Hello :D Can I just say that, though I still haven't figured out exactly how much longer, I do know that TIEO+O will soon be over, and once I am, I do already have a new plan for a story :D Actually, Knockknocktimerico came up with it XD A Christmas special (Marski, yes, the Marski spirit is still going strong in me :S) which should be published near Christmas :D If we can work it out of course XD Blouper has agreed to help us out with it, which is like freaking fantastic cause she's the best freaking author ever in my opinion. :D So, be on the lookout for it ;) And, I do so wish to dedicate this ENTIRE story to them, they've been there all through it and it's just great that people like them exist and are willing to help me out. Also, Littlebirdy05, who writes FANTASTIC stories, Spottedpaw, and all of you who reviewed. Thank-you SO much :)

Almost forgot, this story uses he song "The Scientist" by Coldplay, I would recommend playing it while reading this :D

Corresponding

Kowalski feels as though he's been stripped of his feathers and thrown into a tub of ice water. His breath leaves him as he tries to call Marlene again, only being able to utter a short gasp. He tries to go to her, but Mother Eagle rises higher into the air, still dodging Tom's blows, and takes him along with her. She goes to the top of a cabinet, to the very back, and sets him down; sure that Tom would take some time to reach them. She stands before him, ready to take his orders. Sure that, whatever he chose, it would somehow help.

I'm not Skipper, I can't do this. There's too much, not enough options…

He takes a deep breath, realizing that it would be no help if he gave up. It was up to him.

"First we have to get Marlene, there's no telling how bad her injuries are. We'll need a distraction… fly to another room, keep Tom away from where she is, I'll try to help her and once we can we'll get the egg."

Mother Eagle nods. She spreads out her wings and soars out once more. Tom's cry of surprise is the cue Kowalski was waiting for. He climbs down, using the cabinet handles as handholds. He lands on a radio, accidentally pressing the on button. Loud music erupts from it, and Tom, upon hearing it, stop in his tracks and goes to him, the rifle still in his hands.

Kowalski jumps off as Tom smashes the radio, which promptly turns to another station. Soft music begins to play. Tom gets ready to aim but Mother Eagle flaps her wings on his face. Enraged, Tom begins to chase her once more. Kowalski runs to Marlene. The radio lies on the ground, still playing.

Come up to meet you

Kowalski bends down beside Marlene, laying his flipper on her shoulder.

Tell you I'm sorry

Her eyes were closed.

You don't know how lovely you are.

"Marlene?"

I had to find you. Tell you I need you.

"Oh please no."

Tell you I set you apart.

He feels her heartbeat, which was slow and soft, its beat almost matching that of the song.

Tell me your secrets, and ask me your questions,

"What do I do?"

Aw, let's go back to, the start.

"Think Kowalski, you've been trained for this, think!"

Running in circles, coming out tails, Heads on the science apart.

Her arm was broken, there was a large bump on her head, and she winced when he prodded her ribs. Blood bubbled from her mouth.

Nobody said it was easy.

Her breathing slows. His grows ragged.

It's such a shame for us to part.

Kowalski feels sobs coming, what could he do? There seemed to be nothing…

Nobody said it was easy

Marlene opens her eyes. She looks up at Kowalski and smiles plaintively.

No one ever said it would be this hard.

Marlene reaches slowly, and takes his flipper, holding it in her paw.

Aw take me back to the start.

Kowalski looks down at her, her face becoming blurred. He looks away, not wanting her to see him like this. He blinks away the tears and stands up. He had to help her.

He goes around the room, picking up things that would help. He sits down beside Marlene once he had gotten what he could and begins to work on her, working as hard as he could to stop her pain.

Forgetting everything, his indecision, the trouble he was in, the searing ache on his own chest. Forgetting everything, Kowalski works meticulously to help Marlene.

I was just guessin', at numbers and figures, pullin' the puzzles apart Questions of science, Science and progress, that don't speak as loud as my heart

He looks at her, she was in pain, that was obvious, but her eyes looked up at him trustingly.

Tell me you love me,

He feels a knot on his throat

Come back to haunt me,

No, he couldn't…

Oh when I rush to the start. Runnin' in circles, chasing out tales, Comin' back as we are.

Kowalski gives the finishing touches to Marlene's splint and stands up. A shadow turns everything dark.

Nobody said it was easy

Tom picks him up roughly, Marlene reaching out to him too late.

Aww it's such a shame for us to part.

Kowalski gasps in pain as Tom's tight grip envelops him.

Nobody said it was easy

His eyes lock on Marlene, alone on the floor, looking up at him, petrified.

No one ever said it would be so hard

Tom shoves him in a cage, locking it, in time to hear a small crack. He looks at his pocket and takes out the egg.

I'm going back to the start

Tom looks at the egg in disgust.

"You're of no use to me if you've hatched." He goes the edge of the room, callously throwing the small egg into it.

Kowalski grips the bars of his cage tightly, staring in shock. Tom, having forgotten all about Marlene, goes to his room and comes back with Mother Eagle in his hand. Her eyes were closed, and she didn't move as he set her on the table. Kowalski looks for Marlene, who was on the floor, trying to stand up. He tries to open the cage, but it was no use. It was too hard. He sits on the floor, covering his face with his flippers. Deep sobs echo on the cage. As good a scientist as Kowalski was, it still took him a minute to realize that they were his own.

This was all his fault.

Tom goes to the radio and turns it off, the song coming to an abrupt stop, its melody ringing in Kowalski's ears.

Marlene puts her arm around her ribs, moving slowly to keep from damaging anything. She had wanted to come along; she had chosen this, so she can't complain. However, she has to fix her error.

She looks down at her arm where she had a cut on the side; the one injury that didn't give her a sharp stab every time she moved. She couldn't remember it happening, she couldn't remember Kowalski being hurt, and she couldn't remember how the eagle had gotten hurt. Yet, she did remember, a few months back, when the same thing had happened. After releasing her from the cage, Kowalski had explained to her.

"It could be considered a moment of partial conscious shut-down. You are controlled only by your natural instincts, a reaction brought on by your adaptation to enclosed shelters. It would explain your inability to recall the events that took place during that interval in time; basically, your conscious is "out of order."

Had she done this?

She feels tears begin to build, this was her fault. She saw now, everything was her fault. She had disobeyed Skipper and went to see the eagle, she had gotten Kowalski in trouble and while she was wild, she might have hurt him. How else could he have gotten that cut on his chest?

She feels her body complain of the effort it was taking her to walk such a little distance, her steps shuffling and uncertain between running to help and keeping from any more aches.

Marlene hears broken sobs coming from the cage Kowalski was in. A heavy knot develops in her throat, but she grinds her teeth to keep from crying. Hearing Kowalski, analytical, composed Kowalski like that, so...not him, it was worse than a broken rib, so much worse than anything she had felt before. He heart beats painfully, hinting at something Marlene knew was no use ignoring. But she does. Instead, she advances forward; ready to do whatever it took to set Kowalski free.

I will get you out.

Something small and brown darts past her suddenly. Marlene loses her balance and winces as pain bursts all around her body, and she tastes metal. Something catches her before she falls on the floor though. A gray arm holds hers. She looks up, coming face to face with Maurice.

"Marlene! What happened?"

She opens her mouth to reply but suddenly Julien comes darting around the corner. His face was as she had never seen, worried, angry, and somewhat regretful. He gives her a quick nod before turning to face forward again, his eyes locked on a trashcan. Tom jumps out of the way, giving a surprised cry as Julien runs past him. Then, regaining his composure, he holds his rifle up once more.

Mort jumps out of the trashcan, his eyes wide and gleeful.

"I got the egg! King Julien look!" He holds up a piece of brown shell, waving it in the air. Julien climbs up the trashcan and goes to Mort. He doesn't say anything as he reaches down. Standing slowly, Julien cradles a small baby chick in his arms. Marlene gasps.

Tom aims, ready to shoot. Julien looks up and puts down the chick, standing protectively in front of it, spreading out his arms.

"No one messes with my JJ!" Julien screeches. Tom pays no mind to him and shoots. Mort runs to King Julien and grabs onto him. Julien loses his balance and falls, the bullet making its way towards its target.

Julien.

He gives out a cry of pain as it hits his shoulder, which, had it not been for Mort, would have been his heart. Mort's eyes fill with tears.

"King Julien!"

Julien lies in the trashcan, gasping for breath. He reaches to the baby chick, which gives a soft peep in return. Mort stands up, his small paws curled into fists and murder in his eyes.

"You messed with the feet!" He growls, turning to Tom who was looking for more ammunition for his rifle. Mort begins to jump out of the trashcan but stops in his tracks.

"No, Mort, wait." Mort turns around. Julien was shaking his head; his hand pressed to his shoulder, now soaked in blood.

'You must first take JJ somewhere safe. It is my fault that he is in trouble, so I must ensure that he lives on to be the heir to the throne. Even if I am not there to rightfully guide him, he must at least make it." Julien gently pushes the baby chick to Mort, who takes it in his little arms and gazes at it with tear filled eyes.

"But…the feet." He whimpers. Julien sighs, but looks back at Mort with resolute eyes that had certain courage never before seen in him.

"Do it for the feet Mort, do it so that the kingdom may keep on."

Mort nods slowly and climbs quickly out of the trashcan, darting swiftly out of the way when Tom kicks out at him. He gets to Marlene and Maurice, who stare in surprise.

Kowalski hears another shot and winces. He had to get out. He pounds against the cage, trying to get out. It was solid on three walls, and bars on the front one, so he knew he had no chance, but he still kept on. He slips suddenly, and when he looks he realizes the rag he had tied around his chest had fallen off and that his cut was once more open. He feels dizziness envelop. Think options Kowalski, think.

Think…

Julien struggles to breathe, blood clogging his throat. He feels pain like he had never felt. He didn't like it. It's not right for a king to have to go through this, he thinks, but, it is for the major good, even if it is not me. It is for my JJ. Yes, you are dying a heroic death at least, you made sure that your kingdom will be taken care of, and the silly birds are on their way.

He knew Skipper would fix things and get the others back; he cared for the zoo almost as much as he did, and even if he had an odd way of fixing things, he had always made it through. Julien moans as the pain gets worse. Taking a bullet was so hard.

You are the king Julien, and you must do what you can to protect your subjects, they will honor you for this immensely...if only it didn't hurt so much.

Julien tenses, whishing for the pain to leave, wondering why the Sky Spirits were taking so long.

Mother Eagle lies on the table, trying to open her eyes, but they felt so heavy, and it was so hard to move. She had to find her baby though, it was here and she could help it this time. She gazes through closed eyes at the darkness that surrounded her. But where was it?

Is it lost once more?

Marlene, Maurice, and Mort hide behind a couch. Marlene faces Maurice and Mort, Mort still clinging tightly to the chick, holding it with as much love as if it were his own younger brother.

"I have to help the others," she tells them, "you guys take get out of here, and we'll come out soon."

"But Marlene, you can't." replies Maurice, looking at her with concern, "You're hurt, that guy out there is a maniac, and besides, Skipper and the rest are on their way."

Marlene looks up.

"What?" Maurice nods quickly.

"They couldn't come as fast as us because we jumped over trees, whereas they had to come through the undergrowth, but they should be here soon."

"How…" Marlene stands, unable to believe his words. She looks around the room, expecting to see them come barging through sometime soon but all she sees are stuffed dead animals staring at her. A rabbit, elk, ducks…even two otters. She shudders

"They got back, and some otters came to us, Ray and Elm I think, they told us that you were missing, that you were in trouble. Skipper got things ready to leave, but we still had no idea where you were. Julien overheard us talking and he went to get the note Kowalski left. He heard that the egg was in trouble and he decided that no one would mess with the only possible heir to the throne, so we came along and found some tracks and clues you guys left."

"Clues?" mutters Marlene.

"The talk about an odd disappearance of some otter and penguin dolls at the NYSDEC, the confused taxi drivers, we found some of Kowalski's things lying around, and the trail he left in the forest."

Marlene shakes her head.

"It might be too late by the time they get here." She goes to the chick and kisses the top of its head. It peeps and lifts its head to look at her, but its eyes had yet to open. She blinks back tears and runs back to the kitchen, the sharp pains of her wounds becoming even more intense.

She stops when she gets to the door. Her eyes widen.

Tom stood with Kowalski in his hand, a knife in the other. Kowalski was struggling weakly against his hold.

"Thought you'd get away did you?" Tom says angrily, "Well I'll make sure you can't."

"No!" Marlene runs to them, feeling as if things were once more happening in slow motion, she wouldn't be able to get to him…

Tom laughs. Small knife in hand, he plunges it deep into Kowalski's skin.

Marlene lets all the tears she had been holding back fall as she hears Kowalski scream.

No one ever said it would be this hard
Aww take me back to the start

Sorry ya'll, warning you before hand, there WILL be some character death in the next chapter, so, just be on the lookout.