Porsche101- I don't like it all that much, it's just a second pairing for Marlene. She is the only girl in the TV series. Of course they're going to exploit her. Like in Transformers, make sure there are enough females in the series because shippers will find a way. (Hence, Private/Skipper.)…am I ranting? I think I am. Sorry! There is more Skilene in this story, definitely.
Iota-…are you threatening me? 0.o. I can't tell. : ) Just joking. Don't worry about Rodger. He's going to be fine.
Mattie Scary- I love Rodger too much to kill him, hence, he's only in critical contidion.
Now, To the emotionalish part of the story!
Marlene laid down on the detective's couch, unaware of the team that talked above her. The police were here about an hour ago and she found that Officer X was about the worst man in the world. Skipper had shooed the man out and hadn't left her side since. If she had her normal mindset, she would've blushed at the fact a guy she liked was worried about her. Right now, though, her best friend in the entire world was in the critical ward in the hospital.
She was so sick of hospitals.
She felt wrong that she might as well be a corpse. She refused to talk, eat, or even move from Skipper's couch. She was barely even aware of the time. She knew she was scaring her friends but right now, her life felt like it was ripped from her.
"Marlene. Talk to me." Skipper had pulled her body into his lap, something she would have blushed at and tried to protest. Right now, it felt safe. She clutched his shirt and felt another wave of tears explode from her eyes.
"It's not fair, Skipper!" She screamed into his shoulder, regretting getting his shirt wet but not apologizing anytime soon.
"I know, I know. We'll get whoever did it to him. We got ballistics on the bullet and we're just waiting for the results. We'll get the guy and throw him in jail. I promise."
Marlene nodded and felt the tears dry up on her face. She could barely even squeak out, "Thank you," but he got the message.
"Men, go out to the crime scene with the police. Scour the place for any evidence you can find."
"What about you, Skipper?" Private patted Marlene's head and glanced up at the leader.
"I don't think Marlene should be left alone." He caught the glance his men sent to each other before disappearing out the door. He glanced back down to the girl in his lap. She was scared, upset, and mad. This was definitly not normal for her. Her normal personality was the exact opposite of his, meaning right now, they were on the same page. For some reason though, this made Skipper even more worried. That old saying about opposites attract was definitly proving itself. Groaning, he leaned back, "Marlene, you're going to be the death of me."
"Then lock me up." She mumbled, a strained laugh coming out of her mouth, "But please don't talk like that. I'm getting sick of fearing death."
"I don't blame you. Hey, were you like this when we were attacked?"
Marlene looked up at him and glared, "According to the doctor, you were in no danger of dying. I've known Rodger my entire life and it's a 70% chance he's going to die. I think I'm entitled to be upset."
"I'm not saying that. I was just wondering."
"Oh, okay." Marlene curled up closer to his shirt, "Did you know he's been my best friend since I was seven? I found him being picked on by a kid in an older class and I stood up for him. That was the last time I've protected him. He has been more of an older brother to me than anybody else could ever be. I don't know what I'd do if he died."
"Mourn, then work to be happy, like he'd you want you to be. I don't think Rodger would be the type of angel to let his friends be upset."
"No, he wouldn't." Marlene lifted her arm and wiped her eyes, "he would probably be attempting to make me laugh."
"What's black, white and red all over?"
"Skunk with a rash, zebra with a sunburn, newspaper. Skipper, please, you can do better than that!" She giggled, hiccups interrupting every two seconds.
"Um, why did the chicken cross the road?"
"Depends on who's answering. To get to the other side, to prove that he's wasn't a chicken, and my all time favorite, so he didn't become roadkill."
"You know a lot of answers."
"You keep telling the jokes with more than one!" She protested, "Well, now we can continue that conversation. You have to tell me something."
"Something."
"You suck, just tell me."
Skipper leaned back and stared at the ceiling, "Well, I was married maybe a total of one year, possibly less. Lola was a dancer from Hawaii and I guess she just got bored of the city."
"Oh, well. She's stupid." Marlene hugged his chest, "you're a good guy, and any girl would be lucky to have you."
Skipper opened his mouth but quickly shut it, deciding not to comment on that and went with something that had been troubling him. "You as well, you want to tell me about the badly ended boyfriend?"
"He turned out to be a jerk and I ended it with him. Then he started going around to people at my workplace and saying stuff. I threatened to call the police and he quit. I asked my boss for a transfer though, just in case."
"I'll beat him up."
"Rodger already did that, well, in a way. Let's just say he'll never look at diving boards the same. Thanks for the offer, though."
Skipper couldn't help but smile. The girl's ever-shining outlook on life couldn't even be hidden, even with Rodger in the hospital. Before the girl had scared him but now, she was nearly at her usual level. Of course, Skipper was still ecstatic that the girl hadn't objected to him moving her onto his lap. On the other hand, he was guilty for taking advantage of the girl's mourning.
"Okay, you have to tell me more. I'm letting my thoughts drift back."
"Oh, so I'm a distraction?" Skipper grinned at the girl how sighed and rolled her eyes, "Okay, my name's Skipper because my dad liked the military but he wasn't able to enter due to a bad leg."
"So if you join the navy, you'll be called Skipper Skipper?"
"It's crossed my mind a few times, but no. Marines is more my area."
"The brave, the few, the body-builders of the Army." Marlene held out her hands, making an imaginary banner, "I can imagine you being a Marine."
"Good, though I can't imagine giving up this life here. Catching the criminals, getting them off the streets, it's a good job."
"Yeah, I can imagine." Marlene leaned back onto his shoulder, a giant yawn escaping from her mouth.
"You need to go to sleep."
"I'm not sleepy," Marlene shook her head, again imitating a two year old. She tried to look awake but a yawn escaped again in spite of her façade. Skipper pushed her off his lap and went to the closet, getting out a few blankets. By the time he got back, Marlene was fast asleep, curled up like a cat on the couch. Skipper threw the thickest blanket over her and tucked it into the couch, reminding him of a few years ago when Private insisted on it after watching some show.
He brushed her hair out of her face and kissed her on the cheek, "Night Marlene." When she didn't respond to the words, he nodded and made his way to his desk, just for his phone to blare into the silence.
Skipper cursed and opened the phone before Marlene could wake up, "What?"
Kowalski's voice filled the other end, an anxiety that usually didn't show up in the smart's ones dialect, "Skipper, you might want to come down here. We just got the ballistics on the bullet from Rodger."
"Well?"
There was a sound of strained breathing on the other end, like someone trying to think of words to say, "Sir, it's from one of Archai's henchmen."
If no one remembers, Archai was the man they suspected for blowing up the van and he's the Rat King. Should give you a hint for later on. Hint, hint.
Again, I suck at romance so if this chapter has any problems with it, please feel free to tell me. Please.
