So yeah, about this being a one-shot... I had absolutely no more steam for this story once Chapter 1 was finished, but after such encouraging feedback, I found some inspiration to continue it and here we are in Chapter 2! A huge thanks for such great reviews. All of you are wonderful. I hope you enjoy!

-Four Months After Nick's Graduation-

The door hinges creaked woefully as Officer Wilde shut and locked the jail cell. He glowered unwaveringly at the threatening gaze of the cell's occupant.

A bull, arrested after a domestic violence call. Indignant rage quietly simmered in his chest as he recalled the EMS teams rushing the wife and a young calf to Zootopia General.

The inmate paced forward slowly, pausing just before his bulky frame brushed the bars. He suddenly slammed his hooves forcefully against the cell door, eliciting many startled gasps around the jail.

The fox cop did not flinch.

Impressed disappointment flickered across the mammal's face before turning to scarcely concealed fury once more. He sneered, baring yellowed teeth at the fox, and spat. The officer smoothly shielded himself with a clipboard held in his paw. With a face masked in calm indifference, he slipped the clipboard between the bars and slowly wiped it down the inmate's worn shirt.

A sharp elbow to his side halted the sarcastic taunt on his tongue. "Officer Wilde, we're done. Let's go."

Turning to see Judy's warning expression, he retreated from the cell and winked at her. "Let's roll, Officer Hopps."

Scowling at her partner, she motioned toward the doors. He nodded and strolled out of the precinct as the rabbit followed suit. The afternoon sunlight glinted off of the cruiser, causing Nick to wince as he reached for his aviators. Judy strode past him quickly, hopping inside the driver's seat and slamming her door.

Oh boy. He smirked to himself, leisurely pausing to clean his sunglasses with his tie. She had that mom face, as he liked to call it. The rabbit cop hit the window with her paw, jerking a finger toward the vacant passenger seat.

With a slight smile, he shook his head and opened the car door, bracing himself for the dam to break.

A few moments passed as Judy held his gaze and tapped her thumbs on the steering wheel. "You've got to stop taunting inmates like that."

Resting his head against the seat, he watched the mammals crossing the intersection. "What can I say, seeing pieces of scum like that put in their place is just so satisfying to my cold, vindictive self."

"That kind of arrogance can get you killed, Nick." Worry began to crease her face.

The fox felt guilt bloom in his chest. He held his breath for a moment and sighed slowly, "Alright, I know, I know. No more taunting. I'll be good...but what if they started it though?"

Judy chose not to grace such a question with an answer, and settled for a scathing glare. Nick chuckled and waved a paw. "Okay, easy, I was only a little bit serious."

The rabbit gave a weak smile and rolled her violet eyes, starting the vehicle.

Sensing his friend was satisfied enough, Nick let his mind wander. The day's disturbing events had brought to mind his own dark memories.

-Twenty-two Years Ago-

They rode in silence.

Finnick mulled over endless questions as he drove.

Should he take the kid to the hospital? Does he have family anywhere? Does he want to return to his family? If not...should he stay with him?

The fennec fox shuddered.

He did not consider himself a loner, however, there was no question about the kind of life the kit would end up living by staying with him. He wasn't even good with kids. At all. Surely he would be far better off with his own folks. Right?

But, why the silence? The older fox knew if he were in Nick's situation and had a family to return to, it's the first place he'd want to go.

Home.

They had been driving for twenty-five minutes. Finnick shook his head. Nick's silence could only mean one thing.

He didn't have a home.

Sighing, he turned onto another rundown street.

So, if the kid didn't have a home, he could take him to the hospital, he would get the care he obviously needs and...

...Social Services would take him.

He shuddered once more.

"Alright, kid. We nee'ta figure out yo' game plan. You got two choices. One, you stay w'me, and I'm warning ya now, I ain't gonna tell you it'll be a good life fo'ya. Two, I take you to the hosp-"

"No!"

Finnick turned to face the kit. An aching sadness stirred inside of him at the sight. He knew that look. He'd been down the foster family road before himself.

"Alright...alright, ya can stay w'me."

He restrained a sigh, careful not to give the young fox any indication that he may not be wanted. Life hadn't made him that cold. But he couldn't ignore the obvious questions. How was this going to work? He could barely take care of himself at times, and now he has another mouth to feed?

"They're dead."

Startled by the sudden admission, the older fox nearly hit a scantily clad panther strolling across the dimly lit street. Glancing toward his passenger, he took a deep breath and nodded slowly. "I'm sorry, kid."

A few moments of silence passed as Nick watched the buildings go by. "My dad died when I was little, it was just me and mom until..." The kit paused, lips drawing as if the very words tasted revolting. "Until she got shot."

Finnick's eyebrows raised, "Shot?"

"A mugger." Nick spat. "We lived around bad people, she always said...but we didn't have enough money to move."

The older fox hummed in response, "I feel you, brotha'," he cleared his throat, shifting in his seat. The air suddenly felt thick with grief. "Soun'like you loved her a lot...musta been a good ma to ya."

"...She was." His shaky voice rasped, barely audible over the road noise. The kit sniffed and turned to face Finnick suddenly, "Um. I can...I can fix things...and I know where to get food, I can-"

He waved a paw, parking in front of a sparsely occupied Chinese buffet. "We figure all'at out later, just relax f'now, a'ight? We gonna get us some grub. Stay here."

Nick leaned back in his seat, "Okay..."

Finnick made his way to the dingy glass doors and glanced back at Nick. He noticed him sinking as low as possible into his seat. He sighed defeatedly. Such paranoia should have no place in one so young.

Retrieving enough for two, he quickly made his way out of the doors, and found himself walking as fast as the precariously balanced tray would allow upon seeing no sign of Nick through the window.

Opening the driver's door hastily, he sighed in relief at the pair of large green eyes greeting him. Frightened, green eyes.

The kit's head was low on the armrest, and his chest moved rapidly. Finnick mentally berated himself for his foolishness. "I-I'm sorry kid...I shouldn't a'left you alone out here... I won't do it again, a'ight?"

Nick nodded in response, beginning to breath evenly once more. His nose began to twitch as the enticing scent filled the van.

"Com'on back here," Finnick shuffled his way to the hatch door, pushing it open to let in the cool night's breeze.

They two foxes settled themselves among the van's various cargo, as the older began to open the styrofoam container. "Sadly, we can't get used t'dis," he shrugged, "but I though'you deserve somethin' special on your first night as a free fox," he winked, grinning.

The red fox giggled for the first time in a long, long time. That sound in his throat so familiar, yet so foreign to him. As if he were reuniting with a dear childhood friend whose name he had forgotten.

"Thank you," he said quietly.

"You bet."

They ate in silence as the crisp breeze ruffled their fur. Both lost in their own troubled, yet hopeful, thoughts. Finnick's attention was drawn to the young fox once more as he lowered his food and grimaced, placing his small paws over his belly.

"Not too fast, kid. Migh'make y'self sick."

Nick laid on his side and placed his head on a rusted toolbox, curling into himself. "...Do you have a family?"

Finnick frowned and stopped eating. Several uncomfortable seconds passed and Nick nearly began to apologize when an uncharacteristically quiet voice broke the silence. "My old man dead...and ma's in the pen."

Nick took a deep breath and blinked slowly. Sadness shined in his green eyes. "I'm sorry."

Finnick looked at him thoughtfully, his own eyes reflecting the young fox's, but suddenly shot a menacing glare toward the sidewalk. Nick turned to see a gawking pedestrian backtrack quickly and hold up his hooves. The blonde fox leaned over abruptly, slamming the hatch door shut and snorted, "Nah...she did wha'she had to do."

He settled back once more as the younger fox looked at him questioningly.

Finnick's ever present scowl deepened, "M'old man was a souse. Treated ma like trash. She took it. She thought she had to. Cause when he'd come at me or my sister..." He shook his head sharply, "She try to to get us outta there...but he kept tabs on us like we was in prison. Seemed like he had eyes everywhere...he said if she try it again, he'd kill us all. Even kept three shovels out back in th'yard...said he'd make us dig our own holes...she did what she had to do. Knew she didn't stand no chance against him when they fightin'. He was ex-military, reflexes like a bullet." He chuckled bitterly, "Arrogant bastard didn't even see it comin'...that dinner plate shakin in her paws...he just smilin', like she whipped...he told her to feed it to him."

He pushed the food around with his fork. "Didn't get through half of it 'fore he was choking on his own puke...she dropped that plate and told us to run."

Nick sat up in distress. "But," He leaned forward, confusion coloring his face, "...she shouldn't be in jail for that...she-she had to do that. Why did she go to jail?"

Stabbing his food harder than necessary, Finnick scoffed, "Ain't nobody believe poison be self defense. But it was the only thing she could do...she did it for us. E'body say my ma a killer...but they wrong." Tears glistened in his eyes, he raked his paws across his face harshly, "...she just a desperate motha' tha'loved her kids."

Nick's mouth hung open. He began to nod slowly. "I think she did the right thing...she did it cause she loved you..and your sister." He said softly. "...is she okay?"

Regaining his composure, he set down his plate. "Yeah...yeah, she made a good life for herself out in the country. Got a nice orchard."

The red fox gave a small smile. "That sounds nice."

"Yeah, yeah, I guess it does. I ain't one for the country though, brotha'. Not in my line a'work." He chuckled.

Nick's ears perked up curiously. "What do you do?"

Finnick was quickly reminded of why he should not be looking after a kit. A zebra printed baby stroller glared at him accusingly from the corner of the van. He cleared his throat and began to pick up the food containers, "Ah...you be findin' out soon enough."

-Present Day-

"Um, are you sure that's a good idea? I mean I am absolutely not a gossiper, some of it is just so mean, you know? But, I mean you just hear things sometimes, and I'm pretty sure I heard something about Nick having a problem with d-"

Chief Bogo tossed a file on the desk, "Enough, Clawhauser. Just give it to Hopps and Wilde. Let me worry about my job, and you worry about yours. Understood?"

The cheetah clapped his paws together, "Yes, yeah, absolutely. I just thought maybe you didn't know about-"

"Clawhauser! What did I just say?" The buffalo's chair creaked as he leaned forward.

"Right!" He laughed, thumping his paw against his forehead, "Silly me, I mean you just said-"

"Dismissed!"

"Alright, okay, thank you Chief!" The genial cheetah showed himself out of the office as the buffalo sighed, rubbing his temples with his hooves.

He eyes drifted over his copy of the file.

SEARCH AND SEIZURE WARRANT

Search premises of addresses stated below for seizure of illegal substances and paraphernalia.

Suspected contraband: Schedule 1 narcotics, heroin.

To be executed by the following law enforcement officials:

Officer Judith Hopps, Officer Nicholas Wilde

The Chief heaved a sigh.

"Stay strong for us, Wilde."

Nick has an awfully trying job ahead of him. I would love to hear what you think.