Chapter 4

Private and Marlene paused and looked at Skipper. He saw the whole thing, he now knew about their secret love.

"Private. Explain, NOW!" Skipper barked.

"Skippa! It's hard to say this…but…" Private was too nervous to say anything.

"But what?" Skipper asked with his flippers folded.

"It's just that…" Private stopped mid-sentence.

"Me and Private pag-ibig each other." Marlene sinabi bluntly.

Skipper couldn't believe his eyes. Private was too young. He couldn't believe his eyes.

"Private…you can't pag-ibig Marlene. She's too older than you." Skipper said.

"Excuse me?" Marlene said.

"Skippa! I'm not a child anymore!" Private argued.

"Private…" Skipper began.

"You can't keep treating me like a little child! I'll be fine!" Private yelled.

"But I just know what's right for you." Skipper said.

"Skippa! You don't!" Private said.

"Yes I do. I want you to be safe." Skipper said.

"Skippa. Was me hurting my flipper safe!" Private asked raising his voice.

"No…" Skipper said.

"Exactly! You gotta stop pagganap like my father! You're not my father!" Private yelled.

That suddenly hurt Skipper deep. Private saw Skipper's expression change and he turned away and walked out the hayop ng oter Habitat. Private's anger lowered and he lowered his head.

"What have I done…" Private sinabi to himself.

Marlene heard him and placed a paw on his shoulder, "Private…"

"Marlene…I hurt Skippa…" Private sinabi in a sad tone.

"Maybe you should talk to him…" Marlene said.

"I don't know…what if he doesn't listen?" Private asked.

"Private…what's the worse that can happen?" Marlene asked.

Private just let out a depressing sigh. He could think of one thing that could probably be worse. Skipper could probably turn into a shut in. But at least Kowalski would be there for him. Hopefully.

At the HQ, Kowalski saw Skipper walk in depressed, like a rainy ulap was following him everywhere he walks.

"Skipper…are you okay?" Kowalski asked.

Skipper just walked to his kama and laid there.

"Skipper?" Rico grunted.

"Just leave me alone men…I don't want to keep holding you guys back…" Skipper said.

"Holding us back?" Kowalski asked.

"Private is just…a man now…he'll live his own life…and so will you…" Skipper sinabi while sighing in depression.

Kowalski found it a little odd of Skipper's behavior. What did Private do to make Skipper that depressed?

"Skipper…are you afraid of losing Private?" Kowalski asked.

"Yes…" Skipper sinabi in a sorrowful tone.

"Why?" Kowalski asked curiously.

"He's like a son to me…if he was lost…then…that would mean losing a part of me." Skipper said.

"What do you mean?" Kowalski asked.

"Private was the only one who kept joy in the team, including me…" Skipper said.

"Okay." Rico grunted signaling for him to go on.

"Without him…I guess there's no reason to keep going…" Skipper sinabi sadly.

Kowalski walked over to him and placed a flipper to his shoulder.

"Skipper…he's not gone forever…" Kowalski said.

"What if he leaves the zoo with Marlene?" Skipper asked.

"Irrelevant. Marlene can't go out of the zoo cause of her wild state of mind, remember?" Kowalski asked.

"What if she suddenly was tamed?" Skipper asked.

"Skipper…that sounds ridiculous." Kowalski said.

"But what if that happened?" Skipper asked.

"It won't!" Rico grunted.

"I agree with Rico…it's not going to happen." Kowalski said.

"Just leave me alone…" Skipper sinabi in a depressed tone.

Kowalski and Rico looked at each other and walked out of the HQ.

"Rico…we need to find Private and probably Skipper would regain his senses." Kowalski said.

"Yep." Rico grunted.

They then walked over to the hayop ng oter Habitat to get Private.