Ch. 10: Suspension

It's all your fault.

Those words kept playing over and over again in Nick's head as he and Bogo sat in the waiting room. They had been told the hippo they had saved would be fine but there was still no news on Judy.
Bogo had contacted her family to inform them that she was in the hospital and Nick felt sick.

He could imagine Stu and Bonnie in tears, their worst fear realized, and all those little bunnies asking why Uncle Nick didn't save her.

It's all your fault.

"She's the toughed animal I know," Bogo broke the quiet. "She'll be fine."

"They why haven't we heard anything," he demanded, his throat felt dry.

Bogo didn't answer. "They checked that old warehouse, Ironclaw wasn't there."

"I wasn't lying," Nick insisted.

"I know you're not."

"She was crazy."

"You told me she spoke about another animal named Arachnid?"

Nick nodded, "Do you know him?"

Bogo shook his head, "No. But I will take any new clues I can get."

A jaguar doctor walked into the waiting room and the two officers stood up.

"She's stable now you can-"

Nick rushed past him and down the hall before the doctor finished speaking.

"Excuse him," Bogo told the doctor.

"How is she?"

"Her leg was severely sprained but if she stays of it for a few weeks it'll heal. She had a small concussion, must have hit her head. There was a very large amount of water in her lungs; if she stayed under any longer she would've drowned."

Bogo nodded, "Is she awake?"

"She woke up after we got the water out of her lungs but she passed out after. But you are free to go see her."

.

Nick's breath caught when he finally found Judy's room and walked in to see her, asleep on a large bed.

She looked too small, too fragile.

"Carrots…" he breathed. Without thinking he crawled onto the bed and curled around her. They heavy weight in his chest lifted ever so slightly. He was with her, they were together again.

He watched her chest rise and fall faintly. Guilt still clogged his throat.

It's all your fault.

Bogo walked in, watching Judy for a second before pulling her blanket back to reveal her leg that was in a cast. Nick looked away until Bogo placed the cover back over her.

"She's going to be fine," he told Nick. "She can start receiving visitors now."

"She's asleep," Nick replied. Not liking the thought of animals as loud as Clawhauser crowding into the room. "She can't have visitors."

Bogo smirked, "You're here."

"That's different," Nick replied sharply, "And I'm not moving."

Bogo chuckled gently, "I wasn't going to try. But I'll call her family; let her know she's alright."

Nick nodded and laid his head back down next to Judy's ear.

"Wilde…did you two tell Ironclaw who you are?"

"She already knew."

"… I'm going to need you and Hopps to take a break from the case."

Nick glanced up at him, "She's not going to like that." Thought secretly he felt relief.

"I know, and I hate to do this. But Ironclaw can have you killed and not leave any evidence. I talked to those wolves from the train and they can't remember anything. I want you two to stay safe until we can figure something out. I'll return when she wakes up to explain it to Judy."

"Okay," Nick replied and Bogo walked out of the room.

It was quiet except for the beeping of machines and the two animals breathing. Nick's paw found Judy's and he gave it a gentle squeeze.

.

Judy's chest ached. She opened her eyes only to slam them shut immediately, the bright light burning her eyes. While she adjusted to the light she used her other senses. She could hear machines beeping and breathing that wasn't her own. She smelled the air, she could tell by the scent she was in a hospital but there was another scent, a familiar one. And she was warm, warmer than she had been in a while.

Judy blinked her eyes open, staring up at a hospital ceiling, then she glanced to the right and saw Nick. He was lying on the best, by her side, using his tail like an extra blanket for her, breathing through his nose as he slept.

She looked toward the window and saw it was night, the day's events slammed into her and she let out a shaky breath of relief. She and her partner could've died so easily today.

So many animals could have died today…

She noticed Nick's paw was wrapped around her own and she squeezed it gently.

"Nick," she breathed and the fox's head shot up instantly like he had just been waiting to hear her voice.

"Carrots," he breathed, smiling. His eyes were blood-shot.

"Did…did that hippo make it out okay?"

His head fell back onto the bed and he let out a breathy laugh, "Yeah, yeah he did. You saved him."

"Good," she nodded, and tried to sit up, her entire body ached. "My leg hurts."

"The doctor said you sprained it," he answered, still lying down.

"Ah," she looked around the room, "Are you okay?"

"I wasn't the one who almost drowned."

"I'm glad. Anyway I need a crutch."

Nick narrowed his eyes, "Don't tell me you want to leave, you just woke up!"

"I know, I know," Judy's body was starting to thrum with energy as her drowsiness vanished. "We need to get to the precinct, we met Ironclaw, and we have to figure out who Arachnid is. And then we-"

Nick's paw shot out and grabbed her arm, Judy yelped in surprise as he pulled her back down. He released her and sat up, glaring down at her with an angry expression made all the worse by his red eyes.

"What is it?"

"Do you not know what happened yesterday," he asked quietly.

"We met Ironclaw and she destroyed that bridge," Judy answered. "We saved them."

"And you almost drowned because of it!" Nick snapped, leering over her, his paws caging her.

"Being in danger is always a possibility," Judy said warily, "But we still have to do what we can to rescue animals and stop criminals."

Nick let out a shuddering breath, "You don't get it. You almost drowned, not me, you. I can handle my life being threatened but I didn't sign up to see you die."

Judy frowned, "It's part of my job, Nick. You can't change that."

He flinched and a heart breaking look came over his face. He pulled away, staring out the window. "I know."

"Nick…?"

"I can't do anything right," his voice was hollow, bitter. "You almost died, and it was all my fault. I should've been there in the water with you, to make sure you got out safely. I should've called for backup before going into that warehouse. I should have…I should have… And you act like it's no big deal, like you dying wouldn't affect Bogo or Clawhauser or your parents or me."

"Nick." She reached her arms out to him.

He glanced at her arms then to her face.

She offered a smile, "I'm sorry."

He wrapped an arm around her, holding her while she wrapped her arms around his necks and she felt her tears build, her fear and relief coming out as a shaking breath.

"You scared me to death, you dumb, dumb bunny."

.

They were playing a game of cards when Judy received her first visitor.

"Guess who," Nick said not looking to the door as the sound of jingling grew closer.

Sven burst through the door, carrying a vase large enough for Judy to sit in, full of roses and daises and tulips and probably every other flower known.

"For my favorite officer bunny," he stated placing the large vase on a table.

Before Judy could thank him Charlie and Winter walked in, Winter was carrying a carrot cake.

"How you feeling, kiddo," Sven pulled up a chair and sat next to Judy opposite Nick.

"Water-logged," she replied, "But pretty good."

"We brought you cake," Winter stated the obvious, placing the cake next to the flowers. "How have you two been?"

Judy didn't know if they should tell the three about Ironclaw, Nick shrugged, saying they were fine. His eyes had lost their reddish tinge and he appeared to have calmed down.

"We heard about the bridge," Charlie sat on the edge of the bed, "You two are being proclaimed as heroes."

"Bogo's handling the paparazzi outside," Sven nodded to the door.

"You gave us a scare when we found out you were in the hospital, Judy," Winter added, walking over to stand by Nick's side. Judy's annoyance with her had vanished; it was hard to being annoyed with anyone when they looked at you with such concern.

"I'll be fine," she promised. "Nick will make sure of that."

Nick smirked and patted her paw that he still hadn't released. Somehow neither of them noticed the knowing look the other three animals shared. They didn't notice because a second after Judy spoke Clawhauser burst through the door, bent over and panting.

"Judy, I'm so sorry I wanted to come see you right away but Bogo told me to stay and finish my shift and-and everyone was talking about the bridge and how you almost drowned and I was so worried and I-"

"Clawhauser," Judy and Nick spoke in unison, rendering him silent.

"It's okay," Judy assured him, "I'm fine and I'm glad to see you."

Clawhauser grinned with relief then noticed Charlie, "Hi."

"Hello," she smiled, "Let me guess…Benjamin Clawhauser? Gazelle's knight in shining uniform?"

His jaw dropped, "She talked about me?"

"You did save her life," Sven pointed out.

Clawhauser looked ready to expire with joy.

"None of the other officers came with you," Nick asked.

Clawhauser blinked with realization, "Oh! I almost forgot!" He ran out of the door and returned later pulling a cart completely covered with flowers, cards, and sweets. "This all came from the precinct. It's from the officers, animals that were on the bridge, random strangers who heard about it."

Judy placed her paw over her heart, touched. "That's so sweet."

Sven walked over and looked at the flowers with a critical eye. "The flowers I bought for you were state of the art, by the way. These are run of the mill."

"Stop being jealous because you aren't the only one to send her flowers, Sven," Charlie ordered but she was smiling warmly at him.

Judy felt a small twinge of longing in her chest. To completely adore and cherish someone like Sven and Charlie did, and know that you were completely adored and cherished in return.

Her eyes trailed to Nick.

"Are you hungry, Judy?" Winter asked out of the blue. "I'd like to see what you think of the cake, Charlie and I made it."

"And they nearly burned my house down while doing it," Sven laughed despite the glares his mate and assistant threw at him.

A few minutes later all six animals sat around Judy's bed, eating carrot cake. She was reminded of home. Clawhauser and Winter had started a conversation about Gazelle's newest CD. Charlie had fed Sven a bite of cake and he made a long, dramatic speech of how tasting it was worth nearly having his home go up in flames. Charlie laughed and lightly punched his arm, her tail wrapped around Sven's waist.

"You're being awfully quiet," Nick observed, eating his slice of a cake with a fork, as dainty as ever.

"I like listening," she smiled at him.

"You mean you can make sense of all this noise," he asked.

"I was raised with over two hundred siblings that loved to talk," she pointed out.

The door opened, stalling all conversation as Chief Bogo walked in. He offered Judy a surprisingly kind smile, "Good to see you awake, Officer."

"Thank you, sir."

He cast a glance at the others, "I need to speak with you, Hopps."

No one moved for a moment then Sven gasped, "Oh you mean alone! Right, right, silly me, Charlie, Winter, Officer…?"

"Clawhauser."

"Clawhauser! Let's go everyone, honestly the manners these days."

Sven practically pushed the other mammals out into the hall and shut the door behind him.
Bogo looked to Nick who leaned back against his chair and crossed his arms, making Bogo sigh.

"Hopps, I'm afraid I'm going to have to temporarily suspend you and Wilde."

Judy's jaw dropped, "What? Sir, with all do respect I-"

"This is not a punishment," Bogo held his hand up to interrupt. "This is for your safety. You're an exceptional officer but we simply can't expect Ironclaw not to come after you."

"She's going after everyone!" Judy argued. "You need every cop you can get."

"I need able-bodied cops and at the moment that isn't you. Wilde told me what happened; you barely escaped with the use of both your legs. And that bridge accident could've ended disastrously."

Judy opened her mouth to speak but Nick cut in, "Let's just wait until your leg heals, Carrots. We'll get a chance to cool down and maybe come up with something."

Judy frowned at him but she remembered his earlier words and sighed. "Alright, I'll wait. But only until my leg gets better."

Bogo nodded and stepped back out and Judy remembered something.

"Nick, where's my uniform?"

Nick jerked his thumb to a table that had her uniform freshly laundered and folded.

"Do me a favor and check its left pocket please."

Nick did so but shook his head when he came up empty. Judy moaned and buried her face in her paws, "My keys must've gotten lost in the water."

"You can't get a new one?"

"My landlady told me not to lose the first one. I asked my crazy neighbors and they said it'd take forever to get a new one." She looked up at Nick, "Can I stay at your place."

"Sure you can," Nick answered, "…If I haven't got evicted a few days ago."

She stared at him, "Where have you been staying?"

"With a friend."
"Do you think he'd let me stay over too?"

Nick smiled a very unsure smile, "Sure…he'd…love to…"