AN. Hello and welcome to the next chapter, I hope you enjoy.
Nick left the stage holding his stomach. As Judy hopped up to him he stopped her with a look, "We need to talk, but not right now. I would prefer not to be throwing up when we do so. I'll meet you back at the burrow later."
And with that Nick left the stunned bunny staring after him as he found a cab to take him back. Once he arrived he went straight to his bed and passed out, only to be woken moment's later by his partner slamming the door open.
"Nick, I can explain."
"The thing is, I don't want you to. Don't get me wrong we are going to talk about what happened, but as I said before not now. Right now I want to get some rest before I hurl."
"OK Nick, but will you at least hear me out."
Nick saw the pleading look in Judy's eyes and let his anger leave him. Slowly he got to his feet pulling her close. "get in, before those eyes completely break me." He said ushering her into the bed.
Several hours later Nick awoke to find Judy gone. Wandering down the hall he heard voices coming from the kitchen.
"Good morning everyone.." he said walking in.
"Nick? I thought you were out for the count I…"
Judy didn't manage to finish her sentence as Nick spotted the other mammal at the table.
"JD, isn't it?"
"Come for round two have we fox?"
"Oh now you see, thanks to the rabbit across the table from you I was planning on letting you off what happened earlier, but by all means take a swing and see where it gets you."
Nicks muzzle turned up into a toothy grin as he saw the hare dive across the table at him. Before JD knew what had hit him Nick had stepped sideways grabbed his arm and had him flat on his face on the floor.
"You are under arrest for…"
"What in sweet carrot cake are you doing Nick?"
Now at this Nick looked up at Judy expecting it to have come from her before realising it had neither been her voice or come from the chair she was sitting on. Turning his head he saw both Stu and Bonny standing in the doorway mouths agape.
Slowly he took his weight of the hare showing he meant no harm. "I can explain if you'll let me, please."
Both rabbits looked at each other before bonnie spoke, "I think that would be a good idea."
As Nick walked into the hallway JD tried to get up only to find himself paw cuffed.
"What? Judy get these things off me would ya."
"Nope." She said taking another sip of her coffee, having finally managed to compose herself.
"come on, how long have we known each other."
"you really have got thicker over the years haven't you. You assaulted a police officer, twice. Maybe this will teach you a thing or two."
"Judy a word please." Came her fathers voice from the hallway. As she walked out she saw the look on her parents faces.
"Why did you bring JD here?" Bonnie sighed
"Nick can I speak to my parents alone"
"Would'nt dream of intruding", he said a slight touch of sarcasm in his voice. "and I suppose your going to want me to let your little friend go again."
"No, do what you need to Nick".
At this all three other animals looked at her in confusion.
"say again?"
"I mean it Nick, I let him off this morning for old times sake and I'm sorry about that. But if you don't take him in I will, at the end of the day he has assaulted my friend, partner and… umm partner.." she said looking shyly at her parents, "twice in one day."
With that Nick just shrugged before going into the kitchen and walking back out with his new found prisoner. He made a call to the sheriffs office and took JD outside to give Judy and her parents a little privacy.
Once they got down to the station Nick was met by sheriff Higginson.
"Now James, why does your name always put my quills on edge?"
JD just smiled, "Now come on Dave enough of this, you've made your point. You can take these off now." He said shaking the paw cuffs.
"Afraid not, as technically you aren't mine to release. You belong to the ZPD."
"The ZPD? Come on sheriff, you know as well as I do they have no jurisdiction out here."
This time it was Nicks turn to smile, leaning down he whispered into the hares hear. "Oh I guess you missed the parade then, the ZPD are helping out during the festivities. so I'll be down to talk to you personally in a bit, but for now I shall leave you in the capable hands of your local officers." He said handing his captive off to the closest officer.
"So sergeant Wilde, is it? I think we should have a chat in my office don't you?" said the hedgehog turning icy on his new guest.
As they walked in the sheriff closed the door before turning to Nick, "How dare you! you come into my town, disrupt the peace by having a fight in the middle of our festival, meaning one of my offices is forced to taze you, and then you have the gaul to arrest one of my citizens and then walk into my station claiming you somehow have the authority to make him your prisoner."
"There are three things wrong with that statement, sir" Nick said calmly "whoopsie number one I have not been involved in any fights while being here at all, whoopsie number two I was indeed tazed by one of your officers, in the back, with no warning, whiles possibly showing a little too much affection to my girlfriend but as far as I am aware that is not a crime. And whoopsie number Threesie, I did not come into your station saying I had jurisdiction, you said that. Now yes I did decide to expand on that but you could have put a stop to it… Sir"
The mammal behind the desk seemed in shock by being spoken to in this manner and it took him some time to think of a suitable response, "Now listen here, you may be some kind of hero in Zootopia, but I'm the sheriff here and…"
"Are we really going to play this game? Because as I say I have several dozen witnesses to being tazed in the back with no warning, and I would really rather not press charges against both the young officer involved or against this station but if you would like to play the whole who's the bigger mammal game I'll destroy you. Now shall I tell you what's going to happen?"
The by now albino mammal in front of Nick just nodded.
"Good", he said with a smile. "Now don't worry about the paperwork on that hare I just brought in, I'm not going to be pressing charges and as he was arrested by someone who is not a current serving officer there is no paper work to fill out. The only reason I brought him in at all is my partner is not as nice as me, that and I would really like to have a quick word with him."
"Fine, but once you go back to Zootopia I don't want to see you back here, understand?"
"I'm afraid that's not going to work for me, turns out I'm starting to like this quiet little town of yours, that and I'm not sure how carrots would take that."
"It wasn't a request and what do carrots have to do with this?"
"Judy Hopps is who I meant and look I know I have not exactly made the best first impression especially with the whole threatening you thing but I really am I nice guy. Now if you don't mind I have a hare to talk to."
Nick walked out of the office with his old grin plastered on his muzzle, still got it bud, the old Nick isn't dead yet. He thought with a chuckle. He headed down to the cells thinking of exactly what he was going to say to this mammal that seemed to hate him before he had even met him.
"James is it? Let's go."
"I'm not going anywhere with you fox, I want to see a lawyer."
"you see there is slight problem with that, you don't have the right to a lawyer as you have not been charged with anything. So by all means I can call you a lawyer but it will cost you a pretty penny as you can't have a court appointed lawyer if you have not been charged with a crime. Now I can have you charged with assaulting a police officer, resisting arrest and why not, might as well throw disturbing the peace in there for good measure. Or you and I can walk out of here and you can explain exactly what has your ears in such a knot."
"Fine, charge me."
Nick sighed, "No. on your feet, come on I'm going to show you exactly why everyone who has ever met me respects me… maybe not likes me but respects me."
The two of them walked out of the station and towards the Hopps home.
"are you going to take these things off me?" JD said indicating the cuffs.
"Do you promise not to attack me?"
"I don't make promises to mammals like you. And where are you taking me? What, going to take me into one of the fields and teach me a lesson?"
"I'm taking you to apologise to the Hopps' for your behavior in their home, but yes I do plan on teaching you a lesson on the way there. Oh, and what exactly do you mean mammals like me?"
"Well get on with it then, teach me a lesson. you have me cuffed and at your mercy, just get on with it."
At this Nick looked at the young hare before him, "you really don't know anything about me do you?" he said unlocking the cuffs. "Attack me and I will be forced to defend my self, so please don't make me. Now what is it? Speak."
"what do you mean what is it? You really have no idea why I hate you do you?"
"oh I can guess. I just wanted to hear it from you."
JD just looked up at the fox before spitting at him.
"you'll have to do better than that if you want a reaction" Nick said wiping his face with a handkerchief. "good shot though."
"so go on, why do I hate you?"
"Because you love Carrots. Simple as that."
"You racist…"
"I mean Judy, not actual, oh for the love of…"
"Oh, well just calling her that is racist."
"Ha you have met her right, everything she eats or drinks contains carrot, her official work pen is in the shape of a carrot, even her underwear…. Anyway."
The hare had turned nearly as red and his companion at his last statement "Well your wrong, I'm not in love with Judy. But I do care for her and ever since she met you things have gone downhill for her fast." He said as they rounded the corner of one of the barns.
"Yeah I couldn't agree more, doesn't change the fact that…" Nick hadn't expected the punch that came his way, but did manage to half dodge the kick that followed it.
As he spun to take down the other animal he saw it, JD had tears streaming down his face. It was at that point he made a decision. As JD charged at him Nick grabbed the smaller animal throwing him into the barn and closing the door behind him.
"Your going to get her killed" JD shouted making another lunge at Nick.
Nick gripped him by his shirt and slammed him against the wall. "You don't think that has gone through my mind. You don't think I have tried to keep her safe." By now Nick was crying as much as JD.
"Because you have done such a good job so far. We may just be a tiny town in the back of beyond but we see the news, I know what has happened to her since she met you. She's been shot, attacked and hunted!"
"That's the job kid, that wasn't me that's what she signed up for when she joined the ZPD!"
"Did she sign up to her partner nearly ripping her in two at that funeral or being attacked by a savage fox in the museum!"
"The footage from the museum doesn't tell the full story and yes I attacked her at the funeral. That is something I am still struggling with but I told her to run, I warned her!"
"I see, so that's your excuses you warned her, so all is forgiven. You nearly killed her." He said with a whimper.
"yes, yes I did," Nick said slowly. "but I didn't, and trust me my life has not exactly been easy after meeting her." He said letting go of the hare and removing his shirt. "This one, that was a bullet I took trying to defend her, this one that's from when I was mauled by one of my best friends, as for the rest let's just say I had two scars before meeting that bunny and now there isn't much of my body that hasn't been marked in some way…"
Judy had been looking out of the window when she saw Nick throw one of her oldest friends into the barn before shutting the door. oh sweet cheese and crackers, why can't they just get along. She thought as she ran out of the door towards the barn. She pulled up short just before she got to the door when she heard Nick.
"Mauled by one of my best friends, as for the rest let's just say I had two scars before meeting that bunny and now there isn't much of my body that hasn't been marked in some way. She is the complete opposite to a lucky rabbits foot, I have nearly died multiple times because of her..."
Judy was frozen, Nick couldn't mean this, surly he didn't blame her for all of that. For everything that had happened. But deep down she knew it was true, if he had never met her he would still be a successful con fox, would never have joined the ZPD, even the stuff with Alex had only happened because of a threat against her.
"…And I wouldn't change it for the world. Because I love that dumb bunny, and I would give everything to keep her safe! So don't you dare accuse me of not caring for her, do you realise that she is my everything and on more than one occasion I have tried to kick her out of my life just to keep her safe…"
"But she's too stupid and far too stubborn to ever let you do that, isn't that right slick." Came a voice from the door.
Nick spun around to find a crying rabbit in the door way.
"You bunnies, always so emotional" he automatically said, wiping the tears out of his own eyes.
"Shut up and get over here." She said running over to him.
As they reached each other JD collapsed, "he's going to be the death of you squish." He said quietly.
Nick went to start a new tirade at the hare but was held back by the only mammal he truly cared for.
Judy walked over to him taking his chin in her cupped paw and lifting his eyes to hers. "I don't doubt that he will be with me to my dying breath, but I wouldn't want it any other way."
"Squish" came JDs small voice. "go to the house, we're done shouting, I promise we will be there soon. I need to say something to the fox in private."
"Not a chance, you won't even say his name let alone…"
"Let me speak to… Nick, please."
She sighed before walking out, "I give up".
JD went to open his mouth but Nick got there first.
"Don't want to hear it. This is where the threats come in and I better keep her safe or…"
"No, It's not, this is where I say what I should have told that girl along time ago. I love her and always have.." Nick went to interrupt before seeing the look the young hare was giving him. "and that's why this has been so hard for me, but I can see now, you feel the same, and she towards you. Look after her Nick, and promise me that as long as you live you will love her with all your heart."
Nick just nodded before doing something neither he nor JD had expected. He knelt down and hugged the smaller animal. "Always. Now enough of this, let's get to the house. I could use a drink after the day I've had."
As they headed into the house they were met in the hall by Judy. "Has your dad got any of that hooch around? I think we could all use something to take the edge off."
They spent the rest of the night drinking and swapping story's. As JD stood up to leave Nick joined him walking him to the door, "I swear, ill keep her safe."
"I know" was the only reply before he was gone.
In the morning both Nick and Judy decided they had been in Bunnysburrow for long enough, and it was time they got back to the hustle and bustle of the city. They spent most of the day saying their goodbyes before getting the night train to Zootopia and the problems that it would seem only they could fix.
AN. So yeah once again not the most exhilarating chapter I have written but I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it.
love you all keep the feed back coming, and if you do want to drop me a PM feel free I do my best to answer them. and if you have ideas they might make it into the next chapters if they do I'll be sure to credit you.
keep safe out there and as always keep those ears pointed and those tales wagging.