A/N: I'm so so incredibly sorry for the wait everyone! I have no excuse or reason worth telling that'll justify my absence. So spare me your forgiveness, for I don't deserve it. Instead I'll cut to the chase and get on with the story.

Here we go!

Why…why did I do that?

Why did he say that? Why did I say any of that?

He hates me now….he has to…

'I would too if my friend ran away like that,'

You're not helping!

'Help? Why should I? Do you deserve to be helped after breaking his heart like that?'

I didn't mean t….

'No explanation, no goodbye, no reason given, you just ran for the hills then back home without looking back…

"Judy?"

'Poor Nicholas, he's been through so much…'

Please, just leave me alone…

'I wonder what he is doing, all alone during the holiday season…'

"Judy…?"

Oh Nick, I'm so sorry…

'You think that's enough to fix what you've done to your friend? To the who one who has declared his love for you?'

But, what can I say?

'The truth perhaps…'

I don't even know if I feel the sa…

"Hey Judy! Uncle Stu needs something!"

Judy's teary violet eyes blinked back into reality as she turned to face her cousin who had nudged her with an elbow. Said cousin motioned with his head for her to turn forward to face her father. Stu was standing behind a tripod mounted camera, which was aimed toward the proverbial ocean of bunnies huddled together in front of the massive tree in the living room.

"Could you run upstairs and fetch Joanna? That girl spends way too much time on that computer of hers..." Stuart Hopps asked.

"Sure dad! Be right back!" Judy replied cheerfully.

Hopping to her feet from the spot between her cousins, Judy quickly moved away from the gathered family in front of the tree and bounded up the stairs. Her destination, the third floor bedroom wing of the burrow.

'Yes, that is right Judy, run. That's all you're good for right?'

Quiet!

Judy shook her head furiously as she reached the top step. They wouldn't stop. No matter how hard she tried. The voices nibbling at her thoughts wouldn't stop. Ever since...that night...the voices wouldn't give her any peace. Every time they spoke, her stomach would twist into a knot, and the image of her partner's heartbroken face floated into her mind.

As she made her way down the hall, she passed by a few hanging portraits of smiling siblings and relatives. One of them wasn't a portrait but a small decorative mirror. She came to a stop right in front of it to gaze at her reflection. She was the embodiment of holiday cheer: A sunflower yellow sweater, black slacks, combed fur, and a smile warmer than any log fire.

Was it any wonder why she was so downcast?

Her shoulders slumped, her smile faded away. The depressed rabbit staring back at her had a story to tell. A wonderful story didn't you know? A heartwarming Christmas story of the magical moment when strong friendship blossomed into true lo...

N-Nick, I-I...I-I don't...

'Oh dear…that wasn't supposed to happen was it?'

She closed her eyes tight and took a slow breath. But when she looked back at the mirror, she noticed it wasn't a pair of violet eyes looking back at her. No, they were green, emerald green. And those emerald eyes didn't belong to a white and gray furred rabbit either. Those eyes belonged to a devastated fox of rusty red and cream fur, the same heartbroken fox that had been haunting her thoughts and dreams for several days now.

His eyes...they looked so...I've only seen them like that once before...

She took another breath, one much slower than the last.

Why Nick?...Why me?

'Isn't it obvious?'

But we're just friends! Best friends!

'Friends who work together all day, who go out on the town together every weekend, friends who make dinner for each other nearly every night of the week…'

But best friends do that together!

'You pull him off of the streets, you pushed him through training, pinned a shiny badge on his chest and ran away with him to fight crime and make the world a better place…'

I did all that because I knew he could be so much more, because he is so much more…he just needed someone to show him that…someone who cared…

'Exactly….how could he fall for anyone else after he's met someone like you? After everything you've done for him?'

A noise escaped from her throat that was a cross between a sigh and a sob. On reflex she wiped her eyes with an arm, wiping away the small drops of moisture. It was amazing she had any left. Every night she would lay in bed and mentally wrestle herself over the choice of whether or not to dial Nick's number.

So far, she had lost the debate each night. Every time her fingers hovered over her phone, she would pull back in fright. She wanted to talk to him, she needed to talk to him, but she was too afraid; afraid of the sound of his voice, afraid of what he might say to her, afraid of the questions….

She moaned pitifully as she pushed the thoughts away. Wiping the last of the tears away and a smoothing out the front of her sweater, she resumed her task and headed down the hall toward Joanna's room.

The sound of muffled music and rapid finger tapping on keys could be heard the moment Judy poked her head into her younger sister's room. Joanna, a dusty brown furred doe who wasn't much older than fifteen, was at her desk browsing the internet on her laptop. So absorbed into her virtual world, she hardly noticed as her older sister marched over and yanked an earbud out of her right ear.

"Ugh, what?" Joanna complained.

"Everyone is gathering for the family photo in front of the tree..." Judy explained, paws on her hips. Judy wasn't even finished speaking when Joanna groaned dramatically. "Do I have to?" she whined.

The police bunny simply gave the teenager a look. With another scoff and roll of her eyes, Joanna accepted. "Fine, I'll be down in a sec." the teenager huffed.

Sticking the earbuds back into her ears, the teenager quickly forgot Judy's presence. Curious to her sister's activities, Judy carefully raised herself onto her tip toes to peek over Joanna's shoulders. She was watching a Mewtube video on Furbook of some guitar playing panther giving an exuberant performance in some club.

Or perhaps it was some theater, Judy couldn't tell. What she could tell was the panther was tearing up the stage like a mad mammal and the crowd loved every second of it. Judy raised an eyebrow in contemplation as she watched the panther twirl about with his guitar dangling by the strap on his neck. That panther seemed awfully familiar.

"What are you watching?" Judy asked.

"This Mewtube video of a guitarist taken a few days ago, he's gone totally viral, everyone loves him!" exclaimed the teenager.

"Can I listen?"

Joanna huffed a little as she removed an ear bud and offered it to Judy. Plopping the device into her ear, she was met with a delightful sound of jangly riffs and peppy rhythm.

"Wow, he's actually very good..." Judy murmured, staring transfixed at the dancing panther on the screen.

"I know right? His name's Lenni, the people on Furbook say he's just some homeless street performer or something."

Judy tilted her head a little as she watched. "He seems familiar actually…"

"You probably saw him on the streets on patrol or some such. But you won't any more, he's going to make it big! There are rumors saying he's been offered more venues!"

"Good for him," Judy said with a smile.

"It really shows you doesn't it?"

Judy raised an eyebrow at her sister. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, I just think it's so inspiring you know? Like, he used to live in the gutter, a total bum, living on scraps or other mammal's money, but then he rose up and now he's famous! Who could've imagined it?""

Judy tried not to gulp at how familiar the panther's story really was. At that moment, a glaring detail suddenly into place. "Wait! Yes I do know him!"

"What?" Joanna asked.

"I know that panther! I've seen him play before!"

Joanna's eyes nearly bugged out of her skull. "Seriously?!"

"Yes, I think he used to play at this club me and Nick used to visit back in Zootopia. "

"Ugh, jealous! I'd kill to see him live."

"Well, next time you come to visit me in Zootopia perhaps we can catch a show of his."

"Cops get in for free right?" Joanna asked deviously.

Judy stood up straighter and gave her sister a light huff. "Joanna, just because I'm a cop doesn't mean I can score free tickets for mammals."

"But do you think you're partner could?"

Judy blinked dumbly. "What?"

"Well, he's a fox right? He should be pretty good at that stuff. You know, having...connections and all that. I mean, that's what foxes do right?" Joanna said with a suggestive smirk.

Judy's blood boiled. She balled her fists so tight her own claws dug into her skin, "Joanna how dare you! Nick is my friend and a respected officer! Not

Joanna raised her paws up in defense. "Okay, okay! Jeez! Testy much sis?"

Judy stomped on the floor with a foot hard enough to leave a bruise. "When my own sister insults my friends, then yes!"

"Fine! I'm sorry! Jeez! I know he's your boyfriend but you don't need to take my head off for Pete's sake!"

Quick as a whip, Judy's rage subsided. Her blood turned cold, and faint tingle of electricity danced up her spine as a certain fox's voice played inside her head.

I love you Judy, with all of my heart...

'My, my, where have we heard that before?'


Meadowlands Many nights ago….

The air within the ballroom pavilion was pulsing with electricity. To the side, the seven piece band was belting out a smooth swing piece. Mammal couples of nearly every combination were twirling and jamming the night away. All of them, except a certain fox and rabbit pair who broke off from the dancing mammals and moved off to the side. Taking a seat in a nearby dinner chair, Judy kicked off her high heels to carefully rub her aching toes.

"Oooh, my feet..." she moaned.

"Sheesh Carrots, where's that legendary rabbit endurance?" said the smirking fox.

The rabbit's eyes hovered up to give her fox companion an unamused look. "You know I can't dance Slick..." she huffed playfully. "…especially in these horrible things,"

The fox simply smiled. "Well if the poor bunny is all danced out for the evening, would she care for a stroll outside to get some fresh air?" he asked politely, offering out a paw.

Grabbing her shoes, the rabbit smiled widely as she took the fox's paw. "Sure."

The fox's smile grew wickedly, causing the rabbit to lose hers. In one step Nick scooped Judy off of her feet and began carrying her as he marched for the ballrooms doors that led outside.

"Nick! Put me down!" she protested.

"But I thought your feet were killing you?" he asked innocently.

"I can still walk you dumb fox,"

"Too bad," he jested.

The rabbit struggled in his arms for a bit longer before resigning to her impromptu taxi service. They slowly made their war down a brick path that stretched between the river and the festival. Along the riverbank there were other clubs and riverside venues, each one bursting with some holiday event or another. The further they walked, the more Judy seemed to relax within Nick's arms.

"This has been a wonderful evening Nick, thank you for taking me."

"Anything for you Fluff, every mammal needs a little break now and again. Even for little miss super cop..."

She rolled her eyes and giggled softly. "How very wise of you,"

"…Which is way I vote you should let me drive us home tonight." He added.

She flicked him once on the ear. "Keep dreaming Slick," she jested. "You're driving is worse than mine."

"What? Can't I get some kind of reward for treating you this lovely evening?" he whined jokingly.

Judy rolled her eyes a second time with a shake of her head. "Fine, how can I repay you for tonight?"

The two partners soon came up a small grove of decorated pine trees alongside the brick path. There were a couple of streetlights and a few steel benches. Setting Judy back down alongside a pine covered in gold tinsel, Nick flashed her a half-lidded smirk.

"I can think of one thing," he said.

The fox aimed a single finger toward the ceiling, drawing the rabbit's gaze to a familiar ball of dark green leaves and snow white berries. Her ears fell back as she nervously looked at her partner, whose smirk bordered on being devilish.

"Oh sweet cheese and crackers..."she whispered.

Nick nodded slowly, "MmmHmmm,"

"Ah! Get away!" she squealed cheerfully.

Breaking free from his grasp, Judy began to sprint through the maze of pine trees as fast as her legs could carry her through the ankle deep snow. On the two officers chased each other through the trees and over the field, her lavender dress sparkling like a hundred stars in the low evening light. The pursuit went for what must've been twenty minutes before the fox lost track of the elusive bunny. He had just rounded the corner of a tree when a solid object tackled him from behind.

Tossing and tumbling over each other across the ground, they came to a stop with Judy sprawled on top of his chest, both mammals panting heavily. Despite his thick shirt and vest, Judy could feel the fox's heart pounding heavily in his chest, probably from all the running she figured.

"Nice try...*huff*...Slick." she wheezed. "But you're going to have to try harder than that..."

"Aw Carrots, just go and break a poor fox's heart like that..." he moaned.

Judy snorted a little with laughter at Nick's tiny display of mock defeat. She would never admit it, lest she fueled his ego even more, but her partner sure could act convincingly at times. Even she had trouble telling the difference when he was sincerely dismayed or playing a part for effect.

"Don't worry Nick, I'll be sure to leave something special in your stocking on Christmas day for tonight."

The fox sighed through his nose. "I can't win, can I?"

Judy gave the fox a smug smile, "Nope."

She booped him on the nose once before clambering off and rising back to her feet. Standing back up himself, Nick brushed the snow off his coat and pants before doing one good shake, sending tiny flakes of snow flying in all directions. Plopping down into one of the nearby benches, the two mammals leaned back and watched the stars twinkle in the sky, quietly chatting with one another about this and that; about work, city life, family, and a few current events of the day. Until eventually….

"Nick, do you ever think about...you know, romance?" Judy asked carefully.

If she wasn't so fixated on the sky, she would have noticed the fox stiffen in his seat. "Sometimes," he replied smoothly.

"Anyone ever catch your eye?"

The fox shrugged lazily, but he didn't speak. "How about you?" he asked.

She clasped her paws together and leaned her head against the fox's shoulders, humming contentedly from the fox's warmth.

"Not often. But every now and again, my mind wanders. I mean, I'm 26, you're 34..." she began.

Nick sniffed. "29 miss mathematics, you always forget my tax forms should've said a decade and a half, not two."

The rabbit scoffed lightly. "Fine, 29 then...of course, I wasn't the one who lied about their age on a federal form you know."

Nick smirked. "And yet you would think a police officer's investigation would always be so much more thorough."

Judy slapped his arm. "Jerk."

"Dumb bunny."

"Grumpy fox."

Nick moaned in annoyance, to which Judy giggled before continuing. "As I was saying, it comes up every now and again. I've never given it much thought, I was trying so hard to achieve my dream it just seemed like…."

"Something to get in the way?" Nick added.

The rabbit shrunk a little in her seat. "Sort of, I guess. I'm not against it, it just wasn't the most important thing in the world to me for a long time."

There was a long pause between the two of them.

"How about now?" Nick asked.

Judy sighed slowly. "I don't know…maybe?"

There was another pause, but the silence was broken by an awkward cough from the fox.

"But let's say, hypothetically, what if one day a dashing buck came in and swooped you off of your cute little feet? What then?" Nick began.

Judy was about to retort about the use of the 'c' word when the next sentence out of the fox's mouth stopped her in her tracks.

"…You wouldn't need to hang out with this bag of red fur anymore." Nick finished with a shrug.

Judy eyed the fox with curiosity, his tone was level, and his eyes were dead focused on the stars above them, but she knew better. She had known this fox for two years now; she could tell when the walls were up. A small smile grew across her face as she reached up to move his chin down so he could face her directly, his emerald eyes growing wide as she did so.

"And what makes you think that?" she asked gently. "I've put far too much work into you to throw
you away that easily Nick Wilde, and don't you forget it."

The rabbit smiled even harder at the swimming reflection in the fox's eyes. He reached slowly with a paw to place it atop of her own that was still on his face, his lips parting ever so slightly as if he was about to say something. Before he could, Judy leaned forward to place a tiny kiss on his left cheek,

"Come on, it's getting late, we should head back." she said.

Slipping on her high heels once more, the rabbit rose from her seat and began to walk down the path toward the festival. Not once noticing the fox's lingering gaze as she walked away.


Eventually, the two friends returned to the ballroom and were now standing outside the front door in front of the parking lot. Judy was rummaging through her purse to find the Cruiser keys while Nick stood close by, seemingly avoiding her gaze every time she glanced in his direction.

"Thank you so much Nick, this night was wonderful." she said sweetly.

The fox gave a lazy shrug. "Well we've known each other for two Christmas's now, I figured it was high time we did something together for fun during the holidays."

To his surprise, the rabbit drew closer and grabbed both of his paws with her own. "I mean it Nick,

He smiled warmly at her. "Don't sweat it Fluff, it's what friends do for each other this time of year right?"

"About that Nick, there was something I've been meaning to ask you for awhile now..." she began, looking to the side nervously.

She didn't see it. If she did, she would've noticed the hopeful expression grow over the fox's features. The glowing spark in his eyes, the tightening of his paws over her own.

"Really? Cause I've had something I wanted to tell you too..." he said softly.

His comment went unnoticed. The rabbit in front of him was so lost in thought over her request she barely heard him.

"Even though we're just friends, I was wondering, about having you over at..."

"I love you Judy, with all of my heart..." he said sincerely.

The world ended.

The gears in Judy's head came to screeching halt. Every nerve in her brain short circuited while her heart rocketed up into her throat. L-love me?, she thought. The blood began to drain from her face as she struggled to get her mouth to move, gaping like a dub fish as stared at the fox in pure shock.

"N-Nick, I-I...I-I don't..."

The look on his face when she stuttered, it was the single most heartbreaking sight she had ever seen.

"Y-you d-don't…?" he began, drawing back a little.

"W-wait Nick! That's not w-what I mean, well, it sort of is, uhm…not quite, exactly..." she stuttered.

"N-No, its f-fine Judy i-it's no big…"

The rabbit shook her head violently, tiny drops of water flying from her eyes as she did so. "No! N-Nick listen, I uhm, I don't mean that. At least, not like...that exactly. Or at least not what you mean perhaps...but I mean..."

The fox's face twisted with poor understanding. "Then, you mean...?"

"What I mean is..." she began unsteadily, nervously twitching in place. "... what I think I mean is not quite what you might think I mean..." she rambled.

"Judy, I don't understand what you're saying..." Nick replied.

"I-I mean, how do I know what I mean is what you mean, or if you could m-mean something else entirely...because we're two very different mammals, so what I think you mean could be different than what you could mean, or what you do mean, or what you think you mean..."

"What do YOU mean?!" Nick shouted in exasperation.

"I don't even know!" the poor rabbit screeched.

Pressing both of her paws to her face, she tried to hide herself from the powerful emerald gaze of the fox in front of her. The same gaze she knew was looking back at her in despair.

"Judy, I..."

"I-I have to go!" she squeaked.

And she did. She lifted the hem of her dress, and spun on her heel to run for the parking lot.

"Judy wait!" Nick screamed.

But she didn't stop. Her heart hammered in her chest at the thought of the reality she was afraid to face behind her.

"Judy please!"

The sound of his voice, it broke her heart even further. She began to feel her own eyes turn even more salty at the sound. But she still didn't stop, even when she ran round a parked elephant van and disappeared out of sight.

She never stopped.

"JUUUDDYYYY!"

=================================================================
Present...

Judy gave a nervous chuckle. "H-he's not my boyfriend. W-what makes you say that?"

The look Joanna gave her sister would give anyone reason enough to question who was the more mature one of the bunch. "I've seen your Furbook page sis, like, you two are practically glued together. All the photos of each other? The selfies? The banter in the comments? Like, it's pretty obvious sis."

Judy crossed her arms and turned to look away. "Well you assumed incorrectly."

Joanna tilted her head. "You okay sis? You seem…moody."

Judy's eyes darted at her sister for a brief moment before looking away once more. "Nick and I had a bit of a rough patch before I came over…" she said barely above a whisper.

"What'd ya do? Break up with him?"

Judy hopped backward in shock so suddenly it was as if a firework was lit beneath her feet. "What?! NO!" She hollered.

"Then why the drama show?"

There was a tinge of pink on her cheeks. "I-uh, we, we aren't even dating!"

Joanna rolled her eyes. "Like I believe that..."

"Joanna, there is nothing going on between me and Nick. And I'd appreciate it if you would mind your own business!"

"Yeah, don't care, it's your problem sis. He's your fox, you deal with it."

"He's-NOT-MY-FOX!" Judy spat through gritted teeth.

"Still don't care."

Judy's temper was dangerously reaching critical levels, there was even a smidgen of teeth grinding occurring, but she professionally managed to hold back the urge to strangle her sibling…..barely. "If you're quite finished, we need to head downstairs. You know how upset mom become's..."Judy said.

"Fine," Joanna groaned, sliding her chair back away from the desk and heading for the door, passing her still seething sister in the process.

"Remind me again how you have a boyfriend while having such a snotty attitude?" Judy remarked.

"Whatever sis, at least I don't run from my problems..."

Judy stopped dead in her tracks, her sister leaving her behind. Her ears fell behind her head again as stared at the floor. She didn't move an inch for several moments until a noise from the door grabbed her attention.

"You coming or what? Cause, like, I don't care, but you know how mom gets..." Joanna said mischievously.

Judy gave the teenager a scowl and marched out of the room. With a bemused sister trailing behind, Judy rejoined her family at the base of the Christmas tree. Once everyone had resumed their positions, Stu set the camera's timer before scrambling to his spot. When the photo had been taken, and printed out for all to see, Judy couldn't help shake the notion someone important was missing from the group.