"I just can't believe this is happening…"

"Nick, sit down. You're wearing a path in the floor from all of the pacing you keep doing."

"How can this be happening?" Nick said, talking to himself more than her.

In the simplest of terms, Nick was losing it. However, in his offense, it was justified. Judy had arrived at the diner to find Nick curled in a ball in the driver's seat earlier that day. It had taken almost an hour to calm him down enough to bring him back to his apartment – well their apartment now; Judy had moved in a week prior, simply because it was a waste of money to pay rent on her own apartment when she spent the majority of her time at Nick's place. To most, moving in with one another was a big step in a relationship, but Judy and Nick had practically taken that step naturally over time, as they grew to know one another better. Technically, Judy had moved in weeks before they started dating.

After calming Nick down, Judy had called to ask Clawhauser to inform the Chief that they wouldn't be returning to work, and that someone should be sent to pick up the car she had borrowed to get to Nick. No one had asked her any questions, which she was grateful for.

Ever since they had gotten home, Nick had been pacing, talking, and panicking. Judy let him get his emotions out, but it was beginning to grow late, and Nick was well on his way to working himself up to the point of another panic attack.

"Well, honestly, it was only a matter of time," she stated, answering the question he didn't really ask her. "Did you really think you would never see them again?"

"Yes!"

"Oh, Nick."

Judy sat on his – correction: their – small retro style couch that rested against a beige wall opposite of Nick, who was pacing on the other side of the coffee table that separated them, right in front of a flat screen TV that hung on the wall. The living room conjoined with a small kitchen that was divided by a counter attached to the wall, and if you followed the wooden floors in between the living room and the kitchen, you would find yourself in a hallway that linked to the bathroom and Nick's bedroom. Yes, it was Nick's bedroom; Judy slept on the couch. That's just how they functioned – there really wasn't any explaining it. Takeout food littered the kitchen counter, still uneaten.

"I just can't believe this," Nick sighed as he ran his paw over his face.

The fur on his ears and head were becoming more ruffled each time he did that, and he was doing it a lot. His green button-up Hawaiian shirt was extremely crinkled, giving him a very disheveled appearance.

"Nick, honey, just sit down."

"I don't know what to do!"

"Is there something to do?" Judy asked softly.

Nick stopped mid-pace and looked at Judy with a very offended frown.

"What do you mean 'is there something to do?'"

"Well, you haven't seen them since you were a kid," Judy reasoned. "It took two decades for you to run into them in a diner. What makes you think you're going to see them again, much less anytime soon?"

"They're going to be looking for me!"

"But how do you know that?"

"I-I… I don't," Nick admitted, looking down at his feet as he did so.

"And that bothers you."

A statement, not a question. Nick looked up at Judy, not really sure how to reply. Judy stood and walked over to where he stood, slightly slouched.

"I know you're frustrated," she whispered. "But we're going to figure this out."

She reached up a paw and brushed the side of Nick's face, settling some of the tousled fur. Nick turned his face to immediately avoid her touch.

"There's no we in this."

"What do you mean?" Judy asked as she pulled back, wrapping her paws around herself.

"This is my thing, Carrots."

"You can't be serious. We're a team!" Judy scoffed in an astonished tone.

"Not this time," Nick sighed. "I have to do this on my own."

"What?" Judy asked, still shocked at the conversation's change in tone. "Nick, you don't have to do this on your own."

Nick didn't reply, but rather turned and grabbed the SUV car keys that were lying on the coffee table.

"Where are you going? Nick?"

Judy watched as the fox walked to the door and paused with his paw on the handle. He turned and looked back at her, still frozen in place with her long ears drooping.

"I have to figure this out on my own."

"You're not being rational," Judy stated quickly. 'Let's just sit down and talk about this."

"I've already made up my mind."

"What are you even talking about? Where are you going?"

"To figure things out."

"You can figure them out here!" Judy yelled, her temper now rising.

Both could tell that a fight was forming.

Nick and Judy didn't fight often. Granted, they squabbled now and then, but they rarely had fights that escalated. The last time they had really fought was after Judy's incident with a suspect; that fight had ended with Nick walking out. Now here they were all over again, Nick ready to leave once more. A twinge of heartache pained Nick has his thoughts wandered back to that fight before replying.

"No, I can't. Let me just think for a little while."

"Why do you have to leave to think about this? You're staying here, Nick," Judy said firmly.

"I don't want to stay here!" the fox snarled.

An unsettling silence fell over them as the loud growl echoed through the apartment. Judy's eyes stung slightly as she fought back tears. Nick's face fell at the sight of her eyes brimming with tears.

"Carrots, that's not what I meant–"

"No, it is what you meant," Judy corrected, tears streaming down her face now. "Just go."

"Judy… don't cry, I can stay here."

"But you don't want to!"

Judy was on the verge of sobbing now, letting her anger direct her emotions at Nick, her paws clenched in tight fists.

"No, I do–"

"Don't," Judy argued. "How dumb do you think I am?"

Nick shook his head, looking for the words to fix the situation he had caused. Judy let out a dark laugh that was a slight hiccup.

"Oh, right. I forgot. I'm just a dumb bunny."

Nick's ears went flat against his head, tears threatening to spill from his own eyes.

"Hey, Carrots, no–"

"Get out."

"Judy–"

"Actually, you're right," Judy suddenly said, tears staining her face. "I'll go."

"What? No, let's discuss this."

Judy walked toward him with determination, her paw out as she reached for the keys to the SUV.

"Give me the keys," she demanded in a voice thick with emotion.

Nick held them just out of her reach.

"Can we please talk?" he asked.

"We're done talking. Give me the keys, Nick."

At her tone, and the look in her bright amethyst eyes, Nick regrettably handed her the keys to the car.

"At least tell me where you're going," he breathed.

"Work."

With that final word, Judy slammed the door behind her, leaving Nick all alone in his apartment for the first time in months.