Down to the Burrows

Chapter 1: Time-Off

"I gotta admit, Carrots, this has been our easiest day of work ever!" Nick stated to his rabbit partner, as he and Judy were busy having a quick coffee break in their police car.

"I suppose," Judy replied, sipping her coffee, "though why is it that when we do good cop, bad cop, you always make me the bad cop? I mean, I should be the good cop here, I'm nice, aren't I?"

"If you were the good cop," Nick explained, "then I wouldn't know how cute you are being angry."

"Nick," Judy said sternly, "you know how I feel about being called cute!"

"Sure, sure." Nick said, thought he had a small smug on his face while took another sip of his coffee.

Silence was on in the patrol car for a few seconds, until Nick spoke again.

"So, what's the agenda on your break?" he asked.

"Break?" Judy asked in confusion, "As in back at the station?"

"No, silly bunny," Nick said with a grin, "I meant what you got planned on your time off?"

Judy had a little thought about it, and realized that she wasn't so sure.

"Gee, I… I don't know, Nick…" Judy said, as she began to go into deep thought.

"You know, like have a few days, or a week or two from work, hang out with friends, see a movie or something like that?" Nick smiled as Judy continued thinking.

"After all, we have had a busy line of work for the past few weeks, so I think it's perfect to relax." Nick said as he placed his paws behind his head, like he was relaxing on the seat.

After a moment of thinking, Judy looked back to Nick.

"Actually, now that you think about," she said, "I remember that there's an anneal Bunnyburrow Hoedown that I remember going to for some time…"

She then began thinking about her family when she said that, remembering her mum and dad, her 275 brothers and sisters, including several of her cousins, uncles, aunts, nephews and nieces back home, at which it brought a small smile on her face.

And when she thought of the hootenanny, she remembered that it would be starting in Bunnyburrow in a week, so she then got what Nick meant, and decided that it would be good to go down there.

"You know," she said, "I suppose that I do have plans, Nick."

"Really?" Nick asked.

"I suposse I could go back home to see my family again," Judy explained, "it's been a while since I've last been there, and besides, I'll be able to be there in time for Bunnburrow's hootenanny that will be happening in a few days."

"Well, I hope you have yourself a good time there." Nick said, as he relaxed a bit more in his seat.

"Actually…" Judy said, "I was wondering if you would like to come?"

Nick looked to Judy for a moment, "Me?" he asked, before thinking, "Let's see, you bring a fox to a home filled of bunny rabbits like you to a place which is namesake due to populated with rabbits? I don't know…"

"C'mon, Nick, it'll be great!" Judy said, "Besides, I've told my parents about you and it would be nice for you to meet them."

"They might have a thing about foxes…" Nick said, with a small bit of doubt.

"Don't worry, they aren't like that anymore, they'll be looking forward to seeing you, I promise that." Judy said.

Nick gave Judy a raised eyebrow for a moment, until she said with a sigh, "And I promise you that they'd have put away any anti-fox stuff, like that fox taser and even the fox repellant as well."

Nick had a small thought about it, and then he looked to Judy, before smiling.

"Alright," he said, "I suppose I could see how your other side lives, quite possibly just lots of farming."

"I'll have you know," Judy said with a smirk, as she started up the car as they headed back to the station, "that there's more to life in the open than just farming, city boy."

"Sure, sure…" Nick said with a chuckle.

"Excuse me?" Chief Bogo asked with a raise eyebrow.

"I was just asking if Nick and I had some time off work for a whi-" Judy said, before getting interrupted by Bogo.

"Heard what you said," Bogo said, "just don't care."

"Does that seem a little harsh about not letting your best members of the ZPD have a break of helping the city, sir?" Nick said, with a pleading look.

"Quite your innocent look, Wilde!" Chief Bogo said a he looked to Nick, then to both of them.

"Of course I allow any of my best troops to have some time off," Bogo said, "Things have been alright here when they're not here for a few days, so I suppose it can still be so without you for a while."

"Hope it doesn't turn out like what happened with the Night Howler incident." Nick whispered to Judy, who nodded a little with a small giggle, only for them look back to Bogo, who was eyeing them with a grunt.

After a few seconds of the chief giving them a stink eye, Bogo sit back in his chair as he said, "Alright, I suppose a week or two off work would be good for you. A nice break after all you've done for us."

"Thank you, sir." Judy and Nick said at the same time.

As they left Bogo's office and headed down stairs, their best friend, Clawhauser saw them and called out to them.

"Judy! Nick! Over here!" He said, getting their attention.

"Hey, Clawhauser, how you doing?" Judy said.

"Oh, fine, thanks," Clawhauser replied, "just soon going to Bogo with Wolford, talk to him about some paperwork. What are you doing?"

"Well, Carrots and I have asked for some time off, and we'll be heading off to Judy's hometown in Bunnyburrow to meet her family." Nick explained.

"Oh that's so sweet," the donut-loving cheetah said with wide smile, "I must say, it might be quite good for the two of you to have sometime somewhere quiet, especially if you enjoy going out together for a date in the countryside."

Judy and Nick instantly blushed at that, as they both cried out to the cheetah, "We're not dating!"

Though, deep down, the two of them had nice times working together, most of the ZPD teased them being such a sweet couple, especially from the different times they hang out "as just friends", even leading to close calls of them feeling like they were dating, and that they had "non-flirting" moments.

"Sure, you aren't…" Clawhauser said, with a cheeky giggle, knowing them so well, as he was the biggest shipper of the ZPD to want them together.

"Anyway," Judy said, trying to change the subject, "Nick and I are going to get things ready for us to go."

"Catch ya later, Clawhauser!" Nick said, saluting him as he and Judy left.

"Bye, bye, you two love birds!" Clawhauser called out, causing the two to blush again, luckily, everyone didn't hear it and giggled.

As soon as they exited the ZPD, they let out a sigh of relief.

"Man, can you believe Clawhauser? Thinking up something like that?" Judy asked Nick.

"Yeah, I mean, us? A couple?" Nick said with his own question, only he didn't answer it this time, only he and Judy giggled nervously.

After a few seconds of awkward silence, Judy spoke up, "Well, I better get things ready, maybe let my parents know that we'll coming over and sort out the tickets."

"And I suppose I could go pack as well," Nick, before slyly saying, "Though I think maybe just my casual shirt and lucky tie would be all I'd need."

"Is that all you usually wear besides your uniform?" Judy asked, as she shook her head, though a small smile was growing on the corner of her muzzle.

"Perhaps." Nick said, with a half closed eyed look.

"Anyway," Judy then said, "we better get going, see you later."

"You too, Carrots." Nick said, as they started heading their separate ways.

But as they did, they still couldn't get what Clawhauser said out of their heads, as the blushes returned on their cheeks.

In his office, as soon as they left, Chief Bogo was doing a small bit reading on some files.

Of course, he was also in deep, and then a small grin came up on his snout.

Judy and Nick would be away for a while.

Meaning that there would be no teasing from between Judy and Nick, no little jokes from Nick, no "non-flirting" moments between them.

Just some peace and quiet.

Bogo then got out his phone and activated the Gazelle app, enjoying the video that was playing, as a goofy grin came up on it.

Peace at last.

"Hey, chief," Clawhauser said as he and Wolford came into the office, "we have the papers like you sa-hey! You on the Gazelle app?!"

"No way! You were telling the truth?!" Wolford said as he was surprised seeing Bogo's soft, goofy side.

"I told you so!" Clawhauser said with a grin.

"SERIOUSLY, CLAWHAUSER!" Bogo cried out, as while being a little peeved, he was a bit blushing at that.

So maybe he kind of left out Clawhauser on the peace and quiet part.