Hey there! So in this chapter we will get to hear our favorite purple eyed firewatcher sing a little song. I just wanted to take a moment an tell you the song so if you want to take a minute to find it and give it a listen. I think it will allow you to enjoy the scene a little more if you know exactly what is being sung: The Moon Song by Karen O

Hope you enjoy the chapter.

Fast days, rough nights

"Ah Nick! Stop I can't breathe!" Judy gasped over the radio in between fits of laughter.

Nick meanwhile sat silently at the desk inside his firewatch tower. His eyes staring directly at the computer screen in front of him. A loading screen sat on the monitor as the computer made a series of loud whirring noises as it tried its hardest to complete the task Nick had requested it to do.

The only problem was the loading screen had been in the fox's face for the past 10 minutes. Nick liked to think he was patient but no mammal was that patient. All he had tried to do was load the parks department home page on the stupid thing!

Nick felt his eye twitch as the computer continued to fight him. It was almost as if it was taunting the poor fox.

The computer stopped making the load noises and instead settled on a few small clicks.

"Okay, it's done contacting the space station," Nick said softly into the walkie talkie.

This just invited more of Judy's lovely laughter as the supervisor began to giggle and snort from the fox's hijinks.

"This is just too good!" Judy managed to get out as her labored breathing filled the radio waves.

Nick had just gotten back to his tower roughly 20 minutes ago. He had spent a little time trying to rest and get settled in after his long hike all over his region.

Earlier that day Judy had sent him to check a series of phone lines in his region. She had been having trouble raising the parks department main office and was worried that the line was down. She was right in her assumption. Nick had managed to find the down line, the only problem was it hadn't been taken down by accident. It had obviously been cut. The question was by who.

Of course that question had been pushed aside when a smoke trail had been spotted in the southern parts of the Two Forks region. Nick had quickly responded to the smoke trail to make sure the whole darn forest didn't go up in flames.

After meeting the park superintendent and everyone's favorite ranger Nick returned to his tower. Only with a bit of a skip in his step. Judy had given him a hint to her identity for saving the forest yet again. This was big news to Nick. Like very big news.

I mean when you have a huge crush on….

When you really like….

It is important to know who you are working with. There, that was a lot better. Or was it?

Either way all that mattered was Nick now knew Judy's fur color along with her eye color. This would help him narrow down his choices when it came to guessing her species which had been a constant thing in the back of his mind. Well actually it had been the primary focus during his whole time here.

Nick thought back to when he first arrived at his tower and how he had been greeted by the sweet voice. He had let slip he was a fox and had eagerly awaited Judy to tell him her species. Of course she just had to make a game of the whole thing and he was stuck still trying to guess.

After Nick had taken a few minutes to relax from his days adventures he had eagerly turned to his computer for some answers.

"Gray fur, purple eyes," He had begun to describe what he knew about Judy as he allowed the computer to warm up. Of course he couldn't help himself as he continued to describe the other things he knew about Judy, "Sweet voice, cute laughter, witty sense of humor, kind heart….."

He had to stop himself because even he felt this was just too cheesy.

What was supposed to be a simple task of checking out the parks department website had turned into a torturous waiting game as the fox sat and watched the computer try to process his request. He had waited 10 minutes now. 10 very long minutes.

The clicking noises now came to a stop and the page on the screen started to change.

"Ok! Here we go! You're in trouble now!" Nick exclaimed as he scooted his chair closer to the desk.

"Oh geeze…" Judy said hesitantly.

The screen popped up with the Parks department's main home page.

Nick used the mouser and quickly scrolled down to the gallery link. He clicked it once and waited.

Then he clicked it again.

Then again.

The computer finally took the hint and began to process the new task of opening the gallery page.

"Already, just 2 more hours and we will finally have our answer!" Nick pointed out. He was a little annoyed at how slow the whole process was going today.

"So I have two hours to go in and change all the pictures?" Judy teased.

"Don't you dare!"

"Couldn't if I wanted to, my computer is going super slow today too!" Judy pointed out. "Gave up like 5 minutes ago, been working on a crossword puzzle."

"What's the clue?" Nick asked, deciding to join in on his supervisor's game.

"5 letters: Striped feline," Judy came back sweetly.

"Tiger!" Nick said quickly, "So this is a book for ages 5 and up I am guessing?"

"Shut up," Judy giggled. "4 letter word for pack mammal?"

"Wolf," Nick replied as he stretched his arms, "ages 4 and up?"

"Oh found one I know," Judy said playfully.

"What's that?"

"3 letter word for super smug," Judy responded, "I put fox!"

"Har har..."

"Yeah, I don't know who made this but I am starting to feel insulted…I think this was supposed to be for kits or something..." Judy mumbled over the radio. "Worst coloring book ever..."

Nick let out a laugh at the last part, "Coloring book?"

"Gotta do something to past the time," Judy pointed out.

"Like stopping two forest fires?"

"Oh hush, you have stopped one this season tops!"

"One more than you," Nick pointed out.

There was a pause over the radio, "You really want to play that game?"

"Last time I checked I was playing," Nick began and then just to add a little icing on top, "playing and winning."

"Okay, keep it up there Wilde!"

To hear Judy use his last name like that. The playfulness in her tone. The way her words lingered on the word. It felt so right.

Nick turned his head so he could look at Judy's tower once more. It was a comforting sight to him now. Knowing she was there. Nick lost himself as he just stared at the tower in the distance. Wondering what Judy was up to, besides kit crossword puzzles of course.

There was a small series of chirping noises from the computer and Nick turned to check the screen.

The fox froze at the image he saw.

"NO! No way!" He practically shouted over the radio.

"Nick what is it?!" Judy asked nervously, "Are you ok?"

Nick stared at the monitor and he felt his eye twitch once more.

After all this waiting, all this time, all his hard work.

"We apologize but the gallery to the parks department is currently down for updating"

-Day 11-

"We apologize but the gallery to the parks department is currently down for updating" The screen read as Nick checked for what must have been the 10th time that day.

Nick stared at the screen.

"We apologize but the gallery to the parks department is currently down for updating."

The fox continued to stare, as if the computer would get the hint.

"We apologize but the gallery to the parks department is currently down for updating."

Nick suddenly had an idea as to why someone would break into a tower and throw one of these stupid things out the window.

"Oh hey the gallery is back up!" Judy said happily over the walkie.

Nick practically jumped out of his seat as her clicked the refresh button on the monitor.

"We apologize but the gallery to the parks department is currently down for updating."

Nick looked down at the walkie in his paw and felt a fire start to burn inside him. There was a few moments of silence before the small device burst into a sweet laughter.

"I'm sorry Nick but I couldn't help it!" Judy exclaimed between her fits of laughter.

"I'm gonna throw you in the lake at the cook out," Nick grumbled over the radio which only caused Judy to respond with more giggling.

-Day 12-

"Seriously who is running the parks site?"

"Well I mean we have a whole IT department working on that thing," Judy pointed out.

"You think it was that Atom?"

"What about Atom?" Judy responded rather defensively.

"You think he is behind this? Wouldn't past the guy!"

"You best watch what you say about Atom, he has got a lot of friends around here!" Judy said sharply.

Nick smirked, he had a feeling he had just struck a nerve. He logged that away for later use.

It had been two days since the computer in Nick's tower had slowed down to a snail's pace. Which was saying something since the darn thing had already been slow to begin with. Of course when the computer finally did load the website Nick had so eagerly been trying to access he was met with a few page errors.

Nick cursed his bad luck and began to wonder if the universe was out to get him. Someone up there must have had a weird sense of humor since he had just been told more facts about Judy and the only way to figure out her species was now blocked to him.

What made things worse was the fact that there wasn't exactly much else to do out here except sit and look out windows.

The fox had turned to trying new tactics in an attempt to gain more knowledge of Judy's identity. He had started asking her what kind of food she ate. Which didn't help much because most mammals enjoyed candy, which was Judy's answer every time.

"Well besides candy?" The fox had asked. There had been a whole minute of silence before Judy responded.

"More candy!" She exclaimed happily. It was like talking to a cub in a candy store.

Nick had been resolved to die of boredom and not know the identity of his crus….his supervisor in the next tower.

What had saved Nick in the end was the fact he was low on supplies and food stuffs. This was actually a good thing because it meant that he was due for a supply run. He had been told ahead of time about the supply drop program. Towers would have drop points in which they could travel to in order to pick up food and other such supplies. These drops were maintained by the rangers who every few weeks or so would travel through the forest to drop off box's labeled for the various towers, research stations, and camp sites.

The hike to the supply cache was actually quite the trek. It led him so far north of his region that he began to wonder if he was in Two Forks anymore.

Of course this excited him a little, because he was now even closer to Judy's tower than ever before.

"What about Trisha? You think she crashed the site?" Nick keyed up the radio, returning to the conversation he had been having with Judy.

"Doubt it, she has been kind of busy out in your region. Poor doe is covering extra areas till Delta gets back from leave," Judy pointed out.

"She could have thrown a pinecone or something at the servers or something," Nick suggested as he took a moment to enjoy the view from his path. The fox looked out at the sea of green that rose slowly to a set of mountains. The sun was in the middle of the sky but a cool breeze kept Nick from overheating.

"Pinecone!" Judy cheered happily over the radio.

Nick chuckled as he looked back at his walkie and began down the path once more.

"Pinecone," Nick responded playfully, "Where is that from anyways?"

"Where is what from?"

"Pinecones?"

"Those are from trees Nick," Judy said plainly.

Nick stopped mid step and looked at his radio. His eye lids drooping into what could plainly be the perfect example of a "really?" face.

"I'll take it from your silence you are too busy laughing at my amazing joke," Judy giggled.

"Don't quit your day job boss," Nick grumbled as he started off again, passing the sign that read: Supply Cache.

"Can't," Judy began with a sigh, "Forest would burn down without me. Plus you would miss me too much."

Nick smirked as he took in a deep breath, "Could always come with you"

"Oh, that would be fun! A Fox and Leopard against the world!"

"Snow Leopard," Nick corrected her.

"Oh that's right, because of the fur!" Judy said jokingly.

Today Nick had guessed Judy was a snow leopard. He had seen a few back in Zootopia and remembered they were well known for their beautiful gray fur. Now that Nick knew the fur color of his…. Of Judy he was hoping to zero in on her species.

Of course part of him was a little worried about when he finally did figure her out. Mainly because he had started to enjoy the little jokes they shared about her new daily species.

Nick came up to a small fork in the path. To the left he could see a large green supply cache in the distance. He knew that it most likely contained all the supplies he would need for a week or two. However there was something far more interesting to the right. A small weathered sign "Thourfare Gondola".

The fox tilted his head as he studied the sign. He didn't really know what to make of it. It couldn't be that easy could it?

A gondola to Judy's region?

Why hadn't she mentioned this before?

Nick decided to keep the questions to himself for now and strolled down the path. It only took him a minute or two but he soon turned a corner and saw it. Right there in front of his eyes sat a large orange box that was suspended by a cable system.

It really did exist!

"So found a fun ride out here," Nick began. He felt a little annoyed Judy hadn't mentioned this before. Was she ashamed somehow to meet him?

"Oh yeah? They finally build that roller coaster over there?" Judy chuckled.

"Nope, found a gondola ride though," He said plainly, letting his words sink in.

"Oh that thing?" Judy began warmly, "Hope you realize you walked right past your supply drop."

"Why didn't you tell me this was here?" Nick said, his voice turning slightly cold.

Judy must have caught on because it took her a moment to respond and when she finally did she had a sweet yet serious voice, "Because even if I had it wouldn't matter. Neither of us have keys to it! It's for emergency use only! Nick if it was an option…you know I would…" Judy trailed off and Nick closed his eyes. He was an idiot, this was happening way too much lately.

Of course Judy would have told him this was an option if it worked. She had mentioned wanting to meet eventually but only if it was face to face. If the gondola was available surely she would have told him to use it.

An idea popped into his mind though, a rather slick idea.

"What kind of emergencies?" He asked with a wicked grin as he eyed the transportation across the ravine.

"The serious kind," Judy said with a sigh, already knowing where the fox was going with all this.

"Oh NO!" Nick shouted into his radio, "Judy quick! There is a tornado that just touched down here! Oh no! It's coming this way! I have to get out of here quick!"

"Oh no," Judy began with a mock panic, "A tornado you say? How did our weather equipment miss that? One sec, I have to call this in!"

Nick let out a sigh, knowing this wouldn't work but decided to just enjoy the show.

"What's that?" Judy came back over the radio, obviously pretending to be on the phone which they both knew didn't work. "You say there hasn't been a tornado landing here in over a thousand years? This is some kind of mysterious meteorological phenomenon? You need Nick there to gather what information he can before he is sucked up into the void? You say you will build a statue in his honor? Ok I will tell him!"

Nick began to laugh at Judy's antics. It was almost worth the disappointment of not seeing her, almost.

"There is another thing about the gondola…" Judy began to say. Nick caught his breath and listened in. "It requires keys which I don't have, trust me I checked."

"When is the last time you checked?" Nick asked as he looked from the gondola and then to Judy's tower in the distance.

"Don't want to say," Judy grumbled.

"Judy!"

"A few nights ago..." Judy said nervously.

"Thanks."

"For what?"

"For at least trying," Nick said happily. He couldn't explain why but just knowing Judy had tried made him feel a lot better.

"One day Nick," Judy responded softly.

"Soon," Nick whispered to himself as he turned and headed back down the path.

-Day 13-

"Nick!"

The fox groaned slightly as he stirred in his bed.

"Nick wake up!"

Nick groaned once more as he tried to open his eyes. The best he could do was squint. The canine slowly sat up in bed and looked around. He was a little confused at first and it took him a moment to gage his surroundings.

The tower was dark. Mainly because the forest was dark. The fox scanned the horizon and saw that it was still night or at least very early morning. The sun was nowhere near ready to rise and the moon still shown up in the dark sky.

"Nick get up," Judy's voice came from the walkie on Nick's desk.

The fox looked from the walkie and then to Judy's tower. No lights were on in the distance which meant she was either sitting in the dark or wasn't awake at all. Then why was he hearing her voi-

"Nick I need you to pick up your radio," Judy said sternly.

This had to be a dream, no way would Judy be waking him up unless there was a fire. Nick stood up lazily and scratched his side as he looked around the windows and out his tower. There was no smoke in sight and no fire. So why was she waking him.

Nick skulked over to his desk and picked up the radio. He let out a long yawn as he let his eyes close slightly before he keyed up the radio.

"Judy, it's like 3 am, what's going on?"

"You have a call," Judy said plainly.

This was odd. Why would he have a call? Who would be calling him?

"Hey Nick..." Came a familiar voice.

Nick felt his stomach knot and his blood go cold. Though the voice sounded sweet it carried with it painful memories.

"Cabo….."He caught himself. No, she didn't go by that anymore, she had lost that right. "Debbie?"

"Hi," The voice responded, trying to sound sweet but it just felt wrong and Nick felt his body start to shake.

"What do you want?" He asked coldly. How did she find him? Why was she calling? Why did Judy connect this call?

"I just wanted to see how you were doing slick," Debbie said sweetly.

"Don't call me that," Nick growled through gritted teeth.

"Easy now, I am just trying to make sure you are alright!"

"Why do you care?" Nick spat back.

"I just do."

"No you don't!" Nick did his best not to shout. "You obviously don't so don't try and play the sweet and innocent type! You and I both know that's not who you really are!"

"Yes it is," Debbie responded, "Listen just because we didn't work out doesn't mean we can't be friends."

"We didn't work out?" Nick asked with a laugh, "You mean I didn't work out? Because last time I checked I was happy with you! I was the one who wanted to make it last! You were the one who up and left me for some other fox."

"That's not exactly what happened," Debbie lied.

"That is literally what happened!" Nick shouted, his anger getting the best of him. "You left me for some fox you met on the internet! You lied to me!"

"How did I lie?"

"You said you were moving for school! To go back to college which you dropped out of! Which I helped pay for by the way!"

"I wanted to go back, it just didn't work out…" Debbie tried to change the subject. It didn't work. Nick had been wanting to say these things for a while. Since she had apparently called him he felt now was as good a time as any.

"No, you just wanted to move in with him! You lied about school! You lied about him! And now we both have to deal with it!"

"Really Nick?" Debbie said in an annoyed tone. "What's there to deal with? I mean I moved away so you don't even have to see me!"

"You know what it's like having to go every day having to explain to all our friends that you are gone?!" Nick shot back. "You just left, you never explained anything to anyone. You left that for me to do! It's what I have been doing since you left! Every day mammals would ask where you were, how you were doing, telling me to send you their love!"

"Nick, just calm down!"

"Calm down?!" Nick wanted to hit something. "Don't you ever tell me to calm down! You left!"

There was silence over the radio.

"You left…" Nick repeated, his anger fading and a new emotion filling him.

"You left me…."Nick said as tears welled up in his eyes. "What did I do wrong…?"

Nicks questions were only met by silence.

The fox fell to his knees and curled up on the floor as painful memories filled his mind.

"Nick?!"

It wasn't Debbie.

"Nick come in!"

It was Judy. She sounded scared.

"Nick please come in!"

"I'm…I'm here…"

"Nick are you okay?" Judy sounded panicked, almost frantic even.

"I….I don't know…"Nick sobbed. "Judy why did you connect that call?"

"What call?!" Judy asked, her voice filled with confusion and concern.

"You connected her here….to me…."

"Nick I have been asleep! You woke me up! You were screaming over the radio!" Judy explained.

It had been a dream. No. A nightmare.

"Nick what happened?! Who were you talking to?"

Nick remained curled up on the floor before he began to sob.

"Nick please say something!" Judy cried out. He could hear the sadness in her voice.

"Im….im here…" Nick responded, trying to get the shaking out of his voice.

"I know you are. I am here too Nick," Judy explained, her voice filled with sweetness.

"Please…don't go back to sleep..." He begged.

"I won't Nick, I am here with you," Judy said, her own voice sounded shaken.

There were a few seconds of silence. This was dangerous though. With nothing to distract him Nick began to think of her. That smile, those eyes, how she left-

"I'm lying on the moon..."

The images of the vixen faded away.

"My dear I'll be there soon..."

Judy's sweet voice filled the radio and soon the tower echoed with her lovely song as she did the only thing she could think of.

"It's a quiet starry place"

A set of purple eyes popped into Nick's mind.

"Times we're swallowed up in space we're here a million miles out in space..."

It was just the eyes though. Those beautiful purple eyes. He didn't care what body they belonged to. Just as long as they belonged to her.

"There's things I wish I knew..."

The whole time Judy had her mic keyed up. Nick didn't care though. He had nothing to say. He didn't want to say anything for once. He just wanted to listen to that sweet voice as it filled his ears with a song.

"There's no thing I'd keep from you..."

As Nick listened to Judy he felt his body begin to warm, the tears stop, and his emotions calm.

Judy continued to serenade Nick with the sweet song. When it finally came to an end she took a moment to release her control of the frequency. Nick knew he had to say something or Judy might grow concerned. He racked his brain for something to say.

"Judy?"

"Yeah Nick?"

"Pinecone."

Judy let out a soft giggle before whispering into the radio, "You too Nick..."

Song Credit: The moon song –Karen O

Thank you all for the continue support and reviews!