Jamdea : Actually, I said it was going to be around 7 chapters long in the end notes. Glad you liked the first chapter.


Chapter 1 - A New Beginning

"Wow, you didn't g-g-go easy on'im."

Gideon was at the wheel. He had been driving for a few minutes, just enough for Judy to tell him everything.

"I had to call his mom to come and take care of him. I was actually afraid he was going to do something stupid once I was away"

"Did ya tell her what ha-ha-happened ?"

The bunny bit her lips. "Of course not. Why do you think I turned off my phone as soon as we left ?"

The pudgy vulpine nodded. Knowing Judy's family, it was the right call.

"I had to rip off the band-aid. Do you think I was wrong ?" She asked. "Do you think I should have waited a couple more years, ease him into it ?"

"Jude, as yer best friend, I think ya should have d-d-dun dis way sooner. If not for yer kids, I mean."

The bunny shot a smile to the fox. If a couple dozen years sooner, someone had told them they would become this close, she would have laughed in their face. They had started getting closer during their highschool years, when he had begun to clean his act up.

The reformed bully had turned into one of the most successful business owner of the tri-burrows, his baking company's name was known by almost everyone, and it was supplying the best restaurants of Zootopia.

The bunny looked at the country through the truck's window. She knew the hills and woods like the back of her paw. It was strange to think she was leaving for good. Well, she'd still go back to visit her family sometimes. But not before long.

"Whatchu gonna do now ? Ya sure ya want to go to the t-t-train station ?"

The bunny let her gaze wander on the road. "I don't think I can face my family right now. So yeah, train station it is."

"I could house ya a couple o'days. Hester'd be delighted to have ya."

That shook her resolve a bit. The truth was, she was scared. She was fourty-six, and maybe it was crazy to go ahead with that idea at her age. But she wasn't going to back down. She had given up once, albeit against her own wishes, and it had cost her the best years of her life.

"I'm happy for ya." He said, out of the blue, breaking the silence that had lingered between them. "Ya know, after the announcement 'bout the m-m-mammal inclusion initiative, ya just… T'wos like yer fire had b-b-burnt out. Wos' heart-breakin' seein' ya mopin'round all day."

The bunny was swinging her feet under the bench. "To be honest, this time of my life is really hazy. I know I stopped eating for a week or so. Mom and dad didn't know what to do… I know you were there…" She trailed off.

"I remember the first thing ya accepted to eat again was my c-c-carrot-cake. Wosn't even dat' good. Den ya started bein' better. Few months later, ya started datin' Ethan. I always liked 'dat fellow. Felt like the kinda guy that woulda been cheerin' for ya if ya got into the ZPD."

Judy nodded in agreement.

"I always admired ya, 'cuz you had 'dis goal set up, and ya were just workin' toward it. Ya never gave up, ya never got tired. And dis… I mean, I'm shure this savage mammal situation, from a few years back… If ya had been a cop, ya'd crack the c-c-case wide open even before it all went to crap."

Judy giggled. "It's nice of you to say that, but given the timing I would have been an inexperienced rookie. I'm not even sure they'd let me do anything else than giving parking tickets for the first few weeks..."

Gideon snorted. "Tha' would've been their mistake. Ya'd've been a fantastic cop. It's their loss that they refused small mammals. Well, at least this got resolved. By a f-f-fox of all things. Can y'a imagine 'dat ?"

"Believe it or not, yes, I can imagine that." She answered. "You opened my eyes on that."

"Ya'givin me t-t-to much credit." He blushed.

"No, I'm really not." She patted his arm.

He glanced at her and smiled warmly. "It's back, you know ? The fire."

"I actually feel alive for the first time in… Forever." She said truthfully.

He turned to look at her again, taking advantage of one of the few stretches of straight road in the tri-burrows. "Yeah, It's right 'der. In those- Heh..."

"What ?"

He turned back to face the road with a blush. "The eyes. One of all da' reasons I had a crush on ya in highschool."

Her ears perked up. "You had a crush on me ? In highschool ?"

"Yeah… I wos startin' to realise I wos bein' a major j-j-jerk. I realised if a stupid bunny could 'ave big dream, I could too, clever as I wos'. Then I started realisin' how fantastic ya were, too… And 'den… Well, I think it's why I was so mean to you all these years. Travis actually made fun of me fer it fer months. Still likes to remind me."

"So that's why you turned your act around." She said pensively. "I thought you simply had realised the error of your way."

"Yeah, that too. Ya still busted my tail, though. Especially when I had to retake sophomore year… For the second time."

She shrugged, the corner of a smile on her face. "Someone had to keep you on the straight and narrow."

The fox chuckled. "Heh, I got ta hang out wid' ya, so it balanced things out. Can't believe no one c-c-could see how taken I wos wid' ya at the time. Maybe 'dey never thought it could happen." He snorted. "A fox'n' a bunny, what a st-"

"Missed opportunity." She blurted, before turning toward the windows and playing nervously with her left ear.

The van swerve on the uneven road, and the fox almost sent it careening in a ditch.

"Wot ?"

The bunny sighed. "I guess I can admit it now. Gideon, I too had a crush on you in highschool too."

"Ya pullin' mah leg."

She shook her head. "Nope."

"Hah, tha's the best of 'da year. Judy on duty, terror of bullies, top of her class, crushin' on the bully in chief." He grinned.

"You mean, the cool reformed criminal, turned nicest guy in town… You had a lot going for you when we graduated."

Gideon was blushing hard now, and she couldn't say she wasn't enjoying putting him on the grill, for old time's sake. "Careful. If ya k-k-keep praisin' me, ah' might get used to it." He said, trying to defuse the discussion.

"But I'm saying the truth. Half our class wanted to ask you to prom. I did too."

"Why didn't ya' ?"

She shrugged. "Hester had told me she was interested."

"Ya stepped down for her ?"

"Never thought you'd say yes, and I didn't want to put you on the spot. Besides, given the direction my life was taking, or was supposed to take, I didn't want to tangle myself in a relationship that not only my parents wouldn't approve of, but that I'd also have to break up when I left for the ZPD. It all worked out for you didn't it ? Loving wife, couple of kits, big company. It wasn't a loss."

The fox nodded in agreement. True, it wasn't a loss. Still, he couldn't help but wonder what their lives would have been if he had built up the courage to ask her to prom that fateful year. Maybe he could have given her the life Ethan hadn't been able to. Maybe it would be him that would have been dumped, his heart broken, while she would be in another car, riding away toward a new future. They'd never know.

"Nah, I wouldn't trade Hester for the world." He said, meaning it. In the years they had spent getting to know each other, they had turned into best friends, but Hester, the kids… They were his life.

"Still haven't t-t-told me whatchu gon' do now, though."

The bunny took out a crumpled paper from her back pocket. It was a favourable response to a job application dating from a few months back. She had obtained that they would keep it vacant until she could arrive. "I have a job as an intendant and ranger in the Meadowland's Forest Park."

"The Meadowlands have forests ?"

"In the north, yeah. They go up to the polar mountain chains. There are rivers, and everything."

Gideon had a pout of approval. "That ain't half-bad. How d-d-did ya get 'dis ? Ya have the qualifications ?"

"You mean, aside from the years I spent studying law, twenty-years as the head of the local bun-scouts troop, as well as years of volunteering to the firewatch ? Yeah, I think I have the qualifications." She prodded her belly. "I admit, I let myself go, but I blame the lifetime discount at your bakery."

"Not feelin' guilty in da least." He smiled.

"Well you should. I look-"

The fox gave her a side glance. "As cute as ever."

Judy blushed again. As she noticed the sly grin her fox friend was wearing, she gave him the shoulder punch he was expecting. "Careful there with the c-word. You already filled your quota this month."

"Just t-t-taking a headstart fer the next one."

...

"Yer shure ya gon' be okay out there ?" The fox had his hands in his pocket, while dancing nervously from one foot to the other.

"I'll be fine Gid'." She took her large suitcase out of his truck and set it on its wheels, before making her way toward the train station. "It wouldn't be the first time I left bunny-burrow."

"Yeah, but not for 'dat long."

"You mean for good ?"

The fox nodded. "Sounds so sad when ya say it like 'dat."

They had finally reached the platform, and Judy let herself fall on one of the bench, the fox imitating her.

"I hope I'm not making a mistake..." She sighed to herself. And paw place itself on her shoulder.

"Everythin's gonna go fine. D-d-don't worry."

An artificial voice suddenly cut the conversation. "The train to Zootopia will make a five minute stop at platform B. Please stay behind the safety line."

The train could already be seen and Judy stood up from her seat. "I guess this is it."

"Yeah, I guess it is."

Judy turned her gaze toward the train station's exit. "I feel like I'm fleeing. I've haven't said good bye to anyone. Not even to my family."

"I'll do it for ya. 'Sides, yer not leavin' forever." Stated the fox, before adding with worry. "Are ya ?"

"I'll come back to visit. Will you keep an eye on Ethan for me ?"

The fox nodded. "Anytin' for my best friend." He then looked away with a sniffle.

"Oh, Gid' don't cry."

"Can't help it Jude."

Her nose twitched. She scratched her elbow, feeling the tears welling in her eyes.

"Bunny-burrow's gonna f-f-feel empty wid'out ya in it." He articulated, almost choking on his words.

"I'm sorry." She said meekly, her throat tightened with sadness.

She was suddenly pulled into a big warm hug by the larger fox. She buried her face in his chest and felt his muzzle settle itself between her ears. "I'm going to miss you so much, Judy."

"I'm going to miss you too."

"Please mind the gap between the train and the platform." Came the artificial voice as the train stopped at the train station.

"This is too soon." She articulated between two sobs. "I'm not ready."

"Yeah, you are." Answered the fox. "Ya've been ready yer whole life."

She felt herself being lifted up, and heard the suitcase wheel on the uneven concrete ground. Gideon knew the few mammals that were getting down were staring, and that some of them had recognized them, but he didn't care.

He set her down in front of the open doors and, his tears still pouring out, he beamed at her. "Yer Judy frickin' Hopps. Ya can do anytin'."


I will give you the feels, or I will die trying.