Hello everyone,
It's been... a very long time. To quote one of my favorite witches in literature: "I ate'nt dead."
I apologize to all who were waiting for the next chapter of this story. My life had a series of twists and turns, which made it difficult to find the right motivation for writing. Not going to lie, editing also took an enormous amount of time. I can't even count how many times I have corrected the chapter or made complete rewrites of entire scenes. It was always never enough. Never good enough. In some ways, I think it's still not. But that's the life of a writer. Besides, if I ever start acting like an arrogant jerk who thinks he's a great writer, please knock me off that high horse. Preferably, with a sledgehammer.
Since my life is much more stable and comfortable now, I will do my best to NOT make such long breaks between chapters. And I will try to be more frequent in updating my other stories.
Moving on to this chapter, I have shamelessly copied one of my favorite movie scenes into it. What can I say, I just love it. XD
I also have a sizable chunk of the next chapter written, so I hope to release it much earlier than it took me to publish this one...
Once again, I am forever grateful for your patience, encouragement, criticism, and presence. Thank you.
I hope you will enjoy the story as it continues.
Chapter 52
Even though the events of the day were exhausting, Judy wanted to get this out of the way as soon as possible. A forensic examination was a standard procedure that all victims of this type of assault went through. She knew it had to be done, but the doe felt the anxiety building up quickly. Which is why she was immensely grateful to Vivian for accompanying her to the hospital. The vixen was actually prepared for the situation, as she gathered Judy's clothes from the time of the event and put them in a paper bag. She also checked which hospital would have a bunny nurse trained in this field. The doe promised herself that she will find a way to repay Vivian for her kindness and help.
The nurse was very considerate of her and Judy could tell that she was doing her best to help her go through it. The physical examination went smoothly and they have moved to the history of events. Though, when questions went into a more intimate area, the doe felt nauseated by the very thought what could have happened to her. Thankfully, Vivian was right beside her and placed a paw on Judy's shoulder. Again, it was a small gesture, but it meant the world to the doe.
After two hours the examination was completed and the two females headed to Vivian's home.
"Judy," the vixen cast a brief glance at the bunny in the passenger's seat. "Can I ask you a difficult question?"
Judy turned her head from the window. "That… doesn't sound encouraging." She watched Vivian's face with caution.
"Don't you think that you should let your parents know?"
Judy went pale under her fur. Her mind conjured an image of how they would react to such news. The bunny squeezed her fingers. "I don't know if I'm ready to tell them…"
Vivian looked at her with worry. "I know it's difficult, but it will probably not get any easier later on. Just speaking from experience. There were cases like yours in my hospital, and while I didn't examine those girls personally, I've heard enough from the nurses to learn how important and relieving family support can be."
Judy only listened and stared at her paws.
Vivian stopped at a red light. She used this moment to reach out and gently place her paw on the doe's shoulder. "Look, I can do my best to help you with anything you might need. But I am not your parents and could never replace them, nobody can."
Judy gazed at the concerned expression on the vixen's face. She then looked away a bit, only to bite her lip and nod slowly.
.
.
Nick caught barely any sleep that night. His mind was filled with the recent events and he also kept thinking what will await him at the precinct. Part of his worries was alleviated by the fact that Jackie volunteered to keep an eye on William during the night. He made a mental note to return this favor one day. In their current situation, he wasn't sure who could be trusted at the precinct. Jackie was one of the few mammals he deemed were off the suspect list. He already asked Honey for a full check of the Precinct One's employees. Unfortunately, there wasn't any damning evidence against anyone, so it was still a guessing game.
Deciding that there's no point in trying to sleep, the fox dressed up and hurried to the precinct way before dawn. The fox beelined towards the building from the moment he left home, barely remembering to obey the traffic laws. To speed up things, he used several back alleys to shorten the arrival he almost ran to the holding cells. Once there, Nick let out a sigh of relief, seeing Jackie sitting in the guard room, observing the monitors.
She heard his arrival and turned her head. "Hey," she said with a weak smile. Her eyes betrayed the exhaustion.
"Hey," Nick replied, walking into the room. "How was the night?"
"Quiet."
The fox shot a glance at the screens. "And t-"
"Alive and kicking." Jackie didn't even try to stop an enormous yawn. She slumped on the chair, rubbing her eyes. "If you're here, can I go? Got a lot of catching up with my bed."
"Go ahead," he petted the deflated cheetah on her shoulder. "I'll stay here. Just remember to catch a Zoober, will you?"
Jackie groaned, "I'm fine. I can walk home even with my eyes closed." She hauled herself up.
The fox rolled his eyes at her reaction. He let her past him, as she ambled towards the door. When she was almost out of the room, Nick whistled.
Jackie turned her head and saw him twirling a set of keys on his finger. The cheetah's eyes widened. She patted her pockets only to find the lack of said item.
"Take. A. Zoober," Nick said, closing his fingers on the keys to her apartment.
Jackie let out an exhausted growl. "Ugh, fine! You frigging thief." She extended an open palm and the vulpine threw her the keys.
"Sweet dreams, Spots."
With the matter of a sleep deprived feline solved, Nick focused his attention on the monitors. Mostly on one of them.
.
.
Judy sprung up with a gasp.
Her shaking paws went up to feel her stomach and chest. She calmed down a little after feeling fabric over her body. It took another minute to ease her breathing, though. The doe usually didn't have nightmares. It was something that happened to others.
Judy looked around to find a distraction. She only needed to look as far as the nightstand, as there was a piece of paper with her name on it. Judy unfolded it to read a short message. A tiny smile visited her face for a moment. She took her phone and typed a brief message.
Several minutes later, the fully dressed doe opened the door and entered Vivian's living room. The vixen brightened at the sight of the bunny coming out of the bedroom.
"Good morning!"
Judy couldn't help it, but to smile, even if it was a little bleak. "Morning."
Sylvia and Rose were also already up and about. Together with Vivian, they were bustling around the table to prepare breakfast.
The vixen doctor approached the bunny, wiping her paws in a piece of cloth. "How are you feeling today?"
Judy's mouth was already preparing to reply with 'I'm fine', but the words got stuck in her throat. The way Vivian was looking at her, with that pure kindness and concern…
"I…" the doe hesitated for a moment. "Didn't sleep well."
The vixen nodded solemnly. "That's understandable. Would you like to talk about it?"
The doe considered it for a brief moment. The first impulse was to reject the offer. She just had the worst night in years and definitely didn't feel like revisiting th-
Realization hit her out of nowhere.
How many times did Nick struggle like this when she questioned him? Her experience was just a day ago, but Vivian did mention how fresh everything is in his memory. The mere thought of feeling every day like it happened yesterday, even after weeks, months or years…
Judy bit her lip while her ears deflated. "Maybe not…"
"Of course." No remarks, no lectures, no investigation. Only a nod. "Then, how about some tea, food, and…", she leaned towards the bunny, lowering her voice, "...no questions asked?"
Once again, Judy couldn't fully express her gratitude to Vivian. Part of her started feeling a little guilty from just how much support she has received from the female.
"Yes, thank you."
.
.
Shortly after Nick sent Jackie home, Bogo arrived at the precinct. His usual grumpy demeanor was replaced with sharp air around him. One could easily tell that he has been extremely focused. To his credit, after hearing that one of his officers got assaulted by one of her fellow policemammals he didn't explode. Instead, he immediately summoned Nick to his office and demanded a detailed report from the fox. Nick presented his version of events, omitting all the truth, except for what William actually did.
Bogo listened to the entire story without any interruptions. After the fox finished, he leaned back in his chair. "In your own words, 'William Twicks confessed to assaulting Judy Hopps' and that's why you arrested him?" The huge mammal posed a question laced with doubt.
"Yes, sir." Came a straight response.
Bogo took off his glasses and eyed the fox for a moment. "Care to explain his injuries?"
Nick was quick to answer. "He fell off some stairs while resisting arrest."
The buffalo raised a brow. "Is that so? And why was he singed?"
The fox didn't even bat an eye. "The staircase was on fire."
They were locked in a staring match for a while and none said another word.
Eventually, chief Bogo let out a huff, putting the glasses back on. "It's unfortunate, but I guess those accidents happen. Nothing we can do about it."
Nick breathed out with relief as discreetly as possible. It wouldn't have been pretty, all things considered, if their chief were to push for an internal investigation. Luckily for him, Bogo was an officer who looked at the bigger picture, instead of being petty about the details. Sexual assault was treated with extreme prejudice within the ZPD.
"First things first, William Twicks will be interrogated immediately." The buffalo took off his glasses, standing up from his desk.
"As in… right now?"
"You've heard me, officer. There's one thing we must verify at this instant." With those words he reached for the phone.
At this point, Nick raised a paw. "Sir…"
Bogo paused, surprised by the formal tone - a rarity in case of the fox.
The vulpine officer went on, "Permission to observe the interrogation?"
The chief stared at his face, measuring the seriousness in his expression. After a few moments, he gave his answer. "Permission granted." The buffalo picked a number. "Johnson, I need you at the detention block. Tell them to prep William Twicks for a talk. Interrogation room 2. You and Jackson will lead it." As the buffalo put down the phone, he glanced at Nick. "Wilde, follow me."
The fox nodded and trotted along as the massive mammal left his office.
.
.
Judy finished her breakfast and politely refused any dessert. Instead, she apologized and asked for some time alone in the bedroom.
Vivian only smiled, assuring her that she can take all the time she needs. Rose and Silver also didn't make any comments. Not that the meal was silent. Nick's mother took charge of small talk and engaged others in light conversation. Nothing too cheesy, just a right question here or a mention there to nudge the dialogue forward.
Thanks to that, Judy has learned that Silver is very fond of books of all kinds and Vivian even went to a library to get some more for her to read. At the same time, Rose was attending online courses about basics of computer systems and accounting. As the young vixen explained, albeit somewhat shyly, she wanted to get a new job as quickly as possible. That way she could contribute somehow to Vivian's household budget. Nick's mother smiled at that, praising her ambition, but at the same time reminding her that she has no obligation to do that.
The doe noticed that Vivian was voicing a lot of praise during their time at the table. It wasn't a sickening sweet amount of it, but definitely a big part of her talking about the younger vixens. How they are well behaved, helpful, organized, and so on. Judy couldn't help but smile at this. She was aware of the girls' background, and seeing how they were now surrounded with motherly care was truly heartwarming.
Back in the room, the bunny sat on the edge of the bed, holding her phone in paw. What the vixen said yesterday kept returning to her head. She stared at the screen, which now displayed her mother's contact number.
Closing her eyes, and taking a deep breath, Judy pressed the call icon.
.
.
Nick and Bogo went through the corridors of the precinct to reach a door with number 2 on them. However, the chief headed for another door, right next to the interrogation room.
Nick knew the place, but used it only once, during training. Now he entered a darkened room right after his chief, with the only source of light being the one from the other side of the two-way mirror. They didn't have to wait long. The door to the interrogation room opened and a bear officer led William in. The bunny had pawcuffs on his wrists and was wearing a very sour expression. He got seated by the table and the bear headed for the door, only to be replaced with officers Jackson and Johnson. The large feline predators towered over the hunched figure of William Twicks.
For a brief moment Nick had a vision of the bunny being torn to shreds by the lion-tiger duo. He closed his eyes and forced himself to calm down. Losing temper here definitely wouldn't help in any way.
"William Twicks, male, age 23. That about right?" Jackson flipped through the few pages of the file in his paw.
Meanwhile, Johnson marched over to the corner of the room and reached up. Every interrogation room had a camera, it was standard procedure to record everything. Both for legal and safety reasons. This time, however, the large predator unplugged the device.
Nick knew that it was an old trick. The ZPD couldn't risk situations like these due to potential consequences that would follow, should such a situation leak outside. *Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?* The fox remembered the old phrase.
However, even if one were to assume that unplugging the camera was just a bluff, that still left two huge predators that towered over the prisoner.
"Yes…" the bunny muttered while staring at the table.
"All right, then let's make this brief," Johnson walked up to the bunny. "What does Judy Hopps look like?"
William blinked. "What?"
"What country you from?"
The bunny looked even more confused. "What?"
"'What' ain't no country I ever heard of!" The lion raised his voice. "They speak English in 'What'?"
"W-what?"
The predator leaned down to the bunny, presenting his massive jaw up close. "ENGLISH, CARROT GOBBLER! DO YOU SPEAK IT?"
The buck whimpered, "Y-yes!"
"Then you know what I'm saying!"
"Yes!"
Johnson stepped closer to the buck's chair. "Describe what Judy Hopps looks like!"
"W-what?"
The lion slammed his paws on the table, claws out. "Say 'what' again! I dare you, I double dare you, piece of shit! Say 'what' one more bloody time!"
William cowered on the chair. "Sh-she's g-g-grey…"
"Go on!" The lion snarled.
"She… she's a bunny…"
"Does she look like an idiot?"
The buck blinked. "...What?!"
The lion officer grabbed the free chair and took a swing. The piece of furniture flew right next to William's face, just before smashing against the wall.
"DOES. SHE. LOOK. LIKE. AN. IDIOT?!"
"N-n-no!"
"Then why did you treat her like an idiot?"
"I-" Wilian was clutching desperately to his own chair. "I-I didn't want to! T-They forced me!" His voice dropped to a pleading tune.
"Liar," Jackson stated calmly from the side and.
William turned his head towards him. "No, I swear! I never wanted to hurt Judy! But-but," he hung his head, "they threatened to… to torture my girlfriend if I wouldn't do as I was told!"
"Who?" The tiger kept his quiet voice. Then, he took a pencil from the open file and slid both objects over the table, right in front of the bunny.
William glanced nervously at the camera. "L-look, I don't kn-"
Johnson grabbed the back of his chair and pulled, forcing the bunny to lean backwards. "WHAT WAS THAT?"
The buck stared in horror at the canines barely a few inches from his face. "I-I-" he could barely speak.
At this point, the tiger officer put the chair back in its original position. "You're in Challenger Deep shit right now. Better focus and spill everything that is related to this."
William bit his lip, as desperation took over his expression.
Jackson waited for a few seconds, observing the struggling bunny, before letting out a sigh. "If that's all, then…" He reached for the file.
"There was one thing!" The buck shouted with a hint of relief.
Johnson took a step back, folding his arms, while his companion focused on the buck again.
William swallowed, clutching his legs with both paws. "One time. I got a call. A male voice was giving me instructions what…" he paused for a moment, as his lip quivered. "What I shou… should do with Ju- with officer Hopps."
Jackson made a quick note on the file. "Go on."
"In the background, I could hear some other voices. And…" he licked his lips frantically. "Someone asked another mammal to inform the mayor."
.
.
Nick barely held out as he observed the events on the other side of the mirror. His fists were clenched so tightly that he risked bleeding from skin perforations. But when the last line dropped, the dam almost burst.
Apparently, it was quite clear on the outside, as a deep voice called his name. "Wilde?"
"Chief…" he muttered, barely withholding every crashing wave of fury. "I have a request, if I may."
Bogo raised a brow at those words. Not only the formality in the fox's voice, but also the tone has drawn his attention. "What is it?"
"When we find that ewe, keep her locked behind a really thick wall or I'll fucking tear her apart."
Bogo stared at him, at how he clenched his fists. Normally, this kind of behavior would call for a reprimand from a superior officer. "I'll consider it," the buffalo said while folding his massive arms on his chest.
Nick shoved his thoughts onto a different path, at the same time taking several breaths. "Thank you, sir…"
Bogo didn't reply in any capacity, he simply headed for the door. The buffalo was about to reach them, when the fox's voice reached him.
"Chief… I know we've had our ups and downs, so…" Nick looked at Bogo as he turned around. He still had a rough expression, but seemed much calmer. "Can I buy you a drink to make it up to you?"
The buffalo's face resembled a stone wall.
The fox mustered a little smile. "Who knows, maybe we can break the ice a bit and have a chat?" He accentuated the last word in a way that made the huge prey raise an eyebrow.
The chief stared at him in silence before clearing his throat. "Well, I suppose a glass or two won't hurt. This evening?"
"Works for me, chief."
.
.
Leaving the precinct, Nick had a lot of thoughts in his mind to process. First, he shou-
His phone rang.
Looking at the screen made his eyes widen. Still, he tapped the answer icon. "Flu- Judy?"
"Hey, sorry for calling out of the blue, but I wanted to ask if you have some free time?" Her voice seemed somewhat hesitant.
*For you? Always.* Nick leaned on the wall of the building. "Sure, what's up?"
"Actually… I am in a hospital and my doctor said that it would be great if you could come and see us."
The fox's heart rate spiked after hearing the word 'hospital'. "What's going on? Are you okay?" His ears fell a little.
"Everything's fine. I'm just getting an official evaluation."
This helped in calming his nerves.
"So," she went on, "could you drop by in about an hour?"
"Absolutely." This came out of his mouth almost automatically. "Which hospital?"
.
.
After ending the call Judy was a bit relieved. It was something that kept her pondering. Why was she feeling like this just from hearing that he's on his way to see her? Of course, they were friends and partners and he's always been good company… Minus the times he lied, naturally. But why was relief now part of his presence?
When she contacted the precinct this morning, she received information about visiting a specialist who will evaluate her mental state. It was standard procedure for all officers experiencing traumatic events. Luckily for her, there was a free spot on the very same day.
The capybara doctor asked her a lot of questions about almost every aspect of her life. From her childhood, police training, friends, family, work experience, even her… intimate life. After this lengthy questioning, she had a very peculiar request.
Can you ask your partner to visit us?
This came along right after she admitted that her family would also be coming to see her. She told them that she had an appointment at the time they would get here, but they almost demanded to be allowed to come to the hospital. Knowing how much her parents cared for their kids, her included, she couldn't bring herself to say no. Especially after the reaction she got from admitting what happened. She was actually worried her father could have a heart attack. Still… the doe had to admit that Vivian was right. After the initial fear and pain, Judy felt how her burden lessened, knowing that her parents were in the know. And now they were on their way to see her.
Surprisingly, the doctor said it was a good thing. And that's when she asked about Nick. It was quite confusing to the doe but the doctor only said that everything will become clear once everyone gathers.
So now the bunny was sitting in the hospital cafeteria, waiting for any of this to make sense.
.
.
It didn't take long for Nick to arrive at the hospital's entrance. The fox approached the main door, navigating around the other visitors.
"Nick?"
Nick turned his head to see the robust, if short, figure of Judy's father. He straightened himself. "Mr Hopps?"
The rabbit waved it off with a small smile while approaching the fox. "Just call me Stu. Nature knows, you've helped my family so much, I'd feel weird being called 'mister'."
"Only doing my job as an officer," Nick shrugged with a light smile of his own. "Did you also come to see Judy?"
The buck's expression darkened. "Yeah… I won't lie, I was beside myself when we got the call."
"I can only imagine…" the fox muttered. After a moment of awkward silence, he changed the topic. "So… I take it you're here with your wife?"
"Oh, not just Bonnie. There's also Lucas, Violet, Jacob, Manfred, Kevin, Jasmine, Ste-"
Nick raised a paw. "Okay, I guess that bunnies are very closely knit families."
"Hah!" Stu grabbed his chest with both paws, but he immediately realized that there was nothing for him to grab on the winter coat. It reminded Nick of how the bunny used this gesture while in dungarees. "Look, I, uh… Wanted to talk a bit, if that's okay."
Nick raised his brows in surprise. "Um, sure. Why not?"
The bunny farmer looked both relieved and nervous after hearing his answer. "All right…" He looked around in a way that Nick would describe as an attempt to cautiously check one's surroundings. "Could we… go and sit down somewhere?"
Nick nodded and they walked to the small park in front of the hospital. Stu picked up a free bench that was further away than the rest. Once they sat down, Judy's father was silent, staring at his joined paws.
Nick wasn't entirely sure what this was about, but he could see that Stu was struggling to get something out. He decided to keep quiet and wait for whatever the bunny was going to say.
Finally, Stu took a deep breath, sending a large puff of hot air into the frozen air. "I called the precinct earlier."
The fox's ears twitched ever so slightly.
"After I heard what happened to my little Ju…" he choked up at that point, and Nick respectfully waited for him to recover. It took several moments, but Stu got his breathing back. "I wanted to know- I had to know that the mammal who did this would pay." Stu's voice was trembling a little, but the bunny pressed on. "And I heard from one of the officers that he was badly hurt when arrested…"
The last sentence was left hanging, as Stu looked up at Nick.
The fox swallowed, but kept a neutral face.
"I've heard you brought him there."
The silence that followed was almost palpable.
Nick didn't dare look Judy's father in the eye. *Crap… please don't ask, please don-*
But Stu has proven to be his daughter's equal when it comes to relentlessness. "Did you hurt him?"
Nick was at a loss. On one paw, he felt surprisingly uncomfortable with the option about lying to Judy's family straight in the face. On the other… That left admitting responsibility for the deed. Which, quite frankly, terrified him just the same.
"Nicholas…" A pleading tone has appeared in Stu's voice.
Understanding that he was cornered, the fox lowered his head slightly. "I did…"
This invited another silence.
Once again, it was Stu who broke it first, after taking a deep breath. "While raising my kids… I never raised my paw at them," he said with a quiet voice. "Bah, I've always avoided any violence. Talk or run, that's what I've always been saying to my kids." The bunny sighed. "I never took part in any actual fights in our neighborhood. Never hit anyone myself… And I sure as hell would get my butt whooped if I tried. But…" He looked around once again.
Nick did the same, curious who he thought could be eavesdropping on them.
"I didn't mention it to anyone," Stu's voice began showing signs of strain, while he folded his paws, "but after we got that call from Judy…" He squeezed his fingers tight. "I felt… uh… angry. Like… like I've never felt before. This was a boy I saw myself, accepted him as my girl's boyfriend. Back then I believed he would care for her. " At this point Stu closed his eyes. "So when we heard what happened, I… I wanted him to suffer."
Nick watched in silence how the bunny struggled with his emotions. It was a strange experience to see Stu in this light. While he may have greeted him with a taser at first, his actions never felt fueled by anger. However, now he could see rage boiling inside this small mammal. And he could tell that this was a genuinely new emotion for Stu. The way that the bunny's breathing changed, his tensed up body, and, most importantly, the eyes. He saw that same kind of gaze in a mammal who went into shock after killing someone.
Meanwhile, the buck sighed. "I know. I know it's wrong. Th-"
Nick took a deep breath. "I'm sorry. Hearing what happened to Judy I just-"
"Don't apologize!" Stu's exclamation made the fox blink. "I'm not blaming you," he put a paw on Nick's arm. "I mean, it's not something I'd promote, but I'm saying I understand. This is about my little Jude. And if anyone tells you any different, I'll give them an earful." He huffed and shook his finger.
Nick could only look back into his eyes. No actual response to that speech came to his mind, see he simply muttered, "If you say so…"
.
.
Once they were done with the secret conversation, Stu and Nick headed inside to join the rest of the hoops family in one of the hospital's corridors. It was less than a hundred bunnies, but it still reminded him of Bunnyburrow. All of them were camping outside large wooden door.
"Is that Nick?"
"What? Judy's secret boyfriend?"
"Nick is here!"
"He's the one who saved the three kids in that barn fire."
He experienced a bit of a deja vu. An almost identical situation occurred when he arrived at Bunnyburrow. The flow of the meeting changed into general chatter with Judy being the core topic. Everyone was waiting for the set time of seeing their family member.
When the door opened, all members of the Hopps family stood up. The doctor came out and her eyes widened at the number of visitors. Of course, the hospital had a strict policy regarding visitors and their volume. Judy's family was forced to limit their numbers or to be politely removed by the security.
Obviously, Stu grumbled about it, but couldn't help it in any way. After all, he respected the hospital's policy, even if he didn't like it.
"How is she? Can we come in? We'd like to see her", the Hopps' family patriarch showered the doctor with questions.
"Take it easy, now. First of all, she needs time and space," the doctor replied with a sigh. She took a glance at Stu and Bonnie, who were the closest to her right now. "I assume that you are her parents."
Both bunnies nodded.
The doctor put her paws in the pockets of her coat. "Although I understand that your species feels more comfortable in groups, but I will allow only ten mammals inside. Our facilities weren't designed with bunny families in mind."
There were voices of protest from the crowd, which were stopped by Stu. "I know, I know, but look… You heard the doctor. Let's not make a fuss." This argument was heard and all opposition died out. Bonnie even smiled at her husband's response.
The doctor nodded in appreciation. "Please come in when you decide on the delegation. Officer Wilde," she addressed the fox. "Your presence will also be needed."
"Why me? I'm not family," he replied politely. It wasn't that he didn't want to know how his beloved was feeling. He simply believed that it was not his place, even if Judy mentioned that he was invited.
"Doctor's recommendation." And that was it. No extensive explanation, no follow up of akny kind. Still, Nick's hustler part of his mind thought it was rather clever. The capybara cut any possible argument from the family by using this approach. Questioning his presence would question the doctor's credibility. Short and effective.
The family selection went rather swiftly, and ten Hopps bunnies entered the office after her, together with Nick.
The room was quite spacious, definitely enough to accommodate mammals of all sizes. It had more of an old victorian library feeling than a doctor's office. Judy was sitting on one of the two armchairs in the room. She smiled a bit at the sight of her family and Nick. Bonnie and Stu were the first to rush towards their daughter.
"Hold on a moment, please!"
The bunnies stopped halfway to the table due to the doctor's stern voice. The capybara held up her paws to stop incoming protests. "My apologies, but an explanation is needed first. You will see what I mean in a moment."
There was a murmur among the family, as speculation began immediately.
"Miss Judy, may I ask you to join me?" The doctor pointed at the floor next to her with a paw.
The bunny officer was a bit confused as to what she had in mind, but complied without protest.
Once the two females were standing next to each other, the doctor gestured towards Bonnie. "Mrs. Hopps, could I ask you to come forward and hug your daughter?"
It was a strange suggestion for any of the gathered in the room, but nobody said a word. Everyone was observing Bonnie and Judy.
The Hopps family's matron took several steps and opened her arms before Judy.
The young doe was slightly cautious, but embraced her mother, like she has done for years. In fact, once she felt Bonnie's arms around her, Judy couldn't stop herself from holding on tighter.
Seeing this, Nick felt a bit… strange. *Do I look so content when I hug my mother?*
"Thank you," the doctor clapped her paws. "Now, can I ask your father to do the same?"
Stu and Bonnie exchanged glances, but said nothing. The doe matron simply stepped aside and her husband approached Judy with open arms.
The bunny officer smiled at him and spread her own arms. However, as he got closer, she felt a growing uneasiness in her gut. Her father was right in front of her. He leaned forward and embraced her.
Judy jerked back, pushing him away.
Stu stared at his own daughter with wide eyes. "...Jude?"
She was tense all over. Her fingers were clenched together on her chest.
The buck frowned at this reaction, blinking in confusion. "Judy? What's wrong?" He took a step towards her.
She took a step back. Her eyes were widened and she even looked at her own feet, as if seeing them for the first time.
Stu's confusion began turning into panic. "D-doc? What's going on with our Judy?"
"I'm afraid that she's suffering from a rare syndrome." The capybara approached Judy slowly from the front. "My apologies, Officer Hopps. It was necessary to confirm my suspicions about your condition. It's all fine now."
The doe sent her father a worried look. "I-I'm sorry, dad! I didn't want to-"
"It's not your fault." The doctor gently placed a paw on Judy's shoulder. "Additionally, to demonstrate another trait of your condition…" she turned towards Nick, "Officer Wilde." She gestured for him to come over.
He wasn't exactly sure of her intentions, but the event a moment ago had him concerned. Nevertheless, he decided to put his trust in the doctor and approached them.
"Before we proceed," the capybara addressed Judy, "will it be acceptable for your colleague to give you a light hug?"
Nick's insides did a somersault.
Judy looked confused as hell.
"Please trust me on this. You can consider it a medical procedure. It will help me to explain your current state to your family. However, please remember that you may refuse and that still will be fine. The choice is fully yours and this procedure is not mandatory."
The doctor's words offered a bit of reassurance, though Judy still wondered what this had to do with her condition.
"Uh, doc?" Nick muttered. "Is this really necessary? I don't want to make her uncomfortable."
"I appreciate your concern," the doctor nodded. "That is precisely why I asked for permission."
Judy eyed the fox for a moment. She couldn't explain why, but her anxiety seemed to lessen as he approached her a second ago. "I think… I think we can try." To accentuate her words, the grey doe opened up her arms.
Nick swallowed dryly. His beloved bunny was clearly showing a brave front, but he could see the physical signs. She was clenching her lip a bit too tightly, she held her ears high, as if trying to give herself more height, but their very tips were shaking…
He would have declined. But he couldn't ignore the burning determination in her eyes. A refusal at this point would be a disrespect to her courage.
Letting out a barely audible sigh, Nick stepped forward. As he leaned a bit down, he very slowly reached with his own arms to place them around the bunny's back.
The doe twitched at the touch, but did not jerk away like before. Though feeling very awkward, Judy managed to overcome her anxiety and used her paws to wrap her fox partner in a hug. Once that happened, Judy once again felt that strange sensation. Like a mixture of warmth and confusion.
"Doc," Nick muttered above Judy's head, "what exactly is this demonstration about?"
The doctor gave him a nod. "As you can see, Officer Hopps did not react the same way as with another male. Can you tell us how you feel?" She addressed the bunny. "Also, you can stop hugging."
Nick stepped back, grateful that this nerve wrecking demonstration has ended.
Judy kept her eyes on the fox for a moment longer before responding. "It felt somewhat… secure? Comforting?"
The doctor put her paws into the pockets of her coat. "And there you have it. We call it the Reverse Syndrome. It's a rare condition that occurs when a victim of an assault, almost exclusively prey, seeks security in the vicinity of their natural enemies."
All mammals present looked at the doctor with clueless expressions.
The capybara pointed at Judy with both paws. "Officer Hopps is a bunny, who experienced a traumatic event at the paws of another bunny. A natural reaction is born to find the most efficient way of protecting herself from other bunnies, or other males, in the future. In effect, her subconscious instinct instructs her to seek refuge in the close proximity of the mammal who, by nature, is the most dangerous entity known to her species." She turned to address the predator in the room. "Officer Wilde."
All eyes settled on the fox.
Nick blinked. "Wh- Hang on," he held up a paw while placing the other one on his forehead. "You're saying that Judy somehow feels… safe near me, because she considers me dangerous?"
The doctor nodded. "Exactly."
At this point Judy chimed in. "He's not dangerous! I know he would not hurt me."
Her words warmed the fox up internally.
"That's precisely why," the capybara approached the bunny officer. "Your consciousness recognizes Mr Wilde as a friend, a partner. Hence, you trust him. On the other paw, we have your subconscious part of the brain. By relying on your genes and inherited instincts, it views him as a potential threat. With the combination of both, the Reverse Syndrome literally reverses his role from an enemy to a protector."
Judy looked at her with confusion. Then her gaze traveled to Nick, only to find that he was also gazing at her.
The fox rubbed the side of his neck, looking a bit away. "Well, I would protect her anyway, syndrome or not."
"That is good to hear," the doctor nodded with a smile. "In such a case, I will pass on my recommendation to your superior that he should keep you two close."
All Hopps ears and eyes turned to the fox. Then to the doctor. Back to the fox.
The capybara raised a paw while clearing her throat. "Please don't misunderstand, this is simply a medical recommendation. Based on our current knowledge, we know that patients who have experienced this Syndrome have returned to full mental health much quicker when kept together with their protector. On the other paw, in cases when they were kept separate, relapses have been observed."
"Relapses? You mean she could get worse?" Bonnie approached Judy and placed an arm around her daughter's shoulders.
"I am afraid so. Regardless of what our conscious mind decides, our bodies have equal, if sometimes not greater, impact on our psychological state. If kept apart from the Protector, the patient might experience depression, recurring nightmares, mood swings, and similar symptoms."
Silence filled the room. Judy wasn't sure what to feel or say after receiving such information. From a certain perspective, it could be considered a chain that would bound her.
"Um…"
The bunny officer looked up, hearing the voice of her partner. He was raising a paw, wearing a sheepish expression. "Hate to be the one to ask this, but… what kind of proximity are we talking about? I mean, yeah we work together, but we live pretty far apart, so-"
"Would it be possible for you two to move in together temporarily?" The doctor cut in.
Nick's ears fell.
Judy's ears flung up.
"That's a wonderful idea!" Bonnie Hopps was smiling at the suggestion.
"Wai- Hold on a second!" Nick waved his paws desperately before turning to Judy's father. "Mr Hop- Stu, surely this-"
"Well, if the doctor says it's the best for our Ju, I ain't gonna argue. And," he addressed Nick, "I'm sure that outta all possible roommates, she will be safest near you.
"But-"
"Son," Stu added a layer of firmness to his voice, "I've seen you literally risk your life to save my kids. If I can't trust you, who can I trust?"
In an act of desperation, the fox turned to Judy. "Help me out here? You can't think that it's a good idea for a female and male move in together under these circumstances." It's not like he didn't want it. However, he had her trauma to consider, not to even mention his savagery. The last thing he would want was Judy, forced to face a savage fox in the same apartment.
Judy looked around, suspiciously avoiding the fox with her eyes. "I guess…"
Nick breathed out.
"... that we could try and somehow make it work."
The fox's hopes went up in flames. He sighed at the decision made without his approval.
.
.
The remainder of the consultation was divided into parts. First, everyone was asked out, so that the doctor could give Judy personal instructions and advise on her condition. After ten minutes the doe came out of the office and looked around till she found her parents. "Mom, dad, she'd like to talk to you."
Bonnie and Stu both nodded and walked towards the office door. Bonnie paused to give Judy a tight hug.
Nick could see how his partner relaxed under the touch of her mother.
Stu was standing a few feet away, with obvious pain on his face. Still, he didn't say a word and kept a level of distance from his daughter.
The fox felt sorry for him. The buck's expression was a familiar one to him. The one speaking of that burning need to comfort someone you loved, but not being able to.
When both bunny parents went inside, Judy was surrounded by her family members. Females went to the front, while males stayed behind. One or two boys tried to sneak past the adults to their aunt's side, but they were caught and given stern gazes.
Nick was glad to see his partner interacting with her family members. He was hoping that her sisters and cousins could help her cope with her experience.
Not wanting to interrupt the family gathering, Nick walked the opposite way and dropped on one of the chairs by the wall, further down the corridor.
"Nick!" Apparently, his departure was noticed, as Judy was giving some hurried words towards other females, as she was heading his way.
He straightened up a bit in his seat. "Hey."
"Hey," she replied, dropping her ears. "Look… Thanks for coming here."
Nick shrugged with a smile. "That's what partners are for."
"I guess," Judy brushed one of her ears behind her shoulder. "Still, thank you."
"No problem."
The doe nodded, clearly on her toes about something. "Um, there's still some things I want to talk about…"
His mood dropped internally, but he restrained himself from showing it.
The doe tilted her head a bit. "But now I gotta go back to my family. So… we'll talk later, okay?"
He stood up. "Yeah, sure."
Judy gave him a bit of a stiff wave of her paw and turned around. "Oh!" She half turned back. "The doctor said that she will contact the precinct about possible living arrangements. So we should wait for an official approval from our superior."
"Hah, then I guess our fate is in the paws of the Ol' Grumpy One."
She half smiled. "Guess so. See you later."
"Sure thing."
.
.
It took another ten minutes for Judy's parents to come out and the doctor to call Nick for a talk.
The fox headed into the office while Stu and Bonnie approached their daughter.
"Please sit down, officer Wilde." The capybara doctor stood up from her seat and gestured toward the armchair in front of her.
Once they both sat down, the rodent female folded her paws. "I've been told by officer Hopps that you are a very intelligent mammal. Would it be fine for me to assume that you understand the gravity of your role as a protector?"
Nick considered that the compliment was meant to soften him up for possible incoming queries, so he steeled himself mentally.
"I understand that it's important for her treatment," he stated in a neutral voice.
"That's good, as your role will be crucial. See, protectors can ultimately decide the mental stability of the patient. Which is why," she placed a paw on the notebook on her lap, "I was hoping we could have a talk. Of course, all information is kept under strict confidentiality."
He absolutely didn't like the sound of that. "Sure. What kind of talk?"
"It will be divided into two parts. One, giving you information about officer Hopps' condition and possible issues that will most likely occur. Two, your role in the entire process and… you personally."
Nick kept his relaxed mask on. *Crap… That's why I hate shrinks…* On the surface he smiled and leaned back in his seat. "Sounds good to me."
.
.
In reality, the next fifteen minutes or so were a real torture to the fox. He was glad for the experience he had with Miss Shavala, as without it this session would have been a nightmare. While the first part was mostly him listening and committing to memory various advice the doctor gave, the second part was hell.
The doctor asked about his life, his personality, friends, work… She touched upon almost every aspect of his life. But the worst was yet to come. "I understand that we're entering a very intimate part of your life, but for the sake of the patient I must ask. Do you have a mate?"
"Not that I'm aware of," he responded with a light smile.
"Boyfriend? Girlfriend?" She pressed on.
He shook his head, preparing for what he knew that was coming.
The capybara made a note, and looked him in the eye. "And what about your relationship with officer Hopps?"
The fox shrugged. "We're partners, friends."
"Would you say she thinks the same?"
Nick was perfectly aware of her angle. Additionally, he understood why she was asking. It was perfectly reasonable under current circumstances. "Look," he leaned slightly forward, "I know what you are trying to imply, doc, but you are wrong to assume that."
"Assume what?" The doctor raised a brow.
Nick adorned a neutral smile. "We're friends and partners. Nothing more."
The capybara went silent for a few seconds before making another note. Part of Nick's mind considered whether all psychiatrists and therapists are trained to write things down when they have no clue what to say.
"All right, then," she put the pen down. "This is the optimal scenario. Please keep looking after her. As her friend."
Nick didn't react to her words on the outside, but had a rapid stream of thoughts on the inside. He was almost one hundred percent certain that this was a form of a warning. That was fine with him. The number one priority for him was for Judy to get better. Him being able to help only strengthened his resolve.
.
.
When Nick left the doctor's office, the bunnies were still there. Judy immediately noticed him and stepped forward. "Hey, how was the meeting?"
The fox raised a brow at the gathered group. "You didn't have to wait, you know."
The doe folded her paws behind her back. "I may be a country bumpkin, but I know it's rude to leave without a word."
"Ah, that must be my good influence," he said with a smirk.
Judy smiled innocently in return. "Are you saying my parents raised me wrong?"
Nick's expression froze, as he turned his gaze towards Bonnie and Stu. The buck wanted to say something, but got an elbow from Bonnie. Stu looked puzzled, though he recollected himself and remained silent.
The fox cast a brief glance at Judy's mother. *Did she just… smile at me?*
At the same time his partner took a small step closer to him. "What's the matter, Slick? Bunny got your tongue?" This time she addressed him with a smirk.
Nick refocused on her. *Tongue, heart, and soul…* he thought. On the surface he simply shrugged with a smile. "It's obvious they have raised you well, all I did was add some final polish. Now, if you don't mind, I need to see my own parent."
Judy kept smiling for a moment longer. "Sure thing. Just remember she claims to have raised a proper male."
The fox straightened up, taking out his phone from his pocket. "That she did. So now I'm going to give her a call like a good boy, and say that I'm on the way if the lecture is over."
She let out a small chuckle. "Class dismissed."
.
.
Nick wasn't exactly sure why he came over to see his mother. It was nibbling at him earlier, an unfamiliar feeling that just wouldn't leave him alone. Was it the guilty conscience? Or maybe his partner's family nagging was finally catching up with him. In any case, Vivian was pleasantly surprised to hear him on the phone and even happier to have him visit.
"Sooo," he began with a cup of tea in his paw.
His mother was sitting across the table, staring at him like he was some new specimen of a mammal. It was starting to get a little creepy.
"Do I have something on my face?"
"Hm? No, no." Her mutter wasn't providing any clue.
His ear twitched and he put the cup down. "All right, what is it? You haven't said anything other than a greeting."
She kept that distant gaze on him. "Oh, I'm just wondering… who are you? Did you kidnap my son and take his place? Or maybe it is you, but someone brainwashed you?" Her eyes widened. "Can it be?" Vivian's voice trembled. "My poor boy doesn't even know who he is anymore?! My precious son would never voluntarily come to visit his worried mother!"
Nick gave her a… look. "Mom… Just… don't."
Her expression changed and she let out a huff. "You're such a damp old sock for your age."
"Anyone would back off if their mother were to go bonkers."
"Hah! I'm just as sane as the next mammal."
"Hello? The next mammal here is me," he pointed at himself with both thumbs, "and recently I question my sanity quite often."
She leaned forward with a motherly smile, petting him on the paw. "And look how much you've matured."
Nick let out a sigh, but there was no negativity in it. This was a kind of conversation he could only have with Judy so far. Reuniting with his mother was another milestone in his life. "How are you doing?" The fox changed his tone to a more serious one.
She raised a brow, straightening back up. "I'm… fine? Why are you asking?"
Nick shifted his gaze to the tea cup. This was gnawing at him ever since that day. Seeing Judy interact with her parents only strengthened that feeling. The fox sighed internally. This was going to be a risky move, as he was perfectly aware how uncomfortable some topics are. "What about Alexander Volkov?"
His mother froze.
He glanced at her out of the corner of his eye. "Wh-"
"Enough."
Nick held his tongue, hearing the harsh bark from her. Looking at her now, the fox could see that tension from when she first heard of all the lies about his work. Her muzzle was tightly shut, while her breathing increased.
After a while she pointed a claw at him. "Don't you dare utter that name."
Nick stared at her in silence. He then took another sip of his tea and placed the cup down. "He helped me a lot."
"Nicholas, I'm warning you."
He let out a sigh. "Fine, but I am obliged to persist on this some other time." The fox stood up. "Again, and again, and again. Until we'll talk." He gave her calm look. "Just how you did for me. But without blackmail." Nick risked a little joke, hoping to disperse the tension a bit.
Vivian looked as if she had a response forming, but after a couple of seconds of silence, she simply looked down at the table. "Did you come here just for this?"
He noticed how her fingers started fiddling with the edge of the tablecloth. "Mom-"
"I…" She interrupted him, but apparently without having a follow up in her mind. She covered her face with a paw.
Nick waited patiently, without saying a word.
Eventually, the vixen breathed out. "I need to think," she stated, moving the paw onto the table again. She gave him a long, painful stare. "Alone."
He didn't comment. There was no need. After all, he would be the last person to tell anyone they need company in sorting out their thoughts. Instead, he only nodded, as he moved closer, placing his paw on top of hers. "I'm not leaving again."
The words made her eyes widen a bit. A sudden wedge thrown into a tiny opening in her anger.
Her son petted her paw and turned to the door. "Have a good day."
She did not move from her spot. When she heard the click in the corridor, Vivian was left alone with silence. And her thoughts.