"This is the worst idea you've ever had, Carrots."
"This is the best idea I've ever had!"
"You just got out of the hospital, let's try to take things easy."
"I got out weeks ago, I'm done taking it easy!"
"At least let me carry the paint," Nick chuckled as he took two brand new buckets of paint – one red, the other blue – from Judy's paws, and carried them into the house, then through the glass sliding door that led to the backyard.
It was a sunny afternoon in late March, not a cloud in the sky. The grass in the yard was beginning to grow again, patches of brilliant green brightening the yard here and there. Nick placed the paint in the center of the yard, entered the home from the backyard, and then, exited the home out into the front yard. Judy had already climbed into the back of the SUV that was parked in the driveway, and was grabbing certainly more than she could carry.
It had been several weeks since Judy's doctor officially sent the bunny home, though Nick still insisted she needed to take it easy. She had spent almost three weeks in the hospital; her stitches had been removed, she was no longer dehydrated, she was no longer malnourished, she was sleeping normally (though, she had nightmares she didn't like to admit to), and her broken bones were expected to be almost completely healed in another three to four weeks when Nick took her home. Her optimism, however, didn't need practically any time to heal; her massive grin and bouncing positive attitude were apparent as she handed Nick several more buckets of paint.
From day one in the hospital, Judy had been eager to return home and catch up on all that she had missed, but her health was forced to come first. While stuck on bedrest, the rabbit made it her duty to plan out everything she and Nick would do with the kids, as repayment for all that she had missed. This included family meals, game nights, afternoons spent in the nearby park, movie nights, trips to the museum, and so much more.
Judy had been kidnapped near the middle of November, and being gone for over a month, she had missed Thanksgiving and Christmas. She had then spent New Year's, and a good majority of January, in the hospital as she recovered. She was released from the hospital near the beginning of February, happily falling back into her usual lifestyle with Nick and the children immediately, and had then celebrated a quiet Valentine's Day at home. In early March, she had returned to the hospital to have her cast removed from her ankle, the doctor deeming that her broken ribs had healed completely. However, Judy was also told that it would take longer for the ligaments and tendons in her ankle to heal, and she was instructed to continue to take it easy and not put too much pressure on her left leg. She was also told to return to the hospital if the pain bothered her too severally, something she scoffed at.
Now, as the year neared April, you could only tell Judy had been through such a traumatic ordeal if you knew what you were looking for. The scars from the wounds Culpeo's claws inflicted were still quite clear, and most likely would take several years to fade, unfortunately, but they still couldn't put a dent in Judy's unwavering beauty. Besides the scars on her body – predominantly on her arms, neck, and torso – the only other reminder she still carried was a slight limp as her left ankle had yet to regain complete strength.
When the couple had welcomed the New Year with several burdens, Nick had stepped up to the plate easily, aiding where he could when he could. Judy still kept some emotions to herself, which easily worried Nick, but he did his best to help her heal however she deemed fit. His main job was reassurance, as Judy felt her missing for several months had corresponded to a failure in being a perfect mother and wife, which Nick disagreed with. Nick had even returned to work full-time back in late February, while a jealous Judy remained home with the children. Judy herself was only days away from returning to work, even though Chief Bogo still insisted that she not overdo it and that she attend at least one therapy session, as covered by the ZPD. With only a few more days until Judy could return to her definition of "normal," she was practically bursting with excitement, resulting in several wild ideas that she had pitched to Nick so that she could burn off the energy. Hence the SUV filled with buckets of paint.
"Okay, I think we got it all," Judy beamed as she counted the buckets of paint once more.
Nick looked over the large white buckets containing colors of red, blue, green, yellow, pink, white, purple, and orange, that were placed in the center of the backyard. Each bucket had cost them a small fortune each, but Judy had insisted. Together, the couple spread the buckets out so that they were feet apart in the yard, covered the newly stained patio in a plastic tarp that was held down by tape, and removed the lids on the buckets. Once the paint was stirred, Judy entered the house to fetch the children.
"Robin, this is your paintbrush. Violet, take that one," Judy instructed as each child received a small paintbrush.
Each child was wearing old, comfortable clothing that Judy typically dressed them in for crafts. Smiling gleefully as she did so, Judy explained the set-up as Nick stood nearby, fiddling with their radio, which they had dragged out into the yard so that they could have some music while they worked.
Years ago, when Judy and Nick had purchased their home, they had agreed they would paint the fence in the backyard. Long story short, the two had never had the time to actually keep their promise. It was during one late-night conversation that Judy burst out with an idea that Nick thought was clearly mad.
"What if we let the kids paint the fence?" she had said, a smile forming.
"What?"
"You know, let them go crazy with paint on the fence. We can always paint over it later on. It would be so much fun, Nick, just like when we first moved in and painted the rooms!"
There was no talking her out of it.
There they were, the Wilde Family, in old clothes with paintbrushes and buckets of paint on a March afternoon, and from the look on the kids' faces, this was about to be absolute chaos.
"Have at it!" Judy laughed as she unleashed the children after explaining the rules – don't paint the house, don't paint the patio, no eating the paint, etc.
Nick slowly turned the dial on the radio, cranking the volume.
It took seconds for Robin and Red to be absolutely covered in paint.
Nick couldn't help but laugh as the kids screeched in delight, paint all over their tiny hands as they splashed colors all over the fence. As Judy had hoped, Nick eventually picked up a paintbrush and joined in, holding up the children so they could reach the top of the fence when they wished, while he painted too. A little while after that, Judy couldn't help but also take part in the fun.
"Here, Alan, what if we drew pictures from one of your books?" Judy asked the tiny grey fox, which he answered with an energetic nod.
Picking up a paintbrush and sitting down on the grass next to her son, Judy began to work as she chatted with the baby.
"I'm thinking fire-breathing dragons, what about you?" she laughed, intensity on her face as she began painting.
Alan watched in wonder, adding his art when he felt it was needed, and giggling at Judy after she reached over and tickled him when he wasn't looking.
After a few moments, Violet joined the two, bringing with her the idea of painting a carrot field near the dragon, which Alan agreed to enthusiastically. Then, Robin and Red joined the group, cuddling close to Judy and demanding that the dragon be painted so that it was burning down a house.
"That's not happening," Judy giggled as she talked to the two. "Where's Daddy? He would think that's funny–"
Suddenly, a chill shot up Judy's spine as cold wet paint poured down over her head and into her lap, drenching her in brilliant color.
"Nick!"
"You look good in orange, Carrots," Nick burst out laughing.
"Oh, you so have it coming, Nick!"
Still laughing, Nick tossed the now empty bucket of orange paint to the side and grabbed a giggling Red, pulling him onto his shoulders as he raced away from Judy.
"Go, go, go!" Red shrieked.
Judy laughed and followed with the other three children. Throwing paint at one another as they did so, the family chased each other around the yard until they were painted more than the fence was.
Well, until Judy tripped, that is.
Nick, only inches from her, miraculously turned and caught her just before she fell.
"Déjà vu," the fox chuckled as he leaned in and briefly kissed Judy.
Judy wrapped her arms around his neck as he steadied her on her feet.
"Last time we did that you told me I was beautiful."
"You still are, Carrots."
Judy's face flushed a light pink, a color that was barely visible under the paint that was currently caked into her fur. She gave him a sly smile, the two never breaking eye contact, Nick's green eyes looking into Judy's violet ones.
"I also remember the inspiration for our daughter's name coming from this moment," Nick chuckled as he looked up at the children still chasing each other around the yard, screaming in small voices as they did so.
When Nick turned his head to face Judy, she swiped a paint-drenched paintbrush across his right cheek. Still in each other's arms, the two burst out laughing at one another, Nick shaking his head at Judy's antics.
"Sly bunny," he sighed, watching as Judy's face broke into a grin.
"Dumb fox."