Judy just stood there, doused in blood, numb to the world. She knew Pawtorias had walked up to her, she knew he was trying to comfort her, but all she could really feel was the dried up blood on her fur, and the intense numbness that had come with watching the ambulance speed away with her red furred fox. How had it come to this? Nick… She didn't know if she had only thought it, or if it had been the last word on her tongue, before she slipped out of consciousness, no longer caring about the burning building, the countless other ambulances, or the mass of reporters and officers rushing towards her.
Judy lay in Nick's kitchen, staring blankly at the laptop Nick had left her with. The amusing fails videos weren't really entertaining for her, but the background noise helped keep her sane while she was alone. It also let her more easily think about why the fennec fox would need Nick this late at night, causing her partner to leave her all alone in his humble abode. Although, no matter how much she tried to piece the conversation, she simply had too little information. Those foxes were too good at keeping secrets… the thought rang loud and clear through her head as she got up, intent on finding something to preoccupy herself.
As she rummaged through his cleaning supplies, assorted food stuffs, she found the last thing she expected to find: an opened bottle of wine. The label on the front marked it as old, and the dust that had accumulated on its surface marked it as untouched for the past couple of years at least. She dragged the bottle out of the cabinet, wondering why on Earth the only mammal that she knew that didn't drink would have a bottle of wine hidden in his cupboards. However, a sudden thought hit her, one that made her pour a glass to calm down.
"What do I know about you, Nick? Why do I know so little when you know so much about me?" The wine bottle stirred her thoughts and concerns, as she went over exactly how much she knew about her friend and partner.
Well, starting with the basics, he's a fox. He's a former conmammal, and by most's recalling, a really good one. No surprise there, he's incredibly smart; undoubtedly smart enough to hoodwink more than a few people. Wait… she stopped mid thought, dots connecting in her head. Didn't Pawtorias say he got better marks than me? And he's close friends with the college Librarian, I wonder if he has a college education? But wouldn't he have put that on his application? She pondered, trying to sort out everything, but not really able to truly believe it.
Why not? He's hidden bigger things before; he even had two tax filings to avoid anyone finding out where he lived. Why wouldn't he hide a college degree?
The tiny voice in her mind broke her string of though. That was true. She mulled over it a bit, pacing around the living quarters to keep herself from thumping her foot too much. And just as she was about to jected the idea again, the voice spoke up once more, dashing her resistance to the idea.
Are you rejecting the idea because of the evidence, or because he's a fox. If you want anymore proof, just look at the box in front of you.
The insinuation snapped her out of her own head, and back to reality. In front of her lay the chest she had found herself in just a couple of nights ago, the one Nick had locked to keep her out of. She stared at it in shock, not realizing until that moment that she had walked into the fox's bedroom room. As she stared at it, the very strong desire to open it and search its contents bubbled up to the surface. It was besides the point, as she didn't have the key…
Her mind went blank as she gulped down the glass of wine, which, despite the condition of the bottle, was delectable, and immediately poured herself another, just to down it as well, if only much slower. Pacing, she went through glass after glass, obsessing over the few details she knew about her gracious host, trying to piece the mysterious fox together. Hours passed, and she would eventually find herself going from asking questions about him, to asking them of him, as she curled up in his bed, very drunk, and fell asleep.
The grey rabbit woke up unusually late the next morning, still feeling groggy from the night before. For some reason she couldn't exactly remember it, until she opened her eyes and came face to face with the side of a wine bottle and a hard whiff of her host fox. In that second she knew exactly where she was, and most of what she had done the night previously. Most, but not everything. Hoping against hope, she slowly stretched out over the bed, through the assortment of blankets and pillows for any other body. As it became clear there wasn't one, she breathed a sigh of relief for the moment. One that was several minutes too soon.
"Well, can I guess that my little bed thief is finally awake? Or has that become your rabbit hole now?" Shit… Nick's sarcastic voice was as clear as his scent, which was currently threatening to lull her back to sleep.
Refusing to let her comfortability get the better of her at the moment, she dragged herself to a sitting position, one ear falling over half of her face, wiped the sleep from her eyes, and let the yawn take her, hoping she didn't look too-
"Aww, how adorable! Ya know, if Finnick and I had had you in our hussles, I'm sure we would've been richer than even Mr. Big." Damnit… His comment proved she probably looked more cute than she had hoped.
"I'm sorry that I stole your bed Nick, but if you even suggest me doing anything less than perfectly legal again then I'll gladly kick your ass in the ring again." She fired, getting nothing but a sincere cackle in response. His sincerity was touching, she could help but start to smile, opening her eyes and begin moving her ear out of the way. He slowly walked over to her, his laughter still ringing through the room, slowly fading. When he got to her, he handed the hungover rabbit a steaming mug of a minty smelling coffee.
"Drink up, this will relieve that headache and nausea in a microsecond." She took the mug, not bothering to tell him she was neither nauseous nor had a headache. She took a sip, and stared as he took a seat next to her, after moving the large wine bottle, looking at it in dismay. As he did, she built up the courage to ask the leering question.
"Nick, we didn't…?" She tapered off, not really being able to say the words. The chuckle that responded to her calmed her fears for a moment, and her small smile widened a bit.
"No, we didn't do anything. After I went out last night, I got back to find you mumbling something, curled up here in my bed. It looked like you were comfortable, so I let you sleep and made myself comfortable on the couch." His grin and cool composure put her fears to rest, and she released a sigh that she had been holding in.
"I'm sorry I drank your wine. I thought you didn't drink, why did you have a bottle of wine?" She queried, noticing how he was staring at the now empty bottle. His mood dropped slightly, but he answered, trying to open up just a bit to the rabbit that had commandeered his bed last night.
"To be completely honest, it wasn't exactly mine. It was a gift to my parents, who also didn't drink. So they just kept it. When my mother died, it was one of the few things I kept from her house. I have no idea why." His response shocked her. Nick had never opened up about his past or his family, so waking up to the revelation that she just drank one of his few pieces of inheritance was emotionally overwhelming. As she took it in, she felt a terrible cold creep in on her; regret for touching the bottle, and the threat of a very tearful apology. However, he spoke up again, standing up with the bottle in his hand, a small smirk on his face.
"Thanks Carrots. I think I've needed to get rid of this. Now I can without feeling to bad about letting it go to waste. That's one problem off my back." Her face of shock grew, now completely floored by his nonchalance.
"Wait, Nick! Come back here!" She shouted after him, confusion and frustration getting the better of her. Popping his head back in, slightly confused at the raised voice and subtle hostility. When he saw her face, the mixture of bewilderment and irritation and regret that it was, he snickered, and walked up to her again, a sincere face hiding his deeper emotions, despite her attempts to discern them. Holding up his paw to stop her from talking, he made his move to drop the subject.
"Howabout this Carrots; if this weekend goes just right, after we catch the bad guy, I'll bring you right back here and explain everything. You have a question? It'll be answered. Want to go through the big chest? I'll open it for you myself and tell you the story behind every single thing inside. My whole life story, just as long as you don't ditch me for some-bunny else over the couple of days, okay?" His relaxed, half-lidded expression disarmed her, and as the offer was simply massive, she nodded her head, taken aback by the gesture. The moment was ruined when she noticed his eyebrow wiggle, and his pun hit her. She rolled her eyes at him, and they laughed as she pushed his face out of hers.
"Hey, while I was out last night, Honey called me and asked me to grab some of your fancier clothes. She already had a bag ready for you when I got your place with Finnick. It's in the kitchen if you want to check them out." He mentioned as he walked out, remembering to let her know. As he went down to the dumpster, she ran to the bag, and carefully looked through it. Yeah, looks my finer dresses are all here… I guess I might be needing them, the hotel is a finer place… what's this…? At the bottom of the bag was a brown paper package, with a little note taped to the front of it. Grabbing it, she pulled it out, and read the note over quickly.
ALL OF YOUR CLOTHES ARE SOOOO BORING! Thought you should have something spicy for your alone time with Nick ; ) Good luck!
The badger's erratic handwriting matched her quirky personality, but the words it formed terrified Judy to her core. What have I gotten myself into?
It didn't take the two long to pack. After her shower, she found a suitcase ready for her, and eagerly tucked her stuff into it, determined to hide whatever atrocity the badger had given her from the fox in the next room. As they were getting into the car, that brought up a question for the small bunny though, one she was curious about.
"Nick, do you have any nice clothing? Besides your ceremonial ensemble?" She questioned. If he dared to throw on another one of those disgusting Pawaiian shirts over the weekend she might just find some-bunny else. His chuckle of a response cause her eyes to narrow, worried about his answer.
"Of course, my judgemental little Carrot. You're looking at the most charming fox in Zootopia. More than once I've needed a fine suit, and I always have what I need." His answer placated her, but failed to drop the squinted eyes of suspicion. It wasn't a lie, just wasn't the whole truth either. He always seemed to have what he needed, just not when he needed it. However, this time he had everything he thought might come up, and so didn't feel the least bit guilty for the slight fib.
Their drive through Zootopia was silent, as Nick kept up his cocky demeanor and Judy focused on both the road and the raging questions in her head. Having grown up in the conservative emptiness of Bunny Burrows, the taboo that she was about to commit, even if only as a show, was such a foreign and loathed idea that the very defense of it could break up families. However, Judy never really understood why, and the few times she had seen the affect the rift had formed so silently she had no idea that it was there until she went out of her way to ask about them, and then the answers would come in the form of hushed voices and vague statements.
And that was just premarital cohabitation. Interspecies relationships simply wasn't a thing in the Tri-boroughs, with the vast majority of the residents being bunnies, and the few non-rabbits keeping to themselves. The silence on that topic was deafening for Judy as a youngster, as she only ever hung out with non-bunnies, if she hung out with anyone at all. And now the weight of everything was hitting her all at once, leaving her mental state in a very precarious position.
"Was it really that bad back on the farm?" Nick disturbed her from her intense internal conversation, almost getting a jump out of the driver.
"What-okay, seriously, I know I didn't say anything this time. How the heck did you know what I was thinking about?" She glanced at him, her eyes firing daggers. The fox's snigger left her steaming, but as his chuckles died down, she sighed, and gave in, answering his question.
"No, it wasn't 'that' bad. But it wasn't very open. Taboos were dealt with through evasion and silence. People who broke the norm were kind of just… gone. One day Uncle Dan would be laughing in the field with us; the next, it-it was almost as if he didn't exist. Kind of unnerving, ya know?" She explained, glad at getting the weight off of her chest. When she finally said it, though, she realized just how ridiculous her worries had been, how little she cared for the restrictions others had placed on her. This time it was her turn to laugh, the sound getting a raised eyebrow from the fox in the passenger seat, who had been prepared to try and comfort her. She was still laughing at herself as they pulled up to the front of the resort.
She turned to Nick, and before he could say anything, grabbed him by his tie and pulled him in for a deep, long, passionate kiss, not noticing the look of surprise on his face, or how it melted into one of sheer bliss a second later. They held that position for several moments, Judy's fears dying in their embrace. Almost regretfully, she broke it, taking an inch back from him, allowing both of them to catch their breath. Slightly gasping, Nick found his voice first.
"Haha… well, that was… unexpected. Where'd you find the courage to do that? What happened to the… taboo as you called it?" He got out, his head spinning from the surprise. The liberated bunny giggled at his look of pleasant confusion, enjoying her newfound freedom.
"I just realize when I said it outloud that I've been breaking all the rules up until now, so what's the problem with breaking this one too?" She said, her voice now filled with her the pleasure of her new freedom.
"Well, if that's all it took, then I seriously should've gotten you to open up about it sooner. Would've saved me a lot of sleepless nights." He lightly growled, inching back to her. However, a knock on their window interrupted their newly kindled romance. Just outside was a formally dressed snow leopard, her expression both irritated and slightly amused at the same time. Just then they realized where they were, and what they were supposed to be doing. Judy's blush was apparent, while Nick pulled up his usual cocky facade.
"Oh, sorry, hello, I'm-" Judy started as she rolled down the window. However, the leopard stopped her, her face losing the subtle marks of irritation and turned entirely pleasant.
"I know who you and your partner are, Miss Hopps. I was instructed to personally show you in. If you would just exit the vehicle, I'll have a valet park it for you and bring in your bags. Mr. Vartini was most pleased that with your response, and would like to see your reaction to the tour, if you're up for meeting with him afterwards for lunch." The leopard spoke with a elegance and grace that was befitting the atmosphere of the five star resort. They two smaller mammals quickly hopped out of the car, surprised by the hospitality. Not knowing if it was a good idea, Judy stammered for a bit, but Nick quickly came to her rescue.
"Of course we would! It's not every day we're invited to such a high end place, and this is definitely the first time we've been offered anything for free. It would be rude not to, right Carrots?" His response put the rabbit at ease, and her genuine look of agreement got a smile from their attendant, who happily took out a notepad and jotted something down.
"I'm sure Mr. Vartini will be pleased to hear that. He was actually surprised that you two would be keeping something like this a secret, although, being police officers could make the whole ordeal more difficult than normal celebrities. By the way, my name is Clarissa Notting, and I'll be your specified attendant for the length of your stay here." Her lighthearted attempt at conversation disarmed the two detectives, who were expecting a far more hostile reception.
"Well, a lot of things have kept us from going public." Judy responded, the half truth readily accepted by the hotel worker. As a valet driver walked up to the three of them, she passed the note to the jackal, and lead the pair inside.
"What do you mean by specified attendant?" Nick asked, truly curious, but also keen about keeping the subject off of them.
"Hm. Well, here at Lady and Tramp Resort, we pride ourselves on greater than excellent service. For every room, we have a dedicated staff member to manage and attend to them, and when occupied, provide the occupants with whatever assistance or aid they require or request. Luckily for you tow, you were given one of the special luxury suites, the room I'm currently assigned to." Her smile turned more into a grin, a proud little smirk, at the explanation. Seeing her expression change, and while waiting for the elevator door to open, Judy asked about it, following Nick's subtle lead.
"Why special for us?" Ms. Notting turned and looked at them with a delightfully smug expression, and responded likewise.
"Miss Hopps, I'm the very best at what I do. I assure you, when you leave here, you'll be disappointed to have to." Her grin and almost sultry voice flavoured the comment just slightly exciting, and slightly off, causing a chill down their backs. As they got onto the elevator with the large cat, Nick's paw found itself in Judy's getting a blush from the rabbit, her ears falling back. Unsure of why her paw was not entangled in his, but not wanting to let go, she moved into his side as the door closed, looking to get comfortable. Oh sweet cheese and crackers, what's going to happen now?
Vartini and his two borrowed minions sat in his penthouse, waiting for an answer from his hand picked employee. She was good at her job, he had no doubt that Ms. Notting would get him the lunch meeting. But the two foxes in the room had pointed out something he wasn't really aware of. And the wolf tied up in the corner wasn't helping, as he continued to pester them with questions.
"Um… seriously, why am I here? I told you guys everything I know, so are you gonna kill me or let me go? Please just let me go. I don't know how I could possibly be of any more use to you. Can I at least get some water? I'm really thirsty-" Vartini had enough of him, and slammed his paw on the table, silencing him. Hissing to Eleazar, his order terrified the canine.
"Eleazar, just slit his throat and have someone take care of the body. He's gotten on my last nerve." Vartini demanded. The black fox didn't show and sign of caring one way or another, and made a step to Charlie, reaching for one of his knives. Before he could though, Lucia stepped in, her dainty little skip quickly erasing the look of fear that had come over the captive.
"Oh no you don't! Just look at his face! You can't just kill something this cute. Besides, he's a league smarter than most wolves, and that's a real rarity." She spoke as she dance around him, running her paws over him lightly, putting herself in between him and her apathetic brother. However, the other two free criminals in the room knew she was playing a bigger game, and Vartini relented.
"Ugh, fine, just take him out of here. I can't stand his constant jabbering." With a jump and cheerful wave, the arctic fox gleefully dragged the incredibly confused wolf out of the room, chair and all. Once the door shut behind them, Vartini asked the remaining fox the lingering question.
"What is she getting at?" His snarl didn't get a reaction, but his words did, one just as void of emotions as he had come to expect from the monotonous vulpine.
"I find it better to not question her. She's an eccentric, something she gets from our father. Her intelligence manifests itself in very odd actions." His reply was nothing unexpected, and the rat sighed in acceptance. However, he wasn't done yet, and so the fox continued.
"You're more frustrated that you might have played too soon. I have no idea why you were so easy to invite two detectives here. Especially when we know they're working with Pawtorias." Eleazar restated, bringing the smaller mammal back to the task at hand. Vartini had completely forgotten the fact when the line of gossip had reached his ears, and hadn't remembered it until after he sent his invitation to the couple.
"You said you cleaned your tracks, right? So they should've have no idea that you're here. As long as it stays that way then we're fine, right?" His voice tried to hold a tone of authority, but it was obvious he wasn't exactly confident in anything he had to say. Looking at him over his shoulder, Eleazar kept his face as empty as ever, not a lick of emotions to show.
"Right. But a lot could change, and neither you nor we have or know all of the cards right now, do we?" He said, doing nothing for the rat's grating nerves. Just then there was a knock at the door, and the assassin opened it, to let in a uniformed jackal. Handing the note to the black fox, he tipped his hat at his employer and quickly left. Without a word, he passed it to Vartini, who read it over quickly.
"So I have a lunch meeting with them. One that I am now painfully aware that I'm unprepared for. How the hell am I going to play this?" He shouted, violently scratching his head, trying to piece the puzzle together. At that, Eleazar sighed, and took control of the situation.
"You'll be busy for lunch. Send your son instead." The comment confused the rodent, who looked up at him as if to ask why. The larger canine was more than willing to answer the question.
"You're a businessman. You're busy for lunch. Send your son and his weasel girlfriend to meet with them instead. If they're really here out of romantic reasons then they'll find the company of another interspecies couple far more comforting than a crime boss. Drake should be keen enough to notice if they're off, and you'll be able to talk to him about it afterwards. It'll give you a better hint at their true intentions." He explained, his dispassionate attitude speaking volumes to the logic of the choice. Taking a second to think about it, Vartini decided that it was an acceptable option.
"Call Drake and tell him he has a luncheon with the couple. And for him to bring his darling with him. Then get someone to tell Claire about the change of plans. Oh,-" He interrupted Eleazar's march to the door, remembering something, "and make sure you tell little Miss Piano hands that you and her are not to leave the employee only section of the building without my say so. I had to drop a thousand dollars to have your scent removed from the hallways, just in case Mr. Wilde is who you think he is. If it happens again, we won't have either the time or resources to reverse that little problem, now will we?" He added, getting only an affirmative nod in response from the cool-headed vulpine, and then he swiftly exited the room, leaving the rat alone to figure out the rest of the weekend.
Nick was both impressed and let down by the hotel. The access to fine dining and movie theater options weren't all public information, and were quite the attraction, but he had hoped there would be a pool somewhere nearby. However, he decided that the game rooms were more than enough to compensate, and decided all in all it was, all in all, so far a 5 star hotel. The two hadn't let go of each other the entire time, and as they moved through the tour, he could feel her relaxing in his grasp, getting more and more comfortable with him. Good, we have to look like an established couple, so better get used to it, Carrots, he thought to himself. They were back in the room suites, with Ms. Notting showing them to their room. As she was handing him the key, a large mountain lion walked up behind her, and cleared his voice to make his presence known.
"Ma'am, it seems that Mr. Vartini will be unavailable for the lunch meeting with your guests. However, his son, Drake Vartini, would like to keep the offer extended, as an apology for such a hectic family schedule." The lion said, a formal posture and tone matching his suit and tie. Obviously taken aback by the news, for a second the leopard was speechless, but quickly recovered. She turned to Nick and Judy, who were slightly puzzled by the change of plans.
"Will Drake be bringing his significant other as well?" She asked before either of her two clients could say anything.
"Yes, Miss Darla Weaselton will be in company if they agree to meet with him." He answered, keeping up his proper verbiage. Smiling, the snow cat turned to the smaller couple, ready to explain.
"I'm sorry about this, but Mr. Vartini is incredibly busy most of the time. But I think you'll have a much better time with his son. Much more savoury characters. And he doesn't generally let people meet with his family, so if you don't want to unknowingly insult him, I would take offer." She elaborated. The two looked at each other and shrugged, wanting lunch and having already expected to meet with one of the Vartinis anyway.
"We'll take it then." Judy chirped, a smile on her face. Pleased with their response, she didn't even bother looking back at the lion, knowing he was already off to deliver the answer. Before he got too far, he turned again, and made a very simple remark.
"They're expected in 30 minutes, at the Rainforest Cafe." He said before walking off. Taking the in the timing, she looked down at her guests, who were eager to get inside their hotel room by the looks of it.
"You two have just enough time to change. We really shouldn't keep them waiting. I'll be back in 20 minutes to take you over, yes? Now here's your key." She said as she seemingly went over something in her head, somewhat distracted. Taking the key from her, they watched her leave, a quickness to her pace, as if she remembered she had forgotten to do something. Shrugging, Nick opened the door to their room, silently and unnoticeably scanning it for security cameras as they entered, keeping a composed and relaxed orientation. Judy was a little more frantic though, rushing past him to get a sight of the suite. The single double wolf sized bed was more than large enough for them, with it having more than enough space for them to sleep practically separately if they wanted to. A large flat screen hung on the wall directly across from it, and next to the bed were two nightstands and a desk. On the far side was a large window and balcony, with a door on the adjacent wall next to the nightstand, which undoubtedly led to the bathroom. Taking in the sight, Nick could tell Judy was overjoyed, especially as she sprang into the air, and landed on the bed, bouncing softly as she landed on her back.
"I love it! Much better than home! I could get used to this!" She said as she took in the comfort. The mattress was without a doubt, softer and more comfortable than either her own or the mound of cushions and blankets Nick called a bed. However, there was something about that last option that still seemed more… tantalizing to the bunny.
"Haha. Well don't. We only have 20 minutes, remember? So change before I'm forced to do it for you." He said with a wiggle in his eyes, getting a deep blush from the rabbit at the insinuation. Jumping off the bed, she held her chin up high, trying to not give him any extra satisfaction at her embarrassment.
"Fine. Let me just grab my bag." She said as she pulled the suitcase to the bathroom and quietly shut the door behind her, ignoring his snickering at her posture.
It didn't take them 20 minutes to change, so when they were done with 10 to spare, a sudden awkwardness hit them. Crap on a cracker, I didn't think that kiss far enough ahead, didn't I? Her thought was obvious, as she now had no idea how to act with Nick. From the bathroom door she looked him up and down, taking in his choice of attire. He had chosen grey, close fitting jeans, instead of his usual shorts. He had on a blue button up and black vest on top of that, and he held a black jacket under his arm. The casual, yet formal look suited him well, and she couldn't help but bit her lip at the view.
Nick's thoughts were similar, staring back at her. While he had dressed up, she had got the opposite way, wearing a fitted, smooth dark purple top and black tights. He almost never saw her in such casual clothes, so he took the few seconds to admire the view. Under his gaze she realized how out of the ordinary her attire was, and the look of embarrassment crept into her stance, find its way onto her face. Seeing this, he sauntered over to her, keeping his intentions behind a well kept emotional mask. Before she could prepare herself, he swung one arm around her and pulled her into another kiss, happy that this time she was the surprised one. After a second, he felt her arms reach around his neck, and his other arm tossed the jacket on the bed and scooped her up. However, before they could melt any further into their embrace, a similar knock at the door interrupted them.
"Damn that leopard…!" Nick growled under his voice, as Judy, almost thankful for the break, giggle at his frustration. She hopped across the room, ready to answer the door, while Nick reached over to grab his jacket again. When she opened it, Clarissa was standing at attention, waiting on them.
"Excellent, you're ready. I was afraid I was a little too quick. I'm hoping I didn't interrupt anything?" Her respectful attitude and question got almost got a response from Nick, however, Judy answered before he could say anything.
"No, nothing important. Should we get going?"
Hey everyone. Sorry that this chapter doesn't have the action. We're getting to it, I swear. But this chapter is already 1500 words longer than average, and the rest is already at 4000 words, so... 0.o yeah, had to cut it down. The next part should be out in the next couple of days, because it's mostly already written.
Thanks to gonekrazy3000 and ultamantman for your reviews. You guys keep me going.
Also, I deleted the AN chapters as I decided the one anonymous reviewer that kept badgering the point wasn't worth it, and so to will simply be deleting his posts going forward if they are on the same topic or without merit.
Thank you for reading, please review and tell me what you think. Also, in planning this story, I don't know how 'fantastical' the ending should be. I've been bouncing the ideas back and forth, and I can either really delve into the supernatural part, or make it more natural, just leaving a hint of it. What do you guys think?