A/N: Inspired by this art: post/146844623478/babysitting

There was the screech of tires and a sharp honk, as Judy turned around to see a ram in a van yelling at some fox. She was about to go back to work until she saw said fox move towards a shop across the street.

He definitely looked up to no good and, wait, there was something familiar about this fox. She followed him into the shop and saw him fighting with the shop owner over a popsicle for his…son. She had helped him handle it and now they stood outside exchanging thanks and other pleasantries when he finally confirmed what she remembered.

"Nicholas Wilde," he said as he extended a paw, and she smiled.

There was something eerily familiar about this bunny, the way she talked, the way she moved, the way she wore that incredibly tight uniform. He was having the biggest case of déjà vu right now. Then when he said his name, her face lit up in a way he definitely remembered.

"Nick," she said, beaming, "It's me, Judy, Judy Hopps."

Nick was floored, he almost dropped the giant popsicle that hung over his shoulder. Could this really be her; was this that funny little bunny he had babysat nearly twenty years ago? Wow, she had changed, she was, different. Ok, fine, she got hot, but wouldn't that be weird. His mind was racing like a cheetah and he passed on the giant sweet in his arms to the ever increasingly confused fennec next to him.

"Wow, the little carrot seedling is all grown up."

She smiled and her ears betrayed a little bit of a blush.

"Seems like you grew up as well huh," she said, indicating to the fennec slightly, "So are you married now?"

"Huh," his mind was blank. What was she talking about? Oh yeah, he had a 'son'.

"Oh, right, uh, no he's, he's adopted."

"Ah, that's so sweet, hey little guy."

Finnick played his role of the sweet innocent child and Nick actually felt a tad guilty.

"So," Nick said when Finnick started to use his disguise to get a kiss and hug from the doe. "So you actually did it?"

She looked up as if to question what he was referring to only to see him pointing at her uniform.

"Oh yeah," she said through a blush, "I'm still the rookie, though, so I guess I'm stuck with the meter - maid duty for now."

"Oh, don't worry about that fluff. You have plenty experience 'arresting' me."

She chuckled, they said their good byes and parted ways. As Nick and his partner in crime went to their normal spot to melt down the popsicle Nick's mind was racing.

"Well, that was one stupid rabbit," Finnick said with a chuckle. Nick frowned.

"Hey man, lay off her."

The fennec looked up at him with a raised eyebrow.

"What, you got the hots for her or something?"

"No?"

"That's just gross man."

"What do you mean?"

The fennec just shrugged and climbed up the roof with his popsicle. Nick thought back at the three years in his youth where he was forced to babysit this energetic bunny that loved to put him in paw cuffs. She had always wanted to be a cop and no matter how much he told her it would never happen had refused to listen. And she had done it, she was what she always wanted to be. Well, mostly.

What did he want to be? He couldn't even remember now; he was just what he was. A hustler and he had hustled her.

The rest of the day went without a hitch, well until the very end. Finnick had just driven off and he had pocketed his own money when he turned to face a very angry bunny.

"I helped you and you lied to me. You liar!"

"Listen carrots," he started, but she was already walking away.

"Here," he said halving his take and offering it to her, "It's only fair you get a share."

"I don't want your money, Nick," she said as she got into her tiny vehicle, "And I don't want to see you either."

She drove away, leaving a glum fox behind. He didn't have many ties to his past and one of them had just driven away. He went back to his apartment that night and got drunk while thinking of his mom. That babysitting gig had been the last job his mom had been proud of, and as always Nick had blown it.

Judy went home feeling as if she had been hit by a truck. She cooked her pitiful microwave carrots which wound up as more of a raisin. She threw it away, content to go to bed hungry as she made her way across the room. She had really, honestly looked up to Nick, he was the one that had very seemed to judge her when she pretended to be a cop. Yes, he would always laugh, but at least he never tried to convince her not to do it. He would always shoot off with something like 'you do you fluff'.

She honestly felt heartbroken, it was silly really, but Nick had kinda been her first crush. That was normal, right? He had been her babysitter for three years, her parents were hesitant to be sure and never trusted him, always checking the silverware after he went home. But they didn't really have a choice when it became clear that no rabbit could handle Judy, after the third babysitter was left tied up and 'ticketed'.

Seems like he grew up to be everything her parents said he would be, a cheap street hustler. Her phone rang, her parents.

Nick sat or more accurately laid on the floor of the apartment he and Finnick shared. The other fox was in the processes of getting higher than even his ears and was trying to get Nick to take a hit.

"Nah man, I'm good."

"Rutting hell dude, you this worked up about the bunny? I need to be worried about a wedding?"

"I used to be her babysitter."

"Well, that's just weird, but if it gets your rocks off."

Nick propped himself up to look at the high little asshole.

"What are talking about, weird?"

"Well, you used to babysit her, so she's like a kid to you. That's weird."

"You're fifty dude."

"Yeah, and?"

"Your girlfriend is twenty, she's younger than Judy."

"Who?"

"The bunny."

"Yeah, but I didn't babysit my girlfriend, I never saw her as a kit, only a really hot vixen."

"You could easily be her father, hell with your past you might actually be her father."

"You're a nasty runt you know that."

Nick shook his head and pulled out his phone, opening up his contacts he pulled up his cousin. He and his mother had lived with them in bunnyburrows for three years and they had grown to be friends and talk from time to time.

[Yeah, Jack you remember that bunny I used to babysit]

There was a moment before the response, so Nick decided to get up and get a drink. As he reached into the fridge for a beer his phone buzzed.

[Yeah a Julie or something]

[Judy]

[Whatever, what about her]

[I saw her today]

[ok?]

[She got hot]

[LOL of course, dude you're a rutting preyophile]

Nick snickered as he shook his head and popped his beer open with the counter. Taking a rather big gulp as he typed.

[Yeah but now she thinks I'm an asshole]

[You are an asshole]

[Not helping]

[What happened?]

[I might have scammed her]

A pause, and Nick took another drink.

[You are an asshole dude, really if you wanted to get any that was not the right thing to do]

Nick rolled his eyes as he down his beer, he would down four more and pass out on the floor, again. This was his daily routine at this point, he knew it wasn't good, he knew his life sucked, but it was the straw he drew, best not to fight it.

The next day started out pretty much like any other day, though the hangover was a bit more intense. He had drunk more than his usual amount, but he was feeling down. Honestly, he was disappointed in himself, he knew that that little bunny had looked up to him, they had become friends. The day he had pulled that other fox off of her and got her to the doctor where they had stitched up her up, that was the day he felt as if he had finally done something right. He had been thanked by everyone once they heard the story and his mother had been so proud.

Now when Judy looked at her childhood savior all she saw was a shifty fox. Oh well, he had pawpsicles to sell.

The day ended around noon when they had run out of pawpsicles, Nick felt his hundred fifty bucks sitting comfortably in his pocket as he walked down the sidewalk. He heard the quick beep of the siren as the tiny vehicle pulled in front of his. He stopped himself suddenly as a rather hurried looking bunny jumped out.

"Do you know this otter, have you seen him?"

The question was rushed and urgent and a picture was thrust in front of his eyes.

"Whoa, slow down carrots," he said as he tried to look at the picture she was waving in front of him. He had seen this otter, he knew this otter, he was a regular. Though come to think of it, he hadn't seen him in a couple of weeks.

"I have."

"Good," Judy said as she visibly deflated, "Because I have forty-eight hours to solve this case and find him and I need your help. Will you, help?"

Nick smirked down at the rabbit and nodded slowly as he brought his paws together.

"Of course," he said as he leaned down, "But at a price."

"What," she grimaced as she expected some sort of plea or bribe.

"Coffee," he said simply, "After this of course, but I know a place and I'd love to hear what's been happening with my favorite bunny."

He looked at her expectantly as she looked up in shock. Was he really, asking her out? Could he do that? Of course, he could, why couldn't he, she scowled at silently at herself.

"What'da you say fluff?"

She looked up at him and her nose twitched ever so slightly as she smiled.

"You're on Foxy."

Nick grinned as they climbed into her little joke mobile.

"Just like old times," he quipped as they pulled away to solve another case together. A real one this time.