=Author's Notes=

Since this story got an impressive amount of followers and views, I decided to treat you by writing another chapter only a day after.

Leads

"What is wrong with Chief Bogo? He calls these leads? All that's in here is the vending machines from which the victims took their beverages. How is that a lead?" Judy fussed over the case's file.

Nick looked at her contemplating. She was so adorable looking at the tiny folder angrily and I just want to scratch behind her ears again because it always makes her happy. Then he reminded himself that he wasn't so pathetic.

"Nick, are you okay? You're looking at me weird." She looked up at him. "And your fur is spiking up. Do I have something in my teeth? That's about the last time I'm eating store-bought carrots, now I'm only eating the organic ones my parents send me."

"I- I'm fine. And you don't have anything on your teeth." He said, trying to calm down. His fur was still spiked up.

She put her paw on his shoulder. "Nick, if you're worried about something, we should talk about it."

He took a deep breath. "I'm not worried about anything, I'm fine and don't get too physical." He pushed her arm away.

Judy raised an eyebrow before she grinned. "Oh I know what's happening. Somebody wants a hug! Who's a shy little guy?"

"Your mum." Nick replied carelessly.

Her eyebrows fell. "Where did you pick that one up from?"

Nick smirked. "Your mum." He replied again, this time a hint of humour in his voice. Before he knew it, Judy was behind him and was rubbing his head with her fist. "Get off you annoying bunny!"

"Awww, you love me." Judy said, before her arms reached around his neck and she placed her cheek next to his.

Nick's entire body relaxed. "Yeah, I do. You're still annoying." He mused.

"Mmm, but it's part of the love!" She let go and her expression took a serious turn. "So, where do you want to start?"

"Hmmm. I think we should start the one that's the closest to us, in Savanna Central." Nick said, pointing at one of the circled locations on the map.

Judy nodded. "I think so too. The cameras detected an animal here going savage only sixteen hours ago. No injured, luckily as it was very late. The Police have managed to keep it secret, but we don't know for how long before the Savage attacks are leaked to the public."

"So what, we just go and investigate the vending machine?" Nick raised an eyebrow.

Judy nodded. "Then, if this proves fruitless we can go to Tundratown where two animals went savage and see if Mr. Big knows anything. I have to go baptise Judy in a few hours anyway, so it's perfect."

"Judy who?"

"My goddaughter!" Judy told him. "You know, Fru Fru's daughter?"

"No memory of her." Nick said impassively.

Judy let out a long sigh. "Crazy arctic shrew that I saved from a huge doughnut and saved our butts when Mr. Big was about to ice us? His daughter?"

"OH! Yeah, I remember her. That's one weird little mammal." Nick contemplated his memories of the arctic shrew. "Why is she naming her after you, anyway? As if we need another Judy. One of you is too much trouble as it is."

Judy rolled her eyes. "Careful or I'll have you iced."

"You could never live without me." Nick commented, not able to completely stop his fur from spiking up slightly as he said so.

"Yes, however could I ever get over such a charming sneaky fox?" Judy said mockingly. "There's only like 5 million of you out there."

"But there's only one Nick." He put on his sunglasses.

"No there's not." Judy mused.

"Well, there's only one Nick Wilde."

"Not that rare of a name." She supplied.

He rolled his eyes at her even though she couldn't see. "So, hop on in the car, Carrots. Next stop, Savanna Square."

"You're ridiculous." She told him, getting inside the car nonetheless.

"Well, fascinating. Just an ordinary Vending Machine. What a waste of electricity." Nick said.

"There's got to be something…" She muttered.

"Well, there's not, Carrots. So let's go to Tundratown." Nick said, turning around.

"Wait!" Judy called behind him. She bent down and Nick looked away as his fur spiked up. "Aha!" She exclaimed, pulling a feather from under the vending machine. "Look!" She told him, holding the feather before his eyes. Her ears were lifted up and her eyes were glistening happily.

"It's just a feather." Nick said lazily.

"Aha, but it's a rainbow-coloured feather! What animal produced rainbow-coloured feathers?" She said, examining it. She looked at him and raised an eyebrow. "Your fur is getting spiky again. Do you need to see a doctor?"

Nick's fur turned into needles. "N-no. It's fine, just allergies." Good thing she doesn't know how foxes react.

"Ookay. No idea how you're getting allergies in July. Anyways, I think this feather is some sort of sign. Like the night howlers, or like Mr. Big's mark. I think it's a network."

"Or it's just a coincidence, a toy a kid had. Don't get your hopes up, Carrots. It's probably nothing." Nick said.

"Fine. Be pessimistic." She said. "But, this is our first clue." She turned around and went towards the car.

Nick sighed as he put on his sunglasses. "So what now?" He closed the car door behind him.

"Now, we go to Tundratown, to inspect the other two Vending Machines. If we also find rainbow coloured feathers under them, then I win." Judy said happily.

"Win what?" Nick asked.

"Hmm… How about this. If you're right, I'll do whatever you ask me to do for a day. But, if I win, you have to be super nice to everyone for a day. Nod, answer politely, help old ladies cross the road. The whole package." She said smugly.

"Ha. Easy, I've been an actor for years, anyway." Nick said leaning back.

"And you have to buy flowers for Chief Bogo and give them to him saying what a nice Chief he is. And act like you mean it."

Nick froze. "You wouldn't."

"Take it or leave it, foxy." Judy smirked.

"Fine. But, if I win, you have to go on a date with Clawhauser."

"WHAT?" Judy said, stepping on the brakes instantly, as several horns echoed from behind them.

"Take it or leave it, Carrots." Nick smirked back at her.

She looked hesitant for a second before she took his hand and shook it. "Deal."

"AHA!" Judy said, pulling another rainbow-coloured feather from under a Vending Machine. "Prepare to get those flowers, Nick. Bogo's waiting."

Nick growled at her. "Whatever."

"And, you're buying me dinner tonight." She said happily.

Nick swallowed thickly. "Why should I, it wasn't part of the deal." Damn it Carrots, why do you never think before you talk?

"Because, I just discovered a clue for our case! We're celebrating! I want French Fries and Crispy Carrots and sweet and sour dipping sauce, thank you very much." She smirked at him.

"Hold your order for the cashier, Carrots." He said, still moody. Mostly because Judy didn't realise that Nick would be more than happy to buy her dinner. On a date. Sadly, that was not the case.

"Hey, cheer up, Nick. I'm just joking." She said.

He smiled at her. "No, you were right, you found our first clue. I am treating you to whatever you want. It's not like it's my money, anyway." He said happily.

"I thought you stopped reselling Ice Paws!" She rolled her eyes.

"Who told you I did? It's good money, Carrots." He said smugly, as they walked towards the other Vending Machine to confirm Judy's theory completely.

"But… but it's not right!" She told him.

"Why not? I don't trick people into giving me the Ice Pops anymore, I buy them, I have a permit to sell them." Nick said simply.

"But… you should be giving your suppliers a percentage!"

"Why? Judy, let it go. I don't even have time for it anyway. Not to mention I started filing taxes for it, so we're fine." Nick muttered.

"Oh, so I'm Judy now, huh? I get it. Carrots is the fun cool girl; Judy is the serious one you don't like." She crossed her arms.

Nick rolled her eyes. You're an idiot. He told himself. "Judy, I like every part of you." THAT SOUNDS SO WRONG. "I-I mean… Look. I called you Judy because I was being serious. If it makes you that unhappy though, I suppose I can stop, or at least start giving a percentage to my… suppliers." He scratched the fur on his cheeks which was spiked up.

Judy turned around and smirked at him. "That's like the easiest trick ever." She hugged him. "You're a great friend, Nick. My best friend."

Nick sighed before he hugged her back. "You're my best friend too, Carrots." And hopefully something more.

"I don't mind your Ice Paws trick anyway. I do have it all recorded, though." She smirked, pulling out that ever-so-annoying-carrot-pen.

Nick slapped his forehead. "Do you at least back those things up?"

She nodded. "Two Terabyte Hard-Drive."

Nick rolled his eyes. "Let's just go find the other feather and go to Mr. Big's place, so you can gloat some more." Judy nodded at him happily.

"Sorry, haven't seen it." Said Mr. Big. "I wish I could help you, but I don't know anything about rainbow-coloured feathers."

"It's okay." Judy said, unable to hide most of the disappointment from her voice. "At least I got to meet and baptise my goddaughter!" She said, looking at Fru Fru and her daughter, Judy, happily.

"Do tell me though, how did that no-good become a police officer?" Mr. Big asked, smirking at Nick.

"Hey! I happen to have helped unmask one of the greatest Masterminds Zootopia has ever seen. I should have been directly promoted to detective." Nick said defensively.

"I'm pretty sure Judy did all the work." Fru Fru said. "Isn't that right, baby?" She pulled at the cheeks of her daughter who giggled happily.

"Oh, I could've never done it without Nick." Judy said. She smiled at him and his fur spiked up slightly. Mr. Big raised an eyebrow. "That's what we tell him, anyway."

Nick rolled his eyes. "Hey, baby, why don't you take Judy to show her how you renovated the house? I want to discuss some things with Nicolas, here." Mr. Big said.

"Oh, awesome! Love your shoes, by the way." Judy said to Fru Fru. And they left the room.

"You like her." Mr. Big said, as soon as they'd left.

"W-What?" Nick's fur spiked up.

"I know what a fox looks like when they like somebody. You're a monster. How could you like a bunny? She's not your species. She's not even a predator." Mr. Big said. Nick suddenly felt his heart very heavy. That was probably what Judy would think. Mr. Big took a deep breath. "If you can't even fight off that, how will you stand and protect her against all the people that will judge you for it?"

"Judy doesn't need protection."

"It's not about her being a female. We protect the people we care about. You protect her, she protects you." Mr. Big said simply.

Nick looked up. Was Mr. Big actually testing him? "You don't think it's wrong?"

"No, I think love is love. But I also think that if it's not hard enough for you to protect the person you care about, then it's not true." Mr. Big sighed.

"I… she probably will think I'm a monster too. There's not much of a point." Nick muttered.

"Well, you better be careful. Because if you hurt my granddaughter's godmother, icing you will look like a merciful death you will end up begging for." Mr. Big said.

"Nick, are you okay? You look really sad. You didn't have to pay if you didn't want to." Judy said.

"Huh? That's not what I'm sad about. Just thinking." He said, looking at his fries.

"Well, you better cheer up, because tomorrow you've got to give flowers to Chief Bogo and be nice to everyone." She said happily, but concern didn't leave her voice. Nick groaned. "Hey, a bet's a bet."

"I know." Nick said.

"How come you're not eating a chicken burger or something?" She asked.

"I can't eat meat. I can't digest it, never could." Nick muttered.

"Huh? What kind of predator are you?" She said, nudging him with her elbow.

"Thanks, that makes me feel so good." He mocked.

"Nick… you know I'm just joking, right?"

He let out a sigh. "I know, Carrots." He took a deep breath and smiled at her. "FOOD FIGHT!" He exclaimed, throwing a bunch of fries at her.

Judy blinked, several fries on her head, before she smiled. "Oh, you are so dead!" And he was showered by water before fried carrots flew at his direction.

Nick laughed as he threw his cola straight to her face, causing her to wipe her eyes as she laughed and threw her plate fool of fries at him. Nick dodged it, and threw his half-empty glass at her as she dodged it neatly and it flew right past her, smashing on the floor.

Judy jumped over the table, bringing it down along with Nick and his chair, loud bangs erupting as plates smashed. They wrestled while laughing on the ground for a few seconds, throwing fries at each other, and before they knew it, the cashier was over them. "What are you doing? Who do you think has to clean all of this up? I'm calling the police!" He said angrily.

Nick coughed, got up and straightened up. He pulled out his badge. "ZPD, how may we help you?" A fry fell from his head and landed on the floor as Judy slapped her forehead.

=Author's Notes=

So, I hope you liked this chapter. Follow and Favourite the story if you liked it, and if you haven't reviewed... well, it takes me hours to write and go through a chapter, this is a School Day and I'm sick, it takes you less than a minute to write a review, so I would greatly appreciate it. It certainly would motivate me to write the next chapter.