Everyone slept for the next four hours without any disturbances, it was now nearly midnight and the third shift replacements were starting their rounds. The door creaked open and a panther quietly walked into the room to check on Judy.
'Vitals are steady, I.V's still in place...' The nurse thought to herself as she took down some notes, but her attention was quickly pulled to the heart monitor, which had suddenly spiked. The nurse grabbed her stethoscope and walked over to Judy to manually listen to her heart.
"Mmm? What's going on?" Bonnie quietly asked as the nurse's quick movements stirred her from her slumber.
"I don't know ma'am, her heart rate just suddenly spiked. Nearly four-hundred B.P.Ms." The nurse answered as she placed her stethoscope on Judy's chest.
"Who spiked what now?" Nick asked in a groggy tone as he slowly opened his eyes.
"Hold on, I'm trying to listen to her heart." The nurse replied as she moved her stethoscope around a little.
"AH!" Judy suddenly screamed as her eyes shot open, instantly grabbing the nurses arm and twisting it to the point where the nurse was rolled onto her back to avoid breaking it. "Drop the weapon! Drop the weapon!" Judy screamed as she tightened her grip on the nurse.
"Judy! Judy snap out of it!" Nick yelled as he grabbed her paw and pried it off the nurse's arm.
"No! No! Get off of me!" Judy screamed as she threw a punch at Nick, hitting him square in the cheek.
"Calm down Judy! It's me, it's Nick!" Nick yelled as he continued to hold Judy's paw, ignoring the surprisingly powerful punch he'd just received.
"I don't wanna die! I don't wanna die!" Judy cried as she continued to struggle against Nick.
"You're not gonna die Judy, you're safe here. It's okay, take a breath Judy, it's okay." Nick quietly said as he gently wrapped his arm around Judy and hugged her.
"I... I'm not ready to go." Judy cried as she started to calm down.
"I know, but you're not going anywhere. That's all over now Judy, she can't hurt you or anyone else ever again. It's okay." Nick whispered as he continued to comfort Judy.
"I... I killed her, Nick. I killed her." Judy quietly cried as she continued clinging to Nick.
"I'm so sorry Judy." Nick whispered as he gently rocked her.
"What have I done? What have I done?!" Judy yelled as she began to cry hysterically into Nick's chest. No one knew what to say, so Nick just held Judy as tightly as he could, gently rocking her as he did so. No one knew when it had happened, but at some point Judy had cried herself to sleep in Nick's arms; the nurse who had taken the punch was checked out by a doctor and replaced with another nurse for the rest of the night. Eventually everyone had fallen asleep again, but it wasn't for long, the sun rose before anyone had realized it.
"Excuse me." A gentle voice quietly said, slowly pulling most of the room's occupants from their slumber. "I'm sorry to have disturbed all of you, but Miss Hopps has some visitors." The voice informed with a smile. Nick looked at the voice's owner as he rubbed the sleep from his eyes, surprised to see that the one addressing them was the nurse from last night.
"Thank you ma'am. How are you feeling, I hope Carrots didn't hurt you too badly?" Nick asked with a smile as he stared at the nurse.
"I'll admit, she hits much harder than I ever expected she could've; but I've certainly been through worse in my years." The nurse answered with a smile. "Anyways though, may her visitors enter?" The nurse asked as she looked into the hallway.
"Oh yeah, of course. But uh, who's visiting? Did Clawhauser and Gazelle come back?" Nick asked as he stretched a little to try and wake himself up some more.
"Not exactly, let's just say that it's good that she has such a large bed." The nurse replied with a giggle. Nick was confused for a moment, but then a tiny head poked out from behind the nurse's leg, followed by another, then several more.
"That's for sure, I'm guessing they're all here?" Nick asked with a grin.
"Yes, all two-hundred and seventy-five of them. I had to call the prison to borrow a bus to drive 'em all here. They were so desperate to see their big sister though, they just couldn't wait; and I couldn't tell them no." Bogo quietly said as he dragged himself into the room. Nick barely stifled a laugh when he saw at least a dozen of Judy's siblings clinging to Bogo's shoulders, arms, and chest.
"Uncle Nick!" All the kids yelled as they rushed towards Nick.
"Uncle Nick's ready this time, come on!" Nick yelled as he crouched down and held his arms out. Within seconds he was consumed under the stampede of tiny bunnies, and he couldn't have been happier. "Uncle Nick missed all of you, did you all miss uncle Nick?" Nick asked as he hugged two armfuls of bunnies.
"Yeah!" They all answered with joy.
"Good morning everyone, how's... Oh my." Gazelle started to ask as she and Clawhauser stepped into the doorway, only to freeze at the sight of all the baby bunnies. Everyone stopped scrambling over Nick at the sound of the new voice.
"AAAAAH!" One of the smallest bunnies screamed in a high pitched tone.
"What?! What's wrong?!" Clawhauser asked as he stared at the bunny.
"It's Gazelle!" The bunny yelled before rushing at Gazelle, followed by the rest of her siblings.
"Gazelle!" They all yelled before barreling over both her and Clawhauser.
"Kids! No, please don't stampede over Gazelle!" Bonnie yelled as she and Stu ran to Gazelle's aid.
"Oh my, you're all so enthusiastic. I know I'm not supposed to say it, but you're all so cute! Yes you are, you're all just as adorable as your big sister Judy." Gazelle giggled as she hugged a bunch of them.
"You know big sister Judy?" A few of them asked as they stared at Gazelle.
"Oh yes, she saved my life yesterday. I owe your sister everything." Gazelle replied with a smile.
"Wow! Our big sister saved your life?" One of the bunnies asked as the rest of them quieted down.
"Yes, she's an absolute hero. So you all make sure to be extra nice to her, okay?" Gazelle replied with a smile.
"We promise!" Everyone replied with big smiles.
"Speaking of your big sister, how is she? Have any of you talked to her yet?" Gazelle asked as she slowly sat up from beneath the pile of bunnies.
"Not yet, she's still sleeping." One of the bunnies answered as he looked up at Judy.
"Really?" Gazelle asked as she stood up, then looked up at Judy, surprised to see that she wasn't sleeping. At some point she had sat up, and now she was just sitting with her head slightly down. "She looks awake. Judy!" Gazelle called up to Judy, but there was no answer.
"Carrots." Nick said as he also looked up at Judy. She still didn't answer, she just continued sitting in that same position.
"Hopps!" Bogo yelled, quickly grabbing her attention.
"Sir!" Judy yelled as she whipped her head to the side and saluted Bogo.
"At ease Hopps. Are you feeling alright?" Bogo asked as he walked over to Judy.
"Uh... Y-yes sir, just uh... A little out of it sir." Judy answered with a small breath.
"That's probably normal, you've been through a lot. Is there anything you need?" Bogo asked with a soft expression.
"Uh, maybe some water and a carrot, sir." Judy answered with a tired expression.
"Clawhauser." Bogo said without taking his eyes off of Judy.
"I'm on it chief." Clawhauser replied before walking out of the room.
"Thank you." Judy quietly thanked with a sniffle.
"Is there something else bothering you?" Bogo asked in a sympathetic tone. Judy was quiet for a moment, but then she shook her head.
"No sir." Judy answered just barely above a whisper.
"We'll talk when you're ready then." Bogo replied before walking over to Nick.
"H-here...I...ran as fast...as I could. Oh man." Clawhauser wheezed as he entered the room with a bottle of water and a carrot.
"Don't have a heart attack on us now." Nick chuckled as he took the carrot and water from Clawhauser.
"I'm fine, just gotta...catch my breath." Clawhauser replied as he sat down.
"My poor little kitten." Gazelle giggled as she gave Clawhauser a kiss on the cheek.
"Did I miss something here?" Judy asked as she stared at Gazelle and Clawhauser, each of them looked at her with wide eyes. Then a grin that could've given Nick's a run for its money spread across her face.
"Judy, it's not what you think." Gazelle quickly defended as she stared at Judy.
"When's the wedding?" Judy asked with a barely contained laugh.
"Alright fine, you caught us. He's just so real though, not like everyone else. They all act a special way because they want me to like them, but Clawhauser's so sweet and genuine. I just kind of fell for him, don't tell anyone please. The press would be all over us, and I wouldn't want that kind of pressure put on him, his job is hard enough as it is. Isn't it kitten?" Gazelle asked with a smile as she looked at Clawhauser.
"Actually it's not that hard, I sit behind a desk and answer calls all day. But it's so sweet that you're so concerned for me, my little Gazelly welly." Clawhauser replied with a smile, making Gazelle giggle.
"You two are so cute together." Judy giggled.
"I thought that was a bunny word." Gazelle replied with a smirk.
"Well, I've learned that it's a word worth sharing with other species. Isn't that right Nick?" Judy asked as she looked at Nick.
"Absolutely, my cute little bunny." Nick answered with a smile.
"Alright, enough of the cutesy talk, you're all gonna make me sick." Bogo grumbled. All of the little bunnies in the room suddenly started giggling for some reason.
"What are you all laughing about?" Stu asked with a smile.
"Uncle Bogo's funny." One of the bunnies answered as she looked at Bogo.
"Uncle?! Oh no, I'm not getting dragged into all that. Go bug your uncle Nick, I'm just the babysitter." Bogo said in a shocked tone.
"Thank you for watching them for us, I know they're a pawful. We really appreciate it chief." Bonnie thanked as she picked Molly up and held her.
"It was my pleasure ma'am, and it was the least I could do after everything that happened." Bogo replied with a small smile. "Now if you'll all excuse me, I have to get back to the station. Clawhauser, it's time to go." Bogo informed as he started leaving the room.
"Goodbye my dear." Clawhauser said as he hugged Gazelle.
"You know where to find me, I'll see you after work." Gazelle replied as she hugged him back.
"Are they gonna kiss?" One of the tiny bunnies asked with a giggle, making the rest of them either say ew or just gag.
"No, we're not kissing." Clawhauser replied with a chuckle.
"Well, not yet anyways. We'll save that for the third date." Gazelle whispered with a giggle.
"Bye, be safe out there." Nick said as he and everyone else waved goodbye.
"Well, guess it's just us five adults now. Plus the kids." Stu said with a smile as he put his arm around Bonnie's shoulders.
"Yeah." Judy answered with a small smile as she placed a paw on her stomach. "Um, Gazelle?" Judy quietly asked as she looked at Gazelle.
"Yes Judy?" Gazelle asked as she walked over to Judy, then climbed the ladder to her bed.
"Can I ask a favor of you?" Judy asked with a nervous expression.
"Of course, what can I do for you?" Gazelle asked with a smile. Judy leaned in close to Gazelle and whispered something in her ear. "Oh. Alright, but are you sure you don't want the doctor or your mother to help you instead?" Gazelle asked with a straight face.
"I'm sure." Judy quietly replied.
"Alright, let's take it slow then, and tell me if I'm hurting you at all." Gazelle instructed as she slowly helped Judy out of bed, then helped her to the ladder. "Now hold on tight." Gazelle instructed as she started descending the ladder with Judy on her back.
"Be careful you two." Nick said as he watched them climb down.
"We're good Nick, thanks though." Gazelle replied as she stepped off the last rung, then crouched down so Judy could get off of her back.
"Thank you." Judy thanked as she steadied herself on the floor.
"Do you need to lean on me?" Gazelle asked as she started walking with Judy.
"No thank you. I'm just a little sore, but I'm doing pretty well all things considered." Judy answered with a smile.
"You're doing exceptionally well for someone who just had literal brain surgery." Gazelle replied with a smile as she lead Judy out of the room.
"Was it really that bad?" Judy asked in a curious tone.
"Well, you certainly had me scared. The doctors said you, and I quote, pulled through like a champ." Gazelle replied with a smile.
"I'm sorry that I scared you, but I'm glad that you're safe. I was terrified at your concert yesterday." Judy quietly informed before looking down at the floor.
"I can't even imagine. Do you wanna talk about it?" Gazelle asked in a compassionate tone.
"No." Judy quietly answered as she continued walking. Gazelle gave her a small frown, but decided not to push the issue; she figured Judy would talk when she was ready. The duo walked silently to the restroom after that, hardly even looking at each other.
"Do you want me to come in with you?" Gazelle asked as she looked at Judy.
"No thank you, I mainly just needed someone to show me the way. This is the first time I've left my bed since I got here." Judy answered before walking into the restroom. Judy walked into a stall, shut the door, then did her business. Afterwards she washed her paws and splashed some cold water on her face to try and wake herself up a little more. "Come on Judy, pull yourself together. You're an officer of the law, you can't show weakness or fear." Judy quietly said to herself as she looked up at the mirror, horrified at what she saw staring back at her.
"You certainly showed no weakness when you shot me! Ha ha ha!" The reflection spoke back to her, but it wasn't her reflection in the mirror. Staring back at her was the bloody image of the crazed sheep she'd been forced to shoot at the concert.
"AAAAAH!" Judy let out a blood curdling scream before punching and shattering the mirror with her bare paw.
"Judy!" Gazelle shouted as she burst into the restroom, finding Judy on her butt, and desperately trying to back away from the shattered mirror. "Judy! Judy what happened?!" Gazelle asked as she rushed to Judy's side.
"NO! NO! Get off of me! Let me go! Nick! Nick, help me! Nick!" Judy screamed and cried, violently thrashing against Gazelle's grip as she did.
"Judy! Judy it's okay! It's me, it's Gazelle!" Gazelle shouted as she wrapped her arms around Judy and hugged her.
"No! No! Let me go! Let me go!" Judy screamed as she continued to thrash against Gazelle's hold, nearly bashing Gazelle in the face with the back of her skull several times.
"HELP! I need help in here!" Gazelle shouted as loudly as she could, hoping to get the attention of someone walking past the restroom.
"What's going on?" A tiger in a security guard's uniform asked as he rushed into the restroom.
"Get back! Get back!" Judy screamed as she threw a hard kick at the guard, just barely missing him.
"I don't know, I heard her scream and I rushed in to check on her! The mirror was smashed, her paw was bleeding, and she was freaking out! I don't know what's going on!" Gazelle shouted as she continued trying to restrain Judy.
"I'll get a doctor." The guard replied before running out of the restroom.
"Let me go! Let me go, let me go, let me go." Judy begged as her panic started to give way to exhaustion.
"Shhh, it's okay Judy. It's okay." Gazelle quietly said as she tried to comfort Judy.
"I didn't wanna do it, but I didn't have a choice! I didn't wanna do it though, I'm sorry!" Judy cried as she collapsed against Gazelle and buried her face in her chest.
"Do what Judy?" Gazelle quietly asked as she gently rocked Judy.
"I didn't wanna kill her. I really didn't, but I had to." Judy quietly cried in response. Judy's words left Gazelle's brain racking for a response, but she just couldn't find the right words. What could she say, she'd never killed anyone before, she had no idea what Judy was going through in that moment. "Gazelle." Judy quietly cried as she clung to Gazelle.
"I'm here Judy, I'm right here." Gazelle whispered in reply as the restroom door opened and an armadillo stepped through it with a bag.
"Judy, my name is Doctor Shelly Armor, I'm here to help you. Could you tell me what happened please?" Doctor Armor asked as she put some gloves on.
"Get away from me. I want Nick. I want Nick!" Judy screamed as she tried to pull herself closer to Gazelle.
"Nick's the young fox who's been with you, correct?" Doctor Armor asked as she stopped halfway between the door and Judy. Judy lightly nodded her head yes. "Mister Wilde and your family are just outside the door, do you want to see your family as well?" Doctor Armor asked in a calm tone.
"No. I just want my fox." Judy whispered with a sniffle. Doctor Armor nodded before looking at the security guard, who nodded back before stepping aside to let Nick through the door.
"Judy?" Nick quietly asked as he slowly approached her.
"Nick. Nick I'm scared! She was here, in the mirror!" Judy cried as she looked up at Nick.
"Who Judy, who was here?" Nick asked as he knelt by Judy.
"The woman I killed." Judy quietly answered before breaking down in tears. Everyone was silent for a moment as they stared at Judy, Gazelle and Nick were confused, but the doctor just looked sad.
"Judy that's not possible, you said it yourself, she's dead." Nick quietly replied as he stared at Judy.
"I saw her! She was right there, in the mirror! Her chest was dripping with blood, and it was spattered on the wool on her face! She spoke to me, Nick! She spoke to me, told me how I killed her with no weakness! She was here Nick, she was right there." Judy cried as she pointed a shaking finger at the mirror she'd shattered.
"Doctor, what's going on here? Could this be an unrealized complication or side effect of the surgery?" Nick asked as he looked at the doctor.
"It's possible, I'll order some tests to see if we missed something during her procedure. For now though, we should get her back to bed." Doctor Armor replied as she looked down at Judy.
"Come on Judy, you need to rest." Nick quietly said as he picked Judy up, then carried her out of the restroom, with Gazelle following closely behind. Nick silently carried Judy back to her room, but it didn't stay silent for long once he opened the door.
"Judy! Oh thank goodness, where have you been?! What happened to her, she's been in the restroom for nearly twenty minutes?!" Bonnie asked as she watched Nick lay Judy in her bed, then cover her with a blanket.
"They're not sure, Gazelle heard her scream and found her sitting on the floor near a broken mirror. She was saying something about that crazy sheep talking to her and staring back at her through the mirror, so the doctor's gonna order some tests to see if they missed something during her surgery." Nick explained in a sad tone.
"Oh Judy, our poor baby." Bonnie quietly said as she and Stu hugged Judy. Judy slowly lifted her arms and wrapped one around each of her parents, softly crying as she did so.
"I'm scared, I don't know what's wrong with me. I'm so scared." Judy cried as she tightened her grip on each of them.
"It's okay Judy, that's why all of these nice doctors and nurses are here, to figure out what's wrong and make it better." Stu encouraged as he hugged her a little tighter.
"Miss Hopps?" Someone asked whilst lightly knocking on the open door.
"Come in." Judy quietly said with a sniffle.
"Miss Hopps, my name's Misty, I'm gonna be your nurse for the time being. The doctor's ordered some bloodwork and an M.R.I scan, so I'm gonna take you down to labs first, and then we'll go to imaging for the M.R.I scan whenever you're ready." The nurse informed as she pushed a wheelchair over to Judy.
"Can Nick come with me?" Judy asked with a sniffle.
"Of course, you can bring whomever you'd like." The nurse replied with a smile.
"Thank you." Judy thanked as she looked at Nick, who smiled before gently picking her up.
"Alright Carrots, nice and easy now." Nick said with a smile as he set her in the wheelchair.
"Thanks Nick." Judy quietly thanked with a sad expression.
"Don't look so glum Judy, I suspect that you're just fine." Nick encouraged with a smile as he placed a paw on her shoulder.
"Mammals that are fine don't see and hear dead mammals in a mirror, Nick." Judy quietly replied as the nurse started rolling her away.
"Maybe they do." Nick whispered in a sad tone before following Judy and the nurse. The walk was silent as the nurse rolled Judy onto the elevator, then she hit a button and waited. When the elevator doors opened she wheeled Judy off the elevator and rolled her into a small empty waiting room.
"You must be Judy Hopps, my name's Amelia, I'll be doing your lab work." A cat in a lab coat greeted as she shook Judy's paw.
"Okay." Judy replied as the lab tech wheeled Judy into a private room with a cushioned seat.
"Have you ever had lab work done before?" The technician asked as she tied an elastic band around Judy's bicep.
"It's been a while." Judy quietly answered.
"That's okay, you don't have any kind of fear of needles do you?" The technician asked in a kind tone.
"No." Judy answered as she looked down at her lap.
"Okay, then this should only take a moment." The technician informed as she grabbed a needle from a drawer. "Alright Judy, just relax and this will be over one, two, three." The technician instructed as she started feeling around on Judy's arm. "Alright, this feels like a good one." The technician said as she gently inserted the needle into Judy's arm, then connected a small vial to the end of it.
"Doing okay Carrots?" Nick asked in a kind tone, as the vial started to slowly fill with blood.
"Mhm." Judy answered with a nod. The technician removed one vial, then connected another one to the needle and started filling that one. Four vials later and Judy was all done.
"There we go, all done." The technician informed as she removed the last vial from the needle, then placed it into a test tube holder. "You're all good to go Miss Hopps." The technician informed as she stuck a lable on each vial.
"Thanks." Judy thanked as the nurse wheeled her out of the room, then back onto the elevator to go to imaging. The trip was silent apart from what little noise the elevator made, but it stopped after a moment and the doors opened. The nurse wheeled Judy into another small room, but this one had a window in it. There was a large room with a white cylindrical machine in it on the other side of the window
"Alright Judy, now do you have any electronics, metal piercings, or other metal components on you?" The nurse asked with a smile.
"No." Judy quietly answered.
"Okay, then let's go." The nurse replied as she locked the brakes on Judy's wheelchair, then she picked her up and started carrying her towards a door, with Nick starting to follow behind.
"Actually sir, would you mind waiting out here please?" The nurse asked as she looked at Nick.
"Oh. Uh, sure, I guess." Nick quietly replied in a surprised tone.
"Don't worry, she won't be long, and you can watch through the window as well." The nurse informed before carrying Judy through a door that lead to the actual machine.
"Why couldn't you just wheel me right in here?" Judy asked as the nurse carried her over to the machine.
"This machine is basically a super magnet and would've pulled the chair right into it, that's also why I asked if you had any electronics or metallic items on you. I've seen phones and jewelry ripped right out of pockets and off of mammals by the magnetic force of this machine." The nurse explained as she helped Judy lay down on a hard flat table that was connected to the machine.
"Good morning Miss Hopps, my name's Nathan and I'll be performing your scans. How are you feeling today?" A Pitbull in a lab coat asked in a kind tone.
"Like I'm crazy." Judy answered in a sad tone.
"Well I don't think you're crazy Miss Hopps, so let's see what's really going on here. I want you to lie back, stay completely still, and stare straight up the entire time. Okay?" The technician instructed in a calm tone.
"Okay." Judy replied as she did as she was told.
"Very good, now just relax. It might get a little loud but it'll be over pretty quick, especially if you stay nice and still." The technician informed as he started the machine. The entire table slowly moved inside the machine, and Judy just stared straight up without even blinking as it did. The machine turned on with a whirring sound, and Judy lightly jumped at the sudden noise. "Are you okay Miss Hopps?" The technician asked when he saw her jump.
"Yeah, the noise just startled me. I'm sorry." Judy apologized with a shaky breath.
"That's okay, just take a deep breath and relax. It'll be over fast once you're relaxed and still." The technician replied in a calm tone. Judy took a breath to calm herself, then she relaxed and closed her eyes. The machine did its job and took the pictures the doctor needed, then as quickly as it'd started the noise stopped, and Judy slowly exited the machine. "Excellent work Miss Hopps. The doctor and I will look at the images and decide if they're enough or if she needs more." The technician informed as he sent the images to the doctor. A few minutes later he got a message that said the images looked good. "Alright Miss Hopps, you're all good to go." The technician informed as the nurse walked over to Judy, then carefully picked her up and carried her back to her wheelchair.
"Thank you." Judy quietly thanked as she was wheeled out of the room and into the hallway. "Wait, where's Nick? Where's my fox?" Judy asked as she frantically looked around for Nick.
"Don't worry, I'm right here." Nick answered as he rushed up from behind Judy and to her side.
"Carry me, I wanna be held." Judy quietly said as she held her arms out towards Nick.
"Okay, I've got you Carrots." Nick replied as he picked Judy up and carried her. "What's going on with you Judy, this isn't like you?" Nick asked as he carried Judy alongside the nurse.
"I don't know Nick, why do you think I just got that scan?!" Judy yelled as she clung to Nick. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to snap, I just..." Judy apologized as she started to cry.
"I know Judy, it's okay." Nick replied as he carried Judy onto the elevator with the nurse. The nurse hit the button and the elevator slowly rose to the floor Judy's room was on. "Alright, let's get you to bed." Nick quietly said as he carried Judy to her room.
"How did everything go?" Stu asked as Nick laid Judy in her bed.
"I don't know, they got the scans but haven't said anything yet; I assume the doctor will come up and speak with us once they've had a chance to look them over." Nick answered as he laid Judy in her bed, then covered her with a blanket.
"Nurse?" Stu asked as he looked at the nurse.
"That's what'll happen, it shouldn't be too long before the doctor comes in to talk to all of you." The nurse replied with a straight face.
"Okay, thank you." Nick quietly said as he gently rubbed Judy's head.
"I'll give you all some time while you wait." The nurse informed before leaving the room.
"I'm scared Nick, what if the surgery went wrong? What if there's something wrong with my brain? I don't understand this! Nick hold me!" Judy cried as she threw herself into Nick's chest.
"It's okay Judy, we're here, you're gonna be okay." Nick quietly encouraged as he gently patted her back.
"You don't know that, there could be something really wrong with me. I saw a dead woman, and she spoke to me! There has to be something wrong if I saw that!" Judy cried in response.
"Oh Judy." Nick quietly said as he hugged her a little tighter. The room went quiet for the next few minutes, the only sounds were Judy's soft cries. Then there was a knock at the door. "Come in." Nick instructed as he continued comforting Judy.
"Hi there, how are you doing Judy?" The doctor asked as he stepped into the room.
"I'm scared, do you know what's wrong with me?" Judy asked as she looked at the doctor.
"Well, I know what isn't wrong. All of your scans came back normal, there's no swelling, bleeding, or leakage of any kind." The doctor informed in a calm tone.
"Then what's wrong with me?! Why do I keep seeing a dead woman, and why is she talking to me?!" Judy screamed as she glared at the doctor.
"I don't know, but I'm all but certain that the cause isn't anything physical. Whatever's going on is psychological." The doctor answered with a calm expression.
"So I'm crazy? Is that what you're telling me?!" Judy snapped in an angry tone.
"No, I don't think you're crazy. I think it might help if one of our psychologists came to speak with you." The doctor answered as he continued to stare at Judy.
"Why, because I'm crazy?!" Judy shot back in the same furious tone.
"No Miss Hopps, you're not crazy, you're traumatized. What you're experiencing is common in survivors of traumatic events such as the shooting you went through." The doctor explained with a sad expression.
"You think I'm seeing things because of what happened? I'm not insane, and my injury isn't doing this?" Judy quietly asked in a shocked tone.
"I don't think you're insane, I also don't believe your injury has anything to do with what you're seeing. I think it's your subconscious trying to process what happened." The doctor answered in a sad tone.
"So how do I fix it?" Judy asked with a sniffle.
"By processing it, how you do that is ultimately up to you. Everyone processes trauma differently, the psychiatrist will help you work through it, they may also prescribe you medication to help with the other symptoms that may appear." The doctor explained with a straight face.
"Like my visions?" Judy asked as she wiped a few tears away.
"Possibly. If you have someone that you'd prefer to talk to then you're more than welcomed too, I know that a lot of first responders have people in the department that help with what you're going through, otherwise I can give you a few recommendations." The doctor informed as he wrote some information on a sheet of paper.
"Thank you." Judy thanked as she took the paper.
"You're welcome. Other than that, I think you're clear to go home. Your injury's healing exceptionally well, I saw nothing concerning in any of your scans, and you could probably even go back to work by next week." The doctor said with a smile.
"Thank you doctor, despite what happened, I wanna be back there as soon as possible." Judy replied with a sniffle. The doctor gave her a light nod before looking back at everyone else.
"Do any of you have any questions?" The doctor asked as he looked at everyone in the room. There were a few nods no, but no one said anything. "Alright, I'll get your discharge papers and you'll be all set Miss Hopps." The doctor said before he turned to leave.
"Traumatized. That makes a lot of sense." Judy quietly said as she looked down at her paws. "They still smell, Nick." Judy said in a sad tone as she continued to stare at her paws.
"Like that perfume you like?" Nick asked as he put his paw over Judy's.
"Like gun powder." Judy whispered as she gently closed her paws into fists. Nick frowned as he gently squeezed Judy's paw.
"It'll get better Judy, trust me." Nick whispered as he placed a small kiss on her cheek.
"I'll always trust you, Nick. Always." Judy replied as she leaned her head against Nick's chest.
"Here you are Miss Hopps, care instructions for at home. If you live alone it's preferable if you stay with family or friends for at least the first week or two, just in case something were to happen. It's highly unlikely, but there have been instances of stitches tearing from cranial impacts such as a random trip or slip, so be extra careful for the first two weeks or so. You may get headaches at times, just treat them however you normally would, acetaminophen, ibuprofen, etcetera. Otherwise you should be all good, do you have any questions?" The doctor explained and asked as he handed Judy a few pieces of paper.
"No, thank you. Please give my thanks to the other doctors and nurses, I probably wouldn't be here right now if it hadn't been for all of them." Judy replied with a smile.
"I'll be sure to pass your gratitude along Miss Hopps, you all have a wonderful day now." The doctor informed with a smile.
"Alright Nick, get me out of this place. I miss my bed." Judy said with a smile as she held her paws out to Nick.
"Are you gonna make me carry you?" Nick asked with a smirk.
"You bet your tail I am, because I still wanna be held. I'm still scared Nick, I'm so scared. I don't even understand why though." Judy quietly replied with a sad expression.
"That's okay, trauma does that sometimes. You get scared for no apparent reason, it's likely something in your subconscious that's leaving you feeling this way." Nick explained as he gently picked Judy up.
"Where did you learn all of this Nick, you seem well educated in the effects of trauma?" Gazelle asked as she watched Nick carry Judy over to her parents.
"I learned the worst way you can, first hand experience." Nick answered in a sad tone. "Come on Carrots, you need rest still, and there's no place like home when you're sick." Nick said with a smile.
"I don't wanna go back to Bunny Burrow, Nick." Judy quietly said as she laid her head on Nick's shoulder.
"You don't? Then where would you like to go?" Nick asked with a chuckle.
"Wherever you go." Judy whispered as she closed her eyes.
"Awe, that's so sweet." Stu said with a sniffle as he stared at Nick and Judy.
"They're so cute together." Bonnie sniffled as she also stared at Nick and Judy.
"Here it comes." Nick quietly said with a smile, just as Bonnie and Stu burst into tears.
"Go ahead Nick, we won't get mad. You can say it!" Bonnie cried as she hugged Stu.
"You bunnies really are so emotional." Nick giggled as he lead everyone onto the elevator.
"But you love us like that, don't you?" Judy whispered as she nuzzled Nick's cheek with her own.
"That I do Judy, that I do." Nick replied as the elevator doors closed and it started to descend to the first floor.
"Should I bring you back to your place, you'd probably be more comfortable there?" Nick asked as the elevator came to a stop.
"I'd like that Nick, thank you." Judy quietly answered as she fell asleep in Nick's arms. Nick smiled down at her as the elevator doors opened, revealing an unexpected surprise as it did.
"Chief?" Nick asked as he stared at Bogo.
"Good afternoon Wilde, it's good to see you; and Hopps, I'm glad to see that she's doing well." Bogo replied as he looked at Judy, who was curled against Nick's chest.
"Me too sir. The doctors even said that she could be back at work by next week." Nick informed with a smile.
"I'm glad to hear that, the department isn't the same without the two of you." Bogo replied with a smile.
"Don't get soft on me chief." Nick chuckled as he hugged Bogo with one arm.
"I can't be a rock all the time Nick. But that won't stop me from trying." Bogo replied as he hugged Nick back.
"Mmm, I like group hugs." Judy mumbled as she rolled over and hugged Bogo's chest.
"Bunnies, so lovable." Nick giggled as he rubbed Judy's head.
"Come on, I've got a bus waiting to take you all home. Back to Bunny Burrow I assume?" Bogo asked as he started leading everyone outside.
"No, actually. Judy and I are headed back to her place. Of course, you're all welcomed as well; though it might be a bit cramped." Nick informed as he looked back at Judy's parents.
"Thank you Nick, we'll just stop by to make sure Judy's comfortable and all set up. We'll trust you to do the rest though." Bonnie replied with a smile.
"Thank you Misses Hopps." Nick thanked as he carried Judy onto the bus, then quickly sat down before he could be run over by her excited siblings.
"Alright kids, you know the drill, cheeks to the seats and seatbelts on." Bogo instructed as he sat in the driver's seat.
"Okay." All the little bunnies replied as they sat down and buckled in.
"Alright, put her address in the G.P.S Nick, then we'll get you all home." Bogo instructed as he handed Nick a phone. Nick typed in the address and handed the phone back to Bogo. "Hold on, here we go." Bogo said as he started driving away. "So Hopps, you still sleeping back there?" Bogo asked as he looked in the rear view mirror.
"N-no." Judy replied with a sickly expression.
"You're not gonna hurl, are you? This bus is on loan from the prison." Bogo asked as he stared at Judy through the mirror.
"I'll try not to." Judy answered as she buried her face in Nick's chest. "Ugh. Nick, I think I have motion sickness." Judy said as she moved her head and hung it over Nick's shoulder.
"Are you gonna puke on me again, Carrots?" Nick asked as he gently rubbed Judy's back.
"Maybe." Judy answered before letting out a small burp. "Excuse me." Judy mumbled.
"Chief, is there a garbage on this thing?" Nick asked as he patted Judy's back.
"No, do I need to pull over?" Bogo asked as he came to a stop at a red light.
"N-no, I think I'm okay. My apartment's only about a mile up from here." Judy answered with a small breath.
"Alright, let me know if you need me to pull over though." Bogo replied as he continued driving. A few more minutes passed before Judy saw her apartment building.
"This one. Thank you for the ride sir." Judy thanked as Bogo stopped outside of her apartment building.
"You're welcome Hopps, now get some rest; and Nick, you take good care of her for us. We'll see you both back at the station in a few days." Bogo replied as he stopped the bus and opened the doors.
"Yes sir. Come on Judy." Nick said with a smile as he picked Judy up, then carried her off the bus.
"Bye uncle Bogo!" All of the baby bunnies yelled as they flooded off the bus, followed by Bonnie and Stu.
"Thank you so much Chief Bogo, how can we ever repay you?" Stu asked as he stopped next to Bogo.
"Just keep being there for Hopps, and for Wilde." Bogo answered with a smile.
"Yes sir. Thank you again." Bonnie replied as she hugged Bogo, then followed Stu off the bus. Bogo slowly drove away as Nick lead everyone into the apartment building, then he carried Judy up a few flights of steps to her floor.
"Alright Carrots, let's get you to bed." Nick said with a smile as he unlocked the apartment door and carried Judy inside.
"Thanks Nick." Judy whispered as Nick carried her to her room and laid her in her bed.
"Alright Judy, now you get some rest while I get your family settled." Nick instructed as he covered her with a blanket. Judy lightly nodded before closing her eyes, then she rolled over and started to drift off to sleep. Nick smiled at her before leaving the room and closing the door behind him.
"Hey dude, it sounds like she's finally back!" Someone yelled from nearby, causing Judy to slowly open her eyes again.
"Shut up dude, she's probably exhausted and you're keeping her up!" Another voice scolded from the other side of the wall.
"Oh you're right, sorry!" The first voice yelled back.
"Dude!" The second voice replied.
"Hey guys, I missed listening to your banter." Judy quietly said as she lightly knocked on the wall next to her bed.
"We missed you too neighbor. We saw what happened on the T.V, you're a hero!" The first voice said in a joyful tone.
"Thanks guys, but I don't feel like a hero. I honestly feel like crap." Judy groaned as she rolled onto her back and looked up at the ceiling.
"Well you did just get shot." The first voice replied in a sad tone.
"Are you serious dude?! Did you have to bring that up?!" The second voice yelled in an angry tone.
"It's fine, I've already tried talking a little bit. But it's not helping much, I think I just need to try and sleep." Judy quietly replied in a sad tone.
"Alright Judy, you sleep well, and let us know if you need anything." The first voice instructed in a kind tone.
"Thanks guys, goodnight." Judy whispered before closing her eyes again. Judy was out like a light after that, and she didn't wake up again until almost four o'clock in the morning. When she did wake up however, everyone woke up. "AAAAH!" Judy screamed in terror as she sat up in her bed, clutching her blankets and gasping for breath. Judy frantically looked around her room, but her eyes were quickly drawn to her bedroom door, which whipped open to reveal Nick standing there with a worried expression.
"Judy! Judy what happened, are you alright?!" Nick asked as he rushed over to Judy.
"N-N-Nick! Nick it was terrifying! I-I was back on the stage, a-and I pointed my gun at that sheep and when I pulled the trigger it just clicked, and then there was this loud bang and everything went black! I couldn't move or do anything, I heard Gazelle and other mammals screaming, then there were more bangs and I-I..." Judy rambled in a panic before Nick wrapped his arms around her.
"It's okay Judy, it's okay; it was just a nightmare. You're okay, Gazelle's okay, everyone's okay." Nick whispered as he gently hugged Judy.
"I don't feel okay Nick, I feel like a monster. I did what I had to do, so why do I feel so guilty about it?! I had to kill her, I had to!" Judy shouted as she stared at Nick with a frightened expression.
"I know Judy, you did the right thing. You did the right thing." Nick quietly replied as he tried to calm Judy down.
"Then why do I feel this way? Why do I feel like I did everything wrong?!" Judy asked through tears as she clung to Nick.
"Because you're a good mammal, you don't take pleasure in hurting others, you feel great guilt and pain when you do. You did everything right though." Nick encouraged as he lightly rocked Judy.
"What if you're wrong Nick, you weren't there when I did it? What if I didn't have to do what I did? What if I killed her when I didn't really need to?!" Judy shouted through her tears.
"Judy, she shot you. She pointed her weapon at you and shot you in the chest, she was already too far gone to save. If you hadn't done what you did then Gazelle would've been killed, and who knows how many other mammals would've been killed as well. You did what any good officer, what any good mammal, would have done. You stopped the bad guy from killing innocent mammals, you did the right thing, Judy." Nick replied in a stern tone as he stared into Judy's watery eyes.
"I'm gonna be sick." Judy quietly said as she wrapped her paws around her stomach.
"It's gonna be okay, just breathe. I'm right here." Nick quietly said as he gently hugged Judy.
"No, I'm actually gonna be sick!" Judy yelled as she pushed herself away from Nick, then rushed towards the bathroom. The sound of the slamming door woke whomever may have still been sleeping, and everyone listened with broken hearts as Judy repeatedly vomited.
"Oh Judy." Nick quietly said as he sat down on the bed with a sigh.
"Nick?" Bonnie quietly asked as she walked into the room.
"She had another nightmare, she's literally sick with fear. I... I don't know what to do or how to help, and it's killing me to see her suffering and not being able to help her." Nick said in a sad tone.
"I know, I feel the same way. Stu and I both do." Bonnie replied as she sat down by Nick.
"I just wish there was something I could do to help her." Nick said in a sad tone as he looked up at the ceiling.
"Maybe try to get her to talk about it, or have her keep a dream journal. That way she can slowly process her traumas, and have a starting point if she sees a professional." A voice suggested from behind the wall.
"Shut up dude, stop eavesdropping on Judy, she's going through enough as it is!" Another voice yelled in response.
"I'm just trying to help, what are you doing?!" The first voice asked in a defensive tone.
"Minding my own business like you should be doing!" The second voice answered.
"Alright guys, enough arguing, I don't feel like getting involved in a domestic dispute tonight." Nick instructed in a calm tone.
"Sorry officer Wilde." Both voices apologized.
"You know Nick, he might have a good point. Maybe that could help." Bonnie suggested with a thoughtful expression.
"See dude, even Misses Hopps agrees with me!" The first voice boasted.
"You're still listening in?! Why I oughta..." The second voice asked before Nick silenced it.
"I oughta cuff the both of you together, then lock you in the closet until you sort out your issues with each other!" Nick yelled in an agitated tone.
"No way dude, do you know how long it took me to get him to come out of the closet the first time around?!" The second voice yelled in response.
"Shut up, I wasn't as confident as you were, I was awkward!" The first voice replied in an embarrassed tone.
"You're still awkward! Remember what happened at the coffee shop last week?" The second voice yelled back. The two continued bickering, and after a moment Nick started scolding them both, which lead to all three of them arguing.
"Don't you two make me come over there, I will haul you both off to jail if I have to!" Nick yelled as he stared at the wall.
"On what charges, you can't do anything!" The first voice replied in a cocky tone.
"Yeah, nice try Nick! But we're not afraid of you! Bring it on!" The second voice replied in the same cocky tone.
"Oh I'll find a reason, I'll find one if I have to dig through every piece of legislation in this country to do it! So you two had better..." Nick yelled before he and the other two arguing mammals were silenced by a terrifying shout.
"SHUT UUUUUP!" Judy screamed at the top of her lungs as she stormed into her room. "I can hear all three of you from all the way in the bathroom! My head is pounding, my stomach feels like there's a hurricane swirling through it; I can't sleep, I can't think, I can barely tell reality from delusion! I can't take anymore, so all of you just shut up!" Judy shouted before grabbing the sides of her head and gasping for breath.
"Honey." Bonnie quietly gasped as she stared at Judy.
"NO! I don't wanna hear it, mom! Please, please just stop the noise! I can't take the screaming or the banging anymore! It's all I hear when I'm sleeping! Over and over again! Bang! Bang, bang, bang, bang, bang! I was so scared after she shot me, then she almost shot Gazelle! I emptied my entire magazine into her, I fired every damn bullet I had into the woman! Our standard issue side arm holds nineteen freakin' rounds in the magazine, and one in the chamber! I dumped twenty bullets into her, and I did it in less than five seconds! I don't even remember most of what happened, I remember trying to talk to her, then it felt like I got hit by a train, and then I just couldn't stop pulling the trigger! Why couldn't I stop her, why didn't I find a better way?! I killed that woman, I killed her!" Judy yelled before breaking down in tears and curling into a ball on the floor. "I killed her, mom. I killed her." Judy quietly cried as she pulled her legs tighter against her chest.
"Judy." Bonnie whispered as she knelt by Judy and reached a paw towards her.
"No! Don't touch me, just leave me alone! I just wanna be alone!" Judy cried as she squeezed her legs, while taking short and unsteady breaths.
"Judy you shouldn't be alone right now, you're suffering. Please, talk to us; we're here for you." Nick calmly spoke as he knelt by Judy.
"I said go away!" Judy screamed as she swung her paw at Nick, who dodged it by centimeters.
"Judy!" Bonnie yelled in shock as she watched Judy take a swing at Nick.
"No. It's okay, she needs to be alone. We'll be in the living room with everyone else if you need us." Nick quietly informed as he stood up, then he gently grabbed Bonnie's paw and lead her out of the room, quietly closing the door behind him as he did.
"Oh my God Nick, she tried to hit you. I can't believe she just did that, I'm so sorry Nick. I don't understand what's going on with her." Bonnie cried as she hugged Nick.
"It's okay, it's not her fault. Trauma does things to a mammal that we don't always understand, there's a good chance that by the time she calms down she won't even remember having done it. Right now the best thing we can do is give her space and maybe give the station councilor a call, he or she might have some suggestions that can help." Nick explained with a sad sigh.
"How do you do this Nick, how can you witness something like that and still remain so calm? I feel like I'm about to have a heart attack, I've never seen her so angry before." Bonnie asked as she continued hugging Nick.
"Because I've been that mammal before, it took me years to move past my mother's death. I had plenty of outbursts like that throughout my recovery, that might have been part of the reason I was so despised by so many others. But look at me now, calm and collected even at the worst of times. She'll get there, but we have to give her time, but most importantly we need to giver her love. She needs to know that we're here if she needs us, but that we'll also back away when she needs space. She'll get better, it's just going to take time and love." Nick whispered as he hugged Bonnie back.
"Okay, if you say so. You're sure that you're okay though?" Bonnie asked with a sniffle as she looked up at Nick.
"I'm fine, now let's go check in on everyone else." Nick suggested as he walked Bonnie into the living room.
"What happened in there, we could hear Judy practically screaming bloody murder?" Gazelle asked in a worried tone.
"I think there was just too much going on all at once, the neighbors were arguing, then I started getting in on it; she was also already in a mild panic from a nightmare. She was literally scared sick. She just couldn't take anymore and she snapped. I can't say I blame her though, it's not like she did any of it on purpose. We thought it best to just give her space for the time being." Nick explained in a sad tone.
"Maybe I can talk to her." Gazelle suggested as she stood up.
"Maybe, but be careful. I hate to compare Judy to a hand grenade, but at this point it wouldn't be an inaccurate comparison." Nick quietly said in a sad tone.
"Don't be over dramatic Nick, she might be having a rough time, but I doubt she's as volatile as a hand grenade." Gazelle replied as she left the room. She stopped in front of Judy's door and knocked on it. "Judy?" Gazelle quietly asked as she opened the door and poked her head through it.
"GET OUT!" Judy screamed before lobbing a book at the door. Gazelle quickly pulled her head back and closed the door, then she slowly walked back into the living room with a shocked expression plastered on her face.
"She... She literally threw the book at me." Gazelle quietly said as she sat down on the couch.
"I told you she was a grenade right now. Are you okay?" Nick asked as he sat down by Gazelle.
"I'm fine, just shocked. I've never seen Judy so angry or broken before, I feel terrible. I held that concert to help support Judy, and instead I made everything worse for her." Gazelle quietly replied as a few tears formed in her eyes.
"This isn't your fault Gazelle, you had good intentions. There's no way you could've known that some psycho was going to crash it. It may not seem like it based on her actions, but Judy doesn't blame you or anyone else for what she's going through. She's just struggling to cope with it, it hasn't even been two days yet. She needs time and support, but she'll get better. We just have to make sure that she has the necessary tools to do it." Nick replied with a smile.
"Thank you Nick, I don't know what any of us would do without you and your calm demeanor; you just make everything seem so much easier than it actually is. Thank you Nick." Gazelle replied as she hugged Nick. Nick gently patted her shoulder but didn't return the hug. "Am I not good enough to hug back?" Gazelle asked in a teasing tone with a giggle.
"Sorry, I'm just thinking of what Judy would do if she saw her favorite idol and her favorite fox hugging. She'd probably skin us alive." Nick chuckled as he patted Gazelle's back.
"I wish there was more we could do for her, I really do." Gazelle quietly said as she started to close her eyes.
"Me too, Gazelle. Me too." Nick replied as he looked out the window. A short time later Nick turned the lights off and set up places for everyone to sleep, then he crept into Judy's room, happy to find her actually sleeping. "Sweet dreams Carrots." Nick whispered before closing the door. Nick laid down in the middle of the floor to go to sleep, finding himself quickly surrounded by tiny bunnies. "Goodnight kids." Nick chuckled as he closed his eyes.
"Goodnight uncle Nick." Several of them replied as they went to sleep. The apartment was silent after that, everyone was sleeping soundly, and that continued until a little after midnight.
"What the heck was that?" Nick asked as he sat up at the sound of breaking glass.
"I don't know, it sounded like something just broke." Gazelle replied as she sat up and looked around.
"It's a bad guy, do something uncle Nick!" One of the little bunnies yelled as she rushed over to Nick and held onto him.
"Stay here, all of you." Nick instructed before quietly getting up, then sneaking his way over to a painting on the wall. Nick gently pulled the painting aside, revealing it to actually be a well hidden safe that contained a loaded firearm. Nick grabbed it and quietly made his way towards the area the noise had come from. His first instinct was to check on Judy, so he approached her room, then slowly opened the door; and what he found was heart breaking.
"Why? Why won't you just stay dead? How many times do I have to kill you? Why?" Judy was quietly crying on the floor, surrounded by pieces of broken glass and curled into a ball. Nick looked up from Judy to her mirror, which was shattered and had blood dripping from several jagged pieces of glass that were still attached to the frame. Nick turned his firearm's safety on and set it on the dresser, then he carefully approached Judy.
"Judy." Nick quietly said as he knelt by Judy.
"I don't understand, I killed her, but she's still here. She's everywhere I look, Nick. She's in my dreams, she sits on my bed, she's in my mirrors. She's everywhere. Why? Why won't she leave me alone Nick? Why?" Judy cried as she slowly looked up at Nick.
"Because you won't let her leave you alone." Nick quietly said as he sat down by Judy.
"What does that even mean? What do you mean I won't let her?! All I want is for her to leave me alone!" Judy yelled in an angry tone.
"On the surface, yes, that's what you want. But your subconscious doesn't want her to, as hard as it is to accept, your brain is doing this as a way of processing what happened. I'm no expert in psychology or trauma, but I remember going through this after I lost my mom. I thought it was her spirit haunting me, condemning me for not being able to save her. That wasn't the case though, I couldn't forgive myself, and my pain manifested itself into the apparition of my mother. In the end, the only one condemning me was me." Nick explained as he carefully put an arm around Judy, then he slowly picked her up when she didn't try and shake him off.
"I'm so scared and confused Nick, I don't understand what's going on. I thought I was dreaming until I felt something running down my paw. I can't even tell reality from dreams anymore, I'm so scared. Nick, help me." Judy cried as she cuddled as close to Nick as she could.
"It's gonna be okay Judy, I'm right here." Nick whispered as he placed a kiss on her forehead.
"My hand hurts, why does my hand hurt?" Judy quietly asked as she looked at her paw, which had a deep cut on the pad that was bleeding profusely. "Nick, what happened to my hand? It's gushing blood." Judy asked as she held her paw out to Nick.
"You really don't remember?" Nick asked with some concern as he looked at Judy's paw.
"Not really, I remember her standing there, staring at me with this wicked grin. She had a ton of holes in her chest, probably the holes from the bullets I fired at her. I shot that woman twenty times, Nick; but she's still alive up here." Judy quietly said as she pointed at her head. "When I saw her in the mirror, I thought it was a dream; I was paralyzed with fear, I literally couldn't move. But then she started talking to me, asking me how it felt to be a killer, and saying that I could never go back from what I had done to her. I told her to shut up, but she just kept taunting and laughing at me; I just lost it! I screamed at her and I just slammed my hand against her face as hard as I could! That's when I felt a sharp pain in my hand, but it left as fast as it had came. I was just too scared to care." Judy quietly said before laying her head against Nick's arm.
"Oh Judy." Nick whispered as he gently hugged Judy. "Come on, let's get this cut cleaned up and see how bad it is." Nick said as he picked Judy up, then carried her towards the bathroom. Nick sat Judy on the sink and turned the faucet on, then he looked at her cut.
"It's really bleeding." Judy said with a sniffle as she stared at her paw.
"Yeah, but it probably isn't as bad as the blood makes it look." Nick replied as he grabbed a clean washcloth, then ran it under the faucet. "Try and hold still, it might sting a bit." Nick warned as he gently wiped the cut off, the clean spot was immediately made red again as blood continued to flow out of the wound.
"Is it as bad as it looks?" Judy asked in a sad tone.
"I don't know, I'm gonna hold some pressure on it to slow the bleeding. This might need stitches though." Nick answered as he firmly pressed on Judy's cut, causing her to wince from the pain. "Sorry." Nick apologized as he looked up at Judy.
"It's okay, it was my fault for being so stupid. I slammed my hand against a mirror, who does something that dumb?" Judy asked with a sad smile.
"Someone who's scared or not thinking clearly. Believe me, I did it once when I was a kid. I may not understand your exact situation Judy, but I do understand the fear and guilt that's tearing through you. I felt the same way after my mother died." Nick quietly said in a sad tone. Judy felt so sad for Nick, but she couldn't think of anything to say other than the most basic sentence.
"I'm sorry Nick." Judy whispered in a sad tone.
"It's okay, it took a long time for me to come to terms with what had happened, but I did. If I can do it then so can you, you're gonna get through this Judy, and you won't have to do it alone." Nick replied with a smile as he gently pulled the washcloth back to see how the wound was doing. "You're a lucky bunny, looks like you don't need stitches after all. The bleeding stopped and the cut doesn't look as bad as I thought it would, let's disinfect it and get it wrapped up." Nick said with a smile as he dug through the medicine cabinet for some disinfectant spray and some bandage wrap. "Alright, this is probably gonna sting, but it shouldn't last for too long." Nick warned as he held a small bottle up to Judy's cut, then pushed the pump down, causing a heavy mist to cascade over and into her cut.
"Ah." Judy yelped before shaking her paw a little and blowing on her cut.
"Try not to move it too much, that'll only increase the blood flow to it." Nick warned before grabbing some bandage wrap and gently wrapping Judy's cut with it.
"Yes Doctor Wilde." Judy replied as she rolled her eyes at Nick.
"There, we'll see how it looks later. Now let's get you back to bed." Nick said with a smile as he picked Judy up, then carried her back to bed. "Alright Carrots, you get some sleep." Nick quietly said as he laid Judy in her bed, then started covering her with a blanket.
"Please don't go Nick, I don't wanna be alone anymore." Judy whispered as she stared at Nick.
"Don't worry Judy, I'm right in the living room if you need me." Nick encouraged as he finished covering her with the blanket.
"Please don't leave me Nick, I'm afraid to be alone." Judy cried as she grabbed onto Nick's arm. Nick stared at Judy, saddened to see her so scared and vulnerable.
"Okay, I won't leave you. I promise." Nick replied as he sat down on the bed.
"Lay with me, and hold me, like you did when you stayed over at our place in Bunny Burrow." Judy quietly said with a sniffle. Nick let out a soft sigh before laying down next to Judy, then he pulled the blanket over the both of them and wrapped his arm around Judy.
"Goodnight Judy." Nick whispered before closing his eyes. Nick and Judy both slept comfortably for a few hours before Nick was awoken by a small whimpering sound and some less than gentle movement.
"No. No." Judy quietly said as she started tossing around in her sleep.
"Shhh. It's okay Judy, it's just a dream. I'm here, it's okay." Nick whispered as he pulled her close and wrapped her in a tight embrace. Judy began to calm down, slowly returning to a peaceful sleep. Nick smiled at her before gently moving one of her ears, which had bent into an uncomfortable looking position as a result of her tossing. Nick closed his eyes and fell back asleep, and neither of them woke up again until it was late afternoon the next day.