Nick didn't dream that night.

The next morning he was all but tossed out of bed by Olivia and Bonnie. He hardly got a complaint in edgewise as he was handed a towel and ushered off to the shower while the two made quick work of cleaning up his room. He could hear them talking as he washed, and he grumbled to himself. He didn't need to be taken care of. When he was done and dressed in fresh clothes Bonnie gave him several pies and boxes of fruit and a huge handmade quilt.

"Are you sure?" He asked when she presented it to him, "This looks like it took a while to make."

"Oh, please, I have hundreds of them at home. Besides," She held it up against him, "These colors look good on you, don't you think?"

"They do!" Olivia added, and Nick had to agree. The pattern of soft greens and pastel yellows was lovely and complimented his fur nicely.

"Well, alright then." She spread it neatly over his bed, the warm colors glowing in the morning light shining through the window and brightening the room considerably. He hated to admit it but the motherly touches they had made to the room did wonders.

"Now Nick I want you to eat these, ok? You're going to need your strength. They're store bought so they aren't perfect but it's better than nothing." Bonnie said, pointing to the food. He nodded, too overwhelmed to be sarcastic. The two ladies doted over him for a while more, giving him orders to eat and go outside and make sure that he didn't sleep all day, before sighing and admitting that they had to leave.

"I'll be in town for a few days more, so I might come check up on you again, if you don't mind." Bonnie added. Nick figured that even if he did mind that she would come anyway, so he agreed. She smiled. "Alrighty then, take care Nick."

Nick found that the good nights sleep had actually primed his appetite so he dug into one of the pies, not caring that it wasn't really a breakfast food. He agreed that it wasn't as good as homemade, but it was still better than the hospital pie, so he didn't complain. He didn't realise till much later, sitting in the garden, eating fresh strawberries that he hadn't thought about Judy all morning.


Later that day as he came back from his trip to the garden he ran into Bogo. His guard headed back to his room, nodding to Bogo.

"Hey chief." Nick said with a wave, "Got some more emotionally scaring people for me to talk to?"

Bogo rolled his eyes. "Not today, Wilde. Just me."

Nick feigned horror, "I don't know, chief, I feel pretty upset right now. Might need to go lie down."

"Give it a rest Wilde."

Nick smirked, "Alright. What do you need?"

"I want to know what your game plan is."

"What do you mean?"

"You know what I mean, Wilde. Where are you going next. As I recall you have a pretty good head on your shoulders. You could have some options outside of hustling...what was it, 'pawpsicles' ?"

Nick eyed him suspiciously. "Why do I feel like you're about to try to recruit me?"

"Because I'm about to try to recruit you." Bogo said with a smirk. "That's what I'm talking about, Wilde. You're smart, you've got skills that you could put to use. Judy spoke highly of you, you know."

"So I keep hearing..." Nick sighed as Bogo pulled a paper out of his pocket. A little yellow square, a bit roughed up around the edges and worn along its folds. Nick recognised it instantly. He took the paper, not bothering to unfold it. He had long since memorised the writing inside.

"It's something to think about. As I recall she was often right."

Nick looked away, his eyes burning. "I'm a criminal, chief. I didn't figure that I'd be welcome with the fuzz."

"Thats for me to decide. And I wouldn't offer if I didn't think you could do it." Nick didn't look up, and Bogo sighed, turning to leave.

"I can't make you. And I understand why you wouldn't want to. But think about it. You have a lot to offer. It'd be a shame to see it go to waste."

Nick stood in the hallway until long after Bogo was gone. He ignored the tears in his eyes, staring down at the paper. He could think of hundreds of reasons why he shouldn't take the job. He was getting older. 32 was a hell of a time to start something new, and it wouldn't be easy. He would follow in Judy's footsteps, the first of his kind to try. The reception wouldn't be kind, foxes were still seen as untrustworthy, and he was sure that his little incident didn't help that, but maybe...maybe this could start to change that. He unfolded the paper gently, looking over the familiar words. He could still hear Judy's teasing words.

'You know, I think you might actually be a pretty good cop.'

He laughed, pocketing the form. Finnick was never gonna let him live this down.


Sergeant Nicholas P. Wilde died at age 47 in the line of duty. He was shot three times defending his partner on a drug sting gone south. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

His funeral was attended by almost the entire ZPD and several people from the affiliated branches. He was the first fox to join the force, and paired with Judy's fame he inspired hundreds of non-traditional mammals to apply. Several of those mammals spoke, including not only several of Judy's youngest siblings and cousins who followed in her footsteps, but Penelope and Owen Otterton, Olivia's children and the first otters to become officers. They both remembered how he had become like an uncle to them, always encouraging them to try everything and to never let small minded people stand in their way. (Olivia also attended, staring with pride at her children, silently thanking Nick for all he had done for them.)

Formally, he was remembered as a highly valued officer, his face joining the wall of officers lost on duty, his accolades mentioned below his picture. But to his friends he was remembered fondly as a snarky, sarcastic asshole with a heart of gold. He was dearly missed.

Of course, Nick knew none of this. As those bullets hit him he remembered the pain, the fear and the worry for his partner(A sweet raccoon, the first on the force. She was so small, so brave and so, so much like Judy. He couldn't let her die.)

Then warmth. Softness and light and a sweet voice calling to him;

There you are, you dumb fox.

I missed you.