Disclaimer: I don't own Zootopia or it's characters, I'm just a big fan of the movie. Warning: This chapter got a bit darker than I expected, but the whole story won't be like this.

Chapter 2

Judy was standing in the bathroom of her dinky apartment, studying herself in the mirror, making sure that she looked okay for her meet up with Nick. Her ears were still a bit wet from the shower she had just taken. For some reason, they always took longer to dry than the rest of her fur. Usually, Judy didn't care so much about her appearance, except to make sure her police uniform looked neat and professional.

But for some reason, she found herself making extra sure that the purple T-shirt she had bought a few weeks ago complimented her eyes, and that the blue jeans fit decently. As she picked up the brush to straighten the fur on her head and ears, she heard her phone go off in the other room. She walked out of her bathroom, still brushing her fur as she picked the phone up, assuming it was Nick giving her the address to his apartment. She was pretty excited to see where her partner lived. If she got to see Nick's apartment, it would be a way of letting her into another piece of his life, which he so rarely did. But as she watched the bright screen appear, she saw that it was a text from her parents.

Hey, sweetie, can we call you? Are you busy?

Judy smiled. Ever since the nighthowler case, her parents MuzzleTimed her on a daily basis to make sure she was okay, and that she was still enjoying her time on the force. At this time of day, they probably assumed she was at work, which explained the text. Judy went to her contacts, clicking on Mom and Dad, and selecting the MuzzleTime option. A few seconds later, the face of her father and mother appeared on the screen.

"Hi, honey!" shouted Judy's mom, Bonnie. Her husband, Stu, stood next to her with a smile on his face.

"Hey, guys," said Judy. "Did you need something?"

"We just wanted to see if you were doing okay. It's still kind of early, are you off today, honey bun?" asked Stu. Judy affectionately smiled at her father.

"No, Dad, I have a lead on a case I'm working on with Nick, but I have to wait until nighttime to follow it." Her parents both looked at each other with strange expressions. "I know, it's weird that I have to wait until dark to follow a lead, but that's just what Nick said."

"How is Nick, by the way?" Bonnie asked, a smile growing on her face.

"Yeah, how is that guy? You know we haven't even gotten to meet him yet," said Stu.

"I know, I'm sorry," Judy apologized. "But in all fairness, he just graduated from the academy not long ago. I promise you guys will meet him whenever the opportunity presents itself."

"You know, sweetheart, you talk about Nick a lot. I'm starting to wonder if you have a little crush on this guy," Bonnie said with a smile. Judy could feel her cheeks getting as red as Nick's fur.

"No, no, no, I do not have a crush on Nick! He and I are just best friends and partners-uh, I mean partners in fighting crime," Judy was surprised that her parents would ask her such questions.

"Oh, okay. Sorry about that, hun," said Stu. "So, what're you gonna do while you wait for the sun to go down?"

Judy knew that what she was about to say would only further arouse her parent's suspicions of her and Nick's relationship status. She was glad that they accepted foxes now, but they were starting to take it a bit far. Still, she didn't want to lie to her parents.

"Um, I'm actually going to go see a movie with Nick...at...his-um...apartment," Judy said, regretting each word that came out, knowing that her parents would accuse her of going on a date with the fox.

Bonnie's eyes got really wide, "Oh, okay. We better get going, Stu, Judy's got to go meet her friend. Bye, sweetheart." Before Judy could say anything, the call ended, leaving her a bit distressed. She didn't know why that bothered her so much. Her parents weren't the only ones that thought she and Nick should get together. Most of the people at the force smiled warmly at the two when they walking together. Nick always made a joke to get their attention away from his friend, knowing how uncomfortable Judy felt when they looked at the duo like that. He could always read her like she was a novel. She wished she could read that fox like that.

Judy shook off that feeling of discomfort, knowing that she and Nick were just friends, and that they were going to remain that way. She walked back to her bathroom, checking herself in the mirror one last time, making sure she looked nice, before checking for any messages from Nick. So far, there were none. She thought about calling him, but figured that he would just text her when he was ready to meet her. While she waited, Judy hopped on her bed, turned on that Gazelle song she had been listening to obsessively since she made it to Zootopia, and relaxed, waiting for Nick's message to tell her where his apartment was.

Nick was picking up the dirty clothes he had on the floor, knowing that Judy would lecture him on the importance of being neat and clean if she saw his old boxers scattered everywhere. He was currently wearing a pair of khaki pants with a button-up black shirt. For once, though, he wasn't wearing his lucky tie. That tie had been around his neck for every scam he pulled with Finnick, and even when he was solving the nighthowler case with Judy. He never wore it much now, but maybe it would come in handy again one day.

Nick finished picking up most of the clothes before collapsing on the couch, propping his feet up on the coffee table, and turning on the T.V. He flipped through some channels to see if anything interesting was on, but to his disappointment, it was nothing but reality shows, news, and other shows that he had never seen, and would never bother trying to see.

Unable to find anything on the T.V, Nick simply switched it off and looked around his spacy apartment for anything that Judy wouldn't like. He really didn't need to try to clean up. If Judy got mad at him for it, he would just come up with some witty remark that she couldn't respond to.

I suppose I could get a shower, he thought. Eh, why not? I don't have much else to do. Nick got up from his comfortable couch, and went to his bathroom to turn the shower on. While waiting for the water to get hot, he went to his speaker that sat on a small table next to his T.V, and took out his phone to check for any messages. I should probably text Carrots the address now, but she may come here as soon as I send it. Definitely don't want her show up while I'm getting a shower. Nick shuttered at the thought, and just decided to text her after he got his shower. He plugged his phone into the speaker, letting the music from his playlist fill his apartment with his favorite songs.

He wasn't much of a dancer, but Nick couldn't help letting his footsteps match the beat of the music as he closed the door to the bathroom and got into the shower. He let the hot water hit his fur and he could faintly hear the music from his living room. He felt peaceful, relaxed. He felt good. Only two things ever made him feel one-hundred percent comfortable. Music and Judy Hopps.

Nick had never really had any friends, but the ones he did have never made him feel like Judy did. She even got him to reveal one of his most traumatic experiences, and she didn't even ask him to. He just told her for no reason. To this day, he still didn't know if he hated himself, or felt better for telling her. He felt naked around her. Well, he technically was naked right now, but she made him feel like he had no barriers. Like she could see right through him. It was weird...but he didn't really mind it.

When he was away at the academy, he had thought for a moment, and just one moment, that he might like her as more than a friend. But he knew that was ridiculous. He had just missed his future partner, only being able to chat with her via texting or phone calls. As the fourth song from his playlist started, Nick got out of the shower and put a nearby towel around his waist before going out to the kitchen.

He went to his refrigerator where he spotted a carton of blueberries and an iced coffee he had bought last night and forgot to drink. With a smile on his face, the fox popped a few blueberries into his mouth and took a sip of his coffee beverage. He put the drink back into the fridge, feeling quite satisfied with himself, and started walking to his room, drying his fur on the way, ready to put on the first shirt and pair of pants he saw in his dresser.

Suddenly, Nick felt it. That all too familiar sensation. His towel slipped from his hands, and he automatically grabbed his chest with his claws. He could feel the overwhelming sense of fear and panic as he backed up against the nearby wall and slid to the ground. His heart was beating hard and fast. So hard, in fact, that he didn't need to have his paw up to his chest to feel it thumping. His heart wanted out, it wanted to be free, and Nick was more than happy to accommodate. He dug his claws deeper into his chest, as if trying to rip his own heart out just to stop it from making him feel so awful.

Nick felt like he was going crazy. He felt like he would never be able to escape the fear that was plaguing him. Only to make matters worse, wave after wave of memories began to flood his brain. The most prominent of them all was that night with the scouts. He could almost feel the cold muzzle pressing into his face. He found himself using the other paw to claw off a muzzle that wasn't there, instead clawing up his face and head. He sat there, his back against the wall, trying to take deep breaths, refusing to let tears come out. He hadn't cried since that night with the muzzle, and he wouldn't do it now.

Nick wasn't sure how long he sat there, taking deep breaths, but his heart rate slowly started beating at its regular strength and pace. Once the awful feeling had subsided, Nick had no strength left. He couldn't fight the tears that were streaming out of his eyes, and gave up. The dam broke, and he sobbed and cried. He wasn't sure if it was relief or the remaining fear, but he was crying. He was no longer the confident Nick Wilde that everyone knew. He was the young Nick Wilde, crying with his back against a staircase, feeling like he wasn't worthy to be given the precious gift of acceptance.

Exhausted, emotionally and physically, Nick stood up and carelessly removed his phone from the speakers, no longer wanting to listen to music. He decided to send Judy a simple text:

Something came up. Gotta cancel the movie. I'll meet you at your place later to talk to my guy.

After sending the text, he turned his phone off, too ashamed to wait for a response, and walked to his bedroom. Except this time it wasn't to get dressed. It was to collapse on his bed, tears staining the fur on his cheeks, and try to fall asleep. Maybe he would wake up, and it would all be gone. No more attacks, no more worrying, and no more faking.

Judy was awoken by the sound of her text tone going off. Her headphones were still in, making it extra loud. She rubbed her tired eyes, checking the text she got. To her excitement, it was from Nick. She could finally go to his apartment. Only, it wasn't his address. He was cancelling on her.

"Something came up. Gotta cancel the movie. I'll meet you at your place later to talk to my guy," Judy read aloud. "I wonder why he would cancel." Disappointed and realizing that it would still be quite a few hours before she and Nick could go meet up with his old acquaintance, Judy was left with more free time on her hands than she knew what to do with. Frufru would be too busy taking care of her child, her parents were all the way in Bunnyburrow, and she really didn't feel like MuzzleTiming them again, and she doubted she would be able to go back to sleep after her little nap. She was already dressed and everything. Her only choice was Clawhauser, and while she loved the cheetah, she just had her hopes set so high on watching a movie with Nick.

Admittedly, she felt just a bit clingy for wanting nothing but to watch that movie with her partner with whom she already spent most of her days with. With no other options, Judy decided to just go for a walk through Zootopia to clear her head. She got up from her bed, taking her headphones out, and exited her room, taking a glance back to make sure she hadn't forgotten anything. As she walked down the hall, she saw the two antelopes that stayed in the apartment next to her. They were crazy neighbors that always listened in on her conversations. Judy suddenly felt very fortunate that they hadn't been in their room to hear her read that text aloud.

Nick woke up, groaning from the awful dream he had. He lay there in his bed, more than a little relieved that he was finally awake and away from that nightmare. He groggily slid out of his bed and went to his living room. That's when he saw the towel on the floor. In that moment, Nick knew that what had happened hours ago was no simple nightmare. It actually happened. He sighed, remembering that text he sent Judy. Nick quickly put on a set of clothes, consisting of a red polo shirt and jeans, and went to where he had left his phone beside the speaker system. As he waited for it to turn back on, the fox looked out his window above the kitchen sink, realizing that the sun had gone down. It was nighttime? How long had he been out?

He was interrupted from his momentary shock by the bright light of his phone. That was when he got his second shock. Judy hadn't responded to his text.

That's not good, he thought. Remembering his promise to meet her at her apartment to talk to his old friend, Nick put his phone back into his pocket and went back to his bathroom to wash his face so he could wake himself up. When he turned the light on and looked into the mirror, he saw the claw marks on his face. They were pretty light and had already started healing, but Nick couldn't let her see them. One claw mark was on the upper part of his cheek, another was on the base of his muzzle, and the third was on the right side of his head. His shades could easily hide the ones on his cheek and muzzle, and Judy was too short to be able to see the upper part of his head, so he hoped that she wouldn't notice and start asking questions like the little detective she was.

Nick reluctantly pulled up his shirt, seeing the four marks on his chest where he had scratched. They weren't very deep either, but it was definitely hard for Nick to look at them. It was bad enough to have these attacks, but he had never clawed himself because of them before. Pulling his shirt back down with the mentality that if he couldn't see them then they didn't happen, and walked out of the bathroom, no longer needing to wash his face to wake himself up.

He quickly walked out of his apartment, grabbing his keys and shades on the way out. If he didn't have good night vision, it would have been impossible to see at night with sunglasses. He just hoped that Judy would be too focused on the case to notice his strange liking for sunglasses at such an hour.

Judy had returned to her apartment after taking a long walk and reluctantly asking Clawhauser to go see some movies with her at the theatres. It wasn't that she had a bad time, though she would have preferred that the cheetah hadn't talked to her throughout all of the films they watched. What bothered her was what Nick had texted her. She had tried to stop thinking about it several times, but just couldn't bring herself to think about anything else.

The way that text read was just wrong. It was abrupt and short, and worst of all there was no joke at the end. Every text he had sent her made fun of her in some way or another. She hadn't called him or texted him back, assuming that whatever made him serious had to be important. But now that it was dark out, she was about to call and make sure that they were still going to meet that guy that she had been waiting so long to do. She clicked Nick's name in her contacts, and waited as she heard it ring.

"Hey, Carrots," Nick said. "Ready to go meet my old compadre?"

"Yeah, didn't you say that you were coming to meet me at my place?" At that moment, Judy heard a knock on the door, and hung up the phone, knowing who it was. When she opened it, she saw Nick standing there, holding his phone. That smile on his face ever present.

"Yikes, I was just talking to this bunny on the phone, and she just hung up on me. The nerve of some people, huh, Fluff?

"Really, Nick?" Judy asked. "You were already here?"

Nick shrugged, "What can I say, I'm timely." His smile got wider, but he noticed how droopy Judy's ears were, and let his smile fall. "Look, I'm really sorry about cancelling, but something came up. Forgive me?"

Judy looked up at her friend, watching his mouth start to form an expectant smile. He already knew she would, he just needed to hear it.

"I'm not upset about it, Nick, I've just been so bored all day." If Nick wasn't wearing those shades of his again, she would probably see the sparkle in his eye.

"Well, you won't be bored for much longer, Carrots, because it's time to keep going with this case. Let's go." Nick started down the hall, his smile back to its full strength. Judy shook her head with a smile of her own.

There's the Nick I know, she thought, her smile fading. So who was the Nick that texted me?

Sorry this chapter is a bit darker than the previous one. With this story, I'm trying to blend real life with the movie. I still want to make the characters as accurate as I can to the movie, but at the same time, I want to see some aspects from reality. Nick's panic attack, for example, may not be in the movie, but I believe that it is something he has to deal with after experiencing such events in his childhood. I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter, and I want to say thanks for the feedback. Constructive criticism and suggestions for the story itself are always welcome.