This chapter uses the song "Home At Last" by Steely Dan.
Chapter 21: Coming Back to Life
"Are you sure there's nothing around the office I can do," Nick asked with a hint of hope he was unable to keep out of his tone.
Judy flashed him a big smile before throwing a bag of binders and assorted papers over her shoulder. She also grabbed the mug of coffee sitting on the kitchen counter and finished off what was left.
"The doctor said he doesn't want you working again until tomorrow. Although you no longer need your mother to stay here and help you, the doctor still thinks it would be best if you lay off work until Monday."
She rinsed the mug that read "Damn Fine Cup of Coffee" in the sink before placing it in the dishwasher.
"It's just one more day until you'll be able to do desk work again, so just relax here. Do whatever you've been doing the past few days alone."
Judy opened the refrigerator and grabbed a large basket of blueberries. Her parents had been sending care packages to Nick over the past few weeks, and it was more than the two of them could eat. She dumped a few into a plastic container and snapped the lid shut. As she placed it in her bag, she stole a few from the basket and popped them in her mouth.
"It's not that you're still physically unable to go back to work; the doctor was just worried about your mental state after the incident. That's why he wanted you to finish those sessions with the ZPD psychiatrist."
Judy leaned almost all of her body over the countertop and placed a kiss on Nick's cheek.
"If you need anything, don't hesitate to give me a call. Bogo has been very understanding of all of this, and I'm sure he wouldn't mind me leaving my shift a little early if you needed help."
"Who would have thought he could have sympathy for other mammals," Nick mumbled under his breath sarcastically.
"Just try and keep yourself busy, and I'll be home before you know it."
Judy ran around the countertop and jumped up to wrap her arms around Nick. She then sprinted to the front door and closed it behind her as she flashed him one last smile. As her echoing footsteps faded down the hallway, Nick found himself alone in the apartment once more. Although he had tried to make himself accustomed to the eerie silence, each morning was only a little bit easier than the previous.
With a large sigh, Nick hopped down from the barstool and walked towards the windows that overlooked their balcony. The sun had just barely peeked over the tops of some of the buildings, bathing everything around them in an orange and red glow. Nick had made a habit of watching the sunrise in the morning, even if it only killed a small portion of the days' time. He dropped an album on his turntable and poured a cup of coffee from the still boiling pot. He dragged the recliner from beside the couch to face out the window. As he let his body sink into the comfortable cushions, he felt his muscles relax for the first time in days. Although the healing had gone better than he originally expected, it still left his body sore more often than not. He had made a mental note a few days ago to talk with his doctor about seeing a physical therapist.
On the streets below, mammals of all different shapes and sizes walked on the sidewalks, rode in cars and trains, and commuted to wherever it was their tasks were for that day. Nick glanced down at his watch to see the hands give the time as 6:28. Just as expected, the unit adjacent to his balcony could just barely be seen around the corner as their lights came on. As the neighbors began their morning routine, Nick looked down at the street and waited for another mammal. Over the past few days, he had come to find that the German Shepherd that lived on the third floor of the building usually left around this time, give or take three to four minutes.
Just as expected, the dog exited the building with his briefcase and made his way down the sidewalk to the nearest subway station. Unlike the previous mornings, he was no longer dressed in ironed khaki pants and a dress shirt and tie. Instead, he wore nice jeans and a flannel shirt.
"I forgot it's casual Friday," Nick said to himself while taking a sip from his mug.
Within a matter of seconds, the German Shepherd had rounded the corner of the building and disappeared from Nick's site. Over the course of the next half hour, Nick refilled his coffee cup twice while studying other occupants of the building leave and go to their respective activities for the day. Once a fox dressed in a suit, who he had come to know as Jeffrey during previous engagements, left the building, Nick knew that his morning entertainment had ended. He placed the coffee cup in the sink and scooped a small bowl of blueberries from the large container in the refrigerator. He rested the berries on a small table in the living room before returning to the main bedroom to take a shower. Nick had grown accustomed to showering at night before he went to bed. However, the water in the building had gone out the previous night a matter of minutes before he had stepped into the bathroom.
As he turned the handle in their shower, hot water puddled in the bottom and circled the drain while clouds of steam billowed up from the ground and over the top of the glass door. He peeled the clothes he had slept in from his body, feeling the oils that accumulated on his fur causing it to stick to the fabric as he pulled it away. Nick opened the door, causing steam to spill out onto the tile floor of the bathroom. As he shut the door behind him, he could already feel the hot water penetrating the thick fur down to his skin. He spent the next twenty minutes basking in the warmth of the shower that he had so desired the previous night. Even through all the years of him bouncing around from one shady place to another, he had always found a way to take a clean shower everyday. It was both for his outward appearance and self-pleasure to be clean every day.
After letting his body warm up enough to counteract the cold weather outside, Nick shut off the water and stepped out. He dried himself off with a blower installed in the floor. Although he had never been a big fan of the device, he had it installed when Judy moved into the apartment as a courtesy to her. Once dry enough, he wrapped a towel around his waist and stepped out into their bedroom. He threw on a loose-fitting t shirt and baggy shorts before tossing the towel back into the bathroom on the floor. Before returning to the living room, he stepped into his music room and took his keyboard and collapsible stand under his arm.
"Jeez, I forgot how heavy this thing was," Nick grunted.
He walked back into the living room and rested the instrument on the couch. Unfolding the stand in the middle of the room, he placed the keyboard on top and angled it to face out the windows at the rising sun. He then returned to the kitchen and poured another cup of coffee. As he walked back into the living room, he took a sip and exhaled with a pleasant sigh. Placing the mug down on the keyboard, he selected the desired tone and began the drum backing track.
Begin "Home at Last"
Nick brought his paws down on the keys and began to tap out the melody he had come to know by heart after many years. As the drums began to play, they were also joined by a horn arrangement. Nick soon found his foot tapping against the hardwood floor with the beat. As his paws danced over the plastic keys, his tail lightly swished behind him in time to his playing. The backing drums played a small deviation, meaning that the lyrics were about to begin. Nick cleared his throat and began to sing along.
"I know this super highway, this bright familiar sun. I guess that I'm the lucky one."
'Not bad for going without a warmup,' he thought to himself.
He took a quick sip of coffee from his mug before belting out another line.
"Who wrote that tired sea song, set on this peaceful shore? You think you've heard this one before."
Nick played the next notes with extra enthusiasm, causing the keyboard to tip forward slightly. He quickly set it back down, causing only a few drops of coffee to fly over the brim of his mug.
"Well the danger on the rocks is surely past. Still I remain tied to the mast."
Nick found the corners of his lips begin to pull into a smile.
"Could it be that I have found my home at last?"
'Looks like I finally have a home at last,' he heard Finnick's voice call from the back of his mind.
"Home at last…" Nick sang with a defeated tone.
He suddenly felt his paws stop. They rested on top of the keys, causing them to release a tone that slowly faded and died away. He stared out the window as the smile slowly began to relax. Finnick's words continued to echo in his head. The first night that Finnick had moved into his new apartment, he invited Nick and Judy over. Nick could still remember receiving that phone call from his friend. The voice on the other end of the line had sounded joyful, an almost alien tone to Finnick's voice that Nick had never heard before. His friend begged them to come see the new apartment.
He and Judy dropped what they were doing at the ZPD and snuck out the back door. Nick could still remember Bogo yelling at them from his office window as the couple took of in his Jeep in the direction of Sahara Square. When they knocked on the door of the apartment number that Finnick had texted him, they heard quickly-paced scurrying as the fennec bolted to the front door. It soon opened, revealing a smiling fox with a drink in each paw. He was dressed in khaki pants and a tucked-in dress shirt with an expensive watch adorning his wrist. For someone who always wore cargo shorts and a sloppy polo shirt, Nick welcomed the change in attire.
"Hey guys, great to see you again," he exclaimed while placing the drinks in Nick and Judy's paws.
Finnick motioned for them to follow him inside. As they stepped through the threshold, Nick could only think that for the longest time, his friend had lived in a van that smelled of booze and dirty laundry. The fact that his home smelled only of a soft spruce air freshener was a change that Nick had never really expected.
The three of them spent the evening being given a grand tour of the place. Afterwards, they retired to the living room where the conversation was aided by a bottle of brandy until nearly midnight. As he and Judy gathered their things to leave, Nick could remember his friend calling to him as they neared the door.
"Hold up a minute, Nick," Finnick said while approaching him.
Nick expected Finnick to give him a harmless kick like the two of them had always done. Instead, he was caught completely off guard when the fennec jumped up and wrapped his arms around his friend's neck.
"Thanks for not giving up on me," Finnick said.
Nick could hear his voice slightly tremble as tears began to well in the corners of his friend's eyes.
"Aw Finnick, I…"
Nick found trouble trying to continue the sentence.
"You're the only mammal in my life that has believed in me, no matter what we were up against. I just hope you understand how much I appreciate that you never gave up on me like the rest of the world did."
Nick was no longer able to hold back his own tears, letting a few of them slide down his cheeks before being absorbed into his fur. As the two foxes hugged each other, Judy pulled a tissue from her purse and dabbed it under her eyes.
"If you hadn't believed in me all these years, I don't think I would've made it this far. Thanks to you, it looks like I finally have a home at last…"
Nick pulled himself from the memory of that night and back into reality. He wiped the back of his arm against his face and absorbed the tears that were streaming from his eyes. The sun had risen higher in the sky, causing the furniture to cast elongated shadows throughout the apartment. Nick shuttered and tried to forget the painful flashback while tossing back the remaining coffee in his mug. With a sniffle, he powered off the keyboard and retreated to the master bedroom. As he stepped through the doorway, his eyes immediately darted to the desk. Still sitting at the end of a collection of books to keep them up was a small, wooden block. Nick picked it up and tipped the bottom to face him. Barely recognizable against the dark, mahogany finish was the seam of a lid. Nick took the block and smacked the side that was engraved with
Nicholas P. Wilde
ZPD Officer
against the palm of his paw. With a light click, the seam popped open. Nick's mother had given him the small safe as a graduation gift, and he had come to use it more often originally anticipated. He shook it lightly, causing a few items to spill out into his awaiting paw.
He placed the recorder carrot pen onto the desk, leaving only an old photograph and his mother's wedding ring in his paw. Staring down at the photo, Nick could feel the familiar sting of tears begin behind his eyes once more. The polaroid had handled the tests of time well, but a light-yellow haze still splotched the white border in certain areas. Staring back at him from the photograph were the teenage versions of himself and Finnick. The picture had been taken in some back alley of City Central after the two of them had each snuck a bottle of whiskey from a convenient store. Nick could still remember the two of them laughing with delight as the tiger yelled at them from the store's doorway.
They each drank their entire bottle over the course of the afternoon, soon finding themselves drunkenly fumbling around until they collapsed in the alley where Finnick had parked his van. They threw open the back doors and sat on the ledge with their feet dangling over. As the sun set, they simply sat in their inebriated states and watched the orange glow covered the city. As their buzz slowly started to wear off, Nick noticed Finnick beginning to droop his head. No more than five minutes later, his friend's body gave up the fight of staying awake and slumped to the side. The fennec's head came crashing down onto Nick's leg. His friend's mouth hung open, causing a small river of saliva to drip out and pool on the shag interior of the van. Seeing the perfect opportunity, Nick grabbed the polaroid that was constantly tumbling around the back of the van. As he aimed the camera at them, he prayed that there was still film in it to capture the moment. After a bright flash, the device whirred, and a photograph rolled out the slit in the front of it.
Ever since that night, Nick had kept the photograph to himself. There had been a few occasions where he considered showing Finnick, but decided it was best for his own personal safety to keep the memory to himself. After all those years, Nick never grew tired of staring at the photograph. He rested it down on the desk and sat back in the chair. Propping his head in a paw, he used the other to hold the carrot pen. Although he couldn't exactly remember when, he could still recall the day that Judy had left a message for him before going to work. Although he absolutely loved it, Judy had eventually come to regret leaving such a, in her own words "sobby", message in any recorded format. As much as she desired to erase the recording, Nick hid the pen from her so he could savor the message as many times as he wanted. With a click of the leaves on top, Nick heard the pen crackle to life once again.
"Love you, Nicky. Don't forget, our love will get you through this."
He smirked and couldn't but let out a light chuckle. Every time he would press the pen in front of her, the insides of hers would turn red and her paws would ball up into little fists. No matter how many times he played it, Nick could never understand why Judy hated it so much. Sure, it was not the post poetic way to express their love, but Nick found the simplistic recording to be quite touching. He clicked the top again, causing the message to loop once more.
"…our love will get you through this…"
Nick's eyes darted to his mother's wedding ring that was resting on the desk surface. The diamond sparkled in the morning sun that was beaming through the window. He picked it up gingerly with two fingers and twisted it around between them. As the ring twirled around, he watched light dance around in the geometric wonders of the diamond. He clicked the pen once more, causing Judy's voice to fill the room.
"…our love will get you through this…"
He stopped twirling the ring. Nick stared at it and then at a framed photo on the desk. Sitting underneath the protective glass was a photo from the day Nick had graduated from the training academy. Judy had jumped up and wrapped an arm around his shoulder in order to keep herself up at his level. A large smile was plastered across her face. Nick wore a similar expression that fell short of Judy's somewhat unnatural levels of happiness. Although Nick's eyes were staring directly into the photographer's camera, he noticed that Judy was staring…
…at him…
After all the times he had looked at the picture, he never noticed that fact. Judy was staring up at her friend with a look in her eyes that he had not seen for him at that point in their relationship. Burning behind the violet gaze of eyes was love.
Love.
Pure, affectionate, passionate love…
Nick looked back down at the ring.
"I can't wait for this any longer."
He rested the pen down on the desk and grabbed his car keys before heading to the front door.
Nick hummed to himself while scooping a heaping cup of blueberries from the Hopps' care package into a nearby pot. As the music from the turntable carried from the living room into the kitchen, Nick couldn't stop his tail from gently swaying back and forth.
"And that makes two cups," he said with a grin before snapping the lid over the container and placing it back in the refrigerator.
He then proceeded to measure sugar and dump it into the pot. With a final splash of water, he stirred the mixture together before placing it on the stove. A burner clicked to life as the blue flame ignited under the pot. While waiting for the concoction to come to a boil, he turned his attention to the grocery bag sitting on an adjacent counter near the front door. He emptied the contents out, causing a receipt to drift from the bag and on top of the pile of produce.
"Yikes… can't have her finding that."
Nick quickly crumpled the thin paper strip and shoved it to the bottom of the trash can. Although he was under doctor's orders to stay in the apartment, he figured a quick trip to the market down the street would not do him any harm. Even though he would later have to make an excuse to Judy for how he got all the ingredients, that was a hurdle to overcome at another time.
He carried the assortment of vegetables and placed them down by his cutting board. Over the next ten minutes, he meticulously scrubbed, peeled and cut the vegetables before placing them on an oiled baking sheet. Nick then generously seasoned the produce before giving them all one last splash of olive oil. Pleased, and somewhat surprised, with the expert work he had done, he slid the pan into the oven and set a timer.
"Absolutely heavenly," he whispered to himself as the smell of blueberries hung in the air.
Nick returned to the pot and stirred the now bubbling mixture together. He lifted the spoon and swiped it with a finger for sampling.
"Damn, Nick Wilde, where did this skill come from?"
Extinguishing the flame, he rested the pot on a trivet. He then pulled the cheesecake batter from the fridge that he had prepared prior. Using a spatula, he emptied the blueberry mixture into the batter and folded everything together until the mixture was a stunning beige and purple marble. Emptying the batter into the springform pan he had previously baked the crust in, Nick wrapped it with a sheet of aluminum foil before placing it in the oven. He then set a separate timer on his phone.
Leaning with his back against the counter's edge, Nick looked over the kitchen and found himself with nothing else to do. Glancing down at the watch on his wrist, he figured there would be no better use of time than to clean. Just as he started walking towards the sink full of contaminated pots, pans, and knives, his phone buzzed in his pocket. Next to Judy's contact photo of her dressed like Scarlet Witch for Halloween was a message that read:
"on my way home. Boggo let me go a few minutes early!"
Nick quickly shoved the device back into his pocket before scurrying to the sink and furiously rinsing the cookware and tossing them into the dishwasher. Within a matter of just a few minutes, the sink and countertops were cleared.
"Must be a new record," Nick joked to himself before returning to his bedroom and entering the closet. As he removed the watch from his wrist, he noticed that the hands read 5:53. Judging from prior experiences with Zootopia's public transportation system, Nick estimated that Judy would be walking through the front door at 6:07.
"That should be plenty of time," Nick said while pulling a white shirt from a nearby hanger. He pulled the Mick Jaguar shirt over his head and discarded it on the floor. As he buttoned up the dress shirt, Nick scanned the rack for a tie that he felt would appropriately fit the occasion. Finally settling on the choice of a violet tie adorned with small carrots, Nick tied the knot and tightened it around his neck. With a final check of his appearance in the mirror, Nick spritzed himself with a spray of cologne. He then selected a silver watch from a rack next to his dress shoes. Breathing onto the crystal face and wiping it with the collar of his shirt, he found his overall appearance, dare he say, drop-dead gorgeous.
"Judy's not gonna know what hit her," Nick said with confidence before slipping on a pair of dress shoes.
Tucking any creases or wrinkles into his waistband, Nick exited the bedroom just as the oven's timer went off. He grabbed a pair of oven mitts and retrieved the pan from the oven. Placing the steaming vegetables on the stove to cool, Nick checked the timer on his phone. With only a couple of minutes left until the cheesecake was done, he pulled a pair of plates and accompanying silverware and placed them on the countertop adjacent to the stove. As the last fork dropped with a clatter onto the granite, the alarm on Nick's phone went off. He pulled the cheesecake from the oven and placed it into the refrigerator to cool. Just as the door snapped shut, the locks on the front door clicked. Nick's head turned to face the entryway as Judy stepped over the threshold. As she turned the locks back, her nose twitched and turned in the direction of the kitchen. Nick watched as her eyes illuminated and a smile spread across her face.
"What on Earth is that smell," she exclaimed will throwing her bag of papers haphazardly on a nearby stool.
As Judy approached the stove and pan of still-steaming vegetables, she inhaled deeply. Her eyelids fluttered as she let out a satisfied laugh.
"Who delivered these? I want to call them every time we order out from now on," Judy said while sampling a small floret of broccoli from the pan.
"Believe it or not, your favorite fox actually made them. It took a little effort on my end to find a highly rated recipe, but I'm glad I choose this one."
Judy seemed to ignore Nick's words before stealing another vegetable, this time a baby carrot, from the pan and popping it in her mouth. As she chewed the little piece of heaven, she gave Nick what he could only describe as a playful glare.
"All of this time, you've been claiming that you can't even boil an egg. I hope you understand that this means you'll be cooking dinner much more often."
As she took a small piece of cauliflower, Judy looked up Nick up and down. For the first time since she had walked through the door, she noticed the attire he was wearing.
"What's with the fancy getup," she asked while chomping on the cauliflower.
"Am I not allowed to dress how I please," Nick said while placing an elbow on the countertop and resting his head in his paw.
Judy gave him a warm smile before leaning over and pressing her nose against his.
"Something's different, and I know it."
Nick chuckled and pointed to the refrigerator.
"Despite what you may be thinking, this evening doesn't stop at dinner. Why don't you go have a look?"
With a curious glance, Judy turned to the refrigerator and opened the doors. She searched amongst the shelves before her eyes finally landed on the springform pan that was still covered by a layer of foil. Without having to say a word, Nick nodded and motioned with a paw for her to have a look. She lifted the protective layer, causing her eyes to grow larger as the smell carried out the pan and flooded her nostrils.
"I don't know what you have planned for tonight, but something tells me that you're just trying to get laid."
"You really do think too little of me, Carrots."
Nick walked over to Judy, placed his paws over her eyes and began leading her to the balcony door.
"You got even more surprises, Slick?"
Nick chuckled and guided her around the coffee table in the living room.
"I'm not sure why that should come as a surprise to you. You know how much I love trying to make everything perfect."
"You mean like the time you tried starting a bonfire during my family's campout and caught or tent on fire?"
Nick winced as the sight of their tent going up in flames raced back from his memory.
"It's the thought that counts, Carrots."
Still managing to keep both of her eyes covered with one paw, Nick reached out as they neared the door and flicked on the switch for the exterior lights. He slid open the door, causing the cool night air to come drifting over the threshold.
"Alright, Carrots, have yourself a look…"
Nick slowly dropped his paw as Judy's eyes flickered open. Along with the usual led strips that lined the balcony's walls, Nick had managed to string a web of lights above them. The bulbs randomly pulsated between light and darkness, giving the entire area a dreamlike feeling.
"I was worried for a second that you'd go with something extreme, but this is just perfect, Nick…"
Judy reached up and pulled Nick's tie until his lips were down to her level. She ran a paw across his cheek while she became overwhelmed with the sensation of his tongue attempting to entangle with hers. Just as she felt Nick slowly beginning to melt under her touch, she released him from her grasp. She turned towards the kitchen with her fox still hanging in midair with his lips slightly pursed and eyes closed.
"You're such a tease," Nick let out with a laugh as Judy returned with a bottle of wine and a pair of glasses.
She set the bottle down on the table as Nick returned inside to fetch their entrees. With the pan of still-steaming vegetables in one paw and the stack of plates and silverware in the other, Nick carefully stepped back outside and rested them on the table. Judy popped the cork from the wine bottle and poured them each a generous serving. As she rested a glass on Nick's side of the table, he in turn reached across and set down a plate of vegetables in her place.
"Here's to Nick, who it turns out can actually cook something other than frozen dinners."
Jokes on you, Carrots," Nick said while raising his glass to meet hers. "Heating something in the microwave doesn't technically count as cooking."
Judy rolled her eyes and clinked their glasses together. As she took a sip, Nick stared at her with his jaw propped up in his paw. He was giving her a lovingly stare.
"What," Judy asked with a slight chuckle to her tone.
"You really are beautiful…"
Judy smiled as she placed a bite of the vegetables in her mouth.
"I mean it…"
Judy looked up from her plate to find that Nick had not moved a muscle. His fork still sat untouched next to his plate. Even though they had toasted, Nick had not taken a sip from his wine glass.
"Well Nick, thank you…"
No matter how many times Nick paid her a compliment, it always managed to catch Judy off-guard. She could feel her cheeks begin to burn slightly. It was only safe to assume that the insides of her ears were beginning to turn red as well.
"I know I say those kinds of things multiple times a day, but I hope that hasn't caused them to lose their impact on you."
"The fact that you feel the need to pay me compliments as often as you do makes me appreciate every single one of them, Nick. Do you know how many mammals in this city yearn to have someone treat them even half as well as you treat me?"
Nick took a sip from his glass.
"Trust me, it used to not always be that way. If any of my past girlfriends heard you say that, they'd probably want you to have a mental evaluation."
"Oh, come on, I'm sure you don't really mean that."
Nick shrugged his shoulders and took a bite from his plate.
"You'd be surprised what a self-centered fox I used to be. I'm sure as hell not proud to admit it, but there are plenty of things I've done in my past that make me truly ashamed."
Before Judy let herself become upset over Nick's admittance, he reached across the table and grabbed hold of her paw. He squeezed it lightly and smiled warmly.
"However, it's all thanks to you that where I am now."
"Oh, Nick… I'm sure tha-"
"I'm serious, Judy"
She stopped midsentence and starred into Nick's eyes. The usual glow inside of them had increased in intensity in that moment to a point that she had never seen before.
"I can't say for sure how things would've turned out, but I think it's pretty safe to assume that I wouldn't be nearly as happy as I am now. Sure, I'd still have this apartment, but I can tell you that it would feel pretty damn empty without you in it."
Nick squeezed her paw tighter. Judy continued to sit in silence and hang on to every word that left her fox's lips.
"I don't really know how else to put this, but you filled a void in my life, Carrots. For the longest time before I met you, I could tell that something was missing from my life. For years, I tried convincing myself that this was nothing more than my instincts trying to tell me that I needed a mate. However, girlfriend after girlfriend began to prove me wrong. Just when I thought I'd have to spend the rest of my life with this looming feeling of emptiness… I met you…"
Nick placed his other paw on top of Judy's.
"Although it took me a while to realize it, I've come to think of our relationship as much more than being mates. For the first time in years, I found someone other than Finnick or my mother who actually believed that I had the ability to make a positive impact on this world. No matter how hard I try, sometimes I think that I may never make you feel just as strongly about this as I do…"
Judy used her free paw to pull herself up onto the table. Bridging the gap between them, she placed her lips on Nick's. Without any hesitation, he wrapped a paw around her back and pulled her across the table until she was resting in his lap. Judy reached out and grabbed the collar of his shirt while Nick ran his paw down the small of her back. Judy felt a shiver run down her spine, causing her to let out a light moan that was muffled by her partner's lips. She stuffed a paw inside Nick's shirt and felt the cream-colored fur that she had spent so many nights burying her face into. Just as she felt Nick tense under her touch, he lightly grabbed her wrist and pulled her paw away.
"I'm just as eager as you are, Carrots, but there's something I want to do first."
Judy smiled before giving her fox a final quick peck on the lips.
"You know, it's considered rude to leave your partner all pent up after turning them on."
Nick smiled as he stood up and brought their plates and glasses back inside. As he walked towards the kitchen, he turned back and gave Judy a toothy grin.
"Trust me on this one, Carrots. It will definitely be worth it."
He loaded everything into the dishwasher before closing the door with a snap. Grabbing the apartment keys and stuffing them into his pocket, Nick opened the door and motioned for Judy to follow him outside.
"We better not be going to some dive bar, or you won't be getting any of this tonight," Judy said while motioning up and down her body.
"You can rest assured that we are not going to a dive bar."
Judy scoffed and attempted to call his bluff.
"Just because a One-Eyes Jack's pays the extras fees to take the Zootopian Express card, that doesn't make it any less of a dive bar."
Nick let out a light laugh under his breath while locking the door and stuffing the keys back into his pocket.
"Although they make one of the best White Russians I've ever had, we're not going to One-Eyed Jack's either, but I applaud you for remembering the name of the place after the night you had."
Judy smirked and gazed back at Nick as he caught up to her.
"You act like one drink will put me completely under."
"Last I checked, an entire bottle of wine doesn't exactly count as one drink."
"Was it really a whole bottle? Wow, that's embarrassing," Judy said as she felt her cheeks beginning to burn with embarrassment.
The elevator arrive on their floor and the doors parted with a soft ding. They stepped inside and it began the decent to the ground floor.
"That was the only night I've had to carry you home."
As the elevator slowly down on its approach to the ground floor, a chime filled the small space as the doors slid open and Nick and Judy stepped out into the lobby.
"Let me tell you. Nothing will earn you stares more than being a fox carrying around an incapacitated rabbit. A few mammals even threatened to call the cops until I whipped out my badge. That shut them up real quick and sent them on their way."
Judy let out a laugh that caused her to wrap an arm around her stomach. Whether she was doing this out of exaggeration or not, Nick enjoyed the sight.
"Wow, I wish I could remember that."
"Trust me, I don't want to," Nick said in a playful manor as he held the door open for Judy.
He followed behind her as the two of them stepped out onto the street. Despite the earliness of the evening, the streets were much less packed than usual. This allowed the light breeze to travel down the sidewalk uninterrupted until it wrapped itself around them. Judy tilted her nose up to the air and enjoyed the momentary sensation.
"Everyone must be staying home tonight," Judy said as Nick led them off towards City Central.
"That show with the dragons is ending tonight, so I guess that's why everyone is inside. I never really saw the appeal, but I know almost everyone at the ZPD loves it. Delgato was actually telling me that the final season's episodes are getting progressively worse."
"Oh well. Sounds like we were spared from that one," Judy said as Nick turned them down a corner once they reached the intersection.
"Any guesses as to where I'm taking us yet?"
Nick looked down at Judy and give her another smile. She turned her head from side to side and attempted to find any recognizable buildings or landmarks. This search soon proved to be fruitless as she looked up at Nick.
"I haven't been in this part of the city in so long that I honestly don't even recognize a single building. Am I supposed to be remembering something?"
"Trust me, Carrots," Nick said as they stepped into the crosswalk at the next intersection. "You'll remember where I'm taking us soon enough."
Nick continued to lead them towards the destination he had in mind. The entire way there, the two continued to make conversation. Nick could not remember the last time he and Judy had pushed work and all other problems completely from their minds, but he was taking advantage and enjoying the moment.
"Ah, here we are," Nick said as they stopped at an opening in a low stone wall.
The opening was marked by a pair of stone pillars that well above both of their heads. Spanning the gap between them was a simplistic metal arch adorned with the name 'West End Park.' As if a switch had turned on inside her head, Judy looked at Nick with a sudden look of realization plastered across her face.
"I remember this place now! We came her the first night I moved into your apartment!"
Nick chuckled and wrapped an arm around her shoulder.
"I had a feeling your mind would get jogged eventually."
The two stepped from the faded concrete sidewalk and onto the cool dirt part that snaked its away among the trees. As Nick lead them deeper into the park, Judy wrapped her herself around his arm. She leaned her head into his side and stared up at the leaves of the passing tress. Out of all the parks in Zootopia, this one was the least popular, and Judy was unable to understand why. It may not have had the most trees, but it was the furthest from the busy parts of the city and easily the quietest. Nick suddenly led them off the path and onto the freshly mowed grass.
"Going off-roading, are we," Judy asked as she relished the feeling of soft ground underneath her paws.
"Trust me. It'll all be worth it soon."
As they continued further from the path, Judy could feel the ground beneath her feet beginning to incline. Nick led them up the hill until they reached the peak. Sitting on top of the mound of earth like an ancient surveyor, an oak tree stood tall.
"Does this bring back any more memories, Carrots?"
Judy felt a smile spread across her face as more visions of that night came flooding back. Nick had tried so hard to impress her the first night that she moved in. He had taken her to dinner at an upscale restaurant. Despite the bill being more than Judy had spent eating out the entire previous year, Nick assured her that it was not an issue. After the high-class experience in the restaurant, Nick had pulled a complete one-eighty and taken her to a small hole-in-the-wall ice cream shop that Judy wouldn't give a second thought to passing by. The two of them then walked with their frozen treats into West End Park and sat under the very tree that Judy found herself by once more.
"I have to admit, Nick. I had almost completely forgotten about that night until now. With all the changes in our lives and the case eating up every waking moment of free time, it feels wonderful to just let things go for a moment and enjoy life."
Nick slowly reached into his pocket to assure that the ring was still there. The familiar shape of his mother's ring played on the pads of his fingers, causing a small wave of relief to wash over him.
"I know these past few months haven't been easy… for either of us. Between me losing Finnick and then getting hit by a van, it goes without much saying that life seems to have dealt us a poor hand at this moment. However, it's been so much easier dealing with all of this having you by my side."
Nick looked down at Judy to find her starring lovingly into his eyes.
"In all honesty, I don't think I'd be able to make it through so many of the scenarios we've been dumped into if it wasn't for you, Judy."
Judy could feel tears beginning to well in the corners of her eyes. She brushed the back of her paw across her face in attempt to hide the waterworks, but only made the situation more obvious.
"Stop it, Nick. Don't make me cry tonight," she let out through choking sobs.
Just wait a minute or two, Carrots. Then the tears will really be flowing.
"I just want to make sure you understand just how much I've come to appreciate having you in my life, Judy. You've managed to take a self-centered con artist and turn him into one of the most respected officers in the ZPD. The fact that you selflessly gave up so much of your life just to help me succeed hasn't gone unnoticed. In the purest sense of the word, I'm madly in love with you, Judy. I'd throw down my life for you in an instant, knowing that you'd do the same and more for me. I… I love you…"
Before Judy even had the chance to say "I love you" back, Nick pulled the ring from his pocket and dropped down to one knee. Judy immediately covered her mouth with her paws but was unable to keep Nick from hearing the loud gasp that escaped from between her fingers. Nick could feel his body beginning to tremble and his throat going dry. After clearing his throat, Nick extended his open paw in front of Judy with the ring resting in his palm.
"Judy Hopps… will you do me the great honor of becoming Mrs. Nick Wilde?"
There was a brief pause as silence hung in the air. Then, Judy sprung from her stance and wrapped her arms around Nick. She buried her face in the crook of his shoulder as hot tears came streaming down her cheeks. After a few failed attempts at speaking, Judy was able to make a coherent sentence.
"You don't know how long I've been waiting for you to ask that," Judy said with a muffled voice.
"So… should I take that as a yes?"
Judy pulled her head back and met Nick's gaze. The fur under her eyes had turned a dark grey from the tears.
"Yes, Nick! Yes!"
With a delighted sigh of relief, Nick slid the ring over Judy's finger. The stone sparkled in the blue glow of the moonlight as Judy admired it on her paw. With excited laughter, she locked her lips with his and continued to sob. When she finally pulled away, Nick pulled her in closely and embraced her in a hug. As Judy continued to cry into his fur with delighted sobs, Nick felt himself beginning to cry as well. After years of disappointment and what seemed to be an eternity of aimless wandering, Nick finally felt that his life had properly fallen into place.
"I love you, Judy…"
Edited by Jack_NWH