Noah's eyes slowly opened to find himself in a tidy bedroom with a wardrobe and a plasma television. The carpet was purple and his bed was very comfortable. His clothes had been removed and he was tucked well in. He grabbed his tail for extra comfort enjoying the warmth from the bed. He had never had a bed so comfortable. The orphanage would never allow them such a bed. But the question where was he? Was he in jail? Was he back at Fury's? Was he in Heaven?
The door creaked slowly open making him gasp.
"It's okay, sweetie, it's okay."
It was the rabbit who was involved in his arrest.
"It wasn't me!" he said a bit stronger. "Please it wasn't me!"
"We know, sweetheart," said the rabbit coming near to him as he cowered under the blanket. She sat down and stroked his head which he found relaxing.
"Don't be afraid," she assured. "We won't put you in jail. Another rabbit, just like me, came to the police station and he cleared your name, Nate."
Noah slowly revealed his head from the blanket and saw the rabbit smiling sweetly at him.
"My name is not Nate," said Noah, confused.
"No?" said Judy also looking confused. "I thought told me. I thought you said Nate Water."
"I said 'I need water'," explained the fox. "My name is Noah. Noah Sly."
"Oh."
"I'm not in trouble, am I?" asked Noah worriedly.
"Certainly not," said Judy. "You're safe now. I'm just a dumb bunny. To think my ears are long enough to listen. My name is Judy Hopps."
"Where am I, Officer Hopps?" asked Noah.
"In mine and Nick's home," she explained. "And there is no need to call me Officer. Just call me Judy."
"Where are my clothes?"
"They are in the wash," said Judy. "Need to get all that blood and dirt off. Are you comfy?"
"Very, Miss Hopps," replied Noah. "This is the best bed I've ever had."
"Happy voices I hear," said a voice out in the hall and in walked the fox from the office. He was now wearing a green Hawaiian shirt with a purple tie and grey trousers. He turned to Noah and smiled. "Someone's finished hibernation," he responded as he came near and sat on the bed. "How are you feeling, kid?" he asked as he checked his temperature.
"A bit better," Noah responded. "Thank you for taking me in, Mr. Fox," smiled Noah.
"Nick's the name, kid. Nick Wilde."
"What happened to me?"
"You fainted, Noah," said Judy. "Me and Nick took you home after you were proven innocent."
"Where did you come from?" asked Nick.
"We'll ask him later, Nick," said Judy. "Right now he needs food and rest. Perhaps a nice, hot bath to go with it."
"I - I can't say anything. I promised," said Noah remembering his promise to Fury.
Nick and Judy looked at each other and back to the cub.
"Do you have a Mommy or Daddy?" said Judy.
"No. I'm an orphan, Miss Hopps."
Judy gasped in terror.
"You're an orphan?"
Noah nodded sadly.
"I only remember them saying that my mommy died because I was born."
"I see," said Nick seriously.
"I didn't mean to kill her."
"Oh, sweetie you didn't kill her," said Judy. "That sometimes happens. Sometimes mothers die giving birth."
Noah suddenly felt a piece of release inside him.
"Nobody has ever spoke to me like this before," he said gratefully. "They only told me out of anger."
"They?" asked Judy as she checked Noah's temperature.
"Mr. Mudway and Mrs. Roundler, the carers of the orphanage."
Nick and Judy exchanged a suspicious expression at each other from what they were told.
"We need to see this orphanage," suggested Judy to Nick.
Noah gasped in fright. "You won't send me back there will you?"
"Of course not, champ," said Nick kindly. "We're gonna get to the bottom of your family tree. Where there's a mommy there must be a daddy. Did they tell you anything about a daddy?"
"Only that he was a phil-osopher-lander," replied Noah.
"I think you're trying to say 'philanderer,'" Judy corrected.
"What is that?" asked Noah curiously.
"I think you'd better wait until you're older," said Judy. "You're too young to know these sort of things."
"How old are you speaking of which?" asked Nick.
"Five," replied Noah.
Nick had an uneasy look about him which even Just noticed.
"Are you okay, Nick?" asked Judy.
"Um, yes. Sorry, I am," replied Nick clearing his throat. "Let's let him sleep a little more. Goodness he needs it after what happened today."
They let him sleep as they watched his sweet face.
"He's such an adorable boy," said Judy. "Hasn't let his frame or his past affect him."
They watched him turn over and Judy gasped in revolt.
All over his back were some bare gashes on his back from what must have been a whip.
"Monsters," she growled angrily.
Nick backed away in terror as the horrors of his past triggered; the scout uniform, the oath, the muzzle. He ran to his room, grabbed a glass of water and threw it over his face. He got out an old box, opened it and looked through a suitor of old photos. Then he finally found the one who intended to look for. A picture of long ago; him in green swimming trunks and he had his paw around the shoulder of a beautiful vixen in a pink bikini. He shed a tear remembering how much he loved her - but the reason he retrieved it was because the reflection he caught upon the little fox cub; the tone of his red coat and his green eyes. His former love had the exact same appearance!

Noah eventually woke up and his two new carers announced they would run a bath for him.
Nick took him into the bathroom - a neat one all in white with one small toothbrush and a large one, the floor was beautifully checked and there a very of shampoos linked to the animals they were.
"So off with the snake skin and let's get you in," said Nick.
"In?" asked Noah in puzzlement.
"In," said Nick referencing the tub. "That's what baths are for, pal."
"Aren't you going to pour it on me?"
"Why would you think that?"
"That's how they washed us. Throwing water on us and scrubbing us with soap."
"Well I'll be," said Nick in surprise. "Well since you are welcome to society, baths are going to be very different for you. So take your things off."
Noah tripped off his underwear, Nick picked him up and placed him into the tub. The water was very warm and relaxed his fur.
"This feels wonderful," said Noah as he swooshed the bath foam around and around.
"No massage better than a hot tub, eh?" said Nick.
He picked a tube of shampoo, squirted the contents into his paw and smeared it all over Noah who found the sensation nice and ticklish, nothing like the aggressive soap scrub. Soon, Nick brought him out of the tub, gave him a big towel and helped him dry off, with a playful tickle match but with caution as he remembered how frightfully skinny the kid was.
All they could find for pyjamas was a red vest of Judy's that came down to his feet, but he still felt cosy in it and was greatful.

Dinner was served; meat, potatoes and Yorkshire puddings which agreed with Noah's appetite.
"Have you ever eaten such a meal?" asked Judy, impressed with the cubs appetite.
"Never," replied Noah with is mouthful. "This is delicious."
"All they fed us was mushroom soup, one small bowl."
"No wonder you're so skinny," commented Judy in concern.
Nick nodded.
"Whip marks, baths in the cold, lack of food, what next?"
"How did you get those marks, sweetie?" asked Judy.
And Noah explained how the orphans placed a bet and Noah was the one who went up to the cook to asks for more, and that they were so angry they whipped him.
"Sweet cheese and crackers!" remarked Judy.
"What the Dickens were they thinking?" agreed Nick. "And they say foxes are savage."
"That's why I came to Zootopia. Hoping to find a way to live."
"Well not to worry, pal," said Nick. "You're in good paws with the ZPD and we'll track down your family before we can say blueberry pie for dessert."
He eyes Judy with a smile who couldn't help addressing it in return.
Soon the pie was served and eaten.
"Delicious!" remarked Noah, his mouth covered in blue.
"Her parents grow some great blueberries," commented Nick.
"They sound like great makers of fruit. This pie was fantastic."
His review was followed by an unexpected burp.
Nick and Judy both giggled.
"Excuse me," Noah blushed with a paw over his mouth.
"Better out than in, pal," said Nick who burped also but purposely.
"Nick," said Judy, "that's enough."
"Better out than in," Noah chuckled which made them all laugh.
"Do you have any cigars?" asked Noah suddenly.
The laughter stopped dead and they looked at Noah in surprise.
"What?" he asked worriedly.
"You smoke?" asked Judy.
"Who allows you?" asked Nick.
"My friends before I met you two."
Judy and Nick looked at each other in concern.
"What kind of friends lets you smoke?" said Nick incredulously. "It's very dangerous kid, especially at your age."
"I didn't know!" cried Noah. "I'm sorry! Are you going to take me back?"
"No, no, of course not," said Judy. "Those kids are in trouble, not you. You're only five and don't know any better - especially with the way how that so-called orphanage teaches you."
"Do these people give you anything else?" asked Nick. "You're not in trouble. Just be honest with us."
"Buckweiser," explained Noah.
"I'm shocked," said Judy.
"Me too," said Nick. "Kids his age have a lot to see and learn in this world - only for the idiots to pitch in. It's against the law for kids to drink under the age of twenty-one."
Noah looked very scared.
"Am I going to jail now?"
"Of course you're not," said Judy coming up to him and taking his empty plate. "It's the kids who gave you these things who are going to jail. Do you know their names?"
"They only had weird ones," Noah recalled. "But I can't remember, something about shopping and hunting."
"Are you sure?" asked Judy. "Is it someone you're trying to protect? It's very important that you tell us."
"I promise I can't remember," said Noah. "If I did I would tell you, honest." however he didn't want to give Skips away after the kindness he had given him.
"Okay," said Judy gently calming him down. "I think we should get you ready for bed. You've been through a lot today."

They took him back to the room where he woke up, go him out of his vest and tucked him in
"So, Noah," said Nick, "those boys who framed you, do you know them?"
"No," said Noah quickly. "I never saw them in my life."
"So what were you doing in the bookstore?"
"I came to Zootopia to seek my fortune. I wondered what it would be like to err, be a writer. But I would like to find out who my family is."
"Well," said Nick. "You feel into the right paws. We will find out who your Mommy and Daddy are and we will identify your name."
"You won't send me back to the orphanage if you can't will you?" asked Noah in fright. "There are mean mammals there. They treat predators like savages."
"Of course not," said Nick. "We'll deal with them some time in this case. Especially those boys who framed you."
"Thank you for believing me that I wasn't the robber," Noah smiled.
"Don't sweat it, champ," smiled Nick. "In fact, I was a cheater myself; hustling people out of their money but after I met Judy, I changed my life. I thought that being a hustler was the only way I could live, but in Zootopia, you can be anything, especially an innocent young pup."
He prodded Noah's nose with his finger, making the pup giggle.
"Sleep tight, champ," said Nick as he left the room.
Judy entered the room with a glass of water and placed it on the bedside.
"A water for you if you wake up thirsty," she said. "How do you feel now? You were very ill this afternoon."
"A lot better now, Miss - Judy."
Judy smiled and patted his head.
"How did you become a police officer?" asked Noah.
"As a kid, I always wanted to make this world a better place," said Judy. "I kept proving to others that just because I'm a bunny doesn't mean I can't do anything. Heck, one time I even got scratched in the face by a fox who doubted me."
"Oh," said Noah sadly.
She demonstrated the mark where she was struck, very small but very visible if the animal eye looked close. This rabbit seemed to mirror Patsy with her beauty covered by those scars.
"But I'm okay," said assured him. "No marks."
"Are foxes violent?" asked Noah.
"Why do you think that, sweetie?"
"Before I came here, I was appreciated to a zebra. He had another boy with him. A very tall rabbit. He bullied and punched and smacked me every day until one day, he made fun of my mother. I was so angry, I scratched him myself. They say it was Night Howlers."
Judy sat down on the bed.
"Night Howlers can make anyone go savage," said Judy. "They were exaggerating. You only went mad because ticked you off. I get ticked off whenever someone calls me cute. Of course, I don't punch but I'd say it was karma what he did to you."
Noah considered all of this.
"And you know what?" said Judy quietly, "I think that rabbit was a big cry baby to take all that from you."
Noah giggled.
"Better get some rest now," said Judy as she fluffed up his pillow
Noah watched her smile at him and, by his first instinct, he hugged her tightly, Judy returning the same thing with tears in her eyes. He had been through so much and still maintained the child's heart.
She bid him goodnight planting a kiss on his head and went into her room, Nick undressing and clambering into bed. Judy got into her own night gown and got under the quilt.
"When are you gonna try naturalism like Sly Fox here, Carrots?"
"When that kid will be my son," she said. "He's a sweet little boy don't you think?"
"Never met one like him?"
"He's the solar opposite of Gideon Grey," said Judy sadly. "Both going through a lot in their cub hood only to emerge with redemption."
"And you're forgetting another," said Nick. "Sitting just an inch close to you."
"You as well, Slick Nick," sighed Judy smiling. "Attention seeker."
"Come on, Fluff, get in here."
Judy snuggled in close to Nick and wrapped his tail around herself as he clutched her tight with it.
"You don't suppose Noah knows more than he's telling?" asked Judy.
"He probably does," said Nick. "There's always the one person trying to protect someone. Little do they know of the danger they land themselves in."
"To be honest," said Judy, "I think we should get him back to health before we question him further - while looking for his identity at the same time. I think if cover your shift again tomorrow, you can take him to the hospital and make sure he's okay; all that lack of food, whips and smoking, I fear to know if he'll be fine."
"Don't worry, Carrots," said Nick. "Kids are strong. I'll take him down tomorrow and phone you if it's a boy or girl."
"I knew I could count on you," Judy yawned.
"Get some sleep now," said Nick as he stroked her long ears. "Can't have you facing Buffalo Butt's music if you sleep in. Even if is Gazelle he listens to."
Nick lay awake starting at the ceiling, his mind on the cub and the image of his long-lost love. He wanted to go back into Noah's room and take another look at him, but he couldn't pyjamaless and he didn't want disturb the kid. The least he could do is sleep off what happened today and with any luck, things would make sense in the morning.