Zootopia: If It Ever Happens Chapter 21: A Night to Remember, a zootopia fanfic

A Night to Remember - Part 1.

Goodness, we're getting there, the big stuff is going to happen :D

YeetMiester - You are very right, we have this chapter, which will be pretty long and focus on the big and serious events and then a lengthy epilogue to see what happens to our heroes, and that will be it for the story! I am so glad you are enjoying it; at some point it is time to round up a narrative though, and this story has been going on for quite a time as those who have read faithfully from the start know, so I feel we all need closure -_- Which is not to say I won't then keep writing a sequel or drabbles about our duo's future life, I adore Nick and Judy and the Zootopia Fandom :)

Guest - It's slowly getting me too -_-

imjustlikehumphery - You're probably right about waiting for a better time...

WingedKatt - We know that for a fact? Hummmmm ;)

BrutusDeagon - Yes, you are all starting to know me well ^_^

New chapter starts here :D

"My dear, here we must run as fast as we can, just to stay in place. And if you wish to go anywhere you must run twice as fast as that."

― Lewis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland

Judy woke up feeling completely surreal on that clear stark autumn morning of the fateful Saturday. The day that held the promise of the pop concert and everything it implied come nightfall. She lay perfectly still in her neat little bed at the penthouse, her mind bouncing back and forth like an over-excited - well, bunny, at that.

The weeks and, indeed, every moment that had elapsed since her and the others had met up with Nick at Rocky Hills seemed starnge and dream-like. On the one paw, this was undoubtedly because she had not yet had the opportunity to unburden herself and confess her feelings to Nick. This confession, while it could of course have the tragic consequence of a dear friendship irrevocably lost, would have greatly eased her mind and her spirit. One way or another she would know what his feelings were, and she could perhaps stop tossing and turning once she went to bed every night till odd hours, until she finally went into a fitful sleep to be jerked awake by her alarm clock reminding her that the office was waiting and cared not that this rabbit officer happened to be twitter-pated.

Then there was the concert itself that had to be got through before she could contemplate speaking her mind to Nick. Her stomach had churned nervously over the days whenever it got mentioned (more and more frequently, as it seemed more than half the town was eagerly looking forward to it and had their ticket purchased). So many acquaintances were going, so many friends from work, from Bogo to Clawhauser, the latter having spoken to Judy about the occasion eagerly every single morning this past week. Judy had grinned and nodded automatically, and had spent every spare minute she had poring yet again over the public website of the Palm Resort Big Arena, where the event was to take place. Perusing the plan of the stage and seats, trying to contemplate which angle the criminals would choose for their attack, exchanging texts with Nick and the rest of their small undercover gang, making sure everyone was on top of things.

And now it was D-day and there was nothing further to do. Her and Nick's tickets lay on the top of the oval dining room table where she presently sat with her huge mug of strong breakfast tea (this was hardly a day for detox infusions, she felt.) It was D-day alright, and she'd have to put thoughts of her personal life aside for the time being and concentrate on the affair at paw, Judy Hopps told herself firmly. She chanced a glance at the oblong window in the ceiling; the day was dawning clear for once. The preceding week had all been fog and drizzle and low hanging tortured clouds. Whether the beautiful weather would be a good thing for them or not, Judy didn't really venture to guess however. There were so many factors, so many things that would go one way or another; a concert, a public event, a crowd after all was a whole separate incontrollable entity, especially one caught in a panic...

Her eyes fell on the photo of (a part of) the Hopps family beaming at her from a huge rectangular wooden frame set on the mantelpiece, as she glanced at it idly over the brim of her cup. Judy studied her parents faces, squashed as ever between their many children eager to be in the shot as well. She slowly set the teacup down on the table and pulled her phone towards her, swiping to a familiar number on speed dial. All the adults at the Hopps farm were early risers, week-end or not.

"Mom!" she exclaimed, as soon as Mrs Hopps had picked up. "Yeah, it's Judy. Oh, no reason. Naw, nothing's up. Just phoning to see how you lot were doing. The weeks go by so fast I... I don't feel like we talk enough. So how's tricks? Harvest good this year? Is Dad there too?"

Nick was supposed to be back in Zootropolis by midday, to be dropped off by the coach bus at the ZPD HQ with the rest of the officers who had been granted a full week-end leave from their training. From there, he'd told Judy, he'd swing straight by his mother's house and have lunch and coffee with her as promised, then meet up with Judy at the central subway exit in Rainforest District.

It was only early afternoon and the concert was not for hours yet, nor was it happening anywhere near Rainforest. The reason the two friends were meeting up there was because they had that one errand they had agreed to get done before they went to the show. And that was to pick up a certain Charles Cleft from the orphanage, and to escort him on his authorised adult-supervised outing to meet up with his friend Sylvester Savage. Judy felt somewhat uneasy about the whole affair, not taking the child out per se, but doing it when her mind was so preoccupied with something else.

"Can't we do it after the shindig?" she'd asked Skye and Jack on their car ride back home from Rocky Hills.

"But Sylvester really misses him Officer," Skye had protested. "And the boy probably missing Sylvester too! We'll all be in town that week-end anyway. And then, you never know..."

Something in her tone had made Judy look at the vixen quickly. She'd suddenly wondered whether Skye wasn't also getting things 'good and done' before the big do on the chance that - well, on the chance she didn't make it through. Judy had ceased her objections anyhow and now she was at the orphanage, ringing the doorbell of the heavy double doors. She felt rather out of place, and tried to look cool and collected. She hoped the staff would not be difficult; she was, after all, no relation of the child. The bunny had her ID with her and even her badge in case it rendered her more credible.

The middle-aged hippo in pince-nez who admitted her and turned out to be none other than Mrs Black, the head of the institution, seemed to have been expecting her however.

"Yes that's right, a Miss Hopps," she nodded emphatically, studying Judy's ID. "Precisely as Mr and Mrs Savage indicated over the phone. And here to take Charlie to see Sylvester; such a treat for both of them it will be! The boy has been ready for you since morning, and he has been a charm all week, anticipating the week-end and not wanting to miss out I'll bet."

"Right," Judy ran an abstract paw through her fur as she looked over the many lopsided drawings of houses and trees pinned on the bulletin board hanging behind Mrs Black's desk. "So we've got two and a half hours' time max, right? I've written my cell phone number down for you anyway and we won't be going off too far."

"Quite, quite," Mrs Black was scribbling an entry in her register busily. "Anita! She cried over the intercom in front of her. "Miss Hopps is here for Charlie Cleft. You'll bring him out? Make sure he has his gloves, I don't care if the morning was sunny, it might get chilly anytime, you know how changeable it is these days... shame for the big concert coming up tonight if it does rain though, so many animals looking forward to it," she added conversationally to Judy, and Judy forced a sickened smile in reply before pushing her chair back and beating her retreat.

In the entrance she bumped into Anita (the spry tapir assistant of Mrs Black) who came forward leading the little boy by his paw. Judy was so startled at the sight of them that she forgot the concert affair for at least a full minute. In truth, there were two things that she had been completely unprepared for upon first laying her eyes on Charlie.

The first one was that he was really, really young. She knew Sylvester Savage to be just approaching his teens and expected another boy very close in age. Perhaps a gangly, skinny youth who would mutter 'Sup?' at her and make her roll her eyes long sufferingly. But Charlie could not be more than six or maybe seven years old.

The other thing was that Charlie was definitely, a hundred percent not a fox. He was surely and obviously a bunny, his fur and eyes a warm rich brown color. He looked a lot like one of Judy's younger brothers, Teddy, except that Teddy of course leaped joyously at his sister every time she was visiting at home while Charlie hung back, looking up at her shyly and holding onto Anita. In his other paw he was clutching his gloves as instructed, Judy saw.

"Charlie?" she asked, just to be sure, staring down at the young rabbit. "Charlie Cleft?"

"Yup," Anita the tapir answered for him. "He's all ready for you Ma'am."

"Right," Judy kicked herself mentally. Arctic foxes were rare, particularly in Rainforest (in fact, hadn't Margaret Frost chucked her cousin's son in this home just for that reason?) so no wonder Sylvester's friend was a different species. And yet she had expected... well. A fox. Perhaps a common fox, not an arctic one. But definitely a fox. Clearly young Mister Savage was as species-blind as his parents, she thought with a sudden inner gurgle of laughter; "I'm Judy Hopps, call me Judy," she told the boy, snapping to attention and crouching a bit, the way she did with unfamiliar children she came across at the Burrows. "Are you going to go on a walk with me then?"

"We'll hang out with Sly?" the boy piped up at once eagerly, craning his neck as if he thought his pal was hiding behind Judy's back. "You know him?"

"I know his parents," Judy explained. "And they are bringing him to play with you, yes."

"Ok," Charlie said bravely, seeming to arrive at some inner resolution. "I'll go with you. Judy," he added, and he abandoned Anita at that, laying is paw firmly in Judy's. "You can take me," he told her charitably.

"Right," Judy gave his fluffy paw a small reassuring squeeze. She had not been expecting to lead anyone away by the paw like this, but he seemed like a sweet child and there was hardly any harm. It really was like walking with one of her siblings. Very much so, she decided not five minutes later as they left the orphanage behind them and Charlie erupted into conversation, his shyness abating.

"So you're friends with Sly's Mom and Dad?" he asked Judy, as they walked along the street.

"I know them," Judy replied carefully. "Through work, you know."

"Oh," Charlie digested this. "Sly's Dad makes chocolate. Do you make chocolate?"

"Well no," Judy admitted, cursing her blunder. "I'm a cop, actually."

"No way, really?" Charlie gaped at her as if wondering whether she was trying to be funny.

"Yes way," Judy laughed. "I'm off duty now though, hence the parka and jeans kid."

"But you have a badge?" he asked suspiciously.

"Yes, sure do," she nodded and paused to show him.

"Wow," was Charlie's only comment after studying her badge avidly and handing it back. "That's so cool. Oh," he seemed struck by a thought. "That's what you meant by 'work'. Sly's Mom and Dad do crimes as well."

Judy spluttered a bit at this matter-of-fact statement;

"I am not sure we should put it like that," she started to say.

"Then how should we put it?" Charlie asked, staring up at her with his earnest brown eyes as he walked alongside.

"Um," Judy wondered how she had been roped into this discussion. "You know. I mean that's neither here nor there..."

"Right," Charlie agreed dubiously. He switched topic with the ease of the preschool child. "Do you have kids?" he asked Judy chattily.

"Me?" Judy snorted. "I mean no, no I don't Charlie."

"Oh," he thought this over. "Sly's parents have four," he informed her. "Sly is the youngest. Except he was in the home all this time. But then they came and got him back. He always did say they'd come."

"He was right wasn't he," Judy winked at the boy.

"Yup he was," Charlie nodded. "He was that sure," there was an unmistakeable wistful tone in his voice.

"Are you really sorry he left?" Judy asked gently.

"Oh no," Charlie replied hurriedly and robustly. "He was that pleased. And I get to go out and meet him. Thank you," he added as an afterthought, as if remembering something he had been coached to say, which was probably the case. "Thank you very much Judy Hopps."

"It's entirely my pleasure," Judy assured him.

"Did you grab the right kit Carrots?" a voice cut across their discussion. making them both jump. Judy whipped around, her heart beating fast.

There, sure enough, striding up from the subway exit they'd promised to meet at, was Nick. He had already changed into civilian clothing as had she, and his overnight bag was flung over his shoulder as he grinned broadly at her.

"Straight from my Mom's," he informed her, "she says hi to you by the way - and who might this young man be?" he gave a mock start at seeing Charlie.

Charlie giggled uncertainly and looked at Judy.

"Who's he?" he asked, pointing at Nick. "He's not Sly's Dad."

"No, he isn't," Judy agreed with him, smiling back at Nick.

"Oh," Charlie looked from her back at Nick. "Is he your husband?"

"What?" Judy jumped, her cheeks burning. "How can you say such things Charlie?" she laughed uproariously to cover her confusion. "No, this is Nick Wilde, Charlie, and you can call him Nick - he's my great friend," she added for good measure, emphasizing the word 'friend' heavily. "And we work together too. He's coming along with us and we'll all go meet Sylvester together, OK?"

"OK," Charlie nodded readily, before turning to Nick. "Do you work in the police or in crimes Mister Nick Wilde?" he asked him formally, by way of cementing their newfound acquaintance.

Nick's eyes gleamed and he grinned at the youngster.

"A bit of both buddy," he replied easily, fluffing up the fur on top of the boy's head. "We're supposed to be off work now though, so relax and have some of my Mom's pie, she rocks at it, though I do say so myself," he added, proferring a generous slice of blueberry pie at Charlie.

"Oh wow," Charlie stared wide-eyed at the morsel, unsure about taking it. "I can?" he added hesitantly, addressing both Nick and Judy.

"Do," Judy told him, laughing. "I've tried Mrs Wilde's pies, they're out of this world. How is she then?" she asked Nick, as Charlie happily accepted the treat.

"Oh, usual," Nick shrugged. "Excited training is going well for me and I've not been in trouble, proud, blablabla... how are you?" he gave her a quick searching glance.

Judy shrugged and grimaced.

"Best as possible considering," she said significantly.

"Hum," Nick sighed. "And where're the Savage lot? It"s for them that we came out all this way-"

"Charlie!" A gleeful cry interrupted him.

Nick and Judy whipped around in time to see a young arctic fox shoot past them in a blur and hurl himself at the young bunny.

"Sly!" Charlie squealed just as happily, quickly passing his half-eaten pie to Judy before he pounced at his friend.

"You'll knock the wind out of him Sylvester," Jack commented dryly, sauntering up behind his stepson. The boys disregarded this statement entirely, they only had eyes for each other and seemed to be talking eagerly one over the other in an attempt to fill in on what had been going on in their respective lives during their separation.

Jack shook his head but smiled indulgently, leaning back against a fence and watching the pair of youngsters idly.

"Officers," he greeted Nick and Judy easily, and they nodded back. "The wife says hello."

"Where is Skye then?" Judy asked, noting that it was only Jack and his youngest stepchild who were present.

"Getting her disguise perfected for the big night," he raised his eyebrows. "She's adamant about attending."

"Making sure you behave, Long Ears," Nick put in helpfully.

Jack smirked dangerously.

"Something of the sort," he agreed.

"We'll all be keeping an eye on you," Judy told him sternly. The other rabbit gazed back at her, his pale blue eyes innocent.

"Well then, with so many eyes on me, I am unlikely to get up to much, am I?" he said lightly.

Judy opened her mouth to admonish an even stricter reproach when Sylvester interrupted her, coming forward eagerly with Charlie.

"Jack," he said to his stepfather without preamble. "You said we could go to the arcade and have pizza! Can we go now?"

"Yes of course," Jack nodded at the boys, straightening himself. "Lead the way, champ."

It was a starry-eyed Charlie that Nick and Judy dropped off at the orphanage two hours later. The boys had had a roaring good time, playing video games, stuffing themselves with four cheese pizza and running around after each other at the park. Once they'd said a tearful goodbye and Jack and Sylvester had departed, Charlie came readily with Nick and Judy, this time laying his paw easily in Nick's. Judy saw Nick jump a bit at this; he accepted the little boy's paw without comment though and they walked back to the orphanage together, Charlie talking non-stop about some shooting game at the arcade that Sylvester had apparently broken the record of. Judy listened to him without comment; she had wondered during their outing whether Jack and Skye had not been eager on precipitating this fun outing for their son before the concert affair just in case something bad happened to them and that then they wouldn't get the opportunity.

Would all of their small gang of heroes live to see the next morning? Would all of the concert's guests?

"Thank you so much," Charlie told them, as Anita ushered him back into the home. "I had a really ripping time."

"We had fun too pal," Nick told him, winking, and Judy had to admit that it was true. At least it had taken their minds off the upcoming evening...

"You'll come again?" the boy asked suddenly, turning around in the doorway.

If we don't get torn to bits by predators gone savage with the Night Howler serum tonight, then sure, sure we will, Judy thought dully.

"Of course," she told him brightly, as Nick nodded at her side; "Anytime Sylvester's parents bring him up and we are in town as well, we'll arrange for a meeting!"

"Oh," Charlie stalled in the doors, hanging back from Anita. He looked at the floor clutching the action figure he'd won at the arcade. "I meant you could come even if Sly wasn't there," he mumbled timidly, not meeting her gaze.

Judy blinked, completely taken aback. Before she could react, Nick spoke up by her side to her further astonishment.

"Sure buddy," he said easily. "That pizza was pretty yummy, we'll have to come by again and have some more."

Judy found herself swallowing for some reason. It was the perfect thing to reply however, as Charlie beamed at them before turning to walk back into the orphanage obediently.

"Bye," Judy said quietly to the already closed double doors.

They walked back to the subway in silence.

"I was expecting a fox kit," she told Nick unnecessarily.

Nick snorted.

"We ain't the only oddballs out there," he suggested.

"I guess," she shook her head, bemused.

"How does a bunny end up at an orphanage?" Nick asked her incredulously. "Even if something happened to his parents, don't you all have families of like a thousand members? Couldn't somebody have taken him in?"

"Beats me," Judy shrugged.

"Yeah," Nick sighed. "Funny little chap. He's ok."

"Yes, yes he is," she agreed.

They got onto the subway train in silence, their thoughts having been diverted from the impending showdown.

Their thoughts could not stay so diverted long.

It was a quarter to seven pm and the concert started at seven thirty. Nick hastily pulled a clean T-shirt over his head and threw a quick glance about his bedroom at the penthouse. He'd barely had time to drop his things and have a quick cup of coffee and a shower, get changed, and they had to be off if they were to get a bite to eat before making it to the big arena in time for the opening of the show. And this was one time, the fox thought grimly, that they couldn't afford to be late.

"Yes I'm ready," he answered to Judy's anxious inquiry from the living room as he emerged from his bedroom. "Got the tickets Carrots?"

They hardly noticed what they ate on the way, some sandwiches from a stand and more tea and coffee to fortify themselves, and then they were heading to the sight of the big show.

Palm Resort was visible from a distance on any given night, with its magnificent structure illuminated by a myriad of blinking and flashing light bulbs. Tonight however, the organizers of the show had had to outdo themselves for the event. The whole place was a whirlpool of multi-colored laser projectors sending beams any which way and of smoke puffing up from within to amplify the effect. Animals were pouring towards the many entrances, their tickets clutched in their paws excitedly as they held them up for the bouncers to see and scan. Nick spotted Clawhauser at a further entrance, eagerly chatting to some friends, his Gazelle Scarf wrapped around his neck as he waited in line to be admitted.

"Here goes nothing," the fox thought, as he and Judy were swept in past security.

As they took their seats about midway up in the ranks of the enormous auditorium, Judy pulled Nick's sleeve and gestured towards the stage. The huge red arena (Nick shuddered, the crimson color did not offer pleasant thoughts) was full of animals busily scurrying around, making last-minute adjustments and tweaks here and there. With a jolt he spotted Margaret Frost among a crowd of journalists. She looked incredibly pale but composed.

Jack had to be with the organizational team as well, Nick thought, searching for him in the throng. And Finnick, who had gotten in with the lighting crew. FruFru would be somewhere in a top box reserved for rodents and as for Skye, she could not be far from them, but given that she was wearing a disguise he wasn't sure they'd spot her right away.

How much time into the show was the attack planned? he thought, as Judy scanned the crowds by his side, her stance incredibly alert. An hour? Ten minutes? Maybe two?

Without warning, too quickly, it was half past and a beaming zebra in a sharp suit was picking the microphone up as the chattering audience hushed up, saying pompously,

"My dear Ladies and Gentlemammals, I am very honoured to welcome you tonight at what promises to be truly the event of the fall, if not the year-"

"And here we go," Nick thought, taking a deep breath, his heart pounding.

A Night to Remember - Part 2.

Thanks for your feedback all!

1st Guest - this seems to be the common opinion among readers, adopting Charlie asap I mean ^^

2nd Guest - see above ;)

Ooh gosh, here we go!

The concert had started since precisely seventeen minutes. All around our heroes, animals were enjoying themselves tremendously, oblivious to the potential threat that lurked nearby. Gazelle performed her classic hit 'Try Everything' to great whooping from the crowd, the strobe lights reflecting off her dazzling sequined silver dress, her back-up tiger dancers faithfully carrying out their routine in the background.

Then it was El Lamo's turn with his single 'Suavemente'. He had back-up dancers of his own, a troop of lionesses who performed impressive tricks as he sang. Considering the concert had been planned as a sort of friendly showdown between the two pop stars however, Judy mused, it was pretty clear who came out tops before the actual battle began. El Lamo had his cohort of fans, but Gazelle was the clear and un-eclipsed star of Zootropolis. The applause following her solos were several decibels higher than that reserved for El Lamo.

Be that as it may, the two singers were now in the middle of a duet, all the tigers and lionesses engaged in a complicated and aesthetically charming pair dancing number behind them. The spectators hummed eagerly along and waved their paws in the air.

Nick and Judy had managed to locate all of the members of their little gang in the vicinity. Jack they had spotted up front, with a group of vendors and businesspeople eagerly preparing their merchandise for the entre-acte. He seemed to be pouring his chocolate figurines mechanically from one cardboard box into another, his eyes darting keenly between the ranks of guests, the stage and the group of journalists that included Margaret Frost.

Guessing that Skye had to be sitting somewhere along the rows Jack's gaze kept returning to, Nick and Judy had tried to spot her in vain. It was not until Judy had texted the vixen, who had replied promptly with her row and seat number and a 'Just next to the huge hippo in the red sweater!' that they had actually identified her. It had to be said that Skye had indeed turned out to be the mistress of disguise. She was wearing a nondescript and very bulky grey trench coat, oversized glasses with tinted lenses, a shawl wrapped round and round her muzzle as if to protect herself from the wind, and finally in an undeniably perfect final touch, a huge wig of curly blond hair that covered her ears and camouflaged the shape of her head deliberately.

Finnick had waved a paw to attract their attention from the top of the huge circular concert hall. Perched precariously on a complex structure of ladders and cables, he was overlooking the event along with the team of chimpanzees handling the lighting arrangements.

FruFru had texted Judy her seat and box number as well, there was no way of seeing more than the general crowd of squealing rodents from the distance though. Judy was just peering at the minute mammals, trying to locate her friend's usual loud updo in the group, when Nick gripped her elbow suddenly.

"Carrots," he said, in a would-be calm voice. "Something is happening. Savage the Rabbit is calling for our attention."

Her heart hammering, Judy looked over quickly to where Jack stood. He was indeed gesturing discreetly, though with all the other animals' attention completely gripped by the performance it was hardly necessary to be very careful. The direction he was pointing in was unmistakably Margaret's.

Both ZPD officers turned to look at the journalists so quickly they startled the pig sitting beside them slightly. They saw that Margaret had retreated from her colleagues somewhat and was hanging over the railing that separated the ranks of spectators from the stage, apparently talking intently to some sheep that looked to be janitors or service-mammals, judging by their uniforms.

"She's giving them instructions," Judy whispered in Nick's ear to be heard over the din.

"Yes," Nick's jaw was set. "Carrots. If they are the ones who have the - can you get out and in between the ranks where you're at?"

Judy looked to her right. There was the pig who had snorted in annoyance at their muttering and neck-craning, and then next to him sat a giraffe and a hippo.

"I can," she said hurriedly. "I can squeeze by them... You can't, you won't fit past the hippo unless you ask him to stand up and explain something-"

"Right," Nick nodded. He cast a quick look over the vast hall. A clear line of action presented itself to him, one he had noticed almost as soon as they'd sat down for the show. It wasn't one he particularly relished but, given their circumstances and how short time was likely to be... "I'll take those cables over our heads," he told Judy, indicating the cables that ran some few feet just above them towards the centre of the arena. "You run down the aisle and I'll scoot overhead of everyone over the cables- what?" he broke off at her look.

"Are you sure you'll make it Nick?" Judy asked nervously. "The stage is a way off. Maybe I'll run forward and you stay put and call for back-up, there's likely to be a riot-'

'No deal Carrots," Nick cut her off sharply. "We go down there together, and don't you worry about me climbing over that. We just spent weeks doing this sort of thing at the training centre of misery... so I guess I owe old Grizzlyguts the instructor some thanks after all," he added fairly;

"Ok," Judy accepted his decision at that. "Ok then. We'll try and get there in time to jump them, that'll buy time. Bogo and the others will react quickly after that. When should we-"

"Carrots, look at Frost," Nick interrupted her.

Below them, Margaret had broken away from the sheep, who were dispersing around the stage casually, five of them in total. Nick's sharp green eyes noticed that a couple were already reaching into the oversized pockets of their uniforms. Margaret Frost was walking away towards a side exit hurriedly, heedless of the other journalists good-naturedly calling back to her.

"Frost is running off," he said, gritting his teeth. "Which is a sure sign, she's hiding before it gets ugly. No waiting Carrots, we go, now, NOW!"

Judy had been off at his first 'Now!' Indeed those words had been the last ones she'd registered before a highly colourful scene that seemed to be entirely unreal started unfolding itself before her eyes. She'd squeezed by the pig, giraffe and hippo fast as a flash and had started sprinting down the stairs towards the stage. She could see Nick out of the corner of her eye; he had managed to grab hold of the cables and was climbing down them as quickly as he could, rather lithely at that, also heading for the central stage where El Lamo and Gazelle sang, oblivious.

They were nearly there, three quarters of the way, when Judy saw the sheep draw some blast guns full of electric blue liquid out. She realized in a blink that one tiny part of her mind had somehow still been clinging to the notion that this was all some kind of huge misunderstanding, but of course it wasn't and here was the proof, the actual proof.

"Everybody down, down in the front ranks, down on the ground!" she shouted as loudly as she could, racing towards the attackers.

Above her head, Nick called out angrily, "Oh no you don't you bloody - ZPD's here pal!" and with a loud crack one of the five sheep went down as he received a blow of some metal tool the fox had managed to pick up along the way over his head.

This manoeuvre not only succesfully placed one of the sheep out of action, but also had the added bonus of startling the rest who blinked nervously around them, wondering where the unfortunate hammer that took their buddy out had materialized from. Running over, Judy saw however that the mammal who had fallen was not the leader of the small group of perpetrators.

A huge black ram roared at his remaining compatriots, "They're on to us boys, go for it now!"

"I could jump in front of one of the shots," Judy thought frantically. "I'm prey, I'm unlikely to go savage, I'll probably just be ill-" and then she was literally frozen in her tracks at what followed. She had expected the sheep to open fire on the luckless concert guests who had paid a paw and a hind leg to sit in the front VIP seats. As it transpired, the criminals had another plan up their sleeves.

Aiming carefully, the attackers took several shots, but not at the animals sitting in the ranks. Instead, they targeted the tigers and lionesses on stage, prancing around El Lamo and Gazelle. The animals hit whelped and bent over, knocking each other off their feet in the process. Gazelle and El Lamo were forced to stop singing; they gazed around in confusion, as did most of the audience, everyone slowly coming to an understanding that something was very much up.

"Security!" Judy called at the top of her lungs at the heavy bison in black uniform lined up close to the stage. "It's these sheep, they shot Night Howler Serum at the performers!" She hurled herself as strongly as she could at the legs of the attacker closest to her, just as she'd learned to handle large criminals in her training, and managed to knock him off his feet. Not far from her, Nick was dangling off the cables and had another one of the sheep locked in a head-hold.

The security mammals, though they had been startled as much as everyone else, reacted relatively quickly and, thanks to our heroes interaction, only had two more sheep to tackle as it was. Thus the group of shooters had been subdued, but the damage had been done.

Hastily untangling herself from the black ram as a bison security guard took over for her, Judy sat back on her haunches and took stock of the situation.

There was no more need to worry about the attackers. All five were out cold or had their paws behind their backs, unable to reach their weapons anymore. Predictably, however, at the words 'Night Howler Serum' and the sight of weapons, the crowd had broken out into a panic. Mammals were shrieking and howling everywhere, attempting to fight their way towards the exits and calling at friends and family. Judy could see Bogo with extra back-up somewhere up in the top ranks, shouting for calm and attempting to maintain the situation. It would take some time though, she was sure, and the crazed crowd would prevent the ZPD from making it to the stage fast enough - except for her and Nick, who had made it down in so timely a manner.

So this had been the plan, she thought, peeking into the pit of the stage. Shoot the performing dance troops, all of which were large feline predators, and let them jump out and handle the rest. Some of the tigers who had been hit first were starting to come round, their low rumbly growls clearly showing that the serum had been effective. This was bad news for everyone, but worst of all for El Lamo and Gazelle who stood there, trapped in the middle of the predators about to go crazy, clinging to each other in dismay.

"Nick!" Judy called urgently. "Gazelle - El Lamo-!"

"I know, I know," he replied, still hanging off the cables overhead. "I've found some rope here though, look! Call to them quick, we'll hoist them up and out of there!"

"Great," Judy heaved an enormous sigh and waved her arms frantically at the singers below. "Hey, hey!" she called. "Hey, Gazelle! Over here, quick!"

The llama and the gazelle's heads snapped up at her call.

"Oh thank goodness!" Gazelle cried in her melodious voice.

"Here!" Nick was calling urgently, dangling the rope down as low as it would go. "Grab it, go on!"

"Lamo," Judy's sharp ears picked up Gazelle's clear tones with ease. "It is closer to you, go quick!"

"Don't be insane Senorita," El Lamo looked incredibly blue around the gills but was controlling himself with an effort. "You must go first!"

"That's peachy but enough chivalry!" Nick barked out sarcastically, his muscles tense at holding onto the rope and the cable simultaneously and his blood growing cold as he saw one of the tigers watching Gazelle through narrowed eyes. "Lamo - grab the rope, now!"

The lama obeyed at that. He jumped at the rope and caught a hold. Nick strained terribly, but the singer was altogether rather a slim and light animal, and a fast climber at that. Within a minute he was up on the cables beside Nick.

"Great, great!" Judy was hopping up and down in agitation. "Now for Gazelle, quick!"

Aided by El Lamo, Nick uncurled the rope a second time as hastily as he could. It was not before the tiger who had been observing their movements let out a terrible snarl though and made a leaping jump in their general direction. Shrieking in fright, Gazelle made a dash in the opposite direction, the whole scene looking way too much like something off of the discovery channel for comfort.

"Gazelle!" Judy cried out in anguish. The singer was cornered, surrounded by the wide circle of lionesses and tigers slowly coming to their senses and noticing the prey in their midst. The rabbit officer scanned the scene in desperation. There were loudspeakers and decorative foam stars on the stage. Gazelle could at least use them for cover and hide out till aid came her way, perhaps the other ZPD officers were already nearly there. But the pop star obviously knew nothing of this or else was too stunned to think straight; she stood shell shocked very much like the proverbial deer caught in headlights.

Judy made her mind up in a heartbeat.

"I'll help her play for time Nick," she called over her shoulder.

"You what?" Nick choked out, tearing his gaze away from the rope. "Carrots NO!"

It was too late of course, Judy had already gone over the brim and jumped down onto the stage. For a full two seconds Nick's brain refused to register what he was seeing.

"Of all the-!" was all he could manage as he watched Judy race towards Gazelle, grab a hold of her wrist, shaking her out of her reverie, and shepherd her for cover behind a huge pair of loudspeakers. What would that buy them? Nick thought, his body feeling numb. Thirty seconds maybe, best case? There were a dozen predators down there, all of them very much alert now, sniffing the air and growling.

Think Wilde, he told himself sternly, his gaze taking the whole scene in urgently. For a moment when he saw it, his heart stood still. Could there actually be something so helpful in all this chaos? Disregarding El Lamo and the rope (that was now useless anyway, Judy and Gazelle were much too far off) he climbed hastily over the cable to get a closer look.

An abandoned El Lamo swayed in dismay atop the cables before a nimble short fox who had just arrived next to him gripped his elbow firmly. It was Finnick, who'd abandoned the terrified chimps and courageously climbed down when he saw Wilde and Hopps in a pickle.

"Hang on Sparkles," he grunted at El Lamo, not unkindly, helping him stay steady on the wires that supported them both. "Help'll be here soon."

Nick was peering below him at that exact moment. Yes! There was a trapdoor, an actual trapdoor in the floorboards of the stage, just some few feet behind Judy and Gazelle who were huddled there, crouching in their hiding place. Not only that, but it was fairly narrow; the tigers and lionesses would hardly fit in. It stood somewhat ajar, so there was no risk of finding it suddenly and fatally shut, forbidding this means of escape.

"Carrots behind you," Nick called urgently, scooting along the cable. "Behind - a trapdoor - Oh!"

He saw one of the lionesses take unmistakeable aim at the loudspeakers, crouching for a leap.

Oh boy, Nick thought dully. Well, here goes.

He waited, the blood pounding in his ears as she prepared and finally pushed off in a graceful wide jump. At the same time, he let go of the cables and leapt down, knowing full well he had one shot at this only, period.

He got lucky, or it was that plus all the gruelling training he had been through. In any case Nick ricocheted off the lioness's head in mid-jump sharply, sending her down, cursing and spitting, and in two more leaps out hero had joined Judy and Gazelle in their hiding place.

"Nick, what are you-!" Judy started, grabbing his arm.

"Trapdoor, behind you," he replied, wasting no words, but squeezing her hand back as reassuringly as he could. "Carrots - Gazelle - go, go!"

Gazelle, who had mercifully been sprung into action and was finally showing some pluck, obeyed instantly, and Judy followed her closely. The trio reached the trapdoor in under three seconds and Judy yanked it all the way open. To her delight, a narrow corridor leading down presented itself to the heroes' gaze. It was obviously meant as a come-and-go route for service-mammals setting things up on stage during a show.

"Go!" Judy commanded Gazelle, and the singer jumped down into the shaft obediently, her lithe sequined figure fitting with ease through the small opening.

"You next," Nick told her, shoving Judy in the back before she had time to argue.

Judy followed Gazelle, out of harm's way.

Nick took a diving leap after her, but not before he felt something terribly sharp close around his leg. He let out a whelp of pain.

"Nick!" Judy was hanging in the shaft, her eyes fixed on his. "They got you? Hang on!"

Squeezing past him, or the upper half of his body that had made it through the trapdoor, Judy poked her head out of the opening in the floorboards like a jack-in-the-box. She came nose to nose with the lioness that had her teeth around Nick's ankle, preventing his escape. Judy gulped at the sight of blood, but faced the predator bravely.

"Here!" she said angrily to the crazed lioness, and pulled out the only weapon (of sorts) that she had managed to carry through concert security: her father's trusty fox taser. It was hardly enough to stun the lioness into unconsciousness, but aimed suddenly and deftly in between her eyes it enraged and pained her so much that she opened her jaws in a furious howl, thus releasing Nick.

The two seconds respite was all that was needed. Nick escaped down the trapdoor with Judy close behind him. They tumbled down the shaft as quickly as they could, Nick cursing at the pain in his bleeding leg, Gazelle in front of them. Looking back over her shoulder, Judy saw several muscular lion and tiger paws clawing at the trapdoor. There was no way the felines would be able to follow them though, not even the slimmest of the lionesses. The narrow shaft was hardly big enough for the trip to follow each other nose to tail as it was.

After a couple of minutes panting and hurrying along the dingy corridor, they arrived at another trapdoor opening off a widened portion of the tunnel they were in. Gasping for breath and mopping her brow, Judy addressed Gazelle.

"Do you have any idea were this could lead?" she asked the singer.

"I - well, I don't know the premises by heart," the gazelle admitted. "But these shafts here are for hoisting equipment around; lighting, fireworks for special effects on stage, that sort of thing. My guess is it's a service bunker or area."

"Right," Nick said, exchanging a look with Judy. "Stay here then Miss - me and Carrots here will check it out and come right back and get you if the coast is clear."

"Stay?.." the gazelle started in dismay, shaking from head to toe.

"It's ok," Judy told her soothingly. "We won't be a minute. We're trained ZPD officers, we'll just make sure there's nothing major wherever this lets out and then circle back for you. You're safe here for the moment; the situation on stage has likely been subdued anyhow, I saw our chief barking orders out."

"Alright Officer," Gazelle said, giving Judy a trembling smile and crouching in the shaft obediently to wait.

Nick and Judy scooted over to the door and tried the handle. It turned with ease; this trapdoor was unlocked as well. They hopped out into the room beyond it, Nick landing carefully on his good leg and Judy closing the trapdoor behind them just in case.

They were in a bunker alright and it was unoccupied. It hardly looked like a service one though; there was a make-up table lined with products and little bottles, plus abandoned coffee cups on a smart little stool.

"Hum," Judy looked round disinterestedly. "Well, coast is clear. Do we get Gazelle first, or shall I dash for a paramedic for your foot - how bad is it Nick?"

"I've had better days," the fox admitted, sinking on one of the chairs and nursing his wound. "We had a whole lot of luck back there though Carrots, it could have been way worse."

"Yes," Judy admitted, smiling radiantly at her friend. "And thanks so much for coming down for me and Gazelle Nick! If you hadn't spotted that trapdoor in time-"

"If he hadn't spotted it," a cold familiar voice cut across her, making both her and Nick jump in shock. "I wouldn't know where you'd be coming out now, would I?"

Margaret Frost had entered the bunker through its main doorway and stood facing our heroes, her stance livid and a gun in her paw, pointed right at the pair of them.

"Interfering weasels," she spat out angrily. "And everything was going so well... but I should have known the noble officers would- well, the jig's up now isn't it?" she faced Judy squarely, her weapon poised, admitting the hatred that had sprung between the pair of them since their first encounter.

"Perfect little Judy Hopps," she purred sarcastically with a horrid lopsided grin that made Judy's blood run cold. "Not so clever now, are you? You have made a very terrible mistake, bunny."

A quiet tread behind her made all three animals blink as a fourth person arrived on the scene, following Margaret through the bunker doors.

It was Jack, and Nick knew instantly by his face without a shade of doubt, that he was here for that moment of payback he had been biding his time for. Taking the scene and all its participants in with one sweeping glance, Jack let his cold blue eyes rest on Margaret.

"But are you quite sure Madam," he said softly, addressing his wife's cousin. "That it is not you who have made - a very terrible mistake?"

I'll update again asap, I understand how nerve-racking this section is! :)

Oh, also I must mention the following: this last bit is a direct quote from one of my favourite authors (I mean Jack and Margaret's exchange about a terrible mistake), the author is Georgette Heyer and the novel is called 'The Convenient Marriage'. Georgette Heyer is a great bet for anyone who loves Jane Austen and has already read that famed author's admittedly few novels :) Ta!

A Night to Remember - Part 3.

Merry Christmas everyone :)

This update is shortish but this whole concert do is so nerve-wrenching I couldnt leave you all hanging. And it is still continuing, but here is what happens after the last bit :) Stay tuned!

Jack's words and their peculiar meaning didn't seem to register with Margaret immediately. Recovering herself and seeing that it was her would-be co-conspirator who had joined them, she focused her attention back on Nick and Judy, remarking to Jack over her shoulder,

"Oh, it's you - 'bout time too. What's going on out on the stage?"

When her question went unanswered, Miss Frost cast Jack an irritable glance.

"Have you gone to sleep rabbit-" she started, before catching her tongue at the sight of the pistol Jack held, the barrel of which she was staring down.

"What on earth," she stammered, before adding angrily. "What the hell are you playing at Savage?"

"Not much playing going on Miss," Jack replied, his tone confirming his words.

"I am armed myself in case you're blind," Margaret hissed at him, her temper rising, as she brandished her weapon.

"Hardly," Jack replied, unflinching and unmoved. "I emptied both of your guns earlier this evening.. so careless to leave your bag unattended as you go off to powder your nose. Your father was never so clumsy - but then, you never took after the best of your line, did you?"

The vixen spluttered at his words and impulsively pulled the trigger. Nick and Judy both winced instinctively, but Jack had obviously not spoken in vain; The unloaded gun clicked uselessly in Margaret's paws. Her face jerked in shock. She let the gun fall with a clunk and looked up at Jack, her eyes now unmistakeably full of dawning terror.

"I don't know what game you're planning," she told him, a quiver in her tone. "But may I remind you that if anything happens to me, you won't see your stepson anymore nor know which orphanage he is held in."

"You are so sadly behind the times Madam..." Jack shook his head in mock sympathy. 'My stepson Sylvester is with his siblings at my grand-aunt's as we speak."

Margaret's face went ashen.

"Sylvester- what?" she said stupidly. "But how - but - Skye -?"

"We have been reunited with your cousin," Jack explained briefly. He fixed a piercing gaze on Margaret. "Your presumably dead cousin who had had the hardest time finding me it seems... and had been kept entertained by the falsified correspondence you sent her in my name."

At the mention of the letters, Margaret let out a sound that was half muffled shriek and half moan. Her eyes went slowly from Jack's face to his weapon. Neither animal spoke for a very long moment. It was quite clear that the vixen's quick and cunning mind was going over her remaining options, only to discover that they were no longer existent.

"So what," she said finally, her words rather forced. "You're just going to-"

"Yes. And don't waste my time," Jack replied abruptly. "We both know I'm that kind of mammal alright. Have you any last words Margaret?"

"I - what?" Margaret passed a paw over her sweaty brow.

"I hear it is customary to repent on such occasions," Jack suggested, not impolitely.

Judy's brain clicked into gear and caught up with the scene. Here was a capital crime about to be committed in front of her and Nick's very eyes.

"Savage!" She exclaimed, rising to her feet from where she had crouched on the floor. "I need hardly tell you that you are in the presence of the ZPD. I have to order you to cease your threats immediately in the name of the law! Lower your weapon!"

She looked down at Nick for support. Her partner was sitting on the floor, winding his scarf around his leg to stem the blood trickling from the wound the crazed lioness had inflicted upon him. He had been watching Jack the entire time the rabbit criminal had been speaking, and now gave Judy a sad sort of half shake of the head.

"Nothing we can say Carrots," he said quietly.

"Quite correct," Jack confirmed, sparing our duo a tiny half glance, his excellent hearing picking up Nick's words. "And I would suggest you don't get any heroic notions of jumping in front of my shot. Anyone who stands between me and my revenge is going down Officer, even if it be an animal I admire, as I do yourself."

Judy swayed on her feet in helpless agony, clenching her paws together.

"We'll testify against you if you're caught and tried Savage," she told him sharply. "Me and Nick both. First-class murder, you'll get life."

"I won't be caught," the rabbit replied giving Judy a small smile. "And I will stay out of your fur henceforth Officers. I was glad to have known you and will remember gratefully the service you have rendered my entire family. "

"Service?" Margaret let out a furious yelp.

"That's right," Jack inclined his head. "It is thanks to these two animals' timely intervention that I have managed to secure Sylvester, as well as Skye and the rest of the kits."

"You damned-!" Margaret Frost exclaimed, rounding on Judy and Nick.

"Madam, your time is short," Jack cut her off. "You will continue your worthless accusations in your next life. Your last words?"

Margaret was clearly not capable of speech. A terrible sob escaped her as she gaped at Jack, transfixed. Nick inhaled sharply and Judy shut her eyes stupidly because she didn't want to see it happen.

The sudden bang made both of our friends shiver, but it transpired it was merely the trapdoor behind Nick and Judy that had swung back against the wall to admit yet another unlikely arrival on the scene that was unfolding so dramatically. Skye emerged rapidly from the opening, leaped down on the trailer floor and peered round, taking her surroundings in, her head free of wig, glasses and wraparound scarf.

If it were possible, Margaret looked even more terrified at this arrival than she had two seconds earlier. Jack however, though he was obviously attempting to appear unmoved, had a deep crease between his brows.

"How-?" he demanded of his wife.

"They've gotten the predators under control," she shrugged. "Stage was full of the police, the big buffalo chief splat in the middle. I had seen were Officers Wilde and Hopps go down through with Gazelle... who is still waiting patiently for you in the tunnel by the way," she added as an afterthought, addressing Nick and Judy. "And I saw you go off like a shot," she said pointedly to Jack. "I had no time to follow you but I figured if I followed where the Officers had disappeared..."

"And they just let you go through the trapdoor? Bogo?" Judy asked her, bewildered.

"Hardly," Skye laughed merrily. "But I didn't ask, I just dove under his elbow and down I went. Luckily he is too heavyset to have followed me himself, but I am sure he will send some smaller policemammals after us soon enough."

"Then can we stop wasting time?" Jack asked, an edge to his voice. "We have to make our exit after this, love."

"After this," Skye folded her arms on her chest and surveyed her husband evenly.

"I don't want to hear it," he told her at once in a voice of steel. "I am decided, Mrs Savage."

"I'm not saying anything," Skye shrugged, her gaze unflinching.

The seconds ticked by at a snail's pace as Jack and Skye stood looking at each other, Jack's pistol still aimed at a cowering Margaret. Judy found she was holding her breath, and she saw Nick biting his lip in agitation, his fists clenched.

"Fine," Jack burst out finally. "What do you have to say?"

Skye relaxed her arms and reflexively straightened out her trench coat. Judy felt bewildered at this unnecessary gesture of the vixen's, until she saw that the latter's white paws were shaking slightly and guessed that Skye was gathering her thoughts. She had, clearly, only one shot at a good response.

"Only this," she said finally, her tone weary, as she faced her husband. "I'm not telling the kits."

"What?" he snapped at her, his nerves obviously on edge.

"I'm not telling them," Skye repeated stubbornly. "They're bound to know at some point, now, in a few years, they'll ask what happened to that relative of theirs... you tell them Jack, that you murdered her in cold blood, and you take the consequences. I've had them on my paws for years all on my own, I'm not handling this one. You tell them the truth and... if they no longer love their hero-worshipped Jack after that, well, that's not on me."

You could have heard the proverbial needle drop in the ten seconds or so that followed Skye's pronouncement. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, Jack exclaimed 'Damnation', his face set in rage but an unmistakeable note of yielding in his voice.

Margaret exhaled noisily for what seemed to be the first time in the last fifteen minutes and Judy found herself following suit.

"Officers," Jack snapped, his gaze still fixed on Margaret in loathing. "You have no weapons to speak of, but I assume you have at least managed to bring some pawcuffs?"

"I have some, yes," Judy volunteered, rooting around in the inside pocket of her parka.

"Then you will be so kind as to pawcuff my dear kinswoman to the piping on the wall, or anywhere else she is unlikely to budge," Savage instructed her, his gun still raised.

"Good idea that one," Nick said heartily, getting to his feet in turn and wincing a bit at the pain in his leg.

"With pleasure," Judy echoed, hurrying over to Frost to execute Jack's proposal. "And while we're at it," she added, addressing the shaken reporter. "How about you talk Frost? Who's been masterminding this whole set-up?"

"Names, positions, the lot," Nick added, joining Judy.

"To hell with the lot of you," Margaret told them, her teeth set, as she shook in fury, her paws cuffed behind her back and secured to the wall.

"You did the right thing," Skye was telling her husband, as she stood by him and laid a tentative paw on his arm. "Truly."

"Doesn't feel like it love," he grimaced at her, his stance relaxing somewhat.

"Well it will, with time," she said in conviction.

"We'll have to wait till Chief Buffalo and the rest get here to interrogate her, she ain't talking without a lawyer and the like," Nick was saying to Judy.

"We'll wait to see the ZPD take away my dear cousin," Skye said to Nick and Judy, her arm linked with Jack's as she bestowed a contemptuous glance on Margaret. "But then we'll be off if neither of you mind... can't be caught with Jack here holding a weapon and all, I am sure you understand, would be quite a mouthful to explain."

"Well, we're at a dead end and likely losing time," Judy replied, frustrated. "She isn't giving us any names and if we don't know who is behind this fast we'll-"

"Behind this?" Jack seemed to come to, snapping out of his fixation on his own vendetta. "You do not need Margaret to snitch Officer. I was not so far away from her when she passed the orders out to those sheep and I heard her words clearly.. that's right silly, rabbits have good hearing, or had you forgotten," he added cuttingly to Margaret, who stared at him in shock.

"You piece of-!" she cried out, kicking out at him.

"Use aliases next time amateur," Jack rolled his eyes at her. "You really are not the brightest of your clan, by a long shot."

"Why didn't you say so sooner? What did she say?" Judy was tugging at Jack's sleeve urgently. "What?"

Jack blinked at her.

"Oh she was hissing clear enough to be heard, no mistake about that," he said. "She told that ram, no we start during the duet, that's how Lamo planned the whole thing."

I mean, I don't really do things for no reason, I definitely don't invent OCs who won't serve a purpose. So I was quite surprised no one had wondered about the 'plus one' pop singer... but there you go :)

A Night to Remember - Part 4.

Hope you all had a great Christmas Eve :)

Michaela Rose Cameron - what a lovely name you have, and Merry Christmas to you too :)

Also, OMG, it's happening :D

No one spoke for a minute or two (though Margaret was biting her lip in futile anger and letting out spitting sounds not unlike a furious cat). Jack's words seemed to hang suspended in the air.

"Well that makes sense," Skye said suddenly, snapping the whole group out of their shock. "It had to be someone with money."

"El Lamo?" Judy choked out. "But I mean - how - he was on stage himself when the predators went savage, that was a crazy risk to have taken-"

"We don't know what he stood to gain, perhaps the risk was worth it, for him in any case," Nick snarled, shaking his head. "Carrots, it hardly seems a coincidence that there was a trapdoor conveniently left ajar on stage; his means of escape perhaps? Look, we wind up in a trailer that his co-conspirator Frosty Foxy somehow knows is exactly where the trapdoor will lead."

"Yes that's right," Judy was massaging her temples, trying to think fast. She caught sight of the reporter's face and read the truth there with sudden stark clarity, as though it had been pronounced in a booming voice. "It is true, isn't it?" she asked of Margaret.

"Bite me, you dumb bunny," Margaret told her viciously and inconsequently.

"I'd take that as a yes," Nick shook his head at Frost. "They'll wash your mouth out in prison for you, have no fear. Start keeping a civil tongue in that jaw of yours now, save time."

"Nick, about El Lamo," Judy was tugging on her partner's sleeve urgently. "You pulled him up from the stage, where did he go, where did you see him last?"

"Still up on the cables and wires and stuff," Nick replied, quickly going over his recollections. "Just before I had to switch my attention to you heroically jumping in to save Cornered Gazelle. Finnick had come over and was taking care of Two-Faced Lamo for me... I just left them at it and went down after you, didn't I?"

"Bogo was there and the rest of the ZPD, it was mayhem, but hopefully no one managed to slip away," Judy was saying, hopping up and down in agitation. "Quick, we have to - I'll run back out, we have to make sure he doesn't make a run for it."

"Yes, let's," Nick agreed, peering round at the door.

"You're hurt-" Judy started again, holding a paw up to stop the fox.

"No deal Carrots," Nick cut her off smoothly. "We're in this together, and I'm more likely to find a paramedic out front anyhow. You both," he cast over his shoulder at Skye and Jack. "Keep an eye on Frosty till the rest of the ZPD gang swing by to take her off your paws, will you?"

"You can rest easy on that account," Skye said with feeling as Jack nodded firmly by her side.

"Then let's go Carrots," Nick was wrenching the trailer door open for Judy and himself. "Let's go!"

The two friends ran out into the open (as fast as they could given Nick's limp) and, after taking quick stock of their surroundings, headed back towards the stage and the scene of the recent fiasco. They arrived at one of the side entrances within a couple of short minutes and took the measure of the situation that had unfolded in their absence.

All of the tigers and lionesses were still on stage, but most had been sedated and were asleep or extremely drowsy. Those three or four who were as of yet fully awake were being held down by several ZPD representatives each, their paws tied behind their backs and (Nick winced) muzzles over their jaws. This was obviously not a measure of cruelty though but merely a gesture of caution. A couple of doctors and what looked to be some research assistants were bending over the sedated predators, examining the spots on their body where they'd been hit with serum.

Bogo and a host of other ZPD officers were taking charge of the situation; Judy saw her boss sending several of the smaller officers down the trapdoor chute to investigate and knew that soon enough Margaret Frost would be safely taken away, not to mention that Gazelle would be found and taken care of. Her sharp ears picked up the comments of one of the medics who was hastily conferring with Bogo.

"Seems like a new strain of the serum," she heard him explain. "We'll have to take more blood tests at the lab, but I'm sure given twenty four to forty eight hours we should be able to crack this one. They all need to be kept sedated in the meantime of course I am afraid..."

"Do what you must," Bogo inclined his head, accepting the specialist's prognostics.

The crowds of spectators had mercifully faded away, but there was a swarm of reporters hanging around at the top of the ranks, held back by the official ZPD spokes-animals who were patiently repeating, "There will be a press conference, ladies and gentlemammals, but we can not at this time pronounce-"

There didn't seem to be any hurt or wounded animals on sight, though of course they might have been taken away on ambulances by that point. At the very least there were no bodies, which would not have been removed at so short a notice, and Nick and Judy exchanged quick but giddy grins at the realization that they had, probably alone, ensured that this potentially disastrous night had yielded no mortal casualties.

But where was El Lamo?

He was nowhere to be seen, but Nick suddenly spotted Finnick sitting in one of the now deserted VIP boxes, unhurriedly smoking out a cigarette and looking on at the ZPD's busy comings and goings on stage.

"Hey, Big Guy!" Nick called, and he and Judy made a quick bee-line for Finn.

"Wilde!" Finnick removed the cigarette from his mouth and broke into a sincere grin. "Well well, still in one piece!"

"So far so good," Nick confirmed. "What's been going on out here?"

"Oh they got the crazy cats down," Finnick shrugged. "No one hurt dangerously, a couple o' bites to go around, some mammals'll need stitching up... You first more like," he added, spotting the scarf wound round Nick's bitten ankle.

"Yup," Nick pulled a face. "Lucky the stuff ain't catching... Buddy, the lama, the singer, where did he go? He was with you last, right?"

"Him?" Finnick blinked at the two friends in confusion. "What about him? I just helped him offa them cables after you went down the rabbit hole out on the stage. He was all shaken up-like. He left and went off to compose himself or something like that, he said."

"He what?" Judy cried out.

"When was this?" Nick questioned urgently. "Which way did he go?"

Finnick seemed bewildered at their inquiries, as he had every right to be.

"Ten minutes?" he suggested, straining to marshal his recollections of the chaotic scene. "And it's weird, now that you mention it, he didn't make it for them trailers and behind the scenes cubbies and such. No sir, he headed way out back where there's just service buildings and the like. Some sheep folks went with him"

"He has some means of escape," Judy stated flatly. "And more back-up. Of course he does. Finnick - thanks." She turned to Nick.

"Right behind you Carrots," he sighed, and off they dashed, leaving a very puzzled Finnick in their wake.

Out back behind the stage again, following the general direction Finnick had indicated, Nick and Judy were presented with the sight of several plain rectangular storage sheds stretching out in the distance.

"He could be in any of them," Judy whispered, scanning the buildings. "Or already run off, they must have had a car, something-"

"I see them," Nick said suddenly. "Or him more like," he corrected himself. "That flashy costume, I just caught a glimpse in that shack out there," he indicated the furthermost and most nondescript of the storage sheds.

"Really? And I can hear something," Judy was straining her excellent ears, willing the noise and hubbub of the commotion they'd left behind to detach itself from the weird humming she could barely distinguish. "Gosh, I hope they don't have another load of serum or - wait! I recognize that sound, it's a chopper being geared up!"

"They're escaping by air," Nick suggested. "Makes sense. He'll have a personal helicopter, that one, and the right to land and take off around the premises... It isn't that suspicious even, he likely just said he was heading back to his mansion to calm his nerves and that he'd be right back for questioning if needed or what not. Meanwhile he'll cross the border and disappear with his cronies."

"What do we do?" Judy gulped, peering at the shed. "It's pretty big, that building. And they can't be numerous, not with his whole team of shooters already down... Nick, they must already be climbing into the chopper, there's no time to call for - do you think we could make a quick discreet dash for the shed, find the controls that open the helicopter double doors, jam them and then dash back and get Bogo?"

"It sounds like a plan," Nick sighed heavily; there had been enough dashing and risk taking for his taste already, but even he could hear the helicopter's buzz at that point and at any second it would be bursting out into the sky and bearing the criminals away to freedom. "All in a day's work; let's do it partner! Hop, hop!" and he took off at a lopsided run, Judy close behind him.

They sneaked into the shed as stealthily as they could, keeping low, and sure enough, once inside, they saw a helicopter bearing El Lamo and two heavyset sheep aboard all ready for launching. The two sheep were just finishing conferring and switching the controls on the dashboard; El Lamo sat behind them, his face a mixture of fury, impatience and frustration. Gone was the charming latino pop singer.

The means for the helicopter to exit the building was obviously a huge opening in the ceiling; two sliding panels were neatly pulled back and the evening sky twinkled merrily through. The coast was clear for the chopper to take off.

"I see the likely panel for the sliding doors," Judy muttered, spotting it. "It's a bit high, you'll give me a leg up Nick?"

"Sure," the fox whispered back, as he crawled after her, hiding behind the stacks of boxes scattered here and there. "Don't take the chance of staying up there too long though Carrots. Just pull and jab at every and any lever you see, one of them'll likely jam those shutters closed. And I'll pull the cables of the whole blasted thing out after that."

"And we run back the way we came," Judy hissed back, nodding.

This plan, once set in motion, worked out even better than our heroes could have hoped for. Judy gave the dashboard her all, ramming all the buttons and levers in lightning speed succession. The chopper, that had just commenced its assent, was met with the sliding panels closing in on itself at such an opportune moment that its blades were actually rammed in between them, the whole aircraft toppling back to the ground from the two or three feet it had risen to precariously. El Lamo and the sheep yelped and cursed inside, clambering to get out.

"Perfect, the helicopter is out of action into the bargain," Nick gave Judy a quick grin and thumbs up. "Now back out Carrots-!"

"There's someone jammed the control panel, that's what!" one of the sheep shouted angrily at that precise moment. "I had everything checked and in running order! Someone's here Lamo!"

"The devil," El Lamo cursed viciously, grinding the floor with a hoof, leering in the direction of the controls Judy had evacuated seconds earlier.

"Uh-oh," Nick muttered, and together, he and Judy beat a rapid retreat on all fours behind a likely stack of crates where they both crouched, holding their breath.

"Well, search the-" El Lamo was starting, before the second sheep cut him off.

"No time Boss," he said laconically. "We search or we make a run for it on hoof, but we ain't doing both."

El Lamo cursed again, but he could hear the hubbub in the distance as well as any of them and guess that it would be mere minutes before the ZPD came combing through the premises.

"Did either of you at least park a car within easy distance?" he demanded of his assistants angrily.

"I did," one of them volunteered. "But whether we can access it in all of this - the helicopter was really the best -"

"Well don't just stand there," El Lamo shoved him rudely, as the trio took off at a run, heading for the shed exit. "So long as there's a chance-" they ran out of the building oblivious of Nick and Judy's hiding place.

"Phew," Judy started, wiping the sweat off her brow, but Nick held a paw up for her to be silent.

He had every reason to urge her to do so, for the criminals were obviously not done with our heroes. Though they had no time to search the largish shed, they did have time to shut the heavy doors behind them and scrape a lock in the key ominously.

"The nasty-" Judy started, rising from her hiding spot. Her ears twitched.

"They haven't left," she told Nick in an undertone. "I can hear them just outside the doors; they're hissing something at each other. What could it be? I thought they were in a hurry to try and get to their cars."

"Whatever it is, it's nothing good for us," Nick told her solemnly.

Within a minute or two they heard the sound of hooves running off from the shed door. They realized the criminals had taken their flight.

"Let's get out of here Nick!" Judy cried, springing to her feet. "I didn't like that whispering that went on out there."

"And for good reason," Nick was sniffing the air deeply. "Carrots, can't you feel it? There's something in the air."

"Is there?" Judy looked at him in surprise and sniffed too. "What is that? Is it..."

"It's gasoline," Nick said, after another whiff. "And smoke," he added.

The fox and the rabbit surveyed each other in silence.

"They locked us in," Judy stated flatly.

"And they've set the stupid shed on fire," Nick groaned.

Judy cast a wild look about her. The only means of escape from the box-like structure they were in was via the doors the crooks had just left through (where a fire was presumably now raging) or through the wide opening in the roof, the sliding doors to which were now jammed tightly shut with mangled helicopter parts thanks to her and Nick's efforts.

"What the-!" her slender frame shook as the full scope of their situation hit her.

"They don't want us identifying them if they do escape," Nick supplied. "And/or they want us crisp and well done if they don't get away; at least they'll have gotten back at us."

"They're burning us alive in here!" Judy grabbed her ears with her fists.

"More like smoking us," Nick coughed, covering his nose. "Carrots get down, get on all fours. It's the smoke that'll get us in here before any flames do. There ain't no openings for the air to come in."

Thick black clouds of smoke were indeed already hanging heavily under the ceiling and it was becoming hard to breath. They could feel the heat emanating from the closed doors of the one story building.

"There must be some way," Judy whispered, down on all fours as was Nick. "I mean this can't be it... let's look around Nick, come on!"

Two minutes of searching produced nothing but a tiny airhole level with the ground. It was only a few inches wide and seemed to be there to evacuate rain water more than anything else. They crouched by it, eagerly inhaling the meagre supply of oxygen it offered.

"Nick," Judy croaked, her throat dry and achy from the soot. "Bogo and the others will find us, right? Before... they'll come and see this building that is suddenly burning down, right?"

Nick gazed back at her, his eyes glowing emerald in the dim light. He rather wanted to hold Judy tight and reassure her to the best of his ability. At the same time he couldn't look her straight in the face and lie. His thoughts were becoming muddled too as less and less oxygen reached his brain.

"Carrots," he said with a heavy sigh. And, because he couldn't think of much else to offer, he held a paw out and squeezed her wrist tightly.

Tears came into Judy's eyes at that and she blinked furiously, feeling numb with shock.

"This is all my fault," she gabbled. "We should have hung back and gotten Bogo and the others to have come with us. Geez, I am stupid, just a real dumb bunny! "

"Hm," Nick's eyes had flickered closed for a moment, he had lost some blood with his wound and now the smoke was knocking him out. He forced himself to stay focused for a while longer. "It's part of the job Carrots... everyone knows there's always the risk..." he shut his eyes again.

"Nick?" Judy's heart was hammering as she saw how drowsy he appeared. "Can't you breath? Here, crawl closer to the opening, come on!" she pulled at him urgently.

He obeyed, but Judy could tell he was humouring her. Nick thinks we're goners, she suddenly realized, the fur on the back of her neck prickling in terror. He's letting go! And maybe we are!

She couldn't believe it. Was this really it? How would the news be broken to her parents, her siblings? And Nick's Mom? Judy's heart gave an almighty lurch. Mrs Wilde did, after all, have only Nick as family in the whole wide world. And here he was, eyes shut and breathing growing raspier in the fumes.

There was so much she had still been planning to do. Work, friends, family... and Nick! She hadn't even told him! She had been waiting till after the concert, she had been planning for the right moment and now here she was, or rather, here they both were. She'd never said it and now they would both pass, suffocated in this ridiculous bunker-like shed.

She had to do it. If it was the one last thing she snatched from life before she was cast into nothingness. She had to.

"Nick," she said, clearly and loudly, her cheeks growing hot despite how desperate the entire situation was. "Nick. I have to tell you." She shook his collar to rouse him out of his stupor.

Nick groaned and his eyes flickered open again.

"It's OK Carrots," he mumbled. How tired he felt. What was the conventional thing animals said in this sort of situation to comfort the other one? "At least we're in this together," he muttered.

"Yes. No," Judy shook her head. "Not about that. About... I wanted... I needed to tell you Nick, and now I've almost left it too late. Nicholas Piberius I - I've realized - well, a while back now - I - I'm afraid-" she gulped hugely. "Nick I fell in love with you," she ended all in a rush, her flaming face mercifully disguised by the semi darkness surrounding them.

Her pronouncement had the effect of a bucket of ice cold water on our red-furred hero. Nick finally snapped to attention and surveyed her wide-eyed. What had the rabbit just said?

"You're gabbling Bunny," he said finally, propping himself up on an elbow. "You've breathed too much soot in."

"Have not!" Judy parried hotly. "I've wanted to tell you since ages Nick, I've tried and I've tried, but I just couldn't - and now it's too late, but at least I did say it and-"

Nick's mind was swimming. Propping himself up higher had not been a good idea. He felt half asleep and half stunned. Surely he wasn't conscious, because Judy was making no sense. There was no realistic scenario in which she could have said those magic words, not of her own accord like this. The bigger part of his brain that was still functioning was happily cheering at this sudden very welcome news that it did believe, for Judy didn't look like one who lied. The other part was urging him to joke this subject off, like he always did anything and everything that cut too close to the bone.

"Look," he tried again, massaging his brow with his free paw. And then, most probably because of how weak he was feeling, Officer Wilde committed his one fatal mis-step. Just the one, but it was enough to give him away entirely. "Look - Judy-"

Judy jumped at the completely alien use of her given name in one who only ever referred to her as 'Carrots' or 'Fluff'. She dared raise her gaze up to Nick's and read her answer quite clearly there.

"You too!" she shrieked, her spirits soaring. "You too Nick!" she pelted herself at him and wrapped her arms around his neck, her face in his chest.

"Carrots," Nick corrected himself hastily but belatedly, with only a half-hearted attempt at shrugging her off. "It really doesn't matter - what I mean is-"

"Of course it matters," Judy cut across, her voice catching as she held back a sob. "I'm just sorry I didn't tell you sooner, when now we're going to - we're both-" she couldn't quite continue, but Nick felt her arms lock firmer around his neck and a very decisive kiss was planted on his cheek.

"Well," he thought, his mind altogether short-circuiting at this turn of events. "That's one way to go. Not the worst." That was his last conscious thought right before he finally passed out.

"Oh no, Nick!" Judy exclaimed before she started coughing uncontrollably. He'd gone down, and she was feeling oh-so whoozy herself. What could she do? What could she do?

Bending over to get another gulp of fresh air from the tiny gaping hole in the wall, Judy wondered whether she hadn't already lost it from the smoke and everything that had happened. She was seeing things; tiny figures darting around.

In another second she realized with a jolt that she was not imagining them. A huge host of rodents was scurrying back and forth in and out of the opening, just big enough for their stature, while one beady-eyed mole gestured here and there giving out orders. Given their minute figures, the rodents had every advantage in the smoke filled space as they were close enough to the ground that the air they breathed was still passable.

The mole waved to attract Judy's attention, and she bent over to listen to what he had to say.

"Miss FruFru sent us Officer," he piped into her ear. "She had a bunch of us stand by at the ready all night; The fennec fox said you'd taken off in this direction, and then she went to investigate and saw the fire. They'll be in there, she says, and we set to work at once. This hole ain't big enough for you and that fox, Officer, but we have tools. We'll un-jam the panels up top and hoist you up, don't you worry."

"Thank you," Judy whispered, tears running down her cheeks as she clutched her unconscious partner and beamed at the mole. Dear FruFru... "Thank you!"

The mole smiled back at her.

"We're almost there Officer," he squeaked reassuringly. "Just hang in there. There's a bunch of medics to look after your friend on the other side too."

"Thank you," Judy repeated a third time. "And the criminals... El Lamo..."

The mole smirked up at her.

"They made a run for it but went smack into the police who were holding up the shooters. The sheep already detained did not look kindly on their buddies getting away. They shouted out for them to be captured as well. Teamwork for you. They're in cuffs, the lot of them."

Could it really all be turning out, Judy thought in happy astonishment. Her eyelids suddenly felt so heavy from relief and from all the smoke she'd inhaled. Her eyes closed of their own accord and the last thing she registered was the feeling of hundreds of tiny paws hoisting her up and the mole's shrill voice intoning, "Easy now, easy does it..." as she was born out into the fresh night air.