Freak Crash – Aftermath

One month later…

Nick trudged into the cemetery, a bouquet of dark violets in his paw, reflecting outward the rainstorm that his heart drowned him.

Several mammals still hung about every day, in mildly-sized groups. They all still missed her terribly. They would always miss her.

The rabbit that had defeated racism. Conquered nightmares. Stood up for all. Defended the city. Saved the world. Dedicated and sacrificed her life. But most importantly, won over his heart.

And now she was gone.

Nick couldn't stop the tears that welled in his throat and leaked one by one out of his lawn-coloured eyes. So he didn't try. There was no point anyway. His heart was forever shattered and irreparable.

The animals that milled silently, sadly, and solemnly around made eye contact with him for a few seconds, if only to share his heartbreak and grant him futile sympathy.

The entire Hopps family (which was a lot, mind you) crowded the cemetery and the streets on the day of their beloved daughter's funeral, where she was committed once more to the depths of the Earth from which the bunnies, and all other creatures, emerged from all those ages ago. A heart was torn for every speck of soil that was heaved upon the coffin, the sighs and the sobs of grieving mammals being carried away into eternity by the beating drums of the rain and the tragic howls of the wind.

Granted, those who lived their life as a part of the ZPD let the calamity slide through their heart like a blade, but that blade was treated as nothing more than a phantom. They would forever be scarred by another loss of a promising, compassionate officer. But they would also remember all that she did, all that she stood for, and fought for, and they would honour it all. They would not let her great and final sacrifice be in vain. They would fight ever harder to keep justice living strong, not just in Zootopia, but the rest of the world.

That way Judy would still live on.

Nick, though, never saw much logic in the process of "letting go to show that you love them".

The fox inwardly beat his heart to critical point in the weeks that followed his beloved's passing. She did not pass peacefully. She was ripped away, from this life and his heart. He had the chance to avenge her. Her killer struck again swiftly after his hollow victory, but when he did so, the ZPD were much better prepared that time. Even so, cornered in an isolated spot, with life, soul and reputation on the line, he chose to go out bleeding and banging. The officers that fell were to his fire lucky to have only been grazed at best, maimed at worst. Nick had taken the pleasure of delivering the final shot through the bastard's head. Not one soul in the rest of the world felt pity for that accursed feline killer. He chose to go out, not receiving nor reciprocating mercy, but instead delivering yet more gleeful ruthlessness and bloodshed amongst more innocents.

They all wished him a damned afterlife.

"It wasn't your fault."

That's what every Hopps said to Nicholas Wilde. Even old Pop Pop.

But regardless, the fox still held the bunny's death as a thorn pierced deep in his heart.

As time went on, people saw that it seemed the fox would never forgive himself. And that they couldn't do anything about it.

To everyone, that hurt almost as much as losing Judy did.

Even worse, there was again nothing they could do about it. Officers gave heart-to-heart condolences, Nick's own family gave him unending compassion and sympathy, civilians always passed by him with relatable sadness and understanding etched onto their faces. But they got the gist that they had failed yet another of their own.

And by doing so, since said heartbroken victim was tied closely to Judy, it seemed they had failed her again. It seemed that even being taken to the afterlife too early and too soon wouldn't stop mortal beings from blackening her glowing idealism with their mistakes and their misconceptions.

And that hurt.

Nick laid the flowers, close to the heart of the gravestone that stood alone in front of him.

In Loving Memory of Judy Hopps – a beloved daughter, a talented student, a gifted officer, a wonderful friend, and a precious beloved.

That's what it said. And Nick had to force his blurry eyes to read again the figures that dictated the harsh reality that this compassionate, graceful life had been cut short. Far too short.

March 4, 1992 – September 11, 2016

That was the last straw that broke the camel's back.

Nick collapsed down, knees on the ground, all 4 paws on the Earth, and howled uncontrollably, eyes blinking away streams of tears, releasing all of his anguish and torment into an unending physical and emotional breakdown.

Hours had passed before the red fox finally reeled his sanity and his emotions back in, and by then, the cold weather had started to permit first snow to fall.

Whether he liked it or not, Nick would have to let go. He would be willing to do so, if only temporarily. He would be back again tomorrow, perhaps committing the rest of his waking life to standing, sitting, doing whatever solemn action came to him by her graveside. Which was all that remained of her to him.

"Nick."

"Nick."

He had lost it now. He was sure he did.

Because that was her voice.

And she was standing before him, between two rows of trees that formed part of the silent nature guard that solemnly surrounded the graves of beloved mammals dearly departed.

She was clad in nothing more than a pure white gown that flowed down to just above her ankles, and Nick was both delighted and disturbed to see that a pair of divine wings had sprouted on her back between the time that he had last seen her, and the time that he was now currently and presently watching her. Which was right now.

But was she just a figment of his seemingly deranged mind? Or was she truly a ghost? Whether or not she was here to haunt him for his failures, or to bid him one last goodbye – a blissful one this time – he didn't know. All of this was too much to take in at the moment.

"Your heart bleeds terribly," the spectre spoke sadly.

"Having your engaged mercilessly ripped away from this life and this world will do that to ya," Nick responded flatly, his green orbs sparkling with wonder, and with fear.

"And why do you blame yourself for something that was purely out of your control?"

Nick's brief calmness cracked again.

"I failed to protect you. All of that sacrifice, all of that training, all of that bloodshed – and the only result is that I still fail you! I'm nothing more than wretched, miserable scum," Nick gasped back, utterly distressed by now. He added brokenly, "And I don't deserve anyone's pity or love – not even yours now."

He looked away, feeling very small, and very shameful. His crying came back in full force, and his head arched downwards in a grievous bow. His lungs heaved heavily in a body paralysed by tragedy, but an ethereal touch to his heart soon put a stop to that. Judy had swiftly and silently made her way over to him. Whether she flew or walked to him, he never recalled. All that he did remember of that moment was that it had brought saving light to his darkened life. It had turned his philosophical views of the world from a barren wasteland, to a lush and thriving meadow once more. He could only wish that it had lasted forever.

"It was never your fault, my dear," Judy spoke to him. She sounded wiser now, and far more mature than Nick had ever heard her.

"It was that thug's fault, and his fault alone. God has already dealt retribution for his sins, just as he always has," continued Judy, before pausing and allowing a look of childlike joy to spread across her face, "But now, you should rejoice for me. Do you know why, my beloved Nick?"

"Is… it… is it because…" Nick stammered out, before forcing his trembling lungs to get a hold of themselves, "Are you an angel?"

Judy's first reply was an ethereal kiss to his muzzle. Her second reply was telepathically voiced. And even in the fox's head, the voice of the girl he loved was as beautifully vibrant as shining, shimmering crystals.

"Yes. God has given me the ability to help others even beyond my death. Wonderful, isn't it?" smiled Judy, her angelic face glowing brighter in the darkening shadows of cold winter.

Nick could only nod half-heartedly. Judy could see his thoughts, though.

"Nick. Promise me one last thing."

Nick had to catch his breath to steady his beating heart, before answering back.

"For you my love, anything."

"You may mourn me, but don't waste yourself away searching endlessly for something that can never be found in this life anymore. You can let go of me. Do not be afraid. I will always live on in your heart. Because I am yours to love only. That is why."

Nick, for the first time in ages, smiled genuinely and without regret. Judy spoke once more to him. A final, and happy, farewell.

"Nick… you can let go now. I know you can."

And so he did.

The girl he loved, his dearly departed, burst into brilliant ethereal flakes of divine light, gracefully soaring back upwards to the Heavens from which they came from.

And so Nick was able to finally let her go.

He never married anyone else. He had eyes for only one. He just lived the rest of his life, happy and fulfilled. Every so often his heart ached for what could have been, but he always went back to the path of what was and what is to come. He knew that he could. He knew it.

Judy showered him with blessings and everlasting love from the Heavens above. And God smiled down upon his life of graceful and happy servitude. Nick knew things would be alright.

And when he finally passed on from this life to the next, things were alright.

He could finally be together with Judy.

Be with the only girl he could ever love.

They could finally be happy together.

Forever.