Chapter 2

Something Old, Something New

"What? Is everything all right, Judy?"

Click.

The unsuspecting bunny froze, fur still gobbed up in her right hand while leering at the fruit in front of her. A male bunny from behind her softly cleared his throat, snapping a reaction into Judy. With her kindest smile, she swept her paw against her chest and apologized profusely. Her gaze began at the bunny's feet, trying to hide the inevitable tomato flush embarrassment cursed upon her, then haltingly moved this gaze to face her victim.

His feet were quite long and he wore dark blue jeans which tucked in a blue and pink plaid shirt that rolled up just above his elbows showing off his large muscles. Judy's nose wiggled in awe as she looked upon his broad chest finally landing on a pair of amber eyes speckled with yellow in front a beige background. A lighter blush unveiled itself under the tomatoey paste of her flustered state. This rabbit was attractive and she had just made contact with him by accident.

"Oh, there's no need to apologize, ma'am, it -. Judy? Is that you?" The stranger stared down with disbelief and then an amorous simper spread like butter on toast. "My, it's been forever it seems.

Judy averted his too friendly of an expression, attempting to pry into the depths of her memory to remember this bunny. With each glance she dug in further to match his chiseled jaw with somebody she once knew, or his perfectly straight teeth, or even that scar on his arm that stretched whenever he crossed his arms like he was doing now. No matter how detailed it got, she failed to remember this stranger. "I-I'm sorry, I don't recall you," she mumbled shamefully.

The chocolate hunk chuckled with a strong, dark diaphragm. "It's no problem. Here, let me refresh your memory." From out of his back pocket, he slipped out a tiny pair of rounded spectacles and placed them on his nose.

It was almost in an instant that Judy recognized her very old friend, Eric Flottoms, from her primary school days. He had been very skinny and short in those years, and it didn't help that he had had such an enlarged nose and awkwardly interminable ears so long and without the strength to lift them. She had been one of very few that cared to involve him in any activities; the other kids were scared away by his odd attributes. The difference in him now was profound.

Judy gasped, "Eric, oh my goodness. How are you?"

Eric grinned ear to ear, gathering the mystified bunny in his arms for a warm hug. "I'm doing wonderful, actually. Just started up my own jam and jelly business."

"Aw, really? I'm so happy for you. You've been dreaming of that since a kid." As the broad bunny set Judy back down on the ground, she paid attention to the white freckle right under his eyebrow that was always stressed when under his Furry Potter-looking glasses. At least there was one thing that would never change.

"Yes, I have," he nodded his head in agreement. "It took me some time but I'm finally there. What about you? Did you ever make it as that big city cop? I can still hear you reciting that handbook during recess."

Judy giggled, "Yes, actually. It's been nearly a year since I graduated and gotten a job at the ZPD. It's probably been the most exciting year of my life. I couldn't be happier."

"And I couldn't be happier for you."

The two old friends had hit a bump in the road and silence sat between them comfortably. "Well, I've got to be going. Big family dinner tonight, you know. Today's one of my rare days off. Actually - " Judy stuttered, reminded of the whole situation that had led them to here. "Would you like to join us? I know my mother would love to see you after so long and it would be nice to catch up."

Eric did not respond immediately but rather seemed to ponder the idea. "Well, I did have some paperwork to fill out for the new building unit but that can wait. I'd love to, Judy."

With relief, Judy brightened and continued to gather two baskets of carrots and a bottle of vanilla. The imaginary aroma of carrot cake reminded her of the few times she would kindly invite Eric over to share a slice of the delectable midday snack her mother made at least once a week. It was whenever he had been picked on for his size or odd features, and although she couldn't relate, Judy had desired justice since day one. Even if that meant taking in the weak.

Now they were walking back to the same place they always seemed to meet at and have a slice of homemade nostalgia. Only this time more mature and with stable jobs. Judy couldn't wait to hear about how much had changed since they last made contact and she was sure her parents would be joyful in recognizing an old friend.

Little did either know they shared the same empty feeling that lay on the inside.

At the welcome doormat, they sighed in unison. "Be warned," Judy acknowledged, "they're just as crazy you probably remember."

Eric answered with a hearty chuckle as she made her way into the kitchen. "Mom, Dad, I'd like you to meet somebody!" As her parents appeared in front of them, they wiggled their noses in curiosity, checking the stranger that their daughter had brought along up and down.

Stu Hopps raised an eyebrow, obviously stirring up no good reasons as to why this attractive rabbit was standing in his kitchen with a starstruck gaze towards his daughter. He was her father after all, it was his job to look out for her. Her mother Bonnie, on the other paw, held a dumb smile as she stared at the handsome bunny, not able to decide where to keep her eyes.

"Guys, this is Eric, don't you remember? Short stop, as you always called him, right, Dad?" Judy nodded, trying to throw a lead for them to grasp.

Bonnie gasped, "Eric, it can't be! You grew so big! Stu, it's the small boy back when Judy was younger - he'd always help her with her schoolwork." Judy blushed, remembering the excuse they had made up so Eric had never felt embarrassed from the idea of being bullied.

After Stu finally caught on, the bunch huddled by the fridge and pantry to gather all the supplies for dinner and started cooking. Bonnie and Stu had done most of it together, but as the two newfound friends recounted all of their milestones (with comical stories sprinkled in between) they chipped in to cut an onion here or slice a cucumber there.

Judy had learned that Eric, after primary school, went on to work at his father's strawberry farm. He had always been more of a brain than a brawn but seeing as his whole family was poor, he had no other choice but to slave in the fields. Later, he collected up this money and bought out a section of his father's strawberry patches to make jam and sell it in the markets. After continuing to buy out sections of land, Eric diversified his product with different fruits and even created his own flavors. Now he was on his way to fame through a new store opening smack-dab in the middle of Zootopia.

The sound of success was music to Judy's ears. She could listen to him talk about it his enthusiasm for his career all day. It wasn't until they were sat down and eating that her mother asked a peculiar question.

"So, Eric, have you any girlfriend?"

The face of confidence diminished from the once-eager bunny, and Judy grumbled on the side. "I, uh, I'm afraid not. I've just been so busy with work and getting my life together."

"Hmm," her mother hummed. "Golly, that sounds very familiar."

"Sometimes I think I should have taken the advice of my parents and searched for a partner first," he laughed. "I'm not fond of the dating world; it seems I only attract nuts. But I can wait. Even if it means going through a hundred more of them until I find the perfect one."

Bonnie leaned in closer to the handsome rabbit, obviously forgetting that her husband sat right next to her. "And what is your perfect bunny, Eric?"

By that point Judy was at a dead glare with her mother, smitten by her words. "Mother, can I talk with you for a second?" It was more of a demand than a question as she grabbed the head-over-heels doe and pulled her into the hallway. "What are you doing?" Judy whispered fiercely.

Bonnie stood with the weight of her right leg, hands folded together, and a smug grin that practically read the memories her daughter had experienced just hours ago. "Judy, you don't just bring home this very handsome bunny and not expect me do something about it. You've been single for too long - you need somebody to fill - that - hole," she tapped her chest with each of those final words. "Besides, you have history with him and he's a sweet guy. Don't be afraid to give it a shot."

Judy wiggled her nose in disbelief. Eric was a good looking rabbit, but never had she thought of him, then and now, as a romantic interest. He was just...Eric. Maybe it was just her nerves talking or maybe it was her mother, she didn't know. After all, listening to her parent's stories she found that love wasn't always easy, even before that word came about. What was the harm in attempting at her first real relationship?

"How do I know he even - " she began but was soon quieted by the entrance of her mother's soothing reassurance.

"Trust me, Dear. He's been staring at you all night."

As she boarded the train to head home, Judy studied her awakening phone. It had been a few hours since she had last checked it and was curious to see what she had missed. A couple updates popped up (which she swiped away from view) and a notification of the new Gazelle album peaked her interest. But as she reached to tap the screen, her phone suddenly turned berserk, a million vibrations going off at once. Nick Wilde had messaged her five different times and called her three. Then suddenly the memory of nervous clamor made Judy hit her head against the train wall. She had hung up on him earlier and never bothered to call back or explain her situation. He was probably worried. And angry.

With teeth nibbling at her lip, Judy held the phone to her ear reluctantly, a flinch with each time the phone rang. It took nearly forty seconds (she had counted) until Nick finally picked up.

"Hey Carrots, whatcha need?"

"Oh, Nick, I'm so sorry for earlier. I was caught in a sticky situation and thinks were escalating so quickly. I didn't mean to-. I totally slipped my mi-."

"Don't worry about it." Judy could almost hear his half-lidded response and couldn't help but smile. "You're busy, I get it."

She sat up in her seat, putting the phone on speaker phone momentarily so that she could view his texts. The first two asked if she was in any trouble and to message back or he would otherwise assume her death. The proceeding three were casual, the last one begging for her to save him from his office cubicle. She couldn't not grin at all of them: "You should be busy too, Mr. 'I'm so bored I might actually go talk to Clawhauser for entertainment.' Maybe if you would actually do your work..."

"Finally reading those, eh? Usually I have a certain bunny to keep me in check." A humble chuckle crooned from the opposite side. "Anyway," he matched it with a yawn, "how was your little vay-cay?"

A blush signaled for the entrance of a quieter tone. "Well, it was great and all..."

"But?"

Judy giggled. "Not buts this time. Just an and. I sort of ran into an old friend today. And...I think he likes me."

Coughing swarmed the line, making her cringe and hold the phone away. "Judy, that's great!" Nick chimed. "Sorry bout that, I - uh...choked on...water, yes, water is what I choked on. Um, how exactly did this happen again?"

With elation fluttering in her heart, Judy gave her best friend a brief and calm explanation of the happenings in BunnyBurrow. "And after we helped clean up the kitchen, he offered to give me a ride to the train station. So I said yes and when we got there he told me he wanted to see me more often and that he'd be in Savanna Central for a whole month working on the establishment of his new business."

"I'm happy for you."

An odd twitch nagged at Judy's ear. "Are you all right? You don't sound-"

"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine, don't worry about me. Actually," his voice knocked down to a whisper, "I'm out right now. With a certain fox. She's, oh, she's great, Judy, I can't wait for you to meet her. But I'm going to have to let you go soon."

The young bunny rolled her eyes at her sly friend, slightly impressed and surprised by his sudden date. "You go get her, tiger. Have fun tonight but don't stay up too late!"

"G'night, Carrots."

And with the final click of the day, Judy rested her head against the soothing vibration of the train walls watching the sun burn across the canal horizon. It was a great day for Judy Hopps, and it was going to be a great night of peace. But the day seemed almost too perfect to be true. Was it so simple to just meet an old, suddenly attractive friend who was in the same position she was? The idea felt like a setup; it wasn't impossible to believe considering her mother was as canny as the fox stereotype. Could all of this be what she had been blindly searching for or was she letting the array of possibility create this doubt?

Judy didn't know. But what she did know was that the restlessness was no where currently tangible inside, and that homey feeling she got when around Eric poured right into that pothole. Maybe it wasn't a coincidence. Maybe it didn't have to be a setup. To Judy, it could just be life giving her a first shot.

Well, there's Chapter 2! It's been a full week, and for that I apologize. I just kept writing and writing and it never pleased me with each revision, so I today I up and changed a lot to get the tone that I wanted. Thank you for your patience and I hope to see your views and reviews in the next chapter! Spring break has officially begun, so I expect to have a few chapters out in the course of this week. Have a wonderful day!

Oh, and for some reason I imagined the voice of Jared Padalecki for Eric. Don't question where it came from but it stuck. I guess Supernatural is on my mind.