Behind The Mask

Off To Costa Rica

     As both the Air Patroller and Paw Patroller were finally ready to head out, the sun had already set and the moon was already above the city behind the black background with a bunch of stars. Everyone else was packing some last minute things for themselves and some were just sitting somewhere, in their own state of mind, bracing themselves for what was about to come.

Chase was walking back up to the Observatory after carrying some other essentials for the trip. As he walked in, he looked around. There weren't many people or dogs in the room, there was just Ryder and Katie talking on the second floor and Zuma talking with Ella. But there was one dog that caught his attention in particular. He saw Fiona slowly stroking the top of Sylvias head with a sad smile and gave out a sigh. He watched as Fiona turned away from her daughter and slid down against the wall to sit down. He looked up from the sleeping Sylvia down to Fiona.

Chase looked at the other two pairs and observed them, making sure that they were focused on their own conversation. He wasn't sure but for this kind of conversation he was about to have with Fiona, he would've preferred to do it in private since it does concern her family.

Fiona sat in silence alone. Hearing the breathing coming from her daughter. She smiled slightly. She sounded so peaceful and it brought some sort of comfort to her. But her smile faded away quickly.

"Yo."

Fiona looked up and was surprised to see Chase staring at her with no expression on his face.

"H-Hey." She greeted him back nervously.

Honestly, talking to Chase again sort of felt awkward. She went from being enemies with him to...what? Sure, they talked at the amusement park but the only reason why they didn't go at each other was because there were other people around and it would only make things worse not only for each other, but for the ones closest to them. But they never had a...friendly or just a regular conversation, they barely had any sort of connection at all. They're not friends, they're not allies, they're not enemies...to her, he was just...a stranger.

"How're ya feeling?" He asked.

"Uh...well...I'm...I'm not sure."

A moment of awkward silence. Chase took another glance at Fiona who was avoiding eye contact at all costs. He sighed again and turned his head, watching the city light up the night. He closed his eyes for a moment and opened his mouth.

"Are you worried?" He asked.

Chase could tell, even without looking, that Fiona flinched at that question but she tried her best to keep her composure.

"Huh? Why would I be worried?" She asked but got silence as a response.

Chase looked up at Sylvia who was still sleeping and then back at the ground. He thought for a moment. And then he just stared up at the ceiling.

"That you might lose your family."

Silence, but now, he could tell that Fiona was shaken up a little, not expected for the young pup to be so straightforward.

She wasn't so sure why, but the way he worded that suggestion made it sound so...true. So true that it might even happen in the future.

"Didn't anyone tell you to just mind your own business?"

"Meh, sometimes. But I don't listen."

"Well, maybe you should."

"Maybe. But when it involves my..." Chase trailed off for a moment. What would he consider Sylvia? Not just Sylvia, but for the whole Paw Patrol. Friends? Family? Allies? Well, he wouldn't really say that he's really good friends with Sylvia, they didn't really talk much. All he did was just comfort her in a rough time but still.