Author's Note: For the people, fanguins, cookies, and others who wanted this story to continue. Once again, this has absolutely nothing to do with the holiday season but enjoy!

The first realization I had that I wasn’t dead was voices –familiar, annoying voices. I had never been so glad to hear anyone in my life. “When is he going to wake up, Skipper?”

I knew that voice. I frantically searched in my mind for the name of the speaker. Private. That was his name. Skipper replied. “I don’t know, Private. I don’t know.”

I heard a barely contained sob, and the sounds of another comforting the private. The sounds of pattering webbed feet reached my ears. “Kowalski?” asked Skipper.

“I’m not sure, Skipper. He took the worst damage of us. His body itself shielded us from most of the damage. Perhaps it would be better to just put him down.”

Alarms went off in my head. I didn’t fight all the way here just to be ‘put down.’ Thankfully, Skipper answered for me. “I will not give up on any penguin, even if he is incredibly annoying and jeopardized our entire mission.”

“You can’t let him die, Skipper!” Private cried. “He saved my life!”

I felt someone holding my flipper. “Oh, come on,” dicho Private. “Wake up.”

I tried my best for him. It was enough, though, for I heard him exclaim. “Look! He’s awakening!”

The patter of feet immediately encircled me. I was glad that I had been able to make the boy happy. Suddenly, searing pain erupted from every part of my body. I moaned.

Forcing my eyes open, I was almost blinded por the light. I squeezed them shut again. “Light-” I managed to mumble.

Someone dimmed the lights when I slowly opened my eyes. I was aware of four concerned faces glancing down at me. “Did I miss anything?” I dicho weakly.

Skipper grinned. “Welcome back, soldier.”

“Yeah, well, if I had known life hurt so badly, I might not have returned,” I joked.

Apparently, Private didn’t get the joke. Instead, he gasped loudly. “It’s just a joke, Private,” comforted Skipper.

“Looks like you’re on the road to recovery,” dicho Kowalski cheerfully.

“Yeah, and it looks like tu got your annoying sense of humor too early,” mumbled Skipper.

“Ahh, Skipper,” I said, “you forgot to answer my first question.”

He glared at me, then smirked. “I guess you’ve got about two weeks of catching up to do.”

“T-two weeks?” I stuttered.

There was no way I could have been out for that long, right? I glanced at Kowalski for some assurance, but he shook his head. “He’s right,” he declared simply.

For the first time, I was afraid at how much damage I took. Ignoring the pain, I tried to sit up. Private rushed to my side, but Skipper waved him back, knowing that I needed to do this on my own. I shot a look of gratitude to him before I tried again.

Unfortunately, it took me many times before I was able to sit up on my own –add that with the fact that everyone was watching me, not to mention pity from Skipper. Yeah, the journey was embarrassing, but I made it –only to find my worst fears confirmed.

Bandages were wrapped around my body; my right leg was in a cast. I glanced to my left to find that my left flipper was wrapped up as well. As I held my good flipper to my head, I felt the dressing on my head for the first time. I glanced at them once more. “How bad?”

They all glanced away, unable to meet my eyes. “How bad was it?” I repeated.

No one answered. I tried a different approach. “If tu don’t answer, I’m getting out of this bed,” I threatened.

That got their attention. Skipper rubbed the back of his head. “Well, let’s just say that we didn’t think tu would make it.”

“I did!” exclaimed Private.

“Counting the fact that tu died for a while,” added Kowalski under his breath.

I spun my head around to glance at him–bad mistake. Black spots began to fill my vision, and I’m sorry to say that I passed out.

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