Author notes :
And here we are!
For those who happen to discover this fiction by chance, I will try to present its peculiarities quickly: A path to travel together is the English version of the French fanfiction "Une route à parcourir à deux", of which I am the author. You can easily find it by checking my author profile).
The translation was done by my friend, the brave and devoted Galak0, which provided a colossal job to allow this project to emerge. Nothing of this would have been possible without him, and I renew him my most sincere gratitude.
Finally, the final editing of the English version was provided by the generous and talented Cimar of Turalis WildeHopps, author of some of the most famous Zootopia's fanfictions of the whole fandom, such as Always my Sly Bunny, Always my Dumb Fox, One Hundred Kisses or The Masked Fox. I strongly recommend you to go discover these masterpieces, if you have not yet read them. Thanks again for his patience, his advice and his kindness.
Before letting you start reading, I prefer to first warn you of some elements of the fiction that could possibly surprise you if you are stuck with the "official cannon".
The age difference between Nick and Judy: Even though my vision of the matter seems coherent to me, I know it's a highly debatable subject, so I prefer to explain myself immediately to avoid any unnecessary discussion. At the beginning of the fiction, Judy is 25 years old. I know she's nine at the beginning of the movie, and that 15 years passed before her entrance to the academy. However, in A path to travel together, Judy celebrated her 25th birthday during her 6-month stay at the Academy, therefore, she's 25 in this story. Nick, meanwhile, is 30 years old. Here, it depends of everyone interpretation. The age of 32 announced in the movie is only an estimation made by Judy, and the directors vaguely responded by locating Nick's age in the early thirties (they said "early thirty"). So I decided to give him 30 years old.
Fangmeyer: I am perfectly aware that Fangmeyer is a tigress, since it had been confirmed by Zootopia's crew. However, at the time when A path to travel together started to be written, we didn't know, and many people identified Fangmeyer as a male white wolf. Including me. This is the reason why Fangmeyer is a white wolf in the fic. And I will not change it, given the importance of the character.
Now that these points are clear, I have nothing else to add, except to wish you a very good reading, hoping that you will take pleasure in reading this story. Moreover, it's a real bliss for me to finally be able to share it with the English community.
And for this, I once again thank the members of the translation team, Galak0 and Cimar... Without them, none of this would have been possible. I am very grateful toward them.
Chapter 1 : Rehabilitation
It was all over. The conspiracy had been foiled. Until the very end, this case had been full of twists and unexpected events. So much wasted times for a quick result. Judy had just returned to Zootopia at the end of the morning after finding out the true nature of the Night Howlers and everything went at a phenomenal speed after that moment, as if this one missing piece was enough to constitute the last quarter of a gigantic puzzle, on which she felt like having worked for months. The reunion with Nick, the apologies she owed him, had also been a driving force for the resolution of the case. Thanks to his help, the pooling of their skills, and their specific and complementary knowledge, she had been able to trace back to the drug manufacturer of the Night Howlers, and by extension, to the leader of the operations, Dawn Bellwether.
To know that the sheep was at the center of the plot always left her speechless, and she still couldn't rationalize the logic of Bellwether's criminal activities. More or less, she understood her motivations: the pursuit of power. But was that really all? Could the reason be that selfish and stupid? Now she watched her handcuffed and roughly pushed towards the van, which was soon to take her to the precinct where she would be interrogated and then locked up. Would she ever know the end of the story? The need to question Bellwether was too pressing. Her curiosity needed to be eased, and above all, she needed to understand how things had gone so far.
Judy turned and gave Nick a tired look. The fox was standing at her side, observing the police operations with a distracted eye. His expression was frozen and placid. He hadn't said a word for several minutes. He had fought fiercely so that someone would look after Judy's leg as soon as possible, fearing that the care she required would be relegated at the last moment, because of the importance of the current interpellation. Finally, because Bogo had been tired by his claims which had became, in a few minutes, outrageous (and this even if Judy had tried to calm him by assuring him that it could wait) the buffalo had sent them a colleague trained in first aid. This one had cleaned and disinfected the wound before applying a tight bandage. He had also advised Judy to go to the hospital as soon as possible because the wound required stitches, at least if she didn't want to have an ugly scar.
Nick had insisted on taking her there at once, but Judy had asked him to wait. This refusal hadn't pleased him, and since then he had remained motionless, observing the busy activity that prevailed within the museum, without saying anything.
"Nick?" Judy finally asked, managing to draw the attention of the fox toward her. He raised an eyebrow as an answer, waiting for her to finish. "Will you help me to get to the van? I… I need to talk to her…"
"To whom?" he asked incredulously. "To that mad sheep who tried to kill you? Carrots, If we hadn't had the presence of mind to replace the serum, I'd probably have ki-… Damn it, I'd rather not think about it…"
A chill went down his spine and he shook his head lightly, visibly uncomfortable. Judy perfectly understood what was troubling him. The fact that they avoided the worst case scenario didn't take away the severity of what had happened. Yes, they were smart enough to protect themselves with a subtle trick… But if they hadn't…potentially, Nick could have killed her. This idea was enough to traumatize anyone. If Judy wasn't able to feel the gravity of this, Nick, on his side, was severely affected. This possibility exposed very openly the murderous potential of predators. In this, at least, Dawn Bellwether had achieved her goal.
"I know, Nick…" Judy finally muttered, looking down. "But it did not happen." She grabbed his wrist, trying to comfort him a little. He felt a new shiver, but for once he didn't retract himself thanks to her contact. "And who knows? Perhaps the irreducible Nicholas Wilde would have been stronger than the serum?"
"Do you believe in miracles?"
The naive reflection had at least the merit of awakening the hint of a smile on Nick's muzzle. Judy slowly nodded, giving him a comforting expression.
"I believe in you. I know you'd never hurt me."
Nick thanked the sky for having a thick red coat, otherwise Judy could have appreciated the scarlet flush that grew up to his cheekbones. He tried to hide his trouble with an incredulous chuckle, then replied: "Oh really, you don't need fox repellent anymore, then?"
"I got rid of it a while ago…after I've taken my frustration out on it. There was not much left, actually. I had this irritating fluid on my paws, and I was so upset that I didn't pay attention and I rubbed my eyes with it and…"
She gulped before turning her eyes away, looking ashamed, while a smug smile appeared on Nick's muzzle. He couldn't refrain the burst of laughter that escaped him as he imagined Judy, under the effect of that damn repellent supposed to protect her against whatever imaginary danger that only God knew.
"Yea, right, keep making fun of me!" she replied before sighing. "One could say I had it coming…"
"Com'on, com'on, it's okay." Nick replied, patting her shoulder to comfort her. "No need to blame yourselves further for all that."
Oh, no doubt he was right, but it would take her a while to evacuate all the guilt she felt after what she said at that famous press conference, which had given rise to the catastrophic situation that had agitated Zootopia during the previous three months. She knew she did not have to bear all the responsibility for this disaster, since the real culprit was about twenty meters from her, now handcuffed in the back of an armored van with chief Bogo reading her rights. But it didn't matter, in the end, that all of this was just a shameless scheme from Bellwether and her allies. She had been a choice piece in the gear of their evil plan, and she had sadly fulfilled her role. Yes, and with inherent zeal. On this point, it was all her fault. Her naivety, her prejudices, her ignorance, her narrow-mindedness… She was solely responsible for this and would have to live with her guilt. This only reinforced her desire to converse with the mammal who had so easily manipulated her (and would have continued to do so by abusing her image if she hadn't had the ethics to resign).
"Please, Nick. It's maybe my last chance to talk with her before a long time. I need to understand."
"Do you really think there's something to understand about all of this?"
She merely scrutinized him, her big violet eyes insisting earnestly. She pressed her ears on her back and slightly turned her head aside, the pleading look. Impossible for Nick to resist such a face.
"You diabolic bunny." he mumbled, laughing, as he bent down to grab her under her arm, helping her to get up. Judy could not repress a satisfied laugh at seeing him surrender to her manipulation. She hated being told she was cute, but knew how to abuse this feature when the situation required it. The fact that Nick wasn't insensitive strengthened the happiness behind it. So, he really found her cute. Enough so he could not resist her pleadings, at least. She would not fail to remember it… so she could appreciate it, at times.
Supporting her limping gait, Nick guided her to the van. As they approached, Bogo turned around, giving them a hard and questioning look.
"Hopps? You haven't yet left this place to treat this leg? Grizzoli told me you needed stitches."
"I'll go, Chief, but I wanted to have a chance to question Bellwether before leaving... I need to ask her something... please?"
Bogo shook his head, flatly refusing. With an impassive look, he crossed his enormous arms on his muscular chest, before hiding the sheep of Judy's sight with his body. The rabbit frowned in disbelief.
"Understand me well, Hopps…" Bogo continued. "You resigned. You are no longer a cop. What you have done today ... Resuming this investigation and lead it to an end. It's appreciable and impressive. But you weren't allowed to do so. You're a civilian, you understand? And because of that, I can not allow you to talk to a suspect."
Always straight and direct, Judy noticed as she looked down, dejected. Bogo was right. She had resigned. She had drawn a line on her dreams after her personal failures and there was no way to go back. Her police career would have been short and intense, but it was nevertheless finished. She hadn't the strength to raise her eyes to confront the firm and uncompromising gaze of Bogo and so she retreated into silence. It was Nick's voice that brought her back to reality.
"What?" Nick choked "You resigned?"
Judy looked up at him and was surprised to read incongruity and some kind of reproach in his eyes.
"Why did you do that?"
"Excellent question, fox," Bogo added with a carnivorous smile. He may not be a predator, Judy thought, but he shared all the same characteristics. "I wondered myself why, after her decision. She tried to explain her reasons, but I'm not sure I understood them well." Was he openly mocking her or was he knowingly trying to torture her? She had been very clear when she had returned her badge : she had aggravated an already disastrous situation and plunged Zootopia into a form of panic with dramatic repercussions.
And far from reproaching her this decision, the authorities seemed to want to reward her for that. Of course she had returned her badge. She had not been able to protect her fellow citizens. She had hurt them. Everyone. Predators and Prey. She had hurt Nick. She had disappointed him. She disappointed herself. Beyond everything she had hated herself for weeks, before accepting her mistake and dealing with it. But at least she had assumed responsibility for it.
"I was not worthy to wear this badge…" she explained in a sore voice, feeling bitterness poking her eyes. "I helped in leading the whole city to a dramatic situation that could have become catastrophic. I fell head first in Bellwether's trap. I did half her work. I opened up to her the doors of power and I started this contagion of fear that had struck everyone. The Preys who feared the Predators... The Predators who feared themselves…" Judy shook her head, unable to articulate more. If she insisted, her emotions would take over and she would begin to cry.
"You're an idiot, Carrots."
She raised her ears and blinked due to the implacable sentence pronounced by Nick. However the fox's gaze was friendly.
"What did I tell you, that night, in the sky tram? Never let them see that they get to you. And it also works for yourself, doesn't it?"
"Nick… I'm the one who have hurt mammals, you understand? I hurt you."
"And I have forgiven you. You are not the first person to disappoint me or to hurt me, Carrots. You don't have that privilege…"
Judy looked down, ashamed. The violence of these words comforted her in her discomfort. He just said it himself: she had hurt him... And she had disappointed him. This fact was probably the most painful thing to hear, and she felt ready to cry.
"But you're probably the only mammal to openly acknowledge her own mistakes and to have apologized to me. No one else ever did it before you, Judy. No one."
He had just called her Judy. Even by working her memory, she couldn't remember him calling her by her first name since their first meeting. This little novelty made her shiver.
"How could I blame you after that? We all make mistakes, but we learn from them, I guess. Well, I don't know… I've made a lot of mistakes in my life, so maybe I'm not the right person to talk about this. But what I mean is that if I've forgiven you, you should be able to forgive you too. From there, things will get better, and you'll be able to move on."
"This is a wise advice, which I recommend you to follow, Hopps," Bogo confirmed in a conclusive tone.
Judy nodded, a bit stunned by the speech she just heard. Bogo was right : Nick's advice was simple, but obvious. It was not enough to only assume what she had done. Taking responsibility was one thing, but accepting it was something else. In the end, her mistakes had made it possible to foil the conspiracy. Nothing would have happened in the same way if she hadn't committed them. She had helped to fix what she had damaged. But perhaps she had not given enough time to repair what had been destroyed in herself. It will be necessary to work on it, undoubtedly… But in the current circumstances, it seemed complicated. But not impossible.
"As for Bellwether... She will confess everything, that's what she told me. You will know the reasons behind her actions soon enough. The press will take possession of the case and expose the slightest details." Bogo heavily sighed at the only thought of having to deal with the media. "I don't think that speaking directly with her will help you see more clearly, Hopps. The main thing is, you've already understood it. However, the question which remains is what you intend to do now."
"My options are pretty limited, chief," Judy mumbled. "I no longer have work nor even a place to live in town. I might go back to Bunnyburrow, I suppose, to work with my parents."
"I see…" the chief answered in a distant voice. "You're not intending to apply for rehabilitation?"
Judy and Nick widened their eyes together, both incredulous.
"What do you mean?" Judy asked with a dry voice. She felt her heart pounding.
"Well? As a former police officer, I thought you knew the legislation like the back of your paw. A police officer who resign for any reason has the right to apply for rehabilitation if he or she wishes to reintegrate into the police force. A decision-making committee meets to consider the request and to accredit it, or not. This often allows some police officers who have made an unconsidered choice to have a chance to go back."
A radiant smile appeared on Nick's snout. Judy was more dazzled by his reaction to the news than by the news herself. Was it so important for him that she was able to maybe get her job back?
"That's awesome, Carrots ! It seems you will soon be able to put back your superb meter maid vest!"
"Ha-ha!" She said in a falsely amused tone. "Very funny. That orange jacket is still better than your shirt in Pawaiin print."
"A bunny who talks to me about fashion. Sure thing I bet you like orange. The only things you bunnies all like must necessarily have carrot attributes."
"I must be dreaming!" she exclaimed, laughing."Who was talking about prejudices just a few moments ago?"
"Hm… you, I think, right? You blamed yourself for it." This statement was not very kind, in the current circumstances, therefore, Nick hurried to lessen the impact of his last provocation. "And they aren't stereotypes, but facts. Here's the proof : you can not live without me anymore. Is it because I'm amazing, smart, stylish, with a high moral integrity? No. Nothing of that. You like me because I'm orange."
"Yes, it must be that," Judy retorted with a playful smile. "Since I haven't yet been able to see any of these famous qualities that you mention."
"Ouch. That one was mean."
"You deserved it…"
"But I still stand on my two paws for my part."
Bogo sighed because of this incessant exchange of taunts which, if they had started off as amusing, began to annoy him nevertheless.
"So…" The buffalo finally declared, before rubbing his chin with his right paw. "I will hold a press conference tomorrow morning at eleven o'clock in the precinct to take stock on the outcome of the investigation and to put an end to this wave of panic striking the city. Hopps, I want you to be here. The fox can come too."
"Why this, Chief?" Judy asked incredulously. Her tone slightly anxious.
"You will speak and explain this mess."
Judy immediately felt her heart racing and she sharply shook her head as a sign of denial. Nick felt her moving back against him, her muscles were tensing and her heartbeat pounded faster. At the thought of speaking again in public, the panic concretely gained her. Probably a little trauma resulting from her last experience in that matter.
"I can't, chief… You… You can do that yourself! You said it : I'm not a cop anymore!"
"But maybe you'll be back again? If that's the case, see this as an opportunity to improve your image a little, since you seem concerned by it."
Did he torture her on purpose or did he not realize the difficulty of the task he was trying to impose on her? For Judy, that was nearly impossible. Facing the media once again, with the implications that might flow from what she had to explain to them? That's was out of the question. She had already failed once. She was not at all ready to retry the experience.
"She'll be there, Chief Bogo. I'll make sure that she will."
Judy shot Nick a horrified look. The fox simply smiled, looking satisfied.
"How could you…?"
"Then I'm counting on you two." Bogo interrupted her while nodding. "Hopps, if you want to make your request for recertification, you might deliver it tomorrow as well. It may take some time because... Well, it seems we don't have any mayor anymore. But the mayor's decision is indispensable in any rehabilitation to the police, since we depend directly on the central administration. I will do whatever it takes to support your request ... I owe you that."
Judy then perceived an opportunity to get revenge on Nick's last sentence, which had indirectly forced her to attend the press conference the next day.
"Very well, I'll bring you my application then…" she softly started before adding,: "Beside, Nick will take this opportunity to submit his application as well. He's dying to be part of the police, recently. His involvement in this case is enough to prove it, isn't it?"
"Wh…What?" the fox choked before suddenly losing his victorious smile.
In order to show the veracity of her remarks, Judy pulled out of the back pocket of her jeans the application request paper that Nick had filled a few months earlier, during that famous press conference that had gone so wrong.
The fox remained speechless when he saw the document resurface.
"You…You've kept it?" He asked in disbelief.
"Why not? You kept the pen…"
She made her point, and thus she managed to shut him down. Before he had the time to react, Bogo reached his paw to receive the document, and Nick was horrified to see Judy giving it to him.
"Well…" the buffalo answered after a quick check on the document. "It's completed… I can take it right now if you wish, mister…" he read again the paper to identify the name of his interlocutor. "Wilde?".
"I… I don't know what to say…" the fox fumbled his words, caught by surprise. "I filled it three months ago... Time has passed since then…so…"
"What? You…You don't want to team up with me anymore?"
Judy looked up at him with sad pleading eyes, and she did that irresistible pout, putting her ears down on her back. He felt a shiver shake him from head to foot and his mouth become dry and loose. How can she have such an effect on him?
He hadn't really thought about it since their last confrontation at the press conference. The three months that followed didn't leave him the best of memories. Their argument had hurt him beyond reason...to the point he had wondered if it was really her words that had put him in such a state of rage or simply the fact that, out of pride, he would never see her again. In any case, she was afraid of him. And no good relationship could be based on such an unstable base. Not even cordial, and even less friendly. Overall it was difficult for him to deal with his emotions. This rabbit had infiltrated his defenses and had laid him bare... Once again, he was that frightened little fox, lonely, wearing a muzzle and rejected by everyone.
Finnick had tried to distract him by dragging him into new tricks, but the growing distrust of predators had made their attempts arduous and dangerous. Moreover, it always brought his thoughts back to her, and he wanted to leave all of it behind him... He had filled this document with a certain fervor that he hadn't felt for many years ... And everything had collapsed so quickly. When she came back to him, and finally apologized to him, he hadn't reconsidered the possibility of working with her and becoming his teammate. He was well too happy to be back with her to take anything else into consideration.
But they were starting all over again, three months later. A bunny offering him her sincere trust, and offering to work with her...simply to be with him. He understood that their friendship would not be affected by a refusal from him, and that they would continue to see each other regularly, even if he didn't give up his hustler's life to line up with the law. But deep inside, he knew he wanted to. Really wanted to. For what reason? Probably for the same reason that prompted him to join the Junior Ranger Scouts at the age of nine. The need to escape some form of loneliness, and to find his place within a group, or with a person... Judy would be enough, for sure. She had missed him too much during the previous months, he could not deny it.
And so, he decided to nod.
"Well… Actually nothing would make me happier, Carrots."
She gave him a radiant smile, full of happiness, to which he couldn't help but giving back.
Bogo, for his part, quickly nodded as he folded the sheet of paper before slipping it into his pocket.
"Alright Wilde. There has never been a fox in the police before. I hope you will prove yourself. The new cadet recruitment session and the next training at the Academy will start in two months. You have that time to prepare yourself psychologically and physically, if you think you can do it."
"Without him, I would be dead, chief. Or cultivating carrots…" Judy replied, feeling obliged to take the defense of her friend, and to explain his important role in the case. "Without him, Dawn Bellwether would still be in power, spreading fear reign all over Zootopia. He can do it, for sure."
She didn't know exactly why she felt the need to praise Nick in front of Bogo, but she felt the paw of the fox who supported her softly tighten around her arm. The contact was gentle and affectionate. Obviously he was moved. She hesitated to look up at him, fearing what she might see in his eyes. She did not understand herself what she felt exactly at that moment... Fortunately, Bogo was there to help her get down off her little cloud.
"You really want to have him as a partner, don't you? Start by doing what it takes to be rehired. This is not because I give you the idea that this will happen magically. Decision-making boards don't like officers fleeing their responsibilities…"
Judy looked down, slightly ashamed.
"Nevertheless, given your involvement in resolving the case... even if you have gone beyond your rights and prerogatives. Once again…" The insistence in his accusation left no doubt : Bogo still didn't appreciate Judy's bad habit of taking zealous initiative. "I suppose it will work in your favor and you will be reinstated. You just have to be patient... Until the administration fully recovers from this... mess."
At these words he turned and glanced with disgust at Bellwether, who, with her head down, was waiting in the back of the van to be taken to the precinct.
"How long do you think it will take?" Judy asked, already questioning the personal organization that she would have to set up until her potential resumption of activity.
"It's hard to say…" He wearily declared. "A whole month, maybe more."
"I… I see…"
Judy did her best to hide her disappointment, but it was nonetheless real. The idea of coming back to service was attractive, since being part of law enforcement had always been her dream... A dream that had been crushed by this dark case, and which she thought she had renounced forever. Now that it was accessible again (with a bit of luck, but Bogo had been more than positive about it), having to wait that long would be difficult. She knew her passionate and impatient attitude enough, it often served her, but it wasn't always the case. This month will be very long, even more if she intended to pass it in Bunnyburrow. She no longer had income or housing. When she had resigned, she had returned the keys to her apartment (if this slum could be worthy of such a designation) and she had nowhere else to go.
"Sorry about not being able to offer you any comforting information... But the paperwork always takes time. Especially in the current situation."
Once he had said these words, Bogo finally nodded, then headed for the front door of the van.
"Alright, I'll see you tomorrow at the press conference. At eleven o'clock. Don't be late, and don't try to fool me by not coming... Otherwise, I assure you that I will do what it takes to make the wait for your request for re-acceptance three times longer."
Afterwards, Bogo sat down behind the steering wheel and slammed the door shut before starting the vehicle to take Dawn Bellwether away from the sight of those who had finally succeeded in trapping her and made her fall. In the end, Judy hadn't found the opportunity to speak with her in order to understand her main motivations, but that may not have been a bad thing. She was feeling better now... Nick had made sure to cheer her up a little.
Beside, the fox turned and gave her an interrogative look, before questioning her. "So, now you give some documents concerning me without my consent? Should I consider this as a form of pressure, or is it clearly slavery?"
"You have a taste for exaggeration and melodrama, right?"
"Well, it's not exaggerated to say that you have just sold my body and soul to the police force which will soon be forced to welcome a fox in their ranks. By your fault, many lives will be broken."
Judy burst out laughing at this totally convoluted statement, and the exaggerated theatrical tone in which it had been expressed. Only Nick could say things like that. There would be ten thousand ways to turn back his little game against him and to enter into another duel of mutual provocations, but Judy decided to restrain herself and opted for a more subtle and soft strategy.
"They should be honored to welcome such a fox in their ranks. For my part, I would."
That's it. It was as simple as that. To silence Nick, it was only necessary to be honest and to flatter his ego a bit. Judy will remember it...but she didn't have time to rejoice for very long time, because soon after the fox regained his vivacity, once his mind had managed to overcome his brief embarrassment.
"That's the least one can say, Carrots. Everyone knows I'm exceptional. Is Zootopia's police really worthy of me? I wonder…"
"Knowing the life you've led so far, Nick, I wouldn't consider too much the question if I were you."
The fox simply cleared his throat before looking away, feigning distraction. Judy scored another point. He felt a bit hypocrite to join the police when he had spent most of the past few years avoiding and denigrating it. His world would change radically if he went through all the future challenges. He should think about it seriously...was it really worth it? A single look in Judy's direction was enough to give him the answer.
Yes, yes it was.
The fox shook his head in order to chase away the strange thoughts that were beginning to affect him. Judy really had the gift, among other things, of generating in him a form of confusion that he couldn't identify. Usually, he was firm and focused, confident and assertive with other people. But with her, he frequently lost his habits and wasn't able to think clearly. Even less is own reactions than those of the rabbit. A relatively uncomfortable state of mind for a specialist in hustles and in psychological manipulation. But it was perhaps the most addictive thing in his relationship with Judy. The sincere consideration she inspired in him. It wasn't innate, but it had been forged at the rhythm of the evolution of their relationship. He could understand her, and he knew she understood him. A simple and mysterious equation, which had something extremely reassuring.
"So, Carrots? What are your plans for the end of the day? You can't go back to Bunnyburrow tonight, right? Especially since there's the press conference tomorrow morning... that we absolutely must attend, it seems."
Judy put a paw on her forehead, mortified by the idea. "No need to remind me," she answered as she was once again overcome with anxiety. "Besides, I came back here with the truck of my parents... I have to bring it back. Ok, they have two others, but this one was the more reliable. And, I must find a hotel room at this hour… I don't even know if I have enough money on my account to pay one…"
"You're that broke?" Nick wondered. He had heard her mention her financial problems several times during the day, and he was surprised by it. And here again she brought it back.
"Hm…yes. When I left my apartment, the landlady asked that I pay the current month, and she said she would send me back the deposit within the next six months... I found myself penniless. And I haven't been paid since then, since I went back to my parents. I don't know exactly how much I have left on my account... Probably not enough to pay for a hotel room. At worst, I'll sleep in the truck."
Nick shook his head, completely rejecting the idea.
"No, you've got to be kidding, Carrots! Do you honestly think I'm gonna let you spend the night in a parking lot, or in any shabby room? No way."
"Oh, I suppose you have another solution, mister Wizard? What? You're going to offer me to sleep in your house, maybe?"
"Exactly."
Judy remained speechless and wide-eyed. Was he serious? He actually offered her hospitality? It was really touching, and very nice of him, but wouldn't it be a bit odd, or even inappropriate?
"W-Well… I… Er…" Judy sluttered.
"There's nothing to be embarrassed about, Carrots. That's normal, between friends. I'm used to sleeping on my couch, anyway... that will not change my habits!"
And in addition, he offered to sleep on the couch to leave her the comfort of his bedroom ? A hot flush swelled in Judy's chest, and she was a little frightened to find out that it was not only due to the gratitude but to the idea of sleeping in the same apartment as Nick... He would be there while she would sleep, right next to her... so close. She shook her head to chase away her foreign thought.
"But… Nick… That's really adorable from you, trust me. I'm sincerely touched. But firstly, I don't want to bother you…and secondly…wouldn't it be a bit…weird?"
"So first, you don't bother me, otherwise I would not suggest it to you… Second, wait until you see my apartment before being grateful… And third…define weird."
"Do I need to draw you a picture?" she asked incredulously, and looking a bit uneasy.
Nick seemed to ponder the implication of what she have just said, as if he didn't understand what she could mean, before his eyes widened with horror.
"Carrots! I thought we went beyond that! Don't tell me you think I'd try to eat you?"
Judy hit her forehead with her paw before groaning. Nick looked at her incredulously, still not understanding what she was meaning. She remained silent a few seconds before pointing herself.
"Nick, what I am?"
"You're gonna make me believe that I don't know, perhaps?"
"Oh dear! Just answer the question!" she resumed with a slightly angry tone, which had the effect of making him chuckle a bit.
"You're a rabbit. What a surprising discovery."
"Ok, I'm a rabbit. What else?"
"Um…"
Nick scratched his head thoughtfully before letting out a weary sigh. Obviously, this little game was beginning to annoy him. "A former cop, completely crazy, who should have been in a hospital a long time ago to treat her injured leg because it's visibly infected and it's causing a fever which made her have more than strange behavior?" he answered in a falsely perky tone.
"No, Nick. I am a female. A girl. And you, you're a male. A boy. In these circumstances, sleeping under the same roof is a bit strange, even if we are only friends…"
The insistence in which she accentuated these two words provoked a slight pinch in Nick's heart, and he questioned the reasons of this sensation. But he soon forgot them, too eager to contest Judy's opinion.
"Oh, you're absolutely right, Judy. It's biologically impossible for a male and a female to sleep under the same roof without they, inevitably, feel obliged to climb on top of each other and take a ride all night long."
"Make fun of me. I see that you haven't frequented any rabbit before."
This reflection aroused many tendentious questions in Nick's mind, but he began with the most obvious one.
"So, you're implying I'm the one who should be worried, that's it?"
Judy's eyes widened as she felt her ears boiling. Her fur effectively hided her excess of shame, but she felt so scarlet at the moment that she feared that it could be visible, even through.
"O…Of course not, idiot. I know how to contain myself!"
"Ah…to contain yourself? So it could cross your mind?"
"Oh please Nick, stop it! This conversation is scandalously stupid."
"I agree, but you're the one who started it."
She was now boiling with rage as well. Too much emotions in one blow. Too much heat. She clenched her fists and straightened as best as she could on the tip of her paws, despite her wound. Seeing her emotional confusion, Nick decided to not pursue further his slightly tendentious provocations.
In a quiet and peaceful voice, the fox resumed. "Alright, so there's no problem. I'm not gonna jump on you. You'll not jump on me. We will be able to spend a normal night between friends, and then sleep serenely. Is that alright?"
Judy slowly nodded. This peaceful conclusion of the conversation had the merit of relaxing her a little.
"Alright. It's really nice of you, Nick. Sorry for all this fuss, it's just… it never happened to me before. Sleeping with a friend, you see?"
"I see. Don't worry about that. There must be a first time for everything."
She nodded, softly smiling. The repercussions of the day beginning to catch up with her. Physical and moral fatigue were becoming more and more important, and the pain on her leg came back to her.
Nick seemed to read in her, since he declared. "Let's make a detour through the clinic of my neighborhood, to take care of this paw for good. Afterwards we will go shopping, and you will be able to see my den. Get ready for the big thrill."
She gave him an amused look, before offering him a charming smile.
"I'm really looking forward to it, sweetheart."
