"Mina," the fox reminded him as he started the engine.

How was it possible that he wouldn't be living down something that hadn't even happened? Just the notion that it did in his head seemed to entertain Fiona to no end.

"And?" he sighed, "It was a dream." Marcus proclaimed as he backed the town car out of the garage.

"That bad, huh?"

"Bad, good, I can't figure it out. Do you have any idea what it's like to feel like you've lived a day that you know you haven't?"

"That doesn't make any sense."

"I know!" Marcus retorted in frustration. "I know. I have all these memories jammed into my head that weren't there yesterday, from a day that feels like it happened but didn't."

"And how did it happen?" she asked with a hint of genuine curiosity. "Mina," she added for good measure in case it hadn't been obvious enough as to what she was getting at.

"It didn't, it was a dream," he felt the need to repeat himself.

"Just didn't picture her as your type I guess."

"What's my type?" he felt the need to ask.

"Someone more complicated."

"That's a bit harsh, don't you think?"

"She's a free spirit and avoids conflict at almost all cost."

"She's resilient, funny, and we have more in common than I thought."

"How do you know that?"

My dream… okay so maybe I don't know her, but it feels like I do.

"Why is my dream so interesting to you?"

"You keep using that word," the fox pointed out as he turned into the morning traffic. "Dream. Is that to convince yourself, or me?"

"Me," he admitted.

"So how did it happen in your dream then?"

He traded glances with her and the road, trying to gauge how serious the question was.

"Something just clicked," Marcus opted for the abridged version of the story, but felt the need to relinquish more as whatever guilt he had been feeling began to vanish with each word he spoke. "We traded stories, sang a few songs. Didn't take us long to realize that we were not as different as I thought. The rest… well that just kind of happened."

There was nothing but silence and the rumble of the tires on the road.

"Say something," he practically begged the vixen.

"Why does it bother you?"

"What?"

"You think I'm teasing you because she's a Mobian, I'm not," Fiona pointed out, "but that's what you think, and that's what's bothering you."

Marcus felt around for words but couldn't come up with any before the fox continued, "Does she make you happy?"

Marcus sighed, unsure of how to explain himself, "My whole life I've grown up with expectations. Act this way, stand up straight," he mocked in an overly adult voice. "I was told in no certain terms that I would eventually find myself a 'nice' girl. My parents expected me to find someone who was successful as they were sure I was going to be. They never had to specify that this girl was going to be human. That part was always a forgone conclusion to them."

The vixen didn't seem to be phased by his story, "and where are your parents now?"

"Who knows?" he shrugged.

"Then why do you care what they think?"

"Mina asked me the same question," he laughed. "In my dream anyway."

"Maybe she's smarter than I thought," the fox smiled back at him. "So, what did you tell her in this dream of yours?"

"That it's hard not to because the world cares what they think."

Fiona nodded, "Sounds like a Marcus answer."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means you're being honest with everyone but yourself."

"Aren't we all?" he retorted quickly. "You want revenge, go as far to seek it out in your free time, but you never really get anywhere."

The vixen's eyes narrowed considerably, daring him to choose his next words carefully.

"You're scared of what you'll do when you find him. You told me not to let the person I work for infect who I am, but you're worried it's already too late for that, so you drag your feet just enough that you won't cross paths. I know you, Fiona, I've seen what you can do. If you really wanted to find this guy you could…"

Whether he was saying that to make himself feel better about hiding that man's location from her was another thing altogether. Not that it mattered, Ixis made it clear Fiona was not to find out anything if he could help it, and when it came down to it, Marcus was more scared of Naugus than he was Fiona.

"It's hard to change," the fox hung her head in agreement. "I guess we're both running away from the things we want. Maybe one day, I'll be strong enough to find the man who killed my parents, and maybe one day you'll want more than some dolled up barbie your parents set you up with. Until then at least we can be honest with each other, if not ourselves."

The kid nodded in reply.

"Mina, she's sweet, if a bit blissfully ignorant. I've never seen anyone work so hard at staying happy. In a way, she's perfect for you."

"Do I suddenly have your approval for the content of my nightshade induced visions?"

The fox chuckled, "I guess maybe I'm a little jealous."

Marcus couldn't help but stare at his passenger. The cars behind him began to honk as the light in front of him turned green.

"Jealous of what?" he wanted to know as he raced ahead to escape the angry drivers.

"I enjoy our friendship, not sure I'm ready to share."

That was the type of blunt response he could never see coming. Silence filled the cabin.

"This is the part where you say, 'I enjoy it too'," she added with a wry smile.

"I do," he insisted, "but maybe neither of us should spend this much time worrying about something that hasn't actually happened?"

"You've spent a lot of time reminding us both of that, but none saying that you didn't enjoy yourself."

She's got me there, he stared blankly ahead as he pulled up to Ixis' house.

"It's okay," she smiled her devilish smile, "I'll be happy for you when something does finally happen."

"Don't you mean if?"

"You tell me."

He wanted to reply, but his boss beat him to it, "Fiona," Ixis said with a grumble as he approached the car, "how nice of you to join us."

"Just cracking the whip and keeping Marcus on schedule," she replied after rolling down the window.

Marcus found himself racing to the outside of the car to arrive just in time to see that Naugus had already seated himself. Collecting himself, he returned to his post behind the wheel.

"That's all well and good, but I'm going to be needing you for something other than your supervisor skills."

"Just say the word, boss," the vixen replied coolly.

"This city still has two Dominion agents left who think it's fun to play games with my family. Find them."

"And?"

"Nothing more… for now. I need time to figure out how I'm going to make them disappear without raising any more suspicion than we already have."

Without so much as a goodbye, the fox was gone. It was her tradition. Gone without a word, her shadow melding into the nothing of the red glow of the rising sun.

Ixis had it all wrong. Making them disappear is no different than sweeping the problem under the rug. It won't go away, just out of sight.

"I know it's not my place, but it seems like fear works better," he found himself speaking aloud.

"What?" Ixis grumbled.

His dream had taught him a few things. The Dominion agents they were after were still human. They were afraid. Not just of Ixis, but Fiona. If Naugus wanted something from them, killing them probably wouldn't help him get it.

"The last guy, he spilled everything because he was afraid. You should make these last two guys just as afraid."

"If they're not afraid already, that's their problem."

"Sir, I'm not sure what you want from them, but my guess is they probably can't give it to you if they're dead. Scare them enough and they'll come to you, begging to make it stop."

He could see the man mull the plan over in his head, "you have a point."

Marcus knew better than to say thank you.