A/N: AAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH! I"M ALIVE!

Hey everyone! I'm back, and my wrist has fully recovered! I'M SO SORRY for making you wait this long. My life has just been a mess lately and writing has taken a back seat for a while. Any time I had to write, I didn't get much done either because of things popping up or just the simple fact that any spark I had would die out n seconds. So for the last two days, I pretty much locked myself away and just wrote. It was hard, but I eventually found what I was trying to do and it all came together. Again, I'm sorry for the hiatus, and to be honest, it might happen again, but I still have every intention to finish this story for you guys and for myself.

This is a long chapter and there's lots of character interaction, mainly with Jeff and Judy as we get to learn a little more about him, but don't worry! There's some Nick and Judy stuff near the end.

IMPORTANT NOTE: I've been getting this question a lot and I addressed it at the beginning of the story, but because there still seems to be some confusion, I'll say it again; I decided to portray the characters a little more anthropomorphic than in the movie related to dress and size. Characters like Judy, Nick, Clawhauser and Bogo will be relatively close in height though Judy would still be considered small. Large mammals like giraffes and elephants will still tower over everyone to keep some semblance to the film.

Okay! That's out of the way so let's get this thing going! As Mario would say - HERE WE GOOOOOOOO!

"Oh, God! I think my shins are going to shatter!"

The incredulous wailing of ZPD's favorite dispatcher could be heard by all as he awkwardly hobbled his way out of the locker room and into the precinct halls. Judy was waiting for him, uniform on and neatly pressed as per the usual. She crossed her arms and offered him a stern look.

"Come on now, Clawhauser, I wasn't that bad."

"My calves feel like they're going to give birth!"

"That just means you really pushed yourself today!"

"This is a form of torture, I'm sure of it…" the cheetah mumbled as they made their way to the main floor. Judy just giggled as they bobbed and weaved through the sea of officers making their daily rounds.

"You did great work today, Clawhauser," Judy told the cheetah with a bright smile. "This physical is going to be a walk in the park for you by the time it gets here."

"I hope so, Carrot Cake," he sighed as he shuffled behind the front desk as the lion who was filling in for his morning patted him on the back before leaving. "Those guys who oversee this stuff can be pretty merciless from what I hear."

"Don't even sweat it, Clawhauser. I'm telling you, you'll do great. In less than a month, you'll be doing back flips through that obstacle course!"

The feline smiled at her in gratitude. "You know, a month ago, I wouldn't have believed that, but some crazy bunny has got me thinking otherwise."

"Oh? Pretty stellar this bunny?" Judy grinned, leaning on the counter with her elbows.

"Sure is. At least when she's not being a total Diet Nazi." Judy laughed. "So what's up for you today, Judykins?" Clawhauser asked, leaning his elbows on the counter and his noticeably less plump face in his paws. "Gonna arrest the entire Lotus Gang syndicate?"

"I've got Noob Duty for the next little while," Judy responded, drumming her fingers on the desk.

"Oh! With the new defense instructor. The one with the tattoos, right?"

"Yeah, that's him."

"The one you arrested last night and Bogo TOTALLY chewed you out for?"

Judy frowned and turned away with crossed arms. "I didn't get chewed out..." she mumbled, attempting to hide her embarrassment.

"Judy got in trouble!" Clawhauser sang, poking her with his fingers teasingly.

"You're doing the Ice Wall for an hour tomorrow."

"...Crap." Judy smiled cheekily at him which the cheetah hmph'd at. His short ears suddenly perked up as he looked past the rabbit and nodded his head in the direction. "Looks like your former perp has arrived."

Judy turned around to see the arctic fox she met last night making his way across the main floor, introducing himself to the other officers, shaking paws and exchanging pleasantries. He was in uniform now, and Judy had to admit that he wore it just as well as Nick. The vulpine was engaged in conversation with a female hyena who laughed at some unheard comment he made and playfully pushed him. He smiled and turned his head to the side, now making eye contact with Judy. His smile widened and he bid a farewell to the other officer who said something to him that caused the ivory fox to shrug playfully. He glided along the floor until he came to a stop in front of them and suddenly pointed to the badge pinned to his chest.

"Whoa! Me cop! Remember?" he teased the bunny.

"Very funny, newbie," Judy retorted sarcastically, though wore a smile. "You ready for your first day in the big city?"

"Ready as I'll ever be."

"Good to hear. Jeff, this is Benjamin Clawhauser, our dispatch. Clawhauser, this is Jeff Winters."

"A how do you do! Welcome to the ZPD!" Clawhauser cheerfully greeted, holding out his paw.

"Hey there, Clawhauser," Jeff smiled as he took the big cat's paw in his own. "I've heard many a great things about you. How's the physical coming along?"

"Like trying to climb up a mountain backwards," the feline sighed, but then smiled as he looked to Judy. "But I got myself a pretty good trainer that keeps me on my feet."

"That doesn't surprise me from what I've heard about the Iron Bunny," Jeff replied as he too smiled at the rabbit, Judy felt her ears burn and she avoided both stares.

"That ain't just a nickname," Clawhuaser told him. "Judy's the toughest, most epic, most badass officer here. I once saw her hammer out over two hundred crunches in one sitting. You could break walnuts on her abs."

"Clawhauser..." Judy warned.

"That I'd actually like to see," Jeff added.

"Oh, sweet cheese and crackers! Clawhauser, goodbye! Let's go, Winters!" Judy huffed, as she pushed the fox ahead of her.

"See you around, Clawhauser! Nice to meet you!" Jeff called out as he was hurried along.

"You too, Jeff! Save your energy when Judy's around! You'll need it to keep up with her!" the dispatch called back.

"He thinks quite highly of you," Jeff smiled at her as he began to walk on his own power.

"Yeah...I guess..." Judy mumbled with embarrassment, scratching the back of her head. "He shouldn't though. I'm just the same as any other cop here."

"Oh, can the modesty," the fox smirked, sticking his paws in his pockets. "Every cop from here to the coastal cities knows about you and the Savage Case. You're a hero, tried and true."

"Please don't call me that," Judy said firmly. "I did what anyone else would have done. We all took up the badge to serve and protect, predator and prey alike. I'm not a hero. Besides, the tabloids never give the whole story," she stated, ears drooping slightly. "I made my share of bad decisions during that case and...and there was someone else that deserved just as much credit for that resolution." Judy felt a warmth spread through her chest for a split second at the thought of that individual. She then looked over to Jeff whose smile had widened. "What?" she asked.

"Humility suits you," he responded. "I find it to be a very endearing quality about you...among other things." Judy watched his onyx eyes quickly scan her and she was surprised to find that flush of heat strike her cheeks much like the night before.

"Yeah...Well...Um..." she found herself stuttering, again caught off guard by yet another comment from the vulpine which made his smile widen even more. She straightened her ears and shook off the feeling before clearing her throat. "Ah…We need to get some wheels for today. It's down this way."

Judy led the arctic fox to the west side of the precinct next to the department's entrance to the parking lot where officers where shuffling to and from a large window. There was a grumpy looking elephant at the window who was taking the items being dropped off and handing others out. The items in question were car keys, and Judy pointed over to the window. "That's Winston. He's in charge of all of the ZPD vehicle distributions. Go over there and he'll have you fill out a form for the squad car we'll be using."

"Yes, ma'am," Jeff replied and headed over to the window.

Judy watched him wait in line behind a tiger and hippo and she revisited the scene from moments ago when his eyes ran over her. While still no expert in dating or romance, Judy knew what flirting was, and Jeff was not being shy about it. It was a strange thing to her. From the moment she had met him, there had been that smirk and coy look when he talked to her, and a noticeable gleam in his eye. The arctic fox very much reminded her of Nick but…different somehow. She didn't know exactly how to put her finger on it, but tried to put it out of her mind. Jeff had been very nice so far (with the exception of that little joke he pulled yesterday), and she'd even goes as far to say handsome, but her heart belonged to one fox, and one fox only.

A new sensation suddenly followed the previous one in the form of a vibration in her back pocket. Plucking her phone free, Judy swiped it open to see she had a text from none other than Nick. Her lips automatically pulled back into a smile, as was the case. Pressing down on the screen, the whole message came into view.

"Hey, Carrots. Hope your morning went well with Clawhauser. I'm stuck on speed patrol with Wolford. I don't think I've ever met someone who needed to take as many pee breaks as him. We're on break #6 so far. Kill me X0."

Judy giggled to herself and her fingertips tapped dance over the screen to write her own message.

"LOL. Wolford needs to cut down on his coffee. I swear he has a kettle constantly brewing under his desk." A few seconds went by before another text bubble popped up before her eyes.

"I wouldn't doubt it. You free tonight?"

Judy felt her heart flutter slightly and her smile grew. "I'm off around 8. What'd you have in mind?" she replied.

"Nothing special. Grab a coffee at the Sturgeon Café? Or we could just pop a squat under Wolford's desk :P''

''Haha, I don't think he'd appreciate that. Café sounds good to me!''

''Cool. 8:30 work?''

''See you then!''

Feeling a wave of euphoria was over her, Judy put her phone back in her pocket as she hummed to herself, the development of what had just transpired brightening her day tenfold. It wasn't much longer after that that Jeff returned to her, twirling a set of keys around his finger. "That Winston sure is a cheerful fellow," he said, the tone of his voice indicating his sarcasm. Judy giggled.

"He takes a while to warm up to, but he's a real sweetheart when you get to know him. Well, come on then, let's go make the world a better place!"

"After you, my lady," Jeff smiled an offered a gentleman like bow. His eyes met hers again and another slick grin ran across his muzzle. There was something about that grin that was beginning to affect her more than she cared to admit.

The two officers headed outside to the parking lot where they passed row after row of squad cars, all different shapes and sizes for whichever species was using them. The fox and bunny came to a pretty standard sized one that was parked in the back corner, the sun reflecting off its shiny black and white coating. Jeff placed himself in the driver's side while Judy hopped into the passenger side.

"So what's the plan?" Jeff asked as he strapped himself in.

"We've been assigned to Savannah Central which is one of the busiest zones in Zootopia. We'll drive around for a while so you get used to the traffic and streets. After that we'll walk the beat. There's some places you should familiarize yourself with," Judy informed him, typing a few commands into the computer that was set near the dashboard.

"Okely Dokely," Jeff hummed as he turned the keys and the engine roared to life.

The squad car pulled out of the ZPD lot and onto the streets, joining the early afternoon traffic. "So...Jeff," Judy began as they came to a halt at a stop light. "Tell me a bit about yourself. Where are you from? You said some town up north?"

"Yes indeedy," Jeff replied, stretching his neck, a sharp pop ringing out. "I was born in Vancofur and lived there till I was about seven until my folks moved to a little place called Polar Creek."

"Never heard of it."

"You and probably everyone else in this city," Jeff chuckled. "It's a very small town and way out in the boonies."

"They had an academy?" Judy asked in curiosity.

"Naw. I had to move back to the city for that. I spent a couple of years there, but after a while I started to get home sick and was lucky enough to get a transfer back to Polar Creek. Probably helped that my dad was the sheriff there too," he grinned.

"Ah, so law enforcement is a family tradition I take it?"

"Yup. My father's father was a cop, and his father's father was a cop, etc., etc. My dad never forced it on me, but he didn't have to. I can't think of a time where I didn't want to be an officer. The whole representation of justice and protection of the common folk thing kinda got to me, you know what I mean?"

"Yeah," Judy smiled fondly. "I do." The car merged into the left lane so they could make a turn, and they fell in line behind another series of cars. "So how did you get to be a defense instructor? And out here for that matter?" Judy asked curiously as they came to a halt behind several cars waiting for a red light to change. Jeff leaned back in his seat and leaned his arm out of the open window, fingers drumming against the door.

"Experience, I guess. Since I was ten I've been involved with combat sports. Karate, Judo, Kick Boxing, Jujitsu, Wrestling; and given the beat I had to work, it came in handy a lot."

"Saw a lot of action?"

"Vancofur's a beautiful city, but just like here I'm sure, it has its bad neighborhoods." The light turned green and traffic began to move again. "So, being the lucky mammal that I was, I had more than a few instances where things got physical. I was good at it and I guess the department noticed and thought it'd be a good idea to incorporate what I know into basic training. Next thing I knew, I was being sent all over the place to teach others what I knew."

"Wow. How many places have you been to?"

"Too many to count. I always ended up back home though which was nice, but it wouldn't be too long before I was sent out again," Jeff yawned. "It can get a little tiresome at times to be honest, all that traveling back and forth."

"I can imagine," Judy said. "So what about Zootopia? Are you just here temporarily?"

"Why're you asking? Afraid I won't be here one morning?" the ivory furred vulpine grinned with a teasing look.

"Oh, I'll be crushed," Judy grinned back sarcastically. Jeff had a laugh at that.

"I actually got an apartment on the South side. I plan to stay here in all honesty."

"I thought Polar Creek was your home?"

"It is, but recently I kind of developed a love/hate relationship with it. My family is there and it's nice and quiet. Good, honest animals live there. But over the years I've found it can be a little…suffocating at times, I guess. You can only do so much in a small town like that." They stopped at a crosswalk to let a group of children that belonged to a daycare cross the road. "I love Polar Creek, but a part of me feels like I'm needed elsewhere right now, you know? Like, I'm meant to do more than wander around the same streets doing the same thing everyone else is day in and day out."

It surprised Judy to discover just how much in common she had with this fox. The feelings she had growing up in Bunny Burrow came rushing over her like a wave rolling over the sand of a beach, and she softly shook her head with a smile. "I know what you're talking about. I grew up in a small town out in the country where I was expected to do what everyone else was doing. It's hard to keep big dreams alive in places like that. But like you said, I felt I was meant to do more. It's the reason I came out here."

Jeff smiled fondly at her. "For this city's sake it's a good thing you did. The world would be a brighter place if there were more dreamers had courage like yours."

Judy cursed herself as yet another sting of heat graced her cheeks. While it was a simple compliment, and in no way flirtatious, his words still got to her. She was starting to get uncomfortable and rolled her shoulders to try and cast off what she was feeling.

"Um…We should be arriving pretty soon. You did a full equipment check, right?"

"Yuppers."

"Radio?"

"Check."

"Note pad?"

"Double check."

"Full clip in your side arm?" Jeff didn't answer right away, instead biting his bottom lip. The rabbit officer's brow knitted. "Really? That's cop 101, Jeff."

"I know, I know. I always mean to check, but…"

"But?"

"Truth be told, I'm not exactly comfortable with firearms," Jeff admitted, eyes flashing down to the pistol holstered in Judy's belt. "I mean, I know how to use it and all that, but I've never felt good holding one." The car turned right and they found themselves in the crowded streets of Savannah Central.

"That's not uncommon," Judy told him. "I'm not a fan of them myself and have been lucky enough to avoid using it since I joined the Department, but you need to on top of that." There was a small silence before she awkwardly cleared her throat and asked, "Have...you ever had to use it?"

Jeff smiled and shook his head. "Nah. I've had a few situations where I guess I should have used it but that fighting instinct tends kicks in and I end up shooting a double leg and choking the perp out. I've suffered a few stab wounds and various other bumps and bruises, but I'll take that over taking a life, even if it belongs to some low level crook trying to bash my nogg'n in."

"I see. I guess that's part of your teachings, huh? Get into this lane here."

"It's a big part of it," Jeff nodded, merging into the other lane to get past a giraffe sized car blocking their view. "To pull out a gun and have some one's life in the cross-hairs, whether that person is good or bad, can be a pretty traumatic experience. I've known a few cops who have had to end someone's life and they were never the same afterwards. I sure as hell don't want that for me and I don't want it for anyone else."

"A day may come when you'll have to use it though," Judy commented quietly. The tattooed vulpine nodded.

"You're absolutely right. The day very well may come. But until then, if I can keep doing what I'm doing, and teach others how to avoid using deadly force whenever possible, then that's what I'll do."

The rabbit smiled softly at the fox and nodded her head. "Can't say that's something I'd argue against." Jeff smiled at her again. They broke off from the traffic and onto a side street. "Park here and we'll start patrol," Judy instructed. Jeff followed her order and side parked before killing the engine. They stepped out, the sounds of the city carried in the air and they joined the main street, engulfed by the sea of citizens moving to and fro. Jeff whistled.

"Wowzers. This place is definitely bigger than Vancofur."

Judy chuckled and waved with her paw. "Come on, newbie. Let's get you acquainted with Zootopia."

Both rabbit and fox patrolled the streets, Jeff taking in the busy city life of the monstrous zootropolis. Judy pointed out all the major landmarks and establishments wherever they went, filling him in on previous issues or situations that occurred in specific areas. Judy found the fox to be observant and a fast learner, pointing things out for himself and asking good questions. He gave her the impression that he was a good cop and was generally interested in the city and animals. He was mindful of where he stepped to avoid rats, lemmings or mice, blue eyes constantly scanning the crowds for any signs of trouble, and even going out of his way to help a group of delivery goats ease down a rather large crate from their truck. The fox's friendly demeanor was evident to the public and some chit chatted with the new officer they have never seen before.

It made Judy smile to see citizens embracing a ZPD officer rather than avoiding him or casting nervous glances their way, afraid that they might be given trouble despite doing nothing wrong. Judy never understood that fear, but she supposed she could understand the notion of abusing power. Bellwether was a living example of that. But Jeff seemed to have an ability to make everyone around him comfortable and there were a few laughs gained at something he said. At one point, a group of tough looking street hoods made their way through the crowd and a puma said something to him before they all broke out in smiles and began to show off their tattoos. Jeff looked at each one and complimented them before showing them his. They soon parted with fist bumps and shoulder claps before Jeff turned to her and let out a breath.

"Real sweethearts those guys are. Big Ron invited me to his daughter's bake sale."

"Making friends already I see," Judy snickered.

The arctic fox shrugged. "What can I say? It's a gift." Shaking her head, Judy and Jeff continue their patrol. "So how am I doing so far?" Jeff asked, keeping in step with her.

"Pretty well, actually. I'm impressed," Judy smiled.

"Wow, praise from Caesar."

"Oh, shut up."

"What? It's true. That means a lot coming from a cop of your caliber."

"You've been a cop longer than me!" Judy laughed. "It feels weird."

Jeff shrugged his shoulders. "Seniority has nothing to do with it. I know guys who have been cops for over a decade and they couldn't find their asses with both paws. You're a true leader and one hell of an officer, Judy. It's an honor just to tag along side you."

Judy didn't reply. She really wasn't use to this. The whole thing was starting to feel a little weird knowing what she was currently dealing with, but she smiled all the same. "You say that now, but wait until I make you pay for lunch. Little rule we got for noobs." Jeff simply chuckled and went back to observing the city around him.

"Whoa, Mama," Jeff whistled as he suddenly came to a stop. Judy halted and followed his gaze over to a van that was parked in an alley to their right. A van that had an all too familiar mural painted on the side of it. "The last time I saw a van like that, I busted a bunch of teenagers doing hits of ecstasy in the back." Jeff commented.

The van's back doors suddenly opened and a pint sized fennec hopped out the back. He let out a loud yawn and dug his paw into the crotch of his shorts, scratching for what seemed longer than necessary. "Charming as ever, Finnick," Judy sighed with a shake of her head.

"You know him?"

"Finnick's a...friend of a friend," the rabbit put mildly. "He's also probably one of the best scam artists in the city." Judy's mind switched over to old memories of Nick pushing him around in a stroller and she felt a smile tug at her lips. Jeff sniffed and adjusted his gun belt.

"Really? Perhaps I should introduce myself then."

Judy suddenly wrenched her thoughts away from Nick as the startling realization struck her as to what she had just said. Jeff moved forward but Judy's paw shot out and grabbed hold of the fox's wrist. "Whoa, Jeff."

"What? What is it?"

Judy struggled to find the words to explain the situation. Finnick wasn't exactly her friend, nor was he a model citizen, but she knew of the relationship between him and Nick. "Finnick may have some unsavory qualities," she said, "but he's not a bad guy." Another memory surfaced of the tiny fox driving her across the city to help her repair the friendship she thought she had broken forever.

"Then he won't mind if I say hello."

Judy watched as Jeff approached the other fox and she wrung her paws together nervously before catching up with him. Finnick finally stopped scratching and started to climb back into his van when a voice came alive behind him.

"Evening, sir."

His giant ears perked up and he turned around, eyes widening slightly upon seeing a white fox in ZPD colors. "Ah! I mean, evening, officer!" Finnick spouted, hurriedly jumping out of his van and slamming the doors behind him. He coughed away some post sleep phlegm and put on a fake smile. "How can I help you?"

"Well, I'm new to Zootopia and I thought I would go around introducing myself. I'm Officer Winters of the ZPD, but you knew that already."

"Sure did!" Finnick said a little too enthusiastically. "Love me the boys in blue. Uh…Law and order and all that shit."

"Uh huh, I'm sure," Jeff nodded, a stale and stern look on his face. He was soon joined by Judy and Finnick's eyes shot back and forth between the two.

"Hopps? Where's Wilde? Don't he ride with you?" the fennec asked curiously.

"Not right now," she responded awkwardly. "I'm…um…showing the new guy around."

"I can see," Finnick mumbled, eyeing the arctic fox again.

"Judy here tells me you're quite popular around these parts," Jeff continued. Finnick breathed hard through his nose and shot the rabbit a frown.

"Officer Hopps is too kind," he spoke through clenched teeth. Judy's ears fell and she offered him an apologetic look.

"Tell me, Finnick; what is that you do?"

"I…uh…I'm kinda in between gigs at the moment. You know...what with the economy..."

"I see." Jeff eyed the van behind the fox. "What's in the van, Finnick?" The little hustler's ears twitched and his tail stiffened slightly.

"Uh…Uh…" Finnick stuttered as his brain tried to come up with something. "Uh…Porn."

"Porn?"

"Yeah. Lots of porn. Like, super hardcore stuff. Yup. Big ol' porn van."

Jeff's look never changed, but he looked to Judy. "Judy?" he asked, his tone indicating that he wanted her to tell him the legitimacy of this claim. The rabbit slowly nodded her head.

"Yeah, that sounds like Finnick, all right. Or as we call him down at the station…uh…Filthy Finnick." The fennec looked offended by that statement but put on a smile and shrugged his tiny shoulders. Jeff stared a hole into him but eventually shrugged.

"Well, if Judy says you're okay then you must be okay." Finnick let out a silent breath of relief. "I'll be seeing you around, Finnick," Jeff stated, casting a small but cautionary salute to the fennec before walking away.

"Looking forward to it," Finnick muttered under his breath. He gave Judy a curious look that she avoided before disappearing in the back of his van, doors slamming shut. Sighing to herself, Judy turned on her heel and caught up with Jeff. He tossed a sideways glance at her before looking forward again.

"So," he began, "you have a lot of friends with huge caches of pornography? I didn't take you as the type."

"Look, Jeff, I-"

"I get it, I do. He's small time compared to what else is out there. I knew my fair share back in Vancofur. Not so much a threat as they are an annoyance." He stopped in the middle of the side walk and let his eyes meet hers. "That being said, I can't imagine that whatever he really has in that van is legal, and I usually don't like to turn a blind eye to that."

"So why did you?" Judy asked quietly, a feeling of shame softly creeping its way inside her. Jeff smiled and stuck his paws in his pockets.

"Because you vouched for him. You're not a dirty cop or one that doesn't care. You're judgment and opinion has real meaning, and if you think he's really not a bad guy or a threat to anyone...then that's good enough for me."

Judy stared at him for a moment before looking away and sheepishly rubbing her arm. "You've only know me for a day. How could you trust me just like that?"

"I have a pretty good judge of character. You've been oozing honesty and morality since you tackled me. I think you may have gotten some on me in the process. You're gross."

Judy felt a laugh escape her at that and Jeff's smile widened. Laughter subsiding, she smoothed back her ears before they popped back up and crossed her arms. "You're holding me on a pretty high pedestal, Winters. I'm sure I'll disappoint you at some point," she said.

"Welp, I've yet to see it so you got that going for you too!" This earned him a set of giggles and Judy shook her head.

"Okay, okay, that's enough butt kissing. Let's grab some lunch."

"Ah, yes, the lunch I'm buying, correct?"

"Yes, yes it is."

"Mmmm! That hits the spot!" Judy exclaimed as she took a bite out of her carrot-dog.

"Okay, that's like, the third one you've had. Where are you putting all that?" Jeff asked as he sucked up the last of his ice water. The two officers had stopped at a small food truck parked near a set of picnic tables where other animals were lined up to receive their orders. Judy swallowed another bite before flashing a grin.

"Well, if I'm as awesome as you claim I am, then I need a lot of energy to maintain said awesomeness."

"Fair," the fox snickered. He looked around the small area they were in and noticed a smaller food cart being wheeled out by a possum. He set up an umbrella and began to unload his various goods along with a price chart. He placed a few bags of candy and chips on the side table and something else. Jeff squinted to see what it was, and when he realized what he was looking at, his eyes popped open wide. "I'LL BE RIGHT BACK!" he blurted out loudly and took off in a hurry towards the cart, leaving Judy watching him in bewilderment.

She watched Jeff practically crash into the cart and grab something off the table and shove a wad of cash into the possums confused face. Like someone who just found out they won the lottery, Jeff skipped back to their table, grinning from ear to ear. "What was that about?" Judy questioned when he returned.

"This!" Judy leaned back as a small bag was thrust into her face. Narrowing her eyes, she read the label and her face reflected a perplexing visage.

"...Oreos?"

"Hell yeah!"

"You're this excited...for Oreos?"

"You say that as if they were some common cookie!" Jeff said, looking slightly offended. "The Oreo is the greatest invention after penicillin and sweat pants. I love Oreos!"

"Oh. I...uh...wouldn't have guessed, what with you being so in shape and all."

"Uh, it's called a cheat day, and I would cheat on my wife with an Oreo! If, you know, I was married that is."

"Clearly," Judy half laughed at this sudden odd behavior. Jeff ripped open the bag and took a bite out the sandwich cookie, and his eyes practically rolled into his head. "OH, THIS COOKIE! Makes me want to sing the Oreo song."

"The 'Oreo Song'?" Judy inquired, ears twitching.

"Yup. Wrote it myself."

The bunny gave him a hard stare. "You wrote a song…about Oreos," she commented slowly, making sure she had heard correctly. Jeff swallowed the cookie he had just finished and a cheeky grin spread across his muzzle. He stood up and began to slap his hands on the table in an upbeat rhythm. Judy watched him in fascination as he sped up, humming a tune to the beat. He finally stopped and, much to her amazement, began to sing.

Wonder if I gave an Oreo to the Big Bad Wolf,

how would the story go?

Would he still go huff and puff

or would he bring those pigs cool stuff

to decorate the deck he helped them build?

Would they not get killed?

The fox began to move his feet in tune to his song as if there was actually music playing. Judy had to admit that he wasn't half bad. In fact, he began to turn heads to those that were around them. As if noticing the looks he was getting, he sauntered up to a few mammals and danced beside them. This earned him some chuckles and then a sudden series of claps to a song that, again, had no music.

Wonder if I gave an Oreo to a vampire in a creepy show,

would he not act so undead?

Would he thirst for milk instead?

I've just got this feeling that it might work out all right.

Jeff grabbed a doe from the crowd and spun her before leading her in an amusing dance. She seemed somewhat frightened and confused at first, but began to laugh and go along with it much to the amusement of everyone else. Judy pressed her paws to her mouth. She couldn't believe what she was seeing! What was with this guy? Despite that, she couldn't stop the giggles that escaped her throat at the insane sight.

'Cause cream does wondrous things

inside a chocolate sandwich dream.

He spun the doe back into the crowd and got them to clap faster as he picked up the pace for the next set of lyrics.

If I gave 'em to great white sharks,

would they share 'em with baby seals?

Would they call up a giant squid for a friendly meal?

He returned his attention to Judy and made his way back, twisting and turning, that coy smile still on his muzzle.

Wonder if I gave an Oreo…

Wonder if I gave an Oreo…

He did a neat little set of moves before spinning and sitting right next to her. His paw flashed open and he produced another cookie seemingly out of nowhere as he held it out for her just as he finished the song.

What if I gave an Oreo to you?

The small crowd clapped as he waved to them in appreciation, blowing out kisses. He turned back to Judy who looked at him as if he had just grown two heads. Her demeanor changed suddenly as she spurted out a laugh and covered her face with her paws. "Oh, my God! I can't believe you did that!"

"What? I got the music in me," Jeff smirked.

"You wrote a song about a cookie!" she laughed. "Who does that?!"

"Uh, sexy and intelligent individuals, that's who."

Judy let the rest of her laughter die and she looked at him with a smile, head held in one paw. "You are by far the weirdest mammal I have ever met."

"You don't know the half of it," Jeff winked. Judy giggled again before noticing he still held the cookie up. He wiggled his eye brows and she rolled her eyes.

But that didn't stop her from grabbing the Oreo and taking a bite.

It was just before nightfall when Judy and Jeff returned to the ZPD. They chatted and joked like they had been doing all day as they entered the precinct, dropping the squad car keys off to Winston and filling out another set of paper work. Judy stretched her arms over her head as she and the fox padded their way through the station, greeting some of the night crew officers.

"So, newbie! How did you enjoy your first day in Zootopia?" Judy asked, walking backwards so she could face him.

"Pretty cool," Jeff nodded. "I felt pretty small around all those buildings and animals. You must get a lot of lost children call ins."

"Oh, yeah, but I think more adults get themselves lost than children." They journeyed down a hall towards the office portion of the ZPD and Judy playfully slapped the fox's stomach. "Think you'll like it here enough to stay?"

"It'll take some getting used to, but if there's a place where I was meant for more than Zootopia's probably big enough to find it."

Judy smiled at that. They entered the office and passed the rows of cubicles, phones ringing an keyboards typing away accompanying them. Judy stopped at her own work station and sat down at her computer. "Well, that's day one out of the way! You did good, Jeff! I think you'll fit right in here."

"Glad you approve," he chuckled as she typed away at some sort of form that appeared on the monitor. "So that's it?" he asked.

"Yup!" Judy confirmed, closing the window and preparing the computer for shut down. "Just sign out with Clawhauser when you leave. Standard stuff I'm sure you know already." The fox nodded before clearing his throat.

"So..." Jeff started, leaning an elbow a top of her cubicle wall. "You're off too?"

"Uh huh!"

"Cool. What are you up to tonight?"

Judy froze for a moment before continuing to shut down her computer. "I'm having coffee with a friend tonight," she answered.

"Nice. What about tomorrow night?"

The rabbit looked up at him, the smile on his muzzle radiating the charm he seemed to so naturally exhume. "Jeff...Are you asking me out?" she asked hesitantly.

"Winner winner, chicken dinner," the tattooed fox chuckled. "Speaking of dinner, I found a pretty good place while exploring the Rainforest District yesterday. I think you'd like it." Judy study him for a moment and couldn't help but be taken slightly aback from him.

In truth, she was expecting this. The arctic fox had been more than clear about his attraction to her. The way he looked at her, his compliments, and flirtatious banter. All of it was leading up to this, yet the bunny still found herself surprised. The forwardness he expressed was very foreign to Judy. She had never really been exposed to it back in Bunny Burrow, the first boy to ask her out being as shy as she was. It was an odd yet not at all unpleasant feeling. In fact, it was flattering that he seemed so interested in her. Despite that, she shook her head.

"No...No, I don't think I can."

Jeff looked her up and down with eyes that suggested he knew what she was really trying to say, though his smile never faded. "What is it? Did the Oreo song weird you out? If it did I promise I won't sing the one I wrote about Goldbond Medicated Powder."

Judy couldn't resist the snort of laughter that leaked past her lips. "No, no, it's not that."

"Then what?"

"Look, Jeff," Judy began, awkwardly playing with her fingers, "I like you. I really do. You're very sweet and funny...in a strange way."

"Hmm. I have the feeling a massive 'But' is about to follow that sentence."

"But...There's...um...kind of...someone else."

Jeff eyebrows rose up and he nodded his head in understanding. "Oh, I see." He looked past her to the framed picture beside her computer, the image a photo of her taking a fun selfie with a red fox. "And would that happen to be the lucky mammal?" he asked, nodding to the photo. Judy turned to look at before offering a shy smile.

"Yeah," she said quietly. Jeff laughed softly and shook his head.

"Figures. I find a gorgeous, hard bodied girl who's into foxes and I'm too damn late."

"I'm sorry, Jeff."

"Whatever for? You shouldn't be sorry if you're dating someone."

Judy bit her bottom lip and rubbed the back of her head. "Um…Well…We're not dating exactly…"

"…Okay?" the fox replied in confusion. "So, you're dating him but you're not dating him." Judy blushed with embarrassment and tugged at the sleeves on her uniform.

"It's…complicated."

Jeff stared at her for a brief moment before his body relaxed and he nodded. "Ohhhh…I see."

"What?" the rabbit frowned.

"When you say 'It's Complicated', I assume that means you haven't told him how you feel, doesn't it?" Judy didn't reply, the stinging in her cheeks and her uncomfortable body language telling him all he needed to know. "Okay then. So what's the deal? How come you haven't invited him over for some Petflix and Chill?"

"It's…I…Look, there's a lot of history between me and Nick," Judy replied, not really sure as to why she was sharing such private details with him. "It's not as simple as that, but…I am working on it," she finished softly. The arctic fox studied her again, and Judy couldn't help but feel strangely small under his gaze. He then stood up straighter and clapped his paws together.

"Okay!" he said with a smile. "Tell you what? You do whatever you have to do to land this Nick fella, and you and me? How about we be friends? As a newcomer to Zootopia, I sure could use one. Sound good?" Jeff held out his paw, his friendly and welcoming smile back on his face.

Judy was surprised by his reaction, perhaps expecting and awkward and disappointed farewell, but the vulpine's demeanor seemed absent of any of those things. Returning his smile, Judy grasped his paw. "Well, sure! I'll never say no to new friends!"

"Great! Mind helping me move all my stuff into my new place on Saturday?" Judy made a face then began to stutter.

"Oh! Uh…I…Sure…I guess…"

Jeff laughed loudly and gave her a light tap in the shoulder with a fist. "I'm joking, Hopps. I'm already settled. I appreciate the unenthusiastic jump at the offer though."

"I wasn't expecting it!" Judy shot back with a smile.

"That's what you get with me, baby. Expect the unexpected," Jeff teased before turning around and throwing up a paw. "Enjoy your coffee, Hopps, and see you tomorrow morning bright and early. It's your first class and I'm expecting big things from you."

"Oh, well, I'm with Clawhauser every morning helping him prepare for the physical," Judy reminded him.

"Oh, that's right," Jeff mused, rubbing his chin. "Well, how about you both come? I really like to test everyone's cardio and it'll give him a workout equal to whatever you're putting him through I'm sure."

Judy thought about it for a moment. It wasn't a bad idea. After all, switching things up in training was key to progression, and she could get in a good workout herself. She hadn't much time lately with everything going on to really push herself. "Okay! That's actually a good idea!" she agreed happily. "Clawhauser could really benefit from it, and someone other than me can be the bad guy."

The fox laughed and gave her a thumbs up. "Glad I can help. See you then, Super Cop." With that, Jeff sauntered out of the office as he whistled the tune to the cookie song he sang earlier. Judy watched him leave, taking in everything that had just transpired.

Odd as the fox was, in a harmless way, Judy found herself liking him.

His sense of humor took some time to get used to, but she had really warmed up to it, especially that whole Oreo thing, insane as it was. His kindness and humility seemed sincere, especially when he talked about her. It was still strange to be thought of so highly by someone, but it felt good to know that if that was the case, then she must be doing something right. She was a little worried when she rejected him but Jeff didn't seemed fazed one bit. The fact that he was so open to a friendship after the fact filled her with a great sense of comfort. It was a relief that they could work together now with that out of the way free of any hurt feelings or awkwardness. She had already felt a life time's worth of that with Nick.

Her ears perked when she remembered that she should get going to meet him, and the bunny hummed to herself again as she left the office with a little extra bounce.

While Nick had never been the biggest fan of Zootopia, for a number of reasons, he had to admit that quite enjoyed how it looked at night.

The bright lights of various establishments and how they danced off the massive glass skyscrapers seemed like such a natural wonder despite being so artificial. It was if the entire city was engulfed in a living rainbow, one color flashing by before melting into another. Even when he was a kid and the city had turned its back on him, he still found himself staring at the same sights from his bedroom window. The red fox let his eyes watch a while longer before resuming his way down the streets. He avoided a line of lemmings that all wore the same suits and yakked away on the same cell phones while all the while squeezing past two elephants who looked to be on a date. The cafe was only a few blocks away, but Nick usually tended to avoid the busy streets and use a series of alleyways and side streets to cut through.

He took a right down an alley and kept his ears trained to the environment around him. These alleys were useful but could be prime spots for muggings. He had had more than his fair share of encounters here during his old life. But what he did not expect to encounter was the van of his old partner sitting idly to the side of a building beside a dumpster. Nick cocked his head quizzically. Finnick doesn't usually hang around this part of the city. He likes to hover around Savannah Central where he can dupe tourists. Curiosity overcoming him, Nick approached the back doors and knocked on them. Just as he had finished the second knock, the doors flew open and Nick had to quickly duck out of the way of a swinging baseball bat.

"I TOLD YOU I DON'T WANT NO GODDAMN JUNIOR RANGER SCOUT COOKIES!" Finnick roared, looking around for the perpetrator.

"Jesus, Finnick!" Nick hissed, regaining his composure. Finnick soon realized who he had almost given severe head trauma to and sighed.

"Oh, it's you," he said uninterested.

"Nice to see you too," Nick muttered sarcastically. Finnick tossed his bat behind him, the sound of metal clanking off things, and crossed his tiny arms.

"What do you want, Wilde?"

"Nothing. I was just passing through and saw your van here. I thought Savannah Central was your hook up?"

"I'm laying low for a while," Finnick growled. "As if you didn't already know."

"Know? Know what?"

"Honey Bunny didn't tell you?"

"I talked to her earlier but she never mentioned anything about you. I was on my way to meet her for coffee."

"Is that right?" Finnick huffed. "Well, when you get there, she can regal you with the tale of getting some new cop on my tail. It's why I'm out here."

Nick had completely forgotten about the new fox Judy had told him about. She was showing him the ropes today, but nothing like this ever came up. Smirking, Nick crossed his arms. "If he's giving you a hard time then I like him already."

"Shove it, Wilde," Finnick snapped. "I can't afford to lose business because your bunny can't keep her mouth shut."

"Knock it off," the taller fox warned, not liking how the fennec was referring to Judy. "I don't know what happened, but I'm sure it wasn't on purpose whatever it was, and besides, I've warned you about this. Your luck's going to run out eventually and I can't be there to bail you out all the time."

"Yeah, yeah, you're a real hero, Wilde," Finnick spat as he rummaged around an assortment of junk in his van. He soon produced a beach chair and a cooler. He hopped out, setting the chair up and grabbing some sort of alcoholic beverage from the cooler and made himself comfortable. Nick just shook his head at his old partner's disregard for his warning. Finnick popped the bottle cap off with a claw and took a swig before leaning back in the chair. "So...Coffee, huh?"

"Yeah?" Nick answered, not sure as to what the smaller vulpine was alluding to.

"Is this coffee or coffee?"

"What?"

Finnick sighed. "I'm trying to ask if you finally grew a set of balls and asked her out?" Nick stared at him before letting out a snort and shaking his head. Finnick mimicked him and said, "You're such a pussy."

"There's nothing between me and Judy."

"Yeah, because you're a pussy."

"Are you deaf? How many times do I have to tell you? I'm not-"

"Oh, come on, Wilde!" Finnick interrupted, standing up out his chair. "Quit feeding me the denial routine. Any moron can see your head over heels for that chick. I just can't understand why you're so defensive about it."

Nick felt a slight pressure on his chest when he heard those words. Annoying as Finnick could be, he wasn't one to sugar coat things or tip toe around. He had always been a blunt and straight forward shooter which was probably why Nick felt a blast of self-loathing rock his body. He had tried to ignore it or shake it off whenever it was brought up, but the fennec had always known. But Nick's ego made it clear that it didn't mean he had to admit anything to him. Nick shook his head and held up his paws.

"Okay, say you're right? What then? Judy and I are best friends. She pulled me from a life I never thought I could escape from and helped me see there was something more inside me. What happens when I tell her how I feel and she rejects me? What happens then? I can't lose the best thing that ever happened to me."

"See, now that's something a pussy would say," Finnick retorted as he took another drink. "I mean, Jesus, Wilde; did you even try? What happened to your confidence, man?"

"You have no idea..." Nick uttered, looking around to keep the other fox's gaze off him.

"Yeah, I have no idea. Finnick don't know shit about shit, right?" The miniature con man mumbled in disgust.

"It doesn't matter anyway. I have another date with Gazelle tomorrow," Nick added. Finnick's eyebrows rose up in surprise and he nodded.

"Really? Well, I take it back then. You're not a pussy. You're an asshole."

"How am I an asshole?!"

"Because only an asshole would try to sabotage his own happiness. Only an asshole would date another woman to avoid the trials of the heart. Only an asshole would spend his days on this mortal coil, attached to the chains of his own doing to keep him from gaining that which he truly desires but is afraid to seek."

The vulpine officer blinked and was silent. "That...was oddly poetic," Nick observed.

"Yup. That's me. Poetic," Finnick snorted and spat a wad of saliva to the side while scratching himself again. "But then again, I have no idea what I'm talking about, right?"

"Okay, I'm somewhat impressed," Nick admitted. "But since when did you of all animals become such an expert on romance?"

Finnick snorted. "Man, I know more about that shit than Deer Abbey. You seen The Notebook?"

"...No."

"Well, I have. Over fifty times, man. That Lyon Gosling knows how to get shit done. He wrote her, Nick. Every day for...for a year..." Finnick stopped and suddenly bit his paw, seemingly trying to fight back tears. Nick just stared at him in bewilderment. "Aw, shit!" the tiny fox cursed as he stomped his foot on the ground. "Now you got me going, Wilde!"

"Uh…"

"DUDE BUILT THAT BITCH HER DREAM HOUSE!"

"...Okay...I gotta go. You...do what you gotta do with...this," Nick said awkwardly as he turned to make his way back out onto the street. Finnick managed to recover and called out to him.

"Do what you want, Wilde, but that bunny isn't going to be sitting around forever. Probably not long after seeing her new partner."

Nick's ears perked up and he half turned back. "Why? What do you mean?"

"I ain't into dudes, not that there's anything wrong with that, but the guy's a looker, and he and Hopps seemed to be having a good time what with all the giggling and laughing I heard. I wouldn't be surprised if they started slamming each other pretty quick."

There was a small extension of silence as Nick stared at his former partner. He eventually snorted and shook his head. "See you around, Finnick," he muttered, no longer wanting to spend another minute in the fennec's presence.

Finnick watched him go and frowned as he sat back down in his chair. "How can someone so smart be so goddamn stupid…?" he mumbled, taking another drink.

Nick exited out of the alley and back onto the streets. He could see the cafe in the distance and he picked up his pace. As his feet moved forward, his brain went backwards to all the things Finnick had said. Was he really sabotaging his own happiness? He and Finnick had their differences and while he knew the fennec loved to get under his skin, he was also his friend. This didn't feel like Finnick was trying to irritate him. But Nick shook his head. What did Finnick really know? Sure, he could quote a bunch of romantic nonsense from movies, but this was real life. And in real life, Nick liked Gazelle, and he wanted to see her again. How was that avoiding the trials of the heart? Yes, he loved Judy, more than he could put into words, but he needed to move on and forget.

Even if that seemed like an impossible task.

Nick crossed the last intersection and arrived at the cafe. He stepped inside, the sound of relaxing music and soft conversation gracing his ears. He searched the rustic establishment's series of tables and booths until he found Judy sitting at a corner booth by herself. She was doing something on her phone and Nick smiled warmly at the sight of her.

Pussy, Finnick's annoying voice echoed in his head. He ignored it and made his way over. "Sending out mean tweets of me?" he asked as he sat down. Judy looked up and blessed him with a gorgeous smile.

"Oh, yeah. Although I don't think a hundred and forty characters is enough."

"Ouch, Carrots." Judy giggled and put her phone away.

"So, how was your day?"

"Stimulating," Nick smiled with a roll of his eyes. "Sitting in a parked car for eight hours listening to Wolford's awful taste in music."

"He like's country, doesn't he?"

"Electric country," Nick corrected. "A thing I had no idea existed and really shouldn't." Judy snickered. A waiter came by and took their orders, and Nick clasped his paws together on the table. "So, the new guy. How was he?" Judy blew a breath past her lips and began to chuckle.

"Oh, boy. Where to begin?" she sighed.

"That bad, huh?"

"No, actually. The complete opposite. He really impressed me today, and I'm actually looking forward to what he can teach me in his defense course."

"I don't think you need any improvements on kicking ass, Carrots."

"I welcome any opportunity to learn a new way to kick your tail," the rabbit grinned.

"Then I hope he's awful at his job."

Judy laughed and set a thoughtful gaze on the red fox. "He reminds me a lot of you."

"Oh? Sauvé, sophisticated, and all around gorgeous?" Nick smirked.

Judy rolled her eyes and shook her head with a smile. "You both have that wit and sense of humor, except he's a bit more...goofy. He's a lot like a big kid now that I think about it."

Nick witnessed the way her smile grew when she talked about this new officer, and he couldn't help but find it somewhat concerning. He had never her seen her smile that way when talking about a guy. Finnick's warning echoed through his head, but he ignored it. He then thought back to what else he had been told.

"I ran into Finnick tonight," Nick said. Judy's violet eyes met his green ones and she bit her bottom lip as her ears lowered halfway past her head.

"Oh," she responded quietly.

"Apparently this new guy was giving him a hard time?"

"I wouldn't say that, but...Jeff will most likely be keeping an eye on him."

Nick nodded then looked down at his paws before returning to meet her line of vision. "Did...Did you tell him about Finnick?" Nick hated to ask her that. It felt awkward and uncomfortable. It was as if he was trying to pry out some wrong doing she had done. Judy's face reflected that uncomfortable feeling.

"Nick, I'm sorry, it kinda slipped out. I didn't mean to cause him any trouble, even though...you know...he's not exactly the most law abiding citizen."

"I know," the vulpine sighed.

"Are you mad at me?"

"No, no. It's just that...Finnick…Finnick's never been on his own, you know? I just don't want him getting into a situation he can't get out of."

Judy had always been somewhat fascinated by the two foxes relationship. On one hand, they seemed not too fond of each other. They were always arguing, insulting or threatening each other. But Nick had always kept an eye out for the smaller fox, keeping him out of trouble, and while she knew Finnick would probably never admit it, she suspected that he missed Nick and the old life they had. It was a bond she didn't quite understand, but she understood enough to let things slip when they came up. It was true what she had told Jeff in that Finnick wasn't a bad guy. It was somewhat conflicting as a cop to ignore what he did, but there was a part of her that couldn't bring herself to really take action against him. It didn't feel right.

"I understand, and I'm sorry, Nick," she said softly. She reached out with a paw and placed it over his. "If it's any consolation, I managed to get Jeff to let it go. I really don't think he's going to cause any problems for Finnick. He's a good guy."

Nick smiled warmly at her, squeezing her paw. "Thanks, Carrots." They held each other's stare as well as their paws and Nick could feel that guilt from lying to her about Gazelle crawl up into his gut. Why doesn't he just tell her? Nick tried to force it out, but every attempt he made was blocked and he would just end up swallowing back down.

"It's the least I could do." Judy smiled a little brighter at him, and she ran her other paw over her ears shyly. "Um…I was going to ask if you were free this weekend?"

"This weekend?" Nick repeated, already full well knowing the answer to that question.

"Yeah. I thought maybe…you'd want to go to the movies or just walk around the park?"

They weren't suggestions of a romantic nature, but Judy had thought up some more ideas to follow up her previous act from before. Maybe pretend to be cold and snuggle up a little bit to him. Blow warm wisps of breath on his neck. Maybe play a little game of footsies… The whole thing made her blush profusely but with how well it had worked before, she couldn't help but feel a surge of excitement at the thought. That feeling soon dissipated once Nick answered her.

"Oh…I can't. I'm…visiting my mother."

ASSHOLE! came Finnick's deep voice booming in his head.

"Oh," Judy said, trying to hide her disappointment. The guilt that hit Nick in the stomach again was so strong, he almost hunched over. Judy put on another smile. "That's okay. You're going to be at Jeff's class tomorrow, right? I'll settle for kicking your butt in front of everybody."

Nick snickered, despite the sickness he felt. "Hey, I've gotten better, and who knows? Maybe I'll learn something to kick your butt for once."

"Fat chance."

"You're probably right."

Judy laughed and sat back in her seat. "Maybe I'll call Fru Fru and see what she's doing this weekend. I haven't had a girls night in forever."

Nick smiled, although he felt like tugging his bottom lip over his head and swallowing, and noticed a rather creepy looking ferret walk through the door. He was short and hunched over, wringing his paws together over and over. He had a blank stare on his face as he stepped into the order line, eyes shifting from one person to the next. Nick's smile extended and he nodded his head towards the ferret.

"You could always go to the movies with that guy. I'm sure he's free." Judy looked over then back to Nick with a face that told him what she thought of that. "I'm sure he's a real charmer."

"Sure, Nick," Judy giggled.

"He looks like he's one step away from shoving a rag in your face and saying, 'Does this smell like chloroform to you?'" Judy covered her mouth as laughter tried to spill forth. Nick's grin widened at such a magnificent sound. "He's gonna take you down to Uncle Touchies Naked Puzzle Basement."

"Nick!" Judy whispered amidst a laugh so hard she couldn't even make the sound.

"Uncle Touchies Naked Puzzle Basement," Nick softly sang to her. "Where you won't wear a shirt and you'll cry."

Judy could barely breathe, she was laughing so hard. It always brought Nick great joy that he could make her laugh. It was akin to the finest music he had ever heard and he continued to press her funny bone as the night went on, receiving note after wonderful note of her elation.

At least he could have that.

A/N: Jeff is SUCH a weirdo. But he's my kind of weirdo. The Oreo Song was actually written by Owl City but it's absolutely something Jeff would come up with.

I hope this was good enough for the absurd amount of time you were all waiting. Finnick was a hoot to write in this chapter and Nick's bit at the end is actually from a Patton Oswalt routine. I thought it sounded like something he would say. I really hope I can get the next chapter out ASAP, and for all of you who haven't given up on this story, I thank you so very much. You guys are helping me get through this and moving the story forward.

See you in Chapter 9!