"Pick a venue."
"Check."
"Arrange transportation."
"Check."
"Hire the photographer."
"Check."
"Figure out catering."
"Check."
"Book a florist."
"Check."
"Purchase invitations."
"Check."
"Send out invitations."
"Check."
"Create seating chart."
"Check."
"Get a cake."
"Check."
"Choose menu. Choose music. Choose flowers. Choose wine."
"Check, check, check, check."
"Choose bridesmaids. Choose Maid of Honor. Choose groomsmen. Choose Best Man."
"Check, check, check, annnnd check."
"Get bridesmaids' dresses. Get groomsmen's suits. Get outfits for kids."
"Check, check, check."
"Get wedding dress."
"Check!"
"Get marriage license."
"Check."
"Write vows."
"Check!"
"That's everything, Carrots."
"Let's go through it one more time."
Chuckling softly, Nick threw the large yellow note pad he had been holding on their king size bed. He then turned back to face a fidgeting Judy, who's right foot was practically thumping a hole into the carpet. It was a quiet Sunday afternoon, the chores of the home completed and the events of the following week planned for. Judy and Nick stood in their room, the television turned to a news station, the volume down low. Through their open door, the couple could hear the children playing in their bedroom just down the hall.
"We've been through it three times today, Carrots. We got everything on the list."
"It just feels like we have so much to do!"
"Oh, wait, there's one more thing," Nick said, his face scrunching in thought as he glanced at the notepad on the bed, moving to read from the page.
"What is it?" Judy asked, her nose twitching at the thought of missing something important.
"It says, 'marry the fox of your dreams,'" Nick smirked.
"Oh, is that on there?" Judy faked a sigh. "I meant to remove that months ago."
"Ouch!" Nick laughed loudly. "Alright, alright, Fluff. That's everything."
"Are you absolutely sure?" Judy's right foot thumped harder and faster against the carpet.
Nick stepped forward, taking Judy's paws into his own and gently placing his left foot over her right to quiet the soft thumping.
"Yes, I'm absolutely sure," Nick reassured Judy as he leaned down and planted a gentle kiss on her forehead.
"I feel like there's something we're missing," the bunny whined.
"That's because we have been planning nonstop for nine months – a year if you count the lost time over the holidays," Nick reasoned, a smirk etched on his face.
"Are you sure we have everything? You didn't overlook anything or–"
"Carrots," Nick laughed. "We've done it all. Just one more week, Darling."
"Just one more week," Judy smiled shyly.
"You'll officially be Mrs. Wilde on Saturday, so take a deep breath, Fluff."
Nodding quickly, Judy inhaled deeply. She inhaled a second time, then closed her eyes and inhaled several more times before she finally looked back up at Nick.
"Feel better?" Nick asked.
"Definitely," Judy laughed. "So, what now?"
"Well, the bridesmaids and groomsmen picked up their dresses and suits yesterday. We pick up the kids' outfits tomorrow, and then your dress and my suit on Wednesday. Other than that, nothing until Saturday."
"Saturday, the flowers will be delivered at eight. Food and wine should arrive just a little after that. I'll be in hair and make-up all morning."
"I'll get ready, then help my mom get the kids ready to go that morning."
"And she's okay with watching them Friday night and the majority of Saturday?"
"Of course, Carrots."
"Then, if everything goes smoothly–"
"When everything goes smoothly," Nick chimed in with a laugh. "Have some faith in us, huh?"
"Right," Judy smiled. "When everything goes smoothly, then the next time I'll see you will be–"
"At around one o'clock, when your dad walks you down the aisle – right to me," Nick grinned.
"Right to you," Judy grinned back at the fox.
"Oh, and Carrots?"
"Yes?"
"If you trip and fall – no, when you trip and fall – just remember that I'll be right there to pick you up… after I stop laughing."
"How romantic of you to say," Judy giggled.
"What can I say? I'm a charmer."
"Mm-hmm," Judy smirked, using Nick's tie to pull him in for a kiss.
The fox happily moved forward, his eyes fluttering closed as he braced himself.
"If you're such a charmer," Judy said in a hushed voice, stopping just short so that her and Nick's faces were centimeters apart, their lips close but untouched. "Then, what are these?"
From Nick's left-breast shirt pocket, Judy pulled out two plane tickets that had been tucked just out of sight. His eyes flying open, Nick scrambled to snatch the tickets back, but Judy was too quick, jumping out of his reach onto their bed as she waved the tickets in the air.
"I knew you were up to something!" she shrieked triumphantly. "You can't hide things from me, Nick; I'm a cop and your wife!"
"Those were supposed to be a surprise," Nick groaned as he placed his paws on his hips. "How long have you known?"
"Oh, not long – just since February," Judy grinned.
"February? It's May!"
"You can't expect me not to notice when hundreds of dollars go missing from our account, Nick!"
"Clever bunny," Nick grumbled.
"Dumb fox," Judy smiled broadly as she glanced at the tickets.
"Alright, fun's over; hand 'em over."
Nick reached out a paw, but the bunny only held the tickets higher out of reach.
"Oh, no, no," Judy teased. "I'd like to look at them."
At this, Nick rolled his eyes.
"Look away, detective," he smirked.
"With pleasure," Judy beamed.
She then let out an exaggerated "hmm" as she examined the tickets carefully. However, her game didn't last long as she began to actually read the words typed in black ink on the tickets.
"These are tickets to the Canal District," she said, looking back up at Nick.
"They are."
"They're dated for next week…"
"They are."
Judy stared at Nick skeptically, her eyes narrowed. After several long moments, she shifted her weight from one foot to the other on the bed and raised her chin, eyes still on Nick, who shrugged nonchalantly.
"You planned our honeymoon."
It wasn't a question.
"I did," Nick smiled, carefully waiting for Judy's full reaction.
The bunny only continued to stare at him in disbelief.
"Please, don't be mad," he added hesitantly.
"How long are we staying?"
"Just a week, but we can stay longer if you like. I've already cleared it with the Chief – paid vacation time – and my mom will watch the kids, she insisted."
Judy nodded at his words and looked down at the tickets once again, running her paws over them considerately.
Nick felt his heart skip a beat.
"Carrots?"
If Judy didn't like the honeymoon idea, they were out more than a few hundred dollars – not to mention his plan would have plummeted faster than the time he had attempted to bail out of helping the Zootopia Police Department's first rabbit officer on her very first real case. Nick smiled to himself at the thought of their very first case together. He wasn't an officer at the time, nor had he been willing to help Judy in her time of need until he had seen the severity the case had in making or breaking her career. His eyes swept over the rabbit in front of him, the rabbit who had started off as an over-ambitious cop who was almost too naïve for her own good. Now, well, she was still an over-ambitious cop who was almost too naïve for her own good, but she had grown in more ways than one. She had seen the best in him, even when he hadn't seen it. She had chosen him over the rest of the world, even when the world disgraced her for it at times. She had lived with him, had given him children, had married him before they were even married. Nick marveled at this rabbit, who he knew would always live with him, would raise children with him, would marry him every day if she had the chance. Now, after years of the ups and the downs, they were just a mere week away from tying it all together.
After a few more moments, Judy looked up with a massive grin on her face.
"Does that mean we're going to the Zootopia Space Station?"
"I was thinking more of the beach, but that's fine," Nick laughed.
"Oh, Nick!" Judy laughed as she jumped from the bed and nearly tackled him in a tight hug, the two of them spinning around and falling onto their massive bed in each other's arms.
"You didn't have to – I can't believe you did this!"
"Relax, Carrots, it'll be fun. We both need this. A little quality newly-wed time, just you and I, get away from Downtown Zootopia for a little bit."
Judy grinned and kissed Nick full on the mouth, feeling him laugh against her as she did so. Nick kissed her back, the two each melting into the grasp of one another. After several long minutes in one another's embrace, the two broke apart, smiling at the other.
"Carrots?"
"Hmm?"
"About what you said last week at the therapy thing…"
"Yes?" Judy propped her head up in her paw, watching Nick carefully with a puzzled look.
"I don't think the polar bear incident was your fault."
"Nick–"
"No, no, hold on. Just let me get this out," Nick said gently, his eyes on the ceiling.
"I don't think the polar bear incident was your fault," he continued. "I think it was my fault, but I also know that neither one of us is to blame – we both know the risks of being cops. I don't talk about how I feel about the Junior Ranger Scouts playing us for months because I know that's life; I know that that is sometimes the way things work out, and I try not to let my anger get me."
Nick glanced up at Judy, who was listening intently, her eyes focused on him.
"And Carrots," he smiled sadly. "I don't talk about my dad because I miss him more than anything else. I wish my mom still had him, and wish he still had my mom. I wish he had had the chance to meet the kids – to meet you."
Nick placed a paw on Judy's, giving it a reassuring squeeze as he did so.
"We can always talk about things that bother us, Fluff."
"Nick," Judy sighed with a small smile. "I love you."
"I love you, too, Judy."
"One more week, then right to you, Mr. Wilde," Judy smiled brightly.
"One more week, then right to me, Mrs. Wilde."