A/N : I couldn't believe last chapter's reception was… wonderful! I was surprised when I woke up with almost twenty notifications on email, and you guys have my thanks!

As promised, here's the special chapter. By special I mean, I work up to generate storyline instead of snippets, so expect a little more words here (though I personally doubt this one will be able to beat 24 )

And anyway, I'm about to put this into a separate entry to put in a little competition. Do you have suggestion of what the title should be? I found this one is rather lame, though.

Of all punishments existed, he despised silent treatment.

Nick wouldn't change his mind, and this night further proved his acknowledged hatred of it. His paw clutching tight on the spare key he had. Surely he had tried to break in with the said key, but Judy wasn't that dumb ; she let her key hung at the other side of the door so that he couldn't push it in. Furthermore, the slot added her defense.

No, he would just do it with old fashioned way.

"Carrots?" he knocked the door twice with the back of his paw.

Silence.

Of course she wouldn't reply, when Nick was in the leash. The vulpine didn't like how he put it, but right now, he could only hope Judy gave a slightest sign of approval.

That would need a hell of hard works and sweet talks, of course.

"Carrots, I know you are there," he began and knocked again, this time a little bit louder. It was 10 at night and the last thing he wanted was getting pummeled by the neighborhood of his noisy attempt to reach for his partner. "Please, let me in…" the red fox whispered weakly.

"Go sleep, Nick." came her reply, and Nick was certain the voice was loud enough to give him the certainty that she was close. He guessed Judy was just behind the door and still holding it, or probably according to cliché movies they watched last week, the bunny ended up sitting on the floor with her back reclining at the door helplessly, her face buried in her arms with them hugging her knees.

Now he was thinking too much.

"I can't. You know my mind won't stop working unless you forgive me." Nick let his pad ran over smoothly on the rough surface of wooden door. He patiently waited for her reply.

"Right. I forgive you. Now go."

Her voice wasn't shaken nor reinforced ; it was flat and that wasn't what he hoped. He internally cursed himself for putting him in the current circumstance.

"That's not how it works." Nick balled his paw and grimaced when the worst part of him told him to just smash the door into pieces.

Not that he had the power.

After waiting several minutes, her reply never got out. He figured he needed to take the step, so he cleared his throat to distract her attention.

"I'm truly sorry. I don't mean to hurt you, and I believe that's just an usual part of our daily basis-" he sounded like he was justifying himself like an asshole, so he quickly changed the lead. "-in which I realized I put it on wrong time, so the blame is still on me."

Stillness.

Nick firmly supported himself with both paw on the door, the urge to bang his head on the door was almost too difficult to resist.

Just when did this begin and how would he put it to end?

-2 hours before-

"What a way to end the day." Nick's unenthusiastic voice rang up on their way back to home. They had just gotten their dinner, and to put in Nick's way, it went absurd. He would go cool over it if the food served mended the awful service they got, but the restaurant looked like it liked to mess around two of ZPD's best officers. Officer Grizzoli gave them the recommendation, saying that the steamed fish there was the best, and it had been a long time since Nick had his last juicy fish.

Turned out their expectation quickly diminished to the lowest level, with the food completely made him lose his appetite. But at the very least, Judy still could enjoy her vegetable salad. Nick made a mental note in the future to sneak there and take a list of health and food serving service violations they made to bring the restaurant into justice.

His mood was crumbled into pieces, and what stopping it to gather back in one piece was with the additional fact that Judy clearly had certain thing in her mind which rendered her quiet all the time and didn't even go along his protest of the low restaurant before.

And, she actually passed the driver seat on him. On his rent car.

That wasn't all he had over the day ; the worse part happened at the morning, and the fury grew even worse with the time passed. Now, the night similarly gave him the feeling of rage and madness with Nick questioned himself of his luck today.

The positive thing was that he could use some talk and jokes, so he brought up conversation.

"Now what's up Carrots? You seem unusually silent." the fox began with his mastered restrain of emotions, none of his internal protest was hinted in his usual cheery voice.

Judy remained silent on her seat, fidgeting her fingers in cue of her hesitation. As distracted as Nick was, he found it quite cute.

"Nick," Judy finally brought her face up, looking at him with glimmer of agitation. "I'm going home tomorrow." she was looking away when her sentence finished, eyes wandered to the dark night.

"Huh?" Nick bemusement appeared to be in astonishment, though he wasn't surprised at all. "What, you don't like my company?" he forced a grin to take over his face.

"No, not at all," Judy missed his attempt of brightening the situation by responding without her regular jovial pattern. "I have matters to settle." the bunny affirmed her plan with a sigh.

"Some ex-boyfriend nagging painfully around your parents?" Nick commented sarcastically, and Judy only shook her head casually.

"Nope."

"Ah, how about overgrown carrots that required your strength to pull?" he tried another one, and was met with Judy's stern look.

"Nick." she warned in reprimanding tone.

"Sorry," Nick made up his sheepish smile, now he was certain Judy was in trouble when she in fact dismissed and showed no interest in the 'fun' conversation. The fox focused on the road, but took his time to think. "But you can tell me anything. It's not like my Carrots if you're going home out of sudden."

"I'll tell you later." Judy replied along with another exhausted sigh. The day on work was long, they had been signed on overtime works and it was the first time they left the ZPD department on dark. Luckily Nick had gotten his rent car so that they wouldn't need to tire themselves out to walk to the station.

But the way Judy kept whatever issue she had got Nick's on his nerve.

"Alriiiiiight," he drawled, waving his paw on her with a low snarl. "And I bet that's not really important that needs to be kept out from one of your best friend."

When he glanced sideway to see her response, his eyes met with crossed arms and disapproval look.

"What?" Nick questioned as he turned left , keeping his speed on steady 40.

"You are on my top three of my most trusted mammals Nick. I just don't feel the time is right." Judy stated in matter of fact, but she couldn't completely hide her hesitation from her whole features. Even if it wasn't shown in her purple eyes, Nick could smell it.

"Yeah," Nick responded in disinterest. "Tell me when I'm dead." he chuckled on his way darker joke. He began to think if it was right to pull at the moment.

"Nick."

And he began to regret as soon as Judy's strained furious voice pierced through the silent night.

"Put me down." she demanded. Within the corner of his eyes, he could clearly see her fuming in visible anger.

"You're sitting down already," Nick pretended to be oblivious. "It's not like I'm holding you up." he even let a laugh, which miserably sounded like a nervous laugh.

"Pull over, Wilde."

That was it. Once his last name came up, he was done.

"Oh God," Nick mumbled. "What did I do wrong now?" he whispered and barely audible to even himself, but bunny's ears were made up for overhearing.

"Between nothing and everything," Judy replied and glared at him. "Now brake on and let me go."

"Listen, Carrots, I-" Nick began, but was cut shortly.

"Nicholas Wilde," Judy's voice was firm and felt like it sent the fox rooting in dread, with his last name and even more, her formal call on him. "Pull. Over."

The vulpine slowed down, but there was no sign of him going to the side of the road.

"Nick, you stop now or so help me, I'm going to make you do." the bunny almost lost her self control, threatening with her paw now fumbling over her tranquil gun.

They hadn't changed their outfit, so of course the firearm was still attached.

Nick grimaced, now fully aware he had nowhere to escape. He hoped he could explain in time, so he began to talk in very short pause between words.

"Look, I'm sorry if somehow I offend you in any possible way. I had a rough day, and-"

Nick suspected that the God of Luck had the fortune charm off from him, that now they came to halt on a red light. Of course he would stop.

"You don't owe me explanation," she casted her last death glare and undid her seatbelt in a flash. "See you later."

He could only witness her going farther and up until the darkness swallowed. One paw slamming on the wheel, his chin rested on it while the other paw covered his eyes in desperation.

"Good God, I'm wrecked…"

This would happen if you let your guard down, he thought to himself. That was unordinary of him, but right now the matter was not how he ended like this, but how on earth he supposed to end this.

"Carrots…" the vulpine called again, his eyes staring blankly on the door. The feeling of tingling cold sensation clung deep inside, he began to pant. Nick hadn't realized he fell on his knees, head resting on the door with a thud.

"Leave…" Judy's uncharacteristic low voice got Nick's ears straightened in alarm.

"Sorry?" Nick inquired as he pressed his ears on the door.

He could make it, his hearing caught the light sob.

She was crying.

"Nick, I beg you…" the bunny replied between her wails. "Leave me alone. Please."

"You freaking have a big problem and you ask me to leave you to deal with your own?" Nick almost shouted out of his will. He maintained his self control and managed to continue with less menacing voice. "I fully understand I said something bad back then, but this… where do our partnership take stand?"

"Nick!" Judy's protest was in an instant, as if she didn't want to wound their relationship. Of all the time, Nick believed Judy wanted his tolerance over matters she was facing. "Please…"

"No," Nick insisted, needing himself to confirm her that asking him to leave her alone on her broken state was just a futile effort. "Even if you don't open the door, I'll stay here," he knuckled the door, the light thud asserted his point. "Until I make sure you're okay."

"I need to calm down…" his partner's voice came up after a while. A distinct pause, perhaps of her taking a deep breath, and the following words got out. "And I can't do it with knowing you waiting there without knowing what happened,"

"Then either let me in or simply tell me!" Nick's frustration was clear in every single words. "Tell me everything, Carrots. I am your only partner," he briefly paused before a hurtful look took over his frown. "Don't you… trust me?"

There was a thud across him, his best guess was Judy hit the back of her head on the door the moment she heard his painful question.

"It's not that!" the response had him smiling weakly. Judy still trusted him nonetheless, and that was his utmost priority. "I…"

He waited, and keep waiting. The fox had a clear grasp on the situation, and let Judy have her moment to contemplate.

There was a loud sigh, and he prepared his ears and mind for her clarification.

"I'm sorry, I must be selfish," she began with apologetic voice, but was then shifted into a resentful one with less threatening intent. "But back at the car, when I figured that you lose your cool, I knew you were troubled as well…"

Oh no no no, not the song, Nick shook his head when her last line sounded like that song performed by a famous singer he knew.

"I feel awful," Judy continued, oblivious of Nick's distracted attention. But the fox quickly regained his composure and listened intently. "Regardless of how I treated you that bad, I still can't pull myself over to forget what you said back then," Nick frowned at that. He recalled his dark jokes, and wondered if death had something to do with all of this commotion. "Even with the fact that you are unaware of the matter…"

Before the silence could wrap in, Nick pushed.

"Carrots, enlighten me. Please. I'm confused as hell here and I want to make it up," he turned in the knob, only to find it still locked. "Open the door?"

"No," Judy seemingly held the other knob, so that Nick couldn't toy with it anymore. Her strength was there to hold his own even not on her best appearance. "I can't bear to look at you now."

His ears flattened whenever the words were spoken. Did she hate him now?

"Why?" his voice dejected, the fox's tail went lifeless and flat on the floor.

"I… I'm afraid." The uncertainty was clear in her voice. Judy rarely opened up her insecurity, so it ended up with Nick held himself for quipping over it, but failed.

"Are you really that Judy Hopps who knows no fear?" he mocked despite the air of their late night talk.

"Nick."

The said vulpine cringed at her admonishment just as the bunny went silent.

He had to take things slow and let her explain.

"Listen, you need not to apologize. I'm the one who act like a street bastard, ditching someone close to me just because I was overly sensitive of something he didn't even know," the bunny spoke fast and clear, baffling the surprised fox. "And with the fact you have problems on your paw as well,"

"Is that… an apology?" was all Nick could give in with his thought reeling to process the information.

"No, this is an apology," Judy's flat voice answered. "Will you forgive me?"

"No," Nick smiled on his mental image of Judy looking at him hopelessly. "Unless you promise that you'll explain everything."

"Promise." Judy's short answer gave the green light.

"Then apology accepted," Nick slapped the door gently as if giving her high-five. "Shouldn't you let me in and we get better talk?" he took the chance and inquired.

"Not long ago, the promise has nothing to do with door-related things," Judy's giggle soothed the better part of him where he should've felt annoyed that she had tricked him.

"Smart bunny…" the fox quoted in defeat.

"I really don't think that will work Nick. I'm a mess now," her own dejected voice echoed followed by a light thud. Nick assumed she had her head on the door with droopy ears. "Will you be comfortable this way?" she asked for confirmation.

"And the way you said it make me want to barge in and hug you right now," Nick replied with what he had in his mind right now. "But if you sure, I'm listening."

There was no need to rush things. Nick knew this one was going to be messy, so he gave both of them space for her to contemplate her words, and for him to prepare the worst.

Soon after, Judy's broken voice stated, emanating sorrow and grief.

"Mark passed away."

Nick's jaw hung open, and the moment he snapped back to reality, he covered it with his paw. His eyes started to feel hot. That would explain why she was completely out of mood. Judy had mentioned the name on him whenever they talked about her family. But if her loss of one of her sibling over hundreds took the toll of her, then he must be really meaningful for her.

"I'm sorry." was all the fox could muster to say. He was speechless at the moment, and subsequently became aware of the agony she had been trying to hide all the time. He clearly heard her sobbing behind the door.

"He was…. He was like my closest brother. When my siblings playfully mocked me of my dream to be the best police officer, he didn't," "He even supported me in many ways. I'm letting you know that the carrot pen I have was bought by him. I remember perfectly he gifted it to me while saying that bunnies may not be strong, but we have capabilities to trick the guilty into spilling the evidences, and that recorder pen would come handy."

"Will this hurt you if I agree with him?" Nick's snicker escaped because that carrot pen painted the best memory out of them. Though during her emotional outburst, he figured he ought to be careful to pick his way of quipping, otherwise he would end on the second silent treatment.

"Darn not," it proved to be helpful with the bunny laughed lightly. After that, silence wrapped again, up until Judy decided to tell more. "He helped me to get my grades on high-school. Mark was clever in science, and though I needed less of them when my aim was to join ZPD, I still have to pass on the test to graduate."

Nick knew Judy all too well that if she weren't mourning over him, the bunny would've told him all the secrets and hidden stories between her and Mark, and the fox was certain it was more than just helping her on her study.

"I see…" he pondered, loud enough for his partner to hear. "He did mean a lot to you."

He could hear Judy's sniffing and wailing, and his heart ached. Damn the door, the only obstacle for him to reach for her.

"And, and last week, he called and said that he wanted to see me." Judy suddenly continued, her voice cracked. Nick inwardly grimaced, knowing exactly where this was going. "I told him that in weekend I'll be there, but…" that was her limit as Nick's hearing confirmed that Judy was now bursting out crying, wailing and weeping. "No one, even my mom and dad, mentioned that he had gotten sick," Nick felt his own eyes trickling tears in her share of pain. "I never know… and he didn't make it this afternoon…" the heartache was almost too much to bear, Nick grasped his chest painfully. "If… If…" Nick was aware Judy couldn't pull herself to talk anymore and already broke down in tears, so he needed to stop her from adding more pain on both of them.

"Carrots," Nick wiped his eyes with his forearm, his voice cracked as well, but he composed himself in hope that Judy didn't feel bad of knowing that her pain had gotten into him too. "Carrots, calm down, please…"

"I… I can't forgive myself…" she banged her paw on the hard surface in self hatred and frustration. Nick's paw on the door felt the faint vibration as the side effect. "I'm just a selfish mammal who didn't deserve a kind-hearted brother like him…"

"Carrots," Nick subconsciously cupped the door, like what he would do to her paw in attempt to comfort her. "Hey, listen to me." he whispered with his best soothing voice. The fox remained silent to listen behind the door, the wail lessened but she was still sobbing.

"Mark won't forgive himself either, if he saw your miserable state now," Nick gently said, trying his best not to let his own emotion to interfere. "Don't you think so?"

He let the bunny calm herself down, providing enough space between his words just so Judy could clear her mind and settle down.

"The last thing he wanted was to make his precious sister to cry her heart out of him," Nick continued in confidence. He grinned, knowing that if they were face to face, she would look up at him with puzzled face. "I may not know him, but I share the same feeling." he finished in what seemed to be an understatement of confidence.

"You… you what?" Judy's whisper was obviously tangled in exasperation, so Nick took his liberty to explain.

This wouldn't sound like me, but oh well, let's try, he pondered right before speaking up.

"After all this time? I've grown attached on you, to think that you're my own sister, Judy," Nick didn't feel like having exaggeration on his word, but for Judy's account, both his sudden confession and his use of her first name gave her the weird sensation and shiver, but effectively calmed her nerves. "Beat me, I'm not given a chance to feel how it's like to have a sibling, since I'm my mom's only child," the fox laughed nervously with his claws tracing down the door. "But I'm certain that's what Mark will feel, just as how I'm feeling right now."

"You … dork," Judy was laughing sincerely though still remorsefully, but Nick could feel warmth surging inside him. "Now I realize you do remind me of him…" the doe spoke in honesty yet she sobbed again.

"I'm honored." Nick clasped his paw together on his chest in satisfaction, watching the door like he could see through it and see Judy's smile grown.

They spent another moment in dark night and silence, albeit slightly less gloomy.

"How about you?" Judy asked. Nick assumed she had already back to her prior self "You seemed upset after our dinner," Judy pointing it out despite his best effort to mask it appeared to be less convincing. "That was surprising to find you get that distracted. I assume it must be as hard as mine?"

Well, she was his partner for a reason, Nick chuckled at the thought. Since that Judy had gotten all out, he understood it was his turn now.

"No," Nick replied in short, and his mind interrupted him to continue before Judy could intercept. "And before you push me to spit everything out, no," he listened at her soft giggle, smiling on his own and explained.

"It's just trivial thing. I ordered a package of goodies online, saying that in two days it would arrive. But it's been a week, and nothing shows up," that goodies in question were couple parkas in green for the bigger one, and light pink for the smaller. The image of him and Judy wore it together almost never failed to bring up his big smile, even during their sincere talks now. He rooted for it after Clawhauser sent him the link, and alas, hopes got crushed. "And what makes it even worse, our seat before was moved haphazardly, the cook was not as I expected, and the discount coupon didn't count."

He chuckled again, with Judy behind the door following suit.

"I guess I'm the emotional bunny…" her soft voice smooth, calming both of them.

"And I'm the dumb fox." Nick joined the remark in humor.

"Che," Judy replied, and to the fox's joy, she sounded cheerful already. "What has gotten into us, spending our night carelessly pouring our heart out?"

"Anything that makes you feel better will do, and if that happens to be one, I'm all in." Nick responded nonchalantly, having his casual smirk back after getting into a train of jittery talks.

"You really sound like Mark…" Judy's sigh was clad in between anguish and amusement, but her chortle right after proved that the latter took domination.

"Should I just shut up?" Nick opened his jaw wide and brought it closed noisily, telling her of his gesture in sounds.

"No," Judy replied in disagreement. "And I guess I'll open the door now."

Just as the sound of the metallic cling was about to click, Nick jammed his own key, holding the lock in the place.

"Uhm," Nick muttered. "I don't see the point now, since our chit-chat appears to reach the end."

That wasn't the point. His internal part screamed, protesting his decision where the majority of him wanted to see and hug her.

Not that he was in better state, though.

"Oh…" Judy's mumble expressed her confusion. A wry smirk made the way to the fox's lips as he retracted his key.

"Unless if you want your clingy fox partner rushes in and starts to hug you to death?" the moment he let it slip, he cursed himself loud enough for her to hear. "Ukh, damn snout. Pick better euphemism next time."

"No, that's actually pleasant to hear," Judy replied. "To be honest, I won't mind dying in your arm."

"Don't say it." Nick growled, the last mental image he wanted on earth didn't seem to be pleasant to appear now.

"Nah, I'm just making us fair. One to one, right?" Judy's hustling voice was brought up. Nick could swear his vision was able to penetrate the wall and seeing Judy in her hustle gesture, with the tip of her ears swayed, one paw on hips and the other one drew away.

"Sly bunny." Nick replied, surprisingly in delight even after Judy got him off guard.

For a moment, only their steadied breaths accompanied throughout the hollow night. Then, he broke it in serene voice.

"Can I say we're… good?" Nick summarized, and right after let out a yawn. He didn't recall spending almost two hours straight in front of her room.

"Yeah," Judy responded in agreement. "But we need rest after so many emotional contents…"

"I'm not leaving until you can sleep." Nick stated, expecting no further objections.

"Here you go again," Judy sighed, followed by a soft giggle. "I don't need babysitter."

"Well, but you need a bunnysitter." Nick kidded with chuckles between his teeth.

"Oh shush," Judy couldn't help but laugh. "Really, I'm fine Nick." she assured him, but that wouldn't budge the stubborn fox.

"The last time you said you're fine, you broke a glass and stepped on the shards." Nick reminded her. It was that time when she called him saying that she was fine but needed to take break on the work. When Nick visited during lunch break and called in to inform him coming over, he was presented with the sound of breaking glass. As he hurried to her apartment, whenever he broke in, Judy was holding her feet in pain, having some of the fragments piercing her sole.

"You ought to take care of yourself as well, Nick," the bunny's reply was clever for a countermeasure. Nick smirked at her next words. "You spend so much time looking at me. I bet you look horrible now."

"Care for bunnies come first, fox on second." he delightedly teased. The fox was now seated on the floor and looking at the door. They were having regular conversation, but with the door served as an obstacle blocking each other's expression.

"And I don't want to be your maid," Judy replied, and as some certain phrase popped in the vulpine's mind, Judy already one step ahead. "No, don't say the word."

Oh dear, but foxsitter did sound odd, Nick laughed to himself.

Before long, he found himself speaking against his mind.

"I hate to bring this up again, but I'll drive you home."

"You okay with it?" Judy didn't answer right away, but instead with a question. "I can just take the train, you know."

"And let you cry for 3 hours alone and brought the attention of all passengers until you reach Bunnyburrow?" Nick snickered, and winced as he heard the loud bang twice on the door. He must've gotten her there. "I assure you, I'm a good pillow and a good shoulder to cry."

"I'm not in the position to argue, aren't I?" her resigned voice was assigned as part of agreement.

"Nope." Nick confirmed shortly.

"If you insist," the rabbit behind the door laughed. "But I must warn you, once you stepped in Bunnyburrow, there was no going back."

"And what was that supposed to mean?" Nick questioned in mild curiosity. Deep down, the craziest part of him found out he was thinking of meeting her parents and requested their bles-

No. Forget it.

"Two words. Hundreds and bunnies." Judy's cheery voice absurdly sent chill down his spine. But not that he couldn't handle them, the vulpine grinned.

"Ouch," he feigned a wince. "Hey, at least they're fluffy."

"Are you implicitly saying that I'm fluffy?" Judy proposed with a hint of excitement in her voice. Was she excited to bring him to her hometown?

"I did call you Fluff with a reason, Fluff," Nick explained, and then his phone rang the midnight alarm. He shut it off in an instant. "And off with the talk. It's midnight already and we need some sleep."

"Will you be okay?" her worrying voice asked him. "I mean, if you don't feel good enough to drive…" her voice trailed off, in which Nick had already known what would come afterward. "… you can sleep here."

"Here?" Nick tapped his feet on the floor rapidly, signaling his current position. "Oh sweet. Maybe in the morning someone walking down the hall will wake me up."

"Cynical as always," Judy laughed in reply. "Nah, you're going in."

Before the fox could sign a protest, the door was open. There, Judy's bloodshot eyes looking up and down of him, a trade of look happened whenever they examined each other – Nick's night vision had caught her smile beneath the messy face, and Judy, with the help of the light from the hall, spotted Nick's trace of wet trails on his cheek. None had gotten the best shape, and the moment they realized it, they ended up in a bear hug. Judy clung tight on his neck, and Nick supporting her with her arms around her waist. Both let out series of chuckles, satisfied laugh and comforting whispers as Nick shut the door with his feet and let the bunny hop off from his embrace.

"Sorry to bother you," she opened her closet and threw him her spare blanket. "I know your apartment is wider and has bed for you to sleep on."

"But," Nick smirked, the gesture wasn't apparent due to the density of darkness in her room, but his eyes shone with spark of humor."My apartment doesn't offer my best and sweetest companion and I'm certain I can fit in."

Judy stifled a laugh at it, and hopped on her bed. The night had gotten colder before she could realize it, and she snuggled closer to her blanket.

Before she decided to sleep, she rolled like a sausage hotdog to the edge of her bed, facing the vulpine who had just settled his sleeping position ; both arms behind his head.

"Thank you." she whispered.

"That's not a compliment, Carrots." Nick corrected, believing that the expression of gratitude was for his latest remark.

"No," Judy cut in, her paw reached out to caress his warm cheeks. "Thank you, for everything."

She was running in her dream, chasing the tan rabbit with white furs on his arms and legs.

"I'm sorry." she murmured with her paw reaching him, distance between them diminished slowly. The moment she opened her eyes, he was right before her.

"I always look for you, Judy." he smiled, grasping her forearm in supporting gesture. His body became engulfed with bright light, his appearance illuminated her eyes.

She could only listen to her words.

"And both of us know the best, I'm not the only one."

Judy was certain, that last sentence was said not only by him.

"Thank you Mark!" she shouted in distant voice, and soon followed by whispering to no one in particular with less longing, but more appreciating tone.

"And thank you, Nick."