And, here we are: the end of this first rewrite! It's been a journey for sure. For the most part, I would say I was successful in what I set out to do, and I want to thank everybody who took a chance on it even if it's a retelling.

As always thanks to the reviewers: Wrong Password, Sapperjoe85, aomagrat, GhostWolf88 (FFN and AO3), yoshifan30, SaberGatomon, Spectra98, x_uve, DarthChew

EPILOGUE

Five months had passed since Viola Wilde's passing. Nick had sold up his business in Mexicat and moved back to Zootopia. For the first few weeks, he had deliberated on what it was he was going to do with himself, but then Judy brought a suggestion up.

"Hey, Carrots…" Nick began. "I'm toying with starting a business here."

Nick had met up with Judy during a lunch break at a coffee shop near Precinct One.

"Really?" Judy replied.

"Yeah," Nick answered. "Probably something a bit lower-profile. Might even see about getting the family business up and running again. I have enough money behind me to do it, even after giving a lot of what I got from selling my shares to the cancer units in Zootopia's hospitals."

Nick had said that giving that money was the right thing to do. He did not want others going through what he went through. What was left was split: he put money into trust funds for both Nicholas and Robin, which left enough to live on.

"I… might have another idea," Judy said.

"What would that be?" Nick asked.

"Well… I need a partner," Judy replied. "I was thinking… maybe… you could come back to the ZPD?"

Nick's face betrayed his surprise at the suggestion.

"Carrots, I'm 50," Nick said. "There's no way I'll be able to pass the ZPD's physical tests a second time."

"I thought canines were spry right up to their 70s," Judy slyly dug.

"First, how dare you. I'm not a canine, I'm a vulpine," Nick snarked. "Second, I'll have you know I'm not spry. I'm very spry."

"Modest as ever," Judy chuckled lightly. "I don't have a form to give you, like last time, but…"

"Yeah, everything's done online now, isn't it?" Nick raised an eyebrow.

"Give it a thought, at least," Judy answered. "I… would like to have my partner back."

For Judy, that moment had been the next step in the healing process between the two of them. Nick did not take long to reapply, and a word of recommendation from Judy, and begrudgingly from Bogo, had seen Nick accepted onto the Zootopia Police Academy's register.

While Nick was at the Academy each day, Judy agreed to look after Robin when he finished school. He was usually content to be by himself working on homework, and Nicholas was there as well. She had taken to writing no-send letters, which helped her process things had had happened that had impacted her life in a big way. As she sat in the living room, she started writing a new one:

'To whom it may concern,

Years ago, I once gave a speech. It went something like this:

'When I was a kid, I thought Zootopia was this perfect place, where everyone got along and anyone could be anything. Turns out, real life is a little bit more complicated than a slogan on a bumper sticker. Real life is messy. We all have limitations, we all make mistakes.'

Those became words that perfectly described my life.

I had forgotten what it was like to be myself for the longest time. I was stumbling in the dark. Choosing to change in all of the wrong ways while thinking that what I was doing was surviving.

In my efforts for survival, I forgot how to live. It took Viola Wilde's passing, and Nick's return, for me to realise that. Tragic and heart-breaking though the event was, if it wasn't for her, me and Nick wouldn't be mending our relationship. I know she wanted that for us.

I've been adjusting to my 'new' role of Lieutenant for about five months now. Taking on this role was one of the best things I have done for fifteen years. It means I'm not away from home as much as I had been. And it also means that I can be a better Mom to my son. Chief Fangmeyer gives me three days off in the week, and I spend as much time as I can with Nicholas.

Nicholas has started to change too. It took a bit of getting used to, but he's finally started to open up to me more now that he has my attention a lot more. Sure, there's still the issue of him being a hybrid playing in the back of his mind, but I'm doing my best by him, which is something I should have been doing from the start. I used to say that I was trying, but now I know that wasn't true, and I am sorry to him for that, but the best way I can apologise is to prove that I can give him my all now. He's not completely open with me yet, but I think he'll get there one day.'

Judy sighed as she put her pen down and folded the letter up. A knock came at the door of the apartment. Judy rushed into the hallway to open it. Nick stood in the doorway, dressed in a ZPA uniform.

"You know, those new recruits make me feel my age," Nick remarked as he stepped inside.

"You're not that old," Judy laughed lightly, stepping aside to let Nick in.

"That's not a total denial, Carrots," Nick replied with a slight grin on his face.

Judy shook her head in mock defeat as Nick headed towards the couch where Robin was sat, working on something.

"Hey, sport," Nick said, leaning over the couch. "What have you got there?"

"Homework," Robin replied, not looking up. "I got it, Dad."

"Okay, well, you can ask me if you need help," Nick stood back up. He spotted Nicholas sat in the corner, earphones in, himself busy with something.

"What are you up to?" Nick asked.

"Re-entry assignment," Nicholas replied. Nick frowned and shot a glance at Judy.

"'Re-entry assignment'?" Nick repeated.

"He skipped so much at the start of the year, so they've set him a number of assignments meant to catch him up," Judy shrugged.

"Wouldn't setting a bunch of assignments in such a short time make it harder?" Nick blinked.

"Maybe," Judy answered. "The teachers insisted, otherwise he might be forced to repeat the year, and he doesn't want that, so…"

Nick paced over to Nicholas and looked over his shoulder.

"You know, you make some good points, but how about…" Nick leaned forward. Nicholas stiffened slightly as Nick explained but made no move to make him go away.

"And that's how it can be seen," Nick said finally. Nicholas frowned as he looked down at the essay.

"I get it," Nicholas said. Nick stepped back. There was a brief moment of silence before Nicholas spoke.

"So, um… thanks," Nicholas said awkwardly.

"No problem, kid," Nick replied, a small smile gracing his face. He turned to Robin and said: "Come on, kiddo. Let's go home."

"Dad, you call a six-year-old 'kiddo', Robin grimaced, "I'm eleven."

Nevertheless, he packed up his homework and followed Nick from the apartment, Judy waving goodbye as they left. Judy went over to Nicholas and embraced him in a hug.

"I am so proud of you, Nicky," Judy said.

"He wanted the chance to prove himself," Nicholas shrugged, "Grandma Wilde always said I should give him that chance."

"She would be proud of you too," Judy said.

Nicholas didn't answer straight away, the trauma of losing her still not completely healed.

"Yeah. I know," He replied finally.

Judy drove the car up to the gates of St. Barks High School, with Nicholas in the passenger's seat. Months before, Judy had wondered whether Nicholas might make a run for it the moment her back was turned. Now, though, she was far less worried. Nicholas had made a lot of progress.

"You ready?" Judy looked at Nicholas.

"Yeah," Nicholas breathed.

Judy looked at him with a fond look in her eyes.

"Hey, Mom…" Nicholas started.

"Yes?" Judy said.

"You know I love you, right?" Nicholas said. The remark drew a small chuckle as a memory came to the surface from many years before.

"Do I know that?" Judy said. "Yes. Yes, I do, Nicky."

"Do me a favour," Nicholas said. "Don't call me 'Nicky' in front of anybody."

Judy giggled lightly, and Nicholas returned a small smile as he opened the door, grabbing his bag and leaving the car. Judy watched Nicholas pass the gates and offered a wave. Nicholas nodded in return.

As he entered the school grounds, a wolf girl took notice of Nicholas and stared at him. Judy frowned at the sight, wondering if this was a sign of trouble right off the bat.

Judy relaxed as she realised one thing: the wolf girl's tail was swaying, which Judy recognised as a sign of happiness. The girl headed towards Nicholas and tapped him on the shoulder and Nicholas turned, a slight frown on his face when he saw her. The frown disappeared quickly as the girl said something, and instead Nicholas looked curious.

Judy leaned forward. She recognised that wolf girl from somewhere, she just couldn't put a finger on it… she shrugged to herself and turned on the car's ignition. The radio flared to life.

"… Morning to all our listeners out there, you're listening to Savanna Radio. Up next, we have Gazelle, with her newest song, 'Hope is Eternal'."

Judy leaned back into her seat and pulled the car away from the school as the radio played the song.

There are days
When we fall
Stumbling through the darkness
Can you hear my call?

I learned to love, but it didn't last
I'm filled with regrets about what's past
But at the end of the tunnel, I see a light
I have to get back up and put things right.

You see, hope is eternal!
It's not over, I can't give up,
I know hope is eternal!
I'll dust myself off and get back up.

Life goes on
It passes me by
Through friendships lost
My heart will cry

I lost my love, I forgot to live
To change the past, oh what I would give!
The past won't change, but the future can
I hope this time it all goes to plan.

You see, hope is eternal!
It's not over, I can't give up,
I know hope is eternal!
I'll dust myself off and get back up.

My heart yearns for more
I'm sorry I hurt you
But this isn't the end,
There's no way we're through!

You see, hope is eternal!
It's not over, I can't give up,
I know hope is eternal!
I'll dust myself off and get back up.
Hear me! Hope is eternal!
To my heart I'm finally listening.
Did you know? Hope is eternal!
I look to you, my eyes glistening.
It's true! Hope is eternal!
You've waited too long for my apology.
Hey, wait! Hope is eternal!
Hope is woven into my biology.

We can live in hope.
Hope is eternal.

And here we go: the end of this rewrite of Grief's Reunion! I'll be taking a break to compose myself for the task of rewriting Waking Death next, and as I said, that will appear under a new title. So, until then!