Chapter 5: Valor for the Lovebird

WARNING:
This chapter contains mature content. If you do not wish to read, skip from the WARNING to the NOTICE. It will not affect the storyline.

Reader discretion is advised.

It had returned to him. That beeping of that hideous heart monitor. Each monotone beep rang in the fox's ear. It was maddening, it drove him to the rain slick precipice of insanity. It was much slower this time. He was heart broken at three losses that night. The first was Leodore Lionheart. While Nick did not know him personally, he did know that he did not deserve to die the way he did. Today, Mayor Staggery talked to the public about the memorial of those lost in the explosion. Other than that, Nick did not know much; he sought better things than watching a TV screen playback a fragment of what he saw for himself. The second was his son, Peter Lionheart. That poor little did not deserve to go through all the pain he did, and he most certainly did not deserve to die. If only Nick had enough time to save him. Peter had his whole life ahead of him, and never got to live long enough to see it. He could have left a legacy, he could have been something and anything great in this world, but he never even got the chance to make something of himself. Peter Lionheart was gone. He was only four years old at most. The third was his father. Mr. Big. While he was not his real father, he was more than happy to call him it. Mr. Big was there for Nick when nobody else could; not even his mother Clementine. He was so kind, so caring, so non-judgemental of him. Something that Nick only dreamed of; not being hated by society simply because he was a fox. But now he was gone. He died a painful death by the hands of his brother. James Todd Wilde may have been Nick's brother, but he could never be Mr. Big's son. He was on his own, and he seemed to prefer it that way. How many more cherished lives would be taken away by that sadistic fox? Nick knew one that would not; although he came close to.

Nick sat in worry as he watched his wife sleep silently in the bed. Judy was in the operating room for hours, and Nick stayed the entire night. It would become his death if he ever left her for a third time. The first was with Raja Bronson, the second was Jake Bengali, and now it was James Todd Wilde. The thoughts run on a constant loop through the fox's head. It was three thirty in the morning, and one of the surgeons finally stepped out of the room to have a word with Nick. The lion crossed his fingers before he lifted his head up and spoke.

"Well Mr. Wilde, we have some tragic but very good news for you. She has suffered from major internal bleeding, but the knife barely missed her heart and did not puncture any major organs. I'd say she'll be here for about two weeks." He clapped a paw on Nick's shoulder, the one in which the weight of not only the world but the universe was lifted off of. "She'll be asleep for about three days while her body starts to recover. Don't worry, sir. She'll be okay. You may want to call her boss to let her know she won't be working for the next few weeks." he said with a smile.

'Okay', he thought. How could Judy possibly be okay? She was hurt again, for the third time. He was not there for her, for the third goddamned time. This time, her injuries were near fatal, just a week after finally recovering from the beating she endured from Billy. Nick felt like a failure to her. The one in which he swore his allegiance to as her partner, his protection to as her husband, and his loyalty and trust to as her friend.

Nick placed a trembling paw on the guardrail, watching the IV with a steady drip. He followed the cord down to her arm covered by a bandage. His eye caught a tube traveling up her still figure to her breathing mask, watching it fog up with every slow breath she took. Then he noticed her eyes. Closed. He once again could not see her beautiful lavender eyes in which that shimmering gleam of hope was concealed along with her soul. Her soul that enveloped him in that peaceful purple sea in which he indulged himself. He thrived and blossomed in her presence, but the fox was dormant and stationary now. Nick saw none of it, he only saw the body of his wife hooked up to a pile of medical boxes and computer screens. Nick was at Judy's side, but he was not with her. He was sitting in a chair beside the bed she rested in, but the two feet distance felt like miles apart. At this moment, they were an ocean away. The fox was a damsel, waiting for his bunny sailor to come home to him, but there were no ships on the horizon. Her eyes remained closed.

She remained asleep. Nick sat in that hospital for an eternity, and today was the third day. The pain in his shoulder from the stab wound intensified. His morphine had worn off. He would have to get the nurse to replace his bag. The doctors wanted him to just stay in his room to take more time to heal up. Screw that. Nick was rebellious about staying hooked up to his bed. He would not stop going to Judy no matter how many times the doctors escorted him back to his room, so they hooked him to a walking IV stand. He deserved more of the agony than her, he told himself. He wished he could split the pain they felt. Judy did not need most of the load. She was with him now, and he promised to take half of the load; bust still she took more.

"Oh, Carrots... I am so sorry, my sweet sweet Carrots... It should have been me, not you... Why can't I just be there when you need me the most?... I am the worst husband ever... I'm sorry..."

Nick began to cry. Things never used to get to him. He was bulletproof glass. Raja was a simple tapping, Billy was a knock, Bengali made a crack, and James was the one to finish the job. Nick was shattered, and nearly everything would get to him right now. He was vulnerable, but he hated to admit it even though everyone knew it was true. Nick felt a soft familiar paw slide atop his own, attempting to latch on in a gentle, weak grasp. He opened his eyes and looked up. Her eyes began to open. Slowly, to adjust to the light. She turned her head to see his face. Her face remained mediocre from the exhaustion, but she wanted to frown so badly. She did not like seeing her husband like this, it would hurt her heart every time. Nick was too sad.

"Nick... You're not a bad husband... You are the greatest thing that has ever happened to me... You're here with me now, and that is what matters to me, Nick... I love you, Nick... So much..."

Nick was in disphoria, but at the same time he was in euphoria. He was touched by her words. He kissed the mask above her lips, and hot tears streamed down his cheeks. The unsettling beep of the monitor now became a lulling background noise. A noise that would often fade out of existence in the fox's mind at times. It was almost like a baby mobile. It's tune was soothing, for it was a wonderful reminder that his wife's heart was still pumping. She was awake, and she was there. Judy was going to be okay.

The days went by fast when they were together. The ZPD brought another batch of get well card. That was Judy's second batch; the first one being after the Bengali incident. She never thought she would have so many. They were also visited by a familiar wolf in a wheelchair. Arden Fangman escaped the explosion during Operation: Deep Cleanse with two badly broken legs. He would be able to walk again in a couple of months. He didn't seem to mind too much. His years in the force had taken away most of his self-sympathy; something that Nick and Judy had not become accustomed to. They didn't think they ever would either, not with their presences fueling each other's personalities. They sat and talked for hours on end, and the fox and bunny eventually fell back into to their dating trend. Nick was discharged a week before Judy was, so he would bring movies, flowers and dinner for the two to savor together while she laid in the hospital bed. Judy felt that weird sensation of sitting on a bed that wasn't hers. That strange sensation when something is out of place and doesn't feel right. Where the bed is warm like one hopes, however, it is not as welcoming as the one she would plummet on after a long shift in seek of comfort. Nick would even stay overnight at the hospital and sleep in the bed with her. Again, not as welcoming as their own.

Judy no longer needed the breathing mask, and surely enough, the two would have quick sessions to indulge in one another's mouths. The spark the two felt never once grew old in their relationship. They were almost by definition the perfect two. Soon enough, it was Judy's final night in the hospital before she too would be discharged. Nick spent the night again. Tonight, he brought sushi; vegetable rolls for her, and insect veggie rolls for him. Judy snuggled to her husband as they sat in the bed watching the movie. She was no longer hooked to anything, not even the heart monitor, for she had made a substantial recovery during her stay. What doesn't kill you only makes you stronger. She felt so free being able to finally move around and stretch her tired legs after spending an entire week under the sheets. She opted for one of the scrub gowns that Zootopia Hospital offered. She did not want anyone catching a glimpse of more than her tail; that was reserved for Nick.

She nuzzled into the warm furs of his neck. He placed his paw on her shoulder. Judy closed her eyes. "I love you, Nick." A grin creeper across Nick's face.

"I love you too, Judy." Hed glances down, and his grin disappears as he stares into the shining spark of light illuminating off of their wedding rings. Together. It circled his head for a moment. "Carrots?"

"Hmm?" she responded.

"Can you promise me something?" Judy lifted her head off of his neck to look into his eyes. Bright green into soothing lavender. He took a moment to hold her paw in his grip.

"Promise me you will never leave me."

Judy stared for a moment. Before she gave her answer. "Of course, Nick. I will never leave your side. We will always be together."

Nick's grin returned. "Until the end?"

Judy grinned too. It has been quite a while since she has heard that phrase. Their wonderful philosophy in which they lived have lived by for almost half a year now. "Until the end." The two gaze into each other's eyes, and their eyelids grow heavy as they fall into one another. Their smiles fade into a look of seduction. One word envelopes their thoughts. Desire.

WARNING:
Mature content. Reader discretion is advised.

The two lock lips, and tongues swirl as they caress each other's sculpted faces. Nick throws off the covers and runs his gentle paw up her thigh. She gasps at the sensation. She indulges further as he lifts himself from his laying position to hover over her body. He reaches around her back with a sly paw to give her breast a small grope. She controls her moans, for she did not know how soundproof the hospital walls were. She slides her paw under his shirt to caress the warm soft furs of his chest, then retracts to undo the buttons.

Nick pulls out of Judy's mouth with a heavy breath and slides the scrub gown over her head. Once he tosses it to the floor, it was her turn. She slides his shirt off his arms and he drops it to the floor on the opposite side closest to the window. Judy was not wearing a bra, so Nick was pleased that he would not have to do any extra work. He licks her neck, and her moans grow more prominent, as does he down below. He pushes his hips into hers, and she could feel his arousal rub against her crotch from inside his pants. He takes a second to unzip his fly and remove the pesky piece of clothing. Nick looks back at her and places his lips back on hers. He crawls forward slightly. With one paw, he slides down south towards her crotch go gently part her lower lips. They were warmer than the rest of her; it fueled him. He placed the tip of himself against her entrance. His grabs hold of her hip, and slowly he proceeds.

Nick and Judy moans as he travels further inside, then back out to start a rhythmic pattern. The two breathe heavy as he increases their shared rhythm, therefore increasing the pleasure. With one final thrust, Nick moans as he knots. The warmth floods her, and she embraces it with moans of her own. The two sat there, holding each other as they caught their breaths again.

NOTICE:
Mature content over.

About a minute goes by, and the two hold each other close to hold onto that warmth sparked by their lovemaking. Nick cups Judy's breast in his paw, and feels the pumping of her little rampant heart. "That's what I want. I don't want that to ever leave me." He said. Judy did not respond other than pull his head into her bosom, his muzzle hugged in between her petite breasts. Nick closes his eyes and takes a second to breathe in her scent. The small things nobody ever seemed to cherish. The scent of her coat, the feeling of her warmth, the pumping of her heart. Nick embraced Judy like no other mammal could embrace their mate, and he was sure of it. Judy was alive. He could have lost her, but she was alive and they were together. Their bodies still united in an thriving passion. Their eyes became heavy, and Nick and Judy fell into slumber with the rest of the calming city. Tomorrow was another day, and it would be perfect for them to start living again.