*Author's Notes*

Normally I don't put author's notes at the top of a work because I figure you're here to read the work and not my inner thoughts. But in this case I need to say a few things.

Firstly, I want to thank all the support and patience people have had for this story, and the support for this revamp project. I never expected this kind of support. I was honestly under the impression that very few people read this and I was just kind of putting this out in the ether never knowing where it was going. The fact that I have received many messages of love and support tells me that this revamp was the right thing to do because it's a story I care about, and you care about and I want to have it be the best it can be.

Secondly, I want to thank the following individuals who have taken the time in their busy schedules to help me with this, professional and amateur editors. Drummermax64, Euphonemes and Mordecai. I appreciate that you loved the story enough to help me fix it. I don't know how I can ever thank you enough.

Thirdly, I want to thank a very close friend of mine, you may know her, DarkFlameWolf. She was the inspiration for this revamp, telling me not to compromise my vision to fit what I THINK other people want. "Just write the story for you," she said. So I have and I am.

Lastly but certainly not least, I want to thank my wife MrsExeider, the two of us have been through ALOT in the last year, and many times I wanted to give up and she encouraged me not to. She has been at my side at a time when no one else seemed to, and she brought comfort when I was stressed out. She's been my rock through all of this and I want to thank her for being there for me.

I love you all, and my hope is that when this saga is over, it will be something really special for you, I know it's certainly special for me.

~AgentExeider

Chapter 1: Timing

Zootopia…South Docks…

The docks, a pillar of commerce and trade in Zootopia, where all sorts of goods being exchanged came into the city. As with any nexus of commerce it attracted the nefarious sort. Among the stacked boxes inside a particular warehouse was a desk filled with paperwork, which a garishly dressed camel was frantically cleaning out.

Samir Nagheenanajar (Na-gheen-a-na-jar) lived a life of excess luxury. He was wealthy, worked in both legitimate and illegitimate businesses, and lived life on those terms — the parties, the fur designs, booze, drugs, and womanizing. Though many would think it to the point of cliché for rich camels, in Samir's case, the description was an accurate one.

"Boss! The police are coming, we have to go!" shouted a camel guard from the next room.

The sound of sirens approaching reached his ears as Samir managed to stuff the last of his desk items into a duffle bag, cinching it shut. He grabbed his machine pistol and chambered the first round. He got up and walked to his guard.

"Time to go, back entrance. Now!" he ordered, his accent thick and glottal.

Samir and his three guards with haste made their way towards the back entrance. They were just about to leave when the back door burst open and a silhouette of a large rhino emerged against the backdrop of the bright sunlight.

"Now, where do ya'll think you goin'?" asked the rhino. His voice was deep and had a distinctly Zoo York twang to it. The four froze at the sight of him.

The guards tried to open fire, but the rhino was ready — he put a round into the first guard, who shrieked as his knee exploded in blood. Samir cringed as his white velvet coat was spattered with red. As the screams of his friend filled his ears, the second guard fired towards the rhino, missing by a mile. The rhino responded with a bullet delivered to the camel's chest with typical ZPD efficiency.

Samir and his third guard dove out a nearby window. The pane shattered, slicing through Samir's suit and his upper arm. His guard wasn't as lucky and caught his foot on the broken sill, which impaled his leg. Gravity did the rest, pulling him down and slamming his head into the pavement.

Samir bolted as fast as he could for the van. He was just about to throw open the driver's door when a loud, feminine-sounding "Hyah!" and a grey ball of fur leapt at him. The impact of something striking his face dazed his vision, and he felt himself staggering off balance. His eyes focused on a small rabbit in police garb as he tried to shake off his shock.

"Sorry, buddy, but your road trip has been canceled," Officer Judy Hopps quipped with a confident smirk planted on her face.

Samir couldn't believe his eyes; he'd been knocked down by a rabbit? He snorted dismissively and stood up, towering over Judy. His quick hoof dug into his pocket and pulled out a switchblade, snapping it open in one quick motion.

"A bunny rabbit? And a female at that? Heh, the police must be desperate. Go home before I decide that I need another fur coat," threatened Samir.

"Hate to tell you this, but I've heard better threats from an arctic shrew, and he was twice the predator you are."

"I'll cut your tongue out, rabbit!" screamed Samir. Judy's relentless grin incensed him to charge.

Samir swiped at Judy trying to knife her, but when he blinked, the rabbit had simply vanished. The sharp crack of a foot to the back of the head threw him off balance again. She wasted no time, striking again at the back his knee. The force of her blow buckled it, forcing him to the ground.

He caught himself with his empty hoof while trying to hold the knife defensively with the other. With Samir now down to Judy's height, she could plant both her feet on the ground, using her leverage to grab Samir's wrist and twist it into a joint-lock.

He screamed as soon as he felt his wrist pop.

"Let go, or I'll have to break your wrist!" demanded Judy.

"Fuck you, rabbit!" screamed Samir.

Judy twisted his wrist even further, eliciting an even louder scream. The pain seared in his joint, and the few rational thoughts in his head told him it was seconds from breaking. He let go of the knife, which clattered to the ground. Judy pounced and pawcuffed him.

"You have the right to remain silent, and I suggest you do so." Samir's face was planted into the ground; his snout smushed against the concrete.

"You stupid rabbit, you will be dead. I know people! I'm protected," Samir said through gritted teeth.

Judy knelt down. "Then we will arrest them too, sweetie," she quipped back with a smile on her face.

20 Minutes Later…

The ZPD had responded to the bust in short order. There were squads of officers around the warehouse pulling out the cache of goods. Samir was locked in the back of a squad car, while his guards were being taken to the hospital.

A cheetah cop named Jerry was comparing notes with Hopps. "Good bust, Hopps, this guy was a very bad camel," said the cheetah.

"Just curious, but what did you find?" asked Hopps as she pointed toward the cache.

"Well, all sorts of stuff. The catnip alone is going to get him 50 years. There was a lot of drugs, illegal weapons, and some tech stuff. We won't know the full extent until the guys down in evidence get a look, but this dude is definitely going away for a while."

Judy beamed at the news. She looked over to the squad car that Samir was sitting in, and seeing she had his attention, emphatically waved with her buck teeth perching over her lower lip, smiling at him all the while in a sly smirk.

Judy then remembered the duffle bag, and stooped to where the camel had dropped it. "You wanna help me bag all this?" she asked.

The cheetah nodded, and the pair went through it together, placing the illicit and incriminating contents into evidence bags: the papers and larger items, a bag of catnip, a cellphone, a gold pocket watch, and finally, a silver flash drive.

"Hmm." Judy studied it for a moment before placing it into the evidence bag.

From within the car, Samir saw that Judy was holding the silver flash drive. His eyes narrowed, as if burning the image of Judy into his memory. His focus was broken when he heard a tap on the glass from the front.

"Ey! Eyes front, stilts," mocked the officer in the driver's seat.

Judy finished putting Samir's personal effects into the evidence bags.

"You want me to take 'em, Hopps?" asked Jerry.

"No, I got them. Besides, that gives me an excuse to tell ol' Clawhauser the story."

"That cat certainly loves to hear your stories," Jerry chuckled.

Judy put the evidence in the trunk of her cruiser and hopped in the front seat. She sighed as she sank into the booster; the constant reminder that she wasn't big enough to drive the car was a source of teasing from her fellow officers she figured would never stop. She turned the key in the ignition, and started her way back to the station.

Once there, she took the bags to Benjamin Clawhauser, her favorite donut-loving fat cat and head evidence technician of the ZPD.

"Hey hey, Judy, what have you got for me today?" asked Ben. His chubby face lit up every time he saw Judy, and this was no exception.

"Hey, Ben!" she replied."Well, I have for you today," she began, drawing out her words for dramatic effect, "the bona fide personal belongings of one Samir Naga…..Naga," Judy said, attempting to read out Samir's last name.

Clawhauser raised an eyebrow and spun the bag around.

"Nagheenanajar."

"Right, er, what you said," replied Judy, both shocked and impressed.

"Well, you know the standard fare. I need you to fill out this form, and of course tell me what happened."

Judy regaled Clawhauser with the story while she filled out the form. She recounted the details of the bust with some added drama, while Clawhauser listened like a kit hearing a bedtime story.

"And then I said 'Then we will arrest them too, sweetie,'" She hopped up on the desk and did her best to mimic her exact tone during the bust.

Clawhauser couldn't contain his laughter anymore, and it spilled forth from his muzzle like jelly from a donut. "That was a good one Judy, I love that," he chortled. "I'll get this done right away, and good job."

"Thank you," beamed Judy.

Ben took the form and the evidence bags and started to file them. Judy went back to her desk, filling out her paperwork on Samir's bust before heading back out. She got the urge to call Nick to tell him the good news.

The phone rang and rang before his voicemail picked up. Judy swung her feet under her chair like scissors, waiting for the voicemail beep.

"Hey, it's Nick, unless I owe you money, in which case, it's not." beep

"Hey Nick, it's Judy. Something really great happened at work today and I really want to tell you all about it. Plus there was, um, something else I have been meaning to talk to you about. I was hoping we could meet up at your place? Maybe get some dinner? By the way, thanks for taking me to that classic drive-in last week. I had a really good time. See you tonight."

She hung up the phone and clasped it to her chest, smiling extra big and giggling softly.

Meanwhile...

In a broken down and sun-bleached tan LeBaron, complete with a dashboard peeling from age, a black smart phone vibrated with the words 'Carrots calling…'. A picture of Judy Hopps showed up on the screen. The phone went unanswered, and it dropped to voice mail.

Nearby, two foxes bolted out of a nearby arctic animal store. The foxes, one tall and the other short, were wearing A/C repairman uniforms. The smaller one tripped over a garbage can as they sprinted down the alleyway.

"Dammit, I knew I remembered that guy from somewhere!" the wild-eyed taller one of them exclaimed.

"Shit, Nick, you really need to keep track of all these people you scam," replied Finnick.

"That would take some time," Nick shot back.

The proprietor, a large and imposing polar bear, came running out of the store with a baseball bat.

"Come back here, you scamming sons of bitches!" screamed the polar bear.

"We're foxes, not wolves, asshole!" Finnick shouted back at him.

The bear's lumbering size betrayed his speed, and he'd managed to get close enough to take a swing at Nick, who ducked his head low enough for the bear to miss. The bat struck a dumpster, and Nick was almost positive it had left a dent.

The foxes spun around the corner of the alley towards their car at the last second; the polar bear tried to change direction but ended up sliding and losing his balance, skidding into a pile of garbage bags. The pair managed to make it to the car; Nick slid over the hood and leapt into the driver's seat. As he started the car and was ready to floor the gas, they were blocked by the polar bear, whose head was adorned with a torn black garbage back and a few fish carcasses. He bought the bat down, sending a spidering crack through the windshield.

"You will both pay for this!" he bellowed, and brought the bat up for another swing.

Nick slammed the car into reverse, which sent the bear toppling backwards off the hood. He righted himself much faster than Nick thought a mammal that size should be able to, put the bat in his jaws, and dropped to all fours to give chase. Nick whipped his head around and kept driving backwards until he had enough room to spin the car forward, jam it into drive, and punch the gas. He could hardly see through the cracked windshield, and swerved to dodge a dumpster he nearly missed. The bear rose up onto two feet and spit the bat into his front paws. Finnick flinched at the sound of their rear window being hammered by the bear, who gave one final swing and embedded the bat into the back window as Nick drove off.

They managed to get some distance, and Nick adjusted the rearview mirror to see the polar bear stomping and shouting as he got increasingly smaller. He laughed to himself and at Finnick.

"Well, at least we got away. Heh, that's something," said Nick. He elbowed Finnick in the ribs, but the fennec barely reacted.

"Pshh, this is the third job we couldn't pull off Nick. Let's face it fox, I think you're losing your edge," huffed his partner.

"What? No, I'm just in a slump, that's all. Don't worry, I'll come up with a great one next time," Nick replied.

"There isn't going to be a next time."

"Wait, what are you saying?" Nick asked. His voice had dropped, and the air between them felt thick and heavy.

"I'm hooking up with a real crew. Mammals who got resources, who got money, who can successfully pull jobs," replied Finnick, leveling his eyes at Nick.

"You think I'm doing this for the exercise? I'm doing it to get paid," Finnick finished.

Nick's jaw dropped, and he lost focus on the road in front of him. He turned from Finnick back to the road and realized he was swiftly approaching a red light and a crosswalk full of mammals. He slammed on the brakes, and the baseball bat came loose and flew through the car's cabin. Finnick's height kept him safe from the missile , but the handle cracked Nick in the back of the head right under his right ear. The impact threw his head forward, and he smashed his muzzle on the wheel and yelped while the bat clattered to the floor.

Finnick simply looked at Nick.

"Definitely lost your edge, Wilde. Just take me home," Finnick commented dismissively.

Nick's ears burned, his head throbbed and he was pretty sure he was bleeding. He cursed under his breath, and they drove in silence the rest of the way to Finnick's place to drop him off. Once there, Finnick got out of the car without a word and shut the door. Nick sighed and made the trip back to his place. He parked his car in the space in front of his apartment. His ear was still ringing from the bat, and he could feel a lump starting to swell; he clutched his head and somberly made his way up to his apartment.

He stepped into his apartment, taking a deep breath before going over to the fridge and grabbing an ice pack and a beer. He popped the bottle cap with a claw, took a swig, sat on the crouch and went practically limp, applying the ice pack to his eye and cheek. He leaned his head back and felt the warmth of the evening sun on his head.

Nick's thoughts immediately went back to what Finnick had said. Had he really lost his edge? What was he going to do for money? Get a real job? Who's going to hire a con artist with no formal education? he thought. Crime was all that Nick knew, and it wasn't paying well lately — and today, at all.

Nick was very content to drown in self-pity when he heard a sharp rap at his front door. He considered ignoring it, but proper manners won out and he dragged himself over to the door. He opened it with a creak to reveal an attractive and neatly dressed vixen in a Preyda dress.

"Hey Clara, is there something you need?"

Nick's mouth went sour; Clara was Nick's downstairs neighbor. He was loathe to admit she was the kind of vixen he would have run through barbed wire for in his youth: rich, shallow, vain, and pretty. He used to wonder what she was doing in a neighborhood like this, but her frequent boyfriends throwing what little money they had at her answered that quickly. Her recent boyfriend, though, had money to burn, which only seemed to incense Nick more every time he saw them. She was typically never followed by good news, but Nick figured his day was going to get much worse. "Hello, Nick. I was wondering if you could do me a favor?" she started. Nick could swear she batted her eyelashes at him.

"I don't know, I just got in and have been having-" Nick replied before Clara cut him off.

"Well, I just got a new cable service and I need someone to install it," she continued.

"Why didn't you get the cable guy to do it?" Nick asked. He hadn't meant for his words to be so clipped, but he figured she had about three more sentences before he closed the door.

"Actually, they only dropped it off. My boyfriend said that he was going to do it."

"So? I don't mean to be rude, but why don't you get him to do it?"

"Well, he's not here!" she huffed. "And you are, so I figured you could do it. There's 50 dollars in it for you."

Nick was about to dismiss her, but $50 didn't sound all too bad, especially considering he assumed he was out of a job. Until he decided whether he would try going straight again or he got his conning mojo back, $50 was $50.

Nick smiled diplomatically. "Sure, why not."

Nick went downstairs to her place, Clara following close behind as she explained the situation.

"Well, here is the box with all the parts in it. Sorry, I just don't know a thing about it," she said, gesturing to the box. "But anyway, I'm sure you can figure it out. You're good with all this technology, right Nick?"

Ten years and four girlfriends ago, Nick figured that sort of sweet talking might have worked on him. "Do you have a place for me to put it?" asked Nick.

"Of course, of course, I'm just trying to think of where you could put it. Maybe the bedroom... no, in the den. Yes, much more comfortable in the den, what do you think?" she asked.

"I think you'll get better performance in the den," replied Nick as they arrived at her apartment.

"Well, you're the big strong fox, don't let me tell you how to do those things," she chuckled, opening the door for them to enter.

"What can I say, I aim to please," he replied, putting on a fake smile.

"How long do you think it will take?"

"If I can get it in there quickly, about 20 minutes."

"Well now, you certainly know how to make a girl happy," she said.

Nick rolled his eyes. "I'm glad you're happy," he remarked, the toothy, faux smile still plastered on his muzzle.

"If you can get it done that fast, I might still be able to make it to my boyfriend's on time. There is a rather lavish party we are going to, you know."

"No, I didn't know," replied Nick. "Nor do I care," he muttered to himself.

Nick bent down and picked up the box. He turned to look out the window, and a sense of strangeness overcame him momentarily. He squinted at the window, but the feeling vanished as quickly as it had come. He shrugged and carried the box inside.

20 Minutes Earlier...

Judy had decided to surprise Nick with some dinner from one of their favorite places, Panda-la. She wore casual workout clothes, she had the take-out bag in one paw and her phone in the other and pressed to her ear as she chatted with Fru-Fru Big. Being the godmother to Fru-Fru's kits, Judy frequently found herself going to the shrew for romantic advice.

"So, what did Nicky say?" asked Fru-Fru.

"Oh, I haven't told him yet," Judy replied.

"What are you waiting for? This would be a great time to tell him," Fru-Fru cooed. "You just got a big bust, you're riding high! I say go for it."

"Oh, I don't know," hesitated Judy. "I mean, what do I say? What will he say? What if he doesn't feel the same way?" she said conflicted.

"That's just doubt, girl. I've seen you two together; I can just look at you and just tell. I know, I'm Shrewish. We have 'the sense'."

"The sense? Mind running that one by me again?" chuckled Judy.

"There is a reason we have big families, you know," Fru-Fru continued. "We know when we find our match and we just go for it. You should, too."

"Maybe, if the timing is right. Still, I'm not so sure."

"Just let your conscience be your guide, honey, it'll be fine!"

"Ok, Fru, I will… consider it. Look, I have to go, I'm almost there."

"Ciao, bunny-sis," said Fru-Fru.

"Ciao," replied Judy.

Judy hung up the phone right as she arrived across the street from Nick's. She saw his car out front; the back window had a giant crack going through it, and the bumper looked to have a few new dents. As she crossed the street, she saw Nick talking to a vixen. She raised an eyebrow, confused. She debated on whether to try and listen in, but eventually curiosity got the better of her, and she tilted her ears to listen from the sidewalk.

"But anyway, I'm sure you can figure it out," the vixen stated.

"Do you have a place for me to put it?" asked Nick.

"Of course, of course, I'm just trying to think of where you could put it. Maybe the bedroom, no in the den, yes, much more comfortable in the den, what do you think?" she asked.

"I think you'll get better performance in the den." replied Nick.

"Well, you're the big strong fox, don't let me tell you how to do those things," she chuckled as she opened the door.

"What can I say, I aim to please," he replied.

"How long do you think it will take?"

"If I can get it in there quickly, about 20 minutes."

"Well now, you certainly know how to make a girl happy," she said.

"I'm glad you're happy," Nick replied.

20 minutes later…

Nick emerged from Clara's place 50 dollars richer for a task as simple as setting up a cable box and TV. He was certainly grateful that Clara was not 'technically adept'. Either way, with cash in paw he went back up to his apartment. He grabbed his beer, now warm, and his thawing ice pack, and stuck them back in their respective places. With 50 dollars, he decided he could take Judy out to one of her favorite places.

Climbing the stairs back up to his place, he noticed he left the door unlocked – in this neighborhood, you could lose a TV or a couch for a mistake like that. After mentally slapping himself, he went inside and closed the door immediately behind him, the lock clicking softly as he flipped the deadbolt. A familiar scent lingered in the air... Panda-La, Nick's favorite take-out restaurant. Along with it was another familiar scent, one that made him smile from ear to ear.

"Ya know, you really should lock your door around here, Wilde. Just about anyone could just waltz in," said Judy as she walked from Nick's kitchenette.

Holding the take-out in one paw and a couple of beers in the other, she delicately placed the items on the table. The open bottles clinked and rattled as they hit the table.

"Carrots!" Nick exclaimed.

She turned and offered a pair of chopsticks to the fox.

"You need to check your voice mail more often. I should be mad."

Coming down from his shock, Nick walked over and gave the rabbit a hug. While surprised at first, she returned the hug and patted him on the back.

"Are you ok?" she asked.

"I just had a really bad day. I'm glad you're here."

"Always, Nick. Now come on, don't let your food get cold."

The two sat down on the couch and started to dig into their dinner. Nick took a bite of his noodles, and a small bit dangled from his mouth. As he slurped them up, they spattered a small amount of sauce on his muzzle. Instinctively, he licked his lips. He caught Judy's gaze, and she had a soft, warm smile on her.

"I love watching you eat, Nick," she said.

After a few refreshing bites and gulps of beer, Nick turned to Judy.

"So… how are things down at the station?" Nick asked.

"Things are good! We got a couple of new mammals, but things are good," she replied.

"Glad to hear."

"I got to do my first bust today," she said with a smile of excitement.

"Really now? How was that?" He smiled back.

"We took down a smuggler, a real 'bad guy'. But, and maybe I'm a bad mammal for saying this, but it was a rush. I mean, the heart pumping kind of rush. You know what I mean?"

"I'm happy, Carrots. You're making a real difference in the world," Nick replied, trying to maintain a smile but somehow still looking sad.

Judy could see right through his veneer. She reached over and patted Nick on the arm.

"I'm sorry, Nick."

"It's not your fault, Carrots. Not one bit. What happened, happened, because of my own choices."

"But still, it shouldn't have happened. I know who you are now and that's what's important," she said.

"I'm glad you still believe in me," Nick softened and petted her paw.

"Always, Nick, always. When we went through the missing mammals case, you stuck up for me and stood by me. That says more about your character than anything."

Nick simply smiled as a swell of pride ran through him. In spite of everything that had happened, Judy could always phrase things that cut right to the truth. It was a rare gift, and he admired her for it.

"So…how goes the job search?" Judy asked.

"Well, you know how it can be. I have to keep looking for just the right opportunity that'll take a fox like me."

"Nick, for what it's worth, no matter what you end up doing, I know you're going to be good at it," she said.

Judy studied Nick in the light of his apartment. She noticed the swelling of his right eye. It was slightly more closed than the other; she hadn't noticed it before, but watching Nick talk, she could see the stiffness in his face.

"Oh my god, Nick, your face," she said.

Judy stood and looked at the right side of his face, where she could clearly see swelling now and several spots where red tinted his fur.

"Did… did somebody hit you?" she asked in disbelief.

"It's okay, Carrots," he defended, batting at her paws.

"Nick, if somebody hit you, you need to tell me right now."

"Carrots… Fluff! Ugh, Judy!" he exclaimed, finally grabbing her paws.

Judy's gaze snapped to Nick's eyes, looking more embarrassed than in pain. He didn't want to tell her, especially not after the compliment she just gave him.

"It was an accident," he reassured her. "Finnick and I were moving some heavy boxes and one of them slipped out and hit me. I'm okay," he stated.

Judy looked back, taking it as an answer but unsure of its truth. An image flashed through her mind of someone attacking him just because of his species, but she could tell he was embarrassed enough and decided not to drag it out of him.

"Okay, Nick, I'm sorry for jumping to conclusions."

They studied each other for a moment, looking longingly. The moment was broken when Judy's cellphone rang out loudly. Judy pawed for her cellphone in her pocket holding her gaze a few more moments before looking at the phone's screen. The letters "ZPD calling..." displayed.

"Nick, I have to–" Judy said, holding the phone.

"It's okay, Carrots, I understand. Go save the city."

Judy paced a few steps away and answered the phone. Nick felt guilty: part of him wanted to tell her, to have some kind of support, but another part of him told him to remain silent. He felt he didn't have the right to dump his problems on her. She had a great job and was doing what she loved. Who was he to bring her down? If he left it up to her, she would take it onto her shoulders just like everything else. She was a good friend, and no matter how bad things got, having her in his life was his one saving grace.

Judy hung up the phone and placed it back in her pocket.

"Dammit, I have to go back to the station," she said with a visible expression of frustration.

"What? But you just got off work," Nick replied.

"I know, but the chief wants this smuggler guy interrogated as soon as possible, and he wants the arresting officer on standby. I'll be back though, if you want?"

"Yeah, I would love that," Nick replied.

"We could stay up and watch another movie on your cable box," she suggested, pointing towards the TV.

Judy walked over and hugged Nick.

"And get an ice pack on that face," she instructed.

"I know, Carrots, thanks for caring," he smiled, giving her a good squeeze.

She broke the hug and made her way to the door. Before stepping out, she turned back to see Nick on the couch.

"You sure you're going to be okay? I'll call you when I'm done," she asked, concerned.

"I'll be fine, Carrots," he said with a smile trying to reassure her.

She walked out the door, leaving him by himself. Nick picked up the bottle of beer and offered a toast for his friend before taking a drink. Nick thought how we wanted to tell her the truth, to tell her he was having trouble. He needed to, but the shame stayed his voice. The last thing he wanted to do was let her down and shatter her belief by telling him he was a hustler and a criminal. He would tell her eventually, but not now. Not yet.