AN: On to the next chapter.

A Change of Heart

Chapter 3

Confession

Before the husky answered the shepherd's question, she looked into his eyes to see anything peculiar. Her mind raced at a million miles an hour. She couldn't bring the words to her mouth. The pain, the sorrow, the thoughts. They flooded her, once more, nearly bringing the husky to tears for the third time this day. All she could do was look into the amber eyes of the one dog that has kept her alive for the past two years. The dog that has protected her, the dog that has helped her through everything.

"Everest?" Chase asked, tilting his head in confusion, "Are you ok?"

Everest couldn't take it anymore and started to spill everything to Chase, "ChaseIloveyousomuchicantfindthewordsto-" she was cut off.

"Slow down. Relax, " Chase said surprised, "Take a deep breath and talk slower."

Everest then took a deep breath, "You were scared and it is understandable," Chase reasoned not even knowing what the Husky said.

"..." Everest said nothing but just sobbed into his chest. Chase took his right paw and stroked her back to try and ease her nerves a bit.

After a while of sobbing, Everest calmed down some more and relaxed like Chase said to do. "Chase," she said.

"Hmm?" Chase looked at her with a calming smile on his face.

"I… I… I love you," Everest whispered but still loud enough for Chase to hear.

The German Shepherd just looked at her for a second before licking her muzzle and whispering into her ear, "I love you too, darling."

Everest closed her eyes and became even more relaxed. She then stuck her nose up and snuggled Chase's muzzle showing him affection. He then also closed his eyes and enjoyed the moment they were having.

After a while, the two fell asleep for a moment until Chase's pup-tag went off. The sound woke the two love birds up and Chase answered, "Chase here."

"Hey," it was Rocky, "I've started the CNC process for our new weapons. It will take at least a couple of days for them to be finished. You are still going to have to use your traditional weapons because of the public. We will use the new ones privately for the time being. Don't want the military on our ass before we have a chance to explain anything.

"All right, That is understandable. Sometimes even having permits doesn't save you a headache. However, in the meantime, do you care to join Everest and me on a stroll downtown and see how everyone is doing?" Chase offered.

"Sure, if it is ok with Everest," Rocky confirmed.

Chase looked to his now official girlfriend. She gave a nod and Chase responded, "She doesn't mind. I'll meet you at my truck."

"Alright," Rocky stated and cut the call.

Everest looked up to him with a worried expression, "What about Rubble?"

Chase frowned a bit and answered coldly, "He'll wish I had rubber bullets instead," Chase then went back to his smile and continued in his happy German accent, "Anyway, don't think about that mistake. Let's head downtown, if you don't mind, Rocky and I will be armed as well."

"I don't mind at all. I feel a lot safer when you are armed… I- I mean I feel safe with you even-" She was cut off by Chase putting a paw to her mouth and smiled.

"I know what you mean. Now let's go," Chase chuckled as Everest blushed, "Hey, no shame." This made her look at him and smile a smile Chase and the other team members haven't seen in two years. He kissed her on the muzzle and took off with the now love-struck Husky running to catch up to him.

XXX

It was now only 3:50 according to the sundial Rocky made in his free time a while ago. He said he was bored and made a sundial for fun out of recycled parts.

Anyway, Chase, Everest, and Rocky all met up by Chase's Ford F-150 Police Raptor. Chase would be in the driver's seat, Everest in the front passenger seat and Rocky would be in the right-back passenger seat. The only seat that hasn't been converted into a prisoner area. Chase would have his personal choice pistol, an FN Five-Seven holstered on his left side so he could draw quickly. Rocky would also have his Glock 14 holstered on his left side just like Chase.

"Ready?" Chase asked both of his passengers.

"Yep," Rocky replied.

"Let's go," Everest said smiling.

Chase pressed the ignition button for his truck and the upgraded V8 Hellcat engine revved to life. Once Chase put the truck in gear, they were off to downtown.

At the Warehouse

"So how do you use this thing?" Rubble asked as he was holding a Glock 14 in his paws.

"You pull back the top and then pull the trigger. Make sure you are pointing it somewhere else than me or yourself," said the boss.

"To reach your target, just get close enough so you can't miss," said the boss man's assistant.

"Ok, but won't Chase see it coming? He has a really good sense of smell. He'll probably smell the gun on me if he doesn't see it," Rubble countered.

"Then do it fast," the boss concluded, "Do it tonight so you have a better chance of escaping in the dark."

Rubble nodded and left the room.

"Are you sure he can handle it?" the assistant asked.

"No, I just want to see if he is worth it," the boss clarified.

"Oh, a good plan," the assistant complimented.

"I know," the boss responded.

Rubble was too excited to use the weapons that were given to him so instead of taking the advice from the boss to do it at night, he would go do it immediately into town. Even he knows Chase likes taking walks down there at this time of day when no emergencies are going on. To him, the sooner the better. This will prove to be wrongful judgment and stupidity.

Downtown Adventure Bay.

Chase would park his truck in a large parking lot in the middle of town. The three mature canines would have seen the decorations for the 4th of July celebration while driving down. Red, White, and Blue streamers were all over the place, with balloons, banners, and American flags everywhere they could be.

All three would exit the truck and because they are canines, they would be wearing nothing except their collars for they don't need to because of their fur. The only other thing they would be wearing would be their holsters with their pistols for the two males. They would have open carry permits because laws exist. Anyway, they would be walking together looking at the many decorations. They would make their way over to Mr. Porters to see what he was making.

During the walk over to the bakery, civilians would wave and/or say hello in a friendly way to the dogs. They in return would smile and say hello back.

"Wow, all the decorations are wonderful," Everest would be amazed by the decorations for the 4th of July.

"I know. It seems like they get bigger and better every year," Rocky would state.

Chase would only nod while Everest leaned next to him while they were walking down. He would turn his neck to her while still looking forward. She would use her muzzle to nudge him lovingly and he smiles and turns his head back to the sidewalk.

Rocky would then look at them with a raised eyebrow with a smirk.

"What?" Chase would question the mix-breed.

"So… you do love her," Rocky states with a smirk.

"Yes… and?" Chase would replay.

Rocky would chuckle then say, "Well, I guess you two are made for each other."

"No shame in showing either," Chase said with a confident smile.

"I can see that," Rocky would finish.

Chase would change the subject and the subject by saying, "You ready to change the world with our work?"

"I don't know. We have worked so hard but…" Rocky would stop. His demeanor would change to concern.

Chase's smile would fade, "But… what."

"If and when we release our new weapons to the public, not only will they be in high demand because of their power. World militaries would want them, civilians would want them, and then these weapons could end up on the black market and sell to cartels and terrorists. I want our weapons to be released but is it the right thing to do?" Rocky would explain.

For what the mix-breed said, Chase knew that was a real good point. Weapons can end up anywhere in the world. Some are in good hands and others in bad no matter the amount of gun control any country has. Real bad guys would find some way in getting their hands on these weapons and possibly making them more deadly with modifications for criminals are criminals and they have no regard for any law they will break. To even wield the Karna and Custodian the user would have to be trained in how to handle them because they are very different despite the similarities to the rest of firearms.

"You have a good point. But would we be able to use them is the question. After two years of painstaking work and sleepless nights. We worked so hard and long to create the weapons and even purchased the permits to experiment with such technology. We would be throwing money, and wasted time into the drain of life, and those two years of research and development would have been for nothing. I get where you are coming from but what else can we do?" Chase stated.

Rocky would nod, agreeing to Chase's points. He would then say, "Maybe have a secret deal with the United States Military. I know not to trust politicians because then they would start a whole ordeal that we simply don't have the time or the money to deal with."

"Hmm…" Chase would nod and Everest would just let the two talk. However, they were almost to the bakery. Chase would continue to say, "We could call it Project Kastek. No one would know what that would mean when said publicly and the Military could cover it just as another top-secret program of something. When we sell them the prototypes we will also attach that one of us will have to oversee production and distribution to Special Forces at first. We can keep ourselves safe by saying they can take credit. That would not only protect our skins but our family as well. Then, also make a ton of money in the process."

"Agreed. Look at us. No wonder we are the smartest dogs alive," Rocky would smile at the idea and chuckle.

"Sounds like work," Everest moned.

"I promise that is the last you will hear of it today, Everest. Right?" Chase would smirk at Rocky.

"Yes sir," Rocky would joke.

Everest would smile and then look to Mr. Porter who they now see. The man with the mustache would be outside of his shop with a full brand new outdoor kitchen where he would be baking cakes, cupcakes, cookies, and even American-themed bread. The counters would be covered in flour, dough, red, white, and blue frosting, and even baking silverware.

Mr. Porter would be putting the final cake in his massive brand new oven and set at least the 26th timer up to ring when ready. He would clap his hands together to dust them off the flour that was still on them. He would take a huge sigh of relief and lean against one of the counters. Though he will still have to frost them after they cook.

When the trio came close to his establishment he would notice, stop leaning on the counter, and dusted his apron off to look more presentable to the three but mostly to the officer, Chase.

"Good afternoon you three," Mr. Porter.

"Hello, Mr. Porter. Looks like you have been very busy today," Everest cheerfully exclaimed. For Mr. Porter let alone the whole PAW Patrol, this would be the happiest they have seen Everest for two years. She was truly happy again.

"Yeah, been here since 8:30 making all of the desserts and goodies for everyone. I hope it's enough," Mr. Porter would wipe his right arm over his forehead, "Phew, it was a lot of work."

"I can tell," Everest would giggle.

"What made you in such a happy mood today, Everest? I honestly haven't seen you so happy for the past two years," Mr. Porter pointed out.

"Oh, well… it must be then how I finally confessed Chase for real," Everest said as she leaned into Chase's right side.

Mr. Porter would smile and look at Chase and give him a thumbs up. Chase would smile back and nuzzled Everest a bit.

"You two do make a perfect couple," the baker would comment.

"Thank you," Chase would say.

"Well, are you ready for the fireworks tonight?" Rocky asked Mr. Porter.

"I very much am. Every year it gets bigger and bigger. Everyone is helping out in decorating not just town hall but the rest of downtown and other places." Mr. Porter replied.

"That's great. I'm glad everyone is in the American spirit," Chase commented.

"I am too but wow, I had to bake a whole lot more goods for the rest of the town. More people have moved in than out meaning that our population has swelled from 525 to 980," Mr. Porter explained.

"Yikes," Everest would be surprised by this knowledge.

"With this growing population, means more police and firefighters. Marshall and I alone can't do everything and go to every single call for help," Chase added.

"Good thing the mayor has started to fund a new Police Station and Firehouse," Rocky stated.

"Yes. However, I would like more but I guess I will have to work with what she is giving us," Chase

A moment of silence would then follow with the conversation at the end. It got a bit awkward until Everest broke the silence, "So… should we head to Town Hall to see what the mayor is up to?"

"We could," Chase answered.

"Ok. See ya, Mr. Porter," Rocky said as he and his friends turned to head to the Town Hall.

"Alright, you three. I'll see you later today." Mr. Porter said.

"Will do," Chase nodded.

"Bye," Everest shouted back as they took a corner of a building.

The three would continue their walk in town and would be heading to Town Hall where Mayor Goodway would be with Katie and they would be decorating the last bit of the new rose garden with Red and White roses. Other people would also be around, either walking and enjoying the weather and/or the sights of the town. A good amount would be in the courtyard of Town Hall also helping with gardening and polishing the statues and making everything as clean as possible.

As the three dogs would get closer, the bystanders would notice and wave then get back to work. Everest and Rocky wouldn't notice but Chase would catch the same fur pattern as Rubble in the crowd but only for a second and couldn't really identify them. Usually, he would just brush it off but this time he had a gut feeling that something was about to pop off. Chase, being the cop that he is, wants to make sure that whoever or whatever he saw was not Rubble. If it was… then oh boy, he would be in for it.

"Chase?" Everest would notice that her boyfriend would have stopped and been staring in a direction.

Chase wouldn't say anything for a second but then say, "I thought I saw something."

"Something suspicious?" said Rocky as he came over.

"Definitely. Rocky, stay with Everest. I'll check it out," Chase ordered. Knowing to listen to Chase and not argue they would both nod and Rocky would have his Glock ready in the holster. His paws are at the ready.

Chase would then start to stalk over to where he saw the fur pattern. Seeing the police dog, the humans and other dogs would get out of his way for he had his law enforcement face on.

As he would get closer to where he saw the fur pattern he started to use his nose to track. When he got the scent, he became pissed. That scent he knew all too well and it was none other and Rubble's.

"Wonderful," Chase would say less than pleased. He would start using his nose to track where the teenage dog went. He tracked him over to where he saw him behind rose bushes. The police dog investigated some more before he made his move and not only saw that the English Bulldog was armed with a Glock but was already starting to aim it, with a bit of struggle. Chase looked forward more and saw who he was aiming at.

With only two seconds to react, Chase sprinted full speed at the Bulldog and when close enough pulled his FN Five-seven and pointed it at Rubble's head, "DROP THE GUN!" he would shout. The civilians would all stop what they were doing and look over. After a few seconds of pure fear, they ran away, making it kind of easier for Chase to see the Bulldog.

Rocky would notice the gun pointing in his and Everest's direction. Rubble would have not moved at all at Chase's command. Chase's training would then start to kick in. "Drop the gun now. Don't do this." He would start getting closer slowly.

Rocky would pull his Glock and point it at Rubble and repeat what Chase said, "Don't do it. Drop the gun."

Rubble didn't respond and only looked more down the sights of his gun aiming for the husky right next to Rocky. "I will not hesitate to shoot you. Drop the gun!" Chase yelled again.

"Come on Rubble, we don't want to do this to you. Drop the gun for us," Rocky would calmly say, trying to stay in front of Everest to protect her. Chase would be getting closer moving towards the bulldog from behind.

"There will be NO PEACE!" Rubble shouted. Before anything else could happen… All Hell broke loose.

BANG... BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG… BANG BANG!

AN: Interesting… is it not?