Hello there, dear readers! I find myself once again feeling excited to bring to you another new chapter of The Keyhole! And wow... did I kinda really need that feeling. It's true that, for a lot of people, around this time of year, feelings of depression can really settle in. But writing my stories really becomes quite the "pick-me-up" I need sometimes. And I've got several stories that I'm still working on simultaneously, in addition to this one. I have another Zootopia fanfiction story that I've been working on titled Welcome to Sunset Valley. And I also have some original stories to take care of. Those of course being The Thaumaturgist, The Fox's Path, and my newest one, Hairball! Please be sure to check them out as well! Now, please enjoy an especially heartwarming chapter!

"Nadine, we've circled this block five times already, don't you think that if we were going to find another one of those humans, we would have done so already?" the wolf in the ZPD uniform whined to his partner, the tigress sitting in the passenger seat. Her eyes were scanning the dark alleyways as they passed. It was almost midnight as they circled the area where the power surge had been detected.

"Ralph," she chided the wolf, "every single time one of these surges has been detected, a human was found in the immediate area."

"But then why haven't we found one yet?"

"...They could be hurt." Nadine answered. As they rounded a corner in their cruiser through the section of the Nocturnal District, Nadine just about to suggest that they pull over and start searching the area on foot, the tigress' ear perked up as she heard a sound come from one of the alleys.

"Stop the car," she said flatly, with Wolford complying. After being partnered with Fangmeyer for over six years, he knew not to question why. They sat there, with the windows rolled down, listening. And then, they both heard what sounded like a faint cry, coming from the alley they had pulled up in front of. Nadine got out while Ralph got on the radio and called it in, before exiting and following close behind her. As they moved through the gloom, both seeing just fine as wolves and tigers had excellent night vision, they followed now what was the sad and lonely wailing of what could only be a baby.

They still proceeded with caution until they saw, laying in a fraying and dirty pink bundle of cloth near a cardboard box, was what was unmistakably a human infant. Wolford immediately called in an update on the situation on his walkie while Nadine, who was transfixed on the squirming and crying bundle, bent down and gently scooped up the baby mammal. As soon as the baby was picked up the crying stopped, and a pair of deep brown eyes looked up at Nadine in simple confusion. Nadine looked down into those eyes, and smiled.

"Hello there, little one," she cooed to the child in her arms, "welcome to Zootopia."

Ralph smiled as he looked on, his big bushy tail slowly wagging. Nadine had always been one of the toughest officers on the force. He had seen her take down grown elephants barepawed, and even sparred with her at the gym. However he had always gotten quite the kick out of how, almost in complete contrast to her stalwart side, Nadine always had a soft spot for children, especially babies. He chuckled to himself as he recalled an awkward moment a few weeks ago when Nadine came across what she had thought was a lost little fox kit, but was startled to hear a surprisingly deep, and particularly indignant, voice come from what turned out to be an adult fennec fox.

"Something amusing, Wolford?" Fangmeyer asked, still in a cooing voice, addressing him while focusing on the now smiling baby in her arms.

"Oh, uh, n-nuthin'," Ralph said, past experience having taught him that, baby in her arms or not, agitating the tigress was not a very wise thing to do. "But, uh, shouldn't we get going?"

"Hm?" Nadine finally looked down at the wolf in mild confusion.

"Well, the hospital isn't too far away, and I think a certain little someone," he said, smiling at the mammal that seemed so small in his partner's arms, "needs to be examined."

"...O-Oh, right."

Ralph noted the dejected look that was written all over Nadine's face, but said nothing as they went back to the car.

Elsewhere...

Eli tossed and turned in his sleep, in the throes of a nightmare. He had only started turning and whimpering in his sleep a few minutes ago, but already Judy was slowly opening his door, and looking in with her ears drooped behind her back. She was wearing her blue nightgown, having been asleep herself.

"Judy?" Nick's sleepy voice made the grey bunny jump a little, her attention having been entirely focused on her adopted human kit. She turned to see a sleepy-eyed Nick come walking out of their bedroom, having suddenly noticed the missing rabbit almost s instantaneously as she had noticed Eli's distressed whimpers. He was dressed in a white t-shirt and green pajama bottoms.

"I think Eli's having a nightmare," Judy said, looking unsure of what to do. Nick's own ears perked up as he listened, before poking his head through the door himself, a frown appearing on his muzzle.

"Poor guy." He took a few steps into Eli's room.

"Nick!" Judy called in a whisper, making the red fox turn to look at her. "What are you doing?"

"Going to wake him up," Nick answered, matter-of-factly.

"Wait, what?" Judy said, wincing as her voice rose just a little too loudly. At that very moment, Eli sat straight up, wide awake. He looked around, his eyes wild and unfocused, breathing heavily. After a moment, he started to settle down, only then noticing the fox and rabbit standing before him.

"Hey there buddy," Nick said gently, taking a seat on the side of Eli's bed, looking up at him. "Have a bad dream?"

Eli looked away, a guilty look on his face. "...K-Kinda... was I loud?"

"Well no, but your mom's got those adorable large ears though, so of course she would come running." Nick did not turn, knowing full well that Judy was giving him a stern look. Eli smiled.

"Sorry for waking you guys up..."

"Eli, that's alright," Judy said as she stepped up to the bed and hopped up, to give her kit a hug. "Would you like to talk about your dream, sweetie?"

"Uhm... n-no..." Eli looked away. Judy frowned as she released her hug. Before she could speak, Nick already started.

"Hey now, buddy," he reached up to rest a paw on the human boy's shoulder, "you can tell your mother and I anything. You know that, right?"

Eli looked between Nick and Judy, a small smile forming. He nodded.

"I know... it's just..."

"Just what, buddy?"

"It's just... every time I start talking about my life... you know, before coming here... j-mom and you... you both start to get a little worried."

"And did this dream have something to do with another bad memory?" Nick asked perceptively.

"...Y-Yes."

"Well, that's a parent's job," the red fox explained. Eli shifted uncomfortably.

"...Okay..."

Meanwhile...

"It's rather difficult to gauge the passage of time in this padded cell I find myself still stuck within," Edwin mumbled to himself as though he were speaking into his tape recorder.

"So far, I have yet to have any further correspondence with my unknown ally. I cannot explain enough how much I detest being at the mercy of others. Still, I must be patient. My time shall come, of this I am quite certain, and then I can resume my research into the human creatures," the armadillo said quietly, his left eye beginning to twitch. His ears twitched a little as, at that moment, he heard a very audible click come from the door to his room. He watched with bated breath as the door swung open into a dark hall.

"Doctor Shellison," a voice whispered huskily from the gloom, "we have to go now." Without his glasses, Edwin could only make out a rough shape of the mammal who was freeing him. And the voice was too hoarse for him to determine anything either. But still, he smiled, and scurried after them, right past a grizzly bear orderly, in his white scrubs, clearly passed out on the floor.

Wonderful! Truly wonderful! I knew that there would be those who would see the truth! Edwin thought to himself, bigting back the hysterical laughter that wanted so desperately to escape his lips.

Back at St. Marten's...

"Uhm, Officer Fangmeyer?" a chipmunk nurse in pink scrubs called out to the waiting room as she entered, quickly noticing the tigress nearby. Nadine had been waiting by the doors ever since she had to hand over the baby human to a pediatrician earlier. The alpaca doctor had to practically pry Nadine's arms apart to get at the little mammal, whom the tigress seemed so reluctant to let go. From how much the baby had squirmed and reached out for her, it was apparent that the feeling was quite mutual.

"Is something wrong?" Nadine asked, her voice filled with worry. Ralph picked that moment to return from the vending machines.

"The doctor is just finishing up his examination, and so far she seems to be completely healthy. You can go in now to see her, if you'd like." the tigress was already heading down the hall, her ears following the sound of baby babble. The first door she looked into, she spotted the baby and smiled. She was no longer bundled up in the grungy blanket, and instead was just laying on a padded table in nothing but a diaper. The moment her deep brown eyes spotted Nadine, she smiled and started reaching for her.

"It would seem that she's already gotten quite attached to you, Officer," the doctor joked, noticing that it seemed that the baby wasn't the only one, as the tigress was quick to scoop her back up into her arms.

"So how is she, doc?" Nadine asked just as Ralph stepped through the door, that knowing smile on his muzzle as he watched his partner cradle the human infant, who started pawing at her shiny badge.

"Well, for the most part, she seems to be perfectly healthy, at least based on what information about humans I have to go on. I would say that she's around sixteen months old."

"Wait... what do you mean by for the most part?" Nadine asked, her ears laying flat atop her head.

"It would seem that she's a little malnourished... also, there's some bruising on her legs, but those appear to be fading."

"Are you telling me that a sixteen-month-old was starved and beaten?!" Nadine's voice had a hard edge to it. Upon hearing that, the baby began to whimper and fuss. This made the tigress turn her attention back to the little one, and resume her soft cooing.

"It's okay, it's all going to be okay," she said, starting to rock her arms. The baby started to settle down, her thumb finding its way into her mouth.

Oh boy, Wolford thought to himself, this is going to make dealing with the Child Protective Services mammals a lot more difficult.

He looked on at the tigress, who was clearly smitten by the tiny sleeping figure she was still cradling and rocking. Despite this thought, his smile remained and his tail started to wag.

Back at the Hopps Residence...

Nick watched from the bed as Judy entered the bedroom, letting out a great tired yawn.

"Eli back asleep?" he asked, to which the bunny nodded, slipping back under the covers and snuggling up close against him. He smiled, and curled a little, protectively, around her.

"...It really just isn't fair..." His eyes had started to droop until he heard her dejected voice.

"What isn't fair, Carrots?"

"...It's not fair that, although he's now living in a stable and loving home, Eli's still clearly affected by those past emotional scars," Judy said.

"...I know what you mean. To think that anyone would just leave a little kit all alone by the side of the road is just... unforgivable. And something like that's bound to stick in their psyche."

"I'm just so worried about him, Nick," Judy said, curling up even more.

"Like I said earlier, that's part of the job of a parent."

"I know... I think..."

"What is it?"

"I think that maybe Eli should see a psychologist..."

"...You do?" Nick asked, feeling Judy nod her head, before she uncurled herself and turned to look into his eyes.

"He just carries so much inside, and you heard him say how reluctant he is to tell us. Maybe seeing a therapist could really help him."

"...I think that you're absolutely right, Carrots," the red fox said, his smile sincere as he hugged her close.

"You don't think that he would... hate me... for sending him to one?"

"There is no way that Eli could ever hate you. You can see it in his eyes that, as far as moms go, he hit the jackpot." That brought a smile to Judy's muzzle.

"You're not too bad yourself in the parental arts, Slick," Judy said, reaching up to plant a kiss on Nick's cheek.

"Well of course I'm a true natural to it, I have had quite a long time as a practice father after all."

"Do you mean when you were pretending to be a father for your cute little scam?" Judy asked with a smirk.

"The one that you completely fell for? Hook-line-and sinker? Oh definitely," Nick said with a light chuckle while Judy rolled her eyes.

"So, how about this," Nick said, adjusting himself while Judy adjusted herself so that they were facing each other.

"I'm listening," she said, the smile still playing at her lips.

"Tomorrow, we both have a little sit down with Eli, and then gently suggest that we find someone that he'd be more comfortable talking to about his feelings and all of that. Sound like a plan to you?"

"Hmmm," Judy pretended to think it over. "I think that you might be onto something there, Slick," she said before reaching over to give him another kiss on the cheek, then letting out another yawn.

"Well, of course I do," Nick said, his eyes closing just as Judy's were.

"Besides," he continued, "I got a friend who's an excellent discount child psychologist."

Judy's eyes shot wide open at that.

"Just kidding, Carrots," he said with a smirk, not once opening his eyes, just as she opened her mouth to complain. Judy instead rolled her eyes and snuggled in closer to him.

"Dumb fox," she said in a sleepy voice.

"Sly bunny," came his reply, as he wrapped his arms around her once more.

And there you have it, folks! I do hope that you enjoyed the new chapter, and will leave a review! Also, be sure to check out my short story, A Little Crush, over on Fictionpress.com. I go by the name Elite Shade there. And of course, I have to thank my good friend, Trismegistus Shandy, for proofreading my story! Be sure to go read their stories on TGStorytime.com!