Author's Note

This is the third story in my Zootopia fan fiction series. The first story, A Week In the Life, takes place after Nick has completed most of his year long probationary period following graduation from the Zootopia Police Academy. The second story, Another Step on the Path, takes place immediately after the end of A Week In the Life. This story starts a couple of weeks after the end of Another Step on the Path, after Nick has been released from the hospital, but is still recovering from his injuries.

Recovery and Resolutions

Summary

As Nick recovers from injuries incurred in the line of duty, the relationship between Nick and Judy continues to grow, and Nick continues his own journey to maturity.

Chapter 1: Baby Steps And "Minor" Diversions

The early morning light streamed into the fox's bedroom. Nick kept his eyes closed; it was so nice to just lie here, in his bed, breathing cautiously so as not to aggravate his still-sore ribs.

The door swung open, and an eighteen year old bunny in a tie-dyed t-shirt and frayed blue jeans bounced in, carrying a breakfast tray loaded with food. "Wakey-wakey, Mister Wilde. Time to get up and smell the flowers!"

Nick opened his eyes; he tried not to glare at the too-happy-for-this-hour-teenager, then took a slow deep breath, and let it out with an audible 'whoosh' before he began working himself back up the bed, to prop himself up against the wall. "Good morning, Miss Elizabeth," he said.

"Now you know I told you to call me Lizzie – just like sis."

"And I asked you to call me Nick – Mister Wilde was my dad," he said, for likely the twentieth time. I will not bite off her head – figuratively speaking – she is Carrots' sister, and she would not approve, he thought, careful to keep the feral grin off his muzzle.

The rabbit set the breakfast tray down in front of him. "The pot is full of that horrid catnip tea, and I made up the eggs the way she said you liked. The turkey strips are well done – crispy – but I don't understand how anyone could like such things."

The scent of the cooked meat and eggs brought a smile to Nick's face, and made the rabbit wrinkle her nose in disgust. He could practically read her thoughts: disgusting things these predators eat. Nick grinned wider, and licked his chops. Then he looked up and looked the bunny over from head to toe; he shifted his focus to her eyes, and locked her in a predatory-on-prey stare until she nervousely backed out of the room.

Nick shook his head. I didn't bite her, and she is way too cheerful for a pre-catnip tea morning. Maybe she won't carry tales to Carrots. It was something to hope for, anyway.

A devastating attack on the eggs and turkey strips took less than a minute; the catnip tea took several minutes more to consume. "You can come back, Miss Elizabeth; I promise not to bite," he called out.

The teenage bunny opened the door and peeked into the bedroom. After taking a moment to survey the carnage, she bounced into the room. "Goodie, you ate everything! Jude will be happy that your appetite is returning. Now you just have to get up and do your stretches!"

Nick looked up at the ceiling and groaned theatrically. The requisite physical therapy was one of the less pleasant parts of his enforced vacation.

"Do you need any help dressing?" the bunny asked.

"No, I think I can manage it this time, Miss Elizabeth."

"Are you suure?" Lizzie dragged out the last word, as she slinked up to the bed.

"Yes, now if you'd remove this," Nick pointed to the breakfast tray, "and leave me to my prescribed tortures, I will be dressing myself."

"I can help, a lot, helping…"

I can just imagine the sort of "help" you'd like to give, Nick thought, as he kept a friendly grin on his face, and deflected an inquisitive bunny paw that was trying to sneak under the covers and under his night clothes. "I'm sure you could – but I have to learn how to do some things myself, again. You understand, don't you?" he said, trying his best to appear innocent.

"I'll be just on the other side of the door, if you need me…" Lizzie said as, defeated, she withdrew an inquisitive paw and removed the breakfast tray.

With the door closed, and the teenage bunny on the far side, Nick breathed a sigh of relief. He didn't really want to rat out the bunny, but her "attentions", after her nearly two weeks as a "helper", were driving him to distraction. Now if it were Carrots, I wouldn't have this problem, but … she isn't on medical leave, so has to spend the week working. If tonight weren't "flicks night", I'd go stark raving mad. But delaying the inevitable was just that – delaying it. He had to get up, do his stretches, and get dressed. Lounging around in his underwear was out of the question what with Elizabeth Hopps staying in his apartment as his "helper" while he recovered from his injuries.

I survived being knocked on my back by that shotgun blast, I can survive one oversexed teenager. I think. He checked his clock. Eight am – Carrots will have been on shift for an hour already; another eight hours to shift change, then another half hour for her to get here. I can last, if I can survive my last physical therapy session today. And Miss Elizabeth.

#

The physical therapy session had been bad; not as bad as the first, but still high on the list of "not fun" activities. The news that he would be cleared for limited duty the next week almost made up for the three hours of physical torture. I never thought that I'd be happy to be doing paperwork at my desk – but after too many days closeted with Carrots' sister – my "nurse" – anything will be an improvement. He took the stairs up to his apartment. I'd take the stairs even if this route hadn't been ordered. He'd never entirely trusted the many-times-repaired holdover elevator from a previous century.

If Carrots was here with me, she'd be insisting on taking the stairs three at a time, he thought, and chuckled to himself. He glanced at his watch; she'd likely be showing up any time now – her shift was already over, if she hadn't been put on O-T, or gotten distracted by some bit of paperwork, the details of the latest case, or some cleanup on an earlier case.

He breathed in the scents of the hallway as he came to his door. He could identify his own scent, of course, and lapine scent – too old and faint to distinguish between the two sisters. Key in the lock, and he opened the door carefully and slowly, peering into the room around the door before entering. "Carrots? Are you here?" he called out. No answer. "Miss Elizabeth?" Again, no answer.

He closed the door, and took a deep breath. The lapine scent in the entryway was old, and faint. He glanced at his watch. Ok, "Miss Elizabeth" must be out getting groceries, and Carrots hasn't gotten here from ZPD. So … time to start the popcorn – she ought to be here in … oh … ten minutes? Fifteen? Hit the washroom first, though.

He was ten feet from the washroom when the door burst open, and a lapine doe launched herself through the air to wrap her legs around his waist. Lizzie called out, "Surprise!" and Nick tumbled backwards, unbalanced by the sudden added mass and momentum.

Nick fell just as he'd been trained at the Academy; only the protests of muscles injured earlier caused him to cry out in pain. Lizzie landed on top of Nick, her legs still wrapped around his waist; she leaned forward and kissed the prone fox passionately.

Just then, the apartment door opened and Judy Hopps stepped into the apartment. "Lizzie!" she shouted, and bounded over to where the lapine and vulpine forms were lying, entwined in front of the open washroom door. She pulled her sister off Nick, and held her by her shoulders up off the floor, and pinned up against the now shut bathroom door. "You leave Nick alone! If you've hurt him, so help me God, I will tear off your face and use it as an oven mitt!" Her foot was thumping on the floor at 60 hertz.

"Let your sister go, Carrots," Nick managed to croak. "And help me up, please?"

Judy released her sister, and spun back to help her partner. Her foot thumping abruptly halted. "Are you hurt?" she asked, as she reached down and pulled the larger fox halfway to his feet. Nick pulled his feet up and then stood the rest of the way.

"Nothing serious," he said, endeavoring to dust himself off. "I need to vacuum this place up, I guess."

"Just what happened, Nick?"

"Hey, I'm still here, Sis! I just wanted to…"

Judy spun around. "Not. One. More. Word!" she barked, and then turned back to face her partner. "Nick, can you make it to the couch without assistance?"

"I think so, Carrots. And thanks for the assists – but we need to talk," he said, as he staggered over to the living room couch.

Judy turned back to her sister. "In the bedroom, now!" she said, in a deep, drill sergeant voice. Elizabeth scuttled into the bedroom and shut the door behind her, and Judy turned back to bounce across the apartment to settle into the couch next to Nick.

"I think your sister has worn out her welcome. I do not need a 'nurse' any longer, and I really don't care to have her trying to seduce me…"

"She tried to do what?"

Nick took a deep breath, and let it out with an audible "whoosh". "I said it, I meant it. I'm not talking about showing off various body parts – that's bad enough. I'm talking about trying to touch me in places that I only want you touching me – and making … suggestive … comments."

"Suggestive?"

"Ok, she made a few offers that could be interpreted more than one way."

"You're sure you weren't misinterpreting her statements? And why didn't you tell me about this earlier?"

"As I said, the offers could be interpreted more than one way. One way though, was generally rather more … suggestive … than appropriate. And I thought that I needed help around here – help that you could not provide. Also, she didn't do anything that couldn't be interpreted in two or more ways – at least, not until just before you came through the door, Carrots."

"Are you really ok, Nick?"

"Rather more or less. I was hoping that you would be here – and would welcome me in a somewhat less energetic way than your sister chose. My ribs are better, but they're still just a bit sore," he leaned over and kissed the rabbit doe on the forehead.

"She'll stay at my apartment tonight. And she'll be on the morning express tomorrow. Settled?"

"Settled. I don't want to be mean to her, and I know…"

"She wanted to spend the summer in Zootopia, but I will not put up with her making your life difficult. Changing the subject with an audible clashing of gears, though, what did you have in mind for tonight's flick, Nick?"

Nick sighed. "Ok, enough seriousness for one evening. I thought we'd put on Titanic."

"Oh, that's a wonderful movie. The male protagonist dies, and then his love lives a long life without him, and she commits suicide in the end. Could you have picked anything more depressing to watch?"

Nick opened his mouth and tried to respond, but could only sit there, his mouth opening and closing with not so much as a squeek emerging.

"A nice impression of a beached fish, Nick. But I think that we might want to try something else? Perhaps a Shakespearean tragedy, where bodies are strewn like cordwood in the end? Or perhaps On The Beach, where all life on the planet dies in the end?"

"Ah, Carrots, what's gotten in to you tonight? Normally, I'm the one given to a cynical outlook. Did your day go … badly?"

It was the rabbit's turn to sigh. "Ok, it might have gotten to me a bit. I was hoping to have a nice, quiet, cuddly evening with you – and I come in to find you and sis 'wrapped up' on the floor. It just 'made' my day, if you must know."

"It wasn't my choice, I assure you…"

"I know you, Nicholas Piberius Wilde – you prefer monogamous relationships, and with the partners you've had in past, I really believe you. That was no hustle."

"When you use my middle name, I'm usually in trouble. Should I be running for cover?"

"No. But today was … bad. I was in court."

"The Pelter case? I thought…"

"No, Ivanov. I was questioned regarding the events leading up to … your …"

"Yeah, reliving my being shot must have been rough," Nick said, and leaned over to kiss the rabbit on her forehead. Or he tried, at any rate – Judy pulled back and glared at the fox.

"I wish you wouldn't do that."

"What? Kiss you?"

"Where you were trying to kiss me – on the forehead. Like I was your sister. My thoughts about you right now are anything but sisterly, mister," she said, and pointed at her lips. "And if you miss these, Mister Nicholas Piberious Wilde, you will regret it."

"Ok, I can take a hint – when it hits me in the face."

"You normally aren't this slow, Nick. Are you having second thoughts?"

"No. Just sore ribs."

"What does that have to do with …"

"You go in for hugs – and you're a lot stronger than you look."

Judy giggled. "I promise to be gentle."