(Chase's Secret)

Chase made it back to the Lookout late enough that the whole place was quiet. No paws on the floor, no elevator chime, no voices—just the hum of the tower and the wind outside.

Good, he thought. I can't explain this right now.

He walked past the pup houses like a ghost, barely noticing the cold under his paws. His head kept replaying the same moment—the mask coming off, the face underneath, the way his stomach dropped.

Jim.

Alive.

Chase's teeth clenched until his jaw ached. He wanted to tear something apart. He wanted to sprint back to the station and demand answers. He wanted to find the man's cell and do what the law wouldn't.

Instead, he forced himself to breathe.

Ryder needs me calm. Ryder needs me thinking.

But calm didn't come.

Chase lay in his pup house staring at the ceiling, ears twitching at every sound the Lookout made. Every time he blinked, he saw Ryder falling again. Every time he swallowed, he tasted sand and fear.

By 2:00 a.m., he gave up.

Chase slipped outside and went to the one place that always made his head quieter—the cliff overlook near the river.

The river wasn't peaceful anymore. Not really.

It was the river Ryder vanished into. The river that took him out to sea. The river that had made Chase feel helpless.

Still... the sound of water moving was the only thing that didn't ask anything from him.

Chase sat down, shoulders slumped, staring at the dark water until his eyes burned.

"I should've stopped him," he whispered into the night. "I should've—"

His voice cracked, and he stopped talking before he fully broke.

Sometime after 3:00 a.m., exhaustion finally won. Chase's head dropped, and he fell asleep right there on the cliff.

Morning came too fast.

Marshall woke up with a frown. It was 8:00 a.m., and nobody had been yanked awake at 7 like usual.

"That's... not right," Marshall muttered.

He went straight to Chase's pup house.

Empty.

Marshall's ears perked. He jogged to Skye's.

"Morning, Skye," Marshall said, trying to sound casual even though his stomach was tightening. "You seen Chase?"

Skye blinked awake, yawned, then immediately sat up when she saw Marshall's face.

"No," she said slowly. "He's always up before me."

Marshall's tail flicked with unease. "Yeah. I know."

Skye shot out of her pup house and woke the others. One by one, they all gave the same answer.

No Chase.

Rocky looked around, thinking like he always did. "His vehicle's here. He didn't leave the Lookout."

Skye swallowed. "Did anyone try calling him?"

Skye pressed her pup tag. "Chase? Babe?"

Static.

No response.

Skye's eyes widened. "That's... weird."

Marshall didn't wait. He didn't argue. He just turned and trotted toward the cliff overlook because he knew Chase better than anyone.

If Chase wasn't in his pup house, and he wasn't answering, there was only one place he'd go when he was drowning in his own head.

Marshall reached the overlook and spotted him immediately—curled near the edge, breathing slow, ears half-fallen in sleep.

Relief hit so hard Marshall's knees almost gave out.

He stepped carefully—carefully—then of course his paw caught a stick.

Marshall tripped.

Rolled.

And thumped right into Chase.

Chase jolted awake with a sharp inhale. "Huh—?!"

Marshall winced, still half on top of him. "Hi. Good morning. This was not the plan."

Chase blinked, then let out a tired huff that almost sounded like a laugh. "Marshall..."

Marshall scrambled off him. "Skye's about to lose her mind, just so you know."

Chase rubbed his face with one paw. "Sorry."

Marshall's voice softened. "What did the police want?"

Chase's body went still.

For one second, Marshall thought Chase wouldn't answer.

Then Chase exhaled slowly. "They needed my statement. They... asked questions."

"And you?" Marshall pressed gently.

Chase's eyes dropped to the water below. "I'm... okay. Not really. But I'm functioning."

Marshall didn't push. He wanted to. He wanted to shake Chase and demand the truth.

But he knew that look.

That look meant Chase was holding something back because it would destroy everyone if it came out wrong.

So Marshall did the only thing he could. He sat beside him.

"Ryder's going to be okay," Marshall said quietly. "I can feel it in my bones."

Chase didn't respond right away.

Then he whispered, "He has to be."

They went back to the Lookout together.

The second Chase stepped inside, Skye launched herself at him like a furry missile.

"CHASE!" she snapped, both angry and terrified at the same time. "Do you have any idea how worried I was?!"

Chase let her tackle him because he deserved it. "I'm sorry," he murmured. "I fell asleep by the river. I'm okay."

Skye stared at him for a long beat, then pressed her forehead to his. "Don't do that again."

"I won't," Chase promised, even though he wasn't sure he could keep it.

Katie came out of Ryder's room looking pale, hair messy, eyes tired.

"Alright pups," she said, voice tight. "We're going back to the hospital."

Nobody argued.

They drove in silence.

The hospital felt colder than yesterday.

A doctor met them outside the ICU doors, expression careful.

"It was a rough night," she said gently. "Ryder's condition is still critical. There were complications and we had to intervene quickly."

Katie's hands trembled. "Is he... is he still—"

"He's still with us," the doctor assured. "But I need you all to understand: we don't know when he'll wake up, and we're monitoring for neurological impact from the trauma and blood loss. There is still brain activity. There is still hope."

Hope.

The word should've helped.

It mostly just hurt.

"I can't allow a group in," the doctor continued. "But I'll allow brief visits, one at a time. Please keep it short."

One by one, they went in.

Rubble went first, small and shaking, trying to be brave even though his voice wobbled. "Ryder... please wake up. The PAW Patrol needs you." He licked Ryder's hand and hurried out before he cried too hard.

Skye went next. She hopped up carefully, eyes full. "Ryder, we love you. Please don't leave." Her voice cracked when she added, "Chase needs you." Then she slipped out, wiping her face.

Rocky stepped in with a limp in his posture that hadn't been there before. Guilt sat on him like a weight. He stared at the machines, then at Ryder's face.

"All this... because of me," Rocky whispered. "I'm sorry, Ryder. I swear I'm going to make it right." He leaned in close. "He's caught. He can't hurt you again."

Rocky left with his jaw clenched so hard it looked like it might break.

Zuma went in next. He looked like someone had scooped his heart out. He pressed his forehead gently to Ryder's arm.

"I'm sorry," Zuma murmured. "I should've been stronger. Please come back." He licked Ryder's fingers and backed away like he didn't trust his legs.

Marshall walked in and immediately tripped over absolutely nothing.

He huffed at himself quietly, then climbed up beside Ryder, gentler than he'd ever been.

"Hey, kid," Marshall whispered. "You always bounce back. You always do. So do it again." His voice turned raw. "Chase is barely holding on."

Marshall hopped down, eyes wet, and left before he cracked.

Katie went in next.

The second she saw Ryder's face, she broke.

She pressed her lips to his forehead and whispered, "Please wake up. I need you to wake up."

Her tears hit Ryder's blanket.

The nurse had to guide her out.

And then it was Chase.

Chase stepped into the room like he didn't belong there—like he was the one who should be in the bed instead.

He climbed up carefully and stared at Ryder's face.

His leader.

His human.

His family.

Chase swallowed hard, throat burning.

"Ryder sir..." he whispered.

No response.

Chase's eyes squeezed shut.

"I'm sorry," he said, voice shaking. "I couldn't stop him. Not the first time... not the second time..." He pressed his forehead gently to Ryder's arm. "I need you to survive this. You saved me. You're all I have left."

His voice broke completely.

"I can't lose you," Chase sobbed. "Please don't leave me."

A nurse entered quietly and softened when she saw him. She knelt and stroked behind his ears.

"We're doing everything we can," she promised.

Chase forced himself to breathe again. "Can I stay?"

The nurse shook her head with real sympathy. "Not in the ICU, sweetheart. But we'll call the second anything changes."

Chase nodded, heart ripping all over again, and climbed down.

When he walked out to the others, his face was wet and his eyes were haunted.

And the secret sat in his chest like a stone.

Because Ryder didn't just get shot.

Ryder got shot by someone who should've been dead.

Chase looked at his team, at Katie, at Skye, at Rocky and Zuma still holding each other like the world might fall apart if they let go.

He thought, If I tell them now... it'll destroy them.

If I don't tell them... it could destroy Ryder later.

He didn't know which choice was worse.