A nice little breather. We don't get enough of those, huh? lol Also a request. I hope everyone likes it. Enjoy!
Nick and Judy sit at their shared desk, scribbling away at the paperwork. Judy's gaze is intense and focused as she works. Nick, on the other hand, struggles to keep his attention exclusively on the paper. His hand and pen still with increasing frequency as his gaze bounces around the room. Even the most boring of objects becomes immensely interesting in the face of this dull activity. He hums to himself, softly at first, but with steadily increasing volume.
Judy tries not to say anything, to tune it out like the rest of the chaos of the office, but even she has her limits. She drums her foot on the floor and her lips pull tight. After five minutes her ears begin to twitch noticeably as well, Nick's humming blaring in her ears and she swears the whole precinct. "Nick." Her voice is low.
Nick doesn't hear her over his humming.
"Nick," She tries again, her teeth clenched now. Again, nothing. "Nick." She practically screams, slamming her hands down on the desk.
The heads of all the officers within earshot pop up. They peer in on the scene despite knowing it is none of their business. Their little squabbles are just too good to resist.
Nick jumps and nearly falls over backward out of his chair. He only saves himself by grappling onto the edge of the desk. "Geez, Carrots. Volume." He smirks.
"Volume, huh?" She tilts her head. Her smile drips irritation.
Nick's ears droop and the smirk falls from his lips. Crap. He knows that look all too well.
"How about your volume? Or does humming not count?" She narrows her eyes and curls her fingers around the edge of the desk. "Cause I think you might have broken the sound barrier."
"Sorry, Carrots. But I'm just so…" He motions his hands around in indecipherable gestures. "You know!"
Judy stares at him as if he is stupid. "I really don't. Besides, less than a week ago you were complaining about wanting to come back to the precinct. "
"Well yeah, but not this. I hate sitting still. That's why I hated being stuck on stupid crutches and sitting around all day. I want to go catch a criminal, to walk." God knows it's been far too long. "Not sit here and…" His sentence tapers off into a groan. He flops over onto the desk.
"Oh grow up Nick." She swats him in the head. "Not all of life can be fun and games." Most of it can't, in fact.
Nick sits up and grins. "Ah, come on Carrots. Don't be so serious."
Clawhauser pops his head around the corner. "Yeah, Carrots." He says through the donut in his mouth. "Nick is just a kidder."
Nick shoots a sharp look Clawhauser's way. "Hey," He points a finger at him. "Nobody calls her that but me. That's my name."
Clawhauser's eyes widen and mouth gapes. He slaps his free hand over his lips. "Oh my gosh. I'm so sorry. I didn't know."
Another officer comes into view. A mischievous glint shines in his eyes. "Now who's too serious, Nickie? You jealous?" He grins from ear to ear.
Nick rolls his eyes. "Jealousy has nothing to do with it. And I'm just the right amount of serious." He looks hard Vincent.
"What do you think, Carrots?" Vincent looks to Judy.
Judy snickers. "Come on, Vincent. Leave him alone. Also," Her demeanor shifts in an instant. Her expression turns icy as she levels an intense look at the officer. "Never call me that again. Got it?"
Vincent freezes for an instant before shaking off the terror. He clears his throat and straightens himself. "Yeah, course not, Judy." He quickly leaves.
Clawhauser laughs. "Well, see ya guys." He waves as he hurries back to the front desk.
Nick snorts and crosses his arms as he settles back in his chair. "That'll show him." He smirks in self-satisfaction.
Judy shakes her head. "Don't get comfortable. Remember," She taps her pen on the papers atop the desk. "Papers."
"Yeah, yeah." He leans over the work once more. He looks at it for five seconds before his gaze flits up to her once more. "So," He grins. "You really won't let anyone else call you Carrots?"
Judy presses her lips together to hide the smile.
"I guess that makes me pretty special, huh?"
"Only dummies get to call me that. Because I know there's no point even trying to correct them. They won't learn. So why waste my breath."
"Uh-huh." The grin spreads further across his face. "You love it." He pokes her cheek repeatedly. "Come on, say it."
Judy grabs his finger and holds it down on the desk. "Nope." She shoves her nose in the air and as far away from him as possible. She refuses to let him see the way her eyes light up.
Nick drops his pen and uses his other hand to poke at her.
Judy giggles. "Nick, stop it. We're supposed to be working."
"Then just say it."
Judy snatches his other hand and holds it down. "If I do will you please focus?" She leans forward, piercing him with her brilliant purple eyes.
Nick chuckles. "Sure thing Carrots."
"Then yes, Nickie." Her eyes glint with a mischief to match her grin. "I love it." Her gaze flits toward the doorway where she can practically feel the presence of at least half of the officers and then back to Nick. She yanks her eyes to the right over and over again to silently get her message across.
Nick presses his lips together to keep from laughing. He nods.
"But not as much as I love you."
It takes only a second and all of those she knew were listening fly into view. "Was that a confession?" One screams. "No way! That doesn't count!" Another voices protests. "You're just mad you lost!" Each cry is louder than the last as they talk over each other.
Judy watches and waits patiently. She takes to tapping her fingers on the desk. "Guys," She smiles in a way Nick has come to know to mean she is about to murder someone. "What did I tell you about the betting pool?"
Everyone goes silent in an instant. They duck their heads and their ears fold over. Finally one finds the courage to speak. "Don't…do it?" They shrug.
Nick's face brightens and his grin grows wider by the second. It is all he can do to keep from cracking up.
"And?" Judy plants her hands on her hips.
Each officer exchanges glances. When no one volunteers and answer they look back at her, knowing full well she is about to enlighten them.
Judy sighs, a look of utter exasperation seizing her face. "That Nick and I are not, never were, and never will be in love." She shoves her chair back and leaps to her feet. Even though she is hands down the smallest of all the officers she faces, in that moment she is the most intimidating person in the room as she stares them down. "So any of you who bet we'll get together with a month or a year or ever, you have all lost." She points her finger in a semicircle, making sure she gets everyone. "The one of you who picked never, if there even is one of you – you win. Give him all the money and just give it up already."
"Yes!" A cry from the back of the crowd reigns over them. As they jump it is revealed to be Clawhauser. "I told you guys. I told you." He shoves another donut in his mouth. "That's like, two hundred bucks." He mutters to himself as he leaves.
Judy smirks around at all of them. "Have a nice day." She shoos them away.
They all trudge out grumbling, leaving the pair alone once again. It is then that Nick lets loose. He throws his head back and bursts out laughing. His body shakes in his hysterics and the chair teeters on the edge before completely toppling over.
Judy turns to him, grinning from ear to ear. "That's what they get." She snickers. "Making bets on my personal relationships. I outta smack them." She walks over to him and extends her hand. "Don't die down there."
Nick struggles to reign it in, but he gains enough control to be able to sit up straight and accept her hand.
Judy pulls him to his feet. "At least Clawhauser has some sense."
Nick wipes at his eye. Finally the laughter subsides and only a large grin remains plastered across his face. "Yeah, I knew that goofball was my favorite for a reason."
Judy shakes her head. "Now come on," She nods toward the desk. "Let's try to get some work done." She really would rather not be here all night doing this boring routine.
"Yeah, yeah." He picks the chair up and resituates himself. They both know good and well all hope of him getting anything substantial done now though is far gone. "You do love me more than my nickname for you though." He smirks as he focuses his eyes on the papers.
Judy rolls her eyes, smiling to herself. "Yes, yes I do."
As much as I don't ship them, I do find the idea of most of the officers having a betting pool about her and Nick getting together highly amusing. So I couldn't help but do it. And of course Judy and Nick would know about it and string them along when they need a good laugh because that is so them. I also really love the idea of Nick being possessive of his nickname for her and that's ultimately how this chapter was born. lol I hope you liked it too. Please review!