Chapter 2:

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AN: Sorry for the lack of an update last week. That should be a one-off event. I'd like to thank Ubernomer for proofing this chapter (and the rest of this episode).

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"Oh totally," she agreed. "This is nothing; I can handle it."

She could easily not not handle it.

Discharged the next day, she went home before arriving at Jack's theatre the day after. He'd just finished the first round of rehearsals when the clicking of her crutches on the floor filled the room.

"Ah, Skye," he said, turning over and smiling. Using her crutches, the swift foxe was moving swifter than normal as she approached the stage. "I'm afraid you missed the first rehearsal."

Her head cocked a little. "There was one on?"

"Isn't that why you're here?"

"You never said there was a rehearsal."

Jack paused; mouth piqued in thought. "I guess I didn't, I just thought I did when you turned up."

"Nope," she said, as she reached the foot of the stage. Looking at the step up, she set her eyes on a small staircase in the corner and began heading over. "Just here to finish the job."

"I thought it was done, the stage is fixed."

"Well, I need to do some testing and any final tweaks," she explained, coming up to his level. "I don't usually have any snagging problems, but that's no excuse."

Striding over, she stood in front of Jack and smiled, the hare's gaze lowering down to her foot cast. "Isn't that one?"

Her eyes half lidded. "I can manage Jack," she said evenly, before scooting past, over to the control panel. Opening it up, beginning to experiment with the levers and buttons, she turned back to the hare. "How did the rehearsal go, by the way?"

"Oh brilliantly!" Jack replied, suddenly enthused. "It was excellent, brilliant. Finally seeing all those I sought out step into their roles for the first time. It's like a baby's first steps, almost. Moving along, wobbling, but you can't help but look on in wonder. Yes, some mammals did fall down. But you learn things from that. I mean one actor had a slight niggle when saying one of the lines. A stutter, almost. Now this was a fairly bland side character by himself, little more than a guide rail for the main plot. But, on seeing that little stutter, I realised I could do something with him! Have him stutter a few more times in a few times. A little bit of dialogue and, voila! A character trait. A vulnerability. Something to make the audience latch on and care about this otherwise unimportant character."

"So, turning it from a bug to a feature," Skye said, interested. "I tend to just focus on squishing them."

"Skye," he said boastfully, raising himself up a little. His eyes closed proudly, and an aloof lecturing finger pointed to the ceiling. "The best creatives are always swift on their feet."

"Says the laziest mammal I know," she teased back.

Keeping his hammy little act up, he added a little faux outrage to the mix. "Skye, I happen to only be lazy in non-important things in life. Mainly everything other than my calling."

"I still think that's being lazy," she said, glancing back to see him turn up his nose. There was a little upturn of his mouth though, so it was all in good humour.

"And you happen to be the least swift swift fox I know."

"Do you know any other swift foxes?"

"I, for one, happen to think that that's irrelevant to the matter at paw!"

Smiling, Skye rolled her eyes as she brought out a voltmeter. It was a little tricky using it, but she kept most of her weight on her good foot, the rest going through her elbow and into a crutch. It meant the device had to be kept stationary, her other paw attaching the crocodile clips and probes before returning to tweak the selection wheel. "P-D is normal, current normal," she said to herself, before moving onto the next phase.

-Of the task at paw, not a different electrical one, she joked to herself, smiling a little. Jack, meanwhile, was lying back on his deckchair, watching her work.

…

"You know," he mused, "if Haida were here, he'd be going 'It's your duty to help out your girlfriend. Maybe you should be doing that for her.'"

She smiled. "Sounds about right."

Jack nodded, only for an odd feeling to creep into him. It was almost like he owed her his aid, even though he knew full well that she didn't want it. "You sure you're fine?"

"Yes," she said, sounding a bit like a teenager as she did so. "I'm fine."

He nodded back. Good. There. Issue settled.

…

Then why did he still feel this way? It was dumb. Said feeling wouldn't please either of them, yet still it kept nagging. Was this what had plagued Haida that night, when he'd been beating himself up in the car? If it was, then he was most certainly going to ignore it.

Finishing her work at the control panel in question, Skye began scooting over to the other side, talking as she walked. "I get why he's doing that and, from what I've heard, he's been looking after Retsuko really well. Her paw is supposed to be mostly better now, anyway."

"You called them?" he asked.

"She called me, she just wanted to see if I was okay," she said, pausing to look at him. "He is a real sweetie, but I think that kind of care would drive me up the wall." She chuckled a little. "Even Retsuko said that she was feeling like she wanted to do a few more things herself, she had to tell him to calm down a little."

"I'm literally doing nothing," Jack said, "and you have to do that to me."

"Yup," she said, rolling her eyes. "They have a different kind of relationship. He cares and loves her, she does back. That's great for them, but we're different. I can hold my own, but enjoy a little bunny therapy now and again. You're happy to give that, and I don't need more. Nothing wrong with that."

"Nope," Jack agreed, feeling better again. "Speaking of bunny therapy...?"

"Not on the job," Skye said with a smile. She turned and scooted off, testing another panel. "Anyway, got a few jobs I want to finish before the weekend. Some work on a car, doing a lot of filing and such that I've let build up, getting something nice for a friend."

"I guess that's a gift to Retsuko and Haida."

"No," she said, carrying on her work. "An old family friend is having a new baby and hosting a baby shower. I have a few ideas of what to get and such."

Jack nodded. "Okay then."

He trailed off as he watched Skye carry on her work. It was just a few checks and tests, but she sailed through them quickly and efficiently. Jack meanwhile told some more stories of the rehearsal, such as how he'd decided to reallocate a few of the roles, swapping the actors around after seeing them in action. Time flew, and soon enough she gave the systems a clean bill of health.

"Good to hear," Jack replied.

"Yep," she said, flexing her fingers before gripping her crutches once more. She looked at Jack for a second or two before nervously looking around. "You know," she whispered, "now that the job is done, maybe there is a bit of time for bunny therapy."

A grin grew on the hare's muzzle. "I think I'm always motivated for a bit of that."

Her smile growing, Skye looked over to the door to his office. "Let's find somewhere private, shall we?"

They walked over to his office, Jack letting himself in and, unable to walk across the floor given the piles of rubbish covering it, hopped over to his chair. Skye followed, but paused at the threshold. Despite the mountains of litter and the difficulty from her crutches, she was at least part sure that she could get over all of it to him…

But the smell had put her completely out of the mood.

"What?" Jack groaned.

"I…" Skye began, before sniffing a few times, one pungent aroma in particular standing out. Walking over, taking care with her crutches, she leant down over a non-descript cup before gagging. She stood back up, ram-rod straight, and loosened one paw from her crutches so she could plug her nose. "Was that originally cola?"

"I don't know," Jack said with a shrug. "Ask Nick, he checked it last."

Skye looked at him and around the room, before backing off a bit. "Maybe I can have some bunny therapy later," she said, still sounding a bit unsure. "See you around, Jack."

Jack nodded. "Bye."

"Bye," she replied, backing off and closing the door.

…

Jack grunted. His room wasn't that bad!

Besides, as he always said, why clean a room that will just get dirty again?

It was a Sisyphusian task, futile by its very nature. The smart guys like him knew that the only way to win was not to play.

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The next day went well. There was plenty to do relating to the new production, now that everything was finally in order. After reassigning his actors the day before, he had them check their new lines and start doing the read offs. Hearing the voices to his artwork was always a mixed bag. By all means it was great, but at the same time there was a slight dissonance. He'd given all the names on his script voices, inflections, personalities, and so much of that came to life here. Yet there were differences, alterations, changes…

With the actors playing them, such was to be expected. There were many things that he could run with, which he hadn't thought of and now helped to further that character, or open up a new aspect of him. Other things that threw him a little and, in some cases, things that were fundamentally different.

His creation was coming to life before his eyes, yet it wasn't entirely his anymore. He was passing over a baton. At least this time, though, it was his baton that he was passing over. Not, as had happened many times before, his baton with pink fluffy bits and sparkles glued on by Buster Moon.

Speaking of which, the koala was watching on with his friend Eddie. The sheep was warm in his review of everything, clapping and saying that it seemed very promising. Certainly a step up from his compliments before. Moon, meanwhile, looked on nervously. Jack could see him feeling the urge to meddle, but with the agreement that Skye had hustled from him there was nothing he could do.

Skye…

He thought of her a bit, before shrugging it off. She was fine.

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The second day, more rehearsals took place. Like a smith hitting a piece of iron, folding it to drive out the impurities, Jack carried on his work. There were still a few sticking points, ones he felt he could never get over and would have to live with, but as his creation evolved he grew to appreciate its new form more and more.

It was after he'd wrapped up that he heard someone enter the main theatre and, turning to face the concerned face of Buster Moon, he was pleasantly surprised to see Judy Hopps there instead.

"Hey there!"

"Hi," he said. "You missed the rehearsal."

"Maybe I'm keeping away from spoilers," she said, hopping up onto the stage. "Nick and I will definitely be visiting. I haven't actually seen one of your solo creations yet, so I'm excited."

"Good thing to be," Jack replied, "the whole thing is coming together brilliantly!"

"I can see," Judy agreed, turning to face the centre stage and letting out a long whistle. To say things had changed since she last saw it was an understatement. It had been bent, broken, damaged and ruined, yet it looked as good as new now. "Skye did a really good job."

"She did," he agreed. "-She also came in too late for a rehearsal two days ago, doing the last checks and such."

"Well," Judy said, looking over at Jack and smiling. "I guess you can get her front row seats, isn't that right Mr Boyfriend."

"That's sir boyfriend," he boasted, earning a playful shove from Judy for the effort. He rolled with it, literally, doing a back roll before standing up again with a jump and flourish, taking a bow.

Judy nodded. "So, you and Skye, Nick thought it was a joke at first. Said that someone as hard focussed as her wouldn't… -well, you know…"

"And there's our secret," Jack said, winking. "She lives her own life and doesn't want any help. I'm just there for her to cuddle."

"And go on double dates with, alongside your two new friends," she teased. "The hyena and red panda."

"Haida and Retsuko," he said, Judy nodding back. He was about to move back to his play when he saw Buster Moon arrive out of the corner of his eye. Knowing that the meddling koala couldn't see the other bunny, he had a sudden idea. "Say, Judith?" he said loudly, smiling as the suddenly alarmed marsupial turned and fled.

"…-Yes, Jack?" a slightly confused Judy asked, as he turned back to her.

He hadn't thought this through, had he? Still, he could improvise. "That pair were interested in trying a triple date you know?"

A wide grin grew across her face. "Yeah! That sounds great. Any ideas on what we could do?"

"No."

"Hmmmm," she mused, looking down and tapping her foot. "Maybe I could plan something. What kind of things have you done so far?"

"Well, I took Skye to an inter-support group meetup for date one, though it's not quite her thing," he said. "Then Haida took us to this art place in the rainforest for an evening picnic, which was nice until it wasn't."

"What happened?"

"Skye broke her ankle."

Judy burst out laughing, bending over with her paws on her knees before looking up again. "Very funny."

"She was quite hurt, actually."

Laughing some more, Judy wiped her nose and looked up. "Very good. I'm guessing things just didn't go to plan then."

"Well they didn't, she broke her ankle, Retsuko sprained her wrist and Haida blamed himself."

Judy looked up at him smiling, before the smile dropped from her face. Her eyes remained wide open though, even as her paw went over her mouth. "You weren't joking…"

"No."

"Oh gosh, how did I not know?"

"She doesn't call a lot," he replied, Judy rolling her eyes.

"Well why didn't you call me? I could have helped her."

He shrugged. "She doesn't need help."

"-Her ankle is broken, Jack!"

"She doesn't want help," he clarified, before going all proud. "-And I for one am happy to comply with her wishes."

Judy looked at him silently for a second or two before shaking her head. "Does she have anyone helping her?"

"Unless she called her parents, no."

"And has she?"

"… Probably not."

"Then you should he helping her!"

"-But doesn't want it…" he said, before scowling at Judy. "Remember when you realised you'd been studying the wrong chapter for your finals and had to cram study in just one week? You were dead on your paws and I offered to find a replacement for you in the group so you could focus on it full time. I offered you help, you refused, and now that's not okay?"

Judy blinked a few times. "That's not the same Jack."

"It sounds like it…"

"I could do the cramming, and my theatre," she said. "-And I did get help. My friend Sharla offered to help with chores around the flat. I explained my situation to my parents, and they sent me some gift hampers to help me get through it. I got help on all the little things, so I could achieve the big things."

"And should I have helped you? Insisted on booting you from your place on the theatre?"

"I…" Judy began, before looking down. "Jack, she's your girlfriend. You look after her, like I look after Nick and he looks after me."

"We're girlfriend-boyfriend -lite," he clarified, Judy rolling her eyes in return.

"You still should," she said, before patting him on the shoulder. "Anyway… Glad to see the production is going well. Nick has been much better since you helped him, and things have been going well since we last saw you." She trailed off, looking at the hare before smiling. Pulling him into a light hug, she patted him on the back. "Good luck," she said, breaking away. "And look after your girlfriend."

She departed, leaving him alone.

.

With his thoughts.

He mused more about tweaks, and changes, and about helping Skye around her house and…

…

-"Why am I thinking about that," he asked to the air. "You KNOW she doesn't want any help." He settled back in his office chair and closed his eyes, trying to get some rest. The sound of clattering jolted him up though, and he saw that he'd knocked a pile of papers off of it. He grumbled, closed his eyes again, and tried to snooze once more.

.

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The next day, the third since Skye had last visited, Jack got a phonecall. It was from Siwili. She simply asked if he could remind Skye not to ignore her mother. She'd tried to call her and left a message but got not reply, instead just leaving an answer. Jack nodded, and dialled in Skye's number.

It rung, and rung, and rung…

Before the answer phone message rang out.

"Skye, call your mother," he said, before hanging up. That should do it. Another day of rehearsals were due and he got through them quickly enough. At the end of it though, he received another phone call.

Haida.

"Hey there!"

"Hi."

"How are you, and how's Skye?"

"Good and good."

"Ah, great," the Hyena chuckled on the other end. "Retsy's all healed up now, her paw working fine again, so I'm discharged from helping duties! Heh, I think I embarrassed her little a few times by being a bit too eager, such as asking if I could help her clean her flat given the state it was in. It must have been time for her weekly clean and, when asking if she wanted help, she blushed a bit, knowing she couldn't manage it herself. Still, she asked me to do it and I did. Ahhh…. Anyway, things seem back to normal for us again, though not for poor Skye of course."

"She's fine," Jack replied, an edge in his voice. "And it wasn't your fault, and it isn't your job to look after her."

"I know," he said. "Your job, not mine." There was a pause and a sigh from the other end. "You know, it does sound like a chore, doesn't it…?"

"Yes!" Jack agreed readily.

"But, at the end of the day, it isn't. That's what it means, being in love… Do you know how long I loved Retsuko?"

"I don't."

"Neither do I," he said wistfully. "But it was two or three years, maybe four. Just hanging out with her, being friends, and realising I loved her but didn't have the guts to confess. Damn, I was mad when it seemed like she was hooked with other men. I was angry at them for taking her, or worried they'd drop her and break her… But the one I was always the angriest with at the end of the day was myself. And then I did confess, but it was too early, she needed time. I was still her friend through that, then through the time this other mammal on a whole different level almost took her and then, one day, she said it was time. It was liked I dreamed, and then I made a mistake and feared I screwed it up!"

"Which you haven't," Jack reminded. "We've been over this repeatedly."

"Yeah, you're right. I'll keep this short then. By the end of it, when she was with other men, I could have been angry at them. There was this one I could punch, but it didn't come to that. You know why? Because… Because being about love isn't about yourself. Being in love means wishing for the best for whoever it is you're in love with… Even if the best isn't you. Even if it means sacrifice. The thing is, though, it doesn't feel like a sacrifice when it's for someone you love."

…

The phone hung up, and Jack slipped it into his pocket. "Damn that was moving," he said, before hurrying off. "I could build something off of that."

.

.

…

Writing the whole speech down on a piece of paper, Jack placed it and relaxed, one for the ages. A nice sentiment about true love, boyfriend and girlfriend.

Selflessly caring for them, and looking after, like he could with…

His eyes opened again. "Stop thinking that. She doesn't want or need it."

So, he turned back to his work, or his lazing, but his mind kept on straying back. He tried to push the forces out and away, he kept on repeating what he knew, yet why did they keep returning!?

"Stop it," he scolded, marching out of his office. His feet kicked a pile of old costumes though, and he yelped as he tripped over, his outstretched palms slowing his fall against a stack of prop books. They went everywhere and Jack groaned slightly as he walked over them and out of the door. Maybe some method acting would help clear his mind.

Yet it didn't.

He kept on coming back to the idea that he should do something which he, categorically, knew he shouldn't do! "I should make this into a play about peer pressure," he said out loud, and he started to do so. Grabbing a notebook, he began roughly sketching out the ideas for a play where the characters Haiden and Julie guilted their friend into making a big birthday party for his wife, who specifically didn't like big parties and such, and in doing so broke their relationship resulting in divorce. After all, didn't that really happen with that Hollywoo wolf actor…? The Canidean one with the yellow dyed fur and silly stage name. Who's that dog…?

Jack shook his head and carried on writing.

"There, done!" he said, before throwing it at the floor. He huffed though, as the feeling still returned. Those two had wormed their way into his head, and he knew from at least one that the results of this self-guilt weren't pretty. Soaked, self-induced slap and leaf-covered not pretty….

Though if he just helped Skye then…

"NO, STOP IT!" He yelled, his voice echoing out into the theatre. He breathed in and out, shaking his head. Why were these mammals messing with him?

…

"You okay?"

His ears raised, and he looked over to see Eddie standing there. The sheep was looking at him curiously. "No," he answered, the sheep wandering over to sit down beside him.

"I probably won't be much help."

Jack snorted. "That's kind of my problem."

"Well how come?"

"I'm in a very light relationship with this girl. We went on a double date a while back, where an accident happened and she broke her ankle. She's fine with it though, scooting about with her crutches and very specifically saying she needs no help. She doesn't want any. She can get around and even do a lot of basic things just fine."

"So, what's the problem?"

"Everyone I meet keeps on saying I should be looking after her, helping her, ignoring the fact that she doesn't want it. I don't want to either, and we're both very happy with that."

"So? Ignore them."

"I tried to, but now by brain keeps on telling me I should be helping her, even though I know she doesn't want it. I'd just be a nuisance to her."

Eddie nodded at that, looking away and chewing for a second or two in thought. "I think I get you."

"You do?" Jack asked. "So, what do I do?"

"If she doesn't want help, don't go about patronising her," he said. "But there's nothing wrong with a nice little gift or present here and there, is there?"

Jack paused, thinking. "I guess not…"

"So maybe just give her a little thing to brighten her day up? You show you care about her, but don't patronise her. I think everyone comes out good from that."

Thinking, Jack nodded. "That might work," he said. Not much effort on his part, and it felt like doing a good thing. He stood up and began walking off, it wasn't like he had much else to do. "Thanks Eddie."

"Well, don't mention it. Seriously, don't."

"I won't," Jack replied, as he exited the theatre. Grabbing his stuff, he guessed that he could pick up something from the nearby Meerkat Markets, though what exactly wasn't something he had any real idea for.

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…

"Can foxes eat peanuts?"

After being told that they could, Jack purchased a few helpings of different flavoured ones and put them away in his bag. He didn't know what to get her, truth be told. She liked petting him, and had a fondness for sweet potato fries in blue cheese sauce. However, none of those things were here, so he'd settle on the nuts. She was a mechanic; he could joke about it.

That done he called a Zuber, the driver directed to the rough area of her store as Jack tried to work out where exactly it was. Thankfully the driver was able to find it on his sat nav and dropped him off outside.

Previously he'd only seen it from afar, but now, after briefly glancing at the various vehicles outside, he walked up to the front door.

It was locked, a sign telling him that the shop was closed.

"Okay," he said, as he began walking around the back. There were a few other doors and such, all of which were locked. "You're not in, are you," he said, as he carried on around. "You're probably out on a job, as you're just fine, just as you told me and I told myself." He'd find a sheltered place to dump the nuts, maybe in one of the vehicles or sheds, and send her a text or something. That would do, and he could kindly inform those other meddlers, as that's what they were, that there was nothing wrong with what he was doing.

Good.

So, he set off, only to pause as he noticed something. The rear loading bay door was open. Just a little, lifted a few panels up, but enough. He could get in, and it was closer and less fiddly than the vehicle option. So, he ducked in, finding himself in a large repair area, a pair of cars raised up. "I'll just find a lounge to put these in," he said, as he started to walk forwards. He looked around, before a croaking voice cried out.

"-Jack!?"

He froze. "Hi, Skye, I…"

"Thank god it's you," she cried, her voice still dry and weak. Scared too, yet hopeful.

"Skye?"

"-I didn't think anyone would come, I thought… -I thought…" she said, before breaking off, crying. Whimpers and sobs came out, and Jack put the nuts down and scanned about with his ears. Her voice was coming from under one of the cars and, walking forwards, Jack saw two things. The first was that one of the cars was jacked up and located near a service pit. The second was that there were two crutches right next to it. Jack raced over to the edge and looked down at Skye, her state leaving him speechless.

She was on the floor, laying on her side and tensed up, haggard and unkempt, her face looking shrunken and withered. Surveying the situation, he looked straight to her bad foot, seeing the plaster cast still on it. It was her good foot, stuck up in the air, that was the problem, caught in a tangle of wires and cables, held taught by her weight. That was why she was in an awkward position, snared up against the side of the pit, trapped and unable to move. With her hand paws stuck on the ground and her bad foot paw unable to take her weight, the only way she'd be able to untangle herself was with the use of her trapped good foot paw. Unable to get onto that, she had no hope of getting out of there, none at all.

"Help me, please," she sobbed, whimpering.

"I… How?" he asked, his heart beating faster as he looked around. Her crutches! He ran over, just as she called out.

"Try to loosen the leads or something."

"How about this," he urged, bringing the crutches over. He passed them down, one at a time, and she grabbed hold of them.

"Try… Try the leads, please."

"Okay," he said, before pausing as he noticed two more things. The first was the overturned trolley in the corner of the pit, the second was the filth around her. He smelt the second one too and gagged, but pushed on, following the leads back. They were a tangle, caught on a bit of metal sticking out of the ground, and he raced over and tried to lift them up. "Can… Can you loosen the pressure just for a sec?"

"Hold on," she replied, as he heard her moving about, the clicking of her clutches sounded out. He pulled up and out again, before it gave way. He let go as they slipped from his arms and into the pit, the sound of them and a vixen hitting the floor ringing out.

…

There was a sob, and then a cry, like that of a broken child, as the sound of clicking rang out. Skye made her way to the ladder at the end of the pit, holding her crutches in her wrist as she hobbled out. Jack met her at the other side, pulling her and dragging her out as she cried and cried, something he never thought he'd see from her.

She clutched her stomach and whimpered and shook, before looking up at him. Her terrified, red, wavering eyes met his for just a second, before she leapt in, holding him tight, clutching him like a child holding a stuffed toy after a terrible nightmare. He almost felt like the air was being squeezed out of him, but he held on and held back as she rubbed her cheek against his and embraced him, rocking him back and forth as she just cried and cried. "Thank you," she finally said, in a broken whimper.

"Thank you."

"Thank you…"