Chapter twenty-seven: "Poor Pups!"
"At least Madge and others were nice to Chase. So he wasn't completely miserable," Ned commented, thoughtfully.
Snowflake said nothing and took everything in. The more she thought, she realized the possible terror Chase must have gone through. Soon, it looked like she was going to cry.
"And that's not even the worst part." Chester sighed..
"Madge and the PUP Pals as we know them now.. we're great to him!" Marshall added. "But,.. unfortunately even that didn't save him from what Vignette was willing to do.."
"You know that dog fighting I mentioned?" Chester began again. "Well all of it was on Chase.." Chess's expression darkened, a rising feeling, which he knew to be regret and anger, yet he tempered it to continue.
"Once his new friends helped him scale the wall that surrounded the mansion, he made a run for it to the police station.. but he was caught before he could get there.." the PAW Patrol's gazes all dropped solemnly, while the two huskies held their gaze with every word said.
"And once they dragged him back to the mansion?.." Chester went on deeply, his eyes turned to where Chase had been by the window.. "She nearly broke him.. Rex is far more dangerous than we could imagine.. it wasn't a fair fight.. especially since he'd already gotten into it with him previously in defense of another pup there. And had already taken a bit of a beating.. but that mark?.. *sigh* Let's just say he held his own for as long as he could. And if you REALLY got a good look.. you could see that it's a scar on TOP OF a scar."
Ned and Snowflake gasped. They never could have imagined the scar coming from a bad dog fight, let alone many.
"So every time he sees or feels it, it's a bad reminder he can't get away from?" Ned asked nervously.
"You could say that.. yeah." Marshall nodded.
"It took him sooooo long to recover from what that injury did to him.. and.. maybe.. Just maybe.. that's all coming back to him again.." Chester stared off to where Chase had disappeared in, and the pups all did the same.
Snowflake was still shaking and quietly crying as she took everything Chester and the pups had said into consideration.
"So what do we do about it now?" Rocky wondered.
Soon, after thinking over everything she was told, Snowflake couldn't keep calm anymore. It was too much for her to handle.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! AHHHHHHHHAHAHAHAHAHHHHHHHHHHH! NNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! Whyyyyyyyyyyy!? WHY WHY WHY WHY WWWWWWHYYYYYYYYYYY?! HE DIDN'T DESERVE THAT! AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Snowflake screamed in a mixture of sadness, anger, sympathy, and terror. She knew Chase had been through bad situations, but what was described practically broke her. The terror of what Chase went through was unimaginable, if not downright horrible.
After Snowflake's outburst, she layed down, and covered her eyes with her paws, still bawling her eyes out.
Ned's ears folded back and he whined. He hated seeing his sister so upset.
The pups all stared,.. stunned by what they'd just seen; and all unsure of how to respond. Rubble sniffled and dropped onto his haunches to lower his head sadly, and Rocky shifted over to pat his paws encouragingly. Marshall just stood there numbly staring at the ground, while Zuma and Skye tried not to cry in meeting each other's glance.
"Oh, don't cry, Snowflake." Ryder soothed, coming to rub the husky's back. "Chase is a tough pup.. And he's gotten better at handling it.. Now that it's not quite as hard for him.."
"Yeah.." Rocky forced himself to say. "He worked through it then,.. I'm sure he's just working through something else."
"AHHHHHHHHH! How Ryder?! He didn't deserve that! I didn't think things would be THAT bad! AHHHHHHHHHHHHHAHAHAHAHHHHHH!" Snowflake exclaimed as she jumped into Ryder's arms, continuing to cry. The husky pup was still covered in the sheets and blankets.
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From afar, completely unbeknownst to them, Chase watched with a nagging interest that was bordering on a bit of panic as he watched the hysterical pup continue to sob into Ryder's vest.
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"Believe me,.. You're not the only one to lose your marbles on this.." Chester said. "Do you know how many nights I laid awake after that, wondering if we could've done things differently? If we could've prevented Mrs. CorDan from ever having the opportunity to kidnap Chase from the Lookout in the middle of the night.. Right out from under our noses?"
"I sure did.." Marshall sighed, admitting this reluctantly.
"But you didn't know. If you did, you'd have stopped it! It wasn't your fault! AHHHHHHHHHHHHAHAHAHAHAHHHHHHHHH!" Snowflake exclaimed before separating from Ryder's embrace, and rushing at Chester and Marshall before crushing them in a hug.
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Chase's breaths escaped him in a bit of a gasp, as if a tightening of his chest forced more air from his lungs than he could handle, and he turned and ran. His thoughts screamed with a fire in his chest, while his paws found the pole.. and gripping it with all four paws he slid down it.. landing in a heap at the bottom.
But no sooner had he sprawled where he landed did tear off and ease himself under the hydraulic lift of the stand which held Ryder's ATV sat upon. And he could no longer contain the heaviness that his aching chest could bear, unable to stop himself from the crumble finally underway in the silence of the garage for no one to see.. and no one to hear..
xxxx
"Snowflake! Please.. *sniff*sniff*" Zuma huffed. "You're making me sad just watching you!"
Rubble bent down to cover his eyes,.. hoping that would stop him from remembering how sad they were to see Chase so sad.
Skye sniffled and restrained a cry into Rocky's shoulder, while the mixed breed fought to keep his composure.
Ryder's eyes glazed over, a warmth in his chest felt glad that their other friends cared so deeply about such a thing as this that they'd react in such an enormous way. And he felt rather proud to know this fact even a little bit.
Marshall and Chester hit the ground on their backs as soon as Snowflake had leapt onto them, the Dalmatian going stiff, and the German Shepherd going limp. Both exhibiting the physically opposite reaction, but both still feeling the same restraint from crying more than anyone else in the room. The only difference was that the fire pup of the two heaved a sob before the other police pup shed a tear. And soon the two of them couldn't prevent a complete and utter meltdown within the embrace of the already hysterical husky.
"AHHHHHHHHHHHH! I'm SORRY! CHAAAAAAAAAASSSE! I feel SO SORRY for HIM!" Snowflake said as she sat up, still hugging the now crying Marshall and Chester.
"I'M SORRY ZUMA! AHHHHHHHHHHH!" Snowflake cried out, grabbing Zuma and pulling him into the group hug; and Zuma blinked as if taken aback by this sudden action.
"Sis, stop crying. Everything will be okay! Chase will be okay! You don't need to get upset! AHHHHHHHHH!" Ned exclaimed, unfortunately giving into seeing his sister cry, and the sad atmosphere of the group.
All the pups were now crying.. even Rocky had given up fighting after barely a couple minutes and had resorted to bawling into his paws while laying next to Skye.
Rubble had piled onto Snowflake, Chester, Marshall, and Zuma. And Skye softly dragged Rocky closer to them and grabbed Ned at the same time. Ryder however, in his pride and grief, seemed to find some amount of pleasure in the deadpan sight of the pups, all stacked in a weeping pile on the floor before him.
"AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHAHAHAHAHAHHHHHHHHH! I BROKE THE PAW PATROL! I'm sorry you guys! I'M SORRY! AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Snowflake exclaimed as she sobbed, embracing her buddies in the group hug.
"*sniffle* why are you apologizing to us?!.." Zuma bawled. "It's such a terrible thing for a pup to go through!"
"W-why do I get the feeling we're not just crying for Chase anymore!" Marshall wailed.
"I DON'T KNOW!" All the pups cried together.
"I'm crying for Chase and for making you all cry! AHHHHHAHAHAHAHHHHHHH!" Snowflake replied, still sobbing.
"I'm just crying for the same reason. But mostly because everyone else is crying. AHHHHHH!" Ned added.
"WHEN WILL WE BE DONE CRYING!" Marshall wailed.
"When we stop feeling bad for Chase, and each other," Snowflake responded, slowly starting to calm down.
"*sniffle* I don't think that'll ever be possible." Zuma sniffed, winding down his remorse with one steady breath after another.
"Could Chase have heard that?" Skye wondered softly, almost hoping he hadn't.
"Come to think of it,.." Chester thought aloud. "Where did he go anyway?"
They heard a noise and when the thump tapped at the window, the branch in front of the main doors allowed them to relax;.. until a realization came to one of their mind's.
"You don't think.." Marshall trailed.
"He went outside?!" Rocky gasped. Then they all fumbled over one another, or their own paws, to then approach the window and peer out.
"Anybody see him?" Chester wondered.
"No, I don't!" Snowflake said as she looked through the window.
"I don't see him either," Ned commented.
"What are you guys looking at?" They heard the voice they desired and all looked back with a smile and a sigh.
Chase stood there.. composed, but with a bit of awkwardness, as they finally drew near.
"Chase, where were you?" Snowflake asked oddly.
"Oh,.. uhh I thought I'd see if the garage door was blocked just in case we needed to get out of the Lookout.. -uh..in case we needed to go rescue someone that is." Chase answered.. and he knew he was lying through his teeth.
"Okay…" Snowflake said, giving him an odd look.
"But then,.. why do you look so tired?" Marshall wondered and he honestly meant this lightly.
"Uh-.. cause it's been a long day." Chase answered, almost snapping at him as he spoke.
"Chase!" Rocky gasped, while everyone was taken aback.
"I'm sorry.." The German Shepherd returned forwardly, as his gaze hit the floor. "It's just been a long day.." then he turned slowly and began to wander away.
Ryder looked at his pup pad and saw the time, which enlightened him only slightly.
"Alright pups.. it's 9:30.. time for some sleep." He said, addressing all of them with very subtle looks and choices of words. Chase had also stopped to look at Ryder when he had begun to say this.. but taking in what he said made him dread doing it.
"Uhh.. but.. we've stayed up late before.. right? Can't we do that.. one more night?" Chase asked hopefully.. wavering just a little bit. Suddenly all eyes turned on him, and he tried not to flinch at seeing them.
"Since when did YOU become a night pup?" Ned asked, shocked.
"Yeah. You need to rest and heal. If anything, you've been sleeping like a log in the forest!" Snowflake added matter-of-factly.
Chase's brow shifted positions for an odd stare at Snowflake, then he blinked himself out of it..
"Yeah.. but.. suddenly.. I don't feel tired." He reasoned, and he was careful about his tone here.
"Not tired!" Marshall echoed. "A minute ago, you were just discussing going to bed?"
"Yeah.. but.. I.. uh.. never said I.."
"Is.. something wrong, Dude?" Zuma wondered.
"Wrong?" Chase replied. "Why does going against my normal routine mean something is wrong?"
"Umm.. cause you never do that." Rocky answered.
"Yeah, but.." Chase stuttered, trying to think of ways to recover himself, so he didn't sound so taken aback. "I.. do sometimes,.. like.. when we go camping,.. or.. letting you guys sleep in once in a while."
"We haven't really 'slept in' for a while.." Marshall reasoned. "Least not compared to you.. your sleeping pattern's all over the place.."
"Well,.. who's fault's that?" Chase countered and he wanted to bite his tongue for that.
"Ok, we kinda all deserve that.." Marshall sighed after an initial frown. "But it's not just our fault.. you've got something going on and we wanna help if you would just let us!"
The slight shake of his voice welled up in him, and Chase felt it even with the small amount of distance between them.
"Chase?" The German Shepherd looked up to Ryder's innocent and concerned eyes, and the slightest gesture was enough to be a conclusion.
"*deep sigh* ok.." Chase finally gave in.. then sulked toward the pillows to lay down while the other pups exchanged glances before beginning to follow.
Snowflake's ears folded back with a concerned look in her eyes. Now she REALLY felt bad for Chase.
Ned's ears folded back too. He walked over to Chase and nuzzled the German Shepherd.
"Please tell us what's wrong. Your story broke my sister. We just want to make you feel better," Ned said softly before licking Chase then leaving.
Chase stared at him a moment, his eyes deep and almost sorrowful. Then turned without saying a thing and began to cross the pillow covered floor to the very center, where he laid down. Even nosing under a blanket to snuggle down, yet he didn't leave his eyes closed for long.
"Dude, what's his deal?" Zuma murmured, to the group. "He's totally off the deep end right now."
"I don't like this." Marshall mentioned, his suspicious glance remaining fixed on Chase. "He's still holding onto something.. how do we get him to let it go?"
Ned whined before turning away, and going back to the group of pups. Looking to Ryder, he gestured with his head towards the other pups. The husky pup then kept walking towards the others.
The boy approached the group without another word, and came to kneel down to them, waiting for what was to come next.
"Hold still, everyone," Snowflake said before walking around the group. As she did, she removed a sheet or blanket and threw them over Ryder or each pup. Once everyone was under a sheet or blanket, Snowflake took the biggest blanket she had and covered the group under it.
"There, now we can chat in private," Snowflake said calmly.
"Ooohh. A sheet ghost meeting! I like it!" Ned commented, interested by what his sister husky had done.
"Alright so what are we doing here?" Marshall asked, as the group's attention landed back on Snowflake. "I mean we know why.. but why?"
"I covered us up so he can't hear our conversation so clearly," Snowflake whispered.
"Why would he wanna do that?" Rocky wondered. "We're not gonna be talking bad about him.. are we?"
Even if he couldn't quite hear what they were saying, Chase could tell exactly why they were talking without him in hushed tones.
Please let it be over.. he silently begged, but when the talking continued he couldn't help but be impatient. He set a paw down on the pillow beneath the blanket and his toes began to tap.
What could they possibly have to take this long to talk about?! He groaned internally.
"All I'm saying.. is that we should probably be talking to him not about him." Marshall pointed out.
"Plus, Chase is no fool.. he always seems to know when someone's talking about him.." Chester reasoned. "It's his secret puppy power."
"Which is why I covered us up in these sheets and blankets. It's clear we're all concerned for Chase, but how should we get him to calm down and confess his feelings? Talking to him hasn't helped yet. Or at least not directly," Snowflake explained.
"Well what do you suggest? He's a stone fortress with his elite guard up.. we're never getting past there without a heck of a fight!" Chester reasoned, only slightly deadpanning this fact as he knew it was much more serious than any humor could soften.
"Relax, we have our own fortress of sheet ghosts right here! We'll haunt Chase till he breaks. Boooooo!" Ned commented, half jokingly.
"For once, I have to agree with Ned. We need to try different strategies to see if he'll break. Repeating the same method will only get us so far. Ryder?" Snowflake suggested before turning to the sheet-covered boy.
Then again, it was hard to see under the blankets and sheets since it was dark, and everyone looked like ghosts.
"Well.. maybe I need to talk to him." The boy decided thoughtfully. "I've seen how you've been trying to help.. but I think it's time I take a crack at it.. he might be more willing to listen to me than all of us questioning him at once."
"I agree. Give it a try, Ryder." Snowflake concurred. It was true since Ryder had mostly been resting and hadn't talked with Chase much. It was only fair they gave Ryder a chance.
"Ok but,.. tomorrow.." Ryder said. "It's late.. and you all need to get some sleep.. especially Chase.. I'll talk to him tomorrow."
"Sounds like a plan," Snowflake replied happily.
However, everyone was still under the bed sheets and blankets.
Stepping back till the blanket finally fell off them in the heap, they all shared one last round of exchanged glances before all the pups made their way across the small field of pillows to find their most preferable spot to sleep.
Chase, by now, had closed his eyes, yet he could still hear and even feel them make their way around him to lay down.. and the warmth that they brought with them was both comforting and terrifying.
Sleeping together.. who knew! The deadpanned sound of this thought made him shiver.. and his ear twitched with an agitation only he knew of.
"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Rocky wondered looking from Chase to Marshall as they began to settle down in their spots. "I mean he doesn't exactly seem very restful, even now."
"We gotta try.." Marshall said, whispering so not to disturb their friend. "Otherwise how are we gonna pull him out of whatever he's falling into."
The pups finally laid down completely and closed their eyes. As soon as the light went down Chase's eyes popped open again, and in them was a stoic stare, which almost seemed desperate to maintain. And he could only hold that expression so long as he remained as stone still as he laid, which was on his side in a little ball.
"Goodnight, pups." Ryder said softly, his hand upon the elevator frame as he gave them a small smile.
"Goodnight Ryder." the pups responded,.. Chase not among them. Then with that the boy proceeded into the elevator and went up.
Soft breaths and heavy sighs filled the air as they all snuggled into their favorite or most comfortable sleeping positions. One pup among them fighting the growing heaviness as hard he could bear.. and even while the body succumbed to the rest it vastly desired.. his mind would not relent..
Stay awake.. Can't let it down.. Fight it!
Wah-hoo! I LOVED this chapter! For those of you that don't know(and a reminder for those that do ;D).. The story Chester and Marshall tell is directly from my own personal story (more liked mini-series if you will) Mission PAW: Pups Save A Missing Pup and the subsequentsequel Ruff Patches.
Granted Ruff Patches has not been completed as of yet,.. but what is known has been revealed. And it truly made for a hilarious and heartbreaking/warming moment! Can't wait to hear your thoughts and I'll see you again tomorrow! Thx!