A loud explosion ripped the pups from sleep.

"What the hell just happened?" Zuma asked.

The wheels screeched as the train's brakes engaged. The pups were slammed into the side of the boxcar, hard.

"What's going on?" Skye screamed in terror.

"I don't know!" Rocky answered, wrenching the train door open. The train was riding over a large ocean, and it gleamed up under them. He looked at the train tracks ahead, and his heart rate increased. The tracks were...gone. And the train could not stop in time, time was working against them.

"The tracks are gone!" Marshall cried.

"I told you guys this was a stupid idea, but no! No one would listen to me!" Chase shouted.

"What are going to do?" Rubble cried. The brakes failed, and the car the pups were in came closer and closer to the break in the tracks, closer to the shimmering depths below them. The front of the train went over the chasm, and the back of the train quickly sped up to meet it.

"Come on, Rocky! You are supposed to be the most powerful thing in the world! Surely you can do something!" Marshall pleaded.

"I...I...I…" Rocky stammered. The speed of the plummeting train pressed the pups up against the wall of the boxcar.

"Can't you stop the train?" Skye asked.
"No! I never trained my powers to this level! Sometimes I can't even control them; they are shaky at best! And even at that, I can't stop a train speeding at 100 miles per hour!" Rocky replied.

"Oh great! You're going to get us all killed, Rocky!" Marcus shouted.

"How was I supposed to know…" Rocky began.

"This is all your fault! We are going to die!" Taja screamed.

"Hey, leave him alone! He didn't do anything but his best!" Zuma barked.

"Yeah, typical of you, Zuma! Always standing up for Rocky regardless of the circumstances." Chase said bitterly.

"If I don't who will?" Zuma retorted. "Not you! You don't seem to care for Wocky at all. Well, I've got news for you. I do care about Rocky, and you'd better watch what you say!"

"Guys stop arguing! We love each other!" Marshall cried. "This isn't how I want us to go out! Is this really how you want to die?" he asked, tears rolling down his face.
"No one is going to die!" Ryder shouted.

"Umm...Ryder, I don't think so…" Rocku murmured.

"What?" Ryder asked, looking at him.

"IThe chances of us surviving the crash are one in five million, three hundred six thousand and seventy-two!" Rocky shouted, doing the math quickly in his mind. "Of course that could change, due to changes in velocity, air pressure…" Rocky mumbled, losing himself in his thoughts for the probability of survival."

"Well, I just want you to know Rocky, that I blame you for all of this!" Chase barked at him. "Let that be your dying thought, how you betrayed all of us, and got us killed! I hate you!" Chase slapped him across the muzzle, claws extended, slicing a long gash down his ear.

"That's enough! You've gone too far!" Zuma snarled at him, before physically attacking him. Blood sprayed everywhere, as the two enraged pups went at it. Rocky watched in anguish. Then he heard a voice, that none of the other pups seemed to hear.

"Change the past...to save the future…" it whispered, sounding strangely like himself.
"What do you mean?" Rocky cried.
"Warning…" it said. Rocky had not time to think about this, because the train rolled right off the tracks, exploding as it hit the water.

Rocky woke up in a cold sweat, heart beating out of his chest. His breath came in rapid pants as he felt himself over.

"I'm alive...I didn't die…" he said in shock. He squeezed Zuma tightly.

"Ugh...Wocky?" he murmured, waking up.

"We didn't die!" Rocky said joyfully.

"Die?" Zuma mumbled, trying to go back to sleep. Rocky licked his face happily, and Zuma gave up. "Ugh...you know what? It's fine, I'll just get up now," he said sarcastically.

"It was just a dream!" he said. "Good god, I thought I was going to die!"

"Please...stop…" Zuma sputtered, pushing Rocky over with a single paw. He wiped his face off with a paw. "What's going on with you today?"

"I had this crazy dream that the train tracks ahead of us blew up, and we all fell to our deaths," Rocky explained. "And some voice said something about the past...future...warning…" Rocky said.

"Huh," Zuma replied.

"I know right? It looks so...real…" Rocky trailed off. "Real...too real…"

"Well, if that's all, I'm going back to sleep."
"No...no...don't…" Rocky replied.

"Why?"
"I don't feel right. I know it was a dream, but it seemed too realistic…

"Aren't all dreams?" Zuma asked.

"Not all of them. This one felt like a memory…" Rocky said. Zuma sat down beside him.
"But it didn't happen?" Zuma asked.

"Warning...change the past to save the future...warning...warning…" Rocky mumbled to himself. "Didn't happen...didn't happen…" Rocky mumbled. He gasped. "Did happen...hasn't happened...yet…" his heart rate increased. "Zuma, it will happen! It just hasn't yet!" Rocky said, grabbing Zuma by the shoulders.

"Wocky, you're scaring me…" Zuma said fearfully. Rocky's amulet flashed red. Rocky looked down at it anxiously.

"I think this has something to do with my powers…" he said mumbled.

"Again?" Zuma murmured, slightly annoyed.

"I think it's a warning, Zuma. A warning! I don't know how this happened, but I think something is about to happen!" Rocky cried.

"Dude, you are totally overreacting." Zuma yawned.

"I'm not, I know I'm not. I can't be wrong. I'm never wrong…" Rocky mumbled to himself.

"Cover your ears," he warned.

"WAKE UP, GUYS! NOW!" The pups were shocked awake, fully alert. They sprung to their paws.

"What's wrong, Rocky?" Skye asked.
"There is no time to explain guys. I wish there was but there isn't. I know you are confused, but if you have any love for the passengers, any love left for me, hell, any love left for yourselves, you will listen to me." Rocky opened the door.
"Skye, I want you to fly outside and push the train back. Take Rubble with you. Push as hard as you can. Just trust me this one last time. Go now!"

"How? I've learned to fly just fine without them, but wIthout my Windrider wings, I can't control the wind!" Skye cried. Rocky put his paw over hers.
"Skye, you've always had the power inside of you. Listen to me! Marshall trained you well! Trust yourself. Now go!" Hearing the urgency in Rocky's voice, Skye obeyed, though she had absolutely no idea what was going on.

"Let's go, Rubble." she yipped. She created her pink whirlwind and lifted Rubble into the air, streaking towards the front of the train. There was a loud explosion.

BOOM! The pups whimpered at the loud sound was amplified by their sensitive ears. The train shook, and the wheels screeched as the brakes were applied. No...it's happening! In reality this time! Rocky shook his head.

"Chase! I need you to use your time slowing ability on the train. It will give us more time to decrease its speed!"

"But I've never tried on something this large! I don't know how!" Chase cried.

"Then figure it out!" Rocky snapped. "Unless you just wanna sit down and die!"

Chase ran up the side of the train and was gone.

"Ryder, Marcus, Taja, you're gonna have to sit this one out. Hold on to something."
"Like what?" Marcus asked.

"Uhh...each other?" Rocky replied weakly.

"Rocky, how can I help?" Marshall asked bravely. Rocky smiled at him.
"Come hold on my paw, Marshall," Rocky replied. "You too, Zuma." They obeyed him, and there was a bright flash of light, and they were standing on top of the roof as well.

"Marshall, I need you to provide counterthrust for the train. Think of a rocket. When the flames are directed in one direction, the object goes the other. The same principle should apply here. Hold onto the train tightly. I know you have it in you." Rocky half-instructed half-insisted, then he and Zuma disappeared.

"Okay, Marshall! Give it your best!' he shouted. He held onto the metal bars with his paws, and jets of fire emitted from his back paws. Immediately, Marshall could feel the strain. It was like trying to push a brick wall forward. "We are the Paw Patrol, and we never give up!" Marshall reminded himself. Slowly, he could feel the train slowing down. I hope everyone else is having as great a time as I am… Marshall muttered in his mind.


Sky flew quickly to the front of the train.

"Rubble, what's that on the tracks?" she cried.

"I don't know, ask Rocky!" he said.

"It's...dynamite…" she whispered. BOOM! The tracks in front of them ceased to exist, blown to nothing.

"Shit…" Rubbled muttered. Skye set him down ahead of the train.
"Okay, Rubble. When the train comes, you push back. Don't get rolled over, I don't feel like attending a funeral after all of this." Rubble gulped.

"Yeah, right. Of course," he mumbled. Skye flew back to the train. She bit her lip.

"Come on, Skye! You can do this! Rocky said so!" The wind picked up around her, but it was very poorly aimed. Strong, powerful jets of air shot off everywhere except the train.

"Come one! Focus!" she chided herself. She took a deep breath. "Obey me, wind," she commanded. " I am Skye, master of the air, and you will obey!" The wind immediately came under her complete control, and with the fury of a small tornado, the wind pushed the train back. Skye saw the train jerk backward as she flew in front of it. She saw Marshall in the very back, jets of fire lighting up the sky. The train slowed down some more.

"Go, Marshall!" she cheered, sending her voice to him on the wind. The train thundered forwards, and stuck the waiting, nervous, but ready Rubble. On impact, the train shook. Skye watched as Rubble was pushed backward, the ground being plowed up in front of him. Skye felt her strength sapping as she kept up the sustained blast of wind.

"I won't give up, no matter what. There are people's lives to save. I can't just fly away and leave them. Come on Skye, push harder!" She pushed with all her might. Come on, guys! We can do this together!


Rubble anxiously awaited the train.

"Am I ready for this?" he asked himself. "Can I do this? If I'm turned the wrong way, the train will run right over me!" he glanced up at Skye, who was currently conjuring up a pressurized blast of wind. The train was almost upon his now, and he sent up a prayer for his life. The impact was hard, and sudden. Rubble pushed against the ground, and the ground broke up under his paws. "Whoa!" he shouted, and he was forcefully slammed back. He glanced behind him and saw that they were quickly running out of road. He pressed hard against the train with his paws, and he could feel the decrease in speed. It's too little, too late. Rubble realized. Well, Rocky, I hope that scheming mind of yours can figure something out, and fast!


Chase stood on the train, trying to slow it down. It wasn't working.

"It's going too fast!" Chase cried. His powers weren't affecting it, they were too weak. Maybe I can charge them up! Chase jumped off the train and began running around it as fast as he could. Lightning streaked behind him. The train was fast, but Chase was so much faster. He moved so quickly that anyone looking from the sky would only see a blue band circling the train. As Chase ran, the lightning around him increased his ability to manipulate the speed of things. Chase's legs were burning, but he kept it up. The train's sides glowed with blue energy, and Chase began to rapidly reduce its speed. Okay, this is all I can do. I hope it's enough.


The train hummed lightly and was outlined in bright green.

"What are you doing?" Zuma asked the eco-pup.

"I've been working on my telekinesis, it's the only power I can seem to control whenever I want to. "I hope it's strong enough" Rocky replied, pulling back on the train with all his (mental) strength.

The sudden decrease in speed was powerful, that Zuma lost his balance and fell off the train.

"Zuma!" Rocky shouted.

"Whoa!" Zuma said, managing to hook his claws onto the side of the train. He tried to pull himself up, but Skye's wind was pushing his back. Rocky grabbed Zuma's collar in his teeth and pulled him up before he fell to his death. Zuma was panting hard.

"I thought I was gonna die!" he cried.

"Are you okay?!," Rocky said, his heart also beating out of his chest. The train stopped its rapid deceleration, due to Rocky focus being solely on Zuma.

"Yeah, I'm fine."

"Sorry about that, I wasn't thinking…"

"Uh...Wocky...the train…" Zuma murmured, pointing. "You can wowwy about me later, okay? Maybe after we stop the train from splashing in the middle of the lake?" Rocky broke out his trance and jerked on the train roughly, sick of its movement, and ready to turn his attention back to Zuma. And just like that, the amount of power the five pups exerted overcame the momentum of the train and it came to an immediate stop. The screaming stopped. Zuma put his paw over Rocky's, and Rocky turned to face him.

"You did it," he whispered.

"No," Rocky replied. "We did it." Marshall flew over to them, touching his flaming paws on the metal.

"We made it!" he cheered.

"That was too clo...ouch!" Rocky said, jumping away from him. The fire from Marshall's still flaming paws had burned his.

"Oh, sorry, Rocky." Marshall apologized.

"I'm fine." he lied, holding up his burned paw. Skye and Rubble joined them a little bit later. Zuma had since put out the fire on Marshall's paws, and they landed safely.

"I don't know how you knew, but it's a good thing we acted when we did. We have, like, ten feet to spare." Skye said, licking a paw. There was a flash of blue, and Chase stood before them, panting hard.

"That was hard," he mumbled, no longer able to stand on his paws.

Rocky stood up on three paws, and his head began spinning, throbbing in pain, and he swayed on his paws, unable to see straight.

"Too much...again…" he mumbled to himself.
"Come on, Wocky," Zuma said worriedly. "Take a break for a moment."

"No, I got it," Rocky replied, shaking himself. "You guys go on back. I'm going to take a look at the damage to the tracks and see if I can't fix them. We still have to get home."

"Wocky, I think you need to west like everyone else," Zuma said. "You try to do too much all the time."
"I'm not feeble. I can do it, okay?" Rocky snapped back.

"Well, alright," Skye said, whirlwind starting up again. "You coming, Zuma?" she asked.

"Naw, I'm good. Somepup has to watch that silly pup's stupid tail…" he smirked, batting at it with a paw.

"Whatever," Rocky replied, flicking his tail in Zuma's face. He watched, half-regretfully, as the pups left for some well-deserved rest, almost wishing he had gone with them. He ignored Zuma's irritatingly smug face and hopped down onto the tracks, walking for about ten feet. Not only were the tracks but the entire bridge for about a hundred feet was gone, leaving a nasty hole in the middle.
"Okay, Wocky, what now? We can't fix the bridge because there is nothing to fix it with!" Zuma asked, exasperated.

"What if we were to take some of the bridge that is behind us and used it to patch the gap well enough for the train to get to safety?" Rocky asked.

"I guess it could work…" Zuma mumbled.

"You could come and keep me company?" Rocky asked hopefully, slowly padding around the brown pup, brushing against his pelt. "I don't wanna be alone right now."

"Do you even have to ask?" Zuma responded, licking his nose.


It took a while to walk the entire length of the train, (transporting through time and space wasn't easy, and Rocky was unable to do it often), but the two did finally make it to the end. Rocky's paws glowed as he summoned his power tools and began taking the tracks apart.
"Hey, Zuma." Rocky began.

"Huh?" Zuma replied absentmindedly, watching the train tracks come apart up under his paws.

"Why would someone want to blow up the train tracks?" Rocky continued.

"I don't know, maybe they were a terrorist or something?" Zuma guessed.

"Why would they wanna kill everyone on the train? Just….for fun? No, I think whoever did this had a target, and they were willing to kill everyone to get to it. But who? And for whom?" Rocky reasoned.

"What are you getting at, Rocky?" Zuma asked.

"Nothing…" Rocky mumbled. "Just feeling shocked from almost being killed…."

"Leave the detective work to the police and the FBI or the S.W.A.T or whoever is supposed to. Right now, we are just going to try and get home." Zuma answered. It took Rocky hours of hard work, but he eventually brought all the material to the broken tracks and began fixing them. Zuma attended his side constantly, never appearing bored. Rocky was almost done when Zuma spoke.

"Hey, Wocky? When do you leawn to build twain twacks? And make all manner of calculations in such a small amount of time? I know you're weally smawt, but sometimes…" Zuma trailed off. Before Rocky could respond, Zuma put his paw up."And stop giving me the 'I have a lot of spare time' excuse."

"Well...you might say it was a stupid reason…" Rocky said rubbing the back of his head.

"Come one, you can tell me," Zuma replied.
"Well, when Ryder first offered me a place on the Paw Patrol, I almost didn't take it. I felt like I wouldn't be useful, and that I prove to be inefficient and unhelpful. You remember that, right?" Rocky asked. Zuma nodded. "Well, when I did take the job, I still felt the same way. I mean, recycling things is great and all, but in a real-life emergency, that's gonna be one of the last things you need.

Especially when the missions you guys went on didn't involve me, I felt my earlier thoughts coming back up. One night I completely panicked, and paced the floor of my puphouse in fear. I was afraid that Ryder would kick me from the Paw Patrol, and that I'd have to go back onto the streets. "

"So what did you do then?" Zuma asked, always intrigued about Rocky's past life.

"I studied. Hard. I used to spend entire nights with my computer, looking up any random fact that I thought might be useful in an emergency. I learned how to calculate the speed and velocity of anything, the time before impact, etcetera. I also studied machines in great detail. I felt better after realizing Ryder wasn't going to kick me off the Patrol just because I'm not used as much as Chase.
"What convinced you of that?" Zuma asked.
"The fact that he kept you and you were used even less," Rocky smirked at him. "But even after I came to that realization, I guess I've always still had a little of that fear. I know it's stupid, but after coming getting away from Jason's care, and being treated like a dog on the streets, I just... wanted to make sure I never had to go back. I wanted to feel like I belong, like someone cared about me. And I was willing to do anything, anything at all! I just felt like if I was really smart then…" Rocky had since forgotten he was talking to Zuma, and snapped back to the present, realizing that he had let out more than he had meant to. He blushed and refused to meet his eyes. "I told you it was stupid…" he muttered, kicking at a loose bolt, sending it down into the lake below.

"Look at me," Zuma said. Rocky glanced up at him and looked back down.
"I don't think it is stupid," he said seriously, placing his paws around Rocky's neck. Rocky finally looked up into his eyes.
"Y...you d...don't?" he asked, nose twitching. Zuma shook his head.
"No, I don't. But I'm wowwied about you."

"Why?"

"Because you keep thinking that you have something to pwove, like you aren't...good enough. And that's the sole problem that I have noticed about you. You don't think you're good enough in anything or for anyone. Why? Do you feel worthless? Why do you have such a negative outlook on yourself?" Zuma asked him, distressed. "Do you feel unloved? What happened to you? Why do you feel like others have more value than you? Why are you so quick to assume the blame for everything? Every night, I hear you crying, and I don't know why. Last night I couldn't help myself, and I had to do something, even if it was just holding you. What are all these tears for? Why are you doing this to yourself? It's like you always have a cloud hanging over your head, and you can never get rid of it. Zuma's voice cracked. "What's hurting you?"
"I...I...I…" Rocky stammered, at a loss for words, instead, he just hung his head. "It doesn't matter," he muttered. "I'm fine."

"Yes, it does! If not to you, then it does to me!" Zuma snapped at him. "Stop lying to yourself. Something is going on with you that you aren't telling me, and I wanna know what! Stop saying that you are fine when you clearly aren't! And stop lying to me! I hate it when you lie to me!" Zuma's hot breath washed over Rocky's face as he spoke angrily. Rocky's head sunk further, and his ears pressed against the side of his head as he heard Zuma growl.

"S...so...sorry…" Rocky stuttered. "I didn't mean to hurt you. It's just easier to ignore these things than confront them. The truth is Zuma, I've never really been brave before. I'm more of a shy, introverted pup. Wonder why I fell in love with you, then…" Rocky glanced at him shyly. "I'm not good with feelings either. I don't like to face pain, sadness, or regret. I kinda just...ignore it, and pretend it isn't there. Because when I think about it, it hurts me. A whole lot. I don't ever want to revisit those memories. I don't wanna accept that what happened to me happened to me. But recently, it's been getting harder and harder to ignore my feelings. I'm just...I can't…" Rocky trailed off.

"Wocky, you need to let them out, then let the go. You can't be the pup you want to be until you do. If you don't let out the pain, the anger, the sadness, if you don't move on, you will destroy your mind and yourself in the process. Twust me, dude, I know. It almost happened to me." Rocky head jerked up.

"What do you mean?" he asked.
"Nothing," Zuma said, licking his ears. "Nothing important." Rocky shivered and cocked his head to the side as Zuma lightly nibbled on his right ear.

"Come on, let me go. I've gotta finish these tracks," Rocky murmured. Zuma huffed.

"Fine," he said, regretfully letting Rocky go. "I'll finish later," he said, licking his lips.

"That's fine with me," Rocky said happily.


Rocky finished his work soon after, and he came back onto the train, very tired. Zuma was right, he always did too much, and he passed out the moment he got on the train. The conductor was so pleased with having his life saved, her didn't care that Ryder and the pups were stowaway, and allowed them to stay on the train, on the condition that they would come with him to the police to find their parents. Ryder agreed to his ultimatum, and they stayed on the train. It had taken Rocky all day to rebuild the tracks, and it was night when the train started again. The pups and Ryder were extremely hungry by this time, and the conductor gave them so food from the dining car. Rocky slept the whole time, so Zuma saved some for him and Rocky, wanting to eat with him. The Patrol fell asleep, but Zuma refused too, not just yet.

"Come on, Wocky. You've gotta eat something." Rock snorted, exhaling through his nose.

"Leave me alone, Zuma…" he mumbled, batting Zuma's damp nose with a paw. He felt the same pleasant, warm, licking sensation about his ears and he smiled. No way Zuma was going to let him sleep. He still wanted something from Rocky, and Rocky didn't want to refuse him.

"Fine, I'll get up." Rocky opened his eyes.

"You need to start eating more. Since we caught those rabbits in the mountains, I don't remember the last time I saw you eat. You didn't eat enough even then.

"That's because I wasn't," Rocky replied rolling to his paws, swaying a litter. Due to his current state of malnutrition, he was physically weak and way too thin. And on top of that, Rocky was always busy doing something, which sapped at his energy even more. "You shouldn't worry about me so…" Zuma lightly swept his hindlegs from up under him and Rocky fell onto his back. Zuma stood over him.

"That was way too easy, dude. You have...like...no stwength left. I'm not awguing with you about this, I'm not gonna allow you to stawve youwself to death." Rocky tried to push Zuma off of his, but he was too weak.

"Okay, maybe you are right…" Rocky conceded, looking up submissively into Zuma's eyes. Zuma dipped his head and kissed him lightly.

"Somepup has to look after you." he breathed, and Rocky could feel his breath on his face. It felt nice.

"You know Zuma, for all your sarcasm and snarkiness, you are still a cute, adorable, caring little puppy inside," Rocky said gently. "I like it." Zuma blushed.

"Well, don't get used to it," he replied, kissing him again. "I don't let others see that side of me." He let Rocky up and led him on shaky paws to their favorite corner where they could be alone and have something to eat. Dinner for the day had been lamb chops, much to the pups' delight. When dinner was over, Rocky sat on his haunches and closed his eyes, letting his thoughts wander. Zuma wrapped his paws around his waist and held him close to his furry chest.

"I've never gonna let you go," he murmured possessively. Zuma felt Rocky's tail wagging against his chest as he licked the top of his head and his ears. He nibbled on his right ear roughly, and he heard Rocky beginning to pant.

"When will we be able to come out of hiding, and let others know about us?" Zuma asked him. Rocky shook his head.

"Not now. It's not the right time…" he said.

"Wocky, and you sure you still wanna leave the Patrol?" Zuma asked a little late. Rocky nodded his head.

"Yeah. As much as it hurts, I still have to do the right thing," he replied. Zuma whined unhappily. Rocky spun to face him.
"But you still don't have to come with me, Zuma. They will still accept you. You don't have to tarnish your name for me. It's gonna be a hard life, always being on the streets, homeless, shelterless, always on the run. Always away from family and friends, with no one who loves you, constantly looking over your shoulder, trying to stay ahead of Johnny Law." Rocky told him. "I don't want your love for me to make you do something you will regret," Zuma growled, and the light reflected off his white teeth menacingly.

"We've been over this, pup. I'm not leaving you. You will forever hold a piece of my heart, and I can't live without it. And I know street life vewy, vewy, vewy well. We'll be fine." Zuma replied. There was silence for a moment, and Rocky buried his head in Zuma's neck.

"Zuma, tell me about your life before the Paw Patrol. I've told you mine, now I wanna know yours."

"Weally?," Zuma asked.

"Yeah," Rocky said, laying down. Zuma hugged him closer to his chest. "I

"It's not a happy story…" he mumbled. "And it huwts to think about it."

"It'll be okay, Zuma," Rocky said. "You can stop whenever you need to." Zuma nodded and began his story.

"I and my family lived in luxury. Our owners, Henry and Michelle, were very rich, and they owned an elaborate penthouse in the middle of the big city. They were the most kindhearted people you ever met. They donated regularly to organizations that helped the homeless and the hungry. They gave to charity, and they had a special interest in helping children. They loved animals, particularly dogs. Henry brought my mother, Adelina, and Michelle brought my father, William. Over time, they fell in love, and they had two puppies. Myself, and my sister, Anna. Our owners couldn't have children, and we were like the family they had always wished they could have. It was the ideal life. Everything was perfect."
"You never told me you had a sister!" Rocky exclaimed.

"That's because I don't," Zuma said bitterly.

"What?" Rocky asked.

"She's dead," he said dully.

"What…?" Rocky repeated in shock. Zuma stopped for a moment. When Rocky looked into his eyes, he saw that they were void of all life and light. They were empty, black, swirling pools of dismay.

" I was six months old when it happened. I'd always been fascinated with the beach, especially the ocean, and when we moved to the big city, I begged Henry and Michelle to let us go to Hawaii on vacation. It took a lot of begging and pleading, but eventually, they caved in and the date was set. You never saw a more happy pup than me that day. When everything was ready, we all piled into the car to go to the airport. Worst mistake of their lives; it was the one that ended them. Only a few miles away from home, we were hit. Hard. A tractor-trailer ran the red light at the four-way stop, and slammed into the side of the vehicle. Our car was totaled, Wocky. I was in the very back to the far left, and the doctors say that's what saved me. I was farthest away. Henry and Michelle died upon impact, they say. Adelina and Willaim died from blood loss, and my darling sister Anna died of a broken neck. I sustained numerous injuries, but none that were fatal. In a snap, everything changed. With all my family dead, I...changed. I was different back then, in a way I can't explain, and that pup died then and there. I never cried. I refused to show weakness. After treating me, I heard that I was to be placed in a pound. I absolutely refused to go to that place, and a little before I should've, I snuck out of the hospital, much like you and Skye did. I've lived on the streets for four years. I'd heard about what happens to dogs at the pound. If they stay too long, they get murdered. I wasn't going to risk my life for that." Zuma's voice was flat and uncaring. "I wandered for years. I never planned to settle down. But, well, in my heart, I still wanted a family. I still wanted a home. As I was passing through Adventure Bay, Marshall found me. It was winter at the time, and I was freezing outside. Marshall refused to leave me like that and forced me to come with him for the night. Long story short, I met Ryder and he eventually invited me to come live with him. I was now better off than I was on the street, but something was missing. I felt empty inside. I felt like I was surviving and not living. I felt like my life still had no purpose. I thought maybe I could find what I was looking for if I left. So I left...to wander the streets some more, not telling anyone that I was leaving nor where I was going. And I was never coming back, not until I found a meaning for my life."
"But, you never left," Rocky said.

"No, I didn't," Zuma replied.

"Why not?" Rocky asked.

"You," Zuma responded, kissing his twitching nose. Rocky closed his eyes and sighed happily.

"How?" he asked.

"On my way out of the city, I met you, Wocky. You remember the dire straits you were in. You were scared, alone, cold, and terribly thin. You didn't even have a shelter, you just slept in an abandoned corner of a dark, depressing ally. I couldn't leave you there, not in good conscience. And you reminded me of...me. I could see myself in your very situation a few months ago."
"So that's why you helped me?" Rocky asked. Zuma nodded.
"Yes, Wocky. But I never intended to stay. The plan was to bring you to Ryder, and let him figure everything out. I didn't believe that he would turn you away, so I felt pretty good about myself. But, if I remember correctly, you refused to come near him. I guess I know why now…" Zuma mumbled.

"Yeah, had a fear of humans for a while after that. I refused to come with you, and I thought that was it. But no, every day you brought me food. And every night you slept beside me. You constantly attended me throughout the day, showing me around the neighborhood. At first, I was annoyed, but you seemed nice enough. Rock said, continuing the story. "It seemed like you made it your personal mission to become my best friend.

"That's because I did," Zuma said. "I liked you immensely. Even though you didn't say anything, I could tell you had a kind heart. It made me happy every day to wake up and see you, and even time you smiled I felt like I had accomplished something great. I realized that the thing that made me happiest was helping others. And you were a great start. That's why I love the Paw Patrol so much. Every day, we help others, and it gives me a sense of purpose. So, yeah. You are the reason I didn't leave. You are the reason I stayed, the reason I found purpose." Zuma stopped for a moment, his snout coming close to Rocky's.

"The reason I fell in love," he whispered, breathing hot air over Rocky's face. Rocky whimpered and pawed at the ground.
"You shouldn't have to do that again, Zuma! You have a family who loves you!" Rocky whined." You shouldn't have to make such a sacrifice. You love them, Zuma. You have everything you could ever want." Zuma bent his head farther, and caught Rocky in a heated, passionate kiss. Rocky moaned softly, and Zuma pulled away to speak to him.
"I don't care, Wocky. I may have listened to you at one point, but not anymore. It doesn't matter how much I have, if you aren't there to enjoy them with me. I do love my friends and my owner." Zuma stopped, and looked his dead in the eye.

"But I love you so much more," he whispered.

"That much? You love me enough to completely throw away your life and start a new one...with me?" Rocky murmured. Zuma nodded, kissing him again.
"Every time we are together, I only feel my love for your growing stronger and stronger. No matter how upset I may be with you, even if I need a break from you, that will never change. You are as much a part of me as I am of you. You hold a part of my heart in yours, and me likewise."
"But I'm not worth that much, am I?" Rocky asked, ears springing up. No one had ever told him he was...worth something. In fact, everyone, (except his friends), told him the exact opposite. He knew Zuma loved him dearly, but the extent to which it reached he never knew till now.

"Oh, Wocky. You just don't know how much you are worth. You weally wanna know?" Zuma asked. Rocky nodded his head. "Youw more valuable to me than anything or anyone. Youw simply priceless. That's why I'm so happy you are mine. And I'll never sell your love for anything, because that is all that matters to me." Zuma placed his paws around his neck. "I love you, Wocky. With all my heawt." Zuma rarely revealed the innermost, deepest secrets of his heart, but tonight, he did. Suddenly, Rocky began to cry, putting his paws over his eyes. Zuma's ears shot up.
"No, no, don't cry. Was it something I said? If I did something, I'm sorry!" Zuma said frantically. Rocky's slightly damp paws left his face and wrapped around Zuma, and he buried his head in Zuma's chest. Zuma didn't know what was going on, but he wasn't upset that Rocky was holding him. Rocky took a deep breath, filling his nostrils with Zuma's scent. After a while, Rocky was able to get himself under control, and he smiled weakly at Zuma.

"Wocky, I'm…" Rocky put a paw on his lips.

"That was beautiful, Zuma. No one has ever told me that I was worth something to them. No one has loved me the way you do. No one has listened to my problems, and continually been there for me. I'm sure I don't deserve you, but I'm glad you feel I do. Sometimes I feel selfish for always falling apart, leaving you to put back together with the pieces. You care about me. Me, Zuma. Why would anyone ever care about me? But I'm worth something to you. And if you are the only person who ever thinks I'm worth anything, then I can live with that just fine. Just promise me three things, Zuma." Rocky said.

"Anything, Wocky," Zuma replied. "I'd do anything for you. I'd give you the moon if you wanted it."

"Promise me you won't leave me. Promise me you will never stop loving me. Promise me you will not fall in love with anypup else. Will you promise me, Zuma?" Rocky requested.

"Will you promise me the same?" Zuma answered his question with a question. Rocky nodded.

"I'll do better than promise you, Wocky," Zuma said. He lifted a paw and unsheathed his sharp claws. He drew them across his right paw pad in a quick, cutting motion, causing a long tear to appear. Zuma didn't even cry out as blood began to trickle from his paw.
"Hold out your paw," he commanded.
"Zuma?" Rocky asked, confuzzled.

"Do you trust me?" Zuma asked. Rocky closed his eyes and nodded, holding out his right paw. Zuma slashed his paw as well, causing Rocky to wince in pain. Rocky opened his eyes as Zuma pressed their two injured paws together and the light bulb came one. He's making a blood promise to me… Rocky thought happily.

"I swear on all that is good and wight, on evewything and evewyone that I love. I swear by my vewy life that I will never leave you, I will always love you, and I will never fall in love with another as long as my days shall be." he finished, crossing himself. Tears threatened again in Rocky's eyes at the pure, simple sincerity in his voice. He could tell that Zuma was serious, that his words of passion and devotion were fueled by his extreme liking for him and his even stronger love. No longer able to keep back the tears, Rocky took his other paw and wiping them away from his face.

"You really meant that…" Rocky said, more of a statement than a question.

"Let me be struck dead the day I break my promise," Zuma confirmed.

"Then I swear as well on all that is good and right, on everything and everyone that I love. I swear by my very life that I will never leave you, always love you, and never fall in love with another as long as my days shall be. Let God himself strike me dead the day I break my promise." Rocky promised, crossing himself.

Rocky's tail began to wag as they finished their ceremony. Zuma yipped happily and knocked him over, laying down on his chest. He licked all of Rocky's tears away and licked at his ears, knowing how much Rocky liked that. Rocky's tail speed increased and he began to pant.

"Z..Z...Zuma…" he mumbled. "I love you." Zuma bit down on the at the base, and felt Rocky's wiggling up under him in pleasure.

"Why do you forever wanna eat my ears?" Rocky asked him.
"Because you look cute when you squirm, and you like it," Zuma responded. He bent his head and kissed Rocky's neck lightly, causing the eco-pup to growl.

"I don't deserve you…" Rocky said, blushing hard.

"Has that ever stopped me?"Zuma asked, smirking at him.

"You can be a real pain in the tail, Zuma," Rocky said dryly.

"You still love me, though," Zuma told him.

"Yes. Yes, I do." Rocky said. Zuma's paws pulled him onto his chest, and Zuma looked up at him.

"Metting you was the best this that ever happened to me," he said. "I'd go through everything all over again for you. Even if I could only be with you for today, it would still be worth it."
"Well, you don't have to worry about that. You can enjoy me every day if you so desire."

"I do desire, Wocky. I desire you." Zuma's paw mischievously slid up and down Rocky's inner haunches, teasing the gray pup, causing him to squirm some more. Rocky's tongue hung out as he panted and kicked at the ground. Zuma came temptingly close, enjoying Rocky's obvious discomfort.

"Zuma...stop…" he murmured. "We can't...not now…" he said painfully. He wanted Zuma badly, but their current circumstances wouldn't allow him to indulge in his sexual desires.

"But I want you now…" Zuma murmured lustfully, breathing in his lover's scent.

"Not now," Rocky said, shaking his head. "Not tonight. Maybe later when we are alone, and we can be as touchy as we wanna be. We wouldn't want someone to wake up, now, would we?" Zuma nodded his head kissing Rocky again. How Rocky could never get tired of them. Rocky and Zuma's tongue fought each other playfully as Rocky felt his pelt burning. Zuma broke away from him and laid down, causing Rocky to yelp in dismay.

"Come 'ere, you silly pup. We should get some west, okay?" Rocky launched himself into Zuma's open forelegs, wiggling and squirming until their chests touched. He buried his head in his neck.

"I love you….." he murmured. Zuma wrapped his paws around him, and he felt warm and safe in his embrace.
"And I love you, Wocky. You mean everything to me…" Zuma replied, equally soft. And just like that, the doors which had been locked for years burst open. Rocky siphoned as much of his power into his amulet as he could so that he could cry without having all of Nature cry with him. Finally, Zuma's words of love and care and self-assurance broke through, and Rocky fell apart in his arms as he accepted his fate. Zuma held him close, letting him cry it all out. For each memory came an emotion, and Rocky bravely faced each. Sadness, anger, pain, regret, self-denial, self-abortion, worthlessness, Rocky felt them all. And for each memory, he accepted what had happened. He made peace with it. And he didn't look back. See, all those emotions stemmed from Rocky's belief that he was worthless. Since Zuma cut that down from the root, everything else fell apart as well. After his moment of tears and anguish, Rocky felt lighter. Like a weight he had been caring for years had fallen off his back. His mind was clear, now. No more memories haunted him. His only thoughts were off Zuma, and his love for him. At that moment, Rocky knew his nightmares and his days of insomnia were over. Gone. Forever. Only one memory of his past remained. His thirst for revenge. Bad Rocky! Bad! Rocky shouted at himself. Don't become like him. Don't seek revenge. The fire smoldered, but Rocky knew it was still there.

"Thank, you Zuma. For everything." Rocky said, after he had no more tears to cry. For the second time that day, Zuma licked his last tears from his eyes. "Oh, god…" Rocky said, embarrassed. "You are probably getting really tired of my crying, aren't you?" Zuma shook his head.

"No. You had a lot of emotions and a lot of feelings trapped inside you that you needed to let go of. Crying is therapeutic for you." Zuma said. Rocky had never felt better. The past is the past, it's over. Nothing can ever be changed about it. And that is what Rocky's accepted. You must use the past, but don't let the past use you. Don't get caught in the downward spiral that is regret; always look forward.
Rocky pressed himself into his lover, content.

"I love you…" he murmured again, falling asleep.

Finally, at long last, he had broken the shackles and destroyed the chains that bound him to his past. And it was all because of Zuma.

Whoa. A bit of an emotional ending there. Rocky thought he was safe, but he wasn't. Luckily, his powers kicked in just time, giving him a vision of the future if he didn't change the past. Rocky's mind was kicked into high gear as he came up with a plan that eventually stopped a train and everyone from losing their lives. Someone deliberately blew up the train tracks, and Rocky has his suspicions… I know the different POV seemed like they happened one after another, but they actually happened right about the same time.

A seemingly harmless question from Zuma reveals a lot of information about Rocky. Feeling less than useful, Rocky decided to learn as much as he could about seemingly random things, trying to make himself feel more helpful. Eventually, he let go of his fear of being kicked out, but he still had some of that a little bit of his fear of not being useful still stuck with him. Zuma expresses his concern for his furry friend. He notices Rocky's total and complete lack of self-esteem, and he doesn't like that. He doesn't know why Rocky cries in the nights, or what is truly going on with him. Rocky reveals that he doesn't want to accept what happened to him, which is why he can't move on. Zuma admonishes Rocky to do so, saying that he will kill himself (mentally) if he doesn't move on. Realizing that he has told Zuma so much about him, Rocky wants to know about him (Zuma). Zuma's less tragic, (or more tragic, depending on how you see it) story is revealed. He was born into a financially very well off family, who cared about others. But it was not to last. At Zuma's pleading, the family went to take a trip to Hawaii. Not long after leaving the house, they were caught in a terrible car accident, killing everyone but Zuma, who miraculously survived. Zuma, not wanting to risk his life by going to the pound, escaped the hospital, much like Rocky. Zuma was only six months old at this time, and spent the majority of his life on the streets. He was found by Marshall and subsequently was given a home with the Paw Patrol. Felling restless, and purposeless, Zuma decided to leave, to find a purpose for his life. He met Rocky, who having been traumatized by Jason, refused to go near Ryder. Zuma made it his personal mission to help Rocky. After doing so, and gaining his trust enough, Rocky went to live with him. Having found his purpose in life, Zuma decided to stay and help others, and eventually, the Paw Patrol was formed. Rocky, distressed, don't want Zuma to leave the place he loves, and the job he loves, just for him, saying, he's not worth it. Zuma proceeds to make his love for Rocky plain, making the gray pup cry over the sincerity. Rocky makes him promise three things, to never leave him, to always love him, and to never love another. Zuma swears to do these things, sealing the promise with his own blood, with Rocky returning the promise. Having had his feelings of worthlessness assuaged, Rocky lets go of his poisonous feelings, with Zuma there to comfort him the entire time. Rocky no longer has any fear of the past, having let it all go. But he still struggles with one thing. Revenge. He still wants to get back at Jason for his actions. He doesn't want to feel that way, but it is slowly consuming his mind. Hmmm…. What comes around goes around, and I have a feeling that Jason hasn't escaped. No, I don't think so...

Well, this ends Part 1 of this story. The first chapter of Part 2 will be coming out in March. I need some time to update other stories and such. I thank everyone for their reviews. Each one is special to me, and I read every one. Special thanks to bsassan0378 for inspiring the closing chapters.

Welp, that's all for now. Peace out.

~LightningPelt12