Darkness

Chapter 18

I DON'T OWN THE ARTWORK!

When Judy woke up, she was doubled over in a chair with her head resting on Nick's bed. He was stroking her head with his paw and smiling softly at her. He was off the oxygen mask now.

 She stared into his mischievous green eyes. Her heart started racing, she'd been given a second chance.

No time for fear or second guessing anymore.

"Don't look at me that way, fluff." He said softly.

When a hot tear rolled down her cheek, she realized that she was crying. Crazy, ugly crying. She quickly dried up the tears and sat on the hospital bed next to him.

"You dumb fox." She whimpered. "I hate you so much, I almost lost you. You were dead, but by some miracle you returned to us."

He let out a deep chuckle. "I returned because Heaven was boring without you." He switched from being sarcastic to sincere. "Judy, I need to tell you something, but I'm afraid you won't like it."

Her heart constricted. "What's wrong, Nick?"

His eyes started to water. "I've done something horrible, I've broken a law. And if you never forgive me, I wouldn't blame you. If you stop being my partner and friend, I won't blame you." He wanted to cry.

"Nick, whatever it is, I'm still your partner." She said sternly.

"I've broken the law of nature and fallen in love with someone of a different species. I've fallen in love with you, Judy." Confessing this made the weight of the world fall from his shoulders to his heart.

She couldn't believe her ears. He loved her, but was terrified she'd hate him for it because it went against nature. As if Zootopia didn't already have interspecies couples waltzing around in broad daylight.

She smiled at him. "Oh, you dumb fox." She said sweetly before doing her best to be sarcastic like he was. "You shouldn't have said that to me. I have to arrest you now." He was terrified that she was trying to reject him by being cute. She got nose-to-nose with him.  "Nicholas Piberius Wilde, you are under arrest. You have to right to be loved. Anything you say can and will be used against you in the court of love. You have the right to a lover, if you can not afford one, one will be appointed to you. Do you understand your rights as I have read them to you?"

He smirked. "If I can't afford one, one will be appointed to me? You realize that borders on prostitution and is punishable by up to two months jail time? Well, that is if that is the 'lover's' first offense."

Judy rolled her eyes. "Shut up." She put her lips to his, and kissed him passionately. He was the final piece to her puzzle, the love and understanding she'd been denied her whole life. She pulled back, ending the kiss.

"Yes, ma'am." He replied to her remark a little late.

"Nicholas, you're finally awake!" His mother chirped, entering the room.

"Hey, momma." He smiled at the vixen.

"You took ten years off my life young man, scaring me like that." She sniffed.

"I'm sorry, mom, but I couldn't let my partner get killed." He took Judy's paw in his. "In fact, I hope you don't disown me, but Judy's much more than my partner."

"Tell me something I don't know." His mom chuckled.

Later that evening, the doctor came to visit, and told Nick he'd be dismissed at the end of the week. He'd be out of work for two weeks, and on desk duty for two weeks. He'd need assistance around the house for awhile. After much deliberation, Judy decided she'd take her vacation time, and stay with Nick until he could return to work.

Judy sat her suitcase down in the spare bedroom of Nick's apartment.

"Just make yourself at home, Carrots." He panted as he walked towards the kitchen. His injuries made walking a chore.

"Nick, you should sit down and rest." She chided him.

"Yeah. Yeah. Yeah." He sneered. "Just because you're my girlfriend, doesn't mean you're allowed to boss me around now, Fluff."

Rolling her eyes, she started unpacking her suitcase. Nick stood in the doorway watching. He held himself, his ribs still tender. Watching her, he felt at ease. She belonged here, not just temporarily, but for the rest of their lives.

He walked towards her, and pushed her onto the bed. Ignoring the pain in his torso, he climbed on top of her. His legs straddling either sides of her. Taken aback by his aggressiveness, her face turned bright red.

He pressed his lips against hers, kissing her hungrily. "I love you, Judy." He whispered against her lips.