A/N: This is currently undergoing a major rewrite but I felt it was only fair to provide a better backstory for all the characters rather than springing it upon you at a later chapter. I ask for your patience and hope you like what I've written so far. Feedback is appreciated.

Chapter 5

An ocelot nurse came out from the Delivery Room. "Mr. Wilde?" she asked. "The delivery is complete. Both mother and babies are out of harm's way and are now resting. Would you like to meet them, Mr. Wilde?"

Nick scratched his neck nervously as he stared at the floor and said, "Umm, I'm not the father of the babies."

The ocelot just smiled and said, "Well, no one really said that you have to be the father."

Nick shyly grinned and acknowledged that he did want to see them. "Thanks," he said as he entered the Delivery Room.

"Carrots? Judy?" he called out as he looked around the dimly lit room, letting his eyes adjust using his night vision.

"Over here, you dumb fox," came a tired reply. "Glad you could make it, Slick" she chuckled.

Nick turned and gasped. Before him was the most astonishing sight he had ever seen. Sitting up on the bed, with an afterglow, was a visibly tired but proud Judy surrounded by six tiny kits all bundled up. Despite her haggard appearance, she looked all the more beautiful proudly cradling her newborns in her arms. He approached her bed and took note that they all had her silver gray fur but had Jack's trademark striped ear markings. He was enraptured by their inherent beauty and innocence.

"Oh, Sweet Fox Jesus, they're so cu…" He immediately caught himself when Judy began to glare. "Never mind" he said.

"Judy, would it be okay if I held one of them?"

"Of course Nick. Yes, you can. Here." She stretched one of her arms out to him and slowly deposited a small bundle into his outstretched paws. "Just be careful with her."

He carefully cradled the sleeping kit in both his paws and gazed at the small miracle that Mother Nature had brought into the world. He slowly brought up the little bundle to his face and started to cuddle it. The baby's fur was so soft! And its musky sweet scent reminded him of daffodils and warm summer rain. Suddenly, he opened his eyes to find Judy staring at him. He was sure that if she wasn't physically and mentally drained from the delivery, she would have been giggling at him for making such as fuss over her little bundle of joy.

He cleared his throat and said, "Way to go Carrots! Nice job there. Glad to see that you got it done. So, did it hurt?" as he gave her his trademark snarky smirk.

Judy just rolled her eyes then suddenly punched him in the arm. "Oh shush, you! Keep that smug face outta here," as a small grin played around her mouth.

"Awww…you know you love me" smiled Nick.

"Oh, Nick, please. Just stop," as she began to laugh.

Her laughter was like water to his parched soul. The fact that he was the one able to make her laugh again almost brought a lump to his throat. Her laughter warmed him. That radiant smile - it had been gone these last few months when she realized her predicament - was back, even if only for a moment. He only now realized that it was her laughter that he had missed these last ten years. And he was determined to make sure it never went away again.

She arrived ten minutes early at the designated meeting place that Nick had specified. She was wearing the recording device Jack had given her and surreptitiously spoke into the hidden microphone in her lapel.

"Testing, testing, Hopps to base, can you hear me clearly?"

Jack's voice answered in her ear, "You're coming in loud and clear, Judy. Any sign of him yet?"

She scanned the surrounding area. "No. He should be here shortly though. Please make sure your men aren't anywhere near, Jack."

"Not to worry, Judy. We're in our branch office here in Canidae roughly three blocks from your meeting place and we're monitoring you through the street traffic cameras. Keep us informed of your progress."

"Roger that, Jack."

Jack Savage turned to his assistant, Fangmeyer, as they watched Judy from their vantage point across the street. "Are the hidden snipers in place?"

"Yes, Mr. Savage. Also, we have Backup Units 1 and 2 on standby in the adjacent buildings ready to capture Wilde as soon as he makes an appearance. They're in civilian clothing and are carefully keeping out of sight."

"Good. I don't want this fish getting away. We've set the bait. Let's reel him in…dead or alive…preferably dead for all I care."

"As you wish, sir. I'll relay your instructions to the teams."

As Judy stood waiting for Nick to arrive, she studied the area around her. Unlike Zootopia, the buildings in the downtown area of Canidae were mostly three-stories high and seemed to radiate an old charm reminiscent of the previous century. "Art Deco," she reminded herself. Canidae, unlike Zootopia, seemed content to maintain the historical character of an era gone by rather than rushing headlong into the 21st century. Judy admitted to herself that Zootopia was just like her, rushing headfirst into any situation without fear of consequences. But then, there was something to be said of Canidae's laidback and easygoing attitude where everyone just seemed so…friendly and accommodating. Just standing here on the street, no one seemed to be in a rush and everyone was so polite.

She suddenly noticed an older bunny in a flower hat and wrapped in a shawl slowly ambling towards her with a cane in hand. Her silver hair lining the brown fur gave her a rather worldly and wise countenance.

"Hello, dearie," the doe rasped. "Do you have the time?"

Judy checked her cPhone. "It's 3 minutes before 12, ma'am. Are you meeting someone nearby?" Judy was concerned about the old bunny. She looked very frail like and she was about to fall over at any moment.

"Yes, I am. You're not from here, are you? I've never seen you around before. Are you waiting for someone as well?"

"I just came in yesterday from Zootopia." She decided to stick to her cover story. "My business partner and I are here on business to see if we can expand into Canidae. I'm actually waiting for an old friend of mine," she smiled. "I haven't seen him in over ten years."

"Well, he must be special, then, if you waited ten years for him. I can't believe someone as pretty as you isn't married yet," said the older doe with a small smile.

"How do you know I'm not married?" asked Judy incredulously.

"Simple, my dear girl," laughed the doe. "You aren't wearing a ring on your finger."

"What's going on Hopps? Focus on the situation at hand and stop speaking to that old hag. Is Wilde nearby?" Jack's voice suddenly was in her ear. She immediately noticed movement on the rooftops and she recognized some of Jack's men in plainclothes hovering nearby.

"Jack, what's going on?" Judy hissed angrily into the lapel mike. "I gave my word to Nick that I'd be alone."

"I'm not taking any chances. My men are standing by to arrest him the moment he presents himself. I'm just across from you so I can witness his takedown."

Judy wondered frantically where Nick was as it was almost time. She tried to stop Jack from continuing with his plan. "I have a civilian present with me. Abort! Abort!"

She heard Jack chuckle, "No can do, Judy. I want Wilde…dead or alive. Your choice."

She then noticed that a sloth driving a semitrailer van across the street stop at the red light, which effectively blocked her view of the building across. Suddenly, another semitrailer driven by a very rotund cheetah came into the lane beside the first semi and was followed by a small black van with a painting of a wolf warrior carrying a scantily clad she-wolf in his arms. The van was being driven by what looked like a fox cub with bat-like ears.

"Oh, here's my ride," said the older bunny. "And yours as well, dearie."

The doe's words caught her by surprise. As she whirled to face her, she felt a slight electric shock course through her body paralyzing her as she fell into the older bunny's arms.

"What the hell is going on?" yelled Jack. "Fangmeyer, I can't see a thing with this semi blocking the view. Get that sloth out of here!"

"Sir, that's a sloth we're talking about. It'll take time to get him to move."

"I need eyes on the situation, people! Talk to me Fangmeyer! What do the snipers see?"

"Sir, we are unable to contact them. Snipers Alpha, Beta and Charlie have gone silent."

"What about the Backup Units?"

"Same, sir. Units 1 and 2 are not responding to my requests to answer."

"Bloody hell!" swore Jack. "Let's get out there. Wilde is probably in the area and may have already abducted Hopps!"

"Her tracker shows she's still in the same spot she was a few seconds ago, sir."

"I don't care. This smells like a set-up. Get every available agent out into that street. Find Wilde!"

As they rushed out of the building, the sloth driving the semi started to drive off after the light had changed green. They braved the oncoming traffic to cross the street only to find no sign of Judy. Fangmeyer bent down to pick up the wire, microphone, earpiece and tracking device that Judy had been carrying on her.

"She's gone, sir."

Jack grabbed the electronic gear in his frustration and smashed it with his hind paw.