Here's the next one. Enjoy!
Nick lays stretched out on the couch in Judy's parents' house. His arm hangs over the edge and grazes the floor as he stares absently up at the ceiling. This is what he does most nowadays. Ever since they came out here to get away from the stress of the city he has little else he can do. It's no different than back home except now there are children who run in and out and the scrutinous eyes of her father on him every so often. Right now neither is happening, but that just means he is bored out of his mind. Sure, the fresh air and quiet is good, but it just isn't something he can deal with for too long. He isn't like Judy. He was born and raised in the city and this kind of atmosphere is very much jarring.
He doesn't endure it much longer though. A flurry of footsteps sound through the house and when he looks in the direction of the noise he sees a group of children standing around the couch. "Hi Mr. Fox." The youngest pipes up.
"It's Nick." Another hisses.
"Oh, um, Nick."
Nick chuckles. "Hey, guys. What's up?" He sits up on his elbow.
A third scurries forward, a book clasped to her chest. "We were wondering if you'd read to us." Her wide eyes shine up at him.
Nick quirks a brow. Isn't that what their parents are for? He won't say that to their faces though ands shatter their cheer. "What's the book?"
"The Bridge to Terabunnithia." She holds the book out, revealing the cover.
Nick hums in contemplation. He was never much of a reader, but he has nothing against it. Besides, it is about the only thing he can do with the kids in his state. Judy gave them a stern talking to about not hanging off of him or roughhousing because of his leg. One would think that would make them lose interest in him – kids aren't easily entertained if there isn't movement involved. Apparently though he is enough of an oddity to draw their attention anyway. "Sure." He extends his hand for the book.
The kids squeal and jump up and down. The girl with the book scurries forward and onto the couch. She scrambles across him and wriggles into the space between him and the couch.
Nick grunts as she inadvertently kicks his stomach on the way to her seat, but the smile and the amusement in his eyes never fall away.
All the other children settle in a ring around the couch. They sit crisscross with their hands shoved in their laps as they lean forward in anticipation.
"Here you go." The girl by his side lays the book on his stomach.
Nick nods. "Alright. So where are you at?" He glances at each of their faces in turn.
"Start at the beginning!" They say in tandem.
Nick can't help but be surprised by the request. Is it really a good enough book to read over and over again? Or is it something about a new reader needing to start from the beginning? Who knows. He will never understand children. "Alright." He shrugs. "Ba-room, ba-room, ba-room, baripity, baripity, baripity, baripity. Good. His dad had the pickup going. He could get up now."
When Judy walks in an hour later she can't help but snicker. A bunny is squeezed in on either side of him, tucked between his arms as he holds the book. Another is curled on his chest, two lay out on the top of the couch with their arms dangling, and the last perches atop his head. Each and every one of them is conked out. "How's it feel to be a bed?" She says softly so as not to wake the kids.
Nick looks up and grins. "The same as the last month of my life – just a bit more pressure and heat. The same exact amount of movement."
Judy chuckles. It feels good to be able to laugh about what once was such a sore subject. "I'm glad they've taken to you so well and you to them. I was afraid they'd cause trouble because of how rambunctious they are and that you would be put off from last time."
"Nah." Nick waves her words away. "They're cute when they aren't trying to suffocate me. Like this especially. Nice and quiet."
Judy grins. "Ah, you'd be a good dad. You know it."
Nick rolls his eyes. "At least I'm not a bunny. I don't have to worry about having hundreds of kids if I ever have any." Many animals still retained their large litter sizes even after evolving, but foxes are not one of them.
Judy waves his words away. "I'm going to the market. Just came to check on you."
Nick puffs out a lip. "Aw, you're gonna leave me. Alone with your parents." He would have flopped over for emphasis if not for the masses all over his body.
Judy snorts. "Such a drama king." She turns to go. "I'll be back as soon as I can." She waves over her shoulder before disappearing around the corner.
Nick watches after her for a while, but he knows there is no point to waiting like a lost puppy and shuts his eyes. It isn't a minute afterward that he hears footsteps. His eyes snap open on instinct even though he knows it can't be Judy and he is met with the suspicious gaze of her father. Oh great. This is the exact opposite of what he needs right now.
Her father stands for a long moment before settling down in the armchair across from Nick. His gaze never once leaves the fox.
Nick lets out a heavy breath. "What is it now pops?" He drums his fingers against the couch to compensate for being unable to cross his arms.
Her father contemplates Nick. He studies each of his children who are camped out on the boy. Children are said to be the best judge of character. Maybe he is being unfair. Nick and Judy have been here for a week now and none of the children have mysteriously vanished – eaten. The young ones especially seem to have taken to him.
Nick squirms beneath the old man's piercing gaze. "What?" He keeps his voice low.
Her father shakes his head. "Just rethinking my beliefs."
Nick makes a soft sound of acknowledgement. "You have cute kids."
Her father smiles in front of him for what Nick swears is the first time. "You are really good with them." He concedes. "They don't camp out with anyone but Judy, at least, that's the way it used to be."
Nick smirks. "I guess I'm honored." He runs a hand over one kid's head.
"Judy likes you a lot too." Her father says more to himself than Nick.
"Yep." Nick can't help but be amused by her father working through his biases aloud and more importantly in front of him – the very person he has the most prejudice toward. "I'm rather fond of her too."
Her father's brow furrows. "Are you two…a thing?" He can't help but go there.
Nick's eyes widen and he nearly chokes on air. "No." He is so done with everyone assuming that. A group of five year olds is one thing, they don't know better, but adults should understand that two people can be as close as they are and still be just friends.
Her father throws his hands in the air. "Sorry, sorry. I just…had to ask." He looks anywhere but at Nick. Honestly he didn't think they were, he only asked to soothe his fears over his daughter being with anyone.
"Of course you did." Nick grumbles beneath his breath. "We are just friends. Best friends."
Her father nods. "Alright, alright."
In the next instant, Judy's mother enters. She starts as she looks back and forth between her husband and Nick. She doesn't mean to be rude, but she is more than a little amazed by the fact the pair are coexisting in the same room without giving each other death stares. She even loses her train of thought. So she starts a new one. "Stu, leave the poor boy alone."
Judy's father perks at the sound of his wife's voice. "It's alright, hon."
She shakes her head. "He should be resting. God knows he can't when those kids are awake. So leave him be. Besides, I need your help." She shoos her husband out of his chair and into the kitchen. "Bye sweetie." She waves to Nick before following her husband.
Nick chuckles. Judy's mother is really very kind. He should probably do as she said too. A yawn escapes him. He was on his way to doing just before pops entered the scene, so it shouldn't be too hard. Not hard at all. He shuts his eyes and within minutes his consciousness ebbs. He descends into a world of dreams.
The next thing he knows, there is a pressure and kicking on his body. He tries to ignore it and sleep on, but the fog of sleep is too fragile. He grunts as there is a particularly hard kick delivered and forces himself to open his eyes.
The children are the source of course. The have awoken it seems and they are trying to get down. The only two left are the ones on the top of the couch. One leaps down and lands smoothly. The other tries to imitate their siblings, but utterly fails. They stumble and fall forward, onto his leg.
"Shit." Nick yelps and jerks his leg toward himself, catapulting the kid over his head. He curls forward, seizing his leg as if that will ease the pain. He presses his forehead to his knee and hisses. Tears burn his eyes. Stupid thing. It just won't go away. Honestly he just wants to cut it off. At least then no one could land on it and this wouldn't happen.
The kid tumbles, coming to rest flat on their back. Tiny sobs leap forth and tears spray forth.
Judy and her mother are there in a heartbeat. "What happened?" They say in tandem. Both look wildly about, but their gazes focus on different people.
Her mother sees the child on the ground and swoops in, scooping them into her arms. "Are you okay?" She heard Nick's exclamation too and already knows what must have happened. Still, she doesn't pass him a glance. She scurries out of the room to tend to her kid.
Judy, however, has eyes only for Nick. She shoos the children out of the way and bends over Nick. "Still that bad, huh?" Sometimes she wonders if he'll ever fully recover. If not…he can never be her police partner ever again. She grimaces and quickly shoves the sentiment back down. The last thing either of them need is for her to think so negatively. She's sure Nick has already thought the same thing a million times over by now.
Nick lifts his head, his lips pulled tight. "Yes," He says through gritted teeth. "Very bad." He breathes deeply in and out. Stupid kids. He knew letting them crawl up and lay all over him was a bad idea.
"Is there anything I can do?" She clenches a fist at her chest. She already knows the answer. Of course not. She can't heal his leg, she can't even subdue the pain he is feeling now. All she can do is be there for him.
"Don't be stupid." Nick scoffs. He scowls at his leg. "Of course not. There isn't anything anyone can do. This stupid thing is unfixable."
Judy bites her lip. "Nick…" She opens and closes her mouth around empty words. She isn't sure what to say. Clearly he is going through a rough time. And he isn't in the best of moods, even though even a few short hours ago when they talked he was all smiles. "It'll get better."
"You don't know that." He jerks his head around to glare at her. "It could never get better. I could be stuck like this – a hobbling mess – for the rest of my life. I could never be able to work as an officer again. Never be your partner again." He breathes heavily in and out.
Judy cringes against his harsh words. She drops her eyes to the ground, unable to meet his searing gaze. "Nick…don't say that." Her words are but a whisper.
Nick sneers. "Why not? You know it's true. And you may think believing and trying your best is enough, but it isn't. Sometimes nothing helps. Reality kills dreams."
Judy's shoulders slump. "Want me to get you some painkillers?" She doesn't wait for a response. She hurries out of the room to retrieve it.
Nick sighs, finally releasing his leg to cover his face with his hands. As the pain eases, stone cold regret takes its place. Damn it all. He knows better than to open his big fat mouth when he is upset. Or at least he should. He wonders if Judy will even come back. She probably just used painkillers as an excuse to escape from him. He groans. Not that he would blame her for it.
Much to his surprise he hears footsteps in the minutes that follow. He peers up to see her shuffling toward him, a pill bottle and a glass of water in her hands. "Here." Her voice is small as she hands over the items.
Nick keeps his gaze on the pill bottle. He doesn't want to see the hurt that must be lurking in her eyes. "Thanks." He gets two out and drinks them down. After that silence sets in on them. Neither speak or even move. He can't understand why she doesn't just leave – she must want to. Then again, maybe he doesn't know her so well. Maybe she is patiently waiting for him to apologize. Either way, it is eventually enough for him and he finds it in him to peer up at her and say, "I didn't mean it."
Judy snorts. "Yes you did."
Nick runs a hand over his head. "I mean…I didn't mean to take it out on you."
Judy smiles, but it is weak. "I know. It's alright."
Nick sits up straight. "No it isn't." He looks hard at her. "You've taken such good care of me since what happened. The least I can do is not yell at you."
Judy chuckles. "Don't act like you haven't done anything for me. You know you have." Countless nights she has needed assurance after having a particularly terrible nightmare and he has never once turned her down.
Nick shakes his head. "Still…I'm sorry."
Judy leans over and hugs him. "Thanks." She quickly releases him and stands straight again. "It means a lot." She sits at the foot of the couch leaning her head against the arm.
Nick snorts, smirking down at her. "That can't be comfortable. Sit up here." He shifts to make room.
"No, no, it's fine." She waves her hands. "I don't want you to have to move."
"Pssh," Nick rolls his eyes. "Well I'm moving anyway. Cause I want to." He grabs at her arm and tugs to prompt her up.
"Nick." Judy looks hard at him, but she can't stop the smile from spreading across her face and covering up all traces of impatience. She of course can't resist his tugs for long either and ends up on the couch by his side.
"See? Much nicer." He grins. "And now I get a headrest." He plops his chin down atop her head, spreading her ears farther apart.
Judy shakes her head. "Dumb fox."
"Now read to me. That dumb Terabunnithia book was getting good and I'm not waiting for those kids to come back to read more of it."
"What's the matter? Can't read it on your own?"
"Nope. I have a rare disorder that prevents me from comprehending written words when there are less than five people in the room."
"Uh-huh." She grabs the book from the floor. Luckily this is one of her favorites. It will be quite fun to revisit the land of myth that she gave birth to her optimism. Now though she gets to go there with Nick.
Yes, Nick and Judy are one of those pairs. They fight and make up five seconds later, at least I imagine so. I think it's sweet, especially since so many people tend to hold grudges. Also, this marks the (more or less) end of this arc. They haven't caught Bellwether but the drabbles from here on out shouldn't be as focused on the aftereffects of Nick being attacked. I tried to be clever and come up with a title playing on 'The Bridge to Terabithia' but it turns out I'm not very clever so I left it as is. XD Please review!
**HA. A reviewer quite clearly cleverer than me suggested Terabunnithia and so I edited the title. Carry on.