Nick had refused to tell her where they were going today. Which was frustrating Judy to no end. Until, that is, they pulled into the parking lot of a bowling alley. Waiting at the doors for the two of them were two other foxes, a wolf, and a mink. Judy remembered Lillian saying something about this. When they approached, the older male fox spoke.

"Hey, there he is! Our man of the hour," he practically shouted.

"The prodigal son has returned," the vixen teased.

"Yeah yeah, laugh it up," Nick retorted.

"Mom wasn't kidding, she said you had a bunny girlfriend," the tod laughed.

"Yeah, this is Judy Hopps," Nick introduced.

With that the tod approached Judy and extended a hand.

"Alexander Wilde, pleased to meet you," he introduced, "And this is my lovely wife, Lucielle."

"Bonjour," Lucielle added with a thick French accent.

"It's nice to meet you too," she replied. As she said this she shook their paws.

"Deborah Howlings, nice to meet you Judy. This is my husband Jack," the vixen introduced.

"Uh nice to meet you too," Judy replied more nervously.

"S-sorry, I'm often told I have an intimidating presence," Jack explained. His tail and ears drooped and he avoided eye contact with Judy's.

"Jackie's a sweetheart, he's just shy," Debbie explained.

Judy had never been in groups with preditors before, but in this group she was the odd one out. This made her nervous.

"Excusez-moi Mademoiselle Hopps, are you alright?" Lucielle asked.

"O-oui," Judy replied.

"T-tres bien! Tu parle francais!" she replied surprised.

"You understand any of this, Carrots?" Nick asked.

"I took three years of French in High School, I'm a bit rusty with it but I think I understand your sister-in-law well enough," Judy explained.

Judy and the spouses went in but Nick and his siblings stayed outside.

"They are not joining us?" Lucielle asked.

"They'll come in when they're done catching up," Jack explained, "Let's give 'em some space and get our lanes."

"D'accord," she replied.

"Coming Judy?" he asked.

"Hmm? Oh yeah, sure," she replied.

"You seem to space out a bit, are you sure you're ok?" Jack asked.

"Y-yeah, just not used to being the only prey animal in a group of preditors," she explained, "I-it's nothing personal! I-I grew up in Bunnyburrows, there's one fox family in the entire town, aside from that nothing but rabbits and gerbils."

"Flûte!" Lucielle replied.

"No wonder you're so nervous," Jack laughed.

"S-so what about you Jack?" Judy asked.

"Jaster Springs, small predominately-wolf town to the north. We have a few coyotes and moose there too," he explained.

Jack paid for the lanes and one of the hyenas behind the register took them to their lanes on the second floor.

"Second floor, medium mammal lanes. I'll bring up the rest of your party when they arrive. Have a good time folks," she explained with a sweet smile.

"Merci beaucoup," Lucielle added as the hyena walked away.

The three strapped on their bowling shoes and waited.

"So what about you, Lucielle?" Judy asked.

"I grew up in a very small town in le French countryside," she explained.

At the same time, Nick was trying to find the words to say to his brother and sister.

"I-I'm sorry," he told them.

His tail and ears drooped much the same way Jack's did earlier, only this was out of shame.

"I'll be honest, it still hurts that you'd run away and bottle up what you were feeling but mom said you've turned your life around. If you say you're sorry and you want us to be a family again, I have to forgive you," Alex explained.

"Yeah, but it's been a long time Nick and things have changed but we talked about it and with our spouses. We can't go back to how things were when we were little but we can start over," Debbie assured.

"I was so sure you would both hate me and start trying to run me off," Nick replied.

"No, but that does remind me," Alex said.

"Don't be too rough on him, Alex. It takes a lot of courage to try to rebuild a bridge that's been burned," she told them before heading inside.

As soon as she left, Alex tapped Nick on the shoulder, reared back, and decked him across the muzzle.

"Ow!" Nick yelped.

"Com'n that was just a love-tap or does Officer Wilde need a baby-bottle?" Alex teased.

"I suppose I deserved that," Nick admitted.

"You did, but less for my sake and more for mom's," Alex pointed out, "Com'n everyone else is waiting for us."

With that Alex started inside and Nick followed after. As they entered Debbie began checking Nick's face.

"No bruise, that's good looks like Alex held back a bit," she concluded.

"You knew he was gonna' do that?" Nick asked.

"Yeah, he told me before we came," she explained.

"Com'n Nick, let's not keep our loved ones waiting," she replied. She walked up to the counter. "Wilde, party of six," she told the cashier.

"Sorry ma'am no Wilde parties," the female hyena replied trying not to laugh.

"Howlings then," she asked.

The female hyena cleared her throut before checking. "Sorry no parties under that name either," the clerk replied.

"Try Hopps," Nick laughed.

"Hopps, party of six?" the clerk asked.

"Yeah," Nick answered.

"This way," she instructed.

When they arrived at their party's lanes they saw Jack, Judy, and Lucielle chatting and laughing. They were going over how Judy and Nick met and fell in love.

"After that, I spent three days in the hospital. My leg was in a full cast and everything. Over a little scratch," Judy laughed.

"It wasn't a little scratch, I had to bandage it up to keep you from bleeding out," Nick replied.

"'Bout time, dumb fox," Judy stated scratching under Nick's muzzle.

"Hey, it took longer than I thought it would to catch up, sly bunny," Nick defended. He looked at his siblings. "Sorry, just a little joke between us," he explained. Nick's tail wagged slightly at the scratching.

"Don't mind us, looks like you're enjoying yourself," Debbie commented.

"Are you almost done?" he asked.

"Oh stop complaining, you love it when I scratch under your muzzle," she added.

"Yes I do, but we're in public and we're with my siblings and this is embarrassing," he retorted.

With that Judy stopped scratching, in secret Nick wished she hadn't but he had asked her to.

"How exactly does a fox and a rabbit become lovers?" Debbie asked.

"It's a long story, hun. I'll tell it to ya' later," Jack replied.

"Well, you must be an impressive person Judy, my hubby's already relaxed around you," Debbie laughed.

"How about you, mon amour? How do you like Judy so far?" Alex asked.

"Tre magnifique," Lucielle replied.

The siblings strapped on their bowling shoes.

"So how should we divide up?" Nick asked.

"Ladies against gentlemen would be a bit unbalanced since Lucielle doesn't know how to play yet and I dunno' if Judy does," Alex added.

"We should let Judy decide," Debbie replied.

"How about three teams instead of two, couples? Then if we don't know something about the game, our partner can help us," Judy suggested.

With that they got started. Judy caught on quickly watching how Alex and Jack worked themselves, it didn't take long for her to develop her own style.

"So, how's dad doing?" Nick asked.

"He's still hangin' on, stubborn old man," Alex replied.

"Still running that amusement park of his, Wild Times. Right next to the connecting bridge between Savanna Central and Grassland Square," Debbie stated.

"I had to help him out against that bank, you remember the place right Nick? Poor dad, he does a lot to keep his place going. It's his business and his home. The bank wanted to forclose, they said he'd gotten the deed illegitamately. Can you believe that?" Alex explained.

"So that's the case Bogo was trying to keep us away from," Nick said thoughtfully," How'd it go?"

"The detectives actually found out that dad bought the place a few years into running the amusement park, but due to the restructured zoning laws they can't press charges," the older tod explained.

"Yup, their whole case fell apart. Personally, I think they were just after it in a money-grab," the vixen added.

"I dunno' why dad keeps taking their shit, why doesn't he press harassment charges?" Nick added.

"Not enough evidence of harassment. The case would never stick," Alex answered.

"You almost sound like a cop yourself, Alex," the younger tod pointed out.

"Lawyer," the older replied, "Well defense attourney, I've only ever defended clients when I honestly believe that they're innocent. I've been equal opportunity and had some major cases."

"So your the big guns when it comes to defense lawyers huh?" Nick asked.

"It's how I met Lucielle," he explained.

"I'm sure there's a long story behind that," Nick added.

"Can't tell it, though," Alex replied.

"Client confidentiality contract," both stated in unisen.

"I know how that goes and I'm in law enforcement," Nick sighed.

"Getting back to dad, be careful introducing Judy to him," Debbie stated.

"She's right, the muzzle incident affected all of us differently. Dad used to surpress his bigotry towards prey animals, last I saw of him, he was openly bitter towards prey now," Alex admitted.

"The way I feel about Judy, he's gonna' have to meet her at one point or another. I'm more concerned about what she might say to him," the youngest sighed as he watched his girlfriend throw a bowling ball down the alley.

"Aww! Another gutterball! Stop sitting around and help me, Nick!" she cried.

"Coming," Nick laughed.

"I wish you would!" she half-shouted.

Everyone realized it was an innuendo but no one commented on it. After the first round, Nick pulled Alex and Jack away to get drinks.

"Ok Nick, what's really going on?" Alex asked.

"I-We ugh. We haven't done the thing," he confessed.

"Size issue?" Jack asked.

"Yeah," Nick answered.

"That's a thing for interspecies couples, we overcame it," Alex assured.

"How? I mean Lucy and Judy are roughly the same size," Nick replied.

"Our first time took a lot of restraint and we had to get used to each other. I'd be lying if I said neither of us were scared but we both came out ok. I even took her to see a doctor the next day. Doctor said she was fine all things considered," Alex explained.

"Just remember to wrap up," Jack advised, "There's a smaller chance of it but you still don't want kids to happen 'til you're ready."

"Try to be more vague about the conversation, Jack. We don't need passerbys givin' us the stink-eye for havin' this kinda' conversation in public," Alex lectured.

"This isn't really the place for this conversation, Nick. If you need more advice on this topic, call me later ok?" Alex instructed, "I wanna' help but we can't talk about this as freely as we need to in the middle of a bowling alley."

"That's ok, Alex. I think I have things figured out now. Thanks," Nick replied.

As the three approached the snack bar, Jack took a quick look around and sighed grateful that nobody seemed to have overheard them.

"So what kinda' stuff does your cottontail sweetheart drink, Nick?" Alex asked.

"Soda, juice, water, and milk," he answered.

"Wait so she don't drink?" the older tod asked.

"Carrots can barely hold her liquor. The heaviest thing I've seen her down is a shot of carrot vodka," he stated.

"How 'bout you little brother, what's the heaviest you can take?" Alex asked teasingly.

"Blueberry moonshine, but not today. I have to drive," Nick replied.

"Better safe than sorry, probably best if none of us drink," Jack stated.

When they got back to their lanes, the girls were having a free-for-all match.

"Hey you learn fast, longears!" Debbie laughed.

"C'est v'rai!" Lucielle exclaimed.

"Hey, what'd we miss?" Alex asked.

"Judy's been cleanin' house at this," the vixen chuckled.

"That's my Carrots, she's a fast learner," Nick replied turning a smitten gaze towards the smiling bunny.

The boys sat out and let the girls finish their free-for-all.

"Listen Nick, don't let whatever dad might say about Judy ruin your relationship. She's good for you, if that's all any of us knew about her, that'd be enough for me and your brother," Debbie lectured gently.

"Y'think so?" Nick asked.

"Sure I do, but that's not all we know," Debbie replied, "She told me about how things are on her end. How you helped push her through her doubts and how you still stand at her side. I'm proud of you, Nicky."

With that they continued their bowling trip. Hours passed and eventually the three couples parted ways from the bowling alley and each other. As Nick drove Judy home he thought about all that his brother had said to him.

"I had fun today, Nick. Thanks for introducing me to your family. And your mother helped put it in persepctive how selfish I was being. I'm really sorry, Nick. I'm your girlfriend, I shouldn't try to force you into making love to me just because I want it," she explained regretfully.

"And I shouldn't have put you off so much," Nick started.

"Stop, I know you want to apologize for that but don't. I know you were just scared for my sake, I should just leave it at that and wait until you're ready," she interrupted.

"What if I told you I could be ready tonight?" he asked.

"Don't tease me," she lectured.

"Judy, I want to try tonight," he stated, looking her directly in the eyes.

With all that said and done, they spent the night together for the first time in their relationship.