Kiri: ok, word of warning, I had to rush through this chapter because I have a TON of homework and VERY little time to do it all. Sucks, don't it? Anyways, I'm VERY sorry if it seems a bit weird, or out of charactor, but it's because of all the stupid work my teachers give me! ARGH! Chapter 26 will be up soon with yet another plot twist, so keep a look out for it, k?
Chapter 25
I wish last night had lasted longer than just a few precious hours. It was the last time I got to spend with my past family before my departure. I admit, I was really going to miss them. And I also admit, when everyone had gone to sleep last night, I had just laid there thinking about having to say goodbye to them. And I had sobbed myself to sleep afterward.
Just before the sun came up, I slowly opened my eyes and turned over on my other side facing away from the wall. When things came into focus, I saw dad sitting in front of me, with his back facing me, just staring into space. It would've been creepy, but right now it wasn't. I slowly sat up, swinging my legs over the side of the cot.
"Dad…?" I whispered. He looked over his shoulder and smiled lightly at me. There was a brief moment of silence between us, and then he spoke.
"I heard you last night," he said quietly. Oh great… was I crying that loudly? I thought I was keeping them quiet enough so only I could hear. I guess not… He turned around. "You don't want to leave, do you?" I paused for a moment, thinking of how to answer, and I just shook my head. "Then don't." I perked up. "Just don't leave. Stay here. Torn says you're one of his best fighters, and I'm pretty sure that he'll need you again for something." I felt tears well up in my eyes, and I hung my head. Dad, I would LOVE to stay here with you guys and live out the rest of my life like this. Really, I would. But this is just something you wouldn't understand… a few solitary tears slid down my cheeks.
"I can't…" I whispered, "I just… can't." I felt dad's arms gently slide around me as he attempted to comfort me. "I don't belong here…" I rested my head against his muscular chest and listened to his steady heartbeat.
"You're one of the best fighters I know, Jakie," he whispered, "This is something I never thought I'd catch myself saying, but I'm proud of you, kid." Well, that's good to hear. I unconsciously snuggled up to him and sort of half smiled. I could tell his face had gone red again by the way he wasn't moving. I just giggled.
"I have a real nag for making you guys blush," I teased. I sat up strait still grinning at him.
"Yes, and I wish you'd stop it," dad answered.
"Oh, do you know? And what if I don't?" I wanted to know. I put my hands on my hips and batted my eyelashes at him a few times. Dad chuckled and sighed.
"You're one in a million, Jakie," he said, shaking his head slightly. I stood up and struck a goofy model pose
"You think so?" I teased, and started prancing around him, shaking my butt as I walked. When I reached the end of the cot, I stopped, put my wrist of to he forehead and pretended to faint, falling onto the cot, my head landing on dad's lap. He chuckled again.
"You are definitely one in a million, kid," he repeated. I giggled again.
"Is Uncle Torn up?" I asked, not bothering to sit up. Dad nodded. "Sheesh, doesn't he EVER sleep?" I finally stood up, allowing dad his freedom. The two of us decided to join Uncle Torn and see if we could torment him a little.
"Good morning, Uncle Torn!" I said cheerfully as I walked in with dad close behind. He looked up at me with that same 'Uncle Torn' smirk of his.
"Strange to see you so cheerful after all that crying you did last night," he taunted. …He heard TOO! Crap! Then again, Uncle Torn had always prided himself on his hearing and seeing skills and crap like that. I just sat down in the chair nearest him and pretended to pout.
"Meaniepants…" I murmured. I guess sometimes, there's nothing like a good cry. Usually after I cry, I feel really cheery and happy. But that rule only applies to girls, since to a guy, if you cry then you're weak! Men…
"It's going to be pretty different without you around, Jakie," Uncle Torn said, straitening a stack of papers in front of him. Awww, he cares! "After all, you're one of my best fighters, kid." I couldn't stop myself.
"Well, why don't you just give me a nice big hug then, Uncle Torn?" I teased. My grin got even wider when I said that. He gave me a funny look, obviously trying not to blush, and looked away. I sat back in my chair, giggling madly. Like men say: women and giggles.
A few hours later, the whole gang was outside the hideout in the dead end ally. Dawn and I were all ready to leave for the Power station and everything. Except… Uncle Torn, dad and Daxter were going to take me there. I really didn't think there was a need, but they insisted. Oh well. After I'd said goodbye to everyone, the five of us jumped in the zoomer and sped off. Somewhere along the way, daxter had started making faces at Uncle Torn while he was talking to dad about something. I was trying very hard not to laugh, until…
"Stop that! This is serious, you moron!" Uncle Torn shouted at Daxter. I snorted out a laugh, but tried hard not to have a fit. Dad reached over to hit Daxter, but he quickly struck a karate pose, causing dad to stop.
"Oh yeah, don't mess with the sugar!" he exclaimed. Dad rolled his eyes and stared back at the road ahead. That's when it happened…
"I'm bored, "Dawn complained, "Jakie, sing for us." CRAP! My face turned several different shades of red before dad and Daxter started urging me to start singing as well.
"You guys are so mean!" I exclaimed. "Dawn, why did you have to blab out that I sang!" my ottsel giggled, and they just kept urging me on. Eh, what the hell? I liked singing anyway. I thought of a song, cleared my throat and started singing.
May it be an evening star
Shines down upon you
May it be when darkness falls
Your heart will be true
You walk a lonely road
Oh! How far you are from home
Morni?ut?i?(Quenya: Darkness has come) 1
Believe and you will find your way
Morni?alanti?(Quenya: Darkness has fallen)
A promise lives within you now
May it be the shadow's call
Will fly away
May it be your journey on
To light the day
When the night is overcome
You may rise to find the sun
Morni?ut?i?(Quenya: Darkness has come)
Believe and you will find your way
Morni?alanti?(Quenya: Darkness has fallen)
A promise lives within you now
A promise lives within you now
There was a brief silence when I finished. I didn't blush then. But I DID blush when they complimented me.
"Oh stow it," I told them, turning my beet red face away from them. I heard dad and Uncle Torn laughing at the fact that I was blushing for a change, and not them.
"Yeah, laugh it up," I snapped. "I'll get my revenge in the future…"
"Jakie, Jakie, Jakie," Dawn teased, "always so bent on revenge."
"I am not!" I argued. Dawn just shook her head. I turned my attention on the two men in front of me. "And you two aren't helping me any!" Dad chuckled, and Uncle Torn just smirked. Well, at least our last few moments together were fun.
When we finally got to the Power Station, I jumped out first with Dawn on my shoulder, and the others close behind. Time for another sentimental moment.
"Well… guess this is it, huh?" I said, switching my gaze between them. The first thing I did was hug dad tightly like I had done this morning. "Dad, when you get around to kicking the Baron's ass, hit him real good for me a few times, ok?"
"I'll keep that in mind," he answered. When I let him go, and dawn finished saying goodbye to her father, I scratched Daxter behind his ears.
"And you, try to stay out of trouble," I ordered.
"Can't make any promises there, kid," was his reply. I giggled, and then looked over at Uncle Torn.
"And you," I started, leaned on his shoulder, "You will be cheerful and happy as much as you can without seeming out of character. Got it?" His cheeks turned a pale pinkish color. I backed up a little bit. "Well… guess I'll see you guys in about… X years. When I'm born… I think… " I shrugged, then accidentally locked my eyes with dads. The mood instantly went from cheery to intense. He took a half step towards me and put his hand on my other shoulder. The one Dawn wasn't sitting on.
"It'll be different without you here, kid," he said.
"I know… now you have to go on all of your missions alone," I agreed, pretending to pout again.
"Just… take care of yourself, Jakie" was all he said before the three climbed back into the zoomer. I smiled as they glanced at me one last time. Uncle Torn gave me a small salute at the zoomer started to switch hover zones, and then sped off…
I looked up towards the Power Station where Vin waited for me. I was really going to miss the place… well, it had been one of my best adventures so far, so I couldn't really complain. I started to walk up the ramp, when I familiar figure in a Hellcat cruiser stopped nearby. For some reason, my gut feelings are always right. Erol, in all of his Krimzon Guard glory stepped out of the cruiser and approached me. Was it just me, or was this guy almost everywhere I was now? Stalker…
"What do you want, Sta- I mean, Erol?" I demanded, almost slipping and saying 'stalker' by mistake.
"You're leaving. I just wanted to say goodbye," he answered in his typical tough guy voice. He stopped less than a foot away from me and locked his eyes with mine. Creepy…
"And… how did you know?" I demanded, taking a half step back.
"I have my sources," he replied.
"Stalker," I said in attempt to kind of make him mad. He smirked. "Well, you've said it. Can I go home now?" he grabbed my wrist roughly, and closed my hand around something. I didn't look down to find out what, because I was too distracted with him leaning forward and muttering something too quietly for me to really hear clearly. But it sounded like, "Find the other half." Whatever that meant. I watched at he jumped back into his Hellcat. Why is it that whenever he does something weird like that, his actions always seem so sexy? Argh, Jakie, cut that out! You made up your mind about him a long time ago! Stick with your decision!
He just glanced at me before he sped off in his Hellcat. I was so stunned that I didn't even hear Dawn's comment about how messed up that guy was. But I snapped out of my stupor when she waved her hand in front of my face and yelled my name loudly.
"Sorry…" I uttered. I stared down at the thing that Erol had put in my hand. Some kind of… Precursor artifact. Why did he give this to me? And what was he up to? I don't know… Well, now that that awkward moment is over, it's time to get my butt back home.
I walked up the ramp and around to the Power station door and went inside. Of course, Mr. Seriously-needs-to-switch-to-decaf was there, pushing buttons and such. I cleared my throat loudly to get his attention. He jumped in surprise, but then sighed in relief when he saw me.
"Oh, Jakie. There you are. I've got the Warp Gate ready to be used. Just give me a sec to power it up," he said.
"Vin, you really need to chill out a little," I said. He said nothing, and just kept pushing buttons, pulling levers and a bunch of other crap until the Warp Gate off to the side of the room started glowing a little more intensely.
"There. All set," he informed. I smiled.
"Awesome. Thanks, Vin. And uh, try to relax a little more, will ya?" I said calmly and started walking towards the warp Gate.
"Yeah, lay off the caffeine!" Dawn added. I sighed and paused for a second.
"Aw damn it…" I said quietly.
"What?" Dawn and Vin asked at the same time. I shook my head.
"Nothing… It's just… hard to believe that I'm finally going home," I replied.
"Well, uh, good luck, Jakie," Vin said, waving slightly. I smiled over my shoulder.
"Thanks," I replied. I took a deep breath, looked at dawn for a little reassurance, and then jumped through the Warp Gate…
I closed my eyes tightly as the two of us darted through the rift like the first time. I don't think I'll ever get used to that weird teleporting feeling. It just way to awkward for my tastes. But not as awkward as the way Erol acts around me. I think that last encounter took the cake…
We were finally thrown out of the time rift, and we landed hard on the ground. Dawn tumbled over a few more times that I did, but we were still safe. I put my hands on either side of my head to try and ease away the slight headache I got from hitting the ground as hard as I did. When I regained my senses, I looked at my surroundings and recognized them immediately. I was in my garage. In my own time. I was back in Spargus.
I was home…