(A/N: I do not own Paw Patrol, enjoy!)

Frame Amongst Ashes

"Arson" Claire answered her phone.

"Hello Claire, this is Dr. Daniel with the Adventure Bay Hospital, we have results on several of the things you asked us to follow up on "

"Go ahead Doc, I'm listening" Claire replied.

"First up, we have the results on the dried blood samples that Ted dropped off" Dr. Daniel began. "One sample was a match for Everest and the other was a match for Marshall."

"Good to know," Claire noted.

"Second," Dr. Daniel continued, "we've analyzed a second sample of Marshall's and Everest's blood from this morning to find out the rate that their bodies have absorbed the tranquilizer and antidote. Based on that rate of absorption, both pups received a full dose from one of Marshall's darts approximately an hour and 45 minutes prior to their blood being sampled at the hospital."

Claire did that math in her head, that meant that they had been dosed approximately 30 minutes prior to the fire starting. "What about the antidote for Marshall?"

"Here there is a bit of conjecture," Dr. Daniel admitted, "which is why I'm calling and not a lab tech. I believe that Marshall received an appropriate dose for a dog of his size approximately 40-45 minutes after the tranquilizer."

"Why do you say that?" Claire asked. That would put the antidote entering Marshall's system 10-15 minutes after the fire started.

"Primarily, because if he had received a properly sized dose for a dog of his size to counteract the tranquilizer at any point prior to that, there would have been higher levels in his system at all points in time" Dr. Daniel explained. "The same could be said for any dose of the antidote that was impactfully larger administered prior to a dog-dose at that time. Here is where the conjecture comes in. If you go absolutely by the book and Marshall received a dog dose at 40-45 minutes after the tranquilizer, he shouldn't have been coherent when he made his initial report to Ryder."

"So how was he able to make that report if he should not have been coherent?" Claire asked.

"I believe the answer is in Marshall," Dr. Daniel replied. "I asked Ryder to send over Marshall's biometric data from that time period. When you overlay the projected recovery curve with Marshall's curve, Marshall's recovery starts sooner and is more rapid. Between Marshall being in exceptional health and physical shape, combined with his body sensing that he was in danger from the fire, I believe his instincts kicked in to accelerate his recovery."

"That sounds a little far-fetched," Claire said skeptically.

"But not outside the realm of possibility," Dr. Daniel said. "And we are about to test this theory."

"How?" Claire asked incredulously.

"The tranquilizer is out of Marshall's system by now" Dr. Daniel said, "Ryder should be starting the test any minute, if you hurry outside you might even see it."

Claire dropped the phone and dashed outside.

The pups were outside playing volleyball. Chase, Rocky, Tracker and Texas were on one team, facing off against Skye, Zuma, Rubble and Cinder. Marshall and Everest were watching from the sidelines, cheering both teams on.

"Layup, Rocky" Chase barked.

"On it" Rocky barked back, head butting the volleyball upwards. Chase leaped up and spiked the ball downwards.

"Not today Chase" Skye barked back as she too leaped into the air. With a flip, Skye kicked the ball, redirecting the spike back over to Chase's side of the net. Texas raced forward to save the ball but it bounced right past her outstretched paws.

"Gweat job Skye!" Zuma yipped happily.

"Match point, we have a winner!" Everest barked from the sideline. Skye, Zuma, Rubble and Cinder let loose a victory howl.

*Crack!*

The crack of a rifle firing startled all the pups for a brief second. "GET DOWN!" Chase barked and all the pups dove for the ground. "Sound off," Chase barked, "Two."

"Three."

"Four."

"Five."

"Six."

"Seven."

"Eight."

"Texas, you ok?" Chase barked.

"I'm good" Texas barked back fearfully.

"Cinder?" Chase barked.

"Three" Cinder softly barked back again.

"Marshall?" Chase barked, realizing that Cinder had answered the roll call since Marshall was suspended. Silence answered him.

Everyone turned towards where the Dalmatian had been standing and saw Marshall laying on his side, eyes closed.

"Marshall!" Everest barked before crawling the tiny distance between her and the limp Dalmatian. "Zuma, get the trauma kit!" Everest barked.

"Twauma kit!" Zuma barked in response before dashing across the yard as low as he could make himself.

Chase started barking orders but Everest shut all of that out. She quickly assessed Marshall and found that he was still breathing. As she swiped her paws down his back and sides, she didn't find any bleeding. But she did find a familiar dart sticking out of Marshall's rump.

"It's ok pups, there is no threat" Ryder called from across the yard.

All the pups stopped and looked at Ryder. Their leader was walking towards them, carrying the emergency tranquilizer gun.

"What's going on Ryder?" Everest asked anxiously as she kept her paw on Marshall's pulse, her voice tingling with concern.

"Proving a theory" Ryder replied as they reached them and put on hand comfortingly on Everest and the other on Marshall.

"Will it prove Marshall is innocent?" Everest whined.

"If it goes the way Dr. Daniel expects it to go, then quite possibly" Ryder replied. At this point all the pups had gathered around them. "I'm sorry for scaring all of you" Ryder addressed all the pups, "but this test had to be a surprise for Marshall in order to be valid. And I couldn't surprise him unless I surprised all of you."

"We are just glad it isn't a real emergency Ryder" Skye gushed as she rubbed up against their leader.

"So what happens now?" Cinder softly asked.

Ryder looked at his watch before answering, "in 37 minutes, we will give Marshall the appropriate antidote. In the meantime, we need to get something ready. Everest, keep monitoring Marshall while we get setup."

"I was hoping you would say that, Ryder" Everest responded as she turned back to focus on the unconscious Dalmatian.

"This is Dr. Daniel's test?" Claire said in disbelief as she joined them.

"A live re-creation, yes" Ryder answered as he stood up. "He will be here before we administer the antidote and to oversee the rest of the test." Claire nodded in understanding.

Dr. Daniel arrived 30 minutes later. "How are we doing on time Ryder?" He asked as he hopped out of his car.

"Good Doc, almost time to administer the antidote" Ryder replied.

"Good thing I brought it then" Dr. Daniel said as he removed the vial and a syringe from his bag, along with a sheet of paper. "See Claire, this is the dosing chart for this tranquilizer and antidote pairing."

"You don't have to show me," Claire protested.

"Yes I do," Dr. Daniel replied, tracing out the proper dosage for Marshall and then drawing it from the vial. "If I'm going to put Marshall through this, I will ensure that no one will be able to question the accuracy of the test."

Claire nodded as she watched Dr. Daniel kneel down next to Marshall and Everest. "How is he doing Everest?" Dr. Daniel asked as he placed his hand next to Everest's paw to feel Marshall's pulse for himself.

"Stable Doc" Everest replied without looking up at him.

"I know this is hard," Dr. Daniel said soothingly as he took his stethoscope and listened to Marshall's breathing and heart. "But I wouldn't do this if there was another way."

Everest finally looked at Dr. Daniel. There was no way to tell what the Husky was feeling in that moment as emotions swirled across her face. "I trust you Doc" Everest softly whimpered.

"One minute" Ryder replied, looking up from his pup pad.

"Ready" Dr. Daniel replied as he took the syringe from Claire and got into position on Marshall's flank.

"Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, …, four, three, two, one, now" Ryder counted down.

Dr. Daniel delivered the dose to Marshall right on time. "Ok, dose is in, time to slowly add stress."

"You aren't going to make him inhale smoke are you?" Everest asked worriedly.

At that moment, a siren started wailing. Everyone and pup looked toward the sounds. Zuma was sitting in Marshall's fire truck, which was parked across the yard from where Marshall lay, with the lights and sirens blaring as if responding to a casualty.

"No, that would be too much risk" Dr. Daniel explained to the Husky, loud enough that everyone could still hear. "But the siren should trigger a similar response from Marshall's body."

"Zuma is going to move closer every minute" Ryder explained, "and then once Marshall wakes up, he is going to recreate rescuing you, Everest."

"Should he be doing that in his condition?" Everest asked worriedly ,"we don't want him to hurt himself again."

"We can do it safely," Dr. Daniel said, "but that is another reason why I am here."

They waited and watched Marshall as Zuma slowly brought the fire truck closer. Almost perfectly on time, Marshall's eyes fluttered open.

"Everest? Ryder?" Marshall asked as he regained consciousness and looked at both of them. Then his eyes got wide as the siren registered in his mind. Marshall leaped up, instantly ready. "Where is the fire, Ryder? Let me at it!"

"Marshall '' Ryder said, placing a hand on the eager Dalmatian's shoulder, "we are recreating what we think happened to you at the forest fire. I need you to do the same things again."

"But stay on level ground, and do not do any jumping when you rescue Everest" Dr. Daniel clarified.

"Got it Ryder" Marshall replied without missing a beat. "Lay down Everest, play unconscious" Marshall directed the husky.

"Ok," Everest replied hesitantly as she laid down. Marshall immediately went to her side and went through the same actions he had taken the day prior.

"Don't worry, I won't repeat what you said" Marshall whispered in Everest's ear.

"What did I say?" Everest asked in surprise, "was it something bad?"

"Let's just say that I don't think you want anyone here to hear it," Marshall said with a playful glint in his eyes.

Everest's eyes got wide at what he was aluding to and blushed slightly. Marshall scooped Everest onto his back and swipped his pup tag.

Ryder knelt down next to Cinder and answered on his pup pad. "If you are calling to report a forest fire, you are a little late," Cinder softly said.

Claire watched all of this unfold, slightly stunned. She hwd listened to these pups saying these words before, and seen these scenes. But now it seemed so surreal.

Marshall hung up and trotted across the yard. "Remember Marshall, no jumping" Dr. Daniel called after the Dalmatian.

"Got it Doc!" Marshall called back as he kept trotting. Marshall looped back and forth, picking up speed as he went.

"He is replaying everything in his mind" Cinder softly said, just as Marshall paused. Everyone watched in surprise as Marshall laid Everest down and walked over to the side.

"What are you doing, Marshall?" Ryder asked.

"Pushing over a tree to give us a path out" Marshall replied as if that was a totally normal thing to be doing on a bright sunny day.

"Don't actually strain yourself like that" Dr. Daniel called.

"I won't, Doc" Marshall called back, "which will be easy as I don't have a tree to push over."

Marshall scooped up Everest again and slowly made his way across the imaginary tree. "This is where and when I think I actually tore the stitch" Marshall said, "as I jumped off of the tree bridge. This is also where we got out burns."

"Got it," Dr. Daniel said, noting the time and comments.

Marshall resumed his trotting and weaving across the yard for a few more minutes before coming back over to his fire truck. "Zuma, hop out" Marshall called up to the water rescue pup as he put Everest down.

Zuma hopped down and Marshall jumped up. Shutting off the siren, Marshall went through the steps to change his fire truck into his ambulance. Claire watched in awe as the vehicle changed. Marshall jumped down and scooped Everest back into his back before climbing into the back of the ambulance.

"Ok, you can stop there Marshall" Dr. Daniel said as Marshall went to continue the re-creation. Just sit tight, we'll draw you blood here in a few minutes at the time it was drawn at the hospital."

"You got it Doc" Marshall said as he positioned himself on the stretcher.

" And now we wait," Dr. Daniel said.

"I have a feeling we may have just proved Marshall is innocent" Augie whispered to Darrell. The two of them had come out shortly after Claire and watched the entire thing unfold.

"I think so too," Darrell whispered back, "but don't let Claire hear you say that until we get the results."

Augie drew his paw across his muzzle in a zipping motion.

"Marshall?" Everest quietly said from where she lay on the stretcher.

"You are still unconscious Eve" whispered to her.

"I don't care" Everest whispered back, "I haven't properly thanked you for saving me from the fire…" Everest reached a paw up and gently pulled Marshall's muzzle down towards her own…

"Oh no you don't!" A black and white paw shot its way between their muzzles before they could meet. "We can't have you accelerating Marshall's heart rate before Dr. Daniel draws his blood at the end of the test" Cinder softly said.

Both Marshall and Everest blushed. "Fine," Everest replied with a shake, "but later, you are mine…" she whispered to Marshall, making him blush even harder.

"Stop teasing him Everest, you aren't helping" Cinder softly and playful scolded with an amused shake of her head.

About 15 minutes later, Dr. Daniel drew the blood sample from Marshall. "Ok Marshall, we should be good. Now, we will compare this to the blood we got for your intake. Ryder, can you send me the biometric data for the test as well so we can compare them?"

"Sure thing Doc" Ryder replied.

"You can get out now Marshall, I'm going to put your pup house back" Rocky added.

Marshall and Everest carefully climbed down. "Thanks Rocky, I'm probably going to lay down as soon as you do that. I'm still feeling pretty out of it."

"Good idea Marshall" Ryder said.

Make sure you actually rest, Cinder thought to her brother.

I feel like I'm about to pass out, Marshall thought back.

You did just take a whole tranquilizer dart, Cinder reminded him.

The whole thing? Not just a dog dose? Marshall thought in surprise.

The whole thing Cinder softly confirmed.

No wonder I am so tired Marshall thought as Everest guided him to his pup house.

"Everest" Cinder softly whispered to the husky, "just let him rest now, he doesn't need to stay awake. I'll let you two have some alone time tonight before we go to bed."

"Ok Cin, thanks" Everest replied. She could tell from Marshall's eyes that the adrenaline from the re-creation was quickly wearing off. She would never say anything about it, but the only downside to Cinder visiting was that she didn't really get any alone time with Marshall because Cinder was always with them physically or in thought.

"So, what do we think?" Claire asked Augie and Darrell as they walked inside.

"Given the circumstances, that was a pretty realistic re-creation," Augie said.

"And we'll see what the data says here soon," Darrell added.

"It was pretty impressive," Claire said thoughtfully. Augie and Darrell weren't sure which part she was referring to, but they hoped that this would finally close the case against Marshall so they could focus on finding the real culprit.

The team had been back to work in Lookout for almost an hour when Claire summoned them together again. "Guys, Dr. Daniel just sent the results from today's test and his final report" Claire called.

"Let's see it then" Darrell said as he and Augie clustered around Claire's computer. Claire displayed the two sets of biometric data on top of each other and sucked her breath in.

"Almost a perfect match," Darrell said as he analyzed the data. "Only a little bit of variation, which is to be expected. Which means he was unconscious from 30 minutes prior to the fire starting until 30 minutes after it started."

"Dr. Daniel also said that the blood sample from the test was a 99.3% match against the sample they took when he arrived at the hospital" Claire read from the report.

"So what does all of this mean?" Augie gently asked. He knew it in his head but he needed Claire to say it.

"It means someone is trying to frame Marshall" Claire said with a sigh. "The question is who and why?"

"I may have an answer for that," Ted said as he came over.

"Who and how?" Augie asked.

"I found fingerprints on the darts you recovered," Ted explained, "along with a purple thread."

"And you got an ID quickly?" Claire said in surprise.

"Remember, I have access to all of the Paw Patrol systems and databases," Ted replied, "so I ran both through their programs in addition to ours back in Heartland. Ours are still chewing on the data but the Paw Patrol systems have a match." Ted handed a picture to Claire.

The picture was of a man wearing a purple suit and purple top hat, light skin tone and a blonde mustache. "Who is this guy?" Darrell asked with an amused snort.

A/N: Special thanks to PawPatrolAllStars for the time and talent of his character Texas

A/N: Soecial thanks to 18 For the idea for this chapter.