The policeman's ball, a formal affair. Nick always hated formal attire but he was willing to endure. Being a cop wasn't the best job in the world but it certainly wasn't the worst. His partner and girlfriend Judy brought out the best in him, he couldn't deny that. His mother sat next to him at their table. A further testament to Judy's influence on him.

"I'm so proud of you," Lilian whispered to her son.

"Debbie and I are too, Nick," Jack told him walking by holding a tray.

Of course he told his family his plan and Lilian slipped the box into his hand. He still wrestled with the decision, she was perhaps too good for him. Sure, he was stronger than her physically but she was much stronger than him in all the ways that really mattered.

"That's why I can't afford to let her slip away," he thought to himself.

Chief Bogo had just about wrapped up his speech.

"Before I turn you all loose, I'd like to recognize two distinguished officers," he announced, "It gives me great pride to announce that from this day forward, Officer Judith Hopps and Officer Nickolas Wilde will be detectives at the ZPD."

"D-detective!" Judy stammered.

"Congradulations to both of you, you earned these promotions," Bogo told them.

"I wouldn't be here if not for Hopps, sir," Nick stated.

"Shut your trap, Wilde! You earned this, whether you want to admit it or not."

Bogo saluted them and surprised they saluted back. They headed back to their seats, Nick following behind. He had just noticed what she was wearing and his thoughts became obvious from his wagging tail.

"A formfit red dress with a slit in the side practically up to your hip? Are you trying to tempt me, Carrots?" he thought.

That dress just made things a lot harder.

"How am I supposed to ask you to marry me when you wear something like that?" he asked under his breath.

"Huh? Did you say something, Nick?" she asked.

"N-nothing Carrots!" he replied with a grin.

"I uh haveta' use the little todd's room, I'll be back," Nick stated quickly.

"Hurry up Nick! I think the dancing's gonna' start soon and I wanna' make sure I get my first of the evening with you!" Judy called after him.

"Damnit Carrots, why do you have to make this hard for me!?" he thought.

In the bathroom he washed his face several times, then looked himself in the mirror. He didn't realize sooner that his paws were shaking. He slapped both his cheeks several times.

"Get a grip, Nick!" he told himself, "It's not that hard! Look she said she wanted you to be the first person she had a dance with tonight! That's when to ask!"

He pulled the ring-box out of his pocket and took a long look at it. His expression softened when he thought about the woman it was meant for.

"Wonder how the chief is gonna' react?" Nick thought, "He'll probably seperate us."

He shook his head from that.

"Time enough for those thoughts later, tonight I make it clear to Judy just how much I love her!" he thought.

He came out of the bathroom not long after the music started. Stu had offered her to dance in Nick's stead but she remained firm about her decision. Butterflies in his stomach he approached and nervously offered the long-eared vision of lovliness a tentative paw. She accepted his paw with one of her carefree and energetic smiles. He intended it to be a slow dance, but Judy and the band had other ideas. She led the tango and he realized that like his love and his life she had complete control.

"I've lost all control of myself, so why does it feel good? She controls my fate now, I'm utterly at her mercy. So why do I love that thought?" he thought.

The music died down and their dance slowed to an eventual stop.

"Now or never," he concluded.

He changed his grip on one of her paws and took that paw with both of his. Her face took a confused look momentarily but she immediately understood when he knelt down.

"Judith Hopps, will you marry me?" he asked.

Her face went red, she searched his eyes for answers but all she could see was determination. Her voice was caught in her throut. She tried to stammer out a response but she couldn't. He pulled the box out of his coat and offered it to her. Her hands shaking she opened the box and indeed there was a ring in the box. "Yes! Oh god Yes!" she wanted to squeal at the top of her lungs but her voice would not come out. After a few minutes of waiting he got up and started walking back to the table but she grabbed his wrist. She wanted to give him an answer, any kind of yes would do. She hurriedly and shakily grabbed the ringbox, yanked it out, and somehow worked the ring onto her finger. She didn't even care that it was the wrong finger at the moment. That may have been a mistake but she knew that accepting him as her husband wasn't. Neither cared that they were surrounded by their friends on the force or that their boss was watching. Back at the table Lilian Wilde offered a warm and friendly smile to Stu Hopps, who was fuming.

"The future belongs to the young, my dear Mr. Hopps. We should let them live it," she told him.

"I just wish the boy had asked me my permission first," Stu replied.

"He wanted it to be a surprise for her, can you blame him?" she asked.

"I suppose not," he admitted.

"Nick is such a kind and brave young man, I'm so proud of him. And Judy is such a beautiful girl, charming and energetic. She brings out the best in him y'know," she pointed out.

Their children returned to the table after Nick fixed the mistake Judy made in her haste to give him an answer. Stu gave Nick a playful punch in the arm.

"When were ya' plannin' on askin' for my permission, junior?" Stu asked.

"I'm sorry Mr. Hopps, I know I should've I just-..." Nick stumbled.

"It's fine son, relax I'm just teasin'," he laughed.

"Judy dear, take care of my son will you? He always forgets to clean behind his ears," his mother doted.

"I will Mrs. Wilde," Judy replied with a slight giggle.

From behind the newly engaged couple came a the sound of someone clearing his throut. They whipped around to see Chief Bogo standing there. He looked stern but was still smiling.

"My heartfelt congradulations on your engagement, you two. But that brings us to a certain matter. I don't want to break up your team since you two work so well together but if this new development becomes a hindrence to your work ethics I may have no choice," he announced, "I'll give you both a chance to prove me wrong. Continue to be partners after you come back from a two-week break but if you screw up on the field just once you'll find yourselves assigned new partners before you can blink. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes sir!" they both replied in unisen.

At that he turned his attention to their parents.

"Mr. Hopps, Mrs. Wilde. Nick and Judy are two of our finest officers. We're very proud to have them at our precinct. I'm Police Chief Bogo, it's a distinct honor to meet you both," he announced proudly.

One at a time Stu Hopps and Lillian Wilde shook Chief Bogo's hand, barely noticing how his hand dwarfed their entire bodies.

"Stuart Hopps, chief. I'll be honest with ya', we are so proud of our Judy back home. She's a hometown hero, inspirin' kids from all over to reach for the stars. But we're terrified that one day we'll get a call or a visit and it won't be good news," Stu announced with a smile.

"Lillian Wilde, I must confess, my son a policeman? It gave me quite a surprise. I'm not sure how many of those I have left, my good sir. It's nice to see him making the most of his life though," she announced.

"Well, enjoy your evening folks. I have to go make sure Clawhauser doesn't eat the entire buffet table," the chief laughed as he left.