Hello, Zootopia fans! I'm sorry I couldn't update last week. A friend was visiting for the weekend after spending the last three months away in California. It was good to see him again. Anyway, here's another installment of A New Life.

On another note, I've finally come to terms with myself. I'm bisexual. I've been coming out, but know that my own sexuality has nothing to do with me making Hunter a homosexual. That was just me being a realist. Enjoy!

Chapter 9: Panic

The next school week had started and Lucas was settling in nicely. After spending a weekend to himself to reflect on his feelings for his new friends, he had concluded that he had a crush on Ashira and that Hunter and Joey were going to end up being his best friends. As Hunter's friend, Lucas also decided he really wanted to help the cervine find a boyfriend.

As Lucas was just about ready to go to school, he hugged Nick and Judy tightly, saying, "Please be safe…"

"It's a dangerous job, but we'll try, kiddo. We wouldn't put you through that kind of loss again," Nick assured, patting Lucas's head and messing up his bangs a bit. Lucas gave out a small laugh. It was surprising, how much he had grown to love Nick and Judy in such a short amount of time. Lucas's fluffy tail wagged as Nick was petting him.

"Have a good day at school, Lucas," Judy said, hugging her vulpine son. Her orchid colored eyes sparkled lovingly. It was the kind of loving gaze that Lucas hadn't seen in six years. He could only nod, stunned by that shimmer in the rabbit's eyes.

"Thanks, Mom," Lucas mumbled happily. He was holding his guitar case, asking, "Can I bring this with me?"

"Sure!" Nick encouraged. "I don't see why not."

Nick and Judy saw Lucas to the bus stop and went on their way to work. On their way to ZPD HQ, Judy asked, "Did I tell you that my sister Gillian wants to move out here?"

"You mean in the near future? Carrots, your parents will never allow it. She's 16 and in high school," Nick pointed out. Among all of Judy's sisters—and there were hundreds—Gillian was probably Nick's second or third favorite. The first being Amber, whom he had known the most personally, and the possible second being little Molly, whose name Nick had finally remembered after their wedding. She had been the flower girl. There were too many names to keep track of…

"I thought about that, but I think it'd be good for Lucas to have some family in his age range in the area. The only other Hopps in the area is Amber, my twin, and we don't even know if you and I can have kids together without special treatment. If we can, the age gap would be tremendous…" Judy said, trying to keep herself from mumbling.

"And Gillian wants to live the city life?" Nick added, earning a nod from his rabbit wife. "And she'd live with Amber and Finn until college or music school or something?" He received another nod. Nick couldn't help but chuckle. "Do all bunnies have such dreams of grandeur, or is it just a Hopps thing?"

"Probably both," Judy replied slyly. "Hey, Nick, do you think Lucas is too old for plush toys?"

"Depends on his preferences. I really liked his friends," Nick commented. The ZPD came into view. "Work, sweet work… Wonder how long Chief will yell at us today."

"I really think he should take the mayor on a date. She's his kind of female," Judy claimed, imagining Chief Bogo and Mayor Lynx as a couple. "They'd be so cute together!"

"Is Clawhauser seeing anyone?" Nick asked out of curiosity.

"I think he went on a date with a guy last week," Judy replied. "At any rate, let's just hope your friends don't have another street brawl. I mean it, Nick."

"I know, I know," Nick said defensively. "They'll be good. I think." The happily wedded couple entered their place of work together as they conversed.

Meanwhile, Lucas was trying to figure out what kind of male was Hunter's type. In homeroom, the fox asked, "Um…W-what's your favorite build…?"

"You mean on a guy? Well…probably someone like you. Fit, but not too brawny. All the tough stuff and muscle jacking is kind of overrated in my book," Hunter answered before turning to Joey and saying, "No offense."

"None taken," the kangaroo replied. "At least I don't go crazy on it. Do you know how many guys in this school look disproportionate because they only work on their biceps? It's a shame."

"I want a nice boyfriend, not a muscle headed guy who likes to show off," Hunter said, crossing his arms. "And I am not ashamed of being gay."

"Too true," Ashira agreed. "The disproportionate guys look ridiculous. Ugh… Now, Lucas, what's with the guitar?"

"I, um, I was hoping to play it for you all in lunch… But if you don't want me to—" Lucas began, but found himself cut off when Ashira pressed her nose to his. He felt his face heat up and his body started to tingle from her touch.

With her fluffy tail wagging, Ashira begged, "Please do! I wanna hear you play! Pretty, pretty please?"

"I, um, well, I…y-yeah… Okay," Lucas stammered, flustered and excited by Ashira's display of enthusiasm. His own tail started to wag. Hunter and Joey watched the two of them, smiling.

"Kivuli's in our lunch block, right?" Hunter asked the marsupial.

"Oh, Kivuli Darkclaw? Yeah, I think so," Joey replied.

Meanwhile, Nick and Judy had just been given their patrol assignment. The duo got into their squad car and drove into the city, both of them in for a long morning. There was an abundance of driving around and easily forgotten banter when suddenly…

"This is Officer Jackson. We've got a fire on Eighth and Darwin. Requesting assistance clearing the area," Officer Jackson's voice came in on the radio.

Nick and Judy exchanged glances before the latter spoke into the radio, "10-4. Officers Wilde are on the way!"

"I thought Bogo told you to refer to yourself as Hopps-Wilde," Nick pointed out.

"We're going together, so what does it matter?" Judy slyly replied.

"Whatever. You know, I thought people would be smart enough to stay away from burning buildings," Nick muttered.

"You know," Judy began, speaking somberly, "I haven't had the courage to ask him myself, but I have been told that Lucas was rumored to have tried getting back into his house during the fire, like he was trying to save his parents…"

Nick suddenly felt a massive wave of guilt wash over him and he wished he could retract his statement. He could tell Lucas was very bright, but he wasn't sure whether to classify such actions as brave or reckless. For an eight-year-old, adjectives like brave and reckless went paw-in-paw. Nick clenched his paws and grit his teeth, tears starting to spill from his eyes.

"Nick? Honey, what's the matter?" Judy asked as she turned onto Darwin Avenue.

"If I had said what I just said in front of him…I'd never forgive myself…" Nick wept, thinking of the fear, panic and desperation that must have been going through his adoptive son's mind at the time.

"Oh, Nick, I'd hug you if I wasn't the one driving," Judy said compassionately. "He'd forgive you. Now, I need you to pull yourself together. Look, there are Jackson and Rhinowitz."

Back at Savannah Central High, Lucas was strumming his guitar for Ashira, Hunter, Joey and Kivuli. Ashira, with her tail wagging, seemed most taken with the music. Lucas was happy that his friends were so enthralled with his skills, but a bit flustered by the attention. He glanced up and had to look twice. In front and above, there was a television monitor that showed the news. Peter Moosebridge was talking about a fire on Darwin Avenue and Eighth Street. They cut to the building, showing Nick and Judy desperately trying to keep the press away from the fire and failing.

"What the…?" Lucas's eyes widened and he barely uttered the words. His body started to shake. He stopped playing his guitar. Nick and Judy were at the fire. At the fire… Fire… Memories of trying to climb over burning rubble and ruin of what was once his home flooded his mind. He remembered crying out to his parents. As if speaking his mind, the bespectacled fox muttered, "Mama… Papa…!"

"Lucas…?" Ashira spoke up worriedly. She was stunned when Lucas shoved his guitar into her arms and dashed over to a garbage can. Lucas couldn't stop trembling as he began to vomit into the can. She gave Kivuli the guitar and hopped over to Lucas's side and started rubbing his back. "You're…you're having a panic attack…"

Lucas couldn't respond. He was vomiting and trembling too much. The memories flashed on a loop in his mind. The vomit stopped and he stood over the garbage can, panting, clutching the rim of the can as though his life depended on it. He glanced at Ashira and rasped, "I'm sorry…!"

"Your mom and dad are there at that fire… Closer to it than you'd like… Lucas, they're just trying to keep the press and civilians back so the fire department can do its thing…" Ashira explained, though she knew full well that Lucas knew that in the back of his mind.

"It's too much…" Lucas mumbled and stumbled into Ashira's arms. "I'm sorry… I don't want to lose them… I can't… I can't…" His eyes were huge with anxiety and Ashira decided to walk him to the guidance counselors' offices.