|Valentine's old place|

His heart felt like it had leapt up into his throat and taken up residency there. Jak couldn't believe that he had started to confess everything, his brain trying to hightail it out of the situation by attempting to deny the facts. How Daxter was looking at him did not help either, since it managed to make him even more aware on what kind of dangerous ground he was treading. If he could just calm down a bit more…

"Val… Remember when I told you I came from the past, and you believed me?" he asked her, trying to set up a situation where she would be more inclined to believe he was speaking the truth.

She nodded slowly in response, her cheeks still wet from her earlier outburst. He removed one of his hands from hers, stroking it past the wetness. Crying for him, somehow she was always crying for him even if she didn't realize it. "I remember." The reply was slow and wondering. "But how-"

"What if I told you I was wrong?" Jak interrupted her. He had to finish what he had to say before something changed his mind. "What if I wasn't really from the past? What if someone had sent me there, when in reality I came from this place… this time!"

"Jak, what are you talking about?" Valentine demanded, panic rising in her eyes. Something had just started to dawn in that brilliant mind of hers.

"Val… I'm Mar." he blurted out, the words clumsy as they left his lips. "Samos will tell you the same thing, they sent me back so I could grow up safely."

Valentine's eyes widened, her mouth opening and closing without sound. Finally she managed to speak, her voice strangely contorted. "But… you can't be…" He could see on her face and hear in her voice how she was struggling to combine the innocent boy she remembered with Jak. He gripped her hands tighter, wishing she would believe him. "You're lying." She stated, flatly.

Jak shook his head as Daxter decided to jump on the small table next to the couch they were sitting on. "I'm not lying. Why would I lie about something like this? I'm Mar… I'll prove it to you. Just ask me anything… anything that the Kid would know and I wouldn't."

For the first time since Jak had known her Valentine looked truly lost. Finally she frowned, a hard look in her eyes. "What were the first words I ever said to little Mar?"

|Past|

The tall woman held his hand as they walked through the grey streets. For the second time in as many minutes she mussed over his hair, messy and sticking upright as they walked towards a place he remembered. It was the dark, cramped place underneath the ground with the man that always yelled at everyone. That meant he would be moved to a different family again, different people who would take care of him. Until some moment he would have to move again.

They never told him why he had to go away. All he knew is that they doted on him for as long as he stayed, until the moment came when he had to leave. They hardly ever protested, even if they thought he was 'sweet'. For some reason the being sweet was connected to him not being able to talk like the other kids. The woman told him to behave before the door rolled open.

At once they knew something was off this day. From below the stairs a voice could be heard, screaming. "I am not a fucking babysitter, you daft idiot." His eyes grew bigger when he heard it was a girl yelling. Most of the time it was the guards who said mean things, but even they weren't like this. His caretaker let out a worried yelp, looking as if she couldn't decide if she should cover his ears or not. Deciding to make sure he wouldn't miss out on something that was Interesting – not like his usual life, when he wasn't even allowed to go outside – he ran down the stairs as fast as his little feet could carry him.

"I said no!" the girl yelled again. "Do you want me to trash this place?" she continued. Mar was down the stairs just in time to see the desk that was always in the middle of the room fly against the wall. His little mouth dropped open when he saw the girl that had done it, dark purple sparks flying off her in a flurry. Her breathing was hard, ragged, her fists clenched against her side. The angry man stood on his usual spot, arms crossed over one another.

"The Shadow thinks it would be best if you take care of the Kid. It's what your family used to do." He said, voice rasping in the muted light of the hideout. So far neither of them had spotted him. Mar decided to stand still, hoping the woman wouldn't come down just yet. This was after all something Interesting.

The girl laughed, sweeping her shoulder length hair back in the motion. "News flash, Torn. My family is dead. Besides uncle Vin, and I have to see him this afternoon, remember?" The girl turned around, her hand raised as if she was going to hit something again. Noting the small figure in the shadows she paused.

Torn spoke from behind her, his dark eyes fixed on the kid as well. "As far as we know, his family is dead too. And he needs someone who can protect him."

Their eyes met, and for once Mar was met not with a doting gaze but the stern look of a woman calculating how much trouble he could mean for her. Or she for him. The young boy looked back up, grasping the meaning of the words that connected the two of them. Death was a concept still too foreign for him, but he could understand the link the word had just forged between the two of them. He knew he wasn't like the other boys. From what he had seen she wasn't like other girls either. He hadn't seen any of the women who took care of him throw a table against a wall like that.

"Kid can't talk either. So far we've been moving him between safe houses, but sooner or later he's going to get frustrated that nobody understands him. The Shadow said you needed something to take your mind off the rage." Torn continued, divining the looks both of them exchanged.

The girl let out a ragged breath, shaking. "Letting someone with an anger problem take care of the next ruler of the city. You guys are just full of brilliant ideas. Has it ever passed your mind that this kid-" she pointed at him, her breathing coming out in gasps. "- that this kid should be somewhere where he can be safe? As in, not with the psycho bitch that can and will turn into a bloodthirsty monster?"

Mar took a step closer to her. It was strange because he had seen people in this town who were sad and beaten, but he had never seen anyone so angry before. This was the first time he could see someone being outraged, the flush on cheeks that showed blood was flowing, pumping hot inside a body. There was a mind in there, raging and in turmoil. This was different from someone being beaten down by fate. Deep down inside that he grasped that idea, and found it too enthralling. As he stepped closer to her, her eyes grew bigger.

She froze as he reached out his hand to hers. Her skin radiated heat, dark blue eyes looking down at him with something that was fear. She shook her head, tongue running past her lips. In that moment the both of them felt it, a connection that he would not have been able to explain even if he had been older and had had a voice.

"Valentine. Right now the safest place in the city will be with you. Someone comes after the Kid, you just go psycho on them. Teach them who they can mess with." Mar looked at Torn for a moment, his hand tightening around Valentine's fingers. With the immediate trust only children can bring up for that which they don't understand he bumped his head against her leg. Her other hand touched the top of his head, across that mop of unruly hair he would never outgrow.

|Present|

"Guess I'll be your family from now on." Jak answered her, the words feeling strange on his lips. The memory turned his heart into a nervous void in his chest. Her hands were cold now, shaking under his touch. Suddenly her hand lashed out, the slap ringing in the room. His head twisted to the side, the surprise numbing out the pain.

"No!" she shouted, pulling her other hand loose, wrapping them both around her ears. "You can't be Mar. You're not!" He touched her face, catching her in his arms before she could run away from him. Dread was spelled out across her face, a wild primal fear he couldn't place. "You can't be. Just… stop lying to me. You can't be him."

She refused to be pulled in his arms, and yet he had to force her to stay, to listen to him. "I'm not lying, Val. I'm Mar, and you're the one who protected me all the time. I remember, most of it anyway. The important bits, I'm sure I have all of the important stuff in me." he remembered most of the things they had done together, and those were the most important things. The stuff that had helped in making him the man he was now. "Why do you think I can't be Mar?"

Her dark blue eyes were frantic, denying the things she didn't want to know. "Because… Praxis hurt you. I promised, I would never let go of him. I'd protect him, but if you're Mar that means that…" her voice choked, her struggle died out. He finally got to hold her, her sweet voice muffled against his shoulder. "That means he hurt the boy I was supposed to look out for. I promised to take care of him."

Jak took her hands in his, the fingers interlacing as tight as possible without causing much pain. Just a little bit, to keep both of them grounded. His face still stung from the slap, but it was Valentine and he understood some of her distress.

|Past|

Three months later the weather had started to heat up once more, causing both Mar and his new protector to feel restless. Youth had a problem with being cooped up and the two of them were no different. For the first time Mar got to experience something he had never known before in his short life. The unconditional love of someone who would do anything to keep him safe, a love he didn't have to share or that he wasn't going to lose due to some twist of fate. Because the days had passed and there had never been a mention of her bringing him back to the hideout.

Sitting on the rock away from the busy market he tried to decide what his favorite part of everyday life was. Valentine figuring out sign language with him was fun, but so was sitting on the couch and being read a story. Not the stories about normal things, but stories about heroes and dragons, fast races and even some of Valentine's books. Those were stories about ancient temples with a lot of treasure. Maybe they could one day explore one of those, and find a hidden door. There would have to be a waterslide though.

Just as he decided his favorite time of day was when he would sneak in Valentine's bed – she would pretend to be asleep but still open her arms so he could nestle in – a shadow loomed over him. Looking up from his daydreams he was confronted by two Krimzon Guards, the creepy lights where their eyes were supposed to be focused on him.
"Isn't this that kid the Baron is looking for?" one of them asked, the other reaching for some paper in one of the pouches on the uniform.

"Could be. Nobody really knows what the Kid is supposed to look like though." The one with the paper answered.

Mar swallowed, wishing he could cry out for help. Valentine was nearby, she was out buying some ice cream for the two of them because today was so hot. At least that was what he thought she was doing. He had slipped away because groceries were boring. One of the guards grabbed his arm, causing him to emit something that was almost a faint squeak.

"Careful with that kid, what if he isn't who we're looking for."

"Have you seen the hair, I'm sure it's just like-" Mar would never find out who had had the same hair as him, because in the next moment the guard slumped to the ground. The other guard shouted, met in the face by his partner's gun. The scuffle attracted the attention of the entire guard, the incident broadcasted all over the city. Valentine relapsed momentarily in her foul language, picking him up and breaking into a run before he had taken three breaths.

"Hold on, kiddo. It's going to get bumpy." She warned him. He never fully understood how she did, but for the first time he realized just how different his protector was from other people. Nobody else would be able to outrun the Guard so easily. For a young boy who longed for a hero, Valentine was the ultimate fit. Mar felt the pieces fall into place once more, adoration for the girl falling into one clear image.

If there was one person he could trust, it would be Valentine.

She hauled the both of them into a tarp-covered wagon, the thing creaking dangerously when they entered. He landed softly thanks to her maneuvering him in her arms, her body folding over him like a shield. Mar was shielded from harm, unaware of how Valentine was listening for guards that might decide to get smart.

When she released him from her grasp, the first thing he noted was how sweaty she was, how much she was shaking. The next thing Mar knew she had grabbed his small hands in hers, pressing them tightly. "Don't ever let go off my hand again. Do you understand?"

He nodded, unsure about what she wanted. "This is important Mar. Don't ever let go of my hand!" He nodded again, realizing she was fighting back 'the monster'. She never wanted to show him that, even if he was sure he wouldn't mind. He kept nodding, as hard as he could, to make sure she knew he understood her.
It that was what it took to make Valentine happy, he would never let go of her hand, again.

|Present|

"I can't let you run away from me, Val. That's what you taught me, isn't it?" Jak said, overcome with the miracle that he could now say all the things his younger self never had been able to. Their hands were interlaced so tightly he doubted anything would be able to wring them apart. "I don't want to let go of your hand. Not just because that's what you told me. I need to be able to hold your hand, because you're what's been keeping me grounded to my sanity."

Her cheek stroked past his, the dampness of her tears against his beginning stubble. "You can't be Mar." she pleaded. She couldn't hit him again, but Jak didn't put a head-butt past her. "You were hurt so much. Please don't tell me…"

He gripped her hand tighter, eliciting a sob. She was pressed against him, her hands gripping his on their own volition now. "I can't help it either." He admitted, hoarse. "I can't say it's what I wanted, Val, but it could have been a lot worse. I can honestly say I've loved you since I was a kid."
She laughed, the kind of laugh people have when they're actually too busy being angry and sad to have room for another emotion. "I love you too. Dear Precursors, I love you too."

He found himself laughing, the nervousness and his own pent-up tears looking for a release. "Good. That's great. Have I ever said it's fantastic you love me? And I told you when I was a kid, I just forgot before I managed to get back here. But now I remember and here you are…" he was rambling and he knew it.
Having Valentine love him was his oldest wish, and it had taken him so long to remember. So long before he had been able to see her again. And now his dear friend and protector were the same person and all he could think was that she had said she loved him.

Valentine moved away from him, the mix of emotions in her eyes too complex to read. She grabbed the back of his hair, braiding her fingers through it. Then she placed her forehead against his, letting it rest there. He breathed in and out, slowly, savoring her being here.

"Jak… Mar…" she added the last word with a sob. "I can't believe I actually believe you. But I believed you back then, so why shouldn't I believe you now?" Her hand stroked past his cheek. He took it, pressing it against his mouth for a moment. "I should have known, probably."

"Can't blame you for that." He replied, gently. It didn't look like she would be hitting him again.

"You're an idiot, you know that? Making me panic and lose my head like I was some girl in a drama show. When you told me you loved me all that time ago." She leant closer, not to kiss him but just to be near. "Tell me again. Please."

He relaxed, leaning against her. For now the biggest surge of emotion had passed. For the moment he could allow himself to savor being just close to the person that had been his protector and hero all those years, even when he had forgotten.
"Valentine… I love you most of all."

Yay, new chapter! Hope it was good, because this is one of THE moments in the fic, so to speak. Also note university has started again my dears (not to mention I'm working on an actual novel!) so updates won't be quite so fast. Not to worry, things will continue... just more slow.

Thanks to Sage, who is willing to read over all my stuff before I hit the publish button.

Vipcalleo : That's the first time I've been called a son in my life xD Don't worry though, I know you meant nothing by it. And what joys do writers have, apart from being teasing their audience into a cardiac arrest?

M-Angel 05 : I'm glad you liked the previous chapter, and Jinx is pretty cool. But he really doesn't appear enough in the game to be sure about his sexualilty (and there's not exactly a big female cast in the game either, so no luck in seeing him actually flirt with anyone)

To all my guests who came out of hiding : thank you for your continued support. It's nice to know you all are interested in my story, so please have a wonderful day and continue to support me if you can.

ayy-lmao : I'd like to hurry up, but I appear to be suddenly ambushed by social obligations. C'est la vie, I suppose.

To Oblique Strategies, should said person read up to this chapter : thank you for your review. Being praised is a nice experience, and I'm lucky so many people seem to find reading this story worthwhile. Should you write a Jak and Daxter fic as well, I wish you all the best.