"Look inside yourself and recognize that change starts with you. It starts with me. It starts with all of us."

The cape buffalo was as stiff as he was gruff when he annunciated that last sentence which made Judy aware she was either in for a really good result for her job, or she was in for a world of a hurt. She said nothing but listened on with arms crossed gently on her lap and crutches leaning against the cushion of the chair. This large mammal could easily stomp on her, so the fact that he brought her up personally to his office on his hoof was a good sign he wasn't in a foul mood; a rather pleasant one hopefully. Propping his glasses on his snout, he reached for his file cabinet behind his desk searching for a folder. Shifting his hoof around in the many organized documents, he found one and plopped it on his desk.

"Here we are, the application for one Ms. Judith Laverne Hopps."

"Uh-oh…" she thought to herself, shifting her eyes up and down between the folder and the chief. Was this going to result in good or bad?

"At ease, Hopps."

"…"

"Take a look at your folder." He commanded, gesturing his hoof.

Staring straight at the folder, she hesitated at first, but accepted the request. Using the back of the chair to gain her balance and transition upwards, she hopped over to the edge of the chair and cautiously opened up the manila folder. Her application with her recent snapshot image was as fresh as the day she filed it out along with the application to the ZPD academy before awaiting the acceptance letter months later. The application itself had no large stamp mark with red coloring of "Terminated" or "Suspended" on it, so that was good news. She had one more hesitation before looking up straight into the chief's eyes.

"As you can see, your application is left untouched. I'm not going to suspend you. Yet."

Her ears perked. Taking a gasp, she listened. Could this mean?

"Oh by the way, you left your badge when you decided to go on your little vacation." He reminded her as he fished his pockets. Taking out her tiny badge, Bogo plopped it on the desk in front of her. She looked down at it and picked it up very precariously placing it in her own paws. She continued to look at it as he spoke sitting back down in the chair.

"See to it that you don't misplace it next time Hopps. Congratulations, you're hereby back on the force."

"Thank you sir." She mumbled quietly still looking at her badge in disbelief.

He noticed her glances raising a brow and continued on.

"What did the doctors say about your leg Hopps?"

"Oh!" The question caught her off guard. "They mentioned three weeks at best."

He snorted and continued to have a brow raised. "Three weeks? What a shame." Placing his glasses down on the desk he moved on. "And here I thought I was going to have you immediately back in work."

"But Sir I,"

"No, no. It's all right. Doctor's orders; can't be helped."

She let out a little puff in frustration. She was dependable even after a week she was sure of it.

"This brings me to my next topic. The Night Howler case."

She gulped. This could very well end her career no matter how good of a job she did. She was sure there was going to be butterflies in her stomach on the rise.

"I have to commend you for your actions. You did solve a case we ourselves could not unfold."

She couldn't believe her large ears. Tilting one of them to the side, she cocked as if to question she was hearing him right. Was he… praising her?

"I will have to admit I was wrong." He sighed letting out the beginning of a personal confession. "I had my doubts about you Hopps. You did an excellent job through and through with all the details to solve this from the very beginning. I… misjudged your intelligence, your determination and quite frankly, I was indeed biased."

She said nothing but let him continue on having a look of admiration.

"It was wrong of me, no, of all of us at the ZPD, to discourage you so quickly and label you as such just because you are a teeny weeny rabbit officer. You are, indeed, a valuable asset to us Officer Hopps."

She nodded a single nod. "Thank you for your kind words Chief."

"However, that still does not disclose the fact that you were reckless in your advancements. And as such, legally it would fire you instantly."

Judy went bug eyed. Somehow she knew she wasn't going to like this next part.

"Breaking into an official government at night, no, two, past office hours is itself juvenile and is seriously frowned upon. As well as destroying business property and evidently destroying evidence that we could have used later, coordinating with a con-man for details on the case, privacy affairs such as disclosing the case to others that are not official ZPD,"

She sat there in shock. Just how did he know of all this so quickly?

"That last part I had the heart to not mention to the propaganda. I could have, but I didn't. There is a reputation we have to keep. And above all, time and time again disobeying my orders to be civil and not get you or other innocent lives in danger,"

She gulped. How!? How did he know this?

"Hopps, the very fate has a dire heavy burden on your shoulders. I could have you arrested myself and put all of these in front of the news and your very life could be ruined. But…"

Judy sat there in what felt like an eternity of glaring eyes looking upon her tiny frame.

He sighed before continuing. "I know that above all, your… unique partnership with this fox allowed you to further on, and being that the city now recognizes you as a hero, it would be wrong to fire you. So, I think a couple months of parking duty will be more than enough of a punishment I COULD bestow onto you."

She winced. In the end, she knew it was the right call. With a sigh and a defeated smile, she nodded.

"Don't make me regret this decision. I trust you will take better care of yourself and not disobey my orders again so willingly."

She nodded. "Thank you sir."

Mason simply snorted. Moving on, he grabbed his stack of papers and folders shifting them into place. "I suppose we need to discuss your reward."

"My reward sir?"

"Of course. I myself don't really think you've earned one, but, being that you are the unofficial face of the ZPD, an icon, really; the city and that silly Mammal Inclusion Initiative thing you have with the former Mayor will want to see you treated with respect and humility."

"But sir, I don't need,"

"Let me finish Hopps!" he cut her off with a slam to the desk. Shifting in his seat he continued on. "It's a trifle really. But you did earn it in your own ways of detective work. So thus I'm promoting you from recruit to status quote of Trooper effective immediately. You will see your raise in your salary be reflected as such next paycheck. As from the city, it's not much, but I would think of it as a bonus check. It'll get you through a next rent payment for the next few months or a small deposit for a better apartment rather than the complex you live in currently."

He pulled out an envelope that was almost as big as Hopps was, but small enough for her to grip it. Handing it to her she reached for it she stared at it for a moment before placing it down.

"I suppose that will conclude this discussion. You should be expected to be interviewed by the press following your personal reflections on the case. You may entertain them on that subject then."

"Wait… chief Bogo!" She needed to make sure Nick wasn't unforgotten.

"Yes what is it?

"Sir, if I would be so obliged, I heard the headlines this morning and,"

"You're concerned for that fox not getting in the headlines?"

"His name is Nick, sir."

Bogo raised a brow in retort. "Sorry sir, "she immediately apologized. "But with all due respect sir. He did help me with the case. And I thought, just maybe, he could be in the discussions with me, and maybe perhaps?"

"Absolutely out of the question!"

"Sir!"

His anger relaxed and showed a caring nature to the usual thoughtless mammal. "I understand your sympathy Hopps. But we cannot put ourselves in danger with a con-man, no less with a fox to the press. We have dignity to uphold Trooper, and you understand just as much as I do that someone, as brave as you are, cannot make any positive changes just because of minor actions."

She frowned. "Please sir, if you could just give him a chance to speak?"

"I understand what you're trying to do Hopps. But did you not hear my words earlier? You were thoughtlessly inciting your own actions with a very dangerous mammal. I cannot have your life and your dreams that you desire so much of being here to be right smacked in your face. I know I look and act tough Hopps, but I do care about my officers. Do you want to see your life thrown away when you have just earned it back?"

She couldn't believe this was happening. To have the fact that she could potentially have Nick as her partner, a promise she was going to make to him, was going to end up being dead and worthless. An empty promise; she had to stop that from happening. She understood his side of it too, but she made a promise to Nick that he could be so much more than a con-artist fox. Judy would regret that ultimatum if it meant to hurt him again.

"Please sir, what if… what if we cleverly not mention the details? Instead point out that it was his thorough thinking that allowed me to advance further? We wouldn't have to mention how he got his resources; just… that he is a very intelligent and clever creature. He thinks things through, has excellent sense of smell, we could make a cover story of recognizing the scent protruded on the savage-inflicted mammals! He also has excellent eyesight to catch any potential suspects… we could make this story work in his favor!"

He sighed and clipped his hoof to his forehead.

"What are you getting at Hopps?"

"Sir… I truly do believe he is a changed fox, sir. I can see it in him. After I came back and apologized to him for my poor choice of words at the conference, he listened to me and trusted me with my suggestions. Something was different about him the moment I apologized to him and expressed my fallacies. And in turn he also had some quick thinking of his own. Before you received that call from Bellwether about me being down, we were attempting to escape the museum with the evidence in that case that you apprehended from Bellwether. And if things got sticky, which it ended up doing, we had the gun switched with blueberries from my family's farm just in case. That quick thinking was his idea in creating the diversion to get us out of there. I had a hunch that Dawn was going end up shooting Nick in the long run, and went with my guts for him to go pretending to be savage on me. He didn't agree with it at first thinking it was too dangerous and risky, but I assured him everything would be fine. Even after he denied taking the case to you all and leaving me… he didn't want to leave me in Bellwether's hooves. He went along with my plan sir, together."

He kept listening indicating a promising "Go On" look.

"And before all of that, before we met Bellwether, he trusted me and listened to my quick whim suggestion to speed up the old car when we were trying to get the Night Howler evidence to the ZPD, even though we were fast approaching a moving train head on. He trusts me, Chief Bogo, and I trust him. I wouldn't want to see him so crushed and having his dreams shambled just because he's a fox. He cares about me, and I care about him. I… I believe he deserves more than just being a fox. From here on, I do believe he needs to have the burden of this fox label off his shoulders. I know it's not an easy task, but I seriously think it can be done, in time."

Mason let a small sympathetic snort, but there was still more she had to say. She placed a paw to her chest for this last bit.

"I believe, sir, that he has the potential of being a good lupine, to start his life over and make amends for all the wrongs of his past. I… I want him as my partner, sir.

He sat there in disbelief. Judy Hopps knew she was bold with what she had to say, but she needed to get it off her chest. This next moment of him sighing could either make it or break it with not just him, but her again once more. There was a moment that neither of them spoke and it made her a little nervous with what she committed. Out of the frying pan and…?"

"Very well Hopps."

She sighed in relief. Not into the fire. Yet. She listened on.

"I understand your position here. Normally we don't do willing requests of just someone blurting out that they want someone else to work alongside them rather than an assigned partner, but seeing that you worked so well together, it would be wrong to not allow you to continue. But, have you considered yourself this in your suggestion Officer Hopps?" He probed on. It was his turn now to reflect in the negotiation.

"Do you consider the fact how hard of an adjustment it will be for him? You know better than anyone else how hard it was for you yourself to pull through the ZPD Academy. And you ALSO know that it took you an immense amount of boldness to go against the stereotypes that would have otherwise diminished you in this case. It's going to be ten times worse for him than it was for yourself to adjust to the changes."

She listened on, he was right and he was also wrong at the same time.

"Other mammals aren't going to be so easy to make a quick adjustment as they did with you Hopps. On top of which, you do have it a little easier since you are as much prey as I am."

She grunted at that remark but let him continue.

"Don't give me that grunt Hopps. I'm not just being prefacing when I say this, it's going to be difficult for everyone to see him, a predator, work alongside in the force."

"But sir, you have wolves, bears, tigers, lions and polar bears. And a cheetah! A cheetah, Chief."

"Leave Clawhauser out of this. It was indeed a hard adjustment for all of them as well to get in. They've all had their fair share of guilt and grievances, but they proved to me time and time again through their trail runs that they have sheer strength that fits them for the job as well as the acknowledgment of being trusted."

She shook her head defiantly. How could he be saying this?

"I know them Hopps. And I know that you know your fah… err… Nick better than anyone else. But I don't know him. How do I know that this stranger from outside on the block is not going to go back stabbing in the force and against our own motto?"

That pierced her heart. She frowned as the very words echoed in her own mind when she made the promise of the acclimation and swearing the oath upon graduating the academy,

iI, Judith Laverne Hopps, solemnly swear to uphold the truth and nothing but the truth. Through sickness and in health I will fight to bring justice to the city. Through right and wrong I will protect and serve its citizens. Through strength in arms, I will work with my fellow officers to bring a better tomorrow. And to the best of my abilities, I will apprehend the misjudged civically to court if the situation should arise.

On my honor, I will never betray my badge, my integrity, my character, or the public trust. I will always have the courage to hold myself and others accountable for our actions. I will always uphold the Great Law of the land, the community, and the agency I serve, so help me God./i

"You understand Hopps, that if he were to fail in any way, through testing or the squad if he even makes it that far, that it will be an even bigger burden on your shoulders. And if he were to fail, it would make me look unjust because I allowed you the permission to have him as your partner."

That statement brought her back into reality.

"Hopps, if he were to fail, would you be able to share the responsibilities of his actions as well as your own? And do you know for certain he would want that burden in becoming an officer?"

His questioning made her think long and hard about her boldness. It's not that she didn't consider the factor nor that he would want it period, but… there was something, something that was true when she was with him. His arms gave her strength and protection, his warmth allowed her to be happy, his soft emerald eyes to be filled with hope and love, and his slyness with his brilliant scheming meant she could get anything done when he was around. There was something about him that completely changed her life around, and she wondered herself just how much she had accomplished without him beforehand. Yes sir, things were going to be… no they are, different when that Nick Wilde was nearby. Maybe it was his cocky nature that preceded her to eventually laugh at everything. Maybe it was his friendliness that allowed her to finally have a long-term friend to count on past Gideon Grey. Or maybe perhaps, it was something more… something that told her everything was okay as long as he was around. Would she be lonely and depressed rabbit after getting back into the force and have that fox continue his life of scheming cartel, and then die an old worthless waste of a creature? No, she didn't want that to happen. With a stern face looking up from her lap, she looked at him, ready to take the chance.

"Yes sir. I will do everything in my power to keep me and him safe, and to protect and serve with someone I can trust by my side. I would be willing to accept the burdens I have to face if it should arise to the occasion."

For a moment, she could've sworn she saw a glint of star appear in his eyes. But it was soon diminished in his gray pupils when he thought for a long moment and sighed.

"Very well Hopps. You have my permission to allow him to apply to the force if he so desires. See to it that he makes sure he… cleans up his acts before he applies though."

Having a burst of internal victory, she felt a ginormous lump in her chest be elevated out of her as she sat there, proud and gleaming of what she had accomplished. It was a history in the making, for her to make the first step in making positive changes. Feeling the eternal sign of relief, she carefully shifted to adjust herself off the seat with envelope in hand.

"And Hopps?"

She turned to him just as she got down off the chair onto the cold floor.

He temporarily leaned over his desk to face in her view.

"Please do take of yourself. I want you to be one hundred percent by the time you are cleared to come back."

Judy smiled at him briefly. "Thank you sir."

"Dismissed."

"Yes sir!" She saluted standing straight with arms resting on her crutches.

With a nod he sat back and Judy went to take her leave. Closing the office door, she paused a moment to find a pair of brown feet standing in front of her own. Looking up, she noticed a fox standing here with paws behind his back smiling very deviously.

"Nick! How did you?" she whispered

"Easy! I came in legally~ Your umm… receptionist let me in. Clawhauser; nice guy."

She glared at him jokingly. With tired eyes, she's ready to head home and starts to head down the long descending steps. Nick rolling his eyes follows behind. While she hops herself along down one by one with each step, he follows her invasively and grudgingly takes in the awkward silence. After a few minutes he starts up the conversation.

"So…?"

"So what?"

"So what did Chief Buffalo Butt have to say?"

"He said I'm back on the force. Even though he knew I had quit the force, he recognized that I worked as hard as anyone else to solve that case and dismissed the leave as a 'vacation'"

"Oh that's wonderful carrots! You sure showed him!"

"Yea I sure did, thanks to you with your help."

"Naturally~" he smiled with eyelids closed. That smile melted into a frown immediately. "So why is Officer Fluff not as excited as I thought she would be about this?"

"I just…" she mumbled stopping for a moment which caused him to worry as he paused.

"Nick… do you want to become an officer?" She mumbled continuing to look down.

He noticed the subliminal look in his fluffy friend and smiled, understanding the situation.

"Come here, Carrots."

Judy hesitant for a moment turned to face in his direction. She was still looking down and he decided to take a knee, kneeling down so the tip of his muzzle was just inches from embracing hers. She blinked looking nervous at the close contact acknowledging how dangerously close he was in her comfort zone.

"Now… is that the way Officer Toot-Toot is supposed to talk?" he joked.

No response. Her heart however, was thumping and increasing pace.

"Now is not a time to be discussing our future. We just got your job back remember? Let's just focus on getting you home so you can rest up and be back in action okay?"

Judy's breathing increasing, nodded in agreement. Nick making a single nod in agreement stood and gently scooped her up, this time with her accepting it and not flinching around.

"Come on fluff, heroes don't walk on bum legs."

She smiled nodding as he continued to walk the rest of the way down with her gripping on her crutches and envelope in hands. After a few minutes however, he started to notice her breathing was fluctuating. Pausing for a moment, he could sense something was off.

"Hey Carrots, are you… okay?"

No response. Just continued fluctuating… something definitely wasn't right. Studying her for a moment, his eyes veered over to her injured leg. He did notice something was off about it back awhile there but disregarded it until now. Now it might be a voice of a concern. Using his muzzle, he leaned towards the leg smelling it. Ears shooting up and eyes bolting, he now definitely knew something was out of place.

"Okay… let's go see if there's still a doctor around at the clinic."

Quickening his pace on the last of the steps, he carried her over to the medical clinic where they sought her tools before. Fortunately, there was a nurse inside on the late shift inside.

"Please, can you help her? She needs reapplying to her bandages and maybe some clean up."

The zebra on the job nodded.

"Of course, bring her to me, quickly."

Nick hurried Judy over to the bed and laying her down left the room to give them personal space.

"Just leave her to me; she'll be taken of quickly." She spoke to him briefly as he waited outside. What was an agonizing ten minute wait, Nick was indeed shuffling in impatience concerning for his fuzzy friend's safety. Did he get her there quick enough? Hoping and praying she didn't bleed out too much in her bandages, he could only imagine how she was feeling right now. The door reopened and the zebra nurse came out to great him.

"Surgery went well. Seems Officer Hopps reopened the injury somehow and it started bleeding out underneath the bandages."

"Carrots you dumb bunny. Exactly what they told you not to do." He thought to himself.

"Fortunately she didn't bleed out too much thanks to your swiftness. She's stitched, re-cleaned and recuperating now. If you wish you can go speak to her."

Gesturing a nod in thanks, Nick went ahead in the room with the zebra following to clean up. Judy was sitting on the edge of the bed sipping a glass of water and her wound now taken care of was exposed with her slim fit pants rolled up and ankle brace off sitting next to her. Judy noticing him coming in shied a smile.

"Hey Slick."

He sighed shaking his head. "What did they tell you Carrots? The very thing not to do and you did it anyway; you didn't take care of yourself."

"Yea yea. So I got a got a little excited coming in." She bemused herself swirling her cold glass.

"So what did the good doc say?" He asked approaching her with paws on hips.

She sighed taking a sip of her drink. "She said I shouldn't come back into work until my full heath is recovered,"

"Which we already knew, but continue." He interrupted which received a longing glare from Judy.

"I… I opened up the wound when I ran in to start the paperwork. That's why for a while there I wasn't breathing right. I'm not supposed to be in my uniform, or any tight clothes for that matter, until my cut completely heals."

He frowned. She sounded so defeated! Did she really enjoy this job that much?

"Hey, look at the bright side! At least you get to hang with me right?"

She giggled. "Yea, sure Slick. She also advised to stay off my feet and using that stupid wheelchair instead of the crutches. You know, to avoid temptation of running."

This perked his ears up. Bringing a lot of ideas to mind could come of this suggestion as he grinned. Judy noting his expression twitched her right ear and asked his name. Bringing himself back into reality, he shook his head. "It's nothing Carrots. I was just thinking that the doctors know best. And besides, "

He shrugged as he continued on. "It's uhh… not every day someone's going to see a fox chauffeuring a bum-legged rabbit around."

That suggestion made Judy bolt up. "Nick!" she yipped.

Nick gestured his paws in apology. "Hey, hey! Easy. I was just thinking it might look good on me if they don't see a predator stalking on prey. You know…" he continued on rubbing the arch of his neck. "That it might look good for a potential job?"

Judy understood his suggestion, and slowly shook her head in disbelief.

"I see what you're trying to do Nick. You think this'll work?"

"Guaranteed. Besides, if we're going to be potential future partners we need to get to know each other right?"

"Nicholas!"

"Okay okay. Guilty as charged Carrots, I'll stop. Now, let's get you home cotton-tail. Are you given permission to be discharged?"

Judy nodded. Finishing the last of her water, Nick very carefully picked her up from the bedside with her gipping her crutches, envelope and ankle brace loosely in her lap. Cradling her in his arms, he smiled. "Well… seeing that we'll get to know each other, it'll prove to everyone a little good wouldn't do anyone any harm."

Judy immediately glared at that.

"Er… figuratively."

"Just… take me home, Nick." She commanded with a yawn.

"Roger that boss."

Taking one step forward, Nick carried the partly-decommissioned bunny out of the precinct and out into the twilight hour sky. The city still somewhat alive gleamed in golden arrays, and the artificial fountain in the middle of the gathering hole was sparkling with colors reflecting sparkles in Judy's eyes. It wouldn't be long before the rambunctious bunny herself decided she was tired however, and Nick knew not a whole lot of options were going to be open at this time of night. Carrying her, he only took peripheral side glances to notice other commuters gazing at their direction very puzzlingly. Pulling his best poker face, he pretended to gleam in victory as he continued on across the plateau.

"So… got any dinner plans Carrots?"

"Mhm… I have… Bug… Burga… on my… phone." She answered in-between fatigued breaths.

"You know what? I got this."

Finding the next closest seat, he placed her down so she could rest against the back of the bench and pulled out his phone to call for the local Bug-Burga in town. Deciding to get a burger, two colas and a… umm… whatever suited best for Carrots… yes, a salad, by the cashier's suggestion, he placed the order to be delivered to Judy's apartment. Clicking the call, he decided it would be best to call in a cab to take them there, again. With cab arriving at the du point, Nick payed the driver ahead of time so it'd be an easier process to exit upon arriving at the complex. At the complex itself, a very unamused Armadillo was eye balling the fox and Nick promptly joking with Judy that this wouldn't become a habit, it would be just until she had her leg healed. During this entire course she was of course asleep; sly drifter.

Once inside Judy's apartment, it didn't take long for the driver to bring the order to the destination since he had been there previously. Thanking the delivery man again for the food and paying the tip graciously, Nick fetched the take-out food over to the conked out bunny asleep underneath her covers. Smiling at the sight, he placed the food down on the floor next to him and massaged her leg to awaken the fluffy companion. Stirring, she flushed her eyes and rubbed them waking up.

"Welcome back Sleeping Beauty~"

With a bolt, she twisted to see a fox staring straight at her sights.

"How long was I?"

"Long enough. Here; I covered the food and the cab ride home."

Nick handed her salad and cola to her before sitting on the bed picking up his own. He was about to take his first bite of the burger when she interrupted.

"Nick… are you sure? I wish you had told me. I could have split the cost of the cab at least."

"Don't worry about it Carrots. I owed you from this morning, now we're even."

She thought about it harder than she should have for a minute. Has it really only been twelve hours? So much has happened since then, and to think it all happened with… she trailed off seeing him eat that grotesque sight of a food. Wrinkling at it she went ahead to chomp in at her own food. A little too simple for her taste was the salad, but it was the thought that counted for him to go out and order food for her so that she could eat. Nick not even noticing her prying eyes was happily enjoying munching on his crunchy burger decorated with lettuce, a little pimento cheese, ketchup and the cola made it all worthwhile to wash it down.

"I don't even know how you can stand to eat that… that thing."

"Oh it's easy to do. Bugs are actually a very good source of protein you know~" he commented while having a mouthful of crickets crunching around in his canines.

"Yea well… it's still disgusting."

"Says the herbivore who can eat things like radishes."

"Oh hush! They're very rich in fiber and good for your fur!"

"Yea, whatever. If you can comment about me eating bugs, then I have fair play about those stinky things."

"They're not stinky! They're just… earthy. It's not harmful in anyway~"

He shrugged clearly not amused. "Whatever~"

"Fine. I'll prove to you, you are wrong. If I can make you eat radishes the next time we go visit my parents farm, then you can make me eat one of those nasty burgers."

"Come again?" He blinked unsure of what he just heard.

"I'll prove to you radishes are just as important in hygiene, nutrients and digestion as they are good looking for produce. If I can do that, I will eat one of those nasty insect filled things."

"Carrots… you know I'll never eat those things."

"Well I guess I win then." She leaned with eyelids alluring in victory as she declared that hustle.

"Is that a challenge?" he purred with an arched brow.

"Maybe it is, maybe it isn't. Depends on how you look at it Slick~" she chirped innocently sipping her soda.

"Carrots you got yourself a deal!"

"Good. Because I have it all on here."

"Oh no." he thought to himself with eyes bolting. He knew he was slicked again! Judy pulled out her carrot pen and replayed the recording from her announcing of the challenge until his acceptance.

"How did you? I thought I had…" he fretted fishing his pockets.

"A hustler never reveals his secrets, Nick. I knew you were going to have it all along so I purposely dropped it back at the station only to have you come running back to me."

"You sly bunny."

"I learned from the best." She shrugged in aloofness.

He shook his head admiringly. How she managed to learn his twenty years of practice in a short amount of time he'll never know. Feeling defeated, he continued to wrap up his burger while she diminished her salad not too long after that conquest.

"And Nick?"

"Hmm?"

Without warning she gave him a glomp worth of a hug and pressed her muzzle into his chest just like back at the bridge. After a moment's pause she let go.

"That's for sticking by me."

He blinked.

"For… for sticking with me and giving me a second chance despite me hurting you. I know I messed up, and I know you accepted my apology, but it means a lot that you would chose to continue to fight with me to wrap up the case. Without it I'm not sure if I would've ever gotten my job back."

She twiddled the plastic straw around in her soda before continuing. "You saved my job, and ultimately, saved me because, now, I may have respect from Chief Bogo and the others. So thank you, Nick."

He grew a very sympathetic smile. "You're welcome, Carrots."

There was a pause before he continued on.

"You know… you saved me too Carrots."

"I did?"

"Yea. It's silly really… when I saw you on that dock for the sky tram against Chief Bogo, I knew you were working your damn hardest to achieve your dream. That's something I didn't do; take it from experience with me. You are my past self, Judy Hopps; something that I should have changed a long ago when I still had the chances to do so. I shied away and gave up. You didn't. No matter what was being thrown at you, you still kept on fighting. Heck, you even endured a full day of being meter maid for crying out loud!"

He chuckled briefly before continuing on.

"Carrots, when I saw you on that dock, despite all the hard work that you poured yourself into, you were still being tossed away like trash so easily."

He looked at his dark brown left paw while continuing. "I am a fox, and as such I grew up a life of prejudice and labeling, and I learned to accept it. It's just how it is. But you? No. You continued to fight that discrimination. And believe me; it did hurt when you made the irrational mistake of speaking your mind. But I should have expected it being a predator."

He smiled shyly and looked at her. "But you know what? When I got the call from Finnick that you were coming back to find me, I was equally as shocked. When I thought I had lost it all again, having that trust broken, you brought it back again Carrots. You saved me by putting faith and trust back in me again. I thought, this is absolutely ridiculous but you know what? That's why I stuck around. At the beginning I thought you were an honest to god waste of time and that the whole thing was a sham to you. You know what I saw in you?"

She shook her head waiting for an answer.

"I saw someone who never gave up. I only dragged you down Carrots and I didn't take you seriously at first, but when I saw you confronting with Bogo, I couldn't stand to see you fail. Something that I'm heavily burdened with simply because of who I am. I saw in you, someone who was trying to prove to the world that she was more than just a token bunny. You, Hopps, saved me as much as I saved you. And that's a fact. You were able to get the fluffy exterior off your shoulders and me? Well, I may have taken my first step in my new life as a fox. And I mean that, Carrots."

"Nick…"

"You asked me if I was serious about being a cop and here's my answer: Yes, yes I am."

"Are you?"

"I'm positive Carrots. I kinda figured, what choice do I really have? Do I live the life of a con-man for the rest of my life and put the Wilde name to shame? Nawh. At least with being a cop, it gets me off the streets and into a warm bed at night with /some/ food to live off of. I'm done with being a joker, a trickster, a thief; and if it means I can prove to you I can do it because you believe in me, then by golly should I take the chance to do so."

She continued to listen without any responses.

"You gave me the offer of being your partner. A cop? Yes, I want to be a cop. I'm ready to take the chance and try it out."

She twitched her nose involuntarily and blinked a couple of times before continuing on.

"Are you sure Nick? I mean… I do want you to be my partner in crime and all, and it would be awesome if you were. We could do so much together on cases! A real Ace team! But… I don't want to force you if you don't want it. Just because it's my dream doesn't mean that…"

"I assure you, Carrots, there's nothing more that I want to be by your side. I'm ready to make the world a difference. I want to be your partner-in-crime Hopps."

"It wouldn't be an easy job. You could seriously get hurt."

"I know. But I'm willing to accept that if it means I can protect the best officer around."

"And the Academy, I know from experience it's not easy to pass…"

"I'm aware. But with my teacher and encourager, I'm sure to pass, right?"

"Oh Nick…" her eyes were getting a little misty and he knew he would be embracing another heart-warming hug which she did after a flick of a couple of tears from her amethyst eyes.

"You know you'll have my old drill sergeant right? She doesn't exactly beat around the bush." Judy mumbled underneath her breath after a few moments of the hug.

"If it's for you, I'm prepared to take on anything that may come to me and my medium-sized body."

She pulled away to start and clean up the finished take out entrees.

"You're going to regret those words Nick."

"Probably."

"But it will be worth it." he thought to himself as he got up to help his future partner-in-law.