By the time Judy was finished putting on her purple swim suit, Nicholas had spread his collection of shells all over the kitchen table, color coordinated from smallest to largest.

"Wow... There has to be at least two hundred shells..."

"Two hundred and seven, to be exact." Nick replied, hunched over the table as he gingerly pushed around a shell.

"You mentioned that you paint the large shells," Judy said, stepping into the room. "But what do you do with the teeny tiny ones?"

"Glue them to picture frames made out of sticks."

"Oh. That's very creative."

Nick flashed the rabbit a smile. "Then sell them for $5 each."

Judy picked up a pillow from the couch and threw it at him. The fox caught it quickly, his concern for the organized shells written all over his face. "Go get your swim shorts on!" Judy said.

"Right, right..." The fox sighed, leaving his collection.

"When you come back, it'll be time to take your medicine." Judy told him, quickly.

However, as the fox walked towards the bedroom to change, something caught Nick's attention. He went and stood at the window, peering with narrowed green eyes.

"Judy...? There are police out front..."

"Wh-what?" Judy squeaked.

"It's so weird. They're looking in the same place those mice were in my ...dream..." The fox slowly turned his head, staring at the rabbit.

Just then, the doorbell rang.

"I got it-"

"No," interrupted the fox as he strolled past. "I've got it." Nick went and opened the door, answering with a long smile. "Howdy. Can I help you?"

In the doorway stood a leopard and a donkey. The donkey raised his lips in immediate irritation. "Ah great, a fox..."

"Just ask him." Said the females leopard with a sigh.

"Look, have you seen these two mice?" The donkey held up a colored photo of the happy, recently engaged couple.

Nicholas fell quiet, in which time the donkey and leopard exchanged looks. When he spoke, Nick's voice was dead; monotone. "No sir I haven't..."

"All right." The donkey turned to his partner and snorted. "They probably just got blown away by the wind."

The leopard shrugged and tipped her hat to Nicholas. "Haveanicedaysir," she said automatically, then shut the door.

By this time, Judy huddled next to the couch like a naughty child expecting punishment. She watched the fox. All he did was stand still, staring at the closed door.

Judy opened her mouth and spoke across the room, her voice cracking, "Nick, I-"

Nick turned and pointed a finger at her. "Don't. Don't you dare."

Judy shrunk. "I... I did it to protect you..."

"You lied to me!" Nick said loudly. He moved his paws around uselessly. "How is that protecting me?!"

"I didn't want to turn you in!" Judy cried.

"But that's your job!" Nick crossed the room and stood in front of the rabbit. Both of their bodies heaved with the labored breathing; one full of anger, the other full of guilt; both full of internal pain.

Fighting was the last thing either one of them wanted to do.

Nick sucked in a deep breath, held it, then let it go. "...I can understand why you'd lie..." His ears turned backwards. "But I wish you would have been honest with me."

Judy stared up at him defiantly. "You lied to the police." She pointed out.

"Yeah..." He looked away.

"Why? You could have turned yourself in the moment you realized the truth." Judy said.

"I... I didn't want to ruin our vacation..." Nick sighed. "I didn't want to leave your side."

"So what do we do now...?" Judy was quiet, almost whispering.

"We make sure this never happens again." The fox turned and walked into the kitchen, taking out the bottle of grape chewables. He popped four into his mouth and ate them.

Judy wiped the tears off of her cheeks, smiling thankfully. Nick wasn't angry at her anymore! The rabbit followed Nick and wrapped her paws around his waist while he fixed himself a cup of water.

"Nick..." She said quietly.

"Don't ever let me become a monster again." Nick said sternly.

"I won't."

"We have to also decide if we are going to tell the police or not."

"We're-" Judy hesitated. Telling the truth would wind up having Judy removed from the force for tampering with crucial evidence. As for Nick... He would be put in prison. All because of a little medicine mishap!

Nick looked down at her, parting her ears so he could look at her face. "Well? What's the verdict, officer fluffy butt?"

"We won't say a word." Judy decided at length. "Unless it happens again."

"Which it won't." Said the fox.

"Which it won't." Judy agreed.