As luck would have it, the week directly following the Policeman's Ball was the week John Wilde's park would be open to only a select few. Obviously, John gave his children and their significant others their invites personally. He chartered special busses to pick up the Hopps Family from Bunnyburrows and the guests waited patiently while John held a press conference.

"Well, this is taking a while isn't it?" Jane commented.

"Dad always goes all out on things like this, y'get used to it," Alex laughed.

"I don't believe we've met. Jane Hopps, Judy's older sister," she introduced, extending a paw.

"Alexander Wilde, Nick's older brother, and this is my wife Lucielle," he introduced back, shaking her paw gently.

"Aw married, that's a heartbreaker. Ever since I found out my sister was marrying a fox I started looking into dating todds myself," she commented

"Sorry cottontail, I'm spoken for," Alex replied, "Though if I weren't I would definitely consider it."

This earned him an elbow from the mink to his side.

"Ouch! Honey, I said IF I weren't. Y'know I wouldn't trade you for anything," he stated.

"I don't suppose he has any other handsome brothers?" Jane asked hopefully.

"I dunno' if he's what you could call handsome or at this point a brother, but we had another older brother named Daniel. Oh, but trust me y'don't want any of what Daniel is. He`s kind of.. Sour on other species right now." Alex sighed.

John signaled for Nick and Judy to join him at the front of the conference. With some encouragement from both the Wilde and Hopps families they joined him in front of the press conference.

"Ladies and gentlemen, my very own prodigal son Detective Nicholas Wilde and his fiancee Detective Judith Hopps will be cutting the ribbon to open this brand new luxury hotel," John announced.

He handed them the over-sized gold-plated scissors. Nick held the bottom handle while Judy held the top and they snipped the thick red ribbon. After that the press slowly dispersed and occasionally asked a few questions, typically directed at John. With the official grand opening over, he guided the families and friends inside the hotel and assigned them rooms. Hopps kids were usually assigned three or four to a room all one gender to a room and under the supervision of a brother or sister of at least 16. Stu and Bonnie were given the Presidential Suite, an honor they tried to refuse.

"Please, I insist. The suite has already been prepared for you," John replied.

The small town rabbit couple finally relented and took the Presidential Suite. A cheetah bellhop took their bags and escorted them. John turned his attention to his newly engaged son and his daughter-in-law-to-be with a big bright smile, he couldn't contain his pride and happiness.

"Honeymoon suite, and I won't take no for an answer," he told them.

"But dad, we're not married yet!" Nick argued.

"Yet being the key word there. No buts, I already told you I'm not letting you refuse it!" he replied.

After everyone else went to their rooms John sat at the desk and waited. Some nights he needed the bottle or a smoke but John Wilde was determined to put them both down for Lilian's sake. His oldest walked in, still as scruffy as always.

"How'd your therapy go?" John asked.

Daniel snorted. "As good as they can go, I suppose," he offered, pulling up the chair and sitting down heavily, "Dad. I'm not quite sure I can do this. Not yet. There's a lot of... stuff in my head. I thought I was ready to just keep my silence, but we all know how that turned out at the dinner. Worse, Vanilla says that there's no way to improve that. Somehow, I`ve got to accept the whole thing… And I don't even know where to start. Or if I even want to. Maybe it would be best if I just moved away. For you all and me."

"What exactly did she say was the problem? I can't imagine it's PTSD or if it is it can't be the only thing," John asked, more out of concern.

"PTSD? Dad, please. Everyone and their house lizard claim they have PTSD nowadays. Papercut? PTSD. Vending machine is out of your favorite bars? PTSD. Bird crapped on your hat? PTSD, dammit!" he tossed back, "Don't mention the word again, alright? It`s a buzzword anyways. If you done went to see the elephant and came back not quite all there? We call it shellshocked. And I`m not. Anyway, the problem is very simple. I'm disappointed with my goddamn life so far. I want to grab the recruitment officer by the lapels and scream in his face till I turn blue. Which, as you can probably guess, is a stupid thing to do." He paused, took a deep breath, and then offered, "I'm also sore with all of you. With my siblings for… you know what, and with you for accepting it. I AM aware it's irrational, before you say anything. You are entitled to your own opinions and choices. But that does not change the fact I think you're all doing the wrong thing, and what's worse, making things worse for everyone around."

"Do you honestly think they're with the people they're with to intentionally hurt you? Do you think Alex just woke up one morning and said he was going to marry a mink he met over a case just to make your life harder? Do you think Debbie married a schoolteacher who happens to be a wolf because she knew it would get to you? Do you think Nick brought home a rabbit girlfriend that he intends to marry because he thought it would make your life harder?" John lectured.

Daniel leaned back in the chair, barking a short laugh. "Seriously? No. I`m not that stupid, I assure you," he retorted, "I'm not THAT important for someone to engage in a deviant relationship just to spite me. Not even to my siblings, I hope. No, I don't think they're doing all that to get to ME." He shook his head bemusedly, "Seriously, how do you even figure that, huh? I think they're just careless. Me losing out on a job? Fine, I`ll get over it, it's not like an able-bodied fox like myself is going to stay unemployed for long. It`s what this is going to do to the others in the family that worries me. And that no one but me sees it happening or does anything about it. How would YOU like it if some obstructive bureaucrat orders the park closed because he thinks you might promote deviancy to children here? Sure, Alex`ll help you get it open again, but how much time and money you'll lose on that? Or think about the children. They're all going to have some eventually. How it will be for THEM in school? I don't know if you noticed, but interspecies kids are NOT particularly welcome in schools. Neither by teachers, nor by kids."

"Let me worry about the park, son. I have connections in City Hall, connections that support the "Free Love Movement". Besides, the city literally cannot afford to shut down the park. It's one of the key tourist attractions in the city," John replied, "As for schooling your nieces and nephews. I've already talked to Stu about that, if we have to we can send them to school in Bunnyburrows but only as a last resort. But a lot has changed since you've been gone, the city cares a lot less about interspecies couples these days. Sure you'll still find the occasional purist like your Aunt Sarah but it's a dying sentiment."

"Yah, heard it all before. 'Let me take care of my business', 'it all gets better'. The song and dance," Daniel returned, "Don't get me wrong, if folks want it, they can have it. I just… wish it didn't involve me so much. I didn't ask for this, you know? I guess that is exactly what rankles me so hard. I don't even have a different species lover, yet everyone seems to think I am a die-hard deviant just because my last name is Wilde."

"People are gonna' talk, son but maybe you do need someone in your life. That's another reason I sent you to Nilla. I thought you might take an interest in one of them. Last I heard Gideon took an interest in Cherry," John replied.

His son groaned, "Foxgloves? No way. It`s like asking Deb out. Besides, which of them do you even think of? Cherry`s with Gideon, and all my rugged charm won't pull her away from her fuxy-wuxy cutie, and yes, it`s a quote. Angel`s still head over heels after Nick, even if she says she`s all over it. So… Vanilla? Ugh. Just no. Not after all the crap she got me to tell her. Besides, gonna talk is fine. Gonna walk is worse. Do you really think I'm looking forward to turning down some bunny 'cause she fancies herself a fox? And there`s a lot of `em in the Bunnyburrows, I tell you. And Nick put an idea in their head already. Shit, I think a couple of them already tried making eyes at me. At this rate, actually going to Vanilla is more traumatizing then whatever good the visits do..." He swiped his paw through the air, as if pushing away some insistent suitor, and cringed, "I've put too much fucking effort into cultivating "the nice" to fritter it all away on telling a metric fuckton of cute bunnies to piss off."

"I figured you needed help. More help than I could give you, but I know you well enough that you won't talk to a complete stranger. But I can sense there's something you aren't telling me. Vanilla said something about you that you don't think you're ready to accept," John stated calmly.

"Better ask her, then," Daniel snorted, "If there's something I`ve yet to admit, I'm guessing she'll tell me at the next meeting, because I`ve honestly no clue what I haven't told her already…. Nevermind. Dad, I'm trying, alright? I don't know if I`ll ever be completely OK with all this, but since you folks are clearly not going to budge on this, I'm going to learn to at least tolerate it, because a family with a compromise is still better than no family at all. Sounds passable to you?"

"Absolutely, I don't expect you accept it but I want you to apologize to your siblings and their spouses, alright? And if you can hold your tongue and you're not too proud I may have a job for you here at the park," John stated with a warm smile.

Daniel nibbled his lip. "That… may be a problem," he finally replied, "Let's be honest here, dad . I may have been an asshole when I voiced my concerns at the dinner, but that does not make them any less valid. What they do, what they have? Might end up ruining everyone, if we're not careful. And so far, I've only heard on careful from you. I'd gladly apologize for being rude, but I'd never apologize for being worried about my family, and I don't want anyone to misunderstand that."

"Fine, I won't force you to apologize but spend the week with them, get to know Jack, Lucielle, and Judith. And keep an open mind. They're good mammals, they love your siblings. And in the end love is all we really have at the end of the day. If you don't wanna' stay at the park, there's always your grandfather's studio," John sighed.

"NO. You again misunderstand. It's not about apology, dad. It`s about me being wrong or right. If I'm wrong, if we're ready for anything? I'd apologise gladly. Hell, I'd make it a daily apology, if I can be sure everything is alright," younger fox returned with fire, "Si vis pacem, para bellum! If we want peace, we must be ready for war. For the worst outcomes." He heaved a sigh, "Look… I just want to be sure. This is risky. I need to know everyone knows what they're in for, or I`ll just be worrying day and night trying to guess which of my siblings is going to catch the bad end of things first."

"Alex and Lucielle married seven years ago, at that time they had a lot of doubts. But they agreed to go to couples' counselling. Jack and Debbie were married two years after that, remember when you said that Jack is whipped, he's whipped by choice. He allows Deborah to have her way because he never feels the need to dominate. As for Nick and Judy, they've been together for almost two years. Who do you think pulled Nick out of the gutter?" John explained.

"No offense, dad, but I need to hear it from them. So far, they just blew me off. Not exactly confidence-filling. If they mean it? If they can look me in the eye and tell me that they're ready and loaded for the worst case? That's all I'm asking. To be ready. Nothing more," Daniel replied tiredly, "Besides, that`s what Vanilla told me to do anyways. She's just as confident as you are they're all ready, but she told me in no uncertain terms I need to hear it from all of them before I can really let go of this hoary thing."

"Then I stand by what I said earlier, take some time this week to spend time with your siblings. And be calm about it. Don't go blowing your top again. Give them a chance to prove that they're well-adjusted and ready for what may come," John stated, "And at least be civil towards your in-laws."

At that John set down a room key in front of Daniel on the lobby coffee table, then walked away.

Daniel picked up the key and tossed it in the air, catching it deftly. "Whatever you say, pops," he muttered softly, "Whatever you say."

The next morning, Daniel happened to be on the elevator with Nick and Judy. The couple acknowledged his presence but the ride down was silent until Daniel spoke, hesitantly.

"So, what does Angel think about you two?" he asked.

Nick subjected his brother to brief glare before replying with quiet resignation, "She wasn't thrilled at first, admittedly. One run-in with a blithering idiot with overinflated sense of entitlement and all the manners of a cave troll, and she was rather more accepting. Common enemies and all that, you know?"

Judy rolled her eyes and glanced at her foxy paramour with a serious look on her face, "Nick, please don't mention that asshole. I don't want to even think about him right now. Don't spoil this week for me, aight?"

Nick looked at her with his trademark smirk playing on his lips as he offered, "I was just answering his question, Carrots. Besides, did I mention his name? No, no - I did not."

Judy just shook her head with a smile, nudging his side with a muffled, "Dumb fox."

Nick kissed her ear, retorting quietly, "Sexy bunny."

"Nick, stop!" she protested with a giggle.

Daniel considered their playfulness quietly with an inscrutable expression on his face.

The atmosphere remained somewhat tense even after the arrival to the bottom of elevator shaft. Dan`s scrutiny remained just as intense as his silence was and this, in turn, was creeping Nick and Judy out little by little. Thankfully, the tension had been broken by an impact roughly to the middle of the aforementioned Officer Hopps.

Judy looked down to see Julie hugging her, offering, "Oof! Julie, careful there, you're stronger that you look!"

Julie looked back at her with a smile, "Sorry, I'm just so happy! This place is huge, and awesome, and did I mention huge!?"

Chuckling, Nick bent over to be at the same level with bunny, suggesting, "Well Dad will be happy to hear that, Julie, have you told him yet?"

"I did, I just saw him with Miss Wilde, all dovey-lovey!" Julie replied, her sunny exterior dampening slightly as she proffered shyly, peering at Daniel curiously, "Um, is he one of your brothers. Nick?"

Nick spared a glance at Daniel before turning back to face Julie , "Yeah, don't mind him, he just likes to look creepy." He murmured aside, sotto voce, "Mind, uh, at least pretending you're not contemplating where to bury our corpses, Dan? There are kids everywhere."

Meanwhile, Julie whispered to Judy, "Is his patch for real or is it just a costume?"

"It's real," Judy offered with a bit of a shudder, "I think he lost his eye in combat or something along those lines."

Apparently, that was enough to turn any leftover caution Julie may have had about Daniel into unbridled curiosity, approaching him boldly. Daniel peered back, quite unsure about the proper reaction. On one hand, it would probably be expected of him to be nice. On other, it kind of rankled him when people paid attention to his eye. Or lack of thereof.

"Yes, my eyepatch is entirely real, I assure you," he finally replied, wryly, "I also assure you I do NOT look better without it."

Julie giggled, "You talk like my teachers, all fancy." Inching closer to him, getting face-to-face, or more correctly face-to-knee with him, "Can I see it, please?"

Judy laughed nervously, "Julie, I really don't think that's a good idea."

Alas, the curiosity of a child would not be so easily deterred, as Julie handily proved by asking, "Is it empty like in the movies?"

Judy wondered aside, "What kind of movies are you even watching, and how in the name of all that is sane are mom and dad letting you get away with it?"

Daniel cleared his throat. "I'm still here, if you'd be so kind to notice," he offered, "To answer your questions - no, I won't be showing you. It's gross and uninteresting. On an unrelated note, aren't there better attractions in the park then my eyepatch? It's not like I have a pegleg to go with it, or say Yarr often, you know?"

Julie giggled again turning her attention to to Nick, "I like your brother, he sounds funny and smart!"

Nick grinned at his brother, giving him a thumbs up, "Well, what do you know, you just got a fan."

Little rabbit jumped up and down, vainly trying to reach for the eyepatch. Unfortunately, even her best effort only tugged on Daniel`s sleeve, as she proclaimed with a pout, "I want to touch it! Come on, can I please touch it?"

Shaking her head, Judy suggested, "You might as well give in, or she'll never give you a moment of rest until you do." Little rabbit cheerfully confirmed that much.

"Am I to understand you want to poke me in the eye, then?" inquired older fox calmly, "The answer is no, by the way. It hurts enough as is, without everyone pawing at it." He shook his head and turned away partly, to keep his eyepatch out of immediate view, tossing aside to Nick, "And a fan? Please. I have two."

With that, he pulled a paper fan out of his pocket, unfolded it, and waved it in front of his maw, affecting a ridiculously haughty expression.

Judy`s eyebrow cocked. "Seriously?" she mouthed, turning to face Nick, "Cheeze and crackers, Nick, he`s definitely your brother."

Julie laughed at that, but then calmed down, offering contritely, "No, no, I don't want to poke you in the eye, Mr. Daniel. I just want to try the eyepatch! It`s soooo cool! And I bet it's soft, too!"

Daniel groaned. "It's literally just a clean piece of black rag," he offered wearily, rummaging through his pockets. A few moments later, he came up with another strip of black fabric looking almost exactly like one covering his eye. "Here, does that satisfy your curiosity?" he quipped, draping it over Julie's head carelessly, "Just make sure to get it back to me in the evening, I'd hate to go somewhere without a spare."

Julie took it and pawed at it curiously, "Can keep it 'til evening? Pweeeease?"

With a sigh, Daniel nodded, sending off Julie to boast about her newfound coolest thing ever to the children nearby.

Nick smirked, elbowing Daniel lightly, "Well, aren't you an ace with the kids?"

"Ace? Or ass? I must be getting hard of hearing too, because for the love of me, I couldn't make out what you just said, Nick," Daniel replied offhandedly, fussing with the fan that suddenly refused to close. Thankfully, it was just a minor snag and Dan was able to put it back into his pocket without much trouble. Catching the inquisitive glance, he shrugged, "Made it. Vanilla says picking up a hobby will help, and I`ve always been better with making things then collecting them."

"Well, your brother is articulate like you, Nick!" Judy laughed.

Nick rolled his eyes. "Really Carrots? Again with that?" he groused good-naturedly.

Judy shook her head laughing, "Ok, lets move, I need some sustenance to keep up with all the Nick-ness around here." As she said this she walked to the breakfast hall.

"Could be worse Carrots, you could have to deal with all four of us at once," Nick laughed.

Judy moved ahead of Nick and Daniel as she led the group of brothers and sisters back to the breakfast hall.

"Dad explained it to me last night. He said all you need is to know that me and Carrots'll be alright. Why couldn't you just say that you're worried about our future together? And you know I would never do anything to intentionally hurt you," Nick sighed.

"Then why did you run away? You hurt all of us when you did," Daniel replied.

"I was scared and ashamed. It was a stupid move and if I could take it back I would. No one can change the past, all we can do is change the present and hope for the best for the future. Do you know why I fell for her?" Nick stated.

"I dunno' your reasons, Nick and I can't pretend like I do," the older todd sighed.

"She saved me. Not just my life, she pulled me out of a cold, dark place. If not for that amazing bunny I'd still be hustling pawpcicles with Fennick and avoiding contact with my family. But here I am, with her, trying to make amends with my estranged family. I don't care if you accept it or not, I'm gonna' stay with her," Nick explained.

"So that's how it is," drawled Daniel, "Gonna' stick with her, come hell or high water? Well, tell you what, Nicholas Piberius Wilde. If she could persuade a shameless hustler to shape up and earn himself a badge of all things, that means she's got fire. The question is, can you handle it? So far, it sounds like you mean to, so… We'll wait and see, I suppose. So far, you do sound like you mean it and mean to hold on to it till the end, be it bitter or sweet. That's good enough for me. For now, at least."

"That fire of hers is one of the first things about her that I fell in love with," Nick replied.

As they approached the only table left with any empty seats they saw Nick's other siblings, their spouses, and Jane.

"Hey Nick, 'bout time you showed up," Debbie greeted. Then turned her attention towards Daniel, he expression became unreadable. "Daniel," she greeted coolly.

"Remember Deb, we promised dad we'd give him a chance. Besides, we gave Nick a chance to come back to us," Alex stated calmly.

"Nick is the baby of the family. And we know he's not some unfeeling jerk who only cares for his own well-being," she replied. At that she turned and glared at Daniel.

"Deborah," Alex started.

"I'm done eating anyway," she growled. She got up from the table and started walking away.

"I'll try to talk to her," Jack sighed.

"Thanks Jack," Alex replied patting his arm.

So after eating, they set about the park. Nick and Judy weren't sure where their siblings went off to after that, Jane dragged Julie away who only wanted to stay with Judy and Nick. While the couple went on the ferris wheel, got stuck at the top and had a sloppy make-out session.

"Ew! Judy's smooching with Nick!" they heard one of her younger siblings tease.

"Mind your own business, squirt!" she lectured.

"Relax Carrots, one day they'll be smooching someone then we can tease them about it," Nick chuckled.

"Oh yeah, I didn't think about that," she laughed.

"Ewww!" the three little bunnies stated in unison.

The lovers shared a laugh but rather than go back to making out they just cuddled until the ferris wheel started moving again.