~Jack~

"So Nick and Bogo don't get along well, do they?" the striped bunny asked.

The vixen giggled and shook her head.

"They absolutely hate each other. I'm surprised Nick still has his job. They hate each other and are always up at each other's' throats!"

"Well, still can't hate each other as much as I hate carrots," he laughed.

He and Casey were walking along the forest, almost reaching its end. Casey was telling him about how crazy her life has become after moving to Zootopia. She told him more about Nick and Judy and dropped some information about her other friends, too.

"You hate carrots?"

"Yep. For a bunny, I don't really act much like one."

"I noticed." she chuckled.

"Hey, do you think that Winter and Mark were telling the truth?" the rabbit wondered.

Casey thought for a moment and then shook her head in response.

"Something tells me they wouldn't let us in on the plan that quick. Sure, they were about to kill us but I've got a funny feeling it's something different."

The two continued walking down the path, the only spot that wasn't covered with the sparkling white snow.

"I hope your leg isn't hurting too much. You sure you don't wanna rest for a bit, Jack?"

"Nah, I'm fine. We're almost there anyway."

His expression saddened as he thought about what would happen when they get back. He'd be all alone again. He'd have no one.

"Jack? What happened? You seem to be a little upset." The red fox noticed how fast his mood had changed.

"Hm? O-oh it's nothing. I...I'm fine."

"Jack...you can tell me if something's wrong," she assured, "I'm right here."

"That's the thing! You won't be here anymore after all this is over! I'll be alone!" He sighed, "Just like before..."

It took everything in him not to cry again. He didn't want to. He was tired of crying every day of his life. He was tired of being abandoned by everyone. Tired of getting betrayed.

He was tired of it all.

"What...what do you mean?"

They stopped walking and sat down on a nearby log. Jack stared off into the white distance, looking at the thousands and thousands of frosted trees surrounding them. Each one almost identical and yet they all meant something separate to the striped rabbit.

"Jack...what's wrong?" she asked again.

The bunny hesitated at first. He wanted the feelings to eat him up. To slowly tear him apart piece by piece. He wanted life to quit on him as easily as he quit on himself.

After a while of silence, though, he decided to let it out.

"You have so much to look forward to. You have so many friends and you're even lucky enough to have a loving brother that actually cares. Me? I got nothing! My family hates me. I can't go back to them without a guaranteed murder happening. I barely know anyone in the ZPD and the Spy Department other than you, Nick, and Judy and you're the only one that doesn't have a problem talking to me more than you need to."

He glanced at her for a second and noticed her mouth slightly open, eyes wide, and completely speechless.

He continued to talk.

"And at least you can hide what makes you different. Sure I get that it's hard for you but most mammals won't even notice it. But I can't hide what makes me different since it's clearly on my face. These stripes are what make me an outcast. I don't know why I was born with them but I wish I wasn't since everyone judges me for it! They all think I'm some sort of psycho just because I don't look or act like the average rabbit. I can't hide this even if I die trying. It just won't work. Just because of that one thing I've been abandoned by everyone! What's there left for me after all this?"

"But...then why are you even trying?" his ears twitched to her voice.

"What?"

"If you want to quit so badly why don't you quit now? We're in a life or death situation so why didn't you just let them kill you?"

He stayed silent for a moment. Mostly questioning about the tone in which she talked. She didn't sound angry or frustrated. Her voice was soft and gentle instead. She seemed like she actually felt sympathetic towards him. It felt strangely comfortable but he didn't want her to get too close. His biggest weakness is his love for everyone. He didn't want someone else. He lost his father and his grandmother. There was no one else but that was good for him since it meant no distractions. Letting someone close enough to make him care for them will cause him to just be weaker once they've betrayed him. But something told him that she wouldn't do that.

That she would be the first to make him feel wanted, not abandoned.

She waited for his answer.

"Well, I...I guess it's because of you."

"Me? What do you mean because of me?"

"I'm not the only one here. You need to survive, too. I don't want someone else to get hurt just because I was too upset and myself so I thought that instead of quitting I should just help you get through it. I guess I just want you out alive."

The woods went silent. The rabbit avoided eye contact to keep him from breaking down. But it didn't last for long.

"Jack, what did you mean by alone?" she asked.

"Well like I said, I have no one. Nothing to look forward to at all. I'll just be by myself trying to enjoy life as much as I allow myself. It's not a lot but it keeps me from breaking down completely."

"But I can still hang out, you know. Just because I'm not gonna be with you on cases doesn't mean we can't be together outside of work. I'm rarely busy anyway."

"Well one of us will be busy. How can you confirm that we're both gonna be free at the same time?"

She didn't answer. He continued.

"How do you know if we're gonna meet again? How do you know if I'll ever find someone else that I'll trust? How do you know if I won't feel abandoned again? How do you know if this cycle that's been repeating my entire life won't find its way back to me? How do you know?" the rabbit's voice cracked as he fought back tears.

"I...don't know..." she responded. "But...I do know that life finds a way. Maybe we'll meet again and maybe we won't." she glanced over to him to see if he was listening. The twitching ears gave her the answer she was looking for.

"Maybe you'll find friends on your own and maybe you won't. Maybe you'll be alone and maybe...you won't. Heck, I don't even know if we'll make it out of this even though we're this close."

The vixen inched closer and planted her paw on his.

"But hey, isn't that what life's about? The thrill and anticipation of figuring out what comes next. Just don't quit on yourself so easily, Jack. Life finds a way. If it's not ready to quit on you, then why are you quitting on yourself? It never leads to anything good."

She has a point...

She has a point? What point? She's only telling you this for her needs, not yours. I know that you have no brain to figure that out but that's why you listen to me, isn't it? I'm your friend.

Oh really? I never knew friends let friends destroy themselves.

"I guess you're right." he softly mumbled. "I...I guess I'm just gonna miss you...I never really trusted someone like how I trust you."

"I-I'll miss you, too, but we might meet again. However, we won't really know that if we don't get out of the woods, right?" she lightly nudged his shoulder.

"I guess you're right." he smiled. Casey would always seem to find a way to cheer him up. No matter how torn or broken he was before. He'd feel nice around her. He'd feel...

Happy...

"Well, then what are you waiting for? Let's go!"

The two walked along the path of the forest, soon reaching an opening. After crossing it, trees starting to become more and more rare. Buildings, shops, restaurants, everything started to appear. They were no longer in the forest, but now in the beautiful winter wonderland, Tundratown.

But the chase was not over just yet.

The rabbit's ears twitched.

Someone's following us...

He looked back and noticed three figures. One looking like the white leopard he saw earlier.

Winter.

"Casey, we're being followed." his ice blue eyes stayed at the area those figures were at, staring intently.

"Followed?" the fox said as she looked back and noticed the same thing.

"Well, up for one last run?" she asked.

The rabbit nodded. "Just go where I tell you to go. I know the way to that hotel. The building's been here for a long time."

They both started running, Casey supporting the injured rabbit. Each step brought them closer to the safe zone. Soon it'll be over.

Unless, of course, life wants another twist in their fate.

Author: WOOPDEDOO ALMOST DONE WIT DIS CASE 

I swear I can't wait for u guys to get to the twist in da next chapter

anywho Author Out! *dabs*