|Moon's note : before you start worrying, this is not the end of the story, not by far. The lyrics I slipped in are from the song War of Change, by Thousand Foot Krutch (which is one of my favorite bands and their music really fits the whole Valentine/Jak thing if you ask me) |

|Jak |

Jak strode towards the Racing Dome, flexing his hands inside his pockets constantly. For a moment he took a seat near the stairs, trying to relax for the coming hours. In just a little while, Valentine would be starting the fake concert, and then he would be responsible for getting them both to safety. He touched his jaw gingerly, glad Tess hadn't bruised him up.

'You are a fucking idiot!' Tess had screamed at him. Jak had been stupefied, it was Daxter who had wanted to go to Krew's bar to have a drink and celebrate Valentine being safe. As they had been sitting there, Jak telling Daxter how strange Keira behaved whenever he mentioned his partner, Tess had stopped next to them. Before Jak had been able to say hello to her, she's punched him in the face and started yelling.

'I don't get why Valentine would ever want to be with an oblivious asshole like you! Dear Mar, how do you not see how she feels about you? How can you even tolerate Keira talking about her in that way?'

Jak had lifted up his hands in defense should she decide to slug him again, Daxter trying to hold back Tess. The two had grown closer, which was probably the only reason she didn't fling Daxter against a wall.

'What the hell are you talking about, Tess?' Jak demanded, rubbing his jaw and reminding himself that he shouldn't attack the woman.

'Valentine has done everything for you, including keeping her mouth shut every time you started to talk about Keira, and you still can't see it, can you?'

Jak thought about how confused he'd been, savoring the sudden break of sunlight in what looked to become a rainy day.

'Keira used to have a relationship with Erol before you showed back up. There's a reason he's after you more than Valentine. Valentine didn't do any research on Keira because she respected your privacy, though the only reason that snippet of info didn't reach her is because she doesn't hear the gossip on the streets. Haven't you noticed how Keira talks about her?'

Jak flinched, looking at Daxter in search of support. 'Keira is just being jealous, because me and Valentine are so close. Right?'
Daxter shook his head, letting go of Tess' hands now she didn't show any further inclinations to attack his friend. 'It wasn't really my place to meddle. But Valentine has a real soft spot for you, and the situation has been hurting her.'

'Then what do you guys think I should be doing? Keira was my girlfriend in the past, I can't just –'

'Just what? Accept that some things happen in the past?' Tess asked him, crossing her arms over one another. 'Right now, you should be focusing on the future. I'm giving you one chance to set things right with Valentine, after that, she and me are going to have a heart to heart chat and trust me, your image won't come out of that without some damage.'

Jak got up, ascending the stairs with a grim face. Tess had been right, of course. He should have realized things between him and Keira had been tense. She disapproved of his work for Krew, and although she didn't say it out loud, she also disapproved of his being infected with Dark Eco. Once he had realized that Valentine had been setting aside her feelings so she would be able to cure him – making things worse for herself in the progress – he'd almost smacked himself in the face.

'Jak!' Keira exclaimed, surprised at seeing him without him having called ahead first. She wanted to walk up to him, but stopped halfway the room. 'What's wrong?'

Jak threw a quick glance to the clock. He was running slightly late, but he could still make it in time if he raced there. 'Keira, we need to talk.'

She cocked her head to the side, clearly discomforted by his tone of voice. 'Talk about what? Jak, is something wrong.'

He ran his hands through his hair. He didn't want to hurt Keira, but he did have to stop hurting Valentine. 'Keira… you noticed too, didn't you? How things are between us? Sure, we go on dates and everything, but we don't have anything to talk about anymore.'

Keira looked at him in worry. 'I guess, but that's only for now. Once you're cured, everything will go a lot better.'

'Cured?' Jak looked up in surprise. 'How am I going to get cured? Valentine tried, and look at what happened to her. What if this is a thing I'm stuck with for life?'

'You won't be! You can't be! I'm sure someone will find a cure, that partner of yours, or-'

'Her name is Valentine!' Jak bellowed at her, anger suddenly flaring in his stomach. 'And she's been sacrificing herself because she thought I was the only one of us two who would ever have a shot at a normal life!'

'Isn't she right about that?' Keira asked, tears springing in her eyes. 'Who would ever want to be together with a person like her?!'

Jak straightened up, fists clenching at his side. 'A person like her? You mean me? Is it really that hard for you to be together with me?'

'I didn't mean it like that!' Keira exclaimed. Jak growled, turning towards the exit.

'Whatever! This is over Keira! I have to go now, something important is going on.' He was stopped dead in his tracks when the door closed in front of him and refused to open. He turned around, anger in his eyes. 'What are you doing? I have to leave right now! Open the door!'

'Not until we talk this out, Jak! You're important to me!' Keira shouted back, just as angry as he was.

|Valentine|

'He's not here yet.' She mumbled, touching her wig for the second time in ten seconds. Daxter was standing next to her, looking out over the harbor. Whenever a guard passed by – usually to request an autograph – he ducked between some speakers to avoid being spotted. The Ottsel looked to the Zoomer that she had engineered for this day.

'Don't worry too much, sweet cheeks. He'll be here, you'll see.'

Valentine looked at her wrist computer, to tell the time. 'If he isn't here in a few minutes, I'll have to start without him.' Her heart started to hammer in her chest when she realized what that meant for her. Back to the dark, damp dungeons, scientists deconstructing her body to see what made her tick. Praxis wouldn't bother keeping her alive anymore if he still had Jak running around as a second prototype. Her hands started to shake as she fought the sudden fear.

'Valentine… are you okay?' Daxter asked her. She nodded, biting her tongue to keep herself in check. 'I'll be fine. No worries. Shouldn't you be going to shore? Go watch the show with Tess.' She wanted to add 'where it's safe.' but couldn't get the words out.

Five more minutes.

She opened the wrist computer, calling her uncle Vin. He greeted her with his usual nervous streaks, interrupted by the Kid who was in his Station for the time being.

'Valentine? What's wrong?' he asked her, eyes constantly flickering from side to side. 'Shouldn't you be singing already? When are you starting?'

'Jak's not here yet. Uncle… I don't think he's coming.' She said, trying to ignore the stabs of pain in her left hand that still hadn't healed.

'O-O-Of course he's coming!' her uncle managed to wring out, hands fluttering to all sides. 'He knows how important this is, doesn't he?'

'Maybe he has more important things on his mind.' She told him. Like being with Keira.

'Can I talk to the Kid for a little bit?' she asked. With every second that passed, she could already predict how this would end. In a dark, tiny cell for the remainder of a pained life.

The Kid appeared on the screen, waving at her cheerily. She smiled back at him, forcing back sudden tears. 'Hey kiddo. Look… I have something important to tell you. I won't be able to come and pick you up anytime soon.'

'Why?' Mar signed at her, looking confused. She had told him earlier that she would be certain to come back to him as soon as possible.

'Important business. I have to protect everyone in this city, don't I? I have to protect you as well. No need to worry about me, I'm already a big girl. I'll be fine.'

The Kid looked confused at her words. He could probably see the tears forming in her eyes. 'Valentine, you're hurting! You should come back here, we could eat ice cream together. Please?'

She shook her head, closing her eyes for a second. The time on her watch was counting down. Resolve formed inside her, resolve to keep little Mar safe from Praxis. She signed with one hand, making sure to seem as cheerful as possible.

'See you later, okay? I love you.'

Mar started to cry a little bit. Yet he still managed to sign back to her. 'I love you most of all, Valentine.'

When her uncle appeared back on screen, Valentine had the hard look on her face her mother had had before she had been shot by Praxis' men. 'Uncle. I probably won't be seeing you again. Thank you for taking care of me. Sorry for being such a mess.'

'Valentine! Listen, you don't have to go through with his! Nobody will blame you, nobody can ask this from you!'

'I would blame me! I wouldn't be able to live with myself! We stick to the plan uncle. Don't let the Kid see the screens! Don't let him know what happens to me. If it gets… too bad, stop watching as well, uncle.'

'Valentine, don't! We can-'

'We go through with this! Now, uncle!'

Her five minutes were up. She switched off the wrist computer, turning to Daxter. He looked up at her with a surprised expression. 'Valentine, what's wrong?'
'I'm doing this for your own good, Daxter.' She told him. She clicked the wrist computer loose, sliding it across the Otsell's body, trapping his arms. He started to yell at her, until she shoved her handkerchief in his mouth, careful not to choke him. After tying up her legs as well, she placed him among some cables, away from the speakers.

Daxter's eyes looked up at her, pleading to stop what she was doing. She covered him with a white cloth, to protect him from the sun. 'It's okay, Daxter. I'm the only one who can do this. Don't worry about me.'

She walked towards the microphone, taking it in her good hand. She looked up to the sky, wondering if this was the last time she would see the world outside. She considered ending her life herself if she got caught. It would certainly show Praxis. She nodded to herself, forcing the fear to end. She forced herself to only feel the anger, the fury at what had happened in this city.

'Hello, dear residents of Haven City. I am quite sorry to take over everything like this-'

It's a truth that in love and war
Worlds collide, and hearts get broken

|Jak|

'Keira, open the fucking door! I need to get out there!' Jak yelled at her, advancing towards her. He could feel how the seconds were ticking away. He needed to be there on time, there was no other way. He wouldn't let Valentine be hurt over something as stupid as him being late.

'No! Why would you want to break up with me? Why can't we be happy together?' Keira pleaded with him, trying to win him over once more.

'Just now you made very clear nobody would ever want to be together with someone like me or Valentine! So who do you want to hang on to me?' he asked, grabbing her by the wrists. The look on her face was one of pure fear, and he realized he was underway of transforming.

'Because of what we were! If you can be just cured again, then everything will go back to the way it once was!'

'I CAN'T BE CURED!' he bellowed at her. She yelled out in fear, almost dropping to the ground if it hadn't been for Jak holding on to her fists.

'Why does it have to be her?' Keira asked, tears finally spilling from her eyes.

Jak couldn't believe the question. 'Because, she accepts me. She trusts me, even if I'm infected.'

He let go of her, turning towards the door. As he walked towards it, he spoke. 'If you don't want me breaking that door down, you will let me pass through.'

I want to live, like I know I'm dying
Take up my cross, not be afraid

The door opened just before he smashed through it. He didn't look back at Keira. Perhaps after today they would be able to talk it out, but right now he needed to get to Valentine. He hoped that she would keep waiting for him, that she would risk the mission to wait for him.
Her voice rang out over the plaza as he jumped up his bike. 'Hello, dear residents of Haven City. I am quite sorry to take over everything like this, but I have some important things to discuss with you.'

Is it true what they say, that words are weapons
And if it is, every body best stop steppin'

He swore, jumping on the nearest Zoomer he saw. He started it by running his thumb across the slot, like Valentine had shown him on the very first day they had met. He still had time, he could still make it.

'Haven City is in a very sore condition. Do you want to know why? There is a certain faction that makes life impossible for every well-meaning resident of this city.'

He took a sharp bend, seeing Valentine's face on a screen as he shot by. He HAD to make it. He clenched his teeth, bending over the Zoomer in an attempt to go faster.

'I am, of course, talking about Baron Praxis and his goons.'

This sentence captured the attention of the guards. They started to point to the screens, and the noises of the street quickly quieted down as Valentine continued her speech as DE-girl. Every word she spoke sounded like a hammer to Jak, time ticking down until the Zoomers would be powered down.

'Praxis has taken over this city by illicit means. He drove out our rightful ruler and killed anyone who attempted to stop him. Others he captured to be used in experiments to create super soldiers.'

Cause I got ten in my pocket that'll bend your locket
I'm tired of all these rockers saying come with me

'How do I know this?' her voice asked. She was looking straight in the screens now. Jak could see tortured blue eyes peering over the city. If only he could go faster…

'Because I am one of those people. What would Praxis say if he heard DE-Girl was in reality one of the most wanted people in Haven? What do you think he will do if I would reveal I am… Valentine Ashanti, last of the Guardians of Mar?'

She let her wig drop to the ground. Jak could hear the crowd gasp, with a few hoots and cheers scattered throughout. Only seconds after that his Zoomer started to lower speed, dropping to the ground. An alarm started sounding, before suddenly being turned off.

'I'm sorry… alarms are so annoying, wouldn't you think?' Valentine spoke, smiling as she looked over Haven city.'

Wait, it's just about to break, it's more than I can take
Everything's about to change
I feel it in my veins, it's not going away
Everything's about to change

'You may be doubting the truth in my words, as is your right. After all, for years you have been told I am a criminal, a freak. In order to show the truth to my words, I have taken the liberty to prepare a few videos.'

Screams followed her words. How she had gotten the footage nobody would be able to guess. Apart from old videos of what Jak assumed was when the town had been taken over, there were also more recent videos. People being ambushed in the streets, pictures of people who had gone missing. Valentine named every single one of them, along with the crime they had been accused of.

He was running now, as fast as his feet could carry him. Every around him her voice sounded, listing names of missing people. It felt like a bad dream, one where you couldn't get away from the monster because your feet feel frozen to the ground.
He prayed he would wake up soon.

It creeps in like a thief in the night
Without a sign, without a warning

|Valentine|

She sent out the signal to destroy some of the unmanned oil rigs. If she hadn't gotten Praxis' attention now, it was because he was already dead. A screen in front of her played the videos, allowing her to see once again what Praxis had done to the city. In the older videos, she had talked to the people who had been captured in the street. They had been with her, down in the darkness. They had suffered like she had, but their bodies hadn't been able to cope.
Every new video she had etched into her memory. She knew their names. She knew the names of their families. She knew the utter bullshit their supposed crimes were.

But we are ready, and we're prepared to fight
Raise up our swords, not be afraid

Soldiers hovered above her. Their bullets were stopped short by the shield she had erected around the small arena she was standing in. It would hold anything that came from outside with a high speed. The soldiers would have to step inside here to come and get her.

'For those of you who don't believe me, look at what will be happening from now on.' She said in the microphone, before dropping it to the ground.

This is a warning, like it or not
I break down, like a record spinning

The first wave of men walked through the shield. She recognized the gun one of them was aiming at her. It was designed to shoot a shot of Dark Eco into a suspect's body, tasering them into submission. The man took aim and shot her.
In the second before it hit, she could feel how the Dark Eco inside of her seemed to whisper. 'No.'

The impact sent her back a pace, but there was no release of Eco. The man on the other side of the wires seemed to be stupefied. Valentine thought she could feel how the Eco was supposed to move across the wires.

Gotta get up
so back off

The moment she considered it, the man with the gun started to have spasms. The men around him looked at him worriedly, before pointing their own guns at Valentine. The pins entering her body hurt her, the impact still throwing her back, … but the Eco didn't harm her. Instead she sent the waves through the guns, punishing the men for their audacity.

'If you stop this now, I will spare you!' she yelled at them. 'I will let you go home to your families. The only people I want are Praxis and Erol.'

The second wave of soldiers hesitated outside the barrier. They looked at her and at each other, clearly not wanting to step in to face her. Meanwhile Valentine could feel the Dark Eco resting inside their guns. She realized the guns wouldn't be able to hurt her if they were supposed to only slow her down. She felt almost giddy with the realization, along with the anger and sadness that Jak wasn't here.

This is a warning, like it or not
I'm tired of listenin', I'm warning you, don't get back up

'You asked for me?' Erol said to her, pushing the soldiers in front of him out of the way. He stopped opposite of her, lifting up the visors of his helmet so he could look her in the eyes.

'What, no Praxis?' she asked, bending down to retrieve her knife from her boot. She had longed for a chance to face the man who was responsible for how she had turned out.

'You'll have to do it with me, bitch.' Erol told her.

'That's okay. I'm just surprised you were able to pull your tongue away from Praxis' ass long enough to come here.' she replied.
The cameras were still rolling, this entire fight was being broadcasted across the city. She hoped the people would remember their lost loved ones, remember their names. She hoped they would remember her.

There's a war going on inside of me, tonight
There's a war going on inside of me, tonight
don't be afraid

|Jak|

He stopped at the barrier, angry it wouldn't let him through. There was nobody else trying to make their way through, everyone had realized it was impossible. He could see the podium where Valentine was standing in the distance. The energy shield was the only thing keeping him from perhaps saving him.
He banged his fists against the clear sheet of energy, fear for Valentine pinching his throat closed. He could see Erol closing in on her on one of the screens.

The man shot at her, and Valentine simple stepped sideways as if this happened every day. The speed at which she moved was incredible. She swung her good fist at his face, knocking him on the ground. Jak clenched his fists, cheering her on. She had to survive this!
One of the soldiers shot her with another taser, throwing her back a few steps again. The man was rewarded for his effort with painful convulsions before Valentine ripped the pins out of her shoulder.

She lunged for the once again standing Erol, the knife aimed at his face. He nearly dodged her, throwing his own arm to the side. Valentine was hit to the side of the face with the gun in his hand, falling to the side. She attempted to scramble back up, but was stopped when he grabbed her injured hand.
Jak tried to close out her scream as Erol squeezed her injured hand. She was helpless, but still attempted to swing her knife at him. Jak could see the small cut she made just below Erol's eye on a nearby screen.

He started to punch the energy screen again. 'It's not fair!' he screamed. 'She's not a fighter! Leave her alone!'

Wait, it's just about to break, it's more than I can take
Everything's about to change

|Valentine|

Valentine felt bile rise up when Erol kicked her in the stomach. She told herself it didn't matter. The damage she had done to Praxis' reputation and assets was worth a bit of pain. She tried to transform again, but her body wouldn't let her. Erol lifted her up by the hair with one hand, still keeping her broken hand firmly in his grasp.

'You're still as weak as the day we caught you. Haven't you grown up a little bit?'

She spat at his face in reply. He flinched when her bloodied spit flew in the cut on his face.

'Doesn't matter. We'll be teaching you some manners soon enough.' Erol said, snapping his fingers for handcuffs. Before Valentine could bite her tongue off, so she wouldn't have to suffer the research again, Erol reached in her mouth, making sure she couldn't close it. The metal of his armor made her gag.

I feel it in my veins, it's not going away
Everything's about to change

She suffered being gagged, before a black bag was pulled over her head. For some reason she was unable to cry. Fear had left her body, leaving her only with a burning rage. It was Erol who yanked her up by her hair, forcing her to stop a moment before they would fly her off to wherever they would be sending her.

'If you tell us where Jak is, I promise you'll get a cell with daylight.'

It's just about to break, it's not going away
Everything's about to change

Valentine froze up when she thought about Jak. She knew where he was, he was with Keira. He wasn't here to help her get away. He would never choose her. He'd left her to be captured. The idea stung, bring hot tears of anger to her face. She wouldn't rat him out, her honor wouldn't let her.
But if she survived, he had better not come across her ever again.

She shook her head violently to make clear she wouldn't tell. Erol spat orders at the men surrounding them.
'Take her to the transport. The Baron wants her in the Desert Facility by midnight.'

I feel it in my veins, it's not going away

|Jak|

Jak couldn't believe what had just happened. They had taken Valentine. He could see the soldiers herding her in a transport car while the shield was still intact. Valentine had sacrificed herself so Torn would be able to save the Underground.
He dropped to the ground, unnoticed by the people around him who were discussing what had just happened. Any other day the words they were saying would have given him courage. Several of them were angry at Praxis, vowing revenge for missing friends.

'It's not fair.' He mumbled. He hadn't thought he had any tears left, yet now a single one managed to trail its way down. It stopped near his mouth as he felt guilt was over him.
'It's should have been me. Not Valentine.' He realized everything Valentine had done for him. Everything she had hidden from him so he wouldn't feel guilty.
'It's not fair…'

Everything's about to change