Phew! Well, that took forever, right? Yeah... heh, sorry that took so long. I... I don't really have an excuse. (This time) *AHEM* Anyway, uh, here you go!

This time, Judy was not woken up by someone shaking her. Nor Pounding. Nor Popping. No, this time it was the screeching of a rickety metal cart being rolled down a hallway just outside of the room she was in.

She opened her eyes. The room she was in. It was a bright white room, with a ceiling fan, a few chairs, a heart monitor, and the white-clothed bed she lay in.

The door to the room opened, and a female red panda wearing a white uniform walked in, staring at a clipboard she held in her paws. She looked up, and was surprised to see Judy sitting there, awake.

"Oh good!" she said cheerfully, "You're awake! How are you feeling?"

Judy blinked and responded, "I've got a bit of a headache, but… am I in a hospital?"

The red panda looked confused for a moment then said, "Oh! Yes! Ahem. You were brought to the emergency room by some of your fellow officers last night."

"Oh."

"Hm. Well, you might feel a bit dizzy. It's just the antibiotics."

"Yeah…" she said, looking around the room, a bit dazed.

"Okay, I'm go-"

The nurse was cut off as the door burst open and a voice called out, "Sir! You can't just go in there!"

But the "sir" did anyway. In walked a red fox wearing the usual green hawaiian shirt, loose tie and khakis combo. Nick. He looked around the room, and his eyes stopped on Judy.

"Judy!" he cried, grinning. He ran to her bedside and checked her over. "Are you okay?! I was so worried!" He turned to the nurse. "Is she okay?!"

The nurse chuckled and said, "She's fine, Mister Wilde. And Ralph was right. You can't just come barging in here like that. She needs her rest."

His smile faded, and he said, "Right. I'm sorry, I just wanted to make sure she was okay…" he turned back to Judy and smiled. "Get some rest."

The nurse ushered him out and whispered, "Goodnight." She turned off the lights and closed the door behind her as she left.

Night? Already? I just woke up! She yawned. I'm not even that… She yawned again. Tired… Her thoughts were interrupted with the coming of sleep.

Judy yawned as she sat up in her hospital bed. It had been a week since "the incident." She smacked her lips and looked around. She felt great. Her arm and leg were still wrapped in bandages, but they didn't hurt like they did a week ago.

She looked around the room. Her eyes fixed on the table beside her bed. On it were cards and flowers from her fellow officers and a big balloon that had "Get Well Soon!" printed on it in a fancy font.

"Enjoying the scenery, eh?"

Her head snapped back to the direction of the voice. Nick stood there in his police uniform, his usual smirk plastered on his face.

"Yeah… it's just so nice of everyone! I mean, look at that!" she beamed, pointing to the big balloon.

"Well, I have something for you too."

She looked back at him, confused. "You already gave me something."

"I know, but this is even better. I bring you the gift of… FREEDOM!" he whooped, waving his hands around.

"I finally get to leave this prison?" she chuckled.

"Yup! Just as soon as I sign these 1,000 papers…" he sighed.

"You? Shouldn't I be signing those?"

"Well, I am your emergency contact/best friend/the one who checked you in here, plus you shouldn't have to with your arm like that. So get dressed, and I'll be out in the lobby working on…" he waved the papers around. "This."

He turned to leave then stopped and said, "Also… Chief Bogo is in the lobby too. He wants to talk to us."

Once Judy had gotten dressed, she left her room and walked down the tile hallway and out into the main lobby. Most of the chairs were filled with mammals, but she saw Nick sitting in the corner, filling out papers, and Chief Bogo right by him, reading a Thyme magazine.

She walked over to them and said, "Hey. Are we ready to go?"

They both looked up and Nick said, "Not yet. I'm almost done."

Nick went back to the papers and Chief Bogo said, "Officer Hopps. I, um…" he rubbed the back of his neck. "Good… good job out there. Both of you. We- I should have been there. No one should have been hurt."

Nick looked up and Judy said, "No. Chief Bogo, it- it wasn't your fault. You came as fast as you could. It was foolish of us to go into Lucas Sonaro's house without any backup."

"Yeah," Nick said, backing up Judy. "There was nothing anyone could have done. As soon as you and everyone else showed up, everything was fine. Plus, look. We're all good. Don't beat yourself up over it."

"Hm." Chief Bogo grunted. "Well... um… anyway… ahem. We got all of the killers locked up in jail. We found all of the missing mammals held hostage in that hideout. Claud B. Alas, Elizabeth Manecala, Banana K. Inning, and a bear who was unlucky enough to be out on vacation at the time. No one knew he had been taken."

"That's good, that's good," Judy said, thinking to herself. "Oh! I mean, horrible, but… good."

"Done!" Nick cried out. "Now let's get out of here."

The trio walked out of the hospital and said their goodbyes. "And I expect you at work next week. Things haven't been the same since you left." Chief Bogo chuckled.

"Yeah," Nick admitted. "Things have been lonely without a partner. Now let's get you back home."

Chief Bogo went one way, to his car, and Nick and Judy went the opposite way, to the police cruiser.

Judy hopped in the passenger's side, and Nick took the wheel. She looked over to him. "I've never seen you drive. Do you even have a driver's license?" she questioned, narrowing her eyes at him.

He put his hand over his heart and said, "Oh, how you wound me. Of course I have one. I'm just too lazy usually." he smirked.

Judy rolled her eyes and chuckled. Nick still hadn't started the car. He just sat there, keys in his hand. He had a far-off look in his eyes.

She looked up at him, concerned. "Nick? What's wrong?"

He blinked and came back down to Earth. (Zootopia, that is) "Yeah, um… sorry. I was just thinking."

"About what?"

"What I would do without you."

"Oh…"

"Look, I- I know it sounds sappy, but really. I mean, while you were at the hospital, I… barely got past the days. You know, you mean a lot to me as a friend. If we had never met, I would still be on the streets, conning people out of their money… I just…"

He was silenced by a hug from Judy. She looked up at him, her eyes glistening. "I know. I love you too." she blushed bright red. "Not-Not like… I didn't mean-"

He smiled and hugged her back. "I know. I'm just glad you're okay." He sniffled and Judy could tell the hug was also a way to hide his tears.

She patted his back and said, "You foxes… So emotional…"

FINALLY I'M DONE SLAVING OVER- I mean... Oh no! It's over! Whatever-shall-I-dooooo? But, um, yeah! Thank you guys so much for all the great feedback and support! I had a lot of fun with this and hopefully I'll find time to write more! I hope you enjoyed my first fanfiction, and, well, see you all later! I'm out! PEACE! -drops mic-