Nick yawned as a pair of nurses woke him up earlier than before. His mind was still fuzzy from last night; unsure if he even slept from all the bombarding memories from before he was confined to the hospital. It did not help that it was early morning too. It reminded him of how much he had missed waking up on his worn but perfect bed, dragging himself up to face another day at the ZPD. He missed the subtle excitement he got each day when Judy had greeted him or vice versa before being assigned something new during roll call, be it a standard patrol or a drug raid.
Maybe I should've taken parking duty that day.
Nick frowned as he ended the thought, knowing that it was probably going to be a long while before things get back to normal.
Normal.
He missed normal. He missed the normal conversations he had with Judy. He missed her normal expressions, the normal optimistic, confident and uplifting bunny mood that weren't backed up with any hint of worry or stress. Maybe it wasn't just normal he missed. He missed her. Judy had not even visited him yesterday, though he could not blame her for the incident the day before.
Stupid emotional fox.
Nick scolded himself. He did not know what felt worse; the guilt of shunning away a friend like Judy over an untimely seizure, or the remorse from making her feeling even worse from it. He knew nothing he said could help her realise how dumb she was for getting all guilty towards him. He could only wish for time to do so.
Maybe Violet too.
Before he knew it the fox was transferred from his ward into an MRI machine. Nick cringed at shocking feeling of the cold plastic table against his bandages and his exposed fur as he was being gently laid down on it. Assuring the nurse's worries with a nod, he kept his head steady as a cage was lowered over his head.
After a quick greet from Dr Capra, the fox found himself sliding towards the bulk of the machine as the table retracted slowly. Nick was now staring blankly into the underside of the clean white arches, focused on his audible breaths that bounced around the plastic cage.
"Mr Wilde, you're going to have to stay still for this procedure." Dr Capra instructed through the speakers in the room. "It's only going to be for a moment."
The fox kept himself motionless as he waited for any changes, expecting maybe lights or a change of view. The machine hummed to life, generating an eerie buzzing noise that followed with a few beeps.
"There's going to be a few louder noises," said the doctor, "Remember, just keep your head still."
Nick maintained his steady huffs, bracing for whatever was coming next.
Bang.
The fox's chest jumped slightly at the noise, feeling dumb about himself shortly after.
Bang.
Nick kept himself collected as the frequency of the blaring noise increased.
Bang.
Then it came again, each noise echoing with an oddly familiar sound, one that shook his insides every single time it went.
Bang.
"Is it okay if I close my eyes?" he yelped, the fox blinking with every blare. His breaths were now straining with each inhale.
Bang.
"Sure."
Nick squeezed his eyes shut, trying to block off his head from the unsettling feeling that dawned over his mind.
Remember what she said. Breathe.
Nick fought to keep his breaths under control, releasing the air he held in a stuttered pattern.
Bang.
"Mr Wilde, is everything okay?"
The fox couldn't make out whatever his doctor was trying to say; unable to tell apart the muddle of harrowing noises and sounds that battered his senses.
Stop…
Nick was starting to shiver, the memories creeping into his brain like a leaking valve.
Help…
Bang…
The guns fired behind him, every bullet fleeting through his body, their impacts eerily tangible with each hit.
Bang…
Another shot fired, the roaring ping chewed away his eardrums as chips flew violently from the wall in front of him.
Bang…
And another… and another…
"Get him out of there!" Dr Capra shouted as he rushed out of the control booth.
Barging into the MRI room, the sheep's heart raced as he witnessed the perilous state of his patient. Nick panted heavily in the arms of the nurse, his entire body tremoring in a panicked state.
"Mr Wilde, you're in the hospital. Everything's okay." the doe repeated in a gentle voice to the hyperventilating fox, trying to get him out of his frenzied state.
He continued to shudder as the doe rubbed on his shoulders. Dr Capra walked to his side, offering to take over the nurse.
"Open your eyes Nick," he called, leaning over to his feverish face, "You're safe. Your partner is safe. You're not in danger."
It took a while for the fox to calm down, though his mind was still a hectic, tangled string of anxiety and trauma. He was anxious and confused, eyes darting around the room around him.
"Sorry," Nick whimpered to his doctor, ashamed at the frenzy he had caused.
"No apologies. You had a panic attack," he replied, "I'll arrange for Dr Hopps to come see you after this."
The fox frowned as he was lifted back into the wheelchair, still shaken from the episode he had earlier.
It felt so real. What's wrong with me…