After Story Notes and Epilogues
I'm pretty proud of how this story turned out. While you do have to have a little knowledge of my past stories, it does have good story framing, some sad moments, some tense moments and some funny moments and a lot of heart and it came out of a personal tragedy in my life which made writing some scenes kinda hard. I think it's my favorite of the stories I've written. It does help that the narrative was tighter due to it being short.
Out of all the ZPD characters I got to expand upon, Wolford was always one of my favorites. I just love the "gruff, city cop with a heart of gold" vibe he's got to him. I do worry that I might have overdone it with his accent, so I'll probably tone that down in the future.
So what about the future of James or Jim Wolford? Well, he'll now be part of the regular cast of characters and mostly be paired up with Spots and Suzie as they form their own clique. And yes, I am teasing the the idea of Spots/James, but it will never fully be a romance as Spots is a full blown lesbian and I want to stay true to her character. Over time, she does love Jim, but only in a spiritual way like what Wolford and Terry have. They'll be close, best friends even if their friends and family want it to be more. That doesn't mean Spots and Jim will be hanging out together all the time. One of the upcoming stories, "Night of the living bunnies" has only Nick, Judy and Spots heading back to Bunnyburrow to do an investigation. The other kids will be left behind.
Will Jim find out about his remaining blood family? Yes. Very soon as you can see in the second epilogue. He'll meet his cousin, "Big" Bobby Catmull at the Clawhauser's wedding reception. This scares Wolford a bit, but Bobby assures him he won't take Jim from his new, loving family.
I'm going by the assumption that the gestation period of animals in Zootopia is the same as in the real world. So Auburn is delivering her pups about two months after she got pregnant. This would have to be the case or bunnies like Bonnie wouldn't have been able to deliver 300 children by now.
And yes, I stole a joke from Modern Family. Technically, it's still Disney.
WARNING! There is a "Purge" spoiler in the Birth Day Epilogue.
Epilogue One: Moving Day
Tuesday, November 3rd. 12:25pm
The Wolfords arrived at Jim Catmull's house with a moving truck full of boxes behind them. Spots was in the car with Jim as moral support. The two had become close friends and while Jim wanted something more, he accepted that she was lesbian and the two probably wouldn't be any closer than they already are.
James was the first to get out of the truck. "Welp! Welcome to 'Casa De Catmull'!"
"Me and Burnie have already been here!" Wolford reminded his son. "We had ta put some of yer mom's things in storage. We coulda used yer help but you refused to come wit' us."
"I-I-I just didn't want to be in the way! That's all."
Auburn put her paws on the cougar's shoulder's. "It's okay. I know it brings up painful memories right now. Do you want to stay out here?"
"No. I don't want to be a burden, I wanna help. Besides, I need to face this. It's MY house, just...w-without mom."
"I wanna check out your room." Spots replied.
Wolford's ears perked up. "Really?!"
"Relax! We like the same music! I just want to see his C.D. Collection."
"Anyway Jim, just an FYI. Me and Burnie already peed all over the outside of 'da house so ya don't gotta witness 'dat."
Jim was shocked. "You did WHAT?!"
"Well, yea! A wolf's gotta mark his territory. Burnie did the back area so no one would see her. Helps keep squatters at bay."
"That's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard of!"
Just then, two hillbilly Coyotes in a pickup truck drive by. "Ooo-Wee! That sure is a mighty fine house thar! I hear the owner died recently. Maybe we can take it!"
The second coyote sniffed in the air. "Dag-Nabbit! Looks like some wolves have already claimed it! Let's ske-daddle!"
Wolford smiled as the coyote's drove off. "See?"
Tim, Auburn and Spots all entered the house. Jim stopped at the doorway. Spots looked back. "Dude! C'mon ya pussycat!"
"O-Okay." Jim was anxious, but he went inside. He saw the hallway where they pulled his mother away on a stretcher. A plant was knocked over where the stretcher nudged it off. Jim started breathing a little heavier. He went into the kitchen. A dirty pan where he cooked his mother's breakfast sat on the stove. The trash, full of discarded food wrappers from the last time he got her dinner. His breathing intensified. He saw Tim and Auburn coming in and out of his mother's room. They had taken some stuff out of the closet and into storage, but the bed had remained untouched. The blankets were thrown to the side and the grove of her body could be seen. He could still smell her scent on the bed.
Jim couldn't take it any longer. "Unnh! Ah! AAAAH!" He ran out of the house screaming.
Spots peeked out of Jim's bedroom. "What's going on?!"
"James freaked out." Tim responded.
"You want me to go get him back?"
"Actually, I think Burnie should go talk ta him."
Auburn was surprised. "Me?"
"He's still dealin' with 'da pain of losing his mudder, so 'da one he needs most right now is...his mudder."
"Well, okay. Keep your tails curled that I don't screw it up."
Auburn found Jim shaking inside the truck. He was weeping a bit. "James honey, you okay?"
"I can't do it! Everything is a reminder of her. When I'm in there, all I can think of is that she's gone. Just seeing her bed freaked me out. How can I live here anymore?!"
Auburn sat in the truck with him. She gave him an gentle hug and rubbed his back. "You're just focusing on the negative. Think of the happy moments! I noticed there was some marks on the kitchen wall where she was measuring your size as you grew."
"Yeah."
She kissed him on the cheek. "And the swing in your backyard."
"Heh! Yeah. I almost can knock it down with my weight now."
"And your Dizzy cartoon video collection. The pups are gonna love that."
"Meh. They're all VHS tapes. Who uses those anymore?"
"They'll also get to play with all of your old toys."
Jim chuckled. "Hey! Who says I'm done with them? I'm sorry Burnie. These are good memories yes, but they're also painful BECAUSE they're good. Just looking around that house makes me miss her more and it hurts!"
Auburn hugged the boy tight. "I'm sorry kitty. We'll just need to make sure there's some new happy memories for you. Do you think you'll be able to come in?"
"I dunno. Can I wait by the entrance until I'm ready?"
"Sure honey."
Wolford and Spots watched from the kitchen window.
Spots was worried. "I hope he can get past this."
"'Da house is full a painful memories now 'dat his mudders gone." Wolford replied. He then thought of an idea. "Y'know what? He needs at least one really good one!"
"So how do we do that?"
Wolford smiled at Spots. "Well...yer a girl...he's a boy. He ain't had his first kiss yet."
Spots was upset. "What?...No! I'm lesbian! You know that!"
"C'mon Viv! Just give 'da guy one kiss! 'Dat's all!"
"I'll puke!"
"No ya won't! I mean, ya may spit a bit afterwards. C'MON!"
"I just...I really like him and I don't want him to get the wrong message about us. He's my new best friend! Nothing more!"
"'Den tell him 'dat before ya kiss him."
"...Can it be on the cheek? I mean, we hug and hold paws sometimes. The cheek wouldn't be so bad."
"Look, I'm sorry Viv. I'm not gonna force ya into a situation yer not comfortable wit'. Just give it some thought."
Spots wanted Jim to be happy, but she also didn't want to give him the wrong impression. "...I'm not his girlfriend."
"I know dat. I know. I'll mind my own business and get back ta woik. I mean wo-orrrkah. Work! Ha I did it! Damn. 'Dey weren't here ta hear it."
Auburn held Jim's paw as they came back into the house. Jim stopped and leaned on the doorway.
Auburn hugged and kissed the boy cougar again. "If this is as far as you can go for now, you can wait for us here."
Spots watched as Jim stayed by the door. "Some cougar I am." Jim replied. "Afraid of my own house."
Spots had enough. "GRRRRAHH!" She grabbed Jim by the paw and pulled him inside. "C'mon! We're going into your bedroom!"
"Why?!"
"You'll find out. Just...whatever happens, we're just best friends! Nothing else! GOT IT?!"
"Yea! Whatever dude."
Auburn looked over at Tim. "What did you say to her?"
"Nuttin'! I just...made a suggestion."
Moments later, a very happy Jim came out of his bedroom and helped Tim and Auburn with cleaning out his mother's closet. "C'mon guys! These boxes won't store themselves!" He grabbed a box and started walking towards the storage shed. A huge smile on his face.
Spots came out of Jim's room wiping her mouth. "Well that was gross. I had to build up my nerve, but I went ahead and did it." Spots said. "To my surprise, I didn't even puke or spit!"
Auburn's eyes bulged out of her skull. Tim realized what she was thinking.
"No! No! No! It was just a kiss! A kiss!"
Epilogue Two: Stranger at the Funeral
Heavenly Meadows Church. Saturday, November 21st 9:45:am
It was only a small amount of people that had arrived for Janet Catmull's funeral. The Wolford's had already arrived along with Terry Fangmeyer who had gotten to know Janet for a very short while before her passing. The pastor, a goat had talked to Jim before the ceremony to make him feel more at ease. Tim was trying to console a blubbering Terry who was apparently no good at funerals.
Auburn held Jim's paw as they sat down at the pew. Jim kept looking over his shoulder. Waiting for the aunt he hadn't seen in 12 years to finally arrive with his cousin Bobby. Auburn and James had gotten closer over the weeks. She was on maternity leave from the legal office and since Jim dropped out of school, he couldn't go back until the next semester in January. They'd spent many days together and Jim was finally getting comfortable with her as his new mother.
"Did you bring the speech?" Auburn asked Jim.
"It's on my phone, but...I don't think I can do it without breaking into a mess. I'm probably gonna go with the recording. Thanks for all your help Burnie."
"No problem. So...after this is all said and done are you gonna keep calling m-"
Before she could finish her sentence, Jim ran off to greet his aunt who had just entered the church.
"Aunt Carol!" Jim yelled as he ran to hug his aunt.
"James! Oh James! Look how big you've grown!" Carol said as she hugged and kissed her nephew.
"Told ya he grew up fast mom!" Bobby said from behind. It hadn't been Jim and Bobby's first meeting as they were both at the Clawhauser's wedding reception. "How are you holding up Jim?"
"I'm a lot better. Tim and Auburn have been great parents to me and I have a...well, kinda-sorta girlfriend who's helping me through this as well. She didn't wanna be here since she felt this was personal."
"That makes sense." Bobby replied.
Clara held the young cougar's paws. "Well James, I'm sure it's been very tough, but after the ceremony, the worst will be over and you can come back with me to Bunnyburrow!"
"WHAT?!" Jim yelled. "No! I'm happy with the Wolford's!"
"James, they're wolves! You need to be with family! With your...y'know...own kind."
Auburn stood up. "How DARE you! We love James as if he were our own flesh and blood! Janet gave him to us in her will and it's a good thing too because now he won't have to live with a biggot!"
"The only reason she gave him to you is because she couldn't find me!"
Jim got into her aunt's face. "Because YOU abandoned her in her hour of need! Sure, doing so helped her sober up and get a decent job and support me, but it's YOUR fault for losing all contact with her! She was your family!"
"She was a WHORE!"
Bobby was shocked. "Mom! Don't say those things!"
"It's true isn't it?! I couldn't take it anymore! I'm glad she turned her life around, but she made it so I never wanted to see her again!"
Jim was getting more and more upset. "You're a terrible sister and I don't want to be part of your family. My place is here with my pack!"
" Your PACK?! Oh brother. James, your place is with your bloodline!"
Wolford had enough. He finally separated the families out. "Hey, hey hey! 'Dis is a house of God, dammit! He wouldn't want ya yellin' in his place! Now look! We love Jim and and he wants ta stay with us and Janet gave us 'ta him in 'da will which means you have no legal right 'ta him! Ya didn't seem 'ta care about what happened ta him in da last twelve years and NOW you wanna take him? I 'tink you just feel guilty fer ditchin' her fer so long. Look...he still loves Bobby and despite you bad-mouthin' wolves, I still want you ta be part of his life. So why don't we all calm down and plant our butts in 'da pews? I know Janet wouldn't want us fightin'."
Clara felt ashamed of herself. "You're...you're right. I'm sorry. Bobby? Let's go sit down."
"Yes mom."
The funeral started. Despite the fallout, Clara did have some kind words for her sister. Terry tried to say a few words but couldn't stop bawling. Jim came up to the podium. He tried to speak, but started breaking down. Instead, he played the recording as he sobbed. Just as he went to sit down someone new entered the church. It was a female leopard. "M-May I approach the podium?" She asked the pastor.
"...You are here for the funeral of Janet Catmull?"
"Yes. I think she'd want me to be here today."
"Then please...come." The pastor urged her to speak.
The leopard spoke. "My name is Ariel Snow. I've...never met any of you and...I've never met Janet either."
"'Den what is she doin' here?" Wolford whispered to Auburn which resulted in him getting pinched to shut him up.
The leopard continued. "Despite that, Janet Catmull has changed my life forever. If you look at me, you can see a little bit of Janet in me."
James squinted and was immediately bowled over. "Your eyes!"
"Yes. I presume your Janet's son?"
"Yes."
"Twenty years ago, I lost my sight to a chemical accident. I had been in a world of darkness ever since. However, as of last week I gained my sight back. I could see my mother and father again. My husband. My...SNIFF! my children who I could not even witness grow up! I saw so...so much that over time I thought I would never see again and it's all thanks to Janet Catmull! As you guessed James, I literally have your mother's eyes. As an organ donor, Janet has been able to live on in others like me. I hear her liver saved the life of a jaguar. So I came here today to not only thank the son of the woman who has changed my life, but to tell you she still lives on. Not only in your heart, but in other's. God bless Janet Catmull!"
There wasn't a dry eye in the church. Jim ran up and hugged the leopard. Thanking her for her story and of course, having a hard time not staring at her for too long. Seeing part of his mother again was overwheliming He had a dozen questions and she answered them all as best she could.
Ariel's speech had made Clara realize how selfish she had been and that she had misjudged her sister. She apologized for her behavior earlier and they all went out for an early lunch to get to know one another. In the end, it took a stranger to get two families to unite.
Epilogue Three: Happy Birth Day
Friday, December 17th 5:33am
"Push,.baby push!" Wolford shouted.
"HHHNNGH! Shut up!" Auburn yelled back. The red wolf was in the stirrups and delivering her pups. A doe was helping deliver."
"Don't forget yer breathin' exercises!"
"Don't forget to get neutered!" Auburn snapped back.
James, who was in the room with them, laughed. "Ouch! Another burn from Auburn!"
"Shaddap son. What are ya doin' wit' 'dat kazoo and scroll anyway?!"
"You'll see. Burnie! Breathe!"
"Yeah!" Wolford replied. "Remember what we were taught! Hee! Hee! Hoo! Hoo!"
Auburn tried it. "Hee! Hee! Hoo! Hoo! RRRRRR! This sucks! Why don't they just come out?!"
Jim had an idea. "Oh! Do it like Friday the 13th!"
"Friday the what?!" Tim asked.
"You know? Those horror movies with Jason Boarhees? Whenever he's about to kill someone, this scary music comes on and it goes like...Chee! Chee! Chee! Haa! Haa! Haa!"
Auburn tried it "Chee! Chee! Chee! Haa! Haa! Haa! Unnnhh! Yea! I like that better! It's helping!"
They all did it together. "Chee! Chee! Chee! Haa! Haa! Haa!"
"Here comes the first two!" said the doe
"Chee! Chee! Chee! Haa! Haa! Haa!"
The first two pups slid out of Auburn. "Two girls!" The doe shouted.
Jim was disgusted by the birthing process. "Oh man! This is gross! It's a good thing my kinda-sorta girlfriend is a lesbian because I may turned off by vaginas for the rest of my life!"
"Shaddap!" Tim snapped "Givin' boith is a beautiful thing! Burnie you wanna give 'Dem 'Da names we discussed?"
"Yes!" She replied. "Amy and Terry."
"Fangs will be happy and so will yer mom, Burnie!"
The doe helped pull out another pup. "Here comes the next. It's another girl!...Oh dear."
Tim and Jim were worried. "Oh dear...what?""
"It's stillborn. I'm sorry."
Auburn cried. "Noooooo!"
Tim came over and rubbed her head. "It's okay baby. 'Dere's almost always a runt in 'da litter. 'Dis ain't uncommon at all."
Jim was getting upset. "Aren't you going to try and revive her?!"
"She died in the womb." The doe said. "There's nothing that can be done."
Jim swiped the pup out of the doe's hooves. "You're not even trying! Give her to me!"
"JAMES!" Auburn screamed through her tears. "Please! There's nothing that can be done!"
"Give 'dat pup back!" Tim yelled.
"Leave him be." The doctor said. "We need to focus on the rest."
While Auburn was pushing the other pups out, Jim tried his best to do CPR on the dead pup. "C'mon little gal! C'mon!" He pressed his thumb on the pups chest. "One one-thousand, TWO one-thousand!"
He then blew into the pups nose. Nothing.
Meanwhile, Auburn pushed out two more pups. "Two boys!" Tim yelled. "Robert or Bob after my fellow officer who sacrificed himself ta save 'dis stinkin' city and...what name do you want Burnie?"
"Nicholas. You know why."
"Good choice." Tim replied. They then heard one of the pups crying, but to their shock, it wasn't coming from near them, but the pup in Jim's arms.
Wolford could barely speak. "Jim! Y-Y...You didn't?!"
Jim turned around to show the runt of the litter. Alive and crying.
"JIM! I LOVE YOU!" Auburn cried out.
Tim fell to his knees. Tears falling like a waterfall."Jim!...You...you saved her! God bless you! You didn't give up! You didn't give up! Jim, that pup is as much yours as she is ours now. You name her."
Jim looked down at the pup and smiled. "Janet. Her name is Janet."
"Looks like we got two mo-OW!"
Auburn slapped the doe. "Why didn't you check the pup closer you quack?!"
"I'm sorry! A dead runt is so common, I didn't think she had JUST passed out! I'm very very sorry!"
"Hurry up and deliver the other two!" Auburn shouted back. She pushed as hard as she could until finally the last two pups arrived.
"Two boys!" The doe yelled.
Tim was happy. "Alright! Three vs. four! Boys win! Whaddya want ta name 'dem Burnie?"
Auburn looked at her son. "You name them James."
James was surprised. "Really? Okay. Let's see...this one is Rockford."
Tim was happy "Rockford! I love it! 'Da Rock! Rock and roll!"
"And this one is...Deathslayer!"
"...What?!" Auburn said.
"Yeah! That's the name of my character in these books I'm writing. Deathslayer! The slayer of death!"
Tim started to laugh, but Auburn was getting upset. "You re-name him right now young man!"
"Oh no ya don't Burnie! You let him name 'da pups and 'dat's what he chose. It's 'da least we can do for him savin' little Janet's life!"
Auburn looked at the doctor. "This is YOUR fault! Am I empty now?"
"Yes ma'am! All of your ultrasounds only showed seven pups."
Auburn leaned her head back and too a deep sigh. "Thank GOD! I'm done!"
"I'll clean them up, check their vitals and bring them back to you." The doctor replied.
"Just make sure they're all alive when you come back." Jim commented with a bit of snark. It made Tim and Auburn laugh.
Tim kissed his wife and rubbed her muzzle with his. "You did it baby! We got seven beautiful new pups added to our pack."
"WE did it!" Auburn replied. "Especially thanks to you Ja-"
Before she could finish, Jim blasted his kazoo in a trumpet announcement like sound.
Wolford didn't care for it. "OWW! My freakin' ears! What 'da hell James?!"
James then pulled out the scroll he brought. "Hear Ye! Hear Ye!"
"Oh brudder."
"Let it be known that on this day, my mother, Auburn Wolford has given birth to seven beautiful pups named, let's see here...Amy, Terry, Janet (thanks to me), Nicholas, Robert, Rockford and last but not least, Deathslayer!"
"We're gonna have a talk about that one!" Auburn replied.
"With seven new pups in the house, I will no longer be calling Auburn Wolford 'Burnie' or 'Ma'am', but 'Mom', the title she has well earned. She has shown me nothing but love and compassion these past seven weeks and to deny her that title any longer would be an insult. Plus the pups would just get confused."
Auburn started to cry. "Ohhh! James!"
"My blood mother will be now known as 'Momma' to avoid any confusion."
He took the scroll down and took a deep breath. His massive grief had finally passed and he felt like he had some closure in his life. "SIGH! My mother is dead. Long live my mother. Congratulations mom."
Auburn was crying and waving for James to come over to her. "Come here you wonderful man! Say it again!"
"Say what mom?"
"EEEEEEE!"
They all got into a big group hug. Auburn could not stop crying tears of joy. It was later revealed that since Janet was stillborn for a short time, she had lost blood to her brain and would grow up mentally challenged. It only made James and the other Wolford's love and care for the pup even more. James wouldn't say it in front of the other pups, but Janet was his favorite.
Oh, and Deathslayer too of course.
