An update! Holy Monkey, is it had getting to a new schedule. It's a work in progress, but all I can do for the moment is post what I can, when I can. I hope you'll bear with me. Thank you for your tolerance.

Nick woke to his usual morning magic burn. Only this time he was pretty sure his skull actually was splitting by millimeters. Accompanying the usual pain was a delightful collection of bumps, bruises, scrapes and aches, all over his body. Even his paw pads were lightly singed from throwing electricity around too much. It took him a minute to remember why he was in such sorry shape.

A heavy day of work all over the city, followed by a major transformation spell, a brawl with the Reavers, the by-the-seat-of-your-pants enchantment in mid-air and creating a gateway home. It was enough for a week's worth of magic burn. If it hadn't been for that infusion via hug he'd be bedridden for days, assuming the city let him get away with that much down time. He'd worked through magic burn that serious once or twice, but it was a loathsome experience. He would rather spend a night in a cement mixer filled with rusty razor blades and lemon juice than do that ever again. In that vein, he owed Judy a massive thank you. The prospect of taking her to dinner flitted through his semi-soporific mind and the desire to slip back into dreams grew stronger.

He needed to get up. There was too much for him to do, but he had no desire to move. In the face of his exceptional collection of aches, pains, pulls and a spectacular headache, he wanted nothing more than to keep his dreams going a little longer. He was blissfully and unbearably comfortable. It took him a while to understand why.

Nick was not a morning mammal, so waking was usually a chore, in his book. He was always looking for excuses to not get there, yet. In this case, he drifted in the grey space between dreams and waking, mulling over his comfort. By rights, he should be in agony and irretrievably drawn to the remedies he kept for his many woes. Instead, he felt his physical pains, but not the usual emotional distress that came with the Burn.

Just like any high from a rollercoaster ride's adrenaline rush to a wild night out on the town, the day after there would be consequences. Sorcery tapped into every aspect of its user; mental, emotional, physical and spiritual. It carried with it an enormous high and an intoxicating feeling of power and control, but afterwards, there was a drop. After a usual day, a sorcerer could expect to feel drained and satisfied, waking the following morning to a need for coffee and a good meal. Overuse, on the other hand, would cause pains in equal measure. Nick was used to suffering the physical aches and mental fatigue. It was a matter of stubbornness to power through such things, in his experience. He was good at stubborn. It was the spiritual and emotional price that was the worst for him, but this morning they were blunted; almost soothed. He allowed himself to swim a little further towards the surface of his mind as he rooted through his fractured memories of the previous day.

The last thing he remembered was being a monumental idiot of the sentimentalist variety. Then, a feeling of safety and a moment of maudlin vulnerability led him to do something that most would consider a romantic gesture. Others might call it cryptic and irritating, most notably the rabbit. In truth, it was a mistake. Emotional entanglements were not wise, especially where magic was concerned. Judy had not yet made her Choice, let alone apprenticed. Once she made her decision, then and only then could he perhaps test those waters, but that was a Choice and a long time from now, at best. That didn't stop him from remembering the softness of her cheek under his palm.

Nick sighed. He wanted to settle back into sleep and dream of a beautiful female stroking his ears again, but he had to get up. There was work to do. His dreams and hopes would wait. They had for thirteen years, after all. He finally opened his eyes to see the sleeping face of the same beautiful female and he realized that dreams can come true.

He nearly fainted.

Instead of hyperventilating, or blacking out, he very carefully lifted his head from her lap after gently removing her paws from his cheek and between his ears. He moved as quickly and silently as he could to the slop sink. He couldn't risk the noise of the taps waking her, so he poured a meager bit from the electric kettle into his paw. Normally, he could just stick his head under the tap, or fill the sink, but now he had to be moderately discrete so as not to wake his guest. He pulled a small vial from the shelf next to his tea and sprinkled a bit of the powder from it into his palm with the water. The water took on a sheen like a golden oil slick and glowed weakly. He rubbed briskly between his palms and then raked them over his face and ears to the back of his head. The headache faded a touch; enough for him to be functional as more than a flustered, headache-riddled twit. That completed, he put the kettle on and readied some tea with another dash of the same pinkish powder. As he worked, preparing for the day, the aroma of his morning tea worked its mundane magic.

Judy stirred from a deep, restful sleep and was smiling as she woke. She had dreamed of the city again, but without the ham-fisted feeling from the other day. She didn't feel like she had been on the receiving end of a used car salesman convention all night. The dreams were softer; less pushy and more cajoling. She saw what she could only assume was the past. Many mammals working together or singly, casting spells and tapping into the city; living lives steeped in magic and memory. Judy dreamt of working together and alone to a common goal; fostering a sense of community, supporting the weak, encouraging growth and stability.

She woke with the memory of feeling strong arms around her and a sense of trust earned, unsure if it was a dream or not. It was a gentle, rejuvenating way to wake up. That was, until the sledgehammer met the gong between her ears. The world was full of bad memories of her college days and everything was humming like she was standing too close to a power box. Her groaning got the attention of her host. He sounded surprisingly concerned, almost wary. It almost sounded like he was doing a demonstration on talking down a distressed, or agitated mammal from one of her police trainings.

"Carrots? You ok?"

"Aside from the earthquake in my skull, I'm fine. Thanks. How are you?" She replied acerbically. "What is that sound? Do you have bad wiring around here or something?"

"Carrots?"

"Don't call me that! My head hurts too much for your stupid nicknames, right now," she grumbled as she rubbed her aching temples.

Nick willed his voice to be deep and soothing. He needed her to listen and not electrocute him. "Judy, please listen to me. I need you to stay still and look at me."

Now, she was afraid. She was either sitting on a bomb, or right underneath a spider. She hated those things. The very idea of it made her freeze in place. "What's wrong?"

"Judy, do not move. Please, just look at me."

She did.

His eyes were calm and gentle, but pinned her in place. There was a lot of emotion in those eyes, but none of them had a word in her now-addled brain. She didn't move or flinch as his paws slowly reached out to cup her face. The feeling of them was indescribable. Where they touched, the tension seemed to evaporate right off her fur. As his thumbs slid back over her cheekbones the rest of his paws moved to meet at the back of her head and slide up. Her eyes rolled up into her head in pleasure as he made his way up her skull to the base of her ears, his thumbs tracing over her eye-brows. She had to fight not to moan as the tension bleeding off battled it out with the caressing of her ears for which felt better. The tautness in her skin and fur sloughed off like he was brushing out her fur during shedding season, while the feeling of paws on her ears was a borderline erotic experience she hadn't had in years.

As his paws traveled higher, the more intense both sensations were and she felt her back arch in response. Her jaw was slack and small grey paws grappled onto the fabric of the chair. It was only through a supreme act of willpower that she didn't add a vocal soundtrack.

An eternity of racing heartbeats later his paw pads left the tips of her ears and she slumped back onto her seat, breathing like she just ran a marathon. She blearily looked up at him as her nerves settled. He appeared to be almost as breathless and equally flustered, so she didn't feel an instant urge to thrash him. Then she noticed the crackling rope of electricity dancing between his pinched fingers.

"Sorry, Carrots. I figured it would be better for me to take care of this before you accidentally zorched one of us."

Judy stammered, "Wha- What is that?"

"This, little bunny, is the ambient charge you picked up in your sleep."

"I what?"

"You collected electricity from the wires while you slept. Pretty impressive, actually."

"Wait. I did magic while I was unconscious?"

"Only a little bit."

"You call that a little bit?"

"Alright, more than a little."

"Is that normal?"

"For a fledgling sorcerer? Yes, but this is a larger scale than I'm familiar with. You could go to the Museum of Physical & Natural Sciences and be a display in the electricity section."

Seeing him joke, Judy felt a little less freaked out. "Har har."

"I mean it. With those ears, you make an amazing arc ladder," Nick commented as he coiled the electric thread into a ball and tossed it back into the wires.

"Seriously? Physics jokes?"

"Would you rather hear the one about batteries and bunnies?"

"Which one? Any of them will get you bruised, so choose wisely."

"Ah, Carrots, it is so energizing to be around such a delightful bunny. Such a charming and ladylike demeanor that just keeps going and going."

"I can show Ladylike where she can kiss," she huffed as she felt the headache bloom, again.

"Well, isn't somebunny feeling sassy this morning? Shocking."

Judy couldn't help the giggle. "Enough with the jokes. I smell something tasty."

"Allow me to take charge. Here." Nick said, handing her a tin cup of tea he'd poured previously. "It'll take the edge off the headache."

As they changed clothes on opposite sides of the curtain, Judy asked. "That's the magic burn you mentioned last night, I take it?"

"It is indeed. The tea helps, as will a few cantrips you can learn. However, the best thing for magic hangover is the same thing that helps regular hangovers."

"Aspirin, water and food?" she asked, eagerly. Her stomach growled in anticipation of a meal.

"Precisely. Come on. Breakfast awaits."

Judy downed the rest of her cup and followed her host as he led the way out of the room. The hallway and stairwell were as unprepossessing as the room they'd left. Everything was shabby, weathered and covered in a patina of dust. The poor lighting only added to the feeling of abandonment and neglect. When she exited the building on Nick's heels she understood why everything looked like permanent gloaming. She was in the Nocturnal District. It didn't surprise her after all the other strange events of late, but it still made her pause and just absorb the situation for a moment.

Nick smiled at her. She was adapting well. "Come on, Carrots. Hurry up or we'll miss our ride."

"Our what?"

The only response she got was a chuckle.

Nick led the way through a well-kept slum. It was clear the residents of the area still took pride in their home, but without the money to improve it or pay for repairs there was only so much that could be done. The streets were clean and the few mammals they passed were mannerly to a fault. That did not hide the crumbling buildings or vacant shop fronts. It was a sad, peaceful place; almost reverent. When they were passing the graveyard, Judy couldn't help but pause.

Judy had felt a little off since she woke up.

That was a massive understatement. Waking up in a strange place with memories from the night before would be enough to throw her badly at the best of times. Waking up with the additional headache immediately followed by a heavily disorienting erotic experience and confirmation that the evening before wasn't a dream left her sense of reality a little skewed. She liked to think she was a tough cookie and she was by all accounts, but there was something about the frequency of these little snippets of surreality that kept her from really finding her equilibrium.

Since waking, she had felt like there were ghosts or phantom lights dancing at the edge of her vision. When they reached the gate to the cemetery there was nothing dancing at the edge of Judy's sight. They were dancing right out in the open. Ethereal forms and silhouettes moved through the space beyond the ancient wrought iron gate; figures dancing in mist and candlelight. Judy was half convinced that tea she'd drank was spiked.

"Nick?"

Seeing her confusion, Nick was quick to soothe her. "Don't worry, Carrots. It's just a Memoria."

"A what?"

"Memories collected together from a space. Usually happens in places that have seen better days. Think of it like concentrated nostalgia." Nick looked back down the street they had just walked down. "This used to be a bustling neighborhood, twenty years ago. Now, it's a relic." Turning back to her, Nick asked, "Wanna see?"

Judy didn't remember nodding, but saw Nick's smile widen.

Nick reached into his satchel and rooted around until he found his church key. It was a mangled hunk of iron so old it should have lost the battle to rust ages ago. It was a supremely useful tool in some respects, though Finnick had used it mainly as a bottle opener before passing it to Nick. It was part of the price for its use that Nick remembered the previous owner. The magic required memory to work and Nick had plenty to offer.

Judy watched as a flurry of emotions flickered across Nick's face as he tapped on the gate with the key. It swung open soundlessly, but rusted hinges echoed in the mind as they swung. The fox slipped the key into the air where the gate had been and neatly turned it. A click that rippled through the world at the base of her senses. Her equilibrium swam and she grabbed the fox's arm for support as she followed him across the threshold. She was shaking off the disorienting effects when she realized she was dressed very differently than she had been moments ago.

Nick enjoyed her perplexed expression as she took in the formal daywear and bonnet she wore. It was an ensemble from a century ago and it was absolutely not her style, but it did look good on her, he had to admit, bustle and all.

Once she shook off her perplexity and hastily removed her paw from Nick's arm, Judy finally got around to asking, "What is this?"

"This, Carrots, is a Memoria," he said as he lifted her paw to his arm. "We are walking through a memory of the city." Reflexively, Judy hooked her paw through his elbow and Nick led her off.

The promenade was not long, but it felt that way to Judy. Time felt superfluous and tremendously weighty at the same time. As they walked, their appearances changed to suit their fleeting environments. The place stayed mostly the same, the very street they had arrived on for a majority of their walk, but they were not always there. Other streets, parks, and alleys flitted by and the decades were changeable as mist in wind.

The world was slightly whitewashed, but otherwise looked entirely genuine. They seemed to meander through different times and places. As they stepped from one into another, their clothes changed, as did the sights and sounds. Buildings came and went, as did parks, carriages, cars and fashions. For a moment, they were one of many couples out for a constitutional on a weekend afternoon; kits of all shapes and sizes laughed and scampered about, echoing laughter following them like a trail. At another moment, a barbershop quartet serenaded an elderly stoat couple as they sat on a bench in the nearby park, watching a fountain. A few steps later, the park was a university square. They were garbed in tie-dye and hemp, while a protest echoed through the streets. A few moments later Nick sported a green and blue mohawk over a faux-leather jacket covered in spikes while she wore leggings and a shirt designed to leave one shoulder bare at all times.

Finally, they stepped out of the past and back onto the dingy street. As the last shreds of memory drifted off them like tendrils of smoke, Judy shivered.

"You don't look so hot, Fluff. You ok?"

Judy heard the words, but was at a loss as to how she should answer. On the one paw, everything she had seen had been intoxicating in a way only found in fairy stories. On the other, it was astonishing and a lot to take. To see so much and know there was more out there waiting both frightened and drew her in. It spurred her to ask a question that she regretted from the night before, but now needed answered, badly. She knew it would hurt him, but she needed to know the truth before she was completely swept away.

"Why are you the only sorcerer in the city? What happened to the others?"

Nick's tentative smile faded to a sad quirking of his lips. "I did promise you, didn't I?"

"I know it hurts you and I wouldn't ask, but this is too much. I need answers, Wilde."

"And you deserve them."

Nick scratched his ears. It was a tick Judy was learning to recognize. He was feeling insecure. That much was transparent. What Judy couldn't grasp was why.

Nick rubbed his paws together, working himself up to finally tell her a few more secrets. It was time to test her. If she didn't run screaming, there was a chance things wouldn't end up so badly. "Judy, based on what you've seen and what I've said, what do you think I do?"

"No idea. You claim to serve the city, but I can't even begin to guess what that could mean, after everything I've seen in the last day."

"A fair answer," the fox replied morosely.

Judy knew it was the wrong answer. She watched his anxiety build. He at a was loss. It was very strange seeing the usually confident vulpine so stripped of his confidence. She told herself afterwards that it was taking pity on him, but something about his vulnerability hurt. She couldn't let it continue. "I do know a few things about you, though." Another mistake.

A flush of relief preceded his mask snapping back into place. "I know I'm irresistible, Carrots. You don't have to tell me."

Judy was caught off guard for a moment. Something just happened and she did not like it. He went from frightened and insecure to typical him in a heartbeat. She did not like being deceived, even if it was necessary for him to feel safe. She needed to strike a balance that would leave him open enough to talk, but comfortable enough to keep going. Humor seemed to work for him, so why not on him, as well? "I know you tend to be cryptic and have a weird appreciation for wall art, for a start."

Nick guffawed and felt better for the lessened tension. Striding off, he replied, "Anything else?"

Judy hurried alongside him. "Well, you use magic to moonlight as a demolitionist and take on gangs. You're unexpectedly chivalrous. You certainly make a decent pilot, even if it's flying a paper airplane."

"Ok, how about an answer that isn't overt flattery?"

"You like to show off a lot."

"I didn't think it was that obvious." Nick groused around a smirk.

"It is." Judy said with a sad smile. "It's also obvious that you are very unsure of how to handle this."

Nick stopped as he felt her paw on his arm. "Alright, Fluff. You win. I'm at a loss because I don't want to scare you off and trust me, this topic might just do it."

"I'm not afraid, Nick."

"That may well change in a few moments, sweetheart." So saying, Nick stopped in front of a large, decrepit service elevator that connected the Nocturnal District to the surface. It was rusted shut and hazard tape covered the whole structure. He didn't even pause for dramatic effect. Reaching out, he sifted through the memory of the place and found what he was looking for. In a firm, clear voice he intoned, "With the power invested in me as Mayor of the City of Zootopia, I declare this new transportation facility open!" and dropped his paw in a cutting motion. The rust vanished, doors popped open and the lights came on in a perfectly functional, newly installed piece of transportation equipment for the city infrastructure, just like the mayor had said all those years ago.

Judy waited until they were aboard and moving upward before she tried to speak, But Nick beat her to the punch. His voice was resigned, but determined. If it was going to come out, it had to in one shot, or it wouldn't at all. "City sorcerers are charged with keeping the city strong and balanced, so it can endure the rough and tumble that comes with simply existing."

"Wait. So, you're an immune system?"

"Of sorts."

Judy decided to leave comprehending that comparison for a time when she had several months to spare. "OK, so what does that have to do with you being the last sorcerer?"

"Bellweather." The bitterness and fury that bled through the single word set Judy's teeth on edge. She had never heard naked hatred before and fervently wished never to hear it again. "I am the only sorcerer left because of her."

"What happened?"

"Zootopia needs sorcerers so it can take the hits that come from existing at all."

"Like natural disasters?"

"Yes, and Mammal made disasters, too."

"Like Bellweather?"

"Like Bellweather." Nick blinked back the tears before he could continue. "Her political movement was like a cancer. It was insidious; poisoning the city slowly. It weakened Her and, by extension, us. Then riots she instigated hurt the city badly. It was because of our work that the city weathered the riots, but it cost a lot of us our lives."

"Hang on a second. The Bellweather riots were over ten years ago!"

"Thirteen, specifically. That's when Nicolas P. Wilde, Private Investigator became Nick Wilde, borderline hobo."

"Wait. What? You were a PI?"

"That I was, Darlin'. When I started my PI service I was already a sorcerer. I figured I'd be able to make a living and help the city at the same time. A lot of us lived like that. We served the city while we earned a living and it all worked out. I was in my third year and finally getting stable when that crazy sheep brought the pred-haters down on us. It was bad, especially for foxes and other "inherently sinister" species."

"I read about her propaganda campaign and what her movement sparked in the city. The civil unrest caused a lot of damage."

"I can vouch for it first-hand. My office was broken into and ransacked, but that was just my job. The city burned and Her servants burned with her. My mentor, Finnick, was killed in one of the riots. He was a fox and small, so he was an easy target. At least he went down fighting."

"Oh, gods... Nick, is that what you meant by the city sorcerers being gone?"

Nick nodded. "The upheaval wasn't just bad for the mammals. Sorcerers are connected to the city. When the riots hit... just imagine what that did to us. A lot of my old friends died from the shock; their bodies rejecting them on a basic level. Some that survived the initial shock died like Finnick, trying to calm the rioters. A few were too hurt to stay connected to the city. They severed their bond with Her and left. By the time it all settled back down and that nut-job ruminant was behind bars, I was almost all that was left. The only other sorcerer in the city was Jabji, an anteater in Sahara Square and he died nine years ago."

"So, you've been only one taking care of the whole city for a decade?"

"Yes."

Judy's slack-jawed stare coincided with the doors opening on the street on Sahara Square. Nick stepped out and padded slowly down the alley towards the sidewalk.

Judy stood, stunned, as she tried to grasp what he had just told her. She couldn't believe what she'd just heard, but it all made too much sense coupled with everything else she had learned. Her focus snapped back into reality just in time to see his tail slip around the corner of the alley and onto the street. She scrambled on the grimy concrete to catch up with him. For the first time since she'd met him, she genuinely feared he would vanish.

Skittering around the corner, she was so relieved to see him standing there, she blurted, "So that's why you're so worn out!" The mortification at her outburst intensified as she noticed the other mammals staring.

His smirk didn't help. "Well reasoned, detective." He chuckled before closing his eyes and lifting his nose and paws to the air currents. "There was a time we had a dozen per district. I've been doing my best to keep up, but all I can do is the minimum. I'm tired, Judy. I need help. This calm won't last forever."

"So you need me."

Nick held up a finger to halt her train of thought. "Not the way you're thinking. The city sent me to find you, but you still have a choice."

"That's comforting, but what did you mean the city sent you to find me? Doesn't she have a hard time communicating what she wants?" Judy asked, her brows wrinkled.

"Hah! Yes. She does, a bit. She usually gives clues. After a while you learn to interpret them." Nick left his paw in the air and felt air, waiting for the telltale signs.

"We went over that last night," Judy chimed in.

The fox nodded in agreement.

"So, what's this about a choice?"

"Breakfast first, Carrots," he replied without opening his eyes, or lowering his paws.

Finally, Judy couldn't contain her curiosity. "What are you doing?"

"Getting paid, Hopps." Judy only had time to quirk an eyebrow before the fox's paw snapped out and plucked something from the air. At first, she thought it was just a dirty piece of paper that had been blowing in the wind, but when he uncrumpled it she discovered it was a bank note. Barely enough for a cheap breakfast for two. Nick smiled shamefacedly at her unasked question. "She takes care of me. It's not much, but it keeps me going."

Nick turned away before he could see the pity seep into her expression. He didn't want her pity. He also didn't want guilt to color her choice any more than it already had. She had to choose for her own reasons, not because she felt sorry for him.

They walked in silence down to a small plaza where a fountain stood. The neighborhood was predominantly small to medium sized mammals and the air was thick with the smell of spices, dried peppers, rice, beans and sofrito. Nick guided them to a sliding window and a shelf with a laminated menu taped to it where they ordered burritos.

The tension was murderous.

Desperate to cut the oppressive atmosphere, Nick cast his senses out across the plaza looking for anything that he could use. All he found was the bad salsa music playing through the tinny speaker over the ordering window. Resigning himself to another bout of embarrassment, he rapped on the window and asked that the music be turned up. The peccary paused his cooking long enough to side-eye his strange customer and poke the volume a little louder. Nick nodded his thanks and before Judy could do anything, he struck; pulling her into an impromptu dance while they waited for their food in the early morning light.

Some minutes, a ravenously devoured meal and a shadow walk later, they were meandering down the street in front of Judy's apartment with fuller bellies and much better humor.

"You were right." Judy admitted contentedly as they arrived at her stoop. "Magic hangover cure is the same as regular hangover cure. I have got to remember that place."

"And I think they'll remember you," Nick teased.

"Yes. Thank you for that." Judy couldn't manage to put and force behind the sarcasm, or hide her smile.

"You are most welcome, Senorita."

Judy laughed and Nick made to leave.

"So for our second date…"

"That wasn't a date, Wilde," came Judy's quick retort, complete with warning glare.

"I know. Just ruffling your fur, Carrots. If it was, I'd be hoping for a good night kiss."

"Well you aren't getting one. Or a good morning kiss either. It isn't night anymore, in case you hadn't noticed."

"Pity, but probably for the best," Nick agreed with a shrug.

"I will say though," Judy added, "that this was the best not-date I've ever had. It's not every night a lady gets to knock over a building, take on a gang with a pawful of lightening and go paragliding."

Nick arched a brow in Judy's direction, his smirk widening to show a hint of fang. "You have strange tastes, rabbit. You talk like that and a mammal might think you'd enjoy a date with me."

"I think I might, if you ever ask me. Although, I think I'd prefer to keep dates and not dates separate for now."

"Are you proposing we keep our professional, city-oriented and personal lives separate."

"As much as we can, but we don't have a personal life yet, Wilde. You need to ask me on a date first."

"Hmmm... well then, when I see you later this week, I'll have to consider doing that."

"I'm not seeing you tonight?"

"Awfully eager aren't you, Hopps?" Nick asked as he waggled his brows.

A touch of red tinted the long ears as they flicked in growing irritation. "That's not what I meant. I thought…"

"I know, sweetheart. You got some answers, but you want more. It's not that I don't want to, but I have to play a little catch up and lay the groundwork for your next lesson. Or "not-date", as you call it."

Seeing her badly concealed crestfallen expression, he decided to throw her a bone. "Listen, Carrots. All teasing aside, I enjoyed last night. It wasn't a date and I'm not going to ask you for one, yet."

"Well, why not?!" Judy kicked herself mentally while he laughed.

"A few reasons," Nick blustered around his humor. "First, we need to see if we can stand each other. But mainly," Nick leaned down to her level and locked eyes with her before finishing. "If I were to take you out, I'd want to be able to do it right. Until then, you'll just have to be a good little rabbit and be patient." On the last word, he booped her nose with his paw pad.

Afterwards, she would claim it was getting revenge for the boop, but really it was thanking him for the nicest thing anyone had said to her in years. Before she could stop herself, she lurched forward and hugged him. She hugged him like she meant it and put everything she had into it. She felt his muscles tense for a beat before he took to a knee and hugged her back. It was a fight for her not to gasp at how good it felt to be held again.

This time, Nick was prepared. A little. He managed to not embarrass himself and maintained his self-control. Blessedly, he didn't need to focus for long. Any untoward thoughts were swiftly blasted from his mind on the wave of raw power that flooded into him. It was her distilled and it felt like heat, light and joy pouring through his withered, cynical little world.

When Judy finally pulled away and looked the fox over, a smile tugged her muzzle up at the corners. From how his fur bristled and the invigorated he looked now wore, she'd accomplished her goal. "I figure since I can't really help you until I learn more, you'd put it to better use."

"Bloody hells, Carrots. Warn a fox first!"

"Nah! Surprised looks good on you." There was something missing between her mouth and her brain. Probably the filter that kept her from sounding like an idiot.

The look he gave her was indecipherable, but something about it made her feel as tall as a giraffe and lighter than air. The feeling only intensified as he fired a wink at her and headed for a shadow at the side of her building. Before he slipped away, she decided to throw caution to the wind and called out. "Hey, Nick?" She had to know.

"Yeah, Fluff?"

Pointing to her eyes she asked, "Are these really why you love the color?"

His smile was genuine as he said, "Absolutely. 100%." Naturally, he had to follow it up with, "You've got a nice tail, too."

Her eyes bugged a touch and her ears flushed at his words. Then, he fired a wink at her and he was gone.

Her arrival at work after a shower and change of clothes went about as she expected. Clawhauser was all over her the moment he saw her. "Date! That. Was. A. Date!"

"It wasn't a date, Benji."

"Oh, now I know it was."

"How so?

"One, you called me Benji. You only do that when you're in a really good, or really vulnerable, mood. Two, you look like you did before you met James; all bright eyes and little bunny strut in your walk. Three, you're swaying your hips to music only you can hear. And four, you've got that smile."

"What smile?"

"That "I just had an awesome night out and I might be in love" smile," Clawhauser replied while leaning his elbows on the counter and resting his head on his paws. Francine, who had paused in making her way past the front desk when she happened to overhear their conversation, bent forward slightly to peek at the rabbit's face.

"I do not!" Judy insisted.

Interjecting, for friendship's sake, the pachyderm shook her head and pointed her trunk at Judy. "Uh, yeah you do Hopps. You're grinning like a fool and it's only gotten worse since we called you on it.

"I do not!"

Lupus leaned around Frannie's leg and pointed in the direction of Judy's head. "Red ears! Confirmed."

"Oh, please. I am not smiling that much." The urge to touch her face and confirm her words was nearly irresistible, but since she could feel her ears flaming, even pressed against her shoulders as they now were, she didn't need to give her coworkers any more ammunition.

Fangmeyer popped up from behind Judy, coffee in hand and ears perked in interest. "Hopps, at this point you look so happy you look lobotomized. That only happens with new romance," came the voice of, dubious, experience.

"Well?" Clawhauser prompted.

"Well what?" Judy replied in a poor effort to feign indifferent innocence.

"Was it a good date?" the cheetah very nearly purred.

"It wasn't a date," the beleaguered bun nearly shouted.

"Oh, come on, Hopps!", Francine pleaded. "Fine! Was it a good night out?"

Judy couldn't hide the grin that curved her muzzle, nor hide the sparkle in her eyes. She couldn't help but have some fun with the situation. "It was magical."

"What did you do?" Wolford's excitement registered at the same level as a school girl's and drew a curious sideways glance from Frangmeyer and Lupus; especially since no one had noticed him join the little group.

"Well, he showed up late, but made up for it. We really tore up the town." Judy smirked. "We ran into a few friends of his. They were a little rough and tumble for my taste, but we came out well from it. It was a lot of fun. He really opened my eyes to some things I've been missing."

Sensing that there was more to the tale Clawhauser asked, "Anything else?"

"A phenomenal view of the city…" came Judy's enigmatic reply. "Spur of the moment dancing in Sahara Square this morning…"

"This morning...?" Fangmeyer sputtered through a mouthful of java.

"At breakfast. I, uh, stayed at his place." All eyes went wide at that announcement and Judy knew there was no way to take back what she had let slip out. For a pregnant moment, besides Claw's whispered, "Oh. M. Goodness…" there was not a sound to be heard.

"It got late!" Judy offered by way of desperate explanation. "I didn't want to come home all the way from the Nox at that hour." It was somewhere around that point when the rabbit realized she should have just kept her muzzle shut.

"Did you…"

"No, Ben. If I had your sniffers would tell you." Amethyst eyes shot a sharp look at Francine's hovering trunk and Wolford's muzzle. "Not even Musk Mask covers up that much."

"So what did you do?" Fangmeyer voiced, her inquiring mind needing to know what could turn the jaded rabbit into a 'honey-bun'.

"He was a complete gentlemammal. He gave me his bed and he slept on a chair," was the prim reply.

"Is that all?" Fangmeyer asked.

"Yes!" Judy replied firmly.

Lupins' and Fangmeyer's disappointment was almost visceral. Wolford, on the other hand, sighed an, "Awww…"

"Oh wow... talk about a turnaround!" commented Francine.

"Oh, shut up," Judy waved her friend off.

But Francine refused to be silenced. She was genuinely happy for her friend, after witnessing so much time spent in misery after James' betrayal. "I mean it, Jude."

"I know. I know."

Wolford piped up, "Did you give him a kiss good night?"

"Nope!" the rabbit answered quickly, only to be taken aback by the looks of disappointment, shock, and outright disbelief. "What? I told you it wasn't a date. He needs to ask me out for that to happen," she explained.

"Ok, what?" Lupuss yelped.

This led Judy rolled her eyes. They just didn't seem to get it. "It was a night out, not a date. When he asks me properly, I'll consider it."

"And when will that be?" Clawhauser asked her.

"I don't know. I'll find out when I see him later this week," Judy replied softly, almost shyly.

"O. M. Goodness. Judy, you are playing hard to get! Do you think he'll really ask you?" the cheetah squealed giddily.

Taking a moment to think before she responded this time, Judy finally replied. "Considering what he said early this morning? Yes."

Eyes wide, Clauhauser clasped his hands as he demanded to know, "What did he say?"

"That if I kissed like I hug, his fur would be sparking. I think the odds are good he'll be a good boy and ask me to dinner soon." With that Judy gave a wink and sauntered off, hips swaying as her movements bordered on swaggering.

"Damn…" Lupus whistled.

"Somebunny plays for keeps…" Fangmeyer stated with a shrug.

"And some fox knows how to show somebunny a good time," Francine sighed.

"You jealous you never gave him the time of day?" Fangmeyer asked the pachyderm.

"Oh, please, I don't do males! I'm not a fair-weather rug muncher," she replied with cheerful airiness.

Judy knew was just bending the truth, but it felt good to have a few secrets. If she was really honest with herself, it wasn't far from the truth. It made her shiver with excitement to recall all they had done that night. It also surprised her that she was thinking so much about the possibility he had been serious. They had been joked about him asking her out and he had said he'd do it if he could do it justice. It was all vague and uncertain, but the more she considered it, the more she hoped he would, eventually.

In the meantime, she had a job to do.