Chapter four - Coping

The lynx ran as if his worst foe was following him. His lungs felt like they were on fire from running, but he was not going to get caught. He had just robbed the bank and shot two guards, and the pals he started that operation with were on their way to a cell because of a mistake he made. If he got caught, it would be prison for him. He would probably end with the others there. And they would not be pleased.

So, he was running, away from the couple that was following him. Especially that rabbit. Of course he knew about her. "Hero of Zootopia" and some other crap. But the only important thing about her at the moment was that she and her partner were what stood between him and a very long vacation.

• FREEZE!- He heard her shout behind him. As if.

He got into a park on his right, passing through several kids playing with a ball and scaring their mothers. At the other side, he jumped over a fence, crossed the street and got into a dark alley. The robber knew this area like the back of his paw. It would only take a few calculated turns, climbing up some emergency ladders to a roof, a few jumping to other roofs, down to the street again and just let the crowd there celebrating some parade do the hiding for him.

A smile formed on his face. He could almost taste the Bullbon he would drink that night to celebrate.

...

• He's getting away! You have any plan, Hopps?

The bunny didn't reply or even showed any sign that she heard her partner at all. She just kept running.

• Come on, Hopps, talk to me! We must stop him!- Insisted the male officer, with the same results.- Dang it!

With a hard turn to his right, he left Judy be the only one in pursuit. She didn't care.

After turning right at the end of the alley, the perp got into a bar, directly to the kitchen and looking for the back door, given everyone there the scare of their lives. She followed, avoiding the pans and pots he was throwing at her in an attempt of slowing her down.

Once outside, in the back alley, he was nowhere to be found. He could have gone left or right, so she took her dart gun out and went left. She heard a noise above her and saw him running up an emergency ladder. A curse escaping her lips, she ran after him, jumping 4 steps at a time, to which the robber sped up, his advantage running shorter every second.

He wasted no time on the roof at the end of the stairs and just jumped to the other building three meters away, managing to get there with a very short marging for error. A satisfied grin on his face, thinking that he was safe, disappeared when the bunny jumped too and to his side with ease barely a second later.

Without time even for surprise, he let the bag on the ground and tried to protect himself from the flurry of hits she was launching to him. Somehow, he managed to kick her in the gut, making her groan in pain, and over the edge of the roof... almost. She was literally hanging on one paw, but still there.

With a smile and allowing himself to laugh for her to hear, the lynx took again the bag and jumped two more roofs and down the stairs inside the building. At the ground floor, he looked up and she wasn't following yet.

• Haha! I did it! Suck it cop!- he said opening the main door and walking out... to the clenched paw of her partner. In the second he was disoriented, he found himself already pawcuffed and face down on the floor.

• You... have the... right to... wait 'till... I catch my... breath.

A minute later, Judy came out of the same door, out of breath and surprised to find the thief on the ground and her partner over him. His paw on the radio receiver hinting that he had already asked for backup, a little smile on his face.- How...

• Lucky guess. I went another way when we separated. I ended finding all this crowd here, probably his way of giving us the slip, and just waited.

• You should have come with me.- Said the bunny, looking very angry.- We could have arrested him on the roof I almost fell of. You left me to go after him alone.

• You were going after him alone from the beginning.- Replied him, losing his smile.- You didn't want to play as a team, and I am not as fast as you are. Running with you or waiting by the bank he robbed would be exactly the same. He would have escaped hiding in this crowd if I hadn't decide to keep my mind on the job instead of acting out of pride and anger.

She looked at her partner, frustration in her face. Then sighed and admitted defeat. He was right, of course.

• Good job, Grizzoli.

The white wolf smiled again and winked at her.

...

A unit arrived a couple of minutes later, enough for the bunny and wolf to recover. In that unit was also Chief Bogo, who got out of the car, looking worried at Judy.

Grizzoli pulled the robber up and got him inside the car. He was about to say something to the buffalo but he shushed him and made him follow elsewhere. Judy felt betrayed by her boss. He wanted to know about her performance, if she was fit both physically and mentally, without her listening, again. She had been already two months back on the job after four recovering. She wanted to get back the moment she got out of the hospital, but Bogo wouldn't have it.

"- You are not going to even set eyes on the ZPD until you are 100% healed. This is the second time you have been shot, and this time you almost don't tell the tell. I am glad you feel better and ready, but I can see you still wince every time you bend down or lift something heavier than a book. Until the Doc says you are good for duty, you will do as he says. No, Hopps, this is final. I'm not allowing you to roam the streets with unhealed injuries, that is a danger both to you and others as well. Don't make me call your parents to take care of you, and believe me that I will do so if you force me."

When the doctor was finally satisfied with her recovery, she went directly to ZPD to start right away, but what she found waiting for her were piles of paperwork to do in her cubicle. Bogo didn't want to meet with her when she tried to discuss it with him.

And now, after nearly a month of indoor work and, thank goodness, another at the streets, he was still going behind her back, treating her like her first day in Zootopia, when nobody though she would be a real cop.

No, she corrected herself, now it was even worst. He didn't knew what she was capable of back then, but now he did! She had solved many cases after the Nighthowllers incident! And now, he wouldn't even let her see the progress on the drug dealer's case. She wanted to see if any info on the white tiger had been discovered, but she was denied access to that case file.

Chief Bogo and Grizzoli finished their conversation and, while the chief got inside the car and drove away, the wolf came back to Judy with a smile.

• Come on, let's get the car and check out. The Chief has given us the rest of the day free. We will write the report tomorrow.

She got up and started walking in the direction of the bank, where their car was.

• Whatever.

The canine sighed. He had been her partner for almost three days now and still she wouldn't consider him as that. She would instead try to do everything by herself and him away. Interacting with her was very different from before she got shot, and if things didn't change soon... Well, it would get pretty bad. She could even lose her job.

...

Considering how fast they had been running after the lynx, it seemed to take forever to get back to the car. Judy giving him the silent treatment wasn't helping either. He was also a quiet wolf, he liked to let his mind wander off in silence. Problem was that would not help his partner.

When they got to their car, it was getting dark. He sat in the driver's seat while Judy on the copilot's.

• Well, glad this day is almost over. I can't wait to lay on the couch and relax for a while. What is your plan, Hopps?

She didn't respond. Taking a peek, he saw her looking through the window, her head resting on her paw against the glass.

• You hungry? We could get something to eat. I know a nice place down in Baker Str. Do you want to try it? I've tried the salad there and they are great. Ironically, bread is not so good.

Still nothing.

• Ooookey. What about I call the guys and we go out to drink? Francine wanted to tell everybody about the latest gossip around, and Clawhauser is DYING to show us a video of Gazelle that just came up. You coming?

Not even a twitch of her ears.

• Ok, screw this!- Said pulling over and hitting the brakes so hard Judy ended down the seat.

• What is wrong with you?- Asked the bunny, visibly mad. But not as much as Grizzoli was.

• You are what's wrong, Hopps. YOU! We have been parters for 3 days, and you have been ignoring me except to yell at me! You are a pain in the ass, irresponsible, irrational, totally unprofessional and an idiot to everybody around you!

Judy was aback. Grizzoli was known for never picking up a fight, ever. Didn't matter what happened, he would just laugh and let the other let out some steam before intervening, now safely. He could get serious, like before, but nothing like this.

• You've had three partners before me this last month. Three! Leonmane couldn't take your bad attitude anymore, Higgins was tired of you not working with him as a team and the new rookie ended up depressed of how much you criticized him. No one in the ZPD wants to partner with you now, Hopps! They are afraid of you! Even Chief Bogo doesn't know what do you about you!

She turned to look away, not wanting to face him. Of course she knew all that. Everybody avoided her inside the building whenever they could. Even Clawhauser, the friendly cheetah on the front desk, now treated her like a bomb about to explode.

• You have created a bad environment wherever you went, making very sure nobody would go even a little close to you. You wanted to be left alone? There you go, that is the way!- The wolf went on, obviously wanting to say all that for a while.- And the worst part is that I know that is not the Judy Hopps I know. We all know!

Judy looked back at him. He was not angry, he looked more sad than anything.

• Grizzoli, what...

• Everybody in the ZPD knows how is the real Judy Hopps, the one that came one day, all happy and sparkly in her first day, just experiencing what has been her dream all her life, to be a cop. We all though you wouldn't be lasting even a week. A little bunny among us, bigger mammals? Unheard of! Yet you cracked the Nighthowlers case only with the help of a frigging fox! In two days! We couldn't do it in two weeks, for crying out loud! And you just come waltzing in and slap us in our muzzles, reminding us that looks can deceive. You became one of us, Hopps. Some like me are lucky to be even your friends. We trust you. I trust you. For better or worse, you ARE my partner. And just as everybody has been trying to before, I want to help you. What can I do to get your real self back?

• Partners don't walk away.

The words came out in almost a whisper, but the wolf got them easily. He sat straight on the seat and let out a sigh.

• We are talking about Nick now, aren't we?

She didn't need to answer that. Her tears where doing it for her.

... Flashback

...

• HE HAS DONE WHAT?

Grizzoli took a step back. Even in a hospital bed, having been shot and not able to walk yet, Judy seemed very capable of beating the crap out of him. He had just passed by to see how Judy was and it seems he said something he shouldn't.

Luckily for the white wolf, a sound at the door draw the attention of the smaller bunny. Nick was in the doorway, a bouquet full of roses in his hands, but visibly about to start running away for his life if the situation demanded it.

• Hello, Carrots! I see you are better today.- Said with a smile on his face, one that was trembling at the sight of Judy.

• You asked Chief Bogo for a transfer?- She questioned him, many emotions mixing in her face: Surprise, sadness, disbelief, anger... all feeling like knifes to the fox.

• Judy, I...

• Why did you keep that as a secret? It seems everybody down at ZPD knew but me!

Nick glanced towards Grizzoli, who was muttering "I'm sorry" in Nick's direction, apologetically.

• Judy, I'm sorry. I didn't want you to discover it like this.

• What did you want, then? That I went to the precint, healed and ready to start working again, happy to be with you once again, to find that, oh, surprise, YOU WERE GONE FOR GOOD?

• No, Judy, that's not it. I...

• Please, Nick, tell me what it is. Why do you want to go away?

The fox just couldn't look at her. He visibly was feeling guilty. He tried several times to say something, but his voice never came out. All the while, Judy's tears were falling to the blanket.

• I'm sorry.- Said Nick before turning tail and leaving the room, the flowers falling to the floor.

• No, please! Nick, come back, please! Don't go! Nick!

...

...

A couple of weeks later, Clawhauser picked her up in the hospital to take her home. She was still going to need therapy in the hospital, but there was no reason to remain there.

The cheetah helped her go up the stairs to where is apartment was, but when they got to her door, she looked to the one in front of her's: Nick's apartment.

Without thinking twice, she walked there and started banging at the door with her fist, asking for the fox to come out and talk to her. But no answer came out. Clawhauser told her that Nick had moved out too.

Judy couldn't stop herself from crying in the middle of the hallway. His friend had to lift her up and get her inside her place and leave her on the bed, letting her rest. He stayed outside, not daring to leave and let his friend completely alone.

... End of flashback

...

There was a silence between Grizzoli and Judy, while the sounds of the city started to go quieter as the traffic slowed down and dispersed, the people went back to their homes and every store closed their gates.

• I just want to know why.- Said the bunny, her voice cracked with sadness.- Why would he want to go away? Leave me, leave the ZPD, his home, his friends... I though he was my partner, my friend. We spend every waking hour together. We ate together, watch movies, went to gazelle's concerts. I trusted him with everything I had, even my life if it went down to that. When I was in that room, been beaten up, I only thought of him, if he was safe, if he could handle the other guy. When he found me, and I though I was going to die, I couldn't be happier, I got a last look at him, I could hear his voice one last time. Even when I woke up in the hospital he was there. He has been always there! Why would he leave me now?

She started crying, every emotion bottled up the last months pouring out at once. She needed Nick by her side, telling her everything was going to be ok, patting her head, hugging her reassuringly.

But he wasn't there.

• You really do love him, don't you?

Judy looked surprised at Grizzoli, whose eyes where directed up front, but seemed not to be looking at anything in particular.

• How did you...

• Please, don't think yourself as a secret spy, holding great secrets for the government.- The wolf grinned at her.- Everyone knew it, since Nick got into the academy. You were always in contact with him, even at work; the only topic you could speak about was how good things were going for him there. When he actually got out and came in his first day, we all expected you would be jumping up and down like a bouncing ball. You said so yourself, you have been together almost every moment. We all could see the signals you were flashing, and we don't get how HE didn't.- He had to stop for a moment, since Judy was laughing very hard. It was the first time he has seen that in months.- Seriously, it was very frustrating going out with you guys after work and not see a single step forward in your relationship. We all were betting on "when" and "how" you would finally end up together, and, believe me, the pool grew to the point Chief Bogo had to intervene and provide a safe case for the money.

• No, I don't believe that.- Said the bunny, trying to breath again.

• It's true! Wolf's word!

• Ok, and what happened with all that money then? Who got it?

Grizzoli became serious again. Everything was going so well...

• No one. I told you, everyone was rooting for you two to get together. When Nick was transfered, the money was given to the precint funds. It was the fair thing to do.

Judy's ears, which had been standing happy for the last minutes, drooped to her back. Silence fell over them again, the mood changing again for the worst.

Suddenly, Grizzoli smashed his paws on his face, as if preparing himself for something he wouldn't like.

• I'm gonna get SO killed.

• Why? What happened?

He looked back at her and sighed.- You know how you tried to get Nick's new address from the computer last month, right?

She nodded. She wanted to talk to him and beat the crap out of his mauled body for hurting her so much, but mostly talk. The problem came when the computer would not allow her to get it. His file was locked and only Chief Bogo could open it.

• Well, that was obviously intended for you.- Continued the wolf.- But some of us have been keeping contact with him all this time. I have been to his new house even.

• How do you know where he lives?

• I was the one that helped him move out the old apartment and into the new one. He is close to the Police Precint of the district he lives in, that way he is close to work. The thing is, I have been asking him about this situation of you and him, but he never answered, always changed topic. But one day he got drunk and, well, let's just say that he can't control that silver tongue of his that good.

He searched the insides of his uniform with a paw and took something out, showing it to Judy.

It was a pen, shaped like a bone.

• Seriously?- Asked mockingly the bunny, giggling.

• Hey, you have one shaped like a carrot. Back off, will you?- The wolf tried to sound and look offended, but he couldn't stop smiling.- Or don't you want to listen?

• It has a recorder too?- Judy was amazed by that.- Why did you get one?

• You gave me the idea. Using yours as evidence against Bellwether proved that having one at hand is useful.- Replied the wolf, winking at her.- Anyway, hear this.

He pressed the button and a the recorded voice of a drunk Nick came out, flipping Judy's heart.

-...Obviously I didn't wanna leave, my life was perfect. But I had to. I was the one getting Carrots in trouble. I should have told her "no" every time she came up with a risky plan. We should have stayed outside that storehouse, and then everything would have gone perfectly. She wouldn't get kidnapped, beaten up or shot. It was my fault that happened, and I ain't gonna let her get hurt again. She's better off without me.

The recording stopped, leaving silence again in the car, only, this time, it was mostly needed. Judy needed to realize what those words meant. He didn't leave because he didn't want to be with her. He wanted to protect her. In the most stupid, selfish, misguided and heartbreaking way, but still.

• Take me to him.

The wolf's eyes opened in surprise. That he did not expected.- Hopps, you know I can't do that. Chief Bogo locked that file so you couldn't get to him. If I take you there, or even tell you where he lives, I am going to be in much more trouble than I am already.

She didn't seem to listen. She just stared at him. She was a bunny, the ancestral meal of wolves like himself, but he felt like staring at a thousand angry bears about to maul him to death.

...

The car stopped at the end of the street, facing the houses at the side of the road across them. Grizzoli had taken her to the Meadowlands district. In Judy's mind, that was logic. Nick didn't like neither extreme cold nor heat, and here climate was very stable, much to the fox's taste.

• Which one is?- Asked when she saw they weren't going any further. All the houses around looked the same, and even more so late at night, without barely any light. The street lamps didn't provide much to see.

• That one over there.- Answered, pointing at the third to their right.

She got out of the car, not listening to her partner's plea to come back in. She needed to talk to him. She would tell him he shouldn't have done that for her, that he could come back to Downtown, to the old apartment, work back with her. They would argue, she was ready for that, but it would be worth it. As long as he was back.

The door opened, and she was still at the other side of the road. He heart lifted at the sight of Nick's red fur. She took one step forward... to suddenly freeze. Behind him was a vixen, also red like him, but a little darker. She was around his age and, she had to admit, very beautiful. They exchanged some words, smiling, their paws held and looking at each other in the eyes.

Then, they kissed.