Wilde Heart

by Libious

Something went wrong. Nick was supposed to be shot with a blueberry, but they miscalculated. Now he has to deal with a ferocious desire to hunt and take down a certain cute bunny. This is a story about friendship, sacrifice and something fluttery that grows in the chest of sarcastic, sly fox whenever he sees a familiar grey furred ZPD officer.

37. Chapter 37

Hello everyone!

New chapter is here and it turned out to be bigger than I expected, sorry for the wait.

BIG thanks to Cimar for editing this chapter and pointing out several plot problems here and there!

IMPORTANT THINGS:

We have some special guests with us in this chapter, I hope you'll enjoy their presence as much as I do!

From the top of a genius lighthouse, we have the bubbly bunny Trisha! After a lot of beggin- negotiating, I received the honor of including Trisha into Wilde Heart for some time. Yes, she will appear one or two more times. ;) Just remember, Trisha is a character created by Bluelighthouse and belongs to him, just like the 10-7 bar! I repeat: TRISHA BELONGS TO BLUELIGHTHOUSE AS WELL AS 10-7! He is a fantastic writer and has amazing stories! Make sure to read them, like right now, you'll be blown away!

From the rough battlefield and clad in a police uniform, we have Alex Declawe! Created by my friend Zeronone, this tough lynx joins the ranks of the ZPD in Wilde Heart and maybe I'll manage to persuade Zeronone to lend him to me for a bit longer. ;) You can also read his debut story here on this site if you'd like to learn more about this dedicated feline officer. Personally, I'm waiting for more stories with Alex! And I give him additional thanks for teaching me some facts about police procedures, thank you!

Moving to your reviews:

Venomheart the Dreamer - Yeah, I do realize that this does not perfectly match the reality when it comes to such situations, but I had to take some liberties for the sake of the plot. :P Sorry.

GUNSLINGER99 - Thanks! Two more chapters to answer your questions.

Swaggywolfman - Drug? I just hope it doesn't have any bad side effects! ;) And thank you! As for characters, quite a few, we'll be meeting some of them in chapter 38.

Guest - "Bogo knew." refers to the fact that he used to patrol the streets as well and knows how tough it is to make difficult decisions on the spot.

Ommallaredpanda - More savage Nick? Check. More angst? Check. Guts? Check. As for the other things, we'll learn more about Will in the next three chapters, the issue with beat up mammals will return eventually and for the reveal, I plan to make it an epic event.

Guest - A wolf with a flower obsession? Why not? :)

GoldenSpectrum - Well spotted! So, what happens if it stops working right in front of her? ;)

Also, thank you so much for all of your reviews! I cherish every single one of them and always welcome more. ;D

As for this chapter, we'll have quite an obvious reference here, Vivian gets more 'screen time' and Nick's has trouble with keeping his eyes off a bunny in training outfit. ;)

For those interested in my update schedule: "Pride goes before a fall" is next on the list, then "Foxes, foxes never change", followed by "All I want for Christmas".

Last thing, I still have some bits from future chapters if anyone is interested. ;)

And that's it!

---

Chapter 37

After leaving Bogo's office, Nick had only one thing on his mind.

*Where is she?*

His partner looked so depressed after her talk with the chief, most likely feeling crushed by the information about being stripped of the case. Therefore, as her partner and friend, it was his duty to help that cute bunny to regain that energetic smile of hers.

Tracking her down was child's play for Nick's enhanced sense of smell. The sweet aroma lingering in the air guided him through the corridors of the precinct. He hurriedly passed by two bear officers walking in the opposite direction and his ears picked up a part of their conversation.

"...the case Spotters and Strigg called in? Thirty mammals, can you imagine? Most likely some gang war again."

"Yeah, I hope it will end with this. We don't need two bunches of idiots facing off in the streets. Lucky that no citizen got involved in it this time."

"Damn right, but to be honest those bastards had it coming, especially that bloody goat. That guy gives me the creeps…"

Nick kept going and cursed under his breath, hoping that the investigation into that incident wouldn't escalate any further. If it would, he'd have to resort to something really slicky to get his tail out of trouble with it.

His thoughts on this matter were cut short when he entered the lobby and noticed the beautiful grey bunny sitting on the edge of Clawhauser's desk, engaged in conversation with the feline dispatcher and Marcus.

"Carrots!" the fox hurried to them, calling out to his partner.

"Hey, Nick. Already finished with Bogo?" she asked with a small smile, which didn't fully mask her disappointment over losing the case.

"Ah-ha, he promised to smile more and to consider raises for everyone!" the fox stated with his usual smirk.

Clawhauser chuckled at Nick's reply, while Marcus just shook his head with a smile. Even Judy seemed to gain a bit of joy in her expression. Still, she folded her arms and stared at her partner with all seriousness. "What's the verdict for you, Slick? I got suspended, so you must have gotten toilet cleaning duty at least."

"Nothing as joyful as that, I also got suspended, with a slight hint this being the first and last warning. Anyway-"

"Hey guys!" Jackie's happy voice interrupted him as the cheetah approached their group. "What's up?"

Marcus pointed at the fox. "Wilde just got chewed by the chief."

"Ooh! The bank rush?" she grinned at her vulpine friend "Love to hear more!"

Nick rolled his eyes and raised his paw. "I was about to-"

"Unhand me, peasant!" he was stopped a second time by a sudden roar at the front entrance. All heads turned in that direction to view an unusual scene.

A male lynx in uniform was dragging along a strange mammal. It was a male wolf with dark grey fur and a muzzle on his face, but that became completely irrelevant the moment they saw his attire. He was wearing full body armor that appeared like it came from medieval times. All parts of said armor were painted black.

The weird wolf was struggling in the pawcuffs and the officer had to forcefully pull the guy with him. Even with being smaller than the canine, though still quite tall for his species, officer Alex Declawe had no problem with dragging the resisting mammal. Any perp judging the lynx by his size and lean figure, would be in for a nasty surprise to learn about the steel frame of muscle beneath the gunmetal grey fur. Being a former soldier, trained in combat and tested on the battlefield, Alex was no pushover, even for mammals several times his size. For now he was paired up with Marcus and with the tiger's own background and professional attitude, they shared a mutual respect for each other's abilities and their devotion to the job.

"Hey, Alex!" Judy greeted the lynx when the two got closer. "Who's your new friend?"

"Give me a break," he let out a tired sigh. "We had to pull this wacko off the bridge in Savannah Central. He was standing in the middle of the road, not letting any cars pass!"

The wolf puffed out his chest with pride. "I move for no mammal!"

Alex rolled his eyes.

"Well, we took this fool away on time," Marcus chimed in, "as shortly after an ambulance needed to cross the bridge."

His partner nodded. "Yeah, though since he didn't listen to reason we had to resolve to minimum force necessary."

Hearing that, Nick eyed two dents in the mammal's breastplate. "Right… minimum. Coming from you two, I'm surprised he's still breathing."

"And what was your reasoning?" Judy inquired, raising one of her brows.

The two felines both showed a small smirk.

"This is Reason," Alex raised his free paw, now clenched into a fist.

"...and this is Minimum Force Necessary" Marcus mirrored his partner's gesture.

Both Clawhauser and Jackie couldn't hold it and they let out amused snorts at their answer.

"Guys, you did try to talk first?" Judy eyed the two partners cautiously.

The lynx tilted his head to the side. "Of course we did, Hopps. Can't take a joke?"

Judy blinked and shook her head. "Right, sorry…"

He waved a paw dismissively. "Don't sweat it." He became silent for a moment. "By the way, anyone know if they have any plans to add new faces to Mount Rushmore?"

Awkwardness followed his question before Nick decided to speak. "Well, not for now, but who knows? Maybe later," he wasn't that much surprised, as he already learned about Alex's quirk of asking strange things out of nowhere.

Their further conversation was disrupted when the armored wolf stopped struggling and charged at the lynx with his shoulder. "Have at you! The Black Knight always triumphs!"

But Alex simply planted his hindpaws firmly on the ground and held back the canine at arm's length. "Seriously? What are you gonna do? Drool on me?"

The wolf straightened up. "I'm invincible!"

Nick shook his head with a grin and even Judy showed a small smile.

"You're a loony…" the lynx officer groaned.

"Come on, ya pansy!" with another shout, the black armored wolf charged again. This time Alex swiftly stepped to the side and switched the grip on the canine's arm to twist it a little, forcing him to the floor.

After a second of silence, the wolf let out a strained groan. "All right, we'll call it a draw."

Alex ran a paw down his face. "I've had enough… Marcus, you take him." With these words the feline officer motioned the tiger to take over. When the striped predator did so, Alex strolled away, muttering something about nutjobs and fruitcakes.

But the mammal on the floor wasn't finished and called after the lynx. "Oh, oh, I see! Running away, eh? You yellow bastard! Come back here and take what's coming to you! I'll bite your legs off!"

At that point Jackie lost it completely and fell to the floor, rolling with laughter.

After this bizarre scene, Marcus finally hauling away the weird mammal, Nick grabbed Judy's forearm. "We need to discuss one thing, come on," he said while dragging her away.

"Nick! Wai-"Judy tried to protest as Jackie managed to get up from the floor and call after them cheerfully.

"Be gentle with the bunny, Nick!"

"Only if she behaves!" he yelled back over his shoulder with a toothy grin, though internally he cursed his cheetah friend for the way she phrased that comment. Judy tried to get something more out of her fox partner, but he hushed her with a smile.

Eventually, the doe was walking down one of the streets near the precinct "Will you finally tell me what is this about?" she demanded.

Nick cast a few cautious and discreet glances around before answering her question. "We're still on the case," he told her after being relatively sure that they're not followed by anyone.

"What?" she looked at her partner as if he'd gone mad. "Nick," she let out a sigh. "It's nice of you that you're trying to cheer me up, but jokes like this-"

"It's not a joke!" he hissed before stopping and crouching in front of her. "How many days of suspension you got?"

"Well, three. Why?"

"I also got three, you know why?" he placed his paws on her shoulders. "Because he wants us to deal with this unofficially together! Look, we know of a chance that there's a snitch somewhere in the ZPD and that's the mammal or mammals who deleted the jam cams recordings. When I asked him about the case, chief confirmed that we're not allowed near the official investigation and are not to be seen! Get it? We have 72 hours to track Bellweather and the insider, working from the shadows."

Judy listened to his explanation with her ears slowly rising. "We're still on the case?" she asked gingerly, as if afraid of scaring this chance away.

Nick nodded, smiling at the bunny's reaction. "Yes, yes we are."

Cheerfulness and that contagious energy came flowing back into her amethyst eyes. "We're still on it!" she cried happily, jumping at Nick while wrapping her arms around his neck.

Nick froze from shock, eyes wide open and his ears drooping slightly. Her smell hit him like a tsunami and the feeling of her body pressed tightly to him was like a follow up with a fluffy sledgehammer. It lasted only for a second, but he seriously considered using Haloperidol to calm himself. Luckily for him, Judy released him and stepped back, bouncing from enthusiasm.

"Okay, we'll need to follow up on the lead from your armadillo friend and find those other counterfeiters!"

"Alright, alright," he said while fighting his suddenly spiking urges. "Let's not get overexcited, shall we?" he said, more to himself than to her.

"Oh come on. Slick!" She gave him a friendly punch on the arm. "We have a case to solve and a ewe to stop!"

He couldn't help but smile at this fluffy beacon of devotion and energy. "Okay, Fluff. Let's catch some bad guys," he extended his arm to show her his fingers balled into a fist. She immediately beamed at his gesture and bumped fists with him.

"Great! Now, we need to go and talk with those mammals."

Nick rubbed his chin with a finger. "That could take some time as they are not the easiest sort to meet, though I'll do my best to set up meetings as soon as possible."

"But your… acquaintance said we just need to tell-"

"To be allowed to meet them, yes. Still, what's the use of that if we don't know if they're available at the moment? Since we're short on time it wouldn't do us any good to take a trip to Outback Island just to learn that Alyssa isn't there, right?"

"Fine, you've made your point," Judy let out a disappointed sigh. "So what now? You're going to call them or what?"

"Well, I am going to, but right now…" he rubbed the back of his neck. "You see, I told Bogo about my medication…"

His words piqued her interest and her ears perked up. "Really? And what's the verdict?" she stared at him while folding her arms.

"I need to report to the precinct's medic for proper evaluation of my condition and report back to Buffalo Butt. Oh, and there is one more thing…" he admitted reluctantly, causing Judy to raise a brow. "Er, the boss also told me that the responsibility of giving me a scolding for breaking protocol at the bank falls on you. He also said that he will verify if you did it properly…" his voice trailed off into a mutter under the growing amusement in her gaze. "Um, Carrots? I don't like the look in your eyes."

"Oh, don't worry," she said with a smile, taking a step towards him. "I think I have a perfect way of making you remember the importance of rules," her eyes shined with a playful glint.

Her partner actually took a step back, his ears low. "Er… w-why are you looking at me like that?"

.

.

An hour later Nick practically crawled out of the gym's ring and to the floor, panting, glad that Judy's 'lecture' was finally over.

"So how about it, Slick?" she chirped, standing next to him by the ropes. "You think that you'll remember to follow the rules from now on?" she asked playfully, taking off the gloves.

He rolled onto his back. "I assure you that the last hour has thoroughly engraved itself in my mind…" he wheezed. Nick was completely drained, both physically and mentally. He spend the last hour as Judy's living punching bag, as he was only defending himself from the ferocious bunny. Not only that, but he had serious trouble keeping his eyes off the fur tight training clothes the bunny was wearing. For an hour he actually wished to be blind, so that he wouldn't have to face constant temptation due to the sights he had been seeing. Nick felt like he had to face two opponents at the same time: his beloved, fluffy partner and his dirty minded, primitive, savage side. Having to hold back both physically and emotionally for so long under constant strain left him barely alive, now panting on the floor of the gym. The fox couldn't help but notice that she didn't look that exhausted herself.

He raised a paw. "Officer Fluff, requesting permission to crawl to the showers?"

She chuckled, leaning on one of the ropes. "Are you sure you wouldn't want to go for round two?"

Nick managed to lift his head. "You're telling me that was just one round?"

Judy replied with a wide grin.

The fox shook his head. "Whoever built your cybernetic body, I want the same treatment," he slowly dragged himself to his hindpaws. "Now if you'll excuse me, I need to take a shower and have meetings to set up, not to mention a medical check up, so I'll be on my way," with that said, he left the grinning bunny behind and headed to the locker rooms.

.

.

While the news from Nick about the 'unofficial' investigation was certainly uplifting, Judy once again found herself in a sort of limbo. With her partner leaving for his check up, which Judy knew was necessary for him to be honest at his work, as well as trying to set up meetings for them, the doe was left with free time on her paws. She considered meeting up with Will, but the buck was on patrol for the rest of the day. Hating inactivity, Judy hopped out of the ring and to the precinct's gym to vent some of the frustration out on the resident punching bags and weight machines.

.

.

After taking the much needed shower, which happened to be a very cold one, Nick left for the precinct doctor's office for the check up and consultation about his 'seasonal problems'. Luckily, while the doctor asked him thoroughly about his condition, he didn't perform any blood tests on the tod.

Still, Nick spent about an hour in his office, answering tons of questions about how he feels after his medication. When they were finally through, the doc said that he'd send his opinion directly to Bogo and it will be up to the buffalo to make a decision about this situation. Still, the doc assured him that side effects from heat medicine weren't something new and happened regularly among other officers so there shouldn't be any problems. With this information in paw, Nick left the office and thought about his next step. He had meetings to set up, but also had to prepare for the talk they were about to have in two days. Therefore, he fished out his phone and instantly recalled the numbers to the mammals they were going to meet.

.

.

Judy was in the middle of tormenting a punching bag with her kicks when she heard the familiar voice of her partner.

"Carrots!" the fox approached her as she stopped and the bag swayed freely on the chain, most likely grateful for the break from the pummeling.

"Nick! How's the meeting with the doctor?" the doe was panting slightly as she turned towards him. She reached for a bottle of water that was placed nearby, while running a paw down her ears. She brushed them to the side, letting them lay on her shoulder. Judy close her eyes and took a gulp of water, waiting for his answer. It didn't come so she lowered the bottle and eyed her friend. "Nick?"

The fox shook his head, cursing internally that he was caught off guard.

*There's no need to panic.* He rationalized. His partner was simply doing some training in her fur tight outfit, ears flopped to the side in a sexy manner and his eyes couldn't help to trace the few droplets of water that earlier escaped the bottle and ran down her facial fur, towards the outfit, all the way to her che-

*STOP! Blueberries! Think about blueberries!* He roared internally, wishing that he could just take a club and beat that dirty part of his mind senseless.

"All's fine," the fox replied. "He said that I'm not the only guy that experiences some side effects from that kind of medication, so Bogo shouldn't be too hard on me," his mouth said this on automatic mode.

Judy nodded. "That's good. See? Didn't hurt that much to be honest," she gave him a playful nudge.

"I'd rather go see a dentist, thank you very much! Anyway, I tried calling our potential informants and got a reply that they will call me back. So right now we can only wait for their move."

This wasn't the best news for Judy, but it was something. She let out a disappointed sigh. "So what now? You know I hate sitting in place, doing nothing!"

The fox showed her a smirk. "Yes, I can imagine that the punching bags in this gym could confirm your statement," he chuckled while pointing at the bag next to Judy. "Listen, I'll try to set this up as soon as possible, ok? Meanwhile, I don't know about you, but I could use this time to take care of few personal matters. You know, before our talk in two days from now?"

Hearing this, Judy's ears perked up. "Wait, the thing we're going to discuss needs some kind of arrangements?" she inquired with a quirked brow.

"Well, I need to write my will and order a proper coffin, you know? Can't leave such things unattended!" he said and noticed her expression. "Hey, I'm just joking, okay?. Still, I really need to do a few things," Nick raised his paw, showing his phone. "I'll keep trying to set up the meetings and I'll be always available in case anything happens, alright? If anything new pops up on my side, you'll be the first one to know, I promise."

He could see that she wasn't happy with this turn of events, but there was little she could do in such a situation. Therefore, Judy let out a huff and turned back to the punching bag. "Just make it quick, alright? We need to move on fast if we're to succeed," she intentionally didn't say anything about the ewe or even use her name. There was no telling who was listening, even in here.

Nick nodded at her words. "Got it. We'll be in touch," he waved his friend with a paw and headed out of the gym, with the first point on his to-do list already in mind.

.

.

Vivian opened the door to her apartment and her face immediately brightened with a smile.

"Nicky!" she jumped forward to hug the fox standing on the doormat. "Finally decided to visit your ol' ma'?"

Nick rolled his eyes, but hugged her back with a smile. "Veeery funny, mother. Drop the accent, it doesn't fit you."

"Bah!" she huffed, breaking away. "Since when are you such a stick in the mud?"

He showed her a smirk. "Since I was born. You're going to keep me outside like this or can I come in?"

"Oh, you must come in!" she replied, dragging him inside by his arm. "Girls! Guess who's here?" she called out to the deeper part of the apartment. Shortly after, two young vixens emerged from the living room and showed surprised faces at the sight of Nick.

"Why hello," he greeted them with a smile, not surprised to see them here after his conversation with Judy.

Rose and Silver exchanged short glances before turning back to the fox and lowering their heads. "Thank you for your help!" the girls said earnestly in unison.

Watching this, Nick quickly waved both paws in front of him. "Come on now, I didn't do that much…"

"But you did!" Silver said out loud. "If not for you-" she faltered and squeezed her paws together, at the memory of that fateful night. But before she could drift deeper into that dark picture, a caring arm encircled her shoulders and Vivian pulled the girl to her chest.

"Now, now. No grim faces in my house, alright?" she gave the younger vixen a smile so warm that whatever cold thought that tried to sneak into the white furred predator's heart, dispersed instantly. Vivian lead the whole group to the living room where she sat both girls on the couch and Nick on one of the armchairs. After that she headed to the kitchen and returned shortly with a full tray which she placed on the tea table.

Meanwhile, Nick focused his gaze on the girls. The white furred vixen was sitting with her legs crossed and a book on her lap, which she probably had there earlier, while the red vixen had her legs pulled to her chest. Both girls showed him shy smiles, smartphones in their paws. He slightly narrowed his eyes and allowed the sharpened vision to take a better look at the devices. No cuts, dents, scratches… They were brand new. Nick sighed internally with a smile. *Mother, you really are a doting caretaker, aren't you?*

"Is my mother treating you well? No complaints? You can speak freely with me here. Any oppression? Maybe lack of freedom?" he quipped and his words earned him a motherly smack to the back of his head.

"How dare you?! There are no such things in my house as oppression or freedom!" Vivian joked back and even with their personal, grim context of those words, the girls couldn't help it but chuckle.

After that, Nick received the basic visiting-your-mother treatment which consisted of a set of tea and homemade cookies. He didn't complain, as Vivian made the best blueberry cookies in existence. The vixen sat on an armchair directly in front of Nick and took a sip of her tea.

"As much as I am happy to see my rebellious child, why do I get the feeling that you didn't just casually drop by, but have some goal in this visit?" she subjected him to an analytic stare.

"Well, I've heard that you got two new roommates, so I dropped in to see how things are."

"Earth to Nick," Vivian rolled her eyes. "You're talking to your mother here…"

He showed her a smirk. "How cold, I really am interested how things will play out here," he took a sip of his tea. "Any specific plan for the near future?"

"Well, we're currently in the middle of job hunting, though first we'll have to go through a process of accepting the girls as citizens of Zootopia," she shook her head, lifting the cup to her mouth. "The bureaucracy is horrible! We've been told that it can take even several months!"

Nick's ears flickered slightly. *So it's like this… Well no surprise here.* He cast a brief glance at Silver and Rose. *Without citizenship they were bound to their handler and completely at his mercy, that bastard.*

"Let me guess, and sorry for being frank," he directed those words at the girls, "but I imagine that it's very difficult to find a legal, full-time job without citizenship?"

His mother let out a heavy sigh. "That's true… And there's also the troublesome part where the employers ask about earlier activity, as jobs or studies."

"We have no idea what to say about our earlier life…" Rose said with a blush of embarrassment.

Nick nodded. "I see," he rubbed his chin thoughtfully when a sudden thought entered his mind. *Well, there is a faster way of getting the citizenship…* The fox turned his gaze back to the young vixens.

"Girls, might I ask how do you like it here, living with my mother?"

All three females eyed him curiously.

"Nick, what are you-" the red fox raised a finger to hush Vivian, not moving his eyes off Rose and Silver.

"So? Be honest, please."

The girls exchanged surprised glances. "Um, it's… nice," Silver mumbled under her nose.

Rose nodded. "Mrs. Wil- Vivian is very kind to us. We couldn't even hope for such hospitality from anyone."

The fox smiled hearing their answers. It was obvious now that the younger one was the shy type, not used to speaking a lot, while Rose seemed to Nick like a big sister that took care of Silver the best she could.

"And would you mind staying for longer?" he questioned further.

Both vixens eyes widened. "We- We couldn't bother Vivian that much!" Rose blurted out almost immediately.

Nick's mother raised her brows, showing a concerned expression. "Rose, you're not-"

"Alright," her son cut in and turned to Vivian. "Here's my crazy idea," he said, taking another gulp of tea and pointing a thumb at the young girls while he focused on his mother. "Adopt them."

After a second of silent shock, three female jaws dropped down in unison.

"The way I see it, this is a shorter path to receiving citizenship, as you would automatically be given it as children of a Zootopia citizen. But more importantly," he placed down the cup and gave the girls a soft look. "You get a place to call home and a family. Plus," he turned to his mother. "You have told me," he paused to look up and his lips moved for a brief moment, "37 times so far that you'd like a daughter. So, good idea?"

"But-"

"We-"

The girls began, but were cut off by the older vixen.

"That's a wonderful idea!" All signs of surprise were gone from her face, replaced with a happy and hopeful expression. She jumped up from her seat and approached the couch, kneeling on the carpet and taking one paw of each girl in hers. "Rose, Silver… I know this is a very sudden concept and should be seriously considered, but I want you two to know that I would be very happy to have you as my family." She accentuated her words by gently squeezing their paws and showing a motherly smile. "I may not look the part, but I'm a mother of a rather sly and mischievous fox," Nick let out a short snort, "so I know how to properly look at mammals. I can tell, I know it, that you are good girls and I would be immensely happy if I could take care of you as a parent." Rose and Silver were speechless, just staring wide eyed at the female doctor. "Still, I feel that this decision should be made by you and you alone. I will not pressure you in any way and will keep taking care of you whatever your decision will be."

Vivian rose from her knees to wrap her arms around the young vixens and pull them into a hug. "Just remember that I'll always be here for you. I will not let go of you, remember?"

The surprised females just nodded silently and Vivian gave them a slight squeeze before breaking away.

Rose looked up at the vixen, then at her friend, who had a befuddled expression on her face. It was hardly surprising, as just a few days ago they were out on the streets with no hope for anything in the future and now suddenly they were offered a home, safety, a new life and now… a new family. It wasn't just winning the lottery, it was like finding a diamond in a trash can after facing the brunt of a hurricane, followed by a massive flood, all while still being dry and in one piece. The magnitude of this proposition left them shocked.

"Um, Vivian…" Rose managed to force words out of her mouth. "Can we, you know, think about this? Right now, I don't know-"

She stopped when she felt a paw on her shoulder.

Vivian was smiling at her with great warmth. "Of course, take all the time you need."

At that moment Silver reached out and tugged gently at her friend's gave Rose a look that the young red vixen had learned to recognize as one asking to discuss something in private. "Okay, I understand," Rose pet her paw and turned back to the Wildes. "I'm sorry, could you excuse us? We'd like to go to our room for now."

Vivian simply nodded. "Of course, don't mind us."

After the girls locked themselves in the guest room that became their bedroom, Vivian caught her son by the neck in a tight hug. "Oh, Nick! That was such a wonderful idea!"

"Mom!" he wheezed, but with a playful voice. "Air!"

She released him with a chuckle and pinched his cheek lovingly. "You little, sly fox, you. Your mother is so proud of you!"

"Well, thanks…" he said, rubbing his cheek with a paw. The fox glanced at the closed door to the guest room. "Say, can we discuss some other things?"

She eyed her son with curiosity, but not surprise. After that, the vixen walked up to her seat and dropped on the comfy armchair. "We can talk about whatever you like. More tea?"

Nick nodded slightly and fidgeted a bit with his fingers. "I… I realized that I'm in love with Judy." There. He said it out loud, though internally he was quite shaken that he was able to let such words out of his mouth .

"That's nice dear, would you like another cookie?" she offered him the plate.

Being an addict when it came to blueberries, Nick automatically nodded and reached out.

"Why not? Thank you." It took another second for his brain to catch up with the events. Nick froze, with his paw in the air, halfway to the plate with cookies. "Hang on a minute! Did you hear what I just said?!" he spluttered, turning his wide eyes towards Vivian.

"Of course I did. What?" she asked, seeing his expression. "It's nothing new to me, I already saw this coming. I'm just glad that you finally realized it, dumb son. My only question would be: when are you going to tell her?" she sipped her tea and observed the fox carefully.

Nick's jaw worked in an up and down motion for a few seconds, before his brain managed to let him speak again. "What? I… tell her? But..."

Vivian shook her head with a disappointed sigh. "Nicky, Judy is your best friend, your partner. You can't keep a girl like that in the dark."

He bit his lip. "It's not that simple," the fox hung his head a bit.

"Hey, hey," Vivian got up from her seat and got down on both knees in front of her son. "Look at me, Nicky," she used her paw to lift his muzzle enough for their eyes to meet. "I vaguely know what's going through your mind right now and it's enough. I remember what happened 10 years ago and I am to blame for that, for pushing you forward so foolishly."

He looked at her with glassy eyes. "Mother, I…"

"Shh, let me finish. I know that you're scared right now, most likely even more than with the serum topic. But this is something far too important for you to keep it a secret," the vixen placed her paws on his cheeks, looking him straight in the eye.

His breathing became faster and more shallow and Vivian could see the anxiety in his eyes. Nick placed his own paws on her wrists. "Mom, I can't… I just can't! She has a boyfriend already, she is a rabbit..."

Vivian could feel her own heart ache, hearing the fear and pain in her child's voice. It was such a contradictory sight to the usual Nick. Always smug, always smart and with a repertoire of jokes for any situation…and now almost shaking in her palms, so vulnerable and fragile on the inside.

"Oh Nicky…" she brushed his cheeks with her thumbs. "There is no ready solution for this, but the least I can tell you is to be honest with her about it. True, you have no guarantee how she will react to this, but this is Judy we are talking about. She is bound to figure it out, sooner or later and wouldn't you prefer to let her know in a way you can arrange, then her finding out at the least expected moment?"

She could feel his fingers tightening on her wrists.

"Nick, if you're so afraid of her reaction, would you like me to talk to her first?" the moment she said that, his eyes snapped wide open, horror written all over his face. "No, no, no, I wouldn't tell her anything!" the vixen added quickly. "Just a simple chat, finding out how she feels about you in general, what's her view on interspecies relationships…"

He pulled her paws away from his face. "That's not a good idea."

She saw that he wanted to stand up so she hastily put a paw on his arm to keep him seated. "Alright! Alright! I won't talk to her about it! Please don't leave!" Vivian plead with him, fear of the scenario from ten years ago repeating itself.

Seeing his mother's concerned expression, Nick let out a sigh and his body relaxed. "Sorry, I'm not going anywhere, just… not sure what to do with this."

Vivian breathed out with relief and pet his chest a bit. "Okay, okay, then maybe… just let it be for a while, talk with your therapist, perhaps?" Another thing came to her mind. "What about the issue with your savagery? Are you planning on talking with her about that?"

In a different state of mind, Nick would've probably flinch, but right now it seemed like a safer topic in comparison. "Yeah…" he muttered, recalling his talk with Judy after the bank incident. "I promised to tell her in two more days."

A small smile graced Vivian's lips. "I'm glad," she said while holding his paw. "One step at a time, Nick. One step step at a time."

Her words made him let out another heavier sigh. "If you say so. Can we change the topic for now? I'm already feeling drained from this conversation."

Vivian smiled wider and pet his paw. "Of course," she said and returned to her seat.

"Did you have a chance to see that vixen I told you about?" Nick referred to Mrs Lomasi and his request that Vivian would give her a home visit.

His mother's face became more serious and she nodded solemnly. "Yes, poor thing. For now I can confirm that she needs treatment, but what kind exactly and in what form…I don't know. For that I'd have to take her to the hospital and examine her properly, run some tests…"

"Do it, please," Nick said quietly. "Whatever the cost, just tell them to put the bills on my name."

Vivian raised a curious brow. "Why such a sudden interest in that lady?"

"Let's just say that I'm trying to be a better fox than I used to be."

She shook her head with a smile at his answer. "Maybe you should treat your habit of deflecting questions."

"Don't wanna'" he huffed, taking a bite of a blueberry cookie.

His mother pointed a paw at him. "Now, that's my son."

"Always been," he corrected her and stood up. Noticing Vivian's expression he let out a huff. "No, I'm not running away, just need to go to the bathroom."

"Well, since there are no windows there, I think it's safe to let you go," she sent him a wink.

Nick rolled his eyes at her comment. "Har, har."

.

.

Feeling slightly tired after his talk with Vivian, Nick left the bathroom and decided that it was high time for him to leave. Passing through the corridor, the fox noticed the white furred fox through the glass door to the balcony.

"Still shocked?" Nick stepped out into the chilly air. Silver, being an arctic vixen, didn't mind the temperature at all.

"Mr. Wilde…" she took a step to the side, a bit surprised by his appearance.

"Just 'Nick' will do," he told her with a smile before leaning on the railing. "Or 'brother' if you want to," the fox sent her a wink.

The girl blushed under her white fur. "I… we…" she hung her head, unable to articulate a proper answer. "Mr… Nick. Aren't we a bother?" the young vixen muttered to the floor. "You have saved us from that life, your mother allows us to stay at her home, she paid for all our clothes, the food and even bought us phones so that we could be in touch when she's at work…" she lifted her paws and squeezed her own arms. "How can we ever repay you? We're so much in your debt!"

Nick blinked after hearing her speech. *Ah… so that's it… I shouldn't be surprised. After all, they have lived under the heel of a handler for so long, he must've told them continuously that they owe everything to him and should be grateful. If I ever get my paws on that bastard!* He could feel his blood rushing in his veins, a sure sign of agitation. The fox shook his head to calm his thoughts that lately been increasingly getting away from him. He turned a concerned look towards Silver. Learning to live in a new environment wouldn't be easy for them, especially with the stigma of being former working girls. Though Nick and his mother never had any problems with it, as they understood what it means trying to earn a living when you're poor.

He reached out and placed his paw on the girl's shoulder. "There is no debt, Silver."

The white furred vixen raised her head to look at him with a gaze full of doubt.

"We didn't help you because we expected to be paid or gain favors. We chose to do this without any special reason behind it. My mother," he pointed at the inside of the apartment with a thumb, "is a very caring person and would help you even if she would have been poorer than you two, that's how she is. I can tell that she's truly happy to have you here and will keep her promise of supporting you regardless of your choice."

The fox slightly patted her shoulder with a smile before turning toward the city once again.

"One thing I can promise you on my own. If you ever get into trouble, you can always count on me to pull you out of it. I know what it's like to have meddling siblings, so don't think even for a second that you're going to scare me off," he blinked when it hit him what he just said to her. Without thinking he revealed a piece of his past. A brief flash of migraine reminded him of the consequences of blabbering too much. "Well…" he continued, forcing his voice to sound normally, "More like I had them. Past term."

Silver gave the red fox a shy side glance as he stared at the city before them.

"Um, Nick? You… had siblings?" she dared asking after his earlier words.

Nick glanced at her before turning his gaze straight ahead. "Yeah," this came out as a sigh. "Someone I thought of in those terms. Though that's in the past now. I don't think they'd be happy to see me now..."

Silver blinked, her fingers fidgeting on the railing of the balcony. "Um, may I ask who they are?" her curiosity stronger than shyness at this moment.

Nick stared at a car far away that was driving along one of the streets below. Normally he would never answer this question, but sessions with Miss Shavala and his talks with Judy taught him how to communicate more openly with mammals. "She is an arctic vixen, just like you," he began speaking with a distant voice. "Because of her fur I used to call her Snowflake. The other one…" there was a pause in his speech. "His name is Vasily," Nick could have sworn that the scar on his stomach ached. "A guy that I was close enough with to call him a brother."

"And… you don't have any contact with them?"

He shook his head. "Not for the past 16 years. We became separated and right now I don't know where they are or what are they doing. Though it would be great if I could see them again and talk." From a certain point of view it was the truth. *Would just need to convince them to not kill me on sight…* Still, the way he started seeing the world, thanks to a certain beautiful bunny, he'd really like to repair those relationships and make amends for the things he did back then.

But maybe there were certain things that were impossible…

"Anyway," he straightened up, deciding to brush those thoughts aside. "If you decide to actually become 'Wildes', you'd better be ready," the fox leaned slightly to the girl and waggled his eyebrows. "Because this family is rather wild, unpredictable at times, but above all we stick together. So if anyone would try to drag you two anywhere, well…" he took a step forward, his gaze hardening sightly. "Over my dead body and I can guarantee that my mother will tell you the same thing."

She blinked several times, a bit taken aback by his words.

Nick chuckled and turned to the door. "Enjoy your evening, Silver. Give my regards to Rose."

"Y-yes, I will. Thank you."

Nick waved his paw over his shoulder. Walking through the apartment, the fox found his mother in the living room. He intended to head out and think a bit in seclusion about his incoming talk with Judy, but first wanted to do one more thing. He approached her armchair from behind and leaned down, gently wrapping his arms around her neck.

"Nick?" she asked in a surprised voice.

"If I would squeeze my arms right now," he muttered with a quiet voice and closed eyes, "using my savage strength, I could easily crush your neck…" he left those words hanging in the air for a few seconds. Though highly unconventional and in a very roundabout way, he wanted to ask her thoughts on the issue of telling Judy the truth about the serum. "Aren't you afraid of that?"

Vivian looked back at her boy out of the corner of her eye and let out a sigh with a smiling expression. The vixen raised her paw and placed it on his forearm. "Of course not, silly," she replied with her soothing voice, only a loving mother could have. "You're my Nick, my son, and sometimes a major headache in my life. I don't need to say anything like 'I trust you'," she gave his arm a little squeeze. "I know that you would never hurt me."

Her warm words left the air silent for a long while. Long enough for Vivian to turn her head a bit to get a better look at her son. "Nicky?"

His arms wrapped a bit tighter and the fox pressed his cheek to her head.

"I love you, mother," he whispered.

At that moment Vivian felt her heart skip a beat and a surprised expression adorned her face. It lasted only a moment, before she smiled softly and nuzzled her own cheek into the fox's arm. Those were words that she hasn't heard from him for over two decades and even then, they were empty and emotionless.

But not now.

This time she could feel the genuine feelings behind them. Tears started forming in the corners of her eyes. Just hearing those four simple words filled her heart with more joy than she could express with words. There was only one way she could reply to this.

"I love you too, Nicky."

.

.

After leaving his mother's apartment, Nick headed to the place best suited for thinking. Already just by walking into the building of the library, Nick could feel his mind clearing and his thoughts lining up in a more organized fashion. That was one of the reasons he liked this place so much. If knowledge was a religion then this place would be its main temple.

The long rows of shelves, countless lines of volumes, the almost revered silence, all of this offered a spot of serenity in the middle of a bustling metropolis. Nick navigated between the sections in the main hall and to the stairs in the corner. Going up three floors, the fox made his way through a dimly lit corridor with several wooden doors on one side, towards the very end. There he fished out a key from his pocket and unlocked a door with a sign 'Staff only'. Behind them was another set of stairs, which lead to the attic of the building. Not many mammals knew of the existence of this place, which was just perfect for Nick.

Being an almost lifetime member and visitor of the library, the fox has made several contacts with the facility's management and negotiated renting out a small spot in the attic for a meager, but regular donation for the library. The additional benefit of this place was the fact that nobody knew about it, not even Finnick or any other of his acquaintances. True, he gave Judy his home address and that alone was a huge concession on his part. Finnick vaguely knew where his former partner was lodging and Nick only told Vivian about it, although only under the threat of impending death. He still could feel slight nervousness that another part of his life became vulnerable to the energetic bunny, but the majority of his mind found some strange comfort in this. Like he knew that she would never use this against him or abuse his trust.

Here, he secured himself a spot under one of the very few roof windows and surrounded it by plywood walls, thus creating a small room with just enough space to lie down on a mattress and read. Though he never kept books up here as the air was unfit to keep them in this place for too long. Nick always brought them down with him, not bothering to mark where he paused his reading.

He always remembered where he had left off.

Though right now he didn't come here to read. Dropping on the mattress, Nick rolled to his back. Letting out a sigh he reached with one paw to a small nearby box. His fingers rummaged through the items inside until eventually he took out three pinecones. The fox proceeded with throwing them in the air one after another and then catching them back with the second paw, before sending them right back into the air once again in a cascade. Since he was a kid, he used juggling to focus and practice his eye\paw coordination. A thought crossed his mind that he just might suggest his mother to pick up juggling too. It would be beneficial for her work, as her paws as a surgeon were worth a fortune, and also a great way to de-stress, even at the hospital.

The pinecones were swiftly flying through the air above his head when his phone rang, the tune informing him that it was a call from Honey. He switched his focus to one paw and now all three objects were kept in the air by that paw alone while he answered the phone.

"Tell me you got something," he demanded instantly.

"Yeah, it's nice to hear ya too," replied a female voice.

"Honey, I don't have time for pleasantries. Did you find anything or not?"

"Alright, alright! Sheesh, aren't you cheerful today. Still, for someone to manage to piss you off… What did he do, shave your tail?"

Nick's paw gripped the phone a bit tighter and it was enough for it to creak dangerously. "I will shave you naked if I don't hear an answer in three seconds," he snarled through his teeth.

Silence followed his words for a second before the female voice spoke again, this time deprived of any humour and much more obedient. "Nothing. The guy's clean."

"Nothing?"

"Zero. Zilch. Nada. There is absolutely nothing wrong with him. No shady connections, no hidden income, no suspicious friends or contacts. He had a girlfriend last year, but they broke up not too long after he graduated. Nothing wrong with his family either. No crazy cousins or mob relatives. He...is...clean," the female stated and despite the bitter taste of disappointment, Nick didn't argue. If she said that there was no dirt on him, then it meant the person in question had to be a saint. She had the tools to know what were a mammal's grades in primary school and what meals they had for breakfast in kindergarten. Still… *There has to be something!*

"How did they break up?" it was the only thing he could grasp on to.

"Give me a sec…" there was faint tapping sound. "She dumped him, is that important?"

Nick moved his other paw in a blur to correct the arc of one of the pinecones. "Could be. Get me everything about that relationship and that girl."

"Already got it," the badger's voice sounded very smug.

"Alright, let's hear it," he said, his eyes following the pinecones.

"Okay, though I'm still curious what's that guy ever done to you that you're so pissed at him."

Nick was about to snap back at her again, but he quickly realized that it wouldn't be his style. He was never an aggressive, impulsive mammal...though the past few days had shown quite a different mammal than he was used to acting like. Therefore, he settled for a sigh.

"Let's just say that he's not a one to be trusted around a friend of mine."

"Uh… that friend of yours a girl?" the female badger suddenly became cautious in her voice and this change made the fox furrow his brows.

"Why?"

"Because, your target is quite the ladies male, I must say. He had at least seven 'girlfriends' before the last one."

Nick sprung up to a sitting position, the pinecones now completely forgotten, but gravity never forgets its role and reminded him of that by hitting him on the head with each pinecone, one after another.

.

.

Judy spent several hours on various exercises, checking her phone from time to time for any updates from Nick. The only one she got so far told her that the first contact would be impossible to reach, because he was out of the city at the moment, so he was trying to reach out again to the second one, on the Outback island.

With no major breakthroughs with setting up the meetings and Nick sending a text that he'll be able to talk with Alyssa's mammals this evening, the doe decided to call it a day. She was on her way home, walking down one of the bustling streets when her phone rang. The doe took it out of her pocket to see who was calling her. As she saw the name, she smiled and swiped the green icon.

"Hello, Vivian."

"Hey, Judy! Sorry for the sudden question, but would you like to drink something warm together?"

The bunny shrugged. Being suspended, not having any other plans for the afternoon, with Will on a shift and Nick going off to deal with his 'personal matters'...again... "Sure, why not."

"Then come on in, my treat," said the amused voice of the vixen.

Judy blinked. "What?"

"Look to your left."

The doe did so and realized she was in front of a restaurant. Looking through the glass that separated the warm interior and the chilly street, Judy noticed Vivian sitting at one of the tables and waving at the bunny with a warm smile.

Judy replied with a wave of her paw and went inside.

Maneuvering between other, bigger mammals, the doe managed to reach the red furred vixen's table, where she awaited her with a wide smile.

"I'm glad that you picked up my call," she said while leaning down to hug the bunny, "it's always nice to have you around." Vivian send her a wink and indicated a free chair. "Please, join us."

"Us?" Judy asked when she was climbing to the offered seat. Upon getting there, her eyes shot wide open and all blood drained from her face, while her ears drooped instantly. She didn't notice before, due to other mammals blocking her view and because of the height of the table itself, but indeed, Vivian wasn't sitting alone.

The vixen pointed with her paw at the other mammal at the table. "Allow me to introduce: Mr Alexander Volkov, Nick's former employer."

An elderly wolf with a black eyepatch nodded in a form of greeting, cheerfully smiling as if nothing was wrong. But there were oh so many things wrong with this picture to Judy.

Mr Pink Plushie's mouth formed a smile. "Pleasure to meet you, Officer Hopps."

.

.

Nick rushed down the stairs and headed straight for the library's exit. The fox wanted to confirm his hunch when listening to Honey's information. If he was right, then the girl that was Will's last ex would be an important figure in the near future. Nick rushed to a nearby taxi and quickly gave the driver the address he got from Honey.

.

.

"I heard a lot about you, officer Hopps. Only good things, mind you," the one-eyed wolf said while sending a wink towards the vixen.

Vivian laughed at his words. "What else was I supposed to say when there is nothing bad to be said."

Judy's thoughts ran at blurring speeds, desperately trying to comprehend what was going on here. But among the sea of possibilities, one of them was shining dangerously...

He is trying to get to Nick through her.

She hadn't forgotten when this individual stated that he'd like to have Nick back in the organization. The idea sprouted another pawful of questions on its own. What is his relation to Vivian? How did he contact her? Does she know of Nick's involvement with an organization of assassins? The last one caused a cold sting in her chest.

Is Nick a former killer?

This question appeared in her mind when he first told her about it, but his explanation was so vague that she wasn't sure what to think of it. He claimed to be specialized in logistics, whatever that meant, but it didn't calm her mind one bit. However, back then she decided to let it go and wait for Nick to be ready to talk more about it, so she pushed those thoughts to the back of her head, though now they returned with double the intensity.

Her train of thought was interrupted when Vivian spoke to her. "I was just telling Mr. Volkov how you helped the girls in my care. They were overjoyed that they could close that chapter of their life. Thank you once again, Judy," she stated while adorning a warm smile.

"Hm?" the doe muttered, still gathering her thoughts. "Oh, that. No need for any thanks, I was merely doing my job," she waved off Vivian's words and refocused on the wolf, who was now sipping his tea with a perfectly calm expression.

"Soo," the doe began, still looking at the canine, "how do you know each other?" she directed this question at the vixen.

"Oh, we met years ago, when Mr. Volkov generously decided to hire Nicholas in his office, even though he was a fox and a minor. Those things were huge issues back then."

Mr. Volkov put down his cup of tea and his mouth formed a friendly smile when he addressed Nick's mother. "That was about 16 years ago and I still remember your pleasantly shocked expression when you heard about it, Mrs. Wilde," he added with a wink at the end.

She replied with a huff and a wave of her finger. "I insisted on you calling me Vivian."

But the wolf only raised his brows and broadened his smile. "And disrespect such an exquisite lady? What would that say about my manners? My father always told me: if you meet a graceful and beautiful female, be sure to show your respect. As there are many mediocre mammals out there and only a few divine beings, worthy of praise."

The vixen put a paw to her cheek and slightly turned her head away. "Oh dear… for you to say such things…" she mumbled nervously.

Judy's jaw almost dropped when she noticed the female's reaction. Did Vivian just get embarrassed?! Her mind had great trouble trying to grasp the scene before her eyes: the leader of an organization of assassins was flirting with her best friend's mother.

.

.

Nick stood in front of the inconspicuous building with the neon blue '10-7' sign on top. He was never a guest of this facility, though he had info about the place since the time it started operating. In certain circles, it was a quite famous place, but only for a selected clientele. To get in you either had to be a member of one of the emergency response groups like ZPD, ZFD and ZEMS or have a uniformed friend that would vouch for you. If not, a bulky black rhino by the name Petey would make sure that you stay outside and any dumb attempt of bribing him into letting someone in would be dealt with immediately.

Nick didn't have this problem as he was a police officer. Though he would have to go through the 'black wall' first.

Upon walking up to the entrance, he was stopped by a massive arm that blocked the access to the main door.

"What's your business here, fox?" the rhino demanded in a harsh voice, eyeing the vulpine in a Hawaiian shirt.

Nick showed him a smile and pointed at the entrance. "Why that would be going through that door. However, it seems that something is in the way," he gave the bouncer a wink while pointing at his big arm.

"Emergency crews only, pal."

The fox nodded. "That's me. Whenever I arrive, there's bound to be an emergency!" he quipped, but also saw the expression on the rhino's expression so he fished out abadge from the pocket of his pants. "Nick Wilde, ZPD."

Petey took the badge from his paw and held it closer to his eyes to examine it. Though Nick was required to leave his badge at the precinct for the time of his suspension, the fox liked to be prepared for all kind of situations and already had a dupe. Some policemammals carried dupes instead of the real things, to not risk losing them and paying high fines, not to mention mountains of paperwork. It was an old practice among police officers and getting less and less common, but was still practiced here and there. "Wilde, eh?" he muttered. "I swear, I have no idea how a fox got into the police force…"

Normally that would be a rather offensive remark, but Nick could tell a playful mood when he encountered one. That and a suggestion of a smile that appeared at the corners of the rhino's mouth.

Nick shrugged. "I lied about my species on the application form."

This caused the held back smile to finally appear on the huge mammal's face.

"And they took your word for it?" he gave the fox his badge back. "Morons!" he moved his arm, opening the way to the door and gave Nick a nod.

"Thanks, big guy!" the fox saluted with two fingers and walked into the bar.

The interior wasn't too much of a surprise for Nick, thanks to the information he already got on this place. While lacking skill in other areas, intel was the fox's forte. From small gossip to secrets that could bring down entire organizations, Nick traced every single bit of information he could and stored it indefinitely in his voluminous mind. And new he refreshed the mental file about 10-7 and its interior, patrons and staff.

Once you were inside, there was no doubt to whom this place was devoted to. Flags of different departments were hanging from the high ceiling, all gathered together as a symbol of cooperation between all uniformed brothers and sisters that served the mammals of Zootopia. Being a mix between a pub and a modern kind of bar, the place gave off a cozy feeling, even with the dark painted walls. And there were a lot of decorations on them too. Tons of pictures in all shapes and sizes covered every possible vertical surface. They were showing various portraits and scenes from life of the emergency crews gathering in this bar.

All of this combined created a safe haven for mammals that spent most of their lives protecting someone else's. Add to that strobe lights and bar lights that were giving a dim, red and blue lighting to the place and you'll get the safest possible location to be at. Mugging? Not with the amount of police present. Fire? The only flame around this place would be between couples that wore varying or even the same type of uniforms. Interestingly, most of them would be firefighters. Passing out? No problem with the number of medics around.

Nick sauntered over to the nearest free table and climbed on the sofa-like seat beside it. Before he was even able to think about looking around for a member of the staff, a brown bunny swiftly hopped on his table.

"Hey there, handsome! Haven't seen you here before. Want to order something?" she chirped, beaming with a smile.

The fox gave her a quick once-over and it caused him to think of Judy. The doe before him certainly fell in the 'beautiful' category, along with his partner. The girl on the table had dark brown fur that looked a bit thicker than Judy's. Her ears had similar, black colored tips and her body as a whole was slim and certainly appetizing for any buck that would come around. Her form was similar to Judy's, yet she didn't have the muscle the uniformed doe gained through her hard work and exercises. The most noticeable difference was that this doe was more… curved here and there, an obvious sign that Mother Nature was very generous with her. The blue shirt with the bar's name in front was doing a heroic job in keeping the girl's chest covered. Though judging by her smirk, she most likely wouldn't mind if some fur would be more visible. Complete with a pair of low cut khaki shorts, she was a doe that bucks would line up to.

"Maybe. I heard that there is some good stuff here," he said while resting his muzzle on a paw and looking at the bunny with his half-lidded gaze.

"You bet! We have the best drinks in all of Zootopia!" she chuckled, looking back at him with her deep blue eyes.

"Yes, I'm sure that the drinks are fine too," Nick sent her a wink.

Hearing this, the doe's ears twitched and a second later she burst with laughter. "Sorry, I might be too sweet for ya!" she winked back.

"Aww! You brake this poor fox's heart!" he put a paw to his chest.

"That's because I'm nice only to my favorite guests!"

"And what guests would that be?" he asked her with a wide grin, only to see her stick out a tongue at him in a playful manner.

"For now, the list doesn't contain… any… foxes…" her voice trailed off when she stared at Nick's face. "Oh my gosh!" she suddenly squealed happily. "You're Nick Wilde! Judy's partner, aren't you?!"

If someone else said this he might have felt annoyed at such words, but the bubbly doe was clearly free of any offensive thoughts.

"Yeaah, I was told that she needs a sidekick that would make her shine more," he replied to her enthusiastic reaction.

The brown bunny pumped her fist in the air. "I knew it! I saw you together in a picture!" she pointed to one of the walls where a small, framed picture showed Judy and Nick together at the graduation ceremony. Just above the picture Nick spotted a plaque with a sign that said 'Officers Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde, Missing Mammals'.

"The Night Howlers case, eh?" he muttered to himself at the sight of the plaque.

"Whoa, you sure got some sharp eyes to read it from here!" she noted with surprise. Indeed, the sign was a good few meters away from them and the light was rather dim in this place. Nick wasn't used to his sharpened sight yet so sometimes he just observed things without thinking.

"A diet rich in carrots does wonders to one's eyesight," he chuckled in an attempt to steer the conversation into a lighter track.

The brown doe laughed again. "You sure you're a fox?" she eyed him carefully.

He snapped his fingers in a dramatic way. "Dammit! So my mother didn't lie when she said that I'm adopted!" he quipped, drawing another laugh from the bunny.

She offered her paw with a smile. "I'm Trisha, by the way."

He shook it gently. "Nick Wilde, or you already knew that?"

Trisha stuck out her little tongue. "How would I not now the red addition to my favorite bunny."

At this Nick's eyes widened a little. "Wait, 'favorite bunny'? You a fan or something?"

She sent him a wink. "Just a doe that knows anything that is to know about a certain grey beauty in a uniform."

Hearing this, Nick gave off a weak nod. "My bad, I believe the word is 'stalker'."

Trisha shook her head with a laugh. "I prefer 'admirer'," she placed her paws on her hips. "So, are we chatting about Judy or you're actually ordering something? Not that I mind the topic, but I have other clients too."

"Yeah, sorry. If you could recommend something alcohol-free, I'd be very grateful."

This made the doe raise a brow. "No alcohol? Come one, this is 10-7, not even your boss would mind if you get a little drunk here!"

"Add a smile to that argument and I bet that you were the beginning of several drinking problems!" he chuckled at her suggestion.

"Have not!" she huffed at him playfully.

"Okay, okay, I was just joking. And I just don't like alcohol, ok? So I'd really prefer something without it. Pretty please, with a cherry on top?"

Trisha folded her arms and gave him a disbelieving look. "A police officer who doesn't like alcohol? You sure are a rare breed!"

"I like to think of myself as unique," he grinned at her. "The best kind there is!"

"Bah!" she waved a paw dismissively and jumped down to the floor. "I'll be the one to decide if good enough for my Judy!" she warned him over her shoulder. "Now be a good boy and wait for your drink!" the doe ordered and hopped away.

Nick couldn't stop a quiet snort. *To be called a 'boy' by a girl that's possibly ten years younger than me, that's rich.*

.

.

Judy forced a smile on her face and did her best to look relaxed.

"So, Mr Volkov. What exactly do you do for a living?" the doe asked innocently.

"I am a lawyer. Nothing as exciting as your profession, I imagine," he answered her with a smile and Judy had to stop herself from gritting her teeth.

"That's true. I couldn't see myself shuffling papers and making speeches in a courtroom," she said, still smiling.

At this point, Vivian chuckled. "Nick would probably make a great lawyer."

The wolf took another sip of his tea. "Oh yes! His wit and knowledge would make an excellent addition to our team now," right then, when Vivian momentarily closed her eyes and let out another chuckle, Mr Volkov sent a wink towards Judy.

Seeing this, the doe clenched her fists under the table.

The vixen took a sip of her own tea and put down her cup.

"Please excuse me, but I shall head for the restroom for a moment," she sent a stern look at the wolf. "And don't you corrupt Judy with your sweet talk while I'm away!" the vixen warned him playfully.

Mr. Volkov nodded with a compliant smile. "I shall do my best not to."

Vivian left their table and headed off to the restrooms. When Judy was certain that she couldn't see, or hear them, she slammed her paws on the table.

"Why are you dragging her into this?!" she demanded.

He didn't even bat an eye at her reaction. "Whatever do you mean, Miss Hopps?"

"Don't play dumb. You're trying to get Nick to work for you again!"

The wolf shrugged. "He knows of my offer and hasn't given me an answer yet."

"So what, you're going to blackmail him using Vivian?" the bunny sneered at him, secretly happy for this answer.

At this point, the wolf let out a short laugh. "Blackmail? Nicholas? Young lady, had you known him as well as I do, you'd be aware that he's not a type to be blackmailed. It never works with him," he shook his head.

"Oh really?" a smug smirk crossed her face when she recalled the missing mammal case. "So how come I have managed to do it?"

And she cheered internally when she saw the canine's smile fading. "You did what?" he asked with a shocked voice, disbelief clearly visible on his face.

Judy folded her paws. "It's called a hustle."

Mr Volkov's expression slowly shifted back into a neutral one. "I must say that I'm doubly surprised. To hear such an unfathomable thing about Nicholas. He really got rusty," the wolf shook his head. "Or for some reason allowed you to do that. But equally surprising is the fact that officer Judy Hopps would stoop down to a crime," he eyed the bunny.

His paw moved to the phone on the table and he tapped the screen a few times. Suddenly, the device spoke with the wolf's voice.

...not a type to be blackmailed...

Another tap.

...I have managed to do it...

That was her.

Judy's ears drooped behind her head and her mouth hung slightly open.

"Do not be so surprised, young lady. Just a little insurance, since it has been brought to my attention that someone is digging up cases beyond their... jurisdiction."

Judy clenched her teeth. "Justice has no jurisdiction," she growled at him. Angry that he managed to record their conversation and also because she didn't her carrot pen on her today. Besides, there was an issue how he got information about her going through old cases. "Also, keep in mind that you're not the only one with insurance."

The doe was observing him very carefully, but didn't notice any sign of a reaction to her statement. He either didn't care or his self control was beyond what Judy has expected.

The wolf simply tapped the screen again and placed the phone in front of him.

"Are you familiar with the myth of Icarus?"

This caught her off guard. Judy had no idea how to react to this surprising question. After short moment of hesitation, she decided to go with a straight answer. "The rabbit that tried to fly and made himself a pair of wings? What does it have to do with this talk?"

"He had failed, falling from the sky, because he tried to fly too close to the scorching sun. A word for the wise Miss Hopps, do not try to follow into his pawsteps."

There it was, a warning. Wrapped in some rubbish talk about old myths, but clearly telling her to stay away.

„Are you threatening me?" she glared at him with narrowed eyes.

He let out a short, low laugh. "Goodness gracious, whatever brought you to that conclusion?" the wolf smiled at her in a way she couldn't read through. "I am merely giving you good advice," he sipped his tea and suddenly cast her glare that pierced right through her, making her flinch involuntarily "I am sure that Nicholas would be saddened if he would have to find a new partner."

Now that was a classic threat, no pulling punches, no fancy talk, just a spine chilling glare and an indication of Judy losing her life. Yet, it was phrased in such manner that even if she did record this, then it still wouldn't be enough for a proof.

"As if I'd believe that!" she hissed.

Mr. Volkov alias Mr. Pink Plushie let out a sigh. "Miss Hopps, why do you insist on believing that I have some hidden goal in this? That there is some secret agenda here?"

"Sure," Judy replied sarcastically. "And you've met with Vivian just to chat and drink tea?"

A smile returned to his face. "Precisely."

She didn't believe one word of it. The head of an organization of professional killers is meeting with a mother of one of their former members? Coincidence? No chance in hell! This mammal has to be planning something!

"I'm not going to just sit by and watch you ensnare her with your lies!" this time the words came out as a snarl.

The wolf raised a brow at her reaction. "You are far more cruel and unsympathetic that I would have expect, Miss Hopps," while his words were harsh, his voice didn't stray even a bit from the calm one he used throughout this meeting.

Judy barely could believe what she just heard. "Are you kidding me?! Like you have the right to say that to me or anyone else as a matter of fact!"

Alexander Volkov took another small sip of his tea. "Says a bunny that throws an accusation in my face that I am not allowed to have feelings," he put the cup down and folded his paws, resting both elbows on the table. While his voice was still the same, his gaze now gained a slightly pained depth to it. "Despite whatever dark image you have of me, I too have a heart."

Judy was silent, taken aback by his words. He spoke them with great conviction and seriousness, especially the last sentence. She didn't sense any dishonesty from him, though she had to consider the fact that being the head of the organization, he had to be very cunning. Still, he managed to plant a seed of doubt in her mind. The doe originally considered him and the rest of mammals under his command merciless murderers, but what if there was more to that? Surely, no one is born evil or a killer. Their experiences and life makes them into ones, twisting them inside.

She stared at the greyish furred wolf.

Would it be possible for someone like that to keep genuine feelings?

"I apologize for the wait!" Vivian's cheerful voice broke through the rigid air and dispersed the tension. The vixen hopped on her chair and smiled to both of them. "So," she turned her stare to the wolf. "I hope that you were civilized and didn't dirty Judy's mind with anything!"

"As per your orders, I have been very respectful," he assured her and Judy noticed that his features relaxed when addressing the vixen a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth

Then Vivian turned to the doe. "Is he telling the truth, Judy? He didn't try to charm you or anything?" she asked with a smirk on her face.

"What? No!" Judy blurted out hurriedly.

The canine in question politely raised his paw to indicate that he would like to speak.

"Yes?" Vivian raised a brow.

"If I may, I have no intention of charming any lady here or anywhere else. I have my eyes only for you," he stated boldly while looking directly into the vixen's eyes.

Judy had to clench her teeth to not allow her jaw to drop down and hit the table.

Once again, Vivian broke the eye contact with him and, even though it wasn't visible, the doe was certain that she was blushing under the red fur.

Sweet cheese and crackers… You've got to be kidding me…

One thing was immediately obvious for Judy. If Nicks learns of this, he's not going to like it.

.

.

"Here you go!" Trisha announced with a happy smile, placing the tray on Nick's table.

The fox eyed the drink with surprise.

"Are those… blueberries?"

"Yep! It's called Blueberry Moscow Mule Mocktail and per your request it's an alcohol-free drink. Happy?"

"You bet!" the fox smiled. "I just love blueberries!" he took one of the fruits in his fingers and threw it in his mouth.

"Oh?" she raised an amused brow. "Aren't you a loving guy?"

"Yep," he showed a smirk. "I'm full of love," which was actually true.

Trisha laughed. "Like for everyone?"

"Mhm," he stated while munching on another blueberry.

"Judy too?" she asked with a mischievous smirk.

Once more, it was his silver tongue that got him out of trouble. While his mind was frozen in shock, his mouth gave an answer. "Sure I do! She's like a younger sister to me."

It was a believable lie, but judging from the brown doe's playful stare, he wasn't out in the clear yet.

"Hmm? 'Sister'? That's all?" she inquired, hopping on the table. She then got on all fours and started slowly approaching Nick like that. An inquisitive bunny, stalking a trapped fox. "You sure about that?"

"One hundred percent, Date."

Her eyes widened a bit and she snorted. "Date?"

"Why not?" his body shrugged and showed her a grin, while his brain tried to get its bearings. "You're brown, sweet… it fits perfectly."

Trisha eyed him for moment silently before bursting with laughter. She sat back and wiped few happy tears. "Fine! Have it your way!"

When she calmed down a bit, the doe returned her stare to him. "Soo… Just a sister, eh?"

Nick finally calmed down enough to take over the talking. "A one that I never had a chance to have," he stated, deciding to play an emotional card. He was set on quelling the doe's suspicions and if he had to resolve to use such a method, so be it.

The playfulness drained from Trisha's eyes, now replaced with a glint of pity. "No sisters? Well, what about brothers?"

Nick shook his head. "None," he stared into his drink. "It's always been just me and my mom," he muttered.

The doe's usually standing ears now drooped behind her head. Nick was aware how rabbits were attached to their big families, so he counted on the resonance between his statement and the doe's feelings for her family members. And he got it, but definitely not in the way he expected.

Trisha kneeled on the table right in front of him and took his head in her paws.

"Wha-" he began, but his voice got trapped in his throat when the brown doe pulled him towards her and placed his head on her chest. Nick experienced a feeling of warm softness and that warmth started spreading throughout his body. *Wha-wha-wha-WHAT?!* he screamed internally, his eyes wide in surprise.

She hugged him like this for a good couple of seconds before the panicked fox broke loose and leaned back on his seat to distance himself from this crazy bunny.

"What was that?!" he asked quickly with a slightly strained voice and his ears low.

"It's a hug!" Trisha chuckled at his reaction. "And not just a normal one. It's a magic hug that clears away all bad thoughts!" she grinned at him.

"How is that suppo-"

"You don't look sad anymore," she cut in with a smile.

He blinked. "Huh?"

Trisha tapped his nose with a finger. "You're more relaxed than a minute ago. Told you that the magic hug works!" she chuckled.

Nick automatically rubbed his nose. "Well, that's true… but some heads up would be welcomed…" a small smile tugged at the corner of his lips.

This caused the doe to laugh. "No way! It's a surprise hug!" she stuck out her tongue.

The fox actually let out a small laugh, surprised how quickly he relaxed from the tension he felt from the idea that she would figure out his feelings for Judy. This girl was a natural, bubbly container of joy and kindness.

"Okay, I get it. I'll just have to limit my visits to not fall a victim of too many surprises."

Her ears sprung up to that. "Oh no you don't!" Trisha pointed a finger at him. "I'm tasking you with bringing my Judy here! I just have to meet her!"

Nick let out an amused snort and then shook his head. "What? You have never actually seen her in person?"

The doe's gaze fell down a little. "Not my fault that she's always missing my shifts…" she mumbled, but recovered quickly. "However! Since you are here, you can bring her with you next time!" Trisha announced, proud of her plan.

Nick rested his muzzle on a paw. "Really? What's in it for me? Free drinks?" a smirk appeared on his face.

She replied with a smirk of her own. The doe stood up and placed a paw on her hip, jutting it a bit to the side. "I'll consider adding you to the list of my favorite customers," she sent him a playful wink.

"Oh? If that's the case, I'll think about your offer," he replied with a smile. Then he noticed movement with the corner of his eye. The movement he was waiting for.

A rabbit in a bar maid's uniform was delivering drinks to a table nearby. Nick instantly recognized the black and white pattern of her fur. He saw it in the files sent by Honey, the ones on Twicks' exes.

Samantha Thumpers. William's last girlfriend.

He found her.

At that moment, the bartender called for Trisha and the doe raised her paw to show that she heard him. "Okay, gotta go!" she hopped off the table. "And you better bring Judy here with you, got it?"

Nick replied with a lazy salute. "Yes, madam general!" he quipped, drawing one more chuckle from the brown bunny.

"Nick?" she walked a few steps, but stopped to call him.

"Yes, Date?"

"If you ever feel sad again," she spread her arms and puffed her chest a bit. "You know where to find me!" with one last laugh at the sight of the fox's dumbfounded face, Trisha turned away.

"Date!" he called after her and the doe looked over her shoulder.

Nick raised the metal mug she gave him.

"A copper mug, really?" he asked with a smirk.

The brown doe stuck out her tongue and hopped away.

.

.

Judy was at a loss. She tried to come up with something, anything, that she could say in this situation. It was difficult when she considered that Vivian thought the wolf a lawyer and referred to him as Alexander Volkov, not Mr Pink Plushie. That alone suggested that she didn't know about the canine's real profession, which meant that she was most likely oblivious to Nick's past in that matter. The doe was next to certain that such news could break the vixen's heart. She had to play her cards carefully.

"Mr. Volkov," she addressed the wolf once more. "I was wondering, how did you and Nick meet in the first place?" the doe did her best to sound casual and relaxed.

His reaction was a warm smile and a glint of something that she couldn't exactly decipher, but suspected it to be nostalgia. "Oh, that was nothing less than the work of fate! We have met through a complete accident and immediately hit it off! I must say that I was pleasantly surprised by his wit and also knowledge about literature. To be able to quote so many classics and at such a young age, truly marvellous!" he stated with a wide smile, his voice vibrating with content.

Vivia sighed into her tea. "Well, at least his bloody memory was useful for something…"

"But of course," the wolf nodded in agreement. "I only regret that our cooperation didn't last longer."

Judy's ears twitched slightly. "Longer?" she asked, genuinely curious. Nick mentioned quitting the organization after a year.

Mr. Volkov set his cup on the plate. "Sadly, we worked together only for a year. After that time, our office had to be moved and we had to end our employment of Nicholas," this time he let out a sigh. "Such a shame… the boy had a real talent."

A chilly feeling grasped Judy's gut in a vice like grip.

Talent?

Did the wolf meant what she thought he meant? Nick? Talent for being an assassin? She tried to imagine her fox friend as a stone cold killer, but it was hard to accomplish. At least until she recalled the moment at the bank, when she had shivered under his stare. There was no other word to describe his gaze back then, than murderous.

It was all still a mystery for her. She had no idea why Nick agreed to work for this wolf or what he exactly did for the organization. 'Logistics' was the only word she ever got from him regarding this topic. If she would press him on this matter, maybe he would eventually tell her more… or faint like the last time. Her nose twitched when that memory reminded her of their planned meeting in two days. He promised to tell her "the truth" about him, without holding anything back. Would that include his past regarding the organization?

And if he would tell her that he killed in the past… What could she say to that? What would she think? Murder was one of the greatest crimes and Judy believed all her life that every crime should be punished.

Her heart sunk.

Then… What if Nick really was a...

"Talent?" Vivian said out loud, disrupting Judy's thoughts.

A slight curve appeared at the edges of Mr. Volkov's mouth. "Very organized, always punctual, his work was always perfectly planned and executed."

At this point Vivian snorted with amusement as she rested her muzzle on the back of her paw. "Are you really talking about my son? That description is miles away from the fox I know and believe me, I've known him longer than you."

Judy couldn't help but notice how his expression brightened a bit when he addressed the vixen.

"But of course," like always when he turned to her during this conversation, his lips formed a smile. "After all, a mother knows her son best, does she not? Though I must admit that I feel a little jealous," his gaze shifted to his drink." I myself never had the chance to experience parenthood, even if I consider some of my younger employees as close to me as children," he took another sip and shot the vixen a glance over the edge of his cup. "Nicholas included."

Vivian was clearly surprised to hear such a statement, but the initial surprise was swiftly replaced by a warm, relaxed expression. Judy could see a hint of gratitude in her eyes and she could only imagine what kind of feelings were going through the vixen's heart right now. To hear words like these, in regard of a male from different species, who never had the chance to know what it's like to have a father…

The vixen reached over the table and placed her paw on top his larger one. "Thank you for saying such a kind thing…"

Seeing this scene, the bunny grit her teeth, itching to warn Vivian, to tell her the truth about this male. It shocked her that even after living with Nick for so long, she was unable to see through Pink Plushie's game!

What if it's not a game? A thought appeared in the deepest corner of her mind.

She had to hold back a bewildered gasp at this idea. It was so bizarre to even consider that this wolf could be really courting Nick's mother. He is a killer! Not to mention that he was far older than her, such a pairing would never work!

Wait… what has age got to do with this?

Judy blinked, her mind going back a bit with its thinking process. This resulted in her eyes growing wider. For a moment, she actually considered arguments about their future as a couple! She had to remind herself that there was no pairing or a couple. Just an elderly wolf staring into Vivian's eyes… with… a content… smile…

Damn…

She cleared her throat to get attention of the two mammals that for a brief moment seemed to forget about her existence. The more feisty part of her even considered throwing something at the grey canine to test out that theory. Though when the wolf's yellow eye turned to her, Judy seriously thought that he would probably dodge the projectile nonetheless.

"Yes, Miss Hopps?"

"Sorry, I was just wondering if you had ever reached out to Nick after the end of your… cooperation?" she posed an innocently sounding question, actually hoping to learn something useful about this male or Nick.

"Sadly, no. I didn't get the chance," he replied. "After I got back from overseas after several years, I couldn't find either Nicholas or-" he turned to the vixen.

"Vivian," she said with a firm voice.

His features shifted from serious to an amused expression. "I must insist, Mrs-"

She leaned forward, a playful smirk dancing on her lips. "Viiivian," the female repeated, purposefully drawing out her own name.

The scarred one-eyed wolf, head of the organization of assassins actually leaned slightly back from a female half his size.

"You're not making this any easier for me," he said, trying to look stoic, but he was betrayed by the corners of his mouth tugging upwards. He even raised his paw between them in a defensive gesture.

"Come on," she simply reached out and put her paw on his wrist, slowly forcing his arm down, not breaking eye contact with him. "Let me hear it!"

He resisted for several seconds longer, before his shoulders slumped a bit, demonstrating his defeat. "Alright, you win. But only if I get you to call me by my first name as well."

The vixen's reaction was a growing smile. She straightened up and extended her paw.

"You got yourself a deal, Alexander."

He replied with an equally wide smile. The wolf took her smaller paw in his fingers and with great care placed a soft kiss on top of it. "The pleasure is all mine, Vivian."

The vixen let out a small chuckle at his act.

Meanwhile, Judy felt like a textbook third wheel. Here she was, sitting next to two flirting mammals - a vixen and a wolf… It suddenly hit her that only now she realized that they were of different species. What's more, they either didn't pay attention to that themselves or simply didn't care. She even cast quick glances around the restaurant and saw that few clients noticed the behavior of the two and some faces twisted in distasteful grimaces.

Right then, from the depths of her heart rose a new feeling. Judy was uncertain what it was at first, but as seconds passed it crystallized to a recognizable form - she felt a twinge of jealousy. Two adults, seemingly happy with each others presence, oblivious to the unfriendly world around them.

Why was this picture affecting her so much? She didn't even relate to thi-

Her thoughts froze in that instant.

Why… Why? Why did I think of Nick?!

Her paw clenched into a fist as she tried to calm down. She had no idea what was happening to her mind. Her feelings lay with William, even if they weren't fully committed yet. Therefore, why on Earth her mind showed her an image of Nick? She knew that there was some sort of strange attraction to him, but decided to quell it. Even in this situation, this brought up the thought of her boyfriend's proposition to move in together. It was a difficult decision and shouldn't be rushed, but on the other paw...

At that point, Mr. Pink Plushie's phone rang on the table. The wolf let out a disappointed sigh and broke his eye contact with Vivian to pick it up. He unlocked the screen and tapped the green icon.

"Da?" he answered in Russian and there was a short pause. "Ya ponimayu." Another pause, during which his eye narrowed a bit. "Bolshoye spasibo, Vasily," the wolf ended the call and returned his gaze to the vixen. "I am terribly sorry, but apparently I have an urgent business matter to attend to. Sometimes our clients can be very impatient. He stood up with an elegant fluidity while putting the phone back into the inner pocket of his jacket, his other paw picking up the walking cane. Alexander Volkov approached Vivian while raising his paw to stop her from standing up from her seat. "Please, enjoy your time with Miss Hopps. I myself am very happy that we had the chance to meet after all these years." He leaned slightly forward to once more pick up her paw with his larger fingers. "If you permit this old fool, I would like for us to meet again." He laid a tender kiss on top of her paw.

She replied with a broad smile. "I'm willing to accept that offer, but," Vivian tilted her head a bit. "Why a fool?"

His smile matched hers. "Because I should have asked 16 years ago," with these words he used the paw holding the cane to put on his fedora. Giving her one last glance, the wolf gently brushed the fur on her paw with a thumb. "Enjoy the rest of your evening, Vivian," he said. "Miss Hopps," he nodded at the bunny and headed towards the door.

Vivian followed him with her gaze until he left the restaurant and Judy did the same.

In all this confusion, the doe was suddenly struck by a completely random thought. "Did he just leave without paying?" she mumbled it out loud.

The vixen blinked and turned her gaze to the table and Volkov's seat. Right on the table, next to the wolf's cup, lay a 100 dollar bill and this sight caused her to smile again. "I wouldn't be so sure of that!" she chuckled.

.

.

Outside, a black sedan pulled over to the curb in front of the restaurant and the passengers' door opened in front of the grey canine. Alexander Volkov got in swiftly and closed the door.

"How did it go, boss?" asked a male voice from the driver's seat.

Volkov showed a smirk, placing both paws on the engraved handle of his cane. "Splendid, just splendid! Even better than I hoped."

"I guess you know what you are doing."

"Just drive, will you?" Mr Pink Plushie said with a hint of irritation. At the same he pulled out his phone and opened the photo gallery. He chose a picture that showed Vivian smiling at the restaurant table. The wolf took it when she was talking to the bunny. "This time I'm not letting you go…" he whispered to himself.

The male rabbit behind the wheel just shrugged as they drove off.

---

AN: Just to be sure, TRISHA BELONGS TO Bluelighthouse! Make sure to read his fantastic stories!