It had been an exciting day, and everyone was ready to finally get some shut eye. comrade promised his brother he'd show the team some of the old moves he used. Marlene and Alexis had gotten to know each other very well, and had become well friends, yet that awkwardness still sat between them. Marlene was ready for bed, yet she didn't once close her eyes. She waited to hear the snores from the family around her, before creeping to the sewer gate.

Once more she was going to meet Manfreeti, she wanted to hear some of those unbelievable stories. She had asked Darrin if he wanted to go, but he declined and promised not to tell, as long as she was careful. Slowly she pulled open the sewer gate, and climbed down the ladder carefully. The sewer was dark, and he eyes couldn't adjust well enough for her to see, and she hadn't asked Roger for help. each step she took was slow and planned, watching below her at all times.

"Marlene, is that you?" a familiar voice asked rising from the murky water. She turned around and smiled kindly at Roger, he already knew where she was going, no reason for excuse. "Yeah, it's me. I'm going back again." She explained, Roger pulled up beside her and urged her to get on his back.

"It's a long walk Marlene." He reminded her as they began toward the usual destination. Marlene smiled as she watched each turn of the sewer fly past them, Roger was moving faster than usual. The darkness of the sewer only grew the deeper they got to the northern corner. Marlene was almost as excited before, even with Captain to rain on her parade, she felt as though she'd done better that expected.

She hoped some of these stories involved Skippers past, she wanted to know more about it. She knew most of Skippers past, about being born in the wild about Jessica, Alexis, Comrade, even Lola. Yet that was nothing compared to what she didn't know, and she wanted Manfreeti to fill her in. However something didn't feel right this time, it almost felt like it was unsafe or something was going to go wrong. She blamed Skipper for teacher her to be paranoid, and ignoring the uneasy feelings.

When they were at the usual drop spot, Marlene unboarded and Thanked Roger assuring him she'll walk back. She rounded the corner to find that Manfreeti was facing away from her, still hiding in the darkness. Marlene took a step forward, and he slightly turned his head to face her. He didn't say anything, he merely watched her and waited for her to say something first. "You said you had stories i wouldn't believe, and i've got my optimistic on. So lets hear the stories." Marlene started, He turned around and faced her.

"Where do i Begin." But this wasn't the low rough voice of Manfreeti, this was the medium pitch smooth voice of Skipper, played back in anger and disappointment. She gasped and took a step back. Standing where Manfreeti stood not long ago, was the one guy she was trying to keep all of this away from. "I know what you've been doing Marlene." He began in a monotone voice.

"I don't know what your talking about." But Skipper wouldn't buy it, she was standing in the scene of the crime. Never the less she decided to try again "I haven't done anything wrong." Yet under the lies that rested in her deep brown eyes, covered the sorrow and regret for what she had done. And Skipper could see past it all, past the lying eyes and the innocent smile, past her steady words and firm stance.

Marlene stood her ground as Skipper came closer, he was filled with anger and fury. "I can see in your eyes when you Lie Marlene." Skipper stated proudly, Marlene furrowed her brows anger setting in. "You want to talk eyes Skipper? They say that the yes are the window to the soul, yet when i look at you, i can't see anything. It's hallow Skipper, I know nothing because you tell me nothing." her shouts ringing through the Sewer.

"Is that why you snuck out Marlene?" she didn't respond, so Skipper continued. "It's all ash past my eyes Marlene, the charred remains of a once happy man." He whispered sadly, yet Marlene didn't budge, she stood firm to her point. "I want to know about it, I want to know everything that i can, because that's why i'm here. I will never love anyone more than i love you, Skipper."

Skipper looked back at her, he didn't speak, he wasn't sure what to say, all those happy times he told Marlene, weren't even a fraction to the bad times at home with his father. Nothing was said for several seconds, Skipper hid the hurt and discomfort in his eyes easily, leaving the to appear empty and emotionless. Marlene's eyes were spilling tears, thinking about what she'd done, lied, snuck out, betrayed.

Skipper stepped forward and Marlene didn't move, her vision was to blurry to see him. Welled up with tears, she felt Skipper wrap her arms around her. She laid her head against his chest, and tried to stop herself from crying. "I'm sorry Marlene." Skipper whispered, this only made Marlene cry harder, should he really be the one apologizing? She didn't know whatto do, except stay in Skipper's arms.

"I'll tell you whatever you want to know." He whispered in her ear, Marlene wiped a tear from her eye, and prayed no more came out, "Will you tell me about the time you were pink?" (A/N mini me chapter 5) Marlene asked in a quiet voice.

Skipper looked down at her, and in a playful tone responded, "Heck no." Marlene hit him playfully, and they began walking back toward their habitats. Skippers arm was wrapped around Marlene's shoulder, and her head rested next to his. Even though she looked so Happy deep in her eyes, past all the bliss is the self inflicted pain she didn't want to be discovered, and now that was, there was hope to fix it.

-"Morning Skipper, where have you been?" Comrade asked as he saw his brother walking in with Marlene in his flippers. Marlene's mother and Carlene was with the penguins, When Carlene's mother insisted she get to know Private better, Carlene panicked, but for some strange reason agreed to bring her over. "You weren't there when i woke up Marlene, were you two..."

"Mother!" Marlene hissed as she broke free from Skipper, she hadn't realized how early it was. Marlene's mom seemed shocked at her daughters distress. "I only wanted to know whats going on with my daughter, you tell me so little i could wake up and find a half penguin/otter child running around to be my grand kid." She said back, Marlene turned bright red, and Skipper tensed up, Comrade laughed lightly at his younger brothers embarrassment.

Marlene dragged her mother and Carlene out of the room, hoping the damage wasn't to deep... again. Marlene's mother was mumbling something about being to young to be a grandmother, and Comrade only kept laughing. Skipper waited till the fishbowl fell over top the hole, before letting out an appropriate groan. Comrade finished his laughs, than took advantage of the silence.

"don't you think you should ask her to marry you before you even attempt to..." Comrade chose his words carefully seeing as though Private was still in the room. "combine a Penguin and an Otter." He finished, he expected Skipper to look back at him angrily, but instead, Skipper was smiling. "Yeah, i do." he replied in a clever tone with a sly smile. The other 4 penguins looked around confused, and waited for Skipper to respond.

"Men, I'm going to ask Marlene to marry me." Skipper finished with a forward grin, and all silence in the room soon turned to praise.