Nick couldn't sleep that night he was too worried that his dad would come back in.

That morning he came out of his apartment and met Judy. Judy noticed Nick wasn't wearing his usual sly grin.

"Nick Is something wrong?" Judy asked

"Uh no I uh just couldn't sleep much that all, anyway we'd uh best be going"

Judy didn't believe Nick, she knew if something was wrong with him.

"Nick are you sure you're ok?"

Nick put on a false smile "hey carrots, I'm fine really like I said I'm just tired is all"

"hmm well ok" Judy said still not fully believing him.

All that day nick was not himself he didn't make any jokes or puns. He was in his own world.

"Nick come to my apartment tonight, we need to talk" Judy said.

Nick sighed "look carrots I" he began before Judy cut him off.

"No Nick, you're not alright. I can tell something is bugging you."

Nick hung his head down, and nodded he decided there was no use in trying to tell her nothing was wrong anymore.

After work Nick went into Judy's apartment.

"Take a seat Nick" Judy told him. So Nick went to a chair and sat down.

"do you want some Coffee?" Asked Judy.

"Uh no thanks" Nick replied.

Judy then sat besides Nick "Ok Nick please tell me what's wrong?"

Nick gulped "well uh last night I uh had an unexpected visitor"

"Oh really? Who was it?" She asked him.

Nick took a deep breath and spoke. "it was my father."

Judy titled her head "your father came to see you? How did it go?" She asked. Nick had never mentioned his father to her.

"Well it uh didn't g go to well." Nick admitted sadly looking at his paws. "my dad and I never really got on."

"What do you mean?" Asked Judy a bit confused.

"Well you see my dad was umm he was well he use to abuse me." Nick spat out.

Judy's eye widened as she looked at nick, who kept his head down looking at the floor.

"He what?" Judy asked in disbelieve. "he abused you?"

Nick sniffed and nodded. "uh yeah I never told anyone else about this so it's been a secret so so long. But everyday he would beat me and my mum up, and he said he's kill us if we ever told the police. We believed him too both of us."

"Nick that's, that's just awful. How could he treat you like that? He's not your father, no father has any right to treat his son like that" she nearly shouted her face flushed with anger.

Nick winced and continued talking "well he was the dad I got, if I like it or not, everyday he'd beat me and choke me. And if he was beating my mom up he'd make me watch him not caring how much it hurt me to witness that, it was terrible knowing there was nothing I could do to save her" he now began to feel tears in his eyes.

"Oh Nick, I'm so sorry you didn't deserve that, nor did your mom."

"And if he wasn't beating me up, he was insulting me. He said things like I wish you were never born, or you'll never amount to anything he said that i was stupid and lame excuse for a son. I had very low self esteem because of the things he said to me. I began to do bad at school getting low grades, and my dad use to beat me because of them too. When I was 12 my mom became ill and had to stay in hospital for a while, so I was left alone with my dad, the abuse became much worse during that time. I was lucky if I could move or sleep by the time my dad was done with me. Than my mom got better and could come home, and then my dad left us both."

Judy now began to sob "oh Nick, I can't tell you how sorry I am to hear you had to go through that"

Nick cuddled up with Judy "and when he came back last night, he hadn't changed one bit. He demanded I give me $50,000 the next time he comes. I tried to stand up to him, but he started to choke me I got so scared I told him I'd get him the money, but I I can't, I mean don't even know when he's coming if it's tonight? He said bad things would happen"

"Nick look at me" Judy said. Nick looked into the bunny's purple eyes. "I will not let him get his paws on you, I'll protect you"

Nick wiped his tears with his sleeve "but carrots my dad he's strong, and I don't want you getting hurt because of me."

"Don't worry nick, I'm prepared to accept the consequences, and just to be safe you should stay with me for a while. After all there is safety in numbers"

Nick managed to smile "thanks carrots, I love you so much"

"Love you too Nick" she kissed his muzzle and they both went to sleep.

"Nick, I'm glad you told me anyway. I know it must have been so hard for you to tell."

Nick remained silent, but gave her a tiny sad smile and then closed his eyes.

"Goodnight Nick and don't worry I'm here" she said softly.