"Chief Bogo here."

Nick and Chief Bogo had been driving back to the ZPD, coffee cups in hand, laughter and jokes filling the car, when the Chief's phone had begun to buzz loudly. The Chief had almost veered the car into another lane as the voice that came from the other end of the call made him jump.

"Give the phone to Nick!"

"Excuse me, Hopps–"

"Give him the damn phone!"

Absolutely stunned, the Chief practically threw his phone in Nick's direction, all while muttering "it's for you." Nick had laughed, not very concerned due to the fact that he was still completely oblivious to the situation, and had brought the phone to his ear.

"Hello?"

"Nick?"

"That's my name, don't wear it out."

"Nick, now is not the time."

"Who is this?"

"You know exactly who this is!"

"Oh, Carrots!" Nick chuckled. "Geez, it's been a while, huh?"

"Nick!"

"God, lighten up, Carrots. I'm just joking around–"

"I'm in labor."

"Hmm?"

"Are you even listening to me? I just went into labor. I need you here right now."

"Aw, can't I finish this cup of coffee first?"

"Nick!"

"Kidding!"

"You definitely weren't!"

"It's probably just another Braxton Hick, Carrots. Relax."

"I've had almost six in the last hour. These are real."

Nick's breath caught in his throat, making him cough slightly. He felt the balloon in his chest fill so rapidly with air, it seemed to explode. Almost three years of knowing Judy, two years of dating, ten months of expecting babies; all of it led to this.

"What?"

"I am in labor and you need to get here now!"

Eyes watering from the ragged cough, Nick went into full gear, somewhat ready for the situation.

"Uhm, how far apart are your contractions?"

"I don't know! I'm not paying attention!"

"Okay, I want you to take a deep breath and relax. We're on our way."

Nick motioned to the phone and then mouthed "ZPD" for the Chief to see, which he agreed to with a silent nod. He then turned his full attention back to Judy again.

"Where are you?" he asked.

"In the lobby."

"At the ZPD, right?"

"Where the hell else would I be?"

"Good point; that was a stupid question."

"You think?"

"How are you?"

"I hurt everywhere, and I am feeling everything, so how do you think I am?"

Judy let out a groan as another contraction struck her. Nick felt his heart ache at the thought of not being there to help her through what was bound to be one of the most important moments in her life. When he was sure the contraction was over and only the sound of Judy's heavy breathing could be heard, Nick spoke again.

"I'm almost there. You are doing great."

"I don't think I can do this, Nick."

Her voice was shaky as it wavered with pain and fear.

"Carrots, you can do this."

"I can't!"

"Yes, you can, okay? Just listen to me."

"No, I can't! I can't do this!"

A feeling shot through Nick's heart as if it were breaking. If he could be anywhere in the world in that instant, he would be right next to Judy, but right now, that wasn't happening, and Judy was panicking.

"Carrots, it's going to be okay. I'm right here."

"But you aren't! You aren't here!"

"I am, listen to my voice."

"Nick?"

"Yes?"

"I'm scared."

"I am too… but we are going to get through this, okay?"

"O-okay, okay."

"Just breathe, alright?"

"Nick, I've been breathing."

Nick rolled his eyes, but stopped when he heard Judy's voice again.

"I swear to God I can hear you rolling your eyes."

Then, they were laughing, laughing at everything that they had experienced in the last ten months, in the last three years. They were laughing because they were scared. They were laughing because they loved one another. They were laughing because they were starting a family.

They laughed for several minutes until reality struck when Nick heard Judy's laughing cease as another contraction hit her with the force of a tidal wave.

"How ya doing?"

"I'm going to kill you for putting me through this," the bunny huffed.

"Hey, we've discussed this; I'm too handsome for that."

"I'm serious. You are dead, roadkill, food for bugs."

"Ah, I would believe you if you had life insurance on me."

Nick heard Judy give an agitated sigh and couldn't help but smile, which just like his eye roll, was cut short.

"Don't smile," she snapped.

"I'm not smiling," Nick lied with ease.

"Don't lie to me either."

"I'm not lying–"

"I know you are lying, Nick! Ugh, do you want me to kill you?"

"Even if I answer 'yes' to that question, you are in no state to carry out such actions."

"I hate when you're right."

With his mouth hanging open, Nick turned to the Chief.

"You heard that, right? You heard her say I'm right?"

"Nick!"

Judy's screech made the fox jump a foot, resulting in him nearly dropping the Chief's phone. In the background, the Chief was snickering quietly at the spectacle that was taking place, completely forgetting how he had also jumped when Judy had screamed at him earlier on. Quickly collecting himself, Nick put the phone to his ear, and began speaking in his "sweet" voice.

"Yes, Daring?"

"Shut up!"

"Yes, Darling."

Judy was attempting to throw another insult at Nick when she was cut short, her voice turning into a painful breath.

"Carrots?" Nick asked, worried. "How ya doing?"

"My water just broke."

This time, it was Nick that let out a painful breath.

"Are you sure?"

"Oh, I don't know, Nick, I may have just peed my pants, because that sure does happen often!"

Nick put his paw over the receiver and turned to the Chief.

"Step on it, this is happening."

The Chief nodded without a word and Nick began to speak to Judy again.

"We're on the way," he assured her. "Do you think you can make it?"

"How far are you?"

"Seconds away at most."

"Yeah, I think so."

"Okay, just hold on."

"I can't believe this is really happening. The last ten months went by so fast."

"That's what you think," Nick muttered.

"What was that, Nick?"

"Oh, uh, nothing."

"It better have been nothing."

"Just keep breathing, Carrots."

"Labor really sucks–Ooh."

"What happened?"

"Another contraction."

"How do you feel?"

"How do you think I feel? I'm having four babies!"

"Believe it or not, I knew that."

When they arrived at the ZPD, Chief Bogo didn't even fully stop the car before letting Nick out. In less than a second, Nick was out of the car and practically flying as he bolted into the building, every muscle in his body screaming out in protest. He slammed past the glass doors and into the lobby.

"Carrots?"

"Here!"

Judy was leaning against the reception desk, one paw keeping her balanced against the desk and the other holding one of Clawhauser's paws. Although she was much smaller in comparison, Judy was managing to squeeze part of Clawhauser's paw so hard that he was actually wincing. Nick wasted no time in running over and swooping Judy up into his arms.

"Oh God, you're heavy," Nick huffed as he nodded at Clawhauser, who was cradling his crushed paw, before he began making his way back outside.

"Now is so not the time, Nick!"

"You are also soaking wet."

"What did you think 'my water just broke' meant?"

Nick rolled his eyes and quickly, but carefully, carried Judy out of the ZPD and into the backseat of the cruiser. He laid Judy down across the seats headfirst and then slid in beside her, shutting the door as he did so. The Chief immediately hit the accelerant and began making his way to the hospital with police lights flashing. Judy readjusted so that she was partially sitting up while still lying across the seats. Nick reached over and rubbed one of her arms soothingly with his paw. "We're almost there, Carrots," he stated reassuringly.

Judy took a deep breath and closed her eyes momentarily.

"This hurts," she gasped.

"You are doing great, just keep breathing."

"Give me your paw."

"I don't think that would be the best idea–"

"Give me your paw, Nicholas!"

"Okay! Okay, here–Ah!"

"What are you complaining about?" Judy scoffed. "I'm the one in pain!"

"I know, I know. How far apart are the contractions now?"

"You aren't keeping track?"

"Should I be?"

"Nick!"

"Sorry! I'm keeping track now, I promise–"

"No, I'm having another one!"

"Okay, I'm keeping track–ah, watch the paw!"

"Ooh, ouch!"

"Just keep breath–alright, my paw is definitely broken."

"Stop being overdramatic!"

"Yes, Datling," Nick said sarcastically with a pained, yet lazy, expression.

Almost eight minutes, and one more contraction later, the Chief pulled his police cruiser directly in front of the automatic doors that marked the entrance of the hospital. Nick slid out of the car and helped guide Judy out and into his arms. Shutting the door with his hip, Nick began carrying Judy into the hospital as the Chief sped away to finding a parking spot in the parking complex. Judy gripped onto the front of Nick's shirt tightly as the fox hurried to the receptionist desk, where a very kind looking otter sat behind a computer.

"Hi, uh," Nick stumbled. "We're having a baby–well, my wife–uh, my fiancé is having a baby–no, four babies actually, and we–"

"I went into labor about twenty minutes ago," Judy stated shortly as she cut a stammering Nick off.

The otter smiled pleasantly and quickly found them a nurse to lead them to a room. It didn't take long for a few nurses to help Judy get settled in a decent sized hospital delivery room. Once as comfortable as she could manage, Judy helped Nick fill out the hospital forms. She then waited patiently as Nick began calling family to inform them of the news.

"Call your mother first," she instructed.

"Why?"

"Because I like your mother."

"If we call her first, then she will be here in seconds."

"I fail to see the problem, just call her."

Nick sighed and dialed his mother's home phone number. It didn't take long for her to answer.

"Hey, Mom … Well, that's why I'm calling. We are at the hospital and–… No, no, we're fine. It's just that– … Mom, would you let me talk? … I'm not being rude, just–ugh, Judy went into labor … Ow, you're going to blow my ears out, stop shouting … I– … Okay … Well, wait now. You don't have to come right–"

Nick stopped talking as his mother disconnected the call, already in full swing to arrive at the hospital soon. Nick looked at Judy with a smirk.

"You brought this on yourself."

Nick then called Judy's parents and let them now as well. Although the bunny couple was leaving immediately, it would still be hours before they arrived. Once all of his responsibilities were taken care of, Nick snuggled into Judy's hospital bed next to her. Still experiencing contractions every now and the, Judy laid her head on Nick's shoulder.

"I'm exhausted already."

"Sleep a little."

"I don't know if I can."

"Just try. I promise I won't let my mother wake you when she comes and busts the door down."

Judy giggled softly, and then without another sound, she dozed off while still leaning on Nick. Nick's mother arrived ten minutes later, but she only found a fox and a bunny curled up asleep in bed together, both temporarily safe from reality.