Cherish || A Chase x Sweetie Fanfiction ||

(S3-C30) • Returning to Solid Ground •

The paramedics came crashing to the scene, transporting the Pomeranian from Marshall's stretcher where she was first put in to rest herself. The firefighter pup may know medicine but he wasn't prepared to help someone with a bullet wound.

As everyone looked up from the sudden darkening of the sky, Maria ran back to the team of pups after she finished delivering some goods to the citizens.

"This job is so much more stressful than a daily jog," she said before joining everyone with their stare. The storm around the castle was gone but the light in the sky needed some cleaning.

However, passing through the clouds were large meteors… no, they were spikes, and a multitude of them. They were slow but they were steady, plotting to crash land on earth. The damage they could do would be massive, and Maria didn't want to think of the lives that would succumb to such an event.

All the PAW Patrol's hard-worked efforts to calm everyone down came tumbling. People ran, cars crashed, screams were everywhere. This time, their whole country was in immediate danger, and maybe even the world.

"My phone's not working!" Yelled one civilian from the crowd of panic. Another supported the proclamation, bringing an added uproar. Maria could barely hear herself speak from the anarchy.

"It's Sweetie," a pup with an eye patch came forward before every pup on the ground. "She's plotting destruction upon everyone."

"But why would she do that?" Maria turned to the still unknown pup, who glanced at her with her only eye before returning to the sky.

"That's Sweetie for you," a female voice entered. It was the Cockapoo, who joined them, and slowly following behind her were the remaining pups on the ground. Marshall was frightened by the event. Rubble lacked expression, probably confused, although his shaking hind legs showed his fear. The only pup that stood straight was Skye. "She had always done misdeeds, it isn't surprising she'd do this. She's rotten to the core and evil inside out. This is just a wish come true for her—"

Slap!

Everyone turned to the Cockapoo with shock, who had a paw on her cheek.

"Refrain from judging my friend, you know nothing about her." Maria took her stand. "She's misunderstood and mistreated; betrayed by all and cared by none, until we came. Even Chase knows better, why do you think he's up there trying to rescue her?"

Skye's surprised gaze softened, her eyes looking away. "If Chase never associated with her, he wouldn't be in such pain. Everything came falling down ever since he went to Barkingburg. This occurrence right now may have happened nonetheless but in another life, Chase could've been happy with his team, spending our days smiling and cheering for one another. His heart would be broken since I love Rocky, but without Sweetie to intervene and confuse him, he may have recovered by now. He deserves a better life than this. One, even if I tried, wouldn't be able to give on my own."

Maria regretted hitting another living being, it cracked her self-imposed rule. It reminded her of the violent act she committed to her previous family. Granted, it was to save the mother and daughter, but the act of hurting another tore her apart.

"Down-to-earth, independent, confident, and pretty. I can see why Chase liked you. However, there's something you couldn't give him that he so desperately needed."

"And what's that?" Skye turned to the Shiba Inu with a curious face, void of hate in acceptance that she had no right to feel so.

"Something that a bratty, self-centered, and resentful princess pup could give, and that's going against her nature to give him a chance. To be weak, to be honest, and to have a shoulder to lean on at his lowest even if he cannot provide the results one would want. Have you ever thought that maybe Chase felt pressured underneath his smile?"