Chapter 12: Returning to Normalcy – Almost

Light filtered in through the blinds of an overhead window and onto Jak's hospital bed. The elf's eyes fluttered open, and he looked around, trying to grasp where he was. He looked to his right and saw Keira, sprawled out on a chair, sleeping silently. Then, he looked to his left and saw Torn, lying there hooked up to several life support machines and an I.V. Jak racked his brain for any recent memory, but all he could remember was terrible pain, and then light.

For the first time in years he felt…healthy. He uncovered himself of the sheets halfway down his body and stretched out, releasing a loud yawn. The aquamarine haired elf slowly opened her eyes at the sound and suddenly became very alert.

"Jak!" She shouted, practically jumping out of the chair. She didn't wait for him respond before she grabbed his face in both hands and kissed him. Jak was surprised at first, but melted into the kiss and wrapped his arms around her.

When they broke apart after a moment, Jak's face contorted in confusion.

"What happened?"

"You've been out for more than two days!" She said, pulling him into a tight embrace, ignoring his question.

He smiled at her happiness, but then looked at her sternly. "Keira, what happened?"

Keira frowned. She had wanted to forget the whole ordeal. She hadn't even considered that Jak would not remember. But, the young mother knew he should know, so she went into the long and grueling story, although leaving out the details about what he had done to Torn.

When Keira had finally finished, Jak looked away, ashamed, even though he knew that it had been his dark counterpart that had the control and did the damage. He rubbed his temples and sighed, looking to the left at Torn.

"And Torn? What happened to him? Is he going to be okay? And where's Trajan?" He asked all at once, facing Keira again. She winced at his first questions, not wanting to tell him what he had done to Torn, for him to feel more guilt.

"Trajan's fine…He's with Tess…He's missed his Daddy," She stalled with a warm smile.

"I…I hurt him, didn't I?" Jak asked gravely, glancing at Torn, reading the hesitation on Keira's face. Her only answer was a silent nod.

"Is he going to be alright?" He reiterated.

"We don't know…Daddy says that some dark eco got into his system…" She reached for his hand, "but it wasn't you, Jak. You didn't do that." She could tell he was feeling extremely guilty.

The door opened across the room and Samos and Ashelin walked in. The Sage came towards them, while Ashelin went to Torn's beside.

"Jak! Glad to see you awake, my boy!" Samos greeted him, "How do you feel?"

"I feel...Good…Really good, actually," The warrior-elf replied, stroking Keira's back nonchalantly.

"I want to talk to you…About what happened." Samos said on a serious note.

"Keira already told me everything." Jak said, exchanging glances with Keira.

"Yes, good, but about when those Precursors touched you…I was thinking…" He trailed off, leaving his daughter and Jak staring intently, "Well now, you seem to have no dark eco left in your entire body, according to your eco readings. In fact…I have reason to believe that you have been left with light eco, remarkably."

Keira looked at Jak with a funny smile. She hadn't noticed before, but Jak did seem to have a slight glow about him. His eyes, too, shone the bright blue she remembered from Sandover.

The two Hagais stared at Jak, as if waiting for him to unleash some great power of the Precursors. But Jak's focus was on Ashelin, whose soft cries could be heard from the other side of the room. He had never seen Ashelin so vulnerable, so full of emotion. And, no matter what anyone said to comfort him, he knew he was the cause of her grief.

"Jak? Keira said, touching his shoulder.

Jak looked back at Keira. He could feel her read his face like an open book. Then she smiled, knowing what would cheer him up.

Keira left the infirmary and Samos conversed with a nearby doctor on Jak's conditon. Jak couldn't help but stare at Torn. He couldn't think of a time or even imagine with the former Underground Leader look so…fragile.

Shortly after she had left, the former mechanic returned, grinning with their son in her arms. Carefully, Keira eased Trajan into Jak's waiting arms and closed the curtain to his left, blocking his view of Torn.

Luckily, this tactic worked quite well as Jak was instantly happier with his son in his arms.

"He's gotten bigger," Jak said as he made a funny face at the baby, making his son squeal and reach his tiny hands for Jak's face.

"…And stronger." Keira added, sitting on the edge of his bed and leaning against his shoulder and lightly kissing the crown of Jak's head.

A week later, there were no real improvements in Torn's condition, for he still lay in a coma, relying on life support.

Keira had suggest for Jak to talk to Ashelin, to maybe take some weight off of his shoulders; but in truth, Jak was scared of what she would say to him.

Aside from the small guilt trips he set himself on, Jak was pretty happy. Being a parent was becoming more natural to himself and Keira, and they had more time for just them after they got in the routine of things.

It was strange, before Jak's ordeal, they had barely started an intimate relationship, being that their first time together had been their last. Jak could envision that night clearly even now, but knew it would at least have to wait another two or three weeks for a repeat, when Trajan was a month old and Keira's body had recovered from the pregnancy. For the time being, they stuck to late night make-out sessions to appease their lust for one another.

With the passing days, life continued as normal as it could in Haven City. Although, Torn had yet to wake up and Ashelin hardly spoke to anyone anymore, though she put on a stern face, continuing her important and vital role as the Governess of the city. Without a King, someone had to run the city, after all.

One afternoon, two weeks and one day after the defeat of the Dark Precursors, Jak had just gotten back from wandering the city, observing the rebuilding of the city with Daxter, and the two joked around as they waited in the Palace elevator.

"So…How are you and, uh…Tess?" Jak said with a fake clearing of his throat, stifling a bit of laughter and smiling down at his furry friend.

"Laugh all ya want, Big Guy, but me and my Tessy-poo are great! What about you Jakky boy? Getting any from Keira? Or was that just a one time deal since you knocked her up the last time?!" Daxter answered, having his own chuckles.

"Shut-up! We haven't done much of anything since Trajan was born…" Jak said, putting a serious thought on the subject.

"Oh, I see…" Daxter pondered, "Damaged goods, right?"

"No! Of course not! She just needs time to recover…Damn Daxter…" Jak said, not believing his sidekick had said that about Keira.

Just in time, the elevator opened on the second floor and they got out.

"Anyways…You wanna go and hide ol' Grandpa Green's ferns for kicks?" Daxter suggested, pointing out one of the aforementioned plants in a corner by Samos's door.

"Nah, I'm gonna go help out Keira with the baby." Jak passed, not that incurring the old Sage's wrath sounded like good fun anyways.

"Ah, whatever…you never wanna do anything fun anymore!" Daxter whined, as he walked down the opposite hallway from Jak's destination.

On the way to his and Keira's quarters' he passed the infirmary. Jak stopped, retracing his steps back to the door to the infirmary and looked through the small, square window on the door. It was empty, except for Torn.

Jak looked around the hallway, and seeing no one, opened the door and walked in quietly. He made his way to Torn's beside and looked over the many tubes supplying the FL General with life. It was strange, he hadn't been killed instantly by the dark eco substance, like most elves would have, meaning he had some, however limited, channeling abilities.

Jak, the once errand-boy for the elf lying in front of him, watched as a pump quietly allowed oxygen to enter the comatose patient. He felt a strange urge just to reach out and touch him. Then he looked down at his own hands. What Samos had said about him having his dark eco replaced by light eco echoed in his mind as he reached out cautiously to Torn's arm with his right hand, as if his fallen comrade would suddenly awake.

When his index and middle finger came in contact with Torn's forearm, he pulled back, feeling as though he had been shocked. He thought he had seen Torn's skin brighten where he had touched, but disregarded it as a trick of the eyes and left swiftly.

"Weird…" He said aloud to himself, shaking his head.