Trigger warning ahead: descriptions of alcohol and drug abuse, suicide, character death.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

It was eerily quiet in the street tonight. No vehicles were in sight, and there were only a few buildings that still have lights on.

It was one in the morning and yet, there was still a lone figure sitting on the side of the street, his body casting a faint shadow under the street light.

Ever since they had joined the PAW Patrol, they were thrust into a world of nonstop monotony of saving Adventure Bay. They were always out, never having the time to take a break. It was chaotic, really. And he was tired of all the chaos.

The figure looked up behind him, noting the eyes that watched him through the dimly lit window. He tried to see who was it, but the figure from the window disappeared. He slumped back on the floor, his back resting against the thin frame of the street light.

Chase closed his eyes and pulled his jacket tighter around him as he shivered. He picked up the bottle of liquor beside him and downed its contents. Alcohol became his friend for a long time, helping him through the most stressful and painful moments of his job.

He felt someone sit beside him and he opened his eyes, blue eyes meeting orange ones. He reached out to him and smiled when he felt his hands intertwine with his, the warmth traveling through his body.

Marshall. The jolly, blue-eyed ball of stress. They had been together through thick and thin, from the easiest to the hardest jobs they have to do.

He was his best friend, his brother in all but blood. He was with him even through late night drinking and getting high on drugs.

Marshall, of course, preferred drugs, while Chase preferred alcohol. The police cadet could still remember the time he introduced his best friend to the addiction.

When they were young, Chase once asked Marshall what he wanted to be when they grew up.

"I wanted to be free," Marshall only replied. "Free from this chaos."

"I can help you," Chase smiled, and tossed a pouch to his twin. Marshall caught the pouch.

He twiddled the pouch between his hands. "What in this?"

Chase took out a lighter and a weed pipe.

"It's your ticket to freedom."

He traced the length of the bottle with his gloved hand. He felt giddy, something that he hadn't felt for a long time. His grip tightened around the bottle as he savored the rare moment of pleasure. He couldn't be happier at that moment.

Something tugged on his hand and he resisted. He doesn't want to go yet. He was happy here. The tugging became harsher and he desperately looked at Marshall, but he was gone. Instead, he was looking at the familiar golden eyes of his friend.

"Ryder?" he whispered hoarsely. "Where is he?"

Ryder just smiled sadly and Chase completely lost it. Ryder gathered his friend, his son, in his arms as he broke down.

"He'll be okay, Chase. He's strong. He has survived for so long, he will survive now."

"I don't... I don't want to do this anymore," Chase said. "I don't want to go back there, to PAW Patrol, under the spotlight, if it means that I'll lose everything I have."

"Shh, Chase. Everything will be alright," Ryder whispered soothingly as the police cadet sobbed on his shoulder.

Soon enough, the sobs turned into deep, ragged breaths, and Ryder realized that Chase had cried himself to sleep.

Ryder sighed sadly and lifted his friend in his arms, subtly noting the smell of alcohol in his clothes. He brought Chase towards their shared room with Marshall and set him down on his bed.

"Marshall will be alright, Chase. Soon, you will be together again," Ryder murmured against Chase's forehead, before planting a gentle kiss and leaving the room.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The next day found Chase standing at the door of his brother's room in the hospital. He stared at the wooden door, hesitating. He didn't know if he had the courage to face his best friend after days of not visiting him.

A few minutes later, the door opened, and Chase went face to face with Ryder.

"Please tell me he's awake," the police whispered hoarsely, to which Ryder shook his head.

"I'll leave you to talk to him, okay?" Ryder said, clamping a hand on his friend's shoulder. "We'll be waiting for you back at home."

Chase nodded numbly as Ryder walked away. He took a deep breath and steeled himself, stepping into his brother's room.

The first thing that hit him was the strong smell of disinfectant and Chase winced. The room was mostly white, in contrast to the dark colors of their shared bedroom at home. There were some medical supplies on a shelf at the corner, but what really caught his eye was the figure at the bed.

Marshall looked pale, even paler than his usually pale skin. If it wasn't for the slight rising and falling of his chest, Chase would've thought he's dead. Now that's something he didn't want to think about.

"Hey Marshall," Chase whispered hoarsely, sitting down on the chair beside the bed.

"Remember when you and I would make things up?" he sang brokenly at his brother, reminiscing the times when they were having so much fun together. "So many nights, just take me down to the place we can hear them play."

"I m-miss that s-sound," Chase sniffed, trying to hold back his tears. "Because n-now we don't s-sing so loud to the drums of the city rain."

"Because the nights don't last, and we leave alone. W-will you d-drive me back? C-can you take me home?"

Chase couldn't take it. He sobbed hard against Marshall's body. His best friend, his brother, was lying on the hospital bed, fighting for his life.

"You've s-slept for t-too long already. I-I-It's time to w-wake up, M-Marshall, or Ryder will have my h-head."

Normally, when Chase begs Marshall for something, he would stop whatever he's doing and do what Chase was asking. The reverse works as well.

But at that time, Marshall didn't move an inch. Nor his eyes fluttered for a little bit. He just laid there, unmoving.

Chase couldn't handle the pain. He ran out of the room and back home, not even bothering to use the scooter that Ryder had left for him.

He ran up to their shared room, refusing to go out despite the others' pleadings. He didn't even go out to eat. The others figured that it would be best to give him time alone before they try again.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The next day found Katie and Ryder coming back to the hospital to visit Marshall. However, something is different. Doctors are rushing in and out of Marshall's room, which made the two worried.

Ryder stopped a doctor. "Sir, what's happening?"

The doctor sighed and mentioned for his acquaintances to go on without him. "He just flatlined a few minutes ago. We tried to revive him, but there's no response. The drug overdosage had completely poisoned him."

Ryder drew out a shaky breath. "Thank you for telling us, sir."

The doctor smiled sadly at them. "You may visit him once we are done. But for now, no people other than the medical professionals are allowed inside the room."

Ryder and Katie nodded and they watched as the doctor disappeared into Marshall's room.

"One of us should tell the others about this," Ryder whispered in shock and grief.

"I'll go," Katie offered. "You stay here and wait for Marshall, okay? I'll come back with the others."

Ryder nodded numbly and Katie sped home.

"Katie?" Rocky asked when he saw his oldest friend's girlfriend come home alone. "What happened? Where's Ryder?"

"Ryder's still at the hospital," Katie said softly. "Marshall had succumbed to the effect of the drugs. He's dead."

"Oh," Rocky whispered, tears pooling in his eyes. "I'll go get the others."

"I'll get Chase," Katie said. "Where is he?"

"He hasn't come out of his room yet. The door's locked though. I don't know where Ryder leaves all the keys," Rocky said before disappearing from his sight.

Good thing that Ryder trusted Katie with the location of the keys. She got them from its hiding place and found the key to Chase's and Marshall's room. She inserted the key in the doorknob and slowly turned open the door.

Nothing could ever prepare her for the scene that greeted her. The smell of alcohol filled her nostrils upon opening the door. Blades and broken wine bottles were scattered on the floor.

But the sight that completely left her out of breath was the one above the bed. Chase was hanging from the ceiling Sayori style, his hoodie nearly falling down from his arms. His eyes and mouth were slightly open, and his face was gray from the lack of oxygen. There was a haunted yet peaceful look on his face that would give Katie nightmares for weeks.

Katie let out a strangled scream, which made the others rush to where she is.

"Katie, what happened?!" Skye almost screamed in panic. Katie wasn't the one to scream, and if she did, something really bad must've happened.

"Don't look," Katie whispered hoarsely but it was too late. The others had seen the scene inside the bedroom.

"I-I'll go tell Ryder," Skye said shakily as she went away to call the said person through the phone.

Zuma and Rubble were sobbing, and Rocky was trying to console them through his tears. However, Katie couldn't bring herself to comfort them. She too, was on the verge of tears, especially after knowing that two of her friends had died today, perhaps even at the same time.

Katie soon found herself walking towards the scene, her feet carefully avoiding the broken glasses. Her trembling hands reached out to remove the rope that hung her friend's body from the ceiling and gently set down Chase on his bed.

She choked back a sob as she used two of her fingers to gently close Chase's eyes and mouth, unknowingly copying his boyfriend, who was doing the same to Marshall in the hospital room.

At least they were together now.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

I lack ideas so here's another recreation of my old oneshot in another fandom lol