*CC's PoV*

Something tells me this isn't right. Something tells me I shouldn't be here, back home. But I can't be certain. I stand amd leave my room. I walk down the hall and into the kitchen. My mum is there, washing the dishes.

"Mum," I say. "Did you...miss me?"
"MUM!" I hear my brother call from his computer. "Come check this out!"
"Just a minuto Thomas," Mum says, as she finishes up the dishes.
"Mummy?" I say again, thinking she didn't hear me the first time. She IS getting hard of hearing.
"MUM!" I yell, but she keeps ignoring me.

As she leaves the sink to see what Tom wanted, I jump in her way.
"MUM! Yoo hoo!" she seems to walk right through me, as if I'm a ghost. It scares me. I hear my dad coming through the front door, finishing his afternoon bus route. I rush to the door.
"Dad! Dad, it's me! Crystal! DAD!" he, too, walks through me.

I rush back to where Mum and Tom are. They don't seem no notice I have been missing. I look at Tom's computer to see what he has to mostra Mum.
"See?" he says. "it says there was no sign of her, at all."
"Oh dear," Mum sighs. "Will I ever see her again?"
"I don't know," Tom replies, typing something. "I think we've done all we can."

See who? Who's missing, besides me? Then it hit me. I'M missing! Me! Crystal Jade McClear. But I'm right here. What can I do to let them know? I have an idea. Maybe I'll go to my best friend's house and see if SHE can see me. It's not far.

I rush out the front door and down the road. I whiz around the corners until I reach her house. Emily MUST be home.

I knock on the door and hear footsteps. The door opens and Emily looks out.
"Hello?" she calls.
"Emily, it's me!"
"Crystal?" she says, and I think she can see me.
"Yes! Crystal! Open the door."
"Crystal, where are you?" My cuore sinks. She can hear me, but she can't see me.
"Open the door!" I say, and she does so. I go inside and hold her da the shoulders.

"Emily, can te see me?"
"N-no!" she gasps. "I can hear te and feel you. Are-are te a ghost? ARE te DEAD?"
"NO! No," I say. "Please Emily, you're my only hope! My family can't see o hear me. te have to tell them I'm alright."
"No way!" Emily says. "I'm not trusting you! Crystal's been missing for two days and is obviously not coming back! Leave now!"

*Private's PoV*

We're back at HQ. Skipper filled me in on what happened to CC. Kowalski's examinded her and says she may NEVER wake up. All he knows is she won't die.

Never waking up and death is all the same to me. Either way, she's gone.

And I'm broken.

*CC's PoV*

I can't believe Emily won't trust her best friend. We've known each other for YEARS. She knows I wouldn't lie to her in ANY way. This is just too weird. I'm back in my own world and no-one notices. This world seems twisted. Meaning, this isn't...real.

"I MUST BE DEAD!" I scream suddenly. Everyone around me, though they can't see me, hear me and look shocked.

I run. That's all I do. Run. I just want to get away from this strange world. So I run.
"I WISH I WAS BACK IN NEW YORK CITY!!!!"

*Private's PoV*

"Skippah!" I shout, and he rushes into the room.
"What is it, Private? What's wrong?"
"CC, she screamed. She must be dreaming something terrible. We have to wake her up!" I start to cry.

Kowalski comes in, just as I say this. He sighs.
"There's no way we can wake her up."
"There HAS to be!" I sob. Skipper knows how desperate I am. He must know how much I Amore her. He puts a flipper on my shoulder.
"Private, Kowalski will do all he can. Won't you, Kowlaksi?" I look at him expectantly.
"I will try."
"Thank you," I whisper.

*CC's PoV*

"Where can I go? What will I do? I KNOW this is a dream. I just KNOW it!" I begin to slap myself. "SOMEBODY WAKE ME UP!!!!"

"It's più complicated than that."
"Huh?" I gasp, and look around. "W-who's there?"
"It's me," dust and leaves whirled around in front of my to reveal a figure.
"Kowalski?" I gasp. He's human size, taller than me, but still in pinguino form.
"What are te doing here?"
"I'm not really here, and neither are you."
"Then where am I really?"
"This is all a dream. You're really in a coma."
"Akoma? Where's THAT?"
"It's not a place. A coma is when you're asleep for a long, long time and sometimes never to be awakened."
"I know, I know. I'm just messing with you. So this is just a sub-consious vision?"
"Huh?"
I roll my eyes. "A dream?"
"Yes, I'm just messing with you."

Kowalski and I both laugh for a while. Then I sigh.
"So, how do I, te know, wake up?"
"The real me has done some examitions on te and, well, te probably won't."
"WHAT???" I shriek "You mean I'm stuck in this CRAZY, MIXED UP WORLD, FOR THE REST OF MY SHORT, EVENTFUL LIFE???"
"Unfortuetely," Kowalski replied. "I know you're upset and all, but that's no reason too-"
"ME? You're worried about ME? What about PRIVATE? The poor boy'll be HEARTBROKEN!!!" I grab onto Kowalski and pull him into my face. "I can't do that o him."

Kowalski pulls away from my grasp, which is tight, now that I have thumbs again, and smooths his feathers.
"The real me is doing everything I can to wake te up."
"So what am I supposed to do?" I ask, wondering how could be so CALM!
"YOU'RE supposed to sit and wait."
"You'll stay, wont you?"
"Yes," he assured me. "I won't leave te alone."
"I already FEEL alone..."

*Private's PoV*

I feel so alone. Skippah and Rico are doing recon and Kowalski is busy with CC. What am I to do? Maybe I'll go see Kiva. I'm sure she's as worried as I.

I enter Kiva's habitat and see her sitting on a rock. She sighs as I approach her.
"Hello Private," she says when she sees me. "Any news on...?"
"Not really," I reply, looking down and shuffling my feet. "Kowalski's doing all he can..."
"I see," she says. "Will she...?"
"No, she won't. But Kowalski says she may never...wake up..."

Kiva only nods. Maybe she's too upset to even cry. I know I am, otherwise I'd be sobbing my cuore out. But the tears just won't fall, even though I can feel them lingering in the back of my eyes and throat, practically choking me. I stand there for what seems like hours but was only two minuti before I speak.
"I must be going," I say. "You know, to see what Kowalski's up to and if he can..." I sigh and leave.

*Kiva's PoV*

It's not that I hate the little guy, I just want alone time. I am releaved when he leaves, as I do not wish to cry in front of him. It'll only hurt him more. Seeing as I was about to explode with tears, I was quite worried he wouldn't go before I do. When he leaves the habitat, I let them fall. Non-stop, my tears soak my cheeks, my dress and quite possibly, the rock I am sitting on.

*Kowalski's PoV*

Having no idea how to help this child, I just sit and think for the past half-hour. I have to do SOMETHING! I promised Private. I can't let him down...

*CC's Dream*

"Kowalski,"
"Yes?"
"I know you're not real and all, but do te know if the REAL te is able to help me?"
"Unknown," I sigh.
"Can't te tell me SOMETHING? Like, what are te doing?"
"I'm sitting here talking to you."
"No! The REAL you!" I yell, standing up. "OUT of this dream!"
"I'm sorry, I'm only your subconsious."
"Why did my subconsious get te and not Private? I'm much, much fonder of him."
"I suppose since I know the facts, I can assure te better."
"But te don't KNOW anything! If te KNEW, te could tell me if I'm going to WAKE UP o NOT!!!"
"CC,"
"What?"
"Just calm down. Getting upset about it isn't going to help anything."

I sigh again and sit down. I hunch up my knees and lay my head on them. I start to cry.

*Private's PoV*

Skippah and Rico meet up with me as I jump onto the island in our habitat.
"Any luck?" he asks.
"I don't know," I reply. "He wanted me out of the way."
Skippah sighed.
"Stay here with Rico," he said, and jumped into the HQ.

*Skipper's PoV*

"Kowalski?"
"Hm?"
"Any luck?"
"No,"
"Have te done anything?"
"That's just it, Skipper!" he snaps. "I don't KNOW what TO do!"
"At ease," I say. "I'm sure you'll think of something," I think for a moment. "What abot those thing that te use to get people out of a coma. te know, those cuore thingies. With the elecricity."
"You mean 'defibulators'?" I nod. Kowalski sighs.
"Those are only for getting the cuore to start pumping," he explains. "If we use them on her when they're not needed, it'll STOP her cuore and kill her."
"Way to put it lightly," I say, rolling my eyes.

"Aw, you're a big boy, Skipper," someone says, making us both jump. "I'm sure te can handle it."
"Marlene," I gasp. "What are te doing here?"
"Kiva told me about CC. Thought I'd come see how Private's dealing with it. He seems to really like her."
"Yeah," I say, thinking about my minor suspisions. Marlene looks at me closely.
"You're worried too," she says.

I can't deny it. I am worried about that girl. She has managed to do something no-one else, besides Private, can. She's managed to find a way into my tightly sealed heart. Somehow, she has squeezed herself into the tiniest crack and made me care for her. I want to protect her and be like her father, and I'm not sure why.

"Skipper, no need to be ashamed," Marlene says, breaking me from my thoughts. "We're ALL worried about her."
"Yeah," I reply, looking at Kowalski, who had started some tests on CC.
"I just hope it's not too late..."