A\N: Thanks for the reviewers who commented on the first chapter! ^_^
He was being neglected and he knew it. But his father was very stern, if he wasn´t home by eight thirty, Dad will close the door and lock it, forcing him to stay outside. "Look at the bright side," Kowalski told himself as he shivering in a cave. "At least this will teach me to be obedient and a better son." He smiled, not able to wait for the next morning when he can come home next morning and prove to his father that he learned his lesson and will apologize to him. "I´m sorry for being so misbehaved, Dad…" Kowalski murmured, closing his eyes as he fell asleep.
"Kowalski? Kowalski…." A gentle, soft voice floated into his hearing. "Five more minutes…make that ten…" Kowalski muttered, turning over and cuddling into something warm and soft. A laugh was heard, it sounded familiar. Rico. "Kowalski, come on! You fell asleep." ´Of course, it was night time.´ Then he realized this wasn´t his father. First, he didn´t sound like that and second, he never woke him up so kindly. He remembered, he needed to get home before Dad worries about him! The penguin jerked up, knocking someone down in the progress. He blinked at the bright light, seeing three strange penguins around him. The scientist rubbed his eyes, then looked around again. "Um, Kowalski?" "Wh-what?" The genius realized he was hugging Private. "Oh, sorry. Where´s Skipper?" Rico laughed again and pointed to the floor. Skipper sat on it, rubbing his beak where Kowalski had rammed into him. "Sorry, Skipper! I didn´t-" It´s okay, soldier!" The leader chuckled and stood up again. "Well, let´s call it a day, boys." The team except Kowalski grabbed some papers and headed out of the door. Skipper looked back, seeing his soldier behind at the table, his head resting in his flippers. "Kowalski? What´s wrong, soldier?" The genius barely looked up. "Nothing, Skipper, just thinking." Skipper nodded, then playfully punched his shoulder area. "Don´t think too much." Kowalski nodded, thinking that this scene felt a tad familiar.
Skipper soon got him out of there, telling him that Private wanted to pick a few flowers for Marlene´s birthday tomorrow and he couldn´t go out in the park alone after dark. Rico was playing basket ball with Mason, Joey and the gorillas. The scientist stood up, following his leader out. "You´re sure you´re okay?" Skipper asked, nothing but concern reflecting in his voice. It was gentler than usually, the other noted. "Yes, sir." He forced himself to a cheerful smile and grabbed Private´s flipper. "Come on, Private. Let´s go and pick flowers for…" "Marlene´s birthday." "Yeah, yeah right." Their leader watched them go, a worried frown still plastered on his face. He wished his lieutenant would open up to him just once. ´It is probably nothing. Maybe one of his crazy science stages or Doris.´ He thought, making a mental note to prepare himself for anything the genius will come up with in the next couple of days.
"I wish my uncle Nigel will come for a visit again. It was a smashing adventure! Especially how the Red Squirrel attacked us." Private chatted happily, picking tulips and other flowers that bloom in this season. Kowalski nodded, trying hard to forget the flashbacks. He didn´t know why he had them, but didn´t want to go to sleep and dream of his past again. Back then, he had always blamed himself for being the world´s most terriblest failure for a son. Now he saw whose fault it really was. If only his mother could´ve been there when he needed her the most. What had become of her, he wouldn´t know. His father either ignored him or gotten angry and slapped him if he brought the subject up. Private talked carefree, not realizing that they weren´t just two anymore. And Kowalski was too much in his dream world to see it too. Until, he bumped into someone. "Pardons…" He murmured, stumbling away. "Watch where you´re going!" An older penguin who didn´t look too unalike to Kowalski, but had green eyes and a long, thick black stripe running right through his white chest, grabbed his wing and turned him around. Their eyes met for a second, but that was all the penguin needed to see. He gasped, pulling away. The other´s feature´s lifted in shock. "Kowalski? Is that you?" Private joined up with the two. "Hey, Kowalski. Who´s this?" His friend ignored him. "What are you doing here?" He asked unemotionally and stiff, almost expecting a punishment for his rudeness. It didn´t came. Instead, his father smiled. "I came to see my son!" He was about to hug the scientist, but he pulled away. "I am not your son." Kowalski replied coldly and slid away, leaving the two standing there.
A\N: Review if you liked the story, please! ^_~
~ Contestant 4# over and out. (wow, haven´t said that in a loooong time! xP)