AN: So, due to some personal things I want to take care of, I'm going to make this my last Paw Patrol update for the month. Don't worry, I'll be back with a new Partners Under Fire starting in June. Might work on it during Memorial Day Vacation and go from there. But before I stopped for the month, I'm going to give you guys an update on Monkey's Paw. It's not a long chapter, but it's to let you know that I've not given up on the story.

Disclaimer: I do not own Paw Patrol

Mourning took time to recover from, but even after a month it still fresh as the day they buried Marshall in the ground. Paw Patrol seemed to have lost the energy and fun it once had when they were a united team of pups, running around playing and having fun as a family. Without Marshall, it just felt… incomplete. There were no more wipeouts when heading the elevator. No more accidents or clumsy messes. No bad jokes that still let out a chuckle. Even just staring at Marshall's empty house just seemed too much to look at before letting a tear out.

Still, they did slowly recover. They smiled here and there, played a bit, and even did rescues without Marshall around. It still felt wrong, but they hoped in time things would get better. Only one pup didn't seem to think this and that was Skye. Since Marshall's death, she hadn't smiled, flipped, or done anything but mourn. She would sit in her house alone, or stare at the sea at night. There were regular trips to Marshall's grave and during missions she was often quiet unless needing to address something. It made everyone worry for her, but all she asked was space.

Chase, however, didn't listen to this. Every day he tried his hardest to make Skye smile again. He was always by her side, trying to talk to her and sometimes she responded. He gave her extra treats, did favors, and even took care of her when she was sick one time. Everyone thought he was doing it out of respect for Marshall since Skye was his girlfriend before he died. Part of it was that, but the truth was Chase just felt guilty.

It was his fault that Marshall was dead. His wish to seem them break up due to his own jealously had torn Skye's heart by taking the pup she loved away from her. Her misery, and everyone's for that matter, was on him.

Today, Skye had shown interest in a movie and Chase bought the tickets and food for them to share. He suggested the others come too, but they weren't interested in a romance flick. Throughout the film, Chase saw Skye in full attention, most likely imagining herself and Marshall as the couple who struggle through hardship and deceit to have their happy ending. At the end he heard her whisper, "Why couldn't we have had that, Marshall?"

They walked home in silence until Chase they got home late. Skye thanked Chase for his generosity before leaving him to head to her house. Chase just sighed and walked to his own pup house, head low in defeat. Waiting for him was none other then Rocky, who looked at Chase with pity. "I take it didn't help?"

"No," answered Chase as he stood up. "If anything, she seemed to ache for him more."

"Ryder's been thinking about getting her counciling," replied Rocky.

"She'll refuse," replied Chase, shaking her head. "I've tried to get her to talk about it. We all have. If she won't open for us, what makes you think she'll open up to a stranger?"

"Well, she's got to move on!" shouted Rocky, stomping his paw. "I miss Marshall too! Hell, I'd give anything to have him spray me with water one more time, but we can't keep mourning like this!"

"Will we ever be over it?" asked Chase, closing his eyes. "Zuma still gets nightmares. Rubble still sleeping at Ryder's beside. Even Ryder stares at Marshall's photo at night when he thinks nobody is looking" He looked at his own paw. The paw that held that Monkey's Paw that murdered his best friend. "I can't stop wonder what if's… and Skye looks half a second ready to break or rage against the heavens." He looked at Rocky and tilted his head. "How are you able to get over this so quickly?"

"Because if nobody does then we're never going to be happy again," whispered Rocky, shaking his head. "Look, nothing can't bring Marshall back. We all know this, but do you really think he would want us to be miserable like this? I'm trying the best I can to help the others, but you've only focused on Skye? Why not Zuma and Rubble? They look up to you as their big brother. Ryder's your owner so you have responsibility to help him too." He then narrowed his eyes. "Chase… if you're focusing on her because of your feelings…"

Chase's eyes widened. "Wait, you knew?"

"Of course I knew," replied Rocky, rolling his eyes. "I'm surprised nobody else saw it. It didn't really click until I saw how jealous you looked at Marshall when he was dating Skye. I didn't say anything because I respected your privacy, but if you're focusing on her to win you over because Marshall is gone-"

"No! Don't you dare accuse me of that!" shouted Chase, growling as he made Rocky back away in fear. Realizing he was scaring him, he paused and just sighed. "You're right. I did… have feelings for Skye, but I realize that she'll never love me… and I'm okay with that now." He looked at Rocky with tears in his eyes. "I could have prevented all of this from happening… Marshall could be alive now if it wasn't for my… mistake…"

"Chase, you tried to save him," whispered Rocky, mournfully. "None of us blame you."

"Except for myself," muttered Chase. "I just want to make her happy again, Rocky. If I can make her smile again, then maybe I can do right by Marshall. That's all I want to do."

Rocky looked at Chase for a long time before nodding. "Okay, Chase. I understand. Just promise me you won't forget the others too?"

Chase nodded as he and Rocky shared a quick hug before Rocky made his way in the opposite direction. However, he paused and looked at Chase for a second, "Chase, what if you can't make her happy again?"

Chase didn't answer, he just walked into his pup house and stared at a monkey's paw that still lay in the corner. He stared at it for a long time with his mouth wide open. H-how did it... what?!

He threw it into the ocean. He threw it as far as he could throw it, but... here it was... standing right before him. He shook his head, growling. He was really starting to hate this magical... cursed... thing. He grabed it and burying it in the backyard again. He wasn't going to think about it, hell he wasn't even going to look at it or use it ever again.

That was a promise.

All the pups woke up to it in the morning. It was soft at first, but then it grew louder and louder until everyone in the Lookout could hear it. Getting up, the four boys walked over to the front door where they saw something that made them freeze with their eye wide open. They had seen Skye angry before and it was never pretty. One time, she got so angry at a prank Zuma and Marshall did that she peed in their water bowls and forced them to drink it.

Yet this wasn't just anger they were seeing, but full on ballistic rage. All directed at Ryder, of all people, who looked just as upset. The four of them looked at each other with dropped jaw expressions. None of them had ever yelled at Ryder before. Not once. They sometimes felt upset on something, but they were always respectful. However, this time Skye wasn't holding back and her insults and cursing at Ryder were at a maximum volume. Some of the words made the older ones like Chase and Rocky gulp while the younger ones were too confused about what was going on.

Finally, Skye stomped out of the door, but turned around and scream at Ryder. "AND IF YOU DO IT, RYDER, I'LL FUCKING QUIT! YOU CAN KISS MY ASS GOODBYE 'CAUSE I WILL LEAVE! I FUCKING MEAN IT!"

She glared at the four of them and shouted, "Get the fuck out of my way!"

They did as they were told as let her stomp off. The four of them were left there, stunned, as they slowly turned to Ryder who just shook his head and sighed. He walked over and looked at the four, knowing they wanted answers. "Skye… need some space."

"What the heck was that about?!" shouted Zuma in both disgust and awe. "Why did she yell at you like that, Wyder?!"

"Yeah, she was acting like a complete butt!" shouted Rubble, frowning. "She's normally so nice… what happened?"

Ryder sighed and rubbed his forehead. "I was going to tell you a week from now… but I guess I can't keep it any longer." He took a deep breath and said something that made all the pups freeze. "I'm thinking of getting a new firepup."

"… you… you're replacing Marshall?" asked Chase, muttering the words yet feeling his heart slowly break. In highensight, he should have seen this coming. They needed a firepup. They couldn't keep doing Marshall's job forever. Ye, if they got a new pup… it would really mean that Marshall was gone. Someone new would take his place. Live in his home and live with them.

Suddenly, Skye's anger all seemed to make sense.

"I'm not replacing, Marshall," replied Ryder as he hugged his four whimpering pals. "Marshall will always be a part of our family, even if he isn't here. But we need to be at our full strength for the town and anybody who needs our help. Skye found out from the papers on various dogs I've looked into who might be able to fill the position and… she wasn't happy."

"I can't really blame her," replied Rubble, looking down. "I don't… want… I don't want him to be replaced either…" He closed his eyes and nodded. "But I understand we have too."

Ryder gave a sad smile. "Look, we're still a team. I won't do this without you, but we need to do this. Maybe it might help us move on, and it would give you pups a new playmate." He stood up and rubbed the back of his head. "I'll go make breakfast. I'll talk to Skye later when she's calmed down. Please, give her some space guys."

The pups just stood there as Ryder left. Silent as they tried to process what they had just learned. "It's weally happening, huh?" asked Zuma, getting their attention as tears dripped down his face yet he still held a smile. "Marshall's gone. He's not coming back. We're going to live the rest of our lives without him." He wiped the tears, but they kept coming. "We're going to get a new pup… a new fire pup… I…" He just walked away, sobbing as he did. Rubble and Rocky didn't' say anything but they followed him. Chase, however, went the other way towards where Skye was.

She was crying again, but this time her face was red with anger as she stared at Chase who walked over, nervously. "What do you want?"

"I just… Skye, look… I…"

"Oh, will you just leave me alone, Chase!" shouted Skye, getting up in his face. He backed up a bit as she continued, "You think you can just make this better?! Well, you can't! Marshall is dead! Gone forever! And Ryder's going to replace him with some new pup who will never replace him in my eyes! I mean it, Chase! I will leave! I'll just go somewhere, and I don't care where! I wish he never died! I wish…" She growled and glared at him. "I wish the snake bit you instead of him. I wish you were dead instead!"

She turned away, heading into her pup house, as Chase stood there in silence. After what seemed like a full ten minutes, Chase made his way back to where he buried the paw. He dug it up and walked back to his puphouse, holding the thing. He knew this was wrong. It brought nothing but trouble... but maybe just one more try? Taking it in his paws, he muttered, "I wish Skye was happy again."

And the third finger folded.