Chapter 2 The Bad Dream

That evening, they stayed in the zoo infirmary. The vet felt sorry for them when they explained they'd just gotten into town and didn't have a place to stay yet.

"Jeff?" Bogg said as he settled into the narrow bed, his leg propped up on 2 pillows.

"Yeah?" Jeff answered.

Phineas paused, "Thanks for pulling me out," he said, and Jeff noticed his voice was a little unsteady.

"Thanks for getting between me and those dogs," Jeff answered, wondering why Bogg seemed so shaken up. It had been a very scary experience, that was true, but he had seen Bogg in so many dangerous situations, that he'd come to expect him to take them in stride.

Phineas took a deep breath and tried to relax, "I've seen what wild dogs can do, I had to protect you."

"What does the omni say?" Jeff asked.

Bogg smiled, "guess I better look," he answered and took it off his belt. "Sydney, Australia, 1969, green light."

"Good. I guess helping that guy get out of there did it," Jeff answered. Phineas didn't answer, so Jeff settled down to sleep.

Jeff awoke with a start. The full moon shown into the room and he realized Bogg was sitting up in bed breathing hard.

"What's wrong?" he asked as he quickly moved to Bogg's side.

"Dan, no don't," Bogg said, his voice out of breath, "Danny!"

"Bogg, wake up!" Jeff shouted, shaking his shoulders.

"Huh?" Bogg answered, still breathing hard, "What?"

"It's okay," Jeff told him anxiously, "it was just a dream".

Bogg paused and looked around, "Jeff, you okay?"

"Yeah, you had a bad dream is all," he repeated.

Bogg's breathing slowed and he calmed down, "oh, okay, sorry."

"Put your leg back up on the pillows," Jeff told him as he switched on a lamp and picked the pillows up off the floor. He moved to put them under his partner's leg.

"Yeah okay," Bogg answered, "how's your hand?"

"Just a scratch, don't worry about me."

After Bogg's leg was back on the pillows, Jeff turned back to face him. Bogg was wiping the sweat off his forehead with his sleeve. "Must've been some dream," Jeff said, hoping Bogg would want to talk about it.

"Yeah, that hasn't happened in a long time. Sorry I woke you up," Bogg apologized.

"After all the times I woke you up with my nightmares?" Jeff began, "you don't have to apologize."

Phineas lay back down and sighed. "That's not the first time I've had a run in with wild dogs," he explained. "I guess it brought back some bad memories."

"What happened?" Jeff asked.

Bogg shook his head, "I'll tell you when you're older," he whispered.

Jeff looked at him in frustration, he didn't want to pressure Bogg, but it infuriated him when Bogg assumed he was too young to understand something. "I'm old enough to understand anything you can tell me," he said defiantly.

"To understand it, yes, just not old enough to hear it," Bogg answered.

"That doesn't make any sense," Jeff said angrily.

Bogg paused, "it's the best I can do," he said with finality.

Jeff sat beside him angrily, but after a few minutes he realized his anger had dissipated. Then another thought occurred to him.

"Bogg?"

"Yeah?"

"It must've taken a lot more courage than usual to fight off those dogs if such a bad thing happened in your past," Jeff said quietly.

Bogg smiled to himself. Just hearing Jeff's voice was comforting, and hearing those words put a lump in his throat. He swallowed before he answered, "well I had to protect you, didn't I?"

Jeff leaned down and put his arms around Bogg and gave him a hug.

As Jeff sat back up, Bogg spoke again, "how about we try to get some sleep, okay?"

"Okay," Jeff said and went back to his cot.