Chapter Six

"NIIIIIICK! Come on! Breathe! Nick! Don't you dare to die on me! Come back!" Judy wailed as Nick was lying on her arm, dying from the wound. The ambulance was taking forever to arrive as Nick's life was rapidly fading away. No sounds or heartbeat from Nick. Judy shook the lifeless shoulder to try to wake him up to no avail. She checked his neck for a pulse which was nonexistence.

"NOOOOOOOOOO!" Judy cried as Nick passed on as the rain started to fall down on them.

Judy gasp. She rose up on her bed and looked around her dark apartment. She was alone on her bed. She sighed in relief.

Damn. It was a dream. Judy thought as she looked at the clock on her nightstand. It read "3:23." She sighed, got off the bed, and walked to the bathroom to relieve herself. Then, she looked at the mirror, checked her wound on her left ear. It was bandaged now and she knew that it will have a hole for a while before closing up and become a scar. She expected that because of her duty as a police officer.

She returned to her bed, look at her smartphone on the nightstand. I know Nick is sleeping at this time but now that things are okay between us so I guess he won't mind my calling him, Judy thought as she picked the phone up, dialing Nick's number. After a few rings, the phone was answered.

"What's up, Carrots?" Nick answered sleepily. "Is everything okay?"

"Y-yes," Judy stammered. "I-It just that I had a bad dream and… umm. I-I just want to check on you and see that you are okay. Sorry to bother you this early. I'll let you go back to sleep."

"Wait," Nick interrupted before Judy could hang up. "Look, It's okay, Carrots. I can imagine what that dream of your is like. Something bad about me like dying or something. I can tell by your voice. Am I right?"

"Y-yes," Judy answered. "I-I just can't help it. I just – I don't know… I mean, I knew that I would have someone on police to be hurt or even dying but it is different when… uh… something happens to someone you are close to, and I don't know how I would be able to manage if something happens to you, especially after we had a row last week. It – ," She could not continue as she started to cry and hold her pillow tightly.

"It is all right, Judy," Nick said calmly. Judy knew that Nick would never call her "Judy" unless he was serious as Nick continued. "I admit that I have been doing some thinking too lately because of what happened to us recently, and, um… I don't know what to do if something bad happens to you as well. I would be feeling guilty about what happened last week too even though you made me upset but still... I also want to say that I admit that I do miss you and love you, Judy. I also realize that every relationship have their up and down and I expect that we would argue about something once in a while. We have already apologized to each other recently and all that. But despite that, I knew that it would be hard for either of us if something happens to each of us and we can always be there for each other through the best and worst of times. Our argument is over and we move on because our bond is strong since we first met. You have changed my life for the better and I would not have any other way. You are the best thing that ever happened to me because you stood up for me at that ice cream place. No one did that for me until that day."

Judy smiled as she stopped crying.

"Oh, Nick," Judy said, "You have no idea how hard it is for me to be without you since our big row last week. It hurt me badly. Forgive me?"

"Of course, I forgive you," Nick said cheerfully.

"Also," Judy interrupted before Nick could say any more, "I want to say something too. You also have changed my life. You stood up for me when Chief Bogo demanded my badge at the Rainforest District and, then, you told me about your childhood experience at the canopy. You made me realize that you are an honest and kind animal that broke the stereotype about each other. You became my best friend at that moment because I could not be done it without you. And, I would never think that I would fall in love with a certain fox, of all animals. Thanks for being there for me and being my best friend, Nick. I feel better now."

"That's great, Carrots," Nick smiled, "I feel the same way too. All my life, everyone looked down on me because I am a fox – 'untrustworthy sly fox'. I was not too thrilled when you outhustled me to help you with that savage case but when I saw Chief Bogo demanded your badge, I had flashback to my childhood and decided to stand by you because you overcame your stereotype against me as a fox and you made a lasting impression on me because you were very clever and sly – something I had never expected in a bunny. I was amazed that we worked well together on that case and we still do today. We are a great team and I would not want any other way. And, yes, I never expected that I would love a bunny, especially a prey species. Isn't life crazy? But I'm glad it happens to us. I remember your mistake at that press conference and I was upset about it too so I thought about it and realized that you did not intend to make me upset last week. What happened at school also made me realized that we are not perfect and we make do with our imperfection like those deaf overcame their deafness to have a normal life. Your family's deaf neighbor, Maria Bunhill, showed me that she's a happy child regardless of her deafness and made me think about us as we are not perfect or even 'normal' because of our different species."

"Of course," Judy said, "I remember how my parents reacted when I told them that we started dating but they accepted because they learned from me and also, you were wonderful with my 275 siblings and they love you."

"Of course," Nick giggled at the memory, "especially those four hyperactive kids who jumped at me like a group of savages, making me wondering whether they were infected by nighthowlers until I heard your laughter and, they were asking me all those questions that I realized that they weren't infected."

Judy laughed at the memory. "Yes, they sure do! So full of energy!"

"Yes, they were that," Nick giggled, "By the way, how your ear?"

"Oh, it's not too bad and it has a bandage on it," Judy answered, "How's your arm?"

"Not bad but it's hard for me to sleep certain way without hurting it," Nick said, "At least yours make you look like a pirate or something. Looks cooler than mine."

"Oh, stop it, Nick!" Judy laughed. "Okay, we better go back to sleep, and thanks for answering my phone. It made me feel better after that bad dream."

"No problem, Carrots," Nick said, "Good night and see ya at the station in the morning."

Judy sighed as she put down the phone, went back to bed. Oh, Sweet Cheese and Crackers! I missed those crazy noisy gay neighbors too. They would hear me and wake me up sooner. She thought. The neighbors had moved away recently after they got married and got a nice house. She sighed again and drifted back to sleep.

Judy arrived at the police station and the officers in the lobby all yelled "Yarr!" like a pirate at her, especially Clawhauser, who wore a pirate hat and raised his arm – how did he get that hat on short notice? she thought. She suspected that Nick told them to say that to her when she come in because of her bandaged left ear. She giggled as she walked to the 'bullpen.' Nick and other officers were already seated and yelled "Yarr!" to her as Judy joined Nick in their usual big chair in front. She slapped Nick's uninjured left arm playfully as he laughed. Bogo came to the room before she could say anything to her partner.

"All righty, folks," Bogo began. "Settle down! I want to inform you that the deaf school case is indeed a bigger case than we had thought. Someone attacked Officer Hopps and Wilde last night after their investigation at the school. Both attacks on them and the deaf vixen seem to be connected due to Wilde's observation of the attackers using sign language. So, we need to make this case a priority now."

The other officers looked at the duo as Bogo resumed the presentation. "Fortunately, they suffered only minor injuries and are able to come here today. However, due to this attacks, we need to send more officers to the school with them to both assist them with the investigation as well as to providing extra protection. They also may go other places outside of school during the investigation so their 'bodyguard' will have to go with them anywhere they need to go. Anyway, Officer Wilde had managed to get part of the license number and the make of car. We found the car at the bottom of the waterfall along with their damaged patrol car. The license and car matched Wilde's description, however, that car was reported stolen the other day, just prior to the attack on a deaf girl so we are back to square one. It seems that these criminals are smart to cover their tracks."

Nick and Judy groaned as well as the rest of the officers. Bogo continued with assignments. The chief assigned Officer Husky, an arctic wolf, and Officer Wile, a coyote, as Nick and Judy's 'bodyguard,' while he assigned Officer Shasta, a cougar who knows sign language, and Officer Jason Clawhauser, slender cousin of Ben Clawhauser, to assist with the investigation. Soon, the group left to walk to the parking lot when Kate saw them in the lobby.

"I heard what happened to you last night," Kate said as she joined them on their way to parking lot. "Are you two okay?"

"Nah," Nick retorted, "Just a scratch. But they got away. The car they used was stolen so we are back to square one. But there is a plus side – They made a pirate out of Carrots," as he thumbed at Judy's bandaged right ear.

Kate and the officers laughed as Judy playfully hit Nick's left arm as she was too short to slap his head's backside.

"Ooooh! Y'all gonna be careful with this bunny pirate!" Nick retorted.

"NICK!" Judy yelled as she hit him again playfully.

"By the way," Nick added, his laughter died down, "These two will be joining us as our 'bodyguard.' They are Officer Husky and Officer Wile, while the other two who will join us on our investigation, they are Officer Shasta – the one with missing finger, and Officer Clawhauser – the thin one."

Kate and the officers exchanged greetings as they arrived at their cars. Nick and Judy, of course, got a new patrol car due to damages they got last night. Nick took the wheel as it was his turn to drive. Kate and the officers followed them to the school without incident.

They meet Ms. Redtail at the front desk and gasped at the bandages on Nick and Judy.

"Oh, my!" Ms. Redtail exclaimed. "Are you okay?"

"We are fine," Judy said before Nick could say anything, knowing Nick's humorous comments. "Can we get things going and we brought along two more to assist us with the investigation. Officer Shasta knows sign language because his brother is deaf," she turned to Shasta, "Correct?" He nodded.

"Great!" Ms. Redtail said as she led them to the conference room. Nick and Judy went to the same room as yesterday while Shasta and Clawhauser went to the next room.

"Well, hope we get better luck today," Judy said as they said sat down and wait for the next student to come in.

"Yes, and no more attacks tonight," Nick agreed.