Ch. 1: The Most Dangerous Mission
"Deep breaths, Nick," Judy encouraged her police partner and friend while she drove down the dusty road.
"Carrots, I forgot how to breathe," Nick gulped, as he munched on his secret stash of blueberries he always kept in his pocket. He only ate them when his nerves were on edge and an animal could certainly tell by looking at him. His tail was bushed up, making it almost as big as the rest of his body and his eyes were wide with anxious fear.
"I'd rather face a rampaging rhino or rescue a drowning hippo," he confessed, looking desperately at the rabbit who rode driver, "Literally anything else but this."
Judy cast an anxious look at the fox and tried to distract him, "Hippos can't drown; they live in water."
Nick rolled his eyes, "That isn't the point, Judy the point is this is worst mission you've ever dragged me into. And they can drown if they're unconscious, everyone can."
Judy rolled her eyes right back at him, "What mission, Nick? We're going to see my family."
The two were driving through Bunnyburrow. Just yesterday Judy got the news that her newest litter of siblings had been born and she along with a handful of other hundred relatives we're coming to greet the new arrivals. Not wanting to go by herself and not wanting him to get into trouble while she was away she had invited Nick. Well, if you could call forcing him into her dad's old truck (they were only allowed to use the police car for police cases) inviting.
Nick wasn't fond of the idea of spending a whole weekend with a bunch of bunnies who would be scared of him.
"They won't be," Judy kept trying to assure him. "I've told them all about you."
"Yes, but I can't help but remember these are the same bunnies who gave you that old fox away spray," he pointed out and Judy felt a stab of guilt.
"They're different now," she tried to assure him, "Actually, they work with a fox now, Gideon Gray. And he was a worse jerk than you were."
Those words made Nick look at her sharply, "Gideon who?"
"Gideon Gray," she began. "He's a great baker, uses those blueberries you love to make the most amazing of pies. It's funny, when we were kids he was a lot like you from when we first met. Rude, stuck up," she smiled, "But he turned around in the end just like you."
But Nick didn't look appeased by the words, if anything he looked annoyed, he turned to the window, "I didn't know you had another friend who's a fox."
Judy cast him a sly look, "Are you jealous?"
He snorted, "No, come on Carrots, don't flatter yourself."
Judy laughed as her home came into sight, she could already see a number of cars, mostly vans, already parked and a few familiar faces talking and playing outside.
"Just relax," she told him as they parked, she gave his paw a gentle pat, "Have a smile and a compliment ready and you'll do just fine."
His eyes were on the large group of rabbits and he looked so nervous, so anxious about being accepted by her family that her heart went out to him. "Don't worry," she said, "I'm here; I'll protect you."
He glanced at her then sighed, looking somber, "Alright, alright."
Trying not to worry about her friend she opened the door to jump out.
"Judy," he said in an uncharacteristically serious voice. It made her stop and look at him, "What?"
He stared at her with an intense look in his eye, "Don't let your ego get caught in the car door."
"Oh shut up," she laughed, jumping out and slamming the door behind her.
Together she and Nick walked to the large group of rabbits and she couldn't help a big grin, it had been too long since she last visited.
One small niece turned her head and beamed with surprised delight when she spotted them, "Aunt Judy!"
"I'm here!" she yelled exuberantly, spreading her arms.
Nick jumped back as suddenly his partner was swarmed by tiny balls of fur that buried her in a giant group hug.
He was momentarily concerned that she had just been crushed then relaxed ever so slightly when she heard her laugh. Feeling eyes on him he turned to look at the adult rabbits but they were laughing at Judy and the kids, none of them had noticed him yet. Then who…A tap on his leg gave Nick his answer and the fox looked down to see a small rabbit in a pink bow staring up at him with big eyes, an orange pacifier in her mouth.
Nick was reminded of his old partner in crime Finnick when they played the 'Baby Fox Wants to Be an Elephant' act. He offered a wary smile to the baby bunny and patted her on the head, "H-Hey there lil…whiskers?"
She blinked but otherwise gave no reaction; meanwhile the adult rabbits were helping pull bunnies off Judy who got to her feet with a laugh, only to be hugged by the adults this time which she gladly accepted.
"Uncle Joe, Mindy, Aunt Clara, Aunt Linda, Uncle Peter, Alfred, Helena, Aunt Gertrude, Joe Jr!"
Nick stared at his partner in awe, how in the world was she able to remember all these names? How was she able to even recognize any of them, they all looked the same!
"Is this your partner, Judy dear," one of the aunts (Clara or Gertrude) asked, immediately all eyes turned to Nick and he, for a split second, seriously considered running back to Zootopia. But Judy wanted him to come so for her he stood up straight, trying to appear as respectful and cop-like as he could with only his classic shirt, tie, and khaki combo.
"That's right," Judy, feeling the sudden tension of the air, slipped out of her older brother, Alfred's hug and stood next to the fox. "Everyone this is Nick Wilde, the very first fox ZPD officer, my best friend and partner in making the world a better place."
"Nice to meet you, Uncle Joe, Aunt Clara, Helena and….the rest of you," Nick said awkwardly, he was disheartened by the suspicious stares some of them were casting him.
He felt a tug on his pant leg; it was still the little bunny with the pacifier, she now had her paws up, grabbing at the air like she wanted something.
"That's my niece, Winnie," Judy whispered to him. "She wants you to pick her up."
He stared at her, "I've never held a baby in my life," he whispered sharply while Winnie still grabbed at him with her chubby paws.
"What are you talking about? You used to hold Finnick all the time! What's the difference?"
Finnick was a grown animal who doesn't have a fragile body that could easily break if I held him too tight. But Nick wanted to show he was a good guy and rejecting this bunny wasn't the way to go.
Bending down he lifted Winnie into her arms and stood up, holding her to his chest, hoping his grip wasn't too tight to hurt her or too loose to let her fall. Almost immediately Winnie fell asleep in his arms, Nick blinked, looking down at Judy.
She was smiling proudly at him and a bud of warmth spread in Nick's chest, from Judy's proud smile and that Winnie so easily fell asleep while being held by a fox.
Her falling asleep however but have been some silent signal because suddenly he was overrun by small furry bodies, clamoring at his feet and tail, their noses twitching in curiosity and ears perked up with excitement.
"How old are you?"
"Is it hard being a cop?"
"How did you meet Aunt Judy?"
"What's your favorite color?"
Nick let out a yelp as his tail was stepped on and tried to ease away from the mob with no such luck. Judy laughed before suddenly stepping away from the crowd to run toward the two rabbits that had just walked out of the house.
"Mom, Dad!" Judy barreled into Bonnie and Stu Hopps who nearly fell down from their daughter's sudden attack before laughing and wrapping her up in an embrace.
"It's so good to see you, Sweetie," Bonnie smiled sweetly as she took a step back to look her daughter over, "You've been keeping safe, right?"
"Of course, Mom," Judy rolled her eyes good naturedly.
"Did ol' Bessie treat you good," Stu asked, indicating to the truck she and Nick had driven to get here.
"Yes, Dad," she answered before handing him the keys, "But you can have it back, we'll be taking the train back to Zootopia."
"We," her parents' echoed then simultaneously looked over her shoulder.
"J-Judy," Nick stammered from where he was being slowly overrun by bunnies who started climbing on him, even little Jack was sitting on top of his head, "Help. Please."
Judy hurried over and started shooing the bunnies away, telling them Nick would play later and the children walked away, slightly put out, to play ball.
Winnie's mother walked over to take her daughter back but hesitated from getting so near Nick, before he could notice Judy took Winnie out of the fox's arms and handed her to her mother who nodded gratefully, Judy squelched a wave of annoyance.
"Nick, these are my parents, Stu and Bonnie Hopps," she introduced her friend to the two older rabbits who walked over. She was relieved to see them give him warm smiles and even shake his paw.
"It's so nice to meet you, Mr. Wilde," Bonnie greeted, "Our daughter's told us all about you."
"Heh, I'm scared of the stories she'd tell," Nick chuckled, "But you can just call me Nick…Ma'm," he added the last part for good measure.
"Mainly that you helped with that Night Howler outbreak," Stu answered.
Nick smiled at the memory, "Ah, yes, good times. If you like being blackmailed, nearly iced, chased, and shot with a dart of blue berries."
"So where's my new brothers and sisters," Judy broke in, clapping her paws together. She and Nick could go into detail about their Great Case some other time.
Bonnie's ears shot up, "Oh, of course! Silly me, come in, come in, both of you."
The two parents led Judy and Nick inside, the fox's ears touching the ceiling of the house that was built for rabbits.
The biggest room of the house was the nursery where Nick counted at least fourteen cribs, eight occupied.
"It was a small litter this time," Bonnie explained to them as she and her husband picked up four bunnies each.
Nick looked to Judy with horror and mouth 'small?' Judy covered her giggle behind her paw.
There were four girls and four boys in this litter, Judy happily took one of her baby sisters and smiled down at the soft sleeping face. "She's beautiful, Mom. All of them are."
"Always bragged me and Bonnie made the best looking litters," Stu joked to Nick.
The fox nodded with wide-eyed agreement, "Gorgeous, sir."
Judy smiled softly at him before offering her baby sister; Nick's ear went back against his skull. "I know I just had, like, a million bunnies crawling over me a second ago but I'm not so sure I'm ready to hold another one just yet."
"Stop being so nervous," Judy scolded lightly, "She won't be any fuss, she's sleeping."
Nick took a reluctant breath before sitting down on the floor, cross-legged, and taking the baby in his arms, she squirmed slightly before going back to sleep.
"Which one is that again, darling," Stu asked his wife, he was never good at telling the newborns apart.
"That's Annie, dear," Bonnie said patiently.
"Annie," Judy tried out the name, "It's pretty, just like her."
"Stu? Bonnie?" A rabbit appeared in the doorway of the nursery, "Shouldn't we start cooking dinner soon?"
"We'll be right there, Martha," Stu assured her and Martha nodded before vanishing.
"Go ahead, Nick and I can take care of them," Judy offered, Stu was all too happy to let his daughter take over. Placing the other babies in their cribs the two parents walked out of the nursery to the kitchen.
Nick was still sitting on the floor, softly rocking Annie; Judy kneeled down across from him.
"I never get tired of it," Judy admitted to him. His ears perked up and he looked up at her, "Of what?"
"This," she indicated to the entire nursery, "New brothers and sisters, cousins, nieces and nephews, I know some animals would be overwhelmed and angry to have to share attention with siblings…but that was never me."
"Really," Nick spoke quietly, smiling at her, "You're lucky. I think I would've gotten into less trouble if I had a sibling to watch out for me, or siblings to watch out for."
"Feel free to watch out for any of mine," Judy grinned, "We could always use an extra pair of eyes."
Nick looked down at the bunny still sleeping soundly, "I just might."
About an hour later Judy's grandmother arrived to relieve them of babysitting duty, though she nearly had a heart attack seeing Nick leaning over one of the cribs, apparently they had forgotten to tell her about him.
Nick took the surprise coolly but she still wanted to distract him and offered to show him around town before dinner, Nick gladly accepted.
"And this is where I broke it to my parents that I planned on being a police officer," she stood in the middle of a field and pointed to a empty barn, "It was when we had a big play about how Zootopia is where anyone can be anything. I was eight."
"Sound familiar," Nick replied. "But I would've paid to see cute little Judy Hopps skipping around Bunnyburrow, bet you even had a little police hat." Nick started to skip around and spoke in a high-pitched voice that Judy guessed was suppose to be here.
"Put your hands in the air, bad guy, officer Hopps to the rescue! Oh, no need to thank me ma'm, all in a day's work for the best rabbit officer of all time! Just wait 'til I get to Zootopia! The criminals will tremble in my shadow!"
"Stop it," Judy laughed, pushing Nick a little too roughly and accidentally sent the fox falling on to his rump. "Oops. Sorry." She shrugged innocently.
Nick gave her a look that said he didn't believe that before jumping to his feet.
"Anyway back to the tour of my childhood." Judy pointed to a certain spot in the dirt. "That is where I did my first public service to the justice."
"Which was?"
"I took back some tickets Gideon stole."
Nick suddenly frowned, "Gideon again?"
"Hey, animals like him were the reason I got into being an officer," Judy replied, then her ears drooped, "Though, I guess he's also the reason I wasn't the…biggest fan of foxes."
She felt Nick's eyes on her but decided a patch of grass was much more interesting.
"Judy Hopps if you start getting all quiet and depressed on me I swear I'll trip you," Nick said sternly, "I've done it before."
Judy turned to reply when suddenly a car horn blasted through the air, making them both jumped. Judy looked over her shoulder to see a familiar looking vehicle and smiled, "Speak of the devil."
"Wha-" Nick began but snapped his jaw shut when out of the vehicle came a husky fox, he narrowed his eyes.
"I thought that was you Miss Judy," Gideon greeted cheerfully, walking over. Judy met him halfway and gave him a quick hug, feeling a hand shake was too formal for someone she had known all her life, even if most of that life had spent not being able to stand each other.
"It's good to see you, Gideon," she smiled.
"Likewise," the fox nodded, "I heard from your pop you were coming to visit but I figured you would be there not out here with…" his ears perked and he finally looked at Nick who didn't look friendly in the least.
"I say, I can't recall ever seeing his face around these parts," Gideon admitted to the bunny, "I thought I was the only fox in all Bunnyburrow."
"You still are," Judy informed him and beckoned for Nick. "This is Nick, he's on the police force with me; he's my partner. Nick, this is Gideon the one I told you about."
"Ah, yes, Gideon Gray," Nick said with a sour smile as he walked over to stand by Judy, closer than he usually did.
Apparently Gideon wasn't good at sensing the bitter atmosphere and offered his paw to Nick, after being elbowed by Judy the other fox shook it.
"Pleased to meet you, Nick. Haven't seen another fox outside the family since…well, ever I guess."
"Hmm," Nick replied with disinterest.
An awkward silence ensued and Judy spoke, "We-we better be getting back," she told Gideon. "It was nice seeing you."
"It was real nice seeing you too, Miss Judy, and your, uh, friend." Gideon nodded and waved before walking back to his vehicle and driving away.
Judy crossed her arms and glared up at Nick, her foot tapping. Nick met her glare, "You're kidding right?"
Her brow furrowed, "What are you talking about?"
"That's the first fox you ever met," he looked sickened. "No wonder you didn't like me, too bad you didn't have a better first impression."
"First off," Judy began, "I didn't like you because you were a con artist who tricked me, not because of Gideon. Second off, I'd hardly call my first impression of you a good impression either."
Nick frowned deeply, his eyes stubborn, "Still, if you have to choose what kind of fox to befriend, it's me."
Judy laughed as they walked back to the Hopps house, casting him a sly glance. "Nicholas Wilde you are jealous of Gideon Gray."
He scowled, "This again, Carrots? I don't know how high that tower you put yourself on is, but I'd suggest climbing down a few feet before you fall."
"Well, I hate to feed your ego but I'm going to anyway," Judy began, "You don't have to worry. Gideon Gray may be a family friend but you are my best friend."
Nick glanced down at her, "Oh, am I?"
"The best friend a bunny could ask for," she declared and took his paw in her own, only for Nick to pull it away and walked faster. Judy laughed at his flustered expression as she hurried to keep pace with him. "Are you embarrassed now?"
"No," Nick replied all too quickly.
"You sure," she asked.
"Yes."
"Nick Wilde is the best fox in all the world," Judy sang loudly, "He's smart and clever and brave and-"
"Not funny Judy!"
Because of the hundreds of rabbits visiting they had dinner outside on the lawn, the adults and children each getting their own set of tables. Judy was dining with the adults but Nick had been dragged to the kiddy tables by the younger bunnies and was eating with all the manners of royalty with the loud, messy children.
Judy smiled toward him before jumping into the conversations around her which was mainly about carrot growing and how best to raise your bunnies, which led to her Aunt Linda looking at Judy slyly.
"Speaking of bunnies, have you met any strapping young rabbits out in the big city, Judy?"
"Strapping young rabbits," she echoed.
"Surely you've met at least a couple of other rabbits in Zootopia," her mother asked.
"Yeah, a few," Judy admitted with a shrug, "But I'm not looking to settle down just yet."
Linda frowned, "Surely you want to be a mother one day."
"Of course I want kids of my own," Judy said maybe a little too loudly, she saw Nick stare at her from the corner of her eye. "But it's barely been a year since I became a cop; I'm not ready to settle down just yet."
A few relatives shared uncertain glances and Judy had to bite back her annoyance, "Besides, I have all of you, it's not like I'm lonely."
Wanting to change the subject she mentioned she and Nick had ran into Gideon Gray which started a conversation about his pie, which started a conversation about his blueberries which eventually led back to carrots and Judy sagged with relief.
She had told the truth, she wanted to be a mother, just not anytime soon. She wanted to spend as many years as possible chasing down criminals before she started hunting for the One and having kids. That day would come, just not right now.
A few hours later dinner was over and the older rabbits started to clean away the tables, Judy used that time to check on Nick who she hadn't talked to all through dinner.
"How'd it go," she asked him. He was still surrounded by bunnies, some sitting on his lap and tail.
"Intense," he told her, with his ears pressed against his skull. "Lulu here was just telling me about this giant rabbit hole she found that is filled with gold and Andy beat up a pair of wolf cubs yesterday that were bothering his little sisters, I don't think you'll be the only rabbit officer for long, Carrots."
Judy smiled, "I better watch my back then."
One of her little sisters stood up and tugged on Judy's shirt, "Can Nick read us a bed time story?"
The others quickly voiced their enthusiasm at the idea and Judy swallowed, remembering all the children stories in the Hopps house… Most of them had foxes as the villain.
"How about Nick and I tell you our own story," she offered; placing her paws on her knees to lean down to be at eye level with them all. "How about the very first case we ever had?"
Hundreds of eyes lit up with delight and Nick stood up, placing the pair of twins that had been sitting on his lap down onto the grass. "I guess we could, if you want them to know how you needed my help and would've completely and utterly failed without me."
She placed her paws on her hips, "If you don't mind me sharing the details about how I saved your tail."
The bunnies sat in awed silence as Nick and Judy reenacted their very first case, but they both decided not to mention Nick's con-artist past and their big fight. Finally they ended where Nick had feigned being savage and them tricking Bellwether to admit her dastardly plan.
Their crowd cheered when the two bowed, Nick leading the kids inside to sleep and Judy going to the kitchen to help clean dishes.
"You missed the big show," she told her mother as she stood beside her to help wash the dishes.
"Oh I'm sure I'd just be a mess hearing about all the danger you faced," Bonnie shuddered. "I like to think my daughter is taking all the safe cases, even going back to being a meter maid."
Judy rolled her eyes but smiled, her mother was only scared because she loved her so she wouldn't tell her about all the danger she faced.
"Don't worry," she assured her, "I have Nick, he's a good partner, and he looks out for me."
"I'm glad you have such a good friend out in Zootopia," her mother replied warmly. "He seems like a nice fox."
"He is," Judy said with equal warmth. "I don't know what I would've done if I hadn't met him."
"You'd have come back to Bunnyburrow and stayed in the carrot field," Stu popped up out of nowhere, walking over to give his wife a kiss on the cheek.
"Very funny, Dad," Judy said wryly. "But I plan on being a cop for a long time."
"I know, I know," Stu sighed before bringing his wife and daughter in for a group hug, "But if you ever need us just know we aren't far."
"I won't," she promised, wrapping her arms around her parents, "I love you guys."
After her parents had checked on the newborns and went to bed Judy found her partner in the living room, hundreds of bunnies sprawled over the floor asleep, he was leaning on the back of the couch (also overrun by snoozing bunnies) gently rubbing Winnie's fur who hogged his lap all to herself.
Judy carefully stepped over her tiny kin to walk over to Nick and sit beside him, "Hi," she whispered.
"Hi, yourself," he replied.
The two friends sat in a comfortable silence for a few minutes, listening to the soft snores around them, Judy decided she really, really liked this. Sitting in her old childhood home with her best friend beside her and her family surrounding her, knowing that when the weekend was over she'd go back home to Zootopia to continue living her dream job. She felt so, so content.
Nick cleared his throat, breaking her away from her thoughts, "So, you of course want kids of your own."
She looked at Nick like he had lost his mind and he frowned, "You said it not me."
"Oh. Oh!" She recalled the dinner conversation. "That, sorry I was being loud for a second there."
When Nick still looked at her weirdly she realized why he had brought it up. "My aunt was wondering when I was planning on settling down and I told her not any time soon. I want to have a family of my own. But first I want to be a cop." She gave him a friendly nudge, "So don't worry. You won't be getting rid of me so easy."
He smiled and Judy could swear she saw relief in his eyes.
"Besides," she added, "I expect Uncle Nick to come and visit all the time."
"Phew," he blew out a breath, "I think enough rabbits have an Uncle Nick right now."
Judy giggled, burying her face into his arm, "Right now."
Not five minutes later the fox and the rabbit fell asleep leaning against each other.