Continued from Chapter 35

Of course! That was it! Someone was using the Night Howlers to make predators go savage!

Now all Judy had to do was get back to Zootopia! Get back to Zootopia... and...?

Judy's excitement and fervor slowly drained out of her within the first few minutes of her journey. What was she going to do once she got back to Zootopia? She had at least three hours to be alone with her thoughts as she drove one of her father's trucks to Zootopia, and that was even if she sped.

Who could be doing this to predators? Who has a motive? Judy wondered, biting at her lip. More importantly, who could Judy trust?

Chief Bogo? Go back to the ZPD? Let the mayor in on it? What if either of them were the culprit? She could be blowing the one chance she had to make things right again.

Just then, the answer burst out straight from her soul. She knew the one mammal in Zootopia she could trust.

Nick Wilde.

But... could he ever trust her again, after what she did to him? Judy winced as she drove, feeling her emotions bubble up within her. Judy blinked away some encroaching tears.

"Keep your eyes on the road, bunny," Judy reproved herself, gripping the steering wheel tighter.

She had been so foolish. Trying to distance him from other predators in her mind when he was after all a fox. He was special, she knew that much, though she sure didn't articulate it in the best way at that moment after the press conference. Something about him was inherently noble and true, locked behind a cage of the harsh realities of the world.

"Okay, no problem, I know what to do," Judy said, taking a few deep breaths. "Just... forget all the emotional stuff. Tell him what you know about the Night Howlers. Say something like 'Nick! Predators don't go savage at random! It's actually some wacky flowers that I totally forgot the colloquial name for because I'm a street-dumb bunny!' and then he'll say 'Well I could have told you that last bit.' and then I'll laugh and maybe we can make fun of me for a few long minutes and maybe that m-muh might... might make him feel better..." Judy squeezed out another tear. "No, stop crying! Rgh! Well, only two and a half hours to go..."

It felt like an eternity before Judy got to Zootopia. Once she headed up into Savanna Central, she desperately searched up and down the streets for any sign of Nick Wilde. She let out a huge sigh of relief after much searching led her to that van she had seen the fennec driving Nick around in. Cautiously, she knocked on the back door of the van.

"Who is it?" The grumpy fennec she had seen Nick hanging with burst out of the back door of the van wielding a bat.

"I need to find Nick... please..." Judy begged desperately. The fennec's expression instantly softened. That bunny was the last thing he was expecting to see that day.

[Nick.]
[Get up, you idiot.]
[If you don't check your phone soon, Imma come over there and smack you.]

Nick rubbed his forehead, walking to his buzzing phone. He had been lounging in his apartment more and more, skipping out on his "job". His hustling was slipping; he just didn't have his foxy moxie lately. Three missed texts?

[What do you want, Finnick?] Nick texted.

[She's looking for you. I told her where you usually mope.]

Nick felt himself have a palpitation. He clutched at his chest.

[Who's looking for me?] He replied cautiously.

[Don't act stupid! Who else!? That bunny!]

"Oh God," Nick said aloud. He started to put a shirt on and jump into his pants.

[You better hurry if you wanna see her and wanna get there first. Just remember what I said.]

Nick was already out the door. While checking to make sure he had his keys at least, he felt the carrot pen Judy had given him in his pocket and felt a stab of shame.

What was he going to do? Why was Judy looking for him after three months? Why... why did he care?

He didn't care, did he? She'd shown her true colors, the ones he knew were there the whole time and tried not to stare at. She was a fox-hater, maybe even a pred-hater. All of those adventures they had together... the fact that she said she wanted him to be her partner... that couldn't have been true after what she said, could they?

Nick re-opened the door to his apartment and swiped up a pair of sunglasses.

"Just in case she gets to me..." Nick said with some degree of wariness.

It wasn't too dishonest of Nick to rush to that bridge. He often went there to mope, especially during the first few days after that fateful press conference. Nick often imagined, maybe even psychically begged, Judy's rushing over to find him there. What did she say? He thought of a hundred possible variations. Some where she tried to make a joke, some where she begged his forgiveness, even a few where he apologized to her for snapping and he let her try to excuse herself. Nick almost felt sick to his stomach as he wondered which of the possibilities would come true.

He hurriedly set up a chair, a drink, and a footrest in the form of a bucket at the bridge. He put on his best stony face, trying to channel all of the negative feelings he felt towards that bunny. Hearing the sound of tires screeching and a slamming car door, he figured he might be just in time.

"Nick!? Nick...!?" Judy wandered around looking for him. Looking over the bridge, she saw the somber-looking red fox slurping a drink at the foot of the bridge. "Oh, Nick!" Judy rushed down to be near him. Now was her chance to tell Nick everything about how she was wrong, and how predators weren't just going savage at random.

For his part, Nick said nothing. He wanted her to make the first move. She'd make a mistake. He'd almost bet on it.

"Night Howlers aren't wolves!" Judy explained as she scrambled down to be on his level. "They're toxic flowers! I think someone is targeting predators on purpose and making them go savage."

Well, that was it, Nick thought. Finnick was right after all. He had sternly told Nick that if Judy ever returned for him, it'd be for one thing. Business. She had her mind on what she wanted, and if she needed Nick again to use him, she'd show up. Nick didn't want to believe that was true, but there she was. The first words out of her mouth were about the case. Nick set his drink down and took off his glasses. No need to hide his eyes if he actually felt crushed.

"Wow," Nick said flatly. "Isn't that interesting."

Judy's ears fell. She'd made the wrong move. Desperation punched at her chest. She scrambled after him through the tunnel of the bridge. All of her thoughts during her car trip spiraled into her head at once.

"Wait," Judy gasped. "Wait please, I- I know you'll never forgive me, and I don't blame you. I wouldn't forgive me either."

Nick stopped walking after he emerged from the tunnel. He held his back to her. Judy's words were sounding desperate, and he didn't want to look at her, for fear she might actually touch his chilled heart.

Judy kept speaking, softly. "I was ignorant, and... irresponsible, and small minded... but predators shouldn't suffer because of my mistakes; I have to fix this. But I can't do it without you."

Oh God, Nick thought. Her voice was starting to catch. Nick felt his teeth clench in his muzzle.

"And... and after we're done... you can hate me," Judy continued, tears forming in her eyes. "And- and that'll be fine!" Her voice cracked pitiably. "Because I was a horrible friend, and I hurt you, and you- and you can walk away knowing that you were right all along... I really am just a dumb bunny." Judy was spent. She closed her eyes and looked away, releasing a soft whimper as she tried to stop crying.

Don't let her see, Nick warned himself. But she had gotten to him. Now, how to tell her...

For some time now, Nick was holding the carrot pen. It symbolized Judy and how she had outsmarted him, how she had hurt him, and how she had left him. But it also symbolized her, and how he didn't have her in his life anymore. It was a bit silly, almost childish, but...

"I really am just a dumb bunny." Judy's voice rang out.

Judy's jaw dropped and she was broken from her crying with a perplexed look.

"I really am just a dumb bunny." The carrot pen repeated as Nick held it up to show her he was doing this. Judy felt despair settle into her gut. Was that it? She had poured her heart out to him and now he was just rubbing it in? What was she going to do-

"Don't worry, Carrots," Nick said tenderly, turning around to look at her. "I'll let you erase it. In forty-eight hours."

A huge, shuddering gasp burst from Judy. Relief flooded her entire being. She started chuckling, though she was still sobbing and sniffling.

"All right, get in here," Nick encouraged, holding his arms out for her. Judy trudged over to him with her eyes closed and a tiny smile, sniffling on the way. She felt completely drained. She wanted so badly to hug that silly fox, but she couldn't. Exhausted, she dropped her head onto his midsection. She started sobbing a little again. "Okay. Oh you bunnies, you're so emotional..."

Nick brought her closer to him with his paws. Her fur was very soft, as he once imagined it might be.

"There we go, deep breath," Nick said. He felt some relief as he saw a smile on Judy's face and could no longer tell if she was crying or laughing. He just had to keep teasing her until she wasn't sad anymore. "Are y- are you just trying to steal the pen? Is that what this is?" Judy shook her head slightly at the ridiculousness of the notion, but decided to thrust her paw out weakly for the pen, because it just felt right to her. Nick held it away from her and now she was clearly laughing, pawing for the pen. She lunged forward just a little and Nick flinched.

"You are standing on my tail, though," Nick said flatly. "Off! Off off off off!"

"Oh! Sorry!" Judy said, holding her hands out in apology.

"Careful now, Carrots, wouldn't want to have to take you back to the hospital," Nick said. He was helping Judy, a hand supporting her around her back. Judy hobbled down the hall toward her Pangolin Arms apartment, a leg brace on the limb she had injured in the museum. It was only a few days after that incident; Judy had stayed briefly at the hospital, and now she was cleared to head home.

"I can do this by myself, thank you very much," Judy protested as she made her way down the hall.

"Of course you can, because you're nothing if not determined and also completely insane," Nick teased.

"Exactly, so watch out," Judy smirked.

"But, unfortunately the burden of having a caring, handsome fox friend like me is that I have to help you do whatever you need to do," Nick sighed in mock regret.

"Yeah, and am I ever thankful that that includes wacky train chases and taking down megalomaniac sheep," Judy giggled.

"Here, give me your keys, I'll open it for you," Nick gestured with his free hand, and Judy rolled her eyes, but obliged. Nick's eyes widened as he saw Judy's place. "Uh, nice closet. Where's your apartment?"

"Right?" Judy laughed, despite herself. "Home sweet closet. Oh well, I don't spend very much time here."

Judy emptied her pockets onto her desk. Out came the carrot pen, which Nick immediately scooped up. "Hey!"

"Ha ha, the 'fun times' we had with this," Nick said, shaking it. "I can still see the look on that stupid sheep's face when you pressed this button and it said..." Nick clicked the button.

"I really am just a dumb bunny." It was Judy's voice. It sounded a bit different from at the bridge, though.

"Wait, what?" Nick blinked. "What happened to psycho-sheep's gloating?"

"Just... uh..." Judy said, rolling her eyes off to the side, "recorded myself a little 'reminder', I guess. Whenever I feel like I'm too important, powerful, or right, I can listen to that and remember that... yeah, I can make mistakes. Big, big ones."

Nick's eyes narrowed a bit and he felt emotions blaze through him. "Nope. Sorry." He deleted the recording.

"Nick...!" Judy made a face. "That's my carrot pen!"

"On the contrary," Nick smirked. "You gave it to me, remember? I only let you borrow it to defeat the sheep. Let me tell you a little something, Fluff. About mementos. Remember that cloth I tied around your leg at the museum?"

"Vaguely," Judy nodded.

"That was my Junior Ranger Scout handkerchief," Nick said plainly. Judy put her hands to her mouth, gasping.

"Nicholas!"

"Yeah, but here's the thing," Nick said, "I hung onto it for that long, because I can't let anything go. It's why I kept this stupid thing." Nick smirked, holding the carrot pen and moving his hand as if it held weight.

"What's wrong with having reminders?" Judy shook her head.

"I doubt even a 'dumb' bunny like you would forget what you did," Nick half-lidded his eyes at Judy, to Judy's playful sneer. "If we keep these things just to hurt ourselves, what good are they doing?"

"Well, you keep it then," Judy said. "I've let my past hurt me for far too long."

"I hear you, sister," Nick sighed, nodding. Then, his eyes caught sight of something on Judy's bed. "Uh, what's this?" He smirked, putting the carrot pen into his pocket and picking up a fox plush from her pillow.

"Oh, parsnips!" Judy shrieked, pawing at it. "Th-that is definitely mine. Give it!"

"A fox plush?" Nick said. "Hm, seems like someone did miss me while we were apart..."

"Shut up!" Judy giggled, lunging for it, though her movement was hampered.

"Careful, bunny, don't hurt yourself," Nick droned. "Wait..." He felt a burst of emotion hit him as he saw a beat-up, wrinkled looking sticker on the chest of the fox. "...I ...I believe something on this small fox gentlemammal belongs to me." He peeled the ZPD Junior Detective sticker off and tried to place it on his breast pocket, but the combination of time and weathering of the sticker made it fall off and onto the ground. The two were silent for several seconds. "Shoot. Uh, I hope that isn't an omen."

"Nick..." Judy smiled, tears lining her eyes.

"Hey, chill out, Carrots, it's just a sticker," Nick said, but the last syllable burst from his throat at a higher register as he felt it tighten. He took a breath to center himself. Judy hopped on one foot over to him and hugged him. Nick brought one arm around her.

"It's all right, Nick," Judy said, managing not to completely break down into tears. "It's okay. We'll get you a real badge soon enough, Officer Wilde."

"Officer Wilde," Nick tested this. "I like the sound of that. I like the sound of this, too." Nick pressed a button.

"We'll get you a real badge soon enough, Officer Wilde."

"Nick!" Judy chuckled, gently slamming one of her hands into his chest. "You dope!"

"Say what you want, Officer Hopps," Nick said defiantly. "I'm keeping this one."