Skye couldn't do anything but lie there and cry. All of her strength was gone and now with the sight of Marshall's burnt pup tag in front of her, she had given up. The citizens of Adventure Bay watched as the remains of city hall burned to the ground and as Ryder and the remaining members of the PAW Patrol mourned the loss of Marshall. The crowd eventually faded away, leaving Ryder and the others to their thoughts.
"There is no way Marshall is gone" Zuma sobbed. "He's tougher than that, right guys?"
Zuma was left with no answer other than the cries and sobs of his friends.
"Guys?" Zuma started. "We have to do something, he still could be alive?"
Chase then slowly got to his feet and walked over to Zuma. Zuma noticed how bloodshot Chase's eyes were.
"Zuma," Chase started, "There is no way anyone could survive that, look at the truck the paint is completely burnt all around it.
Zuma turned his head and looked at the remains of Marshall's truck. Besides the wall crushing it, the paint had been burned all around it revealing the metal body.
"B...But Chase." Zuma stuttered. "It's Marshall he's stil…"
"Zuma!" Chase said coldly cutting the labrador off. "He's gone… we failed him…."
"No, you're WRONG Chase!" Snapped Zuma. "If you won't help me Skye will."
Zuma then walked around looking for Skye, he eventually found her lying in the grass in front of the destroyed building.
Skye had her head buried into her paws crying softly to herself when Zuma walked up
"Skye, you'll help me right?" Zuma started still walking up to the cockapoo. "Come on I know Marshall is still alive, we just have to get him out."
"Zuma, he's not coming out alive, he's dead," Skye replied with her head still in her paws.
"You too huh?" Spat Zuma, "Where is your sense of hope?"
Skye did not verbally answer that question, she instead lifted her head up and pointed to Marshall's burnt pup tag lying in front of both of them. Zuma noticed it and looked at it confused.
"Skye, whe...where did you find this?" Zuma asked starting to cry again.
"That last explosion threw it," Skye started trying not to lose it. "That's where it landed Zuma, there is no way he sur-."
Skye was cut off by Zuma now crying and screaming to the high heavens wanting an answer as to why their friend was taken from them, but the only response he got was from Rocky who had joined them.
"Skye, Zuma," Rocky squeaked. "Let's go back to the Lookout with the others."
"Al… alright" Skye said wiping her cheek.
"Mmhmm." Replied Zuma unable to speak.
The trio caught up with Ryder, Rubble, and Chase as they slowly walked back to the Lookout. No words were exchanged until they got back.
"Pu-pups." Whispered Ryder. "If you want, you can sleep in my room tonight."
Ryder didn't get an answer, instead, he got the smiles from five happy pups waiting for him in the elevator. That night, the PAW Patrol cried themselves to sleep, with Ryder being the exception. Lying there, tossing and turning, no matter what he thought of, he could not get the image of his head. Marshall standing in the doorway, smiling at Chase and himself. Eventually, Ryder fell asleep joining the other pups in their hellish nightmares. It wasn't long until morning had arrived. Chase was the first one up naturally, he looked around the room and noticed that Rubble, Marshall, and Rocky were missing.
"Huh, that's odd," Chase whispered to himself. "I wonder where those guys went."
Chase not wanting to wake the others, carefully left Ryder's room and went downstairs.
"Ah, what a lovely day," Chase said to himself. "This day is going to be better than that horrid dream I had last night." (Chase shivers on the thought of his dream) "Anyway, I wonder where they are."
Chase then walks outside to see Rubble and Rocky lying down where Marshall's pup house should be. This made Chase's blood run cold, he needed answers now.
"Rocky! Rubble!" Chase yelled while running up to them. "Where's Marshall?"
Chase got no response from the two pups except for a few groans.
"GUYS!" Chase snapped. "WHERE IS MARSHALL!"
Chase yelled loud enough that it not only woke Rocky and Rubble but the others as well.
"Don't you remember?" Rocky shakily said.
"Mar… Mar..." Stuttered Rubble before breaking down into tears.
"No, no I don't." Replied Chase. Rubble? Mar? Marshall?"
As soon as Chase said Marshall's name, it finally clicked that he was not dreaming. The events of last night had actually happened, Marshall was GONE."
"Wait, you two are telling me… it… wasn't… a… dr… dr… dream?" Chase said starting to cry
Both Rocky and Rubble unable to speak, shake their heads no. It was now Chase's turn to completely lose it. The usually well-composed, collected german shepherd was gone. Chase curled up in a ball tears pouring from his eyes, repeating himself over and over.
"It wasn't a dream! It wasn't a dream! It wasn't a dream! It wasn't a dream! I want it to be a dream!"
"We all want it to be a dream, Chase." Sniffled Rocky. "But unfortunately it isn't…"
Before any of them could anything else, they saw a car driving over the bridge heading for the Lookout.
"Chase, here comes a car," Rocky said wiping his eyes.
"I wonder who it could be?" Chase mumbled through his fur.
Chase uncurled from his ball just in time to see that it was Mayor Goodway, who was really happy for some reason unknown to them.
"Pups! Pups!" Mayor Goodway said excitedly. "Where...Wheres Ryder?"
"Right here Mayor Goodway." Replied Ryder walking out of the Lookout with Skye and Zuma in tow. "What's up?"
"Ryder you won't believe this, Marshall is alive!" Mayor Goodway said hysterically.
"I know you're trying to cheer us up Mayor Goodway…" Ryder started. "but there is no way…"
Ryder was cut off by the Mayor kneeling down and looking him right in the eyes and saying,
"Ryder, people that have started to clean up the mess are saying they can hear whimpers from inside the rubble. Marshall is ALIVE!"
The last word the Mayor said got everyone's attention, even Chase.
"Then what are we waiting for?" Ryder said happily. PAW Patrol to the lookout!"
"Ryder needs us!" Chanted the pups.
The pups get their gear on and head to the top of the Lookout, presenting themselves as usual.
"PAW Patrol ready for action Ryder sir!" Said Chase.
"Alright pups," Ryder began. "we have people saying that Marshall is still alive in the remains of city hall. Chase, I need you to use your police car to set up a working perimeter to keep people a safe distance away."
"Chase is on the case!" Replied Chase happily.
"Skye, we'll need your helicopter to help keep an eye in the sky for Marshall, along with lifting the heavier remains."
"Yip yip, this pup's gotta fly!" Yipped Skye.
"Rocky, I need you to use Rubble's dozer to help clear the debris."
"Green means… wait, I use Rubble's truck? Why me?"
"Just trust me Rocky, I need Rubble for something else. Zuma, think you could use the Water Cannon Cart that is still at city hall to put out any hot spots?"
"You bet dude!"
"Alright, PAW Patrol is on a roll. Rubble and I will meet you guys there."
"Right!" Replied the pups.
The pups raced to city hall, eager to start the search for their friend. Rocky helped Chase get a perimeter set up like Ryder asked. They no sooner got done when they heard two big vehicles coming. They watched in awe as Ryder approached in a big yellow dump truck and Rubble in an excavator.
"Alright, pups let's get to work." Said Ryder.
Ryder and the pups worked harder than they ever had before. Slowly they started clearing the remains of city hall. It wasn't long after they started that Everest, Jake, Tracker, and Carlos had joined the search. They worked slowly, making sure not to crush anyone that might be below the debris. Before long it was lunchtime, Ryder had called Katie and asked if she could bring the pups some lunch, naturally, she agreed.
"Wow, all this work is making me hungry." Rubble said after his stomach growling loudly.
"Hehe." Ryder chuckled. "Same here."
Everest and Tracker were walking over to meet the others when Tracker stopped dead in his tracks.
"What is it Tracker?" asked Everest.
"Shhhhhh!" Tracker replied. "I hear something."
"Help! I'm down here!" A barely audible voice said.
"I FOUND HIM!" Tracker yelled excitedly.
This caused the others to run over to where Tracker and Everest were standing.
"You found him?" Carlos asked.
"Si Carlos." Replied Tracker. "Listen."
The group listened closely and sure enough under all of the debris, faint cries for help could be heard. The group agreed lunch could wait and went right back to digging where the cries were coming from. After what felt like an eternity, Marshall was pulled from the rubble. He was badly burned, dirty from all the ash, unconscious but breathing.
"We need to get him to my place!" Cried, Katie.
"Right!" Replied Ryder. "Chase, think you can give her an escort back?"
"On it Ryder sir!" Barked Chase.
Chase, Marshall, and Katie soon disappeared off into the distance.
"I, I hope he will be okay." Skye said starting to whimper.
"We all do Skye." Ryder said in an assuring tone. "But right now we have a job to finish. We will go see Marshall when we are done."
"Al-alright." Replied Skye.
The group worked all afternoon and into the evening, the sun was starting to set right as the group had finished.
"Whew!" Huffed Rubble. "That was quite the construction project."
"No kidding." Skye said as she fell over on her back.
"I think you guys did an excellent job," Ryder said in a tired voice. "I think we all deserve a treat."
Before Ryder could say what he had in mind his pup pad received an incoming call. A call from Katie. Ryder promptly answered it.
"Hey Katie, what's up?" Asked Ryder.
"Ryder, Ryder it's bad, Ma… Marshall… he… he…" Katie cried. "Just, come over here now."
"I'll be over Katie." Replied Ryder.
"Is everything alwight?" Asked Zuma.
Ryder's expression said a thousand words. The smile Ryder had a moment ago was gone. He now had his eyes tightly screwed shut, tears flowing down his face. He finally got himself together enough to say,
"It was Katie," Ryder said wiping his face. "She said it's bad… and we need to get over there now."
Before anyone of the group could react, Ryder collapsed to the ground.