"How do you think he'll take the news when he finds out his little girl is dating an ex-con-mammal fox?"
Nick jumped in surprise, almost losing his grip on the kill-switch, as the wall around him roared to life; breathing forth the snow-storm. Checking his phone with frost-bit paws, Nick saw that it was three o'clock, on the dot. Nick also noted his phones background; a touching photo from Judy and his' first date.
Returning his attention to his corded radio, Nick found that the line had gone static. Dropping his radio to the side, Nick let the severed life-line dangle from the obnoxious radio-pack.
A nasally chuckle began to escape Nick. He couldn't help but think how absurd his situation was. An ex-con turned cop, sacrifices himself for a city he used to never believe in. It was funny to Nick. Nick's chuckle grew to a pained laugh and his laugh to a violent yell of frustration.
The bitter cold offered Nick no solace in his final moments, and bit deeper and deeper into his worn and failing body. Nick slumped to his knees, paw all but frozen to the hefty switch, as he attempted to make peace with his situation.
"It's f-f-fucking c-cold, C-Carrots…" shuttered Nick to himself. "I-I'm gonna m-miss ya'…"
Nick pressed his eyes shut tight, breath slowing in the cold. A single tear rolled down and froze to the fox's cheek. Nick's brain began to make the final rounds before closing up shop for good.
Nick's life began to flash across his mind's eye.
Nick did not see flashes of a single mother doing her best to raise him. Nick did not see his life on the streets. All these memories were from a dark and suppressed time; those memories belonged to an entirely different fox.
Instead, Nick saw Judy. Nick recalled Judy saving him from certain death in the rainforest district. Nick remembered their touching gondola-ride to city hall. Nick remembered solving the Night Howlers case, and Judy's redemption. The last two years with the love of his life played out for the fox, offering him closure as his breathing all but came to a stop.
Nick remembered planning a vacation with his girlfriend, and then something marvelous happened. Lightning struck the barrier in Nick's mind, and his lost memories came pouring back to him.
Nick remembered everything.
Nick remembered his disastrous proposal, singing to Judy at their "spot," boxing with her father, teaching the old bunny to dance, and ultimately the moment he had mended Judy's broken heart.
Nick's eyes snapped open as he gasped for breath in a desperate bid to reawaken his body. Nick's heart beat furiously as it fought to bring the rest of his organs back online.
Nick shook the pain out of his head as he recalled his memories, and realized; Judy and him were engaged.
"Awe, god d-damn it, brain!" Nick cursed himself. Working his way back to his feet, Nick realized that if he died in this wall, it would ruin Judy. Nick was no longer content to die for Judy; instead, Nick now needed to live for her.
Frantically, Nick searched his surroundings with a renewed fervor. The fox looked for anything he could use to hold the switch in place. Spinning about his captive paw, Nick began to curse himself; "C-come on Nick! Th-think of some-thing; a-a-anything…"
Nick trailed off as his frostbitten ear caught the sound of something dragging about his feet. Looking to the source, Nick saw his corded radio.
"You piece of g-garbage…" Nick said as a smile crept across his frosty muzzle. Reaching behind himself with numb paws, Nick fought to retrieve the oversized radio pack from his belt. After muttering a few choice words, the block dropped to the floor with a heavy thud. Pulling the system to himself with the hand-set, Nick stretched and tested the obnoxious cable before tying it about the kill-switch; securing the lever in place. "J-Judy was right… I g-guess you're not entirely useless."
Nick laughed at his handy-work, before doing a slow motion fist-pump of celebration. Spinning on his heels, Nick made to leave the wall, and fell flat on his face. The bitter cold had chilled and bitten the fox's muscles into near immovable masses of frozen flesh. Clambering back to his feet, Nick wheezed and leaned against a wall for support.
"C-come on, N-Nicholas… J-Judy n-needs us…" Nick told himself as he staggered and stumbled his way through the frozen expanses of the wall. Nick's violent shivering had been reduced to a thick numbness as he stood at-odds with his hypothermia. Rounding a corner, Nick almost cried as he saw the break in the wall. Sahara square had never looked so welcoming to the fox.
Staggering the last few steps, Nick collapsed into the sunlight, which burnt and scolded his frozen flesh. Nick didn't care, the sun felt amazing. However, Nick was struck with panic as he recognized the sound of a helicopter preparing for take-off.
Nick tried to call-out, but his voice only came as a gravely croak before being cut down by a coughing fit. Nick tried to scramble back to his feet, but his body had exhausted its supply of adrenaline, leaving the fox to crawl and stagger his way to the helicopter.
Getting closer and closer, Nick was finally able to look into the cab. Judy sat on one bench, cradling Nick's badge, consumed by emotion. On the other bench, Chief Bogo sat and stared down at his own hooves in resigned defeat. The helicopter began to lift off the ground, and Nick realized he would not make it.
In a last ditch bid for attention, Nick threw a rock.
The tiny stone flew from the frozen fox, through the air, and into the side of the iron buffalo's skull. Snapping his furious attention to the source, Bogo's face crumpled up in confusion before lighting up with recognition.
"PUT US DOWN!" bellowed the cape buffalo before jumping from the still rising helicopter. Landing with a heavy thud, the massive mammal charged towards the wobbly fox.
Nick feared that the Chief would crush him with a hug, as the iron mammal scooped him off his feet. Cradling Nick in his massive arms, the buffalo made to carry his battered detective back to the helicopter.
"Is the switch secure, Detective?" asked the Chief.
"Yes sir…" replied the frost-bitten fox.
"Good work, detective… I'm proud of you."
"Thank you sir…"
"But if you ever throw a rock at me again… you'd better hope your already dying, Wilde" a thin smile crept across the buffalo's iron muzzle as they closed in on their ride.
"Say chief," Nick asked from the nook of Chief Bogo's sculpted chest "promise to carry me like this on our wedding Night?"
Nick's smug smile disappeared entirely as the massive mammal dropped him onto the floor of the helicopter.
Judy was snapped away from her emotions by Nick's yelp. Looking up to the source, Judy's words failed her.
"Hay, Carrots…" Nick mumbled as he made his way over to his crippled fiancé. Judy's shattered visage broke Nick's heart as she held her arms out for him. Nick carefully scooped Judy up and into his lap, where she began to sob uncontrollably. Nick simply pet Judy's long grey ears as he waited for her sorrow to wane. Meanwhile, the helicopter lifted back off the ground, carrying it's passengers to the Sacred Lions hospital.
"Y-you c-came back…" Judy sniffled, finally composing herself enough to speak.
Nick reached a frozen paw into the collar of Judy's uniform, and pulled out the necklace which held their engagement ring. Judy watched as Nick took the ring, and placed it back on her finger where it belonged.
"Of course I did, Carrots" Nick chuckled as Judy wrapped him in a murderously tight hug. "It'll take more than an apocalypse to take me away from my bunny-girl."
Dear reader,
Firstly, I'm sorry. I am sorry that I tricked all of you into thinking Nick had been killed in the wall. It was always my intention to have Nick survive, and I do plan to complete at least four stories. That being said; THANK YOU FOR READING MY WORK! I have had an absolute blast writing this and cannot wait to start my next story. I am going to be offline for about a month while I plan and write for the next part, but please feel free to write me if you guys have any questions or input. Before you go, please be sure to write a review, leave a favorite, or make a suggestion. I do this for me, but also for you guy. So please, give me your thought.
Nick and Judy will return in; Off Without a Hitch
Thank you for reading,
-Duke