Chapter 4 A Casket and A Case
Nick's apartment floor was riddled with tissues and blankets.
Nick was a mess, and Judy was doing her best to support him, eventually he pulled himself together and said, "I don't think I can do this alone Judy, I need your help."
Judy looked at him with a half lidded gaze, "Nick, that's what I have been doing for the past few days."
Nick looked at his partner and said, "Not like that, I need you, carrots."
Judy was surprised, she hadn't heard that nickname in a few days, "Grandmama told me that I would find someone who would show me the light."
Nick looked at Judy, who's face showed her utter confusion, "What I'm trying to say is I don't…want…you…to…leave."
The fox could barely squeak his words out, "Nick, I'm not going anywhere, we are partners in the ZPD, and Bogo knows better than to separate us."
Nick took a deep breath and continued, "I-I don't want you to leave…here."
Judy was putting only the smallest parts of the picture together, "You don't want me to leave this apartment?"
Nick was grasping for words that wouldn't come to him, "Yes, no, I don't know how to say it,"
Judy was starting to think he was crazy, slowly backing away.
Nick started to advance, "N-nick I don't know what is up with you, but you better stop, you are scaring me!"
Nick kept advancing, backing the bunny into a corner, Judy started shaking, and curled up. "I love you," Nick's paw slipped under her chin and lifted it up.
Nick smiled at the blushing rabbit, "You look really cute when you blush, you know that?" Nick's comment made her blush even more, making Nick chuckle, taking advantage of his downed guard, Judy slipped out of the corner.
Nick whirled around, the fear of scaring his partner off was an enormous cavern, and he was on the edge. "J-"
He was about to step forward, but was stopped by an embrace. Judy was hugging him and crying, "YOU SEE YOU JERK, THAT'S HOW SCARED I WAS, I THOUGHT YOU WENT INSANE, I thought I had lost you."
Nick held his bunny close and patted her head, "Hey, I thought you were supposed to be consoling me."
Judy looked up at her fox and kissed him, "How was that?"
Nick scooped his bunny up and nuzzled her, "It was just what I needed."
Nick felt like a bit of weight had been lifted off of his shoulders, he had been partnered with Judy for almost a year, and each day his feelings had grown more and more.
The duo showered, changed into uniform, and mentally steeled themselves for a grim day.
Mr. Big let Nick do Alphonse's eulogy, since he was his closest friend left alive, Nick had to force his words out of his throat, one by one.
Nick felt himself trying to move forward as they lowered Alphonse into his grave, he restrained his emotion, knowing nothing could bring back the large, lovable bear. He stayed until the last person left, and the last bit of dirt was placed over the coffin.
Nick looked to his right and saw Judy in a black dress with a black bow around her right ear, "Those stories you told me about Alphonse were lovely, he was truly a good mammal."
Nick's voice broke, "Yeah, no one fit the description "giant teddy bear" better than him."
Nick looked over at Judy, "We need to get the autopsy and ballistics results, let's go."
Judy nodded and silently followed Nick. The surgeon looked at the two and gave them the same results they were expecting, all the bullets went right through, so they went to ballistics.
The screwy looking hyena that worked there identified all the rounds as .50 caliber sniper rounds. Nick couldn't fathom who in all of Zootopia could do such a thing, ending a mammal's life without any warning, or them even seeing their killer.
They left with as much of a lead as they had gone in with, so they decided they had to visit Mr. Big once more.