Ch. 9: The Shield that's Breaking

"You can't make me," Nick stepped away from the subway car with sheer terror on his face. "I won't let you."

He and Judy had grabbed the quick bite and finished their food right before Nick had accidentally driven across a shard of glass and popped a tire.

They had managed to call in a tow truck fairly quickly but the armadillo told them he wouldn't be able to bring the car back until tomorrow, no matter how many times Nick tried to bribe them.

This meant they either had to use the subway to get to Tundra Town or walk, and Nick was passionality for the latter option.

"I could use the exercise," he stated. Meanwhile Judy held his arm between both paws and was trying to drag him into the car. "Nick we don't have that kind of time."
"Do you know what happens in these subways?" he barked the question and then shuddered as he thought about it.

"Just don't sit down and hold your breath," Judy was losing patience. "It's almost dark, we need to get there!"

Suddenly a group of mammals piled in behind them, forcing the bunny and fox into the subway, Judy releasing the fox as she was herded. They were pushed against another crowd already boarded.

Judy held back a yelp when Nick's paw latched onto her wrist, the grip painful. She glared up at the fox but he looked ready to have a heart attack, his fur bristled and chest heaving.

Her glare eased and she wondered if he would appreciate if she patted his paw in comfort. She doubted it.

"It's going to be fine," she tried for verbal comfort as the subway started. "I've rode subways all the time and I've never gotten a fatal disease."

"You're small," Nick muttered. "The germs can't reach you."

"Then crouch and you'll be safer," Judy offered, "If you don't mind me breathing on you."
"I know where you've been." And to her surprise he actually crouched to be at eye level wit her, his paw still around her wrist as if her being here protected him from germs.

They were silent for a few moments, shoulders brushing, while Nick was breathing quickly but softly, wanting to suck in as little air as possible.

And it was starting to scare her. Judy placed her paw over the one that claimed her wrist and Nick whipped his snout toward her, their noses nearly colliding. He lowered his snout, keeping a safe distance from her muzzle.

"Are you going to be okay?" Judy asked worriedly. "I just, I didn't think you'd react like this."

"I'll be fine," he mumbled. "I've been in lesser sanitary environments and survived, that's just been a while."

She rubbed her paw over his knuckles, "Tundra Town has snow, snow's clean."

"Hm," he murmured distractedly, eyes on their paws, gray over black over gray, storm clouds surrounding soot.

Judy made to move her paw but Nick softly shook his head. "Don't," he breathed, "It's fine."
Someone in the crowd sneezed then and Nick flinched, Judy suddenly severely wished she had some sanitizer on hand.

"I'm sorry," she breathed helplessly and his eyelids rose up in surprise and confusion.

"For what?"

"I didn't think you'd react this badly, I-"

"Stop," he interrupted, firmly but not rudely. "As much as I hate to admit it you were right. It would've been stupid to walk all the way to Tundra Town."

Judy had a sense that he was uncomfortable talking about his phobia so she kept her jaw locked. But her brain still buzzed with curiosity, she wondered what had caused this fear. She wished she could ask…

The subway jolted to a stop so suddenly a few animals temporarily lost their balance, including a bear right behind Nick. The collision sent Nick forward, slipping off his feet and onto his tail. He would've landed on his back if not for Judy catching him, though the consequences were her muzzle buried in his neck.

Judy tried to move away but the crowd had tightened around them, it felt like they were in a sardine can.

"You alright, Carrots?" Nick asked, his own voice strained.

Judy didn't answer, she was pressed up against the fox and couldn't speak through his fur. Though she took note that the texture of his coat was much softer than she expected, knowing most foxes have coarse fur. And she wasn't surprised he carried the whiff of sanitary products and strong shampoo and conditioner, overpowering his natural musk, and she could detect the faint trace of blueberries which reminded her of the pie she still had left in her refrigerator.

But thankfully the subway doors slid open and the crowd moved out, Nick quickly pulled away from Judy as soon as he could and scrambled to his feet, hurrying out of the car with Judy on his heels.

"I changed my mind," Nick told her as they climbed out of the station to Tundra Town, his voice sounded choked. "I can walk from now on."

.

Mrs. Otterton had given him Mr. Big's address and Nick let out a low whistle as they stood at the gates of the impressive house.

"It's like a mansion," he stated as a polar bear arrived at the gates.

He gave them a narrowed eyed look as Judy explained they were on a murder case, showing him their badges. When the bear didn't budge she also added that Mrs. Otterton had sent t hem which was apparently the magic words.

They were led into a den that Judy guessed served as a waiting room, told to stay put while the bear fetched Mr. Big.

The two sat on a polar bear sized leather couch, Nick leaning back with a sigh.

"I can tell…" he breathed, "This room is so clean."

Judy gave him a wry look but didn't say anything, Nick had been acting odd since they had left the school and she was glad to see his confidence and smugness return.

Even if that meant he wouldn't be the nicest animal around.

After a few minutes of silence and still no Mr. Big Judy decided to fill in the quiet. "Do you like blueberries?"

Nick looked at her with ascended eyebrows, "That's a random question."

"I smelled blueberries on you," she explained, "Along with a lot of scented shampoo and conditioner."
"It's called smelling nice," he stated. "But yes, blueberries are one of the few things I love in this world."

"You should come over to my house for dinner tonight, then," she invited. "I have some blueberry pie my mom made, and this way you can meet my kits."

She pulled back suddenly when she saw a flash of grief in Nick's emerald eyes but it was gone just as quick and she wondered if she had just imagined it.

"I'll see," he replied. His ear twitched and he looked at the intricately decorated carpet for a moment before he spoke again: "It reminds me of home."
Judy's brow furrowed but he kept going before she could speak. "Messes, germs, all of it reminds me of my home from when I was a kit, reminds me of my mom…I don't like being reminded of that."

"Oh," she breathed.

"You wear your heart on your sleeve, you know that Carrots," he told her dryly. "It was too easy for a detective as good as me to see you wanted to ask about my phobia."

"I didn't want to be nosy," she replied.

"I'm sure," he replied with little belief in her words. "But it's starting to affect the case so…"
"Then, could I ask a question?" she asked, scooting a bit closer to him. He blinked and she saw the walls go back up-right before they fell back down with a sigh. "Go on, then."

"Why is being reminded of your mother and home so awful?" Judy couldn't imagine disliking the thought of Bunnyburrow and her family.

"The home thing was simple. I lived in a disgusting house in a vile neighborhood."
"But your mom…"

"You know the biggest goal I had for when I joined the force? It was so I could buy her a nice house away from all that, to repay her for being the one good thing in my life…she passed away before I graduated."

Judy's heart twisted in pain and she felt her paw rest on his knee of its own accord. "I'm so sorry."
"I know it's stupid," he bit out the words as if he hadn't heard her, instead as if he needed to defend himself for feeling.

"No, it's not," she assured him. "I get it. I went through something similar." Nick moved his eyes to her and Judy went on: "When I was little I had an aunt who grew apples instead of carrots and they were so good. She'd bake them into pies and crumpets and sauce and anything else you could imagine, they were my favorite; she was my favorite. And then one day…she died in a car accident. I couldn't eat apples again, still can't, they just make me too sad."

"I'm sorry," he breathed and his voice sounded a touch different when it was filled with sincerity.

The sudden wail of a baby was heard from the other side of the door and Judy's maternal extinct kicked in immediately. She jumped off the couch and flung the door open-to see a familiar face.

"Fru Fru?"

"Juju!" the artic shrew smiled up at her, holding her crying baby daughter in her paws.

"What are you doing here?" both mothers asked at once, Judy kneeling down before her.

"Oh I live here," Fru explained. "It's my Daddy's house."
"Mr. Big is your father?" Judy gaped. Nick, standing in the door way, cleared his throat.

"Oh, sorry. Fru, this is Detective Wilde, we came to ask your father about a case. Nick, this is my friend Fru Fru, and my goddaughter Judy."

The baby, having spotted the bunny through watery eyes, cooed happily and reached for her.

"You have a goddaughter?" Nick asked in disbelief.

"After she saved my life? Of course I made her the godmother," Fru Fru stated. Judy had picked the two shrews up and held them between her palms.

"Saved her life?"

"I am a cop, Nick."

"Did you need to see Daddy?" Fru Fru asked of her friend, rocking her daughter in her arms.

"Actually, yes, we need to ask him some questions about a case," Judy explained.

The shrew's nose twitched, "I hope you aren't solving anything too dangerous, Juju. You're far too reckless."

Judy shrugged but the shrew directed them down a hallway and to the left, Nick opening a large door for the bunny and shrew and they stepped into a small courtyard where they saw a celebration was going on.

"It's my uncle's birthday," Fru Fru explained as Judy walked over to the large table where a group of shrews socialized, ate, and danced.

All eyes turned on the bunny and fox, Nick stayed a few feet back, when Judy placed Fru Fru on the table and she hurried to a graying shrew sitting at the headed of a table. They talked for a few moments with quiet breathes before the old shrew looked toward the cop and detective and beckoned them forward.

"I'm glad to finally meet you, Mrs. Savage," the shrew, who could be no one else but Mr. Big, greeted Judy politely, while Fru Fru and little Judy walked off to talk to relatives.

"It's nice to meet you, sir," she nodded to him. Judy had been with Fru Fru when the shrew had given birth at the hospital, her father who Judy had yet to meet getting stuck in a snow drift. Judy had had to leave to return to her own children before the shrew had finally arrived.

"One of my bears told me you needed to speak with me about Mrs. Otterton."

"Actually we needed to talk to you about Emmitt Otterton," Nick broke in and as quickly as possible explained to the shrew what had happened.

When he was done Mr. Big said immediately, "Emmitt is innocent, I have heard of the ram that was found and he would not do such a thing."
"We know," Judy said, "We have evidence that he's been framed and we believe that's because he knows something the real killer doesn't know."
"We suspect the real killer is a murderer that's recently been spotted," Nick added. "And we were hoping, as Otterton's boss you might know something?"
But the shrew was already shaking his head, "I am afraid I haven't talked with Otterton in some time. I would not know."

Judy's ears fell, but then shot back up as the shrew continued: "But, I do know he had recently been in business with a new party. I do not know who it is but I have been allowing my driver Manchas to escort him to meet with this new buyer. Perhaps talking to him will give you a hint on who framed Emmitt."

"You're going to be fine then?" Jack asked Nick in concern.

The fox and hare both wore brand new ZPD uniforms along with their brand new badges. Their mouths still hurt from all the smiling they had done during the graduation, hearts soaring and a sense of relief that nearly made them pass out.

They had done it.

They were officers.

And they would only go farther from here on out.

But then they had received the bad news.

Jack, who was valedictorian of his class, would be sent to Precinct One at the heart of City Center.

Nick would be sent to Precinct Ninety Nine at the very edge of Zootopia.

It had infuriated Jack and when the ceremonies had finished the two remained in Savannah Park and the hare told his friend he'd go to Precinct Ninety Nine with him. Nick had refused.

"You earned Precinct One," Nick stated. "I want you to go and show Zootopia what a hare can do."

"You earned it too," Jack insisted.

"I'll get there," Nick replied, "I already proved so many animals wrong by being a cop period."

"I don't want us to be separated," Jack said glumly, his ears falling along with his head.

"Me neither," Nick breathed, letting some of his disappointment, and a dash of his bitterness, show in his voice. "But if we can handle your crazy sisters and the hell known as the ZPD Academy, we can handle this."

"We'll stay in contact," Jack's head shot back up, eyes bright. "I'll call you everyday."

Nick snorted in amusement, "You sound like a love struck school girl, Cap'n Jack."

But the hare's expression didn't change and Nick nodded, holding his fist up, "Everyday."
Jack tapped his fist against Nick's, "Everyday."