(Author's Note: This story is based on a unanimated scene from Zootopia of Judy being the one to end up in the donut in Little Rodentia instead of Duke. I hope you enjoy it, it's my first Zootopia fanfic.)
Here she was, Zootopia's pride and joy; the hero bunny of the Z.P.D, reduced to a laughing stock. Oh how far she had fallen, but how did she get here? Well to tell you that, we've gotta go back about an hour.
One hour earlier, Z.P.D precinct one.
Judy sat at her desk, typing away at yet another after action report. Who knew that something as minuscule as a fender bender with no reported injuries could land you in stacks of paperwork. "Nick, what was the last number of the victim's plate again? I wrote it down but I kind of rushed it, I can't tell if I put down a one or seven." Judy asked as she looked at the desk across from her, where her newly graduated partner sat.
"It was Zulu Tango Whisky one seven five. I thought you bunnies were good at numbers like that?" Nick answered in his usual cheeky tone.
"At multiplying, Nick; not at remembering a series of random numbers. That's why I normally write them down, cheeky fox." Judy chuckled as she put the last numbers of the car's plate into her report.
"You know Carrots, you've really gotta work on that memory, or else you're gonna prove my name calling right, dumb bunny." Nick teased with a chuckle. Judy would've chewed the snarky fox out for that comment a few months ago, but now she couldn't help but just giggle at his antics; deep down, she couldn't imagine a day going by without hearing something like that from her favorite fox.
"Yeah yeah, laugh it up. Sly fox." Judy giggled as she sent in her report.
"So, what do you wanna do for lunch today?" Nick asked as he peeked over his monitor at Judy.
"There's this new milkshake at the Bug-Burga down the road that I've been dying to try, wanna go there?" Judy asked with a smile.
"Oh yeah, I heard about that. The new Gazelleabration shake, right; to celebrate her new album that's coming out next week?" Nick asked with enthusiasm.
"That's the one. I can't wait to try it, it looked so good on the commercials! With over six flavors to choose from, there's a flavor for everyone." Judy replied with equal amounts of enthusiasm.
"Hopps, Wilde, my office! Now!" Chief Bogo shouted with an intensity that rocked the bullpen.
"Nick, what did you do this time?" Judy whispered as she and Nick quickly headed for Bogo's office.
"Me?! Why do you think it was me, it was probably that traffic stop you made yesterday. You pulled over the D.A's nephew." Nick whispered back as he looked down at Judy.
"It's not my fault he was speeding, he has to obey the rules just like everybody else, and face the consequences when he doesn't. Besides, I let him off with just a warning." Judy whispered back as she and Nick stopped in the doorway of Bogo's office.
"Hey chief, you uh, you wanted to see us?" Nick asked with a nervous smile. The towering buffalo of a chief just stared at the pair of small mammals for a moment, only making each of them that much more nervous.
"Why so nervous Wilde, you didn't put another whoopee cushion in my office again, did you?" Bogo asked with an annoyed breath through his nostrils.
"Of course not chief, I would never do something so childish." Nick answered, just as the sound of a whoopee cushion echoed through the department.
"Ha ha! Ya got me Nick!" Clawhauser yelled from the reception desk out front.
"To you, anyways. Sir, uh, chief." Nick stuttered before nervously clearing his throat. Bogo just let out a sigh before tenting his hooves and resting his elbows on his desk.
"Sir, may I ask what this is about?" Judy nervously asked, subconsciously straightening her posture and standing at near attention as she looked up at her chief.
"We got a report of some suspicious activity near Little Rodentia, and seeing that you, officer Hopps, are both the smallest and most connected officer we have to that part of the city, I'm sending you to check it out." Bogo explained as he handed a report to Judy.
"Consider it done chief, we'll head over there immediately." Judy answered as she and Nick turned to leave.
"Actually Hopps, to be honest, you were asked for specifically; while officer Wilde here, was specifically asked not to show up." Bogo informed in a calm tone.
"Oh, I understand sir. Well Nick, I'll tell Fru Fru that you said hi. Wish me luck, partner." Judy replied with a smile before turning to leave.
"Good luck partner." Nick replied with a two fingered salute. Judy smiled back before rushing out of Bogo's office and towards the parking garage.
"As for you, Wilde, I have a special assignment for you." Bogo said with a grin, making Nick gulp in response.
Judy pulled up to the small fence that separated Little Rodentia from the rest of the larger areas of the city, with a practiced leap she hopped the fence and carefully made her way through the tiny town. "Oh thank goodness, down here officer!" A mouse yelled up to her. Judy knelt down and looked at the small citizen.
"How can I help you ma'am?" Judy asked in a kind and professional tone.
"Some giant idiot just came rushing through here like a madmammal, they stepped on my car." The tiny mouse explained as she gestured to her crushed car.
"Could you describe this individual please?" Judy asked as she pulled out a notepad and her carrot pen.
"Well let's see, they were about your height. Skinny, very skinny, almost like a stick. Light brown fur, and they were wearing a white tank top and some red boxer shorts." The mouse answered with certainty. Judy internally groaned at the description, she knew exactly who the rodent was talking about, but for the sake of being thorough, she asked some additional questions.
"Did you happen to see what species they were?" Judy asked with a straight face.
"No, officer. I only caught a glimpse of them from behind." The mouse answered in an apologetic tone.
"That's fine, did you at least see which way they went?" Judy asked as she looked around a little.
"Oh yeah, they ran right around that corner." The mouse answered as she pointed to a street behind her.
"Thank you ma'am." Judy thanked as she took a few steps before being able to see around the corner, shaking her head at the sheer stupidity of the weasel leaning against one of the buildings. "Really Duke? Don't you have anything better to do other than steal all day, and you didn't even bother to run this time. What are you up to?" Judy asked as she crossed her arms and stared at the weasel.
"Ah, look at this, it's old hoppy copy herself. You humiliated me last time we met. Not more than ten feet away you stuffed a donut over me, then you just rolled me into your station." Duke grumbled as he picked at his claws.
"Yes, I did. Maybe this time you'll just surrender peacefully and we can avoid that whole mess." Judy replied as she took out her pawcuffs. Duke let out a sigh as he hung his head.
"You're right officer, I could do that." Duke replied in a defeated tone. Judy took a step towards him before freezing at the sound of his sudden maniacal laughter. "But what fun would that be?" Duke asked with a smirk, then he turned on his heels and took off. "So long coper!" Duke shouted as he bolted through the streets.
"Awe carrots. Duke, stop where you are! You're only making this worse for yourself!" Judy shouted as she took off after the weasel.
"Up yours cotton tail!" Duke shouted as he continued running, and Judy was right on his metaphorical tail.
"Duke, come out with your paws up! You're only making this harder on yourself, just surrender and I'll forget that you made me chase you. Come on buddy, you don't wanna add evading arrest to your charges, do you?" Judy asked as she cautiously moved through the tiny town. Despite its small size, it still had enough nooks and crannies that someone as small as Duke could hide in it for short periods of time. But that was all he needed to set his trap, and the poor bunny cop fell for it, hook, line, and sinker. "Come on Duke, just give it up. You had your fun, now it's time to face the consequences and surrender peacefully." Judy said as she rounded a corner and walked past the donut shop, which had just replaced its large decorative donut from the last time she and Duke had faced off there. There was a sound like twisting metal a moment later, and Judy looked just in time to see that familiar decorative donut coming down at her.
"Payback coper!" Duke shouted as he slammed the donut over Judy, pinning her arms to her sides and leaving her helpless. Judy let out a scream as the constricting donut was forced down to just above her hips. Not a frightened or angry scream, but a high pitched scream that shook the weasel to his bones. Duke instinctively jumped back from Judy, fearing he'd just signed his own death warrant. Judy was taking short rapid breaths that sounded both angry and frightened at the same time. "Well, I guess I'd best get going while the going's good. So long coper!" Duke yelled before grabbing his bag of stolen goods and running off.
"Y-you... Get back here you conniving weasel! Get...this...cheesing donut...off of me!" Judy screamed as she watched the weasel disappear from view. "Fluff." Judy quietly said before reaching for her radio, unable to grab it due to the awkward position of her arms. Judy did her best to try and free herself from her decorative prison, but between her reduced ability to move and an increasing sense of pain, she stopped struggling before she hurt herself even worse. Despite her best efforts, she couldn't get free from the constricting donut, not on her own anyways. So with a defeated sigh, she slowly and awkwardly walked towards the gates that separated Little Rodentia from the rest of the city, and with more effort than the first time, leapt over it. Judy took a moment to catch her breath, noticing that her chest expansion was considerably reduced by both her vest and the donut she'd been entrapped in. "Just...calm down...Judy. Someone will...help you out. You're a police officer...after all. Someone will...definitely help you." Judy tried to convince herself as she walked up to the first citizen she saw. "E-excuse me." Judy said as she looked up at an antelope.
"What'd I do this time, officer?" The antelope spat back as he glared at Judy.
"Nothing sir, I just...was wondering if...you could help me...please?" Judy asked with a pleading expression.
"Sorry officer, but my lawyers advised me against having anymore contact with the police. Good luck though." The antelope replied before walking away. Judy just stared at him with a dumbfounded expression, she couldn't believe that he'd just left her like that. With a painful and short breath, she went to another citizen, a sheep this time.
"E-excuse me...I...need help...please." Judy said as she stumbled over to the sheep.
"Hey, nice costume there. You the new mascot or something?" The sheep asked before breaking into a fit of laughter.
"No! I...was ambushed by...a suspect!" Judy replied as loudly as she could, but the sheep didn't hear her over his cynical laughter.
"Hey everyone, get a load of Z.P.D's new mascot!" The sheep shouted as he laughed and pointed at Judy. Within seconds, poor Judy found herself surrounded by laughing citizens, and not one of them could even hear her over the laughter, let alone listen to her. As hard as she was trying not to, she could feel tears starting to build up in her eyes.
'Don't cry Judy, don't let them see you cry. Just like Nick always says, never let them see that they get to you.' Judy thought to herself as she quickly suppressed her emotions and ran away from the crowd. Running was all but impossible in the clunky donut however, and what was cruel laughter turned into hysterical laughter, as the poor bunny tripped and started rolling down a particularly hilly sidewalk like a tire. Everyone watched in amusement for as long as they could see her rolling, then they laughed it off and went about their days. Judy on the other hand, was terrified. She had no control or even view of where she was rolling, and before she knew it she was at the bottom of the hill, going from a roll to a tumble. She lost most of her momentum and barreled into a brick wall. The remaining momentum forced Judy to slam the back of her head against the wall, and she let out a gasp as the sudden stop knocked the wind from her lungs. Judy sat there with her back to the wall, panicked and gasping for air. Her head was throbbing, her chest hurt, her sides hurt, and she was utterly terrified. But the worst part about it all was that nobody seemed to care. Judy took a few minutes to try and calm herself a little, then she exhaled a few times before trying to free herself from the donut. Her struggled grunts caught someone's attention from outside the alley, and when an elderly wolf lumbered towards her on shaking legs and leaning on a cane, all Judy saw was something she hadn't seen at all that day. Someone that cared.
"Oh my, are you alright dearest?" The elderly wolf asked as she slowly approached Judy. Judy stared at the old wolf, though her vision was blurry and her head was throbbing, she was able to muster a grateful smile.
"Please...ma'am. I can't...get this thing...off. I hit...my head and...I can't...breathe." Judy quietly said with a few wheezy breaths. The old wolf stared at Judy for a moment, saddened by her words, but she wasted no time in coming to her aid.
"Don't you worry there little missy, I may be old, but I'm still tough as nails. I'll get you out of that thing in no time." The old wolf replied as she grabbed the donut and gave it a hard tug. There was a loud crunching sound, and Judy let out a horrible scream as the donut was yanked off of her.
"AAAH! AH! Oh! Oh sweet cheese and crackers that hurt!" Judy cried as she clutched her ribs and chest.
"I'm terribly sorry dear, I was only trying to help. I'll get an ambulance for you." The wolf said as she started to hobble away.
"N-no, I'm okay. Th-thank you...so much ma'am. I was...so scared and...humiliated. You were the...only one that...cared enough to help me. Thank you." Judy thanked as she clutched her ribs.
"Are you sure dear, you don't look that good?" The wolf asked with some concern as she stared at Judy.
"I think I just...need a moment to...catch my breath. Thank you so much again...ma'am. I owe you...so much more than I'll...ever be able to give you. Thank you." Judy replied as she finally started to catch her breath.
"It was no trouble at all, officer Hopps." The wolf replied with a small grin. Judy was shocked at those words, sure she'd been all over the news with the night howler case, that and being the first bunny on the force. It still surprised her however, that almost a year after that big case, some mammals still recognized and showed her their gratitude. The old wolf gave one last smile before slowly walking away. Judy took another breath to steady her nerves, then she tried to stand; it was excruciating, and she could barely get back on her feet. When she finally did however, she was extremely dizzy, courtesy of the blow to her head against the wall behind her. Knowing that she couldn't drive, she grabbed her radio and switched it to a special channel.
"Finally, all done." Nick said as he wiped his brow.
"Nick, do you copy?" Judy's voice came through his radio.
"Hey carrots, perfect timing. You will not believe what old buffalo breath had me doing, he made me clean all of the bathrooms to a near sparkle! Oh well, guess that's what I get for pulling pranks. So, are you ready for some lunch?" Nick asked with a chuckle as he leaned back in his seat.
"Nick, I need...I need you to come and get me. Don't tell anyone though...please." Judy quietly said with a few short breaths. Nick instantly dropped his usual cheeky attitude and spoke back in a deathly serious tone.
"Judy, what happened?" Nick asked with concern as he clutched his radio.
"I chased a suspect but he...got the drop on me. It's a long story...Nick, just please...come and get me. I'm at the...corner of Rodentia and...first street. Please Nick, I need you." Judy quietly spoke before hanging up. Nick just sat there with a confused and worried expression on his face, there were a million thoughts racing through his head. What had happened to Judy, why did she sound so out of breath, and why was she so adamant about him not telling anyone else? Against his better judgment, he let out a calming breath, put his usual nonchalant expression on, and casually strolled out of his cubicle and walked towards the garage; only to realize that the only small mammal patrol car was wherever Judy was.
"Awe berries." Nick quietly said to himself, but then he got an idea; he knew what Judy had said, but he had to get a ride from someone. Nick walked to the front desk and gave a casual two fingered salute to the chubby cheetah behind it. "Yo, Clawhauser, how's it going buddy?" Nick asked as he looked up at Clawhauser.
"Hey Nick, I'm doing great; you off to lunch?" Clawhauser asked with a smile.
"Normally I would be, but wouldn't you know it, old Carrots took the small mammal patrol car." Nick replied with a chuckle.
"Oh, that's unfortunate. But hey, why not just ask Judy to bring your lunches back here?" Clawhauser suggested with an enthusiastic smile. Well this wasn't going as planned, as much as he hated to betray Judy's trust like this, he'd have to either tell Clawhauser the truth, or make up a witty lie. Though he hated to lie to anyone anymore, he'd do it for Judy's sake.
"Well ya see, I'm supposed to buy for us today. It's uh, kind of our tradition. I'd feel awful if I made Carrots pay for me again today, you know? No more freeloading and conning for this law abiding fox anymore. So what do you say Clawhauser, give a fellow officer a paw?" Nick asked with his trademark grin.
"Awe Nick, you know I can't say no to that famous grin! Alright, but we've gotta be fast; I'm technically allowed a break right now anyways; we've got ten minutes." Clawhauser informed as he moved out from behind the desk. "Cheif, I'm taking my ten to help Nick with something!" Clawhauser shouted before rushing towards the garage with Nick.
"Thanks Clawhauser, I owe ya one." Nick thanked as he and Clawhauser got into a standard sized patrol car, then headed towards the closest Bug-Burga.
"Here we are Nick, I don't see Judy or her car though." Clawhauser informed as he parked in the parking lot of the Bug-Burga.
"You know Carrots, she's probably busting some speeder or jaywalker. Super cop Judy and all that." Nick replied with a chuckle.
"Yeah that sounds like Judy. So are you okay waiting for her, or should I stay until she gets here?" Clawhauser asked with a smile.
"Oh no, you've done more than enough. I wouldn't want old buffalo butt chewing you out for being late getting back. Thanks again Clawhauser, I owe you one." Nick thanked as he got out of the car.
"Any time Nick, and say hi to Judy for me." Clawhauser replied as he shut Nick's door. "I'll see you both back at the station!" Clawhauser yelled as he drove away.
"Bye, thanks again!" Nick yelled back as he waved and watched Clawhauser drive away. Nick grabbed his radio and called Judy the second the car was out of view. "Hopps?! Hopps, where are you?" Nick asked with concern.
"Mm, alley." Judy mumbled in response.
"Alley?! What alley, there are a million alleys around here?!" Nick asked as he rushed over to Judy's patrol car and got in it.
"Between bakery and t-tailor." Judy quietly answered. Nick looked around and quickly spotted the tailor and bakery.
"Hang in there Carrots, I'm coming." Nick informed as he sped towards the alley, stopping right outside of it. "Judy? Judy?" Nick quietly spoke as he walked into the alley.
"Nick? O-over here, dumpster." Judy answered as she loosely shook her paw at him from behind the dumpster. Nick rushed to her side and almost gasped at the sight. Judy was sitting against the dumpster with her eyes closed and lightly wheezing.
"Oh my God, Judy what happened to you?!" Nick asked as he knelt by Judy.
"That weasel...got the drop on me. He...stuffed me in that...giant donut and...took off. I fell and...rolled down the road. I hit my head...on a wall." Judy answered as she fought to keep her eyes open.
"Why didn't you say something earlier?! You could be seriously hurt, we need to get you to a hospital." Nick yelled as he slowly helped Judy to her feet.
"No Nick, I'm okay. I'm just...tired and...sore. I'll be alright." Judy answered with a small smile. Nick stared at her for a moment, all he wanted to do was speed her to the hospital, but he didn't want to force her to do anything she wasn't comfortable with or she didn't think she needed. Judy could tell that Nick's mind was racing, torn between helping her and respecting her wishes. "I'm okay, really. Just...take me back to the station, please." Judy said with a tired smile. Nick sighed as he stared into her eyes, then he nodded his head and carried her to the car.
"Fine, but promise me that you'll at least tell Bogo about what happened." Nick instructed as he set her in the car and strapped her in.
"Only if it gets worse. They'll tease me so much Nick, I'd be a laughing stock. More of one anyways." Judy replied as she closed her eyes.
"Oh Carrots." Nick quietly said before getting in the driver's seat and heading back towards the station. The ride to the station was quiet, Judy was half asleep, and Nick was too worried about her to be his usual witty self. "Alright, here we are." Nick quietly said as he pulled into the garage and turned the car off. Judy slowly got out of the car, stumbling a bit before dropping to her hands and knees. "Judy." Nick quietly said as he rushed to her side, carefully helping her up.
"I'm okay, just a bit dizzy. Thanks Nick." Judy thanked as she leaned on Nick.
"Judy you can't hide this, you have to tell someone." Nick urged as he helped her towards the door.
"I'll be fine Nick, I'm just a little dizzy from all the spinning and rolling. I'll be fine in a bit." Judy replied as she rubbed the back of her head a little bit. As much as he disagreed, Nick relented. He knew Judy was too stubborn to actually listen to reason, as much as it pained him to admit it, she'd likely only get help when she felt it was necessary. All he could do was try and support her for the time being.
"Alright Carrots, but promise me that you'll actually tell someone if this gets worse? I can't..." Nick choked on his words as he looked at Judy's exhausted expression.
"It's okay Nick, I've been through worse." Judy said in an encouraging tone, but deep down she knew that she was lying to both herself and Nick. But she didn't want to worry him anymore than she already had.
"Listen Judy, if you don't wanna tell anyone that's fine, but at least have the decency to be honest." Nick grumbled as he lead her inside. Judy downcast her eyes in sorrow, she should've known that Nick would sniff out her little lie in a mater of seconds. You can't con a con artist, or in his case, an ex-con artist. The atmosphere suddenly changed as they walked inside, everyone was looking at Judy like she was art on a wall. Just staring and studying her, but that ended quickly when one of the officers, a tiger, started laughing.
"Hey Judy, donut feel too bad, things happen!" The tiger laughed as she stared at Judy.
"You're on a roll Hopps!" A wolf officer laughed as he looked down at Judy.
"I guess your suspect weaseled his way out of that chase!" An elephant officer yelled with a deep laugh. Judy hung her head in despair as she sluggishly walked towards her desk.
"Remember Carrots, never let them see that they get to you." Nick quietly said as he walked alongside Judy. Judy's eyes were half closed as she approached her desk, slowly sitting down a moment later and laying her head on her keyboard. All she wanted to do was close her eyes and rest, and she almost did until the chief's booming voice rocked the bullpen.
"HOPPS! My office, now!" Bogo shouted from his office. Judy groaned as she slowly got to her feet, stumbling slightly before finding her footing and dragging herself towards Bogo's office.
"Y-yes sir?" Judy asked with a small breath as she stepped through the door of Bogo's office. Bogo was standing next to his door, glaring down at Judy as he did so.
"Take a seat Hopps." Bogo ordered as he closed the door. Judy steadied her nerves and approached the large mammal chair in front of her, staring at it with uncertainty. What normally would have been an effortless jump for her, was now a daunting task in her current condition. Judy took a breath before jumping onto the chair, then she tried to jump onto Bogo's desk so she could be at eye level with him. But she was sore and slightly uncoordinated, she miscalculated the jump and slammed her chest into the desk's edge, clinging to it like she was dangling over the edge of a cliff.
"Chief. Chief, chief, chief!" Judy yelled as she started to loose her grip. Bogo quickly placed his hoof beneath her foot and boosted her the rest of the way onto the desk. Whatever anger had been burning inside of him was quickly extinguished by feelings of worry. "Th-thank you...chief." Judy thanked with a wheezy breath. Bogo let out a deep sigh as he walked around his desk and sat down.
"When did it happen?" Bogo asked in a calm tone as he stared at Judy.
"When did what happen, sir?" Judy asked with some confusion.
"Don't give me that song and dance, Hopps. I've been doing this job for a long time, I know when something's wrong with one of my officers. So, are you going to tell me, or am I going to have to threaten disciplinary action against you?" Bogo asked with an unamused glare. Judy let out a light sigh before taking as deep of a breath as she could.
"Earlier today, when I was chasing Duke. That video that everyone's been laughing at, the chest pain was from the donut being forced over me, and I hit my head against a wall when I got to the bottom of the hill, sir." Judy explained in a sad tone.
"Hard?" Bogo asked in a calm tone.
"Enough to see spots, sir." Judy quietly answered with a sniffle.
"Has your condition improved at all?" Bogo asked in a calm but serious tone.
"Um, a little. My chest still hurts a lot, and my head's throbbing; but I can at least see a lot better, sir." Judy answered as she wiped some tears from her eyes.
"So why the water works then, Hopps?" Bogo asked in a compassionate tone.
"Because I... I don't know sir, I just feel emotional for some reason. I think part of me just feels betrayed, I'd give my life for anyone out on those streets, or out there in that office; and none of them could even be bothered to ask if I was okay. They just laughed at me, treated me like a joke; and not just the citizens, but even my fellow officers don't care, sir. Out of everyone I asked, everyone that saw me stumbling around, only three mammals gave a flip about me! A kind old woman, my partner, and you. Everyone else just laughed and teased me, they didn't even bother to ask if I was hurt. I know I didn't tell anyone, but nobody asked either! They all saw the video, and no one even bothered to ask if I was okay! That hurt more than any brick to the head ever could, sir. They just didn't care." Judy cried as she folded her ears over her eyes. Bogo let a long and slow sigh escape his nostrils, then he slowly stood and walked over to Judy.
"Body cam, please." Bogo instructed as he held out his hoof. Judy was confused by his actions, but she did as ordered and unclipped her body camera from her chest rig before handing it to Bogo. Bogo plugged the device into his computer, muted the volume, then watched Judy's whole incident from start to finish. Though it was muted and he couldn't actually see Judy's face from the first person perspective of the camera, he could tell by her flailing and sharp, clutching movements, that she was terrified during the entire ordeal. "Wait here Hopps, Nick will be in momentarily to sit with you. I don't want you alone until a doctor checks out your head." Bogo ordered before taking the camera and leaving the room. Judy sat in silence for a couple of minutes, her mind was blank, and she was quickly loosing the battle with her heavy and tired eyes. Slowly she closed them and rested her head on Bogo's desk.
"Carrots. Carrots you can't sleep right now, come on Judy, wake up." Nick's soft voice called to her, as she simultaneously felt a few light pats on her shoulder.
"N-Nick." Judy quietly groaned as she forced one of her eyes open a crack.
"That's it, open your eyes. It's okay, I'm right here." Nick quietly said as he rubbed Judy's back.
"M-mly foxy." Judy mumbled and slurred as she stared at Nick.
"Oof, that was dorky even for you. You really did mess up your head." Nick chuckled as he sat down next to Judy on Bogo's desk. Judy just gave him a tired smile in response.
"My fuzzy fox." Judy mumbled as she rested her head on Nick's shoulder.
"Okay Carrots, now you're startin' to creep me out." Nick replied as he put his arm around Judy's shoulders to support her.
"I'm, I'm so...so tired, Nick." Judy quietly said as she closed her eyes again.
"No, you can't sleep right now Judy. Keep your eyes open." Nick ordered as he lightly patted Judy's cheek.
"You're so cruel, mean flox." Judy mumbled as her head lifted for a moment, only to roll back onto Nick's shoulder immediately afterwards.
"Judy? Judy?!" Nick shouted as he slapped her shoulders.
"Nnnng." Judy only groaned in response.
"Judy hang on, it's gonna be alright!" Nick yelled before leaping off of Bogo's desk and rushing out of the room. Nick made a beeline for the briefing room, where Bogo was already chewing out the rest of the department.
"Hilarious, isn't it! Let's watch it again, this time in slow motion, just so it's extra funny!" Bogo shouted as he rewound the video. "So here's the first part, down comes the donut! Oh listen to that, isn't it just adorable? Listen to how much she's screaming, I'm sure it's from joy though, definitely not because her bones are probably bending or breaking. Oh, and I bet this part had you peeing your pants. There she goes, stumbling to her feet and asking one, two mammals for help, and then the crowd forms! Surely one of them will help poor officer Hopps, right? WRONG! They all did the same thing as the rest of you did, laughed it up! Oh and listen to all of that cute sniffling and barely contained crying, so adorable, typical bunny. There she goes, trying to walk away like a tough little bunny, until, uh oh, poor little bunny trips. Now here comes the best part, down she goes! Rolling, rolling, rolling, aaaaall the way down to here. Wham! Comedy gold, just a perfect impact of her head on that wall. I almost busted a gut laughing at that part, didn't the rest of you? It's not like slamming your head against a wall at a good ten miles an hour would hurt or anything, I'm sure she's just being emotional. Don't you all think so?!" Bogo shouted as he slammed his hooves against his podium, glaring at all of the officers in the briefing room.
"S-sir, with all due respect, how could we have known that officer Hopps was so badly hurt during this event. She hardly spoke to any of us?" A tiger asked as he stared at Bogo.
"Well gee Fangmeyer, I don't know. Perhaps any one of you could've asked her! You all clearly saw the videos on zootube, you're supposed to be police officers! There were a million clues in the video that what happened was anything but funny, so maybe watch it again; but this time you should actually pay attention!" Bogo all but screamed as he glared at the officer, who hung his head in shame.
"Sir, we're... I don't even know what to say here. Sorry just doesn't feel like enough." A lioness officer quietly said in a sad tone.
"No, but it's a start. Now I suggest that each and every one of you who laughed at Hopps go and apologize to her." Bogo calmly spoke as Nick burst into the briefing room.
"Chief! It's Judy, I can't wake her up!" Nick yelled in a panicked tone as he stared at Bogo.
"What? What do you mean you can't wake her up, Wilde?" Bogo asked as he turned and faced Nick.
"What do you mean what do I mean?! I can't wake her up! I talked to her, I yelled at her, I patted her back, gently shook her! She hardly responded to anything I did!" Nick shouted with a frightened expression. Bogo immediately ran to his office, finding Judy with her head on his desk and looking all but dead.
"Hopps! Hopps wake up!" Bogo yelled as he ran over to Judy.
"No mama, no wakey." Judy mumbled as her head rolled to the side, revealing one severely dilated pupil. Bogo grabbed his radio from his desk and quickly spoke into it.
"This is chief Bogo of precinct one, I need an R.A unit dispatched to the station for a concussed and incoherent officer, species is rabbit. Over." Bogo spoke into his radio in a calm tone as he looked at Judy.
"Rodger your last, rapid ambulance en-route, E.T.A is five minutes. Over." A woman answered through the radio.
"Hopps, I need you to stay with us, just keep fighting like you always do." Bogo encouraged as he placed his hoof over Judy's paw. Judy's lips moved slightly as a few incoherent words came out. "Try not to talk Hopps, just rest." Bogo quietly said as he stared at Judy.
"My...my fox. My fox." Judy said, barely above a whisper.
"Nick, get in here." Bogo ordered as he looked back at the door, where Nick had been standing the whole time.
"I'm here Carrots, I'm right here." Nick quietly informed as he climbed up by Judy.
"I'm...I'm so...so cold. N-Nick, I'm scared." Judy quietly said as she held a shaking paw out to what she hoped was the real Nick, but she was seeing three of him.
"It's okay, I'm right here. I'll keep you warm, just don't stop talking, okay Judy?" Nick answered as he grabbed her paw and squeezed it.
"You...always complain about...how much I talk though. Dumb fox." Judy replied with a shaky breath and a light chuckle.
"That doesn't mean I actually want you to stop talking though, dumber bunny." Nick replied as he squeezed her paw harder.
"I'm scared Nick. I'm so scared." Judy cried as she clung to Nick's paw.
"I know, but you're not just a dumb bunny, you're a tough bunny too. Zootopia's first rabbit officer, a bump on the head is nothing to be afraid of. Not for a tough bunny like you." Nick encouraged with a smile.
"Nick I... I..." Judy choked on her words as she stared at Nick through teary eyes.
"Shh, it's okay Judy, just take it easy. You need to rest, it's gonna be okay Carrots. Everything's gonna be okay." Nick encouraged as two snow leopards wheeled a gurney over to the door.
"Nick, it's time to step back and let these felines do their job." Bogo instructed as he put a hoof on Nick's shoulder.
"I'll be right by your side Hopps, but these guys are gonna take care of you now. I'm not leaving though, just moving." Nick quietly said as he reluctantly let go of Judy's paw and stepped back.
"Officer Hopps? Can you hear me?" One of the leopards asked as she shined a light in Judy's eyes.
"Yes." Judy quietly answered.
"Do you know what day it is today?" The same leopard asked in a calm tone as she slipped a small device over Judy's index finger.
"Monday." Judy quietly answered.
"Do you know who the president is?" The second leopard asked as he lowered the gurney.
"He's a bald eagle, right?" Judy asked as she shut her eyes.
"Do you know his name?" The leopard clarified as he wrapped a blood pressure cuff around Judy's arm.
"Soar, I think." Judy answered with a small breath.
"B.P's through the roof." The second leopard informed as he looked at a device that was connected to the blood pressure cuff.
"Sat's are low, O2 levels are at eighty-eight percent. We need to get her on oxygen and get her transported A-SAP." The first leopard replied as she carefully moved Judy onto the gurney.
"Chief, what does any of that mean?" Nick quietly asked as he looked at Bogo.
"Her oxygen and other vitals are below normal levels." Bogo answered in the same quiet tone.
"That doesn't make any sense, how could her blood pressure be high and everything else low?" Nick asked in a confused tone.
"Her body's trying to compensate, her blood pressure rose to try and push more oxygen through at a higher rate. Unfortunately she may not have enough blood cells to actually transport that oxygen, hence the increased blood pressure and low oxygen levels." The female medic answered as she strapped Judy to the gurney.
"What are you saying, are you saying that she's running out of blood?" Nick asked in a confused and worried tone.
"I honestly don't know, a lot of things could inhibit oxygen transport in her body. They'll run tests at the hospital and give you more information afterwards, for now all we can do is transport her and keep her stable." The medic answered as she and her partner wheeled Judy away.
"Chief I..." Nick started to say, until Bogo interrupted him.
"Go, but don't get in their way and try to keep a level head. I know you care about her, but she needs you to be calm right now. Put on that dumb grin, bury your fear, and act like everything's gonna be fine. It'll help her relax." Bogo instructed as he watched Judy get further away.
"Yes sir, calm and casual. I'll make sure of it, thanks chief." Nick thanked before quickly following Judy. The paramedics loaded Judy into the ambulance while Nick sat in the front passenger seat, then one of the medics moved into the driver's seat and started pulling away from the department.
"My fox. My fox." Judy quietly said as she reached for the paramedic's paw.
"Talk to her." The medic quietly said as she grabbed Judy's paw.
"Hey there Judy, I'm disappointed in you. Little miss super cop is sleeping on the job." Nick replied with a chuckle. The medic's mouth fell open in shock, she was about to tell the witty fox off until she heard Judy start to chuckle.
"Like you don't fall asleep on almost every stakeout or patrol we do. Cheeky fox." Judy chuckled in reply.
"Of course I do, I'm the bad cop. You're the good cop, so you have to follow all the rules, while it's my job to bend and break them." Nick said with another chuckle.
"Nick, if... If it's bad, please call my parents." Judy quietly said, quickly becoming serious as she tried to look up at Nick.
"Hey, don't think like that Judy. It's probably just a bad concussion, you're gonna be alright Carrots." Nick encouraged as he reached in the back and gently squeezed her paw.
"But if I'm not, promise me that you'll call them. Promise me." Judy quietly cried as she squeezed Nick's paw harder.
"I promise. But you're gonna be fine, I'm sure you feel worse than you actually are." Nick encouraged as he continued to squeeze Judy's paw.
"I... I trust you, Nick." Judy quietly replied as the ambulance came to a gentle stop outside the hospital. The paramedics quickly got Judy out of the ambulance and rushed her inside, with Nick following closely behind.
"I'm sorry sir, medical personnel only beyond this point." A sheep in a lab coat informed as he looked up at Nick.
"I understand, you'll keep me updated though, right?" Nick asked in a hopeful tone.
"Of course sir, we're taking her into imaging now where we'll get her an M.R.I and see what if any serious damage there is. Hopefully she just has a bad concussion, but I'll keep you posted." The doctor informed before walking away, leaving Nick alone in the waiting room. What felt like an eternity passed, but in reality it was less than an hour before the doctor came back. "Mister Wilde." The doctor said as he walked over to Nick.
"How is she?" Nick asked in a nervous tone.
"Recovering. She's very lucky, several of her ribs are crushed, as well as her sternum. The low oxygen levels were being caused by the constricting inward bend of those ribs, thankfully it was minuscule enough to not require surgery. We used a special brace to readjust her spine and ribcage, she'll be wearing it for about a week so they can settle into place. We feared that her head trauma was far more severe than it actually turned out to be, it really is just a bad concussion with some minuscule brain swelling. The swelling's already gone down and there was no bleeding of any kind, now it's just the remaining symptoms which will heal over the next few days to a week. Do you have any questions mister Wilde?" The doctor explained and asked in a professional tone.
"No. Thank you so much doctor, you have no idea how much worry you've just alleviated from me. I was so scared that she'd be in surgery with a messed up head and lungs, I can't believe how lucky she got. Thank God it was so minuscule compared to what it could've been. How can I ever repay all of you?" Nick asked with a sniffle.
"Just be there for her, she's cleared to go home, but she can't be alone. She'll need someone to take care of her and watch for signs that her condition may be getting worse. But in all honesty, as long as she doesn't push herself, it's unlikely that she'll do anything other than recover. Here's a list of instructions on how to best help that process. Lots of sleep, lots of fluids, and nothing strenuous. I don't even want her doing desk work for at least a week, let alone going into the field. We've already called your chief and told him what was going on with officer Hopps, he's agreed to put her on medical leave for the next two weeks. He also told me to let you know that he's putting you on two weeks of family leave." The doctor informed as he started walking away.
"Family leave? I don't have any family though, why is he putting me on leave; is he mad at me?" Nick asked in a confused tone as he followed the doctor.
"Far from it, I believe his exact words were, Hopps is gonna need her fluffy fox after all of this trauma." The doctor replied with a grin. Nick stopped dead in his tracks at those words, then he let out a soft groan.
"Yep, I should've seen that one coming. Old buffalo butt's never gonna let me live that one down, is he." Nick said with a chuckle. "Thanks chief, you always watch out for me, even though I'm a pain in your butt." Nick quietly said as he looked up at the ceiling.
"Alright officer Hopps, your friend Nick is gonna take you home and make sure that you're taken care of." A doctor informed as he brought Judy into the waiting room in a wheelchair.
"Yay, fuzzy foxy! My fuzzy fox, he's... He's my bestest friend, and I have a crush on him." Judy said with a giggle, loudly whispering the last part with a laugh.
"Uuuuuh." Was all that Nick could get out as he looked at the doctors.
"Don't take anything she says to heart, she's on a strong pain killer right now, so it made her a little loopy." The doctor informed as he wheeled Judy over to Nick.
"Oh, that makes a lot more sense. Thanks doctor." Nick thanked as he grabbed the handles on Judy's wheelchair. "Alright Judy, are you ready to go home?" Nick asked as he looked down at Judy.
"No! It's sooo lonely in my crappy apartment! I don't wanna be alone with all the voices in my head, do you know what they're saying?" Judy replied with a giggle.
"Uh, no. No I don't, what are they saying?" Nick asked as he started wheeling Judy outside. Judy looked around like she was worried about being watched, then she looked at Nick.
"They say I have carrot breath, but I brush my teeths every day! So how do I have carrots for breaths if I brush every day? They're so mean to me, the voices pick on me Nicky! I can't help it if I like carrots, I'm a bunny! Right? Am I, I am a bunny right? Oh! Maybe I'm a jackalope who cut her antlers off to disguise herself as a bunny and hide amongst them. That would be so awesome." Judy replied with a gasp.
"Oh for sure, that would be the coolest." Nick replied as he stifled a laugh. He felt bad for wanting to laugh, it wasn't Judy's fault that the medication was doing this to her, but man was it funny. It took everything he had to not laugh at her in this moment. Though he couldn't help but pull out his phone and record her the rest of the way to the station.
"Oh no, it's the copers. You betrayed me, I thought we were partners, and now you're turning me in to the man!" Judy sobbed as she held her head in her paws.
"We are partners, and I'm not turning you into anyone. I'm just picking up our car so that I can take you home." Nick replied as he wheeled Judy through the front doors.
"You lied to me, you're practically handing me over on a silver platter! I didn't think I had to pay for that juice, the nice sciencey looking lady handed it to me before they put me in this rolly chair. I didn't mean to steal it, don't turn me in to the man! They'll eat me alive in the big house, literally!" Judy cried as she stared up at Nick.
"Judy! Oh thank goodness, we were all so worried about you!" Clawhauser yelled as Nick rolled Judy to the front desk.
"Just lock me up and throw away the key, I stole a juice from the nice labcoat lady! I'm a monster!" Judy cried hysterically as she held her paws out to be cuffed. The whole department heard the commotion and were peeking over their monitors at her and Nick.
"Pain meds, she's a little loopy right now." Nick informed with a smile as Judy continued crying.
"Wilde, what is officer Hopps doing here, she should be at home resting?" Bogo asked as he walked over to Nick.
"Oh no, buffalo butt's gonna cuff me himself! I'm so ashamed, I just wanted some juice!" Judy cried as she held her paws out to Bogo.
"What is she talking about, Wilde?" Bogo asked as he looked down at Judy, then up at Nick.
"It's the pain medicine, she thinks she stole a free bottle of juice and that I'm turning her in for it. I actually just came to get the car, the doctor doesn't want her alone, so I'm taking her to her family in Bunny Burrow." Nick explained as he gently scratched Judy's head.
"Waaaa, oh I like that. My fox gives me ear scratchies." Judy suddenly stopped crying and said with a smile, as she thumped one of her feet against the foot rest of the chair.
"Well the doctor already brought me up to speed on her condition, I'm glad it's not as serious as it could've been. Take her home and keep an eye on her for all of us, this department wouldn't be the same without her." Bogo said with a smile as knelt down by Judy.
"Nick you're a liar, his breath doesn't smell like buffalo, it smells like grass." Judy grumbled as she hugged Bogo's neck. "He's soft and fuzzy though, but not like my fuzzy fox." Judy giggled as she held onto Bogo.
"Ahem. Oh boy, the things drugs make you say. Am I right chief?" Nick asked with a nervous grin. Bogo just stared at him with an unamused expression.
"Take her home Nick, make sure to follow the doctor's instructions. Call us if you need any help with her, otherwise just be there for her. I'll see you both in a few weeks." Bogo instructed before gently removing Judy's paws from his neck and standing up.
"Right away sir, and chief..." Nick said as he started walking away, stopping just after he turned around. Bogo turned back and looked at him with a straight face. "Thank you. I know I'm not your favorite officer, and that I'm quite a pain in your neck. So I really do appreciate what you're letting me do for her, thanks chief." Nick thanked with a smile.
"Don't get all soft on me Nick, I just did it to get a break from you for the next few weeks." Bogo replied with a grin.
"Can't say I blame ya chief, but seriously, thank you. Judy, she's... She's the closest thing I have to family, and I hate seeing her like this. I should've been there for her, but at least I can be here for her now. Goodbye chief, I'll keep you updated on her condition." Nick thanked with a smile before slowly wheeling Judy towards the parking garage. Nick slowly helped Judy into the small mammal patrol car, thankful that he and Judy were the only ones on the force small enough to use it, then he tied her wheelchair to the back of it with some rope from the trunk and got in the driver's seat. "Alright Carrots, strap in." Nick instructed as he looked at Judy, who had fallen asleep. Nick smiled as he reached over and belted her in, then he started the car and slowly drove away. About an hour later Judy slowly opened her eyes.
"Mmm. Nick? Where am I?" Judy quietly asked in a groggy tone.
"On your way home, how are you feeling?" Nick asked as he continued driving. Judy slowly sat up with a wince and looked down at herself.
"Like I got the fur beat out of me. What happened?" Judy asked as she placed a paw on her aching chest.
"Try and relax, it'll come back to you." Nick calmly answered as he stopped at a stop sign. Judy closed her eyes and thought for a moment.
"Duke. I was chasing Duke, I was ambushed and... I remember hitting my head. Things are fuzzy after that, I think I got back to the station at some point, I can't remember anything else." Judy quietly replied as she rubbed the back of her head. "It hurts Nick, it really hurts." Judy groaned as she held her side.
"I know Judy, just try and rest, you're almost home." Nick replied as he passed a sign labeled Bunny Burrow.
"Home? My apartment's way back in Zootopia though." Judy quietly replied as she looked at the scenic country view around her.
"I know, but you can't be on your own right now; doctor's orders." Nick informed as he pulled up to a large farm and turned down its long dirt road.
"They're gonna freak when they hear what happened." Judy quietly said as she closed her eyes.
"They already know, Bogo called them as we were leaving, he let me know over the radio. They're just glad that you're safe." Nick replied as he parked in front of a large mound of dirt. The mound had some white framed windows around it and a big round door labeled Hopps right in the center of it.
"Where are you going to go, are you gonna leave me now that I'm home?" Judy asked in a sad tone, barely above a whisper. Nick turned the car off and looked at her.
"Look at me." Nick quietly said as he stared at Judy, who looked up at him with tears in her eyes. "I'm not going anywhere, I was ordered by Bogo himself to keep an eye on you; and that's exactly what I'm gonna do. So I hope you have a guest room, because uncle Nick's gonna be staying for quite a while." Nick replied with a grin. Judy could feel tears start to well up in her eyes, she was so grateful to have a friend like Nick.
"Nick." Judy quietly cried as she hugged him.
"You're always so emotional, come on Carrots, pull it together." Nick quietly said as he rubbed her back.
"Sh-shut up Nick, I'm in pain." Judy sniffled as she clung to Nick.
"I'll give you one of your pills once we get you settled inside." Nick informed as he got out of the car, then helped Judy. Nick carried her to the trunk and opened it, then he removed her wheelchair and set it up for her before setting her in it. As Nick wheeled Judy towards the door it slowly opened a crack, and a pair of eyes peeked out, then another pair, and another. Then the door opened wider and wider, until a stamped of tiny bunnies came barreling out of it, and they were all shouting the same thing.
"JUDY!" All the tiny bunnies cheered as they charged at her in a literal stamped.
"Oh! No! No, no, no, no!" Judy yelled as she held her paws out.
"Hey kids!" Nick shouted as loud as he could, stopping the stampede in its tracks. "Who wants to give uncle Nick a hug?!" Nick yelled as he held his arms out. It was silent for a few seconds as several of the bunnies just blinked at him, but then the stampede changed direction and charged straight at Nick. "Oh sweet blueberries." Nick quietly said, before being swallowed by a literal wave of bunnies. "AAAAH!" Nick yelled as he was buried under all of the bunnies.
"NICK!" Judy shouted as she stared in horror at the sight, but she let out a breath when she heard him laughing.
"I'm sorry Carrots, I know it's your word and everything, but they're all so cute! Oh look at all of you, did you all miss uncle Nick?" Nick asked with a laugh as he grabbed two armfuls of bunnies and hugged them. Judy chuckled at the heart warming sight, it was nice to see Nick having so much fun and being accepted by her family. They'd all met him before, but it never ceased to amaze her how quickly the Hopps family had accepted Nick as one of their own.
"Alright kids, come on, let Nick breathe." Bonnie said as she and Stu walked outside.
"Aaaaw!" The simultaneous groans rang out as everyone reluctantly backed away from Nick.
"Whew, thanks Misses Hopps, Mister Hopps." Nick greeted as he got back on his feet.
"Now Nick, how many times do we have to tell you, no need to be so formal. Just call us Bonnie and Stu." Bonnie replied as she hugged Nick. "It's good to see you again Nick." Bonnie greeted as she patted Nick's back.
"It's good to see you both as well, I just wish it were under better circumstances." Nick replied as he looked at Stu.
"Us too Nick, but at least Judy's safe. Thank you for being there for her, what happened exactly? Chief Bogo only gave us a summary of it all." Stu asked as he looked at Judy, whose pain was becoming more and more apparent to him.
"I'll explain in a minute, right now we need to get Judy comfortable and get her one of her pills." Nick replied as he walked over to Judy, then carefully picked her up.
"I'll grab her chair." Stu said as he folded Judy's wheelchair and carried it inside behind Nick.
"Nnng. Nick, it hurts." Judy groaned as she clung to Nick.
"I know Judy, I'm gonna get you one of your pills and get you settled into bed." Nick informed as he carried Judy into the kitchen where Bonnie was.
"Her room's this way." Bonnie informed as she lead Nick towards Judy's old room. Nick was surprised at how roomy the Hopps home was, big enough that despite all of the kids they had, each child had their own room, including Judy. "Here it is, you can just lay her down on her bed." Bonnie quietly said as she gestured to Judy's bed. Nick nodded and pulled the blankets back, then he gently laid Judy down and covered her before looking around a little. There were old posters and drawings all over from when she was a kid, and they all had the same theme. There she was, a self portrait drawn in crayon, of Judy standing proudly in a Z.P.D uniform.
"Wow, she really did spend her whole life working towards what she has, didn't she?" Nick asked as he stared at the picture.
"Ever since she was four, it's all she ever wanted in life. The first bunny to join the honorable ranks of the Z.P.D, and she achieved it and more. We're so proud of her." Bonnie said with a smile as she placed a paw on Judy's head.
"She's one of their best, it's an honor to have her as both a friend and a partner." Nick replied as he looked down at Judy, frowning when he saw her pained expression. "Her pill, could I get some water for her please so I can give it to her?" Nick asked as he looked at Bonnie.
"Yep, got it right here. I also brought a couple of shreds of lettuce, just incase she needs food with the meds." Stu replied as he walked into the room with a tray that contained a glass of water and a plate of lettuce.
"Thank you." Nick thanked as he took the tray. "Alright Carrots, open up, time for your pill." Nick said as he gently sat Judy up. Judy opened her mouth and let Nick place the pill on her tongue, then he gave her a sip of water and she swallowed it.
"Th-thank you Nick." Judy thanked as she reached for the lettuce and picked it up, then nibbled it down.
"Get some rest Carrots, I'll be here if you need me." Nick whispered as he patted Judy's paw, then he left the room to let Bonnie and Stu have some time with Judy.
"Oh sweetie, what happened to you?" Bonnie asked as she sat at the edge of Judy's bed, while Stu stood next to her.
"I'm surprised you didn't see the video yet, it's all over Zoo-Tube. I got ambushed by a suspect and he slammed that decorative donut in Little Rodentia over me, then I tripped and rolled down a hill. A lot of what happened is pretty fuzzy though." Judy quietly answered as she started closing her eyes.
"Wh-where was your partner during all of this? Wasn't Nick watching your back?" Stu asked in a sad tone.
"Bogo...told him to...stay behind to...clean mess." Judy quietly replied before starting to lightly snore.
"Judy? Judy?" Bonnie asked as she gently shook Judy's shoulder, but Judy was out like a light.
"Guess we'll have to talk to Nick." Stu replied as he covered Judy a bit more with her blanket, then he and Bonnie each gave her a kiss on the cheek and left the room.
"Did you ever shoot anyone?" One of the little bunnies asked as she looked up at Nick.
"Goodness no, I haven't even drawn my weapon from its holster since training at the academy." Nick answered with a chuckle as he sat in the center of all the baby bunnies.
"Did you ever tase anyone?" Another bunny asked with a smile.
"Not yet, but I'd love to tase that weasel that hurt your sister. I'm so cheesed at that guy that I could just, uh..." Nick started to rant, stopping as he stared at all of the little bunnies. "Do the right thing and bring him to justice, just like your sister would do; because she's the kind of cop that does things by the book." Nick finished with a smile.
"Nick." Bonnie quietly said as she peeked around the corner at Nick. "Can I talk to you please?" Bonnie asked with a small frown. Nick knew this moment would be coming, but he was still nervous about it.
"Of course. Alright kids, uncle Nick's gotta talk to your parents real quick, but he'll be back soon." Nick informed as he moved a few bunnies off of his lap, then walked over to Bonnie. Bonnie lead Nick into the kitchen where Stu was already sitting at the table. "Okay, whatever you'd like to know, just ask and I'll tell you everything I know." Nick informed as he stood in front of Stu with a slightly nervous expression.
"Don't look so tense Nick, we're not mad at you, we just don't understand why no one was there when this all happened." Stu informed in a sad tone. Nick let out a small breath before speaking.
"I'm sorry, to both of you. I should've been there, but I was cleaning up one of my dumb pranks at the office. Judy was confident that she could handle it, the incident occurred in Little Rodentia. From what she told me she tracked down a regular resident of the jail, Duke Weaselton. He was reported for suspicious activity. He ran, she chased him, but he ambushed her and slammed a decorative donut over her. That's where her side and chest pain came from, then he ran. She said that she went to get help and everyone ignored her, she tripped at some point and rolled down a hill, hitting her head against a wall at the end of her roll. That's where her concussion came from." Nick explained in a sad tone.
"What happened next?" Stu asked with a sniffle.
"A citizen finally helped her, then she called me and I drove right over to pick her up. I brought her back to the station, where Bogo found out after some guess work. While he was tearing into the rest of the department for poking fun at Judy for the Zoo-Tube video, her condition worsened. We called an ambulance and I rode with her to the hospital where she was treated. After that I took her back to the station, talked to Bogo again, then he sent us both here." Nick answered with a sad expression. Bonnie sniffled as she wiped some tears away, then her and Stu both hugged Nick.
"Thank you for being there for her, Nick. Thank you so much." Bonnie cried as she hugged Nick tighter.
"There's no place I'd rather be than right by her side." Nick replied as he hugged Bonnie and Stu back. The sweet moment was interrupted by a groggy yell.
"Nick. Nick! I need my fox! Nicky! Nicky, Nicky, Nicky!" Judy shouted with a giggle from down the hall.
"Well the meds have finally kicked in." Nick replied with a chuckle.
"Guess you'd better head to that spot of yours." Stu said with a smile as he patted Nick's shoulder.
"Yes sir." Nick replied with a grin before running to Judy's room. "You okay Carrots?" Nick asked as he walked into the room.
"Finally! I called you like... forever ago! I was getting so lonely without my foxy, your bunny needs head scratchies." Judy giggled as she waved awkwardly at Nick. Nick chuckled as he shook his head, but he walked over to Judy and sat down by her bed, then he gently scratched her head. "Oh yeah. Oh, oh yeah, right there. Ooooh that feels so nice. Yes, yes, yes." Judy said with a large and content smile as she thumped her foot against her bed.
"Okay stoner bunny, is that good?" Nick asked with a chuckle as he continued scratching Judy's head.
"Mmmmm. No, it'll never be enough; I love it when my fox gives me scratchies." Judy giggled as she nuzzled Nick's paw.
"Well you need your rest, little miss needy." Nick said with a smile as he removed his paw from Judy's head, causing her to pout. "Get some rest, and holler if you need anything. Your parents, siblings, and I are all right down the hall." Nick informed as he started moving his paw away.
"No don't, don't leave me. Please." Judy quietly cried as she clung to Nick's paw.
"It's okay Judy. I'll be right down the hall, less than twenty feet away." Nick replied as he tried to wiggle his paw out of Judy's grip.
"NO! Don't leave me Nick, please don't go!" Judy cried as she clung to Nick's paw. Nick stared at Judy for a moment before finding his voice.
"Judy." Nick quietly said as he knelt by Judy, who was sniffling and clinging to him. "Hey, it's okay Judy. What's wrong, I'm just gonna be right down the hall?" Nick asked in a sad tone as he stared at Judy.
"I'm... I'm afraid Nick, I'm afraid to be alone right now. Please Nick, please don't go." Judy whispered with a sniffle as she continued clinging to Nick. Nick looked at her with a sad expression. He was so used to her being an energetic ball of positivity, that seeing her so scared was heartbreaking to him.
"Okay, okay Judy. I won't leave you." Nick quietly said as he sat down next to Judy's bed. Judy sniffled as she clung to Nick's paw, but she smiled at him despite her tears. "Try and rest though, you need your rest to heal." Nick quietly instructed as he gently squeezed her paw.
"Thank you." Judy whispered before closing her eyes. Nick sat with Judy for nearly an hour before he was certain that she was asleep and wouldn't notice him leave the room.
"Sweet dreams Carrots." Nick whispered before wiggling his paw out of Judy's grasp, then tiptoeing out of the room. Nick quietly walked into the main living room, where he found Judy's parents sitting on the couch together.
"Nick, there you are; how's Judy?" Bonnie asked as Nick walked over to her and Stu.
"Sleeping. Sorry that I was gone for so long, she wouldn't let me leave." Nick apologized in a sad tone.
"She feels safe around you." Stu informed with a smile.
"I'm so sorry for what happened, if I hadn't been so stupid and pulled that little prank in the office I could've been there with her. Then maybe she wouldn't have gotten hurt." Nick quietly said in a sad tone, slumping onto a chair and looking down at the ground as he did so.
"Don't blame yourself Nick, the important thing is that she's safe and that you're here for her when she needs you most." Bonnie encouraged as she placed her paw over Nick's.
"Besides, Judy loves your pranks. They always brighten up her day, I can't tell you how many times she's called and the first thing she says is, you'll never believe what Nick did today, it was the funniest thing ever." Stu added with a smile. Nick looked up at Stu with genuine surprise in his eyes.
"Really? She actually likes my pranks?" Nick asked with a small smile.
"You'll never hear her say it, but yes, she loves them." Stu answered with a chuckle.
"Good ol' Carrots, still surprising me after all this time." Nick said to himself with a chuckle.
"You look tired Nick; you worried yourself into exhaustion over our little girl today, didn't you?" Bonnie asked with a smile.
"That's my job, she's my partner and best friend; she'd do the same thing if she were in my shoes right now." Nick answered with a smile.
"I know it's not much, but the couch is pretty comfortable. You're welcome to stay the night, and if I'm being honest, it would be preferable if you did. My mother's intuition tells me that Judy's gonna need you tonight." Bonnie offered with a sad expression.
"Thank you misses Hopps, I'd be honored to accept your offer." Nick replied with a smile.
"We'll let you get some rest, no telling how long Judy will stay asleep. Did her papers say anything about checking on her throughout the night or anything?" Bonnie asked as she looked at Stu.
"No, they just said to push fluids and get plenty of rest." Stu quietly answered.
"Alright. Well Nick, if you'd excuse us, we're gonna get the kids to bed. Let us know if you need anything tonight, we're down the hall right across from Judy's room." Bonnie informed as she and Stu stood up.
"Thank you ma'am, I appreciate you letting me stay here tonight. Also, feel free to do the same. I can't imagine how hard this is for the both of you, so I'm here if either of you need me as well." Nick replied with a smile. Bonnie stared at Nick as tears started to form in her eyes.
"Thank you Nick, we're so blessed to have such a good young man like you in our lives. I'm so thankful that you're Judy's partner; I worry about her out there, but I know that she's always in good paws when you're with her. Thank you Nick." Bonnie quietly cried as she hugged Nick. Nick gently hugged her back before she let go and left the room with Stu. Nick smiled as he watched them leave, then he laid down on the couch and closed his eyes for the night. Nick didn't know how much time had passed before he was slowly pulled out of his sleep by something pressing into his chest.
"Mmm. Huh?" Nick mumbled as he opened his eyes a slit. His eyes shot the rest of the way open in surprise when he looked down and saw Judy curled up against his chest. "Judy?! What are you doing?!" Nick quietly yelled as he stared down at Judy.
"I was cold, and I had a nightmare." Judy answered with a sniffle. Nick's surprised expression softened into one of sympathy. "I'm sorry if I'm making you uncomfortable Nick, but I don't wanna be alone. Please don't make me go." Judy quietly cried as she looked into Nick's eyes.
"It's okay Carrots, I meant it when I said I'd be here for you. Do you wanna talk about your nightmare?" Nick asked in a kind tone as he wrapped an arm around Judy.
"No, just hold me. Please." Judy whispered as she snuggled closer to Nick. Nick nodded as he tightened his grip on her a little bit, then he closed his eyes and fell back asleep.