If I Said I Loved You: Chapter 3
Skipper rolled his eyes, as Kowalski and Rico franticly separated their flippers. "Afternoon Training is coming up. Don't be late" Skipper said. Giving Kowalski a suspicious glance. Rico was angered by Skipper, why didn't he just trust his team? Why did he have to be so paranoid about everything? Kowalski gave Rico, an embarrassed glance as Skipper motioned for Kowalski to follow him up the ladder. Why did Kowalski do whatever he said? Did he even think about questioning Skipper? Even Private stood up to Skipper a couple of times, but never Kowalski. Private gave a nervous laugh as he realized he was alone with Rico and with a slightly frightened nod he exited the HQ. Rico sighed and got up. Afternoon training wasn't going to be easy.
Kowalski sat at the table in his lab, sitting back on his chair with a quizzical look on his face. Pondering his where-a bout's, and his actions from this day. He heard a knock on the door, and told who-ever was at the door to come in. Kowalski had to say he was a bit surprised when Private appeared at the door of Kowalski's lab; "Private? Uh- I mean, Private! What are you… doing here?" Private smiled weakly. "I wanted to… talk to you…" Kowalski had never seen the young penguin so troubled. "What's on your mind Private?" The young penguins paused for a while and casually walked over to sit down at Kowalski's lab table. "Well… me and Skipper are doing recon tomorrow…" Kowalski raised his eyebrow, and gave Private a: you-must-be-hiding-something glare. But surprisingly Private didn't flinch. "It's not PERMANENT. I mean there are… ARRANGEMENTS me, and Skipper could make if you don't want to be… you know… alone with Rico again." Kowalski practically shot into a up-right sitting position. "Why would you think that would be a problem?" Private's flippers tapped together for a while. "Well you and Rico together… with nobody watching… I don't think Skipper would approve…" "NEWTONS NICKERS PRIVATE WHAT DID YOU THINK WE WERE DOING WHILE YOU AND SKIPPER WERE GONE?" Kowalski said, shocked at what such a young mind could possibly be thinking about two of his friends. Private realized the very suggestive words he had just used and blurted out, "NO! NO! nonono! I didn't mean it like that!" Kowalski still had a look of shock on his face. "I meant… I meant…" Kowalski had a very suspicious look on his face. "Did Rico hurt you?" Private blurted out, "'cause Skipper told me he might be finally snapping, and he could be violent…" Private paced around, "I don't want you to get hurt and…" Kowalski stood up. Fury pulsing through his body; "No. Private, Rico would never hurt me!" Kowalski turned to leave, and added just low enough so that Private couldn't hear, "but somebody else might hurt him…"
Rico watched in astonishment as Skipper was dragged away from him and Rico's card game. Kowalski had a look of disbelief and pain in his eyes. He listened in disbelief as he heard Kowalski's voice slightly from the HQ, as he talked to Skipper from above the HQ. Never before had Kowalski sounded so stressed. Skipper talked lower but Rico was able to pick up traces of certainty. Obviously Skipper was saying something to tell Kowalski that whatever his side of this argument was was the RIGHT side. Private slowly stepped out of Kowalski's lab, with a haze of confusion darkening his eyes. Rico was determined to find out what was going on and moved closer to the hole where they entered and exited the HQ. Kowalski's voice was a bit hazed, but Skipper had obviously broken him. "Why can't you just TRUST me, I'm your lieutenant!" Kowalski said. Rico felt anger rise in his chest. Whatever was going on, Skipper didn't care about Kowalski's opinion. "Well I'm the leader, and what I say goes. I'll give you FOUR days Kowalski. FOUR! That's it! If you can't straighten that solider up in four days he's leaving!" No… Rico thought they couldn't be talking about… "Just give him a chance!" Rico heard the sound of Skipper slapping Kowalski across the face. "Snap out of this Kowalski! If he's going to change, he's going to change when I tell him to. And if that can't happen, he's leaving. PERIOD!" Rico felt his anger drop to guilt. Are they talking about me? He thought. Those sessions… they are going to be Kowalski trying to help me stay on the team? … Rico felt his thoughts whirl around a bit. He knew what Kowalski wanted from him… was it only fair to say that Rico should get something out of this un-spoken deal too? … No, of course it wasn't. Rico thought back to that final glance the penguins had shared. He thought back to Linda… and then back to Kowalski. His emotions conflicting; He knew what he wanted… but would it be too much to ask?