chapter 13
"Skippah!" Private cried, leaping up from his seat and throwing himself into his leaders flippers. Skipper smiled, nuzzling the younger's neck happily. No words were spoken, none were needed.
Skipper could have hugged the little penguin all day but he noticed Kowalski and Rico's stares and quickly let go. "I think we all deserve some rest men." Skipper said, stifling a yawn. The others didn't have any complaints, they were exhausted. Skipper climbed into his own bunk, but he found he couldn't sleep. He heard Rico's snoring and smiled. I sure did miss my team. Its good to be back. He saw the 'evil' Kowalski's lifeless face flash before his eyes and felt horrible. I killed somebody. He hopped down to the floor, wanting to get some fresh air and clear his head. He heard Private humming a happy tune and turned to him. But its all worth it, now Private's safe, I had to kill him or he might try to hurt Private again.
Private, you should be asleep" he scolded gently.
"I'm sorry Skippah, but I don't want to sleep."
"Private, you need your sleep, its important."
"But I cant, I'll have nightmares" The younger whimpered sadly.
Skipper immediately sat down, wrapping a flipper around the younger. Private sighed happily and snuggled closer.
"He's gone Private. He wont ever hurt you again. You'll always be safe with me, but he's not here, you won't ever see him again. I'm sorry, I feel like its all my fault. I should have known, I should have protected you."
"Its not your fault Skipper, I didn't tell you because I was scared of what Kowalski would do..." Private's voice broke off as he felt tears begin again.
"Shh Private, the important thing is that your safe now" Skipper said gently.
Private wiped his tears away and yawned tiredly. "Okay, maybe I'm a little tired, just afraid..." Private admitted.
Skipper pulled him closer. "Don't worry, I'm here, your safe" He whispered and watched the younger drift off to sleep, eventually drifting off himself.
Skipper woke to the younger Private sobbing quietly. "Oh Private" he said, wanting to comfort him somehow.
"Sorry Skippah, I didn't mean to waken you" Private whispered, angrily swiping at his tears.
"Shhh, it's okay Private" Skipper said, wiping the younger's tears away himself. "I hate to see you cry, your much more beautiful when you smile" Skipper whispered, giving him a hesitant kiss on the cheek.
Private blushed furiously. "It's not so bad now that your here, they seem kind of stupid"
They aren't stupid Private, don't say that."
"Sorry Skipper" Private mumbled, snuggling even closer and wrapping his flippers around the other. Skipper began rocking back and forth gently, trying to lull the younger to sleep.
"Skippah?" Private asked as his flipper found an incision like scar on the back of Skipper's neck.
"Yes?" Skipper replied, almost asleep himself.
"What's this" Private asked, tracing the outline with his flipper. He felt Skipper cringe and pulled back. "Sorry Skippah, but I'm worried, it doesn't look right."
"It sure hurts like hell" Skipper said, not realizing that until now.
"Maybe you should tell Kowalski, he'll know what it is and what to do" Private suggested.
"Private, its the middle of the night." Skipper said tiredly.
"But what if you die? You cant die, I'd be all alone!" Private cried worriedly.
Skipper looked at the others face and sighed. "Fine" He grumbled.
Private ran over to Kowalski, landing on him with a 'thud'. "Wake up!" He shouted.
Kowalski sat up groggily, removing he younger from on top of him. "What is it Private?"
"Its Skippah, he has some stitch incision thing on his neck."
And that cant wait until morning?" The scientist questioned.
"No!" Private replied stubbornly.
Kowalski sighed as he sat up and flicked a switch, flooding the HQ with light. Rico, who was a pretty heavy sleeper, of course didn't wake up.
The taller stood up and walked over to Skipper, running a flipper over his leaders neck until he found what Private was talking about. Skipper took a sharp breath as Kowalski peered closer, looking worried. "You better come into the lab" He whispered to Skipper.
Private tried to follow, but Skipper held him back. "You stay here, I'll be right out."
As soon as the door closed Kowalski turned to his leader with a grim expression. He lifted up a device to Skipper neck, pushing buttons rapidly. He got an even more worried look on his face, but Skipper was even more nervous.
"That one of your inventions? Of course it is, oh god how long until it malfunctions and we all die!"
"Skipper" Kowalski interrupted. "Um, well, I'm just going to come right out and say this, you seem to have a brain chip...in your head..."
Skipper laughed heartily. "Uh huh, good one Kowalski, but even Private wouldn't buy that, talk about science fiction"
"I'm serious Skipper, you have a brain chip and its been in there for about" he consulted the device "a few months"
"What?" Skipper asked horrified. A brain chip? Someone has been controlling me, this isn't really me? He saw Private's face and wanted to cry. My feelings for Private aren't even mine? Oh god, how did I get into this mess? Poor Private, I promised I'd never hurt him and now look what I did. At this thought he slid to the floor, Kowalski's face wavering in front of his.
"Are you okay?" I should take it out, shouldn't I?"
Skipper nodded numbly, barely comprehending what the scientist was saying. He waited for the darkness to come, welcomed it, wanting to forget...
Skipper woke to a pounding headache. "Ugh" he said groggily, sitting up and trying to steady the spinning world.
"How do you feel" Kowalski asked.
Skipper ignored his question. "The brain chip?"
"Right here" Kowalski said, showing it to his leader.
Such an innocent looking little piece of technology, and it controlled me, became my mind. He shivered at the thought. But who? Who put it there? "What can you tell me about it?"
Kowalski studied him for a few seconds before answering. "Well Skipper, um, you liked me, not me me but evil me who you thought was me" he said hurriedly.
Skipper frowned I already know that thank you very much. "And?"
"You left. You left the team Skipper, how could you?"
"It wasn't actually me" He reminded the taller. "I always wondered why I couldn't remember why I left"
"And then about a day after you left the team it just stopped, I'd say it malfunctioned or something, but I'm not sure, it seems quite odd.
About a day after I left? That means...I fell for Private all on my own, it wasn't the brain chip, it was me! he smiled happily, knowing now he wouldn't have to hurt the little penguins feelings. "But how did it get there, who?"
"I don't know" Kowalski admitted, admiring the tiny chip. "But I am insanely jealous, a brain chip! I'm 50 years way from that kind of technology-"
"Can the nerd jealousy" Skipper ordered, standing up and walking to the door. "I'm fine now, right?"
"I think so, you may be a bit woozy for a couple of hours and some of your memory may be cloudy, but physically your fine"
"Good" Skipper said, walking back into HQ and was ambushed by Private.
"I was so worried, you were in there so long, I stayed up all night" Private said nervously.
All night? Its morning? Skipper smiled down at the younger. "Thanks Private, but I'm all right."
Kowalski coughed awkwardly and the two split apart quickly.
"Well men I think we could all use a little more sleep, I'll see you at 1200 hours."
They split off, each heading to their own bunk, grateful for a little extra sleep.
Skipper saw Private's face appear before his bunk after about three seconds they had went to bed. "Skippah?" the younger asked quietly, crawling in beside the older.
Skipper sighed. He needs his sleep, heck, I need my sleep too. "Yes Private?"
Private remained quiet, reaching up to trace Skipper's scar. "Are you really okay? What was it?" he questioned.
"Private, it was nothing, I'm fine, go to sleep."
"Skippah, I'm not stupid." Private said angrily, a frown appearing on his face. "It's obviously something, you were in Kowalski's lab for what seemed like forever."
"It doesn't matter, its over and I'm fine."
No" Private argued. "I was worried Skippah, so worried.." He trailed off to nothing. "Don't I at least deserve to know what I was so worried about?"
Damn it! Isn't he ever going to give up? Talk about stubborn. "Fine, it was a brain chip"
Private was quiet for a few moments. "Is that why you left?"
"Yes. I wouldn't ever dream of leaving you guys, I wouldn't ever leave my team no matter what happens, I just wouldn't."
"I know Skippah, that's why it hurt so much when you were gone."
Skipper felt a lump form in his throat Don't cry. Don't cry. Don't cry. "I'm sorry" he whispered, reaching out to the younger.
"Its not your fault Skipper. I just have one question, when you ah...kissed me...was it you or the brain chip...?" He asked shyly.
"That was me" Skipper said awkwardly, afraid of the younger's reaction.
"Good" Private said, snuggling closer. "Because it was amazing." He blushed.
Skipper sat silent this time.
Private poked him in the tummy. "Did you fall asleep? That's when you kiss me again." He said boldly.
Skipper couldn't help but smirk as he leaned his head towards the smaller. Private closed his eyes eagerly as Skipper's beak touched his softly. It was everything good and beautiful in the world wrapped up in a few precious seconds, making his heart hum with happiness and love.
" I think we should do that more often" Private said breathlessly, looking up at the older with adoration.
Skipper laughed, pulling private against him once again. "I think you should go to sleep." Private pouted, making Skipper laugh more.
Eventually he saw Private fall asleep and picked him up gently and placed him on his bunk before falling asleep himself, a faint smile on his face.