Chapter fourteen: Finally Returned!!

The comfort of the chair beneath him, and the gentle scratching on his back, couldn't shake the feeling of intense anxiety and distress in the German Shepard's heart. Hours felt like a lifetime, as he waited... begging for the door to open at any moment. Desperately pleading for Chase to come bounding into the room, and into their arms once again. But the door never opened... his heart sank deeper and deeper into his chest. So deep, in fact, that it was practically in his stomach; maybe even embedded into the floor. He began to feel this nagging, clawing feeling that Chase wasn't coming through that door. But when it did open, seemingly days later, he snapped his head toward it. Madge held the door as Chase hobbled into the room, bandages all over his body. Chester hopped off the couch he'd been sitting on as the Prescotts stood up, only to drop to their knees to accept the pup in a giant group hug.

"Oh, Chase!!" Maggie breathed.

"We're so glad you're safe!!" Billy gasped, nearly breathless; like he'd just run marathon. Tears flooded down their faces. Frank sat in his chair just above them, tears unmistakably welling up in his eyes as well.

"I know.." Chase panted, through joyful sobs. "Me too!!" The two German Shepard pups' tails wagged like hundreds of miles an hour; their pure joy bursting out of them as they continued the hug. Madge, Ryan, and Chris stood at the door watching the heartwarming moment; the weights of guilt and regret long since lifted off the older woman's shoulders. As they broke apart again, Maggie took Chase's head into her hands and pressed her forehead to his lovingly; their eyes closing to enjoy the moment for a bit.

"Ready to go home?" She said, finally releasing him. "I'm sure Ryder and the PAW Patrol have missed you so much."

"But wait! What about the other pups?! Are they ok? Where are they?" Chase wondered anxiously.

"We thought you might ask that." Madge smiled warmly, opening a door leading to the next room.

XXXX

Maya sat next to Ryder, as the boy sighed and leaned forward to brace his elbows to his knees. She'd been sent to deliver news of Chase's still unconfirmed whereabouts, and was supposed to stay as a support for her worried brother and his pups. The boy stared at the floor sadly, feeling the heavy weight of helplessness crushing him; nearly to the point of not being able to breath. Maya placed a hand on his shoulder, shifted forward and rubbed his back a bit. The big screen on their left lit up, and they all looked up at it immediately. Ryder stood up instantly when he saw Billy's face appear across it...

The whipping wind did not deter the group from racing toward the helicopter, landing in the yard. Ryder stopped when he was about a yard or two from the copter. And he limply dropped to his knees when the door slid open. The German Shepard that stood there saw him and his heart leaped. And suddenly.. all the pain in his body seemed to no longer matter. He hit the ground running, his body screaming at him to stop; but somehow he hadn't a care in the world. It seemed that he was suddenly numb to the pain, and found the strength to plunge himself into Ryder's arms. The boy accepted Chase with arms opened wide and tears flooding down his cheeks. The tight squeeze of the boy's embrace still didn't seem to bother him; Chase bawled uncontrollably into Ryder's shoulder. Nothing but joy and relief flowing from the pup, contagiously spreading to the boy as well. Ryder buried his face in the German Shepard's fur; the bandages meaning nothing to him in the moment. Everyone there watched the moment with an endearing sense of pride; the sight of both boy and pup sobbing joyfully together being the most beautiful sight any of them were to see. The rest of the pups drew near huddling around them, putting their paws on one another they joined the hot mess of a welcome home. Not one of them could keep from crying; even just a little... or a lot! The Prescotts couldn't have felt more proud watching the reunion; and thinking back to their own just hours ago.

"I..I'm s..o- glad you're- h..home!" Ryder gasped after awhile; somehow finding the ability to say this.

"I.. I-.. know!!" Chase breathed, huffing and puffing himself. They seemed to hold each other for an eternity, before they finally released them and wiped their tears away. Chase stepped back from them and grimaced; now realizing how badly he hurt. The team finally recognized the bandages and registered what they meant.

XXXX

"Here you go, Chase." Rocky said, pushing his bowl closer to him, after Marshall filled it with water.

"Thanks Rocky." Chase replied gratefully, lowering his head to take a drink from the pup bed he was laying on.

"So like.. what happened to you out there?" Marshall asked slowly, almost afraid to ask.

"And what did they do to you?!" Rubble cried, hinting at the injuries boldly evident on his body.

"Well part of it was my fault.." Chase admitted. "It's a long story..." he loooed backnup at them. "How did you guys know I was in Barkingburg?"

"We figured since the cameras recorded the whole thing, that you had to have been taken there, mainly due to the fact that the copter, that was to kidnap you, headed off in that direction." Maya explained.

"Smart." Chase breathed, rather impressed. "Sounds like you pups got to be a bunch of detectives after all."

"Yeah, but what was it like over there?" Skye asked anxiously.

"Awful." Chase sighed, dropping his gaze painfully; recalling all that had transpired. "Mrs. CorDan had us all locked in separate rooms all alone. And then would let us out in the yard to play together for a few hours in the morning and afternoon... she didn't give us good pup beds to sleep on and the food was yucky. And she almost never came out to play with us. She only really came around, when we got into trouble."

"What kind of trouble?" Rocky asked nervously.

"Like fighting another pup..." Chase replied. "Or attempting to escape... which I did both." The pups gasped.

"What happened then?" Skye asked.

"What did she say?" Rubbles wondered.

"More like what did she do." Chase corrected. "And she threatened me not to do it... and then let her Rottweiler pup attack me!"

"Oh no!!" Skye whined.

"That's terrible!!" Rocky squeaked, horrified by this.

"It was, but I'll be ok." Chase shrugged earnestly. "But I did make some friends while I was there."

"Really? You did?" Marshall asked, genuinely surprised by this.

"Yeah, I-.." Chase stopped mid-sentence to look at the door hearing it open. Rayla and the pups all stood there in the doorway. Chase smiled, and began to get up again.

"Uh- easy, soldier." Rayla piped up quickly, lifting a paw toward him. "No need to rise." She strode forward to them. "Rest yourself Chase." She went on in reaching them. "You've got a lot of healing to do after what Rex did to you."

"Yes, ma'am." Chase mocked, laying down with a tender smirk.

"Who are you?" Marshall asked thoughtfully.

"Name's Rayla." The Golden Lab smiled warmly. "And you're pal, Chase, here is our hero." The other pups behind her nodded.

"Yeah!" Skyler barked, pressing her nose to Marshall's enthusiastically; catching the PAW Patrol off guard. "Without Chase we wouldn't be free pups right now!! Thanks to him we get to go home! To our real homes." Kylie patted the sheepdog's shoulder to calm her down a bit, and stepped forward herself.

"Chase was so brave!" She said sweetly. "He took a very huge risk to save us."

"He gave us back our freedom." Boomerang told them gratefully.

"Pups... these are my new friends." Chase said, gesturing to the them. "Everyone, meet Rayla, Tiny, Skyler, Kylie, Ci Ci, and Boomerang." A lot of 'hi-yah's' and 'nice to meet ya's' went around amongst the group. The pups of both sides smiling welcomingly at each other.

"So you were all living with Mrs. CorDan when Chase arrived?" Rubble asked.

"Yep." Rayla confirmed with a nod.

"But then... what are you all doing here?" Rocky asked, stepping up closer to them.

"Well.." Chase ventured...

Rayla and the other pups turned toward the door as it creaked open; their faces lighting up as soon as they saw him. Chase went in and they all crowded around him in, yet another, group hug.

"You did it, Chase." Rayla told him proudly. "You gave us all our freedom back!"

"I couldn't have done it without you." Chase replied thoughtfully. Breaking apart, the pups all smiled at one another.

"So what are we gonna do now?" Skyler asked hopelessly.

"Well some of you will be going to your real homes." Officer Garcia explained. "And the rest of you will be sent to a shelter to be found new, loving homes."

"But then... that means we have to say goodbye..." Kylie sighed sadly. All the pups looked down now, all whining sadly together;.. even Chase.

"It's ok, pups." Officer Miles chimed in. "We'd be happy to keep you together if we can. We'll figure out every way we can to keep you guys in touch with each other."

"Chris! Ryan! Do you think we could take them to the shelter in Adventure Bay?! Then we can place them with people who live there!!" Chase suggested hopefully.

"That's a great idea, Chase." Ryan beamed. "And for the pups that already have homes, we'll keep them with you until we track down their families." The pups perked up at this and began a symphony of excited howls and barks; triumphantly celebrating the resolve...

"Wow!! So you're all gonna be sticking around then?" Marshall asked.

"Most of us." Rayla said, a hint of sadness in her tone. "Some of us have homes that aren't around here."

"Well we hope you find them again." Skye encouraged sweetly.

"Thank you." Rayla beamed.

"But in the meantime.." Chase spoke up finally, breaking the short, awkward silence. "Rocky, Ryder. Can you help me out with something?"

"Sure Chase." Ryder smiled, shrugging with his arms up. "What is it?"

Hey everybody, another chapter!! So I think there'll be a chapter or two more of this story. I can't be certain as of right now, but I think it'll be finishing up here soon. A sequel is being planned, but it'll take some time before actually posting will be done.

Also for those of you who read my fanfic Chase, The... Pilot?! I said that I owed you a sequel, due to the fact that Chase, The... Pilot?! was kinda half-baked, and I left too much of an unresolved cliffy at the end. So I just wanna let you know to be on alert for that. I'm not sure when I plan to start posting, but I'll at least give you the name of it. It's called, quite obviously, After The Storm. It'll likely be kinda short like Chase, The... Pilot?!, but we'll see how it all pans out! Til then... enjoy this next chapter!! Thx!!!