Chapter Text
Judy was finally settled in. Not settled in as in sitting at her desk, antsy and suppressing the desire to get up and do something productive because the only thing anyone ever told her was “take a break” and maybe they had the right idea. She was ‘settled in’ as in lying in bed with her laptop ready to watch hours of EweTube, burned out from a long day at work and wrapping up a tough case. She and Nick had the next two weeks off work, so she figured she might as well take a page out of his book and relax. She might have even made a deal with him about it.
“I don’t know why everyone keeps telling me to take a break,” she had told Nick as they walked out of the ZPD earlier that day. “Clawhauser actually congratulated me for taking this vacation when I stopped by his desk.”
Nick had shrugged, one hand in his pocket, sipping a smoothie he had left over from lunch. “Maybe you deserve congratulations.”
“Why would I ever—” She huffed. “It’s not like I never rest.”
“Uh-huh…”
They had made their way across the subway platform and to the doors of a subway car, which Nick let Judy go through first. As the doors shut with a hiss, they plopped down in two medium-sized seats and the train jolted into motion. Judy's foot started tapping as soon as they sat down. Ever since the Partners in Crisis nightmare, she could sometimes catch herself, but she usually wasn’t even aware she was doing it.
“I mean, really,” she said. “I might not lounge around all day watching Deersney and eating peanut butter out of a jar like you, but I do rest.”
“Hey, it’s called vacation,” Nick said, taking off his sunglasses, “and have you ever considered the fact that you might just be a workaholic?”
“No, because I’m not.”
“That sounded awfully defensive.”
“Yeah, well… Okay. Maybe I am… excessively interested in being productive at work—”
“That’s one way to put it.”
“—but I’m not a workaholic.”
“Sure.”
“I’ll prove it to you.”
“How?”
“I won’t do an ounce of work until the end of these two weeks,” she insisted.
“Is that right?” Nick chuckled.
“Yes!”
“Don’t set yourself up for failure, Carrots. No work means no textbooks, no watching the news, and no late-night calls to me about a case.”
“No problem. And, for the sake of partnership, why don’t we make things a little more interesting?”
“If you’re about to suggest that I, too, should refrain from working while on vacation, I’ll have you know that is not a problem.”
“Oh, no, I’m suggesting that you don’t spend your vacation sitting in front of a screen.”
“What? So you don’t work, and I—”
“Will get out of the house at least once per day for something other than groceries.”
Nick rolled his eyes, but a smile tugged at his lips.
“Fine. It’s a deal.”
He went to shake on it like any other business ordeal he’d done in his past, but Judy simply punched him in the arm as she said, “Yes!”
“And the first person to break the deal buys the other lunch,” Nick added.
So, as she left the train station and hopped up the stairs to her apartment, a determination filled her. A determination to make good on her promise.
So instead of immediately going to watch the news like she usually would, she had unsuited from her uniform, threw on a comfy pair of sweatpants and a loose T-shirt, and climbed into bed with her laptop. It felt odd—wrong, even—to be in bed so early. Okay, maybe she didn’t need to relax that much. She hopped out of bed and settled in at her desk instead, which felt more natural. She plugged her headphones in and scrolled to a EweTube video she’d been meaning to watch. She was going to have a nice, relaxed—
Her phone buzzed on the desk. It was a MuzzleTime call from her mom. She sighed, paused her video, and picked up her phone.
“Judy, thank goodness!” Bonnie cried. Her face was just a little too close to the camera and it looked like she was speed walking through a parking lot. “I wasn’t sure if you’d pick up. You’ve practically gone off the grid lately; haven’t answered any of my calls!”
“I’m sorry, Mom, work has been hectic. What’s up?”
“This is going to sound scary, but your father,” Bonnie said breathlessly, “he’s being rushed to the hospital.”
Judy froze. Her ears fell and her nose twitched.
“What?” she asked, heart picking up pace.
“He’s just had a heart attack,” Bonnie explained as she climbed into what appeared to be her blue truck.
“Is he—is he okay? Will he be okay?”
“We don’t know yet. We've done all we can. Paramedics have got him now and I’m driving to the hospital.”
Judy’s brain felt scrambled and numb, urging her to do something, anything to help and make this feeling go away.
“I’m coming down there right now,” she quickly said, reaching for her jacket and train pass. “What hospital is he at?”
“One out in Deerbrooke County, but, hon, that’s not why I’m calling.”
“I don’t care, Mom, I’m still coming down,” Judy insisted.
“Jude, we need somebody to watch the kids.” Judy paused. “We’ve tried everyone else.”
“You’ve tried Violet?” Judy asked.
“She’s busy with work,” Bonnie said.
“What about Will?”
“He’s got his hands full with Cotton and the new baby.”
“Daisy?”
“On her honeymoon across the country. We really have tried everyone. The hospital’s far enough away that I’ll have to get a hotel, and I’m not sure when I’ll be able to come back. You’re on PTO, right?”
“That’s right.”
“Then are you up for it? I know it’s a lot to do on your own, but it would really help us out.”
“Of course. I’m already on my way. It might take a few hours to get there, though.”
“That’s okay. Pop-Pop is there with them now, but he’s not much in terms of supervision. You’re a lifesaver, Judy!”
Judy hung up to the sound of wheels screeching from Bonnie’s end. She stood there for a second, letting it all sink in, foot tapping.
“This is fine,” she told herself. “This is… fine.”
“What’s fine?” one of her neighbors asked through the walls.
“Shut up!” her other neighbor said. “She’s trying to reassure herself with verbal affirmations!”
She rolled her eyes and managed to throw on a jacket and sling her emergency bag over her shoulder before she was out the door and down the street. So much for a relaxing vacation. Her dad, watching the kids, it was a lot for one bunny. Then again, maybe she didn’t have to do this alone. She had a partner. She pulled out her phone and scrolled to Nick’s contact, then paused. Would it be too much to ask? She didn’t want to drag Nick into her family drama. She put her phone away. Although, she now knew that they both considered each other family, and she could never forget what Gary had said about never putting the weight of the world on one animal’s shoulders. Maybe it wouldn’t hurt. She took a deep breath to calm whatever fear or doubt bubbled up inside her, and pulled out her phone again as she jogged toward the train station.
******
Nick was half-asleep to a rerun of Star Roars when he got a call from Judy. He groaned. His apartment was dark, so he fumbled around for a second to find the remote and pause the TV, sat up a little straighter, and answered.
“Uh-uh-uh, Carrots, no late-night calls. Breaking the deal already.”
“I know the deal,” Judy said on the other line, “But, Nick, this isn’t about a case.”
“No?” He slid off the couch, yawning and walking toward the fridge for something to eat. He always got hungry when he woke up mid-sleep.
“No. Are you busy for the next few days?”
Nick pulled open the fridge door, squinting at the bright light that flooded out from it. All he found was a week-old pizza box and a smelly microwave fish meal. He made a face and closed the fridge, mumbling, “Gross.”
“Nick?”
“No, I’m free,” he said, settling on a bag of chips he found on the kitchen counter. “Why? Are we infiltrating another gala?”
“Not quite,” Judy chuckled nervously. “I know it’s a lot to ask, but I was actually wondering if…”
“Yeah?” He munched on his chips.
“Wait, are you eating right now?”
“No.” He swallowed and tossed the chips back onto the counter. “What were you saying?”
“I said, are you good with kids?”