A/N: I'm very sorry for the long wait on this chapter. I don't usually take that long to write a chapter, just so you know. I was just at my grandma's for the past week, and I had it written, but on my home computer, so I couldn't post it while I was gone. Again, I am sorry about the wait.

Disclaimer: See chapter 1

Chapter 2 – "Only Clown Fish Can Go Into the Anemone"

Dory panicked at the sight of the large fish bearing down at her and Marlin. She heard Marlin yell at her to go again, but the only reason she disobeyed was that she felt something telling her not to. It was a similar feeling to when she didn't want to swim over the jellyfish trench.

Once more, she heard Marlin's command to get into the anemone, and also noticed the pleading in his voice. This got her moving, and as she sped off in the direction of the anemone, Marlin quickly followed with the barracuda right behind him.

Marlin watched Dory disappear into the anemone and heard the clamping of jaws just as he swam into the safety of the poisonous tentacles. He turned and heard the barracuda growl, and then he waited to check to see if the coast was clear. The predator had left and Marlin sighed with relief.

"Wow, that was close. You know, it's a good thing that only clown fish can go into the…" He stopped and his eyes grew wide at realization. He spun around and gasped in horror. "Dory!" he shouted.

Dory was lying unconscious at the other side of the anemone. Marlin swam over to her and checked her over. He couldn't find any wounds worse than the scratches that covered her body, and her breathing was very labored.

What am I doing? I have to get her out of here!" he scolded himself.

Marlin did his best to pick Dory up and carry her out of the anemone. He then laid her carefully down on the sand.

Dory, wake up!" he said, tapping her.

Dory didn't move. She wasn't even talking in her sleep, and that scared Marlin a bit. He checked her breathing again, and when he concluded that she was just knocked out, he tried again to wake her up.

"Oh, Dory, wake up!"

Instead of tapping her, he tried shaking her a bit. Her eye twitched, but that was it. Marlin saw this as progress and shook her harder, pleading her to awaken. "Please wake up, Dory… please."

Marlin was feeling more worse by the second. He tried not to think of what might happen if she didn't regain consciousness. He didn't know what he would do of something ever happened to Dory. After losing Coral, and nearly losing Nemo, Marlin didn't think that he could go through some one else he cared about leave him forever.

Dory's moan shook Marlin from his thoughts. Her eyes fluttered open.

"Dory?" Marlin asked, as if to make sure she was really awake. Her eyes rested on him and she smiled. He smiled back with a look saying 'thank goodness.'

"What happ-," she started, but just then her eyes closed and she drifted into another state of unconsciousness. Marlin gasped.

"Dory? Dory, wake up!" he practically shouted. When she didn't respond, Marlin panicked again. He swam around in circles muttering to himself about how he should have never brought her to this part of the reef. How he could have told her that story anywhere else, but no, he had to bring her there. And now she was hurt, and he didn't know what to do.

"Okay, Marlin." Oh, great. Now he was talking to himself. That definitely isn't a good sign. "Calm down. Just think of how I can get out of this mess." Marlin rested on a spot in the sand next to Dory and studied her for a moment.

"I'm gonna have to carry her the rest of the way home. I'm just glad that it's not too far away from here," he said. He looked her over again and picked her by her top (just like he did when he was carrying her out of the jellyfish).

Marlin began to move forward, using only his tailfin, since his other fins were busy keeping Dory in his hold.  She wasn't extremely heavy, but the thing that was giving him a bit of trouble was her size.

She was bigger than him, and so he had to struggle to keep her from slipping. But after a minute or two, he started to get used to it and he could swim faster.

About every ten minutes, Marlin would have to take a break because his fins would begin to hurt from straining to hold on to Dory. And each time he took a break, Marlin would try again to wake her up, but she still remained motionless.

By the time Marlin got home, it was late. Nemo must be wondering where I am, Marlin thought. He put Dory down in front of his anemone home. His fins were stiff, but he was happy that he had made it home.

Marlin checked Dory again, and she was still breathing, but he thought (and he wasn't sure if it was just his imagination or not) Dory was having a harder time breathing than ever before.

A/N: Sorry that was short. I'm make it up in the next chapter, okies? Anyway, please leave a review on your way out! J