Chapter 1

The Story Continues

"You comin' Carrots?"

Nick shouted over his shoulder. The concert hadn't been too bad. Nick had never considered himself much of a pop fan but a free ticket and the chance to spend time away from work with Judy was nice.

"What's the rush?" Judy panted running up beside him.

"What are you eager to hang around empty arenas?" Nick said grinning his usual stoic grin.

"No, I just thought you would want to hang out and talk a little with the rest of the officers from our precinct" she said as she slowed to walk beside him.

Nick had his hands in his pockets walking to the car. Judy had driven, Nick still hadn't gotten a car with all the changes of going from conning animals out of money to a cop he was still getting use to the changes. Changes he would never had made if he had never met Judy.

"Nah, we will see them Monday anyway" Nick chirped back. After solving the savage predator case Judy was regarded as one of Zootopias best. Even gave one of the commencement speeches as Nick's graduation from the academy.

"Well just wait a minute" Judy said turning back to walk toward the group of off duty officers standing near the entrance. Nick learned against Judy's new Ruby truck. Typical country girl smirked Nick. Could have gotten anything but nope. Nick had moved from Fox Hollow a small town a few hundred miles away when he was pretty young. After a nasty divorce his mom brought him and his two small brothers to live in a small apartment near the city center of Zootopia. Nick considered himself a small town kid at heart but has lived in the city so long that he was accustomed to city life. Part of the thing that Nick liked about Judy is that she was good with her hands having been raised on a farm. Nicks father had owned a small auto shop and he remembers going to spend the summer learning to work with his dad. He laughed to himself it's actually how him and Finnick had met. Finnick had been trying to get his van to start as Nick had been walking by and the though occurred here's a quick buck.

"Ready?" Judy's voice snapped him out of his train of thought.

"As always" he chirped back as she unlocked the truck. "What did Clawhauser want?"

"Was just excited about the show he ask what you thought?" He could tell Judy was curious herself. As the question hung in the air.

"It wasn't bad not my scene though."

She chuckled "I know you have a different taste in music, but thank you for coming."

Judy had been the one who had invited Nick to the Gazelle concert. Nick had been curious why she had done so, they had a close friendship and spent a lot of time together, but not like this. Not away from work.

"Sure thing Carrots" he said quickly realizing he had spaced out again.

"You ok?" she ask a little concern laced her voice as she steer the truck onto the street.

"hmmhmm" he replied sinking into the seat his usual lazy facial expression in place.

"You seem distant" she remarked not buying the attempt Nick had made to play his usually same expressionless self.

"Nope" he attempted to remain stoic.

Nick then noticed she wasn't driving in the direction of either of their apartments. Judy had gotten a new apartment after the promotion and pay raise. She now lived only a few blocks from his apartment a move she claimed was to ease they commute to picking him up in the morning before work.

"Where are we going?" His eyes narrowing glancing to look at her.

"I can't send you home hungry' she smiled at him. Ok dinner and a concert what is going on? Judy was smart but not cheap with her money willing to help people out where they need it. She did buy a $15 dollar Popsicle for a stranger and his son he thought, but she had never spent this much on him.

"Aww is the little bunny scared I will starve?" he smirked in his best baby voice.

"Nope I just thought you could use some real food" She quipped back. She was always one that got his humor and could give it right back. She then pulled the truck into a nice little restaurant.

"My dad sells carrots to this place it supposed to be really good" she happily pulled the truck into a parking spot near the entrance. The building was older a corner building with parking out back. They walked together to the entrance reaching the door slightly ahead of Judy Nick held open the door and said

"After you Carrots" he bowed doing an over the top impression of a doorman at a fancy restaurant.

"Ha-ha thank you Nick" she said gigging. She walked past him stilling bowing arm extended pointing toward the interior of the restaurant. As she walked she glanced his direction and their eyes met for a second. Her lavender eyes seemed to smolder in the soft light of the restaurant. Nick felt like his heart had stopped. Hopping she didn't see the stupefied look on his face he followed her to a table. Again showing his softer side pulled a chair out for Judy without speaking.

She again said "thank you"

The restaurant was decorated in antiques and sort of reminded him of visiting grandmas. Low dim chandeliers hung throughout the dining room the walls were dark colors of red and brown with stained wood furnishings along one wall. It was clear the owner was going for a feeling of home.

"Were you raised in a barn?" Judy's words again brought Nick back to earth. He looked at her and she was smiling while glaring at his elbows on the table.

"No that was you" He teased back.

"Yes but we still didn't put our elbows on the table" she snickered.

Nick let his paws fall sarcastically into his lap. The waiter had already delivered the drinks and taken their order. Nick again began looking around the room, again lost in thought. He hadn't noticed Judy's eyes had not left him since they had sat down.

"So how are you liking living life honest" she asked with a hint of sarcasm hoping to bring him back.

He again looked at her. The smolder was back in her eyes as she looked intently at him.

"Uh….." why was he having such trouble staying focused and speaking tonight, normally he would have had some quick witted smart alecky response to ward off questioning, but tonight he found himself tripping up in his speech a lot.

"Its ok "he settled on keeping his answer simple but clearly Judy wanted more of a conversation.

"Is something wrong?" Clearly he was not coming across as smooth as he had hoped.

"Fine just a lot on my mind."

"Like what?" she asked pressingly. Ever since he had opened up to her on the sky tram she has been trying to get inside again but he was not one to be valuable often.

"Wouldn't you like to know Carrots" he smirked back at her.

She giggled. Good that threw her off his trail for a moment.

Just then the waiter reappeared carrying two plates.

"Roasted carrot parm" he said placing a plate if front of Judy.

"Eggplant linguini" placing the other plate in front of Nick.

The rest of dinner went smoothly. They laughed and talked Nick still being slightly distant. He didn't want to let on that he was distracted by Judy tonight. He also didn't want to ruin the night if this was a d… he didn't have the nerve to say the word even in his mind. He didn't want to get his hopes up, but then again why did he care. Other than his partner Finnick who had gone on to do other things and now Judy he had never had many friends and never really cared what other people thought. Others always just assumed he was up to no good because he was a fox and he never took the time to really get to know anyone.

"What did ya think?" Once again Nick found himself being snapped back to life by the sound of Judy's voice. They were back in the truck now. Both full and a little sleepy.

"It was good, both the food and the company" Nick smiled. Wait did he just flirt. Nick went quiet.

The compliment was well received she giggle those lavender eyes lighting up again Nick looked away again not wanting her to see him looking like a deer in the headlights.

"Nick what's wrong?" this time there was a hint of fear in the question. The truck had rolled to a stopped.

"I thought we were going to call it a night?" he remarked trying to ignore her question. He was trying to keep is typical cool domineer.

"Nick I'm worried about you. You haven't been yourself all night." Now that she wasn't driving she was able to focus those lavender eyes on him. Once again leaving him speechless.

"I have just been thinking, like I said a lot on my mind"

"Care to share."

"It's nothing" he again trying to regain his composure.

"Well we are not going anywhere until you tell me" she said with a sly look on her face. She then took the keys out of the ignition and dropped them into the driver's side door compartment. Nick groaned. Reaching for the handle but it was locked. He tried unlocking it but one the newer vehicle it could only be unlock from the driver side, he again let out a frustrated groan and reached across Judy to hit the unlock button. 'If she wasn't going to take him home he would walk' he thought. After all he had been walking around the city center for years and it wouldn't bother him to walk home. As he reached he felt soft hands on his face he stopped dead, frozen. Judy had placed a paw on both cheeks and slowly gave him a small peck on the lips, and then retracted her paws as she giggled slightly.

Nicks mind was blank for what felt like eternity. Finely he managed to mutter "what was that for?"

"It's called a hustle, sweetheart" she responded coyly cocking her hip in same way he had seen many times before.

He didn't know how to respond he just slowly slumped back in his seat dumbfounded.

She looked over at him cheeks a little pink and said "I knew you wouldn't tell me what you were thinking about you never share what you're thinking and knew you would try to leave or avoid me the moment I started questioning you. So I saw an opportunity and I took it." Nick again said nothing. He had been distracted by Judy all night wondering why she would invite him to a concert, why she would provoke him to dance with her, why she would invite him to dinner. Now in the dimly lit truck when his mind should his racing with possibly answers it was totally blank.

"So you only uh… did that… to get answers out of me? Bold interrogation tactic do you use it at work?" he said with a hint of both teasing and sarcasm in his voice.

"No" She giggled at his snide joke "well yes and no. Like I said I knew I wouldn't get anything out of you without drastic action and well…. I tried that."

"Like I said Carrots bold choice."

"Bold choices is what got me where I am" she winked back.

Nick had never really considered Judy's feeling toward him. He knew how he felt this was the first person he had ever stuck up for, the first person he had risked his life for the first person he had ever been willing to do more than just being a con-artist for. He had changed a lot to try to impress her had it worked? He wondered if the whole cross species thing was on issue. Could she love a fox like.

"Earth to Officer Wilde" Judy was lightly knocking on his forehead like it was a door. Nick pushed her hand away smirking as she giggled. As he pushed it away she wrapped her so their fingers intertwined then let it rest on the center console. Nick just stared at it for a while. Mouth slightly agape eyes wide.

"Nick did you not realize I felt this way?"

"Uh." was all Nick could say still looking at his hand wrapped in hers.

"I made it pretty obvious I couldn't live without you" she said refer in the day she had come back finding him sunbathing drinking his favorite soda. Nick had pretended to walk away as she poured her heart out to him but he had been listening intently. He even recorded the phrase "I'm just a stupid dumb bunny" on to the carrot pen that she had used to blackmail him with.

"I thought you were just referring to work" he said quietly and thoughtfully.

She grimaced "I didn't ask you to join the force because I thought you would make a good cop I asked you to join to be my partner."

Nick rolled his eyes "thanks"

"You're not a bad cop" she giggled "a con-artist just wouldn't have been my first pick. When I went back to my family's farm it I didn't just figure out the cause of the animal attacks. I also figured out how dark my world would be without you. I came to you first before doing anything else. I had solved the case I could have used files from the case to find Duke and connect it back to Mayweather. I found you because fixing things with you meant more to me than anything else." Nick sat quietly listen to her pour out her heart to him. He them had a thought occur to him. He reached into his pocket and pulled out the carrot pen. He carried with him always. He never used it. Not wanting to be questioned about why he still had it. Her eyes lit up when she saw it.

"You still have that?" she exclaimed.

"Yes" Nick said thoughtfully turning to over.

"But why?"

"I wanted to remember that day. I have never had someone tell me they needed me before. I never have someone come to me sobbing telling me how much I meant to them."

He looked up only to see her eyes glistening. He quickly looked back down. Something about her eyes could control him and he didn't want to lose his train of thought now. She sniffed whipping her eyes with her free hand and said.

"That's the sweetest thing anyone has ever said to me"

"I use to sell counterfeit popsicles I know how to be sweet" he teased back. She again giggled.

"So why have you been so quiet tonight?"

"Not going to let that go are ya carrots?" she smiled sarcastically.

"Nope" she chirped back.

Nick sighed heavily then proceeded to tell her how he had been thinking of her all night had how he wonder if they had a chance.

"Well I hope I have answered you're questions" she smiled at him.

"Ha more than sufficient"

They drove home in a happy quiet state not really needed to talk. Judy pulled the truck over in front of Nick's apartment. They both got out and walked around to the front door.

"Well see you Monday" Nick said hand in his pocket as he pushed open the door.

"What no goodnight kiss?" she said in a playfully annoyed tone.

"o-oh" Nick stammered. He turned around and walked to her she waited patiently hands clasped together across her waste. He carefully bent down and kissed her forehead and then quietly whispered. "I'll see you Monday."