Chapter three: Recovery; and Precautions

"Alright pups." Katie was saying ushering the pups out of the Lookout. "While Chase tries to get some rest, I'll be taking the rest of you down to go get a bath and your vaccination shots. We wanna be sure no germs make you pups get sick too."

"Ok." The pups replied, their head drooping a little and their voices losing their bubbly excitement; to which she knew why.

"Don't worry everybody. Chase will be fine. You'll see." She told them stroking Rocky's head. "Now let's get going, shall we?" The pups slowly walked with their heads still hung and their ears back as they headed for their trucks. "Hey." The pups stopped to look at her again. "Where's Marshall? Has anyone seen him?" Katie asked, finally noticing that the Dalmatian was no longer present. The PAW Patrol looked from one to another now, also, realizing that their fire pup in red wasn't with them.

"Don't worry Katie. We'll find him, he can't have gone far." Skye said. Then they all scattered to search of him.

"Marshall!" The pups called as they searched.

The Dalmatian was drying his tears when he heard their voices calling for him, and he quickly dried them even more; hoping to look like he hadn't been crying. When he was sure he looked fine, he took a quick breath and came out from hiding.

"Here I am." Marshall spoke up, gaining their glance.

"There you are Marshall. Where did you go?" Skye asked.

"Um, well..I... was... looking for something." Marshall fibbed.

"Oh, well did you find it?" The Cockapoo returned.

"No, but it's not important..." Marshall said, shrugging off the lie. "What's up?"

"Ryder wants us to go get a bath and a vaccination shot, so we don't get sick like Chase." Skye told him.

"Oh, uh...ok. Right behind you." The Dalmatian followed after her. They all grabbed their trucks and were off in no time.

The silence was shattered by another coughing spell from Chase, who moaned after recovering from it. He shifted his position gingerly, grunting painfully; his eyes remaining closed this entire time. Ryder sat there watching him, an unmistakable frown on his face. His strong German Shepard pup; tired, miserable and in pain... and all he could do was watch it. Ryder could recall having the flu once when he was younger; and how miserable he'd been. He wouldn't wish this disease on anyone... especially not his pups.

"I'm so sorry, Chase." The boy whispered, earning him the pup's glance. "If I'd have done something sooner... this wouldn't have happened." Ryder looked away, unaware that Chase was listening to him, until a little warm paw touched his leg. Ryder looked at it and then at Chase, he could see the forgiveness in his eyes; despite the pup not saying a word. He then noticed Chase's tail slightly wagging under the heat pad; and a comforting feeling rose up in him. As Chase tried to sleep once more...

Rubble gave a heavy sigh... one that didn't demonstrate his usual enjoyment of having a nice, warm bubble bath. Rocky and Zuma laid sprawled out on the floor, opposite each other. Zuma's head resting on his paw which was braced up off the floor; his right paw gently rolling a ball of yarn back and forth and then towards Rocky. The grey mixed caught it with his own paw and slowly rolled it back. Skye scratched behind her ear and sighed. Marshall hopped out of the water and shook, water spraying everywhere. Cali meowed in surprise and scurried away from him. Normally the PAW Patrol, especially Marshall, would find this amusing... but today... it seemed that nothing could life their spirits. Rocky sat up and cleared his throat cautiously, hesitating to break the silence.

"So... do you think-.. Chase is actually getting some rest?" He wondered softly.

"I hope so." Skye replied hopefully.

"Cause the sooner he does... the sooner he should start to feel better." Marshall pointed out.

"That's right!" Katie told them, hoping to instill a sense of confidence. "We just need to stay positive for him. And take good care of him til he does."

"But Ryder doesn't want us anywhere near him." Marshall reminded her. "How can we help?"

"Don't worry. The flu isn't contagious the whole time someone has it." Katie reassured them, setting the shots up onto the table in front of her. "And with these vaccinations you'll be protected from it."

"Oh ok." Marshall said, kinda flatly. Katie set to work scrubbing Rubble up, and lifted him carefully out of the tub. She set a towel over him and began to dry him off.

"Thanks Katie." The bulldog said gratefully, a hint of sadness still poking through in his tone.

"No problem, Rubble." The girl told him. After she was finished with that, one by one she gave each pup their shot. "When Chase gets better I'll give him a vaccination too. So he doesn't catch the flu ever again." She was saying, as she put stuff away.

"So what now?" Zuma asked the circle of pups sitting next to him.

"Well how about we go play on the playground. It'll give your immune systems little time to absorb the vaccination." Katie suggested.

"Uh, ok." The Chocolate Lab attempted a smile, as he and the other pups stood up; their tail slightly wagging. All of them attempting to feel, even just a little bit, excited. Katie then led the way, as they all exited the pet parlor. Cali poked out from behind a stack of towels, and sighed with relief that they were finally gone.

Chase moaned weakly, he shifted his position, but a fire and a chill surged through him. He'd cringe then shift again, and the same thing resulted. He leaned his head on his other paw and the thumping returned. He grimaced, sneezed and sniffled; which began another wave of uncontrollable coughing. Another sneeze erupted from him and he groaned in a painfully frustrated way. He then heard Ryder hushing him, and his hand tenderly rubbing his back. He wanted to speak, but knew he'd start coughing again; and knew all too well what would result.

The ice pack on his head felt good on his hammering headache; and the warmth on his body helped him to relax. But it still radiated pain all over, and the sudden chills that would zap down his spine, into is paws, and back would cause him to flinch every time. Exploding more pain within his aching muscles, the cycle seemed to repeat itself over and over. And it seemed, to him, that the longer he laid there, the more he hurt. But then he'd move to try and relieve himself, and he would hurt even more. Please let me sleep! He silently begged. Please! Please! Please! His mind screamed for it to stop, and his body that it couldn't; and this conflict continued to battle itself unimpeded.

Ryder looked sadly from Chase to the door, as it slid open, as the PAW Patrol and Katie returned from their outing.

"H..how's Chase?" Marshall asked cautiously, unsure that he really wanted to know. The boy didn't speak, instead he glanced up at Katie and the girl read his mind.

"No change?" She said, aloud; Ryder shook his head, looking away. The pups looked at Chase, their eyes wide; a million worries running through their minds. Chase slowly opened his eyes, and the same blank, miserable glassiness remained startling all of them. And yet, Chase's tail was still slightly wagging under the covers, indicating that he was happy to see them; despite his poor condition. Marshall gulped and slowly inched forward. Chase's hollow eyes watched him come closer.

"H..hi Chase." Marshall stammered, sounding only slightly positive. The German Shepard shifted his head to the left to get a better view up at his friend; but when he did the weight returned and he grunted at, and settled as soon as he was still again. The blanket of heaviness still holding him down, and he had no desire to fight back against it right now. Marshall was amazed that, even despite all the misery Chase was going through, his tail was STILL steadily wagging under the blanket. And that gave the Dalmatian hope that Chase was going to be alright.

"You should take a break Ryder." Katie suggested, seeing the sadness in the boy's eyes. "You've been watching him be miserable this whole time, you deserve a break." Ryder simply rose from his seat and walked to the elevator; Chase slightly attempting to watch him go. A small tear slipping down his cheek, before anyone could see.

As soon as Ryder closed the door to his room, he plopped down onto his bed; and put his head in his hands, covering his face. A couple sobs jerking his shoulders as he muffled them by his hands. He brushed away the tears with his sleeve as they came, desperately hoping to stop them... But they kept on coming; straight from his terribly broken heart. He looked up to the left at the far wall, a picture of him and Chase as a pup hung there. Their happy faces frozen in time... in a memory long since passed...

A younger version of Chase scampered around the yard.

"Ryder!" He called. "Ryder?" The little German Shepard ran past the tree-trunk playset. Ryder peeked out from around it at him, then shifted back and muffled a chuckle with his hand. Chase's ear twitched and he looked around behind him. Nothing. Chase adopted a mischievous grin and began sniffing back around the playset. Ryder looked to the opposite side, hearing Chase about to come around it and quickly ducked around the corner of it; just as Chase came around to where he once was. The German Shepard froze in confusion and continued to track. Ryder ran around to the other side. Peeping around he saw Chase's little wagging tail, his head around the corner. Slowly and carefully Ryder snuck up behind him, Chase somehow seemed to feel his shadow fall upon him, cause he looked up and turned around.

"Boo!" Ryder cried. Chase whipped his body around and pounced up onto Ryder, knocking him to the ground.

"Yay! I found you!" Chase's little voice howled, as he licked the boy's face. His tail wagging more violently now.

"Haha, you sure did!" Ryder smiled scratching the pup behind the ears. And Chase began licking him even more and Ryder laughed, as the memory faded away...

Ryder's gaze fell to the floor as he sat there quietly in lonely darkness...

Hey guys hope you're still enjoying this story!! I'm not sure just how far this one'll go but I'm very excited for it! Anyway, enjoy!!! Thx!!