Disclaimer: sighs really, this is getting dull, gets glared at by many many lawyers yeah yeah yeah, I know, I know. Look folks, I don't own anyone or anything in this fic, except the idea, Jeff and Toma-su. So don't sue me, you wouldn't get anything anyways.

Chapter 8: Restless Sleep

Jeff returns home and flips on the light, flinging his coat on the nearby chair. What happened earlier at the restaurant is still bugging him. The way that he mentioned the weird stuff that had happened, and all of a sudden it was like he was sitting at the table with three totally different people then the ones he'd gotten to know over the last couple of days. Okay, maybe not TOTALLY different, but still, the look in Yusuke's eyes when he told him what that 'Toma-su' guy had said is still in his head.

Jeff shrugs, he was probably just tired. Today had been just a little stressful to put things lightly. After a good night's sleep, things would seem a lot more sensible. He chuckles at himself, 'Well, it's not like things can get any more screwy.' He yawns before heading to the bedroom, deciding that there isn't much else that he can do. He flips off his shoes and clicks off the light, flopping facedown on the pillow. After a while, he drifts into sleep.

He opens his eyes, but there's some kind of light obscuring his vision. The pale red light isn't really overpowering; it's more like a curtain, kept in place by an unseen rod. He looks around as much as possible and sees that beyond the curtain of light there is only pitch-blackness. Looking straight up though, he notices two red orbs of fiery ice. He then realizes that the orbs are eyes, attached to a body that seems to tower over him. Indeed, the body is so huge that the thing is actually holding him in one of its arms without any difficulty. He gulps a little and the curtain dissipates, leaving nothing between him and the thing that was still mostly in shadow. He sees the thing move it's lips, but no sound comes out. A bright flash of light comes over him and he blacks out. The last thing he sees is what looks like a glowing third eye.

When he opens his eyes again, the scenery is very different. For one thing, there was a lot more light. He snaps his eyes shut before opening them more slowly. He looks around and tries to move, only to find his body unresponsive. He panics a bit and looks around. What he sees only confuses him more. Bars of wood lie what seems like feet away from his head. Beyond the bars he sees an oddly familiar looking house, the door to the room he's in is open and he can see into what seems to be the kitchen. "So, you're awake."

Jeff jolts inwardly at the sound and tries to look around to find its source. He looks directly above him and would gape if he could. That was him standing there, looking about five years old and yet strangely disproportioned. Then he realizes. This 'him's' head was twice the size of his own. Seeing that he was unable to say anything, the look alike scoffs a bit "I can't believe we used to be one and the same. Well, see you later." With that, the look-alike turns around and walks out silently, only at the last minute noticed by a small boy, no older then three, that came out of the kitchen. The boy stares at the look-alike before running over to his wooden prison and peering in. After that, the boy runs into the kitchen, and somehow Jeff can hear what he says "Mommy! Mommy! I just saw a big Jeffy walk right out the door!"

A female voice answers with a sigh "Yes Johnny, I'm sure you did. Now go wash up, Mommy's almost done with dinner."

If they could've, Jeff's eyes would've widened to the size of dinner plates. Things finally made a little sense, though really all it did was confuse him more. This was his house! That was his brother and mom! And that boy must have been Toma-su! But why was he there? What did he mean by 'we used to be one and the same'? The bright light came again but this time he stays aware. He sees countless nights where he'd see a flicker of a shadow in a tree outside, or a flash of color out of the corner of his eye at school. What did it all mean? He somehow knew he was dreaming, but the dream was far to real for it just to be a simple dream. What was his mind trying to tell him? It was frustrating beyond all words, to know that you know something important, and yet, be unable to reach at it. Suddenly the flickers stop on one single image. A very recent one. The image where he had seen Hiei and Toma-su stand side-by-side for the first time. This time though it seems as if, instead of just cornering him, their very presence was cutting him off from the life that he knew and enjoyed. Blinded by confusion, frustration and anger, he charges them, only to be consumed by the light again, one word being pronounced loudly and clearly in his head. 'Rememeber.'

Jeff sits straight up, breathing heavily. He looks around cautiously; almost afraid of what he would see. He is back in his room. He takes a couple of steadying breaths before looking at the clock that lays on the nightstand nearby. Big bold red numbers glared the time 3:30 right back at him.

He mentally curses before sighing and throwing the blankets that his feet at somehow gotten tangled up in off. He knows there's no way that he'll be going back to sleep for a while, so he decides 'to hell with it' and decides to take a shower. He unconsciously goes to the closet and whips the door open, almost berating himself, since it's not like he packed a suitcase or anything, but instead finds it fully stocked with school uniforms and other clothes.

He cocks his head a bit in surprise 'Huh, when Mister Koenma says he's going to take care of you, I guess he really means it.' Grabbing the first shirt and pants he saw that weren't part of a school uniform he goes around and gathers the rest of what he'll need, almost getting slightly ticked. 'Geez, I hope he doesn't expect me to work off my gratitude, I'll be working for him forever!'

He sighs, then goes into the bathroom and gets his shower ready. Even as he does all this, a portion of his mind still lingers on the dream. 'Did it really mean anything? And if yes, what?' It wanders back to a little earlier today 'Today I'm going to find out what the others know, if it'll help me in the least, I deserve to know!'