Hey I'm back everyone! I'm so excited to actually get this story underway, I have so much planned for future chapters and I really hope you like it.
To start off, I'd like to thank my reviewers, you guys are awesome. Thanks to those who offered their support and kind words, I hope you enjoy the chapter. Also, here's a shoutout to those who offered constructive criticism. I'm always glad to find room for improvement, so thanks to all of you. Also just to clarify to those with questions once more, the previous chapter was a FLASHBACK.
So with that out of the way, sit back and enjoy the chapter. I'll see you on the next one.
Nick buckled his seatbelt while sitting the passenger side of Judy's vehicle. He grinned, carelessly flipping the aviator sunglasses down onto his muzzle, before kicking his feet up and resting them on the dashboard.
"What are you smiling at?" Judy asked as her ears perked up.
"Oh you know carrots." the fox teased with a smirk.
She rolled her eyes. "Ugh... You know we should've let him off with more than just a warning."
"Ah you know Flash." Nick replied with a savvy grin. "The guy wouldn't hurt a fly.
"Yeah, You're probably right." Judy replied. "But regardless, Chief Bogo will want my badge for this."
The vulpine chuckled and leaned back into his chair. "Bogo's more bark than bite carrots, and like always, I have your back."
"I know."
Judy smiled back. To be honest, she always wondered how this fox could maintain such an upbeat attitude towards everything. Just another reason to like him she guessed.
"Plus, It's Friday!" Nick exclaimed with delight. "That means we won't have to file a case report until Monday. It also means that we get the entire weekend to ourselves. Just you, me, and no worries..."
"Don't we have an interview with ZNN tomorrow?" Judy asked with concern.
The vulpine shrugged. "Ah they can wait. But this whole Night howler thing has basically made you a celebrity hasn't it?
She giggled when that word left his mouth, but shook her head. "Both of us actually. And I wouldn't use the word celebrity either."
"What are you talking about?" Nick asked in disbelief. "You're the practically the face of the entire ZPD now. Of course you're a celebrity!"
She let out an awkward sigh. "I mean, it's not like I asked to be recognized for what I did. I'm just here to make the world a better place, ya know?"
the fox nodded casually. "Whatever you say carrots. Oh, Speaking of celebrities, you're familiar with pop-sensation Gazelle right?"
"Absolutely!" Judy exclaimed. "I own every album she's ever made!"
"Well then Officer Hopps," Nick beamed. "You'll be happy to know that I overheard a conversation with Clawhauser back at the station this morning."
"You were eavesdropping?"
The fox laughed. "It's in my nature sweetheart, call it what you will."
"So, me being me, I decided to preform a little 'Investigation' of my own. And let me just say, you would not believe what I found out.
Judy smirked, her ears rising in anticipation. "Okay then, 'Detective Wilde', I'm all ears."
It seemed as if the vulpine could hardly contain himself. "Whatever you do, don't freak out, but I heard that Gazelle want's to meet face to face with you and me before her show tomorrow night at Zootopia's concert hall."
Judy stared at him with an expression that was nothing short of appalled. She was speechless.
"R-really?" She managed to choke out.
The fox nodded gently. "Really carrots."
"YES!" She leaped across the the car to hug the startled vulpine, as the 'inner fangirl' swept her disposition like a tidal wave. "OH THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THIS IS AMAZING NICK!"
"W-whoa easy there Hopps! And watch the road!" the fox stammered. "Why are you thanking me?"
Judy brushed her large ears back. "Why, for everything Nick! You believed in me when no one else would, You saved my job, You saved my life, You... You saved Zootopia!"
She glanced down to her silvery badge, then to her carrot pen, which had been safely tucked away in her coat pocket. "And... you forgave me..."
Nick slowly leaned forward and removed his glasses. He stared at her with an obvious confusion.
"H-how did you forgive me Nick?" She asked with hesitancy. "I mean, If you had said some of those horrible things about me, I probably would've never gotten over it. So... How could you ever absolve me from that?"
The fox rubbed the back of his neck and sighed. "Judy... It has never, ever, been in me to hold a grudge. I was angry. Everybody gets angry. It's normal."
"But the thing is... you're my only true friend Judy." The fox silently removed his badge and held it in his palm.
He looked to the bunny with an expression of sadness in his eyes. "When I was a kid, Mom would often say that in Zootopia, anyone could be anything. But after my experience with the ranger scouts, I believed that you could only be what you were."
The vulpine stared down at his medallion, fiddling with it between his fingers. "and for the longest time, I didn't even believe in myself..." He smiled weakly, closing his paws around the badge, and gripping it tightly. "Yet, I soon found that a person often meets their destiny on the road they take to avoid it." He looked to Judy with a sheepish grin. "So... when I met this dumb bunny with a larger-than-life dream to become a cop, I learned something from her that would change the course of my life..."
"It turns out that life is a bit more complicated than just a slogan on a bumper sticker."
"Real life is messy."
"we all have limitations... We all make mistakes..."
"Which means, Glass-half-full, we all have a lot in common."
"And the more we try to understand one another, the more exceptional each one of us will be."
Nick locked eyes with his partner, and re-pinned his Z.P.D. badge to his uniform. "Judy... I treasure our friendship. I treasure every single moment that we've experienced together, and I want you to know that I would never, no matter how furious, throw any of that away. You're my partner, and I'll always be around to forgive you and your mistakes."
Judy broke her gaze and stared to the floor. "Thank you Nick..."
Nick rubbed his neck nervously as he searched for some way to continue the conversation "Carrots I..."
"I'm sorry too."
The bunny whirled around to face the fox, completely shocked by what she had just heard. "W-what?"
The embarrassed fox simply lowered his ears. "Since the moment we've met, I've been untrue to you. I guess it's my own fault really... you know, living up to that whole sly fox stereotype. But I just never thought about how my actions might have affected others."
He sighed. "Now, I'm different. I have new friends, a career that I love, and a reputation to live up to. I have you to thank for all that."
"So... Thank you Judy."
They both looked away for a while, not out of anger or hurt, but out of respect for the other.
"Wow." Nick exclaimed with awe. "Now would you at that."
Judy peered upward, and was momentarily blinded by the red light emanating from the horizon. But ever so slowly as the light adjusted, A waterfall of the most beautiful shades of yellow, orange, and purple came to dominate the sky. It was undoubtedly the most beautiful sunset she'd ever seen.
"My god... That's beautiful."
the vulpine lowered his sunglasses and smiled. "You know when I was a kid, Mom would always take me to the roof of our little apartment, and we'd watch the sunset together. If the money came through, we'd have ice cream cones and maybe a bottle of ginger ale. But after that night the ranger scouts muzzled me. I-"
Judy noticed that his warm grin had disappeared.
"I stopped going up there with her... She'd plead with me, but every time I'd refuse, making up some stupid excuse to avoid exposing my vulnerability."
"Over time, I got better at making up the excuses, lying, and deceiving those I trusted. Pretty soon, I was reeling in 200 bucks a day just by conning each and every person I crossed. She knew that I did it, but could never understand why I had stopped watching the sunsets with her. She really just wanted to spend time with me, and It broke her heart..."
"Then... One quiet evening... As the sun shone its last into the night... She died." He lifted his sunglasses and discreetly wiped away a single tear, hoping that Judy would fail to notice.
He sniffled. "I still miss her sometimes."
Judy slowly placed her paw on his shoulder. "Well Nick... If you'd like, I'd be happy to drive out to Bunny Burrows with you and watch the sunset sometime. Out on that barren plain somewhere lies an enormous Oak tree. And every night when the sun hits the horizon, the light bursts into the sky in every magnificent color that one can fathom."
The fox turned and wiped away another tear. "You'd do that for me Judy?"
"Of course Nick... We're partners."
"No..." He placed his hand on hers and smiled.
"We're family."
So what'd you think? I know,the grammar might not be the best, but I was really working on a tight schedule so... yeah. Anyway, If you would like to help on that matter, please let me know via review or PM. Please leave a suggestion for your ideas on future chapters, constructive criticism, or anything kind you have to say in the reviews. Thanks and until the next chapter: Wilde, Out.