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 7

Nick looked lovingly at the little kit as it lay sleeping in his paws. He couldn't believe how adorable the baby looked, how vulnerable it was as it lay confidently sleeping without a care in the world in his paws. Paws that, eons ago, would have easily shredded the little animal into ribbons of fur and bone without hesitation.

He glanced over to Judy and he noticed something off with her. She was no longer rejoicing the miracle of birth. The earlier look of pride in her eyes had been replaced by something else. She was staring down at her babies with a lost, desperate gaze.

He reached over to her, reassuringly grasped her shoulder lightly, saying, "Hey, Fluff? Are you okay? What's the matter?"

She was startled by his touch as if she had forgotten he was there. She looked up at Nick. Then, she looked down at her babies again. She closed her eyes, warmly grasped his paw, seemingly thankful that he was there.

"Yeah, Nick…I'm okay…just…drifted in and out of my thoughts again…thinking," she spoke hesitatingly. "I'm really scared, Nick…afraid of whatever lies ahead of me…I fear for me…for my little kits…I'm still a little kit myself, Nick…I'm so…"

Then, Judy broke down and all her anxiety, fears, and insecurities came pouring out in a flood of tears.

"I'm so sorry, Nick" she sobbed as she looked at him with her pain-filled amethyst eyes. "I…I ruined everything…didn't I? I'm just…so scared right now…I mean…I…I don't know if I can do this ah…alone" she stammered.

As she covered her mouth with her paw, in between the sobs that racked her body, she blurted out the pain that was consuming her, eating her alive as if a predator had decided to reside within her.

"They'll guh…grow up without a father…I…I don't know if I'm strong eh…enough, Nick. I'm real…really scared…what am I eh…ever guh…going to do?" she hiccupped.

Suddenly, as if it sensed her despair, the little kit in her arm started to cry. Judy rushed to calm the baby despite the gigantic stone weighing on her heart. "Oh…hu..honey bun…I…I'm sorry…mommy's sorry…for making you cry…mommy's here…please don't cry."

Nick watched her comfort the little kit, his own heart shattering as if someone had dipped it into liquid nitrogen and then carelessly dropped it onto the tile floor. He saw her once strong spirit crushed. His beautiful broken bunny. He wanted to jump up, wrap his arms around her in order to protect her from all the terrors the world had to offer. He wanted to bring back the sunshine that she knew, the optimism that she had freely dispensed when they were younger. But he also knew, that if he were to do that, she could misinterpret his actions. And, he was afraid of losing her again.

Then, he felt a tiny movement in his paw. He looked down and saw that the little kit he was holding had managed to wrap its tiny arms around his thumb. And his heart swelled.

He lovingly smiled. And he knew what he had to do.