As I said before, this is the last chapter of the story. The next "chapter" will be my thank you's and the such because all of you deserve something! You guys made this all possible. Anyway, onwards with the story!


"Thanks for the help, Ryder," Jake said as Ryder and his pups finished fixing the chairlift so it was safer for everyone.

"No problem. Whenever you're in trouble, just yelp for help!" Ryder responded.

The sun was going down over the horizon, and Ryder felt awful. His head was pounding, his stomach was aching, and his nose was getting stuffy. It was a good thing that the pups and Ryder were going to stay at Jake's mountain chalet for the night. Ryder didn't think that he could drive his ATV back safely. The pups went inside the chalet to a guest bedroom where they were going to spend the night.

Later on, it was just Ryder and Jake awake and the two boys sat outside to look at the stars.

"I remember when this town was dark. No lights, no businesses, nothing. Just City Hall and the train station. But then the town began to grow. More people came to live here, more businesses came in, and more lights. They were all lit but one building. It was the old fireman's tower from back in the old days," Jake said before pausing to look at Ryder.

The younger boy had his coloured contacts out, his blue and green eyes proudly shown to the world. His brown hair was still spiked up, but it wasn't as spiked as usual. Jake could tell there was something off about him, but he continued on with his story. He knew Ryder would tell him something when he was ready.

"But then you came. You went to that tower and saw more than a building. You saw a home. A home that now houses six pups and a team who will get pretty much any job done. But that's all I know. Wanna help me fill in the blanks?"

Ryder sighed softly and opened his mouth to speak.

"It wasn't all like that. At first, I saw what you saw. An old fireman's tower on the top of the hill. But I was an odd boy. Ya know, two different coloured eyes, the intelligence of an adult, kicked out of his own home because he loved another boy…"

Ryder trailed off. What could he even say?

"But when I met Chase, I just knew that that tower could be a home. And it did. He and I cleaned it up and redecorated it. We didn't add the technology until Marshall came along and we didn't add the pup houses turning into vehicles until Skye."

Ryder closed his eyes. He knew he had to tell Jake he was sick, but with all of the experience with his father, he didn't want to.

"And with Rocky, Zuma, and Rubble, they were more additions to the team. After not being able to not get you out of that snowbank, I knew there was a chance we couldn't get you out, but Rubble fixed that for us. I knew we would need him again, and we do. Pretty much every mission.

"With Everest, I just knew that, after almost losing you in the Arctic, I knew she would know what to do if the pups or I couldn't be there. You're the older brother I've never had. Tracker, well, it's kind of the same thing like with Everest, but with Carlos. I can't stand to lose him or you. It'd crush me."

Jake wrapped an arm around him. It was then he could feel the heat radiating off of the younger boy's frame. Jake narrowed his eyes in concern.

"You feeling okay, Ryder? You feel really warm," Jake told him.

"Yeah, I'm-"

"Don't lie to me."

Ryder sighed.

"No, I'm not okay," Ryder confessed.

"Were you going to tell me?"

"I dunno."

"Well, in any case, we need to get you inside and in bed."

Ryder nodded. Words were slipping from the big brain of his. It would have been scary if he were anywhere else. Once he was in his pyjamas and wrapped up in blankets, Jake got up to leave, but Ryder caught his sleeve. He tugged slightly, hoping the older boy got the message.

"Yeah, Ryder. I'll stay."

Ryder smiled. He was out like a light moments later.

When he woke up gasping due to a nightmare, the older boy was there.

"What's wrong?" Jake asked.

Ryder didn't respond. He simply hugged Jake tightly, to which the hug was returned not even a split second later. Tears spilt down his cheeks, but Jake wiped them all away. Ryder eventually cuddled up next to Jake and fell asleep, his head on his shoulder. And there wasn't a nightmare in sight.

Ryder knew he had asked for help, but he already trusted Jake. He was the one he came to tell him anything. He was the one who accepted him for loving another boy. He was the one who he'd told everything to.

And Jake trusted him to help him when he needed it.


GAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH! THE FEELS! How was the finale of the story? Good? Bad? Meh? Lemme know! And yes, I know that, technically, Ryder doesn't have a boyfriend or girlfriend, but I made it so that he has one. It'll make more sense once I post the PAW Patrol origins story I've been writing.

Welp, I'm off to write more of that story. Expect the thank you "chapter" to be up in a few hours :]. Till next time!

~*MegaMon2580*~