Note: This takes place when Jim was 7 or 8.


The sound of harsh breathing and growls woke Jim up. He sat up in bed and rubbed at his eyes sleepily. The room was dark, except for a faint glow coming through the window. He frowned looking around until he was able to see where the noises were coming from.

It was Toby.

In the dim grow of Jim's nightlight, he could see that his friend's face was all scrunched up.

He must be having a nightmare, He realized. Jim had those sometimes.

He pushed his blankets off and slid his legs out of bed. He needed to wake him up. Then Jim would give him a hug and tell him it was okay, like his Mom did for him.

Toby let out a sharp gasp and whimpered, curling into a tight ball. His hands clenched tightly.

Jim reached out and gently grabbed his shoulder.

"Toby wake up!"

That turned out to be a mistake.

In an instant Toby's eyes opened and he shot out of his curled position like a snapped rubber band. His bared teeth glinted in the dim light and his eyes seemed to be glowing.

Jim didn't get a chance to react before Toby lunged.


Toby felt his fist connect with something. It gave way easily and he braced himself for the returning blow. Except it didn't come.

The haze of fear and anger faded and Toby finally realized he was in the blue darkness of a bedroom, not the sickly green of the Darklands.

He frowned in confusion.

What had he hit?

A sob broke through the last of the haze from the nightmare. Toby realized that Jim was in front of him. The fleshbag whelp was sprawled awkwardly against his bed, holding his nose. Even with his inferior human senses Toby could smell the blood that was dripping between the boy's fingers. Jim whimpered again and tears leaked out of his eyes.

Toby's eyes widened and he took a step back. His hands shook.

He didn't… he hadn't meant to… to hurt him.

His thoughts derailed as Jim let out a louder sob –though still distorted by his damaged nose.

The bedroom door opened and Dr. Lake burst in.

"What happened?"

Her eyes fell on her injured son and she immediately rushed to his side.

Fear overshowed concern and Toby cowered. This wasn't going to end well for him. He had to get out of here.


Barbara hadn't been expecting to wake up to her son with a bloody nose at three in the morning.

"Come on Jim," She said, gently tugging at his hands. "Let me see it."

He reluctantly let go and she immediately felt a sympathetic pang in her chest. It looked like it wasn't out of place but given the red discoloration, it was definitely going to swell and be painful.

"Okay, we're going to go downstairs and put some ice on that." She picked him up and turned to the other boy. "Toby…"

But he was gone.

Barbara frowned. Where…?

Jim let a hiccupping sob drawing her attention back to him. She drew in a slow breath as she rubbed his back soothingly. She would take care of him first and then go looking for Toby. Hopefully he hadn't gone far.

Unfortunately she had no such luck.

By the time she got done taking care of Jim, Toby was still nowhere to be seen. A quick search revealed that he was not in the house.

Barbara returned to the living room where Jim was sitting on the couch holding an icebag to his nose and halfheartedly watching a movie. At the sound of her footsteps he quickly turned around.

"Where's Toby?" Jim asked, voice nasally and slurred.

"I don't know," Barbara said, keeping her voice level, despite the rising fear. "Can you tell me what happened?"

She settled on the couch beside Jim, wincing again at the sight of his nose.

"I woke up and… and Toby was having a nightmare… So I tried to wake him up… then…" Jim's face screwed up and his lip quivered. "Then he punched me."

Barbara frowned. That was concerning.

"Is… is Toby in trouble?" Asked Jim quietly.

Barbara sighed and reached out to brush his hair back from his face.

"No… It sounds like he didn't mean to hurt you, but I will need to talk to him." Jim nodded slowly. "First I have to find him."

Soon too. It wasn't safe to be out at night, especially in Arcadia. According to the police there was a nasty epidemic of rabies going around the local raccoon population.

"I'm going to call Nancy and you can stay with her while I look for Toby."

"But…"

"No buts," Barbara said gently but firmly as she stood up. "You're hurt and I don't want to lose you in the woods."

With any luck Toby would be at Nancy's and she wouldn't have to run around in the woods either.

Luck, of course, was not on her side.

Toby was not back at his house, so, with great trepidation, Barbara left Jim in Nana's care while she ventured into the forest.

"Toby?"

Her cries fell dead in the stillness of the forest. Barbara shivered. Something about night in Arcadia always felt a little creepy to her. She'd thought about moving once or twice, especially since Jim was born, but had never been able to scrape up the energy or money to actually do anything about it.

"Toooooby!" She called out again.

Still nothing.

This wasn't good.

Ahead of her she heard a rustling in the bushes.

"Toby?"


Toby had taken refuge in a small thicket. Initially he had planned to go home, but he had no doubt Dr. Lake would find him there. He didn't really want to involve Nana in this.

Things had been going so well. Jim was actually tolerable company… for a human… And Dr. Lake had accepted his presence around the house easily enough.

He doubted she would anymore.

He looked down at his fist. Even in his troll form Jim's blood was still on his knuckles. He almost licked it off but stopped himself, opting to wipe it off in the thick moss instead.

He sighed and leaned against the tree beside him.

What now?

He couldn't stay out here forever… Well physically speaking he could, but the Janus Order would be pissed. They would find him and kill him if he deserted his post.

If he remembered correctly killing children was illegal among humans. If he waited until she calmed down a bit Dr. Lake probably wouldn't kill him. He would still get a beating though.

She seemed pretty fair, maybe she'd let him off with a few blows? A busted nose for a busted nose? He hadn't meant to hurt Jim after all…

But that didn't change the fact that he had… and in their own house too.

How long would be optimal to hide out then? Nana would be worried…

"Toby?"

Toby flinched at Dr. Lake's voice and rose to a crouch, ears pressing back.

"Toooooby!"

The changeling blinked. She didn't sound mad. If anything she sounded concerned.

Toby moved to all fours and peered out of his hiding place. Barbara was bumbling about the forest in her pajamas, walking shoes, and a coat. Her hair was down for once, which was really weird. Her brows where furrowed but there was no aggression in her posture. He sniffed the air trying to catch her scent. He could smell the sweet tang of fear and bitter anxiety but none of sharp pungent aroma that accompanied anger.

Was she looking for him because she was worried about him?

There was a crackle of something moving about further into the woods.

Barbara shined her flashlight toward it.

"Toby?"

Whatever it was wasn't him, but there was a strong scent of goblins in the area. The changeling flicked his ears indecisively.

Barbara took a step in the direction of the sound. Toby grimaced, he shifted back to human.

"Dr. Lake?" He called hesitantly.

He didn't move out from his hiding place. Just because he didn't want her to get eaten by goblins didn't mean he was willing to risk her anger just yet. The thicket he was wedged in would be too tight for an adult to enter so he would be able to escape if it turned out he was reading her wrong.

"Toby!"

Barbara hurried over to him. Toby flinched as the flashlight hit him in the eyes.

"There you are!" She crouched down to peer into the bushes. "You scared me."

Toby eyed her warily.

The human frowned and her eyes studied him.

"You're all scratched up," She said. She offered a hand. "Come on. Jim's over at your house. We can get you patched up there."

Toby stayed firmly where he was.

Barbara sighed.

"I'm not mad," She said. "Jim told me what happened. You had a nightmare. It was an accident, right?"

Toby nodded slowly, keeping an eye on her outstretched arm.

Barbara glanced at her own hand and then lowered it to rest on her knee.

"Come on," She said. Standing up and moving back from the entrance. "It's late. Time for you to get to bed."

Toby hesitated a moment longer. He would have to come out eventually and Barbara clearly wasn't leaving without him.

Toby crawled out.

"Where are your shoes?"

"I forgot them…" He'd been in a bit of a panic.

Barbara extended her arms to him.

"I can carry you back," She offered.

He couldn't smell very well in this form, but her fists weren't clenched and her posture was open. Now that he was a bit calmer, he could feel how sore his feet were. If he damaged them further it would be a pain to wait for them to heal. Toby nodded slowly.

He couldn't quite suppress his flinch when she picked him up, but when no pain came he relaxed a little.

Barbara let out a quiet breath and brushed her hand across his hair.

"Please don't run away next time," She said as she retrieved her flashlight and started to walk. "Your Nana and I were very worried."

"Okay," Toby said quietly.

She was warm, he thought. Cautiously he let his head rest against her shoulder.

Soon they emerged from the woods onto the short neat grass of Toby's lawn. Yellow light spilled from window. Barbara flicked off her flashlight.

"Can you hold this for me?" She asked offering it to Toby.

He nodded and released one of his hands from around her shoulders to grab it.

Barbara opened the door and entered.

"I found him," She called out softly.

Immediately he was swept out of Barbara's arms into his Nana's. She turned his head this way and that, peering at him through her thick lenses. Toby put up with the prodding with a huff.

"I'm fine Nana!"

She pulled him into a crushing hug. Her smell of raisins, pie, and instant coffee surrounded him.

"Oh! I'm so glad you're alright, Toby-pie. Don't do that again!"

Toby awkwardly patted her back.

"Okay. Sorry, Nana."

"Toby?"

Toby looked over Nana's shoulder to see Jim emerging from the living room dragging his blanket with him. His noses was a fierce red and still had some crusty blood under it.

Toby grimaced. He tugged on Nana's arm and she let go of him.

Toby hesitantly walked over to Jim. He stopped a few steps away.

"I'm sorry for hitting you Jim," He said, studying the dirty rag rug on the kitchen floor.

Something collided with him and he let out a yelp, stepping back to catch his balance.

It was Jim. The boy wrapped his arms around him.

"I forgive you," He said. "I'm sorry that I scared you when you were having a nightmare."

Toby blinked. Right. That was what started this.

"That's okay," He said, cautiously patting his… friend's?... back. "Thank you for trying to help me."

He glanced over at the adults. They were smiling at them. Toby grimaced, feeling awkward suddenly. He tried to pull apart from Jim but the boy clung to him.

"Come on, Jim," He whined. "I'm tired."

Jim held on for a moment longer and then let go.

"Okay… Are you coming back to my house?"

Toby grimaced. After what happened he wasn't really comfortable with that.

Barbara must have picked up on it.

"I think we've had enough excitement for the night. How about we sleep in our own houses and then have breakfast together?"

"Can Nana make breakfast?" Jim asked.

Toby snorted. Barbara looked taken aback. After a moment she closed her mouth and a wry grin tugged at her lips.

"Nancy?"

"I think that can be arranged," Nana said, coming over to rest her hands on Toby's shoulders.

She gave them a little squeeze and he looked up. She smiled at him. He gave her a hesitant one back.

"That sounds good," Barbara said. "Come here, Jim."

Jim yawned and walked over to Barbara who picked him up.

"Bye, Toby," He said, waving over Barbara's shoulder. "I'll see you tomorrow!"

Toby waved back.

"Come along. Let's get you to bed," Nana said, taking his hand.

Toby followed her quietly up the stairs. They stopped by the bathroom to wipe his feet off and patch up his scratches, then they went to his room.

Toby crawled into bed and Nana pulled the sheets over him.

"Sleep well, Toby-pie," She said kissing his head.

Something in Toby's throat tightened.

She turned toward the door, flicking his lights off.

"Nana?"

She paused and turned back to toward him. His heart sped up, thumping wetly in his chest.

"Would you…" love me if I wasn't your grandson?

He couldn't get the last bit out.

"Would you turn the nightlight on?" He asked instead.

"Of course!"

Nana leaned over slowly and flicked the little amethyst nightlight on. It cast lavender shapes on the walls.

"Good night dear!" She said closing the door partway.

"Good night Nana…"

Toby rolled onto his back and stared up at the ceiling, thinking through the day's events. He had hurt Jim but he and Dr. Lake had both forgiven him. He hadn't been punished at all.

Dr. Lake had even risked going out in the woods at night to look for him and carried him back, even though he wasn't her child.

Nana may care about him because she thought he was her grandchild but Jim and Dr. Lake had never known his familiar. Which meant…

That they cared about Toby. Toby himself, not his heart clenched strangely in his chest. He rolled over and pressed his face into his pillow.

He thought of Barbara's warm arms as she carried him home and Jim hugging him and forgiving him.

It made him feel warm and tight and light and heavy all at once.


Author Notes:

Toby has a lot of PTSD and other issues from his first childhood in the Darklands.
There were a few Gumm Gumm mothers in the Darklands and Toby has seen exactly what happened to anyone who harmed their whelps. As a result he views mothers as a terrifying force of nature.

Barbara decided not to ask to much that night because of how scared Toby was, but she tries to find out a bit more of what brought this on later. Based off how he's acting she's worried that a teacher or other adult hurt him at some point. Naturally she finds nothing.

This is when Toby first starts to view the Lakes as family.

Jim learns to be careful about waking Toby up as a result of this. By the time of the main story Toby is mostly safe to wake up but he has relapses sometimes when he's stressed or if he's just had a nightmare.

Let me know if you think I should add any chapter warnings.