Big thanks to FirnenOne and TogdoesStuff for helping with the edit.

A/N:

The crackle of the fire filled the room as two mammals sat across from each other. On one side sat a chipper bunny and the other a bitter fox. Strange considering he was supposed to be the most jolly mammal in existence.

"Come on Nick, it isn't that bad."

"Says the bunny that didn't have her life turned completely upside down only to have the rug pulled out from under her feet."

"That hasn't happened, yet." He gave her an incredulous look. "Oh come on, you have a whole year to find someone. I'll even help you!" She offered enthusiastically.

"Oh really?" He asked, sitting up from where he was slouched. He crossed his arms over his chest as he looked over at her with a raised eyebrow. "No offense Carrots but you don't exactly strike me as an expert on dating." He said matter of factly. She easily waved off his skepticism.

"Pssh! Pu-lease! How hard could it possibly be?" She countered with a cocky smirk.

Nick frowned, he was about to offer a retort to what he hoped was a rhetorical question, when the sound of a bell started sounding. Both he and Judy looked up from where they sat towards the door leading out to the railing overlooking the factory floor. He looked down to Judy and was about to ask what was going on when she jumped from her seat and raced the couple of steps towards him.

"Come on!" She exclaimed, taking his paw in hers and dragging him with her. The two raced out the door and down the catwalks towards the far end of the factory. By now Nick was familiar enough to know this section had a large set of doors that opened up to the outside.

"Carrots! What's going… on…" As they approached the end of the catwalk Nick noticed the cool breeze that was blowing through the air. Below them he could see the doors were open and mammals were pouring inside. When they finally slowed to a halt, Judy was standing on the railing and looking down on the parade of arctic mammals all making their way through the crowd that had gathered to greet them. She smiled, watching polar bears, muskox, reindeer, arctic foxes, arctic hares, arctic wolves and even dall sheep make their way inside.

Nick stood beside her, looking over the crowd that had gathered. The largest of the mammals carried large sleds loaded with supplies and parts for the toy factory. The smaller mammals carried lighter items such as cloths, parts and even trinkets. It was amazing to watch the small parade as they made their way inside, seeing so many arctic foxes in one place was a novelty to him. Foxes were generally loners outside their own families and he started wondering if…

His ears twitched as he heard something. His ears were up and forward, scanning the crowd as he searched for something he thought he heard. Judy hopped off the railing and was about to guide Nick down to meet the group when she noticed how focused he was. It was the most serious expression she'd ever seen him have. His ears moved in unison as one or the other would flick slightly before focusing again.

"Nick? What's wrong?" She looked down at the group, her own ears up and trying to find what it was he had recognized. When he didn't answer she looked back just in time to see him lean forward slightly before his eyes widened in surprise before running in the direction of the stairs to get to the ground floor. Judy tried to keep up, but she'd fallen behind from being stunned by his sudden departure. Then even more as he moved through the crowd, seeing everyone gladly step out of his way as they recognized him. Unfortunately, she was not afforded the same courtesy. She was still a small ways away when she saw him stop behind an arctic vixen staring at her in disbelief before he spoke.

"Skye?"

She looked over her shoulder, as if to only see who had called her name, having to do a double take when she saw Nick standing there.

"Nick?" Her voice was laced with disbelief as the arctic hare with strange black stripes looked around her to see who she was speaking to. "What are you doing here?"

Nick huffed in a mixture of surprise and disbelief. "I'm… I'm Santa." Skye's eyes widened in surprise. "What are you doing here? After you didn't show we looked everywhere. We called the police but no one knew where you went or ever saw you again. You just... vanished."

"I'm sorry." She nearly whispered. "I couldn't tell anybody, not even my parents."

Nick took a step forward. "I don't understand, couldn't tell us what?" He took another step forward, only to stop when she took a step back, bumping into the stripped hare behind her.

"Skye? Is everything alright?" The hare asked, reaching up to hold her trembling arms. She looked back at him with shock, glancing between him and Nick.

"I'm sorry." She said with tears forming in her eyes, turning and disappearing into the crowd.

Nick was about to go after her, to try and console her, to find out what could be bothering her but the hare cut him off.

"I'm sorry Santa, she's not normally like this." He said with a nervous smile. "I'm guessing she knew you from before she joined us?"

Nick looked him over as he spoke, dumbfounded that Skye had left so suddenly, he was taken by surprise when the hare stepped in front of him. So surprised was he, that only one question came to mind.

"Who are you?" Nick asked.

"Oh! Well, I'm Jack." He held out his paw towards Nick. "Skye's husband."

If Nick were inclined to shake the hare's paw before, he lost any desire to do so after hearing those two words together. He looked in the direction she'd gone for a moment before looking around and noticing all the pairs of eyes watching him. The majority of mammals in the hall hadn't witnessed their little exchange and the room was still filled with conversation and excitement. Nick did his best to swallow the lump in his throat and turn to go back the way he came. Leaving Jack to awkwardly withdraw his paw. Once again, everyone moved to make way for him as he approached, everyone but Judy. She stood still as he approached and walked beside him as he passed.

"Nick, who was that?" He said nothing as he kept his eyes forward and his pace steady. She followed him out of the crowd and a short ways back before stopping to let him walk alone. She watched till he was nearly out of sight and she heard her parents calling her.

"Judy? What happened? We heard something happened with Nick and some arctic fox?" Bonnie asked.

"Leave it to the rumor mill to spread news like wildfire." Judy thought.

"I don't know." She spoke truthfully aloud, when she looked back all she saw was Nick's tail disappear behind a corner. Her expression changed to one of determination. "But I'm going to find out." Her parents watched her as she marched off after the sulking fox, still confused about what might have happened and what was about to happen.

He proved to be slippery prey for the determined bunny. Only catching small glimpses of the tip of his tail here and there. Eventually catching sight of him entering his personal quarters. She marched up and walked in without a second thought. The room had grown darker as the fire had slowly faded, but she noticed a fresh log had been thrown on remnants and she made her way towards it. Rounding the couch, she found who she was looking for. In the center cushion, curled up into a ball, Nick lay with the tip of his tail covering his face.

"Nick?" She asked gently. "Nick are you alright?"

He doesn't answer.

"Who was she?" Hoping the direct approach would get him to answer.

"My soulmate." His voice came out as a half whine. If his tail hadn't been covering his eyes, he would have seen the confusion on Judy's face.

"What do you mean?" She asked, seeing the fur on his tail ripple from the breath that he blew out his nose. He then sat and slid to the side of the couch, resting his elbow on the arm rest and covering his face with his paw.

"When foxes choose a mate it's for eternity. There are no second chances for us. It's very common for a fox to die from heartbreak after losing their mate." He explained, never once looking up.

"And, you think she is your soulmate?" Judy asked, climbing onto the couch, facing him with her legs tucked under her.

He released another pained sigh mixed with a slight canine whine. "I thought she was." The pain in his voice made it sound thick. "I can still smell her scent. It's mixed with that hare's and it makes me sick." His body was beginning to shake from silently sobbing, his paw could no longer hold back the tears that began to trickle down his cheeks. Judy's nose began to twitch when his lips pulled back, revealing his sharp predatory teeth. The air hissed as he sucked in deep breathes between his sharp fangs.

Judy was lost. She'd never seen someone in such pain before. Sure there were plenty of accidents around the workshop but no one she knew of had suffered in the way Nick currently was. Unsure, she did the one thing she could think to do. That which her heart pleaded with her to do. Comfort.

She stood on the couch and slowly walked towards him. She held out a paw and hesitated for a moment before placing it on his shoulder. When he continued to sob she leaned closer and wrapped her arms around his neck, hugging him till his body began to settle. Though his breaths still sounded ragged, she gently guided him till he was laying down once again but this time with his head resting in her lap. His fatigue from the sleigh ride and the emotional overload of the day had finally claimed him. She sat like that with him till the fire's light began to fade once more. As she gently stroked his ears and her eyes grew heavy she wondered if she would be able to fix this poor dejected fox.

A/N:

The pictures is a commission I had done by MermaidPerlas. I recommend you check her out!