Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

The Paw Patrol kids program will forever go down in Adventure Bay history books as a tragedy. What we thought was a good idea turned out to be one of our biggest mistakes. At first, it was just a silly little thing that was brought into consideration. Then, the city put it’s money into it. Not many parents signed their kids up, I wouldn’t either honestly. I mean, a bunch of kids doing rescue missions? Only six kids actually joined. They started out with small missions, barely breaking a sweat. The program was supposed to help with their physical capabilities as well as teamwork.

The people around town thought it was cute when the kids would help find missing items or rebuild treehouses. It gained popularity fast but what they loved the most was how the kids grew so close to each other. A bond that couldn’t be broken. Two more joined after that, they quickly became part of the team.

Then, the leader, Ryder, got greedy. The city was paying him good to watch the kids and he liked it. He put them through more risky operations to gain more money. It was becoming increasingly dangerous for the kids and yet, he didn’t care. Another two joined, their parents thought the thrill of it all would be good for their skills apparently. No one bat an eye to how dangerous it really was. They were saving us all and we failed to save them.

Their names haunt our history books and their poor souls are stuck in our memories. The Paw Patrol memorial site still stands. People visit daily to give their condolences to the children who paid the ultimate price just so that man could get a few extra bucks.

Chase
Rocky
Marshall
Rubble
Zuma
Skye
Everest
Tracker
Liberty
Rex

All of Adventure Bay is forever in your debt. Nothing can forgive the horrors you all had to face. You weren’t rescuers, you were children in need of rescuing.

Chase wasn’t a police officer, he was a kid who wanted to help those around him. (The police station gave him a ceremonial send off. His picture and honorary badge are in the main hallway)

Marshall wasn’t a firefighter, he was clumsy with a smile no one could replicate. (The firehouse has a statue of him outside. His helmet was the only thing found in the wreckage. It was given to his parents)

Rocky wasn’t waste control or a handyman, he was smart and good with what was given. (His toolbox is included in the memorial site, no one has touched it since. He hated when people went through his stuff)

Zuma wasn’t water rescue or a lifeguard, he loved the water and surfing was his game. (He got his very own surfboard and lifeguard tower at the beach. It’s part of his memory)

Rubble wasn’t a construction worker, he was just a little boy who liked to build. (They built him a little monument in his memory. People have sworn that saw a little boy who looked just like him sitting nearby)

Skye wasn’t an aviator, (God, how did they even allow that?)she enjoyed the freedom of the wind. (She’s flying forever in the heavens above, just like her team. All planes made in Adventure Bay have a stripe of pink for her)

Everest wasn’t a mountain rescuer, she lived for the snow and the mountains. (The trails are marked with her signature colours. Her name became part of a snow wear brand. She’s keeping the climbers safe, even if they can’t see her)

Travis or Tracker as they called him, wasn’t jungle rescue, jungles and forests amazed him. He couldn’t stay away from them. (His name is used as a reminder to stay safe in there. Ironic that the kid named Tracker was the one they couldn’t find. His torn up gear is all that’s left of him. It’s hanged in the main cabin in the jungle. His hat is in the memorial site)

Liberty wasn’t city rescue, the big bright lights of the city were her passion. Everyone who knew her always smiled when they talked about her. (A skyscraper was built in her name. The penthouse is reserved for her belongings)

Rex wasn’t animal rescue/watch, he liked to watch the animals roam and help out when he could. His wheelchair was adorned with stickers and drawings. (His wheelchair was torn and slightly burned. They found him in the same state. The service was closed casket for obvious reasons. The zoo gave him a memorial wall, it’s incorporated with his notebook where he wrote down all kinds of animal facts and things he learned)

The city was sued by their families. Even with their joint efforts, they lost the lawsuit. Today, Adventure Bay is mostly known for the misfortune that was Paw Patrol. The poor children who were lost because of that horrid man, Ryder. He is currently serving life without parole. They couldn’t give him a death sentence since the parents gave their consent for the kids to join, regardless of risks.

All of Adventure Bay mourns for you, Paw Patrol, we will never forget our heroes.

Chapter Text

The program was laughed off at first. No one wanted to imagine little kids as rescue workers. But it kept coming back up. Eventually, they caved and allowed for it to happen. Many parents were skeptical of it, who wouldn’t? They didn’t want their kids to be put in danger. The ads and posters convinced a few of them to try it out though. The kids loved it.

Ryder taught them how to hone their skills and get better at what they were already good at. Their vehicles were specifically designed to be smaller and more accessible for children. None of the controls were difficult and they managed to get the hang of it pretty fast(The parents were never informed of the numerous crashes).

Chase, Marshall and Skye were the first to join. Then came Rocky, Zuma and finally, Rubble. They were the dream team. A few months in and they became best friends. They were so excited for their first mission(everyone collectively ignored the bandaids and Marshall’s limp. It was just training after all).
They had to work together to build a treehouse for a kid’s birthday. It took them a few hours, but they managed to build a decent looking treehouse by the time of the party. The kid loved it. They went back to the ‘lookout’ with the brightest smiles.

Skye was a difficult situation. She was designated as the aviation kid but, it was extremely dangerous to put her in an actual helicopter. Not to mention how small she was. In the end, they opted to train her as best they could and have her equipped with a parachute at all times in the helicopter(no one saw the bruises she gained from training. Ryder made sure she covered them. It’s unknown how many times she had to use the parachute, we’d rather not know).

Chase and Marshall were so happy when they got chosen in their respective fields. Rocky and Zuma were jumping with joy. Rubble couldn’t have been happier(if only they knew that it would be their fate).

Everest was next to join. She saved Jake, her elder brother, from falling to his death in the mountains. Ryder made her part of the Paw Patrol that same night(did they all have to wear those collars? It seemed inhumane, degrading even).

Ryder was sending them on more dangerous missions at this point. He said that they needed more of a challenge. No pain, no gain, right?(the oldest at the time was Chase. He just turned seven. Why would they possibly need a challenge?) it was only a matter of time before someone got hurt.

Rocky sprained his wrist playing basketball. Marshall had a side job as a medic(he barely knew anything about it. Why did they let him diagnose people?). He wrapped Rocky’s wrist and Rocky had to sit out for the rest of the game. Marshall went in his place(No one found it worrying when he was stuck on the hoop)

Travis or Tracker, came in not long after that. He had great hearing and often impressed the others with it. He spent a lot of time in the jungle so it only made sense for him to work in that area. He knew it like the back of his hand.

Liberty lived up to her name. She was truly a happy soul in her core. Many could call her annoying but she never actually annoyed them. She just had a bright attitude and too much love to go around(she shouldn’t have trusted Ryder. He led her to her doom).

Rex was the last to join. A free spirit, content regardless of his disability. He thought of his wheelchair as another part of him, no different then the rest of his body. He decorated it with stickers and drawings. The other kids also stuck a few on there from time to time. He carried his notebook everywhere, always ready to jot down a new animal fact.

After the incident, many people were interviewed about them. The children who had such beautiful laughs, such carefree personalities, always ready to help. Everyone in Adventure Bay saw them at one point or another. How could Ryder be so selfish?

(Truly, we are the ones to blame. Had we been more vigilant, more skeptical, none of this would have happened. The city only allowed the program to progress because we advocated for it. No one wants to admit it though. No one wants to hear the sickening truth, that we are the ones at fault for the children’s premature departure from our world)

If only we could have saved them. In a different universe, we did.

(Why not this one?)

Chapter Text

Adventure Bay, 20XX. Pre-Paw Patrol

Chase was a lively young boy. He jumped at the chance to help in any way he could. Chase often earned rewards at schools for his performance and chivalry. His parents were so so proud of him. When he found out about Paw Patrol, he just had to join.

——————

The pitter patter of footsteps could be heard as a boy ran through the halls. “Mom, Mom! Look at this!” Helen recognised that tone all too well, her son was always asking about new things he could partake in. “Chase, I told you not to run in the house.” He slowed down but his enthusiasm didn’t lessen one bit. “Sorry, it’s just that there’s this new program the city is funding and I thought I could maybe sign up? It’s really cool!”

He sounded so exited, how could she not let him? The only problem was that it looked too dangerous. Helen examined the flyer in her hands, it made the program look like something fun for kids, but it could become a problem very fast. Chase was already a risk taker, she can’t imagine what would become of her only son if things went wrong. “I’m sorry Chase, it’s just too dangerous. I can’t let you do it.”

Chase can’t really say he was surprised, it did seem like a bad idea at first. But he just had to sign up, he had to! “Please, I’ll be extra careful, I won’t run off, I’ll listen to the adults! Anything! Just please let me try it out at least!”
Helen could almost commemorate her sons ability to persuade her. Of course he had to bring out the whiny voice. So, after thinking it through, she made her decision. “Fine, I’ll let you sign up if you promise to be good, deal?”

“Deal! You won’t regret this, Mom!”

——————
Five Months Later

She was already regretting it. Chase came home every week looking more and more empty, like his spark was gone. He just went up to his room, packed some things he needed, and only came down to eat. He went back to the lookout on Monday morning with even less enthusiasm. Helen couldn’t understand. She thought Chase loved the Paw Patrol, he was so happy in the first few weeks. What happened?

——————

He can’t see anything. Smoke and fire are clouding his vision. It was supposed to be simple adventure, a day for them to go out and have fun. How did it all go so wrong?

The lookout was aflame, falling apart slowly. Chase could only watch as it all came down. He wasn’t in a better state. His uniform was ripped in multiple places, it was burned a bit in the initial explosion. His ears were still ringing and he was almost sure that the wet substance he could feel all over his body was blood. Wether it was his, he wasn’t sure.

Every time he tried to breathe he would only inhale more smoke, making him even weaker than he already was. He didn’t have the energy to move anymore, he’s already accepted his fate. He only hopes that his parents and teammates(if they survived) will be able to move on without him.

He wonders if Ryder survived. If he somehow managed to escape all the chaos. Would the universe be so cruel as to keep Ryder alive when he and his teammates suffered at his hand? He hoped not.

(He knows Ryder lived. He chooses not to believe it.)

Chase closed his eyes and waited for the pain to go away. Maybe, if he hadn’t been so insistent, his mom wouldn’t have let him be apart of this nightmare.

——————
Post-Incident

Helen was never the same after that. Her dear boy had his life cut short for no reason. She visited the memorial every day, always leaving a flower for Chase. She would never forget the day she got the news of his passing. Never.

Occasionally, she would visit the police station to look at her son’s portrait. The officers kept it polished and always made sure to keep his name in their hearts. In the end, Chase got what he wanted: to be a hero.

His funeral was absolutely devastating, but she was glad he got the send off he deserved. Helen believed she was doing something good by letting him be apart of that program. Now, she couldn’t hate herself more if she tried. Ryder ruined her life, as well as many other families in Adventure Bay. Her husband has been her only anchor since they received the news, always keeping her mind at peace, but there’s only so much he could do when she was in such a state.

She hates herself. She hates the people who approved of the program. She hates Ryder. She hates everything. That was all there was, hate, hate, hate. It was too much. She wishes she could keep the urges at bay, she doesn’t want to leave her poor husband with another person to bury, but she just can’t. So when she closed her eyes on that fateful evening, all she could think about was how exited she was to see her son again.

Chapter Text

“Skye Taylor was a bright girl. She, as well as her teammates, did everything they could to help people. Most of us, myself included, owe them our lives, that’s a debt no one will ever be able to pay. The families and friends in Adventure Bay deserve justice for their children, and all we can do is pray that they receive it”

Mayor Goodway gave a speech in Adventure City following the events. She made sure to give every team member their own part. She knew those children personally and not a day goes by where she doesn’t blame herself for not paying more attention.

——————

Pre-Incident

Skye was sitting on the balcony in the lookout, staring at everything below her. They went through yet another harsh training session that day. She couldn’t help but let her thoughts wander, thinking about a world where she didn’t sign up for this program. Ryder was harder on them today, it almost scared her.

It’ll be harder to hide the bruises

She could see Chase coming towards her in her peripheral. He wasn’t very good at hiding his limp.

“You should take it easy tomorrow, Ryder said we have a mission”, Skye recalled. Chase looked at her sheepishly. “I know, but I wanted to talk to you first. It looked like you were having some trouble today”, he said. She knew she was off her game today, but she didn’t know why. “I was just tired, it’s a one time thing.”

Chase watched her get up and leave, a small scowl on her face. Everyone knew how much pressure Ryder put on her. He glanced at the sunset for a few short moments before getting up as well. They had a lot of work to do tomorrow.

——————

…

Her helicopter was going down. Smoke was everywhere, not even her goggles could detect anything. She was panicking. Skye was terrified, this wasn’t supposed to happen.

“Ryder, I can’t control it anymore! What’s going on?!”

No response. She was panicking as she tried to stay in the air. Her helicopter was going in every direction and she had no idea how to stop it.

(If only she knew how close she was to the lookout)

It spun around so much that she became dizzy, temporarily shifting her focus. In those short seconds, she went down too fast to stop. In those short seconds, Skye Taylor was no more.

——————

Post-Incident

Katie felt like an empty shell. Who wouldn’t in her situation? She had to watch her little sister crash into the lookout on live tv. Everything went down with her. Her parents were devastated, but they tried to make her feel better.

She wanted to tell them that nothing could make her feel better about failing to protect Skye.

Every time Katie saw an airplane, she couldn’t help but notice the pink streak. They wanted to make sure her sister was always in the skies, and she appreciated the effort. She sometimes visits the memorial site to look at all the other kids that Ryder ruined. She always leaves in tears.

To think that she actually liked Ryder, what a joke. She will only ever know him as her sister’s killer. Katie felt so much resentment that it scared her. It scared her to know that she was capable of this much hatred for a single person, but that person is the reason her family is in shambles now. She will never forgive him.

While laying in bed one night, scrolling through old pictures and videos, she could only think about how she was probably the worst sister on earth.

“I’m sorry I couldn’t protect you, Skye. Please forgive me.”

Chapter Text

Is it wrong to think like this? Am I at fault for wanting freedom? I know the others have thought about it, we all have.

I see how Rocky keeps glancing at his sharper tools.

I see how Zuma looks down from the bridge.

I see how Liberty stares at the tall buildings.

I see how Tracker leaves his hook loose whenever he’s climbing.

I see how Chase drives faster around rocky hillsides.

Point is, we have all thought about freedom, but none of us are brave enough to achieve it. I have thought about it far more than them, no doubt. I never even wanted to be in this stupid program, but my parents said it would be a good way for me to make friends.

I wish I had more time to think, but Ryder’s calling. Another day, another mission.

I hate these collars. Who approved this?

——————

The lookout was going to be burned to ash. The one fire I can’t put out. All our equipment was in there, we don’t have anything to help. I knew I wouldn’t make it, and yet, I ran in regardless. Chase and Skye were already gone, but… I can help the others.

It’s impossible to breathe in here with all the smoke, but I need to help, I need to do something. No point in getting a fire extinguisher, it won’t do anything here.

The others were…gone by the time I got through the fire. The lookout was about to collapse, almost completely spilt after Skye crashed. Maybe if I had been braver, faster, stronger, this wouldn’t have happened. Maybe if my parents didn’t sign me up for this, I’d be at camp instead. Maybe if I had the courage to get my freedom earlier, none of us would be here

Maybe, just maybe…

If alternative universes exist, I hope there’s one where I died the way I wanted to.

——————

Adventure Bay, Post-Incident

Captain Jones couldn’t hide the grief on his face when he passed the statue that morning. After that boy, Marshall, was killed in the fire alongside his teammates, the city paid for the memorial and statues built in their names.

It pained him to go to work everyday and be reminded of his failure. First responders were unable to reach the lookout in time, the bridge being closed off for reasons unknown.

Regardless of the tragedy, Jones wiped his face and entered the firehouse, preparing himself for another day.

Chapter Text

Rocky watched as Ryder scolded Everest for her inability to rock climb properly. Such a trait would be beneficial for her line of work but she just couldn’t get it down. She started crying 10 minutes ago and he’s only getting more and more frustrated.

Ryder was a cruel man, the worst man they’ve ever met, but this is their reality and there’s nothing they can do about it. Rocky wishes he could pour his heart out and expose Ryder for everything he’s done but the chances of him actually facing the consequences are very slim.

And so, Rocky stays silent once again.

——————

He’s not a bad kid, he doesn’t know why he gets so angry when someone asks him about the program. It makes him mad at the world and himself that he can’t get out of it. People have started to suspect something is off about the whole situation and the pressure is getting to Ryder, only leading to riskier missions. Rocky has had to hold himself back from cutting off his stupid collar more than once already.

He knows that he should say something, he knows that it’s not worth it to live like this. He doesn’t want to endure any more pain in this endless cycle. He just can’t get the words out. So when a kind woman asks him if he’s okay after a rough day, he knows what he needs to say.

“I’m fine.”

——————

He was stuck. He was stuck and he couldn’t move. A piece of the ceiling came down and it was crushing him. It was too heavy to move and even if he could move it, he knows it’s the only thing keeping him from immediately bleeding out.

He heard Skye pleading for her life on the comms and he saw Ryder ignore her. Ryder let her die, escaping from the Lookout before she crashed. Rocky had kept his mouth shut for far too long and it’s finally backfiring on him.

Rocky wishes he found the words earlier. Rocky wishes he wasn’t so afraid.

Rocky wishes for the last time.

——————

They tried their best not to move the tools too much while setting up Rocky’s memorial. The kid didn’t like when people snooped through his things so they made sure to honour that. After they placed everything down, not a single person will be allowed to touch it. His whole area was a time capsule.

The vehicles that weren’t destroyed were also included in the memorial. They used it to further expose how the children were in horrible conditions and the vehicles were barely fit for a child. Rocky’s truck was horribly damaged but it still stood strong.

His family didn’t want his face online so no cameras allowed in his section. The memorial isn’t a tourist attraction, it’s a reminder of those we failed. We must respect their wishes and the wishes of the deceased. Rocky didn’t want people touching what was his so we touched as little as possible. It’s basic human decency.

Basic human decency Ryder couldn’t give them.