AN: I'm so sorry for keeping you guys waiting! Testing has been a real jerk to me. I've been super busy this last month. I have one more big test to take in 2 weeks so don't expect a fast update. There's a good chance I'm getting a job too. So y'all better get used to me rarely updating. Really though, I'm sorry for keeping you guys waiting. I'm also sorry that this chapter is pretty short. Anyway...
On with the show!
~*~
Judy jumps when she hears her alarm clock go off. She hadn't been able to sleep at all, and had only gotten two hours of sleep. It wasn't as if she could get a good night's sleep with her daughter missing.
She rubbed her eyes and turned to wake up Nick. She was surprised to see him gone. They only had the one police car they drive to work in, and she knew he wouldn't just leave early without her. Where could he be?
She hops out of bed go find him, but makes sure to check her kids' room first. All were there except Snow.
Not for long though. Judy will find her daughter. She just prays Snow will be alive. And...if she's not...Judy will want justice.
When Judy makes her way downstairs, she finds her husband hunched over the coffee table fast asleep with papers all around him.
Judy sighs as she makes her way over to him.
When did he get out of bed? How long has he been up doing...whatever it is he's doing?!
She puts a gentle paw on his shoulder and gave him a shook. "Nick? Wake up, honey."
Nick stirred and mumbled words Judy couldn't understand. His green eyes fluttered open and came in contact with Judy's violet ones.
"What are you doing down here?" Judy asked.
Nick rubbed his eyes and stretched out his back. "Just...catching up on paper work." Judy knew it was only half the truth, but didn't push it.
"I also made flyers," Nick said, after a short moment of silence. He picked up a thick stack of papers that had a picture of Snow and some information about her and handed them to Judy.
It was a picture of Snow on her 16th birthday. She'll be turning 17 in a few months.
Judy's ears dropped. She leaned forward and rested her head on his shoulder, and Nick grabbed her paws. They both knew if neither of them was there for the other they would have already crumbled in pain.
"We'll put them up later when we get home. Right now we need to get ready for work," Judy said in a sad, tired tone. That's all she and Nick have been feeling this last week: tired. She hates it. "Come on."
The kids were dropped off, and work was just as quite as it was the day before. Every minute was agonizing for both parents. And every minute brought more worry and fear.
Is she alive? Is she dead? Have they hurt her? Are they hurting her now? Where could she be?
They had their three suspects; a hyena, hippo, and rhino. They also had the license plate number. All they needed to do now is go to the place that sold the car and hopefully get answers.
Cole and Cheetia wanted answers too, and when Cheetia saw him at Starbucks she nearly pounced on him on spot.
Cole, as he stood in line, was lost in his thoughts. He was consumed with horrid scenarios oh what happened, or what is happening, to Snow. The last thing he expected to happen him was for Snow's best friend to be charging toward him and pulling him out of line.
"Hey!" He cried out on surprise. "What the heck are you doing, Cheetia?"
Cheetia didn't answer him, but she let out a growl. That was enough to shut Cole up. She dragged him behind the building and slammed him hard against the wall.
"Okay," she said in a hard tone, "I'm only gonna say this once, and if you don't answer me or if you lie to me I promise you that there will be severe consequences."
I gulped and nodded frantically. I wasn't an idiot. I knew what this is about. "Cheetia, I promise you I didn't do anything to Snow."
Her arm, which was pressed against my chest, keeping me against the wall, pressed down harder at my statement. "Aha! I didn't even say anything and you automatically knew! What did you do to her? Huh? Where is she?!"
"I don't know!" Cole yelled, hating how much he heard the fear in his voice. He was thankful none of his guy "friends" were there to watch. They would never let him live it down. "I already spoke with her parents! You can ask them yourself. I have no idea where Snow is at!"
Cheetia looks at him with a skeptical stare. She was looking into his eyes, and Cole was certain he saw fire in them. Finally, he feels her relax, and she removed her arm from his chest, taking a step back to give them some space.
"You're telling the truth," she quietly says, looking at her feet, and sighing in disappointment.
"And...you're disappointed?" Cole asked, rubbing his chest and fixing his crinkled shirt.
Cheetia's shoulder slumps and she avoids his gaze. He's never seen her so down and broken before. Usually she's loud and bright, but now...
"No...." She says, after a moment,"...yes....eh it's 50/50. I'm disappointed because I want answers, and yet I'm glad you had nothing to do with it."
Cole's ears go flat against his head, and this time it was him who avoided her gaze. "Not...exactly."
Cheetia snaps her head up to look at him. "What do you mean?" Her voice was hard again, and Cole felt himself begin to sweat.
Even if he didn't take part of Snow's kidnapping, it was still his fault she was out so late at night to begin with. Cheetia was still bound to beat him up one way or another. It was gonna happen and he prepared himself for it.
"Okay," Cole said nervously, "looks like I'm going to have to say this again."
He explained his part of the story, and sure enough when he was finished Cheetia punched his shoulder twice with the strength of a rhino.
"You fucking idiot! You should have told her no!" Cheetia yelled.
"Ssh!" Cole looked around to be sure no animal was listening. "Keep it down!"
Cheetia looked at him in shock. She points a claw at him and said, "Did you just..." She lets out a disbelieved scoff. "Did you fucking shush me?!"
At that moment, Cole realized his mistake and goes wide eyed. He was sure that just like Snow, he's going to be put down as a missing animal.
"Oh hell no!" Cheetia shouted. "You did not just do that!"
Cole began to back up, extending his paws out in front of him to defend himself. As if that would save him from a very strong, athletic cheetah.
"Cheetia, I--"
"No! How dare you shush me! How dare you not once ever notice Snow or her feelings for you! How dare you push her in the lake and break her heart! How dare you meet up with her at 3 in the fucking morning! How dare you be the reason my best friend is gone! How. Dare. You!"
Cole braced himself for the slap that he was sure Cheetia was going to give him. He was not at all prepared for her to drop to her knees and start crying.
Cole's ears perk back up as he stared at her in surprise. What the heck do I do?
He, not knowing what else to do, kneels down and said in a tired voice, "You have every right to hate me."
Cheetia stopped sobbing, but continued to silently cry. Her lack of response have Cole the idea to continue speaking.
"You know how I said that if you didn't believe me you could just ask Snow's parents?" He said, but didn't wait for her response. He doubted she would even answer him. "The night she was kidnapped she asked me out on a date. The next day I walked to her house to meet her. Her dad greeted me at the door, and..." He lets out an embarrassed laugh. "Let's just say it's not fun being tied up with a bunch of colorful fabric."
Cheetia let out a shaky chuckle as she wiped her tears away. "Yeah, that sounds like something they would do." She pauses, composing herself once more before she looks back up at Cole.
"So you were gonna go on a date with her?" She asked. Despite the current situation, she was proud that her best friend finally got up the courage to ask her crush out.
Cole nodded. "Yeah."
"It wasn't out of pity, was it? If so then--"
"It wasn't." Cole said with no stutter or uncertainty. "That one hour we spent at the party...the time we got to get to know each other, even if it was short...I felt something click. I think--well I thought--that in time I could eventually fall in love with her, but now..."
They fell into a sudden silence, both unsure of what to say next. Cheetia had her answer, and Cole survived her wrath. Both were, to an extent, content.
"I'm sorry," they both say at the same time, taking each other off guard.
"Why are you sorry?" Cole asked in confusion.
"For basically assaulting you," Cheetia replied, looking away in embarrassment.
Cole chuckled. "I deserved it."
"What about you?" Cheetia asked. "Why are you sorry?"
"For being the cause of this whole mess." Cole admits. "I was the one who agreed to accept the bet. I lost and invited Snow to the party. I threw her in the lake. I wanted to make it up to her. I agreed with her plan to meet up even though I knew it was risky. I should have told her to meet with me at at different time, but I didn't. I--"
Her was cut off when Cheetia suddenly clamps her paw over his mouth. "Shut the hell up." She said.
"Look," she continued, giving out a tired sigh. Cole could see the dark circles under her eyes and wondered if she had been getting any sleep. Most likely not. "You didn't kidnap her. It is not your fault, and that's all I have to say. Don't blame yourself for something that you didn't do."
Cole nodded, but her words didn't erase the guilt he still felt.
"You want to come to my house and make some flyers?" Cheetia asked. "Judy and Nick probably made some already. But there's a good chance they haven't made any yet, and if they did then oh well. The more the better. Come on."
She gets up and begins walking back towards the front of the building, not waiting for Cole's reply because she already knew he would agree. And he did. He got up and followed her.
Sure, making flyers is a simple task, but he'll do everything he can to help.
~*~
"So you have no memory of a hippo, rhino, or hyena coming in here and buying--"
"I already told you," the Ostrich interrupted, "I haven't seen these animals before in my entire life. Most animals who come in here are teenaged wannabe rockstars or druggies who want a van just to be cool and shit."
Judy rolls her eyes. "I'm not sure teenagers do that anymore these days. They usually find something better than a van or--"
"Look," the Ostrich interrupted again, making Judy's nose twitch in irritation, "I told you everything that I know. I answered your questions honestly. I think we're done here. But--"
Judy's ears perked up and she became hopeful too quickly.
"I'll be sure to keep my eye out on the missing girl." He finished.
Judy's ears dropped, and she tried her best to not look to too disappointed in front of the Ostrich. She has to stay professional.
"Thank you," she said, but doubted he would stay true to his word. "I guess we'll be on our way." Judy walked out of the room with Nick right beside her.
"Well, that was a bust," Nick said as they got back in the car.
Judy scowled as she started the car up. "Tell me about it." She responds, obviously upset.
"Do you think he was lying?" Asked Nick.
Judy's eyes were narrowed into a hard glare as she drove their car, her paws tightening around the wheel to the point where she heard a few of her knuckles pop.
"It's hard to say," she replied, "I listened to his heartbeat as carefully as I could to see if he was lying but with all the ruckus that went on outside...." She pauses to let out a sigh. "Plus, me knowing when an animal is lying because of my hearing doesn't really prove anything."
"We'll keep on eye on him," Nick said.
"Yeah," Judy said, but she sighed sadly.
"Carrot--" Nick began, ready to give her assuring, comforting words, but was cut off when his phone started to ring.
He digs it out and was surprised to see his mother in law calling. He looks at Judy and says, "It's your mother."
Judy's eyes widene and she was immediately struck with worry. What's wrong? Did something happen? Are her kids alright? Her mother knows she's working and wouldn't call her in the middle of everything for no reason. Not that they were busy at the moment. Bonnie actually called at the perfect time.
"Answer it," Judy said, frantically. "Something might have happened to the kids."
Nick answers and says, "Hello--" He pulls the phone away when he hears Bonnie talking--more like yelling-- in a loud rush.
"Bonnie, whoa slow down!" Nick said when he brought his ear back to the phone. "Take a deep breath and calm down."
He hears her inhale and exhale before she starts talking. "I know where your daughter is at!"
Judy, having hearing what her mom said, nearly stomped on the break. She did however yell-- "WHAT?!"
She pulls the car over and immediately takes the phone from Nick's paws. "What do you mean you know where Snow is? How? How did you find her? Where is she?"
Mother like daughter. Always yelling in a rush, Nick thought to himself.
"Okay, so we don't actually know where she's at, but with your help we could possibly find her. Your father and I haven't told you this, but when we got you your first phone we put a GPS chip in it. You didn't get your second phone until your later teens and we trusted you enough by then to not bother with the chip. Well, guess what, honey bun? We had a chip installed Snow's phone and we forgot all about it until one of your kids mentioned something. We just...don't know how to find her...But I swear to you that the chip is activated and on! I'm sure your able to figure out how to locate the phone, right?"
Judy had tears in her eyes, but they were tears of hope. "Yes, mama. We'll be right over there. Thank you so much! Thank you thank you thank you!" Judy's clicks off the phone and gets back on the road.
"You're a bunny of the law, love," Nick said as he gripped his seatbelt, noticing how fast his wife was going, "you might want to slow down a bit."
Judy didn't reply to him, but she did slow down. However, nothing could slow down her beating heart.
~*~
"Okay," Nick said from the computer chair, "after I type this in we should....yes! There it is!" He pointed to the screen.
"Thank god her phone is still on," said Bonnie. "Would it have still worked even if it wasn't on?"
Nick nodded. "Most likely. The chip doesn't function with the phone. It's just there, if that makes sense."
Bonnie nods. "I see what you mean."
"So where is she?!" Stu suddenly exclaimed.
Judy gasped as she studied the screen. "She's in Furope?!" (Europe) "That's all the way across Fangea!" (Pangea)
(A little geography fact you need to know: Anyone familiar with Pangea? The supercontinent? Well, that's basically how their world is. Along with a few small vacation island resorts here and there. Zootopia is the capital of it.)
"What the heck is she doing there?" Asked Stu.
"I don't know dad!" Judy snapped. "Let me just call her and ask. It's not like she hasn't answered my previous calls."
Stu, who was oblivious to her sarcasm, said, "That would be splendid, dear."
Judy groaned and face palmed. "I was being sarcastic with you dad."
"Sar....what?"
Judy sighs as she feels another migraine coming on. "No just...drop it."
She jumped when she felt Nick put his paw over hers.
"I'll call Bogo as soon as we get the kids home," Nick said in a promising tone.
"We really don't mind having them here," Bonnie says. "Why don't they stay with us for a few days while you two focus on finding Snow?"
Judy frowned at the thought. She didn't like the idea, but she wasn't going to lie. Having her other kids staying in the Burrows with her parents surrounded by a bunch of tough bunnies did seem like a safe option while she and Nick searched for Snow. She hated that she was neglecting her children, but she has to really focus on bringing one of her children back.
"I don't know, mom," Judy says with uncertainty. She looks at Nick for help. "What do you think Nick?"
Nick shrugs. "It would be a lot of help, but honestly it should be the kids' decision."
"I vote yes," Robin says from the doorway, along with the rest of his siblings, taking their parents and grandparents off guard.
"Kids," says Judy, sternly, "eavesdropping is rude. Your supposed to be in the living room watching TV."
"That's a little hard to do when you four are acting weird," Said Vixie.
"But this is really good!" Todd joined in. "You tracked down her phone, which means you tracked down Snow, right?"
Before any of the adults could respond, Thumper buds in.
"Well, there's a good chance that her phone accidentally fell out of her pocket." He said, smartly.
The four adults grimaced at the thought of that being true, and Judy and Nick felt their stomachs churn.
Have faith, Judy, Judy thought to herself.
"Kids, please just--"
"We agree to stay with Gram and Pop for as long as you two need to find Snow," Marian interrupted.
"Yeah!" Says little Lola, "we want Snow back as much as you do. Please?"
Nick and Judy look at each other for a brief moment then looked at their kids. After that they looked at Bonnie and Stu. They merely have the couple a nod of assurance.
"First," says Judy, "let's take you home to pack your things."
The kids cheered. Not because they would be spending a few days with their grandparents but because it gave them hope that they're sister would be found. With their parents not having to worry about them they can focus fully on finding their older sister, and that's all the siblings want.
AN: thanks for reading and OMG 3k views?! Holy shit!! Thanks guys! Don't forget to vote and comment :D I'll update as soon as I can. Bye!