Loss, that was the only feeling both Nick and Judy were feeling and had been feeling over the past few days. It wasn't from the loss of a friend though, no, nor was it from the loss of a civilian. It was from the loss of a family member, a member who wasn't old or distant, but a member who was small and full of life. A member who called them...mommy...and...daddy. For they had lost their three old child, and you are probably asking how did they lose something so precious. Well, when you mix alcohol and a stupid person who thinks its ok to drive when drunk. You get what you expect, the sounds of two cars hitting each other, screams of help being echoed in the air, and the cries of the realization that not everyone survived.
Which leads to a funeral where people bow their heads in respect and where the feeling of guilt and pain fills the hearts that were once filled with love and happiness. Needless to say, if it was not raining on that day, their tears would've been enough to soak the ground beneath them. After such a tragic event, both Nick and Judy secluded themselves in their home, not talking to anyone nor even eating anything hardly. Sure, friends and Judys parents would stop by to try and cheer them up, but no amount of words they said to them made a difference in the slightest. It was as if it looked like they would be in such a state for the rest of their lives, and they might've been if it wasn't for Nick seeing something on the seventh day of their grieving that made him realize something. Which is where the story begins, as both Nick and Judy awoke from their slumber, both of their eyes red from all the crying.
"Another morning already." Judy stated sadly with a blank face, her body curled up to Nicks left side.
"Yeah, another morning without...her." His voice trembling when he said the last word, clutching Judy as hard as he could. The two then just laid there in silence, not knowing what else to say or do. When about twenty minutes passed by, Nick used his right paw to grip the blanket that was covering them and removed it. Revealing him to just be wearing a black pair of boxer shorts while Judy was wearing a white night gown.
"Where are you going?" Judy asked quietly, watching her husband open their closest and start to get dressed.
"I'm just going to get some coffee Hun, but I also just need some fresh air." Nick told her, putting on a pair of black pants along with a green shirt and red tie. After he did, he walked back to the bed, leaned down and gave the rabbit a soft kiss on her right cheek.
"I'll be back soon, do you want anything though while I'm out." Nick asked, looking her in the eyes. She shook her head.
"No thanks Nick, I think I'll just lay here with my thoughts." Judy told him, pulling the blanket back over herself and resting her head on a pillow. Nick then placed his left paw on the rabbits right cheek and began to rub it gently.
"Ok. Love you." Was all he said before he took his paw off her cheek and began to make his way out of their room. Once he did, the rabbits eyes who had followed Nick closed slowly, and when they did, Judy muttered three words.
"Love you to." She then let her mind wander back to one thing, that thing being the memories of when their family was whole. While she did, Nick had left their house and began to make his way to one of the many coffee shops in Zootopia. All the while, his head was down with his paws in his pockets, like he was saying to everyone 'please don't talk to me.' He continued on his way until he reached a small coffee shop that read 'The Lions Cove' and walked in.
"Hello, welcome to-," A male lion who wore a green apron with orange pants greeted behind the counter, but stopped midway when he saw who it was.
"Nick?" He said with shock after the fox walked up to the counter.
"Hey Leo." Nick said, addressing the lion whom he came to know after saving him from a hold up. The fox then just stared at the lion.
"I didn't think I would see you so soon. How are you and Judy holding up after, you know." Leo said, leaning on the counter with a look of worry. Nick however just looked away from the lion.
"I'd rather not talk about it." Nick stated, making the lion nod his head. As he didn't want to push anything onto the fox, especially so soon.
"I understand, don't worry about it. What can I get you?" Leo asked, standing back up straight, ready for his friends order which was a simple one.
"Just a black coffee with some sugar please." He told him, looking back at Leo.
"Sure thing, I'll be right back." As the lion went to go make the coffee, Nick stood at the counter and waited. He then began to look around the shop, nothing really catching his attention except for a female black panther that had a stroller next to her. From what he could see and hear though, she seemed to be crying, sobs ever so often coming out of her mouth.
"I wander she's crying, maybe I should ask?" He thought, and just when he did, Leo came back and set the coffee in front of Nick.
"There you go Nick, and don't worry it's on the house." Leo said with a smile on his face, making Nick pick up the coffee with his right paw and show just a little smile.
"Thanks." Nick said, Leo nodded his head before he went to clean the coffee machine. It was then Nick slowly began to make his way over to the panther, feeling as though this might be the only bright side of his day if he could help her. However, when he got closer, he could hear a baby start to moan from within the stroller. Making the panther look to the stroller and smile a little.
"Oh sweetie, I'm sorry. Mommy just isn't having a good day." He heard her say, as he watched her pick the little bundle out of the stroller and hold them. He then saw the baby start to laugh and pad at the panther.
"You sure do know how to make it a little brighter though." She kissed the baby, making them laugh leading her to do the same. When Nick saw his help wasn't needed, he frowned before he left the shop. As he began to make his way back home, the image of the happy mother with her cub began to replay in his head. There was something else though that replayed, the moment when the cub saw their mother sad, they reached out for her, giving her comfort in her sad time.
"I wander..." He began, looking up at the sunny sky.
"Are you trying to reach out to us baby? Are you trying to make us happy in our sad time? But we just can't see it?" He asked out loud, reaching out his left paw to the sky. Wandering if their daughter is reaching out to his and if she was, was she grabbing his paw?
"If you are, than we should show the happiness you gave us and are trying to right now." The fox then began to run home with quickness, drinking his coffee along the way and tossing it into a near by trash can that was located by their home. Swiftly, he opened the door to their house and closed it. He then grabbed a piece of paper along with a blue pen before he walked into his and Judys room where Judy was sleeping.
"Judy." Nick quietly said, letting his quickness die back down as he walked to the side of their bed. He then placed his left paw on her right shoulder which held the pen.
"Carrots." Gently, he shook the rabbits shoulder. Causing her to stir and for her eyes to slowly open back up.
"W-what is it dear?" She asked, her eyes blinking so her vision could come back. Nick then sat down on the bed making Judy slowly sit and look at him.
"Well when I was out getting coffee, I saw this mother and her baby. The mother was crying and when her baby saw this, they reached out for her and gave her comfort. It got me thinking, what if our baby girl is trying to do the same for us Judy? What if she is trying to make us happy?" Nick explained to her, and as he did. Her eyes opened wide, realizing what her husband was telling her.
"That as we cry, the more she may be reaching out to us?" Nick nodded his head.
"Exactly, that's why if she is trying to do that. I want her to know how much we love her, how much happiness she brought us. So I got to thinking, why don't we write a little letter for her? Do you like that idea?" Nick asked with a smile on his face, feeling a slight warmness in his heart. Something Judy was feeling to after she moved right next to Nick, now looking at the paper.
"I love it. What should we say though?" She asked, both her and Nick looking at the paper. For what seemed to be an hour of thinking deeply, Nick eventually took the pen, placed it on the paper, and began to write the letter out.
"To our dearest and most precious gift, this is your mommy and daddy. We want you to know that we miss you with all our hearts, that there isn't a day that has gone by we don't think of you and the memories you left with us. Memories of when you said your first word, memories of when you blew out your candles for your birthdays, and memories of when you turned our dark days into the brightest days. Though we are sad beyond belief that you are no longer with us, that we can longer hold you close and kiss you goodnight, we want you to know that you were our sole purpose in life. You, our sweet little baby girl, you are the one who showed mommy and daddy that there is more to life then just work and play..." He wrote, but soon stopped as he didn't know what else to write. Judy then carefully took the pen and paper from Nick, causing him to look at her, watching her now finish the letter.
"You showed us that we should enjoy the little things and the little moments we experience in life, no matter how short they are. Most of all, you gave us something you and only you could give, you gave us the joy and love of being a mother and father, you gave us true love. We thank you so much for that, we thank you for everything you did. We love you, we always will and we will try our best to smile and laugh so you don't have to cry in a place were you should only be happy. Hopefully, we can see you again in that place and if we do, best be ready for all the hugs and kisses me and daddy will want to give. We love you, we love you so much, our little...Carly Wilde." Judy finished, setting the pen down. After she did, Nick wrapped his right arm around Judy, pulling her in before resting his head on hers, looking at letter with her.
"You think she heard us Nick?" Judy asked warmly, a few tears falling from her eyes.
"I sure hope so Judy. Even if she didn't though..." As he slowly took the letter from Judy, placing it on their dresser near their bed where a photo of the three laid. For in the picture Nick who wore a black tux was standing next to Judy who wore a red plaid shirt with blue jeans, both of them holding Carly's paws who was a fox with blue fur, green eyes, and a small rabbit tail. She was dressed in a tiger outfit, as the picture was taken after a play she took part in. As the two looked at the picture, they smiled, looking back at each other.
"She can always look down and read what her mom and father wrote for her anytime she wants." The two hugged one another, Judy burying her head into Nicks chest while he rubbed her back lovingly. Each of them crying tears with smiles, knowing their baby was in a better place but also knowing that their little Carly now knows how much she truly meant to them. How much she meant to the two people who gave her life and the two people who would never forget her even in passing.
Hope you guys liked it.