Hanging By A Moment

Summary: The Dark Hand have all been round up and Valmont is facing a 15 year prison service. But he can't get a certain child out of his mind. Throw in a little age spell and an assassin, and you've got some Jade/Valmont fluff. Songfic, Hanging by a Moment

Pairings: Jade/Valmont. I know, I know. I even disgust myself. Oh yeah, and a mention of Jackie/Viper. :-P

Disclaimer: Don't own Jackie Chan Adventures. I don't own the song "Hanging by a Moment," either, I just shamelessly use it.

A/N: Pfff… I should have seen this coming. Due to the new rule, I'm not supposed to have a second chapter for author's notes. But I don't want to lose what reviews I have (hehe, by the way, thanks everyone!) so I'm just splitting the story into two short parts. ::shrug:: No biggie. This first part is super short, you can read it as a prologue or introduction.

Added 1/13/04: ::looks at old summary and barfs:: Oh my god, I can't believe I wrote that. How did I get any readers? Maybe the intrigue-factor… -_- Well, I changed it slightly, hopefully to inform people about the fic/protest that I'm not a sicko.

Desperate for changing

Starving for truth

Closer to where I started

Chasing after you

Valmont tossed and turned on the narrow, dirty cot in his jail cell. He couldn't sleep. Why not? He should be sleeping like a baby now, his blissful dreams filled with the thought of freedom. For the prospective life-sentence had been reduced to 15 years. 10 if he was good.

It was nothing short of a miracle, really, Valmont mused as he sat up on the cot, abandoning all hopes of sleep. That lawyer had been like a gift from God. And maybe it had been a gift. A message. When he got out of here, she would be at least 20.

Jade had come to his trial, of course. She followed her uncle everywhere, and Chan had to testify against him. Probably one of the reasons he'd gotten off so easily was that Chan very well couldn't talk about how Valmont had helped free an evil demon.

Valmont hadn't paid attention to Chan's testimony. Or any of the trial, as a matter of fact. He'd kept his eyes glued to her face. Jade had noticed him watching, but for once she didn't stick her tongue out, or screw up her face, or anything immature (but appropriate for her age). She'd watched him back, curiously, her eyes full of innocence. Valmont had forced himself to look away.

I'm falling even more in love with you

Letting go of all I've held onto

I'm standing here until you make me move

I'm hanging by a moment here with you

Oh, what am I doing? he moaned. This is ridiculous. I'm 31. I cannot fall in love with a child, an 11 year old child!

But he hadn't always been 31. In fact, when he'd first met Jade Chan, he was 11 years old too, and she was a prisoner of time. He'd seen her for the briefest of minutes, but had fallen for her. How foolish was that- the girl had threatened to kill him! But he hadn't been able to forget her…

For 20 years, he hadn't thought about the full implications of the fact that she was from the future. He'd merely assumed that he'd meet up with her someday, and sweep her into his arms, and everything would be perfect. He knew he'd recognize her.

Well, of course he recognized her. He'd forgotten two important things: she was from twenty years into the future. He'd only grown older, but she hadn't aged at all; in fact, she was younger than he remembered her. Of course. How could he have forgotten that?

The other thing he'd forgotten was that she hated him.

Forgetting all I'm lacking

Completely incomplete

I'll take your invitation

You take all of me

Shendu had known. He'd known everything. One of Shendu's favorite punishments was taunting Valmont about his obsession. He had taken particular pleasure explaining how Hsi Wu, the sky demon, had seduced her. Well, as far as an 11 year old can be seduced. Valmont's heart broke everytime he pictured Jade talking with Hsi Wu, laughing with Hsi Wu, asking the demon to her school's dance… how innocent. How sad. Which was exactly what Shendu had been aiming for, of course.

Then there was the time when that crazy sorcerer had turned him into a child again. He'd been as old as Jade! He would be able to grow up with her, share with her, and when the time was right, they could…

But it had come as a shock, and all he could think about was getting back to normal. It was only afterwards that he realized what he had done, what he had thrown away.

And to think, Valmont mused. If I had stayed a child, I wouldn't be here now. What a fool I was… what I wouldn't give for a second chance at life, a second chance with her.

Valmont smiled suddenly. Yes, when he got out of here, she would be in her twenties. And then, he could find a spell. A spell that might be the key to getting just what he wanted…

He wanted Jade.

Now… I'm falling even more in love with you

Letting go of all I've held onto

I'm standing here until you make me move

I'm hanging by a moment here with you