Chapter 6: The Good Kind of Barf

A/N: Well, this was meant to be the semifinal chapter to the story, but there was so much content here that I have to make two more chapters. Here's hoping I can end this story before Christmas. In this chapter, Nick tries to avoid falling in love, but his heart says otherwise.

Monday morning. December 18th

Nick and the other kids arrived at the classroom. Nick decided to wear his old denim suspenders so Stacy could be carried in his front pocket. He looked a bit like a hillbilly (or a skinny Gideon Grey) but he didn't care. The kids were all getting into their desks and Nick set Stacy down on hers. He waved hello to Ben and Flash as they sat at their desks.

Then Chucky walked in. The little woodchuck was absolutely furious. He looked at Nick with evil intent and did a throat slitting gesture with his finger. "You and me. After school!" Chucky said.

Nick just smiled. "Bring it. You don't have a prayer!"

"THAT'S ENOUGH TALKING!" shouted the new teacher who just came through the door. "Now sit down and shut up!" The kids immediately ran to their seats in fear of their new polar bear teacher. "Now listen up you little brats! Your old teacher's not runnin' this show anymore. I am! Name's Mrs. Friedkin. You may know my daughter who's in the second grade right now. Don't bother asking her out because she's already got a boyfriend! She knows how to make herself very popular!"

We cut to last week where Friedkin's daughter is threatening a young wolf. "Be my boyfriend or yer dead!"

"O-Okay!" said the wolf pup. "Just don't hurt me!"

Back in the classroom, Mrs. Friedkin continues. "Thanks to Mrs. Damwood cheating on grades, she got demoted to teaching pre-school and now I'M stuck teaching you rugrats instead of coaching P.E.! Now SOME of you snot-nosed punks have had it easy. I'm looking at you Chucky! You're days of being on easy street are over! We're changing all of your tests to their proper grades and I have a feeling momma's boy is gonna be failing!"

Chucky tried to defend himself. "B-But it's not my fault! Nick's mom snitched on..."

"DROP AND GIVE ME TWENTY!"

Everyone was shaking themselves scared of the new teacher, but Nick had a huge smile on his face. "I like our new teacher!"

"I heard that Wilde! I don't take kindly to suck-ups!" drop and give me twenty too!"

"Yes ma'am!" Nick said with a smile. He dropped down and was doing push-ups fast while Chucky was struggling. He finally showed off by doing them with one arm just to make Chucky look bad.

"Very impressive fox! You ought to go out for sports!"

"Thanks Mrs. Friedkin!"

"Now let that be a lesson to you kids. This is an even playing field now! No advantages, no disadvantages. You'll work hard on getting your grades up or yer dead! By that I mean, you might fail and repeat this grade again. For some of you, I'm gonna be your worst nightmare!"

8 hours later, the bell rang and the kids were leaving the classroom. The teacher spoke up. "Thank yer lucky stars ya only got one more day with me before Christmas vacation starts this Wednesday! Now get lost!"

Nick stopped to talk to his new teacher. "Mrs. Friedkin?"

"Whaddya want?!" the teacher growled out.

"So do you mean it? You're gonna treat us all equally?"

"Sure! You'll find I'm tough. REAL tough, but fair."

Nick gave her leg a hug. "I love you Mrs. Friedkin."

"Hey! Hey now! You're not supposed to like me! I'm trying to be intimidating to scare you kids straight!" Nick softened the polar bear and he petted the fox's head. "Aww. You can see through me can't ya? Well don't worry Nick. Everything's gonna be fair and square from now on. Now get outta here ya little rugrat!"

Nick caught up with Ben and Flash outside. "Where's Stacy?"

Ben explained. "She had to go to the little, little, little girl's room. She said to meet her by the mouse awning of the sidewalk."

Flash spoke up. "Are...you...gonna...fight...Chucky?"

"That's up to him." said Nick. "I don't wanna hurt anyone, but let's face it. He doesn't have a prayer against me."

"I can't believe you and Stacy live together now!" Ben replied. "You guys are taking this relationship thing too far."

Nick was surprised Ben said that. "What?! I though you were a total Wildder shipper!"

"Oh I am! But living together is too much too fast! You know mice carry diseases right?! She could easily give you cooties!"

"Well none of that matters. We already told you we were only pretending to be in a relationship because Stacy didn't want to tell you guys she was homeless. She's got a home now so we can stop pretending."

"Well I don't buy it." said Ben. "I see the way you act around her. And to spend a whole weekend building her a home?! Going through all this trouble? That's love right there."

"Whatever." Nick replied.

He then heard Chucky yelling by the playground. "NICK WILDE! Get over here or I'll squash your girlfriend!"

Nick's ears shot up. "Oh no! Stacy!"

The three of them ran into the court yard to see Craig stepping on Stacy's tail and Chucky had his foot over her. "One false move and I stomp her!"

"What do you want Chucky?" Nick said.

"You ruined my life! Your mother got my mother fired!"

Ben raised his paw. "My mother helped too."

"Shut up fatty! Now my old grades are coming back D's and F's! I'm gonna fail the 1st grade!"

"That's your own fault." Nick replied.

"No! That's YOUR fault! And I'm gonna make your girlfriend pay for it!"

Nick was very worried for Stacy, but he knew to keep his cool. "You mean Stacy?"

"Yeah! I'm gonna squish her!"

"Ummm...that's not Stacy."

Chucky was confused. "What?!"

"Yeah, I think that's the girl mouse from the second grade. What's her name? Karen I think?"

"Y-You're lying!"

"Go ahead and squish her then. Wow you're dumb! You must think all mice look alike."

"I-I'm not dumb! Craig, we got the wrong mouse. Let her go."

Craig let his hoof off and Stacy bolted as fast as she could towards Nick.

Nick knelt down to grab her. "Over here Stacy! Quick!"

Chucky had been fooled. "That was her the whole time?!"

"Sucker!" said Nick. Stacy jumped into his paws and Nick held her close and rubbed his cheeks on her. "Awww Stay-Stay! Are you okay?!"

"I'm okay Nick!"

"I was so worried! But I played it cool."

Ben rolled his eyes. " 'Stay-Stay'? Oh sure. You're totally not a couple."

While caressing Stacy, Nick felt a strong feeling he never felt before. Thump! Ba-Bump! His heart skipped a beat. "Hunh. That's weird."

"What's weird?" Stacy asked.

"Ummm nothing! Hold her Ben." said Nick as he passed Stacy over to the fat cheetah. Now Nick had a different look on his face. A look of great anger. A look of a viscous predator. He stalked towards Chucky, growing at the woodchuck. "You dare hurt MY Stacy?! I'll rip you apart!"

Nick had no attention of attacking Chucky, but he knew he could give him a good scare. He bared his fangs and claws. "RRRAAWWWR!"

Chucky fel backwards to the ground in fear. "AAAHH!" The scare was a bit too much as a wet patch started to grow in the front of his crotch.

Craig betrayed Chucky as he pointed and laughed at the woodchuck's dilemma. "Look! Chucky peed his pants!"

The other kids pointed and started laughing too. They chanted "Chucky peed his paaants! Chucky peed his paaants!"

"No! No I didn't!" Chucky cried. "It's Nick's fault! He made me!" With the laughing still going, Chucky ran away. "Mommy! Mommy!"

As Chucky ran away, Nick felt a little bad. "Wow! I didn't mean to make him wet himself. I actually feel a little sorry for him."

"...Don't." said Flash. "He...had...it...coming."

"I guess."

Ben put Stacy. In Nick's front pocket. "So...YOUR Stacy?"

Nick blushed. "Shut up Ben."

Later on, Nick with Stacy in his front pocket came home. "Momma! Stacy's mom! We're home!"

Nick put Stacy down and she ran to her mom who opened the door to their brick-o home. Vivian stepped out of her room. "How was school dear? Do you like the new teacher?"

"I love her!" said Nick.

"She's scary!" said Stacy.

"She's a polar bear. She's real tough, but deep down, I think she's nice." Nick argued. "She said she's gonna treat us all equally and she made me and Chucky do push-ups."

"Why?!" Vivian asked.

"I talked out of turn. She was a coach."

"That would explain it."

"Hey Viv, could you put on some Christmas music?" Helen asked.

"Sure." Vivian turned on the radio and Rockin' around the Christmas Tree was playing.

Stacy climbed up on the coffee table and started dancing. "Nick! Look at me!" she said as she was doing a silly dance.

Nick just watched and giggled.

"Dance with me!" Stacy asked Nick.

"Okay." Nick replied. Two of them were doing a silly dance and giggling. Vivian thought it was cute and took a picture of the two. He got on his knees to her eye level and spun her around with his paws.

Thump! Ba-Bump!

"There it is again!" Nick thought. "What's going on?!"

Later that night, Everyone was sitting down on the couch together and watching TV. Nick had Stacy in his lap. As How the Finch Stole Christmas was playing, Nick looked down at Stacy and she looked up at him. They both smiled at each other. Unconsciously and out of pure instinct, Nick gave her a very gentle kiss on the forehead.

Thump! Ba-Bump!

"Oh no!" Nick thought. "What's wrong with me?!"

Her very gently sat Stacy next to her mother. "I gotta go to my room for a few minutes. Why don't you spend some time with your mom?"

Stacy was very confused, but accepted. "Oh! Ummmm...Okay!"

Nick ran into his room. "What's wrong with my heart?!" He immediately called his friend Ben. "Hey Benny, I'm having a weird problem."

"Is it like when you let out a really big fart and then you realized you didn't just fart so you have to change your shorts?"

"Uhhh...no. My heart's been skipping a beat sometimes. Like it's defective!"

"I get that sometimes. Do you feel a sharp pain on the left side of your chest? If so, just let out a really big burp and you'll feel better."

"...Dude, you SERIOUSLY need to see and doctor and have him recommend a diet. No, it's not that, it's...I feel like I'm gonna barf, but the good kind of barf? Like when you're almost done being sick and one good puke will make you feel all better?"

"So...you're sick?"

"No! Just the opposite! When it happens I feel...really good. Like and anti-sick."

"Hmmm...When has this happened?"

"Well, the first time it happened was when I saved Stacy from Chucky and she ran over to me and I hugged her, the second time was when I was dancing and Stacy was dancing on the coffee table and just now when she was on my lap watching TV and we looked at each other. Isn't that weird?!"

"Oh...Em...Goodness!"

"What?"!

"Don't you see the connection?! You saved Stacy, you danced with Stacy and you had Stacy on your lap. Every heart skip involved Stacy! You're falling in love!"

"What?! No! It's probably indigestion or I'm dying or something."

"Yeah, sure. It's totally love. I bet you can't get her off your mind."

"Of course I can Stacy! I mean, Benny! Look, we're close friends who...just happen to hug and kiss on occasion and that's all!"

"Well, if you want to be sure, look in the mirror and think of her."

"Hunh?"

"I don't know if it's the same for canines, but when felines are happy or feeling love, our pupils dilate and get super big. Maybe it's the same for you?"

"That's crazy."

"Just try it!"

"Okay. Thanks Ben. "I'll see you at school tomorrow."

"Last day! Whoo-Hoo! See ya!" with that, they hung up and Nick went to the bathroom.

He crawled up to the top where the sink was and looked into the mirror at his own eyes. "Let's see. Think of Stacy Cheddar." nothing happened. "Hah! See! Nothing. She's just my friend. She's like a little sister to me. I can kiss her on the forehead and it means nothing." His pupils started to dilate. "Sure she's cute and a silly dancer and I like the funny ways she comes up with kisses, and..."

His pupils were so dilated he couldn't see any white. "And I like being her protector, but that doesn't mean...Oh no! I'm in big trouble!" He shook it off. "I-I can't do this! I'm a fox! She's a mouse! She's...a little sister! Yeah! Brothers don't fall in love with their sisters! Just remember that Nick."

When he came back to the couch, he cuddled up with his mother and barely spoke to Stacy the rest of the evening. Stacy didn't understand and felt like she did something wrong.

Meanwhile at the Damwoods, Mrs. Damwood came home to see her son crying. "What's the matter son?"

"Why did you have to get fired?! I tried to get revenge on N-Nick a-and I threatened to squash his little mouse girlfriend, a-a-and the tricked me into letting her go and then he threatened to bite me! He was all scary with his claws and fangs out a-a-and me made me pee my pants in front of everybodeeee!"

Mrs. Damwood went over and hugged her child. "Aww! You poor baby!"

"I'm gonna get him good momma! Me and some of my friends are gonna gang up on him when he's alone at school tomorrow!"

"No dear! You can't do that!"

"W-Why not?!"

"I'm already in enough trouble as it is! Do you want me to get fired?! Besides, I have a better plan."

"...Oh?"

"I want you to do the opposite. I want you make friends with him."

"MAKE FRIENDS?! Why would I ever do that with that sneaky fox?!"

"Because you need to hit him where it counts the most. His heart. The only way to do that is to let him drop his guard. Make him a part of your pack. Then, when he's least expecting it, strike him down hard. Make him know that a filthy fox like him will never, EVER fit in!"

Chucky thought about it. "Me and Craig are in the ranger scouts. They'll be admitting new kids this summer."

"Good. GOOD! That's perfect! He'll feel worthless."

The Damwoods shared an evil laugh and cackled together.

It was the next day. The bell rang as the time hit 3pm. Christmas vacation had officially begun. "Alright ya little brats! Have a merry Christmas! And make sure you do your book report over the next two weeks or yer dead!"

Mrs. Friedkin watched as they left and she was able to drop her facade. "Awww! I'm gonna miss those cute, little rugrats. Bless 'em!"

As Nick, with Stacy in his pocket was walking away with Ben and Flash, Chucky ran up from behind. "Nick! Wait a moment!"

Nick immediately turned around and got into a fighting stance, ready to defend himself and Stacy. "What do you want Chucky?!"

"I wanted to say I'm sorry for the way I acted yesterday. Without my mom around, I'm scared of how I'm gonna keep my grades up. But it was wrong of my mom to put yours down and I need to work harder at my grades. We talked a lot last night and she's trying to make up for what she did. So here's a blueberry pie just for you and your mom."

Chucky handed Nick the pie and he took it with a look of suspicion. "Merry Christmas Nick!"

Nick was a bit confused. "Uhhh...thanks? Merry Christmas"

Chucky left and Nick immediately sniffed the pie. "No cyanide or foreign chemicals that I can detect."

"It's pre-sliced!" said Ben. "Let me be your taste tester."

"If you want to risk it." Nick replied.

Ben took a slice and gulped it down fast. "Mmmm...very flaky crust!" He then immediately started to hack. He bent forward and started making gagging motions. "Unnnh...Gunnnh! Bleeeck!"

"Oh no!" Shouted Nick. "It really was poisoned!"

Ben then barfed up a glob of fur. "Nope, just a hairball."

"Ewww!"

Meanwhile, Flash noticed something. He pointed to the sky. "Guys!...Look!...Snow!"

They all looked up. Sure enough, it was snowing. "Awesome!" said Nick! "Guys, get your winter cloths on and let's come back in an hour to the playground for a snowball fight!"

Nick ran home with Stacy. "What's so great about snow?" Stacy asked. "Isn't Tundra town covered in it?"

"That's just frost." Nick replied. "It comes from the big machines that cool down Tundra town and warm up Sarah square. It's as much snow as the frost in my freezer. Real snow feels more like a powder."

"I'm glad your talking to me again. You've been avoiding me since last night."

"I-I don't know what you're talking about."

"You're acting like you're scared of me!"

"What?! That's crazy! I-I've just been busy. That's all."

"Nick...I've been wanting to tell you something. You're such a wonderful fox! I...I..."

Nick didn't want her to confess her love as he knew he couldn't hold back his feelings. "Say! Do you have a winter coat?"

"Yes, but I'm trying to..."

"Good! Okay, we're home!"

For an hour Nick managed to keep from talking to Stacy as the snow fell and collected on the ground. A good foot of snow collected by the time the kids regrouped at the playground. "Woo-Hoo!" shouted Nick. He set Stacy on a picnic table. "Stacy! Watch me pounce! Watch me!" Nick jumped high in the air and landed straight down head first. The powder was thick enough that only his little legs could be seen dangling out of the snow. He was trapped. "Guys?! Are you there? I could use a little help."

Ben arrived, carrying Flash on his back so they could get there on time. Stacy shouted to Ben. "Benny! Nick's stuck!"

"I got him!" said Ben. He went over and pulled Nick out of the snow. "You okay pal?"

"I'm fine!" Nick replied. "Snowball fight! Stacy, I'll pile some snow on the picnic table and you make it into a ball. Okay?"

"Okay."

"We got an advantage. Flash is too slow to throw a ball and it'll take him awhile to collect snow."

"Guess again!" said Ben. "I'll be the one collecting the snow. Flash will be firing them off."

"How?!" Nick asked.

"With...this." Flash replied and he pulled out a slingshot.

"Uh-oh." said Nick. "Hurry up!" he said to Stacy.

"I'm trying!" said the little mouse, but she couldn't pile up enough snow quick enough with her tiny paws. "I can't do it!" she cried.

"That's okay." Nick replied. "Just stay back so you don't get hit and leave it to me." Nick quickly scooped up and packed it in tightly. "Hey Ben, I forgot something."

Ben turned around. "What?"

"This!" Nick hit Ben right in the face with a snowball.

Ben just laughed it off. "Oh it is on! Get ready Flash."

Flash pulled back his slingshot and Ben put a snow ball into the back of it. "Fire!"

Flash fired the snowball and Nick managed to dodge it and it hit the tree hard. "Uh-oh!" said Nick. That's got some force behind it!"

The three went back and fourth for awhile with Stacy watching excitedly. Nick got a few hits in and they got him once or twice.

But one snowball went awry. Flash pulled back as Ben was packing the snowball. He set it into the slingshot, but accidentally nudged Flash as the sloth fired off the shot. It completely missed Nick, but hit poor Stacy right off the table and into a pile of snow on the ground.

"STACY!" Nick screamed as he ran over to find her.

"Oh my gosh!" Ben said. "Sorry! It's my fault! I nudged Flash by accident!"

Nick dug frantically through the now that Stacy was buried until he found her. "Stacy! Are you okay?!"

"C-Cold!" Stacy replied. Despite being dressed for winter, the little mouse was shivering after being buried in the snow.

"Here! Get inside my coat. I'll put you close to my chest so you can get warm."

Nick then snapped at Ben. "Watch what you're doing next time!"

"I said I was sorry!" said Ben who was worried for Stacy's safety too.

Nick press her against his chest and stroked her head with his finger. "My poor Stay-Stay! Are you okay?!"

Stacy was still shivering, but feeling better. "Y-Yeah. I-I'm always okay when I'm with you."

Thump! Ba-Bump! Ba-Bump! Bump!Bump!B-B-B-B-Bump!

The feeling was overwhelming. Nick couldn't deny it any longer. "Stacy I love you!"

Stacy looked up and smiled. "I love you too Nick."

"I mean it! I like-like you! Y'know? I've been trying to deny it, but I can't!"

"I've always had a crush on you." Stacy replied. "That's why I begged Mrs. Damwood to have you as my deskmate even though she didn't trust you."

"So...Are you my girlfriend now?"

"Of course!" Stacy smiled.

Nick was so happy. "You hear that? I got a girlfriend! I GOT A GIRLFRIEND!"

Ben was overcome with joy. "EEEEEE! It finally happened for realsies! I'm overcome with emotion!" The fat cat hugged Flash and tried to kiss him on the cheek.

"Don't...even...think...about...it!" Flash responded as he slowly pushed Ben away.

"The snowball fight's over." Nick replied. "I'm gonna take my widdle Stay-Stay home and we'll snuggle up and watch cartoons and get warm by the heater, okay sweetie?"

"Okay, my darling!"

Nick and Stacy started making kissy faces. "My wuvy-duvy!"

"My foxy woxy!"

"Boo-Boo Bear!"

"Fluffy-Wuffy!"

As they left, Flash made a gagging motion with his finger.

"Yeeeah." Ben replied. "I may have helped create a monster. It's like that tale when you make a wish and it comes true, but in a way that's horrifying?"

"The...monkey's...paw." Flash replied.

"Yeah! That's the one. What's a monkey anyway?"

"An...extinct...species."

"Poor Nick. I warned him he'd get cooties. Now, he's got it bad."

"Yeah...He's...acting...girlier...than...you."

"HEY!"