Super short I know. But I just wanted to cover the span of time between the last chapter and what happens in Chapter 2 of Bastions of the Heart. Several readers have been asking about that little scene with Judy. Don't have a lot of time to write so short snippets like this might be all you get in the short term future. Enjoy.

A/N:

For what had to be the first time in her life, Judy was aware that it was daylight outside, and did not care that she was lazing about accomplishing nothing. In her mind she lay wrapped from head to toe in a red blanket with a yellowed wool lining. Beneath her was a bed of green that shimmered in the light. Feeling discomfort from laying on one side for too long, she rolled within her blanket to the other side. Confused when the blanket stayed still instead of rolling with her, she slowly cracked her eyes open.

Why did the wool of her blanket look like fur that was tickling her nose? And why did it smell so damnably good?

Tilting her head up to get a different view, she found the outline of a long narrow jaw. Poking out slightly from black lips she could make out the pointed tips of fangs. First, she felt confusion, then fear at the sight of teeth once meant to cut flesh, but lastly, comfort. Odd how the last suppressed the other feelings, as there she was where she was always meant to be. In the arms of this predator, in the arms of…

"Nick." She whispered. Her slowly waking mind finally piecing the puzzle together. With his name came the last words he spoke to her.

"I always be yours."

"My Nick."

It was final. Her mind was made up. She would pursue his heart until she clinched it in her paws where she would greedily guard it against the world and all its cruelties. Keeping it safe until her dying breath and when she passed into the eternities that await she would not rest until it was safely within her grasp again daring any who may try to take it from her.

Bringing her gaze back down to the chest that was laid bare before her, Judy tried wiggly free of his grasp, so she may lay her claim upon him as her mate. Only to find that the more she wiggled the more he tried to hold her still. As if he were afraid she might get away.

The sound of a pitiful whine filled her ears. Judy's eyes opened more fully. She could still feel the drowsy aftermath of sleep trying to pull them back shut but ignored it to look at Nick's face. It pulled at the strings of her heart to see him frowning in his sleep. Settling back down, she allowed herself to be pulled back to his chest. While his hold on her had been firm it was not rough and she admired at the gentleness he showed towards her even when sleeping.

So, she settled back into his arms and buried her nose back into his chest fur. His scent once again pulling her back into a relaxed state between the waking world and the land of dreams.

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK

'Seriously.' She thought. Judy had no desire to move from her current position. The cold of the day was still nipping at the parts of her exposed to the open air. Nick's rich and luxurious fur was marvelous at keeping everything it touched warm. Maybe whoever it was would simply-

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK

Whoever is standing outside their door was… Their door. Judy smiled at the first time she thought of anything as theirs. Still she needed to see who it was that was bothering them. Trying to wiggle her way loose from Nick's arms once more she was met with the same resistance.

"Someone's at the door." She pleaded. Her cries were met with mumbling. "Nick, you need to let me go."

"Min gulrot." She heard him slur before finally escaping his grasp. She stood just outside his reach for a second and watched as he seem to look for her with his arms before finally settling down again. Still feeling the urge to close her eyes and crawl back into her personal fox blanket, Judy turned her tired eyes towards the door and forced herself in that direction. When she finally made it to the dreaded contraption she breathed a heavy sigh before pulling it open.

"Oh! Hey guys!" Her expression brightened upon seeing who was at her door. "What are you doing here?"