The sun was starting to disappear behind the horizon. The sky was now red, gold, and other beautiful colors that gave it some persona. Dad, Daxter, Dawn and I were on our way towards Vin. I sat next to dad in silence, still trying to get my thoughts in order. The best approach so far was just coming out and saying that I was his only daughter then explaining what had happened and why I was there.
"Alright, kid," dad started in his tough 'I-want-answers-right-now' voice, "Who the hell are you really?"
"What do you mean by that?" I asked, trying to remain as calm as possible.
"There's a reason why you saved my ass back there, and why you look like me. I want to know why," he declared. Damn, isn't he grouchy today… he probably thinks I'm some kind of weirdo stalker or something. Well, here goes nothing…
"Well, if you want the straight and solid truth…" I started, "it's because I'm your daughter." He nearly choked and swerved off to the side. Luckily we all managed to jump out before it crashed into the wall and blew up. Dad fell to one knee, still coughing, trying to register what I'd just said. Daxter hit him on the back several times while Dawn and I stood off to the side, watching, and wondering if I'd just made the right move.
"What the hell are you talking about?" he demanded to know once he could breathe again. "I don't have a daughter!" I inwardly smirked.
"No, not in this particular time and place," I agreed, "However, years in the future you do." I could tell he was confused by all of this nonsense I was talking, even though he was trying to put on his 'tough guy' act. Yeah that's right… I can see right through your little act, dad. Before he could open his mouth to protest, I continued my explanation. "Remember that wreckage that I claimed? It was a time travel machine that I built. But the first time I used it, it malfunctioned and here I am."
"And me," Dawn chimed in.
"I can understand that this is hard for you to swallow, but like it or not, I am your own flesh and blood," I finished. I didn't even have to look at him to know that he was staring blankly at me. He was having a hard time believing what I was saying was true. But I didn't mind. Eventually he'd get used to the whole thing.
I commandeered another zoomer and climbed into the drivers seat. I figured I'd better give dad a chance to let the news soak in. After a moment he jumped into the passenger seat, gave me a funny look, and stared at the road ahead. At the halfway mark, I knew he was staring at me again. He was examining my features closely, taking in every bit a detail he could, trying to convince himself of Mar knows what.
"Pull over for a moment, Jakie," he ordered in a soft tone. I obeyed knowing what it was about. I pulled off to the side of the road and parked in an ally where we could talk without anyone hearing. He looked back at Daxter. "Dax, could we have a moment alone?" Daxter patted Jak's back.
"Sure, buddy," he answered and jumped off the side of the zoomer and around the back. I gave Dawn one of my cute 'you-know-what-I-want-you-to-do' looks. Dawn sighed.
"Fine, Jakie," she answered, following Daxter.
"You want proof of the relation, don't you?" I asked, keeping my voice down. I wasn't surprised when he nodded.
"If you really are who you say you are-" she started.
"Your daughter," I corrected.
"Yes. Anyways, If you are, then I want you to prove it before I can believe something like that." I understood him completely. But I had all the proof in the world.
"What kind of evidence are you looking for? Anything in particular?" I asked. He thought for a moment, and then shook his head. I knew exactly what to show him. I reached in my back pocket and pulled out that old worn out picture of the whole 'family' down at the oasis. "This is all I have on me at the moment." I gave it to him and he looked it over. "It's the only picture of the entire gang that was ever taken. It was one of the only times anyone could get Torn to join the group." I scooted closer and looked at the picture over dad's shoulder.
"If it's of all of us, then where's your mother?" he asked, looking at me.
"She died shortly after I was born…" I answered. He didn't reply. "When I was small, you were always out adventuring with Daxter and Torn. When I got older I started begging you to take me on your adventures, and that's basically when you started teaching me to protect myself." I paused. I felt tears coming. No, I refuse to start crying! Jakie, stop it! Ok… just breathe and keep going. "On the weekends the entire family would drive down to that oasis and just kick back…" Oh great. I was choking up. Damn it, Jakie, stop it!
"Jakie…" he started. Oh no, he's going to ask why I'm crying! "I still want to know why you're here and not back in your own time." He handed the picture back to me and I just put it up on the dashboard. But when I looked at his eyes, I couldn't stop myself. I choked up completely, but refused to start crying like a child. I wiped the tears from my eyes and looked back at his eyes.
"I'm here because you were killed by a bunch of death bots and metal heads," I said as clearly as I could, then I just broke down in tears. Just thinking about my dad's death was upsetting. I was too upset to notice dad's shocked expression.
"Jakie," he started, but didn't say anything else after that. I felt him gently hug me in an attempt of comfort. I tried like hell to stop my tears, but I was very unsuccessful. That was when Daxter and Dawn poked their heads up and saw me crying like a child into my dad's shoulder. Dawn climbed up onto hood, and Daxter climbed around onto the dashboard and looked at the picture, then at me. They believed me. I couldn't believe it. They actually believed I was telling the truth…
Once I'd finished crying and such, we sped off on our way to rescue Vin. But first things first. Dad insisted that we stop off at a bar so that Dawn and I could have a break from all the nonsense we've been though. And who am I to refuse an offer like that? Well, at least I'm old enough to drink. Just like what uncle Torn used to say to me sometimes. 'Jakie, if you're old enough to kill, you're old enough to drink and celebrate it.' I smiled a little. Good ol' uncle Torn… I can't even begin to describe how much I miss him. I guess he was my favorite (besides dad, of course) because he was the guy that everyone wanted to be" the cool, quiet guy in the back. He wasn't going to go dancing with you, but he'd cover your back. Well, here we are…
Dad and I sat at the bar. There was hardly anyone there, except maybe a few passed out KG's. Heh… Talk about sleeping on the job. I looked up at dad again and tried to read his eyes, but it was almost impossible to figure out what he was thinking. I guess now would be the ideal time to ask…well, here goes nothing…
"Da-Jak," I quickly corrected myself just incase he didn't believe me. "Do you believe me now?" There was another awkward silence between us.
"It's hard to say," he answered, keeping his voice down. I should've known he would say that. I know how difficult it is to get a strait answer out of him sometimes. Usually when he'd answer me like that, I'd just drop the whole thing. But now, this was different. I had to know if he believed me, or just thought I was some nut case fresh out of the psycho ward! I hated being kept in such suspense! If he did think I was crazy, then what the hell was I going to do? How could I PROOVE once and for all that he and I are father and child? This is driving me absolutely insane, and it won't stop until I AM crazy! That's why I have to know! I have to- "Jakie…" oops, forgot about them.
It was Daxter. He'd jumped off of Jak's shoulder onto to counter and then onto my shoulder.
"If you're Jak's kid, then who is she?" he asked, pointing at Dawn, who was sitting on my other shoulder. I looked at my ottsel in disbelief. She didn't tell Daxter that she was his daughter! Dawn, you are so in for it…
"Um… slipped my mind?" Dawn tried to excuse herself. I just gave her the cold shoulder and looked back at Daxter.
"She's your daughter. Obviously," I answered.
"Knew it," Daxter answered, and then jumped back onto the counter. For another long while, we all sat in silence. Nobody had anything to say about the whole matter. I know I didn't. I knew that dad was still trying to let this settle, and it was hard for him. That's ok, though. Dad, take as long as you need.
About and hour passed before we decided it was time to leave and go rescue Vin. I let dad drive this time, partly because he offered to. I jumped into the passenger seat, and Dawn jumped into the back, as did Daxter. Well, Daxter was taking this much better than dad was, that's for sure. Unfortunately, dad 'accidentally' rammed into a KG, and their immediate response was chasing us down. And to add to the list, no matter how many I shot down, they were catching up quickly. Why, oh why, did dad have to run over that KG? Well, maybe the reason we're slowing down is because there's too many of us in this thing? Hell… it's worth a shot.
"Dad, I think there's too many of us in here and it's slowing us down!" I called. He stared back at me.
"Jakie, don't!" he yelled. Too late. Sorry, pop. I jumped off the back and grabbed onto a pole that was holding up one of the tapestries. I watched dad speed off without me, going a bit faster than he was a moment ago. Or maybe that was just me. But either way, the KG's were after my ass too. I grabbed my blaster and shot a few down, then jumped up on the rooftops and ran. I ran and ran until I couldn't run anymore. I ended up in the forest where Samos' tree thing was. I was safe from the KG's… for now.