Sorry it's been so long since I've posted anything. I finally got the few ideas that were distracting me written down and published so I can do something with them in the future. I felt bad for not publishing anything else so I hammered out this chapter in about six hours. I haven't sent it to be proof read so you're getting the rough and tumble version. You'll have to overlook the grammatical errors since I haven't really read over the story myself. I just felt you deserved something since I haven't done much lately. Enjoy!
A/N:
Walking back inside her apartment, Judy couldn't help the happy bounce as she approached her door. The fact that she realized just how drab her apartment truly is after spending so much time at Nick's only flickered in her mind.
'Things can change.' She told herself as she unlocked the door.
"Hey bunny." Judy glanced over and noticed her noisy neighbors standing in front of their door way.
"Oh, hey guys!" Her front teeth showing with her smile.
"What's wrong with you?" Bucky, the slender kudu asked.
"What do you mean?" Her ears dropping as she adopted a worried expression.
"You're all bubbly and happy." Pronk explained with a waving hoof gestured towards her.
"Yeah, usually you're all sad and depressed." Bucky considered her for a second before he adopted a mischievous look and half smile. "Did you finally get some?" He felt a smack across one of his horns.
"Bucky!" Pronk admonished.
"What?" he replied.
Judy just watched as the two slipped back into their usual banter like they'd completely forgotten she was there. Meanwhile, she tilted her head to the side slightly as she pondered Bucky's question. She didn't get what he was asking and nearly asked 'some what?' before they started arguing. The more the argued the clearer it became. Judy felt her face and ears beginning to heat up and decided not to wait for the two to finish before quickly slipping into her apartment and closing the door behind her. Sliding the deadbolt securely in place.
She listened intently as their argument, thankfully, shifted from her possible love life to something more domestic before they started walking towards the stairs. Apparently, not even noticing she'd slipped away. Sighing in relief, she turned to face her little room only to wince at it's current state. She wasn't lying when she told Nick she needed to do laundry. She just neglected to mention how badly.
Most of her wardrobe resided on the floor or across the back of the chair at her small desk. The was a noticeable odor wafting in the air as well. The compactness of the room making it appear all that much more disheveled.
"Well, it's not gonna clean itself." She declared. She set to work gathering all the dirty clothes and straightening her bed before going to the laundry a couple of buildings down from her own. She loaded her large load into one of the washers meant for larger mammals so she could wash it all in one go. Surprisingly, she was the only one there. It gave her a little time to consider everything that had happened over the last day and night as well and Pronk's remark about her current change in attitude.
She knew it all started at work when she'd finally been given an assignment other than parking duty. The fact her cruiser was brand new and specially adapted to her helped. It meant someone had taken her seriously when she joined the force.
Then, the Thanksgiving mean at Nick's with Adam and everything that followed. The conversation she had with Nick early in the morning, waking up on his couch fondling his tail, walking in on…
Her thought process was interrupted by a loud buzzing noise. The washer had finished and was letting her know so. She moved her items to an equally large dryer and turned it on. On the way back to her seat she felt a vibration in her pocket.
She pulled out her phone to see a picture of her parents. Thankfully, it wasn't a video call.
"Hey guys!" She answered cheerfully.
"Hey Judy!" Her mother's voice answered back, she waited to hear her fathers but strangely it never came. "How was your date last night?" Judy couldn't help but roll her eyes.
"Mom! It wasn't a date. It was just dinner with a friend and his son."
"If you say so dear." Bonnie adopting a tone that said she knew something Judy didn't.
"You know he's not a rabbit right? I did mention that."
"Yes I heard you. I just like teasing is all. But speaking of which," Judy braced herself for what was about to come, "your aunt Janine, your uncle Tom's wife, on your father's side, said she has a nephew moving to Zootopia." Bonnie paused for a moment to see how Judy would reply.
"And?" She asked in a bored tone.
"And, he'd like to meet you." Judy was silent on the other side. Any other time she would have dismissed the idea outright. Every buck she'd ever dated before always turned out the same. Dismissed her dream and told her she should stay in Bunnyburrow. Even two days ago she would have said no, not feeling up to meeting someone new in her previous funk.
But now things were different. She was being recognized as more than a meter maid at work, she had a friend in Nick who was comfortable with her satisfying her need for closeness. If things didn't work out with this buck it wouldn't be the end of the world. Things could only look up it seemed.
"Judy?" Her mother's voice brought her back to the here and now.
"Y-yeah, I'm still here."
"Do you want to think on it a while?" Bonnie offered her a way out. While she wanted to see Judy happy with her own kits and in a loving relationship, she'd learned her daughter was her own doe and did things her own way. She couldn't help the excited grin she had when she heard Judy's reply.
"No, I…I think I'd…I think I'm ready to start seriously dating." They spent nearly an hour talking about Samuel. Bonnie telling her everything she knew about him and how her aunt had bragged about his achievements. Going to school to get a business degree. Coming back to Bunnyburrow to start a business in the IT field of all things. Strangely, he'd been a booming success. The started by going to the farms and showing how technology could help them better manage the farms. Using drones to check the fields in a matter of minutes instead of hours of driving and walking. Including upgrading Bunnyburrow's infrastructure to provide high-speed internet. Something Judy instantly felt jealous of.
"So, what do you think?" Bonnie asked.
"He sounds nice, but if he's doing so well in Bunnyburrow why come to Zootopia?"
"Well, Janine, said he wants to expand his horizons. Go out and see the world. She thought the two of you might be good for each other." Judy had to admit, he did sound interesting.
"Okay, I'm willing to meet him. When's he coming to Zootopia?"
"He plans on leaving in a couple of weeks! He just has to finish training his replacement first!" Bonnie couldn't contain her excitement, much to Judy's amusement. A loud buzzing pulled her attention to the dryer as it finished. Judy said her goodbye's to her mother and started folding her laundry. After a couple of minutes the ringing of the bell above the door caught her attention. Soon, hushed voices had her listening intently.
"We moved the drop off point. Take the packages to the abandoned subway station in Happytown. You'll find Doug there."
Nothing else was said. Judy could hear their footsteps as they exited the laundry mat. She looked around, grateful that the laundry mat didn't really cater to smaller mammals and most of the machines blocked her from being seen. The only way she'd heard them speaking was thanks to her excellent rabbit ears.
With her heart now pounding in her chest, she quickly stuffed the remainder of her unfolded clothes in her bag and cautiously exited the building. When she felt it was safe to leave, she dashed towards her apartment and locked the door behind her. Throwing her bag on the bed she pulled out her phone and called the one mammal that would be able to help her.
One fight, train wreck and hustle later, an exhausted Nick helps an injured Judy back into her apartment.
"Are you sure you'll be alright on your own?" Nick had tried the whole way over to convince her to stay with him and Adam tonight. Exposing the assistant mayor in a plot that no one knew about was not something to laugh about.
"Yes Nick! I'll be fine! I promise!" She let out a sigh of relief once she'd propped her cut leg on the bed. "I'm just glad you forgot to give Adam those blueberries." Nick huffed a laugh as he sat in the small chair.
"Yeah, me to." He looked at the clock on the desk. It was nearly midnight. "Speaking of which, he's asleep by now."
"Are you going to pick him up?" Nick had dropped Adam off with the fennec fox she'd seen him with the first time they'd met.
"Nah, they're both asleep right now. I'll just swing by tomorrow and get him." He placed an elbow on the desk and propped his head up with his paw.
"Um, Nick?"
"Yeah carrots?"
"As much as I enjoy your company, I think I'd like to get out of these ruined pants." Nick blinked for a moment before shooting up out of the chair.
"Oh, oh! Sorry, um, I guess I'll just go home then." Nick walked to the door and pulled it open, just as he was about to walk out he heard a strained voice call his name.
"Nick!" Turning he saw Judy sitting up on the bed with a slight look of panic in her eyes. This was why he didn't want to leave her. Tried to convince her to come to his apartment which he knew was nicer and more comfortable. Somewhere he could help her process the trauma they've both been through. He knew it would hit him hard as well. The realization that he could have left Adam fatherless was going to take a toll on his psyche at some point. He was only delaying the inevitable by worrying more about Judy than himself. He was back at her side in an instant, holding her paw in his as he knelt beside her bed.
"I'm here Judy." He spoke softly as he looked into her pained eyes. He was surprised when she pulled him into a hug though.
Openly sobbing into his neck fur. He gently rubbed her back and spoke comforting words till she stopped sobbing. He almost thought she was asleep until she spoke again.
"I nearly got you killed Nick." Her voice sounded raw and full of regret. "I never should have forced you to go with me."
"Hey now." He pulled her back away from him so he could look her in the eye as he spoke. "You didn't force me to do anything. You asked for my help and I freely and gladly gave it."
"Nick, you were nearly shot with that serum. If what Bellwether said was true, you'd have gone savage. I never would have forgiven myself if that happened."
"Well is that what happened?" Judy shook her head.
"But-!" She tried to argue but Nick cut her off.
"But nothing, Judy! You found the lead that discovered their little operation, you're the one who got us away from those thugs, it was your idea to record Bellwether's confession. If it wasn't for you, this city would have ripped itself apart at the seams. You're a hero Hopps." Tears had started pouring down her face again.
"Then why don't I feel like one?" Nick sighed and pulled her in close again. She came willingly and wrapper her arms around him again.
"Because you're a good mammal Carrots. You care more about others than yourself and you're willing to do what's necessary to keep those you don't even know safe. That, is what makes you a hero." She didn't reply. Nick could tell she was awake by how tightly she held onto his shirt. After a moment of silence, he decided to try something.
Reaching up with one of his paws he gently clasp one of her ears and slowly began rubbing little circles as he worked his way from base to tip. The longer he massaged the delicate appendage, the more she relaxed. Eventually, he just clasped them between his finger and thumb, lightly petting them between the two as he ran his fingers down their length. That really got a reaction. She made a stuttering sigh as she all but melted into him. Realizing she was close to falling asleep he stopped.
"I think I should go so you can change." He spoke softly into her ear.
"Please don't leave." Her voice was soft and tired, only a hint of the fear it held earlier still present. It broke his heart to see her so vulnerable. Promising to stay, he stood in a corner with his back facing her while she changed from her ruined clothes. When she told him it was safe to turn around, he found her wearing green flannel pajama pants with little carrot figurines wearing Santa Claws hats and a dark blue hoodie with large bold letter BBCC BunnyBurrow Community College along the top and bottom of the letters. He smirked at the ensemble before a realization hit him. He looked over at the little heater in the room and held his paw out to it. When he felt nothing he looked over at Judy.
She was looking at the floor almost in shame or embarrassment, he wasn't sure which. His heavy winter coat protecting him from the cold, he hadn't realized how cold the room really was. Releasing a heavy sigh he looked back at the offending device.
"How long has the heater been out?"
"It hasn't really worked since I've been here." Nick looked back at her with wide eyes and a slack jaw. He couldn't believe it! Not only was she driving around in the cold on that open aired three wheeled joke mobile, but she was coming home, if you could call this shoebox that, to a freezing cold room. He was amazed she hadn't caught pneumonia yet.
"Well that settles it." He stepped beside Judy and started stuffing her clothes into the bag. The weariness he felt earlier having been replaced by the anger that now rolled through him.
"What are you doing?" Judy watched in disbelief as he threw the bag over his shoulder and took her arm in his paw, gently guiding her to the door.
"You're not staying here carrots. You're coming with me to my place and that's final." She opened her mouth to argue but quickly shut it when she saw the look he gave her. It reminded her of the kind her father would make when her and her siblings would get in trouble. She sighed in resignation and leaned more into him for support as they made their way to the street.
After helping her into her seat, Nick threw her bag in the back and got into the driver seat. After starting the motor he turned the heater up higher than was necessary and started driving away. Judy rolled her eyes and turned both the temperature and fan speed down. When Nick glared at her she returned the look.
"I'm not going to turn into a popsicle in the next ten minutes Nick." Nick maintained the glare but directed it back towards the road.
As the heat started making it's way through her, Judy leaned back against the seat. Nick had adjusted it to recline slightly when she got in. She tried arguing with him but he persisted. Now she was grateful for it. She felt her eyelids grow heavy as she watched the ever present light of the city pass across the window.
The next thing she knew she was being cradled in Nick's arms as he struggled to unlock his door. She didn't really know what was going on and only reached an arm up to latch on to him. He was her anchor at the moment and he was all she wanted.
When she woke in the morning she found herself once again in Nick's bed. The warm blankets draped over her shoulders. She smiled when she heard a familiar voice coming from the other room. A quick glance at the clock showed it was nearly nine in the morning. She exited the little haven of warmth and limped her way to the door. Easing it open till she could peak around the corner to the kitchen area.
Adam sat at the breakfast bar with a bowl of cereal. Happily munching away as he told Nick about something he'd done the night before after being dropped off, his fluff of a tail wagging rapidly behind him. On the other side, Nick leaned heavily against the counter and supported his head in his paw with his elbow propped on the counter. Judy could clearly see the bags under his eyes and the exhaustion that was clearly painted on his features. Yet he smiled as he listened to Adam's little adventure with his own tail slowly swinging in contentment behind him.
After listening a moment longer, she decided it was time to announce her presence. She stepped out into the open and kept one paw against the wall to support herself, clearing her throat for both foxes to hear.
Nick moved almost sloth like as he blinked and turned his head towards her. Adam on the other paw, gasped and looked star struck. After a couple of seconds he jumped down off his stool and started running toward her direction. He would have leapt up to give Judy a hug if not for the stern warning his father gave.
"Adam!" He shouted. "What did we talk about?" Both mammals present looked up at him. One with chagrin, the other with agitation.
"To be mindful of Officer Hopps's injury." He said with a bowed head.
"And that includes?" Nick maintained his scowl as he continued to chastise his child.
"No jumping, pushing or pulling." Once he'd answered Nick relaxed his gaze only to be taken back by the bunny that now had her arms crossed over her chest as she stared at him with a death glare.
Satisfied that Nick got the message, she softened her expression and spoke to Adam.
"It's alright Adam." The little tod turned and smiled at her. Ecstatic when she held her arms open for a hug. He quickly stepped up and gingerly wrapped his arms around her. When he could no longer see her face, Judy gave Nick another death glare. "Adam, will you excuse me and your father for just a moment? We have something we need to talk about."
Adam pulled away and looked back and forth between the two with a worried look. He then silently stepped away to sit on the couch and turn the TV on. Judy stepped back in the doorway and looked behind her to see Nick slowly walking her way.
She made her way inside and waited for Nick to enter and pull the door shut behind him. There he met Judy with an angry scowl and her ears up and slightly leaning forward in agitation.
"What's this about?" Nick asked, both confused and worried at Judy's behavior. Before saying anything, she stepped up and poked him hard in the chest.
"Ow!"
"You shouldn't yell at him like that Nick!" She said in a harsh whisper. Her ear twitched at the sound of the TV getting louder.
Nick looked flabbergasted. "You're upset because I…Listen, carrots, I appreciate the concern but-"
"You're his father Nick. He looks up to you. If he sees you acting like that how do you think he's going to act. He's going to think it's ok to yell at someone anytime he thinks their doing something wrong. That's no way to be!"
Nick continued to give her a disbelieving look. "Carrots, you're enjoyed. What if he had caused you to pop a stitch?" Judy just rolled her eyes.
"It's just a cut, Nick. It's not like my back is broken or something and why did Adam turn the TV up so loud?" Judy waved a paw towards the door. The volume the TV was now at was distracting and a bit concerning to someone with sensitive hearing.
Nick closed his eyes and sighed, when he opened them again he looked at Judy with concern. "He knows we're fighting."
Judy's ears dropped behind her back her angry scowl was placed by one of worry. "How does he…"
"His mother tells him the same thing you did when she wants to yell at me about something. He turns the volume up to drown out the yelling." Nick gave Judy a sympathetic look when she raised a paw to cover her mouth. Tears slowly welling up in her eyes.
"Look, he'll be ok, I'll go in and tell him everything's alright." He started to turn towards the door when Judy moved probably faster than she should have to pass him and limp towards the door.
"No, I started this mess and I'll fix it. You get some sleep Nick, you look like your going to fall over any minute."
Nick couldn't argue with that. He'd had two cups of coffee before Judy woke up and could barely keep his eyes open.
"If you say so." He started to turn away before he stopped and looked back towards her. "What are you going to tell him?"
"That his father is an idiot." She said with a slightly bitter tone. Still angry at the way he yelled at his own child.
Nick just hummed in acknowledgement as she reached for the door knob. Himself turning away and starting to work at the buttons on his shirt. "You wouldn't be the first." He muttered under his breath, not expecting Judy to hear him.
She had. Her angry scowl replaced with one of concern again. Nick had been a bit of a pain when she confronted him about the pawpcycle scam. Then embarrassed her at the precinct in front of nearly every officer there. Then he'd offered her a job and opened up about his family to her, a complete stranger at the time. Been nothing but kind and accommodating ever since. Helped her to solve what was probably the biggest case in history. Before this very moment she had every intention of walking in and telling Adam his father was just being a big idiot and that she straightened him out.
She looked back after hearing those words. He didn't see the frown that pulled at her lips or the sadness in her eyes for the way she admonished him. Unsure of what to say, she opened the door and quickly closed it behind her. When she stepped beside the couch Adam was looking at her. His lower lip was quivering as tears streamed down his cheeks. Judy nearly launched herself onto the couch and pulled him into a tight hug, running her dull claws between his ears to try and calm him down. Whispering reassuring words that everything was going to be ok. She'd reached over and turned the volume down on the TV to a low level, still thinking of Nick trying to catch up on some much needed sleep.
With a few stray tears making their way down her own cheeks, she continued to offer soft words of reassurance. He had stopped sobbing and was now just sniffling every now and then. Between sniffles he uttered three little words that nearly had Judy openly sobbing.
"Please don't leave." From that moment on, she knew that she would forever be apart of his world, no matter what.
"I'm not going anywhere."
A/N:
In case you didn't get the message before. So, some bad new for my followers. I recently had to attend a meeting at my kids school. I wasn't really paying attention to what was being said. When the guy asked if anyone wanted a club sandwich I raised my hand. Turns out he actually asked who wanted to be cubmaster. So if anyone asks where I've disappeared to just let them know I'm probably in the woods trying to find where little Johnny ran off to.
J/K I knew what I was volunteering for. I grew up doing cub scouts and then boy scouts. Now my boys get the chance to do the same thing and I want to make sure their experiences will be as fun as mine were. I won't stop writing I just wont' be updating as often.
And, um…I promise to take good care of little Johnny. Next time.
