I do not own Zootopia and can make no claim therefore to it or it's characters.

This is a bit of behind the curtain, if you will, for the Lost and Found story. This is the one, and only, trip home Judy made with Nick after finding him in the caves. It is what truly got Stu digging into the ancient records in a desperate, and if you read that story, successful, effort to find a loophole. Only, right now, at this point in the story, they don't know that yet and Stu hasn't even started digging.

So, if you thought the previous was like chopping onions. This one is an entire bushel, so get to chopping and enjoy.

xxxXXXxxxxxxXXXxxx

Bonnie Maye Hopps slipped in one of the Groovz Bluefang Lapin-special edition wireless ear-buds given to her by her eldest son, Jason, just before he followed his sister to Zootopia and for Jason, the ZFD. Appreciating how they, once he had connected them to her phone the first time, linked up to it whenever she used them without her needing to do anything but slip one or both into her ears.

Once she heard the, bluefang connected, tone, she dialed the number of one of her closest and oldest friends. While she waited for it to connect, Bonnie peaked out the blinds of the window in her private drawing room and office to see the reason for the call to a vixen of all mammals. While both she and Stu had a shared office where most of the non-actual farming work to keep the farm and family running smoothly took place. They both had a private office attached off that shared office, providing them each a truly private, personal space.

As the phone rang, she watched the red fox her eldest daughter had brought home with her. The large, strong, first fox in the ZPD. The fox who had nearly been killed during some undercover work, only to be found injured but alive a few months prior. Bonnie watched the flick of his tail, the cant of his ears, and the soft smile on his muzzle as he watched that very same daughter play with a portion of the kerfluffle, running them through some Munch drills. She also saw how, when Judy would look up to see him watching, she would give him the warmest smile she'd ever seen on her daughter's muzzle. Bonnie noted how his smile brightened and his tail wagged ever so slightly stronger each time. She had once despaired to never see such a smile on her daughters face, but now that she saw it. She was torn.

She knew without question how her daughter felt, and was pretty sure she knew how he felt in return. Bonnie however needed better confirmation. Thus the call to her friend. It took four rings and Bonnie was beginning to suspect she'd be leaving a message when the line picked up and the breathy, clearly winded voice of the Corsak fox vixen and grandmother came on the line.

"Bonnie! Oh my stars. I'm glad I heard the phone over the kits. Sandy, Gabe, and the clan are over for a get together and all the grandkits were getting a bit rowdy. Had to chase them all outside."

Bonnie smiled warmly as she continued to watch the fox through the crack in her blinds. "Hey, Jenny. I'm glad Sandy is there. I remember you guys get together every holiday and was hoping to catch you both. Can you… I have some questions that only you and Sandy can answer. Sandy mostly, to be honest. It's fox things. I really need your help."

Hearing the concern, the worry, and hope in Bonnie's voice, Jennifer Huckser snapped to attention. "Absolutely. Hang on just a second." There was some rustling and then a shout. "Sandy, with me! B needs us."

Bonnie could only chuckle as she heard her friend Sandy yell at her husband Gabriel to not get creative, that he knows the recipe and to stick to it. Followed by a muffled male voice with something akin to, ya ya, whatever. Some more rustling, a closing door and then the voice of her other friend came on, the phone clearly on speaker on the other side. "B! What's going on? What help can a pair of old vixens possibly provide to a doe like yourself."

Bonnie chuckled loudly and then sighed heavily. "Damn I miss you girls. Gotta make an excuse to head over to Deerbrook so we can at least have lunch and catch up. Anyway… My eldest. Judy. She brought a boy home." There was a pause of silence then a pair of eir splitting squeals and an unintelligible stream of questions as the two foxes talked, nearly shouted, over each other. "Girls…. Girls! … GIRLS!" The vixens quieted and Bonnie gave another tired sigh. "It's not like that. Well, it might be. The problem is. It's her partner. This is Judy we're talking about here, and he's her partner on the force. He's also a fox. A large, strong, highly intelligent, red fox.

I have been watching them. Right now I'm watching him watching her. He's got a nearly perfect mask most of the time, and while I'm pretty confident Judy can see through it, I can't unless he's really caught off guard, and even then you have to be watching. His mask is down right now because he clearly thinks he's somewhere he can't be seen and he's got this smile on his muzzle. … I can see how Judy looks at him when she doesn't think anyone is looking. I've caught them sharing a look that, were he a buck, I'd be discretely planning the wedding already. I asked her, and she assured me that they are only friends and that is all they will ever be."

Bonnie sighed sadly before continuing. "Jen. Sandy. I know my girl. When she told me that, it hurt her. It hurt her so bad she slammed a mask over her features so hard I nearly flinched. I swear I could hear it fall into place. I didn't even know she had a mask like that. It was… scary, if I'm honest. She glows when she talks about him, but there is a darkness to it. My first thought was it not being consensual or something bad like that. Then I watched them. I watched her. I need to know if he really feels the same."

Sandy spoke. "Bonnie. Can you show him to me?"

Bonnie smiled. "Sure. I'm in my office and he's right outside." She quickly switched to a video call, and once she could see both vixens, switched camera's and carefully pulled the blinds back so she could center Nick in the image. "There he is." Turning the camera slightly she caught Judy looking up and giving him another smile, then turned it back to Nick in time to catch his smile widen and tail flick and give a clearly happy wag.

Sandy sighed. "Oh Bonnie. That boy is a lost cause."

Frowning as she flipped the camera back and leaned back in her chair. "What do you mean?"

Sandy shook her head. "Bonnie. That boy is head over tail in love with her. What's his name?"

"Nicholas Wilde."

Sandy gasped and flinched back. "Oh no. He's a Wilde?"

"Yes. Is that important? Are they a bad family? Should I be worried?"

"If you were his mother, yes. Otherwise, no. Wilde's are very traditional. They're one of the few families that still maintain most of the ancient traditions. Gabe knows a Wilde from work. Says that they even keep to the vowing tradition. If they keep the name Wilde as an adult, then they keep the traditions. It's where Gabe learned the vow so he could vow up to me in the old way. He knew how important that would be to me, how impactful it would be.

Oh, Bonnie. I really hope that boy hasn't already vowed up to Judy. If he has, he's hers until he dies. He'll never look at a vixen, and no matter how much it hurts him, if she chooses another, he'll support her. You need to ask him, Bonnie. If he has, that boy is never going to have kits. At least not of his own. He will however look after any kits she has as if they were his."

Bonnie nodded. "I was afraid of something like that. I remember you mentioning that vow and I was going to ask about that too. What it means."

Sandy looked away with a sigh. "It's a red fox thing, especially those that keep to the old traditions. You only get one. If you vow to a mammal, unless they do some serious stuff and release you from it. Well, it locks you to that mammal on an instinctive level. There are two parts. The first is one fox promising themselves, everything they are, have, or ever will have, etc… to this other mammal. This is normally another fox and who they are hoping to take as their mate. It's often done during the actual marriage ceremony, though it can happen at other times.

The second part. The reciprocation. That is the other accepting them as their mate. Like we've talked in the past. Foxes don't do big weddings, for too long they'd be disrupted. Even now you can get violent wedding crashers, if you can get someplace at all.

If he has already vowed up. Even if she never does the other part to make it a marriage, well… If he has already said his part, he will never break that vow. He's not capable of it. He'll do anything, no matter what happens to him, to make sure she is happy."

Bonnie nodded and looked towards the covered window and made a decision. "That is the impression I already had. I'm gonna need your advice in my ear, so hang on a sec." Standing, she headed for the door to her office and then the door out of the office to the outside, opening it on silent hinges to step on careful paws, avoiding the boards she knows are noisy.

She flipped the camera again on her phone and stepped up behind Nick, looking him over as she pointed the camera at him. The voice of Sandy in her ear. "If he hasn't already, he's planning on it. He's a lost cause, Bon. Too bad, he's a damn good looking fox."

Jenny chuckled. "You're so bad."

"What? I can't appreciate a good looking todd? I'm not dead. But he really is in amazing shape. Any vixen would be lucky to score such a male."

The exchange of her friends caused Bonnie to Chuckle as she stepped up next to Nick, making sure the camera on her phone was pointed at him. Her sudden presence clearly surprised him, though he covered it very well. "Nicholas?"

xxxXXXxxx

Nick stood on the porch, leaning against one of the support columns and watched Judy work with a portion of the Fluffle, a good twenty kits, doing drills for their next Munch match. They had apparently challenged the neighboring farm to a match at the Festival that weekend. He wasn't sure what the winner got, other than bragging rights, but at the 10-14 age range of the kits, that was probably enough.

The festival was why Judy had dragged him out to the sticks, not that he really had a complaint. At least not a real one. He would be sure to tease her about it though. Besides, it was a fox holiday, and she had made him take the time off. It was an excuse to spend time with her, so his arguments were weak. Especially as they were both leaving the ZPD soon.

Being out on the porch alone, he let himself relax and take in the fresh air, the smell of fresh tilled earth, plants, and sun. Trying to shake off the thoughts of what could never be, Nick took another deep breath. He could do nothing with how relaxed he was to prevent the smile from taking over his muzzle as she grinned over to him. He allowed himself a deep sigh. The scent of bunnies washing through him, one specific scent standing out to him, no matter how faint. He'd never be able to forget that scent. There were a few similar in the family, like her litter mates, and her mother. They all had their special notes that let him tell they were not her.

It was the wind shifting, and the suddenly strong scent of Bonnie Hopps at the same time she chuckled right next to him that startled him. Clamping down on it, he managed to keep himself from jumping and settled his tail fur in a barest second. He hoped she didn't notice. He also smoothly slipped his mask back on.

"Nicholas?"

Bonnie had a question in her ear. "Did his tail poof for a second?" She gave a quick affirmative hum. "Oh, yeah. And look at that mask. He's good. He's very aware of his feelings for Judy. You need to ask him, Bon."

Nick smiled and looked down at Bonnie as she hummed slightly, he assumed. He hoped. The hum was about Judy and not his reactions. "Bonnie. Just enjoying the fresh air while Judy runs the kits through some drills." Indicating the kits and Judy out on the Munch field. "I mean, the air in the city is pretty clean, but still… The city is full of mammals and their scents. I don't know how to express it to you, but for a mammal with a nose like a wolf. Like me. Well, the smells are a different kind of pollution, though one you can learn to read."

Nick took a deep breath through his nose before continuing. "There's something special about being out here in the country, despite the hard time I am morally required to give Judy about it. Get a breeze going and all I can smell is clean air. It's something very special." Giving her an honest and relaxed smile.

"I'm glad you are enjoying it, Nicholas. I guess that's why you and Judy were trying out for that sniffing unit."

Nick chuckled. "Not unironically called the K9 unit, despite being full of bears, a few felines, and even a moose. Even if wolves make up the most. Judy and I were the first team of our type."

Bonnie nodded. "That sounds typical. Nicholas.I have a few questions for you, and while I know I'm prying, I have to get the answers."

Nick managed to keep the fur on the back of his neck from raising or his ears from flicking, but only through his years as a hustler. "Sure."

Bonnie looked up at him then down with a sigh. He was good, and the voice in her ear agreed. "He's good. The ear flick was almost imperceptible. If I hadn't been looking for it, I'd have missed it."

Bonnie let out a huff. "Nicholas. … I guess there isn't a point in beating around the bush. How long have you been in love with Judy?"

The pair of voices in Bonnie's ear cackled. "Oh damn, Bon. Bulls eye with that one."

Nick couldn't stop his ears from snapping flat to his head, though he righted them immediately. "Uhm… Bonnie, we're just friends. She's my best friend, nothing more. There will never be anything more."

Bonnie frowned and looked up at Nick. It was beyond clear how much that statement hurt, and was very, very, clearly rehearsed. "I know that. Judy has told me the same when I asked her if there was anything between you. Stu is my best friend. That is not an answer to my question. I'm her mother, Nicholas. I can see how she looks at you."

Nick didn't bother keeping his ears up and sighed, his mask collapsing. "Judy has ruined me. This isn't a conversation for out here where ears can hear."

Bonnie nodded. She knew if he wanted to speak privately it was already the answer she suspected. Yet, there was something to his voice. Was that pain? She suspected it was. "Sure. We can talk in my office."

She quickly led him into the office and then into her private office. "Okay." Sitting in her chair, and propping the phone so it still faced him. If he noticed, "So, are you going to answer the question now?"

Nick took a long breath, and then gave the deepest bow, with an odd head tilt.

The voice of Sandy in her ear was an almost panicked scream. "DO NOT LET HIM SAY ANYTHING! PUT ME ON SPEAKER BEFORE HE SAYS ANYTHING!"

Bonnie flinched at the yell and did as she was told, putting the call on speaker. Sandy's voice echoed out of the phone in a near shout. "Young Todd, you will cease that this instant!"

Nick flinched and almost broke the form before shifting it as he looked at the phone. "Honored Maiden. To whom do I have the honor of addressing?"

"I am Sandra Lorain Barken. I am kithood friend of Bonnie Hopps. She called me and our friend Jennifer for advice and confirmation that what she observed as your feelings for her daughter was what she thought they were."

Nick kept the bow and shifted his head and paws slightly. "I am honored. Though I am sure you have already confirmed my feelings, I know she wishes to hear the truth from my own muzzle."

"I may not be a Wilde, but I know enough of the traditional ways you Wilde foxes like to keep to know what you were about to do. Stand and answer some questions before you take such action. Who is your mother?"

Nick stood with a tired sigh, paws moving behind his back as he shifted his stance into a semblance of parade rest. "My mother was Vivian Wilde. Father, John Wilde. My sister Anna is a surgeon in Foxenburg General. My brother, Demitry, died the day after our 12th birthday."

Both vixens gasped, while Sandy actually sobbed, paws to her muzzle. "No… No no no no. Oh no. You're the lost kit."

Nick chuckled with the faintest of smiles. "Hardly lost. I did what was required of me as the eldest and only remaining todd. I left home and got what work I could. I sent the money that did not strictly feed me or go into the next hussle, as that is all I could do, back to them. I did what I had to do to make sure Anna got into school. I did what was needed to make sure my mother, may the ancestors welcome her, was comfortable. So I was not lost. I simply did what I had to do."

"How is it then that you find yourself in a rabbit's burrow?"

At that Nick smirked, though an honest smirk rather than his usual mask. "Honored maiden. If you allow me to complete what I started, those reasons will be as clear as any crystal."

Sandy gasped again. "You were being serious with that?" She gave a sad sigh and nod that only Bonnie saw. "Proceed." Bonnie worried as she watched her friend collapse into a chair, muzzle in her paws with a silent sob.

Nick nodded and turned his entire attention back on Bonnie. He then resumed the bow, head tilt, and added a cant to his ears. "Honored Maiden. Honored matron. You ask. I answer as commanded. Do I love your Judith. I do with my entire being. I have vowed to her and given all I am, was, or ever shall be to her." Bonnie caught the tears in her friend's eyes as Nick spoke. Tears that were quickly running down her cheeks. "I am hers to do with as she pleases. She has saved my life a dozen times over. She has brought me to a place I know my mother would actually be proud of. I have respect. I have friends who love me as family.

As thus, I pledge to you and your family. To clan Hopps. Upon my life and my vow to your daughter, Judith Hopps. Be in it my power, no harm shall come to her, even if it costs me my own life to protect hers, I give it willingly, freely, and with joy. Should your family need, and it is mine to give, you will have it.

Do I love her? With all my heart." Nick stood and sank heavily into the chair behind him, the form, and an oath he'd not expected to make just then, completed. "But we are only and can only ever be friends. Does she know? She does. It can never. It will never go beyond that. What I want. That is not relevant. She will someday find a good buck, and will give you a few grand kits. Part of my task set by her is to find her that buck."

Nick stood and wiped his face. "I know your fear, honored maiden. Fear not, I have three kits. Two vixens. Twins as I was, and a todd from a pair of failed relationships when I and the vixen were both far too young. They are looked after by their aunt, grandmothers, and mothers in Foxenburg and receive the support due them and more.

I live with Judy at her order so that, in her words, I have a proper roof over my head as I was not living in a place she considered livable, and after I explained my reasons, so that I could send them more. I have my own room, my own bathroom, and my own door should it be needed. The kits know Judy and love her. It's clear they wish she were a vixen that I could take as my own."

Bonnie shook herself. "Then why don't you?"

Jenny spoke from the phone. "Because he literally cannot, Bon. It's illegal. They… Well, Judy is prey and a rabbit, so just he would spend the rest of his life in jail if they were to get together."

Bonnie gasped. "What‽"

Nick nodded. "It's true. I don't know the laws here in Bunnyburrow, though I expect they are actually more restrictive. In Zootopia, in Foxenburg, and everywhere else I have checked, the laws are very clear. Even in Seaotter. We could get away with it, barely, if both prey or pred, but not even there as predator and prey. The assumption by law is that the predator forced the prey.

We both know I couldn't force Judy into anything. The law doesn't care. Seeing me incarcerated would destroy her. They are unfair, bigoted, and cruel, but clear. There are attempts to get the law overturned as unconstitutional at the federal level, and it is. But until and only if they are undone, we cannot be together, assuming she even were to want me. If she did, I accepted her, and we were found out before the law was overturned. Well... If I lived to make it to prison, I would never be allowed to see her again.

Well, that's not specifically true. Rather, I would get to see her, often, but only ever at a distance, as deliberate, legally required torture. It would destroy her career. I'd rip out my own heart before I cause her that pain."

Giving a deep and tired sigh, Nick bowed again. "Honored maidens. Honored matron. I beg you that nothing of what has been spoken here goes beyond us. I know I believe she loves me in return, but even if she does, it does not matter. She knows these laws as much as I do. When I confessed as part of my vow. I made it clear that she needed to know and know the depth of my feelings but she also cannot reciprocate. That we can never be together so long as the laws are as they are. I cannot allow my selfish wants to cause her hurt.

If anything, vowing to her, as she knows its meaning, has hurt her too much already. I question that decision, often. Not the truth of it, or my feelings for her. Those are clear and demanded nothing less from me. Still. Hurting her as I already have is a violation of my oath I cannot avoid. I cannot. I will not hurt her further." Looking at Bonnie, an intense look on his muzzle. "I've even considered ending my life to free her from me. It would have been so easy when they dropped me off the cliff. But… That would hurt her, my kits, my sister. So I accept the least evil until I can find a better way.

Nick turned and left, stopping as he opened the door. "Hey, Judy."

Judy looked up at Nick. "Nick? Everything okay?"

Nick nodded with a weak smile. "Everything's fine, Fluff." Giving her shoulder a reassuring squeeze that was anything but to her. "Nothing to worry about. Just getting the riot act as your partner from your mom. Keep you safe and all that. Bury me in the back forty. Nothing out of the ordinary."

Nick then moved past her and out of the house silently. Judy turned to her mother, a dark look coming over her as she closed and locked the door. She turned on her mother, ears sharply back. "What did he tell you? What did you ask him that upset him so much?"

Bonnie looked at the borderline angry, or rather enraged face of her daughter. "I… I asked if he loved you and for how long. He never answered the how-long."

Judy's anger vanished as she dropped into the chair he just vacated, tears threatening and ears suddenly limp behind her. "Oh. Yeah. That'd do it. Doesn't matter. Doesn't matter how much I love him. I can't tell him. He vowed to me, mom. I know you know some foxes. You should ask them about what that means to a red todd, and especially a Wilde.

I did research. I've talked to his sister. I found and talked to other Wilde foxes and to Finn. I can only ever hope to find a way to be happy enough that the hurt I cause him is made up for by my happiness." Wiping the tears threatening to spill from her eyes. "It's not fair. He should at least know that I feel the same, but that would just hurt him more. It's better if he thinks I only can and ever will see him as a friend. I'm sure he suspects, but the facade is all we have.

He has a door into the apartment proper, because his room is just the master bedroom, but he uses his outer door. It's the balcony door modified with a proper lock and all that. He treats it as a studio apartment. His door is always unlocked, but he never enters the rest of the apartment unless it is through the front door. When it's time for bed, he leaves through the front door and I have to listen to him enter through that outer door to his room. It was a full monsoon last month, and he refused to use the internal door to his room. I can only imagine how soaked he got.

He does that to ensure there is never any question. He only lives there. He keeps a hot plate, and all that in his room. He bought a small apartment fridge for his room. He lives there, but he doesn't, and he does it that way to protect me. I hate that there is nothing I can do. I cannot console him. He won't let me lean on him on movie night. He's afraid that the stronger musk then I already pick up with him in the cruiser could cause issues.

I can see how much it hurts him, mom. And I can't do anything about it. If I push him away, I hurt him. If I let things stay as they are, I hurt him. If I let him know I love him as he does me, I hurt him most of all. No matter what I do. I hurt him. It's like there is a knife in his heart, and my paw has been glued to it.

He already told me. Even if I do love him, and Karam and Saren know I do. Even if I told him, demanded that he let me take him as my mate, he'd refuse me. I already returned the vow to him, in secret, because he'll never let me speak it aloud to him. As he says, he's only so strong. I think he'd rather end his own life than give in to what I know he wants and the pain being without him would cause. Though killing himself would do that too, though he'd probably arrange it as if he went insane and attacked me, forced me, etc… so it didn't hurt me otherwise.

He'll do anything to protect me, mom. Course he probably told you that already. Dumb fox probably gave you an oath. Swore to you and the family, because he's just that dumb. Just that good a mammal."

Judy stood and walked to the door, pausing with her paw on the knob and reading her forehead against it. "He has a vial of Nighthowler on him at all times. I saw it once. Not sure where he hides it on his person, but when I asked, he told me. He keeps it like a suicide pill and is never without it. The dose is enough to kill a wolf without immediate antidote. Like within five minutes. For him, it'd be nearly instant, but only nearly, and agonizing pain. He'd die as his mind was torn apart by the drug.

So… He's my friend, mom. That's all he is or ever can be. Please don't. Don't push. And… Don't use that oath he made. There's nothing special about Bunnyburrow. If anything, the laws here are worse than elsewhere. And…" The pain in her eyes as she looked back to Bonnie was clear as day. "Mom. I… I could use a few blind dates while I am here. Someone that could accept the fox that will always live in the spare room, and can accept my job. That can accept that I can never love them like I should. Who can be happy with me giving them some kits.

I… After I did some research on the laws. Not even in Seaotter. I did a terrible thing. I… I used his oath and ordered him to find me a buck. I'd order him to find a vixen. He gets enough interest that it'd be easy. That'd just be extra cruel though. He'd do it. He'd love her, but never like she would deserve.

He has three kits. A vixen, Sienna. She's fifteen. And twins, Demetrius after Nicks lost Twin, and Nicholas Junior, they turn twelve next week. We're going to Foxenburg for their birthday. I love those kits. I… I really wish I could be their step mom. But I can't be. And I can't even go find Nick and console him. Appearances and all that. If we could just leave the planet.

So, yeah. He's my friend, and I beg you. Please don't say anything. If he got arrested for it. They'd make me visit him every week. He'd be able to see and smell me, but that's it. I'm sure he'd use the NightHowler first.

I changed my direction to him. Well, I tried." Judy's voice sounded exhausted and sad. "Not that the dumb fox seems to have listened. Told him to just vette the bucks interested in me. Make sure they were not just creeps. He's kinda done that. He's still actually finding them though. I wish I could take it back."

With that, Judy left and Bonnie just stared at the door she closed behind her. The vixens were crying. Jenny shaking her head. "Oh Bon. They're right. There is nothing we can do. Nothing you can do. Nothing they can do. The world is simply not going to let them be together. It's going to kill them both eventually. You know that, right? If she finds a buck, that will kill him. It'll shatter him beyond repair."

Sandy nodded as Bonnie flipped the camera back to herself. "Bonnie. I'd suggest a lot of things, but there is no fixing this. Jen is right. Though it'll break him. If you can find a buck she can be happy with, have a few kits with, then that'll be enough to not kill him. It might however be better that way. You can be sure though. He will kill himself to protect her."

Bonnie nodded. "Thanks girls. I have a lot to think about."

Sandy nodded again. "I… I am so sorry, Bon."

Bonnie sighed, looking at her friends. "This is gonna kill her too. A separation like that. It'd kill her just as surely."

xxxXXXxxx

They said their goodbyes and hung up. Bonnie spent several hours in her office thinking, and then researching the laws in question. Horrified by the stories and the deliberate, mean spirited and evil torture, mammals who dared to find mates outside of a narrow band of their species were subject to by law.

For Judy, a hare would be fine, an argument could be made for a pika, but predator and prey? Nope. The laws very specifically and with careful detail laid out how illegal that was, and how they were to be punished. In Bunnyburrow it really was worse. And pray they never had kits. The laws were old, and absolutely monstrous. Although what horrified her most was that the laws were still actively enforced.

Bonnie herself actually missed dinner, Stu finding her in her office staring off at the wall with tear streaks in her fur. Slipping into her private office he approached. "Bon? You okay?"

It took a very concerningly long moment for Bonnie to pull her attention to him. "Stu?" Looking around and seeing it was dark out. "Oh… Oh wow, what time it is?"

"Almost ten, love. What's the matter?"

Glancing past him to ensure he closed the door, she saw he had locked it and smiled weakly. The smile collapsed as she launched herself into his arms. "Oh Stu. I don't know what to do anymore. I don't know how to help them. I don't know if I can."

Stu sighed and sat on the small couch, holding his wife. "Gotta be about Nick and Judy. So it's true then, and you learned about the law. I guess I can admit now that those laws are the true reason for my stance against predators. I never feared them, never hated them, but I could never risk one of our kits getting caught up in those laws. It happened to one of my brothers. I never wanted to see one of them suffer that pain. I guess I failed though. I just hope they are strong enough to keep themselves apart."

Bonnie sobbed. "Oh, Stu. It is so much worse. They might as well be mates in their hearts already, but they're hurting each other. They're stabbing each other in the heart and twisting the knife, and they do it, they accept and suffer through it because the alternative is worse. Did you know he's trying to find a buck for her? Can you imagine that? I can't imagine how much that has to hurt. She asked me to set her up on some blind dates while she is here.

Stu. … I… I can't. I'd be carving both their hearts out if I did that. At the same time, that might be better. At least if Judy had a buck, it would be less risky. But Stu. You can see how much she loves him. She'll never be actually happy with a buck. The best I think we can hope for is a one-night stand that gets a few kits into the mix."

Stu nodded with a deep sigh. "I know, Bon. I've seen it since they got here. They're in pain, and there is nothing we can do. There is nothing they can do." They hugged and cried together, praying to any god willing to listen that the laws would be overturned.

xxxXXXxxx

Stu and Bonnie watched out for Nick and Judy. They recruited siblings and cousins they knew could be trusted to watch out for them, to redirect and stop questions about any possible relationship. Even as they did this, they felt their own heart hurt to see their daughter and the male who clearly loved her so much, suffer. They did a good job of covering it to most, but once you knew to look, it was plain as day. Bonnie sent a dozen bucks towards Judy at the festival, Nick evaluated every one as they approached and let three through, stepping back with clear pain in his eyes as they chatted up Judy.

They could see her look at him and get the slightest affirmative nod before he faded into the crowd, watching from a shadow. Always there. Always ready to step in and protect her. His face stoic, but the agony was clear in his eyes for anyone that knew to look. The third even managed to get Judy to accept a date the following night and was with her throughout the rest of their time at the faire. As was Nick. Ever present, but just beyond reach.