The Move
(co-authored and edited by Selaxes and NightWolf0179 of fanfiction)
Inspired by the fan art, "Moving In Together" by TheCuriousFool in DeviantArt
A/N: I'm happy to introduce my two co-authors and editors, Selaxes and Nightwolf0179, who helped me out when I was stuck with writer's block on this chapter. To say that I'm pleased with the outcome is an understatement. They have their own stories as well and I recommend you check them out in FanFiction. And here is the usual disclaimer:
All characters are owned by ©Disney.
Using Nick's car - their squad car being too conspicuous – they grabbed some of Judy's clothes from her apartment and made their way to the 24-hour grocery store. They had managed to give the slip to the reporters camped outside of Nick's apartment and were able to complete their grocery shopping without further trouble.
Once they were back in the apartment, Nick started to prepare their evening meal while Judy settled herself in the guest bedroom. When she finished unpacking, she went to join Nick in the kitchen and observed him as he prepared a spinach frittata. He had peeled two small potatoes and cut them into thin slices which he then sautéed in olive oil along with chopped onions in an iron skillet. While that was cooking, he had beaten about six eggs in a bowl, added some milk, salt, pepper, spinach leaves and freshly ground Parmigiano cheese. Once he was happy that the potatoes were soft enough, he arranged them in a layer and poured the egg mixture into the skillet. After about ten minutes of cooking over medium heat, he added more cheese to the top and then put the skillet into the oven where he allowed the dish to cook further for another ten minutes at 350° Fahrenheit. He then took it out using a potholder and allowed it to rest for about five minutes on a trivet. While it was cooling, he sliced a baguette, placed the sliced bread on a tray, which he then popped into the still hot oven and scooped out a few balls of butter to use.
Judy, amazed at how efficiently Nick worked in the kitchen, commented, "I never knew you could cook, Nick. Now I just have to figure out how to make you work just as quickly on our case files as you do in the kitchen," she teased.
"Har, har, Officer Hopps," he grinned back. "Well, it is inspiring, having a cute little bunny taking residence with me…ouch!" Nick exclaimed as a well-aimed grape hit him in the face.
"Don't call me cute, Wilde," Judy warned humorously.
"But, Carrots, you know that I mean that in a good way, right? It's not demeaning if I call my girlfriend cute now, is it?" Nick smiled.
"Your girlfriend? Hmmm…I like the sound of that," she grinned. "Okay, what about we lay down a few ground rules in light of the fact that we'll need to act professionally starting Monday yet fulfill the duties as required by the Mayor? Like, for one, no calling me cute in public. I'll accept it when we're alone or in the apartment. But very sparingly," she warned. "You've already used your quota for the day." Judy sniggered.
"Fine, I'll accept that. What about holding paws and other public displays of affection? What's allowed and what's considered conduct unbecoming?"
"According to the ZPD Ethical Standards of Conduct," said Judy reciting from memory, "police officers shall not, in the course of performing their duties, engage in any sexual contact or conduct constituting lewd behavior. It also includes any communication or behavior by an officer that would likely be construed as lewd, lascivious, inappropriate, or conduct unbecoming an officer and violates general principles of acceptable conduct common to law enforcement. So, if both of us are in a consenting relationship, the rules don't say anything about holding hands or kissing in public as long as said kisses are of a chaste nature. However, I do want to show Chief Bogo that we can conduct ourselves professionally while on duty and while on break, we can then be ourselves for the press," Judy chuckled.
"Alright, Carrots. I can do that. But keep in mind that you are giving me permission to appropriately kiss you in public as long as we are off duty," he grinned mischievously. "I may have to take advantage of that offer more than once."
Her ears were heating up. "Oh, it won't be that easy. You may have to work for those kisses. I can't just give in to you so easily, now, can I?" The look in her fox's eyes just gave her more motivation to continue teasing him, working him up. "You may have to work the charm you so humbly boast about all the time. Think you can handle that, foxy?"
"Oh, it'll be easier for me than you think, 'coz Nicholas Wilde is the real deal. If you didn't notice, Officer Fluff, all this charm is natural." Nick stretched in the air with his paw thrusting upwards in a dramatic pose.
"As natural as hot air, if you ask me," snickered Judy.
"You wound me, Fluff!" said Nick, as he used the potholder to pull out the tray holding the warmed sliced baguette out of the oven. "Anyway, dinner is getting cold. Let's eat!"
After dinner, they cleaned up in the kitchen together and then retired to the couch. Judy stretched and said, "If we're going to be eating like this everyday, I wouldn't mind moving in with you, Slick. Your cooking is delicious. I'm stuffed," she smiled happily as she patted her stomach.
"Now that's a thought," Nick mused, "But what would you be bringing to the table aside from your voracious appetite?" Nick teased.
Judy faked her indignation as she said, "Hey, it's been a long day and we bunnies have a very high metabolism." Nick snorted derisively at this.
"Anyway," Judy continued, "it makes perfect sense if I live here with you. For one, you'll have more time to sleep in plus we can get to work faster from here. We'll save on the rent and utility bills. I'll help with the cleaning of the place since this apartment is too large for just one mammal." Judy took a look around. "Speaking of which, when did you last give this place a good dusting? I can practically grow crops on the floor," Judy joked.
"Yeah, right," Nick said drolly, "and I thought I was the comedian in this relationship, Carrots," retorted Nick.
Judy continued with a naughty smile. "Well, I saved the best reason for the last. Living together means that we can spend more time together as a couple and cut back on the traveling time between apartments. Besides, I've already slept over once or twice when we had those marathon movie nights."
"So it has nothing to do with the fact that you can't resist being around me?" Nick snickered as he ducked a pillow thrown by Judy. "Anyway, I accept your offer, Officer Hopps. It'll be nice to have something else besides a lamp brighten this dreary place," Nick said with a twinkle in his eyes as he reached over to bring Judy closer to him. Judy giggled like a high school girl with her crush. She relished the feeling of safety she felt when she was in his arms. She had not had much experience when it came to dating but with Nick, she felt at ease with him. And even though she would not admit it to his face, she loved being around him. She was content to take things slowly. For now, just sitting on the couch and cuddling was very relaxing.
Over the weekend, Nick helped Judy to break her lease with her old landlady and pack up her belongings for the move to Nick's apartment. Dharma Armadillo didn't seem surprised considering that their relationship was plastered all over the gossip columns and tabloids. She still kept Judy's security deposit for failing to provide enough notice beforehand. Judy was vexed over it but decided that the faster she left, the better her life would be. So she forced a smile on her face as she handed her the keys to her apartment and said goodbye to Bucky and Pronk Oryx-Antlerson, her two loud and noisy neighbours whom she suspected were a gay married couple. She would not miss their daily bickering and the lack of personal privacy, as they tended to remark on her life's events as they eavesdropped through the paper-thin walls.
Judy didn't have much in the way of belongings as she had had very little room in the closet space known as her apartment. She was ecstatic that she no longer had to share a communal bathroom since she had her own in the bedroom of the apartment. As for sleeping arrangements, Nick and Judy decided that they would stay in their own separate rooms, more out of propriety sake. It was still too early in their relationship and neither one was ready to take it any further for now.
That Saturday evening, Nick prepared a Welcoming/Housewarming dinner for Judy to celebrate this important milestone in their lives. He shooed her out of the kitchen saying that he wanted to surprise her. He sent her on an errand to pick up an order that he had placed in a specialty store that was almost an hour to and from the apartment. Judy was intrigued by what Nick was going to cook but she agreed to pick up the items from the store. When she arrived at the store, it was a bakery that catered primarily to lagomorphs and their specialty was a decadent carrot cheesecake. Her mouth watered at the sight but she kept herself from sampling it prematurely as she didn't want to spoil Nick's surprise. On the way back, Nick called her phone to ask her to pass by a wine store that was near their place to also pick up a bottle of wine that he had ordered for their meal that evening.
As Judy entered the apartment with the cake and the bottle of wine, she noticed that the lights had been dimmed and that Nick had several lit candles around and on the dinner table. She placed the dessert and the wine on the table and called out laughing, "Nick, I'm back. Where are you, you crazy fox?"
Nick stepped out of the kitchen wearing a waiter's costume with a towel draped across one arm and said with a fake accent, "Welcome, mademoiselle! We haff been expecting you! Please, take zee chair," Nick said as he bowed with a flourish while holding out the chair for Judy to sit in. In spite of the cheesiness, Judy appreciated all that Nick was doing to make the dinner as memorable as possible for her.
So, she played along. "Merci, monsieur! I was told that this is a very classy restaurant and that the food here is superb."
"Ah, oui, oui! We haff one of zee finest chefs in zee land. A bit temperamental if you ask me but still one of zee best!"
"So, what would recommend for this evening?" Judy inquired.
"I shall ask zee chef himself to come out so zat he may discuss it with you. In zee meantime, I shall haff him bring you a glass of divine nectar crafted by zee gods from grapes zat were nourished and kissed by zee sun," as he snagged both the bottle and dessert from the table where Judy had left them.
Nick stepped into the kitchen and she heard him calling out to an imaginary person and having a conversation with them. "Oi! Imbécile! Zee lady outside would like to have zee word wit' you about zee dinner tonight!"
"Aye, keep your shirt on, laddy! A mammal only has two paws, ya know? Stop bein' a wee scunner! Away wit' ya and beil yer heid!" Nick then emerged from the kitchen wearing a toque, white scarf around his neck and a typical chef's uniform. He also carried Judy's drink, which she surmised was from the bottle she had brought. "Ach, my friend back there never told me that we had such a wee bonny lass this evening! Allow me to welcome you to our place. I would like to present to you with this delicate full-bodied red wine from the region of Rioja, which will perfectly pair with tonight's dinner, paella vegetariana, a heavenly rice dish cooked with vegetables that were handpicked by the gods themselves. The dessert will be a decadent carrot cheesecake using only one hundred percent baby carrots all massaged prior to being used and meant to melt in your mouth the moment it touches your lips. Now, if you will excuse me…"
"Nick!" Judy interrupted him with a huge smile.
"Pardon, lassy, who is this 'Nick' you speak of? I'm just a humble chef…" Nick continued, caught up in his role.
"Stop it, you goofball! Can I have my roommate back, please?" Judy pleaded with her big, soft, amethyst eyes.
Nick took one look at her eyes and he sighed. "No fair, Carrots. Those eyes have got to be listed as deadly weapons. I can never say no to you, you know that, right?" Nick chuckled.
"Do I know that? Yes, yes, I do," she giggled. "Now come here!" Judy demanded as she grabbed his shirt and pulled him into a big hug. "Thanks for preparing dinner and the show," she laughed, her head resting on his chest. "It's the nicest thing that anyone has ever done for me ever since I came to Zootopia. You know, Nick," as she looked up into his emerald orbs, "I'm glad that we met over a year ago. You really changed my life around in so many ways." She then stretched up and placed a kiss on his nose. They continued to gaze into each other's eyes, savouring the moment.
Nick then suddenly remembered, "My paella!" he shouted as he dashed back into the kitchen. Judy couldn't stop laughing.
Nick had managed to save the dish from being burnt and as he had promised, it indeed was delicious. And the decadent carrot cheesecake was to die for as Judy sneaked in a second serving, which she knew she would regret later. She would just have to run the extra miles the following days to burn off the additional calories. Nick prepared a lavender tea infusion for her, which she took to the couch, as Nick would not let her help with the cleaning. Feeling full and content, she recollected the events of the past week and how it led to her now living together with Nick. She smiled at how things seemed to always work themselves out for the both of them. It seemed that they were destined to be together and tonight proved how caring a mammal Nick could be and why she was so attracted to him. As she sat there drinking her tea, she felt her eyelids growing heavier. She still hadn't managed to catch up on her lost sleep plus the move took a lot out from her even with Nick's help. She yawned a bit and thought a quick nap wouldn't hurt so she decided to close her eyes for a few minutes.
Nick found her there fast asleep on the couch. He had sensed that she was still tired from last week's ordeal which was why he had refused to let her help prepare dinner and clean up the kitchen. He smiled as he gently picked her up from the couch and carried her to her bed. It was a testament to her fatigue that she never once woke up despite the fact that he knew her to be a light sleeper. As he tucked her in, he looked at her beautiful face and realized what a lucky mammal he was for someone like her to even like a mammal like him. He gently placed a goodnight kiss on her forehead before sneaking out of her room.
Sunday came and went and Monday soon rolled around. For Judy and Nick, it came too soon as they dreaded the thought of becoming the token bunny and fox of the department. However, they knew that they would support each other during this demanding time being the poster couple of the Mammal Inclusion Initiative program.
As they walked into the bullpen in their impeccably pressed uniforms, they were greeted by catcalls, hoots, wolf whistles and howls from their fellow officers.
"Way to go, Wilde!"
"He's putty in your hands, Hopps!"
"It's about time you two got together!"
Nick acknowledged all the attention with a wave of his paw while Judy shyly blushed. As they approached the chair they shared, he held out his paw to Judy to assist her up which she gladly took. "Such a gentlemammal," she giggled. Nick gave her his trademark smirk as he waggled his eyebrows at her.
Once they were both seated, Nick turned in his seat to wave again to their fellow officers with a large grin plastered on his face. "Thank you good mammals! We'll be here all week! Don't forget to tip your waitress!" Judy elbowed him, which caused Nick to almost spill his coffee. "Cut it out, Nick. You've milked it enough. We're supposed to act professionally while at work, remember?"
"Oh, come on, Carrots. I was just having a little fun. Besides, no harm done, right?" Nick said as he grinned at her. Judy just huffed at him as Bogo entered the room.
"All right! Shut it!" Bogo yelled to the room as the mammals welcomed him in their usual rowdy and loud manner. "As you all know, the Mayor has made a special request for two of our officers to be on special assignment with the MII program. That being said, I expect those two," as he glared at Nick and Judy directly, "to conduct themselves in a professional manner becoming of ZPD police officers."
"Why, Chief, I didn't think you cared," sassed Nick. Judy looked askance while the rest of the squad roared out in laughter.
"Shut it, Wilde! One more word out of you and I'll personally make you into my winter coat!" Bogo threatened as a large vein started to pulse in his neck.
Judy quickly applied pressure on a particular spot on Nick's elbow just as he was about to talk back to Bogo, which caused Nick to yelp out in pain. "Apologies, Chief! I'll keep my partner in check!" Judy declared.
"See that you do Hopps or else you'll have both have parking duty for the next month despite the Mayor's request. I'll be watching the both of you!" as he pointed a hoof from his eyes to the both of them.
Nick was about to open his mouth when Judy firmly clamped her paw around his muzzle keeping him quiet. "Understood, Chief!" Judy replied, glaring at Nick with the unspoken threat, say one more word and I'm going to skin you myself! Nick wisely avoided becoming another crime victim statistic.
They received their orders to patrol the Downtown and Savanna Central for a week. As per the request of the MII Department, they were to do foot patrol in between the areas of Little Rodentia and Savanna Central for maximum visibility while engaging the citizens of Zootopia in small talk among the various parks in order to promote the benefits of joining the ZPD especially to the smaller mammals.
Although not as exciting as pursuing criminals or solving cases, both Nick and Judy realized that if they could encourage more of the smaller mammals to join the police department, they would then be able to provide better protection for the residents of Little Rodentia, who currently avoided calling on the ZPD mainly because the larger mammals could easily create havoc in the district because of their size. Plus, there was something to be said about the inherent advantage a smaller mammal could have when it came to police undercover work as they could easily hide or be unobserved due to their miniscule dimensions.
Although it was not a challenging assignment, they were kept very busy attending to the needs of the citizens such as helping old mammals cross the street, keeping the traffic flowing in the busy streets of Zootopia, attending the special School Visitations as arranged by the Mayor' office, getting small kits out of trouble when they got stuck climbing trees, and the occasional foot chase as they successfully caught various thieves and pickpockets. They were generally welcomed and accepted by most of the population. There were, however, the rare instances when a prejudiced mammal would openly criticize their relationship. Each time something like this occurred, Judy would become infuriated and nearly lose her composure. Nick, on the other hand, maintained a cool outward appearance and kept repeating his personal mantra to her: Never let them see that they get to you.
By Wednesday morning, Nick and Judy had noticed that throng of media personnel had thinned out considerably. At the beginning of the week, the press had hounded them, keeping a close watch on their every move. For the first couple of days, the reporters and photographers were practically breathing down their necks, scrutinizing everything they did. But as the days passed, the editors realized that they were involved in pretty mundane day-to-day tasks and started to reassign their personnel to other jobs. By the time the end of their shift came that day, not a single media representative hung around, finally giving them the privacy they so desired.
Nick had been contemplating all week long Judy's statement that she wanted to be courted the old-fashioned way. He was not averse to the idea and he felt that it would help them to get to know one another on a more personal level. As they entered their apartment, Nick said, "Hey Judy? Now that the media won't bother us anymore, what say we go out on our very first official date on Saturday? We can start out having an early dinner at this small cozy café that I know of then we can go out and catch a movie. You can choose the movie," he offered.
"Nick," she squealed excitedly, hopping around the apartment, "that's the best news I've heard all week. And we can even get dressed for the occasion!" Judy laughed. "Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!" as she gave him a huge hug. Nick was inwardly overjoyed that he had managed to make her happy.
"Anything for you, Fluff, you know that?"
"Do I know that? Yes, yes I do, Slick," as she grinned from ear-to-ear, grabbing his tie and pulling him down to her level for a well placed kiss on his cheek before hurrying into her bedroom. "I've got to start preparing right away! Gotta call some of my sisters for advice," the rabbit squeaked with excitement as she disappeared into the room.
Nick grinned. He had never seen Judy this excited not unless they were chasing some perpetrator. He made his way to his own bedroom, whistling softly as he mentally planned out the date. Although he hated to admit it, he was just as excited as she was - plus a little scared considering that he hadn't done this in a long time and he was afraid of messing things up.
On Thursday, Nick had gotten careless. He had been busy thinking of his date with Judy on Saturday that he had missed the fact that the perpetrator they were chasing had a gun on him. As a former street hustler, he would have easily picked out the telltale bulge of the weapon on the hip of the mammal tucked underneath his shirt. He was so caught up in his reverie that it was only when Judy alerted him about the crime in progress was he able to focus. They were both in pursuit when he and Judy split up in order to catch him in a classic pincer move. He was right on the tail of the coyote while Judy ran on a parallel course. He kept her up to date wherever he was through their radio. He noticed that the coyote had turned left into an alley that he knew had a very high fence so he instructed to Judy to intercept from the other end. As he turned into the alleyway to pursue, it seems that the coyote had deliberately led Nick into a trap. He saw the coyote raise his arm to take a shot at him. It was only because of Nick's reflexes and police training that the shot missed. Nick rolled to the side behind a large dumpster as a second shot ricocheted off the lid. Nick attempted to contact Clawhauser on his radio to request for backup when he realized that he had inadvertently damaged it when he had ducked to avoid the first shot. He only hoped that Judy had heard the two shots and had already called for backup. He needed to keep the coyote distracted since he didn't want Judy to become the next target of the criminal.
"Some pretty good shooting there…for a rank amateur. My grandmother could shoot better than you…blindfolded!" Nick called out.
"Fuck you, copper! You ain't taking me back to jail. Been there and I didn't like it! There's no way in hell you're going to take me alive!" shouted the coyote.
"Hey son, no need to go down that road. Besides, it's only a misdemeanor for firing a gun in a public area. And I don't know where you get your material but you need to stop watching old James Pugney films. Those lines are all clichés." Nick retorted.
A third shot rang out this time hitting the wall above the dumpster directly, showering Nick with debris. He took his mobile phone out and used the photo option to scan the alleyway in hopes of locating the shooter. "Well, lookie here, your aim's improving, but not by much. My six-year old niece can do better than you. Give up peacefully and I'll have her give you shooting instructions. Won't that be fun?" he said mockingly. Two more shots rang out as the coyote was starting to lose his patience.
"Yeah? Well, maybe I'll get lucky today and add police killer to my street cred, eh, foxy? I know who you are! First fox cop of Zootopia. Guess what? You'll soon become the first dead fox cop, asshole!"
"Oh, I'm shaking in my paws here. Maybe I'll have my grandmother come over and wash that mouth out with soap. Such filth! Do you kiss your mother with that mouth?"
Two more shots rang out as the shooter had him pinned down behind the dumpster. But this time, he was able to locate the coyote who had backed himself foolishly into a corner of the alleyway. "Don't bring my mother into this, shit-for-brains! She never loved me! She hated me!"
Nick suddenly noticed some movement above the fence line and saw Judy's ears pop up. He quickly texted his location to her and the twenty of the shooter. Just as he was about to text his plan, he heard the chain link fence shift due to Judy's weight, which attracted the coyote's attention to her. He heard the mammal snarl and saw him aim his gun at Judy.
"Judy, get away from the fence!" Nick yelled as he charged the coyote while drawing his tranquilizer gun. The coyote saw him coming and spun to shoot as Nick fired at the same time. Nick suddenly felt like a rhino had hit him. He fell to the ground. As he lay there on the ground clutching his side where the burning pain was, the coyote slinked over and stood over him.
"Looks like you ran out of luck, foxy," said the mammal as he looked at Nick with flint in his eyes while licking his lips as he salivated. "I'm gonna finish you off then do the same to that cute little bunny. Got anything more to say before I kill you?"
"Yeah," Nick gasped as he fought for breath, "one, never turn your back on a police officer's partner and two…don't call her cute," he said as Judy came flying over the fence and caromed off the alley wall to land a roundhouse kick that nearly dislocated the coyote's jaw and rendered him unconscious. Judy immediately cuffed him and placed a muzzle on him while calling for an ambulance for Nick. Damn, she's good, Nick thought, remind me never to get on her bad side. The last thing he remembered was Judy rushing to his side as he lost consciousness.
Nick awoke on top of the ambulance gurney, stripped of the bulletproof vest they were required to wear while on patrol. The bullet had not penetrated the vest as it was supposed to but they didn't teach you in the ZPA how to stop a speeding bullet without getting hurt. Judy was next to him and he could see that she had been crying. When she saw that he was awake, she asked the ambulance which hospital they were taking Nick as they insisted that he be checked for any internal injuries as well. She told the EMTs that she would meet them there, as she had to get their police cruiser. She then turned and walked away without saying another word to him.
At the hospital, she was silent as the attending doctor probed and scanned him. He gave Nick a clean bill of health although he warned that Nick still might be sore around the rib cage area for a few days.
Bogo entered the examining room and asked for a quick report on what had happened.
"Sir, Officer Hopps and I were in pursuit of an alleged thief and we had split up in order to catch him between us. We were not aware that he was carrying a concealed weapon and we only became aware of it the moment he started shooting at me in the alley where he had been cornered. I had alerted Officer Hopps to my position and she was to come from the opposite side. I was unable to alert her of the gun because my radio was damaged when I took cover from the unfriendly fire. I engaged the assailant and was keeping him distracted so that Officer Hopps could apprehend him from the rear. Unfortunately, the perpetrator noticed Officer Hopps climbing the fence and was about to shoot her when I rushed him with my tranq gun drawn. I was hit in the ensuing fire but the bullet did not penetrate the standard issued vest. Officer Hopps was successfully able to apprehend the suspect as he had turned his back on her when he attempted to," Nick closed his eyes and shuddered as he recalled the moment he thought he was a goner, "finish the job on me."
Bogo then turned to Judy. "Is this correct, Hopps?" he asked.
Judy nodded and answered, "I corroborate every word of what Officer Wilde just said."
Bogo grunted. "Good work, Officers. Wilde, I've been shot before like you so I know how you feel. Take the rest of the week off. You, too, Hopps. You look like you both could use some rest. I'll see you both early on Monday and the report on my desk before noon." With that, he turned and left.
Nick and Judy made their way back to their shared apartment without speaking to one another. Judy opened the door for him as he was carrying the vest that saved his life. But the moment she shut the apartment door, he sighed.
Judy looked at him angrily and said, "What's that all about?"
"You haven't said a word to me ever since we left the alleyway." Nick accused her.
"And you know why I haven't? It's because I'm so mad at you right now. I was afraid of saying something in front of the EMTs, the doctor and Bogo that would jeopardize our partnership so I kept quiet."
"And why the hell should you be mad at me? I'm the one who got shot trying to protect you!" Nick yelled angrily.
"Exactly! You shouldn't have to take care of me always. I should also be able to watch out for you. And it was my fault that you got shot! I messed up by alerting him to my position. I should have been the one shot, not you, you dumb fox!" Judy yelled back, this time tears were streaming down her face. "I almost lost you, you selfish moron! And then what would I have done? I wouldn't know how to live without you, you stupid, ignorant, irritating, loveable fox! What then?" as she began to sob uncontrollably.
It then dawned on Nick how much love Judy had for him. He went over to her and gathered her up in his arms and carried her to the couch. They sat there just holding on to one another, tears streaming down both their faces.
Finally, all angst spent, they stared at one another. And something finally clicked. Nick took her face in his paws and leaned in to kiss her on the lips. Judy did not pull back and returned the kiss with a lot of fervor. She reached for his neck and held on to him for dear life, not wanting to let him go. After some time, she broke the kiss and said, "I'm still mad at you, Nick, for scaring me like that. Don't do anything as foolish as that again, okay?"
Nick sighed as he told her, "You can't make me promise that. If I had to do it all over again, I would. I'm scared of losing you as well, Judy."
They stared at each other for several moments before sort of melting into a comfortable position that allowed them to snuggle close and hold on to the other, the terror of all the 'could have-beens' settling on both.
"You know I trust you with my life, Judy," Nick whispered after several minutes of simply sharing contact and warmth. "And I know you trust me with yours. I guess we have to let that trust go further. We have to believe in each other, too."
Judy only nodded before nuzzling her face into the fox's shirt; the fabric clenched in her paws and let the last of her tears out. She'd been completely honest when she said that she didn't know what she would do without him. It wasn't something that she even wanted to contemplate.
"You know I couldn't do without you as well," Nick whispered as he rested the end of his chin between her ears and drank in the naturally sweet scent that was all Judy. "So many years I kept others out and now here you are. You aren't just in my life. You are my life. Everything else is just…filler. And I will do everything I can to keep you in it."
"And what about you?" the bunny asked petulantly. "Don't you think I feel the same way? You're the best friend I've ever had, Nick. That and more. I feel just as strongly about this as you do."
Although it caused pain to flare through his side, the muscles beneath the bruising threatening to spasm in a cramp, Nick choked down the whimper as he physically lifted the bunny onto his lap and wrapped his arms around her. "Then I repeat what I said earlier. Trust we got. Now let's believe in each other. Okay?"
Judy looked up at the warm emerald eyes that regarded her. It was a bit of a shock to realize that Nick no longer tried to keep his walls in place with her. That emotionless mask had become second nature in his old life. However, he always let her see the real him and it melted her heart every time she realized it. Judy's paws slowly crept up to cup either side of the fox's face, her thumbs stroking along the grain of his fur before she drew both of them together for a long, gentle kiss. "Okay," she agreed in a whisper once they parted. "Now, I think that you should take some of the medication the doctor gave you and take a hot shower. I've got dinner this time. I just want you to relax. Alright?"
"Unfair, Carrots. You have me at the disadvantage here."
Judy let one eyebrow rise. "Do I? Why, yes I do. You get some special Hopps treatment for the next couple of days. Oh, and Nick? If you argue with me we'll need to go back to the hospital so they can patch you up for being stupid."
That the ultimatum was delivered so simply, yet in a loving tone made it all the scarier and Nick wisely nodded in surrender. "You drive a hard bargain, Officer Fluff."
"Hmmm! Don't I just?" she asked with as smug a grin as Nick ever gave her. "Now, off with you," she ordered with a tweak to the fox's tail.
Judy waited until she heard the water in the bathroom running and slipped her phone out. She'd learned that her fox was a complete fiend for sushi, something she'd never had until Nick had introduced her to it. Fortunately there was a place not far away that would deliver and she called in for not only two orders of rolls but also other dishes that they both liked. That there were things that she could feed him only added to the little treat that she wanted for her boyfriend.
That thought caused her to stop as she shut off her phone. Her boyfriend. Her boyfriend! The realization hit her a couple of times each day and never failed to send a warm thrill of joy through her. With her mood improving, Judy put some of the softer cushions for the couch on the end that her fox sat on and then darted to the movies that they had on a shelf and pulled down a couple that she knew Nick loved. The next few days would be about him and Judy was okay with that. It was only a matter of time, no matter how careful they were in their professional lives, when the roles would be reversed. Then again, Judy recalled, Nick had doted ceaselessly on her as her leg healed from the museum accident when they stopped Dawn Bellwether. It was time to return the favour.
Judy climbed over the fence and that was when she saw the coyote pull the trigger putting a bullet into Nick's head, his brains splattering all over the pavement. She screamed as she saw Nick's lifeless corpse go limp as the coyote turned, his eyes glowing feral red and saliva dripping from his jaws. "Bye-bye foxy. Now, it's your turn, little bunny…run as fast as you can before I catch you in my jaws…hahahahahaha!" the mammal manically laughing as he pointed what looked like a cannon at her. She ran away from the scene as fast as her legs could carry her, her heart shattered at the sight of Nick lying there in death. She didn't know where she was going nor did she care. She just wanted to get away from the monster that had just murdered her partner. The next thing she knew she was falling into a pit. She landed with a thud. For some reason, it looked familiar. Then it came to her. It was the exhibit she and Nick had fallen in when they had tried to escape from Bellwether! She started to panic knowing that she had no way of escaping it without any help. And this time, it was worse as Nick was not beside her. He was instead lying in a pool of his own blood back in the alleyway where she had left his body. She started to wail uncontrollably, the loss of Nick cutting her as if someone had stuck a knife in her. She had been too slow to stop the coyote and then she had run like some rookie scared of her own shadow instead of catching the mammal who had murdered the love of her life.
Suddenly, she heard something moving amongst the reeds. "Who's there?" she whispered as her whole body trembled with uncharacteristic fear. Her heart almost stopped as the coyote, now on all fours, slunk out of the tall grass appraising her with his feral eyes. "Well, well. What do we have here?" he said as he licked the saliva dripping from his maw. "Lunch is served!" and with that he leapt for Judy with his fangs bared.
Judy woke up bathed in sweat. It was just a nightmare, she realized with relief as she sat up in bed. That's the last time I'll have that much saké and sushi this late in the evening, she mused. Still, the dream of Nick being dead was fresh in her mind. So she went to his bedroom just to reassure herself that he was very much alive. She snuck in and silently padded over to the side of his bed. He was snoring lightly in his sleep due to the medication she had insisted he take for the pain. He looked so peaceful and innocent. She shook her head, knowing that she was just a wreck right now. Us bunnies, she reflected, so emotional. As she made to leave, Nick coughed in his sleep, which elicited a painful groan from the slumbering fox. She recalled from her first aid training that a mammal with rib injuries should hold on to a pillow when coughing to minimize the pain. She deviously smiled.
Nick slowly woke up the in morning, feeling well rested as he kept his eyes closed. He had slept on his side and felt his arms full of a warm, furry and soft pillow. Judy must have placed it there when he was asleep, Nick warmly thought. Suddenly, he heard his pillow give a soft little snore. He opened his eyes to find Judy in his arms, just like the time they were in the Nap Room. She looked so adorable in her sleep that he didn't have the heart to wake her just yet. So he merely curled his tail around them both, pulled her closer into him, rested his head on top of hers between her ears and closed his eyes once more, allowing Morpheus to visit once again.