Boilerplate Disclaimer: The various characters from the movie Zootopia are all owned by Disney the great and powerful. Any and all registered trade names property of their respective owners. Cheap shots at celebrities constitute fair usage.

If you missed the important announcement in chapter 1, this story is yet another continuation of Who Do You Trust? (How many stories in a series?)

Life Can Be Very Dangerous

"What happened to your face?" the little fox asked when Judy opened her apartment door.

Judy went down on her knees, "I got hurt at work."

"Does it hurt a lot?" Joshua asked. He raised a paw timidly, as if he wanted to touch the bandage.

"Be gentle. It does hurt a little," she admitted. She looked up at the small fox's uncle. "I have this odd premonition that Josh is coming with us to your mother."

"Yeah!" the five year old agreed. "Grandma Ellie!"

"He gets to see his grandmother so rarely. I thought it would be a treat for him and mom," Nick explained. "And we're giving Nancy and Steve a couple days alone."

"Uh-huh. Not that it matters, but you might have called and told me. And, while I love you madly, I know you usually have some sort of angle you're working for yourself. I think you've asked him to come along for protection. You figure no one will start a fight in front of him. So... Who are you afraid of, your mom or me? Both of us?"

Nick looked at his nephew, "Will you help me if Judy attacks me?"

"Sure, Unca Nick, I'll help... Is she really gonna fight you?"

"I don't think so. But I like to know who'll be on my side – just in case."

Nick carried Judy's bag out to the car, and Judy buckled Joshua into his car seat. The rabbit and the young fox played the alphabet game as they rode, looking for things which began with successive letters of the alphabet, and using signs only for the most difficult letters. A bathroom break broke the drive in mid-morning. In the early afternoon they left the Interstate at a medium-sized city that appeared to have goats as the majority of residents. Nick refilled the gas tank and they found a MacGuffins for lunch. Joshn bolted his sandwich and fries and ran to the play area.

"You should have warned me you were bringing Josh," Judy chided. "It makes it difficult to carry on an adult conversation in the car for fear I'll step in something."

"It was a mistake," Nick sighed. "I've made a bunch of them... Not you! You're no mistake."

"I figured that out. I hoped I figured that out. The other day in the hospital, I really felt for a minute like you were ashamed of me. And that hurt." He put a comforting arm around her. "But you are scared. Is it your mother? Are you really worried about what she'll think about me?"

He leaned over and kissed the top of her head, "I'll try and give you a short version while Josh is playing. Once upon a time, and not so very long ago, there were little towns everywhere, often species specific. If it took all day to go thirty kilometers you did all your shopping in whatever little place was closest. Then came the automobiles and good roads. A thirty K trip suddenly took half an hour, and instead of shopping at the closest place you might travel for a cheaper price or a product you liked better. Some places were magnets that drew in more animals, and some places just vanished. Ghost towns that–"

"Lopp Hollow."

"Excuse me?"

"Town that vanished. It was, oh, maybe forty kilometers from Bunnyburrow, but it's gone now. And what does this have to do with–"

"Let me finish. Fox Ridge was one of those places that was drying up. But back in the day, when it was really something, the Meadows family ran the town and–" Nick noticed the rabbit giving him a blank stare. "I never mentioned my mother's original name was Meadows?"

"You really don't talk much about family."

"Don't talk much with family either. Anyway, proud old family in dying place. From what I hear my grandfather flew into a huge rage on learning mom wanted to marry my dad. I'm not sure he ever spoke to her again. Dad knew there was no point in staying at Fox Ridge. He moved to Zootopia where by hard work and honest dealings you could be anything... He worked himself to an early grave and... Anyway, it left me cynical about bright-eyed little bunnies who move in from the country and think they can accomplish anything by hard work. Sometimes you can. Sometimes no matter how hard you try life is going to crush you like a bug."

Judy laid a paw on Nick's arm. "I'm sorry."

"Not your fault," he sighed. "Not anybody's fault. Sometimes life just sucks. Mom raised us. Grandpa died and, with Nance and I on our own, Mom moved back to Fox Ridge."

"I still don't see why–"

"And now we come to Uncle Charlie."

"Uncle Charlie?"

"Charles Wayne Meadows. Who inherited his father's disdain for Wild Bill and–"

"Wild Bill?"

"William Wilde, my dad. Uncle Charlie inherited the dislike, and has pretty much transferred it to Nancy and me. I hope he doesn't have enough for Joshua too. Given the fact Steve is dull and proper, and a fox, Uncle Charlie might be willing to forgive Joshua. I'm pretty sure he's never forgiven his own children for moving away from Fox Ridge. And he will dislike you as an individual and hate the two of us as a couple. And now you know why I don't talk a lot about family and have avoided bringing you to meet Mom. I kept hoping she'd come into Zootopia and I could introduce you there."

"I'm... I'm sorry I put so much pressure on you to introduce me to your mother."

"My fault. I could have told you why I avoided it."

"I've heard of something we might try. It's called communication."

"Nah," Nick shrugged. "Probably over-rated."

"You're right. It would take all the mystery out of our relationship if we had a real clue what the other one was thinking."

He gave her a wink, "Know what I'm thinking right now?"

She gave him a kiss.

A teenage worker hurried over, "Uh, you two need to stop that. This is a family place and–"

Nick pulled out his badge. "Would you be saying that to a same species couple?"

"I... I..."

"Do I need to speak to your manager?"

"Sorry, Officer."

As he backed away Judy whispered, "You realize, of course, that we have no legal authority of any kind here."

"You know that. And I know that. But I don't think he knows that."

"And hopefully Alces will never hear about it."

Nick looked at his watch. "I probably need to tell you more about Fox Ridge, that communication nonsense you brought up. But I think we need to collect Josh and get back on the road. I can probably give you a version safe for young ears, or maybe he'll fall asleep."

Joshua dozed off as they drove on the small highway. "Fox Ridge," Judy reminded Nick. "Dying town. Meadows family was big wheel in town."

"Ah, yes. As Plainview... Plainview is the place that prospered at the expense of Fox Ridge and some other small places. It has more foxes than Fox Ridge now. Fox Ridge went into decline. Empty store fronts. Vacant houses. Vicious cycle. Makes it hard to attract new residents. With land values down Quickies built a poultry processing plant on the edge of town. A lot of armadillo families have moved into town. Pay is lousy, but housing is cheap. What I hear from Mom, when I talk with her, is maybe half of the current population is armadillo, and more than two-thirds of the children in the school. She says they'd probably have closed the school and bused the kids into another town if it weren't for the armadillos. Heard the expression cutting off your nose to spite your face?"

"What does that have to do with–"

"Do you know the expression?"

"Yes. Being foolish enough to hurt yourself more than you hurt anyone else with your actions."

"Oh, you've met my Uncle Charlie?'

"No, I– What is he doing?"

"Well, rather than welcome the armadillos as the new residents he's like to drive them out of town. Which would not bring in more foxes and would kill the place completely. At least that's Mom's take on the situation. Family fortune is at a low ebb, but he still owns a lot of the boarded up buildings around town. If I understand it right he even managed to get the post office closed."

"How?"

"Maybe I have the story wrong. But you can't refuse to rent a building to armadillos, and then rent it to a fox. So he raised to price of rent so high on everything he owns that no one can afford to pay it. The post office was in the old Meadows Bank... That went bust a long time back... Anyway, it was more cost effective for the Postal Service to just close the Fox Ridge branch."

"Your uncle Charlie sounds like a real piece of work."

"He do indeed. Oh, and Carrots?"

"Yes."

"Do not call him Charlie. For me, it is Uncle Charles to his face. For you it will be Mister Meadows."

"Should I genuflect?"

"Hmmm... Interesting question. I fear he would catch the sarcasm. On the other hand, if I'm standing behind you, I could enjoy watching your cute little–"

"Josh might be awake," she warned.

"You never let me have any fun," Nick pouted.

"Not with a five year old witness. Oh, how are we doing the introduction? You admit having told your mother basically nothing about me."

"I've told her you're brave, and strong. You're my partner and my best friend in the world."

"You've told her nothing important. What is important is that her son loves me. Now, how do you want to do this? I can jump into your arms as soon as we get out of the car and we can kiss passionately for fifteen minutes or so. Or would you prefer something less subtle?"

"Oh, less subtle for sure. Of course we do have the little witness to think about."

"Darn. That's right."

"Uh, I'm not saying this because I'm denying I love you, but I think I'd like to leave that part out of the introduction. I'd like Mom to meet you and talk with you as an individual before I mention, 'Oh, by the way, Judy and I are very much in love'. I want her to see you as an individual first. I know she'll love you as an individual. Then I'll sort of ease her into the fact that this wonderful rabbit she has come to like is, in fact, madly in love with her son."

"No, you say you love me. She cares more about your opinion than mine."

"Sorry."

"Unless you're trying to make me feel insecure by not admitting you love me."

"'I love, her, Mom.' 'I'm crazy about her, Mother.' Or maybe, 'And Mom, I love this cute little bunny more than anything in–"

"No C word. And 'little bunny' makes me sound about five years old."

"'And Mother? This beautiful, smart, brave rabbit is the love of my life...' Think I should add sarcastic?"

"Keep you eyes on the road, but imagine the look I am giving you right now."

"Ouch."

"If you think it will be better you can put off the 'Mom, I love Judy' for a little while... You know, sometimes, if it weren't for the fact I know you are very brave, I'd think you were an abject coward."

"Hey, don't say a word against cowardice. Cowards don't start wars. Avoiding unnecessary conflict is a virtue. Don't go looking for a fight. Farmers don't plant until the ground's ready, right? I'm just preparing my mother to hear the fact I love you."

"But you have to tell her, before we leave, that you love me."

"Absolutely. Sorry I'm so nervous. But I really want my mother to like you. You're the most important animal in the world to me, and she needs to know that."

Joshua awakened on a bumpy patch of gravel road. "Is it like this all the way to Fox Ridge?" asked Judy.

"No, there are better roads into Fox Ridge, but no good way to them from Zootopia. This is the shortest route."

They returned to a better road, and the countryside changed to rolling hills.

Josh stared, "It's beauful."

"Very scenic," agreed Judy. "But not good for farming."

"Fox Ridge was not a farming town," Nick explained. "And we're almost there.

Without seeing the full size of the town Judy tried to guess how many once lived there. Nick looked thoughtful, "I haven't been here much. I hope I can remember the right street."

A few minutes later Nick stopped in front of the largest house Judy had seen of the homes in Fox Ridge. At first glance it looked terribly grand, but as she stared closer it had a slightly shabby feel to it, an appearance of having seen more prosperous times. Then Judy stopped staring at the house. On one of several chairs on the long front porch a middle-aged fox sat, looking out hopefully at the car. If Judy had any doubt about the her identity it disappeared a Nick quickly turned off the engine and jumped from the car. "Mom! Think we made it in record time!"

Josh was trying frantically to extract himself from his car seat, but before Judy could get out to help Nick dashed around and freed his nephew from the car. The five year old yelled, "Grandma Ellie! And ran for the fox on the porch."

Nick then opened the door and gave Judy a paw getting out of the car. "You're not usually so chivalrous," she whispered.

"I don't usually have my mother watching."

They walked up the porch steps. "Forgive me for not rising," apologized Nick's mother. The reason for her inability to rise was the small fox sitting on her lap and hugging her.

"No problem," smiled Judy.

"Mom, this is Judy Hopps. She–"

"She is quite famous. Even out here in Fox Ridge anyone who follows the news has heard of Judy Hopps. Oh dear, what happened to your cheek? Are you all right?"

"She got hurt at work," explained Josh.

"A little laceration. I'll be fine."

Nick coughed, "If I may finish my prepared remarks. Mother, this is Judy Hopps. My partner on the police force. My best friend in the world. And the female who has tried, with limited success, to make an honest fox out of me."

"From what I have heard she has been very successful," smiled his mom. She turned to the rabbit, "And I thank you."

"And, Judy, here you have the person who knew me before I was even born. I present the ever-patient Mrs. Eleanor Wilde."

"It was learn patience or drown him in a well," sighed Eleanor. "But I've not regretted my choice. Please, call me Ellie, Dear."

Judy fidgeted, "I'm not sure if I'm comfortable with that, Mrs. Wilde."

"Could you at least try Eleanor? Mrs. Wilde seems so terribly formal from my son's best friend."

"I'll... I'll try."

"Good. Now then, should you bring in your bags?" she asked Nick.

"I was actually thinking, short stuff here is probably going crazy from being fastened in the car seat for so long. That little park a couple blocks from here is still there, isn't it?"

"I don't know how anyone could steal a park. And there certainly hasn't been any construction in Fox Ridge in the last ten years. Are you proposing we walk there?"

"It is a beautiful day, and the forecast for tomorrow is wretched. Why don't we walk over? The adults can talk and Josh can run around."

Nick smiled and winked, and mother and son exchanged a meaningful glance. Judy wondered what– "It delays me being introduced to Uncle Charlie," she decided.

The sidewalk was slightly uneven, frequent cracked sections of pavement and the occasional place where the roots of one of the large trees which lined the streets had heaved part of the sidewalk higher. The park was larger than Judy had expected, but without playground equipment. Two make-shift goals showed the grassy area was mostly used for a football pitch for the children. There was no game in progress, but a small group of foxes, and several small groups of armadillos were kicking balls around. There were old, and somewhat damaged cast-iron benches under the trees at one end of the park and a couple mother foxes chatted with each other on one and armadillo mothers used other benches.

"There's an open bench," Nick pointed out.

"Show me something," demanded Josh and took Judy by the paw and pulled her to where the other children were practicing.

"Josh seems to like her," commented Eleanor. "I was hoping to talk with her."

"And she is hoping to talk with you. I will give you the bad news, she's very good with children. Little brothers and sisters. And she's so much of a football fanatic we might have trouble getting her back."

"Well, while she's gone... I want the truth about whatever happened to her face. I worry about the two of you. Your job is very dangerous."

"Not usually," he protested.

"Well, it's the sometimes when it is which worries me. How was she injured?"

Josh found an armadillo about his own age practicing by himself with a battered ball. "Can I play with you?"

"Ummm. Sure!"

"This is Judy. An' she's really, really good. Can you show us somethin', Judy?"

She showed them a fairly simple dribbling drill, and had them practice it, then pass the ball to the other. A couple other children came over to stare at the unfamiliar species in the park, and a couple others began practicing the move.

"Hey," one of the older fox children called, "we're supposed to have the field today."

"No fair, there's more of us."

"You had it yesterday."

"But there's more of us."

"Excuse me," interrupted Judy. "It sounds to me like you think either foxes should have the pitch, or armadillos."

"Yes." "That's right!" "Yeah." "Of course."

"Why can't you play together?"

"Because they're armadillos, and we're foxes. This is Fox Ridge. Foxes should get it. And we can't play foxes against armadillos because there are too many of them."

"I play on a team in Zootopia. We have rabbits, and raccoons, and a tanuki, and a weasel, skunks and some other species – males and females – on the team. So why can't foxes and armadillos play on the same team? You could have even teams if armadillo players and fox players are on each team."

A combination of factors gave Judy surprising credibility. She was neither fox nor armadillo, had demonstrated a willingness to work with both, and played on a team with different species in the far off and wondrous city of Zootopia.

"If there are two fox captains today, next time there should be two armadillos, right?" She told them.

Nick and Eleanor watched Judy organize the children. "She's got an almost infectious optimism," Nick told his mother. "She really believes anyone can do anything."

"Like your father."

"And look what happened to him."

"It is still an infection Fox Ridge could use."

"Getting young foxes and armadillos to play together will not solve the problems here."

"No it won't. But even a small step in the right direction might be a start. The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step."

"Even for Uncle Charlie?"

"It begins with a single step even for Charles. Although I suspect in his case the journey might be two thousand miles."

The largest armadillo girl in the game (Judy suspected she was only there to watch one or more smaller siblings) was frustrated at a fox pressing too closely and she fouled him. As referee Judy stopped the game, "You," she said pointing to the fox, "a caution. Unsporting behavior."

"But–"

"Unsporting behavior. Do it again and you're out of the game." She looked at the armadillo, "Violent conduct. You're off." The angry girl started to leave, "What's your name?"

"Maria," she answered sullenly.

"I need an assistant referee. Know the rules?"

"I– Yes."

"Good."

Several minutes later the ball went out and players looked to Judy for which team would take it in. Judy pointed at Maria, "She was closer. She decides."

Judy also reluctantly removed a small fox from the game, although she suspected his foul was more from ignorance of the game than deliberate. She paused to explain the rule, and asked him to serve as a line judge for the rest of the game. Several other children received cautions also. Each time the game was stopped and the rule explained for the younger players.

Parents came over to watch and cheer. Several complimented Judy for her efforts and asked who she was and why she was in Fox Ridge.

Nick, ever sensitive to what strangers were feeling (even if he missed it far too often with the feelings of those close to him) sensed some suspicion, and even anger, directed at Judy when her identity of a guest of Eleanor was revealed. Nick felt it directed to himself as well and wondered for a second what his mother might have done to create the feeling of guilt by association. "Probably nothing," he decided. "There's sure no reason to be suspicious of Judy, so there's probably no reason to be suspicious of Mom. But I'm guessing Uncle Charlie is even worse than mom has told me."

Judy watched Maria, who she guessed was probably twelve or thirteen, take charge of two small children. The three armadillos returned along the same path Judy and company followed to the Meadows' mansion. "Your brothers?" she asked the girl.

"Yes."

"I had to watch younger brothers and sisters. You know football very well."

"Thank you."

"Watch your temper though. Although I really appreciated having you as a referee."

"He was–"

"I know. And I gave him a caution."

"He's always rude! He's the worst of the foxes! I'm sick of him."

"There will always be rude people in the world. But you need to stay in control of yourself."

"She's always like that," Nick told the armadillo in a loud whisper.

"If you don't mind," asked the girl. "How did you get hurt?"

"Ha!" exclaimed Nick, "she lectures you on not getting angry, and she was hurt in a gunfight with three bears!"

"A gunfight with–"

"I was not angry!" argued Judy. "And Nick was in the fight more than I was."

"You were in a gunfight? With bears?"

"She and my son are police officers in Zootopia. They are visiting me."

"A gunfight? With bears?"

"Judy is on the innernet and everthing!" Joshua assured her.

It wasn't clear if the girl and her brothers believed the story or not as the foxes arrived home and the armadillos continued down the sidewalk.

"You should bring in the bags, Nick," his mother told him. "Just set them in the front hallway for now."

"I'll help," offered Judy.

Eleanor was already in the kitchen with Joshua when they entered the house. The impression of faded elegance hit Judy even more strongly on the interior of the house than the inside. The design was opulent, but the carpet seemed worn and threadbare and the wallpaper badly out-of-date with a few torn patches. The woodwork, however, gleamed as unmarked as new.

Nick guessed where his mother had gone and pointed, "That way," to Judy.

The rabbit offered to help prepare dinner. "Thank you," Eleanor responded. "But I'm afraid you don't know where things are. It will probably be easier if I just do it myself. Oh, I hope you don't mind if we eat here in the kitchen. I think the formal dining room seats twenty, and I can't remember the last time it was used."

"I don't mind," Judy assured her. "And the table here in the kitchen – it's beautiful! Is it new?"

"Not new, but recent. Woodworking is Charles' hobby. I suspect he has spent more time in the shop the last fifteen years or so than his office. He likes to keep the house in good repair.

Partway through the meal a door opened and the long awaited uncle arrived. "You told me your son was coming. Why is there an invasive species seated at my table?"

"This is Judith Hopps, his partner on the police force."

"Don't be absurd," he told his sister. "That is a rabbit." He stared at her cheek. "It is a damaged rabbit. And it has no business in my kitchen."

"Judy is my guest, eating the food I prepared, and welcome to remain as long as she pleases."

"This is my house. I want her out!"

"The house is half yours. She is currently in the half which is mine. Should you want dinner you will find it on the stove. And, should you decide not to grace us with your presence you are welcome to go to any other room in the house."

Charles filled a plate with food, and left.

"That introduction went about as well as I expected," commented Nick.

"Better than I had expected," his mother answered.

At the end of the meal Nick asked, "Want me to load the dishwasher?"

"I'm afraid it's broken, and we haven't replaced it."

Judy volunteered, "I'll wash."

"The sink is probably too high for you," Eleanor pointed out.

"Is there a step stool or something else?"

The two women looked at Nick, "Did you mean 'something else' or 'someone else'?" he sighed. "I just had an idea! How about I wash the dishes?"

"What a wonderful idea," seconded Judy. "You wash, I'll dry."

"And I'll put Joshua in the old nursery by my room and read him a story. Judy, I suggest you don't leave the room without Nick to protect you. One never knows where Charles might be lurking or if he has set a rabbit trap. If you need to freshen up there is a half-bath there," she pointed. "Nick, she managed to avoid talking with me this afternoon. Don't–"

"I wasn't trying to avoid you!"

"Don't let her escape again. I'm leaving you in charge of her," Eleanor finished telling her son.

It was almost an hour before his mother returned to the kitchen. The dishes were washed, dried, and with two highly skilled detectives on the case most of them had even been returned to the proper drawer, cupboard, or hook. The two were sitting at the table, Nick with an amused smile as he listened to Judy enthusiastically describing the children's football game that afternoon.

"I think he's down. The game must have tired him out. Now, Judy, I believe Nick went with you to Bunnyburrow? Tell me about your family."

The conversation continued until both Judy and Nick were yawning. "I'm sorry," his mother apologized. "It was a long day for both of you. I have you on the top floor, north end. It should be quiet."

Nick smiled, "So much better than Bunnyburrow where I was miles away at a dump called the Shady Nook Bungalows. We'll find a couple bedrooms and–"

"Excuse me," his mother interrupted. "A couple bedrooms? Nancy told me the two of you are sleeping together."