Tobias had the running dream again that night. He was in the city again, sprinting through alleyways, across rooftops, the fastest thing in the world. Nobody could have caught him. Nobody could have stopped him. He was free.

But there was something dark just behind him - not a person, not a creature, but a cloud - like the world itself was turning black. It was moving, too - and try as he might, Tobias was always moving just a little... bit... slower.

The thief awoke with a start, sunlight dappling directly onto his face. Hell, whoever'd put that window there had really not been considering late-risers. [i]Where am I who am I what is happening?[/i]

The previous day's events crashed back to Tobias all at once. The attack, the death, the murder, the second attack, the hell-hound... Fiona sending him off to bed like an infant... all of it played across his mind in an instant. There weren't supposed to be days after days like that. Everything was supposed to be very quiet, and serious. You weren't supposed to have to wake up, get dressed, go to the bathroom, eat breakfast.

Tobias's stomach had evidently not been informed of that, as it grumbled nonetheless. He readied himself quickly and proceeded down the stairs to where a massive breakfast awaited him. The thief put his head down, did his level best not to be noticed (something he was good at, when he wanted to be), piled a plate with eggs, sausage, and two or three cut up red apples, and moved to an empty table to eat.