Hybrid Conundrum

Chapter 1

Jitters

Life - It had been happening since the beginning of everything when the earth was seeded with its first creatures, either by random chance or by the design of some supreme being. There was no way to be sure how life started, but it was a proven fact life continued by two savage animals joining in a carnal embrace. The animals best adapted for the brutal game of survival lived to pass on their newly developed traits to future generations. It was a slow almost organized process, the animals divided into two main groups. Prey animals who feasted on the many plants the planet provided and predators which hunted those prey animals too fed on them.

But life couldn't be contained, not even by itself.

All animals changed but mammals most of all. As they adapted to their surroundings they grew smarter, started to use their paws in more efficient ways, used their voices more flexibly and even began to take control over their environment. They went from being simple beasts who fought to survive, to thinking beings who worked together to thrive. Forming tight families who then formed loose communities.

In time, different kinds of mammals joined together using the advantages of their species to strengthen the communities and in turn their own chances to survive. Each new change led to other inventions and ideas, which improved the society in which they lived. Predators went from being merciless killing machines to honor bound warriors, going from biting and clawing their foes to forging steel weapons and putting training and skill to the test against one another. Prey began to farm and mine working the earth to their own advantage. Buying what they need and selling what they didn't. While the predator warriors were formidable they quickly learned it was smarter to trade, live and work with the prey mammals then to fight and feed off them. Those that didn't, didn't last.

Everything about the mammals changed as they walked the path of evolution. It was not just their intelligence and behavior that changed, so did the structure of their bodies. They walked upright, they developed more sophisticated vocal cords, and even their forelimbs developed. The mammals chest grew stronger, their shoulders shifted slightly and most mammals had a digit on their forelimb develop into a thumb.

With these new abilities and easier lives, the mammals started pursuits that were not explicitly linked to survival. Art, culture and other connecting inventions were made and brought mammals of all kinds closer together. Forming more complex societies with rules, bounds and connections to other species and mammals all around the modern world. Prejudices still hung around, instincts were still strong even with the advent of technology.

Their new posture, size of their brains, and strength of their bodies changed how mammals reproduce. A thousand years ago a rabbit would be pregnant for nearly a month and give birth to around eight baby bunnies. However, a modern-day bunny would take almost six months to gestate just one kit. A baby born with potential unheard of in the primitive days of large litters. This even had effects on mammals cultural and even the structure of the family's of many species, which had minor changes their own evolution as well. It never ended.

Even with all the changes mammals only passed on their genes with others of their own kind. Maybe with closely related species but nothing like what was going on in the city of Zootopia this day. While Judy Hopps was not the first mammal to conceive the young of a mammal not of her species, an honor that belonged to the hare named Jacklyn O'hare the feral mate of Anthony Catson, both deadly feral criminals who Judy killed with lots of help from her team and Nick. Unfortunately not till after the pair and their pack had killed a score of their own. Regardless of that Judy would most likely be the first to carry her's to term. However, that was still almost three months away, Nick and Judy had many things to deal with first; doctors appointments, a visit to court for a marriage license, their wedding and not to mention both were still working.

At least they weren't dealing with murderous monsters anymore.

It was late in the day, the sun was just about to set over the city. Nick sat on the couch in a pair of jersey shorts and a white tank top. Judy was beside him laying on her back with her feet in his lap, so the fox could give her a paw rub. This far into the bunny's pregnancy her belly was getting big but it wasn't slowing her down much, but her ankles and paws got sore after a day of being on them. She was still working but was only allowed to do parking duty, while she would rather be on patrol Judy knew she should take it easy. The bunny wore some black Capri leggings and a long loose purple blouse.

"I'm just saying a mid-sized sports car would have plenty of room," Nick said, continuing the discussion they had at lunch that day. They were talking about getting a car, most likely one for each of them. It seemed like the proper next step after getting a house, especially with a kit on the way. It was all made easy by the fact the home was paid for by the city. Judy didn't feel it was appropriate to just be given the house even as a reward for service, so each month Judy sent a check to city halls as a house payment. Nick had lost the argument to not pay anything but kept her from going for full payments.

"You're not thinking about the family, Nick," Judy said with her arm over her eyes.

"I'm sure we can fit it in the back seat along with any others we have," Nick said as his paws worked to relieve the ache in his lover's limbs.

"Our Daughter is not an IT, Nick," Judy growled and lifted her arm. The fox could see her eyes glowing with the feral strength in the shadow of her arm.

Nick smiled at her disarmingly, "Sorry, Carrots, didn't mean it like that." He worked his firm pads into a problem spot just above the ball of her padless paw, it did the trick banishing her anger and making the bunny almost moan in relief, "We just found out, so it slipped my mind," Nick replied, and Judy's mouth curled up into a smile she never knew the truth of the slip, "And I'm just saying that there is little chance, Juniper will be bigger than me so she'll fit just fine."

As Judy came down from her high, she said, "Well, what I'm saying is that you're not old enough for a mid-life crisis." the giggled at the playful low growl that came from Nick, "And you're too old to be that dumb, even for a dumb fox."

The fox chuckled and said, "Carrots, don't you know? I'm 23..." He smiled at her and flexed his arm the definition of the lean muscles was still impressive, neither of the two was using howler regularly anymore, but nor had they 'cured' themselves, "...howler takes off 10 years."

Judy giggled and moved her arm off her face and rolled her eyes, "Well, if that's true then you should be arrested, Mr. Wilde,..." Nick looked at her confused for a moment, "...cause that would make me 15." The pair laughed for a moment but relaxed back into just simply enjoying being close to each other.

With an inquisitive hum, Nick tilted his head thinking, "What about one of the new Interceptors?" Judy raised an eyebrow, "Peter's been making me drive lately, and I got to say their pretty nice." while Judy was on parking duty, Nick and Petter Fangmeyer were assigned to the field together in one of the new Police Interceptors. It was a fast four-door sports sedan, but it could only fit mid-sized mammals up to around wolf size, so it seemed to be perfect to Nick, "You've seen it." the doorbell rang, and Nick mentioned the food they had ordered before adding, "I'll let you sit in it tomorrow."

"We'll see, but I want a truck," Judy said as she moved her legs to let Nick up.

Nick stood saying, "Sure." The bunny went back and forth on getting a truck or an SUV almost on a daily basis. Her idea was that an SUV was better for a family, but the idea of a truck wouldn't leave her alone. Nick chuckled and headed to the front door. Their home was a modest three bedrooms, two bathrooms single story home for medium-sized mammals. The size difference between Nick and Judy would always make living together slightly tricky, but it was still easier to add stools and steps then raise the roof. Nick could have dealt with low ceilings, and Judy dealt with oversized things all the time, so neither choice was any better. This house was available at the time, so that governed the decision most of all.

It was currently sparsely furnished, Nick and Judy were slowly building a collection of furniture, but they had the basics. A soft brown fabric couch that hugged two walls of the living room, giving them plenty of room to sit. Judy's old tv may have been a little small for the room, but the bunny didn't feel the need to get a new one. Nick was starting to think they should, but a car was first on his list.

While Nick was walking past the kitchen to the front door, the bunny looked at her left paw and the silver ring on her finger. The light caught the little purple gem. Nick had searched for a good long time to find one that matched her eyes. He was so good to her, she smiled as she placed her right paw on her belly and the growing life inside. They would make a great life together, and raise this baby they made together, along with all of Juniper's little siblings too. It would be perfect, as long as they were together. She and Nick would make the outside world a better place at work and then come home to their own little slice of heaven. What more could Judy ask for?

She began to cry with a smile on her face.

"Well, looks like the 'emotional bunny' thing is still accurate," Nick said as he returned with the food. He chuckled and ducked under a throw pillow thrown at his head.

"Ass," Judy said now sitting up and rubbing her eyes trying to dry them.

"Yep," Nick said as he sat down beside the bunny holding a hearty salad out to her, "And we need to feed yours." He smiled as she smirked while turning away from him, "You know, you love me."

"Sometimes," Judy said taking her salad from him. She pretended to watch the television but through was no way the uninteresting adds could actually hold her interest.

Nick smiled and turned his attention to opening his rotisserie chicken. The plastic container pop releasing the barely contained chicken smell. Nick easily pulled one leg from the cooked bird without even twisting it, it was nice and tender like he liked it. He sat back and sank his teeth into soft meat before he even pulled the bite away Judy was in his lap sinking her own bucked teeth into the meat. Many things had changed since Judy had used the last of Nick's nighthowler cigarettes to become feral, getting pregnant was just the biggest. Her diet had significantly expanded.

Nick watched as Judy slowly pulled the mouth full of chicken away. She chewed it from behind her paw looking at the fox with a sensual gleam in her eyes. The fox didn't even take the bite he had. He smiled and set the chicken leg aside saying, "Well, I guess dinner can wait a little bit longer." he smirked as three other foxes, or more precisely three different versions of himself showed themselves behind Judy. Todd, the fox on all fours, was what Nick could be if he went full-savage. Robin was the kit Nick always wanted to be, while Slick was the punk he had once been. Since kicking his howler habit, they had stopped showing up constantly though they seemed to be there when he needed them.

After swallowed her bite of chicken and licking the juices from her lips, the bunny smiled up at Nick. To her eyes and ears, she sensed her own extra shelves. The rowdiest of the bunch, the one that dressed like a farm girl whooped and cheered from behind the bunny, while the savage lounged on the back of the couch watching. There was a cop bunny too, she just gave the real bunny a thumbs up and made her exit. Unlike Nick she had yet to name them, they were not around enough to bother too.

Like many pregnant females, Judy was prone to mood swings and could be needy at times, with her hormones so off the wall it was to be expected. Especially with the odd pregnancy. She was still in full control most of the time and Nick was happy to oblige most of her needs, most of the time. Somethings were a little difficult, but they managed to make it enjoyable for both of them.

Being a feral some of Judy's instincts had resurfaced in strange wises. She never seemed to lose herself to the oddities of her feral nature as often as Nick had done during their time leading the Anti-feral Taskforce, but there had been a few instances of odd behavior. A few times when someone had startled her, she had jumped nearly ten feet in the air and once even over a cubicle at work. Though it was only felines that would cause that kind of reaction in the rabbit. She said it was because cats no matter how big seemed to rarely make a sound when they walk, the truth was much deeper than that.

Cats scared Judy.

After months with their life on the line and struggling with a psychotic bobcat that would have eaten her, if he had gotten the chance to, it was understandable to be scared. Judy didn't blame them, it was just a moment of fear when fight or flight kicked in. Thankfully flight was at the forefront currently, a fight wouldn't end well. Most likely for the poor unsuspecting feline.

At home was where the real odd behavior manifest, strangest of which was when Judy`s nesting behaviors kicked in. While she hadn't dug holes in the backyard or plucking fur from her neck to build a bed yet, she had tried to make a den. One day while Nick was searching for the best deal on the cars they were looking for he noticed his fiance carrying around blankets and towels form the hall closest to their master bedroom. He thought nothing of it until his pregnant lover started to pull the pillows and cushions off the couch and carried them to the bedroom.

As the bunny checked if the back of the couch came off Nick asked, "what's up fluff?"

"Nothing much." Judy replied, "find anything good?" she asked and abandoned the firmly attached back cushions. She walked over to see if the fox had written anything down like she asked. Nick had found a few sales coming up, he said as much, and Judy told him how proud she was before kissing his cheek. Then with a yawn, she walked to the bedroom.

The fox let his head fall and sighed, "Wonder if I was like this." referring to when he had been doing howler during the feral incident. Nick stood curious more than anything. He tiptoed to the master bedroom, passing pictures of family, friends, and of both Nick and Judy's graduating classes, outside their bedroom was a picture of the Anti-feral Task force Judy had led. Though the unit was officially disbanded the bonds formed in battle would never break. Those they lost would be dearly missed.

The master bedroom was set up simply, but with a homey feel. Two dressers, the tall for Nick while the shorter wide one was for Judy. A few scented candles sat on top of both along with a few more pictures. These were of them and their families, soon it would be Juniper's pictures filling these places. A bassinet sat in the corner of the room, right where Nick had said they should have put Judy's old tv. However none of that was what Nick even noticed, some of it he actively tried not to think about.

His only concern was the giant mound of pillows and blankets on the bed. There was an opening in the hill, and the sound of claws on fabric came from within. Nick's eyes could detect movement inside the 'classic' burrow. A smirked sigh left the fox as he climbed up on the bed on all fours. He looked into the den and spied Judy rooting around in the darkness.

The bunny felt eyes on her, and she froze, slowly she turned to look out the hole at the face of the smiling fox. There was a time that a pregnant bunny doe would have died moments after seeing a fox peering into her burrow. However, this day seeing it just made Judy smile. On all fours, she moved to the edge of the burrow and poked her head out her nose wiggling as she sniffed Nick's cheek and muzzle in between kisses, "Carrots you know you-"

"Yeah," Judy replied as she kissed his neck, "come on in for a bit." with a chuckle the fox did just that. The feral fox curled around his pregnant bunny mate. They planned on only napping in the den before dismantling it. However, the product of the feral's mind lasted for the next three days. It was just too warm and cozy to get rid of too quick, both ferals loved being so close like their ancestors would have done with their own mates. There just seemed something right too Judy about being a little gray furred ball wrapped in a red furry ring. Nick liked it very much too.

That was the cuter of her new odd habits. Most weren't, especially when it involved Judy hiding food in the bedroom. Which was fine when it was a carrot or other hard vegetables, though annoying when Nick plopped down on the bed only to land on a potato in his pillow. It was another thing to find fish or chicken in the sheet. Nick, at Judy's request, began double-checking the bedroom each time they would leave.

Thankfully the oddities were kept at a bearable level. A few days before the wedding with a loan from Judy's parents which was their wedding present, the pair were preparing to go buy the cars they had been looking at. They were dressing nicely too, as Nick put it you have to look like money to spend money. Judy didn't care one way or another, but dressing up did make her feel good about herself. Despite her feral side telling her that she is the biggest, baddest Momma on the planet she still felt self-conscious like most pregnant females do at times.

The bunny wore a pair a thick black slack, good for the winter cold but was still dressy. Her top was a short winter dress that matched the slacks in color but with thick gray and black wool cuffs and hood. The dress used to come too her lower thigh, but now it was well up to her mid-thigh, which is precisely what Judy was examining in the mirror at the moment.

"I remember this being longer." Judy sighed as she fused with the edge of the skirt.

"Well." Nick said looking up from the gold watch he was latching on his wrist, "you did grow quite a few inches in the midsection."

"Whose fault is that?"

"The Kit's," Nick said standing up. He wore some nice blue jeans that hugged the vulpine's tight bum just right. His white polo was crisp and clean almost like it was fresh from the store. A blue and red tie hung loosely around his neck. It worked for the slick fox.

"She can't help it," Judy said cradling the growing belly and the kit within.

Nick stood and walk past her but stole a kiss from her cheek as he said, "Maybe not, but you look gorgeous anyway." his tail gave the firm butt of the bunny a pat as he headed to the closest and pick out his komodo leather jacket. It was shiny black and loose on the toned fox's arms. Living in a city that only had at best two weeks a year where it could snow for all 33 years of his life had left Nick with only the lightest of winter coats.

For hopefully the last time Judy had ordered a ride. Their driver was one they knew and thankful okay with them being together so Nick could hold the pregnant bunny all he wanted even whisper sweet nothings into her ear. Sometimes the bunny's feral ego needed boosting just like his had months ago.

The night before a few inches of snow had fallen. It was expected so the roads were clear and the black ice had been dealt with before the most businesses even opened. Holiday decorations were up, and mammals were dressed for the season. It was all so nauseatingly cheery and obnoxiously pleasant. However, the forced joy and goodwill did bring out the best in many mammals at times.

The VMC dealership was opened, bright light and the cars on display were cleared of snow. Most of the sales mammals were inside where it was warm. Across the lot, a wolf was being shown a truck by a deer, but for the most part, the lot was empty. Nick held Judy's paws as they walked inside. The warm air was like a thick wall behind the electric sliding doors. It was nice to let the warmth wash over them, even though they were outside only for a minute or two.

The main area of the dealership had white pearl tiles with light blue walls. To break up the clinical appearance the walls had large murals of all the vehicles in the company's line up. While the floor had mat silver tiles that made the company's logo, a large C around an M over a V. It was meant to look like a fox's head and tail. Originally VMC was the only car company that would sell to vulpines and other species with less savoy repetition, but with changing times and a multitude of laws along with the son of the original owner being a shrewd business mammal, it was now one of the biggest car companies in the country. With a selection of vehicles for mammals of all but the extreme ends of the size categories.

An antelope in a red sweater spotted the pair first, he set down his hot cocoa down and hurried over to claim them as his sale. Nick and Judy had to be here to get a car, it wasn't the kind of weather one just browses for fun in, even if they looked like they might be the type that did so. He smiled a sickly sweet salesmen smile, much like Nick could at the drop of a hat, and introduced himself, "Howdy, I'm Micah." he shook Nick's paw and continued, "How can I help you and your little lady friend today."

A tremor ran through Judy as Nick's eyebrows twitched, the sales mammal had no idea how badly he just messed up. Despite her anger and wish to outright destroy this mammal now, the pregnant bunny left it too Nick and released the emotion with a fast thumping of her paw. Nick smiled a charming smile that spoke volumes more than his words did, "Well, I know the car I need but," he motioned form his chest to Judy still holding her paw, "my fiance here has plenty of questions about what she wants."

The sales mammal's eyes widen slightly as he looked at Judy and said, "Oh yes of course, how can I help, ma'am." he offered a hoof to shake her paw.

Judy did not take the offered hoof and said, "Well first off I need to see a couple SUVs in my size, I want to know if they're big enough for him to ride in," Judy motioned to Nick, her voice hid her agitation well enough. She told Micah the models she was looking for, none of which were the truck she really wanted, at least she wasn't getting a minivan, "Oh and I don't want any black or white ones I drive enough of those as already."

Micah knew he had messed up, Nick may look like a try-hard, and Judy may have seemed like a doe about to pop, but It was all an act. Judy was definitely pregnant, but it didn't hinder her in the lest. Now with a glimpse of their strategy, he knew he would never see when the metaphorical kill would come. With that slip of the tongue, Micah had started this game of misdirection. Nick had put him on the wrong paw by putting Judy in the forefront, and as soon as she lost momentum, he would step in. Micah's only hope was that they would have mercy on him.

Time to suck up to the pair. It was the only way he could get any kind of advantage.

Walking back out into the chilling air made all three shiver. Judy most of all. The bunny slipped her paw out of Nick's to pull her hood up. She made sure to slide her ears down the back of her head under the warm wool first. However, that wasn't the last thing she did while they followed the sales mammal. The bunny step in closer to Nick and snagged his tail, "what are yo-" he said as he watched her walking in perfect step with him and drape his fluffy appendage over her shoulders. She smiled up at him, and he returned it, "Sly Bunny."

The couple was shown several SUVs with various extras in a multitude of colors. The smaller crossover models Nick could squeeze into less than comfortably, and in Judy's current state she was having trouble too. With her belly closer to the size of a bunny carrying triplets then a single baby. The antelope only showed Judy one Mid-sized small mammal SUV, the rest were the wrong color. Sadly this red one with the cream interior was just small enough Nick's ears touched the roof. Judy wasn't satisfied with it anyway.

What she really wanted was a big bunny truck.

Nick knew this so after sitting in a few of the bigger SUVs and seeing the bunny's eyes drifting over to the full-sized trucks not far away. The fox decided on what he had to do, Judy denied what she really wanted from some misplaced sense of nobility or maybe fear. She wasn't going to lose what she had by going for something else she wanted and she deserved the best after all. So without asking Nick scooped her up, "What are you doing?" she shrieked, though feeling so cold and her husband to be so warm her resistance was little more than a token effort.

"You haven't liked any of these things, why not look at something you will," Nick smirked as he walked past several bunny sized pickups and found one with wine red paint. Micah followed close behind, rattling off a few of the features this truck had. It was much more square than the bunny model back on the farm but with a more predator 'face' and stance suited for city driving. It could hold its own in the dirt if needed. Of course, it was sized for a bunny but had plenty of bed space. The black interior was beautiful, and while Nick was a little big for it, he was comfortable enough. The back seats had plenty of room too, though though a full sized fox was pushing it. There was no way Juniper could get bigger than him right.

After Micah had retrieved the keys for this truck and Judy heard the V8 rumble she smiled, "this one." she looked up at Nick as he smiled proudly, "Sly fox."

"Well, that's why you love me right."

Judy giggled and said, "It's one of your good points." the fox leaned in, cupped Judy's chin and kissed her.

Micah looked away and whistled a little till the kiss was finished. He looked back, and Nick smiled at the antelope, "Let's get to the fun part." Judy giggled as she looked over at the sales mammal too. Micah felt his heart start to race, why was he afraid. It was probably something about their eyes. They seemed to glow, with a light or power he could not place. It was old and dare he say predatory, even from the bunny.

Probably because they were cops.

Judy sat in her truck a bit longer while Nick hopped out and walked around to the other side. Her great hearing picked up every step, breath, and the word he had with Micah. Nick was starting the hustle for real now, they weren't going to get the truck and car for free, but it would be a good deal. As it should be after the antelope thought she was just arm candy.

Judy pulled the keys from the keyhole, and she gingerly stepped out of the warmer truck into the cold air. She may not think she was a 'fragile momma bun' as she put it, but her subconscious knew better. Besides she had more important things to worry about, Nick was using their unborn daughter as leverage on the sales mammal. Micah was already pudding in their paws no need for that, Judy was worried about how the city would take the hybrid, now she worried the kit's father might take her out swindling.

The bunny's mood swung from happy to angry, and a throat clear let the boys know it.

"Oh," Nick commented seeing the eyes of his love, "Uhm, let's get inside where it's warm."

Nick waited for Judy to walk beside him and fell in step with her. She cradled her belly as she walked, but when Nick draped his tail over her shoulders like she had done herself earlier, Judy shrugged it off.

All three were happy to be inside the warm building again. Nick knew the exact car he wanted. While he told the antelope to bring the car and truck around, Judy wandered over to the complimentary coffee and drinks station. She wanted something warm. With the help of a chair, the bunny made herself a steaming cup of coffee, she added some carrot cream, cinnamon, and sugar just the way she loved it. The cup warmed her paws, and the steam took the chill from her cheeks. With a sip or two of the hot drink, the cold was chased from her body.

She put a top on the cup and looked over at Nick and smiled. He and Micah were outside looking over a black Chaser, the perfect name for a four-door sports car that had become the premier interceptor for police forces across the country. It was a rounded boxy vehicle with a blunted wedge profile. Where the truck Judy had picked was vaguely predator, this muscle car was pure aggression and power in metal form. It's slanted stylized lights almost had a feline look to them with a full open grill with fang-like accents.

Seeing her dumb fox going to work wheeling and dealing with the sales mammal made her smile. He was so good, as long as she kept him in check. Judy checked if there were any coffees Nick would like, thankfully there was one of the pricy hard to pronounce coffees from half the world away. The bunny made it just the way the fox loved it, a spoon of sugar in place of honey for some sweetness and just the coffee. She couldn't stand it.

Judy gingerly climbed down from the chair and collected the two cups of coffee. The sliding door opened and Judy forced her way through the wall of cold air. The bunny walked up to Nick and almost purred as she snuggled her way under his arm and leaned on his side. She smiled as he looked down at her. He smirked as he took the offered cup and sip at it. They weren't the best beans, but it was made the way he liked it, and anything given to him by Judy was instantly better.

"Thank you," Nick said with his arm and tail around her. After a few warming swallows the fox led Judy around the car. It's classy black paint caught the light in just the right way while its warm bird leather interior had a contrasting black and white looked inviting and elegant. Both of the 'young' lovers had the same thought. "That back seat looked comfortable and spacious."

Ferals will be ferals after all.

Judy was satisfied by the inspection of the car, but seeing her truck parked beside the car, she noticed something. The two vehicles were almost the same size. She knew Nick was a mammal size category bigger than her, but seeing it so plainly displayed made her almost laugh. They really were a mismatched couple, and she wouldn't have it any other way.

"So...," Nick said looking at Micah, "...Let's talk money... for real." The antelope gulped and agreed.

The whole process didn't take long, Nick and Judy didn't even pull out their full arsenal of tricks. In the end, everyone was happy, even Micah. While the sales mammal was off getting the many papers that were being printed out Judy looked up at Nick, laid her small paw on his bigger one and said, "We make a great team."

"Yep," Nick replied with that one of his wonderful smiles.

Judy smiled back with an expiration of pure, peaceful joy, "I love you."

"I know," the fox replied turning to the bunny and taking her paw in his, "and I love you... so much." His walls were down, Judy could tell he was truthful.

The bunny closed her eyes and prepared her lips for the coming kiss. Nick would never miss a chance to kiss his fiancee, it just never seemed right too. Judy giggled as their lips separated and said, "First comes love."

"Then comes marriage," Nick answered guessing the bunny wanted him to play along.

"Then comes Nicky with a kitty carriage," the bunny smiled, "Just a couple of months and the rhyme comes true... hope you're ready, Slick."

"Of course I'm ready," Nick replied but something clicked, he was about to be a dad.

"Better be." Judy said as she slipped out of her chair, "Now if you'll excuse me. I have to go, been holding it for way too long."

The smile Nick had fractured as the thoughts of being a father rolled into his mind, thankfully Micah returned with the papers to sign. Judy returned not too long after the antelope. Fortunately, she was none the wiser to the thoughts of her fiance as she added her name to the papers. All in all, it was a good day, though the seeds of doubt and worry were sown in the mind of the fox.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

With everything they were dealing with: pre-wedding jitters, the worries all expectant parents have, and a stressful job it was a wonder Nick and Judy weren't nervous wrecks. Judy managed her's by focusing on one thing at a time, be it her job, her lover, maybe something she was cooking at the time or taking care of herself. Although, that last distraction was proving to have its own problems at times. Especially when it came to Judy's doctor. He had come highly recommended, but it was clear Doctor Wallace had his own feelings about cross-species relationships and the pregnancy this one brought him. To put it nicely, he didn't approve any of it, at all.

The morning before the wedding the bunny had a checkup. So both her and Nick had taken afternoon shifts. They were dressed for work since the plan was to head in after the appointment. Judy's standard neoprene all-weather gear was way too tight for her growing belly so like Nick she wore blue slacks and button-up shirt. At this point, the bunny's regular shirts had gotten too tight as well so now she was wearing one of Nick's spare shirts. Said shirt was currently unbuttoned half-way down from the collar while a bunny nurse in pink scrubs was listening to Judy's heart. The capybara doctor was busy checking the results of other tests and comparing them to his notes. Despite his misgivings, Doctor Wallace still had a job to do.

The nurse smiled and nodded, "just about perfect." She commented hopping down from the exam table. Nick looked up from his magazine, he was trying not to look at the many medical pictures of the various states of fetus growth for the most common mammals. The fox didn't like to think about any of it.

"Good to hear," Nick said putting the magazine down. Judy was busy buttoning her shirt.

"Yes," Doctor Wallace commented less than pleased. He turned and looked at Judy, "have you had difficulties? Maybe any unusual symptoms?"

"Well, I have to pee every time I turn around." Judy said with her paws cradling her belly, "but I think that's normal."

"And so is your ankles and back hurting after work" Nick added.

"Yep, all normal." The bunny nurse agreed, she had been talking with Judy about her three kits during the exam.

"There is nothing normal about any of this." Doctor Wallace said gravely, "I don't think any of you get how dangerous this is." The capybara looked sternly at Judy unaware that to his left a vicious version of the bunny cop crouched on the table, her belly bloated like the real Judy, but her teeth bared ready to fight.

It was that moment, in which Judy gave her first apparition the name Ripley.

"Your child is growing as quickly as a bunny," The doctor continued, "but is almost twice as big as one should be at this stage. There's no telling if your body can handle carrying it, let alone birth it." Doctor Wallace glanced over his shoulder for a moment, he swore someone was there, "Even as evolved as we all are many mammals, rabbits included, can succumb to shock and die in minutes, from relatively simple things. There is nothing simple about this situation."

"It will be fine" Judy almost growled.

Nick put a paw on Judy's knee to calm her down, "Her vitals are perfect, so there shouldn't be a reason to worry." the fox snorted, "Besides she's a lot tougher than you think." Nick saw Todd snarling at the doctor from the floor but showed no sign of it.

Judy nodded her ire ebbing as she saw the cop version of herself pull the savage away, the real bunny ignored the urge to name her for the moment then said, "We'll tackle those hurdles when they come."

The capybara sighed, both Judy and Nick could smell the disgust on him, "Very well, keep taking the two half doses of the vitamins and take it easy. I would suggest you take time off from work and relax. You should definitely not drink." he looked at Judy with a stern glare, "You said it was your bachelorette party tonight so don't even push it."

"I didn't plan on it." Judy replied, "but I'm going to work till I'm about to pop." Neither Nick or Doctor Wallace agreed with that idea. The doctor for obvious reasons but it bothered Nick for others. He was sure Judy would be fine, she was tough but just too damn stubborn die cause of their kit. It was the kit itself that frightened him.

He tried to not think about it as Judy signed her papers and paid. Like always the pair felt a little uneasy after speaking with Doctor Wallace, however lately-

"Sarah!"

Judy blurted out derailing Nick's train of thought as they headed out the front of the office, "What?"

"Oh," Judy said looking up at Nick, "Uhm, I'm naming them."

"Them?" Nick questioned, she nodded confirming what he thought, "Oh. What you got?" this was good a distraction.

Judy didn't answer until the two mammals were in Nick's new car, "The savage...I call her Ripley and the cop...I just came up with the name, but I think Sarah is perfect." on the short ride to the station the pair raised their mood by discussing a name for the last of bunnies that lived in Judy's head. Following the same naming scheme as the first two eights and nineties female action movie characters. They decided on Marion, the spitfire female wolf from the Indiana Jones movie.

While they talked Nick secretly hoped Judy would notice his worries and shatter his walls and make everything better. However, she had her own problems, her own things to worry about. So like Nick used to, he bottle up his troubles and attempted to ignore them. It worked before, so why not now?

That cramped bottle was getting harder and harder to ignore.

At work, the pair were separated much too their disappointment. Nick wanted to talk but with Judy off on her own and doing parking duty, despite Chief Bogo never actually planning for her to be in. Judy was just being too stubborn to notice the hint. The fox kept his troubles from his temporary partner Peter, Nick thought of the wolf as a brother and trusted him with his life, but he couldn't trust him with this, could he?

It was a relatively uneventful day. Although Nick and Peter did have to arrest a couple of young mammals on drug charges the two pups didn't even put up a fight. Judy also got a few complaints about tickets she gave out, but there wasn't anything she would put in a report. Although Judy did find it strangely insulting that a couple of mammals began to yell at her but stopped when they saw her belly. She wasn't a fragile glass flower she could take anything they threw at her.

Finally, the long annoying hours rolled over to quitting time, and the soon to be bride and groom were snatched up by their respective wedding parties. Judy was a little jealous, while Nick was taken off for a wild night with the boy she was taken to a fancy restaurant before returning home for presents. It was a big party, but it was made up mostly of Judy's sisters, so they didn't take up too much space.

The combo bridle and baby shower were fun despite some early difficulties. Bunnies that had never been around anything bigger than foxes and sheep found being around wolves, bears, and lions a little intimidating. Tara the bear, one of Judy's Anti-feral task force members, was understanding of it and nobody could be frightened of Benjamin Clawhauser after talking to the cheetah for half a second. The real test was when Fru Fru arrived, fashionably late with an escort of mob guards. All of whom were big fighting polar bears. The tiny shrew dismissed them quickly enough, but it was a tense moment.

Cops and Criminals often don't get along.

As for Nick's party, there was a lot more energy. First, they went to a steakhouse. Where the fox was bought the biggest komodo steak, he had ever seen. The feral devoured every bite, it felt good, and it felt right for a part of him. He had good food and a pack of friends. They had fought together, bled together, but there was a nagging thought that just seemed to determined to ruin his good mood.

After a nice big dinner, the males headed to a local club. Live band, good drinks, and plenty of girls and a friendly atmosphere. The fact that half the cops were already married was lost on Peter, though he said they were there for the music. There was a reason the white wolf was Nick's second choice as a bast mammal, Fin was his first, but his old friend had declined. Nick wondered if the last of his old friends would even come to the wedding at all.

However, Peter was doing a good job, venue of choice notwithstanding. Everyone was having a good time. Even Nick for the most part, but with his worry weighing on him, the fox could never truly enjoy the night. So after showing off a little for the crowd, he slipped away. He pulled his green tie loose and unbutton the top button on his red collared shirt as he took the stool in the shadowy corner of the bar. He sighs and ordered his fourth whiskey on the rocks of the night.

"Nervous huh?"

"Wha-no," Nick said looking to Peter as he leaned on the bar and ordered another beer. The wolf had reserved the smaller private bar for them, so there was no wait.

"You sure."

Nick took his drink and looked up at the wolf, "What's with the grilling?"

"Most guys at their bachelor party go crazy, drinking champagne like there's no tomorrow." the wolf took a swallow of his cold beer, "But you've been nursing whiskey like someone trying to forget something."

"I like whiskey" Nick replied simply.

The wolf smiled the goofy smile of a friend that knew the other well, "so which is the wedding or the kit."

Nick sighed, now or never to widen his group of trustees, "the kit."

"It is a big responsibility."

"It's also the scariest fucking thing that has ever happened to me," Nick threw back the last of his drink, "and I've to deal with mammals that wanted to shoot me dead. I even went face to face with feral monsters, but I'm still more terrified of being a dad."

"Yeah." Peter nodded, "but you can do it."

Nick looked less than enthused, "You sure. I don't even know how a good dad should be."

"Really?" Peter asked he knew that Nick's mom raised him on her own.

"Kind of hard to learn from someone who left when you're four."

Peter was at a lost for words but was quickly backed up by Leo the oversized lion, "True, but you love Judy right." he had seen the pair talking and felt like butting in and was glad he did.

"Without her, I wouldn't have a world." Normally mammals other than Judy would make the fox shut the gates and close his mouth, but this night, he didn't. Maybe it was the whiskey, maybe it was that he saw these two cops as his brothers maybe it was just his need to voice his worries to someone without bigger problems at the moment like Judy, so he continued, "but mom says my dad used to say the same stuff."

The other two nodded and let the fox vent as he clenched the glass, Nick could have easily shattered it if he wanted to, "she says it all the time that I remind her of him."

"Probably just the good parts."

The look Nick gave Peter told the other cops that it wasn't, Nick did have a reasonably checkered past after all. The fox ordered another whiskey and sighed, "Now I'm terrified that despite turning my life around. Some dumb part I got from him will make me ruin it all."

Nick drained the whiskey the bartender gave him in a single toss of his head, "I mean I still call the kit an IT, even though she has a name and Judy wants to bite my head off every time I do. I keep telling myself it's a long way off, but it isn't. It's barely two months away, and I'm-" Nick released an exasperated sigh.

Leo nodded, "I went through the same thing before my cubs came." He smiled fatherly and added, "It changes when you see them for the first time."

"You know what I got an idea." Peter interrupted, "I know how to prove you'll do anything for the sergeant."

"What."

"Don't worry about it, just be ready to get shot."

With a long sigh the fox let himself be pulled off his stool, "You know I've been shot before, it doesn't tickle."

"Oh, hush we all know you can take it," Peter said before addressing the party.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Judy's party could barely be called that, with the guest of honor incapable of drinking and no one would let her do anything close to strenuous, like dance. However, she was still enjoying the time, if maybe a little jealous of those who did indulge in both. The meal at the salad bar was great, thankful the only guest that wasn't an omnivore was Clawhauser but with a dessert bar, a metaphorical half a mile long the plump cheetah was happy.

It was a good meal, but the only present Judy got was a cute princess tiara. Its plastic jewels and false gold didn't look real, but it showed she was the girl of the hour. Along with it, she wore a loose white dress that folded over at the shoulders while following the curves of her motherly from. The loose skirt hung down to her calves like the petals of a flower, the dress was simple but sweet. Some pink lipstick was the only makeup she had applied other than some blueberry perfume. A gold choker with three emerald green stones and her silver engagement ring completed the outfit.

After the meal which was much less boisterous than the boy's dinner but filled with no less laughs, the big group of girls headed back to Judy's house for daiquiris and presents. The hormonal imbalanced bunny just cried her eyes out about every present she received. Hugs and laughter were shared between all. Eventually, the stack of wrapped boxes was depleted, and thankfully the guest had listened to Judy and hadn't bought any clothes for Juniper. There was no way to know what would fit her when she was born. However, socks and mittens to keep her from scratching herself were perfect, especially those that were made by paw like the ones Judy's mother brought. Toys, a diaper disposal unit and other little items to help with everything were great too. Teething chews made from bark as well as dried chicken hide, just in case the kit took more after her father, were also appreciated if they were bought a little early.

Few knew of how Nick and Judy were able to conceive this miracle, thankfully fewer still had mixed feelings about it. Only Judy's grandfather back home was upset, but that couldn't be helped.

The company was enjoyed, and a few of Judy's young adult sisters were having fun dancing while the others talked. Bonnie Hopps and a few other mothers talked about both how wonderful but hard it would be in the future of the young couple. Judy listened but was sure it would be different. For a brief moment, the bunny wondered if there would be anything normal about Juniper.

Clawhauser checked his phone for the fourth time in an hour and one of Judy's sisters Penelope looked up at the plump cheetah and asked, "You sure you came to the right party, dude?" the jean jacket, band t-shirt and short skirt wearing bunny had been confused to why the male predator was at the bunny bridal shower even though he was a grooms mammal.

"Oh yes, don't worry about me," Ben said waving away the question with a bent paw. His phone beeped, and he excitedly checked it with an equally excited giggle. Penelope rolled her eyes and looked back to the dance floor.

A loud knock at the door cut through the sound of talking and music. Most were confused, but Benjamin said, "I'll get it." the plump cheetah hopped up and hurried to the door with a stifled giggle, "Oh no, the cops." the cheetah said with the worst acting anyone had heard.

A murmur of 'what' rolled through the gathering, Sonya and Tara both rolled their eyes and looked at Fru Fru knowing the maid of honor had set this up. The shrew was looking at her phone mumbling about, "being late." Ben hurried back in and took his place on the couch after he turned off the radio in the room. A little cop walked in the crowded den with a hat down hiding his face fairly well. As soon as Judy saw the red tail, she knew who it was.

"Sorry, to interrupt Ladies but I got a noise complaint," Nick said in a false voice as lifted his head and smiled at them all, "It's not loud enough." he flicked a coin behind him and a song starts with a familiar high pitched, "Yeaho" sound and a quick pace beat. It was a familiar song, and while Nick was not as good a dancer as the mammal that made it, he was good enough to show off.

Nick was in time and step with the beat and lyrics as he removed his tie and danced around the room like the stripper that Fru Fru hired. She wasn't mad about wasting money on a dancer that was just holding a boombox, this was better than what she planned.

The fox may have always had eye contact with Judy as he danced around the room but he wasn't neglecting the other girls. The youngest of Judy's 'sisters' at the party, a brown bunny with large purple glasses, gasped as the fox draped his tie over her head and smiled at her. The female on the very cusp of adulthood blushed so hard her ears and face almost melted off, especially after Nick cupped her face with his tail. There wasn't a female in the room that didn't know why Judy had fallen for the fox, and just about all of the single ones were just about drooling at the predator's muscles as he revealed them. Half the married females were glad their husbands couldn't see them right now.

"What a smooth criminal," Judy said with a roll of her eyes, she laughed a little at her own bad joke as the display continued. Nick's button-up shirt was already on the floor and in time with the song he knelt in front of a couple other of Judy's 'sisters' these two near her age. He flexed his arm and smiled at Judy nodding to the beat, he smirked more as the bunnies squeezed his steel hard muscles. Judy let it go on for a bit, but soon enough she ended it with a display of her claws. The fox spun away from the fawning bunnies and made his way to Judy.

During a tempo change, Nick looked at the tight, white tank top he wore and smiled. When a snare drum hit the fox flexed his chest. The neckline tore but the split only went part way down his chest, "that didn't work like you thought it would, huh?" Judy taunted over the music.

"Yeah," Nick replied as he leaned over, he was thinking on his slightly drunk paws, "It just proves." he reached out and took his loves paw in his and kissed it, "that I need you in all things." he moved her paw and hooked her pink painted claws on the tare. An awed gasp rolled through the bunnies and Ben while the two female cops just smiled and rolled their eyes at the sweet sight.

Judy was smiling with tears in her eyes as she pulled her claws down cutting the shirt open. Nick turned to the crowded room, flexed his arms and chest again letting the shirt fall to the floor. He swayed his hips from side to side, rubbing Judy's chin with his tail. As the song ended, Nick looked over his shoulder and said, "You going to give the talent a tip."

Judy giggled, "I think I already got the tip and everything behind it too." she rubbed her large belly while a few guests called her name scoldingly, none louder than her mother.

"You kiss your mother with that mouth?" Nick asked with a smirk.

"Not as much anymore," she replied tilting her head up waiting.

Nick smiled and dropped his arms. He wagged his tail as he leaned over the bunny. With a smirk he looked at the others, "okay, girls, the shows over."

"What about my kiss goodnight, Mr. Wilde?" Judy asked, both knew that they were going to split up for the night. It was terrible luck seeing the bride before the wedding after all.

"Now I wouldn't want to leave you without that now, would I?" Nick answered as he leaned down, the lip lock was gentle and caring just the way a kiss should be. A few of Judy's siblings awed, while the Leo and Peter high pawed. Their plan worked perfectly.

The two wedding parties separated the groom and bride as they should be. Judy stayed home with her family while Nick spent the night at leo's house. Judy's prewedding jetties along with her condition made sleeping alone in the bed hard. However after a declaration of determination and a little prayer the bunny with a fox bun in the oven laid down and fell asleep.

Nick however couldn't relax. Since being poisoned with nighthowler all those months back, the other foxes in his head would come out to "help" when something bothered him. His mind couldn't slow down or rest with four trains of thought to run down their tracks after all. That was his price for power.

Slick leaned on the wall by the window of the pitch black room. He was the spitting image of Nick when he was about 20. Fit with a smirk to charm the pants off anyone. Red silk shirt, gold chain, and some perfect blue jeans for his frame. A false cigarette burned in his jaws as he watched his real self sitting up in the bed. The real Nick only wore a pair of green and blue plaid boxers, only because he was in someone else's home.

"Why is this so scary" Nick mumbled and kicked the sheets off and dangled his paws off the lion-sized bed, "I've had adventures more fitting for comic books than real life, but this is what keeps me up at night."

Robin the disciplined scout with a police badge climbed up next to Nick and sat there. The bed dwarfed the full-grown fox, but the kit of about nine looked like an ant on it, "that was scary too at times." the kit shrugged, "I mean we could have died."

"Fighting, death scary," growled Todd the savage version of Nick laid behind the other two foxes. He wore no clothes, just his fur which always seems unkempt despite all his licking and grooming he did. Much like he had just been doing.

Slick snorted, "yea, it was, but this is a major thing." He took a drag of his cigarette, "a major thing we never thought we were going to do." false smoke bellowed from his mouth with each word.

"Must you state the obvious." the real fox grumbled.

Slick chuckled and shrugged in the cloud of smoke, "Cause we all know that's not what we're worried about."

"Offspring frightening." Tod howled.

"Why" Robin cut in before Nick could agree, "We're having a funny box with our pretty bunny."

Nick glared at the unreal kit, "It's not that simple" he hoped down from the bed and looked out the window, "I don't know how a dad should be. Hell, I don't even know how a husband should be. It's not like it is on tv you know."

"So."

The fox growled at the window and turned to the kit that only existed in his head, "so SO! I don't know what I'm doing." He threw up his paws and walked to the attached guest bathroom shoving Slick out of his path as if the vulpine apparition was real. Nick was glad to be on the far side of the house from the lions he was staying with. He didn't want to wake them.

"Have we ever?" came a new voice closer to Nick's own. He looked from the cup he was filling to where Robin had been. Now the scout was a full-grown fox. Strong and stern fitting for a cop. He was clad in dress blues with a polished badge on his chest, "We are the master of making it up."

"He's got the point." Slick said picking himself up.

"Best. yes." Tod added.

Nick shook his head and drank some water then crushed the paper cup, "But I don't even know where to start." He looked back at his other selves, "you already know what I'm thinking."

"We run when tough," Todd growled.

"We didn't run from the feral case." Robin said, "we stayed and fought for Judy."

"We've run from her before," Nick commented as he made his way back to bed.

"She did hurt us." Slick added, "though she was put on the spot by an evil sheep. And then when she came to talk to us she kind of-" The false fox stopping knowing the glares, he was getting from the other three versions of himself, "not the time to recap all that."

"You think," Nick growled.

Robin grabbed Nick's shoulder and turned the real fox toward him, "hey, we know we don't have a good example in our life of how to be a good dad or husband hell even a good male, but we have first paw experience on how to be a bad one, and sometimes that's all you need."

With a sigh, Nick nodded and climbed up into the bed as he said, "yeah, but is it enough?"

"Yep." Robin said once again looking and sounding like a prepubescent kit, "We love Judy and that's all we need."

Nick smiled and chuckled, "Am I really that cheesy." he curled up under the covers expecting a chorus of agreement, but it appeared his mind would finally let him sleep. Nick was alone in the guest bedroom of Leo's house. The fox smiled with his eyes closed as he relaxed.

A few minutes passed before a frown took Nick's smile and his eyes shot open with worry.

(big thanks to AnsemD for Editing and proof reading)