WingedKatt here. This chapter is a bit of an emotional rollercoaster, some highs and lows, with some fluff thrown in. Enjoy.

Walking to the deck stairs, Judy explained to Nick that Cotton was her little, five-year-old niece. Chester then explained how he had seen Cotton earlier that morning when they were bringing boxes up from Judy's room, but then some of the older kits had been playing ball in the great room and knocked over a large vase which sent glass shards shooting in all directions and had cut some of the other young kits. After getting the mess cleaned up, it was time to head to the train station. No one had seen Cotton since the ruckus started.

As they reached the deck, Bonnie apologized to Nick and Judy, but said they had to leave early. It was twenty minutes to noon, and they hoped to be on the 12 O'clock train. In the rush to leave, Bonnie started worrying about the food mess they were leaving, but Nick and Judy assured her that it was fine and that they would clean it up later. Hugging their family good-bye, Amy rushed inside and grabbed the 'dad safe' date video and handed it to Bonnie to put in her purse. Hugging her mother good-bye, Amy promised that they would see each other again on Thursday.

Janelle also hugged her family goodbye, saying only that she wanted to stay with Judy a few days and would return with Amy on Thursday. Her parents were too worried about Cotton to question Janelle's decision, though Bonnie had a good guess on why Janelle wanted to stay.

As they piled into the jeep, Vivian offered to drive them to the station seeing as Nick was busy taking care of Judy, though her real reason was so she could talk to Stu for a few minutes before they left. After Stu helped Bonnie into the front seat, he started climbing in behind her when Judy stopped him.

"Dad, wait," Judy said from where she was still being held in Nick's strong arms. As her dad glanced back to look at her curiously while trying not to think about how close the two were, Judy said, "I know you're wondering about my intentions towards Nick, so let me be clear."

Nick had been curious about what Judy planned to tell her dad about their relationship, so her comment had his ears perked forward as he glanced down to meet Judy's stunning amethysts.

Seeing the question in Nick's bright emerald pools, Judy took a deep breath, then she reached up and grabbed Nick behind his ears and pulled his muzzle down. Smashing her lips to his, she kissed him hard, though she kept her tongue to herself—swapping saliva with Nick at this point would give her dad a heart attack.

Nick tightened his hold around her as he kissed her back, though he was a little fearful that Judy was showing her dad way more than he was ready for, though that didn't stop his tail from wagging at the kiss.

As Judy finally released Nick, she rubbed her nose against his, then looked at her stunned dad. "I already kissed Nick so he's free to kiss me back any time he wants."

Stu just stood there with a gaping mouth. He couldn't get over the sight of his little girl with her lips pressed up against the fox's. It was too much which made his brain want to shut down. Although he had a sinking suspicion that Judy had set her eyes on the sly todd, seeing it didn't make it any easier to accept. But Stu knew Judy enough to know that she wasn't going to back down no matter what he or anyone else said. She wanted Nick, and going by what Nick said earlier and seeing him kiss his little girl back, Stu knew Nick wanted her, too.

Trying not to hyperventilate, or worse yet, faint, Stu took several deep, slow breaths. After several pounding heartbeats later, while Nick, Judy, and everyone else were patiently watching him to see what his response would be, Stu finally found his voice again. With one last deep breath, Stu raised his finger and pointed to Judy and then at Nick, saying, "So you're serious about a relationship with Nick?"

With a nod, Judy said, "I am. Nick is the only one for me. I've waited a lifetime to find him and I'm not letting him go."

Nick started wagging his tail faster at Judy's words, even as Stu said to him, "And you're serious about my daughter?" Stu almost asked if Nick was going to break Judy's heart, but after what happened with his last question about Nick hurting Judy, Stu figured it was better to keep that question to himself. At least for now. The todd had done an amazing job keeping Judy safe and happy so far, so Stu would give the fox the benefit of the doubt. But if he did break Judy's heart in the future or hurt her in any way, Stu would be coming after him with a sawed-off shotgun.

Nick met Stu's questioning stare with a firm, confident gaze as he answered, "I love your daughter, Stu, and I plan to spend the rest of my life keeping her safe and making her smile. So yes, I am dead serious about your daughter. I made the mistake of letting Judy slip through my fingers once and there's no way I'll make that mistake a second time. She's mine and I'm keeping her."

It was Judy's turn to have her tail wagging in happiness, even as she pulled Nick down for another quick kiss before beaming up at him as she whispered, "I love you, too, Nick."

Stu gulped at Judy's blatant display of affection for the fox. And hearing the dreaded 'L' word thrown out by the two nearly made him faint. It was too early for them to be declaring themselves to each other, wasn't it?

As Stu tried to come to terms with what Judy and Nick had just declared while trying not to blow up at their relationship which he felt was moving way too fast, Bonnie finally spoke up from the front seat of the jeep. "Stu, dear, you wanted to know what intentions Nick and Judy had towards each other, and now you know. The question now is: Are you going to accept it?"

Stu had to remind himself to breathe as he tried to keep his cool, but he couldn't stop his fingers from clenching and unclenching as his mind tried to sort everything out. Although he had a sinking suspicion before that his little bun-bun was falling for the fox, everything was happening way too fast. Finally, he asked, "Is this why you don't want to move out? Because you're in a relationship with Nick?"

Judy shook her head. "Dad, my relationship with Nick is just icing on the cake. Even if I just saw him as friend—which is what we were when Nick first asked me to move in with him—I would still refuse to move out. You've seen his house, Dad! How am I ever going to find a better place to live in Zootopia!?"

With a shake of her head, Judy added, "But even if Nick was living in a small two-bedroom apartment, I'd still refuse to move out because I will never find a better roommate than Nick. He's easy to be with, easy to talk to, and being with him just makes everything seem better. As a friend, I know I can count on him, and when I need a shoulder to lean on or cry into, he's got me covered."

Stu took a deep breath and nodded. Looking up at Nick's impressive house and remembering how much space and convenience the place afforded, he then glanced over at the large, wolf-sized jeep Nick was chauffeuring Judy around in. A vehicle that was much larger and safer than a bunny-sized vehicle Judy might have been tempted to buy at some point in the future. If he ignored everything else in Nick's garage, then there really wasn't any place safer for his little girl to stay. And with Nick being a predator, he was better equipped to protect her as he had already shown when Judy was closing her two cases.

While Stu struggled to get the words of acceptance out, Bonnie leaned towards the open door and said, "Stu, we're going to miss the train."

With start, Stu realized that Cotton was more important right now. Pointing to Nick, he hastily said, "I'm entrusting my daughter to you, Nick. If you break her heart or hurt her in any way, then I'm coming after you with a shotgun."

Nick's eyes widened and his ears shot forward, but then he laughed, saying, "If I ever hurt Judy or break her heart, then I'll expect nothing less."

With a nod, Stu hopped into the jeep and slammed the door shut. "Okay, let's go," he said as he grabbed his seatbelt and strapped in.

Bonnie waved at Nick and her daughters, as did the bunnies in the back seat as Vivian put the jeep in reverse and backed out of the driveway. As they took off down the road, Stu had a lot of worries on his mind. Between Cotton going missing and Judy wanting to climb in bed with a fox, Stu figured he was going to have a sleepless night tonight. He just hoped that with his acceptance of Nick and Judy's relationship that he wouldn't have to spend his sleepless night out in the barn. Bonnie had threatened him with that if he caused a scene should Judy decide to pursue Nick.

Bonnie had also sat down and pointed out Nick's positive points—his commitment to Judy, his ability to keep her safe, his ability to make Judy stop and think things through before leaping ahead without knowing where her feet would land, his ability to make her smile and laugh, his huge house and yard, not to mention his large, safe vehicle to drive her around in. That was a huge plus as he was terrified of Judy having to take the subway to and from work every day or to do her shopping. Mammals got mugged on the subway all the time, didn't they?

As they drove down the road, Vivian glanced at Stu and Bonnie sitting beside her in the front seat of the jeep. Returning her gaze to the road, she took a deep breath, then said, "I know you're worried about Judy being with my son, Stu, but let me assure you, Nick only has the best of intentions for your daughter."

Stu nodded, but didn't immediately answer as he didn't want to put his foot in his mouth again. After a moment, he said, "I get what you're saying and I know that Nick risked his life to keep Judy safe, and I'm grateful for that." Stu was quiet for another moment, then said, "But as a father, I'm just worried about my little girl."

"I can understand that," Vivian replied. "Being a mother of three, I definitely understand worry for your kits. No matter how big they get, you still worry about them."

Stu and Bonnie nodded in agreement, but then Alexia spoke up from the back seat and asked, "Nick has two other siblings? What are their names and what are they like?"

Vivian's eyes misted over briefly as she thought of her missing son, but she pushed the pain down and answered, "Nicholas has an older sister named Anya and she's the top surgeon in the town we live in. Nicholas's twin brother is named Demetri and he loved music. I taught him the piano like I did Anya and Nicky, but Demetri really loved the saxophone." With a bright smile at the memory, Vivian added, "Oh, could he play jazz!"

With stars sparkling in her eyes, Alexia was thinking of the music Nick and Demetri could play together. She just knew that Nick's piano played alongside Demetri's sax would be awesome! Alexia was so caught up in her musical fantasies that she completely missed her brothers' drooping ears as they remembered Nick telling them how his father and brother were killed.

Still lost in her musical fantasies, Alexia asked, "Would we be able to hear him play sometime? I bet he sounds even better when playing with Nick."

Vivian's ears flicked back even as Bonnie and Stu's ears drooped, then a faraway look entered Vivian's bright, sky-blue eyes. "Sorry," Vivian murmured softly. "It's been over two decades since we've been able to hear Demetri play. He was taken from us a few years after his father was. It's just me, Anya, and Nicky now, and I can't count how many times we've almost lost Nicky."

With a heavy sigh, Vivian continued, saying, "When Nick lost Honey five years ago, it was the first of a string of incidents that knocked Nicholas down. Things I never knew about because he refused to talk about them. Nicky buried the memories deep in his heart, then walled his heart off so he could never be hurt again. He'd given up on life and was just coasting. Nick was surviving without ever living. Not until Judy hopped into his life and turned his world upside down. She believed in him when he no longer believed in himself."

Glancing at the older bunnies beside her, Vivian said, "The songs Nick sang today about Judy are his real feelings. He's been going through hell the last five years and Judy is the angel that finally reached out her paw and pulled him back up on his feet. She's his guiding light that has shown him the way home and helped him shine again." With a bright smile, Vivian added, "There are no words to truly describe the gratitude I feel for your daughter. Judy gave me back my Nicky."

Vivian wasn't the only one with a few tears pooling in her eyes, as Bonnie's eyes were also misting over, along with the two does in the back. The boys were also subdued. After several moments, Stu finally said quietly, "Nick told me and my boys how he lost his dad and brother. I'm sorry. Truly I am. No family should have to suffer through what yours has."

With a nod as she looked out the front windshield as they neared the train station, Vivian said, "Thank you. The fact Nick even told you shows what a positive influence Judy is on him. He never talked about his father's and brother's deaths before, but Judy is now helping him deal with it all without it overwhelming him. She truly is an angel."

Stu nodded as he stared down at his clasped paws. Twiddling his thumbs for a moment in thought, he finally asked, "But Nick is truly committed to Judy and their relationship?" With a wave of his paw, Stu hastily added, "I only ask because Judy isn't like other rabbits. She's never been in a relationship before, and once she commits, she commits 200 percent. So, if Nick ever decides to leave her, Judy won't recover from the loss like her sisters would."

Vivian was quiet for a moment, then said, "That relieves my mind quite a bit. I figured Judy felt that way about my son, but I couldn't be sure. But if you say so, then I don't have anything to worry about."

Stu's ears drooped again in confusion, but it was Bonnie who spoke up. "What do you mean? What aren't you worried about?"

Vivian flicked her ear as she answered, "It's already too late for my son. At this point, there's nothing in this world that could make Nick leave Judy. Even death wouldn't keep them apart for long." With a glance over, Vivian added, "My son said he was dead serious about Judy—that's not a metaphor. Nick was being serious."

Justin and Chester glanced at each other, as did Janette and Alexia, then they turned back to look at Vivian in the driver's seat. Stu and Bonnie also glanced at each other in confusion, then Bonnie asked again, "What do you mean?" Bonnie could guess at Vivian's meaning, but she found it difficult to believe that Nick would follow Judy in death if she died.

Vivian glanced at Bonnie for a moment, then returned to looking at the road as she began slowing down as the Train Station turnoff appeared up ahead. "It's not well known outside the fox community, but we red foxes are special when it comes to our mates. We only get one shot at it. Divorce is unheard of among red foxes and remarrying after losing a mate is rare. Dying of a broken heart is a very real thing for us."

Glancing down at the wedding ring she had never taken off, Vivian added, "If not for my kits, I would have died myself a few months after John did. But my kits were still young and they needed me. I had to be strong for them no matter how much John's passing hurt." With her voice dropping to harsh whisper, she added, "Some days the misery got so bad I was ready to give up, but then one of my kits would come give me a hug and tell me how much they loved me—sometimes all three of them at the same time—and then I'd find the strength to keep going a few more days."

Stu reached out and grasped Bonnie's paw when he thought about how it would be to survive without Bonnie. Although he would be devastated and it would be hard afterwards, he couldn't imagine it being as hard as what Vivian was describing. Of course, he had his huge family to help support him—a huge family support system that Vivian had been lacking.

Squeezing Stu's paw in return, Bonnie had a similar thought to Stu. Squeezing Stu's paw again, Bonnie glanced at Vivian and asked, "And this—intense—love is normal for red foxes?" Bonnie almost said destructive but wasn't sure that was the right word. Nick and Judy seemed truly happy and it was obvious they both only wanted the best for the other.

Vivian nodded, saying, "Yes. We call it Imprinting. It's a holdover from our wild, savage days. Red foxes have always been largely monogamous, even before we evolved to a higher, more civilized thinking. And when other mammals' instincts were dulling through the evolution process, this instinctive bond we had to our mates became stronger. As other species turned on us—prey hated us for being predators, other predators either viewed us as food or hated us for being small bottom feeders who weren't worthy of their respect—the only ones we could truly rely on was our family, and so our bond to them became extremely strong."

With a soft laugh as she drove through the Station parking lot looking for a space to park, Vivian added, "You call our love intense, and I guess it was, but it didn't feel intense—it just felt natural. As natural as breathing. I was never happier than when I was with John. He encouraged and inspired me in everything I did. He was my rock and my safe oasis from the storms of life."

Glancing over as she pulled into a parking spot, she added, "Did you know I eloped to Zootopia with John because my dad didn't approve of him? My family was very wealthy and practically owned the town I grew up in. John came to Rävstad to learn the art of tailoring. He was very talented and learned quickly, but dad didn't think a lowly tailor was good enough for one of his daughters, so he barred me from seeing John. But I could see John's potential and I could see the goodness in his heart and character. Being with him, I knew John was the one for me."

Turning the jeep off, Vivian said one last thing. "I gave up the rich life with my family to live in a small, comfortable home with John and I never saw it as a loss. Living with John, helping him run his successful business while raising our kits was so fulfilling. I had everything I ever needed or wanted, and I could not ask for more." With a smile she added, "That is the life Nick and Judy will be leading. Their love is intense, but to them, it just feels as natural as breathing. As long as they have each other, they'll never want for more. And they'll inspire each other to be the very best they can be."

With one last smile at her soon to be in-laws, Vivian said, "You have about six minutes. If you hurry you should be able to make the train."

The sudden change in topic caught the rabbits off guard, but being reminded of their missing granddaughter and niece had the bunnies scrambling out of the jeep. Waving the bunnies off, Vivian stepped out of the jeep and watched them scramble for the train as the passengers started loading up after the previous mammals exited the train cars.

Vivian would have seen them off at the platform but was afraid she would be mistaken as chasing the rabbits. Standing watch from the top floor of the train station, Vivian saw the bunnies scramble through the doors just before they closed, then the train thundered towards the Rainforest Station before heading to the Savanna Central Station and then on towards Bunnyburrow.

With the bunnies gone, Vivian climbed back into the jeep and drove slowly back to Nick's house. Parking the jeep, she didn't immediately go inside as her memories of John swamped her. The glorious eight years of their marriage followed by the agony of his passing. The extreme happiness she felt with him and then the extreme misery she felt at his loss. How she survived to this day still surprised her. Who knew that the love of her kits could give her so much strength?

With tears trickling from her eyes, Vivian gripped the top of the steering wheel and let her head fall forward to rest on her paws. Nick wasn't the only one who never forgot. She had the same condition and had passed it on to her son. Thinking of her missing husband, Vivian whispered, "I miss you so much John. Life's been hard lately, but our son has finally grown up. Nicky has finally found a love as strong as ours, so we don't have to worry about him anymore. He'll be okay now." With a sniffle, Vivian added under her breath, "I'll be okay now."

-/-/-

Some 30 minutes earlier, as Nick and the girls saw the bunnies off, Nick stood on the porch holding Judy, with Janelle and Amy standing at either side of him. Taking a deep breath, he said, "Well, I guess that went well."

With a nod, Judy murmured, "Better than I expected." With a giggle, she looked up to meet Nick's emerald gaze and said, "And now we don't have to worry about my dad coming after you with a taser!"

With a swish of his tail, Nick grinned as he replied, "Stu might have put up his taser, but the shotgun is still on the table."

Judy giggled again as she rubbed her nose against his. "Are you planning to break my heart?"

Nick rolled his eyes, then licked her nose. "No, but he's your father, so the shotgun is still on the table—as it would be if I was your father."

With another giggle, Judy replied, "Well, you're not my father, nor is my father here anymore, so now I can do this." Pulling Nick's muzzle down, she gave him the kiss she held back while her father was watching. With a soft growl of happiness, Nick took his time exploring her mouth as his tail began wagging faster.

Standing beside the lovebirds, Janelle laughed as she said, "Will you two get a room!?"

Pulling back from the very thorough kiss, Nick licked Judy's taste off his lips, then grinned at Janelle, saying, "You know what? I think we will." Turning around, Nick opened the front door while adding, "Come on, Carrots, there's that very important discussion we started earlier which we absolutely must finish. I'm dying to find out the conclusion of it."

"Nick, that discussion is for tonight." Poking him in the chest as Nick walked through the door, Judy repeated, "Tonight. You know, after the sun goes down and everyone has retired for the night." Poking his hard pectoral muscle again, she continued, "It's not a discussion to have in the middle of the day." With a slight pause, she quickly added, "At least, not while we have guests." If it was just her and Nick, Judy would like nothing better than to finish that conversation right here and now.

With a playful pout, Nick grumbled, "You're no fun." But when he met her gaze again, there was a happy twinkle there. As much as he would like to finish that conversation right now, Nick knew Judy was right. Furthermore, their guests supported their relationship and would be here for the wedding and he couldn't be happier.

After Judy had told him how many siblings she had, and how protective some of her specist siblings might be if they heard a fox was touching their sister, Nick was honestly terrified of meeting her family. But of the siblings that Judy invited, he liked to think they were now considered friends. And if more of Judy's huge family were just as opened-minded (he knew it was too much to ask that all of them were), then he wouldn't have to be so nervous about visiting Judy's kithood home.

As Janelle followed Nick and Judy into the house, she grabbed Amy's arm and leaned in close to whisper in her ear, saying, "I take it Judy isn't going to be sharing her bed with us tonight?"

With a soft snicker, Amy replied, "Not a chance. I think it's safe to say we're staying in the Guest Room, not Judy's room seeing as she's already sharing Nick's room."

With a nod, Janelle entered the house and followed Nick and Judy into the living room. Dropping onto the couch next to Nick and Judy, Janelle was wondering if the reason Judy was so impatient to get Nick to the alter was because, as a fox, he was that good. From what she had seen so far, foxes were great kissers, and Janelle was suddenly wondering what it would feel like to kiss her own fox with his sharp teeth and long, flexible tongue. And once she found a good one, it would be stupid to wait to tie him to her. If you weren't quick, the good ones were always snatched up by someone else.

Janelle's thoughts were interrupted, though, as Amy sat on the couch on Nick's other side and asked, "Any ideas on what happened to little Cotton?"

The room immediately became subdued as the rabbits and fox were once more reminded of the missing bunny kit. Nick had no comment to make as he had never met Cotton, nor had he ever been to Bunnyburrow or the rabbits' home. As the girls quietly discussed different ideas of where Cotton might have gotten lost or was possibly stuck in (apparently there were a lot of old, unused tunnels back at the burrow), Nick leaned his head back against the couch and closed his eyes.

With his paws resting lightly at Judy's sides, he wondered what it would be like to have a kit of their own. What would a fox and bunny hybrid look like? Well, if the kit had Judy's genes, then the kit was bound to be cute. While thinking of a little one playing around his feet, Nick once more thought of Judy's box of plushies and figured the kit would have a heyday playing with all the stuffed toys.

While imagining his and Judy's kit playing in her box of plushies, Nick's mind once more considered the strong scent of young bunny the box had when he put it in the jeep and again when he took it out. A strong scent that should have been fading, not getting stronger. With his eyes popping open, Nick suddenly asked, "How big is Cotton?"

The girls all looked at Nick curiously, then Judy answered, "She's only five, so Cotton comes up just above my knees. Why?"

"No," Nick murmured in agitation. "No, no, no." Gripping Judy, Nick stood up, then dumped Judy on the couch before sprinting for the stairs. Sliding on the hardwood floor, Nick had to grab the kitchen doorway to stop his slide before vaulting up the stairs.

The girls all looked at each other, then Amy and Janelle hurried after Nick, which left Judy sitting alone on the couch. With a huff, she stood up and started hobbling towards the stairs while using the couch for support, and then the wall.

As Nick reached the top of the stairs, he grabbed the railing on the left and pulled himself that way to prevent himself from hurtling into the bathroom. Scrambling for Judy's room, Nick started picking up boxes and dropping them behind him as he searched for the box of plushies. Finding it at the bottom of the stack, Nick picked it up and carefully set it on the bed, then extended one of his claws and sliced through the packaging tape. Amy and Janelle came up behind him as he opened the lid to discover the head of a cream colored plushie that looked a little too real to be a toy.

Reaching into the box, Nick pulled out the limp bunny kit and saw a red fox plushy slip from between her limp fingers. Nick's ears folded back. He didn't need to ask who bought the fox plushy, and going by the thick, salty-sweet scent of Judy's tears, he knew she must have spent many nights crying into it the last three months. Taking a deep breath, Nick pushed the guilt and worry down to focus on the small kit in his large, ruddy paws. Her nose was faintly twitching at her shallow breathing, but she was hot and unresponsive to his handling.

"Cotton!" Janelle and Amy cried together, their voices dripping with fear at finding their small niece in the box. A box she must have been in for over four hours, maybe closer to five.

"She's still breathing," Nick murmured softly, "but she's hot. I'm guessing she's suffering from dehydration, low oxygen levels, and heat exhaustion. We need to move her to somewhere cool and get some liquid in her." Standing up, he added, "It's cooler downstairs, so let's move back to the couch. Janelle, can you bring some of the lemonade from outside. The sugar in it might help her wake up faster. Amy, can you get a bowl of cool water and a washrag. Wiping her down will lower her temperature quicker."

As the does hopped to do his bidding, Nick carried Cotton downstairs and met Judy halfway down the stairs. He didn't need to explain what happened. Instead, Judy asked, "How did you know?"

Shifting Cotton to one arm, Nick stooped down briefly and picked Judy up in his other arm. Carrying both bunnies down the stairs, he answered, "When I was loading up your plushy box in the jeep, it had the strong scent of young bunny. The scent hadn't faded at all but was a bit stronger when we got to the house and I unloaded it, but your siblings distracted me before I had a chance to pursue the anomaly."

Stepping off the stairs, Nick carried his two buns over to the couch as he further explained, "Then when we were sitting earlier, I imagined our own little kit playing about our feet and I figured he or she would enjoy playing with all your plushies."

"And that's when it hit you?" Judy finished for him, even as she was suddenly imagining a little kit of their own running around, as well. She truly hoped Nick was right, and by some miracle, they were able to have a kit or two of their own."

With a nod, Nick set Judy down on the couch, then carefully sat down himself while trying not to jostle the limp kit in his paw. About that time, Amy and Janelle returned. Amy sat on the couch next to Nick and held the bowl of cool water in her lap as Janelle handed Nick the cup of lemonade. As Nick took the cup, Janelle reached down and helped hold Cotton's small head up and parted her lips slightly so Nick could trickle the juice into her mouth.

At first, the juice just slid off her teeth and lips and Amy reached over with the washcloth to catch it, but on the third try, Cotton licked her lips, then started drinking the cool, sugary liquid. This was a huge relief to Nick and the girls as this meant Cotton would recover. After getting some liquid into her, Amy dipped the washcloth into the bowl of water and squeezed the excess out, then wiped down Cotton's face and then over her ears before wiping her arms. Her ears were the most important as it was through a rabbit's long ears that they rid themselves of most of their excess heat.

Alternating between dribbling lemonade into her mouth and wiping the cool washcloth over her body, Cotton soon began responding to them by licking her lips and then moving her face as if searching for more of the lemonade. Her nose was twitching more, too, and as Nick set the cup to the little bun's lips and tipped it just enough to let a small trickle pour into her mouth, Cotton suddenly lifted her small paws and clamped them onto Nick's paw to hold it in place as she continued to drink.

Smiling, Judy murmured, "It looks like Cotton is coming to." Reaching over, she ran her fingers over Cotton's small head and between her ears.

When Cotton had enough juice, she pushed up with her mouth and nose and Nick took the cup away and set it on the coffee table, then looked back down at the little bun in his arm. After taking a deep breath, Cotton rolled onto her side and snuggled into Nick's side. With his ears relaxing and splaying slightly to the side, Nick lightly ran the back of his fingers across her cheek and over her ears. "Are all little rabbits this sweet and cute?" he asked in a soft whisper.

The three does all glanced up to see a soft, sweet, smitten expression on Nick's face and they all silently cooed (they didn't want to break the moment). With a warm, sweet smile of her own, Judy answered, "Yes, they are."

Nick glanced briefly over at Judy, then back down at the small bun curled up and snuggling into his side. He couldn't believe how cute and adorable she was! If they could have a little kit just like Cotton, it would complete their family.

As Nick got lost as he gently petted Cotton's cheek and ears, Judy pulled her phone out and opened the camera app, then handed it to Janelle who was still standing and watching Cotton. But seeing the phone her sister was holding out to her, Janelle readily took it and didn't waste a second in snapping a candid picture of Nick and Cotton, then stepped around the coffee table and turned the phone sideways, so she could get a full shot of Nick and her sisters. After taking a couple, Amy stood up and took the phone so Janelle could get in the picture. Once they were done, she handed the phone back to Judy and sat on the edge of the coffee table so she could keep a better eye on her little niece.

Nick had heard the phone clicking as Janelle and Amy took pictures, but other than flicking his ear, he kept his attention on the little bun in his arm. She was too sweet. "You know," Nick whispered, "bunny kits never let me get this close before."

After setting the first picture Janelle took of Nick and Cotton as her wallpaper, Judy sat looking over the pictures of her sweet fox and her little niece when Nick spoke, but at his words she looked up and understood his meaning immediately. Being a fox, especially a much larger red fox, no rabbit doe would let her kits get close to the fox for fear he would try to hurt them. With her ears drooping, Judy reached over and rubbed her paw across Nick's free arm as he was holding Cotton in the crook of his other arm.

As Nick glanced over to meet her shimmering amethyst gaze, Judy said, "Nick, I hope you're right about us being able to have a miracle baby because I know you're going to be a wonderful father."

Nick's eyes widened and his ears perked forward, then a bashful expression crossed his face as his gaze dropped back down to the bun in his arms. "Do you really think so?" he asked softly. As Nick had never found a female before he wanted to start a family with, along with his questionable past, he never considered being a father until he met Judy. Even then, he wasn't sure how good of a father he would make. His own father had been taken from him when he was so young, how could he be sure he wouldn't screw it up somehow?

With a warm, confident smile, Judy reached up and slid a paw across Nick's cheek and turned his muzzle until he was looking at her. Caressing his cheek, Judy said, "Nick, there's no doubt in my mind that you would make an absolutely wonderful father. Look how gentle and caring you are with my niece. You have a father's heart, I just know it."

With a flick of his ear, Nick questioned, "But I've screwed so many things up in my life, how can you be sure?" He couldn't forget how he had neglected his mom and sister for the last two years, and completely ignored them the last three months, or how he had scared Judy and then walked out on her when she needed him most.

"Nick," Judy said warmly, "I know you." Placing her other paw over Nick's heart, she added, "And I know your heart." Pulling his muzzle down towards hers, Judy murmured, "Nick, never doubt yourself in this. I wouldn't want anyone else to be the father of my kits." Then Judy pressed her lips gently to Nick's. Then she kissed him a little harder. On the third kiss, Judy tilted her head and opened her muzzle.

Nick, sensing what she wanted, responded in kind as his muzzle parted to let her tongue in. Still subconsciously petting Cotton's head and ears, Nick let Judy explore his mouth for a moment, then pushed his own tongue into her small mouth and tasted her deeply. They got so lost in the moment, that neither paid attention to the click of Amy's phone as she snapped a few more pictures. But no matter how into the moment they were, they couldn't ignore the small voice that spoke up from Nick's side.

Opening her eyes, Cotton looked up to see that she was being held gently in the arms of a large red fox who was enjoying her Aunt Judy's kisses. "Mr. Nick," Cotton spoke softly, "are you my Uncle Nick now?" All her aunts and uncles who were married all kissed like this, so she figured Judy had married Nick, too.

Nick and Judy froze for a couple of heartbeats, then pulled apart. Licking his and Judy's saliva off his lips, Nick looked down into the light lavender eyes of a very curious bunny. A curious, little bunny who showed no fear towards him as a large, predatory fox, but wanted to know if he was now her uncle? This was the last thing Nick expected to hear from the sweet, little bunny doe upon her waking up and it threw him for a loop.

"Cotton!" Amy and Janelle both exclaimed as Nick and Judy were momentarily stunned by Cotton's sudden and unexpected question.

Judy shook the stupor from her thought as Cotton glanced over at her other two aunts curiously. Seeing Amy and Janelle sitting in here with her wasn't a surprise, but Cotton wondered where everyone else was?

Reaching forward, Judy picked Cotton up and sat her on her lap as she answered, "Well, you can call Nick uncle if you want. It will be true soon enough."

Blinking up at her Aunt Judy for a moment, Cotton then turned her head to look at the smiling fox sitting beside them. "You not my uncle yet?" she questioned. The way Nick had been kissing her aunt, Cotton was sure he was already her uncle.

With a slight shake of his head, Nick answered, "I'm engaged to your Aunt Judy and the wedding is in two days, so calling me uncle now is still right." Reaching over, Nick booped her softly on her lightly twitching nose.

"You getting mawwied!" Cotton exclaimed happily. Clapping her paws together, she asked, "Can I come!?"

With a warm laugh, Judy said, "Of course, you can come." Hugging her little niece and rubbing her cheek against hers, Judy added, "Amy and Janelle are going to be my bridesmaids, so how would you like to be my flower girl?"

"Really!?" Cotton cried while hugging Judy back. "I can be your flower girl!?"

With another laugh, Judy answered, "Yes, Cotton, I would love for you to be my flower girl."

Sitting back from the hug, Cotton then turned to Nick and asked, "Do you really want me to be your flower girl?" Whenever someone in the family got married and the flower girls were assigned, she was always left out so Cotton wanted to be sure she really could be the flower girl for Nick and Judy's wedding.

With a bright smile, Nick reached over and petted Cotton's head as he replied, "Well, we have two bridesmaids, and a best man, and I think your Aunt Judy is going to ask her friend Fru-fru to be her matron of honor," glancing up, he saw Judy nod, then turned his attention back to Cotton, saying, "and there are two guys wanting to give Judy away, and my mom is playing the music…" Tilting his head in thought, Nick met Cotton's anxious gaze and said, "It seems the only role we have left is the flower girl."

Poking Cotton softly in the stomach and making her giggle, Nick added, "And I bet you would make the prettiest little flower girl ever!"

Still giggling, Cotton asked excitedly, "You really think so?" When her Grandma Bonnie told her that Aunt Judy's special friend, Nick, was nice and wasn't someone she needed to be afraid of, Grandma had been right! Mr. Nick was super nice and didn't make her feel afraid at all. She was glad she could meet him.

"You know, Cotton," Amy said, "Nick's mom is taking us shopping tomorrow to get dresses for the wedding. You can come with us, and we'll find you the prettiest flower girl dress anyone's ever seen."

Cotton was super excited to have this chance, but then looked around and asked, "But don't you want to take someone else with you?" Being in such a large family with so many other kits, a lot of time Cotton got overlooked.

It only took Nick a moment to realize what Cotton was asking about. After Judy told him how big her family was, and with so many kits, Nick could easily guess that Cotton didn't get a lot of one-on-one time with the adults. Reaching forward to pick up Cotton once more, he said, "Well, you see, Cotton, you're no longer in Bunnyburrow and there aren't any other little bunnies around, so you don't have to fight for any of the attention. You'll be front and center the whole time."

Setting her back in his lap, Nick grinned down at the little bun and added, "Me and your Aunt Judy have some things to do in town tomorrow morning and afternoon, but you'll have a blast with my mom and your aunts, Janelle and Amy."

Beaming up at her other two aunts, Cotton then glanced around the large room and asked, "Where's everyone else?"

Judy looked at her sisters, then Nick, then she exclaimed, "Mom and Dad! We haven't called anyone and told them we found Cotton."

As Judy pulled out her phone to call her mom, Nick looked down at Cotton and answered her question, "Your Aunt Katelyn called and said you were missing, so everyone else went home to look for you."

"Oh," Cotton murmured as she realized she was probably in trouble. With her ears drooping she stared down at the couch cushion Nick was sitting on.

While Judy was still trying to get a hold of her mom, Janelle leaned over Cotton and said, "You had us all so worried! How did you end up in Judy's box anyways?"

Cotton's ears drooped a little more before landing against her back. "Grandma was going to leave Judy's little Nick plushy behind and I thought he was going to get so lonesome, so I wanted to put him in the box with the other plushies, but the box was too big and I fell in. Then I heard someone come in the room and I got scared."

Janelle glanced up at Nick, then at Amy as Amy said, "Why were you scared?"

With a heavy heart, Cotton explained, "I…I wasn't supposed to be in the box and I…I thought I was gonna get in trouble." Looking up with her large, lavender eyes, she grabbed Nick's arm with her tiny white paws and added, "Some of the older kits already got in trouble and I didn't want to be in hot water, too!"

If Nick hadn't been holding Cotton, he would have faced palmed himself. Talk about the logic of a small kit! Before he could say anything, though, Cotton continued, saying, "They taped the box up and carried me upstairs." With a slight smile, she looked up to say, "That was fun."

"Didn't you say anything later?" Janelle asked. "Why did you stay in the box?"

With a shrug, Cotton explained, "Well, I knew Grandma and Grandpa would be mad…and…and," Cotton looked up at Nick with those liquid pools of lavender that were large and pleading, saying, "I really, really wanted to meet Mr. Nick." Meeting the tall fox's deep, green gaze, Cotton gave him her big-eyed, ears down, cutest expression she could make, hoping he wouldn't be mad at her.

Nick was shot straight through the heart! Cotton's cuteness was even more lethal than Judy's! Bringing a paw up, he clutched his heart as he said, "Cotton, you're killing me!"

Cotton's ears perked up and her nose started twitching. Tilting her head in confusion, she said, "Huh?"

Another shot straight through the heart! Nick groaned. "Cotton, you're going to leave a string of broken hearts behind you once you hit the teenage years."

With her ears starting to droop, Cotton asked, "What do you mean, Mr. Nick. I mean, Uncle Nick?" Cotton was excited to have the fox as an Uncle, but he wasn't making a lot of sense right now. Had he hit his head or something? She always had a hard time thinking straight after bonking her head when she wasn't paying attention while playing.

Janelle and Amy looked at each other and laughed, then Amy reached down to pick Cotton up from behind. Rubbing her cheek against her niece's as she hugged her from behind, Amy said, "Don't worry about Uncle Nick. He's just being a big goof."

"Amy's right," Janelle said, "Uncle Nick is just a big goof, but he's right, you know." Reaching forward to boop Cotton's lightly twitching nose, Janelle added, "You are the cutest little bunny and the boys are going to be chasing you like crazy once you become a teen."

Cotton's ears perked back up, even as Nick pointed to the little bunny and then over at his honeybun, saying, "Your cuteness is even more lethal than your Aunt Judy's and I didn't think anyone could top her cuteness." Nick swiped his paws through the air.

Laughing next to him, Judy leaned into Nick's side and slipped her arm through his as she looked up at her fiancé. "Normally I'd be mad if you said another doe was cuter than me, but seeing as it's Cotton you're comparing me to, I guess I can forgive you this one time." Looking down, she reached over with her other paw and tickled the bottom of her niece's foot, bringing a giggle from her. "You simply are the cutest thing ever!"

Nodding, Nick glanced at Judy as he exclaimed, "Right! Her cuteness level is lethal!" Waving his paw through the air again, Nick then pointed to Cotton and said, "But if you separate you two into the different types of cuteness, then you're both number one in your own category."

"And what categories would those be?" Judy asked as she leaned in closer to Nick. One of her ears was perked straight up while the other one canted slightly to the side as she tilted her head in curiosity.

"Cotton here is just plain too cute and adorable, while you, Carrots, are totally hot, cute, and sexy." Nick leaned down and booped his large, black nose against Judy's small, pink one. Judy grinned up at him, and after returning her grin, Nick looked back over at Cotton. "You know your daddy's going to have to beat the boys off of you with a baseball bat once you get older."

The ears of all four girls drooped at Nick's words and he glanced around in confusion for a moment, even as his heart dropped down to his feet. "What?" he whispered anxiously.

"I don't have a daddy," Cotton mumbled sadly.

Turning her little niece around, Amy hugged her tighter, even as Judy explained, "Cotton is from the first and only litter our sister Hannah had. She got really sick towards the end of her pregnancy and the only medication they could give her would kill the babies, so she wanted to hold off long enough for the kits to develop enough to be born early, but she died during the operation. The doctors were only able to save Cotton and her sister Sasha. Cotton was the runt of the litter and so is small for her age. Sasha is the normal size for a five-year-old, but she's really quiet and a bit slower than the other kits her age."

With a shrug, Judy added, "Hannah's husband was so distraught after losing her that he packed up and left. No one has seen him since." Motioning for Nick to lean down, Judy then whispered softly in his ear so Cotton couldn't hear, "We think he blamed Cotton and Sasha for their mother's death, so we're glad he didn't stick around. The little buns didn't need to grow up being blamed and neglected for something they had no control over."

Nick's ears were flat against his head as he listened to Judy's story. Having lost both his dad and brother, he understood what loss felt like and was glad the two little bunnies were spared being cursed and yelled at for their mother's death. As Judy sat back on the couch after whispering the rest of her tale, Nick then asked, "So who adopted them?" If they had been adopted, wouldn't Cotton have a father by now?

Judy shook her head, even as Amy pulled Cotton back from her shoulder and asked, "Cotton, since you've been in the box all day, I'm sure you're hungry."

Cotton immediately perked up and shook her head up and down. "I'm starvin' Aunt Amy!"

Hopping up, Janelle said, "Well, Nick barbequed a whole lot of tasty food that's up on the deck. How about we go up there and eat?"

With a clap of her paws, Cotton's smile couldn't get any bigger. "Okay!" Squirming out of her aunt's paws, Cotton turned and ran around the couch. Seeing the stairs, she bounced up them, then froze at the top of the landing as she had no idea where she was going. Aunt Amy had said the deck was upstairs, but how did she get there?

Laughing softly at her niece's exuberance, Amy followed after her, saying, "Cotton, wait up!"

"You can use the balcony door in Judy's room if you want," Nick said. They hadn't been using them since the rest of the family had arrived, so Nick wanted to be sure Amy knew she could.

"Okay, thanks," Amy said as she hurried after Cotton. Taking her paw at the top of the stairs, Amy led her into Judy's room and after weaving between the boxes Nick had dropped all over the floor, they made it to the balcony door.

Janelle took her time getting off the couch, and as she passed Nick and Judy, she pointed out, "You mean the 'Guest Room'."

Nick's ears started to flick back, even as Judy's ears dropped to her back. Forcing his ears to stay upright, Nick met Janelle's knowing gaze and answered smoothly, "That's right, the Guest Room."

With a laugh, Janelle reached over and messed with Judy's flaming red ears as she walked around the couch, then she hopped up the stairs after her older sister and little niece.

As Nick was left alone with his honeybun, Nick's ears splayed to the side as he looked at her. "Their father really split just like that?" he asked softly. He couldn't fathom a father running out on his own infant kits. He knew it happened, but as a red fox todd, Nick couldn't comprehend it.

Judy's shoulders slumped as she answered, "Hannah's husband wasn't from Bunnyburrow, nor did any of us meet him before Hannah became pregnant and got sick. Theirs was a whirlwind romance that wasn't much longer than ours." With a shrug, Judy explained, "Hannah was the cheerleading captain and the prom queen in high school, with boys flocking to her all the time, so it was just a matter of time before she was snatched up. We're not sure how she met Ronny—that's Cotton father—or what he said to sweet talk her, but they met over in Podunk while Hannah was visiting a few of our sisters and cousins who were attending college there."

With his ears drooping further, Nick asked, "He really didn't come down and meet any of your family before getting married?" With as tight as Judy's family was, and with Cotton's father being a bunny, Nick didn't understand why the buck didn't meet Hannah's family first.

Judy shook her head. "Honestly, I'm not sure their marriage was even legal. From what we could gather about their whirlwind relationship, Hannah and Ronny got married in one of those 24-hour 'chapel of love' places. Ronny's parents didn't even attend!"

Nick's ears disappeared behind his head. "Well, if that's not questionable, then I don't know what is?" It seemed to Nick that Ronny was only using Hannah and was merely lusting after her—he never actually loved her. He probably saw the kits as excess baggage and Nick was glad they didn't get stuck with him. Their childhood would have been truly horrible to be stuck with such an uncaring parent.

Judy nodded. "Right! Everything about him was dodgy!" Tugging on her ears, she added, "We didn't even know they were dating! Hannah had called to say she'd met someone who caught her eye, but we didn't hear anything more until Hannah called us up to gush about her new husband!"

Reaching over, Nick wrapped his arm around Judy and pulled her to his side. As she snuggled her cheek against his chest, he murmured, "I'm glad Cotton and Sasha escaped his clutches. I don't even want to think about how their life would be otherwise."

Judy nodded against his warm chest as she drew lazy figure 8's against his shirt. With a heavy sigh, she decided to change the subject a bit as she didn't want to think about Cotton's father. Opening her mouth, she said, "Anyways, my parents have guardianship of Cotton and Sasha, but no one has formally adopted them."

"Why not?" Nick asked curiously as he ran his claws lightly up and down Judy's arm. He was a little confused about why they didn't bother with the adoption. With so many kits, what was wrong with adding two more?

With a heavy sigh, Judy explained, "My parents aren't as young as they once were. Furthermore, they were hoping one of us younger kits would adopt them." Feeling Nick's claws sliding through her fur, Judy found them a nice distraction as they left warm, fuzzy tracks across her skin.

Seeing his honeybun's downcast face, Nick took a guess on who her parents wanted to adopt the two orphaned kits. "I take it they wanted you to adopt them?" he asked softly.

With a nod, Judy replied, "Yeah, they were hoping I'd give up my police career and settle down and raise them. And I did spend a lot of time taking care of them the first couple years of their lives, in between my studies, part-time job, and school. That was tough and hectic." With a shake of her head, Judy continued, "But I wasn't going to give up the career I had been working so long and hard for." Taking a deep breath while running her fingers over Nick's shirt, she added, "With that being said, I knew I couldn't cut it as a single working mom. Maybe, if I had been married and had a place of my own to raise them, I would have given the idea more thought, but at that time in my life, I knew it wouldn't work out."

Rubbing her forehead with her free paw (she didn't want to disturb Nick's claws in her fur), Judy added, "When they realized I wasn't going to adopt them, they switched their target to Amy, but she's in the same boat as me—single and working." Dropping her paw and meeting Nick's understanding gaze, she said, "Those girls need a mommy and a daddy, not just one overworked mommy."

Nick gave a nod and sat quietly for a moment, then glanced at his honeybun and asked, "And now?"

Judy's eyes widened in surprise. "What do you mean?" Was Nick suggesting what she thought he was? Was he serious?

Bringing his leg up as he turned on the couch to face Judy directly, Nick reached over and lightly ran his fingers over Judy's face, then cupped her cheek. "Judy, you already have your career, you've caught a husband, and he's quite the catch if I do say so myself." With a warm smile, he then said, "You also have a place of your own that's perfect for raising kits in—with a huge yard, to boot! We could even put up a jungle gym for the kits to play on."

Judy simply sat and stared at Nick as he squeezed her heart even tighter with love. He had only known Cotton for a very short time, and hadn't even met Sasha yet, and yet Nick was willing to open his home and his heart to the little buns without a second thought. Was there any other guy with such a huge heart? "You would actually adopt Cotton and Sasha…just like that?"

Nick rubbed Judy's cheek again. "Well, I know it's not as easy as 'just like that' but I know what it feels like to grow up without a father. And for the 2 years between my brother's death and Honey picking me up, I was living without my mom, too. I was a kit living alone on the street, so if I can save two sweet little buns the same fate, especially when they already have a strong connection to you, then I'm all for it."

With a bright smile, Nick then said, "And did you see Cotton when she woke up! She didn't even flinch when she woke up in my arms and saw us kissing! All she wanted to know was if I was her uncle now! Rabbit kits have always been afraid of me so how can I turn away the one little bun who wants to be my niece!?" Suddenly gripping his heart, Nick added, "And did you see that look she gave me when she thought I might be mad at her!? I swear, Cotton shot a lethal arrow straight through my jaded heart!"

Judy giggled at Nick's kit-like excitement at Cotton's immediate acceptance of him. It really went to show that Nick hadn't been exaggerating before when he claimed rabbit kits never let him get close to them before. It was a shame, too. Rabbit kits liked to have fun, as did every other kit, and Judy couldn't think of anyone more fun than Nick. "Well, Cotton is a very special bunny, there's no doubt about it. And I know you'll fall in love with her sister, Sasha, too. They're the complete opposite in everything. Cotton is a cream-colored bunny who's outgoing whereas Sasha is a charcoal gray bunny who prefers peace and quiet."

Nick thought about the two little buns for a moment as he caressed Judy's cheeks again, then reached up to scratch lightly between her ears. "I know we already talked briefly about adoption as something to consider in the future, but if there are two obvious candidates already, we don't have to wait to consider it. I know it's not a decision to take lightly, but if you give it some thought and decide adoption is something you want and that now is the right time, then I'll support you."

A tear slipped down Judy's cheek which Nick brushed away with his thumb. Leaning forward, Judy pressed her lips gently to his, then leaned against his chest and buried her face in the scruff of his neck. "Nick," she murmured, "you're too good for me."

With a light chuckle, Nick wrapped one paw around her back and pulled her closer while running his other paw down her ears. "It's funny that you should mention that because I've been saying the same thing about you."

With a giggle, Judy reached up and scratched Nick around his ear. Rubbing her nose into his fur, Judy considered what it would mean to adopt her two nieces. After a couple of minutes, she asked, "If we adopt Cotton and Sasha, what happens when you enter the academy? Or when we have to pull an all-nighter or get called in on an emergency?"

Tilting his head, Nick glanced down at his honeybun and asked, "Fluff, how many sisters do you have? And how many are single? I can name two up on the porch right now." Still petting her ears, Nick continued, saying, "Now I know Amy has a job, but what about Janelle? She seems pretty impressed with the house and was excited to stick around. Does she have a job or a boyfriend or anything tying her down to Bunnyburrow?"

Judy shook her head, then asked, "Are you thinking of asking her to be our nanny?"

With a shrug, Nick asked, "Why not? We can hire her with a weekly salary and she can either live in the spare room upstairs or out in the loft apartment. And if Janelle doesn't want to do it, I'm sure we could talk one of your other sisters into coming down. And I'd feel a whole lot better if you weren't here alone when I ship out in November."

With a nod, Judy said, "I'll think about adopting Cotton and Sasha, but first we need to get through the wedding and get back from our honeymoon. We also have that press conference to do and we'll need to see what kind of waves that causes." With a heavy sigh as she considered the future, Judy finally said, "Let me get back to work and figure out what our routine will be, and then I'll sit down and give it some serious thought."

With a nod, Nick dipped his muzzle down and nuzzled his honeybun between the ears, then he started nibbling on her ear. With a giggle, Judy swatted him on the chest as she exclaimed, "Ni-ick! What are you doing?"

Working his way up her ear, Nick replied in a hot whisper, "Even if we adopt, I'm not giving up on our miracle baby." Releasing Judy's ear as she gasped at his sensual teeth on her sensitive ear, Nick began peppering a trail of licks and nips down her cheek and then along her jawline, as he murmured, "Just think about it, a little me and a little you running around our feet and playing with their two older sisters."

With a groan, Judy closed her eyes as she imaged the tempting picture Nick was describing, even as she tilted her chin up and gave Nick access to her throat. With a growl at Judy's complete faith in him, Nick pushed her back on the couch as he nibbled down one side of her neck and up the other while sliding his claws up and down her sinfully silky ears, even as Judy ran those divine paws of hers through the fur around his ears and at the side of his neck. Nipping back along her jawline, Nick pointed out, "You might not want to take too much time deciding whether you want to adopt the girls."

With a hum, Judy asked, "Why's that?" Nick's gentle affection was short-circuiting her brain and she was finding it hard to follow his line of thinking.

Nipping her chin, he murmured, "Because if Amy was also a mommy candidate, once she bags Finnick and drags him to the altar, she won't be single anymore so she might want to adopt the girls herself."

Judy's eyes flew open as this wasn't something she had considered before. "You're right, Amy was pretty hung up on the girls herself. And if she's married, she won't have a reason not to adopt anymore." Lowering her chin so she could meet Nick's emerald gaze she asked, "How long do you think it'll take Finnick to fall for Amy?"

With a shrug, Nick sat up and thought for a moment. "Well, if yesterday afternoon was anything to go by, I'd say he's already falling, he just doesn't know it yet." Flicking his ear, Nick added, "I'd say—give it a month, maybe two." As a teasing glint entered his eyes, he said, "We'll see how the Big Guy is acting after their fishing trip today."

Giggling, Judy could just picture Finn trying to drag his feet after Amy got her soft little paws into him—the operative word being 'try'. With a wide smile, Judy then said, "I guess I can talk to Amy about it later. Being police officers is a pretty risky job, so the girls might have a more stable home life if Amy and Finnick adopted them." With a slight shake of her head, Judy whispered, "If we got injured, the girls might be afraid of losing their parents again and I wouldn't want to put them through that."

Nick nodded. He had felt that same fear himself when his father was stabbed and lay bleeding on the sidewalk, and then when his brother was hit by a car, and again when his mom lay dying in the hospital while doped up on experimental drugs. That kind of fear isn't something he ever wanted to put the little bunnies through when they had already lost two parents, even if they couldn't remember losing them.

Reaching forward, Nick caressed Judy's cheek again, then ran his thumb across her lips. "Like you said, it's something we can discuss with them later, whenever Amy and Finnick actually hook up." Judy nodded in agreement and Nick dipped his head back down to steal another kiss. Their lips were just an inch apart when the front door opened and Vivian walked in.

WingedKatt again. What did you think of Cotton's interactions or the question Nick poses to Judy? Next time, Nick and Judy will explain Cotton's situation to Vivian and then Vivian will point out a fact to the two lovebirds that will lead to some pain and blood. And no, Nick doesn't cart Judy up to his room.

Ch. 87: No Time to Waste, will post in 2 weeks. Take care. If you have any thoughts or questions, let me know.