Chapter 19
I'm sorry for being away so long but now I'm back and as promised here's chapter 19.
Judy looked at me in shock with her dark purple eyes whilst I on the other paw looked at said rabbit with a sly smile plastered on my auburn red furred face.
"What are you staring at carrots?" I said in a suave tone of voice as I casually began to lean on the front doors frame in a cool manner to which Judy began to quickly tap her right hind paw on the floor in frustration whilst looking at me with an irritated look plastered on her grey furred face.
"Is it my ravishingly handsome looks? Or is it how I can get you all flustered up at work?" I questioned Judy in a sly and calm tone of voice as I continued to lean against the frame of the front door. But in actual fact I wasn't calm at all as inside my mind I was screaming at myself to just get away and leave Nick to deal with his love affair. Judy on the other paw just continued to look at me with an irritated expression plastered on her face as she sighed in frustration before speaking.
"Ill say this only once so listen to me very carefully OK." Judy said in a warning tone of voice as I nodded my head slowly whilst the sly smile that was plastered on my face began to slip before being replaced by a look of worry and caution as Judy beckoned me over to where she was standing with her right grey furred paw. I ceased leaning against the front door to the apartment before stepping forward slowly and crouching down to Judy's height level as said grey furred and purple eyed rabbit brought her small muzzle close to my right auburn red furred ear.
"Where's Nick Ben?" Judy whispered in a soft but very irritated tone of voice as she stepped back from me whilst I gulped loudly before standing up straight so I was at my original height once again.
"Stop calling me Ben carrots...its me...Nick...uh...pawpsicle..." I said in a worried tone of voice as I began to take a few steps back into Nicks apartment whilst Judy on the other paw began to advance on me with a look of determination and slight anger plastered on her grey furred face. I continued to back away from the quickly advancing grey furred and pink nosed Judy only to fall backwards onto the hard floor that covered Nicks apartment hallway. I quickly looked back up as soon as I hit the apartment's floor only to come face to face with the annoyed and angry looking face of Judy as I felt my ears lower to the back of my head as I began to crawl away from said rabbit.
"Ill give you to the count of five Ben to tell me where Nick is before I'm dragging you by your tail all over the apartment until I find him." Judy said in a low and cold tone of voice as she continued to advance on me whilst I continued to crawl away from said rabbit with a scared and worried expression plastered on my auburn furred face. I began to desperately look for a way of escape from the grey furred and pink nosed rabbit that was Judy as my leaf green eyes darted across the whole of the apartment's hallway.
"Carrots...cant we...just talk this out?" I said as my leaf green eyes finally came across the opening that lead towards the apartments kitchen. The same kitchen that Nick was hiding in. I quickly took one more glance towards Judy before I sprang up onto my hind paws before darting towards the kitchen as Judy quickly gave chase after me. I quickly dived into the apartments kitchen before I dashed towards the kitchens wooden dining table In an effort to escape the sight of Judy as said rabbit also rushed into the kitchen after me.
"Come on Ben. Lets not be difficult now. I just want to speak to Nick that's all." Judy said in a calm and collective tone of voice as she made her way into the kitchen just as I hid behind the wooden kitchen table. I tried to slow my breathing before peeking my auburn furred head behind the wooden dining table in order to take a peek at Judy. My ears began to lower down on my head as I looked upon the grey furred and violet eyed female rabbit that was slowly making her way towards the dining table with a look of certainty plastered on her face. The same dining table that I was now quivering behind as I quickly hid my head out of view of the violet eyes that where focused on only one target. And that target was the dining table.
'Nicks really gone and done it this time.' I said to myself before I lowered my breathing as I heard the small sound of paws tapping against the apartments hard floor become louder and closer by the second.
I closed my leaf green eyes in both fear and defeat as the tapping of paws on the hard apartment floor ceased leaving the entire kitchen dead silent as if I was the only living soul in the room. That was until I heard the usually sweet voice of Judy utter something in an ominous sounding and slightly creepy tone of voice that sent a shiver from the top of my shoulders all the way down to the base of my auburn furred and white tipped tail.
"Here's Judy!" As soon as Judy had uttered those words I immediately opened my leaf green eyes before I snapped my head to the right only to come face to face with the grey furred and purple eyed face of Judy. Said rabbit was casually leaning against the wooden dining table in a cool and collected manner similar to the pose I tried to pull of when pretending to be Nick at the front door. Said rabbits pink nose twitched every few seconds as she continued to smile at me in a casual yet slightly intimidating way whilst I slowly began to stand up back to my full height once again.
After a minute of both myself and Judy staring at each other with my leaf green eyes colliding with her deep purple eyes I began to notice Judy's cool and collected expression and stance begin to falter as her once smiling face began to turn into a frown and then to a look of sadness. All I could do was watch in both slight fear and confusion as Judy began to make her way slowly over to me whilst her long grey and black tipped ears folded down to the back of her head as she continued to make her way towards me.
'Dear god Ben what have you gotten yourself into.' I thought to myself as I felt my auburn furred and white tipped tail tuck under my trousers as I slowly backed away from the dishevelled and upset form of Judy that continued to advance on me. That was until Judy noticed me backing away from her before she stopped dead in her tracks before looking up at me with her deep purple eyes that were beginning to fill up with tears as she brought her paws up to her chest. Now saying that I felt guilty is an understatement as I immediately regretted backing away from said rabbit as my ears almost instantly splayed back as I watched Judy turn her grey furred head away from me before she began to speak in a low and saddened tone of voice.
"Ben...I...I'm...sorry for acting the way I did...I...I was just surprised and glad to see that you were OK...after what Nick had said on the phone...I just thought...that..." Judy didn't even finish her sentence before she quickly turned around and leapt at my stomach with her grey furred arms outstretched and open which in turn nocked me back onto the floor with said rabbit latched onto my stomach tightly.
After the initial impact my back and tail gained upon the hard apartment floor I couldn't help but notice and feel a dampness that was slowly engulfing my cream furred stomach as I slowly began to lift my auburn furred head up off of the hard floor. I could also hear soft whimpers and sniffs coming from said stomach as my leaf green eyes came across the cause of the dampness that had seeped through Nicks green Hawaiian shirt.
"Oh...Judy..." I said in a low and sad tone of voice as I slowly and very cautiously brought my right black furred paw over to Judy's sobbing and sniffling grey furred form before I slowly began to pet her head. After a few minutes of petting Judy's head with my black furred paw her whimpers and sniffing began to slowly die down until they had ceased completely. I took this as a good opportunity to cease my petting of Judy's head which caused said grey furred rabbit to let out a soft and sad sigh.
"You know what Ben...you remind me of Nick a lot. You...don't just care about yourself..." Judy said as she lifted her grey furred head up off of the moist green Hawaiian shirt before she gazed at me with her deep purple eyes that clashed with my surprised looking leaf green eyes.
"Well...uh...I am a Wilde...so there's...that...I guess." I said in a slightly slow and unsure tone of voice whilst Judy just chuckled lightly at my slow answer as she began to slowly get up and off of my stomach. After Judy hopped off of my stomach I began to stand back up onto my black furred hind paws before placing my right black furred paw onto my back as I pushed hard on said back which resulted in a small popping sound from said back.
'That definitely hit the spot.' I thought blissfully as I let out a relieved sigh at the relief I had just gained from fixing my back.
"I wish Nick was here...he...he owes me some explanations...and an apology." Judy said in a slightly irritated tone of voice which seemed to lessen as she finished her sentence. Just as I was about to tell Judy that I would help her find Nick as I too needed and apology from said fox I heard a familiar and suave voice speak out to the right of me. The voice seemed to gain the most attention from Judy as her long grey furred and black tipped ears turned directly toward the sound of the voice before said rabbit rushed into a very familiar looking auburn furred fox who had a smug grin plastered upon his auburn furred face.
"Oh. You bunnies. Your always so emotional." Nick said in his usual suave voice as he wrapped his auburn furred arms around said rabbit before he began to pat Judy's back gently with his right black furred paw.
"I'm not being emotional Nick...well I wouldn't have been...I'm just annoyed with you...and I want an apology for worrying me." Judy said ash she slowly looked up to the now guilty looking face of Nick as said fox turned his head away from Judy and looked at me in what I guessed was a mix of both regret and sadness. I just folded my auburn furred arms across my chest before giving Nick a questioning look as I waited for Nick to speak to Judy and to be honest I was kind of expecting an apology myself from said fox.
After looking at me for a few more seconds Nick slowly pushed Judy off of himself before he crouched down slightly so that he was at eye level with the grey furred and purple eyed rabbit who was looking at said fox with a slightly annoyed expression upon her face.
"Listen Judy...I'm...really sorry for worrying you and I'm sorry you had to come over...b...but I wasn't lying when I told you about Ben on the phone...he really wasn't alright...I mean...he stopped breathing." Nick said in a saddened tone of voice as I began to approach the pair before speaking.
"And before Nick says anything else the whole me pretending to be Nick idea was his and not mine. To be honest I just wanted to get some rest after passing out." I said in a slightly angry and tired tone of voice as I looked towards Nick before turning to Judy and giving her a small tired smile to which she returned said smile with her own smile.
"Yes the whole Ben pretending to be me idea was mine and I'm sorry. I'm sorry to the both of you and it was stupid of me. Firstly Judy I want to say that I guess sometimes I just cant handle somethings on my own so I panicked when Ben collapsed and all I could think to do was to call you Judy...because...I trust you like I do my own family." Nick said in a gradually growing happy tone of voice whilst I on the other paw let out a sarcastic sigh to which Nick turned to face me quickly before scowling. After this he quickly returned his attention back to Judy as said rabbit chuckled slightly at Nicks small antic.
"I'm being honest though Judy. If it wasn't for you then who knows where I would be know. Heck I bet I would still be conning and hustling animals with Finnick. And I wouldn't have to fear or worry about being hit on the arm by you now would I." Nick said joking a bit towards the end which made Judy both giggle and punch him in the arm lightly.
"Is there something your trying to tell Judy Nick because I think I know what your trying to tell her and if you don't tell her then I will." I said in a joking and devious tone of voice as I purposely moved forward towards Judy before I crouched down to said rabbits height as I beckoned her over with my right black furred paw.
Just as Judy was about to move over to where I was crouched down I felt a sharp pain in my left auburn furred ear before said ear was yanked violently by a certain foxes right black furred paw. Said fox then proceeded to drag my half crouched form away from Judy whilst said rabbit on the other paw could only laugh at my unfortunate misfortune.
"Ow...ugh...Nick I wasn't going to tell her you know...so would you please let go of my ear...before it...ow...detaches itself from my head." I said as each time Nick tugged at my ear I winced and yelped in pain whilst Judy continued to laugh at the scene that was unfolding before her. As nick continued to drag me away from Judy by my ear I began to think and contemplate how I had gotten in to this situation in the first place. Who would have known that the start of my day would turn up with myself dressing as Nick before being chased by a rabbit officer around an apartment and ending with myself being dragged around by an angry and embarrassed looking fox. All I could do was let out another pained whimper from my mouth as my ear was tugged once again by Nick whilst I could still hear the laughter emitting from the grey furred and pink nosed rabbit that was Judy.
After a minute of Nick dragging me by my left auburn furred ear said fox suddenly released his death grip on said ear before he crouched down so my leaf green eyes met with his grass green ones. Now in my opinion myself and Nick are roughly the same height but when your sitting on the floor and you've just been dragged by your ear like a naughty child then you do end up feeling a little...insignificant and weak. Once Nick was looking at me eye to eye he began to speak.
"Look Ben..I'm sorry about that but I have to do this on my own. I mean I'm only asking if Judy likes me." Nick said in a hushed and hopeful tone of voice as not to catch the radar hearing of Judy. I on the other paw just glared at Nick briefly before my anger and glare turned into a look of understanding as I gave Nick a sly smile before patting said fox on the shoulder. 'Ill let you say what you have to say Nick. But you owe me for later.' I thought before I spoke to Nick.
"Go get your prey." I said continuing my sly tone of voice as I smiled slyly revealing my pure white k9s for effect whilst Nick just looked at me in shock and embarrassment to which I just shrugged. Nick then let out tired sigh and whispered something to himself before he began to make his way back over to Judy who had just ceased her musical laughter.
Whilst Nick walked back over to the grey furred and pink nosed rabbit that was Judy I began to think about what was happening with these headaches and passing outs of mine. I had never experienced anything like them before in my entire life and that alone scared me but not as much as the one thing that I was fearing the most from being here. And that fear was the fear of forgetting who I really am. And for the second time in this crazy world I was genuinely terrified of what was happening.
'I was never like this when working with Dave back in the city. I didn't even have to be worried. That polar bear was sometimes the tipping point in deals with his intimidating figure being helpful in...persuading the many buyers of my products. I mean there was that one time with that leopard...when...ow.' I thought which only caused a headache to start straight after I finished said thought. After recovering from the headache as well as rubbing my head briefly with my right paw I began to realise how I had just described Dave.
'Dave wasn't a polar bear...he was a human like me...or like I used to be.' I thought as I gazed at my black furred paws as if they would just melt away to reveal a pair of human hands. After gazing at my black furred paws for about half a minute I then proceeded to watch Nick and Judy talk. They both seemed to enjoy each others company as they were both now joking and laughing with each other with the laughing mainly coming from Judy.
"Well it seems Judy's forgiven Nick already." I murmured to myself as I watched Nick open up his arms before Judy cannoned her small form into said foxes chest. I felt a smile begin to worm its way onto my auburn furred face as I watched the pair hug but said smile soon began to falter as I remembered what I was previously thinking about. It noticed that with each passing out I seemed to gain new memories from this world but at the same time I also felt like I was losing some. And the memories I seemed to be losing were the memories of my human family and earth in general.
"Hey Ben...Ben...are you OK?" I heard the slightly worried voice of Nick say as I snapped out of my thoughts before I brought my leaf green eyed gaze toward said voice. Nick was slowly making his way over toward my sitting form with Judy following close behind him with her facial features mirroring Nicks worried expression.
"Uh...um...yeah I'm fine. Just thinking about some things." I said in a tired and slightly disturbed way before I began to stand up off of the apartment floor before I was once again at eye level with Nick.
"Are you sure Ben?" Nick said as he began to reach out with his black paw to put on my shoulder in what I guessed was a sign of reassurance. But for some reason I just snapped back and smacked away said paw before growling slightly at Nick to which said fox took a cautious step back away from me. I immediately realised what I had done before I quickly ceased my growling and looked away from the shocked and surprised looking red auburn furred fox that was Nick.
"Look Nick...I just need some time to myself. I think I need a quick breather outside." I said once again in a tired tone of voice as I began to make my way out of the kitchen and towards the apartments main door. As soon as I reached the apartments front door I heard the all to familiar voice of Nick call out for me to stop as I slowly turned around to come face to face with both the worried and concerned looking face of Nick as well as Judy. For her part Judy just was looking from Nick to me in worry before she finally settled on looking at me with her deep purple eyes.
"Look Nick. Didn't you hear what I said. I just need some time to my..." But before I could finish my sentence Nick interrupted me in an aggressive and slightly terrifying tone of voice as he literally growled out his words which caused Judy to jump back a bit in fright as Nick began to approach me with his black furred paws clenched in anger.
"Yes. I did hear what you said Ben. But your not going anywhere. Not this time." Nick said whilst growling as he continued to approach me with a determined and angry expression plastered on his auburn furred face whilst I on the other paw just looked at Nick in an irritated yet cautious way as said fox continued to approach me.
"Nick you need to calm down." Judy said in worry as her long grey furred and black tipped ears began to fold against the back of her head as she watched Nick grab the collar of my shirt with both of his black furred paws. I didn't even have a chance to pry Nicks paws off of the shirts collar before he yanked said shirt which caused my body to nearly coldie with his as Nick continued to growl in anger at me.
"What's your problem Nick. Just. Leave. Me. ALONE." I yelled before growling at Nick whilst I continued to try and pry Nicks paws off the green Hawaiian shirts collar which only caused said fox to tighten his grip on the shirt collar more.
"NO. I am not going to just sit here and watch you leave me again like you did eight years ago Ben. I WONT." Nick yelled as I continued to try and escape from said foxes grasp.
'You don't understand Nick. I'm not who you think I am. I need some time to sort myself out. And what your doing right now isn't helping anyone.' I thought before I caught a brief glimpse of the grey furred and purple eyed rabbit that was Judy out of the corner of my eye. Said rabbit had a look of fear and recognition plastered on her grey furred face as she closed her purple eyes and clenched her paws in what I guessed was anger. As soon as she closed her eyes she immediately opened them again before she began to storm up to Nick. The once scared expression that had graced Judy's features moments ago had now turned into one of determination as she was now standing directly next to Nick as if she was about to do something.
My leaf green eyes were quickly drawn away from Judy as a loud and menacing growl from Nick indicated that said fox wasn't happy with my attention being drawn to something else other than himself. Nick then proceeded to open his muzzle to speak but said muzzle abruptly closed in surprise as the voice of Judy rang out throughout the entire apartment.
"NICK RELASE BEN RIGHT NOW." Judy yelled at the top of her lungs which caused said fox to turn his attention toward the grey furred and purple eyed rabbit that was Judy. I also looked toward Judy but I was surprised at what Judy was holding in her paws as said rabbit was glaring at Nick in both determination and slight sadness as she pointed a tranquilizer gun directly at Nicks chest.
Nick on his part looked both surprised and betrayed as he glared toward me and then to Judy before he released his grip on the shirts collar which allowed me to gain some distance from said fox.
"What are you going to do carrots? I think we both know that you cant shoot me." Nick said as Judy's determined expression began to falter as the gun in her paws began to tremble and shake.
"Please Nick. Tell me what's wrong. This isn't like you Nick. Please. I don't want to shoot you. Remember what we just talked about Nick...I'm..im here for you." Judy said as tears began to leak from her deep purple eyes whilst her voice began to break. Nick on the other paw turned back to me as his angered expression began to falter and crack as he returned his gaze toward Judy before he let out a long and saddened sigh.
"I'm...I'm so sorry...Judy.." Nick said as he looked at Judy with shame plastered on his auburn furred face as said rabbit began to lower the tranquilizer gun. Nick then proceeded to make his way over to Judy before he brought said rabbit in to a hug which Judy accepted almost straight away.
"I was worried Nick...you weren't acting like yourself...and I didn't know what else to do." Judy said with her head buried into Nicks Hawaiian shirt which was starting to get damp due to said rabbits tears. Nick proceeded to pat Judy's back softly as he spoke in sad and calm tone of voice.
"Its ok Judy you did the right thing. I wasn't myself and I let my emotions get the better of me. I shouldn't have reacted the way I did and I'm sorry for putting you in a situation like this." Nick said as Judy brought her head away from said foxes chest before smiling at Nick. Said fox then turned his head to face me with a defeated and crushed look upon his face before he began to speak once again.
"Ben...listen I'm really sorry about the way I reacted but I...I just didn't want to lose you again...and the amount of pain you caused me and mum...I just didn't want to go through that again." Nick said as I felt my auburn furred ears begin to fold down to the back of my head as I gazed at Nick in sympathy.
"Listen Nick...its ok...I would have done the same if I was in your position as well...and I'm...sorry for leaving you and your mum back then...but trust me...I wouldn't have done if I had the choice." I said sadly as Nick nodded his head in understanding whilst Judy stepped away from Nick before wiping her tears away with her grey furred paws.
"You two are so alike." Judy said as she chuckled lightly before smiling at the two of us which caused Nick to chuckle as he too wiped away his tears with his black furred paws.
"I don't know if I should take that as a compliment or not." I joked as I punched Nick in the arm lightly whilst said fox turned and smiled slyly at me.
"Right how about we all have a sit down and a coffee because my god do I need one right now." I said to which both Judy and Nick nodded their heads in confirmation as Judy began to make her way toward the apartments kitchen to which I followed suit behind said rabbit.
Just as I was about to enter said kitchen behind Judy I felt a paw on my right shoulder. I turned around and came face to face with the owner of said paw as Nick stood there with a small understanding and trustworthy smile plastered on his face as he retracted his right paw from my shoulder before speaking in a trusting and calm tone of voice.
"Listen Ben...I have to tell you something important but I need a certain mammal here with me to tell you what its is. But that shouldn't be a problem for too long." Nick said as I nodded my auburn furred head slowly before he continued.
"Judy's planning a trip to Bunny burrow to see her family soon and she's invited Jerry, myself and you too come along with her and a bonus to this is that the mammal I need to talk to you with just so happens to live on the outskirts of bunny burrow." Nick said as his smile grew wider as he finished his sentence.
"OK Nick but why do you need someone else to tell me something? I mean cant you just tell me now?" I questioned Nick to which said auburn furred and green eyed fox chuckled slightly before shaking his head from left to right.
"No Ben I cant. It would be much easier if she was there with me when I told you." Nick said as he smiled before he began to make his way toward the kitchens entrance only to stop just outside the kitchen.
"Oh and Ben...if there's anything you need to tell me or talk to me about then Ill always be here to listen to you alright." Nick said as he looked back to me as I smiled and gave him a nod before speaking.
"And vice versa Nick. If you need to talk about something then you know who to come to." I said pointing my right black furred paw to myself to which Nick smiled before he made his into the kitchen with myself following close behind.