A/N: Yeah...I've been really obsessed with Zootopia lately. So this had to happen, because Nick and Judy's friendship is absolutely adorable.

Time: 2h, 36m WC: 1,200

Deep inside Judy's mind, an alarm blared. Her ear twitched. Someone was in her apartment.

Her mind switched immediately from completely unconscious to wide alert in a matter of seconds. She cracked one eyelid open, allowing herself only a tiny slit to see through. Across from the bed, a form sat slumped in Judy's chair, its head tilted back and a loud snore erupting from its open jaws. A streetlight from outside provided just enough light to illuminate the creature's furry red coat. All of the adrenaline seemed to drain from Judy's body at once.

Judy opened both her eyes and rubbed them with her paws. "Nick?" she asked through a yawn. She glanced up at the clock on the windowsill; it read 1:30 AM.

Nick's nose twitched as another snore made its way out from his throat. Judy rolled her eyes as she sat up, straightening her tank top over her shoulders. "Nick!"

He didn't move a muscle. Judy sighed and hopped to the floor, a soft thud sounding as her feet hit the bare wood. She pushed the chair, just slightly, causing it to scrape across the floor.

Nick's breathing quieted and his eyebrows raised to his forehead.

"What are you doing in here?" Judy demanded in a hushed whisper.

Nick smacked his lips and folded his arms over his chest. "Go back to sleep, Carrots."

Judy stood in front of the chair and tapped her foot against the ground. "How did you get in?

A sly smile spread across Nick's muzzle. "Made a copy of your key."

"How–?" Her paws balled into fists at her sides. "You're not supposed to do that!"

Nick grunted and then shifted his body backwards, tilting the chair onto its back legs. As it leaned further and further back, Nick suddenly jumped up and grabbed onto the desk, bringing the front legs of the chair crashing back down with a crack. Nick remained still as a statue for a few moments as the loud noise echoed throughout the room. Finally he slowly released the desk and furrowed his brow, showing off his teeth in an apologetic smile.

"Why are you here anyway?" Judy persisted. Why would he come into her room just to spend the night in a tiny, cramped chair?

Nick's body relaxed and he carefully settled back into the chair. He waved a paw at her and yawned. "Don't worry about it, Carrots."

Judy couldn't help but yawn in response. She shook her head. "If you sleep like that for the rest of the night, you'll wake up with aches and cramps and be grumpy all day."

"I'm never grumpy," he muttered, closing his eyes again.

"You are when you don't get a good night's sleep."

Nick opened his eyes to shoot a glare at her. His nose wrinkled in distaste. Yet, something rested deep behind the pretend hatred, a look that Judy hadn't quite figured out yet.

"Nick," Judy murmured, placing her paw on his knee, "what's going on?"

He bounced his leg, knocking her paw away. "Just a stupid dream," he mumbled, leaning his head back.

"You can tell me." She looked up at him imploringly, though she knew he couldn't see it in his current position.

Nick didn't answer. His breathing slowed to a dirge-like pace, evening out and deepening.

Judy huffed and grabbed Nick's arm. "Come here." She tried to tug him away from the chair, but he didn't move an inch.

"I'm fine here," he muttered, the words barely decipherable.

"I'm not kicking you out."

Nick peeked at her through a half-open eyelid. He slid his paw into hers and allowed her to drag him over to the edge of her bed. Judy jumped up into the bed and scooted all the way to the wall. She patted the empty space next to her, watching confusion take over Nick's expression.

"Come on, Nick. We need to get some rest."

Nick's eyes softened and he slid into bed next to her, drawing the blanket up to his chest. "Thanks," he whispered.

Judy wiggled under the blanket and curled up on her side. "If I hear one snore, I'm kicking you back next door."

"Point taken," he sighed, rolling away from her. His bushy tail tickled the bottom of her feet.

Silence reigned for a long time. Judy's body relaxed, and as she pondered what could be bothering Nick, her mind began to slip away into unconsciousness.

"It was a nightmare."

Nick's voice pierced the silence, and though he spoke quietly, in the moment it seemed as loud as a gunshot. Judy's ears rotated toward the sound, and she woke up once again. Nick's back still faced her, and she wondered if he knew she was awake.

"I woke up for work and had to wait for you to get ready. I definitely knew something was wrong then. After a few minutes, I knocked on your door and there was no answer. I came in and…you weren't here."

Judy reached out and placed a comforting paw on his back.

"All of your stuff was here, everything except you. I went to work, thinking it was a prank and you had left me behind on purpose. But it wasn't. No one at the ZPD even knew who I was talking about when I mentioned you: Clawhauser, Bogo, no one. I went frantic, running around town trying to find you. I spent days looking, but it was like you'd been erased from the world." She felt a shudder run down his spine. "I started to think I had made you up. Everyone else thought I was crazy, too."

"Nick…" Judy murmured, her heart squeezing tight in sympathy.

He sighed. "No one ever stays long. Every time I think I find someone who really cares, they either turn on me or leave. Or both." He wrapped his arms around himself, leaning away from her touch. "You're the only one who's ever come back."

"Hey," Judy said, her voice as soft as a caress. Nick shifted, turning onto his side so he faced her. His ears drooped low behind his head and his normally lively green eyes were dim.

Judy reached up and hugged him around the neck. "I'm not going anywhere," she stated firmly.

A sarcastic chortle sounded from Nick's throat. "Yes ma'am." He pushed her away and rolled over again, flicking his tail in her face.

"Ugh!" Judy shooed the fluffy mass away and pushed him off the bed with her feet.

"Ah!" Nick exclaimed as he tumbled onto the ground. He sat up and frowned at Judy. "That's what I get for opening myself up to you, huh?"

Judy grinned. "Warning number one."

Nick crawled back onto the bed and grimaced, rubbing his back. "Gee, I'd hate to see number two." He scooted as far away from Judy as possible and wrapped the blanket tightly around himself. "I'm never telling you anything again."

"Nick!"

He chuckled. "Calm down, Carrots, I'm only joking."

Judy shook her head and settled down once more. "Goodnight. See ya in a few hours!"

Nick groaned. "Ugh. Don't remind me."

With a smile, Judy closed her eyes and soon drifted off to sleep.