Chapter 10: To Better One's Self

Nick caught up to Judy after she stormed out the office. "That was something I will never forget for the rest of my life! I-it was incredible! Thank you Hopps and...I'm sorry. I was a terrible friend for trying to watch you squirm. I'm a horrible partner."

Judy turned around and rubbed Nick's shoulder. "You're a WONDERFUL partner! You're just a bit of a jerk at times." She then rubbed the top his head and mocked him. "Who's a good widdle cop?"

"Don't patronize me!" Nick said. Swatting Judy's arm away. "...On second thought, that felt good. Patronize me some more. Between the ears."

Judy chuckled and went along with it. Nick bent down and Judy scratched his ears and rubbed his chin which made Nick's leg shake. "You're a good widdle cop! Yes you are! Yes you..."

Nick and Judy noticed Clawhauser was watching them from a distance. "EEEE! My fanfic's coming true!"

Nick and Judy immediately stood up and walked away. Judy cleared her throat as she passed by Clawhauser. "AHEM! And that, officer Wilde, is how you properly take down a hyena. Now let's be on our way."

Moments later, they were at the car with (now microwaved) coffee and treats in hand. "The coffee's gone stale." Judy mentioned.

"That's fine. I got more drinks in the cooler." Nick said. He then took out the notes from the meeting. "You can read the meeting notes while I drive. You might wanna check the top part."

She looked over the note and had to chuckle at the top part which read Kick Nick's tail. He had kept his word. Nick was bent over in front of Judy with his tail wagging. "Go ahead Fluff, you've earned it." Judy laughed and gave him a light punt on the bottom.

They got in the car. "Now let's check our 8-track selections for today...Stevie Wombat...Monkey and Cher...Oh! The Flea-Gee's with 'Saturday Night Lemur'! A Classic!" He put in the tape and they took off.

As they were driving, Judy scanned the notes. "Does Bogo really believe there's a syndicate of small rodent criminals?"

Nick replied "Well Carrots, with four incidents in under two weeks, I could see why they would think that. Think our pal, Mr. Big is in on this?"

"Not likely"Judy answered. "He uses polar bears for muscle and most of these places are outside of his territory."

There was a bit of silence as Judy went over the notes again. Nick was in deep thought. Finally, he spoke up. "Umm...it's...'I can't.'"

Judy was confused. "What?"

Nick confessed. "You asked last night if I don't...y'know...or I can't. It's the latter. After what you did in there, you deserved to know."

"Oh!" Judy said, surprised.

"I know I'm being a bit of a coward. Because if anything happened to you because of me, I could never forgive myself. That said..."

Judy sat up in her child seat. Her little tail wagging. "Yes?"

"After Bogo chewed me out, it got me thinking about what you said to me yesterday. You're right. If I'm gonna get anywhere in life, I need to change the label on myself. Not through disguises or trickery, but by being the best fox cop I can possibly be and making them respect me and see past my red fur. When that day happens, then...maybe..."

"Yeah." Judy replied with a smile. "Maybe."

"Well then, that does it Fluff!" Nick said. "I'm gonna work extra hard and show them just what a fox can do!"

"That's very commendable" Judy said. "If I wasn't strapped to this blasted seat, I'd give you a kiss on the cheek."

The sly fox smiled. "Well then!" and leaned his cheek in for a kiss. Unfortunately, it made him veer to the right."

"Look out!" Judy screamed and Nick managed to dodge an incoming car just in time. "Salty veggies! If you were any worse a driver, you'd be from Los Antelope! Well, not THAT bad, but close!"

Finally, they parked on the sidewalk (literally, thanks to Nick's driving skills) and Nick added money to the parking meter while Judy ate her carrot cake in the car.

Judy was choking on the cake. "COUGH! It's gotten too dry! I need something to wash it down.

Nick opened the cooler and brought out a drink. "Here you go! One carrot juice with ice and sweetened with sugar!"

Just one thing. It was in a baby bottle.

"I am NOT drinking from that!" Judy protested.

"C'mon Fluff! It's Finnick's bottle and I went through all the trouble of making that drink for you. Finn love's drinking from his 'ba-ba'. Trust me." He said with a devilish grin. He put the bottle up to her face.

"Fine!" She yanked the bottle from his hand and proceeded to drink from it. "Mmmmm...MMMMM! That's really good!" She proceed to drink more and grabbed the bottom of the bottle with her feet, tilting it upwards.

"See?" Nick said. "I used to make these for Finn all the time. A little ice and sugar can really spruce up a drink."

"You made him Carrot juice with sugar?" Judy asked.

"Beer." he replied.

Judy was relaxing with the drink and looking out the passenger side window. She still had the bottom half propped with her feet when she heard a shutter click. "What was that?"

"I didn't hear anything." Nick replied while he quickly pocketed his smart phone. "Y'know Carrots, I was thinking..."

"Well that's dangerous." Judy quipped.

"Ha. Ha. I was thinking of why I'm doing so poorly at my driving. I'm always thinking of the next joke or snarky remark to make instead of taking things seriously. But I get nervous, so I kinda need that silly side to even things out."

"Well..." Judy thought. "Why don't we switch personalities?"

Nick was confused. "Hunh?"

Judy explained. "You take your driving seriously and I'll make the dumb jokes and puns!"

"You're terrible at making jokes!" Nick added.

"Then I'm in good company!" She quipped.

Nick then decided to act like Judy with a high voice. "I'm officer Hopps! Nick ! Pay attention for once! Oh my gosh! That car is two centimeters too far from the sidewalk! Better give them a ticket!"

Judy got shades out of the glove compartment. "I'm Nick Wilde! Hustle! Hustle! Hustle!"

Nick protested. "I never say 'Hustle! Hustle Hustle!'"

Judy jumped out of her seat and started dancing. "Everyday I'm hustlin'! Boo-boo! Beep-Boo! Beep-Beep-Boop!"

Judy then realized something. "OH! You always have a nickname for me! Since I'm you, I now get to use one for you!" She then pulled out a list from her handbag.

Nick chuckled. "How long have you been working on that?!"

"Months!" she admitted. "Now let's see...'Sly?'...'Fluffy Tail?' Too long...'Slick?'"

"Not bad!" said Nick.

"No good then. 'Fangface?' 'Blackpaws?' 'Red?'"

"I don't like that one" Nick said. "Red is more of a girl's nickname."

"Red it is!" exclaimed Judy.

"Well that's...just...great?" Nick was distracted by the four-by-four parked in front of the bank ahead of them. "Carrots! Look!"

She saw it too. Squirrels were crawling in and around the vehicle. "Suspicious rodent activity." She commented. "Just like the patterns Bogo's been seeing!"

"M-maybe it's nothing!" Nick nervously replied. "I'm not ready to get into a big car chase!"

"Yeah" Judy said. "Maybe they're making a deposit of acorns?"

Just then, they heard gun shots and the bank alarm ring. Other squirrels ran out. Two of them held a large gun together and shot at security as they got in the large vehicle. They started taking off.

"How are they driving that thing?!" Nick shouted!

"Go! Go! GO! Step on it, Red!" Judy screamed and Nick stepped on the gas with sirens blaring.

Next Chapter: The Crazy Chase is On!