Chapter 17
"Not again." Ryan muttered tiredly before sighing loudly as he watched a panic stricken Nick dash forward to the fallen auburn red furred fox that was Ben before he knelt down next to said fox. "Ben..Ben are you OK?" Nick asked worriedly as his pure grass green eyes darted over the unconscious form of his brother whilst the grey furred and purple eyed female rabbit that was Judy began to quickly make her way over. Nick placed his right black furred paw on his unconscious brothers Neck as he began to check for a pulse."Is he okay Nick..." Judy asked as she placed her right furred paw on Nicks left shoulder as said fox sighed in sadness and relief as he pulled his right paw away from Ben's neck. "Yeah. I think hes going to be just fine Judy." Nick said as he turned to face Judy with a fake smile plastered on his auburn furred face which Judy noticed immediately. "Nick whats wrong?" Judy asked in worry as Nick began to open his mouth to speak only for Judy to cut him off. "And don't lie to me Nick because I can read you like a book." Nick gazed at the stern yet worried expression of his partner before he let out a sad sigh as he sat down on the wooden floor next to the sprawled out and unconscious fox that was his brother. "Its...its me Judy...its all my fault..." Nick said as he covered his muzzle and face with his black furred paws before he began to growl in anger slightly whilst Judy sat down next to the growling fox that was Nick. "What do you mean Nick?" Judy questioned as she placed her white furred paw onto Nicks shoulder once again in reassurance as Nick continued to growl lightly. After a few more minutes of Nick growling lightly said fox began to calm down as he ceased his growling before uncovering his face only to look at Judy with one of the most defeated looks upon his face that Judy had ever seen.
"Come on carrots. I let my brother down...I didn't believe him or let him explain himself..." Nick said as he gazed sadly at Judy with his grass green eyes whilst Judy gazed back with a look of understanding and knowing on her grey and white furred face. "Its just...he said...that he...couldn't trust me...my own brother..." "Nick said as he looked towards the ground in shame before he felt his face being lifted up by a familiar white furred paw. "Im sure everything will be fine Nick." Judy said as she gave the saddened fox a reassuring smile to which Nick began to smile back. "Yeah I guess your right carrots." Nick said as he began to stand up of off the hard wooden floor before looking down briefly at the unconscious form of Ben before he looked back up from the fox to the purple eyed and grey furred rabbit that was Judy. "Well I guess I should take Ben back to my place." Nick said as a deep voice chuckled from behind the two officers before both Nick and Judy turned around to face a tall white furred male wolf with piercing sea blue eyes. "Wait are you Ben's brother?" The white furred wolf questioned as he began to approach the pair whilst Nick raised and eyebrow in suspicion and confusion as the wolf stopped his approach a few feet away from himself and Judy.
"Yes I am."Nick said in a slightly aggressive manner as he glared at the white furred wolf in suspicion as said wolf smirked slightly. "Before I say anything else to you wolf may I ask you something?" Nick said as the wolf nodded his head in confirmation whilst folding his big white furred arms over his chest whilst Nick continued to look at the wolf in an aggressive way. "Who are you?" The white furred wolf chuckled lightly as he looked towards the unconscious fox that still lay motionless on the bars wooden floor. "Well I would ask Ben to explain but I don't think he can right now." Ryan said as he gestured to the unconscious auburn red furred fox on the floor with his right white furred paw whilst the male grey furred rabbit that Nick knew as Jerry made his way over and next to the white furred wolf. "My names Ryan Sharpclaw. Ex police deputy chief of the ZPD and newly acquainted friend of your brother." Ryan said in his deep and strong voice as Jerry came into earshot of the conversation. "Whats going on?" Jerry questioned Ryan as he stood next to the white furred wolf whilst he looked at Judy then to Nick with a questioning glance plastered on his grey furred face. "Its nothing Jerry. Nicks just worried about Ben." Judy said in her usual calm and friendly voice whilst looking toward her brother with her bright purple eyes as Nick continued to glare at the wolf in suspicion. "Oh...OK...wait. Your Ben's brother?" Jerry said as he looked at Nick with a shocked expression adorning his grey furred face.
Nick sighed in annoyance as he looked toward Jerry with his grass green eyes before he spoke. "Yes Jerry if you didn't know by now Im Ben's brother but that's not important right now." Nick said changing his tone of voice from the previous annoyed tone to one of a more serious nature as he looked down towards the unconscious form of Ben. "What is important is getting Ben out of this bar and to somewhere without any alcohol." Nick said as he made his way back over to the still form of Ben before he began to reach down and pick up the unconscious auburn red furred fox. "Phew...man..." Nick said as he struggled to stand back up after placing Ben on his left shoulder. "Need some help up?" A strong and familiar voice said from behind Nick as said fox turned his head slightly to the right in order to see who the voice belonged to only to come into view of a big white furred paw. "Uh...thanks." Nick said as he grabbed the white furred paw with his own black furred paw as he was helped up off of the hard wooden floor and onto his hind paws. "No problem." Said the white furred wolf as he stepped back from Nick slowly as said fox let out a small regretful sigh. "Hey...look...Im sorry for...being aggressive towards you...Ryan was it?" Nick questioned the snow white furred wolf as said wolf nodded his head smiling. "Thank you Ryan." Nick said sincerely as he looked at Ryan with a grateful smile before said smile was replaced by an angered look. "Whats wrong Nick?" Judy said with worry etched into her voice as she noticed the angered look that had quickly made its way onto her partners face as said partner turned around to face her. "Its...well what can I do Judy..." Nick said as his angered look quickly dissipated into a defeated and tired one as he looked away from Judy and toward the wooden floor.
"What do you mean Nick?" Judy questioned Nick as she felt her big grey furred and black tipped ears slowly begin to fold down to the back of her head as Nick let out a long and tired sigh. "Well...I...how can I take Ben back to my house...hes still wanted by the chief..." Nick said as he continued to stare at the floor before both Nick and Judy heard a small but deep chuckle from behind them. "Bogo wants Ben for what?" The deep and strong voice of Ryan said from behind both Nick and Judy as said wolf approached the pair from behind causing Nick to look up from the wooden floor and Judy to look at Ryan with her bright purple eyes. "Chief Bogo really only wants Ben for questioning. After Ben told his side of the story the chief wanted Ben as a witness. But that didn't go to plan...and after that...some things happened...and that's why I guess Ben's here." Judy said in a worried tone of voice as she looked towards Nick who glared at her briefly with his grass green eyes before he brought his green eyed gaze over to Ryan. "Yeah Ben's here because of me." Nick said in anger before he continued. "Hes here because I blamed him for something he didn't do. I blamed my own brother for something without asking for his own side of the story." Nick almost yelled at Ryan whilst Judy looked on at Nick in both shock at his outburst and sadness as Jerry (who had pretty much listened to the entire conversation) quickly made his way in between Nick and Ryan. "Alright lets calm it down now Nick OK. Ryan just asked a question Nick. Besides Im sure it wasn't that bad." Jerry said as he looked at Ryan briefly before said rabbit brought his gaze and attention toward Nick who was glaring at him in a mix of pure anger and regret with his grass green eyes. "Wasn't that bad...wasn't that bad...my own brother said he couldn't trust me...he used to depend and trust me on almost everything...but now..." Nick didn't finish his sentence as he ceased his aggressive stance and look before he turned away from both Jerry and Ryan before he gazed sadly at Judy.
"Judy...what...what should I do?" Nick asked Judy in a desperate and pleading tone of voice whilst Judy on the other hand was staring at Nick with shock and bewilderment plastered onto her grey furred face. Judy had only seen a look like this on Nick once before and that was when she had been injured when they where both running away from bellwether and her helpers. The look made Judy feel scared and frightened as she took a small step back away from Nick whilst Nick continued to look at Judy with a desperate and pleading expression on his face. "Nick...I...I don't...know" Judy said in both a mix of sadness and doubt as Nick let out a grievous sigh before he began to look down at the floor whilst both Jerry and Ryan looked on as the scene continued to play out. "Nick...Ill talk to Bogo for you..." The calm and strong voice of Ryan said sympathetically from behind the grieving fox which caused Judy along with Jerry to look toward the big white furred wolf in surprise and confusion. After hearing this Nick began to slowly look away from the wooden floor and toward Ryan with a small hint of hope which was only slightly evident on said foxes face.
"Are...are you serious?" Nick said in a broken and helpless sounding voice as Ryan nodded his head slowly in response to Nicks question before said wolf began to speak. "I can go and talk to him now if you want? Besides I've had enough action and drama for today." Ryan said as he joked slightly toward the end of his sentence as he looked toward Nick with a smile on his face. "I...I don't know how to thank you...Im sorry about the way I acted earlier...and just now too...I was just so angry at myself and I shouldn't have taken my anger out on you." Nick said with sadness and regret laced into his voice whilst Ryan took a step forward towards Nick before patting him on the shoulder in reassurance. "Don't worry Nick. Ill sort out Ben's situation with Bogo and believe me when I say this Nick..." Ryan said as he began to move away from Nick as well as Jerry and Judy before said wolf began to make his way to the bars exit. "...Ben will trust you again...after all hes your brother isn't he." Ryan said as he glanced back at Nick with his sea blue eyes briefly before he made his way out of the bar and into the city streets of Zootopia.
Five minutes after Ryan had left the bar Nick had told Judy that he was going to take Ben back to his apartment to which Judy offered to company her police partner and best friend. Nick thanked Judy before said rabbit made her way over to her brother. "It was great to see you again Jerry. You should really try to stay in touch with me and the family a bit more. Mum and dad where beginning to get worried." Judy said as she gave Jerry a hug to which Jerry returned without a second thought. "I will Judy. I promise." Jerry said as Judy pulled away from the hug before she stepped back and looked at her brother with a knowing look. "Well I hope you stick to that promise Jerry." Judy said as she glanced toward Nick who was still to her surprise holding the unconscious male red fox that was Ben on his left shoulder. "Nick still hasn't visited Bunnyburrow yet so I was going to take him there myself to visit the family." Judy said as she put a white furred paw to her head in thought before she continued to speak. "It would be great if you could come along as well Jerry. I mean seeing that you haven't visited home in a while it would be a perfect time to do so." Judy said in a knowing type of voice as Nick also joined in on the conversation.
"Your right about me not meeting your family Judy but your wrong about me not visiting Bunnyburrow." Nick said slyly as Judy turned her head slightly to the left in order to see Nick who was smiling slyly at said rabbit. "Nick are you being serious right now or not?" Judy said in a joking tone of voice as she fully turned around to face Nick whilst placing her paws on her hips in a sassy stance. "Well believe it or not carrots Im being serious with you. I've visited Bunnyburrow on a number of occasions." Nick said in a know it all type of tone whilst Ryan interrupted Nick briefly in his strong and calm voice. "Wait...Nick...do you know a middle aged female Vixen who lives on the outskirts of Bunnyburrow?" Jerry questioned the now surprised and shocked looking fox that was in Jerry's light green eyed view as said fox began to chuckle in amusement. "Do I know that Vixen...well that vixen so happens to be my one and only mother." Nick said as Jerry looked at Nick blankly whilst Judy on the other paw looked at the grinning fox with her mouth hanging wide open in shock whilst said fox took one look at his partners face before he burst out into laughter. After a few seconds of Nick laughing at the shocked expressions that were adorning both Judy and Ryan's grey furred faces Nick began to slowly cease his bout of laughter. "Oh you two should have seen your faces...that's the funniest thing I've seen all day." Nick said whilst Judy glared at Nick with a stern expression plastered onto her grey furred face whilst her pink nose twitched in irritation.
"Ugh. I still don't know if your joking or not Nick. Your so hard to read sometimes." Judy said whilst still glaring at Nick in irritation whilst from behind Judy Nick could see Jerry giving him a thumbs up which nearly made Nick begin his laughter once again. "It may seem that Im not being serious but believe me Judy when I say this. Im being serious. My mother actually lives on the outskirts of Bunnyburrow." Nick said as he smiled casually at Judy whilst said rabbit still had an annoyed and angry look plastered on her face as Nick hoisted up Ben higher onto his left shoulder so said fox wouldn't fall off. "Well." Judy said as she let a small sigh escape from her mouth whilst she turned away from Nick before bringing her attention toward Jerry who was pouring himself a drink from the bar. "Jerry I trust that your going to close the bar when you leave." Judy said in in a calm tone of voice as she lost the annoyed look on her face which was replaced by a trusting and happy look whilst Jerry nodded his head in response before speaking in his strong yet equally calm tone of voice. "Don't worry Judy. Jane left the bars keys by the soda dispenser over there." Jerry said as he pointed one of his charcoal black furred paws over to the main bar.
"Ill lock this place up after you two have gone." Judy nodded her head in understanding before she brought her attention back to Nick and the unconscious fox that was slung over her partners left shoulder. "Alright then Nick. Lets go get your brother somewhere safe." Judy said as she made her way past Nick whilst punching said fox in the arm as she did so. "Thanks carrots." Nick said genuinely which caught Judy off guard as she turned around briefly whilst smiling. "No problem Nick. Besides. What are friends for." Judy said as she continued to make her way out of the bar with Nick following closely behind his grey furred and pink nosed partner. "Yeah...friends..." Nick muttered quietly as a genuine smile began to form on his face as the pair made there way into the sun setting streets of Zootopia.
"W...wh...where am I..." I said drearily as I began to slowly open my eyes leaf green eyes only for said eyes to be blinded by the gleaming sun that was positioned in the sky. "Uuugggghhh...stupid sun..." I said in anger as I began to slowly sit up before bringing up a now familiar black furred paw up in front of my eyes to stop the suns bright glaring assault on my eyes. After avoiding the suns gaze I began to look around my new but eerily familiar surrounding as all I could see with my leaf green eyes was an endless grass ridden field. 'I've been here before. When I was dreaming...' I thought as I continued to look around the endless grass field before my thought was interrupted. "Hello again son." An all to familiar and angering voice said from behind me as I began to growl in anger before replying to the familiar voice. "You again...Im only going to say this one more time...I am not your son." I growled back angrily at the voice whilst I began to pick myself up off of the grass ridden ground that I had found myself lying on as said voice began to chuckle in amusement. "You always where a funny one weren't you Ben. You were always the one to make your mother smile when she was feeling down. I think that was really the only thing I...liked about you." My farther said as I finally stood up to my full height before turning my body around to face the voice that I had come to hate and fear so much. "I don't care what you think or say to me. You want to know why I don't care?" I questioned the middle aged auburn red furred male fox as he looked at me with a small sly smile on his face as I continued to glare at him with hatred evident in my leaf green eyes.
"I don't care because none of this is real. Because your not my real farther and because this body.." I said as I gestured to my form with my black paws before shoving out said black paws in front of me for emphasis as I continued to speak. "Is not my real body." I said almost yelling at my so called farther toward the end whilst said auburn red furred fox began to laugh loudly as if he had lost his mind. "Whats so funny?" I said in a low and menacing tone of voice as I felt my ears fold back against my auburn red furred head in an aggressive manner as my farther began to cease his laughter. "Whats so funny...well the funny thing really is that your lying to yourself." My farther said whilst trying to hold in his laughter before he couldn't control said laughter anymore as he burst out into his maniacal laughter once again. "What do you mean Im lying to myself?" I questioned the manically laughing form of my farther in fear and worry at what he had just said to me as said fox began to cease his laughter once again as he wiped a tear from one of his deep blue piercing eyes. "Come on Ben. Isn't it obvious to you yet?" My farther said as he began to walk towards me whilst his cream tipped tail swished in the small breeze that was blowing over the seemingly endless grass field. "What do you mean?" I said in evident worry as I began to take a few steps back whilst my farther continued his advance. "What do you think I meant last time when I said they where never real. Your human family that is." My farther said as my leaf green eyes widened in realization as I felt myself collapse down to the grass covered floor in grief and sadness as my farther still continued to advance on me.
"That's right son. They where never real. They never loved or cared for you because they didn't exist. But I do exist and all these memories that your having lately are real." My farther said as I began to curl up into a ball whilst closing my eyes and covering my ears with my black furred paws in an attempt to block out what my farther was saying. "If you still don't believe me Ben then you wont be affected by what Im about to show you." My farther said before another voice began to speak out in front of my curled up form. A voice that made me feel safe and happy. "If you don't believe me Ben then look at what Im showing you." My farther said as I began to uncurl myself and open my eyes as I watched a young ten year old fox look at himself in front of a mirror with a proud but serious expression on his face. Said fox was also clad in a light green colored junior rangers uniform which had a number of badges sown onto said uniform. I watched as purple dressed female auburn red furred vixen came up from behind the small fox before she brought her auburn furred arms around the small fox as said small fox began to laugh out in happiness. "Why are you showing me this?" I questioned my farther as he pointed his right black furred paw at the pair of foxes as another young fox that looked between the age of four and five came into view before speaking in a voice I knew all to well. "Uh...mom..er...auntie...why is Nick dressed like that?" The small fox asked the auburn furred vixen in my own voice as said fox tugged at the vixens dress to gain the vixens attention.
"No...that's not real...that cant be me...its..its all fake...that never happened." I said in disbelief and fear as I watched as the vixen bring the young version of me into a hug before the younger version of Nick joined in on the hug too. "It happened Ben. When your mother was in hospital her sister took you in. And do you know why I know It happened Ben?" My farther said questioningly as he smiled slyly at me showing his white k9 teeth to which I responded by looking back at him in fear as he continued. "Because it was a memory from in your head." My farther said as he pointed his right black furred paw at my head as the scene began to fade away from my vision before being replaced by the grass field that as there before. "You cant deny it now Ben." My farther said in a slightly saddened tone as I began to sob quietly into my black furred paws as my vision began to fade as well as my fathers voice. "You will never see your human family again." And with that my vision went completely black.
Sorry for the lack of posting chapters lately. And thank you all for your continued support.