I'll Be Thinking Of You

"Don't worry if people think you're crazy. You are crazy.
You have that kind of intoxicating insanity that lets other people dream outside of the lines

and become who they're destined to be."

— Jennifer Elisabeth (Born Ready: Unleash Your Inner Dream Girl)

Stu sighed contentedly as he quietly padded his way through the burrow. He had been trying to de-stress as per his usual routine after a hard day of working in the field. Making it a point to be the first one out in the morning and the last one in, he was deservedly exhausted. And with it being so late in the afternoon, his body didn't need any further exercise, but his mind kept running on.

'Nother tractor broke. Still can't get the other bus running. And the auger died. He hummed to himself, wringing his sore paws and trying desperately not to be too worried despite his common stance on everyday life.

He had to send off the tractor for repairs and they were getting more expensive and more shoddy as time went by. Though he wasn't an expert at the craft himself - he did have a car he had been working on for years - he was sure that a coat hanger wasn't supposed to hold an exhaust pipe together.

The bus? It hadn't been running for a few weeks now, and it was getting troublesome to have to split some of the kids into several buses for school. It made the drivers a bit late, and it put more strain on everyone than needed.

However... the auger... well, that just flat out didn't work. He'd have to take a better look at it; family traditional tool and all.

Still, he shrugged it off and kept moving. He had enough of a hard time for the day and needed to wind down. I wonder if that boxing match'll be on after dinner.

Nodding and remembering the date, he smiled. After dinner plans always pepped him up as they gave him something to look forward to after a delicious meal with his family and adoring wife. He was about to question her dinner choice, but the aroma of sweet, hot apple-cinnamon and the earthy scent of carrots told him long before he made it to the door.

Breathing deep, he felt more at ease. She always knew how to make things better, even by the simplest of actions. And if there was one thing that Stuart Frederick Hopps knew, it was to pay attention to his wife.

Wonder what she'd want to do for our anniversary?

Mulling over this, his ears picked up the thundering sounds of footfalls behind him. He had done this routine so long that he didn't need to think before he stepped to the side, a few giggling bunnies ran past him.

Shaking his head at his grandkits, nieces, and nephews, Stu couldn't help but think of his own children. Just as much as Bonnie was in his forethought, his own children were right there every moment, whether waking or sleeping, youngest or eldest.

Each one of them was unique in their own way - even far beyond his nicknames for them - and he couldn't have been prouder. All helped with some chore or farming, and they were doing well in school. Most of them, anyway.

And while he could count his blessings of having to not worry about many of them being too hyped up on sugar, a Hopps family prank, or have to threaten some neighbour buck about being too 'friendly' with one of his daughters - he and Bonnie were well aware of their kids' habits - there was still so much that his mind lingered on.

From the wellbeing of the farm and how they still needed more help in each season, to the fact that his warren was growing and the expanse required more money and resources.

Yet, even beyond that, he was constantly trying to shake off the unease and worry that came from one litter of his children. They called themselves the 'J-neration', and they were all a bit too quirky. Some rabble-rousers, some quiet and odd, but still loved nonetheless.

Can't believe Jamie's at it again. And Jemeny? Well, he's just... Jemeny.

He flicked his ear, focusing on his most troubling and prominent daughter: Judy.

Stu stopped just in the foyer to the dining hall, finding that he reflected on her more so than most.

He didn't worry about her because she did anything wrong most of the time. Well, aside from all those fires. Shuddering, he knew his worry came from her doing everything right everytime.

From her aiding the farm and taking care of the little ones, to her grades in school and temperament, she was 'daddy's perfect little doe'. Even with that, the one thing that scared him was the thing she wanted to do the most in her life: live out her dream.

He sighed, rubbing his temple and jostling his hat, Why'd she have to go and dream up something crazy like that...

He wanted her to live a simple life like him. Farming, raising a huge family, the whole nine. But, when he knew that wasn't going to happen, he - and of course Bonnie because she told him so from the beginning that she'd live up to her name and be strong-willed - allowed her to join the sheriff's office. Thinking that maybe she'd grow out of it eventually, or hopefully, it was just a phase. It soon grew into her stance and willfulness to go to the city.

As a father, that terrified him more than anything else.

His children working with dangerous equipment? Scary, but necessary. Them running around with large predators? Nerve wrecking, though there were exceptions. Judy going off on her own to the big city surrounded by droves of crazed predators with knives for teeth and meat cleavers for paws? Absolutely, undeniably, utterly terrifying.

Though she would reassure him that everything was fine and she was taking gymnastics, track, and other physical activities to show she was ready - not to mention passing as a Junior Deputy in Training - it never really shifted his stance in the matter.

Stu wasn't convinced that anything good would come out of her going to the city, it's not where any bunny belonged. And with only about two years before she graduated, that window of convincing her that she should drop it altogether was narrowing day by day.

He felt like a migraine was coming on from how many times he subtly tried to get her to change her mind. He was running out of options, but every time he'd get to that breaking point, he'd remind himself of one thing.

There was one constant, one hope, one solution that had the potential to turn the proverbial tide: Jack.

The elder buck's worry began to ebb just from thinking of the two together. They had been friends since shortly after they were born, shared most of the waking day together, and, most of all, Bonnie had once hummed that wonderful tune that heralded the two to one day be married. And though he did have a tendency to break every vehicle that he rode - it often left Stu and Bonnie wondering if that's why the tractors were never the same - he was the best candidate for any suitor possible.

If any bunny in the whole world could talk her out of it and into some sense, it would be Jack.

Idly plucking at the loose fibers in his overalls as he attempted to figure out the best approach, the door to the dining hall pushed open; a single bunny made his way out with a sigh. And for a brief moment, Stu's every thought collapsed as the opportunity quite literally walked right into him.

Speak of the devil. "Jack!" Stu greeted, waving exuberantly. The teenage buck's drooping ears perked up instantly.

"Oh," Shutting the door behind him and doing a quick scan of the hall, he greeted as well. "Hello, Mr. Hopps."

Stu chuckled, "Son, I told you, 'call me dad anytime'."

And he meant it. Since the day he had been grafted, Stu had welcomed Jack to call him as his own father. Rarely, though, if ever, had Jack stated that. It didn't bother the elder buck, though, but if he was going to make things work between Jack and Judy, that familiarity should be established.

Nodding, Jack scratched at the nape of his neck and cast a worried glance towards the dining hall door behind him.

Picking up on some of his tells over the years, Stu knew that this was unusual. Though he was one short of words, him looking this sheepish only meant one of two things. Either he was in trouble - rarely, but it did happen - or something was troubling him.

He took a chance.

"Is something wrong?" Stu inquired, causing the teen buck to flinch. When he saw the timid look in his eyes, it wasn't one of trouble for himself, but it didn't bode well. And with so many things that could go wrong, he thought of the most common; coming from the dining hall itself. "Did Barbara cook that carrot loaf again?"

Stu himself had flinched at even the idea of Bonnie's sister making such a terrible concoction. And with the two that had to be sent to the infirmary afterward, the elder buck prayed that it wasn't the case.

"No, sir," Jack waved his arms in desperate protest. He too remembered the fiasco and was glad that he preferred parsnips. "It's just that-"

He stopped as the door slowly propped open, a pair of grey ears greeted him as Bonnie quietly stepped out into the hall.

"Alright, what is it you wanted to tell-"

The doe stopped for a moment, giggling as she saw her husband smiling at her.

"Stu! Finally finished with the weeding the last patch, I see." Walking over to him, she wrapped her arms around him, embracing him as she always did. Nuzzling his cheek, he hugged her tighter.

Stu loved every moment he spent with her, he was glad he married the right one and always tried to make her happy. Which brought him back to the dilemma at paw of Jack's sudden demeanor. "Did your sister make somethin' terrible again?"

Bonnie had to stifle her laugh. "You know I don't let Babs do that anymore." True to her word, she had refused to let her sister make any of those awful menu items after the last one put one bunny in a coma.

Her paw firmly grasped Stu's. "Jack here had something he wanted to talk to us about. I told him to come out here until I found you."

Now curious, the elder buck tapped his foot impatiently. If there was something that he could help with or give advice on, he'd surely do his best.

"Well, son, what'd you need?"

Now on spot and figuring out how he should break the news, he took a deep breath. They weren't going to like this, but there was no better bunny to tell them.

"It's... about Judy."

Stu's eyes lit up. He glanced over to Bonnie who wore an equally stunned expression. "Yeah?"

Meekly nodding and clasping his paws together behind his back, Jack prepared himself for the outburst. "I would like to inform you that-"

Stu raised his paws, silencing him in an instant "Say no more. I know where this is going."

"You do?" Jack asked, relieved a bit that they must've heard in some fashion.

"I can tell by that look on your face what this is all about." He walked over to the younger buck, wrapping his arm around his shoulder and waving his free paw at his mate. "Why it's the same look Bon and I had at your age."

Jack didn't follow. What does Mrs. Bonnie have to do with a fox? Maybe he doesn't understand? "I-"

"Jack you're sixteen now," Stu continued. "That means that you're an adult and you can date any bunny you'd like,"

The young buck already knew that and about their culture at large. What he didn't know, however, was why Stu and Bonnie were going on and on about courtship when there was a far more pressing issue at paw.

"And, if you decide to take Judy out on a date or a few, you certainly have our blessing," Stu pat his paw on Jack's back. "Besides, I was a graftee when I married the love of my life." He added a mischevious smirk and a wink at his mate, she shook her head. He leaned over to whisper, "Though I had to stop Bon from an-uh...informal wedding."

"Stuart!" She said in a hushed shout, but all he did was laugh back.

Informal? Did they not invite guests? And courtship... with Judy? None of this was in Jack's plans to inform them. And while Judy was his best friend, he couldn't really say he was attracted to her even if they were always together; it just wasn't something he had thought about, ever.

Dad did say that I proposed once. But I don't think that was with Judy. He shook his head. "Sir, it's nothing like that."

"Oh?"

Jack stepped away, wriggling out of Stu's grasp. If he was going to tell them, then he had to do so where both could see and feel the desperation apparent in his tone. "We have a new student-"

It was Bonnie's turn to nod. "Oh, I heard."

Again, Jack was surprised. "You did?"

"Judy's been talking about this new 'Nick' guy before he got here," she informed, motioning towards the door. "And she even told me all about him when she got back."

"She did?!"

"He's the new one in town that moved to the old house. Has family that's on their way in a few weeks. Has a few classes with her," As Bonnie listed this all off, Jack stood there, stunned that Judy would tell her everything about Nick and was so calm about it from all the years of stories and personal experiences about foxes. "Oh! And he absolutely loves blueberries. We'll have to send him a basket this week."

Mulling over any other useful facts that she picked up and finding none viable, Bonnie shrugged. There was nothing that she could find wrong with the new student that was out of the ordinary.

However, with her coming up with nothing, Jack's posture slouched.

He recalled how Judy failed - rather exempted to the best of her ability - to tell him that Nick was, in fact, a fox. And furthermore, as neither parent seemed to acknowledge this with her telling them 'everything', Jack came to one conclusion: Judy exempted a fact on purpose.

He'd resolve this issue. "Sir. Ma'am. I don't believe that she may have been entirely truthful in what she's said about Nick."

Taken aback, Bonnie hummed at the sudden, sharp answer.

"The thing is that he-"

Again, the accursed door opened, this time bumping Jack as he had been standing too close to it. Caught by his shoulder and immediately moving away, he sought to finish delivering the deadly information only to stop as Judy herself appeared.

"Hey Jack," she started, seeing her parents down the hall and giving them a curt wave. "Oh! Hey mom, dad."

Oddly, only Stu waved back. Bonnie tapped her foot impatiently.

Judy knew something was off. Not only from the way her parents looked at her, but also from how Jack seemed to be at a complete loss for words for the whole day.

With her paws on her hips, Judy questioned, "What's going on?"

Her mother mocked the pose. "Jack says that there's something you didn't tell us about your new friend, Nick."

The sudden tense in the air got Judy to side eye Jack in an obviously guilty manner. It didn't take a detective or investigator to see the easily readable lines of "I did something and didn't tell anyone" clear on the amethyst eyed doe's face at that moment. Bonnie was becoming more anxious and her foot tapping became louder, more noticeable.

Jack gave her a sorrowful glance. "I think we should tell them, Judy."

Stu opened his maw to speak, but Bonnie beat him to it. "Tell us what?"

Jack tried to tell them, "That Nick-mmfff," but instead found his maw quickly silenced by Judy's paw; her other arm wrapped around him tightly.

"Uhh... Found a spot right next to mine in the garden!" Judy smiled cheesily, waiting for either of her parents to answer while she kept her grip on Jack. She wouldn't let them know that he was a fox... for now. They'd flip! Literally!

It took a second or two between Jack's struggle and a sigh of relief from Bonnie for Judy to relax.

"That's... great news, bun bun." said the mother to her daughter, side-eyeing her shrugging husband. "You keep making the world a better place."

Fervently humming and grinning, Judy walked forward, ushering her friend towards the elevators.

"Now if you'll excuse us," she called back, finally releasing the buck and causing him to stare at her in disbelief. "We have... homework to go over."

The two disappeared around the corner, but not before Judy's ears caught words from her parents of "Things going to plan," and, "Maybe she'd stay," and also, "My soaps are on," followed by a, "Sure thing, hon."

Judy didn't know what they meant but shook off the odd feeling she got in favor of moving forward. And though Jack's protest had subsided to mere huffs of frustration, she knew he'd want to chew her ear off as they got to the ground floor.

She only let go of Jack when she pressed the button to call the elevator.

"What was that about?" the frustration in his tone was only drowned out by the sound of the elevator opening. She quickly grabbed his paw and dragged him in before hitting the button for a few floors up.

When the door shut, she glared at him. "I thought we agreed not to tell our parents about this when we were at school."

Though she sentimentally included him as one of their own as she always had, the idea was lost on the angered buck for now. "Not tell them? What, that he's a-"

Judy flinched, reactively waving her paws in an attempt to silence him. She knew full well that the elevators had cameras and working intercoms in case of emergencies, so keeping this as hushed as possible was key.

"Jack," She paused, waiting for the elevator to land and let them out before she shuffled out; her furious friend in tow. "he's not a bad guy. He-"

"Not bad?" His paw clutched, his mouth hung in disbelief. "Gideon got expelled for being 'not bad'," Jack began to gesture towards several decorative plants lining the hallway of the foyer leading outside. "He started several fights and ended up being expelled because he ripped up other student's flowers. How could you could you not remember that?"

As the doe stared into his narrowing yellow eyes, she recalled those events as though they were yesterday.

Gideon - a freshman last year as they were - had broken nearly all of the rules in record time. The constant sends to the counselors and principals offices, the bickering and lies... the sour smell of alcohol in his uniform. It was a nightmare to be around him.

His last strike was a bit of a saving grace as he had broken the most important rule of their school as a whole: do not destroy the dream flowers.

He had been caught in the garden, ripping up flowers just before lunch. When confronted he tried desperately to say that he didn't do anything when he clearly had flower petals in his paws.

It was then that the principal decided to expel him as there was one thing above all that you never do in Paragon's Grove: destroy someone's dreams.

Now taking short breaths, the buck shook his head and clasped a paw on his temple. "You and I both have scars from when Gideon attacked us years ago." He slowly lifted his eyes to meet hers. "And if you give Nick time, he'll do the same."

Instinctively, a paw shot to her cheek where the remnants of that confrontation lay hidden underneath her fur. While Jack had it far worse with macabre scars running in mismatched rivulets here and there, it still bothered her every now and again.

Though, she still remembered what James said. What she needed to remind him. "Gideon is a troubled mammal," Not once did the buck's stance become relaxed. "I remember your dad saying that about him. That he comes from a broken home."

In the silent moment that the bunnies simply stared at one another, Judy knew she wouldn't win Jack over easily. He had a long, vicious history with Gideon and one day wouldn't resolve it. She only wanted to ease things for everyone.

Resting her paw on the door handle, she thought of one final way to make things better. "Can you just not tell them yet? Please?"

As he searched her eyes for any hint of what she may have been trying to do, he finally slumped his shoulders. She was his best friend and he didn't want to see her get hurt. He knew Nick would be trouble and Bonnie and Stu should know, but Judy would - much like earlier - refuse to tell them everything.

He'd have to take matters into his own paws. No matter what, he'd protect her. It's what his father would do.

I'll show you that he's just like that. he thought, eyeing the time on his silver watch and nodding before stepping back into the burrow.

Left alone, Judy took a deep breath. Jack wouldn't say anything, for now. He was nothing if not honest and punctual.

I'll show you that he's not like that. she thought, pushing the door open and being welcomed by the silvery ambiance of moonlight and rolling green hills.

The fresh scent of honeysuckle and mint greeted her in the spring air as she made her way around to the side of their burrowing hill. Climbing it with ease and getting seated just atop the grassy attic, Judy gazed toward the north in awe.

This was one of her favourite times of day, just when the night peaked and she could see the little glow of the stars shining down on the place where her dreams would be fulfilled: Zootopia. From atop the hill, she'd stare at it and just sigh as it was far away but drawing near each and every day.

"Just a few more years..." She kicked her feet on the grass, listening to the chirp of crickets while fireflies danced all around her. It was the simple peace of mind that brought her out here time and time again.

And though Sharla was the only other mammal she knew that would be out moon watching like she did - Jack was more of the kind to rise and watch the sun when he was up - Judy found it no less beautiful to see the endless emerald fields; just like she did when she gazed into Nick's eyes.

What was that? she questioned, shivering in the cool of the air and thinking back to their first meet in homeroom.

His eyes twinkled and sparkled magnificently. It wasn't like anything she had experienced before, save for what she wrote in a letter long ago. The same letter that she kept with the plethora of others to her long gone friend; all carefully locked away in her room.

Smiling as she thought back to that, she set her bag down and rummaged through it for the journal she kept as she had something new to write about.

The little book - hardbacked and as purple as her own eyes - was clutched tightly as she reached for the carrot pen she cherished. When she didn't find it in its usual spot, she searched more and more until it finally hit her. She face-pawed.

"I forgot to get the pen back from Nick," she said with a lighthearted chuckle, setting the book down and resigning herself to look out to the north again where his new residence was.

She had thought about it on and off for much of the day, just... curious as to what he'd really be like. With him being alone and the reports from the station stating that he had family that would be living there in a few weeks, her smile only grew wider.

I wonder what his family's like.

The door shakily opened as Nick chattered his teeth and took baby steps into his new home. His fur was a few shades lighter due to the slew of scares he endured on the way back.

While he was thankful that the deputy was only doing 45 over the speed limit this time, the way he kept howling at the wheel and nearly swerving into other cars gave Nick lingering jitters; he had to forcibly lower one paw with the other as it refused to let go of the solid, stable door that he felt safe behind. The squad car door betrayed his trust several times, and his claw tips were now slightly dull.

Having entered the house with the wolf trailing behind him on a phone call, the fox released a ragged, heavy breath and placed his book bag down on the couch before collapsing atop it.

How anyone could cause so many panic attacks so quickly was beyond him.

The first deep breaths he took in were full of the scent of pine resin that he was starting to grow fond of. It wasn't like the stagnant air in parts of the city, rather, it was calming, pleasant even. He smirked a bit at as his thoughts trailed. It's like the house is its own air freshener.

He started drifting off when what he could only say was an explosion tore through the house. Shocked, he fell off the couch and turned his attention to where the sound came from only to see the smiling white wolf dash towards him.

Wondering what was going on and fearful that this was some kind of 'Get out of Bunnyburrow', Nick scrambled away but was quickly picked up by the deputy. His shimmering eyes stared down the terrified fox.

"Did you enjoy your day?!" he asked, almost barking while Nick tried to figure out what the sound was. He looked past the wolf and saw the door hanging on a single hinge. His jaw dropped. Eliot gasped, "See I told you! I can tell by the look on your face that you had a great time with Judy!"

The fox was dumbfounded. The front door was open (broken, really) and the deputy (who broke the door and held him aloft) was asking him about Judy (the one friend he had here).

"Yeah-" was his only way of responding.

When he felt a breeze ruffle his fur, he stopped staring at the door and saw a wall of white appear behind the wolf. His tail was wagging at about a mile a second, whacking itself against the coffee table with every swish. Nick felt as though if it were any faster, they'd achieve flight.

He tried to get down, but despite his wiggling, the starry-eyed canine didn't let go.

"Did you have a bunch of classes together?" Eliot effused.

Not wanting to delay, he listed off the classes mentally first. "Well, we have Chemistry-" was as far as his list had grown before the wolf completely stopped; gasping and eyes becoming suddenly so wide, Nick could see his terrified reflection in them.

"Uh... deputy are you oka-"

"I have to go tell Pumpkin!" The wolf howled, tossing his arms up - and unfortunately Nick - in a wild cheer before he made his way to the broken door. He didn't hear the fox come crashing down awkwardly and hilariously missing the couch by mere inches. Though thankfully Nick's fur and bones broke his fall.

Eliot was back out, shutting the door - and failing due to the hinges being broken - before Nick could even start to rest on his elbows. With a paw on the couch to steady himself and get back up, a jostle at the door alerted him again; he shuffled back, clutching his aching nose.

The wolf poked his head through the door. "Oh, by the way. If either of you anything inappropriate with one another, then I'll have to drag you both to a promise ceremony," he said, grinning.

Nick coughed. His lungs still trying to catch up from a winded state. "P-promise what?!"

The deputy gave him a cheesy snicker. "See you tomorrow! I'll fix your door in the morning!"

And like that, the door was slammed, again, before it loosely toppled over. Nick watched as it moved a little, just enough to set it in place all while the sound of howling continued. It wasn't until he got up and heard the cruiser tear down the road, that he finally felt like he was alone.

He sighed, I guess I'll be sleeping without a door tonight.

After taking a quick glance around and finally feeling his day catch up to him, Nick yawned. With it being so late - their school let out around three, much to his surprise - and Eliot had picked him up shortly after.

With it being nearly five now, he decided it best to start winding down as he had no actual homework - a perk to him.

After a quick shower and change into his night clothes, he headed downstairs to heat up some of those absolutely delicious leftovers he'd been binging on for the past day. Whoever this "From Bonnie" was, they knew exactly how to make a filling meal. He even managed to find a few dishes left by the Fanghanel's; Chloe he guessed as Eliot seemed to be in the market of terrifying him rather than making a delicious meal calmly... though there was one box that he noticed had the wolf's face on it and said 'open and share with a friend'.

I'll wait until Skye's here so she can open that one. he mused, taking a fork and biting into an amazing quiche.

No sooner had he taken two bites of his dinner, his cell phone rang. As he always carried it with him, he answered quickly, already guessing who it was.

"Hey mom," he greeted, guiltily speaking in between chews. "Sorry I didn't call earlier. I was... uh-" Clutching a passenger seat out of fear for my life? Almost choked to death by a crazed wolf? Thinking about my classma- "In the shower."

Not a lie, he mentally nodded to himself and wondered why the last one was more important. Still, he kept eating and talking.

"Yeah! Yeah, school was great! They have this amazing garden and everything!"

He smiled warmly at the memory, eager to return the next day.

"What's it like out here? I-its'-" Breathtaking? Smells like pine resin? We have no tv? Skye isn't here yet so the place is still standing? "I don't know, but it's nothing like the city out here."

And it wasn't. To him, at least. The city was crowded, loud and dangerous. Here? It was nothing but bliss.

"Love you too, mom. Huh? Yeah... let me speak to her."

He braced himself for the loud shriek of 'NICKY!' but after a few seconds of silence, he relaxed.

"NICKY!"

Dropping his fork and clutching his ears, he mentally scolded himself for letting his guard down. He reached over to pick up the fork as he was bombarded with more questions.

"No, Skye. Still no ghosts." he chuckled, "Wait... what about a glass jar? I told you there's no gho-"

A loud creak caught his attention, flickering his ear in the direction of the unknown sound.

"Hang on," he said but to no avail as Skye prattled on about something like 'Parabiking' or something.

He rounded the corner and the noise got louder, almost sounding like it came from the foyer, but the front door was still standing.

"Mr. El-" He stopped when he saw that the door just down the hall leading to the basement was slightly ajar.

Looking around for anything, he shrugged. I must've clipped it on my way down.

Quietly closing the door and returning to the conversation, the vixen's voice was muffled. She sounded as if she was drowning.

"Slow down, I can't understand what you're- Shrimp gumbo, huh?"

The muffling continued until he heard her chewing through what must've been a shovel's worth of food.

Their conversation lasted a few more minutes, going on about this or that before she had to leave. And with a click, Nick was alone again.

It took him some time of just laying around on the couch and trying to find something to do before he had gotten bored; there were only so many videos he could watch on a small screen, and he figured that, with summer around the corner, having a school-issued laptop wouldn't be a great idea.

In time, he had gotten a pen and some paper to write out a to-do list and draw some random characters. He also took out the class schedule, checking it over and over again on the coffee table.

And when he thought of the school, he sighed and sat up; his tail swishing to and fro in excitement. There was so much that he had taken in, so much that was new that he was itching to go back.

So now, unable to just lay around, he thought of something, anything he could do at that moment. Only then did he see slivers of silver light cascading through the blinds, beckoning him to the outside.

Eyes falling on the door, he shook his head. He had no clue as to how the deputy did that but shrugged it off in favor of enjoying the view. He got up and pried the destroyed barrier open, careful not to unhinge the last part and cause the thing to collapse altogether.

When out, he repeated the process, attempting to rest it so that it leaned against the frame and wouldn't just fall on him.

He turned to face the forest that surrounded his house, he stopped. The verdant woodlands were bathed in beams of moonlight and the air was so crisp, so earthy that it felt like a different planet altogether.

So captivated, he just paced a few steps to sit on the stairs of the porch; looking up to the heavens and admiring the glowing sphere that kept the night.

While he can't say that he had done that so often, was one of his favourite activities that he had picked up over the years when he had time: moon watching. He remembered those few times he'd be on the rooftop of their apartment, staring out into the endless arrays of stars. It was more beautiful when he looked to the south as he could see their reflection in the water as smooth as a mirror.

It was like a sea that extended forever. No. Much like an ocean that he could see everything in, just like Judy's amethyst eyes.

What was that? He wondered, thinking back to their interaction in homeroom.

It reminded him of a letter he had written to his penpal long ago, and was one of the few keepsakes he had kept with him on that long trip.

A cheesy grin tugged on his muzzle as he reminisced about the day; mostly about Judy.

During lunch, they just chatted and he asked her a thousand, thousand questions. And to his surprise, she answered them all.

What the school represented, some of the after-school activities, the symbolic meanings of other plants, old folk tales, and other such things.

She even told him that the willow tree represented dreams, and a popular rumor for the students was that if they slept under the tree, it showed them what would become of their dreams in the future.

He didn't really believe it himself, but he did think that it'd be a decent place to take a nap on a warm, sunny day.

Mostly, he thought of how nice she was compared to the other students. He twisted the little orange recorder in his paw as he hummed and tapped his paw against the step.

I wonder what her family's like?

When he looked down into his paw, wondering why it felt heavier, he paused, focusing intently on the familiar device bristling his fur.

His eyes shot open. "No..."

It was then, staring at the brilliance of the silver moon, that Nick realized his mistake. His paws roughly tugged at his ears in embarrassment.

"UGH! I forgot to give her back her pen!"

Dangerous dreams? Yeah... what about them?

[A/N]

Thanks again to Koraru-san for the use of her characters Eliot and Chloe and Jade Hopps for the use of her character Jada.

If you have any chapter suggestions or dreams to share, please feel free to PM, me or post in a review.

Okay, a bit of a headcanon with Stu that I haven't seen anywhere else. For this story, he took Bonnie's last name instead of the other way around. I have a good reason for this so I'll explain.

One of a few scenarios could happen here like they already had the same last name (like the Smiths or Johnson's of bunnies or something) and they married and didn't have to change anything. However, if Otto Hopps (the bunny that's over a hundred years old as seen on the paper that Judy's rolling up to sell carrots in) is Bonnie's father (Popop) then why would she have the last name of Hopps when they married? Either Stu was born with the last name of Hopps, or he took her name.

In this case, he was grafted into the family. As a scion, he eventually married Bonnie. I'll go into detail later. XD

The scene with poppy flowers in the previous chapter was first shown in the story 'Immemorial'. JKnight97 informed me what the flowers represent: sleep, peace, and death.

Also, the Willow tree (thank you for the reminder on AO3, AStoryTellerBook) is representative of dreams, imagination, and intuition. Something that nearly all the students have in common.

Lastly, to all those who asked/got the "Chemistry" joke, if you look at all of their classes (aside from gym, and this was a bit of an accident) then all of the others match as well: History as they do have history together, Communications when they were writing to each other, and Algebra2... math stuff. XD

[FF Review Responses]

AndrewJohnston7: You guessed it. XD

GhostWolf88: It will pick up on all sides later on as needed, but will retain its form and overall standpoint: pursuing your dreams no matter what.

Thou Craggy Knob: I'm glad you're enjoying it. :3

InTheLionsDenOnDA: Thanks! I feel as if I just have them putting two and two together instantly, it wouldn't feel authentic. And besides, how often can one remember the full details of an event like theirs in their youth when they were together for about... 30 minutes?

Metal Amadeus: Definitely! I love how music just flows in this! For this story, however, I do have a few set songs and plan on incorporating them as they all have 'dream' in the lyrics. This song is good, and I'll have to see if it fits in, though.

Jknight97: I'll definitely be posting the link on DA and AO3. FF won't let me, sadly. But still, you're right, the garden is nothing without those paragons to tend it. We'll see who lives up to the song they sing. ;)

WolfofAvalon: I know, right? And psychotic is a strong word... and suitable. XD

Cimar of Turalis WildeHopps: Their summer's just around the corner, so there will be plenty of time to form a bond! And how much shipping? Well... I will have to say that a shipping container will be part of this story, and very soon. XD

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If you liked this story and have time please post a review, and if you would like to keep up with the story please fav or follow. Questions, comments, concerns, feel free to message me about anything. If you'd like updates, please check the profile page and or message me.

Till Next Time
-DLW