Disclaimer: I OWN NONE OF DISNEY'S ZOOTOPIA

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

The writing in the first and maybe second chapters is kind of sloppy and too fast, but I think that chapter 3 is when it gets better. Thanks for reading!

It was 4 in the morning and Nick's eyes shot open. "First things first," he thought. Before he could even get up though something caught his attention. He smelled a faint sweetness in the air, one he hoped to further familiarize himself with. It was then when he realized that something was holding onto him… tightly. He looked down and saw something that made him happier than he'd ever been.

It was Judy.

Yes, his partner Judy. His best friend Judy. But his lover, Judy? That one was new. Not that he didn't like it of course… he loved it. While silently wondering how this had come to be, he noticed that was unnaturally calm and serene. To be honest, it was unnerving to him. As he fought against a whirlpool of memories a shadow came over the bright and sunny room. When the shadow had reached the foot of the bed he heard the faintest sound come from the body next to him. He chuckled and tried to snuggle her, but the sound became infinitely louder, a scream. A blood boiling, toe curling scream of utter pain and terror.

He then spoke, with shivers and a tremble in his voice. "Judy? Are you ok?" His voice cracked.

"Judy? Please… what's wrong?" He trembled as the sound became louder, piercing his very soul.

Then, as the sound began to tear away at him further, he blinked. When he opened his eyes, he was in a room. Beige walls, machines. A chemical scent, one he was always too familiar with. He was in a hospital. The events of the past forty-eight hours flew by in his eyes, what he remembered, what scared him was what happened before he got to Zootopia General's ER. Bellwether had managed to shoot Judy with the real serum, having checked the ammo first.

I did a double take when Smell-weather had actually thought to check the chamber, I thought she didn't have that much sense. I guess foxes aren't the only sly species around here.

She looked at Judy and said, "You does, always so beautifully innocent. Shame though, your friend here is gonna take you from me!" She giggled excitedly.

I knew that Judy had already called back up so we just had to stall. "Don't shoot me! I just wanna talk. Negotiate possible… terms?" She stood back and seemed to think on it.

"You know, for a Pred, you're not half bad. Ok, I won't shoot you. It'll be sweeter to see you fall apart. You see, I know your weakness. Not physical, you mutt. No, emotions are your achilles heel."

Bellwether turned the gun's barrel to Judy. She froze in terror.

"No!"

Bellwether fired. I saw her casually walk away down the road the ZPD blocked off. She was going away for a long time.

I turned to Judy and watched, terrified, saddened for my friend. We played cat and mouse. I didn't want to hurt her.

She kicked me into a wall and I felt one get stuck between a rock and the wall. She came at me, fast. Her powerful kicks against my shins were brutal. I heard snaps and crunches coming from my leg. I ignored it. I didn't feel pain yet, so I still had a chance to stop her.

I pounced, my legs giving out. Still, I reached her. I held her down, her snarling figure made me want to cry. She lashed out and hit me hard. My shoulder popped. I knew she was strong, but I had to keep her down until backup got here.

Judy got free and slipped. Her figure fell against a steel pole and before the blackness closed in I heard her pained whimpers, her cries...

Upon the recognition of what had happened, Nick looked down. He saw his injured hind leg covered in a cast, one arm had a small brace on the shoulder. Nick held back a whimper of pain and began tearing out the IVs.

"Where's Judy?" he murmured.

Nick began opening the curtains when two nurses came running over telling him he was in critical condition and required monitoring.

"Sir? Sir! I need you to tell me what wrong," one of the nurses cooed in an attempt to soothe him.

He glared then looked at his feet and muttered,"The service in this hospital for one." The nurse, displeased, responded. "Excuse me, sir? What was that?"

With a slight groan, he blurted, "Officer Judith Lavrene Hopps, Precinct One! Where and her current condition!"

The nurse bit her lip and answered, her voice quaking, "Sir, she was in a medically induced coma. We determined that the serum found in the gun retrieved with Bellwether was composed of a class C botanical, midnicampum holicithias, or Night Howler. An antidote was administered and everyone's reacting well. She sustained internal bleeding and damage to one of her kidneys. She had to get it removed. We had to put her in the coma because her enhanced metabolism digested the anesthesia too quickly. We had no choice. But in better news, she's coming to!" She finished in an attempt to relax the fox.

Nick knew it was all his fault. Noticing the fox's change of demeanor, the other nurse quickly added, "Yes, but she's supposed to heal into working condition, there should be no permanent damage. Would you like to see her?" she asked.

As his eyes began glossing over and his ears going flat, he quickly remembered something that he told Judy. "Don't let them see that they get to you." He immediately stiffened up shook loose a bit, wiped away his tear, and politely asked to see her.

The nurses exchanged quizzical looks in regards to the weird change of pace the Fox had and shrugged. "Okay, but you have to keep within sight of us both, wear your monitors and IV's. Can you promise that you'll do this?"

Nick looked up at him. With only a tinge of fury and a whole lot of determination Nick confidently assured, "Anything for Carrots."

The nurse with whom he had his conversation looked at him and asked, "Who's carrots?" He asked Nick, wiggling his eyebrows teasingly. "Judith didn't have any emergency contacts or known boyfriends."

Nick scoffed and said to him, "Look, normally I'd be all up for talking and teasing but my best friend was in a fucking coma!"

The wolf nurse looked guilty and his ears went droopy. "Yes, I understand."

He looked down again and remembered a question had been meaning to ask. His ear flickered and he asked. "Sir, how long have we been out?"

The wolf answered. "You and Officer Hopps have been out nearly a week now. All your files have been sorted though."

Nick let that sink in a little and chuckled. 'At least Judy's going to be fine,' he thought happily. Nick had thought that every other voice going off in the room was Judy's, but he knew none had her innocent, yet dirty, bunny sarcasm and off-the-bat quippy vibe as the real Judy.

Until he heard a gasp and some yelling. He saw six doctors run into the nearest ICU with two security officers. In that moment he knew it was Judy. With his ear down the whole time, Nick found solace in the silence. At first. When he heard his best friend and possible love interest yelling in what he assumed to be pain, however, his ears flicked up letting him hear better. He was able to make out three words. The only three words that could've made him try to run on all fours in casts. "I… Love… Nick!"

He slipped out of his wheelchair the nurses had been carting him around in and attempted to make a break for the ICU when the wolf nurse caught him by the scruff of his neck.

"Sir, I told you to stay seated!" Nick obeyed, with a whimper, and climbed back into the seat with assistance from the wolf.

"You're lucky Mr. Wilde, this is the best hospital for miles. Your partner will be just fine. She's just under the influence of some rather heavy painkillers, there were only a few that would stay in her system long enough. They were supposed to be administered after she awoke to keep her comfortable. She doesn't know what she's saying," the nurse assured.

Just then, another wail came from the room. "Bring me my pumpkin patch, I need my blueberry shower syrup ASAP!"

Nick wheezed out a good hearted laugh and asked politely to be wheeled into the room. When he entered, Judy looked over at him with a stupid grin plastered on her face from ear to ear.

She laughed and began crying at the same time. "Nick! I w-wuv you, Nick! You-u always brin-*hiccup*-bring the best blueberry syrup. I wuv your syrup." her eyes half open. Nick was disappointed until he looked at her. One ear of hers was droopy and the other was straight up. He chuckled at her until he realized she was wearing a neck brace and a cast on her left arm.

Then he cringed.

She opened her eyes wide and asked for them to be alone. After the nurses had gone, she threw her arms out in anticipation of a hug. When she didn't receive one she started to sob. "I knew it, Nick! You don't w-w-wuv me! You're trying to steal my badge! Well, mister, I is an officer of the law!"

Nick had no idea what to do in this scenario so he hugged her and whispered into her ear hoping to any divinity that existed that when he said, "Carrots, I 'wuv' you more than you could ever comprehend, but you're in a cast." She would forget. He truly did hope.

He didn't stop there though. He tried to comfort the poor doped up bunny. "I know it's fast, having known you for a measly couple months, but I know I love you. You have a passion that I can't help but admire. A good heart. Better than anyone else's'." He hoped again that she would forget.

Before he could even speak again or continue, Judy grabbed him by the cheeks and planted her lips on his. At first, he struggled she was drugged after all. But after realizing that she was holding on tighter and tighter the more he struggled persuaded him to melt and just let go. For what seemed like hours they were locked together, Judy letting out the occasional giggle.

That is until Nick came to his senses and began to squirm away. "Carrots, I care for you, I do, but this is wrong. You're drugged! I don't know how to talk to you in this state! I don't even think you'll remember this. In fact, I hope you don't remember this."

In response to his sudden outburst, Judy just grinned. "You're just lucky I can't reach my back, or else we would be… less restricted by clothing." She purred. Nick felt his stomach drop and with it, so did his consciousness.