(Slightly edited)

Chapter 9: Sorry, I'm Not Sorry

"I'm really, really," Marlene placed the pancakes she and Selena had worked on and placed them on a plate, "really sorry, Skipper." The man standing by the table, not sitting like the others or leaning against anything for the matter, grumbled under his breath and glared at the table. Giggling brought his attention to Selena, making him frown even more.

"You're such a baby. man." The lady continued to giggle at the man, who glowered at her.

"How about you get bitten by a Doberman? We'll see who's laughing now."

"Aw," Selena cooed with hands clasped, "my baby would never bite me. Isn't that right, Baby G?" She patted the head of the dog obediently sitting beside her. The dog merely had his tongue hanging out happily accepting the hand on his head. Skipper continued to glare at the lady but turned his attention to Marlene who smiled apologetically at him as she placed the new stack of pancakes before him. Kowalski, Rico, Private and Barbie were quietly eating their own pancakes, the last already well informed of the accident of yesterday the second she went to check on her teammates. She was trying hard not to choke on her pancakes and bit down on her lip, not wanting to get extra training as promised by Skipper if any of them laughed. Again.

"I guess you learned your lesson, huh?" Skipper's mouth curled into a scowl.

"Are you trying to get my forgiveness or make this worse, woman?" Marlene shook her head, tapped his shoulder and pointed to the pancakes.

"Just eat."

"And how am I supposed to do that?"

She placed her hands on her hips.

"Don't tell me Guardian bit your hand too." Without speaking, he held the hands he had been hiding under his arms, pulled off the glove of one with his teeth and watched as Marlene's eyes grew wide at the bite mark on it. "Oh."

"Thanks," Skipper placed the glove back, crossed his arms and looked away, "but no thanks. I'm not hungry anyway." Marlene rolled her eyes and reached for a fork.

"Don't be ridiculous. I called you here for an apology breakfast. Now open your mouth."

"Huh," his eyes grew wide when Marlene stuffed a forkful of the pancake in his mouth.

"Do I need to teach you how to chew and swallow too?" The man frowned at her and chewed the baked good before swallowing. "Good boy."

"I-" He was stopped by another forkful that was shoved into his mouth this time. He quickly swallowed this one and glared at Marlene. "I don't need to be fed."

"Yes you do. Now open."

"No." He moved his head away from the fork and glared at it, hoping that it would just go away. "Stop it, Miss Sullivan." She lowered the fork but didn't put it down. She pouted at him, shook her head and gestured to the plate.

"Not until you finish this."

"Fine! I'll just," he grabbed for the fork, but released it immediately when a pain shot through his hand, causing him to hold his wrist. "I can't even hold a fork." He murmured under his breath and shook his hand off the weird feeling. "How am I supposed to hold a gun…" He winced and shook his hand again. He wanted desperately to massage it but his other hand was still unable.

"What was that?"

"Nothing." He grumbled again with the same glare at the table, tucking his hands under his arms. "I'm hungry." Marlene stared at him like he had grown another head. "Well?" Marlene pointed the fork at him, one hand on her hip.

"Don't you dare start with me, mister. Nobody told you to keep us like that. You had that coming." Then she turned and headed back to the coffee maker, pouring up a cup of coffee, probably for Skipper.

"And where the hell does she think I would go? I've got nothing else to do. I'm stuck with these," he glared down at his hands, "and I can't even sit down." Selena grinned widely and asked him innocently.

"How'd you sleep?" She, and a barely holding in laughter Private, received a glare from the man. "I'm just asking. Seeing as your rear's unusable at the moment, how'd you sleep? And how'd you go to the toilet? Or shower for the matter? Did you even brush your teeth?"

"None of your business, Valentine."

"Dude," a grin grew on her face, "you didn't brush your teeth? Since yesterday?"

"Shut up."

"Dude…you're disgusting." Selena burst into giggles, along with Private, who coughed afterwards to hide it when Skipper turned to him.

"I said," a spatula collided with his head, "ow!" He faced Marlene who waved the spatula at him and raised her brows at him expectantly.

"Excuse me. My roof, my rules. No fighting with my best friend or anybody else, okay?"

"I am not staying here, okay?" The man copied her tone mockingly.

Kowalski cleared his throat, getting the attention of his leader. "But you have to, Skipper. There's nobody to help around-"

"I don't need help. I'm perfectly capable of doing things on your own."

"Personal hygiene." Kowalski coughed under his breath and looked away. "No hands. You stink."

"Shut up, Kowalski." He turned to Marlene with a frown. "You're not giving me a sponge bath."

"Who says I want to?/Keep dreaming, pretty boy." Marlene and Selena simultaneously spoke, one with a raised brow and the other with crossed arms. Marlene sighed and placed the spatula down.

"Look, Skipper, it's only for a few hours. Until," she looked over at the table of guests and Barbie, "one of your boys get back." The man merely looked and grumbled something about not being able to join in on a mission and having to sit back like a desk monkey. Marlene shook her head and murmured something in Spanish, to which Skipper answered in the same language. It wasn't understandable by anyone there except Kowalski and the rest turned to the man who listened intently.

Selena bent down to his level and whispered in his ear. "What are they saying?" He was about to answer when his eyes grew wide.

"That's illegal. I think he crossed the line."

"Yeah…" Selena drawled and walked up to them when Marlene turned around, grabbed a rolling pin and turned back to Skipper, who looked from the pin to the angry Marlene and back to the pin. "Whoops." Selena caught the pin, forced it out of Marlene's hands and placed it behind her back. "Kitchen tools ain't killing tools, girl. Unless you wanna use the knives." Selena grinned and nodded over to the wooden stand with assorted knives in it. "We got a whole buffet."

"Only when we've got dead meat…" Marlene murmured under her breath, barely audible to anyone but Selena and Skipper.

Selena winked at Skipper and went to put the rolling pin back in a drawer. "Got ya." She had just closed the drawer when she heard Marlene speak up again. The anger was already gone from her voice, her best friend was really good with calming down, but there was still a warning in it.

"I've lived with seven brothers, Skipper, older and younger than me. Of course I know your kind. Don't even think of pulling something like that on me again. I will not hesitate to pick up the frying pan this time." Selena bit down on her lip but a few giggles escaped from her mouth and she covered them when Skipper turned to her with a death glare. Before he could say something, Marlene whacked her hand on his head.

"Ow! Miss Sullivan!"

"Don't play with me. It's Marlene." Private and Barbie joined in Selena's quiet giggling while Kowalski and Rico kept their sniggers down. "And don't you dare try anything on Selena. You will regret that. Now open."

"I-mpjgkjhedk!" Skipper mumbled through a mouthful of pancake, earning him another thwack on the head, which resulted in a coughing fit when the food went down the wrong pipe. Marlene patted his back with concern written all over her face until he finally stopped and properly swallowed the treat. "Now you're trying to kill me, woman?! What the heck is wrong with you? OW!"

"What did I just say?" Skipper half pouted, half frowned at her and rubbed the hand she had hit.

"Stop hitting me…"

Marlene's frown went away and she looked down at the hand guiltily. "Aw…" She reached for it, but Skipper held it away from her.

"No."

"Skipper…"

"My hand."

"Now you're acting like a child." He replied with a tongue in her direction. The brunette blinked in surprise at the action and bit her bottom lip. She placed both hands on her hips and shook her head at him. "Okay, fine. Let's have it that way then." Before anybody could do anything, Marlene grabbed his ear and pulled him to the living room, despite his protests. Selena immediately burst out into laughter, followed quickly by Private and then the rest of the group.

"What's going on?" They all turned to Kyle, who was freshly showered and dressed for school, standing by the kitchen doorway. She frowned and slowly looked behind her. "And why's Marlene threatening Skipper with the spatula?" This made the group laugh even harder, drowning Skipper's protests as the Californian dragged him to the couch. "Um, hello?" Kyle called even though she was grinning at the scene in the living room. "A little help for the newcomer?"

Selena, unlike the others, didn't cease her laughter and shook her head. "This is my favorite day. It has to be." Skipper's pained cry wafted into the room and Kyle stared wide eyed at the scene before stepping into the kitchen. Selena wiped an imaginary tear away and grinned at Kyle. "What happened, Kal?"

"I think Skipper sat on something."

"YEZ!" Selena threw her fists up and jumped about. "Ha! In your face, man! That's what you get! That's what you call karma, baby!" She started to do a little dance as she hummed to a song. "Oh oh oh, I really don't care!"

"Selena!" Marlene called to the lady angrily, who immediately shut her mouth and walked outside innocently.

"Yes, Marlene? Do you," Selena swallowed a giggle as she tried hard not to look at the sight of Skipper uncomfortably sprawled out on the couch, "need something?"

"Before you go, could you call up the pet shop and tell them I can't come today?"

"Sure." She nodded and picked up her phone. After all, all the contacts she needed was already on her phone, ready to use anytime. "Anything else?"

"Get me duct tape." She glared down at Skipper. "He won't sit still."

The man's eyes grew wide and he shook his head, getting to his feet.

"No, wait, please, it hurts. I really can't-" Selena burst out into laughter again but she muffled it when Skipper and Marlene stared at her.

"Sorry." She mumbled quietly and hurried to her room. She quickly closed the door behind her before dropping to her knees and laughing her heart out. "Duct," she spoke between breaths as she forced herself to stop laughing, "tape. Duct tape. I need duct tape." She swallowed the rest of her laughter and with a grin, proceeded around the room. "Duct tape!" She sang out while looking through some drawers. "Where are you? I know you're in here somewhere…Aha!" She pulled out a thick roll and practically skipped to the living room. She was about to tell Marlene about the duct tape when she heard someone heaving uncontrollably. She entered the kitchen, pushed past Skipper who was leaning on the doorway and stared in shock as Marlene escorted a red faced Kyle out. "Wha," she chased after Marlene as the two headed for the girl's room, "what happened?" Marlene looked back at her solemnly.

"Guardian." Selena paused as the realization sunk in. Her ward was highly allergic to dog fur, and she was the one who brought in Guardian. The wave of guilt overcame the Asian who gulped and ran into the room Kyle shared with Barbie. "I've already got Barbie to call Melman."

Selena shook her head, unable to enter the room with the sight of the deathly looking girl now lying on her bed. She had her eyes closed and was having a little spasm now and then, but Selena could see in her closed hands that she was trying to control herself. "She won't make it, Marlene." Marlene's head shot up and she looked over at Selena with a surprised look.

"Selena..."

"He won't be able to come in time. He's at the hospital. Nobody'll be able to come in time." Before her friend could reply, Selena held up her hands. "I want you to stabilize her. Make her breathe in and breathe out steadily. Don't force it, it needs to be natural. Keep her back straight and loosen her blouse and bra so that her airways won't be restricted. I'll be right back."

Selena ran back to her room, ducked under the bed and pulled out a box. She moved aside other assorted medical supplies and equipment and took out a pump, a bottle of disinfectant, a clean cloth, a thick plastic tube and other items. She left the box there and headed to the kitchen, walking immediately up to Kowalski and shoving the things in her hands to him.

"You're making an endotracheal tube."

"Melman's-"

"She's not going to make it. You need to act now. Use that brain of yours and estimate travel time versus survival time in a child with a severe case of allergy." Without another word, Kowalski grabbed the things in her hands, cleared a space on the table, placed them on the surface and started working on it. "What else?"

"The plastic tube works fine, but we need to keep the end from making scratches on her trachea. Get my pen." She stood there for a while, wondering what he was talking about until he raised his arm a bit and she saw the little fountain pen stuck in his breast pocket. She took it out and handed it to Kowalski, who twisted the top and a laser came out the pen tip. You just can't beat the classics. She watched quietly as he melted the exposed plastic end of the tube to a smooth finish, blew on it and handed it to her. "Insert it deep-"

"I know." She interrupted before grabbing the improvised breathing tube and rushing to the room. Kyle wasn't any better, but at least she was still breathing, just like Selena told Marlene to help her do. Marlene moved away and let Selena place the tube accordingly before taking the pump from Selena when it was handed to her. "Not too fast, not too slow. Keep it steady, deep and long." Marlene nodded and proceeded to do as she was told. Selena stood off from the side, watching as a tear fell from Marlene's eye onto the girl when she kissed the redhead's forehead, murmuring something. Unable to bear the thought of her almost dying, Selena turned away and marched to the living room, pulling out her cellphone. Everyone looked up at her when she entered but she made no eye contact as she paused and placed the phone to her ear. Barbie got to her feet and took a step toward Selena.

"Selena?" Selena didn't look at her and stared at the wall. "Who are you calling?"

"Andy." She noticed how the blonde's eyes went over to Private, but she didn't see the boy nod and slowly and quietly slip outside. She was suspicious of her sister's action, but she concentrated more on the tiny crack on the wall. She waited for the ring to stop before speaking.

"'Ello?" The voice of the boy was relief to her somewhat and she felt herself relaxing. At least someone was up on their feet. "Selena? Is something wrong? Where's Kyle?"

"She can't come in to school."

"Why not? Did something happen to her?" Selena tensed up again, but she forced herself to relax. "What happened to her?" The boy asked when she didn't say anything for a while.

"She's, going to be fine."

"But," Selena quickly closed the cellphone and let out a breath.

"Okay..." She shook her head and dialed in another number. She waited for the ring to stop before speaking. "Kyle can't come in." She swallowed, licked her lips and focused her eyes on the tiny crack on the wall. "Send in a note to the teachers."

"Selena," the sound of the school principal's voice, or Spencer came to her ear, "she's due for a very important meeting in a few hours. What happened?"

"Meeting? She's just a kid. How'd she get a meeting? And with who?" There was a hesitated sigh at the other end and Selena frowned. "Spence, out with it. What meeting?"

"It's an audition. She asked about scholarships and I told her about the Julliard one. She wants to go, and that's the reason she's been staying back lately."

"What the hell is she doing that for? Why'd you let her in the first place?" The words came out of her mouth, but she already knew why the girl was auditioning. It was because of her. Kyle wanted to pay her back. If she got the scholarship, Selena didn't have to slave over work for them. And she'll be able to pay back everything she owed the Asian. She'd been dying to know what the little redhead had been hiding before whenever she came to the door to see PS bringing Kyle home, but now, well, she was dying. Even the sight of Skipper still not able to sit was not funny anymore. Whatever came out of this, it was all her fault. She started this mess. It was always her fault.

"What happened to her, Selena?" She tried to swallow the lump in her throat and blinked away the tears coming to her eyes. "Why can't she go?"

"I need to go." She jabbed her finger on the end call and tossed her phone. She didn't care that it landed on the couch, bounced and hit the ground, all the while cracking the screen. She was already out the front door, the uncontrollable tears dropping from her eyes.

I torture Skipper too much…XD Slightly edited.