Wow, it's been a while! Hey guys, how 'ya doing? XD I've been getting ready for school, and a bunch of other crazy things came up, but I wanted to make sure that I gave you all something memorable before I go back. So surprise! Insanely long chapter! Now, just because I go back to school, doesn't mean that I won't be working on the story. Progress will be slower though, just because of the whole "no free time" thing that often coincides with school. But in case it takes me a long time to put together another chapter, I just wanted to say that it has been an incredible journey writing this story for you! I am absolutely floored by all of the amazing support I've received, and by just how many people I've been able to reach :-D I've got more to say, so I'll catch you at the end :-) Please, enjoy!
Several hours later...
"Come on, Marshall! We have to practice for the Talent Show tomorrow!"
A slightly frustrated Skye was trying to pry her mate out of his pup house.
"B-but, I'm scared! I don't want anyone to watch!"
The Dalmatian braced his paws in the frame of the door, as Skye continued to pull.
"Oh, you're just being silly! It's not like we're performing on stage right now; it's just a rehearsal."
She licked his nose, and the affectionate gesture caused him to lose his grip. Marshall's paws slipped from the door, and the two pups were catapulted onto the grass, with Marshall landing on top of her.
"Heheheh, sorry about that, Skye. I wasn't expecting the lick, so I kind of slipped." The fire pup blushed at the situation, but Skye didn't seem to care. Focused on being embarrassed, Marshall didn't notice the wry grin that Skye wore on her face.
Without warning, she jumped up and pushed him, sending Marshall flat onto his back. She quickly ran over, and stood over the top of him, triumphant. The spotted pup was completely stunned.
"Wh-what was that for? What are you gonna do to me?" Skye continued to smile as she lowered her head to his belly, and began to lick it. Marshall's eyes went wide, and he squirmed violently as her tongue tickled him.
"Ahhhh! What are you doing!? Oh, it tickles so much! Heheheh, not the belly! Ghaaahhh!" Paws flailed, and he flung his head left and right, trying to dislodge his assailant. Skye stopped briefly, and giggled as Marshall panted.
"So are we going to practice now?"
The Dalmatian was too busy catching his breath to respond. Skye shrugged her shoulders, and rubbed his belly with her paw.
"Well, I mean, if you really like being tickled, I suppose I could go another round..."
Marshall jumped up, rolling Skye off of him. This time, it was his turn for persuasion.
"Well, maybe we can save the tickling for later tonight..."
Skye cocked her head, and this made him smirk.
"Oh, you don't remember. Well, as I recall, a certain someone told a certain Dalmatian that he would be handsomely rewarded if he went along with being in the Talent Show..."
He walked up to Skye, and whispered into her ear.
"...And he hasn't received his prize..."
Marshall backed away, leaving her to piece the puzzle together.
"Oh, and for the record, I do like being tickled...a lot..."
Skye quickly realized his intentions, and laughed when his smile grew.
"...You're gonna hold me to that, aren't you?"
"Well, it was a promise, and if you hold out much longer, I might have to start charging interest..."
Skye whacked him on the nose, receiving a yelp from her mate.
"God, Marsh, you're such a dirty little pup!"
Knowing what she meant, he decided to joke with her.
"Wait, you're not saying that because of my spots, are you?"
She nuzzled him in the chest, and looked into his eyes.
"Well, what do you think?..."
Her words were light, but provocative. They brushed against Marshall's ears like a feather, and they sent shivers down his spine.
Marshall giggled as Skye backed away, making her giggle too.
"Are you actually self-conscious about your spots?"
"Nope! I like being, dirty."
"Oh, grow up, you filthy marshmallow!"
He rubbed up against her as she scolded him.
"But you like me that way."
She kissed his forehead, giggling.
"Well, I can't argue with that!"
They ended their affectionate moment, and Skye's focus redirected back to the Talent Show.
"Well, Marsh, it's time to practice! Let's head inside, and we can set up in the TV room."
"Well, Skye, if it means I get my reward..."
"Well, Marsh, if you love me, you'll do it anyways."
He had nothing to challenge that, so he slumped his head in pretend disappointment. Skye urged him along, waving her paw in the direction of the Lookout.
"Lead the way, dirty."
He began to make his way over to the doors, and Skye followed closely behind him. But no sooner did Marshall start walking, did he feel a swat on his rear. He immediately reached back to protect it from further assault, and turned around to face Skye.
"Did you enjoy that? Was that fun?"
He received a silent nod from his mate, face beaming with satisfaction. Marshall laughed at the change of pace.
"Man, and I thought I was dirty? Well, looks like my butt has an admirer. I'll remember that."
The two pups continued walking towards the Lookout doors, and Marshall took extra care to sway his hips as he walked, swishing his tail gently. He could almoist feel Skye's gaze pierce his rear as she happily trotted behind him.
"Okay, guys, that should be everything that you need!"
Rocky finished rigging the last microphone set, and plugged the remaining cords into various pieces of sound equipment. He handed Skye an earpiece with a microphone boom, because she would be playing her keyboard and singing. Marshall's mic was a typical stand-style set, and he nervously walked over to stand behind it. Rocky looked at Skye, adjusted a knob on the speaker, and looked at her again.
"Hey, Skye, hit a couple keys for me so I can tweak the sound."
She played a quick scale, and a few adjustments later, Rocky stood up.
"Awesome! Marshall, give your mic a test!"
The Dalmatian awkwardly tapped the microphone with his paw, and gulped.
"Uh, testing, 1, 2, 3, is this thing on?"
Rocky looked over at him, and gave a thumbs up.
"Okay, Marshall, you're good to go! Give it a test, Skye!"
The Cockapoo cleared her throat, and adjusted the boom.
*yip yip* Hello, Adventure Bay! I hope you're ready for a show!"
She hit a quick riff on her keyboard, and giggled while performing a backflip. Marshall watched her with unease; she was so comfortable, and yet here he was: a quivering pile of pup, scared out of his mind.
Rocky fist-pumped as he twisted one more knob.
"Yes! Everything works! Hey, would you guys mind if I watched you rehearse? After all, I'm already here!"
Skye looked over at her mate, who was literally shaking with fear. He looked over at the recycling pup, who smiled warmly. Marshall sighed, and walked over to his brother. He spoke quietly, so Skye wouldn't be able to hear them.
"I want you to promise that you won't laugh, or chuckle, or giggle, or look at me, or-" Rocky silenced him with a friendly paw on his shoulder.
"You won't even know I'm there."
Marshall smiled, and hugged him.
"Thanks, Rocky, it means a lot."
He smiled once more at the gray pup before taking his place behind the microphone. Rocky grabbed his PupPod and swiped over the screen a couple of times. He plugged it into the speaker, and adjusted the settings so that it also played music through Skye's earpiece.
"Okay, guys, whenever you're ready!"
Marshall and Skye turned to receive approval from each other, and once the agreement was made, Marshall gave the word.
"Hit it, Rocky!"
The recycling pup pressed "Play", and went to sit on one of the beanbags. He kept his focus, as promised, on Skye, and never once looked at Marshall. This allowed the Dalmatian to come out of his shell a bit, and he sang almost as freely as he did at the hospital. Skye encouraged him by playing the melody, and he smiled as he took the first verse.
"I remember what you wore on the first day
You came into my life and I thought hey
You know, this could be something
'Cause everything you do and words you say
You know that it all takes my breath away
And now I'm left with nothing"
Skye switched to playing a basic line, as she joined the joyful fire pup in song.
"So maybe it's tru-u-ue, that I can't live without you
And maybe two-o-o, is better than one
But there's so much ti-i-i-me to figure out the rest of my life
And you've already got me coming undone
And I'm thinking two, is better than one"
Skye filled the room with beautiful chords as the two pups switched off.
(Skye)
"I remember every look upon your face"
(Marshall)
"The way you roll your eyes, the way you taste
You make it hard for breathin' "
Their voices gently eased back together.
" 'Cause when I close my eyes and drift away
I think of you and everything's okay
I'm finally now believing"
When Marshall and Skye belted out the refrain, Rocky was blown away by all of the beautiful sounds coming togehter. Marshall was so happy that there was no one to judge him, and he allowed himself to become immersed in the music.
"That maybe it's tru-u-ue, that I can't live without you
And maybe two-o-o is better than one
But there's so much ti-i-" *SCREEEEEECH!*
Marshall was moving and swinging his head so much, that he knocked his microphone to the ground, blasting everyone's ears with a horrible sound.
"Ahhhhh! Loud noise!"
The poor Dalmatian jumped several feet in the air, and returned to Earth a quivering, petrified pup. After recovering from their own pain, Rocky ran over and pulled the plug, and Skye tried to comfort her crying mate.
"It's okay, Marshall. It was just a loud noise...Just calm down, and breathe. I'm here for you."
She touched his head with care; her strokes were kind, and gentle. Rocky walked over to offer his own comfort.
"Hey, Marsh, you're alright. The microphone just scared you, that's all. I unplugged it now, so it won't make any more noise, okay?"
The recycling pup rested a paw on his brother's shoulder; shortly thereafter, Marshall lifted his paws from his eyes. He looked up at his friends with appreciative eyes.
"Th-thanks, guys. Guess I got a little carried away."
All three pups shared a laugh, and Rocky walked back over to the sound equipment.
"Were you still going to practice some more?"
Skye looked over at Marshall, who smiled sheepishly at her. She nodded her head, returning the smile.
"You know what, Rocks? I think we've practiced enough for today. What do you think, Marshall?"
The fire pup nodded, throwing a goofy grin her way. Rocky turned to begin disassembling the setup, but did a double-take when his brain caught up.
"Skye, did you just call me, 'Rocks'?"
The Cockapoo giggled, seeing the gray pup's cheeks burning with embarrassment.
"Well, I thought we could all have nicknames for each other, like 'Marsh'. What's the matter? You don't like it?"
Rocky could sense the sarcasm in her voice, and he rolled his eyes.
"Yeah, maybe not from you, but I wouldn't mind it if Marsh called me that."
He grinned at the Dalmatian, who shifted his eyes between the two pups.
"Hey, Rocks, wanna go get some food? All of this rehearsing has made me really hungry!"
Marshall and Rocky laughed obnoxiously, stealing glances at an irritated Skye. She followed them outside as they looked for Ryder, but they had difficulty finding him.
"The last time I saw him is when he called you out to talk to you," Marshall pondered out loud. Skye looked over at Rocky, but he shook his head.
"I don't have any idea where he would be; I was off printing our pictures. Oh, wait, that reminds me, don't let me forget to give you guys a copy of them after dinner!"
Marshall and Skye nodded as they continued around the perimeter of the Lookout. They did a complete loop outside, but still no sign of Ryder.
"Maybe he's still inside," Skye suggested. "He walked off somewhere after he talked to me."
Hungry Marshall took the lead as they made their way back inside. He called out for their owner.
"Ryder, where are you? I'm a hungry pup, and I really want some dinner!"
The Dalmatian sprinted around the Lookout, looking for any sign of Ryder. As he turned the corner to the main hallway, he ran head-first into an unsuspecting Ryder.
"Whoa! Easy, Marshall! What's got you in such a hurry?"
Marshall tilted his head to the side cutely, fidgeting with his paws.
"Well, you see, I was getting kind of hungry, so I was trying to find you so you could make dinner, and well, now I found you."
He slowly looked up at Ryder as he finished, throwing on his best puppy eyes. Ryder laughed, and bent down to ruffle his head.
"Okay, Marshall, you win! How can I say no to those puppy eyes?"
Marshall giggled, smiling when he spoke.
"Well, you can't, really. We both know that."
Ryder smirked at his pup's honest remark.
"How can I be a good leader if my fire pup takes advantage of me?"
The Dalmatian's smile grew.
"Well, I guess you can't."
Ryder rolled his eyes, and scratched Marshall's ear before standing up.
"Alright, that's enough pup sass out of you, goofball. How about we get that food now? Maybe I'll even ask Zuma if he wants to help out again."
Marshall's eyes lit up, and without warning, he sprinted off to get the other pups.
"Rocky! Skye! I found Ryder, and I bribed him to make us dinner! And Zuma's gonna help!"
Ryder chuckled, and turned the corner to head outside after his pups.
Early the next morning...
"Ruff ruff, firetruck."
Marshall stood outside of his pup house, looking around to make sure that he didn't wake anyone. In a few seconds, his firetruck had finished transforming, and he tossed a small object into the other seat before hopping in. Cautiously, the Dalmatian started the engine, looked behind him, and quietly made his way into town.
Several minutes later, Marshall had arrived at his destination. He reached over, and grabbed the small red satchel next to him. He had asked Rocky to construct it for him, and the recycling pup was more than happy to make it once he found out Marshall's intentions. The fire pup lifted the strap over his head, and shifted it so the bag hung at his side. Coins clinked around as he jumped out, and Marshall made his way into the flower shop.
The very moment that his nose cleared the door, Marshall was greeted by the smell of a thousand plants and flowers. He inhaled deeply, and smiled as he approached the counter.
"Excuse me, would you be able to help me with something?"
A young woman with brown hair looked down at him, and smiled happily.
"Oh, hey, what can I do for you, Marshall?"
"Um, well, I'm looking to get a flower for someone really special to me, someone who means the world to me."
"Ahh! Who's the lucky pup?" she asked him.
"Well, it's, uh, she's, uh-" The Dalmatian was fumbling with his own words, and the woman giggled.
"Right this way, Marshall!"
She led him to a display with many different varieties of single potted flowers. Since Marshall was having difficulty talking, she selected at one flower at a time, letting him say yes or no. The first one that she picked was a snowy white, and had a light, crisp fragrance. She was well aware that there were only two likely candidates, and she picked flowers based on her assumption.
Marshall shook his head at the first flower, sneezing as she drew it away from his nose. She laughed lightly, and grabbed another flower from the display. When she lowered it down to him, and he smelled the flower, he couldn't help but smile. It was floral, yet refreshing. It also had a certain warmth to it, one that made him feel, comfortable. When she pulled it away, Marshall could see the full beauty of the flower.
The stem was a vivid green, and full of life. The petals were a lovely magenta, and almost seemed to smile back at him. The florist caught his gaze, and interrupted his thoughts.
"This the one you want, Marshall?"
He nodded happily, and she smirked as they made their way back to the counter.
"So, this one's for Skye, eh?"
The Dalmatian became a stuttering fool once the Cockapoo's name was mentioned.
"Well, uh, it's, uh, she's, umm-"
The woman grinned, setting the pot down on the counter.
"Oh, Marshall, you don't have to answer; I'm just giving you a hard time!"
The florist pulled out the bar code scanner from below the counter, and rung up the flower on the display.
"But between you and me, you have an excellent taste in flowers."
Marshall merely nodded as he reached for his satchel.
"Aww, that satchel is really cute! You have an excellent taste in fashion, too! Where did you get it?"
Marshall was finally able to untie his tongue, but not without his cheeks beginning to smolder.
"Rocky made it for me. I just told him not to make it look silly, because I would be wearing it out in public." He looked at the bag, and he smiled a little.
"Heh, I guess I do look good in it!"
The two shared a laugh before Marshall reached inside it.
"How much does the flower cost?"
The florist giggled at his adorable politeness.
"Oh, you don't need to pay for the flower! You and the PAW Patrol do more than enough to pay for it. And plus, the flower is for someone special, so I wouldn't have charged you for it anyways!"
Marshall's cheeks continued to glow as her generosity played games with his pride.
"Wow, thanks! I really hope she likes it."
The woman smiled as she placed the pot into a bag.
"Coming from a pup as kind and sweet as you, I'm sure she'll love it!"
She reached down and placed the handles of the bag in Marshall's mouth.
"Take care, Marshall!"
He smiled and nodded his head, gripping the precious cargo in his teeth. Marshall waved goodbye, and exited the shop.
Once outside, he placed the bag into the passenger seat, and hurriedly started his firetruck. Without a second thought, Marshall raced back to the Lookout, eager to present Skye with his gift.
When he pulled up to the top of the Lookout drive, Skye was right there, anxiously pacing back and forth. Skye saw his firetruck, and she yipped with glee. Marshall cut the engine, and reached over to grab the bag. Skye helped him down, and once he set the bag down, she nuzzled him affectionately.
"So, where was my brave fire pup off to this morning? You don't usually wake up early...what's going on?"
The Dalmatian snickered as he tapped his pup tag.
"Hey, Rocky, I'm here now. Bring your pup pack outside."
The Cockapoo was confused at the slightly strange request.
"Marsh, what's going on? Is something wrong?"
She looked down in front of her, and saw the shadow of an object through the opaque paper bag. Now even more confused, she decided to wait until Rocky came outside to ask any more questions. And it didn't take long before the recycling pup appeared through the Lookout doors, sporting a rather smug grin. He ambled over to where they were standing, and nodded at Marshall. The fire pup carefully reached into the bag, but before he removed anything, he smirked.
"Skye, close your eyes."
She sighed, and did as she was told. Marshall pulled the pot containing the beautiful flower out, setting it down in front of Skye. He nodded to Rocky, and the gray pup's pincer arm swung out from his pup pack. He secured the pincer's grip firmly on the pot, and Marshall ever-so-gently gripped the flower with his teeth. Rocky lifted the pot up off the ground, and Marshall moved his head to stay positioned on the flower. Marshall gave the signal, and Rocky began to slowly bring his pincer arm and the pot closer to the ground. Marshall stayed put, not moving at all to reduce the chances of damaging the flower. The stem was nestled safely in between his teeth, and Rocky wiggled the pot back and forth, loosening the dirt around it. Skye began to grow impatient.
"Come on, guys! What could you be doing that would take so long? And why do I need to be here? And why do my eyes have to be closed? And why does R-"
Marshall giggled, and there was a slight sound of dirt hitting the ground. Marshall smiled, and gave a muffled response due to the flower in his mouth.
"Okay, Skye, you can open your eyes."
"Marshall, why do you sound all muf-"
She opened her eyes, and audibly gasped at what was in front of her. There stood her fire pup, tall and proud, holding a stunning magenta flower in his mouth. He nodded at her, indicating that it was for her. She put a paw to her mouth in disbelief, and began to cry.
"M-Marshall...it's, beautiful!"
He smiled, and opened his arms. She charged into his embrace, and he "oof"ed with the amount of force that she hit his chest with.
"I love you so much, Marshall! It's, it's..."
She brought her head from his chest so she could see his face, and her flower. He gently moved her head, and reached to place the stem behind her ear, allowing the petals to stick out in front. She laughed out of pure joy, and ran over to her water bowl to look at her reflection. When she saw how the fantastically bright flower made her eyes glow with radiance, she allowed a tear to slip down her nose and drop into the bowl, breaking the watery image. When the disturbance subsided, she could see a happy Dalmatian alongside her. She looked up, and received a passionate kiss from her mate.
"What do you think? Is it pink enough?"
Skye was overjoyed, and at a near complete loss for words.
"I-I, I, Marshall, I..."
The fire pup's smile began to melt.
"Oh man, it's too pink, isn't it? Damn it, I should've picked the white flower instead. I'm sorry, Skye, I thought that because pink is your color, that you would like it...That was pretty stupid of me...I'll get you something better."
He turned to get back into his firetruck, but Skye jumped in front of him, tail wagging.
"Marshall, I, I think that it's the most beautiful flower I've ever seen. I love it!"
She lovingly nibbled his ear, and rubbed his side to calm him.
"But most of all, I love you."
The sad Dalmatian turned to face his mate. His bright blue eyes were shimmering in confusion, and his emotions were all over the place. But Skye's soothing affection eventually broke through his sadness.
"Heheheh, Skye, that tickles!"
She switched gears, now seeing a bit of the Dalmatian that she loved shining through. The Cockapoo smiled as she playfully continued to nibble his ear, making Marshall twitch and giggle.
"Heh, is my little marshmallow feeling better now? Wait, that's funny...I don't think marshmallows are supposed to be ticklish, or have adorable floppy ears, or have ticklish, floppy, and adorable ears!"
Marshall was on his back now, giggling incessantly as his ear became a snack for the Cockapoo. After several minutes of squirming, she allowed the fire pup to stand.
*pant* Was that really necessary?"
"Nope. I just really like tickling you."
"Well, I guess this could be considered as the interest on your payment then..."
From a couple feet away, a disgusted choking sound could be heard.
"Oh, hey Rocky! You okay, buddy? Sounds like you have something in your throat."
Marshall smirked at the mix, and was met with a pair of rolling eyes.
"Yeah, Marshall, you know what?...*sigh* It's not even worth my time. You're immature, and I've accepted that."
Rocky retaliated with a smirk of his own, and the Dalmatian laughed.
"Yep, that's me!"
The brothers shared a laugh, and Skye nuzzled the Dalmatian as a polite interruption.
"If you don't mind, Marshall, do you want to relax for a while before we have to leave for the Talent Show?"
The fire pup smiled warmly, and licked her nose.
"I would love to. Hey Rocks, wanna rest with us?"
The recycling pup grimaced a little, but followed it with a hesitant smile.
"Well, as long as there isn't any funny business with you and Skye..."
Marshall giggled and threw a paw over Rocky's shoulder.
"No worries, bud! We'll keep everything squeaky clean, just for you!"
"So you're saying that if I wasn't here..."
Marshall ignored Rocky's inquisition, and moved to be at Skye's side. Rocky sighed, and followed behind them into the Lookout, mumbling something about maturity.
'Well, at least the Talent Show's today; that should keep him focused, and not thinking about what he and Skye might be doing afterwards...'
Several Hours Later, in the early afternoon...
"All right, everyone! Let's hear it for Mr. Porter's three pie pile-up!"
Everyone in the audience clapped and cheered, and Zuma finished licking the rest of the pie from his nose. He was seated with Rubble, Rocky, and Ryder, but Chase didn't want to come, for obvious reasons.
Mayor Goodway quieted the clapping, and continued speaking.
"Okay, and next up, we have a very special act from Adventure Bay's own PAW Patrol!"
More applause and whistles were heard, but the Mayor quickly lowered her hand.
"These pups will be performing a musical duet together to the song, 'Two Is Better Than One'...please give a warm welcome to Marshall and Skye!"
Mayor Goodway clapped with everyone else as she backed off stage, allowing the stagehands to finish setting up the sound equipment. Shortly after, Marshall and Skye walked out onto the stage. Marshall adjusted his microphone, and wrapped his paw around the stand this time so he wouldn't accidentally knock it over. He looked over at his mate, who was doing a quick sound check on her keyboard before she met his eyes. The Dalmatian looked towards the off-stage, and pointed his paw to the sound director.
"HIT IT!"
Not a moment later, a warm guitar began strumming in the background. Marshall swallowed his fear, and sang the words directly to Skye.
"I remember what you wore on the first day
You came into my life and I thought hey
You know, this could be something
'Cause everything you do and words you say
You know that it all takes my breath away
And now I'm left with nothing"
Skye smiled back at him, and played the harmony effortlessly as she joined the Dalmatian.
"So maybe it's tru-u-ue, that I can't live without you
And maybe two-o-o, is better than one
But there's so much ti-i-i-me to figure out the rest of my life
And you've already got me coming undone
And I'm thinking two, is better than one"
Little cheers and "woohoo"s could be heard from the crowd as the song eased back. Marshall felt his confidence growing, and he was beginning to feed of off the crowd's energy. Puffing out his chest a little, he pulled the mic off of the stand, and walked over to Skye. He rested his head on hers, and she sang sweetly as he rubbed against her.
"I remember every look upon your face"
Now it was Skye's turn to nuzzle him as he finished her sentence.
"The way you roll your eyes, the way you taste
You make it hard for breathin' "
The two mates leaned on each other as their voices became one.
" 'Cause when I close my eyes and drift away
I think of you and everything's okay
I'm finally now believing"
Chords flowed gracefully from Skye's keyboard, and the Dalmatian was overtaken with love. It poured out from his heart and soul, and into his voice. The Cockapoo smiled once more, and followed his lead.
"That maybe it's tru-u-ue that I can't live without you
Maybe two-o-o, is better than one
But there's so much ti-i-i-me to figure out the rest of my life
And you've already got me coming undone
And I'm thinking two is better than one"
Skye stole the entire stage by holding the final note with unprecedented power. People and pups were on their feet, cheering loudly as the two mates felt the embrace of each other's voice. Marshall looked down at the front row, and saw his brother smiling at him. Rocky threw him a 'thumb's up", and it made the Dalmatian smile back. With confidence surging through his sapphire eyes, he quietly followed Skye up with a mellow, yet passionate phrase.
"I remember what you wore on the first day
You came into my life, and I thought hey..."
The whole of Adventure Bay shook with the power of their love. In that moment they truly became one.
"Maybe it's tru-u-ue, that I can't live without you
And maybe two-o-o, is better than one
But there's so much ti-i-i-me to figure out the rest of my life
And you've already got me comin' undone-"
(Just Marshall)
"And I'm thinkin'-"
(Marshall and Skye)
"Oo-oo-ooh, I can't live without you
'Cause, baby, two-o-o, is better than one
There's so much ti-i-i-me
To figure out the rest of my life
But I'll figure it out with all that's said and done..."
Marshall brought his face close to Skye's, and she moved close to his. Their eyes glimmered as they each sang the last line.
(Marshall)
"Two, is better than one..."
(Skye)
"Two, is better than one..."
As his mate finished, Marshall set his microphone down, and kissed her.
"I love you, Skye. You did great!"
"I love you too, Marshall. You were awesome!"
The applause was overwhelming, and the two pups received a standing ovation for their performance. Mayor Goodway emerged from backstage, sporting a large trophy. Once the crowd saw it, the cheering grew even louder, and Marshall nearly started crying. The Mayor walked across the stage, and stood between Marshall and Skye, raising her microphone to speak.
"Ladies and gentleman, these two pups have taken their love and compassion for each other, and turned it into something beautiful! It is my honor to declare them as the first place act of the Talent Show! Congratulations!"
The crowd's approval was unending, and the Mayor set the trophy down between them. She grabbed Marshall and Skye's paws, and lifted them up in celebration. An uproar of cheers ensued as the two mates walked off the stage together, feeling absolutely incredible. Mayor Goodway carried the trophy behind them, and stood to the side as their friends piled around. Rocky was the first to step up.
"Wow, that was an amazing performance, guys! I'm so proud of you for working past your fear, Marshall!" The mix nuzzled his brother lovingly, and the Dalmatian giggled. Rocky backed away, and Zuma bounded up behind him, smiling goofily.
"Hey, congwats, dudes! That was so adowable! You'we like two peas in a pod!"
The Chocolate Lab high-pawed Marshall, and gave Skye a quick pat on the back before Rubble pushed his way through.
"Hey, Marshall! You guys did a great job up there! Your voices sound even better when they're together!"
From behind the group of pups emerged an overjoyed Ryder. He picked Marshall and Skye up, and twirled them around in celebration.
"Oh, you were such good pups! That was incredible! I'm so proud of you two!"
He set the two pups down, and out of nowhere, Zuma reappeared after running off.
"Hey, I heard Mr. Porter's got some extwa pies left over fwom his act, and he said that we can help ouwselves! Follow me, dudes!"
Not giving it a second thought, Marshall leapt up and sprinted after the Chocolate Lab, licking his lips in the process. Skye giggled at his behavior, and she followed the rest of the pups to the table where the pies were laid out.
The Cockapoo took a seat next to her mate, who was already in the process of attacking a pie bigger than his entire head. She laughed, and grabbed herself a regular cream pie. She looked over once more at the fire pup, who was practically inhaling his own pie.
Grinning evilly, she carefully placed her paw on the edge of his pie tin. Marshall didn't seem to notice, which made things a lot easier for her. Without warning, Skye slammed her paw down, catapulting the rest of the Dalmatian's pie into his face. There was a moment of pure silence, as he attempted to register what had just happened to him. In the meantime, Skye was laughing away, drawing her amusement from Marshall's completely blank expression. But just as soon as his brain caught up, he reached over and flipped Skye's pie into her face, instantly muting her laughter.
The Dalmatian was in hysterics, hardly able to see as cream slowly melted down his face. But he didn't need to see her to know how shocked she was. His laughter slowly drew her out of her trance, and she began to laugh with him.
After several minutes of pointing and teasing, Skye removed a piece of crust from her nose, and wiped her eyes.
"I'll be right back, Marsh. I just wanna wash the pie off of my face."
The fire pup hesitated slightly, but still managed to respond before she walked away.
"Wait, Skye...How about I clean your face?"
The Cockapoo shrugged her shoulders, and smiled.
"Okay, if you want to, I'll let you!"
She grabbed a nearby napkin and handed it to him, but Marshall chuckled.
"No, silly! I meant clean your face, with my tongue."
Skye giggled, and hopped up on his lap.
"Heh, now you'll get some more pie, and clean me up at the same time!"
The Dalmatian smirked at his mate, and giggled.
"Hmm...now where do I start?"
He began to lick her nose gently, and moved across her muzzle, whiskers, cheeks, forehead, and the tips of her ears. When he was all done, her face was damp, but cleaned of all pie. She laughed and looked at Marshalll's face, noticing the trails of melted cream that covered it.
"Heheheh, now it's my turn."
Skye stood up on her hind legs, and put her front paws on Marshall's chest, giving her easy access to his face. Her tongue didn't miss a single spot, and in a matter of minutes, Marshall was pie-free as well. He giggled and kissed her, before noticing that the other pups were getting ready to head back to the Lookout.
Marshall looked at the chair that was next to him, nearly forgetting about the trophy that was sitting on it.
"Hey, Skye, do you think I should maybe take the trophy back, because there isn't a whole lotta space in your copter?"
"Yeah, that's probably a good idea. Wouldn't want anything to happen to our trophy!"
Skye leaned over and kissed him once more, before the Dalmatian stood up and hopped off of his chair.
"I'll see you back at the Lookout!"
He grabbed one of the trophy's handles with his teeth, and began to drag it back to his firetruck. He only made it a few feet before Rocky happened to notice him.
"Hey Marshall, you want some help with that?"
The fire pup let go of the handle, and spat the taste of metal out of his mouth.
"Yeah, that would help a ton! Trophies don't taste very good."
The recycling pup chuckled, and looked at his pup pack.
"Wruff, pincer!"
His pincer arm unfolded from his pack, and he effortlessly hoisted the trophy over his head. Marshall followed him to his firetruck, where Rocky set it gently in the passenger seat.
"There 'ya go, Marsh! *pant* That was heavier than I thought it would be!"
Marshall laughed, and hopped up into his truck.
"Thanks Rocks! I'll see you back home!"
And with that, the fire pup waved goodbye, and began to drive back to the Lookout. Rocky and Skye quickly hopped in their vehicles, and followed Rubble, Zuma, and Ryder back home.
Once everyone arrived, Ryder hopped off of his ATV, and quickly called the pups over. Again, Chase did not show up, but that was more or less expected.
"You were all super good pups, today! Marshall and Skye, you were incredible at the Talent Show! I think you pups all deserve a break, so go have fun! I have a few things that I need to do, so stay out of trouble, okay?"
The pups all nodded, and Ryder smiled at them, before turning to enter the Lookout. The instant that he did, both Rubble and Zuma let out a huge yawn.
"Oh man, I suwe am beat! I think I'm gonna go catch some z's befowe dinner! Heheh, how about you, Wubble?"
The construction pup nodded, yawning again.
"Yep, that sounds like a great idea! See you guys *yawn* later!"
Zuma laughed at the sleepy Bulldog, and they both stumbled over to their respective pup houses, leaving Rocky, Marshall, and Skye as a group.
After a moment, Rocky's eyes lit up.
"Be right back!"
He hopped into the back of his recycling truck, and grabbed a small device. He bounded over to Marshall's firetruck, where the Dalmatian and Skye were waiting for him.
"Hey guys, guess what?"
Marshall and Skye looked at one another, and back at their friend.
"What?" they asked in unison.
He smiled, and pulled a camera from behind his back.
"As you guys performed, I hooked up a Pupcorder, and recorded the entire thing, So now, you can watch it on the TV in the Lookout whenever you want!"
Rocky handed the camera to Marshall, and the fire pup tackled him to the ground.
"Oof! Easy, buddy! You don't want to break me, or the camera!"
But Marshall was overjoyed at the gift he was given, so he showed his appreciation by smothering Rocky's face with puppy licks.
"Ahh! No! Now I'm getting wet, and tickled at the same time! Hoo hoo, not the nose! Skye, a little help, please!?"
The Cockapoo smirked, and gave Marshall a poke in his side. The Dalmatian squealed, and awkwardly fell down, allowing the mix a chance to stand. He towered over his brother, as Skye continued to poke him lightly, eliciting a squeak every time she did so.
"Okay, Skye, that's enough!" the recycling pup laughed.
Reluctantly, she ceased her little game, and her mate stood up slowly.
"Man, you always have to go for the tickle spot, don't you?"
Skye laughed, and nuzzled him lightly.
"Marshall, your entire body is a tickle spot! And don't pretend that you don't like it, either!"
He smirked, reaching to pick up the camera.
"Yeah, okay...'ya got me again!"
After another round of laughs, the mix's eyes lit up once more.
"Oh, I almost forgot!"
He reached into his pup pack, and extracted the pictures that he took of them when they were all wearing each other's hats.
"Wow, Rocks; you're pretty good at taking pictures!"
The fire pup raised his eyebrows in surprise, and Skye nodded in agreement.
"Yeah, these turned out great!"
Rocky smiled, blushing slightly at the attention that he was receiving.
"I'm glad you like them, guys. You each have copies, so you can keep them in your pup house, or wherever you want! That's where I'm putting mine!"
"Awesome! Thanks again, Rocky!"
Both Marshall and Skye went to their pup houses to put their pictures on display, and Rocky decided to do the same.
Skye was the first pup to finish placing her pictures; she had a bit of a knack for interior decorating. So she patiently waited for her friend and her mate to finish with theirs. The Cockapoo casually leaned down to take a drink from her water bowl, but little did she know, Skye was being watched.
A docile Shepherd kept quietly to himself in his pup house, avoiding the world, and all those who despised him. He didn't feel angry anymore; his rage had been replaced by something else, something that perhaps hurt even worse. Loneliness.
Chase's past actions had all but chased away those that he loved and cared about. With no one left to hate or resent, his thoughts instead began to take a more reproachful turn.
The police pup wanted nothing more than to have his old life back. There would be no more sadness, no more pain, and no more loneliness. Right now, he was merely existing without purpose.
He heard various sounds coming from outside his pup house: laughter, squeals, silence...and the sound of a tongue lapping water. Sighing, he cracked his door open, and poked his face out to locate the origin of the sound. Nowadays, with so little happening to him: no rescues, no pups to talk to, nobody to play with, that it didn't take much to spark the Shepherd's curiosity.
Chase turned to look up and down the row of pup houses, and there, he spotted Skye, happily drinking water from her bowl. He sighed once more, taking in all of her beauty and splendor. It was hard for him to believe that she used to be his, once upon a time. But that time had passed, and it left him feeling so alone.
It was time for a change.
Chase slowly walked over to Skye, and cleared his throat to get her attention. She looked up, and once she saw who it was, she went right back to her water. Chase expected this, so he decided to talk anyways.
"Skye do you remember the days where we would sit underneath the big tree, and we would do nothing more than snuggle?...Do you remember the time that we chased each other around in the woods, and ended up wearing ourselves out so much, that we flopped on the Lookout drive and fell asleep together?"
No response.
"Do you ever think about those times, and wish that things could be like they were back then?...Skye...I don't want to be the bad guy anymore. I'm done with hurting everybody, and I wish that I could just go back and make things right. I'm not a monster *sniff* ...I just need someone to love..."
The Shepherd wiped a tear from his eye, and as he sniffled once more, Skye turned to face him.
"Chase...You're well aware that you have damaged everyone her beyond repair, so why do you keep coming back and asking for forgiveness?"
"I-I-ju-...I just need someone to love...I'm so lonely...without you...without Rocky...without Marshall...I feel like an empty bag, that has nothing left, and just keeps getting blown away. Nobody cares about it, and they just let it go without a second thought. Please, Skye...give me a chance. You know that I can be a better pup...a better mate..."
Chase was on his knees now, grabbing onto her leg in complete desperation for something, anything to hold on to. The Cockapoo was becoming agitated now, and she tried to shake him off of her leg.
"No, Chase. I can't be mates with someone who tries to kill their best friend. Marshall needs me now, because of what you've done to him. I love that pup with all my heart, and there is nothing that will ever change that."
She tried once more to free herself from the Shepherd's sorrow, but he just grabbed her leg even tighter. Skye was feeling a little scared as his iron paws locked around her leg; the force of his grip was beginning to hurt her.
"Chase, let go of my leg! You're hurting me!"
But the police pup didn't listen.
Moments later, a certain Dalmatian emerged from his pup house.
"Hey Skye, do you have any tape I could bo-"
The scene that stood before him was unbelievable. Skye saw him, and called for his help.
"Marshall, help me! Chase won't let go of my leg!"
The Dalmatian gritted his teeth, and clenched his jaw tightly. He marched right over to the Shepherd and yanked his paws off of her leg. Shoving him to the ground, placing his paws firmly on Chase's chest, Marshall exploded.
"What the hell do you think you're doing?! Why were you grabbing her leg?! She told you to get off of her, but you didn't!"
The Shepherd was whimpering as tears streaked his face.
"I just need someone to love, someone to love me..."
The fire pup nearly choked on the absurdity of the statement. Standing up once again, the two pups duked it out.
"Well you certainly aren't gonna get love like that! What were you thinking?!"
"I want forgiveness...I want her love again...I want your love again..."
"You can't make either of us love you by going out and begging! Me and Skye are mates, and we keep each other safe no matter what. You were my closest friend...and you tried to kill me! How do you expect to be forgiven for THAT?!"
"I-I'm a changed pup now...I won't make the same mistakes...I won't be stupid..."
"And what are you doing right now? You're hurting the very pup that you care about soooo much! If you want ANY chance of being forgiven, you'll have to accept that fact that me and Skye are together.
The broken Shepherd clung needily onto his love, and began to draw blood with his claws. Marshall was sent over the edge, and he reacted accordingly.
"Okay, fine! So you won't let go? You don't want to listen? Well, then I'm gonna-"
The Dalmatian furiously tapped his pup tag, calling for Ryder.
"Ryder, it's Marshall. Can you come outside and have a talk with Chase? He's begging Skye to come back to him, and he won't let go of her leg. He's not listening; can you come out and help?"
Not even bothering to wait for a response, he left his pup tag on, and continued to try and get him away from Skye.
"Chase, leave us NOW! BEAT IT!"
The Dalmatian chuckled sadly to himself.
"Heh, you know, this was supposed to be a nice, happy time for me and Skye...Everything was going right...We won "Best Act" at the Talent Show, we got to eat pie, and we were having a great day...You've just ruined everything."
Ryder, who was upstairs in the Lookout, heard the commotion through Marshall's pup tag, and looked through the glass to see what was happening. Marshall took a step towards Chase, ramming his nose into the police pup's face. His eyes were ice cold, and his expression was unforgiving.
Ryder quickly raced into the Elevator, hoping that he could get outside before a fight broke out.
Marshall continued to try and assert himself, tensing his paw pads against the concrete.
"Shepherd, are you deaf?! Get away from MY mate!"
But Chase wouldn't budge.
The Dalmatian growled, and a deafening crunch reverberated through the air. He looked down at his paw, and saw shards of concrete stuck between his claws. Skye gasped at his action, as she saw small trickles of blood began to form on his paw pad, but Marshall didn't care. His anger had all but numbed the pain.
"Look at you; how can you even attempt something like this? Oh, you must think I'm completely ignorant! Let me make something clear; I KNOW that you lied to me! Skye would NEVER do that with you, and then try to be with me! And Skye did NOT manipulate me to love her; if anything, your actions just reinforced her to leave you! Why can't you just accept the fact that Skye and I are together?! You had to go and lie to your best friend, and when that didn't work, YOU TRIED TO KILL ME! Why did you do it, Chase? Was it worth all of the pain? Are you happy with the way things are? Maybe you don't know, or maybe you don't care, but as long as there is blood in my veins, and strength in my bones, you will NEVER hurt her."
Marshall's heart was pounding out of his chest, prepared to do whatever it took to make the Shepherd leave his mate alone. Skye saw the vigor erupt from his eyes, and she was scared of what might ensue. But Marshall wasn't looking for a fight. He thrust his paw in the direction of Chase's pup house, and tried one last time to use words.
"This is your time to leave, Chase. This is your time to leave me, and Skye, and...just GO! NOW!"
Marshall's face was sodden, having angered himself to tears. He closed his eyes, and continued to point his paw. Chase slowly felt himself come back to reality, and what he saw was the exact opposite of what he intended. In front of him, was a bleeding Skye, and a livid Marshall. It was hard for the police pup to even remember what happened, but the Dalmatian made it fairly clear to him that none of that mattered. Feeling completely void of emotion, the ravaged Shepherd felt himself stand. He took one last look at the two pups, but Marshall's attention was already back on Skye. The pups that he once knew and loved had cut him loose. Chase's legs began to carry him...away from everything that he cared about. There wasn't even time to say...
"Goodbye."
After the dust had settled, a "ding" was heard, and Ryder came sprinting out of the Lookout. But the situation had changed drastically from what he had witnessed.
He approached the two pups, seeing Marshall bent over Skye, and an area where the concrete was cracked.
"Marshall, what happened? Where's Chase?"
The Dalmatian moved away, exposing Skye's injured leg.
"Chase wouldn't let go of her, so I tried to get through to him. It worked eventually, but not before he hurt Skye."
Ryder was perplexed by the situation, and he struggled to think of what he should do.
"Have you looked at Skye's injury yet?"
Marshall shook his head, gently lifting her paw for a quick assessment.
"Well, his claws definitely broke the skin, and-"
Ryder gasped when he saw Marshall's paw.
"Marshall, your paw is bleeding!"
The fire pup directed his attention to his own paw for a split second, and shrugged it off.
"I was pretty mad at Chase, and I kind of broke the concrete with my claws. But Skye needs help, not me. Her cuts could be infected, and I don't know how deep they are."
Ryder would've smiled at the Dalmatian's courage, but the situation was too serious.
"Well, if you think you're okay, I trust you. I'm going to go and try to talk to Chase, so if you need anything for Skye, Katie should be around to help."
"Okay, good luck with that, Ryder."
The brown-haired leader nodded, and started over to Chase's pup house. Marshall redirected to Skye's leg, feeling his concerns return.
"Here, let me help you get inside. Can you get on my back? I can carry you then, and get your leg all cleaned up."
Skye smiled, and she slowly swung herself around to crawl onto her mate. She licked his face over his shoulder, and giggled.
"Thanks, Marshall. You're the best!"
"No problem, Skye."
The Dalmatian smiled back, and he made his way through the Lookout Doors. The fire pup carefully let Skye slide off of him, and onto a soft beanbag. He then licked her face, and placed his paw on her head.
"Stay here while I get my medical pup pack, okay?"
Skye giggled, and licked him back.
"No worries; I can't really go anywhere!"
He chuckled lightly, and bounded over to the Elevator to retrieve his pup pack. A few moments later, he emerges, holding a bottle in his mouth, and wearing his pack. He set everything down, and held his paws out like hands.
"Okay, so here's what I'm going to do. First, I'm gonna clean your leg with my tongue, and after that, I'll disinfect it with some peroxide. Then, once it's clean, I'll wrap it up. How does that sound?"
She gave him a trusting smile, and stuck her leg out for him to start working on.
"That sounds perfect, Marshall."
Nodding, he gently placed his tongue on her scratches, and licked away any debris that was in them. After a minute, he reached over to open the bottle, and poured some of the peroxide onto a cotton ball.
"Now, this might sting a little, because it's killing the bacteria in the cuts. You okay with that?"
Skye laughed, and raised her head high into the air.
"I'm a tough pup; it won't hurt me!"
He smirked, and brought the cotton ball over her leg.
"Okay, but try and keep it still while I clean it."
She nodded, and he placed the cool cotton onto her scratches. As tough as Skye said she was, she couldn't help but flinch at the initial rush of pain. It was quick, but it was enough for Marshall to notice.
"Heheh, I told 'ya it would sting. You okay?"
The Cockapoo looked down at the liquid that seeped from the cotton ball, and as it contacted her fur, it began to bubble and fizz.
"Hey, that kind of tickles! Is that supposed to happen?"
He laughed, and re-wet the cotton.
"Yep, that's what it does! The bubbles mean that it's cleaning your scratches."
Marshall placed the ball of cotton on her cuts once more, cleaning around the area.
"There we go! All clean and infection-free! Now, can you lift your leg a little bit?"
Skye did as she was told, and the medic pup brought a bandage wrap around her leg several times, before carefully pinning it in place.
"Well, I'd say that my work is done here! How does it feel?"
"Oh, it feels so much better, Marshall! Thank you!"
She went to stand up and kiss him, but he gently eased her back down, and moved his lips to hers.
"Now, as your personal EMT, I would advise that you stay off of your leg as much as possible, and to get plenty of rest so it can heal."
Skye absolutely loved it when the Dalmatian got all serious; it was so cute to see him in his element, just doing his job. She giggled, and licked his nose.
"Yes, Doctor, I will do my best."
They shared a laugh together, and the medic pup stood over the top of her.
"Oh, and one last thing...This is for tickling me."
He lowered his tongue to Skye's belly, and began to lick her.
"Ahh, Marshall! Ohh, stop that! Hehehe! Ohh, that tickles! Ahhh! Marshall, stop tickling me!" Hahaha!"
Marshall did stop for a brief moment, but only enough to talk.
"Oh no, your punishment isn't quite over yet...You're gonna have to deal with me for a little while longer."
The Dalmatian continued to torture his mate, making her squeal and writhe at his touch.
"Ahh, sweet revenge..."
"Okay, Marshall, hahaha, I've learned my, hehehe, lesson! Ohh, just make it stop! Ghahhhh!"
*sigh* "Okay, I guess that's enough punishment."
He moved his tongue to her nose, and lovingly licked it.
Skye threw her lips onto Marshall's, and the Dalmatian moaned slightly at the special surprise. It would've lasted longer, but they were interrupted by a small yawn from the Cockapoo.
"Uh oh; looks like someone needs to get some rest."
Marshall went right up to her side, and made a flat surface for her to climb up onto.
"Where to, my lovely patient?"
"Hmm...How about my pup house?"
"Okay, pup house it is!"
The Dalmatian walked out of the Lookout, and across the concrete to her desired resting site. Once inside, he laid her down on her bed. Standing near the entrance, he held his pup tag in front of his paw.
"If you need anything, I'm just a call away."
With that, he was about to turn and leave. But Skye had other plans for him.
"Oh, Doctor? I'm feeling a bit cold; maybe you should stay here with me and keep me comfortable."
Marshall laughed, and sealed the door to her pup house. Skye shifted over to make room for her mate, and he curled up around her keeping her nice and warm.
"Thanks, Doctor. You really know how to take care of your patients."
"Heheh, I try."
It didn't take long for the two pups to fall asleep in each other's arms, safe and sound. But across the yard, it was a very different story.
"Hey Chase? It's Ryder. I just wanted to talk to you Can you please open up?"
*sniff* "Nobody loves me anymore!"
"Chase, can you please talk to me? I want to help you."
"You're just like the rest of them! Just leave me! Go ahead; I know you want nothing to do with me. I'm worthless."
And this is where Ryder was stuck. He wanted a chance to talk to the police pup, but a cold metal door stood in his way.
*sigh* "What do I need to do so that you'll come out here and talk to me, Chase?"
Suddenly, the door opened.
*sniff* "Why are you still here? You're supposed to hate me...I'm a bad pup."
Ryder gently picked the Shepherd up, and nestled him in his arms.
"Chase, no matter what you've done, you're still my pup, and I still love you."
"But Ryder, Marshall's right...I tried to kill him...I-I'm so lost...and broken..."
The brown-haired boy stroked his police pup behind the ears.
"I can't speak for what you've done, but the fact that you were able to come out and talk to me means that you must still care about them...Is that true?"
Chase couldn't hold back the tears any longer.
"I-I want nothing more than to have things the way the that they used to be...I miss Marshall so much, and Rocky, and Skye..."
The Shepherd paused; her name left a bad taste in his mouth.
"They're so far gone...They won't let me reach out...I want someone to care for, but..."
Chase was sobbing, soaking Ryder's arm in despair.
"-I-I always end up hurting them..."
Ryder thought hard, trying to think of a way to approach the volatile problem.
"...Do you think there's maybe a way that you can apologize to the pups, so they know that you want things to change?"
"...I could write a letter...and you would give it to them..."
"Chase, I think that's a a great idea."
A small glimmer of hope sparked in the police pup's eyes. He licked Ryder's face, and the brown-haired boy set Chase inside of his pup house.
"Thanks, Ryder. You're the best!"
Ryder laughed, and patted Chase's head.
"No problem, buddy. I'll let you get working on that letter now."
The Shepherd sealed the door behind Ryder, and grabbed a piece of paper.
"Hmm, maybe a little music would help me think."
Chase walked over to his toy box and dug out the old radio that Rocky found for him a while back. He turned the knob, and was surprised to see that it still worked. He spent a few minutes trying to find a station, but the antenna was pretty beat up. Eventually, he found one station that came in crystal clear, but it was on commercial. Sighing, he set the radio down next to him, and began thinking of what to write. He spoke his ideas out loud to help himself think.
"...'I'm not the same pup that you now know me as'...no, that's no good. How about, 'I want to change who I am?'...no, not powerful enough...Man, I don't know what to say..."
His thoughts were interrupted by his radio switching back to music. He paused to listen to what the song might be.
"...Here's Kelly Clarkson's, 'Already Gone'..."
Not recognizing the song, he listened curiously to see what it was like.
"Remember all the things we wanted
Now all our memories, they're haunted
We were always meant to say goodbye..."
Chase immediately felt his heart stir. This song...made him feel sad. Even still, he listened on.
"Even with our fists held high
It never would have worked out right, yeah
We were never meant for do or die
I didn't want us to burn out
I didn't come here to hurt you, now I can't stop"
The Shepherd felt a tear prick his eye as the chorus began.
"These words...they're me..."
"I want you to know
That it doesn't matter
Where we take this road
But someone's gotta go
And I want you to know
You couldn't have loved me better
But I want you to move on
So I'm already gone"
Chase was coming closer to crying with each line, and he set the paper to the side, now only focused on the song.
"Looking at you makes it harder
But I know that you'll find another
That doesn't always make you wanna cry
It started with the perfect kiss then
We could feel the poison set in
"Perfect" couldn't keep this love alive
You know that I love you so
I love you enough to let you go"
Chase couldn't hold back; this song was ripping open the gaping wound that Ryder had helped to patch. It hurt so bad...
"I want you to know
That it doesn't matter
Where we take this road
But someone's gotta go
And I want you to know
You couldn't have loved me better
But I want you to move on
So I'm already gone"
Chase collapsed in a pile of tears. The words, were so true...It seemed as if they were written about his life.
And I'm already gone, I'm already gone
You can't make it feel right
When you know that it's wrong
I'm already gone, already gone
There's no moving on
So I'm already gone"
The pain...It didn't stop...
"Ah already gone, already gone, already gone
Ah already gone, already gone, already gone
Remember all the things we wanted
Now all our memories, they're haunted
We were always meant to say goodbye
I want you to know
That it doesn't matter
Where we take this road
But someone's gotta go
And I want you to know
You couldn't have loved me better
But I want you to move on
So I'm already gone
And I'm already gone, I'm already gone
You can't make it feel right
When you know that it's wrong
I'm already gone, already gone
There's no moving on
So I'm already gone"
Chase turned the radio off, feeling his wet paw on the cool knob. He put it back in his toy box, but when he did, he noticed two small boxes that sat next to each other. One was labeled, "My Best Friend" and the other, "My Mate". Hesitantly, he removed the boxes, and set one of them down on the floor. He opened the "My Best Friend" box, and right on top was a picture from when the bat got loose at City Hall. He and Marshall were trapped underneath his own police net, and both pups were smiling. Chase looked at the caption underneath the photo. It read, "Well, that didn't go so well!"
Chase laughed sadly.
"...Marshall...We were so close...I'm sorry, buddy..."
Setting the picture to the side, opened the "My Mate" box, and pulled the first picture out. It was a photo from a while back, when Skye had to rescue Alex from being blown away on Zuma's kite surfer. In the picture, he and Skye were talking, and Chase was blushing madly. The caption read, "I was so worried! I mean, uh...Excellent flying!"
Chase could barely finish the caption without breaking down once more. The Shepherd just dropped the picture, and slumped down onto his bed, stifling a whimper.
"What happened to you, Chase? Why did everyone leave?...Why don't they love me anymore?"
Blinded by his tears, the police pup closed his eyes, and tried to forget his life. All of the heartache, all of the loss, all of the pain...
He was eventually lulled to sleep by his own sobs, allowing him to escape the sheer burden of his existence.
"Is my life worth trying for?..."
Well there it is! All 11,000 words of it :-D Man, it has been so much fun; I can hardly believe that summer's already over! It's hard to think that this story has been going for nearly 3 months! I wanted to give a HUGE shout out to my friend xKovu 01; they've been helping me out since the very beginning, and without them, I don't know where the story would've gone :-) I want to thank each and every one of you for sticking with me, and letting me know that you like what I'm doing :-) This is goodbye, but not for forever...more like, so long :-D I hope to see you all soon!
-carbonn15