Nick shook his head. "Whiskers, you'll never learn."

Nick returned to his computer and turned his monitor back on. He searched Gideon's background. His records, no illegal actions, a farmer, nothing. Nick growled. This darn fox is a clean slate. I don't like him. Nick thought to himself. He was a bully, he must've had something! Not all foxes are sly like him, but every mammal had done something... at least that's what he assumed. Nick pushed back in his chair and sighed heavily. He couldn't bear the thought of Judy hanging around another fox. He wanted her all to himself. He needed her. Sure, he is cop, but he needed his partner.

Nick shook his head, comprehending what to do now. He had no other plans, Judy made them. He sighed heavily once more, and tapped his fingers against the desk eagerly. Nick took another sip from his coffee, realizing it was empty, he got up from his seat and threw it in the trash. He looked at the break room.

"Eh, I'd rather not." He muttered to himself.

The coffee there wasn't the best, Nick knew from experience. He described it as, "It's only missing sand paper, if it was trying to destroy my taste buds." Nick bit his lip. He looked back at his monitor, seeing Gideon Grey.

"Pfft, even looks like a farmer." Nick muttered.

He sat down and minimized the window. Nick pulled out his phone to entertain himself. He opened it, and went onto Furbook. Looking at all of the recent posts. Suddenly, a notification popped up. Nick clicked it. It was tagged, "heading to Sahara Sweets, hanging with an old friend." And had Gideon Grey in the tags. He's already friends with her on Furbook? Nick thought. He sighed again.

"Nick!" A voice shouted in the distance.

Nick dragged his attention to the source, he looked up from his phone to see a gray wolf. The wolf smiled, holding a file in his hands. His name is Freddie Wolfstein, a hard edged, observant cop who knows what's up. He's a tough sly wolf who's pretty laid back. He'd helped Judy and Nick with previous cases before. Always has a joke to crack, much like Nick. Another reason why Nick and Judy liked him.

"Oh, hey officer Wolfstein-"

"Ah nah, please Freddie. We may be at work, but no need to be formal." Freddie smirks at him.

"Alright. So Freddie, whatta ya need?" Nick smiled at him.

Freddie handed Nick the file. "Can you run a background check on this suspect? His name came up in interrogation, he's a suspect of robbery. But I've got another guy in interrogation and I gotta take care of him." He rolls his eyes.

"Aw, sure thing Fred. I'll take care of it." Nick placed the file on the desk and opened up the program once again.

"Thanks Nick." Freddie looked at Judy's desk. "Hey, where's your partner?" He placed his paw on Nick's desk, leaning against it he shifted forward.

"Oh she left early. She had to meet up with an old fox she knew." Nick said reserved.

Freddie raised a brow and smiled. "Oh, so is this fox's name Gideon Grey?"

Nick looked back Freddie confused. Freddie tilted his head towards Nick's computer, revealing Gideon's profile.

Nick chuckled nervously. "Uhh no. What? Ju-Judy didn't tell me-"

"Ah Nick, you ain't gonna fool me." Freddie shook his head. "You-uh... a little jealous?" Freddie leans closer, teasing him.

"What! No!" Nick felt his fur blush slightly. "I-I don't like Judy in that-"

"I didn't say you did." Freddie backed away slowly, with his hands in the air. "You did."

"I-uh, what-damn it Freddie!" Nick growled. "Just for that I won't do this background check for you!"

"Sure sure. Nick? After I'm done with interrogation what's say you and I talk after work, huh?" He shouted back. "After all, things like this need to be talked about!" He shrugged playfully.

"I-uh... argh! Fine!" Nick passively agreed as Freddie saluted him and entered the interrogation room.

"Pfft, darn wolf." Nick grumbled.

He didn't like Judy in that way. It'd be strange, inter-species relationships don't happen often. They're sort of like a disgrace to mammals, which was a sad story. As Judy thought, anyone could be anything in Zootopia. So why not an inter-species relationship? Nick shrugged off all the thoughts. He stopped for a moment. Did he like Judy? He wondered for a minute, comprehending an inter-species relationship with her. She was a really close friend, and she'd done so much for him. She is kind and-

NO! Just a friend. Nick scolded himself mentally.

Nick shook it off and saying, "work comes first." He tried to convince himself.

He opened the file and looked at the name. "Wilfred Warner." Nick read. Occupation was fast food worker at Betty's Bites.

That was all. Nothing else, no picture, no specification of mammal type. Nick chuckled mentally. Glad I'm not working this case, what an impossible lead. Nick typed in the name and waited to see what came up. A picture appeared, a tiger with roughed fur. He looked thuggish, Nick didn't want to judge too quickly. He read Wilfred's involvement with Betty's Bites. The thought of fast food really hungered Nick. The fried insects, soda pops, he was craving it all. Judy didn't like fast food, she thought it was way too unhealthy for the mammal body. Nick would often argue with her, debating how delicious it was.

Nick smiled, looking at Judy's empty desk. Nick wanted Judy to be here, she'd help him focus. Nick shook off all the cravings and continued to read. He read all the connections anyone have involved with him. He looked at the information, seeing several sections worth an entire essay.

"Oh boy." Nick muttered under his breath.

...

Nick had created a file for Freddie for his case. As soon as the file had finished printing he grabbed the sheets, stuffed them into a file labelled, "Wilfred Warner." Nick tucked them all in the file nicely. Nick looked at the time, 5:36.

"Damn, two hours huh? This better help ya Freddie." Nick said to himself as he left the printer room and walked over to Freddie's desk.

Freddie sat at his desk tucking away all his files and grabbing his coat. He moved from his seat and noticed Nick approaching him.

He smiled. "Oh hey Nick, you have the file! Great! Hand to Clawhauser on our way out." Freddie put on his coat and walked out with Nick. "I just finished up on the notes the suspect gave during investigation."

"Alright." Nick nodded.

Nick and Freddie left the offices and entered the lobby. They walked by the front desk and stopped in front of Clawhauser.

Nick waved the file. "Hey Clawhauser, got a file here for you."

"Ooh! For me? Oh you shouldn't have." He giggles excitedly. "What's the case?"

"The robbery on Sahara Square." Freddie answers.

"Oookay! I'll put it in there, with the rest. See ya guys in the morning!" Clawhauser waves the two goodbye as they leave the precinct.

"So..." Nick said awkwardly. "What do you want to talk about?"

Freddie laughed. "You know what. Say, let's head to Sahara Sweets." Freddie walked over to his car door.

"Uh, alright." Nick shrugged.

He opened the car door just after Freddie had unlocked the it. Nick went inside and closed the door behind him. Freddie started the car as Nick placed his seatbelt on. Freddie began driving in reverse and drove out of the parking lot. They drove onto the road and came across a stop light.

"So, how long have you and Judy... been friends?" Freddie gave a sly look at Nick.

Nick rolled his eyes. "Since the missing 14 mammals case."

"Oh, so... 5 months? Wow."

Nick was taken back by his statement. "Has it really been 5 months?" The light had turned green.

"Yeah!" Freddie scoffed as he pushed the gas pedal and continued to drive. "Guess time flies when you're in-"

"I don't like her in that way!" Nick shout defensively. "We're just... friends."

"Yeah, yeah. I'm not saying you're not. But I can tell you don't want to be 'just friends'. You got a wild side Wilde, it doesn't come around often when you're near Judy." Freddie smirked.

Nick left his mouth ajar, thinking of a response but nothing came to mind.

"Nick, I've seen you two work together. You guys have been thinking with one mind... it's freaky."

Nick shook his head. "We're just good at our jobs. We know each other very-no! We don't know each other very well!" Nick smirked at Freddie.

"Oh yeah sure, and I'm a polar bear!" Freddie said sarcastically. "Nick, you and I got a lot to talk about."

They had pull over into a parking lot. Freddie had parked the car and smirked. He and Nick stepped out of the car and entered Sahara Sweets. Nick and Freddie walked to a table near a window. A minute after they sat down, a female tiger waitress approached them.

"Hello! What can I get you two?" She smiled.

"Uh, I'll take a cappuccino and... an oatmeal muffin." Freddie smiled.

"I'll take a cappuccino too, foamed, with a small drop of sugar." Nick smiled. "With a carrot muffin as well."

"Alright, I'll be back soon with your orders." She smiles and walks back to counter.

"So, foamed cappuccino with a small drop of sugar and a carrot muffin?" Freddie raised a brow.

"Uh, yeah? Why?" Nick asked confused.

"Correct me if I'm wrong but isn't that's Judy's favourite?" He smirked.

"Ah-what? I just get her coffee every morning, it's no big deal! I've learned her favourite... which became mine." Nick shrugged sincerely. "After she made me try it."

"Okay Wilde, I'll get straight to the point. You are way too fond of Judy. I know you admire her."

"What! No! That's absurd!" Nick shouts at him.

"Alright, well you said you don't know her well right?" He asked.

"Yup. Judy doesn't open up much." Nick lied.

"Well I know everything about Judy, I know that she hates Gazelle's music, she likes to stay up at night, she is really shy, doesn't like to be outgoing, she loves fast food, and hates predators." Freddie smirked.

"What! Are you kidding me? Not even close!" Nick shot out of his chair. "She loves Gazelle's music, we went to a concert together, she hates staying up at night-she wants to wake up early! She is incredibly outgoing, she has the most amazing personality, she hates fast food, she thinks it's bad for the body, and she doesn't believe in the predator prey booklet! She came to Zootopia completely against that! How can you-" Nick stopped himself, looking at Freddie who was smiling at him.

"What? What do-oh..."Nick sits back down have a realization.