Judy pulled out her history book and added it to the small pile in the crook of her arm, restlessly shuffling the foot not stuck in a walking boot. It was her first day back after being released from the hospital, and she'd never been so happy to be at school.
"You're doing well."
Nick stopped next to her, dressed in baggy black jeans and a tight red tank top. His headfur had been trimmed, his coat mussed and messy like he'd just rolled out of bed. She licked her lips, thinking he looked unbearably sexy.
"Uh, hey," she smiled nervously. "H-How's it going?"
His green eyes darted to a spot behind her.
"I've been meaning to talk to you," he started quietly. "About what happened at the hospital."
She went stiff, shutting her locker with more force than needed.
"Don't worry about it," she said tightly. "Its fine."
He walked with her, still looking unsure.
"What have I missed the last couple weeks?" she went on flatly, as they stopped outside Ms. Conny's room.
"A lot of review, from what I've heard," he drummed his fingers on his thigh. "You sure everything's okay?"
She scoffed.
"I told you, its fine," she glared at him. "Why wouldn't it be?"
He frowned.
"Judy," he sounded disappointed. "You know I can tell when you're lying."
"It's not a big deal," her voice was still harsh. "I'd tell you if something was wrong."
She left him in the hall, shoving down the guilt that bit at her.
He just saved my life, she thought. I can't ask him to listen to my whining.
She sat down at the back of the room and tried to focus on the lesson, zoning out when it did end up just being review.
I really like him, she'd stopped trying to fight it in the hospital, since she hadn't had much to do besides think. But I know it won't go anywhere, he's already been through too much.
She still wasn't exactly sure what had happened to him, but the details she'd managed to gather painted a hell that swallowed hers whole. Judy messed with her pencil, jotting random crap in her notebook to make it look like she was paying attention. She'd also started to remember what had happened after she'd been abducted, at least what she'd been conscious for, the memories breaking free of the fog in her brain when she'd seen those two lines. Of all the things that could have happened, why did it have to be that?
He looked so worried, though, she thought helplessly. I know I should tell him, but he'll probably hate me after!
She dropped her pencil, groaning softly as she buried her face in her arms.
What am I going to do?
Coach Willis, a fairly bulky tigress, finished separating the rest of the girls, then turned to Judy and gave her a brief once-over. Judy wasn't sure why she'd bothered getting in her uniform in the first place, since it was clear she couldn't participate.
"Don't want you messing yourself up any more," she pointed a thick finger at the edge of the field. "Might as well park it."
Judy sighed in relief, stretching out on the bottom row of the sun-warmed metal bleachers. Her PE class was in the middle of their softball unit, one of the only sports she couldn't stand. She was at the tail end of a nap when a shadow passed over her, her stomach tightening at Nick's small laugh.
"You're enjoying this, aren't you?"
"Better than running around in the mud," she sat up when he moved next to her, lightly panting. The boys' class was using the next field for their soccer unit, and as usual, Jack was dominating. Judy looked anywhere but Nick, not wanting him to see the worry and fear in her eyes.
"You've barely looked at me all day," he said at last. "What's going on?"
"You were the one acting weird this morning," she reminded him, still not facing him. "And I already said that I don't want to talk about it."
He was quiet for a while, then brushed her wrist, making her flinch.
"You keep thinking about what happened, don't you?"
He made it sound so simple. She scoffed.
"I'm just an open book to you, aren't I?"
She got up, ready to storm away when he took her hand.
"You've been through a lot of shit lately," his grip tightened slightly. "You don't have to keep everything bottled up."
I could say the same thing about you, she snapped silently.
"I'm not bottling anything up," she sat back down, the fingers on her other hand awkwardly splayed because of her cast, and finally looked at him. "Why can't you leave it alone?"
He kept hold of her hand, lowering his voice.
"Why can't you let mammals worry about you?"
"I could ask you the same thing," she tugged her hand away when Coach Willis blew her whistle, signaling it was time to hit the showers. Tears pricked her eyes, and she blinked them away. "Look, I know you're just trying to help, but I really can't be around you right now, I'm sorry."
She could feel his stare burning into her back as she hurried off, her heart twisting and dropping to her stomach.
I can't let him find out about this, she told herself. He can't know, he just can't!
She's watching that thing again?
Lance peered into the living room. Every time he'd stayed at their dad's place the last few weeks, Stephanie had been glued to the couch, watching the news story she'd recorded a month ago on mute. Their mother was the local anchormammal, and he recognized the clip that started her weekly coverage of the recent murders. They'd been happening for years, but no one had any idea who might be behind them, and the police didn't seem interested in solving the cases at all. He was about to leave when a picture flashed onscreen: Judy sitting in a wheelchair outside the hospital, smiling tightly, almost angrily. The tan rabbit crouching a bit to hug her had the same expression, and the look in her eyes sent ice right down his spine.
"I can't believe this," Stephanie muttered furiously, clutching the pillow in her lap. "How the hell could he do this to me?"
Lance stepped closer, careful to stay out of her sight.
"Falling in that damn pit should've killed her," she went on through gritted teeth, nearly rocking in her seat. "I told them to make sure she was dead! I can't believe this!"
He stopped dead, he couldn't have just heard that right.
"Guess I'll just have to take care of that bitch myself," she wrenched open the side table drawer and pulled out their father's gun, nearly dropping it when Lance snatched her wrist.
"Dad's been looking for that all weekend," he said. "Weird that you knew exactly where it was."
She glared at him, and he tightened his grip when she tried to shake him off.
"You're also really interested in that old news story," he nodded to the television. The image had changed to a shot of ceiling damage from a burst pipe at the town library. "Question is, why?"
She glowered at his fingers.
"A current event project for government," she snapped. "Now let go of me!"
He chuckled coldly.
"You know I don't believe that," he snatched the gun from her and threw it in their grandmother's giant knitting basket, out of her reach unless she got past him. "What have you been planning?"
The fear that had started to leak into her eyes drained, replaced with the coldest, darkest rage he had ever seen.
"I'm going to kill that bitch!" she shouted. "She ruined my life!"
She tried to get loose again, and he slammed her against the wall, his eyes blazing as his hands clamped around her neck.
"She never did a damn thing to you," he growled, ignoring the sting as she clawed at his wrists. "You're just a pathetic, jealous little—"
He was drowned out by her shriek, releasing her as a sharp pain shot through his arm. He stared at the penknife stuck in his bicep, grabbing her tail when she tried to get past him. She gagged when he jammed a knee into her back, collapsing breathless on the floor; he planted a foot on her spine to keep her there.
"You're not going anywhere, sis," he snarled quietly. "Until you tell me what the fuck you did to Judy!"
She squirmed weakly, panting as she glared at him over her shoulder.
"I didn't do anything," she gasped. "Eric called me after he dumped her in that stupid hole, saying how good it felt to screw her!"
He stared blankly at her, then clenched his eyes shut.
"You know I don't believe that," he glowered at her again. He bent down and grabbed her wrists, yanking her to her feet. She started fighting again, throwing her head back in an attempt to break his nose. He dodged it, using the opportunity to knock her out, keeping her propped limply against his side as he reached for his phone.
She's not getting away with this!
Lance watched as Stephanie woke up, shivering on the thin, lumpy mattress and shielding her eyes from the sunlight piercing through the high window across from her narrow cot, bolted to the wall and floor. The window was too small for anyone bigger than a weasel to get through, set with bars that had a metal grate welded to them outside. It looked over the muddy exercise yard, scattered with dirty clumps of melting snow. The high cement fence glittered with embedded shards of broken glass, topped with curling strands of black razor wire. He could just see the corner of a watch tower at the edge of the view. The concrete walls of her little cell were chipped, scratched and scribbled on, a record of all the lowlifes who'd been there before hr.
"Never thought you'd end up here, did you?" he stood in the sterile hallway, wishing he couldn't smell the skunk inmate in the cell behind him, slumped and snoring against the barred door. Stephanie glared hatefully at him.
"How the hell did I get here?" she demanded, sitting stiffly on the edge of the cot. He snorted.
"How do you think? I dragged your ass here after you assaulted me."
He flashed the bandage on his arm, wincing when he saw the dried blood line in the center, then shoved his hands in his pockets. She scoffed.
"What the hell are you talking about?" she crossed her arms. "I didn't do anything!"
He stared at her.
"I called Eric," he started flatly. "He sold you out."
She went stiff, then pounding the mattress.
"That fucking coward!" she seethed. "I said he'd join her In that pit if he squealed, and now I'm stuck in this shithole!"
Lance shrugged.
"You could've avoided all this," he said. "All you had to do was leave Judy alone."
"As if!" she jumped to her feet. "That little slut ruined my life, she deserved everything she got!"
He couldn't stand the look on her face as she listed out all the ways Judy had ruined things for her, the pride and self-righteousness in her tone making his gut twist. She'd been like this since Nick had first rejected her back when she'd been in ninth grade, and while he'd had his suspicions, he'd never thought she'd actually go to this length to get what she wanted. He forced himself to listen as she then went over every phase of the plan, never once showing an ounce of remorse.
"How long am I going to be stuck here?" she asked once she'd finished. "I have to set up for the art show at school tomorrow!"
His eyes narrowed as he slowly pulled his hand from his pocket, showing her their mother's audio recorder, then played back the start of what she had just told him.
"With any luck, you'll be 'stuck here' for the rest of your life."
Nick rolled out from under the Thunderbird he'd been working on, his coveralls splashed with oil and grease. He wiped his hands on the stained, ratty towel thrown over his tool box before pulling out his earbuds, grinning sheepishly when he saw Luca scowling down at him.
"Uh, hey zio," he got to his feet, making a half-hearted effort to clean himself off. The fur on his neck stood on end when he saw Lance standing behind the other tod, the terrified look on his friend's face, his nose pale. "What's going on?"
Luca gripped his shoulder.
"You're on break, kid," there was an underlying fear in the calm words; Nick swallowed hard as the old male walked off.
"Its Judy," Lance said, nodding toward Luca's empty office. Nick shut the door behind them as Lance put his backpack on the paper-strewn desk, taking his phone from the front pocket. "Her kidnapper confessed, and I made a copy of it before I handed my mom's recorder to the cops."
He brought up a video, cranked the volume, and hit play.
"I called Eric," it was a bit muffled, but clear enough. "He sold you out."
"That fucking coward!" there was no mistaking Stephanie's angry screech. "I said he'd join her in that pit if he squealed, and now I'm stuck in this shithole!"
Nick's jaw tightened as it continued, his fists clenched and shaking at his sides. The air suddenly felt dry, several papers rustling on the desk.
"Where is she?" he growled when it ended. Lance gulped.
"I-In a cell," he rubbed a stained bandage on his arm. "I caught her watching the news story about it, saying she'd have to finish the job herself. When I confronted her, she stabbed me."
Nick couldn't understand how they'd never made the connection; Stephanie was the only one any of them knew who was insane enough to come up with a plan like this, and the only one manipulative enough to get anyone to go along with it. What made it worse was that she hadn't always been that way; what the hell had happened to the fun, goofy girl he'd met on their family's boat? He pushed out a sigh, knowing what happened when he lost his temper, and forced himself to calm down.
"What about Eric?" his voice was tight and quiet. Lance tucked his phone in his backpack.
"I knew you'd want to deal with him first," he dug around in the largest pocket. "I found this in Stephanie's room at our Dad's place, she must have kept it as some kind of trophy."
He held out a plain box, and Nick wiped his hands on his coveralls before taking it. His eyes widened when he saw Judy carved crudely inside the lid, where the red velvet lining had started peeling away from the lacquered wood.
"I'll give it to Judy next time I see her," he set it on the desk. "I mean, if it happens any time soon."
Lance looked at him.
"What do you mean?"
Nick shrugged, then his shoulders slumped.
"She said she couldn't be around, but wouldn't say why," it still hurt to think about, but he supposed he deserved it, after how he'd treated her. Lance zipped his backpack, then curled the strap over his shoulder.
"I'll get Chad to talk to her, I doubt Jack or Skye could get it out of her."
They shared their old handshake, and he tightened his grip before letting go.
"Kick that guy's ass for her."
Nick nodded.
"You can count on it."
Eric plopped down on the cheap bench in the locker room, wishing he'd remembered they'd be stuck doing the President's Fitness Test in PE today. He should've known skipping class Monday would backfire on him. He took a long swig from his water bottle, capped it and dropped it in his backpack, tensing when he heard the lock click on the door to the hallway. Hadn't he been alone just a second ago? His stomach dropped when Nick turned the corner, his face blank, his eyes icy.
"I thought you were low before," his voice was empty. "But this takes it to a whole new level."
He crossed the room with slow, deliberate strides.
"Don't pretend you don't know what I'm talking about," he went on. "You thought you could get away with it, didn't you?"
Eric gulped.
"Get away with what?"
Nick chuckled darkly, the grabbed his shirt, yanking him to his feet.
"You. Raped. My. Girl."
Eric went stiff.
"No, I didn't," he shook his head, grabbing Nick's wrists. The fox was a head shorter than him, how could he be this scared? "I-I didn't—!"
"Cut the bullshit!" Nick shoved him against the lockers. "Stephanie sold you out, dumbass!"
He stopped trying to fight, knowing Nick was right. Stephanie had never thought twice about passing the blame, if it meant protecting herself. He let go of Nick's wrists, letting his hands drop to his sides.
"S-She said she'd kill me if I didn't do it," he knew it sounded pathetic. "That she'd throw me in that same she made us leave Judy in!"
Nick's grip loosened the slightest bit, was it possible the guy actually felt sorry for him? He wanted to tell the truth, the he'd despised every second of it, but his jaw locked, and he felt that twisted part of his brain take over, the dark voice in his head he'd fought against for as long as he could remember.
"Bitch had no idea what she was doing," he was actually laughing! "It was like fucking a sixth grader."
He lowered his voice, feeling his lips curl in a smug grin.
"She didn't fight," he went on slowly. "She let me screw her, almost like she wanted it."
Nick's jaw clenched, his fists starting to shake.
"Shut up."
"It was so weird," Eric kept talking, why couldn't he stop? "I could hear her screaming, begging me to keep hurting her like that."
Nick's bristled tail snapped, and it felt like the air were filled with electricity. Eric heard himself laugh again.
"You should've seen her face when I finished," he went on. "Like she still wanted more."
"Shut up!" Nick threw him back against the lockers, the lights overhead starting to flicker wildly. The rage in his eyes was clashing with desperation, with fear. "She's not like that!"
Eric felt lower than dirt, but he was powerless to stop.
"You don't know that for sure."
Nick shook his head, letting the cat go as he stepped back.
"She wouldn't do that," he sounded desperate to convince himself. "She wouldn't!"
Eric didn't realize he'd thrown a punch until the fox dodged it, staring at him in shock.
"I'm going to kill you," Eric shouted. "That's the only way to keep you away from her!"
Nick grunted when he landed a hard blow to his shoulder.
"What are you talking about?" he got in a sharp jab to Eric's chin, then a sucker punch to his gut. "I never touched her!"
Eric grabbed his stomach, panting as he glared at the younger male through the fur hanging in his eyes. Nick sidestepped his next move, the momentum sending crashing into the lockers.
"Whatever Stephanie told you was a lie," Nick went on. "That's all she ever does!"
Eric staggered to his feet, then ran forward, Nick's fist connecting neatly with his cheek.
"I didn't want to hurt you," he said flatly. "But it looks like the only way you'll listen."
He caught Eric's wrist, twisting his arm behind his back as he forced him to his knees, the hold tightening until a wet pop cut through Eric's pained shouts. He stumbled when Nick shoved him away, his eyes misting as he clutched the limb hanging uselessly at his side. Nick stared at him with cold contempt on his face, pierced with the smallest shard of pity.
"Stephanie's been using you right from the start," he said harshly. "She never gave a shit about you!"
Eric froze, the words breaking through the fog that had covered his brain. He didn't want to believe it, that the girl he'd loved since first grade had only ever seen him as a tool, muscle to manipulate in order to get what she really wanted."
"Judy doesn't give up," Nick went on, the ghost of a smile touching his lips. "And that makes her a threat."
Eric shrank away when he came closer, going stiff when the other boy knelt, crying out when he quickly popped the joint back into place. They'd almost been friends at one point, before Stephanie had lost her mind; Eric turned away, his voice breaking as tears started to slip down his cheeks.
"I-I'm sorry," he muttered brokenly. "I'm so sorry!"
Nick looked at him, then sighed.
"Judy's the one you should really be saying that to," he got up and went to the door, pausing after he unlocked it to glance over his shoulder. "And next time, pick your side more carefully."
He stalked out, the clack when it closed echoing through the empty room.
Judy grunted when her ankle gave out again, sending her sprawling to the rough track. It had only been a week since she'd gotten her casts taken off, and she was already tired of having to 'ease back into things,' as the doctor has put it. Chad jogged over and helped her up, wincing when he saw the large, bleeding cut on her knee.
"That looks like it hurts."
She leaned on him as she limped to the fence, then plopped down against it, pulling her ears over her shoulder to keep the chainlink from digging into them.
"I'm used to it," she answered, letting her hands drop in her lap. "I've always been a klutzy runner, its why I never did track."
He chuckled.
"You just need some more practice," he sat next to her, pulling a crumpled tissue from his pocket. "No one's perfect the first time out."
She huffed.
"Speak for yourself," she took the tissue and pressed it to her cut. From what she'd heard, he'd been a track and field star since sixth grade. "You don't have lead feet."
He laughed, then sat back, stretching his legs out; smooth tan fur covering lean muscles, just like the rest of him.
"You always come out here alone?" she asked, hoping to get her mind off the butterflies starting to flutter in her stomach. She'd been dealing with those since Nick had walked out on her at the hospital, since Chad had come around to visit her the most before she'd been cleared to go home. He shrugged.
"I do best when I think no one's watching," he flashed a smile, then winked at her. "Less chance of a cute girl distracting me."
Judy blushed; he could be pretty charming when he tried.
"What got you started on it?"
He hummed thoughtfully, ruffling his headfur.
"I don't like soccer or baseball," he said at least. "And it beats that lacrosse crap Nick does."
She readjusted the wad of paper, watching as the pale pink was stained crimson. She'd joined the rest of the gang at several of the lacrosse team's home games, marveling at the speed and skill Nick showed on the field. It also amazed her how aggressive he got, when he was usually so sweet and gentle.
"Lance and I keep asking ourselves why he joined the team, he usually hates it when mammals see him like that," Chad shuddered a bit. "He's pretty scary when he gets pissed, but it takes a lot for him to get to that point."
"Oh," she turned away, staring at her ankle, then her wrist. Over two months had passed since she'd dragged herself out of that pit, and just the thought of that night still gave her nightmares.
"Keeping it to yourself won't help anything," he said suddenly. "You need to tell someone."
She shook her head.
"I can't," her voice cracked.
"Why not?"
She shook her head again, her chin starting to quiver.
"Because it would just make things worse!"
She jumped up and tried to bolt, barely getting a step before he snatched her hand.
"Judy, you're not making sense," he pulled her back toward him. "Why would it make things worse?"
She buried her face in her free hand, sinking to her knees as she sobbed; he knelt and hugged her, letting her cry into his thin gray shirt.
"I-I can't tell Nick," she stuttered, her words muffled. "I just can't!"
"Why not?" he took her shoulders, looking down at her. "Judy, what are you talking about?"
She sniffled, taking several shaking breaths.
"Because I'm pregnant!"
Eric stopped short, gaping through the fence at the track. He'd cut through the baseball field on his way home, hoping to find the water bottle he'd left there after practice. Now it dropped from his hand, the loose lid popping off, warm water splashing his foot as he tried to process Judy's words. He couldn't have heard that right!
That's crazy, he stepped back; it wasn't possible, he'd taken every precaution in the book, they weren't even the same species! This can't be happening!
He sprinted off before he could hear anything else; Stephanie would kill him for this, he just knew it. He ran until he couldn't see the school, tears stinging his eyes as he stumbled to a stop to catch his breath.
Its mine, he thought, horrified. Oh God, I know it is!
As if what he'd already put Judy through hadn't been enough, now she had this to deal with; it was so unfair, she didn't deserve any of it!
Then why did you agree to do it?
He stopped cold, why had he agreed? Because of his feelings for Stephanie, that she'd threatened to end his own miserable life if he hadn't? Even reason that came to mind made him feel worse, like the scum he knew he was. There had to be some way to fix this, he thought frantically, there just had to be.
But what, he asked himself. What could I do?
He thought back to his fight with Nick, grabbing his shoulder as fresh fear coursed through him. They'd known each other their whole lives, and he'd never once seen Nick that angry; a dislocated arm would be the least of his problems if that guy found out, and he knew he'd deserve every second of it.
I'm sorry, Judy, he gulped, keeping his back to the school. I'm so sorry. I'll find a way to make it up to you, I promise.
Judy shied away from Chad after her admission, hating the stunned look on his face.
"Are you sure?" he asked haltingly. She nodded, still keeping her distance, waiting for him to say something.
"I…don't really know what to say," he shoved out a breath. "Have you told anyone else?"
"No," she sat back down, pulling her knees to her chest. "I don't want anyone else to know.
"Why not?" he got on his knees next to her. She scoffed.
"If I told Lance or Skye, the whole town would know by tomorrow, Jack would tell me to keep it and Nick would," she trailed off, crying again as she buried her face in her arms. "Nick would hate me!"
Chad took her shoulder.
"What the hell gave you that idea?"
She sucked in a breath.
"What other reaction is there?" she demanded brokenly, glaring tearfully at him. "It's my fault it happened!"
He stared at her, then scowled.
"Did you agree to go with whoever kidnapped you?" he asked. She sniffled, half-heartedly wiping her eyes.
"No…"
"And did you ask for what happened to you?" he went on.
"No, but—"
"'But' nothing," he gripped her arms. "You didn't ask for any of it, so how could any of it be your fault?"
She gaped at him, then threw herself back at his chest, hugging him tightly as she sobbed weeks' worth of fear and pain into his shirt.
"None of this is your fault," he repeated softly. "The only guilty ones are the assholes who did this to you."
She hiccuped.
"Y-You really think so?"
"I know it," he ran a thumb lightly over her wet cheek, then leaned forward, gently kissing her. She jerked back, stunned.
"Chad, what," she faltered stupidly. "What was that?"
A hint of red touched his ears.
"I know you and Nick are into each other," he said quietly. "But I really like you, too."
He moved to kiss her again, and she wasn't sure why she returned it, but her hand slipped to the back of his neck, her fingers combing through his short scruff. He went stiff when she licked his lip, then pulled away.
"You sure you don't want to talk about what happened?" he asked. She shook her head, knowing she looked as hurt as she felt. Had he really just said all of that to make her confess?
"No," she got to her feet, her fists clenching before going limp. "I want to forget it ever happened."
She jogged away, the bloodied tissue falling to the sun-warmed track.
Note: I never even saw a police station or prison outside of a screen until we moved a few years ago, so I have no idea if the one I came up with is at all accurate. I was way too lazy to bother researching it...