Chapter 38 Dead Ends…?
Edited By AngloFalcon
AN: Happy Year Anniversary of Zootopia being released in the US, and congratulations to the combined team at Disney, as well as all others who worked on this wonderful movie that has brought so many of us so much joy. Thank you Disney! Today marks a year since I saw the movie at the early release of it, then went back on its first official day to watch it again...then again the following Tuesday...lol. Ended up watching it 15 times in theaters, once a week while it was out, and managed to convince nearly 100 of my friends and co-workers to watch it with me. This movie has changed my life for the better, and I'm so happy to share that happiness with all of you through these stories.
So thank you, all of you. Thank you to Disney, my readers, watchers, followers, reviewers, friends, family and everyone who is a part of this wonderful community. May we all enjoy Zootopia for many years to come. :)
Story shout out to "Bluelighthouse" for their story, "Zootopia: Firewatch"! Just binged it and am happy to say it is absolutely amazing! So go check it out! :)
"Nick, what just happened…?"
The fox shook his head, disbelief in his own eyes apparent at the suddenness of Harold's unexpected suicide. Or was it? Nick asked himself, not sure what had really occurred in the past few minutes. In one minute, they had cornered him and he had bitten into the nighthowler pellet, and the next…
His gaze fell upon the glazed over eyes of the dead mammal. Shivering despite the warmth in the bar, he looked away from his childhood bully and down towards the bunny kneeling near the zebra's arm. "I don't know, Judy," he replied softly. Checking the pulse on the zebra's neck, carefully avoiding the blue foam popping and fizzling around Harold's mouth, he felt for activity just to be sure. With no pulse to be felt, Nick shook his head before crawling away from the deceased.
Judy did the same, stepping nimbly backwards to avoid any trace amounts of night howlers that Harold had consumed. The thought of accidentally getting any on her or Nick's paws frightened her, considering how potent the dosage must have been to cause such a horrible and painful death in the equine.
As she placed weight upon her right foot, she felt a sudden jolt of pain shoot up her leg, which soon collapsed underneath her. Before she hit the ground, Nick was there.
"Carrots!"
He was by her side in a flash, supporting her as he stooped low so she could use his shoulder as a crutch. "I got you..."
Judy winced as she stretched her right foot, the same she had used both to redirect several hardened pool balls as well as stun a massive bison.
"Do I really need to cue you in?" she stated with a slight grin, proud of her own pun despite the circumstances surrounding them. She was incredibly grateful for the smile that appeared on her partner's muzzle. It was something she hadn't seen enough of in the past few days and weeks as she leaned into his side, grateful to feel his warmth pulsing through her from his embrace.
"What happens now?" Judy asked as Fangmeyer and Carol approached with Delgato, who was still carrying Wolford.
"A whole lotta paperwork," Delgato grumbled, placing Wolford on one of the few tables that hadn't been overturned in the fight, pushing aside a deer that was groaning on the ground next to it.
"Stuff it, Bambi!" the tiger growled as the deer let out another groan.
"Hey, momma wouldn't appreciate you calling me that," the deer slurred.
"Bambi, I doubt your momma is still around to care about a sad sack of fleas like yourself. Now shut up before I cuff your muzzle to your tiny antlers!" Delgato replied while bending down and hastefully flipping the deer onto his back before applying a set of pawcuffs.
"Harsh," Nick stated as the tiger finished clicking the cuffs into place. "I know Jimmy over there, and his mother actually isn't around anymore."
Judy's eyes shot up to give Nick an incredulous look. "How do you…"
"Know him?" Nick replied, a cheekish grin appearing on his muzzle. "Have you forgotten? I know everyone, Fluff."
"Right…" Judy groaned, "why did I even bother asking?" She lowered her head, though her gaze was slowly drawn back to the elephant in the room...Harold's lifeless form lying only a few feet away.
He's really dead...
The sinking feeling of dread that had been clamoring its way up into her mind finally scaled her final defenses, shattering her disbelief and outright refusal to accept the obvious. A mammal was dead, lying just a few feet away from her, and even though he had been the bringer of so much physical pain to her and Nick, this final...emotional hammer blow nearly knocked her onto her tail.
Her shoulders slumped and the tears came quickly, yet no sobs jolted her body.
She simply wept quietly.
Wept at the absolute horribleness of it all. Of every cruelty and malicious act thrown into the world.
Wept at the pain both her and Nick had gone through.
Wept at the pain that others had inflicted upon them due to the zebra's actions.
She cried for many reasons...the loss of life, the loss of hope, the infliction of so much pain over such a stupid grudge, but most of all, she wept for Nick.
Whom unnoticed by her, had tugged her just that little bit closer to his side, caressing her ears gently as the rabbit's emotions poured out from her soul, filling the room. Delgato, noticing the rabbit's current state, motioned to Fangmeyer that he was heading outside. The wolf nodded, tending to Wolford as the tiger grabbed his radio from his belt and spoke into it as he walked outside, the piercing noise of police sirens again filling the void surrounding them.
Even the entry of the first officers to respond on the scene couldn't peel her gaze away from the look of terror in the zebra's cold, unflinching eyes. The lack of any life in them, as well as the contortions of his limbs, created a feeling of illness inside of her, the want to retch becoming more and more prevalent.
Yet she couldn't take her eyes off of the body.
"First body, Hopps?"
Carol's voice startled her from her trancelike gaze that had focused on the body.
"What?" the rabbit asked, training her tear-filled amethyst eyes onto the coyote.
"I asked if this was your first body," Carol repeated, more gently than before. The rabbit nodded as Nick rubbed her back.
"Come on, Fluff. Let's get you out of here."
The doe nodding again into his chest, Nick gently moved her away from the growing noise in the bar as more officers appeared and began pawcuffing suspects, while others stared in amazement at the four officers and Carol, wondering how they had managed everything that they were seeing. Nick had led Judy nearly to the doors, picking her up at one point to jump over the prone form of a ram lying on the ground. The rabbit in his arms didn't seem to mind, as she only snuggled deeper into Nick's shirt, paws clutching at the fabric as he felt it become damp from her tears.
"It will be alright, Carrots," he whispered as they reached the doors to the bar.
"Not if you go out like that it won't."
Nick froze, feeling Judy stiffening in his arms before she squirmed and jumped out to the ground directly in front of Chief Bogo. Wiping at her eyes furiously, she stood to attention, quickly saluting her boss.
"Sir," she began, her voice wavering slightly, "I know that you are probably mad at us and-"
"Can it Hopps," Bogo drawled, his voice neutral as he surveyed the scene before him. The bunny was surprised by how mellow his tone was, as she had suspected a full on barrage of questions and accusations from the Chief. Both she and Nick watched in nervous anticipation as he finished scanning the room, eyes settling upon the prone form of Harold who was finally being looked over by a detective arriving on scene. Letting out a rumbling snort as he finished, he turned his attention back onto the two smaller officers. "Well it seems like you've managed nearly as big a mess as the Night Howlers Incident."
It came out before he could hold it in. "No trains were harmed in the making of this production, Chief." Only after the words shot out of his mouth did he wince, realizing just how horrible a statement he had made.
Thankfully, Bogo simply glared at the fox before continuing. "You two clean up a bit. The media has already shown up in herds and I don't need the headlines covered with pictures of weeping officers. So suck it up and report to my office immediately."
"Sir," Nick chimed in. The water buffalo glared down at him, nostrils flaring as Nick pointing down to Judy's foot, which the bunny had hanging above the ground so as to not put any pressure on the hurt paw. "Judy needs medical attention, and so do Wolford and Delgato. As much as I'd love to talk with you all night, I want to make sure Hopps here is hopping around like usual for it."
No emotion showed on Bogo's face, but both mammals saw his shoulders relax….albeit nearly insignificantly. "Report to one of the ambulances outside and get checked out, then come to my office. Understood?"
Both nodded and said in tandem, "Yes sir."
"Good," Bogo growled, before pointing a hoof at the door. "Now get out while I figure out this latest mess you've made." His eyes again shifted towards back inside the room, though the scowl that appeared on his face when he noticed several officers around Blane made them want to leave quite quickly.
"What did I say about kicking the suspects, McHorn!" Bogo roared, stomping over to the rhino as Nick and Judy made their escape, sneaking out the door and into the bright light of the late afternoon sun.
"Oh sweet cheese and crackers," Judy muttered.
Outside was even more chaotic than inside the grimy and seedy bar, as it appeared as if all of Precinct 1, alongside Precincts 3 and 7, had arrived outside the bar, clogging up the road in all three directions of the t-intersection for nearly fifty yards each way, all with their lights flashing. Cruisers were being redirected, then moved again as large police vans tried making their way through the mess of vehicles to get as close to the bar as possible to collect the awaiting suspects. Several ambulances at the periphery were making their way, slowly, towards the bar.
Walking past the first line of vehicles, the partners jumped backwards into the side of a cruiser, with the fox pushing the bunny up against the door to protect her as a line of TUSK mammals jogged past and into the bar.
"A little late for the ball game," the fox chided, watching the mammals disappear inside the bar which was slowly growing more and more crowded as officers made their way inside. His attention again turned down. "You ok, Carrots?"
She nodded, ears still drooping behind her, indicating she was anything but well. Sighing himself, he placed a quick kiss between her ears before he stepped out from the side of the vehicle, making sure that no more TUSK teams were going to accidentally crush them. It would be quite the shame, Nick thought, if they had survived everything so far, only to be crushed by one of their own.
"Nick?"
"Yeah, Carrots?" Nick replied, glancing down at his partner.
"I think I can hear an ambulance off to the right," she stated mutely
Nodding, Nick turned them in that direction as they made their way through the labyrinth that was becoming the crime scene. "Feels like old times, doesn't it…" Nick drawled in amusement. "Why does it seem like at the end of all our big cases, you always end up with a leg injury?" He watched as Judy shook her head, the barest hints of a smile tugging at her lips.
"Or…" Nick grinned, trying anything to take Judy's mind off of recent events, "you just enjoy leaning into your foxy partner, eh?" With the additional wagging of his eyebrows, he felt a growing amount of hope as a soft chuckle came from the rabbit Even getting lightly elbowed in the ribs by her felt wonderful, as she was beginning to look somewhat happier.
Keep it up Nick…
"Well, as you know Fluff," Nick continued, "You can always…" he took in a deep breath, before he squeezed Judy in close, "lean on me! When you're not strong! And I'll be your mate...I'll help you caaaarrry onnnnn!"
"Nick…!" Judy squeaked, as several nearby officers turned to see where the poorly sung song was coming from. Her mortification only grew exponentially as the officers began whispering among themselves, several laughing as the vulpine continued singing. "Please stop…"
Laughing aloud, Nick used the opportunity to have some fun, "What? Does my lovely bunny not like Bill Woolthers?"
"It's not that…" she murmured, wanting to hide behind her ears as she noticed several officers from Precinct 1 grinning at them. "It's…"
"Oh good," he interrupted. "As I love the chorus even more." Taking another breath, he mentally grinned as Judy groaned, and he began singing anew. "So just call, on me mammal, when you need a paw! We all need, somebody, to leaaaann on!"
The pair continued on towards the ambulance, Judy frantically trying to speed ahead, yet her partner, doing his best to keep her from further injuring her foot, kept her close by her side. If not for the worst version she'd ever heard of one of her favorite old time singers, sung by her favorite fox, she would have enjoyed the closeness of him pulling her into his side like this.
She knew what Nick was trying to do, and that is what counted the most to her. So despite her trying to playfully move away from him, or even trying to silence him by slapping his face with her ears, which worked the first two times before he gave one a lick on her third attempt, preventing a fourth altogether, she finally gave in and allowed him to pull her close, enjoying his scent as it soothed her troubled nerves.
She didn't expect his next comment however.
"Strange way to celebrate today though."
Judy looked at Nick curiously as they continued making their way between, around, and sometimes under, police vehicles, while heading towards a nearby ambulance. "What do you mean Nick? What celebration?"
The fox played off some faux astonishment, placing his free paw over his heart. "You mean you don't remember that most important day in our lives?"
A swelling feeling of embarrassment began filling Judy's chest as her mind searched for what celebration she had missed.
Is it his birthday? No...I looked that up and it isn't for another few months…
As Nick watched Judy wracking her brain for whatever event she had unknowingly missed, he let out a loose chuckle. "Carrots, do you remember a certain bridge…?"
Judy froze, eyes widening as realization hit her. "The bridge…" she murmured, before groaning and hiding her head behind her paw. "The bridge...how could I have forgotten…"
"Beats me, Fluff," Nick replied. "I mean, it was less than two years ago when you changed my life for the better with your emotional bunny ways."
"Har har," Judy replied, giving Nick a genuine smile. "So what are you planning for this special day?"
Nick put a paw to his chin, pondering the question thoughtfully. "Well, I suppose we could get into a bar fight, solve some crimes…" he glanced down at Judy wiggling his eyebrows, "you could show off your amazing 'bun fu' in action."
"You were just as amazing in there, Slick," Judy responded, moving her paw to flick his nose. Nick twitched as she laughed, though he soon joined her as the mood lightened between them as they arrived at the ambulance.
"One fox and bunny, ready to be checked over," Nick spoke smoothly, looking over at a leopard standing inside the ambulance, who was scratching his head as he looked over the massive scene of flashing lights and police vehicles in front of him. The feline looked down and smiled. "Ah, it's you two again."
"Again?" Judy asked, looking up at Nick who simply shrugged.
"Sorry," the large cat replied. "You wouldn't have remembered. I was one of the paramedics that arrived to help you a few months ago. That time when you two captured that rampaging horde of squirrel thieves. You know, the one where you used the honey and the fire hose to-"
"We remember," Judy replied with a grin. "That was all the fox's idea, as Chief Bogo didn't really appreciate it that much."
"It was quite a sticky situation," Nick chimed in, chuckling. "But it all ended well, eh honey?" Nick jabbed Judy lightly in her side as Judy rolled her eyes.
The leopard laughed, wiping at his eyes before looking again at the couple standing in front of him. "So, what do I need to patch you two up for today, hmm?"
"Well," Nick began, before being cut off by Judy.
"We are actually in a really big rush," she began with a grin. "So I hope that you can check us out quickly so we can get off to our big plans for the night."
"Big plans?" Nick asked, looking down at the rabbit.
"Yes, very big plans. Big, big, plans," she repeated merrily. "So...Nick would you like to be checked out first?"
The fox placed his paws upon his waist, hesitating only as he made sure Judy could stand on her own. "Carrots, I don't know what you're planning, but you are getting looked at first."
"I'd agree with Officer Wilde here, Officer Hopps," the paramedic explained. "I can tell by the way you're favoring your left paw that you may have a stress fracture in your metatarsal that need to be checked out, preferable with an x-ray."
Judy glanced at the panther impatiently. "If you think it is broken or fractured, then let's get a boot on it so you can check out Nick. He hit a table rather badly with his head so you should make sure he doesn't have a concussion."
"What?" Nick nearly yelped.
"Just do it," Judy reprimanded, with the vulpine nodding slowly.
"Alright, you're the boss."
Eyes widening, the medical worker nodded. "Alright...although this is all a bit unconventional and-"
Judy's good foot would have started tapping the pavement if not for her dislike of falling to the ground by placing all her weight on her bad foot. Instead, she settled on a fierce glare that caused the paramedic to gulp.
"Fine, as you wish."
Judy's check up went quickly, as it was found she had indeed fractured her third metatarsal in her right foot. After a correct sized boot was selected for the rabbit, which she placed on herself, stating that she had experience with many broken paws back home, she quickly moved off the gurney and told the paramedic she'd be right back and to make sure that Nick was given a thorough check. The fox protested vehemently, but his protests went unheeded after she mentioned she had seen him coughing up blood earlier after being hit in the chest.
She hated the look he had given her, along with the pitiful whine which accompanied it, yet she had a job to do. She was going to make her fox happy tonight...and there was only one mammal that she could talk to in order to make that happen.
Nick watched her hobbling off with her newly attached boot, worried about his partner while also equally puzzled about what she was planning. He knew when she was scheming, and her words and actions had 'secret plot bunny' written all over it.
He'd amuse her requests for now, but still...the worry nagging at him that he didn't want her to leave his side nearly made him jump out of the ambulance and follow her. His respect for her was the only thing that kept him glued to the gurney…
...as well as a 150 pound feline holding him in place, something he realized when he began poking and prodding him, especially when he touched a certain part of his arm.
"Now, does this hurt?"
Nick let out a yelp, followed by a whine.
"I take that as a yes."
Chief Bogo wasn't hard to find, as she could hear him long before she could see him; his booming voice could be heard even over the din of everything else going on. As she rounded a cruiser, she finally saw exactly who it was that was entertaining the Police Chief's full measure of his wrath.
"Sir, I.." Sergeant Wimbley began, the TUSK commander looking quite afraid at the moment.
"Shut it!" Bogo bellowed, glaring down at the much smaller mammal. "Why weren't you here sooner?"
"Well, my team and I were stuck in traffic due to a jaywalking sloth sir. We couldn't get around and…"
"Which road were you on…" Bogo demanded, glaring down at his subordinate fiercely.
Another gulp came from the porcine mammal. "Alfalfa and Broadleaf, sir."
Bogo pulled a radio from his belt as all the officers involved in the fight, as well as Carol, watched on.
"Clawhauser, do you have any reports of an accident on Alfalfa and Broadway in the past half hour?" Nearly a minute passed away in silence, with Bogo irritably changing his glance from the radio to the boar, then to the other officers making their way in and out of the bar, while several of the more lucid suspects, including a capybara Judy had knocked out, were being slowly led outside to waiting police vans. Judy watched as several fur vacuums were hauled into the bar, before her attention turned back to Chief Bogo as his radio crackled to life.
"Chief, no reports of any accidents on Alfafa and-"
"Thank you, Clawhauser," Bogo replied, cutting off the cheetah in a sickly sweet voice as his eyes slowly turned onto Wembley."
"Sir, I can explain…" the boar began only to be silenced by the fury in Bogo's eyes.
"You're fired…" he growled, advancing upon the now startled mammal before placing out his hoof. "Badge!"
In an all too familiar scene to Judy, she watched as the two mammals stood facing each other. Finally, in an all too recognizable sigh of defeat, Judy watched the former TUSK commander visibly deflate, before his hoof went to the polished badge on his chest...
Judy felt like she should intervene, the scene all to reminiscent of one she had experience barely two years earlier. Just as she was about to speak up, the words already in her throat, her desire to help the boar were dashed with a few curt words that came from him before she could speak up in his defense.
"Can't believe you like that dirty pelt and cute little bunny more than your more respectable officers," the boar spat, causing Judy's jaw to drop and her previous words in defense of her fellow officer to disappear from her mind completely.
Was that the real reason why he arrived so late? She wondered, feeling a growing well of anger growing towards the boar.
"Get out of my sight," Bogo demanded, snatching the badge out of the former TUSK commander's hoof.
"Officers Snarlov, Burrton, please escort Pickney back to Precinct One to await further punishment, and notify Clawhauser that I want IA investigating him immediately as towards his conduct in not arriving to help out his fellow officers in a life or death situation."
The two officers nodded, leading the shamed but defiant boar out of sight. Bogo sighed heavily as the former TUSK commander disappeared. Turning, he noticed his smallest officer looking up at him.
"Hopps," he began, an eyebrow raising as he noticed the boot on her foot. "Sorry you had to hear that." His voice was filled with...was it regret? Whatever it was, Judy shook it off with Bogo's next comment. "Where's Wilde?"
"Back at the ambulance," Judy replied, rubbing her paws together. "Sir, I know this will seem like a far fetched request, however…"
"Why do I already feel like I won't enjoy where this is going…?" Bogo drawled.
"Actually," Judy stated, a slight grin coming over her muzzle. "I think you just might like this one…"
"I don't know how you did it," Nick stated, grinning at his partner as they walked towards their cruiser. "How did you manage to convince Chief Buffalo Butt to get the rest of the evening off for us? And I know you would have loved to get the paperwork for this mess out of the way before clocking off early, so...what is little miss 'never-leave-work-early' planning for tonight?"
"Really? You think I'm planning something?" Judy questioned with a grin. She was greatly enjoying the fox's incessant questioning after she had returned to the ambulance to find Nick with a bored expression, which instantly disappeared the second he saw her as he scrambled off the vehicle to scoop her up in his arms, giving her a quick nuzzle as a greeting. "What do you think I would like to do tonight?"
"Paperwork," Nick stated while holding up his paw and lifting up a finger. "Then give our statements to IA per procedure, visit the hospital to say hello to Sharon and the night crew, as we've been there, what...fifteen times now?" Judy laughed as Nick grinned. "You know, I think we owe them a fruitcake for Christmas since they are about as close to what constitutes family in this city for both of us now."
"Easy there, Slick," Judy reprimanded. "We want them to like us when we show up, and I'm sure a fruitcake would only cause the opposite to happen."
"So what are we doing tonight then?" Nick again asked, prompting yet another eye roll from the bunny.
"You'll see. But tomorrow, Chief wants us in early to discuss handing over our statements, as well as discussing the end of us living at the apartment."
"Right…" Nick said, his excitement suddenly becoming more muffled at the prospect of leaving the apartment. It wasn't like they had spent much time there, as the majority of their stay had been in Bunnyburrow, but...it was the memories that they had shared in that place; the start of their relationship and blooming love that caused a little bit of his heart to yearn not to leave it so soon.
The pair reached their cruiser quickly, though leaving the scene was anything but fast as several patrol cars were between them and the closest way out. As they jumped into their seats, Nick taking the driver side due to Judy's injury, a groan came from his muzzle.
"Looks like our favorite mammals in the world have arrived."
Judy didn't even need to see the animals that Nick spoke of to know who they were...reporters, as the dozens of flashing lights directed at their cruiser were proof enough for the bunny. Still, she turned to look out the back window, staring at the multiple news vans parked several cruisers behind their own. "This is going to be a madhouse to get out of…" Judy groaned, turning around in her seat before slouching down, shoulders and ears slumped.
"Eh, I reckon it won't be so bad, Fluff," Nick chimed in, switching into reverse as a lion from Precinct 3 began guiding them backwards and out of the jam of police vehicles. Judy's ears perked up.
"Was that...optimism I heard just now?" she asked, a sly grin appearing on her lips. Crossing her arms across her chest, looking rather happy with herself, she smiled at the vulpine. "Look at you! I would have never imagined seeing the day when Nicholas Piberious Wilde was more optimistic than…"
The car jerked to a stop, throwing Judy back into her seat as Nick simply grinned. "Oops, sorry. Didn't see that sloth crossing the road behind me. What were you saying Carrots?"
"Sly fox," Judy said with a grin as Nick continued to back out of the jammed road, only to find another problem waiting them just past the police barricade. Judy noticed the slight dip in his smile, then frowned herself when she noticed the mass of cars ahead of them as Nick shifted in to park and stare at the mess ahead of them.
Several officers were actively yelling with the assembled reporters to move their vehicles, though the crush of mammals all vying for the best picture of the mess in front of them caused quite an uproar of itself.
Especially when they noticed the two officers in the cruiser staring right at them. Nearly all the reporters turned and began swinging their cameras on the latest celebrity couple. And barely visible through the crush was a single rabbit.
"Easy there, Carrots," Nick enjoined as he heard Judy's seatbelt unlatch next to him. "He does have every right to be here, even though I wouldn't mind seeing a hare less of him."
Judy huffed, glaring daggers at the other bunny who offered a weak smile of his own directed at them, one which Judy returned with an even darker glower. "And to think we still have to have to deal with him through an interview…"
"Never said how long it would be," Nick rejoined with a shrug, watching as a rhino officer was trying to get the Sloth News truck to move, his hoof waving over his head in apparent frustration. "We could just answer one question and leave."
"Still too long for me," Judy sighed. "I mean, why can't we cancel? Claim a conflict of interest?"
"Or that they'd be a conflict that would be interesting?" Nick added with a grin before turning to see if an opening had been made in the wall of news vans. "And in case you're wondering, I'd be betting on you in that meeting."
"Jerk," Judy replied, though not able to keep a smile from forming. The two sat for another several minutes, the fox leaning back in his chair, placing his sunglasses on to avoid the bright flashes from the cameras while Judy slumped in her seat to avoid the press.
"Well that's interesting…"
"What?" Judy asked, jumping up in her chair. Nick pointed towards the ZNN van that was slowly backing up...towards the mass of reporters currently blocking the way out.
It went unnoticed at first, but slowly, as the van closed with the press pool, its approach became apparent as the back of the van bumped a hippo from Nine News Now. It produced a rippling effect across the gathered herd of mammals, who suddenly became very aware of the van backing up towards them.
"Who is doing that?" Judy asked as one of the police officers ran towards the vehicle, banging on the door as the press pool quickly moved out of the way of the backing up vehicle. Her question was quickly answered when two long, white ears with black stripes appeared in the window of the ZNN vehicle. Judy's jaw hung open as the van continued to back up, opening a path that had been blocked up to that point by the assembled journalist.
"I think that's our cue," Nick chimed in, putting the car into drive and slowly crawling forward as the van window opened, with Jack Pawson leaning out of it with a very sheepish expression on his face as he spoke with the tiger officer yelling at him. The buck gave the passing cruiser a wink before going back to the dressing down he was receiving from the officer.
The next few blocks passed while both sat in quiet disbelief, before the silence was finally broken by Nick. "I think we could add him to the list of those we give fruitcakes for Christmas."
Judy groaned.
"Take a left here," Judy commanded pointing down a road as Nick obediently followed, the vulpine growing more impatient with each direction given.
"Come on Carrots, you can't keep me in the dark all night," he grumbled. "What is it that you are scheming in that bunny brain of yours?"
"You'll see," Judy replied, bouncing a little in her seat while grinning mischievously. "Oh, another left!"
"Carrots!" Nick hissed, quickly turning on his blinker and slowing dramatically to make the turn, getting a loud honk from the car behind him.
Judy looked on smugly at the vulpine. "Don't even say it," Nick murmured. "I know you want to, but what you want to say, don't say it."
"Are all foxes bad drivers?" Judy asked, grinning from cheek to cheek. "Or is it just you?"
"You've been waiting to say that for the past few months, haven't you?" Nick sighed, rolling his eyes and shooting a mildly amused yet also annoyed glance at his partner.
"Maybe…" she replied. "Though it only took this," she pointed at the boot on her foot, "to finally get my foxy partner to drive so I could say it."
Nick let out a chuckle, then diligently heeded the next few instructions from the rabbit until they pulled up in front of a very familiar apartment building.
"This is your special surprise?" Nick stated in slight amusement.
The bunny nodded. "Yep! Now come on Slick!" Jumping out of the car, hanging onto a special low door handle built in just for smaller mammals, she walked over to the door of the apartment building they had been corralled into just a few weeks earlier. Nick couldn't help but chuckle. He was glad that the despondency he had seen so clearly in her eyes earlier had been replaced by her normal exuberance and zest for life.
Whatever makes her happy, makes me happy...Nick thought pleasantly as he walked after her, Judy hobbling ahead as the boot clunked against the ground with each step. "Hold on there, Darling. Let an old fox catch up to the bunny rab-'boot'."
"Har har," Judy laughed. "Now come on, we have a Wilde night planned for tonight."
"That was truly terrible, Carrots," Nick said with a grin as they walked into their apartment building. They waved at the receptionist, who didn't even notice them as the groundhog's eyes were glued to the television screen that was airing a news report from ZNN.
"...Thank you Peter. We are here live a block away from the scene on what apparently looks like an undercover operation by the ZDP has gone terribly wrong. Chief Bogo of the ZPD has refused to comment about the situation, leading to speculation of a coverup by the ZPD as this raid prominently featured the interspecies police couple of Officers Nick Wilde and Judy Hopps, seen here leaving the scene..."
They continued past the unobservant mammal, the report slightly dampening the bunny's earlier mood. Yet she quickly put a smile back on as she realized her plans for the evening could still work. She had done her homework on the relationships of foxes, and wanted to make tonight special. Judy had planned to do this later, however, the events of tonight made her want to accelerate her plans...especially after seeing Nick being thrown into that table by the bison.
The two made their way up into the elevator, quickly reaching their floor where Nick noticed something unusual.
"I thought we're supposed to have an officer here?" he stated, looking around the hallway and seeing no mammal in sight.
"Bogo said that since the threat to our safety was neutralized, that we wouldn't be needing special protection anymore," Judy exclaimed, as her ears suddenly dropped. "He also said he expected us to be out of here come briefing tomorrow."
"Oh…"
So much was said in that single word from Nick. Judy could feel the welling sadness flowing from him. They had spent nearly every minute of the last few weeks together, joined at the hip, as Bonnie had put it several days into their stay at Bunnyburrow, and the thought that it was coming to an end was off-putting to both the rabbit and the fox.
Which was why Judy wanted to make the most of the time they had. "Come on," the bunny stated. "Grab a blanket from inside and we're heading upstairs." Nodding as a smile suddenly crossed his face, the pair entered their apartment for soon to be one of the final times, grabbing a pillow and blanket each before heading back towards the elevator. The doors opened with a chime as a torch key raccoon walked out carrying a drum case.
Nodding to the other mammal, who stopped and stared at them, they entered the elevator and waited for the doors to close.
"Remember the first time up here?" Judy asked, leaning into Nick's side as she closed her eyes. The fox nodded, his paw wrapping around the lithe bunny's shoulder.
"Of course," he replied. "Though I remember going up quite a different way."
"Better than the ladders?"
"Much," the fox stated as the doors opened to the rooftop landing. Walking the few stairs to the door above, they made their way onto the top of the building, both were pleased to find the entire area vacant as they unrolled their blankets and sat down to watch the setting sun.
Judy's paw found its ways into Nick's, the fox gently taking it in his own as she leaned into him, content in the moment. Up here, she thought, there were no dangers to their lives, no worries about what the next day would bring. Only her fox and some blankets as they leaned against a ledge to watch the setting sun.
"Beautiful," she heard Nick say, as well as hearing a pleasurable sigh escape his lips.
"Mmhmm," Judy replied, nuzzling further into her partner as she opened her eyes, noticing that he was looking directly at her.
"Didn't think you were vain enough to agree with me," the fox snickered, earning a playful nudge.
"Nick…"
The vulpine shrugged. "You did agree with me."
"Well, now that I'm looking up I do," judy shot back, a glint of mischief in her eyes.
"Smart bunny," came the swift reply as Nick leaned down and pressed his lips against Judy' kiss was short, exquisite and sublime, leaving both desiring more in which they quickly gave in to as they leaned in again. Judy's free paw found its way towards Nick's cheek as she let out a low purr. Nick rumbled in response, leaning further into the kiss just as the sun began to set beyond sandy dunes of Sahara Square.
"I love you," Nick whispered as they came apart, only for him to nuzzle against Judy's cheek.
"I know."
The two sat as one, blissfully unaware of their surroundings as the sun eventually disappeared altogether, the lights of the city illuminating the darkened sky.
"I thought we came up here to watch the sunset," Nick finally cajoled. "We might have missed it."
"Just an excuse," the rabbit giggled.
"Oh," Nick remarked, sitting up straight again. "Did my ears just deceive me or did the unquestionable Judy Hopps just tell a lie?"
"It's called a hustle," Judy laughed as she leaned up and placed a quick peck of a kiss on his cheek. Nick could only shake his head as he chuckled, squeezing Judy tight against him as both leaned back and looked up into the night sky.
"Sure isn't Bunnyburrow," Nick wistfully stated. Judy nodded in agreement as a streak of white danced across the sky.
"Oh!" Judy patted Nick's arm as the streak disappeared beyond the mountains of Tundratown. "Make a wish!"
"I already have everything I want right here," Nick purred into Judy's ear, causing a rush of heat to fill her chest.
"Make a wish anyways." As she closed her eyes, Judy urged her fast-beating heart to slow as she felt like it could burst from the adoration coming from her partner.
Please let this go well...she thought, finally opening her eyes, only to see Nick in quiet contemplation. Leaving him for several moments to his ponderings, his eyes finally flickered open, his sparkling green eyes dancing in the lights from their surroundings.
"So…" Judy began, grinning to hide her nervousness. "What did you wish for?"
"Why Carrots," Nick exclaimed, placing a paw over his heart. "If I tell you, then it won't come true and I wouldn't want that as much as I'd want Weaselton as a roommate."
Judy snickered, but pressed on. "Please?" she asked again, folding her ears behind her head as she pressed a paw against his chest. Nick held fast...at least until he saw her nose twitch.
"That look should be declared a weapon of mass distraction," Nick sighed as he offered a quick grin and pulled Judy onto his lap. The rabbit hummed in approval as she stared up into his eyes.
"So…" she inquired.
"So…" he began, "I wished that this," he pointed between them, "will never end. That we'd never have to be apart. These past weeks we've spent together have been amazing."
"Besides the whole escaping death parts?" Judy added as the fox rolled his eyes in response.
"Even with those parts," he said quickly as he placed a quick kiss upon her lips, "as I spent all of them with you." Nick leaned back, noting with pride the insides of Judy's ears turning bright red in the dim light. "So, what did you wish for, Fluff?"
Now or never…
"I wished…" she began, cupping both of Nick's cheeks in her paws as her voice grew low. "...that what I'm about to do would be returned in equal measure."
Nick's eyes widened in curiosity, watching as Judy stood in his lap, leaned his head to the side and gently rubbed her cheek against his own. A blast of scents hit his nose, sending a euphoric wave of olfactory bliss pulsing through his mind. It smelt of lavender and spring...of green fields on summer days as the wind rolled through them. Of compassion and boundless enthusiasm for life…
It was the unique scent that could come from only one mammal...Judy.
His eyes widened in realization as Judy finished, leaning back nervously as she watched his expression with her own nervous gaze. Nick tried to speak...he really did...but the suddenness of Judy's actions, as well as the pleasurable aroma coming from his cheek stunned him into utter silence.
The seconds dragged on, the wind whipping up the sounds of the city below them into their ears. Yet over the din of honking cars and broken conversations, the sound of Nick's own heart pulsed louder than them all.
"Nick…?" Judy whispered, snapping him out of his stupor. Traces of tears were in her eyes, her gaze pleading for him to respond. "...Please, say something."
Nick completely ignored her request, instead slamming his lips into hers with such force that it pushed her backwards. He reached out his paws, catching her as the tumbled upon their blankets, the fox holding his bunny tight as the sounds of his love for her rumbled deep from within his throat.
"Wait," he finally murmured before sinking into another kiss that Judy drew him into. His brain almost shut down at the latest euphoric blast of pleasure that thrummed through his body as she bit his lips, gaining another growl from deep within the recesses of his carnal mind. Finally, he pushed away, gasping heavily. "Wait...Judy."
The bunny was in a similar state as he was, fur slightly mussed but the longing in her eyes was more than evident. "What is it?"
Nick let the silence lengthen between them until his breathing finally slowed.
"I haven't answered your question yet…and I believe I owe you an answer." Nick took in a deep breath before returning Judy's gaze. "In fox culture, what you just did was the equivalent of a marriage proposition," he began, noting that Judy's gaze didn't waver at the news. "And it looks like that is something you probably knew. Now, I don't know what it means out in Bunnyburrow, but here in Zootopia, chinning is still something that has a heavy intonation about a relationship and where one wants to take it. Foxes don't mark someone unless they're sure the one they want to mark is the one they want as their mate."
If ever there was a pleading gaze recorded throughout history, the one Judy was giving him at that moment would have trounced them all. "I know what it means Nick," she smiled, "And...and in Bunnyburrow it means the same thing. Sure we've only been in a relationship for a short time, but...I just feel like we've known each other for much longer than we have and with what has happened recently, I don't want to lose you before you knew what you meant to me."
"Judy…" he whispered, wiping the beginning of a tear from her eye. "I feel much the same way, which is why this is my answer…"
Her breath catching in her throat, Judy saw time drawing still as Nick drew close to her, angling his muzzle before rubbing his cheek against her own, repeating her earlier motion before doing so to the other cheek as well.
"Does that answer your question?" Nick breathed into Judy's ear, causing the rabbit to shiver.
"Yes…" she purred, placing a kiss upon the underside of his muzzle.
"Well about time!"
Both mammals jumped in surprise, pushing away from each other, Nick yelping as he landed on his tail. Judy's paw flew to cover her mouth, eyes widening in surprise as she saw two elderly goats sitting in matching lawn chairs in a dark corner of the rooftop. The male, a squat looking mammal with suspenders waved his cane at the pair of younger mammals. "I was wondering when he was going to chin you instead of talking her to death."
"What?" the fox stuttered.
"He said he wanted you to kiss her instead of talking her to death," the female at his side yelled, her comment met with complete and abject embarrassment as Judy hid herself under the blankets.
"No…no…" she whispered, pounding her head against the pillow underneath.
"Look what you did to that young couple, Carl. You ruined their moment!"
"Ellie," the other goat remarked in a gruff tone. "He was going to ruin it if he kept on yammering like he was. I just pushed him along."
"What?" Carl asked, rubbing at his ear with his hoof. "Can't hear you."
As the other couple began talking at one another, Judy closed her eyes as the blankets shuffled around her.
"Room for two in here, Carrots?" she heard Nick ask. Even in the darkness she could make out that he was smirking.
"For you?" she began, reaching out in the dark for his paw. Finding it, she gripped it tightly in her own as she smiled at her mate. "Always…"
The kiss they shared was even more blissful as before, the confined space beneath the blanket keeping the heat trapped between the young couple.
A city moving on without them as they enveloped themselves in their own little paradise as for just a moment...time stood still.
AN: Notes to reviewers! Usually don't do this as I don't have much time, but lets celebrate the year anniversary with replies! :D
Missy2.0 Frozen forever: Welcome back! Glad you are enjoying them!
KOakaKO: Aww, thank you! Yeah, I had forgotten to really add to that scene with the wallet, and ended up leaving it with basically a fade to black. When I rewrite this story, I will add to that scene. :) And second time reading it? That's more than me! XD
OneWolfe: You'll see in the epilogue how it all ties back in to that Grandpa Fox telling this story to his grandkits. ;)
Pyrophoricity: Glad you enjoyed the action as it was so much fun to write!
EverestHQ: Glad you enjoyed the action sequences! I always love hearing people say they could 'watch' these scenes in their mind. :) And hmm, I wonder if they will realize that Harold's 'suicide' was a bit fishy...
Keftense: Yeah, Wolford has gone through a lot...at least he has Jenna right? XD
P0rkyPig: More is coming.
Guestx4: Glad you guys are enjoying it! :)
Borous: You binge read all of it? In one sitting! I am impressed! O_O
Thanash: Thank you!
Archangel12575: Pretty much spot on. What could have really happened...
AngloFalcon: I feel bad for Wolford too. I need to be extra kind to him in future chapters now. Thanks again for all the help editing this beast of a story!
MasterLux: Thanks! I'm glad you could 'watch' the story happening, as that is my hope when I'm writing that the story will flow like a movie. :)
ShirQuickpaw: Judy does rule! And all those mammals know not to mess with her, or Nick.
Gyromice89: Will they? ;)
Kagerolord: Steven is a jerk! And OH! That would have been a massive fight! XD Maybe make that a One Minute Melee story? Bogo vs Blane XD
Truewhovian82: ;)
Danny-171984: Well, he was tased by several mammals so...he got some of his just desserts.
DrummerMax64: Thank you so much! I'm glad you enjoyed it and yes, Judy has a mean kick, though it does hurt a bit after doing so much. Now Judy and Nick just need to connect the final dots...
HawkTooth: You'll just have to wait and see if they can connect those dots. ;)
Artur96: Yeah, it was quite painful...
Berserker88: Yes! I love cameo's in stories, and thank you to everyone who lets me use their OC's in my stories (so thank you again Berserker!) Yeah, I toyed with the idea of Savage Harold, but ended up with this. Glad you don't feel too sorry for him, as he is a jerk. XD
7sky: I hope the rest of the story works better for you. :)
peacebringer89: Yeah, a few moments where it seems like the characters are a bit OP, though I did figure out that Judy in the movie runs at 78mph to kick that rhino, so...she's a powerful little bunny! XD
TheMentalAdventurer: You'll just have to wait and see. ;)
Frostybear424: Second person to say they wanted a Bogo vs Blane fight. XD
USA Patriot: Yeah...trope for late backup was used... ^^;
ChaoticImp: XD
WildeHopps101: Thank you!
Zootopian Fulf: Maaaaybe. ;)
Guest: Yeah, a lot was lost with Harold's passion. And yes...the paperclip incident... XD
NicClassic: Thanks for the review and I'm happy to hear you are enjoying the story. :)
TheAssassin2: Thank you! ^_^
Erinnyes01: Thank you! I'm glad you enjoyed the fight scene as it was so much fun to write. :D Glad that you thought Nick and Judy were still in character throughout it. :)
Kathadoryan: Aww, thank you! And yes...I need to do better on catching errors...
Mr. Shortman92: Well, I did sort of base him off of Bane, though the Bunmobile was totally unintentional. XD
tweiler18: Thank you!
Chorpion: I'm glad that you enjoyed the chapter so much and pointed out all those things you enjoyed. Made my day when I read your review! ^_^
Zeronone: Yes, Carol is absolutely amazing, so thank Eng for helping me write her scenes. :D
GameonNYPD: Just a bit. XD
Tr2085xo: Thank you! :D
Ande883: Yeah, the paperwork for them just got a whole lot worse...
Fox in the hen house: Thank you! I'm glad you enjoyed the cameo's and there will be more to come...including Jenna. ;)
Again, thank you all for your reviews and your thoughts on the last chapter. :D Please let me know what you thought of this in a review and spam that fav button as we're closing in on 1000 favs and only have a few chapters left before the dramatic conclusion of, "Always My Sly Bunny, Always My Dumb Fox." So let's keep this train rolling!
PS: By the way, have you heard something about "The Conspiracy"? The rest of the admirals in the WildeHopps armada are going on about it...