A/N Hello everyone, I am so sorry for the hug break in this story. A new baby, a few surgeries, work, and life in general have held me up form this story. But I am back. This chapter is a bit shorter then normal but maybe if I write smaller chapter I can turn them out a bit faster. So without further ado I bring you the next chapter of The Kits are Alright.
"Judy please, open the door." Nick was standing outside their shared room lightly knocking on it with his ear pressed to the door. After reading the article she had rolled up the newspaper and threw it across the room before running out. "Let's face this together, no more running and hiding."
The door flew open almost causing Nick to fall into the room, he was greeted with a very pissed off bunny. "I'm not hiding Nick, I was packing my bag. Were going back to Zootopia today!" She moved past Nick and went back down to the kitchen leaving Nick a bit stunned, he looked into the room and saw the kits still sleeping peacefully in their cribs. He walked in giving both of them a soft kiss on their foreheads and smiling, "Your mommy is going to kick some serious butt for you two."
Judy was already in the kitchen talking to her parents when Nick walked in, "Thank you so much for watching them while we take care of this. There should be enough milk for them to last a few days."
"It's not a problem at all Judy," Bonnie placed her paw on Judy's quaking shoulder, "Just go and take care of what you need to and get back here though, I know those kits are going to miss you terribly."
Judy pulled her mom into a hug before turning to Nick, "Ready to go, we're going to leave the kits here with mom and dad while we take care of this once and for all."
Nick cracked a smile, "Let's go make the world a better place." That gave Judy a big smile as she shook her head and headed for the door with Nick in tow.
They sat holding each other on a bench waiting for the train, sitting mostly in silence just enjoying the embrace they gave each other. They tried to pay no attention to the occasional look of disgust thrown their way, this is who they were and nothing was going to change it. "So, what's the plan carrots."
"I want to go to the Zootopia Times building first and talk to someone there. After that I'm not entirely sure, just flying off the seat of my pants here." Judy had a faraway look in her eyes, she was trying her best to formulate a plan. "Maybe while we're there we can give them an interview, may not be much coming from us but it could be a start."
"That could be a start and don't think so lowly of yourself. You proved a bunny could be a good cop, saved the city, showed them all that size really doesn't matter, and turned this old fox around on the straight and narrow." Nick leaned down and gave his bunny a kiss on the head.
Judy smiled at the tingle the kiss sent through her and snuggled more into her fox, "I couldn't have done it without you, your just as much a part of this as I am."
"Arriving Zootopia express." The loudspeaker called the oncoming train.
"Alright let's do this," Judy hopped up from Nick and grabbed her bag walking over to the train.
The doors opened and the normal stream of mammals came out of the doors, as Judy and Nick walked to the doors a snowshoe hare came running out bumping into Nick without even looking back, "Excuse you." Nick watched as the hare went quickly to the rental car counter, "Some mammals have no manners," he shook his head and walked onto the train joining Judy on the observation deck.
"What was that all about?" Judy asked puzzled.
"Nothing, just someone in a hurry and forgetting their manners." Nick shrugged it off. Apparently, someone else was in a big hurry.
The train ride into Zootopia was uneventful as the two just stared out the windows watching as the rolling green hills of bunny burrow slowly gave way to the deserts of savanna central and the tall skyscrapers of downtown. They got into their car that Judy had left at the station and made their way to the Zootopia Times building. "We probably should give buffalo butt a heads up on what we're doing, I'm pretty sure if we are going to give an interview we may have to clear it by legal first."
"Should we just go to the station or call him?" Judy asked pulling up to a stoplight.
Nick already had his phone in his hand, "Hey Ben is the chief around? Yes, I saw the article, that's what I need to talk to him about as Judy and I are about to go to the paper. Okay, I'll wait." Judy began driving again keeping her current course for the newspaper building. "Chief, Judy and I are on our way to speak with the editor of the Zootopia Times and were wondering if we need someone from legal or PR to be with us. So as long as we speak as private citizens and not as members of the police we good to go, sounds like a plan. Yes, we'll come to your office once were done speaking with them. Talk to you later sir." Nick hung up and stashed the phone back in his pocket and gave a wink to Judy. She just smiled and slowly shook her head as the pulled into the parking garage for the newspaper. They got out of the car and walked towards the front of the building, looking in to see the maze of cubicles and mammals walking around and typing at computers.
"Alright slick, let's see you work your magic again and get us an audience," Judy spoke as she opened the door and they walked into the lobby of the newspaper. The security guard lion looked up from his monitors as his eyes went wide, "Your, your officers Nick and Judy aren't you?"
"Yes we are, and we want to speak with the mammal responsible for allowing that defaming article about us and other inters get printed," Nick said stopping just short of the desk so they could both look into the lion's eyes.
"Just a moment please, I'll see if the editor is still here." The lion quickly grabbed a phone and dialed Lee's number hoping the lynx was still in his office.
"Hello," Lee said irritably.
"Lee, officers Nick and Judy are here." The lion spoke quietly into the phone.
"Wait, THE Nick and Judy are in the lobby. The one's Stan wrote about in his article?" Lee had a shocked tone in his voice.
"Yes, and they want to speak to the mammal responsible for letting that article go to print."
"Shit, I need to call Gabriel then I'll be out in a moment." Lee hung up the phone and quickly dialed Gabriel.
"Sir, Nick and Judy are here to talk about the article." Lee's paw was shaking as he held the phone to his ear.
"I figured they or someone else from the police would come by. Get them, and come to my office." The click on the other end told Lee to get moving as fast as possible to his boss's office.
Lee walked to his door and took a deep breath before opening it and walking to the lobby. Once he entered his nerves started to get to him as he outstretched a paw to the seated fox and rabbit. "Mr. and Mrs. Wilde, my name is Lee and I'm the lead editor. If you would come with me the CEO would like to speak with you."
They were both shocked when they heard that the CEO wanted to speak but outwardly they didn't show it, they politely shook the lynx's paw and then followed him to the elevators. The silence in the elevator was nerve-racking for Lee, he began to wring his paws together not sure of how the outcome of this meeting was going to go. They reached the tenth floor and made the short walk to Gabriel's office, knocking gently before going into the open door.
Gabriel turned around from the window overlooking the city, "Mr. and Mrs. Wilde, its a pleasure to meet you though I wish it was on better terms." He motioned for a couch to one side of the office from the to sit on as he walked over to a small bar in the corner, "May I offer you a drink."
"Some water would be nice," Judy said sitting down.
"I'm fine," Nick spoke quietly but sternly.
"I know why your here and rest assured the mammal responsible has already been taken care of," Gabriel spoke turning around with the water glass from Judy and a small glass of whiskey for himself before sitting in a chair opposite the couple. "He was approved for the piece, however, he violated every standard we have as journalists and was promptly fired."
A small look of satisfaction crept across Nick's face but was quickly replaced with his stern look at the zebra. "Was he fired because he violated your ethics, or because of the subscription drop and outcry over the article."
The zebra choked slightly on his drink but managed to quickly compose himself, "A combination of both. I have a company to look after, Mr. Wilde, and once the phone calls and e-mails came pouring in I read the article myself and realized he had gone too far. Editorial sections have a fair amount of leeway and not too much oversight when it comes to content, they submit for a subject to write on and it gets approved on in a committee. Before it goes to the printer a single editor looks at it for typos, not content. However, this incident is making us re-think our practices for the editorial section."
"Re-think, or actually do something about it. You can re-think all you want but without action, its just words." Nick was getting straight to the point, no beating around this bush this time.
The zebra smiled as he took another sip of his drink, "You know the system well Mr. Wilde I'll give you that. Then you also know change can't happen overnight, especially in a company this big. Changes will be made, but it has to go to the board of directors before anything can really happen." He sat up finishing the rest of his drink setting on the small table in front of them, "You have my word that change WILL happen. But, the question right now is what can we do for you two to show a sign of good faith."
Nick and Judy looked at each other for a moment before Nick tilted his head slightly motioning for Judy to ask what the paper should do. She turned and sat up straight before looking right into the zebra's eyes, "We want a public apology from you. Something on the front page of the paper or a press conference, it needs to be big and come from you directly."
Gabriel pondering the request for a second, "Consider it done and I will do both. I'll have a letter written by me in the paper tomorrow and hold a press conference in the afternoon. We'll make this right I promise." He stood up and reached out his hoof to the couple.
"I'm sure you will," Nick said taking the hoof and shaking it.
"There is nothing wrong with us or our lifestyle, we're going to prove this city that." Judy took the zebras hoof and gave it a solid shake.
"I have no doubt you will, now if you excuse me I have a letter and a press conference to prepare." He walked over to his desk and sat down as Lee escorted the couple from the office.
Once they were outside they fell into a tight embrace feeling the warmth of each other. "That went much better than expected," Judy was all smiles holding onto Nick.
"It's a step in the right direction, but we still have a long road ahead." Nick took Judy's paw as they walked back to their car.
"Yes, but hopefully the road won't be too bumpy," Judy said with a smile leaning and holding onto Nicks' arm.
"Do you happen to know the Hopps in the area?"
"Are you kidding me? The Hopps are one of the biggest families in the area, you're going to need to be a bit more specific." The brown rabbit looked over the counter of his convenience store at the white hare in front of him.
"Sorry, I'm trying to find Judy Hopps. She's an old friend of mine and I'm trying to surprise her since I'm back in town for a few days."
"Hmmm, well Judy lives in Zootpoia and not our here in Bunnyborrow, although she does visit quite often, I know she's good friends with Gideon Gray. He owns a bakery down the block."
"Thank you." The hare walked out of the store and got back into his rented truck and drive down the street until he found the bakery. Getting out he saw a large red fox leaning down to kiss a black sheep who looked very pregnant.
"I can hold down the store while you're out Gid, no need to hurry too much my love." The sheep held her hoof on the fox's arm causing anger to build in the hare.
"I know you can. I just need to go get more supplies from the Hopps then I'll be back so you can rest up."
"He's a damned inter as well, no wonder he's a friend of Judy. Maybe I'll get lucky if I follow him." He got back into his truck as Gideon pulled out onto the road in his van. The hare waiting a moment before spinning his truck around following the fox. "Yes take me to them." Stan got an evil smile as he followed the pink and white van out of the city.