Unexpected

Chapter 10: Rocky (The Word Not The Character)

Rocky is in his dog house balling his eyes out as he can't believe Marshall would betray him and his love like that. "I...I...though we would be...together forever...b-but...guess not anymore...," The mix breed says aloud to himself as he keeps crying.  Rocky thinks about all the pair had been through together and wonders why Marshall would throw it all away just to be with someone he had just met today.  "Oh well, looks like our relationship is through it seems," Rocky says as he lays in bed looking at his sheets.    "Hold on...maybe I am over thinking this.  Did Marshall really kiss Copycat?  Or was it forced on him?" The mix asks to himself as he was too shocked to really tell.  "Oh what does it matter?  I yelled at Marshall and he'll...wait that's stupid he would forgive me.  He's very forgiving and understanding," Rocky says as he walks out of his dog house.

He walks back to Marshall's dog house and notices he isn't in there anymore.  "Oh no...where did he go?," Rocky asks as he runs inside and notices Marshall's collar on the floor and a full note.  It reads, "To whom it may concern, I am running away.  Far away to where no one can find me.  I fucked up with a friend and he yelled at me.  I cried for hours thinking about him and all we had done.  But now it's all gone.  I have no choice but to run away.  No one will truly understand my heartache.  This isn't a suicide note, just a note saying I am far away.  Probably in the next town by now or so.  Sincerely yours, Marshall."

Tears fall from Rocky's face upon reading the note.  He knows that he caused this and immediately calls Ryder.  Up in the Lookout, Ryder is playing on his pup pad.  At least that is until he sees it ringing.  He answers the call and is surprised by who calls.  "Oh hey Rocky.  Everything okay over there?," Ryder asks concerned as he sees tears flowing down Rocky's usually happy face.  "No...I have terrible news...  Marshall has run away...  He...left his collar...and..and he left a note...it's all my fault...," Rocky says as he looks away from Ryder.  "Runaway?!?!  Rocky that's terrible.  We have to find him and fast!!," Ryder says as he ends the call with Rocky and presses a button on his pup pad to call everyone. "Everyone there's an emergency!!!  I need you at the Lookout now!!!  No time to explain!!!  Paw Patrol to the Lookout!!," Ryder says as he hangs up.

Rubble, Chase, Zuma, and Skye all look concerned as they run to the Lookout.  Rocky runs behind them with tears still on his face.  He wiped them away and brings on a serious face.  As they all enter the elevator, nothing happens to them.  Confused they all look at each other, except for Rocky.  "Weird, we're usually in a pile.  Where is Marshall?," Rubble asks.  "No idea dude, maybe he'll show up later," Zuma says as he looks at Rubble.  "That or he may be the one in trouble," Chase points out.  They all nod as Rocky gulps. 

The elevator rises and they all put in their uniforms once it is behind their logo.  They each go their locker and put on their uniforms.  Chase notices that it is his spy uniform and sighs.  "This can't be good at all," Chase thinks to himself as puts it on.  Everyone else has their normal uniform and puts it on.  The elevator then rises again once they all have their uniforms on.  It takes a couple seconds to reach the top and the elevator opens.  Once open, they all hop out from a line in front of Ryder.  "Ready for action Ryder sir," Chase says as he has a serious face on.  "Thank you for showing gup so quickly my pups.  This one is a serious one.  Marshall has ran away.  He left his collar behind and wrote a note.  Clearly something happened to make him do this.  We'll ask him once we find him.  I need everyone's help for this. Chase and Rocky, you'll be together searching on the ground.  You both have the best noses and best gear for tracking.  Skye, you'll be our air support.  It's nighttime so your headlights and goggles should be useful.  Rubble you'll be searching on the ground to, but not following Chase and Rocky.  Lastly, Zuma, you'll be searching the water in case Marshall decided to swim to some place else.  Alright, you all now what to do.  Let's find Marshall and bring him home!!  Go go go!!," Ryder shouts as he heads over to the pole and slides down it.  The others they slide down the slide and hip in their vehicles.  Rocky follows beside Chase while Rubble, Skye, Ryder, Zuma head their own directions.  "Report back to me pups if you find him," Ryder says as he drives his ATV behind everyone. 

Chase already sees Marshall's paw prints with his spy goggles and sighs.  "Ryder, Marshall's paw prints appear to have just vanished.  Oh shit, it's raining too.  How did I not notice that?," The Shepherd says as he sighs. 

Meanwhile, Marshall steps out of the water, continually shaking his body off and shivering from the cold.  "Ah...Seal Island...the one place that gives me comfort," Marshall says as he sees Captain Turbot's boat is docked at the pier of Seal Island.  "Looks like Captain Turbot...is here.  He doesn't appear...to be awake though.  No lights are on...except for the lighthouse light itself...which always has to be on.  Guess I should go lay inside his boat," The Dally says as he runs over to it and goes down into living quarters.

Up in the air, Skye flys by Seal Island and scans around.  "Nope...no sign of him here.  Oh Marshall, where could you be?" Skye asks in desperation as she really misses her friend.  The others have not much luck either.  Rubble, Rocky, Chase, Zuma, Skye, and Ryder search for hours until the sun rises once again.  It's 6 am on April 28th, and still no sign of Marshall.  Everyone on the team is exhausted from searching and heads back to the Lookout.  They all meet up there and hop out of their vehicles.  "Where could he be?  There is no way he just up and disappeared," Rocky says as he yawns.  "Yeah you are right Rocky.  He has to be somewhere.  After a quick nap we will call around town and see if anyone has seen..."

Ryder was about to finish his sentence when his pup pad goes off.  It shows Captain Turbot's icon on the screen and he clicks it to answer the call.  "Hello Captain Turbot.  You look worried, is everything okay?," The teen asks to the worried looking Captain.  "Not exactly worried Ryder per say.  More perplexed than anything if you ask me.  Take a look," the Captain says as he turns the camera of his phone to face something.  Once Ryder sees what Captain Turbot is talking about he is in shock.  A sleeping Marshall is in the living quarters of Captain Turbot's boat.  "Shhh, he seems to have been through a lot," Captain Turbot says as he enters the frame.  "Right, but what is he doing there?,"  the teen asks in shock still.  "I'll ask him that when he wakes up and report back to you.  I'll look after him for you as best I can.  Worst case scenario I can take him to Katie's Pet Parlor for extra help," Captain Turbot says with a reassuring smile.  "Thanks Captain, see you later," Ryder says with a smile.  "Yeah see you later," The Captain says as he hangs up.

Ryder yawns and stretches before looking at his team of dogs.  "I have some great news everyone.  Marshall has been found and he is safe.  Not yet sure how he is doing health wise, but we will find that out soon.  Captain Turbot is looking after him until he wakes up," The teen says as he wipes sweat from his face.  All the dogs sigh as they are relieved to know their friend is okay.  Rocky sighs the heaviest.  He never meant to hurt Marshall so much that it made him run away.  Words sting more than anything to him.  How on Earth could he have forgotten that.

Rocky thinks back to when Marshall ran away the first time.  How he thought the team hated him for his clumsiness and ruining everyone's games.  That was a stressful day.  He ran a way a few more times after that too.  Basically, this is a common occurrence for the Dalmatian.  "Ryder, this isn't the first time Marshall has ran away from home.  We may not know why he does, but will usually tell us every time.  Only...this time it's my fault," the Mixed Breed admits as he is ashamed of himself.

He then goes on to explain to the teen everything that happened.  Ryder afterwards pets Rocky on the head.  "Emotions are hard aren't they?  Complicated little things and big things we all experience daily.  Sometimes we just don't see things as they are the first time.  Marshall will come back, I know he will.  Just give him time," Ryder says, hoping to reassure Rocky.  The others follow suit and tell him that there's no need to worry.  Still, he can't help feeling like he fucked up big time.

That ladies and gentleman is Chapter 10 of Unexpected!!  Took me a bit of time to write this one, but glad I could complete it.  If you enjoyed it, be sure to give it a vote and comment what you think ^^  It really does mean a lot when you all comment on my stories.