*Lexi's POV*

As soon as we got home, I sent the pups outside to play and shut myself in my room. Straight after the door closed, I leaned my back against it and sank to the floor, tears streaming down my face. Dylan was out to get me, again. He already took most of what mattered to me. He, along with everyone else I knew, understood how much the pups and Ryder meant to me. They were the only family I had left. I'd give anything to protect them. Anything.

*Rocky's POV*

Me and Chase had our ears pressed up against Lexi's door. We could hear her crying like mad. It was completely out of character for her, she was usually strong and confident, ready to take anything thrown at her. Hearing her break down killed me and I could tell it broke Chase too. She had raised us both from pretty much the day we were born - hearing her break down like this was soul destroying. There was a sudden bleep from Lexi's phone before we heard her answer.

"Hello? Oh Dr Richards, is Skye ok?"

Chase whimpered next to me.

"Oh that's fantastic! Well I have to drop some stuff off at school tomorrow but I should be there at about 11 to pick her up. Thanks so much Doctor. Ok. See you tomorrow. Bye."

Chase's face lit up like the sun. He smiled at me and bounded out to the garden shouting with joy. "Skye's coming home!"

The door swiftly opened and I fell to the floor. I looked up to see a tearful Lexi.

"Rocky?" She asked.

"Um...I was just wandering if you were ok." I said, still shaken from earliers events.

"Come in." She said. I know she had just been crying, but I didn't expect her to break down before my eyes.

"Rocky...I've f-failed my fam-fam-family..." she sobbed. What was she talking about?

"Lexi. Breathe. What do you mean?" I said calmly. I was used to dealing with a blubbering Zuma but Lexi, I'd never seen her like this. Ever.

"My family. I failed them especially Ryder. I've been lying to him for a long time now..."

"What did you lie about?"

"It's a really...long story." She said. I noticed the pups at the doorway. Lexi hadn't seen them yet, I nodded and they quietly crept in. Lexi had been there for us growing up, now she needed us more than ever.

"We've got time." I said, resting a paw on her knee. She looked at everyone and sighed.

"It all started just before Chase was born." She said, pulling herself together a bit. "His mother lived with me during her pregnancy because the police officers wanted her to be safe. Chase was her only surviving pup and she watched you like a hawk along with your father. Ryder and his parents came down to visit two days after Chase was born. And there was an...accident..." she trailed off, her breathing becoming irregular.

"What accident?" Chase asked, his voice a mixture of curiosity and fear.

"A fire. My old house caught fire. I tried to persuade Maggie, Chase's mother, to let me carry both of them out. I had already managed to get Ryder out and Zeus was watching him. The fire spread fast and was nearly where me, Maggie and Chase were. She pushed you into my arms and told me to run, and to bring you up for her..." Chase whimpered at hearing this. "I got out with Chase and just as I turned around, the whole house collapsed and was engulfed in flames. With, Maggie, my parents and Ryder's parents inside. It was too late for any of them... I'm sorry Chase, I feel like it's my fault."

"Lexi...I...we had..." Marshall stammered, struggling to find the words. Chase was nearly just as bad a Lexi now. He had tears streaming down his face and was whimpering like crazy. He composed himself a little and crawled into Lexi's lap, standing up on his hind legs so he could reach her face. He licked away her tears and nuzzled her neck. It reminded me of when he comforts Skye back at home sometimes, I know what he meant when he had previously said he had room in his heart for two special girls. Zuma originally thought he was a player when he had said that, despite all of us laughing at that image - Chase loved one pup and one pup only; Skye.

"Lexi. Don't be sorry. I don't blame you." He said quietly.

Lexi opened her eyes and looked at him. "You...don't?"

Chase gave a small smile. "Course I don't Mum."

"Don't call me that. It makes me feel old." Lexi gave a small chuckle before wrapping her arms around the German shepherd pup, holding him in a warm embrace.

I felt a pang of sadness as I watched them. I guess I could call Lexi my mother as well but it still hurt thinking about my canine family. I'd never known my dad and my mother had made it very clear she didn't want me from the day I was born, despite my eyes being closed, I knew she had dumped me at someone's house. Luckily, it was Lexi's house and she took me in.

"But wait...if Ryder was there then how have you been lying to him?" Asked Rubble. Lexi looked away.

"It was an accident, surely he knew that." I said.

"That's the thing." Lexi sighed. "It wasn't an accident." I watched as the pups eyes widened in shock and heard Chase let out a growl.

"Who did it and why?" He asked. Lexi thought about how she was going to say it. "Lexi." Chase was getting impatient.

"They wanted to hurt me."

"Who?" We all asked.

"Dylan." She said, avoiding any eye contact. "Dylan started the fire."