Disclaimer: I don't own anything related to Disney, least of all Zootopia (yet)

Author's Note: This is a continuation of my story Live and Let live. Read that one first.

After having been saved from despair Judy Hopps finds herself alone with the unknown predator who just prevented her from making an irreversible mistake. That being said, she still known nothing about her newfound savior and so they go on as time never stands still.

"Feeling better?" Asked the fox as he stood back up, lifting the young bunny up at the same time,before genly placing her back on her paws.

Judy had to admit, she felt better, a lot better. Because somehow having a shoulder to cry on had made all the difference. Finding someone who understood made her feel as if she wasn't alone.

It made her feel like, for the first time in her life, someone would actually be on her side.

"Yes, but I still have no idea what to do." Mumbled Judy as she started wiping at the wet fur around her eyes.
Crying had never felt so liberating, but that didn't mean that she didn't look like a complete mess now that she was done.

The fox grabbed a duffle bag which Judy had not seen him carry, back when he had picked her up.
But she assumed that she must have simply overlooked it in the heat of the moment.
When in fact he had simply dropped it before he even grabbed her.

He turned towards the guardrail and looked at the raging river below while the sun seemed to make his red fur glisten.
"I assume that was a question directed at me?" He asked as he took a look at his watch.

Despite the fact that he was not looking at her, Judy nodded.

She wanted his input.
How had he gone on after what had happened to him.
How could she go on now that she was at this point?

She just felt as if he was the one mammal she could trust to help her out. To find a new way to tackle life. Because he had already done so once.

"Yes," she said once she realized that her nodding would not be noticed,"what am I supposed to do now after noone wants me the way I am?"

A chuckle came from the red fox as he turned back around towards her.
"What is it you want then? You still haven't told me after all."

She felt her chest tighten up.
Everyone always made fun of her as soon as she mentioned the fact that she wanted to be a cop. That she wanted to make the world a better place.

But making the world a better place was the one of the two options which sounded far more acceptable compared to becoming a beat cop.
And despite the fact that she wanted to put her trust in this fox, she wanted his help too much to risk scaring him off now.
So starting of with this part of her dream did not seem to unreasonable.

"I wanted to make the world a better place." Answered Judy finally and she closed her eyes wating for the laugh that was inevetably going to come from the fox before her.

But it never came, instead she felt a big paw with rough pawpads pat her on the head.
"That doesn't sound too bad." The fox stated matter of factly. "A little bit idealistic, but nothing entirely unheard of."

She opened her eyes again just in time to see the fox put both paws into his pockets.
And for the first time Judy actually focused on the fox before her in detail.
He was wearing black cargo shorts and a matching dark red dress shirt with a weird bird shaped tribal pattern filling out the whole right side.
The bird portrayed seemed to be some kind of paradise bird, one she had never seen before.
Maybe it was even made up, who knew.
He had matched his shirt with a black tie with dark grey dots on it which, from a distance were barely even visible, but still there.
The tie itself was loosely secured around his neck in a way she would have called lazy.

It looked somewhat off to her and she wondered if this was some sort of new fashion trend from Zootopia that was still unknown to her as a mere farm bunny.
The big city was an everchanging wonder after all. There was no way that an outsider like her could keep up.

Just as she finished her observation, the fox looked her directly in the eyes once more.
"There has to be more to this than just that right?" He asked in a more demanding tone than before.

Judy swallowed hard, she had been found out. This, at least in hindsight, was no real surprise considering that the strange fox before her had been reading her like a book right from the start.
She nodded once more and used this as an opportunity to break eye contact.
"Yeah...I actually had a more concrete plan than just that." Her words were forced to the point that her voice was wavering.
She had come to a point where she hated talking about her dream. But she had to if she wanted his help, she just felt it deep down in her heart.

And so for the first time in a while she actually muttered the words she had once proudly presented o everyone who had asked her. "I wanted to be a cop you see." She spoke the real fast as if to make the shame she already associated with them last just that little bit shorter as her eyes were glued to her feet.

What followed was an eerie silence as only the only the river dared to make itself known through its thunderous gurgling below.
And for a moment Judy wondered if she had gone too far.
So she raised her eyes again to find a fox who seemed very much in deep though.
He took a few more moments before he actually finally answered and his words took a heavy burden of her chest.
"I see, that is quite the ambitious dream you have there, carrots. But...if you work hard and make a big enough impact you might even be able to achieve it."

Her jaw literally dropped when she heard him speak these words as if they were normal. It shocked her so much in fact that she even completely overlooked the demeaning nickname.
"What do you mean I might even be able to achieve it?" She asked in full disbelief. "Aren't you going to say how it is completely impossible for me to become a cop?"

The question was burning in her mind. Never had anyone ever actually said this to her.
After looking at his watch one more time he smiled at her,"let me walk you home and we can talk on the way there, alright?"

She nodded once more and when she realized that he was waiting for her to take the lead she started walking towards the place she called home, the Hopps carrot farm.

A short while after they had started walking the fox continued their discussion.
"You are right, it is almost impossible. You would have to change the laws which prevent mammals below a certain size from becoming police officers in the first place and you would need to find a way to actually make them hire you once they are allowed to do so by distinguishing yourself."

He paused and crossed his paws behind his back. "But I have certainly heard of stranger things. And while I wouldn't suggest that you actually try to do this. As it will probably only hurt you and waste your precious time, I can't very well stop you, can I?"

Now it was her turn to think. He was right, there were laws in place which were preventing her from even applying as a cop. Not to mention the fact that the ZPD could turn her application down even if she was able to apply.
And if she failed she would in fact have nothing left to do with her life.

"Then what else am I supposed to do?" She asked in a somber tone once she realized that he had only told her what she already knew. "It's not like I could settle for being a carrot farmer or anything like that after all that has happened."

She could see how the fox eyed her from the side as he said,"how about we make a deal?"

"A deal?" She asked somewhat confused.

He smirked and turned around while he was walking, thus facing her as he was walking backwards.
"How about it? I help you become a mammal worthy of being in the ZPD. And if you do fail make a change! Turn yourself around and work for me instead."

There it was, she had understood his words before but she had actually wondered if he had meant what he had said just moments ago.

Just doing something else was something that had crossed her mind on multiple occasions before.
It was actually thought about it a lot in those dark hours at night where sleep had evaded her.

The deal seemed simple enough, she would just have to work for the fox if she failed to join the ZPD.
But then what?
Could she really just give up her dream even if she failed?

That seemed really hard to pull off in her opinion. And where would she even begin? Not to mention that she would betray her own beliefs...the same beliefs which had brought her to a point where she wanted to throw herself from the next bridge.

Yeah, her beliefs had gotten her into this mess, maybe he was right. Maybe she was better off without them at that point.
And this was a chance!
The first she had gotten in what seemed like forever to the young doe.
"So what do you suggest?" She asked with actual eager curiosity in her voice.

The fox sighed,"if you really have nowhere else to go...well...you could work with me once you are old enough and gain experience while I work on the whole recruitment law thing. Also it is only fair that you know that my work is somewhat...moraly ambiguous...so that is something you should consider as w..."

"I'll do it!" She threw the words in before he could finish his sentence.

He stopped where he stood and she almost ran into him as he gave her a concerned look.
"Did you even listen to what I was saying?" He asked with just as much concern in his voice as there was in his eyes.

"Yes I have!" She answered brazenly. "You are not exactly the right guy to go to. But, you are willing to take me in once I am old enough. And more importantly you are willing to help me change that nasty law!"
The whole idea of this deal sounded so exiting to her. And while past Judy would have never even considered something like this and probably called the cops on the old predator for making such suggestions to a young doe such as herself. Current Judy was a different mammal all together.
The fox berfore her fascinated her almost as much as crimefighting had.

Not as much as crimefighting, that was for sure.
But he seemed to be so experienced and strong to her. Someone she would be able to look up to until she reached her goal!

Someone who would catche her if she were to fall.

And she was ready to take a chance, for the mammal that had saved her...and for herself.

"So what kind of work are we talking about?" Asked the young bunny with increased eager.

The fox opposite of her took a deep breath before answering,"I am a private contractor of sorts, that is all I am able to tell you until you actually work for me."

This stung, she wanted to know now. She wanted to know how her future would look like if she stayed with her savior.
But what he said made sense. She had heard about the mob and other big organizations that kept their involvement a secret at all times. Some to protect the interests of their clients, others because they usually operated in grey zones of the law.
And from what she had heard these kinds of organizations were always closely knit togther and thus very secretive when it came to outsiders.

Knowing this though she shot back,"so what would I have to do to actually join you?"

The fox eyed her for a moment as if inspecting a precious piece of extravagant meat.
"That depends on your commitment and what you want to do later on." Came his calm answer as he turned around and started walking again.
And before she could ask he added,"but it would be best if you do a decent job in school and practise lots of sports in general."

She had a feeling that he would say something like this and so she asked for the thing that interested her specifically.
"And if I want to do exactly the same thing that you do?"

"Martial arts would be a nice thing to have, parkour would serve you well too and if you read up on psychology, as well as mammal behaviours for different species that wouldn't hurt in the slightest. As for the more specific stuff?"

He gave another sigh and glanced at her with a calculating look in his eyes. "Let's just say that I will give you further instructions and personal training if you actually show me that you are taking this seriously. Aka, if you do well in sports and school, social skills are optional but they would be greatly appreciated as well."

The last point hit her offguard. Everything before that seemed easily achievable if she put enough effort into it.
But mammal skills were not her forte, considering that most mammals made fun of her and she had long since stopped trying in this particular field.

How would she even go about that?

This question burned in her mind and it actually made her feel a bit helpless.

"Nevermind! Forget about social skills for now." Came the reassuring voice of her newfound savior from the side.
"It is not that important for now. And I can teach your myself later on."

She nodded timidly,"that would be great."

The deep grumble of a vibrating phone interrupted them and the fox pulled an old flip phone out of his pocket before answering the call immediately.

He listened for a moment and Judy could barely hear the high pitched female voice on the other end of the line.
She went on for a while and the fox just listened as they kept walking.

Then finally he spoke,"understood, will do! Tell the others that I am coming back to the city right away."

The voice on the other end of the line said something again and Judy wondered who the female on the other end of the line was to him.

"That so?" The fox asked retorically before adding in a tone dripping with sarcasm. "Not that he ever gets anything done without my help anyways."

Judy could hear the faint sound of laughter from the female on the other end of the line as the fox went on.
"Tell him that I will work on the follow up as soon as possible."

After having said that he hung up and turned back to Judy.
"Alright, I am sorry but duty calls and I need to get going!"

Judy had wondered how long he would stay and the thought of her new found savior and hopefully soon mentor made her feel sad.
What if he never came back?

"Do you have a phone?" He asked while furiously tapping away on his own.

She nodded once more. Indeed she had, it was nothing special.
In fact it was a flip phone just like his. But while she assumed that his was a burner or a momento of sorts. Her's was given to her by her parents and was cheap because she did not deserve better.
At least that was what she chose to believe since some of her littermates had better phones already.

He reached out with his paw in a demanding manner as he was waiting for her to actually hand over her phone.

And without uttering a word or questionig him, she did.

He put away his own phone and started working on her phone with practised speed which she could only call incredible.
And after what must have been just thirty seconds he gave back her phone.

"Call me once you are sure that you want this. This number will only work once so make sure that you have time and there are no doubts on your mind. The number will activate in six days so don't try before then."

With that he turned around and left.

Leaving her alone with her phone and her thoughts.
His words had sounded like something straight out of a spy movie.
For a few minutes she just stood there before she actually though of taking a look at her phone.

On the screen was a new contact, one of only five that she had in total.
She had already started wondering if what she had experienced had been real at all, if she had really talked to this strange fox just moments ago.

But here it was, the only evidence she needed that a fox name Nick had been with her just moments ago.

If that was even his real name.

It took Judy another thirty minutes before she arrive home where much to her suprise total chaos seemed to reign, which was not unnormal in any way shape or form, it was the way everithing seemed chaotic.
Older siblings were ushering their younger brothers and sisters into the burrow in a hectic manner and Judy was even more suprised her mother rushed towards her as soon as she was close enough to the burrow for her to be noticed.

"Judy dear! You are alright!" Said her mother with utter relief in her voice and Judy feared for a moment that she had been seen and found out.
She managed to keep a straight face though as she asked,"mom, what is going on here?"

Her mother gave her a concerned look and only said,"just get inside my dear. Everything will be alright."

No matter how much and who she asked, she got not satisfactory answer as to why she and her siblings were to remain in the burrow.

If Judy had listened to the news the next day she would have known. But she was far too busy basking in the happy afterglow of the unbelievable meeting she had just the day before.

"...both bucks were shot in the back of the head in the middle of the street. The shots were precise and they were probably dead before they hit the ground." Reported the police officer after the radio moderator had asked him what had happened.

"And until now we still have no idea as to why this happened here in the burrows! And because of this we are still determining if there is any imminent danger for the average population. We thus urge all citizens to stay at home and wait until the situation has been properly resolved."

The reporter cleared his throat as he clearly was not comfortable with the subject at paw but he went on in a professional tone regardless, asking the question that was on every rabbits mind as they were listening.

"So is it true that the attacker was identified to be a fox?"

"I can not deny that witnesses have seen a red fox with a duffle bag near the crime scene shortly before the attack happened. However we cannot be sure at this point in the investigation that this individual is actually responsible for these two brutal murders."

The interview went on and ended without Judy ever knowing what had happened, shielded from the truth by her parents and older siblings. If she had heard, would she have figured out who had commited these atrocities?

Or rather how would her life have been different if she had know?

Would she have choosen a different path?

With the killers number securely sitting in her phone.

Authors Note:

Not much I can say to this is there?

This is not really the same genre as the "first chapter", but I wanted to write a story like this and the start was already there so I took it.(Yay more stories to write!)