After Ben awakened them, both Nick and Judy went to report to Chief Bogo. Neither Nick nor Judy had been unhappy to find themselves in each other's arms as they awoke. In fact, after the week of being separated, it felt natural just being able to hold one another again. However, neither one verbalized the attraction they felt for each other. They felt it was best in order to maintain a professional working relationship. They both feared for the worst, as the cheetah would not tell them why Bogo wanted to see the both of them together. They last time they had seen Bogo, he had told them he was breaking up their partnership. They surmised that Bogo found about their sleeping together in The Nap Room and now they figured he was going to fire one or both of them for unprofessional conduct while on the job. They walked up the stairs holding each other's paws, a very sad pair of mammals. They did not speak but this did not mean their minds were idle.
As they stood before Bogo's door, they looked at one another, gave each other a supportive paw squeeze, shrugged and fearfully knocked. "Wilde! Hopps! Enter!" commanded Bogo. For some reason, he had that knack of knowing who was at his office door even though they hadn't uttered a sound. They entered his office and both of them clambered up onto the chair facing Bogo's desk. They sat ramrod straight in front of him, waiting for him to speak. He merely looked down on the paperwork on his desk and continued reading. Their paws gravitated towards one another on their own as they nervously waited, seeking refuge against the impending storm that they knew was about to hit. Bogo, seeing this, immediately looked up from his work and snorted furiously at them.
"It's that kind of unprofessional conduct which is unbecoming of police officers the reason why I should fire the both of you!" grunted Bogo.
"Chief," interrupted Judy, "it's not Nick's fault. I let my feelings for him get in the way of our being partners. If anything, don't fire Nick for my mistake. I'm his superior and I'll take the blame and resign." Judy said with a sad face, her ears drooping down behind her shoulders.
When Nick saw Judy's sadness, the image of her being bullied by Bogo back on the Sky-tram when they were investigating the case of the missing mammals, flashed back in his mind. This brought back the anger he felt against the large mammal whom he was facing. Even though Bogo was his commanding officer, he wanted to protect Judy for being singled out merely because she was a rabbit. "Now hold on there, Carrots. If there is anyone Chief Buffalo Butt should fire, it's me not you," as he glared at Bogo. "I shouldn't have allowed you to stay in my arms while we slept in the Nap Room. I should have also taken the appropriate action considering I'm older than you but I, too, let my feelings get in the way."
This went on for some time, each one defending the other up to the point that they were almost yelling at each other for being so stubborn. It was at this point that Bogo intervened. "Enough! Shut up the both of you. Especially you Wilde! If I hear a peep from either one of you before I'm finished, both of you will be handing in your shields. Is that clear?" Bogo snarled.
As both Nick and Judy nodded, they both realized that he hadn't said they were being fired, but being threatened with it if they continued arguing. They wisely closed their mouths and waited for Bogo to continue.
'Good. Now it seems a certain photograph of two of my finest officers sleeping in each others arms has come to light over the internet and has caught the attention of our distinguished Mayor." As both Nick and Judy opened their mouths, Bogo yelled again. "I said not a peep!"
He slowly stroked the bridge of his nose, aware of the impending headache that was starting to fester but he continued. "Our dear Mayor has decided that you two will make the perfect poster couple for the Mammal Inclusion Initiative program. The fact that you are in a predator-prey relationship makes it all the better given the ongoing tensions between the two classes. So he has requested, against my better judgment, that you two continue working for the ZPD but would be supervised under the office of the MII. This means you get to continue wearing your badges but you will be engaged mostly in public relation work where the both of you will be seen holding hands in public and other public displays of affection that you both deem necessary to maintain the appearance of a relationship. Your new jobs are to promote the MII and at the same time calm down the tensions between predators and prey. Have I made myself clear so far?" Bogo huffed.
Judy was the first to speak up. "Chief, Nick and I are very close but I don't know if we can even call it a relationship. Why, we even haven't gone on a date yet! Besides, it seems rather demeaning that all we are going to be are just public relations material for the MII and ZPD yet we can't do any real police work like solving cases?"
Nick chimed in. "Carrots is right, Chief. I know neither of us would be happy just plastering fake smiles all the time just because we need to promote the MII. Besides, it would be a waste of two of your best cops and you know it!" Nick snarled.
Bogo glared back angrily. He knew they were right and yet he also had to abide by the rules and regulations for personnel conduct of the ZPD. He therefore made an offer that neither party could refuse.
"Normally, once there is a hint of an interoffice relationship, the proper procedure is to separate the two mammals involved so that there will not be any conflict of interest. In the case of police officers, this could also lead to poor decision-making based on emotional conflict within the relationship. However, there is the precedence of their commanding officer allowing said relationship to continue as long as the work performance of the couple does not suffer. So, you have the choice of accepting the Mayor's gracious offer and I will see about assigning cases to the both of you as long as you can prove to me that the two of you can conduct yourselves in a professional manner at all times. Any hint of you failing to perform your duties or of conduct unbecoming of police officers and I will definitely recommend that you both be separated despite the Mayor's request. I do not want to see a repeat of this week's appalling behaviour. Are we clear on this?" Bogo growled.
Both Nick and Judy looked at one another. Given that the situation was not the best, it at least gave them the chance to continue working together as a team plus being able to solve cases once in a while. They came to a silent mutual understanding and with a slight squeeze of each other's paw, they agreed to Bogo's terms.
"Good. Now, as the poster couple of the MII, you need to look your best at all times. Both of you will take the day off today and report back to work on Monday in your best-pressed uniforms. I will assign the areas where you will patrol after coordinating with the MII. Now get out of my office so that I can do some real work for a change. Dismissed!" With that, Bogo put his glasses back on the bridge of his nose and turned away from them while looking at more documents.
As they left Bogo's office, Nick and Judy decided that they should go back to Nick's apartment, as it was closer, so that they could plan their next steps. They figured they should pass by a nearby Snarlbucks as both realized that they had not had any breakfast yet plus they thought better on a full stomach.
As they descended the stairs from Bogo's office, they were met with a very loud squeal from Clawhauser. "O…M…Goodness! Don't the both of you make an adorable couple! I could just eat the both of you up, figuratively of course! You should see how the topic #WildeHopps is trending on Woofer right now! Not only are you the heroes of Zootopia, but the fact that you are romantically involved is the hottest topic on social media!"
"Uhhh…thanks Ben," Judy said with a nervous laugh. "But, we don't want the publicity. We only want to be able to do our jobs in peace."
"I agree with Carrots, Ben. I can see the paparazzi and celebrity reporters making it difficult for us to do our jobs properly. Why, we can't even do a decent stakeout if everyone knows our face plus the media will be following us everywhere." Nick huffed in anger.
"Pshaw, Nick," said Ben. "You forget how quickly news becomes old in Zootopia. It'll be on the airwaves for maybe a week or two, and then it will be replaced by something juicier. Enjoy the ride for now. In the meantime, since you're both off today, why not go out on the town tonight and celebrate your becoming an item? It'll give them the fodder they need and then they'll move on to something else." Ben said with a grin.
"That's another problem, Ben. If anything, Nick and I still have to sort out our feelings for one another and we'd rather do that privately rather than having it thrust in the spotlight for everyone to see and dissect," commented Judy. "Why, he's never even asked me out on a proper date." Judy smirked.
"Whoa there, Carrots. What about all those movie nights we've spent at either your place or mine? Those late-night dinners? And those weekend picnics? Don't those count?" Nick asked, feigning being insulted.
Judy grinned. "Nah, those were just times we hung out as friends. I'm an old-fashioned bunny. I like to be wooed before I commit to a relationship. And I mean a real date where we were dressed more than just our gym clothes or slacks. Are you saying, Wilde, you can't handle bringing this awesomeness," as Judy swept her paw from head to foot, "on a real date? What happened to Mr. Fantastic Fox?" challenged Judy with a twinkle in her eye.
"So we're playing that game, eh? Fine. Be prepared to be wooed like you've never been wooed before. I'll have you asking for my hand soon enough." Nick smarmed.
"In your dreams, Wilde!" Judy shot back with a chuckle.
"I believe it's the other way around, Officer Fluff." Nick snickered.
The pleasant bantering was one of the aspects of their relationship, which indicated to others that they were more than just friends but to which they were oblivious to. They continued their verbal sparring as they exited the ZPD and all Ben could do was scratch his head and sigh.
As they settled on the couch in Nick's apartment, both Nick and Judy began to realize what they would have to put up with for the next few days, even weeks. From the moment they had left the sanctuary of the ZPD, the paparazzi and reporters from various gossip and tabloid magazines had hounded them, buzzing about like a swarm of angry bees, until they managed to reach the privacy of Nick's apartment.
Judy was not a happy bunny and although she tried to hide it, her drooping ears and twitching nose gave her away to Nick who had always been sensitive to her moods. So, as they sat next to each other, consuming their respective breakfasts, he dared to reach out a paw and wrapped it around her shoulder. Judy did not shy away and instead leaned into Nick all the more.
"C'mon, Fluff. You know you can talk to me. Why the sad face?"
He knew Judy tried to put on a brave front and would always try her best to make things right. She was a determined bunny and that was one of the aspects that Nick loved about her. She had learned to not show her weaknesses to others, a trait she had quickly picked up from him but it didn't mean that she was not hurting on the inside. And now was one of those times. All the pent-up emotions came bursting forth like a sagging beaver dam rotted from within. As the tears began to fall, he pulled her to his lap, held her tightly and curled his tail around her.
"Nick, I hate it!" she sobbed. "We had a very good thing going and I was happy being your partner without all these stupid pressures now being forced upon us. And most of all, it isn't fair to you! I know I like you but I don't want to influence you into making a decision about us just so I can keep my job. And did you hear those condescending questions?" Judy said angrily through her tears. "They were humiliating and most of all quite demeaning to you. As if you haven't proven yourself to them before. All the hard work you've done and how you've turned your life around. Why, I'm the luckiest bunny to have you as my partner!"
"Judy," Nick started, "don't feel bad for me. I'm used to it. I've been a fox all my life. And who's to say I haven't already made up my mind about us? You were the only one who believed in me, telling me that I could be more than just a con-fox skirting the law everyday. You're the one who inspired me to become the highly decorated officer that I am today. And I would not have it any other way. I'm also the luckiest mammal in Zootopia because you call me your best friend and partner. You make me complete, Judith Laverne Hopps." Nick whispered.
"Nick," Judy hiccupped as she gazed up into his emerald eyes, "are you saying that you like me as much as I like you? Even more?"
"It depends, my little dumb bunny," Nick smirked. "What does your definition of 'like' mean?" Nick shot back with a twinkle in his eyes.
Judy blushed. "That's not the way a gentlemammal asks the bunny he's courting," she huffed playfully as she gently smacked him on the chest.
Nick laughed at her sudden change in mood. How she could swing from being an emotional mess to a flirtatious tease in one breath always caught him off balance. Which he found intriguing and positively refreshing.
"If this gentlemammal will be courting his wonderful, beautiful and amazing bunny, he should have some sort of encouragement or else he'll get easily dissuaded and give up the chase quite early in the game." Nick proposed with a waggle of his eyebrows.
"Oh, hush, Slick! Come here," as she grabbed his collar and kissed him on his cheek. Nick was glad that his fur was red or else she would have seen him blush.
"Now, that's a good start," he laughed. Judy giggled as they happily cuddled on the couch and fell asleep once more in each other's arms.
When they awoke, it was almost four in the afternoon. They decided that because of the horde of reporters looking to score a quick interview, it would be best that they stay together until such time that the furor had died down. Nick suggested that Judy stay over in his place since he had more room than she did and she could stay in the guest bedroom in the meantime. Judy saw the logic of this and agreed that it was a good plan. They waited until it was much later in the evening so that they could venture out into the streets to go to Judy's place to pick up clothes for her stay at Nick's hoping not to run into any reporters.
Nick, in the meantime, scrounged around the kitchen to see if he could find any food for his rabbit girlfriend. Girlfriend. It has a nice ring to it, Nick smilingly admitted to himself. There wasn't much in his place as he normally cooked only for himself. He did manage to find some fruit, crackers and some blueberry juice cocktails. If she'll be staying here, we'll need to pass by the grocery to stock up on some food, Nick thought. He remembered there was a twenty-four-hour grocery near his place, which they could swing by after picking up Judy's clothes from her apartment.
Nick brought the food to the couch where Judy was sitting watching the news. Although they didn't make the headlines, the celebrity gossip portion focused heavily on their being a couple plus there was a joint statement from both the Mayor's Office and the ZPD. The statement merely reiterated what Bogo had told them while in his office: that they were the new poster couple of the MII program and that they had recently announced that they had entered into a relationship with one another. Other than that, there wasn't much more on the news about them.
Suddenly, Judy's phone began to ring. She saw that it was her parents calling. She groaned. "What do I tell them, Nick?"
Nick looked at her just as helplessly. "The truth? That we're exploring our feelings for one another? Something believable just so that your dad doesn't come here all the way from Bunnyburrow with his shotgun looking to put holes in my hide?"
Judy frowned at Nick. "Please Nick! He's not a savage. He's not going to hurt you. He's a real marshmallow. Look, let me talk to them first, okay? I'm sure they'll like you as soon as they get to know you like I do," she said as she turned to answer her phone.
"Hi Mom! Hi Dad! How have you been?" Judy greeted her parents with a forced smile on her face.
"Where is that devious fox? How dare he take advantage of my daughter! I'm going over there right now and fill him with buckshot!" as the angry face of her father appeared on her phone.
Nick immediately hid behind the couch not wishing to be seen.
Judy rolled her eyes. "Dad, first of all, his name is Nick. Second, he has not taken advantage of me. We're exploring a relationship together and the media has blown a simple photo of us together out of proportion. Third," and this time she looked at her father with anger in her eyes, "if you come here to Zootopia with your shotgun to hurt Nick, I'll personally put the cuffs on you and throw you in jail!" as she nearly snarled at him.
Her mom's face came next on the screen, "Now bun-bun, it's just that we're worried about you. Zootopia is a big and scary place full of predators. We just don't want to see you get hurt, especially by that fox!"
Judy at this point was getting fed up with the speciesist remarks from her parents. "Mom, Nick is my partner! He and I look out for each other. I trust him with my life. And I'm sure he trusts me with his. We would never let each other down nor would we let the other get hurt. If you can't trust my decisions, then this conversation is over!" she threatened.
This seemed to calm her parents down and they continued their conversation in a much calmer tone. In the end, Judy promised to visit Bunnyburrow with Nick so that she could introduce him properly to them. If Nick could have turned white as a sheet, he would have as soon as she gave them her word that they would visit soon.
"Judy, can I take a rain check on that visit?" Nick said from behind the couch. "I think I'd rather have my tail shaved than meet your angry parents and three hundred siblings."
"Nick, get over here you big baby!" Judy ordered. Nick quickly obeyed Judy. When she spoke in that tone, he dared not disobey. As soon as he was back on the couch, she sat in his lap and started to slowly caress his head and scratch him behind the ears. After a while, his right hind paw started to jiggle about on its own and he had a glazed look on his face as his tongue hung out. She laughed at this and said, "Is my brave strong fox scared of some itty-bitty bunny rabbit?"
Nick managed to recover his composure. "No fair, Judy. You caught me off guard. Yeah, I am especially if that itty-bitty rabbit is carrying a shotgun full of fox pellets. Plus meeting a whole herd of angry rabbits reminds me too much of Bunnies of Mass Destruction" Nick said with a slight shiver.
Judy sighed and apologized. "I'm sorry you had to hear those speciesist remarks from my parents, Nick. I know they hurt, especially having to hear it from them. You really don't deserve to be treated that way."
Nick subsided a bit. He quietly asked Judy, "Did you really mean it? What you told your dad what you'd do to him if he came to Zootopia with his shotgun?"
"Of course, you dumb fox! Nobody treats my partner that way! Not even my own parents." Judy huffed. "Like I told them, we have each other's back and we're there for each other."
Nick reached out for Judy's paw and placed his forehead on hers as he looked into her amethyst eyes and caressed her cheek with his other. "Sometimes, I like to think, in more ways than just being friends."
Judy blushed at his words. "I, too, like the way you think, Slick," Judy said warmly with a smile as she squeezed his paw and gazed back into his emerald ones.