A/N:
So Nick confesses his love for Judy. What will her response be and how does she really feel about Nick? Come with me and you shall see, a world of pure adoration.
Welcome to Chapter 7, When a Fox Loves a Bunny
Again, thanks to my buddy Blkdragon7 for the editing. Go check out his ongoing story called A Friendly Hustle and show him some love. You can also check out his original work and link to his writing Blog, Scribblings, where a lot of it lives by hopping over to ( Direct: dcballard (remove the spaces) and my own writing blog, BearSpace, at: bearspace … because the forwarding is misbehaving.)
**Also I should note that Zootopia, Judy Hopps, Nick Wilde, and other associated characters are the Sole property of Disney Inc. I do not own the rights, save a few of my own characters and those will be noted at the beginning of their respective chapter(s). ***
Ch 7
When A Fox Loves a Bunny
Giving her paw a light squeeze, Nick looked her right in the eyes and said. "I love you."
It took a few moments for Judy's brain to register what Nick had said. When it finally caught up, her jaw dropped then clacked shut in absolute surprise. She looked up at him, her eyes shining bright with moisture. She almost couldn't believe what she had just heard Nick say.
Did he really say that, or was this just a dream from her injuries? Judy wasn't willing to risk it, she had to tell him. She couldn't let this chance go bye, even if it was just a dream. "l-l … love you too Nick," she said, just before the flood gates burst and tears freely streamed out of her deep amethyst eyes. Judy wished to the gods that she could hold her fox as Nick leaned over and held her as best he could given her condition. They sat like that for what seemed like hours as Judy cried herself to sleep, joy filling her heart. Nick stoked her ears, all the while humming softly.
After she fell asleep he laid next to her, and tied to rest as well. Her scent calmed his nerves, and helped him relax. It helped him come to terms with all that had happened since the accident. He still mentally kicked himself for not reacting fast enough, and blamed himself for her condition. Luckily the gods had listened and brought Judy back to him.
Early the next morning Nick awoke before the sun, taking up residence in one of the large chairs, and was busy going through Zoogle again, researching any avenue he could find to not only help Judy, but find a place large enough for them to live together. There were, sadly, few if any real options and Nick had already exhausted those.
Stepping out of the room so as not to wake Judy, he went out to the visitors lounge. He sat for a time looking at his Animadroid. He needed to call his mom but was afraid of her reaction. He knew she had seen the news, but had not called. Nick figured she was letting him rest and heal Finally he tapped the call button and put the device to his ear.
x⁰X⁰x
Judy woke for a moment after Nick left the room. She sat and thought about all that transpired in the last few months, at least what she could remember of it, anyway. Nick had apparently not left her side the entire time she was in a coma. She was alive because of him. He had somehow brought her back from almost certain insanity. She wasn't sure how, but she knew this to be true, and it was more than just a feeling.
She knew she cared for him, sure. He was smart, funny, clever, and a little too smug for his own good. But did she truly love him? Her heart gave an emphatic thump in her chest each time she remembered his tone, soft, confident, brimming with the love expressed by his words. Did she love him? Yes, yes she did! With every fiber of her being. Thinking it over, she meant every word when she replied and told him that she loved him too. He seemed to instinctively know how to comfort her, or make her smile when she needed it most. She had doubted her feelings for so long, hid them because of work, and generally scoffed at the very idea that Nick, out of any mammal in the world, would ever feel about her the way she felt about him. A bittersweet smile crossed her face as she laid her head back and simply let the feelings she had so long denied, wash over her like a gentle breeze.
x⁰X⁰x
The line on the other end rang a few times then went to voicemail. Nick wasn't sure what to say so he just left a brief message.
"Hey mom, it's Nick, just wanted to let you know I'm ok, give me a call when you can. Love you, bye."
He hung up and sat there thinking. He needed a plan and fast, but was coming up empty. He needed a place for both Judy and himself, because neither of their current apartments were going to cut it. Judy's surgery was just a few weeks away, and he was worried about that, given the possible danger to Judy. That would be a tense several hours at best. He was likely to walk a hole in the tile pacing back and forth. Nick disliked hospitals for personal reasons, but refused to go very far from her side because of how he felt about her. Life had dealt her a harsh kick, and she wasn't able kick back this time. He aimed to fix that.
Walking back to Judy's room, Nick quietly slipped inside and closed the door. Hopping up on the huge overstuffed chair he pulled his phone back out and opened the Zoogle app again. He searched for pioneers in the field of paraplegic medicine. One name kept coming up over and over again, a one Marjorie "Madge'' Honey Badger. She was described as the foremost pioneer in experimental inductive surgery for nerve injury patients, and it seemed that she lived right there in Zootopia. Nick read through many articles both testimonial and scientific. Her success rate seemed almost too good to be true. Looking her up on EweTube, he found several videos of her work before and after. It seemed pretty incredible. Nick decided to ask Dr. Fast and Dr. Johanson if he had any dealings with her the next time they came by. Judy softly snuffled in her sleep, making Nick look up with a momentary worried expression. Her eyes were close, breathing looked normal, if a bit fast. She grunted in her sleep and rolled her head to one side. Perhaps just a dream. One of the machines softly beeped and Judy's breathing began to slow to a more normal rate. 'More pain than a dream' Nick noted then went back to his research. Miss Honey O' Badger seemed to be the answer to Nick's other prayer.
Nick's phone dinged with the arrival of a message from Ben, wanting to know if he could stop by and see Judy later.
N: Don't see a problem with that as long as she's awake.
B: I'll text when my relief arrives.
N: Sounds good, hope to see you then buddy.
With that Nick went back to his research. Judy turned her head and giggled in her sleep. 'Yup,happy dreams now' It was almost time for shift change. New doctors and nurses arrived to check Judy's vitals. One quietly remarked that they were getting stronger every day as he walked back out to the nurses station. The evening shift was quiet and relaxed. Some time later Judy woke up and looked to find Nick engrossed in his phone, cable plugged into the wall. "Whatcha doin Slick?" Judy asked. Nick was so engrossed in his research that he just about jumped out of his fur, eliciting a laugh from Judy. Nick returned her laugh with a playful huff, shaking his head.
"I found a large number of articles about a Marjorie, or Madge Honey Badger. She seems to be a well known pioneer in Inductive Spinal Repair. Seems she developed the current 3D printed cage technology that Dr, Johanson told you about. She even has one that allows a spinal patient some degree of movement in their limbs. I was thinking we, well you, could ask the Doc about her when he stops in tomorrow."
Judy's eyes suddenly shown with brightness. She would have been bouncing if she could, but gave Nick her 10 million candle power smile. Nick smiled back as Judy lifted the remote and turned on the TV. Her favorite game show was on. She snuggled back into her pillow and attempted to solve the puzzles before the contestants did. Eventually Nick joined her. He was convinced that Madge was Judys ticket to walking again. Now all he had to do was make it happen. Next on his list was a new place to live.
Judy had decided to take a nap after the show. She was bored to an extreme, and sleep seemed the way to fight it. Nick had slipped down off the bed and was sitting in the chair looking up apartments. He had thumbed through several, knowing that foxes wouldn't be welcome, some even stated so. Illegal, no sadly, but definitely speciesist, given weasels and their cousins were not allowed either.
Suddenly Nick's phone rang and it startled him so bad he nearly fumbled his phone. Getting his wayward phone under control, he quickly answered as he stepped out into the waiting area, trying to avoid waking Judy, "Hello."
"Nicholas Piberius Wilde, where have you been young man, I've been worried half to death!" the voice on the other end fairly screamed. Nick's jaw dropped, and he clapped a paw to his muzzle.
"Mo … mom wai … mom would you ju … mo ...mom if yo … Mom ple … MOM!" the voice on the other end went silent, " Please give me a chance and I'll explain," he sucked in a deep breath, "we, Judy and myself got into a bad accident, I got banged up a bit, but Judy was critically injured and has been in a coma for the last three months."
"Wait, who is this Judy?" His mom asked.
"She's my partner on the force mom, you remember her from my graduation, you commented on how inspiring her speech was."
"Ok, so she was in a coma, but what stopped you from calling me until now?"
"You're right mom, and I'm sorry, but with everything going on with the accident, her being in a coma, the doctor saying she may never walk again, I honestly forgot. Judy has been my primary focus for the last three months."
"You really care about her don't you son?"Concern clear in her voice.
Nick let out a sigh. "Yeah I do, she's my partner, and my best friend, my only friend really besides Fin, and he's more like the grumpy uncle nobody wants. I was so worried about her that I tried to resign from the force, mom. But the Chief wouldn't let me, placed us both on indefinite paid leave. So at least I'll be able to take care of Judy full time"
"So what are your plans, Nicholas? How are you going to take care of not only her, but yourself? That apartment of yours is too small for the both of you."
"I know mom, I know. I was actually working on that very thing, when you called."
"What about the complex I live in son, you remember what that was like. How happy we were."
"Mom, I'm sorry but there is no way we can live in Happytown. Being cops, and living there, is, just, bad things waiting to happen."
"I guess you have a point there, but I will keep my ears open and let you know if I hear anything. Where I work gets a lot of customers from all over the city, so I will see what I can come up with."
"Thanks mom, I do need to go tho, it's getting late and I'm still not 100%."
"Ok Nicholas, I love you son, take care."
"I will mom, love you too"
Nick ended the call and slipped back into Judy's room.
"Who was that," she asked.
"That," Nick paused, "was my mom."
"Everything ok?"
Taking his tail in hand and examining it carefully, Nick said, "Yeah, thankfully I don't need a new tail," he grinned.
Judy smiled, "Agreed, personally I like your tail, and besides, where are we going to find a retailer this time of night?" she deadpanned.
A/N:
She didn't? -GASP- She did! She made a Nick Joke! Squeee!
Just kidding. I knew she had it in her all along. Though the pain killers might have had something to do with it. I hope you enjoyed this chapter of What Foxes May Come. It's been a fun, though admittedly dark story so far to write, but I promise, lighter and brighter days are ahead for both Judy and her Fox.