Amusement Park

They were both ready to call it a day as Nick and Judy walked out of the office, after a long day of trailing traffic and handing out tickets. Nick was mostly tired and bored, and was glad to have the day over and done with so he can collapse on his bed. Judy, on the other paw, was still full of energy. She bumped Nick with her arm making him turn to her with a hum.

"Do you want to come over to watch a movie? Or we can go to your apartment...it's more roomy." She smiled. He smirked back at her and scratched the back of his scruff.

"Not today, whiskers, I am beat." He said letting out a yawn as evidence. Judy giggled softly.

"It's only five!"

"Than I guess it's time for bed." He retorted making them both laugh. They were almost out the door until they were stopped by a bellowing voice.

"Hopps! Wilde!" They both turn with their ears up in alarm as they saw Chief Bogo waiting for them by his office at the other side of the corridor. He crossed his arms, with his eyes narrow as he held a file in his hoof. "A word?"

They both glanced at eachother with silent concern as Chief Bogo walked into his office. Judy's eyes went wide as she looked at Nick.

"You don't think he knows about us right?" She whispered, rubbing her paws together. Nick's ears lower and wondered that himself. They had been keeping their relationship secret for almost a year, and it was secretly adding stress to Judy. She thought that they might lose their jobs or be separated. She was also afraid Nick will get fired and she never want that to happen. Nick and Judy had that talk when they first went out on their first date. The fears of being seen, being caught kissing each other or holding paws. The stress of keeping it quiet for so long was finally piling on Judy. She clutched her chest.

"I think he does." She said feeling her chest tighten. Nick put a paw on her shoulder, squeezing her.

"No, no, he doesn't...it's probably a bonus." He grinned. "For doing such a good job!" He gave her a pat on the head and shoved his paws into his pockets. "Let's go see what the chief wants."

Judy took a breath and nodded. "Yeah, you're right..." She gave him a wary smile as they both walk side by side. The door creak in agonizing anticipation as they entered the office, taking a seat on the single large chair, fit for an elephant, in front of Chief Bogo's desk. Nick leaned back with his arms crossed as Judy put her nervous paws in between her legs with her ears up in attention. Chief Bogo, adjusted his reading glasses as he stared at the file.

"I have a case for you two," Judy breathed a silent sigh of relief as she heard him continue. I know it's last minute but, it's something that...involves you." He cleared his throat as he read over the file.

"We have received an anonymous report of an underground business near the Grass Hills district, where our anonymous caller told us that there is an animal conducting dangerous machinery and also impersonating a doctor."

Nick's ears perked when Chief Bogo suddenly glanced up at him. Bogo removed his glasses.

"We also got a name..." He gave the file to Nick, one glance, and his grip tightened, making the file crumple. Judy peered over and saw the picture and name. It was a fox, wearing a suit and tie, holding a smirk on his face. It was if she was looking right at Nick, as she saw the same sleepy gaze. She was caught off guard when she saw the name.
John Wilde.
She slowly turn to Nick, who was fuming silently. Glaring at the picture with hatred. She had never seen him so angry before. He is usually so calm. Chief Bogo also noticed his anger and cleared his throat.

"Nick..." he said with a serious tone, Judy was surprised when the Chief used his name. "I don't like to know what my officers do in their personal lives and I don't bother with questions about their family but...do you know this fox?"

Nick slowly nodded. With teeth gritted, he replied. "He's my father." and he slammed the file shut.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The drive up to the Grass Hills was a long one. Judy sat quietly as she drove the patrol car with Nick sitting right beside her. The file sitting between them. After a while, they stopped at a red light making her notice the sun was setting.

"Nick..." She began.

"I don't want to talk Whiskers." He replied quickly, making her remove her paws from the steering wheel.

"Nick, you told me that your father was a banker." Nick let out a sigh and furrowed his brows.

"He was." He began and his head fell back. "He was siphoning money from the bank for years, before he met my mom." His paws clenched. "With the money he stole, he used it to buy my mom gifts, take her out on expensive dinners, made her feel special and even got her a ring....turned out he stole that too."
He was taken back to a distant memory when he was five. He had woken up to his mother's crying and in his PJ's came down the stairs and watch silently. He seen his father with his suit on and a suitcase in paw. His mother was crying with Jessica, a couple years old, in her arms.

"Are you really going to leave us? Your son? Your daughter?"

He saw his father not even give his mother a glance. "She's not even mine." He twisted open the handle of the door.

"What about Nicholas?" His father straightened his tie.

"He'll be fine with his mother here."

"John! John please! Why are you leaving? Your're family needs you here! What am I going to do?" She cried out.

His father never even show any compassion to his weeping mother as he opened the door and said in a cold tone. "Figure it out, Francine." He slammed his paw on a stand beside the door and walked out. His mother cried even louder when she saw his wedding ring.

Nick bit the inside of his cheek as Judy grabbed his paw. "I was the one who helped my mom the best I can, extra chores, extra hustlin'', I was bringing money to pay for rent, food, electricity all the while lying to my mom by saying I worked in a high end business...until I moved out." Nick drummed his fingers against the armrest by the door. "And I was still hustling animals. Look, I hate my father, Carrots...I came up with the lie of him being this big hotshot banker so you won't ask me any questions about him."

"Nick..." She softly began and wrapped her arms around his. "When are you going to trust me enough to handle the truth?"

"Carrots." He removed her paws from him, pushing her away. "I don't say these things because I don't trust you, I do it so you won't treat me...differently."

Judy slowly nodded and turn away, just in time to see the light to turn green. The car revved as they continue down the dark road. "Your father left you and your family. Nick, I understand why you didn't want to tell me but, it's okay to tell me what bothers you...I mean, I want to know everything about you, even the bad." 

Nick frowned slightly and nodded at her. It had been over twenty years since he last seen his father. He still remembered how long his mother cried, locked away in her bedroom, crying for hours and Nick struggling to take care of his baby sister. She was depressed for almost a month, and it was showing in her work as it was a struggle to even get up in the morning to sell houses. Finally she got over it when she realized he was never coming back. The picture frames of his father still perched on their fireplace until he turned twelve. He saw her mother begrudgingly threw them in a box and shove them in the attic, to be forgotten.