Disclaimer: I do not own Zootopia or any of its characters, they all belong to Disney.

My Christmas Bunny

Chapter 3

Nick couldn't believe that an entire year had gone by so quickly! Judy had had their kits in early May and he'd breathed a sigh of relief that there'd only been four. He remembered that Judy had once told him that her mother, Bonnie, had once had eight! They looked more like Foxes than Rabbits except that their ears were just a bit longer and the males had green eyes like him and females had purple ones like their mother. They'd become active so quickly! Within a month they were constantly underfoot and he had to be extremely careful where he stepped. The only time it was safe was when Judy was feeding them which seemed to be anytime she sat down.

Also, Judy seemed very protective of them. She always wanted to keep them in sight at all times. She even watched them when he played with them. Fortunately Nick's mother, Catherine, had volunteered to move in with them to look after them after Judy's maternity leave had run out. Every time they left the house for work it was always an emotional experience for Judy. But after the first month Judy only turned and looked back until their house until it was out of sight. At least now she finally stopped crying on the way to work. His mother had told him that a Rabbit's maternal instincts very strong.

Just as last year Bonnie had invited them for Christmas along with Catherine and Ben. Of course Judy's mother knew Catherine had been taking care of the kits, but he thought Judy had told her mother that Ben had no close living relatives.

"How's it going back there?" he asked.

"I still have mine," Catherine said and chuckled.

Half way to BunnyBurrow he'd had to stop the car to get one of the females out from under Judy's seat. Fortunately she hadn't gotten stuck, but only Judy could coax the kit out. He glanced at passenger's seat and saw that Judy still held hers. Then he looked in the mirror and made absolutely sure that his mother had the other one and Ben had both male kits. As soon as the two males had seen Ben they were all over him.

"How about you Ben?"

"Oh they're having a good time chewin' on me," he said and Judy turned and looked back. "They're being good little predators."

They all heard Judy's growl and he reached over and patted her arm. She looked at him and he winked. Then he turned his complete attention back to the road and five minutes later he saw the 'You're now entering BunnyBurrow' sign, still clicking away, and to him it looked as if it was going a bit faster than it had been only a few months earlier.

"We'll be there in half an hour," he announced and then thought to himself - finally!

It seemed that everyone breathed a collective sigh of relief when the Hopps Burrow came into view. Nick parked the car and immediately several Rabbits came out to help with their luggage and presents. It was more important for them to keep an eye on the kits. They certainly didn't want them getting loose outside or for that matter inside either.

"Mom!" Judy exclaimed and hugged the older Rabbit.

Bonnie returned the hug and then glanced at the kit now sitting on her shoulder. It licked its lips and then headed straight for one of her ears. Bonnie squeaked as the kit began to nibble on the appendage. Ben chuckled.

"These two were nibblin' on me all the way here," he said and patted the two males.

Catherine reached over, tickled the kit until it giggled, and then snatched it away.

"Certain kits simply like to chew on things," she said and looked at her son. "I could tell you stories."

Nick cleared his throat and Ben chuckled again.

"Maybe later," the Cheetah said and gave his best friend a wink.

Both Catherine and Judy laughed.

"I have an early Christmas present for them," he said and handed the two males to their father. Then he opened his suitcase and pulled out four collars. "Here we go."

"Collars!" Judy exclaimed.

"They have trackers in them," he said, putting one on a male. "Nick told me how much fun you had finding them the last time you were here." Judy remembered and growled. "I just thought they'd help."

"Thanks Ben," she said as he reached into his suitcase and handed her the tracking receiver.

"I wish I'd had one of those years ago," Catherine said, looking at her son again.

"Me too," Bonnie said, looking at a certain Rabbit.

That Rabbit's ears turned red.

The elevator dinged and the doors opened. A tall Rabbit walked out, looked at the group for a moment, and stepped toward the Cheetah.

"So you must be Ben."

"And you must be Jill," he said and her eyebrows rose.

"So how'd you know?" she asked and Ben tapped his nose.

"You and Judy have the same scent."

"Well at least you're original," she said and smiled.

"Original?"

"Oh you're the biggest Rabbit I've ever seen or you must be Jill Hopps – the largest Rabbit in the world," she said, using different voices for each epithet.

"How about you're Jill Hopps," he began and glanced at Judy, "the cutest Rabbit in the world."

Everyone heard a growl and they both laughed.

"Do you two want to be alone," Nick asked and a moment later received a poke in the ribs.

"Actually we do," Jill said and took Ben's arm. "Come on Ben, let me show you to your room," she looked at her twin sister and winked, "and then a bit later maybe mine."

Ben's ears turn pink as she pulled him into the elevator.

Nick looked over at his bunny as they unpacked.

"I wonder what Jill and Ben are doing."

"Is that all you think about?!"

"I was just wondering what they were doing."

"You think they're..." she sputtered and stopped.

"Making love," he finished for her and then watched her ears start to turn pink. "Judy, can you actually imagine Ben and Jill together?" Her ears turned red and he smiled. "Well I stand corrected."

"Nick!"

"Let's see if I can imagine it," he said and after a few seconds chuckled. "Well just..."

"Nicholas Piberius Wilde!"

Then there was a knock at the door.

"Come in!" Nick said and Catherine opened the door.

She entered and looked back and forth between them.

"So what'd he do now?" she said and smiled.

"He thinks Ben and Jill are... you know," she said and waved a hand in the air.

"I do," she said and smiled. "Remember I'm a vixen."

Catherine had thought that her daughter-in-law's ears couldn't get any redder, but a moment later she was proven quite wrong. Then she looked at her son and he raised an eyebrow and rolled his eyes. She laughed.

Eleven levels below Jill opened the door and ushered the Cheetah into the guest room. Ben seemed a bit reluctant at first, but then sighed, tossing his bag on the bed. Then Jill pushed the door and he jumped. Jill smiled.

"Ben, is there a problem?"

"Well," he began and laughed a bit nervously, "I..."

"I wanted to meet you," she interrupted and then smiled at the look on his face. "Nick's told me a lot about you."

"Really!" he exclaimed and smiled again.

"Yes, really," she said and stepped a bit closer. "Ben, he's your friend."

"My only friend except for Judy," he said quietly.

"Then we're a lot alike."

Ben looked into her purple eyes.

"I don't understand," he said and sat on the bed to be at almost eyelevel, "you're so beautiful!"

She gave a sad smile and then chuckled.

"It's a curse."

"But..."

"Ben, no buck wants a doe a foot and half taller than any of them... well unless it's my time," she said and watched his ears turn pink again. "I didn't mean to embarrass you or burden you with my problems."

"It's OK," he said and sighed. "I've had problems with females all my life."

"Ben, Nick did tell me everything."

"Judy and Nick helped me a lot."

"To lose the weight," she said quietly.

"It was either that or lose my job!" he said and she touched his arm. "And I really like being a police officer! Now once in a while I even go out on patrol with them."

She squeezed his arm.

"But you're still lonely."

"Yes."

"I understand completely."

"Really?"

"Yes, really."

"You think... maybe... we might be lonely together?"

Jill smiled and hugged him.

"Yes," she whispered in his ear.

"At least we didn't have to work Christmas Eve this year," Ben said as they sat down for dinner.

"And I'm glad you didn't," Jill said and patted Ben's arm.

"Me too," Nick said and put an arm around his bunny and give her a squeeze. "Ben, you get settled in?"

"Yes and Jill even showed around the Burrow."

"After dinner I'm going to show him my Gazelle collection," Jill said and smiled at her sister.

"Really!" he exclaimed. "That sounds great!"

"I have all of her early videos too," she said and looked in Ben's golden eyes. "I have her audition video too."

"Wow!" he said. "Let's just skip dinner."

Nick looked at Judy and smirked. Judy rolled her eyes and just then Ben's stomach rumbled.

"Don't do that while you're staring at me," Jill said jokingly, poking the Cheetah in the chest with each word.

Ben roared with laughter and scooped Jill up and hugged her. Then his stomach rumbled again and everyone within earshot joined him.

Nick held up the covers and patted the spot next to him. Judy gave him the eye and then sighed.

"So what do you have in mind?"

"Sleep."

"Sure you do."

"I need my rest," he said and smiled. "Tomorrow's the big day and remember you and I are going to hand out the presents."

Judy rolled her eyes and lay beside him. He covered her with the blanket and pulled her close. Then he nuzzled her and sighed. After a few minutes his breathing slowed and became regular. She was surprised! He'd actually fallen asleep, she thought and smiled. A few minutes later she joined him.

The alarm went off and Nick slapped button, silencing it. He yawned and then green eyes met purple ones. He leaned close and touched his lips to hers. Then he licked her throat and she purred with pleasure.

"OK, time to get up!" he said and was out of their bed, heading for the bathroom.

"Who are you?" she said and sat up. "And what did you do with my husband?"

He turned and smiled.

"We have a busy day today," he said. "We have to take get cleaned up, have breakfast, and then hand out all the presents. You wouldn't want to keep all those kits waiting, would you?"

"Who are you?" she said and went to him. "And what did you do with my husband?"

He laughed and then continued toward the bathroom and she followed somewhat puzzled.

"We're going to be late!"

"I sure your mother kept something warm for us."

The elevator dinged and the door opened. Five minutes later they walked into a half empty dining hall.

"I saved some for you two," she said and then handed them two covered plates.

"Thanks Bonnie and Merry Christmas."

"Didn't your alarm go off?"

"It did, but then we had to shower and get ready," he said and put and arm around his bunny. "You know how it is." Judy's ears began to turn pink. "I wash her back and she washes mine. And I'm a big Fox. Then there's my tail." Judy's ears were now almost red. "She always likes to wash it really well." He grinned at the older Rabbit. "Of course then we have to dry each other and that takes a while too."

"I understand," she said, turned, and hurried off.

They both heard her chuckle when she thought she was out of earshot.

"Nick, later I'm going to...!"

"This smells really good," he said and headed for an empty table. "Come on, let's eat!"

The tree looked beautiful and so did his bunny. He called out the names and she handed the presents to each person. After an hour there were only three presents left. He lifted the first one and tag read 'To Nick from Judy.' The tag on next one read 'To Catherine From Nick and Judy.' But the last one he knew well. The tag read 'From Nick to the most beautiful bunny in the world.'

"Catherine," he said and the vixen with their kits in tow sat beside him.

He set the large before her and she carefully unwrapped it. Then she opened the box and lifted out new winter coat.

"Wool?" she asked.

"From a very special sheep," he said and his mother laughed.

Then she leaned over and kissed him.

"Judy doesn't like it when beautiful vixens kiss me," he whispered.

"I'll make an exception just this once," she said and Catherine smiled.

"Nick," Judy said and handed him a box.

He opened it and took out a pair of gloves. He slipped them on.

"Their warm... and furry."

"From a very special Rabbit," she said and he hugged her.

"Judy," he said and handed her the last box.

She opened it and held up a DVD. On it it said only Merry Christmas. She looked at him questioningly and he pointed the TV and DVD player Stu had set up earlier. Her father turned it on and she put the DVD into the player. Then she hit play and the TV brightened and focused on four red furred kits.

"Merry Christmas mom," they chorused and only a moment later the kits raced into her arms.

"Thank you," she said and tears came to her eyes.

"My Christmas Bunny," he said and felt tears in his eyes too.