Side effects

"Carrots…" Came a gentle whisper.

Judy let out a soft moan as her ears twitched. She ignored the whisper and gently nuzzled into what she thought was the warmest pillow she had ever had. She didn't want to wake up at this point. The pillow smelt so much like Nick it was like she cuddling right into her partner.

"Hey carrots," Came another whisper, this time followed by a paw gently stroking her ears.

"Nooo…." Judy let out quietly as she kept her eyes closed. It wasn't time for work, her alarm would have gone off.

"Officer Hopps!" Came a sharp shout.

This did the trick. Judy's eyes shot open and she nearly jumped out of Nick's lap as she was brought back into reality. It took Judy a second to remember where she was, she had been in such a deep sleep that she had completely lost track of the world.

She was still in the hospital room where she had been brought after being shot with night howler. She remembered the examination and how unpleasant it was. Then she remembered getting very drowsy and falling asleep. Judy's eyes went wide as she looked where she currently was in the room. She was sitting now on one of Nick's knees, still practically in is lap. The gray bunny looked slowly up at Nick and let out a weak smile.

"Sleep well?" Nick asked playfully as he gave his partner a wink.

Judy didn't say a word as her cheeks began to warm and she nodded slightly. She then focused her attention to the other mammal in the room. Much to her dismay Dr. Bitter was sitting in a chair by the small bed. His look said it all and Judy suddenly realized how inappropriate it might be for her to remain on Nick's lap in this fashion. Reluctantly she climbed off the fox's lap and sat next to him on the bed. Looking from Dr. Bitter and back to Nick.

"Thanks for not drooling on me," Nick teased, causing the tension in the room to soften.

"Thanks for being a good pillow!" Judy mumbled as she rubbed her eyes.

"For you, anytime," Nick whispered as he studied the rabbit with a warm friendly look. Judy let out a sigh as she felt her heart skip. Even after that mild fight earlier he still knew how to make her fall for him all over again.

"It's not like I have other patients or anything," Dr. Bitter grumbled. The two officers looked over at the doctor, each with their own expression. Judy had an apologetic look and her ears drooped slightly. Nick however had fire in his eyes as if he intended to take the armadillo out back and hit him with something heavy.

The doctor opened a small folder he had attached to his clip board and skimmed some lines of information before looking back at Judy. "Officer Hopps, as your current doctor I would like to advise you that the information I am about to read you is personal and I would suggest having Officer Wilde wait outside."

Judy simply shook her head which caused her drooped ears to flap slightly, "No, he stays," She said firmly as she reached out and scooped up Nick's good paw in her own. Judy could just see out of the corner of her eye Nick look down and smile before looking back at the doctor.

Dr. Bitter let out a sigh and rolled his eyes, "Very well. So let me bring you up to speed on what is going on before I tell you what we have to do to keep you healthy." The doctor took a moment to skim through his notes and then looked back at the couple sitting on the bed.

"We have the results from your blood work. Lab said you must lead a very healthy lifestyle. They also said that there is still somethings lingering in your blood. The night howler serum you were hit with is still there. We notified the research team at Sahara Regional and a Dr. Badger informed me that it has something to do with protein." As the doctor explained Judy grew slightly confused and it must have shown on her face as the armadillo paused for a moment and contemplated what to say next.

"See Officer Hopps this particular serum was made for predators. When hit it is absorbed quickly into the skin and spreads through the body. This particular strain was designed with a kind of timer apparently so it is not permanent. How the mammals responsible did this was by protein. You see the serum is apparently absorbed by high levels of protein in ones body and quickly burned away which causes the reaction to halt. You as a prey mammal do not require that kind of quick absorption so your body only took what it needed and stored the rest for later."

Judy could tell that this was the dumbed down version of what was happening to her. To Dr. Bitter's merit though he didn't sound condescending or mean when explaining it. He sounded as if he actually had a general concern for his patient. He may have been a little rough and grating at first but hearing his tone now made Judy appreciate the doctor a little more.

"So what does that mean for Judy?" Nick asked calmly. Dr. Bitter looked over at Nick as if addressing a member of Judy's family. There was no longer a look of contempt but rather a look of assurance.

"Well it means that she will have to deal with some side effects for a little while longer. This is an uncharted area though. We have no idea how long this will last or what kind of things will happen. Our best guess is that she will be experiencing intense mood swings like we saw earlier. Along with a mild form of aggression." The doctor explained as he leaned forward in his chair. "Now I have already spoken to Dr. Sweet and I have been made aware just how….driven you could be when it comes to returning to work."

Judy already didn't like where this was going. She squeezed Nick's paw slightly as she looked at the doctor with determination.

"I am afraid Officer Hopps, until we can confirm you are no longer compromised by the night howlers effects, I cannot allow you to return to work."

Though Judy had prepared herself for the words it still surprised her. This was different than before. This wasn't some physical injury that should could just fight through. This was something out of her paws which she hated. She began to think of different excuses and scenarios to use in order to convince the doctor she should return to duty.

"Dr. Bitter we are in the middle of a very large case!" Judy began as she sat up straighter and looked directly at the doctor, "I can't be taken off this case! There is someone out there who…" Judy tried to explain but as the armadillo In front of her leaned back in his chair casually she felt her anger began to rise. How could he act so calm right now? She had been shot at and he was now sitting there with a smug look on his face. She hated that look. She was tempted to jump out of her seat and slug him.

Judy hadn't realized it but she had stopped speaking and was now clenching her teeth as she glared at the doctor.

"Problem officer?" the doctor asked casually as he folded his arms.

"Yeah, I have an idiot for a doctor!" Judy growled.

The surprise on Nick's face caused Judy to realize she had messed up. She would never had said that and growling was not normally a very Judy thing to do.

The armadillo simply held out his palm towards Judy as if presenting some kind of discovery, "I rest my case."

Judy's eyes went wide as she realized what had just happened. The doctor had tricked her, which could be the only explanation! Rage began to form deep down inside her and she felt her muscles tensing up. She felt like she was about to pounce on the doctor and make him regret using that tactic.

"Carrots." Nick said plainly as he looked down at Judy. It wasn't a question but rather a statement. Judy understood instantly what was up and loosened her vice like grip on Nick's paw. She began to withdraw from Nick but was happy when he didn't let her paw go. He gave her an encouraging squeeze and she felt all her anger wash away.

Judy took in a deep breath and closed her eyes as she tried her best to keep control of her own emotions. "My apologies doctor," she muttered as she opened her eyes and glanced at Dr. Bitter.

Much to Judy's surprise the doctor merely waved his hands, "I have a feeling that was more the night howlers than you, but I know a few mammals who would agree with your statement."

Nick nodded in both approval and agreement which caused Judy to squeeze his paws, signaling for him to stop. The Fox let out a sly smirk as he looked at Judy from the corner of his eyes.

"Now besides not returning to work I am afraid I have more orders for your recovery process,"Dr. Bitter began as he flipped through his notes in the clipboard in his paws. "Are you currently on any umm..."The Doctor paused for a moment as he looked over at Nick and then at Judy as he searched for the best words, "bunny related med that are not on your charts?"

Judy felt her cheeks go warm as she put two and two together. It only took Nick an extra ten seconds but soon the Fox realized what was going on and began to giggle like a school pup.

Even though the mammals in Zootopia had evolved into a more civilized group there were still some ancient instincts that needed a little extra suppressing. Many mammals experienced this and was not necessarily unique to one species. Some Wolf's needed help with keeping their howls down and also suffered from a constant need to be around others. A few wildebeests had panic attacks occasionally and would stampede in certain districts.

Bunnies however suffered from a few instincts that needed a different kind of suppression. There was medication for all the major problems. Some bunnies suffered from burrow syndrome and felt they needed to constantly dig deeper into the ground. Then of course there was "flighting", in which a bunny had an uncontrollable urge to flee at the sight of any species except a fellow bunny. Luckily for Judy she did not suffer from any of these. She did understand though what the doctor was getting at. Many females of certain species required assistance in suppressing certain urges when it came to mating. It wasn't unique to bunnies though, some lionesses required it along with smaller prey species that were used to multiplying constantly to maintain their species survival. In this more modern day and age however such things weren't needed so some companies produced medicine to help control these urges.

She had never discussed this kind of stuff with Nick however so the sudden news was a bit much for the immature Fox. Judy could feel the Fox begin to shake as he did his best to keep his laughter inside.

"I am not on any of those doctor," Judy said firmly, hoping to move away from the conversation quickly.

Nick stopped shaking at the new information and Judy could feel his gaze upon her. She however did her best to keep her eyes forward at the doctor.

The armadillo gave Judy a somewhat surprised look which was mixed with apprehension. "Really officer? That's kind of impressive but not entirely unheard of. Of course we are seeing a steady decline in the need for that kind of medicine." Dr. Bitter then began to scribble some notes down on his clipboard.

"Well if you are on any other form of medication that I am unaware of you need to stop taking it immediately, since we have no idea what affects the night howler still in your system may have its best to avoid adding anything else to the mix, do you understand?" Dr. Bitter said firmly as he looked up from his notes.

Judy nodded quickly and finally chanced a look up at Nick. The Fox still had an amused look on his face and gave Judy a grin.

"Oh for goodness sake Wilde..." Judy grumbled as she looked away, her cheeks turning red once more. She didn't want to admit it out loud but she was somewhat glad to have Nick here, even if it meant he now knew a little more about her than he probably should.

After another half hour of questions Judy was finally released from 's office and was happily waiting outside of the hospital with Nick. Since they had been driven by an ambulance they had no ride at the moment so they were stuck waiting for a pick up from the ZPD. Judy had called chief Bogo and given him a brief update. She could tell he was relieved but still somewhat angry at the situation as a whole. When it came to her work status he informed her that they would discuss it in a day or two, in the mean time she was to take a day off to recover. She wanted to protest but she could tell from the chief's voice he was a little busy and an argument over the phone was the last thing he needed. After she had hung up with her boss Nick had informed her that a ride from the ZPD was on its way but would be a little bit.

Judy didn't mind the extra time with Nick however, she did mind though the claps of thunder nearby as the hourly rain fall began in the district. Judy and Nick found shelter at a covered bench near the hospital's main entrance and took refuge just as the rain began to come down in the area.

At first the situation was a little annoying but it only took a moment for Judy's mood to change as she sat down on the bench. Nick took a seat right next to her. Not in the manner most mammals would while leaving some space, but actually right next to her so they were touching one another right away. Normally she would have been the one to close the gap but happily she found herself gently leaning against her partner. As the Fox tenderly placed an arm around Judy's shoulder she rested her head against Nick and let out a sigh. As the rain continued to fall Judy closed her eyes and let the sound of the rain drops fill her ears. The sounds of the city seemed to just melt away.

"You know you never mentioned this," Nick muttered softly as he gently ran his paw up and down Judy's arm.

"Mentioned what?" Judy mumbled as she kept her eyes closed. For once the emotion that was being enhanced by the night howler was one she actually enjoyed, it was a mixture of joy and want. Not necessarily the kind of want that would lead them to a cheap motel room. It was something else, something she couldn't put into words but knew what it was at the same time.

"Mentioned stuff like this when you told me to join the ZPD," Nick said softly as the rain continued to surround their tiny refuge.

"You mean crashing into the snow?" Judy said playfully, "or getting shot at in a vitamin store?"

"Neither, I mean I would have liked a heads up on that stuff!" Nick chuckled. "No, you never mentioned this."

Judy opened her eyes slowly as she looked up at Nick. He wasn't looking at her, his eyes were actually closed as he continued to run his good paw down her arm. Judy gently nuzzled into her partner a little more and placed a paw against him. His warm fur under his pawaiian shirt gave her comfort. As she closed her eyes once more she giggled, "And what is this exactly?"

Nick didn't answer. Judy was about to repeat herself but thought better of it. Why spoil the moment trying to get him to explain something she didn't want him to explain. A label at this moment and time wasn't needed. Nothing was needed actually. The two sat that way for sometime as the rain cooled the city around them. The drops of water colliding on the ground was the only sound that Judy could hear besides Nick's steady heartbeat.

Jody's inner voice kept trying to egg her on to reach up and kiss the dumb Fox. Who knows maybe he would actually want it. Another part of her though ordered her not to ruin this moment. So they continued to just sit in silence.

It didn't take long though for this world they found themselves in to be interrupted as they were both startled back into reality by a ZPD cruisers warning horn blaring for just a second. Judy nearly jumped right off the bench and Nick swore loudly.

The two mammals looked for the culprit. It only took them a second to notice the ZPD cruiser parked nearby. The couple had been there so long that the rain had finally stopped and everything was covered in water.

Much to Judy's annoyance it was time to get up. She slowly stood up from the bench and looked back at Nick and gave him a weak smile, "ready to go partner?" she asked as Nick stretched his good arm and hopped off the bench. He gave Judy a nod and the two approached the cruiser.

Judy felt a smile cross her face as she noticed who was driving the squad car. As the tinted windows rolled down she jumped up and grabbed the window sill so she could peak inside. Nick stood next to Judy and smirked at the driver.

"How's it going bubbles?" Judy asked playfully.

Tammy had a wicked grin on her face as she revved the engine. "You two need another minute, maybe some alone time in the back seat?" she teased and gave a wink.

"May have to throw this one in the back, she could go savage at any moment," Nick said as he gave Judy a pat on the head. Judy quickly waved her hands and shooed Nick away.

"Watch it bub, or I'll show you what a rabid rabbit could do!" Judy said as she playfully bared her teeth and made a biting motion towards Nick who retreated.

"Oh gosh why did I volunteer to pick you two up?" Tammy said as she began to laugh.

"Because you fear the rabbit!" Judy said proudly and puffed out her chest.

This got a laugh from both Tammy and Nick. Judy didn't know if she should feel insulted or not. She shrugged it off though.

"So I'm guessing you two get tomorrow off then?" Tammy said as she reached over and threw the passenger door opened. Much to Judy's happiness Nick climbed into the large passenger seat with her.

"Yeah, Bogo said to take tomorrow off, then return the next day for evaluation," Judy said plainly, hoping the chief would bend the rules and let her return to duty.

"Good, you will need tomorrow to recover," Tammy said as she put the cruiser into drive and began to speed out of the parking lot. The cheetah then grabbed the microphone and keyed up to ZPD dispatch. "Dispatch for car 17"

There came a garbled voice over the speaker, "go ahead 17"

"Picked up officers Wilde and Hopps. Gonna be 10-6 heading 10-19 to go 10-7" Tammy said into her radio. Informing dispatch she would be busy heading back to the office to go OUT OF SERVICE.

"10-4, wish Hopps well for us! Showing you out of service!" the dispatcher responded.

"It's no big deal really, I feel fine it's just..." Judy began to explain as she returned to the previous conversation but was cut off by Tammy.

"Oh I don't mean recover from all that," the cheetah said as she pointed over at Judy and made a circle motion towards where Judy had been hit by night howler which was now cover in a white bandage. "I mean from tonight!"

Judy looked up at Nick with hesitation. The Fox gave off a shrug and shook his head. Judy then looked back at Tammy and tilted her head slightly which caused her ears to flop to one side.

"Judy! You showed how much of a fucking badass you are! I mean getting shot with night howlers and then tranqing yourself without hesitating?! Damn girl!" Tammy said with a broad grin.

Judy couldn't help but smile as she blushed at the compliment.

"Geeze Tammy, you two need a room?" Nick asked which got him a quick jab in the ribs from Judy.

"Amanda and Wolfard have been talking non stop about it all day! Whole department has heard about it at this point! So needless to say we are going out drinking and you ain't paying for any of it!" Tammy informed as she pulled the cruiser into the main highway towards city center.

Judy couldn't get the smile off her face. Not that she wanted to. Normally she would have turned down the offer or come up with some excuse. Today however Judy felt different and hearing Tammy talk about how big a deal this was convinced her what to do. "You know what? Sure! I am definitely in!" Judy said and then looked over at Nick who gave her a mildly surprised look, "we are in" she added as she gave Nick a wink and then a gentle nudge.

"That's my girl! Oh this is gonna be amazing! I am definitely getting you shots!" Tammy cheered and then a look of eureka crossed her face. "The fun kind, not the other kind! Sorry, too soon?"

Judy shook her head as Nick chuckled at the cheesy question, most likely upset he didn't think of it.

As the officers drove into city center Judy became excited for the night to come. Maybe it was the night howler still inside her, but she had the urge to just let loose! Tonight was going to be fun!


Hey all!

Sorry for the silence. Some things came up. Editing is still under way and sadly this chapter hasn't been looked over just yet! Sorry! I am hoping to get some things cleared up soon! Hopefully the next chapter will be edited for grammar before it gets posted. We shall see!

In the meantime enjoy this chapter! More is on the way. May take a bit due to some stuff at work!

Get excited for the next chapter folks! We are going back to the 10-7!