Follow Your Heart

"Nick sweetie, wake up" Judy whispered to her husband while she began to wake up, lying on his chest this being how she usually slept.

Nick groaned as he opened his eyes, he looked into the purple eyes of his wife and smiled, "Hey Carrots."

"Good morning sleepy head," The soft bunny replied giving Nick a kiss.

"Is today the day?" Nick asked wrapping his arms around Judy holding her close to his chest.

"Mathew is graduating today," Judy answered with a smile filled with nothing but joy.

"What am I going to say to him?" Nick wondered, "He completed something I never could, he's made me so proud."

Judy pushed up, now sitting on his chest both of her legs on each of Nick's sides, "Tell him the truth, that you're proud of him, that you love him."

Nick sat up, Judy getting off of him and he answered, "You're right, but I still think I should say something more."

"Speak from your heart," Judy suggested, knowing she was right.

Nick pulled his wife into a kiss and smiled, "I love you."

"I love you too," She replied looking into his emerald eyes glistening in the sunlight that bled through the windows.

Nick and Judy got out of bed and got dressed, Nick put on his three-piece black suit, with a blue tie, his badge on his left side and his gun on his right. Judy had her own style, she had blue jeans with a white dress shirt, over top a gray line patterned overcoat, her gun to her right and her badge to her left.

Nick and Judy left their bedroom and headed to their kitchen. They walked through the living room and heard dishes moving in the kitchen, their son was awake.

"Matthew," Nick called out as he and Judy walked into the kitchen.

"Yeah Dad," Called back the gray-furred, fox-eared, long-tailed, short-muzzled, boy.

"What are you doing up so early?" He questioned with a smile.

The blue-eyed teenager smiled back at his father and mother answering, "Well, I figured I'd get a head start on today, it's going to be crazy."

"Honey, that's smart," Judy spoke out as she grabbed a seat at the table which was to the left of the counter.

"Well thank you, and besides, I'm going to need to train myself to get up earlier."

"Why's that?" Nick shot back.

"Oh, well I have everything planned out," He answered with a grin much like Nick's when he was planning to be devious or funny.

"Oh, and are we still not allowed to hear about your plans for the future?" Judy wondered looking at her son with a smirk of her own.

"Not yet, I promise though, you are going to be proud of me," Matthew replied looking at his parents with wide eyes filled with excitement.

Judy stood up and walked over to her son who stood almost the hight of Nick, and she said looking up into his eyes "Honey, we are proud of you, you're the top of all your classes and can get into any college or university you want."

"I love you both," Matthew spoke out giving his mother a hug.

Nick came up to them and joined in saying, "I love you too."

"I love you too honey," Judy added.

The three of them ate breakfast before Nick and Judy went off to work their son getting his suit ready for graduation that night.

Later that day

Nick walked back into the ZPD with a faded smile, "We lost him again.

Judy came in behind him, and she spoke out, "He's elusive Nick, no one can stop him if they can't find him."

The walked up the stairs to the second floor while Nick shot back, "We are supposed to be the best cops on the force, but we can't even catch a damn badger!"

"We just have to go about finding him differently then we have been," Judy shot back, "If we stop running after him and we let him think we've given up, maybe we can get him to come out of hiding."

The two went to their desks and sat down looking over the compiled information on the badger known as, "Runner."

"Nick," Judy spoke out looking at her husband who was frustrated beyond belief.

"Yes," He shot back. He sighed and rested his anger reanswering, "I-I'm sorry, y-yes."

Judy smiled and forgave him with her look knowing he was on edge from the Runner who always seemed to escape, "Nick I think we should take a break, besides it's almost four, we need to get ready for Matthew's graduation."

"You're right, maybe I do need a break from all this," He answered with a sigh laying back in his chair. "I need to see my son graduate," He added with a smile.

"Come on let's go," Judy added as she stood up from her chair.

Nick stood up and followed his wife out of the detective department. They headed for the elevator at the front of the room, it was one of three elevators in the building.

Judy pushed the button, and the doors opened the lift already being on their floor. Nick and Judy walked in, and Nick hit the button with the letter B on it. The elevator chimed, and the doors closed the noise of dozens of detectives, officers, and other animals quickly being blocked by the doors.

"Have you thought about what you want to say to him yet?" Judy asked looking up at her husbands face.

Nick looked back down at his wife and answered, "I have no idea."

Judy chuckled, "Don't worry about it, just say whatever you feel he needs to hear as he enters this crazy world of ours."

"This is why I love you, you always know what to say to me," Nick replied with a smirk painted on his muzzle.

The elevator jolted and came to a stop before the doors opened into the underground parking lot that was poorly lit, some of the lights being burnt out in the corners of the lot, no one ever replacing them.

Nick and Judy walked passed by rows of cars, many of them personal vehicles for officers who owned them. In fact, however, that wasn't same for them, they had a black dodge charger that was outfitted to be an undercover police vehicle as well as their own personal car.

The two reached their car and Nick unlocked it with the electric unlock on his key. Judy got in on the passenger side, and Nick on the driver side, they fastened their seat belts and pulled out of the parking space, drove up the ramp out of the underground lot and drove home.

Once they arrived, they parked in another underground parking, this one beneath the condo building where they lived. Nick parked in his reserved spot, and the two got out of the charger, headed for the elevator, then to their home on the third floor of the condo.

"What are you going to wear?" Nick questioned Judy as they walked down the hall.

"I was thinking, the dress I wore to Clawhouser's wedding," She answered.

"Oh I loved that dress, it's perfect, I'll wear my good suit," He replied while pulling his keys out of his pocket.

They reached their door, and Nick opened it using his key, they walked in, and Judy closed it behind them. They noticed their son wasn't home and they decided to head to their room to get ready for Matthew's graduation.

Judy undressed herself leaving only her undergarments on, Nick doing the same while they searched for their much more formal clothing. Nick put on his blue suit tailored for him a few years ago when he and Judy went to Clawhouser's wedding. It had a red tie over a white dress shirt and a navy blue overcoat to match the dress pants.

"Judy are you ready?" Nick shouted from the living room while he waited for his wife to finished getting dressed.

"Nicky can you help me," She called back.

Nick sprung to his feet and went back into his bedroom where Judy was barely reaching the zipper on the ack of her dress.

"Ah, I see," He chuckled, "Here let me."

Nick walked up behind his wife and pulled the small zipper up the few inches before he ran his paw down her ears with a smile as she turned around and smiled at him.

Judy backed up and asked, "How do I look?"

She was wearing a blue dress with lace that ran over her shoulders and the sides of her upper back, the rest of her upper back open, the low end becoming full navy blue velvet going down to her feet.

Nick was at a loss for words, he had seen Judy in that dress once before, but somehow she had gotten more beautiful.

"I-I don't know what to say," He answered.

"Is that good or bad?" She wondered.

"G-Great ... it's perfect," He stumbled out, in astonishment of her beauty.

"Good," She spoke back walking up to Nick pulling him into a kiss he gladly let happen.

Nick broke the kiss and smiled at her, his paws on her shoulder his eyes focused on her with hers.

"As much as I would love to, we have to go," Judy spoke out with a smirk knowing what was going through Nick's mind, the very same going through hers.

"I love you," Nick replied giving her another kiss.

Judy broke it, "I love you too."

Nick checked the time realizing they had to get to the high school where Matthew would graduate and begin a new chapter in his life.

Nick and Judy left their home and went back to their car, they got in and took it to Community hights highschool. They parked close to the front entrance and walked into the school.

There were directions to the gym where the ceremony would take place. Nick and Judy had their reserved spots in the third-row seats to the left side of the gym by the right end of that row.

"Where's Matthew?" Nick asked.

Judy smiled at Nick knowing he had never actually been to a graduation, "He's with the rest of the students who are graduating, they will come out to their seats when the ceremony starts."

Which did happen, the gym filled up with hundreds of animals, all of them taking their seats waiting to see their kids be given their diploma. Then, the ninety-two students who had gained all their credits walked in and took their seats in the front rows of the gym.

The ceremony started, and the principle of the school began to speak about the students and their achievements as kids who did their best to be involved with their city in the best ways possible. Then he went on about their class averages being higher than the last five years at the school. After twenty minutes of him speaking about the kids, he began to call the class of 2037 up one by one to give them their diplomas, plus awards they earned for achievements earned while they attended school.

Then he called up the last student, Matthew P. Wilde and handed him his diploma with honor above all else. He was given awards for being the top of all his classes each year he attended the school, along with his outstanding two thousand community hours, the school record.

The entire room clapped and cheered for him, and he began to cry from the honor he was given.

Nick and Judy had tears in their eyes, their son was not hated for being half fox, half rabbit, but he was loved for being more than just that, he was someone who did not let who he was limit him, but let it free him.

Then the ceremony reached its end, and the class of 2037 left the gym everyone standing and clapping, many crying out of joy and pride for their children, waiting for the gym to be torn down and set up for a dance.

Some time went by before Matthew cam rushing up to his parents who were waiting for him in the main lobby such as many other parents were doing for their children as well.

"Matthew!" Judy spoke out pulling him into a hug.

"Hi mom, hey Dad," He replied looking at his father while hugging his mother back.

"You did good Matthew," Nick said with a smile.

Matthew broke away and said to both of them, "So do you both want to know what my plan is?"

"Of course," Nick answered.

"I'm going to be like both of you," He spoke out.

"W-What?" Nick asked a little confused.

"I'm going to go to the ZPD police academy and become a cop like you two," He restated.

Nick and Judy looked at one another then back at Matthew Judy asking, "B-But you've never shown interest in the ZPD, when did this start?"

"Does it matter, I'm going to fight crime like you two," He cut in with a smile.

"You don't want to, do you?" Nick asked looking into his son's eyes. "Honey, I think it's time I give our son that motivational speech I've been working on," he added looking to his wife then back at Matthew.

"Alright," Judy agreed.

Matthew gave his parents a confused look "What are you two talking about, of course, I want to be a cop, I'm even planning on signing up to the academy."

Nick began to walk to the main entrance and said, "Come on Matthew let's go for a walk."

Matthew followed his father, and they went outside. The sun was nearing its end on the day, and the city lights beginning to light up the night as the darkness bled through the sky.

Nick and Matthew walked down the sidewalk leading around the school.

"Dad, what is this about?" Matthew questioned while they walked.

Nick looked at his son and answered, "I can't be more proud of you for accomplishing this, I never went to high school, I ran away at a very young age."

"I know dad," He answered with a smile.

" I'm not finished," He cut in.

"Oh, sorry," Matthew replied.

Nick continued on, "As you know I began my hustling game, but when I was nineteen I came back home because I found out my father was dying."

"I-I know, he died from cancer," Matthew cut in with a calming look in his blue eyes.

Nick stopped in his tracts Matthew doing the same, he looked at him and said, "There was something he said to me, something I haven't told anyone."

"What is it Dad," He wondered.

"I was ashamed to tell anyone for a long time because I made a promise I didn't keep for a long time," He added. Nick took in a breathe then spoke, "I came back home, and I saw my father old and frail, I missed my chance to be his son, but he said something to me."

2003

Nick walked up to the old home that was kept in as pristine condition as it could be despite its frailty and lacking repairs. Nick knocked on the door and waited.

It opened and looking eye to eye with her son was Maggie Wilde, "Nicky!" She pulled him into a hug and began to tear up, "W-What are you doing home?" She pulled away and added, "Doesn't matter, all that matters is you're home."

"Mom I heard about Dad," The young fox answered with a saddened look in his eyes.

"He's inside, he's been hoping you would come to see him," Maggie replied with a sense of relief not sure how to tell her son about his father, being somewhat glad he already knew.

Nick walked in and noticed that the house was still as clean as it always was despite its problems.

"Mom, why haven't you gotten this hardwood replaced?" Nick wondered looking at the separating boards within the floor.

"There's not enough money, especially since your father isn't working any more money is even harder to come by," She answered while they walked into the kitchen with appliances that were at least twenty years old.

"Mom, I send you more than enough money a month to get this house fixed and keep you to afloat, what are you doing with it?" Nick questioned with a confused look on his face.

"We give it away," She answered.

"You give almost six thousand dollars a month away!" He shot back. He looked around the house and shouted almost angry, "Mom I gave you that money so you could live in a house that doesn't have a basement that floods, floors that are falling apart, appliances that are new and working much better than these bill killers that take up way too much electricity. Mom, that money was for you to spend on yours and dad's well being not to give it away."

"Sweetie, we have been fine without your money, so we gave it to charities," Maggie replied looking at her angered son.

"You don't get it, I've been working hard to make sure I have enough money for you, dad, and me, and you're just giving it away!" He raged.

"Nick!" A voice spoke out with authority before coughing.

"Noah, what are you doing out of bed? Maggie wondered rushing to her husband aid.

"I came to see my son, who. did not expect to see yelling at his mother," He answered taking a seat at the kitchen table.

"I-I'm sorry, I didn't mean to yell," He spoke calming himself. Nick sat down across from his father and said, "It's been a long time since I've seen you."

Noah looked at his son and answered, "I would say the same, but I've been keeping my eye on you, watching you grow, I knew I couldn't get you to come back home, and the police wouldn't do anything, so I watched."

"I never saw you," Nick questioned.

"No, I made sure you didn't," He answered. "You're not the only one who can be sneaky," He chuckled before coughing again.

Maggie grabbed a glass of water and gave it to him to help with the cough.

"Nick I need to tell you something," Noah spoke looking to his letting her know, it was to be between just the two of them.

"I need to go check on a few things," Maggie said making a lame excuse for leaving.

"Dad, what is it?" Nick wondered looking at his father with a confused look in his eyes.

The frail, greyed fox sat up as best he could, "Nick I've been watching you grow up on your own, I only wish I was able to raise you, but I have watched you fade in, now you will watch me fade out."

"Dad what are you saying?" Nick wondered looking into his fathers emerald eyes, not much different from his own, but they were filled with memories and stories that will never be told.

Noah stopped Nick and said, "Nick I'm not going to be here for much longer, and when the grip leaves my paw, and I'm gone, I know you won't let me down."

"Dad I," Nick tried to get out holding back his tears for his father.

"Nick listen to me I need to say this too you, it's important," Noah bagged.

"Alright I'll listen," Nick agreed as he kept his mouth shut.

Noah smiled and began to say, "Promise me, Nick, that you'll go and find your way, you'll leave me in your wake when I'm gone. Promise me that you will always push through the pain, and not to run away from change, promise me to never settle on meaningless things to make your mark in this world, to hold your head up and to always, always follow your heart wherever it may lead you."

"I-I ... I promise Dad, I will," Nick answered standing from his chair to hug his father, "I love you, dad."

Noah hugged his son back, "I love you too, son."

present day

The sun had gone, and the city had overtaken the night sky. Nick and Matthew were walking back to the school that had left while walking nearly an hour before.

Nick looked down at his son, "Matthew, I'm telling you this because I failed to keep that promise for thirteen years, I don't want you to regret this decision you're about to make."

They came up to the front entrance of the school and stopped.

"Dad I know what I'm doing," He spoke out.

"You don't want to be a cop I can see it in your eyes, hear the doubt in your voice," He shot back. "Matthew," Nick added, "Please listen to what I have to say."

"Alright," He agreed.

"I have watched you fade in, you will one day watch me fade out. So please, go and find your way, and always push through the pain that comes to pass. Please don't run away from change, never settle for something meaningless for something you don't really want. Make your mark in this world doing what you want to do, hold your head up and always, always follow your heart wherever it may take you."

Matthew and Nick stood at the edge of the parking lot near the front entrance for five or so minutes not saying anything to each other.

"Dad," He finally spoke up with a brittle voice.

"Yes, Matthew?" He answered.

"I don't want to be a cop, I want to be a doctor, I always have," He spoke out.

"I know son, I know," Nick answered before Mathew through himself into Nick's embrace tears falling from his face.

"I'm sorry I tried to lie to you," He added with a sniffle before pulling away from Nick, "I thought, being a cop would make you and Mom proud of me."

Nick smiled, and he said to his son, "Matthew, your dream job could be anything you want it to be, and we would be proud of you." Nick looked inside the school and saw Judy talking with a badger, and he smiled, "Come on, let's go tell your Mother."

Nick and Mathew went inside the school, and Judy who looked at them then said to the badge, "I'm sorry I have to go."

Judy walked up to them and said, "How's it going?"

"Matthew has something to say," Nick answered looking at his son with a smile.

Matthew looked at his Father than at his Mother and said, "Mom I want to go to med school, to become a doctor."

Judy's eye lit up with joy, "Matthew that's amazing!"

Judy pulled him into a hug and Nick joined in saying, "Now isn't this better?"

Judy broke away and added, "The dance is still going, care to dance with your Mother?"

"I would love to," He replied.

The three of them headed to the gym where music was playing, and Matthew danced with his mother.

This story is a bit longer than the rest of my short stories, however. Sometimes a story can't be told in a thousand words, you need more.

A review for this story would be more than appreciated I love to hear feed back on the things I write.

until next time.