the younger Hopps children. Judy and Nick walked quietly down the corridor, heading towards their respective rooms to get clean clothes. They stopped, however, when they suddenly heard voices in the girls' room.

"Will you and Uncle Garth get married, Auntie Amber?" asked the voice of Bianca as Amber tucked her into bed.

"Yes we will, angel," said Amber.

"And will you have lots of little kids like us?" asked Maggie from her bed.

"Yes indeed," said Amber giggling.

"And will they come and play with us?" asked Isabelle from the lower bunk beneath Bianca.

"That's a D and an E and an 'efinitely," said Amber, making all the girls giggle.

Judy beckoned with her head for Nick to follow. They stood against the wall outside the room, listening to the adorable conversation.

"And will Judy and Uncle Nick get married?" asked Bianca.

Judy and Nick both felt their hearts skip. They felt warm inside.

"I'm positive they will, honey," said Amber. "And we'll all be there on their wedding day, and we'll dance and eat yummy wedding cake and sing songs for them."

"I want Judy to marry Uncle Nick," said Bianca. "I want him to come live with us and be our uncle forever and ever."

"Well, why don't you all put your paws together and make a wish at the same time?" said Amber lovingly. "Just put your paws together and say 'I wish for Judy and Uncle Nick to get married' three times. And it will come true!"

Judy and Nick listened, holding paws, as all the little voices wished together with Amber's.

"I wish for Judy and Uncle Nick to get married."

"I wish for Judy and Uncle Nick to get married."

"I wish for Judy and Uncle Nick to get married."

"Very good, girls!" said Amber delightedly. "Now, let Auntie sing you all a song. Close your eyes and listen, and you will go off to dreamland, where wishes come from."

A brief silence, and then Amber sung a sweet lullaby in a voice so tender and melodious that it immediately made Judy and Nick feel tears welling in their eyes.

The sun will come out tomorrow

Bet your bottom dollar that tomorrow

There'll be sun

Just thinkin' about tomorrow

Clears away the cobwebs and the sorrow

'til there's none

Judy and Nick hugged each other tight as they listened to the voice of their friend, so full of tenderness as she sung her lovely lullaby.

When I'm stuck with a day that's grey and lonely

I just stick up my chin and grin and say oh

The sun will come out tomorrow

So you got to hang on 'til tomorrow, come what may!

Tomorrow, tomorrow, I love you tomorrow

You're always a day away.

Amber's song ended. The girls were fast asleep, with looks of serenity and content on their little faces.

Amber slowly and very gently kissed each of them goodnight.

"Sweet dreams," whispered Amber.

Like an angel walking on air, she walked quietly out of the room. Then she noticed them. They were huddled together, and there were tears in their eyes.

"Oh…" said Amber.

And that was all that was said. The three of them hugged tight, sharing their warmth and affection.

If something was true of the Hopps family home, it was that there would never be a shortage of love beneath their roof.

Nick and Judy sat down with Garth, Amber, Stu and Bonnie at the kitchen table. They told them everything they had found underground.

"So that's how they were spreading the pan-dimonium acetate into the soil," said Amber. "They're using a vaporising machine to make it seep upwards through the soil. That's why all my samples had such a low concentration. They're going from the bottom upwards."

"We have to have a look at that machine," said Garth. "If we allow them to keep at it, the whole valley will be barren."

"Yes, putting the digging machine out of commission will slow down their plans," said Amber.

Garth looked at Amber with his trademark grin.

"We have to find the machine's weak spot, and…"

…destroy the Core!" finished Amber.

They laughed and high-fived. Nobody else understood their joke, but they were glad to see them so jolly.

"What about the operator?" asked Judy. "We need to show evidence that someone from Terra Firma is using that machine to destroy the crops."

"I can set up a surveillance camera," said Garth. "Wireless surveillance cameras connected to my computer in the loft. Then we can monitor the place and catch anybody going in on video."

"That would be just what we need," said Nick.

"What will we do when we find out who is operating the machine, though?" asked Bonnie. "Do we show it to the police?"

"This issue is beyond the reach of the regular police," said Amber. "I'm afraid we'll have to call the EPC."

"EPC?" asked Stu.

"Environmental Protection Corps," said Amber. "They were founded in the late 1970's as a law enforcement agency that deals with environmental crimes, exactly like this one."

"Wait a minute! The EPC!" said Nick. "Why didn't I think of it before!? I know someone who works there!"

"You do?!" asked everyone.

"Yes!" said Nick. "This will work out perfectly!"

"Tell me something, Mr Wilde," said Judy with a teasing smirk. "Is there any place where you don't have at least one somebody that you know?"

Nick smiled.

"It's my charming personality, sunshine," he said, giving her a wink. "Which you have first-paw experience with."

Judy giggled, holding his paw under the table.

"Well, I'll get busy preparing the surveillance cameras," said Garth, getting up from the table.

"And I'll call my contact at the EPC," said Nick.

"And I'll heat you both some tasty stew," said Bonnie, looking teasingly at Judy and Nick. "You might have forgotten, but I certainly didn't. You two missed supper."

And like an answer to her statement, Nick's tummy grumbled.

"Oops, hehe…looks like someone else remembers as well."

Everyone chuckled.

It was very early on Sunday morning when the train stopped at Bunny Burrow Railway Station. Judy and Nick stood there waiting. Nick's contact from the EPC was coming on the train.

"There!" said Nick.

"Where?" Judy looked, but did not distinguish anyone among the seven descending passengers.

"Come on, Carrots," said Nick, walking towards the descending passengers who were now walking away and going about their way.

Judy followed, and realised that one of the passengers was standing on the platform, holding a valise. The passenger's eyes were green, fur was red and russet, lighter under the chin. And a large bushy tail could be seen swaying slightly in the wind of the departing train.

And then Judy realised it.

"Bea!" yelled Nick, opening his arms.

"Nick!" said the passenger, a beautiful and slender young vixen. "Long time no see, you old rapscallion, you!"

"Thanks for coming on such short notice!"

Nick hugged the vixen and she hugged him back affectionately, laughing and nuzzling warmly.

Then Judy felt it. She didn't want to, but feelings are inevitable. A little pang, like a tiny needle pricking her, not with physical pain, but something deeper.

"Don't be silly, Judy," she said to herself in her mind, but she couldn't help feeling it. Especially as she saw the vixen hugging Nick, putting her paws all over him, rubbing his cheeks and giggling like a schoolgirl.

As Nick and the vixen walked towards her, arm in arm, Judy did her best to compose herself and smile.

"Bea, allow me to introduce you to my partner, mentor and little piece of paradise on earth, Judy Hopps," said Nick with an adoring look.

"I am so thrilled to meet you, Officer Hopps," said the vixen with a smooth and charming voice. "I've read so much about you and how you set an example to all young ladies with big expectations, myself included. I want you to know that you are my heroine. Beatrice Lorena Wilde, at your service."

Judy's ears perked up. Then it hit her. She looked into the vixen's big green eyes, and she saw something familiar. Very familiar. That look…

"Beatrice…Wilde?"

"Yes indeed. It's my maiden name, but I hope to change that pretty soon."

"Don't hold your breath, sunshine," said Nick with a sideways smirk.

"You cad!" laughed Bea, fake-punching him on the arm. "You haven't changed a bit, you rascal."

Nick just chuckled and gave her his trademark smirk.

"So when are you gonna get hitched and stop being such a rogue, Nick?" asked Bea.

"Oh, I'm not the one to ask," said Nick, jerking his head towards Judy teasingly, watching triumphant as his beloved bunny blushed profusely.

"It's always the doe who has to reel in the young buck, isn't it?" giggled Bea.

"Has it ever been otherwise?" said Nick.

"Not in this universe," said Bea.

They laughed.

"Do you mind if I go to the ladies' room for just a moment? Need to touch up my eye-shadow," said Bea.

"And lose some extra weight," said Nick mischievously.

"Oh, you are the worst, Nicholas Wilde!" giggled Bea, slapping his arm

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