(A/N: I do not own Paw Patrol, enjoy!)
"Did you ever think about using the 'Secret Admirer' idea?" Everest asked curiously.
"Of course, I think you'll like it" Marshall said as he flipped to the relevant page.
Mail Box Drop - 75
Marshall wasn't coming out of his pup house. The normally happy Dalmatian had barely been seen all day.
"Hey Marshall, want to come play tag?" Chase asked, poking his nose through the door of Marshall's pup house. He hopes that one of the medic's favorite games would lure him out.
His probing nose was met with a paw before he could see anything. "I would love to" Marshall said distractedly, "but I'm a little busy right now."
"Too busy to come play with Everest?" Chase played his trump card with a smile. He felt the paw release his nose and was immediately replaced with Marshall's own wet nose.
"Everest is here?" Marshall asked softly, almost casually.
"Sure" Chase replied, readying himself to be bowled over. With a surprised yelp, Chase felt himself being yanked inside Marshall's pup house instead. The German Shepherd landed on his back with a thud.
"You were never any good at lying Chase" Marshall whispered in his brother's ear as he pinned him down.
"What are you talking about, we are going to play tag" Chase yipped, startled at having to defend himself and struggling to get up.
"Ah, but Everest isn't here" Marshall whispered back, "if she was, we would be playing freeze tag."
"You got me" Chase whined as Marshall let him up. "But seriously bro, you need to come outside and play. You've been in here all day except for morning PT, food and I'm sure something else I'm forgetting."
"I'm working on something" Marshall said, sitting so as to block Chase's view of anything else in the pup house. "I'll come outside in a little bit."
"Fine," Chase surrendered as he turned to walk out, "but you better be working on one of your 'Ask Everest Out Plans' to be missing this sunny day, your medical manuals can wait." Chase yelped as Marshall tossed one of the aforementioned heavy medical manuals at his tail, knocking him out of the pup house.
"If only you knew Chase" Marshall said quietly with a smile as he returned to his work, tail wagging just a little faster. The industrious pup worked for another hour and a half before he was satisfied. Stashing his project and his supplies, Marshall ran outside fully fired up to play.
The other pups were perplexed. Marshall was always happy to play and they expected it even more so than normal because he had been self sequestered in his pup house all morning.
"Alright, who gave Marshall caffeine?" Rocky panted as he trotted back towards the group after Marshall had run him down like a gazelle being chased by the fastest cheetah trying to make a point.
"I actually haven't had any" Marshall said with a laugh as he walked back alongside the mix.
"Maybe someone spiked youw watew bowl" Zuma said as he turned to run away from Rocky.
"You should try it and see" Rubble added as he raced in the opposite direction.
"Okay!" Zuma said, skidding to a stop at Marshall's water bowl. The Chocolate lab took a few experimental drinks. "I don't feel any faster" Zuma reported.
"You sure?" Rocky replied from right behind him, " it would be super helpful right about ten seconds ago!" Rocky tagged the water rescue pup before running away laughing.
"No faiw!" Zuma laughed as he ran after Rocky to find someone else to tag. The pups played until Ryder called them to dinner.
After dinner, Marshall decided to take a drive while the other pups played Pup-Pup Boogie. Hopping into his fire truck, Marshall dove away from the lookout.
Marshall loved to occasionally take a drive, it was soothing in a way that taking a walk wasn't. But his drive tonight had a purpose. Marshall drove along the beach front before stopping at the post office. He took a quick look around to make sure no one was watching him before slipping an envelope into the slot. As he drove away, he wondered how this was going to go for him.
The next day, Everest was on patrol when her pup tag rang. "Hey Jake, what's up?"
"Hey my girl, you've got mail" Jake said through the tag.
"Ok, thanks Jake, I'll take a look when I finish my patrol" Everest replied before hanging up. Curious Everest thought to herself, I don't usually get anything interesting in the mail and Jake never calls about it. Maybe it is something really cool he got me. There was some extra bounce in Everest's step as she finished her patrol and made her way back to the cabin.
"I'm home Jake!" Everest called out as she walked in, giving her fur a shake before walking over to the counter where Jake was sitting.
"I can see that" Jake laughed as Everest jumped up on the stool next to him and looked expectantly at her caretaker. "Can I help you?" Jake asked innocently.
"Mmm maybe" Everest said, turning her head so Jake could scratch her behind the ears, which he did with another laugh. "So what is this special mail that you called me about?"
"Here ya go dudette" Jake said as he passed a letter just barely sticking out of a plain white envelope. Everest noticed that there was no return address as she removed the letter. The cover had her symbol on it which intrigued Everest as she flipped it open. Inside was a typed note which read:
Dear Everest,
I think you are an amazing pup. You have a great sense of humor and smile that lights up the room for those around you. You love going exploring on adventures and discovering new things. You are a great rescue pup as well which is how we met. You really care about those you save which reveals your caring heart. That is the real reason that I like you so much.
Thinking of you,
Your Secret Admirer
The author signed the letter with a paw print.
"Please tell me that isn't the end" Everest said with a wince.
"Of the whole plan, no" Marshall replied, "but yes that is the end of the first letter."
"Oh good" Everest replied.
"Another secret admirer" Everest said with a sigh as she put the letter back in the envelope.
"Is it a good one?" Jake asked.
"Yeah" Everest said with another sigh. She took the letter and tossed it into a drawer full of letters without another thought.
"Isn't that a little harsh" Marshall asked, surprised.
"Sweetie, do you how many of those I get in any given week?" Everest pointed out. "You are lucky it was good enough to keep, most anonomous notes ended up in the trash."
"Fair enough" Marshall replied.
Several days past and Marshall heard not a peep about a note from a secret admirer to Everest. Which was fine, it was meant to be secret after all. So Marshall decided to move onto the next phase of his plan.
Marshall waited until he knew Everest and Jake were out on a rescue. Loading a box big enough to hold a pup inside onto his truck, he drove up the mountain. As he was driving, he hummed a little song.
Marshall pulled up to the cabin and carefully situated the box on the porch as if a delivery person had dropped it off. As he was finishing, Marshall heard Everest and Jake talking as they walked closer. Uh oh Marshall thought to himself as he dashed back to his fire truck which was in plain sight. Diving into the cab, Marshall started and drove a short distance to get out of sight. Throwing some leaf litter and branches over his truck to conceal it, Marshall made his way back to a bush near the cabin to watch.
"Did you hear that?" Everest asked Jake as they emerged from the trees. "It sounded like a truck speeding away and then it stopped."
"Nah dudette" Jake replied with a shake of his head.
"Look, fresh tire tracks!" Everest pointed with her paw.
"Might have been the delivery guy for that big box on our porch" Jake countered, pointing to the package Marshall had left.
The mountain man and mountain pup walked over to the box. "Everest, what did you buy online that is so big?" Jake asked.
"Me?" Everest yipped.
"Yeah dudette, it says it is from ' ' and addressed to you" Jake read off of the box.
"I don't know" Everest said nervously. "That looks big enough to hold a pup inside."
"Let's hope there isn't one" Jake said as he pulled out the knife on his multi-tool. Shortly, all four sides of the box fell down, revealing another box inside with the words "FRAGILE" and "DO NOT SMASH WITH A HAMMMER" written on the side. "Huh, the inner box is addressed to you but also from you Everest" Jake said curiously.
"Very strange" Everest said as she gave the box a sniff. There was a hint of a familiar smell but she couldn't place it.
Jake carefully cut the box open, revealing a potted vine with a note. "Dudette, I think one of your admirers sent this."
Everest took the note from Jake and opened it to read:
Dearest Everest,
Please keep the pot outside and take a look at it tonight under the moonlight. Then read the second page of the note.
Dreaming of You,
YSA
The letter was signed with a paw print.
"Ok, I admit it, this is intriguing" Everest said.
"It gets better too" Marshall replied.
"Interesting" Everest said as she re-folded the note and put it in the pot.
"What's that?" Jake asked.
"Apparently, I'm supposed to leave this outside and then come back and look at it under the moonlight" Everest said as she cleared away the boxes.
"Intriguing" Jake replied, "which of course you are going to do put of pure curiosity."
"You know me so well Jake" Everest laughed, "now, about that truck we heard, I'm going to go investigate these tracks. If it was a delivery guy, he would have kept driving but that sound stopped, like they were waiting. Maybe it was the secret admirer and he is spying on us right now and I can catch him!"
"Thought I forgot that didn't you?" Everest gave Marshall a smirk
"Nope" Marshall replied.
Gotta go! Marshall mentally yelped as he dashed for his truck. Quiet as a mouse, he was still faster than Everest who was walking and sniffing, trying to find him. Kicking the branches off his truck, Marshall jammed his paw down on the accelerator and took off with a roar.
"Ah hah, I knew I was right!" Everest barked as she sprinted towered the sound. But she was too late. All she found were tire tracks, leaf litter, branches. And dust settling. "You may have escaped this time, but I'll get you one day!" Everest barked to the wind.
Marshall was too far away to hear her, and racing down the mountain at breakneck speed. So fast that he didn't see, or remember, something about his drive home that he needed to avoid…
He remembered as soon as he heard the siren and saw the flashing lights in his rearview mirrors. Oh biscuits! I forgot Chase was setting a speed trap on the main road today! I avoided him on the way up, this is not going to be good… Marshall thought to himself as he slowed down and pulled over. He waited patiently for Chase to show up with his comments.
"Marshall" Chase said evenly as he walked up.
"Hi Chase" Marshall said, trying to sound cool, calm and collected, "what's up?"
"Don't play coy with me" Chase said with a snip, "you were going faster than when you respond to an emergency. So either someone is dying that I don't know about or you at looking to create your own patients…"
"Option three?" Marshall said nervously.
Chase looked him straight in the eyes. "You, my quiet as a mouse brother, were spying on Everest and she almost caught you" Chase asserted.
"In a manner of speaking" Marshall tap danced, "she wasn't there when I got there."
"Which is why your tail almost got caught, wasn't it?" Chase jabbed.
"I can't really muffle my truck" Marshall admitted.
"Well, I hope whatever it is your are playing at works out brother" Chase said, "just please slow down and don't get in an accident on the way home."
"I promise I'll slow down" Marshall crossed his paw over his heart, "or at least turn my lights and sirens on."
"I've got my eye on you" Chase said with a shake of his head.
Marshall drove at a normal speed back to the lookout. That evening, Chase was true to his word and didn't let Marshall out of his sight, making it impossible for the anonymously amorous Dalmatian to escape and witness the effects of his handiwork.
"You let Chase catch you in a speed trap?" Everest giggled.
"Yeah, it was better than letting you catch me in my mind at the moment." Marshall admitted with a sigh.
"That's too bad" Everest said with a shake of her head.
That night, Everest walked back outside just as the moon started to rise, moving the potted vine slightly more into the yard so that it would get a nice dose of moonlight. Then she settled down to wait. It was much quicker than she expected.
Not even 5 minutes after Everest put the plant in the moonlight, it started to stir. A white trumpet shaped flower slowly unfurled in the moonlight. Everest took a deep sniff and was greeted by a sweet scent that made her smile. She sat looking at the flower for awhile before picking up the second page of the note:
Dearest Everest,
This flower is a a moonflower, it blooms only under the moonlight. It grows very quickly so I recommend placing the pot near the porch so the vine can grow up the posts. In a way, this flower symbolizes how my love for you has grown. Like a seed, it was planted when we met but I didn't recognize it. Since then, it has grown and grown without really being obvious. But under the right conditions, it blooms into something amazing. It may have taken me along time to work up the courage to say that I love you but you never need to doubt that I do love you. Hopefully soon we'll be able to meet.
Adoringly yours,
YSA
The letter was signed with a paw print.
Everest looked at the paw print for a moment, trying to remember where she had seen it before. Everest moved the vine over to the porch before heading inside with the letter pages in paw. The Husky took the two letters from today back into her room in the cabin, went to the drawer that she put her letters worth keeping, and starred pulling them out in search of a specific one. It didn't take long at all because it was near the top. Everest pulled the letter she was looking for out and held it next to the two she received today. She was slightly surprised that it matched the letter that she had just over a week ago. Well, it seems this pup is a bit more serious. I'm curious to see where this goes Everest thought as she put all the letters away and settled down in her bed.
"I knew that I could catch your curiosity" Marshall said with a smile.
"Well, you definitely did that" Everest said, giving Marshall a lick on the cheek. "So does that curiosity get me anything?"
"Let's find out" Marshall replied with a wink.
That Saturday, Marshall's keen ears accidentally caught Everest and Skye whispering about the delivery. Hearing his crush talk happily about her anonymous delivery from him made him smile but also slightly concerned.
"So I don't know what to do if he sends me another note" Everest softly whispered to Skye.
"What do you mean?" Skye whispered back.
"I mean, I have no idea who this pup is" Everest said, "and there is a pup I really like but hasn't asked me out. What if this mystery pup asks me out?"
"You are worried about losing your dream pup if you go on a date with this mystery pup?" Skye whispered the question to which Everest responded with an affirmative nod. "It's just a date sis, I would take it and have fun. Hopefully it is fun for you. And who knows, maybe the mystery pup is your crush."
"Maybe" Everest said. "But if it's not, I don't know how my crush will feel. I could lose a chance with him forever."
"I doubt that" Skye said, "thing change, almost nothing is permanent."
"I'll think about it" Everest softly admitted, "we'll see."
As Marshall snuck away, quiet as a mouse, he wondered who Everest's crush was. Knowing that there was competition made him extremely nervous for phase three of his plan. But I've come too far to quit now Marshall thought determinedly, but this is the hardest part…
Marshall had the last letter written, he just needed to mail it and make the reservation. On Tuesday, Marshall's opportunity came as he was returning from a rescue. He saw the mailman struggling with a big package.
"Ryder, I'm going to give Mr. Mailman a hand on my way back" Marshall said.
"Copy that Marshall, see you back at the lookout" Ryder replied as he continued driving back with the other pups.
"Hi there Mr. Mailman" Marshall said with a smile as he walked up, "let me help you with that."
"That would be just D-andy" the mailman said as Marshall helped him carry the package and drop it off on Mrs. Marjorie's doorstep.
"Thanks Marshall" the mailman said, patting him on the head, "I D-on't know if I could have managed by myself."
"My pleasure Mr. Mail-whoah" Marshall yelped as he slipped on a leaf and knocked into the mailman, spilling all the letters out onto the sidewalk.
"Oops, sorry" Marshall apologized as he help the mailman up, "let me help you with those!"
"Don't fret about it Marshall" the mailman said kindly, "I do it to myself almost D-aily."
"Well, it's good to know that I'm not the only clumsy one around" Marshall said with a laugh as he slipped his letter in with the others. With the letters cleaned up, Marshall waved goodbye and drove away with a victorious smirk on his face that no one else saw.
As the mailman finished his rounds for the day, he realized he had one letter left to deliver. The letter was in a plain white envelope but marked "URGENT" and addressed to Everest, the mountain rescue pup who lived with Jake on his mountain. "Oh no, this is a D-isaster!" He exclaimed, "I better get this to her without D-elay!"
Jake and Everest were playing fetch out front when they heard a rickety engine coming up the drive.
"I wonder who that is?" Everest wondered out loud.
"It sounds like the mailman" Jake replied, "but he was already here this morning."
Lo and behold, it was the mailman.
"Everest…urgent…D-livery!" The mailman wheezed as he ran up to Everest with a letter in his hand.
Everest hid her amusement as she took the letter with a smile expression on her face. "Thank you Mr. Mailman!" Everest yipped. She carefully opened the letter as the mailman walked back to his van. She read the letter carefully:
Dearest Everest,
I know this is moving kind of fast as this is only my third letter to you and I haven't giving you a chance to write back. But I really want to take you out on a dinner date this Friday night. Meet me at Woodfired Pizza Cave at 6PM for some pawlicious pizza!
I would love to see you there,
YSA
At the end was his trademark paw print.
"What happens if I decide not to go?" Everest asked.
"Then the story has a really lame and boring ending" Marshall replied, hiding a smile.
"Not a sad one?" Everest asked.
"Well, yes, that too, but mostly boring, boring, boring" Marshall emphasized.
"You are tugging on my curiosity hard" Everest accused, "and my love of pizza."
"Absolutely" Marshall replied, finally letting his grin show through. "I wouldn't be a very good secret admirer if I didn't know how to get you interested."
"For the record, the only reason I am agreeing to this blind date is because it is in a public restaurant where you would have a hard time murdering or abducting me."
"Just keep telling yourself that my curious, pizza loving Husky" Marshall laughed.
"Another letter from your secret admirer, Everest?" Jake asked with a smile.
"What makes you ask that?" Everest asked as she folded the note and tucked it back into the envelope.
"Your tail started wagging faster" Jake said, pointing to her tail.
Everest looked behind her at her tail, which was indeed wagging faster than normal. "Well…he did invite me to pizza this Friday night" Everest admitted.
"So are you going?" Jake asked, he knew that his girl had been deliberating if she would go or not if the question came up.
Everest thought for a moment be answering, "I think I will go, but I'm going to let Skye know just in case this pup turns out to be a psychopath or something crazy."
"Ok girl" Jake replied with a smile, "shall we keep playing then?"
"Absolutely!" Everest yipped happily.
"Psychopath, really?" Marshall asked incredulously.
"I had no idea it was you" Everest replied, "that note could have come from some pup serial killer or someone trying to abduct me for ransom."
"You've been watching too many movies and crime dramas" Marshall said with a laugh.
Friday came and Marshall was excited. He barely managed to keep himself contained until 5PM.
*Bleep bleep* "Paw Patrol, to the lookout!"
"Ryder needs us!" all the pups exclaimed as they turned to dash to the elevator.
"Wait, where is Marshall?" Chase asked.
"Whoa!" Marshall yelped as he slipped in a patch of water from a game they had been playing earlier.
"Lookout!" Zuma yelped as Marshall flopped onto his belly and started sliding and spinning into the elevator.
*Crash*
The now slightly damp pups poked their heads out from the pile. "I guess pups are slippery when wet" Marshall pointed out. All the pups laughed as the door closed and lifted them up to get ready.
"Paw Patrol ready for action Ryder sir!" Chase sounded off. Marshall noticed he was in his EMT gear and realized that he we probably going on this mission, which meant that his evening timeline was now in jeopardy.
"Thanks for hurrying pups, we have a situation at the beach. A young kid was climbing the rocks near the tidepools and is now stuck."
"Oh no" Skye yipped.
"Those wocks are supew slippewy" Zuma noted, "he could fall."
"Exactly Zuma" Ryder affirmed. "For this mission I'll need Zuma. You can use your hovercraft to get in position below to catch him in case he falls in the water."
"Let's dive in!" Zuma sounded off.
"Skye," Ryder continued, "I'll need you to come in from above. Hopefully we can airlift this kid out of there."
"This pup's gotta fly!" Skye sounded off. In the back of her mind, she was worried about her timeline as well to be there in case Everest's mystery date pup was a psychopath.
"And Marshall," Ryder said, "I'm going to need you to be ready to render medical aid in case the boy has any injuries. If he can't get down on his own, we may need to use you as our cliff rescue pup as well."
"I'm ready for a Ruff-Ruff Rescue!" Marshall sounded off. He was more worried about his timeline now but he had a backup plan.
"Alright, Paw Patrol is on a roll!" Ryder sounded off as he ran to his fire pole to the garage. All the pups yipped and howled as they headed to the slide.
When they reached the bottom of the hill, Ryder and Zuma took the ramp to the harbor while Marshall headed to the nearest part of the beach. Skye flew directly to the cliffs.
"Ryder, I can see the boy" Skye reported, "the ledge he is trapped on is under an overhang, I won't be able to get him down from above."
"Copy that Skye" Ryder replied. "Zuma, change in plans. Assuming the water is clear, he is going to jump down to you and then you'll take him to Marshall at the beach."
"You got it Wyder!" Zuma acknowledged as he sped up.
As Marshall drove to the beach, he made a quick call to ensure his date was taken care of. He didn't relish the fact that he was probably going to be late but Everest would understand once he told her. He just hoped she stuck around long enough.
Skye guided Zuma and Ryder to the precise location of the boy. Zuma found another problem right away. "Wyder, there are a bunch of wocks wight undew the ledge he is on, a watew wescue isn't going to work eithew."
"I see what you mean Zuma" Ryder replied thoughtfully. "What if he jumps to to side, you could show him where to land with your buoy."
"That's a gweat idea dude!" Zuma replied, "ruff, buoy!"
"Can you see where we want you to jump?" Skye barked to the little boy.
"I can" he replied, "but I don't know if I can make it."
"Give it your best shot when we say to jump" Skye encouraged him.
"Ready Zuma?" Ryder verified.
"Weady!" Zuma replied.
"Ok Skye, tell him to jump" Ryder directed.
"Jump when you are ready" Skye told the boy.
The boy gritted his teeth, took a deep breath, and thean took a running jump off the cliff. "AHH!" He screamed as he fell.
"He's not going to make it!" Skye yelped.
"Zuma, reposition your buoy!" Ryder yelled. Zuma barked to retract his buoy and then shoot it back out again, it was going to be close…
With a splash, Zuma caught the boy.
"Nice catch Zuma" Ryder congratulated him, "now take him to shore for Marshall to check out.
"You got it Wyder dude" Zuma replied as he reeled the buoy and boy in and started driving to shore.
Marshall was ready when they arrived. "Hi there, my name is Marshall. I'm an EMT and I'm here to help. Now, do you feel any pain at all?"
"Just my right shoulder" the boy replied, "I think I hurt it while climbing up which is why I couldn't just climb back down."
"Ok, let's take a look and see" Marshall gently replied. "Ruff, X-ray!" Marshall gave him a thurough exam and compared his two shoulders. "Well, something is definitely wrong. You don't have any broken bones but neither are your bones resting in the correct alignment. My guess is that you tore a tendon or ligament in your shoulder. I can't prove that so you'll need to see your doctor right away. But this probably doesn't warrant a trip to the hospital."
"Ok, we'll take him to urgent care first thing in the morning" the boy's parents replied.
"I'll put it in a sling and give you something for the pain" Marshall added. Five minutes later, the boy had his arm in a sling and was feeling a little better.
"Just remember," Ryder said, "whenever you are stuck on a cliff, just yelp for help!" Everyone laughed and the boy and his parents headed home.
"I'll see you guys later!" Marshall yipped before dashing to his truck.
"Samesies" Skye yipped before taking off. Neither pup noticed that they were heading in the same direction.
"I wondew whewe they are going" Zuma mused as he and Ryder drove back to the lookout. Ryder just smiled as both of them had told him ahead of time where they needed to be that evening.
"And what was I supposed to do while you were off gallivanting?" Everest asked.
"Patience, I was just getting to that" Marshall replied.
Meanwhile, Everest had arrived exactly at 6PM and discovered that no one was waiting for her. "Well that's just rude" the husky huffed as she tried to call Skye. But she got the busy tone indicating the Skye was on a mission. Great, no date and no one to complain to about it Everest whined to herself. She was about to leave grumpily when the hostess stopped her.
"Parson me, but are are Everest?" The hostess asked
"Yes" Everest replied, surprised.
"My apologies," the hostess said, "your date called and said he was delayed due to an emergency. Your table is ready and he has the order ready for your approval."
Huh, that is different Everest thought to herself as she allowed the hostess to seat her. The waiter brought her water and informed her that her date had selected a giant meat-lovers pizza with extra liver if she was ok with that. Well, he at least knows how much I love liver Everest thought as she approved and settled in to wait.
Marshall skidded into the parking lot at 6:15PM. He saw Everest's snowcat and Skye's helicopter parked near each other on the edge of the parking lot. Throwing caution to the wind, Marshall parked on the opposite side of Everest's snowcat as Skye had parked. He couldn't tell if his high flying sister saw him but at the moment he did not care. With far more confidence than he felt, Marshall marched himself into the pizza joint.
Everest and Skye were chatting over their tags while they waited for Everest's mystery date to show up. "He better appreciate that I'm still here waiting for him" Everest groused.
"Hang on a little longer," Skye said soothingly, "he called to say he would be late due to an emergency and he nailed your order. I think you can cut him a bit of slack."
"Fine, but only until the food gets here" Everest acquiesced, "if he misses the food, he misses me."
At that moment, she saw Marshall walk in the door.
"Oh no," Everest yipped as she ducked down as low as she could and still see.
"What happened, what's wrong?" Skye asked, panicking inside her helicopter.
"Marshall just walked in" Everest whispered, "weren't you supposed to warn me if anyone else from the team showed up?"
"Umm" Skye fumbled for words, "oh yeah, there is his ambulance, just on the other side of your snowcat."
"Thanks for all the help" Everest said sarcastically, "what are the odds that my crush shows up to the exact same place where I'm supposed to be on a date with a mystery pup?"
"Apparently pretty good" Skye laughed.
Everest started freaking out more as Marshall saw her and started walking towards her with a purpose.
"Oh no, he walking towards me Skye" Everest yipped softly, "what do I do?"
"Act natural" Skye said before cutting the connection.
Everest was fidgeting up a storm by the time Marshall reached her. "Hey Marshall, what are you doing here?" Everest asked in the most natural and nonchalant voice she could manage.
Marshall said nothing, sitting down across from Everest. The Husky cocked her head to the side as Marshall pulled a sheet of paper from his EMT pack, which he still hadn't taken off, and unfolded it for Everest to see:
I love you Everest
Marshall held his paw just under the last word before slowly removing it, revealing a paw print signature which matched his paw…and the letters that brought Everest to this very pizza pub.
"Your move" Marshall said smugly.
Everest said nothing but gave her Dalmatian a smirk back before continuing.
Everest eyed Marshall, emotions swirling behind her bright blue eyes. Marshall is my secret admirer, the one who sent me those lovely letters, the moonflower, and ordered me my favorite food! Now how should I respond to this?
Marshall fidgeted nervously as Everest leaned across the table towards him. Did I get I right? he wondered to himself.
Everest grabbed Marshall by his collar and yanked him forward with just the right amount of force.
"Whoa!" Marshall started to yelp before he was cutoff by Everest's lips pressing against his. I guess I got it right Marshall thought with a smile as every other thought left his brain as he kissed Everest back.
Everest was in heaven after realizing her secret admirer was her crush. She refused to release her grip on his collar and risk him getting away from her. But both pups just leaned further into the kiss, totally ignoring their need to breathe.
In the parking lot, Skye couldn't stop fidgeting. She knew Marshall was Everest's crush and if he showed up and then her date showed up, she had no idea what would happen. What if Marshall likes her, this could break his heart which would also break Everest's. What if he decides to be a pill? What if this ruins their friendship?
Skye's imagination of scenarios ran away with her and she became so stressed that she couldn't take it anymore. She called Everest on her pup tag, but voice only. "Everest, is everything ok?" Skye yipped to her bestie.
Inside, Marshall and Everest broke their kiss in surprise at the interrupting call. Marshall smiled as he had figured out that Everest had asked Skye to be close by just in case.
Maybe it was the high from kissing Everest but Marshall did something he wouldn't normally do: he answered Everest's pup tag for her.
"Everest is unavailable at the moment, please leave a message after the smooch." Marshall proceeded to smooch Everest with a fairly loud 'mwah!' sound before hanging up.
Skye was perplexed, that was definitely Marshall but she had just as certainly called Everest's pup tag. And the pup tags didn't have voicemail. Her concern spiked and she called again, this time with video.
While Skye had been further freaking out, Everest had decided to take advantage of Marshall. His sudden display of confidence had inspired her to be a little more confident too. Everest had never released Marshall's collar and as soon as he hung up her tag, she pulled down on his collar and flipped him onto his back on the table.
Marshall and Everest gazed at each other, upside down relative to each other, with smiles on their faces, both intent on riding their euphoric bliss as long as it would last. Everest leaned down, keeping one forepaw holding Marshall's collar and placing her other forepaw on his shoulder, before kissing him again, eliciting a happy sigh from both of them.
It was to this scene that Skye's call connected. The cockapoo let out an audible gasp at seeing her best friend pinning her crush down to a table in a public restaurant for the express purpose of kissing him. The gasp was loud enough to get Everest's and Marshall's attention and make them take a breath before looking at their best friend/sister respectively though the pup tag.
"Hi Skye" Marshall said with a silly grin on his face, "thank you for having Everest's back but I've got it from here."
"Yup, we are all good here" Everest added with silly grin of her own. "I'll tell you all about it later." With that Everest hung up on the speechless aviator.
Skye stared at her tag in disbelief. She had hoped in the back of her mind that Marshall was Everest's secret admirer but never expected that to actually be the case; much else that it would go immediately so well for both of them. As she took off, Skye felt inspired to go find Chase and do something a little bit brave herself.
Inside, Marshall and Everest were laughing. "Did you see the look on her face" Everest giggled.
"I thought her ears were going to fall off in shock" Marshall giggled.
"Maybe she'll go find Chase and give him a piece of her mind" Everest giggled. Marshall's surprised look told her that she had revealed something to him.
"You know what, that would be great if she did" Marshall replied with a smile that told Everest all she needed to know about that.
"Now, where were we?" Everest asked as she leaned back down towards Marshall with a bright gleam in her eyes.
"About to enjoy some delicious pizza" Marshall replied, pointing his paw towards the waiting waiter holding a giant pizza.
Everest mouthed the words "to be continued" to Marshall before finally releasing him. Both pups sat up as the waiter deposited a pizza that was large enough for both of them to lay down on top of on the table. "This looks sooo good!" Everest practically drooled.
"Enjoy Everest" Marshall said with a smile before they both dug into the pizza.
"I'll admit I was skeptical of this idea at first" Everest admitted, "but you put it together really well."
"Thanks dear" Marshall replied, giving Everest a kiss on the cheek.
"You missed" Everest replied with a pout.
Marshall smiled as he leaned back over and gave her a proper kiss.
"Much better" Everest smiled with her eyes closed before opening them. "So, why do your plans have such random things as getting caught in Chase's speed trap and being late because of a rescue already built in?"
"Because of Murphy's law" Marshall replied softly, "and it is much easier to already have a plan in place to deviate from than to try and wing it when things go sideways."
"Whatever you say Cinder" Everest teased, because in that moment Marshall sounded just like his twin sister, voice and all.
"So" Marshall sidestepped the tease, "what shall we do with the rest of our day?"
"I was thinking we go and get pizza" Everest said with a wink.
"To be continued?" Marshall asked.
"To be continued" Everest affirmed with a wink as they walked out of his pup house together.
(A/N: Special thanks to marvelomac1010 for this excellent idea! Got an idea for a plan? Let me know!)