A/N: Welcome to the alternate chapter to the last one you read. This is for all the people who threatened me with anything if Jak died. So…enjoy, folks.

Warnings: yaoi, vampirism, bad language (Naughty Jak! -waves swear jar in his face-) written half in a cinema and half while listening to Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra so if it turns odd, blame the music. –dancedance to odd Japanese jazzy music-

Disclaimer: Lucia's mine but all else is property of ND. Thankyou.

Chapter start

Jak raised the stake, ready to plunge it deep into his chest. Just as he was about to bring it down, it was knocked out of his grasp.

"I changed my mind. I can't let you kill yourself!" Torn said firmly.

"But-"

"I can't let you die, Jak," Torn interrupted. "Not now, not ever."

Jak looked curiously at Torn. "What brought this on? Earlier you didn't seem to care so much."

"I care Jak, I've always cared even if I didn't understand it," Torn said slowly, forcing the words out. He had to say this. It might be the only way to save Jak but the tattooed vampire was still uncomfortable with sharing his feelings after keeping them to himself for so long. "But I understand now."

"Understand what, Torn?" Jak half-shouted, exasperated.

"Understand why I panicked when I thought you'd been blown up, why I couldn't let you die in the warehouse and why I can't let you die now," explained Torn.

Jak's eyes widened slightly.

"I –I love you, Jak," Torn finished.

Jak looked shocked. "What?" he asked faintly.

"I love you," Torn repeated.

"No…you –you can't…" Jak said. "It's just that…Blood Bond thing messing with your head. You can't love me!"

"I do, Jak. I can't deny it anymore," Jak replied. "I love you and if you kill yourself I may have to follow your example.

"No! Torn, you can't! You-"

All of Jak's protesting and denying was cut off as Torn yanked him forward and kissed him soundly on the lips. Torn held Jak tightly, not caring that he wasn't kissing back.

Eventually the tattooed vampire stepped back, releasing Jak.

"Well, uh…I guess…if that didn't make you change your mind, I should leave and let you get on with it," he muttered, subdued. "Like Lucia was ever going to be right," he added under his breath.

Jak heard the comment. "Right about what?" he asked. Curiously.

"Oh, just some line from a corny romance novel," Torn said dismissively. "Some nonsense about if anything was ever going to change your mind it would be my love." Torn chuckled.

Jak could tell there was no humour in it though. He watched Torn turn and walk away to the elevator. Just before the doors closed, Torn turned for a last look at Jak and the young vampire could see the pain he was trying to hide in his eyes.

"Oh fuck…"

Torn walked quickly back to Lucia's apartment. He refused to look back at the Palace where he was sure Jak was preparing to kill himself again. He slammed the door open with a loud bang.

"I t didn't work, Lucia," the tattooed vampire said to his worried-looking sister. "It didn't fucking work!"

The look of worry turned to one of sorrow. "I'm so sorry, Torn," she replied. She looked close to tears.

"Yeah, well…if you want me, I'll be in my room contemplating suicide," Torn said bitterly.

He turned and strode off to his room, head bowed. Lucia watched him go and then what he had said sank in.

"Torn! Don't even think like that!" she screeched, going after him. "What about all me and all the other people who still need you?"

"Jak isn't thinking of the people who still need him so why should I?" Torn yelled back bitterly. He slammed his bedroom door in Lucia's face.

"Torn! Don't you dare leave me!" Lucia shouted through the door. There was no reply. The female vampire screamed in frustration and kicked the door. "Fine! If you want me, I'll be in my room deciding what I'm going to do to my stupid brother!

With that, the brunette vampire stomped off down the hall to her room.

Ten minutes later, when Jak walked in, all was quiet. He looked around for Torn and found him still in his room, looking miserably out of the window. The young vampire watched his sire for a few seconds before making his presence known.

"Um…hey, Torn…" Jak said, looking guiltily at the floor.

Almost instantly a door down the hall opened and there was the sound of running footsteps!

"Jak!" Lucia greeted. "I thought you'd be dead by now. Glad you're still alive!" She gave him a quick hug that almost squeezed all the air out of him.

"Um, Lucia, can we have a moment alone?" Torn asked, looking pointedly at his sister.

Lucia released Jak. "Oh! Ah! Sure!" she grabbed the door handle to shut it. "I'll just be eavesdropping behind the door…uh, I mean, I'll be in the kitchen!" she quickly corrected, shutting the door.

Torn sighed softly and looked at Jak.

"Erol used to tell me he loved me after he…y'know…" Jak started softly. "But…he never looked the way you did, even when I told him I hated him. He was just amused by it."

"I don't think Erol loved anyone…though considering how fucked up he was, that probably counted as love for him," Torn replied softly.

"But you understand why I acted the way I did on the roof now?" Jak said quizzically.

Torn nodded. "Yeah, I understand," he answered. "And believe me, I'd never treat you the way he did."

Jak smiled softly. "I know. That's why I'm standing here now."

Torn stepped forward and tentatively embraced Jak.

"Torn…I…uh…did some thinking," Jak muttered nervously. "All the stuff I said about vampires being monsters…well, um, I figured they-we-don't have to be horrible bloodsucking monsters. We can be…nice bloodsucking monsters."

Torn smiled down at the young vampire in his arms. "And how did you figure that out?" he asked.

"Well, I figured anybody with the ability to love can't be all that bad…so I thought...maybe I should try to get used to being a vampire…" Jak muttered, blushing. "And, well…I suppose blood could taste a lot worse…"

"You haven't drank blood from the blood bank yet. You wouldn't say that if you had," Torn said.

"And speaking of blood, I haven't hunted yet tonight," Jak realised. "Do you want to come with me?"

"Of course. I haven't fed either," Torn replied. He walked over to the door and opened it.

"Ow!" Lucia fell in the doorway. "Hey!"

"Serves you right for eavesdropping on a private conversation," Torn said, walking past without a second glance.

"How could I not?" Lucia asked. "One of the most important conversations in your entire life! I swear I had no choice but to listen in!"

"Doesn't the word "private" mean anything to you?" Torn demanded.

"You're family. The rules don't apply where you're concerned," Lucia replied cheekily.

Torn rolled his eyes. "Don't let me catch you talking to anyone about what you heard and don't let me catch you listening in again," he warned. "That was private. None of it concerned you."

"I know…but I had to make sure you were going to be happy, Torn," Lucia said. She turned to Jak. "I might not know what all the stuff about the "Erol" guy was about but I can tell it was pretty bad. Just… don't let Torn push you further than you want to go and don't give up, all right?" she said.

"You make me sound like such a monster," Torn replied. "Come on, Jak. Let's go."

Jak nodded and followed Torn quickly. "She…won't mention it to anybody, right? If she mentions Erol…"

"Lucia knows when to keep a secret even though she doesn't know when she's not supposed to know the secret," Torn replied as they left the apartment.

"Good," Jak muttered. "It was hard enough telling you about Erol…if anybody else asks, I don't know if I'll be able to handle it."

"Nobody else will find out," Torn promised. "Trust me."

"I do," Jak said.

The two vampires found their victims with ease. They fed quickly, Torn noticing Jak no longer hesitated over drinking form someone.

"I'm not taking enough to kill them, only enough for me to survive. I can control the thing inside me that wants all their blood," Jak explained. "It's getting easier and I don't feel like such a monster anymore."

Torn nodded, pleased that Jak was finally becoming used to being a vampire. "So you're finally coping with the change."

"I am," Jak replied. "It's not that bad, I guess. I was just…"

"Scared," Torn finished. "It's all right. I don't think there's anyone else in the city at the moment who has gone through the change."

They walked quietly through the streets of Haven City. Torn was trying to find a way to ask Jak a question. There was nobody around, not even patrolling Freedom League guards.

"Jak, I need to ask you something," Torn said, stopping in a quiet street.

"Sure, ask away," Jak replied.

"You know how I feel about you, Jak. Doesn't that affect what I am to you at all?" Torn asked.

"Torn…you're my sire, and my friend but…I don't know if you could be more…" Jak said. "I don't know if I could…be with you without thinking of Erol and what he did to me."

"I understand," Torn said, trying to hide his disappointment. "But you won't know until you try."

"Torn...I-I don't know…" Jak said, backing away.

Torn looked hurt for a split second. "Jak, please…all I'm asking is for one kiss. If you don't like it, just say so and I won't do it again." He moved closer to Jak.

Jak unconsciously stepped backwards and realised there was nothing but a wall behind him. Torn stepped closer until he was so closer Jak could feel his breath.

"Just once, Jak," the tattooed vampire whispered.

'I don't know if I can… Torn said something about a panic attack once when he fed from me! What if that happens again?' Jak thought desperately. 'But…he kissed me on the roof and it wasn't that bad…no flashbacks or anything…'

The blond vampire looked up at Torn. "Once," he agreed.

Torn immediately dipped his head and kissed his childe firmly on the lips. He held Jak lightly so he could escape if he needed to. But Jak didn't move. He stood and let his eyes flutter closed as Torn kissed him.

After a few seconds, Torn pulled away. "Jak?" he said, wondering what the young vampire was thinking.

"…Let's just go home," Jak said.

The two vampires walked in silence back to Lucia's apartment. Jak was lost in thought, trying to figure out how he felt about the kiss and Torn.

Torn kept sneaking glances at Jak. He was hoping for some kind of insight into what was going through the young vampire's head but there was no such luck. Jak kept his thoughts shielded and his face blank.

At last they reached the apartment and entered, each vampire heading to his own room silently. However, just before Torn could open his bedroom door, Jak stopped him.

"Torn," the blond said quietly.

Torn turned to look at him. "Yes?"

Jak stepped forward and placed a chaste kiss on his lips. "Goodnight, Torn." With that, the young vampire entered his own room and shut the door.

Torn tried to stop the small, lovesick smile from spreading across his face, at least until he was in the privacy of his own room.

Chapter end

A/N: Yes…only "chapter end" on this. More to come! XD On another note… -stabs the chapter- Shoot me. Now. You would not believe how hard this was to write while they were in character. In fact…it's probably way OOC. For that, I apologise. And you can still shoot me. Any time now… -waits patiently to be shot by someone with a 12-gauge shotgun-

And I have a little snippet of how the start of the chapter could have gone…

Jak: -reaches for stake-

Torn: -pushes him over- No! –Pouts like a school kid who isn't getting what he wants-

Jak: Geez, what are you, five? –Sits up-

Torn: But I don't want you to diiiiieeeee! –Sobs- I want you to stay with me forever and ever and EVER!

Jak: -scared- Um…okay…

Torn: Yay! –Big smooch- I luffs you!

Jak: OO Okay, what have you been smokin'?

Torn: -snuggle-

…Yeah…random OOC snippet for you to laugh at. ; Yesh…Sabby likes to pretend she ish funneh sometimes…. Argh…just kill me already…

Oh…review?