Hello everyone,

New chapter is here. Earlier than the previous one, as promised. ;P
I have a part of the next one already written, and I hope to finish it this year. My super foolish and ridiculously ambitious plan hopes to make two chapters by the end of this year, so it means a lot of writing and editing for me... Not promising that, though. A lot will depend on life and my job, so we'll see.

As always, thank you for your kind reviews, and also the critical ones that point our my shortcomings. I am very much aware how imperfect this story is, but I cherish it for being my first training ground. I apologize for my mistakes, and I hope you'll continue to be patient about my writing flaws.

To address a couple of your reviews:
Guest - family does play a crucial role in the recent events, and it will become even more relevant in the future chapters. As for By Your Command, I do plan on writing more about it, but that will have to wait until 2025, unfortunately.

ScruffyFox - I'm glad you have enjoyed the Scriptwriter part! Not to spoil too much, but he will make a reappearance in this story. Also, It's really humbling to know that my story can be an inspiration to others. I hope your imagination and ideas will continue to flourish. :)

FoxHound86 - Thank you for the kind words. And, don't worry, this story will be completed. After all, it's already finished in my head, I just need to write it. XD

DISCLAIMER: We have a guest character here - Jessica. Judy's sister and an OC created by Cimar of Turalis WildeHopps. If you have not read his stories by now, do check them out. It's a great read!

One last note: we're getting very close to a chapter that I have once promised, should the story get enough readers and followers. Welp, the time to deliver on my word is nigh. ;)

I hope you enjoy the new chapter.

Chapter 53

Nick stared at the concrete ceiling of his home. The upcoming event required careful planning and preparation. He had to consider all possible variables, and take as many random factors into account as possible. Expect the unexpected, that was the basic rule.

The fox held up his arm, staring at the paw above his face. *Broken Drum, it's been a while…* Nick was very particular in choosing the location for the evening meeting with chief Bogo. It had to be a place with a proper reputation, where the likelihood of meeting unwanted company was minimized. But it also had to be a place that had easy access to multiple escape routes. If anything were to go wrong, Nick had to be ready to bail.

The Broken Drum was a place that fit the bill the most. On top of that, the owner was widely considered a weirdo, which meant that it was the perfect environment for possible chaos. *Chaos begets chaos. Instability begets instability.* With that in mind, Nick visualized the entire area around the pub in his mind. In case of a disaster, he had to plan out the potential evacuation. And this was not just about his own skin. He had to consider what would happen if he were to go savage in a crowded place…

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Judy's arm jerked back, and she took half a step back. "I- I'm sorry, dad…"

Stu Hoops immediately waved his paws in front of him. "No, no. I'm sorry, Jude," he said while backing away from his daughter. His eyes were full of worry, but his voice didn't falter. "It's my fault."

Judy's ears fell, as she looked at her father. They were in one of the hospital guest rooms. Chief Bogo insisted that Judy must be kept under protection after the last events. On the other hand, there was a matter of her visiting family. To address this, the chief contacted the hospital and asked if they could accommodate the family of his officer. It was only temporary, of course, as Bogo needed some time to process the doctor's recommendation about Judy's living arrangements.

The present scenario was Judy's idea. She still couldn't exactly believe that a medical condition could dictate her actions to that degree. Which is why she suggested testing it out again. Her father was skeptical, while her mother did not comment in any way. The rest of the family was gathered in the room, watching silently.

The young doe could easily tell how stressful it must have been for her parents. But she wouldn't be herself, if she wouldn't try out things on her own. If this was some psychological reaction, she could try to overcome it by using her strength of will.

They agreed to start with a paw shake. Judy and Stu stood in front of each other, in a distance enough to reach out for their paws to touch. The doe simply straightened her arm in one move. Stu was far more hesitant and slowly raised his arm.

As their paws were drawing nearer, Judy began to feel a strange sensation. It was like an ice cube forming at the base of her spine, gradually radiating chill. The closer their paws were, the feeling grew stronger. When their fingers were just inches apart, she could see how her paw trembled. She had no idea how to stop this, but her entire body began shaking from the mere thought of the upcoming touch. Breathing became difficult. Her heart pounded like crazy. It was just a fraction of an inch before they would tou-

Her arm jerked back.

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Judy's arms slumped. "I'm sorry…" she muttered, trying to calm her breathing.

Bonnie rushed to her side, embracing her daughter in a warm hug. "It's okay, sweetie. It's all right. Nobody is blaming you."

Stu backed away, seeing his child's reaction, looking quite crestfallen. Still, he spoke to her in a calm manner. "Your mother is right. Don't blame yourself."

The young doe shook her head. "I should have been more careful. I… I should've noticed something…"

Bonnie held her closer, gently brushing her ears. "Shh. You couldn't have known."

"But-"

"There's always jerks out there, so what?"

All heads turned to the mammal who spoke, another young doe, dressed up as if she were going to a party.

"Jessica!" Stu chastised his daughter.

The doe in question shrugged. "What? That's how it is. If you date boys you will always run into a couple of bastards."

Bonnie shook her head. "Honey, this is not really the time f-"

"When's it gonna be?" Judy's sister huffed, crossing her arms. "Hey, sis. I know you enjoy headbutting problems, so why are you sobbing like this?"

Judy blinked, but then her paw went up to her face to feel wetness under her eye.

Jessica tilted her head to the side. "I also got a few rotten apples, but you don't see me crying about it, do you?"

"Jessica," another voice chimed in, "that's hardly a proper comparison." Another young doe stepped forward. She was clad in multicolored fur. "You cannot seriously put together a rude boy, like one of yours, and a-"

"Yeahyeahyeah," Jessica waved her words away. "I get it." She approached Judy and stabbed her in the chest with a finger. "Point is, you're the one that constantly bangs her head against any wall you can find. A literal knucklehead."

Judy opened her mouth, but her sister went on, leaning closer "Why you want to stop now?"

Judy's eyes widened, as she stared at her sister.

Jessica shrugged with a huff. She then turned around and left for one of the other rooms.

Bonnie blinked after her outspoken daughter left the room, and turned to Judy again. "I- it's all right. She was just-"

"She's right…" Judy muttered, still staring at the door frame where Jessica disappeared to.

Stu frowned at her words. "Jude?"

Judy gently left her mother's embrace, taking a step back… and slapped her face with both paws.

Several jaws in the room dropped, including her parents.

She shook her head vigorously, and when she straightened back up, her eyes were sharp, focused. "Jess is right. I just need to keep at it."

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Nick was quite fond of the Drum. It was a place that didn't attract rowdy clientele, but also wasn't too posh. It managed to strike just the right balance. On top of that, the owner disliked everyone. Which basically meant that he didn't care whether the clients were mice, elephants, skunks… or foxes. He could always find a fault with any mammal, and he was not discriminatory in his distaste. His world simply divided into paying customers and bugs.

In that context, it was a peaceful place to visit. Food was good, and the drinks even better. What else would anyone need?

Sitting at the bar, Nick looked into the bottom of his glass. There was some remaining water, which he gulped down.

Just as he was setting the glass down, a mammal stopped next to him. "Wilde."

The fox looked up to see the bulky figure of chief Bogo.

"Hey there, boss," Nick raised his glass, toasting the buffalo. "Care for a drink?"

The water buffalo sat down next to him. It was a strange thing to see him in his civilian clothes. Though the regular pants and a plain shirt didn't look out of place, Nick recalled how Clawhauser mentioned that the chief's attire for Gazelle's concerts was much more… frivolous.

"Whiskey," Bogo said to the bartender.

Nick chuckled. "Wow, nothing fancier?"

The buffalo glanced at the glass in the fox's paw. "Says the water drinker."

Nick raised a brow, but then remembered that buffalo's had a rather acute sense of smell. "Never liked alcohol," he shrugged, "it takes away your sanity."

"Really?" Bogo eyed him for a couple of uncomfortable, quiet seconds.

To break it, the fox cleared his throat. "You're most likely curious why I invited you here."

"Indeed," the police chief said, before nodding at the neatly groomed lama that served him his glass.

Nick stared at the stern face, as the buffalo took a sip of whiskey. "I guess you'd like to get over it quickly and get back to spending time with your family." The fox leaned slightly towards his superior, adorning a little smirk. "By the way, can I ask what did you tell your wife about this meeting? She let you go drinking just like that?"

Bogo set the glass softly on the counter. "I told her the truth. Something you're not known for, Wilde."

Seeing that playful jabs won't get him anywhere, Nick switched his sitting position to a more upright one. "Fair enough. Then let's get straight to the point - there's someone at the precinct with rather loose lips or maybe even a bug."

The chief glanced around and took a couple of whiffs of air. "Seems so."

"Any ideas which is more probable?"

Bogo once again cast a cautious eye on the nearby patrons. Everyone seemed busy with their food, drink, or conversations. While one could hear bits and pieces of the closest talks, the others were drowned in the background music.

"I'm not crossing anything out. Our bunny could've been part of it, but I doubt the only one."

Nick's paw involuntarily squeezed into a fist.

Bogo went on, "Safest bet lies with the former mayor, even if we have no solid proof."

"She's after Hopps."

The buffalo raised a brow at how quickly his fox officer spoke. "That's a guess, Wilde?"

The red furred predator tapped the edge of his glass with a claw, reigning back the rising anger. "She's on a personal vendetta against all predators, but Judy's the one who foiled her plans."

"So did you." Bogo raised his glass for another sip.

Nick shook his head. "I'm just another predator. But Hopps… Hopps is a traitor of all the prey. At least in the mind of Smellweather. Plus…" he hesitated for a moment, knowing that this could be an inflammatory piece of information. "Her family has already been a target once, possibly due to her involvement."

This made the buffalo look straight at him. "Why am I hearing about this only now?" There was an audible portion of irritation in his voice.

"Sorry, boss. Unearthing it at the time was… unnecessary, and would not yield any benefit."

Bogo leaned towards the fox. "Every. Lead. Counts," he growled. "You're not the one to judge if it's beneficial or not."

Nick looked him in the eye without flinching. "I looked into it. Unofficially, of course. It was a dead end that would be a waste of ZPD resources." He pointed a finger at the chief to stop his interjection. "Do you seriously believe that you have spare mammals and time to look at a case that even the underground refuses to speak about? I'm not looking down at the ZPD, boss, only assessing what is efficient. And in this case there was less than zero percent chance of finding out more about it." Nick lowered his paw. "Last time I checked, wasting the time of the police is treated as a punishable offense." The explanation was perfectly in line with Nick's reputation at the precinct, hence it served as a good cover up. There was no way he could explain that he knew this, because one Mr Pink Plushie would never sell out his clients.

The police chief glared at him for a couple of silent seconds. "Fine," he conceded, eventually straightening back in his seat. "You may have a point this time, but you are my officers. You want this job? You report to me, and then make your case. I will not repeat myself on this."

The fox nodded to that. "Fair enough."

"What about your own family?"

This actually surprised Nick a bit. He knew Bogo as a fair one, but did not expect him to be that concerned about a fox's situation. "My mother is fine, she is not in any danger."

"Why so certain?" The buffalo took a new sip, casting another look around them.

Internally, Nick let out a mirthless chuckle. *Because I have been monitoring her life for the past few years, and I would never let her get hurt. Oh, and the head of an organization of killers for hire is in love with her, and would dye whole rivers red with blood should anything happen to her…*

"I have… a couple of favors here and there. Enough to keep her safe for a while."

Bogo set the glass on the counter again. "This ain't a game, Wilde. You better be a hundred percent sure."

"I'm hundred and ten percent sure."

His chief treated him to another quiet stare. "Okay…" He glanced around once more. "What about the rest of the family?"

Nick simply shrugged. "There is none."

Bogo eyed him for a moment, but was wise enough to know when to let go. "And Hopps? You want to protect her, and her family, on your own, as well?"

Nick's fingers clenched around the glass. "No…" he muttered. "I'm not capable…" The fox looked up at his superior.

Bogo simply huffed, crossing his arms. "That's ZPD's job. I am not going to sit around and let anyone threaten my officers. We've already dispatched mammals to look after her and her close family."

"What if-"

"Mammals I trust. I'm not a fool, Wilde."

Nick wasn't going to argue with this. Not with Bogo's tone. "Okay, boss."

"Is this all you wanted to say? Because it certainly doesn't feel like it."

Nick's paw squeezed into a fist. This was it, his biggest leap of faith with the chief. "There… is one thing."

Headache was already sneaking around the corner, but the fox was not going to let it hinder what he set out to do. He already prepared a workaround.

Bogo was raising his glass again, when his vulpine officer slid a piece of paper across the bar to him. This gave him pause, and he looked at the fox, with the glass still in the air.

Nick only shot him a side glance. "Would be great if you don't explode here, chief."

This made the buffalo frown. He has spent enough time around the fox to be wary of such words. The large mammal took the offered paper and raised it to his face.

In the time Bogo spent reading the message Nick only stared at the opposite wall. He was aware that this could never have a positive outcome. The best he could count on was light punishment. Before he had a chance to delve deeper into possible scenarios, there was a scrunch of paper by his side. Looking to the side, Nick saw Bogo crumpling the piece of paper in his hoofed paw.

The buffalo turned his head towards the fox, and his look turned into a glare. In the next second, the large mammal gulped the remaining whiskey in one go. "You've got some nerve…"

Nick remained silent.

Bogo muttered, almost growling, "You understand that I have every reason to fire your sorry ass?!"

The fox only nodded. His face was absolutely blank.

"Good." Bogo set the glass on the bar.

Nick's brows shot up, as he did not expect to hear this.

"Since you're aware," the buffalo leaned slightly towards the fox, "then you'll be on board with what comes after this case."

Nick still looked at him in puzzlement.

"Once we deal with that maniac sheep, I will work you to the bone. You will slave through every minute of lies you've told. Only when you're done I might, might, consider trusting you ever again."

Nick's eyes searched the buffalo's expression to find even a scrap of dishonesty, trickery, or anything similar. Yet, he only saw a very straightforward conviction.

"Yes, sir," he replied, his voice slightly strained.

They stared at each other for a while longer, until the chief straightened up in his seat. "We're done here." He fished out his wallet to pay for the drink. "Only one thing."

The fox's ears twitched.

Bogo cast another glance around. "Pack your basic necessities, and be at the precinct tomorrow. Seven am, sharp."

"Wha-" Nick couldn't finish his sentence, as the buffalo dropped a 20 zootopian dollar bill on the bar and continued.

"Make sure you tell Hopps to do the same." With those words, the buffalo left the bar.

The fox sat still for a good while, processing what he just heard. And all that it would imply.

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Judy stared at the ceiling, laying on the guest room bed. It was one of four, and her two sisters and mom occupied the rest. It was a bit nostalgic for the young doe to sleep in one room with her family again. Ever since she left Bunnyburrow it has always been a lone night in her tiny apartment. Well, that and occasional naps at the precinct after a complicated shift.

Her father took the boys and settled in the second room. While it was not unusual at home that brothers and sisters would sleep in shared bedrooms, here her parents were adamant that Judy needs to rest in a female only environment. The doe didn't protest, as she knew it could be stressful to have a mixed room at the moment. Still, she didn't want to step forward and suggest something like that herself. Syndrome or no syndrome, she did not want to wall herself off from her family.

The paw shake tests today did not show any signs of improvement. Every time they tried to do it, her own body recoiled, shaking in fear. She struggled each time, doing her best to convince herself that there was no danger, but couldn't do anything. It's as if it has been engraved on her bones. Even though she wanted to continue, her mother eventually stepped in, stopping the process. Turns out, Judy has been so fixated on getting results that she didn't even notice that she was barely standing on shaky legs. She relented, and her mother ordered it was time for supper and sleep.

She kept looking up, listening to her mother's light snoring, and thought about all the recent events. The most burning thing in her mind was the perspective of moving in together with Nick. Sure, it might not even come to that, and even if, it would only be temporary. Still… she couldn't decide what to think of such a setting. On one side, she absolutely wanted to get better. The panic attacks were no joke, and they could have devastating consequences, should they occur during performing her duty.

On the other… It would mean sharing living space with her fox partner. A fox that has been holding a rather unpredictable place in her mind. He swayed from a lying conmammal to a loyal companion. It didn't help, when she recalled everything her mother said about her ears in connection to Nick. Not to mention, Vivian was also, occasionally, saying some strange things. All of this was very confusing for the young doe. It forced her to reevaluate what Nick actually meant to her. And it was not an easy task. Trying to pin down her emotions and thoughts in place felt like grasping a wet soap bar.

Judy sighed, resting her forearm over her eyes. If only she could get some clue or receive any sign-

Her phone buzzed.

Raising her arm, Judy turned her head towards the device. Unlocking the screen revealed a text from…

"Nick?" She whispered to herself and read the message.

_Chief buffalo butt told us to pack our things and be at the precinct at 7am. Guess the decision's been made, roomie._

Judy felt her heart skip a beat, as she absorbed the meaning of those words.. She… and Nick… in one apartment. The doe sensed her cheeks heating up. She shook her head, desperate to clear her thoughts.

What thoughts could be those? Snickered her inner voice.

Judy closed her eyes and took several deep breaths. She needed full clarity of mind for this. After all, you don't get such news every evening. That you are to move in with a fox.

With a friend.

With your partner.

With your…

Her mind hesitated for a moment before adding protector at the end of her last thought. She wasn't exactly sure where the hesitation came from. Was it the fact that he was a male? This meant living with a male in a confined space.

Judy's eyes shot wide open as Will's face surfaced in her mind.

The doe sprung up with a gasp.

Her body was trembling, and her breathing became erratic in almost an instant. Judy desperately tried to direct her thoughts somewhere else.

A knife. A knife cutting her clothes.

The doe placed a trembling paw over her mouth.

A twisted grimace right above her face.

She felt nauseated.

A paw painfully yanking her tail.

Her fingers muffled a whimper that escaped her lips. It felt as if the room began swaying. Her vision wobbled. She wanted to cry, to run away, to hide somewhere safe.

Safe…

The vision of Nick's face came to her almost immediately. That smug, annoying grin. That horrible shirt. The arms that held her under that bridge…

She wante- No. She needed to hug him.

As her thoughts about the fox continued, she realized that her body began to loosen. The trembling subsided, as well as the nausea. She still felt significant discomfort, but it was much more manageable.

Judy took several moments to stabilize her breathing. Afterwards, she cast a quick glance around. None of her sisters, or her mother, woke up during what happened. And just the sight of them made her realize one thing - she just had a panic attack while surrounded by her closest family, somewhere she should feel safe.

Pulling up her knees, and wrapping arms around them, Judy couldn't escape a simple conclusion.

She needed Nick. In more ways than one.

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The fox stopped in front of the precinct building, sighing.

He got up early, and packed according to Bogo's instructions. Now, standing in front of what he deemed an uncertain future, Nick felt his anxiety rising. The thoughts revolving about how the next events will unfold were gaining in strength.

Shaking his head, the vulpine officer shifted the backpack on his shoulder and moved forward.

When he entered the precinct, he almost immediately noticed a frantically waving arm.

Clawhauser was standing behind his desk, waving like crazy at him. "Nick!"

"Hey, Benjamin," the fox replied once he got closer to the cheetah.

When Nick stopped by his desk, the spotted feline looked around, as if he was searching for someone.

Nick raised a brow and also gave the surroundings a glance, not sure what to expect.

Meanwhile, Clawhauser leaned to him, putting a paw to the side of his mouth. "The chief asked me to direct you to the ground floor kitchen in the east wing," he whispered.

The fox immediately understood the reason for his colleague's behavior, even if it was a bit overdramatic. "Ok, thanks."

Benjamin nodded, and proceeded with a second round of surveying the area.

Nick sighed, heading towards the east wing.

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"About time, Wilde," Bogo said as the fox entered the kitchen. "Hopps was here early."

Judy showed her friend a sheepish smile from her seat by the table. She also had a backpack with her.

Apart from her and Bogo, Nick saw one more mammal. An armadillo in black pants and a grey hoodie - basically plain, civilian clothing - nodded as he noticed the fox's gaze.

The police chief stood up. "Wilde, this is Jacob. He will be in charge of getting you two to a designated apartment."

Nick glanced at the scene, especially at the new face. It was someone he did not see in the police files. That and the entire conspiracy…

"Let me guess," he said, approaching them, "witsec?"

The armadillo showed a small smile. "I'm here simply to make sure you will get to your apartment undisturbed."

Nick raised a brow. "Uh-huh, and I take it that your name is definitely not Jacob."

The mammal in question simply snorted. "He's just like you said, Adrien." He addressed chief Bogo.

The buffalo huffed, heading to the door. "From this moment on consider Jacob your superior officer. You do as he says, at all times. Understood?" He addressed the last word to Nick.

The fox raised his arms in a gesture of defeat. "I'll behave."

Judy's eye roll was almost audible. "Don't worry, chief. I'll keep an eye on him"

Jacob clapped twice. "Great. If that's all, we have a schedule to keep. Now, hand over your phones."

Judy only nodded, reaching for her pocket.

However, Nick folded his arms. "Why?"

Jacob turned his gaze to him. "Security reasons, obviously."

But the vulpine officer only shrugged. "My phone is clean, I check it regularly."

"Nick!" Judy hissed, elbowing her friend.

The armadillo approached them. "Is there any reason as to why you are obstructing this?"

"Decades on the streets taught me to not carelessly hand over my things to government agencies."

"Wilde!" Bogo growled from his spot.

Jacob remained calm, and leaned a bit towards Nick. "There's always a chance that any electric device can be a liability. Are you willing to bet your partner's life on that?"

Nick flinched, and his gaze went to Judy.

The doe's eyes were looking directly at his. He could not decipher anything from them. Clicking his tongue, the fox took out his phone and held it towards the armadillo.

Jacob observed him for a couple of seconds, before taking both his and Judy's devices. "Good. And you better keep in mind that I don't care for your comfort, rights, or whatever. My job is to keep your tails safe. Got it?"

"Yes, sir…" Nick muttered.

This seemed to defuse the situation. That and chief Bogo, who seemed like on edge of exploding. Which was becoming an almost regular occurrence whenever he and Nick were in the same room. However, the buffalo simply grumbled something under his nose and left the room.

Once there were only three mammals left, the armadillo gestured for them to follow.

Nick and Judy exchanged glances, and went after their guide.

Jacob walked them through the east wing of the precinct, eventually heading to a door that led to a service corridor. Following the concrete, narrow route, they have arrived at another door. This time a staircase awaited them. Their guide headed down, but only one level lower. Through another concrete corridor, they have reached one more door. When Jacob opened them, Judy and Nick realized that they were in the precinct's garage.

"Don't make any eye contact, don't talk to anyone," the armadillo muttered over his shoulder.

The police officers nodded together with a quick 'ok'.

They navigated between the cars, until reaching yet another door, one that led to a tiny office room. It contained a desk with a computer, several narrow storage racks filled with files, and a lean deer behind the computer's screen. The mammal looked up at them, raising a brow.

"We have requested a single, small sized vehicle," Jacob said. "For the name Hills."

The deer corrected the spectacles on his muzzle and looked at the screen again. "All right, let's see…"

Few clicks later they received keys and were back to the garage. Jacob guided them towards a grey hatchback parked by one of the walls, which looked to them like a simple car, or an unmarked patrol one.

Couple of minutes later the vehicle emerged from the underground garage and headed towards Tundratown.

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Around ten minutes later Judy's ears twitched a couple of times and she looked at her partner. In turn, Nick sniffed the air for a while, looking for the tiniest hint of anyone following them. Eventually, he shook his head.

"Okay," Jacob nodded. "Follow me closely, and use the hoods and masks."

The two officers nodded, executing his instructions. They were in a small alley near the precinct, where they went directly from the garage. Neither asked questions earlier, when Jacob opened the door to the car to pass the keys to a mammal who was already inside. As the car drove off, he led them back to the service corridor, moving between the wall and the cover of the parked vehicles. Using a couple more of old, dusty doors, one of which needed a key, they got out of the precinct's building in the back. It was the area where various shipments were made to the facility, and it currently had one truck at the ramp. Some mammals were bustling to unload the cargo.

The trio ended up using a wicket in the fence surrounding the area, and they headed for the alley nearby.

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"Never tried this door before," Nick muttered, as they walked down the crowded street.

All three now had hoods and masks. It wasn't that rare of a view at this time of year. Many mammals took upon masks during winter, either not wanting to infect anyone with their cold, or simply avoid catching it themselves.

Judy sent him a look. "Maybe it's because you shouldn't know about it."

The mask couldn't hide his smirk. "I do now."

"I'm guessing," their armadillo guide chimed in, "that you're like this at work, too?" He was walking with both paws in the pockets of his hoodie.

The doe huffed. "Unfortunately."

Nick's smirk grew into a grin. "Y-" He froze, realizing that he was about to utter the same phrase he used towards her in the cruiser the day they pulled Flash over. His brain was forced to do emergency recalculation. "You know that you won't find a better partner out there."

Judy simply gave him a side glare. One he secretly adored so much.

After a five minute walk they arrived at an apartment complex. It was one of the newer ones, with a modernistic touch. Not to mention, it was also fenced off. The fence itself felt like the architect gave the construction crew explicit instructions for them to build a Fort Knox, but classy. It was also pretty close to the precinct. Jacob guided them inside, next to the security booth. The feline guard inside simply nodded at the sight of the armadillo and unlocked the door for them.

Nick was somewhat familiar with the place. When he was learning about the layout of Zootopia, this place was one of the curious cases. From what he recalled, the complex was built by an investor that wanted to create something for the wealthier part of the society. Something that could provide them with a safe zone from the common folk. Hence the unusual inaccessibility and security measures.

Their guide headed for one of the buildings on the left side, gesturing for them to come along. Their tour of the place was very straightforward and consisted of a short ride with the elevator to the fourth floor, plus a brief walk to one of the apartments down the corridor.

Jacob swiftly fished out the keys from his pocket to open the door. He let them in and entered the apartment hallway last.

"Right," he said as he locked the door behind them. "Welcome to your temporary home. There are some rules, which will explicitly follow. Am I clear?"

"Yes, sir."

"Sure."

The armadillo raised three clawed fingers. "One, you do not leave the place, unless it is absolutely certain that your lives are endangered by staying. Two, no shopping or ordering food. All necessities will be provided by an officer. Three, no contact with the outside. In case of emergency, you will use this phone," as he said that, his paw took out the mentioned device from his pocket. "Keep it with you at all times. It has an inbuilt tracker and if you keep the volume and power buttons pressed together, it will send an alarm code to the central. A SWAT team will be immediately dispatched to your location." He handed Judy the phone. "Any questions?"

Nick raised a paw. "Yeah, like, what if we would need more food?"

"You won't. You'll get rations-"

"From an officer, I heard that. But I happen to eat a lot more than an average fox. Will that also be calculated in?"

Jacob didn't say anything, at first, only eyed the fox. Probably to assess if Nick was joking.

He then pulled out a small notepad from his pants' pocket. "Fine, I'll write it down for them. Happy?"

Nick smiled in response. "I'm happy when I'm not hungry. Thanks."

"Anything else?" Jacob addressed both officers.

Judy raised her arm. "I often call and write to my family, they'll be worried if I suddenly cut contact."

"They will be briefed on your situation. Also, an agent will be contacting you once a day to make sure everything is fine. If there is any necessary message needed, he or she can pass it on for you."

The doe breathed out with relief.

Jacob's eyes traveled back and forth from one to another. "Is that all?"

Judy nodded. Nick shrugged.

"Good, then you're free to unpack."

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Judy closed the door behind Jacob, and their click resounded in his head like a slab of concrete falling on top of a grave.

He was prepared, or so he would hope. With a big supply of the strongest heat medicine he could get, Nick was ready to face what was about to come.

He shook his head and decided to focus on the positives, for once. Yes, he was to be living with someone who could trigger his savage instincts any moment. Yes, there was a bloodthirsty ewe out there, hellbent on making their life miserable or even ending it. But… He was about to be flatmates with the female he loved. That alone was rewarding enough for him to take some risks.

Meanwhile, Judy set her suitcase on the floor and went to survey the apartment. There wasn't much to look at, given that it was meant to be a hideout and not a luxurious hotel. Two bedrooms, small living room, kitchen, and a bathroom.

"From the looks of it," Judy stepped into the kitchen, "this place was meant for mammals around a wolf's size."

Nick sauntered into the room, as well. "Welp, that's what we get for being the smallest in the force."

"It's not that I'm complaining, just an observation."

The fox eyed some of the shelves and high cabinets. "Just let me know if you need a ladder."

Hearing his comment, the doe quirked an eyebrow. Without further ado, she jumped up to to gracefully land with her feet on the kitchen top. She sent him a look with her half lidded eyes.

"Yeeah… point taken," he let out a chuckle.

Once Judy was back on the floor, they proceeded to unpacking the food from the bags. It wasn't a lot, but enough to sustain them before they would receive another batch of provisions. It was imperative that both of them would lay low, Bogo was excruciatingly clear on that, especially to Nick.

"Um…" the fox began, rubbing the back of his neck. "About the sleeping arrangements, I noticed that the doors have locks, so if you want to lock me up at night…"

She looked at him while narrowing his eyes a bit. "What are you talking about?"

"Well, I thought that you would feel more comfortable, knowing that I'm locked up an-"

"Do you plan on assaulting me at night?"

He blinked. "Of course not!"

"Then I see no point in playing with locks. Besides," she pointed at one of the bedrooms, "would those doors hold your savage side?"

This gave him a pause. "Ah, now that you mention it…"

Judy got closer to him. "Nick, if I didn't trust you on this, do you think I would have agreed to living together?"

He lowered his ears, along with his gaze. "You're right, sorry."

Seeing his reaction the doe's expression softened up a little. "Thank you for being thoughtful, but it's really all right."

"Okay, but don't complain if I sleepwalk to the fridge," he said before he could stop himself. It often happened around her. Being near Judy had a devastating effect on his restraints. *Must be some relaxing aura* he thought.

The doe smiled in return. "Just make sure you don't eat my food."

"I'll make a note about that."

"Then I think that we can get along just fine." With those words, she took her suitcase and headed to one of the bedrooms.

Nick felt relieved after their conversation. He had some serious reservations about moving in together, even if temporarily. Of course, there was the matter of his savagery, and Judy was still unaware of one of the crucial triggers. However, he knew it was just one issue. What if it would turn awkward once they are around each other for most of the day? What should they talk about? Should he keep his current attitude or maybe be a little more serious?

The fox worried about the social part of their interactions as much as, if not more, the savagery. It was weaved into his fear of her rejecting him. After all, even if he gets a cure for his condition, no medicine in the world could fix their incompatibility. That is why he considered their entry into the apartment a success of sorts.

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"...stay with us for more infor-"

Judy groaned after turning the TV off. "Of course," she grumbled, "nothing in the news…"

Nick chuckled from his spot on the couch. "Don't tell me you actually expected them to tell us where's Smellweather?"

"Har har," she rolled her eyes at him. "I was hoping for any scrap of information about anything" The doe dropped the remote. "There's a psycho ewe on the loose and nothing is happening. She's up to something."

The fox paused peeling an apple and looked at her properly. Her body was tense and eyes betrayed the agitation boiling in her. *Isn't this what the lady doc said?*

Nick quickly put down the fruit and held up a bowl with freshly cut pieces. "Apple for your thoughts?"

Judy looked at the offered fruit, letting out a sigh. "I'm sorry, it's just… Sitting in one place and doing nothing is not my thing." She took a piece of an apple.

"Who would've thought," Nick chuckled. He also took a piece to munch on, but took four more into his paws. "Still, we've managed to get something done, so it's not like we're on vacation. Plus," he pointed at her with a piece of apple, "we got a suspect in custody. That has to count for something."

Judy chewed the apple with resignation. "I know, I know…. I'll… try to appreciate it more."

He smiled at her words. "That's the spirit. Besides, you gotta finally learn how to be lazy at times. It's not healthy if you're constantly productive." With that said, the fox threw the pieces of apple in the air. His paws swiftly caught them as they descended, and he began juggling them.

She narrowed her eyes, though with a little smile. "Not sure if it's wise to follow that advice." Her gaze followed the flying fruit.

Nick grinned at her response. "Hey, it's free, just like the apples. So feel free to eat up." As if to accentuate his words, the fox sent one of the pieces in her direction. His friend caught it with one paw. "Especially since it's all I can make. I can't cook to save my life."

Her ears flung up at this statement. "You shirioush?" Judy mumbled with her mouth full of fruit.

The fox shrugged. "Never had the need to. Always managed to organize some grub. One way or the other."

In the meantime, the doe swallowed the food. "If we're talking junk food, then I'm surprised you were so slim when we met." She briefly eyed his figure, now bulkier than a regular fox.

"What can I say? Good genes."

"Mhmm," Judy hummed, giving him a look, "seeing how different you and Vivian are, my guess is that those genes got watered down and squandered."

He chuckled. "Ouch, the bunny bites."

The doe opened her mouth to respond, but she paused, looking at his smiling face. It wasn't difficult to realize what he was trying to do with this banter. "All right, I get it", she said, taking another piece of fruit. After staring at it for a moment, Judy looked up at him again. "Thank you."

His smile widened a bit.

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"You weren't joking, this actually IS edible."

Judy considered whether to punch him, throw the kitchen towel at his muzzle, or simply shake her head with a smile. Ultimately, she went with the third option.

They were sitting at the dining table, sharing dinner prepared by the doe. Since Nick declared his inability to prepare something from raw ingredients, not to mention something for a bunny, Judy picked up the mantle.

"I gotta say," she stabbed her vegetables with a fork, "I was shocked to see the cupboard."

"Huh?" Nick looked up from his plate with confusion.

"Do you always keep things this way? Like, with the way you placed all the stuff, I was half expecting them to be in an alphabetical order."

"Oh, that." He shrugged, swallowing another portion of food. "Just how I keep things. Having them organized is practical."

Judy pointed at him with her fork. "From the day I met you, 'organized' was not a word I would have used to describe you," she said with a smile.

He raised his brows in amusement. "Then what kind of vocabulary did you have in mind? Do tell."

"Sleazy, lazy, shady, two-faced, untrustworthy, shifty, dishonest, annoying, immature, and so on," she recited without missing a beat.

His eyes widened a little. "Ouch…"

A warm smile appeared on her face. "But then I learned that you can be loyal, brave, caring, compassionate…"

He froze.

The first words felt like a regular joke between them, but those that came after… They made him feel at ease. It was the strangest of feelings that he got to experience only around Judy. The way she interacted with him, how she talked to him… It… It created an atmosphere that he not only felt okay with being himself. It was practically encouraged by the doe.

The moment he realized this, the fox felt wetness under one of his eyes. In a trained reflex, his paw shot up to wipe the uninvited droplet.

Of course, this didn't go unnoticed. "Nick? You okay?"

Even with own emotions deprived of balance, he could hear worry in her voice. However, imagining where a possible follow up conversation would lead, he wasn't sure that he was ready to willingly expose his raw emotions like this. Instead, the fox used the back of a paw to wipe his face.

"It's fine," he replied, forcing himself to sound normal.

Judy understood that he wasn't talking about himself, but rather about the situation. She knew that even if he promised her full honesty, it would be cruel of her to exploit it by asking about every sensitive thing. Which is why she simply gave a small nod. "Okay."

Nick looked at her, before picking up his fork again and resuming his meal. "Thank you…" he muttered.

They continued to eat, not commenting on what just happened.

At one point Judy sighed, stabbing at her remaining food. "I'm wondering how my family will take this. My dad is a worrywart and is probably driving my mum nuts. And it hasn't even been a day…"

Nick actually chuckled at that. "I guess my mother would simply see the aftermath report, sigh and ask the heavens why am I like this."

Once again, he managed to draw a small smile on her lips. "I don't even have to guess, I saw her do that."

"No wonder you get on so well. You have a very similar mindset."

"Could be," Judy said while leaning her back on the chair. "Okay, I made the food, you clean up. That was the deal."

"Yep," Nick replied, laying down his fork. The fox gathered the plates and headed for the sink. On his way there, he swiftly cleaned up all the leftovers. The savagery made eating feel like filling a bottomless pit.

Given that the apartment was designed most likely for wolves, the fox had to use a small wooden stool to be on the right level for washing the dishes. As he prepared for cleaning, Nick realized that Judy's scent hadn't moved from her earlier spot on the chair. "You know," he began, "watching me scrub the plates isn't mandatory."

"I'm curious…" Came a reply from behind his back.

He couldn't hold back a snort. "It's no rocket science, Fluff. You take a dirty plate in one pa-"

"I'm talking about your savagery, Nick."

The fox's ears fell. "Ah, right… There was that."

"Tell me, just… how strong are you when you go savage?"

This question actually surprised him. "That's…" He paused, staring ahead. "You know what? I'm not even sure."

"Well…" she muttered. "When you ran away from the precinct after attacking-" Her mind stopped at the memory of a certain individual. Her ears fell behind her head. For a good couple of seconds, Judy couldn't utter a word.

"Your ex?"

Her ears rose back up, as she looked towards the sink.

Nick was half turned to her, a sponge in his wet paw. At this very moment, she could tell that his eyes expressed concern. For her, it was truly something rare to see him so… unfiltered.

"Yeah," she breathed out with gratitude. "Ex."

Nick showed her a gentle smile and turned back to the dirty dishes. "Go on," he encouraged her to continue.

Judy rested her forearms on the table while clearing her throat. "As I was saying, when you were unconscious in that alley I found you in, I had a moment to ponder. And my eye caught the bents on the trash container by the wall."

Nick furrowed his brows, not recalling doing anything to a container. Since his memory never lied to him, he wondered if that meant his consciousness switching to a beast mode. Just as he thought about it, a chill ran down his spine. *I was alone in a back alley with her, as a savage…*

"...and I thought that if you were the one who made them, your savage side is probably as strong as a rhino or an elephant." Judy concluded her observation.

He peeked at her over his shoulder without pausing his cleaning.. "Uh… Maybe? I couldn't tell. Actually, I never even tested it." He put the last, clean plate on the dryer. "I'll consider checking it next time."

This made Judy raise her head a bit. "So… Can you control yourself when you…" she paused before waving her paw dismissively. "I was going to say transform, but it sounded a bit ridiculous in my head."

Nick slowly put down the last plate. His mind was busy weighing his options. Yes, the crazy doc said it could damage his heart. But… *He mentioned sudden outbursts, right?* Nick struggled with his thoughts for a couple more seconds before letting out a sigh. "Okay…"

Judy tilted her head a bit in puzzlement.

The fox closed his eyes and tried summoning negative emotions gradually, without rushing. Step by step. He could feel the acceleration of his heartbeat, how his breathing became faster. *Easy, easy…*

"Nick?" The doe rose in her seat. Her face now carried a trace of worry.

He opened his eyes and turned around.

To Judy's credit, she did not gasp or lean away. Her only reaction was direct staring into the savage eyes of her friend.

Her gaze, paired up with silence, made him spread his arms a bit, raising his shoulders. "Well…" he said, though with a dose of anxiety. "This is me. A mutant."

The doe stared at him for a good couple of seconds. "And… you have complete control over it?"

He shrugged. "More or less. That is, if I don't get angry. So maybe don't let me catch you eating my snacks." He pointed at one of the cupboards with a thumb.

Judy sighed, although with a smile. "Have you ever, in your entire life, been serious for more than two minutes straight?"

He dared to show half a smirk. "Can't say I did."

She rolled her eyes. "Okay, whatever. But what is this about being a… a mutant?"

Nick raised a finger and closed his eyes. After a few seconds, he managed to get himself back to normal. *Don't let them see that they get to you…*

"I went to a…" he recalled the image of his doctor. "Specialist. He analyzed my body and said that I've basically mutated."

"Wai- Specialist? Like a doctor or something? And what exactly do you mean by mutation?"

Nick let out another sigh and sat on a chair next to Judy. It was something he could not hide any longer. Especially, when they have moved into the same apartment. Hell or high water, this had to be said now. Then, he proceeded to tell her everything about what doctor Octavius had explained to him. He saved the matter of mating instincts for last, dreading the result. Every fiber of his being wanted to avoid that topic, but he knew that he couldn't do it. Not any longer. Not when they were paired up in one apartment. He already felt guilty for not explaining it earlier. Even with clenched fists and fear creeping up his spine, Nick managed to spit out the most dangerous information about his savagery.

"...and… due to-" he swallowed dryly, while staring at the floor. "Due to my condition, I have these… attacks of…uh… extreme desire for m-" The word didn't want to come out of his mouth. The fox grit his teeth, ordering his vocal cords to work, even amidst an excruciating headache. "M-mating. So, those times whe-"

"Nick!"

Her exclamation made him jerk back a little.

"Don't you get it?" She was practically standing on her chair. "This could be a breakthrough! Whoever created the serum, wasn't a madmammal, but an investor. Someone so ruthless that they would use an entire city as a testing ground!"

Wha- Is she- No way.* He couldn't believe what he was hearing. His partner truly acted like a workaholic right now. "Uh… Fluff?" Nick knew he was stirring up a hornet's nest, but the lack of response he expected was worrying him. "You're… You're not mad about that savagery issue?"

She laid her eyes on the fox, but it seemed like she wasn't looking at him. "Hm? Oh, yes. I am. That's really bad, but explains a few things. But can we focus on the important issue?"

He shook his head in disbelief. "This is important." Even the pain in his skull was dispersing due to the shock.

She waved him off. "Bellweather is our priority, Nick. We'll talk about that later." She jumped off the chair. "For now we gotta catch the chief an-"

Trying to be as tactful as possible, Nick crouched before her, grabbing both of her arms. "He already knows. And you need to sit down."

"Wh- You expect me to lie down and have a nap, when that maniac ewe is out there, either planning to harm the city or my family?!"

However, the fox remained calm. "Bogo has taken care of city security. Also, he has mammals watching over your family." He kept his paws on her arms, holding her in place.

She simply stared at him. "But-"

"Judy, please!" Seeing as he was getting nowhere, he raised his voice to get through to her. "I am trying to tell you that there were situations wh-" His throat clenched, but he forced the words through. "When I almost threw myself at you because of my savagery!"

This seemed to have an effect.

Judy stared at him with wide eyes. Apparently, the impact of what he just yelled at her face hit her only now.

As the initial shock disappeared, he was now ashamed. What he said was practically admitting that he was very close to raping her. Nick turned around and got on his feet.

Only for his shirt to be caught at the back.

"...Don't go." Judy's voice was definitely strained.

Nick considered whether to run away or not.

"It's…" the doe began before sighing. "I hear you and… and it scares and angers me."

His heart sank. The fox took a step forward, his legs voting to leave. However, his friend's grip on his shirt grew stronger. "But I want us to talk."

"I should leave…"

"No!" Judy's grip tightened further.

Hearing this, his ears twitched, and he turned his head to look back at her.

She looked strange. With ears drooping, and paw clenched hard around his shirt, she should've been an image of fear. However, this was contradicted by an unyielding gaze that rested on his face, just like in the doctor's office.

"I… I am tired of this," she said while staring him in the eye. "You, running away whenever things get serious. Enough's enough. We deal with it now."

Nick didn't reply in any way, he only stood in place.

"Look… Can we…" The doe paused before casting a brief glance towards the living room. "The couch?" She nodded towards it with her head.

Nick swallowed. "Okay…" he muttered and obediently followed the bunny. He did note, however, that she did not let go of his shirt until they reached the couch.

She sat on one end while pointing to the other. Nick nodded, sitting in the designated spot, keeping his distance from the bunny.

They sat in awkward silence before Judy spoke. "When did it start?"

Nick squeezed his fingers before replying. "A week ago…"

"A week." She repeated. "Which means we've been in close proximity since then on several occasions, right?"

The fox swallowed dryly before nodding. "Yes…"

"This also begs the question, since you knew about it for a week, why didn't you say this before we moved in together?"

Nick opened his mouth, but couldn't find the right words. He rubbed his eyes with a paw. "I'm sorry… This- I really wanted to help. When… when the doctor said that separation could make it worse…"

Another pause.

Judy looked like she was on the verge of yelling. He could see that the initial fear was giving way to other emotions. Still, she rubbed her face with both paws and dropped back on the couch. The doe let out a sigh. "For the last time, Nick. If there is something important like this, tell me immediately! Do you even want to make our friendship work?"

His heart ached. "Of course I do! I-"

"Then stop lying or keeping secrets that involve me!" She snapped at him, straightening up

Nick could see the anger in her eyes, in the grimace on her face. His ears fell flat on his head. "I'm terribly sorry, Judy. I really am."

Judging by the look on her face, he expected to be mercilessly chewed out. Frankly, he knew he deserved it. Still…

"I need to go to the bathroom." Judy stood up.

The sudden announcement threw him off the rails.

Before he could answer in any way, she aimed a finger at him. "Stay where you are. We're not done."

He nodded slowly without a word.

Even after the bathroom door shut, he did not dare move an inch. Every passing second seemed to stretch to impossible lengths. And his mind kept torturing him with all sorts of ideas how this could go from bad to worst. She could yell at him, break down in tears, or… He shivered. She could become completely indifferent about him, losing all interest in what he would have to say. His deliberations were cut short, when he heard the click from the direction of the bathroom.

Judy walked out and headed back to the couch.

Nick scanned her face for any hints to her emotions, but saw only what he would describe as annoyance.

The doe sat down on the couch and took a deep breath. "You've been honest with me about it, even though you could've kept it to yourself." Her voice was clearly strained. "I… appreciate that."

His ears twitched.

"BUT," she accentuated the word, "it doesn't change the fact that I'm hurt." The doe shot him an accusing look. "And pissed," she added after a moment.

"I understand…" he muttered sheepishly.

"Good. Then from now on, you will answer all of my questions with nothing but the truth, the WHOLE truth. Got it?"

His shoulders sank lower, while his mind dreaded how she phrased that sentence. "Yes."

Her gaze never left his face. "Is there anything else that you're not telling me about?"

Nick's heart froze.

"Anything you're hidi- anything that is connected with me that could affect me in any way?"

The fox's head got rapidly flooded with a migraine. "I…"

The hesitation was noticed immediately . "Is there?" Judy's voice was unyielding.

His eye twitched from the pain that so quickly overwhelmed his skull. *I… she can't know… not… like this…* Gritting his teeth, Nick somehow forced himself to look in her direction. "Yes…"

It was a mere whisper, but her ears picked it up easily. "Tell me."

His head exploded, at least that's how he felt it. Through the curtain of pain he could barely register his out of control heart rate. He tried breathing, but only found his lungs to refuse such an order. "..." No sound left his mouth when he tried to speak, feeling an iron vice clamped on his throat. Even his vision was failing, blurring everything in his sight.

*I love you.*

He blacked out.

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