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.

This is the third of the original three chapters scheduled for this story. I've had difficulty counting to three on occasion. The arc of my original Kim Possible series was planned as a trilogy. There ended up being 6.1 stories in it. Writing .1 of a story isn't easy. (Which reminds me of an old joke that those for whom English is not a first language may miss... "There were seven floors to the building. There used to be eight, but that's another story.")

And those familiar with my OCD will recognize why I'm extending thanks to reviewers. Reviews are the only recompense those who post on FF.N receive. It's always polite to leave one, especially if you enjoy the work of someone who is just starting to post. Thanks to BCRE8TVE, ChaoticImp, Combat Engineer, FeyFable, Fox in the hen house, GusTheBear, Hate Eater, Matri, Pesterfield ShirQuickpaw, stevegallacci, taintedahab, toannghe1997, and Wolf Guard Miestwin for reviews. And thanks to anonymous guests. When you leave the front door unlocked there is the chance a troll might wander in, but hasn't happened here (i.e. I allow unsigned reviews.). Special thanks to shiro-wolfman-k for probing into character psyches and Thomas Linquist – who knows where I'm going so often I think he's hacked my computer. And grudging thanks to the writer formerly known as A. Markov, who too often shows me up with a better review than the chapter I wrote.

Life Is Very Dangerous Indeed

Judy managed to shift position so she could look at Nick's face without awakening him. The fox wore a huge grin. Judy giggled slightly, then noticed the time and poked him in the ribs. "Got to get moving. I trust you slept well?"

"I slept great! If I were a feline I'd still be purring."

"I will take that as a compliment."

"You may take that as a compliment, and take first shower. I shall lie here and feel content a little longer."

"You could start to pack."

"In addition to feeling content I will think about how much I love you."

"Fine," she sighed. "Females can multi-task. I should be happy you're able to keep two thoughts at a time in your head. And as long as one of them is loving me you're excused from packing – until after your shower. No, something else you need to do. Did you call Nancy to say we'd be late getting Josh home?"

"Last night."

"Okay, you can feel content and think how wonderful I am until I'm out of the shower."

It appeared that Uncle Charles was practicing being polite to other species when they got to the kitchen, "Good morning, Judy. How is your cheek this morning?"

"Better, thank you. I hope it won't be visible in another week."

"I believe you two will want big breakfasts this morning," commented Eleanor.

Nick and Judy looked at each other, slightly shocked. "So, uh, Mom," Nick stammered. "Is there any, uh, fennec in the Meadows blood-line?"

"No there's not!" insisted Charles. "How can you even ask a question like that?"

"No insult. Just this odd thought that popped into my head." "I didn't realize her hearing was so good."

"Can I do anything to help?" Judy offered to change the subject.

"Watching Josh this morning would be wonderful," Mrs. Wilde assured her. "Isabella is coming over this morning. We plan to do some baking while the males are conducting business. I'm going to make some ginger-almond biscuits for Nick to take back to Zootopia. He and Nancy always loved them."

"All for me, right?"

"I'll have some for you, and some for your sister."

"You don't really think I'm going to deliver them to Nancy, do you?" asked Nick. "More for me."

"Joshua, see that your uncle gives the biscuits I make for your mom and dad to them when you get home."

"What'ya say, Squirt," Nick asked his nephew, "We can split them on the drive back."

"I will be calling your sister and telling her to expect you to deliver them to her. You will have your own." She looked at Judy. "You will please try and restrain Nick from eating them all."

"No problem. If he likes them so much, can I have the recipe?"

"Certainly, Dear."

"Great," muttered Nick, "as if she needed anything else to bend me to her will."

"He's joking, Eleanor."

"I assumed that. He–"

Charles coughed, "This flirtation is inappropriate for very young ears, and my old ears."

"Sorry, Mister Wilde."

"Hush, Charles," his sister warned. "Someone in the room can remember how you carried on in your younger days."

It appeared, to Nick, that his uncle very much wanted to say, "But that wasn't with a rabbit!" but Charles managed to say nothing. Eleanor continued. "Judy, I am very pleased that Nicholas brought you with him. It has been a pleasure to finally meet you."

Judy gave Nick a look of, "Are you going to tell her, or am I?" and Nick spoke, "Judy has actually wanted to meet you for some time. There never seemed to be enough time to make the trip practical; we'd just get here, say hello, and have to get back in the car. Judy getting wounded turned out to be a blessing."

The rabbit rolled her eyes, "Getting shot at is a blessing?"

"You don't need to be wounded to visit," Eleanor assured her. "You're always welcome."

Judy and Nick sketched their plans over coffee. Judy would take Joshua to the park, and Nick would pack for his nephew to help insure a speedy getaway after his Uncle's meeting.

"Pack fast," Charles requested, "I'd like to practice my presentation to you."

"Okay," Nick agreed, then caught the arm of Judy, who was standing near him, and pulled her close, "Give me a kiss and tell me you love me and will miss me while you're playing football."

"Nicholas," his mother told him sharply, "you're just doing that to annoy your uncle."

"I'm glad you recognize that," Charles sighed.

"Can't you allow for the possibility I really want a kiss from Judy?" asked Nick.

"They know you too well." She looked at Eleanor and Charles, "But I think rather than annoying Mister Meadows he is trying to accustom him to an interspecies couple." She looked at Nick, "What about easing him into the idea. That was what you recommended for your mother, remember?"

"For all the good it did me."

"Well, you shouldn't push your uncle in the deep end of the pool when he doesn't know how to swim." But she bestowed a fast kiss on the end of his nose. "Play nice, I know you can do it."

"You too... See if you can get a phone number for that Streak, will–"

"I told you to play nice," Judy interrupted, "and you said she's a child."

"Streak?" asked Uncle Charlie.

"She was a teenager playing football yesterday. And now he is implying I was a bad mother who failed to teach him any manners."

Nick raised his paws in the air. "I surrender. I promise to play nice for the rest of my time in Fox Ridge."

After packing for Joshua, Nick found his uncle in the office.

"Nicholas... Not sure how to begin. My relationship with you has sometimes been strained, and–"

"Not necessarily your fault. My relation with Mom took a hit for several years there."

"I wasn't saying it was my fault. I was stating fact. But I hope you realize that I see what you've done while here. And I truly appreciate all your efforts. Thank you."

"No problem. Even though I was born in Zootopia there's this weird feeling of somehow belonging when I visit here."

"Meadow's blood. I wanted to go back to something I said... I've been talking with your mother. Ellie was telling me that Judy was very good with the children in the park yesterday."

"Get her on football and she's a real fanatic."

"I'm not talking football, I'm talking about the way she interacts with children. I watched her this morning with Joshua. You'd be doing her a favor if you broke up with her."

"You lost me. Joshua loves her."

"He does. And she loves children. Someday she'd want children. Interspecies couples can't have children."

"Judy and I are just kind of starting a relationship. We really haven't looked ahead that far."

"Well, just like Fox Ridge, you need to look ahead. Children couldn't be an option."

"I'm not sure about that."

"Adoption? They don't place children with interspecies couples."

"Someone told me that interspecies couples are having children, the genetics geniuses at Zoo U–"

"Someone was seeing if you'd believe a whopper."

"No, Eric said... Wait a minute. It was my friend Truckie. Eric might have been joking with me. Truckie says someone in his family is married to a raccoon, and they're expecting a child. That's not the kind of thing Truckie would joke about."

"It just isn't possible."

"And it used to be everyone knew airplanes were impossible, or radio was impossible, or open heart surgery. Discoveries get made and what everyone knew was impossible becomes possible. I'm not saying Judy and I are planning to have kids or anything. I'm just saying it might be possible. How about we change the subject? I'm here to hear you push the future of Fox Ridge."

"True. Just think about what I said," Charles said and worked on what he planned say. Nick also provided details about the concerns expressed by the armadillos when he had spoken with them.

Judy had made no definite plans about coming to the park, but had said she might go there with Josh until her return to Zootopia. There were fewer young children when she arrived, but more teens than her previous visits to the park.

Streak came running toward Judy as soon as she saw her, "You didn't say you were famous!"

"I'm not sure that famous–"

"I mean, you didn't even say how your cheek got hurt! I looked it up after Maria– A gunfight? With bears? Were you afraid?" I would be so–"

"I was afraid. And Nick did more than I did. I got hurt early and after that I just watched to make sure no one escaped in my direction."

"That is still so– Hey, how come you haven't accepted my friend request?"

"Would you believe I didn't bring a computer with me? I came here to recover for a few days after getting wounded and–"

"You'll accept the request, right? I mean, when you get back to Zootopia."

"Yes."

"That Nick yesterday, that was Nick Wilde?"

"Yes."

"Someone on the internet said you and him were..."

"A couple?"

"Well, that's not what it really said, but, yeah."

"We are. I'm here to meet his mother."

"That's..."

"That's what?"

"I dunno... Weird? Gross? Dope? You'll still accept my friend request? Even though I said, uh..."

"Yes, I'll accept it."

"And, uh, I was telling some of my team members how good you are. Could you lead some drills?"

A dozen animals walked down Main Street, five foxes and seven armadillos. In addition to Nick and his uncle the aged Mr. Greene and two members of the City Council formed the fox contingent. They stopped at various building, and Charles would sometimes bring out a key ring and open a building. There were various degrees of enthusiasm in the crowd, but for the most part everyone was optimistic. Charles had no key for theater, and some of the armadillos were very suspicious of renovation. But it was at the theater where the grocer, who could remember the movie house in its glory days, came fully on board – promising to do anything within his power to help make the vision a reality. And one of the armadillos swore that he knew several individuals with backgrounds in renovation and construction who could do the necessary work on a couple buildings in need of immediate repair before opening would be possible.

For the most part Uncle Charles did a wonderful job of selling the vision of a new Fox Ridge. There were two places where he had a little trouble communicating the ideas Nick had proposed, but Nick managed a smooth, "I think what my uncle means is..." and clarified the points.

It was an enthusiastic group which returned to the Meadows home and the smell of baking from the kitchen. There were a number of details to be settled in the negotiations for each property, but everyone wanted to see progress and major differences were resolved more quickly than Nick would have thought possible.

"We still need to finalize a few small details to put into the leases and contracts, but I think we may be able to get them signed tomorrow," Charles promised.

"A better tomorrow for us all," one armadillo said with hope.

"A small toast might be in order," Charles suggested and went to the sideboard. He reached for the crystal decanter on the top, then hesitated. "This is probably a lot better than any of them are used to drinking." But this wasn't about a toast with armadillos. This was celebrating a new vision for his city. "On an occasion such as this," the told them, "Only a twenty-five year old single malt will do." And he pulled out the bottle of his best.

Nick nodded his approval to his uncle. As the others chatted he called Judy and asked her to bring Josh to the house so they could leave soon.

Judy and Josh arrived in time for the little fox to eat enough his grandmother feared he would get a stomachache. Nick stayed in the kitchen as some of the guests left, the remainder returned to the office with Charles to fine tune the arrangements.

"You need a proper lunch," Eleanor scolded.

"Got to leave. We had enough warm-from-the-oven goodies we can last until a MacGuffins drive-thru."

"That's not–"

Judy assured her, "As long as we don't eat there all the time it's okay. It's fast and convenient, and that's the priority. We need to get Josh home."

Nick's mother looked at the time. "Are you sure you shouldn't spend the night? It'll be very late by the time you get back to Zootopia. You could leave early tomorrow."

"Judy and I are expected at work tomorrow. We can switch off driving duties if one of us gets tired. I offered to give Josh a lesson and let him drive part way, but Judy insisted he needed to be at least seven before I teach him how to drive."

Eleanor looked at Judy, "I tried my best to raise him correctly. His sense of humor is his own, but I do apologize."

"No problem, Missus... Eleanor. I have a friend Hye and her significant other makes Nick seem calm and rational in comparison."

"I think Tom and I were both insulted by that comment," Nick objected.

Nick's mother had a request. "Judy, would you be a dear and put Joshua in his car seat and let me have a minute alone with my son before you go?"

"Sure."

Nick and Eleanor stood on the porch as Judy took Joshua to the car. She buckled the small fox in, and took her own place in the passenger seat. "She's really sweet, isn't she, Mom?"

"She certainly is. But I need to tell you I am less than pleased with you. You–"

"Mom! How can you object to Judy?"

"Did I say I object to Judy. I am unhappy with you for–"

"For dating a rabbit? Not falling in love with a vixen?"

"Did I say that? You obviously feel some insecurity or you wouldn't have brought it up. Are you ashamed of her?"

"No! I love Judy! That's what's important!"

"Please don't raise your voice. And you might try letting me finish what I'm trying to say. I said I am unhappy with your behavior and you take that as an attack on Judy."

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to yell. I just thought... Unhappy with me? Why? I'm out of hustling. What have I done now?"

"Have you asked Judy to marry you?"

"Huh?"

"You love her. You are having sex with her. She is very obviously deeply in love with you. You say you love her, if that is true–"

"It is!"

"Then, it would seem to me, that you should do the responsible thing."

Nick stood there, looking slightly stunned. His mother kissed him on the cheek. "Do the right thing. And drive safely."

The fox stumbled out to the car and got behind the wheel.

"Are you all right?" Judy asked. "What did your Mom say about me?"

"Hold on, let's get going," Nick told her and started the car.

"Now?"

"Let's get a few kilometers out of Fox Ridge. Heck of a day. I'm still trying to process–"

"Process later. I need to know, what did you mom say about us?"

"Mom... Did I tell you yesterday that Uncle Charlie said if I dumped you I might take over the Meadows' role in Fox Ridge?"

"Doesn't matter. And you're avoiding–"

"Repeated offer again today. He said... Never mind what he said. I said I wasn't going to leave you."

"Good. Now what did your mom say about us?"

"Wait a few more kilometers, I'm still working it through in my mind."

Ten minutes later Nick chuckled.

"What's so funny?"

"I just realized, Mom never gave an answer to your question. She likes you as an individual, but the only thing she said about us, as a couple, was on the porch that day when she said it isn't a parent's place to tell adult children who to love."

"Even when we left, when she wanted to talk a minute with you privately, she didn't talk about us as a couple?"

"Not really... I mean, she sort of talked about us without talking about us."

"I don't know Nancy, but is Joshua the only one in your family who isn't crazy? She talked about us without talking about us?"

"Confused me. I thought she was talking about us, but she was talking about my behavior toward you."

"Okaaay," Judy said slowly, "So, what did she say?"

"She told me not to take advantage of you... Do you feel like I take advantage of you?"

"I don't understand. Was she talking about you making me do k-i-n-k-y things?" Judy spelled it out for the sake of Joshua. "If that's her worry... I mean, we don't."

"That wasn't... At least I don't think that was her concern. It seemed clear, to her, that you love me very much. There are males who take advantage of females who love them, and she wanted me to assure her I would not take advantage of you. I should treat you right."

"I like your... You didn't tell her the truth, did you?"

"What truth?"

"I mean, if anyone was taking advantage of anyone... The way I was chasing after you? She'd think I was some kind of... I'm not even going to spell it out in front of Josh. I was utterly shameless in my pursuit of the handsome fox of my dreams. You didn't tell her that, did you?"

"You mean, tell her that I was too stupid to appreciate the best thing that ever came into my life until you rubbed my nose in the fact you were what I needed?"

"Well... No, you shouldn't have told her that."

"We really needed a good cover story for why we went to Fox Ridge together."

"You had one, remember? You'd introduce me simply as your partner on the force until you your Mom got to know me as an individual. Didn't last long, did it?"

"Not with Nancy spilling the beans like that," grumbled Nick.

"Did Mommy do something bad?" came a voice from the back seat.

"No, Sweetie," Judy assured him. "Your Uncle Nick just wanted to surprise Grandma Ellie with some news. Your mommy didn't know Uncle Nick wanted it to be a surprise and told Grandma Ellie. Nothing bad." She glanced over at Nick, "You might be a little more careful what you say in front of Josh."

Nick made no response. Judy waited a few minutes, "Nick? Careful in front of Josh? Did you hear me?"

"Yeah, still thinking about Mom's advice."

"I hope you follow your mom's advice."

"You sure you didn't eavesdrop?"

"No. I just think everyone should follow their mothers' advice."

"You always follow your mother's advice?"

"Hmmm... You can ask that after last night?"

"What happened last night?" Josh called.

Nick laughed as Judy stammered, "I was, uh, talking with your uncle, uh, until late, and, uh my mother always said go to bed early."

"But I enjoy talking with Judy at night," Nick assured his nephew. "I really, really enjoy–"

"Hush, you," Judy warned. "Maybe Moms aren't always right, but you should still listen to their advice even if you don't take it."

"I am thinking about what she said," Nick assured her.

–The End–