Chapter 9

Inconvenient Truth

The rest of that evening, Judy could feel a strange vibe coming off Nick. Wolfard offered to drive them both home, in which they took the opportunity to apply some ice and a bandage or two on any sore limbs. However, Nick barely said a word the whole way back in the cruiser. Once they returned that afternoon to the ZPD, and examined their uniforms frayed with splotches of blood, Judy sighed.

'Funny how the uniform feels more beat up than me.'

Nick, however, immediately folded it up and placed it into his backpack without so much as a quip. He had a worried frown on his muzzle the whole time.

That stung enough that Judy couldn't bring herself to dredge up anything to talk about, even as they sat on the subway together. She might have imagined it, but she could have sworn Nick sat further away from her than usual. Worst still, she got a sense of déjà vu – it was the same sensation she got when she once saw a rabbit subtly pull her son away from a tiger right next to them.

The uneasy feeling persisted even throughout dinner. They watched whatever was on TV, this time a mountain documentary, but it was clear that Nick wasn't paying attention. He showed no interest in playing the Preystation as he normally did, even though Judy offered.

Finally, when they had changed and gotten into bed, Nick faced away from her. He was still, but she could tell he was wide awake, staring at the opposite wall. She braced herself, and touched his bare back gently.

'Nick?'

He shifted to indicate he was listening.

'Are you okay? I didn't want to say anything so soon, considering what we both just went through. But I'm pretty sure it's more than just those boars and that hostage situation.'

'…'

She pulled on his shoulder, firmly but gently, and managed to get him to turn over and face her. That worried frown was still fixed into his muzzle, along with vulnerable green eyes.

'Are you… scared?'

He reflexively averted his eyes, but she cupped his cheek fur and pulled him back to look at her.

'Tell me, Nick. If something's bothering you, I want to know.'

'… I'm not sure if I can explain it…'

'Well, you can try. We are married, after all.'

He managed a tiny smile before closing his eyes thoughtfully.

'It's just that… things, here and there, that didn't make sense on their own, suddenly do. If I… came off as aloof or cold, maybe that was a defensive reaction, or something. Sorry about that.' He exhaled. 'Basically, I might be paranoid, and if I'm wrong, then I really am a dumb fox. In fact, I really want that to be the case for once. But if not…'

That worried frown continued, but he swallowed and attempted to regain his composure.

'The long and short of it is, that I can't really be sure until we see Doctor Franklin tomorrow. That whole… situation – with Ethan, just reminded me of how small we are. I mean, if we weren't, we couldn't have saved those people. We're not built like tanks, like McHorn or Bogo. I still worry about you, Judy – I guess that's part of me being a fox, too.'

Judy took a moment to think before she smiled.

'So tods can be overprotective of their… mates?'

'You could say that.' Nick said with a reassuring smile. 'In fact, I'm having a hard time thinking of a predator that isn't like that.' He glanced at her curiously. 'What about rabbits?'

'What about them?'

'Like, what would they do in a tense situation like that?'

Judy blinked and thought to herself. What would Dad do if Mom was threatened?

'I guess we're not so different. My Dad would definitely protect my Mom, but I suppose he would be more likely to help her escape than directly fight back. Is that what a fox would do?'

'Pretty much.' Nick turned to face the ceiling. 'Though I'd like to believe all of us are past fighting over territory and over mates like those guys in the history museum.'

Judy chuckled for a moment, before giving Nick one final, searching look.

'So… you can't tell me anything else right now?'

'Well…'

He frowned again, and closed his eyes. 'Do you trust me, Carrots?'

'Of course I do,' she said without hesitation.

'Then, if you still have questions, I'll tell you everything that's been bugging me after Franklin has you examined. Deal?'

She sighed in defeat, before smiling and gripping her husband's paw in hers.

'Okay, slick. Deal.'

Despite their discussion, neither of them slept that well that night. Nick had tried to put on a brave face for her sake, but Judy knew that if Nick was scared of something, it was warranted.

As for herself, she had gotten used to going to the doctor often from a young age, considering how much she loved exploring and helping fellow mammals in need. At first, she had also been scared, as she didn't want to be told she had hurt herself so badly that she couldn't even try to help people anymore. More importantly, she was scared of the precedent that a doctor would give Bonnie and Stu even more reason to stop her from pursuing a police career. Thankfully, she was rarely chastised by the doctor for this sort of behaviour – more often, they had encouraged her spirit, albeit emphasizing to do it more carefully next time.

Nick had been to the doctor alongside her many times over the years, and thanks to their teamwork, neither of them rarely had anything more serious than a bruise. Nick being clawed by Sam Grayson was one of the exceptions.

But now, at the hospital for their 9:45 appointment as advised by Bogo, the fox seemed as terrified as Judy had been the first time she had a fall. It wasn't obvious to anyone else, but Nick's concern was etched all over his muzzle, his knuckles pale through his fur, clasping his knees as he waited for their names to be called by reception. At least Judy found some comfort in the familiar rooms, and that they'd known Doctor Franklin from the few visits they had to the hospital over the years. They were also wearing some casual clothes – Nick with his green shirt once again, and Judy with her pink flannel.

It was about 9:49 when they saw the black panther fetch a form from reception, study it for a moment, and glance over to them – his eyes lighting up with recognition.

'Ah, Nick and Judy. I've been expecting you – come in.'

Nick sucked in a breath as the pair got up and followed the doctor through the white windowed door into the moderately-sized office. Franklin gazed over the fox's form as they walked, and by the time they all sat down, he was studying them both through his spectacles.

'Now, according to Bogo, you both wish for a full body examination?'

They both nodded.

'We tangled with a honey badger,' Judy explained.

Franklin bared his teeth in a pained gesture. 'Ooh, ouch. I can understand why you would want to be thorough – I once had a lion who nearly lost an eye to one of them. Hopefully we don't find anything too frightening.'

'So how will this work?' Nick said, sounding more impatient than he intended.

Unfazed, Franklin took note of a bandage or two visible on the pair's arms. 'I'll do a general physical on you both, then run an MRI scan. I have Nurse Holly in one of the imaging rooms already – if it suits you two, we can perform your scans simultaneously.'

They nodded their consent, and the panther used a pre-dialled extension to speak to who they presumed was Holly, telling her to prepare the scanner.

Franklin then carefully tested their limbs and joints, and apart from a slight stinging around their bandaged areas, didn't find anything out of the ordinary.

'Good to see you're both in fine shape.' He stood up and waved them over, and they followed him down the hall towards the scanning rooms, still talking as they went.

'Since we will be using separate rooms–' he said, '–do you have any preferences for who does your scan? Holly will handle one, I'll do the other.'

Nick and Judy exchanged a glance, and Judy still saw that frightened, but firm look. Thus, she nodded for her husband to decide.

'Can you handle Judy's scan, doctor? She's the one I'm really worried about.'

There was a moment of uncertainty as the panther fixed gazes with the fox, but nodded in understanding after a moment.

'Of course. This way, please.'

Franklin opened the door into a small waiting room, and they were greeted by a silver-furred chinchilla. She smiled brightly at them, then stood out from her small desk and bowed.

'Hello, doctor! Are these the scannees?' Her gaze lit up as she studied Nick and Judy. 'Oh, it's you two again! I hope the good doctor hasn't scared you too much.'

'Heaven's sake, Holly, it's just an MRI scan,' Franklin sighed. 'Nick, you're with her. Be prepared for a little gossip.'

Nick grinned wryly. 'I'm aware. This isn't my first time.'

Franklin nodded sympathetically before he turned towards Judy. 'If you'll follow me, Judy.'

Nick and Judy were led to separate windowed doors, in which they spotted the scanning machine. Before they crossed the threshold, they exchanged a final, concerned glance at each other.

This was supposed to be a normal check-up, but Judy felt it was something different. However, Nick had promised to tell her exactly what had been bothering him once they were finished, so she squared her shoulders and cleared her head of questions for now.

Nick hadn't done many scans in his life, but he knew they were pretty clean and painless. All of his concerns were reserved for Judy in the adjacent room. Perhaps, once upon a time, he would have been dubious about leaving Judy with a panther, but Franklin had proven trustworthy, and if even a big scary wolf like Alex didn't scare her in the least, she would be fine on that front.

'I rarely see you both out like this! Something serious must have happened, huh?'

It took a moment for Nick to realise the nurse was talking to him, despite the fact they were the only mammals in the room.

'Huh? Oh, yeah,' he refocused his gaze on her for a moment. 'We ended up in a scrape with a honey badger.'

'Really?' Holly paused as she sat Nick on the scanner bed and began typing in some commands on the donut-shaped computer. 'That bunny has scraped with a lot worse than that. Don't worry so much.'

'Worry?'

She eyed him flatly for a moment while still accurately punching in numbers. 'I've examined enough predators to know when those instincts are at the forefront. It's been obvious since I saw you at the door.'

The chinchilla glanced at his clothes for a moment, and gently pushed Nick's shoulder so he leaned back into the proper position.

'Alright, enough of me talking for a minute. Just try and relax for me, okay? I'd hate to tell your girlfriend you had a heart attack just from a CT scan.' She winked at him with approval. 'Though I do have to say it is kinda cute how much you worry about her.'

Nick was tempted to correct her, but stayed silent. He really didn't feel like talking right now.

The tod then took a deep breath and did as he was told. However, as the squirrel-like prey hummed to herself cheerfully, Nick couldn't help but feel slightly annoyed. The nurse could pick up on him and Judy being together, but seemed completely blind to the reality of their situation.

Either she's just clueless, or this runs deeper than I thought…

After the scan came the gruelling process of waiting. Since Franklin was relatively appointment-free, he would be able to get his results the same day. However, it would take a few hours, and they wouldn't get the results until 4pm at the earliest. And so, they had to wait for the hospital's call.

Ultimately, they couldn't focus on anything outside of the results. They already had Bogo's leave for the whole day, so he'd probably yell at them if they turned up at the ZPD. And it was enough of a trip for them to not bother going home – and they didn't picture themselves enjoying anything like they usually did.

And so they wandered. Nick was rather placid and let Judy dictate where they would go. The doe did her best to cheer him up; taking him to an arcade and then an action movie after, but despite his weak smiles she could tell how suffocating waiting for the results was for him. Just like yesterday, he kept a certain distance. As they wandered amongst the public, she soon wondered whether Nick was especially self-conscious of judgemental gazes from passing mammals when he'd normally put up with it.

Mercifully, Judy got a call from Holly a few minutes after they came out of the theatre. Just from that, though, Nick's ears folded back, as he could tell the nurse was not as cheerful as she had been in the morning, even if she avoided discussing the actual results at all.

They arrived back at the hospital as soon as they could. This time, they didn't have to wait, as Franklin came out to meet him as soon as the receptionist notified him of their arrival. The doctor was a trained professional, and thus didn't show any obvious signs about their results, but Nick could tell from the tensed edges of the panther's jawline that the news wouldn't be good.

He sat them down in his office, with the dim evening sunset creeping in through the window. He looked over his scan sheets one more time, and he visibly inhaled as if bracing himself.

'Well… the good news is that neither of you have any significant internal injuries. Those bruises you've bandaged are about the extent of your injuries from that badger.'

Nick and Judy's worried gazes remained unchanged.

'Then what's the bad news…?' Judy managed to say.

Franklin lowered his clipboard onto his desk, his eyes flicking to the upper corner of the room for only a split second; to the point where they could have imagined it.

'My scans detected something else… in you, Judy.' He took another deep breath. 'You're pregnant.'

Several seconds went by, the sounds of the city suddenly far away. Nick froze, and stared at the floor while cupping his head in his paws.

'I'm… I'm sorry,' Judy had the sudden desire to clean out her ears. 'Did you just say "pregnant"?'

'Yes.'

'But… how?' Judy's thoughts were a jumbled mess, but one she knew was that she wanted answers. 'How is that possible? And why is it "bad news"?'

Franlkin, who had until this point, remained composed in his chair – twitched and fidgeted in a way she hadn't seen in a doctor before.

'I'm… It's difficult to answer that first question,' he managed to say. 'Predators and prey have lived in Zootopia for hundreds of years now. But… we can only theorize, since any official re–'

He drifted off, and his gaze flicked fearfully up to the corner of the room. Judy stood and turned to look up as well, spotting the innocuous black dome hanging from the ceiling.

She glanced at Nick again, who was just about rooted in his chair.

Okay, what is going on here? That's twice he's done that.

She decided not to question the doctor any further, as it was clear he couldn't say anything in a public place.

'And the second question?'

'I'm… sorry?'

'About why it's bad news?'

'I… I never said that…'

Judy frowned and sat herself back down, her paws going to feel her belly. It was hard to tell, but there did seem to be a slight bump, with sent a momentary surge of panic through her.

'So then… what's it mean?'

Franklin managed regain some of his composure, almost to the point the two questions never happened.

'Yes, about that…' He inhaled once more. 'The situation you find yourself in is dangerous. The viability of a full-term pregnancy in your case has been, historically, near zero; it's almost always fatal to the baby, and the mother as well. Even more so for the baby. It's also why you don't have a litter typical of rabbits.'

Judy was too stunned to speak, only glancing at the pamphlets the doctor was gathering from his desk.

'You don't need to decide right away; do some research. But from a doctor who prioritises his patients' health and safety, I cannot recommend carrying this baby.'

'You mean… abortion?' Judy said quietly.

Franklin nodded solemnly. 'I'm… afraid so.'

'How…' Nick spoke up, his voice trembling. 'How far along is she…?'

Franklin raised a brow at the fox, before tightening his jaw. 'From my analysis, about a week. Speaking of which…' He picked up his clipboard once more. 'I did say not to decide right away. But… for a rabbit, you will only have a few weeks before the baby may arrive. Three, at minimum. And an abortion may no longer be medically safe after two. And if you experience bleeding from the private area, that is the signal for the deadline.'

He paused to examine the shocked pair sympathetically, but he continued. 'So… you have a week to decide. Afterwards, if you have not had an abortion, it will be dangerous regardless of your choice.'

'Isn't…' Judy had a hard time forming words, but she felt she needed to say something. 'Is there not some special care for someone like me available? Zootopia is supposed to have the best hospitals in the continent.'

The same panic from her other questions sparked again within the doctor. He answered quickly enough that Judy's instincts told her the response was rehearsed.

'Unfortunately not; even the best care we can provide here in the hospital is not enough to change the results.'

'If–'

Judy stopped herself, for it was all but certain the doctor wouldn't – or couldn't – answer some specific questions.

If predator and prey couples can lead to pregnancy, why is there no information about the potential risks given anywhere?

The doctor waited for her to continue, but she held her tongue. He printed off one final document with some information about the different procedures available depending on the stage of pregnancy. He also gave her a sheet with his signature.

'This is a referral – just in case you decide on your own and request the procedure elsewhere.'

It was at this point that Judy's brain finally caught up to what she was hearing. She had followed up a police incident to check herself for internal injuries, and now… somehow, she was being told to get an abortion of Nick's child.

She felt tears forming at the rims of her eyes, but she gripped her knees and did her best to keep it together. Franklin could only watch her sadly.

Then, she felt Nick's paw grip hers.

'Come on, Carrots… it's time to go home.'

From the strength of his grip, she knew what he was really saying.

We need to talk.

When she looked up to meet his gaze, she not only saw his fear, but… shame.

Why? Why should he be ashamed…?

She finally buckled and resigned herself to nodding at the doctor.

'Okay… we… need to go and think about this…'

Franklin nodded gently.

'I'm sorry, but I need to ask one last thing…' Nick and Judy looked up at the panther weakly. 'Would it be alright if I notified Chief Bogo of my findings? Or would you rather tell him yourselves?'

The pair eyed each other, the mental exhaustion from just the past fifteen minutes all too apparent. As it was, Judy didn't think she would have the fortitude to sit through something like that. Not so soon.

'If… if you could tell him, we'd appreciate it…' Judy managed to say, with Nick nodding slowly.

The doctor simply nodded one final time, as the fox and rabbit slowly pulled themselves out of their chairs, their heads down as they went.

The subway ride that night was unlike any other Judy had experienced. She could no longer focus on anything beyond; it as if her surroundings were a swirling cloud obscuring everything but what she focused on. Everything except Nick, who she remained acutely aware of the whole way.

The fox's paw was still clasped in hers; in stark contrast to his behaviour yesterday. His eyes were also wide open; staring at what she could guess was the same, hazy landscape that she was. Judy was able to draw some strength from his presence, at the very least.

Her view ahead eventually opened up to the city centre; the same view she had crawled out of her seat to see a week ago. It looked exactly the same: the bright lights danced and weaved joyously, oblivious to her and Nick's predicament. What the bunny had seen as a bright and hopeful city now seemed distant and uncaring. It was content to keep churning on, thinking that all mammals could live together and realise their full potential – when in reality, something had gone wrong.

She thought she'd grown out of that mindset when Bogo had spelled it out for her; that the city had always been broken. But this felt… like something else. Something deeper.

Judy and Nick's very relationship had been rejected – because they were a predator and prey.

Once the train drew close to their stop, they slowly got up and hung on to opposite low-hanging handle rings. Then Judy heard Nick, a whisper so low that she could have imagined it.

'Judy… I'm so, so sorry…'

And she wished she had.

June 8, Friday, 6:03pm

Nick and Judy opened the door to their empty house as a cold breeze flowed past them, kicking up their clothes, but neither of them reacted. Nick kept a watchful eye on his wife as she paused in the doorway. It was hard to imagine what she was feeling, if his own clutching dread was anything to go by.

All the time he spent as Judy's partner on the force, any concerns he had for her safety were limited to street accidents, dangerous criminals, or getting involved in underworld matters they had no business sticking their noses in. They had faced all three together when it had all started. After that, he had done his best to watch her back and steer her in a sensible direction when it came to larger mammals, and learned when to ask for help from other officers.

The tod had done this on instinct once they had become partners, but not long after Bellwether was put behind bars, Mr Big had summoned him – and only him. Their last meeting had been… amicable, on account of the shrew having a vested interest in assisting Judy.

The fox had gone alone, as despite their past dealings, the shrew was not one to let old grudges cloud his judgement. Since he'd begun working with Judy, Mr Big had shown no signs of lingering animosity to Nick in particular.

He had arrived on his own volition, though Kevin and Raymond had "greeted" him at the front door. They were wearing the same scowls they always were, so Nick couldn't tell how much trouble he was in.

However, their meeting turned out to be short and to the point.

Koslov, still dressed in all black and taller than the rest, acknowledged Nick as the fox passed through the entrance hall. Unlike Kevin and Raymond, he kept a calm, neutral expression as he knocked on the office door.

'Mr. Wilde is here to see you, sir.'

The shrew's small, raspy voice cut through the air.

'Show him in.'

Nick couldn't help but gulp nervously as he slipped inside after Koslov, fumbling his paws in his pockets as he walked over to the desk. He wasn't wearing his usual green shirt; he made sure to dress a bit more respectfully with a navy-blue collared shirt and black trousers.

Mr Big was on the table, casually reading this week's newspaper, using the afternoon sunlight from behind to study the contents. There were no big headlines on the front that caught Nick's eye, but he saw tiny portraits of him and Judy in the bottom corner. There was also a half-full wine glass of red wine on a side table next to his tiny chair. Koslov took up his position over the shrew's right shoulder.

'It seems you have found a new path.' The shrew's thick eyebrows rose to meet Nick's gaze. 'A respectable one. I am honestly impressed.'

Nick cleared his throat as he stood straight in front of the desk. 'That's… kind of you to say, sir.'

'And how is our favourite rabbit officer doing? In her – your line of work, we do not cross paths as often as my daughter and granddaughter would like.'

'She's doing well,' Nick managed to say. 'I apologise if she disappointed Fru-Fru at any point.'

'Not at all,' Mr Big waved a paw dismissively. 'It is better for the police and crime families to maintain a healthy distance – of which I am sure you're aware.'

With that, the shrew folded his paper and handed it to Koslov, who let the tiny document fall into his enormous palm. Then the shrew squinted and leaned forward to study Nick further, who started to fidget a little.

'Your eyes are… clearer. Full of purpose. That is good.' He leaned back and looked up to the ceiling ponderously. 'Very good…'

'Mr. Big, sir – why did you summon me like this?'

'…Yes, I suppose there is no reason to keep you in the dark for longer than necessary.'

The crime boss sat up straight and tensed his shoulder, prompting Nick to do the same.

'I wanted to clear the air between us, Nicky. You clearly erred when entering my vehicle, once upon a time. You were fortunate that Judith had already honoured me by saving Fru-Fru. At that time, I did not consider your crimes forgiven…' The shrew managed a small smile. 'However, now I can say that they are.'

Nick blinked in surprise and it was his turn to squint and study the shrew. He could detect no signs of deception.

'If you don't mind me asking… why, sir?'

'I'm sure you have a good idea already…' Mr Big grasped his wine glass and took a sip. 'But I will indulge your curiosity. I was all too willing to assist Judith in bringing down Bellwether, not only as a favour to her, but also in the interest of my family.'

Nick took a moment to glance at Koslov standing stoically off to the side. 'So… the shrews and polar bears…'

'Yes. All predators.' Mr Big took another sip. 'From the very day that Judith had her unfortunate news conference, our business dealings became more difficult. Prey that had once both respected and feared us, now simply avoided us altogether. Contacts and business partners began to dry up. Our profits were turning into deficits. However, thanks to both you and her, our business has managed to recover.'

He paused after another sip, letting Nick absorb it all.

'So you see? In assisting Judith with the Night Howlers, you both – perhaps unintentionally – saved our family, along with our criminal enterprise. I'm sure that might not be very reassuring for a newly-minted officer to hear, but that is where I stand.'

'I… understand.' Nick bowed his head. 'Thank you, sir.'

The shrew's smile dropped a little as he raised a tiny finger. 'However… I do have a request for you. And since you no longer have a debt to me, it is simply a request, not an order. Whether you do or not, I will not take offence to your decision.'

Nick frowned thoughtfully, but after being reminded of Mr Big' assistance, he was in no position to deny this much.

'I'll at least hear you out, sir.'

'Thank you, Nicky.' The crime lord set aside his wine glass. 'My request is simple: I consider Judith a part of our family, if only through her connection to Fru-Fru. I do not expect her to go back on her duty to the law for a crime lord's sake. Because of this… I want you to watch over her. Protect her – as a favour to me.'

Nick's jaw dropped slightly.

'I… Sir, I would've done that, whether you asked me or not.' He frowned. 'I am doing that.'

His answer seemed to please the shrew, as Mr Big leaned back in his chair with a satisfied smile. 'Very good. Then… if there is nothing else… Koslov can show you out, Nicky.'

So… what would Mr Big think of me now? It's because of me, and my relationship to her, that Judy's in danger now…

A gust of wind sent a shiver down his tail, so he quickly closed the door. Judy went over to the fridge listlessly, stared at the door for a few seconds, before fishing out a couple of frozen meals.

Nick didn't feel like eating, and he guessed she didn't, either. Nevertheless, the pair at least tried to establish a pattern as if it was any other night.

Judy turned on the TV, but paid no attention to what was on the screen. When their meals were ready, they ate in silence. It might have been early for dinner, but they couldn't think of anything else to do at that moment.

They soon stopped eating, and Judy shivered, despite the toasty temperature in the living room.

Nick watched her sadly, but reached out to grip her paw again. As she looked up at him with those teary eyes, he felt that same urge to shelter and protect her that he had when he had started warming up to her.

Judy slowly turned around, and Nick hooked an arm around her shoulder and cupped her forehead against his chest. Judy's breathing quickened, and she sniffled for several minutes before she finally managed to say something.

'This is what you were afraid of, isn't it…?'

'…Yeah.'

They held their embrace for as long as they could, but a buzzing ringtone from Nick's pocket pulled them out of it. They'd gotten no other texts today, so it ended up jolting Judy right out from Nick's hug.

He frowned for a moment to read the interruption.

"wtf man I been waiting here an hour"

Nick managed a groan and smacked his head. Judy wiped her eyes to look at him curiously.

'Who…?'

'Finnick. We stood him up.'

'… Can we…?'

'I'll handle it, Carrots.' He cupped her shoulder gently. 'Just try to relax, alright? I'll be back.'

Judy smiled appreciatively as Nick stood up and went to their room, flipping through his contacts tapping on the fennec's profile picture.

Finnick immediately answered his call, his displeasure all too apparent.

'Where you at, Nick? It ain't polite to leave a guy alone with cold booze and a moose askin' too many questions.'

'I'm sorry, Finnick. Judy and I… we got some bad news.'

His weak and breaking tone immediately quelled the Fennec's displeasure, who went quiet for a moment.

'You alright?'

'… Not really.'

'And Judes?'

'She's not doing any better.' Nick peeked his head out the door for a moment, and he heard a pair of voices that sent a spike of guilt up his spine. 'I think she's talking to her parents now, though.'

'… I guess it would take something major for you two to forget.' Finnick slurped his drink loudly. 'I'm comin' over.'

He hung up before Nick could respond. At first, Nick was tentative… but the thought of Finnick coming over to check up on them didn't seem so bad.

The tod leaned out of the room after putting the phone away, listening to Judy talk to Bonnie and Stu for a minute. Nick knew his wife's parents well enough that they wouldn't hold anything against him, but that lingering doubt was always there. He could barely process the day's events himself; but one thing he did know was that Judy needed him to be there for her.

Judy sat stiff as a board for a few seconds after Nick had left. She felt weak and vulnerable, which scared her almost as much as this whole dilemma. However, upon hearing Finnick's barking voice, she reached for her phone almost instantly and called her parent's number, not even bothering to text them first this time.

It took them about thirty seconds to pick up. Judy tried to put on a brave face, but she had no idea how it would look.

The Muzzletime screen came on in a blur as Judy heard dozens of her siblings milling about the massive dining table. It appeared they were preparing for dinner.

After a few seconds of fumbling with the phone, Bonnie turned the camera upwards, and Judy caught a glimpse of rabbit children eating in the background.

'Oh… sorry, Mom… I forgot it was dinnertime for you guys.'

Bonnie was about to say something when she got a tug from one of the youngsters at her pants, and gently extricated herself from the table as one of the other adults escorted them away.

'It's no trouble, sweetie. I just wasn't expecting a call from you at this hour… Aren't you usually out partying right now?'

'Yeah… funny story, that…' She tried to keep a bright expression, since Bonnie hadn't caught on yet. 'Is Dad around? I'd like to talk to you both… in private, if you could.'

As her mother blinked in surprise, Judy grimaced. 'I'm sorry to interrupt your meal…'

'No, no…' Bonnie frowned as she studied her daughter further. 'You wouldn't call like this if it wasn't important. Just give me a minute…'

The phone went black for a second.

'Stu! I'm gonna need you to hold off on that hayloaf for a minute!'

'What? You're not gonna keep a buck from his loaf are you?'

'Stuuuu…'

Her father groaned in the background but Judy heard the jingle of his overalls as he sauntered over. He blinked in surprise as Bonnie held up her screen to him.

'Jude? Jude the Dude? Fancy hearing from you on a Friday night.'

Bonnie hissed a quick "zip it" offscreen, presumably to Judy's siblings, and grabbed her husband's hand. The phone camera followed them in a bobbing motion until the pair of rabbits arrived at their room. Judy exhaled with some relief; Bonnie could tell she didn't want the rest of the family to hear this just yet.

'So what's on your mind, sweetie?' Bonnie asked. 'You look like you've just got some big news… but I can't tell if you're sad or excited.'

Judy opened her mouth, but paused for a moment. 'Now that I think about it… I'm not so sure myself.'

'Have you had dinner yet?' Stu asked, studying his daughter with concern. 'You look like your energy's been spent.'

Bonnie glared at her husband for a moment, but he held up his paws. Judy inhaled and braced herself.

Just what will they think? I don't even know what I think…

'Nick and I were at the doctor's today, and… Mom, Dad – I'm pregnant.'

After a second, Bonnie and Stu began to raise a brow quizzically. Stu then stuck a finger in his ear for a second and raised it toward the phone.

'Sorry, Jude… It sounded like you said "pregnant".'

'Yeah, I did.'

Bonnie's eyes went wide as she cupped her mouth to stifle a gasp. Stu shifted uncomfortably.

'I'm… sorry if this sounds rude, Judy, but… is Nick…?'

As he trailed off, Judy's own eyes widened as she realised the doctor hadn't even bothered to ask. He had known them both a long time, after all.

'Yes, Nick is the father.'

Bonnie began to tear up, and when she spoke, her voice cracked a little.

'Ooh… our little Judy's pregnant… I thought it was impossible… We all thought it was impossible, and yet…'

'Mom…'

'You were always one to think of others before yourself. I worried over your… unusual hobbies compared to the other girls…'

'Mom!'

Stu was keeping it together better than his wife, though his brow creased more as he watched Judy.

'Bon, you might be jumping to conclusions.' He tapped Bonnie's shoulder. 'Look at her ears.'

Bonnie managed to compose herself and wipe away her tears for a moment. 'Are you alright, Judy? I noticed you looked down, but I didn't know exactly what it meant…'

'Well…'

As Judy inhaled, she felt Nick's paw gently squeeze her shoulder. He smoothly sat down next to her, out of the camera's view for the moment.

'The doctor said it was dangerous for me to have the baby. And I've only got maybe a week to decide whether to keep it.'

Bonnie covered her mouth again, and Stu was wearing a terrified expression not so different from Nick.

'Just how dangerous?' Stu managed to say.

'… Enough that he couldn't recommend keeping it from a medical view.'

Bonnie clasped a paw to her chest as she glanced away thoughtfully, while Stu similarly stared at the floor. After several seconds of silence, Bonnie spoke up gently.

'Do you… want the baby?'

Judy took a moment to think. The shock of it all had prevented her from thinking about the most fundamental questions. Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted Nick prying his eyes away from her, if only for a moment.

'If this was an otherwise normal pregnancy? …Yes, I do. Nick and I had talked about adoption ever since we moved into this house. But the agency… well…'

'What about Nick?' Stu asked. 'He always looked so darn sad whenever we've asked about it.'

Judy stole a quick glance to her side, and Nick nodded. She pulled the phone away a bit and brought Nick into the frame, and he waved half-heartedly.

'Oh, Nick!' Bonnie said gently. 'Were you there the whole time?' She studied his expression, also noticing his ears folded back. 'It must have been difficult to hear all that from the doctor.'

'… You can say that again.' The tod sighed, but twisted his head towards Judy for a moment. 'I'm… more worried about your daughter right now. And possibly grandkit…'

He trailed off as he said that, freezing up as he recalled from Franklin that the baby would be in as much danger as Judy.

It was Judy's turn to reach up and squeeze his shoulder a little.

'I know it's tough, Nick,' Stu said, 'but hang in there. We both know how much you two love each other – you'll make it through this.'

'Maybe,' Nick breathed, 'but right now I don't think we have much idea about what to do next.'

Everyone went silent as they pondered that very question. After half a minute, Bonnie and Stu exchanged another look, and Bonnie spoke up.

'Did you only see the one doctor?'

Nick and Judy blinked at them with surprise.

'…Yes, we did,' Judy said. 'Are you saying try more doctors?'

'Well, we only have few practitioners out here in Bunnyburrow,' Bonnie continued, 'but there have been times where one provided better treatment than another. Each doctor has their own specialties, even if they don't always advertise them.'

'Huh.' Nick's ears perked up. 'Zootopia certainly has its fair share of doctors. I don't think Franklin was a specialist in pregnancies or anything.'

The older bunnies nodded with encouraging smiles. 'Don't get too hung up on one thing. There's usually another way,' Stu said. 'We often have to substitute our produce with another crop if one fails. That's just the way life goes sometimes.'

Judy managed to smile. 'I wouldn't expect farming advice to be so applicable to my life.'

Bonnie exhaled and clapped her hands. 'Let's try and focus on more positive things for now. Do you know anything else about the baby? Boy? Girl? Rabbit? Fox?' She tapped her chin for a moment. 'A mix of the above?'

Judy and Nick were taken aback.

'We… never got the chance to ask,' Judy answered.

'Besides, it wasn't an ultrasound or anything,' Nick added. 'We kinda have bigger things to worry about.'

Bonnie sighed. 'I figured.'

Everyone's ears perked up as they heard the loud sputter of a familiar van engine coming from Nick and Judy's driveway, the tires grinding to a stop.

'Right on schedule.' Nick grinned at the Hopps' apologetically. 'That's just one of our friends – we should probably wrap up this conversation.'

Judy brought the phone closer to her as Nick got up. 'I'll talk to you soon – we'll probably use the weekend and take your suggestion.'

The parents nodded, and Bonnie began to tear up again. 'You and Nick take care, dear.'

'Chin up, Jude the…' Stu frowned awkwardly. 'I guess I should stop calling you that, huh? Anyway, good luck, both of you.'

'Thanks, guys.'

As Bonnie moved the phone away, Judy heard her breathlessly mouth 'grandkits' a few times before she hung up.

Nick got up from the couch as Finnick's sharp knocks echoed through the large room. Judy quickly began researching other doctors in the area on her phone.

Nick pulled the large door open to reveal the small scowling fox. As Finnick looked him in the eye, their gazes remained locked for several seconds, and Nick felt the fennec studying him intensely. Then the smaller fox closed his eyes and sighed.

'Damn.'

Nick could only nod in agreement as he stood aside to let his friend in.

Finnick didn't go very far, just enough to see Judy half-heartedly tapping away. He studied her from afar in a similar manner.

'Judes?'

She turned to give him a weak smile.

'Hi, Finnick.'

Her smile quickly fell, and she averted her eyes. Nick walked over to sit next to her, while Finnick hopped onto their coffee table to get a better look at her.

'Just what happened? Never seen you this bad.' The tan vulpine frowned. 'The worst was when Bogo forced you to go on vacation, but even that doesn't come close…'

Nick put a comforting arm around his wife before he spoke.

'We found out Judy's pregnant.' Finnick's large ears twitched, but he otherwise didn't react. '…And we were told that it's too dangerous, and that an abortion is basically our only option.'

The small fox stared at them in shock for several tense seconds.

'You're shittin' me.'

Nick shrugged with a hint of exhaustion. 'That joke would be in poor taste, now wouldn't it?'

Finnick remained on the table, now sitting in a cross-legged position as he furrowed his brow. His eyes continually shifted between pissed and baffled.

'Uh… Finnick? You okay there, buddy?'

'It… just doesn't make sense.' He looked up. 'Couldn't they offer you any special–'

Nick quickly shook his head. 'That was one of the first things we asked. He dodged the question in a very strange way, though. I got the feeling he was hiding something, but maybe I'm just grasping at straws.'

Finnick slowly shook his own head back. 'You're not. You may know "everyone", Nick, but you don't know them half as well as I do. And I've seen some weird pairings that don't get nearly as much flak as you two do. And I'm talking before you two got hitched.'

Nick found himself studying his friend more closely. So he did notice…

Finnick was, as far as Nick could tell, referring to their bar-diving on Friday nights that the three of them had started after Nick had settled into the ZPD properly. In hindsight, he and Judy really rode the line between "friends" and "more-than-friends". After a drink or two, they often acted a little too touchy-feely toward each other. However, until they found Murphy's bar, the atmosphere of other bars sometimes became downright hostile when they fooled around in such a manner. And it was Finnick who just dumped the bar in search of the next, not even commenting on the pair's behaviour after they left. Though he once muttered something about never trusting bartenders with bad grammar.

'You guys ever heard of the Fishers?' Finnick continued. When Nick and Judy both shook their heads, he shrugged. 'I'm not surprised. Those bears barely leave their basement. Social pariahs, but they sure as hell know how to spot trends in several major markets. But get this; they're gay. And married.'

Nick's reaction was a little more surprised than Judy, who frowned thoughtfully for a moment.

'Judes? You can probably guess my next example, right?'

'Bucky and Pronk…'

Nick's ears perked up and his jaw dropped a little. 'Wha-? You mean to tell me those loud morons were married?!'

She eyed him flatly. 'They have "Oryx-Antlerson" on their front door.'

'Yeah, but the only time I so much as glanced at their door, I got an earful.' Nick cupped his snout slightly. "Hey, fox! Mind your own business! Go screw our neighbour already!"

"You idiot! You don't say that kinda stuff in public!"

"Oh, shut up! Our room doesn't count as public! That's what private means, asshole!"

"Oh, shut up!"

"No, you shut up-"

Judy stopped him with a light slap of the elbow, but her smile had brightened considerably. As he smiled back, bringing up the memory eased the apprehension in the air, if only a little.

Finnick was also wearing an amused grin before he cleared his throat.

'Anyway… yeah. I never had the… pleasure of meeting those two, but they never got treated like shit, Judes? As far as you could tell?'

Judy thought for a moment and shrugged. 'Not really. I think their arguing masked whatever negative connotations they might have gotten for being a gay married couple.' She grinned slyly at her husband. 'It certainly worked on Nick.'

Nick pouted at Judy for a moment, before he frowned back at Finnick. 'Wait – "treated like shit"? What do you mean?'

Finnick scowled and held up a paw. 'I'm getting' there! Don't rush me!'

Nick rolled his eyes, but retracted an arm from Judy and leaned forward towards Finnick, paying rapt attention.

'I knew a pair of girls that were as touchy-feely as you two. Maybe more.' He scowled again. 'They were a skunk and a snow hare. And they've been able to adopt two rabbits.'

Nick and Judy stared at him for long enough that he began to grow uncomfortably.

'Seriously…?' Nick said under his breath.

Finnick moved on, trying to shift the subject. 'Judes, you said the adoption agency gave you crap, right? What was the reason?'

Judy's ears perked up as she tried to recall her initial appointment. 'There were a lot of them, including that both of us were police officers who worked together, so we wouldn't be able to provide enough care. But the other was that we weren't legally married.'

It was Finnick's turn to stare. 'Wait… what?'

Nick frowned. 'We never told you?'

'I… guess I never asked, but…' Finnick pulled on one ear. 'You mean to tell me that whole ceremony wasn't real?'

Nick and Judy gave him a disgruntled frown.

'It was real to us,' Judy said. 'If the Registry Office didn't want to let us have an official wedding, we would just do an "unofficial" one.'

'Having a marriage certificate didn't bother us, one way or the other,' Nick continued, '…Though I didn't think it'd lead to something like this.'

'It was real to you, huh…?' Finnick glanced away, adopting a melancholy look. 'I see what you mean. You did ask me to be the best mammal, and while the suit was awful…' He gave them a small smile. 'It was worth it.'

He blinked uncomfortably and coughed. 'Anyway, enough sappy crap. My point being; a pair of gay prey, a pair of gay predators, and a predator-prey lesbian couple, weren't treated like shit, at least beyond a few mammals getting weirded out. And now you tell me you weren't allowed to get married…' He gripped his small chin thoughtfully. 'I don't buy the whole "police officer" thing. I mean, Nick–' Finnick shifted his gaze, 'your Mom practically waltzes in here whenever she wants, right?'

Nick raised a cautious eyebrow. 'Yeah… and…?'

'She would practically jump at the chance to move in with you guys if you let her, right?'

Nick's ears flicked back with displeasure, and his eyes widened in terror. 'Where are you going with this?'

'If push came to shove, would you have asked her to move in with you, if it meant the chance to adopt?'

Nick and Judy turned their heads and gave each other long, searching looks. After several seconds, Judy nodded slowly, and Nick followed suit.

'… Yeah. I guess we would.'

Finnick also inclined his head for a moment before shifting his attention again.

'Judes, did you mention this to the adoption agency?'

'I wanted to, but…' She frowned thoughtfully. 'They didn't really let me add anything after a certain point. In hindsight, they were awfully eager to get me out the door, even though there wasn't anyone waiting outside.'

Finnick's brow creased even further.

'…This stinks.'

Nick shared the notion as his snout scrunched up with displeasure.

'After everything you've told us… I'm gonna have to agree with you.'

All three of them fell silent for almost half a minute before Finnick finally sighed heavily.

'So what're you gonna do?'

'We'll go see other doctors,' Judy said. 'My dad thought that was the next step.'

Finnick's eyes flashed for a moment, but it passed so quickly that she wasn't sure what it meant. Then he got out his phone and started scrolling.

'Well… I might have some contacts that would be a better fit for you than a general doctor.'

Judy and Nick smiled appreciatively.

'It's a start, big guy.'

After they exchanged the contacts, Finnick stayed a couple of hours longer, playing a few rounds of Vexxen and watching a short movie. They offered for him to stay the night, but Finnick said he preferred to sleep in his van, and he left that night after 11:30. As they watched him leave, they counted themselves lucky that the small vulpine showed up when he did, as they now had some leads to follow in the wake of feeling completely lost only a few hours ago. They spent a few minutes in each other's arms on the couch before their mental fatigue prompted them to turn in for the night.