Route One

By Snare-chan

Pairings: Hinted Jinx/Jak
Ratings: PG-13
Category(ies): General
Warning(s): Cussing
Status: Continuation, 2/5

Summary: They knew the mission wouldn't be easy, in fact it was set to get worse before it got better. If only they knew just how bad it would really be…

Notes: Gah, you have no idea how glad I that I finished this chapter before school really got started. College Prep courses…insert shuddering of extreme horror and pain here please. Thank you.

But enough about my school life, and on with the story! In answer to Krin's lovely, in-depth review (thank you thank you thank you!) this fic takes place in game (though no where specifically - save before Jak reenters the city), partly because I haven't finished the game myself and seen the ending to feel comfortable enough working outside of it…despite the fact that people have already spoiled it for me. XD

And always thank all of you reviewers. Without your input there would be…no input. Drunk inducing hugs all around!

Disclaimer: I dun own Jak and Daxter, Jak II, Jak 3 or Jak…anything; wish I did like everyone else. They should put Jak in stock, then I'd buy it all!

-click-

Wincing, Jak slowly started to come to. Not even awake yet, and already he knew he was in a whole world of hurt. A voice in the back of his head noted that having an entire building come down on a person tends to be painful.

-click-click-

It was confirmed that he was beaten and bruised when he was conscious enough to make that mistake so many others have been well known to do. Opening his eyes, he scowled and was closing them again a moment later. But it was too late, his entire body was sending him signals for every scrape and scratch he'd received.

"Mornin' sleeping beauty."

Turning his head weakly to the side, he saw the flicker of Jinx's lighter disappear as he took a long drag from his cigarette, the hint of smoke drifting upwards to disappear a minute later.

"How long have I been out?"

"I'd say two hours, tops. Have a nice nap?"

"Wasn't long enough..." he mumbled, carefully trying to sit up and get a better view of their surroundings. This was also a big mistake, as proven by the fact that even more pain shot through his body. He wasn't sure how it was possible to hurt any more than he already did, but apparently it was. Using the nearby wall, he was able to drag himself up enough to see where they were.

"Where are we? Where's Dax?" The absence of chattering complaints made the small expanse unsettling.

Taking another long drag, Jinx chuckled darkly, ignoring his questions. "It's almost ironic…we're trapped like rats."

"Dax? Dax!"

Fighting through the pain, Jak felt along the walls, trying to get through or find even the smallest crack. On first glance, he might have thought it was a room they'd fallen into, but upon closer inspection and hearing Jinx's observations, it appeared that the fallen building had cornered them. Cement and twisted metal circled them in all directions, like some deadly cocoon.

Rubble and other building materials lay strewn about the small room-like space. Dust and green bits had settled some time ago to cover everything in a thin layer, including the two of them. Besides that, it was hard to tell anything else about where they were due to the lack of lighting.

While Jak was busy looking for a way out, Jinx just chugged away at cigarette after cigarette; he was probably on his third or fourth by now, though Jak wasn't really paying attention.

As the renegade continued to run his fingers over the expanse of their surroundings, something crumbled at his fingertips, creating a small hole just barely big enough to see through. Some green light filtered through, signaling that he'd broken through, if only just a tiny bit.

"Daxter? Can you hear me?"

He was saved from having to risk digging deeper by the soft clicking of claws on stone. The chance of it just being a metal head was marginally larger than seeing his fuzzy friend, but the sight of a familiar pair of eyes shoved aside all odds. Sighing with relief, he leaned more heavily on the wall. Daxter was really okay; he was alive and not stuck in here…

"Jak, you're alive! Well, of course you're alive, you're JAK! You doing okay in there?"

"We're alright; how about you?"

"Oh, doing okay. Metal heads running amuck, the ceiling still raining down over my little head…it could be worse. Wait, did you just say we?"

"Jinx is in here with me."

An eerie silence fell for a moment after the remark, which was first interrupted by Dax's uncertain reply.

"Oh…"

"Yeah, happy to hear your heavenly voice, too, fur puss."

"Dax, can you see any way out of here?"

The renegade's quick attempt at distraction received no good points. Luckily, from what his friend could tell from outside their confinement, the two of them had gotten caught in an air pocket. Unluckily, they were covered in several floors with no escape. If it weren't for that small eyehole, they would be cut off from any source of air at all.

"So…I guess now would be a good time for a brilliant plan, Ja-," Daxter started to comment, leaning against the large mound his companions were stuck in. His small weight seemed just enough to knock the rocks down a little, covering the small hole that had been there and cutting him off.

"Dax!"

With a scowl, Jak waved his hand in front of his face to brush the dust out of his way. Of all the times misfortune could befall them, this was one of the worst.

"Well that settles that, I guess."

"What does?"

"Our only hope is a downsized, orange sewer-rat, and he's just demonstrated his talents…ya wouldn't happen to have bag of magic tricks, huh?"

Jak scowled slightly, even though the other could most likely not see it, and sat back against the wall. He hadn't given up yet, but even he could admit it was looking kind of bleak.

"No…but you have explosives," he pointed out, trying to at least make use of his time and formulate a plan.

"Oh yeah, to do what with?" The other seemed to pause, taking a long drag of his cigarette. "You've already brought down this joint once. I highly doubt it can take another hit."

Though it would do no good now, Jak tried to estimate how much eco he had left. "I'm also out of dark eco."

"Well there's an upside: no more metal heads ta worry about!"

The deep sarcasm didn't escape Jak either. He had already realized that all he'd managed to do thus far was get them from the pan to the fire and prolong their suffering.

Another hour passed like this with him trying to come up with something – anything – to get them out in one piece. Jinx wasn't stupid, and while Jak appreciated his insight, not much was gained except that, combined, they had found 345 ways to die painfully slow, and well over that when it came to not getting out of their predicament altogether. Not much in the comforting department.

"Alright, how about this," the renegade continued, his speech becoming more difficult now that their air supply was growing thin. "What if we tried going out through the top?"

"The building came down on us Jakky, there must be over two whole floors above us. Digging our way out of this grave would be like swimming through an ocean…of rocks," Jinx pointed out, the sounds of paper being crinkled signaling that he'd pulled out another cigarette. With how he'd been chugging at the things, he had to be close to being out.

Snorting, Jak rested his head back against the wall. "You realize now isn't the best time to be smoking, right?"

"If I'm going to die, I'm going to die chocked full of a happy little thing called nicotine. No pain, no pain." Here he paused again, the small red ember signaling the end of the stick bobbing up and down for a moment. "Want one?"

"No."

"Suit yourself."

The two of them lapsed into an uncomfortable silence, lost in their own thoughts. Jak still wasn't giving up, but it felt like he'd gone over everything. Explosives were out, dark powers were out, and digging was out…everything seemed to be out, unless Dax managed to come through. Fatigue was starting to clog his senses, yet he still put all his energy into thinking. As long as he was doing something, there was still time.

"Ya know…I never figured I'd die like this."

Jak started from his thoughts, glancing over in Jinx's direction, "Yeah?"

"Yeah. I could see myself getting an arm blown to smithereens and bleedin' to death, or being eaten by a metal head, but suffocation? Sure escaped me." His chuckle was interrupted by a harsh cough.

"We're not dead yet."

"Heh…hehehehe… Lady luck and her guardian angels sure are taking their time, then." The other's chuckles continued. "And ya know…I never did show you those battle scars, did I?"

Jak had nothing to say in response.

To Be Continued…