If you like the story and want to read an updated version, please check out either the same story on AO3 or Wattpad. Updating is easier on those sites, so I prefer using them. Of course the story is still perfectly readable here, but the 'better' versions are available on other sites. Happy reading!

I would add links but FF doesn't allow linking to outside website so :/

|Outside of the city|

"Ugh, I hate Metalheads!" Valentine complained, kicking a Metal Scorpion that had gotten too close to her. The creature let out a screeching sound as it described a perfect arch before plopping in the ocean. "Stupid critters, always getting too close… Ever hear of private space?" she yelled to yet another scorpion, sending it flying after its buddy.

"Valentine." Jak's masculine voice sounded behind her. "Come on up here, they'll just keep coming." He said, holding out his hand so he could pull her up on the ridge.

She sighed, knowing her new partner was right. She jumped up, grabbing his hand. A small spark jumped from Jake to her, glowing a dark purple in the early morning light. Even if the pain would have crippled a normal person, to them it was more like a light tingle. The sparks appeared sometimes and Jak had accepted them as proof of Valentine's infection.

"You'd think the Baron would want to keep the way to important things like water valves safe!" Daxter commented, jumping from Jak's shoulder to Valentine's so he could peer to the Metal scorpions that had once again come up from the ground beneath them.

Valentine's face took on a grim look when she thought about the Metal Heads they had encountered. "I doubt Praxis is aware of the gravity of the situation. I installed communicators last time I was in the Intel station. The soldiers are lying to Praxis as much as he is lying to them. Every time they end up in a fight with Metalheads they lie about the quantities and casualties, out of fear Praxis will use them as the next guinea pig."

Jak lifted her up so she could reach the next ridge, pushing her up by her feet until she was up there. She held out her hand, so he could grab it and get up as well. He ignored it, running up the wall in part, grabbing the ridge's edge just in time. As he pulled himself up, Valentine grinned. "Showoff," She commented.

Jak grinned at her, pointing at the valve station to their left. She nodded, letting Daxter drop to the ground as they walked up closer. "And besides, the Metal Heads even have their use for him. People from the Underground end up being assaulted by them on the way to various assignments." She looked around, enjoying the panoramic view. Even in the pale sunlight she could easily spot at least three groups of Metal Heads scurrying around.

"According to Uncle Vin, a lot of fishy things have been going on with the Eco supply. Not just because of Praxis' experiments. There's been something else going on and it's not in the best interest of the city."

"You have an uncle?" Jak asked, interested in learning more about his new partner. It was still too soon to call her a friend after knowing her for a mere half day. Still, so far she had proven to be reliable. "What about parents?" he asked her, trying not to sound too eager.

Daxter had in the meantime tried to turn the valve to no avail. Valentine and Jak rested against the pipes. "My parents… they got killed while trying to protect the previous leader of the city at the time that Praxis took over. My family has always been in service of the King's family…"

She banged a fist to her heart, taking on a stand as if taking a pledge. "Until the day we die, we shall serve. Our lives before theirs, our hearts with compassion and resolve. We shall not rest in our duty as they shall not rest in theirs."

She dropped back casually against the pipes, sharing a glance with Jak. "Anyhow, after I escaped Uncle Vin raised me. He's not much of a fighter but his heart is in the right place and he knows where his loyalty should be. After Praxis' soldiers took me away he risked being caught too. He ended up working for Praxis in exchange for my life."

She smiled at the sky, her mind wandering to the past. "I wonder if he would have done it, knowing what I had to go through at the same time. Eh… Daxter, you need help with that?" she asked the Ottsel, who kept trying to get the valve to move. Jak banged on the pipe, letting the valve turn loose suddenly. Daxter screeched when he was sucked in a vent.

Jak grabbed her by the arm, pointing down to the water. "Time for a shortcut. Can you swim?"

Valentine nodded but before she opened her mouth to say she'd rather not Jak already jumped down, taking her with him. With a splash they landed in the water, coughing and wheezing when they broke to the surface. Would it have killed him to look before he jumped? "This is dangerous! Who knows what's hiding in the water?"

"C'mon, this way" Jak said, guiding Valentine towards the shore. She swam behind him and wondered where he found the courage to take risks like that. If it had been up to her she would have analyzed their odds of survival first. They got up on the shore and Valentine started squeezing water from her hair. "I hate swimming. Daxter better be grateful, my hair will take ages to dry up."

Jak didn't reply, walking towards the smaller valve where Daxter was stuck. "Daxter, are you in there?" he asked, listening for a reply. Some gurgling sounds came out of the pipe, leading them to assume Daxter was in there. Jak turned the valve, sending Daxter flying out, catapulted by the force of the water.

Valentine caught him in mid – air, sounding relieved when she spoke. "Daxter, there you are. Are you okay?" she asked him.

Daxter shook his head, spitting water out before speaking and pointing at Jak. "Don't say it! Not a word. Not even a chuckle. Next time, you turn the valve."

Valentine's mouth started to quiver with withheld laughter. When she looked at Jak she saw the corner of his mouth quiver. With the eye contact they lost any self control they could have boasted and burst out in laughter. Daxter rolled his eyes, letting himself relax in Valentine's arms. "Seriously you guys… it's not that funny."

|Back in the hideout|

"No way am I going in Praxis' fort while I'm dripping wet." Valentine rejected the mission at once when she heard what Torn wanted.

Torn facepalmed, wondering why he always ended up having to soothe Valentine every time her hormones were running rampant. True, he had not seen Jak that much yet, but the guy seemed to be more stable than Valentine was. "You're not even that wet anymore, just a little damp." He told her. Valentine shot him a glare when he said that.

"Whatever. Can't we go home before we get ourselves sick and bedridden for two whole weeks?"

"Now you're just exaggerating." Torn said, wishing he hadn't called Valentine in today. It was rare for her to have a whole day of, and he wanted to take advantage of it to give Jak all the training he could. Valentine started to open her mouth again when suddenly Jak put his hand on her shoulder. She paused, looking at her partner.

"Listen Valentine. Me and Daxter can go alone if you don't want to. It's important that I see the Shadow as quickly as possible, so the more missions I can take to make this go faster, the better."

Torn let out a sigh, seeing that it would end up with Jak going on his own. Valentine paused, not exactly comfortable having to let him go on his own. She opened her mouth to speak when Torn interrupted her. "Fine, Valentine, you go home and dry up a bit. If you're going to sit home you might as well keep playing nanny to the Kid. Just go to the pick – up point in about an hour or so, I'll have someone pick you up."

Valentine made a 'tsss' – sound while thinking, looking at Jak. Daxter noticed, and jumped over to her shoulder again. "Listen toots, me and my buddy can take care of ourselves. Have I ever told you about the time we rode a Hover bike through a searing hot canyon, filled with lava and Lurkers? Or about the time that –"

Torn clasped his hand around Daxter's head, shutting off the endless stream of words coming from the animal's mouth. He gave Jak and Valentine a hard look. The two froze up, straightening their backs without even realizing they were doing it.

'There's a reason that the Krimzon guard used to be able to make Metal Heads turn tail… when Torn left, Praxis must've been ready to rip out his mustache…' Valentine mused to herself, not being able to meet the former General's strict gaze. Whenever he did that she always got the urge to confess every minor mistake she had made in her life. Not that there had been many being imprisoned for the better part of puberty.

Jak grabbed Daxter, pulling him out of Torn's iron grip. Though he said nothing he was obviously unhappy with how Torn treated him. For a moment their eyes met and Valentine imagined there was a flicker of understanding between them. The idea was most likely just wishful thinking from her part. She wondered what Jak saw when he looked in her dark blue eyes.

"I'll see you tonight… Okay?" Her new partner asked, letting go of Daxter so the creature could climb to his usual spot.

Valentine nodded. Did Jak get the same sensation she had at the moment, as if the Eco was turning their stomach in intricate knots at every breath?

"I'll see you tonight, partner! Just be sure they don't catch you, okay?" she said, sounding slightly worried.
He nodded, still holding Daxter in such a way that the Otsel wasn't able to speak. "As if Praxis's soldier have got anything against me! See you!" he walked off, leaving Valentine and Torn behind.

|The Streets|

"Hey kiddo, how are you doing?" Valentine asked as she walked up to Kor and the Kid. The old man's eye seemed to twitch as she approached but it might have been a passing shadow. The man gave her a nod, and she replied with a smile. Bending over, she scooped the Kid up, holding him in her arms. "How you doing, little prince?" she asked, pressing a finger to his nose. The Kid replied in the sign language they had developed.

~I'm doing okay, but I'm hungry.~

She smiled. "Then we'll get something to eat. How does a nice salad sound? I can get you something else if you prefer."

The young boy thought it over for a second before he replied. ~I would like some ice-cream.~

Valentine chuckled when she saw what he said. Kor let out a sigh, not liking how he did not understand anything the boy said when he was using sign language. It was the only way the child could communicate, but he wished the boy had never learned. If the child happened to see something he wasn't supposed to see, he would probably rush to Valentine. Instead of voicing his concerns he tapped his staff on the ground, drawing their attention. "He's very fond of you, isn't he Valentine?" he said in a conversational tone of voice, attempting to appear as feeble as possible.

"And I am glad for it." She said softly, the kid trailing his fingers through the hairs of her wig. "For my family, who has sworn to protect the House of Mar, this child is the most important thing in this entire world. My life shall go before his so he may fulfill his duty." Her face took on a stronger look as she glared to one of the machines through which the Baron's voice spouted throughout the streets. "The day the world is rid of Praxis shall be the day I will be able to mourn for my family that has died in the battle."

Kor nodded, also a stern look on his face. "I too long for the day the Baron is eradicated from this city so that its true owners may be in charge." He said, looking to the sky of the city, where the faint glimmer of the dark Eco barrier could be seen if one stared intently enough. Valentine followed his gaze for a second before putting the Kid down again. He grabbed her hand with a tiny fist, holding it tightly. One of the first things she had taught him was to never let go of her hand.

"We'll be taking our leave then, Kor. Have a nice day and be careful. Even though I hacked the defense system, you never know when some overenthusiastic programmer wants to upgrade everything he can get his hands on."

Kor let out a sigh for the truth of that. "I know there have been problems because the Baron's been urging his scientists to find out who is messing with his systems. You do realize that if he ever gets his hands on you, he will not be lenient? You'd have better odds surviving with the Metal Heads."

Valentine nodded, dejected at the notion. "As I said, my life before that of any member of the House of Mar. To win this war I'd do better not having problems sacrificing myself. Bye Kor, until next time."

As they walked off, the Kid gestured to her vividly. ~I don't want you to die!~

Valentine nodded and signed back to him. ~I'm not planning no dying, so don't you worry. Let's get you something to eat.~

~Okay.~

|Valentine's Home|

The door zoomed open, letting Jak and Daxter drag themselves in after a long day of hard work. "I. Hate. Robots!" Daxter screamed, kicking a book that was lying on the floor. 'Doesn't Torn know he could get us KILLED out there?' Daxter continued, jumping on the creme-white sofa, grabbing his own tail in frustration.

Valentine came out of the kitchen, wearing reading glasses and holding a big book. "Of course he knows. Torn knows better than anyone every time he sends one of us out we might not make it back. He also knows even more people will die if we don't fight Praxis." She took of her glasses, putting them on a small table next to a vase.

'"Welcome back by the way. I already made dinner so you can dig in. Also, the Kid's here, so let's keep the tantrums to a minimum, okay?'" she said, throwing Daxter a glance. The Otsel fumed and opened his mouth for another snappy comeback. Jak cut him off by throwing a pillow at him. When Daxter got back up he glared at his partner.

"WHAT WAS THAT FOR?" he screamed, pointing an accusing finger at his friend.

Jak chuckled, shrugging. "Valentine said if I wanted to throw something, I should use pillows. It's great when I'm feeling down." He explained, although…

"That's not an answer to my question!" Daxter yelled again, not pleased at the way he was treated.

"Be nice." Jak warned him, starting to like Valentine's company. Though he still wasn't able to fully let his guard down he did enjoy the feeling of being near someone who understood. If Daxter kept yapping away, he might spoil everything. For the first time in years being able to feel safe and at ease was something that he did not want to lose. He wanted to get his revenge on Praxis for what had happened. But maybe getting to relax for a little while wouldn't be so horrible either.