Judy locked herself in her room with Nick, overwhelmed by her nerves at the moment. She didn't know what to do in this situation. She just surrounded herself with her blanket and completely concealed herself, while breathing heavily. She just couldn't stop it. That was when there was a knock on the door, causing Judy not jump and scream in panic. "Sorry dear, I didn't mean to scare you."

Judy picked herself up from the ground and tried to steady her breathing. "I-It's okay m-mum." She cradled her muzzle in her paws and started to sob, hating the situation she was currently put in. "How long until all this passes? I hate it." Her cries strengthened as her thoughts lingered. Nick curled around her, now that she was on the floor instead of the bed. She just slung her arms around the canid and hugged tightly. "I'm sorry for needing you this much." She then started to laugh at the absurdity of the situation. "I'm so scared that I'm unable to leave a feral fox. I'm completely done." Her tears streamed down, but it was hard to tell if they were from joy or misery.

Nick looked at her and shook his head to the door. "Right, we have to go. You're right." The two walked over to the door, one more reluctantly than the other. She turned the lock, then pushed the door open, scared of what lied on the other side of the door. The door slowly creaked open, building up Judy's blood pressure every second. Nick clearly started to get impatient and pushed through the door, ironically easing Judy back into reality. She was shaking her head and blinking rapidly as she was trying to gain a grasp on her world. "I-I..." She just walked out of her room and headed to the lunch room.

She headed down the corridors, concerned about what could be behind every door. Her imagination ran rampant, yet it felt more real than imaginary. She ignored a lot of what was going on, trusting her companion in that moment. She entered the room and saw the horde of siblings present. Her mind eased but she quickly realised what was about to happen. She turned quickly and saw the fox flinching. "Hey, hey, Nick it's okay." She rubbed his head to ease his mind. "It's all okay." That was when he started to lean into the paw Judy given.

She sat down and both of them ate some food that was tailor made for them. Judy looked out of the window and saw a silhouette in the treeline. She slowed down her eating and watched closely. That was when Samantha sat down next to her. "Hey, what are you looking at? There's nothing there." Judy shut her eyes then shook her head and looked again. That was when she saw nothing.

"I'm sorry, I'm losing my mind, I keep seeing things or hearing things or... or..."

"Shh, it's fine, I understand, I think. I mean I sometimes see things that aren't there as well." Sam smiled and rested her paw on Judy's shoulder. "It's just you are more distant than usual with us. I wanted to make sure that you were okay."

"No, I don't think I ever will be okay. I can get better but never okay, not after this."

"Oh, don't cut yourself short, you'll be right as rain in no time."

"Hmm, I hope you're right." Judy sighed, worried about what it meant if she was wrong. "But only time will tell."

"What will time tell? Sorry, I hear you talking." Samuel sat down with a smile. "Don't mean to intrude."

"You're not intruding." Judy responded firmly, trying to not alienate her brother.

"Well, how about you tell me how the err forced vacation is going?"

Samantha then chimed in. "You don't have to answer if you don't want to."

Judy took a deep breath then answered. "It's been terrible, I keep feeling that I'm getting worse. Whatever opposite of a high is, I'm having that, but worse and worse as time goes on."

"It will get better." Samuel responded with a comforting smile.

"I-I don't know if it will." She broke into tears as she said that out loud. "I've constantly been telling myself that, but started to think it's a lie. Interactions with some mammals feel off, but I don't know why. I really am losing my mind here, I don't know what I can do, and I am scared to find out how bad it will get." Samuel stared at her, prompting her to speak more. "I just want to get back to living how I was before. It was good, it was fun, it was what I wanted."

"Knowing you, you'll get it back, once again, against better judgment." Sam smiled. "It's our job to worry about you, ya'know? But most of us will back your decisions, even mayoral candidate over there." Both of them looked at Shawn with his girlfriend. Sam noticed this and snarkily added: "Of course he brought her in for no reason."

Judy laughed. "He's a politician, he will be a walking advertisement now." Sam was clearly annoyed at that statement.

"Yeah, they're all the same." He paused for a second and turned back. "But we can't change them, can we?"

"We can, if we change ourselves. Instead of following blindly, keep them accountable. We can do that."

"Yeah, yeah we can." Sam sighed. "But not enough do, too many sacrifice their choice, their freedom for safety."

"If it's what they want, we can't change it. We can only tolerate it. Don't hold it against them."

"I won't, it wouldn't be worth it." His expression was disconcerned, possibly tiptoeing on the verge of apathetic, although not entirely.

"I'm... just gonna eat now, I don't want Nick craving one of our siblings." Nick then rapidly snapped his head to Judy disapprovingly. "Oh, I was joking, you know it." Judy smiled just to see Nick roll his eyes. "Oh, I didn't mean it."

"I'm happy to see you two are still close, even with your setbacks." Sam finally stated while getting up. He then pulled out his phone and headed off. Sam and Shawn both looked at each other and nodded. Shawn then spoke to his girlfriend and followed Samuel. Judy thought she was being paranoid again and let it off.

She looked at her watch. "Hey, wanna run about after you finish eating?" Nick turned and nodded. "Then you better eat quicker." The fox then whimpered in protest. "You know you have to eat, so don't complain." Nick lowered his head and started to eat. "Attaboy."

The two of them ate, Nick more quickly than Judy. After the two finished their meals, Judy took Nick to the open basement that was proposed before. "You can run around here, and I can wait by the entrance now, and you won't be able to get out of my sight." She smiled. "Now go, have fun, don't let me stop you." Nick then turned around and started to sprint, as if he chased things that weren't there. Judy sat down on the stairs and watched peacefully.

Although she was meant to keep watch of Nick, instead she started to think about her own condition. She was clearly distracted and even blinded by thought. Her thoughts drifted deeper and deeper into the unlikely. 'What if I'm never better? What if it gets worse? What if I could only live with Nick for the rest of my life, with him beside me? What if the hallucinations get so bad that I get a heart attack? What if the drug itself kills me?' As she thought that, her grandpa slowly walked up to her. "Hey, Poppop, what brings you here?"

"You, my dear Judy, I heard you are in the police force." Judy nodded. "You see something you didn't like or have someone who annoys ye? If ya do, tell me and I'll immediately straighten them out."

"No, no, it's fine, part of the job even." She smiled weakly with a chuckle. "But there was one criminal that got me captured and made me this."

"I don't see anything wrong?" He stared at her deeply. "Care to enlighten an old fool like myself?"

"I'm constantly paranoid about things that I wouldn't normally think about." She then looked down to the ground. "I don't know if I'll be able to get my job back after I go back, I don't know if I'll be able to live on my own even."

"If I know my Judy well enough, you will get what you set your mind to." He sat down next to Judy. "Don't let these trifling details mess with your mind. You need to focus and you will be fine. These are just fleeting moments." The two of them smiled. "Now, tell me, how well is it going in the police? You out there fighting crime? You better be." He pointed an accusatory finger at Judy.

"Yeah, of course I am. Wouldn't be making the world a better place if I wasn't." She paused for a second. "But I don't know if the police will be enough this time. The one that kitnapped me and Nick was a cop himself, heard he was killed immediately after though." She paused and was clearly saddened by that news. "He didn't have to go get himself killed, even if he wasn't a good guy."

Her grandpa sat and waited, thinking of how to respond. "Life isn't binary like that, Judy. He believed that what he was doing was the right thing. He believed he was the good guy in that situation. Sometimes, the ends justify the means."

"But the means don't justify the ends. It isn't worth it going the way they are right now. They killed mayor Lionheart. They host little tournaments between helpless prey and drugged up predators for a little extra money." She shook her head in disgust. "I wouldn't want to live in a world made from that. It wouldn't be worth it."

"Maybe to them it already is a world like that." Judy looked at her grandfather curiously. "They may believe that no matter what they do, it wouldn't make the world a worse place, because it's already as bad as it can be."

"If I learned anything, it's that there is always worse." Judy finally responded. "As a cop, I need to be ready for when it gets worse to make it better. If they want their perfect world, they'll never get it. There is no perfect world. I learned that the hard way as well."

"No, but everyone will always strive for whatever they think is best."

"No, I don't think that's true. Many don't behave like that."

"Many sacrifice their freedom for a little safety, sure but it's because that's what they think is right."

"I guess you're right Poppop." She turned and hugged him.

"Heh, you were always a hugger." He hugged her back then slowly got up. "I gotta get back, before someone gets angry at me leaving my bed, again." He groaned as he fully stood up and started heading up the stairs. "I'll see you later, Judy." He walked away up the stairs. Judy turned back to Nick who sat at the other end of the room and stared at her. She just waved comically. Nick raised his paw and dropped it to the ground in the motion of a wave. Judy just giggled at that.

Nick walked back to Judy curious about what she was doing, and thinking she was calling him back. "Nick, you can have some more fun if you want, no-one will stop you here." She smiled as every word was spoken. Nick smiled in response and ran back. He didn't have a goal in mind but he enjoyed all the movement he was doing. He felt free and even though he was inside, loved the rush of wind on his fur. Judy watched the fox be free and loved the amount of joy just exuding from Nick. That level of joy was purely infectious to the point that Judy forgot about all her troubles and just smiled.

After a few hours, she got a call from someone. She looked at the phone and stared blankly at the name "Finnick". This caused her entire illusion just collapse into itself. She started to breathe a little heavy then tried to control it. She answered the call and placed the phone to her head.

"Hey, I'm calling to check in on my boy. How's he doin'?"

"He's still, you know, but he's getting … smarter? You know what I mean. That and he's also so happy, like a kit."

"And you? You are practically he's tamer, so I need to know you are okay. That and the copious amounts of drugs in your body."

"I'm fine, I think. Things are still scary but, I can manage. It's getting easier for me. How are things going on your end?"

"Unfortunately good would be nowhere near close to what is going on. I'd argue fine is an exaggeration. Me, a friend and your friend are all on the run. Don't worry this call is untraceable."

"When I get back, I'll fix it."

"Thanks, I appreciate the sentiment, but right now it is assumed he's kitnapped."

"Who else is involved?"

"Wolford, Fangmeyer and a bunch of Outbackers. Otherwise, it's absolutely peachy." Finnick added. "You need to get back, the mainland is their goal, and we're not there."

"What am I supposed to do? I'm scared, I-I'll mess up, again, more mammals will be killed because of me. I can barely deal with myself right n-"

"LISTEN BUNNYCOP, you are a cop first and foremost, it is your DUTY to help this city you swore to protect and serve. Of course you are scared, so am I. So what? That won't change what I have to do, wont change what you have to do, so just get over it and do your job." Judy sat there motionless, considering what she could do in that situation. "Now, one of the first things we need you to do is bail us out from this situation. We'll handle the rest from our end, I trust you to do the same."

"Wait, how did you get into that situation."

"Tournament was raided by the police about a week ago now."

"A week ago?"

"Yeah, you were gone for more than just two days you know."

"I didn't even realise."

"This isn't the time for small talk, go, now." Finnick hung up.

Judy pocketed her phone and stared blankly at Nick, wondering what she should do at that point. She stared at the fox and thought deeply, considering both perspectives and their respective pros and cons.

She got up and did what she would normally do when she needed to think. She started running in circles, focusing her mind. All surrounding thoughts started to fade, dragging her fears along with them. That was when she started to concentrate on the specific issue. 'Should I go back? Firstly, I'm still drugged and don't know what the effects are. I could be still heavily under the effects. I'm still scared without anything happening. Otherwise, they need me, a lot is happening and it feels like it's every paw on deck right now.' During this she kept running. She wasn't sure herself if she was running to or away from her problems. She then stopped as she came to a verdict.

"Nick?!" The fox turned immediately and ran towards Judy. She crouched down and rubbed his fur around his neck. "What do you think of going back home?" Nick stared Judy down, unsure of what she meant by that. "Back to Zootopia? You know, where you live?" Nick's stare didn't change. "Well, err.. erm... you know, the big city." Nick rolled his eyes, not caring whether they go or not. "Well, guess what? We are going back." Nick's eyes were unchanged and his mouth was straight. He was clearly staring sarcastically. "You know, I expected you to be more excited." She then looked at Nick a bit more. "I don't know why though." She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "Welp, time to go upstairs." She directed for Nick to go upstairs and followed him up to the main area of the warren.

She looked for her mother for a few minutes, searching the main areas that she would be in. Finally, she found her and spoke up. "Hey, ma, I'm gonna go back to Zootopia tomorrow."

"Oh that's lovely dear, wait, what happened?"

"Oh, nothing, I just think we were overstaying our welcome. We have to go back on patrol."

"Well, don't do anything dangerous." Bonnie responded, knowing she couldn't stop her daughter.

"Before I leave, do you know where Poppop is? I wanted to talk to him."

"Oh, honey, we didn't tell you, did we?" She paused for a second as Judy stared confused. "He's been dead for about a year now, but we didn't want to stop your police career." She spoke quietly and softly. Judy stood with her jaw kept agape.

That was when Samantha saw the two of them. "Hey, Judy, haven't seen you all day. Why the shocked face?" But Judy didn't respond, only hearing, 'didn't see you all day'.

Bonnie just looked at Sam and quietly stated. "I told her about my Dad."

"oh, then I'll go, she needs a minute."

A/N: So, long time no see. Unless you also read my other story then hi again, it's me.

I really don't have much to say today, so I hope you all had a good one, and wish you all well til next we meet. Goodbye.