Author's Note:

And there we have it. A fox and bunny marriage and a fantastic new life ahead of them. This double-length chapter will mark the end of this fun and wild season, and the beginning of Season 3 to come. I will be taking a break at the close of Season 2, but do not despair! I will be uploading a five chapter short series immediately after this chapter goes up. Watch for it! Also, if you haven't seen it already, there is a Fall Festival one shot, understood to be in the timeline right at the end of this season. Check it out if you run out of fluffy foxy goodness.

If you are just joining Guardian Blue for the first time, you will want to check out Season 1 first, and I would highly recommend Thanks for the Fox before that as well so everything makes sense. ^^

I do not own Zootopia or any of the characters. I write them with love in my heart and nothing in my pockets. Disney claims full rights to Zootopia and these characters. Thank you for reading!

Also! A HUGE shout-out to J. N. Squire for assisting with editing for Season 2! Now on to doing a full edit of Season 1. Hope he brought stomping boots, this is gonna be an uphill march!

Guardian Blue: Season Two

Episode 26: Return

Judy felt her entire world glowing around her. She could see and hear the mammals close by as they talked, played in the park, or just sat around and enjoyed the happy moment, but she could hardly pay close attention to any of them. She was focused entirely on the fox holding her in his arms, stroking her long ears and wrapping his tail over her smaller form. This was her happiest day. No one dared do a thing to detract from the beauty of the moment she'd just enjoyed. If Angela, Sammie, her mother or father had any objection to what had happened, they had concealed it perfectly. They were, at first, stunned at the revelation of what Judy had done with those carefully delivered words, but they at least acted delighted for the newly wed bunny. To her, the weight of this was greater than what she even understood a wedding to be.

The doe didn't make some formal marriage agreement. She wasn't given away by her parents to her suitor. She didn't beg the light for the opportunity to have a happy marriage. Judy took her fox. Nick gave himself to her, and she claimed him… mind, body and soul… as her mate. He was completely hers, and she gave herself back to him just as eagerly and completely. There was absolutely no room for miscommunication. It was so clearly stated in the vow that it was every bit as firm as a legal agreement. The words, as presented, were old and carefully crafted to be insurmountably binding. They were One.

Judy had never experienced happiness of the kind she had in that moment. It was so intense, as she pushed her cheek into the crook of her fox's neck and held him, that the presence of rain would have been a mystery. That is, it would have been if her father hadn't finally suggested that everyone get somewhere sheltered. Judy gazed up, surprised since it was still sunny.

For some reason, Vivienne and Nick seemed delighted that this sun-shower was happening. The older vixen in particular squealed with delight and danced around in it, stating that 'it actually happened'. Judy had no idea of what she was talking about. There was a little commotion as they searched for a place to get out of the rain before Nick's mother directed everyone toward the diner. Judy liked that idea, rain or not. She wasn't hungry, but a nice snack and something to drink while she celebrated her union with her fox was as welcome a thing as she could think of.

"Go slow, okay?" worried Nick, holding her close.

"I don't mind the rain. I grew up on a farm, Slick." Judy moved slowly alongside him.

"Yeah, but unless you became a carrot since last I checked, you don't need to be drenched in water regularly. This won't do those stitches any favors," her fox chastised. The bunny was also not particularly mindful of ruining the 'borrowed' outfit she was in, at least. The slightly oversized light blue button up and more oversized skirt that was folded in back and belted so it looked like a gauzy dress was not something she would be pained to part with.

Angela darted past her. "See you there, Mrs. Wilde!" she chimed. Judy blushed at that. Skye and Jack giggled at her sister eagerly using the new name as they rushed by as well.

The actual Mrs. Wilde fell into step beside her and Nick, with her biological mother and father following close behind.

"Well, now I actually do get to call you my daughter. It's a very original honor," chuckled the vixen.

"I'm sure this kind of thing has happened before." Nick laughed. "There's just been too many foxes and bunnies in the history of the world for it to not have."

"If it has, there's never been a record of it," Vivienne chuckled sweetly. "I checked."

"Really? Wait, seriously? We're the first?" Judy asked. When she was mulling over how to actually give herself to Nick completely, the bunny had considered that there would be some kind of precedent at least, and they would be able to say that while it was rare, it was not unheard of. Surely it was at least heard of!

The mother fox answered, "You're at least the first to take fox vows. Sure, there may have been some who had been a romantic couple, but nothing of official note. I couldn't even find a mention of it on the internet that wasn't linked to a fictional tale or a less… reputable site." Viv said as they reached the sidewalk and began walking toward the diner.

Wolfard walked slightly ahead of them. Judy and Nick were the only ones in the group that he was responsible for watching. The rain was slowing. It was an unusually warm afternoon, but it had seemed too dry for a sun shower. Judy looked up. There were clouds. They just weren't over the sun. The rain had been perhaps blown over them.

"She likes being the first at things, Viv!" Stu laughed from behind them.

"We're family now, Stu! You seem pretty calm about the change." Vivienne smiled back at him proudly.

"It's a good family!" Stu chimed, wiping more than just rain off of his cheeks. Judy was happy that he'd gotten himself composed quickly. She worried that her father's emotional state after her vow would have drawn a lot of attention.

Bonnie held close to her husband and nodded emphatically. "He and I have been preparing for this day emotionally, Judy. There's never been a doubt that you were with 'the one', so while it came maybe sooner that we had figured… It certainly wasn't a world-shaking surprise. I will say, however… it's gonna be a noisy realization back in Bunnyburrow whenever you two are ready for it to become common knowledge."

Nick answered that. "I'll certainly not hide it… that is… if Judy's done being in the shadows. If I were a wolf, I'd be howling out it in the streets."

"We do that." Wolfard laughed.

"What, after weddings?" Nick asked.

"Especially after weddings," the larger canine officer replied.

"I'll howl with you," Judy's vulpine husband remarked.

"What?" asked Wolfard, staggering to a stop in front of the foxes.

"To celebrate. I'll howl," Nick repeated.

"I… You… aren't teasing?" he asked. Judy's heart suddenly ached. This was obviously important to Wolfard. He wanted to celebrate the marriage of a friend and he was holding back because there weren't other wolves present.

Nick answered the wolf's anxious question by stopping, mate still clutched in his arms, then throwing his head back and releasing a surprisingly convincing howl. It was pure, rising, crystal joy from her fox and Judy joined in. While still effective enough, hers was not so wonderful, being a bit more like a call than a howl. The shorter length of her muzzle perhaps made what Nick did impossible for her. Wolfard staggered a bit and grinned, pitching his nose to the sun and rain as he bayed musically in the exact pitch of the bunny's beloved. It was likely not as low as Wolfard's usual tone, but he had a lot of practice and matched it easily. Judy lifted her own pitch to try to match it, and found her eyes watered a bit as her lungs emptied. She could not hold the sound as long as the other canids.

Vivienne didn't try to match them, and her parents were a bit shocked by it. The canid pair finished their howl and Wolfard put an arm around Nick.

"I didn't know you had it in ya, Wilde!" he chimed.

"Thanks!" Nick and Judy answered simultaneously. Nick then glanced with a bit of surprise at his bunny and put his ears back with a joyful expression, making it clear he wasn't used to that yet, and it delighted him. They entered the parking lot for the Diner. It was a simple gravel lot that fit perhaps six cars of a medium size. Sammie and Angela, quick to get out of the rain, were already inside. As Skye and Jack were absent, it was apparent they had done the same.

The bell on the door dingled playfully as the slightly damp mammals entered, all five together. Behind the counter was a fox Judy hadn't seen before. He looked a bit like Annie, in that he had black fur, and honestly it made Judy immediately think of Nick in his Gerald disguise. He was built pretty similar to Nick, if a bit shorter with a pointier muzzle. He was chatting with Sammie who was sitting at the bar beside her sister. Over by a table where a rather typical-looking fox family sat was Annie herself.

"Hey, V!" chimed the diner's manager. "Oh, you brought your whole family!" she added in a teasing voice.

"For real this time!" Vivienne barked. Judy tensed up. This would be the first time she was open about everything in a public venue, and she wanted to steel her nerves for what was coming, if it would be anything negative.

"Oh?" asked Annie, moving over toward the counter.

"As of ten minutes ago, in the park," Nick offered with a kind smile.

"You can't mean…" whimpered the stunned manager, cupping her angular vulpine muzzle.

"Yes. You are graced by the presence of our very own Judy Wilde," claimed a very proud Vivienne, not caring at all about the unfamiliar pig.

"You're serious." This statement was not from Annie, it was from another familiar voice.

"Hey Aggie." Jack said, distracting her. Judy snapped her attention to Jack and then realized he was staring at a table toward the back of the Diner where a very shocked-looking pig was now standing. Oh no. This could be ugly.

"What? Wait, what? You two… Jack… but why are you here?" asked the alarmed pig, trying to process too much new information at once.

Annie squealed joyfully, not paying any attention to Aggie as she approached Vivienne, eyes wide. The manager hugged Nick's mom tightly, bouncing a bit. Aggie got up and approached as well.

Jack finally answered, seeming to loathe interrupting that joyful scene. "Oh, you think I wasn't a part of all of that?" the buck asked. Judy backed up a little. This was crazy. All of it was crazy. She wanted to get Nick out of here and not have her happiest day marred by the drama that might be forthcoming. If Aggie abused Nick here, Wolfard would have to call Bay for backup.

"I know you were on that plane, but you are actually with them?" asked Porcintia, pointing at the WildeHopps family.

"With pride, miss Piggy!" laughed Jack.

"With you being a hybrid, I suppose this nice but… unusual pairing is not so unusual to you, huh?" she asked. The pig was smiling as she said it, so it was hard for Judy to decode whether or not she meant that to sound at all offensive.

Jack replied by simply leaning way up in his seat, his back against Skye's front, and slowly kissing her, biting her chin sweetly, and bumping the vixen's nose with his. That earned a sweet coo of delight from Bonnie and Annie simultaneously.

"I… I see. It's become fashionable, then." She seemed completely dumbfounded.

Jack grinned. "You're getting left behind, Aggie. You need to find yourself a wolf, or you won't be able to get into any of the nicer clubs." Skye laughed musically at that. Wolfard tensed up as porcine eyes tracked immediately to him.

"So… It's all family and friends here then?" Porcintia asked curiously.

"Absolutely," The manager vixen replied.

"Then… I think you all should get to hear this too…" The pig moved over closer to Vivienne. Wolfard strode purposefully over closer to the mother vixen. The male diner employee seemed confused and stayed put.

"Hello there," Nick's mother stated.

"You… saved me. You and your… son?" she pointed to Nick. Judy remembered that Nick had called her Mom when she'd saved Aggie.

"Yes. And my daughter," Viv said in a gentle tone.

"You… you really are serious. They're… not just partners anymore?" she asked.

"I promise this is true." Bonnie answered. The older doe was smiling. Judy grimaced. She had no idea how toxic this pig was.

"You are… her mother and father?" asked Porcintia, holding a pleasant expression as well.

"I am," stated Bonnie. Stu nodded, holding his suspenders.

"And sisters!" called Angela. She and Sammie were sitting at the bar right where Judy had been the day she met Nick's mother.

Aggie sighed heavily. She looked less happy, appearing to almost sag as she stood there before the jubilant family. "Your daughter… and new son in law… they're brave mammals and I have to confess, I have not been kind to them. I have even harmed them, if you can believe it."

"Won't take no more of that from any one!" Stu growled. "If you have a single thing against them… well, that just tells us you don't know 'em. Put all of it aside."

"I already have," Aggie said, drawing a silent gasp from Judy.

"Oh?" Jack asked. "You aren't someone who likes to admit when they're wrong."

"I've never been as wrong as this." the pig said with a grimace.

Judy interrupted, "Aggie, Nick and I were doing our job, and you were not the only one we were protecting there. You have to know that." She didn't want her prostrating herself and dragging the mood down, even if for a good reason. This was a happy day and Judy was going to keep it that way.

"Oh, Officer Hopps…" murmured the pig.

"Sergeant Wilde." corrected a very cold-looking Wolfard. He apparently got the gist that Porcintia had conflict with the pair, and it made him immediately defensive.

"Right, of course," Aggie said softly. "Sergeants… I know you were doing your job, and if that is all it was my life would be so much easier to quantify right now, but… Sergeant Wilde…" She looked at Judy's mate carefully. "You were barely aware of the things I said about you, about predators. I remember that you were just happily looking out the window. I guess by now you know the reason I was on the plane was that I was trying to flee the city because of what Swinton sent to me… However… my stress at the time will never be an excuse. Then… When I found out I was going to a predominantly fox town for protection, I was unfairly furious and the only comfort I had was that the agents taking me were not predators. When those sheep proved to be the real monsters, it was a fox… your own mother who took him down with an arrow."

"Again?!" Annie cried. Vivienne shushed her. Judy needed to know what that was about, and by Nick's expression, it would not be something she would be able to get from him. He didn't know either.

Aggie continued, "You had reason to, of course. Your own son was in danger... and the bunny who apparently was intended to be family." She nodded to Judy. "You could have gotten closer… or you could have waited. You acted when you did to protect me. And your son and daughter were there to protect me as well, or they'd have barricaded the house and just waited for armed backup. I would have died, but they would have been safe. Thank you. Thank all of you, and I'm sorry." The pig hung her head in shame. Jack slowly applauded.

Judy rubbed the back of her head slowly. It was very strange to hear this from someone she had felt was so closed-minded. However, Aggie did get staked to the ground and nearly lanced with a massive spear. That has a way of changing a mammal's mind about certain things.

"Mom, how many mammals have you put an arrow in?" asked Nick, getting Judy's immediate attention. She just wanted snacks with her husband, not a discussion about more dark things. However, she really did want to know this part. This vixen was her family now.

"Just one other, sweetie, it's alright," answered Vivienne.

"Who?" asked Judy's husband immediately.

"It was a different time, Nicholas. Things were very different here!" Vivienne protested.

"Your grandfather," answered Annie.

"What?"

"He lived! That's not why you never met him!" insisted his mother. Judy looked back and forth between them.

"He tried to make John leave your mom," explained the diner's manager.

"And you tried to kill him?" asked Nick incredulously. That was a very serious thing, and Judy could see the worry on her fox's face. She could almost hear him reciting the statute of limitations for attempted murder in his head.

"We were already vowed." Viv stated.

"Oh." Nick responded, as if it suddenly was fine. Judy's ears fell back.

"I'm staying in town longer." Angela stated bluntly, ears high. Sammie nodded slowly. They wanted to get to know their new family better, apparently.

"You guys have to kill your parents if they don't approve of the wedding?" asked Aggie, not at all privy to any of that.

Vivienne covered her face with her paws in apparent embarrassment. "No, it's not like that. He…" She took a breath, composing her thoughts. Judy could tell it was not a great memory for her and felt bad making her re-live them.

It was Annie who answered again. "Jeremy Wilde fancied John marrying his best friend's daughter. He'd been trying for years to get them together. They even dated a while. They were just… not compatible." Nick nodded, having perhaps heard that before. The bunnies were all transfixed, however. Annie continued, "Nick's dad was good friends with V, though. They spent a lot of time together, getting into the usual kinds of trouble, staying out too late, laughing a little too loud, and talking about leaving New Reynard one day.

Viv sighed dreamily at better memories surrounding that. "We never said it so much in plain words but I loved him more than life itself, and I was sure he loved me too. John's dad, though… He did not approve."

"I still can't imagine Mom as a trouble-maker," stated Nick softly. Judy blushed slightly, having some first-hand knowledge that suggested she could be, she just wasn't allowed to tell Nick about the 'Ewe-Mart Massacre'.

Annie took the floor again, "One day, Viv ended up talking with Sherrie, the vixen that John was supposed to be getting closer with."

Vivienne continued telling the story, having organized her thoughts better. "Nicholas, you know that I found out what John was expected to do, but I never really told you how all that went down. It hasn't really come up since things have improved with your life. So I guess… I'll say it." Nick nodded, eyes wide, ears up, paying close attention. Judy glanced over at Porcintia. The pig was seated at the bar, turned to face the Wilde family on her stool as if she belonged there.

"If it's something you'd rather talk about in private, Mom…" Nick offered.

"Oh no, sweetie, it's common knowledge for most here." Viv waved a paw at her son. "So, Sherrie knew I was John's best friend. She wanted to tell me that she was unhappy because she thought that John was going to cave in to his dad and drop his vow on her and she loved someone else. She would not be able to reciprocate the vow and it would leave him alone for the rest of his life. Sherrie wanted me to help her run away to Zootopia. She needed money and knew that I had a bit from working for Elliott back then."

"You never mentioned that she was trying to run away." Nick said, listening closely.

"Like I said, the specifics would not have been that useful to you when you were younger, and I felt like you were not that interested later on," his mother replied. "So, I stood there, hearing her out, and told her I would not help her abandon her mother and little sister. Not like that. Then… I left. But I knew already what I was going to do instead. I went to Elliott's farm. John was practicing archery there with his dad, same as they did every Sunday. It was late in the afternoon, it was Fall, and the leaves were all over… so much like today… though a good bit colder, I recall," she laughed.

"Uh oh…" whispered Angela.

"Shhh," shushed Aggie.

"John was happy to see me, and, as always, his dad wasn't. I walked right up to him and… I vowed up on the spot. I gave no warning, I didn't set the tone, I just delivered the words without hesitation. As is custom, your grandfather couldn't do a thing about it while it happened. Not even supposed to speak when the vows are being done." Nick nodded, understanding that. "But after I was done, he said I was stupid for doing that and I would regret being alone forever. He said I was a spoiled brat and I treated the old traditions like they were a joke. He said that I could not possibly be serious. I told him I was. He told me nothing I did would prove it and he'd never allow it."

"That's awful!" Skye said in a hushed tone, covering her muzzle. That made Judy think maybe that kind of conflict didn't come up often. It was painful to hear that such a thing had been done to Vivienne, even if she'd been a little more rebellious in her youth.

"No, what happened next was awful," Nick's mom murmured. "I took John's bow and arrow off the ground where he'd dropped them when I began reciting the vow… and without a word, I shot your grandfather in the thigh."

"Oh sshhh-trawberries…" murmured Bonnie.

"… Uh huh, and cream!" Stu finished. Wolfard wagged briskly at the pair. That delighted him for some reason.

"Yeah, I can… see why this wasn't a bed time story." Nick expressed, eyes wide.

"I'm sorry Nick, it's… a little worse than even that," Viv said. Annie nodded.

"You said he lived." Nick offered meekly.

"Oh no, he did… But…" His mother sighed. "It was a different time back then, Nicholas. I wasn't as patient and I had a lot of anger over everything and…"

"Viv, no one's judging you." Annie grumbled.

Her son put a paw on her shoulder. "It's okay, Mom. It's a happy day. I can't get happier than this, so let's hear it. I really do want to know about this." He smiled encouragingly.

"So… uh… John's dad went down, and I stood over him, another arrow ready. I told him to change his mind. He had to see then how serious I was. He said no. He would just never allow it, no matter what. I… I held the point of the arrow over his chest and drew it back."

"No…" Nick cupped his muzzle. "I mean… you were just threatening him, but you wouldn't have…" Annie, wearing a very serious expression, nodded slowly to the worried fox as he put his ears back tightly.

"I didn't have to, fortunately," the mother fox sighed, "Your dad started saying his vows back to me immediately. At that point… nothing his father could have asked, demanded, or done would have made any difference. I dropped the bow. We were joined."

Nick's paws were still over his muzzle, his eyes wide, his voice a little muffled. "Dad married you… under the threat of you murdering my grandfather!?" Vivienne smiled meekly at that then nodded.

"Jeremy never forgave me, of course," explained the mother fox, "That's why you never met him, and that's absolutely why you were born in Zootopia, not New Reynard. Things got really awkward here for a very long time. Your dad never let it be said that he was unwilling to marry me, but for a lot of Jeremy's close friends, that's all they saw. I stole John. They felt that I violently forced him to take me as his mate. I didn't mean for it to happen like that… to look like that… Alas, it did. After you were born, most folks in town softened because they could tell how happy your dad was. We stayed in Zootopia anyway, however, since John had his business ventures and the like."

Nick stood there, still cupping his muzzle. Judy had no idea what to offer to the discussion. It was such a crazy ordeal. The quiet fox finally stated, "Well, I suppose the town won't be too surprised after all when they find out that the son of John and Vivienne Wilde ended up marrying Sungura ya Shetani."

Skye and Jack had left first, leaving Judy's happy family with a few other fox families at the diner. She and Nick shared a complicated sundae of some sort, and Bonnie, Stu, and Judy's sisters all shared a steamed veggie medley upon Judy's insistence that they try it. It was enjoyed greatly. With things calming down and becoming a bit quieter the afternoon ebbed to a bunny and fox just cuddling in the booth. Bonnie, with permission, had announced to the immediate family in a mass text message that Judy was not too seriously injured and would most likely be visiting home in Bunnyburrow for the holidays. This was sent to all of Judy's siblings and just a few of their closest family friends.

While Judy held off on informing additional family about the sudden wedding, the foxes that came in to enjoy supper at the diner were actually quite positive about the historic thing that had transpired in their town, as Annie was quick to tell her regulars about it and point out the happy booth-cuddling couple. Judy didn't really mind. This was a special place to her now. It always would be. Vivienne in particular did not expect much in the way of pushback locally concerning the arrangement.

The story of what happened with Judy finding Nick's mom when it was thought that she had died was heavily circulated in town and it softened the overall attitude about the bunny. Aggie mostly gave the foxes their space, but she didn't seem as uncomfortable around them as Judy assumed she might be. The pig was waiting at the diner for agent Rosette, she said, so that she could go back to Zootopia. The danger, she'd been told, was no longer a factor. She was polite to Annie and the other server, and talked a bit more with Vivienne. They mostly talked about how long New Reynard had been around, and whether there were any other outside settlements like it. She was much more relaxed.

The pig was still waiting at the diner at the point that Wolfard announced they needed to head back to the Bed and Breakfast. Unwilling to go back to the place she almost got skewered, Aggie had been staying in a room at the sheriff's office and recovering from her terrible experience. She was glad to be heading back home, and appreciated the Wilde family for the fact that she would be returning alive. She thanked them again as they left, and Judy found herself hopeful that Aggie might actually open her mind a little.

The walk back was a little less warm. The sun-shower had cooled things down, and it hadn't gotten warmer before the sun sank low on the horizon. Judy kept a slow step with Nick, relaxing and enjoying the newlywed stroll through town. She knew she would come back here someday. She wanted to stay at the bed and breakfast and enjoy a vacation with Nick here eventually, when there wasn't a threat, any rules or security in place, just a chance to relax and have fun. She wanted to get to know the foxes that lived here a little better, and maybe hear a bit more about where Nick's family came from. The place was just so rich with stories and emotions despite how small and out of the way it was.

As the sun sank lower, casting long autumn shadows across the leaf-littered ground, they reached their destination. Heading inside they found Motti and her family sitting in the living room. Cassie and Charisse were enjoying tall glasses of iced milk in the dining room. Those gathered downstairs immediately cheered, making it obvious that the news had reached the bed and breakfast already. Honey thundered down the stairs loudly, likely having been watching cameras when Judy and her family arrived with Wolfard. In jeans and a flannel shirt, she seemed appropriately rustic.

"You! You didn't invite me!" she cried.

"It really was a family-only kind of event." Stu said with an apologetic smile.

"I'm every bit as good as family. We almost died together. We bonded!" The badger crossed her short, strong arms, pouting. Bonnie flinched at the reminder that they were almost killed. Judy would have to remember to send the badger a thank-you-bomb.

Nick spoke up sunnily. "Sorry, Honey. We can certainly celebrate together, though." Bay wandered down the stairs, having likely been in the camera room as well.

"Congratulations, you two. Jack and Skye told everyone what happened," Richter stated with a flourish.

"Comfort me," Honey demanded, pushing herself up sideways against Bay's front. Judy expected her to get dumped onto the floor or something, but surprisingly, the wolf just wrapped her up in his arms, hugging her, his tail swinging side to side slowly. The bunny perked her ears up. It appeared that he had given up the fight on the loss of his personal space to the badger.

"Does this mean you two won't get to be partners anymore?" asked Cassie. Charisse gave her sister a death glare.

Nick smiled at her and shook his head. "Actually, our promotion alone likely put that in the bin, I'm afraid." Judy frowned at that, however, they had come to accept it. It was the unfortunate mark of progress, but at least now they were partners in literally every other aspect of their lives. It would not be so bad.

"That's not right. Zootopia needs the fox and bunny runnin' the streets together," grumbled Stu. His feelings on that surprised Judy a little, though she then immediately considered that it was more likely because Stu trusted Nick to take care of Judy. Some strange officer, or even a rookie being her partner probably frightened her father.

"It'll be alright, Dad. Nick and I will still work in the same precinct and he will always be there to back me up if I need it. No one gets to be in City Center without being in the top 25% of their class, so I'm in good company no matter what."

"Shetani and Janga should still serve together," Motti proclaimed. "They cannot make an exception?" The hyena looked obviously crest-fallen.

Nick answered with a gracious and happy tone, "Given that we are married now, it would actually be pretty unprofessional to ask. We cannot be given any special consideration due to our relationship. Carr… er… Judy's right though. We will still serve the city together, we will just be helping other officers, and passing down our experience to others." The bunny felt her new husband was being very genuine in saying this, which lifted her spirits.

Motti's mother changed the subject, getting up and moving over to Judy. "I am so happy for you both. The story of Shetani… it say… the bunny Shetani never fears the wild, she instead will embrace it… she becomes it. Today, like legend, you become the Wilde. You are Sungura ya Shetani wa Pori… Shetani of the Wild." The large hyena wrapped her arms around the bunny and embraced the much smaller mammal.

"Thank you so much…" Judy whispered, fighting back tears. She was not that big a deal. She hated being elevated like that. But she didn't dare argue with the hyena. Symbolism was important to her and she was happy. There was no need to change that.

The older lady hyena said softly, "No, thank you, Shetani. Our village, it has no gold now, like it did in the long ago. What has been our treasure since the beginning, and shall be till the end, is our stories. You have given Siri Shamba a new story to tell. This is a treasure that Ukweli can be proud to have provided us in his sacrifice."

"Tunafurahi kumbukumbu yake," Motti said in a low voice. "We cheer his memory."

"We cheer his memory," the other hyenas all said in unison.

"I'm so sorry…" Cassie said in a rare showing of serious sympathy from her.

"Do not be." Motti's father said. "It is not customary to mourn a hero. We celebrate his rise to his rightful place in the stories of Siri Shamba. We are proud of him." He nodded. Judy pushed her cheek into Motti's mother's neck, unable to stop the tears, so at least she could hide them.

Sammie was not really able to resist crying either, and had to take off her glasses to dab at her red eyes with her sleeves. The white doe was always one of the more emotionally sensitive Hopps bunnies. It was why she wanted to be a counselor in the first place. Angela was stoic, but she was quiet to show her reverence to the moment. Her eyes were locked on Judy, which made the grey doe feel a little meek. She was being put on such a pedestal. It was, to Judy, sorely undeserved. She barely survived that mess at all.

"Skye and Jack are upstairs?" inquired Nick, likely feeling the tension in his mate. Vivienne nodded and smiled at her son, perhaps having given some kind of signal for him to react. Judy knew they had unspoken dialogue sometimes.

"They are," informed Bay. He was still holding the now even more emotional badger. "Your stuff arrived a little bit ago from the Interior, and they are going through their things and making sure they are ready to head out in the morning tomorrow. They have some kind of photo shoot to go to, they said."

"I bet they do!" Nick laughed. "The newspapers have already picked up on Jack's little post on his Snootbook account by now, I'm sure."

"I haven't seen anything on the news about it yet, honestly," Cassie stated.

"I bet I know why," Vivienne chuckled.

"Oh?" responded Nick.

The mother vulpine laughed a bit and explained, "They don't believe it. They won't post or say a damned thing until they know for sure that Jack didn't get his account hacked by someone with a clever photo edit of him with a fox. He's gone dark from his studio and all, so no one's getting in touch with him until he returns to Zootopia."

"That makes sense," Cassie agreed.

"Did you guys already file for the paperwork and all that?" Charisse asked, probably seeing that there was an attempt to make the scene less heavy.

"We will do that when we get back to Zootopia," Nick answered. Judy glanced up at him with a smile. She hadn't really discussed that part with him yet, but she understood why. It was typical to get one's marriage license in the town where they reside.

"Who will be changing their name? You guys do that in Zootopia, right?" she asked.

"I'll be Judith Laverne Hopps Wilde," the proud doe answered, beaming.

"You gonna try to become parents?" asked Cassie. Her sister shot her a look, as if that was forbidden territory.

"Probably, eventually," Judy responded, ears back a bit. She'd certainly never discussed that with Nick. Nick smiled down at her to show that he didn't hate the thought of 'probably, eventually'.

"How?" asked Cassie. She flinched, obviously kicked under the table.

"Adoption, I assume?" offered Bonnie.

"Or surrogacy." Nick said. "Jack has contacts that are involved in that. Like Judy said, it's not something we intend to start working on tomorrow, there's a lot for us to iron out and work on together on before we add that to the mix."

"Surrogacy… so you'd help Judy raise a little bunny?" asked Motti's mother. Her tone made it painfully obvious how cute she thought that was.

"I would actually more likely be raising a fox kit," Judy stated. That yanked a pretty loud gasp out of Vivienne. The suggestion was exactly what Judy wanted it to be. Viv's bloodline was not going to end with Nick, who looked just as surprised at that statement from his mate.

The badger spoke up at that. "Oh? I thought motherhood was a super-important life-experience for a bunny." She was still being held by Bay. Judy began to wonder if there was something going on. Where had there been time for anything like that?

"It is," Bonnie answered, "But… I've been a mother to the friends of quite a few of my actual kits, and it really doesn't feel much different. I love them all the same. Also, Judy's helped raise all her little brothers and sisters, and she made some of her spending money during college through babysitting. She's not missing out on the bunny-raising experience, I promise." Stu laughed with his wife at that.

"It's stuff for us to talk about, of course," Nick expressed. Judy nodded at that. Viv looked like she was about to cry. That pulled at Judy's heartstrings a little. The bunny recognized that when Nick vowed up to her, Vivienne likely pushed away thoughts of being a grandmother. Now that future was no longer a strict impossibility. For the moment, however, those were not pressing thoughts to the pair.

"Well, I mean… could it be done with medical help, like with Jack?" asked Motti.

Nick laughed at that, shaking his head. "As much as raising a kit that would probably look like a red or grey fennec is a cute idea, there is too great a possibility that, with something so experimental, anything could go wrong and harm the mother or child. I'd feel better keeping both of them safe and happy." Judy nodded at that, remembering that even Jack wasn't really a hybrid in the truest sense of the word. He just had certain genetic markers turned on to match those of his mother so he looked the part. At the same time, they removed his ability to have kits of his own. When the two decided to have their own family, they would get to make the same choice. They would have to adopt, or go surrogate and raise a fox-kit together. That idea immediately struck Judy as painfully adorable, and she wondered if it would seem so sweet to others.

"Won't be for lack of trying, though," laughed Judy's black-furred sister.

"Angela, be polite!" chastised Bonnie.

"I can't be the only one who is at least a little bit curious about how that even works out!" shrugged the more shameless doe.

"You have other sisters to ask that!" Stu barked, obviously trying to steer the embarrassing subject away given the mixed company present.

"Dad!" Sammie huffed.

"I never even said which sister I meant!" the buck laughed. Bonnie thumped his shoulder with her small fist.

The mother bunny spoke softly, "Anyway, we are very happy for you, Judy, but we got up before three this morning to drag our little tails out here, so I fear if I don't lie down, I won't have a choice in sleeping arrangements. I'll just stay wherever I end up." Stu nodded.

"It's true, she'll just drop off all over the house if the grand-kits keep her going too long." The pair headed upstairs.

"I need to head home myself," admitted Vivienne. "I need to call Gideon to discuss another possible shop location and I know he goes to bed early. I love you both so much, and I'm so happy for you." She embraced Judy and her son, and marked them both again, anew.

"Aww…" Honey remarked at the fox-cheek-push.

"I think it's time for the fox and bunny cops to turn in as well," Judy sighed, smiling to her sisters. Sammie grinned and Angela nodded. They obviously took it how they were going to take it no matter what.

Nick spoke kindly to those around the couple. "Thank you all for your kindness. I'm happy to have had you all as a part of it."

"What, no reception?" asked Honey. "Not that you gave me a heads up so I could even prepare one, so forget I said that! You jerks. Mmmn… use your claws, not your fingers." The black wolf had been ruffling the thicker fur along the badger's neck, probably to calm her.

"So, Agent Bay…" Sammie murmured curiously, "Is this… a thing?"

"No." Bay and Honey deadpanned at the same time. However, neither let the other go.

The next 36 hours were spent doing little more than whatever Judy wanted to do. Wolfard filtered any communication from or about work and denied it to them, insisting that the newlywed couple enjoy their short semi-honeymoon while they could. And they did. Most of Judy's time was spent cuddled up with Nick either in their bed or on the couch. Jack and Skye left before the other sleepy fox and bunny had the strength to get out of bed. The remaining pair had been social from time to time, however the security order had been lifted and for most of the day the bed and breakfast sat empty, save for Bay and Honey who were usually not anywhere visible. Judy was sure something was going on between them, but Nick felt it was more likely that Bay just gave up on resisting her, and it wasn't really a relationship. Wolfard and Pawlander left with Jack and Skye, as they were needed far more back in Zootopia.

Motti and her family explored New Reynard and spent a lot of time at the Musk Street Diner. They were immediately popular as apparently no hyenas had ever visited New Reynard. Judy was told by Motti that Kijvu played with a few fox kits in the park, letting them climb on him and hold onto the thicker line of fur along the back of his neck. Cassie and Charisse went on a long hike on a recommended wooded trail that went around the town. They both loved the outdoors and the only thing they had lamented about leaving the Interior had been that they could not go hiking in Zootopia quite the same way. They were delighted to find that a suitable natural territory could be found only a few hours away from the city.

As the security order had been rescinded, Nick and Judy opted to end their stay on the second day after they were married. The fox didn't like leaving so soon, however he did agree with Judy that there was a lot to do and they really would be missing the extra officers. The state of emergency had already been lifted, but those officers who had been working long hours could use the relief. Judy was surprised to find that the rest of her family would be staying until the weekend. Bonnie and Stu wanted to talk with Vivienne more about the arrangements for the new baked goods shop in Zootopia. They would be providing fruit and other materials just as they did for Gideon. Angela and Sammie were enjoying the little town and they had made friends with Motti's family. Angela had also become pretty close with Motti, from what Sammie had said. Judy was happy to hear that, as her temperament made it harder sometimes for the black doe to make friends. All in all, they were having a wonderful vacation and hopped at the chance to lengthen it as much as they could.

The train ride home was uneventful but happy. The fox and bunny had the entire car to their selves, and didn't for a second fret the display of their affection. Judy felt better to be dressed in her normal, appropriately fitting clothing, and her wound wasn't hurting nearly so much as it had been. They had been very careful with it and that was paying off. In a few weeks she would have the stitches removed and she would be back on the beat.

They were only at their apartment for a short time before taking a bus to the precinct. They didn't want to get too comfortable, and they both had to check in at some point, even if they were not supposed to return to active duty until the next day at the earliest. It took effort for Judy to drop Nick's paw as they got off of the bus. They had not made any announcement of their marriage to anyone else in the ZPD. Only Wolfard and Pawlander knew, and they were not supposed to tell anyone until the pair had a chance to talk with Bogo about it. It would not do for the Chief to be one of the last to find out.

The first to greet them as they walked into the ZPD was predictably Benjamin Clawhauser. He moved quickly from behind the desk in obvious hug-mode. Nick tried to block him from scooping up the still-wounded bunny and got picked up himself instead. He struggled a bit but eventually surrendered to the cheetah-squeezing.

"I missed you too, big guy," he grunted.

"I was so scared when I heard that there had been an actual battle out there!" Ben cried. "And they wouldn't tell us for the longest time what actually happened, only that there were casualties. I thought it was last summer all over again!"

"It's not that bad. We're fine." Judy smiled as the cheetah put Nick back on his feet carefully.

The fox intervened quickly, trying to avoid their reunion with Clawhauser becoming a long and drawn out story time. His access to the records department meant that he could read their report whenever he wanted. They didn't have to regale him with the story themselves. He said, "We came in to report back for local assignment, and to check in with Chief Bogo."

"Mayor Bogo is at City Hall, actually," offered the cheetah. Judy gritted her teeth, having not realized how quickly that change would take place. "Chief Tora does want to see you both."

"Told you!" Nick chimed, giving a smug grin to the bunny.

"I didn't bet anything!" she laughed.

"You two are so cute together." Clawhauser sighed. He then gasped and shook his plump paws at the bunny. "Oh I'm so sorry. I did it again." He frowned.

"It's alright, Ben," the bunny replied. "Well, let's not keep the new chief waiting."

Nick and Judy headed up to what was Bogo's office. The doe was a little apprehensive. While her fox had met Tora during special technical training, she had never seen the new chief herself. She had heard that she had very high standards and expected those working under her to meet and surpass them. Bogo was the same, but Judy at least already knew him. Nick tapped on the door to the office.

"Yes?" came a somewhat frustrated female reply on the other side.

"Sergeants Wilde, here to see Chief Tora," Nick said clearly.

"Right up front, huh?" Judy whispered with a smile. "I like that." Nick winked at his bunny wife. That melted the does heart.

"Oh yes. Please, come in," announced the voice from the other side. It became more cheerful, perhaps because Nick made a point of calling her chief. Judy opened the door and stepped into the office. Standing at attention to receive them behind the desk was a somewhat sleek and slender white tigress. She wasn't nearly so large as Fangmeyer. The desk was different too. Instead of bearing the weight of too many files, it was neatly sectioned off with decorations. There were little artistic figurines, medals, tokens, and folded metallic origami as well as a couple of neatly tended bonsai trees. The tiger's bright green eyes peered curiously at both officers.

"Good morning." Nick stated, saluting their new chief. Judy saluted as well.

"Did your partner not deserve an introduction, Wilde?" asked Tora with a hint of concern and a bit of eastern island accent. Nick and Judy glanced at one another and then smiled and looked back, not responding right away. They wanted to drop the hint before they said it. "Officer Wilde, speak up!" demanded the tigress in an authoritative tone.

"Yes Ma'am." Nick and Judy both replied.

"No, Sergeant Hopps, just your partner," grumbled Tora.

"I'm Sergeant Wilde," Judy stated matter-of-factly.

"What?" asked Tora. The uniformed tigress stood tall again. "Do you mean to tell me that the fox is Sergeant Hopps?" she asked with disbelief.

"That would be silly, Ma'am." Nick grinned. Judy felt a pang of anxiousness. Nick was on the verge of smug, and that might be hard for a hard-edged tiger to stomach. "I'm also Sergeant Wilde."

"Then who the hell is Sergeant Hopps?!" Tora growled in a darker tone.

"I used to be," Judy responded quickly, not wanting to make her angrier playing with her. "We got married." Those feline eyes shot wide open, then slowly narrowed.

"I… see. You got married. Because, of course you did that." She crossed her arms, her own claws threatening to puncture her uniform as she glared at them. "I had been… warned that you two delighted in making the life of your superiors more… interesting. Do you have the paperwork to prove what you've just told me?" Nick gazed curiously at his partner and then back to Tora.

"Not yet, we just got back into town. We would have to file first. We got married in New Reynard a couple of-…" He was cut off as the tigress slammed her paws on the desk loudly. She leaned forward, snarling at Nick who, to his credit, stood stoically still.

"I may be new to your precinct, but I am the damned Chief of Police! I do not get hazed!" Judy recoiled at that.

"We aren't hazing you, it's true-…" Judy started.

"Silence!" Tora hissed. "Or are you trying to get yourself assigned to another precinct?"

"No Ma'am." Judy stated solidly, alarmed at the feline's quick anger. "I assumed that we would no longer be partners after our promotion. Our relationship should be a non-issue." The tiger glared at Judy hard enough that she had to actually glance at Nick to make sure he wasn't bristling back. She was surprised to see him remaining calm despite his injured mate being in the hot seat.

"Ah yes. Your 'promotion'. A mistake I would not have made." Tora put her paws behind her back.

"You feel we have not earned our promotions?" asked Nick in an oddly disinterested manner. Judy's anxiousness rose. Tora had lost her fox's respect. That could be a problem for everyone in the room.

"It's not a matter of earning them," stated the white tigress. "It is a matter of what we can possibly expect from you. You are supposed to show up as backup for larger officers? A bear is supposed to have the same kind of respect for Officer Hopps as he might a large mammal?"

"Officer Wilde." Nick said. The tiger ignored him.

She continued. "You get the rank, you get the pay, but it's nonsense to think you can work in a command situation. Bogo might be eager to dispose of you by putting you in these horrible situations meant for someone even bigger than me, however, I'll be damned if I am gonna be the chief the city holds accountable when that fox is made two-dimensional by a hippo during a failed robbery attempt. I won't be the one explaining why I sent a little bunny to get pulled in half by a pachyderm off his meds! You still get to have your place on the force. It is I will be deciding what that is, do you two understand that?"

The fox sighed softly. "Yes Ma'am, I do understand how you feel. However, we trained hard to do the same job as every other mammal on the force. We would not be here if we didn't meet or exceed those expectations," Nick said in a rather irritated manner.

Tora sneered. "No, you got through because there's a Mammal Inclusion Initiative that exists to allow it. It's one thing to be able to knock out a rhino in the ring, like Miss Hopps here…"

"Mrs. Wilde," Judy growled, beginning to share in Nick's irritation.

That was again ignored as the tiger continued, unabated, "It's quite another to be ready to deal with four of them armed with spiked clubs after a bar-room brawl in Savannah Central."

"Chief Bogo had the fullest confidence in our abilities. Why can't you?" demanded Judy.

Tora sneered. "Oddly, Bogo saw fit to warn me about no other officers except for the two of you. Made it a point to tell me that I should not underestimate you two, and I can see why. But I think you full of yourselves. It comes from the city's insistence that your faces be on the news every time you do more than ticket a car."

"I feel like Bogo did not mean anything negative about not underestimating us." Nick stated plainly.

"Well, he also gave me the command to run this as my own precinct, my own way, as it would be a good challenge for my future opportunities as chief of police." She leaned over the desk. "And that will be best served by you two not being allowed to screw that up."

"So, we are to assume we will not be treated fairly under your command?" Nick asked. Judy held her breath. Those words were chosen by her fox very carefully.

"Oh, no! You will be treated fairly. However, I intend to keep you together, despite your claims of a relationship or your promotions. I specifically asked Bogo if I would have to separate you two if I did not wish to, and he said that he would not have wanted to separate you. I understand him completely. I'm not going to shut down the capacity of another two officers by making them responsible for your survival. I can control your assignments better with you as a single unit. This is what Bogo was doing before, right?" she asked.

"It is, but-…" Judy started.

"And you understand why that was, right?" she asked.

"Well, obviously no one wants to give someone an assignment that's impossible," Nick clarified. "Judy can't flip over a truck like McHorn can, however, McHorn can't climb down into a storm drain to get someone's kit like I can. We filter, sure."

"Then you understand why I do not want to make other officers responsible for you if I can keep you both in the same place," Tora stated sourly.

"So our promotions are just platitudes?" Judy asked.

"And a raise, unless you wish to give that back." The tigress arched her brow.

Judy frowned, "Well, I-…" Nick nudged her with his elbow. She glanced up at him and he quickly shook his head. Judy then looked down a moment, and back to the tigress. "So, you are saying that we would continue to just do what we were doing?"

"Exactly. Unlike Bogo, however, I won't be handing you ridiculous investigations that put you in a position where it's… it's an outright mystery to me that both of you aren't just metal plates on the memorial wall already." That comment made Judy wince. She became much more aware of the weight of Nick's name around her neck.

"We will follow your command, Chief Tora. I hope that as we get to work together you will come to trust in our abilities," Judy said, saluting the tigress. "Thank you for the opportunity to do so." Tora appeared skeptical at the reversal of the bunny's attitude, but she nodded.

"We will be available to return to active duty tomorrow," Nick said, his tone a bit hollow, much closer to how he sounded when Judy first met him. He was hiding his emotions.

"Actually, you will both be performing administrative work until Hopps is cleared by medical and by Doctor Carlisle," Tora stated. Judy saw a flash of Nick's teeth at the tigress' refusal to use her married name. The bunny decided to drop it until she was able to put the paperwork on the new chief's desk. That's what it would take for her, the bunny assumed.

"Carlisle?" Judy asked, keeping on subject.

Tora sighed. "You were almost killed on duty, Hopps. You have to know you'd be getting a psychological review. In fact, when I told Carlisle to expect you in the coming days, she seemed uncharacteristically…. excited… about the prospect of seeing you." Judy sighed a bit and nodded.

"Understood. I will take care of that as soon as possible," the bunny surrendered.

"In the meantime, you, Officer Wilde…" she indicated Nick as if taunting the pair, " …will be assisting with PR involving this recent firestorm of a case, as I don't want your partner's wiggly nose anywhere near a camera while we have the city on the edge of eating itself alive in a species conflict yet again. Don't think I've forgotten the Bellwether fiasco."

"A mistake which she corrected," Nick growled. Judy's heart went into her throat.

"I'm sorry, what was that, Wilde?" asked the tiger, baring her fangs at the fox, leaning over her desk.

The fox glowered, but immediately switched gears. "I will give this assignment my full attention, Chief." She leaned back, nodding slowly. The fox nodded down at the desk itself. "So… if I might ask…. The decorations on this desk are extremely fascinating." He regarded the little figures, medallions, and origami art. "Is this a collection?" he asked. This instantly changed Tora's demeanor as well.

"Well, yes. These are cultural tokens from all over. I have travelled extensively in my training and education, and each place has had something different to offer of itself. Each item is a precious representation of my growth toward this moment, and I like to look back on the path I've taken to remind myself what was done to improve myself." Judy saw Nick smile, but knew through experience that it was his artificial one. She doubted the tiger could tell.

"I thought it might be something like that. I see a lot of culture here," he marveled. Judy wondered what he was even trying to do. It was obvious the tiger immediately did not like either of them. He was only going to irritate her. She did not seem irritated, however. The chance to brag about her journey put her in a better mood. Was Nick really that good at reading and manipulating mammals? It was uncanny.

"I imagine you foxes have your own culture," stated Tora casually.

"We do. We tend to be a bit more secretive about it, though. Do you know much about it?" he asked.

"I admit that of your culture I know very little. I know they have traditions like everyone else. However, you are obviously the first fox I have directly worked with." She nodded.

"Well… then please, accept a cultural gift for your collection." Nick stated, reaching into his wallet and extracting an object. Judy's paws immediately clenched tight as she watched the exchange.

"YOU… GOT," murmured Tora as she examined the lovely bright silver token. This was a little different from the older pewter one that Nick had given to his bunny. It was large in his paw, but fit hers better. Judy slipped into quiet panic mode. What was he doing?! He could not have been serious. This wasn't happening.

Nick spoke warmly. "Foxes have a deep respect for the power of promises and the nobility of returning a… favor. This coin is a token of that special favor. It's traditional, and very meaningful." Judy tried hard to keep from hyperventilating. This was a disaster. She couldn't even stop it from happening.

Tora nodded again with a sage smile. "Well, thank you Sergeant Wilde. I will keep it here with my collection. I appreciate that very much. You two are dismissed. Take the rest of the day off so Sergeant Hopps can get checked out by medical and released for duty as soon as possible." Nick smiled smugly at her and nodded. Her turned and left the office with Judy close behind.

Once they were a fair distance from the office, Judy pulled Nick's tail. She hissed, "You can't do this! Whatever you're thinking, stop thinking it! Don't you dare!"

The fox turned around slowly in the hallway of the ZPD, standing alone with the smaller bunny. "I have tolerated a lot of what this city has thrown at the both of us over this past year because of what we are, no matter what we gave them. The long game, I told you. Well, the game may be long, but it's still our game. She's about to learn a very important lesson about fox culture."

"And what if you get yourself fired?" Judy asked in exasperation.

"Do you trust me?" Nick asked.

"Of course I do! You know I do!" she whimpered plaintively, still holding her beloved fox's tail.

"Then you are gonna help me with the aggressively earned industrial strength getting of our new police chief!" Nick chirped.

"This is insane. What are you even going to do?" Judy whimpered.

"I have plenty time to think about that, Fluff. That's the beauty of a fox getting. And I have as long as I want to give it to her."

"Oh dear heavens… You're serious about this…" Judy said with heavy dread.

The fox grinned back at her, a very genuine smile this time. "Mayumi Tora has unwittingly strapped herself in for one Hell of a ride."