A/N: I just can't stop writing this story. Not sure if that's a good thing or an obsessive thing.

(Insert something about needing to feed off criticism and approval)

Disclaimer: disclaimed.

Chapter 18 - Hesitations and humiliations

Slightly groggy, Nick opened his eyes to see the sun already up, the daylight stinging his sensitive eyes. I seriously need to get those windows tinted. He had a feeling of dread tingling up his spine but he couldn't understand why. The last several days had been the happiest of his life, there should be no reason to think something was wrong. Then he saw his phone on the bedside table. Phone. Call. Parents called. Judy's parents. Bunnyburrow. Oh shit.

Looking around frantically, Nick noticed Judy was already gone. Struggling to untangle himself from the sheets, he finally managed to get out of bed, barely not tripping over his own feet. Making his way out the door he took sight of his mate Judy standing at the kitchen counter. Dressed in a tank top and gym shorts, she was making sandwiches for the trip. Stealthily shuffling up behind her, he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her close, nuzzling her neck. Leaning her head back, she tilted her head allowing him better access to her fur. She could feel his naked body pressed up against hers. Her heart began to quicken and could feel herself becoming wet, but she knew she had to restrain herself or they would be at this all day and miss the train.

"Don't think I didn't hear you comin', Slick."

"Well then, why didn't you try to avoid me?" Nick joked.

Judy turned into his embrace. "Who says I wanted to?" Standing on her toes she gave him a deep kiss. She pulled away and patted him on the butt. "Now go take a shower. We have to leave in about 20 minutes."

"Want to join me?" he smirked.

Reaching down, Judy rubbed his naked front, giggling at the way his tongue lolled out. "Play your cards right this trip, Slick and we'll talk about it."

Before he headed to the shower he paused in front of her. "Carrots, I need to ask you something."

She cocked her head, puzzled but understanding. "What is it, Nick?"

"Well," he started, "Now that we're, you know, mates? There's something I need to do, and it's more instinctual than anything, but I really wanted to ask you if I could do it first."

Judy nodded. "You want to mark me."

Nick was taken aback. "You know about that? I didn't know bunnies knew anything about marking."

Judy started laughing while Nick looked confused. Rather than answering immediately, Judy pulled his head down to her level and raised her head, putting her chin on top of his head, rubbing up and down. She then moved to his neck and repeated the same motion on each side. "There Slick. Now everyone knows that you're mine."

Nick chuckled. "I'm not sure if I've just been educated or hustled." Tipping her head to the side, he rubbed his paws and neck against hers, making sure to get both sides heavily. "There. Now every bunny back home knows you're a taken mammal." He leaned down to kiss his giggling bunny before heading off to take a shower.

It was a good thing she didn't join him as they barely made the train before it departed. Nick wouldn't have minded catching the next one in a few hours if it meant having some more intimacy time with Judy, but he also knew she'd be right pissed off so it was better to err on the side of caution. Stowing their bags, Judy grabbed his paw and led him up to the observation deck. He hadn't been on this part of the train before so he found it interesting seeing all the different parts of the city sprawled out below him. Judy found it as amazing as when she first came to Zootopia. She would never get used to the sights even if she did drive through them almost daily.

The train ride took just under two hours to get to Bunnyburrow so Nick and Judy spent a lot of time talking. They talked about work and what would eventually happen when they got back next week. They joked around about who they would end up partners with. Judy asked how his mom was doing and he told her about her new promotion at work. Meaningless chit-chat to an unassuming party but very important to each other. They shared everything even before they had become a couple and now was no different, surprisingly. Maybe they had always been a couple, never realizing it.

One thing Judy did know, is that all the talking helped to relax Nick as they got closer to her hometown. She could sense his apprehension about coming all the way out here where he might feel surrounded by a county made up almost entirely of bunnies. Not to mention how her father had been acting on the phone. I swear if he takes out that fox taser I will grab it and shove it up his ass. No one is messing with my fox.

"Nick," Judy reached out and grasped his paw in hers. "I know you're worried about coming here but I want you to know a few things that I think will help you feel better." Nick nodded, his ears perked forward ready to hear any advice she may have. "First off, let's deal with the most important one. Me. I will not abandon you. I will not leave you now nor ever. Nothing that anyone can say will change that, okay?" Nick nodded. "Now, on to the other matter. My dad. He's stubborn, annoyingly so. He's also dead set in the old days. It took a long time for him to even consider working with Gideon. But we have an ally. My mom supports us, Nick. And here's a little Hopps family secret…The women run the show."

Nick mulled on that for a little while. The first part is all that mattered to him. As long as he had Judy, not much else mattered. But he also didn't want to separate her from her family so he was equally as pleased to find out that the family matriarch who was supportive of them was really the one in charge.

"Bunnyburrow station in 2 minutes."

Judy stood, grabbing her bag. "This is us, Slick."

Nick grabbed his bag and followed her to the exit.

"Mom! Dad!" Nick saw Judy sprint to her parents. She hurriedly waved him over before she hugged them. Bouncing back to Nick she wrapped herself around his arm. "And this is my mate, Nick!"

Unsure of how he would be received, Nick cautiously walked up to Bonnie and extended his paw. "It's nice to meet you, Mrs. Hopps."

She shook it warmly before giving it a pat. "Oh please, call me Bonnie. After all it seems we are family now."

Grinning, Nick turned to Stu feeling a bit more optimistic. Stu reached out to take his paw before producing a taser he immediately lunged at Nick with. Yelping in fright, he tripped over the bags, sprawling onto the ground.

"DAD NO!"

"STU!"

BZZZZT!

The sounds of screaming could be heard across the entire station. Nick clambered to his feet unsure of what just happened. Had he been tased? Where was Stu? He barely had time to think before his little gray bunny had wrapped her arms around his neck and hauled him down asking if he was alright. He nodded and stroked her ears letting her know he was ok. And then his eyes found Stu.

He was face down on the platform, slightly twitching. Which was understandable, since there was a pink taser handle struck right through the bottom of his denim overalls. Bonnie stood over him, shaking her head and thumping her foot at her husband's idiocy.

Nick dear?" Bonnie called out. "Can you put him in the back of the truck? I need to get dinner started and you two should get some rest after your long trip." Nick and Judy looked at each other before shrugging. Judy grabbed the bags while Nick threw her unconscious father into the bed of the truck.

This certainly was an…interesting way to meet the family.