A/N: Not much to say other than enjoy!

Chapter 26: Justify the Means

Janna escorted Judy into the precinct. Judy was weary because she withdrew too much blood. Judy saw Clawhauser at the front desk as usual. "Judy, you actually came," he said with much delight. "You must be Janna."

He ran to hug them both. The cheetah was always extremely affectionate. Janna was confused, she was expecting a trap perhaps she was wrong. "Nice you meet you, Clawhauser," Janna said. It was nice seeing how others interacted with Judy.

"Nice to see you too, Clawhauser." She gasped for breath in his embrace. "Can you tell me what I did wrong now?"

"Chief Bogo will," Clawhauser said.

Judy and Janna entered Chief Bogo's office. They sat down waiting for the buffalo to speak. He wore his typical ZPD uniform. He seemed exhausted from all that work. "Having a nice vacation? Judy? and you must be Janna." He looked at the white doe as he addressed her. She wore a professional black outfit which contrasted with Judy's casual attire.

Judy saw there were many photos of bunnies that she knew. They must be proceeding with the investigation of Bunnyburrow. "Sir, it would be better if I knew what I did wrong. Clawhauser said you would tell me," Judy replied.

"I would like to apologize for my actions. I know full well that many customs and traditions from Bunnyburrow would be illegal here. I only invoked them because I thought it would be better for us all," Janna said.

"Impressive, I trust you are fully aware of the penalties," Bogo said.

"Yes sir, I was hoping that you could overlook my actions."

"Janna, can we talk privately?" Judy said.

"Denied," Chief Bogo said, "If you have to tell her something, you will do so here."

Judy said, "Sir, I believe Janna doesn't realize the ramifications of what she's admitting."

"I know that it's punishable with several years of jail time," Janna said.

"Why would you choose to admit that?" Judy raged. She couldn't believe how forthcoming Janna was with matters that Chief Bogo didn't have to know about.

"He'll find out eventually, why hide it? It wasn't illegal in Bunnyburrow where such laws are frequently used, encouraged even, it doesn't change the fact I chose to use it in Zootopia. We threatened Nick because we love him."

Bogo sighed. "Judy, do you really see nothing wrong with your actions?"

"None at all, I need help writing an apology to Nick. I don't know what he wants in a relationship, I also don't know what I did wrong." Judy was smart enough to know that her actions were against the law but that did not necessarily make them wrong. It was how she always operated, the ends justified the means, from the moment she blackmailed Nick into helping her and threatened Duke Weaselton with death, it was all for the greater good.

"Let me spell it out for you: it's not normal to threaten someone to get what you want, especially not when you're in a relationship with them." Bogo resisted the urge to facehoof.

"But sir, that's how I've always acted. I threatened Nick with jail time when we first met. I roped him into helping me solve the nighthowler case, without much support from you, thank you very much. Nick and I also threatened Duke Weaselton with death to obtain vital information. You know our track record, it's rather impressive." Judy attempted to explain her motivations.

Bogo grunted. "Nothing involving you and Nick is ever simple is it?" He opened Judy and Nick's recent case files. "Is there anything else you forgot to mention in these reports?"

"Sir, does it matter? Look at all we've accomplished." She always felt that everything she did was to make the world a better place. Sure, they've bent the rules a couple of times.

"Considering why you are here. I'm questioning your capacity to reason and function properly. Are you certain that everyone you've arrested is guilty? Are there any cases where your tactics didn't yield reliable results?"

Janna placed a paw on Judy's shoulder. "You should probably stop talking."

"Sir, you can't question our track record on notable cases," Judy said. She really didn't see anything wrong with her own behavior.

"Hopps, normal mammals don't like being threatened into making a choice. Why would you think Nick would be happy with you threatening him like that? Also, I'm having doubts that all of your arrests were proper and if everyone was guilty," Bogo said as clearly as he could. He tried to have patience with Officer Hopps but today was particularly trying. Her past efforts with Officer Wilde were exemplary until he learned these shady details.

"I thought we were fine after we returned to Big's mansion. He just became extremely angry for no reason at all. Also regarding my cases, they've admitted their crimes or gave us leads that we pursue to fruition," Judy said.

"Let us ignore your gross professional misconduct and talk about your domestic relationships. Did Nick know the ramifications of the pact you made him and Jewel take? Would he have made the choice if he had the knowledge?"

"Probably not, but the end result was desirable. That's all that mattered. He made the correct choice."

"He's also demanding an apology from you and sent you away for that very reason. As he clearly put it that he didn't care if you ran out of blood. It's working perfectly, Officer Hopps, keep up the exemplary behavior. You're clearly a model citizen." Bogo spelled out everything that went wrong as clearly as he could based on the information Clawhauser told him.

"But sir, I didn't expect him to act like that."

"Nick might have put up with your traditions because he loves you. It was simply one too many for him to ignore," Bogo said. "You know how long it took for him to open up his past to others except you."

"No," she yelled. "I don't want to die. There's no way I'll be able to write two copies of the apologies he wants. I don't even have enough blood to write one." The ramifications of what Bogo said finally sank in. Every slight, every mistake, everything that could have set Nick off. She had to apologize for all of that. "He'll never forgive me."

"Why don't you call him?" Bogo said.

"But that's not what he wants." Her heart pounded in her chest as she remembered everything that might have gone wrong. She had a list to write, a gigantic one.

"Try," Bogo said. He couldn't believe that Nick would want Judy to die regardless of what he said. If it was him in that situation, he would have run away at the first opportunity, severed all forms of contact.

Judy summoned up the courage to call Nick. She waited anxiously for Nick to pick up the phone. "Hello?" Nick said. He planned to apologize to Judy except she was so forthcoming with her own apology that he put that on hold.

"Nick, I realize what I've done wrong now. There's no way I could write even one copy. I don't have enough blood, Nick. I'll try if you want me to still," she sobbed.

"Let's hear it." Nick sighed.

"I'm sorry about stealing your blueberry pie one year ago in the ZPD break room. I blamed it on Wolfard and you never found out." Judy started with the first slight that came to her mind. "I'm sorry about not doing your paperwork when I was busy one weekend and Chief Bogo got mad at you as a result. I laughed afterward."

"Uh, Judy, it's nice that you're listing everything, I'm just interested in the past week or everything that went wrong since I started dating you."

"I'm sorry about threatening you with slavery and mutilation if you didn't make the choices I wanted. I was desperate, Nick, it was vital that you made the correct choice. I'm sorry for not controlling Jewel better."

"Judy, look, that's not what I wanted to hear or expected to," Nick said. He wanted her to realize she was wrong and that was no way to act, she instead seemed to be happy because of the result.

"I'll write anything you want me to. I just want you to stop being mad at me," she offered despite knowing that his commands could very well kill her.

"I've been talking with Jill, she was right that I should have just told you what I wanted. What I wanted you to know. I want to see you again, forget the letters. You're just a dumb bunny but you're my dumb bunny. Is Janna with you?"

"Yes," Judy said. She felt relieved that Nick didn't hate her. Everything will turn out alright.

"Oh, thank goodness," Nick said. "Can you two please come home?"

"Certainly," Judy said.

She ended the call. She moved towards the door preparing to leave. Bogo said, "Judy, I no longer trust your judgment until further notice you are suspended from duty."

"Why, sir?"

"Gross professional misconduct. Your actions cast doubt on everyone you have arrested and every case you've closed."

"What about Nick?"

"Both of you are still on vacation. I trust Nick's judgement still, thus I trust he won't do anything without good reason."

"Is there anything I can go to change your mind?" Being a police officer of the ZPD was important to her.

"Get your entire family to have a vacation here. I trust you know why I'm asking this. Do this, and I will consider reinstating you as a police officer."

"Certainly, a family visit to Zootopia seems fine," Judy said. She didn't pick up on any subtleties of what Bogo tried to imply or what he really wanted.

"You won't be arresting them for actions within Bunnyburrow," Janna said. She thought of Bogo's ulterior motives and decided to confront them.

"I wouldn't dream of it. You know Bunnyburrow's corrupt, you know what happens. We're planning on how to dismantle the entire system," Bogo said.

"Good luck trying to dismantle the entire system even though I've decided to follow Zootopia laws for now, the ways of Bunnyburrow might still be useful to me," Janna said.

"How many bunnies are aware of how others live in Zootopia?"

"Not many, but some that learn of the outside world choose to remain." She didn't add the rumors she heard that the entertainment industry sometimes forcibly silenced those who rejected their ways.

"It will be an opportunity for your family to get acquainted with the ways of Zootopia then," Bogo said. He certainly hoped that once Judy's family learns there's another way, they'd reject Bunnyburrow's ways on their own.

"Fair enough, we will be leaving now."

Judy and Janna saw Nick waiting by the entrance with Jill as they returned to Big's mansion. "Judy, you're back!" Nick exclaimed. He sniffed them audibly. "I was worried that I drove you two away with how I acted."

"Nick, you're not mad at me?" Judy smiled. This was the Nick she knew.

"We have to talk," Nick said. "Our relationship cannot continue as it is."

Her ears drooped. "Please, Nick, I'll do anything."

"Janna and Jill, can I have a few minutes alone with Judy?" Nick asked.

They both agreed to his request. Nick and Judy went to the bedroom. He sat on the bed. "Sit beside me," he said. Judy sat beside him uncertain of what was going to happen. She couldn't stop her nose from twitching out of fear. "Look, Judy, you shouldn't threaten me to get what you want. That's not how a relationship works."

"I already apologized for that," Judy said.

"You still felt it was the right thing to do," Nick said.

"But it is the right thing to do. You made the correct choice and everything. I'm sorry I had to threaten you."

"Judy, I don't want you to threaten me anymore to get what you want. No more."

"But what if it's the right thing to do?" Judy questioned.

Nick decided to ignore the fact she thought threatening him might be the right course of action. "Don't do it even then. Talk to me if you feel like you must threaten me."

"What if you make the wrong choices?" Judy asked.

"Then I live with the consequences. I don't want to be forced to make any more choices because of what you perceive to be better."

"You're telling me to not do what I feel is right," she said.

"I guess I am, if you can't do that, my relationship is over with you, Judy,"

"But…"

"You can have time to think it over," Nick said.

Nick left Judy alone in the bedroom. She tried reconciling Nick's request for her not to the right thing. She always acted with his best interests in her heart, yet he wanted her not to do that anymore. She decided that a relationship with him was more important than her acting in his best interests all the time. It was selfish, but she couldn't give him up. She left the bedroom to find Nick. "I will do what you want: I won't threaten you anymore even if I feel like it's right."

A/N: Aside from everything that happened to Judy in this story, I think she's a character that would always try to do what she perceives is right. Regulations and laws be damned.