chapter two

The door slammed shut behind them as they walked out of Bogo's office, leaving behind a very frustrated Bogo, still grumbling loudly. "You didn't have to ask him that, I know you weren't serious."

Nick looked at Judy, faking hurt, "it was a legitimate question," he said pushing his shades atop his head, "I just wanted to know if I could go undercover as a...dancer." They both knew what type of "dancer" he was talking about. "I have the body for it obviously." He motioned a hand and waved it over his legs and chest. "I mean, look at me."

Judy scoffed, rolling her eyes as they made their way down the hallway, "that's obviously why he was so happy with your suggestion." He nodded," Exactly carrots. And that last part about me not taking anything seriously? it was just one of many inside jokes that we share." He chuckled, "because, you know, we are the closest of friends. One might go so far as to call us 'bosom buddies.'"

Judy snorted, laughing and Nick laughed with her, they both knew there was no love lost between the chief of police and his red-furred subordinate. In fact, since day one Nick had made it a personal goal of his to see just how far he could push him. Oh, he may have been a changed mammal, public servant and protector of the peace and all that, but that didn't mean he was giving up on having a little fun now and then.

However, he had done a fairly good job at keeping his little "pushes" a secret at first. So much so that Judy hadn't even realized what he was doing until it was too late and Bogo had come storming into the meeting room time and time again, looking very angry and straight at Her and Nick.

"oh come now, Carrots," He had said, "it's harmless." Until it had harmlessly gotten him a two week suspension for somehow hacking into Bogo's Gazelle app and replacing her face and voice with his-Judy could never figure out how and Nick had worked too hard on it to ever tell. After which, he was quiet for a very long time. Long enough for the two to be promoted to detective in fact. But Nick was getting rather bored and felt that, after taking such an extensive sabbatical, it was time to start again, and with a vengeance. He already had several things planned, no matter how much Judy disliked it.

They sat down at their desks with a sigh, both staring at the mountain of paperwork that had piled up while they were gone.

"...You wanna' get some coffee?"


"So who should we pick for the assignment?" Judy asked. They had made their way over to a little cafe called Tea for Two, a regular meeting place for them and a local hipster favorite- something neither of them particularly liked but both of them tolerated because, "damn if this isn't good coffee."

She already had several mammals in mind. Shoreman and O'Connor could definitely be of help, she thought, and Thompson is one of the best investigators in the unit.

"I was actually thinking about that," said Nick, "and what if you were to pick some officers you felt confident in, because let's be honest, they're all terribly boring and right up your alley-oh don't look at me like that, you know it's true- and I was to pick some of my ...more colorful acquaintances?"

"You mean your criminal friends?" She asked irritably.

"Well when you say it like that it sounds terrible, but yes." He shrugged, sipping his coffee. "I know you don't exactly approve, but I haven't cut contact completely and the chief approved of using outside help. And besides, how better to find a criminal than with other criminals?" At this he looked pointedly at her, "and you're hardly one to censure Mrs. Godmother to the mafia."

"A mafia bosses' daughter's daughter . Wow that's such a confusing sentence. Anyway, that's different." But she was already half way to agreeing. She thought for a minute, considering. Nick's friends could work outside the law, go places they legally couldn't. And they would be some valuable sets of eyes and ears. And it was true, she didn't like very many of the mammals Nick used to associate with, but he wasn't with them anymore, he was with her and she trusted him to stay there. She nodded, relenting, "just make sure they aren't creepy or gross."

He laughed, "what am I, cheap? I'm a classy fox Fluff, the poorest one I know has three sports cars and a solid gold tooth, and they take respect very seriously " he shook his head, chuckling quietly. "Creepy, gross, she says , I never."


No, he hadn't mentioned a few con artists that he usually did business with. No, they were not fabulously wealthy. Some of them were dirty cheats but he wasn't about to tell Judy that. Nick walked through the precinct, thinking. He and Judy had decided the day before which officers would be best on for their assignment. And when he said they had decided, he really meant she had decided and he had finished his coffee.

She is better at that sort of thing. He thought, pushing open the door out into the main lobby.

"Hey, Nick!" Clawhauster waved from his desk, sprinkles scattering all over the floor as he did so. "Hear you and our little bunny are off soon."

"Yep," Nick leaned against the desk with a casual air, this would probably be awhile, Clawhauster was a notorious talker. "We head out next week once we've gotten everything situated."

"Oooohhh, I'm just so proud of you both, being detectives and all, who would have thought?"

"I'll choose to take that as a complement," Nick laughed, "and I'm sure Judy did, she's too ambitious not to."

Clawhauster nodded, smiling as he reached for something under his desk. "By the way," he pulled three folders out and spread them in front of him, "here are the employee files you requested yesterday."

"Ah." Nick grabbed all three and stacked them together. "Thanks, might as well check out who we're taking with us right?" He collected them under his arm and grinned, "Carrots was a bit upset about it, say's they're completely trustworthy, but you can never be too careful."

Clawhauster shrugged before picking up another doughnut and taking a bite, "you're the detective." Crumbs fell on his desk as he talked and Nick wondered how he ever kept it clean.

"Alright then, I'll see ya." And before Clawhauster could finish chewing and say something else he was off. Usually he was more than happy to stay and chat with his friend, but he was in a hurry and he needed to find Judy to go over the files.

he walked through the building, upstairs and to the left where his partner was waiting in their shared office. He walked in and she looked up, her nose twitching when she caught sight of the files under his arm. "I see you've got the papers." He moved them onto his table and her nose twitching intensified.

He pointed at her and shouted. "Ah ha! I saw that, I saw it carrots, your nose twitched, you're upset. You promised you wouldn't be upset by the time I got back. That makes you a liar and liars don't get driving rights! I get to drive the police car this week." He flung himself into his chair, putting his arms behind his head and leaning back, smirking.

"Dumb fox." He heard he mutter.

"Love you too, Fluff. Love you too."


AN:

Hey guys! Another chapter up. It is short (again) sorry. Seriously I promise I'm trying to make them longer.

I'm trying to think of ideas of when Judy starts to realize she likes Nick without taking away from the plot. So if any of all have ideas you'd like to share I'm all ears. Oh, and next chapter they'll be getting on with their mission and we'll be meeting the people Judy and Nick decided to take with them!

As always read and review, I want to know what ya'll think :)