Hey guys! So after reading some amazing stories here, I had a bit of an inspiration to write something too (or at least try). It's my first attempt at a fanfic, so I'm not sure how it turned out, but hopefully you guys enjoy it (I know I certainly had fun writing the chapter)! Feel free to leave a review of things you liked, things that could improve, what you thought of the story overall, etc. Hopefully I'll get better in future chapters as the story progresses (and hopefully I did okay on this one too hehe).

Anyhow, enjoy! :)

"But seriously, Carrots, you didn't answer my question – are all rabbits bad drivers? Or it just you?"

The rabbit sitting to his left chuckled quietly. She saw her persistence was starting to rub off on the fox to her right in the passenger seat. She thought he dropped the subject right before they took off after the street racer, but now she realized that was not the case.

"Well, you saw how quickly we caught up to Flash", Judy replied with a small smile. "And given the fact no one died, who's driving expertise do we need to thank here?"

She turned to see Nick's expression full of faked disappointment. "Awwww Carrots, I was hoping you'd come up with something cleverer than that". His trademark smirk reappeared on his face. For that he received a playful punch on his left arm.

"Well, I don't think anyone could outdo you when it comes to witty responses", came the reply, with a hint of mock-offence in the rabbit's voice.

"Well, do I know that?... yes, I do", the fox teased back, trying to imitate the smooth tone of voice Judy had when saying those exact words earlier that afternoon.

It was the duo's first day on the job as a team, and they were already famous all over the city. Not only were predator-prey pairings uncommon in general, especially in the police force, they were among the smallest animals in the ZPD working on the front line. That isn't to say, however, that they weren't good at their jobs.

Judy already had just over a month of experience under her belt (though it still made her a rookie), earning a huge amount of respect after the Night Howler case, particularly from Chief Bogo, which was quite the feat in such a short period of time. Shortly after, Nick enlisted into the ZPD with Judy's recommendation, beginning his academy training almost immediately after the case was closed.

Just like Judy, he ended up being the smallest animal in his class, having to use his wit and cunning to get around problems most larger animals would not have. However, not once has he cheated his way through the training. Judy knew he promised himself that he would do everything to clear the stigma of foxes being deceitful and untrustworthy, and he was staying true to his word. His con artist days were behind.

His resolve was strong, and Judy's belief in him made him even stronger and more determined to prove himself, which he did. His instructors had only good things to say about him. His scores were excellent, be it in the weapon's training, vehicle operation, obstacle courses, sparring – he passed everything with flying colors. He caught on to things quickly and was a very quick learner. That, combined with his firsthand experience in the criminal world gave him excellent prospects as an officer.

He graduated at the top of his class, and taking into account his previous experience with Judy, he was immediately assigned to Precinct 1, where Bogo didn't hesitate to make the pair a permanent team.

And of course, he was very amicable. A week before officially joining the precinct as an officer, he was invited to the station to be introduced to his future co-workers. Everyone liked him instantly. He always knew what to say, and while he did give off an air of slyness, he was very far from being a jerk. By the end of the day, the whole precinct was anxiously waiting for the day where he officially joins them as an officer.

…which brings them here.

Their first assignment could be considered a success. They were told to stop a street racer in Savannah Central, and they did so within 45 minutes of leaving the station. After reporting the catch, they were assigned to a quieter part of the district. It was Nick's first day, and Bogo opted to let him transition smoothly into the new job. Of course, there was always a chance of something happening in any part of the city, but the area near the waterfront tended to be quieter, with the most extreme crime being petty thefts, and even those were uncommon. This allowed for a perfect opportunity for Nick to hone his basic policing skills in the real world and get a general sense of patrol procedures.

The day was beautiful – sunny and warm. It was almost a disappointment they had to spent so much time in a police cruiser. Though they couldn't complain. Not only were they cut some slack with the patrol workload (which translated into less paperwork when they returned to the station), but they were also given some new gear, the most exciting of which was a new model tranquilizer. Being the most well-known cops in the precinct definitely had its benefits.

Firearms were very strictly regulated in the city, and only the ZPD had legal access to them, and even then, only when they were conducting raids and other dangerous operations. This was not a very common occurrence, so as a result, officers on duty were only allowed to carry tranquilizer guns. The older models used darts, and could only fire one shot before needing to be reloaded. The new model which Nick was inspecting now, used clips of pellets, which would harmlessly pop on impact with the target, but the chemical would have an almost instant reaction, stopping a suspect immediately. Having 10 chances at stopping a criminal instead of one did sound more appealing to both the administration and officers alike.

However, despite the ban on firearms, officers still wore Kevlar vests. Criminals still managed to obtain weapons through the black market, and the ZPD took no chances when it came to the lives of officers. Judy had hers on right now as she drove, while Nick opted to put his in the back of the car for the time-being. Not much was happening, and Judy had to admit, the dress shirt-type uniform with a tie did look good on him. With the addition of his aviators and gleaming badge, he was a truly professional-looking cop through and through. Currently though, he was lost in his thoughts.

And to think I'm already being trusted despite being a fox..., Nick thought to himself. Maybe things will get better from here after all.

Judy just glanced over at him and smiled. She knew how rough his past was, and she did all she could to help him get over it and make him feel like he was cared for. That's what friends do. Especially friends who are as close as they were. They had complete trust in each other.

"Hopps, Wilde, any unusual activity in the area?" Came a voice from the radio. Clawhauser was performing the routine check to ensure all officers were on station and safe.

"Negative dispatch. We're clear for now."

"Hey, wanna take a quick break? I wouldn't mind a little stretch." Judy inquired. Nick himself felt the need to get up and walk around, maybe even grab a coffee. The quiet, warm day was beginning to lull him to sleep. He quickly nodded as he broke out of his thoughts.

"Dispatch, Hopps and Wilde will be on break for a few minutes" Judy radioed the precinct. Not much was going on, so it wasn't a surprise when an affirmative response can from the other end.

They drove up to a small coffee shop on a quiet street lined with small stores and a few houses. It didn't belong to any chain, but it was nice nonetheless. As they got out of the cruiser and walked in they were immediately hit with the intense air conditioning. The atmosphere was casual, and the decor minimal. Not in a sketchy way though. There were no fancy ornaments, just plain chairs and tables, with the basic white walls and sharp contrast in shapes and colors in the room, with some soft lounge music playing in the background. They both came to agree it was an unusual yet pleasing design.

Both ordered coffee.

"Hey Carrots, you sure you won't go hyperactive on me after drinking that?" Nick teased.

Judy looked over, seeing his usual smirk and half-lidded eyes.

Typical Nick, she thought.

"Well, at least I didn't end up staying up all night from all the caffeine before an exam" she teased back. At one point in the beginning of his academy training, Nick got so worked up over an exam that he drank too much coffee for his own good to stay awake and study for the test. The result? He couldn't sleep the entire night, even after he was done studying.

"Ouf, looks like someone's getting better at their comebacks here" was Nick's response. For once, he was genuinely caught off guard.

They finished their coffees, carrying on some more small-talk, as well as discussing plans for the evening while keeping an ear out for any trouble over the radio. They only had 2 more hours left in their shift, which was due to end in the early evening. Judy discussed her usual errands – buying food, catching up on her favorite shows after a few late nights full of paperwork and the like. She asked Nick if he wanted to come over and watch the shows with her. Nick, however, simply wanted to crash and sleep. Despite it being a fairly quiet day, he had to admit it was still tiring. He'd get used it eventually though. They decided to leave the show-watching for the weekend.

As they slowly made their way back to the cruiser, some commotion on the right side of the street caught their attention. Just then, a ferret ran out of a small shop nearby. They couldn't quite tell what he was carrying in his paws, but the reason for his hurry was quickly evident as the shop owner ran out, yelling at him to stop.

"Looks like we have our first robbery to deal with. Let's go!" Judy said with a chuckle.

Robberies weren't too tough to deal with, especially when it came to incursions in small shops. The shoplifters were usually fairly easy to catch, but they were good practice for beginner cops (like themselves) to master their skills and perform arrests.

They quickly jumped into their cruiser and took off in pursuit. Nick donned his aviator shades, smirking behind the reflecting lenses. Finally, some excitement. He switched on the sirens and took the radio.

"Dispatch, Wilde. We have a shop robbery on Walnut and Elm street. Suspect is on foot – we are in pursuit".

"Dispatch copies, Wilde. Bring him in once you get him"

"Affirmative"

This was going to be Nick's first arrest, and on the first day too. Catching Flash earlier that day didn't count. While they did end up fining him, they cut him a lot of slack. It was a minimal payout. This was something else. Yet, something was troubling the red fox. Something was off, and he couldn't quite put a finger to it. He knew, however, that his instincts rarely failed him.

Suddenly, the suspect dived into the open door of a nearby car – a black sports sedan, which took off immediately. The officers now knew they had a potential high speed chase on their paws. The day was going to get a lot more interesting. In the case with Flash, he pulled over almost immediately after hearing the siren. These guys weren't going to stop as easily. They had to end this before they got to a busier street, otherwise there was a risk of bystanders being injured. They needed backup.

Well then, this will be fun, Judy thought to herself. It was bound to happen eventually. She was just hoping Nick wouldn't get carsick as she nearly floored the gas pedal, keeping the car steady as it rapidly sped up.

The fox was doing fine, however. He grabbed the radio again to update the situation.

"Dispatch, the suspect entered a vehicle. Looks like there are 2 of them. Request immediate assistance, over"

Judy, in the meantime, wasn't paying attention to the exchange as Nick described the vehicle and gave a plate number. She was focused on keeping the larger cruiser in control as the 2 cars swerved from side to side on the small, residential streets lined with massive, leafy, green trees and large houses, most being built in a classic, villa-type style. She didn't have time to take in the view though. She was just thankful the area was quieter during the weekday afternoons where most residents were working downtown. Then, just as she heard Clawhauser ask for their position, she heard Nick curse. Glancing over at him, she saw he was transfixed with fear, his eyes wide, clearly in panic. She looked back at the car and saw their suspect ferret leaning out from the passenger window with a metallic object in his hand.

Definitely a gun. By the shape she was able to make out, it was an automatic weapon. Not a good sign.

Judy knew the cruisers were being refitted with bulletproof windshields, and she was praying that the cruiser they got today gave them the necessary protection.

She was wrong.

The next thing she knew, there were a series of popping sounds, glass cracking, and then exploding towards them. She held out a paw in front of her, feeling a sharp pain as glass cut into it and into her shoulders and ears… or was it something else? She couldn't tell. She didn't even get a chance to glance at Nick. She was trying to keep the car straight, but the combination of the unexpected gunfire, the pain and the sheer shock of the exploding windshield caused her to momentarily jerk the wheel.

Unfortunately, that was all it took to end the chase for them. The streets were narrow, and she had no room for error. The cruiser veered off to the side, smashing into a row of cars parked by the curb. The last thing Judy remembered was hoping that Nick was alright, and being thankful that there were no pedestrians nearby as the accident unfolded. With their speed, she could only imagine how damaged the cruised would be. Survival did not seem likely given the circumstances. She did all she can and yet that was still not enough. The thieves have gotten away.

Then, the totaled cruiser came to a sharp halt and the world went black.

So there you have it, the first chapter is done! I hope you guys enjoyed it, and I'll be sure to get the next chapter done as quickly as possible in the meantime, feel free to leave a review and let me know what you think! I know there's not as much dialogue in this chapter, since I spent more time explaining what happened at the academy with Nick and things like that (sorry, I hope you guys weren't too upset by that). I'll try to have more dialogue in later chapters though if you guys want to hear more chatter so-to-say :)

Cheers!