Skipper woke up the next morning. He was still very dazed. Carefully, he turned his head to the side and saw that the others were sleeping next to him. Normally he would have jumped get one of them to recon duty because they had to stay in a strange place. But he knew that Kowalski had secured the area. Skipper now had an even deeper trust to his brothers, because they proved their loyalty as much they could the last few days. Satisfied, he turned and went back to sleep. A few hours later, Kowalski woke up. Finally, they can sleep a night without any trouble and sorrow.

Everyone felt like a new penguin. But now needed was a breakfast, so the scientists sent Private and Rico to get some food. When they were leaving, he began to look after Skipper, who was still sleeping soundly. Kowalski made a brief medical check to make sure that everything was fine. Then he looked at the scar of the surgery what looked good too. Apparently Skipper was okay. At least, all has taken a good end, thought Kowalski. Even if Skipper would still need a few weeks until he´s completely healthy.

Now they had to bring him home safely. The trip to the U.S. is determined to be very exhausting for him. After half an hour Rico and Private came back and they actually found something to eat. It was not a fish but they were satisfied with dry bread and some juice, the two had stolen from the nearest bakery. When the had their breakfast, Skipper woke up. The others were right on the spot because that was the fist time after surgery they could talk with him. "Skipper. Hey, how are you?" Kowalski asked slightly nervous. "I´m fine, everything still hurts somehow, but don´t worry about me. I will survive it." Skipper said, and smiled gently. That calmed the rest of the team very much. "Skipper, but now I have to give you some instructions as your doctor." Kowalski was serious. "Anything you want. I'm alive just because of you. You all have saved me from a terrible fate. Without you I would have had to die an agonizing death. For this I am grateful forever." said Skipper seriously too.

"Well, you should stay the next few day in bed. Physically effort is totally forbidden. You should do anything until you´re competely healthy again. This could take a few weeks because you had a serious surgery behind you and you had been poisoned. Your heart and your lungs are kind of damaged. Therefore, even now could appear heavy breathing and heart rhythm disturbances. Besides, you still have a amount of anesthetic and morphine inside your body.

That has yet to be neutralized again until you can think about training or dangerous missions again. The rest of us will have to take care of you until you're fit again, okay? " Kowalski told the leader. After this state preaching Skipper felt a bit useless, because he couldn´t do anything except lie in bed while the other would take care of him. Besides, they would seriously look after him not leaving the bedside. So he had no choice as staying in bed all day long. The next two days passed without that something special happened.

Skipper slept almost all the time and the others spent their time wathching TV or playing cards Kowalski already made plans for the return journey. He stole a few airport schedules from a travel agency near the hotel, and checked out when the next flight to the States would be. This was before a few days passing by so Skipper had enough time to recover. Private was really careing about Skipper an brought him food and drink in bed all the time. Kowalski regularly reviewed his status which had improved after a few days quite clearly.

The next morning, the penguins awoke at midday. Kowalski looked searchingly on the flight plan, an said: "If it goes well with Skipper today, then we could get the plane this evening at 20:00 clock." "Yes can, I think we risk this, finally, I wanna go home again. I think everybody will be missing us." Skipper said, yawning. They spent the whole afternoon cleaning the hotel room, so they left no traces behind. Late in the afternoon they went to the airport. The fact that Skipper couldn´t even walk properly, made them slowed down.

But they made it without being seen at the counters at the airport and got on the plane. The flight took a few hours like the last time. The Penguins straightened a few cases, so that Skipper could lie down a bit. The whole trip was uneventful. Only the leader pondered what to tell the other animals. Because they were gone for more than a week and he didn´t want to tell them the truth because that´s very private to him. He also had to think about how to explain his medical condition.

And think of something they had to leave the zoo. Kowalski also thought about that but he had a great idea. "Skipper, what about you´ve been so sick so that we´d got to take you to another country and look for someone who could help you. I was thinking of you had some kind of cancer, or maybe an infection? Then they wouldn´t ask for more information, right?" "Yes, I´m so glad I got only poisioned. Because your explanation sounds ten times worse. " Skipper said with a sense of sarcasm. After several hours, they finally arrived in New York. Everyone was very relieved to waddle back on home ground. Now they had only come back to the zoo. This time they decided to go through the sewers to excite no attention. After about half an hour they finally arrived at the HQ. Skipper was very tired after the long trip and decided to lie down to sleep. The others were overjoyed to be back home safely. However, they waited for a nosy neighbor busting in.

Now, the story seemed to be finished for all them. Everyone was pleased that everything had ended so well. Private watched skipper, who had lain down in his bunk. The whole trip home was very tiring for him. The little boy climbed into his bed and took his warm blanket. Quietly he crept to Skipper and covered him with it.

Kowalski and Rico had meanwhile returned to the agenda. The scientists stuffed all medical equipment in his laboratory, hoping that he wouln´t need it ever again. There was a knock at the entrance. Slowly he opened the bowl. Marlene, Julien, Mort and Maurice stood in front of him. All waited with a nervous and very curious expression t that forced Kowalski to let them in. "What's the matter?" Asked the scientists

"Kowalski, where have you guys been all this time? How is he? Now tell me, before we explode yet, "said Marlene angry and worried." Shh, not so loud. Skipper sleeps. If you're quiet, then I tell you everything. "Kowalski said in a whisper. The HQ made a friendlier impression on Marlene now. Not like last time when she thought that a funeral was about to beginn.

Quietly they slipped past the bunks where Skipper was asleep. Kowalski led them into his lab and Private and Rico followed them. After he closed the door the penguins were bombed by questions. "So now tell me what's going on. How is Skipper? " "Okay, okay, take it easy. "Kowalski said to calm the crowd." Well Skipper is doing better now. I can not tell you the whole story, because that's all very classified. And I don´t want you to ask Skipper. He won´t tell you anything anyway. "Kowalski said sternly." So, once and for all. Skipper was very, very sick. We tried to find something that could make him healthy again, okay? We have flown to another country and found someone who could help him. It was a kind of cancer, which has him sick. Skipper needed to have a surgery on the abdomen, because he had strange metastases, which have caused so much pain.

After that, he was in a coma under the influence of strong drugs for a few days. When he woke up again, thankfully because we thought it was his end he felt much better. A few days later he was back on his feet so far that we could travel back home." Kowalski rattled down everything in a breathtaking speed down so the others need a few seconds to understand." Well, then everything is fine again? "Marlene asked slowly." Yes, just one thing. Skipper needs absolute rest and sleep for the next weeks to recover. So don´t try to annoy him."Kowalski said. So this was his final word about the story. The otter and the lemur were just happy that everything was back to normal again.

Note: So this is the end. And it´s a happy ending. I just couldn´t let Skipper die because he´s my favourite penguin. I hope you liked the story. All reviews welcome.

Next chapter will be a sneak preview of my next story. So watch out. XOXO