Sandy enveloped Nina in a hug. "I'm so glad you're safe and sound."

"Sandy, I can't breathe…" Nina squeaked out.

"Oh, sorry." She quickly let go.

"Do you think we're really done this time?" Private asked.

"Can't be." Shelley shook her head. "Molar's still out there somewhere, and she's going to be out for blood this time. But I swear on Rosalind Franklin, Kowalski and I will be ready when she comes back."

"Glad to see we're all working as a team!" Nina exclaimed.

"I, for one," Sandy began, "am done with the whole 'unrequited love for a dolphin' thing."

"Been there," Kowalski murmured.

"I think you've got some unfinished business, Sandy." Shelley winked.

"Yeah…I think I do." Sandy looked away nervously. "So…Skipper…you called me your girl…and we kissed-"

"Wait, what?!" Nina yelled out. Hunter clapped her flipper over Nina's beak to silence her.

"So does that mean you're my boyfriend?"

Skipper thought for a second. "…I guess it does."

"I'm pretty okay with that."

"Then I'm okay with that too."

"Well, it's not love, but it's a start," Shelley concluded.

"Speaking of…" Hunter nudged Shelley.

Private was hugging Nina. "I'm so glad you're okay. I couldn't bear losing my new friend so quickly."

"I knew you'd come rescue me." Nina grinned. "And you know, I spent all my time trying to make two other people like each other that I didn't stop to think about how much I liked you."

Private held her closer. "I like you a lot too, Nina."

"Well, all our dramatic loose ends have been tied up," Shelley observed. "Aside from watching Skipper kissing Sandy, and I really don't want to, what else can we do?"

Hunter shrugged. "Dance party?"

"DANCE PARTY!" King Julien flew down the hatch, almost summoned by the words.

Shelley shrugged. "Yeah, okay."

Everyone was happy and it was a pretty standard day at the zoo. Then again, that's how our story began, wasn't it?

A/N:

Oh my GOSH. Thank you to everyone who went on this journey with me. I had so much fun and I hope you did too. I really want to do more with these characters, relationships, and plot lines, but I'll leave it up to you. If anyone says they'd like to see me continue, believe me, I will! Again, thank you. So, so much.