: Episode 1 : Scene 4: Lullaby

"… that's about it. Scratched him in the eye. Kept him from biting my arm clean off. And then sirens. Flashing lights everywhere."

Nicholas P. Wilde ground his teeth. The hairs on the back of his neck were crawling and he found himself rooted to the spot via his claws. They were at full extension, buried in the cheap hospital chair. If there had been a pig handy, he would have gladly torn out their throat, just to prove that he could. Just to not have to sit there and be useless.

I'll do it to Fangmeyer if he doesn't hurry up.

A part of him knew that the wolf was just doing his job. The white wolf had spent the better part of the early morning with Nick, keeping him company and waiting for Judy to wake after her surgery. Fangmeyer had been the only one of the swarm of cops who seemed happy to have seen Nick waiting for them at the hospital. Nick was grateful, in his own way. And he could tell from the way that the wolf's shoulders had hiked down, the way that his almost manic grin had slid into something saner, that he had gotten some good information to go on.

He just wished that it had not come at the very moment that Judy had woken up.

Patience, foxy-one.

It came into his head so hard and fast that he had to look over at the bed to make sure the rabbit there had not actually spoken the words. Judy was still focused on Fangmeyer though, still playing the part of Officer Hopps, ZPD. He loved her for that. Even with the bag of heavenly goodness strapped straight into a vein on her arm, she was grimacing in pain.

You know I'm supposed to say that to you. I guess I just can't do patience for Judes.

The bones in her arm had been atomized, practically. From what he had wormed out of the techs at the x-ray station, it was one of the worst breaks that they had seen in a long time. The veins though, those had been worse. There was still a bag of blood dripping into her. Judy was pale as a sheet. She blinked at the wolf as he cleared his throat.

"Well Hopps, that should be all that I need for now. I'll get back with you if I think of anything else. Nick." The wolf jerked his muzzle towards the hallway door.

Green eyes met purple, conferred, and agreed. Nick sighed out, long suffering, and levered himself out of the seat. The seat wanted to come with him.

"Stay chair. I have to show the nice detective the door." It was a weak joke, but he could cut himself some slack. It had been a long night. He brushed her feet, casual, tickling with the ends of his claws, as he slouched out.

The wolf stalked into the hall. Nick had noticed that it was not quite possible for Fangmeyer to do anything else: he simply went about with that graceful, tip of the toe motion that indicated either a hunter or dance training. A part of him would have been amused if it were actually the latter.

Closing the door, the detective took a few steps down the hall and then turned to face him. Nick took a beat of time to sweep the hall before joining him. There was a weasel in scrubs reading over some paperwork, but he was some way down the hall, too far off to be in earshot. Otherwise, they were alone. The Arctic wolf rubbed a paw across his eyes, then stared at Nick a moment, a bit of hesitation in his body language. Idly, the fox noticed there were bags under the usually sharp and candid eyes. Nick decided after a moment that he would have to be the one to get the ball rolling this time.

"Spit it out, Sweets."

"One time, one time you find me with a tub of candy."

"One was enough. I can remember the look you were giving those treats, like they were the best thing since you found out you had a tail. Or a big steak."

"Never had a steak. Don't really want to after this one."

That sobered Nick up. Point of fact, the smile skittered off his face faster than a Pawpsicle melted in July.

"What did you want to tell me?"

"You can tell Hopps this too. This one is not looking great right now. That squirrel that made the call."

"Barbara Elm."

"Right. She wasn't there."

"What?"

"After we picked up Judy and couldn't find the pig, some uniforms and Grizzoli went over to pick up Mrs. Elm. Her door was busted in and no one was home."

"Thanks, Sweets." Nick did not mean it, and that probably came across in his voice. The detective weathered the look, though.

"You'll probably know how to break that to her better than I would." He let the fox bite on that for a moment before continuing.

"I'm going to go write up a prelim and give it to Bogo. I'll have Francine over here in a few hours to put a face with our description of the pig. Till then," Fangmeyer stuck out a paw "get some sleep. You look worse than usual."

Nick did not leave him hanging.

"Hardy har. Not too handsome lookin' yourself."

"Don't lie, you know you' jealous of my coat!" Fangmeyer called over his shoulder as he walked down the hall.

The fox waited a moment in the empty corridor, watching him go. He had to admit, if there was anyone that he would have wanted to catch the case, it would be Fangmeyer. Other than himself and Judy, of course.

"But we can't have that."

With that, Nick turned and took the few steps back to the door of the hospital room. It was not that he doubted the reasoning behind keeping those involved with a case off of it. That part made perfect sense. He just really wanted to be there to use his own teeth on that pig.

His thoughts slammed to a halt as he shouldered the door open.

Then, a moment later, they continued on a calmer path, as he took the gentle steps over to the side of her bed. For her statement to be any sort of admissible in court, Judy had cranked the pain medicine down. His tough little bunny's eyes were lidded with sleep as he covered the steps to the side of her bed.

"Carrots." Nuzzling up against her cheek, he waited for a response. One came a moment later, though it was not quite the one he was hoping for. Drool dripped down onto the tip of his muzzle, dampening his nose.

"Asleep already, hon?"

Nick smiled. It was just as well. They would be able to talk when she was feeling more up to it.

"Sleep little rabbit, down below

Keep yourself warm from the rain and snow.

I just want to hold you, keep you near,

In our den, we two, we won't sleep in fear.

This I promise you, it will be okay,

'Cause in the morning is a brand new day."

He finished stroking her ears, and straightened. A shotgun salute of spine pops greeted the motion and he grimaced. There was a decision to be had here, and it was going to have to be driven by caution. Nick knew that, had lived the cautious life for a good two decades. Though recent times had brought him out of his shell a bit, had let him take some chances, this was still something that he was not sure he wanted to have to deal with. Because no matter how accepting mammals were getting, there was still the chance that some nurse would walk in on a predator and a prey, a fox and a bunny together in the same bed, and see nothing but a monster and a victim.

So Nicholas Wilde, instead of crawling in beside his bunny, scooted his cheap plastic chair beside her bed, propped his head up on a hand, and nodded off to sleep.