Never had she placed any kind of thought into how the world that she loved would end. Being someone whose photograph would be in the dictionary under the word of optimism, pondering about that kind of stuff wasn't in her nature. The top priority during the days of being on duty was keeping citizens safe, and when she was off work it was simply fulfilling the humdrum, everyday life obligations. Life just went on each day for her the same way it did for everybody else.
That cycle, however, seemed to break a couple months ago, starting with the day she saw something strange in the night sky.
She thought, at first, that the glimmer she had spotted, a cross between sapphire and the palest shade of purple, was just a star like all of the others. It was peculiar to the eye, no doubt, she hadn't given it much thought and believed it to be just something passing by the planet. She wasn't one of those conspiracy theorists or those folks that were holding their signs while declaring that the end was near because they thought something meant doom and gloom, so the days that followed went on as usual.
But when the news rung out all over as to what she mistook as a strange star was, she felt her heart sink into the bottom of her chest. It turned that it was an asteroid, and the scientists observing its path forecasted that the outcome wasn't going to be a good one. The probability of it missing the planet was low, with many of them regrettably informing that things seemed to be at their bleakest.
Judy tried to tell herself that it wasn't real, that something like this couldn't be happening, that this sort of thing only happened in the movies or only happened in real life billions of years ago. However, she couldn't ignore what the scientists were saying. Her friend Sharla had a good deal of knowledge of astrophysics, and the mammals talking about the situation had even more years of education than she had, so their word had to have truth to it.
Things got hellish in the city quicker than anticipated, shelves once stocked with food to the gills were now being emptied by panicked citizens as soon as the stores had opened for business. But despite how things were sounding and a lot to think about in a short amount of time, she wasn't going to sit in a corner and wait for everything to come crashing down.
If the days are going to be numbered, Judy thought, then I'm going to live like tomorrow could be the end.
Given the fact that there was little to no light pollution within the area, the nighttime views were much clearer than they were back in the city. The speckles continued to blink in the dark sky, like the scattering embers of a fire that was slowly reaching its end. The silvery moon was in its crescent stage, and a compliment to the beautiful scenery that looked like it was from a painting of the country landscape.
Her beloved fox companion was sitting closely by her side as they laid in the grass patch and looked at the firmament above. As the asteroid seemed to get closer to reaching where it was predicted to hit, the thing that Judy wanted to do the most was see her family on the farm. So they took the travel there and spent some time together with the big Hopps family, bringing the laughter and smile back to Judy's face that hadn't been there for a good deal of time.
You know, Fluff," Nick said to her, "from the moment the two of us met you've took me on a lot of adventures, but these last few months have surely been something." He reclined back and sighed, looking over the bunny to his right. "My heart's still pumping like crazy after you said we'd be doing that skydiving venture on a whim."
Judy was unable to hold back the chuckle the rose her from just then. She was quite a fan of anything that got the blood pumping, and one day she signed up to do skydiving since it was something she had always wanted to experience. While she was excited when it was to time for her and Nick to prepare to jump, the fox that joined her wasn't so much. "I can still hear the way you shouted," she replied.
"Yeah, I shouted like a girl," he admitted, "but I'd have never gotten to do that if you wouldn't have brought me along for that."
"Oh, and don't forget out hike up that mountain you drove us to," Judy added once something else they had done come to mind. "That view on the top was just breathtaking."
"Yep. Made it worth the time it took to get up to the top," replied the vulpine to her side. "Glad I was able to help you cross that one of that list you wrote."
Judy reached into her pocket and fished out the piece of lined paper she had scribbled onto awhile back. When she had made the personal declaration to get everything done that she had wanted to do should things not have a positive outcome, she concocted a list of those things she wanted to accomplish most with Nick.
All of the things that she had written down had been checked off, with a single thing being written on the very bottom of the list she had created: Watching the stars back in Bunnyburrow with Nick. She obviously didn't have a pen on paw with her out in the grass field, so she mentally checked it off as she enjoyed the moment with her fox.
Pointing to the stars up above, Nick observed, "You know, Carrots, I always thought your eyes shined brighter than all of those stars up there."
At the sentimental remarks that came from the the tod, she smiled back before looking back up. Her smile seemed to dissipate from her muzzle, however, when she gazed upward and saw that the asteroid's bluish glow almost seemed to be getting larger in the sky compared to the twinkling stars.
It was bizarre how something that shimmered a pretty blue, a color that she considered one of her favorites, could cause emotions to suddenly hit her like an oncoming train. The same went for Nick, who gazed up and let out a small gasp under his breath when he saw it, his mouth hanging open slightly.
"There it is…" Judy muttered shakily, her bottom lip starting to quiver.
Nick suddenly felt the head of the doe he loved as she hugged against him, embracing him around his waist as tightly as she could, tears coming from her amethyst eyes.
"Carrots…" the vulpine murmured, his voice also sounding overwhelmed by what he had seen as well.
"I didn't want something like this to happen," Judy sobbed, brushing a paw against the russet fur on the back of her fox's neck. "I wanted us to have a long life together and maybe go see the world, a-and…" She sniffled back her tears. "I don't want to lose the world I said I wanted to make a better place. I don't want to lose you and not be able to see those emerald eyes anymore."
"Carrots, Carrots…" Nick murmured once more as the bunny lifted her head. With the most delicate finger, he wiped the teardrop running down her cheek away and looked into her beautiful purple eyes. "No matter how hard any of us could've tried, we couldn't have stopped something like this. We're only mammalian."
"I-I understand that," Judy quivered, "b-but I just.. I-I don't-"
"I know, I know," her fox answered softly, "but do you remember the day I gave you the ring that's on your finger and you put the ring on mine?"
"Y-Yeah?" responded the rabbit as her eyes stared into his.
"And on the day of our wedding how I promised to be by your side no matter what?"
"Mm-hmm…" The gray doe nodded her head.
"Well, tonight is no exclusion to that promise," Nick assured with the faintest of smiles. "No matter what happens, whether or not this asteroid hits or just passes by, I'm never letting go. Not even for a second."
At the reassuring promise that came from the fox, Judy simply hugged him tighter. "I love you so much," she whispered to him in the softest tone.
Nick returned her endearment by holding her in his arms, his fluffy tail wrapping around her as well. "Love you too, Judy," he replied.
The two of them shared soft kiss as their lips pressed against each other's, returning their attention towards the blue shimmer above them. The words from a moment ago that came from Nick echoed in Judy's mind, and she couldn't help but feel the same way.
She wouldn't let go of the fox's paw no matter what happened.
Even if this thing didn't pass by without causing any harm, and something terrible but inevitable did happen, there was nothing that could stop her from being by his side.
Author's Note: Well, writing stories like this aren't usually my cup of tea. When it comes to writing, I'm always looking to write something fun or fluffy or just silly a good majority of the time. This time, however, was one of those occasions I came up with a story idea that a different kind of tone to it but still had some fluff.
It feels a wee bit unusual for me to write this kind of story, but this was just an idea that came about on a whim. Don't worry, though, because after this I promise that I have some other stories I plan to share that are a lot more fun and the kind that'll make you smile, which are the kind that I prefer coming up with the most anyway. :)
Anyway, I hope you all enjoy this little story of mine. And as always, your feedback, whether good or bad, is gladly appreciated. Also, thanks again to everybody that's been reading all of my stories. It means the world to me! :)
'Til next time!