Chapter 7: Rejuvination

The morning became pleasantly warm for Nick and Judy as he rolled her down the hospital ramp in the wheelchair that was just a bit too big for her. She found it silly as she was fully capable of walking, but it was hospital policy so she had to follow it. As she hopped into the passenger seat, Judy set the medication prescriptions in the center compartment. She smiled as she looked down and rubbed her stomach. Finally, at long last, she was carrying a baby. No longer was she vacant, and she finally felt complete. The missing piece between her and Nick had been found to complete their picture. Family. It encased them, it was what they always wanted with each other, ever since the day Nick gave her those Gazelle concerts. From their first date, they both knew they were perfect for each other. The most opposites attracted the absolute closest. The apple to a pie, and it was a sweet combination indeed.

The first thing they did was go back to Splyce Inc. to see Dr. Hoover and tell her the gene splicing was successful. They were not sure how long her gestation period would be considering foxes take longer than bunnies. Foxes were about fifty days while bunnies were about thirty. Her period was estimated to be forty-five days. Dr. Hoover gave her a small warning. Because of the size difference, if she were to have a fox in her litter, he or she would most likely be smaller than normal, which was to be expected. And with that, their new journey had begun. There was so much to do. Tell the guys at the ZPD, her family, his mother, look for houses, buy nursery stuff. Nick and Judy would have their hands full. They had a feeling the next forty five days were going to be quite an adventurous change for them.

First stop, the ZPD. Judy would have to arrange a maternity leap with Chief Bogo. Although she hated the idea of missing more work during her third trimester, she knew he would forbid her from doing anything, and with good intentions. Judy was always a bit rambunctious about getting right back to work. She loved her job. More than any animal ever could. As they walk through the front doors, they are greeted by a familiar flamboyant cheetah. Nick adjusted his tie and shined his badge. They smile and wave heading for the bull pen, and Clawhauser delves back into his bowl of Lucky Chomps. Nick held the door open, and Judy walked in. Their eyes are met with that of the cape buffalo's. He takes off his glasses, and tidied up the report files in his hoofs.

"Wilde! You're la- Hopps? What are you doing here? You're out of the hospital? You should be at home resting."

Before Judy could speak, Nick walked up to the podium with eyes closed, paws behind his back, and wearing an extra sly smirk on his face. Without a word, Nick places a day off request form in front of the Chief with today's date written next to his initials. Bogo eyes the document before glaring down at Nick. "You come in late to ask me for today off, fox? What do you think you are trying to pull?"

Nick proposed his innocence as he held his paws open in front of his face. "I'm not trying to pull anything, sir. I just want to spend the day with my wife so we can go look at some houses." Bogo's eye almost seemed to twitch as he shot daggers at the fox, but his sly cockiness deflected them like a silver shield.

Bogo crossed his arms. "And why should I let you do that? Can't that wait until you're both off?"

"No, it can't because we need to find a place with a nursery."

Chief Bogo blinked as he tried to register what he just said. Nick and Judy's grins grew wider seeing not only their chief's puzzled expression, but everyone else's in the room too. "Nursery? What? Wait-" it hits him like a brick wall. His eyes shoot wide as the realization dawned on him. "Judy?! You're pregnant?" Everyone's eyes shoot wide as he asks the question. She could feel every officer in the room staring down at her in disbelief. She placed her paw on her stomach with a small rub, and gave a gentle nod.

Chief Bogo grew jovial, as did the rest of the officers in the room. They picked the two up, crowd carrying them above their heads as if a singer just did a stage dive into the crowd. They lowered Nick and Judy back to the ground. Nick crossed his arms shaking his head with a chuckle. He then waved a good at the fox. "Alright, get out of here. And Hopps, I expect you to take a maternity leap when you get further ahead." Judy simply replied with giving a salute as she turned to follow Nick out of the room.

"Will do, sir." The crowd continued to cheer for the fox and bunny until the familiar phrase of 'shut up' forced the room to grow silent. Nick wrapped a paw around Judy's shoulder, and she leaned her head into his chest as they walked out. She briefly lifts her head to look at his face. "So, do you want to tell my parents first... or yours?"

Judy hesitated for a second. She almost forgot that Mr. Big was... She didn't want to hurt his feelings, that would never be her intentions. It's just how her sentence came out. He simply grinned, not disturbed by what she said at all. Acceptance. The final stage of grief, however Nick seemed to go through his out of order. He only went through anger and depression, he was not in denial and he did not bargain. There wasn't anything to be in denial about or bargain over. Mr. Big was dead, and Nick breathed and moved on. Death is a part of life, we all must meet its destiny one day. Mr. Big has met his, though it was an untimely demise, one that he most certainly did not deserve. He was just thankful that his wife did not meet it too.

"Why don't we tell your parents first? Cuz I have an idea." He said with his smirk. Judy nodded and they drove to a nearby bread bakery before heading to the bustling bunny city.

They drive up, and are welcomed at the door by Bonnie carrying three babies. They walk in, and they are swarmed by dozens of little bunnies more than glad to see Judy and Judy's boyfriend again. Judy gladly takes hold of one of her baby sisters form her mother's arms. Nick offers to take one of Bonnie's sons off of her paws too, and she happily obliges. Nick glanced down at little baby Jonathon Hopps, and the curious kit stared back with bright brown eyes. Nick could almost feel a tear form in his eye as the baby bunny fell back asleep. 'Soon,' he thought. Soon he would be able to hold his own son, or daughter, or most likely both. Stu walks into the leaving room, giving her and Nick that kind of hug that only a father could give; firm yet gentle. Protective yet caring. Now that they were all in the same room, it was time to execute. Nick began to distract the bunnies, pointing to the walls of photos to gain their attention as Judy falsely excuses herself to go to the bathroom. Instead however, she goes into the kitchen, opens one of the ovens, and puts in a little surprise. Judy walks back into the room. Now it was time to follow through with the pleasant surprise they had in store for the middle aged bunnies.

"Hey, mom and dad? We actually came here because we have something to tell you. Come into the kitchen with us." Bonnie and Stu stare at each other baffled, then focus their attention back to their daughter.

"O-okay, Bon Bon." said Bonnie.

Nick turns with Judy to face their parents as they walk into the kitchen.

"Soooo, what is this about, Judebug?" asked Stu. Judy takes a small step forward.

"Well," she claps her paws together, "me and Nick are doing something very special. Dad, can you look in that oven?" she said pointing the one out of twenty five ovens closest to Stu. The bunny opens the door, looks inside, and is baffled to pull out a small bread bun. "Okay, what is that, dad?" she asks trying to hold back a toothy smile at his puzzled look.

"It's a bun." he simply says still trying to understand what this was all about.

"Okay, now where was it?" added Nick, giving a small smirk. Stu looked at the fox, then back to the white little appliance.

"It was in the oven?" he says in the form of a question.

Judy motions her paws in circles towards her father. "Okay, now put it all together..." Nick and her began leaning slightly closer to the bunnies. Their grins growing wider and wider. Bonnie looked down trying to solve her daughter's riddle. Stu glances back and forth from his kids, the oven, and the bun completely clueless.

"A bun in the oven? What?" he says.

Bonnie's eyes shoot wide open at the sudden realization; a bun in the oven. What a wonderful double entendre. She flails her open arm and screams from surprise. She quickly turns to her daughter. "What!? You're pregnant!? You're having babies!?" Stu's eyes also shoot wide open as his brain processes the answer.

Judy begins to frantically nod her head. She was just about as excited as her mother was. Bonnie covers her mouth with her paw, then uses it to fan away oncoming tears. "Oh, Bon Bon." she says nestling her face into Judy's shoulder as joyful tears stream from her face, moistening her shirt. Stu and Nick joined in the celebration and hugged their wives close. They were family, and nothing would ever change that. Now, in forty-five days, there would be new little additions to the family, and none could wait for them to come. The stork was on its way, and Nick and Judy would have their babies soon. One day down, forty-four to go.

The night drew near in the streets of Zootopia. Children would be laid to sleep, the prowlers would soon fill the clubs, and cheer rang through the air of the private suite in the Oasis Casino. Although, most of it was sported by James Todd as he downed a bottle of whiskey; his admins seemed to just accompany his behavior with empty hollers of celebration. Especially Billy Stride. He mourned over Judy as he took shot after shot. He drank to forget, but he would always remember. The ZNN news of Mayor Staggery noting the tragic bombing planned by the Bunny's boss became ambient background noise. He took another drink. Billy thought Judy Hopps was dead. This was never what he wanted out of this, but he was stuck in Todd's grasp. There were still too many people to fight off if he were to abandon the Cleansing; or at least what was left of it. Now it was him, Todd, and six other predators in suits and ties. A lion, a panther, a bear, a tiger, a bobcat, and a wolf. He never cared to learn their names. Screw that, he was barely even around them other than show cases and meetings.

His tongue circled the glass, scavenging what little drops of vodka were left inside. The ice began to melt against his warm nose. His breath began fogging the glass. He puts it on the counter with a thud, and he refills. There was no news on whether Judy made it or not, only the explosion, the death of the Tundratown crime boss, the death of the Lionheart family, and that damn 'symbolic' band constricting his left arm. Billy cursed it's name. The Cleansing: a longing for equality; what a load of bullshit. This society has tarnished the city's good spirit with a fox, a pipe bomb, and a blind philosophy. They may take power this way as the government forfeits to avoid further catastrophes, but it sure as hell won't make them equal. Dictatorship. Something that history has not seen in years, but it was back, and it was as bad as ever.

"Well boys. I do believe just two more attacks will do it. Tomorrow we shall go live and express our demands full forward!" James lifts a glass of whiskey to his followers. "To a cleansed Zootopia!"

The admins did not say a word. They just raised their glasses in respect, and enjoyed yet another intoxicating throwback. Billy hissed at the fox under his breath. 'Fuck you. You killed her, you psychotic piece of shit.' Perhaps this was why most foxes were seen as shifty and untrustworthy. Because of foxes like Todd giving them a bad name. The only safe haven they would be able to seek now was Nick. A brother of blood, yet the polar opposite of Todd. Cop versus robber, protection versus annihilation, good versus evil.

Billy's ear twitched and his attention was gained by the sound of the news returning to him. He blinked and stared at the screen. "This just in. Some wonderful news from one of this city's favorites. Officer Judy Hopps has made a marvelous recovery after she was attacked by Cleansing leader, James Todd." said the snow leopard. The TV flashed a video of Nick and Judy outside of the Hopps House. The moose adjusted his body towards the center camera.

"And with even greater news for this lovely couple. The newly experimented gene splicing done by Splyce Incorporations, lead by Dr. Jane Hoover, has proven to be successful. Judy Hopps is now pregnant."

Billy's world stopped, though it gave a small spin from the drunkenness. He gave a small grin. She was alive, and she was doing well. Not only that, but she was going to have kids. Something Billy almost knew he would never have with Judy, but he was happy for her. She had a caring husband, and she was going to have her second dream come true; to be a mother. Billy wished her luck from that TV screen, for that was what he really wanted with Judy; her to be happy.

The moment was shattered, quite literally as James threw the half full bottle of whiskey at the screen. Billy feels a sharp stinging pain and grabs his cheek. He removes his paw to see blood covering it in a long streak, the alcohol starting to sting the brand new cut.

He looks back at the enraged drunk fox to see a pure manifestation of animosity. He was pissed; James was sure that knife should have ended the bunny's life. "Son of a bitch! Why won't she just die!" He placed an elbow on the table and massaged his closed eyes trying to rub the stress away. A lightbulb flashes above his head; a dark, faded, sinister lightbulb. He gave a crooked grin. "No matter. There is still one more way to break those cops." His subordinates look over to him as he leans back in his chair.

"How?" the lion asks. James scans the room, making sure all of his admins were focused on him. He places a finger against the wood as he spills his final plan.

"We kidnap one of their children."

The room fell silent. Shock filled their faces. Some of them begged it was the alcohol that caused them to hear that. James could not be serious, could he?

"When they are born, we kidnap one of them at the hospital when they are sleeping, and we hold it hostage to force them into submission. If I can't kill them or make them forfeit, then I'm sure I can kill one of their little bastards and force them to forfeit."

Billy filled with booze field anger, but the shock soon overpowered that feeling. James Todd was fucking insane. At that moment, a voice arose from the admins, the wolf. "No."

James turned his head slowly to him, eyelids half closed. "What did you just say?"

"No. I'm not going through with that. That's way too far for me." The wolf rips the band off of his arm and throws it onto the table before storming out. The other animals stared at the fox, and they all stood removing their arm bands as well.

"You're a psycho."

"I'm not doing that."

"Fuck that. They don't deserve that."

One after one, the animals walked out the door. The only one to stay was Billy, still awestruck by the fox's plan. As he starts to stand from the bar, James stands up and pulls a black cylinder from his pocket. Billy froze; another detonator. "Hold it, rabbit! You aren't going anywhere, unless you want to be blown into a million fucking pieces. You see that pendant on your coat? It's a bomb. If you try anything, I'll push this fucking trigger, you understand!?" Billy was petrified. He remembered James giving him that pendant to him the moment he put on that red and black suit. Was he in Todd's clutches from the very beginning. Apparently so, and now he was a live wire. Threatened to blow at the sadistic fox's desire. Billy had no choice now, but to follow through with his plan. James gave an unnatural laugh. Billy could smell the whiskey on his breath; it was putrid. "We go into hiding, Mr. Stride. Until the time comes, and the Cleansing shall finally make its mess." With a cling of the glasses, James walks to the window to look over the city of Zootopia. Ingénues all of them. Not a single animal would be prepared when the gates of hell open. Billy merely stood in his spot. Waiting. Fearing. Nick. Judy, please be safe. The countdown to the end has begun. One day down, forty-four to go.

Attention:

Whoo-wee! We are getting somewhere now! Alright: quick note from yours truly. At this point you should know that Judy Hopps is pregnant. I wanted to do some stories with her during her pregnancy, but there were so many and it would make the chapter ridiculously long. That is why...

I will be opening up a new line of stories all about Judy's pregnancy!

The story title will be called 45 Days (Judy Hopps Zootopia Drabbles).

I cannot wait to start writing these, and I can't wait to reach the end of this wonderful story. I never thought it would come this far, and I certainly did not think I would be receiving so much wonderful feedback from all of you wonderful readers.

I wish I could personally, but may I just say from the bottom of my fennec heart... thank you! Thank you all so much for your support!

As always, stay tuned!

~N.t.F.