Disclaimer: I do not own Zootopia.

Domestic disturbance in a typically quiet suburb. Neighbors were the ones that dialed, Hopps and Wilde were the ones that responded. Nick could feel his brain-cells committing suicide as he questioned the tod about the incident. A tod and vixen married couple for 12 years and this whole event was over a missing TV remote that was under the couch. Nick knew people and there was more under the surface than a simple misunderstanding like that. What really infuriated him, though, was that the couple were purists. They didn't approve of interspecies relationships. Nick wanted to rough them both up the way they prattled on and on about him needed to find a vixen instead of the bunny he trusted with his life. Finally, the event was settled and the two got back in their cruiser.

"Purists. Why did it have to be purists?" Nick sighed.

"Hey Slick, we knew when we started being more than friends and partners that something like this would come up," Judy reassured.

Nick's eyes scanned the culdesac, predominately canine neighborhood. His eyes fell upon one house in particular.

"Thought I recognized the street name, I grew up in that house," Nick explained, "How little it's changed."

After a brief argument that Judy somehow won they got out of the cruiser and walked to the door. Through some encouragement, Nick knocked. He honestly didn't expect to see her but was nervous all the same. When she did answer the door, before him stood a gracefully aged vixen pushing 70.

"Is that you, Nick?" she gasped.

"Hi mom," he replied sheepishly.

"Don't you hi mom me young man! Seven years, no phone calls, no visits! Do you have any idea how worried I've been!? I had just about thought you ended up dead in a gutter and here you are!" she lectured.

He expected his mother to slap him or stike him with something, instead she hugged him.

"Come in, come in," she insisted.

"I'm sorry mom. Sorry I never contacted you and sorry I grew up to be a disappointment," Nick apologized.

"Disappointment?" she asked.

"Sweetie, unless that uniform's a fake and you're a male stripper, you've made me proud," she answered.

At that Judy couldn't surpress her laugh any longer.

"I'm sorry dear, where are my manners? I'm Lillian Wilde and you are?" his mother introduced with an outstretched paw.

"Judith Hopps, but call me Judy. I'm Nick's partner," she introduced.

The two ladies shook hands.

"Come in, both of you I was just making lunch," Lillian stated.

"I'm-.." Judy began.

"I know dear, doctor says at my age I need to be a vegetarian too," Lillian replied.

Judy radioed Clawhauser to let the precinct know they'd be on lunch-break. They sat down with Lillian at her dining room table.

"Mom, there's something else. I didn't tell you before because I don't know how you're going to react. Judy isn't just my partner, she's my girlfriend," Nick explained nervously.

"Do you truly love her?" Lillian asked.

Nick's pause was given only to think about the answer. If he'd answered right away she'd have known that it wasn't geniune love and they'd fall apart when either of them started thinking about the next step. He sat silent for perhaps longer than he should've.

"I do love her," he answered.

Judy realized that this was a conversation between mother and son and snuck off to use the bathroom.

"Mom, I'm really serious about her. Serious enough that I'm thinking about the rest of my life," he told her.

"Marriage is a big step, my son, you have to know you're ready for it," she replied.

"That's why I've only been thinking about it. I love her enough but I know well enough to know love alone isn't enough," he answered.

Lillian eyed her son carefully.

"Inter-species relationships have come a long way but there's still quite a bit of scrutiny. Are you prepared to deal with it? And when you have kids, if you can have kids, they'll have to deal with it too," she pointed out.

Nick went silent and his head downcast. She put a hand on his shoulder.

"I'm not against this, dear. You should know that but I think you should know what the consequences of your actions will be," she told him.

"I can take the critisizm, it's Carrots and the kiddos I'm worried about," he stated.

"Carrots, huh?" she asked.

"It's a pet-name mom, y'know how lovers often give each other nicknames that they're only comfortable having with each other? Carrots is mine for Judy," Nick replied.

Lilian decided to change the subject. She had caught the sound of Judy moving about in the other room.

"So a policeman? That's my boy, I'm so proud of you," she stated warmly.

"I wouldn't be here without her. She found me and believed in me when I couldn't even believe in myself," Nick replied.

They exchanged looks.

"I'm proud of myself, surprised that this is something I wanted, but still proud," he explained.

"Would you mind if I talked with her?" Lillian asked.

Nick smiled and started out of the kitchen.

"Your turn, Fluff, go easy on each other ok?" Nick stated casting a side-look to Judy.

He knew she'd been there the whole time, he didn't care. Nothing that had been said was anything he hadn't wanted Judy to hear eventually. He headed up to his old bedroom to look back on his life and reflect. Judy sat down at the small dining room table.

"I can't tell you what it means to me to see my youngest alive and well," Lillian began.

"Nick's the one that saved me, Mrs. Wilde," Judy admitted.

"Funny, he said the same thing. Said that his wonderful girlfriend believed in him when he couldn't even bring himself to have that much," the old vixen laughed.

Judy's ears folded back against her head, a blush crossed her face. She knew only how much she loved him and that he loved her in return, she never knew how deep the emotions ran on his end.

"I don't mean that he wouldn't be alive if not for you, dear, I mean you saved him from a dark time in his life," she clarified, "If not for meeting and falling in love with you, I shudder to think how he would've ended up."

"I'll admit our relationship is far from perfect. We irritate each other far too often for what could be healthy but we always make up after every fight," she confessed.

Judy continued to stare at the table.

"Listen to me, Hopps. I know my son, he can be reckless but I know when he's serious," Lillian explained, "He's serious about you, I can tell you that for certain. He'll ask in his own time, when he's ready. You don't have to say yes but be honest with him. If you do say no, give him your honest reasoning."

"If I say no? I've been holding my breath waiting for him to ask. If he keeps me waiting for too much longer, I may decide to ask him!" Judy replied.

"You're a sweet girl, but don't rush him. He does want to ask but he also doesn't feel like the time is right just yet," Lilian explained.

The three ate the lunch Lillian prepared for them in realtive silence. What chatter was there was small talk about work. Nick complained a bit about the paperwork and how tedious deskwork is.

"Mom, did you know your neighbors across the street are crazy purists?" Nick asked.

"Yes, I know. They also have a laundry list of marital problems," she admitted.

Judy laughed and checked her cellphone.

"Oh cheese and crackers! Nick we gotta' go! The chief is gonna' have our badges!" she stated panicked, "Bye Mrs. Wilde, thank you for lunch!"

"Bye dear and please call me Ma Wilde," Lillian told the bunny.

Once they were out the door, Lillian called her other two children to give them the news. Back in the cruiser.

"Wilde and Hopps, reporting back. Sorry 'bout the long lunchbreak," Nick replied over the radio.

"You damn well better be! I hope you weren't disgracing your uniforms!" Bogo lectured.

"Wh-what makes you think that, Chief?" Judy asked.

"Just come back ASAP and report to my office immediately," he instructed.

The sinking feeling followed them all the way back to the precinct and into Bogo's office.

"Sit down you two," he told them.

Bogo was facing the window and a smoke smell told them he was having a cigar.

"Cigar?" he offered.

"Don't smoke, sir," Judy replied.

"No thank you sir, kicked a cigerette habit four years ago," Nick admitted.

"Right, I want to know where the hell you two were for three and a half hours," Bogo stated calmly.

Nick opened his mouth.

"Unless it's the truth, shut your trap Wilde," Bogo told him sternly.

"Sir, we were visiting Officer Wilde's mother for lunch and we lost track of time," Judy explained.

"That's all? Is that true Wilde?" Bogo asked.

Although very calm, Bogo was also very serious.

"Yes sir," Nick affirmed.

"We had an armed robbery at the Pindleton National, McHorn and Beasley handled it but they could've used some back up. Culprits are behind bars, but as for you two. Three days suspension, be glad it isn't more," Bogo lectured.

"Only three days?" Nick asked.

"You two have an outstanding arrest record and the best psychological evaluations out of the entire force, that needs to be considered, Wilde," Bobo answered, "Now, badges."

Judy took off her badge and placed it on the desk, with Nick following suit.

"Take the time to sort things out with each other alright?" Bogo told them.

After changing into their street clothes, Nick caught Judy as she had just left.

"Hey Carrots! Wait up!" he called.

"Oh hey Nick," she greeted with a slight sad tone.

"I'm sorry I screwed up again," he told her.

"Why? It's my fault this time," she admitted.

"Listen, I'd like to show you around a few of the outer districts if you have the time between this weekend since we have the time off," he offered.

"Nick," she began.

"Chief Buffilo-Buns told us to sort things out, so why don't we take the advice," he interrupted.

She thought for a few minutes, she didn't have any other plans.

"Alright," she sighed, "But you have to mind your manners!"

"Cross my heart, Carrots," he promised.