A/N: Important notice! I will be on hiatus until late June since I will be unable to access a computer. Sorry about that. : ) Hope you keep reading nonetheless!

Kowalski looked at his two teammates sprawled on the chairs of the waiting room beside him. They had arrived a few minutes after he had, and had said with firm determination that they would all stay awake in case they got news about Private's surgery. They never did. They waited minutes after minutes, hours after hours… Until he was the only one left awake.

Kowalski stifled a yawn and glanced at the clock. It was around two in the morning. He couldn't fall asleep… it was all his fault anyway. He buried his face in his hands. It's my fault… All my fault.

Why did I have to make that stupid humanizing ray? Like we would ever really need to be humans… Heck, we're not even real agents! It all started way back then, just a silly little game to keep us from going insane from being cooped up in the zoo… He straightened and gave a bitter laugh. We're already insane, aren't we? I mean, what kind of penguins pretend to be commandos anyways? We really went too far with the game, making real enemies like Blowhole. In fact, I'm not sure if Skipper and Rico even remember that it's not real anymore…Of course, Private truly believes that we are. He never knew… Oh, Private. Why does everything lead back to you? I'm so sorry, so sorry…

It's all fun and games until someone gets hurt.

Kowalski turned quickly at the sound of someone's voice.

"Um, excuse me, are you here for…" he flipped a few pages in his clipboard. "…erm, Private Adelie?"

The scientist stood up. "Yes. Is his operation done?"

"Yes, the operation was successful – he received ninety-three stitches on his stomach. Also, he has a broken right arm and a bruised neck and esophagus. With hope, he should be out of here within a few months. However, he is suffering from trauma, and side effects may occur – we suggest a lot of rest and perhaps therapy to help him through."

"Thank you. May I see him?"

The doctor hesitated and looked at his sleeping companions. "A lot of people may not be ideal for-"

"It would just be me." Kowalski's eyes pleaded.

"Well, all right. Just as long as you remain-" By the time the doctor said "quiet," he was already gone, rushing down the halls to see Private.

Skipper's gonna kill me for not waking him up, I know, but just this one time I need to see him for myself.

He creaked open the door and peeked inside. His heart immediately fell.

"Private?" he whispered.

He was barely recognizable. Other than being a human, of course, he was resting on a bed, a casted arm hanging out of the achingly white sheets. There was an oxygen mask on his face, and there were so many tubes and machines attached to him that Kowalski wondered if it could be any worse.

But the worst thing was his face. It was so pale and innocent, his blond hair pushed aside… it made his teammate want to break down all over again. How could someone like that deserve to be like this? His eyes were closed peacefully and his breaths were so small that he almost looked as if he were-

No, he wasn't dead. The small beeps on the monitor proved it.

Kowalski sighed and took a seat. He guessed that there was nothing to do but sit and wait for Private to get better… he never noticed when he dozed off to the steady ticking of the clock and the reassuring beeps coming from his comrade's heart monitor.

He watched, smiling, as the penguin took the brightly wrapped box from him.

"For me? K'walski, you shouldn't have…" They could hear the happiness in Private's voice, echoing inside the HQ.

"Don't thank me," he said. "It was Skipper's idea and Rico got it."

"Thank you Skippah! You too Rico!"

Their leader was smiling, but said gruffly, "Enough with the dilly-dally. Just open it." But you could tell he was pleased.

They watched excitedly as Private tore off the striped blue and purple paper and open the box. He gasped before lifting out a small purple horse.

"A Lunacorn! Thank you so much!" The small penguin's smile was enough to make the stressful last two days getting his present worth it.

Before any of them had a chance to react, Private had pulled the team into a bear hug, making the usually unaffectionate team sappy. But it wasn't an awkward hug, no. In fact… it was sort of nice.

"This is the best birthday evah."

Kowalski awoke when the beeping from the monitor grew faster. He looked around with a start before realizing where he was and what was happening. His eyes widened in fear. What's going on?

The boy gave a weak cough and opened his eyes. It was too bright… everything was pure white. He turned when he heard talking. There was someone in the room with him. Tall, curly brown hair, a worried look on his face.

"Private! You're awake! Thank god, I was so worried." The boy shrank back as the man started walking towards him, arms stretched forward to hug him. "I'm so sorry about what happened, I never meant-"

Kowalski almost got to hugging Private before he was stopped by an outstretched hand. Startled, he looked at the boy. His blue eyes stared with confusion at him, as if he was a stranger.

"Who are you?"