CHAPTER 4: FINAL ANSWER

He had three days to decide. Three days of worrying. Three days of running every option in his head over and over, only to end up back where he started. Three nights of trying to sleep and not being able to. It was, in his mind, three days of internal dread.

His lawyer visited the day after Judy came by. Normally, he thought of the Box as another room with a cool name. Now, though, he couldn't help but think about Percy and the fox family as Mason talked.

"They finally gave us a date, so I suppose your trial is in full swing now, Mr. Wilde," the squirrel said in his professional voice. It reminded Nick of Finnick by its deepness that such a small animal shouldn't have.

"Oh, really? Mayor Smellwether is letting the trial go now from here on out?" Nick smirked. The nickname for the current mayor wasn't as creative and original as he'd like it, but it would do.

Mason didn't comment on the jab at the mayor. "Yes. We aren't certain what the prosecuting side is planning, but we have to assume, since there is no proof of wrong doing on your part, it will be empty and only made up of accusations."

"They don't have anything on me? At all?" Nick knew he went through all of the right channels to prevent something like this from happening, but he still expected them to find something to stick to him. He must be better at hustling than he thought.

"You have the legal license for removing collars, you paid for the warehouse legally, all of your attractions were safe and not harmful, and you didn't endorse any illegal activities in your park. That raid was based on rumors, not facts. Perhaps those officers should be questioned about the validation of a rumor based raid."

Mason looked and sounded angry as he spoke. In his visits with him, Nick guessed the lawyer didn't agree with the collar policy at all. It was, after all, unfair in his opinion. Nick thought Mason was a good mammal because of it.

"When's my due date, Red Head?"

The squirrel rolled his eyes. "November the fifth of this year. It will be a jury trial, so try your best to not make jokes throughout it."

"No promises," Nick said, and gave him a wink.

Nick felt good about his upcoming trial in a month or so. No evidence against him, no real way to charge him with anything, and he had done it. Sure, the jury would most likely be made up of prey mammals and he would need to prove himself to them, but he was confident he'd be able to. He could be charming and likable if he wanted to.

But, he still had Judy to think of.

He decided on one thing for sure. What Judy had done, and also hadn't done, was unforgivable to him. No amount of apologizing and doing good deeds would change his mind on that. Until Judy either admit she was wrong and said to for the public to hear, or resigned from her job, he didn't think she was that guilty about it. Maybe she was a little, deep down in her rabbit heart, but her still continuing to be a police officer after a blunder like that told him she didn't think she was all that wrong. She wanted to solve the savage cases, yes, but considering she needed his help, a con fox in jail that couldn't tell her where to start, he thought she wasn't doing all that great. Maybe he'd ask her why she wanted him to help, but that was unimportant to him then.

Right now, he had to decide if he even wanted to help in the first place. It was a big weight on his shoulders, one he didn't want to have. He blamed Judy, if he was being honest. He wouldn't have anything to worry about besides his trial, but here came the chipper, naive bunny to throw him into a loop. Oh well, he just added it to the list of Officer Toot Toot's mistakes, and went on thinking.

On the end of the second day, he said to his cellmate before bed time, "Furball, can I ask you a question?"

"If you don't call me 'Furball' for five minutes," the lion grumbled. Nick knew the lion liked to read before bed, and did not like being interrupted while he was reading.

"Deal. It's one easy question, nothing big for your poor brain."

"Get on with it, please. I'm enjoying my book here."

Nick nodded. "Right, right, so sorry. Anyways, if you were faced with a difficult decision, what would you do?"

Ed had been inside the prison long enough to know not to ask why. "Well, Nick," the lion said as he flipped a page in his book, "I would do whatever feels right."

That night, Nick looked at the ceiling, the familiar sounds once again calming to him, and simmered on what Ed had said. What felt right to him? He pondered that question in his head as the hour became witching and the guards quieted down. Outside, Nick thought he heard a crow caw. Then, with a firmness Nick had never known, he made up his mind and went to bed.

When his last day came and the future visit only hours away, Nick was calm and collected. He ate his breakfast in a brisk pace, savoring the taste of wheat cereal, a banana, and water in a tin cup. At the workshop, he did his sewing with joy and had small talk with his fellow tailors. He went into the yard during free time, chatting with everyone he came across. It was still him, old Slick Nick with his smug smile and half lidded eyes, but he was more talkative, more humorous. Nick Wilde was in a good mood.

He was called into the Box after lunch. He waved his fellow inmates goodbye, telling him, "It's probably just my lawyer. My trial is about to come up soon."

"Good for you," someone had mumbled. Nick grinned and sauntered out.

He entered the Box once again with Judy, this time without a glaring contest. Both he and Judy were in good spirits, apparently. Judy smiled at him, her ears up and straight. Nick relaxed in his seat, a near leer on his snout. She didn't seem to notice.

"How are you, Nick?"

"I'm doing just fine, Carrots. Just ate the most wonderful lunch of cold fish and a hard boiled egg. What a good life I'm living."

Judy's smile faltered for a second, then reappeared, good as new. "Well, you know why I'm here. So," Judy said, and she reached out her paw to him across the table, "are you ready to help me?"

Nick first looked at the gray, fuzzy paw before him. Studied it. Then, he looked her straight on in the eyes. The purple irises shone brightly with hope. Her nose was twitching. He smiled at her and said a single word.

"No."

I like twists and such. Do you? Also, sorry for the shortness of this one. There wasn't much to say, to be honest. Enjoy.