Bet no one thought I was gonna update so quickly? ^_^

Well after the amount of Review I got for the last chapter-

Which by the way, I'm honoured by-

How could I not write faster, hope you enjoy Chapter 10!

~Donakiko

(This chapter is dedicated to 'TheSkySpritsTalentShow' If you have time, read her story 'The Pairing Truth and Dare' It had me laughing for ages :D)

Marlene unconsciously glanced down at Skippers leg, her stomach churning in disgust at what that woman had done to him.

Skipper caught her eye and lifted his leg to his chest, parting the feathers he showed her the long scar…

What caught Marlene's attention were the lines along it.

"Stitches?" She asked, gazing at him with confusion.

Skipper kept his eyes on the scar as the memory flashed through his head.

"Have you ever wondered why we stay in the zoo or perform to make the humans happy?"

Marlene shrugged.

"It's not just for our cover Marlene…"

"It's because they saved my life"

~/\~

When Skipper opened his eyes again, he found it was night. Karen and Blowhole were gone and the sky was in the cross from evening to night. The sky ablaze with a dark purple that was bordering on black and the stars were only beginning to become visible and an angry row of clouds was coming in from the north.

His leg was now numb. Partly from the snow, partly from the blood loss.

A slow steady breathing caught his attention and he tilted his head, fighting the pain to see his son curled up against his chest feathers asleep.

Breathing a sigh of relief that his son was okay, Skipper suddenly realised how tired he was.

His eyes began to drop, the sound around him fading until he could only hear his heart…slowly beating.

He closed his eyes, taking slow breaths. His mind telling him it was time to rest while every other part of his body told him to stay awake!

Their voices were to low against the demanding pull of his mind for Skipper to pay them any attention.

He took in his last breath…..

He cried out as a sudden white hot pain spread from his leg.

"DA!"

Skippers eyes snapped open as he sucked in a deep breath and realised how close he was to passing out. He looked around with wide alert eyes at the strange people surrounding him. One was checking his leg while a female one held a heavily sobbing Private. The two were wearing heavy ski jackets and fur lined boots with winter style thick jogging bottoms.

"This one's alive" The one checking his leg said in a deep voice he could only recognise as a male one.

"How?" The female one holding Private asked.

"I don't know Violet, but he's in pretty bad shape. Looks like he was shot in the leg" The male one examined.

"Bloody hell Adam" Violet breathed as she cuddled Private closer. "How could this little one still be alive then?"

"My guess is he cuddled to this one for warmth, his feathers are still ruffled" Adam straightened Skippers feathers before gently placing his hands under Skippers back and lifting him up to his chest. He manoeuvred Skipper so that his head was in the crook of Adams arm while the rest was kept straight on his forearm.

"Let's take them back to the centre" Violet told him as she walked towards their parked snowmobile.

Adam took one last long look at Skipper, making sure he was comfortable enough before telling Violet "Right behind ya" and following her.

~/\~

Skipper nodded at the fond memory "They brought us to a wildlife protection shelter and healed my leg"

~/\~

Skipper forced his eyes to stay open as Adam carried him down the sterile white walls.

"Hang on there buddy, we're gonna help ya" Adam whispered to him as they entered another room through one of the silver metal doors.

The room was tiled white on the walls and the floor, a cabinet along one of the walls and a standing mirror beside it. There was a desk in one of the corners and a sofa just beside the door. But what caught Skippers attention the most…

Was the examination table in the middle of the room.

Panic seized him and he immediately began fighting against Adam's hold, he stiffened when pain replaced the numbness he previously felt and a strangely warm hand was pressed to his chest.

"Calm down buddy, you're alright…or at least you will be once we get that bullet out of you." Adam told him in a soothing voice that somehow made Skipper want to trust him.

He looked up at Adams face, without the fur rimmed hood he could clearly see his face.

Adam couldn't have been more than 19, his clear pale skin making his light brown hair stand out. His light green eyes seemed bottomless, filled with wisdom far beyond his years. As if he's seen things that no one else should.

Not knowing if Adam would understand, Skipper none the less nodded his head in agreement. Telling Adam he wouldn't attempt to fight him anymore.

A shocked smile spread on Adams face as he shook his head "Come on Ad, you're imagining thing…..DOC!"

Skipper only now noticed white haired man standing hunched over the desk, the man wearing a lab coat instantly told Skipper to be on his guard.

"Adam?" A whisper of a voice came from the man's mouth "I thought you and Violet were going to see what the smoke was up at glacier peak?"

"We did Doc" Adam nodded, placing Skipper on the examining table.

The smell of hospitals and medicine filled Skippers nostrils when he was placed on the cold metal table.

"And, how are all the penguins that live there?" Doc asked him as he opened the cabinet and picked out a roll of bandages.

"Lived" Adam corrected, a haunted look in his eyes "They're all dead"

A knot formed in Skipper's stomach at the news…All of them, they can't all be dead…Can they?

"A…All of them?" Doc stuttered.

Adam nodded "Apart from the 3 males we rescued, one of which is just a chick"

Doc shook his head "To be so young, possibly lost his parents then"

"I don't think so Doc. The mother, yes. But he was cuddling to this one when we found them, I think it's the father" Adam told him, scratching Skipper's neck with one of his fingers.

Unable to deny that it felt good, Skipper unknowingly shook his foot.

Doc laughed "Are you sure that's not a dog in a penguin costume?"

A soft laughter filled the room as the door opened again and Violet walked in.

"I think we're sure."

Skipper felt Adams finger be removed from the spot on his neck and he turned his head to get a view of Violet.

Violet had long thick blonde hair which hung down in her shoulders, framing her slim face. The slight bangs on either side of her forehead making her soft brown eyes stand out against her slightly tanned skin. She had taken off her jacket and was wearing a salmon V-neck T-shirt with her dark Irish Green jogging bottoms.

She held Private in the crook of her elbow and was currently feeding him from a bottle what Skipper could only guess to be some kind of liquefied fish solution.

"How is he?" Adam asked, gesturing to private and trying to keep a blush down in front of his partner.

The smile on Violet's rosy lips slowly dropped to a defeated frown.

"I still can't get him to eat anyth-"

"DA!" Private yelled as he began struggling against Violet and trying to get to Skipper.

"Hold on little one, you can see him after he has an operation" Violet told him as she sat down on the sofa, trying to keep a grip on Private.

After letting Doc remove the bullet using a pair of specialized tweezers, Skipper continued to steal glances at Private. Hoping to tell him it was alright. That was until the white haired mans next port of call in caring for the injured penguin.

Skipper glared at Doc as he held up a syringe, It looked strange-

His whole leg suddenly flared white hot with pain as the doctor injected the substance into his leg.

"That should prevent any infections" Doc told them as he put the needle into a bin bag.

Doc pulled out some bandages from the roll and tried to grab Skippers leg to apply them.

Skipper however had other ideas.

As soon as Doc's hand was within reach, Skipper kicked his good leg out and hit Doc's hand at a pressure point. Enabling his hand, completely numb.

"FOR THE LOVE OF-"

"SHHHH!" Violet shushed as she tried to keep a hold on Private who had renewed his escape efforts after seeing his father in pain.

Adam looked at Doc, who was holding his hand to his chest. To Skipper, who was trying in vain to get off the table and to his son.

"STOP!"

Everyone in the room froze and looked at Adam.

"Violet give me the chick, I have an idea" Violet instantly held out Private and let Adam take him into his arms. Knowing her partner would be careful with the baby penguin.

Adam placed Private on the examination table and let him waddle over to Skipper and collapse into his flippers.

Skipper held him close, though not taking his steely blue eyes off the Doc.

Adam held out his hand to Doc after grabbing some stitching thread and a needle from the cabinet "Give me the bandages please"

Doc used his good hand to give Adam the roll of bandages before going back to cradling his hand.

Adam pulled over a chair from the desk and sat down on it beside the table. He looked Skipper squarely in the eye before holding up the bandages and nodding towards his bleeding leg.

Skipper stared back into those light green eyes and saw nothing but trust and want to help. He lowered his guard just enough for Adam to stitch the gash and wrap the bandage, gently but securely around his leg.

Violet held up the bottle again and this time, as long as Skipper was alive and well, Private ate.

They left Skipper and Private in the room on the sofa over night to allow them to adjust.

It was the first most peaceful night Skipper could remember with his son.

~/\~

A smile spread across Skippers face "I owed everything to Violet and Adam"

Marlene raised her brow in confusion "Owed. As in past tense?"

Skippers smile grew "I never leave a debt unpaid Marlene"

I decided to give you all a break from the cliff hangers since I don't want to be

sued for giving anyone heart attacks.

So what do you think so far?

Please Review, they let me know my story is read and enjoyed.