Long term, Short term: Chapter 1

The Accident: Part 1

By Zaddict16


Nick was leaning up against the car door, looking into the side view mirror, checking his fur. He looked down at the badge pinned on his chest. He admired the way it glistened in the sunlight, how it lifted his spirits whenever they got low.

But even with all the street smarts and business suaveness he collected over the years, he knew there was nothing he could do to "shrug off" that he was lying to himself.

He knew that he just covered up his feelings of his success and valor, and put all the glory on the badge he so respectably wore. But he knew the real thing that lifted his spirits when they got low.

He remembered the lyrics to the song Judy loved by Gazelle. "I won't give up, no I won't give in, till I reach the end". He memorized that specific line from the song, not because Judy played it a lot and he heard every ten seconds, no. He remembered those words because he knew that that's what Judy used for inspiration, besides himself of course.

He just hoped that he wasn't following that advice too well, for his sake and Judy's. He knew he couldn't tell her, she wasn't ready for the truth.

"If I tell her, things will never be the same, for better or for worse. And I don't want to take a chance on it being worse. I can't tell her yet, and if I'm not careful and it slips, the very friendship, even everything we built together, will crumble in ruins. I CAN NOThave that happen, not when I'm so close" Nick thought to himself.

But at what cost? At what cost, would he have to take on avoiding telling that information. He knew she helped him, a lot, no matter what the task was.

Judy.

He knew that she was the real help. He knew that deep down he NEEDED her, and she needed him too. He thought back to when he first met her, that day so long ago, when he saw her walk into the ice cream parlor. He knew in the back of his mind that there was something special about this bunny. Something that he had never seen before in ANYONE that he's ever met, especially not Finnick.

And now, that bunny that he admired even when he first met her and despised her at first for "hustling" him, was broken down to tears from what he did.

"I don't think I'll be able to recover from that" Nick said out loud to himself, thinking he was alone.

He was not.

"I don't think I'll be able to either Nick" someone said behind him. Nick eyes widened and his heartbeat quickened as he slowly turned around and saw Judy standing there, her arms crossed and her was foot tapping slowly on the pavement. The look she gave him was icy enough to plunge the entire district of Sahara Square into eternal winter.

"Hey Carrots, you made it!" Nick said, suppressing his guilt with his smug grin.

"I almost didn't after what happened earlier, you gave me quite the scare Nick" Judy said, her expression was grave.

"Oh come on, Halloween already passed like two weeks ago, everyone, including me, already took down all their decorations, so what possibly could of scared you?" Nick said, already knowing the answer.

"Hmmm, I don't know, I mean there was this fox who frightened me. He didn't look scary, the thing that I was afraid of is what he did, it was just so unexpected and I don't think I could trust him again without a REALLY good explanation as to WHY".

"Well then, this fox sounds like a jerk, doesn't he?".

"Does he sound like a jerk. Yes, yes he does" Judy said but with no trace of amusement in her expression.

"This fox sounds like he means a lot to you, am I correct?".

"He does, he really does, and I care about him SO much. But he isn't being completely honest with me".

"How so?".

"He wouldn't answer my question I repeatedly asked him, and then he went crazy after I took his phone. And I thought I was addicted to candy crush" Judy said with a forced smile. Looking at him, she knew that he could be a self-centered jerk at most times. But occasionally, he was this sweet, caring, warm, gooey, "delicious" mammal, who loved the bunny standing in front of him. Be that as it may, right now, that bunny wasn't very enthusiastic about what he decided to do to her earlier that morning.

She could see with an explanation that they could make it work, but the reynard in front of her, refused to fold his deck.

The doe took another step towards him. She studied his paw movements, his eye contact, or lack of it, even his tail and his ears to see if she could find any give away.

"Well maybe this, "fox" has a good reason to not tell you why he acted outright bonkers?"

"If so, I would LOVE to hear it, wouldn't you say? FOX!" Judy yelled.

"What, do you think I'mthe fox Carrots?" Nick said playing dumb, knowing that Judy was right. She did deserve an explanation, but right now was not the time for it.

"I know it's you Nick, stop playing dumb!".

"Madam, that is such an accusation! I was under the impression that you were playing dumb. Seeing as how you're the only dumb bunny here" Nick said with a smirk that was instantly replaced with fear as he saw Judy rush up to him and push him into the car door, her arm braced on his chest, and his tie intertwined tightly around her paw.

"Ughhhhhh, Carrots?".

"I don't want to hear any nonsense or wisecracks about me or anything else. The only thing that is going to come out of your mouth is the truth".

"So, what the heck was all that about!?" Judy yelled right into Nick's face as she yanked his tie towards her so he was at her level.

Nick slightly opened his mouth to answer but immediately closed it again because of what the answer was.

Judy lowered her voice and leaned closer to Nick, her arm still braced on his chest, but a little lighter than before.

"Nick, tell me, please" Judy said, her voice quaking as she spoke, her eyes moist, her expression horrified at what transpired earlier.

"You scared me Nick". She gazed into Nick's eyes, eyes that used to bring hope and meaning to her life. Eyes that now brought fear and betrayal, causing her view on her partner to be tarnished.

"You really did. And I don't think I can trust you anymore, as my partner".

"My friend".

"Or. My boyfriend" Judy said and felt tears star to run down her cheeks.

"Judy, I-".

"Nick PLEASE, tell me the truth, I need to know".

Judy loosened up from Nick a little bit more but kept a firm grip on his tie. She thought to herself "Nick why aren't you telling me?" and felt the frustration run through her body, as if it were a surge of electricity that she couldn't stop.

"Just answer one question for me Nick, please" Judy said and moved in closer to Nick, not to tighten her grip, but to get control of the situation, more than she already had, but without using force.

"What is it?" Nick asked with gravely.

"If you won't tell me what your hiding, then at least tell me what's bothering you?".

"Carrots, nothing's bothering me" Nick said with a slight chuckle trying to cover that something was bothering him, but miserably failing.

"Nick, don't you dare lie to me!" Judy said, her expression becoming stern once more.

"Well the only thing that's bothering me is you right now, and before you punch me, that is the truth" Nick said and put his paws in front of his face to block Judy's impending attack. But it never came.

Nick felt something soft on his chest, something, fluffy. He looked down and saw Judy burying her face in his chest, and he saw the tears stream down from her eyes. Nick's face fell into a frown, one that was no easy task for any mammal to get him to show, except apparently, one.

Nick slowly wrapped his arms around Judy and lightly caressed her ears with one paw, the other he had wrapped around her waist pulling her close to him.

They stood there, in silence, for longer than Nick could care to count. He drowned out the cars rushing by to get to work, and the occasional passerby that gave them and awkward look when they saw them so close to each other.

Occasionally, he heard a soft whimper exit from Judy, and each time he pulled her closer towards him. He could feel her breath on his chest every time she exhaled, giving him assurance that she was safe and could be comfortable. But every time she inhaled, her voice cracked and faltered into a whimper or a sob, reminding him of what he did, ripping away the shred of hope he had left. The very one he was trying to save so he could repair the broken mirror that he adored.

The same mirror, that every time he gazed into the polished glass, and stared at the reflection, he saw Judy. And if he were in Judy's shoes, metaphorically speaking, seeing as how neither of them wore shoes, he knew her reflection was of him, with a sly, smug grin plastered on his muzzle.

Each time he did that, he saw Judy's nose twitch in warmth and safety. But he couldn't help but think if it was twitching from safety, or fear.

As he stood there, holding her in his arms, he thought to himself. He thought how could he protect Judy if she was afraid of him after what he did. He felt the warm summer breeze blow through his fur, giving him slight confidence, but that confidence was swiftly ripped away from him when he gazed down at the sobbing bunny in his arms.

"How can I protect you from harm Judy, if I can't even protect you from myself" Nick said, his ears drooped and his tail lay stiff behind him. Judy, still crying, looked up at him, her expression was vague.

Nick could tell that he hurt her, in more ways than one. He knew he did something that he would regret for the rest of his life. And that she would hate him for it.

"Nick, in the time we've known each other I've seen you come up with some pretty crazy excuses, some that succeed, and some that fail. I've known the sly, charming, part of you for a while now, but do you want to know what my favorite part of you is?".

"What might it be, malady?" Nick said, his eyes narrowed at the bunny below him.

"The part I like the most about you is how, every once in a while, like right now, you're just so caring and so warm hearted. Nick, I care about you. Alot, but you must understand that when you cross the line, you can't take it back. No matter how much you want to, so please, at least tell me what you think would happen if you showed me what was on your phone." Judy explained, her ears drooped and her nose twitched wildly because she was so close to him.

Nick sighed and unwrapped his arms around her and cocked a reassuring smile at her, working to some affect, but not much. Judy let go of Nick's tie and slowly took a step back from him took her arm off his chest. Nick then grabbed his tie and readjusted it from when Judy yanked it towards her, him with it.

Nick reached up and ran a paw down his neck and down the collar on his uniform, smoothing out the crease Judy made from the "conversation" they just had.

The fox lightly pushed himself off the car as if he were going to take a step towards the doe in front of him, but to her surprise he just stood there, and crossed his right leg over his left one with the heel of his paw facing up, his toes spread firmly on the cement on the sidewalk. He put his left arm horizontally across his chest, and placed his elbow on his arm, his paw placed on his snout, as if he was deep in thought.

Judy looked at him puzzled, as she never once before seen him stand that way. It was as if unlike all his other give way's, he made a new one just to throw her off. Maybe he was just trying to trick her into thinking the opposite of what was on his mind.

Or maybe, it was a stance that he hadn't used on anyone in a very long time. One that he didn't need to use, or one that he hadn't used for a reason or feeling he hasn't felt in a long time.

For some reason, she couldn't help but think that him standing there, looking at her like that. A look she slightly recognized, one that she only saw when she did something to make him blush, and vice versa.

But now, that very look that he was giving her, she knew that he only used it when he truly cared about someone. And apparently, she had that luxury of seeing it on his face. Seeing it crease the fur around his mouth as he pursed his lips, thinking about what to do next.

After a couple, more seconds, or minutes, or months, Judy didn't care about time. The only thing she cared about right now was the fox standing in front of her.

Her fox. Using a goofy stance, that made her blush a little bit.

"Judy, have I ever told why I occasionally stand like this?" the reynard said, breaking the silence both needed after what happened between them.

"You mean never, right? Judy said with a smile but then replaced it with seriousness and continued, No you haven't, why?".

"Well, I've never told you this, or anyone for that matter" Nick said and shrugged his shoulders out of habit but stopped himself from making a sly remark, on behalf of Judy.

"Go on" the doe said while gesturing to him with her paw to continue.

Nick unfolded his legs and let his arms go limp and felt his arms fall to his side. He slowly took a step towards the bunny, eyeing her ears, to see if he could tell if she trusted him to approach her after what he did.

After he cautiously took a few more steps, and saw no change in her expression, and no movement in her ears except for the wind rustling her fur and the occasional twitch from her listening to his each and every pawstep, he inwardly smiled at her enthusiasm for his answer.

Granted his answer was something he was trying to keep locked up a while longer, he saw that he had no choice but to face the music. Try everything, most likely.

Nick took the uneasiness out of his step and put on a reassuring smile, and placed his paw on her shoulder.

"Judy, the reason why I just stood like that, and the reason why you haven't seen me stand like that ever, is because..." Nick trailed off and reached up and wiped the sweat that was accumulating on his forehead away.

Judy looked up at him, she saw the concern written all over his muzzle. The fear, the worry, the strife, she saw it cloud his judgement, twist his confidence into stress and anguish.

"Why?" Judy asked, her voice curious but also cautious for the answer.

"The reason why you haven't seen me stand like that, ever, is because, I have not needed too in a very long time" Nick said, his expression blank.

"Why have you not needed to then?".

"Because, I haven't felt any reason to. I haven't felt about someone like that in my entire life Judy. I didn't think I knew what I wanted in my life. I thought I was just going to be a pawpsicle hustler my entire life, not batting an eye at anyone who tells me it's wrong to con people."

Nick looked at Judy with a sympathetic smile on his muzzle, one that he adopted from Judy over the time they've known each other.

"Until I met you".

Judy's eyes widened as she processed the sentence, her ears cupped towards Nick, soaking in his sincerity.

"And I never want, or wanted, to hurt you Judy. Not now, tomorrow, or ever for that matter".

"But I failed that promise Judy. I failed this city. I failed my species into thinking we could change from the savage monsters we once were." Nick sighed and took his paw off her shoulder, his paw was clenched in guilt as it fell to his side.

"And, I failed you, Judy. I failed to protect you. I failed to help you. I even failed to put your needs over mine. But because I was so scared of what would happen if you saw..." Nick trailed off, his head hung low in shame.

Judy folded her paws, she always thought it helped her think. She took a step towards Nick, as he saw her approach he flinched and took a step back.

Just like before in the apartment, every step Judy took forward Nick took one back. Until he found himself pressed up against the car door once more.

With a sheepish smile Nick said "Well Judy, now I know how you felt in there, the fear, the worry, even the pain".

Judy looked up and down at Nick, she looked at every speck of evidence she could to piece together the story he was so reluctant to confess.

"Nick, you didn't fail me".

Nick looked up from his guilty position, the sweat, running down his muzzle, making his fur moist.

"We all head over the edge sometimes. But there is always a choice Nick. All we have to do is decide on whether we want to sulk, and stay down at the bottom and rot. Or if we want to pick ourselves up and climb back up the cliff, no matter the risk. Because we know what the reward is if we succeed".

Nick contemplated on what she said, his face straining to conceive and understand every syllable of every single word she said.

"Oh Carrots, did you just get that from Gazelle?" Nick said with a sly smirk on his muzzle.

Judy ignored his statement and said "So what was the real reason why you stood like that? You still haven't told me why".

Nick straightened out from his slouched position and ran a paw through the fur on his head, smoothing it down.

"Well...".


Meanwhile...

About six blocks away, there was a figure sulking in the shadows in a nearby ally. The figure took something out of his poket and held it up to his muzzle, whispering commands into it.

"Alpha team, check in".

"All good sir".

"Bravo team, report".

"Bravo team is ready to respond".

"Charlie team?".

"All good here sir. Ready for command".

The wolf smiled. His grin seemed as if it stretched up to his ears, creasing his fur into a demented and twisted smile. He let go of the talk button on his radio and lowered his arm to his side. He leaned forward from his crouched position and checked the surrounding area.

He eyed something across the street. Something everyone wanted but either never had the guts to achieve what they desired, or never had the skill to do it in the first place.

He looked at the ground below him, looking at the cracked pavement in the alley. He thought to himself "How are people supposed to make a difference if they can't even help themselves from the corruption that is poisoned within this city. How can they stop, me".

"Awaiting orders sir" his radio said.

The wolf took a deep breath and suppressed his grin. He placed his paw in his pocket and pulled something metal out. He looked at the gun in his paw, and turned the safety off and checked the ammo, all full.

He placed the gun in the holster on his belt and reached back behind him and pulled a hood over his head. He thought it completed his outfit, seeing as how he was wearing a black leather jacket with black cargo shorts and his lucky black leather gloves.

The wolf held up the radio to his muzzle again and said five simple words.

"All teams. Give em hell".


Hello!

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