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Final chapter! sorry it took me a long time to get this up!
I wanna thank everyone who helped me with my first fanfic!
In no particular order
AlanSchezar
Ittybittykittytittys
Drummermax
Johnsoneer
If I missed anyone, please let me know!
Thanks, guys. love ya!
I do not own any of the Zootopia characters, nor any of the Superman characters. This fanfic was inspired from this Superman comic which is actually an excerpt from the graphic novel: "Superman Grounded" https://imgur.com/gallery/Ijdxh
I want to add that suicide is never funny, nor is it something to just dismiss. Life is a very precious thing. Please, do not waste it...
Suicide hotline: 1-800-273-8255
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
As the memories faded in his mind, Judy gently stroked the fur on Nick’s neck. He hummed, leaning into her touch, “And we hustled using the jumbo pops ever since,” he looked into her eyes, “that is, until a certain bunny came along and straightened me out.”
“Gosh Nick,” she said softly, laying her head on his shoulder and wrapping her arms around his neck. “I'm so sorry.”
Nick gently wrapped his arms around her torso, holding her close, “I’ve sort of made my peace with it. I still miss her every day.” Nick sat in silence, wondering what it’d be like to have his mother here. He thought about her reaction when he’d reveal to her he’d completely turned his life around by showing up in a legitimate police uniform, his golden, shiny name tag and shield standing out among the blue, pressed shirt. He envisioned the look of pure joy on her face, tears running down her cheeks and wrapping her in a hug, and then revealing Judy to his mother, and the two of them hitting it off. These thoughts made him smile a bit, and a single tear ran down his cheek and landed on Judy’s head, “She would have loved you.”
Judy gently pulled away, “You think so?”
“Absolutely,” He said, nodding. “She was one of the few progressive thinkers. I see some of her optimism in you...and come to think of it, you and her have the same color eyes.”
Judy chuckled, flattered that she reminded him of his mother in some ways.. “So, do you feel better?” she asked.
He slowly nodded, “I….actually do. I feel a lot better, now. Like a huge, rusty weight’s been lifted off me.”
Judy smiled widely, “I’m so glad to hear that, It’s been a long time coming. Do you wanna stay the night?”
“Are you sure about that?” he asked, cocking his head a bit.
“Yeah, I’m sure. I’ll just sleep at your place two nights in a row to make up for it.”
Nick hummed, “You know Carrots, I’ve got an idea.” he said.
“What is it?” asked Judy.
“Well, this is just off the top of my head, really. But…..How about we sleep together every night, in an apartment of our very own?” He said.
She rolled her eyes and gave him an alluring look. “Really? Off the top of your head, huh?” she said in a deadpanned tone.
“Yes, ma'am,” he said.
“You sure someone else didn't come up with that?”
Nick put his paw to his heart, “Madam!” Nick said in a feigned shock and hurt tone, “You dare to insinuate that I stole an idea from a certain bunny who may or may not have made a similar suggestion months ago? I am shocked!” He crossed his arms over his chest and turned away from her with his nose in the air.
Judy rolled her eyes again, stood up on her bed, rested her elbows on his shoulders and began to gently scratch the fur under Nick's chin, generating a purr from him.
“Rrrrrrrr, you always know how to get me, Carrots.” he said.
Mmmm, that's because I know you too well.” Judy raised her head to speak into his ear, “And I think it's a wonderful idea,” she said softly, kissing his cheek.
“I knew you'd like it,” he said, leaning into her kiss.
“Come to bed, hon,’ said Judy.
The mention of the word “bed” suddenly made Nick's eyelids very heavy, “That actually sounds swell, right about now,”
Judy moved both of their mugs to her desk as Nick took off his shirt and pulled his phone out of his pants pocket, and handed both items to Judy, who draped his shirt over the back of her chair, and plugged his phone in the charger next to hers on her desk. Both mammals were so tired that neither of them noticed the time was 0530, nearly dawn.
As Nick lay himself on his back, Judy climbed under the covers next to him, and he wrapped his arm around her tiny frame, pulling her close her head resting on his chest.
"Nick?" said Judy looking up at him, her voice low and soft.
"Hmm?" Nick
Looking into his eyes, she took his paw in hers, rubbing her thumb over it, "Thank you for telling me."
Nick smiled and gave her paw a kiss, "It's been a long time coming," he said, his voice in a similar tone, his smile then faded, "I'm sorry it took me so lo-"
"Shhh," she put a finger to his lips, cutting him off, "You have nothing to apologize for, Nick. You needed to tell me on your own time, and you did. And it was worth waiting every minute for," She nuzzled his cheek. “I love you, Nick,” she said.
Humming, Nick smiled and returned her nuzzle, adding a kiss, “I love you too, Judy.” He said.
They pulled each other closer with Judy's head tucked beneath Nick's chin and fell into a slumber in each other's embrace. Nick's nightmare never again resurfaced.
After unpacking the last box, Nick and Judy declared themselves officially moved into their new one bedroom apartment after a month and a half of searching and settling. There were items from both mammal's apartments, such as the Keurig from Judy's place, and Nick's record player, but multiple officers pitched in their own money to buy new furniture for their apartment. Among those were the sectional couch with a pull-out bed for guests, a dining room table and chairs with seats for 6, a couple guest chairs, and a bed.
Judy stood in front of the stove, skillfully mixing up a tomato sauce for a celebratory dinner she was making for herself and Nick. Stuffed shells with ricotta cheese and spinach and homemade tomato sauce with mozzarella cheese on top. She'd learned to cook growing up in Bunnyburrow, and because she considered this dish special, she didn't want Nick messing it up, so she made him watch TV in the living room, even though she was teaching him to cook, as well. They'd made a deal that whoever cooked, the other did dishes.
“Would you object to some tunes, hunbun?” Nick said as he shut off the TV.
“No, go ahead, Nick. Could do for some, right now,” said Judy.
Nick got up and padded over to his record player. Gave a moment's thought before he opened the cupboard underneath revealing his collection. He fingered through the collection of 45s until he found one by Hank Woolyams and pulled it out. A sly grin spread on his muzzle as he thought about what Judy was currently doing in the kitchen. After turning the volume up and making the proper adjustments for a 45 rpm disc, he sat it on the turntable over the adapter and placed the needle on the starting point, then quickly padded to just outside the entrance of the kitchen.
While she stirred the concoction in the pan, Judy's ear swiveled to Nick's direction, and she turned to see him standing near the bar. “Nick, what are you--”
The sound of a vintage recording of a steel guitar echoed through the apartment, cutting her off, and Nick started dance-walking toward her, his tail bouncing to the beat of the music and swishing side to side Judy instantly recognized the song, as her father played so much old country when she was growing up. “Oh god, Nick. You're not--”
Nick started loudly singing along as he continued dance-walking toward her, “Hey, heeeeyyyy, good lookin’! Whaaaaaatcha got cookin’? How's about cookin’ somethin’ up with meeeeee?”
Smiling and chuckling, Judy put a paw to her face and shook her head, then turned her attention back to dinner before Nick wrapped his arms around her torso, bouncing to the beat of the music and swaying both his and her hips back and forth and kept singing, but in a softer tone.
“Heeeeyyyy sweet baby, dooooontcha think maybe, we could find us a brand new recipeeeeeee? I got a hot rod Herd and a two dollar bill, and I know a spot right over the hill, there's soda pop and the dancin’s free. So if you wanna have fun, come along with me. say, heeeeyyyy good lookin’, whaaaaaatcha got cookin’? How's about cookin’ somethin’ up with meeeeee?”
“You are such a dork” Judy said, chuckling.
Nick hummed, “The dorkiest.” He said. “How's it coming?”
“The sauce is nearly ready.” she replied.
Nick nuzzled her neck gently, “Mmmm, you saucy bunny.”
She nuzzled him back, “The sauciest.”
“So, what are we having with this yummy smelling stuff?” Asked Nick.
Judy was about to reply to his query when a sudden realization dawned on her, and she slapped her paw to her forehead, “Oh crap! I forgot to get the caesar salad mix!” She turned around to face him, “Nick, will you run to the store real quick and get some, please?”
“Awwwww, do I have toooo?” He whined.
“Yes, you doooooo,” she said, matching his tone, “If you want this dinnerrrrrrr,”
Nick groaned, “Alright, Carrots,” he said, turning to leave, but Judy grabbed his tie and pulled him back to her.
“Tell you what,” she said softly, stroking his tie and meeting his gaze, smiling.”If you get the salad, you can also get us some blueberry ice cream.”
If Nick’s face was a lightbulb, Judy would have been blinded by how brightly it lit up along with his ears shooting straight up, tail wagging so furiously, it could practically knock someone unconscious, and a squeak emanating from his throat.
Judy giggled, “I knew that'd get you. You're such a kit!” she kissed his muzzle, let go of his tie and patted his shoulders, “Now get going, dinner will be ready, soon.”
“Yes, ma'am!” Nick said giving a two fingered salute. He padded to the living room and grabbed his wallet, phone, keys, badge, conceal carry, “I love you!” Nick called to Judy as he threw on his jacket before heading out the door.
“Love you, too!” she called back.
----
Nick stood 4th in line of the checkout counter for smaller mammals at the grocery store, carrying the Caesar salad mix, blueberry ice cream, and LED light bulbs (at Judy's request via the messenger app) in the basket in his paw, idly checking his Muzzlebook on his phone. He'd been out for at least 25 minutes, and dinner would be finished just as he got home.
When he got close enough, Nick put the basket on the conveyor belt and set the divider behind it. He continued browsing Muzzlebook until it was his turn. The cashier began scanning the items when a tiny voice caught hers and Nick's attention.
“Excuse me, but I'd like to pay for your items,” a tiny, elderly chipmunk said.
Nick looked down to the tiny mammal. She wore a sky blue floral print shirt with blue jeans and rather thick eyeglasses. He looked around him, then back to her, “Are you talking to me, ma’am?” he said.
The elderly doe nodded, “Yes, young tod. I want to pay for your things.”
Nick barely showed it, but he was caught completely off guard by this generous chipmunk, who seemed to have a bit of familiarity. He raised his paw to wave her off, “That's very generous of you, ma'am,” he said, “But I'm afraid I must decline.” He began to turn back to his own business when he felt her grab his finger.
“Please, I insist,” she pressed, lifting the divider between his and her items.
“Ma'am, I really appreciate what you're trying to do, but I--”
She cut him off, her voice stern, “Young tod, I won't take no for an answer. If you don't let me do this for you, you will greatly offend me.”
Nick rubbed his muzzle with his paw, sighing. He took a quick glance at the mammals around him, who stared at him with judging eyes, then looked back at the chipmunk standing in front of him. He heaved a defeated sigh, he knew he wasn't going to win. “I guess I have little choice. Do what you wish, madam.”
Almost immediately, mammals around him began voicing their protests, telling her that Nick is taking advantage of her, that he's a no-good, shifty fox. But the simple act of the chipmunk raising her paw silenced them all, abruptly. She gave each mammal a disappointed glare, before speaking up,
“For your information, I happen to know exactly who this young tod is!” She said, gesturing to Nick, “Now, I don't want to hear another word from you horrible, judgemental mammals!” She scolded, pointing a finger at them. The tiny chipmunk then took her card out of her purse and swiped it on the reader, as Nick simply stood there, speechless. The cashier reluctantly tapped her screen, allowing the doe to enter her PIN, and make the purchase. Nick took his bagged items and thanked the cashier, only getting a huff in response. Nick simply shrugged and followed the chipmunk out of the store.
“Ma'am,” Nick called to the elderly doe, who turned around to meet his gaze. “Ma'am, that was a very kind of you to pay for my stuff, but I gotta ask...why did you do it?”
“I had to repay you, somehow, young tod,” she said.
Nick gave her a puzzled look, “Repay? Forgive me for saying, madam, but I don't recall ever meeting you. Repay me for what?”
The chipmunk smiled at him, “We haven't met, but i wanted to repay you,” She placed her paw on his, “for saving my granddaughter.”
The familiarity of this elderly chipmunk suddenly hit him. He never actually saw Monica's grandmother, but he now had no doubt that this was indeed her.
Before Nick could say anything, she grabbed his tie and pulled him down to her level, and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek, “Thank you, Officer Wilde. You gave my Monica a new lease on life. You're a true Supermammal,” she then turned around, and walked off with her groceries, leaving Nick dumbfounded.
A few short minutes later, Nick stood at the threshold of his apartment building, reflecting on the events that transpired in the store. He finally dug out his keys and unlocked the door. He saw Judy sitting on the couch upon opening the door, nearly fully immersed in a show she was watching on TV.
She smiled when she saw him come through. “Hey, welcome back, Nick!” she said in her signature cheerful tone.
“Hey, Carrots,” Nick said softly, pushing the door closed with his footpaw and locking it.
Nick's tone puzzled her, “Everything okay?” she said, a tint of concern showing in her voice.
Nick chuckled as he sat down on the couch, setting the grocery bags down by his feet, “You know.. for the first time in a long time, I think everything is okay, thanks to you,”
Confused, Judy rose an eyebrow at him, “Nick, what are you talking about? What happened at the store?”
Nick turned to meet her gaze, smiling. He recounted the events that took place in the store in fine detail, prompting different reactions from Judy; surprise and happiness that someone would do something so kind for a fox; annoyance that mammals were being so prejudiced; finally, shock and joy that the mammal who was so kind to Nick turned out to be Monica's grandmother.
“Oh, Nick,” she breathed “That's so wonderful! But why are you thanking me?” She asked.
Nick stroked the fur on her head, brushing one ear down, “Because, Judy…...you saved me. Saved me from the life I'd been living. It's because of you that I was able to save Monica.” He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into a hug, resting her head on his shoulder, “Thank you, Judy,” he said, his voice beginning to break, “Thank you.”
Judy wanted to counter Nick's words, but couldn't say anything. She simply returned his embrace, melting into his arms. Although, she couldn't deny that it was, indeed, her who steered Nick in the right direction after they worked the Nighthowler case, together. A tang of happiness washed over her upon thinking about it. Her thoughts were interrupted when she heard him start sniffing the air.
“Um, sweetie? How long did you set dinner to cook for?” He asked, breaking their embrace.
“35 minutes, why?”
“I, uhhh...think dinner might be a little overdone,” he said.
“What?” Judy said, looking up at the clock on the wall. Her ears shot up and her eyes went wide when she realized what time it was. “Oh, crap!” she exclaimed. She hopped off the couch and hurdled over the bar and landing in the kitchen, cursing the whole way.
Nick followed her and stood out of the way at the kitchen entrance.
Judy could now smell dinner burning in the oven as she quickly hopped onto her rolling stool and rolled herself to the counter. Donning oven mitts, Judy flung the oven door open and pulled the dish out and sat it near the sink, kicking the oven door shut along the way. She tore the aluminum foil off and a cloud of black smoke broke free. What should have been a beautiful display of pasta, spinach, cheese and tomato sauce, was now a very overcooked abomination.
“I don’t understand!” she said, snatching the timer off the counter, “the timer should have-”, she saw that the display was blinking, but there was no sound coming from the device. Judy let out a frustrated groan. “It is going off, but there’s no sound! That’s the last time I buy a timer from the dollar store!” She said, tossing the timer on the floor. Judy stood on her stool, silently seething at the ruined dinner. She took a couple of forks out of the drawer and picked through it. She heaved a frustrated sigh when she realized there was nothing salvageable in the dish. She rested her elbow on the counter and her head on her paw, staring at the charred concoction.
Her ear perked up when she heard Nick speak up. “You destroyed our dinner,” he said in a low, husky tone.
“Ugh, Nick, I already feel like crap.” She turned around to face him, “You don't hav-” Her words were cut off when she saw he wasn't speaking to her but to the timer he was holding in his paw, his gaze intense and serious.
Now fully aware he has Judy's attention, Nick continued with his monologue, “You failed to let us know when dinner was ready, and in doing so, have destroyed our very special meal. And for that, you shall pay the ultimate price,” with that, Nick dropped the timer on the floor, lifted his footpaw and brought it down on the timer, crushing the cheaply made product, the thin, brittle plastic making a satisfying crunch like a large, dry leaf in the park in autumn. He lifted his heel and twisted his foot to ensure its total destruction. “You can't hurt anyone, anymore,” he said.
“Jeez, Nick. Could you get any more dramatic?” Judy said, crossing her arms and giving him a look.
“Just did what needed to be done, Carrots,” Nick said with a smile as he picked up the destroyed timer and threw it in the garbage. He then turned back to Judy who was still sulking over the ruined entree. He placed an arm around her shoulder, “You know….” he began, “we're not completely moved in, technically.”
Judy turned to meet his gaze, “What do you mean?”
“Well....we still have to replace all the bulbs with our LED ones,” he said, gesturing to the grocery bags sitting on the table Nick put them on while on his way to the kitchen, earlier, “Only then will be officially moved in.”
Judy took a moment to consider Nick's words as she stared at the dish, scowling. He was right, though part of her wished he wasn't. She sighed and leaned her head against her chest, “I guess you're right, Nick,” she said.
He gave her a little peck on top of her head, “That's my girl. Hey, tomorrow, we'll install those lights, then get the stuff at the store to make this again, whaddya say?”
She stroked his arm, “Sure, I'd like that.”
“Good,” Nick said, “And I wanna help, this time. No if’s, and’s, or butts,” he emphasized the last word by pinching her hindquarters, causing her to yelp and jump a little.
“YEEK! Nick!” she said, swatting his arm, laughing. “Okay, okay, you can help”
“I'm excited!” He said, padding over to the grocery bags, taking the items out and putting them away, but not before showing Judy the tub of blueberry ice cream with a toothy grin.
“But what are we gonna do for dinner, tonight?” asked Judy.
Nick stood there with his paw on his hip, staring off into the distance, “I really don't know…..maybe pizza?” he said.
Judy thought for a moment, then a smile spread on her face, “You know what?” She began, “Pizza sounds amazing, right now.” she picked up her phone, “I'll call Savannah Pizza. Hopefully, we'll get that Fennec, Mandy to deliver it. I like her!” She began
searching the number on Zoogle.
Nick came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her, “Sounds good, love,” he kissed her cheek, “And Judy?”
“Hmm?”
He nuzzled her neck, “Thank you,”
She smiled, as she knew exactly what he was thanking her for. She cupped his cheek in her paw and kissed his muzzle, “You're welcome, sweetie.”
END
NOTES:
The song that Nick plays on the record player is "Hey Good Lookin' - Hank Williams
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CPf71ne4qRA
I wanna thank everyone who helped me with my first fanfic!
In no particular order
AlanSchezar
Ittybittykittytittys
Drummermax
Johnsoneer
If I missed anyone, please let me know!
Thanks, guys. love ya!
I do not own any of the Zootopia characters, nor any of the Superman characters. This fanfic was inspired from this Superman comic which is actually an excerpt from the graphic novel: "Superman Grounded" https://imgur.com/gallery/Ijdxh
I want to add that suicide is never funny, nor is it something to just dismiss. Life is a very precious thing. Please, do not waste it...
Suicide hotline: 1-800-273-8255
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
As the memories faded in his mind, Judy gently stroked the fur on Nick’s neck. He hummed, leaning into her touch, “And we hustled using the jumbo pops ever since,” he looked into her eyes, “that is, until a certain bunny came along and straightened me out.”
“Gosh Nick,” she said softly, laying her head on his shoulder and wrapping her arms around his neck. “I'm so sorry.”
Nick gently wrapped his arms around her torso, holding her close, “I’ve sort of made my peace with it. I still miss her every day.” Nick sat in silence, wondering what it’d be like to have his mother here. He thought about her reaction when he’d reveal to her he’d completely turned his life around by showing up in a legitimate police uniform, his golden, shiny name tag and shield standing out among the blue, pressed shirt. He envisioned the look of pure joy on her face, tears running down her cheeks and wrapping her in a hug, and then revealing Judy to his mother, and the two of them hitting it off. These thoughts made him smile a bit, and a single tear ran down his cheek and landed on Judy’s head, “She would have loved you.”
Judy gently pulled away, “You think so?”
“Absolutely,” He said, nodding. “She was one of the few progressive thinkers. I see some of her optimism in you...and come to think of it, you and her have the same color eyes.”
Judy chuckled, flattered that she reminded him of his mother in some ways.. “So, do you feel better?” she asked.
He slowly nodded, “I….actually do. I feel a lot better, now. Like a huge, rusty weight’s been lifted off me.”
Judy smiled widely, “I’m so glad to hear that, It’s been a long time coming. Do you wanna stay the night?”
“Are you sure about that?” he asked, cocking his head a bit.
“Yeah, I’m sure. I’ll just sleep at your place two nights in a row to make up for it.”
Nick hummed, “You know Carrots, I’ve got an idea.” he said.
“What is it?” asked Judy.
“Well, this is just off the top of my head, really. But…..How about we sleep together every night, in an apartment of our very own?” He said.
She rolled her eyes and gave him an alluring look. “Really? Off the top of your head, huh?” she said in a deadpanned tone.
“Yes, ma'am,” he said.
“You sure someone else didn't come up with that?”
Nick put his paw to his heart, “Madam!” Nick said in a feigned shock and hurt tone, “You dare to insinuate that I stole an idea from a certain bunny who may or may not have made a similar suggestion months ago? I am shocked!” He crossed his arms over his chest and turned away from her with his nose in the air.
Judy rolled her eyes again, stood up on her bed, rested her elbows on his shoulders and began to gently scratch the fur under Nick's chin, generating a purr from him.
“Rrrrrrrr, you always know how to get me, Carrots.” he said.
Mmmm, that's because I know you too well.” Judy raised her head to speak into his ear, “And I think it's a wonderful idea,” she said softly, kissing his cheek.
“I knew you'd like it,” he said, leaning into her kiss.
“Come to bed, hon,’ said Judy.
The mention of the word “bed” suddenly made Nick's eyelids very heavy, “That actually sounds swell, right about now,”
Judy moved both of their mugs to her desk as Nick took off his shirt and pulled his phone out of his pants pocket, and handed both items to Judy, who draped his shirt over the back of her chair, and plugged his phone in the charger next to hers on her desk. Both mammals were so tired that neither of them noticed the time was 0530, nearly dawn.
As Nick lay himself on his back, Judy climbed under the covers next to him, and he wrapped his arm around her tiny frame, pulling her close her head resting on his chest.
"Nick?" said Judy looking up at him, her voice low and soft.
"Hmm?" Nick
Looking into his eyes, she took his paw in hers, rubbing her thumb over it, "Thank you for telling me."
Nick smiled and gave her paw a kiss, "It's been a long time coming," he said, his voice in a similar tone, his smile then faded, "I'm sorry it took me so lo-"
"Shhh," she put a finger to his lips, cutting him off, "You have nothing to apologize for, Nick. You needed to tell me on your own time, and you did. And it was worth waiting every minute for," She nuzzled his cheek. “I love you, Nick,” she said.
Humming, Nick smiled and returned her nuzzle, adding a kiss, “I love you too, Judy.” He said.
They pulled each other closer with Judy's head tucked beneath Nick's chin and fell into a slumber in each other's embrace. Nick's nightmare never again resurfaced.
After unpacking the last box, Nick and Judy declared themselves officially moved into their new one bedroom apartment after a month and a half of searching and settling. There were items from both mammal's apartments, such as the Keurig from Judy's place, and Nick's record player, but multiple officers pitched in their own money to buy new furniture for their apartment. Among those were the sectional couch with a pull-out bed for guests, a dining room table and chairs with seats for 6, a couple guest chairs, and a bed.
Judy stood in front of the stove, skillfully mixing up a tomato sauce for a celebratory dinner she was making for herself and Nick. Stuffed shells with ricotta cheese and spinach and homemade tomato sauce with mozzarella cheese on top. She'd learned to cook growing up in Bunnyburrow, and because she considered this dish special, she didn't want Nick messing it up, so she made him watch TV in the living room, even though she was teaching him to cook, as well. They'd made a deal that whoever cooked, the other did dishes.
“Would you object to some tunes, hunbun?” Nick said as he shut off the TV.
“No, go ahead, Nick. Could do for some, right now,” said Judy.
Nick got up and padded over to his record player. Gave a moment's thought before he opened the cupboard underneath revealing his collection. He fingered through the collection of 45s until he found one by Hank Woolyams and pulled it out. A sly grin spread on his muzzle as he thought about what Judy was currently doing in the kitchen. After turning the volume up and making the proper adjustments for a 45 rpm disc, he sat it on the turntable over the adapter and placed the needle on the starting point, then quickly padded to just outside the entrance of the kitchen.
While she stirred the concoction in the pan, Judy's ear swiveled to Nick's direction, and she turned to see him standing near the bar. “Nick, what are you--”
The sound of a vintage recording of a steel guitar echoed through the apartment, cutting her off, and Nick started dance-walking toward her, his tail bouncing to the beat of the music and swishing side to side Judy instantly recognized the song, as her father played so much old country when she was growing up. “Oh god, Nick. You're not--”
Nick started loudly singing along as he continued dance-walking toward her, “Hey, heeeeyyyy, good lookin’! Whaaaaaatcha got cookin’? How's about cookin’ somethin’ up with meeeeee?”
Smiling and chuckling, Judy put a paw to her face and shook her head, then turned her attention back to dinner before Nick wrapped his arms around her torso, bouncing to the beat of the music and swaying both his and her hips back and forth and kept singing, but in a softer tone.
“Heeeeyyyy sweet baby, dooooontcha think maybe, we could find us a brand new recipeeeeeee? I got a hot rod Herd and a two dollar bill, and I know a spot right over the hill, there's soda pop and the dancin’s free. So if you wanna have fun, come along with me. say, heeeeyyyy good lookin’, whaaaaaatcha got cookin’? How's about cookin’ somethin’ up with meeeeee?”
“You are such a dork” Judy said, chuckling.
Nick hummed, “The dorkiest.” He said. “How's it coming?”
“The sauce is nearly ready.” she replied.
Nick nuzzled her neck gently, “Mmmm, you saucy bunny.”
She nuzzled him back, “The sauciest.”
“So, what are we having with this yummy smelling stuff?” Asked Nick.
Judy was about to reply to his query when a sudden realization dawned on her, and she slapped her paw to her forehead, “Oh crap! I forgot to get the caesar salad mix!” She turned around to face him, “Nick, will you run to the store real quick and get some, please?”
“Awwwww, do I have toooo?” He whined.
“Yes, you doooooo,” she said, matching his tone, “If you want this dinnerrrrrrr,”
Nick groaned, “Alright, Carrots,” he said, turning to leave, but Judy grabbed his tie and pulled him back to her.
“Tell you what,” she said softly, stroking his tie and meeting his gaze, smiling.”If you get the salad, you can also get us some blueberry ice cream.”
If Nick’s face was a lightbulb, Judy would have been blinded by how brightly it lit up along with his ears shooting straight up, tail wagging so furiously, it could practically knock someone unconscious, and a squeak emanating from his throat.
Judy giggled, “I knew that'd get you. You're such a kit!” she kissed his muzzle, let go of his tie and patted his shoulders, “Now get going, dinner will be ready, soon.”
“Yes, ma'am!” Nick said giving a two fingered salute. He padded to the living room and grabbed his wallet, phone, keys, badge, conceal carry, “I love you!” Nick called to Judy as he threw on his jacket before heading out the door.
“Love you, too!” she called back.
----
Nick stood 4th in line of the checkout counter for smaller mammals at the grocery store, carrying the Caesar salad mix, blueberry ice cream, and LED light bulbs (at Judy's request via the messenger app) in the basket in his paw, idly checking his Muzzlebook on his phone. He'd been out for at least 25 minutes, and dinner would be finished just as he got home.
When he got close enough, Nick put the basket on the conveyor belt and set the divider behind it. He continued browsing Muzzlebook until it was his turn. The cashier began scanning the items when a tiny voice caught hers and Nick's attention.
“Excuse me, but I'd like to pay for your items,” a tiny, elderly chipmunk said.
Nick looked down to the tiny mammal. She wore a sky blue floral print shirt with blue jeans and rather thick eyeglasses. He looked around him, then back to her, “Are you talking to me, ma’am?” he said.
The elderly doe nodded, “Yes, young tod. I want to pay for your things.”
Nick barely showed it, but he was caught completely off guard by this generous chipmunk, who seemed to have a bit of familiarity. He raised his paw to wave her off, “That's very generous of you, ma'am,” he said, “But I'm afraid I must decline.” He began to turn back to his own business when he felt her grab his finger.
“Please, I insist,” she pressed, lifting the divider between his and her items.
“Ma'am, I really appreciate what you're trying to do, but I--”
She cut him off, her voice stern, “Young tod, I won't take no for an answer. If you don't let me do this for you, you will greatly offend me.”
Nick rubbed his muzzle with his paw, sighing. He took a quick glance at the mammals around him, who stared at him with judging eyes, then looked back at the chipmunk standing in front of him. He heaved a defeated sigh, he knew he wasn't going to win. “I guess I have little choice. Do what you wish, madam.”
Almost immediately, mammals around him began voicing their protests, telling her that Nick is taking advantage of her, that he's a no-good, shifty fox. But the simple act of the chipmunk raising her paw silenced them all, abruptly. She gave each mammal a disappointed glare, before speaking up,
“For your information, I happen to know exactly who this young tod is!” She said, gesturing to Nick, “Now, I don't want to hear another word from you horrible, judgemental mammals!” She scolded, pointing a finger at them. The tiny chipmunk then took her card out of her purse and swiped it on the reader, as Nick simply stood there, speechless. The cashier reluctantly tapped her screen, allowing the doe to enter her PIN, and make the purchase. Nick took his bagged items and thanked the cashier, only getting a huff in response. Nick simply shrugged and followed the chipmunk out of the store.
“Ma'am,” Nick called to the elderly doe, who turned around to meet his gaze. “Ma'am, that was a very kind of you to pay for my stuff, but I gotta ask...why did you do it?”
“I had to repay you, somehow, young tod,” she said.
Nick gave her a puzzled look, “Repay? Forgive me for saying, madam, but I don't recall ever meeting you. Repay me for what?”
The chipmunk smiled at him, “We haven't met, but i wanted to repay you,” She placed her paw on his, “for saving my granddaughter.”
The familiarity of this elderly chipmunk suddenly hit him. He never actually saw Monica's grandmother, but he now had no doubt that this was indeed her.
Before Nick could say anything, she grabbed his tie and pulled him down to her level, and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek, “Thank you, Officer Wilde. You gave my Monica a new lease on life. You're a true Supermammal,” she then turned around, and walked off with her groceries, leaving Nick dumbfounded.
A few short minutes later, Nick stood at the threshold of his apartment building, reflecting on the events that transpired in the store. He finally dug out his keys and unlocked the door. He saw Judy sitting on the couch upon opening the door, nearly fully immersed in a show she was watching on TV.
She smiled when she saw him come through. “Hey, welcome back, Nick!” she said in her signature cheerful tone.
“Hey, Carrots,” Nick said softly, pushing the door closed with his footpaw and locking it.
Nick's tone puzzled her, “Everything okay?” she said, a tint of concern showing in her voice.
Nick chuckled as he sat down on the couch, setting the grocery bags down by his feet, “You know.. for the first time in a long time, I think everything is okay, thanks to you,”
Confused, Judy rose an eyebrow at him, “Nick, what are you talking about? What happened at the store?”
Nick turned to meet her gaze, smiling. He recounted the events that took place in the store in fine detail, prompting different reactions from Judy; surprise and happiness that someone would do something so kind for a fox; annoyance that mammals were being so prejudiced; finally, shock and joy that the mammal who was so kind to Nick turned out to be Monica's grandmother.
“Oh, Nick,” she breathed “That's so wonderful! But why are you thanking me?” She asked.
Nick stroked the fur on her head, brushing one ear down, “Because, Judy…...you saved me. Saved me from the life I'd been living. It's because of you that I was able to save Monica.” He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into a hug, resting her head on his shoulder, “Thank you, Judy,” he said, his voice beginning to break, “Thank you.”
Judy wanted to counter Nick's words, but couldn't say anything. She simply returned his embrace, melting into his arms. Although, she couldn't deny that it was, indeed, her who steered Nick in the right direction after they worked the Nighthowler case, together. A tang of happiness washed over her upon thinking about it. Her thoughts were interrupted when she heard him start sniffing the air.
“Um, sweetie? How long did you set dinner to cook for?” He asked, breaking their embrace.
“35 minutes, why?”
“I, uhhh...think dinner might be a little overdone,” he said.
“What?” Judy said, looking up at the clock on the wall. Her ears shot up and her eyes went wide when she realized what time it was. “Oh, crap!” she exclaimed. She hopped off the couch and hurdled over the bar and landing in the kitchen, cursing the whole way.
Nick followed her and stood out of the way at the kitchen entrance.
Judy could now smell dinner burning in the oven as she quickly hopped onto her rolling stool and rolled herself to the counter. Donning oven mitts, Judy flung the oven door open and pulled the dish out and sat it near the sink, kicking the oven door shut along the way. She tore the aluminum foil off and a cloud of black smoke broke free. What should have been a beautiful display of pasta, spinach, cheese and tomato sauce, was now a very overcooked abomination.
“I don’t understand!” she said, snatching the timer off the counter, “the timer should have-”, she saw that the display was blinking, but there was no sound coming from the device. Judy let out a frustrated groan. “It is going off, but there’s no sound! That’s the last time I buy a timer from the dollar store!” She said, tossing the timer on the floor. Judy stood on her stool, silently seething at the ruined dinner. She took a couple of forks out of the drawer and picked through it. She heaved a frustrated sigh when she realized there was nothing salvageable in the dish. She rested her elbow on the counter and her head on her paw, staring at the charred concoction.
Her ear perked up when she heard Nick speak up. “You destroyed our dinner,” he said in a low, husky tone.
“Ugh, Nick, I already feel like crap.” She turned around to face him, “You don't hav-” Her words were cut off when she saw he wasn't speaking to her but to the timer he was holding in his paw, his gaze intense and serious.
Now fully aware he has Judy's attention, Nick continued with his monologue, “You failed to let us know when dinner was ready, and in doing so, have destroyed our very special meal. And for that, you shall pay the ultimate price,” with that, Nick dropped the timer on the floor, lifted his footpaw and brought it down on the timer, crushing the cheaply made product, the thin, brittle plastic making a satisfying crunch like a large, dry leaf in the park in autumn. He lifted his heel and twisted his foot to ensure its total destruction. “You can't hurt anyone, anymore,” he said.
“Jeez, Nick. Could you get any more dramatic?” Judy said, crossing her arms and giving him a look.
“Just did what needed to be done, Carrots,” Nick said with a smile as he picked up the destroyed timer and threw it in the garbage. He then turned back to Judy who was still sulking over the ruined entree. He placed an arm around her shoulder, “You know….” he began, “we're not completely moved in, technically.”
Judy turned to meet his gaze, “What do you mean?”
“Well....we still have to replace all the bulbs with our LED ones,” he said, gesturing to the grocery bags sitting on the table Nick put them on while on his way to the kitchen, earlier, “Only then will be officially moved in.”
Judy took a moment to consider Nick's words as she stared at the dish, scowling. He was right, though part of her wished he wasn't. She sighed and leaned her head against her chest, “I guess you're right, Nick,” she said.
He gave her a little peck on top of her head, “That's my girl. Hey, tomorrow, we'll install those lights, then get the stuff at the store to make this again, whaddya say?”
She stroked his arm, “Sure, I'd like that.”
“Good,” Nick said, “And I wanna help, this time. No if’s, and’s, or butts,” he emphasized the last word by pinching her hindquarters, causing her to yelp and jump a little.
“YEEK! Nick!” she said, swatting his arm, laughing. “Okay, okay, you can help”
“I'm excited!” He said, padding over to the grocery bags, taking the items out and putting them away, but not before showing Judy the tub of blueberry ice cream with a toothy grin.
“But what are we gonna do for dinner, tonight?” asked Judy.
Nick stood there with his paw on his hip, staring off into the distance, “I really don't know…..maybe pizza?” he said.
Judy thought for a moment, then a smile spread on her face, “You know what?” She began, “Pizza sounds amazing, right now.” she picked up her phone, “I'll call Savannah Pizza. Hopefully, we'll get that Fennec, Mandy to deliver it. I like her!” She began
searching the number on Zoogle.
Nick came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her, “Sounds good, love,” he kissed her cheek, “And Judy?”
“Hmm?”
He nuzzled her neck, “Thank you,”
She smiled, as she knew exactly what he was thanking her for. She cupped his cheek in her paw and kissed his muzzle, “You're welcome, sweetie.”
END
NOTES:
The song that Nick plays on the record player is "Hey Good Lookin' - Hank Williams
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CPf71ne4qRA
Category Story / All
Species Unspecified / Any
Size 50 x 50px
File Size 24.7 kB
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