A/N: The full author note is at the end this time. Quick shoutout of thanks to winerp for another awesome proofing job! And Run turns one today - yay!

Run

"Carrots, those ears of yours make for terrible windows."

With a soft huff, Judy flattened her ears, letting Nick peek over her head and through the cruiser window. Normally, Judy would note the dangers of leaving street corners unlit – and she planned to work that into a campaign speech soon – but tonight, the darkness was welcomed, as it hid their cruiser from the two grizzly bears guarding the entrance to a fancy club. Though the business card had said "restaurant," it misled; the Zootopia Athletic Club was far more than a restaurant.

Between her ears, Nick explained: "This is where the fanciest mammals go to brag about how rich and powerful they are. Exclusive membership, special handshakes, all that good stuff. Hmm, not too unlike the Ranger Scouts…though I'll admit they have nicer suits here."

Nick's breath trapped itself at the base of her ears and dampened her fur until a droplet rolled onto her temple. A part of her was savoring the warmth of this closeness…but a bigger part wanted dry ears. She needed something to encourage his snout to lift off. "Should I keep an eye out for adorable little caps?"

He shifted a few inches, and now only her right ear was being soaked. "No need to pretend, Carrots. You'd like seeing me in that little cap."

Regardless of the potential truth of that statement, a soggy-eared Judy was ready to remove Nick from her head. Fortunately, a legitimate reason slipped out from the night and pulled up to the curb. Judy squinted as one of the grizzlies popped up a gullwing door, and a familiar figure stepped out from the sleek car.

"I'll be honest," Nick said as he finally relinquished his spot between Judy's ears, "I didn't think we'd see him this soon."

His tweed jacket twirled as Arturo Lobos slipped it back on himself and played with the cuff. He looked more disheveled since Nick and Judy had seen him last. He stood with his typical poise, there had been no change there; rather, he simply appeared…nervous, in a way Judy had never seen him before.

Her paw still buzzed from the ire Nick had forced her to stow away during the dinner. Poised to strike down Arturo and Izabella with a mighty rhetorical blow, Judy had been shocked to hear Nick's voice forcing a premature conclusion. Something unresolved smoldered in her gut, and this time, she hoped Nick would stay his caution.

As soon as Arturo had his footing on the dirty urban concrete sidewalk, one of the grizzlies was upon him, ushering him through the padded doors that swung effortlessly into the club and following him inside.

Nick's apparent premonition had Judy cocking an eyebrow. "How did you…."

"A hunch. That's a thing cops get from time to time."

"Oh, you don't say?" She moved to playfully yank his tail as he exited the cruiser, but it whipped out of her reach with timing too precise to be an accident. Nick's cheesy smirk glittered in the sparse light dribbling down from apartment windows and the odd neon sign. Or maybe his smile sparkled of its own accord. Either way, she told him to quit it as she slid from her seat and clung close to the side of the vehicle, doing her best to steer clear of the bear's line of sight.

Nick crept up behind her — he could be incredibly stealthy when the need arose — and kept his voice low. "So what's the plan, Carrots? Smash through a window? Rappel in from the rooftop?"

"How about go in the front door?"

"A gutsy play, lot of moxie. It has potential." Nick drummed his chin with his paw. "And just how do you propose we execute that?"

Total clarity eluded Judy, so she let her plan form naturally as she waved her paw over the scene. "So, um, we need to…distract that grizzly, get him over to the side of the building. Then we can hug this wall, staying in the shadows, and—"

A loud whistle sailed within three inches of her ear. She flinched and turned to find Nick beaming proudly. "Way ahead of you, Carrots."

The sound of glass shattering pulled her back to the club. Nick had found an empty bottle from the dumpster behind their hiding spot and tossed it with impressive aim. It landed a paw's length away from the skinny first-floor window. Nick must have selected a healthy-sized bottle — the noise reverberated and spun around the building's corner. The grizzly practically leaped at the sound and, with cautious steps, made his way toward Nick's distraction.

"After you, Officer Hopps."

The night hid them well, and they slipped across the street and through the plush club door. Judy half-expected another bear or guard — or anyone — to pop out and halt their advance. Instead, Nick and Judy were greeted by a long darkened hallway. They stayed low and started creeping along the mahogany paneling, Judy pulling her ears back to avoid brushing against the oil paintings that hung along either side.

She recognized a few of the mammals whose dimly-lit portraits graced these walls; part of her training had included some history of the city, supplemented by her own dedicated research. Past mayors, titans of industry, and the occasional artist or author glared from the past, their expressions muted, refined. Judy didn't care much for the paintings.

"This is spooky, Nick," she finally gave voice to her fear. "Where is everyone?"

"Maybe they're in their secret club room doing their secret club rituals," Nick opined as the hallway opened to another even darker one. "I'll bet they even wear hoods and robes."

"Always dramatic, aren't you?"

"I prefer creative, but…perhaps I do have a flair for the dramatic." He flicked his ears and waved his tail, adopting the persona of Gazelle sashaying across a stage. Emmitt Otterton had performed it better, but Judy lacked the heart to inform Nick he had been bested. Still, she offered a soft titter as they rounded a corner and entered another dark hallway.

Her laugh had barely cooled when Nick spoke again. "Hmm, you know what?"

"What?"

"They just let two average mammals get into their club. This place certainly has slid."

Judy scoffed…but appreciated the lightheartedness Nick could muster in times of tension. Even in this dim den, Nick's smirk wouldn't lose its luster. Shaped by the slickness required to pull off umpteen cons over the years, his smile could disarm apprehension as quickly as his paw could lift a wallet. Not that the latter was a skill she necessarily appreciated, but it was a skill nonetheless.

And Judy needed one of those skills at the moment…though depending on how this evening would turn out, she might need both. They had been sneaking down two, then three hallways, with no other mammal in sight. The emptiness of the club had Judy's paw trembling as she thumbed the tip of her carrot pen.

Ahead, she spotted the thinnest sliver of light at floor level, and she tapped Nick on his shoulder. "There's a door."

"Ever vigilant, Officer Hopps." It seemed that Nick couldn't resist delivering at least one more snide comment before they approached a slate gray steel door, which reminded Judy of old black-and-white noir flicks she would watch from time to time. Curled up in her bedcovers and peering at her glowing phone screen, she would gasp as the grizzled hero in a trench coat hammered on an old steel door with multiple latches for multiple eye levels, trying to force his way into a speakeasy, meet a mob boss, or accomplish some other dubious end.

This door ahead had three latches, one of which a lazy mammal had left half-open. It also happened to be the highest up, a bunny's forelimb above the tip of Nick's ears. There wouldn't be any breaking down of doors for the time being, but Nick and Judy exchanged a quick and knowing glance, then Judy scurried up Nick's back and let his paws guide her to his shoulders. This maneuver had proven useful on several occasions — though invariably accompanied by a short grumble from Nick. As he leaned in toward the door, Judy caught the lip of the latch. Before she peeked in with one eye, she spotted a word stamped into the doorframe.

Nocturnia.

For all the wealth this ostentatious building displayed, lighting must not have been included in the budget. Maybe the room behind the door had been darkened for this occasion…or perhaps it was always that dark. Nevertheless, all Judy could see was a circle of pale light that rested on what was likely the center of the room. And in the middle stood Arturo, polishing his glasses.

"Watcha got, Carrots?" came Nick's strained whisper. Judy could sense the slight tremor intensifying in his shoulder blades.

"It's Lobos. He's just…standing there," she answered, shifting more weight to the balls of her feet. Nick tried to hide his tiny sigh of relief, but rabbit ears can be tremendously sensitive.

"Anybody else in there?"

"Dunno, it's too dark. I can't…see anything." Judy had half a mind to ask Nick to switch and employ his terrifically powerful night vision…but her own shoulders started to ache at the mere thought. Frustrated by a lack of sight, Judy instead put to use a different sense.

With an ear pressed directly to the slot, she picked up the minuscule sounds that the vast majority of mammals would miss. The deep and grumbling breath of the guard behind the door, the soft skidding of Arturo's nervous feet on the floor, the hum of electricity, it all mingled in a cacophony that an experienced bunny could easily decipher. And as she began painting the rest of the room through sound, Arturo finally spoke, still delivering his words in a strong and decisive tone despite the noise of his feet.

"Good evening, Members of the Citizens Council."

"Okay, even I heard that," Nick murmured. "The name could be a coincidence."

"Yeah, sure," said a disbelieving Judy. "Could this Council still be around?"

"With the right mammals in play…sure, why not."

"Hmm…well then, this could be important. Let's hang onto this conversation, shall we?" She expertly flipped the carrot pen from its berth in her pocket and shoved the recording end as close to the hole as she could manage. That microphone could capture a surprising amount of detail from a distance. She intended to nab every syllable that spilled out from Lobos' mouth.

A silent twenty seconds passed. Judy and the carrot pen waited for a reply from some of these Council members…and it seemed Arturo was waiting as well. When no reply came, the wolf continued.

"I am pleased to report to you all that our campaign continues to surge forward. We are several points ahead in the latest poll, and most major news networks have selected us as the clear favorite in this election. I'd like to thank you for—"

Judy nearly fell off Nick's shoulders when a booming — and digitally amplified — voice interrupted. "Mister Lobos, this is no time for celebration! Your margin is minimal at best, and it can shift at any time. Do not stand here tonight and attempt to ensure us of your impending victory!"

The pattern of Lobo's feet changed: what had been soft shuffling transformed into arrhythmic tapping. His voice remained steady and clear despite the change. "Certainly, I would not presume to declare victory. Rather, I am here to inform you that we are on the course toward success. Our message is resonating with the people of our city, and—"

Another voice, equally loud but higher-pitched, cut him off. "Your message! It's nothing compared to the rabbit's! Her talk of opportunity is far more popular."

The other voice broke in. "Yes, this amateur and her fox companion are outmaneuvering your professional teams, Mister Lobos. Perhaps we should have approached her rather than you."

Judy held in her gasp, but her feet rose and fell with Nick's muffled snicker. She thought to respond, but Lobos hurriedly filled the gap. "I assure you, esteemed members, our campaign has prepared for every contingency."

"Including a loss?" the higher-pitched voice asked.

The sparse light did show a few patches of Lobos' fur starting to wrinkle under the pressure. But besides that and the tapping of his feet, Arturo stood tall, almost defiant against these disembodied voices. Grudgingly, Judy admitted that Lobos had an impressive ability to keep cool.

"Council Members, though it may be difficult to see the end of this road, know that we are nearing it. With your continued support, we will emerge from this race with our base firmly established."

"Do not forget that our base is already well-established. You are the one hoping to gain power from us, Mister Lobos," the lower-pitched voice said. Judy wondered if the Council consisted of only two mammals, or if they simply had taken leadership over this conversation. She kept listening for other sounds of life — movement, heartbeats, breaths — but heard only the guard's heavy sighs and Arturo's terrified feet.

"Of course, I did not mean to offend." His slight wavering tone betrayed the anger and fear Judy could see burning beneath his cool exterior when she peeked back in. Arturo could likely fool most mammals into believing that he was totally in control at all times, but Judy's heightened and trained senses easily picked through the screen he put up. A part of her took pleasure in seeing the normally collected Lobos squirm under the pressure, even if it was the tiniest of hints.

"Be sure that you don't," admonished the low voice. "You are replaceable, sir. There are many like you who would do anything to have this opportunity."

"Again, my apologies," Lobos said with a slight bow. Judy almost gagged at the disingenuous gesture.

"Now then, your plan for the rabbit, Mister Lobos," the low voice continued. "We have reviewed the points you forwarded earlier. Note that she is better connected than you give her credit for. The Mammal Inclusion Initiative was not our project, though we followed her earnest effort with great interest. She will not be so easy to dissuade as you assume."

Though she didn't know the details of Lobos' assumptions, the smoldering embers in Judy's gut caught fire. The thought that the entirety of her personality — what made her the best choice for that initiative — could be boiled down to talking points and picked apart by a shady group like this yanked painfully on her moral fiber. She had half a mind to rend apart this metal door and have at the stupid council and the nervous wolf.

But Nick centered her. "Good news, Carrots: you actually earned your spot on the ZPD. See, not everything is a conspiracy."

Strangely — maybe as a result of sleep deprivation from this little stakeout or excess adrenaline at being so close to this clandestine encounter — Nick's observation calmed her down. She stood a little taller on his shoulders, which produced another grunt from her partner, and peeked back into the room while laying an ear along the lips of the latch.

"Yes, she will be a challenge. I hope…" the high voice cut out for a moment, getting lost in a shallow wave of… it sounded like static to Judy…before it resurfaced, "…thought through how you will challenge her campaign, given the weakness of your own." And Judy finally understood.

"There's no one here," Judy whispered as Lobos rallied his flagging professionalism with a few tugs on his tweed jacket.

"What?" Nick whispered back.

"They're not here, Nick. No one else is here. They're calling from a phone or something."

Nick shuffled his feet while Judy braced herself on the door. "Whelp, if you're gonna run a secret organization, might as well work from home."

Judy chuckled, but her mirth evaporated once Lobos spoke again, delivering his response with a chilling tone. "Her campaign will be neutralized soon enough. I have seen to that personally."

Suddenly, the trembling in Judy's paw had been transmitted to Nick, whose entire body was quaking. Not fearfully, she could tell as much…no, Nick was furious. Judy was, too, but Nick was probably now keen on tearing down the door and picking apart this Council. And now that they knew they couldn't detain anyone other than Lobos if they decided to bust down this door, Judy decided that perhaps it was time to vacate the premises…though she still wanted more from the wolf. She pushed the carrot pen a smidge deeper through the latch.

But something occluded the circle of light. Curious, she retracted the pen and, hoping for enough light, looked in. A bloodshot eye stared back.

Nick was not prepared for Judy's weight to fall backward, and they both tumbled to the floor. Her paw stung as she broke her fall; Nick immediately clutched the back of his head. They would have spent a moment to lick their respective wounds, but the door issued a tremendous squeak as an old bolt lock unlatched. The hallway wobbled as they ran and stopped every ten or twenty feet to regain their bearings.

From far behind them, she heard, "…intruders here…" but she and Nick cut the corner before she could get the rest. Her carrot pen dangled from her paw, swinging with her strides. She thought she heard Nick make a poorly-timed joke, but her heartbeat pounded in her ears…followed by the pounding of heavy feet. Judy quickened her pace, and she and Nick sped down the hallways.

The club's emptiness worked to their advantage. They burst forth from the door unscathed and sprinted to the cruiser. The auto-start feature had not been installed on their particular model, and Judy cursed her department's parsimoniousness while Nick jangled his keys, paws flipping through key after key. She was two steps from the passenger door when Nick shouted with glee and shoved the key into the lock.

The guard's shout couldn't punch through the window as Judy slammed the door shut. Nick had already switched on the ignition and was peeling away from the curb, a stupid and adorable grin planted on his face.

"I think we made him mad."

"Just drive, Nick!" she commanded through a spontaneous fit of laughter — a release of nerves and fear and anger and who knew what else. Her paw trembled with the exhilaration of a good chase. So often, she was the huntress with a police badge tracking her felonious quarry. To be on the other side, though…she wondered if Nick, given his previous occupation, still got excited about being chased.

His paw seemed steady as he guided the speeding cruiser through quiet streets, a minor miracle seeing as how the club stood right in the middle of the financial district, usually the busiest part of the city. As block after block zipped by her window, Judy's adrenaline levels lowered enough to where her mind could process events more rationally.

Obscured by darkness, the details of their cruiser were probably not visible to the guard. The distinct outline of the chassis, however, could have been easy enough to flesh out. Judy had to assume those mysterious mammals knew their existence and their dealings with Lobos could have been discovered by the police.

She would need to accelerate their investigation into Lobos…and perhaps even make an arrest. True, Mansoa would not be able to identify anyone in his present state. The bouquet was still tucked away in the farthest corner of the cruiser's trunk — she had not had ample time to even check on Mansoa's status, let alone mail flowers to his hospital room. Still, even without the hyena's testimony, she would need to do something to stop Arturo Lobos. And soon.

Automatically, her paw went to her chest, and a slight twinge of panic took hold for a moment at the lack of her badge. Bogo had yet to reinstate her and Nick, their administrative leave being continually extended. Yet, with this revelation of Lobos' shady ties, maybe Judy could convince Bogo to make the right decision and put her back where she belonged.

Her carrot pen sat motionless in her lap. On it was evidence that could let her bring down the power structure of Zootopia once more. She buzzed and trembled, unsure of how to mix excitement and terror in appropriate measures.

Nick must have noticed her unease and spoke up as he slowed down from the breakneck pace of escape and actually signaled a turn. "How's that pen sounding?"

"Let's see." Judy queued up the recording as Nick pulled the cruiser into an abandoned parking lot. They had covered about twenty blocks — they had made exceptional time for city driving — and had left the financial district for a dustier part of town. Concrete granules from the crumbling structure of a former gas station coated the bottom of Judy's feet as she dismounted.

Judy praised the makers of this pen, as the recording played pristinely in the slightly chilled nighttime air. Nick leaned in and perked up his ears as Judy held the pen aloft. Along with the mystery mammals, Lobos' clear voice shone through the whole time, and Judy could barely contain her smile.

"Oh, Nick, this is perfect! We've got him! We can take this to Bogo, like, right now! We can get our badges back and put this whole thing to…rest…what?"

Her partner didn't share in her smile. The cheesy grin from earlier had melted into an unpleasant frown. "We should bring Bogo something we illegally picked up after breaking into one of the swankiest clubs in Zootopia with some of the most well-connected mammals in the city?"

Maybe she hadn't infused her voice with enough enthusiasm. She tried again, more jovially. "That doesn't matter, Nick. We have him on tape! He can't get outta this one!"

But Nick held firm. In fact, he started clicking his tongue and shaking his head, reminiscent of the disdain he had shown the first time they had met. "Doing what? Chatting with a few voices that nobody knows?"

"No! They're…." She didn't like pausing, not when so many new ideas wanted to spill out of her. Her detective mind had engaged, delving into untold possibilities. Surely, Nick could see how powerful this evidence was. But, Judy's brain had stalled. Her mouth hung open in an unattractive way as Nick stood stoically.

"Doing nothing, that's right."

Words found her and left as quickly. "But Nick, it's Lobos—"

"This isn't a presentable case yet, Carrots. We have a piece, maybe. But not enough to take it anywhere."

Her tail fluttered in frustration. She found it almost unconscionable that she would have to explain this to him. "But there's collusion here. He's working — as the mayor — for this…whatever they are!"

"Exactly. Whatever they are. That's not enough. No real details of a nefarious plan, nothing about our pal Mansoa, no evidence of wrongdoing. For all we know, this could be some little advisory group tucked away from City Hall. Sure, meeting his buddies in the dark and creepy room in the middle of the night would be weird, but it could be a whole bunch of things other than an evil plot."

Nick's caution caught her by surprise. Some time had passed since he had pulled his last con and, so far as Judy knew, there had been no more pawpsicles, tax evasion, nor any other sly and scheming thing since then. Perhaps Nick had grown more reticent with time, maybe by nature of being with the police department…or something a little more personal.

Or maybe some latent excitement from sneaking into the meeting and being chased now drove her mind to see what wasn't there. The wolf had always been so slick and smooth, slipping away from accusations with aplomb. Despite her gut screeching of foul play, she had nothing to support her hunch of Lobos' dirtiness. The thought of having something concrete on him was an intoxicating notion. Had she drugged herself into reading too much into this scene?

The carrot pen weighed heavily in her paw. It had overturned one regime before and now was poised to do it again. Certainly, her gut couldn't be wrong. There's something here. There has to be.

"Nick, we have to take this to Bogo. We can't wait."

Nick had started pacing across the parking lot. His feet kicked up puffs of dust that sparkled in the few stars that hung over this part of the city. A short-lived bout of homesickness passed over her as she remembered the universe she could see from her parents' back porch. The swirling galaxies in her head almost kept her from hearing Nick. "Carrots, you're not seeing the bigger picture here."

She shook herself back and planted a paw on her hip. "And what does that mean?"

Nick looked pensive as he tapped his snout. "You need to think about this election. How would it look if you accuse your opponent of orchestrating a massive conspiracy without any evidence? Because even if you take it only to Bogo, everyone will find out you're doing this."

His pacing quickened and his tone grew pedantic — signs of doom-and-gloom to come. "Sure, Lobos said something about taking down your campaign, but that's to be expected. You give this to Bogo, it leaks out, the press won't be too fond of any of this, you'll have mammals take to the streets — remember that not even half of Zootopia agrees with your platform — calls to resign will come flooding in, chaos, my dear partner…."

Judy huffed loud enough to stop Nick in his tracks. "The election? I don't care about that. We need to put an end to this, Nick — whatever this is. It's our duty. That's what we swore to uphold when we got our badges."

Nick's face soured so fast when he locked eyes with her that it made Judy gasp. "And what about our duty to those volunteers who worked night and day to get you here? What about our duty to the mammals who cheer you on, and want to fight for you to win this election?"

Her partner held back — she could tell by his bristling tail — and let the sounds of the city at night fill in the gap. Amid a distant car horn and the beginnings of a howl in one of the nearby buildings, Judy thought about it. Perhaps Nick had a point: as her campaign manager, he needed to be concerned about this potential outcome. And Emmitt and the other volunteers popped into her head. Her imagination redrew them in the throes of disappointment, and she shuddered.

The pen weighed heavier in her paw, and she clenched it in a fist. "…Nick, this is more important…."

He could move so quietly when he wanted to. His snout was suddenly quivering inches from her nose. "And what about me?"

He sounded incredibly bitter — like his disgusting morning coffee — and she hated it. She had controlled her instinct to flinch, but now let her head roll to the side, unable to keep her gaze trained on her partner. "What about you?"

Even when he had been pulling cons, Nick had always retained a semblance of warmth in his demeanor, enough to put at ease his next mark. Admittedly, she had found the sentiment slightly endearing, in its own special Nick way. But Judy had never seen him ice over the way he did in this abandoned parking lot. That scared her more than anything in her life.

"You must be joking. You think all of this is fun? Or easy? I crack a smile, tap a few sentences on the phone, and suddenly you're running for mayor? The speeches, the platform, everything behind the scenes, organizing these mammals who want you to win…do you understand how much I've given to this? To help you become the Mayor of Zootopia?"

His hot breath splashed against her cheek, and she felt droplets form in her fur and chill in the cool night air. Her paw trembled as she tried to rebut. "Nick—"

"And you want to throw it all away for what? A couple words on a carrot pen? You need to think, Judy. More than you have been thinking, it seems."

She had come to love when the fur rose on the back of her neck as Nick said her name. But this time, it was not born from the tenderness he could show. She nearly spat as she shouted, "What do you mean by that! My head's been just as wrapped up in this election as yours!"

He took one step back and leveled his gaze. "Oh, really? Your head's been in this game? How did that go for you when they found Mansoa? Or with the Mannered Mammals? Or any time you're around Arturo and Izabella? Not a whole lot of thinking going on there."

The droplets from Nick's breath rolled over the scars on her cheek, and she winced as Gideon's marks burned. It was almost enough to distract her from the daggers her partner had delivered. "…Nick…."

"No."

He said it so softly that Judy wasn't sure if he had spoken or if she had imagined it. His eyes fell away, and together, they stood in silence for a full minute. It took every ounce of Judy's flagging strength to dam her tears. A cricket chirped from inside the burned-out gas station, and she waited for it to finish its refrain before she spoke again. "…what?"

"You want to burn up all of this hard work, fine. You're the candidate. Take the pen to Bogo in the morning and ruin this race. If you don't care, then neither will I."

The dam gave out, and two tears joined Nick's breath. When she had pleaded with him under the bridge a year ago, she had cried, vulnerable and heartfelt. She had been wrong, and she needed Nick to know that. Now, she did everything she could to hide those tears…and failed. "Please, Nick, that's not what I…what I want…."

"Yeah, well, you don't always get what you want, Judy." He shuffled backward, avoiding eye contact as Judy's tears flowed more freely and she started to sniffle. "You have an interview with Peter Moosebridge tomorrow afternoon. If you still want to be mayor tomorrow, then I suggest you study up for it."

"…Nick, wait."

But it was too late; he was flipping through his bunch of keys. "Here." One key slid effortlessly from the ring, as if it were eager to escape. He tossed it at her feet. "Take the cruiser, Judy. I'll walk from here."

Every fiber of her being screamed at her to stop him, to find the right thing to say to keep him with her. Her partner, her campaign manager…maybe even more than that…was walking away, leaving behind plumes of glittering dust. Instead, her wet eyes watched pulverized concrete flutter in the air as Nick went down the street and slipped into the night.

The cricket stopped chirping, and the dust settled. Tears splashed on the parking lot as she looked to her paw. The carrot pen was too heavy. It dragged her down to the ground and rolled from her grip. Between her sobs, the words came to her one minute too late.

"Nick…I need you."

Thank you, everyone, for your patience as I worked on this chapter. Life has become very complicated as of late, but I always enjoy the chances to slip into this world and share my thoughts with you.

As Run turns one today (4/29), I stop and think about where my writing for this story has started and where I hope it will go as we near the end. It's been a wild ride, one that has taught me a lot and helped me rekindle a long-lost passion for the written word.

To that end, I'm now looking into professional writing opportunities and exploring what could be. And that is a direct result of all of you. Your comments and critiques, thoughts and opinions, and care and support have encouraged me to finally take that next step. It will not be an easy journey, but it's something I look forward to with a lot of excitement (and a hint of terror). Thank you all for being a part of this.

And special thanks to the ones who pick apart these chapters and keep me in line - winerp and TheCatweazle. As well as thanks to those of you who have most recently left reviews - Berserker88, shiro-wolfman-k, chorpion, Ande883, Hawktooth, Omnitrix 12, Cimar of Turalis WildeHopps, InTheLionsDenOnDA, Vladimir (guest), and YFWE. Thank you for everything you have done.

And Chapter 7 is up next. Part I is looking to be a good one, so stayed tuned for more!