(A/N: I do not own Paw Patrol, special thanks to Bluewolfbat for the idea for this chapter and for graciously allowing his OC Husky, Snowflake, to join in the story, enjoy!)

Unexpected Splashdown

It was Saturday Morning, 0740 (7:40 am) and Marshall, along with the morning crew of ENGINE 25 were at the waterfront park. All three shifts worked out on different days, and of course Marshall went to all three workouts in case an incident happened. But Saturday morning with the morning shift was where he got the best workout. First off, it was early in the morning, just like home in Adventure Bay. Second, it was on Saturday, just like team training back home. Third, Marshall was always challenged by the morning crew. The two dogs on the morning shift were Sadie, a female Australian Shepard, and Axel, another male dalmatian. Both were super high energy and pushed themselves to excel, just like Marshall. While they all sprinted at different speeds, all three pups could cruise as a relatively brisk clip without issue, so typically their mornings finished with an endurance run to see who would give up first. The path that they ran was about three quarters (3/4th) of a mile and they were already on lap 12 with no sign of slowing down. And the competition was as fierce as normal.

"Eat to many treats last night Sadie bug?" Axel teased the Australian Shepard.

"Ha!, I had to eat so many to fuel my lean diet!" Sadie replied without a hint of tiredness in her voice.

"80% lean maybe!" Marshall called out as he added a quick burst of speed to stay with the other fire pups.

The pups continued their running banter as they passed the rest of the company. Allison, the driver, shook her head at the pups. "Oh, to have that much energy again" she said with a smile.

"I don't know how they do it?" Juan, the engineer, added. "Especially Marshall with the crazy schedule that Skipper has him on."

"Told you he liked to go fast, but someone didn't believe me" LT Ken chimed in with a smile.

"Hey," Allison defended herself, "I was using Axel as a reference for dalmatians and while I thought he was fast, it turns out that he has more brawn than brain."

"I heard that, Ally!" Axel called out as the pups neared them to start the next lap.

"Ten Minutes you three!" LT Ken called as the pups circled around again. Saturday was also grocery day so the team had to stock up for the week. Or at least enough to make it through our next few shifts LT Ken though wryly. That had been the biggest change for him coming to an integrated unit was how much the two pups in the company could eat, thank heaven the department buys all the dog food.

Marshall had a plan to ensure he won today, just need needed to wait a little longer so he hung back, just behind Sadie and Axel, biding his time.

Several miles away, at the airport, a husky was getting ready for her first ever solo skydiving jump. She had jumped a few times in someone else's harness, as embarrassing as that was for her. Her friends occasionally teased her about needing a jumping buddy because she was scared of falling from a high height. Totally rational fear she told herself but today was her day to get over it. Today was her day to solo! Her name was Snowflake.

Snowflake was a mix of light gray and medium colored gray. A line of gray went down her snout, almost touching her nose, and the back of her ears were gray too. Her paws, underbelly, the tip of her tail, and around her eyes to the top of her chest were the only parts of her that are white. Snowflake also has ice blue eyes. She wore a vivid blue scarf with white snowflakes on it. It was a gift from her owner when she was just a puppy and she adores it.

Snowflake and her instructor completed their pre-flight checks and then started checking each other. Her instructor was a kind man and he understood how nerve-wracking sky diving could be. He also was a stickler for safety which Snowflake appreciated and took on as part of her own routine. Giving each other the thumbs up that they were ready, both of them boarded the jumper plane and it took off into the sky.

At the waterfront park, Marshall's legs were on fire. When he estimated that the pups had enough time for two laps, he had challenged Sadie and Axel for a sprint to the finish. It hadn't gone as planned. Marshall secured an early lead but he had underestimated how tired he was overall and how much energy Sadie and Axel had in reserve. Marshall's lead had evaporated over the first sprint lap and now he was definitely lagging. Sadie was in the lead, surprisingly, but Axel was hot on her paws. Both pups and the rest of the crew were cheering Marshall on as they approached the finish line.

"Come on slow poke!" Sadie called back over her shoulder.

"You've got this slacker!" Axel added with a grin.

Marshall didn't reply with his words, he envisioned himself running to save someone and put everything he had into sprinting. Marshall started to gain on the other pups but it was too late; Sadie managed to hold off Axel long enough to win but Marshall was right up with them.

"Great job pups!" LT Ken praised the dogs as they started to trot around for their cooldown.

"Thanks L-T" the three pups replied. Marshall knew he was going to need to stretch really good now and later, he could already feel the soreness in his back and front legs.

LT Ken put out three water bowls for the pups, running that many laps was no joke and he didn't need any of the suffering a heat injury.

In the sky above, things were not going so well for Snowflake. The plane was having engine trouble and the turbulence was making it hard for the pup and her instructor to hold on. Snowflake's fear of heights was starting to kick in. "It will be ok" her instructor assured her, rubbing her behind the ears.

Suddenly, a gust of wind shook the plane violently. The instructor tried to grab Snowflake but was too late, the turbulence flung the husky out of the plane, screaming. "Call it in!" the instructor yelled to the pilot as he jumped out after her.

At the waterfront park, the ENGINE 25 crew were finishing packing up to head out when the radio squawked. "Engine 25, Dispatch, report status and location."

"Engine 25, available, waterfront park" LT Ken replied into the radio as the crew gathered around.

"Dispatch copies, standby current location, we have two skydivers who fell out of a plane in your vicinity, respond code 3 once location known."

"Engine 25 copies, scanning." LT Ken replied. The whole team started scanning the sky, trying to find two tiny back specs.

In the air, Snowflake was quite frightened when her instructor got to her. "It will be ok Snowflake" he told her, taking her front paws in his as they free fell. "So, we jumped early, big deal, its still a jump just like we planned, only with a different landing area."

Snowflake started to calm down at his words, he was right of course. "Ok, anything we need to do different?"

Her instructor looked around before answering, "We need to pull our chutes a little earlier, waterfront park will make a great landing area for us."

"Ok," Snowflake replied, "tell me when to pull."

Her instructor nodded as they continued to free fall.

Sadie was the first to spot the skydivers, "There!" she pointed with her paw.

LT Ken used the binoculars to confirm, "Looks like them, one human and one pup."

"They are going to splash down in the bay" Juan noted.

Ken nodded as he picked up the radio, "Dispatch, Engine 25, skydivers in sight, current splashdown is bay, request SQUAD response with boat and MEDIC on standby."

"Roger Engine 25," Dispatch replied, "BREAK, SQUAD 31 respond to waterfront park, code 3, BREAK, MEDIC 25, respond code 2."

LT Ken turned his attention back to skydivers. MEDIC 25 will be here fairly quick, but SQUAD 31 has to come all the way across down town in traffic, I hope they make it in time.

Snowflake had her eyes on her instructor, who was totally focused on ensure that they opened their parachutes at the right time. "Ok Snowflake," he started, "I'm going to have you pull your chute first. Once yours opens, I'll open mine. This way, you can follow me down to the ground."

"Got it!" Snowflake yelled back, trying to be heard over the sound of the rushing wind.

"And…NOW!" her instructor called.

Snowflake pulled the rip chord and her parachute billowed out above her, perfectly arresting her fall.

A second later, her instructor pulled his rip chord and he chute opened right below Snowflake.

"Great job Snowflake!" He called up to her, "Now, this is going to be a bit tricky since you haven't done this before, I want you to use the two lines right above you to turn your parachute. This will help guide us to the park."

"Ok!" Snowflake replied back, she was actually starting to have just the tiniest bit of fun.

"Parachutes deployed!" Axel called out almost immediately.

"Looks like they might just make the park" Allison added, watching the two skydivers change course.

"Dispatch, Engine 25, we have two parachutes open, recommend SQUAD 31 maintain code 3" LT Ken reported.

"Dispatch copies" came the response.

Snowflake was having a hard time controlling the parachute, but she was having fun. Her clumsy attempts to turn were punctuated by howls of joy. She knew she wasn't over her fear, not yet, but it was definitely a jump in the right direction.

"Ok Snowflake," her instructor interrupted her chain of thought, "it looks like your landing will be a little close to the edge. So, what I want you to do is aim for the dock, you see it?"

"I see it!" Snowflake confirmed.

"That will increase your landing area so we don't have to fish you out of the water."

Snowflake barked a response before adjust her line of flight.

LT Ken was getting worried, MEDIC 25, with Mike and Kevin, had already arrived but SQUAD 31 was not there yet. He glanced at the dispatch computer in the truck and saw that they still had a way to go. I had to say I wanted to go fishing earlier, didn't I? he thought to himself.

As the ground game closer, the instructor reminded Snowflake of one last thing, "when you hit the ground, keep running forward. This will keep the parachute from falling on top of you. You can stop running once you are out from under the parachute."

Snowflake didn't hear him; the wind had finally gotten too loud for them to talk.

The instructor made a textbook landing on the grass, barely 10 feet from the waiting fire fighters. He quickly gathered up his chute and turned to guide Snowflake in.

Snowflake touched down on the dock, near the base. "WOOHOO! I DID IT!" She howled at the top of her lungs.

"RUN FORWARD SNOWFLAKE!" Her instructor tried to get her to move.

"Huh?" was all Snowflake could get out before her parachute landed on top of her, turning her into a blue ghost. "Ah! Who turned out the lights?! Help me!" she cried. Snowflake's fear returned full force and she started thrashing about under the parachute.

"Snowflake, freeze!" Axel called out to the trapped pup as he, Sadie and Marshall ran up to the edge of the parachute, "We are firefighters and we will get you out."

"AAAHHHH!" Snowflake shrieked, not hearing the fire pup's directions. Snowflake was getting more and more tangled by the second until, she lost her footing and feel into the water!

"Ruff, Rescue Knife!" Marshall yelled as he leaped off the dock and after the sinking husky.

Snowflake was convinced she was about to die; she was sinking deeper into the harbor with no hope of getting to the surface. She regretted dying, especially this way. Then she saw a dalmatian swimming down to her. He started slicing the parachute lines with his rescue knife but there were so many. Snowflake tried to hold on but darkness took her.

Marshall got the last lines cut, grabbed the husky and kicked to the surface. Gasping for a breath, he quickly dragged the unconscious pup to the edge of the dock. Sadie and Axel were ready to pull the husky out. The two fire pups grabbed onto her scruff and pulled as hard as they could. Snowflake's limp body almost sailed out of the water before Sadie caught her and laid her down.

"Give her the Heimlich, Sadie!" Marshall directed as he lifted himself out of the water.

Water came spewing out of Snowflake's mouth as Marshall ran over to check her breathing and pulse. Her pulse was weak but she wasn't breathing. "Lay her on her side and give her back pats Axel," Marshall directed, "I'll start rescue breaths! Kevin, get the AED in case we need it!"

As the pups and humans got to work, more water came out of Snowflake's mouth.

Snowflake felt herself slowly regain consciousness. The first feeling she gained was a paw firmly hitting her back. The second feeling was warm lips on her own, blowing breath into her lungs. Snowflake coughed, causing Marshal and Axel to stop their interventions as they were no longer needed. Snowflake wrapped her paws around Marshall, hugging him tightly. "Oh, thank you for saving me!" Snowflake cried into Marshall's chest, "I thought I was dead for sure!"

Marshall, expecting this reaction, gently put one paw on her back and started patting, "There, there, you are safe now." He whispered into her ear. "Mike, Kevin, get the stretcher, she needs to get checked out at the hospital."

Snowflake's instructor came over and started rubbing the husky too, "I'm so glad you are safe Snowflake," he spoke into her ear.

Snowflake was still latched onto Marshall when Mike and Kevin brought the stretcher over. Marshall carefully extracted himself from the hug, catching Snowflake before she could fall after being robbed of her cuddle support. Mike and Kevin took over, lifting the soaking wet husky onto the stretcher. Marshall quickly checked the instructor to make sure he was ok. Snowflake started to whimper at the lost of physical contact with anyone so Marshall hopped up and held her paw as she was loaded into MEDIC 25.

While they were loading Snowflake, the SQUAD 31 truck came skidding into the parking lot. "Are we too late?" Their driver called out.

"I'm afraid so," LT Ken confirmed, "Not your fault, you got here as fast as you could. I'll tell you all about it here in a minute.

"Dispatch, Medic 25, transporting one pup to general, drowning victim, currently conscious and responsive, code 2." Kevin spoke into the radio as Mike negotiated the crowded parking lot and out onto the main road.

Snowflake was starting at the dalmatian who saved her. What is wrong with you, you don't even know his name! she chastised herself. Finally, she got up the courage to talk to him. "Thank you again for saving me" she softly said, "what is your name?"

"My name is Marshall and I'm a firefighter and a paramedic," Marshall informed her, "I'm happy I was able to save you.

Snowflake felt her cheeks flush, no one had ever said anything like that to her before. "My name is Snowflake" she softly whispered to him, taking his paw in hers again.

Marshall smiled, held onto her hand for a moment before he withdrew it, "We are taking you to the main hospital now, they will check you out and make sure that you are ok before they release you." Marshall put his paw on her throat to feel Snowflake's pulse.

Snowflake felt like she was going to faint, she had never crushed on another pup like this before.

Satisfied that her pulse was strong, Marshall laid down on the stretcher, looking at her face. Snowflake started back into his eyes. I hardly know anything about him and yet I want to try and date him Snowflake thought to herself. She knew that it was because he saved her but she couldn't help feeling like there might be something more. Snowflake resolved to figure it out but by this time, she was being unloaded as the hospital. Marshall conducted the turnover with the ER doctors. Turnover complete, they swapped Snowflake onto a hospital bed and started loading up the stretcher for the ambulance. Snowflake realize that she was about to lose Marshall.

"Marshall!" Snowflake called, "thank you for saving me!"

"You are most welcome" Marshall replied with a smile before turning and walking out the doors to rejoin Mike and Kevin.

Marshall, Snowflake thought to herself, you saved my life and stole my heart, you sly pup!

(A/N: Credits go to Bluewolfbat for the idea for this story, Snowflake is his OC character and belongs to him. Thank you again for letting her come play! Maybe we'll get to see more of her later…