Skipper was foaming at the mouth, his white feathers were now dull and grey as he glared in the mirror in front of him. His face was sweaty and stained with saliva and tears. His neck was chained onto the back of his bunk, his wings and legs sprawled across the edges with a silver chain. They rattled as he struggled to escape.

Out of nowhere, he heard a faint muffled whimper, and from the corner of his eye, he spotted Private. Tears cascaded from his face as they slivered down his already wet cheeks and feathers. He shook and shivered, but there was barely a draft in the room. Skipper felt like he needed to do something. To waddle over to him and tell him everything was ok. Although he couldn't imagine it was. Everything around him fell into a deep black pool of nothingness. And all that remained was him and Private. The only other difference was that he was no longer chained up. He ran up to Private and looked him in the eyes. "Private, what's wrong?" asked Skipper uneasily as Private answered.

"It's you Skippah, it's you won't wake up!"

"What?" Skipper yelled.

"Please Skippah, please wake up? Please!" shouted Private for the last time.

Skippers eyes shot opene to reality as he glared at Private who was holding a candle in his right flipper, and holding a wet towel in the other. His face showed worry and concern.

Skipper was sweaty and panicked as he spoke, "W-what happened?"

"I woke up to the sound of you mumbling in your sleep. And when I went to wake you up, you were burning hot! I figured it was a fever, so I got this towel to put over your forehead, but you wouldn't wake up! So I got scared." Private answered as he softly placed the wet rag on Skipper's head to cool him down.

Skipper sighed. "Thanks Private. And sorry for worrying you." Skipper smiled.

"So, it seemed that you had a nightmare, you look quit shaken up about it. Would you like to talk about it?" asked Private as he sat down next to his leader, handed him a cup of coffee to calm him, and carefully set the candle down a few feet away on the ground.

"Nah, it was nothing really, don't worry about me. Besides, it was a fever dream. No one ever remembers a fever dream." Skipper laughed as he patted Private on the back. "You should probably get some rest, I'll be fine." He smiled calmly. But in reality, Skipper wasn't even close to fine, or calm, he wanted to tell Private about the dream-or nightmare was more like it, but he just couldn't. Besides, it would give Private nightmares as well.

"Alright then…um, Skippah?" Private said.

"What is it Private?" Skipper asked in response.

Private hugged his leader tightly as he spoke again, "Get better soon please, I know you can."

Skipper returned the hug as he spoke, "I will, now get to bed, we're not doing any training or exercises tomorrow, but you should still get some rest, ok?"

"Alright, goodnight Skippah!" said Private as he smiled and jumped back into his own bunk.

"Goodnight, Private." answered Skipper as he placed the mug on the concrete table, and blew out the candle light.

Later on, Private was fast asleep. But Skipper was wide awake, and he felt like he wouldn't be able to sleep, even if it was to save his life. He tossed and turned and sighed. He placed his pillow over his face as he groaned. Unable to sleep, he just shut his eyes and hoped for the best. After a few more hours, he finally fell asleep.

The next morning, something was off. Skipper was awoken by an unnerving, uncomfortable, and numbing pain that shot through his right flipper. The place where he had got bitten. A headache rushed passed him, knocking him back a bit. Then, like a sudden bullet going at high speed, a sharp needle-like pain hit his left side.

It knocked the breath right out of him as he tumbled down to the ground. His muscles tightened as he started shaking and jittering violently, he tried calling out to his team, but to no avail, his voice was muffled and unclear like his breathing and eye sight. He tried getting off the floor, but his bandaged flipper became numb just like his side and caused him to collapse once more onto the cold, solid, concrete ground below him. He gasped for breath as he rolled onto his back and tried calming himself by closing his eyes and attempting to regain oxygen.

It must have worked. The headache left, the pain in his flipper ceased, and his muscles relaxed. His breath was returning to normal, but the numbness in his side was still there, and he was sweating like crazy.

He felt that it was best that he skipped his morning coffee. Maybe that was the reason he was so panicked and paranoid. He had been having trouble swallowing it anyways.

Skipper tried to deny it. He tried to block it out. The thought that it was more than the flu was unbearable. But deep down he knew it was true, though he still tried to hide it…

It's a terrible chapter, I know, I wrote it at 3 am because I couldn't sleep, much like Skipper couldn't. Maybe that's where I got it from? Anyways, I hope you liked it! (even though I didn't) Maybe a review if it was good enough? XD