Remastered - 11/19/2017 - Happy 1st Birthday, Forty-One Days!
"Huh?" Bonnie said in confusion. Judy's father sat silent, completely awestruck by what he had just heard.
"Yeah. We decided to have it in Bunnyburrow so that way you won't have to travel. Isn't this great?" Judy said with an uncanny amount of excitement for how tired she was.
"Judy, are you sure about this? I don't mean to be rude, but doesn't Nick have a big issue?" she whispered as if Nick was in the other room. But he was right there and could hear every single word she said.
"I don't have an issue with this, and neither does Judy. We decided together. Right?" Nick said and Judy nodded.
"It's what we both want. It's for the best."
"Well, I'm in no position to stop you two from doing what will make you happy. Although I'm curious to know how you'll get this all planned in just two weeks," Bonnie said. She did have a point there. Most weddings take months to plan out.
"We have some ideas, but we'll need a lot of help, partly from you and dad. We already decided on an outdoor ceremony, and the reception can be in the backyard, using the pole barn for shelter." Bonnie looked curiously at Judy.
"What about food and drinks, your dress, Nick's tuxedo, the wedding party and their clothing, the cake, and who is going to preside over the ceremony?" Bonnie said.
"We've got plenty of time, mom. How hard could it be?"
Famous. Last. Words.
"Nick, I have something for you." It was the morning after the incident on 6th and Acacia. Nick and Judy were both given the day off so that Nick could rest his shoulder, but Judy would have to go back to work tomorrow while Nick had the rest of the week off.
"Whatcha got, Carrots?" Nick said, turning around, being careful not to move his left arm too much.
"This is going to be really silly and cheesy, but now that we're engaged, I suppose you should read it. When I was 17, I experienced my first heartbreak, when my boyfriend broke up with me."
"Wait, you had a boyfriend in highschool?" Nick said with surprise.
"Yeah, and I thought that he was the one, but he turned out to be a complete jerk. And so the night he dumped me, I wrote a letter, to my future husband. I vowed to give it to him before the wedding. Now that you are my future husband, I want you to read it." Judy grabbed the piece of folded, lined paper and handed it to Nick. On it was a full page of Judy's neat, curly writing, written in dark black ink. Nick began to scan the page.
"Dear future husband, there are a few things that you need to know about your future wife before you begin your lives together. First thing, don't be afraid to ask how her day was. You might just learn a little more about her in the process. Smile more, because she likes to see everybody in a good mood, even when things aren't going quite as planned. Be patient with her, because she isn't one who likes to be rushed. She wants to take her time with things, and make sure that everything is as good as it can be. When she says that she's fine, even though she clearly isn't, don't be afraid to put your arm around her shoulder, just to let her know that everything will work out in the end. Don't get into too many arguments, because she hates confrontation.
When the tears fall down her face, she really just wants someone to hold her and wipe them away. When she wants something, it's probably best if she gets it, because when she's not satisfied, things just aren't the way they are supposed to be. Little gifts and treasures are the fastest way to cheer her up. That and a kiss on the cheek. Don't hold a grudge with her, because she will never be able to hold one on her future partner for life. Remember that she is always right, even when you both know that to be untrue. Tell her that you love her everyday. Make sure she knows that there is nothing more beautiful than her.
Never forget: Love is patient, love is kind, love is not jealous, boastful or prideful. It is not rude, and it does not seek only its own interests. Love is not quick-tempered and does not brood over injury. Love does not rejoice over wrongdoing, but only with the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things." Nick looked up at Judy, seeing her blush. She rubbed her arm with the opposite paw and looked down at the floor.
"It's super cheesy, isn't it? I actually haven't read it in about ten years, basically since I wrote it."
"No, Judy... It was nice," he said, completely honest.
"You really think so?" she asked.
"Of course. I wouldn't be saying that if I didn't mean it." Nick welcomed Judy into a hug, and he stroked the fur on top of her head. "I just hope that my future wife knows exactly what she's getting herself into" he chuckled. Judy couldn't help but laugh a little herself.
"I don't think she would be going through with it if she wasn't prepared," Judy replied. Nick changed the subject.
"Now all joking aside, I need to go down to headquarters and talk to Bogo. There's something that I need to clear up with him." Nick said.
"And what's that?" Judy queried.
"I just need to talk to him," Nick said hastily and he quickly got up and left the apartment, leaving Judy all alone, wondering what was going on. Walking out of the building, Nick was pleased to find that it was a fairly warm day, probably in the upper 60's. The sun was shining and there wasn't a cloud in the sky. He flicked on his aviator sunglasses and walked to the ZPD.
Nick walked up to the doors of the ZPD headquarters, opening the door for himself. He walked inside and went over to the front desk, getting the attention of Clawhauser.
"Hey, buddy. Chief isn't busy, is he? I need to talk to him." Nick said.
"I'm not sure. Let me check real quick." He spoke into the small microphone on his desk. Nick could faintly hear a reply from Bogo, but he couldn't quite make out the words. "Chief says that he can speak with you."
"Ok, thanks," Nick replied. Nick walked over to the stairs and began his ascent to the upper level of the ZPD headquarters. Nick walked down the corridor a little ways until he made it to Chief Bogo's office. Nick knocked on the frosted glass of the door. From behind the door, Nick heard Bogo welcome him into the office. Nick opened the door and sat himself onto one of the chairs in front of his desk.
"I thought I told you to stay at home so you could rest that arm of yours," Bogo said coldly.
"I know, sir, but this is really important." Nick pleaded.
"If this has anything to do with your engagement with Officer Hopps, I'll say it right now that I'm not happy with either of you. That breaks multiple codes about relationships between coworkers" Bogo replied. The coldness in his voice remained.
"I understand, sir, but you won't have to worry about that. I'm here because I'm formally resigning my position." Bogo's eyes widened when he heard what Nick said. "I can no longer properly perform the duties that I'm obligated to, sir, and I know that after my arm is healed I'm going to need to be gone even longer to prepare for the wedding. Probably a week, give or take a few days." Bogo was not liking what he was hearing.
"Does Hopps know of your decision to leave the force?" Bogo sighed.
"No, sir. I haven't told her." Nick replied.
"When exactly will your last day be?" Bogo asked.
"I figured that we take things as they come, say I get in a few days before the wedding, then after that, I'll be done."
"Very well. Is that all you wanted to speak to me about?"
"That is all. Oh, just so you know, the wedding is November 30th. You're invited," Nick said, a smirk appearing on his muzzle. With his last words, Bogo glared at him. Nick took the opportunity to get out of his chair and leave before Bogo gave him any sort of punishment. As Nick was shutting the door, Bogo spoke up.
"Wilde. I'll be there." Bogo said, still with a little coldness in his voice. Nick smiled and shut the door.
"You what?!" Judy screamed. She was not happy with Nick at all, breathing heavily in frustration.
"It's done, Carrots. You and I both know that this is for the best. We wouldn't be allowed to be partners after the wedding anyways. Please try to understand." Judy continued to breathe heavily as she took in the upsetting news. Nick couldn't just… quit like that. He was better than that. She was breathing heavier and faster, and Nick took notice of this.
"Judy, please try to calm down. I'm not done yet. We'll still have a few more days left to work together," Nick said, hoping to calm her down. He hated to see Judy all flustered like this.
"Ok… I just need a minute to take this all in." Judy said, taking in deep breaths and shutting her eyes. Judy sat down on the couch to try and relax. "So you don't have an official 'last day', correct?" Judy asked, her eyes becoming a little teary.
"Yes. I'm still employed with the ZPD, just not for much longer. I told Bogo that I still wanted to work before the wedding, so there's still time." Nick said and he put his paw on Judy's shoulder. She sniffed and wiped her eyes.
"I guess this is probably for the best. Isn't it?" Judy said, looking up into Nick's enchanting green eyes.
"That's right… I'm not very excited about it, but it had to be done." Nick said, pulling Judy into a hug. She began crying even harder, wetting Nick's shirt with her tears.
"I don't want you to go, Nick. I don't want to lose you," she sobbed. Nick started feeling weak. Judy's pain and sorrow were really getting to him. He felt his bottom lip quiver slightly and his eyes grew misty. He stroked her back with his paws, feeling her heart beating quickly.
"I know. I know. Just let it all out. That's it." Judy stopped sobbing and they broke the hug. She looked up, getting lost in Nick's eyes, and slowly a smile began to form on her face. "Now that that's out of the way, I think we deserve some ice cream. What do ya say? It's actually really nice outside." Judy let out a few giggles that replaced her sobs.
"I suppose I can't argue with that." she said.
One Week Later…
Nick had been busy trying to get everything he could in order for the wedding while he was at home alone for the few days following the incident at 6th and Acacia. He'd gotten a lot accomplished, getting tuxes rented for Finnick and Faxon, which were all black except for the shirts, which were navy blue. He'd helped Judy's sister Roseline pick up the dresses for the bridesmaids, which were also navy blue, and he got the cake ordered. Later that day, Judy would ride to Bunnyburrow with Roseline while Nick would take a train. Now he'd been back to work for a couple days, and today was officially his last shift at the ZPD.
Nick walked into the doors of the large building after Judy, taking in all the sights and sounds like it was his first day all over again. He really was going to miss the place. He looked all around, taking in every detail. Nick and Judy had not been assigned anything to make sure they didn't get too deep into a case and have too much work for Judy to finish by herself. They would be doing mindless paperwork all day, but to Judy, nothing could be better than that.
Every once in awhile, she liked to tone things down a bit and just have a good sit-down, taking care of piles and piles of paperwork. Doing that with Nick was something more than just paperwork, it was actually enjoyable. They walked into the large room filled with cubicles and each sat down at their designated desks, which were not too far away from each other, and they got to work.
They had been focused on their work for a few hours before Chief Bogo walked into the room and to Judy's cubicle.
"Hopps, my office now," he said, voice booming in the quiet room. Nick looked up from his work, but soon enough was back to scribbling away with his pencil.
"May I ask why?" Judy said.
"We simply have a few important matters to discuss. Afterwards, you and Wilde can take your lunch break," Bogo replied. Judy got up from her chair and followed Bogo to his office. He opened the door and she walked in, seating herself in one of the chairs in front of the desk.
"What was it that you wanted to discuss, sir?" she asked.
"This is regarding your partnership with Officer Wilde. Today is his last day, and I would assume that you still want to have a partner after he has officially left. Do you have any preference? If not, I will decide for you." Judy pondered for a moment, thinking about all of the officers that could possibly be a good fit for her. Several came to mind, but only one certain wolf really jumped out at her.
"If at all possible sir, I would like to have Officer Jessie Jackson be my new partner," Judy said with confidence. Bogo looked at Judy with a blank expression. Over the few years, Judy had worked for the ZPD, she had never seen Bogo get too excited over anything.
"Very well. I'll see what I can do. You are free to go," He replied dully.
"Thank you, sir," Judy replied and she exited the office. Walking over to Nick's cubicle, she knocked on the thin wall. His ears moved towards the sound and he looked over at Judy.
"What's up?" Nick asked.
"Ready for lunch?" Nick's eyes lit up at the mention of food.
"It's like you don't even know me, Carrots. I'm always ready for food!"
Judy took Nick to one of his favorite places; a simple old-style pizza parlor located downtown and only a few blocks from the ZPD. It had been there since probably the 40's and it made the best pizza in the city, in Nick's opinion and in the opinion of one of the world's most famous culinary magazines. The place was ranked as the number one must-try for pizza enthusiasts.
They planned on sitting and eating there, but a mishap with their order caused it to take a lot longer to make than originally planned, so they had to take their food to go. The manager of the dive was generous enough to give it to them for free, which they were very thankful for.
When they brought it back, they decided it would be best if they just ate at their desks, even though Bogo had a ridiculous "no food" policy in the office. They weren't completely sure of the reason, but apparently, it stemmed from a little bit of a prank that ended up getting Bogo covered in spaghetti. It was almost a legend from within the ZPD, but Nick and Judy felt like it was completely true.
When they got back from the pizza place, they brought their to go boxes with them and began eating the delicious culinary masterpiece. Eventually, Bogo took a stroll through the office and caught Nick first. Nick explained that there was a mistake and their pizza took a lot longer than expected, so he let him off with no punishment.
Right after, Bogo looked over to Judy's cubicle and caught her red-pawed in the middle of a bite. She proceeded to try and bribe him to get out of a punishment but he told her that Nick explained what happened and only gave her a verbal warning.
With five o'clock fast approaching, Judy was racing to get as much done as she could before she left for the day. She was finishing up one last report when she watched the small digital clock on her desk turn from 4:59 to five o'clock. KNowing that her sister was probably already waiting for her to get home from work, Judy quickly filed everything that she needed to and then walked the short distance to Nick's cubicle.
"Ready to go?" Judy asked.
"I'm as ready as I'll ever be," Nick said. They walked down the stairs and out the door of the ZPD. The late afternoon sun was getting lower in the sky and made the air temperature slightly cooler than earlier that afternoon. They had been walking for a while when Nick spoke up, remembering something that he knew Judy was supposed to do that day.
"Weren't you supposed to pick up your dress today?" he said. Stopping in her tracks, Judy's eyes grew incredibly large as she realized her mistake.
"Oh my gosh. I completely forgot!" she said in surprise. "I was going to do that over lunch! Roseline is probably waiting at the apartment right now to pick me up!" Judy turned and looked at Nick. "I'd better run…" Judy said. She took off in the direction of the apartment and Nick watched as she turned the corner.
"Good luck, Carrots," he said to himself. He continued walking until he got to the subway station and got on. The subway made it's short journey to Nick's stop and he got off, expecting to have beaten Judy to the building. As he rounded the corner, he saw nobody waiting for Judy, so he figured she had already been picked up. He walked up to the apartment, and when he walked inside, Judy was nowhere to be seen.
"Must already be gone," he said to himself. He plopped onto the couch and sat for a few minutes, thinking about all the things that had happened over the last few weeks, and what was still to come. His train didn't leave for another two hours, so he laid back and closed his eyes, the warmth of sleep taking him over.
When his eyes popped open, he grabbed his phone, seeing that his train left in 40 minutes. He got up and hurriedly grabbed everything he would need for the weekend. Whilst packing everything up, he called a Zuber so that it would be there when he had everything ready. He grabbed the tuxes, his dress blues, and his bag and ran down the stairs. He ran outside just as the Zuber was pulling up to the apartment. He threw his things in the car and he shut the door.
"Zootopia Central Station" Nick said hastily. The driver nodded and took off, sensing that Nick was in a hurry. They made it to the station in record time, leaving five minutes to spare before the train left. The car pulled up to the station and Nick quickly gathered all of his things. He tipped the driver generously and ran down the stairs rather than the escalator. Already possessing his ticket, Nick ran to the train and boarded, finding his seat and finally being able to rest. Panting heavily, Nick pulled out his phone, checking the time.
"Perfect timing," Nick whispered to himself, amidst heavy breaths. Hopefully, everything else went a little better this weekend.
And the train began moving towards Bunnyburrow.
A Few Days Later...
"Judy! Where are you?!" Bonnie shouted. She was running faster than she had ever ran before. Judy was nowhere to be seen and she was supposed to be getting married in 20 minutes. Bonnie ran down endless corridors and looked in various rooms, trying to figure out where that bunny could have gone. Bonnie ran down another corridor, finding Judy's room. She opened the door and ran inside, seeing Judy sitting on her bed in her dress. "Judy, what are you doing?! You're supposed to be down at the vineyard!"
"Mom, I know. We have plenty of time," Judy said. She seemed a little off to her mother. Bonnie sat down next to Judy, putting her paw on her shoulder.
"What's wrong, Judy?" Bonnie asked, concerned for her daughter.
"Nothing, Mom. I'm fine," she said.
"No, you're not. Your ears are droopy. What's the matter?" Judy sighed.
"I don't know. I just feel weird. I might just be nervous, but part of me is saying something else."
"Judy, it's only natural to have these feelings. You should have seen me on my wedding day. I was a complete wreck, and I had your father to thank for that. I woke up that morning and everyone was asking me where he was. Nobody could find him and I thought that he had run off," Bonnie said with a little giggle. "I can promise you that everything is going to turn out ok."
"Still, you don't think this is a little bit weird. You know, because Nick is…"
"A fox?" Bonnie asked, and Judy responded with a nod of her head. "Sweetheart, we couldn't be any happier for you. Nick is a wonderful person and we know how much he loves you. I know it might be strange to some people, but there is nothing weird about love. You love him just like I love your father. Isn't that something to be proud of?" Judy smiled. For the very short two weeks she had been engaged to Nick, she thought over and over again that people thought she was an oddball. While that may actually be the case, it wasn't weird when she looked at the way she felt about Nick. She didn't want anyone else, and that was how it was supposed to be.
"Guess you're right. I don't know what I was thinking. Now, how much time do we have?" Judy asked.
"About 17 minutes." Judy's eyes grew as big as saucers.
"Sweet cheese and crackers, we gotta go!" she said, holding up her dress so she wouldn't trip over it as she ran down the corridors. Bonnie ran out after her, nearly tripping in the process. They got into the truck and Bonnie floored it, pushing Judy back in her seat. They flew down the gravel road towards the vineyard, which was only a few miles from Judy's home. As they approached the building, they started to slow down. The wheels locked up and they slid to a halt. They both ran out of the truck amidst the cloud of dust and into the shelter, being careful not to get their dresses dirty.
Approaching the shelter, Roseline walked towards them with a furrowed brow.
"Where have you been?" Roseline asked, clearly not happy with her sister.
"I'm sorry. I just lost track of time," Judy lied.
"Well, we almost started without you," Roseline said.
The day of the wedding had turned out beautiful. Nice warm weather, very little wind, and the sun was shining brightly. The vineyard had an area designated for weddings, as it was a very popular place for them in the burrows. Nick was standing with only himself, wearing his dress blues and waiting for the ceremony to start.
He thought it had to be starting soon. Nick looked at the shelter behind all of the others sitting in the chairs, seeing Roseline running about trying to find something. What was she looking for? Nick pondered the thought in his head. He stood around for a few more minutes, eventually seeing a small blue truck screaming down the gravel road in the distance. It grew closer and closer by the second until it slid to a stop by the shelter.
Two rabbits got out of the truck, holding up their dresses as they ran into the shelter. Nick saw Roseline greet the two rabbits, but he couldn't make out their faces from so far away, but he was pretty sure that Judy was one of them based on the white dress.
He stood alone for only a few more moments as the music began playing. The crowd stood up as the members of the bridal party began processing in, first Finnick and Roseline, then Faxon and another one of Judy's sisters… he couldn't quite remember her name, though he thought it was Margaret.
The moment of truth. Next to arrive was Judy, her dress even more amazing than he'd anticipated. She was adamant that he didn't see her in it until this moment, even though he didn't believe in that superstitious stuff.
Being brought in by her father, Nick couldn't resist smiling like a child, nearly laughing out loud because of how amazed he was. Even though it was supposed to be a perfect wedding, in Judy's eyes, Nick stopped holding himself back and covered his mouth with his paws, barely stopping himself from crying. He simply couldn't believe that in a few short moments, she would be his, until death do they part.
Stu handed Judy off to Nick, and the old buck gave Nick a smile and a wink before walking back to his reserved seat in the front row.
Nick knew that he should have been paying attention to the ceremony, but it was a little bit tough because of the beautiful distraction standing in front of him. Plus, she wasn't so keen on doing her part to keep both of them focused.
"Hey, there, Slick," she whispered.
"Why do you do this to me?"
"What?"
"Make me wonder how I got with such a beautiful bunny like you?"
"Don't ask me. I'm the one who had to settle for you."
"Ouch. I don't know if I can go through with this wedding after that."
"Oh, hush. I think we're up next."
Right on cue, the presider asked for them to say their vows.
Nick didn't even know if he remembered much of the last bit of the ceremony. All he could see was Judy. He had never felt this way in his entire life. The feeling of hopelessly in love wasn't one that he was familiar with, but if he was ever certain of it, this was that moment.
Nick wasn't the biggest fan of weddings, but things were sure different when it was his. He never understood why people cried, but when he delivered his vows, he used all of his emotional strength to prevent the tears from falling.
Nick barely remembered exactly what he said for his vows, but all he knew was that they were the truest words he'd ever spoken. There was a reason he was hopelessly in love with Judy. He knew that it was stupid and that it shouldn't have worked, but yet somehow, it worked better than anything he knew. Nick didn't do too many things exceptionally well, but loving Judy was the best thing that he did. Nick didn't even have his vows planned. They simply came from the heart; the things that he knew he would do for her no matter what.
With the rest of the world tuned out, Nick didn't know how he managed to still be a part of the wedding. As if it were programed into his head, Nick spoke the two words that he longed to say for a very long time.
"I do."
Nick always enjoyed the moment leading up to a kiss, but this was perhaps the most interesting and wonderful experience of his life. The lean in, the way she smiled as her eyes closed when they were centimeters apart, the milliseconds before their lips touched, the feeling of warmth as their lips finally collided in bliss. It felt like their first kiss, but the intense emotion behind it was stronger than ever.
The feeling was ineffable. Passion beyond belief surged through his mind, body, and soul. Words would never do their first kiss as a married couple justice, and only one word came close.
Perfect.
They left the altar in harmony, knowing that neither of them would ever leave their side. She had him, and he had her. Two souls no more perfect for each other than what was possible. As they stood in the shelter, Nick finally came back to reality, his ears hearing the sounds of chatter for the first time is what felt like an eternity.
Suddenly they were barraged with hundreds of people congratulating them, which really brought Nick out of his state of pure bliss, something that was not welcome at all. He wanted to feel the way he felt during the ceremony for ever, but he knew that it would never feel the same. But looking to the bunny right beside him, he knew that he was never far away from that feeling.
AS they stood in the receiving line, they greeted the many attendees of the wedding, listening to their words of congratulations, thanking them all in the process. After nearly a half an hour of doing that, the line had come to an end, and the mammal at the very end was none other than Chief Bogo. Nick knew that he invited him and that he would be coming, but it still made him smile when he saw the buffalo.
"Glad you could make it, Chief," Nick said, offering a smile to Bogo. He looked down at the fox, his face still as straight as ever.
"Of course, Wilde. It was a beautiful ceremony. Now, as much as I would love to stay and enjoy the reception, I do need to be getting back. I left DelGato in charge while I was away and Lord knows what kind of city I'll be coming back to. Congratulations, you two. Enjoy the rest of the weekend."
Nick and Judy said their farewells to Chief Bogo and watched him walk towards his car, get in, and drive away. Seeing that there were no more people waiting to congratulate them, Nick and Judy walked paw in paw to a tractor that had a trailer attached to the back, modified to accommodate several mammals. Driven by Stu, the entire wedding party rode back to the Hopps house for the reception. Nick, Judy, Faxon, Finnick, Roseline, and Margaret enjoyed a quick chat while they waited for the slow tractor to deliver them to the reception. They talked about the coming evening and how wonderful it was going to be.
Arriving at Judy's childhood home, they all bailed from the modified trailer and walked into the backyard where Nick was amazed to see the setup.
An incredibly long chain of long tables was set up with mountains of food for every taste and dietary preference. An area specifically set aside for dancing was in the middle of the sea of round tables and chairs which were currently occupied by loads of wedding patrons.
"Wow, Carrots. I don't think I've seen anything like this before. They had this whole thing planned in only a few days?"
"Yeah, they sure know how to throw a party. It helps that they have about 200 extra pairs of paws to help them get it put together."
"I suppose."
Nick and Judy broke away from the rest of the wedding party and headed to the table for them. Sitting in the two middle seats, they took their first real break from everything. The day had come to be incredibly exhausting, and it wasn't even sundown yet. They were both just glad that it was finally time for them to be able to relax.
As they sat and rested their bodies, someone came over and gave them two plates filled with food, each one with everything that they wanted.
"How could they possibly have known what I was hungry for?" Nick asked. He looked at Judy who gave him a shrug of her shoulders.
"I'm just as confused as you are."
"I guess we're the newly-weds, so we get extra special treatment."
Judy could get used to that.
Digging into their food, Nick and Judy were both thinking about the same thing. They looked over the hundreds of people that stayed for the reception. Everyone was so different. Predator, prey, large, small; you name it, they were there. Judy had been to hundreds of weddings in her lifetime, and not once did she see so much diversity at a Bunnyburrow wedding. It was a magnificent sight to behold.
Even amongst all of the differences, there was one thing that they all had in common: Everyone was here to have a good time. Right now, nobody cared about what kind of animal another was. All they cared about was that they had fun and enjoyed the night, celebrating the love between two mammals that embodied what it meant to look past exterior appearance and look deeper inside of them; see who they were as a person.
And on top of that all, no one had even thought to bring up Nick's cancer. Nick didn't think about it, and nor did Judy. It was incredible how easily something so looming could be forgotten about, even if only for a moment. Up until their engagement a short two weeks prior it was all they could think about. While back then she thought getting married would be a terrible idea, knowing what the future held for them, now that it had actually happened she was very glad that they did.
All of the bad things just seemed to disappear.
As Nick and Judy finished their food, Nick leaned back in his chair, rubbing his slightly bulging stomach. Letting out a groan of satisfaction, he turned his head to his wife.
"That was incredible. Since when could your parents cook that well?"
"Since pretty much forever. Did you not even taste the food when we were here a couple of weeks ago?"
"Yeah, but this was, like, mind-blowingly good. Which reminds me, why are you so terrible at cooking when your mother is like a master chef?"
Judy rolled her eyes at her husband, feeling the urge to slap him in the face. "I never wanted to learn how," Judy said honestly. "I usually helped Dad with things on the farm. Give me a broken tractor and I could probably fix it with nothing more than a couple good wrenches and some duct tape."
"Remind me again why I have ever let you cook."
"You don't. That doesn't mean I won't try, though."
Nick chuckled to himself. "I understand that you want to try, but I don't know if I really believe in Gazelle's message of 'try everything.' Seems a little bit sketchy to me."
"What, you think it really means to literally try everything? I don't think that's what she meant."
"You sure about that, Carrots? Because I'm pretty sure I saw on the news that there are a ton of arrests at her concerts for possession of illicit substances," Nick said, crossing his arms to make a rather strong point that even Clawhauser couldn't argue against. But it made both of them wonder something very important regarding those concerts.
Why won't Bogo assign me to a Gazelle concert?
As Nick and Judy were about to continue their conversation, the DJ announced the first dance, the first one that they would share as a married couple. Nick quickly and smoothly slid out of his chair and offered a paw to his wife. She gratefully took it and he led her to the dance floor where they stood as close to each other as possible and spun slowly around the dance floor. Judy only made it to Nick's chest, so she had to look up into his eyes as they danced.
"So, this is what it's like to dance with the love of my life," Nick whispered.
Judy hmm'd and smiled at him. "Was it all worth it? Going through all of that trouble to get me to date you?"
Nick had wondered when she would ask that question. Of course, he didn't think they would be getting married so soon, but he was as certain on the answer as he could be.
"Absolutely."
Judy pressed her face into Nick's chest if only to be that much closer to him. It was all she wanted and all she could have hoped for.
Eventually, the music changed from a slow song to something a lot more fast-paced, which instantly got Judy moving to the beat. She kept looking at him with those beautiful violet eyes, drawing him closer and closer until he was dancing just as crazily as she was. The rest of the crowd came onto the dance floor and began having the greatest time of their lives.
For Nick, it probably would be.
Nick woke up in a land of confusion with a massive headache. Next to him was his wife, and it felt a bit weird to think that, but he knew it was right. She was still fast asleep, the bed sheets raising and lowering with her rapid breathing. He sat up in bed, trying to remember what all happened the night before. He remembered the first and second slow dances, and he vaguely remembered having a few to drink. Well, maybe it was more than a few.
He didn't want to think about how Judy was feeling, and he figured it was better to let her sleep for now. He got out of bed and walked over to his bag, pulling out a pair of shorts and a t-shirt, perfect 'waking up with a hangover' clothes. Opening the door, he took a deep breath through his nose, and he caught a whiff of freshly brewed coffee.
Damn, that smells good... he thought. He followed the scent all the way to the kitchen, where Bonnie and Stu were sitting at the table.
"Well, good morning Mr. Drink-till-you-drop. Have a good night's rest?" Bonnie asked. "Help yourself to some coffee. It looks like you could use some."
"Thank's… I guess. What happened last night?" he asked, rubbing his forehead and hoping that they would tell him the truth.
"Oh, you just had a lot too much to drink. You could barely walk by the time the party was over at about one in the morning. I had to help you to bed!" Stu said with a chuckle. Nick slapped a paw over his eyes. He was really embarrassed now.
"But you weren't as bad as Judy, though. She was passed out by 11:30. We brought her in after she fell over on the dance floor. Then she came to about fifteen minutes later and was outside and back for more, but we cut her off." Nick couldn't help but start giggling like a little child, but once he saw the way Bonnie and Stu were looking at him, he quickly stopped.
"Oh, if you think that's funny, wait until you look at your phone."
Nick cringed and reluctantly pulled his phone out of his pocket, which showed he had a few messages from a strange number. He opened them up to see pictures of him and Roseline, getting a little too close for sober-Nick's comfort. He scrolled through the pictures until he got to one where Roseline had kissed Nick, right on the muzzle. His eyes in real life matched the ones on his face in the picture: absolute shock.
"Oh dear Lord…" Nick said, resting his face on a fanned out paw, covering half of his face, leaving space for his eyes to still see the picture. "Judy cannot see this…" Nick said worriedly.
"Don't worry, Nick. She already has. Judy pulled Rose off and slapped her right in the face, and so began the most hilarious fight between drunk rabbit sisters you'd ever see," Stu said, still reading his paper. Nick pulled up a message from Finnick, which had a video attached.
Please don't be what I think this is… Nick thought. He hesitantly tapped on the video and his worst nightmare appeared right in front of his eyes. Finnick had videoed the entire fight from the kiss, to the slap, and finally the end when Margaret pulled them apart.
"What… the…" Nick said, his voice showing signs of extreme discomfort. He heard footsteps from behind him, and he turned around to see Judy walking into the kitchen, rubbing her eyes.
"What… the hell... happened? Why does my right paw hurt so much?" she slurred, apparently still feeling the effects of her drinking spree.
"I think I have the answer right here," Nick said, holding up his phone. Judy looked at the video, seeing Nick and Roseline taking pictures with each other, then she grabbed him and kissed him. That's when Judy came onto the screen and pulled Roseline away from Nick and slapped her so hard she fell to the ground, then Judy jumped on her and fists flew until Margaret broke them up. Nick gave Judy a judging glare.
"What? She deserved it. I'm a police officer, I live for justice."
"I'll find a way to get this spread around the ZPD, don't you worry," Nick threatened jokingly. It may have been just to mess with her, but he was actually serious about getting it spread to the ZPD. He figured Clawhauser would have a fun time doing that for him.
"Don't you dare, Nicholas Wilde, or so help me I will…" she said but was cut off by a wolf walking into the kitchen.
"What is up my dudes? Was that not the best time of your lives?" Faxon said.
"It would be if I could remember it," Nick said. He got a bright idea, but Judy would not like it one bit. "Hey buddy, come here, I want to show you something," Nick said with a sly grin. Judy jumped to her feet and grabbed Nick's phone before he could show him.
"I don't think so, Slick Nick. You are not going to be showing anyone that."
"C'mon, give the phone here. I don't want any trouble. Just set it down and we can take care of this in a civil manner." Judy reluctantly set the phone on the table and slid it over to Nick. He grabbed it and tapped away at the phone, and then Faxon's phone buzzed. He tapped on the screen and looked at it for a few moments before laughing uncontrollably.
"Holy smokes, Judy! You smacked the hell out of your sister!" he said in between laughing fits.
"Howlson, I swear to God if you spread that around the department I will bring upon you a thousand years of pain and suffering to you and your children and your children's children," she said.
"Don't worry, I'll keep this only for myself… and Ewetube."
"You better not!" Judy scolded.
"You have Finnick to thank for the video. Oh, and I have pictures from Roseline, but you don't get to see those." Judy glared at him with a look that could go through a brick wall.
"Nick. Delete those photos… now." she said sternly.
"Sorry, Judy, but these are memories. Plus I still need to bug your sister about this," Nick said. "Have some coffee you two. You both sound like you need it." Nick poured two mugs of coffee and handed one to Judy and Faxon, who both took small sips of the dark, black liquid.
"Where's Finnick?" Judy asked.
"I think he's out in the pole barn still," Bonnie said. Judy nearly spat out her coffee.
"Why would you leave him out there? It's really cold outside!" she exclaimed.
"Nobody wanted to move him. Every time we tried to wake him up he woke up for a second, swiped at us and then went right back to sleep. But that was right as the party ended," Bonnie said. "It's not like we didn't try."
"I wouldn't worry too much. If I know him at all he would've been more comfortable out there than in a spare room," Nick said. "Well, I'm going to start packing up. Our train leaves in a few hours, and I want to have everything ready." Nick stood up, but as he took his first step, his knees buckled and he fell to the ground, hitting his head hard, spilling his coffee and shattering the mug. He let out a yelp when his head hit the ground.
"Oh, Nick! What happened? Are you alright?" Judy said as she ran to him, helping him to his feet.
"I don't know. My legs just kinda gave out," Nick said, rubbing his head. He looked at Bonnie and Stu, who both stood up and looked at the scene. "I'm so sorry about the mug," Nick said, a little embarrassed.
"Don't worry about that. We've got plenty more," Bonnie said. Judy had helped Nick up from the floor and was now making sure that he was able to walk. After he took a few steps on his own, Judy let him go and he continued walking down the hall, out of sight. He walked over to Judy's room, and walked in the door, finding his dress blues scattered all around the room. He gathered the articles of clothing up, being sure that he had every piece.
Nick grabbed a fresh set of clothes from his bag and walked down the hall to one of the many bathrooms in the house. Finding it empty, Nick walked in and shut the door behind him, making sure to lock it. He stripped down and jumped into the shower, relief coming over him like a nice warm blanket when the hot, steamy water fell onto his body.
He stood in the cascade of water for a few minutes, soaking and letting it wash away the last remnants of last night. He lathered up all over himself, then once again let the water fall onto his body. He shut the water off and stepped out of the shower. Grabbing a towel, he wrapped it around himself and dried his russet fur as well as he could. He slid on his pants and tropical shirt, then wiped away the condensation from the mirror.
He brushed the fur on top of his head so that it wasn't all messy and then he caught a whiff of his own breath. Cringing at the smell of various alcoholic drinks and who-knows-what-else, he quickly ran back to the room, grabbed his toothbrush and toothpaste and began scrubbing in circular motions.
A couple minutes later, he spit out the foam and rinsed his mouth with water. It felt good to no longer feel like a ball of grease, and he was sure that everyone else would agree. He hung up the towel that lay on the floor and he picked up his morning clothes. He walked back down to the room and he walked in, threw his clothes in his bag and zipped it up, ready to go.
They still had a while before they had to leave, but it was always good to be prepared ahead of time. He didn't know what it was, but he felt exhausted. Probably from last night… Nick thought, reassuring himself that it was nothing more than repercussions from the reception. Judy opened the door and grabbed a set of clothes, seemingly on her way to the shower.
"You got ready quickly," she said.
"Well, there's nothing wrong with being prepared, it there?" he replied.
"I guess not. Oh, there's egg-bake out in the kitchen if you want any. And Finnick is gone apparently. We looked in the pole barn but there was nobody out there." Judy said.
"Huh, I'll give him a call really quick." Nick said. He tapped Finnick's number into his phone and put it up to his ear. It rang for a while, but he received no answer. Nick lowered the phone and shrugged. Judy walked out of the room and down the hall. He felt his stomach rumble and thought it best to get some food in him. He walked back to the kitchen, finding Faxon still out there, chomping down on a plate of egg-bake. Nick grabbed his own place and scooped up some of the egg-bake. He walked over to where Faxon was sitting and took a seat next to him.
"Feel any better?" Fax said.
"I'm much better now. I don't know what happened. I just fell," Nick replied.
"That's good. Now I've been meaning to talk to you about something. Chief told me that you resigned your post last week," he said. Judy's parents' ears moved up at the same time and they both looked over at Nick.
"What? You resigned?" Bonnie said. Nick exhaled deeply before continuing.
"Yeah. I did. Judy and I both thought it was for the best. We wouldn't be allowed to be partners after the wedding anyways, plus I don't really know how much longer I'll be able to work. Tomorrow I'm going to make it final, sign all the necessary papers, then I'll officially be a 'retired officer'." Nick said. "But don't worry. Judy has already been assigned a new partner."
"Well, Nick, all I can say is that the department isn't going to be the same without you. You were one hell of a cop." Fax said.
"Thank's dude. I've been thinking that it was a mistake, but for the long-run, it's the best option. I wish there was another way, but there isn't," Nick said. Bonnie and Stu both looked concerned.
"Well, I guess it's your choice. Whatever you think will be the best," Stu said.
"It certainly wasn't an easy decision to make, and Judy wasn't on board from the beginning either. She was pretty upset when she found out that I did it," Nick said. Faxon looked at his phone after it buzzed.
"Well buddy, it was great to be a part of this whole operation, but my friend is here to pick me up. I'm sure I'll see you around," Fax said. They both stood up and Nick took a firm grasp of his paw and shook it.
"I sure hope we can still stay in touch," Nick said.
"I'll make sure of it, see ya dude," Fax said, walking out the front door and into a car which had pulled up to the entrance. After Faxon left, there was only silence in the house. Breaking the silence was another rabbit walking into the kitchen, rubbing her head and the side of her face, which was quite swollen.
"Can I get an explanation as to why my face feels like it got hit by a bus?" Roseline said. Nick smiled as he held up his phone.
"Who gave you my number?" Nick asked.
"What do you mean?" she asked. Nick motioned for her to come over. She walked over to Nick and he showed her the photos. He scrolled over to the one where she kissed him and she started freaking out.
"Oh my God, how did I let myself do that? I'm so sorry Nick!" she said. Nick chuckled at her concern.
"Don't worry. We were all pretty messed up last night." Nick said.
"Wait, but that still doesn't explain the extreme pain in my face," she said.
"Oh, but this will…" Nick said, eagerly awaiting her reaction to the video. Roseline watched the video and her eyes grew big when she saw herself kiss Nick, then her paws shot up to her face when the fight started.
"Geez… I might have deserved that. Just don't let this get to my husband…" she said, ears red with embarrassment.
"Don't worry about it. Like I said, we all had way too much to drink last night. I'm not surprised something like that happened," Nick chuckled. Roseline grabbed the pot of coffee and poured herself a cup.
"Where's Judy?" she asked.
"She's in the shower. We're gonna get going in a few hours, so we've been packing up everything. Time to get back to real life, I guess." Judy walked into the kitchen and upon seeing her sister, she started laughing.
"What's so funny, sis?" Roseline said.
"Your face. That's what's funny!" Judy said. Roseline gave her a dirty look.
"Hey, you hit harder than you think. I saw the video from Nick's little friend."
"Speaking of Finnick, you don't happen to know where he is, do you?" Judy said.
"I'm pretty sure he left at like three in the morning. He had someone come pick him up that lives around here. I dunno, but the car had local plates." she said. Nick shrugged his shoulders.
"Typical Finnick," he said. A long silence followed Nick's words until Judy spoke.
"Do you guys want to move this out into the living room?" she asked. There was a unanimous nod from the group and everyone got up out of their seats and they followed Judy into the living room, where they all took seats in comfy recliners or in the large sofa. They sat and talked about the previous night, which caused Nick and Judy to lose track of time.
"Holy smokes. It's time for us to go," Judy said. Nick looked at his phone and confirmed that it was in fact time for them to leave for the train station. Nick and Judy both got up and quickly ran to their room to grab their things. They ran back to the living room, seeing Judy's parents and Roseline standing waiting to say their goodbyes. Judy went up to Roseline and gave her a hug and whispered something in her ear.
"He's mine. You can't have him," she said, teasing her sister. Roseline's ears turned red once more in embarrassment. Nick walked up to Roseline and also gave her a hug. Judy's parents were waiting at the door to take them to the train station.
"Ready to go, kiddos?" Stu said.
"I think so. I've got everything and so does Nick." Nick nodded and they all walked out the door.
At the train station, Nick and Judy only waited for a few minutes before the train showed up. Nick was eager to get back home, but he really enjoyed visiting Bunnyburrow. Nick let out a big yawn, suddenly feeling extra tired. It was probably a good thing that they were about to take a long train ride, that way he could sleep the whole way home.
Judy hugged both of her parents and kissed their cheeks. Nick walked forward, about to extend a paw to both of them, but before he could do that Bonnie went straight for a hug. It took Nick by surprise at first, but after only a split second he returned the hug. Stu extended his paw and Nick gave it a firm shake.
"Be sure to visit anytime," Bonnie said.
"I'll make sure we do," Nick replied. They both waved their goodbyes and they walked onto the train. And so began their journey back home.
The next morning was a strange one for Judy. She woke up on her own accord, not relying on Nick to wake her up. She took a shower like normal and brushed her fur like normal. She even brushed her teeth like normal, but she only made coffee for one. Nick was still in bed sleeping by the time she was ready to go to work.
Her entire commute was so quiet, and she listened intently to the sounds of the waking city. She heard the sounds of cars going by on the road, she vaguely heard conversations whilst on the subway, and she heard her own heartbeat walking up the stairs to the front door of the ZPD. She opened the door for herself and upon entering, was greeted by Clawhauser, who was sitting in his usual position.
"Judy! I'm sorry I couldn't make it this weekend. He only allowed a few to be gone on Saturday and I couldn't get the time off," he said.
"It's fine. I'm sure you would have had a lot of fun. I know my sister did," Judy said, the last part quite irritably.
"Oh, well… have a good rest of your day!" he said, a little confused at her attitude.
"Yep, you too!" Judy said as she hopped her way to the Bullpen, where she would begin the first of hopefully many shifts with Jessie.
Nick woke up with a start, breathing heavily and his heart was racing. He hadn't had a bad dream, more like an unpleasant dream, and he felt on edge because of it. He grabbed his phone and looked at the time, 10:33. He had slept a long time.
He could probably get used to being able to sleep in all the time because he felt like he had gotten the best sleep of his life. Nick hopped out of bed, feeling like he could do anything, but he quickly felt out of breath and fell back onto the bed. He felt light-headed and he thought it best to just take it easy since he had just woken up.
Nick stood up slowly and then walked into the bathroom, taking care of his morning routine. He exited the bathroom with only a towel on and he walked across the hallway into the bedroom, where he changed into ordinary civilian clothes. It felt strange to him that he was waking up and not getting ready to go to work. He looked at himself one more time in the mirror, a slight frown appearing on his muzzle. He left the apartment and went onward towards the ZPD.
Walking up to the front door of the ZPD for likely the last time, Nick opened the door, seeing lot's of familiar faces. Clawhauser was busy talking to some other mammals, so he didn't see Nick. He thought it was best to just walk up to Bogo's office and knock on the door. Nick walked up the stairs and down the hall, seeing Chief Bogo standing outside his office, speaking with another mammal. Bogo looked up and saw Nick, and he quickly dismissed the mammal, motioning for Nick to come into his office. Nick walked in the door and seated himself in one of the few chairs in front of the desk.
"Before you sign the papers, I need to get a formality out of the way." Bogo extended a hoof to Nick. "It's been a pleasure seeing you serve this city, Officer Wilde." Nick took the large hoof and gave it a firm shake.
"It has been an honor, sir."
"Now, getting down to business, there is only one thing I need from you, and that is your signature. Sign right on that line at the bottom, and then you are officially no longer employed with the ZPD." Bogo said, holding a pen out to Nick. He took the pen from Bogo and looked at the single piece of paper in front of him. At the bottom was a long thin line, which was where Nick was supposed to sign. Nick moved his paw over to that line and scribbled on that line.
"Well, Wilde. It truly was an honor to have you on the force," Bogo said. Nick still sat, looking at the paper.
"It was a pleasure while it lasted…" Nick said with a slight frown. "I guess I'll be leaving then." Nick stood up and slowly walked out of Bogo's office, shutting the door behind him. Bogo watched him as he walked out of the office. After he shut the door, Bogo sat down in his chair and put his hooves over his face and sighed.
Nick walked down the hallway slowly, keeping his head down. He really was no longer Officer Wilde. He was just Nick Wilde, unemployed. The thought ran through his head over and over again as he walked back down the stairs. Clawhauser noticed him as he walked by his desk.
Well, well, well. Officer Wilde decided to show up after all," he joked, not realizing the reason that Nick was there for. Nick didn't even look up. He just shook a finger at him.
"No, no. I'm just Nick now. I'm not an officer anymore." Clawhauser looked confused and watched Nick walk out the doors of the ZPD for the last time.
Nick opened the door to the apartment and walked inside, still looking at the ground. It was done. He really wasn't a police officer anymore. The thought kept racing through his head, and no matter how much he tried, he couldn't seem to think about anything else.
He sat down on the couch, and right as he laid back, he felt weird things move in his chest. A paw moved over his heart, feeling irregular beats and terrible thoughts came into his mind.
Please don't do this to me now... he thought as he reached for his phone. He typed in the numbers 9-1-1 into the phone and pressed send. The world around him grew fuzzy as he heard a voice on the other end.
"911, what's your emergency?" the female voice said. Nick stood up, and as he got to his feet, he said one raspy and quiet word.
"Help…"
And he fell to the ground.
