Spring Into Summer

Spring Into Summer

Judy Hopps was happy to be home. She loved this time of year at her family's farm, when spring had ensconced itself into the Burrows, biding its time until summer made its long-awaited grand entrance. It was too bad she hadn't spoken to Nick in three days. Had it really been that long already?

For all intents and purposes, Nick Wilde was her partner—at work, and in life, too. He'd come here with her to visit everyone. All that was well and good, until...Some of her older brothers had ganged up on Nick, still wary of their sister being involved with a fox. They'd been pretty vocal about it—Judy shuddered as she thought of some of the things they'd said.

She'd jumped in, ready to defend him, before her mother had broken up the verbal fray with a warning glare. At that, all stood down, but Judy and Nick retreated to have their own heated discussion. Nick had said, rather forcefully, that, “you have no right to fight my battles for me, Fluff.” She'd fixed him with a fiery stare.

“Last I checked, we're friends. That means we have each other's backs.” In his frustration, Nick had growled.

“That's at work, Carrots. If I'm not on the clock, I'm a free fox, and I can sure as heck deal with anything life throws at me!” Tears stung the backs of Judy's eyes as she recalled how he'd stormed off, leaving her wondering where she'd went wrong.

The Hopps land sprawled to such a degree that she hadn't seen hide nor hair of Nick since then. The only way she could tell he hadn't taken the train back to the city was that she'd hear him sulk into her kithood room at night; he'd slip into his sleeping bag and be snoring within seconds. It would be easy to regret the suddenly shared space, but she didn't. She would never shove him aside like that, regardless of what he seemed to think of her now. Instead, she found herself wishing he'd drop his 'macho mammal' act so they could go back to sharing her bed.

As much as she cherished her surroundings, all this aimless wandering around the grounds was starting to get on her nerves. She conceded that she needed some advice. Without much thought, she decided to go to her dad. He could always make her laugh—something she sure could use right about now.

With any luck, she could catch him under his favorite tree. Actually, it was the only tree on the property, way out on the periphery. Stu Hopps' position as patriarch and primary laborer meant that it had been unofficially designated as 'Dad's Tree', where the buck could take a breather in between his seemingly endless daily chores.

Judy soon found herself standing just beyond its shade as she watched Stu absently pluck a blade of grass and attempt to play it, as though it were a harmonica. Judy tried to stifle a chuckle. “So this is what you do out here all by yourself?! That explains a lot.” He looked up, startled, and smiled.

“Hey, Jude the dude. I was daydreaming, I guess, and didn't hear you.” Judy smiled.

“Permission to enter, sir?” He laughed.

“Come on in!” Stepping into the cool embrace of the shade, Judy settled herself with her back to the wide tree trunk, scooting closer to Stu.

“Dad, can we talk?”

“Sure thing, Jude.” Steeling herself against the painful memory, she took a deep breath, sighed it out.

“You know, I had a fight with Nick the other day…?” He nodded sympathetically.

“Mmhmm...Word gets out fast around here.” He seemed...guilty, she supposed, for having heard. But she'd had a feeling he would, and she actually felt relieved that she could avoid rehashing at least some of their argument.

“Yeah, well...After I tried to defend him from some of the guys, he...said things.” Judy lowered her head in an effort to keep her composure. It worked...that is, until her dad looked at her with concern in his eyes and asked softly,

“What'd he say, Jude?”

“I told him—I had his back...” Her breath hitched, and she broke into sobs, “And he said—that's only for—w-work!” Stu put an arm around his daughter, coaxing her close to his side.

“Aw, there, there, Jude! I'm sure he didn't mean it!” For all Nick's faults—and, no, being a fox wasn't one of them—he was a nice young mammal. Trouble was, he let his pride and snappy comebacks get in the way of his good heart.

“I th-thought...” Judy had calmed considerably, though her voice still shook slightly. “...W-we had gotten past the w-worst of our relationship.” Stu was more than happy to be there for his daughter, but the longer he sat there, offering silent comfort, the more he wondered why Judy had come to him for advice. As close as they were now, she hadn't done that much as a kit...in fact, she'd stopped seeking him out after their post-play conversation when she was 9. His Judy had always been affectionate, but he'd bet the whole year's crop that the trier in her wouldn't let her get too close after that.

What was a dad to do?! The best he could offer was what he'd learned from watching his daughter from a distance as she took the city by storm. “Jude—you know this family means the world to me. But you know what else is great? Friends. You got those two things, and you're all set. Things will work out, Judy. I know they will.” Giving her father's paw a gentle squeeze, Judy felt herself relax.

“Thanks, Dad.”

For the moment, the only sounds were the faint whooshing of breeze and distant chatter as kits played. Then, suddenly, Judy was aware of her dad humming softly. The somnolent streak of sun in which she sat, coupled with the soothing sound, meant her addled brain couldn't decipher the tune immediately. After a minute or two, she smiled, having placed it.

Despite their differences, Judy and her dad shared a fondness for The Beagles, the greatest canine rock group of all time. Stu had sung their songs to her from when she was a kit, and once she'd been old enough, she'd started singing along. To some, it might seem a strange source of enjoyment for two country bunnies; to them, it wasn't at all—it was their 'thing', treasured by both father and daughter.

Stu was humming, “Hey, Jude”, a song the younger rabbit had heard early and often because of its similarity to her own name. When he saw recognition light Judy's eyes, Stu switched to singing, and Judy joined in. When she was younger, she hadn't paid much attention to the lyrics; back then, they were just catchy melodies that were fun to sing along to. It had been forever since she'd listened to one of these songs, but she knew them all by heart. Wanting to make the most of the moment, she reached for her dad's paw as they sang. Delighting in his company and the scenery that surrounded them, for the first time in her life, she considered the words that were truly music to her ears.

When they'd finished, they both erupted into laughter. “That was really fun, Dad—Thanks.”

“No problem, Jude, but...” His voice trailed off. “...I wish I could explain things as good as them.” A sudden epiphany swept over Judy.

“You know what, Dad? You just did.”

Nick had kept pretty busy for the past three days. When he wasn't playing with Judy's younger siblings or lending Stu a paw around the farm, he was helping Bonnie with the produce stand. “You're a natural at this, Nick! You'd better watch out, or we'll steal you from the ZPD!” she teased. 'Well, I did sell pawpsicles,' he thought smugly, though he wouldn't dare share that little tidbit with the older doe. And...wow did this bore him to tears! He supposed he deserved it after the 'carrot-farming podunk' speech he'd given Judy when they first met.

He'd silently sneak into their shared room each night, slip into his sleeping bag, and watch her. Call him crazy, but the highlight of this hiatus in their relationship was watching her sleep. She was the picture of innocence, all curled up in the comforter that Nick was secretly insanely jealous of. He wanted her back, but he knew it was best to bide his time. So, he'd be watching her sleep for the foreseeable future, lingering in wakefulness for as long as his nocturnal instinct would allow, the words to “Moon In The Bed” playing over and over again in his mind.

Cheese and crackers, he had to stop thinking about her! Well, at least his odd jobs around the farm kept his mind off...that bunny. He couldn't think of her now, not when he'd spent this much time trying to cool down. It was working, but...oddly, he wished he had someone to talk to about it.

If he called his mom, he'd feel like a kit, and as much as he liked Bonnie, there was no way he'd air his dirty laundry in front of her. He just had to suck it up and remember his old mantra. He could do that…

“Nick, I should go check on the kits. Can you watch the stand for a few minutes?”

“Sure, Mrs. H. Go for it.”

“Thanks, Nick.” Sheesh. This whole deal with—that bunny—would blow over soon...Right?

“Nick? Is that you?” Shaking himself out of his thoughts, he turned to see Sam Lapin peering up at him.

“Sam?”

“I thought that was you! So, you're a farmpaw now, huh?” She smiled. Nick laughed...nervously, which was not at all like him.

“Actually...” He was hoping to change the subject in a hurry; as luck would have it, both he and Sam began, “Where's…?” at the exact same moment. This time they both laughed, Nick slightly more at ease now. “Ladies first.” He wasn't just being polite, he was anxious to get the inevitable inquisition out of the way.

“Herb's busy—as usual. He's giving a speech today...for what, I have no clue. After awhile, they all blend together!” She laughed, shrugging it off.

“Let me get this straight...You're not impressed by all that speech stuff? I mean, he's really good! Besides, girls love that intellectual chit-chat.” Sam nodded, grinning.

“Most do, to a point—and he does have quite the talent for it, I'll give him that—but actions speak louder than words. At the end of the day, it's more important to me that he can walk the talk. Integrity and all that...and he does.”

“Huh.” Nick considered this for a minute or two before snapping to attention. “I'd better get moving before Bonnie catches me. What'll it be, Sam?”

“Three pounds of blueberries, please. I'm baking some pies this afternoon.” Nick's ears perked up even as his face fell. “You're making my favorite pie without me?” He feigned hurt with a paw over his heart, but Sam didn't miss the sign—especially not when he added, “Can this day get any worse?!”

Nick had just finished filling the order when Bonnie reappeared. “Hi, Sam! Good to see you!

“Likewise, Bonnie.”

“Has Nick here been a model worker?”

“Absolutely.” The two does shared a smile.

“In that case—Nick, why don't you run along and catch up with Sam some; I'll take over.” Nick made sure to hide his relief by responding with exaggerated reluctance.

“Well—if you really don't mind...”

“Go on,” Bonnie insisted, playfully shooing him away. Sam left her blueberries in Bonnie's care; she knew better than to keep them around the fruit-loving fox.

Together, they roamed the fields. Sam couldn't help smiling when she heard Nick humming “Who's In The Strawberry Patch With Sally?”, then suddenly switch to singing, softly, in a sweet voice likely not meant for her ears, “Who's in the blueberry patch with Judy…?”

“What's wrong, Nick?”

“Judy and I aren't talking. We got into some stupid argument three days ago, and I haven't seen her since.” This revelation surprised Sam, to say the least.

“What happened?”

“Some of her brothers haven't warmed up to me yet; I doubt they ever will. Judy tried to defend me, and I told her to buzz off.”

“Why?”

“I can stand up for myself; I was on the streets alone for years! I don't need her help!” Nick's sudden defensive outburst startled them both.

“Maybe you're right. Maybe you don't need Judy's help. But part of being in a relationship is realizing...Don't you want it? Isn't it nice to know she's in your corner?” Nick sighed.

“Yeah, it is. I just didn't want her to be hurt by any of it, and the next thing I knew...” Sam raised her eyebrows in a silent question. “I guess I let my pride get in the way.”

“You want to make up with Judy, don't you?”

“Heck, yes. But how? Admitting I went on a crazed ego-trip isn't gonna be easy.”

“Perhaps not, but...” Sam had the audacity to smirk.

“It has to be done,” Nick supplied, his voice a gloomy monotone.

“It won't be so bad, Nick. All you have to do is tell her what you told me...only, the more detail, the better.”

“Of course!” Frustration etched on his features, Nick threw up his paws in exasperation.

“I know you don't like sharing much, Nick, but you don't have to go overboard. Everyone has a right to their privacy. Just focus on the issue; tell her everything you can about why you want to protect her, why you acted the way you did. There's your story. You don't have to tell everyone everything always. The key is: tell the ones who matter, when it matters, what matters, and why it matters. That's all.”

“Easy for you to say,” Nick grumbled. Still, when he turned to Sam, his expression softened. “Thanks, Sam. I needed to get that off my chest.”

“Happy to help, Nick.” A teasing glint lit her eyes. “I need to do my share to serve my husband's constituents somehow!” Now, here was something he could handle—banter.

“That's all I am to you, eh, FLOZ? A statistic?!”

“Far from it, Nick, and you know it.” That he did.

“Go find your bunny.” Nick didn't need to be told twice.

She was sitting in a rocking chair on the porch. Upon closer inspection, Nick noted that her name was carved in elegant lettering across the back. “Nice chair, Fluff.” He didn't know what made him happier—the fact that he'd surprised her, or the fact that the look on her face wasn't one of immediate disdain.

“Hey.” She eyed him cautiously. “It was a graduation present from my parents. In case I ever needed to come back home and think.”

“They were hoping you'd ditch the force, huh?”

“Yeah...and I almost did!” She shuddered. “I sat out here a lot in those three months. I didn't know much then, but the one thing I knew was that I didn't want to be without you. And now that we're...together...You're the best thing that's ever happened to me, Nick.”

That shocked him. She had a great family, her dream job, and never went without what she needed, and the best thing in her life was...him?! It didn't make sense. All he could think was that love didn't make sense, even when it did, because…

“You're that for me, too, Carrots. I was only trying to protect you. Mammals can say some nasty things about foxes; I didn't want you to feel like you had to choose them or me. And...it was a pride thing, because I didn't want anyone to think I couldn't stand up for myself.” Judy smiled a little.

“A lot of good that did you. I only wanted to protect you because...I love you, Nick.”

“I love you, too, Judy. I'm sorry.”

“Me, too. Bring it in, dumb fox.” As much as they thrived on teasing one another, all traces of amusement fled when he went to her, lowering his head for a kiss. In that instant, there was only love.

“Yikes; I've been sitting here so long, my feet are asleep.” Judy tried in vain to shake the feeling back into her hind paws. Nick raised his eyebrows suggestively.

“How about a foxy-back ride? You know, because I'm bringing foxy back?” Before Judy could decide if that was a compliment, another ego-trip, or a reference to that Justin Timberwolf song, Nick was crouching in front of her. “Move it or lose it, sly bunny.”

“Bossy, aren't we?” Judy teased as she climbed aboard. With a firm grasp on their future—and each other—they set off across the grass.

From her perch on Nick's back, Judy relished the sights and sounds of her parents' farm. Her ears twitched in excitement when she heard a familiar voice say, “Stu! Good to see you, my friend!” Without warning, Judy launched herself from Nick's shoulders, the action eliciting a startled grunt from the fox.

In an astounding feat of aerial acrobatics, she sailed through the air, arms outstretched, smiling widely. She heard Sam call, “Incoming!” before landing squarely in the arms of Zootopia's leading mammal.

“Judy! You certainly know how to make an entrance!” Herb exclaimed, returning her embrace.

“We bunnies love to hug! I had a great vantage point, so I wanted to put it to good use!”

“At the expense of the fox used as a diving board,” Nick groaned, rubbing his sore shoulder. Even so, everyone laughed.

Eager to entertain her guests, Judy hurried back to the house, returning to set up a picnic blanket, a platter of blueberries and carrot sticks, and four glasses of iced tea. Settling in beside Nick, she asked, “What brings you here, Herb?”

“I was pretty busy today—no surprise there—but when I called to check on Sam and found out she was whiling the day away over here…I couldn't let her have all the fun, so I managed to wrap up my engagement early.” Nick looked suitably impressed.

“What the mayor says goes...That's gotta be the good life.” Herb smiled.

“I would never shirk my responsibilities; I made sure I got my speech in. Smart is sexy, Nicholas.” Sam laughed, looking between Judy and Nick's floored expressions, and then gazing adoringly at her husband. “I was going to tell you that earlier, Nick,” she said absently, “but it sounds so much better when he says it.” Regaining his composure, Nick retorted,

“What'd I say? What the mayor says goes.” Nick sat silently then, popping blueberries into his mouth, his smug smile increasing by the second.

“You know,” he said at length, “if you transpose the first letters of Mayor Horse', you get 'Herr Morse'.” Judy elbowed Nick's ribs.

“That's family history! Don't make fun of it!” But Herb just smiled.

“I appreciate your support on my behalf, Judy, but...I didn't know you spoke German, Nick. Are you fluent?”

“Nein. But I dabble.” It was Herb's turn to be impressed.

“Quite the well-rounded individual you are.” Judy giggled.

“The only way he'll be well-rounded is if he keeps it up with those blueberries.”

“Ouch, Carrots. I happen to be brilliant.”

“Yeah, right. Wise guy,” Judy said, gesturing to Herb, “Wiseguy,” she looked pointedly at Nick. “With no space in the middle.” Herb regarded his friends inquisitively.

“Lovers' spat?” But it was more of a statement than a question. The pair were genuinely shocked at being called out.

“Okay, Carrots—you win.” Smiling at the first couple, Judy said,

“See? That fox finds me very persuasive.” Nick glared at her, challenge in his eyes.

“I could resist you, if I wanted to.”

“Awww...You're just sad 'cause you want a hug, too.” So saying, she hugged him, then… “And because you're my favorite mammal...” She climbed onto Nick's lap, tipped her head up to his, and kissed him.