Second Chance (PAW Patrol AU)

Chapter Two

The weekend came and went without a hitch and soon, it was back to work and school for the firehouse. Rocky still wasn't awake by the time Chase stepped into his room. He sat on his bed. "Hey, bud. You gotta get up now."

Rocky groaned, causing Chase to chuckle. He recalled not ever wanting to wake up at that age. Something about the teenage years causes everyone to be tired. Rocky was only a few months away from turning 13, but, even so, he was already tired. His eyes fluttered open and he stared at Chase sadly. "Do I have-" He paused to yawn.

Chase smiled. "Yep, gotta go back to school. Finish all your homework yesterday?"

"I finished it on Friday," Rocky smiled. He stood from the bed, walking over to his dresser.

"Smart boy." Chase ruffled his hair. "I'll be outside when you're ready." Rocky nodded, watching as Chase closed the door. He sighed, wondering what the day would bring him. Do I have Physics today? Aw, I don't. I have gym. He scowled. I hate gym.

As long as he could remember, kids would tease him about his hair. He kept it short and spiky, just how he liked it, but it was the color he despised the most. It was dark gray. When his birth parents told him that his hair color wasn't technically natural, he was shocked. Doctors tried to figure out why, but it was a recessive trait.

Rocky pulled on his green hoodie, a welcome gift he had received from Marshall. How the man knew his favorite color, he didn't know, nor did he question it. Chase and Skye had gifted him a stuffed wolf. Normally, he would've thought he was too old for stuffed animals, but something about the gesture made him smile.

He grabbed his school bag and raced out the door. "Bye guys!" he yelled over his shoulder.

"Bye Rocky," everyone said in unison, causing chuckles all around.

"He's doing a lot better," Zuma said once the door shut. "I didn't hear any screaming yesterday or today."

"He's opening up to us," Marshall said. He saw Skye frowning. "What's wrong?"

She looked up from her plate. "Oh, nothing. Just... thinking, that's all."

Zuma, Rubble and Marshall all looked at her with concern. "What is it?" Rubble asked.

"Maybe we can help?" Zuma said.

"It's just..." she sighed. "It's been a little over a month now and... he still calls us by name." An awkward silence filled the table as they processed that.

"Well, uh..." Marshall said. Although he had numerous year of medical training behind him, this wasn't something you could train for. "It's just something he needs to get used to."

"Give him time," Rubble said, sipping his coffee. "He'll say it."

"Little dude has to get used to all this," Zuma said. "Look how long it took to trust us." He chuckled. "I gotta admit, he knows way more about mechanics than me."

"Says the man that swears by duct tape," Rubble shot, roaring with laughter. Everyone started laughing. Marshall's pager began beeping and it grew eerily quiet. They looked to him. He calmly lifted the pager up to his line of vision.

"2-alarm, downtown," he said, rising from the table. "Gear up!" Everyone rose, leaving their breakfast where it lay. Grabbing their gear, they swiftly slid down the pole one handed. "Skye-"

"Already up and running!" she yelled from her helicopter. "I'll meet you there." She took off, racing towards the source of the call.

"You really think he'll come around?" Rubble asked Zuma.