Barely on the hunch, the trio of penguins slid towards the zoo office where Kowalski was certain Skipper and Marlene were. They slid towards the door, but they knew they wouldn't be able to enter through there as they stood back on their feet.

"Now what?" asked Private.

"Just as we've always done," replied Kowalski. "Through the window."

The penguins rushed to the side window and one by one the penguins stacked themselves to reach for the window. As Kowalski hopped last, with the antidote still at hand, he was bracing himself for another penguin to hop on… except there was nobody left. Rico sniffled when they all realized what they were waiting for.

"Just," Kowalski sniffled a bit. "Hang on. We'll get there."

Kowalski looked above him, and knew they wouldn't be able to reach it- without Skipper. He strained his flippers to reach out farther. He groaned as he began to feel the pain and stress he was giving his arms.

"Just a little more," he breathed. "Higher, now."

Private, sitting at the bottom, pushed his toes to reach higher, and Rico did the same. It boosted them for another few centimeters, but they still needed a way to go.

"C'mon, just a little more," groaned Kowalski.

Private began to stand on his toes, Rico was already stretching his whole arms all the way, and Kowalski was beginning to stretch his spine! They all heaved themselves, working their all to reach their goal.

"Kowalski," breathed Private. "I don't know how much longer I can hold it."

"Just a little more," he replied sorely.

This was true. They reached much higher now, but they were pushing themselves nearly to their limit. But they were determined to get inside. No matter how agonizingly painful their muscles and spines were becoming, they were going to find their way inside! Kowalski's flippers were just centimeters away now… almost… almost… just a little more… Beads of sweat fell, shoulders throbbing, and muscles burning, they were approaching their goal. Finally Kowalski reached the ledge of the window pane.

"There!" he exclaimed. "Now just keep it there until I've got this open."

"Hurry!" squeaked Private.

"Agh!" growled Rico in pain.

"Understood," replied Kowalski, already heaving to open the window.

He growled as he did, but it was no good. Then he slid the tube of antidote under his wing and continued to reach out to the window and heaved upwards. Private was giving everything he had in his strength, that eventually he realized his feet were trembling. He wasn't going to last!

"Kowalski!" he cried.

"I'm trying, Private!" growled Kowalski through his clenched beak, tightening his entire body for the big pull.

CRACK!!! The next thing Kowalski knew, the window popped open! And then suddenly Marlene appeared out of nowhere, practically tackling him! Almost as if they were in slow motion, the groaning tower of penguins was toppling over! Eventually, the penguins and otter hit the ground, and just as they did, the antidote slipped from Kowalski's grip! Marlene's eyes shot at it, knowing instantly that it had to be the antidote… and now she was helplessly watching it fly into the air!

"NOOOOOO…!" cried Marlene, as if they were still in slow motion.

It spun in the air, nearly in a 360 style spin. Twirling, twirling, then- SPLAT!

The broken pieces and liquid spilled everywhere. Marlene kneeled at the sight of her only purple hope of ending this nightmare! Her eyes and jaw twitched, and her heart felt as if it shattered along with the antidote!

"Tell me that didn't just happen!" she exclaimed, nearly on the verge of tears.

The other penguins groaned as they struggled to get up. They all felt weak and painfully sore.

"Please, this can't happen!" Marlene continued to cry. "This can't be happening… it just can't… this isn't fair, this isn't- WAH!!!"

Rico shook his head and then rubbed it gently with his flipper. Suddenly he heard footsteps coming from behind. He shot his head back, and then whistled at his fellow comrades of an approaching enemy. Quickly all three penguins leapt into a nearby bush, just seconds before Alice and her guest caught them.

"I think you should apologize for giving such cruddy slop you call food at the cafeteria! You call that tapioca?!" scolded the old woman, shaking a bony finger behind Alice.

"I'm sorry ma'am, but the food service isn't up to me," replied Alice with annoyance.

"How do you call that customer service, huh? I should be able to get a full refund from that!"

"Ugh, just hang on! Let me get the keys so you can take your dog and get outta here."

"You'll be hearing from my lawyer for this!"

Eventually the two women entered the office, with the old woman still hollering even when the door slammed behind them. Soon the penguins poked their heads out from the bushes and twitched their heads side to side making sure the coast was clear.

"Wasn't that-?" began Private.

"Oh, most humans resemble other humans to me," Kowalski doubted. "Now we've got to restrain Skipper before he causes any more harm until I whip up another antidote somehow."

"Uh, where exactly is he?" asked Private as they continued darting their heads around.

"And Marlene?" wondered Kowalski.

Rico scratched his head and grunted in questioning. Suddenly they stopped searching and total shock and fear froze all three penguins when they all came to the same conclusion. They're both gone, so there's only one possible explanation. Skipper's got Marlene!

"What if Skipper harms Marlene?" wondered Private with worry.

"I'm afraid it might be worst than that," gulped Kowalski. "Of all the unspeakable… and I'm afraid we may have let Marlene down to prevent it…"

Suddenly Rico held his beak as he could already feel his stomach churn and feel even yesterday's lunch creeping up his throat. The thought of Skipper leaping on the chance to commit such a crime haunted him, and his appetite was paying the price.

* * *

It happened really fast and suddenly, Marlene had no idea what was going on at first! All she knew was that her last chance was destroyed, and now she was being drifted off to someplace she has no idea where. On top of that, though she didn't catch the perpetrator's face, she had a clear idea who was carrying her- and she was absolutely terrified of what would happen next. Suddenly, as if she blinked, she realized she wasn't outside anymore. Wherever she was, it was dark. She was thrown backwards onto something… soft and comfy. Then Marlene's heart skipped a beat- she was laying on a bed! Suddenly soft, dim lights filled the entire room. Marlene sat up. She was back to her habitat, but there was something slightly different. Then her pupils shrank when she saw it was scented candles that illuminated the room and filled the air a light perfume of "sea breeze" scent. Then she gasped horrifically when she saw lily petals scattered all over her bunk! She was about ready to take off, until suddenly she was pinned back down to the bunk. She gasped and was absolutely horrified. Skipper sat right above her, his flippers clasped around her waist making sure she wouldn't escape. He leaned in, pressing his beak against her nose, with his devious smile.

"Now, why don't we get to it without anymore interruptions?" he whispered seductively.

"I really don't want to," whined Marlene.

"C'mon, you know you can't resist this."

"I'd very much like to right about now!"

"Why? Don't you like it how warm and fuzzy this feels when we're this close." Marlene didn't say anything as he rubbed his feathery cheek against her fuzzy one. "Is it so wrong of me to keep what I want forever all to myself?"

"But it's wrong if I'm not ready!"

Suddenly Skipper stopped his cuddling and sat himself up, looking down on her and keeping his flippers on her waist. Marlene's body tensed up and she squinted, fearful of what he was up to, when she realized Skipper's expression had softened. It wasn't a sad one, but he calmed down. But she wasn't completely convinced she was out of trouble yet though because she could still see the lust and hunger lingering in his eyes.

"You scare me, you know that?" he asked suddenly. Marlene blinked and wondered what he could possibly mean- and what could happen next. "Actually, you terrify me! I'm terrified at the thought that I'd lose you. That if I don't do something to show you how I love you and that I want to be all yours for eternity… I'll lose you."

Marlene blinked and she could feel her cheeks blush. She wasn't sure if she was ready to hear what else Skipper had to say. She stopped squirming and continued to listen, partly anxiously.

"You can't imagine how much I care about you… how badly I've looked for the chance to give even my very soul to you. How much I wanna make your whole world right here in my flippers." Suddenly Skipper leaned close until his beak was right beside her ear, "I want you, Marlene- nay, I crave for you. For your smile, your flaming eyes, your luscious lips, your soft, creamy fur like chocolate I just wanna nibble on. Your sweet perfume that just drives me crazy and the very ring of your voice I can't get enough of… I need you Marlene. I can't bear to lose you… I want you to know more than anything, I love you."

Did he have an entire speech written somewhere? Did he somehow learn to read and is reading off a Shakespeare poem he tore out of an old book somewhere? Marlene couldn't believe what she was hearing! And she could hardly stand it! This was too much! She wanted to just smack him, just slapping him to the middle of next week! And to scream at him. And to run away. And to cry right in front of him. And to beat on him. To kill him. To hug him. To love him. To kiss him. To actually stop her resistance. To finally give in… wait what?!

Suddenly she realized he had leaned closer to her ear to whisper, "And resistance ain't gonna fly, babe."

Marlene instantly felt her body melt practically right through Skipper's flippers. She was totally shocked by this, but she'll unfortunately have to admit… it seemed so insignificant compared to her newly found desires- she actually wants to! She's going to do it! What? What? WHAT?! This was totally topsy-turvy!!! But it looked like she didn't care.

As she closed her eyes tight and puckered her lips gently, it seemed all the events that had happened before and all her thoughts and resistance before didn't seem to matter anymore. Now the only reason why a small part of her was trapped in the flippers of this penguin was because the most of her was now willing to surrender. Seeing this change of state, Skipper gently yet eagerly leaned in and gave her the most passionate and tender kisses he had in all his strength and desire to give…