HIDIE HO!

Sorry, in a weird mood. And guess what? No weirdly long authors note! HURRAH!

However I have to thank Crazy-Pairing-Girl for the new request.
THANKS! :D

And too Adenn666, Here is you're Skilene!

Pairing: Skilene (Skipper and Marlene)

The pen fell onto the wood with a small thudding sound. Scrutinising the draft papers Skipper heaved a sigh and dropped them into the desk draw, it would do for now. He flicked off the small back desk lamp and fumbled blindly in the dark for the door.

Sweeping down into the living room Skipper was mildly surprised at the scene he saw. The curtains were drawn tightly and the lights overhead were turned off, the warm fire like glow of the space coming from the few small lamps scattered around the room.

Rico was kneeling in front of the coffee table, tongue sticking out of his mouth in concentration as another fold was scoured through the paper in front of him. Julien, Mort and Private were all on their own edge, watching and following the weapons expert as he made another crease, occasionally stopping to change or re-fold one of theirs. Maurice was sitting on the couch, nodding at something Kowalski was saying as the scientist angled his clip-board towards the kings advisor.

"Kowalski, may I have a word…?" Skipper asked, voice low and slightly dangerous.

The second in command paused and looked over before briefly excusing himself from the conversation and making his way over to the team leader.

Skipper waved a hand at the scene in front of them, agitation surely creeping onto his face. "What's the meaning of all this soldier?" He demanded quietly, fixing his pale-eyed team-mate with a hard stare.

Kowalski cleared his throat and tucked his pencil behind one ear. "I thought it would be for the best to keep them here for a little while, just to make sure no emotional or psychological trauma has arisen."

Skipper nodded. "That I understand, but what is with the blankets and Origami?"

"they have all gone through a rather unsettling experience, and a few of the main caused for trauma are if it happens unexpectedly, you felt powerless to prevent it, you were unprepared for it or someone was intentionally cruel. These factors all occurred during the situation with Savio." He lifted a page in his clip-board and scrutinized the writing. "I found out that basil and sage tea with honey is a good for anybody who has experienced a shock. The Blankets were Rico's Idea and the origami is just to stop Julien and Mort breaking things." He added, now tucking the green clip-board under his arm.

"Good use of initiative Kowalski. But where is Marlene?"

He frowned, flipping his fringe out of his eyes. "Well I don't know. She vanished the moment we arrived back at the apartment block."

Skipper nodded and stepped back towards the door, waving a hand dismissively. "Keep doing what you're doing, I'm going to go find her."

Not bothering to wait for the reply to soldier jogged from the room, closing the door with a solid click behind him. The beige and blue hallway was quiet, only the few muffled voices breaking the wall of silence. Rocking on his toes skipper bounded off towards the stairwell, foot-steps light and cat-like.

'Now if I had been taken hostage by a cannibalistic contortionist from the Hoboken prison, where would I go?' He questioned briefly, leaping up the stairs and onto the next floor. 'Home.'

Skipper hesitated, hand hovering over the worn gold door-knob and contemplated knocking on the door instead of just barging in.

'Eh, barging's my thing.' He decided and let the door swing open into the brunettes apartment. It was dark inside, Blue flickering light running over the basic outlines of the woman's furniture. Slowly he crept inside, letting the door breeze close with a soft snap. The perky chat-show host looked out of place in the ominous room, her bubbly ramblings muted.

"Marlene? You in here?" Skipper called, the sound of his own voice strange in the cold feeling space.

There was a stifled response from the couch, but no figure there. Drawing himself forward on slow steps he peered around the side of the furniture.

Marlene was huddled next to it, knees pulled up into her chest and head bowed forward. Her hands were shaking, eyes wide and incandescent as the caught the light of the television screen. Skipper gasped slightly, mouth parted slightly as he took in her psychical appearance. The usually tidy High-ponytail she sported was hanging by her neck, fringe messy and ruffled and locks of hair pulled out from the hairband. The olive skin was tear-stained and covered in purplish bruises.

He sank to the ground and reached out, laying a hand on her knee. "Marlene, what happened to you."

She blinked, a few more salty droplets falling in response. Slowly her head turned, eyes darting ahead of it. They flickered with the barest minimum of recognition. Her mouth opened like she was speaking, but the words came three seconds to late.

"Savio." She whispered. Her voice was hoarse and strained, pulled tight like the rope in tug-o-war.

Skipper's brows furrowed in concern as gently wiped the tears from her face with his thumb. "Yeah… But why are you sitting here in the dark?" He asked softly, eyes searching her hazel ones desperately.

She bit her bottom lip, and Skipper noticed the scabs on it, from where she had obviously drawn blood. "It's easier to hide." She replied, shedding more tears as her face crumpled.

The team leader didn't hesitate as he slid into the gap next to her, allowing her to fall into him. Her chest started to heave with heavy sobs, her cries muffled by her face being pressed into his shirt. He draped his arms around her, hoping it would help. He felt awkward in the situation, unsure of how to help her. Emotions were Private's thing he mused as he studied the peeling wallpaper across from him, framing the dusty old radiator.

"I-I thought he was Kidding…" Marlene sobbed, desperately clinging to the team leader. "I thought it was some sick joke-" she broke off again.

He swallowed the lump in his throat. "Shhh, Shhh…" He crooned, rocking back and forth slightly. "You're safe now… He's gone, he won't hurt you again." He paused, dropping his gaze to her pale face. "I promise." He mumbled thickly.

"He would have done it." She cried. "He would have picked our bones clean, he told me, he told me you weren't coming!" She wailed, balling her hands into fists with clumps of his shirt inside them as she pounded them against his chest.

Skipper ran his hands in circles over her back. "He was lying. I was always coming for you Marlene, I told you that I wo-" He broke off, mildly confused as to the wet patch on her side. Leaning over and squinting his eyes in the light he gasped and pushed her away.

"Oh my god." He breathed, pulling her shirt up and away from the wound. The blood surrounding the site was thick and sticky like syrup, still slowly oozing from the deep jagged puncture wound. It wasn't clean, not like it had been cut, but like it had been broken by a dull surface with plenty of force behind it. The twin crescent moon shapes were surrounded by deep purple bruises and smeared blood. Gently he grazed his fingers over the deep split head shaking slightly in disbelief and hurt.

"He bit you?"

She screwed her eyes shut as the slow drizzling teas turned into a downpour. "Don't hurt me. I didn't do anything." She wailed, hands clenching into her chest. "Keep away, I didn't hurt anybody, I don't want to die." Suddenly she tossed her head back in a blood curdling scream, body thrashing as the cry morphed into more uncontrolled sobbing. "Oh god, Skipper, Skipper!" She wailed between the breathless weeping.

"I'm here, Babe I'm here." He shouted over her howling, fear coursing through his veins as he grabbed her wrists and yanked her into a hug, one hand caressing her hair and the other keeping her there. Skipper closed his eyes against the emotions that were passing and burrowed his head into her shoulder, not wanting to fall victim to the bone shattering heartache hooking him around the middle.

"Make him stop." She whispered desperately.

Skipper swallowed. "Come back to me, He can't hurt you now." He murmured.

"Make the pain stop."

Skipper gripped her tighter. "I want to, come on Marlene, and come back. Come home."

"He wants to hurt me…"

"I'll never let him." He vowed, 'Never again…'

Slowly her chest slowed in rate, heart creeping back down like a frightened animal, pulse falling into a gentle rhythm. Skipper's doing the mirror image under her hand.

Darkness clawed at the edge of her mind, snapping and twisting like caged monsters at the warmth and solidness that beat them back fiercely. A soft thrumming was pulsing relentlessly through her as the ground dispersed at her feet, a strong hold supporting her and fighting back the beasts that swarmed her shattered thoughts. It was the first real thing since being dragged into the stone room and left defenceless. Her wrists and feet had been bound tightly with burgundy cloth, Mouth left free so she could scream herself silly in the sound proof space. She could see his glittering snake like eyes as he lashed a kick at her face, the pain ripping through like his teeth passed through skin.

"Insanity always tastes better." He purred, lifting her by her hair to be on eye level with him as she howled in pain and desperation.

But none of it scared her anymore, the constant drum beat of Skippers heart lulling her into the peaceful black oblivion she craved.

O*O*O*O*O*O*O*O*O*

Kowalski sighed and looked up, eyes dull with exhaustion and thinning patience. "All vitals are fine Skipper. The wounds are clear and she seems to be in a deep stage of non-REM sleep."

Skipper nodded curtly. "And that means?"

"Stages three or four are the deepest stages in our sleep cycles, with stage four more instance then stage 3. These are often referred to a slow wave or delta sleep. During these stages the body repairs and regenerates tissues, builds bone and muscle and appears to strengthen the immune system as well." He said calmly. "This will be good for her."

"Very well." Skipper said eventually.

As the scientist moved to exit the team leaders room he caught a hand to the chest, holding him there as the commanding officer turned to him, voice low and pitched with anger.

"How is it you know all that, but miss a bloodstain the size of Utah on her side?" He hissed, blue eyes flashing.

Kowalski held his ground, chin up and meeting his gaze evenly. "I'm sorry about that Skipper, but my first priority was on getting them out of the building alive, and in all honesty there was blood everywhere." His shoulders slumped slightly, eyes flickering with hurt as they passed over to the sleeping woman. "Savio treated her much worse than the others, more reported abrasions and contusions than on Mort, Maurice and Private combined. She will take longer to heal."

Skipper dropped his hand and gaze. "Thank you soldier, your work was a large contributing factor to saving these lives. Go rest." He mumbled.

Kowalski dipped his head and breezed past the team leader, closing the door behind him as he left.

Face dusted with pain Skipper walked over to his bed and gingerly sat on the edge of it, reaching over and laying one of his hands over Marlene's, squeezing it slightly for comfort as he watched her sleeping face.

"Can I tell you a secret?" He murmured a small bittersweet smile on his face. "You scared me so much tonight, and I'm still scared."

He paused, turning himself around and bending over her, lips hovering inches from her ear. "I don't want you to go through this again, so I won't tell you this when you wake up. If someone were to find out I loved you, you would be in more danger than you are now." He breathed, gently brushing her hair back from her face. "And that is more than enough."

He lay a soft kiss on her mottled cheek, lips barely brushing the skin before pulling back. Running is thumb over the area afterwards like he was rubbing away the evidence.

"I love you. And I'm not leaving you." Skipper said, now clasping her hand between his. "I promise."

Damn corny endings. I AM NOT AMUSED!
Also something seems off about the story. I just can't pick it…

Oh well. Savio is as cannibal, so yay for mindless violence in a romance fic!

Anybody want to request Marlene/Savio?

Ah well. Up next is… DUN DUN DAAAAAAH, SKANS :D.

BTW, these don't all have to be song-fics.

So anyway, until next time,

Cheese.