Nick's eyes kept closing involuntarily as he rode the elevator up the mine shaft and out into the fresh air. He was just finishing a ten hour shift, and he was exhausted. They had found a new gold seam in the mine early that morning, and the manager had kept the whole team working almost non-stop until now.

He had been working in the mine for nearly a week now; he knew that Mr Big had suggested the job here as a way to keep him out of the city until a more permanent decision could be made. Nick had known that Mr Big had a few shady business interests outside Zootopia, and it had often been rumoured that a gold mine was one of them, but he had no idea of the scale of the mining going on here until he actually arrived. The mammals he was working with were a rough bunch, and he had the impression that many of them were there to avoid the law themselves.

It wasn't as though he was a prisoner, exactly, but he definitely got the impression that any attempt to leave would be treated severely. On the one paw he was being fed, housed and paid relatively well, but on the other they had taken his phone and barred him from any contact with the rest of the world.

As the elevator doors opened he stumbled out into the large open area on top of the mine works, feeling the cool breeze ruffle his fur in relief. It was hot down so deep below the surface, and the work was much more physical than Nick was used to. He walked slowly over to the cluster of low wooden buildings, showered and grabbed a meal from the canteen before going to the dormitory and collapsing onto his bunk.

Despite his weariness he found it difficult to fall asleep, his limbs so over-tired that they twitched and ached. He found his thoughts turning, as always, to Judy. He wondered what she was doing now. Still looking for him, he hoped. He wondered if she would find him and come heroically to the rescue. He smiled to himself at that image – Judy bursting through the gates in her form-fitting blue uniform, holding up her badge and saying "ZPD! We're here for Nick Wilde!" Of course, she would be insufferable for weeks afterwards if she had to come to his rescue. He would put it up with it all though, he thought, just to see her again.

He remembered how they had first met, how they had collaborated (reluctantly at first) on the Night Howler case. And then that night in the museum when they had tricked Bellwether with the blueberries and their acting skills. It had been difficult for him to act that ferociously, especially with Judy looking so scared. And with her injured leg as well.

As soon as Bellwether was arrested Judy had been whisked off to hospital to get the torn skin and muscle stitched up. Nick had had to stay and answer Bogo's questions, and by the time he arrived at the hospital Judy was sitting in bed with her leg bandaged and comfortably propped up.

He had sidled into the room with a big bunch of flowers he'd bought from a nearby stall, feeling unaccountably shy. "Nick!" she squealed at him before he had a chance to say anything "You'll have to come over here so that I can hug you – they won't let me stand on this for a few days."

He moved awkwardly over to the side of the bed, and she reached out to wrap her little arms tightly around his waist. "Oof!" he said, as she squeezed the breath out of him "Well done for solving the case, Carrots. Here." He held the flowers out to her "I brought you these. To say congrats. And get well soon." He paused "And thank you."

"What for?" she asked, letting go of him and burying her nose in the flowers.

"For getting me involved in this dumb case." He smirked "I may as well admit it Carrots, life just isn't as exciting without you blackmailing me and dragging me round the city."

She placed the flowers carefully on her bedside table and smiled up at him "I know I'm a police bunny and you're a con-fox, but do you think we can still be friends? When I'm back in action?"

"Who are you calling a con-fox?" Nick asked, acting offended as he sat on the side of her bed "You're talking to the latest ZPD recruit!"

"Really?" she yelped, her eyes shining.

"Well I haven't officially handed in my application yet, but I had a word with old Bogo out there, and he seemed to think it could work."

"Oh Nick! That's wonderful!" and she hugged him again, if possible even tighter than before "You'll be a great cop, I just know it!"

Nick smiled in the darkness of the dusty dormitory. He could still remember the feel of Judy's arms wrapping tightly around him. She was much more physical than most of the mammals he was used to working with, never afraid to hug him or kiss him on the cheek. Or punch him on the arm, he remembered. He liked it. All of it. Just spending time with her always made his day seem better. He hadn't let her know it very often though, always hiding behind a mask of sarcasm. When he got back to the city, he resolved, he would let her know just how much she meant to him.