"So… looks like everyone knows about us now, carrots. Guess we need to start getting the disguises ready, looks like the tabloid people are gonna be all after us. So what do you say I dress up as a charming, rich billionaire, and you put on glasses and a fake mustache?"

Judy just kept on staring out the window of their apartment.

"Carrots?"

She snapped out of a trance, getting a bit of a jump. "Oh… Um… sorry, I was a little bit… lost… in my thoughts."

Nick's expression got more serious. "Carrots, you alright?"

"Yes, nick. It's just been a bit of a long few days. I was… really worried about you, Nick."

He put on a sly grin, trying his usual antics to cheer her up. "Oh, Judy, you didn't need to worry about me. I was having lots of fun, playing dodgeball with molotovs, roasting marshmallows over burnt cars. It was like summer camp, only more…" Nick made a dramatic gesture as he searched for his word. "...Apocalyptic."

Something was off about Judy. She didn't laugh, or feign anger, or try to come back with a quip. She was still completely serious. "Nick… I'm not joking around here."

His grin dropped, and gave way to a softer, more concerned side. "Judy…" he started, putting a paw on the back of the rabbit's head, stroking her ears. "You and I both know you are terrible at bottling things up." With a scratch at her ears, Nick tried to edge the truth out of his girlfriend. "What's bothering you?"

A moment of silence passed. A small tear started to roll down judy's cheek, but it wasn't accompanied by any audible crying. "After we managed to get you down from the top of the Sake mart, we had to keep pushing on behind the national guard, all the way to the center of Sahara Street. Right into the heart of the 921 operation... "

Nick could tell by the rabbit's tense muscles that a difficult memory was coming up. He pulled her in, knowing it'd help her out just a little bit. He could read this bunny like a book.

"Nick… they were hanging them."

Suddenly, Nick remembered what the doctor had told him. Stringing up predators.

"They just… hung them from the traffic lights, Nick! I… I can't shake the images of those lifeless bodies… I can't believe that someone was cruel enough to do that."

Now she was audibly crying.

"I… I can't stop thinking that it could have been you, Nick! It could have been you that was hanging from the traffic light! I… I can't stop thinking about it, and I just… I'm just worried! What if they're after you, Nick!"

Nick stopped her worrying by leaning into her and pressing his muzzle to her own. Letting their lips touch. Letting their tongues taste each other in a way that soothed the bunny. Nick had hoped it was the right action.

It was. The bunny instantly melted in his arms. It was actually Nick who had to break the kiss to get his next point out. "Judy… you see that street over there?"

He pointed out the window to the overlooking view of Sahara Street that lingered three miles away. "I grew up on that street. I've seen supremacist groups like 921 pop up all the time, in and out like that, for years on end. You know what that taught me?"

Judy just wiped away her tears.

"It taught me how to deal with knowing that I wasn't safe everywhere I walked. It taught me how to see some pretty ugly sights, and learn how to distance myself. That at the very least, there was one street where I had a target on my back. I learned how to watch my back. It's how I managed to get to the rooftop on time. I saw the signs, Carrots. Even if they do target me… they won't get to me."

Judy looked up at the fox, confused and heartbroken that he'd dealt with these groups in his childhood. Angry at the world for making her fox feel threatened all the time on that street.

"But the thing you've got to realize about those mammals is that those ones, charging down the street looking to earn their red hoof paint… they're always going to be around. You can have all the inclusion initiatives and peace rallies in the world, but there will always be one person looking to get a fancy new elbow web tattoo. You can't be surprised when they crop up. You just need to remember that the world isn't perfect."

The bunny was lost in her thoughts. A part of the look on her face seemed to convey a question. Who had done this to him? Who had molded his mind to let him nonchalantly accept these hate groups as something that was normal, even inevitable?

Who had done this to her Nick?

Nick seemed to read her mind. And he knew the answer. But that wasn't Judy's pain to have. It was his own, and she wouldn't have to know about that friend of his who'd died all those years ago. Nick simply threw up the sly smile, closing off any further emotional prodding. He'd reached his quota for the day.

"God… that wasn't exactly comforting, you dumb fox…"

Damn. Forgot to be optimistic again.

"I know. The truth usually isn't. Just… here, let's lie down and get some rest, hop cop. We'll get some shuteye, and if you need to talk about anything… I'm here."

That was a big step for the fox. Usually, he was no Dr. Phil for talking about people's issues. But this was a bunny, the bunny he loved. The bunny who just went through a world-view shattering event. He'd do anything for her.

"Okay, Nick. Just… try not to be so cynical, okay?"

"Please, carrots, I know that it's impossible around you" he said, scratching at her ears.

The bunny just leaned into the scratches, closing her eyes a bit, the tears starting to settle down, even giving way to a smile, before she laid her head onto a pillow. Nick leaned his head down to the bed to follow and-

"Ach! Dammit, fu-"

"Nick, are you okay!"

He forgot about the gunshot wound he had sustained to the ear the previous day.

"Yeah… ear wound... It's gonna be a long night, cottontail."

"As the Sahara Street protests are now settling down, Mayor Panthera has called a meeting with the high brass of the ZPD, ZFD, Zootopia Paramedics Society, Zootopia Treasury, and the National Guard to discuss what could prevent such riots from breaking out again, what all departments have learned from the riot, and what actions should be taken in the event of another such riot rising in the streets. But the leadership figures of Zootopia are not the only ones commenting in the aftermath of the event. In an interview with Z News on her latest album, 'Instincts', she gave a few words on the riots."

"This is just like the hatred we saw a whole year ago with the Nighthowler case. I don't understand why this doesn't stop. All I know is that Zootopia shouldn't just be about tolerance. Simply tolerating each other doesn't leave for a very strong bond. We need to understand each other, and more importantly, we need to love each other."

"Award winning rapper J. Mole had this to say about the event shortly after releasing his newest single, 'Divide'."

"Hey, i's our responsibility to show mammals up here, mammals want beef, mammals want drama, young kids be gettin' brainwashed by these streets lookin' fo' gunfights and prison cells; f*ck that! We comin' togetha'. An' tha's what i's about. It ain't 'bout no one race, no one species bein' the sh*t, thinkin' they above sh*t, nah, man, i's about comin' togetha', i's about love, man: real, genuine, mothaf*ckin' love in this city. An' tha's wha's missin."

"And when it comes to love between species, a certain pair of ZPD's finest, Nick Wilde and Judy Hopps, famous for cracking the Nighthowler case last year, were caught in what many former Sahara Street protesters called, an 'eye opening moment' on film. The video quickly went viral, creating the hashtag sensation, #lovedonttolerate. Many have left comments of support on the video, but some backlash has been heard, especially from Klaus Andorra, the Ibex leader of 921, who is currently awaiting his trial behind bars. Andorra condemned the relationship and those who supported it as 'disgusting, vile, degenerate, and against the laws of nature'. The couple has not been reached for comment yet."

Sunlight pouring in through the apartment window…. The warm feeling of sheets and soft fur surrounding his body… the drowsy bliss of slumber slowly being lifted…. The annoying screech of an alarm clock… and the hind paw of a bunny kicking his face.

Yes, the sensations of waking up got much more mixed once the seconds ticked down to 6:30 AM.

Judy immediately sprang out of bed and, in what seemed to Nick like a dead sprint, ran into the bathroom and got ready for her day in record time. By the time she was done, Nick had just managed to open his eyes… slightly.

"Ugh… Nick. Nick! Come on, Nick!"

The fox mumbled something incoherent, probably a complaint or sarcastic comment.

"Don't try to give me this 'Beauty Sleep' garbage, Nick."

"I'm always beautiful, bunny…" he said, attempting to get up on his feet, but instead sliding onto the floor lethargically. "...but I'm only beautiful on the inside when I've had my sleep."

"That's debatable. You don't look so beautiful on the outside at the moment."

"Beautiful enough for you to kiss me" he said with a sly grin.

The bunny bent over and pressed her nose to his. "I guess I can't argue with you there, fox." she said, before closing her eyes and puckering her lips, causing the fox to do the same.

What he expected was the soft taste of his bunny's lips. What he got was the pain of a bunny literally dragging him across the floor to the bathroom by his ear. "Ach! That's a bad trick, bunny, you don't just do that to a handsome fox!"

Judy tried to split her time that morning between supervising Nick and making her own breakfast. After chastising Nick for using Musk Mask instead of just taking a shower, and for spending an additional five minutes getting his uniform just messy enough to be distinctly 'Nick', and after Nick chastised her for not having any sort of predator breakfast, the two were out the door and on their way to ZPD headquarters. The walk was different this time around though. Throughout the whole walk, they both got looks. Some looks were of genuine joy and approval. Other looks made the two feel like celebrities being hailed by paparazzi. Sometimes, Nick got a slap on the back and a thumbs up from somebody. But occasionally, somebody looked at them like they were disgusting. And this early in the morning, they had no idea why.

That was when they both shot each other a look that seemed to say 'the video'. One more thing to look forward to. Chief Bogo having to talk with them in the office about their conduct in uniform.

By the time they got to the ZPD, Clawhauser was not at the reception desk. Some intern wolf had taken his place, and was currently listening to the radio chatter, still nervous about quite what to do. The two went into the bullpen, trying not to hold each other's paws to keep up professionalism. That worked for all of about ten seconds. Then, they got into the bullpen, and the banter started to fly almost immediately

"Look, it's the happy couple!"

"Hey, it's the prey that ate the predator."

"What's it like to be an internet sensation?"

"Sorry about my wife" Fangmeyer chipped in, the one (slightly) serious voice in the crowd.

And how the hell did McHorn manage to get flower petals into the bullpen?

.Nick and Judy both gave a drawn out sigh at the playful prodding and stomping of their much larger coworkers before a high pitched squeal of joy could be heard from the front of the room.

"Clawhauser. Of course you'd freak out over this!" Nick said, throwing his arms up in an exasperated gesture of annoyance.

"Hey, at least he's supportive."

"Oh, you two are so cute together, I just gotta say. I have been looking forward to this for so long" The cheetah said, putting his donut aside to dote over the two.

"Ugh, I can't believe I'm asking this, but where's Bogo?"

"Nick!" Judy accused, punching the fox in the arm.

"Oh, he's at that fancy meeting with the head honchos of the ZPD first responders. Heard they had free snacks. Let me tell ya' my stomach is rumbling just thinking about it. Aaand…" Clawhauser said, waving his snack in a dramatic flair. "... rumor has it that we might be getting a helicopter!"

The larger mammals in the bullpen all started Hi-Fiving and stomping in celebration.

"Okay, okay, please calm down, everybody, Bogo asked me to read the announcements."

All the mammals stopped their teasing and carrying on, sitting down to get their assignments and case files for the day.

"So, first item on the docket" the cheetah started flamboyantly. "Looks like the video of Hopps and Wilde has broken five million views!"

The rambunctious crowd immediately broke out into roars and trumpetings of laughter, some pointing at the two small mammals just as a tease.

Judy, frustrated beyond belief at this point, grabbed her ears and shouted "That was not on the docket!"

"Yes it waaaas" he chimed. "Here, take a look"

The cheetah passed the docket over to her. It was on the docket. First item.

"Unbelievable!"

"Aaaaanyway, Item number two, restoration efforts are going to be continuing on Sahara street. All the protesters we can find are locked up, and trials are happening today. Oh, by the way, Nick, you're set to testify in court today."

"Today? Why didn't I know about this sooner?"

"Just got the order in this morning. They'll need you in five hours. Just go to court and report in with the Precinct 3 Corrections officers."

"Ahh, great. My last run in with them was… less than stellar."

The cheetah simply took another bite out of his donut with a quizzical expression on his face. Judy shot a glance at Nick.

"Look, carrots, all you need to know is that everything I did was technically legal."

"Technically? Either you did or didn't break the law" the rabbit followed.

"Don't ask."

Judy was about to come up with a witty reply, but decided against it, shutting her mouth just after she opened it.

"Soooooo…." he began, trying to think of how to get over the awkward comment. "You and Judy will be filling out reports on the riots until Nick's testimony rolls around. Bogo said that you could go with him, Judy. As for the rest of you…"

Clawhauser gave the rest of the officers their assignments. Some got regular patrol duty, SWAT, undercover, and a few were ordered to recovery missions on Sahara Street with precincts 2, 3, and 5.

"... and after all that, the ZPD is going to start some new Riot Control training. It looks like our precinct trains this Friday at noon for a live-fire training operation in Palette city"

Upon hearing the name 'Palette city', the crowd in the bullpen started giving mixed reactions. Clawhauser winced a bit at his memories of the small section of fake city that the ZPD used for urban training. His physical fitness wasn't exactly the best, and Palette city training seemed to highlight this too well. But some of the more high speed officers like Fangmeyer and Delgato seemed almost ecstatic to do training there again. Francine, well… she was having flashbacks to the time she managed to get Bogo furious at her for accidentally knocking over one of the plywood houses used for CQB training.

With everything out of the way, the officers were dismissed to their assignments, and the rabbit and fox made their way to their desks. Both had gotten over the teasing in the bullpen pretty quickly. If anything, it was a relief. That's how ZPD officers showed their support, through endlessly frustrating banter. So they took it as a welcome sign.

Guess the ZPD takes care of its own, Nick thought. The best upside that the job had to offer, no doubt.

After about twenty minutes of Judy catching up on paperwork and Nick pretending to catch up on paperwork, the two started to get bored and talk.

"So… you writing down how dashing I was on that rooftop, carrots?"

"Dashing?" The rabbit asked. "Please, Nick, you looked like you'd doused your fur in garbage dump residue and stabbed a hole in your ear."

"Some would call that a very dashing look."

"Oh, please, Nick, save the handsome scars look for the movies. Besides, I much rather prefer you as you are right now."

"Taken off patrol duty with staples in my arm and broken ribs?"

"No, you dumb fox" she laughed, pulling her arm back to give him a playful punch before he flinched. "Oh, right, gunshot graze. Anyway, I meant clean and safe."

Nick saw a verbal opportunity that he just had to take. Leaning in and talking a little bit lower, he shot back. "Come on now, Carrots, you know you like me more when I'm being unsafe and very, very dirty."

He got her. Judy couldn't stifle her laughter. "Nick! You are horrible!"

"Cop on the streets, criminal in the sheets. Just the way you like it" he said, leaning in for a kiss that Judy gladly accepted. At least until Fangmeyer knocked on the cubicle.

"Uhmm… now a bad time?"

The two quickly broke away from their kiss, Judy unhanding Nick's tie in the process. "Uh, no!" Judy quickly blurted out.

Fangmeyer couldn't help but offer a friendly laugh to ease tensions. "Hey, I get it, don't worry. Just wanted to say a couple things is all."

The rabbit and fox looked at each other with a tint of worry in their faces.

"Wha- Oh! Oh, no, it's not like that at all, guys, I fully support… this… relationship. Don't worry about that. Just- ugh, let me try again. Nick, I just wanted to say thanks for taking care of my daughter and wife on that rooftop. She wouldn't stop talking about how helpful and brave you were. And my daughter can't stop drawing you in her little sketchbook."

"Oh, that's adorable" Judy swooned.

"That is high praise, really, Fang. I know you would have done the same thing."

"Well, it meant a lot to me. Anyway, the Misses would be honored to have you over for dinner sometime. Our treat."

"Sure thing. How about Wednesday?"

"That'd be great. Oh, and I also wanted to apologize to both of you on account of my wife's video. She asked me to send her apologies."

"Oh, it's fine, really-" Judy said.

"Took the burden off of our shoulders for making it public."

"You calling our relationship a burden, Wilde?" The bunny said in a clearly jokingly angry tone.

"Oh, boy, first lover's quarrel. Well, I'm going to get on my way. I've got to be out in ten minutes. You two have fun, but not too much fun."