*Breathed a sigh of relief* It's been a while but it's finally out. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I had in writing it.

Much thanks to Cimar Turalis of WildeHopps for taking the time to edit this. I highly recommend checking out his stories as they are all amazing!

Western Front,

"Over the trench!"

The whistle sounded and the prey climbed out of the trench into No Mammal's Land with orders to capture the predators' trench and end the stalemate that has been plaguing the Western Front for months. In the days leading up to this assault, the prey shelled the predators' location with artillery to weaken their defenses. As the prey mammals rushed across the wasteland, artillery and gunfire from the predators cut down their strength and numbers, but the prey continued forward and returned fire.

Second Lieutenant Judy Hopps led the charge and struggled to advance through the loud artillery explosions around her. To minimize hearing loss, she wrapped the ears around her head and covered them with her cap before exiting the trench. Judy's small size allowed her to hide in the craters made from the artillery and behind the fallen while advancing, sniping as she went. She needed to close the distance and aim for headshots because of her weapons' weaker firepower and range, but the successful hits guaranteed a kill.

Previous prey assaults had ended in high casualties and retreat. But this time, after learning from those failures, the prey made significant advances. Near the predators' trench, Judy was hiding behind a fallen elephant to recover from the explosions. When her ears finally stopped ringing, she poked her head out to assess the enemy's strength. There was only one machine gun in the immediate area but with little cover between their respective positions. The doe watched the gun flash and cut down the prey exposed in the open.

Judy returned to cover and looked at her surroundings. She saw survivors hiding behind any possible cover in the barren No Mammals Land. Those nearby caught Judy in their sights and looked to her for their next move. Not wanting another retreat, her mind went into overdrive as the battle raged on. Seconds later, an idea finally came to her. With gunfire and explosions make verbal orders useless, the doe communicated to her troops with her paws. Judy made a stop motion and pointed to herself followed by a trigger motion.

The Lieutenant then pointed at them and made a throwing motion followed by an advancing one. The prey understood and informed other soldiers nearby of the new orders. As they readied their grenades, Judy checked her revolver for ammo before getting into position. She slowly raised her head and weapon above the body. She would only have seconds before the enemy fired on her position. Recalling the location from memory, Judy hastily aimed at the machine gun and fired, not caring if the bullets hit.

Once she counted to six, Judy immediately returned to her cover as the bullets riddled her position. A few seconds later, a series of explosions followed by gunfire from the prey occurred before an eerie calm settled over this section of the battlefield. After escaping death once more, Judy looked up from her cover and saw the prey storming into the predator's trench. Panic struck as she realized she could be too late for her ulterior purpose in this battle and ran for her life towards the trenches, reloading her revolver as she went. After traversing the wasteland, Judy quickly jumped down into the trench and was met with the sight of wounded and dead predators as well as a mix of her own soldiers.

She scanned the bodies and to her temporarily relief, her mammal of interest was not among them. With increasing panic, Judy hurried and jumped over the bodies with only one location in mind: the bunker. Each passing second increased her anxiety and heart rate. She needed to calm down, but the emotions were currently running high. In the frantic state of mind, Judy tripped over a corpse while running. Her fast speed caused Judy to fall to the ground hard and be slow in getting up. While lying on the ground, her ears picked up a familiar voice.

"Don't shoot! Please! I surrender!"

Judy gasped as tears slowly formed in her eyes from recognizing the pleading voice. Realizing the imminent danger, Judy pushed herself to stand and took off in the direction of the voice, ignoring everything else going on around her. She ran with her revolver out and ready to fire at anyone daring to stand in the way regardless of their affiliation. Judy turned a corner to see a red fox on its knees with its paws up much to her relief. But to her horror, she also saw three prey soldiers aiming their rifles at the fox with fiery prejudice in their eyes.

"NICK!"

Nick turned to the direction of the voice. His fearful face changed to that of hope at seeing her. "Judy!"

But in that moment of distraction, the three soldiers fired their weapons and Judy watched in slow motion horror as Nick flinched from being hit. His body fell down to the ground, bouncing once before stopping, the brilliance in his green eyes flickering as the life drained from the three bullet wounds in his chest.

"NOOOOO!" Judy raised her revolver and in hysterics, emptied the weapon on her own soldiers; two for each. The bullets hit their marks and three prey soldiers lay dead on the ground before they realized their grave mistake. Judy dropped her revolver and rushed to a bleeding Nick. She cradled his head and saw him breathing heavily and barely responsive. The breathing and movement then started to slow as his eyes closed, sending Judy into a frenzy. She desperately shook him as the tears flowing uncontrollably and his blood stained her.

"Nick! Nick! Oh Nick! Don't! Nick! No! No! You can't, Nick!" Judy looked down at him once more before taking one long deep breath and shrieking. "NIIIICK!"

Judy woke up screaming and gasping for air. She looked down at her paws to see them cradling one of the pillows. The bunny immediately tossed it aside and grabbed the black teddy bear from the pile of stuffed animals, hugging it tightly, slowly rocking back and forth on the bed while weeping uncontrollably. She had been plagued by nightmares of Nick's fate since returning home. Each growing worse with Nick's death varying in the outcomes, but always the same. Seeing her friend...her fox, laying lifeless in her paws.

The sound of knocking on the door grabbed her attention, but she had no desire to leave the bed. "Judy? Honey?" Bonnie called, her voice filled with care and concern. When Judy didn't respond, her mother opened the door and stepped into the room to see the sorrowful state of her daughter. With motherly instincts quickly taking control, Bonnie locked the door to the room and joined her daughter on the bed, embracing her in a hug. Judy slowly returned the hug with the teddy bear squished between the does.

"Another nightmare?" Bonnie calmly asked.

Judy sniffled, nodding slowly.

Her mother sighed deeply. "We're all worried for you, sweetheart. You've been having them for the past month."

Judy let out a hiccup before speaking. "I know, Ma. But I don't know what to do!"

Bonnie moved to where she could look at her daughter in the eyes and through the tears, Judy saw her mother's determination.

"The only thing left to do," Bonnie said.

The doe's expression slowly went wide at the dreaded answer. "Please tell me we're not doing the electric shock treatment."

Bonnie's determination was instantly replaced with alarm. "Goodness no!" she exclaimed while frantically waving her paws. "Your father will have to go through me before I allow that to happen!"

Judy released a sigh of relief. She had heard the army using that treatment on soldiers with similar conditions. It was ironic that the method frightened her more than being in actual combat. "Thank you. So what did you have in mind?"

"We're going to talk about it. Just you and me."

Judy still felt uncomfortable about her mother's solution. "Are you sure about that? My screams must have woken up the entire burrow."

"Actually, we're all used to it by now. Being exposed to them for the past month will do that, and we have time before morning comes."

Judy blushed with embarrassment and felt remorseful for forcing her family to endure her night terrors. "I'm sorry."

A small smile appeared on Bonnie's face. "There's no need to apologize, honey. We all understand that adjusting is difficult, but you should know that we're all here for you. Now come...I'll make us some carrot tea."

Judy nodded and followed Bonnie out of the bedroom, taking the black teddy bear with her. On the way to the living room, a few awakened family members along their path dared to sneak a peek at the passing does, but with a threatening glare sent their way from the matriarch, the rabbits instantly shut the doors to their rooms. Judy paid no heed to her surroundings, simply letting her mother guide her.

She sat down at a table while her mother brewed the carrot tea in the kitchen. As the water began heating up, Bonnie silently checked on her daughter and her heart ached at the sight. The happiness and joy normally expressed were no longer there, replaced with sadness and misery. Judy sat with both arms around the black bear, looking shrunken in on herself, but it was her small rhythmic chin-rubbing on the stuffed toy's head that caught Bonnie's attention.

Before the Great War, Judy had kept it among the other stuffed animals, but ever since she returned home, the bear was always seen in Judy's possession when she had her night terrors. Bonnie never questioned why, since Judy appeared calm after hugging it, but did notice the red neckerchief. The matriarch wondered where it came from since she never saw the clothing item when Judy first received it from her friend.

The sound of the tea kettle whistle brought her attention back and she quickly attended to it. Bonnie returned a short time later with two cups of carrot tea, placing one in front of Judy while sitting down across from her. Fortunately, Bonnie had experience with her relatives that fought in wars and knew the procedure of opening the conversation by letting her daughter take control. Asking only when appropriate.

"Do you want to describe your dreams?" she asked, avoiding the word nightmare.

Judy slowly nodded before freeing one arm to sip the tea. "Delicious tea, Ma. Thank you."

"You're welcome, dear."

Judy set the cup down and took a deep breath. "The beginning and the end are the same. What happens in between is different."

At this point, Bonnie refrained from speaking until it was necessary.

"I blow the whistle and lead a charge with my troops on the predators' trench. Some fall to enemy fire. Some retreat. The few brave mammals remaining push forward. As a commanding officer, I needed to lead by example and continued to advance."

Bonnie was surprised that Judy showed little reaction to seeing her fellow soldiers dying. Then again, seeing death occur nearly every day would be the norm on the front lines.

"We succeed in reaching and entering their trench to clear it out." Judy made a long, noticeable pause before continuing. "While clearing the trench, I hear a…very close friend of mine being surrounded by soldiers."

Bonnie instantly picked up the sadness in her voice at the last sentence. This must be where her nightmares occur. She hoped that Judy could fully give the details but remained doubtful for that outcome.

"I rush through the trench to save my friend, not caring who was in my way with time running short," Judy began trembling, clutching the black teddy bear with both arms. "I reached my friend in time, but instead of gunning down the enemies…I was so desperate that I…" Judy could no longer proceed and finally broke down crying.

Bonnie was immediately at her side and wrapped her arms around the doe. She had no words to say. Judy blamed herself for causing her friend's death, and Bonnie had no idea how to convince her otherwise. So she asked a question instead, hoping it would distract Judy from those dark thoughts.

"Is Nick your friend's name?"

Judy stopped crying and froze. The bunny slowly released from her mother's hug and looked into her eyes with surprise. "W-why do you think that?"

"You were screaming his name on some nights, honey. The whole burrow heard you."

Judy instantly covered her mouth and looked away, the teddy falling on its side on her lap. She had hoped her family would never find out about Nick until the war was over, but her nightmares changed all that. The only thing she could do now would be to feed tidbits of information when asked about him, without revealing too much.

"Don't worry. No one is allowed to mention his name to you or speak of him unless you bring it up," Bonnie assured.

For the first time since arriving home, Judy felt relieved. She gave her mother a strong hug and nuzzled her. "Thank you."

"You're welcome, sweetheart."

They held each other for a few more moments before releasing. While on the topic of Nick, Bonnie hoped to ask more questions about him and would accept whatever Judy answered.

"So does that neckerchief belong to him? I've never seen it before."

Judy glanced at the clothing. "Yes, he gave it to me for Christmas as a gift. In fact, Nick was the reason why this past Christmas was a happy one." The memories from the Christmas Truce brought a smile to her face. This part she was more than happy to tell.

The sudden return of her happiness shocked Bonnie. She had been worried if Judy would ever recover. Bonnie would need to thank this Nick for cheering up her daughter when she got the chance to see him, but first… "I'm so happy for you, honey! I'll make sure to thank this Nick when I see him. If you don't mind me asking, is he..."

Judy sighed heavily, knowing her mother's hopes. "He's not a buck, Ma. And I would be happy if you didn't ask any further. At least...not yet." Judy hated to keep secrets from her mother, but the doe doubted that she and the rest of the family would believe that a fox gave her one of the best Christmas celebrations in recent memory. Let alone to her admitting love for one. Judy would reveal everything once the war was over.

Bonnie was disappointed that she couldn't get more information on Nick, but she knew when to stop asking questions. "Okay Judy. Do you feel better now?"

Judy nodded, retaining her smile. "Yes, Ma. Thank you."

"You're welcome. You can sleep in again today and work the roadside stand if you need to."

"Please?"

Bonnie kissed Judy on the cheek. "I would have made you regardless. Now finish your tea and go back to sleep."

The tea had cooled a little since the conversation, but neither does minded the lukewarm temperature. After finishing their drinks, Bonnie returned to the kitchen to prepare breakfast and Judy returned to her bedroom for a well-deserved rest.

On the way, Judy noticed a tan rabbit wearing a white shirt and long white pants walking in the opposite direction. "Bailey?"

"Oh hi, Judy!" The young buck stopped in front of her sister. "How are you feeling?"

"Better," She became nervous and played with the black teddy. "Did I…wake you up?"

Bailey remained silent and appeared nervous. Judy understood the message. "Sorry."

"It's okay. I needed to get up early for some training anyway."

Judy tilted her head in confusion. "Training?"

"The Zoolympics remember? They're being held next year."

It took a few seconds, but the memory surfaced. "Oh yes! I remember now! Sorry, those details escape you when spending months away fighting in a war."

"I understand."

"But why are you up so early? You usually practice in the afternoon."

"My plan is to add more training time as the Games get closer. With them being in Bearlin this year, there will be many predators competing for the gold and many prey competing against them. So I will have heavy competition."

"I see, and this will also be your first time competing in the Games?" Judy asked.

"Absolutely! I would have entered the 1912 games had it not been for the costs to travel to them. But at least I got four more years to train. As for the money, I've been working extra chores and jobs outside of school and training,"

"You're not taking money for competing, are you? The Committee has very strict amateur rules."

"Of course not! I don't want to end up like Jim Throepe." His expression became forlorn at the deer's fate. "It was unfair what they did to him, and he won two gold medals too." Bailey sighed. "At least Jim still managed to play professional baseball, and the committee is fair to both predators and prey. I only hope that the ongoing war doesn't affect the Games."

"You're not the only one."

Judy's sentence confused Bailey since she wasn't competing but decided to not pursue the discussion further. "Well, I better get going."

"Good luck, and have fun."

"Thank you."

Bailey proceeded to the barn where he trained for gymnastics. Judy questioned how her parents allowed him to pursue his dream, but she was glad they were being more open to letting their children become more than carrot farmers nonetheless. But Bailey might have some difficulty in getting their parents to let him compete in a predator-populated empire. With a smile on her face and feeling more cheerful, Judy returned to her bedroom.

The doe had gotten a couple more hours of sleep before waking up at nine. After eating a late breakfast, she worked at the roadside stand set up by her parents. Bonnie and Stu made this arrangement whenever Judy experienced her night terrors, believing the quiet from being alone would help calm her down. Judy didn't mind as she enjoyed the peacefulness and solitude away from the more curious family members.

The remainder of the morning quickly passed as Judy served customers visiting the stand, taking a short break for lunch before returning to work. While watching for customers, her eyes fell to the stack of newspapers on the stand. They had been selling them along with their crops for as far as she could remember and Judy decided to read one to pass the time and learn what happened in Bunnyburrow while away.

The headline pertaining to the ongoing war immediately got her attention. Hoping for any sign of peace, Judy picked up a copy to stay informed of any actions by the belligerents. But none of the writing showed and the title she currently saw was no different.

1915—Germammal Admiralty Declaration

All the waters surrounding the United Dominion and Deereland, including the whole of the surrounding channel, are hereby declared to be a war zone. From February 18 onwards every enemy merchant vessel found within this war zone will be destroyed without it always being possible to avoid danger to the crews and passengers.

Neutral ships will also be exposed to danger in the war zone, as, in view of the misuse of neutral flags ordered on January 31 by the Panthera Government, and owing to unforeseen incidents to which naval warfare is liable, it is impossible to avoid attacks being made on neutral ships in mistake for those of the enemy.

Navigation to the north, in the eastern parts of the North Sea and through a zone at least thirty nautical miles wide along the Ratlands coast is not exposed to danger.

At the conclusion of the article, Judy checked the date and indeed discovered that today was February 18. She closed her eyes and whimpered. "Why?!" Germammal's naval declaration would only serve to prolong the war. She was beginning to lose hope that it would be over soon, despite trying to remain hopeful. Judy quickly stopped herself from drifting into darker thoughts and looked around to focus on something else.

Her mind drifted to the promise she and Nick made just after they saved each other's units from their respective artillery barrages. Judy imagined the various scenarios in their head of the eventual meeting: Nick surprising her, Judy pretending to not know him, Nick trying to steal a few blueberries for himself while playfully mocking her about carrots. All of this once again brought a smile to her face and her dark thoughts recessed to the back of her mind.

But that happiness disappeared when Judy heard a vehicle pulling up and she quickly made herself more presentable for the potential customer. The first thing the doe noticed was the delivery truck, but it was a red male fox in a blue and white plaid shirt and blue overalls exiting the driver's seat that caught her full attention. Judy wanted to believe the red fox was Nick, but the eyes and appearance did not match. One thing the bunny knew, her fear of foxes was no longer present.

Upon seeing Judy behind the stand, the fox became surprised when he recognized her. "Well I'll be. Is that you, Judy?"

It took a moment for the doe to gather her thoughts and respond. "I'm sorry. Do I know you?"

The tod became nervous and scratched the back of his head. "Well uh, does this sound familiar to you?" He cleared his throat. "Stupid carrot, farming dumb bunny."

Judy pondered those words for a moment before her eyes went wide. "Gideon Grey?!"

"Hi…" he said meekly while waving his paw, careful to not unsheathe his claws.

Gideon braced himself for the incoming reaction. Whatever Judy said he deserved after hurting her when they were young. But instead, he got…

"Wow,"

Her calm response caught him off guard, having expected her to be more vocal and negative. "Huh? You're not going to yell at me. You must be angry for what I did to you."

"I'm…actually more shocked right now. I mean. You look so much different since our last encounter."

"Yes, I-I've changed a lot since. I was hoping to meet you before you went off to fight in the war. Now that you're back, I just want to apologize for the way I behaved in my youth. I had a lot of self-doubt, and it manifested itself in the form of unchecked rage and aggression. I was a horrible mammal."

She found herself in disbelief at how much Gideon had changed for the better from her past experience with him. Thanks to Nick, Judy understood that Gideon may have been mistreated for being a fox and she believed his apology to be sincere. If she gave Nick a chance, she should do the same for him. "I forgive you, Gideon."

Touched by her forgiveness, Gideon almost shed a tear but remained composed. "Thank you, Judy. If you don't mind me asking, why are you back home instead of fighting?"

A look of dejection appeared on Judy's face. "I was honorably discharged from the army."

The reason shocked Gideon. He had thought Judy was on leave. "Why would they do that? The war is starting to pick up last I heard."

"Please don't remind me."

Gideon winced from accidentally Judy distress. "Sorry, so uh I'm here to buy your produce," He said, trying to change the subject.

"Right? What would you like?"

Gideon listed what he needed and provided crates for Judy to put them in. He offered to help, but Judy politely refused, saying she needed to do something besides sit there and do nothing.

"So what are these for?" Judy asked while packaging the items.

"Oh right! I forgot to tell you that I run a baking shop now: Gideon Grey's Baked Goods. It's become quite popular in Bunnyburrow and word is spreading to the other areas of the Tri-burrow as well."

Judy stopped for a moment, impressed with the news of his growing success. "That's really neat, Gideon. I'm so happy for you."

"Thank you, Judy. So I was wondering if I could speak with your Ma and Pa. I'm looking for a business partner for the shop. I've spoken with the other farms but they all rejected the offer. I-I came to your family to apologize for hurting you and ask to work with them in return."

Judy's joy was dampened when she heard Gideon's failure with the other farms. She grew angry at them for not giving him a chance and became determined for him to be successful with her family. But Judy knew she didn't hold the final decision. "You'll have to ask them yourself. But I'll mention the offer and promise to be with you when you meet them."

A smile appeared on Gideon's face. "Thanks Judy. I appreciate it."

"You're welcome." Judy finished packaging the requested produce. "All done, Gideon."

Gideon handed over the payment. "Here's the money, Judy."

She counted the amount and to her shock, discovered he had given more than the price. She tried to return the excess but Gideon stopped her.

"Keep the change, Judy. It's for you. The least I can do for your service. If you want to help, stop by the bakery. You'll love what I'm making with your crops."

His act of kindness warmed her heart and cemented that his change was for real. Tearing up, Judy walked around the stand to give him a big hug. "I will, Gideon. Thank you."

Gideon returned the gesture. "You're welcome, and I can carry the crates."

After loading everything onto the truck, they waved goodbye to each other before Gideon returned to his bakery. Judy returned to the stand more cheerful after the reunion. She wondered how Nick would react if he met Gideon. That was, until she remembered telling him of the incident as a child. The doe became alarmed at his worst possible reaction. She would need to tell Nick about Gideon's reform before they meet again.

Late in the afternoon, Bonnie and Stu stopped by the roadside stand to check on her.

"How are you doing, Jude?" Stu asked.

"Everything is well. I made some sales." Judy motioned to the box of money below.

"That's great, honey!" Bonnie complimented. "Do you want to go deposit some to the bank with one of your brothers? You need to pick up your pay from the army station as well."

"Oh right! I forgot! Yes, I'll do that."

"Now your army pay will go the family emergency fund so bring it back here. But it doesn't mean you can't spend some for yourself." Stu said. "You practically fought for it!"

Judy could resist a giggle at Stu's attempt to cheer her up. "That's true. Thanks, Pa."

He tossed the keys for Judy to catch. "Go on now. We'll get someone to take your place."

Judy grabbed the box and searched for her brother Nestor. She first went to her room to retrieve the necessary documents to receive her pay before resuming her search. Judy later found him in his room working on some documents, noticing the table littered with papers and pencils.

"What are you doing, Nestor?"

The black bunny turned around to see his sister standing in the doorway. "Oh hi, Judy. I'm working on the family finances."

His statement intrigued the doe. "Really?"

"Mhm. It turns out Pa realized the value of my interests in mathematics. He has me working as an accountant since all they do is work on numbers which he considers safe. I'm okay with that. It saves him money from having to pay one, and I get to apply my knowledge. Maybe he'll let me go to school to get certified!"

Judy felt so happy for Nestor and hoped this path will eventually lead him to be a mathematician. "So do you still work out in the fields? It's where I last saw you before I left."

"Of course! You know the burrow rules. Everyone has to contribute in the fields." Nestor noticed the box of money in Judy's paws. "Are those the profits from today's sales?"

Judy nodded.

"Alright, give it here."

The doe gave the box to Nestor and watched him count the money. A few minutes later, he set aside a small amount and put the rest back in the box.

"Here you go." He returned the box to Judy. "These go to the bank while the rest goes into the emergency fund."

"Thanks, Nestor. Can you take me to the bank and army station?"

Her brother shook his head. "Sorry, I need to work on these income taxes. They'll be a nightmare if not done by April. Maybe Felix can take you. He should be out in the barn performing science experiments."

"Okay, thank you."

"You're welcome."

Judy went outside to the barn hoping to find her brother Felix there. As she got closer to the structure, the doe could hear creaking and the sound of equipment. She opened the barn doors to see Felix surrounded by labeled containers and working with a few of the family crops. The doe also saw Bailey performing a routine on a handle bar he presumably set up along with a descending tight rope. Judy waited until Bailey finished his move to knock on the barn door and get their attention. The two bucks saw her standing at the barn entrance.

"Judy! What are you doing here?" Bailey asked.

"Ma and Pa have asked me to find someone to take me to the bank so I can deposit the money and pick up my army pay. Nestor's busy so he told me to find you, Felix."

Hearing about the trip excited the white bunny. "Sure! I need to go to town to buy some supplies. Give me a moment!" He checked his work while Judy and Bailey spoke.

"I didn't know Felix let you train in here with him," Judy said.

"That happened recently with the Games approaching," Bailey answered. "He doesn't mind and even has me be his assistant at times."

"I can see that. Is it just you or does he have anyone else?"

"Felix has a few. but he's relied on me since I don't cause too much trouble with his work."

Judy stifled a giggle at the shenanigans that might have occurred with her other family members. "I'm happy you are working on your dreams."

"Thanks. He even helps me time my performances so we both win."

Felix then returned to Judy and Bailey with a list. "Ready to go. Bailey, do you mind watching my things while I'm out? Don't want the Kerfluffle to get into the experiments again." The family was fortunate that the incident involved harmless experiments, but Felix and his parents agreed that more precautions needed to be taken to keep the younger ones safe. As such, most of the responsibility fell to Felix in keeping and disposing of the experiments safely.

"Will do!"

Felix and Judy left the barn for the truck while Bailey resumed his training.

"You have the keys?" her brother asked as they arrived at the truck.

Judy pulled them out from the box and gave them to him.

"Excellent!"

He unlocked the doors and they entered the truck. Moments later, the two bunnies were on their way into town.

"I assume you were working on science projects in there?" Judy inquired.

"Correct. Pa wants me to improve the health of the crops. The Midnicampum holicithias only protects against bugs, but what about the weather and plant diseases? So many possibilities and I'm happy for him to let me work like this."

"So am I."

The two spent the drive talking about their dreams. Felix asked if Judy would pursue being a police officer now that she was out of the army. Judy admitted to that possibility but remained indecisive. The buck accepted her answer, and the rest of the drive was made in silence. Neither of them mentioned the ongoing war out of respect for the doe. Felix and the rest of the family knew it would be months before Judy would consider opening up.

The truck finally arrived at the local army station and Judy hopped out. "This shouldn't take long," Judy said.

"I'll be waiting."

Judy exited the vehicle and approached the building. Nostalgia swept through her from the day she first stepped inside to sign up. It had been a long and difficult process since there were few rabbit soldiers. Those already in the army were limited to non-combat roles. There had never been a rabbit commissioned officer before her and it was a proud moment for Judy. Were there things the doe wanted to forget? Yes, but she wouldn't change a thing.

Inside the building, Judy approached the goat receptionist.

"Excuse me?"

The goat looked around for the source of the voice.

"Down here!"

The receptionist looked and saw Judy standing before him. "Oh hello! What can I do for you?"

"Hello! I'm here to pick up my pay. Can you point me in the direction?"

"I'll need to see some identification and documents first to prove you're not on duty."

Judy produced the discharge paper and her identification card.

The goat took the items and verified them. "Everything looks official." He returned the items and directed Judy to the room behind him. "It's in the baaack." The receptionist smiled at her after letting out the bleat.

He got his intended reaction when the bunny returned with her own smile. Judy thanked the goat before following the given directions. She arrived at the room and knocked on the door.

"Come in," a male voice called out.

The doe entered the room and saw a giraffe officer sitting at a table along with a rhino and a hippo guarding the officer. Behind them were bags of what Judy assumed to be filled with cash. She approached the table and noticed papers and a single pistol. Judy assumed the weapon was a precaution to prevent theft.

The giraffe saw Judy approaching. "Are you here for your payment?"

She nodded and placed the items for the officer on the table.

The giraffe looked at them for a few seconds before pulling a paper and a small pencil. "Please sign this and you will receive your pay."

Judy stepped forward to the table and stood on her toes to sign her name. While doing so, the rhino retrieved a bag of money from the pile and placed it on the table. When she finished signing, Judy was surprised to see the large size of the bag but refrained from asking more questions and simply took it and smiled.

"Thank you."

The mammals nodded and Judy exited the room, holding the bag by the knot while supporting the bottom. With curiosity getting the better of her, Judy stopped for a moment to check the money when alone. She opened the bag and discovered a note at the top of the money stacks. Judy took the piece of paper out of the bag and read it.

Merry Christmas, Hopps.

The doe recognized the writing from her discharge papers and smiled at Bogo's generous gift. The act further proved that the General truly cared for those under his command. Judy slipped the note into her hat and tied the bag before continuing her exit. Outside, Felix waited for his sister to come out of the building when he heard the door open. He looked to see Judy throwing the money bag inside before entering herself.

The buck let out a long whistle at seeing the money. "You got paid that much for fighting in the war?"

"Most of it is from my time as a commissioned officer. I got a pay raise after my promotion and a small compensation after my discharge."

"Ah, I remember. You were promoted to Second Lieutenant this past Christmas. Are we depositing that into the bank also?"

"No, it's going into the family emergency funds, but Pa is allowing me to spend some on myself first before delivering it."

"That makes sense. Are you going to do that now?"

"If you don't mind," Judy knew they were on errands but wanted to take advantage of the opportunity.

"Not at all. Do you need to drive you somewhere?"

"Uh, would you…drive me to Gideon's Baked Goods?"

"Gideon's? Wait, so that means…"

It didn't surprise her that no one else in the family knew about their encounter earlier, but she felt it was important to get the details out of the way to avoid assumptions. "Yes, he came by the stand today and apologized for hurting me years ago. Gideon also asked me about partnering up with the family farm to help his bakery." Judy anxiously waited for her brother's response, hoping it wouldn't be negative

"Well if you say he's changed, then I believe you."

Judy felt an overwhelming relief that Felix showed no ill towards Gideon.

"But I'm not sure if how Ma and Pa will react to that," he continued. "You know how they are with foxes."

"Which is why I have to be the one to tell them. If someone who was attacked by a fox is willing to give him a second chance, so should they."

"That's fair. Between you and me, the family knew about his bakery and some of us actually want to try his treats. But you know how it is in Bunnyburrow. Word travels fast."

Judy let out an annoyed huff. "I'm surprised Ma and Pa allow him to buy our crops if that's what they think of foxes."

"Money is money as they say."

"Wow…" she said in disbelief.

"Ironic, right?"

"We'll meet back here in one hour," Felix said as they parked in front of Gideon's bakery. "It's going to take time to deposit the money and for me to buy my supplies."

"Thank you, Felix." Judy opened the bag and took out a stack of bills. She got out of the truck and waved goodbye to her brother as he drove off.

Judy stood in front of the bakery, taking in its appearance. The sign had the words Gideon's Baked Goods in cursive writing next to the year established: 1914. She assumed he must have opened the bakery back in August. It was small compared the others she had seen. Gideon must either worked by himself or had few employees willing to work with a fox. The shop had the displays of the different treats offered seen through the glass and the window shopping alone was enough to pull the bunny forward. A bell sounded when Judy opened the door.

"Be out with you in a minute!" she heard Gideon shout from the back.

While she waited, the bunny looked around inside the bakery. A few chairs and tables occupied the sides of the shop, allowing customers the chance to sit down and eat their treats while on the opposite side of the front entrance were more glass displays and written menus of the different choices offered. Judy was impressed that Gideon could bake all these treats himself though she would need to ask for a sample to add more support when proposing the partnership.

"Judy! I didn't expect you here. Come to see this place for yourself?"

The doe saw Gideon in the same attire, except he now wore an apron and was covered in flour. "I didn't know you could make all this."

"Me neither, but I discovered my talent for this while reforming my behavior. Now I get more joy out of making mammals happy than ridiculing them."

A big smile formed on her face. "I look forward to trying one of your dishes made from our produce, if one is ready."

"I just put a pie in the oven nary more than a quarter hour ago made from your blueberries. I'll give you a slice when it's done."

Judy nodded. "Thanks Gideon."

While the pie baked, she continued to ask Gideon about the shop from the beginning to the present. She also asked about the sales and was saddened to hear that despite the good hospitality, the bakery received few customers and no one wanted to work for him. Gideon assured her that he made enough to keep the place open, but Judy felt that prejudice against foxes was responsible for the lack of popularity. She was now more determined than ever to establish the partnership.

The timer rang from the back of the store. "Pie's ready. Take a seat and I'll bring ya out a slice."

Judy nodded and sat down at one of the tables while Gideon went in the back. A few minutes later he appeared with a slice of blueberry pie on a plate with a fork and napkin, setting it down in front of Judy.

"Enjoy!"

She thanked him and picked up the fork. The sight and smell of the pie were already making her mouth water. She cut off a small piece, noticing its smoothness. The bunny blew air over the filling to cool down the temperature while Gideon stood next to her, anxiously hoping that he did an excellent job. Judy finally took a bite and in an instant, her eyes widened and ears stood erect as the explosion of flavors overcame her taste buds.

Judy slowly turned her head to the now physically nervous Gideon. "This…is…amazing, Gideon!"

The fox let out a huge sigh of relief and watched Judy devour the remaining pie.

The rabbit cleaned off the plate in a relatively short span of time, wiping at her mouth with the napkin. She then sat in the chair with a content smile on her face. "That was the best pie I've ever had!"

"Why thank you, Judy. I'm glad you enjoyed it. Do you want another slice?"

Judy shook her head, wanting to save her appetite for dinner. "No, but can I take one home?"

"I'll give you the whole thing. My treat!"

The sudden gift shocked Judy out of her bliss. "Wait, you're not going to let me pay?"

Gideon chuckled as he went to package the remaining pie. "The partnership will be more than enough payment," he quickly continued before Judy could protest further. "But if it doesn't work out, then you can pay me for the pie. Besides, you need more than words to prove my desserts are fantastic."

"Funny, I thought the same thing." With her parents, it sometimes requires physical evidence to convince them or at least make them consider. The pie and their encounter would be the biggest points in the proposal. Judy was also happy that she could still pay for the pie if negotiations fell through. "Thank you."

"You're welcome." Gideon walked over to Judy with a bag containing the box of blueberry pie. "Let me know of their answer when you get a chance."

Judy stood up and accepted the bag. "I will. It was nice meeting you again."

"My pleasure, Judy. See ya again soon."

She waved goodbye to Gideon and left the bakery. The tod went to take the plate and fork away when he discovered something slipped under the plate. Gideon smiled as he noticed the one dollar bill when picking up the plate. He picked up the money, only to discover that it wasn't one dollar. His eyes bulged at the zero next to the one and he nearly dropped the plate when he discovered a second identical bill inside the fold.

As soon as Judy was outside, she turned a corner and ran as fast as she could while carrying the pie. The bunny didn't want Gideon to return the money and knew that causing a scene would give the wrong impression. Especially with the ongoing war. Judy slowed down to a walk after running a few blocks down the street. "Sorry Gideon, but I'm not letting you suffer like that."

She quickly realized she would need to return to the store since it's where Felix dropped her off. Judy groaned and chastised herself. Dumb bunny. Now she had to anticipate Felix's arrival as the meeting time drew near. While returning to the bakery, she passed by a glass display to a toy store. Judy glanced at the different toys until she froze, turning to the display in front of her. The doe stared at the glass for a few moments before entering the toy shop.

One hour later, Felix rode up to Gideon's Bakery and saw Judy standing off to the side of the building. As soon as he parked, Judy rushed to the door and entered the car.

"What happened to you?" Felix asked, wondering why Judy was in a rush.

"Nothing! Just need to get home quick!"

He quickly became concerned at the tone of her voice. "Why? Is something wrong?"

Judy realized how her behavior could be interpreted and glanced around until her eyes fell on the bag she brought with her. "Gideon gave me a pie, and I want to make sure it doesn't spoil!"

Felix would have commented but the smell of said treat coming from the bag proved Judy correct. "Okay then…do you think I can get a piece when we get home?" He hoped the request would make the drive less awkward.

Judy breathed a sigh of relief at the topic change. "After I share it with Ma and Pa. They need to taste it when I mention Gideon's offer."

"Very true. Where do you plan on hiding it?"

"My room of course! The younger ones are not allowed in there because of my weapons so it's the perfect place!"

"Good idea," the buck said as he shifted gears. "Let's go home."

It was dinner time when Felix and Judy returned home. The buck agreed to take Judy's pay while she went to store the pie until after dinner, in which the doe was grateful. Judy carefully walked to her room with her bag to avoid attracting attention from her family. Fortunately, she didn't encounter any younger ones and to the older ones she did encounter, Judy explained that the bag contained personal purchases. In her room, Judy placed the bag in her wardrobe and hurried off to dinner before her parents sent someone to check up on her.

Dinner proceeded as normal with Judy answering basic questions about life in the military. As the family ate, Bonnie and Stu noticed their daughter's more positive behavior as she interacted with her siblings and relatives. They were happy to see their daughter slowly adjusting to life after the war and despite their desire to fully assist, they both understood that Judy needed as much time and that they needed guide rather than lead her. The sound of Judy's voice broke them away from their thoughts.

"Huh? Did you say something?" Stu asked.

"I asked if you and Ma could meet with me later tonight alone? It's important."

"Certainly, Judy," Bonnie quickly answered, trying to show that she and Stu had been paying attention the entire time.

"Thank you." Judy returned to eating and the conversations going on around her.

Later that night, Bonnie and Stu sat at a table waiting for Judy. She had told them about needing to retrieve something before speaking to them. The parents were hopeful that their daughter was finally going to open up to begin the healing process, but they were distracted from those thoughts when Judy returned with a box in her paws. Bonnie and Stu also saw two forks placed on top of the box.

"What do you have in there, Judy?" Bonnie asked.

"You'll see," Judy set the items down on the table and finally took her seat. "Thank you so much for doing this."

"You're welcome, Judy," Stu said. "So what did you want to tell us?"

Judy took a deep breath while gathered her thoughts. She had been going over the proposal repeatedly in her head. The scenarios were hopeful at best, but Judy held onto those regardless of the odds. "Do you remember Gideon Grey?"

"Of course! We never forgot what he did to you when you were young!" Stu answered quickly.

Bonnie nodded in agreement. "What about him?"

"Well, I met him at the farm stand today. I didn't recognize him at first until he reminded me."

"He what?!" Stu exclaimed, his fatherly instincts taking over.

"Stu. Honey, calm down," Bonnie said. "Gideon visits us to buy our crops remember. This is the first time our daughter has seen him in years."

"Right, sorry." Stu breathed slowly as he relaxed. "I don't mean to interrupt further but you should know that he kept asking if you were home."

"What did you tell him?" Judy asked, wondering their reaction to seeing his reform.

"That you were off fighting in the war," Stu said. "He became sad and worried for you. Asked us to tell him when you would return."

"Then why didn't you tell me when I did come home?" Judy found it hard to believe that her parents would forget something this significant.

"We didn't know what he wanted with you, and he hadn't shown up in a while," Bonnie said.

"Not until today it seems," Stu said.

Judy quickly understood why Gideon hadn't visited the farm recently. The reason for the topic was approaching quickly.

"Anyways, why did you ask about Gideon?" Stu continued.

And there it was. Even with the preparations, Judy still felt nervous but needed to inform her parents. "He first apologized for hurting me when we were children and explained his reasons for his aggressive behavior."

"Ah, so that's why," Bonnie said in understanding. "Well it's good that he did. Gideon did appear remorseful when we spoke. He didn't want to say anything else on the matter when asked."

"We were still afraid of him then, but that didn't stop us from letting him buy our crops," Stu said. "In fact, he's become a frequent customer of ours. Even opened up his own bakery."

Judy knew of her parents knowing about the place thanks to Felix. What surprised her was the positive attitude towards his recent success. This was the opening she needed. "Yes, his bakery is the main reason for this conversation tonight. Gideon is trying to find partners for his bakery, and he asked about forming one with us."

Bonnie and Stu turned to each other briefly before looking warily at their daughter, their cheeriness replaces with hesitation.

"Well uh…did he talk to anyone else about this?" Bonnie cautiously asked.

Judy closed her eyes and sighed heavily. "Yes, and they all rejected the offer."

"For good reason," Stu grumbled.

"Pa!" Judy didn't care if her voice attracted attention. She had zero tolerance for prejudice against foxes. The sudden rise in volume caused Bonnie and Stu to flinch. "I know you and Ma are mistrusting of foxes! But please give him a chance! If I, someone he hurt in the past, can forgive Gideon and give him a second chance, shouldn't my own parents as well?" Judy didn't let them respond and calmly pushed the box forward. "I went to his bakery today, and he gave me a free pie made from our blueberries. This may look like a bribe, but it's not. Please taste it so you can see the benefit of a partnership with him. Gideon worked hard to make it perfect for me." She took a deep breath before continuing. "And if I hear any criticism about the pie because of his species, then this conversation is over."

Judy placed the forks before her parents and opened the box of blueberry pie. Bonnie and Stu immediately noticed a slice missing. Instead of assuming Gideon stole one for himself, they speculated that he gave it to their daughter for a taste. Under the threat of damaging communication with Judy, yet encouraged by her positive words, Bonnie and Stu picked up the forks and ate the pie. While it may not have been fresh as when it first came out of the oven, Judy hoped that the taste will be enough.

"Sweet carrots, this is delicious!" Stu quietly exclaimed.

Judy beamed at the positive response, holding back the emotions that were threatening to spill over.

"And Gideon made this himself with our blueberries?" Bonnie asked, wanting clarification.

Judy slowly nodded, still smiling and nearly in tears. "He can bake other treats also. Cookies, cakes, you name it."

"Well then. Now I want to taste those as well." Stu said.

"So does this mean you'll give him chance?" Judy's voice was filled with hope.

"One step at a time, dear," Bonnie said. "But we'll speak to him tomorrow."

While she was slightly disappointed in the delayed answer, it was better than an outright rejection. "It's all I ask. You can keep the pie."

"We'll let you know what happens, and we promise to be open also when speaking to Gideon," Stu said.

Judy got up from her chair and walked over to her parents. She hugged them both and nuzzled their shoulders. "Thank you. I love you both. Goodnight."

"Goodnight Judy," Bonnie said.

"Goodnight, bun bun," Stu said.

Judy kissed her parents before heading off to bed. Inside her bedroom, the moon shining through her window gave enough light for the doe to keep the lamp off that was near the bed. After locking the door, she strolled to the wardrobe to change out of her day clothes. With her night gown on, Judy removed the shopping bag that she hid earlier in the wardrobe and could proceed now that everyone else was either asleep or getting ready for bed.

Sitting on the bed with the bag in her paws, Judy reached in and pulled out her purchase from the toy store: a stuffed red fox. She discarded the bag and hugged the stuffed fox, giving it a few nuzzles and kisses. Had Judy seen this before the war, she would have ignored it. A small giggle escaped her mouth at the memory of the shop owner raising eyebrows after seeing Judy's eagerness, but brushed it off with the sale. When making the purchase, the owner had told Judy that not many had been produced which only made it all the more priceless to her.

Judy softened her hug to retrieve the black bear from the pile. Setting the two plushies down, she removed the red neckerchief from the bear and tied it onto the fox. Judy took a moment to look at the two stuffed animals sitting before her. In her mind they both represented complete opposites of her emotions: happiness and sadness. Satisfied, the doe placed the plushies in the pile and tucked herself in bed.

While staring at the ceiling from trying to fall asleep, Judy reached over and picked up the fox plush. As she held it over her, the doe wondered if the fox would scare away her nightmares. She quietly let out a giggle at the thought. But Judy couldn't deny that she felt a little of that hole in her heart filled with it in her possession. The bunny hoped that Nick would never find it or she would never hear the end of it from him. She needed to stay strong not just for family but also him. Judy smiled and held the plush close to her as the emotional and physical exhaustion of the day finally overcame her.

I also like to extend my gratitude to Selaxes for allowing me to use his OC Bailey whom you should also check his stories over on Archive of Our Own. I was very curious in imagining Bailey during the 1916 games and couldn't resist writing those scenes.

Jim Throepe is based on the real life Olympic athlete Jim Thorpe. Him being stripped of his gold medals because of amateur rules in place at the time did happen. Unfortunately, Jim passed long before the Committee restored his medals. Interestingly, I wanted to make him a predator initially but I thought a prey would be better to show that the Committee isn't biased against a particular group of mammals.

I wasn't certain of the procedures for soldiers picking up their pay. It's especially difficult to find information in the WWI era so creative liberties were taken for that scene.

For Gideon's reaction to Judy's tip, 20 dollars in 1915 is the equivalent of over 470 dollars today. Remember that Bogo gave Judy a little Christmas bonus with her pay.

That's all for now! See you next chapter!