Chapter: 17 May you be one with the force
We all find our seats, as major Ursula comes to the podium. I look around trying to spot mom and dad, but I don't see them. I ask Susan, but she says she can't see them either. They have to be here somewhere; I was sure they wouldn't miss this.
"Well Cadets, or should I say officers, I'm proud of you all. All of you can be proud of yourselves as well, this is the best class of officers I have had the pleasure of training. You have collectively the highest scores ever recorded at the academy. You will do the service proud, now I'm sure that you have had enough of me talking for the last ten months, so I'm going to turn it over to our guest speakers. Some of you have met them already, so without further a-due, I give you our guest speakers, Nick and Judy Wilde". Wow, are Susan and I shocked, mom and dad are the guest speakers!
Mom and dad climb the stairs behind the podium. Dad taps the mic and creates a high squeal and squeak. "Sorry every one I'm a bit electronically challenged". He gets a few laughs from the crowd. "So, I had this big glorious speech planned", he pats himself down, "but I appear to have forgotten it". He gets a few more chuckles. "Enough Nick, Hi, everyone I'm Judy and this comedian want-a-be is my husband Nick". Mom got some laughs and dark looks, but most could care less they are a pred, prey couple.
"Most of you should recognise us from our pictures that use-to hang around the academy, tell two new recruits beat all of our old records. But I couldn't be prouder that all of our old records fell to our son and daughter". Some of the class look over at Susan and I. "As you know Nick and I were the first bunny and fox under the small mammal inclusion act, but we won't be the last. Five bunnies have followed me into the force and the seventh will be our daughter Susan, and Daniel our son, will be the second fox on the force". We both get strange looks from the ones who don't know us well.
"So, what can I say about this year's class? You have all done well, you've accepted your differences and worked around the ones you couldn't. and that's what our job is about. You all tried to work together, and that's what being an officer is all about. We all have strengths and weaknesses, but we all come together as a team. This year's class I hope will become the blue wave, that washes away the crimes of the city".
"I'm sure some of you have heard my speech from when detective Wilde graduated from the academy, and I'm not going to repeat it, and bore you to death. So, I will just say congrats to you all, job well done, now let's get out there and make the world, or Zootopia, a better place". Everyone cheered, and we threw our caps in the air.
The ceremony with the giving of our badges was handled by mom and dad. Dad called out the newly minted officers and mom gave them their badges. She had to climb a set of stairs to pin the badges on the large mammals. Susan and I were the last ones called, Dad came down from the podium, and stood beside mom. Susan and I walk up, and do a crisp salute to them both. Mom and dad both have tears in their eyes as they pined our badges on us. And breaking ceremony, they then hugged us both.
Later, we answered many questions about our relationship with mom and dad, but the most attention we got was when the class found out we were married. Then when our daughter ran up and landed on my shoulder, the attention shifted to her, and she loved it. Our siblings, Scott, and littermates hug us in a group hug, mom and dad just stand there with pride in their eyes. Grandpa and grandma hug us both as well. Stu and Bonnie hug us, and of course Stu is crying. We spend the rest of the afternoon circulating amongst all the guests, and our class mates.
We watched Naomi and Leon ride away on his bike. "Should she be riding that bike in her condition"? "Relax mom", Says Izzy, "she's pregnant not injured, she can handle it just fine". Susan and I ride the train home with our family. We have fun and our daughter bounces around the observation car. Susan and I cuddle close, not really paying attention to anyone else. We are not kissing but we get smirks from our parents and grand parents. We disappear into our room when we get home, and come out later in the evening.
Come Monday after breakfast we get into our uniforms, and strapping on our utility belts and guns, come out of our room to picture flashes. So, we posed for the cameras. Mom, dad, Susan, and I, then all walk to the precinct. As we come in the door, we are treated to a glass breaking squeal from Clawhauser. "Oh, my God you two are so adorable". "Clawhauser we are cops, not some cute plush toys". "Yes, you are, sorry". "Morning Ben", says mom. "Morning Judy, Nick". "What's up spots"? "Not much, OH, have you seen the new Gazelle CD? She's coming back to town later this year, I hope I can get tickets". "Well Spots, just for you, I'll see what I can do". "Really Nick? That would be so awesome". Nick looks at the clock, "Sorry spots, looks like we have to get these two to the bull pen, can't have them late on their first day". "Right have a good day you four". Ben waves, as we all head for the bull pen.
Mom and dad hug us outside the bull pen, and then head for their office. Both of us look at the door, we swallow our nervousness, and walk in. We get about halfway down the isle towards the front, when the noise level goes down and everyone stares at us. Fangmyer and Wolford just smile at us. We both hop up into mom and dad's old chair. Mchorn just looks at us out of the corner of his eye, he gets a shocked look on his face when he recognizes us. Just then we are called to attention, and Chief Bogo walks in.
The officers start to pound on the tables, and make some noise. "All right, shut it". Everyone simmers down and sits down. "Well I see you two made it, perhaps I should introduce you two, but I won't, most know you already, and those who don't, will get to know you shortly. Wolford, Fangmyer you are split up this morning You will take the newbies on patrol in savanna central. You will be back together this afternoon, after you drop these two back at the precinct. When you get back, Susan, Daniel, you will come and see me for your afternoon assignments. You will be doing this for the foreseeable future". We all sit there, "What are you still doing here? get out there on patrol"! The four of us, jump down and head out the door.
Wolford and I head for one cruiser, and Susan and Fangmyer head for another. Ralph is very quiet as he gets behind the wheel. "So, Ralph old buddy, how's life treating you"? "First off rookie, I'm not your old buddy, second it's Wolford to you, third keep your eyes peeled for any kind of trouble". "YES SIR, Wolford sir". Ralph deflates a bit behind the wheel, "Sorry Daniel, I've been a little high strung for a while". "Do you want to talk about it"? "Yeah I do, but now's not the time, we are on patrol". "Well if my temporary partner doesn't have his head in the game, we could fail at our patrol". Wolford pulls the cruiser over, and just looks at me. "Do you really think you can help me"? "Don't know Wolford Sir, I can only try". "You won't let this go will you"? "No sir, I can't".
Ralph deflates, "It has to do with my wife". "So, what's the problem with Fangmyer"? Ralph gets a shocked look on his face; "you know I'm married to Lilly"? "Ralph I've known you and Lilly were together since Susan and I's wedding, when did you marry her"? Ralph chuckles a bit, "Well we married a week after you and Susan did, you guys showed us that we could be together. It's been two years, and I'm questioning if I still love her". "So, the honeymoon phase is over, and now the reality of life has hit home". "Yeah, I guess". "So, tell me, what's the biggest bone of contention between you two"? "Well it seems like she doesn't want to do anything together…". "That's not it, is it"? "No, I guess not, the real reason I guess is the fact we are still trying to keep it hidden from my parents". "So why are you keeping it from your parents"?
"Daniel my parents are against interspecies couples, they threw my brother Tom out of the pack five years ago over his new wife Terisa, she is a spotted hyena. I was not supposed to hear the fight, but I had just gotten home from a late patrol, when I heard them fighting in the front hallway. I hid myself in the back of the boot room as Tom stormed out of the building with his wife. They were very vocal later that day about what happened, and they decided to throw him out of the pack. I don't what to leave my pack, and Lilly and I have fought over that".
"So, it's between love for Lily, and love for your pack? Which one's stronger"? and do you think they might have changed"? I doubt it, but they have not spoken out against other interspecies couples, not even your mom and dad". "So, you need to tell them, for Lilly's sake, she loves you, you dumb dog, she should be first in your life". "It's not that easy…". "Wrong Ralph it is just that easy, and if your parents can't accept her, I'm sure I know a pack who would love and support you both".
"Really, and who would that be"? "That Ralph would be the Howler pack". "Daniel how do you know the Howlers? They are one of the most respected packs in the wolf pack community". "I know them, as my grand mother married Peter Howler, Perry Howler's brother". "And before you ask, my grand mother is a fox, this is how I know they will love and support you. Peters brother Terry and his wife Sasha who's a cat by the way, both live in the Howler compound. So, yes, I'm sure the leader would welcome you in". "You know the pack leader"? "Sure, I know Perry, he come's to a pool party that my parents host at the end of every month". "Your right Daniel, I need to look at this another way, are you sure they will accept us"? "IF your parents don't, I'm sure the Howlers will".
"Oh scat, Ralph duck". "What"? "GET DOWN NOW". I grab the mic "ZPD-33 to Dispatch we have a 10-82 in progress, approximately 5 perps. with visual on 10-46F at the corner of central and 8th, requesting back up to Hammond jewellers". "Roger ZPD-33, back up ETA 2-minutes". "How do we do this Ralph"? "Both of us out my side, and stay behind the car". Ralph opens his door, and climbs out hugging the ground, I go over the console and crawl out his door, hugging the ground as well. We crawl up behind the car in front of the jewellers. The alarm goes off in the store, and we hear gun shots.
A car door opens on the other side of the street, and I hear the click of the hammer drawn back on a gun. I turn and trank and taser the perp as he raises his gun. As he falls into the street, the rest of his buddies come out of the store. "ZPD FREEZE". Yells Ralph, but of course they don't. They as one, raise their guns, Ralph and I start shooting. I manage to get a trank or taser into them all, I then switch clips and fire an extra trank into them all. I look over at Ralph to see him clutching his neck, and see the spray of arterial blood from between his fingers. "SCAT".
I jump on his chest and bat his paw away from his neck, and replace it with mine. I hit Ralph with a compulsion to sleep, and he does. I then using power, wrap his artery in power to stop the blood loss. I use power for the meadow, but it's taking more power than the meadow can supply me. I grab my shoulder mic, "ZPD-33 Officer down, I repeat Officer down I need a 10-64 to our location". "Roger ZPD-33 on route ETA 1-min. The first of our back up arrive, damn if it isn't Susan and Lilly. They both run up. "Lilly back off, secure the scene, I've got him and he's going nowhere". She doesn't want to do what I said, so I laid a compulsion on her. "Lilly please secure the scene, I've got Ralph, and he's not going anywhere on my watch". Susan and Lilly hand cuff the perps and sit them up against the wall. Lilly goes to the one across the street and none to gently drags him across the street, bumping his head against the curb. "Oops". She says as she sits him up against the wall as well. Susan goes into the store and secures the scene. She calls for more ambulances for some civilians in the store, but they have minor wounds compared to Ralph.
When the paramedics get there, they tell me to get off of Ralph, I tell them no, they will have to take us together. I can see the bear paramedic wants to physical throw me off, and I look up at him with slitted eyes. He backs off and does what I say. Susan comes over and feeds me as much power as she can afford, and we are on the way to the hospital. "Sir I need you to remove your paw from his neck, so I can asses the damage". "Sorry, my paw is the only thing keeping him from bleeding out. His carotid has been bisected by a bullet; he needs surgery to close it". I move my paw enough and he can see I'm right, he looks and can see the blood flowing from one side of the gap to the other. "How are you doing that"? "Sorry sir, that's classified". He shakes his head, and continues to monitor his vitals.
In the hospital we are immediately rushed into surgery. The surgeon tries to throw me out, but I stop him with a compulsion. I lift my paw out of the way so he can see the damage. He gets a shocked look on his face, "classified" I tell him. He calls a mouse surgeon in for the ultra fine stitching required. A little later, "I hate to be a bother, but how much longer is this going to take"? "Just about done", he squeaks "Two more stitches to go". I'm glad as I'm just about out of power, I have been using my own energy for about five minutes. "All right, stop what your doing, I'm done". I slowly stop and the stitching holds. I slump to the side of Ralph, and pass out.
I come to a little later laying on a gurney in a recovery room with Susan holding me. I lean down and give her a kiss on the top of her head. She mumbles something about a foolish fox as she wakes up. Susan feeds me a bit more power so I can sit up. "How is he Susan"? "He's fine Daniel, but chief Bogo is none to happy with you". "He'll get over it love". "What will I get over"? Says chief Bogo as he walks into the room.
"I'm sorry sir, Ralph and I were the first Officers on the scene, and we both left". The chief holds up one hoof, "Daniel you did leave the scene when you should have stayed, but Ralph would not still be with us if you hadn't. I have watched the cruiser cam and your body cam, and I saw the arterial spray. He is alive because of you, and procedure be damned you did the right thing". Thanks chief". "I hope this won't be a thing with you two, I don't need the headache".
"Now I have to take your gun, and IA will be talking to you in the morning. This discharge of a service weapon has to be investigated, but I don't see a problem, other than the fact this was your first day". "Yes sir", I say as Susan helps me to unbuckle my utility belt, I roll it up and hand it to him. "I want to see you bright and early to the precinct tomorrow, I need a full report ASAP". "Yes sir".
Lilly Holds Ralphs paw as he lays in the hospital bed. Ralph slowly come back to awareness. He can tell he is in a hospital, he can smell it, and hear the monitor with his steady heart beat. He can feel someone holding his paw as he slowly opens his eyes. "Water", he croaks. Lilly's head snaps up to see him smiling at her. She squeezes his paw and gets the water for him. He takes a drink to lubricate his throat, "How am I still alive love, I saw the arterial spray and knew I was dead, my last thought was of you, and how much I hurt you, I'm sorry Lilly". "Well Daniel saved your life not certain how he did that, but I am ever grateful".
"Oh, you dumb dog, don't you ever try to leave me like that again, you are my life, what would I do without you"? "Lilly do you have your ring on you"? "Yes, I do, why"? "Put it on I'm tired of hiding". She tears up. "Are you sure Ralph"? "I have never been more certain of anything in my life. You mean the world to me, and my parents can be dammed, if they can't love you like I do, we can find another pack to belong to". Lilly hugs him gently. "That's good to hear Ralph, they have been waiting for hours to see you". The monitor goes up a bit, but not by much. "Are my clothes here"? "Yes, they are, but they cut them off you". "Left front pocket if you would please". Lilly searches the pocket and finds his ring. "All right love, lets face them together", Ralph says as he puts his ring on.
Lilly goes to the door, and motions to the two wolves in the hall to come in. Ralphs parents rush in, and hug him gently. "Well son you have looked better", says his dad. "Dad, Lilly and I have something to say to you". "What, that your married? Your mother and I have known for two years. Did you think you could keep it from us? We were behind the curtain at the JP's office, if you had checked your marriage certificate you would have noticed your mother's and mine name signed on the bottom under witnesses". "But I thought you were against mixed species couples". "What ever gave you that idea"? "The incident with Tom, my older brother".
Both Ralphs parents laugh and Howl. "Oh, God, son, you believed that"? "Well yes, I did, it seemed real". "It was real at the time, your brother had just turned states evidence on the company he worked for, and he didn't want them coming after us. So, we concocted the plan of us throwing him out, it had to be believable". "Well I sure believed it. So where is he now"? "He's back at the compound, his old bosses were convicted, and are now doing jail time. It was now safe for us all, so Tom came back. His wife is a real doll".
"Son you and Lilly are welcome in the compound as well. We had one of the adult suites enlarged for Lilly. She can stand up in the shower without having to bend over to wash the top of her head". "Lilly Wolford, would you like to move in with my family"? asks Ralph. "Ralph I would love for us to move in with your family, but we are kind of loud". "Won't be a problem", says Ralph's dad. "We've had the latest sound dampening products install in the suite. Most of us adults are pretty loud in the compound, we howl a lot". They all laugh and chuckle like they had never been split apart.
Eventually I'm able to get off the gurney and walk down the hall. We knock on Ralphs door, and hear the word "enter". Lilly takes one look at us and rushes to put me in a hug. She starts to cry hard, saying "Thank You". "Daniel thank you for what you did, I know I wouldn't be alive if not for you, again thank you", says Ralph. The Wolford's just stare at me. "Mom, dad, if not for Daniel here, I would have never made it to the hospital, he kept me alive, how I don't know, but he did". The Wolford's then rush around the bed to hug me as well. It's a hug fest in the room for about five minutes. Eventually we break apart, and wishing them well, Susan and I head out the door for home.
We come in the house to supper on the table. We manage to sit down before the clapping starts. "Well son, what a way for you to start your career, get the bad guys, save a fellow officers life, and get your first IA investigation, all before noon on your first day. I was on the force a month before my first investigation". I just blush at his praise; Susan just laughs and holds me tight. Later when we are alone Susan shows me what it means to be alive.