Nick slinked along in the cold darkness, the sun nearly gone. He caught the image of a small, and rather sad, bunny out of the corner of his eye. He followed it.

Judy walked rather slowly, taking her time to coll down from her argument with her parents, and best friend. She noticed none of Nick's stalking as she got closer and closer to the bake shop. She noticed a cubby fox stepping out. The lights were off, and he looked as if he was closing shop. "Hey, Gideon." She said awkwardly as she got near.

The fox jumped. He laughed. "Oh, hey Judy, you scared me."

Judy laughed. "Well, I've been thinking about what you said and, I was just wondering if we could just.. Chat for a while, if you're not busy."

"Oh! Y-yes, Judy of course, I'd love to talk with you." He opened the door. "How about we do that inside where it's warm." He smiled.

"I'd love to." Judy smiled, stepping in.

"No!" Nick whispered from the bushes. He watched the two of them chat. "Ugh I can't hear them now!" He looked around. "I guess I'm gonna have to break the law today." He said, sneaking around to the back.

Gideon turned on the lights. "I'm real sorry we don't have anymore pastries, today was a big day!"

"Oh, no I'm not hungry." Judy smiled putting down her umbrella.

"Do you need something to dry off with?" Gideon offered.

"No no, I'm fine." judy smiled.

Gideon took a couple of chairs off of the tables. "Here, take a seat."

"Why thank you." Judy smiles and took her seat.

Meanwhile, Nick had found the perfect door to lockpick. He stuck his claw into the keyhole. "I hope she's okay in there."

"So, you really got a ZNN subscription?" Judy questioned.

"Yeah, I really wanted to see how ya'll were doing in the big 'ol city and I'm glad I did! Yer life is so exciting!"

Judy smiled shyly. "I just want to make the world a better place."

"Well, my world is sure better with you in it."

Nick had gotten the door open just in time to hear those words. His tail fluffed up. "Wow he is smooth." He muttered.

Judy smiled. "I'm glad."

"I heard ya'll got a ferret."

"Officer Finkleton? He's fun to be around. He usually works in little rodentia, though."

"I would love to move to Zootopia. It sure seems so accepting and happy."

Judy giggled. "It's far from perfect. But, that's why we need good cops, like Nick." She smiled.

Nick froze. "Aw man what am I doing?" He muttered to himself. "This is wrong."

"Yeah, he sure does seem nice." Gideon replied. "How did ya'll meet? Was it the missing mammals case?"

Judy chuckled. "No, we actually met before that."

"Huh? Nick whispered to himself. "Oh, right."

"He actually conned me." Judy continued.

"Wait really? And they let him be a cop?"

"He did a lot of good."

"Well, judy I do know that you can make your own decisions, but you should be careful around him." Gideon advised.

Judy's face lit up. "Why thank you, Gideon. It means a lot that you trust me."

Nick burned with rage.

"Well of course, Judy." Gideon smiled.

Judy paused, a warmth of a newfound friendship in the air. "Gideon, Can I ask you something?"

Gideon's ears dropped. "Well, c-course Judy, what is it?"

"When you apologized, what did you mean by self doubt? If, I may know."

"Of course ya can. Uh, well, my favorite color has always been pink. Pretty pastel pink."

"Really?" Judy smiled.

"Yeah, I that's why everything I have now is pink, I really love being around it all of the time." He smiled. "And I've always wanted to bake, and I just thought that foxes didn't do that."

"You can be anything." Judy smiled, putting her paw on Gideon's.

He smiled. "Means a lot to hear that from you, Judy."

"I should really leave." Nick said, still hiding in the kitchen. "This is so wrong, I'm sorry Judy." He sighed.

"So, Judy, what brings you and Nick back here?"

"Well we had a few days off and I thought it would be fun for my parents to meet my new partner." She smiled.

"They didn't mind that he is a fox?"

"Oh, no not at all. He's a great partner, I don't know what I'd do without him."

Nick flattened his ears and he snuck back to the door.

"Well that sure is good, Judy."

"Working as an officer, you really have to have someone that you trust with your life."

Nick's heart weighed down with guilt and the door shut behind him. He got careless.

Judy's ears perked up. "What was that?"

"What was what?" Gideon asked as the bunny jumped out of her seat.

"I think I heard a door close."

"I thought I locked all the doors."

"May I go into the kitchen?"

"Be my guest." He said as the bunny dashed into the kitchen. Gideon followed.

They noticed the door left slightly open.

Judy turned to the baker. "How sure are you that you locked that door?"

He pulled a checklist out of his pocket. I check off all the doors every night. I've been robbed before." He handed it to her.

Clearly marked with a red pen, was kitchen door.

"Let's see what's outside." She said stepping out quietly. She spotted her fox partner. "Nick!" She called.

Nick jumped around, terrified.

"Nick, I'm glad you're here did you see anyone leave through that door?"

Nick pulled his best poker face. "Nope." He smiled.

"I think someone was trying to rob Gideon. We should start an investigation…" Judy paused. "Hey what are you doing out here?"

"Just taking a walk is all."

"Without an umbrella? You hate having a wet tail."

"Well, if I wanna work in the ZPD I should get used to it." Nick smirked.

"Right." Judy shook her head. "If I didn't trust you so much, I'd say it was you."

Nick laughed. "Course not partner."

Judy squinted her eyes. "Unless, you don't trust me."

"Carrots, come on."

Judy became engulfed in rage. "How dare you!" She yelled.

"Carrots, come on.."

"No! How dare you stalk me like this! Who put you up to this? My parents?" Judy growled. "Unbelieveable!"

Gideon flattened his ears. Judy was surprisingly scary.

"Gideon!" She yelled.

Gideon flinched. "Yes, J-Judy?"

"We are leaving! Go lock your doors!"

"O-okay.." Gideon scrambled back inside.

"Hey, whiskers.."

"No! No more stupid nicknames!" Judy cut him off. "I cannot believe you seriously think I'm that defenceless!"

"I'm sorry.." Nick put his ears down.

Judy scoffed. "Can't believe my own partner would do this."

Nick looked away.

"Go and tell my parents I'm not going back to them tonight."

Nick nodded and began walking back to the farm.

Gideon walked up to Judy. "So, where are you gonna stay?"

Judy stayed silent as she watched Nick slink out of sight. She suddenly teared up.

"Oh, hey Judy are you okay?"Gideon spoke with concern in his voice.

Judy began full on crying. "I just can't believe he would betray me like this. Doesn't he trust me?"

Gideon pulled her into a hug. "Judy.. It's- It's not that he doesn't trust you, he just wanted to make sure you were okay.."

"But I can make my own decisions!"

"Do you want to catch a train back to Zootopia? I'll wait with you" He offered, handing Judy her umbrella.

Judy opened it. "It doesn't leave for hours, you'll be freezing."

Gideon paused. "Well, I guess you're right, Judy. You're, uh, you're welcome to stay with me 'till tomorrow."

Judy smiled. "Really?"

"Well, uh, sure.. If, if that's okay with you. My house is real warm.." He stuttered.

"I'd like that."

…

Nick knocked on the Hopps family door. Stu answered. "Hey! What did you…" He noticed how upset Nick was. "What happened?" He asked, concerned.

"She-she caught me."

"Oh no.." Bonnie covered her mouth.

"Oh she's probably mad." Stu added.

"Is she coming back?" Bonnie asked.

Nick shook his head. "There's a train leaving for Zootopia in a few hours. I'll take that back home."

Stu and Bonnie welcomed him back into their home.

"I'm sorry, I feel like I made you do it.." Stu apologized.

"No, I should have trusted her." He said, grabbing their bags. "I just hope she's taking that same train."