Warning: Nick and Judy BOTH start dealing with their emotional trauma in different ways, so if you are sensitive to PTSD and the like, read with caution or skip these chapters!

Turning her attention away from the TV, Judy looked up at the fox dozing against her side. Nick looked rather peaceful at first glance: his body gently leaned against hers, his head rested back against the couch, and his mouth comically hung open. However, as Judy continued to study her husband, she realized that even now his anxiety was tormenting him. His ears constantly twitched out of aggravation, his eyebrows furrowed ever so slightly, and pained whimpers escaped his throat in an almost imperceptible volume.

Judy soothingly stroked Nick's neck, grinning when the nervous ticks in Nick's body vanished and a content smile spread across his muzzle. As she continued to comfort Nick, Judy's thoughts began to wander. Everything, from their current case to how her parents were doing in Bunnyburrow, crossed her mind.

One of the stranger thoughts that took residence in her head was that of Nick's father. Despite having not met the fox in person, Judy seemed to be able to recall the fox in fuzzy detail. In fact, as she thought about Victor, she realized that she had met him in person. Why it felt like a hazy dream instead of a legitimate memory, Judy did not know.

Victor definitely didn't act like she would have thought, though she didn't have a very sturdy foundation based on the snippets of information retrieved from Rachel and Wooly. Judy kept herself from making any strong assumptions about Victor, knowing that she could allow deep-seated prejudice take over her judgments.

However, that didn't stop her from profiling just a little bit, which led to the visit in the medical ward being rather strange. Judy thought Victor would be similar to the Nick that Judy first met: cynical and annoying with the cruelty of a crime boss added in. Who she met was a caring father who seemed to have lost his way. The discovery unnerved Judy more than anything; knowing Nick, it wasn't hard to assume that Victor's actions could just be a mask.

"Hey Carrots, you alright there?" Nick suddenly asked. Judy gently flinched as she was pulled from her thoughts and turned her gaze towards the fox, but she still resumed stroking Nick's neck.

"I'm fine," Judy replied in a quiet voice before nestling herself into Nick's side. After seeing Nick's quirked eyebrow, she sighed before continuing, "I just can't help but think of this case or, more specifically, how it led us to meet your father."

Nick sighed deeply, his eyes glazing over ever so slightly. "That was rather unexpected, wasn't it, Carrots?"

Judy nodded. "Very. Heck, if I hadn't already known about his past, I wouldn't have guessed that he was a crime boss," she exclaimed.

"We foxes are very complicated, Carrots," Nick stated, lacking the joking tone that normally went with a remark like this – instead, Nick harbored a cold, hurt tone. "Don't let our outer shells fool you: unlike me, Victor may not be such a nice fox underneath."

Judy studied Nick. His eyes were vacant, his ears and tail refused to twitch in any way, and Nick's breathing was a little too long and drawn-out. He was in "don't let them see that they get to you" mode, something he hadn't used particularly often since he graduated the academy.

Judy was determined to get Nick out of this funk, whether he liked it or not. Standing up from the couch caught Nick's attention as he had to compensate for the sudden lack of comforting bunny to gently lean on. "Come on, Slick," Judy requested as she made her way to the bedroom. "We're going for a walk!"

Nick hesitated as his eyes trailed after his wife. "What? Why?" he called back. He didn't feel like being around people today, and his mind couldn't help but bring up negative what-if scenarios with many different, unwanted outcomes.

"Because I don't want to be cooped up in the house for the entire week, and –" Nick heard Judy pause.

A beat of silence passed before Nick spoke up, though he had an idea of what Judy was going to say. "And what, Carrots?"

He heard Judy sigh. "And it might help with your anxiety."

It was Nick's turn to pause, though for a different reason, and his ears folded against his head. Being a fox meant being instinctively protective of his mate, and while even that instinct was watered down thanks to the evolution of society, it still managed to affect Nick. Whenever Judy felt hurt, Nick needed to do everything he could to make sure that she felt safe and content. However, now that the source of Judy's hurt was him, Nick felt conflicted between going to her and leaving her be.

In the end, however, Nick found himself standing behind Judy, gazing at her in the mirror before wrapping his arms around her and pulling her into a warm embrace.

"You know, Carrots, there's no need to keep worrying about me," Nick mumbled as he rested his muzzle between the bunny's ears.

Judy leaned into the embrace. "I just can't help but feel guilty," she began, her gaze downcast to avoid meeting Nick's eyes in the mirror, "like everything's my fault. All of your anxiety is based on me being alright or not, but had it not been for my carelessness, we would never have gotten kidnapped by Hunter or those four guys. You would never have been injected with Night Howler, and we would never have been tortured. We would both be at work right now, trying to make the world a better place."

Nick noticed Judy flinch ever-so-slightly as he traced a gentle claw up and down her side, but the bunny soon melted into the calming action. "Judy, take it from a fox whose self-blaming kept him from seeing his mother again for twenty years: stop. Do not blame yourself for any of this. You'll only end up hurting yourself more than you need to," Nick gently ordered as he placed a loving kiss between Judy's ears. "You know, now that I think about it, I think a walk would be a great idea. If anything, it'll help you out more than it will me." Nick let Judy turn herself around to pull him into a kiss before releasing her from his embrace.

"Alright then," Judy said as she turned towards the closet. "But you'll need to change if I'm going to be seen with you in public!"

Despite chuckling at the joke, Nick couldn't shake the uneasy feeling that had started to creep up his spine. Judy had never reacted to his touch like that before, and it surprised Nick. However, before his anxiety-riddled mind could start coming up with ludicrous possibilities behind Judy's actions, Nick reminded himself that they were both going through a lot of stress, leaving them both rather tired.

Maybe this walk really is a good idea after all, Nick thought before turning to the closet himself, grabbing a change of clothes, and walking to the bathroom.


Connor Lyon nervously glanced to the two polar bears that flanked him as he was led through the Big manor. Even though he was part of the Family, he couldn't help but feel a rising sense of unease whenever he was called upon by Mr. Big. The gloomy decorations in the house certainly didn't help, either.

Dark wallpaper sucked all of the happy emotions out of Connor, leaving him with anxiety, fear, and dread. He couldn't help but imagine what effect the wallpapers had on someone who was in trouble with the crime boss.

However, there were a few framed painting on the walls that caught Connor's eyes that somewhat put him at ease. Portraits of Mr. Big, his children, and his parents lined the corridor, and every mammal seemed to judgmentally glare at him. Connor smirked back at the paintings – being the doctor for the Big family had led him to become close friends with the shrews.

Of course, all of Connor's ease vanished as if it had never been there the moment he came face to face with the large, mahogany double doors that led to the main office. He knew he shouldn't have been nervous – his boss wasn't forcing him here by any means – but the feeling couldn't be helped; everything about the trip to this room was designed to invoke fear and respect in friends and foes alike.

The two polar bears lagged behind as Connor stepped up to the door and gave three sharp knocks that echoed through the hall behind them. A silence followed before Connor's ears picked up the verbal invitation from behind the door. After taking a deep breath to steady himself, he opened the doors and entered the main office.

As the exit closed behind him, Connor realized that he hadn't been in this part of the Big manor in years. He had almost forgotten about the portrait of Mr. Big's mother that hung over the fireplace. The desk was larger than he remembered, and was the rug on the floor new? Just before the raccoon stooped to inspect the carpet beneath his feet, a door to the side of the room opened, drawing Connor's attention.

Questions raced through Connor's mind as the procession of well-dressed polar bears entered the room and took their place next to the desk. Connor was familiar with this process as it was used for new guests or anyone who had unfortunately crossed the shrew. So, why was Mr. Big going through all this trouble just to have a visit with his doctor? When the largest polar bear finally ducked through the doors and lumbered towards the desk, an icy knot formed in the pit of Connor's stomach; maybe he had done something wrong, and he was about to be in big trouble.

Connor remained frozen on the spot as Mr. Big was finally placed on the desk and turned around. Immediately, all of the raccoon's unease was replaced with worry – the shrew did not look good. The sheen in his fur was lackluster, his cheeks were thin, and his breathing was incredibly labored.

"My God, Big, what's wrong?" Connor gasped before stepped forward to get a closer look at the shrew. His medical training quickly took priority in his mind. He didn't even realize that had he not been part of the Family, the move he just made would have immediately gotten him iced.

The hacking cough from the shrew did not sound like good news. "I'm fine, Connor," Mr. Big wheezed. His voice sounded incredibly tired. "I'm just old, that's all."

"You can't be any more than fifty!" Connor exclaimed as his practiced paws allowed him to carefully examine the tiny mammal. Without the right equipment, however, the raccoon could only guess that Mr. Big had caught some nasty cold.

"I thank you for the compliment," Mr. Big mumbled as he gently batted away Connor's paws, "but I am fine. I didn't ask you to come here for a check-up."

Reluctantly, Connor stepped away from the desk. "With all due respect, sir, if you have time after our meeting I strongly recommend seeing a doctor –" the raccoon began, but was interrupted by Mr. Big's raised paw.

"I am fine, Connor," the shrew repeated with a cold tone. Connor immediately closed his jaw and fell silent. "I appreciate your concern, but I have this covered. It's not like I haven't been sick before."

Another coughing fit shook Mr. Big's body; the shrew sounded worse than before. When he calmed down and cleared his throat, Mr. Big turned back to Connor. "I called you here because I have something very important to discuss. You have been a fantastic part of this Family: I cannot begin to count the numerous times you have successfully treated myself or one of my children, and I thank you for that. However, due to upcoming circumstances that I cannot disclose at the moment, I must ask you to begin looking for a legitimate line of work."

The shrew's words smacked Connor in the face. "Wh-what?" he stammered. Did he hear Mr. Big right?

"I know this is a strange request, but trust me on this, Connor," Mr. Big continued, his tired voice sounding sad. "You have incredible talents that can be used elsewhere. I can't keep them for myself forever."

"But s-sir!" Connor cried, still unbelieving of what he was hearing. "I don't need a real job! I'm fine right here! B-besides, who would want to hire someone with my – uh – disposition?"

The raccoon shamefully dipped his head, missing the sympathetic smile from the shrew. "My child, how long has it been since you have stolen anything, hmm?" Mr. Big inquired.

Connor paused. "I don't know," he halfheartedly confessed. "A week, a month. It doesn't make any difference."

"It does, Connor," Mr. Big said as he leaned forward, his determined gaze hidden behind his enormous eyebrows, but Connor could still feel those eyes on him. "It makes all of the difference. You're so worried about being able to control your impulses when you've hardly acted upon them!"

"I just haven't had anything new to steal yet," Connor mumbled under his breath despite the warm feeling that began to flicker in his chest.

Mr. Big's chuckle quickly morphed into a wheezing cough that lasted for a few moments before the shrew could finally calm down. "If that were the case, then why didn't you avidly search for new things, hmm?" Mr. Big contended with a small grin on his face. "Listen, Connor, I know that you're ready, but you don't have to make the decision if you aren't. However, I do recommend coming to a decision sooner than later."

Connor nodded quietly.

"Good. Now, it's a lovely day outside," Mr. Big mused, glancing out one of the frosted windows. "Why don't you take a walk and mull things over. If you want, I'll have Jim drive you somewhere warmer." With a nod from the shrew, the large polar bear stood up from the desk, walked past Connor, and exited the office.

"Thank you, sir," Connor muttered before stepping forward to carefully kiss Mr. Big's ring.

"You are welcome, my child," Mr. Big responded as the raccoon turned and followed the large polar bear. When the mahogany doors closed, the office was left in silence. A silence that was soon broken by another coughing fit from Mr. Big.

"Damn throat," he cursed as he gently rubbed his neck. Mr. Big then glanced towards one of the other polar bears. "Get Victor on the phone – there's been a change of plans."


The warm, Sahara Square breeze tickled Connor's fur as he walked through the normally busy streets. The raccoon was rather lucky to have picked the only time that the sidewalk was virtually deserted; Connor's best thinking was done when he was alone. Aimlessly walking gave more brainpower to the decision that Connor was trying to make. Mr. Big's praise and encouragement had planted the seed of hope inside of him but Connor couldn't help but be skeptical.

Connor's parents were as normal as normal could get for him. They had well-paying jobs, good friends, and cheerful dispositions. Connor, on the other hand, was an odd child. He had kept to himself a lot marking him the social outcast in school. However, being the clever raccoon that he was, Connor had devised a plan. In order to make friends – as it said on most of his favorite TV shows – you had to have a lot of things. Why else did the rich kid have all the friends?

Thanks to his plan, Connor began to horde all of his toys, creating a collection that he hoped would impress the other kids at school. For a while, it worked. Connor had begun to make friends that wanted to come over and play with his toys. Then new toys started coming out – toys that his parents couldn't afford. Desperation had seeped into the raccoon's mind, and soon Connor found himself stealing from the other kids to add to his collection.

What started as an act of jealousy to keep his friend list growing became a sickness – he wouldn't eat or sleep properly if there was a toy that someone else had that he didn't. Connor was eventually caught and expelled, and his parents finally found out what had happened. They were appalled, yes, but that was all Connor knew about it. He didn't hear the hushed conversations at night about trying a new school where he could somewhat light make friends. He didn't see the sympathetic smiles from his mother and father. So, Connor eventually ran away and never looked back.

While Connor was "normal" now, he couldn't help but suspect that his old habits would rise again should he reenter the workforce. He was so caught up in his thoughts that he didn't see the fox and bunny walking hand-in-hand on the other side of the street, but they saw him.

"Connor!" cried Judy, jerking the kleptomaniac from his thoughts. Connor turned his head in time to see an energetic bunny pulling a rather reluctant fox behind him. His eyes brightened.

"Officers Hopps and Wilde!" he exclaimed as a grin spread across his face. "How are you two doing?"

"We're fine. Just going for a walk," Judy answered with a smile of her own.

"Glad to hear it, especially after what happened," Connor commented, and he immediately noticed the tension suddenly radiating off of Nick.

While the two officers had agreed with Bogo to have the story published on the media – under very strong and specific criteria that were, of course, bent by the news stations – Nick and Judy hadn't been prepared for the endless amount of apologies and well-wishes from citizens, friends, and family alike. It made it rather hard to forget the whole event.

"Anyway," Connor blurted to change the uncomfortable subject. "It's been a while since you two visited me. What have you guys been up to that hasn't already been plastered all over the media?"

"Oh, just a few visits to my parents' place and the usual paperwork or patrol duty," Judy answered as she gently squeezed her husband's paw to calm him down. "What about you? How have you been?"

"Fine as well," Connor deflected, placing his paws in his pocket.

"You must be more than fine since you're actually out in daylight," Nick joked.

Connor cracked a smile. "I guess you're right," he agreed before taking a deep breath. "Mr. Big has asked me to look into a new line of work. He didn't give me the exact reason why, but he made me hopeful."

Nick quirked an eyebrow. "Really? Are you sure he's not playing some weird trick on you? I mean, you know, because of your condi-"

"Yeah, I thought so too," Connor interrupted as he scratched at his neck, "but I doubt it. He looked awful. I don't know if he's eaten at all over the past few days, and he has quite a nasty cough. It could be a cold, but it could also be something worse."

Concern etched itself over Nick and Judy's features. "I recommended that he check in with a doctor, so we'll see what happens," the raccoon continued. "If worse comes to worse, I'll have his polar bears drag him to my house, and I'll treat him myself."

"Mr. Big sounds like he's in good paws," Nick said.

Connor nodded his thanks to the fox before the bunny spoke up. "So, where do you think you'd want to work?" Judy inquired.

"I'm not sure," the raccoon replied. "I have the necessary qualifications to become a doctor anywhere I wanted, but Forensic Science is really fun, too." The fox and bunny nodded in understanding. If it weren't for Connor's forensic abilities, they wouldn't have been able to find Hunter a year ago.

Judy's ears suddenly perked up. "Wait a minute!" she excitedly blurted, startling the two males. "Why don't you try to get a job at the ZPD? We could use someone with your skills on the force! Plus, you could double in the infirmary too!"

The idea resonated in Connor's mind. The ZPD had been a proud time in his life as he helped uncover the evidence needed to solve the hardest cases. However, being around all that shiny equipment had been very hard on his condition, and soon he found himself sneaking something home with him every night. At that rate, he was caught fairly quickly and promptly disciplined.

Connor frowned. "I'm not sure about that. Remember, I already was a part of the ZPD before, and they fired me because of my kleptomania. Why would they want to hire me again if all I'm gonna do is steal from them?" he muttered.

Judy didn't take "sulking" for an answer. "Who said you were going to steal from them?" she asked. As Connor opened his mouth to speak, Judy held up a paw to interrupt him. "Don't answer that. There are ways you can get over your kleptomania, Connor. Besides, I'm sure your benefits would outweigh your downsides!"

"While I appreciate the support, that's not for you to decide – that's my employer's job," Connor admitted before sighing heavily. "But, I will at least put in an application to the ZPD if it makes you happy."

The bunny beamed brightly. "Nick and I will make sure to put in a good word for you, won't we, Nick?" Judy asked as she gently elbowed Nick.

Nick chuckled. "You bet! You'll be a welcome change from the sloths we have to work with, that's for sure."

"Thanks guys," Connor muttered bashfully. "Anyways, I've got to go. There are too many places to choose from, so the sooner I narrow my choices down the better." The raccoon began to walk past the two cops, who turned and waved.

An odd, warm feeling rushed through Connor as he continued his journey into the city. The feeling was similar to one he felt back in Mr. Big's office, but it was definitely stronger now. Whether it had something to do with the fact that others believed in him or he was finally getting some fresh air and sunlight, Connor did not know nor cared.


Judy watched as Connor left before turning to Nick. "I'm happy for him," she said as she took Nick's paw.

"Really? I couldn't tell," Nick joked. He and Judy then continued their walk, the warm breeze comforting his tired mind.

"You're one to talk," Judy shot back, side-glancing at the fox, "being all chummy with Connor. You know, if I remember correctly, he used to, and I quote, 'rub you the wrong way.'"

"Ah, well, you know, times change and whatnot," Nick shrugged as he suddenly found a storefront very interesting. "Besides, he's trying to turn over a new leaf, and I relate to that. Besides, I meant what I said: he would be very useful in our Forensic department."

"That's for sure," Judy agreed. As silence began to fall, she found that her mind was vigorously racing with hundreds of thoughts that all wanted to be voiced at once. She thought of how she was now able to spend an entire week with Nick outside of work – a very rare occasion. Judy thought of Bunnyburrow, and how a visit couldn't possibly hurt. Besides, Gideon Grey's famous blueberry pie sounded really good right now. The possibilities began to unravel before the bunny as the couple kept walking.

Nick's voice drew Judy from her thoughts. The bunny gave an inquisitive hum as she turned towards her husband.

"I asked you if you wanted to plan out the rest of our week or just wing it," Nick stated, shooting a snarky look at Judy.

A bashful Judy dipped her head, her ears flopping over her head to hide her embarrassed smile. "I'm not sure," she quietly admitted. "There isn't much I feel like doing. Even this walk is making me more tired than usual."

"I feel you, Carrots," Nick stated as he glanced up at the sky; the sun was just down dipping behind the skyscrapers. "Physical exercise can be tough, but anything emotionally taxing is absolutely brutal. However, if my mother taught me anything, it was that getting a good, long walk always helps sort out most of the gunk."

"Gunk?" Judy echoed, shooting a look at the fox.

Nick nodded. "Yep! That was what my mom told me, word for word!" The two shared a lighthearted chuckle as they continued to walk along the streets.

Silence fell over the couple again, but Judy's thoughts had taken a darker turn. The thought of Nick's mother had started the bunny on a train of thought that circled to Victor, then to the four criminals the older fox had hired, and then back to two nights ago. Before the horrid memories could come flashing back, Judy turned to Nick.

"What do you think about trying some of your mother's recipes for dinner tonight?" Judy asked a little too quickly.

Nick turned to meet her gaze with an inquisitive light in his eyes. A tick of silence passed before a toothy grin crept over Nick's muzzle. "I'd like that," he answered in a tone of genuine delight. "Though, with how much you dislike my cooking, I'm not sure if it's a good idea."

Upon seeing Nick's smile, Judy felt the tension melt away. All that remained was an infinitesimally small voice in the back of her head that couldn't be heard over Nick. "Right, but you'll have guidance this time, Slick," Judy retorted, her muzzle splitting into a grin of her own. "I'm sure that someone as 'skilled' as you can follow your mother's simple instructions."

"You're right, Carrots," Nick shot back, his grin growing as they walked. "I am skilled at cooking. I'm so glad that you finally see things my way."

Judy laughed as she rolled her eyes and opted to move a little closer to the fox. Nick's joking manner had done wonders for her troubled mind, resulting in a happy air about the bunny. On the other hand, Nick was busy sorting through his own thoughts. His mind tried to dwell on anything but the bandages that covered Judy's injuries, and the prospect of cooking with his bunny had helped. So, it was with a somewhat light heart that Nick brought up a new topic for their conversation.

"So Carrots, do you really think that Mr. Big isn't feeling well?" he inquired.

Judy seemed confused as to why Nick would want to bring up that topic, but she realized that the thought had crossed her mind as well. "I don't know what to think," she answered after a moment. "Whether or not Connor was lying, he is looking for work, so that's something."

"I never accused Connor of lying," Nick defended, stealing a glance at the bunny. "I just wanted to know if you were as worried about it as me. And I don't mean an 'oh, I care for the guy because we're the godparents of his grandchildren' sort of thing. I mean, he has a lot of power in the criminal underworld. If he's sick, and it's as bad as Connor thinks it is, then we're basically screwed."

"While I see your point, I think it's a little early to be jumping off the deep end with assumptions," Judy said, trying to hush the nagging voice in the back of her mind. Nick was right: the city could easily be torn asunder as the other criminal leaders scrambled for power. The bunny's optimistic mind, however, refused to accept the fact that Mr. Big could be on his deathbed. "But now that you got that thought in my mind, I want to go visit and just make sure."

Nick cracked a smile at his wife's grumbling. "Hey, I didn't do anything except say what was on my mind; you're the one who's getting all emotional about it," he joked as he wrapped his arm around her.

Judy tensed as she felt Nick's claws gently graze her side. Her involuntary reaction was unexpected, souring her mood. "Yeah, well, I'd know all about that, being an emotional bunny, huh?" she murmured as he ears drooped behind her head.

"What?" Nick asked, his brows furrowing in confusion. To his dismay, Judy pulled away from him and walked a little faster, placing herself ahead of the fox.

"Let's just get back to the house," her voice was so quiet that Nick had to strain his ears to hear. "We can get train tickets and head to Tundratown after dinner."

"Carrots, what's wrong?" Nick asked as he picked up his pace to catch up with her. "Was it something I did? Judy?"

Judy didn't pick up her pace, nor did she slow down. She simply kept walking, her arms wrapped around her chest.

She's scared of you.

Nick immediately shook the thought away as he matched pace with Judy. He contemplated reaching out and holding her close – anything to comfort whatever pain she was feeling. However, Judy's reaction immediately flashed through his mind, and Nick thought against his previous idea.

You didn't save her.

The voice was incessant, continuing to mock him from the depths of his mind. Nick wanted to shut it out and focus on Judy, but the voice only got louder. To Nick's horror, it sounded like his father.

She doesn't trust you.

Judy began to walk ahead as Nick slowed down. His paws clutched his ears, hoping to block out the terrible voice. Nick violently shook his head to the point of nearly being dizzy before trying to catch up to Judy again.

She doesn't love you.

Nick grit his teeth and kept moving. The lies kept pounding at him, tearing at his walls and demanding his focus. Instead, he intently stared at Judy's form, allowing his wife to fill his vision and thoughts. He thought of them cooking together tonight and most likely teasing each other to the point of a food fight. He thought of her warmth pressed against him as they slept. Nick thought of the way Judy would say, "I love you" every time they would kiss.

It didn't work.

You're nothing but a sick bastard, Nicholas. You don't deserve that bunny – you deserve a life as a lonely pawpsicle hustler, hated by everyone.

"No!" Nick cried as he fell to his knees, clutching his temples. His head felt like it was about to explode. The voice continued to taunt him, rattling on about his disgusting habits and addictions to bunnies. Nick's breathing grew uneven and short, and his blood pressure dramatically increased.

Judy had turned around by this point, having grown concerned when she heard Nick cry out. Upon seeing Nick virtually claw at his head, Judy wanted to run to him, comfort him. When her eyes caught sight of his claws and teeth, she flinched and stayed put, unable to do anything but watch.

Look at her, she won't even come to your aid! taunted the voice, and Nick's eyes immediately swiveled towards Judy, and their gazes locked. Nick didn't see what the voice wanted him to see: a small bunny cowering before the crazy, frightening fox. Instead, he saw his mate watching him with fear – not a fear for herself, but for him.

Judy gasped when Nick's eyes suddenly met hers. He looked so scared, like his entire world was falling from his grip, and there was nothing he could do about it. Judy knew that she had to go to him, but again, she was stopped as Nick's demeanor changed. The fear in his eyes morphed into determination before Nick turned away and forced his paws to his sides. Judy watched with fascination as Nick began calming himself, evening out his breathing and easing the tremors in his body.

That was when Judy saw them: a group of three mammals walking along in uneven gaits, laughing loudly and howling about random garbage. Over the small distance, Judy could see that each of the mammals carried a bottle of what looked to be some alcoholic beverage. Her assumption seemed to be correct as one of the group – a portly looking sheep – took an enormous swig of his drink and nearly fell backward in the process.

When Nick finally managed to calm himself and stand up, it wasn't Judy that noticed him first; he was noticed by the three drunks. "Hey!" the sheep called out in a slurred voice, leaning on his friends as he pointed the bottle at the fox. "You there! Get away from that bunny!"

"You must be joking," Nick grumbled, rolling his eyes. He quickly turned to Judy and surveyed her from where he stood, though he wasn't sure if she would be alright with him holding her yet. He opened his mouth to apologize when he felt someone grab the collar of his shirt.

"We said to leave her alone!" said another mammal – a scrawny moose – as he threw Nick to the ground behind him. The other two mammals – the sheep and a pig – quickly put themselves between Nick and Judy.

"Hic! – don't worry, Miss!" the pig slurred, glancing over his shoulder. "We'll take care o' this rotten fox for you!"

Nick was tired. He had just gotten over a panic attack, and now he had to deal with three drunk idiots that seemed intent on playing the noble heroes for the damsel in distress. A glance to Judy told him that she didn't like this any more than he did.

The moose suddenly kicked Nick's stomach, rolling the fox over the sidewalk. Nick coughed as he tried to fill his lungs with air before he was kicked again. Police training began to take over as adrenaline rushed through his body. Before another kick could be placed, Nick rolled out of the way.

"Nick!" Judy called, finally gaining control of her own body again. She ran towards Nick, only to be stopped and held back by the pig and sheep.

"What are you doing?" asked the sheep before hiccuping. "He's a fox, Miss."

"He's my friend," Judy shot back, struggling against the hooves that held her. The two drunk mammals were surprisingly strong.

The sound of hoof meeting flesh caught Judy's attention, and her head snapped towards her fox. Her eyes widened as Nick fell to the ground again, one of the moose's hooves having made contact with his face.

"Let me go!" Judy shouted. Her injuries began to scream from under the bandages, slowly draining the energy she was consuming to thrash against the two idiots.

"Miss, we can't let you near him," said the pig. "He's not your friend – never was. He's just an untrustworthy fox that belongs in a cage!"

"Yeah," the sheep agreed, "he could've eaten you had we not gotten here in time."

Judy couldn't believe what she was hearing. Do these guys honestly think that Nick would hurt me!? she incredulously thought. She began to pull away from her "saviors" to conserve energy and keep her injuries from opening up again. Her plan worked as the pig and sheep mistook this as a sign that she wasn't going to run to the fox. They were very wrong until –

You did.

She paused as the voice cut through her mind like a knife through butter. As if a dam had suddenly been opened, thoughts began to tumble through Judy's mind. First and foremost of these thoughts was the realization that her mind had used Nick's voice.

You thought I would hurt you. Why?

He sounded hurt and betrayed. Flashbacks of the press conference three years ago ran through her mind – more specifically, flashbacks of how she had hurt Nick that day. She felt the same, stinging guilt now as she did then.

A grunt from Nick caught Judy's attention, and she watched as he had managed to tackle the moose to the ground and held his hooves behind his back. Judy could've sworn that she saw Nick reach for a pair of pawcuffs before two things happened: he realized that he hadn't brought a pair with him, and the sheep tackled him to the ground.

Even now, you won't come to help me. Why, Judy?

Judy opened and closed her mouth repeatedly, trying to come up with an answer that refused to form in her mind. She helplessly watched as Nick tried to fight back the two drunk mammals, but he was quickly backed into a corner. Punch after punch was landed on either side, but it was safe to say that Nick was losing.

Why won't you help me, Judy? the voice asked again with a rising tone. Why!?

The answer hit Judy like a ton of bricks, but as she opened her mouth, another voice caught everyone's attention. All five mammals turned to see a long, sleek limousine parked next to the sidewalk and a massive polar bear calmly standing before them. "Is there problem here?" he asked in a deep, thick accent.

"What the hell do you want, predator?" the sheep spat, nearly losing his balance as he did so.

A tiny, familiar voice sounded from the open window of the long vehicle. "He just wants to make sure that my close friends are alright. Why don't you and yours run along before you make any more stupid decisions."

"What are you saying?" the moose fumed, turning away from Nick. "We're not gonna take crap from you or anyone else, you hear?"

Judy's mind suddenly seemed to work again, and she reached into her back pocket. "Will you take crap from the ZPD?" she called, holding up her badge. The three drunken mammals went white as a sheet. "I'm Officer Judy Hopps, so I'm afraid that makes that fox you were just assaulting Officer Nick Wilde. And the punishment for assaulting an officer is severe, especially since I'm not in a good mood. I'm placing you three under arrest –"

She was interrupted by the sound of hooves on the sidewalk as the three mammals fled in drunken desperation. The bunny had half a mind to chase them down before a groan from Nick caught her attention. The three idiots were all but forgotten as she ran to her fox and quickly wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Nick!" Judy cried into the fur under his chin, tightening her grip on her husband. "I was so worried!"

"I'm alright, Carrots," Nick croaked. "But you are choking me. Could you let up a bit?"

"Oh! Sorry!" Judy stammered as she awkwardly scrambled off of the fox. After taking a quick moment to gather herself, Judy helped Nick stand up, giving her the opportunity to study his injuries. One eye was swollen, his lip was bleeding freely, and he was bound to have bruises all over his body. The goods news was that he wasn't fatally injured as told by his ability to walk without her help.

Judy then turned back to the limousine. It didn't take a rocket scientist to deduce who was in the limousine as she recognized Jim, the massive polar bear that served as Mr. Big's bodyguard, right-hand man, and close friend.

"Are you two alright?" the bear asked, stooping down to get a better look at the two smaller mammals.

Nick groaned. "I'll live. I just wanna go home now."

"We can arrange for that," Mr. Big said from inside the limo. "Please, come in."

The two cops didn't need to be told twice as Jim opened the door for them. The sky had begun to turn a dark indigo as Nick and Judy got comfortable in the luxury car. Jim closed the door behind them, and the limousine began to drive away.

Judy squeezed herself closer to Nick, making sure to ignore the chills of fear that she felt when he would gently rake his claws along her side; instead, she let the action calm her as her tired mind began to slowly wander. She stared out the window, mesmerized as the streets of Zootopia whizzed by in a blur.

This chapter was a biscuit and a half to write. Seriously, the Writer's Block was real, but I was able to get over it thanks to a one-shot collection that I started. Some of you may be familiar with it: A Fluffy Fic a Day Keeps the Boredom Away! I won't be updating it regularly, but I won't ignore it either. Plus, I'll make sure to have as much fun with it as possible.

Anyway, did anyone recognize Connor from The Strongest Bonds? If not, then it's my fault; I only had him in one chapter and never mentioned him again. Thanks to Blindstrike, he was revived from the ashes for this story and given some development! And don't worry, this won't be the only chapter with that kleptomaniacal raccoon – and yes, I now coin that term if it isn't already real. Boom.