Kowalski swam for what felt like an hour. The landmarks Blowhole had chosen to describe to Kowalski weren't the most striking things in the ocean. A rock about 2 meters tall in the shape of a dodecahedron, a patch of kelp that rose around 3 meters tall. Everything looked the same and everything was the same. The only thing Kowalski was confident about was that Blowhole had told him to swim out west.

It felt as though another eternity had passed when Kowalski spotted a dolphin. He gave an internal sigh until he saw another. They caught sight of him too and decided to investigate, like the curious creatures they were.

Kowalski surfaced, catching his breath as a few other dolphins surfaced with him.

"Look at this! I've never seen a bird like this before." A male exclaimed as he circled Kowalski.

"You don't suppose he's a penguin? Like the one Doris is canoodling with?" Another female said.

Kowalski blushed but pushed back his inhibitions enough to engage in the senseless conversation.

"You know Doris? Where is she? I need to talk with her."

The male smirked and inched closer to the female.

"This is the penguin Doris is dating. You know, when she describes all her interspeices friends, she describes them a lot... bigger."

Kowalski sighed and rolled his eyes. What he would give to be a little taller, even if he was above average penguin height.

"Do you know where she is or not?"

The male smiled.

"Sure, I'll get her for you. What's this about?"

Kowalski was close to losing his temper. Dolphins were way too happy, cunning and annoying.

"It's an emergency. I would very much appreciate it if you could get her now. It regards her brother so she would very much like to know."

The female snickered and leaned back to the male.

"Of course it's about Francis, he's just as much a freak as what Doris is."

The pair of dolphins were lucky they dipped back beneath the water before Kowalski could poke their eyes out with his beak. Doris had never mentioned bullying before but then again, she had pretty tough skin and didn't care much about what others thought of her. And he could not imagine how uninterested Blowhole would be with their opinions.

A minute later another dolphin surfaced, suddenly. It caught Kowalski off guard and made his heart skip a beat, until he noticed it was Doris.

"Kowalski? What are you doing here? I'm still mad, I don't want to talk to you."

"I'm not here to argue, not here to beg. It's your brother," Kowalski said emotionless. He had had enough with dealing with dolphins emotions.

"I'm mad at him too."

"No, listen. Things went wrong at the lair. He's sick. Very sick."

Doris lost her angry gaze and her brows raised in concern.

"Sick? What do you mean?" She asked.

"He's been developing a virus. One he intended on giving the humans and turning them all into monsters. He's caught it himself."

Kowalski tried to look sympathetic for Doris. This was not something he would ever want to tell anyone. Especially not someone he cared so much about.

"What? Is he ok?"

"No, we're trying to develop a cure. Something to help him but over the last few days our fears are that it may be too late."

Doris shook her head. Everything was stated so fast she thought it was a joke.

"Can I see him?"

"No. He's way too contagious to be around. All it takes is a split second of a mistake. A tear of his, saliva, you'll be infected."

"It's a good thing he's your boyfriend then and not mine."

"What?" Kowalski said.

Perhaps he had missed something because he had no idea what Doris was hinting about. Just like back the lair when she had said they were both idiots.

"You can't stop me. You can't even keep up with me," Doris said, somewhat childishly as she suddenly forced herself below the waves and shot off in the direction of the shore.

"Doris! No!"

But it was too late and she was right, Kowalski had no chance at keeping up with someone who was specifically designed by nature to swim fast.

Back at the lair, Blowhole was in his office tapping away at his keyboard again. He heard the commotion of doors opening and smiled to himself at the thought Kowalski had returned. But then he caught himself. Smiling at Kowalski's return? Why?

"Kowalski? You're back?" He called out needless to say.

But instead of hearing the pat pat pat of Kowalski's little webbed feet against the stone floor, he heard the electrical hum of one of his segways.

Doris appeared in the door frame and Blowhole instantly began to back up. She wasn't meant to be here. That's why he sent Kowalski out in the first place.

"Francis. What-what are those on your head?" Doris asked as she rode into the room.

"Doris?"

"Your skin. It's blue," she said more distraught.

"Don't come any closer! Don't touch me!"

"Francis, what is this?" She said as she stopped.

"Did Kowalski explain?"

"A little. A virus."

"Well, that's all there is to it, really. But you have to leave before you get infected too. You're in danger."

Blowhole tried not to get too sad or show too much weakness. He knew how emotional Doris could get and he wanted to stay strong for her.

"No way. I've only just got you back, I'm not losing you again."

"Doris! Don't you understand? If I could share even a fifth of my brain with you I would." Blowhole rose his voice, somewhat losing his temper.

"Why does Kowalski get to stay here then? He said he's been here for days!"

Blowhole couldn't help but roll his eye. She had to know that Kowalski was the next more knowledgeable creature after himself.

"Don't tell me you're jealous of Kowalski," he said with a half lidded, tired eye.

"I'm not. In fact, I'll say to you what I briefly said to him. It's a good thing he's your boyfriend. You can be the freak dating a penguin now."

Blowhole was caught completely off guard. He knew Doris could be petty and it annoyed him to no end when she had to argue about things completely irrelevant to the situation.

"What? I'm not dating him!"

"It's the Jay situation all over again."

"I am not arguing about your ex boyfriends right now. We have something very serious to talk about right now."

"Then speak, boyfriend stealer."

Blowhole growled. A low noise in the back of his throat as he mentally had to stop himself grabbing her and throwing her back into the ocean.

"Oh, Doris. I swear it's like talking to a calf sometimes. You are in danger being around me. I'm infected and you need to keep your distance. I couldn't bear the thought of hurting you in this mess too."

Doris stared straight at Blowhole. Her eyes quivering and turning pink.

"Don't cry. You know it always gets me too."

"Kowalski said it's too late. Is it too late? Am I going to lose you again?" She lightly sobbed.

"Doris..."

Blowhole would be sure to punch Kowalski his very own Blowhole when he got back. He told him to tell Doris he was infected, not dying.

Doris continued to look Blowhole in the eye, completely devastated. Tears rolled down her tender cheeks as Blowhole gave in and rode forwards, wrapping his flippers around her and willing himself not to cry.

"I will never give up fighting to stay with you as long as my heart is beating. Dry those tears, tell mom I'll be ok. I promise."

Doris nodded and squeezed her brother tightly before she let go and backed up outside the door.

"Ok. But you can't stop me coming by to check on you. I'll hold my breath the whole time, I promise."

"Ok," Blowhole said with a tender smile. "I'll see you later."