Nick had been sitting with Judy's parents in the waiting room for the past three hours waiting for any news. Several times he went to question the receptionist just to be told she was still in surgery and that she didn't have any news on her condition. Each time his heart sank lower with the fear that he may never see her again. Bonnie and Stu tried to console him as best as possible, but he would just go back to the bench by the window and lay down curled up in a small ball crying.
"Talk to him, Stu. I'm going to go to the nursery and see the little ones." Bonnie got up and walked down the hall to the nursery as Stu sighed but got up and walked over to Nick.
Sitting down he placed a paw on Nick's shoulder. "Do you want to talk about it Nick? It's not good to keep these things bottled in. Judy told us that is how you survived on the streets all those years. By not showing any emotion. But you have a family now, with us, you can show emotion to family, Nick."
He turned over looking at Stu, tears still falling from his eyes, "It's all my fault, Stu." Stu's eyes grew wide, "If she had never met me, If we had never fallen in love… if she would never have gotten pregnant with me, she would be in that room holding her kits and enjoying time with them. Not laying in an operating room fighting for her life. If she had never met me…"
"Don't you dare start talking like that Nick!" Stu grabbed Nick by his shoulders, staring right at him. "No one can help who they fall in love with, especially Judy. She's always been a fighter and never played by the rules. That's why this won't get her down, and you better stop thinking that she would've been better off without you. She is the happiest I've seen her in years when she's with you."
Nick sat up and pulled Stu in for a tight embrace. The two held each other for a while before a sound pulled them apart. Nick looked up to see Bonnie holding a bundle in her arms and a nurse holding another in her paws.
"Nick, I believe these two would like to meet you." She walked over and placed the little buck in his paws. He was barely bigger than Nicks paw. He lightly smoothed the fur around the sleeping bundle as a smile crept across his muzzle.
"This little one has been very active since she came to the nursery." The nurse placed the vixen in Nick's arms. Nick looked at both the kits in his arms as fresh tears fell from his eyes, but this time, they were tears of joy.
"I have to be strong, if not for me then for these two. If the worst happens they are still going to need their father." He leaned down and kissed them, the vixen watched him very closely and smiled slightly after Nick's muzzle left her forehead.
"Mr. Wilde." Nick looked up and saw Doctor Townsend standing by the reception desk, "I need to speak with you privately please." Handing his Kits to Bonnie and Stu he got up and followed the rabbit to a small office. He took a seat across from the rabbit, slowly rubbing his paws together, expecting the worst.
"I'm sorry it's taken so long to get any news to you. We've been working as best and fast we could. We did everything we could…" Nicks' heart stopped when he heard those words. "but we were not able to stop the bleeding." Nick dropped his head into his paws and began shaking.
"No, no, no, this can't be happening." Nick's whole body was shaking and rocking in his seat.
"Mr. Wilde please let me continue," The doctor placed a paw on his shoulder. Nick looked up from his paws to see a concerned but comforting look on the rabbit's face, "We couldn't find where the blood was coming from in the uterus, but we realized it was contained to only there. So the decision was made to remove it," Nick look puzzled then a realization hit him, "Yes Mr. Wilde. By removing her uterus we stopped the bleeding, however, she will never be able to carry kits again. It was a decision that had to be made right away and we did not have the time to discuss it with you, I'm sorry."
Nick was shocked but realized the doctors did what they needed to and saved Judy. "Thank you, doctor. You saved my wife, we have two very healthy kits. If we can't have anymore so be it, we still have each other. Thank you. When can I see her?"
"She is in recovery and still sedated. We will be moving her to a room shortly. Once we do you can see her. When she wakes up, do you want to let her know, or should I?"
"I'll tell her. Might be better coming from me. Afterward, I know she'll want to see her kits."
"Absolutely. When she gets moved into her room we'll allow you in, then when you're ready for the kits just hit the call button and let us know." She stood up and put out her paw.
"Okay doctor, and again, thank you for saving her life." Nick stood up, shook her paw, and left the room back to where Bonnie and Stu were. He watched as they held his kits, quietly talking and playing with them.
They saw Nick standing by the wall and walked over to him, "So what's going on Nick? Tell us the truth, we can take it." Stu tried his best to look tough but Nick could see through it.
"She's out of surgery and alive, they are going to move her to a room shortly." Bonnie and Stu sighed and the relief showed on their faces, Nick reached over and took the buck from Bonnie's paws. Bouncing him slightly, getting a small smile.
She gave Nick a concerned look, "What else is there Nick, I can tell there's something you're not telling us."
He looked down at the kit in his paws and hugged him tightly, "Judy will never be able to carry kits again. They couldn't stop the bleeding and the only option was to remove her uterus."
Bonnie's paws went to her muzzle in shock and Stu just looked blankly at Nick. He looked at the vixen in his paws and gave her a hug and kissed her forehead. She looked up at him with her amethyst eyes and cooed.
"When they bring her to a room I'll tell her, after that I would like you two to bring in the kits. She's going to want family around to help her cope." The Buck in his arms started to cry. Nick seemed confused at first but then readjusted him, bouncing him some more and patting him on the back he calmed down quickly.
Bonnie got a huge smile on her face as she watched Nick with his son, "You're a natural Nick, just like Judy." Nick smiled at the compliment, he would never have thought of himself as a natural, with being an only kit.
"Thank you, Bonnie, I just hope that I can be everything that they need as they grow up."
"Mr. Wilde," Nick spun around to see Doctor Townsend standing by the reception desk again. "She's in her room and starting to come around if you're ready."
Nick handed his kit back to Bonnie, "Thank you, I am ready. Lead the way." The rabbit showed him to a room just inside the main doors to the labor and delivery wing, stopping at a door that had Judy's name in the placard next to it.
"Here's her room. Like I said she's just coming out of the anesthesia, she may be a bit confused so I would wait to tell her everything until she is completely coherent." She patted Nicks arm as he reached for the door and smiled. "Good luck Mr. Wilde, and remember you have a beautiful family, never forget that."
Nick smiled and nodded before walking into the room and closing the door behind him. He looked at the bed and saw Judy sitting there with an IV attached to her arm and an oxygen hose sitting in her nose. He started to doubt that this was all worth it. Seeing her sitting there, so helpless, his mind went back to what if she had never met him. He stood there and began to shake again when she turned her head and opened her eyes, smiling "Hey, Nick."
"Hey, Judy." Hearing her voice, the love that was behind those two words his mind threw those negative thoughts away. He walked over to her bed and crawled in next to her, wrapping his paws and tail around her as a warm, fluffy, safety blanket. She tried to scoot next to him but winced and grabbed at her belly.
"Ouch. Well, that hurt more than I expected." She started pressing lightly and looking down, "I feel so empty without them in there anymore… wait a minute. Nick, where are our kits? Is everything okay with them?"
Nick could see the panic in her eyes, "They're fine Judy. They're healthy, beautiful, they have our eyes, and we still need to pick names for them."
"I want to see them, Nick, I want to hold my kits."
"There is one thing we need to talk about first Judy." Judy looked at Nick scared, "After they were born you started… bleeding, really badly bleeding. They rushed you into surgery but couldn't stop the bleeding. They only had one choice." Judy's eyes went wide as she felt the bandage covering the incision in her belly, "We won't be able to have any more kits, but we have two beautiful ones now, Judy." Tears began to fall from her eyes, "We have a perfect family, and you're alive. I'm sorry we can't have anymore, I truly am. But the kits have their mother and isn't that more important?"
Judy rubbed at her eyes and nodded, "I just wanted to give you a large family Nick, but you're right. These kits have their mother and I still have you. I love you so much Nick and I couldn't think about leaving you."
They held a long passionate kiss before Nick sat up slightly and smiled, "Well, are you ready to meet them?"
Judy smiled and nodded yes. Nick reached over and pressed the call button. A minute later Bonnie and Stu walked in carrying the kits and placed them in Judy's arms. They both opened their eyes and looked at Judy smiling. The moment didn't last long as the vixen soon started throwing her paws around crying.
Judy handed the buck to Nick and she tried to calm her. But try as she might no amount of bouncing, talking to, or soothing seemed to work. Only after peaking into her diaper and seeing she was still dry did it hit Judy, "Are you hungry little girl?" She stuck a finger in the vixen's mouth, who began to suck on it steadily. "Wow, I guess you are, just wait little one, mommy has what you need."
She began to lower her gown when she suddenly realized her parents were still standing next to her bed, "Mom, Dad, Can we have a little privacy please?"
Bonnie was pushing Stu out the door as he covered his eyes. "We'll go and get ourselves some food and come up later. You two enjoy your new family. These are special times, cherish them." They closed the door behind them, leaving the new family alone.
Nick slid off the bed and sat in a chair nearby as Judy pulled down a part of her gown to feed the crying vixen. It took a while but finally she latched on and started sucking way, "Okay now that is a weird sensation."
Nick smirked, "I thought you were used to it, didn't I prepare you enough before they came?"
Judy glared at him, "That is different, Nick. You weren't trying to get fed from them, dirty fox."
"You know you love me."
"Do I know that? Yes, yes I do."
"So Carrots, are you ready to go home?" Nick was buckling Nathan into his car seat while Judy was feeding Sophia.
"Once I finish feeding little miss piggy here. I'm really glad it's just the two of them otherwise I don't know if I could keep up with feeding them." Sophia let go and gave Judy a big grin, "Oh you think that's funny don't you?" She patted her back until a loud burp came from the small fox. "Here you go Nick, get her buckled up while I go to the bathroom."
She handed her to Nick and eased herself down from the bed, Nick watching her closely. She had made incredible progress over the past week they were in the hospital, but they both were eager to get their family home.
He bucked in Sophia just as Doctor Townsend came in, "Okay Mr. Wilde, here are Judy and the kits' discharge papers. If anything seems wrong call me right away, I don't care what time of day or night it is. I would rather be woken up and it is nothing then have something be wrong and you not call." She handed him a large stack of papers. "If you have no questions you are all ready to go, I wish you luck and congratulations on your new family." She shook Nicks paw and walked out of the room.
Nick clipped the car seats into the stroller as Judy came out of the bathroom, "Well, Carrots, everything is all set. We are free to go."
Nick pushed the stroller while Judy slowly walked beside him. She was healing quickly but still very sore. "So, Carrots, what are we going to do when we get home?"
"A nice long bath, followed by a nap while I can. It's only been a week but those two really can take it out of you." Judy placed a paw on Nicks' arm as they walked.
"That does sound nice. I can take care of them while you relax. You definitely deserve it." Nick pressed the elevator call button as Judy reached around and hugged him.
"Thank you, Nick. What did I ever do to deserve you?"
Nick reached down and returned the hug, "I'm the lucky one, Judy."
They got to their car and began the drive home, Nick taking extra care while driving to not disturb the sleeping kits in the back. Arriving at home, Nick helped Judy out of the car as he grabbed the car seats and they made their way to the door. Judy reached up to open the door but paused when she heard a noise from inside, "Nick," she spoke in barely a whisper, "I think someone is in our house." Nick nodded as Judy slowly opened the door.
"WELCOME HOME!" A loud cheer came from inside the home. They stepped inside to find Bonnie and Stu along with several officers from the precinct. Nick set the car seats down as several of the officers gathered around to see them.
"That vixen has your eyes, Judy."
"Too bad the buck got Nick's."
"That bit of gray on the vixen's muzzle looks so cute."
"Ummm, what is that smell?"
That brought up a round of laughter as Nick took Nathan to the bedroom to change him. They had set up the cribs and changing table in their bedroom for the time being so they didn't have to go very far to take care of them at night.
He was almost done changing him when he heard Judy get asked a question that made him cringe. "So Judy, I know you just had these little ones but any plans for more?" Nick quickly finished getting the diaper on Nathan and rushed to the main room expecting to see Judy in tears, but as he rounded the corner he slowed down and smiled at her answer.
She was holding Sophia and looking into her eyes, her little paws reaching out to Judy. "I don't know, Clawhauser. It's not something we have discussed yet." She kissed the top of her head then spun her around for everyone to see. "Besides how can you do any better than these two?" Mammals all around laughed and again congratulated them.
Nick made his way to Judy and Sophia and pulled both of them into a hug. He kissed her, then spoke quietly, "Well done Judy, way to keep it together."
Judy looked at her family and the biggest smile ever grew across her muzzle. "It was all true Nick. Yes, having more kits would have been nice but these two truly are perfect, and I have the best husband I could ever wish for. I have all I could have ever asked for in a family, thank you, Nick."
"Thank you, Judy. You have made me the happiest fox in the world. I can only hope for many more years of excitement with our new family." The small family embraced one another as the party continued around them, oblivious to the tears of happiness that fell from the parent's eyes.
A/N: So there we have it, the beginning of a very loving family. With the adventures they get into while on the force what will they get into with kits now? We are getting close to the end of this story, there will be a few more adventures with the kits being young but I think I'll save them growing up for another story. But I do think I'll continue with this timeline in more stories to come so hop on and enjoy the last of this ride.
