A/N I started this fic three months ago, and I wasn't expecting much to come of it. I primarily wrote it for my own enjoyment and thought that I might as well share it. Well, I'm absolutely blown away by the response. I know I say that a lot, but I've just started looking into the stats in more depth and I just...
A03:
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FF
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I actually had a bit of a cry this afternoon when these stats sank in.
THANK YOU. FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART.
All of the love and support, comments and kudos, bookmarks and views has made this little fic what it is today. YOU have all helped make Safe Paws into what it is. I could never have done this without you all, so know I appreciate and love each and every one of you.
ZNN are featuring this fic and our dear Drummer wrote the little piece about it. Apparently, it's going live Monday (July 3rd) and I can't wait to read it!
I'll say it again, I love my little Safe Paws family to death. You guys are the absolute best. Thank you so much *all the love*
Unscrewing the cap from the half-full bottle of water in her paw, Judy took a swig of the cold liquid, swallowing the pill she'd put on her tongue moments before. Remembering to take her daily suppressant was a chore, but if it stopped her from turning into a lascivious bunny, then she'd willingly go through with the slight inconvenience.
It was 8:30 am, and Judy was stood on platform five at Savannah Central Station. During their phone call the night before, Nick had decided to catch the early morning train, having agreed to speak to Chief Bogo after morning roll call. Though Nick had suggested meeting outside the precinct, the doe hadn't wanted her fox to arrive back in the city without being met.
"The train now approaching platform five terminates here. Please keep away from the edge of the platform." The PA system's announcement made Judy smile, though the bunny had already stepped back from the edge. Quickly finishing off her water as the train came into view, Judy tossed the empty bottle into a nearby recycling bin.
Dressed in her work clothes, Judy could feel a few curious gazes on her. She studiously ignored them, though, as the train pulled into the station, coming to a complete stop. Unsure as to where Nick would be, Judy pushed up onto the balls of her hind paws, trying to scour the crowds for her fox as passengers started to disembark. Through a gap in the crowd, Judy spotted a familiar face. Taking off in a sprint, desperate to be reunited with her mate, Judy nearly bowled Nick over as she flung herself at him, arms wrapping around his neck, legs locked around his waist as she buried her nose against his neck. The comforting, musky smell of her fox flooded her nostrils and Judy felt all of the tension in her body leave. They'd be okay. Everything would be okay.
Not having expected to be almost bowled over by his bunny, Nick was momentarily caught off guard, but he was quick to wrap his arms around his mate, to hold her close and support her small weight. One arm looped under her butt, while the other crossed her back, large paw cradling the back of her head. "I missed you." The tod whispered, eyes falling shut as he relished the feel of his love. Though on the outside the fox was calm and collected, he'd been a wreck inside ever since his phone call with Bogo. He had so much he could potentially lose.
"I missed you too," Judy whispered back, nuzzling against Nick's neck. Paws tightening in the reddish-orange fur she'd grasped when she'd locked her arms around her fox, Judy let out a sigh of contentment, regrettably pulling back a moment later so she could look into the emerald eyes she loved so much.
As Judy pulled back from their embrace, Nick opened his eyes, violet and emerald meeting. "Hey, Fluff." He grinned, unable to avoid taking in the sight of the bags under Judy's eyes, the way the fur on the top of her head was in a slight state of disarray. Concern flooded the tod, but he pushed it down. They were about to spill nearly all of their secrets to Chief Buffalo Butt, so it was understandable that Judy looked a little worse for wear.
"Hey Slick." Judy looked over her fox. His fur was brushed smooth, but the tiredness in his expression made the doe want to rush them home and tuck her fox into bed. She could easily remember the countless sleepless nights and the exhausting days at the academy.
Closing the minuscule distance between their snouts, Nick pressed a gentle kiss to Judy's lips, eyes falling shut. The rest of the world ceased to exist at the feel of his mate's lips, soft and sweet against his own. One of Judy's paws released Nick's neck, moving to cup her mate's muzzle as she too closed her eyes, keeping him close as the gentle press and slide of their lips grew more heated, both mammals having missed the taste of one another. Head tilting, the new angle allowed Judy to tentatively lick the seam of her fox's lips, seeking entry. Lips parting, Nick took control of their kiss, heat coursing through him. Long vulpine tongue tangled with smaller leporidae one as a low rumble escaped the tod, drawing a small gasp from the rabbit. Nick's paw on the back of Judy's head smoothed around, cupping her cheek, and the tod eased the pace of their kiss.
"Damn predo's are taking over this city." The sneer had Nick and Judy breaking apart, both mammals trying to regain their breath. Nick lowered Judy down to the floor as they looked for the source of the sound, anger bubbling under the surface as the fox searched for the mammal that dared utter such a slur. An angry moose glared at them from a few feet away, one of his large hooves covering the eyes of the calf that stood by his side.
Nick took a step towards the moose, letting out a sharp warning yip, chest rumbling with the start of a growl. "What did you say, you overgrown deer?" Nick wanted to be the bigger mammal, wanted to let it go, but his instincts overpowered rationality. The need to protect his mate, to defend her, consumed him.
"Nick." Judy put herself between her fox and the moose, small paw pressing against Nick's chest, trying to ground him and keep him back, stop him from doing something stupid. She could see the clench of his jaw, the square set of his shoulders, and his balled fists.
Indignation flared across the moose's face, and he removed his hoof from its place covering the calf's eyes, pointing it angrily at Nick. "Don't you have something to go and steal, fox?"
"I'd be careful of the accusations you throw around. In case you need your vision checking my girl is a cop, and I would just love to see her arrest your sorry ass for hate speech and speciest remarks." Nick shot back, unable to take another step forward as his mate pushed him back. They were starting to garner some attention, and the tod almost wanted everyone to witness the disagreement.
Snorting, the moose dropped his gaze to Judy, looking her up and down before he shook his head, smirking at Nick. "I'm not afraid of the wabbit."
Judy froze, body going ridged at the mocking tone the moose had used. Violet eyes narrowing, she decided to teach him exactly why he should be afraid of the 'wabbit.'
Stepping into precinct one, Judy dragged the moose behind her, a pair of cuffs slapped around the mammal's wrists. Nick trailed behind with the calf, distracting him with crazy stories from his time on the streets. "Clawhauser." Judy greeted the chatty cheetah, who slowly put down his bowl of Lucky Chomps at the sight of the tiny bunny dragging a somewhat slow and disorientated moose behind her. "I'm needed in roll call, but Mr. Bullwinkle here thought he'd run his mouth and use speciest remarks. He refused to comply, so I had to dart him. Think someone can take him down to a holding cell to recover properly, and can someone take care of his son?" Judy explained, gesturing to the lumbering mammal behind her.
Still surprised by the sight of the cuffed moose, Clawhauser nodded, surprise morphing into glee as he spotted Nick. "Oh hey! I didn't think you were coming home so soon." The big cat grinned, picking up the phone to call through to some of the other officers so they could take care of the moose and his son.
"Got to keep coming back or you'll have an angry bunny on your paws." Nick shrugged, the corners of his lips tugging up into a smile. Judy had told him about the precincts little bet on them, about how their relationship was common knowledge amongst the other officers now. The thought of his future colleagues betting on him and Judy had amused the tod.
Giving Nick's shoulder a playful thump, the doe was caught off guard as he grabbed her, hauling her close before planting a kiss on her lips. Judy let out a small noise of surprise, eyes widening as she pulled back from the impromptu kiss. "Not at work, Slick!" From over the tod's shoulder, Judy spotted the calf blinking at them curiously. The high-pitched squeal from Clawhauser, who'd witnessed the kiss after calling through for another officer, made the rabbit groan. "I won't be long." She promised, reluctantly letting go of her fox and heading in the direction of the bullpen.
"Don't even think about it, Benji," Nick warned, lifting a paw to point at the cheetah, the tod's eyes on Judy's retreating form and the bobbing of her little tail. Paws clamping over his muzzle, Clawhauser stifled his coo at how adorable Nick and Judy were, as another officer arrived to take care of Mr. Bullwinkle and his son.
Judy had never had a bad roll call experience before, but there was a first time for everything. The coil of dread in her gut that had slowly been building since yesterday's meeting tightened when Chief Bogo entered the room. The buffalo went about roll call the way he always did, barking orders and instructions, but every now and then he would look directly at the bunny, putting Judy on edge. Nose twitching, breath coming quick and sharp, the doe reached for her bracelet several times, trying to ground herself. Could she do this? Could she sit there and let Nick tell his story to Chief Bogo? Could she let him risk losing his impending job, the one he was working so hard for? Judy had sat idly by once before in an important meeting, the one between Mr. Big and Catstro, and she couldn't help but think about how that had ended.
Tuning out, Judy nibbled on her lower lip, running through scenarios in her head. They could tell the truth and end up fired. They could tell the truth and end up arrested. They could lie and cover their tails. They could sprinkle some lies amongst their honesty. So many options and so many outcomes. Nick wanted to be honest, but Judy wanted to protect her mate. Her hind paws started to thump as she let go of her bracelet, left paw rising to her mouth so she could chew on her blunt claws. This could all go horribly wrong.
"Hopps. Go and get Wilde and meet me in my office." Bogo gave the final instruction of roll call, snapping the doe out of her thoughts. The room was empty save for the two of them.
Gulping, Judy could feel the nerves getting to her, causing her to tremble. Paw finding her bracelet again as she slipped off of her chair and started to head to the atrium, Judy tried to focus her mind. They were going with honesty, and her mom had always told her that it was the best policy, but the possibility of losing her job made lying oh so tempting.
Entering the atrium, Judy spotted Nick stood chatting to Clawhauser, the cheetah laughing so hard that the doe thought he might pass out. Her fox wore a smirk, body language relaxed. As she approached the duo, Judy reached out, a small paw landing on Nick's arm. When emerald met violet, Judy could see the tension and worry in her mate's gaze. "Come on, we should get this over with," Judy whispered, lifting her other paw to stroke along Nick's muzzle.
"Lead the way, Carrots." Nick put on a brave face, saying goodbye to Clawhauser as he let his mate lead him towards Bogo's office. Paw in paw, they ascended the stairs to the second floor. Judy's heart hammered, her steps slowing the closer they got to Chief Bogo's office. This was it. The past was coming back to bite them on the butt. Would they end up walking out of Bogo's office still with their jobs? Feeling her paw being squeezed, Judy was grateful for Nick grounding her, stopping the nerves from consuming her.
Nick swallowed as fear crept through him, the pair of them coming to a stop in front of Bogo's door. The tod hadn't even started working for the ZPD, and he'd already been summoned to the Chief's office. Taking a deep breath, Nick braced himself. He didn't want to air his dirty laundry, didn't want to talk at length about his past, but if it would ensure Judy got to keep her job, then he'd tell Bogo everything.
Lifting a trembling paw, Judy knocked against the frosted glass. "Come in." The deep baritone of their boss had both small mammals turning to look at one another. Nick's free paw came up to cup Judy's cheek, and he pulled her close, pressing a soft kiss to her lips.
"We'll be fine, Carrots. We have one another." Nick wasn't sure which of them he was trying to reassure the most, but the nod from his doe was enough to tell Nick that it had helped her a little. Taking his paw from her face, Nick reached up to turn the door handle, pushing the door open. Letting Judy enter first, Nick followed behind, the door shutting quietly behind them.
Bogo sat at his desk, a few dossiers on the surface of it along with a baggy of evidence. Nick spared a moment to look around the room. The large map of the city took up the center of the left-hand wall, some medals hanging beside it. A low bookcase was stuffed with files and folders below it, while the cabinets behind Bogo's desk were filled with books on various legal matters and police protocols. The wall on the right was fitted with a huge window, the morning light illuminating the room.
Helping Judy onto the chair on their side of the desk, Nick followed behind her, hauling himself up so that the pair of them shared it. Thighs and shoulders pressed together, both small mammals kept their paws in their laps, unsure about where to start. Sitting so close to his mate, Nick could feel how rigid her body was, and he swore he could feel the thudding of her heart where their legs were pressed together.
Leaning forward in his chair, Bogo observed the fox and rabbit opposite him. He could see the tension in their bodies, the fear in Judy's eyes and the silent acceptance in the fox's. Grunting, the buffalo reached for the baggy of evidence. He pushed it towards the pair, knowing that Nick was yet to see it. "Why are your names on this piece of paper?" Bogo demanded, cutting to the chase. Though he wasn't usually called to cases in the middle of the night, especially those involving the murder of a street criminal, the circumstances were too suspicious, and the wallet in Marcus' back pocket tied him to a larger network of offenders that the ZPD had been trying to bring down for years. Bogo had taken a team to the wolverine's house to search for clues, and it was while he'd been searching the mammal's desk that he'd found a notebook. Flipping through the book he'd paused seeing Nick and Judy's names. He'd had to withhold his snort of annoyance, jaw clenching as he'd quickly torn the page out, stuffing it into his pocket to interrogate his officers with later, before continuing with the search for clues.
Reaching for the desk, Nick pulled the baggy from it, bringing it closer so he could read the piece of paper. Seeing his name, along with Judy's, made Nick sigh. There was no getting out of it; he'd have to tell the whole story. "I knew Marcus and Catstro, and through me they both knew Judy." The tod started, placing the baggy back on the desk.
Pleased that Nick was forthcoming with information, though not entirely surprised that the tod knew some shady criminals, Bogo kept the pressure on him. "How did you know them?"
Licking his lips, Nick sank back in the chair. Wringing his paws, he felt Judy gently take them in her own. Turning his head to offer his mate a small smile, Nick found strength in her comfort. He could do this. It would probably do the tod some good to talk freely about his past with another mammal outside of his family, to finally lift some of the weight off of his shoulders. Snout dangerously close to Judy's, Nick refrained from kissing her out of thanks. The last thing he wanted was to be chewed out by his future boss for canoodling during such a critical discussion. "It's a long story, Chief." Nick gave a wry smile, emerald eyes moving from Judy to look at the buffalo.
Though the Chief was aware of the relationship between Nick and Judy, and under precinct rules, it wasn't banned given that they shared the same level of seniority, or would once Nick started, he bit his tongue for now. He had no issue with them being mates, figured they would probably need to comfort one another through this talk, but he'd have to ask them to keep their relationship out of the workplace when Nick graduated and joined them. "I have time, Wilde." Bogo had set aside plenty of time for this meeting just in case, but the sooner he had answer's, the sooner he could start making plans on how to approach this case. Knowing that Judy was involved somehow made his decision yesterday to ban her from interfering with the case a good move. She couldn't be seen to have a conflict of interest.
A few months ago Nick never would've dreamed of opening up to anyone, let alone his future boss, but the beautiful bunny by his side was helping him overcome his fear of being emotionally vulnerable and was encouraging him to share himself with others. After twenty years of hiding his feelings, the tod was finding it hard going, but the few times he had opened up had been worth it, the result of his emotional honesty more than he could ever have hoped for. By telling Bogo the truth, Nick hoped he would be able to save Judy's job. Though he wanted to graduate, wanted to join Judy at precinct one, he'd happily give it all up if it would save his mate's dream. He already had far more than he'd ever hoped for by having her love.
"I was seven when my dad was murdered." Nick started to talk, the words fleeing from his lips before he could stop them. Though the tod was okay with sharing, he kept some of the finer, gritty details to himself. He told Bogo the same story he'd told Judy all those months ago in his kithood bedroom. Nick shared the story of leaving home at twelve years old and taking out a loan from Catstro at sixteen. He spoke about finding his mom crying and paying off the mortgage with the $200,000 he'd been given, and subsequently being beaten to a pulp by Catstro and his crew for spending the money on something other than Wilde Times. He finished by mentioning his payment plan deal.
Bogo listened to the story, careful to keep his expression neutral as the fox spoke, the tod having to pause every now and then to take a deep breath. It was in those moments he saw Judy step up to the plate, filling in a little for Nick while offering him physical comfort, small prey paws cradling larger predator ones. Bogo had seen some sights in his time, but never in a million years had he thought he'd ever see a small bunny comforting a fox. It became apparent to him that Nick had shared the story with Judy already, and the buffalo made sure to watch the rabbit's body language too. As Nick's story drew to a close, the buffalo brought a paw up to his face, pinching the bridge of his snout. "Did you not think that they'd want their money back?"
Nick had to stop himself from making a snappy retort and instead focused on the truth. "I did, and I already had ideas as to how I was going to pay them back before they jumped me in the street and dragged me to the warehouse." The memory of that night had stuck ever since, had made Nick look at Catstro and his gang in another light. They hadn't been afraid to hurt him to the point where he'd needed to seek out a doctor, and they hadn't been afraid to threaten his mom's life either.
"$1000 a month is a lot of money for a young mammal without a job." Bogo pointed out. While it was apparent that the information he'd received so far from the fox was accurate, based on the body language and tone of both mammals sat across from him, the buffalo had a sinking feeling in his gut that there were things the fox wasn't telling him.
"I know, but they were threatening to hurt my mom if I didn't pay them back. I wanted to make sure that would never happen, so in the heat of the moment I panicked and made a snap deal." Nick had been kicking himself ever since. He'd been young and foolish, terrified and hurt when he'd made the offer of $1000 a month. He hadn't know where he was going to get that much money from, all Nick had known was that he'd needed to get away and find a doctor who would treat him quickly so that he could protect his mom.
Placing a hoof on the desk, Bogo tapped the wooden surface with a finger. "Did you sign any contracts at any point?"
Nick shook his head, not recalling signing any paperwork. The banks he'd gone to initially would've probably asked him to sign a contract, but the caracal hadn't bothered with such formalities. "No, these were all verbal deals, and I've paid attention in class, so I know they're just as legally binding as written ones." Contrary to the belief of his classmates, Nick enjoyed learning about the laws of the city. It was a subject he'd had plenty of background reading in thanks to his time on the streets. Knowing the law had ensured that he wouldn't be caught out, that he'd be able to pay Catstro back, and keep his mom safe. He'd had the small permit slip up, but that had been it for years.
"True, except I don't believe this deal was reasonable, equitable, conscionable and made in good faith, meaning it could be considered non-binding. Did anyone witness the conversation the deal was done in?" Bogo dug for more information. A mammal like Catstro usually had a whole team working for them, and if the buffalo could get a few names, then they'd have somewhere to start with the case.
Nodding, Nick remembered that night. Eyes screwing shut, he felt Judy shift closer, nuzzling her nose against his cheek in an affectionate gesture. The memory of the warehouse faded away, replaced by fond memories of his mate. Eyes opening, he silently conveyed his thanks to his bunny before he turned back to the buffalo. "His whole gang."
"Including Marcus?" Bogo enquired, not at all fazed by the affection between the two mammals opposite him. If Judy needed to reassure Nick in such a manner, then he'd happily let the doe get on with it. The more comfortable Nick was, the more information he'd divulge. Nick's nod of confirmation that Marcus had been present should've set alarm bells ringing, should've made the buffalo consider Nick a suspect in the wolverine's murder, but the tod had been at the academy the whole time with plenty of solid alibis. While it wouldn't have been too far of a stretch to consider Judy a possible suspect, the very fact that the doe was so frightened of losing her badge was enough evidence for the buffalo that the rabbit wouldn't purposefully break the law. "Why do I get the feeling you're withholding some information?" Bogo questioned the tod, the sinking feeling in his gut still not shifting. While he knew a mammal had to have their secrets, this wasn't a conversation where Nick could hold back.
Nick had known that Bogo was good, you didn't become the Chief by being an idiot, but he hadn't expected the buffalo to call him out on withholding some information. Knowing it was futile to hide any of it, the tod turned to his bunny. "Carrots, can you give us a few minutes please?" Some of what he would have to reveal to Bogo he hadn't told Judy yet, and he didn't want the first time she heard it to be in her boss's office when they were under pressure.
Vehemently, Judy shook her head. "We're doing this together, Slick. Whatever it is, it's fine." She reassured her mate. They were a team. Judy didn't want to stand outside. Nick was her partner, her mate, and whatever he had to say to Bogo she wanted him to say in front of her. They'd agreed to not keep secrets from one another, and Judy felt a flash of hurt that Nick wouldn't share information with her, but was happy to do so with his future boss.
"Fluff, please." Nick pleaded. The tod didn't want to fall out over the matter, but he wanted to talk to Bogo first without worrying about Judy's reaction to the thing's he'd be saying, without having to answer any of her questions or feel the weight of her gaze. A lot of the things he'd be discussing were things he wasn't proud of, and Nick would rather sit at home with Judy and explain it all to her properly later.
"We're a team." Judy protested, her shoulders slumping. Mouth curving downward at the same time as her eyebrows rose and drew together, sadness swept through the country bunny. She'd thought they were doing so well being open and honest with each other, sharing everything.
"I know." Nick's gaze dropped as he tried to hide his guilt. Unable to leave Judy feeling upset, emerald sought violet as Nick lifted a paw, cupping the doe's cheek. "I promise I'll tell you everything in the fullness of time, but I don't want you hearing it here, under these circumstances." He murmured, letting his mate see his honesty, making her feel the weight of his promise. The drooping of Judy's ears and the sad expression she still wore made Nick flinch, a painful expression fleetingly taking up space on his handsome face. "Please don't look at me like that." It pained him to see her hurt. Given his track record of hiding things from others though, it didn't surprise the tod that Judy was reacting in such a way. "I'm not hiding it from you, I'll tell you absolutely everything, just not now." He pleaded once more, clawed thumb brushing over Judy's cheekbone.
Though pained by her mate's request, Judy studied the emerald eyes of the mammal she loved so dearly. Underneath the pain and the pleading, the doe could see a faint trace of fear. Nick was frightened about the conversation to come? Nick's past didn't matter to the doe, he'd changed and become the mammal he was always supposed to be, and no matter what happened after his talk with Chief Bogo, Judy would stand by his side and support him.
Having silently watched the fox and rabbit interact, Bogo figured it was time for him to step in. Dropping his tone to one of a soft, soothing nature, he captured the rabbit's attention. "Hopps. Please, give us a few minutes."
Taking a deep breath, Judy looked between her boss and her mate, finally giving a sharp nod. Pulling out of Nick' grasp she slid from the chair, hind paws hitting the carpet. The doe didn't have the opportunity to take a step before Nick had reached down, gently grabbing her arm. Leaning over the edge of the seat, the fox pressed a kiss to Judy's forehead. "I love you."
Sadness replaced with fondness and love for her mate, Judy reached up to stroke along Nick's muzzle. "I love you too, Slick." It was as if her boss ceased to exist when Nick was in the room, and it wasn't until Judy was making her way to the door that she remembered that Bogo had witnessed her entire loving exchange with Nick. The inside of her ears burned with her blush as she stepped out of the room, the door swinging shut behind her.
Bogo went to speak. However, Nick lifted a paw to his muzzle, silently asking the buffalo to be quiet. Paw moving from his muzzle to point at his ears, Nick gestured behind him to the glass door. Bogo's nostrils flared as he caught on. Judy's large ears came in useful, but they were also a pain. Gesturing for Bogo to give him a moment, the tod pulled his phone from his pocket, having received it back this morning before leaving the ZPA. Opening up Furbook, Nick fired off a quick private message.
Only a few moments later Nick's plan came to fruition. "Judy! Oh em goodness, you won't believe the latest video Gazelle posted. Here, let me show you." Clawhauser could be heard from just outside the office, the chatty cheetahs voice unmissable.
"Clawhauser. Not now, please." Judy's voice could be heard after, the nervousness and exasperation not hard to miss.
"Oh come on! It's so good. Are you hungry? You must be hungry. Fangmeyer bought me some doughnuts…" Clawhauser's voice started to get fainter and fainter as he led a reluctant Judy away from Chief Bogo's office.
Once he was sure that Judy was out of earshot, Bogo chuckled lowly, the sound surprising the tod. "Quick thinking, Wilde." The buffalo offered a compliment, though he wouldn't be making a habit of it. Nick's actions only reaffirmed to the Chief that bringing him into the ZPD fold was a good idea.
Shrugging off the compliment, Nick flicked his phone into 'do not disturb' mode before shoving it back into the pocket of his pants. "I have my moments. I had a feeling she wouldn't leave." The tod knew his mate would linger and try to listen in. Nick also knew that she wasn't nosy or rude, but more than likely frightened that he might need her at a moment's notice. Nick appreciated his bunny's concern, and it filled him with a sense of warmth at the thought of how much she cared for him, but he needed to do this without any coddling. "Time to mammal up again, Wilde."
"You're very close," Bogo commented, curiosity getting the better of him. He knew they were dating and that they'd decided to become a couple during the time Hopps had taken Wilde home to meet her family, but other than that the buffalo had no clue as to what was going on in their relationship. Their interactions in front of him suggested a deep bond, and ever since the bracelet around Judy's wrist had appeared, his canine officers had treated her differently.
"Is that going to be an issue after I graduate?" The question was loaded as Nick met Bogo's gaze. He'd happily step back from the ZPD if it were against protocol for two officers to be mates. Being a cop had been Judy's dream first, and Nick wouldn't let anything get in the way of that.
Bogo considered tormenting the fox, contemplated making him squirm, but in the tod's eyes, he could see steely resolve. "It won't be an issue so long as you keep your paws to yourselves during shifts. I don't want to see the pair of you going at it, and I certainly don't want your fellow officers reporting to me that you're slacking because you're busy. I don't care what happens in your private life, but while wearing your badge you represent this precinct, and I won't have my officers being thought of as horny teenagers. Understood?" It wasn't against protocol so long as the officers involved were of the same ranking, to stop anyone from sleeping their way to the top, but with Nick and Judy as partners that would never be a problem. However, the rabbit and fox were representing the precinct and his team. He didn't want them distracting one another at work. Leaning forward a little more to draw himself a little further into Nick's space, Bogo stared at the fox. "Now, start talking."
"Understood." Nick nodded, not finding Bogo's request about his relationship with Judy all that unreasonable. He hadn't planned on letting it interfere with his work, as he wasn't about to risk his first honest job. Besides, he and Judy would have plenty of time in the evenings and on days off to be 'horny teenagers.'
With that settled, Nick began filling in the blanks. Though he stuck to the truth, he was still careful as to how he worded his confessions, omitting names and other distinguishing details. Nick needed to come clean, but he didn't have a death wish. Explaining how he'd managed to make $1000 a month, Nick confessed to working as an errand boy for a wealthy businessmammal, working all hours of the day and night, and doing whatever was asked of him. Bogo snorted, asking for further clarification and Nick was forced to discuss some of his jobs. The tod made sure to only talk about ones that wouldn't land him in jail, and he reassured Bogo that everything was above board. It was a small lie. Mr. Big wasn't an entirely law-abiding mob boss, but Nick had stuck firm to the rules set out by the arctic shrew, and in the mob world they were considered the law.
Piecing the story together as the blanks were filled in, Bogo tried to work out what had brought Nick and Judy together. "You were working for this businessmammal when you crossed paths with Hopps?"
"No. I made an error and offended the businessmammal. It cost me my job, so I turned to hustling." Nick didn't elaborate on how he'd lost his employment with Mr. Big. The skunk butt rug wasn't exactly a pleasant topic. Bogo quirked an eyebrow, curious as to what had cost Nick what would've probably been a very lucrative job. "For my hustles, I would go to ice-cream joints for large mammals and buy popsicles. I'd melt them down into smaller ones in the shape of a paw, brand them as pawpsicle's, and then sell them to small mammals such as the lemmings from the Lemming Brother's bank." Nick had settled on pawpsicle hustling given how easy a job it was. It wasn't the most lucrative hustle out there, but it had earned him just enough to keep Catstro off his back.
Silently impressed with Nick's business savvy, Bogo knew he couldn't condone it, at least not on the record. Opening one of the dossiers on the desk in front of him, the buffalo flipped through the file on the fox. After Nick had confronted him in the Rainforest district, Bogo had wanted every scrap of information about him compiled into one folder.
"Before you say it, I had all the correct permits and receipts of commerce needed for it. Everything was above board. I couldn't afford being rumbled and ending up in jail, not when my mom was being threatened if I didn't pay up every month." It had been the one constant fear for Nick. He was all his mom had, and he had to protect her no matter the cost. Knowing now that she was safe, that Judy had taken care of it, the tod felt like the largest weight of them all had been lifted from his shoulders. He owed Judy so much, and he hoped this meeting with Bogo would be the start of him paying her back for her generosity.
Still flicking through the file, Bogo pushed on, finding an interesting document in amongst the thin dossier. Having been living on the streets for twenty years meant there was regrettably little information available about the fox. "How much did you make a day?"
"After splitting with my partner? Usually around $40." Nick murmured, ashamed and a little embarrassed that after all the effort he went to with his hustles, he had little in his pocket at the end of the day. It was the price he paid for staying on the right side of the law as much as possible. The hustles with the higher payouts were riskier.
"Mhm. All above board?" Bogo glared; pulling the document he'd been looking at from the dossier. Pushing it across the desk towards Nick, he watched as the fox caught sight of his tax form. The only reason the document had caught his attention was due to its lack of information.
Nick winced, silently cursing himself again for his tax forms. First, they'd caught him out with Judy, and now Bogo was onto them too. Offering the buffalo a shrug, one of Nick's paws came up to rub nervously at the nape of his neck. "Yeah…except for that. Judy caught me out with it, that's how she roped me into helping her with the missing mammal's case. I was one of the last few who saw Mr. Otterton before he went missing." Nick stuck to the truth, knowing that at some point in time the cape buffalo would probably ask how he and Judy met anyway.
Bogo smirked. Trust the smart thinking rabbit to rope the fox into helping her by threatening him with legal action. Nick had been right, all those months ago. He and his other officers hadn't been about to help Judy, too hell bent on seeing the bunny fail. She'd shown them all though, blowing the case to smithereens without any help from them. If anything, the doe's actions and the way she'd solved the case had been a huge wake-up call for the buffalo and his team. Judy had earned their respect and gratitude.
Looking at the piece of paper on the desk, Bogo surmised that Nick's tax forms would never again be an issue. He was at the academy, on course to graduate top of his class, and Judy would keep him on the straight and narrow should he start to stray. It made sense for the tod to have lied on his tax form because he'd needed every penny to keep his mother safe. That didn't make it okay in the buffalo's opinion, but he understood. Though lying on a federal form was a punishable offense, Nick would be paying back his debt in a much more suitable fashion once he graduated. Picking up the form, Bogo put it back in the dossier. Nick's story wasn't going to leave the room, so no mammal had to know that he'd blatantly lied on his paperwork. "Regarding paying Catstro back, how much would you estimate he's received from you?"
Recalling the calculations he'd made a few months ago, Nick reiterated the figure as his paw dropped back to his lap. "I've paid back around $192,000 to date." If the Caracal hadn't have been adding such sky-high interest rates, Nick was pretty positive he'd have paid off the entire initial lump sum by now. He'd given 16 years of his life to paying the money back and no longer having to worry about it was one of the most freeing feelings for the tod.
"When was the last payment you made?" Bogo reached for a pen in his drawer, grabbing a few sheets of paper too as he started to scribble some notes. His memory was immense from years of training himself to remember the smallest details about a case, but given how complex this whole issue with Nick seemed to be, jotting down any information that could help with Marcus's murder or Catstro's assumed death was a top priority. The buffalo wasn't sure how open Nick would be again in the future.
"Just after I left for the academy. I had the full amount ready, and Judy dropped it off for me, which is probably why her name is on that piece of paper." Again Nick stuck as close to the truth as possible. Judy had been forced to top up the fund, but not by much. It still irked the tod that Catstro and his gang had turned up during Judy's first drop and that she'd been forced to engage in conversation with them without having any backup. It had been foolish of him to assume they wouldn't notice his absence from the city and that they wouldn't know Judy. There was only one rabbit cop in the city, and she'd made headlines countless times.
Trying to piece everything together, Bogo sought out a reason as to why their names had been in the jotter with a range of others. "This paper could be from a list of mammal's making payments?" It made sense for Catstro to keep track of money coming in and going out, and the animal's that owed him. The fact that the jotter had been full of names suggested to Bogo that Catstro might have had many mammals under his thumb.
"Perhaps. I don't recognize any of the other names." Nick lied, this one rolling off of his tongue with practiced ease. Denial was one of the best tools of the trade for street mammals – deny seeing anything and deny being involved in anything. The truth was, Nick recognized a few of the names, but the mammal's in question were dead. "The following month when Judy went to make the drop, having worked additional jobs outside of working here to make up the funds, Catstro and his cronies never showed." Nick felt it was pertinent to let Bogo know about Judy's other jobs, if only so that it would soften the blow about the fact that some of the tax dollars of the cities residents, of which Judy was paid with, had lined a criminal's pockets.
Uncaring as to how Judy had made additional money, though finally having a reason for the doe sometimes coming into work exhausted, Bogo continued to scribble some notes. "So something happened to Catstro, Marcus, and the rest of the gang in the time in between Judy's first and second drops?"
Shrugging, Nick was unsure as to what kind of answer Bogo was looking for from him. Nick had no information about that time given that he had been away at the academy. "I don't know. I was away, and it's not something I wanted Judy getting too involved in. When she told me that he never showed, I told her to try again the following month but not push it and not seek him out. Same thing happened the next month in that, again, he didn't turn up."
Pausing in his note taking, Bogo lifted his gaze to the fox, eyes narrowing. "Why didn't either of you inform us about Catstro and the possibility of him having gone missing?" The buffalo raised an eyebrow, peering over the rim of his glasses at the tod. It all looked highly suspicious from where he was sitting.
"Would you have really looked into the strange disappearance of a criminal and his gang, or would you have just been pleased that they were no longer actively operating?" Nick fired back.
Nick's response caught Bogo off guard. Sparing a moment to think about it, all the cape buffalo could do was shrug. If it had been brought to the attention of the ZPD, then they would've been expected to look into it, but the Chief had a feeling that the case wouldn't have been looked into too deeply. Having fewer criminals on the street was always a bonus for the stretched police force.
"I was planning on raising Catstro and the debt with you after graduation, hoping that we could use legal means to bring him down. Of course, his sudden disappearance threw a spanner in that plan." Nick explained, leaning back in his chair. In truth, the tod hadn't decided what he was going to do about Catstro and his debt after graduation, but Judy had taken the decision out of his paws when she'd seen to the caracal.
Bogo didn't bother hiding his snort of disbelief, not convinced in the slightest that Nick would've come to him about Catstro. When he'd called the academy yesterday and chewed the tod out, he'd thought that the fox would be a tough nut to crack, that he wouldn't be as cooperative and forthcoming with information. Having Nick willingly give him information was a surprise, even if the buffalo felt like he wasn't being told him the whole truth. He would take what he could get for now, though. "I take it Hopps isn't paying anymore then, considering Catstro is presumed dead?"
Nick nodded, paws clasped in his lap. "That's right. She's stopped all payments. Nothing has happened to my mom, and I would hazard a guess that if Catstro were still alive, he'd have gone for her by now." The number of times the caracal had threatened his mom was lost on the fox, but he was under no illusion that if he had missed his drop by even ten minutes, his mom would've had some unwelcome visitors stop by.
"Without a body, we can't explicitly state that he's dead, but it would be safe to assume that he is considering his lack of action against your mother and his lack of appearance when Hopps went to drop off the cash." Bogo finished scribbling notes, throwing the pen down. "Everything you've told me today won't leave this room." He promised, guessing it had taken a lot for the tod to come forward with such personal and private information.
"You were a victim, and I understand given the police's usual aversion to your species and the former Chief's lack of interest in finding your father's killer, coming to us about Catstro wasn't high on your priority list." Bogo continued, making a mental note to pull Robert Wilde's case file from the archives. "If we look at this issue from a legal standpoint, we have a whole can of worms. You made a deal with a known criminal, worked shady jobs for an unknown businessmammal, were working underage, and you lied on your tax form. If we take into consideration your time since meeting Hopps, her report states that while you were instrumental in helping her solve the missing mammal's case, and you did cooperate, you also delayed the investigation and made her job somewhat more challenging, which could be seen as obstruction of justice."
Nick froze. The listing of his crimes made the tod swallow, palms turning clammy as an uncomfortable feeling started to creep in, spreading through the fox and settling in his gut. He'd thought coming clean would help, that he'd be able to save Judy's job. Heart pounding, Nick's eyes widened. His gaze was focused on the buffalo on the other side of the desk as he held his breath, waiting for the Chief to say something more. Was he about to be arrested for the crimes of his past?
"However, you were a minor when you made the deal and were taken advantage of, and the high interest rate applied to your loan was illegal. Both of these make the deal void. Realistically you've almost paid the full amount back anyway, and the blackmail against your mother makes it easy to see why you complied. No court in the city would dispute that you were making the best out of a bad situation. From a legal standpoint, in that regard, you're alright." The law was complicated and confusing, and with so many moving parts to Nick's story, there were lots of overlapping issues. However, it was apparent that Nick had been backed into a corner and had done what was necessary to survive.
All of the tension drained from Nick's body, his shoulders slumping as he breathed a sigh of relief. Eyes slipping shut for a moment, Nick swallowed, overwhelmed. "Thank you." Knowing from a legal standpoint that his actions couldn't come back to bite him felt great.
The tod felt much lighter for having told his story to another mammal without omitting a large chunk of the details. He knew, though, that the difficult part was yet to come. Judy needed to have the blanks filled in, and his mom needed to hear the whole story for the first time. While Nick could guess Judy's reaction, it was telling his mom that had him worried the most. It would break her heart, she'd cry and question why, but she deserved to know. He'd hidden so much from her for so long. Nick was rebuilding his life, with a safe home and a new job, and the tod felt it was time to wipe the slate clean, to let graduation be the start of living an honest, happy life.
"Nothing you've told me here is overly shocking, so why did you want Hopps to step out of the room?" Bogo's question had Nick opening his eyes, the fox licking his lips nervously. Bogo noticed the action, curiosity piqued as to what was causing such a reaction. The buffalo braced himself.
Taking a deep breath, Nick put forward the main reason why he didn't want Judy in the room. "I want to make a deal. I know my way around the criminal underground. I'll give you information that could prove useful in cases you're working as long as Judy gets to keep her job and isn't punished for this. I pulled her into my mess, none of this is her fault, and she shouldn't be blamed for any of it." The tod knew everyone and would go to whatever lengths it took to stop Judy taking the blame for his wrongdoings. It was going against the message he'd asked Finnick to spread on the streets, but Nick didn't care. He would atone for his mistakes, do right by his mate, and then go out and make the world a better place.
It wasn't every day a mammal was willing to hand over information that could get them seriously hurt, and it led to the buffalo snorting in disbelief. "You leave yourself open to backlash from those whose secrets you're spilling." It was a genuine danger, and Bogo and the other officers couldn't 100% ensure Nick's safety.
"I know, but I don't care what happens to me as long as Carrots gets to keep her dream." Judy was Nick's priority, and if he had to suffer so that she would be okay, then he was willing to go through with it. He would walk to the very ends of the earth for her. She'd done so much for him and shown him such an immense amount of love and kindness, after all.
Bogo refrained from commenting on the nickname, only just hiding his smirk. "You knew she would object to your offer, which is why you asked her to leave." The Chief pointed out. The bunny cop had been working for him for long enough now that the buffalo felt he had a good grasp on her personality.
"Yes, and I'd rather tell her the finer points of my time in the businessmammal's employ when she and I are alone. I'm not proud of the things I did, but I own up to them, and even though it's a pitiful excuse I did them to keep my mom safe. " Nick also knew he'd be able to speak more openly when it was just the two of them, explain everything in more depth because Judy would no doubt have questions.
Knowing Nick's story now, Bogo felt a flash of guilt at having profiled him the moment they'd met. As a cop, it was natural for him to make a snap decision about a mammal, to get a feel for them the moment he met them. Profiling was a genuine thing, unfortunately. However, sometimes a cop could get it wrong. This was one of those times. Bogo was mammal enough to admit that he'd wrongly labeled the fox opposite him. Bringing a hoof to his chin, he rubbed his face, mulling over Nick's offer. Having inside information was always a bonus, but it could put Nick's life in danger. Hoof falling to the desk with a thud Bogo shook his head. "No deal."
Shocked, Nick's jaw dropped. He'd been certain Bogo would take the offer. Nick knew everyone, knew everything, and he was willing to help. True he would be turning on those he'd been on the streets with, but they'd never had his back. The only mammal that had saved his tail was Finnick, and Nick would never betray his fennec friend. "I'm willingly handing you information!"
"Putting yourself in danger in the process. I will not allow one of my officers to do that." The officer's under Bogo were his family, and he would never put them in the line of fire if it could be avoided. The buffalo wouldn't risk Nick's life over information. He was also pretty confident that if something were to happen to the tod, it would have a knock-on effect on Judy.
Stunned into silence, Nick blinked. He hadn't graduated and wasn't technically an officer yet, but Bogo was treating him like he was, like he was already part of the team.
"You're welcome to use any information you have when working your own cases, but I want you to run them by me first. I don't want to risk you or Hopps being hurt." Bogo elaborated. There was no way he'd be able to stop Nick using any information he already had, but he might be able to prevent the information coming back to bite them. With his mind centered on information coming back to bite them, Bogo grabbed the baggy from the table, pulling the piece of paper out of it. As he went to put it in his desk drawer for safekeeping, it 'accidently' slipped into the paper shredder. "I'm such a klutz." The buffalo sighed. Since no one had seen him swipe the paper from the scene in the first place, no one would be any wiser.
Eyebrows lifting, eyes widening, and jaw dropping, Nick couldn't believe what he was seeing. That was the only piece of evidence tying him and Judy to Marcus and Catstro, and Bogo had just shredded it. There was no physical proof in the ZPD's arsenal anymore. The fox had never expected Bogo to make such a bold move.
"Even though Hopps is already an officer and you're well on your way to becoming one, neither of you is above the law. You're supposed to set an example for all other mammal's to follow. For your past actions and for taking so long to tell me about them, I'm going to dish out some discipline." Bogo looked the fox over, trying to decide on a suitable punishment. "Your first month will be unpaid, and you'll spend your first two months on probation. This will involve a black mark on your record, and you won't be able to take on any cases. Once the two months are up, as long as you haven't caused any trouble, I'll remove the black mark to allow you the chance to progress in your career with Hopps. If you've caused any trouble, then the black mark will stay on your record for longer." It was the less severe of the punishments Bogo could dish out, but the fox didn't need to know that. Nick had been a kit, caught up in a maelstrom, desperately trying to find some way back to the surface, some way to stay alive. The tod's first month would be probationary anyway, a protocol in place to determine whether an officer was cut out for life as a cop or not. The setup at the academy was nothing like being an officer in the real world. Some mammals weren't cut out for it, and this usually became apparent in their first month. Bogo had no concerns in that regard when it came to the fox. If Nick really did have information on a lot of the mammals on the streets, then the first few months after his graduation would see them twitchy and concerned that he would spill the beans. Putting him on a case was just asking for trouble. Therefore, probation would keep him confined to walking the beat, parking duty, or desk duty.
Having expected much worse, Nick was at a loss for words. A longer probationary period was nothing for the tod, and he'd happily keep his head down and his nose clean way beyond the first two months of his employ. Though Nick was a year behind Judy, having the opportunity in the future to progress up the career ladder with her was something he very much hoped for. The deal Bogo was offering him was much better than the one Nick had come in armed with, and the tod knew he'd be a fool to turn it down.
"Now, onto Hopps' involvement in dropping off the cash. She'll spend the rest of this week still alternating between desk and parking duty, and she'll do the same next week too. Handing over money to criminals under the thumb of blackmail is frowned upon. I'm disappointed she didn't come and speak to me, but given the criminals involved and the risk to your mother, I understand that she was probably frightened. I'm only telling you this as a courtesy because she's your mate, but I will inform her of the decision myself." Bogo lay down the punishments for both fox and rabbit. Though most saw the cape buffalo as aggressive and uncaring, the officer's beneath him were his family and he didn't like seeing them suffer. Given all of the information that Nick had shared, Bogo felt the punishments suited the crimes. The Chief had a feeling that the past sixteen years paying Catstro back had been punishment enough for the fox, and all Judy needed was a light punishment to serve as a reminder that she wasn't to take matters into her own paws, that she had a whole precinct full of backup at her disposal. The bunny had no need to prove to any of them anymore that she was a capable officer.
"I feel like it would be a good time now to discuss Hopps's issue yesterday. Would you go and get her for this, please?" Bogo moved the topic of conversation along. He had his answer as to why Nick and Judy's names were on the piece of paper, now he needed to know why Judy had freaked out when the stoat had hit the water. The mammal in question had been discharged from the hospital and placed into police custody this morning and was more than likely being interrogated at present. The buffalo was well aware that Nick had been informed of Judy's incident yesterday and that he had been granted phone access to speak with her.
Knowing it was an opportunity to run his idea past the buffalo, Nick shook his head. "Although this involves her, I would rather explain it to you to save her having to think back on it, and I want to run an idea past you about helping her overcome it. I don't want her to know about my idea just yet." It was risky to talk about Judy and her health without her present, but Nick didn't want to stress out his bunny by making her think back on yesterday's events.
Though Bogo would've preferred to hear the information directly from Judy, he would listen to her mate. "What's going on?"
"She's suffering from flashbacks. After the first drop, she witnessed one of Catstro's gang members falling into the icy water and struggling to get out. It might in part explain why they didn't turn up for the second cash drop." The story had been agreed upon with Judy yesterday. It was close to the truth, but far away enough to protect his mate.
Having guessed that Judy was going through flashbacks, given the street camera footage that Bogo had been able to get his hooves on, the buffalo nodded. He wasn't entirely convinced that it was the reason they didn't turn up for the second drop, though. There was a procedure to follow when it came to officers suffering from flashbacks and PTSD. However, the Chief was willing to indulge the fox and hear him out. "How do you plan to fix it?"
Nick began to speak, detailing his plan to the buffalo, and the things he hoped to achieve. Bogo listened, eyebrow raised at the idea. It wasn't totally ridiculous, but it wasn't exactly a trusted method either. It had the possibility of epically backfiring. "That could work, though I'm not sure I want to hear any more of the finer details about it. Give it a shot, but if it doesn't pan out, I'm calling in the resident psychiatrist and having her examined and possibly placed on medical leave." Bogo set down the terms. He would let Nick try and help his mate, and if that didn't work, then he would bring in professional help.
Grateful for the opportunity to help Judy, Nick realized it was worth talking about his issue too while alone with the cape buffalo. "Speaking of medical. I should probably make you aware that I suffer from panic attacks on occasion."
Given the fox's history, Bogo wasn't entirely surprised. "Triggers?" He asked, knowing he would have to make a note of anything that could possibly set them off. Nick wouldn't be allowed to work any cases that could lead to another panic attack unless he sought help from the ZPD's medical team and made considerable progress in overcoming his issues.
"Judy." Nick cut to the chase. "I panic over the thought of her leaving…" He trailed off, feeling uncomfortable discussing the subject with his future boss, but knowing that it had to be done so that the appropriate action could be taken. Clearing his throat, Nick wrung his paws. "Leaving me." He clarified, groaning at how awkward the conversation was, emerald eyes staring down at the floor, just to the side of Bogo's desk. "She suggested I tell you about them just to cover my tail."
"I'll make a note of your panic attacks, but I can't see it being an issue if that's your only trigger." Bogo grabbed his pen, scribbling down another note. He made sure to hide his smile at the reason for Nick's panic attacks. Having seen them together, Bogo was confident that the country bunny would never leave Nick. Giving his notes a quick read over, Bogo shook his head. "Now, I think we've covered everything." The buffalo felt exhausted, brain throbbing from having to process so much information. If he was feeling the effects of the conversation, he was under no illusion that Nick was too. The overly peppy bunny being distracted by Clawhauser was probably a bundle of nerves by now too. It had been an hour since the cheetah had pulled her away from his office door. "I assume you're taking the train back this evening?" Nick's nod of confirmation was all Bogo needed to make his mind up. "Alright, I'm giving Hopps the day off. Go and fill her in on everything you've told me. I want her back in the bullpen tomorrow morning looking less stressed, so do what you've got to do."
The lifting of one of Nick's eyebrow's made the buffalo scowl. He should've known how the tod would take that comment. "Mind out of the gutter, Wilde!" Bogo warned before Nick could make a crude remark. "Dismissed."
A/N we've never been explicitly given a list of the laws in Zootopia, so I've been using a blend of American and British. Under UK law, hate speech is illegal.
ANYWAY. Explanations have been given, Bogo has been brought up to date, punishments have been handed out, and a massive weight has been lifted off of Nick (and Judy's) shoulders. Loose ends are starting to be tied up.
Next chapter; Nick fills in the blanks for Judy and tells her how the rest of the meeting went before he then returns to the academy and finally finds out who his new combat teacher is.