Chapter Eight: One Hot Grandma

A/N: I had to cut this chapter short as it was taking forever to finish and I realized it was gonna go over by quite a bit. Things are wrapping up and we're near the end. There's still one more issue to resolve (Judy and Penny bonding), but you'll have to wait until the next chapter for it to be resolved.

If I hadn't had Ben mention that he was visiting, I might have left him and Jerry out of the final scene as it doesn't really add much to the main story. Still, it's nice trying to write a gay couple and I liked bringing up what the living differences would be between a hippo and a cheetah.

Greg and Vivian were coming up the block with groceries in paw. Vivian had two bags while Greg was having trouble with the large bag he was holding onto with both paws.

Vivian smiled at the bunny. "Wow, honey! You're so strong!"

Greg's arms were getting tired. "RRMMPH!...I should have asked for more than a candy bar."

"We're almost at the door dear."

Finnick had just stopped the streaming video from recording when Penny's ears went up and she went to the door. "Gamma's home!"

Nick went and opened the door for his mother, but before she could get through the door, Greg yelled out. "Please take this from me!"

Nick grabbed the bag. "Hey, son! Hey, mom!"

Greg practically crumpled to the floor. "My poor, little arms!"

Nick then took the bags from Vivian as she hugged him. "Nick honey! Are you doing okay?!"

"I'm fine mom. You'll be happy to know me and Finn couldn't be tighter."

"Well, that's wonderful. Could you be a dear and take these groceries to the kitchen table?"

"Well, I'd rather be a fox and take them to the table."

"Oh, har-har."

As Nick went to the kitchen, Vivian talked to Finnick. "Ummm... Why are you in the baby elephant outfit?"

Finnick was very embarrassed. "Penny was crying and I wanted to make her laugh. It worked well. TOO well."

"What do you mean?"

"Well….. I forgot that I was still streaming! Everyone saw me in this ridiculous getup and then Penny and I had a nice, tender moment together and it made me look like a big softy!"

Nick came out of the kitchen having overheard everything. "Come now, Pops. You've never looked like a big anything."

"Hey!"

"You're leaving the big news out! What he did was so sweet, that he went viral and his video got 30 million views!"

"Is that good?" Vivian asked.

"Good?! He's trending on Yipper and those views turn into cash. He's made over sixty grand and it's still going."

Vivian was so happy. "Are you serious?! Oh, honey!" She then picked up Finnick and started kissing him all over. "I'm so proud of you baby!"

Finnick smiled. "Yeah, well… all it cost me was my male pride."

Nick flopped himself onto the couch. "Male pride is overrated. I should know, I lost mine a while back."

"You've never been in a baby elephant suit telling the world you cry in your van sometimes."

Vivian gushed. "Awww! That's so sweet! My little man is so sensitive."

"Honey… Just don't. Okay?"

Meanwhile, Gary came to greet Penny with his money. "Hey little sis!"

"I bigger," the little fox replied.

"Right. Right. You know how you don't really play with Mr. Jingles? And... and he really doesn't work for you?"

"He mine. You gave him to me."

"Right, well how about I buy him from you?"

"I don't… "

"I'll give you… two bucks."

"I fink you ca…."

"TEN! TEN DOLLARS! Just please give me my bunny!"

"Okay."

"Oh, thank you, thank you thank you!"

Greg gave Penny a big hug and kissed her several times on the cheek. The fox girl pushed him away. He then gave her the money and quickly ran up the stairs to get his stuffed bunny back.

"It jus' a dumb bunny….. Daddy!"

"Yes?" Nick replied.

"How much ten pwus ten?"

"Twenty."

"Ooooh! I rich!"

Nick helped his mother in the kitchen with the groceries. "I'm gonna watch that video later."

"Yeah," Nick replied. "It really helped Finnick and I bond. What you said helped a lot too."

Finnick overheard and asked Nick. "What did she say?"

"She told me how dad asked you to watch over me days before he died."

"What?! That didn't happen!"

Vivian argued with her fiance'. "Yes, it did! You told me he said to watch over Nick!"

"Not exactly. He said 'You get my boy in trouble and I'll bite your face off'."

"It's… a similar sentiment."

Nick chuckled. "Kind of."

There was a knock on the door and Nick answered it. It was Judy on the other side. He saw that she was wiping off tears. "Hey, Carrots! What are you doing home early? Uh-oh. You didn't get fired too, did you?!"

"SNIFF! No. Bogo gave me full maternity leave after seeing that wonderful video of Finnick and Penny. Where's my baby?!"

Finnick was embarrassed further. "The cops saw it too?!"

Judy went over to the couch and hugged her foster daughter, Penny. "There's my little girl!"

Penny tried to push away from Judy's tight grip. "Blech! No!"

She started kissing her. "Now, now. Daddy and grandpa have made up. You have no more excuses!"

"I not ready! Back off, Tooty!"

Nick finally came over and pulled Judy off of the fox pup. "Honey! Let her breathe. You practically got the girl in a chokehold."

Judy let go and Penny ran over to Nick. Judy was a little hurt by it, but okay. "I'm sorry. I'm just so happy for her breakthrough. And I heard what you said about me, Penny. But if you're not ready, I'll back off. Okay?"

"You bettah!" she snapped back.

Meanwhile, they saw Greg coming down the stairs, holding on tightly to Mr. Jingles. "Hoo! That's better."

"Here comes Linus with his blanket," Nick commented.

Judy was concerned. "Why is he still holding on to Mr. Jingles? I thought he was over his birth mother."

"I think it gives him comfort and it was harder for him to separate from the doll as he thought it would be. He bought it back from Penny with his Christmas money."

Greg chimed in. "It's not about my old mom. Daddy lost his job and… I'm worried."

Nick tried to reassure Greg. "I'll be fine kiddo. If there's one thing Nick Wilde knows how to do, it's make money."

"Legally?" Judy asked with a smirk."

"Barely, but yes." Nick then sat next to Judy and Greg with Penny on his lap. "But I think it's more than that isn't it?"

"N-No." Greg said nervously.

Judy rubbed the bunny's head. "By the way, I had a talk with the local school board and you'll be attending kindergarten at Fang Elementary starting Tuesday! Isn't that exciting?!"

"UNNNH!" Greg started shaking Mr. Jingles again.

"I think we found the other thing he's nervous about," Nick replied.

Judy rubbed Greg's back. "Greg honey! You'll be fine. You know you're too smart for preschool and you're just the right age to start at Fang Elementary."

Finnick came in from the kitchen. "Hold up, did you say 'Fang Elementary'?"

"That's right. It's a local school."

"That's an almost all-predator school! This is Foxden. It's pretty predator heavy around here y'know?"

With that, Greg started shaking Mr. Jingles even more rapidly. Judy put her paw on his knee to calm him. "You have nothing to worry about dear. Nobody's gonna mess with you as long as Judy Wilde's your mom. Besides, I've learned every weak point of every predator known to mammals. Any kid bullies you, you just come to me for tips."

Nick pulled Greg over to him. "OR… you tell the teacher or principal that a kid is bullying you."

Judy argued to Nick's point. "That's only going to get him in more trouble and the kids will think he's a snitch."

"What? So you think fighting is his only way out of that situation?"

"He'll have to stand up for himself now or they'll always bully him!"

As Greg buried his face in Mr. Jingles, shaking nervously, Nick petted the bunny's head. "Don't worry, kid. Just be yourself and all those other kids will see how awesome you are."

Judy re-assured him. "That's right! And mommy will stay in the parking lot the first day in case you have any issues….. Or if you need some advice on how to kick some little brats…"

Nick was upset. "Judy! We don't need to solve every problem with violence!"

"Okay, okay." Judy then tried to distract Greg from his fears. "Hey! Why don't you show me that drawing you made?"

"Okay!" Greg replied as he jumped off and ran down into Finnick's art room.

As Greg left, Nick looked sternly at Finnick and Judy. "What is wrong with you two?! The kid's nervous enough about starting a new school as it is and you're treating it like he's gonna have a bully on his tail the first day he gets there!"

Judy explained. "I just think he needs to be ready, just in case."

"But he may not get bullied at all and now you've got him all scared!"

"He'll be fine."

Greg came back up with his drawing. "It stinks, but it's my first one."

Judy took the drawing. "Oh I'm sure it doesn't stink honey! Why… This is very nice!"

Finnick smirked. "Oh yeah? What is it?"

Nick chuckled too. "Yeah Carrots. What is that?!"

If rabbits could sweat, Judy would be soaked right now. "Well, I mean….. Ummm."

"It's okay if you don't know, mommy," Greg replied.

"I…. have an idea of what it is!"

Nick then got into an announcer's voice and held out an imaginary microphone. "It's time for everyone's least favorite game show, 'What the heck did my child draw?!' The show where you have to figure out what your child drew on paper. If you get it wrong, you'll crush his hopes and dreams and try to make up for it by putting it up on the fridge anyway. So Judy Wilde… what the heck did your child draw?!"

Judy was starting to get real nervous. "It's ummmm…. A carrot with whiskers?"

Nick held his imaginary mic out to Greg. "Son?"

"It's an X-Wing," Greg replied.

"BZZZT! Oh, sorry Carrots. I guess being a hungry bunny, all things look like carrots to you but don't worry, you have the consolation prize of your son's forgiveness….we hope."

Greg just shrugged his shoulders. "It's cool. I'm gonna keep getting better the more I draw anyway."

Finnick looked at the drawing. "Well, you did it from a different angle than the ad in the magazine, so I gotta give you points for that. Keep it up."

"Thanks grandpa! Dad, you should see the giant painting he did! It's cool!"

Finnick got a little upset with the boy. "Greg! I was keeping that as a surprise!"

"I'm sorry, grandpa."

"Ah, it's alright. I guess Nick can come down and see it real quick."

"Sure," Nick replied as he got up. He looked over at Penny and Judy. "Penny, you start getting along with your new mommy, okay."

The fox toddler didn't reply and went back to playing with her doll. In the meantime, Nick, Greg, and Finnick headed downstairs where Nick finally saw Finnick's Venus painting. "Oh man! That's huge!"

Finnick smiled with pride. "Pretty good hunh?"

"It's beautiful! And that vixen is aych, oh, tee HOT! She's barely covering that spicy rack. Did you rent out a model or something?"

Finnick was starting to laugh as Greg spoke up. "That's Grandma!"

Nick recoiled in horror as he realized he was ogling his own mother. "You could have told me that sooner!"

Finnick was rolling on the floor laughing. "Ha-HAA! You better watch your hands around that 'spicy rack' or I'll have you peppered! Hee-HEE!"

The three of them were surprised as Vivian came down the stairs behind them. "What's so funny?"

Finnick was furious. "Aww, man! You saw the painting! It's not done, I was saving it for Valentine's!"

Vivian was blown away by the painting. "Oh, Finn, honey! It's beautiful!" She picked up her fiance and gave him several kisses. "Oh, I can't thank you enough! It's so beautiful! Don't you think it's beautiful Nick?!"

"Stunning," Nick replied.

Greg then asked a question. "Grandma, do you have a fever?"

"No, why?"

"Dad said you were hot."

The white of Nick's fur turned red. "No! No! It's not like…. I didn't know that was you in the painting! I swear!"

Vivian giggled. "Well, thanks for the compliment honey! I'll be getting dinner started. Your friends will be coming over in about an hour."

"GROAN! Okay. Pops, she's… she's shaped way too young in this!"

"For you," Finnick replied. "But this is how I see her."

"That's…..That's actually very sweet."

"Thanks, man…. Too bad I can't seem to make much money from my art."

"I don't see why. You're very talented."

"Talent don't pay the bills."

"Yeah…...Hey! I got an idea!"

"What?"

"Well, you're kinda internet famous right now for your 'Baby Grandpa' bit. Why don't you take advantage of that fame and use this little art studio you got going down here to make an internet art class?"

"A what now?"

"You remember that famous sloth painter, Bob Moss?"

Finnick was starting to follow what Nick was talking about. "Sure...OH!"

"Right! Last year on the streaming channel, 'Twig' they had a marathon of his old show and it was a huge hit with tons of views! You could do that right here! We just set up a camera and have you streaming!"

"...And besides the money coming in from views, we can then sell the paintings!"

"Right! You can set it up so people are bidding while you are making the painting."

"Kid, you are a genius!"

"Thanks, Pops."

A little bit of time had passed and dinner was ready. There was a knock on the door. "That must be them!" Judy said. She went to the door and was surprised to only see Clawhauser. "Ben! How are you?"

Ben looked depressed. "Fine… I'm….fine."

"Where's Jerry?"

Clawhauser wiped a tear from his eye. "We… We broke up."

Judy pulled Ben in. "Awww! Come to the table and we'll have a chat. Since Jerry's not here, you can have his share and we'll talk."

Ben's ears perked up. "Well, now I feel better!"

As he came into the kitchen, he saw the two little ones and ran up to them. "EEE! It's the babies!" He picked up Greg and gave him a hug. "Oh, what an adorable little bunny!" He then put him back in his high chair and went over to the fox toddler. "And you must be Penny!"

Judy tried to warn Clawhauser. "Careful, Ben. She's not good with strangers."

Ben picked her up and gave her a smootch. Penny giggled. "Hee!-Hee! Tubby kitty!"

Judy just groaned. "So it's just me she's not crazy about. Great."

They all sat down and started eating. Judy started a conversation with Ben. "So what happened with you and Higgins?"

"SIGH! We love each other, but it's….. We come from two different worlds."

"What do you mean?"

"It's our homes! Have you ever had a basement flooded?"

"Yeah."

"That's Jerry's whole house! He's a hippo and needs to live in a pool environment when not at work. I'm feline! We hate water! In the meantime, I live in a high-rise apartment because I love high places."

"I can see where that's a problem."

"It finally came crashing down a few hours ago. After lunch, we had a little bit of time left and the one place we both like is his waterbed. So, we decided to have a little 'afternoon delight' and…"

"You mean like, ice cream?" Greg said with wide-eyed innocence.

"Ummm….. Sure, yeah. Come to think of it, ice cream is sometimes involved. Anyway, I accidentally punctured the bed with my claws. He threw a fit and we had a big fight followed by a long talk. We realized it just wasn't going to work out. It's a shame. We just can't seem to meet on living arrangements."

Nick looked up. "Why not live in the Rainforest district?"

"Wha?"

"High trees. Plenty of water with the rain. You can be up high and he can be wet."

"Leave our bedroom activities out of thi-OH! Wait! I see what you mean. That could work!"

Suddenly, everyone could hear music playing from outside. It was the song "Try Everything". Ben stood up. He walked outside of the kitchen and looked out the window. There was Higgins holding a boom box up high. "Oh, em, goodness! Gazelle! My one weakness. Oh, my sweet Jerry! I'm sorry guys. I have to cut our little get-together short." He ran out of the house. "I'm coming baby!"

Greg watched the couple leave. "Ben's really nice, hunh Dad?"

"Yeah. He is."

"Are those two?... Y'know."

"Happy together? I think so."

"I was gonna say both gonna fit into that car, but that too."