From the start Nick found Friday to be remarkably awkward, with Judy's afternoon appointment looming over the morning routine they had built together. Neither of them said anything about it, but the same thoughts played through their minds. On the one hand, if the doctors did decide to move Judy over to a functional arm brace it was a good sign that she was well on the road to recovery. On the other, the regained mobility that brought would also end the convenient excuse they'd both been using to explain why Nick was staying with her.

And the questions their coworkers had asked last night made it quite clear that they were already beginning to draw attention. Even if they didn't admit it there was a chance that their time together was about to come to an end. Nick didn't regret his decision to stay, but going back to live alone in his apartment after having nearly a week together seemed unbearable.

Meeting Lowell that morning only drove the feeling home that much harder. He found himself wondering just how much the wolf's nose was giving away. How much the rest of the precinct knew and how much was just suspicions. Would the chief care? There was no way he could come out and ask how Bogo felt about relationships in the precinct without confirming everything.

It probably came down to how the chief felt about those involved, he guessed. In that respect they might be lucky. The chief had clearly grown to like Judy, so surely that would encourage him to give them a little more latitude than he otherwise would. What was less clear was how Bogo felt about Nick. The fox was never able to get a good read, mostly because the chief rarely interacted with him. Given the way he generally let the daily comments during briefings slide, Nick supposed Bogo was willing to tolerate him at the very least. Perhaps not a glowing endorsement, but as an "untrustworthy, conniving fox" it was about the best he'd come to expect.

Or maybe things were even better than that, because just before he and Lowell left for their patrol they were informed that there had been a change of plans. They would be providing security for the press conference the Chief had called. Hardly exciting work, but surely it showed some confidence right? So instead of patrol they headed to the courthouse.

They found themselves posted at near periphery with instructions to ensure that nobody dangerous slipped in unseen. An easy enough task. Growing up in the rougher parts of Zootopia had taught Nick how to spot a mammal that was carrying a weapon. Hardly a common occurrence—teeth, claws, and horns were enough for most mammals to feel secure—but not entirely unknown either. Slight, unexplained bulges in clothing. Hands that lingered near pockets. Jackets with a noticeable weight on one side. Long, loose clothing that didn't seem to match the season. Each was a tell that, while not completely reliable, indicated who to watch. Or in this case, who to check more closely. Lowell, on the other hand, relied on his nose. No doubt he was sniffing for any dangerous substances or checking to see who smelled nervous.

In both cases it was mostly just theater, Nick knew. The only ones showing up at the courthouse were the reporters coming to hear what Chief Bogo had to say. As usual the regular citizens were busy with their lives, even if they'd just seen their world shaken to the foundation. A reporter carried cameras, pads of paper, recording devices. The chief wasn't actually worried about someone attacking the press conference, Nick decided. He was trying to repair the aura of control that had been so sorely battered in the past week.

But even easy jobs had a few bumps associated with them, and Nick soon discovered these ones: there was no shortage of reporters who recognized him on their way in to the press conference and asked him for a statement on the picture that had ended up in the city paper. The first time a camera had been shoved in his face he nearly spoke without thinking and was only saved when a tiny alarm went off in the back of his mind. He recognized the tactic, ambushing and pressuring for an immediate response. Trying to get a mammal to make a commitment before they had a chance to think. It was the same sort of trick he used all the time when hustling.

So rather than committing to anything he informed them that it was an answer for the ZPD's media relations mammals and refused to make any further comment. The reporters didn't like that answer very much and kept trying to reword their questions, or leveled outright accusations in an attempt to get a rise out of him. Perhaps the most clever attempt had been a request that he comment on why he didn't appear to be partnered up with Officer Hopps any longer, but he simply repeated the simple statement that he was not the one to ask before sending them on their way.

Lowell kept giving him sympathetic looks through the whole ordeal.

"Looking a bit jealous there, wolfie," Nick joked once they were finally alone. "If you'd like some of this attention just feel free to cuddle up to me and we can get a few shots in the paper."

"No thanks," Lowell said. "I'd rather not have cameras pointed at my face everywhere I go. Besides, I doubt it'll generate as much buzz. Foxes and wolves aren't all that different as far as most mammals are concerned."

"Aw, don't sell yourself short, big guy." Nick elbowed the larger mammal lightly. "Although I guess nobody's would believe that you're dating me."

"Of course not," the wolf agreed.

Nick smirked. "I mean, I'm way out of your league."

"That's ri— Wait, what?"

"Just look at this luscious, plush fur," Nick said, curling his tail around his side so he could stroke his fingers through it. "You wolves are just too rough and tumble to handle something like this."

Lowell sighed and shook his head, laughing. "How does Hopps put up with you?"

He shrugged. "Well, if I'm really good sometimes she buys me lunch."

"I've been buying you lunch all week," Lowell accused.

"That's because you're easy," Nick teased. "Though seriously, I don't know why she gets along with me so well. First time we met I had her pegged as exactly the sort I couldn't stand."

"Bright eyed and cheerful?" Lowell asked.

Nick hesitated, then shook his head. "More like she was just being nice to me to prove what a good mammal she was," he admitted. "Granted I didn't give her much of a chance, but I'm sure you know what it's like."

"Sure. I grew up in a mostly prey neighborhood. When I was a teen most of the other kids were afraid of me. For a while the only friends I had only seemed mostly interested in just proving they were brave by hanging out with a wolf," Lowell said. "Ended up noticing the kids didn't act that way around the campus officer. Was this older lion. Figured it was the uniform, and decided that if that was enough to make mammals trust me then that was what I wanted to do with my life."

"How's that working out?"

"Okay, I guess," Lowell said. "Why do you ask?"

"Oh, just noticed a similar thing myself," Nick admitted. "Mostly, anyway. Some mammals still just see a fox waiting for his chance to cheat them outta something."

"Like lunch?" Lowell asked.

Nick couldn't help smiling, but before he could answer the entire crowd of reporters hushed as Chief Bogo strode out to give his statement. Amazing how that worked. Tell a mammal that someone was important and they'd automatically assume the guy had all the answers.

Everyone present was looking for someone to assure them that the situation was under control, and that the ones who had caused the current crisis would be found and punished. That was tricky considering this was an active investigation. Any details that the Chief released tipped the ZPD's hand to anyone who was listening. Say too much and the public might realize just how far they were from having resolved the situation. Worse still, it would let Flip know how close they were, and either embolden him or convince him to cover his tracks more carefully. What the Chief needed to do was be just open enough to gain the trust of anyone listening without actually giving them information that wasn't already common knowledge.

Although Nick hadn't seen the speech he could imagine how it would go. First Bogo would thank everyone for coming and acknowledge the terrible events that had happened before promising to see justice done. Mammals would like that. It gave the impression of a strong leader taking charge in the wake of a crisis without dismissing the failures that had happened. Then he would share details about the case, careful to only release the ones that the media had already discovered for themselves. There would be one or two trivial points thrown in that nobody already knew. Just enough to give the reporters something to latch onto and give the general impression that progress was being made. After he would restate his commitment to bring in every mammal responsible for the recent terrorist attack before allowing several reporters to ask questions.

All boring, standard stuff, so Nick chose to keep an eye on the surroundings instead. He could just imagine Flip using a pellet gun to douse some of the reporters with Nighthowler toxin during the press conference. A sure way to spread panic, assuming Flip could arrange such an attack on such short notice. Then again, would he think it was worth the risk now that the ZPD was actively hunting for him?

Nick didn't trust himself to guess the answer to that. He had thought he understood what made Flip tick, but clearly something fundamental had changed about the other fox. He was just as sadistic as ever, but rather than just lashing out at random he'd found a purpose to channel his activities toward, and that was a frightening realization.

He scanned the windows of the nearby buildings, but didn't see anyone suspicious watching the speech. That honestly made sense, the ZPD probably had sharpshooters hidden about the area and frankly Nick found it difficult to think of Flip as a sharpshooter. On the other hand who was to say Flip would do it personally?

Several minutes passed before he was satisfied that nobody was going to open fire on the press conference from a hidden location and started to relax. The chief was still talking to the media, laying out what steps the ZPD would be taking to prevent another attack. Everything he said seemed fairly generic to Nick: increased patrols, aggressively pursuing the case, public outreach to report suspicious activities, and consulting with experts.

"Sir? Sir! You can't park there."

Nick blinked and looked over to see Lowell approaching a semi that had pulled up to the curb. The driver, a particularly sturdy looking badger, climbed from the driver's seat and gave the white wolf an annoyed look. "What are you talking about?"

"The street is closed to parking," Lowell said. "You can't park here right now."

While the wolf dealt with the driver Nick started over as well, idly checking to ensure the area was clear. There was a distinct tingling sensation down his spine that set him on edge. Leaving his post felt wrong, there was a chance that this was all some sort of diversion, but letting his temporary partner handle the situation alone didn't seem like a very good solution either.

"Look, I got a timetable to keep here and I'm already behind. Just let me make my delivery and I'll be gone," the badger said.

That uncomfortable tingle again. Nick could feel his fur beginning to stand on end.

"Just go to the next stop on your list and come back later," Lowell said. "You can tell your customer to call the ZPD if he wants to complain."

"Yeah, well I'mma need to let him know he's gonna get his stuff later than usual then," the badger said, his ears twitching.

Courthouse, city records, office buildings, bail bondsmen, post office… Nick's fingers drummed on his upper thigh as he examined the buildings, then checked on the badger. Really up tight for a mammal that's just running late. Why doesn't he have a lock on his load?

Before the badger could head off Nick called out. "Out of curiosity, is this that shipment of fish steaks the grill house has been waiting on?"

"Huh? Oh yeah. That's why I wanna deliver 'em now. If they go bad it's my tail."

Nick continued to drum his fingers on his thigh and sniffed the air. "This doesn't look like a refrigerated trailer to me. Lowell, your nose is better than mine. Smell any fish?"

"Actually no, I—"

"They're packed in ice and vacuum sealed," the badger said, speaking up before Lowell could finish.

"Well the city is pretty on edge right now, and we've been instructed to keep this area secure. You know, no weapons, drugs, bombs, dead bodies, tanks. You aren't carrying anything like that, are you?" Nick asked.

The badger shook his head. "No, no officer. Nothing like that."

Not even a chuckle, Nick noticed. He's really tense.

"Mind if we take a look?" he asked.

Before the words even left his lips the badger turned and bolted. Nick drew his taser and fired, dropping the badger before he could make it five steps. He didn't waste any time getting the handcuffs on while Lowell gawked for a moment. By the time the wolf had picked his chin up off the ground Nick was already beginning to rifle through the badger's pockets.

"What do you think you're doing?" the wolf demanded.

"Look around, do you see any grill house nearby?" Nick asked, mentally cataloging what he was finding. Change, knife, wallet, keys. He moved to another pocket. "It's all legal stuff, there isn't a grill house for three blocks."

The badger groaned and shook his head. "T-this is police brutality! R-release me at once before I—"

Nick growled at the badger, silencing him. "Quiet before I'm tempted to give you another zap. What are you really doing here? Who sent you?"

"I don't know what you're talking about! You can't do this, I know my rights!"

As the badger spoke Nick continued his search, finally pulling out a small electronic device with a single orange button. Without a word he tossed the device to Lowell. The badger went silent.

"What the heck is this?" the wolf asked, looking it over. "Something tells me this is one of those buttons you aren't supposed to press."

"Donno, and I'm betting our friend here isn't going to give us any answers," Nick said. He carefully got up, making sure the badger didn't try to move. "You got this? I'm going to check the truck."

Once he was sure Lowell had things under control he worked his way to the back of the truck, noticing that several reporters had taken notice of what was going on. Thankfully the chief was still taking questions, so none of them had come over to see what was happening. Still, that didn't leave much time.

He cautiously unbolted the back door and cracked it open just enough to peek inside, then pulled his head back and shut it once more just as quickly. The sound of bleating and snorting followed him before he got the door closed. With a glance toward the reporters he bolted it shut once more before hurrying back to Lowell.

"Arrest him," he said, then picked up the badger's keys from the ground. "We need to move this right now. Do you know where they're quarantining all those savage mammals?"

Judy moved her injured arm experimentally, checking just how much range her new brace permitted. She'd been worried that it wouldn't be that different from wearing the splint, but found herself pleasantly surprised. There was still some restriction, she couldn't reach behind herself or anything above shoulder level, and it wasn't particularly comfortable either. Compared to near total immobility of a splint it was a huge improvement though.

That probably should have made her feel better than it did, but her mind was preoccupied. Just that afternoon she'd been informed that Nick and Lowell had apparently prevented some badger from releasing a number of savage mammals upon the chief's press conference. Flip again, there was no doubt about it. Such a blatant attempt to spread more fear fit what he was trying to accomplish perfectly.

At least he'd been foiled this time, but that fell far short of what she actually wanted. He needed to be stopped, to be arrested and dragged in front of a court to answer for everything he'd done. The fact that he was still loose, and still plotting against the city, was simply unacceptable. The one silver lining she could see was that the remotely operated switch the badger had hoped to use to release all the savage mammals from their cages might be possible to trace.

"How does that feel, Miss Hopps? Does it pinch or rub anywhere?" asked the nurse that was helping adjust the brace to fit.

"I think it's okay," Judy said, then smiled at the serval. "I don't suppose I'll be able to take this off very often."

"Taking it off to bathe is fine, and you really shouldn't sleep with it on either," the feline said. "Otherwise you should leave it in place while your bone finishes knitting. Try not to worry about it. You bunnies have a fast metabolism so you'll be good to go in a week or two."

She thanked the nurse for his help before heading out, still trying to get used to the brace. The extra weight was going to take some getting used to, and she could already tell that she was going to be bumping it into things almost constantly unless she was extra careful. Compared to everything else that was going on that seemed a petty complaint, but she was already sick of being stuck with desk duty.

As he'd promised, Nick was waiting for her when she stepped into the lobby. She hurried over, surprised to see him grab a plain plastic bag when he stood to greet her.

His eyes went immediately to the brace on her arm. "Huh, that is way bulkier than I expected."

"I know. They said I can wear the splint if I prefer, but I figured I would give this a try," she said, flexing her arm slowly for him. "I mean, this way I can at least bend my arm, right?"

"Plus now you can pretend to be a cyborg."

She rolled her eyes at that one. "Yeah right. Thing looks like cheap plastic."

"We can rebuild her," Nick continued, ignoring her comment. "We have the technology. We have the capability to—"

Judy couldn't take it anymore and gave him a light shove as she laughed. "Would you stop that? I feel silly enough as it is."

He chuckled and shut his mouth, but she could hear him humming the theme under his breath just the same. Once again she rolled her eyes, but found herself reaching for his hand as they walked out and headed for the nearest train station.

"What's in the bag?" she asked, leaning over to look around him.

"Your dinner," Nick said, handing it over to her. "Plus a surprise for you. Something came for you from Bunny Burrow. I'm afraid the rest of the precinct got into it, but I guess Clawhauser made sure to save you some."

Her ears came up and she huffed, eyes narrowing. "They opened something that was for me? What is it?"

"Clawhauser said it was cookies. And trust me, Carrots, the chief was yelling up a storm after I told him." He smiled down at her. "I'm pretty sure you're going to be getting a few apologies."

"You said cookies? Did it come with anything else?"

"There's a card too," Nick said, pulling out an envelope from the bag.

Judy quickly grabbed it and turned it over, looking for any identifying marks, then carefully tore it open when she failed to find any. Inside she found a generic get well card with a note inside:

Hey Judy, sorry to hear about your arm. Thought I'd send you a little something to brighten your day. Hope you get well soon.
-GG

"Anyway, I felt bad that everyone else ate your cookies so I swung by that Savanna Salad place you mentioned," Nick said while she read. "Got you one of their fancy spinach salads with extra carrots."

She peered into the bag, blinking a little as she found that Nick had actually gotten her a large salad—or rather large for someone her size. "Nick, I can't eat all this. There's enough here for two or three meals."

"I know, but I didn't really understand the sizes on their menu," Nick admitted, his ears dipping back.

A smile broke out on her face. "You should have asked first, I would have explained it to you."

"Perhaps, but that would defeat the purpose of making it a surprise."

She grinned and looked into the bag once more, then perked her ears. "I don't see anything in here for you."

"Ah, yeah." He shrugged. "Place was packed and I didn't want to be late so I just got something for you. It isn't a big deal."

"You can't just go around skipping meals," she said.

"Wasn't planning to. Just figured I would pick something up on the way back to my apartment," he said, reaching down to muss her ears.

Judy stopped and stared up at him, ears falling flat. "You're going back to your place?"

"Yeah, why?" Nick asked, then blinked when he looked at her. "I mean, now that you don't have that splint I just assumed—"

She blushed, realizing all at once that had been what they'd said all week. Somehow it had never sunk in though. Suddenly shy, she rubbed her arm and gave Nick a smile, her tail quivering just a little. "Oh, that's right. I just thought maybe…you know…"

"If you want I can stay for another day or two," he offered.

"Just a day or two? I really don't mind your company."

"Trust me, Judy, there is nothing I would like more than to stay with you," he said. His ears tilted down and he rubbed over her left ear affectionately. "Just thought maybe we could use a little time to think about what we both want when we aren't busy distracting each other."

He had a point, she realized. A good one. Ever since that first kiss, when they were alone together things inevitably went in that direction. Never intentionally, it usually started as innocently as a kiss or a compliment, but before long thoughts of doing anything but spending time together would fly out the window. They were simply too deep in that first, giddy phase of the relationship.

"Just one more night?" she asked hopefully, looking up into his eyes.

By the time they got back to the hotel room Judy was practically beside herself. Nick was right. Wonderful as their time together was she was a little worried that maybe they were going too fast. They needed time to process everything that was happening, she could feel that, but every moment they were together felt too precious to waste. Some part of her was worried that taking a break would make them both take a step back from the relationship, but at the same time she was concerned they were setting themselves up for failure.

Everything so far was amazing. Kissing, petting, touching, cuddling. Every bit of progress made her feel fluttery inside, and there was no doubt in her mind that sooner or later they would figure out how to take even those final steps. Despite it all there was one concern that she couldn't silence: was this really something meaningful, or was their relationship just based on the physical side?

It seemed a silly concern; she and Nick got along famously. He had become her best friend and closest confidant in every sense. The one she turned to for support when she had doubts or worries. She trusted him more than any other mammal she'd ever met. Surely that was love, she knew of no other word to describe it.

But was it the right kind of love? Was it "in love" love? She'd had plenty of girlfriends who'd dated male friends while growing up, guys they'd gotten along with well. She'd also seen many of those relationships crash dramatically, destroying the friendship in the process. The possibility that the same thing could happen to her and Nick was truly frightening, but at the same time she didn't want to miss out on something that felt so remarkable because she was too timid to pursue it. How much of what she felt was mere hormones running rampant, and how much was from some deeper connection?

No matter how she looked at it, she had to agree that they needed some time to think. And ultimately that meant spending some time apart. She hated it.

She wrestled with her reluctance to let go for even a moment as they ate, watching as Nick devoured the tofu wrap he'd grabbed on the way. He ate slower than normal, sharing details about his day—especially the press conference. The whole time she did her best to listen, but her mind kept drifting to other things. The soft nibble of teeth, plush fur, claws combing through her fur, embrace and heat…

This is exactly the problem, she thought and speared a carrot slice with her fork.

"Nick?"

"Yes sweetheart?"

She swallowed, nose twitching. "I'm afraid," she admitted, looking down at her salad. "I'm worried that once we aren't together something will happen. That…that you'll realize you don't actually like me. Or that I'll have second thoughts. I really don't want to let go."

An anxious shiver ran through her as she waited for his response, expecting him to reassure her. To laugh and say that she was being silly for worrying about something like that. Instead he got on his knees right in front of her so he was at eye level, his ears folded down as his mouth worked silently for a moment.

"Me too," he managed. "I keep worrying that any moment you're going to come to your senses. Or that maybe I'm just caught up in how new and exciting this all feels and…I'm really afraid I'm going to hurt you, Judy. I mean really hurt you, by accident. That I'll slip and my claws or my teeth—"

Another shiver ran through her, accompanied by a strong urge to kiss him. Somehow she managed to contain herself. A strained laugh escaped at the mere idea that Nick could hurt her. She reached out and touched his lips, silencing him, then traced a finger along one of his canines until her finger found the tip.

"They aren't as sharp as I imagined," she admitted, then slid out of her seat to hug him.

He tried to pull back. "I'm serious, Judy. You know what my teeth were made for. I'm really afraid that if I'm not paying attention…"

"Not going to happen, and even if it did I'd know it was an accident," she said confidently, blinking a few times to keep her eyes from misting up.

"I'd still hate myself if it happened," he murmured, letting himself settle back into her embrace. One of his hands trailed up her back.

"Didn't you hear me?" Judy asked, taking on a mockingly stern tone. "It isn't going to happen."

A few seconds passed before he took a deep breath, nuzzling into her neck. "That makes me feel a little better."

"Aw, just a little?"

"Mmmhmm," he whispered, slowly pulling back. "Though I can think of something else that will help."

Judy's ears started to perk back up. "A kiss?"

"…I can think of two things that will help," Nick amended.

She gave him a light peck on the lips, letting the contact linger before she pulled back. "Well, what is this other thing?"

"Could I maybe have some of your cookies?" he asked, making eyes at her.

A snort slipped out as she tried not to laugh. "You are terrible," she muttered, then grinned at him. "Fine. You can have one cookie."