The next day as they packed up camp, Gideon pulled Nick aside.
"Nick, ya' look like hell. Didn'cha' get any sleep last night?" he asked.
"Two hours. Judy woke me up shortly after we went to bed because she wanted to have her way with me," Nick stated.
"You could've told me no, slick," she replied.
"Do you honestly think I wanted to tell you no?" he asked.
She gave him a quick hug before she resumed helping the Foxglove sisters put their tent away.
"You're gonna' have to drive for me today, Carrots. After what you did to me, I'm surprised I can stand," he called to her.
She just rolled her eyes. "My drama queen fox," she sighed with a laugh.
"So Judy, did you guys use that box?" Nilla asked.
"Yes Nilla, we used the box but only because Nick made it a condition," Judy sighed, "Do you really think a fox and a bunny can have kids together?"
"Can't be too careful, apparently polar bears and reindeers can. Our cousin Boris found that out the hard way when him and his girlfriend Velvet had triplets," Nilla laughed.
It took Judy a few seconds to process what Nilla just told her.
"What the actual fuck?!" Judy exclaimed.
The triplets just laughed at her reaction. "Well, as much as I'd like to say it's all just to get a reaction out of you, it's actually true," Angel laughed.
At that she felt her phone vibrate, she reached down and without thinking, answered it.
"Hello?" she answered.
"Oh Judy?" the voice replied.
"What do you want, Jack? I thought I told you never to call me," she replied curtly.
"Um, did I do something to upset you?" he asked.
At that point she remembered something.
"Jack Savage?" she asked.
"No, Jack Howlings, Nick's brother-in-law," he replied.
"Oh shit! I am so sorry! Wrong Jack, I thought you were my ex-boyfriend. You sound exactly like him over the phone and have the same first name," she explained.
"That-that is incredibly unfortunate," he replied.
"Moreso because the jerk tried to kidnap me. Lucky for me, Nick saved me," she stated.
"What did you ever see in that guy?" Jack asked.
"I don't know, I once thought he was a nice guy. Then I woke up and realized he cared only about himself and what he wanted," she answered.
"You don't need a guy like him. Especially if you have Nick," the wolf replied.
"So anyway, I still don't understand how you got this number," she stated.
"Oh right, Debbie said this was Nick's number but I guess she got your number instead," Jack replied.
Judy looked at the phone and face-pawed.
"No, she gave you Nick's number, I picked up his phone by mistake this morning," Judy sighed.
"Oh, that happens to me a lot. It's a more common problem than most people think. I often don't realize it until I'm in the middle of a class," Jack recounted, "Then I get a text from one of the chefs out on errend asking about some ingredient they need at the restaurant. Sorry, I didn't mean to ramble."
"It's ok, it's kinda' nice to hear about Nick's family once in a while. I'll just get him to swap phones with me," she replied.
She walked over to Nick and Gideon and grabbed her boyfriend's arm. When that got his attention he took the phone from her, handing her the one he'd picked up, and answered.
"Hello?" he answered.
"Hey Nick!" Jack greeted.
"Jack, what's going on?" Nick asked with a yawn.
"Are you ok, buddy?" Jack asked.
"No, I'm great. Carrots kept me up all night," he explained.
"How do carrots keep you up?" Jack asked.
At that Nick heard Debbie's voice in the background, "Carrots is his nickname for Judy."
"So what's going on?" he asked.
"Daniel's back from the service and he wasn't happy to hear that I married a wolf or that Alex married a mink. No tellin' how he's gonna' react when he finds out about Judy," Debbie explained.
"You didn't tell him did you?" Nick asked.
"Not my place, besides after the fit he threw about me and Jack, I don't owe him squat," she replied.
"I love you, Deb," he stated.
"Love you too, little brother. See ya' when you get back. Oh! Gotta' go, my souffle is nearly done," she stated.
"Hiya Deb, how're ya'!" Gideon greeted.
"Oh hi Gideon, hugs and kisses!" she said hurridly, "Enjoy your time out in the countryside, Nick!"
"Worst part is, Daniel said he wants to get in touch with you. We told him you work as a police officer now, he seemed less than thrilled about that," Jack explained, "We also told him you're out of town with your girlfriend but we didn't tell him anything about her."
"Thanks," Nick replied.
"Sorry about the bad new, Nick. Try to have fun while you're out there, ok?" Jack stated.
Although concerned about Judy meeting Daniel and what reaction the latter would have to the former, Nick did his best to smile around his bunny not wanting her to see him worried about something. They decided to head back to the festival, especially after Judy recieved a phone call from Bonnie about being worried about them. Judy drove back due to Nick being exhausted from the night before and not able to keep his eyes open. Upon arriving back at the festival one of Judy's relatively fewer older siblings came out to greet them.
"Judy!" she shouted as she ran up and hugged Judy.
"Hey Jane, not so loud, ok? You'll wake up my fox," Judy snickered.
Rather than being a light grey like Judy, Jane was pure white with a yellow flower beret tucked behind her ears and sapphire blue eyes. Jane's curiousity got the better of her and she peeked into the car to see the sleeping fox.
"Wow! Dad wasn't messing with me when he said you have a fox boyfriend! And he really is your partner on the force?" Jane replied out of surprise.
"Yes, he is. We've been together for a year and a half," Judy replied.
Judy put up the hood of the car and locked the doors, intent on letting Nick sleep. After that she joined her sister in wandering about the festival. It had been so long since Judy had last seen Jane that the two needed to catch up. All the while, Judy told Jane about her relationship.
"Sounds like a really great relationship. So, has he proposed yet?" Jane asked.
"No. I dunno' why he keeps me waiting," Judy stated frustratedly, "He knows what my answer is gonna' be."
"Be paitient, Judy, if Nick really is the kinda' guy you've been telling me about, he's probably not ready yet," Jane commented patting Judy on the shoulder.
"So you're ok with this?" Judy asked.
"Honestly? Not sure if I approve of my little sister being with a fox but it's not my place to tell you how to live your life. Nick makes you happy and you love him, right? That's all that should matter," Jane replied.
"I wish grampa saw it that way," Judy lamented.
"Don't begrudge the elderly their ways. In many ways, Grampa Carl is still very wise he just doesn't understand that times change, people change," Jane returned, "Change is the natural state of the world. Nothing ever stays the same."
Jane turned to her younger sister, Judy understood what her older sister was telling her but the conversation had derailed and Judy was letting her know without saying anything. Jane let out a brief sigh before asking the next question.
"I really have to know, mostly because I'm curious. Does the knot fit?" Jane asked.
"Jane!" Judy half-shouted her face turning bright red.
"What? I really wanna' know," the older sister replied.
"It does," Judy mumbled, "Barely."
"What're you so embarrassed about? It's not like we haven't talked about this kinda' thing before," Jane laughed.
"I spent most of yesterday afternoon around three vixens who openly blurt out things like that," Judy groaned.
"Oh you met the Foxglove sisters!" Jane laughed.
After a couple hours, Nick joined them, albeit groggily from his nap.
"Nick, sweetie, this is my sister, Jane. Say hello Nick," Judy introduced.
"Hello Nick," he replied with a tired smile.
"Smartass," Judy half-lectured.
"I am not an ass, I'm a fox. There's a difference," he replied.
Jane laughed as much as Judy.
"So Nick, how're things in the relationship from your perspective?" she asked.
"Terrible, she beats me, lectures me, and never lets me drive the squadcar," Nick replied sarcastically.
"Don't listen to him, he's being sarcastic," Judy sighed.
"Your sister is the most wonderful person I've ever met. She's smart, funny, sweet, and maybe a bit too energetic. I'm the one who'd be lost if I didn't have her, I wouldn't know what to do with myself. I sure as hell don't deserve her, but I am crazy about her," Nick admitted.
Both rabbits listened intently, Judy already knew this but Jane was rather surprised to hear things like this come from the mouth of a fox.
"Part of our relationship is that we stopped thinking about each other as what we are and just think about each other as who we are. What we are is part of who we are but not the whole of it," Judy explained.
"I envy you, both of you. I've never been in your kind of relationship. The fate of a lonely seamstress I suppose," Jane lamented.
"You'll find someone, just stick with it. Your amazing sister never gives up and because of her influence I never give up either," Nick laughed.
Jane smiled up at Nick, then took his paw and Judy's and placed them together, a silent gesture of approval.
"I'll see you guys at the talent show play," Jane commented as she turned and left.
A few more hours of wandering about, during which time Nick caught sight of his aunt glaring at them but just ignored her, they headed into the biggest tent at the festival. Judy had flashbacks to her own childhood as the play was going almost exactly as it had years ago. Judy's youngest sister, Julie was in the place she was years ago. The major difference was that Julie wanted to be a firefighter.
"Having flashbacks, Carrots?" Nick whispered.
"Yes, now shut it," she whispered back.
Another difference is that after the play their parents were encouraging Julie to become a firefighter. Until Julie saw Judy and Nick and ran up to them. She greeted her sister with an energetic hug before turning her attention to Nick and latching onto to one of his paws with both of hers. Nick just smiled at the little bunny.
"I wanna' be like you when I grow up, Judy! You're not afraid of anything!" Julie practically shouted.
"There are things I'm afraid of, Julie, but I have Nick so I can be brave," Judy confessed.
"But I thought being brave meant that you're not afraid?" Julie replied confused.
She shook her head no at her little sister.
"Being brave means standing your ground against your fears," Judy told her.
Julie wore a confused look and cocked her head to the side as she stared up at Judy.
"Give it some time, kiddo, you'll understand," Nick replied, "But if you wanna' be a firefighter, you be a firefighter. Don't let anyone ever see that they get to you. Not until you know you can trust them."
"Do you trust Judy?" she asked.
"Absolutely, with my life," he answered.
At that Stu approached.
"Nick, can I talk to ya' a sec, son?" he asked.
"Sure," Nick answered and followed Stu a short distance away.
Stu stared at the ground a few minutes before finally starting.
"I uh, I saw you talkin' to Sarah Grey yesterday. I know she's Gideon's mom but well, she's known around here for her bigotry. I wanna' know what was said between you two," Stu stated.
"Mr. Hopps, you can pick your friends but you can't pick your relatives. Sarah Grey is my dad's younger sister, she was expressing her disappointment that I'm with Judy and I in turn expressed my disappointment in her bigotry. In a perfect world, I wouldn't have to feel that way about any member of my family but this is far from being a perfect world," Nick answered.
"I also wanted to ask how your family feels about Judy," Stu asked.
"My family? For the most part, my direct family loves her. She's met my parents and two of my older siblings and my in-laws," Nick replied.
"In-laws?" Stu asked somewhat suspiscious.
"My brother's wife and my sister's husband, sir. I've never been married myself. Though if I did get married, I'd accept no other bride than Judy, regardless of what others might say or think of it," he explained.
"Anyway, Judy tells me you like our blueberries?" Stu asked as him and Nick walked back to Bonnie, Judy, and Julie.
Julie immediately latched to Nick's paw again, while Judy latched to the other arm.
"Oh yeah, blueberries are my favorite fruit but Hopps Farm blueberries are the best I've ever tasted," Nick replied with a wide grin.
"It's nice to know my hard work growing them is appreciated," Bonnie commented.
"So what about your friends, Nick?" Stu asked.
"We share a lot of friends because most of our social circle revolves around the precinct. I have one friend outside the precinct but he doesn't care. Our friends at the precinct support our relationship. Even the police chief, he says we can stay partners as long as our personal relationship doesn't interfere with our work," Nick replied.
At that Judy saw something that got her excited.
"Oh! They brought back the labyrinth! C'mon Nick!" she shouted excitedly as she led Nick towards it.
"Help, my girlfriend is abducting me!" Nick laughed.
"Dumb fox," she laughed back.
"Sly bunny," he replied.
Julie wanted to go with them but Stu put a paw on her shoulder.
"You stay with us, little miss junior firechief," he stated with a chuckle.
"But I wanna' go with Judy and Nick!" she whined.
"You'll have time to play with them later, they'll be here for another three days," Bonnie consoled.
In the meantime, Judy and Nick worked through the maze together and came out the other end. On the far end of the maze they saw a rather plump old brown hare with strands of fur starting to whiten from age, he sat in a equally aged if not older wooden rocking chair just the right size for a rabbit. The old rabbit wore a gentle smile and it was partnered with tired and wizened sky blue eyes.
"Well wonders never cease! I heard you had a gentleman todd, Judy, but from all I heard I was half-expectin' Gideon," the old hare stated.
He rose up from the old rocking chair he was sitting in as he said this.
"Dave Velvitine, junior. Pleased t' meetcha'," the old rabbit introduced extending a paw to Nick.
"Nick Wilde," he returned.
"Hi Grampa Dave," Judy stated with a wide smile.
"So this doesn't bother you?" Nick asked tentatively.
"Heavens no son, back in my days when I was in m' prime I travelled the world and saw a good deal o' the weird goin's ons. I got stories that'd make yer fur stand on end! But ya' didn't come out 'ere to listen to an ol' hare ramble 'bout his life. Love's blind boy, y'might be a fox but love don' care that the lady ya' spend yer life with's a bunny, jus' the way things are. Lotsa' folks try t' make it out like it's sumthin' we control, like it's a choice. I seen weirder couples 'an a fox an' a bunny. Saw a tiger an' a moose once, still tryin' t' forget that one," Dave explained.
"I'd like to hear your stories one day, sir," Nick replied.
"Well I hope one day I'll get t' tell 'em, dunno' how much more time I got," the old hare stated, "Hope ya' won' be too sore at me if I don' get around t' it."
"Well at least you didn't wave a walker at me," Nick laughed.
"So ya' met that crazy ol' Carl, huh? Yeah, that ol' longeared bonehead. Still thinks that foxes're red 'cause they're the devil 'r somesuch nonesense. He's a silly ol' coot," Dave laughed.
After a short laugh, Dave broke into a coughing fit.
"Grampa!" Judy cried, helping him back into his chair.
Nick helped him as well.
"Don' min' me kids, jus' a reminder that I'm a tired ol' soul," Dave stated with a slight cough to his voice.
"Are you gonna' be ok? Do we need to call someone?" Nick asked.
"Son, I'm old. I'm due to pass on any day now, s'you don't worry none 'bout me. But I do appreciate it, shows ya' care," Dave stated.
Stu and Bonnie came out of the labyrinth with Julie.
"Grampa!" she shouted and run up.
"Hey young-un! S' you wanna' be a firefighter huh? Then yer gonna' be th' best firefighter we ever seen," he chuckled.
"Hi dad," Bonnie greeted, "How're you holdin' up?"
"With a cane when I havta' be on m' feet," he replied.
"So papa, what've you an' Nick been talkin' about?" Stu asked.
"Well Stu, I heard Nick 'ere had a run-in with that crazy ol' coot you call dad. Nice t' know ol' Carl ain' changed in th' 30 'r so years since I seen 'im last," Dave laughed.
"Dad and Dave used to be good friends," Stu muttered to Nick.
"What happened?" Nick asked.
"Bonnie and I got married," Stu answered.
"Yup, ever since then we ain' seen eye-t'-eye on nuthin'," Dave replied, "Still wouldn' wish no harm on tha' ol' bonehead, though. S' where's Jane? I ain' seen 'er 'round 'ere yet."
"She's bound to wander your way eventually grampa," Judy replied, "In the meantime, I have to introduce Nick to some of the homemade pies around here."
"Ya'll take then, I'll see ya' 'round sometime," he stated and waved them off with no less of a smile then when they first saw him.
"I like Grampa Dave, he doesn't wave blunt objects at my head," Nick laughed.
"Oh hush," Judy replied.
