"GAH!"Rico shouted out when he woke up. He looked around the room to make sure he didn't wake anyone up. He lets out a sigh of relief when he didn't hear anyone ask him if he was OK. He lays back down on his pillow, and rubs his head in frustration. This was the fifth time in the past two weeks he's had a dream that involved Marlene and romance. 'Why am I having these dreams?' He asked himself. 'Is it because I'm jealous of Skipper and Marlene? ...No, no, that can't be it... gotta be something else. Am I in love? ...I dunno.' He growls to himself in annoyance, what he didn't realize was Skipper climbing down the ladder.
"Rico?" Skipper asked, and Rico quickly snaps his head to the direction of Skipper's voice. "What are you still doing up? It's two in the morning." Skipper told him. "Uh, can't... sleep?" Rico told him. He was going to ask skipper why he was up so early too, but he remembered that Skipper had a date with Marlene. So, that was probably the reason.
"Oh, one of those nights, huh?" Skipper said. "Uh-huh." Rico muttered out. "Well, since you're up," Skipper said, "how 'bout you do some area recon?" "Ok." Muttered Rico as he got out of bed. "I'll leave the bowls unlocked for you, just remember to lock it when you're back." Skipper said. Rico nods his head, and climbs up the ladder. He takes a step on the island and looks up at the dark, star-less sky. The image of him and Marlene making out kept popping up in his mind. He looks down at the ground and mutters to himself again. "Why...?" He asked himself, and prepared himself to jump over the fence surrounding their habitat. He stood up straight when he heard a nerby splash.
Seconds later, he sees Marlene climbing out of the pool and onto the island, soaking wet, but it seemed like she didn't mind. "'Sup, Rico?" She asked. "Uh... n-not much." He answered than looked away quickly. "Hmm, that's cool." Marlene said. "Skipper go to bed yet?" "Dunno." Rico answered, he could feel his face starting to blush a little. He rubs his face to make it look like he was trying to wake himself up, but he was actually trying to cover up the blush that was starting to form. "Well, I'll go check real quick." Marlene said. "Ok." Rico grunted out, then turns around and prepares to jump the fence once again.
"Hold on there, bud." Marlene said. "Huh?" Rico asked as he turned back at Marlene's direction. "I need to talk to you too." Marlene said. Rico looks at her in confusion and slightly tilts his head. "You wait here for a few minutes." Marlene told him. "I'll be back soon." She said and hopped inside the HQ. Rico looks around the island and walks towards the pool and looks down at it. 'She wants to talk to me? What for?' He asked himself. 'Does she know about the dream I've had?" Or does she know I have... maybe I need a swim or something.' Rico said to himself. 'Yeah, a quick lap, that'll help clear my head.' He walks to the edge of the island. "Ok, Rico! Let's go." He heard right before he jumped in the pool.
He turns arounds and sees Marlene standing next to him. "Go?" He asked her. "Yeah, to my place." Marlene said. "Uh, Recon." Rico said and pointed to himself to let her know he had orders. "Nope, I talked to Skipper. Said it was fine." Marlene said. "Uh... ok. Rico said nervously. "Good." Marlene said. "Let's go." Marlene leads the way to here place with Rico walking slowly behind.
"You coming?" Marlene asked as she looked over her shoulder. "Uh-huh!" Rico answered and picked up his pace. "So," Marlene said, "When we get to my place, what do you want to talk about?" Rico instantly felt his heart start to speed up and felt his throat start to dry up. 'I'm going to her place?' Rico asked himself, 'Why? Just why? I mean, I like going to her place, but going there alone with-' "Seriously, Rico." He heard Marlene said. It sounded like she was annoyed that he didn't say anything. "What should we talk about when we get there?"
Rico started to fell his heart pump a bit faster and he also felt a cold bead of sweat start to form. He wasn't exactly sure why this happened, but he thought it was because he was nervous that he was going to be with Marlene alone. 'It was just a dream, Rico.' He said to himself, 'Just a dream. You and Marlene do not have lovey-dovey feelings for each other!' "Rico?" Marlene asked, witch made Rico snap out of thoughts. "Oh! Huh?' He asked her. "Are you ok?' She asked. "Yup!" Rico proudly said. "Well, ok." Marlene said. "Did you hear what I asked you?" "Uh-huh!" Rico answered, luckfully, he did hear what Marlene asked him, but he didn't really know what to say. "Talk 'bout..." He muttered to himself, trying to think of something that they could talk about. "Uh... kaboom...s?" He suggested with a nervous chuckle.
Marlene didn't really know how to respond to that. That was one of the things she didn't like about Rico, he was too "kaboom" obsessed. "Uh, sure. We can talk about that too. But, I have something else in mind we can talk about first." Marlene said. Rico nodded his head and they continue to walk to Marlene's place.
"Here we are!" Marlene said as they walked inside the habitat. "Can I get you anything? Water?" Marlene asked, and Rico responded by by shaking his head and smiling polietly. "Alright." Marlene said and sat on her bed. She looks up and sees Rico standing at the enterance. She laughs a little at his confused look and motions him to come sit by her. Rico looked around the room, then looked back at Marlene and smiled nervously. "Come on, Rico." Marlene said, "I don't bite, you know that." Rico laughed uneasly and sat on the edge of her bed, he heard marlene laugh quietly to herself. "You know, you can sit closer." Marlene said. "Oh, yeah..." Rico said neverously and moved a few inches closer to her. "You're a silly bird, Rico." Marlene said to him, and Rico just smiled at her.
"Fine, I'll just move closer to you." Marlene said and did. "Uh..." Rico said in a shaky voice and moved a few inches away from her. "What's wrong, Rico?" Marlene asked. "N-Nuthin'." Rico said. "You sure?" Marlene asked, sensing doubt in his response. "Yeah..." Rico said and he heard her let out a heavy sigh. "It's me. Isn't it, Rico?" She asked. "What?" He asked in shock. He knew what she meant, but he didn't really understand why she would think of something like that. "Well, lately, it seems you've been avoiding me." Marlene said. "Avoidin'?" Rico asked in confusion. "Yeah. Like, a couple weeks ago, I was over, talking to Skipper. You were on a mission , or something like that. Anyways, a couple minutes later, you came in. I said hi to you, you didn't say anything, just kinda snarled at me and walked away." Marlene said. Rico remembered that day. It was on a Friday, and it was the day Private and Kowalski got sick.
He remembered he had to do pretty much everything like, entertain the crowd, get medicine for Private and Kowalski, patrol the zoo, stuff like that. Skipper, he was dealing with his own personal needs that were somehow more important than his team. He didn't mean to snarl at her, it was just a hard day for him, he would've snarled at anyone. "Sorry..."He said to her, but it seemed she didn't hear him. "And last week," Marlene continued, "You wouldn't even look at me. You just walked inside the backroom and didn't come out until I said I was going to go." Rico started to feel like a jerk, he didn't try to avoid her, he just didn't know how to tell her how he feels about her. That is, if he really does have feelings for her. "Uh, Ma'ene?" Rico said, but got no response. "Hello?" He asked to get her attention, but she quickly turned away from him. "I di'nt-" Rico tried to say, but stopped himself when he heard quiet sniffs coming from Marlene.
He started to feel real guilty, he also started to feel awkward too. He wasn't sure if it was because of Marlene's crying, or if it was because he realized that he was avoiding Marlene. He wanted to do something that would make her feel better, but he didn't know what to exactly. Suddenly, the image of him kissing Marlene popped inside his head. "Oh, god..." Rico muttered to himself. 'Why now?' He asked himself and moaned out loud, without himself knowing.
"Sorry, Rico." Marlene said, "Didn't mean to make you feel bad, I just had to get that out into the open. "I'm sorry..." Rico whispered out in a mutter. "It's ok." Marlene said. "Thanks..." Rico said, but it wasn't in a reassuring tone, Marlene could tell there was something else bothering him. "What's wrong?" She asked, hoping he would answer her. "Uh..." Rico said, he wasn't sure if it would be a good idea to tell her the dreams he had. He thought if he did tell her, she would think he was some sort of freak and wouldn't want to talk or to see him again, and he didn't want that.
"You know, it's not healthy to keep everything to yourself, Rico." Marlene said. "Mm-hmm..." Rico grunted out nervously. "C'mon, tell me." Marlene said in a comforting voice. Rico really didn't want to tell her, but he really didn't want see that image randomly pop in his head anymore. 'Maybe I should tell her.' Rico thought to himself, 'It'll probably put alot of weight off my shoulders...' With a dry gulp, Rico said "Dreams."
"Dreams?" Marlene asked to see if she heard him right, Rico nodded his head. "What about dreams?" She asked. Rico nervously scratched his head and felt his whole body start to warm up. "Have you..." He croaked out. "Really?" She asked in a shocked, but nervous tone. She had a feeling where this was going to go. "So, um, what were we doing?" Rico hesitated for a bit, "In love." He said. Marlene didn't know how to respond to something like this. She was too shock Rico actually could be in love with her. 'Rico? The psychotic penguin that has Gooy Love Mush Sensitivity? No way...' She told herself.
"Think I... love... you..." Rico managed to say, Marlene was afraid he was going to say that. "Rico..." Marlene said, and Rico quickly turned to her with tears starting to form in his eyes. "Love you." He said. "Rico..." Marlene said again, "I'm with Skipper... I'm with Skipper, Rico." "I know..." Rico said and looked down at the floor. "Rico, look at me." Marlene said, "I'm not mad at you or anything, I think it's a good thing you told me this, but you've got to understand, that nothing is going to change that. I love you as a friend, though. Nothing more, nothing less, and I'm sorry, Rico, but I don't think we're every going to be a couple. "oh..." Rico said whiling blinking the tears away. "Friends?" He asked. "Yeah." Marlene simply answered and Rico nodded, got up to head back home. "I'm sorry, Rico." Marlene said one last time. "Me too..." Rico said and wiped a tear away, then walked back home.
Once he got back inside the HQ, he remembered Skipper wanted him to do recon, but he didn't care about anything right now. All he cared about was to go back to bed and and forget this night happened. Lucky for him, Skipper was fast asleep, so he shouldn't know what he really did. He quickly climbed into his bed, closed his eyes, and slept a dreamless sleep.