***One shot story about Marlene comforting Skipper in the hospital***

„ Our last quarrel in front of the snowcone chart, two days ago… You know it was just bantering, ey?” whispered Marlene, fixing her eyes at Skipper’s pale face. “I never meant to hurt your feelings, Skipper. You’re the best chum I’ve ever had in my life”.
She paused for a while and clasped her paws tightly, making the most of herself not to burst into tears. The doctor could enter the room any minute, and she knew she was risking a lot sitting there, but she absolutely didn’t feel like leaving her friend. After all, the window was open.
She stared at the box with fruits and jelly candies she took along with her.
“We’ve brought you some nutrition, Skipper” she said quietly. “Maybe after you wake up you would like to have some. There are some Peanuts from Burt, Mangos and Oranges from King Julien and his team.. oh, and a box of catfish coffee from Rico, Private and Kowalski.”
She saw Skipper’s chest falling slowly up and down under the bed sheets. His breath was quiet and calm, his eyes were shut, but his face would still wear the traces of this excruciating pain he’d experienced after the fall. Marlene spotted a small bruise running through the left corner of his beak. The very memory of his nasty accident brought shivers down her spine. She clasped her eyes with her paws and trembled. She could hear Private’s terrified scream bouncing off the tree trunks, Kowalski’s and Rico’s shocked expressions. Skipper’s body falling off the clock tower.
They took him on the stretchers, rushed him to the hospital zone and put him under the doorway to make sure one of the doctors would spot him. Right now, Marlene was the only one who was able to pay him the visit.
She curled up on her chair and burrowed her head in her paws. A sudden wave of dizziness swept over her body.
“What if he never wakes up again?” she thought. “What if the injury is too serious to treat?”.. “No!” she scolded herself”. “Don’ you even think that way, you stupid girl. He is SKIPPER, alright? He will get over it for sure!”
She didn’t even notice, when did she doze off.
()
She saw dozens of pink and blue clouds sweeping over the bright blue sky. She was flying. And Skipper was flying right beside her, clutching her paw in his flipper. It was such a fantastic feeling. She’d never felt so free, so independent, so serene and joyful. Skipper turned his head towards her and sent her a delighted look.
“How are you feeling, Sista?” he asked.
“I’m feeling great!” answered Marlene.
“Care for some snowcones?”
“I would LOVE some!”
“Then hold yourself tight! Here we go! Down to the snowcone chart!” singed Skipper. As they were lowering their flight, Marlene felt Skipper’s wing loosening his grip. Suddenly she totally lost contact with her friend and then everything faded into black.
Marlene jumped on her chair and woke up with a start. An intense, hospital –scent brushed violently against her nose. She was back in the hospital room together with her unconscious friend.
Skipper suddenly moved in his bed sheets. Marlene scrambled out of the chair and pricked up her ears. There was a strange, greenish tinge leaking on his left cheek. He slowly opened his eyes and let out a mouthful gulp, pressing his flipper to his beak.
Marlene knew what was going to happen next, so she immediately rushed towards the nearest cupboard and pulled out a medium – sized basin and placed it by Skipper’s bedside. She did it just in time; Skipper leaned over the edge of his bed and threw up.
Marlene closed her eyes and balled her paws into fists.
“Stay frosty, girl” she kept repeating to herself. “Stay frosty! It’s just a side effect of his medicine, he will be fine!”
She heard Skipper’s painful moan. She slowly opened her eyes to check if he was done with vomiting. The leader penguin laid his head back against the pillow and let out a deep sigh. Marlene found herself immediately beside him.
“Thank God, you’re awake!” she cried out with relieve and took Skipper’s flipper in her paws.
“Mar.. Marlene?” she noticed joy and embarrassment written all over his face. “Oh Mother, don’t tell me you’ve just seen me barfing!” he muttered.
“Hey, silly Billy, what are you talking about?” replied Marlene, stroking his flipper with gentle moves.
“Seems like you’ve finally come to your senses. How are you feeling right now?”
“My head is pounding like crazy” muttered Skipper, rubbing the middle of his bandaged forehead. “But apart from that I’m rather fine…. Oh God, Marlene why do you have to see me in such an awful state, it’s unbearable!” he moaned, violent blush leaking on his face.
“Shush now, my dear” whispered Marlene. She pulled out a white handkerchief from her pocket to clean Skipper’s beak from the last traces of sickness.
“You can’t say I’m especially good looking now, can you, sista?” said Skipper bitterly.
“You’re ALWAYS good looking, Skipper” remarked Marlene, her voice sound and decisive.
Skipper rested his sapphire-blue eyes at the otter, both touched and confused with her sudden exclamation.
“Yes, Skipper dear to me, you will be always the greatest and the most handsome penguin in entire world” added Marlene, wiping his sore beak with delicate moves.
Skipper didn’t have a clue what to say in that moment so he just sent her a warm and lovely smile. Smile he would only reserve for his best friends. He pulled out his left flipper from underneath the bed sheets, took Marlene’s paw and clasped it tenderly.