A/N: I'd like to thank everyone for the great reviews and input for this chapter. So, yeah.. thanks!:D Please R&R and feel free to put in your own suggestions, just put it in a review or PM me! Enjoy:)


Skipper's POV:

Skipper entered the HQ, a smile on his face and two fish in his hand. He was hoping to share a meal with the little penguin, but his hopes were suddenly flowing away as Private was nowhere in sight.

-"Private?" Skipper asked, waiting in anticipation for a response, but none came. He quickly waddled over the Kowalski's lab, searching every corner and crevice for any sight of Private, but he came up dry.

Where could he have gone? The confused Skipper wondered. He climbed up the ladder and went topside. He put his flipper over his head as he scanned the zoo for any sign as to where the little guy could be, but again, there was nothing. His hopes for a nice meal with Private were replaced with worry and fear. He jumped back into the HQ, pacing back and forth.

-"Okay, we all went topside for training..." Skipper said to himself, feeling sweat run down his face.

-"...Then, we all waited for the civilians to arrive with our breakfast. We...all were there right?" He tried to remember as best he could, but the last time he saw Private was when he was done training with him.

Skipper slapped himself again for not noticing earlier.

-"Oh, God. Private, where are you?" The distraught penguin said to himself, the fear growing inside of him. He took a seat on the couch as he tried to keep his mind together. "Maybe he just went out for a snow cone, or just exploring, or something." He choked out, trying to keep himself calm. It wasn't working. He thought about today, and how well training was for the two. Private even managed to knock Skipper off his feet a couple of times. But then he remembered Private looked a little down after. He had also noticed every time the two would meet eyes, Private would look down, a sad expression on his face.

He started to pace again as Kowalski and Rico dropped down to the lair.

-"Hello, sir," Kowalski said, appearing to be satisfied with his meal. Rico just burped in agreement.

-"Did you find Private?"

-"Negative, Kowalski..." Skipper replied forlornly.

-"Oh, well..Where do you think he could've gone, sir?" Kowalski asked, figuring Skipper would most likely know as the two have been spending a lot of time together lately.

-"I don't know, Kowalski. I just...don't know" Skipper said, his head slowly drooping down. He noticed Kowalski had begun to write down something on his notebook. Skipper had just about enough of that stupid notebook. He waddled over the the intelligent penguin and slapped the notebook and crayon out of his hands.

-"Dammit, Kowalski! This is no time for notes!" Skipper screamed, now noticing the sudden anger and fear emitting from his voice. Kowalski was stunned for a moment, but pulled himself together shortly after.

-"Don't you think you're over-reacting just a bit, sir? I mean, he hasn't even been gone that long."

The commanding officer now began to look a bit taken aback. But he slowly nodded after a minute of silence.

-"Right, I...I guess you're right, Kowalski." Skipper said, his flipper now nervously scratching the back of his head.

-"But, nonetheless, he should've confronted one of us first. So, I have a task for you two." He said, trying his best to keep his calm.

-"You two are to search the perimeter around the zoo and look for Private." Kowalski nodded in agreement, but looked back at Skipper as a thought crossed his mind.

-"But, sir. What if Private isn't in the zoo, hypothetically speaking, of course." Skipper didn't want to hear it, but it was a possibility. Why would Private leave the zoo, without even one of us accompanying him, or at least knowing?

-"Well, Kowalski, if Private isn't in the perimeter of the zoo, you two are to go looking for him, I don't know, out of the zoo?" He could feel the paranoia and anger rising him up again, and was glad that Kowalski's only response was a, "Yes, Sir" and a quick climb back topside, Rico following behind. Skipper slouched down on a chair as he said to himself,

-"Where are you, Private?" His eyes began to slowly drift across the room, when he noticed a small fragment of a paper sticking out of the pillow on the bottom bunk.

Private's bunk.

He ran over to it, hoping it was a clue to Private's whereabouts. He slowly took out the paper and noticed it said, "To:Skipper" drawn out in crayon. It was definitely Private's handwriting, as his was the most sophisticated looking. He began to read it to himself:

Dear Skipper,

It is with great sorrow, but little regret that I need to inform you that I am leaving the team. Leaving Kowalski, and Rico. But most importantly...leaving you. You have always been a great role model for me, I thank you deeply for that. You have been there for me always, no matter what. Not just as a team-mate, but a friend. A great friend. I have always looked up to you, hoping that one day, I myself could be just like you. A future you, so to speak. But this is why I must leave. There are these thoughts...inside of my mind. Inside of my heart. I don't know what to make of them, but all of them, every single one, involves you. I have grown more attached to you, and every single day I have a burning passion to tell you something I have wanted to for a while. But knowing how much you love the team and would want nothing more to keep it intact and well, I assume you would not feel the same way. You might have even kicked me out of the team, something I would not be angry at you for. This is why I need to go. I cannot contain these feelings, and I'm worried that this could grow to a more intense level. So, I must try to forget. Forget everything I once knew, and try to start a new life, somewhere else. I would like to tell you in person, but it's too difficult. If you had not figured it out yet, which I almost certainly know you have or will by reading this, I think it's best not to say my true feelings. It would just hurt too much, despite the pain and sadness I am feeling writing this now. I am so sorry, and I hope you will forgive me. Even if I move on, You will always be in my thoughts, Skipper...

Sincerely,

Private

Skipper read the note over and over again, trying to make sense of everything.

-"No..." He whispered, the tears swelling in his eyes. He tried not to let them out, but soon began to burst into tears.

-"No, Private! No!" He screamed, throwing the note as hard as he could.

-"I was too late! I could have told you! Private, oh, God no..." He cried, burying his face in his flippers.

-"Just give me another chance, Private!" he yelled, hoping to God that somehow, Private would hear, and immediately come back and throw himself into Skipper's arms.

But nothing happened. Nothing came. Just a lonely Skipper, Weeping in the bunk of his lover, that he was too stupid to tell him his true feelings to before it was too late..

-"No, no. no... Private! Come back!" He cried at the top of his lungs, another wave of tears flowing down, second after second, more coming down.

Seconds turned to minutes, which turned to hours. Not one member of the team had come back yet, meaning the little Private was out of the zoo. Out of Kowalski's and Rico's grasp. Out of Skipper's life.

Forever.

Skipper lay down in Private's bunk, letting the tears come out now without any attempt to hold back. Skipper's life was over, all because he was too caught up in his stupid paranoia and thoughts of what the team would think. Now Private was gone.

Leaving Skipper to lie and weep himself to sleep in the empty, lonely night...


I have to be honest, I cried a little while writing Private's note :`( Maybe it was the story, maybe it was because while writing it, I was listening to "The Sensitive" By Kromabis. It's a good song, but so sad! I suggest you listen to it while you read the note part to the end if you want to shed a tear or two :)

Next chapter will be Private's POV, and maybe the next one will be Kowalski's(?) keep on reviewing!