Chapter Seven: Farewells and Secrets

A/N: You can't have a Nick Wilde fan fic without crushing his poor soul (or body) at some point. Took the day off work today and was able to catch up and finish the chapter way ahead of time. This gives me enough time to finish the final chapter before Christmas! For now, time to say a fond farewell to Stacy.

The next five days were the happiest Nick ever had. Nick and Stacy were attached to hip or in this case, his coat pocket. They went everywhere together. To Ben's place, to Flash's place, to the mall, but mostly playing and snuggling back at the apartment. The Clawhausers Cheddars and Wildes would even go caroling on Friday and Saturday. At night, Nick would tell Stacy a story from one of his children's books and would tuck her into bed by sticking his paw through the tiny window and tucking in the corners of her blanket with one claw. In the mornings, he'd tickle her awake with the same claw. They loved each other very much. But the Cheddars arrangement with the Wildes was never meant to be permanent and all good things must come to an end. Sometimes unexpectedly.

Sunday, December 24th 5pm

Nick was walking paw-in-paw with his mother down the street towards their apartment. Nick had Stacy in his coat pocket and was trying to sing one of the songs from the film they just saw. "Beauty and the Boar."

"Be our guest! Be our guest! Nah, nah, naaah nah. Something something!"

"So did you kids like the movie?" Vivian asked,

"It was great!" said Nick.

"I loved it!" Stacy said.

"You were crying when you thought the Boar was gonna die." Nick replied.

"No I didn't!"

"Yeah you..." Nick stopped talking or walking. He had a look of shock on his face. He saw the brick-o house he built for Stacy on a trailer attached to a very tiny tuck. Nick's father John, Helen and another mouse were outside near the truck. The little fox was getting worried. "Mom...what's going on?"

"Nick. Stacy. I'm sorry. The movie was a bit of a distraction. I've been meaning to talk to you two today."

Panic was filling Nick's heart. "About what?! Why is the house out here?!"

"Yeah!" Stacy added. "I'm scared!"

Vivian knelt down in front of her son and the mouse. "There's nothing to be scared of! Stacy, your uncle Bob has agreed to let you and your mother live with him. They got a HUGE backyard! For a mouse that is. Four feet by four feet! The brick-o house will fit perfectly back there."

"B-But it's only good for indoors during the winter! There's no heater!"

"Don't worry about 'dat hon!" said Bob. "You and yer mudder will be livin' in 'da house. I'll use 'da brick-o place for when my in-laws visit. Let 'dem sleep out in 'da cold! Ha!-Ha!"

Nick was angry. "NO! That was was built for Stacy!"

Helen tried to explain. "Nick! We're very thankful for what you've done for us and we'll keep this forever, but we can't live in it right now. It's too cold!"

"Can't you just keep living with us?! You don't take any room!"

"No we can't. I told you it was only temporary. I came from Breiberg to this city to live with my husband. When he passed, I...I just couldn't afford to live here! That's why we went homeless."

Nick sighed. "So this means I won't see Stacy until school starts again?"

"She...she won't be going to school with you anymore."

Tears were forming in Nick's eyes. "But...but why?!"

Vivian explained to her son. "Nick...Breiberg is over 200 miles away. That's almost all the way to Bunnyburrow!"

"I'll go to her school then!...How...How far is that?!"

"You can't walk there! We can't even drive there! It's two states over! We can visit them sometimes but...you won't be seeing much of each other anymore. I'm sorry."

Tears were running down Nick's cheeks. "No...NO! NO! NO! NO! NOOOOO!"

He clutched on Stacy tightly and ran into the apartment building. Vivian chased after him. "Nick wait!" But she wasn't fast enough. The little fox ran into his room and locked the door.

Meanwhile outside, John apologized for Nick's actions. "I'm sorry guys. This has to be devastating for the both of them."

"The poor dears." Helen said. "It's our fault. We let them get too close. We just need to give them some time."

"Well not too much time!" Uncle Bob replied. "We're burnin' daylight here! You know how long it takes fer a tiny truck like this to drive 200 miles?! We'll barely be home by New Years eve!"

"That reminds me. Why the heck didn't you call me sooner?! I only knew you were coming when you called last night!"

"Don't blame me sis! You don't have a phone! It took me forever to find out where ya moved too!"

John was admiring Bob's tiny truck. "You sure your truck will be able to carry this big house?"

"Oh sure! It's a hybrid. Half gas, half wind-up. Gets 10 miles to the gallon!"

"Really? How much gas can it hold?"

"A pint."

Meanwhile, Vivian is pounding on Nick's door. "Nick honey! Open the door! Please!"

"No!" Nick replied. "Stacy's my girlfriend! I won't let her go! You knew she was leaving! You should have told me! "

Stacy was crying. "I wanna live here with you! It's not fair! What are we gonna dooooo?!"

Nick was wiping the tears that were blinding him and was packing clothes into his backpack. "We're gonna run away!"

"SNIFF! Wh-What?!"

"It's the only way! I'm gonna pack some clothes and get some food and juice boxes from the kitchen!"

"How will we get past your mother?"

"I dunno!"

"What about my clothes?! How will we get them out of my brick-o house?"

"I dunno!"

"What about money?! And my mommy?! I don't wanna leave my mommy!"

Nick threw his clothes around in frustration and he cried. "I dunno! I dunno! I DON'T KNOOOW! WAAA-HAAA-HAAAA! I don't want you to leave meeee!"

Vivian kept knocking on the door. "Nick! Please! Open up the door this instant!"

"No!" Nick shouted. "You knew the truth and didn't tell me! I hate you!"

"I just wanted you two to have some final good moments together! Helen knew since last night. We love both of you, but they have to leave. It's what's best for both of them. You knew this arrangement wasn't going to last forever."

"Why now?!" Nick cried. "We just fell in love."

"No Nick...YOU just fell in love with her. Helen told me everything. Stacy's been in love with you for a lot longer."

"I know that!"

"Her love for you is distracting her from her schoolwork! That's why she's getting bad grades. All she's thinking about is you!"

"That's not true!"

"It is! Her mother saw her school papers. They have a bunch of drawings of you and her holding hands and "Nick+Stacy" with a heart around it. She's thinking of you more than her grades."

Nick looked at Stacy. "Is this true?"

Stacy looked down in embarrassment. "...Yeah."

Vivian kept talking on the other side of the door. "Nick, you love her because you want to protect her."

"I know!" Nick replied. "She's so small!"

"Well, Brieberg is just like Little Rodentia. It's an all-mouse community so all the school kids will be her size. She won't get stepped on or hit by a giant snowball. Nick, her grades are failing and it's not safe for her here. If you really want to be her protector, you'll let her go."

Nick was still wiping his tears. "But...but I might never see her again."

"You and her can still call and write letters. I know me and Helen have become close so we'll keep in touch. We can't visit their home though, not even our heads would fit through the door. Nick, if you truly love someone, you have to set them free."

Nick looked at Stacy who was still crying. "What do you want to do Stacy? I want you to stay b-but...SNIFF! I won't stop you from going with your mom."

"I love you, but I have to go with my mom!" she replied. "I don't have a choice!" I just wish this last moment together didn't have to be so awful!"

Just then, Nick had an idea. "Wait! It doesn't have to be! Nick ran to his dresser drawers. "Where are they?...Here!" He got out a piece of cardboard and drew a little figure, then cut it out of the cardboard with child safe scissors.

"What are you doing?" asked Stacy.

"I need to do one last thing to protect you. I'm gonna teach you how to throw a snowball! This way the new kids can't tease you if you can fight back!"

"Okay!" Stacy replied, but she knew it didn't snow in Brieberg. Outside of Zootopia, mice prefer warm climates. Just a few inches would kill any mouse unless they went underground. Stacy just wanted one last happy moment with the fox she loved before they had to say goodbye. Possibly forever.

Nick finally opened the door. His mom was still on the other side. She quickly hugged him. "Oh thanks hon-"

Nick shoved her back. "NO! You kept her leaving a secret! I'm still mad at you! Me and Stacy are gonna play in the snow before she leaves!"

Nick ran out the door past Helen and Bob. "Don't worry! We'll be back!"

They got to a small park just two blocks down from Nick's home. Nick set Stacy on a bench and gathered some snow and set it on the table. He then put the tiny, cardboard figure he made about a foot away from Stacy. He bent the figure at the bottom and put a tiny weight on it to keep it from falling over too easily. Nick then gathered snow for himself. To make snowballs.

"Okay! Remember what I showed you Tuesday. Just pack in up tight with your paws and make a nice, solid ball." Nick showed her by example. "See? Now aim like you're pitching a baseball and throw it as hard as you can!" Nick threw his snowball hard at a tree a few feet away and it splattered into frost upon impact. "Now you try it!"

Stacy scooped up some of the snow that Nick put on her table. She packed it up as tightly as she could. She gave it a hard toss and it missed completely. "Darn!"

"Try it again." Nick said. "And think of it like pitching a baseball."

"I don't know who to pitch a baseball."

"Oh! Well, you wanna hold it like a fastball, so put your thumb underneath the ball like this, and put two fingers above like so. Now, reel your arm back, aim for the target and throw forward with all of your might!"

Stacy did what he asked/ She threw the snowball hard and it hit the side of the target.

"Cool!" Nick said. "You've almost got it!"

Stacy gathered up another snowball. "This is fun! I'm gonna give it a really strong throw!" She did the wind up, the pitch and it hit right at the head of the target. However, she packed the snowball so tight that the target fell back then shot forward, shooting the snowball back to Stacy. It knocked her over.

"Are you okay Stacy?!"

Stacy giggled. "Yeah I'm fine!"

"What a hit! You should go out for baseball."

The kids laughed and launched a few more snowballs. They then spent the rest of their time building tiny snowmammals on the bench. Nick made a tiny one of Stacy and Stacy made a big one of Nick. The made grass leaves for ears and bits of dirt and pebbles for eyes and little twig branches for arms. Nick found round leaves for her ears, but otherwise, built it the same. They had the snowmammals holding twig hands together.

"What a cute couple." Stacy replied.

"Yeah." Nick looked down at his Batcat watch. Over a half an hour had passed. "We have to go."

"Awww!" Stacy was upset.

"I know. SNIFF! I wish you could stay forever, but...but this place will be better for you. No cold weather. No kids almost stepping on you. You'll meet all kinds of mice and...a-and I won't be there to distract you from your grades. Now let's go. We're making this last happy moment sad."

"How about we make it happy again with a kiss?"

Nick smiled and bent his head towards the table. "Hee!-Hee! We have gotten pretty good at it. Okay. I'll be the pucker and you be the sucker!"

Stacy laughed. Nick puckered his lips and Stacy went over and put her lips to his. It only lasted a moment and it was over. Nick opened his jacket pocket for Stacy. "Okay, hop in!"

Stacy got into Nick's pocket and the two left the park, leaving the two snowmammals still holding hands on the bench.

They came back to the truck. The parents were waiting patiently for them when Ben pushed through from behind and ran towards Nick with tears in his eyes. "Oh Nick! I just heard! I'm so sorreeeee!"

He almost tackled Nick as he gave the fox a tight hug. "Hold on Ben!" Nick shouted. "Stacy's in my pocket!"

Ben quickly backed off. "Oh geez! I'm so sorry! It's just...this is so saaaad!"

Nick rubbed Ben's back. "I know...SNIFF!...I know. Stacy, are you okay?"

Stacy popped out of Nick's pocket. "I got a little squished, but I'm fine. I'll miss you Ben."

Ben was still crying. "I'll miss you tooooo AAAAHH! It's so sad! The era of Wilddar is overrr!"

"It's okay Ben!" Stacy replied. "Me and Nick will still write and call each other. Right?"

"Of course!" said Nick. "We'll see each other again. I promise. It's too bad Flash couldn't come by to say goodbye as well."

Ben then pointed down the street. "Look!"

It was Flash. "He was speeding towards the kids by riding a skateboard. He was even doing tricks and grinding on the sidewalk much to the amazement of the other kids. "WOOOOAH!" They all said.

Flash did one more kickflip as he approached the kids. "Hi. I...heard...Stacy...was...leaving. I'm...so...sorry...Nick."

"Thanks!" Nick replied. "Dude, that was sick! Looks like you got your Christmas present a day early."

"It's...a...Hanukkah...gift...actually."

"Cool! Now you can keep up with us Flash!"

Nick's father came over. "They're all packed up. Time to say goodbye guys."

"Group hug?" Ben asked.

"SNIFF! Y-Yeah." Nick replied. The three of them hugged each other close.

Ben stroked Stacy's head. "I'm sure you'll do great at your new home. Make lots of friends. Meet a nice boy who'll love you like you did with Nick."

"Thank Ben." Stacy replied. "I hope you find a nice boy too."

Ben was getting nervous and blushing. "Wh-What?! What are you talking about? What have you heard?!"

Flash patted Ben's shoulder. "Everyone...knows...dude. It's...obvious." He then turned his attention to Stacy. "I...wasn't...as...close...as...Nick, but...it's been...nice...knowing...you."

"Thanks Flash. Oh wait! Nick! I left something in my bedroom!" Stacy then jumped out of Nick's pocket, onto the roof of her brick-o house and climbed through her window. She came back out with a gift-wrapped poster roll about half the size of a plastic straw. "Here. Your mom helped me get it."

"What is it?" Nick asked.

"I'm not going to tell you! You have to wait until tomorrow."

"But I'm here with you right now!"

"I know, but it's a Christmas tradition. Besides, it'll give me an excuse to call you tomorrow afternoon."

"I'm gonna look forward to that."

Bob was getting impatient. "C'mon kid! We gotta go or else we won't make New Year's! I'd like to get back to my wife!"

Everyone's ears fell backwards. "Great, I get to spend Christmas in the back of a truck." Stacy said. "I guess this is it!"

"Y-Yeah." Nick replied with tears in his eyes.

Stacy jumped into Nick's arms and he held her close. "I changed my mind! I don't wanna go!"

"You have to go." Nick said. "Your mommy's going and you'll be with your uncle and aunt!"

"And your new baby cousin!" Bob replied.

Helen was surprised. "Why didn't you tell me?!"

"I have a week on the road ta tell you! I got a new job that pays well so we moved into a new home that's one bedroom more than we needed. That's why I drove to get you as soon as possible. I didn't want you ta stay homeless."

"I think you just wanted a babysitter."

"Can't it be both? Ha!-Ha! Stacy honey! C'mon!"

Stacy looked at Nick. "One last kiss goodbye?!"

Nick put his finger on her lips. "No. I think the park will be the best memory for that. Besides, I can't be your boyfriend any more Stacy. It wouldn't have worked out anyway. We're so different!"

The tears wouldn't stop streaming down Stacy's cheeks. "But...but...NO! I WANNA STAY!"

"STACY! STOP! Look, the problems of a mouse and fox pup don't amount to a hill of beans in this crazy world. Now you're getting on that truck or you'll regret it. Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but soon and for the rest of your life."

Nick put Stacy in the truck and kissed her on the forehead. "Here's looking at you, kid."

Nick then elbowed Ben. "See? I watch movies too!"

Stacy leaned out of the truck as it start to leave. "Goodbye Nick! Goodbye! I love you!"

"I love you too Stacy!" Nick replied. "I promise we'll see each other again! I'll keep in touch! I mean it!"

The truck started to speed off and Nick cried in Ben's arms! "AAAAH! Why now?! Why on Christmas?!"

"You'll be okay Nick!" Ben replied.

Then, Nick realized something. "Oh my gosh! I forgot something!"

"Forgot what?!" Ben asked.

Nick jumped on Flash's back. "HEY!" Flash shouted.

"Flash! Follow that truck! Hurry!"

Flash sped off on his skateboard right through traffic which panicked Nick's parents. "Nick! Be careful!" Vivian shouted.

Flash hung off of certain cars and pushed himself off as he sped towards. Nick loved it. "When did you get so awesome?!"

Flash smiled. "With...this...skateboard."

"I gotta get me one of these!"

As the tiny truck (on the mouse lane of the street) reached a red light. It stopped and Nick caught up. "Wait you guys! I forgot something important!"

"What is it?!" Stacy asked.

Nick waved his arms and smiled wide to help hide the tears running down his cheeks. "Merry Christmas!"

Stacy and the others smiled back. "Merry Christmas!"

"I hope you get your Street Ferret game!" Stacy shouted.

"Thanks! I'll miss you!"

"You too!" Stacy replied as the green light hit and the truck down down the street. Nick waited and watched until the truck was no longer in sight. He started to cry again. "Flash, take me home!"

"Okay." Flash relied. "But...not...on...my...back."

"Why?"

Flash slowly opened his arms and embraced Nick. He held him to his chest and carried him as he got on his skateboard. "You...could...use...a...hug...on...the...way...home."

"Thanks Flash." Nick sniffled. "Y-You're a really good friend."

Flash skated back to Nick's apartment where everyone was waiting outside. Nick ran to his father and started crying and sobbing. "Why did she have to leave so soon?! Why?!"

John looked at the other children. "Kids, I think it's best to leave for now. I don't think Nick's in the mood for play tonight."

Ben and Flash looked somber. "Yeah." said Ben. "I understand. Flash? You wanna go to the skate park and show me some moves?"

"Sure" Flash replied. The kids left and John and Vivian took Nick upstairs.

John sat the crying fox pup onto the couch. "I'll go make dinner." said John.

Vivian went to comfort Nick and he pushed her away. "No! I'm still mad at you!"

"Nick! I said I was sorry!"

"I don't care! You knew she was leaving and you didn't tell me!"

"I only knew since last night! I did everything to make sure you two had a great Christmas eve before she left!"

"If...SNIFF!...If I knew sooner, I would have treasured every minute we had left!"

"It's not like you didn't have a great day with her! During that movie, you two were so happy. I watched as you had her in your lap and were feeding her popcorn, only you'd make sure she only got the soft parts of the kernel. Son, that's a beautiful memory you'll always have! Just like when you taught her how to throw a snowball."

"Parents shouldn't keep secrets from their kids!"

"You kept the fact that the brick-os were for Stacy."

"I had to! It was a promise!"

"Nick, I'm sorry, but I did what I thought was best for you! What do you want me to do?!"

"No more secrets!"

"Oh? You know that works both ways."

"Well...You always find out anyway. Tell you what? I have three questions. Three secrets I wanna know. If you tell me honestly, I'll forgive you."

Vivian shook the boy's paw. "Deal."

John overheard the conversation and came back. "Waaait a minute. Are you sure that's a good idea?"

"John, he's really hurting right now and I want to do everything I can to make him feel better. What's your first question son?"

Nick thought for a moment. "Is Santa Paws real?"

John and Vivian froze in fear. John just stuttered. "Errr...well...umm..."

Vivian was shocked. "You want to know that on Christmas eve?!"

"Yes or no?" Nick asked.

Vivian and John looked at each other. Vivian spoke up. "Well...technically...yes. Depending on the context."

"Aww rats!" Nick replied.

"Wait...You DON'T want Santa to be real?"

"Are you kidding me? Having someone know your every move? Not to mention that elf on a shelf rat! If he wasn't real, I'd be free of his grip! What's a context anyway?"

John and Vivian looked at each other. John nodded his approval and Vivian talked to Nick. "Okay, here's the thing. There WAS a Saint Nicholpaws about two thousand years ago. He'd do things like help a father marry off his daughters to keep them out of slavery by paying their dowries, he'd throw coins into some poor people's socks which I think is where we get the tradition of hanging stockings and he basically was very charitable to poor children. His legend turned into Santa Paws. He's not still alive. He was as mortal as us. The rest of Santa is just a legend that grew bigger and bigger. WE buy your presents. The Elf on a Shelf is just a doll."

Nick pumped his fist. "Yess! No fat man is judging me! Can I burn the Elf on the Shelf?"

"No."

John shook his head. "I can't believe that on Christmas Eve, when our son had to say goodbye to his girlfriend possibly forever, that we told him there was no Santa Paws."

"Hush dear." Vivian replied. "At least he's happy about it. Now, what are your other questions?"

"I know the stork is really bunk, so where do babies REALLY come from?"

Vivian looked at John and he just shrugged his shoulders. "Oookay." John replied. "What the heck! Better from us than a half truth from some teenagers. I'll go finish getting dinner ready."

Vivian went into great detail about reproduction until Nick finally stopped her. "STOP! STOP! Forget I asked! This is getting way too gross! His pee-pee goes into your pee-pee?! EWWW! For once, ignorance is bliss even if I did learn a new, four-syllable word."

"Okay, you got one last question."

"Well...ummm...I was just wondering...Am I adopted?"

Vivian was shocked he'd even ask that question. "What?! No!" she replied. "You are all ours honey! Why would you ask that?"

"Because there's just me. I'm an only child."

"Nick...you...you weren't alone in my womb. I did mention what a womb is, right?"

"Yes."

"You had a brother and a sister in there but...they didn't make it. You were the only one who came out of me alive. I can't have children Nick. It took forever just for me to get pregnant. We thought it was your father being sterile but he's not. It's me. I...SNIFF! I can't have children! The first time I got pregnant, it was a full miscarriage. None of them survived. The second time, there was just you. I...I didn't want to get through it again so I got spayed. That's why you are so special to me!"

Vivian then started sobbing a little and Nick came over to comfort her. "Don't cry mommy! I'm sorry I brought it up!"

"No..SNIFF! You needed to know this for awhile. So all the secrets are out. Do you forgive me?"

Nick hugged his mother tight. "Of course! I'm sorry I said I hated you! I didn't mean it!"

"I know dear. Now, let's watch some TV. I'm sure there's some Christmas specials on." Vivian handed Nick the remote. "Here. You can watch whatever you want."

Nick clicked on a channel showing a Christmas cartoon. "It was the night before Christmas and all through the house, not a creature was stirring..."

"Not even a mouse!" Nick cried. "AAAAH! I miss her already!"

Vivian comforted the pup. "It'll be okay honey. You'll get through this. I promise."

The rest of the night was somber. Dinner was okay, but Nick couldn't stop thinking about Stacy. The poor pup cried himself to sleep on the couch. Vivian gently bit him by the scruff of the neck and carried him to his bed. She gently put him down, put the covers over him and kissed his forehead. "Sweet dreams honey. I hope you find happiness again soon."

Vivian then got into bed with John. "Honey PLEASE tell me you got that Super Nine-Ten-Doe for him!"

"I tried so hard, but it's sold out everywhere!"

"Oh no!"

"I had to get him something else. I just hope he's happy with it."

The two fell asleep and Christmas eve had ended.