Movie: Zootopia

Timeline: movie timeline: Tundra Town incident

Pairing: NickXJudy

Word count: 1874

Warning: mentions death and… friendship? Whaaa…?

Rating: K+, T

Music: Newgrounds Audio Portal (Check our Hybrid Statement, Entering the Stronghold and With Gun & Crucifix by Danny Schneidemesser AKA Danman87) also Rammstein and the Scorpions providing high energy music.

Disclaimer: All rights are owned by Disney. (Probably for the better… Can't write a good opening sentence to save my life.)

Bad, Worse, Worst

This is bad, this is bad, this is very bad. This was the only thing that occupied his brain. Despite the air conditioning blasting chilly air that made the whole car feel like a refridgerator Nick felt sweat trickle down the side of his face. He was panicing and couldn't deny that he was almost frozen in fear. Wedged closely between one polar bear thug and the rabbit, he wanted to think of a possible way out, but his brain was in full shut down mode and his legendary cool was diminishing with the passing minutes.

All too soon they arrived at a grand mansion with dark iron wrought gates and high brick walls. As they entered they saw that whole place was lit up opulently and cars lined the grass with polar bear guards stationed around the perimeter. Then they lost sight of all as they drove down a well maintained gravel path and stopped before some discreetly hidden side doors. Him and the rabbit were unceremoniously hauled out of the car and herded down a narrow private corridor, which he recognised well, things passed in a blurr detail barely registering in his mind. Then before he could prepare himself, they got pushed inside the private office of Mr Big. The stupid little bunny that dragged him into this situation didn't seem to grasp the full direness of their situation yet, even after he told her about the fatal 'skunk butt' incident.

She also couldn't seem to shut her mouth in spite of his hurried explanation of why she should shut up. Didn't the Police Academy training cover how maffia bosses didn't tolerate the police well? Before he could recover his quick wit they were facing Mr Big in person. However, just when Nick thought he couldn't possibly find himself in a deeper hole, one Judy Hopps had to open her mouth, ranting about police investigations and threatening a crime lord no one ever messed with and lived.

He already knew what was coming before Big said it. Their death sentence was issued quickly: Ice 'em! Those two fatal words echoed in Nick's brain. Next thing he knew they were dangling above an icewater-pit by their scruff, freezing air wafting up at their feet.

Then a miracle happened in the form of Fru Fru Big prancing into the room decked out in full wedding attire. In any normal circumstance this would have been the time that Nick would suavely make a cheezy compliment about the crime boss' daughter, but at the moment he was a bit preoccupied with his imminent demise. As if to spite him something else miraculous happened… That makes two in a row… The old gods really are full of surpises today, Nick though in wonder. It looked like Judy was not as useless as she looked, since her good samaritan ways turned out to be beneficial for once. Mr Big went from murderous to grateful surprisingly easily given the circumstances.

"Put her down." was all the crime lord said and Judy was let down. "You've done me a great service. I will help you find the otter. I will take your kindness and pay it back." Nick could only stare and listen to Big's grateful words before he realised he was still hanging in the polar bear's grip.

"Uh, Mr Big… Sir?" he carefully began. "Aren't you forgettting about me?"

However, Mr Big did not look quite as forgiving when he made eye contact with Nick once more, who hung over the ice-pit. Then the shrew turned to Judy "Know I'm eternally grateful to you my dear, but the fate of the fox cannot be influenced by your selflessness. I hope you understand this." he apologized.

Nick stared at Judy, who refused to make eye contact and her ears that always seemed to stand on attention slowly lowered.

"Carrots?" Nick questioned worriedly, finally Judy glanced at him, but it didn't make Nick feel better. "Ca-Hopps?"

"Do you have any objections my dear?" Big asked the rabbit.

There was a long silence that made Nick's heart race in panic. "No." The fox almost missed the rabbit's quiet reply.

"Hm?" Big made an inquiring noise. "What did you say? I didn't hear you clearly."

"No." Judy's voice was firm and full of determination. "I have no objections. I don't need his help anymore."

Nick gapped in shock, eyes wide with a stupefied and slightly betrayed expression on his face, it took him a few seconds to find his voice again.

"You can't be serious Carrots." he gasped but any further questions died on his tongue when he saw Judy's neutral expression staring back at him. She looked completely void of emotions and Nick was chilled to the bone by the look in her eyes.

"Very well." said Mr Big and that was the last thing Nick heard as he was let go, he tried to call out to Judy once more.

"JUD-!" However, his breath was stolen as the shock of the ice cold water hit him. His breathing was cut off partly by the freezing sensation and partly by the water he inhaled with his last breath. The shapes distorted and the colours above blurred together in a dizying whirl. He tried to struggle, to stay afloat, to do something but it was like some weight pulled his limbs downwards towards the dark. He could see Judy's last expression it was seared into his eyes, the indifference cut into his heart for a final time as his eyelids slowly closed.

Then with a gasp Nick Wilde woke up shivering and shaking, his blanket kicked down and tangled around his feet. He sat up quickly and hid his face in his shaking paws only to feel the wetness on his fur. Still shaking he loked around the Police Academy dormitory, luckily it looked he didn't wake up anyone this time. Granted the dorm was almost deserted at the present moment, thanks to many animals taking their leave for the weekend, only a few of the recruits who used their monthly leave stayed. He kicked his feet off his too big bed and dropped to the ground dragging his blanket with him. Nick wrapped the blanket around himself, it even covered his ears flattening them comically.

I must look ridiculous, he thought and he smiled, Judy wouldn't stop bugging me if she saw.

His claws clicked on the floor as he walked to his night stand and rummaged in a drawer till he found his cellphone. While he walked out of the dorm to get some fresh air he thought about calling Judy, his digit hovering over her contact number. He stared at his paw blankly… it was still shaking. Hearing her voice was too hard to resist and he pressed call. He kept studying her profile picture that she took for him, when he finally got a new phone. When he heard her answer he lifted the phone to his ear, he didn't trust himself to make a video call, he wasn't sure that he could keep his face from showing his emotions. It was begining to be harder and harder to fool Judy into buying his nothing-gets-to-me-ever face.

"Nick?" Judy called out groggily.

"Hey, Carrots." Nick answered with more enthusiasm than he felt.

"Cheese and crackers… It's 2.30 am Nick." she almost sounded lucid that time.

He was so shaken by his dream that he faltered for the briefest second before he recovered. "Sorry, did I interrupt your beauty sleep?" he quiped back hoping she didn't catch his slight msitake. Only silence answered him for seemingly minutes and he was too rattled to wait patiently.

"Carrots…? Judy…? Hello? Are you there?" his voice rose unwittingly in panic.

Then Judy's worried voice answered at last. "What's wrong Nick? This isn't like the dumb fox I know."

This time even the familiar joking words stung him. "Nothing's wrong Carrots… Just felt like calling you."

"At 2.30 in the morning?" she sounded incredulous.

"Yep… big agility test tomorrow… uh, I mean today and all, you know me and my nerves." he joked.

"Nick…" this time she sighed, "You want to tell me Slick Nick veteran con-fox has nerves from a small agility test? I know I'm just a dumb bunny, but even I don't buy that anymore."

There were a few beats of silence while he tried to think of something clever to say, anything to avoid the real reason of his unexpected phonecall.

"You know…" she cut to the chase before he could think of an excuse. "If we really want to do this… be partners and all… You can tell me whatever you want, because you should've learnt by now, that I'll always have your back… And I trust you'll do the same when I'll need it." she explained qiuetly trailing off at the end.

Nick wanted to kick himself for being stupid. Of course, dear compassionate, heart-on-her-sleeves-Judy won't judge him. Not for something like this after all the adventures and life threatening situations they've gone through together. He pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration and breathed a quiet laugh…

"What are you doing to me, Judy?" he wondered aloud. He must have sounded borderline hysteric because he heard Judy's worried questioning on the phone. "Nick?"

There was a brief silence before Nick sighed.

"I had a nightmare…" he admitted finally.

"Oh, Nick…" came Judy's apprehensive reply. "Was it about the museum?" she asked gently.

"It… No." the fox ansered, he was glad Judy couldn't see his pained expression. "It was about Tundra Town."

"Tundra Town?" the bunny sounded preplexed.

"Yeah… Remember the icing incident?" Nick questioned with a wince.

"Oh… But everything turned out fine there in the end, didn't it?" Judy tried for the optimistic approach.

"Not in my dream, it didn't. This time you realised that my so called help wasn't really worth the trouble…" Nick trailed off closing his eyes. He could almost hear Judy put two and two together and come to the ineviatble conclusion.

"I'm so sorry, Nick…" the bunny apologized.

"Dumb bunny… You didn't do anything wrong. Anyway, you know I've forgiven you for everything long ago, right?" Nick's voice was slightly chiding and he heard Judy giggle tearfully over the line. "It's me who hasn't forgiven myself…" Nick added.

"Dumb fox… I'd never abandon my partner." Judy said.

"I know, Carrots… I know." was Nick's reply. "Okay, I've had enough of the heartfelt confessions for tonight… I mean today."

Judy let him change the subject. "Yup… you still have that agility test in a few hours and I have to get to work soon."

There was a lull in the conversation then Nick answered. "Thanks… for listening, Carrots."

"It's what partner's are for." Judy said sleepily.

Nick smiled fondly, that word still made warmth blossom in his chest. "Get your beauty sleep, Judy."

" 'mKay…" she already sounded like she was nodding off. "Good night…"

Nick didn't bother to correct her only whispered "Good night" back before ending the call. He stared out the window at the distant, barely visible lights of the city for a long time smiling to himself. Today was another day and he had things to prove.

Note: Thank you Guest reviewer. Finally… now I know that my ideas came across in Chapter 2, it' great that you caught the things I implied there. 3

Everyone always writes about the museum finale in Nightmare fics… so I found something else to make into a nightmare. How was it? Tell me. I wanna hear what you thunk?

Geez, I thought this'll be easy, the first part wrote itself, but the second part… Well, Nick didn't want to have a sappy phone call. I had to watch the movie two times to get a feel of him, I hope it worked out. I have 3 more one-shots in the works, possibly another Western AU too.

Question: Whick one-shot idea you like best? 1. Genderbender / 2. Going to a ball or party? / 3. Gangster AU?