July was kind to guide Nick into his home from the car, with the promise of a gift.

After a day out on the streets, with mammals that once chanted for the end of his police career now cheering for his candidacy as major, he felt so very tired.

His thoughtful sister-in-law July, and his former cadet, opening the door for him as he rolls his eyes, "Officer Hopps, I'm not so hurt that you need to hold the door for me," he teases, and she just smiles, ushering him in with a paw. "No time to waste, Slick, you could keel over any minute!" teasing him back.

Letting out a huff, he did find himself a bit winded walking from his vehicle, up the short steps, and to his door. He wasn't the fox he used to be.

Stepping into his home, July closed the door behind him, and ran too and fro around his home. Tea? Ready in the blink of an eye. Chicken salad? She was an angel to have prepared it so fast, and to even handle meat for him.

Then, as she got him seated in his favourite chair, she was quick to get into his bedroom at an almots break-neck speed.

While he was comfortable around her in his home, he wasn't comfortable with her being in his bedroom. Not necessarily with or without him, but he just wasn't comfortable with any female, other than Judy, god rest her soul, being in their room.

He called out to her, "I thought the surprise was back in the car, did you break in while I was out, just to surprise me with it?" and soft thud answered him, along with the muffled groan of July's voice from beyond a wall.

Just as he was opening his mouth to ask if she was alright, she called back down to him, "Is it really considered breaking-" and there was another groan, and the sound of something heavy being dragged, "and entering when you have a key?"

Nick frowned at that, and moved down the hall to his room, "And just where did you get a key?"

His door was closed, but he could hear the sound of something dry and coarse being poured onto the ground, and July's paws quickly running around the carpet floor of his bedroom. She didn't respond, and he reached a paw to the doorknob.

But pulling the door open from the other side was July, a smile on her face and a glint in her eyes. Looking past her, Nick immediately backed away in shock, "July, what the hell is this?"

Inside his room was an unconscious male corset fox, looking to be in its early twenties, surrounded by piles of salt. He could remember seeing this fox, 'Dominic' if he remembered correctly, around July recently.

July didn't respond, but instead grabbed him by the arm and jabbed him with a tazer.

Everything went dark.

Nick saw the golden fields of grain again, and he searched for Judy.

He found her, and he held her, and laid with her by a tree.

Their lips met, and she pulled away and whispered into his ear, "Wake up, dumb fox,"

He laughed, and whispered back, "I'm awake," but it was strange to him- it sounded groggy to his ears, almost slurred.

Judy looked up at him, and as she opened her mouth, the voice of July answered back, "You're not awake, you're dreaming,"

Looking down at the doe in his arms, he asked, "Judy?"

The feeling of paws on his chest came to him, even as Judy was being held in his arms, her paws clearly wrapped around him.

Then, the feeling of lips against his, and his heart skipped a beat- The scenery of golden grain and a blue sky split before him, and his eyes opened to see the ceiling of his room.

Slamming his eyes shut from the bright light, he turned his head and brought a paw up to cover them. July's voice called out to him again, "Nick?" and again, he answered her, "I'm awake,"

The voice that spoke his words sounded nothing like him.

He frowned, and spoke again, "Hello?" and again, a different voice spoke.

A pair of paws pressed against his chest, and July asked, "What is your name?"

Bringing an elbow over his muzzle, he coughed into it and tried to speak again, "July, what-" she pressed a paw to his lips, and repeated her question, "I asked, what is your name?"

He answered her, confused, with his strange voice, "Nicholas Wilde,"

She laughed.

It wasn't a 'Ha ha,' laugh. It was a relieved one. The kind of relief you hear in a woman's voice when you tell them their lover is safe.

And she spoke, "Oh, sweet cheese and crackers, you're back,"

His eyes tried to open, to acclimate to the light, as his brow furrowed. Remembering what lead up to this moment, he groaned "July, why on god's green earth did you tazer me?"

The only thing that felt off to him, other than his voice, was the bump on the back of his head. There was no stinging pain in his stomach, where he knew the tazer went off, or a pain in his back or hips, which he knew he'd feel if he managed to fall to the ground.

Forcing his eyes open for a moment, the vision of the body beside him shocked him into complete silence.

The light burned his eyes, but he just kept staring at the unmoving body of an older fox. July had moved beside it, and as he reached a trembling paw out to touch it, she rolled it over to face him.

The body before him was strewn out haphazardly, and he looked into its sightless, unmoving eyes. July was speaking, but the words didn't register to his mind as he continued staring at the body before him.

He was looking at his own body. His grizzled, greyed muzzle. His tired, green eyes.

Then, he felt a splash of ice-cold water over his body, and he jumped up and scurried away from the source, tripping over his own corpse as he ran from the room.

His claws dug into the carpet and body alike, making tears into both as he fled.

Down the hall, out the door, he ran with vigor and youth he hadn't felt in ages, but he stopped as he reached his porch.

Backing away quickly, he returned to his home, closing the door and pressing his back against it.

July was there, standing before him with wide eyes and an ever-present smile on her face.

She wrapped her arms around his chest, and squeezed him tight. Her voice caught his ears, though a bit muffled through his fur. "It worked," she said, and she sniffled, rubbing her face against his chest.

Nervously, he asked, "What, what worked July, what the hell is-" but a soft, tan paw pressed against his lips, silencing him again.

Her face still buried in his chest, she answered him, "I found you a new, younger body." She backed away from him, but kept a paw on his lips, "Just like I found one for myself, all those years ago."

He stared into her eyes, with a tightness growing in his chest as he tried to swallow a lump in his throat.

Then, she raised her other paw, showing off Judy's wedding ring on her finger, as she spoke softly, "'Until death do we part,' my love," and he felt her slip a ring over his finger.

The wedding ring he had never removed. The one that had been on his body in his room.

His mouth was suddenly dry, but he managed to ask, "Judy?"

The doe before him nodded, "Yes, Nick."