Chapter Text
As soon as her alarm rang, Judy turned it off, sat up in bed, and stretched, a big smile spreading across her lips. Full of energy, she got up and prepared for her new day.
Since the Gary De'Snake affair and their confessions in the snow, things seemed to have changed between her and Nick.
It wasn't a bad thing, a bad change... No, it was even something that Judy appreciated even though she didn't really know how to put it into words.
It was like they had become closer. They often hung out together outside of work, and when they were on patrol they understood each other without having to speak.
It had become a routine that Judy deeply loved. She loved spending time with Nick. And she didn't want to think about what that implied.
No one would question their duo anymore, and that couldn't make Judy happier.
Life was smiling at her.
She arrived at work and opened the door with a fluid motion.
"Hi Clawhauser!"
"Hi Judy!" Her colleague greeted her with his mouth half full of a donut.
She continued her little bouncy walk, greeting her colleagues with dripping optimism. She entered the room where Chief Bogo held his debrief every morning, assigning each person their role.
She settled into her usual chair, of course too small to reach the top of the table. She looked around, as her colleagues chatted together, there was a bit of orange missing. Where was her partner?
"Oh sweetheart, don't look so lost without me." A voice she knew by heart rang out, she rolled her eyes despite a smile betraying her.
"Nick, you're late." He sat down next to her, his sunglasses on his nose with two steaming cups in his hands.
"Sorry carrots, I don't have as much energy as you in the morning."
He handed her one of the two cups.
"Oh, did you get me a coffee?"
"Certainly not." She frowned and sniffed her cup. "For you, it's tea, you're already excited enough."
She looked at her cup and tasted it cautiously, her ears perked up immediately.
A carrot tea.
She could have thought it was a bad joke, but it seemed more like a touching gesture from Nick. She hid her smile behind her cup, and quietly drank her drink, a sweet feeling warming her heart.
"Alright, let's get started." Announced Chief Bogo, silencing everyone. "Thanks to our friend here." He pointed at Nick who continued to drink his coffee unbothered. "Many criminals have escaped from prison and we need to catch them. We've already caught half of them, but the work is far from over…”
"Thanks, Chief, for reminding us every day for the past two weeks." Complains Nick, Bogo looked at him nonchalantly.
"Alright, officers Zebraxton and Zebrowski, we've received information about a ferret on the loose in the Rainforest District. Officers Krumpanski and Higgins, you will go to the Canal District.” Little by little, the room emptied, leaving only Judy and Nick."Officers Hopps and Wilde..." He sighed. "Tundratown, a wolf doing smuggling, bring him back to me by tonight, understood?"
"Yes, Chief!" exclaimed Judy, promptly standing up, a discreet smile stretched Bogo's lips as he left.
"Ready, Wilde?" Judy threw at him.
"More than ever, Carrots."
#
"Hm... According to passersby, they would have seen a wolf that they had never seen arrive in the Snow neighborhood. They saw it particularly at night near this parking lot.” She summarized, backing the car.
"Is there a day when you'll let me drive?"
She rolled her eyes and got out of the car, immediately starting to investigate. He sighed and put down his now empty coffee cup, got out and followed her.
"Nick!"
He quickly approached, the rabbit was in front of a damaged fence holding a tuft of gray fur in her hand. He looked up at a house that seemed abandoned.
"Do you think what I think?" Nick said to her, and she gave him a knowing smile.
They advanced in silence, Judy in front with her weapon in hand. Nick sensed a presence and stopped her with a wave of his hand. At the same moment, a shadow emerged from a room and pounced on Nick, who collapsed to the ground. Immediately the wolf got up and fled outside, Judy rushed toward her teammate.
"Nick! Are you okay?"
"Yes, we have to catch it!" He exclaimed, immediately getting up.
They set off in pursuit, running with difficulty in the snow. Judy was the first to catch up with him, she tried to aim at him but the fog prevented her from seeing properly. So she didn't see her attacker coming behind her, she was thrown to the ground and they rolled in the snow.
"Judy!" Yelled Nick from afar.
Her attacker hit her in the face and she closed her eyes thinking that this time she wouldn't make it, but the wolf above her fell on top of her unconscious. Nick had just shot him with a tranquilizer dart, he arrived out of breath near her.
"Are you okay?" Resounded the worried voice of her partner.
She pushed the wolf's heavy body to the side and stood up grimacing.
"I’m okay." She said, rubbing her cheek where he had hit her.
She found herself surrounded, pressed against a chest. She blinked in surprise and raised her face toward Nick. He gently took her chin to examine her more closely. Their sudden proximity made Judy blush, but she let him do it. He gently stroked her cheek, looking worried.
"Nick?"
"You scared me, fluff," he breathed. "Why do you always have to put your life in danger?" To this, Judy lowered her ears and returned his hug. He had confessed to her after the reptile incident that he had nightmares about her where he couldn't arrive in time to save her.
"Are you not in too much pain?"
"It's okay, Nick, a simple ice pack will fix it." He frowned and pouted.
"You're not serious about your health, Carrots." She smiled tenderly but gently pushed him away.
"It's okay, it's nothing. You always exaggerate”. She replied to him.
Suddenly they were surrounded by their colleagues, Nick had warned them. Officer McHorn looked at them while one of their colleagues loaded the wolf. His gaze lingered on them a little too long, was it disgust? Judy stepped back, moving away from Nick. If the fox noticed, he didn't comment. She frowned thoughtfully, she and Nick weren't together but would they be judged if they were? She didn't have time to think more because the Captain Hoggbotom came toward them.
"Good job." Nick raised a surprised eyebrow and a lazy smile spread across his face.
"Thank you, is that a compliment I hear?" The warthog sighed in annoyance and ignored him.
"You always have to have the last word, don't you?" Judy whispered to him, he laughed softly.
"I can't help it!" She opened her mouth to retort but was stopped by a journalist who had just arrived on the scene.
"Officer Hopps! We have some questions for you.” She turned around, overwhelmed, toward Nick, but he smiled at her and put on his sunglasses. He put an arm around her shoulders and answered the journalist's prying questions. Judy smiled gently, knowing she could always count on him.
#
The return to the station was silent, Judy had an ice pack on her cheek, and for once, Nick was driving.
They entered Judy's office so she could grab her things, she was almost bouncing with impatience. Tonight they had planned to go out together and she was looking forward to it.
"I was thinking of going to that little bar that just opened at the end of the street." She began to babble happily.
"Carrots."
"No, I assure you, this bar looks great, it's true that last time I might have been a bit mistaken… We got thrown out by a cheetah but-”
"Judy!" She turned around, surprised, and gave him a questioning look, he cleared his throat.
"To be honest, I have something planned for tonight."
She blinked slowly, he looked down for a moment before turning back to her.
"Finnick arranged a date for me with a fox. I know we had something planned, but she couldn't another night.”
"So we can't see each other tonight because you have a date?"
He nodded, looking a bit uncomfortable.
"It doesn't bother you, right?"
An anxious laugh escaped the rabbit.
"Me? No! Why would I be?” Her foot tapped annoyingly on the floor, and he gave her a perplexed look. She placed both paws on her leg to prevent her from moving and flashed a falsely confident smile.
"No problem! Nick sly fox!” He smiled gently, and she calmed down a bit.
"Thank you, I'll make it up to you. We'll go out next time, and I'll buy you dinner, okay?”
She nodded vigorously, he gave her one last smile before leaving the room, and she dropped her head against the desk with a dull thud.
"Is everything alright, Judy?" She opened one eye at Clawhauser, who was looking at her with concern.
"No problem." She stood up and put on her jacket, looking sad.
"You're already going back? Usually, you always like to hang around at the police station a bit…”
"Yes, but tonight I'm tired."
He raised an eyebrow in surprise, Judy Hopps tired? It could only be bad news.
"Hi Clawhauser, see you tomorrow."
He waved at her as she walked away slowly. The journey back was accompanied by Gazelle's music in her ears as the tram took her home.
She arrived at her front door and entered her small room. It had been a long time since she had found her apartment so depressing.
She flopped onto her bed with a sigh, her gaze falling on the peeling ceiling above her.
The antelopes next door started making noise and banging on the wall, and she put her pillow over her head, groaning in frustration. Tonight she should have been out with Nick, laughing with him, having a good time... But why did it bother her so much?
She tossed and turned in her bed again and again. It weighed on her heart, her mind turning over and over. Why was she so upset that Nick had a date?
Well, first of all, he had stood her up, for another person. But he said he would make it up to her and invite her another time.
But why wasn't that enough for her? She sighed, trying to calm herself. She suddenly wondered what it would be like to be Nick's date, and her heart raced at that simple thought.
Her phone started vibrating and she immediately grabbed it, a hope was born in her heart that maybe Nick had changed his mind…
The screen displayed her parents and she couldn't help but be deeply disappointed. With reluctance, she straightened up and answered, plastering a smile on her face.
"Judy! How are you? We saw you on TV again!”
"Yes." She laughed softly. "We caught one of the criminals who escaped from the prison."
"That's my girl. Tell me, weren't you supposed to be with your partner tonight?” Asked her suspicious mother, of course, only her mother would remember such a detail.
"He canceled, Mom."
"What?- That's not his style! Is he okay?” She lowered her ears and rolled her eyes.
"Yes, very well... He has a date.” She muttered.
"What? I didn't quite hear you, you're mumbling.” She gritted her teeth, annoyed.
"He has a date!"
Her abrupt reaction surprised her parents, who exchanged a glance.
"And is it a problem for you?"
"No!" She immediately defended herself. "Why does everyone seem to think that? Nick and I are friends! Best friends even, it's perfectly normal for him to go out with a girl. I absolutely don't see why that would bother me! That's true... Who am I? Nobody! He has every right to do what he wants!” She interrupted her ragged breathing and her mother looked at her tenderly as if she had just understood something.
"I see, my dear, are you sure about that?"
"What?"
"You really like Nick, don't you?"
"What-" She widened her eyes and started to blush. "What are you implying?" She protested, her father reacted immediately.
"What? You don't dare say that Judy loves that fox! Okay predators aren't as bad as we thought but a fox and a rabbit can never be together! That's crazy! Judy will find a rabbit like us and have babies like every member of this family.”
A dead silence reigned after her father's outburst. Judy could only say that she was surprised, but a bitter feeling was in the pit of her stomach.
"Listen, I have a lot of work, I'm going to leave you."
"Judy-"
She hung up, closing her eyes with weariness. She stood at her window, staring blankly, took out the small carrot-shaped recorder, and pressed it.
"I love you, partner." A small, sad smile appeared on her lips. She pressed it again and a noise could be heard from the other side of her wall.
"It's not true, she's listening to her recording of her partner again!" Exclaimed one of her neighbors.
"Leave her alone!"
She sighed in annoyance and briskly placed the small carrot on her desk. She got up and got dressed to go out, she needed to clear her head.
She was walking through the illuminated streets of Zootopia, lost in her thoughts. So much so that she bumped into an elephant who almost crushed her.
"Hey, pay a little attention!"
"Sorry!" She exclaimed as she stepped back, bumped into a wall, and turned around. She had just bumped into the restaurant window and her gaze fell upon a red fur she knew well.
Nick and his conquest were dining at the back of the restaurant. This arctic fox was absolutely stunning. Tall, pristine white fur, and big blue eyes.
She clenched her fists unconsciously and without thinking for another second, she entered the restaurant, still focused on the couple.
"Can I help you, miss?" Asked a wolf who raised an astonished eyebrow.
She turned her attention toward him and realized that it was a place reserved for canines. She cleared her throat uncomfortably.
"Hmm... Do you have a vegetarian dish?"
He looked at her as if a second head had grown on him.
"Well, I suppose we can work something out. I would advise you to take this table by the window-”
"No!"
He immediately fell silent, surprised by her sudden change in tone, and the customers around her looked at her with a strange expression.
She laughed nervously.
"Excuse me, is it possible to put me in the back? Behind the little wall over there?” She pointed to a small table alone in a dark corner. He frowned, becoming increasingly jaded by this newcomer.
"Alright, follow me."
He seated her at the table and gave her a menu, she sighed with relief when he left her alone. She hid behind the large menu to observe them, they were just a few meters away from her, Nick had his back to her.
She put her head in her hands, she was going crazy... What was she doing? Spying on her friend in the middle of a date? She breathed slowly.
"Okay, Judy, everything is fine. You just want to make sure everything goes well for Nick, that's all.”
"Have you decided?" Asked the waiter who had returned, she jumped in fright, she hadn't heard him coming. He squinted at her extremely suspicious behavior.
"Well... Yes! Hm... That!” She pointed to the name on the card and he raised his eyebrows.
"Are you sure?"
"Yes, yes! Thank you!"
He rolled his eyes and left without trying to understand. She focused on the two foxes, the vixen leaned toward him to say something and Nick laughed. Judy's heart tightened, and she saw red when she reached out to touch his arm and Nick didn't pull away. She couldn't hear what he was saying to her from here, and her curiosity was eating away at her.
A dish landed before her eyes, a steaming fish. She refrained from grimacing and thanked the server who was looking at her judgmentally. When he left her, she immediately stood up and hid behind a waiter who approached Nick's table.
She leaned in to listen.
"Nick, I'm having a really great evening with you." She gave him a devastating smile and Judy waited for her friend's response with a knot in her stomach.
"Me too, it feels good to break out of the daily routine a bit."
The rabbit's eyes started to sting, she suddenly stepped back. Her little nose started to tremble, she didn't understand why she suddenly felt so bad.
She bumped into the waiter who was behind her and made him drop his dishes on the floor.
"Oh, I am absolutely sorry!" She exclaimed, trying to pick up what she had just dropped.
Everyone was looking at her, she was blushing with embarrassment until she heard her name.
"Judy...?" She froze, all color draining from her face, and she slowly turned toward Nick, who was looking at her completely lost.
"Nick." She smiled weakly at him, and the fox furrowed his brow, seeming to understand what she was doing there.
"Did you follow me?"
"No! I... To be honest, it's a funny story, you're going to laugh! I stumbled upon this restaurant by chance and I thought, why not give it a try?”
"A restaurant for canines?" He asked in a somber voice.
She bit her lip, overwhelmed.
"I... I'm sorry." She quickly left the restaurant under the waiter's shout asking her to pay, but at that moment nothing could reach her.
The blood was pounding in her ears, and she was terribly ashamed. A paw grabbed her arm, and she turned around, her eyes shining with contained tears.
She stormed out of the restaurant, her eyes stinging and shame overwhelming her.
She wished she could be in that vixen's place. And she had just jeopardized her relationship with Nick just because she was jealous.
Anxiety gnawed at her stomach, and what if he didn't want to talk to her anymore? He would have every right to, she would have acted like an idiot.
She sniffled and wiped her eyes, trying to regain her composure. When suddenly a paw stopped her.
"Judy! What's happening to you?”
"I don't know, Nick!" He seemed to calm down upon seeing her so upset.
"Come on, Carrots, what's going on? You can tell me everything, you know.” She sighed and wiped her eyes.
"It's nothing, okay? I think you are my best friend and the most important person in my life so... Maybe I felt threatened. But that wasn't a reason.”
"What? But nothing will separate us!” He took her in his arms and she inhaled slowly. She gently pushed him away.
"Thank you, listen, you should go back to her. Tell her I'm sorry.”
"Are you sure? I can stop seeing her if that's what you want-” She widened her eyes in surprise, how could he propose such a thing to her? She didn't want to think about what that implied, a simple friend wouldn't offer to stop dating someone just for their friend. She cut him off breathlessly.
"No! No, go back there and have a good evening.”
"Okay..." He frowned before giving her a hesitant smile. "See you tomorrow at work?"
"Yeah, sure, have a good evening, Nick." She smiled at him confidently and turned her back to him to go home. She left under the worried gaze of her friend.
She walked quickly, her face gradually collapsing as a tear rolled down her cheek.
She had to pull herself together, and very quickly.
#
The alarm rang in the small room, and with a groan, Judy turned it off. She rolled onto her back with a glum look.
She saw the unread messages from her parents and Nick, so no, last night wasn't just a simple nightmare.
She had humiliated herself and didn't even know why. Facing Nick was going to be complicated today, she reluctantly stood up. The complete opposite of her usual cheerful mood.
She needed a new case! That was what was going to help her take her mind off things.
So when she arrived at the police station and Chief Bogo called them, she couldn't help but smile like a maniac. She headed toward the chief's office and Nick joined her.
"How are you, Carrots?"
"Wonderfully well, I feel like we're going to be on a new case!"
He smiled at that happy to see her back to her usual mood, she cleared her throat before flashing a knowing smile.
"And did you have a good evening?" He laughed softly, embarrassed.
"Yes, a very good evening."
She nodded without asking for more, his dreamy gaze giving her enough of a hint to understand that he would continue to see her. She quickly pushed away her bad thoughts to focus on their new mission.
She entered the office in good spirits, but her huge smile faded when her gaze fell upon someone she immediately recognized.
Nick's date.
"Judy, Nick, come in, let me introduce you to your new colleague. Amber Frostine, she will accompany you on your new mission.”
Judy's ears drooped and all joy left her face.
“I'm happy to meet you in person, we didn't get the chance yesterday.”She said to Judy who frowned at the fox's jab, who was looking down at her. “I had the opportunity to meet Nick yesterday, what a nice coincidence.” Judy looked at her suspiciously. “But I'm happy to work with you. And you, miss Hopps, it's an honor.” But the tone she used seemed to say the opposite.
Judy pursed her lips and gave her a dry smile.
"Likewise. Did you know she was a cop?” She asked Nick.
“Yes, we talked about it yesterday.” It seemed like he wanted to say more but he stopped himself, Judy redirected her attention to her new colleague.
“But I don't quite understand why we would need backup? Nick and I manage very well together, I think we've proven that enough.” The chief raised an eyebrow at Judy's sharp tone, unaccustomed to the rabbit being so unpleasant. She felt Nick's gaze burning the back of her neck, surely perplexed by her strange reaction.
"Well, she's an expert."
"In what?" Asked Nick curiously.
"In birds." Replied the concerned party while placing a file on the desk. Judy and Nick approached to look at the contents.
Dozens of bird photos with information sheets about them.
"What is this?"
"Are you aware that birds are a specie that have decided to have nothing to do with Zootopia? They live in Upland, far from any other species. These birds are suspects we've been monitoring for months, but the problem is that everything happens in this city and mammals are not welcome.”
Judy wiggled her little nose in deep thought, and Nick couldn't help but find her adorable, though he would never tell her.
"And what are they accused of?"
"Terrorism." The two accomplices looked at Bogo in shock.
"Where?"
"In the swamp."
"Why have we never heard of it?" Asked the rabbit.
"Well, it happened several months ago, at that time reptiles were still considered enemies, so this incident was kept quiet. Only a few agents were secretly assigned to the case.”
Nick took a photo of a burning building, below the number of injured was eight reptiles and zero deaths.
"How do you know it was birds that did it?"
"Birds and reptiles have always been enemies." Replied Amber. "A bit like foxes and rabbits." She continued with a smile on her face, Judy's ears drooped, and they exchanged glances in front of Nick and Bogo, who were disturbed by the tension in the room.
"Didn't you get the memo? Prejudice doesn't mix well in Zootopia.” Replied Judy, crossing her arms, Amber laughed falsely.
"That's cute, bunny." Judy's eyes narrowed with anger. "Prejudice does indeed exist, and many are victims of it. In short, the attackers left a message announcing that their next victim would not be mere reptiles but directly in Zootopia.”
Chief Bogo stepped forward, drawing Judy's attention, who was still emotional.
"That's why you're going to Upland to conduct your investigation and find out who the culprits are with the help of Agent Frostine."
"But-" Judy began, but the chief immediately cut her off.
"No buts, that's an order Hopps." She closed her mouth under the fox's satisfied gaze.
"So that's all very nice, chief, but I thought mammals were not allowed in Upland?" Intervened Nick, causing his sunglasses to fall onto his nose.
"There aren't many mammals in Upland, but there are some, mainly for tourism. You're going to pretend to be a group of tourists and conduct your investigation with utmost discretion... I'm counting on you.” He emphasized, sizing up Judy and Nick with a glance.
"What do you think, partner?" Nick turned to Judy, she glanced quickly at Amber before turning back to her friend.
"What do I say? Let's go, partner!” She flashed a huge smile to which Nick naturally responded.