I Know Why the Caged Bird Needs Company

Penguins of Madagascar belongs to DreamWorks and Nickelodeon

This is set after "I Know Why the Caged Bird Goes Insane"- please do not flame, for I have no idea where this idea came from :T

"Home again, home again…." Kowalski grumbled, looked around the confines of the inescapable nursery. The bunnies along the walls appeared to be glowering down at him, but that might've just been another hallucination.

Marlene smiled sympathetically on the other side of the newly repaired glass. "Sorry Alice caught you again," she amended empathetically, shrugging, though a crease formed in her brow. "But it didn't help that the rest of the guys all promptly ditched you once she showed up."

The penguin mimicked her shrug, playing with the wheels of his wheelchair-like device. He nearly lost his balance as he spoke. "Well I couldn't really blame them; knocking Alice unconscious would've aroused suspicion and caused confusion. Plus, we only do so for dire emergencies."

"And getting you out of this baby prison isn't an emergency?" Marlene questioned quizzically, paws on her hips.

Kowalski faltered, remaining silent and he fiddled with his wheels again. He finally shrugged mournfully. But then his head rose just as quickly. "Pardon me asking, but why did you stay?"

The otter blinked. "Why did I stay? Well…I don't know, I didn't want you staying here all alone…" A grin spread across her lips. "Not to mention I wouldn't want you to go bonkers again."

He grimaced. "You heard?"

"Private can be very informative when he wants to be," Marlene stated matter-of-factly.

Kowalski slapped a flipper to his forehead, leaning into it. "I bet he can be," the scientist mumbled. When he opened his eyes again, he saw that the otter was rubbing the back of her head rather absentmindedly. Kowalski raised a nonexistent eyebrow, "What happened, Marlene? Did you injure your cranium while battling against the space squid?"

Marlene smirked,"Nope. I just got a little bump when you a launched a plate of fish at my head."

The penguin winced. "Ah. I see. Well, um..." he coughed into his flipper. "My apologies...for harming you with 2.5 pounds of fish and wooden cutlery." The otter did something surprising then – she laughed. "W-what is it?" he demanded, and would've placed his flippers onto his waist if it wouldn't result in him falling over.

She held up a paw, either to silence or placate him, he had no idea. "Don't worry, I'm not laughing at you," Marlene assured, and her grin grew wider. "It's just that you've never apologized for causing me bodily harm before."

"Ah…right," Kowalski mumbled, blushing under his thick feathers, and Marlene smiled at his embarrassment.

"And anyway," she continued, gesturing offhandedly. "I forgive you."

"Well, yes, I would understand if you—w-wait, what?" the penguin faltered, turning to look back up at the otter. "Y-you forgive me? For everything?"

Marlene shrugged, though the warm smile remained on her features. "I guess so...just try not to hit me in the head with plates full of fish."

"If they didn't have fish in them, would that be alright?"

The otter paused, blinking. Then she burst out laughing once more. Kowalski watched her with mild bewilderment, before she snapped back up, no longer laughing, but grin still in place. "No. No plate of anything is acceptable."

"Ah. Alright." The penguin looked past her, and saw that the sun was almost halfway through the sky. He sighed. "You had better get back to your habitat, Marlene. Before Alice makes her rounds."

"But the zoo's closed today!" Marlene protested.

"Even so. I couldn't live with myself if Alice got a hold of you."

Marlene grinned mischievously. "So...you're worried about me?"

Kowalski swiftly paled, an action Marlene had thought to be impossible for a bird with a white face. He promptly began pacing behind the glass, or as well as he could in a wheelchair, wheeling from corner to corner. "W-well, I'm not worried per say, but if did happen—"he sputtered momentarily before the otter stopped him.

"Alright, alright," Marlene quickly interrupted, raising her paws in an appeasing gesture. "I'll head back to my habitat and keep myself out of Alice's clutches." She paused, smirking knowingly at Kowalski's unasked question. "And yes, I will come back tonight once Alice is gone."

"Well Commodore Fluffington can be a bit of a downer," the scientist mumbled. Marlene chuckled again.

"Okay then, see ya' tonight." She waved goodbye as she headed back, and soon disappeared behind one of the many brick walls that divided the zoo. Kowalski's own flipper lowered as soon as she was out of sight, and a sigh escaped him.

His chest swelled with pride suddenly, and he straightened himself into an enormously smug pose. "I am just that irresistible," he announced arrogantly, before promptly losing his balance and falling flat on his back with a startled cry.

"Not one word out of you, Commodore Fluffington."