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Kayla came home to find a rather welcome surprise. The house from top to bottom had been cleaned quite thoroughly. The planks on the floor free of dust and clutter. The vapes on the table neatly arranged alongside the TV remotes. She stepped into the kitchen and rest her hand on the doorframe and smiled at the young wolf, vigorously cleaning the last of the dishes.

"Alright, either you messed up or you're buttering me up for something handsome." She smiled.

"Oh! Kayla hey!" Caden beamed, rushing over to her to give her a hug. Kayla clasped his cheeks and kissed his nose.

"What's all this for?" She asked, but Caden was adrift in a dopey little smile. "Alright, if you wanna play hard to get." She giggled.

"I just wanted to show ya I'm useful." He insisted. Kayla set her bag down on the counter.

"You're essential." She replied, pulling the cub back into her arms. "You know, as a matter o fact, having some cub runners is becoming a popular idea thanks to you."

"Oh?" Caden smirked, wrapping his paws around her. Kayla played with his ears for a moment before explaining.

"Mmmhmm. A few other cubs in your situation have started going too. Joining up with dealers like me."

"I can't complain about free stuff." Caden threw in.

"Well, you definitely put the leg work in on the streets and my gosh this house!" She exclaimed. "You really must care about me, huh?"

"I do, you could be my girl if you want." Caden suggested.

"Aren't I a little old for you?"

"I could keep a secret." He whispered. Kayla leaned down and kissed his muzzle.

"I don't doubt it. Hmm, but I have work for ya tonight."

"Yes! Cool, what am I doin?" He cheered, breaking free from Kayla.

"Here." She said, opening up her purse she produced a folded sticky note for Caden. "That address in Tundratown. We're to get a few vials of this stuff to sell, apparently it's a new vape fluid. Little more potent than what we've been dealing with."

"Oh cool, I should try some."

"No!" She exclaimed, before bowing down and cooling her tone. "No, look. I don't want to risk you. If some junkies wanna try this stuff for a bigger high, they can be my guest so long as they're paying. You on the other paw, I don't wanna risk."

"Oh ok." He nodded. "Think it's too strong for me?"

"I think I wanna know how full-grown mammals handle it before I start letting my sweet wolf boy get into it." Kayla stated, stroking his ears again. "Get the stuff, bring it back here and call me if you run into any trouble. Ok?"

"Got it."

Nick took to his role right away on Sunday, blowing off the meeting in the bullpen to chat with Kate at the front desk. Judy had to pull him away and steered him toward the cruiser to patrol. They were given a simple route in savannah central, Delgato feeling a bit sorry for Nick decided to take things a little easy on him. Judy and Nick hardly talked during the first hour, Nick buried in his phone while Judy was clearly agitated about him talking with Kate again.

The two were called to a domestic dispute at an apartment complex in Savannah Central, Nick was quite surprised to see it was in the same apartment building he used to live in. Stepping into the elevator, Nick did his best to avoid eye contact with Judy who stood glaring up at him, trying to snare her husband's attention.

"You and I are gonna have a talk later." She huffed, tapping her foot as the elevator slowed. Nick didn't respond, opting to keep his gaze fixed on the door. As it swung open, a pair of coyotes were fighting in the hall, and one thrown right into the elevator as it opened. Judy and Nick hugged a side each to avoid the tumbling canine before stepping out into the hallway. "Hey! That's enough, knock it off the both of you!"

"No!" The female in a small top and underwear bellowed. "I want him out of my house and on the street where he belongs!"

"I come home to you cheating on me, and you kick me out of my place you stupid bitch!?" The male argued, rising up to his feet. He dusted off his hoodie and continued his attack. "Pack up your shit and get outta my apartment!"

"Easy you two, easy! Back off!" Judy insisted, getting in between the two. Nick strolled over, keeping his paw resting on the tranq gun and darted between the two of them. "Let's get this resolved right here and now before anyone gets hurt."

"Too late for that, you slut. I can't believe you! Fucking my little brother behind my back like that!?"

"Eric's been the only one who's been paying rent besides me! Your useless ass has to go Mark!" She snarled.

"My name on the lease, not yours! It's my place! Get out!" Mark fired back again, pushing Judy closer between the two of them. Nick withdrew his dart gun and fired into the girl's shoulder, much to her surprise.

"What the.." She staggered and fell back flat on her back.

"Ha! Got what you deser-" Mark tried to gloat, but Nick fired another two into his back. "Ah crap." He stammered, falling flat on his belly. Judy turned to Nick, ears fired up and angry.

"Nick! Why'd you tranquilize them?"

"It was getting old, fast." Nick waved off, tipping up his glasses. "Let's just talk with the landlord, find out whose names on the actual lease for the property and kick the others out to the curb."

"Well, I suppose." Judy conceded.

"Dawn?!" A voice called from around the corner, as a second coyote came around, stuffing his arm into his shirt. "Dawn! What, what happened!? What did you guys do!?" He bellowed, picking her up in his arms.

"Relax, it's just a tranquilizer." Nick brushed off.

"Why would you tranq her!? It's my asshole brother who started all this! Why don't you actually do your job for-" Nick cut him off with a dart to his neck.

"Ahh, I love this little thing." Nick smiled. Judy scowled and pulled the darts out from their bodies and tossed them in the trash bin near the door.

"Seriously Nick, what is with you today?" She fumed, throwing her ears back.

"Easy Carrots, let's just say I've had enough drama. Let's talk with the landlord and sort it that way."

The next day, Nick decided to really ramp up his attempt to distinguish his new bad cop persona. Without missing a beat, he skipped the meeting once again and decided to have a little fun with the ZPD's computer systems. Having been taught by Ian how to distribute some rather, exotic videos. He logged into Delgato's email account and sent out an urgent notice to everyone in the building. Hidden inside a link to a online sex video featuring Gazelle. The once former popstar had done some not-so-clean work since her last album flopped. Nick watched as one by one, cubicles lit up with the video. Sneaking back downstairs just in time to see Kate cracking it open. She scoffed with her little smirk and nodded to Nick.

"You seen this?"

"Yeah, what's going on?"

"I don't know, but honestly she's such a featherweight. Moaning like that from a single pony? Jeez."

"Hahahaha!" Nick burst out laughing as Judy and the remaining officers in the meeting exited the bull pen.

"Kate!? What are you watching!?"

"Hey, don't look at me." She threw up her paws. "It was sent by old stripy boss."

"What!?" Delgato exclaimed, rushing up the stairs to his office.

"Well Carrots, where we off to today?"

"Tundratown, basic patrol again." She advised him, whipping out her keys and tossing them to Nick. "You drive this time, Mr. Skips-every-meeting."

"Fairs fair." He agreed, leading the way out the door.

Nick and Judy soon found themselves in pursuit of a rogue deer that had stolen a few cellphones from an electronic store in Tundratown.

"Turn left!" Judy cried out, as Nick swerved down the street. The buck darted down an alley and Nick slowed down enough that Judy leapt from the window and carried on, on foot. Nick huffed and kicked the car into gear, circling around the building. "Stop in the name of the law!" Judy shouted, chasing him down through the slippery alley. Finding no safety at the end, the desperate buck whipped out his knife and turned on Judy.

"Fuck off you scum sucking rabbit!" He shouted before turning his head to look up the street. Nick was coming in hot, high beams raised and slammed the buck hard, launching him into a light pole and out unconscious. Judy rushed over the cruiser and slapped her paws on the side.

"What are you doing!?" She scolded, while Nick rolled down the window.

"Haha, what do you know, deer do get stunned by headlights."

"That's not funny, Nick!" She carried on berating him. "You might have seriously hurt him!" Judy produced her radio and called it in. "This is officer Wilde, we have a suspect down on Icicle. We need paramedics asap."

"Confirmed Judy, I'll have em there in a jiffy." Kate acknowledged over the radio. Judy cautiously walked over to the buck while Nick got out of the car. She kicked the knife away and checked on the suspect.

"You ok?"

"Oh my head." He moaned, clasping the side of his head where one of his antlers broke off.

"Just take it easy. No sudden moves though or I'll have to make that headache worse. You're under arrest."

"Ohhhh." He moaned, flopping back in the snow.

Tuesday would turn out to be a rather quiet day. Judy deciding to treat themselves picked up a fresh batch of muffins and coffee and settled in for a nice break on a bench near Lions Gate Park.

"Nick, are you ok? Some of the things you've done the last few days, aside from blatantly against the rules, are kind of odd for you."

"I'm fine."

"Fine." She huffed with a smile. "Yeah, come on baby. I know you better than that."

"Hmm." He smiled, tossing his coffee on the ground. "Fine and dandy." Judy rolled her eyes, rose up and picked up the cup and dropped it in the trash bin.

"Nick, come on."

"Carrots, look. I just got a lot on my mind right now and, I'm trying to figure it all out. Don't have a lot of patience for dealing with stupid mammals and petty crimes."

"Maybe you should help Matt with the missing cubs case? He's been really digging around for Caden."

"Nah, too boring." Nick brushed off.

"Why don't we go out for dinner tonight? Just you, me, a nice candlelit table, soothing music." She suggested, climbing onto his lap.

"Yeah, sure why not."

"It's a date."

"Come on." She picked him up off the bench. "Let's go."

That night, Judy had dressed herself in a rather cute little black dress while Nick wore a dress shirt with one of his old ties. They were sitting down at the table at Sea of Green, lucky enough to get a booth seat and just like Judy had suggested earlier, a small centerpiece on the table with a large red candle lit. The restaurant had massive windows that spanned up to the roof, wood partitions separating the booths and a few of the tables with glass panels at the top.

"See, isn't this better then getting in trouble at work?" She giggled.

"Yeah, ol stripes wasn't too keen on what happened with that domestic dispute huh?"

"It wasn't the end of the world, but the incident with deer gained you a write up. But you're right; at least we resolved the issue with the coyotes easy enough."

"Yeah, can you believe it though? Poor guy comes home to find his girlfriend cheating on him with his own brother." Nick shrugged. "Harsh."

"Horrible. We're lucky we didn't get called to a homicide. Sometimes those situations get out of hand pretty quick." Judy noted.

"Mmm." Nick nodded, folding his paws he kept his gazed fixed on them, keeping his head low.

"Nick, are you ok?" She asked, reaching for his hands.

"Sometimes, I really wonder you know? I mean, I knew dad was gonna get jail time and all. I was at peace with that. But it just doesn't make any sense that they decided on a death sentence."

"It's weird; I thought death sentences were abolished in Zootopia." Judy agreed.

"Right?" He half-smiled, glancing up for a moment. "Guess he was right though, this city really does have it in for him. Maybe they have it in for foxes after all."

"Oh Nick stop."

"I've told you what it was like, growing up here."

"Mmm, it was hard on you, Finnick and Patrick. Even worse when Patrick left, at least he had a place for you guys." She nodded along, recalling Nick's old stories.

"I just wonder if I'm doing the right thing, working for the ZPD. I see you hard at work and it's like, you're a perfect fit." Nick smiled, rubbing her paws. "But me, I always feel crammed in where I don't belong."

"You're right where you belong, baby. With me." She smiled.

"I love you, you know that right?" Nick seemingly begged.

"Of course! Oh Nick, I love you too." She cooed, leaning in for a kiss.

"Fuck, get a room!" an old goat spoke up from a table nearby, halting the lock of their lips. He was set with a female right across who seemed a little embarrassed by the outburst.

"No one asked ya." Nick fired back.

"Maybe they should have, a fox and rabbit? Repulsive." He scoffed.

"Jared, don't." The female whispered. Normally Nick would just let these kind of things slide, but he recalled what Gabriel had told him from before, to play up the bad cop routine and to get into trouble. Nick knew he couldn't push anything that would get him locked up, but this was a good opportunity to really push Delgato's limits.

"Can't be any more of an eyesore than that walking shammy you brought as a date." Nick quipped. "I mean seriously, did ya throw her in the dryer and forget to turn it off?"

"Nick! That's so mean!" Judy interjected.

"That's my wife, you jackass tod!"

"And this is mine." Nick calmly pointed to Judy. "Now why don't you shut your mouth, unless your stuffing food in it."

"That's your wife!? My sympathies to your kits, they must look like a pack of shovel faced mongrels." Nick slit his eyes and cleared his throat. Tapping the empty plate before him for a moment with a clearly furious Judy in front of him, he snatched it up and threw it like a frisbee right at the goat's head. Leaping from the booth he charged and tackled the old goat to the ground and started pounding his face.

"What'll you look like after I'm done with ya, huh!?" Nick bellowed. Everyone in the restaurant was taken aside and move back away from the fight that had broken out.

"Nick stop!" Judy cried out. The goat kicked him off and Nick shook off the blow as Judy leapt in between. The goat took aim at her with his horns; she just missed them before Nick found his footing. Furious that he went for Judy, he charged back in and slashed at the old goats back, rending it open. The goat turned around and was met with another slash to his face from Nick, who stood growling over the bleeding goat was cut off from further attacks by Judy's hand. "Nick, that's enough!" She shouted. The goat was shuddering pressing on his cheek as it bled into his hooves.

"Jared! Are you ok honey?" The female cried, cradling his head. Nick backed away, Judy guiding him back to his seat as they waited for police to arrive.

Nick was set across from Delgato the next day at the station. Delgato was typing a statement regarding the previous night on the computer for a little bit at first before swivelling around in his chair to address him.

"It should be painfully obvious why you're here."

"Ya think." Nick threw up his brow.

"What the fuck were you thinking, Wilde?"

"He ran his mouth about my cubs, wasn't having it." Nick explained. Delgato shook his head and glanced to the computer.

"He's got twenty-two stitches from that slash on his face. Video of the fight is all over the internet and Mr. and Mrs. Goatson are asking for your termination."

"Goatson." Nick laughed. "Even the name is retarded."

"For pity's sake Nick, what's the matter with you!? You're smarter than this!" Delgated pleaded.

"Gee, I wonder?" He huffed, looking away for a moment.

"You're not giving me much choice here, Nick. The best I can do is one month, unpaid suspension. You'll have to undergo some counselling as well, I'll arrange for Miss Tanner to get in contact with you soon." Delgato stated.

"Cause that worked out so great for Parker."

"It's mandatory. Fail to comply and I'll have no choice but to allow full charges brought up against you, you'll also have to pass an investigation from cub protective services into your household."

"What!?" Nick exclaimed. "How fucking dare you! I would never do anything to harm my cubs, ever!"

"I'd like to believe that, but I'm following police protocol here in regards to an officer committing a violent crime! I need to have a licensed psychiatrist's approval to show there's no risk to the cubs to keep them off your back. They wanted to investigate anyway, when they found out Parker was staying with you instead of remaining at the hospital." Delgato argued, bringing a bit more volume to his voice.

"Well isn't this just all too familiar. The chief of police threatening the Wilde family with a call from CPS. Yeah, maybe I messed up last night but let's go over the facts here, tiger! Like the letters and pleas we put in on Parkers behalf, but whoopsie, the judge doesn't like those and tosses them out with next to no consideration and his sentence? Double whoopsie, the death penalty which last I recall, was outlawed in Zootopia. And whoopsie number threesie, your little attempt to punish me only hits Judy the hardest, because even though this is my first offense in my six years of service to the ZPD, the chief has to go and tear up the ol Wilde family, just like they've done before."

"It's just an investigation, Nick! If your household is fine, they'll get off your back and without confirmation from Miss Tanner, I can't let you back on the force!" Delgato firmly stated.

"Pfff. Can't believe the old bastard was right." He said shaking his head. Ripping the badge from his chest, he flicked it like a coin onto the table and tossed his gun up beside. "Just when I thought I could put my faith in something, huh? Probably best, if you don't have Psych's son; in the ZPD."

Nick hung up his uniform in his locker and hooked the lock on the hinge, leaving it open. Buttoning up his shirt, he looked at himself in the mirror and drifted into his thoughts. On the one hand, he knew what he was doing was to help with something big. Bigger than anything he had ever done before. On the other, he felt like as though a part of his life was over. Like this was truly the end of his time at the ZPD. With the last button done up, he leaned on the counter near the mirror and heaved a good long sigh, keeping his head low.

"Nick." Matt spoke quietly, revealing himself from the hallway that lead into the locker room. "It's not true is it?"

"I'm sorry Matt." Nick answered, dusting off his shirt and pulling his tie up tight. "This just isn't me anymore."

"But Nick, you're my friend, you're an amazing cop." Matt pleaded.

"Thanks." Nick smiled to him briefly. "You'll always be my friend too, Matt." Nick stated, patting his arm. "Take care of yourself chops, this city needs ya."

"Yeah, you too bud."

Nick took a cab home and went straight for the shower, taking a good long time to soak in the hot water. His hands pressed up against the wall, he tried his best to remind himself that he was doing this for the greater good. That this ZIA mission was worth doing, not just to save his father, but to do something special with his life, to stop someone who could become a real danger. Drying himself off, he wrapped the towel around his waist and stepped out into the bedroom and took his time getting dressed. After giving Ian a quick farewell and each of his cubs a good long hug, he snuck out and headed out toward Savannah Central just before Judy got home. She burst in the door and rushed upstairs to the office and bellowed.

"Where is he!?"

"Nick?" Ian perked up.

"Yeah, fess up Ian, where is he!?" Judy continued to holler.

"Relax sis, jeez! He told me what happened, said he was going out for a walk to clear his head." Ian explained.

"Oooo!! When he gets home I'm gonna clear it for him! That nitwit! How could go and quit like that!?" She fumed, storming back and forth through the room.

"He seemed pretty beat up, Jude. Just let him blow off some steam." Ian suggested.

It was hours before Nick came back home. The cubs put to bed while Ian toddled away on the computer doing homework. Closing the door slowly, he was met by the sight of Judy tapping her foot on the floor, looking incredibly angry, one ear fired up high and the other bent in half. Nick tipped his head to the side and walked in with his paws in his pockets.

"Figured you heard." He said softly.

"Oh yeah, I heard. Everyone's heard." Judy retorted in a voice just as quiet. "What was going through your head, Nick?"

"Sounding like the tiger." He snickered.

"Don't even, this isn't a joke!"

"Hey hey." He hushed, waving his paws. "Come on, let's talk upstairs. It's late, we should get ready for bed." Nick lead the way up and started getting changed out of his clothes in the bathroom, stepping out in his boxers he sat at the foot of the bed with Judy at the head.

"Nick I can't believe you." Judy whispered, folding her ears back. "You had a great career, and you threw it away. Now you have to do counseling and I have to entertain this stupid, CPS agent tomorrow. Do you have any idea how humiliating that is?"

"I've got a bit of experience with that, yeah." He nodded. "Granted I was pretty young during the first bout."

"Right." Judy sighed. "I just, I don't understand why you're doing this. This can't be all about Parker."

"It's been a lot of little things, but that was the tipping point." Nick explained, putting a leg up on the bed. "After learning about everything that happened to him and, now seeing it happen to me."

"But you brought it on yourself, Nick. You attacked that goat, slashed him with your claws!" She exclaimed.

"The scratches on his back were shallow, he was barely even cut there. His face though yeah, I got him good."

"Don't you even regret it?" Judy urged.

"Eh." Nick shrugged off. "He crossed the line, insulting our cubs. I don't regret hurting him per say, just having to deal with everything that comes after."

"I was mad too, Nick. But I didn't let loose with a brutal predatory attack on an innocent mammal." Judy scolded.

"Don't bring up the whole predator/prey thing. Wasn't about that." Nick waved off.

"Oh right, it was about you feeling sorry for your father. Who is, by the way a genuine criminal." Judy stated. Nick closed his eyes and took a deep breath before responding.

"Yes, but the death penalty is overkill. How are you not furious with the fact that the city is breaking its own laws just to punish Parker?" Nick posed to her.

"I'm not saying I agree with it, but if the judge decided that needed to be his punishment than that's what it has to be. He is old, he can't serve the time for his crimes and unlike Zootopia, Predaton has a death penalty."

"How can ya just rationalize it out like that?"

"How can I not? Nick, he nearly killed us both, have you really forgotten that?" Judy reminded him.

"He's not the first that's tried to kill me, I guess I just don't take it as personally as you do." He quipped.

"Ugh." Judy scoffed, rolling her eyes and looking to the window. "Still with the jokes. Nick this is serious, you threw away a perfectly good career today!"

"It wasn't for me, Carrots."

"Don't Carrots me! What am I going to do without you there Nick?" Judy insisted.

"Kate's looking for a partner, she's looking to get out into field duty now, you know?" Nick suggested.

"Well that's one thing I won't miss for sure. You drooling all over her desk like a love sick puppy." Judy barked.

"This again, seriously!? How many times do I have to tell you, there's nothing between me and Kate? Besides, thanks to you I've become an expert at repressing my desires for the opposite sex." Nick fumed, throwing up his paws as he rose from the bed.

"What's that supposed to mean!?" Judy crossed her arms.

"You're the cop, figure it out." Nick retorted.

"Oh yeah, coming off as real attractive right now. The big mopey fox with daddy issues, bitching about him getting what he deserves." Nick slit his eyes and folded his ears back, giving himself a moment to reply.

"You think he deserves to die?" Nick demanded quietly. Judy refused to meet him eye to eye, pouting as she looked toward the window. "Well isn't that ironic? The same bunny who just said years ago that we shouldn't be so willing to throw mammals away, that we should work hard to reform them and give them a second chance. How is he supposed to do that as a corpse?" Nick fumed, walking over to his side of the bed and snatching up his pillow.

"Where are you going?"

"Downstairs. I don't feel like sharing a bed with a hypocrite." Nick fired off, slamming the door behind him. Judy threw her head away from the door and buried it in the pillow, letting a few sniffles escape as she tried her best to fight back the tears attempting to escape. In their whole time they've been married, they had never had such a harsh fight.

Nick was up fairly early, getting everything ready for a visit from the CPS agent. He vacuumed the carpets and cleaned up a few of the toys that had been lying on the ground, all the while doing his best to avoid another argument with Judy. With the house cleaned up as best he could, he took Liam and Hannah into his lap and sat beside Jason who was sitting on the couch watching morning cartoons.

Within a few minutes, the doorbell rang and much to Judy's surprise it was Mrs. Otterton at the door with a CPS name tag and a big smile.

"Hello Judy, it's so nice to see you again."

"Mrs. Otterton! You're our CPS agent?" Judy beamed with delight.

"Yeah, the kids are all grown so I took this up as a part time job. I had a degree in cub psychology just sitting around doing nothing." She giggled shyly, clasping a tablet to her belly.

"Come on in." Judy waved. Mrs. Otterton looked the house over, happily escorted by Judy while Nick remained quiet on the couch with the cubs. After seeing their rooms and the kitchen and basement, she came upstairs to finally meet with the cubs.

"Hi there." She pleasantly waved. Nick just gave a quick nod, and held Hannah and Liam a little closer. "Oh look at you three, oh gosh aren't you just precious! What's your name little lady?" She asked, extending a paw to Hannah.

"Hannah! And that's Liam, that's Jason, that's mommy and that's daddy, and uncle Ian's upstairs on the compooter." She answered, pointing to each and every one of them. Mrs. Otterton laughed and reached for Nick's hand after each of the cubs. He seemed hesitant to offer it up, but Judy gave a quick scowl and with a roll of his eyes he shook her paw. "Everything ok there, Nick?"

"Fine and dandy." He replied.

"Good. Look I understand your apprehension, no one likes it when we're called to visit but. To be honest we operate a lot differently nowadays."

"Yeah." He faked a cheer.

"I heard about what happened in the restaurant. I'd like to think that's just a very isolated incident, not something you would do normally, yes?"

"It was a mistake, yeah."

"Nick please. I know you're not happy about this, but work with me here." She insisted.

"Nick, listen to her." Judy chimed in.

"It's ok Judy."

"Look, with everything that's been happening. I had a bad moment. That goat was insulting Judy, my cubs and he had no shame about it. I just.... I made a mistake. But believe me; I'd never do anything to harm these little guys." Nick insisted, kissing Hannah and Liam's foreheads. "Little stinkers, I love them with all my heart."

"Love you daddy." Liam cooed, kissing his father's cheek.

"I love you too." He whispered, nuzzling his head beside his. "Daddies gonna be home a lot more for a little while till he finds a new job too." Liam gave a dopey little smile, kicking his feet on the couch. "Gonna spend some time, playing with daddy?"

"Yeah!" He excitedly whispered.

"Hehehe, that's my boy."

"I'm glad, Nick." Mrs. Otterton smiled. "Well Judy, the house is in great shape, nice and clean. The cubs look happy and healthy. I think it's safe to say I can give you guys the all clear on our end."

"Thank you." Judy praised, guiding her to the door. "Come on, I'll walk you out."

That night Judy eased her way down the stairs, holding the railing as she entered the basement. Nick was spreading out the sheets on the inflatable mattress, his pillow from upstairs at the top along with Parker's old one. Her ears folded back, Judy knocked on the wall.

"Hey." She spoke softly, clasping her paws together. Nick rose to his feet, brushing off his legs and tucked his paws in his pockets.

"Hey." He answered just as softly.

"Staying down here again?"

"Was the plan." Nick gestured toward the TV. "Figured I'd watch a movie or two, maybe borrow Ian's computer later to look for work."

"Ah." Judy looked down, sweeping the ground with her feet. "Nick, can we just talk for a minute?"

"After last night's pillow talk, maybe not." He grinned. Judy shot out a quick laugh and felt her courage return. Clasping Nick's paws she dragged him over to the couch and sat him down.

"K, then I'll talk." She smiled. "I'm just. I'm sorry about last night you know? I've had a lot of time to think today and, while I won't lie, a part of me is a little on edge when Parker's around. But I've seen him really trying to make things right. I was just angry and stupid last night."

"You weren't the only one." Nick threw in. "Heck I think I'm getting stupid/angry down to an art form." He chuckled, rubbing her paws. "I should have done the smart thing, taken some leave you know? Just chilled out after everything."

"Yeah, I know what you mean." Judy nodded along, enjoying Nick's little hand massage. "Things have been stressful for both of us lately."

"Yeah." Nick agreed in a whisper, his gaze fixed on her paws for a while. He wanted to tell her so badly what he was planning to do. What he had to do in just a couple of days. But the warning from the ZIA agent still rung in his head. "Judy."

"Yes?" She all but begged, gazing into his eyes.

"I." He sighed, lowering his head for a moment. "It's nothing."

"Come on." She smiled. "Can't bait me like that and say it's nothing." Nick had to think fast, although another topic was quick to come to mind.

"Why don't you want to mate anymore?" He whispered.

"Oh." She stammered. "Yeah."

"Hmm, so something is wrong. I see I'm not the only secretive one here." He quipped, throwing up his brow.

"It's nothing bad." Judy smiled. "It's just. Ever since this promotion came up and, Ryan possibly going to the Rainforest Station, I don't wanna blow my chance to become first captain by getting pregnant."

"Ah." Nick glanced away for a moment. "Your point is well noted."

"When we were so, active." She giggled, ruffling her rump on the couch. "I got pregnant with the twins right at the start of a heat, you know? It was like, no warning and boom." She described, circling her belly. Nick just gave a soft laugh.

"Well we can plan around it you know? When you come out of heat or something, we can make those sheets sing for a while, hey?" He smiled.

"Mmm, I'm not gonna lie. I was missing it." She giggled. "I should be going into heat again any day now."

"Mmm, so after."

"Yeah. Hopefully all of this is settled up by then and, we can get Parker's appeal put through. Oh!" Judy exclaimed, pounding her fist in her palm. "I'm gonna give a call to Mariah and Ben. See if we can get a plea for his life from Predaton. Sure she won't ask to spare him the jail time but, hey, it's worth a shot." Nick just smiled, rubbing Judy's thigh as she eagerly laid out her plan in her mind.

"That's my girl."

"Hmm." She hummed, leaning in with slit eyes and a smile. "So, does this mean I get my fox back in his proper bed?"

"For the love of god, yes." He chuckled as Judy erupted with laughter. "I don't know how dad slept on that thing; can hear every move you make. Deflates overnight too, annoying as heck." Judy leapt off the couch and snared up his pillow from the bed. Nick walked around and was about to reach for it and take it until Judy leapt into his arms, nuzzling her nose into his neck.

"Carry me?" She cooed, kissing his neck.

"And here we see, the ancient fox bringing his meal back to his den." He began to narrate, heading up the stairs. "Soon she will be devoured, a nourishing meal to sate the beasts hunger, as the long winter approaches." Judy giggled the whole way up as he carried on his little tale of predator prey relationships.

The time had finally come. Nick had been mentally preparing himself all day for what he knew was going to be a tough one. He spent a good portion of it taking the cubs to the park, chatting with Laura Fangmeyer and catching up on his lessons with Ian. Ordering pizza for dinner, it seemed the delivery and Judy's arrival home were just about perfectly time, much to her delight. Nick was paying the driver as she strolled up behind and took a good long whiff of her upcoming dinner.

"Oh yes, Tony's again! Ugh, I needed this. Today was brutal."

"Yeah, come on in. Let's hear it." Nick invited, stepping out of the doorway.

"We've had another four missing cubs." Judy noted, hanging up her vest in the closet. "Three coming out of the Rainforest District and another out of a Sahara Square. The timing is too close together to be coincidence and they're all runaways, not kidnappings."

"Huh, so I wonder what's making these guys run?" Nick asked, heading into the kitchen. "Pizza's here!" Nick called out. The thundering sound of footsteps bolting down the stairs followed by the screams of delight from the cubs and Ian at the sight of the three pizza boxes. "Alright, veggie for you veggie fans. Double meat and for whatever reason, pineapple for you." He pointed to Ian.

"Haha, awesome." He praised, clapping his hands together.

"Seriously, how do you eat pineapple pizza?" Nick laughed, opening up the boxes.

"Least I pay for mine." Ian winked.

"Yeah, that's true."

"It's not that bad, Nick." Judy butted in. "Just not that great either. But you always did have weird taste, Ian."

"You're one to talk, officer Hopps." Ian nudged, lightly shoving her sister. "I still remember the panic mode mom and dad went into when you went off to the academy."

"Ha! So we're the black sheep I suppose." She smiled, taking a plate and slice.

"Yep, got that smarter side of Hopps blood that kept us off the carrot farm." He giggled.

"Hey come on, Adam is really good at it."

"Yeah but-"

"And I recall a certain bunny who tried to hotwire the tractor to show off to his friends that ended up in the tool shed with his head stuck in a tomato cage." Judy winked, sitting down at the table.

"You shush, that never happened."

"Sounds more like something I'd do." Nick joined in. "Guys, don't forget you have to have at least one veggie slice before you have any others." Nick advised his cubs.

"Eww!" Jason and Liam whined together.

"I like veggie better anyway!"Hannah Proudly touted, cat walking to her little chair and pouncing up.

"Yeah but you're a weirdo!" Jason fired right back.

"Guys, no fighting. Or Mommy and I will eat all the pizza." Nick threw up his brow.

After dinner, Nick, Judy and the cubs were laid out on the couch watching TV. Nick took out his phone and saw the time, 7:11PM. He could feel his heart starting to race; he knew it was almost time to go. The reality of what was happening was setting in. He kept looking to Jason, Liam, Hannah and back to Judy, really starting to wonder when he'd see them again. Taking photographs in his mind of his home, his family. A nervous stammer escaped, which Judy caught right away and clasped his arm.

"Nick honey, you ok?"

"Yeah." Nick eagerly nodded.

"Terrible liar." She urged, tugging his shirt. "Come on handsome, what is it?" Nick scrambled to come up with a cover story; he knew he had to leave soon.

"You feel weird after eating that pizza?" He asked.

"No, but then again I didn't eat five slices of double meat." She giggled.

"Yeah, I think that's coming back to haunt me. I'll be right back baby."

"Kk, I'll be right here. You call if you need some medicine from the basket though." Judy insisted, letting her husband upstairs. Nick rushed up, passed Ian on the computer and into his bedroom and slowly closed the door. He ditched his usual shirt and tie and pulled from the closet a black shirt, black hooded sweater and black pants. He went into the bathroom, turned on the fan and looked at himself in the mirror for a moment. Drawing long deep breaths he took a few paw-fulls of water from the faucet and rubbed a little of it on his face.

"Remember what you said." He whispered to himself. "This is to save dad, to do exactly what Judy wants us to do. Gotta stop this guy, he's gonna be a bigger monster than Mr. Big or anyone else." He encouraged himself. "God how are we going to do this?" He shuddered. Nick took out his phone, 7:15. He had to leave and now. Taking one more good long breath, placing his cellphone down on the counter he cautiously opened the window in the bathroom and snuck out. Darting across a small section of the roof, he dove down below the patio and out of the backyard over the fence. Rushing down the dirt alleyway he headed onto the street toward Lakeview Boulevard. Sure enough, Aiden was there, along with Patrick, Bryan and Finnick, leaning on a jet black car, body kitted with four doors.

"Fuck." Aiden whispered. "I really hoped you'd chicken out."

"Not today." Nick replied.

"Get in, we don't have much time. Bryan, the charges ready?" Aiden asked, getting into the car.

"Yeah, everyone grab a piece in the back here." Bryan advised, getting into the middle seat. He started handing out guns and a single grenade to each of them. "I'll handle blowing out the wall, you three need to keep us covered while we get Psych outta his chains and into the car."

"Don't call him that-" Nick tried to interject.

"Nick shut the fuck up." Aiden growled, glancing back. "He is Psych now, got it? You get soft, you're gonna get us killed."

"Sorry, got it." Nick submitted.

"What have ya gotten us into this time, Nick?" Patrick chuckled in his seat as they drove off.

"Don't even ask." Finnick cut in. "He pulls this kinda shit all the time. Last time it was saving his girlfriend."

"Well, least I know Predaton pretty damn good." Patrick nodded to Nick. "Gonna have to trust me when we're out there, Nick."

"No problem, call the shots."

"Psych, will call the shots." Aiden advised from the front.

"Yo Aide, this is a team op and I'm not some fuckin chump." Patrick spoke up. "I know that city real well, ins and outs, ups and downs, you follow me?"

"So do I, I was born there."

"Yeah, I know the story. You lived in a bunker. Look you guys are the hackers, but I know the streets." Patrick insisted.

"Aiden." Bryan spoke up. "He's right bud. We gotta stick together on this one. This is some serious shit we're getting into here."

"Yeah. Yeah I know."

"Seem a bit touchy, you ok bud?" Nick inquired.

"Don't ask." Aiden brushed off.

They parked in an alley, not far from the courthouse where Psych was being kept. Aiden stayed with the car, while Bryan led the charge toward the fence. Clipping a few of the ties, he opened it up and rushed everyone through. Ducking into the bushes, he pulled out his phone and waited for confirmation that the camera's had been disabled. Sure enough, at the stroke of 7:45, the cameras went dark. The ZIA had shut them out. Bryan got a text on his phone from a private number simply stating G. He took the lead and huddled against the wall, circling the building till they reached the back.

"Said walk 50 feet from the corner." Bryan whispered. Measuring out his steps, he bent down and took out his gun, tapping the base of it on the wall. Parker heard the sound and stepped away, picking up the mattress and using it as a shield, leaning against the bars of his cell. Finnick, Patrick and Nick got ready while Bryan produced the charges from his bag. Pressing them against the wall, he pressed the handle down as a countdown started. "Fire in the hole." He advised, as the four of them stepped away.

With a rather massive blast that sent Nick, Patrick and Finnick to the ground, a hole opened up in the wall. Psych had been pelted by a few rocks, some even embedded into the mattress but he was unscathed. Back on their feet, Nick lead the charge inside, pulling the mattress off of Psych and letting Bryan through with the second set of charges.

"Nicky!?" Psych exclaimed, rising to his feet.

"No time to explain, come on Bryan."

"I'm going! I'm going!" He insisted, pressing the mould of plastic explosive into the lock. "Clear!" He called, detonating it and sundering the lock. Pushing open the cell, Psych led the way down the hall and right into the path of a rhino officer. Finnick shot out his leg, sending the cop to the ground while Nick dove in and took the tranq gun and keys. Though quite big, he was able to handle it enough to check down the hall and nail another two wolf officers that were rapidly approaching. Discarding the larger gun, he snared up theirs and kept them ready.

"Bryan, down here." Psych guided them toward a storage room. Nick followed the group as alarms started to sound within the building. "They keep all the possessions in here, but we must be swift." Nick unlocked the door and shoved it open, darting the tiger at the counter.

"Fin, cover the window, I'll cover the door. Patrick help him find his stuff." Nick instructed. Psych took his time, reading through the storage lockers before at last finding the one with his name.

"Parker Wilde, I've got it!" Psych called out. "Finnick, give me the keys off that tiger!"

"You got it!" Finnick complied, plucking them from the tigers pocket and tossing them to Psych. More cops started coming in, but Finnick leapt back up onto the counter, shoving his gun through the tiny hole and starting to fire. "Fuck off you dumbass pigs!" The cops dove for cover as Psych unlocked his locker. Taking out his stun gloves, laptop and magnum, he stored as much as he could on his person before tucking his cloths under his arm.

"Here here." Bryan urged, opening up his bag. "Toss whatever you need in, go."

"Thanks." Psych wasted no time stuffing in his gun and stun gloves, along with his old hoodie and pants. Keeping the laptop on him, he followed behind Bryan toward the door.

"Finnick, we're clear. Come on!"

"Right!" He shouted bringing up the rear. Nick took the lead, heading back down the hall and drew out both tranquilizer guns he had stolen from the wolves. Peering down the hall toward Psych's cell, four more officers had arrived. Nick laid down every round in both guns and dropped all four to the ground. "Still love these things." He quipped, blowing the barrel.

"Shut up and move!" Psych bellowed. Darting through the cell and out through the wall they rushed for the fence.

"Shit was almost too easy." Bryan laughed. Police finally started to show up in droves and began firing on the group of escapees. Nick, Patrick and Finnick returned fire, forcing the officers to duck down and hide behind the wall. Bryan made the fence and held it open, letting Psych, Nick, Patrick and Finnick to escape. Aiden drove up with the windows down, everyone jumping in the back save for Psych who took the front seat.

"Go go go!" Psych bellowed, as Aiden spun out and headed for the main road. Cruisers were hot on his tail as he aimed for the tunnels that would take them up into Tundratown and onto the roads out of the city.

"Jeez, he must really be sick." Judy noted, getting up from the couch. Heading into the kitchen, she leapt up onto the counter and pulled a basket off the fridge. Withdrawing a pink bottle, she leapt down and grabbed a spoon and exited back into the living room and up the stairs. Giving Ian a quick wave, she headed into the bedroom and peered into the open bathroom. "Huh?" She wondered, pressing open the door to find the light and fan on, but no one inside. Just Nick's phone on the sink with a simple message on the screen, "I love you, Carrots." Judy felt a quick rush of fear hit, dropping the bottle and rushing out of the room. Bursting into the computer room, she all but yelled. "Where is he!?"

"What? Who?"

"Nick, where did he go!? His phone! He left it in the bathroom and the windows open, he snuck out!" Judy scrambled to explain.

"Oh shit. I don't know sis, I'm sorry. I didn't even see him come up!" Ian replied. Opening up his browser, he had a "Breaking Story" in his news feed and clicked on it. "Explosion at Zootopia's court house, inmate escapes." Ian read.

"Oh no." Judy shook her head, covering her mouth with her paw. "No no no, he wouldn't. No, Nick you idiot! You absolute idiot!" She screamed rushing for her keys she burst out the door and into the car, peeling out of the driveway and down the road.

"We need to get these pigs, off our asses!" Bryan bellowed.

"I got this." Patrick called out, pulling out his gun.

"Aim for the tires, don't kill them." Nick advised. pulling out a gun and leaning out the window. Firing on the cruisers behind him, Nick and Patrick shot out the front wheels on them one by one. A helicopter started following overhead, with someone aiming a rather large and strange looking gun out the side of it. "Shit, Aiden we got an EMP chopper right overhead."

"My RPG is in the trunk, I can't get to it from in here!" Bryan shouted. Finnick in a scramble to find something to use, produced Psych's old magnum with a smile.

"Hey, nice gun!" Finnick complimented. Psych glanced back and growled.

"That's mine!"

"Nick, do your thing!" Finnick handed it off to him. Getting himself as steadied as possible, Nick took aim at a section of the chopper just at the base of the rotors. Firing three shots, he managed to hit his mark as the chopper whizzed and whirred.

"Got it, hit the fuel line!" Nick smiled, pulling back into the car.

"Yeah ha! Fucking A Fox!" Patrick praised, high-fiving Nick.

"Get us out of here, Aiden." Psych stated quietly. Aiden didn't say a word, just stepping on the gas as they exited out onto the main highway.