Some people have asked who Judy was dating and trying for a kid with after last chapter and I suppose I should have clarified. Judy wasn't dating anyone at the time of that chapter and was trying for kids on her own. I don't know why but I headcanon that she never marries and is perfectly fine with being a single mother.
Anyway, this chapter took way longer than it should have. It is a bit long, but really what took so long was trying to figure out exactly how I wanted everything to play out. It was obnoxious. lol I am happy with the way it turned out though. I hope you are too.
Also Travelin' Soldier was strangely inspiring as I wrote this. I ended up listening to it on repeat the whole time. Weird. lol Enjoy!
The sun is setting as the pair walk back from work. "So, Carrots, what are we gonna eat today?" Nick raises a brow. "Fast food or a gourmet meal from yours truly?" He grins.
Judy snorts. "Gourmet my butt. The best you can do is make pasta and burgers."
Nick gapes and splays a hand out over his chest. "That hurts."
Judy shakes her head, smiling privately. "I'm sure it does."
Nick opens his mouth to make a quip back, but the words he planned do not come out. "Ow." He smacks his neck.
Judy perks, concern flashing through her eyes. "What's wrong?"
Nick grimaces and brings his hand out to look at it. "I dunno. I think something stung me." He shakes his head. "Stupid bees."
"I guess you shouldn't make them mad then. Cause you should know, they hate when people lie, especially about their cooking prowess." She snickers.
Nick rolls his eyes. "I bet." He rubs the spot.
Judy frowns. "You aren't allergic are you?" She clenches a hand at her chest.
"Nah," He waves away her concerns. "I'm good. Just a bit sore is all." He smiles. "Come on, let's get on home." They continue on their way, poking and prodding at each other the whole way. When they reach home it doesn't stop either. "I'll get started on my specialty."
Judy laughs out loud. "Yeah, no, not tonight. No food poisoning for me thanks."
Nick scowls. "I do not give you food poisoning. I have never made something that bad in my life."
Judy shrugs her with her entire arms. "If you say so." She looks over her shoulder and shoots him a grin. "Besides, it's my turn anyway. I haven't cooked in a while."
Nick smiles in return. "Alright. Who am I to complain? Free food is free food." He walks off to the couch and settles down. Not working is more up his alley anyway. He scratches at his neck. He is just really not used to it lately ever since Judy came into his life. What a wonder it is that working has become normal to him. He laughs to himself.
"Juuuuudy!" Nick calls after a while, for the tenth time. He leans his head back over the couch to look toward the kitchen. "Aren't you done yet?" He may not be able to cook grand meals or a variety of dishes, but at least he is faster than a sloth.
"I swear to God Nick if you don't stop asking me I am going to throw your portions out the window." There is only a minute left, but she isn't about to tell him that. It is his punishment for pestering her to death.
Nick groans. "Fine, I'll just eat you then."
Judy snorts. "Yeah, ok. I'd like to see you try tough guy. All I'd have to do is punch you one good time and you'd be down." She hasn't forgotten how during the Night Howler case in her excitement she hit him so hard that he reacted.
"Lies!" He hopes up and heads for the table. "All horribly terrible lies."
Judy chuckles beneath her breath. "Alright, whiner." She finishes up. "It's done. Come and get it." She begins making her own plate.
Nick scurries over and with his hip nudges her out of the way.
"Hey!" She puffs out her lips and scowls at him.
"Predators first. Otherwise the predators eat the people who try to go in front of them."
Judy shakes her head. "You're so dumb." She more or less has what she wants anyway so she goes and sits at the table.
Nick piles the food onto his plate until absolutely nothing else will fit. He turns to head back, grabbing a second biscuit before heading off. He sits down across from her. "Here you are Milady." He extends the biscuit toward her.
Judy grins. "Well aren't you just the sweetest. Pushing me out of the way and cheating me out of my biscuit, but hey, at least you got me one."
Nick's face breaks out in a smile. "Aw, you love me." He begins to devour his food.
"Dumb fox." Judy mumbles behind a forkful of rice.
They eat dinner in peace. It is generally one of the only times they aren't talking or picking on each other. Tonight is no exception. However Judy is seriously distracted tonight. She tries to focus on her food and ignore it, but she soon sees that is not within the realm of possibility. First her ear starts to twitch and then her foot beats on the floor as her aggravation rises. Finally, she can't take it anymore. "Nick," She tries to say as evenly as possibly.
Nick looks up. He smirks at her. "Yeah, what's up?" He furiously scratches at his neck.
"You've been going at your neck like it's my blueberries. All dinner."
Nick blinks and tilts his head. "Huh?" He peers at his neck where his hand of course is. "Oh, well I guess I have been." He chuckles. "Honestly I forgot I was doing it."
Judy frowns. "Well do you think you could tone it down a bit? Besides, it's not good to scratch at it. It could get infected."
Nick smiles sheepishly. "Sorry, Carrots. I'll try. It just itches a heck of a lot." He scratches one final time before grabbing a fork with one hand and his glass with another. Maybe this will keep him from going crazy with the scratching.
"Here, I've got an idea." She wanders off to her room and digs through a drawer in order to find what she is looking for. When she returns she sees that he is back at scratching again. She shakes her head, but she doesn't call him out on it. "I'll put some calamine lotion on it. That might help."
Nick shoves his hands into his lap with the speed of lightening. He presses his lips tightly together and sits unusually straight, looking like a kid with their hand caught in the cookie jar the way he forces his behavior. "Yeah," He sighs. "Sounds great."
Judy applies the lotion on his neck, giggling the whole time at the dopey, soothed smile that plays across his lips. It is especially amusing to her as he leans his head back over the chair to overemphasize his pleasure. "You are such a dork." She says as she finishes and steps away.
Nick sits up, his smile returning to normal. "Thanks, Carrots. This should help." He won't lie though, he still has a major urge to scratch away. It is better though, that's for sure.
"I hope so." For both their sakes. "Let's watch a bit of tv now." She nods to the living room. "Yeah?"
Nick grins. "First one there gets to pick the channel!" He springs to his feet and races for the remote.
"Nick!" Judy squeals, just a step behind him. "You cheater!"
...
The next day they have off and they made plans to binge watch movies all day long. Judy gets up at the crack of dawn, fully expecting to have to roll Nick out of bed. Even when it comes to doing things he likes he almost never gets up early for it. Theater showing before noon? Not a chance. Beating the rush to a sale? Good luck with that one. Only when she walks out of her room he is right there before her – on the couch. "Oh." She blinks. "You're up."
Nick lays stretched out on the couch, his hand draped over the side and grazing the floor. "I couldn't sleep." He grumbles. His face twists in pain. "I've got a killer head ache." He rubs his temple to try and ease the ache.
Judy frowns. "Did you take any medicine?" She walks in front of the couch to face him.
"Course I did." He sighs. "Hasn't helped."
"Here, sit up." She motions with her hands.
Nick stares dully up at her. "Do I have to?" He would rather not move for the rest of eternity if that was ok with her.
Judy crosses her arms. And shoots him a hard look. "Do you want me to help or not?" He can be so obstinate sometimes.
Nick groans as he drags himself into a sitting position.
Judy takes a seat next to him. "Face me."
Nick turns his head to look at her. "What now? You gonna magic it away, Carrots?" He intends to be funny, but the remark doesn't make him laugh or even a smile to come to his face. It is just extra effort he wishes he hadn't spent.
"Smart aleck." Judy reaches for his head and massages his temple. "Is this good? Is this where it hurts?"
Nick lets out a breath and all his muscles go limp.
Judy snickers. "I'll take that as a yes." She keeps it up for a few minutes before finally retracting her hands. "Better?" She tilts her head and her ear flicks.
Nick smiles. "A bit, yeah. Thanks, Carrots." He rubs the back of his neck. "But I don't think I'm much up for watching tv all day though. It still hurts, and loud noise will probably make it ten times worse. Y'know?"
Judy nods. "Yeah, I understand." She could poke fun at him and call him a wuss, but he seems genuine and when they are seriously in pain emotionally or physically they drop their banter immediately. It may just be a headache, but it's still something that bothers him. "Why don't you try to go back to sleep. I'll find something else to do for the day."
"Nah, you don't have to put it on hold for me. Go ahead and watch whatever you want."
Judy shakes her head. "The whole point is to watch it with you. Otherwise making fun of everything isn't even half as fun." She grins.
Nick smirks. "True, true. I am the best." He pinches the bridge of his nose and grimaces. He forces it down as best he can and looks at her again. "I'll be out after a little nap." He says as he stands.
Judy waves away his words. "Take as long as you need. I am capable of functioning without you, you know?"
"You sure?" He chuckles. "The last time I left I'm pretty sure you cooked literally every piece of food in the house until I came back."
Judy scowls and leaps to her feet on the couch. "That was one time." She shoves a finger in his face. "One time."
Nick snickers. "Yeah, yeah." He pushes her hand down before walking away. "See ya, Carrots." His head is already starting to throb again and it shows in his expression. He hopes that he can power through it and manage sleep, but he has serious doubts. What makes now any different than two hours ago?
…
The next day Nick drags around. He tries to play it off as nothing, but he can't ignore his pounding headache, his heat flashes, and especially not the intense fatigue and pin needle pain. Every limb is on fire. Still, he perseveres. Judy must see it, he knows, but luckily today is a busy day and she doesn't have much time to ask him.
When they get home at the end of the day, he heads straight to bed. He flops over onto the mattress and doesn't move. Maybe if he is as still as possible it won't hurt quite as much.
"Nick?" Judy's tentative voice comes from the doorway as she peers in on him.
"Hm?" Nick doesn't twist his body to look at her.
"Are you okay?" She bites her lip. "You didn't look so good today."
Nick grumbles beneath his breath before saying, "Just feeling a bit under the weather." It isn't a lie, but it is certainly an understatement.
"Anything I can do?" If it really is just a cold or something she really can't. Still, she can't help but ask. Maybe his head hurts again and she can at least ease one pain.
Nick remains motionless. "No. I just…want to go to sleep." He hesitates, then adds, "Don't wake me for dinner either. I'll just…get something later."
Judy frowns. She pulls at her sleeve. She doesn't want to just leave him like this. "I can get you cold medicine or something."
Nick sighs. "No, Judy, look, it's not a cold. It's just…obnoxious. I'll be fine. Just please stop talking. You're killing my head." He hates to be snippy, but his head is about to explode from the assault of sounds. She just needs to go – now.
Judy blows out a breath. A flicker of a scowl appears on her face. "Fine." No, no, she can't be too mad with him. If he really is so miserable, and he sure as heck looks miserable, then he has every right to act this way. She just needs to leave him be, just for a little bit. So she walks away, off to cook for herself.
Nick lays there for hours. Once or twice he dozes off, but the relief is fleeting. It is early in the morning – very early – when he can take it no longer. He drags himself up out of bed and through the house. The dark is oppressive, the drawn curtains blocking out even the intense streetlights. He should go grab more headache pills, but instead he stumbles toward the door. Air. I need air. Inside this apartment it is just so suffocating.
He makes it out and sinks down on the stoop. He drops his head into his hands and breaths in and out deeply. The air is cool as it brushes through his fur and it brings him down from his steadily rising panic, but it is no less thick. What is going on? What is wrong with him? He shoves himself to his feet and his world tilts dangerously, causing him to stumble down the stairs and just barely catch him before hitting the ground. Damn. This is just not a good day for him.
He should head back inside. It may be stifling in there, but at least if he falls flat on his face he won't be eating concrete. Yeah, he needs to go back inside…
…
Judy wakes in the morning less than reenergized. She grumbles as she sits up in bed and stretches. She rolls hers shoulders and hops out to her feet. Time for work she supposes. She wants to be exited and she still loves her job and by all logic should be pumped to go into work, but today she just isn't. Nevertheless she slips into her uniform and heads out of the room. She won't bother Nick, he needs to rest after the way he has been looking lately, but she does stop by to check on him.
She starts and her eyes widen as she sees his bed is empty. Her heart skips a beat and panic swells, every muscle and hair standing on end. Her breathing kicks into overdrive and that terrible helplessness from back then seizes her in a vice grip. No, no, no, calm down. Just because Nick isn't here doesn't mean he is in danger and certainly doesn't mean anything like her own kidnapping will happen again.
She focuses on her breathing. I'm fine. Fine. Fine. It takes five long minutes, but she gets a handle on herself. She takes a quick look around the apartment before barging out the door. She comes to a screeching stop at the end of the stairs. Wait. What is she, stupid? She barks out a laugh as she yanks her phone from her pocket and smashes the tracker app. She has had to use this way too many times for her comfort.
"Come on, stupid." She yells at the screen. Unavailable flashes across the screen after a minute. "Unavailable?" She very nearly chucks the phone across the street, only stopping herself as she realizes it would be a major waste of resources. He could call her at any moment. Just because he isn't in service right now doesn't mean he won't be soon. Or hey, maybe he is at work already. Yeah. It could happen.
She races to the police station and runs up to the front desk. "Clawhauser?" She says between breaths. "Have you…have you, seen Nick?"
Clawhauser frowns. "No, sorry Judy. Doesn't he usually come with you in the mornings anyway?"
Judy runs a hand over her head. "Yes, but, I mean…not today. He wasn't home." She shakes her head. "I woke up, and he was gone."
Clawhauser's eyes widen. "Oh gosh, that sounds terrible." He throws a hand over his mouth as soon as he sees her distressed reaction. "I mean, no, it probably means nothing. I'm sure he's fine." He puts on a grin.
Judy's ears press down against her head. She grips the edge of the counter with all her strength, trying her best to conceal the trembling in her arms. The panic is creeping up on her again. She needs to find Nick. She needs to know he's ago before she is completely swallowed by these terrible feelings. "I-I've gotta go." She flies up to Bogo's office, bursting in without even knocking.
Bogo jerks his gaze up and scowls at her. "What do you think you're doing?"
Judy clasps at her chest. "Bogo…Chief Bogo, I need some officers. I need them to help me search for Nick." She gnashes her lip.
Bogo's demeanor shifts in an instant. "What? Has something happened?" He swears, these two go missing every other week it seems like. He needs to embed a tracking collar in them or something.
Judy shakes her head. "I don't know. I-"
"Sir!" Clawhauser slides into view, grabbing onto both sides of the doorframe. "We've got a murder report."
Judy gasps and her eyes shoot open.
Bogo eyes Judy carefully. "Hopps," He says with unusual gentleness. "Don't jump to conclusions." People die every day in this city. Just because Nick has gone missing doesn't mean he is going to be the body they turn up.
Judy nods stiffly. She doesn't trust herself to speak, not right now. She just needs to go and see this body. She needs to know it isn't him.
"Send a team out and let Hopps go along."
Clawhauser nods. "Sir, yes sir." He rushes off.
Judy pivots to chase after him, stopping at the sound of Bogo's voice.
"Hopps," Concern shows clearly in his eyes. "Breathe." He knows she still deals with the aftermath of her kidnapping despite it being over a year ago. Nick is a coping mechanism as much as a trigger. With him in potential danger her state of mind is frayed.
Judy lets out a breath she didn't realize she was holding. She feels better for it, but not enough. "Thank you." She murmurs before she speeds off. She has to find Nick. Has to.
It takes only a few minutes to reach the area and Judy is out of the car in a heartbeat. She races across the pavement in search of the body. She looks every which way and then she spots it. She freezes, going completely stiff. There's not just a body. Two bodies. And one of them…Nick. She gasps for air. The pair lay in a pool of red, blood matting their fur. The sound of one of the officers' voices snaps her out of it and she snaps forward, unafraid to kneel in the blood to lift Nick off the ground. It doesn't cross her mind for an instant that she is contaminating evidence. Only one though pierces the panic. Please don't be dead. "Nick!" She presses her fingers to his throat and laughs out loud when she feels his steady pulse.
Nick stirs and sits up out of her hold. "J…Judy…?" He grimaces and hisses as a sharp pain strikes his head.
"Easy, easy." Judy reaches up and touches his head. "You might be hurt." She blows out a heavy breath, a tired smile spreading over her face. "Nick, why in the world did you come here? You had me worried sick."
Nick blinks. He peers around at his surroundings. "Ah…where…am I?"
Judy is caught off guard. Unease slithers up her neck and silences the relief. "You…You mean you don't remember?" She eyes him with uncertainty.
Nick shakes his head and rubs the back of his neck. "Sorry. But, hey, at least you found me." He flashes her a smile full of teeth.
Judy goes rigid. No. "Nick…" Her voice wavers. "Your…your teeth." Red stains the white. Now that she really looks at him she also sees that his shirt is torn and scratch marks litter his body and face. No, no, no.
Nick raises a brow. "What's that, Carrots?"
Judy's mind is a flurry. She can scarcely wrap her mind around the implications. She wants to help him, needs to, but her scattered thoughts are useless. By the time she comes up with any semblance of a plan, it is already too late. What felt like an instant was long enough for the officers to draw their own conclusion.
"Nick," Blaise, the rhino officer, says with an edge. "What were you doing here?" He look hard at Nick.
Nick frowns. He concentrates, but despite the effort all there is in his memory is blackness. "I…I don't know." The hair on the back of his neck stands on end. He has the distinct sense that something is about to go terribly wrong. "I was at home…on the stoop…then…nothing."
The officers exchange looks and then they ask an even more unsettling question. "We need to see your teeth."
Nick blinks. "My…my teeth?" Judy had mentioned his teeth already. What…? For the first time since he came to he realizes just where he is and leaps to his feet before scrambling away. Blood is everywhere. And a dead body. And…he looks himself over. Oh no. He is covered in blood. And it isn't his own, at least not most of it.
"Don't act surprised." Blaise says. "We found you right next to them. You can't not have known."
Nick may be a bit off kilter from being recently unconscious, but he is more than fast enough to put all the pieces together. "Come on fellas. You can not think I did this." He backs away slowly. "I mean, you know me. I don't have it in me to hurt people."
"The evidence speaks for itself, Wilde." The pair close the distance between them and Nick. "And I bet when we test it we'll find the victim's blood all over your teeth."
Judy looks back and forth between them. "Guys!" She springs to her feet and plants herself between them and Nick. She spreads her arms out wide. "Come on. I mean, yeah, it looks bad. But you don't really know what happened."
They sigh. "I know you're close to him, but we don't have a choice. He is a potential suspect so we have to take him into custody. And he doesn't even remember what he did here." Blaise pulls her just hard enough to get her out of the way. "It doesn't look good."
The other officer goes around and handcuffs Nick. Then he brings out a muzzle.
Nick's eyes catch on the tool and a surge of panic floods him. He jerks in the officer's hold. "Woah, woah, woah. What the hell is that for?" His breathing hitches and his fight or flight instinct kicks into gear.
Judy's ears stand on end as she locks eyes on the muzzle. "Hey! You don't need that!" She sprints forward, squeaking at the sudden resistance that holds her back.
"It's protocol." Blaise answers both their protests. "Violent animals are to be muzzled for the safety of all involved."
"Safety?" Judy looks with pure disgust.
Nick twists and turns his body and head with all the vigor in the world to keep the muzzle from getting around his head. "No! Judy! Don't let them do this. Make them stop. Judy! Judy!"
Judy's lips curl into a snarl. "No! Stop!" She bucks in Blaise's hold. Still, she is only a bunny. As much as she has struggled and overcome in her life, this is one thing she can not. He already has her in his hold and he is a rhino.
The officer gets Nick on the ground and forces the muzzle on despite his thrashing. "Alright, let's go." He drags Nick to his feet and urges him onward, back to the vehicle.
Nick's face twists in abject terror. He twists and reaches out for Jusy as he screams her name. "Don't let them do this! I can't- I don't…" His words deteriorate into frantic noises. "Judy!"
"Nick!" She reaches out for him. "Let me go! Stop it! You're being cruel!"
Blaise grimaces at the sight of the scene. "It's protocol." He has to justify this somehow. Otherwise he could never live with himself, not after seeing Nick so hysterical. He just hopes they can figure this mess out soon so they don't have to do this to Nick much longer. And most of all he prays that Nick really is innocent.
Opps, a cliffhanger. It was too long to keep it all together, plus it works better this way, unlike the chapter where Judy is kidnapped. I've pictured a scene like the one at the end in my head for the longest time, but just couldn't figure out a way to make it work. Now I did! Yay! I hope you liked it and look forward to the wrap up. Please review!