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Judy was in early the next morning compiling evidence and filing a report on the previous night's events for the Chief. Unsurprisingly, she was relentless with the details. She listened to the audio tapes of her conversation with Jaeger over and over again, paying close attention to anything that could reveal more. But after a few hours of analysis, the case seemed to cool down for her. Nothing they had thus far was incriminating of course, but she began to realize it was not particularly suspicious either. She groaned rubbed her brow as the morning quickly vanished and she yearned for a break when the phone on her desk rang.

"ZPD, this is officer Hopps speaking" she said, calmly scooping up the phone.

"Hi Hopps, it's Clawhauser. I've got a package at the front desk waiting for you," Benjamin said, with a slight giggle.

"Huh, I don't remember ordering anything."

Clawhauser laughed again, "Oh I don't think you did, honey-bunny."

With that, he hung up and Judy made her way to the lobby. She saw Clawhauser sitting at his desk giving her a sly look with a little wave of his fingers. He had a pile of boxes mixed in with his usual assortment of snacks on one side of his desk, and on the other side there was a remarkably large bouquet of flowers displayed in a decadent glass vase.

"Wow, Clawhauser. Who are the flowers for?" she asked eyeing them up and down. The vase was nearly as tall as she was.

"Why their yours you lucky rabbit!" he said and giggled madly. Her mouth fell open and she looked the flowers up and down once more. They were expensive looking, and unbelievably fragrant. The smell seemed to fill the entire front lobby, which was no small feat.

"Wha . . . I can't even fit these on my desk! Let alone my apartment. Is this Nick's idea of a prank?" she asked.

"They're not mine," a voice said from behind her. She turned and found Nick wearing a scowl on his face, his eyes hiding behind his shades and a coffee steaming in his hand. He scoffed and walked right past her, ignoring the mass of foliage on Benjamin's desk.

"Then who . . ." Judy wondered.

"Who do you think?!" Nick called out as he rounded the hallway and left the lobby. Judy furrowed her brow and looked back at Clawhauser, who was holding out a small envelope with gold trim towards her.

"This came with it," he said and handed her the note. Judy carefully tore it open, shooting another glance to where Nick had exited before reading.

To Judy:

Dinner, or else the next one will be twice as big.

Yours, J

A phone number was written on the back. She quickly hid the note from Clawhauser and blushed, looking down at the ground and back at the flowers again. They were all variations of purple and white, and they were really quite beautiful.

"Sooooo?" Clawhauser said with another sly smile. "Is it from our new favorite bobcat?"

"He's a suspect, Clawhauser" Judy reminded him and walked back to her desk.

"That doesn't mean guilty!" he said and dreamily stared at the flowers on his desk while helping himself to a pawful of chocolates.

Judy shook her head and smiled. He had a point, but she needed to focus on getting the job done. All evidence pointed to him . . . right?

"Cheap bastard didn't get me any flowers," she heard Nick grumble from his desk.

"You want them? they're yours," she said leaning up against the wall of his cubicle.

"I'll send them to his prison cell," Nick scowled.

"Yeah, about that Nick . . ." she began. The Fox swiveled in his chair and shot her a look over his glasses. "I'm not sure we've got the right guy," she confessed.

"What? Carrots, you can't be serious."

"Just listen. So far we have a burned down casino we're still waiting on lab results for, and two pigs whose faces we haven't seen who simply work for a 'Jaeger', who may or may not be the same one we bumped into last night," Judy explained.

"Carrots, there were pigs working security for the guy last night, just as we expected," Nick countered.

"We only saw one, but that's besides the point. These pigs might just be hired security! What if the boss they were working for to clean the gambling ring was a separate boss from Jaeger? We have nothing to prove otherwise."

"We're looking for a well-funded mob boss here, and this guy has connections in all the right places and the perfect cover."

"Or he's just a millionaire philanthropist," Judy retorted. Aggravated, Nick tossed his glasses on his desk and looked at her, clearly cross.

"Hopps, this kind of left-field yank is not like you. I mean, you can't seriously be buying his act," he said.

"I'm just saying, Nick, maybe it's not an act. We have to be prepared to learn that we have the wrong mammal. I mean, we only went to the party last night on a hunch, and we can't make arrests on hunches."

"So . . . what, do we just assume he's clean and look elsewhere?" Nick asked.

"Well, he's invited me to dinner, so maybe I'll learn more about him then," she said with a shrug. Nick looked almost surprised before standing up and glaring at her.

"You're hoping he's clean, aren't you?"

"What is that supposed to mean?" She said and glared back.

"I heard the tape, Carrots. A few minutes of flirting, a dance, flowers at your desk, and now suddenly he's innocent?" Nick said and gestured to the lobby.

"Where on earth are you going with this?" she asked, waving her paws in the air in surrender.

"You've been hustled, Carrots. By an amateur no less, and now you're falling for him," he accused.

"Nick! I'm not falling for this guy, I'm just trying to get to the bottom of the case," she defended herself.

"Admit it. If he's not our mob-boss, then you'd be all over him, right?" Nick accused her, with a roll of his eyes.

"No!" She spat. Nick made a show of mocking her, placing his arms behind his head to mimic her ears.

"'Oh, he's just a millionaire philanthropist. No criminal could ever be that devilishly hansom," he accented his mock with a fake swoon before folding his arms and giving her another glare.

"Nick, he's a predator! I could never see him like that!" she defended herself loudly. Nick stiffened, keeping his gaze right at her. She didn't soften, she simply returned his glare and angrily thumped her foot on the floor a few times. After a moment, she saw him scoff again and put his shades back on.

"Whatever you say, Carrots. Since you're so eager to inspect the rich guy, I'm going to dig into his security. Have a nice date," Nick said and placed his radio on his hip before walking towards Bogo's office.

"What has gotten in to him?" she asked herself quietly. For a moment, she considered whether or not she offended him with her comment about predators, but he knew she meant only in a romantic sense. Besides, she was too angry to correct herself at the moment. She huffed, and turned towards her desk and sat down with another sigh. She heard something softly hit the ground beside her. Looking down, she noticed the card Jaeger left for her had fallen out of her pocket and onto the floor. She scooped it up and read the number on the back again, then turned it to read the message again. She shook her head and scowled at herself.

"Dumb Fox," she mumbled and picked up her phone and put the earpiece on before dialing the number on the card. She hit the REC button as it began to ring. The phone rang a few times while Judy pondered why she was so defensive of Jaeger. It was true that she never considered a predator, or any mammal other than a bunny for that matter, but something about Jaeger did not feel quite right. Sure, many females would swoon at the opportunity, but she was a career bunny and had little time for romance. Even if she did, he was far too polite and formal. He made her feel a bit like a princess, but she would much rather be with someone that made her feel like herself. Kind of like the way she felt around Ni-

"Hello?" a voice called from the phone. Judy snapped back to reality and fumbled with the earpiece.

"Oh! Yes, uh, Hello?" she offered weakly.

"The number on my ID says the Zootopia Police Department, so either this is Judy, or I am in serious trouble," he said, which made Judy laugh.

"No, you're not in trouble Jaeger, I just wanted to thank you for the flowers. They're really . . . big if I'm honest," she noted.

"Ah, you are welcome Judy. I'm glad you like them. But I intend to make good on my threat of a bigger arrangement next time if I do not get to see you again," he jested and she laughed again.

"Well, you mentioned dinner in your note. Perhaps something a little less expensive? That fundraiser is not exactly a regular night out on a cop's salary."

"Not a problem, Judy. We can simply meet in Savanah Central since that is close to work for you. I own a wonderful little restaurant in the Ramhorne building. If that is too much, we can always meet at my house and eat for free? I'm a terrible cook though, so you'll have to excuse the service," Jaeger suggested. Judy felt herself blush again at the rather forward suggestion that she go home with this Bobcat, but she remembered she was trying to get information and, if the suspected mob leader had any supply at his own home, this would be the perfect opportunity to collect more information.

"Actually, that sounds lovely," she said, laying the eager tone on thick.

"Really? Well in that case, can I expect the pleasure of your company tonight?" He suggested.

"Hmmm someone's eager," she joked. Her smile grew as she flirted, unable to deny how much fun she was having.

"I assure you officer, my intentions are just to get to know you better," Jaeger said confidently. Judy watched as the little red light next to the REC button was flashing at her. She drew a breath and calmly and clearly spoke for the record.

"That makes two of us," she said. "Tonight will work great."

"In that case, you can expect a car to pick you up after work. My house is in the Rainforest District, so I hope you are fine with heights," Jaeger said.

"Thank you, I look forward to dinner," she said before bidding her suspect goodbye and hanging up. She sighed as she filled out notes from her conversation on her note pad. She heard a knock on her cubicle wall, turning to find officer Wolford standing at the door. He wore a sly smile on his face.

"Hey Hopps! You've got that cat wrapped around your paw like water on a hippo," he complimented her.

"Oh it's all for the case, you know that!" she defended herself. He smiled and gave her a thumbs up.

"I know, Hopps. I'm just saying you're very good at that. I mean, heck I'll never believe a lady's signals ever again after that performance."

"Oh, and I'm sure you've got all the females howling at you, right?" she jabbed with a smile on her face.

"I got my ways," he said and ran a paw through the fur on his head. "But that charm is a real asset to the ZPD. I might need you to seduce some of my suspects later," he joked again.

"Thanks, but I don't want to be known as the residential heartbreaker. That's Nick's job," she suggested. The wolf laughed heartily and shook his head.

"Nick? The guy's actually more of a dud than a stud," Wolford said.

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"He's been here a while, and I'm always joking around with the guys about how the ladies love a wolf in uniform, right? But he's never even talked about any vixens at all, not even jokingly. I mean, I thought for a bit that he might prefer males, but Clawhauser assured me that there was no way. Who'da' thought that sly fox was a bit of a shy one," he explained.

"I'm sure Nick has just got some respect, Wolford. You should try it some time," she jabbed agin, earning another laugh from her colleague.

"That sly devil has been rubbing off on you. Good luck tonight, Hopps," he said and gave a casual salute before heading out of her cubicle.

Judy thought back to what Wolford had said about her partner. Something about it seemed off. He was certainly as smooth as they come, but in all the time she knew him he never once mentioned a vixen or even females at all. With all they joked about, it seemed out of place. If he wanted to, Judy bet that he certainly could be a heartbreaker, but perhaps he wasn't interested. She then remembered that she learned about his entirely-secret musical talent the night before, along with a history of playing in a band. It was certainly possible he was keeping other secrets, and it was not her place to go around prying into what her good friend did not want to share.

Later that day, Nick found himself kicking himself over his spat with his partner. What on earth had gotten into him, he thought. He knew better than to think she was actually falling for the personification of pompous. Something about how she defended him nagged at his brain and left a bad taste in his mouth. But she did have a point. There was no actual link between him and the casino arsonists, and without undeniable proof, there was no way they were going to get a warrant for the arrest of one of Zootopia's richest philanthropists. He had to concede that perhaps she was right, and that Catalan was just a hunch. He rubbed the fur on his head and sighed when his phone rang.

"Wilde. My office," Bogo's voice rang.

"Need help decorating, sir?" he jested, before hearing a dial tone. It was not always wise to aggravate the chief before even getting in the office, but Nick couldn't help himself sometimes. He made his way down to the Chief's office and let himself in.

"Hopps says she's doing some recon alone tonight, I'm sure your aware," Bogo said. While she mentioned the date, she said nothing about going alone.

"Of course," he lied.

"She asserted that she did not need backup, but I'd like you to stay on standby just in case, clear?" Bogo. NO he wanted to say. Not Clear.

"So you want me to sneak into a rich possible-mob-leader's house and spy on my partner without her knowledge?" he asked.

"No! You daft fool, we don't have a warrant on Robert Catalan. So as per protocol, she is going on personal time, not police business," Bogo explained.

"Wait, so she's going there without any backup, gear, or escape plan?" Nick said rising to his feet.

"Why do you think I'm asking you to stay on standby?" Bogo asked.

"What am I supposed to do, sit around and wait for something to go wrong?" Nick was raising his voice a bit.

"Listen to me, Wilde. I need an operative close by, but if you dare so much as think about sneaking inside, you are in for a world of trouble," Bogo reassured him. Nick stiffened, before shrugging and playing off his practiced routine.

"Alright alright, I get your drift Chief. I'm in no rush to get my tail bagged for breaking and entering," he said. Bogo scowled and pointed to the door.

"See that you park your car and stay put, Wilde," the chief asserted. Nick was about to ask where the non-bust was happening when there was a knock at the door.

"Chief?" A voice called. It was Francine, holding a file in her hoof.

"Ah, is that the gambling den lab report?" Bogo asked and invited her in.

"Yessir," she said and handed the form over to her boss. He thanked her before thumbing through a few pages, keeping his paw at his chin and scratching lightly. Francine left the room and Nick waited in silence impatiently.

"Well," he said and removed his reading glasses. "Looks like you two were on something after all."

"Was it positive?" Nick asked.

"For nearly everything. That swab you took of the grill near the waterfront had traces of real venison, bison, elk, rabbit, sheep . . . That place was positively rank with contraband, and this should hold up in court nicely," the chief complimented their work. "But we still need evidence that Catalan is tied to the gambling ring, otherwise the case is cold."

"And how are we supposed to do that?" Nick asked rhetorically.

"Your partner is ahead of you on that one. It's certainly not standard procedure to let an officer investigate on personal time, but with three meat-serving casinos busted, I need this tied up soon before the public catches wind," he said firmly.

Nicks ear twitched.

"Three? I thought we had two? This one and the Rainforest District joint that McHorn busted," Nick asked.

"There was another bust last night, Sahara Square. That's why I pulled Delgato from your recon assignment last night. He and Higgins found another ice box behind a dresser like you had, only this one was filled to the brim with contraband," Bogo explained. Nick thought back to the previous nights events. Something worried him.

"Chief, do you have the report from the bust last night?" he asked. Bogo raised an eyebrow, before opening his desk cabinet and tossing a blue file to the fox. Nick thumbed through it quickly, looking at time signatures. His green eyes darted from side to side sporadically as he scanned the pages.

Door Breach: 2130hrs

"hmm," he said counting on his fingers. "That's . . . 9:30," he whispered.

"What is it Wilde?" Bogo asked. Nick didn't answer. He simply closed the file with a snap and flew out the door. He could vaguely hear Bogo's protests as he ran down the hallway towards his cubicle. He sat down and began pulling files on his computer. He found the audio files from the previous night's assignment and opened Judy's wire file before throwing his earbuds in.

"All set . . ." Judy's voice rang in his ear as he hit play. He pressed fast-forward to find the spot he was worried about, keeping an eye on the clock. ". . . So cute learning how to talk . . . can sneak up behind him . . . Of course, Jaeger." Nick stopped and listened carefully as Jaeger and Judy spoke. The audio went quiet for a moment, before Jaeger's voice creeped back into his hears.

"My apologies again, I have to leave on some urgent business." Nick slammed his paw on the stop button and looked at the clock on the file. 9:31pm. Jaeger left the party not a minute after Delgato's crew busted another gambling joint. If one of his subordinates called it in, he would have left to cover his tracks. Nick kicked himself for doubting his instincts and rose from his chair to find his partner. But when he got to her desk, it was empty.

"Hopps?" He called out, whirling about on his heels before calling out louder. "Has anyone seen Hopps?!" Nick ran frantically down the stairs making his way to the front desk.

"What's going on Wilde?" Clawhauser asked.

"Have you seen Judy?!" He huffed, a little out of breath. Clawhauser gave him a concerned look.

"She just left a few minutes ago," he explained.

"Where?!" He slammed a paw down on the desk, startling the poor cheetah.

"Uh, I'm not sure. She changed into her civies and got in some fancy car out in the lot. I assumed it was her relative in Tundra Town again!" He said. Nick guessed Clawhauser was talking about Mr. Big, but he knew. He looked solemnly at the clock, noticing it was just past quitting time.

"I gotta go," Nick mumbled before heading out to the parking lot and jumping into his cruiser. He quickly typed 'Robert J Catalan' into his mobile database and pulled up the address. Without waisting a minute, he sped off towards the Rainforest District.

**********************************************************************************

"We're here, ma'am," the driver said before pulling into a long driveway. He had taken her up a long winding road that snaked its way up the Rainforest District's tallest tree: the Bhengra Tree. The giant mass sat in the eastern most part of the district, giving it beautiful views of the canopy to the west during sunset. The higher the house was, the more lavish and expensive it was. The car drove up branch after massive branch, passing by giant homes each outclassing the last. By the time they turned into Jaeger's driveway, there were no other trees blocking their view of the city.

"Wow," Judy grasped at the sight. The sky was bright orange as the sun began to set, casting brilliant reflections off of the city skyline. The entire branch of the tree, while smaller than the ones near the bottom, was all part of the same house. Estate was the better word to use, she thought.

The house itself was beautiful, but it felt out of place somehow. Most of the homes in the Rainforest District grew along with the landscape. The houses bent and curved along with the trees, as did the roads connecting them. They felt like an extension of the tree, whereas this house was sharp and pointed, cutting itself into the tree and demanding it bend to its will. Massive windows lined one side, and Judy spied an orange firelight gleaming over a classical looking library.

"Cheese and crackers," she gulped as the driver stopped and opened the door for her. She suddenly felt underdressed in her blouse and jeans. She straightened her fur out nervously before knocking on the mercifully normal-sized door. Jaeger answered the door a moment later, wearing a button up shirt with the sleeves rolled up and jeans.

"May I help you officer?" He smiled at her, his striking eyes softening upon seeing her.

"No badge here," she said and nervously laughed, swinging her arms back and forth.

"So you are not here to arrest me?" he jested, and stroked the sharp fur on his face.

"I've locked up enough mammals to meet today's quota," she said with another nervous giggle. He had no idea how close he was to the truth.

"Well I'm sure chasing around wanted criminals all day can work up an appetite. Care to come in?" He said and invited her in. She smiled and followed him down a spotlessly clean entryway towards the kitchen. Jaeger had an open-design kitchen that featured a beautiful table near a window that looked over the whole canopy. She heard the sound of boiling water and smelled butternut squash grilling.

"Pasta?" She asked.

"Yes, with squash and marinara. I think a little pasta is will not prove too challenging, so it shouldn't worry you," he said, stirring some spaghetti in the pot.

"I'm sure it will be fine," she waved him off.

"Care for a drink while we wait for it to finish? You enjoy wine if I remember correctly," he said and pulled out a bottle from a wine cabinet.

"That sounds lovely," she lied. She only ordered the wine at the party because she was intending to spill it on him. She was more of a beer-lover, or anything with lots of hops. He poured each a glass and they wandered toward the window, eyeing the sunset as they drank and chatted.

"I hope you don't mind if I add some sausage to my plate," he mentioned.

"Not at all."

"Synthetic of course," he clarified.

"Well of course, you don't need to remind me," she said, shooting a nervous look towards the ground.

"I'm sorry, I don't mean to pressume. It's nice to know some prey won't assume the worst in a predator like myself," he said and sipped his wine. Judy frowned and swirled her own drink.

"Yeah," she shrugged, before shaking off the feeling.

"Something wrong?" He asked.

"Oh, I just remembered how terrible I was when I first moved here. I knew predators were just like prey, but deep down I was still afraid," she said.

"Well, you seem to have opened your mind since. Am I correct?" he asked.

"Yes, but there was probably a time when I would have assumed the worst in you, not the best," she mentioned. He simply smiled again and swirled his drink in his hand. She cleared her throat and decided to change the subject. "Why don't you show me around? Your house is beautiful," she said gesturing to the kitchen.

"Of course! If you'll follow me this way," he said, and led her through the grand entryway again, taking note of the restrooms, living room, and garage that housed a very nice-looking car that Judy had not the faintest clue about.

"And you live here alone?" she asked.

"I prefer a little solitude in my life. Though I do enjoy the company of business partners and acquaintances here from time to time," he said as they walked.

"I live alone as well, but I don't particularly like the isolation," she commented.

"I'm sure!" he said with a laugh. "Growing up in a family of rabbits, I'm sure privacy was a rare commodity."

"More like a non-existent commodity," she added. "Everywhere you turned, there was another sibling ready for you. Oddly enough, it felt nice to have someone there. If you got sick of one bunny, you had another in your corner the next room over."

"Do you see your family at all?" He asked.

"A few of my brothers actually visited town last week. But for the most part, I'm spending time with police officers."

"I'm sure they keep you very busy," he said. She nodded as they passed underneath the staircase. The front entryway surrounding the main staircase featured a picturesque fountain that babbled lightly. Judy imagined pluming this high up would be expensive enough, so adding a decorative fountain in the middle of the house was certainly a luxury. She looked to her side and noticed a door hidden underneath the staircase. Judy motioned towards the door with a paw.

"What's in there?" She asked.

"Downstairs? That's just storage. I keep the exciting things upstairs, follow me," he said and led her up the steps to a finely carved wooden door at the end of a hallway. Judy's nose twitched. She smelled something potent as they approached the door. Somehow the sent felt familiar.

"This is where I keep my inventory," he said and opened the door. Along with a wave of overpowering sent came a wave of light as well. As soon as her eyes adjusted, they widened.

"Flowers," she gasped. It was an understatement. The entire room was a giant glass dome that dripped with water, letting in all the natural light there was to be had. The greenhouse was filled with flowers similar to the ones she received that morning, all of which smelled overwhelmingly of fine perfume.

"I was serious about my threat of a larger bouquet," he said with a smile.

"I'll say. This place is gorgeous! What do you mean by inventory? Are you a florist?" She asked, and he chuckled.

"I run a shipping company specializing in imported perishables. So that's exotic vegetables, beer, pineapples, bananas, and flowers," he explained. "Of course most of our merchandise goes straight to retailers, but I always have these flowers shipped here first."

"Why?" She asked as he closed the door. He paused, looking back at her before saying simply,

"They remind me of home." Judy took mental notes about everything she heard, reminding herself to jot them down afterward. Jaeger finished his drink, leading them back downstairs towards the kitchen were he began filling their plates and setting the table.

Diner was lovely, she had to admit. They spoke about the city, his work with the organization, and more differences between the ZPD and Bunny Burrows. Judy tried her best to avoid talking about his work too much to avoid suspicion, but she had to find out more. While she did enjoy herself, she had to remind herself she was there for a reason. As they ate and chatted, Judy came up with an idea.

"I'm sorry, Jaeger, may I borrow a restroom?" She asked politely.

"Of course. Front hallway, past the fountain, by the stairs," he said and she excused herself, making her way down the hallway they passed on the tour. She made a show of opening and closing the bathroom door loudly before quietly stepping towards the door to 'downstairs'. She tugged on the handle, which did not budge.

"Locked," she cursed. Nothing she found thus far was damning, but she found it extremely odd that a house the high in the canopy could even have a basement at all. It might be to throw off would-be investigators, or it could just be storage. She lowered her paw to the crack under the door. There was a subtle draft breathing onto her fingers that was much cooler than the rest of the house. She also noticed a line of dirt that trailed out into the hallway. In a house that was spotlessly clean, this was the only spot that had any sign of regular use. For a mammal who lives alone in a large house, why would he need to go in and out of storage so often?

"I see you're done with the restroom," Jaegers voice came from beside her. She jumped in shock. Normally her hearing would pick up on someone approaching, but he was absolutely silent. She quickly stood up and nervously laughed.

"Oh, umm, I was actually trying to get in the restroom but the door seems to be locked, heh," she lied.

"Odd, because I could have sworn I heard you open and close the bathroom door a minute ago," Jaeger pointed out with a scowl on his face.

"You know, Jaeger, I'm really sorry but I actually have to go back home now. It's getting really late and I certainly don't want to take up any more of your time," she said and started slowly backing up past the fountain and towards the front door. Jaeger was silent and glared at her fiercely. "Thank you so much for dinner, but I really should get going."

"Perhaps you should," he said coldly as he watched her leave. She turned to open the door, keeping her nervous smile plastered on her face and keeping her ears at full attention. She did not have any weapons, backup, and while the chief knew where she was, he was not expecting her back until the next morning. She suddenly felt like her worn-out welcome was becoming much more dangerous by the second. She turned the handle and opened the door, only to find a large pig standing in her way.

The pig was dressed in a dark shirt and filthy pants, staring down at her with an intense glare. While she might be able to take him in a fight if need be she wanted to avoid that as best she could, and at that moment he was taking up the entire doorway.

"Oh, excuse me," she tried her best to feign politeness.

"Boss," the pig said, looking past her and towards Jaeger. "We got a problem," he snorted.

A groaning sound came from behind Jaeger. Judy turned and observed the storage door she tried to open before. The handle turned, the door swung open, and out stepped her partner with his paws cuffed behind his back. He groaned in pain and fell to the floor, shortly before a second pig followed him out of the stairs and closed the door behind him, looking at her menacingly.

"Nick!?" She called out. Nick's eyes shot open, looking at her with panic in his face.

"Judy, Run!" he cried out.

Confused, Judy turned to look at the pig blocking her exit, only to immediately receive a hoof to her midsection and tumble across the floor. She groaned in pain as she willed the air to return to her lungs. She rolled over, looking at her partner who was struggling wildly against his captor, lunging toward her.

The pig who was blocking the door closed it behind him and snapped the deadbolt with a click. Judy refused to panic and began rifling through her blouse. She pulled out her tranq and fixed it on the pig standing between them and the exit. Just before she could pull the trigger, a foot came slamming down on her wrist, pinning her whole arm to the ground. the tranquilizer gun skidded across the floor out of her other arms reach, where Jaeger's henchman scooped it up and trained it on her.

"Judy!" She heard Nick call out. His cry was met with a quick jab in the side from the pig holding his cuffed paws behind his back.

"I told you brining a cop here was a bad idea," one pig said to Jaeger.

"And I told you these were the same ones from the house," the other pig jabbed back. "We should get rid of them now."

"Cops?! Are you crazy? We're in deep enough as it is."

"Heh," Nick groaned from the floor. "You have no idea how deep you guys are in."

"Quiet, fox!" His captor said and jabbed him in the gut for good measure.

"That is enough," Jaeger called out commandingly. The whole room went quiet as the bobcat, who loomed over Judy like a nightmare, thought quietly to himself. His fierce eyes fixed on Judy, who glared right back at him. He knelt downward, bringing his face lower as she lay pinned to the floor under his foot.

"Why don't you tell me why you're really here," he nearly whispered. Judy looked at her arm, giving it another tug to no avail before looking back at him and glaring.

"Meat," she said coldly. Jaeger groaned with a sigh before standing back up.

"Well, I'm honestly surprised. We've been keeping an eye on any wayward customs agents and the ZBI, but a simple officer went under my radar. But then again, you're not just any officer, are you?" He said before turning to Nick, keeping his foot pressed hard against Judy's arm. "But you? I expected more from a fox. You come to my house, sneaking into my basement without a warrant?" He said, to which Nick frowned.

"I saw everything, you creep. My pals at the office are going to blow this joint sky-high," Nick threatened.

"I think not," Jaeger said with his superior tone. "If you had enough evidence for a warrant, you would have come through my front door. Breaking and entering is not exactly police protocol, so I'm willing to bet that your superiors don't know you are in here. In fact, I don't believe your partner even knew about your prowling, am I right?"

Nick closed his mouth and growled at him, earning a satisfied smile from Jaeger. The bobcat turned back to the bunny held underneath his foot. Her eyes shifted between her captor and her partner, trying to figure out what her next move was.

"Why, Jaeger?" Her voice said coldly.

"Why?" He responded and knelt back down beside her again. "Let me ask you something, officer. Do you have exceptional hearing?"

She cocked an eyebrow at her captor, who quietly waited for a response. She simply nodded her head.

"Does your foot thump when you get frustrated?" He asked. She nodded again. "Does your nose twitch when you get anxious?" She did not bother replying, because at that moment her little nose was twitching like mad.

"You are a bunny. And as such, you are allowed to be your natural self. Of course you decided to become a police officer, which I'm sure was difficult, but you never needed to change what you are to become who you are. Do you follow?" She starred back at him angrily, and he continued anyway. "Me however, I am not that free. I cannot show my teeth without mammals cowering in fear. I cannot satisfy my most basic urge to hunt. And I am barred from ever sustaining myself with what nature intended me to eat. So why? Officer Hopps, I eat meat for freedom. And I share that freedom with the predators of this city who are so cruelly denied their most basic needs."

"And what about the innocent mammals that have to die just so you can have lunch?" Judy asked.

"My supply is obtained through morgues overseas, Officer. I am no killer," he explained.

"So that's your method? You buy it off of butchers abroad and ship it here to your own house?"

"Of course. The safest place is within eyeshot," he agreed.

"So how did you get it past customs?" Nick asked from behind him. "The sniffers at boarder patrol train for years to spot contraband, so how can you get it past them?"

"Ah, Judy saw my smuggling practice first hand already," Jaeger responded. Judy scowled as she thought back to her tour around his house, when a familiar sent crossed her nose

"Flowers," she realized

"Yes, my flowers are grown in the mountains near my old home. Their fragrance is particularly powerful and just so happens to chemically cancel meat odor. In freight, when mixed with the sent of meat, even the most experienced patrol wolf in the world cannot tell one from the other," he explained.

"So you have the flowers shipped here, and the meat hidden inside?" Judy asked.

Jaeger was clearly growing tired of their conversation and sighed. He stood back up, which sent pain shooting down Judy's arm that was starting to feel numb. He looked back towards Nick and let go of Judy's arm. She rubbed the sore spot where his foot had been, but did not dare move since one of his security officers had her own tranquilizer gun fixed on her back.

"That's enough of my confessions, officers. Now it is your turn."

He motioned with two fingers, and the pig holding Nick brought him to his feet and held onto his cuffs tightly as they walked towards Jaeger. Nick stood up tall and looked Jaeger in the eyes as the babbling fountain filled the silence between them.

"No radio today?" Jaeger asked. The pig began searching through Nicks pockets aggressively. He pulled out his baton, city map, pocketbook, all of which fell to the floor as the pig rifled through his effects.

"Got it," the pig said and pulled out Nick's cellphone and handed it to Jaeger. The screen was black. Jaeger scoffed and simply tossed the phone beside him, where it landed in the fountain pool with a plop.

"You have any idea how much my contact-list was worth? Not to mention the selfies," Nick said flatly.

"I'm sure you'll find a way to carry on without them for a few more minutes," Jaeger said back. Judy noticed Jaeger's accent was slowly becoming more noticeable, and his tone was darker.

"Now, officer Hopps, you're turn. Phone please," he said and motioned towards her with an outstretched paw. She held back, shooting a glance to the pig pointing her tranq at her.

"Maybe you did not hear me," he spat.

Jaeger swiftly turned around, catching Nick's collar in one smooth motion, and throwing his head sideways. Nick voiced his shock moments before his entire head plunged into the icy cold water of Jaeger's fountain. Jaeger held his paw down on Nick's head, keeping his fiery gaze on Judy.

"Okay Okay! Let him go!" She cried as she quickly fished out her phone from her pocket. Nick was struggling against Jaeger, mumbling panicked cries muffled by the water. The pig and bobcat both wrestled him down against the fountain, keeping him from coming up for air. She threw the phone at Jaeger who caught it and simply placed it beside Nick's head under the water.

"Now answer me this question," Jaeger spat, keeping his paw firmly on Nick's neck.

"Please stop it! You're killing him!" She cried as she watched Nick's arms and legs kick wildly in protest. If another second went by, she would rush them both. She was not about to watch her partner die.

"Answer me this first," he retorted.

"What?!"

"Who knows you're here?"

"Police chief Bogo!" She cried out.

"She's lying!" The pig called out from behind her.

"Tell me the truth, Judy," Jaeger growled. Nick's protests began to slow and the sounds of splashing began to die down as he became docile under the water.

"It's the truth!" She cried, tears beginning to form on her eyes. "Chief Bogo knows I'm here but not on police business. Please! Let him go!" She cried out.

Jaeger sighed.

"Well," he said and released his grip on Nick's neck. "This makes matters more complicated."

The pig who was holding Nick's body picked him up and tossed him to the floor. His body hit the marble with a thud accompanied by the splash of water.

"Nick!" Judy screamed and ran beside him. She was relieved to find him coughing at grasping for air. He winced and barred his teeth. His chest glowed with pain as he continued to gasp.

"Eugh! Tastes like ego and rhino piss," he choked out and looked up at his partner weakly. Judy was cradling his head in her arms, the water slowly beginning to soak the fur on her paws. "Hi-ya Carrots," he whimpered and smiled weakly.

"Oh Nick," she sighed and rubbed his fur soothingly.

"You need to run," he whispered.

"And leave you here alone? That's not happening," she whispered back.

"Carrots," he began, but was cut short when one of Jaeger's henchmen pulled her arms behind her and wrestling her off of the limp fox. She fought back as best she could, but she was out of her weight class and he had a good grip. The other pig lifted Nick up and held him beside her, facing Jaeger.

The Bobcat was holding Judy's tranq in his paw and thoughtfully running a finger over it. Jaeger paced a little as he thoughtfully observed the weapon in his hand. After a moment of collecting his thoughts, he looked up at her and frowned.

"Judy," he began. His voice frightened her. Not because it was threatening, but because it was dripping with sorrow. "I really wish it did not have to be like this," he said and reached out a paw towards her cheek. She recoiled, stopping his advance.

"I want you to know that this is the most painful thing I'll ever do," he continued.

"Oh, well when he puts it like that, I guess it's ok," Nick whimpered before coughing again. Judy's eyes widened as she realized what Jaeger meant. She turned to the bobcat and noticed how his brow creased, like he was consoling a grief-stricken lover.

"Would you rather?" He asked quietly and held up her tranq at her leg. His finger hovered over the trigger as he offered his mercy ". . . You won't feel a thing."

Judy's mind was racing. Confronted with what looked like her immanent death, she could choose to feel nothing at all. She did not want to know what horrors awaited her if she denied. She missed the opportunity to fight back, and her partner was in no condition to outrun any of them. So she took a deep breath, looked at Jaeger in the eyes, and spat.

"Fine," he said, and wiped his face with the back of his paw before facing his compatriots. "Take them downstairs, and don't forget to turn the freezer up to max. I'm headed to the airport. I must return home and lay low for some time. After you take the bodies to Tundra Town river in the morning, I suggest you do the same."

Judy's eyes widened. They were going to freeze them to death.

"No," Nick groaned but barely had the strength to stand, much less fight. "Carrots you need to run," he hissed. The pigs began escorting them to the door to the basement and down the stairs. She tested the grip of her captor, giving her arms a tug, but she barely budged.

"I'm not leaving you here," she hissed back at him.

"Carrots, please," he said before they arrived at the end of a dark hallway. There was no light, only one large stainless steel door with a hatch lock.

"Think they'll last the night?" One pig asked as he opened the door. A hauntingly cold breeze swept over her toes.

"A short-fur rabbit and a drenched fox? I give them two hours tops," the one holding Judy said.

She prepared to drop to her knees and try to twist herself out of the pigs grip before she heard something that stopped her.

"Not this," Nick said with a whimper. His broken tone distracted her, and she saw the look on his face. He was terrified.

"In!" The pig barked and kicked her in the back, making her fall forward on the icy floor. She turned and saw Nick slumped on the floor behind her.

"Wait!" She cried before the door slammed with a crashing noise and she became enveloped in utter darkness. She got up and pounded against the door with her paws, screaming obscenities at them. A moment later she heard the sound of the air turning on and feeling a deathly breeze fall over her shoulders. She clutched her torso as the cold went right through her clothes and fur.

"Nick?" She called out, unable to see her partner.

"Carrots," she heard from her side. She followed his voice with her paw until she found his paw waiting for hers. He was sitting up against the wall with his feet splayed.

"Nick, can you see anything that'll help? The doors locked from the outside."

"Hopps," he said.

"Maybe there's a drain or a vent we can get through. You're vision should be helpful, I can't see a thing."

"Judy," he whispered. At the sound of her first name, her breath caught in her throat and she stared at the blackness where Nick's voice had come from.

"Why didn't you run? . . . I told you to run . . ." He sounded weak and sad.

"Nick! We can't give up yet! We've got to figure a way out of here," she hissed and found his face with her paws. She felt his head shake.

"I found this place earlier while you and Jaeger were touring the house. I took pictures of everything, but there's no way out beside that door," he said weakly.

She stopped still. Here eyes were wide, but only for a moment because the bitter breeze stung, causing them to tear up a little.

"Nick," she said with a shaky voice.

"I'm sorry, Carrots," Nick replied.

She fell to her knees and bowed her head against his chest, choking back a sob. They were going to die in there. With no way out, their only hope was the chief sending backup. But without a warrant from city hall, he couldn't send anyone inside, and a warrant would not come until the next morning. Judy groaned against Nick's chest as the cold began to seep deep into her bones and in through her chest with every breath.

Nick wrapped his paws around Judy and curled his tail around her back. She moved in closer without thinking, beckoned by the warmth of his figure. He rested his chin on her forehead, and she choked back another sob. The last bit of water soaked through his chin and onto her head, but she didn't care. It didn't matter.

Her mind raced of the coming events. They would find their bodies in a river. She saw her parents learning about it, their faces of horror and heartbreak brought tears to her eyes. She wiped them away, for they became like ice in moments. She pictured her brother getting married, her post at the ZPD being filled by a new recruit, a new tenant for her apartment. There was so much work left undone. But above all else, there was Nick. He'd be robbed of his future too, and if she hadn't fought with him that morning, if she had listened to his warning, maybe they wouldn't be in this mess at all. But here they were, cold and afraid.

"Blueberries," she heard Nick say from above her head.

"What?" She whispered.

"The first thing I'm going to do when I get out of here is get myself some blueberries and chow down," he said. She could hear through his voice that he was smiling. She rubbed her head against his chest, not wanting to think about what she was missing.

"Then I'm gonna go down to Finn's van and finally get my darn ipod back."

She chuckled, continuing to fight back tears.

"Then I'm going to go buy a bootlegged movie from Weaselton and watch it with a bag of popcorn the size of you," he said, his smile growing on his face.

"Nick," she began.

"What? You got something against buttered popcorn?"

"No. It's just-"

"Well alright then, what are you gonna eat when we're out of here?"

Just sighed, deciding against fighting with her partner in her last moments.

"Carrot cake," she confessed.

"Typical," Nick said, his smile returning to his face.

"Á la mode," she continued.

"Mmmm, now we're talking."

"I'm gonna take that cake and ice cream on the train and head to that park across the river from Sahara Square, where there's this incredible view of the Palmtree Building at sunset. And I'm gonna eat and take a nap in the shade right there in the grass," she explained. As she spoke, she could practically feel the soft earth through her feet. Perhaps that was just her loosing feeling in her toes from the cold, but she savored the feeling all the same.

"I'm gonna call up Jake, and tell him I'm coming to his wedding," she continued, her voice shaky as she began to shiver. Nick brought her in even closer till their chests were pressed against each other, keeping his arms wrapped tightly around her.

"And I'm gonna tell my neighbors to pipe the hell down," she finished.

"Huh," Nick commented quietly.

"What?"

"Nothing, I just expected you to say something dreamy, like 'make the world a better place'."

"The world is a better place with carrot cake," she said back.

"Touché," he conceded.

"But if you must know, I think I will make the world a better place. I want to head back to my office, file the arrest report for Jaeger, and hunt for more criminals just like him," she said confidently.

"So that's it? You'll be a officer forever? Boring."

She would slug him if her arms could move.

"Yeah? That's a lot from a popsicle hustler who's dream is to watch bootlegged movies with popcorn alone at home."

"Hey, I enjoy the simple life," he commented.

"No more music?" She added.

"Nah. Gave that up a long time ago," he shrugged. She noticed Nick was starting to shudder when he spoke from the frigid air.

"Why?" She asked.

"I told you carrots, I got sick of tomatoes in my fur," he answered.

"Nick, tell me why you stopped playing," she repeated herself, more seriously this time.

Nick sighed. He only had himself to blame for starting this conversation, and given the circumstances, now was no time to be aloof.

"My dad taught me how to play, and I gave it up when he died. It just . . . didn't feel right anymore."

"Nick," Judy cooed. "I'm so sorry. I'm sure it hurt to play at the party the other night. But for what it's worth, I really thought you were great. You looked so . . . happy up there."

"Funny, I figured you for a pop music fan," he said. She smiled as she pulled her arms in close to warm her center.

Another thought occurred to her.

"What about your grandfathers theme park?" She asked.

His breathing softened and he grew much quieter at her mentioning it. His grip around her shoulders did not loosen, though.

"I want to sell it. Preferably to someone who will use it. If I can't find someone to re-open it, then maybe to someone who can turn it into a museum. Anything but a wrecking ball," he said softly.

Judy rubbed her head into the fur of his neck comfortingly, despite the cold water still dripping from him.

"But you were right, Carrots. I can't let that place hold me back anymore. I've got bigger things to do," his voice was barely a whisper.

"Yeah? Like what? I'm pretty sure watching bootlegged movies with popcorn does not count as 'bigger things' Nick" She asked, holding back a violent shiver. She regretted they were having this conversation now, but Judy was happy because she never knew Nick to have any aspirations.

"Yeah well . . . There's this girl," he said softly. Despite the rush of cold air flowing between them, Judy lifted her head back in surprise, looking at the dark mass in front of her. She could tell that he wasn't looking back at her.

"Really?" She asked. "This is the first I'm hearing about it."

"Ehhh forget it. It doesn't matter now anyway," he said softly.

"No! Tell me. What's she like?" She asked. She was unsure of why she wanted to press the subject so much. Given their situation, it was unlikely to go well.

"She's . . . A little crazy if I'm honest. She wouldn't be the smart choice, that's for sure."

"Have I met her?"

"Perhaps," he said.

"Nick, now is not the time for secrets," she scolded him.

"Well it doesn't matter anyway. She's not interested," he said coldly. Judy stopped and softened. The subject was clearly sore for him.

"Did she tell you?"

"Pretty much asserted that she could not see me that way. But hey, a frozen foxicle can dream, can't he?"

She leaned in again and rubbed her face back into the fur of his neck.

"But she's worth keeping around. She's the type of mammal who builds you up, makes you want to root for her. She's got this stupid look on her face that, on the one paw makes her look foolish, but on the other makes me never want to see another face for as long as I live. She's . . ." Nick stopped. Judy held onto his figure, wanting more than anything to will these dreams into life for her partner.

"She's my home," he finished. Judy was scared, strangely. Perhaps it was the cold, or the thought that she was effectively robbing him of his chance to square things with this vixen, but the thought of seeing less of him tugged at her chest. Odd, considering he'd be the last mammal she would ever see.

"Nick," she began. "First thing you do when we get out of here is go find her and get her," she said, tapping her head against his for emphasis.

"What about the blueberries?" Nick joked.

"Uh-unh. Girl first," she demanded.

"Maybe I'll give her her some blueberries. Is that fair?" Nick suggested. Judy smiled.

"Deal" she said. "Why haven't you ever said this before, Nick? You know I can keep a secret. Aren't I . . . Wasn't I your closest friend?"

"Sure you are Carrots. But hey, when we're you gonna tell me why you were afraid of foxes?" He countered.

She lifted her face off of his chest again and looked up at him. While all she could see was a dark mass, he could see all of her features, down to the way her ears folded down over her back. He was eternally grateful that she could not see in the dark. The horrors that surrounded them on the shelves and hanging from the ceiling would make her break down. It was all he could do to manage to ignore it. The look of concern on Judy's face certainly helped.

"What do you mean?"

Nick slowly brought one of his paws from around her torso to her face. He momentarily hissed at the stinging cold that replaced her warmth. He brought his thumb up to her left cheek and slowly and gently dragged the digit across her fur, bending it back against the grain. Sure enough, he could see the faint discolored skin and feel the 'bump bump bump' of three scars drawn down her face, just as her brother described. A fox had done this to her.

"Why didn't you tell me?" He asked gently.

She sighed.

"I didn't want you to get offended. It was years ago, and it doesn't change how I feel about foxes, least of all you," she encouraged.

"But doesn't it? I mean, The fox repellent you wore on your belt seems tame now."

"I kept that day on my belt next to that repellent for too long, Nick. I could finally put it behind me when I saw that Gideon had changed. I guess putting the repellent behind me was what put you in front of me now, huh?"

"Gee, when you put it that way," Nick groaned and motioned to the room they were in, emphasizing their predicament.

They had moved too far apart and a sickening breeze snuck between them, chilling them both to the bone. They immediately embraced again and held onto each other firmly, catching the warmth before it could escape.

"I'm sorry," Nick confessed.

"For what?"

"For fighting with you earlier today about Jaeger."

"I'm the one who should be sorry. My optimism got the best of me," Judy asserted quietly.

"No it was me. I got angry and jealous and acted like a kit," Nick said. "And I'm sorry for it."

"Aw Nick," Judy waved him off. "Don't worry about that. You were worried about me, but I could never actually fall for someone like Jaeger. That was just a stupid nothing."

Nick's shaking around her started to escalate to a constant tremble. Judy squeezed up against him a little tighter, but she could not hold back her own shivering either.

"Yeah . . ." He echoed. "A stupid nothing."

Nick became still as he let the weight of his head rest against Judy's. With Nick's tail wrapped around her back and her face pressed into the fur of his neck, Judy felt sheltered from the vile breeze completely. It did not keep the cold from soaking into her bones, but it did allow her a bit of comfort. She felt as if she had more to say, as if some part of her subconscious was begging for her to keep talking. But her mouth refused to open and her jaw stayed shut. Her eyes stayed closed and her breathing began to calmly slow down.

Something about the frigid air and Nick's warm center beckoned her consciousness away. She began to drift, thankful that by the very least she was comfortable. It felt selfish of her, but she found herself grateful to be with Nick in that moment. She felt consoled, she felt content, she felt sheltered.

Nick felt cold.

*******************************************************************************************

Judy's eyes peeled themselves open, only to shut themselves violently as a blinding white light invaded her brain. She turned and rubbed her head into Nick's fur to comfort her aching retinas. Her ears twitched, despite being so stiff, as she heard voices begin to surround her. She pulled her eyes open again and saw tall figures surrounding her holding flashlights pointing in every direction.

"Delgato?" She realized looking up at her co-worker who bent down on a knee to see her closer.

"I've got them chief!" He said into his radio. "We need an EMT."

"Chief? Nick, did you hear?" She said weakly, her voice a little broken but bright. She looked up to Nick who still had his resting against hers. He was still.

"Nick?" She asked. The water that was dripping from his fur had frozen and his face was lined with a layer of frost.

"Nick!" she said again and pulled her stiff arms up to cradle his face. The ice crunched under her touch and his fur felt thick and solid. She brought his snout down and pressed his nose against hers. She gripped his fur tightly and pleaded in desperation with whatever powers that be that they weren't too late. She shut her eyes tightly and begged to feel something.

She felt warmth against her nose. It was faint, but it was slow and steady. She smiled and held onto the fur on his cheeks. His breath washed relief over her face like water seeping into dry soil. She held her nose against his and savored the feeling of her partner so close to her. She heard a slight rumble and a laugh escaped her mouth. The idiot was asleep still, and he was snoring.

"Come on, Hopps," the tiger said and gently scooped her up into his arms, carrying her out of the room that was filling up with more and more officers. McHorn carried Nick up as well, peeling him off the wall as the frost crackled around him.

Their coworkers brought the two frigid officers up the stairs and outside where the entire road was lined up with police cars with their lights whirling around lighting up the entire neighborhood. Nick was carried out to a waiting crew of EMT officers who began to strap him on to a stretcher and into an ambulance. Judy was brought to a separate ambulance where a thick blanket was tossed over her shoulders and a young squirrel began taking her vitals. Her limbs stung as the circulation in her bloodstream returned life to her fingers and toes. The EMT asserted that she showed signs of frost bite but was lucky that a hot drink and some warm rest would be all she needed.

"What about Nick?" She asked the medic. He leaned into his shoulder and pressed the button down on his radio.

"How's he doing Sean?" He called into the radio. A muffled voice returned a moment later.

"Frostbite on the tail and forearms, but it doesn't look severe enough to warrant amputations. We're gonna take him back to general to be sure, but he should be just fine," the voice called back, and the squirrel smiled at her.

"Thank you," she said softly and smiled, sighing happily that everything was going to be alright. She looked over towards the ambulance that Nick was in. He was sitting up in the stretcher with Clawhauser speaking frantically at him. While the worried cheetah continued to wave a bag full of food at him, Nick looked right at her with a sad smile on his face. She gingerly waved to him from across the mass of cops, and he managed a wave back before the EMTs closed the ambulance doors and the ambulance roared into life before spinning down the massive tree towards downtown.

Judy kept a worried eye on the ambulance as she watched it turn down the road and out of sight. She looked around and saw Wolford escorting one of Jaeger's henchmen into the back seat of his cruiser. Seeing the bad guys get their dues had a certain satisfaction to it, but she felt as though she would not feel secure until things were the way they were before. With Nick cracking jokes and Chief screaming at them, and Clawhauser not looking so worried.

"Hopps! Oh my gosh, are you alright? What did they do to you?" Clawhauser said, bumbling up to her ambulance. She smiled at his energetic mothering and waved him off.

"I'm fine, Clawhauser, really. Didn't you hear the details from Nick anyway?" She asked.

"No! He was being super weird and not cracking any jokes or anything," he said and looked back towards the spot that Nick's ambulance had been, biting his claws.

"He's had a long night, Ben," she reassured him. But the thought worried her too. Nick found a way to joke after nearly drowning to death that same night, so something about the freezer had gotten to him. He was surprisingly open with her about his past when they were afraid they were going to die. She had no idea about his father, or his plans for the theme park, or this girl. But she smiled, because they could now find ways of putting those plans into action.

"Would you like anything to eat?" Clawhauser offered. "I got protein bars, celery sticks, some twinkies, fruits, veggies, and donuts."

"You brought snacks, Ben?" She said with a cocked eyebrow.

"Hey, departmental morale is key to maintain in times of stress, and you and Nick get first dibs," he said and held up a grocery bag towards her.

"No thank you," she waved him off.

"Oh darn, Nick said the same thing," he said with a scowl. "Why won't you two let me be helpful?"

"If you must, you can give me a ride home," she offered. Clawhauser smiled and got to his feet.

"I'll bring the cruiser around, but before I do, Nick wanted me to make sure you got this," he said and rifled through his bag.

"I don't need anything, Ben," she reassured him again.

"Now now, Nick was emphatic about this; made me promise I'd get it to you," he said and pulled out a small paper bag and handed it over.

Judy cocked an eyebrow again as she took the small bag from his paw. She opened the bag, and for a moment, she wasn't exactly sure why Nick was so insistent. A moment later her eyes shot open and she stared back at the spot where Nick had waved her goodbye not a moment before.

"Blueberries . . ." She said, showing Clawhauser.

"Yeah. Seemed like the sort of thing he would want. It was weird how he wanted you to have them so much, he loves those more than anything," Ben said and marched off to grab the cruiser, leaving her alone.

She wasn't sure if the cold had caused a misfire in her brain, but Nick's words were swirling around in her head like mad.

Never want to see another face for as long as I live . . .

She's my home . . .

A stupid nothing . . .

Her chest felt heavy. She wasn't sure if she was still cold or lit on fire, but her whole body locked up. She continued to stare at the spot where he waved at her. She could still see his sad, almost apologetic smile on his face.

"That fox."

Description
Judy was in early the next morning compiling evidence and filing a report on the previous night's events for the Chief. Unsurprisingly, she was relentless with the details. She listened to the audio tapes of her conversation with Jaeger over and over again, paying close attention to anything that could reveal more. But after a few hours of analysis, the case seemed to cool down for her. Nothing they had thus far was incriminating of course, but she began to realize it was not particularly suspicious either. She groaned rubbed her brow as the morning quickly vanished and she yearned for a break when the phone on her desk rang.

"ZPD, this is officer Hopps speaking" she said, calmly scooping up the phone.

"Hi Hopps, it's Clawhauser. I've got a package at the front desk waiting for you," Benjamin said, with a slight giggle.

"Huh, I don't remember ordering anything."

Clawhauser laughed again, "Oh I don't think you did, honey-bunny."

With that, he hung up and Judy made her way to the lobby. She saw Clawhauser sitting at his desk giving her a sly look with a little wave of his fingers. He had a pile of boxes mixed in with his usual assortment of snacks on one side of his desk, and on the other side there was a remarkably large bouquet of flowers displayed in a decadent glass vase.

"Wow, Clawhauser. Who are the flowers for?" she asked eyeing them up and down. The vase was nearly as tall as she was.

"Why their yours you lucky rabbit!" he said and giggled madly. Her mouth fell open and she looked the flowers up and down once more. They were expensive looking, and unbelievably fragrant. The smell seemed to fill the entire front lobby, which was no small feat.

"Wha . . . I can't even fit these on my desk! Let alone my apartment. Is this Nick's idea of a prank?" she asked.

"They're not mine," a voice said from behind her. She turned and found Nick wearing a scowl on his face, his eyes hiding behind his shades and a coffee steaming in his hand. He scoffed and walked right past her, ignoring the mass of foliage on Benjamin's desk.

"Then who . . ." Judy wondered.

"Who do you think?!" Nick called out as he rounded the hallway and left the lobby. Judy furrowed her brow and looked back at Clawhauser, who was holding out a small envelope with gold trim towards her.

"This came with it," he said and handed her the note. Judy carefully tore it open, shooting another glance to where Nick had exited before reading.

To Judy:

Dinner, or else the next one will be twice as big.

Yours, J

A phone number was written on the back. She quickly hid the note from Clawhauser and blushed, looking down at the ground and back at the flowers again. They were all variations of purple and white, and they were really quite beautiful.

"Sooooo?" Clawhauser said with another sly smile. "Is it from our new favorite bobcat?"

"He's a suspect, Clawhauser" Judy reminded him and walked back to her desk.

"That doesn't mean guilty!" he said and dreamily stared at the flowers on his desk while helping himself to a pawful of chocolates.

Judy shook her head and smiled. He had a point, but she needed to focus on getting the job done. All evidence pointed to him . . . right?

"Cheap bastard didn't get me any flowers," she heard Nick grumble from his desk.

"You want them? they're yours," she said leaning up against the wall of his cubicle.

"I'll send them to his prison cell," Nick scowled.

"Yeah, about that Nick . . ." she began. The Fox swiveled in his chair and shot her a look over his glasses. "I'm not sure we've got the right guy," she confessed.

"What? Carrots, you can't be serious."

"Just listen. So far we have a burned down casino we're still waiting on lab results for, and two pigs whose faces we haven't seen who simply work for a 'Jaeger', who may or may not be the same one we bumped into last night," Judy explained.

"Carrots, there were pigs working security for the guy last night, just as we expected," Nick countered.

"We only saw one, but that's besides the point. These pigs might just be hired security! What if the boss they were working for to clean the gambling ring was a separate boss from Jaeger? We have nothing to prove otherwise."

"We're looking for a well-funded mob boss here, and this guy has connections in all the right places and the perfect cover."

"Or he's just a millionaire philanthropist," Judy retorted. Aggravated, Nick tossed his glasses on his desk and looked at her, clearly cross.

"Hopps, this kind of left-field yank is not like you. I mean, you can't seriously be buying his act," he said.

"I'm just saying, Nick, maybe it's not an act. We have to be prepared to learn that we have the wrong mammal. I mean, we only went to the party last night on a hunch, and we can't make arrests on hunches."

"So . . . what, do we just assume he's clean and look elsewhere?" Nick asked.

"Well, he's invited me to dinner, so maybe I'll learn more about him then," she said with a shrug. Nick looked almost surprised before standing up and glaring at her.

"You're hoping he's clean, aren't you?"

"What is that supposed to mean?" She said and glared back.

"I heard the tape, Carrots. A few minutes of flirting, a dance, flowers at your desk, and now suddenly he's innocent?" Nick said and gestured to the lobby.

"Where on earth are you going with this?" she asked, waving her paws in the air in surrender.

"You've been hustled, Carrots. By an amateur no less, and now you're falling for him," he accused.

"Nick! I'm not falling for this guy, I'm just trying to get to the bottom of the case," she defended herself.

"Admit it. If he's not our mob-boss, then you'd be all over him, right?" Nick accused her, with a roll of his eyes.

"No!" She spat. Nick made a show of mocking her, placing his arms behind his head to mimic her ears.

"'Oh, he's just a millionaire philanthropist. No criminal could ever be that devilishly hansom," he accented his mock with a fake swoon before folding his arms and giving her another glare.

"Nick, he's a predator! I could never see him like that!" she defended herself loudly. Nick stiffened, keeping his gaze right at her. She didn't soften, she simply returned his glare and angrily thumped her foot on the floor a few times. After a moment, she saw him scoff again and put his shades back on.

"Whatever you say, Carrots. Since you're so eager to inspect the rich guy, I'm going to dig into his security. Have a nice date," Nick said and placed his radio on his hip before walking towards Bogo's office.

"What has gotten in to him?" she asked herself quietly. For a moment, she considered whether or not she offended him with her comment about predators, but he knew she meant only in a romantic sense. Besides, she was too angry to correct herself at the moment. She huffed, and turned towards her desk and sat down with another sigh. She heard something softly hit the ground beside her. Looking down, she noticed the card Jaeger left for her had fallen out of her pocket and onto the floor. She scooped it up and read the number on the back again, then turned it to read the message again. She shook her head and scowled at herself.

"Dumb Fox," she mumbled and picked up her phone and put the earpiece on before dialing the number on the card. She hit the REC button as it began to ring. The phone rang a few times while Judy pondered why she was so defensive of Jaeger. It was true that she never considered a predator, or any mammal other than a bunny for that matter, but something about Jaeger did not feel quite right. Sure, many females would swoon at the opportunity, but she was a career bunny and had little time for romance. Even if she did, he was far too polite and formal. He made her feel a bit like a princess, but she would much rather be with someone that made her feel like herself. Kind of like the way she felt around Ni-

"Hello?" a voice called from the phone. Judy snapped back to reality and fumbled with the earpiece.

"Oh! Yes, uh, Hello?" she offered weakly.

"The number on my ID says the Zootopia Police Department, so either this is Judy, or I am in serious trouble," he said, which made Judy laugh.

"No, you're not in trouble Jaeger, I just wanted to thank you for the flowers. They're really . . . big if I'm honest," she noted.

"Ah, you are welcome Judy. I'm glad you like them. But I intend to make good on my threat of a bigger arrangement next time if I do not get to see you again," he jested and she laughed again.

"Well, you mentioned dinner in your note. Perhaps something a little less expensive? That fundraiser is not exactly a regular night out on a cop's salary."

"Not a problem, Judy. We can simply meet in Savanah Central since that is close to work for you. I own a wonderful little restaurant in the Ramhorne building. If that is too much, we can always meet at my house and eat for free? I'm a terrible cook though, so you'll have to excuse the service," Jaeger suggested. Judy felt herself blush again at the rather forward suggestion that she go home with this Bobcat, but she remembered she was trying to get information and, if the suspected mob leader had any supply at his own home, this would be the perfect opportunity to collect more information.

"Actually, that sounds lovely," she said, laying the eager tone on thick.

"Really? Well in that case, can I expect the pleasure of your company tonight?" He suggested.

"Hmmm someone's eager," she joked. Her smile grew as she flirted, unable to deny how much fun she was having.

"I assure you officer, my intentions are just to get to know you better," Jaeger said confidently. Judy watched as the little red light next to the REC button was flashing at her. She drew a breath and calmly and clearly spoke for the record.

"That makes two of us," she said. "Tonight will work great."

"In that case, you can expect a car to pick you up after work. My house is in the Rainforest District, so I hope you are fine with heights," Jaeger said.

"Thank you, I look forward to dinner," she said before bidding her suspect goodbye and hanging up. She sighed as she filled out notes from her conversation on her note pad. She heard a knock on her cubicle wall, turning to find officer Wolford standing at the door. He wore a sly smile on his face.

"Hey Hopps! You've got that cat wrapped around your paw like water on a hippo," he complimented her.

"Oh it's all for the case, you know that!" she defended herself. He smiled and gave her a thumbs up.

"I know, Hopps. I'm just saying you're very good at that. I mean, heck I'll never believe a lady's signals ever again after that performance."

"Oh, and I'm sure you've got all the females howling at you, right?" she jabbed with a smile on her face.

"I got my ways," he said and ran a paw through the fur on his head. "But that charm is a real asset to the ZPD. I might need you to seduce some of my suspects later," he joked again.

"Thanks, but I don't want to be known as the residential heartbreaker. That's Nick's job," she suggested. The wolf laughed heartily and shook his head.

"Nick? The guy's actually more of a dud than a stud," Wolford said.

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"He's been here a while, and I'm always joking around with the guys about how the ladies love a wolf in uniform, right? But he's never even talked about any vixens at all, not even jokingly. I mean, I thought for a bit that he might prefer males, but Clawhauser assured me that there was no way. Who'da' thought that sly fox was a bit of a shy one," he explained.

"I'm sure Nick has just got some respect, Wolford. You should try it some time," she jabbed agin, earning another laugh from her colleague.

"That sly devil has been rubbing off on you. Good luck tonight, Hopps," he said and gave a casual salute before heading out of her cubicle.

Judy thought back to what Wolford had said about her partner. Something about it seemed off. He was certainly as smooth as they come, but in all the time she knew him he never once mentioned a vixen or even females at all. With all they joked about, it seemed out of place. If he wanted to, Judy bet that he certainly could be a heartbreaker, but perhaps he wasn't interested. She then remembered that she learned about his entirely-secret musical talent the night before, along with a history of playing in a band. It was certainly possible he was keeping other secrets, and it was not her place to go around prying into what her good friend did not want to share.

Later that day, Nick found himself kicking himself over his spat with his partner. What on earth had gotten into him, he thought. He knew better than to think she was actually falling for the personification of pompous. Something about how she defended him nagged at his brain and left a bad taste in his mouth. But she did have a point. There was no actual link between him and the casino arsonists, and without undeniable proof, there was no way they were going to get a warrant for the arrest of one of Zootopia's richest philanthropists. He had to concede that perhaps she was right, and that Catalan was just a hunch. He rubbed the fur on his head and sighed when his phone rang.

"Wilde. My office," Bogo's voice rang.

"Need help decorating, sir?" he jested, before hearing a dial tone. It was not always wise to aggravate the chief before even getting in the office, but Nick couldn't help himself sometimes. He made his way down to the Chief's office and let himself in.

"Hopps says she's doing some recon alone tonight, I'm sure your aware," Bogo said. While she mentioned the date, she said nothing about going alone.

"Of course," he lied.

"She asserted that she did not need backup, but I'd like you to stay on standby just in case, clear?" Bogo. NO he wanted to say. Not Clear.

"So you want me to sneak into a rich possible-mob-leader's house and spy on my partner without her knowledge?" he asked.

"No! You daft fool, we don't have a warrant on Robert Catalan. So as per protocol, she is going on personal time, not police business," Bogo explained.

"Wait, so she's going there without any backup, gear, or escape plan?" Nick said rising to his feet.

"Why do you think I'm asking you to stay on standby?" Bogo asked.

"What am I supposed to do, sit around and wait for something to go wrong?" Nick was raising his voice a bit.

"Listen to me, Wilde. I need an operative close by, but if you dare so much as think about sneaking inside, you are in for a world of trouble," Bogo reassured him. Nick stiffened, before shrugging and playing off his practiced routine.

"Alright alright, I get your drift Chief. I'm in no rush to get my tail bagged for breaking and entering," he said. Bogo scowled and pointed to the door.

"See that you park your car and stay put, Wilde," the chief asserted. Nick was about to ask where the non-bust was happening when there was a knock at the door.

"Chief?" A voice called. It was Francine, holding a file in her hoof.

"Ah, is that the gambling den lab report?" Bogo asked and invited her in.

"Yessir," she said and handed the form over to her boss. He thanked her before thumbing through a few pages, keeping his paw at his chin and scratching lightly. Francine left the room and Nick waited in silence impatiently.

"Well," he said and removed his reading glasses. "Looks like you two were on something after all."

"Was it positive?" Nick asked.

"For nearly everything. That swab you took of the grill near the waterfront had traces of real venison, bison, elk, rabbit, sheep . . . That place was positively rank with contraband, and this should hold up in court nicely," the chief complimented their work. "But we still need evidence that Catalan is tied to the gambling ring, otherwise the case is cold."

"And how are we supposed to do that?" Nick asked rhetorically.

"Your partner is ahead of you on that one. It's certainly not standard procedure to let an officer investigate on personal time, but with three meat-serving casinos busted, I need this tied up soon before the public catches wind," he said firmly.

Nicks ear twitched.

"Three? I thought we had two? This one and the Rainforest District joint that McHorn busted," Nick asked.

"There was another bust last night, Sahara Square. That's why I pulled Delgato from your recon assignment last night. He and Higgins found another ice box behind a dresser like you had, only this one was filled to the brim with contraband," Bogo explained. Nick thought back to the previous nights events. Something worried him.

"Chief, do you have the report from the bust last night?" he asked. Bogo raised an eyebrow, before opening his desk cabinet and tossing a blue file to the fox. Nick thumbed through it quickly, looking at time signatures. His green eyes darted from side to side sporadically as he scanned the pages.

Door Breach: 2130hrs

"hmm," he said counting on his fingers. "That's . . . 9:30," he whispered.

"What is it Wilde?" Bogo asked. Nick didn't answer. He simply closed the file with a snap and flew out the door. He could vaguely hear Bogo's protests as he ran down the hallway towards his cubicle. He sat down and began pulling files on his computer. He found the audio files from the previous night's assignment and opened Judy's wire file before throwing his earbuds in.

"All set . . ." Judy's voice rang in his ear as he hit play. He pressed fast-forward to find the spot he was worried about, keeping an eye on the clock. ". . . So cute learning how to talk . . . can sneak up behind him . . . Of course, Jaeger." Nick stopped and listened carefully as Jaeger and Judy spoke. The audio went quiet for a moment, before Jaeger's voice creeped back into his hears.

"My apologies again, I have to leave on some urgent business." Nick slammed his paw on the stop button and looked at the clock on the file. 9:31pm. Jaeger left the party not a minute after Delgato's crew busted another gambling joint. If one of his subordinates called it in, he would have left to cover his tracks. Nick kicked himself for doubting his instincts and rose from his chair to find his partner. But when he got to her desk, it was empty.

"Hopps?" He called out, whirling about on his heels before calling out louder. "Has anyone seen Hopps?!" Nick ran frantically down the stairs making his way to the front desk.

"What's going on Wilde?" Clawhauser asked.

"Have you seen Judy?!" He huffed, a little out of breath. Clawhauser gave him a concerned look.

"She just left a few minutes ago," he explained.

"Where?!" He slammed a paw down on the desk, startling the poor cheetah.

"Uh, I'm not sure. She changed into her civies and got in some fancy car out in the lot. I assumed it was her relative in Tundra Town again!" He said. Nick guessed Clawhauser was talking about Mr. Big, but he knew. He looked solemnly at the clock, noticing it was just past quitting time.

"I gotta go," Nick mumbled before heading out to the parking lot and jumping into his cruiser. He quickly typed 'Robert J Catalan' into his mobile database and pulled up the address. Without waisting a minute, he sped off towards the Rainforest District.

**********************************************************************************

"We're here, ma'am," the driver said before pulling into a long driveway. He had taken her up a long winding road that snaked its way up the Rainforest District's tallest tree: the Bhengra Tree. The giant mass sat in the eastern most part of the district, giving it beautiful views of the canopy to the west during sunset. The higher the house was, the more lavish and expensive it was. The car drove up branch after massive branch, passing by giant homes each outclassing the last. By the time they turned into Jaeger's driveway, there were no other trees blocking their view of the city.

"Wow," Judy grasped at the sight. The sky was bright orange as the sun began to set, casting brilliant reflections off of the city skyline. The entire branch of the tree, while smaller than the ones near the bottom, was all part of the same house. Estate was the better word to use, she thought.

The house itself was beautiful, but it felt out of place somehow. Most of the homes in the Rainforest District grew along with the landscape. The houses bent and curved along with the trees, as did the roads connecting them. They felt like an extension of the tree, whereas this house was sharp and pointed, cutting itself into the tree and demanding it bend to its will. Massive windows lined one side, and Judy spied an orange firelight gleaming over a classical looking library.

"Cheese and crackers," she gulped as the driver stopped and opened the door for her. She suddenly felt underdressed in her blouse and jeans. She straightened her fur out nervously before knocking on the mercifully normal-sized door. Jaeger answered the door a moment later, wearing a button up shirt with the sleeves rolled up and jeans.

"May I help you officer?" He smiled at her, his striking eyes softening upon seeing her.

"No badge here," she said and nervously laughed, swinging her arms back and forth.

"So you are not here to arrest me?" he jested, and stroked the sharp fur on his face.

"I've locked up enough mammals to meet today's quota," she said with another nervous giggle. He had no idea how close he was to the truth.

"Well I'm sure chasing around wanted criminals all day can work up an appetite. Care to come in?" He said and invited her in. She smiled and followed him down a spotlessly clean entryway towards the kitchen. Jaeger had an open-design kitchen that featured a beautiful table near a window that looked over the whole canopy. She heard the sound of boiling water and smelled butternut squash grilling.

"Pasta?" She asked.

"Yes, with squash and marinara. I think a little pasta is will not prove too challenging, so it shouldn't worry you," he said, stirring some spaghetti in the pot.

"I'm sure it will be fine," she waved him off.

"Care for a drink while we wait for it to finish? You enjoy wine if I remember correctly," he said and pulled out a bottle from a wine cabinet.

"That sounds lovely," she lied. She only ordered the wine at the party because she was intending to spill it on him. She was more of a beer-lover, or anything with lots of hops. He poured each a glass and they wandered toward the window, eyeing the sunset as they drank and chatted.

"I hope you don't mind if I add some sausage to my plate," he mentioned.

"Not at all."

"Synthetic of course," he clarified.

"Well of course, you don't need to remind me," she said, shooting a nervous look towards the ground.

"I'm sorry, I don't mean to pressume. It's nice to know some prey won't assume the worst in a predator like myself," he said and sipped his wine. Judy frowned and swirled her own drink.

"Yeah," she shrugged, before shaking off the feeling.

"Something wrong?" He asked.

"Oh, I just remembered how terrible I was when I first moved here. I knew predators were just like prey, but deep down I was still afraid," she said.

"Well, you seem to have opened your mind since. Am I correct?" he asked.

"Yes, but there was probably a time when I would have assumed the worst in you, not the best," she mentioned. He simply smiled again and swirled his drink in his hand. She cleared her throat and decided to change the subject. "Why don't you show me around? Your house is beautiful," she said gesturing to the kitchen.

"Of course! If you'll follow me this way," he said, and led her through the grand entryway again, taking note of the restrooms, living room, and garage that housed a very nice-looking car that Judy had not the faintest clue about.

"And you live here alone?" she asked.

"I prefer a little solitude in my life. Though I do enjoy the company of business partners and acquaintances here from time to time," he said as they walked.

"I live alone as well, but I don't particularly like the isolation," she commented.

"I'm sure!" he said with a laugh. "Growing up in a family of rabbits, I'm sure privacy was a rare commodity."

"More like a non-existent commodity," she added. "Everywhere you turned, there was another sibling ready for you. Oddly enough, it felt nice to have someone there. If you got sick of one bunny, you had another in your corner the next room over."

"Do you see your family at all?" He asked.

"A few of my brothers actually visited town last week. But for the most part, I'm spending time with police officers."

"I'm sure they keep you very busy," he said. She nodded as they passed underneath the staircase. The front entryway surrounding the main staircase featured a picturesque fountain that babbled lightly. Judy imagined pluming this high up would be expensive enough, so adding a decorative fountain in the middle of the house was certainly a luxury. She looked to her side and noticed a door hidden underneath the staircase. Judy motioned towards the door with a paw.

"What's in there?" She asked.

"Downstairs? That's just storage. I keep the exciting things upstairs, follow me," he said and led her up the steps to a finely carved wooden door at the end of a hallway. Judy's nose twitched. She smelled something potent as they approached the door. Somehow the sent felt familiar.

"This is where I keep my inventory," he said and opened the door. Along with a wave of overpowering sent came a wave of light as well. As soon as her eyes adjusted, they widened.

"Flowers," she gasped. It was an understatement. The entire room was a giant glass dome that dripped with water, letting in all the natural light there was to be had. The greenhouse was filled with flowers similar to the ones she received that morning, all of which smelled overwhelmingly of fine perfume.

"I was serious about my threat of a larger bouquet," he said with a smile.

"I'll say. This place is gorgeous! What do you mean by inventory? Are you a florist?" She asked, and he chuckled.

"I run a shipping company specializing in imported perishables. So that's exotic vegetables, beer, pineapples, bananas, and flowers," he explained. "Of course most of our merchandise goes straight to retailers, but I always have these flowers shipped here first."

"Why?" She asked as he closed the door. He paused, looking back at her before saying simply,

"They remind me of home." Judy took mental notes about everything she heard, reminding herself to jot them down afterward. Jaeger finished his drink, leading them back downstairs towards the kitchen were he began filling their plates and setting the table.

Diner was lovely, she had to admit. They spoke about the city, his work with the organization, and more differences between the ZPD and Bunny Burrows. Judy tried her best to avoid talking about his work too much to avoid suspicion, but she had to find out more. While she did enjoy herself, she had to remind herself she was there for a reason. As they ate and chatted, Judy came up with an idea.

"I'm sorry, Jaeger, may I borrow a restroom?" She asked politely.

"Of course. Front hallway, past the fountain, by the stairs," he said and she excused herself, making her way down the hallway they passed on the tour. She made a show of opening and closing the bathroom door loudly before quietly stepping towards the door to 'downstairs'. She tugged on the handle, which did not budge.

"Locked," she cursed. Nothing she found thus far was damning, but she found it extremely odd that a house the high in the canopy could even have a basement at all. It might be to throw off would-be investigators, or it could just be storage. She lowered her paw to the crack under the door. There was a subtle draft breathing onto her fingers that was much cooler than the rest of the house. She also noticed a line of dirt that trailed out into the hallway. In a house that was spotlessly clean, this was the only spot that had any sign of regular use. For a mammal who lives alone in a large house, why would he need to go in and out of storage so often?

"I see you're done with the restroom," Jaegers voice came from beside her. She jumped in shock. Normally her hearing would pick up on someone approaching, but he was absolutely silent. She quickly stood up and nervously laughed.

"Oh, umm, I was actually trying to get in the restroom but the door seems to be locked, heh," she lied.

"Odd, because I could have sworn I heard you open and close the bathroom door a minute ago," Jaeger pointed out with a scowl on his face.

"You know, Jaeger, I'm really sorry but I actually have to go back home now. It's getting really late and I certainly don't want to take up any more of your time," she said and started slowly backing up past the fountain and towards the front door. Jaeger was silent and glared at her fiercely. "Thank you so much for dinner, but I really should get going."

"Perhaps you should," he said coldly as he watched her leave. She turned to open the door, keeping her nervous smile plastered on her face and keeping her ears at full attention. She did not have any weapons, backup, and while the chief knew where she was, he was not expecting her back until the next morning. She suddenly felt like her worn-out welcome was becoming much more dangerous by the second. She turned the handle and opened the door, only to find a large pig standing in her way.

The pig was dressed in a dark shirt and filthy pants, staring down at her with an intense glare. While she might be able to take him in a fight if need be she wanted to avoid that as best she could, and at that moment he was taking up the entire doorway.

"Oh, excuse me," she tried her best to feign politeness.

"Boss," the pig said, looking past her and towards Jaeger. "We got a problem," he snorted.

A groaning sound came from behind Jaeger. Judy turned and observed the storage door she tried to open before. The handle turned, the door swung open, and out stepped her partner with his paws cuffed behind his back. He groaned in pain and fell to the floor, shortly before a second pig followed him out of the stairs and closed the door behind him, looking at her menacingly.

"Nick!?" She called out. Nick's eyes shot open, looking at her with panic in his face.

"Judy, Run!" he cried out.

Confused, Judy turned to look at the pig blocking her exit, only to immediately receive a hoof to her midsection and tumble across the floor. She groaned in pain as she willed the air to return to her lungs. She rolled over, looking at her partner who was struggling wildly against his captor, lunging toward her.

The pig who was blocking the door closed it behind him and snapped the deadbolt with a click. Judy refused to panic and began rifling through her blouse. She pulled out her tranq and fixed it on the pig standing between them and the exit. Just before she could pull the trigger, a foot came slamming down on her wrist, pinning her whole arm to the ground. the tranquilizer gun skidded across the floor out of her other arms reach, where Jaeger's henchman scooped it up and trained it on her.

"Judy!" She heard Nick call out. His cry was met with a quick jab in the side from the pig holding his cuffed paws behind his back.

"I told you brining a cop here was a bad idea," one pig said to Jaeger.

"And I told you these were the same ones from the house," the other pig jabbed back. "We should get rid of them now."

"Cops?! Are you crazy? We're in deep enough as it is."

"Heh," Nick groaned from the floor. "You have no idea how deep you guys are in."

"Quiet, fox!" His captor said and jabbed him in the gut for good measure.

"That is enough," Jaeger called out commandingly. The whole room went quiet as the bobcat, who loomed over Judy like a nightmare, thought quietly to himself. His fierce eyes fixed on Judy, who glared right back at him. He knelt downward, bringing his face lower as she lay pinned to the floor under his foot.

"Why don't you tell me why you're really here," he nearly whispered. Judy looked at her arm, giving it another tug to no avail before looking back at him and glaring.

"Meat," she said coldly. Jaeger groaned with a sigh before standing back up.

"Well, I'm honestly surprised. We've been keeping an eye on any wayward customs agents and the ZBI, but a simple officer went under my radar. But then again, you're not just any officer, are you?" He said before turning to Nick, keeping his foot pressed hard against Judy's arm. "But you? I expected more from a fox. You come to my house, sneaking into my basement without a warrant?" He said, to which Nick frowned.

"I saw everything, you creep. My pals at the office are going to blow this joint sky-high," Nick threatened.

"I think not," Jaeger said with his superior tone. "If you had enough evidence for a warrant, you would have come through my front door. Breaking and entering is not exactly police protocol, so I'm willing to bet that your superiors don't know you are in here. In fact, I don't believe your partner even knew about your prowling, am I right?"

Nick closed his mouth and growled at him, earning a satisfied smile from Jaeger. The bobcat turned back to the bunny held underneath his foot. Her eyes shifted between her captor and her partner, trying to figure out what her next move was.

"Why, Jaeger?" Her voice said coldly.

"Why?" He responded and knelt back down beside her again. "Let me ask you something, officer. Do you have exceptional hearing?"

She cocked an eyebrow at her captor, who quietly waited for a response. She simply nodded her head.

"Does your foot thump when you get frustrated?" He asked. She nodded again. "Does your nose twitch when you get anxious?" She did not bother replying, because at that moment her little nose was twitching like mad.

"You are a bunny. And as such, you are allowed to be your natural self. Of course you decided to become a police officer, which I'm sure was difficult, but you never needed to change what you are to become who you are. Do you follow?" She starred back at him angrily, and he continued anyway. "Me however, I am not that free. I cannot show my teeth without mammals cowering in fear. I cannot satisfy my most basic urge to hunt. And I am barred from ever sustaining myself with what nature intended me to eat. So why? Officer Hopps, I eat meat for freedom. And I share that freedom with the predators of this city who are so cruelly denied their most basic needs."

"And what about the innocent mammals that have to die just so you can have lunch?" Judy asked.

"My supply is obtained through morgues overseas, Officer. I am no killer," he explained.

"So that's your method? You buy it off of butchers abroad and ship it here to your own house?"

"Of course. The safest place is within eyeshot," he agreed.

"So how did you get it past customs?" Nick asked from behind him. "The sniffers at boarder patrol train for years to spot contraband, so how can you get it past them?"

"Ah, Judy saw my smuggling practice first hand already," Jaeger responded. Judy scowled as she thought back to her tour around his house, when a familiar sent crossed her nose

"Flowers," she realized

"Yes, my flowers are grown in the mountains near my old home. Their fragrance is particularly powerful and just so happens to chemically cancel meat odor. In freight, when mixed with the sent of meat, even the most experienced patrol wolf in the world cannot tell one from the other," he explained.

"So you have the flowers shipped here, and the meat hidden inside?" Judy asked.

Jaeger was clearly growing tired of their conversation and sighed. He stood back up, which sent pain shooting down Judy's arm that was starting to feel numb. He looked back towards Nick and let go of Judy's arm. She rubbed the sore spot where his foot had been, but did not dare move since one of his security officers had her own tranquilizer gun fixed on her back.

"That's enough of my confessions, officers. Now it is your turn."

He motioned with two fingers, and the pig holding Nick brought him to his feet and held onto his cuffs tightly as they walked towards Jaeger. Nick stood up tall and looked Jaeger in the eyes as the babbling fountain filled the silence between them.

"No radio today?" Jaeger asked. The pig began searching through Nicks pockets aggressively. He pulled out his baton, city map, pocketbook, all of which fell to the floor as the pig rifled through his effects.

"Got it," the pig said and pulled out Nick's cellphone and handed it to Jaeger. The screen was black. Jaeger scoffed and simply tossed the phone beside him, where it landed in the fountain pool with a plop.

"You have any idea how much my contact-list was worth? Not to mention the selfies," Nick said flatly.

"I'm sure you'll find a way to carry on without them for a few more minutes," Jaeger said back. Judy noticed Jaeger's accent was slowly becoming more noticeable, and his tone was darker.

"Now, officer Hopps, you're turn. Phone please," he said and motioned towards her with an outstretched paw. She held back, shooting a glance to the pig pointing her tranq at her.

"Maybe you did not hear me," he spat.

Jaeger swiftly turned around, catching Nick's collar in one smooth motion, and throwing his head sideways. Nick voiced his shock moments before his entire head plunged into the icy cold water of Jaeger's fountain. Jaeger held his paw down on Nick's head, keeping his fiery gaze on Judy.

"Okay Okay! Let him go!" She cried as she quickly fished out her phone from her pocket. Nick was struggling against Jaeger, mumbling panicked cries muffled by the water. The pig and bobcat both wrestled him down against the fountain, keeping him from coming up for air. She threw the phone at Jaeger who caught it and simply placed it beside Nick's head under the water.

"Now answer me this question," Jaeger spat, keeping his paw firmly on Nick's neck.

"Please stop it! You're killing him!" She cried as she watched Nick's arms and legs kick wildly in protest. If another second went by, she would rush them both. She was not about to watch her partner die.

"Answer me this first," he retorted.

"What?!"

"Who knows you're here?"

"Police chief Bogo!" She cried out.

"She's lying!" The pig called out from behind her.

"Tell me the truth, Judy," Jaeger growled. Nick's protests began to slow and the sounds of splashing began to die down as he became docile under the water.

"It's the truth!" She cried, tears beginning to form on her eyes. "Chief Bogo knows I'm here but not on police business. Please! Let him go!" She cried out.

Jaeger sighed.

"Well," he said and released his grip on Nick's neck. "This makes matters more complicated."

The pig who was holding Nick's body picked him up and tossed him to the floor. His body hit the marble with a thud accompanied by the splash of water.

"Nick!" Judy screamed and ran beside him. She was relieved to find him coughing at grasping for air. He winced and barred his teeth. His chest glowed with pain as he continued to gasp.

"Eugh! Tastes like ego and rhino piss," he choked out and looked up at his partner weakly. Judy was cradling his head in her arms, the water slowly beginning to soak the fur on her paws. "Hi-ya Carrots," he whimpered and smiled weakly.

"Oh Nick," she sighed and rubbed his fur soothingly.

"You need to run," he whispered.

"And leave you here alone? That's not happening," she whispered back.

"Carrots," he began, but was cut short when one of Jaeger's henchmen pulled her arms behind her and wrestling her off of the limp fox. She fought back as best she could, but she was out of her weight class and he had a good grip. The other pig lifted Nick up and held him beside her, facing Jaeger.

The Bobcat was holding Judy's tranq in his paw and thoughtfully running a finger over it. Jaeger paced a little as he thoughtfully observed the weapon in his hand. After a moment of collecting his thoughts, he looked up at her and frowned.

"Judy," he began. His voice frightened her. Not because it was threatening, but because it was dripping with sorrow. "I really wish it did not have to be like this," he said and reached out a paw towards her cheek. She recoiled, stopping his advance.

"I want you to know that this is the most painful thing I'll ever do," he continued.

"Oh, well when he puts it like that, I guess it's ok," Nick whimpered before coughing again. Judy's eyes widened as she realized what Jaeger meant. She turned to the bobcat and noticed how his brow creased, like he was consoling a grief-stricken lover.

"Would you rather?" He asked quietly and held up her tranq at her leg. His finger hovered over the trigger as he offered his mercy ". . . You won't feel a thing."

Judy's mind was racing. Confronted with what looked like her immanent death, she could choose to feel nothing at all. She did not want to know what horrors awaited her if she denied. She missed the opportunity to fight back, and her partner was in no condition to outrun any of them. So she took a deep breath, looked at Jaeger in the eyes, and spat.

"Fine," he said, and wiped his face with the back of his paw before facing his compatriots. "Take them downstairs, and don't forget to turn the freezer up to max. I'm headed to the airport. I must return home and lay low for some time. After you take the bodies to Tundra Town river in the morning, I suggest you do the same."

Judy's eyes widened. They were going to freeze them to death.

"No," Nick groaned but barely had the strength to stand, much less fight. "Carrots you need to run," he hissed. The pigs began escorting them to the door to the basement and down the stairs. She tested the grip of her captor, giving her arms a tug, but she barely budged.

"I'm not leaving you here," she hissed back at him.

"Carrots, please," he said before they arrived at the end of a dark hallway. There was no light, only one large stainless steel door with a hatch lock.

"Think they'll last the night?" One pig asked as he opened the door. A hauntingly cold breeze swept over her toes.

"A short-fur rabbit and a drenched fox? I give them two hours tops," the one holding Judy said.

She prepared to drop to her knees and try to twist herself out of the pigs grip before she heard something that stopped her.

"Not this," Nick said with a whimper. His broken tone distracted her, and she saw the look on his face. He was terrified.

"In!" The pig barked and kicked her in the back, making her fall forward on the icy floor. She turned and saw Nick slumped on the floor behind her.

"Wait!" She cried before the door slammed with a crashing noise and she became enveloped in utter darkness. She got up and pounded against the door with her paws, screaming obscenities at them. A moment later she heard the sound of the air turning on and feeling a deathly breeze fall over her shoulders. She clutched her torso as the cold went right through her clothes and fur.

"Nick?" She called out, unable to see her partner.

"Carrots," she heard from her side. She followed his voice with her paw until she found his paw waiting for hers. He was sitting up against the wall with his feet splayed.

"Nick, can you see anything that'll help? The doors locked from the outside."

"Hopps," he said.

"Maybe there's a drain or a vent we can get through. You're vision should be helpful, I can't see a thing."

"Judy," he whispered. At the sound of her first name, her breath caught in her throat and she stared at the blackness where Nick's voice had come from.

"Why didn't you run? . . . I told you to run . . ." He sounded weak and sad.

"Nick! We can't give up yet! We've got to figure a way out of here," she hissed and found his face with her paws. She felt his head shake.

"I found this place earlier while you and Jaeger were touring the house. I took pictures of everything, but there's no way out beside that door," he said weakly.

She stopped still. Here eyes were wide, but only for a moment because the bitter breeze stung, causing them to tear up a little.

"Nick," she said with a shaky voice.

"I'm sorry, Carrots," Nick replied.

She fell to her knees and bowed her head against his chest, choking back a sob. They were going to die in there. With no way out, their only hope was the chief sending backup. But without a warrant from city hall, he couldn't send anyone inside, and a warrant would not come until the next morning. Judy groaned against Nick's chest as the cold began to seep deep into her bones and in through her chest with every breath.

Nick wrapped his paws around Judy and curled his tail around her back. She moved in closer without thinking, beckoned by the warmth of his figure. He rested his chin on her forehead, and she choked back another sob. The last bit of water soaked through his chin and onto her head, but she didn't care. It didn't matter.

Her mind raced of the coming events. They would find their bodies in a river. She saw her parents learning about it, their faces of horror and heartbreak brought tears to her eyes. She wiped them away, for they became like ice in moments. She pictured her brother getting married, her post at the ZPD being filled by a new recruit, a new tenant for her apartment. There was so much work left undone. But above all else, there was Nick. He'd be robbed of his future too, and if she hadn't fought with him that morning, if she had listened to his warning, maybe they wouldn't be in this mess at all. But here they were, cold and afraid.

"Blueberries," she heard Nick say from above her head.

"What?" She whispered.

"The first thing I'm going to do when I get out of here is get myself some blueberries and chow down," he said. She could hear through his voice that he was smiling. She rubbed her head against his chest, not wanting to think about what she was missing.

"Then I'm gonna go down to Finn's van and finally get my darn ipod back."

She chuckled, continuing to fight back tears.

"Then I'm going to go buy a bootlegged movie from Weaselton and watch it with a bag of popcorn the size of you," he said, his smile growing on his face.

"Nick," she began.

"What? You got something against buttered popcorn?"

"No. It's just-"

"Well alright then, what are you gonna eat when we're out of here?"

Just sighed, deciding against fighting with her partner in her last moments.

"Carrot cake," she confessed.

"Typical," Nick said, his smile returning to his face.

"Á la mode," she continued.

"Mmmm, now we're talking."

"I'm gonna take that cake and ice cream on the train and head to that park across the river from Sahara Square, where there's this incredible view of the Palmtree Building at sunset. And I'm gonna eat and take a nap in the shade right there in the grass," she explained. As she spoke, she could practically feel the soft earth through her feet. Perhaps that was just her loosing feeling in her toes from the cold, but she savored the feeling all the same.

"I'm gonna call up Jake, and tell him I'm coming to his wedding," she continued, her voice shaky as she began to shiver. Nick brought her in even closer till their chests were pressed against each other, keeping his arms wrapped tightly around her.

"And I'm gonna tell my neighbors to pipe the hell down," she finished.

"Huh," Nick commented quietly.

"What?"

"Nothing, I just expected you to say something dreamy, like 'make the world a better place'."

"The world is a better place with carrot cake," she said back.

"Touché," he conceded.

"But if you must know, I think I will make the world a better place. I want to head back to my office, file the arrest report for Jaeger, and hunt for more criminals just like him," she said confidently.

"So that's it? You'll be a officer forever? Boring."

She would slug him if her arms could move.

"Yeah? That's a lot from a popsicle hustler who's dream is to watch bootlegged movies with popcorn alone at home."

"Hey, I enjoy the simple life," he commented.

"No more music?" She added.

"Nah. Gave that up a long time ago," he shrugged. She noticed Nick was starting to shudder when he spoke from the frigid air.

"Why?" She asked.

"I told you carrots, I got sick of tomatoes in my fur," he answered.

"Nick, tell me why you stopped playing," she repeated herself, more seriously this time.

Nick sighed. He only had himself to blame for starting this conversation, and given the circumstances, now was no time to be aloof.

"My dad taught me how to play, and I gave it up when he died. It just . . . didn't feel right anymore."

"Nick," Judy cooed. "I'm so sorry. I'm sure it hurt to play at the party the other night. But for what it's worth, I really thought you were great. You looked so . . . happy up there."

"Funny, I figured you for a pop music fan," he said. She smiled as she pulled her arms in close to warm her center.

Another thought occurred to her.

"What about your grandfathers theme park?" She asked.

His breathing softened and he grew much quieter at her mentioning it. His grip around her shoulders did not loosen, though.

"I want to sell it. Preferably to someone who will use it. If I can't find someone to re-open it, then maybe to someone who can turn it into a museum. Anything but a wrecking ball," he said softly.

Judy rubbed her head into the fur of his neck comfortingly, despite the cold water still dripping from him.

"But you were right, Carrots. I can't let that place hold me back anymore. I've got bigger things to do," his voice was barely a whisper.

"Yeah? Like what? I'm pretty sure watching bootlegged movies with popcorn does not count as 'bigger things' Nick" She asked, holding back a violent shiver. She regretted they were having this conversation now, but Judy was happy because she never knew Nick to have any aspirations.

"Yeah well . . . There's this girl," he said softly. Despite the rush of cold air flowing between them, Judy lifted her head back in surprise, looking at the dark mass in front of her. She could tell that he wasn't looking back at her.

"Really?" She asked. "This is the first I'm hearing about it."

"Ehhh forget it. It doesn't matter now anyway," he said softly.

"No! Tell me. What's she like?" She asked. She was unsure of why she wanted to press the subject so much. Given their situation, it was unlikely to go well.

"She's . . . A little crazy if I'm honest. She wouldn't be the smart choice, that's for sure."

"Have I met her?"

"Perhaps," he said.

"Nick, now is not the time for secrets," she scolded him.

"Well it doesn't matter anyway. She's not interested," he said coldly. Judy stopped and softened. The subject was clearly sore for him.

"Did she tell you?"

"Pretty much asserted that she could not see me that way. But hey, a frozen foxicle can dream, can't he?"

She leaned in again and rubbed her face back into the fur of his neck.

"But she's worth keeping around. She's the type of mammal who builds you up, makes you want to root for her. She's got this stupid look on her face that, on the one paw makes her look foolish, but on the other makes me never want to see another face for as long as I live. She's . . ." Nick stopped. Judy held onto his figure, wanting more than anything to will these dreams into life for her partner.

"She's my home," he finished. Judy was scared, strangely. Perhaps it was the cold, or the thought that she was effectively robbing him of his chance to square things with this vixen, but the thought of seeing less of him tugged at her chest. Odd, considering he'd be the last mammal she would ever see.

"Nick," she began. "First thing you do when we get out of here is go find her and get her," she said, tapping her head against his for emphasis.

"What about the blueberries?" Nick joked.

"Uh-unh. Girl first," she demanded.

"Maybe I'll give her her some blueberries. Is that fair?" Nick suggested. Judy smiled.

"Deal" she said. "Why haven't you ever said this before, Nick? You know I can keep a secret. Aren't I . . . Wasn't I your closest friend?"

"Sure you are Carrots. But hey, when we're you gonna tell me why you were afraid of foxes?" He countered.

She lifted her face off of his chest again and looked up at him. While all she could see was a dark mass, he could see all of her features, down to the way her ears folded down over her back. He was eternally grateful that she could not see in the dark. The horrors that surrounded them on the shelves and hanging from the ceiling would make her break down. It was all he could do to manage to ignore it. The look of concern on Judy's face certainly helped.

"What do you mean?"

Nick slowly brought one of his paws from around her torso to her face. He momentarily hissed at the stinging cold that replaced her warmth. He brought his thumb up to her left cheek and slowly and gently dragged the digit across her fur, bending it back against the grain. Sure enough, he could see the faint discolored skin and feel the 'bump bump bump' of three scars drawn down her face, just as her brother described. A fox had done this to her.

"Why didn't you tell me?" He asked gently.

She sighed.

"I didn't want you to get offended. It was years ago, and it doesn't change how I feel about foxes, least of all you," she encouraged.

"But doesn't it? I mean, The fox repellent you wore on your belt seems tame now."

"I kept that day on my belt next to that repellent for too long, Nick. I could finally put it behind me when I saw that Gideon had changed. I guess putting the repellent behind me was what put you in front of me now, huh?"

"Gee, when you put it that way," Nick groaned and motioned to the room they were in, emphasizing their predicament.

They had moved too far apart and a sickening breeze snuck between them, chilling them both to the bone. They immediately embraced again and held onto each other firmly, catching the warmth before it could escape.

"I'm sorry," Nick confessed.

"For what?"

"For fighting with you earlier today about Jaeger."

"I'm the one who should be sorry. My optimism got the best of me," Judy asserted quietly.

"No it was me. I got angry and jealous and acted like a kit," Nick said. "And I'm sorry for it."

"Aw Nick," Judy waved him off. "Don't worry about that. You were worried about me, but I could never actually fall for someone like Jaeger. That was just a stupid nothing."

Nick's shaking around her started to escalate to a constant tremble. Judy squeezed up against him a little tighter, but she could not hold back her own shivering either.

"Yeah . . ." He echoed. "A stupid nothing."

Nick became still as he let the weight of his head rest against Judy's. With Nick's tail wrapped around her back and her face pressed into the fur of his neck, Judy felt sheltered from the vile breeze completely. It did not keep the cold from soaking into her bones, but it did allow her a bit of comfort. She felt as if she had more to say, as if some part of her subconscious was begging for her to keep talking. But her mouth refused to open and her jaw stayed shut. Her eyes stayed closed and her breathing began to calmly slow down.

Something about the frigid air and Nick's warm center beckoned her consciousness away. She began to drift, thankful that by the very least she was comfortable. It felt selfish of her, but she found herself grateful to be with Nick in that moment. She felt consoled, she felt content, she felt sheltered.

Nick felt cold.

*******************************************************************************************

Judy's eyes peeled themselves open, only to shut themselves violently as a blinding white light invaded her brain. She turned and rubbed her head into Nick's fur to comfort her aching retinas. Her ears twitched, despite being so stiff, as she heard voices begin to surround her. She pulled her eyes open again and saw tall figures surrounding her holding flashlights pointing in every direction.

"Delgato?" She realized looking up at her co-worker who bent down on a knee to see her closer.

"I've got them chief!" He said into his radio. "We need an EMT."

"Chief? Nick, did you hear?" She said weakly, her voice a little broken but bright. She looked up to Nick who still had his resting against hers. He was still.

"Nick?" She asked. The water that was dripping from his fur had frozen and his face was lined with a layer of frost.

"Nick!" she said again and pulled her stiff arms up to cradle his face. The ice crunched under her touch and his fur felt thick and solid. She brought his snout down and pressed his nose against hers. She gripped his fur tightly and pleaded in desperation with whatever powers that be that they weren't too late. She shut her eyes tightly and begged to feel something.

She felt warmth against her nose. It was faint, but it was slow and steady. She smiled and held onto the fur on his cheeks. His breath washed relief over her face like water seeping into dry soil. She held her nose against his and savored the feeling of her partner so close to her. She heard a slight rumble and a laugh escaped her mouth. The idiot was asleep still, and he was snoring.

"Come on, Hopps," the tiger said and gently scooped her up into his arms, carrying her out of the room that was filling up with more and more officers. McHorn carried Nick up as well, peeling him off the wall as the frost crackled around him.

Their coworkers brought the two frigid officers up the stairs and outside where the entire road was lined up with police cars with their lights whirling around lighting up the entire neighborhood. Nick was carried out to a waiting crew of EMT officers who began to strap him on to a stretcher and into an ambulance. Judy was brought to a separate ambulance where a thick blanket was tossed over her shoulders and a young squirrel began taking her vitals. Her limbs stung as the circulation in her bloodstream returned life to her fingers and toes. The EMT asserted that she showed signs of frost bite but was lucky that a hot drink and some warm rest would be all she needed.

"What about Nick?" She asked the medic. He leaned into his shoulder and pressed the button down on his radio.

"How's he doing Sean?" He called into the radio. A muffled voice returned a moment later.

"Frostbite on the tail and forearms, but it doesn't look severe enough to warrant amputations. We're gonna take him back to general to be sure, but he should be just fine," the voice called back, and the squirrel smiled at her.

"Thank you," she said softly and smiled, sighing happily that everything was going to be alright. She looked over towards the ambulance that Nick was in. He was sitting up in the stretcher with Clawhauser speaking frantically at him. While the worried cheetah continued to wave a bag full of food at him, Nick looked right at her with a sad smile on his face. She gingerly waved to him from across the mass of cops, and he managed a wave back before the EMTs closed the ambulance doors and the ambulance roared into life before spinning down the massive tree towards downtown.

Judy kept a worried eye on the ambulance as she watched it turn down the road and out of sight. She looked around and saw Wolford escorting one of Jaeger's henchmen into the back seat of his cruiser. Seeing the bad guys get their dues had a certain satisfaction to it, but she felt as though she would not feel secure until things were the way they were before. With Nick cracking jokes and Chief screaming at them, and Clawhauser not looking so worried.

"Hopps! Oh my gosh, are you alright? What did they do to you?" Clawhauser said, bumbling up to her ambulance. She smiled at his energetic mothering and waved him off.

"I'm fine, Clawhauser, really. Didn't you hear the details from Nick anyway?" She asked.

"No! He was being super weird and not cracking any jokes or anything," he said and looked back towards the spot that Nick's ambulance had been, biting his claws.

"He's had a long night, Ben," she reassured him. But the thought worried her too. Nick found a way to joke after nearly drowning to death that same night, so something about the freezer had gotten to him. He was surprisingly open with her about his past when they were afraid they were going to die. She had no idea about his father, or his plans for the theme park, or this girl. But she smiled, because they could now find ways of putting those plans into action.

"Would you like anything to eat?" Clawhauser offered. "I got protein bars, celery sticks, some twinkies, fruits, veggies, and donuts."

"You brought snacks, Ben?" She said with a cocked eyebrow.

"Hey, departmental morale is key to maintain in times of stress, and you and Nick get first dibs," he said and held up a grocery bag towards her.

"No thank you," she waved him off.

"Oh darn, Nick said the same thing," he said with a scowl. "Why won't you two let me be helpful?"

"If you must, you can give me a ride home," she offered. Clawhauser smiled and got to his feet.

"I'll bring the cruiser around, but before I do, Nick wanted me to make sure you got this," he said and rifled through his bag.

"I don't need anything, Ben," she reassured him again.

"Now now, Nick was emphatic about this; made me promise I'd get it to you," he said and pulled out a small paper bag and handed it over.

Judy cocked an eyebrow again as she took the small bag from his paw. She opened the bag, and for a moment, she wasn't exactly sure why Nick was so insistent. A moment later her eyes shot open and she stared back at the spot where Nick had waved her goodbye not a moment before.

"Blueberries . . ." She said, showing Clawhauser.

"Yeah. Seemed like the sort of thing he would want. It was weird how he wanted you to have them so much, he loves those more than anything," Ben said and marched off to grab the cruiser, leaving her alone.

She wasn't sure if the cold had caused a misfire in her brain, but Nick's words were swirling around in her head like mad.

Never want to see another face for as long as I live . . .

She's my home . . .

A stupid nothing . . .

Her chest felt heavy. She wasn't sure if she was still cold or lit on fire, but her whole body locked up. She continued to stare at the spot where he waved at her. She could still see his sad, almost apologetic smile on his face.

"That fox."