Darke Eco Freak - LOL. I'M SORRY. And I did YAY. Maaaaybe she is - you'll have to read and find out.

Red-hEadNightlOver - Thanks!

Paradise Eco - XD Well, I deserve it now.

last-blue mage - YOU KNOW YOU LOVE THE STORY. XD I laughed typing it. I wonder what she would if she was alive COUGHCOUGH. AND I'M SORRY FOR THE LATE UPDATE.

Berander - Yep, yep. All true. Thank you. AND I'M SORRY FOR NOT UPDATING FRIDAY T.T

Disclaimer: I don't own Jak and Daxter or anything else but Diana, Alex, Zackary, Zidane, Kaiten and Link.

Summary: Sequel to TALDB. After Diana death, Jak seems worst then when he had left the prison and with the town turning on him, he's sent out to the desert and saved by a rival, he finds something he never thought he'd see again...JakXOCXDarkXLight


Chapter 3:

The Beginning of Distress and Perplexity


"Whore, what the hell was with you out there?"

"Eh?"

She stared down at Alex who hadn't looked away from his desert car. He was fixing the dent he had made in it from the other day when they were fighting. With all the meetings he was forced to go to, he hardly had any time on his hands. He found it annoying but there was nothing he could do. It was either that or get kicked out into the desert with his people - not that he actually cared about them anyway.

"You're deaf now?" The silver haired ruler rolled his eyes as he paused from his work, turning his head towards her. His face was full annoyance as always. "You spaced out the other day, and you still didn't tell me why." He stated before starting to knock out the dent carefully.

A trouble but a solemn frown spread on her face as she looked down the door but it wasn't look before it was replaced with a smile. He probably would have thought it was real, if he didn't know her...but he did. "I was just thinking - that's all."

"You expect me to believe that?" Alex snorted, rolling his eyes at her before a loud 'bang' was heard and the dent was out. She gave him a confused look while he started to smooth out the small little lumps on the door. "I just called you a whore and you didn't even respond the way you usually do." He told her in a low murmur.

She stared at him with blinking eyes before a sly smile spread on her face. "I didn't know you were watching me so closely to know I would react to it, my lordship." She said playfully while he visibly cringed to his title. He hated it even more that 'ass' and he had no idea way. It just didn't seem to fit him, he guessed.

"Don't get full of yourself." He shot her a glare which she grinned cheekily at. "You're the only person that I spend the most time with here, what makes you think I don't watch you..." He trailed off, seeing her face. She looked like she was about to explode in laughter. He slapped his left palm against his forehead. "Not like that you whore!" He scowled.

Laughter escaped her as she covered her mouth. In a few seconds, she had it under control. "Well, maybe if you worded it a bit better..." She snickered while he rolled his eyes at her.

"Maybe if whores didn't always think about sex- OW!" He suddenly started to rub his head furiously before shooting her a look. "What the fuck was that for?!"

She crossed her arms over her chest. "For being an ass your lordship." She sneered while he groaned at her choice and words, murmuring curses under his breath before going back to smoothing out his car. "But really?" Her voice changed from her irritated one. "I'm the one you hang out with the most?"

"You're my fucking bodyguard." He told her, moving away from his car and reached over to the paint, but she handed it to him instead. "You're around me twenty four eight - how am I not supposed to be with you most of the time?" He grumbled, setting the can beside him and started to pain over the dent.

She blinked down at him. "...Twenty four...eight?" She repeated her voice a bit bland. "Don't you mean twenty four seven?" She inquired.

"No." He stated simply. "I'm with you too fucking long which means overtime."

"So, you're saying you would want me out of your hair?"

"Yes."

"Aren't you going to miss me?"

"Hell n-" He cut himself off, his blue eyes widened slight at the question. His right hand gripped tightly on the brush's handle and he bit his bottom lip, looking down. He opened his mouth to say something but nothing came out.

She furrowed his eyebrows in confusion before squatting down beside him. She kept quiet but studied him carefully. "...Alex?" She said in a hushed tone, causing his head to snap up towards her. She hardly ever used his real name since it was improper to do so. "Are you alright?"

He stared at her for a while, his eyes softening before he looked away from her, scoffing and continued to paint his car. "I'm fine - just...thinking." He murmured sounding rather distant as he unconsciously painted the car, despite the fact it was already done.

A frown spread on her face as she stared at him with a worried look. There was a silence between them, before an idea popped in her head. "Oh, did you hurt yourself?" She answered, blinking with an innocent smile on her face.

"...Huh?" He turned his head towards her in confusion.

Her smile turned mischievous. "I mean when you were thinking - you hardly have any brain cells to begin with so..."

"...Hardly have any-!" He repeated his voice changing to dangerous low tone as he glowered towards her. She was trying not to laugh at his face again. "You wanna repeated that?" He stated placing the brush into the painting can as if to threaten her with it.

She stifled her laughs the best she could. "I knew it!" She blurted out, while it made him confused once more. "You know you want me and you think painting me would give you a good grasp of my bod-ay." She waggled her eyebrows at him, grinning rather slyly once more.

His eyes widened at her words. "W-what!?" He almost squeaked out. Almost. She was using all her will power not to laugh as his blue eyes wandered on her body before he looked back to his car. He wasn't blushing but she could tell he was embarrassed by her words.

One point of her. Zero for him.

"Well," Alex started to say, regaining his posture. "Maybe that's what I want." His voice sounded firmer than his 'almost squeal' while her grin faltered. He smirked at her reaction. "Maybe," He placed the paint brush back into the tint can, and turned his body towards her while she instantly dropped back on her bottom, not expecting him to come close to her. "I want more than that."

Her eyes were widened like dinner plates as she stared at him. He could see her inching away every time he would get close to her. "O-Or maybe..." She began to say while he continued to edge closer. "You're just a virgin and need a whore to show you how it works." She countered, her voice not quavering any more.

"What the fuck did you just-" He cut himself off again, narrowing his eyes at her but not out of anger.

He seemed to be reading her and it was starting to creep her out. He did that a lot more often when they were alone - just like the argument that had about him missing her a few minutes ago or the fact that she was rather flirtatious with him the only time. She was only joking and she hoped that he knew that.

"Lord Nero - oh dear!"

Both of their heads turned towards Elysia who stood not too far from them with her hands covering her face and a large blush over her face. They looked at each other. Alex was completely over her, his hands holding himself up and his body was between her legs while she was propped up on her elbows. Instantly, he moved off of her, almost backing into the paint can while she shot up afterwards.

"I-I apologize for intruding!" She said, turning her back to him while they got up off the floor dusting himself of. She didn't seem troubled that she thought they were doing something in the open sand. Not that they were or were going to.

"Don't worry about it - we were just having some fun-HEY!" The blue haired girl shot him a glare as she rubbed her arm. He had hit her with his right hand - not purposely - and it was much stronger than his left. He didn't apologize but glanced towards Elysia.

"What is it?" The silver haired ruler asked in an annoyed tone and hoping that there wasn't another meeting to go to or he would probably shoot himself multiple times. "You can look - we weren't even doing anything."

Elysia turned around and slowly moved her hands from her face to see them standing in front of her, await her reply. She was still blushing however. "W-Well, that man you found a-and his companions have awoken and they want you to be there for it." She told him.

"So...it's a meeting." He concluded.

"It's...more of a gathering to judge the unwanted from Haven."

"...A meeting to choose if they stay or get their asses kicked out then."

"...I-I guess."

An irritated sigh escaped Alex. "Tell them I won't be there and that fucking idiots can stay." He said, sounding nonchalant.

"B-But...!"

"Just go tell them." He murmured, squatting down to close the can of paint and place the brush on top. It was a wonder why he didn't get any paint on him. Elysia stared at him hesitantly, briefly glancing over to the other girl who had a sly look on the whole time, giving the shorter girl subliminal messages.

"A-Alright, Lord Nero." She bowed politely to him before scampering back into the city leaving the two at the entrance gates. Alex cringed when she had called him by his last name -which he still wasn't used to- and his title. He really hated being royalty.

"You've gotten tired of the meetings already?" The blue haired girl suddenly said while he lifted the can to the floor. He had to give it back to Lavi. "It hasn't been to long...but then again you don't have a lot of patience." She mused while he shot her a look.

He started to walk towards the city, her following behind. "You'd been fucking annoyed too if you had to listen to everything so you know what's going on." He murmured as the door opened and they walked in. "After all, you get so easily distracted during the meetings so how the hell would you know?" He scowled at her.

"I'm sorry I'm surrounded by hot guys in the room that are oozing with sex appeal." She openly joked with him, smiling coyly.

He glanced over his shoulder to look at her. "...I really think you need to get laid, whore."

"Obviously not by the inexperience virgin in front of me."

"I am not a virgin!"


Jak


He could have sworn it was her.

Prehaps it was the Wasteland giving him illusions.

Or maybe from getting a heat stroke.

But he knew he saw her: her violet eyes that always held the joyful and opsitive attitude, no matter the circumstances, her vibrant silk blue hair on her shoulders, that playful but sweet smile gracing her face and slowly turned into a worried frown which was frequently whenever she was with him. He was certain he had seen her - there was no doubt in his mind that he did.

But when his eyes opened she wasn't there.

He was resting in a bed, the patterns of the ceiling greeting him from his slumber. His throat didn't feel as dry as it did when he passed out, but he had still felt the urge to drink some water. Daxter was curled up near the foot of the bed, light snores escaping him as a faint smile spread on Jak's face. Slowly, he pushed himself into a sitting position but found it a bit difficult due to the weariness of his body.

His dark ocean blue eyes flickered around the bare room, only a lone arm chair not to far away from the bed and a nightstand with a glass of water resting on it. There was a light frost around it, meaning that someone had just put it in the room. He was starting to wonder how he had gotten her in the first place and where he was. It was too obvious that it wasn't Haven. But there were no other cities in the Wasteland were there?

With a small ammout of effort, Jak reached over to the glass of water, slightly shivering from the coldness. It was very warm in the room, which had made him so as well. He brought it to his lips, sipping it slowly before practially chugging it down the next second. As he pulled the glass away with a small sigh, he stared into it. He hadn't thought that he was so thirsty.

"Oh, you're awake!" His head had instantly snapped towards the door. It was a girl -probably younger than he was- standing near the now open door. She had curly green hair but what surprised him the most was her pure white eyes. He was sure she wasn't blind due to the fact he hadn't made a noise since he woke up, but she had adressed him regardless. "I'm glad." A small smile spread on her face.

Daxter twitched slightly in his sleep, kicking his leg lightly as if he was a canine. The girl seemed to giggle at this as she moved closer towards the bed. She was carrying another glass of water in her hand and some clothes folded under her arm. "Who are you?" The raspy voice of the exhiled hero inquired to the girl, watching her carefully. Her pure white eyes turned towards him blinking as she held out the glass of water.

"My name is Jasmine." She answered in a pleasant tone while Jak reached out for the water, gently taking it in his hand. "I already know your wondering where you are." She continued, "I'm afraid I'm not allowed to tell you but I was told to take you to the ruler as soon as you've awoken." She told him with a polite bow of her head.

Suddenly, there was a loud yawn followed by a yell of surprise mixed with bliss. The next thing Jak knew was the water in his hand was taken and chugged down by his best friend. "Aaaah..." The ottsel let out a sigh of relief as he lowered the glass on the bed, sitting slowly back on the bed with a dreamy look. The blonde shook his head with a slight smile on his face.

"After you have changed," Jasmine started with another small laughter, causing the ottsel to look up in surprise, not even knowing anyone else was there. Jak had noticed his friend's difference in flirting with girls after he had met Tess. He wouldn't even look at anotherwomen now - or at least the way he 'looked' at them before. "I can escort you there." She said, placing the clothes down on the bed and went out the door.

Jak got up from the bed as soon as the door shut, his hands reaching to grab the clothes. "Uh...who was that?" The ottsel said, staring towards the door in wonder. "And where are we?" He looked around the foreign room while the blonde started to change out of his clothes.

"I'm not sure." He answered, his voice still a groggy from sleep and the dryness of the Wasteland. "I woke up and she came in telling us we were supposed to go see someone who would explain everything." He clarified, pulling up his new pants. His clothes were much like the ones he wore in Haven but it had a sash hanging off the side. They had even given him new goggles, which he wasn't sure why.

A sigh of irritation came from Daxter as he lazily slipped off the bed, leaving the empty glass there and started to walk to the door, scratching above his tail. "This better not turn out to be one of those crazy adventures you send me on..." The ottsel murmured to his best friend who only shook his head with a slight smile in response.

"Hm?" Jasmine turned towards the door, hearing it open and smiled. "Oh good - you're ready!" She said, turning down the hallway. "The throne room is just this way." She told him as she walked.

Jak and Daxter glanced at each other before following after. Why would she say throne room? There was hardly any live in the Wasteland so there was no room for a kingdom. And there was no way that he had been taken back to Haven City. He highly doubted that one.

She stopped in front of two doors, about to open it but paused. "Oh, it looks like there a meeting going on..." She murmured before glancing towards them. "You will be able to go in once the two inside come out....they were the two with you before - there getting a mouthful from Lord Damas." She smiled slightly and moved away from the door. "I have some other things to attend so I must leave you here."

"It's fine, toots." The small ottsel answered, waving his hand towards her nonchalantly. "We can handle a little waiting on our own." He told her while she gave a hesitant look to him before looking up at Jak. He wasn't paying attention. His eyes were focused on the door, hearing both the voice of Zackary and Zidane with a few other voices.

"You're not sure?"

"We weren't there - we didn't even know she left to go there!" That was Zackary's voice.

There was the sound of footsteps behind him, but he didn't turn around. "But how did she get into the Wasteland in the first place?"

"...Haven threw her out." There was a long series of 'what?!' and 'you let them!?' coming from the other people in the room.

"Oh, shut the fuck up!" Came an irritated voice from behind him, though he didn't pay too much attention to it.

"We hadn't the choice in the matter..." Zidane has spoken, "And even if we did finally understand what the Dark Eco did to her we would have stopped it a long time ago."

"That still doesn't explain why she..."

"We're not sure why Diana's like that, alright!?"

Jak's eyes widened at the name, as he back away from the door a bit. Why was he talking as if she was still...here? She died from that impact to the head - no one could have survived that. "That's the second time I've walked past this door and they've said my first name..." A female voice murmured from behind him.

'What the...fuck?'

"Wha-" He turned around and he felt his heart nearly stop.

She was standing right in front of him.

There was still that light blue hair of hers but it was in a high ponytail and her usual pale complexion was darker than before. Her violet eyes held confusion though he could see that same glow of optimism they had always held until he had hurt her that night when he left her. Her arm wasn't pure black any more. She was wearing a white tank top with a black sweater over it, unzipped. Her pants were rolled up just under her knees and some black combat boots covered her feet that matched her fingerless gloves.

Was it her or just...and illusion?

'I-It's...it's not....' Dark's oddly quavering voice murmured in his mind. 'That scent...I could never forget...' He trailed off.

Despite Dark's explanation, Jak had found himself reaching a hand as if to touch her. It lightly grasped her shoulder causing her to jump slightly, turning towards him surprised. "Whoa, when did you get there?" She laughed slightly before grinning.

"Diana..." He was completely shocked. She was supposedly killed and hasn't seen him in over a year and that's how she greeted him?

She blinked at him. "Is there something that you need?" She asked, tilting her head to the side. "...Wait," She stared at him, narrowing her eyes. "You're that guy me and Nero saved!" She said, snapping her fingers. "You can call me Diana but everyone else usually calls me Ashley. What's your name?"

Her last three words hit him like a ton of bricks and he felt his heart stop beating. He couldn't believe what he had just heard. She...was only joking right? She...wasn't being serious - she couldn't be!

"Helllooo?" She waved her hand in front of him with a slight frown. "Are you alright?"

Jak snapped out of his trance, staring at her unblinkingly. "You...don't know who I am?" He repeated, sounding angry rather than depressed.

"Uh..." She blinked at his sudden change in attitude. "Nope, sorry. I've...never seen you before." She shook her head. A tinge of pain hit his heart, hearing her words.

"How the hell could you..?!" He started, his voice rising but he couldn't finish his sentence. He could see her eyes show even more confusion as she stared at him. He didn't know why, but he felt his unnerving fear...

...The fear of her having forgotten him.


Author's Note : OMG I AM SO SORRY. SCHOOL'S A BITCH AND THAT'S ALL I CAN SAY. You probably hate me even more now, don't you? Well, I don't have much to say but I'M SO SORRY. Read and Review~

P.S - Once or twice a month due to school~ Stay tuned~