CHAPTER 8: WELCOME HOME
A / N: Thank you guys for everything. I know I say this every time but it's the least I can do. In this chapter will Chase come home? Read it to find out.
The trip in limousine lasted about an hour. Meredith spoke on the phone all the time for business matters. Scarlet was sitting on one side of the sofa, reading a fashion magazine.
Chase was sitting on the other side and for the whole trip looked out the window. The landscape didn't care to him, he was just thinking. What would he say to Marshall? Ryder would accept that her police pup was gay? And the other pups what would they think? But above all, Marshall felt the same for him?
Chase dropped his ears and sighed. Scarlet noticed this sudden change of mood and approached him
"Hey, you all right?" she asked.
"I was just thinking. And if Marshall doesn't feel the same for me? And if he doesn't want me as a friend? I mean... I don't want to lose him... not again" said Chase, closing his eyes.
Scarlet put a paw on his shoulder "I want to be honest with you. The possibility exists that he doesn't feel the same for you, but that doesn't mean he will not be your friend anymore. Yours is a relationship that will never be broken. Trust me" said Scarlet, smiling.
Chase looked at her "Thanks, you're a true friend"
After arriving at the airport the group headed for one of the garages where there was the private jet. George sat in the pilot's cabin, Meredith, Scarlet and Chase were in the passenger area.
"Well George, the closest airport to Adventure Bay is to Foggy Bottom, bring them there" said Meredith.
"Yes Miss, we will arrive to Foggy Bottom in 4 hours" George burning engines and the plane began to fly.
"So, are you ready to go home?" asked Meredith.
"Absolutely. I can't wait to see Ryder and my friends" said Chase wagging his tail.
"Pups, I made some cookies for you" said Ryder.
The pups came running in the lookout.
"They look delicious" said Zuma, licking his lips.
"Where is Marshall?" asked Ryder.
"He said he doesn't want to eat. You know, he is still shocked by what happened yesterday" said Skye.
Ryder sighed "I'm not surprised"
Marshall was in his puphouse, he watching the wall blankly. What it had happened the day before had very scared him, for a moment he thought the pup dead was Chase and in that split second the world had collapsed on him. For those few but endless seconds Marshall thought he had lost the most precious thing he owned in the world.
Fortunately that pup wasn't Chase, but the fear was great, and Marshall couldn't ignore it. It was now past 5 days and no one had seen Chase. The police teams sifting the lake, the nearby mountains and forests. Ryder had gone in person in nearby towns to ask if someone had seen Chase, but no one knew anything. Mayor Goodway had offered a reward to anyone who had some news to Chase, but no one spoke. No one knew where he was.
"Why all this had to happen?" Marshall sighed "Probably I had a crush on him since I met him, but I didn't know. Why I realized my feelings just now? Maybe you know the love you feel for someone when you lose it"
At that moment someone knocked on the door of the puphouse.
"Marshall, is all the day that you're locked there" was Ryder's voice.
"I don't want to stand out, I don't want to play with others, I don't want to eat, I don't want to sleep... because every second that I do one of these things I remember that Chase is not here with me" said Marshall as a tear ran down his cheek.
Ryder sighed, not even he knew what to say in this situation, so he decided to say the only thing that occurred to him
"Where is my happy pup? Where is the Dalmatian running in the garden always with a smile? Where is the pup who loves life?" asked Ryder
"He is here, alone. You can't ask me to be happy at a time like this" said Marshall.
"Maybe you can't do it for me, but at least do it for Chase"
Marshall perked up
"When he will come home the first thing he will want to see is your smile, and this you know. Please Marshall, get out of your puphouse"
Marshall was silent for a minute, then he opened the door. Marshall's expression was almost absent, Ryder could see that his cheeks were wet.
"Sorry, I go for a walk" said Marshall heading for the forest.
Ryder watched him and sighed "Chase, where are you? Marshall needs you"
Chase was looking out the airplane window. He could see the fluffy white clouds around them, could see the setting sun after his long journey, he could see the ground beneath him, and large and small towns, that snaked like rivers in the valleys. The beauty of seeing the world from above was unmatched, he can see with this own eyes the works of nature.
"It's nice isn't it?" asked Scarlet.
Chase looked at her "Yes, it's an incredible experience"
Chase looked back through the window and saw two small lakes, next to each other, the water was as blue as the sky.
He smiled "Those two lakes remind me Marshall's eyes. When Marshall is happy his eyes sparkle, as if it were enclosed a ray of sunshine"
Scarlet smiled at hearing these words
"I could spend hours staring at those beautiful eyes"
"Wow, you're really in love with him huh?" said Scarlet.
"Yeah ... I wonder why I accepted it only now. I mean, deep down in my heart I knew that Marshall was special for me, more than a friend, more than a brother. I spent the last 3 years fantasizing about a possible relationship with Skye... when the pup that was looking for and what I wanted was always beside me"
"Love is more complicated than you think" said Scarlet.
"I noticed"
"But the important thing is that you are accepted for who you are and this is an excellent result"
Chase sighed "I hope that Marshall will accept me for who I am"
"Don't worry, whatever happens he will always be your brother, a relationship like yours is indissoluble" said Scarlet.
"I know, but ..." Chase was interrupted
"God, you are so boring, stop worrying for nothing, you two always were more than brothers and you know it. Now sit back and enjoy the view" said Scarlet, rolling her eyes
"I love your honesty" said Chase, shaking his head.
"Well, count yourself lucky, I can be much more susceptible at times"
After 4 hours of flight, the jet landed at Foggy Bottom. Meredith and George got out first, followed by Chase and Scarlet.
"Well George, our car is ready?" asked Meredith.
"It should arrive in 3 ... 2 ... 1 ..."
At that moment came a blue limousine
"But how many cars has Meredith?" asked Chase.
"Actually she has an entire factory of limousine" said Scarlet.
"A factory?" asked Chase.
"Sure. And a fashion company, and a company specializing in the computers sector, a few dozen homes in the United States and well... I will not bore you with the details" said Scarlet
Chase was completely surprised
"Don't make that face, you look like a dog that lost his bone. Apparently you don't have realized how rich is Meredith" said Scarlet.
"No, absolutely not" said Chase.
The group got into the limousine. "Well George, take us to the port of the city" said Meredith
"Yes Miss"
"What? Why are we going to the port? Adventure Bay is on the other side" asked Chase.
"You'll find out very soon" answered Scarlet.
After 20 minutes they arrived at the port. When Chase got out he was speechless, literally. Berthed there was a huge white yacht. It was 30 meters long and had three floors, there was a pool on the stern and on the bow side there was the name: Queen's Sea.
"W-what is this?" asked Chase in disbelief
"What is this? Only one of my toys" said Meredith.
"But ... why are we here?" asked Chase confused.
Scarlet started to laugh "You know, there's one thing that billionaires as us love to do"
Chase looked at her
"The presentation with style" said Scarlet.
Ryder was in the garden of the lookout, soon would be dark and Marshall had not returned.
"Poor Marshall" said Skye.
"Ryder, what can we do to help?" asked Rocky
"Honestly I don't know. We can only hope that Chase come home soon"
Suddenly they heard a strange sound, looked like the sound of a horn, but was much stronger.
"What was that?" asked Zuma.
"Look!" said Rubble pointing to the bay.
Everyone looked at the sea, at Adventure Bay was approaching a large yacht, had every light on, on the sides of the boat were two speakers from which came a very catchy pop music genre, while at the bow and stern there were laser lights of different colors that illuminated the sky.
"Look at that boat" said Skye.
When the yacht passed the bridge from the sides of the boat came fireworks, it was an incredible sight.
"Wow, what a show" said Rocky.
"Ryder can we go see?" asked Zuma wagging his tail
"I suppose so"
Ryder and the pups made their way to the pier where the yacht was docking. There were many people who were watching the boat. Meredith and Scarlet came down from the boat through a catwalk and approached them. Rocky, Rubble and Zuma began to wag after seeing Scralet.
"Wow, it's the most beautiful pup I've ever seen" whispered Zuma.
"You're right" said Rcoky.
"Hello" said Scarlet.
The three male pups were staring her with dreamy eyes.
Scarlet rolled her eyes "Classic"
"Hello, you're Ryder right?" asked Meredith
"Yes" he answered.
"Well, I'm Meredith Queen, there is someone very special who wants to greet you"
Meredith and Scarlet moved. From the catwalk came down a pup.
Ryder, Rocky, Zuma, Everest and Skye gasped
"Chase" whispered Ryder.
The boy ran to his pup, Chase jumped into Ryder's arms and hugged him, Chase did his best to hold back the tears, but Ryder didn't care, he was crying and he was not afraid to show it
"I knew you would come back" said Ryder, looking into his eyes.
"It's good to be home" said Chase smiling.
Ryder put Chase on the ground, the other pups rushed in against to him.
"Chase!"
All embraced him causing him to fall.
"You're back" said Rocky.
"It's nice to have you back dude" said Zuma.
"Of course I came back, you are my family... but now can you move... I can't breathe"
The pups laughed and moved.
"Thank you"
Chase looked around. "Where is Marshall?"
"He went into the forest but he hasn't yet returned" said Skye.
"I have to tell him something important. Ryder can..."
Chase didn't have time to finish the question
"Go" said Ryder.
Chase looked at Scarlet, she smiled "Follow your heart"
Chase smiled and ran as he had never done while others looked away.
I'm returned Marshall. I'm here for you.
A / N: Finally, we're getting closer to the central part of the story. In the next chapter, our pups have some "special" time together, I don't add more. Tell me in the comments what you think, for the next chapter perhaps it will take a bit of days because I have to describe the scenes and I want everything to be done perfectly. Thank you all.