Aftermath

Chapter 1

DISCLAIMER: Yes, it's here. You can put away your lawyers now.

Notes & Dedication: An absolutely HUGE thanks go to Demyrie, who was really, really nice and patient and took time out from her own (awesome) art and writing to beta this for me! ^.^ I luff you Demz!! And this chapter is for you!! Speaking of this chapter, I would also like to say that I am actually really happy with this, even if my current efforts with chapter 2 are irritating me, chapter 1 is good. I like it, and it was fun to write, and I hope all of you like it too! ^.^

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Jak sighed. It felt good, not having to do any missions, not having to worry about the city, or the Underground, or if he was ever going to get home again... But then, he was home, wasn't he? He still needed to get used to that idea. In his mind, Sandover Village was a beacon, a beacon of safety, belonging and warmth, a home- nothing like Haven City.

If anything, Haven was marked as the complete opposite in Jak's mind. Part of him knew that he would never be able to shake the ever-present feeling of danger he instinctively associated with the cramped city. But then again, two years in prison and living as a wanted man every second after that would do that to a guy.

As for belonging... Jak glanced up and met the gaze of a young woman, a few seats down from him. As he predicted, her eyes widened and she went hurriedly back to her meal. She was probably finishing up quickly and getting ready to leave, just in case the city's hero went insane and started killing people. Hmf. He snorted bitterly.

Having the Baron spreading rumors about you, more specifically, about the effect of Dark Eco on you, would do that too. While Jak knew he was no longer in danger of going insane or whatever people seemed to believe, the chances of explaining that to your average citizen were about as good as the chances of Krew deciding to take up exercise.

Not that Krew was around anymore anyway...

But he was supposed to be relaxing. He had just finished saving the city, battling the Metalhead Leader and learning things about himself he had never known. Everyone seemed to agree that Jak should be resting.

So that's what he was trying to do. Rest.

.As soon as he remembered how.

Jak kicked his feet up and leaned back, determined that if he couldn't relax, he would at least -look- like he was relaxing. Though, if pressed, he could always claim that the noise in the Naughty Ottsel was stopping him from loosening up properly.

A kid ran past his booth, screaming at the top of his lungs while an older sibling chased him, pretending to be a Metalhead.

'The people have a right to celebrate,' Jak told himself, 'After all, the Metalheads no longer threaten the city, the Baron is gone, and Ashelin released all the prisoners back to their families. They need to celebrate- their world has been turned upside-down from all these changes, and they don't know what to do...'

It didn't make him any happier with the noise.

He was resting. He was calm, collected, relaxing and taking a weight off his body and mind. He was. Really.

------

Daxter surveyed Jak from his position behind the bar. The revelry wasn't really bothering him- he had employees to take care of any messes or problems, or any other untasteful thing that came up. Even if the Naughty Ottsel was bursting at the seams as most of the city attempted to fit inside.....

'I'll need a bigger place if this keeps up.' Daxter mused, eyeing the mounted head of Metal Kor. The huge plaque was the one thing that dragged so many people in- they needed to see the proof with their own eyes.

Jak. troubled him. Daxter had noticed that Jak seemed. restless, now that they had fulfilled their 'destiny'. That was another little thing that reminded him of the old Jak. The Jak that he had known before the Baron had sunk his claws into the young man and ripped out his soul...

Daxter shook his head. "Gettin' a tad bit ahead of ourselves there." he muttered.

But still, the old Jak, the Jak he had grown up with in Sandover Village, had known how to relax. Sure, he was always looking for new things to do or see, but he was also more than happy to lie back with Daxter and watch the cloud patterns in the sky.

Did Jak even look at the sky anymore?

Too much had changed, too fast. Daxter felt distant from him- there was a part of Jak that he didn't know, that he couldn't see, and that Jak would not show him.

Before.... before, well, -everything-, maybe even before that stupid trip to Misty Island, Daxter thought he might have been distant from Jak even then. He hadn't realized it as much, but everyone in Sandover had known Jak. Jak was strong, fast, agile, brave and intelligent- every good quality you cared to name was instantly attributed to Jak. 'Even if he didn't possess them.' Daxter thought bitterly.

And then there had been him.

No one needed to tell Daxter what they saw when they looked at him- he knew it for himself. All they saw was short, scrawny, clumsy, and his huge front teeth. Daxter figured the only reason he'd gotten noticed at all was because he was with Jak, because Jak needed him. Needed his voice.

With that thought, Daxter smiled, still watching Jak from across the room. No one had understood him, or become as close to him as Jak had. While the adults treated Daxter as an irritation, Jak treated him with genuine friendship and kindness. Where everyone else saw his bad qualities, Jak saw the good ones. Daxter could get Jak to laugh- albeit silently, but it was still laughter.

Daxter watched as Jak's eyes slipped shut, head tilting a little to the side.

It made him think of something else....

He'd heard Jak speak, for the very first time, even before Haven. When Daxter thought about it, he didn't think Jak remembered, or had even realized it at the time- but Daxter had. The first time he had heard Jak's voice, a perfect moment no one could ever take away from him.

Daxter stared vacantly across the room at Jak, letting the memory play out.

Ironically, they had been doing the fisherman's work, catching 200 pounds of fish for the lazy, over-weight.... Anyway. They, well, Jak, had been working so hard to catch the fish, concentrating on the task, and it had happened. Daxter had been watching Jak's progress, seated next to his head, when he had heard Jak mumble something.

"Almost there."

Jak had spoken.

But he never did it again. Daxter thought Jak must not have realized it, but the moment was etched in his memory forever. The first sound of Jak's voice had been solely for him.

------

Jak watched the distracted Ottsel from under all-but-closed lids. Daxter had definately been watching him for way too long now. He obviously wasn't buying the 'I'm relaxing' pose. He stretched and rose, deciding a decent drink just might help him to relax, but was forced to jump aside as the boys rolled past again, this time wrestling. Each was insisting that the other was Metal Kor, while they got to be Jak. Judging from their brief glances, Jak figured neither of them knew that -he- was Jak, and that it was probably better that way.

"Hey Dax, what's up?" he asked, approaching the bar. Daxter jumped, and Jak thought he saw a guilty look flit across his face, but he had probably imagined it.

"Uhhh, nothin' important, Jak." Daxter said.

"Uh-huh."

"Really! I was just, uhhh, thinkin' about why you don't wanna be. well, you know..."

Jak placed a hand on the Ottsel's shoulder. "C'mon Dax, what's bothering you? You can talk to me."

Daxter looked a little nervous. "Alright. But not here, lets go out back..."

Outside, Jak wrinkled his nose at the stench of the 'Drunk' toilet, where the drunks were sent to do... whatever drunks did.

"This had better be good Dax, it reeks out here."

"Yeah."

'Hmmm... No cracks about the sewers- Daxter's really worried about something.' Jak thought as he feigned un-interest.

"Uhh... Jak?"

"Still here."

Daxter seemed awfully twitchy on Jak's shoulder.

"Why don't you, well, you know..."

Jak waited.

"Why. Why don't you wanna be, well. king?"

Jak stared. Of all the things he could have guessed, this hadn't been one of them. A million responses whirled through his mind- it was crazy, unheard of, would never happen....

"Jak? Jaaaak?! Jak!"

"King? ME? Daxter, you've gotta be joking." he said, still in shock.

"Well, I dunno if they call it 'King' or if it's 'Baron', but... Well, they were talking about the Kid, you, as Mar's heir, and being on the throne and all, so I figured..."

Jak gently silenced him by placing a finger on his lips.

"Daxter, I couldn't be King or Baron or. anything. I don't know the first thing about ruling a city, and I don't want to. Plus we'd have to find a way to explain to Ashelin and Torn and the others why I -should- be king. Ashelin may have believed we're from the past, but I don't think she'll take to the idea that I'm Mar's heir as well." he said. "Anyway, I think I'd die of boredom with a job like that."

Daxter seemed to relax. 'That -can't- have been all that was bothering him! Did he really think I'd do something like that? Just leave him, like I never knew he existed?' Jak thought, still watching his friend.

"Well, we'd, uhh, best get inside, right Jak? I mean, Keira will be waiting and all...." Daxter said, though he still sounded nervous. Jak nodded, though he was somewhat puzzled by his friend's odd behaviour, he could let it slide. For now. He turned back towards the flood of noise and light eminating from the Naughty Ottsel.

...Keira. He'd need to talk to her...

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The Naughty Ottsel was still as busy as it had been before they left. Crowds of people were staring up at the huge Metalhead trophies, ordering drinks or meals and generally getting in each other's way. Daxter was greatful that Sig had agreed to hang around- the presence of the large Wastelander often convinced would-be brawlers to consider their actions before trying anything.

Jak scanned the area rapidly with a practiced ease, quietly noting escape routes, good places to get cover from enemy fire, and where he could get the best weapon coverage of the room.

Old habits died hard.

Still, they had their uses. Jak easily picked out Keira in the crowd and made his way over to her, paying little attention when Daxter leapt from his shoulder, mumbling something about seeing Tess.

"Keira," Jak said. She turned and looked up at him, the slightest tinge of blush shading her cheekbones.

"Jak, I was... looking for you."

"Well, you found me." He looked down and smiled. Keira was struck by that smile, it was... different from before. It lacked the total innocence and naivity that she had fallen for in Sandover Village, but... there was power in that smile. While Jak's innocence and freedom had won her, his current determination to carry on regardless, and his fierce loyalty that had been tempered and harded during their time in Haven City, would keep her with him.

She felt safe and cared for, just from a smile.

Keira smiled back, tears collecting in her eyes. In this strange city, which she still was not used to, Jak's smile promised to protect and nurture her- and that wordless assurance was more than enough.

"Jak... can we. go outside? Just for a bit. Please?" He looked a little confused, but agreed, taking her hand and gently leading her through the crowd and into the night.

------

"Hey there Sugar! How're you doin'?" Daxter called, almost drowned out by the sounds of drunks attempting to get drunker, or catch the attention of the attractive blonde behind the bar. He leapt lightly from Jak's shoulder, easily clearing the heads of the crowd, and landed beside her. Tess turned and treated him to one of her coy smiles.

"Oh you know..." she said, gesturing over the crowded bar.

"You got a minute, sweet-cakes? 'Cos you know what I need..." Daxter said, winking suggestively. Bawdy cries and lewd comments followed the pair to a chosen corner, where the room could easily be surveyed.

"What's wrong, Daxter?" Tess asked immediately. She leaned in a little, keeping her voice low and her posture flirtatious. Daxter sighed, but was also careful to look as though he were flirting with Tess. All he could say was; "It's Jak."

Tess nodded. Their strange relationship, more of a partnership, had begun some time ago. Daxter still remembered the meeting- it had been after he and Jak had done that money collecting job for Krew. Jak had been resting, but Daxter was disturbingly alert, probably from the coffee he'd drunk in an attempt to sober up, and regretting his attempts to drink the Hip Hog dry. Considering the amount of alcohol he'd drunk, coupled with Jak's driving skills, it was a small miracle he'd had enough -room- for all that coffee. Though, considering how long he'd spent in the bathroom when they got back, maybe it wasn't. Still, that meeting with Tess hadn't faded from his mind, even if the rest of the night -had- been a hyperactive semi-drunken blur.

"Daxter? Your name is Daxter, right?" Tess had said, approaching him hesitantly.

"Hey baby! Yeah, I'm Daxter... Excited?" He remembered that he'd looked at her breasts a lot. Probably more than he needed to at the time... The coffee and alcohol had been a really bad idea.

"Actually, I wanted to know if I could help you."

He'd been confused at that, most likely because he'd been the one drinking, not her, so -he- should have been the one offering to.... Though her next words, while dispelling his initial ideas, didn't cause any sudden bursts of understanding.

"I see the way you look at him... the way you try to hide it by flirting with all the girls."

"What're you on about?"

She'd started fidgeting, though he remembered she'd also kept a close eye on him, they both knew he wasn't going to like the next part.

"You like Jak, don't you? ....More than friends." she'd blurted out, it had taken a few moments for him to understand, but for once, he'd been unable to answer. His collection of snappy lines and dialogue had deserted him. He could have taken anything else, called everything about himself a lie, but for that one little thing.

"How... did..."

"Well. it was a big help when you got drunk earlier." she'd smiled. "I'm pretty sure Jak was distracted by Krew, and probably thought it was just because you were such good friends.. But I remembered how you looked at him, even when you were sober, and I ...figured it out."

He'd been afraid then. How many others knew? Was he so obvious? What could he do?

And so, they had worked together, building a facade of romance, something that passed enough as a relationship to fool anyone else, hiding his secret. Though there were unexpected benefits, Tess, he had found, was often there to console him, when he couldn't confide in Jak. Her counsel had always helped him, even if it was just a little. It meant he didn't have to bear the pain of his supressed emotions alone.

"It's Jak." he began again, "I..I don't want him and Keira to... I know it's wrong, but I want him to myself! I know I should be happy that he's happy, but all I can think of is that he should be.well, mine!"

Tess sat patiently, Daxter needed her to listen now, not to judge, and she knew the least she could do was to allow Daxter to vent everything he'd kept buried away inside, to allow the words to come tumbling out, strung together with uncertain phrases, carrying an undercurrent of powerful emotions.

"I mean, does Keira really apreciate him? Jak and I have stuck through thick and thin together, so why's it gotta be her?! What did she ever do for him?! What can she give him that I can't?!" Daxter heaved a breath that was almost a sob, as a terrible sense of loneliness swept over him.

"...why doesn't he see me?"

"Daxter.... I wish I knew what to say... to fix everything... but I just... I can't... I'm so sorry.... please just... Daxter..? Daxter?!"

Her words were cut off as Daxter leapt from the table and fled.

"Daxter! Wait!!" Tess called. "It doesn't have to be like this..." She looked around, suddenly aware of all eyes on her.

"Lover's spat, sweet thing?" a voice called.

Tess smiled sadly at the irony of that sentence.

"Something like that..."

------

Jak looked up at the pregnant moon, it seemed to radiate light and hope- a new beginning for the city. Who knew, maybe he would come to like this place...

"It's beautiful, isn't it Jak?" Keira murmured, her arms gently encircling one of his own. "It reminds me of home."

"Some things never change..." Jak said, scanning the night sky. The smog obscured the stars, hiding the perfect view that Sandover Village had once boasted. "....and some things do...."

Keira tightened her grip at hearing the catch in his voice. "Not everything changes for the bad Jak," she said, "Some changes are good."

He looked at her. "That's what you wanted to talk about? Change?"

"Well, sort of." She took a deep breath. If she did not speak now, the chance to do so may never return. "I'm scared, Jak. Scared of this place, scared that I don't know what to do, or how to act. I'm scared that things might change again, that they might get worse. I... I'm scared of .you, Jak. I don't know you like I used to- sometimes it feels like you're the same person I grew up with, but other times... You. You've never enjoyed killing before."

"Those were Metalheads, you know as well as I that they deserved to die!"

She let go of his arm, he was getting angry, and she looked... scared. Terrified. That fact made him stop, made him calm down. It hurt, more than anything, to see someone he was so close to look at him with such fear. Even Keira thought that he might lose it at any moment.

That he might hurt her.

"Jak," the fear in her voice was obvious even to her. "Jak, I know how you feel about the Metalheads, but the Guards- did they deserve the same? Can you really tell yourself that they deserved to die?"

Her words stung him. She didn't understand what he had given up, what he had been -forced- to give up, to save everyone. The things he had been given no choice about. The blood that stained him and haunted his dreams.

He glared at her, "Did you ever give Erol this talk?" he said, his tone harsher than normal. "Were you as hard on him? Or was he just too 'perfect' to you?" He was taking his anger out on her- he knew it, but he did it anyway.

Keira drew back, as fear and hurt waged a battle across her delicate features. "Jak, you know it's not like that! I... I love you, really I do, but. I'm afraid of you at the same time. I know you wouldn't hurt me," She took a step closer and touched his arm to show this. "I just don't want to see you get hurt again.... I don't want you to have to kill."

"Keira, I... I only want to protect you, to protect everyone I love. What's wrong with that? Anyway, the Guards won't cause us any more problems- not now that Torn is Commander again, and Ashelin is Govener." He was reassuring himself as much as her.

"I know, it's just... I'm so confused! Jak!"

He wasn't prepared for her desperate embrace, and even less for the longing kiss that followed. She'd been so afraid, so lost, that she'd turned to the one thing she could still pin her hopes and dreams to. The one thing that might make everything all right, that would turn things back to normal. She pulled back enough to whisper; "I need you Jak... I want to forget everything, even if it's just for a little while." before reclaiming his lips.

And Jak, his arms full and his attention distracted, failed to notice a small orange form hiding in the shadows, unable to tear it's eyes from the scene before it.

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Extra random note: I now have a DeviantART page! You can find it

And it has all of my combined works there, including some nice Jak/Daxter ones. Go look, please? I'll give you another chapter~... ^.^