Hello there, dear readers! I'm super excited to bring to you the next chapter of The Keyhole! Once again, this chapter was proofread by the amazingly wonderful Trismegistus Shandy, whom I would like to thank once again! Be sure to let me know what you think of the chapter! And please, enjoy!

"So, sweetie, how was your meeting with Doctor Snowson?" Judy asked as she drove, looking sidelong at Eli in the passenger seat. Her human kit looked confused, then turned to respond.

"I-It was okay... uhm... h-he was... nice..." Eli said, blushing a little, feeling embarrassed.

"That's great, sweetie," Judy said, looking back to the road. The moment began to stretch onward, awkwardly. "I'm really proud of you, Eli," Judy said in an attempt to alleviate some of the building tension.

"F-For what?" Eli asked, perplexed.

"Well, some can find the idea of going to see a therapist pretty scary, or something to be ashamed of, but you agreed to go anyway, despite that. That's why I'm proud of you, for being brave," Judy explained. Eli sat back, blushing a bit more. This was due to the knowledge that only small children were told that they were brave for going to any kind of a doctor. But the thought did bring a smile to his face, happy that for once he had a mother to say that to him. Judy giggled as she briefly looked at Eli, always feeling a swell of pure joy whenever she saw his smile.

He has been smiling more and more these days, Judy thought to herself as she took a sharp right, making Eli inhale sharply and lean back into his seat, clutching onto the armrest and the door for dear life. Judy noticed this and rolled her eyes.

"I swear," she said as she took a sharp left, cutting off a Pizza Shelter delivery jackal on a scooter, who opened his mouth to say something about the bunny's driving, until he noticed that she was in a police cruiser, and simply shut his muzzle, "you and your father are just too skittish about my driving."

Back at Home...

"S-So, Mom, Dad," Nick said, gulping, the russet fox looking nervously between the two older foxes before him as they stepped inside, "it's nice to see you two."

"It's always nice to see you too, Nicky," the female russet-colored fox said as she pulled her son into a hug. Despite his nervousness, Nick's tail swished a little as he hugged his mom back. The hug ended and Marian stepped back, letting Robert have a turn.

"Heya, Nicky," the arctic fox said as he too pulled Nick into a hug, "so where's our little grandkit? Is that them over there?" Robert asked, pointing into the living room. Nick and Marian's eyes followed to where Robert was pointing to an empty couch with a single grey throw pillow on it.

"Dad's eyes still bad?" Nick asked his mom, who nodded. Robert whirled on them.

"I can see perfectly well, and don't need to be goin' to any eye doctor!" he insisted, just before Marian cleared her throat and shot him a stern look that he could see despite the fuzziness of his vision. Robert's tail tucked itself between his legs again.

"Wh-Which I'm sure that the optometrist that I'll be seeing in a few days will agree with," he said, flashing his wife a smile. Nick smiled, the antics of his parents always something he found quite entertaining. All three heard the sound of a car pulling into the driveway. Nick looked out the window to see his mate hop out of the cruiser, and his kit open the passenger side door and shakily step out.

"That's them," Nick said, heading for the door, only now noticing the present his mom was holding. It was a box wrapped in emerald green wrapping paper, and tied with a bright violet bow. "You guys got Eli a gift?"

"Well," his dad said, "we are meeting our grandkit for the very first time. It helps to make a good first impression."

Nick stopped as the front door was opened, hearing Judy's voice as they entered.

"--both here in one piece, which I think is the important part," Judy said to an unconvinced-looking Eli, who smiled at the sight of Nick, before looking curiously at the other two foxes.

"Robert, Marian," Judy addressed them, a little surprised herself, having expected them to be arriving much later that day, "it's nice to see you two again!"

Marian smiled and stepped forward, embracing the energetic bunny before her. "It's always a pleasure to see you, dear," Marian said, holding Judy out at arm's length and looking her over. "As pretty as always," Marian said, making Judy blush a little beneath her fur, making it only barely visible, "one more reason why Nicky is so lucky to have you in his life."

Now it was Nick's turn to blush, though his was much harder to detect, except for Marian who could always tell from Nick's body language, even if she couldn't see his blush beneath his fur, not that he was of the mind to argue that fact with his mother. Robert greeted Judy as well, his tail wagging again, before he turned to address Eli.

"Wow," he said, leaning back to look, as much as he was capable, up at Eli, "they weren't kidding when they said humans are tall." Robert then noticed Eli shifting nervously as he stood before him, making Robert snicker.

"Nor were they kidding about them being skittish, either." That earned him an elbow poking at his ribs from Marian, who rolled her eyes before smiling sweetly up at the much larger mammal.

"Hi there, honey," she said to Eli, "I'm your grandma, Marian."

"And I'm your grandpappy, Robert!" Robert said, holding a paw out. "Put 'er there."

Eli nervously took the offered paw and shook it carefully.

"Hehe, heck of a grip he's got," Robert said, before moving forward and wrapping Eli's shins in a hug.

Elsewhere...

"Alright, the nursery is absolutely perfect," Mrs. Treeclaw said, scribbling onto her squirrel-sized clipboard. She then smiled up at the nervous couple, hoping that she was coming across as reassuring.

"Wonderful," Nadine said, unconsciously playing with the hem of her sundress. Not normally one for dresses or skirts, she was feeling a little uncomfortable. Ralph saw his mate fidgeting and smiled, wrapping an arm around the tigress' waist, giving her a gently squeeze. She smiled down at her timber wolf, and let out a low purr. His tail started wagging before he swallowed and focused to make it stop.

"You two shouldn't be so nervous," the voice of Mrs. Treeclaw got their attention. They looked down at the squirrel, who chuckled.

"So far, everything that I've seen shows me that this is a safe and healthy environment and that you two would make caring and loving parents," said Maureen.

"Thank you," said Nadine, who smiled as a weight was lifted from her shoulders.

"Just a few more things to check off of the list and then we'll be done," Mrs. Treeclaw said, resuming her inspection. She smiled as she entered the kitchen, spotting every single cabinet and drawer fitted with child safety locks.

Perhaps a little enthusiastic, but overall, these two seem to be wonderful, she thought as she scribbled some more notes down on her clipboard. Just behind her, Ralph and Nadine were holding paws, both terrified and giddy at the same time.

Over in Tundra Town...

Baily and Sophia were both walking down the sidewalk, the lioness on her day off and Baily on his lunch break. Sophia looked curiously at Baily's red hair, which had been cropped close when he had first arrived, a style that he apparently preferred as he kept keeping it that short for a few months. But now Sophia could see that he was apparently letting it grow out, which she felt looked good on him.

I wonder how long he's going to let it get, she wondered to herself as they made a beeline for a cafe that they had discovered a few weeks ago. The prices were fair, and the seating area was heated.

"So, uh, Sophia," Baily started, looking a little shy, "are you doing anything tomorrow?"

"Hmmm, no," Sophia said, just before placing an order for the chicken omelette sandwich and a tea. "Why?"

"Uhm... w-well," Baily gulped and quickly ordered a vanilla espresso and a beetle burrito. He had very early on gotten over the idea of eating bugs and trying several bug-based dishes, at Sophia's suggestion and much to her delight, as it was an excuse to cook for him. Baily took a breath and pressed on. "I've heard of this place that I'd really like to go to, and thought that maybe you'd like to join me tomorrow."

"Oh? What is it, some kind of spa?" the lioness asked, intrigued, her tail swishing behind her out the back of her seat.

"I think so, Phyllis recommended it," Baily said, remembering how his elephantine employer kept pushing the place on him.

"Ooooh, I haven't been to a spa in years! What's it called?" Sophia asked, starting to get excited.

"The Mystic Springs Oasis, at least I think that's its name," Baily said as their porcupine waitress returned with their orders, setting them down before scurrying off, careful not to impale anyone.

"Hmmm," Sophia said, picking up her fork and knife, "I don't recall ever hearing of it before. But the name just sounds so relaxing!"

Baily and Sophia shared a smile, making small talk as they enjoyed one another's company.

Meanwhile...

"MOMMY!!!" Mrs. Otterton was startled out of the conversation she was having with several other mothers at the park to see her youngest pup, Sarah, sitting at the base of a slide, crying. In an instant she was up and rushing over to her adopted human pup's side.

"Sarah, baby, what's the matter?" she asked, suddenly spotting a scrape on Sarah's shin, just below her pink shorts.

"Notta baby," Sarah sniffled, trying to hold back her tears.

"Oh, I'm sorry," Mrs. Otterton smiled, reassuringly, rubbing Sarah's back, before zipping open her purse and pulling out some band-aids and some antibacterial ointment. "Did you get a scrape going down the slide?"

"Nu-uh," Sarah said, shaking her head, "I got scratched after I tripped."

The otter quickly took care of the small injury on her pup's leg, kissing the bandaged spot.

"There, does that make it feel better?" she asked, her heart rejoicing at the smile that appeared on little Sarah's face.

"Yes, mommy, thankies!" Sarah said, before hugging her mother close. When finished, she made to get up and go play with some new friends she seemed to have made, a little lynx girl and a young warthog boy. Her mother watched her, smiling at how quickly her daughter was making friends.

Back at the Hopps' Residence...

"And here you are, buddy," Robert said as he and Marian sat on either side of their new grandkit, Marian holding out the gift. Nick was looking on with interest from where he sat next to his father, taking a sip of his iced tea, while Judy filmed with her phone, wanting to catch Eli's reaction.

"Th-Thanks, uhm," Eli said while taking the gift into his hands, "Grandma and Grandpa."

Eli sat there and looked at it for a moment, before he started to tear away the wrapping paper, undoing the bow first. A white box was revealed, which he quickly opened. Inside was a folded piece of triangular red cloth. Eli gently reached in and pulled it out, noticing that it had a golden button attached to one corner. He looked it over, noticing that it had been altered, with more red cloth added to it. Nick looked at the cloth as he took a sip, suddenly remembering just what he was looking at. He sharply inhaled, which caused him to sputter and choke a little. He coughed and hacked for a little bit.

"M-Mom, is that what I think it is?" Nick asked in between coughs.

Marian nodded. "That's correct, Nicholas," she said, using his full name to convey her seriousness. Eli wasn't sure just what his gift was, but he was starting to catch on that it was significant, at least to his grandparents and his dad.

"My old... Junior Ranger Scout neckerchief," Nick said, looking at the cloth in Eli's hands. Eli looked at it again, it suddenly clicking as to why it had been altered; it was so that it could fit him.

"When Judy told us about Eli thinking about joining a scout troop, we both decided that it would make for a wonderful gift," Marian said.

"And by we, your mother means she," Robert joked, chastened when Marian leaned over Eli's lap to gently tug the arctic fox's ear.

"What was that, Robby?" she asked in a sweet voice.

"Uhm, ow, I-I mean to say, that it's a great gift." Robert winced, rubbing his ear when his wife let him go.

"That's what I thought you said, Robby dear." Marian chuckled, making Robert smirk at his wife.

"Hold on a second... why would you be giving that as a gift?" Nick asked, confused.

"Well, dear," Marian said as she turned to address her son, "it was something that meant so much to you when you were a kit. Even after that horrible night, you still kept the neckerchief with you, all the way until you were sixteen."

Nick blushed underneath his russet fur, giving Judy a look when he noticed the bunny giggling as she still filmed him.

"And when we spoke to Judy, who said that Eli here was going to be joining his friends' scout troop, I just knew that it would be the kind of gift for you to pass on to your kit."

"I... wait, when did you and Judy talk about this?" Nick asked, confused, before turning to the bunny. "Well, Fluff?"

"Ehehehe," Judy chuckled nervously from behind her phone, "u-uhm, shortly after they called you."

"Uh-huh," Nick said, looking unamused, "and you didn't think to possibly mention this to me?"

"Oh, cut her some slack, Son," Robert said, clapping his paws together, "she wanted it to be a proper surprise."

Nick still had a sour look on his face, but then was subjected to the wide, sad-eyed look that Judy only ever pulled out rarely. The big guns. After a few moments, Nick sighed. He frowned at his dad's laughter.

"Well," Nick sighed, smiling up at Eli, seeing him grow excited, "at least these new Ranger Scouts are going to be different."

And there you have it, dear readers! I hope that you enjoyed the new chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it! And, thank you all once again for taking the time to read my story.