It was…starting to cause issues, to say the least.

It started a few weeks ago after a hit and run. They'd had the bear cornered, and out of anger, he lashed out and left a mark on Judy. She had no idea what had happened— the hit had her out for a few minutes. All she knew was what she read in the case file, which detailed an apparent attack on the original assailant.

"Nick…is this true?" Judy questioned. Her arms were crossed, but she still held a look of disbelief. There was no way Nick would have attacked a bear like that.

Her partner had just given her a shrug and a wink. "Oh, you know how those files make it sound so dramatic— it was nothing, really. Just a scuffle."

Judy had given him a warning look, but brushed it off. If he said it was nothing, then it was nothing. She trusted her partner implicitly.

But then that Thursday, there was an incident involving two raccoons, a slippery squirrel, and some rope.

"Tying them upside down until I got there? Seriously?" Judy asked with a raised eyebrow.

Nick once again shrugged. "What? It's happened to us before. It's nothing that'll hurt them-"

"Unless it was for an extended period of time, like it happened to be in this case."

"-but they did have that illegal bunny tranquilizer," Nick pointed out.

Judy just shook her head, smiling slightly. "Just call me sooner like planned, next time, okay?"

"Yes, ma'am," he winked with a salute.

Next time came five days later. Judy was tapping her foot rapidly, and Nick was giving her a slightly bashful look.

"Biting his leg? Really, Nick? Was that necessary?" she inquired. She wasn't quite furious, but she was a bit ticked off.

He laughed, embarrassed. "Well, considering the fact that if I hadn't, he would have lunged at you and done who knows what-"

"Next time, think things through," Judy interrupted. "You don't want to give us— or foxes— a bad reputation as cops."

She thought this would be the last time. After all, he had put his ears down and nodded solemnly. Even his tail was sagging as he left. Judy almost felt bad for having to correct him, but it was her job. And she was his superior, technically.

But this time, it was different.

"Why, Nick, why?" she seethed. "You knew the plan going into it, and you completely ruined it!"

The fox was flabbergasted. "Excuse me, did you just ask 'why'? As in why did I tackle the wolf that had a gun pointed at you?"

Judy scoffed and turned away, arms crossed.

Nick wanted to rip his fur out. "In case you forgot, partner, I saved your life! So I would appreciate a thank you-"

The rabbit spun on him. "Oh, a thank you, is that what you want? A thank you for getting involved in a situation that I clearly had under control-"

"-I wouldn't call being at gunpoint under control, Judy!" Nick interrupted. "In fact, I-"

"Hey!" Bogo barked. He was standing in the doorway of his office, looking at them expectantly. "Get in here, now!"

Chief Bogo stared the partners down. They were sitting in separate chairs, neither one looking at the other. "You both have a lot of explaining to do," he started out.

Judy opened her mouth to speak, but he cut her off. "I don't want to hear it, Hopps— that situation got way out of hand," Bogo stated firmly.

Nick was about to smirk proudly, but Bogo saw that too.

"-and you've been causing a ruckus with the press, Wilde," Bogo snapped. "I've seen your pattern of aggression, and while I understand your desire to keep your partner safe, this has far exceeded the norm of protective instincts-"

"Pft, that's an understatement," Judy scoffed.

Bogo eyed her suspiciously. "I have decided…" he began slowly. "…that you both need a break from each other. Starting tomorrow, you will be temporarily reassigned partners-"

"But sir-"

"Thank goodness."

Nick blinked, mouth wide open. He hadn't just heard that, had he? Judy wasn't actually happy about this, was she?

But she was getting up and walking out of the office. No, no, no, this wasn't happening, this wasn't happening.

"Judy! Judy, wait!" Nick called, running after her.

She wasn't listening. Her ears were pinned straight up, not willing to turn back and listen to his pleas. She walked into her office calmly and began to pack up her things for the night.

Nick rushed in after her. "Judy, you can't seriously be happy about this, right?"

The bunny turned on him, eyes blazing with unspoken fury. "Actually, yes, I am happy about this."

A knife pierced his heart, but she wasn't through.

"You've been ridiculous lately!" she huffed. "I don't know if you can't handle the missions anymore, or if you're becoming untrustworthy-"

"You don't understand, Judy!" Nick cut in desperately.

"Clearly," Judy said through gritted teeth.

Nick wanted to hit his head on something. "No, no, that's not how I meant it. I-"

"Oh don't worry, I understand entirely!" she fumed. "You want to be in charge. That's it, isn't it?"

He was ready to interrupt, but she held up a firm paw.

"That's why you keep changing the plans, isn't it? Well news flash, Nick— you're not in charge here, I am. We may be partners, but I am your superior, and therefore when I say something, you will do as I say."

"But Judy-"

"No buts! I've had it up to here with you!" she exclaimed irritably.

Nick wanted so badly to be angry, but he couldn't be. He had to make her understand. He'd done all those things to protect her, not control her. Maybe he should have been smarter, yes, and maybe he shouldn't have been so rash in his decisions, but it was all for her.

He could see it all over again— his bunny, out cold on the concrete after that bear hit her. His bunny, on her way to confront a gang armed with tranqs, the type made specifically for her species. His bunny, trapped in a corner against a rhino twenty times her size. And worst of all, his bunny at gunpoint.

But even with all of these emotions coursing through him, he couldn't figure out what to say. So instead, he just hung his head. "Okay," he whispered. "I'm sorry."

Judy's mouth tightened up into a scowl. She almost said something, but stopped herself. She shook her head, muttering "forget it" under her breath. She pushed past him, and for the first time in five months, walked out of the ZPD alone.

Nick stood there in her office for at least fifteen minutes. He was in a daze, unwilling to accept what had just happened. Was that what it felt like? To put all your trust in someone, to really care for someone, and then have them walk out on you?

It made him wonder if she'd felt this way when he'd left all those months ago— that sick, rotten feeling in your stomach that makes you want to cry; the weighty pain in your heart that felt like a rock; or worst of all, the feeling of being lost all over again. Besides Judy, he didn't really have anyone else. She was it, and she was all he'd ever wanted or needed.

It was as if a rain cloud was forming over his head— a little one made just for him. It poured guilt, shame, and hopelessness over him like he'd never experienced before. Nick Wilde felt awful, and even then, he couldn't tell himself his mantra, his own advice…the phrase he said over and over, to never let anyone show that they got to him. But Judy had gotten to him, and it hurt now that she was gone.