The new tales from Zootopia

by Vindictive456

This story is a well thought out work of fan-fiction that will cover in moderate pace how Judy came back to the force and convinced Nick to be her partner, Nick's training to become an officer and his days at the academy, a weird new case involving corrupt mammals and a new dangerous drug, all of that sprinkled with the growing love between Zootopia's favorite pair of officers.

2. Episode 2: Recalling

Authors note: Welcome to another chapter of my fan-fiction, I do not know if I will keep posting new chapters at a steady pace, my days have been kind of busy, might take a while for the love and conflict to come around but it will arrive soon enough, that's a promise. Until them enjoy the story and know that I'll do my best to keep it alive.

Episode 2: Recalling

Judy loved to patrol around Zootopia, before Nick joined the force she had been tagging along with other fellow officers to get the hang of maneuvering more easily on the streets while keeping a watch for any signs of suspicious activity, which is not an easy task since it is necessary to keep a vigil watch on your surroundings and pilot the cruiser with the outmost care at the same time. She took her time moving the clutch and watching her turns, but even if she was slightly more experienced when it came to monitor the drive and performing surveillance simultaneously, she still did not know all the paths around the city just yet. It couldn't be helped really, after all, back in Bunnyburrow all the paths pointed and connected eventually into a single road that could take you anywhere that you needed to go, no matter which direction you took or which direction you chose, in Zootopia, however, a single missed turn or wrong exit route could get you lost and cost you hours of a day to find your way back to the main roads, in that case, she had to rely on the expertise of her make do navigator sitting near her.

- Speed it up carrots! I'm practically falling asleep over here!

Judy turned her sight around and found Nick slouching on his seat, he was placing both his paws behind his head while wearing the stylish set of shades that he often used just for show, Judy turned her attention back to the street ahead and spoke up:

- We don't need to be fast Nick; we need to remain calm and alert. Speaking of which: Sit up straight and focus, I need you to keep watch on the other side of the street and to keep me on the right track so we can reach the Edge of the Savana without any trouble.

Judy drove a few last meters up the block pointing northwest, in the general direction of the border separating the central savanna with the frigid tundra, she looked Nick's way for a second and asked:

- Do I take this turn or the next one?

Nick placed his paws behind his head to rest more comfortably on his seat and pointed forward with a nodding gesture of his head:

- Keep going forward and take the next left, traffic at this hour is already a nightmare, if we take Sarown Street by the time we reach Tundra Town it will be way past noon.

- Roger that.

Judy adjusted her paws over the steering wheel of the cruiser and kept on heading in the direction Nick pointed out. The ride was mostly silence between the two of them, as soon as she took the left street pointed out by Nick there was a metal sign up above the pavement pointing to the exit leading to the Tundra town access, it was an incline leading up so she had to step a little bit more on the accelerator. Judy thought that it was a bit strange that Nick didn't want to talk, up until that day their rides were always filled with all kinds of conversation, small talk, jokes, snarky comments, even a few embarrassing moments that popped in their minds were subjects that they felt comfortable sharing with one another during their talks, but, not today, was something wrong with him? Did something bad happen? She didn't know.

Nick's mind was wandering far away on that particular morning, the last few days passed by so fast it was almost like they were all mixing up as a blur of sound and confusion inside his head, similar to the uneven mess of colors from a kaleidoscope, from under his aviator shades his eyes were centered at a single point in the sky, not even paying any mind to the buildings, houses and stores, among other sights, that passed by the window, his muzzle was locked in a thinking scowl as his ears fell flat behind his head, he was brought back into reality in a snap as he heard Judy finally breaking the silence:

- Thanks for the coffee, by the way.

Nick turned his head at Judy's way with a bit of surprise from suddenly hearing her voice, he just kept it casual and spoke:

- Ahm… You're welcome carrots.

Nick tried to return to his previous line of thought, but the bunny interrupted him once more as she asked with a sweet and somewhat innocent tone of voice:

- How much do I owe you?

Nick was a bit surprised after hearing that question, he showed off a half smile her way and answered with a reassuring tone:

- C'mon carrots, that was just me being nice to you, there is no need of you to owe me anything. You could, however, pay me back with a small favor.

Judy raised a brow his way and spoke with a defensive snark:

- That depends on what the favor is slick. What do you have in mind?

- There is this quaint little place called "The fang and incisor", I heard that it is a fantastic new eatery and it is located right by the direction we are heading, the menu includes foods for both prey and predator alike, and there is even a fantastic outside eating area where the fresh wind from the Tundra hits just right, not too cold, not too warm. I've been meaning to check it out, maybe get some nice meals to go, the fridge back at my place is running a little empty since I forgot to go buy groceries this week, that being said, If you can make it so that we stop there during our lunch break I will consider us even.

Judy launched a nice smile his way and answered with an excited voice:

- Oh, you got yourself a deal slick. It will be nice to get something nice to eat today, I've already been sick of eating nothing but junk food these last few days.

Nick looked at her little smile and felt his chest getting increasingly lighter and warm, he turned his eyes back to the window on his side of the cruiser and kept on with a silly smile on his muzzle, Judy kept following the path leading to their destination, she couldn't help herself to launch another gaze at Nick, she was curious to understand what was going on in Nick's head, he didn't seem to be his usual self today, given a few seconds his smile downgraded back to a frown and his ears fell flat once more. Truth be told, Nick was a bit of a mess inside, there was nothing wrong with the path he was taking in life, his head was just unconsciously playing the events of the previous night he had in repeat over and over again, all he wanted to do was have some fun and celebrate finally becoming a cop, it started so simple, a night out on the town with Finnick, the bar and then…

"When did it all go so wrong?"

- Something bothering you slick?

Nick looked at Judy, his eyes were wide open with surprise under his aviators, he didn't want to tell her what was actually bothering him, his problems were his own to deal with, but, Judy was still able to read him like a book at this point, even with the many emotional walls still surrounding his heart she could clearly sense when something was wrong with him. He decided to shoot the breeze and make up a half-cooked excuse, some random thing that was not really bothering him that much as to try and hide away the truth of the matter to her. He spoke up:

- Well carrots, I do have to admit that the life as a cop, patrolling the streets with you, is much more exciting than just walking around hustling and selling pawpsicles for a living.

Judy laughed and spoke with a boasting tone:

- Told you this job was amazing.

Nick completed his previous line of thought:

- But I expected to have a little more excitement by now. I mean, I don't want to go on some crazy adventure with the fate of the city hanging in the balance just yet, heaven knows I already had enough of those for the time being, but I do want more. Like… when do we get to go on car chases? Or kick doors down? When do I get to put the cuffs on a mammal? When do I get to bust down some perps?

Judy didn't dignify Nick's question with an answer, for a couple of seconds, she kept driving with her eyes showing off a small spark, her paws firmly grasping the wheel, her focus on the path ahead and her mouth stuck in a gloomy scowl, she took a deep breath through her nose and spoke to Nick without moving her head in his direction:

- Officer Wilde!

That somber tone ignited a spark of worry inside Nick's mind and made his heart pound against his ribs for a fraction of a second, she never called him in that manner before, the tone she used was… unfamiliar to him, there was no joke or heartfelt speech coming his way, it was something else, she was dead serious in teaching him a lesson, he got his back straight and launched a look of worry directed at her from under his shades:

"Oh, shit! I think I'm in trouble now!"

Nick thought as such, he stuttered as he replied with a simple question:

- Y… yeah?

- Take off your badge.

Nick was confused to say the least, did he say something that he shouldn't have? He leaned his body forward on his seat to try and look in her eyes in search of any possible explanation… no luck, her eyes were unreadable. Her iron gaze was still locked on the road to their assignment for that morning, Nick asked with a voice of uncertainty:

- Why?

- Just take it off.

Nick obeyed. He removed the pin that held the golden insignia on the left lapel of his shirt and held it on his paw, that small looking trinket in his grasp was the summation of all the things that he worked for seven long months to achieve, all of the hardcore dedication that he put on the line for the sake of a better life, all because that small bunny sitting next to him made him believe that his life could be better if he could just bring himself to try. He showed her that his badge was removed and asked:

- There… I took it off. Now what?

- What is written on it?

- What?

She turned her head around and pointed to the badge before asking again:

- It's a simple question Nick. What is written on it?

The fox moved his eyes over the metal surface of the badge looking for any major detail that he might have missed or that might be hidden, with no major answer in sight he just read the words inscribed on front of the metal shield:

- "Zootopia Police Department, Precinct Number one".

Judy nodded and then proceeded to ask:

- And what else?

Nick squinted his eyes and continued his search for any other significant piece of information he might have missed, he moved the badge around in the air while looking for another angle to better see whatever it was that he was looking for, he was almost giving up on an answer, that is, until he looked on the back of the badge and noticed a small engraving that he had truly never seen before.

"Has this always been here?!"

He thought so as he approached the badge to his eyes and read in a calm pace to not misinterpret any aspect of it while the cruiser was in motion:

- "To defend, serve and protect.".

Judy nodded after hearing the very words that she was looking for; she quoted those words and placed a much-needed emphasis on each one as their sounds left her mouth:

- "To Defend, Serve and Protect.", correct, lots of rookies miss that little detail when they join in on the force. Now… is there anything written on it about "Kicking doors down" or "Getting involved in car chases" or even "Busting down some perps"?

Nick understood what Judy was trying to say, he placed the badge back on its original spot and spoke with a voice that admitted that she was right, even if he didn't want to do so he put on a smile and said:

- No, there isn't.

- Precisely.

Judy took one final left on the road as the cruiser arrived on the mountainous border separating the Savana and the Tundra parts of Zootopia, she kept the speed at a moderate pace and looked out the window on her side while taking a breath to get ready and explain to Nick one of the finest points of law enforcement:

- We are not "cops" Nick, we are police officers. When we go out on the streets it is not our obligation to press the law down over others at every chance we get, our sole purpose is to help anyone that needs help. In other words: We don't look for trouble, we just make sure we stay ready for when trouble decides to show up.

Nick turned his head entirely her way, his ears flickered in the direction of her voice to absorb every bit of information being thrown his way, he watched as her face lit up and her voice was filled with passion as she spoke about her true calling in life:

- When we're out patrolling the streets, the mammals that we pass by need to feel safe and understand that we are willing to help, that's our job, uphold the law and keep order, but we also need to do it with compassion. Remember how you dealt with Flash once we stopped him from speeding?

Nick adjusted his posture on the seat and answered:

- Yeah, it was a first offence against traffic protocols, and he was cooperative, so we just let him off with a warning, furthermore, I have to say that if I was behind the wheel of a car like that, I would break a few speed limits myself. Did you catch the sound that engine was…?

Judy directed her eyes at Nick and shot him a look that said it all, those piercing violet eyes aimed to the side and that closed grin, she was glad that he remembered that day in every single detail but that last bit of information was not the point of the conversation, after realizing that, Nick crossed his arms and tried to remedy the situation by rapidly apologizing:

- Sorry. You're right. Not the point. Please continue.

Judy laughed once and kept her line of thought going:

- You were not very "by the book", but you were superb in not escalating the situation and talking sense into Flash. You were a true example of law and order. Even if I still think that we should have made him pay a fine for reckless driving. Someone could've gotten hurt badly with him driving around like that.

Nick launched his trademark smirk her way and spoke up:

- Oh, c'mon carrots! Don't tell me that if you had that kind of horsepower at your disposal you wouldn't get a little reckless yourself. Besides no one got hurt. It was all in good fun.

She launched another serious look his way and spoke with a voice that came very close to a yell:

- There is nothing fun in endangering yourself and the mammals around you Nick. Following the set rules of the street is not only a good idea, it's the law.

Nick pointed a claw at her without losing his smile:

- Did you know that your nose twitches when you get all serious imposing the law like that? It's seriously adorable!

Judy felt a small blush making its way to her cheeks right up to her ears and decided to turn her full attention to the road ahead as she spoke with a decisive, but also bashful, tone of voice:

- Cut it out Nick! We have a job to do!

The morning continued on at a normal pace, Nick was not feeling down any more, being alongside his bunny partner and friend made his mind set aside all of the things troubling him for good, talking to her, making her laugh, blush, just having her along at any time of the day made Nick feel good. Even if the dynamic between them was hard to understand it was still quite easy to perceive, they complemented each other quite well, they teased and bickered during a few of the times they were together, but they still showed respect for one another. Nick kept taking his mind aback to the time when he was still a conmammal and being a police officer was nothing but a distant dream, same with Judy, they made such a difference in each other's lives by just being there when the time called for it, and to think, it all started when the greatest adventure of their lives came to an end.

---

- It's called a hustle, sweetheart.

Those very same words, in a way, started that whole journey and, with a smile that just screamed irony, Judy saw fitting to end it like that. Dawn Bellwether's face on that moment was just priceless, realizing that the battle was practically lost and that her plan to take over Zootopia using fear was just about to crumble to the ground thanks to the combined efforts of a clever bunny and a slick fox, she tried to escape but the entire force of precinct one was already knocking on her door and prepared to take her and all of those still loyal to her under arrest. After seeing the officer up above from the whole where she was sitting in Judy released a laugh followed by a comforting sigh and leaned against Nick to rest her body for a bit. She was exhausted, but satisfied, after all the ups and downs that she had to face, the case of the savage outbursts plaguing Zootopia was finally over.

As they heard the bustle of heavy steps going around and the clacking of a couple of paw cuffs closing on a few wrists just above them, Nick started to relax as well, his tail started to swish on the floor behind him at a calm pace, his right ear twitched to the side and his brows raised as he heard Judy releasing a long sigh and he felt her weight give a subtle shift over his body, he held the bunny close to his chest and asked:

- So… just to be sure: Those are legit officers up there, right?

Judy was almost closing her eyes to let her body relax after that whole ordeal, that is, until she heard the fox's voice, asking her that question and pulling her back into the borders of the waking world, she just then realized that her head was inches away from resting comfortably on his chest and that his cheeky smile was very close to her face. She softly pushed her body away from him and answered his question while doing her best to summon the little bit of energy she still had left within her as she answered with conviction:

- Yes Nick, those are real officers. I am sure of it.

Nick placed his paw over his forehead to wipe out a tiny bit of sweat that was running down his face while he spoke with relief:

- Good, because I don't think I can take any more plot twists today.

Judy laughed for a short second before leaning against Nick all the way for support once more, the fox was worried believing that the bunny was on the verge of fainting or something like that and decided to ask:

- Hey, carrots, are you doing alright?

- Yes. Yes, I'm fine. I'm just really tired right now.

Nick placed his paw over her shoulder and gave it a gentle tap before speaking:

- Well… I don't blame you. Just don't get too comfortable, alright? My services as a pillow may not be that great but I'll still charge you by the hour.

Judy could not hold her laughter, she hugged the fox while slowly letting her body down on the floor of the museum display that they were still stuck inside, Nick followed her lead and let his body scooch down to the floor to give his legs some rest and let in as many deep breaths as he could inside his lungs to hastily, but efficiently, replenish his energy, none of them paid any mind to where they were at that moment, however, all the bunny could do was smile and sigh in relief and the fox could not stop laughing in silence as the events that just transpired kept playing in repeat inside their heads, he still could not believe that they had won and that the bunny's crazy plan really worked. Nick placed his right paw over the portion of his neck where Bellwether had hit him with the serum gun, Judy noticed his subtle movement and asked:

- Nick… are you okay?

The fox smiled and answered with a snarky tone:

- Your concern for me is truly touching carrots, really. But you don't have to worry, I'm a tough fox. It takes much more than fast flying farm produces to make a dent in my lustrous, fuzzy red armor.

Judy's eye rolled up as she though that she really should have expected that kind of answer to come from him, the fox passed his paw over the spot where the blueberry hit him and continued:

- That is not to say that it didn't sting a little bit. On a side note: Do you know how to remove blueberry stains from fur?

The bunny sat straight and looked at him as she answered:

- Try cold water with a touch of baking soda. My mother said that it removes even the most persistent stains.

- Thanks. I'll try it.

Judy got most of her energy back, or so she thought, and decided to try standing up, unfortunately the second that she made a significant effort to move her body upwards, she felt a sharp pain coming from her right leg and she couldn't help but to wince in pain and sound a sharp inhale through her teeth. Nick's ear twitched her way once more and only then his mind remembered that she was still hurt and bleeding under the small handkerchief that he used as an improvised patch for her wound. He placed a paw over the spot without touching it and asked with a little bit of panic in his voice:

- Oh, damn! I forgot that you were still hurt! Do you need help getting up?!

The bunny answered with one eye closed as her other eye was directed at his concerned face:

- I wouldn't oppose to a little help.

Nick bent down for a bit and helped Judy to stand up by placing her arm over his right shoulder for support, Nick's back was bent down as to help her move around and not let her lose the little balance she still had left, Judy was getting used to skipping on a single leg as she elevated the wounded one slightly up and not make the pain any worse. The fox walked with small steps to accompany the bunny severe limited movement forward, after taking a few skips ahead Judy looked away from her legs and took a look up before she asked Nick:

- Not to spoil the moment but… what's the plan for getting us out of the hole?

Nick's eyes looked to the big wall that surrounded them both and his mind only then noticed that there was no viable way to get the two of them out of the pit that they had fallen into. He moved his head around as he looked for an inclined angle, a stable paw hold or any object that might appear long and sturdy enough to help them climb out of there, nothing seemed to fit that description. As the fox was just starting to lose hope in leaving the hole without any assistance whatsoever Judy looked at him and asked:

- You got nothing, don't you?

Nick took one last look at his surroundings to try and come up with a plan on his own before speaking:

- Just give me a quick second here carrots. I'm sure something will come up eventually.

On that moment, as if on cue, they heard the voice of a wolf officer just peeking his head over the edge of the hole to ask them:

- HEY! Do you guys need some help down there?

Judy and Nick looked up in the general direction of the voice and the bunny was the first to answer:

- Yes, can any of you get a ladder or a rope to get us out of here?

The wolf looked around in search of something to help and his eyes immediately took notice of the one officer with enough reach to help them, he directed his attention to the inhabitants of the hole once more and spoke up as to reassure them:

- Hang in there! I'll be right back. HEY, FRANCINE! Come here, quick!

As soon as Wolford was gone to get some help Nick sought the chance to put on a smile and speak:

- See? Told you that something was going to come up eventually.

The bunny could only speak up with a futile effort to hold down her laughter:

- You shouldn't take credit for this!

- Meh… I will, regardless.

A few moments passed as Nick and Judy awaited for help to arrive, after half a minute or so of waiting, Francine Pennington, one of the elephant officers from precinct one, arrived at the edge of the hole and extended her trunk as far down as she could, with her front paws supporting her up and a few other officers placed by her side, just in case she needed some additional help, she looked down and yelled out:

- Grab hold! I'll pull you guys up.

Nick guided Judy forward and placed her close to the makeshift rescue rope, he made sure that she was secure and holding tight and yelled out for the police officer up above:

- Get her up first. Just be careful! She's hurt.

- I got her, don't you worry.

After Judy was safe and sound out of the museum display, Nick grabbed a hold of the officer's trunk and was brought up soon after, he approached the bunny and gestured with his paw so Judy would get it as a signal to place her arm around his shoulder in the same manner as before, they started to walk in the direction of the museum's front door, until they were stopped by the piercing scowl of the police chief. The cape buffalo came close with heavy steps without taking his eyes away from the curious pair of mammals trying to leave the museum, he was walking with an intimidating motion on his upper torso as his arms waved accordingly with his steps and maintaining an angry look that could bash stone apart over his muzzle, as he was a few inches away from them he ceased his walk and Nick whispered to the bunny right beside him:

- Wow, I felt like an angry brick wall was walking right at me.

Judy slapped his chest so he would be quiet and prepared herself to deliver a reasonable explanation about what had just happened to the angry buffalo that was now looking down on them from mere inches. She did her best to steady her breathing and cumprimented him accordingly, but she was a bit nervous and it showed when she spoke up:

- Hello chief, how are you?

Not in the mood for small talk, Bogo spoke up with a thundering tone that left everyone around him in a stunned stance:

- Hopps, I'm going to need you to spare me the pleasantries, I want to know what just happened here and I want to know it right now. So, before I lose the little bit of patience that I still have left for the day, spill it!

Judy collected her thoughts, she didn't know precisely where to start her story, she was beaten, tired and she would be passed out on the ground if it wasn't for the fox's arm and shoulder giving her support. She looked at him and saw his muzzle shaping itself in a uncomfortable smile, he was not sure of what was going to happen but he was keeping to his motto, the same set of words that popped into Judy's head and helped her get a better grasp on the situation:

"Never let them see that they get to you."

The bunny took a deep breath and spoke to the chief in a professional manner:

- Sir, I know that last time we talked I left without a reasonable explanation, but after I got a new crucial shred of information about the previous case, I just had to come back and… at least try to fix the mess that I left behind.

Judy stayed silent for a couple of seconds to make sure that Bogo was listening to her with full attention. She continued shortly after:

- At first I believed that the piece of information that was acquired regarding the so called "night-howlers" referred to a pack of wolves as they were primarily employed as enforcers for mayor Lionheart's covert operations, but I discovered that it was also a nickname given to a specific species of flower. A flower with powerful enzymes that can cause a mammal's biology to become savage after entering their system, not just predators, any mammal. I learned that once a member of my family ate that type of flower and he became savagely enraged for a short time, Bellwether was purposefully targeting predators in Zootopia with capsules containing a modified serum derived from the flower as to incite fear among the citizens of the city.

Bogo kept listening to each detail with his bulky arms crossed over his chest, he asked without uncrossing his arms:

- Do you have a sample of this… 'serum'?

Judy looked at Nick who remained in the same position, still supporting her on his leaned down shoulder, after realizing that every mammal now had their eyes on him, he asked, unsure of what to do next:

- What? Why are you looking at me like that?

Judy sighed and sad with an impatient whisper:

- Nick, the serum. You still have the switched-out serum with you!

- Oh, shit! That's right!

The fox reached into the pocket located on the left lapel of his shirt and retrieved the small spherical capsule containing the substance that had been switched out of the gun as a part of their brilliant ruse, he gave it to chief Bogo and spoke before the buffalo placed the object close to his eye so he could analyze it better:

- Careful with that thing, it's real nasty.

Bogo looked at the fox and took notice of his concerned tone of voice, Bogo held the capsule with care in his right hoof and shouted:

- Officer Snarlov!

Seconds later a slim looking polar bear appeared and stopped near the chief and the crowd of officers that were watching the bunny tell the newest facts about the case all of them just realized it existed, the white coated bear standed in a nervous stance of attention and spoke:

- Yes, chief?

The buffalo showed the blue capsule on the palm of his hoof and spoke:

- Have Grizzolli take pictures of this as evidence and then have it send to the lab immediately after, certify if we can have it analyzed as an uncontaminated sample, we may just have a cure for the mammals that went savage in our paws.

The polar bear picked the capsule with the outmost care and placed it inside a small plastic bag that was commonly used for evidence gathering, he showed another sign of attention and darted away in search of his colleague on the force since he was the most well-known for the gathering, study and filing of clues. Bogo turned back to the bunny as she started speaking again while giving Bogo a small recording pen shaped like a carrot:

- Also, this recording device has Bellwether spilling the beans about her plan to incite fear amongst the mammals of Zootopia, in case there is any more need for evidence then you better have a hold of this sir.

Bogo analyzed the carrot pen in the same way he did with the blue capsule, he placed the recording apparatus safely inside the shirt pocket of his uniform and spoke with a satisfied side smile directed at the bunny:

- Great work Hopps. We will take it over from here. Do you need some assistance?

Judy was about to open her mouth to answer but Nick had beaten her to it as he said:

- A ride to the nearest hospital would be appreciated.

Judy turned her head as she heard Nick's request and decided to not make a big deal out of the injury on her leg, she placed her free paw over his chest and gave it a couple of light taps to call his attention, she sighed and said:

- Nick, I don't need a hospital. I'm fine, this is nothing.

Nick did not agree with Judy in the least, his face turned in her direction with a decisive scowl in his muzzle that would almost put Bogo's to shame, almost. He slightly elevated his back and spoke to her with a decisive tone:

- Carrots, you need to have someone look at your leg, you can barely walk on your own. I am taking you to a hospital to get checked out even if I have to carry you all the way there.

- B… but Nick, I…

Nick stopped her objection before she even had the time to actually formulate it:

- Nope! No 'buts'! Do not doubt me, you know I can carry you there.

- That won't be necessary.

Nick was a tad surprised after hearing a deep sounding voice coming from somewhere right behind him, he slowly turned his body around and Judy, still taking support on his shoulder, slowly accompanied his turning motion to look in the same way, their eyes suddenly met with the enormous frame of a hippo approaching them. Officer Higgins approached chief Bogo and spoke to him:

- Chief, EMTs will take a long time to get here, I can take these two to the hospital located on the crossing of Carlson and Dane in no time at all and be back to help with the investigation. If… that is alright with you sir.

Bogo thought for a short while, with his right hoof scraping his chin and a brow raised as his tail moved from left to right, he took one final look at Judy and saw how her leg was elevated as to not aggravate the situation of the wound underneath the crimson colored rag over it, Bogo made his final decision and communicated it to Higgins with a strict voice:

- Very well, but I want you back here ASAP!

- Yes chief.

Higgins walked in the direction of the front door of the museum with Nick guiding Judy right behind him, all the other officers watched as the fox and the bunny matched paces together in an inspiring image of cooperation. Judy sounded off a small whisper that made Nick's ear twitch in her direction:

- Thanks Nick.

Without taking his eyes from the path ahead, the fox simply smiled and said:

- No worries fluff. I'm just glad you are okay.

After a few more steps the fox remembered a crucial fact that escaped his mind in all the commotion, as they continued to walk, he slowed down his paces, turned to the bunny by his side and asked:

- Hey, do you think we should tell chief buffalo butt and everyone else about the…

- HOLY SHIT! YOU GUYS!

Before Nick could finish his line of thought, officer Delgato came from the south wing of the museum from where Nick and Judy had come from, he was branding a powerful yell so that every officer in the vicinity could hear the report of his recently made scouting of the general perimeter, the lion placed his paws in a perpendicular manner at the sides of his muzzle so that his voice would be projected further off and he shouted after climbing up the stairs at the back wing of the museum:

- THERE IS A BLOWN-UP SUBWAY CAR DOWN THERE! AND IT'S ON FIRE!

Every eye popped and every jaw dropped after hearing that, except for Nick's, after that piece of news reached his ears, he complemented his previous thought with a fast-talking statement:

- Never mind! I think they got it! Let's go!

Nick decided to pick up the pace and Judy had a strange mixture of panic and surprise stamped on her face, as soon as both of them got outside the museum Higgins showed them where his cruiser was and opened the door for them to get inside, Nick picked Judy up and gently elevated her so she could rest on the back seat of the cruiser, he followed soon after, helped her put the seat belt on and made himself comfortable right by her side, Higgins entered the cruiser a moment later and strapped on his seat belt before starting the engine and making the cruiser ride with controlled speed over the asphalt trails of Savana central.

As they passed by a few blocks of buildings and stores, Judy turned her head slightly to the right and saw Nick with his slick smile cemented on his muzzle, she wasn't sure what to say but she wanted to say something to him, her mind overflowed with all the things that she wished to tell him over the past month that they had been apart, it is true that she had already apologized for hurting his feelings during the press conference and that he seemed to have made peace with all of that, but she still felt like she should have said something else, something more meaningful at that moment. She adjusted herself over the seat of the cruiser and scooched a bit in Nick's direction, she opened her mouth to speak to him, only, before she did so, he spoke:

- Wow! This is one smooth ride.

Judy returned to her original position over the seat, after Nick spoke, she quickly turned her head back to look ahead and placed her paws together like she didn't want to say anything in particular all along. In response to Nick's previous comment Higgins decided to say:

- Yeah, the guys back at the precinct one's carpool really know how to work their way around a V6, I used to hear this weird rattle in the engine every time I drove around, but now… Smooth as butter.

That conversation reinvigorated Nick's smile for a while, that was not how he expected an officer of the ZPD would be at all, then again, Judy was also an officer and, even if he verified that she was impatient and hot blooded most of the time, she also had a boundless sense of duty, loyalty and was about the most brave and impressive mammal that he had seen in a long time, he had a big deal of respect for her, he just didn't want to openly admit that to her, just yet at least. With his white smile still well visible he took a quick survey and took notice of all the details at the inside of the cruiser, until, as if it was some sudden instinct taking over him, he looked at Judy, she appeared to be calmly reviewing some thoughts in silence but she also looked somewhat troubled, with her paws fiddling over one another and her long rabbit ears gradually drooping behind her head, with genuine concern for her wellbeing the fox poked her shoulder and asked:

- Hey, fluff. How are you feeling? Do you need anything?

Judy jumped a bit over her seat after feeling the touch of the fox over her skin, her back shot up straight over the seat and ears darted back up as she answered, stuttering a bit with her words:

- Oh… I'm… I'm fine.

The fox didn't really buy it, he poked her again as she moved her head trying to hide a small blush that was forming on her cheeks, the fox asked once more:

- Are you sure? Is your leg hurting too much?

The bunny placed her paw over his and eased his concern by answering honestly:

- Nick I'm fine. Really. I had worst injuries than this back in Bunnyburrow. This is nothing major for me. I'm just a little tired. I stayed up and alert for so long I can barely keep my eyes open. I'll be fine, I just need some time to catch my breath and rest.

The fox heard the certainty in her tone and, remembering that the bunny next to him really was a lot tougher than she looked, he relaxed over his seat, he got comfortable over the custom synthetic leather seat and thought to himself:

"Wow, this is seriously soft. I wish I had a ride like this on a daily basis. Maybe I can convince Finnick to put some new leathery seats lie these in his van. I know he will agree to it in a heartbeat"

Judy decided to just spill it and tell the fox what she was thinking already, she turned to him and saw as he was resting with his paws on the back of his head placed as a makeshift pillow, she reached out and poked a finger over his chest to call his attention:

- Nick.

The fox opened an eye and readjusted himself over the seat, he turned his head her way and asked:

- What's up fluff?

Judy showed a little smile and said:

- Thank you. You helped me so much. I don't think I can ever say it enough, but… thanks.

Nick placed his paw over her head and petted her softly before answering to that:

- Think nothing of it carrots. Sure, I almost died, but I had fun hanging out with you again. We should make this a regular thing. Without the… psychotic rams and the homicidal sheep trying to silence us mind you. I sincerely believe that we both had enough of those for a lifetime.

Judy launched a big laugh in the air and Nick enjoyed seeing her like that, no more pressure weighing down on her, no serious threat trying to take her out, it was a welcome sight for him, even if he wasn't very sure why, seeing her so happy had brought a small dose of ease and warmth in his chest, a feeling he hadn't experienced in the longest time. Judy came close to lean herself over Nick's chest and give him a nice, warm hug as she said it again:

- Seriously Nick, I'm glad that you came along to help me. Thank you so much.

Nick repaid her hug by placing a placing a paw on her back and giving it a few light taps as he said:

- Don't mention it carrots. You're welcome.

Higgins sounded a little inaudible laugh as he looked in the rear view mirror and saw the touching scene between the odd pair of friends sitting in the back of his cruiser, the ride continued for a few more minutes like that, with Judy's back placed on the cruiser's comfy dark leathery seat and her head resting nice and warm over Nick's chest, Nick didn't mind that, he let the bunny rest for a bit as he placed his right paw over her shoulder. On that moment any worry she might still had simply melted away, she could sense the feeling that everything was going to be alright making its way back into her heart and she couldn't help but to smile, her breathing was slow and steady as she closed her eyes and just started to rest easy over Nick's chest, his steady and strong heartbeat, the warm feeling coming from him and the calm motion of his chest expanding and receding with each breath, all paired up with the gentle motion of the car ride, were enough to give her a sensation of safety and tranquility which slowly put her to sleep.

She enjoyed that moment thoroughly, until a couple of minutes later, just as Judy was being carried away into full sleep the cruiser came to a full stop and Nick gently touched her back with the palm of his paw signalizing that they had arrived at their destination. Nick opened the door and helped her get out, she turn around to wave and thanked officer Higgins for the ride, after showing of a friendly nod with his head, the hippo got in the cruiser and started to drive back to the investigation scene. As the cruiser turned the far off corner, Nick and Judy stepped over the sidewalk in front of the hospital and walked through the doors side by side, Nick guided Judy inside the building, as the bunny skipped alongside the fox with a certain amount of challenge to keep up with him, Nick approached the front desk and asked the cougar nurse posted there as the main attendant to find an available doctor that could help out his friend.