AN: Wanted to start by saying I'm honestly a little blown away by the reception this story has gotten right from the start. I'd hoped this series would take off more quickly than Partners, but never expected the first chapter alone would get me over 100 follows!

Thank you everyone for the support.

When Nick finally arrived at the cruiser Judy gave him a teasing smile as she closed the manilla folder, tilting her ears toward him. "So, finally done with your panic attack?"

Nick laughed once. "Excuse me?"

"You were awfully insistent that we wait before this little meeting," she said, rolling her eyes a bit as she unlocked the vehicle. "Or are you denying that Mr. Big frightens you?"

"Okay, Carrots, first of all you are way off base. I'm not 'frightened' by Mr. Big. Spiders frighten me. Mr. Big scares me to death," Nick said, slipping easily into the passenger side as he gave her a sideways look. "Second, that has nothing to do with why I wanted us to wait."

"Really?"

"Okay, maybe a tiny bit," he said and mimed pinching the air, "but there was something important I needed to do as well."

Judy tsked and shook her head as she carefully maneuvered the cruiser onto the street. "Nick, please. Nothing could be that important."

"Not even my calling a few old buddies to find out the latest on what the Big Family is up to?" he asked.

It took every ounce of her self control to keep her eyes on the road when he said that. She gripped the wheel more tightly, only daring to glance his way when they got caught by a red light. As she expected Nick had that smirk he'd perfected plastered on his muzzle.

She closed her eyes and let out a sigh. "Nick, dear, please don't make me ask what you did."

"Nothing you need to worry about," he said, relenting even as that smirk remained. "Just called in a few favors. I've been out of the game for so long it seemed a good idea to catch up on what rumors are going around."

"Rumors," Judy repeated, a smile returning to her lips. "And how many of them do you think are true?"

"Almost none of them," Nick answered confidently, settling back in his seat. "That said I learned that even false rumors get started for a reason. Even if everything I heard is completely wrong it'll give a bit of context to anything we hear or see."

Judy considered that quietly for a moment. The cop in her didn't like the idea of relying on hearsay for an investigation, courts demanded more concrete evidence before handing out convictions, but she couldn't deny that they were about to dive into the realm where Nick's expertise would definitely come in handy. Courts might not put any stock in hunches the fox had as a result of those rumors, but if it led them to actual evidence then that was a different matter entirely.

"So," Judy said, drawing the word out, her head canting in Nick's direction. "What'd these rumors say?"

"You want to hear them all, or just the most likely ones?"

As if he even needed to ask. "The likely ones. I'll let you worry about the other nonsense."

"Well, if you want to be boring," Nick said, then pulled back just in time to avoid a playful punch. "The only reliable stuff I've got is pretty standard, I'm afraid. The usual talk among mammals who need to keep an eye on what the big players are doing so they don't end up accidentally stepping on anyone's toes. A lot of it is stuff like who is working with who, or what areas to avoid. That sort of thing. The only one that really got my attention is that apparently a lot of crime bosses are circling their wagons."

"Meaning?"

"Hiring more muscle than usual. Keeping a close eye on their associates and taking steps to ensure their loyalty. Some are even taking a closer look at how much their…investments are bringing in. Anything that costs more than it makes is being cut loose, even if long-term prospects are good. From the looks of it most of them are more concerned with securing what they have then taking risks by branching out."

Judy mulled that over as she pulled onto the main artery that led into Tundra Town, then peeked over at Nick. "Isn't that a good thing? If they're pulling back doesn't it mean less crime overall?"

Nick made a face. "Possibly? The problem is that if they are pulling back like this it means they're expecting trouble. Everyone's on edge, and when things get like that it doesn't take much to throw a match on the powder keg." His ears flicked back. "And before you ask, nobody knows what has the crime bosses worried. My best guess is that some of their associates got caught up in the recent interspecies conflict and they're worried that someone is trying to take advantage of the confusion by weakening their rivals."

Judy pursed her lips and seriously thought about that. For the most part things had calmed down after a fox that went by the moniker Flip had attempted to get revenge upon the prey of Zootopia during the so-called "Savage City" incident. The rifts he'd created still hadn't mended, but former-Chief Bogo's resignation followed by his election as Mayor on a platform of reconciliation was making progress…or rather it had been until that body was found in the Rainforest District last month.

An unpleasant prickling sensation ran down Judy's spine and she shook her head, pushing those images away. The brutality of the scene had triggered the most recent wave of unrest. Nothing approaching the riots that had come before, but protests on opposite sides of the spectrum often clashed. Brawls weren't an uncommon result, and in several instances less scrupulous individuals took advantage of the chaos to go looting—acts that both sides decried and blamed on each other.

She could easily imagine someone associated with a crime family getting caught up in that. Perhaps looters just happened to target a business that was under protection, or a member of a crime family was unlucky enough to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. Then again, using the city's problems as a cover would be a clever way to land a few blows without risking retaliation.

"You think they'll end up fighting?" she asked Nick.

"I don't know," he admitted, then sighed. "Never seen them go this far before, and everyone I've asked agrees it hasn't been this bad before. Mostly the different bosses avoid direct confrontations because in the long run they all lose. Expensive without much payoff."

"But that is still better than getting pushed out," Judy guessed.

"Yeah," Nick said. "How close we are to that point I can't really say. Haven't really seen this stuff with my own eyes for a while, but when we meet Mr. Big…well, that should give me some feeling for it. The fact that he demanded you specifically doesn't bode well though."

Judy blinked in surprise, then felt her ears wilt ever so slightly. "You think he didn't ask for me because he can pressure me into throwing the investigation. He just trusts me."

"He knows that you aren't the sort that will try something during a meeting. If things have gotten bad enough that Mr. Big is taking those sorts of steps…" he trailed off then sighed and pulled out his aviator sunglasses, putting them on just in time to protect his eyes from the glare off of Tundra Town's snow. "On that happy note, what'd the case file tell you?"

"Wouldn't call it a case file exactly. The investigation is so new there isn't much in there," Judy said, squinting against the brightness while her eyes adjusted. "Victim is a fruit bat. Name unknown. They didn't find anything on her even though she was wearing some sort of pack. The bag was shredded so whoever did this probably took everything."

Nick's ears stood upright. "Fruit bat?"

"Yeah. Why?"

Her partner hesitated a moment, then settled back in his seat once more. "It might be nothing. Bats aren't that common outside the Nocturnal District though. Too many mammals assume all bats drink blood. The ones that do venture out often work as couriers. It's impossible to get something from one place in the city to another faster than a mammal that can fly, so they're able to carve out a decent living."

Judy filed that information away in the back of her mind. "If she was a courier it would explain the pack. Maybe someone wanted whatever she was carrying." She shook her head slightly. "Regardless, a young polar bear saw her fall out of the sky and called an ambulance. At first everyone assumed it was just going to be some sort of nasty accident, but the first responders found deep slashes in her back."

"She going to be okay?"

"The report didn't say. I really hope so," Judy said, then took a deep breath and squeezed the steering wheel.

Nick didn't respond immediately. She welcomed the brief silence, taking the opportunity to wrestle with the concern had threaded its way into her. Did the other officers have the same reaction she did when working cases where someone got hurt? Not that she was ashamed that she cared, but she always assumed that with more experience the cases wouldn't get under her fur so easily. Yet right then, after all she'd read about the poor bat's injuries, she could almost feel the wounds as if they were on her back as well.

"Carrots?"

"I'm fine," she murmured and took a breath to steady herself.

"That's great, but you just missed our turn, hun."

Although Nick hadn't teased Judy for missing the road he could tell she was still flustered by the mistake. What's more, he could sympathize with her embarrassment. The days when she'd ask him how to navigate Zootopia were long past and she'd been so proud at the time she'd realized it had been months since she'd last needed directions. Not that Judy was afraid to admit when she needed help, but the flip side of that was the satisfaction she derived from her self-sufficiency.

"You know, this sort of thing happens to everyone from time to time. Even me," he said as they got out of the car. His fur fluffed out against the sharp chill. "Besides, the Chief goes out of her way to keep us away from here. Enough time passes and anyone would be a bit rusty."

"Nick?"

He looked over to find her giving him a tight-lipped smile. "Yeah?"

"I'm not a child. Don't patronize me," she said, then closed her door and started toward Mr. Big's residence.

The reprimand made him dip his ears back in a blush as he rushed to hurry after her, the tip of his tail dragging over the snow-covered ground. "Sorry. I honestly didn't mean it like that. It's just that I hate seeing you being down on yourself, and it really is something I've done before too."

Judy sighed lightly. "I know you didn't mean it, but I just…" Her ears dipped back and she gave her head a shake. "Listen, we've got a job to do. I'm fine. Really."

A lie; a bad one that didn't fool him for a moment. He bit his tongue, only giving a nod in response. Although it hurt when Judy refused to open up with him he knew it was best not to pry. That had been what caused their first real relationship fight, after all. If it was really important then Judy would feel comfortable sharing what was on her mind in her own time.

Not to mention that she was probably nervous. That she owed Mr. Big a favor was one of Judy's biggest concerns despite her continued friendship with Fru Fru. Judy had talked with him about the problem privately, trying to devise a plan on what to do if—when—Mr. Big finally called in the debt. That Internal Affairs came sniffing around every few months certainly didn't ease her fears.

"Judy?" Nick said just before they reached the door. When she looked over he flashed her a confident grin. "You're going to do great, so don't worry. You got this."

She blinked in surprise, then returned the smile as she relaxed noticeably. "Thanks."

The doorbell chimed three times when Judy pressed the button and the door immediately swung open to reveal a towering polar bear. So far business as usual, however Nick had expected either Kevin or Raymond. Perhaps even Koslov. Instead they were met by someone Nick had never seen before. That didn't necessarily mean anything, it had been some time since he felt compelled to follow all the minute details about Mr. Big's business. There was every chance this was just someone who had distinguished himself enough to work directly with the boss.

Even so it was unexpected, and Nick had long ago learned to be wary if something was unusual when dealing with the mob. Yes, it might be nothing. It could also mean that something had happened, or that Mr. Big had placed his most trusted men on some special job, or any number of things. Yet it matched the vague concerns that had passed to him through the rumor mill. That might just be coincidence, coincidences happened all the time after all, but in Nick's opinion it was foolish to place much trust in them.

The bear led them to a posh lounge where Mr. Big was already waiting for them, seated in a tiny recliner situated on a table in front of a couch more suitable for the larger mammals in his employ. Standing just behind him was a tiger in a business suit who Nick assumed was the crime boss's current lawyer. No sooner did they enter than Mr. Big hopped out of his chair and spread his arms wide.

"Judy, my dear, it is a pleasure to see you again," the shrew said, then turned his predatory smile on Nick. "And Nicky! I was not expecting you. Let me guess, the good chief sent you along to snoop around while I'm interviewing."

"Please, Mr. Big, call me Officer Hopps while I'm on duty," Judy said quickly, "and yes Chief Uncia wanted Officer Wilde here as well since he brings a unique perspective."

"Plus I am her partner," Nick added despite the dryness in his mouth.

"Oh I know. I've been following your careers closely, believe me."

Judy blinked, ears perking up. "You are? Why? How?"

"I have my reasons, my dear," Mr. Big said as he settled back into his chair, patting his stomach. "As for how, there are enough gossip columns that cover the two of you it is a wonder there isn't a tabloid dedicated to it. But nevermind that, it isn't why you're here. Please, have a seat."

"I…ah…yes, thank you," Judy started, the inside of her ears turning several shades deeper pink. She hopped onto the couch across from Mr. Big and pulled out a pad of paper.

"I'm fine with standing," Nick said, giving a polite nod toward his partner before backing away. "You wanted to talk with Carrots anyway, so I'll just keep out of the way."

Mr. Big waved Nick off dismissively, no doubt trusting the polar bear that had escorted them in to keep him in line. Not that the crime boss needed to worry, Nick wasn't suicidal. He made a show of drifting around the periphery of the room, examining the decor while keeping one ear turned toward the conversation.

"So sorry that you both had to come out here on your day off, but perhaps you can appreciate my position. There was an attack on my property, and of course your fellow officers must assume that I, or one of my associates, was involved." The shrew made a face and shifted about in his seat. "As if I would ever do something so crass. So bad for business. Believe me when I tell you that I want nothing more than to see the ones responsible brought to justice, but I understand perfectly well that the ZPD is looking for any excuse to latch onto me. That is why I insisted you come here, Judy dear, and why I agreed to provide a statement against the advice of Gianni here."

The tiger inclined his head slightly, then cleared his throat. "Before we begin I want to make it clear that my client denies any involvement in whatever transpired on his property. By all appearances the location of this crime was purely coincidental, in my opinion."

Nick fought the urge to roll his eyes, gradually making his way to stand beside the polar bear that had let them into the manor, keeping one ear turned toward Judy as she began the questioning. She wouldn't have any problems handling the situation despite her concerns so there wouldn't be any need for him to interject. In all honesty Judy probably had a better idea of which questions were the most pertinent to the investigation anyway. She'd actually read the case file. All he needed to do was make sure Mr. Big didn't try to slip any lies past them.

"You know, I've always wondered how you guys can stand so quietly all the time," Nick commented, leaning against the wall beside the polar bear. He watched the larger mammal from the corner of his eye, taking note of the stiff posture with some interest before offering his hand. "Officer Wilde."

The bear took a moment to look down at him, remaining utterly silent until he accepted the offered hand with surprising gentleness. "Michael."

"So are you new here or—"

Michael gave him a hard look. "I don't know what you think you are doing, but I was told not to discuss what happened with the police."

Keeping himself from looking in Mr. Big's direction took some effort, although Nick couldn't help the smile that tugged at the corners of his mouth. Whatever anyone said about the crime boss, he knew how to pick henchmen with some common sense.

"That's fine, I doubt you'd know anything about it anyway," Nick said, lightly needling the bear while making a show of settling in comfortably. "Actually was more interested in why you're here. Usually Mr. Big keeps Koslov by him, if memory serves. I hope the big guy isn't out sick."

"Away on other business," Michael said, his tone making it clear he wouldn't divulge any more on the matter.

Nick nodded absently, keeping his mouth shut as Mr. Big went through his alibi and named witnesses that could confirm his whereabouts, as if anyone would believe the crime boss would handle a killing personally. Judy jotted everything down regardless before she began to ask Mr. Big what he knew about the crime itself.

"So, are Kevin and Raymond busy with other business as well?" Nick asked, looking up at the large bear again.

"Yeah, they're all—" Michael began, then seemed to remember himself with a start. When he met Nick's gaze his eyes were wide, ears tilted back. "Who are you?"

"Just one of Zootopia's finest," Nick said, letting a touch of smugness seep into his voice.

Judging by the way Michael continued to look at him Nick doubted the polar bear would be giving up any more, but he'd already gotten everything he wanted from the exchange. In the past he would've been wary of ending a conversation with one of Mr. Big's men with that amount of snark, burning that sort of bridge was always risky for someone living in the gray areas of the law, but in this case it was in everyone's best interests. There was enough dirt in his past that he didn't want to give Internal Affairs any reason to start prying into his background, and if he managed to get too much information then the bear would end up in trouble.

…Plus the lawyer was looking his way now.

Nick wasn't entirely sure if the tiger could cause their investigation problems if he managed to coax the Polar Bear into giving something away. He didn't think it was possible, but knowing all the rules in the book was Judy's department. Then again, even if he was in the clear that didn't mean the lawyer couldn't use it to delay the investigation.

Ordinarily that wasn't something that bothered Nick. Justice had a tendency to come slow by design. Often that was frustrating, but he'd learned to accept it was necessary to ensure there weren't any mistakes, and if things were going to be slow anyway then an extra delay didn't usually amount to much. This time mammals were actually being attacked, however. That made everything different, so he crossed his arms and silently listened to the interview.

"Can you explain why you were at the scene when the crime took place?" Judy asked, having apparently calmed down now that she'd fallen into the familiar routine of interviewing a mammal of interest.

"I wouldn't say I was at the scene exactly. I didn't actually see anything happen," Mr. Big began, his hands folded in his lap. "I was on the premises however. We've been looking at updating our fleet of limousines you see, so I was visiting to inspect several new models. We were in the garage at the time, so nobody under my employ knew there had been an attack until the ZPD showed up."

Judy's pen kept moving as the crime boss spoke, only pausing long enough for her to ask the next question. "So you don't know any details of the crime then?"

"Only secondhand. Things I overheard the officers saying, and through my own sources," Mr. Big said. To Nick's eye the shrew looked completely relaxed and entirely truthful.

"Nothing?" Judy said, clearly surprised as she looked up from her pad. "Please excuse me, sir, but if you don't know anything then why—"

"Because I have enemies, my dear, so perhaps I can point you in the right direction." As he spoke Mr. Big pushed himself to sit a little straighter, then brushed down his suit. "This attack, and whoever did it, clearly intends to make it appear as if I was involved. I will be honest here Judy—Officer Hopps. If I wished I could use my own resources to find the ones who did this and exact revenge, but unfortunately matters have gotten so complicated I fear the outcome would not be entirely desirable in ways I am sure the ZPD would prefer to avoid as well. Nor would handling this myself silence any fools who believe I am responsible for this sloppy hatchet job."

"You want us to clear your name."

"Precisely," Mr. Big said, smiling. "By bringing the ones who did this to justice. My cooperation here signals I have nothing to hide."

Nick chewed that over. So far it matched everything he'd managed to hear through the grapevine. If things really were as tense as he'd heard, and everything indicated they were, then anything Mr. Big did on his own carried the risk of igniting a gang war.

"Alright, but for now I prefer to focus on the crime. We can discuss your enemies after," Judy said, her pen returning to the notebook. "The victim was wearing a pack that was ripped open. All the contents were missing, so there is a possibility that she was attacked just to get whatever she was carrying. Would you by chance know what that might be?"

Mr. Big paused. "Why would I know something like that?"

"It is just a routine question." Judy glanced briefly in Nick's directly. "However I've been told bats living outside of the Nocturnal District generally find work as couriers. There is a chance she was carrying something intended for you."

That's my girl, Nick thought, his tail swishing with satisfaction.

Mr. Big glanced at his lawyer. It was subtle, Nick had to give the crime boss that. Little more than a slight tilt to his head. He might have just been looking to one side as he thought, but Nick noticed that slight flick of movement in the shrew's eyes as he looked to the larger tiger. If he got any response it passed too quickly for Nick to catch it, but afterward Mr. Big started drumming on his chair's armrest.

"Normally anything that is sent to me comes to my home, and I wasn't expecting to receive anything today," he said, lightly waving with his other hand. "If this bat was carrying something for me I do not know what it would be."

True, true, and true. Nick's ears flicked lightly as he listened to the mob boss speak, mildly surprised he was being so forthcoming.

"No idea at all?" Judy pressed, only to get a nod in response. "Surely you have received unexpected packages before. What do those normally entail."

"News about unexpected problems. Usually emergencies," Mr. Big said thoughtfully as he rubbed his bottom jaw. "If the package was for me it could very well be something of that nature, but that is merely speculation. The truth of the matter is I have no idea what this courier was carrying. I was not expecting any packages and have not been notified that one was sent to me. Believe me, Officer Hopps, I wish I could give you more, but I do not know why someone would take what this poor girl was carrying. I don't even know who she is."

True, Nick thought as he listened closely. True, true, true, true, true… Lie?

No, that wasn't quite right. Not a lie, or not entirely. Perhaps Mr. Big didn't know who the fruit bat was, at least not for sure, but he did have some ideas. Suspicious for a mammal that claimed he wished he could help more, although Nick cautioned himself that it might be innocent. In his experience when a mammal was issuing denials it was easy for them to overstep and exaggerate things without intending to do so. Even he had a tendency to do so, if caught by surprise.

But if that was the case…

Nick felt a knot of worry make a home in his stomach. There weren't that many bats outside the Nocturnal District in Zootopia, and while many of them worked as couriers Nick could only think of one who might be familiar with Mr. Big. Still no official ID, and that was going to slow the investigation unless he was right. He swallowed hard, realizing they would need to check the hospital for him to be sure.

Through the remainder of the interview he found himself honestly hoping that this time he was wrong.

Judy placed one hand on Nick's forearm as he stared through the glass separating them from the room the bat had been given in Zootopia Regional Hospital's ICU ward. His abrupt insistence that they check on the attack victim after they'd left Mr. Big's manor had come as a surprise, but it wasn't unusual for the fox to make unexpected suggestions during the course of an investigation. His hunches didn't always pay dividends, but they had proved reliable enough in the past that she made it a point to back him up even when the other officers thought it was a wild goose chase.

"That's her?" Judy asked quietly.

Nick nodded, a series of expressions playing across his muzzle too quickly for her to decipher. "Yeah. Brisa. Don't know where she lives, but if I ask the right people maybe we can…"

As he trailed off Judy gave his arm a squeeze, then looked into the room as well. Even through the glass she could hear the faint beeping of the machinery monitoring the bat, accompanied by the periodic hiss of air being forced through the breathing tube. According to the physician the fruit bat had briefly awoken once after being brought in, but had been too feverish to answer questions. Given the fall she'd had there was some concern about neurological damage, but the immediate concerns were blood loss, infection, and frostbite. They weren't sure when she would wake again, nor if she would be any more lucid once her condition had stabilized.

"She a friend?"

Nick took his time considering the question, then reluctantly shook his head. "No. Or I don't think so," he admitted. "We didn't really see each other that often, but when we did we got along well enough." He paused, ears folding back as he looked down. "I…ah…I was the one that helped her get her first job with the Bigs."

"And you think Mr. Big knew it was her?" Judy asked. "Why would he keep that from us?"

"I think he suspected it was her. Far as I know not many bats work for him." Nick paused, then shook his head and gave a tense laugh. "Flying fox. She's always insisting that everyone call her a flying fox. S'why she first got my attention. Not many mammals want to have that tag hanging on them."

Somehow Judy managed a solemn smile, then gave Nick a light tug. "Come on. The best we can do for her now is make our report to the chief so we can get to work catching whoever did this."

It took another moment before Nick allowed himself to be led away. His tail was practically dragging on the floor and his posture remained slumped, but just moving again seemed to quell some of his emotions. Once the room was no longer in sight she released his arm, and considered taking his hand instead. She could feel eyes on them, however, and their behavior drew enough scrutiny without giving anyone reasons to speculate on their fitness to remain partners.

So she smiled up at him, lowering her voice so it would only carry to his ears. "Talk about it when we get home?"

At that Nick took a deep breath and his emotions seemed to practically fall away from him, replaced by that familiar cocky expression that she'd come to recognize as his emotional armor.

"When we get home," he promised.