Chapter 1 (story teaser)
Judy sat attempting to get through a mountain of paperwork at the end of a long week, her and Nick had developed a bad habit of letting the paperwork go until the end of the week before they would attempt to get it done in last minute flurry of desperation. She glanced up at Nick his desk was in an opposite corner of their small office he too had his head down buried in paperwork. She sat gazing watching him work, she lost track of time and Nick glanced up. She quickly put her eyes back to her work trying to look busy, "something I can help you with Carrots?" she heard his voice from the other side of the room. "N-no, just lost my train of thought." She replied with a slightly nervous tone, 'how long had she been staring?' she thought to herself. She felt her checks go a little warm. "How do you lose a train they're huge" Nick gave a sarcastic reply "well maybe not your train of thought" She giggled at the joke.
Nick made her laugh every day and she admired that. Their relationship had was close. They were best friends doing everything together, but Nick was in a relationship. Though the relationship was a recent development Nick seemed excited about it. Judy felt the opposite though her and Nicks relationship hadn't turned romantic Judy had prayed that there was a chance it could, but now Judy felt like that was being taken from her. Stolen by a beautiful enemy that seemed to have everything beauty, grace, charm and now Nick. Judy's heart sank a little in her chest. "Hey everyone is meeting up for drinks after work down at stampede's…" Stampedes was a local bar that a lot of officer met up for a drink on Friday afternoon to help blow off some steam from a long week. "…want to go grab a drink?" Judy's heart skipped a beat. "Yes" she tried not to sound too excited. "Ok cool let me tell Karissa to meet us there and we will leave." Judy's heart sank again she chose not to reply instead she placed her paper work back into their folders and headed for the door trying to look too dejected.
Judy dreaded the night now that she was in her car driving to the bar, a night out with Nick would have been just what the doctor ordered, but a night playing third wheel to him and Karissa. The thought made her gag slightly, Judy pulled into the parking lot of Stampede's to both Nick's and Karissa's cars already in the parking lot. She parked in the back of the lot near and exit, 'in case I need to make a speedy escape' she smirked to herself. After she parked she rested her head on the steering wheel a few minutes trying to find solace in the fact she would be at least spending the night with Nick, and a drink sounded really good. She pulled her head off the wheel took a deep breath and steeped out of the car.
"HOPPS!" several officers who clearly started libations early had shouted her name as she walked through the door, the bar was African safari themed. Fake trees created a canopy. The walls were painted to resemble the savannah, a large round bar stood in the center with tables, couches and chairs fanning in all directions. The bar specialized in mix drinks, but had a healthy selection of beer, wine and harder liquors. There was even a drink challenge that gained the nickname the Gallon Challenge. It was a mixed drink of the challenges choice, who was then given 5 minutes to down the strong concoction. The challenge was originally designed for larger animals, but it wasn't uncommon to see smaller mammals give it a try and then be passed out on the floor later. Nick was at a table in the usual back corner, with officers Clawhauser, McHorn and Delgado. The bar chattered to their police clientele, roping of a large section full of couches and coffee tables each Friday night. Several drinks and empty glasses were spread across the coffee table in the center of the section of couches.
Nick saw Judy approaching and jumped up "Carrots, ya made it." He approached bending to give her a hug. Not far behind was Karissa. She was a fox not unlike Nick though she had soft features, striking blue eyes, a few dark freckles in her fur around her nose. She was dressed in scrubs, clearly she had just came from work. "Hey Judy" she said in a harmonious voice as she also bent hugging Judy. Judy always treated Karissa with respect, though she didn't like her around it she didn't want to upset her best friend. Karissa was the quiet type never needing to say much. She would sit and listen for hours as the officer would discuss their weeks. She also had a job full of excitement, she was an emergency room nurse. She would occasionally share a particularly interesting story, but she was content to laugh as story after story was told.
"Hey Judy want to go get a drink?" Clawhauser's voice brought some relieve to Judy, in a weird way Benjamin Clawhauser was like a big sister or maybe a brother. Though the dynamics of the relationship were complex Clawhauser and her could always talk about their relationship woes and not feel vulnerable. "Sounds great" the two walked to the bar, "what'll it be" the tiger behind the bar asked, "larger strawberry daiquiri for me and…" he pointed to Judy "Uh can I get a vodka cranberry …tall." She had paused to decide how much she wanted to drink tonight and then thought 'if I have to watch Nick and Karissa all night she was going to need some liquid help.'
"Tough day?" Clawhauser asked intrigued by Judy's decision to make her drink larger. She usually had one drink small and floated a small buzz and was usually sober by the time the part broke up and officers started leaving. Judy placed her elbows on the bar and rubbed her temples with her fingers. "I just can't stand to watch the happy couple." There was a mean sarcasm in her voice, and though Clawhauser knew if Judy's feeling for Nick was taken aback by the unusual attitude Judy had. "I mean how can he not know I have feelings for him? I took him to a concert two weeks ago, does that not count as a date?" Clawhauser just shrugged as the drinks arrived, "want to keep a tab open or close it out now?" the bartender asked as he set the drinks down. "I want to keep mine open" again an odd move for Judy, she was never one to drink a lot and being small usually meant she was a cheap drunk. In one quick motion she lifted the sizable drink and drained the cup in several long slow gulps. Both the bartender and Clawhauser looked dumfounded, Judy wincing from the burn of the alcohol lifted her finger to indicate another.
"Whoa Judy slow down. This isn't like you." Judy snapped her reply "well apparently being me isn't good enough." The second drink arrived and Clawhauser placed his paw on top of the glass and gave a concerned look. "Judy, don't do anything you will regret." Judy softened and leaned in into to give him a hug "I won't I just need to blow off a little steam." She took the second drink from Clawhauser and tipped it back letting the liquid flow down her throat feeling the burn.
It had been a couple hours since Judy had ordered her drinks and she was now sitting on the couch across from Nick, she was laid back on close to falling asleep. "Carrots… Carrots, you ok?" Everything was fuzzy, and Judy had a difficult time replying "y-yessss." She slurred and stuttered her reply. The night had passed quickly in her state everything was foggy and she was relaxed and limp in the couch. "We should probably get her home" Karissa's worried voice seemed far away and muffled. Nick sprang into action "Ok Carrots let's get you home" Nick reached down scooping Judy up in his arms, she giggled incoherently and muttered something inaudible. Nick turned to Karissa "I will make sure she gets home safe, sorry didn't really expect the night to end this way." Karissa replied sweetly "it fine let's just make she is safe I have seen plenty of alcohol poisoning in smaller animals and it's not fun." Nick lightly pecked Karissa on the cheek before heading out into the parking lot. He hadn't noticed but the kiss had made Judy scowl in his arms.
He had made a plan to dive Judy in her own car home and then ride the bus back to get his own car. He opened the door with his foot which was quite the balancing act with Judy in his arms. He carefully set her down in the seat and was doing up her seat belt when she wrapped her arms around his neck and pushed her lips do his.