Here's the song list for this chapter: If You're Going Through Hell (Before the Devil Even Knows) by Rodney Atkins, These Are the Best Days by Pinkzebra, Be A Light by Thomas Rhett, and I'm in a Hurry (And I Don't Know Why) by Alabama.
Standing on his porch and grinning at his audience, Nick strummed another chord on his guitar. "This first song is by Rodney Atkins and tells how I felt during both cases I helped Judy with." With a grin at his honeybun, Nick added, "Let's see if any of you know it."
Judy's smile disappeared, even as her ears drooped behind her back. She had no idea what song Nick was going to play and it made her nervous. How did he feel when she dragged him all over Zootopia and nearly got him killed in so many different ways?
After playing the fast intro music, Nick started singing, "Well, you know those times when you feel like there's a sign there on your back, says, I don't mind if ya kick me, seems like everybody has." Nick watched as guilt flashed through Judy's eyes, even as Amy, Chester, and Justin started rocking to the fast beat as they recognized the song.
Continuing on, Nick sang, "Things go from bad to worse. You'd think they can't get worse than that—then they do." Tapping his feet and head while he strummed the guitar, Nick sang, "You step off the straight and narrow and you don't know where you are. . ." Continuing through the verses, he then came to the chorus, singing, "If you're going through hell, keep on going, don't slow down. If you're scared don't show it. You might get out before the devil even knows you're there."
Nick was swaying and tapping his feet around the porch as he started the next verse, even as he moved the guitar around as he kept up with the beat. "Well, I've been deep down in that darkness, I've been down to my last match. Felt a hundred different demons breathing fire down my back, and I knew that if I stumbled, I'd fall right into the trap that they were laying. Yeah."
Turning to look at Judy, he sang the next verse, "But the good news is, there's angels everywhere out on the street, holding out a paw to pull you back upon your feet…" Smiling at Judy, Nick sang the next verses and when he got back to the chorus Amy, Justin, and Chester started to sing along. "If you're going through hell, keep on going, don't slow down, if you're scared don't show it. You might get out before the devil even knows you're there..."
As the last note hung in the air, Judy said, "You know, Nick, you weren't the only one feeling scared as we went through hell together."
Strumming a random note, Nick replied, "Yes, but you were better at hiding it than I was."
With a shrug, Judy replied, "I was a bunny cop—I had to be tough if I was going to make it."
Nick flicked his ear as he strummed another note, this one would lead into the next song. "Next time, know that you don't have to act tough in front of me. When you're scared, you don't have to hide it." With a cheeky grin, Nick added, "It'll assuage my bruised ego if I know I'm not the only one scared out of my mind."
With a giggle, Judy answered, "Okay, Nick, the next time we find ourselves in a dangerous situation, I'll be sure to tell you when I'm scared."
Nodding as his tail wagged lightly behind him, Nick then turned to the rest of the bunnies on the porch, who were watching his and Judy's interactions with interest. Stu and Bonnie were looking a bit nervous at the idea of their daughter finding herself in more danger, while her siblings were happy to see Judy found someone so reliable to watch her back.
With a wide smile, Nick introduced the next song, saying, "After going through hell the last three months and surviving, this song tells how my days have been this last week, and I believe Judy shares my feelings."
As he strummed the first chord, Nick added, "It's by Pinkzebra and sung by Benji Jackson." Amy immediately perked up as Pinkzebra was a favorite band of hers. Furthermore, she recognized the opening chords. Hopping up and moving towards Nick, who grinned widely at her, Amy took the part of the background singers so Nick could focus on the lead singing. "Come on. These are the best days," she sang in a low voice.
Realizing what her littermate was doing, Alexia hopped up, too, as she also knew and liked the song.
Nodding to Amy's littermate, Nick started singing, "Everywhere I go, I feel so alive. Yeah-ah-eh-eh. I'm happy head to toe. I'm in overdrive. Well, alright, clear those clouds away. I can feel the sun. Yeah-ah-eh-ah! Let the music play. Now we've just begun, I'm ready. 'Cause these are the best days (yes, these are the best days), yeah, these are the best days (oh yes, these are the best days), these are best days (best days) of our lives! (Come on.) Of our lives! (Of our lives!)"
When they weren't singing Amy and Alexia were dancing around Nick, spinning and hopping, and then chiming in when it was their turn. Grateful to the girls for accompanying him, Nick sang the next verse. "There's magic in the air and it feels so right. Yeah-yeah-ah-eh! So follow if you dare, and you'll see the light shine so bright. 'Cause these are the best days…" As Nick and the two girls sang the chorus, the rest of the rabbits, along with Vivian, were enjoying the song, though Judy's eyes were starting to smart.
Judy knew this was one of Nick's ways of telling her that his life was so much better with her around—that he was grateful that she hopped back into his life. Rubbing her heart where Nick was squeezing it with love, Judy felt her heart singing alongside his.
Bonnie, sitting across from Judy, could see the love shining in her daughter's eyes for the handsome todd singing his appreciation for her. It really warmed her heart to see how much they loved, supported, and appreciated one another. She knew her little girl had finally found a home for her heart.
Stu, on the other paw, was torn again. It was obvious the todd was sweet on Judy, too, and the fox really did treat her well if Nick was being sincere with his song. . . but why did he have to be a large predator? Judy had already been hurt once by a predator, a red fox todd, and although Gideon had turned his life around and it didn't look like Nick had any intentions to hurt Judy, as long as the possibility was there, no matter how improbable, it scared him to death.
Stu just could not picture Judy in the arms of the fox. That image twisted his stomach and gave him a cold sweat. But the way Judy was staring at Nick with starstruck eyes, Stu knew it wouldn't take much on the fox's part to convince Judy to date him. And with Judy's single-mindedness and determination, Stu knew that if Judy started dating the talented todd, that unless he dumped her, Judy wouldn't be content to date him long before she set her heart on marrying the sly fox.
But a rabbit married to a fox just wasn't right. Friends—yes. He could even see them being roommates if there was a lack of physical attraction between them (which automatically excluded Judy and Nick). But marriage? Mates? Lovers? Stu couldn't accept it. Foxes once ate rabbits, and even though that no longer happened, it didn't give a fox the right to run his large paws and sharp claws all over a rabbit's smaller, more fragile body. And it's not like they could have kits together, so what was the point?
As Nick, Amy, and Alexia finished singing, "These are the best days, these are the best days of our lives!" and with the last note hanging in the air, Nick winked at Judy. She sniffled once, then laughed, even as Justin, Chester, and Bonnie began clapping at the trio's performance. With a bright, buck-toothed smile, Judy said, "You're right, Nick, this last week has been the best days of my life, too."
With a nod as his tail began wagging again, Nick replied, "Well, I'm glad to hear that. It means I'm doing something right."
Laughing again, Judy said, "Nick, you're doing a whole lot of things right."
Nick merely shrugged, then turned to the rest of the bunnies. With a soft smile, he said, "This next song I'm dedicating to Judy because I think she embodies the message of this song."
Strumming the guitar strings at a calmer pace, he tapped his foot as he began singing, "In a time full of war, be peace." Judy and her siblings all recognized the song, and started swaying as they began singing along with Nick. "In a time full of doubt, just believe. Yeah, there ain't that much difference between you and me. In a time full of war, be peace."
Nick slowly walked around the porch as he sang with the bunnies. "In a world full of hate, be a light. When you do somebody wrong, make it right. Don't hide in the dark, you were born to shine. In a world full of hate, be a light. La-la-la-la-la-la. In a place that needs change, make a difference. In a time full of noise, just listen. 'Cause life is but a breeze, better live it. In a place that needs a change, make a difference. In a world full of hate, be a light…"
As Judy continued singing with Nick and her siblings, tears started leaking down her cheek. Nick was too good to her. He was playing her heart just as easily as he played the guitar. Furthermore, she felt the song fit Nick better. Although he was a jerk at first, once he dropped the tough-fox act, he made a huge difference in her life. And he forgave her when she messed up royally and was even helping her fix that mistake.
Vivian immediately smelled Judy's tears and glanced down to see the biggest smile on the bunny's face, even as the slow tears slid down her cheeks and soaked into her fur. The love shining in her amethyst eyes was the same look Vivian had when she first married John. She had loved Nick's dad so completely that it still hurt to this day to think of his passing. But seeing how deeply and completely Judy and Nick loved each other warmed her jaded heart clear through.
As the song continued, Nick and the bunnies sang, "In a race you can't win, slow it down. Yeah, you only get one go around. 'Cause the finish line is six feet in the ground. In a race you can't win, just slow it down. In a world full of hate, be a light. Oh…" They sang the chorus again, then finished the song, singing, "Yeah, it's hard to live in color when you just see black and white. In a world full of hate, be a light."
As the thrum of the guitar rippled through the air, Judy sniffled again. "Ni-ick! You made me a blubbering mess again!"
With a soft, warm smile, Nick walked over to his honeybun. While holding his guitar with one paw, he cupped her cheek with the other and wiped her tears with his thumb (and ignored Stu's soft gasp behind him). As Judy rested her paw over his, he said, "What can I say, Fluff? When Honey died, I was swallowed up by the hate around me and hid in the dark. You were my light. My life needed to change and you made the difference. You helped me shine again." He rubbed his thumb back across her cheek and under her eye as he brushed another tear away.
Judy leaned into his paw and smiled. "Well, you were my light, too. And you definitely made a huge difference in my life." With another tender smile, Judy knew she and Nick needed to take a step back before her father blew his top on how close she and Nick were. Thinking of the end of the song about needing to slow down, she said, "Can you play one more song for me? Then I think we need to get lunch cooked up if we're going to eat at a decent time."
With a nod, and recognizing what Judy was doing, Nick stepped back, saying, "And what song do you want me to sing?" He was really curious about what was going on inside her head. He knew the song couldn't be a sappy love song considering her father was watching them, so what would she ask for?
Wiping her cheeks dry, Judy said, "It's a song that I think depicted my life pretty well before I met you, and you've helped me to slow down like the previous song suggested." Nick lifted a brow in question, and she replied, "I'm In A Hurry by Alabama."
A wide grin spread across Nick's muzzle as the song popped into his head. Strumming the first few notes, Nick walked back to the center of the porch, then started singing, with Judy joining him, "I'm in a hurry to get things done. Oh, I rush and rush until life's no fun. All I really gotta do is live and die, but I'm in a hurry and don't know why."
Sitting on the porch swing between Vivian and Amy, Judy sang as her head bopped side-to-side with the fast tempo, even as Janelle, Janette, and Justin started singing along. Nick swayed to the beat as he continued strumming the guitar, his rich baritone was a nice contrast to the rabbits' soprano and tenor. "Don't know why I have to drive so fast. My car has nothing to prove. It's not new but it'll do 0 to 60 in 4.9." All the bunnies were on the same page as Nick and were thinking of his Roadster Vantage when singing this line, and so changed the '5.2' in the song to '4.9' that his car actually hit.
"Oh, I'm in a hurry to get things done. Oh, I rush and rush until life's no fun. All I really gotta do is live and die, but I'm in a hurry and don't know why." Tapping his foot on the wooden deck while Judy tapped the air, Nick continued singing with Judy and her littermates, " Can't be late. I leave in plenty of time, shaking hands with the clock. I can't stop. I'm on a roll and I'm ready to rock. Oh, I'm in a hurry…" They continued singing while swaying and hopping to the beat of the music, with Judy paying rapt attention to the words. "I hear a voice that says I'm running behind, that I better pick up my pace. It's a race and there ain't no room for someone in second place…"
Her whole life seemed to be just rushing around to get someplace fast. When she was younger, it was to become a big city cop. And when she got older, it was to be the top of her class and the best at everything she put her mind to. When she was at the academy, this was especially true. It wasn't good enough to just pass with her badge, or even be in the top percent of her class—she had to be number one. She couldn't simply prove that a rabbit could be as tough as the bigger mammals, no she had to prove that she was better than everyone else.
This need to be better than everyone else wasn't necessarily a conscious decision and was heavily driven by her desire to gain the respect of those around her—the instructors and her fellow cadets. But just as Nick pointed out her first day on the job after he left her standing in wet cement—nobody cared. No matter how much she tried or how far she pushed herself, she was just a tiny, little rabbit in everyone's eyes. About the only one who seemed truly impressed with her efforts was Major Friedkin.
And even when she and Nick found all those missing mammals and caught Lionheart red-pawed, her fellow officers only gave her some grudging respect. They didn't believe she found them due to her own initiative and ability, but because of luck. As if she could close a case in two days that the others couldn't solve in several months just because she got lucky (Otterton had only been missing 10 days, but there were several mammals who'd been missing for over 3 months).
Well, finding Nick was pure luck (or maybe divine intervention was a better explanation). Without him, Judy knew she wouldn't have found any of her clues. But it was pure recklessness on her part to drag Nick along on her case. He was a civilian and should never have been involved in the case beyond her getting his information. But she was in such a hurry to prove herself, that she didn't consider anyone's safety—not Nick's and certainly not her own.
Furthermore, she came down hard on Nick for bending the laws to suit his needs, and yet she turned around and bent them even further in order to close her case. Not only did she blackmail Nick into helping her, she used his 'shifty, fox' persona as an excuse for breaking and entering the limo place. And she never once called into headquarters to report her progress or let anyone know where she was heading. Not that she had a superior officer to report to seeing as Bogo didn't even have the decency to put her in the system.
But still, she broke and bent so many rules and regulations, it's not funny. The fact Bogo never wrote her up on any of them was a miracle. Of course, the fact she and Nick weren't killed is an even bigger miracle. She really did need to slow down and truly enjoy life before any more of it passed her by. Although proving herself is important, it shouldn't be to the exclusion of the other important things in her life. That Nick was able to wake her up to this fact was something she would be forever grateful for.
As the song finished, Judy met Nick's warm, green gaze and smiled brightly at him. "I don't know why I felt like I needed to rush all the time. Seriously, life stopped being fun for a while there, but I'm glad you were able to show me that taking time to appreciate the little things in life is also important...and safer."
Pushing his guitar around on its strap until it rested on his back, Nick walked over to Judy and bent down so they were eye level. With a smug grin as his tail curled up towards his back, Nick said, "Well, Fluff, maybe the reason you were in such a hurry was because you were rushing to meet me. Now that you found me, you can slow down and enjoy life."
Judy's nose twitched at the implication that she was unconsciously searching for him. Thinking of everything that led her to him, she threw herself at Nick. Wrapping her arms around his neck and burying her face in his neck, she whispered, "I think you're right." Lowering her voice so only he could hear, she then whispered, "It's like the song you sang to me during our first date, when it said, 'It was no accident me finding you. Someone had a hand in it long before we ever knew.'"
Running his paw up and down her back, Nick whispered back, "Yes, I most certainly tip my hat to the Keeper of the Stars in bringing you into my life. I have everything I ever need right here in my arms." Flicking his ears back, he heard Stu sputtering under his breath. Taking a deep breath, he whispered in her ear, "Okay, Carrots, your dad is about to have a heart attack, so you might want to release me."
With a soft groan, Judy took one last, deep breath of Nick's foxy musk, then released him and sat back up, even as Alexia and Chester were finally clued into the fact there was more going on between their sister and the fox than they first suspected. They had an inkling when Nick was caressing Judy's cheek after he sang Be A Light—but now—it was glaringly obvious.
Turning quickly to glance at their dad, Chester and Alexia could see Stu's face was bright red and he was struggling to sit still. The only thing that kept him in his seat was his wife's arm wrapped around his and her soft words whispered in his ear, "Now, Stu, calm down. Nick saved Judy's life and he deserves a hug from her every now and then."
Stu tried to stay calm and even tried counting to 10, but seeing his daughter wrapped around the fox with her face buried in his neck made it difficult. Yes, he was grateful to Nick for saving his little bun-bun's life, but the hug they were currently sharing went way beyond 'just friends'. If he didn't know any better, it looked like Judy had already shared quite a few of these tight hugs with Nick before now.
Stepping back from Judy, Nick clapped his paws together (he refused to look at Stu) and said, "Well, should we move up to the deck and get those burgers and veggie-kabobs cookin'?"
"Great idea!" Justin said as he jumped up from the bench. He knew his dad needed something else to focus his mind on besides Judy and Nick's tight hug.
"Oh, yes," Bonnie agreed. "And we also need to make the lemonade." With a wide smile at the distraction, she added, "Those lemons aren't going to squeeze themselves."
Standing up, Vivian made a suggestion. "Why don't we girls go inside to make the lemonade and have some girl-talk while the boys move up to the deck and take charge of the barbeque grill?"
"That's a wonderful idea," Bonnie immediately agreed, even as Janette and Janelle hopped up and said, "Yes!" and "Perfect!"
With a chuckle, Chester stood up, saying, "I have no problem with that." Turning to his brother and dad, he asked, "Justin? Dad? Sound good?"
"I'm game," Justin immediately answered. Turning to his father, he asked, "Dad, you coming?"
"Um, yeah," Stu stuttered as he quickly hopped up from the bench. "Yeah, that's a great idea." Stu figured anything that got the fox away from his daughter for a little while was a good thing.
Turning to glance at Stu, Nick was grateful to see he had calmed down and was no longer looking like he wanted to strangle a certain fox. With another clap of his paws and flick of his long, bushy tail, Nick then said, "The burgers are already up on the deck in the minifridge that's up there, so all we need to do is grab the veggies for the kabobs and we can start cooking." Looking at Judy's brothers, he added, "If you guys are getting thirsty, I have water bottles in the fridge."
Everyone agreed that water sounded good as it was a hot day today. Following the girls inside (with Vivian carrying Judy again), the boys grabbed the bag of vegetables and a bottle of water, then made their way outside to the deck. Chester and Justin said they would prepare the kabobs, so Nick directed them to the counter at the back of the deck and pulled out two cutting boards and a couple of knives from one of the drawers and then gave them the bag of wooden kabob sticks.
The brothers then started chopping up red, yellow, and orange bell peppers into fat slices, then cut up some yellow and zucchini squash into bite-sized sections, and then pulled out the two plastic containers full of large cherry tomatoes, and then the bag full of white mushrooms. Once everything was ready, they began skewering the vegetables onto the long wooden sticks in an alternating pattern.
While Justin and Chester were taking care of the veggies, Nick pulled the veggie burgers out of the minifridge and took them to the barbeque grill. It was a charcoal grill and Nick had lit the charcoal when they were setting up earlier, prior to him picking up Judy's family, so the charcoal was now red-hot and perfect for grilling. After dropping the burgers on the bottom rack of the 3-rack grill (it had a small warming rack attached inside the lid), Nick walked over and washed his paw in the small sink.
Glancing over his shoulder at Stu, who looked a bit lost, Nick said, "Do you want to grab the corn, Stu? We'll throw them directly on the grill and let them cook in the husks."
Stu glanced over at the fox as he washed his paws. Seeing Judy's blatant display of affection for the tall todd felt like she had pulled the rug out from under his feet. At hearing Nick's question, though, Stu shook the stupor from his mind and replied, "Sure. I'll get that." Walking over to where the bag of corn still sat, he picked it up and brought it over to the grill, all while thinking now would be a good time to find out what Nick's intentions were towards his daughter, though he would wait until the food was cooking before questioning him.
As the todd joined him at the grill, Stu pawed Nick the corn so he could set them on the middle rack. The grill was made for a taller mammal than a rabbit, so Stu worried about catching the edge of the hot grill with his arm if he tried putting them on himself. Once the corn was on, Nick brought over a small box of seasonings and proceeded to season the burgers, starting with salt and pepper, then sprinkling on some onion powder, a bit of garlic powder, and then finished with dried dill weed.
Stu raised his brow at the combination. He only ever used salt and pepper when cooking his burgers and some of his boys didn't even bother with that, but merely let the flames season the burgers. But the combination of seasonings that Nick used seemed interesting and as the heat started cooking the flavors together, the scent was delicious. He was looking forward to trying them.
Justin and Chester were also interested in the new flavor they could smell coming from the grill, which had their noses twitching in anticipation, even as their mouths started salivating. With the kabobs made up, they walked over to the grill to check it out (since the veggies didn't take long to cook, they would be put on the grill later). Licking their chops, they watched Nick put the seasonings aside and close the lid on the grill.
With the food cooking, Nick set a timer on his phone. Since he knew Stu had a hundred questions to ask him, he didn't want to get lost in conversation and burn the food. Walking over to the deck railing, Nick turned around and hopped upon it. Leaning forward, he gripped the railing with his paws. Meeting Stu's brown gaze, he asked, "Okay, Stu, what questions do you have for me?" Knowing Judy's dad was the hurdle he needed to jump, Nick was grateful to his mom for giving him this chance to talk to Stu on a more one-on-one basis.
Stu flicked an ear at the todd's blunt question but was glad for it. It meant he wouldn't have to beat around the bush to get his answers. Walking over to the table, Stu sat down facing the fox. Strumming the fingers of one paw on the hard, plastic tabletop, he said, "What are your intentions towards my daughter?"
Justin and Chester were both interested in the todd's answer, so they quickly sat their tails down. Justin jumped up on the railing catty-corner from Nick so he could watch the todd's expressions, even as Chester took a seat at the table next to their father and gave the fox his undivided attention.
Nick met Stu's firm gaze with a steady gaze of his own for several heartbeats, then said, "I want what Judy wants." As irritation flashed through Stu's eyes at Nick's short answer that really didn't tell him anything, Nick raised a paw to forestall the retort he knew was coming. "Let me explain." Seeing Stu relax a bit, Nick continued. "I know that sounds like a cliché phrase or a cop-out of an answer, but I'm being serious."
Taking a deep breath, his tail swayed behind him as it hung towards the ground. After a moment of silence, Nick said, "Except for Judy's hare-brained ideas that threatened to get us killed, I generally enjoy doing whatever idea pops into her head. She told me how much she enjoys running in the morning and how much she missed doing it with her leg injury, so after we got up this morning, I took her running." With a smug grin as Stu opened his mouth to yell at him, Nick added, "I ran while Judy piggybacked."
Waving his paw, Nick then said, "You should have seen the smile on her face when we got back." Pointing his clawed finger at the older buck, he added, "You can ask Amy how excited Judy was when we returned."
Stu calmed down as he considered the fox's words. He didn't like the idea of Judy hanging tightly onto the fox as it showed once more that Judy didn't seem to have any boundaries when it came to her 'roommate' and he didn't like it.
While Stu sat in thought, Justin asked, "Wasn't Judy heavy carrying her while running?" With as much muscle as Judy had, she weighed a bit more than the average doe.
Nick rolled his eyes at Judy's brother. "Judy weighs next to nothing, and even less when I'm piggybacking her." With a swish of his long tail, he wondered how weak Carrot's brothers thought he was?
Justin nodded, even as he realized why Nick didn't mind carrying Judy around anymore than she minded him carrying her. Judy didn't feel heavy to the todd and it gave him an excuse to snuggle with her. The fact Judy got to snuggle with him while being carried around was probably the main reason she didn't complain about being treated as an invalid.
Glancing at Chester, Nick saw Judy's older brother watching him curiously while waiting for the rest of his answer to Stu's earlier question about his intentions. Turning his gaze back to Stu, Nick said, "I barely touched the piano or sung in the last five years, and the few times I played the guitar, it was always half-hearted or some melancholy tune. But now that Judy's here, I find playing music a pleasure again. It helps that she really likes to watch me sing and play for her."
Chester was surprised by this fact and pointed to the fox as he asked, "You haven't touched the piano in five years!?" He was remembering the Lone Ranger theme song Nick had played earlier. He was sure Nick had been playing constantly his whole life—he was that good! He didn't even need to look at the keys!
Nick flicked his ear, saying, "That's right." Tilting his head in thought, he added, "I think I played the piano a total of five or six times in the last five years, and none at all the last two years. Not until I brought Judy home and she asked me to play for her Wednesday afternoon. Since then, I've enjoyed playing for her several times this week."
All three rabbits' jaws were hanging open at Nick's words, then Stu exclaimed, "You haven't played in over two years and yet you can still play that well!?" Stu had several dozen daughters and a couple dozen sons who all played the piano, but only a pawful actually pushed themselves to be as good as Nick (or at least, close to his level of skill), but they still needed to practice frequently to keep their skills up.
With a shrug, Nick replied, "What can I say? For me, playing the piano is no different from riding a bike—once I learned, I'll never forget."
The bucks were quiet as they considered Nick's words. Justin could certainly see the appeal Nick held for Judy. For an overachiever like his sister, Judy would want someone highly intelligent and talented, someone who could not only keep up with her, but someone who could also inspire her. Nick was that person for his sister. Judy really did use up a ton of good luck considering that not only did she become friends with Nick and was able to move into such an incredible place, but Nick actually felt the same way about her and did whatever he could to make her happy.
Seeing the rabbits lost in contemplation, Nick said, "Going back to my earlier answer, Judy wants me to become a cop and be her partner on the force." Tapping his chest, he added, "Trust me, being a cop was never—never—on my list of careers when I grew up." Swiping his paw through the air as if he was cutting the idea in half, Nick said, "Being a cop was the farthest thing from my mind."
Gripping the railing again with both paws as he leaned towards the bunnies, Nick continued saying, "But when Judy told me how much she wanted me as her partner, for the first time, I saw this amazing future that was previously denied to me. Knowing Judy is going to be there beside me, I'm actually looking forward to it even knowing that a lot of the other officers aren't going to be happy with a fox holding a badge."
Flicking his tail, Nick added, "And unlike Judy who was simply ignored by the other officers who didn't think she belonged, I'm expecting a lot of specist slurs thrown my way, my locker vandalized, and anything left in it stolen, and a hard-core ribbing should I ever decide to shower at the precinct—which I don't have any intention of doing if anyone else is around." At the rabbits' raised brow, Nick explained, "As short as I am, can you guess where my eye-level will be with all those much larger male officers?" Nick brought his paw up to eye-level and moved it straight out from his face.
The bucks only took a minute to figure out what Nick was referring to, then they all glanced down at their crotch.
"Yeah," Nick said with a wave of his paws, "Not happening. I'll shower at the house before or after work, but I refuse to shower with so many larger males if I can avoid it." Although showering along with a bunch of other males normally wouldn't bother him, Nick didn't want to be staring directing at their crotch, not to mention the hazing he might receive during it—the soap that might 'accidently' get dumped in his eyes, or the water being miraculously turned off when he was soaping his face and had no way to wash the suds out of his fur and from around his eyes.
Or someone 'accidently' bumping into him and knocking him over because they 'slipped' or didn't 'see' him down there. Nick was not looking forward to this part of attending the Academy because there, he would be forced to shower with the other cadets. This was going to be worse since the other cadets were going to be younger and more immature than the seasoned officers (though he wouldn't put it past some of them).
Stu blinked. Shaking the images from his mind, both at where the fox would be looking, as well as the ribbing he mentioned, Stu pointed to the todd and said, "You're going to go through all that for my daughter?"
"Not just for Judy," Nick answered with a slight shake of his head. "I'm also doing it for myself. It's a great opportunity that I wouldn't have had if not for Judy." With a bitter laugh, Nick pointed to Stu and asked, "Do know what the specist officer at the front desk tried to do when I asked for a ZPA application?" At Stu's head shake, Nick answered, "He wanted to throw me in a cell for disturbing the peace! If Judy hadn't gotten in his face and threatened him with all the rules and regulations he was breaking, I would have had to make a run for it and hope no one caught me on the way out!"
Stu was feeling a bit ashamed of his thoughts towards the fox as he considered how badly other mammals were treating him. It also made him remember the words Judy had told him about all the prey mammals who had harmed Nick and his family in the past. And it was a fellow predator who finally showed the young todd compassion, not prey. Not until Judy hopped into his life.
Justin watched Nick intently and felt even more impressed with the todd. He couldn't think of anyone else who would sacrifice so much for his head-strong sister. "Even with all the specism you'll be facing, you still want to be a cop with my sister?" he asked, just to be sure of Nick's resolve.
With a slight shrug, Nick repeated, "Like I said, I want whatever Judy wants and she wants me as her partner."
At Justin's nod, Nick pulled out his phone to check to see how much time was left before he needed to flip the burgers and corn. He had only a couple of minutes left and was thinking of just going ahead and checking the food when Stu spoke up.
"Okay," Stu said while pointing to the fox across from him, "I can see you're committed to my daughter, but what exactly are your intentions towards Judy when it comes to a relationship. You can't be ignorant of what it means for a rabbit doe to let a male pet her ears."
Nick didn't immediately answer. Stu obviously guessed Judy was at least interested in him, which was a step in the right direction, but Nick wasn't sure exactly how much of their relationship he should reveal to her dad. After several minutes of silence, Nick took a deep breath and folded his arms across his chest, his phone still held in his paw. "I like your daughter, Stu, I like her a lot. Judy isn't like any female I have ever met before and that's saying a lot."
Taking another deep breath, Nick added, "Judy has touched me emotionally in a way no one else ever could. She's my shiny light and I would literally be lost without her. Now, as to what it means to be petting her ears—I imagine it means the same thing as me letting her pet my ears. It's not something we fox todds let just any female do."
Stu's ears dropped to his back as he realized Judy was more involved with the fox than he had first thought. "You let her pet your ears!?"
Nick flicked his ear. "Judy wanted to and when she asked, I realized I wanted her to, as well." With his tail swaying behind him, Nick cut Stu's next comment off by saying, "I told you, I want what Judy wants so if you want to know what my intentions towards her are, you should first find out what Judy's intentions towards me are. I can promise you—our intentions will coincide."
Stu sat stunned for a minute—he really didn't want to know what Judy's intentions for the fox were. He could already guess them. If he were to tell Judy that no rabbit had ever dated a fox before, she would simply say that she would be the first then. Before Stu could say anything else, though, Nick's alarm went off.
Jumping off the railing, Nick said, "Oh look, it's time to flip the burgers." As he walked over to the grill, he shut the alarm off on his phone and slipped it back in his pocket. Opening the grill, he picked up the tongs and started turning the corn over.
Stu watched the todd for a moment, then asked, "So if my daughter wanted to date you, you would?" With Judy's fearless attitude and her desire to try everything, he knew Judy would want to at least try dating the fox.
As Nick continued to turn the corn, he couldn't stop his tail from wagging a little at the memory of the dates he took Judy on. Not that he would tell Stu about them. With a smug grin that Stu couldn't see, Nick asked, "Would I date Judy if she wanted to?" With a flick of his ear, he answered, "In a heartbeat." Moving on to flipping the burgers, he added, "I actually have several date ideas I want to take Judy on once her leg heals."
Stu started sputtering at the table (Nick was hard pressed to hide his snicker), then exploded with, "You already have several dates planned!" Wasn't the fox moving too fast!?
With a shrug, Nick glanced over his shoulder and met Stu's outraged gaze for a moment, then turned back to the burgers. "Judy and I have talked a lot over the last few days and when we were discussing the desire to pet each other's ears, she implied that she would want to date me." With another shrug and wag of his tail, Nick added, "I like to be prepared."
Glancing over at Judy's littermate, Nick asked, "Do you want to grab the kabobs, Justin?"
"Sure," Justin replied with a grin. Nick was doing a good job of feeding his dad information about their relationship without admitting to their engagement nor lying about their involvement. Hopping off the railing, he skipped over to the counter and grabbed the two chopping boards that held the kabobs. With one in each paw, Justin carried them over to Judy's fiancé. He was still finding it hard to believe that Judy was finally getting married, but he couldn't fault her choice. He liked Nick and could see that the todd had Judy's best interest at heart.
As Nick started setting the kabobs on the grill, Stu spoke up again. "So, you're saying that you intend to date my daughter?"
Grinning down at the food on the grill as he continued laying on the kabobs, Nick replied, "I want what Judy wants."
Stu snorted, even as he felt like pulling his fur out—the fox was being so irritating! Why couldn't he just answer in a simple, easy to understand manner!? Rubbing his face for a moment, Stu then asked, "Have you kissed my daughter yet?"
Nick was hard-pressed to keep his ears upright at that question, and it was a good thing he wasn't facing Stu because his mask momentarily slipped when he remembered all their heated kisses. And the shower! Those 'kisses' Judy gave him had the inside of his ears turning a bright shade of red.
Justin didn't miss Nick's lustful gaze that flashed across his face at his dad's question, nor his red ears which had him grinning knowingly at the todd.
Schooling his features as he swallowed a mouthful of saliva, Nick caught Justin's knowing grin and wasn't surprised that Judy had clued her littermate into some of what was going on between them. Nick was just grateful the buck seemed to be fine with his sister dating and marrying a fox. Clearing his throat, he finally answered Stu's question. "Before asking if I kissed your daughter, you should first find out if Judy has kissed me."
"Huh?" Stu asked. What did the fox mean about Judy kissing him first? What did that have to do with anything?
Chester was just as confused, but since the fox was being vague with his answers, he guessed their relationship had moved beyond hugging and petting ears. Not that he could blame his sister if they had. Nick was sacrificing a great deal to be with her and intended to change his life so he could be her police partner. Not many males would be willing to do all that for a female, no matter how much he might like her. And the fact that most of Judy's best friends growing up were all predators, Chester wasn't surprised that his sister would fall for one.
Hearing Stu's confusion, Nick explained, "With foxes, the vixen leads and sets the pace of the relationship. I won't kiss Judy unless she first kisses me."
Justin had to swallow a snicker while thinking about how Judy had kissed Nick Wednesday afternoon and then Nick had Judy down to her underwear by Thursday afternoon. His impatient sister was truly setting a fast, whirlwind pace for their relationship.
Ignoring Justin's swallowed snicker, Nick picked up the seasonings again and lightly sprinkled salt over the vegetables, then a little onion powder and a dash of garlic powder as he wondered about Judy. Just how much had Judy revealed about their relationship to her littermates? Or had Janette spilled the beans on how he had almost devoured Judy Thursday afternoon? Not that it mattered much, not as long as Justin remained silent on the full extent of their relationship. Stu was having a very difficult time as it was just trying to accept the fact his daughter wanted to date a fox, let alone crawl in bed with and marry one.
Justin's nose twitched at the heavenly scents coming from the grill and he couldn't wait to taste the food, even as he wondered how the conversation would go and if Judy would be able to tell their dad she was already engaged to the fox.
As Nick set the seasonings back in their box, Stu finally found his voice again. "But what about your teeth and claws. How can you be sure you won't accidently hurt Judy in a fit of passion or rage?"
Nick immediately stiffened, then his ears disappeared against his head. Justin immediately noticed and stepped to the side, even as his nose started twitching. He wasn't afraid, though, but guessed that the fox would need some breathing room.
Taking a deep breath, Nick tried to keep his cool, but this hit a raw nerve and his Honeybun wasn't around to calm him down. Taking the cutting boards from Justin's paws, Nick carried them over to the sink. Dropping one of the boards on the counter, he kept the other one and grabbed the two knives Justin and Chester had been using earlier.
He then carried them over to the table. Dropping the cutting boards down on the table in front of Stu, Nick then took the knives and stabbed them into the board. Sinking the two knives deep enough to stand upright on their own, Nick planted his paws on the table at either side of the board as he glared at the frightened buck in front of him. "You don't need to be born with sharp teeth and claws to hurt someone."
With a low growl sounding deep in his chest, Nick continued, "You can find at least—at least—a dozen knives in every home in Animalia, with most homes having more, and a knife is a whole lot bigger and sharper than a predator's claws or teeth ever could be." Breathing slowly, Nick tried to get his emotions back under control.
The sound of his growl dropped a little lower making it nearly impossible to hear but didn't prevent the bunnies from feeling it vibrate through their bodies. Nick continued his explanation. "My dad was stabbed to death by your 'oh, so virtuous prey'," Nick spat out sarcastically, "because the stinkin' swine didn't think my dad, being a fox, deserved to own a successful business. Never mind that my dad catered to low-income and down-on-their-luck mammals—prey and predators alike—and helped them get better paying jobs by making good-quality suits for them at a low cost. Who cares how many mammals my dad helped, a fox should stay groveling in the dark and should never show his face in the light of day!" Nick pounded the table with a fist which made Stu and Chester jump.
The three rabbits across from him had their ears flat against their backs as Nick continued, saying, "My brother was killed when some idiot decided to drink too much and climbed behind the wheel of a car and ran him over. My mother was nearly killed by a bunch of doctors who used her and several dozen other hapless mammals as test subjects for their new experimental drugs. I was nearly beat to death by a gang of prey who thought my coat was too orange, so they wanted to dye it bright red with my own blood."
Pointing a clawed finger at Stu, Nick added, "So don't tell me I'm a threat to Judy just because I was born with sharper teeth and claws than you were." Standing up, Nick waved a paw, saying, "You keep holding onto this tragic past your ancient ancestors went through like you're still living that way today! When was the last time a fox—or any predator—ate a rabbit!? Furthermore, foxes didn't even eat that many rabbits! We preferred eating fruits with just a side helping of mice, voles, and shrews because they were far easier to catch than you rabbits, but you don't see mice cowering in terror whenever a fox walks by, do you?"
Stu gave a slight shake of his head and Nick folded his arms. "Do you know who did specialize in eating rabbits? Felines—bobcats, lynxes, and cougars. They loved eating rabbits, but that doesn't seem to bother you considering Judy's closest friends were almost all felines." Leaning forward, Nick continued his little rant. "Do you know who else felines liked to eat? Foxes. You keep going on about how tragic bunnies are for being prey, well News Flash! Foxes are prey, too. Lynxes and cougars especially liked to eat foxes because we were a challenge to them. And eagles and hawks, they didn't just carry off rabbit young, they also carried off fox young. And don't even get me started on wolves!"
Wiping a paw down his face, Nick's growl disappeared as he muttered, "Wolves generally didn't bother with rabbits unless it was winter and food was scarce, but us foxes? Wolves used to hunt us but it wasn't for food. Wolves usually couldn't catch a fox, but the few times they were able to sneak up on one, they would surround him and then play and toy with the sorry sap until he was dead. Unless they were starving, they usually just left the carcass and didn't even have the decency to eat him! They just killed the fox for fun!"
The rabbits had nothing to say to break the silence Nick's words left. Justin had since found a chair and dropped down onto it as he considered Nick's tragic past. Being a fox, Justin knew Nick must have had a hard life, and Judy had hinted at a little of it, but Nick truly did have a tragic past. His dad had nothing to say that could come close to what Nick had suffered. But even after experiencing so much heartbreak, the todd could still love his sister so completely. It was a miracle, truly.
Chester was thinking similar thoughts to his brother. He felt pity for the fox, but at the same time, he was impressed with Nick, as well. That even with his unfortunate and tragic past, the todd could still show and feel so much care, concern and compassion for Judy proved how great Nick's character was, and she was truly lucky to find him. And with Judy's big heart, maybe she could help heal the wounds left by Nick's scarred past.
Interrupting the rabbits' thoughts, Nick dropped his paw and said, "You know the worst part of it is?" Stu shook his head, his eyes round as saucers and his nose twitching like crazy at the low growl Nick had been making. "Rabbits could be considered a protected species at this point. You breed by the hundreds and besides disease and accidents, most bunnies don't have to worry about dying a premature death. But us foxes—we're still being hunted and killed. And it's not the felines and the wolves who are doing most of the killing."
Pointing to Stu's fearfully twitching nose, Nick stated, "We're killed by prey like you who can't let go of the past and your ancestor's tragic history. You hang onto it like it still has worth and continue to blame innocent mammals for actions that they have no part or say in. You claim that our very existence is a crime because of something that happened thousands of years ago. It's in the past, let it go!" Taking several deep breaths, Nick stared into Stu's wide eyes.
Clenching his paw as it hung at his side, Nick added, "My dad and brother's deaths are just a tiny fraction of the number of foxes killed each year due to angry and specist mammals and their unjust laws and regulations. Premature death is something we face every day, so don't go harping on about your ancestor's tragic past. It's old news! My ancestor's tragic past is still very much alive today and death haunts us on a daily basis, so I don't want to listen to how scary the life of a bunny is because it's all in your head!" Nick tapped the side of his head with one of his claws.
Glancing over at Justin, and then Chester, Nick realized he had said a whole lot more than he ever intended. Talking so much to Judy over the last several days really made it so he didn't know when to shut up! Wiping a paw down his face again, Nick then looked at Justin. "Food will be ready soon if you want to get the girls." Since Justin already knew about his and Judy's relationship, Nick figured he was the safest one to send in. Who knows what Judy's sisters and mom were getting her to talk about!?
"Uh, sure," Justin muttered. The sudden change in topic threw him for a loop and it took his brain a moment to catch up.
With a nod, Nick then said, "Have my mom check the food when she gets up. The kabobs will need to be flipped and the corn rotated again. The burgers will probably be done so she'll need to remove them."
Justin nodded at the todd's words, then watched as Nick turned and sprinted for the balcony railing by the side of the house and vaulted over it. Listening to him land on the stairs, Justin then heard Nick run downstairs then across the grass. Looking out over the yard, he saw Nick disappear behind the garage. With a heavy sigh, he scratched the back of his head, then turned to his father who still sat in stunned silence. "Well, Dad, I hope you're happy. The life of the party just ran off and you know Mom and Judy aren't going to be happy about it."
A look of guilt flashed across Stu's face, even as Chester stood up, saying, "Justin's right, Dad." Reaching over to pick up the cutting board and the knives still stuck to it, he added, "Once Mom hears what you did, she'll probably make you sleep in the barn tonight." Setting the cutting board and knives on the counter, Chester returned to the table as his dad started sputtering.
"That's. . . I just wanted. . . I'm worried about your sister, okay!" Stu finally cried, unable to come up with a better excuse for his actions.
Chester merely shook his head as he sat down, even as Justin said, "Dad, how many of my sisters have married deadbeat husbands who don't respect them? Species doesn't make a good mate, it's about the mammals' character and I'd say Nick's character is pretty high. You won't find a buck who will treat Judy better."
With a nod, Chester added, "Look what happened to Danielle. You praised her husband because he came from a wealthy family, but what does he do every time he starts drinking? How many times has Danielle come home crying because he started beating her again? How often have you and mom tried to convince her to divorce the jerk and how many times has she gone back to him, swearing up and down that he didn't mean to hurt her?"
Stu didn't have anything to say, so Chester added, "But then you look at Nick and everything he's done for Judy and there's no comparison. Danielle has deluded herself into believing her husband loves her but his actions say otherwise, whereas Nick's actions shout loud and clear how much he cares for Judy and wants to not only keep her safe, but more importantly, he'll do anything to make her happy."
Standing up, Justin nodded in agreement, then tapped the table with his blunt claw, saying, "Face it, Dad, Judy is going to date and marry that todd sooner or later, so you better get used to the idea because if you can't accept Nick in her life don't expect her to come home for the holidays or call you on Father's Day. For better or worse, Judy is moving in with Nick and he's now a permanent fixture in her life. The sooner you accept the fact the better it will be for everyone."
"And the less time you'll be stuck sleeping in the barn," Chester added for good measure.
Stu just sat and stared at the table as his thoughts swirled around in a confusing fog. He didn't even notice when Justin headed inside to get the girls. Stu didn't want Judy with Nick but only because he was a predator. But Nick pointed out very clearly that being a predator had nothing to do with whether they turned aggressive or not. And as his sons pointed out, there were quite a few of his sons-in-law who were pretty big jerks.
Nick, on the other paw, had clearly shown that he had Judy's best interest at heart and was strong enough to protect her. And if he knew anything about his little trier, then Judy was going to try dating, kissing, and marrying Nick sooner or later—just as Justin had said—and knowing Judy, it would be sooner rather than later. His little bun-bun could be so impatient when what she wanted was within reach. If it was something she had to work for or earn, then she would single-mindedly chase after it with everything she had.
But Nick had already stated that he wanted what Judy wanted, which meant all Judy had to do was ask and Nick would give it to her. Whatever was required to earn Nick's love and attention, Judy had already paid the price during the dangerous, life-threatening situations they had found themselves in while closing Judy's two cases. As Nick sang in his songs today: He went through hell with Judy, and now he was living the best days of his life because she was the light that changed his life for the better.
Dropping his face down in his paws, Stu thought about Nick's past and the future Judy was offering him. The todd had been through so much when he was so young, and yet still cared enough to risk his life to help Judy prove she was more than a timid, little bunny—that she was a real cop. Stu would be a petty mammal indeed if he didn't give Nick the same chance to prove he was more than a shifty fox.
Furthermore, it was obvious at this point that trying to separate the two would be a lesson in futility. His little trier was bound and determined to be with Nick and trying to fight against it would only leave him with a headache and many lonely nights out in the barn. They probably wouldn't even tell him when they started dating or if and when they got engaged. Would they even invite him to the wedding? Probably not.
With a groan, Stu picked his hat up and scratched his head, then glanced over to see Bonnie walk out on the deck and Stu saw his life flash before his eyes.
WingedKatt here. I hope you enjoyed the chapter. Next time, we'll see how the girl talk went, then Judy will have to calm her mate down. Expect some fluff.
Ch. 85: Don't Scare Us, will post in 2 weeks.
PS. For those of you interested, I put in a cutscene at the beginning of ch80 of Delilah telling Landon about her plans for Nick and Judy's wedding. I also put some FYI notes at the end of the chapter.
I hope you all have a great weekend. Be safe. If you have any thoughts or questions, let me know.
