This Chapter has been re-written since it was first posted!

A/N: Update! Also, the beginnings of loooove! Ugh, I'm trying to use Private and Ace both when referring to Ace, but it gets confusing. I'm trying to follow Skippers thoughts as he goes from thinking of him as a solider to a friend. Someone tell me if it doesn't work!

Disclaimer: Yeah...nope. I don't own this.


Flightless

Chapter Eight

Skipper paced quietly behind the chair he had dragged up next to the Private's bedside. The sun was beginning to set, obstinate rays shining right in through the window. He stormed over and after a quick look around the street, yanked the curtains closed. It had been three hours since he chased him at the zoo. He knew he had seen something, had been chasing something that Skipper couldn't see. Kowalski had acknowledged that there was definitely some disturbance in the air. After all, something had dragged him off that wall and into the penguin habitat. But they hadn't been able to get a good look of it. And there had been no time to pursue it.

People had been swarming, calling for security, demanding to know if the boy was okay. Asking what he had been doing. He had moved as fast as possible, jumping into the enclosure, tossing Private over his shoulder and sprinted back for the parking lot. At an order from Skipper Rico had ditched his target and returned to the zoo to pick them up. When they reached HQ Kowalski had done a quick medical check. The boy amazingly didn't seem to have a concussion, he needed some rest but he would be fine.

Skipper leaned over the edge of the bed and brushed Ace's black hair from his face. His face was completely relaxed in the dark recesses of sleep, eyelashes resting on his cheeks, his lips slightly parted. Sitting back down on the chair he rested his chin on his weaved fingers and sighed heavily, trying to sort out his thoughts.

Ace always brought up emotions that Skipper had thought had been squashed and snuffed out long ago. Smiling wide in his sleep the boy flipped over onto his side, snuggling deep into his pillow. Skipper felt a slight fluttering at the sight and he tried to summon an image to quell it, but it remained and increased as he continued to watch over the sleeping boy.

Sighing again he stood and resumed his pacing. It wouldn't do to ignore the fact that he felt an attraction to the Private, that wasn't hard to admit too. Rico and Kowalski both agreed that he was a handsome young man, a hardworking, caring, smart, funny handsome young man. But he had to think of the complications that could occur. If they pursued a relationship and it didn't work out, would that affect their teamwork? Pacing to the window Skipper sighed and ran a hand through his hair. He didn't know how Rico and Kowalski managed it. But then again, they had been together for years now. Surely there had been some problems in the beginning? He groaned. This wasn't the beginning of a relationship, he thought as he pushed back the curtain. There was just so much in the way. Such a thing would never work out.

Standing at the window watching the sunset Skipper couldn't help by let himself imagine what it could be like if it did work out. The mental images made him smile, but it quickly faded as the image of Doufinium crossed his mind. If Doufinium found out, Ace would be in even more danger than they normally faced. Doufinium was sick and obsessed, he could and would seriously hurt Ace. The familiar faces of Manfredi and Johnson flashed through his mind and, straightening his posture, he banished the happy illusions from his mind. His affections weren't worth putting the Private in that much danger.

"Skippah?"

Startled Skipper turned from the window, moving quickly to the bedside. Ace was blinking sleepily as he yawned. But right now Skipper was much more concerned about his mental state than quelling the butterflies throwing a party in his gut.

"You hit your head pretty hard Private, how are you feeling?"

"It was waving."

Skipper paused. That wasn't the response he was expecting, nor was it a good one. Then again Kowalski had said that he might be a bit loopy for awhile after he woke up. Then a realization struck and his eyes narrowed, Ace's speech pattern had changed. Did he have a concussion after all? Skipper sat on the edge of the bed and moved him into a sitting position, he needed him to stay awake and keep talking.

"What was waving Private, where?"

He giggled and again Skipper tried to shove away the blasted fluttering. He did not think that was cute! He strove to think of something else, anything to keep his head straight!

"The little penguin! Back as the zoo, I fell into it's habitat when I tried to catch Blowhole's spy plane then it waved at me! Isn't that cute!"

Skipper felt his blood freeze and in that instant all the fluttering ceased. Blowhole? As in Doufinium? He had been spying on them at the zoo, but why? Was it because they had a new member to the team or did he have some other motive? Ace was still talking and Skipper absently realized his speech pattern wasn't just changed, he was speaking with an accent!

"Skippah!"

He turned his gaze to the grinning fool beckoning him closer.

"Come'ere. I've got a secret to tell you!"

Leaning in close Skipper wondered if this was more information about the spy plane or the mysterious accent. Only to be shocked stiff when Ace fisted a hand into his shirt and dragged him forward, faster than a loopy, concussed man should be able to move and smashed their lips together.

Skipper fought hard to stay cold. He kept still, fighting every urge that told him to kiss back. Doufinium was already watching Ace for some reason. He didn't want to put him in more danger than he already was. However when Ace laid his head back onto the pillow, starring up with his big sky blue eyes and said,

"I love you Skippah."

He could feel his resolve shattering.