Boilerplate Disclaimer: The various characters from the movie Zootopia are all owned by Disney the great and powerful. Any and all registered trade names property of their respective owners. Cheap shots at celebrities constitute fair usage.

Bert Kalmar, Harry Ruby and Oscar Hammerstein II created A Kiss to Build a Dream On in 1935. Perhaps the best known cover comes from Louis Armstrong in 1951. It's the sort of 78 Nick would be certain to have in his collection.

Give me a kiss to build a dream on,
And my imagination will thrive upon that kiss.
Sweetheart, I ask no more than this,
A kiss to build a dream on.

A Kiss to Build a Dream On

Judy and Nick boarded the first train to Zootopia in the morning. The rabbit snuggled up to the fox and he put an arm around her. Other passengers, mostly rabbits who boarded at the same station, stared curiously.

"Other animals are looking at us," Nick warned.

"They'll always stare."

"That doesn't bother you?"

"Nick, if I worried about what others thought I'd wouldn't be a police officer. I want to follow my dreams, and I don't care if others think it's peculiar or not. Does it bother you that they're staring?"

"Well, as a hustler slash conman I tried to keep a low profile, not a good idea to draw too much attention to yourself. But if you didn't worry about what others thought because you were ambitious... I guess if you're a conman you can't really worry about how others feel. You're only looking out for yourself." He chuckled, "I doubt I was part of your original dream."

"You're chapter four. First was move to Zootopia. Second – join the police force. Third was after I became and officer and got assigned to parking detail, I wanted to do something important, and–"

"And parking isn't important? The streets of Zootopia would be blocked with double and triple parked cars if not for the valiant meter animals. Civilization, and even life as we know it, would grind to a brutal stop if it weren't for our first line of defense – the defenders of traffic laws."

"You're silly, and that helped you move into dream spot number four. I blank you."

"You blank me?"

"I told you, I can't say 'I love you' until you kiss me and say you love me – although you are allowed to kiss me first and then say you love me. But I blank you very much."

"Would I be allowed to say I love you now?"

"No. It needs that kiss along with it. Dinner tonight."

The fox shook his in mock disbelief, "And you say I'm silly? The rules you make up? But I blank you too, Carrots." He felt the little rumble he called a bunny purr and held her a little tighter. "I can't believe finding the perfect male was just number four on your list," he whispered. "It was more important for you to get off parking duty?"

"Fine, I promote you to number three. But on my original list of life goals you were a rabbit. Happy?"

A half hour into the ride Judy confessed, "Nick... I feel a little insecure. You really blank me?"

"I blank you."

"Even though I only have a short tail?"

"Tail anxiety again?" he sighed.

"You're a fox. Everyone knows–"

"And you know that what 'everyone knows' is usually wrong."

"But I'm so average, and you're so wonderful. I need to hear you think I'm attractive."

"Judy, you are not average. You are extraordinary. Didn't you hear how everyone in Bunnyburrow called you the hero rabbit?"

"That doesn't matter. I'm still feeling insecure about my appearance. Say something comforting to reassure me."

"You are beautiful."

"That's good. Can you compliment some of my other assets? Do I have other assets?"

"You've got a wonderful asset. I've told you that. And the nice thing about your short tail is that it doesn't hide your asset. But telling you that you have a cute asset seems terribly sexist."

"Going up to a stranger on the street and telling her she has a nice rear is sexist. Telling the person you love she has a nice rear, when she's feeling insecure about her tail because it's so short, is very reassuring to her."

The train wasn't non-stop to Zootopia, but it was an express and didn't stop at every little station along the route the way the train to Bunnyburrow had done.

Nick glanced at his watch at the second stop after Bunnyburrow. "We've got phone coverage. I'm calling Carson to see if he has questions about the message I left him."

"Okay... Dinner tonight. I have a suggestion, how about first dance lesson tomorrow? Swing, not hip-hop, because I blank you so much. Start with the foxtrot?"

"Sounds like a plan." The two used their phones.

Carson had a lot of questions, and asked Nick and Judy to stop at the Third and give their report as soon as they returned.

"Call our captain," Nick requested. "If he okays it I'll be happy to put this one behind me." After hanging up he looked at Judy, "What's wrong? You don't look happy."

"I called the Otter Murray Dance Studio... The female I talked to said the foxtrot wasn't swing. But I–"

"Did you sign us up for a lesson tomorrow night?"

"Yes, but–"

"We're fine. The foxtrot was eventually seen more as ballroom when later swing dance became more athletic - the Lindy, balboa, shag, and Charleston may be what the dance studio calls swing, but the early jazz bands recorded foxtrots for dancing.

The message to report to the Third on their return to Zootopia soon arrived. They caught a ride at the terminal to the Third. The station was old, not like the First – the showcase that the city pointed to with pride. Carson, a wolf, had mellowed since his original angry phone exchange with Nick. "Sent Parr out for good coffee. Station coffee here probably isn't what you're used to."

"What makes you think the First has good station coffee?" asked Judy.

"I'm pretty sure the law says we've all got to drink the same swill," Nick told him. "Can't waste good money on coffee for public servants."

It actually brought a chuckle from the wolf, "It's the coffee shop lobby, they'd lose business if we had good coffee for the officers."

His partner, a cape buffalo, arrived with four large coffees and they moved to a small interrogation room for privacy and to record the report.

Parr sighed at the end, "Want to feel sorry for the old fool, but I had to deal with the victims here. Maybe he didn't realize the gang would get violent, but he was just stupid."

"Sounds like he'll probably be dead before there's any kind of trial," agreed Carson, "Well, out of our hands now. The court can figure out what to do. And no way he figured out how to stay off the traffic cams."

"I feel like he wants to be in jail," Judy told them. "He really sounded sorry. Being out probably makes him feel more guilty."

"My questions," interjected Nick, "is the boss of the gang behind bars, or is he still on the loose? And how are you doing on the traffic cam issue?"

"I'm pretty sure we got them all," Carson assured them. "After that, not so clear. Did one of them figure out how to by-pass the cams, or did someone sell them a method? Was it done by hacking the city system, or did they find some other method? Either one could be dangerous, especially if someone has hacked the system. We're hoping they developed some work-around themselves. Parr and I tried to think like crooks and came up with some ideas that might work. Can we bounce our ideas off you before you leave?"

"We'd be happy to help in any way we can," promised Judy.

As they left the Third Judy asked, "What level of dress tonight? Do I wear my LBD or not?"

"Not that fancy. Save the little black dress for something more formal. A couple steps down from that... About halfway in between that and the outfit you wore when Trudy met Rick for the first time, and a little closer to the coffee shop outfit than the LBD."

The rabbit and fox held paws as they waited for their waiter to seat them at the restaurant. Judy fidgeted nervously, anxious for dinner to be over and for Nick to hold her. "Relax," he whispered. "Enjoy the food and conversation. Plenty of time for me to say I blank you."

But there wasn't.

Judy had given the waiter her order, and Nick had opened his mouth to tell the waiter what he wanted when their pagers went off. "Damn," the fox swore.

"Big fire, every officer who is able needs to report."

The showed the waiter their badges, apologized for leaving, and headed off to the assembly point to which they had been directed.

The fire chief assigned Judy to work with Officer Pennington on traffic. Francine blocked a street and Judy detoured vehicles away. When an emergency vehicle arrived the elephant would step aside and Judy waved them through. Nick worked with other officers in confirming that nearby buildings had been evacuated. By ten-thirty the fox was through with his original assignment and was sent to relieve the officers at the worst traffic snarl.

By one in the morning signs and barricades had been erected and the fire brought under control, although the fire crews were still extinguishing isolated flames. As Nick yawned his cell phone signaled the arrival of text. "Tomorrow night. Dance floor. Blank you." He texted, "Good plan. Blank you too."

Judy and Nick were ordered to report to Alces' office in the morning with Nyte, Hairus, Readover and Gannon.

The captain complained, "Where's the bear?"

"It's only ten minutes late," Nyte pointed out. "He's never this early."

"Gonna make a rug out of him one of these days," Alces grumbled. "Who was at the fire last night?"

Four of the five animals raised their paws. "I was visiting my brother," explained the zebra.

"Make sure you turn in your hours," the Captain reminded them.

Readover chuckled, "Like they'd forget that?"

"And since you weren't there... If you saw the news, it was bad. Public wants to know what happened. Mayor promised he'd throw everything at the investigation of the cause. You're the everything he's throwing."

"I haven't had any training in fire investigations?" Judy pointed out.

Alces shrugged, "Have any of you?" No detective raised a paw. "I know that," the moose told them. "The fire department knows that. There may even be someone in mayor's office who knows that. But if so, they don't give a damn. Nyte!"

"Yes?"

"You're a police captain. There's been a big bank job. The mayor sends six fire officers to 'help' your investigation. How do you feel about that?"

"I resent it."

"Damn straight. Fox?"

Nick answered, "Yes?"

"You're in charge of a murder investigation. Fire officers show up to help. What do you want them to do?"

"Stay out of my way?"

"Okay, I think you all have a realistic view of your assignment. Nyte, you're in charge. You need to head to the–"

"What assignment?" asked Hairus, lumbering into the room, doughnut in hand.

"Readover, explain things to Hairus on your way. You'll report to Captain Black."

Black, a grizzly, looked as happy to seem them as Nyte had predicted. He pointed to the north end of the still smouldering ruins where the fire department was working. "Fire started there." He pointed to the south. "You'll work there. If you find a hot spot, come tell me. You find something dangerous, tell me. You have anything else to tell me? Keep it to yourself. You can... Which of you is the most boring?"

The detectives looked at each other, puzzled, then Hairus pointed at Readover when the zebra wasn't looking.

Black addressed Readover, "You're in charge of handling the media when they arrive."

"But I know nothing!"

"Good. Remember that. You don't promise them anything. You don't give them a timetable. You have no idea what started the fire. When the fire department finishes our investigation we'll release our findings. You now have a real job, keep the media from interfering with my work. Got it?"

"Got it."

Nyte surveyed the rubble to which the detectives had been exiled. "I'll look around over there," suggested Judy.

Nyte nodded her consent. "I'll be over here."

"I'm parking my butt on that," Hairus told them.

"There's nothing to find," Nick reminded the females. "We were sent here to keep us out of the way."

"We won't know there's nothing until we find– Hell, you know what I mean."

"Females," Readover whispered loudly to Nick, but everyone could hear, "always feel the need to prove they belong."

"You got a problem with doing an honest job?" the panther growled.

The zebra swallowed, hard, "No, Sir. I was just saying you and Hopps are always... You..."

"Why don't you search along that wall while you're thinking about a comeback," Nyte suggested.

"But, uh, I'm supposed to handle the media."

"They aren't here now. And it makes the police look bad if we're sitting around when they arrive. No slackers today."

"Not sure if I should mention this," Nick commented. "But you'll notice the animals from the fire department are wearing protective footwear. This is dangerous work, and the fact we weren't issued any suggests they don't expect us to work."

Judy looked around and pointed, "Equipment truck is over there. We can see if they have boots for us."

The rabbit finding a small fire burning under a pile of rubble was her excitement for the morning.

Various media trooped through during the day. Their listeners, watchers, readers demanded to know the name and motive of the arsonist, or who laid the defective gas pipe, or who left an oily rag near an open flame, or who had a cell phone with a defective battery, or...

In the early afternoon Nick climbed a piece of debris and began counting the number of animals working from the fire department.

"What ya doing?" Readover's partner, Gannon, asked.

"I'm thinking some of the guys over there have been on the job more than fourteen hours straight. And I'm thinking leaving a good impression is a nice idea, you never know how it will come back to reward you. And I'm thinking if I go buy coffee and muffins for the fire fighters Nyte can't complain if I desert this pile of rubble."

"Need help carrying?"

The fox nodded, "A most excellent idea."

Even Captain Black smiled as he bit into a blueberry muffin. Meanwhile, another firefighter stared at the fox, mentally measuring him up. "You know, I'll bet the fox could trace those pipes."

The grizzly looked at the fox with new eyes. "Maybe."

Another fire fighter joined the conversation. "The second one for sure. He might be too big for the first."

"There's a rabbit over there with the detectives."

The grizzly's expression almost turned happy, "Get some protective equipment!"

"It won't fit!"

"Roll up the cuffs! Get me the smallest hard hats you can find!"

Nick was right. You never know how being nice to someone may come back to reward you. He certainly hadn't expected his act of kindness (or attempt to avoid work, depending on your perspective) to result in him being shoved into a crawl space. "Pipe is fine, no damage," he called after close examination.

"Okay, c'mon out," the fire fighter working with him shouted down the hole.

Judy found something different. "The pipe is broken down here," she called to the surface.

"Get out! Get out now!"

Nick who was standing with the fire fighter at the top quickly asked, "Is it dangerous?"

"No. But is she trained to see if the pipe broke before the fire – and might have caused it – or was broken by the fire?"

"You can tell?"

"Usually, but she shouldn't–" He gave Judy a hand as she reached the opening. "Hey," he called to co-workers. "Rabbit may have found something! We need to dig it out."

The police detectives, even Hairus, were pressed into using shovels. As they got close to their goal Black told the detectives. "You can leave. Good job. I'll call your captain and tell him you were a big help. We're going to knock off for the day once we check this out."

Officers of the First had strung yellow plastic, 'Police Line Do Not Cross' tape around the block. The detectives chatted briefly with the officers who would guard the location all night. Then Readover suggested to the other detectives, "Headless Goose is only, like, a couple blocks. I'll buy first round for anyone who wants to wait with me and see if I'm on the news."

"I'm in,' his partner seconded.

"Free beer? Count on me," laughed Hairus.

Nyte shrugged, "Sure, why not?" She looked over, "Judy?"

"I'm going to take a shower... I have a dance lesson tonight."

"And you, fox?"

"I, uh, also have a dance lesson tonight."

"Amazing coincidence," the panther chuckled. "And you swear that picture of you two was photo-shopped?"

"What I want to know," demanded Hairus, "is whether your dancin' is gonna be done vertically or horizontally?"

The panther cuffed her partner's ear. "Watch your mouth," she warned. "No talk like that on duty, and we're not off duty 'til they put those beers down in front of us."

"We're here for our dance lesson," Judy told the receptionist at the studio.

"Let me... Oh, here we are. Hopps and Wilde... Are you that Judy Hopps?"

"Yes, I am."

"We are very pleased you chose the Otter Murray Dance Studio. Now, tonight your partner will be–"

Judy grabbed Nick's arm, "I brought a partner."

"Oh... I thought he was here for a lesson too."

"He is, we–"

"For lessons you require an experienced partner. Now, Miss Hopps, your instructor will be Francis." She clapped her hand and called, "Francis!" and a skinny otter in his late teens joined them. "Don't let his youth fool you, Miss Hopps. Francis has been taking lessons since he was five years old and is extremely talented."

"But–"

"And for, Mister Wilde, our most experienced dance instructor, Ingrid Bloodaxe."

"Bloodaxe?"

"It's probably a bad translation from something in old beaverish."

"Beaverish?"

There was no clapping of hands, the receptionist walked to a side door and politely requested, "Missus Bloodaxe? Your student for this session is here."

Nick put the age of the portly beaver who looked him over at somewhere between sixty and seventy. She examined him with an even more critical eye before turning to the receptionist. "He has potential. I shall endeavor to mold the clay."

"She has been known to reject potential students," the receptionist whispered nervously. "You are fortunate."

Judy had a definite sense that Nick did not feel fortunate during their lesson. During academy training Judy had suspected a streak of sadism in the drill instructor. From the commands being barked at the fox Judy wondered if Mrs. Bloodaxe trained drill instructors in showing no mercy. The fox was visibly nervous as he tried his best to obey her commands. The beaver clearly belonged to the school of thought that what doesn't kill you makes you stronger, while Nick stood firmly in the camp which stated, "No pain... feels good." The rabbit wondered if–

"Miss Hopps?" the otter she was dancing with reminded her timidly, "concentrate, please."

As they left the dance studio Judy sighed, "You look all wrung out. Sorry tonight was a wash."

"I am. But the night wasn't a wash. We came for a dance lesson. I don't want Ms Battleaxe as a partner, but she is one hell of a teacher. I'll bet my foxtrot is five hundred percent better. How were you and the skinny kid?"

"Can I assume I'm the one you want for a partner? Francis was probably okay... He thought I was a celebrity and that made him way nervous. And I spent too much time worried about you."

"Of course I want you for a partner," he assured her, "but not if you're going to goof off during lessons. If I'm going to be a great dancer I want a partner who can keep up with my style and grace."

She playfully kicked his leg. "See if I ever worry about you again." She gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. "I think we're both too stressed for our first romantic kiss... Maybe this whole special evening thing was a stupid idea on my part."

"No, we've just had a couple nights of bad luck... Although at this rate I think if the forecast was rain and we tried for your idea of a romantic kiss under an umbrella Zootopia would probably get hit with drought."

"And you would gallantly drag me into a shower, turn it on, and we'd share our first romantic kiss under an umbrella there," giggled Judy.

"Only in the movies. I... I just had the perfect idea. Tomorrow evening for sure."

"Where?"

"It's a surprise."

"But I need to know what to wear!"

"You don't care what other animals think, remember?"

"Stop being such a male! I need to know what to wear!"

"It doesn't– That foxy female top and jeans."

Judy looked puzzled, "But–"

"Double your money refunded if not satisfied," he assured her.

Wednesday morning held a meeting of the mayor's commission on accountability. Right after lunch they reviewed traffic cam footage for Readover and Gannon, who were working a hit-and-run. And before leaving they questioned witnesses and gathered evidence for a robbery at a raccoon convenience store.

Judy waited nervously for Nick to pick her up. She wondered where they could be going. "Jeans and this top? A football game? His idea of a romantic evening is a football game?"

Once in the car he handed her a blindfold. "Put this on."

"You still haven't told me where we're going."

"Well, duh, if you knew where we were going I wouldn't ask you to put on the blindfold."

"You're crazy," muttered Judy as she adjusted the blindfold.

"Crazy like a fox."

They chatted about Bunnyburrow and Pumpkin Fest on the ride. It seemed surreal to Judy, a mundane conversation – while wearing a blindfold and being driven to an unknown destination.

"Can I take the blindfold off now?" she asked when he turned off the engine.

"Not yet. I'll help you out of the car and lead you. I'll tell you when to take it off."

Grass and earth were underfoot when she stepped from the car. "Hold me close," she instructed. Her ears strained, but there were no city noises. The air was warm and humid, with the smell of damp earth. She heard the sounds of birds and leaves rustling in the breeze.

They walked a short distance, his arm around her – guiding her. He stopped, and instructed her, "Take it off now."

She had deduced they were in the rain forest district, and guessed the precise location, "The cable car stop where Mister Manchas nearly killed us."

"Wrong, the cable car stop where we got on a gondola and both realized we were with someone special."

A gondola moved into position, and Judy started toward it. "No," Nick told her and looked at his watch.

The next gondola moved into position. "Now?" Judy asked. Nick looked at his watch and shook his head 'no'.

"Now!" barked Nick as the next gondola entered the boarding zone. He grabbed Judy's paw and they ran to jump on.

They were both laughing as the car left the stop and they rose into the air. Judy threw her arms around Nick and hugged him, "Say it, Nick, say it!"

"I love you, Carrots."

"I love you, Nick, I really, really, love you." She hugged him tighter.

He coughed gently. "I think you got things a little out of order. Weren't we supposed to kiss before you said you loved me?"

"I don't care. I had to say it or I'd explode. Kiss me now."

"Bossy little thing," he murmured, and kissed her.

She giggled slightly as the kiss came to an end. "Our mouths are so different..."

"Know what we need?"

"Practice?"

"Exactly."

They practiced several minutes. "Better?" asked Nick.

"Much," she sighed. "Not that we need to stop practicing. I love you."

"Love you too."

At the end of the next round of kisses Judy asked, "Is this really the cable car we rode that night?"

"Does it matter?"

Judy hesitated, "No... I guess it doesn't. But, is this the car we rode that night?"

Nick shrugged, "No. No it's not. Looking at my watch and going for the third car was all show."

"I'm glad," she told him and hugged him tightly.

"You're glad this isn't the same car?"

"Well, it was kind of a test and–"

He pushed her away. "A test? What kind of a test?"

"Well, I've looked at the video myself and... What's wrong?"

"You didn't trust me."

"But you told me the truth!"

"But you had to test me." He turned away and stared out at the canopy of trees.

Judy could feel his anger and disappointment. She grabbed his arm, "Nick, I'm sorry."

"All we've been through... Do you know how difficult it is for an interspecies couple? It's hard enough for any couple and–"

"I screwed up. I'm not perfect. It didn't matter. All that mattered was you picking the perfect place for our first kiss. I've made mistakes before. I'll make them again. But, please, forgive me," she cried. "I didn't mean to hurt you."

He continued to start out into space, "What really hurts... There probably is no reason to trust me. I've–"

"Don't say that! I had no business testing you. It was a wonderful... And I ruined it!"

"No... My past ruined it."

"Don't say that! Look neither one of us is perfect! I've made mistakes. You've made mistakes. And there will always be mistakes. But you don't walk out on me, and I don't go running back to Bunnyburrow. We love each other. We talk to each other. We listen to each other. And when one of us makes a mistake the other one forgives her."

"Her?"

"This is my mistake. I'm asking you please, forgive me."

He took the crying rabbit in his arms. "I didn't mean to make you cry."

She wiped her nose on his shirt, "I love you so much, and... Sorry about your shirt, I–"

"It doesn't matter."

"I want us to have a happily ever after."

"Happily ever after only happens in fairy tales."

"No it doesn't! Happily ever after doesn't mean everything is always perfect, and you're rich and healthy, and can solve every crossword puzzle in five minutes or less. My parents are happily ever after. They've had problems, but they work through them as a team. I know lots of happily ever after couples. I won't be perfect. I can't promise to be perfect. But happily ever after doesn't mean perfect. It means at the end of the day we're happy together. I can't be perfect, but I can promise to do the best I can."

He managed a small smile. "You promise to not be perfect?"

Judy sniffed, "Yes."

"So... It'll be okay if I'm not perfect either?"

"But you are!"

The fox rolled his eyes, "I should have realized you were crazy when you fell in love with me."

"Will you forgive me?"

"And we'll both try and do our best? You'll try and trust me and I'll try and be worthy of your trust?"

"Yes."

"And we'll talk, and forgive each other rather than running away?"

"I'll agree if you agree."

Judy had calmed down. They remained in close embrace for a minute. Finally Nick asked, "Would it be appropriate to seal our resolution with a kiss?"

"It would be entirely appropriate."

–The End–