his body and mind.

"What have I done wrong exactly?" He closed his eyes, trying to block out the voices of the kids. "I've failed everyone." He opened his eyes and turned his head to the side. "Did you see the look on Private's face, Ryan?" The snake resting on a flat rock stared back at him, not moving. "I did. Complete disappointment. This is your fault, you know? You bit that kid." A black tongue slithered out of its mouth and he sighed. "You're right. It's my fault. It was my responsibility to take care of them, and I failed them. I failed Marlene. I failed Private. I failed my dad." He ran his hands over his face, as if trying to wipe away whatever was wrong. "I know you don't even like the name I gave you." The tongue darted out again and Skipper gestured to the bored looking snake. "See? You totally understand what I'm saying, right? I am a complete disappointment." He sighed, dropped his hands down, looked at the snake, then back to the sky before sighing again. "And I am talking to a snake. Great..."

He stayed like that for a minute then got up. "Let's get you comfortable while I await my doom." He picked the snake up as it raised its head and turned it to the side. "We'll make sure you go to a nice place, along with the other animals. I think Kowalski mentioned something about a reserve in Georgia."

A snap echoed followed by a loud cry and something thrashing about. The man paused and turned back to see the fawn who had been staring at him earlier on, snorting about. It was trying to get away, but for some reason it was stuck on the spot.

Skipper ran up to the deer, set the snake on another rock and cautiously approached the bucking creature. It turned its frightened eyes to him when his boot broke a dry twig and it moved back, only to stop just a few meters when the chain reached its limit from the stake in the ground.

The chain was connected to an evil looking bear trap. The teeth of which were clamped tight around the poor fawn's front left hoof.

"Hey, hey," Skipper spoke soothingly to the creature as it continued to buck, "you're going to be fine, sweetie." It shook its head and tried to back away from him and the trap, but he moved forward and grabbed it. He held it still, to keep it from hurting its foot further. "You're going to be fine." He ran a hand over its head, rubbing it gently before dropping his hand on the metal. "I'm just going to take this off, okay?" The deer wasn't bucking so much now, but it still trotted about, scared of the contraption holding its foot down. Skipper reached one hand to the other side of the deer, trapping it to him as he used both hands to pry the trap open.

"Come on." He grunted as he held it open, nudging the deer with his head. "Go." The fawn gingerly lifted its leg and Skipper took the chance to grab the animal and roll away, letting the trap snap back menacingly.

He stared at the trap before turning to the fawn. He watched as the fawn placed its injured foot down and buckled to the ground with a cry. He picked it up, gently tucking its legs and inspecting the injured hoof. The fawn cried out in pain when he pressed it lightly and dug its snout into his chest.

"I don't have anything with me right now...I sent Rico to the North to check for fires. I'll have to bring you back with me." He got to his feet slowly, discreetly placing the snake in a pocket and walking over to the trap. He nudged it with his foot and frowned down at it. "I just don't get what a bear trap is doing here."

Skipper was currently feeding the little doe with a bottle of milk, looking out from the porch of the station. He had already placed the snake in a glass enclosure and braced the call from the superintendent. As expected, he was fired and the big man would be coming over with his replacement. Which was quick, but the superintendent had been waiting for him to mess up.

Though, that wasn't what was worrying the ex-ranger at the moment. He was more worried about his friend, Kowalski. Usually, and he knew this from experience, the scientist would be in his room going over notes, writing new ones or observing a specimen he got from the forest, but he was not there. In fact, he was nowhere in or near the station. Which was very unusual for a man who hardly went out except when necessary, or when Skipper had to drag him out.

The thought brought a smile to his face as he remembered those times. He remembered when he moved here for the first time to live with his father after his mother passed away. Or when he had to apologize to five-year-old Private for 'accidentally' pushing him into a pond, making the younger boy cry. And the time when his dear father decided to add Rico and Kowalski, complete polar opposites, to the group and he made his first real friends, aside his city friends, Manfredi and Johnson. He also couldn't forget the time when a shy and sweet Marlene joined the crew on her first day here, only for them to find out that she was just as stubborn and determined as Skipper was.

All these memories just reminded him of the fact that he had to leave. Because he was no longer needed here.

The suckling noise had stopped some time back and Skipper looked down at the fawn sleeping in his arms. He walked back inside, placed the fawn on an dog bed and the bottle on a table and walked back out, leaning on the railing. Just enjoying his last few peaceful moments here...little did he know about the brewing trouble coming his way.

Marlene placed the comb down on the table and looked at her reflection as she tied her hair into a ponytail. She checked for any stray or flyaway strands and was about to pin them down when her eyes caught the scrapbook sitting on the table next to her bed. She pinned the strays and made her way over to the bed, taking the scrapbook with her as she sat on the bed.

On one page, Rico, the scarred man she had learned to trust and accept because of Private, had the boy in a fake headlock on the ground, the two of them laughing as Kowalski shook his head at them, a smile pulling at his lips. The next had the two 'boys' grinning at each other as Kowalski walked away. It was followed by one where a complete surprised Kowalski was on the ground below Rico and Private was getting ready to jump on the two.

Marlene smiled at it and turned to another page.

This one had the brothers, Skipper and Private, near a stream, the two of them holding up a bunch of fish each as they grinned at the camera. In another, Kowalski was completely drenched and sitting in the stream while Rico and Private laughed at him. Skipper was in the background, arms crossed over his figure as he smirked.

She grinned and immediately turned the book over, skipping the blank pages at the back until she reached the last entry in the scrapbook.

It was a bunch of shots including Skipper and herself, but they didn't know that Kowalski, Rico and Private were watching. Until they caught the three snickering over a camera and they were 'punished'. Marlene managed to convince Skipper not to burn the pictures, and she had full rights to do what she wanted with them. It probably didn't mean much to Skipper, but it meant a lot to her.

One shot had the two of them working in the camp kitchen. Skipper was stumped on what to do, even though he had volunteered to help her cook for the kids. The next had Skipper somehow bursting a bag of flour, which ended having flour all over his work area and himself, with Marlene covering her mouth in shock. It was followed by one of Skipper frowning as he wiped the flour off his face while Marlene giggled behind her hands.

She remembered that she was too busy leaning over the counter, unable to hold her laughter in, to notice that Skipper was reaching for something. He poured a bowl of jelly over her and she stood there shocked, until she picked up a bowl of eggs and threw it at him.

The picture at the bottom, was the final result of their little 'war'. Skipper had picked the laughing female up by her waist, a finger dipped in cream. He was grinning as he tried to make a mark on her face.

So far, the last one was her favorite.

With a sad smile, she picked up the picture, stashed the scrapbook in a drawer and stared at it.

"Oh Skipper..." She sighed and brought the picture closer to her chest with her eyes closed. "I'm so sorry. I wish today could've gone better..."

"Marlene!" She jumped in fright, clutching onto the picture tightly. "Marlene!" Marlene hid the picture under her pillow and stared at Kowalski as the man tumbled into the room, leaving the door banging against the wall. "Oh thank Einstein you're still here." He breathed out in huffs as Marlene helped him up.

"What's going on, Kowalski? Is something wrong?"

"No. Not, whoo, at all."

"Then...wait, where's Skipper?"

The man was still struggling to get his breathing under control. "That's, huh, what I was, huh, going to ask you." She glanced at the watch on her wrist.

"Well, he must be back by now. You should have waited for him."

"Yeah I could, but I had to tell someone."

"Tell what? And why me?"

"I'll tell you on the way." He grabbed her hand and started pulling her out. "For now," he looked back at her once they reached outside, "we have to convince Skipper not to give up."

"Give up?" Marlene dug in her heels, forcing Kowalski to stop. "Why would he do that?"

"Obviously," he spoke haughtily, glaring at the kids playing in the courtyard, oblivious to the two of them, "because of what happened."

"I don't think-"

"The pressure was too much for him, Marlene. Doesn't mean he won't break. Even if it was just a couple of kids." His tone was laced with disgust, but it went away when he looked back at Marlene. "I think he's going to give up."

"But, he wouldn't just do that, would he? I mean, this is Skipper we're talking about. Skipper would never give up."

"You're right, Marlene. He can do a lot of things, and we both know that determination and perseverance is a specialty of his. The only problem here," he looked at Marlene, "is that he thinks that he can't do this. And if he can't, he will give up." Marlene looked over at a bunch of kids playing and shouting, Kowalski's words swimming in her mind.

"I didn't...I didn't notice. I always thought he had things under control."

"Well, he tries hard not to let his loved ones get worried." Marlene's cheeks turned red and she looked down, playing with her fingers. Kowalski smirked at this, but it was brief as he grabbed her hand again. "Another reason why I came to you and not Private. The boy's not going to be happy when he finds out. Come on." They were about to go into the forest when someone cleared his throat.

I know I said it was going to be a two-shot...but, uh, my imagination ran wild. ;)

The third installment won't be up soon, though. I have a lot of papers to complete and exams to study for the next two weeks...sooooo, *Rico-ese* Aw...

Well, there's my good news and bad news...see ya! Have a lovely time!