Hey everyone! Blayke here. Sorry it has taken me so long to post content in between chapters. I don't have as much free time as I would like to work on these stories. In addition, there always seems to something that comes up in my life and distracts me. However, don't worry. I will finish this story and I have something else coming along the way. Thanks for understanding and being patient everyone. :) -Blayke

"Is there a particular reason you want to throw these things away, Marshie?" Zuma tilted his head as he turned to look at the picture. The Chocolate Lab was curious as to why Marshall would be throwing away a picture of him and his parents and the cap he was wearing in the picture.

Marshall sighed. "They just don't mean anything to me anymore. They aren't a part of my life. They don't want me in their life as their son because I'm gay. If all I have ever done: my accomplishments, my goals, my rewards, going the PAW Patrol and saving lives, if none of that means anything to them and I don't mean anything to them, then why should they mean anything to me?" Marshall didn't want to think about them. He wanted to forget about the pain they had caused him.

"But, Marshall, don't you think you should maybe keep these? You never know if they will change their minds…"

"Trust me, Zuma. I know my parents. They aren't going to change. They have never changed their minds before. Once they have an idea or believe something, they aren't going to change at all." Marshall was starting to become a little bit irritated. "Can you please throw them away now?"

"Fine, dude. If that's what you want." Zuma started walking away from his boyfriend's house and towards the trash. After he was out of Marshall's sight, he stopped and looked around. He wanted to make sure Marshall was not keeping an eye on him. Once Zuma realized that the coast was clear, he went over to his own pup house and hid the cap and picture.

"I know Marshall wanted me to throw them away, but I'm not going to. As much as I hate to say this, I'm going to prove Marshall wrong. I know that his parents still care about him. They have to!" Zuma looked at the picture of Marshall and his parents one last time before putting it away. "I mean, they totally look so happy there! There's no way that happiness has been lost. I'm just going to try and do my best to bring them back together."

Marshall was back at his pup house, frowning and looking at the other pups playing. The other pups had just been talking about the bad guy in Apollo the Superpup, doing playful imitations of their favorite show. He sighed and turned around to find his teddy bear. Marshall picked up his teddy bear and held him in his arms. "What do you think, Teddy? Is there any chance at all the my parents still care about me? Do you think they will ever want to see me again?" Marshall stared at the teddy bear as if he was actually waiting for his teddy bear to reply. "Truth be told, Teddy, I don't hate them. At least, I don't want to. I'm just...hurt." Marshall thought about it for a moment. He wanted to make sure that 'hurt' was the right word. Upon doing a bit of reflecting, maybe that was the weird feeling he had been feeling. It wasn't the pup's first time feeling hurt. He had been hurt when he thought the other pups didn't want him around. Fortunately, that feeling was short lived for the time. This time was different, though. He had never been hurt for so long. Marshall didn't think about his parents most days, but when it came to a special occasion as big and as special as Christmas, all he could think about was his parents and their last words, 'We would rather have you dead to us than keep you as a gay son.'

"Maybe one day we can meet on good terms, huh, Teddy?"

Zuma came running back to his mate with a slight smile on his face until he saw his mate frowning.

"Hey, Marshall, don't be sad. I'm sure everything will work out for the best. Things always do!" Zuma smiled at his mate and wagged his tail, feeling a bit playful.

"It's not as easy as it sounds. You're not the one with-" Marshall was interrupted by a snowball Zuma had thrown at him. Zuma laughed and ran off, taunting Marshall. "Catch me if you can, dude!"

"Oh you're on!" Marshall chased Zuma, and the two played along with the rest of the pups who joined them soon after.