Hello everybody! How have you all been? It's my pleasure to welcome you all back to another chapter of To Stand Together or Not at All! Yay! Alright let's get down to business! This is a huge chapter; really big things happens. With that said I hope you enjoy!

Chapter 11

Rocky Road of Recovery

Chapter quote:

"I must not fear. Fear is a mind-killer, the little death that brings total obliteration. I will face my fear. I will permit it to pass over and through me, and when it has gone past. I will turn the inner eye to see its path. Where the fear has gone there will be nothing. Only I will remain."

-Frand Herbert

Bonus quote: "The only thing we have to fear is fear its self."

-Franklin D. Roosevelt

It was Sunday morning in the city of Zootopia. Precinct 1 was relatively busy. Everyone wanted to go spend a day camping. So it wasn't busy around the city like it was on week days. Within the station everyone was gathered in the bull pen waiting for Chief Bogo to come in and give out assignments.

Bogo was a very punctual mammal; he always did everything on time and in a pattern. So when he was five minutes late for the briefing it had the whole room completely silent and dreading his arrival. The last time he was late there had been a murder that was linked to a serial killer the night before. But that was a long time ago and the murderer had since been taken care of.

Just those facts alone were enough to have the senior cops really worried about what had happened. So here sat the Precinct 1 police force all crammed into one little room worrying about what was making their boss unusually late for the meeting.

When at long last the buffalo stepped through the door the tension in the room tripled. It was obvious that he hadn't slept at all the night before. His uniform was a mess and he had bags under his eyes. Surprisingly his eyes were full of fire and determination, and some anger.

Quietly he walked to his podium at the front of the room. The only sound was the thump thump thump of his hooves on the floor. When he reached the small wooden fixture he stood and silently addressed everyone there.

When Bogo at last spoke it was as if a canon went off in contrast to the quiet that had dominated the room. "Last night at seven forty-five we received a destress call. The call was from Hopps and Wilde who had been on a date at the Yacks observatory earlier that night. Apparently they managed to catch one of our thieves in the act. They pursued the mammal all the way out of the city limits of Zootopia. After the vehicle the suspect was driving turned onto a dirt road; they lost control and went off the road. Seeing the opportunity Hopps and Wilde tried to apprehend the suspect, they were both unable to do so. Wilde was shot two times and Hopps has sustained several broken ribs and a heart attack most likely caused by shock. They are still both alive and are in the hospital."

Everyone in the room let out a massive breath in relief. As the chief had been talking they had grown more and more nervous and worried that the cute couple hadn't made it.

"Alright everyone settle down! All of your assignments are now on the back burner. This is now priority number one! Until either Hopps or Wilde wakes up to tell me. I want everything done to figure out who almost killed two of my cops. Do everything you can to stop these guys. Dismissed!"

Two weeks later

In the IC unit at Zootopia general hospital there was a room. In this room was a fox. Nick had sustained two bullet wounds; one to the shoulder and the other to the very outside edge of his abdomen. Both caused major bleeding and required minor surgery to save his life.

In the same room as before there was also a bunny that shouldn't be alive, but still was, against all odds. Judy had received extreme damage to her back. The only reason she didn't die instantaneously was because of the braces in her vest she was wearing. They didn't know the extent of the damage however. It could be very minor and she might have some back pains later in her life when she gets older. Or it could be very severe and damaged her spinal cord which could paralyze her for the rest of her life.

The list went on: dislocated knee, all the stitches she had received earlier that week had also been ripped so she bled quite a bit too. She also had a moderate concussion, several broken and fractured ribs; both from the front and the back. One of the worst of all was what the shock did to her body.

You see shock can do a multitude of things to your body to deal with pain. It can knock someone out to end the pain. It can also lower your ability to comprehend things and start to shut the body down.

But that is only the beginning; that is what you call emotional shock. This is part of what happened to Judy. The other side of the coin revealed that she had also experienced medical shock; cardiogenic shock to be exact. That meant her heart was unable to pump enough blood around her body causing a drop in blood pressure which was the cause to the shock in the first place.

This is what happened to Judy. In the few seconds after she was thrown into the tree. A combination of adrenaline and fear for herself and Nick, along with the snowballing effect the low blood pressure caused her heart to just stop beating all together.

It was a gross understatement to say she was lucky to be alive.

So now Nick Wilde sat in an uncomfortable chair in a white room watching his friend lay in her bed. The room wasn't special in any way; it was a normal hospital room. There was a couch along one wall and two chairs the one Nick was sitting in and one by the head of the bed. Along with those was a small table that went over the bed so whoever was in it could eat. And of course there was a small TV across from the bed hung up by the ceiling.

This was all the fox had known since he had woken up. He wouldn't leave the room as soon as he found out where it was. Several doctors and nurses had tried to talk him into going back to his own. He either ignored them or argued. Eventually Chief Bogo himself had told them that he could be there. They still had yet to move a bed into the room for him.

When Nick had woken up Bogo had hounded him about what had happened. He had to retell everything that happened. It was like reliving a nightmare. They had argued about if it was really Ryan that they had seen. It was an argument that they were still sore about. They had pretty much been yelling in each other's faces. The chief did mention that he was sorry that he couldn't have done more to have prevented the whole situation. At least Nick knew he cared, which he was grateful for.

That was the only interaction he had from the ZPD, other than some of their friends showing up with flowers and get well cards. Clawhauser being the most frequent. He stopped in every couple of days with a massive bouquet to see how his favorite couple was recovering.

Nick sat quietly watching and waiting. He was immensely tired. This would be the fifth day he would go without a full night's sleep. He kept having nightmares. They had started as soon as he had woken up and had plagued him every time he closed his eyes. Every time he did visions of Judy being thrown and lying on the ground in pain while she reached out to him replayed before him in more than perfect clarity. No matter how fast he ran he never made it to her in time. He'd always wake up in a panic right before he got to her.

The first time this happened his body was fully awake but his mind wasn't. He was still in the dream. He couldn't really remember that much from that night. Most of what he did remember was of him running through the halls on all fours looking for Judy. According to everyone he asked; one of the security guards had hit him with a tranquilizer so he wouldn't further injure himself with the exertion.

Nick was interrupted from his thoughts when the door to the room opened and in walked Judy's mom; Bonnie, with a tray of food in her paws. She and her husband Stu both had come into Zootopia as soon as they heard about what had happened to their daughter. Stu had stayed as long as possible but eventually was forced to return home to run the farm and help take care of the littler kids. Bonnie had stayed to be with Judy when she woke up.

Nick's mother had also showed up as soon as she heard the news. She'd stuck around until Nick woke up to make sure he was going to be alright. She had visited several times since then for a couple hours each.

"You hungry Nick? I brought you some lunch." Bonnie asked hoping he'd say yes. He hadn't eaten in a few days and she was getting worried about him.

"No thanks Mrs. Hopps. I'm not really that hungry." That was exactly what he had said the last three days. This only made Bonnie worry more.

Bonnie put the tray down on the small table next to the bed in case he changed his mind. Then she turned and glared at the fox. "What have I told you? Stop calling me 'Mrs. Hopps.' If it wasn't for what you sacrificed." She gestured at the bandages around Nick's shoulder and abdomen. "My Judy wouldn't be alive right now. "Call me Bonnie, heck call me mom if you want! It's the very least I can do. If you keep calling me Mrs. Hopps you're going to start making me feel old."

The last part put a small smile on Nick's face. "Okay, okay Bonnie you win I'll quit being so polite." He said with an eye roll.

It was a rare thing nowadays for Nick to smile. When was the last time I smiled anyway? Was the last time really the night at the observatory? He found himself thinking.

He felt as if the light in his world was fading. The light that had literally bounced into his life and pulled him out of the darkness he had surrounded himself in for so long. He was scared of losing Judy. That had the smile fading from his face faster than a candle can be blown out.

After his comment Bonnie saw the distant look return to Nick's eyes as he once again focused on Judy. She knew he cared for her deeply. That was normal for police partners. He hadn't eaten in three days and had no sleep in the last five. He wouldn't leave the room. He could hardly stand to keep his eyes off of her. Several times she had come in, in the mornings to see him holding her paw and talking quietly to her.

Bonnie too looked over at her daughter lying in the bed. Her condition had improved a little. She had started twitching in her unconscious state more. Her vital signs were getting stronger as well. She was recovering, but one wouldn't use the word well. There was still the huge chance that Judy could be paralyzed.

It would break the poor bunny's heart. Bonnie didn't know what would happen to her if she couldn't be a cop any more. She could only hope and pray that she would make a full recovery.

Later That Night

Bonnie was sitting in the chair next to Judy's bed crocheting another treasure bag for one of her kids. Each one she made was unique in design and color; she also liked to put a name on them so there wasn't any fighting about whose was who's. She always liked to do this but rarely found the time anymore because she had so many kids. As much as she hated to admit it the time away from home was kind of a nice break.

She was interrupted in her work when she herd Judy take a deep breath. The exact same sound someone makes when they first wake up, a cross in between a yawn and a groan. The older doe looked over at her daughter. Judy had stirred a little bit but was still asleep. This wasn't the first time Judy had done this but it was becoming more and more frequent.

Bonnie watched for a second but when Judy didn't move any more she went back to her crocheting. After another five minutes or so Judy stirred again.

Slowly Judy's eyes fluttered open, but she didn't have the energy to keep them open and they closed again. She sat for a second trying to remember anything really. She couldn't remember any dreams, what happened the night before, or where she was.

Then it all returned in a flash: her date, the music, the dancing, the stars, the planets, the chase, Ryan, and Nick. She remembered Nick getting shot! What happened? What happened to her? More importantly what happened to Nick?

Judy's eyes flew open and she bolted up right. "Nick?!" Then she felt the pain. Her back felt like it had been hit with a sledge hammer. Her leg and knee exploded in pain. And her entire chest seamed to constrict around an expanding ball of spikes. It was excruciating.

Instantly Bonnie was up and at Judy's side her crocheting forgotten. Judy had stopped breathing and her eyes were rolling back into her head from the pain. "Judy! Relax I'm here. It's okay, it's okay." She reached out and helped the young bunny recline back into the pillows. After a second Judy was able to chance breathing again. She was one step away from panicking, and Bonnie could see it.

Judy looked up at her mom's face. She was barely holding back tears. "Mom?"

"I'm right here bun bun. You're alright." She soothed.

It hurt to talk but she had to ask. "Where's Nick? Is he Okay?" She started crying more.

"It's alright honey. Nick is fine." She paused. "He saved you; you wouldn't be here right now if he didn't." Bonnie leaned forward and embraced the hurt doe. Giving as much support as possible

"What happened? Where is he?" Judy needed to see him or she was going to lose her mind.

Bonnie leaned back and looked in her daughter's purple eyes. She could see so much fear and pain in them. It wasn't like Judy to be afraid of anything. For Nick's safety to have Judy this worked up and this afraid there was something more than met the eye. Bonnie could see it in Judy's eyes; she loved that fox.

"He's alright Judy, he's over there." She pointed across the room to the fox. He had fallen asleep in the same chair he had been sitting in earlier. The way he was sprawled out in the over sized chair made Bonnie's back hurt.

Judy looked at her friend. He looked terrible. He was only wearing a pair of shorts but his entire upper half was covered in bandages. She couldn't make out all the details but she could see several cuts on his face and neck all the way down to his bandaged shoulder. The sight had Judy beside herself.

She looked at her mother again and whispered. "What happened?"

Bonnie hated seeing any of her children cry. She wrapped her arms around Judy in a loving embrace. "It's going to be alright bun bun. Nick is just fine; he's still his witty self. He just hasn't had much sleep lately."

Judy hugged her mom back and tucked her head under her chin. She felt like a little kit again after she hurt herself playing. They stayed like that as Bonnie told everything she knew about what had happened. At one point a nurse came in and was shocked to see Judy awake. She went about getting Judy something to help with the pain. She left with the promise that she would be checking on her often and that a doctor would be in to talk to her within the hour.

After Judy was situated with another IV and was starting to feel a little better. Both she and her mom were quiet for a long moment. Judy was trying to deal with the shock of what had happened. And her mother was just watching, ready to give more moral support if needed.

"You love him don't you." It wasn't much of a question, more of a statement.

Judy was baffled by what her mother had just said. "What?"

Bonnie sighed. "Nick; you love him don't you?"

Judy could not even begin to imagine just how her mother had found out. She had done such a good job of hiding it. Hadn't she? "How, how do you know?"

"You've been staring at him for the last ten minutes. You were in tears about what happened to him. You were in a panic until you knew where he was." She paused thinking. "He's one of the only things you ever talk about when your father and I call." Judy was about to interrupt but her mom beat her to it. "Let's see I've got more. As far as I know you two spend a lot of time around each other, even when you're not at work. You were on a date with him for peat's sake! It really wasn't that hard for me to figure it out. Plus I'm your mom I know these kinds of things."

Judy crossed her arms and looked away from her mom with an ashamed look on her face. "Fine, you've made your point. Now you know. I'm a weird bunny for falling in love with a fox."

"I never said that. You're my daughter Judy. I would never think you're weird for that. Now I have a question for you: Why haven't you told him how you feel?"

Judy was really at a loss, too much had and was happening for her mind to process it all. Why hadn't she told Nick? What was the real reason? Deep down she knew, but she didn't want to admit it.

"I don't know mom." she paused for a long moment. Long enough that Bonnie thought she was done talking. After another moment Judy spoke again. "I'm scared. I don't know what he'll think. For all I know he will think I'm weird and not want to have anything to do with me anymore. I don't want to lose what we have right now. And even if by some miracle he didn't think I was some sort of freak. He probably doesn't feel the same."

Bonnie leveled a serious look at Judy. "Judy, do you remember what you told me and your father the day you left for Zootopia? I do. 'The only thing to fear is fear itself.' You're right you know? I was afraid for you when you said you wanted to be a cop. But look how you turned out. Sure things like this happen and believe me it still scares me to death. But you didn't let my or your father's fear get in your way to get where you are now. So if you want to go any farther don't let your own get in the way."

"I know mom but what if Nick doesn't like me like that? What if he wants to end our partnership?"

"Judy that fox got shot twice to save your life. He hasn't eaten in more than three days and hasn't slept in over five. He can hardly stand to leave this room. Every morning I come in and see him holding your paw like you're going to disappear. Even if he doesn't love you back, I'm sure he would still be your friend." Her phone buzzed interrupting her. After she silenced the thing she looked back at Judy. "I'm really sorry to do this to you but I have to go for the night. They'll kick me out if I don't."

Judy sighed. "That's alright mom. Thank you."

Bonnie reached in for one last hug before she left. "I love you Judy I'll see you in the morning."

Judy hugged back happy that she had been able to talk and be listened to. "I love you too mom."

As Bonnie walked by the chair with Nick in it she paused and looked at the fox. She turned around and looked back at Judy who had relaxed back into the pillows and had her eyes closed again.

After another second of thought Bonnie reached out and shook Nick's shoulder gently. "Nick. Nick honey." His eyes fluttered open and he looked at her with a sleepy expression. "Wake up. Judy is awake."

As soon as she had uttered the words Nick was instantly awake. He was about to get up but Bonnie put a paw on his shoulder stopping him. "She's been through a lot and needs you. More than you may realize. I'm trusting you to take care of her. Can you do that?" She already knew he would, even before she asked, but she still needed to hear it.

Nick looked Bonnie in the eyes. "I'll do whatever it takes." Even though he had just been asleep moments ago Nick spoke with complete conviction. Bonnie knew that he spoke the truth; his wounds were testament to that.

The old doe took her paw off Nick's chest and placed it on his cheek. "Thank you, Nick, for everything." He nodded back at her. Bonnie picked her crochet bag up from where she had put it down on the floor and walked to the door. As she opened the door she turned around to take one last look at Judy. She was relaxed back on the pillows. With one ear flopped back across the pillow and the other leaned over her shoulder. Even from here anyone could tell she had been through a lot. After a moment she turned and closed the door behind her and was gone.

A few seconds later Nick braced himself with his paws on the chair and heaved himself up. Judy was awake. He had prayed for this moment countless times. But now that it was here he didn't know what to do, didn't know what to feel, didn't know what to think.

Slowly he made his way over to the bed she was in. Not because it hurt to move but because he didn't know what to do and was buying time to think by walking slow. When he at last reached the bed he wasn't any more prepared then when he left the chair.

Nick sat down in the chair next to the bed and took a deep breath, his head swimming with nervousness. "Judy, are you awake?"

Her eyes flew open and they met Nick's. To the count of two they didn't move, didn't speak, and didn't even breathe. Just as suddenly as they had opened Judy's eyes filled with tears and she leaned forward. Nick caught her half way in an embrace that said more than any words ever could. They both cried, not caring that they were. They were crying for each other and all the pain they had gone through. They cried because they made it through and were able to hold the other again.

"Oh N-Nick, I was s-so scared. So scared that-that I had lost y-you." Nick only responded by holding her closer and stroking her ears. They fell quite just reinforcing the fact that they were really still alive and together.

After several minutes they were reasonably calmed down. They separated and looked into the other's eyes. Judy broke the silence. "Nick, are you alright?" He started to shake his head yes, but thought better of it and shook it no. "Nick please tell me. It's alright."

Nick hated himself at that moment. He was supposed to be giving support to Judy. Not the other way around. All the grief, all the stress, all of; everything had come to a head. And Judy was the only one he was comfortable to let it out around.

Nick leaned forward and embraced Judy again. "I'm sorry Judy. I'm so sorry. All this is my fault. I should have never taken you to the observatory." His voice was thick with emotions and Judy could tell he was starting to cry again. All she could do was hug him back and listen.

"When I saw you get caught I was so scared. I've never been so scared in my life. Then he threw you. I watched you die Judy. Right in front of me and I couldn't do a thing! I was afraid I'd never get to tell you."

Judy had started crying again too as she held Nick and rubbed his back. He must have gone through hell. She felt so bad for causing him to worry so much.

What did he mean that he'd never get to tell her? Tell her what? "Tell me what? What do you want to tell me Nick?" Nick stayed quite not saying a word. Judy let go of him and leaned back again. Then she reached forward and grabbed his muzzle and made him look in her tear filled eyes. "Nick, please tell me. You don't have to be afraid anymore. I'm right here and I'm not going anywhere."

Nick looked in to her amethyst eyes. She was begging him to trust her. She trusted him completely, but did he trust her just as much?

Nick blinked once. I have to tell her.

Twice It's now or never Wilde!

Three times "I love you Judy."

He could hardly comprehend the words as they left his mouth. Silence fell over both of them. Neither even breathed. Both their minds had a hurricane of thoughts whizzing around them.

Just as suddenly as the silence had fallen Nick broke it. "I have for a while now. I was just too afraid and too stupid to tell you because of what you might think. I also didn't want our friendship to change because of it. But after almost losing you I can't live with this secrete anymore. I love you Judy Hopps. Even if you don't love me back. I hope you'll at least still want to be my friend."

Judy was silent, her eyes were wide and ears standing straight up. It all made since now. So, so many things made since now. His reaction to her radio getting broke. Her falling off that shed. And most of all the reason he took the bullet for her. Their date, and his well-planned dance with her. This must have been what he wanted to tell her then. It all made since now!

"Nick, why didn't you tell me sooner? You've made me suffer for so long." As she spoke Nick's ears fell lower and lower. "Do you know why?" He shook his head which she was still holding. She leaned forward and put her mouth right next to his left ear and whispered. "Because I love you too, you dumb fox."

Nick's ears shot up and he pulled back to get a look at Judy's face. She had a shy but happy look on her face as she looked up at him. Nick might say it was cute, but the thought never even crossed his mind. "You, you lov-?"

"Yes, I love you too Nick!" She lunged forward and grabbed him with as much power as she could without causing herself pain.

They had been through it all. In the last ten minutes they had started and stopped crying not on but two times. Then they confessed their love for each other. It was an emotionally exhausting ten minutes to say the least.

Nick leaned back and cupped Judy's face in his paws. Slowly they leaned in until they met in a kiss. It was a little odd at first because of the shape of their muzzles. Nick's nose smashed into Judy's. But it was still perfect.

Nick couldn't believe what was happening. He was kissing Judy Hopps! And Judy was kissing him back! For months he had wanted to do this, but didn't because he didn't know what she would think about her partner trying to kiss her. They pulled away from each other foreheads still resting together however. It wasn't a long or short kiss. But they wouldn't have it any other way.

When Nick opened his eyes he saw Judy doing the same. They met eyes again and just stared. They were trying to process what had just happened and whether or not it was a dream.

Judy cracked a smile and started giggling. Nick smiled too. "May I ask what is so funny?"

"I'm happy." She answered and then paused for a second. "That was actually my first kiss." She looked up at him blushing.

"Really?! You've never kissed anyone before?" Nick was shocked. Judy was a beautiful bunny. He assumed the bucks would be all over her.

"I told you Nick I didn't even get a date to any of my proms. Of course I haven't kissed anyone before." She smiled even bigger. "That's why I'm laughing. I kissed the one fox I love!"

And just like that they forgot the pain, heart ache and the grief. They were just what the other needed. It was as if nothing had happened, they were just in the hospital for no reason at all, pretending they were hurt to get some time off. (Something Nick had actually suggested once) It didn't matter what had happened. It happened and nothing could change that. What did matter however was that they made it through; together. And that is what they would stay; Together.

Alright what did you think? Please please please review! I'm begging. Tell me how I'm doing. Tell me if I made any spelling mistakes. Tell me what you like most about the story so far. Or what you don't like about it. That's good too. Give me constructive criticism! Please! I'm bumbling around here in the dark with a flash light that doesn't have any batteries. Help a guy out and lend a battery or two. It's appreciated beyond what words are able to express.

Okay I think I need to explain one thing about shock. I originally thought it was a mental thing. You know scared beyond belief, your body trying to deal with pain, that sort of thing. But it's not. Believe it or not it has to do with blood pressure. If your blood pressure drops too much you go into shock. I would never have guessed. The shock Judy went into was cardiogenic shock. Which in short means her heart wasn't able to pump a sufficient amount of blood which made her blood pressure drop. This I would assume would have a snowball effect and get worse and worse until the heart stops and you die. There are other things that could have helped cause her shock too; the hit to the back being number one. But I won't go into that. Unless you guys what me to. Comment if you do.

Now; last thing. A huge, huge thank you goes out to everyone that had Favorited, followed and reviewed and just taken the time out of their day to read this. This was not an easy couple of weeks for me. Seeing those numbers go up has really helped me get through. Thank you guys so so much! Your support and feedback is appreciated beyond any words. Also if you haven't Favorited, followed and reviewed yet feel free to do so. You're always welcome along on this little adventure; I'd love to have you along.

Okay I lied before this is the last thing. My updates might start to take a little longer. A recent development has a occurred I'm going to college. I honestly don't want to but the machinist apprenticeship I'm doing apparently requires that I prove that I'm not a dummy. Oh well But I'l be starting around the first half of the month of January and updates might slow down some until I'm adjusted.

Well until next time. I wish you guys and gals the very best. Merry Christmas! And have a wonderful day or night wherever you are. :)

Bye!