Moonlit Romance

"I'm sorry..." Nick said, a whole four minutes into the stakeout.

I groaned... And now came the part where I felt guilty about feeling bad. I forced a smile. "Nick... I'm not going to pretend I'm happy, but I get it. You can't force attraction." I wondered if I would feel less shitty if he told me it was gay. It was basically the same thing after all.

"Seriously Carrots, I'm really not trying to hurt you here! I just... I'm not..."

I rubbed at my temples. "Look, Nick, I get it. You're not attracted to prey. Just because I am attracted to you does not mean you need to be attracted to me." It just meant that it sucked to be me.

He seemed unsatisfied, "Yeah, but I love you! In a strictly platonic sense sure, but that doesn't mean you aren't a super important person to me." He put a paw on my shoulder, "You're my best friend Judy. I really mean that."

His words cut into me like a knife straight out of the forge, but I managed a weak smile. "Thanks Nick."

"You know if you were a predator I'd be on you in a heartbeat." He said.

"I know."

He twiddled his thumbs. "So... are we good?"

I took a sip of coffee, "Yeah... We're good."

He nodded. "Good."

"Yup."

There was a long. Long pause.

A crackle came over the radio. "Wilde! Hopps! Suspect on the move! He's headed in your direction, moving fast!"

Oh thank the gods. I snapped back to Nick, all business. "I'll take point, cover me!"

He nodded, readying his taser.

We had been tracking this poor bastard for weeks. All we knew was he was a wolf, and we were pretty sure he was on a mix of night howlers and PCP from how he was running around terrorizing the city. There had been three maulings in the past three months already, and we did not need a repeat of the Bellwether incident.

We slid into the alley, tasers at the ready. We'd been given special dispensation to crank up the voltage on them. This guy wasn't going down easy, but we were damn well prepared.

I hit the wall for cover and whispered into my headset. "Team B in position."

Francine's voice crackled through the line. "Hopps, I've lost visual. He went up the building."

"Fire escape?"

"Maybe? The wall looked sheer to me, but my night vision's not the best. I think I see a silhouette on the roof."

"Should have had me on lookout..." Nick grumbled.

"Nick we're all on lookout." I noted, "He just happened to wander into Francine's sector fir-."

There was a thunderous crash. I barely managed to roll out of the way before a wolf, down on all fours and snarling, slammed down into the alley.

I had no idea where he'd jumped down from and I didn't care. I fired off my taser.

I swear he saw the prongs coming for him and dodged them. I'd never seen anyone move that fast. He lunged at me and I rolled to the side, pulling out my mace instead.

Out of the corner of my eye I caught Nick, set in the weaver stance and trying to line up a shot. The wolf gave a growl and charged again.

I sprayed him. I swear, I hit him right in the eyes.

He didn't so much as flinch.

He slammed me against the wall, biting down on my neck. I cried out in pain and whacked at his maw with my baton. Blood poured from his mouth, his blood and mine, but still he wouldn't let go.

Then there was yet more pain, and the world went white.

#

When I woke up, I was in a bed surrounded by half the ZPD starring down at me.

Gods I'm short... I thought groggilly. "Wha? What happened?"

"Judy, thank the gods." Nick was on me in an instant, wrapping me in a warm hug.

It took me a minute to process this. Nick Wilde was snuggling up to me in bed. I'd had dreams like this.

I heard the clearing of a very gruff, very familiar throat. "Officer Hopps. We're glad to have you back." The Chief looked down on me, wearing a rare smile.

I opened my mouth to ask for an explanation, but the chief just held up his hand. "Before you ask, the suspect is in lockup. Officer Wilde tased him. Unfortunately, you were attached at the time."

That explained passing out from pain. "How long was I out?" I asked.

"A week." The chief said.

My eyes widened. "A wee-!"

He held up his hand again. "Hopps, the suspect was infected with some sort of disease. Apparently you picked it up. You've had a high fever for an extended period of time, during which sedation was the best option."

I raised an eyebrow. "Shouldn't the doctor be explaining all of this?"

"Yes! I should!" Came a voice. A very perturbed looking honey badger hopped up to the side of the bed and, in a truly impressive show, glared down an entire room of professional police officers. "What is the matter with you people! Do you think this is a soothing environment. Out! All of you out!"

The department, stunned, followed her orders, saying weak goodbyes and heading for the door.

Then she turned to Nick. "You too boy toy, visiting hours ended ages ago."

Nick stared at the doctor. "She's my partner!"

The doctor smiled. "That's sweet. I'm sure your wedding will be beautiful." Then she grabbed him by the tie and physically yanked him off the bed. "Now get the hell out!"

#

Two days later, some painkillers and a forced medical leave (despite the fact that I felt fine, at least for desk work). I still heard the doctor's words ringing in my ears as I stared up at the decrepit ceiling of my apartment.

Our wedding would be beautiful. I know, I know I was a walking stereotype, I was a stupid love obsessed school girl, I was a tool of the patriarchy. Call it what you will, but I was still crushing on that fox. I was crushing bad and I didn't know how to deal with it.

It didn't help that lying in bed left me with zero distractions. Seriously, my entire life I had solid goals. Get into the police academy, pass the qualification tests, become a real police officer instead of a despised meter maid, get bumped up to detective, ect.

I'd accomplished all of them with aplomb, except for that last one, which was still a work in progress. But this? This 'I want Nick' business? I had no idea how to deal with it.

Nick was not a goal. He was a person who I cared about. I couldn't force him to like me and I'd be a bad person for trying.

But... I still wanted him. Did that mean I should make it my goal to not want him? I groaned. This was getting me nowhere fast.

Idly I looked in the mirror off to the side of my bed. There she was, adorable little bunny Judy Hopps, laying there in her civvies with no one who wanted to touch her.

I sighed. "Why couldn't I just be a predator?" I asked. It would have made things so much simpler.

"Aren't you lucky then." said a voice.

I blinked, hopping to my feet and scanning the room... There was no one.

Was I hearing things? Was it-

Any further thoughts were lost completely as I felt an incredible pain in my gut. I grunted, curling on the bed as my vision blurred and I felt heated all over.

I made a noise I barely recognized and my skin prickled as little aches sprouted along my muscles all over my body. I cried out in pain. My voice... Something was wrong. I clawed for my phone, but I couldn't grab a hold of it.

Holy crow. Was I going to die?

Finally the pain subsided. I took a deep breath, steadying myself.

I looked down. And I screamed. My voice was lower, huskier, but I barely noticed that as all of my clothes were shredded and my fur had gone reddish brown. I was bigger too. I filled the bed up entirely.

I started hyperventilating. What was happening? Finally I turned to the mirror. There staring back at me was a red wolf girl wearing the tattered remains of clothes too small for her.

I started screaming, and I didn't stop until my throat was raw.