Serendipity's Shadow

Rated T

Author's Note

Alternate Universe: Life Switch

Hello, Everyone! Sorry for the long wait I had misplaced my laptop, my sister adopted a dog, relatives are visiting, and so on. It's a mess. But hey that's life. I'm going to post a new chapter soon I promise. But my friend, when I told her I had writer's block, recommended I try writing a different version of the story to get the creative flow back at max again. So here is a random AU where Nick and Judy switch places in a way. I hope this appeases you until I get the next chapter out. Enjoy!

Nick really hated formal events. He had never been invited to a birthday party, let alone a charity gala. And yet here he was standing in Chief Bogo's office trying to fix his tie.

If I had known that the Chief was planning to trap me in here to force me to go…I would have called in sick today.

"Hurry it up, Wilde!" Chief Bogo ordered from the other side of the door.

"Yes~ Sir." Nick called back with a sarcastic tone.

Nick finally got his uniform on perfect enough to please all the officials. He grabbed his hat, carrying it at his side when he opened the door to a displeased water buffalo.

"Good enough…Chief?" Nick asked not hiding his sarcasm.

"Your attitude needs some adjusting." Bogo answered gesturing for Nick to follow him to the car.

"Why am I going to this again?"

"Because you graduated first of your class, the first highly decorated rookie to be honored an award by the mayor, and you busted a recent shipment of drugs being sold by the Sahara cartel. Did I miss anything, Wilde?"

"My bad attitude, lack of an ability to work well with others, insubordination. Did I miss anything, Chief?"

"Shut it, Wilde."

"Yes, Chief."

Nick sent a quick glare to Clawhauser as he took a not-so-discreet picture of Nick.

"Clauhauser, is the car here?"

"Yes, Chief Bogo."

Nick contemplated making one last ditch effort to run away. But relented when he remembered Bogo threatened to dock some of his vacation days.

The mayor was hosting some stupid charity ball for the homeless…or was it, orphans? Nick wanted to believe it was innocent, but he knew a good portion of that money wasn't heading to where it really needed to go.

"Wilde."

"Yes, Chief?"

"I need you to keep alert about certain individuals."

"What… like the women who want to know if I'm free on Friday nights for afternoon tea when their husbands are out."

"Nick!"

"I was being genuine."

"Then act like it." Bogo ordered from the back seat of the vehicle across from the fox. "I just need you to not judge a book by its cover…or its species. Understood?"

"Something I should know, Chief?"

"I'm just expecting an old…friend."

A silence fell between the two as Nick studied his commanding officer. A sadness had fallen upon the face of the water buffalo.

"Did you two leave on bad terms?" Nick asked bravely.

"You could say that."

The two had stopped conversing until they arrived at the banquet hall at the center of Zootopia. Nick stayed next to Bogo long enough for the formalities before making his way over to the open bar.

"What will it be?"

"Whatever you got that, that will make me seem more pleasant to my superiors."

The otter laughed before nodding his head in understanding.

"Coming right up."

Nick didn't bother to watch him make the concoction. Instead, he allowed his eyes to wander across the ballroom. He did his best to hide his disdain for the old money tycoons that were clearly displeased to be in the presence of officers of the law. Then there were the wives of the said tycoons who were too busy trying to one up each other. Nick lingered his eyes on them a little longer. As most of the wives were in attendance with their daughters. The sons seemed to be in their own corner of the room also eyeing the group of mom and daughters. Nick eventually forced his gaze elsewhere. Occasionally he would linger on a waiter or an individual hopping from one group of people to the next.

"Your drink, Sir."

"Thanks." Nick nodded while secretly tipping the bartender.

"Of course, Sir." The smile on the otter's face made Nick wonder how badly this otter was being treated.

Nick took a sip of the concoction enjoying the slow tickling burn in his throat. When he visibly felt his body become less tense is when his eyes landed on the balcony. Or more specifically the very well-dressed bunny leaning against the railing with a bored expression.

I'm game.

Nick was confident in his stride as he approached the bunny. She wore a blue, open-back, floor-length dress that held onto her body in all the right ways. One gold chain dangled from the top of her left ear. And a pearl necklace was draped loosely around her neck. She wore minimal makeup allowing her natural beauty to show through. And Nick had to admit she was beautiful…for a dumb bunny.

"Get ditched?"

Nick knew she heard him as she swirled her drink in a slow circle. A bunny's ear always gives them away.

"Did you?" She asked once he was close enough to converse.

"More like I did the ditching."

She chuckled to herself before looking at Nick. Her vibrant violet eyes captivated Nick as he smiled at the bunny. She openly studied Nick while continuing to swirl the drink in her hand.

"Well, then your date must be utterly boring… Mr. Wilde?"

Nick's ears went straight hearing her say his last name. Noticing his surprise, the bunny gestured to his badge.

Smart Bunny.

Nick chuckled at his stupidity making the bunny smile.

"You could say that." If you counted being dragged here by your grumpy boss as taking a date to a formal event, then yes. Bogo was in fact a very boring date. "May I have your name?"

"Which one? The one I was born with or the one everyone knows me by?"

Smart and interesting.

"Well… let's see." Nick leaned up against the railing pretending to be in deep thought.

"Your legal name I can look up in the police database. But your fun name, as I have now dubbed it, could get me into some fun nightclubs I'm imagining."

"Oh! And what makes you think that?"

"Your drink." Nick gestured to the tall glass in her hand. "It's the most expensive wine someone can get their hands on in Zootopia. But you haven't savored the taste of it even once since I began my walk over here. Telling me your taste buds are more refined for something…wild."

A silence had fallen between the two before the bunny smirked at Nick.

"You can call me Judy, Mr. Wilde."

"Nick, please. And it's a pleasure to meet you, Judy."

"A pleasure, is it?" Judy asked while shaking hands with Nick.

"Certainty more entertaining than-"

"Wilde!"

"Than kissing ass with my boss." Nick quickly whispered into Judy's ear making her giggle.

"Wilde, where-Judy?"

Bogo stopped mid-step staring wide-eyed at Judy.

"Chief Bogo." Judy's posture straightened.

Nick noticed that Judy restrained herself from lifting one arm.

An awkward tension formed between the two as Nick internally panicked.

Please don't tell me these two were dating at some point.

"I believe your chief needs to speak with you…Mr. Wilde. If you'll excuse me gentleman, I've grown famished." Judy wasted no time walking away from Nick. She only stopped again when she came to stand by Chief Bogo. "You look well, Chief Bogo."

"Judy-"

"I hope you don't think lesser of me since the last time we spoke. But I hope you didn't come here in hopes of changing my mind, Chief."

Judy didn't wait for the water buffalo to answer before leaving the balcony.

A few days passed since that faithful party and Nick was going MAD. Chief Bogo hasn't spoken a word to him since about it. And Nick couldn't find anything on the rabbit since 'Judy' was apparently a popular name for bunnies. Resulting in a last-ditch effort on Nick's part.

"I waited six hours to get these, Clawhauser." Nick placed a box of Zootopia's top-rated donuts on the counter. " And they are all yours."

Just as Clawhauser made a grab for the box Nick pulled it away.

"For a price."

"No. No. No. I am not covering for you to go pull another solo mission. Bogo chewed me out last time."

"Relax, Clawhauser. All I'm asking for is information."

"…"

"…"

"Since when did you ever want to get intel on a case? You've always been a do now ask later officer."

"This isn't about a case."

Clawhauser eyed the donuts once more before turning to his computer in defeat.

"What do you need to know?"

"You've always been a good friend Clawhauser." Nick slid the donuts back to the cheetah before hopping over the counter.

"There's a door."

"Hush." Nick silenced his friend while staring at the computer screen in anticipation. "I need to know about Chief Bogo's past with a rabbit."

"Got a name?"

"Only the first name, Judy."

Nick waited for the sound of the keyboard clicking and watched for the words to appear on the screen. But nothing happened, nothing that is except for the shock on Clawhauser's face.

"Did she have violet eyes?"

"How did you know?" Nick asked growing more curious about this rabbit.

Clawhauser slid the donuts back to Nick.

"I can't help you this time, Nick."

Nick had tried for several more days to get Clawhauser to open up. Eventually, the only hint Clawhauser gave was to see the book of valedictorians. And that's where Nick found himself.

"Book of valedictorians, my ass! How far back do you expect me to go Clawhauser?"

It wasn't an actual book per se. It was a binder of the newspaper clippings of the graduates from police school. Nick wasn't surprised to see his face after flipping back a few pages. When he went to school Nick knew that everyone and everything was against him. So, he made sure to surpass everyone and make them understand he wasn't going to fail or let them pull him down.

Once he finished reminiscing Nick flipped back to the next page seeing an officer he clearly didn't know. Deciding it wasn't something he needed to read Nick flipped the page one more time.

You've got to be kidding me.

Nick took the binder to Chief Bogo's office before flipping open to the page that raised so many questions.

"Clawhauser?" Chief Bogo asked.

"Clawhauser." Nick confirmed.

Bogo rubbed his face in annoyance looking at Nick with agitation.

"Sir, I need to know how a bunny like her." Nick pointed to the picture in the binder.

It was Judy standing proudly straight on a platform with the mayor. And the title read in big bold letters Judy Hopps: Zootopia's Fist Rabbit Officer.

"Turned into the bunny that could attend an event like that."

Bogo stared at the photo with a sense of profound sadness. He remembered Judy became quick friends with her after he stopped doubting her abilities. And regretted the day he let her down that turned her away from the ZPD.

"It's a long story, Wilde. And not one I feel like paying you to listen to."

"Chief-"

"Wilde." Bogo gave Nick a firm look forcing him to keep quiet. "This is one memory lane id rather not skip down hand in hand with you…that being said."

Bogo stood from his chair walking over to his locked cabinet. It was a known fact that in that cabinet were case files of unsolved crimes that deeply affected ZPD's chief. When Bogo retrieved a large manila envelope from the cabinet Nick could feel his heart pound in his chest.

"So, if you really want to know about it during your work time…then I guess you can review this case and report back to me. If you have any questions after you are done reading the file, I'll do my best to answer them."

"You're…you're trusting me with this?"

"No. I'm giving you the knowledge to deal with any upcoming situations you might have."

"What situations?"

"I don't know…I don't know a lot about Judy anymore." Bogo's ears dropped making the chief of police appear vulnerable for the first time to Nick's eyes. "But I do know that at the charity ball that is the first time in years that she has spoken openly with an officer. So, it won't surprise me if you end up running into her again sometime soon."

"Chief-"

"That will be all Wilde."

"…Yes, Sir."

Nick held a firm grip on the envelope. His paws had become sore by the time he had reached the safety of his desk. Without hesitation, Nick opened the envelope and slowly pieces of the puzzle began placing themselves together. And the picture, though not complete, was becoming clear to see.

Where is she?

Nick had found himself at a little bakery in the middle of nowhere in a town called Bunny Burrow. After following one lead after another lead Nick was tired of waiting for Judy to just show up. Therefore, Nick decided to do what predators do best. And hunt down his prey. Which eventually led him to this bakery owned by a fox named Gideon Grey.

"Are you just going to keep standing out there friend?" Gideon had seen the newcomer stand outside his door for over two hours and finally decided to ask.

"Originally…yes, yes I was."

"…Why?" Gideon couldn't help but ask.

"I'm waiting to see someone, hopefully. But now I'm thinking I'm just an idiot."

"Who you waitin' for, friend?" Gideon stepped out of his shop with a glass of water for Nick.

"I don't know what she goes by now, but I'm looking for Judy Hopps."

"Well shoot why didn't you say so? Are you Nick?"

Nick began to choke on his water completely dumbfounded by Gideon's enthusiasm.

"How- how did you-"

"Judy told me a friend of hers might stop by and if they do to tell them…" Gideon paused taking a long deep breath before continuing to speak in a low sorrowful tone. "That you can find her visiting her family."

Nick paused processing Gideon's words before shoving the drink back into the other fox's grasp.

"Thank you. Thank you for everything!"

…What just happened? Gideon had to wonder as he watched Nick runoff.

When Nick found Judy, it was on an empty plot of land that obviously was once rich farmland. At the end of the dirt the skeleton remains of a barn stood erect and the remnants of a large family home stuck out against the land like a scar. In between the two buildings stood a large obelisk that was surrounded by a ring of flowers. And standing in the shadow of the monument was the rabbit Nick had been looking for.

When Nick hopped out of his car and came to stand by Judy's side is when she chooses to speak.

"Took you long enough." She smiled at him.

Nick smiled back at her for a quick moment before turning his attention back to the obelisk. Etched in the stone were the names of Judy's parents, brothers, and sisters. And of whom had died in a fire that was clearly started by an unknown perpetrator. Or at least was unknown to the public but the ZPD had a pretty good idea. A little sheep who is currently on the run from the law after Judy had ruined her plans to take over Zootopia using the flower called Night Howlers.

"It's funny…no matter how slow or fast I read their names, one by one, I always feel like I'm going to forget one or more of my family members at some point."

This was the final piece to Nick's puzzle. Judy was a promising officer of ZPD. Failed to make a big arrest but managed to foil a devious plan. Her family, Judy's biggest weakness, became victims of the war between Judy Hopps and Dawn Bellwether. When Judy finally found the people who openly admitted to killing her family in a roundabout way is when Judy snapped. She arrested them expecting the law to have her back as she had theirs. Instead for once in her life, the law was against Judy. Bogo had to reprimand her for making an unlawful arrest with no physical proof of the zootopian citizen, who, on paper, had the cleanest record anyone dreamed to have. Knowing her family would never get justice Judy refused to take the reprimand and quit her dream job of being a police officer. And for a while, she ghosted the living world. No one could find her or talk to her. It was as if Judy Hopps had become a ghost of the past with the rest of her family. And Nick supposed, in a way, Judy Hopps had died with her family. As Judy Hopps died, Judith 'Revenge' Grey was born. One by one, all who had a connection to her family's murder were found by Judy. If they were lucky, they'd lose a limb or have multiple broken bones. The unlucky ones were found dead in grotesque ways and splayed out for the public to find. It was Judy sending a message one after the other that she was coming for her family's killer and after that was probably Dawn Bellwether. ZPD knew it was Judy causing this killing spree of criminals. But just like her family's killer, ZPD had no physical proof that it was in fact, Judy.

"Didn't realize I was keeping you waiting."

"You weren't. I just expected someone who could tell my party scene from just how I drank my wine…would be able to find me a little quicker."

"I was waiting for you to come to me if I'm being honest."

"My chasing days with the law are nothing more than a distant memory now."

"…How much longer will this continue Judy?"

Judy laughed giving Nick a knowing look.

"Why, Mr. Wilde…I haven't the faintest clue what you're talking about."

"Really? So, you had nothing to do with the disappearance of Mr. David Jones who was last seen at the charity ball?"

"Can't say that his name rings a bell…" Judy hummed in faux thought. "But I'll let you know if I hear anything."

"Judy… this won't bring them back."

Judy looked to Nick for a second before beginning to walk around the obelisk rereading all 277 names.

"Tell me, Mr. Wilde. If you lost everything and the people, you thought you could turn to lift you up and help you…instead, turn their backs on you, would you have anything left to live for? Any pride in your existence? Or hope that every day as you take another step forward to change the world for the better, society takes three steps back against making you question what is it that keeps you going?"

Nick couldn't answer her questions as they had at a small level resonated with him. Instead, he began to walk back toward the vehicle he had rented.

"I'll see you again soon, Nick. And I hope that when we meet again your aim will be just as sharp as your intuition."

It was a year later when Nick ran into Judy again. And her war with Bellwether had finally come to an end. Judy's fur was stained with the sheep's blood. Nick had his lethal weapon aimed at Judy's back. She had gotten a hold of Bellwether, tortured her till Judy's body grew tired, and then…burned her alive. Nick regretted not getting there sooner to stop Judy. Now he was faced with being the only officer who was small enough to get to Judy's location.

"Are you happy now, Judy?"

"…My happiness died with my family and my loyalty to the ZPD years ago Mr. Wilde."

Nick inched closer keeping his aim at the square of Judy's back.

"I hope you remember what I said to you years ago. Have you kept your aim as sharp as your intuition?"

"Judy, don't make me do this. Just surrender now, come quietly, and plead your case. We can get you the help you need."

Judy began to laugh into a manic state before turning to give Nick a pitiful smile.

"You and I both know that's not how it's going to happen. And Nick…I'm tired."

Nick flinched seeing Judy reach to her side where an obvious weapon was.

"Judy Don't!"

"I miss my family, Nick. I hope you can forgive me in your heart one day."

For Nick time seemed to speed up as Judy quickly aimed her weapon at Nick forcing him to act on instinct and fire his weapon hitting Judy square in the chest. For Judy however, time seemed to still, and as the impact of the bullet colliding with her chest pushed her down hard onto the ground. In the distance, she heard the laughter of her siblings and the happy call of her parent's voices. Judy died with a blissful smile on her face while Nick once again was regarded as a hero for bringing down a serial killer. Because for the majority of the world that was all Judith Grey will ever be. But to ZPD she was Judy Hopps the ideal officer who lost her way and couldn't find the help she desperately needed. And she was the first person that made Nick start looking into the grey zones of the law. Nick shortly quit his position at the ZPD and went back to school to become a lawyer. And he made a vow to himself on the first day of college.

I need to do everything I can to help everyone who went from someone like Judy Hopps to someone like Judith 'Revenge' Grey.