Chapter Notes:

It's been a very long time hasn't it? I don't really have an explanation for me suddenly leaving but I owe everyone an apology and at least some form of closure on the story. I am sorry for the long wait but I hope you all enjoy the final chapter of Instincts.

So I can finish this I am going to cut through stuff a lot in here but I will try to get to all the major points I feel would help complete this story for everyone.

Closure:

When Nick found a large clearing in the bushes of the central park he dove through the opening lodging himself and Judy into the small hiding place. Now for a stone age fox like what Nick thought he was currently this would have been a great start to a den for him and his companion. Only Nick wasn't a stone age fox and his companion was a bunny that was still able to think rationally, and for her this was not exactly a joyride. "Nick just breath it's okay." She tried comforting him after he set her down in the middle of the small den.

She watched as he didn't pay mind to the words she was saying but rather biting at the branches until they broke, then he would move on to the next one. Judy was confused to say the least, but then somehow it clicked for her; this 'savage' fox was building a home. That thought brought a blush to her face thinking about what that meant for Nick's feelings, and in her small daze Nick had finished making their den for the time being. After scooting all the twigs to the sides he wrapped himself around his bunny keeping his attention focused between her and the entrance.

"Nick-" Judy went to say something to hopefully get him to come to his senses but instead was met with a tongue licking against her face quieting her suddenly as she felt it brushing against her fur. She was well aware of grooming partners of mammal mammals thanks to the research she had done,, but all stone age mammals only groomed themselves or their families.

The bunny with the amethyst eyes was going to try to stop him again but part of her refused to do so; because that part of her was liking the affection that was meant behind the caring act. SO whether it was wrong to let him continue when he didn't know what he was doing, Judy didn't stop him. Instead however she waited till he was done after a few minutes and nuzzled into him before her eyes began to flutter. In no time at all the long day had worn her down and sent her off to sleep, and when the sound of snoring reached the foxes ears he curled his tail around her and snuggled her close before joining his partner in the land of dreams.

When Judy woke in the morning the first thing that greeted her was the fluffy orange all around her. She had no idea to what it was, all she knew was that it was warm and looked like Nick's fur. And that's when it hit her she had fell asleep cuddled up to Nick when he was in his wild state of mind, and currently said fox was still snoring with his muzzle resting in her lap peacefully and blissfully.

A smile worked it's way across her face as she gazed down at the harmless predator, even with his sharp claws and fangs he had never once hurt her and she never felt like he would. Stroking her paws through the fur on the back of his neck the small bunny didn't realize herself leaning down before she was burying her face in the soft wonderland.

But her nuzzling into the fox's neck stirred him from his sleep as he pulled away and gave a high pitched yawn like most canines still did. His emerald eyes locked onto Judy for a moment before the scanned the small place that he made their home for the night.

"Judy…where are we?" his voice was a bit scratchy but the confusion was clear as day.

"Do you remember anything Nick?" she asked him as he sat up. It was obvious he still wasn't at a hundred percent, but he was clearly better than he was before she had fallen asleep.

Nick held his head in his paws trying to fight away a growing headache. "I don't know, I just remember we were running from something weren't we?" the fox asked unsure about what actually happened, but he was somewhat on the right track.

"Umm well something like that…" Judy led off before giving a sigh. "The medicine didn't work all the way. You changed back." Her once bright eyes now downcast in disappointment, because from what is sounded like there was no fixing Nick anymore.

The fox was quiet. He was silent for a long while; but then he broke that silence. "Did I hurt you?" his voice was almost to the point of crying. Even with everything else going on she could tell the only thing that worried him was that one question.

"No Nick, you didn't hurt me at all." She confessed to him as she pulled him into a hug. "Please don't be afraid to be around me Nick, I know you could never hurt me." Her voice was soft and warm as it washed over him.

With her gentle words the fox gave in and slipped his arms around her into a tight hug. They stayed like that in each other's arms for a couple moments before her ears flicked again at the sound of his voice, "I love you, Judy."" The fos spoke quietly as his paw tightened slightly around her back.

When Judy pulled away from him though his heart nearly hatred and his ears drooped down waiting for the answer he hoped for deep down. But his orange ears snapped to her at the sound of her voice "I love you too Nick." Officer Hopps said before grabbing onto his fur and pulled him down into a kiss.

"While it seems the Night Howler serum has changed you brain's chemical composition, it does not mean you are a lost cause Mr. Wilde." Dr. Shaw said to Nick who was sitting beside Judy across from the table. After Nick had confessed and Judy did they same they weren't sure what to do, but Judy knew that he needed to be brought back to the hospital to make sure he was okay. "We are already working on something to take the edge off what ever this is, we don't know if it will be permanent but we do know it will help." The Dr. explained calmly and neutrally.

"What do you mean it might not be permanent?" Judy asked concern clearly lacing her words. But rather than responding like a normal mammal would instead the scientist slammed his clipboard down onto the table cause a loud bang that started the officer into a jump. "Why did you do that!?" the frightened bunny shouted trying to catch her breath. But she was stopped when she heard a low growling coming from the fox beside her.

With a light smirk at the results the Dr jotted down some notes, "That is why Mrs. Hopps." He said while examining Nick with his head lowered a bit more than it was and his paws clenched into fists. Dr. Shaw watched as Judy calmed down the victim while recording that as well before speaking again. "You see Nick, when ever you will feel startled or threatened you might have a similar reaction to the stimulus just now. Naturally the more serious the danger or shock the worse the reaction would be." The badger in the lab coat described the findings they had so far based on their evidence and testing.

"Is there something I can do to stop it?" Nick asked worried that his life would now be out of his control and he could snap at the drop of a hat.

"We think stress relievers like meditation, yoga, or even anything you do to relax yourself would help to control the outburst. Of course you will also need to learn to control your breathing and things of that nature might even help to bring you down from this 'savage' state." He gave the long explanation hoping that they would be able to understand it all, and luckily they did.

Both Nick and Judy understood what the Dr. was explaining to him. Nick for himself and Judy so she could better help him. "Is there anything that would help him more? Something more permanent?" she asked as she looked at Nick with a look of guilt.

Now this was something that their lab had been looking into with great interest. "Yes there is a medicine in the making. It will not cure Nick of this…change. But it will help to fight away that aggressive nature." He said proudly that they were making such progress in the lab.

After things with the Night Howler case were finished in court and the lab had finished with creating Nick's medicine things in the city slowly began going back to normal. But for Nick things were far from normal. It was almost a constant at first for the fox to feel his primitive instincts pulling at him; either warning him to run when frightened or to go against those that threatened him. But the biggest challenge was controlling the urges to be just snuggle up to Judy at any moment in the day.

Just as Nick and Judy feared with this problem, it never went away, but it did get better. Thanks to his help and sacrifice for the greater good of the city the re-instated mayor Lionheart wanted Nick to work on a team in the police agency. But because of his unstable issues he couldn't be a part of the force like Judy was, but he happy worked within the precinct in records and the mail department.

It was quiet but it there was always stuff for him to do, and it paid decent for the ex hustler, but for him the best part was being able to work with and help the little go getter officer he had began to fall head over heels for. Along with that she would introduce him to the other officers she had made friends with, and little by little he enjoyed this new life more and more. He and his other kept in touch and wood have dinner at her apt every Thursday; she wasn't going to lose her baby boy anytime soon, or ever again for that matter.

Nick and Judy after a lot of discussion ended up finding an apartment together so that way she can watch over him better without feeling like she is intruding and she he doesn't feel like she's going out of her way. But the thing was neither of them minded at all, in fact the two of them were glad to have the other close enough to feel their heart beating peacefully in their sleep.

It seemed like whenever Judy got hurt at work Nick would slip a little and get very overprotective of his bunny. It became easy for her to tell when he had his slip ups because those nights he would sleep curled up around her like he did those nights after the Night Howler case. But sleeping nice and cozy in her fluffy fox fort Judy nuzzled into her fox knowing that even as 'savage' as he was, he would always love her.

Author's Notes:

Thank you everyone for reading, thank you everyone for all the critiques and words of support, and thank you bgnsteal for kicking me until I got back on here and finished this story.

I am sorry it had taken me so long for this and I'm sorry I ended it so quick and short.

I hope you all read and enjoy many more worlds of adventure out there! Until we meet again!~

(PS Sing is amazing and I'm taking short story requests!)