Chief Bogo declared them both off the case- all cases actually- the next morning where he most likely thought they were well enough to take the news without further embarrassing themselves. That realization occurred to Nick rather bitterly, but he was already off so he figured it wouldn't do much to argue.
Judy, who always seemed so stubbornly determined about everything, just smiled like she understood as she agreed with everything their boss said submissively. Judy wasn't submissive- to anybody. It was why she made such a great cop.
You've got to pick your battles Nikki, his father's voice echoed in his head all soft and knowing like he was some omnipotent being- for the longest time Nick had been convinced he was.
"Thank you chief," Judy said instead of arguing with a bow of her head before violet eyes shifted over to Nick and she added, "Don't worry about a thing. Just get Savage."
Oh.
Nick got it now. He was a fox, after all, and foxes were known for being clever; an absurd thing considering Nick's met plenty of foxes that were daft idiots. Nick was clever, though, years of playing criminal mastermind with Finnick ensured that.
Judy didn't want to fight this and not because she was picking her battles. She somehow felt this need to keep Nick safe, like he was incapable. He wasn't, and he's done just fine before she ever showed up. So he did what Judy was supposed to be doing, knowing their friendship worked best that way.
One would accept whatever the world threw at them, stubbornly refusing to let it see that it all got to them. Judy was currently playing that role which meant Nick was left with-
"You can't be serious," Nick protested stepping forward and ignoring the look of shock on Judy's face as he met Bogo's eyes that once intimidated Nick.
"What?" Bogo demanded with an angry huff, and Nick originally believed that was the signs of the police chief was getting angry but now he knew better.
Chief Bogo didn't have a short fuse or quick temper, he never would've been police chief if that was the case. He did, however, have very low tolerance to absolutely everything, and this time Nick knew it was because he cared. He cared a lot more then he'd ever admit.
"I said," Nick replied smooth and slow and serious as he matched his boss's gaze with one of his own, "you can't be serious. You can't sideline us because you think we're incapable or something."
"I don't think you're incapable," Chief Bogo replied almost instantly, without hesitation and something in his eyes softened revealing the truth in his words.
Okay then, not incapable. Of course not incapable, Judy's gone to great lengths to prove everyone otherwise, and Nick knew he was smart and an excellent puzzle solver. Together they were a very good team, one that's capable of outshining even the brightest stars at the precinct.
"The point is," Nick drawled because he didn't really feel like backtracking that much to figure out everything they were and weren't to the police chief, "you can't sideline us. It isn't fair."
"Nick," Judy protested because she was still playing the voice of reason in the duo.
Nick ignored her as Chief Bogo replied with gritted teeth, "What do you care? You're on vacation," which was a rather crude word considering everything that's happened.
"It's still not fair to sideline Judy because of me though," Nick responded, and it clicked that he wasn't just talking about now.
He was talking about every case Judy hadn't received since the collaring incident. Cases she very much deserved and was more than capable of solving. Cases she hadn't gotten because Nick would never be able to- not with a collar strapped around his throat.
Bogo seemed taken aback- a rare occurrence Nick would have to remember to savor later- before he blinked and his mask of indifference was set once more and he demanded in a low tone, "What are you saying?"
"I'm saying that ever since the collars you haven't let her out on any of the cases," Nick reasoned with bright green eyes, "It wasn't fair of you to sideline her because of me. They're plenty of other officers that would be honored to have her help them out."
"Nick."
"She didn't deserve that, and we both know it. She's tried too hard, worked her whole life to prove to mammals like you and me that she wasn't some defenseless creature that needs to be sheltered."
"Nick."
"And one bad thing happens to us and it sucks but she shouldn't have been affected. She wasn't meant to yet you threw her under with the rest of us, and I can understand me and the others but she hadn't done anything and she doesn't wear a collar yet she's stuck behind a desk doing mind numbing paperwork all day long."
"Nick!"
Nick blinked, turning to face Judy who was staring up at him with wide violet eyes. She didn't appear angry, just sad and Nick mentally berated himself because he hated making her sad.
"I'm sorry," he apologized instantly though he couldn't tell to whom he was speaking as he ran a weary hand down the side of his face, "It's been a long night."
"I understand," Bogo replied and his voice was softer then it should've been, "Get some rest. Both of you. I'll call in the morning."
Nick and Judy nodded as their boss took one last disapproving look at Nick's place before turning to disappear in a police cruiser. If Nick had to harbor a guess then he'd say the ox was headed back over to the precinct to try and find Savage before he did something stupid and desperate and dangerous.
There wasn't anything worst then a stupid desperate mammal with a score to settle.
"Nick?" Judy asked as the cruiser disappeared and the weight of everything that's happened settled over him at once, threatening to jerk him so far under that he may never resurface.
He still remembered- saw every time he closed his eyes- Savage grabbing onto Judy and strangling her. The dark glint in his eyes were what informed Nick that he had every intention on killing her, and somehow he had been able to trick his collar.
Now the scars made sense, stretching down his neck in intricate patterns like a spider's web. It had all been a test to find a way around the activation mechanism, and Nick couldn't imagine getting shocked that much just to find a way to not get shocked.
And now he was free.
The thought made Nick sick.
"Nick? Are you alright? You're looking a little weird," Judy said and her eyes were bright and practically shinning with her concern.
"I'm fine," but he wasn't entirely sure; he felt fine, and he wanted to believe that he was but the collar around his throat made his skin itch and thoughts of Judy dying made his heart numb and the fact that Savage was free made him want to get sick everywhere at once.
None of that sounded normal, and it made him feel a lot further then fine then he'd like her to believe. His voice didn't shake, though, and it didn't quiver. It seemed to be the only part of him that wasn't falling apart.
"Nick," she tried anyways because she was one of the few that could see past all of his facades, it was perhaps one of the only reasons she's stuck around so long.
It was a nice thought, he supposed, when she wasn't the one he wanted to hide it all away from. Now she was so it was more of a hindrance than anything else.
"Are you staying the night or do I need to call a cab?" Nick inquired instead, changing the subject with a blink of green eyes.
The city cabs did extend this far, but they were a rare sight to catch considering nobody that ended up in this part of town could afford one. The thought of Judy walking home alone in the middle of the night after everything that's happened made him dizzy and sick and weak and he'd rob a bank if he had to.
But she just shook her head as she responded, "I'll stay the night. It'll be fun."
Translation: she was just as worried about Nick as he was of her. It was odd, having someone so open with their concern but it was a nice sort of feeling. One Nick was certain he'd be able to become accustomed to.
"You can have the sofa," Nick replied as he pulled out his almost dead phone and swallowed as he gestured behind him with a, "I'm just going to call Finnick real quick. Reassure him that everyone is fine."
She frowned but nodded all the same.
"Don't be out too late," was all she said before disappearing inside.
Nick waited until the door clicked behind her before he dialed his friend's new number and waited with an impatient tap of his foot. One arm crossed over his chest as he heard the sharp ringing in his ear, a pebble dropping in his stomach with each ring.
Then, finally, Finnick's sharp tone demanded, "Nick?"
"Yeah. It's me buddy," Nick reassured with a wet chuckle, feeling the exhaustion and panic and adrenaline of the day rush out of him all at once.
"Did something happen?" Finnick demanded sharply and Nick ran a hand over the top of his head as he tried reigning all of his emotions back in.
"Uh. No. Everyone's fine. Just wanted to make sure you made it back safely. The prey are starting to unravel," Nick explained as he tried unwrapping the tension bound around his heart, "My parents and Judy are staying at my place."
Finnick snorted but didn't say anything snide. That was how Nick knew he really had been affected by this whole thing and the thought made Nick want to cry.
"And how are you?" Finnick did ask because he's made it awfully clear that he was worried about Nick because he cared and didn't that suck?
"I'm fine. A little tired and sore but otherwise unharmed. I just- I keep thinking of what would've happened if I hadn't been there with them," Nick admitted, and he wasn't sure why only that it seemed to suddenly be spilling out of him at once.
"Don't think like that," Finnick snapped all rough edges and sharp points but it was his way of showing that he cared, "You were there, and you protected them. They're fine, Nick, remember that."
"I will buddy, thanks," Nick replied with a slight smile before his phone beeped in his ear and he said, "My phone's about to die. I have to go."
"Alright."
The 'be careful' went unsaid but was heard all the same.
XxX
Nick woke to the aroma of pancakes. Blueberry pancakes, of all things, and he flashed back to when he was little and he'd wander into their small kitchen to find his mom cooking his favorite breakfast. It hasn't happened in years, and Nick thought he had finally lost it when he blinked bleary eyes open.
Judy was still passed out on his sofa, a spare quilt that could use a few more patches curled around her small form. He passed her silently, careful to not wake her, and then he was in the kitchen where his parents were waiting for him.
His dad was at the table, sipping at a mug of probably coffee while his mom stood by the stove cooking. Nick blinked once, twice, three times and the scene didn't suddenly fade so he knew it must be real.
"What are you two doing?" he asked unable to battle the smile from crossing his features because his parents were sitting in his kitchen and it was just like old times and the warm feelings he would feel as a child were returning, loosening the knot in his chest.
"I am cooking dear," his mom responded with a bat of her eyelashes and a plate was thrusted into his hands with a simple command of, "Eat. All of it."
"Right. Yes ma'am," Nick replied more than a little dumbstruck as he sat at his table and started stuffing his face with the breakfast; they were still just as good as when he was little.
His dad smiled at him from over his mug, a smugness in his eyes that made Nick's face hot. His parents were the only mammals that could make him feel like a little child all over again; he had never dreamed that they knew that, though, and the realization that they did made his heart flutter. Why it did that, he couldn't discern.
"How are you two feeling?" he asked because he had never been one to linger on feelings for too long, and they weren't completely out of the woods just yet. Shock was still a possibility, especially considering everything he had subjected them to.
"We're fine sweetie," his mom promised from his stove, "How are you doing? Are you okay?"
Nick choked on his pancake.
"Me? I'm fine," Nick reassured and before either one of his parents got a chance to question him further Judy walked in and he couldn't remember a time he'd been so happy to see her.
"What smells delicious in here?" Judy asked as she rubbed the sleep from her eyes, and the attention moved from Nick to Judy as he continued to stuff his face hungrily.
"I believe it's called breakfast dear," his mom replied already handing her a plate with a gentle smile, "Blueberry pancakes. Nick's favorite as a kit."
"Still are, apparently," his dad added snidely and Nick frowned with a stuffed face at his father's smirk.
Judy's shoulders relaxed as she accepted the plate with a quick thanks before settling beside Nick to mimic stuffing her face as well. It was then Nick realized neither of his parents seemed to be eating, which couldn't have been a good sign.
"Are you two not going to eat?" he asked after swallowing the bite as he glanced between the two of them.
They needed to eat, to keep their energy up.
Right?
He's pretty sure.
"We already ate before you two decided to join the land of the living," his mom explained even as she came over to draw him into a tight side hug, "I'm glad to see you looking much better. Both of you."
Judy ducked her expression, suddenly embarrassed. It was nice to know that Nick wasn't the only mammal they did that to. Almost unconsciously she stuffed a forkful of food in her mouth. Her violet gaze dropped to the table, and it was the first time in 32 years that Nick realized what he's looked all these years.
It was a nice thought, and for the first time in what felt like an eternity he felt the beginning stages of a smile.
Then his phone buzzed and he shoved the remaining bit of his breakfast in his mouth as he excused himself from the table. His parents offered him shy smiles as they nodded at his exit; Judy gave him a suspicious look, like she didn't want him to leave.
He pushed that thought away as he entered the room that served as his living room, pressing his device to his ear with a simple, "Hello."
He hadn't recognized the ID, so he figured it could've been anyone. Anyone except the mammal that replied back.
"Nick," a crisp tone hummed and Nick's skin crawled; he could picture it all so perfectly, the wolf reclining in whatever dark corner he was currently residing in oh so comfortable.
It was all so sudden, Nick felt his usual wit escape him. Everything except one thing, three simple words.
"You hurt Judy."
"Is that your pretty little rabbit friend? I did, I suppose, though I heard she's a fighter. Has to be, considering she's the first rabbit cop ever," Savage replied smoothly and his tone was casual, like an old friend catching up.
They weren't friends.
"She is. What do you want?" Nick snapped, losing his patience.
"Oh. Testy, testy," Savage chided, "It's a wonder you, my dear foxy friend, ever made it on the force. Then again, I've heard great things about you and her. Rumor has it you're the sensible one while country hick plays conscience. Maybe I should call her, though I suspect you'd understand better being a predator and all."
Nick's throat itched. He resisted the urge to pull at the collar wrapped around his throat, unwilling to show any sort of weakness even on the phone.
"What. Do. You want?" Nick repeated, low and deadly as he felt his grip on everything that's held him together start to slip.
"I want you," Savage replied liked it was obvious, "and I want revenge. Against everyone that's ever wronged me in the past."
A cold sense of dread washed over Nick, drowning his earlier good mood as he gasped sharply, "Grace Bell. You can't go after her. She's-"
"A self-serving conceited little cretin that deserves what's coming to her," Savage finished, making Nick grind the back of his molars together.
"Stay away from her Savage. I mean it," Nick warned, threat making his voice thick.
"Sorry but I can't do that. I must admit that I was hoping you'd understand but, unfortunately, that doesn't appear to be the case."
"Savage. Savage! Savage-"
Click.
Savage was gone, leaving Nick with a sour pit in his stomach. Dialing quickly, he waited impatiently for them to answer.
"ZPD?" the familiar reverberating tone asked and he sounded angry, which was understandable all things considered.
"Chief! This is Nick. I need to tell you something, and I need you to listen to me," Nick spoke quickly as he suddenly remembered who was still in his home for him and he slipped outside the hall, "Savage just contacted me."
That was the wrong thing to say.
"He contacted you?" Bogo snapped angrily.
"Yes. Chief, I need you to listen. He's going after Grace Bell."
There was a long silence, a heavy pause as Bogo seemed to mull over the information, before a slow, "Grace Bell? That's impossible."
"I think we both know that it's not, sir," Nick protested, his voice surprisingly even but, then again, it always seemed even whenever he talked to the chief.
It was amazing, something he knows other officers have marveled at silently from afar, but at the moment he didn't feel anything other than the pangs of panic fluttering around in his chest. It was a frightening feeling, one he didn't appreciate very much.
"Nick, I need you to calm down. Did he mention why he would contact you?" Bogo interrogated in what he probably thought served as a calming tone.
It was neither calming nor helpful.
"He wanted me to, I don't know, help him or something. Probably because I'm a predator," Nick replied running a hand through across the top of his head.
Chief Bogo made an impressive sort of sound about the same time a soft noise echoed from behind the doorway. In the next instant Judy's small head appeared from the other side as she opened the wooden door.
"Nick?" she asked concernedly, "Is everything alright?"
"Nick, I need you to stay where you are," Chief Bogo said at the same time before the soft click signaling Nick had been hung up on.
"Nick?" Judy repeated, ears folded behind her head as violet eyes gazed up at him with a sort of needy expression. Only it was information that she needed.
Nick was in no positon to keep it from her. Slowly, he told her everything.
XxX
The thing about Nicholas Piberius Wilde is that he's normally obnoxiously right about more things then he is wrong, meaning mostly every time. He doesn't always know it (small miracles do exist) but nearly everyone else is at least familiar with this fact.
It's what makes him such a good cop- strong instincts and fantastic deduction skills and it was no wonder he was able to get by with so much when he hadn't been on the side of the law. This time was no different and as soon as Bogo hung up on the fox his door was thrown open and a wheezing Clawhauser stumbled inside.
"Chief!" he gasped, hand pressed against his chest like he was moments away from having a heart attack.
Considering just how overweight he was, the possibility was high, but he's got a kind heart and the most peculiar ability to get mammals to listen to what he says and- above all- he's a good cop. He's also a dear friend, and the brightness in his eyes wasn't just from sudden exercise.
He was freaked out, and despite his fluffy appearance not much freaked the cheetah out.
"What is it?" Bogo demanded, careful to keep his voice calm and collected as he searched the mammal for any sort of clue about what was wrong.
"It's about Grace Bell," he forced out, though he seemed more in control over himself now.
Something constricted inside Bogo's chest as Nick's warning moments before echoed around his skull: He's going after Grace Bell.
How?
"Clawhauser!" he snapped for no reason except it made him feel in control.
He didn't even flinch, unnerved by Bogo's hardened appearance. He was one of the few who could stare back at him fearlessly, and it was one of those few marvels that could still surprise Bogo.
"She's missing sir," Clawhauser supplied like he knew exactly what Bogo wanted, and the glimmer in his eyes made sense.
Last night, Judy had been attacked and if Nick's word was anything to go by (and it normally was) then the same mammal that had attacked her now had the mayor. And he's made it quite clear of his disdain for Grace Bell.
"Sir!" Clawhauser snapped and whenever he spoke there was never any real authority in his tone (one of the reasons he's good with others and Bogo is not) but something in it snapped Bogo out of his stupor.
"Get everyone that can on the streets. Finding Grace Bell is our newest priority!" Bogo commanded, already moving around his desk.
"What about Justin Savage, sir?" Clawhauser asked all timid and confused as he followed Bogo out of his office.
Bogo shut the door behind him, eyes closed as he released a heavy breath as he murmured softly, "Something tells me he'll be there also."
XxX
The call came through both of their radios, not too long after Nick explained everything to her, and when their eyes met Nick was certain they were wearing the same dumb expression. Grace Bell was missing, and though it hadn't been stated they knew it was Savage that had her.
"All of this is so screwed up," Nick growled finally- finally- allowing all this pent up anger to rush through him at once as he scrubbed at the top of his head roughly.
Judy blinked up at him, clearly as upset as him but kept it hidden. He appreciated that, not sure they'd be able to do anything productive if they both allowed their thoughts to consume their emotions. Still, it was concerning considering she never seemed emotionally explosive about anything.
One day she could very well snap.
Maybe, after all of this mess clears, Nick could look into therapists for her. Judy wouldn't appreciate that but Nick knew she needed to talk to someone about everything she keeps bottled away.
But they could worry about that later.
Once Grace Bell was safe, and Savage was locked behind bars where he belonged.
"Come on," Nick decided not bothering to look to see if she followed him down the hallway. He knew she did.
"Where are we going?" Judy inquired, bright eyed and curious but there was a determination underneath her hard gaze that was hard to find nowadays.
"We have to find Savage," Nick determined though he knew that wasn't what she had been asking; the truth was that he didn't know exactly where they were going because he didn't know where Savage was.
"But chief said-"
"To stay put, I know, but I can't just sit around and do nothing, and I know you can't really either. So, are you with me?" Nick asked, stopping to spin around to face her seriously.
It was all so sudden she nearly rammed into him, but she managed to catch herself just in time. Violet eyes blinked up at him as a frown started across her face. Nick knew her answer before he ever asked the question.
"Of course I'm with. Come on," she replied as she shouldered past him and out into the bright sunlight and a victorious smirk started across Nick's features as he trailed after her.
"Okay. So what do we know?" Nick asked, racking his brain for some sort of hint on where they could find Grace Bell or Savage only to come up disappointingly empty.
"Savage has Grace Bell. What could he want with her?" Judy pondered as they walked side by side down the sidewalk.
"You mean, besides revenge?" Nick asked and the look she gave him answered his question and a sudden thought occurred to him as he froze and gasped, "The collars. They told me, when they were first put on, that she's the only mammal that can take them off."
Judy's eyes widened considerably, almost comically.
"He's going to get her to remove his collar and then once it's off…" Judy trailed off, panic clogging her throat and making her sway as if suddenly dizzy.
"He can do whatever he wants to her," Nick finished with a grim expression before adding, "Which also means that he has to be somewhere isolated. Somewhere he can do whatever without drawing attention, and somewhere the police don't circle constantly."
Judy glanced around them as she asked, "You think he took her out here? Is there any good places to hole up in for a few days?"
Nick gave her a fleeting smirk that didn't quite reach his eyes as he demanded, "Are you kidding? Do you have any idea how many places I've hid from the law?"
Judy frowned at the confession but instead asked, "Do you know where Savage would've taken her?"
Nick thought for a moment before his eyes snapped around to the old industrial part of town as he gasped, "The abandoned factories. Come on."
"Hold on. I need to call it in," Judy shouted after him, even as she hurried after him.
"What? No. We don't even know if I'm right," Nick protested, the thought of pulling mammals off their patrols to a potential dead-end making his blood turn cold.
He'd never hear the end of it, if he would be able to keep his job.
He could feel Judy's frown at his back, but she didn't reach for her radio which he decided to chalk up to as a small victory. Mentally, he reassured himself that if they did find something then she'd instantly call it in, and it would all be okay.
It didn't take too terribly long before they arrived at the large abandoned factories glistening with bright red rust and fine sheets of dust. Fat green vines crawled up the sidings like leafy snakes, and it was the one of the few places his parents had forbidden him to visit when he was younger.
It's dangerous Nikki. You could hurt yourself.
He closed his eyes, sucking in a deep breath as he mentally apologized to them.
"We'll have to split up," Judy decided reluctantly, eyes flittering over the large buildings warily, "We'll cover more ground that way."
"Yeah. Okay," Nick agreed with an acknowledging nod.
"If you find anything, call me. I mean it Nick," Judy said and Nick smiled and nodded once more before she bounded off.
He didn't waste any time hurrying the other way, and the factories were large but mostly empty space so it didn't take long to eliminate the first two. Judy didn't seem to have any better luck as her small voice cleared each building over the small radio strapped over Nick's chest.
A bust, then, and he hated when he was wrong.
"Last one," Judy's despondent voice sounded over the small radio, "What about you?"
"Yeah. I've got one more though this turned out to be a major waste of time," Nick replied back as he exited the factory and hurried silently towards the last one, keeping himself low.
"It was a good lead," Judy reassured as he slipped through two pieces of plywood sealing the doorway.
It was dark, the lights having long since ceased working, but there were plenty of holes in the roof as he checked each room from the floor up. He was about to call it in when a soft sound resonated nearby, making his ears prickle as the hairs on the back of his neck stood on end.
"Clear."
The sudden voice made him jump, even as he fumbled for the radio. He wasn't sure what he was going to say as he crept towards the room the shuffling came from.
"Carrots, I think I've got something. I'm going to turn the radio off," was all he said before he cut off whatever she was going to say with a flip of his thumb.
After all, he didn't want to give his position away just yet.
He'd have to keep telling himself that, force himself to remain brave, as he crept silently through the darkness.
There was a large metal door hanging on by one hinge leading from the hall to the room, but it was cracked enough that Nick could peer in through the side. He caught a flash of dark pink and blue and that was all it took before he spun and kicked the door open.
"ZPD! Hands in the air!" he exclaimed, taking in the scene of a terrified Grace Bell; she was bound to a chair, physically unharmed, and glassy eyed with fear.
That was it. She was alone.
He hurried across the room, turning back on his radio as he moved as he breathed, "Judy. I've found her. I've got Grace Bell."
"Nick?" his partner demanded but Nick dropped the radio at the foot of the chair as he knelt beside Grace Bell, slipping the gag from her mouth.
"Are you alright?" he asked and she blinked back at him, shaking her head as she did so.
"I'm sorry," she choked, "He didn't give me a choice. He threatened my husband. Please, you need to understand."
"Whoa. Calm down," Nick comforted as he moved to release her, "You're fine. I've got you. You're fine."
"No, you don't understand. He's coming. Pred, listen to me."
Nick had to resist the flinch at the slur, knowing she hadn't meant anything hurtful by it. Plus she was so obviously terrified, and he needed to calm her down. Reassure her that it was alright, that he wouldn't let anything happen to her because she didn't deserve this. No one ever really did.
But then the door he'd entered through slammed closed as the last ropes fell and an electric zap ran along Nick's spine as he glanced up into the glowing eyes of Justin Savage.
"Hello Nikki. I'd knew you'd be clever enough to find us," Savage purred with a bright smile that didn't quite reach his eyes.
Then Nick's eyes dropped to his neck and his stomach knotted itself tightly. He no longer bore his collar, Grace Bell must've taken it off and suddenly her words made sense.
"Savage. You've been caught. Give up now," he tried as he rose to his feet, moving so he stood between the mayor and the half-crazed wolf.
Ridiculous considering he'd never even dream of doing anything half as heroic before he had met Judy. It was how he's survived all this time, but now he was a cop and it was his duty to protect the innocent civilians even if it meant stick his own neck out.
Not that this time was all that hard. He was still angry at how Savage had tried strangling Judy, at how he's seemed to do everything he could to prove Grace Bell right.
"Come on Wilde," Savage spoke and he seemed confident now that he didn't have a shock collar strapped around his throat, "I can give you the one thing you want. I can get that collar off your throat."
"And what, prove she's right? I'm not a monster Savage. I'm not like you," Nick growled back, shoulders hunched like a cornered animal.
"So what? You'd rather protect her? We both know she doesn't deserve your protection," Savage snarled back, and the crazed hungriness flickering around in his eyes seemed to solidify as they shifted behind Nick's shoulder where Grace Bell was still hunkered over.
Nick shifted, blocking his view.
"You're not getting her," Nick promised, keeping his voice low, "I won't let you."
"Oh? I think you're forgetting something," Savage drawled with a roll of his eyes, "You're still in one of those blasted collars. I am not."
He lunged forward, and Nick didn't get a chance to hesitate before a wall of muscle and matted fur collided into him knocking them both over on the ground. Nick snarled somewhere lowly in the back of his throat as he channeled that wildness he had back in the museum forever ago.
Savage still had the upper hand, though, and he easily pinned Nick on the ground. Nick thrashed, lip pulled back and teeth snarling as he scrambled for a surface on anything.
"Stay down," Savage commanded, easily keeping Nick pinned on the ground before he glanced up and moved towards Grace Bell.
Nick didn't reply.
He grabbed onto Savage's shoulders and flipped him to the side. His shoulder smacked against the ground, the noise resounding around them and it sounded painful, as Nick scrambled so he was hunched over back in front of Grace Bell.
He just needed to fight the wolf off long enough until Judy got there.
He just wasn't sure how long he would be able to keep it up until he activated his collar.
"You're really starting to upset me," Savage warned lowly before pouncing.
This time Nick met him halfway and he remembered hearing Grace Bell screaming as something clicked in his ear before white hot pain.
His body involuntarily twitched as he drew both of them to the ground.
He could see Savage's victorious smirk as he crawled back to his feet.
He remembered thinking how much of a joke he turned out to be before he was swallowed whole by the nothingness.
And he told himself he imagined the exclamation of, "ZPD! Paws in the air!"
XxX
"ZPD! Paws in the air!" Judy exclaimed, elephant tranquilizer in front of her as she took in the scene before her.
Grace Bell was pale and wide eyed, eyes drawn to the immediate threat in front of her. Savage was on his feet, back hunched threateningly and she was thankful she couldn't see his eyes. She discarded all of that at the sight of Nick on the ground, back arched as his collar shocked him and it was the most horrible thing Judy thinks she's ever seen.
"Ah. I was wondering where you had hopped off to," Savage growled, "I thought you were smart and ran while you still could. You really don't want to get caught up in all of this."
"Paws in the air," Judy gritted out, eyes still drawn to Nick's now limp form, "I won't ask again."
"What are you going to do? Shoot me?" Savage chuckled, and it was all the warning she got before he pounced towards Grace Bell.
And Judy's not like Nick or Bogo or any number of the rest of the cops. She was small and physically vulnerable and she didn't have claws or fangs but that had never stopped her before. It certainly wasn't going to stop her now.
She fired.
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
And each of them struck their mark, Savage collapsing into a boneless heap on the ground with a soft groan. Judy ignored him as she hurried over to Nick's side.
"What happened?" she demanded, dark eyes falling onto Grace Bell as she temporarily forgot that she was technically the victim.
She was the one who put the collar on Nick, so she could shoulder some of the blame. Judy will figure everything else out later.
"He protected me," and she sounded surprised, like she couldn't believe the words she was saying.
"Of course he protected you," Judy replied back even as the warmth of pride burst through her chest, "He's a cop. It's his job."
Grace Bell blinked before she suddenly appeared on Nick's other side, reaching out and pressing something on his collar. There was a soft popping sound before it fell off. Judy didn't hesitate to throw the thing across the room.
"Thank you," Grace Bell sobbed as sirens echoed out front and Judy never got to ask her why before the room was flooded and they were all carted away.
XxX
[Good citizens of Zootopia, it has come to my knowledge that I was wrong. The enemies of this city are not the predators, but something so much worst. Ourselves. I had allowed my fear control me, convince me that by imprisoning some of the best mammals I've ever had the honor of knowing I was protecting the city.
I was wrong, and I know that now.
Predators are not vicious mindless beasts that only know how to maim and kill and hurt. They're actually more like the rest of us than any of us liked to admit, and I hadn't listened then. I hadn't learned from the previous mayors' mistakes, to know this. I do now though.
That is why I am removing the collars completely. Oppression because of our differences was wrong for me to try and do and it was in no way a solution and because I thought it was I realized just how unfit I truly am at leading you good mammals: both predator and prey. So this is more than a confession, it's a resignation.
Again, I'm sorry and I hope one day you'll all learn to forgive me.]
XxX
Nick was fine, and Judy was stuck between the urge to hug him or punch him in the face for making her worry. She decided on hugging him, nearly tackling him to the ground once he was checked out from the hospital and his laugh vibrated against her head as he returned the hug.
His parents were there, smiling and collarless, and the mere sight of them embracing their son brought tears to Judy's eyes. It was a nice picture, one that seemed like it could last forever.
It didn't.
Nick pulled away, easy smile on his features and he didn't even allow it to drop when Finnick kicked him in the knee. He jerked away, of course, but a cheery laugh escaped his lips as he practically beamed down at the sour fox.
"I'm glad to see you're faring well," Nick chuckled as emerald eyes sparkled downwards at the smaller fox.
Finnick crossed his arms and mumbled something too low for Judy to hear. That was fine because Nick was fine, and the collars were gone, and the new mayor- a pretty snow leopard that could easily switch to modeling if politics didn't work out for her- was starting all sorts of projects to help reunite the city.
It was going to be rough, but Judy was confident in their direction and as long as Nick was at her side she was certain they could face any obstacle in their path. They could do the impossible, which was lucky for them because they still had a bootlegger to catch.
She glanced back at Nick, smiling as he listened to one of his dad's stories, as she resided in the fact that they had a bootlegger to catch tomorrow.
THE END
Yay! It's over! This monster that had been originally intended as a short little drabble thing- no more then 5,000 words. Obviously, that did not happen AT ALL. Instead it grew into this angsty beast with more pain than I should've probably been dishing out. Either way I hope y'all have enjoyed it all the same, I know I have.
I want to take a moment to thank everyone who reviewed, favorited, or followed this story. You guys are the real MVPs and deserve all this love I have for you so here, take it in the form of this ambiguous-ish ending that was happy for those who mattered. Again, thanks and hugs all around.