A/N \\\ So... Here is the 9th installment. Hope you enjoy.

The events here take place a year or two after the movie. I'm not actually sure how long, but it has been enough time that Nick and Judy are officially together.

Remember to share the love. Review and Fav. It is the life blood of every writer to know you are enjoying their work. I also want to thank everyone who has Fav'd, followed, and reviewed this little project.

Watch out, this is a big one. I just couldn't find a place to cleanly chop this up.

I do not own and claim no rights to Zootopia or its characters. They belong to Disney.

Note2: This is the refresh. I want to thank Hereford67 and Bear678 for their work. Bear678 as my regular beta that keeps things at least marginally readable, and Hereford67 for their selfless volunteering of listing all the items they took note of. Thank you both!

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Greetha's

Judy, Lizz, and Carry got out of the car, Lizz helping Judy down, as the coyote walked over quickly, pulling Carry into a hug and passionate kiss before turning to Judy and giving her a hug. "Judy! So good to see you again. How have you been? I hear you are helping a new couple that has been hiding their relationship for several years come out. Is that true?"

Judy nodded. "Hi Bill. Yes, it is true. Let me introduce one half of that couple. Lizz Fangmeyer, Bill Ekarts. Bill, Lizz."

Bill puts out a paw, which Lizz gives a strong shake. "A pleasure. Fangmeyer? As in Fangmeyer shipping?"

Lizz nodded with a sigh. "Distant relatives, yes. Nothing to do with me. I work with Judy."

Grinning, Bill puts his arm around Carry. "AH! That's where I know you from. You were part of the raid that took down that anti-interspecies scum."

"I was. I was part of the squad that pulled you out specifically." Lizz looked down; ears folded back in embarrassment. "Now that I am learning more about what brought it about. I can only wish we as a department hadn't allowed ourselves to be blinded to what was happening. That I wasn't blind to what some of my fellow officers thought."

Bill waved the point off as he led them inside, directly past the maître d' who just nodded at Bill, and into the restaurant and a waiting table set for ten. "Not to worry. Sometimes you need someone like Nick and Judy to force some changes of perception. Judy..." Pulling out a chair for Lizz and then Judy, helping Judy up into it hers. "I hear that Maria may be joining us."

Judy sighed, clearly embarrassed. "Yes, I may have heard something to that effect as well. I assume she is already here."

Bill smiled as he sat down. "Maybe... I don't get why you are so embarrassed by having friends."

A new, silky and well-known voice joining in as a pair of arms wrap around Judy, horned head sliding in next to hers. "It's because she just wants to help mammals and make the world a better place. Isn't that right, Judy? She wants to fix the world but doesn't like the notoriety that comes with it. There is also the part where she doesn't feel comfortable with our wealth. She loves us as friends but feels like she's taking advantage of us and our wealth."

Judy nodded, her embarrassment showing in her ears as the inside turned a brighter pink and fell back behind her. "That's part of it. There is also the part where I'm an officer and... like with Fru Fru, because of who her dad is..."

Maria nodded, still holding the rabbit in a hug from behind. "I understand Judy. We're not trying to make you uncomfortable, but surely dinner can't be seen as an issue? You could always quit and join me on tour. You have the voice for it. I've heard you and Nick duet. You could give me a run for my fame."

Judy reached back with a paw to scratch the jaw of the gazelle and turned to give a kiss on the side of her muzzle. "Hi Maria. It's good to see you. I could, but I won't. I like my job. It's easier with you and Jarvis, because I knew you and we were friends long before I was an officer, and you were rich and famous. Yet, I still have to be careful what I accept from you, since there have been a few times I have been put on security details and such. The ZPD takes conflict of interest very seriously. Bogo still doesn't understand why I refuse to be assigned to your security detail when you're in town, if he did, he'd probably flip out." Releasing her grip, she indicated Lizz with a paw. "Maria, I'd like to introduce you to a friend and co-worker. Lizz Fangmeyer. I think you met me at your last concert. She was on your direct security detail at your last concert. Lizz, this is my friend Maria."

Letting Judy go and sitting down next to her, arm around Judy's shoulders for a moment. "I'd like to think we were more than that." Giving Judy a wink then turning to Lizz. "Hello again Officer. It's a pleasure to meet you in a non-work setting. Though now I fully understand why you totally ignored Jackson. He was so infatuated with you, and it was like you didn't even notice him."

Judy chuckled. "Yeah, at that point, Lizz was already lost cause."

Lizz blinked for a second trying to process what she was seeing. The table was round with ten seats. Maria sat next to Judy, with an empty chair next to her, then Lizz herself, one empty seat, Bill and Cary, then three more empty seats. "Uh... A pleasure to meet you again. Miss Gazelle."

Maria waved her hoof. "Oh please. That's my stage name. I'm Maria, Maria McGreggor, and anyone that Judy considers a friend, I do as well. My mate is Jarvis, who should be joining us in a moment."

Judy looked around. "Where's Jarvis anyway? You're usually joined paw to hoof when not on-stage."

Maria giggled. "Getting us drinks. Though virgin for me for a while. We're seeing a new doctor. With you and Nick pulling it off, and now a Tiger and Wolf." Indicating Lizz. "You've motivated us to try for our own if we can. They're currently doing some genetic profiling to see if we are even compatible. Same number of chromosomes or something like that."

Judy smiled brightly. "That's awesome Maria, and don't pretend that you don't understand what the doctors were talking about. I happen to know what you have your degrees, plural, in. I really hope you succeed. You'll make a great mother. Even then, you should still adopt too."

"Thank you, Judy, and we're talking about doing that too, but I'll never be as good at it as you will be. You've already got experience by default, taking care of all those siblings. I'm just going to end up hiring an Au-pair to help."

Sighing, Judy nods. "Sure, but as my mom told me once. Your own kits will be a whole different thing. An Au-pair was really what I was, but you don't give yourself enough credit."

Maria frowned, hearing the sad tone in Judy's voice. "Still not talking, huh?"

"No. I've tried a few times. Still talk to a few of my siblings, and mom when dad isn't around, but I guess he just has to come around on his own time. At least I don't have any of my brothers showing up to try and save me anymore. Still, we can't visit for the holidays, and I think that is what hurts the most. Nick has offered that we could stay at a hotel or something, even with Gideon, but it is just hard to know that he is as closed-minded as he is."

"At least you're not completely cut off. I remember you telling me about your brothers doing that. So terrible. I cannot imagine how frustrating and infuriating that was."

Lizz watched the interaction in disbelief, finally shaking herself. "Oh, my gods. Judy! How do you know Gazelle?" Pausing a second as the name hit her. "Wait! Maria? As in?"

Judy pulled her ears over her face to hide her ever deepening blush, Maria answering for her. "I can answer that." Leaning over, mussing Judy's head fur and laying a kiss between the bunnies' ears. "This crazy bunny and I were roommates in college, before my career took off."

Looking at Lizz from behind her hears Judy sighed. "Just don't tell Ben or Bogo. That's the last thing I need. Ben already suspects something after that autograph I got him for his birthday. If he knew I had a direct line to his idol, he'd never leave me alone."

Giggling, Maria shook her head. "Oh, isn't Ben the chubby cheetah that you work with?"

Nodding Judy sighed. "Yes. He's also the leader of your fan-club."

Nick's voice slipped into the conversation as he slid in next to Judy and pulled her into a hug and a kiss to her cheek. "Yes, that's Ben. Hi Maria. Bill, Carry." Giving each a nod. "Lizz, Mike is parking your car and should be here any moment." Leaning down as Judy tipped her head back. Their kiss started as just a simple peck, but quickly deepened as their muzzles meshed and gentle moans emanated from both. Nick's paws stroking down Judy's ears as she reached up and grabbed his cheeks, pulling him to deepen the kiss.

Bill coughed, pulling Nick and Judy out of their moment, both blushing and taking several breaths to calm themselves as he got up. "I'll get him. I'm sure the description of a wolf that smells of tiger and looks completely lost should suffice."

Grinning, Nick nods, rubbing the back of his neck with a hint of embarrassment. "Yeah, that should get it in one." Looking over to Lizz. "Hey Lizz. How was your day?"

Lizz was quiet for a few moments as she took the scene in and smiled as she saw Bill leading Mike over to the table. "Judy bought me a few things, I bought me a few things. Stuff to wear after the cubs are born. Stuff to bring some excitement back into things. Apparently, you've shredded the last few that Judy has bought."

Nick grinned. "Oh, did I now?" Looking down to Judy with a sly grin, arm still around her shoulder as he put a kiss between her ears to a blush and sigh from Judy. "Told you I was suffering from vitamin Bun deficiency." Nibbling on the base of her ear.

Judy blushed with a pleasured groan and pulled down her ears again out of Nick's reach as she swatted at him. "I might have mentioned that. We talked about a lot of things. I bought Lizz two of them."

Lizz laughed at Judy's embarrassment. "Oh, you were so confident in the store, but now you're all bashful?"

Releasing her ears, Judy looked up in frustration. "I don't know. It's just... Around Nick, I just..."

Mike looked between them. "What'd I miss?"

Nick pulled Judy close. "Just Judy admitting to buying some sheer, lacy, unmentionables and also buying Lizz a few. Some sexy things that never seem to stay on for very long."

"Or remain intact from what Judy says. You're quite the beast there Nick." Lizz said as she glanced to Mike and blushed, finding her water very fascinating all of a sudden.

Mike looked up at Lizz, noticing her flushed cheeks and folded ears. "Is that so? What else did you guys talk about?"

Lizz found herself embarrassed to the point that her cheeks felt like they were glowing, and her ears might combust, unable to look Mike in the eye. "Uhm... We may have discussed mandatory cuddle time. Judy is the resident expert at that. Something about holding the record for longest cuddle-time." Drawing a pattern with a finger on the table.

Mike cocked his head to the side. "Mandatory what?"

Nick barked a laugh and kissed Judy on the top of the head. "Oh Fluff. Only you could call it that and have it become the term used by everyone we know. You know Mike. The time after tying the knot."

Realization dawning. "Oh..." His eyes went wide as he turned to look at Lizz again. "Wait, you guys discussed that? You bought sexy bedroom stuff? Next you're going to tell me you discussed our equipment."

Lizz looked ready to run as a large male tiger sat next to her with a smile for the group and put a quick kiss on Maria. "Hello everyone. Putting a paw out to Lizz and Mike. "I'm Jarvis. You must be the couple Nick and Judy are helping."

Mike shook the paw as did Lizz, before turning to Lizz again. "Well... Did you."

Lizz threw her hands up in the air, embarrassment and exasperation in her voice, a smile coming over her. "It was a girl's day out! I've never had that, okay! It was great! I've heard about it, but I've never been on one." Her voice started to get softer as her blush deepened with each word, her smile sliding into more of a shy grin. "Francine and the others at the station invited me, but I just never felt comfortable, because we don't really have anything in common other than being cops. Well, I didn't think we did anyway... It was so freeing to just hang out and talk without any expectations. We were talking about this and that, and... A lot of things..." Lizz dropped her face into her paws to cover the blush warming her face, her voice almost a whisper. "It might have come up."

Mike grinned with a laugh at her discomfort. "Well, I hope I measured up."

Judy jumped at the chance to turn the tables on Lizz. "Some measuring may have been involved, and a trip to a certain store."

Lizz glared at Judy, her ears going to the side. "We really going to go there?"

Judy grinned, despite her own blush. "You were the one that insisted on finding examples for an honest comparison."

"You expect me to believe that your fox is that big?"

Judy's grin shifted to a self-conscious and shy smile, as she responded quietly. "He's actually a little bit bigger."

Nick's eyes bulged with a tooth showing grin, flicking his gaze between Lizz and Judy, his muzzle snapping back and forth. "Wait... You went to a porn shop to compare sizes‽ My dear Carrots." Tearing up. "I'm so proud of my bunny." Hugging her and kissing the top of her head again, then marking her.

Judy batted him away. "Niiiick. Stop, you dork!"

Mike laughed hard, leaning against Lizz. "Oh Love. I am so glad yesterday happened."

Lizz looked down at Mike. "Mike?"

Mike grinned and pulled Lizz down for a kiss, their lips parted and tongues tasting each other for a moment. Both let out a small moan as they broke the kiss. "Yes. I am happier than I have been in a long time, because I get to see you happy and be happy with you. We have to keep our professionalism on the job, but damn it! We are not going to be separated when you get back to work. We have friends that we can not only be open with, but who will actually understand the things we have gone through, the fear that we have lived with, and help us through it. I'm about to have dinner with you, at a place I have no chance of ever entering under normal circumstances. We're going to be official to more than just you and I in a few weeks after we tell our parents. I hazard to say that our friends here would say we are already." Seeing the nods of agreement just made him grin wider. "You're going to give birth to cubs, our cubs, soon, and we get to be parents together. What is there not to be happy about?" Pulling her back into another kiss. "I love you so much."

Lizz started to tear up. "Oh Mike. I feel the same. I really do. I love you more than I know how to express." Pulling him into a third and passionate kiss that drew a few uncomfortable looks from the others at the table, as they held each other's muzzles. Lizz ran her paws down Mike's muzzle to grip the thicker fur of his cheeks, her thumbs caressing the base of his ears. Mike's paws sliding up to grip the back of her head and pulled her deeper into the kiss.

Nick looked over to Maria. "Hey, were we that bad?"

Maria laughed and turned to Nick. "Oh Nikky. You two are so much worse than that. You give the rest of us something to strive for. Not just in the uncomfortably passionate kisses, though you excel at that, like just a minute ago. But just the stupid in love with each other, no excuses, no partial measures, screw what the world thinks, in love. You show us all what we should hope our own relationships should be even half of."

Judy and Nick both blushed, Judy giggling. "Maria... We're not that bad."

Jarvis spoke up, putting a paw on Maria's shoulder, his voice causing Mike and Lizz to break their kiss to glance over the others in embarrassment. "I'd like to think that we reach at least three quarters of the WildeHopps standard."

Maria grinned at Jarvis. "Only because you are such a giant sweet plushy of a Tiger."

Bill laughed. "The WildeHopps standard? Oh, I like that." Turning to Carry. "Where do you think we rate my love?"

Carry grinned as Nick and Judy's embarrassment shifted to exasperation and the bunny gave a very un-bunny like growl. "Well, that all depends on how we scale the WildeHopps standard. To me there are several aspects to the standard, each having a different value."

Bill nodded with a grin. "Interesting. Banter versus unconscious interaction versus pure sappiness?"

"More of an additive, but generally yes. The details of those aspects would be something we'd need to work out. Maria?"

Maria grinned as Judy's growl grew louder. "To me. I think banter, unconscious interaction, and how easily you can get lost in each other and have the world around you fade away, are at least some of the aspects."

Judy shook her head. "Oh, just stop! Sweet cheese and crackers! You do this every time we get together."

Nick nodded. "I'm with Carrots on this one. We love each other, you love your mates. This isn't a competition. Our relationships are all different, they came together differently, and holding any of them up against the others is unfair to both sides."

Lizz hugged Mike to her. "I'm weirded out by Wilde being the voice of reason here, without the snark, but I have to agree with him. While the WildeHopps standard is funny, it's not a real thing, and I wouldn't want it to be. Also, was that Judy?"

Maria laughed and reached past Jarvis to put a hoof on Lizz's paw. "Sorry Lizz. You're new to the group. It's a running joke amongst us as a group. We just enjoy giving Nick and Judy a bit of a ribbing, and yes, that was Judy. She's rather good at that. You'd never think a bunny could make that noise, right?"

"No. I had no idea she could do that." Laughing nervously, Lizz looked over the table at the smiling, warm faces, then her mate with his loving smile and eyes looking back at her. "Okay. I'm still a bit overwhelmed here. I'm sitting at a table in the premiere restaurant of Zootopia with my mate, openly. Two days ago, I would have rated that as an impossibility on at least a dozen different levels and for a dozen reasons. At the table with me are three, yes three, other inter-species mated couples that include the world's most popular singer, her mate and backup dancer, as well as a billionaire and his mate. Along with that, are the lowly cops who are the entire reason my mate and I are here. Nick Wilde and Judy Hopps. The WildeHopps..."

Lizz was tearing up and held Mike tighter as she continued. "This seems like a dream. A wonderful dream. A dream I don't want to end, because if it does, it means... it means..." Starting to cry in earnest, Lizz turned towards Mike and buried her muzzle in his shoulder, her voice slightly muffled. "It means that I'll be back to being scared. Scared for what will happen to my cubs when they're born. Scared to show the world how much I love this duffus of a wolf." Mike just held Lizz as she cried. "It's just so crazy, and I want it to be real so badly."

Mike hugged Lizz as hard as he could. "I know love. I know. I'm scared it's a dream too, but I really do think it is all real." Maria reached over with Jarvis, both putting a paw and hoof on Lizz's shoulder.

Judy got up and walked over, putting a paw on Lizz's, looking up at her from behind Mike. "Lizz. I know it is overwhelming. I can only imagine how hard it has been for you and Mike all these years. We're all here for you. Take your time. We're here for you. All of us. You're not alone anymore, and I know that is probably hard to accept after where you have been, but it's true."

Looking down at the bunny from Mike's shoulder, Lizz smiled through her tears. "Thank you..." Reaching her paw out to Judy's shoulder and giving her a light squeeze. "Thank you..." Turning to Mike and burying her face in his chest again, crying it out. It took Lizz and Mike a few minutes to get under control. Mike pulled into tears as he comforted his mate, unable to do anything but just let her cry into him, while the others just looked on with warm, supportive smiles. It was clear to all the others at the table that the release of the stress they had both been under had just boiled over a bit.

With a hiccup, Lizz wiped her eyes. "I'm sorry everyone. It's just so much, so fast."

Bill waved his paw as if to dismiss it out of hand. "It is not a big deal. We all understand in our own way. We've all had our version of it, though your longer time hiding your relationship surely adds some extra stress to it all, as I gather your families are unaware. We are all here for you though. If you're having a hard time, have a bad experience at a restaurant or just need to talk. Need someone to pick you up from somewhere that you got thrown out of. It's happened, and I'm a billionaire. We are all just a phone call away. Just as I am sure both Judy and Nick have offered. Just give us a call, and even if all you need is an ear to bend, we'll be there for you."

Mike wiped away a few tears of his own, taking his seat again, having stood to comfort Lizz, holding Lizz's paw tightly, their fingers intertwined. "Thank you."

Lizz signed and leaned back. "Okay. Funny thing is it isn't even nearly over." Looking to Mike. Tomorrow we're meeting with my family for lunch at Therus." Stopping for a moment and frowning, she flicked his ear, hard.

Grabbing the offended ear, Mike looked up at her in surprise. "What was that for?"

"Where do I start? That your brother is in an interspecies relationship? That your mother inviting me over for dinner so many times is a high indication that she thinks we are mates and accepts that?"

"Oh. Okay... Yeah, that makes sense then. Speaking of which, we're meeting with Ed and Elli tomorrow for dinner, at Therus." Flinching as both his ears were flicked faster than he could flinch. "OW! What was that for?"

Pulling him into a kiss, then holding his muzzle so they were nose to nose. "For whatever I should have done it for in the past and didn't and am forgetting at the moment. We'll call those clearing the slate since I didn't know."

Mike frowned and grumbled. "You're way too good at that." After a moment, his frown giving over to a lopsided grin, before kissing her again, Mike looked across the table to Nick. "You're lucky you're a fox. Judy, I assume Elli taught her that?"

Judy nodded. "Yeah, that might have come up. They're also going to be meeting sometime next week to give Lizz a crash course in being mated to a Wolford wolf."

Nick and Judy shared a look as Bill and Maria in unison said, "Uh oh, they're doing it again."

J: How do you want to play it?

N: I say we just switch references, see how long it takes her to catch on.

J: Interesting. I say we involved Mike and Lizz.

N: How?

J: Simple. Lizz knows about us from our conversations at Mom's.

N: You saw mom today? How's she doing?

J: Yes. She's good. Hooked Lizz up with some dresses. We're covering. You should call her.

N: Cool, and I will, because you'll remind me. So, Lizz and Mike?

J: Nick, so help me...

N: You know you love me. Anyway. Lizz and Mike?

J: Right. Lizz may know, but she has been overwhelmed, so she hasn't really made the connection to Maria and the Maria I was referencing. She started to, but then things happened and derailed her.

N: HA! I see. Then I know just how to start.

Judy looked over to Maria, not a second after she and Nick had shared their look. "Doing what again?"

Maria looked between the two, and the mischievous predatory smirks on their faces. Pointing at the pair with a hint of fear. "That whole, having a conversation with each other that the rest of us are not privy to."

Lizz laughed. "It is unnerving. No... It is downright freaky. I've never been this close when they do it. Amazingly effective in interrogations though. The two of them can make just about anyone crack. Finishing each other's sentences, mentioning details that only one of them could have noticed, and not the one that mentions it."

Nick bowed slightly. "Why thank you Lizz. It is so nice to be recognized." Judy gave him a light swat to his shoulder as he turned to Mike. 'So, Mike, are you familiar with any of the vigilantes of Zootopia?"

A collection of appetizers and their drink orders were delivered, everyone focusing on that for a moment. Mike finally looked back over to Nick, his head falling to the side with creased brow as he swallowed a bite. "Vigilantes in Zootopia? That's absurd."

Grinning Nick continued and Maria looked worriedly between the rabbit and fox. "Well, they haven't been active for several years, but there were several at one point, before the laws got changed. My favorites were The Bunny Avenger and her cohort, the Crimson Gazelle." Kissing Judy behind one of her ears to a pleasured groan and swat.

"Nick... Stop."

"Nope. Not possible. You taste too good."

"Dumb fox."

"Perhaps, but I'm your dumb fox."

"Are you my dumb fox?" Judy grinned then gave him a quick kiss to the side of his muzzle. "Yes, Yes you are." Nick just grinning.

Maria visibly blanched, a reaction missed by all but Nick and Judy, as Lizz grinned at the antics. "That's right! With everything else, I forgot about that." Turning to Mike. "It's the reason Judy and Nick always have some cash on hand. They have a comics and collectibles collection that they sell bits from every so often." Realization clearly hit Lizz, hard, as her ears fell back, and eyes went wide as she slowly turned to face Judy. "Judy. You kept calling The Crimson Gazelle, Maria, and you kept calling Gazelle, Maria... who said she was your college roommate." Turning her head slightly to see the wide eyes on Maria's face and knowing smirk on her mate, Jarvis. "Judy. Didn't you say that your roommate was..." Nervous laughter escaping her. "Your roommate was Gazelle, who was The Crimson Gazelle‽"

Judy nodded with a brilliant smile. "That she was, and Jarvis has been her mate since then as well."

Maria gasped. "JUDY!"

Judy laughed. "What? It's not like you're even remotely embarrassed by it. If anything, you could leverage it into some extra limelight. I appreciate that you don't though, as that spotlight would quickly turn to me and by default, Nick. Besides, it has to be you or Jarvis that keeps posting the videos."

Maria frowned and looked at Jarvis who smiled back innocently. "Is that so." A wicked grin taking over her face.

Jarvis chuckled nervously with a grin, ears flicking. "Don't give me that, love. I did it under your direction."

Giving him a glare. "Oh. You're going to go there, stripes?"

His grin got bigger. "Yes, and you love every second of it."

Reaching up and pulling him down to her, Maria's scowl gave way to a grin of her own. "Yes. Yes, I do." Planting a kiss on him that had his tail standing straight out rigid behind him.

Judy laughed. "I knew it! Still, I think my favorite has to be The Vengeful Vulpine."

Mike shook his head. "Hold up! Who are we talking about here? Actual vigilantes? In Zootopia?" His tone clearly disbelieving. "And aren't you Gazelle?"

Lizz chuckled, pulling up the EweTube channel, starting with the prom fight Judy had. "Oh yeah. Turns out our mild mannered, by the book, bunny cop has a few skeletons in her closet."

Maria laughed nervously. "I am, though that is my stage name. You can call me Maria, please, and I was Judy's roommate in college, before my singing career took off."

Judy laughed. "Yeah, they're for Halloween."

Lizz laughed and Mike flinched at the video, then his eyes popped out as the next one played showing a costumed bunny and gazelle taking down an armed robber. He looked up at Judy then over to Maria in shock. "HOLY SHIT!"

Grinning, Lizz put her phone down on the table. "Oh yes. Seems they caused quite the ruckus in college and a change in the laws. How many arrests did you say you had, Judy?"

"One hundred thirty. Maria has more because she did some solo work."

Maria laughed. "I wouldn't call it solo." Leaning into Jarvis. "I had my Stripped Fury with me. So he's got a few too."

Judy laughed. "Too bad you didn't get some stuff commissioned with him too, or you could have added that to the cross over stuff with The Vengeful Vulpine."

Maria sighed. "Yeah, but it was right at the end, so it was too late for that. Would have been cool though." Looking over to Judy, Maria smiled. "You know, Judy... We still have the rights to The Bunny Avenger, Crimson Gazelle, and Stripped Fury. It's just too bad the Vengeful Vulpine got shut down so soon. They were doing a lot of good work, and I was looking at doing some work with them before the laws changed. I've thought about kicking things off again, thanks to your careful sales plans, there's real interest, and it would actually increase the value of the old stuff. Thing is, I have no way to contact whoever he was."

Judy looked up at Nick as she leaned against him, reaching up and scratching his neck. "What do you think, Nick. Would the Vengeful Vulpine be interested in that? It would be a nice, safe, low-key income stream for us, and with the kits coming soon, we could use that."

Maria cocked her head as Nick slipped on a smug grin. Shifting in his chair, Nick let a sub-vocal growl modulate his speech, completely changing the tone and adding a deep vibration to it. "I think I could see my way to green-lighting such a project, if I got enough say in it."

Maria's eyes went wide, and she shook her head in disbelief. "No..." She whispered. Her mouth working as she tried to find her voice. "Nick... Nick was The Vengeful Vulpine‽" She sat up ram rod straight as the realization washed over her. A myriad of emotions passing over her face. The knowing grin on her friends faces confirming it. After a few moments of blank-faced shock, Maria fell into a belly laugh that had her leaning against Jarvis and holding onto him to keep from falling out of her chair. "Of all the... hahaha... Judy... Of course... Only Judy... that fox... hahaha" Pounding on the table as she tried to control herself

Judy and Nick look at each other again.

N: Well, that's about the reaction I expected.

J: Yep. Mike still seems at a loss.

N: Well, it isn't a well-known thing. Not like the police, or the politicians, wanted to make a big thing about it, and we both understand why now.

J: True.

N: So, are we really okay with a reboot?

J: I am, if you are. It would be good for our bottom line once it gets off the ground.

N: Yeah, as long as we have enough input.

J: Agreed. I'm sure Maria already has some artists in mind.

N: As do I.

J: Totally. If it's going to happen, it should give a few up-and-coming artists a chance.

N: Agreed. Even some alternatives by different artists on special event issues.

J: Nerd. But yes.

N: Yes, but I'm your nerd.

J: Are you my nerd? Yes. Yes you are.

Both turning their grins towards Maria and Jarvis as she slowly recovered. "Oh gods... After all that, you go and marry him. How long have you known it was him?"

"Since we moved in together. Joan was just a little bit floored. Especially when she found out about my SW#1."

Still chuckling, Maris wiped away tears. "I'll just bet she was. Wait, you told her about that?"

Judy nodded. "She's dragging Nick around tomorrow to do an insurance evaluation for us."

Maria sobering suddenly. "Wait. You said you would be okay with doing a reboot! Are you serious?"

Judy and Nick nodded and spoke in unison. "Yes."

Maria grinned and was absolutely glowing with Joy as she clapped her hooves. "Oh, my gods! YES! Don't worry, I know you will both want heavy input on things, but it's so perfect! Oh, I can see it now. This is going to be AWESOME! We'll get Joan to help with some new artists. I think I might just start my own imprint for it."

Judy shared another glance with Nick and laughed. "Sure Maria. Just keep us in the loop, and we might even give in to your request to sing on that Track."

Eyes going wide again, though her voice was low in shock, Maria looked over hopefully to Nick and Judy. "Really? You'd do that? Please don't tease me."

Nick nodded. "Under pseudonyms, but yes, under the right conditions."

Maria shook her head. "Nope, got to be as yourselves. You'll understand when we discuss it at the studio in detail. It's a compilation album for charity, so it's got lots of non- and semi-celebrities on it. I'm just the organizer and backup singer. Using my fame to push it and maximize the intake for the charity."

Judy sighed and leaned into Nick. "So, you're finally doing that one."

Maria nodded. "Yep. And you two as a duet are the perfect single."

"Fine. We'll talk about it further, but right now, I'm getting hungry. Bill, where is the main course?"

Bill waived over a waiter to inquire and shortly thereafter the appetizer plates were replaced by the first of seven courses of food. Lizz was amazed by the flavors and found herself taking pictures of each dish. It was just too beautiful in the way it sat on the plate like art. She wondered if she'd ever eat in a place like this again and decided that photos to prove it were worth it.

Chewing a small wrapped something she couldn't pronounce, the flavor of which was pure heaven to Lizz, she took a drink of her water and turned to Maria. "I am now kinda wishing you had been with us today, Maria. Though I'll never be able to tell Ben or Bogo about this dinner. I think they would both spontaneously combust in jealousy. Tell me. How did you end up bagging this sexy beast of a tiger next to you?"

Maria smiled and looked up at him lovingly. "I am still not sure." Butting her head against his shoulder. "I really don't know."

Judy looked over at the two. "He was her partner in their dance class. Classes that she dragged me to, against my will I might add. It was so painful watching the two of them dancing around each other literally and figuratively. Though, having since gone through it myself, I can at least sympathize a bit more. I told Jarvis I wanted to have lunch to discuss something. I then arranged for lunch with Maria. Led her up to the table and left the two of them to their own devices. I may have said something to the effect that, you two need to talk, before I walked away."

Lizz laughed. "Now that sounds familiar."

Judy gave a bashful smile. "May have had gotten some inspiration from it."

Maria looked back over to Lizz. "I could ask you the same question. How did you bag such a hunk of a wolf?"

Mike blushed in his ears as Lizz snickered and responded. "We were... are partners in the ZPD." Giving Mike's paw a squeeze and a peck on the side of his muzzle as he grinned. "Feelings started to grow, that neither of us wanted to recognize. I think most, or all of us here can understand that. Different species, they couldn't share such feelings, best to ignore them. Just keep going, be happy with the status quo. Better than the pain of expressing those feelings only to be shot down." Everyone else around the table nodded in enthusiastic agreement. "That was until one day he was sick, and I found myself calling in a half day and showing up at his doorstep with worry I didn't fully understand until that moment I looked up at his apartment window and saw him. I then nursed him back to health."

"In her apartment."

"Well, yours was a bit small, and you didn't have a proper kitchen."

"Always worked for me."

Lizz looked to Nick and pointed to Mike. "See! What did I tell you! As bad as her." Pointing at Judy. "Nothing but a small fridge and microwave. It was one room with a bed that served double duty as his couch, and a small table/desk."

Nick shook his head. "I know, right?"

Both Judy and Mike glared at their mates as Lizz continued. "By the time we got back on shift when he was better, to say it was awkward would be understating it. I took the days off to look after him, cared for him, any idiot, even this one, knew something was up. I knew I was in love with him and knew it couldn't just sit and fester. That would have led to something truly embarrassing. So I asked him to drinks after work. He accepted without question. It was just like we had done so many times before, the tension notwithstanding. After our fifth beer, I confessed, with all the usual, cliche, quibbling about him not feeling the same."

Laughter from around the table ensued. Maria nodded. "Oh, that seems pretty common."

"So I gather." Lizz took a deep breath and let it out. "He stood up, no other reaction, completely blank face, and said we needed to go home."

Mike smiled. "Yeah, and you missed the, we, part of that statement."

Lizz smiled, moved as if to flick his ear, but rubbed it instead, causing him to flinch and then sigh in pleasure. "Yeah, I did. He emphasized the, we, and then dragged me to his place. Once the door closed, he was all grins and wagging tail. Told me how he had been in love with me since the first day we were assigned partners and was afraid to tell me."

Bill laughed and slapped the table. "My gods, that is, I think, everyone here's story, with their own details."

"That's what Judy told me."

Maria smiled at Lizz. "It is. Some variation on that same theme for all of us."

Bill turned to Judy and Nick. "Oh, Judy. I got a message from Council mammal Burns this morning."

Judy groaned and rolled her eyes, turning to bang her head on Nick's chest. "Oh gods."

Chuckling as he watched Judy bang her head against Nick's chest a few times, Nick stroked her ears gently. "Yeah. It is great. The council is reviewing several of my proposals, and it looks like they'll be putting one of them on the calendar next month."

Nick held Judy close and looked at Bill with a pained expression. "Which proposal, Bill?"

Grinning triumphantly, Bill clapped his paws. "They're going to debate the registered gift proposal. The one where they will get to tax any gift over a certain amount, but no gifts allowed over a given amount or value. Meaning, if someone were to make you dinner, you could accept it, buy you a car even, and you could accept it. Though you'd have to pay taxes on the gift, register it, and the giver would have to as well."

Judy laughed. "That'll never make it past the ethics review."

Bill nodded. "Nope. That's why they're doing that one first, so it can be tossed and then followed up with a modification of the existing rules to allow more leniency in the post case interactions. Recognizing that in high profile, high stress cases, both the officers and the subjects can end up as friends. Thus allowing an appreciative mammal to buy you lunch without you having to worry about IA or the ethics board breathing down your neck. There would be some restrictions, such as not buying you a car, a house, things like that. Things that would be obviously ethically problematic. No cash gives over a small cap, a few hundred bucks, things like that. Unless it were to be, say, a wedding present. Even then, there would be restrictions, and a car or house would likely exceed those. They still have to work out the details on it."

Judy looked up. "Okay. That doesn't sound so bad." Giving Bill a glare. "Though I know you'll still push the line."

Bill put a paw to his chest and puffed it out, putting on a faux haughty accent. "As a billionaire, I see pushing those lines as part of the job description."

Shaking her head with a resigned smile, Judy shrugged. "Of course, you do."

As the third course of the meal was laid out, they all took notice that the two empty chairs had plates laid before them as well. Lizz looked at those then to Judy. "Judy, are we expecting anyone else?" Indicating the place settings.

Looking over past Nick, seeing the plates set at the empty chairs, Judy looked up to Bill. "Bill? They would only set another place if you told them too."

Pulling his phone out, Bill grinned. "Oh, not to worry, our additional friends are just running a tad late. Seems they just pulled in actually."

Judy laughed, looking at Nick. "Gotta be Erik and Jeff."

Nodding in agreement. "It would make sense. Lizz and Mike could use knowing that they have more than just us as support at work. I was going to bring it up on our next shift, but given Bill..."

Judy nodded. "Yeah. Bill..." Waving a paw towards the Coyote.

Lizz was getting ready to ask a question about Nick's statement when a lion she recognized with shock walked into the restaurant, and with his arm around a leopard she also knew. Both dressed in what was clearly very expensive, three-piece suits.

Erik Delgato, walked up and took one of the open seats. Joined by a leopard officer from the tech division. Erik gave everyone a warm smile. "Hi guys. Sorry we're late, Bill didn't give us a lot of warning. Though, giving the level of clothing..." Looking down at himself in a three-piece suit. "He could have mentioned that he was going to ignore the dress code tonight. We wouldn't have stopped to change."

Bill laughed. "Why? You know you enjoy rocking that suit."

The leopard smiled up at Erik. "He does look good in it, and it lets me wear mine. Unlike him, I don't have as many opportunities."

Erik gave the leopard a peck on the side of his muzzle. "You can wear it whenever you want."

Lizz looked over at the lion and leopard that had joined the table, not believing what she was seeing. "Delgato? Jones? What are..." Shaking her head and waving her paws in front of her to wave off the question she had started to ask. "Okay. You know what... Never mind. Didn't know. I'm just going to leave it at that. After the vigilante revelations, and everything else, I'm not even going to try and question it."

Leaning over, Erik gave Bill a hug, to the further surprised looks of Mike and Lizz. "Bill said he had some new friends he wanted Jeff and I to meet when he called. I'm assuming that was you and Mike, and please, call me Erik, and this is Jeff, my mate."

Judy piped up. "But of course, he did. Hi Erik, Jeff, nice to see you both." Nick nodded in kind.

Erik gave Nick and Judy, followed by Maria and Jarvis a nod. "Good seeing you as well. Maria, good to see you and Jarvis."

Lizz shrugged. "Okay, sure, but how do you know Bill? I seem to remember that you were specifically excluded from the case that involved him, despite loud demands to be allowed to be a part of it, under the threat of suspension. You weren't even allowed on the raid."

"I had the slight issue of a significant conflict of interest."

"And that was what? It can't be the whole interspecies thing, as Nick and Judy were and still are involved. Financial ties that would make you unable to be impartial?"

Bill laughed, reaching back and pinching one of Erik's ears to an irritated growl from the lion and a laugh from Jeff. "Nothing so serious, Erik is just my adopted brother."

Erik flicked his offended ear and shook his head to shake Bill off. "Yeah, this silly Yote taught me everything I know about stock trading and is why Jeff and I are well off." Giving Bill a side hug and ruffling his ears. "We're not Bill and Carry rich, or Maria and Jarvis rich, but we are well enough off."

"Not for lack of trying on my part."

"Yeah, but I can't be a cop anymore if my net-worth goes too high, and I like being a cop. That said, it does make me essentially un-bribable."

Lizz laughed. "Okay, I actually buy that. So, your mate is the ZPDs head tech-nerd. Explains a lot, actually. Considering that Mike and I just came out to Bogo this morning, and I've learned that Zootopia had actual, honest to goodness vigilantes at one point a few years ago. You being with Jeff, or the adopted brother of one of the richest mammals on the planet, is probably the least shocking thing I have learned today."

Erik paused and cocked his head. "Okay, slow down a second. Lizz... you and Mike?" Looking over to Nick and Judy. "Lizz and Mike are the couple you talked about at last week's meetup?"

Nick smiled. "Surprise!"

Erik laughed. "Okay. Did not see that coming, and what was this about vigilantes?"

Mike grinned with a chuckle. "Yes. Lizz and I are together." Putting his paw on her shoulder. "The cubs are mine, just as Judy's are Nick's."

Erik blinked several times, his jaw working a moment before putting up his paw and closing his eyes a moment with a deep breath. "Mike. Hang on. You and Lizz? Since when?" Looking to Nick and Judy. "And you two, too? How have I not known this? I thought you were just supporters, allies, given the cases they have worked on."

Judy laughed. "Because we moved in together, so of course we smell like each other, and have been very careful with the PDA. Never denied, just ignored or dodged questions about how I ended up, knocked up, or more to the point, by whom. Everyone just assumed I'd found some buck, maybe as a one-night stand, it was just assumed that I had a buck and Nick a vixen, because we never mentioned the species when pressed on our mates, just es-tolling their virtues as mammals."

Erik laughed. "So, you just let people fill in what they wanted." Turning to Lizz and Mike. "Okay, I get how I missed WildeHopps, but how did I miss you guys? I have partnered with both of you."

"We managed to be utterly professional, to the point that most people bet against us being together. We were partnered for two years before it came up. We were extremely careful when it came to scent, using scent masking tricks that Mike knew as a wolf. Some of the other wolves suspected something, but we took advantage of the fact that they consider it very rude to bring such things up. It all came to a head that day Mike was sick and then I bailed on you halfway through our shift. I ended up at his house, and then took several days off to take care of him. I guess we kinda used the WildeHopps method, as everyone assumed that I just had the same bug that he did, and it just took a bit longer to hit me."

Shaking his head with a grin, Erik looked at Jeff. "What about you? Did you know?"

Jeff's head was on a swivel. "So Fangmeyer and Wolford are a couple, as are Wilde and Hopps? Yeah, I had no clue. I bet in their favor, in both cases though. I guess I'll have to check with Ben tomorrow to see if I won anything. He still doesn't believe me when I tell him I've had dinner with Gazelle."

Judy laughed. "Just don't tell him that she was my college roommate. He finds that out and I think he'll explode."

Nick shook his head. "I don't think that would do it, although the squeal would be epic. You know what would? Finding out that he is right about who The Crimson Gazelle was, along with the Stripped Fury. Ben is not just the leader of the Gazelle fan-club, which I still don't know how he finds the time for. He is also the leader of the Gazelle was The Crimson Gazelle, movement online. I don't think he has made the connection to our favorite police bunny. If he knew he was right... That, I think, would result in an exploded cheetah."

Lizz laughed. "If he is that into it, that just might. I'm still trying to figure out how I didn't know about the vigilantes of Zootopia. Were there others?"

Erik chuckles and then frowned seeing the serious faces of Lizz and the others. "Wait... You're serious! There were vigilantes in Zootopia? And Maria was one of them?"

Maria nodded. " You're sitting at the table with four former vigilantes, as a matter of fact."

Erik choked. "Say what now‽"

Maria sighed, glancing at Nick and Judy. "There were about fifty at one point, between Zootopia and the surrounding area. The police and politicians were very quiet about it, and only certain officers, such as Captain Bogo, were even allowed to interact with them. It was always citizens arrests, and most beat cops only interacted with them once, because they'd get rotated out to other beats."

Erik rolled his eyes and groaned. "Oh my gods. I was just a rookie. Only on the force for not even two years. I just thought they were coming from a costume party. As a matter of fact, that is what my captain at the time implied. Then I spent three months in the Rainforest. Gods, my main was beyond unmanageable. I had to trim it so I could function."

Maria nodded with a smile. "That sounds right. Given the number, none had the success of The Vengeful Vulpine, or The Bunny Avenger and Crimson Gazelle, pair. A handful of arrests to their collective names, and at least four that bit off so much more than they could chew, they ended up costumed corpses. Vengeful Vulpine was well on his way to making a name for himself when the laws got passed and he was put out of business. BA and CG were not the first, but they were by far the most prolific. Having video of their activities also helped with their fame, even if it is mostly underground."

Erik was clearly blown away as Jeff shook his head. "Maria, you speak as if you knew these people." Pulling out his phone and quickly found several EweTube pages that showed the videos of Judy, as well as BA, CG, and even two that claimed to be the Vengeful Vulpine.

Erik and Jeff watched multiple videos as two meal courses passed the table. Conversation light and more about the weather than anything significant. Maria was still planning on another tour, though no date was yet set. Judy's due date being set the same as Lizz, to both of their surprise.

As the next and final course was being placed, Jeff looked across the others at the table. "Yeah. I'm with the, Judy Hopps was The Bunny Avenger Camp. Don't know how you managed to change your voice, but everything else matches."

Judy looked up from her soup course. "Oh, that's a secret I'm not revealing."

Erik looked over in shock. "Wait... You're admitting it‽ You were actually this Bunny Avenger character? Next you'll tell me that Nick was that Vengeful Vulpine mammal and Maria was The Crimson Gazelle." He put as much sarcasm as he could into what he said, then took a long, loud gulp at the deadpan smiles that were returned to him. "Oh shit. The world has officially gone mad."

Judy sighed. "Look, Erik. We would all appreciate it if you kept that to yourself. Yes, we were those people, and regardless of the purity, or lack thereof, of our intentions, that is the past."

Nick mocked an act of severe injury. "Fluff, how could you? My intentions were one hundred percent pure... self-interest… to pad my wallet."

Judy couldn't help but smile. "Yeah, exactly that." Elbowing him gently.

"Oh, yeah. That's not something anyone is going to take me seriously on." Shaking his head, Erik looked over the others. "Well, maybe Ben, but I like my hearing intact. So... Other than these revelations, what have you all been up to? We really need to hang out more often."

Nick laughed. "Well, if you'd show up to poker night."

Erik rolled his eyes. "It's at my place this time, and I do show. Most of the time..." Facing Mike and Lizz. "Mike, you coming this weekend?"

Mike shrugged. "I don't seem to be being given a choice in the matter. I guess Lizz and Judy are going to have a girl's night, while we do a guys thing."

Dinner continued apace, with no new earth-shattering revelations. Mike would be joining poker night as Lizz jumped at the chance to hang out with Judy. They would meet that following morning at Therus for breakfast and so Nick could hook up with Joan for the audit, while Judy and Lizz prepared for the initial familial reveals.

With a little haggling between them, given the multiple meetings, and Nick grumbling about having to get up early and how his cousin couldn't be a real fox as she was an early riser, plans for the following day were made. Nick would meet Joan right as the first bank opened and should be done with the tour by midday, where he would then join Lizz, Mike, and Judy at Therus for lunch and the meeting with Lizz's family as support. Mike would be helping Nick with the tour, picking Joan and Nick up from the first bank, while Lizz and Judy met up for a late breakfast.

Later that evening, the couples separated with the mutual agreement that they needed to do it again soon. Both Nick and Mike driving their respective cars as their mates were quite exhausted after the long day. Mike and Lizz also somehow getting an offer to join Nick and Judy when they go to the studio to sing for Maria's charity album, and maybe even sing themselves. Something about their wins at the karaoke contests being revealed.

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A/N \\\ Is there more to come? Yes... Yes there is. I'm editing away on this and my original works. Muse is even giving me some time to not just edit, but work on some original WIPs, finally! That's going to slow down updates here, but there is still plenty coming, at least 20k words already written.

Keep the reviews and comments coming, it's making Muse happy, which lets me work on this and other things. And also remember, if you see issues, misspellings, etc... Let me know in PM, I'm under no illusion of being perfect and want to fix those things I miss.

If you are truly enjoying this, you can check out my original work by popping over to my blog, Scribblings. You can link to it here: dcballard dot com and then select Scribblings Blog.