Serendipity's Shadow
Rated T
Chapter 6
Mr. Big waited outside, sitting comfortably in his chair, and his daughter at his side. They waited comfortably on the warm protective paws of their lead bodyguard. And felt even more warmed in their hearts at the sight of the limo pulling up. Mr. Big watched the relatively new driver open the door for Judy and her plus one. Fru Fru had informed her father, Mr. Big, earlier that even though Judy was coming to dinner as a friend. She would be on duty as a cop as well.
Mr. Big never had a personal issue with officers. If they didn't ruin his business that is. Those who got too close for their own good got iced. Once upon a time, he would have iced Judy too. When she pushed him for information involving the missing mammal's case. But Fru Fru intervened when she recognized the bunny as her savior from the giant donut. Mr. Big couldn't bring harm to her after learning this information. Judy was her daughter's savior. What he wasn't expecting was the blossoming friendship between the two. And when his daughter, Fru Fru, surprised him again by saying not only was she naming her daughter after the bunny, Judy Junior, JJ. But she was also going to name the bunny the child's godmother.
"Where is JJ?" Mr. Big asked.
"Oh, she's sleeping." Fru Fru laughed. "The poor girl played herself into exhaustion."
Mr. Big laughed. He too remembered a time with his wife when Fru Fru would run herself ragged while playing.
Even though this place was more protected than her apartment Judy was still on edge. It was evident in how she examined her surroundings before allowing her plus one to exit the car. Mr. Big was patient though. He would always be patient for the bunny he now saw as a daughter. Mr. Big had grown attached to the bunny. He could never dream of icing her now. Icing people for her on the other hand, that he could do.
Once Judy was done examining the area, she allowed Tia to exit the limo. Tia didn't expect to end up in Tundra Town. Nor did she expect that Judy's Mr. Big was the same Mr. Big that even Quick Shot refused to mess with.
"Judy!" Fru Fru cheered from the bodyguard's paws.
"Fru Fru!"
Judy jumping up in down in place waited "patiently" for Tia. Once Tia got over her initial shock she stood by Judy's side. Just who was this bunny that she was on good terms with a mob boss while being an officer. Judy growing impatient began to escort Tia to the arctic shrew family. As they got closer Tia's blood grew colder while Judy's smile got wider.
"Sweetheart." Mr. Big held out his arms in a welcoming gesture. "It's so lovely to see you again. Who is your friend?"
"This is Cynthia, Tia, Mustela. She's in protective custody for the moment. I figured she could enjoy a good dinner surrounded by nice people. Before I must force her into permanent lockdown."
"Say no more." Mr. Big waved his hand at her. "Welcome to our home, Miss Tia."
Do I bow? I should bow. Is bowing a thing? Tia stood before him shocked.
Judy watching the poor girl stand there dumbstruck she gave her a slight nudge.
"Just say thanks." She whispered to Tia.
"Thank you." Tia rushed out robotically.
Mr. Big raised an eyebrow at her before turning his attention to Judy.
"We made carrot cake for dessert." Mr. Big stated knowing it was Judy's favorite.
"Thank you Papa Big." Judy smiled at his generosity.
She calls him Papa Big?! Tia stared at Judy alarmed.
"Think nothing of it, child."
"Alright enough with the jibber-jabber." Fru Fru declared. "Let us get inside, warmed up, and eat what Chef prepared for us."
"Sounds good to me." Judy cheered.
The bodyguards escorted them all inside. Where there was a lovely candle-lit table seating four. The way they were seated around the round table started with Mr. Big. Then going clockwise sat Judy, then Fru Fru, then Tia, and then back to Mr. Big. An appetizer course of salad with lemon water was served first.
"Sweetheart. Judy." Mr. Big addressed the bunny. "How are your parents? Your siblings? Tell me what's been going on in your life?"
"Mom and Dad are well. We still call each other every Friday night after dinner. And all my siblings are doing well. Little Ella just turned three!" Judy cheered.
"I'm glad to hear." Mr. Big smiled. "I'll send a gift."
"Oh, you don't-"
"Nonsense sweetheart. It's what family does for each other."
Judy could only smile at him in response.
"Sorry, little Judy couldn't join us." Fru Fru apologized.
"Think nothing of it." Judy waved her off swallowing her food. "I'll see her when I see her."
"little Judy?" Tia asked taking a sip of her water.
"Oh, darling, she's my daughter. I named her after Judy as thanks for saving my life." Fru Fru answered.
"We call her Judy Junior, JJ, for short." Judy stated.
"Well, everyone but me. I call her little Judy." Fru Fru laughed.
"How cute." Tia smiled.
Time passed as they made small talk. Tia wanted to ask how Judy saved Mr. Big's daughter's life. But something told her that wasn't dinner table talk. So, they focused on small things. The group did a relatively good job of keeping Tia feeling included. The main course, spaghetti, was enjoyed over laugher. By the time dessert came around Tia's cheeks hurt from smiling so much. They enjoyed their time together around the dinner table together. When the dinner table was clear Mr. Big leaned over to Tia.
"Miss Tia?
"Yes."
"Mind joining an old shrew for a while?"
Tia looked to Judy alarmed. But Judy was oblivious to her silent plea. She was engaged in gossip with Fru Fru.
"Don't worry. You will be completely safe."
Tia blinked at him before simply nodding in agreement.
"Okay."
They excused themselves from the table. Judy didn't even look alarmed when they left. She smiled at them and nodded her head in approval.
Tia followed the polar bear that carried Mr. Big down the hall. She kept her head low staring at the red carpet below their feet.
"Come in. Please." Mr. Big lead them into his office.
Tia watched as he was lowered carefully like a precious gemstone, that was secretly a grenade, onto the desk.
"Sit. Sit, please." Mr. Big urged.
Another polar bear entered the room pulling out a chair for Tia.
"Thank you." Tia mumbled.
"If you don't mind my saying, Miss Tia. But you seem very tense?"
"Uh, well, yeah…" Tia stumbled.
"...I'll get straight to the point."
He stared into her eyes. All she could do was smile sheepishly while swallowing down her nerve.
"Why are you with Judy?"
"…Because I wanna live."
"Are you in trouble?" Mr. Big inquired.
He knew she was in trouble. The girl was in protective custody not for her charity work after all.
"You could say that…"
Mr. Big didn't push her. His mother raised him to be a gentleman after all.
"I'm, well I was, a girlfriend…bed partner more like it. I was with Clifford Ermine, Quick Shot, and I'm now the new informant that is testifying against him in the trial." She shrugged as if what she said was nothing important.
Mr. Big did not respond. This was the girl's story to tell. Not his to dig for.
"You must know what it is like." Tia began. "He promises you a better life. A life outside of the one you always wanted to escape from. You start out turning a blind eye to certain things. Then you start thinking he might care enough about you to change. But then you start getting a little vocal about your thoughts. You stop turning a blind eye so often. And then the magic you thought you had. You realize that magic only ever existed in the bedroom."
Mr. Big, in fact, did not ever act like that with his wife. But he witnessed it in many different cases as his empire grew. He watched as so many naïve, young, girls threw themselves at these little boys with money and their pathetic display of power. It never ended well.
"When he got caught, I knew that if I didn't leave then and there, I wasn't going to get out alive. Or that I was, but I would no longer be whole." Tia felt the tears build in her eyes. "So, I left when they arrested him. But when I learned the original witness turned up dead. I got scared. So, I went to the ZPD headquarters and made a deal. Keep me alive, I testify. After the court proceedings, help me disappear, and I'll provide any other intel they need."
"So, the chief of police put you with Judy…"
"I, uninformed, requested Judy." Tia stated. "I wanted the officer in charge of my protection to be the officer with the highest success rate."
"…Judy." Mr. Big nodded in understanding. "That makes sense. She has a high success rate of always keeping people safe and alive. Hell, she even saved Zootopia's shadow's life."
Zootopia's shadow? Tia didn't know who that was.
"Do me a favor? Keep her safe, by keeping yourself safe, listen to what Judy tells you to do. Because if my daughter ends up dead because you didn't listen…you won't have to worry about Quick Shot anymore." Mr. Big threatened. "That being said…I'm sorry this happened to you. You seem like a sweet girl who just got entangled in the wrong web."
"T-thank you…"
"Daddy!" Fru Fru came through the door being carried by Judy. "Judy wanted to say good night."
"Leaving so soon?" Mr. Big asked sounding sad.
"Yeah." Judy's ears drooped. "I got to get Tia back home."
"You two would be perfectly safe here." Fru Fru offered.
"I know. I know." Judy began placing her friend on the desk beside her father. "But I need to be as close to the inner city as possible. In case Tia is needed on short notice."
"Alright." Fru Fru sighed.
When Judy left with Tia in the limo Mr. Big watched with sad eyes. He didn't get to talk with Judy as much as he wanted to. But that was the least of his concerns. Though he didn't show it, he was worried about Quick Shot. He was worse than trouble, Quick Shot was a form of evil. If he could, Mr. Big would put Judy under his protection. But his control both started and ended in Tundra Town. Everywhere else belonged to the young man he made a deal with ages ago. He still remembered that day, the day when a little boy approached him and wanted to make a deal.
"Teach me what my father couldn't." The boy had demanded. "And I'll give you full control of Tundra Town."
"Why don't I just get rid of you right now and take your father's seat."
"Because like you, I have a family. And you have too much respect for people who will do anything for family. And by making this deal with me you gain hierarchy as the only mob boss who doesn't have to report to me. I promise as you do right by me, I'll do right by you." The ten-year-old stated. "I promise, we will write out this deal in a formal contract, that as long as a "Big" sits in your seat. The Wilde's will never interfere in Tundra Town business. But I want to be trained to run my seat right. To be Zootopia's shadow."
Mr. Big accepted the deal. It was too good of a deal to even think of passing. That young boy became a young man under his watch. And was a prodigy far beyond his own understandings. He considered him family, a son, that he helped raise. That's why when Judy came into his life, he was happy feeling like he gained another daughter. The one thing that put him off though is when he found out Nicholas and Judy were sneaking around. At first, he was put off by the relationship, then he saw how happy they were. It got to the point that Mr. Big was just waiting for the day he would receive a wedding invitation. But that is when a curveball got thrown into life. Nicholas never said anything about it. And Judy just couldn't bring herself to speak about him aloud to anyone. They had broken up.
Are you still watching her Nicholas? Mr. Big wondered. I can't watch her where she is going. Where she resides, you are the only one who can keep her safe. Especially if you ever really cared for her.
