Jak and Daxter and all affiliated characters and places are property of Naughty Dog. No infringement of copyright is implied or intended in this fictional work.

Writer's block, how I loathe thee. It's especially awful when you have huge chunks of material already written but it's not going to be necessary for at least a chapter or two. Grrrr.

Chapter 6: Reunited

When Jak was first learning to control Eco, he would drag Daxter to some strange remote region to practice. Jak would fiddle around with various forms of Eco, trying to figure out which to use with various forms of leftover Precursor technology while Daxter would commentate. One day, Jak discovered that Blue Eco could be used to power the Precursor lifts that operated all around the island. The first time that Jak shot into the air on one Daxter watched with wide eyes.

"Wow, what was that?" Daxter asked.

Jak shook his head, a wild grin on his face. When the platform landed again Jak turned to Daxter holding out his hand.

Daxter pointed to himself and then to the platform. Jak nodded.

"You think that thing can hold two of us, big guy?" Daxter asked.

Jak shrugged.

Daxter rolled his eyes and stood up. "Sheesh, the things I do for you," he muttered. The redhead stood next to his friend on the platform. "Now what?"

Jak reached to the ground, grabbing a small handful of Blue Eco. Suddenly, the platform flew straight up into the air. Daxter shrieked and threw his skinny arms around Jak's neck, burying his face in the older boy's chest. The blond just smiled and wrapped an arm tightly around Daxter's waist. When the platform reached its highest point, Jak moved his hand to Daxter's wrist and they jumped off onto the top of the hill. Daxter stopped his panicked breathing a few minutes later and said, "That wasn't so bad."

Daxter got used to the platforms eventually, but Jak always left a steadying hand around the younger boy's waist.

It was nice to see that old habits died hard.

After breaking Jak out and allowing the boy to get dressed, Daxter led Jak back to the platform that had led her to him. She pressed a button and the machine jerked to a start, moving upward. At the start of the motion, Jak placed his hand on her hip. Daxter raised an eyebrow. She ignored the flush of heat to her cheeks. "You know this isn't that Precursor crap," she said, referring to the elevator.

"I know," Jak replied, keeping his hand in place.

Daxter wondered if it was possible to be both deliriously happy and righteously angry at the same time. For two years she had searched for Jak, thinking and caring about little else and then with one kiss he had proceeded to turn her world upside down. Jak was her friend, her rock, her confident and apparently, a hell of a good kisser. Daxter scowled and shoved the thought to the side, chalking up the delayed startled thrill to being the fault of her body.

She had noticed that as a woman she would sometimes react differently to specific stimuli than when she had been male, namely anything related to Jak. As it was, friends did not kiss friends, they kissed family, lovers or the occasional pet; having never had a pet Daxter was always befuddled by the latter. Daxter as a child had made the mistake of saying, "Yuck, germs" when Jak had kissed his Crocodog on the nose. Of course, Jak responded by giving chase and puckering his lips like a fish while Daxter screamed, "Get away, you big cootie-head!"

Daxter racked her brain for reasons why Jak would kiss her. The most likely was that Jak was missing Keira and had mistaken her for the other girl. Never mind the fact that Daxter had red-orange hair, was shorter, had buckteeth and was a totally different body type. But that had to be it because the other option scared Daxter. Because if Jak actually liked her in a more than friendly way was he giving up on her ever being a boy again?

"You're awfully quiet," Jak said.

Daxter startled at the noise. She still wasn't used to the fact that Jak could talk. "Huh? Well, you gave me quite a shock back there, babe."

Jak looked away. "Yeah, I'm sorry about that. The experiments did something to me. I can't control it yet."

"It gave you urges or something?" Daxter asked. It seemed like an odd side effect of Dark Eco to think perverse thoughts about your best friend, but she was willing to go with it. It certainly explained some of her strange dreams of late.

The blond warrior sighed. "It didn't start happening until two months ago. Then they would stick me on the obstacle course and poke and prod me until I made it come out again."

Daxter blinked in confusion. Someone was not following this conversation and she thought it was she. "Uh, are you talking about the whole white hair, claw, I'm the biggest badass ever thing?" she asked.

Jak gave her an odd look. "Yes, what else would I be talking about?"

"Nothing."

The elevator stopped at a catwalk perched high above the ground. Daxter pulled her map out of her bag and glanced at it. Jak leaned forward, looking over her shoulder.

"If we keep going down this way, we'll get to an elevator that'll take us out of this dump," Daxter said, pointing down the catwalk.

"Are there any guards?" Jak asked.

"Let's see genius, um, nope it doesn't look like this map has a 'guard' icon," Daxter said.

Jak snorted and shoved Daxter. The redhead smiled, that was more like the Jak she knew. This was comfortable territory.

The two of them walked down the metal catwalk, trying to make their steps as quiet as possible. After traveling for a good ten minutes the catwalk stopped. Daxter squatted onto her haunches and scooted to the edge. She leaned forward and peered down.

A patrol of Krimzon Guards was milling around far below. She looked up and found some piping that ran along the ceiling. In theory she could use her gloves and work her way over the Guards but the risk of them looking up and seeing her was too great. Besides, she would have to leave Jak behind and that was not an option. She scowled. "We got to go back," she whispered.

Jak nodded his agreement. Daxter moved back and CREAK! The metal groaned beneath her feet. She froze, eyes wide.

The Krimzon Guards paused and looked up at the catwalk, spotting a tiny figure. They cocked their guns.

Jak dove on top of Daxter and knocked her to the ground. He rolled the two of them backward out of the line of fire. He covered her body, cradling her head in his hands and placing his head on tops of hers. Bullets tore through the air, striking the floor and railings of the catwalk. Daxter's ears rang from the aural assault of metal striking metal. She clamped her eyes shut, terrified of what was happening. In the dark her world became the sound of gunfire and the warm presence on top of her.

The sounds stopped and Daxter cracked an eye open. Jak's face was scant inches from hers. His heated breath fanned over her. Daxter's heart thudded in her chest from fear and something she couldn't identify. Her eyes hurt from trying to focus on something that close. "Jak?" she asked, her voice a soft keening whine.

"Shush." Jak leaned up and listened.

"Did we take care of him?" one of the Krimzon Guards asked.

A click and a buzz as another Guard sucked air in through his mask. "Don't know; we'd better go up to be sure."

Daxter bit her lower lip. "We better get out of here!" she whispered.

"No," Jak muttered. He stood up and went to the edge of the platform. Daxter scrambled into a sitting position, watching him, unable to move.

Dark energy crackled around the blond figure. His skinned and hair paled to white. His fingers flexed as black claws grew from their tips and dark horns curled on his head.

The demon roared and leapt off the catwalk down to the floor far below. Paralysis broken, Daxter rushed forward and looked down over the platform railing.

Dark Jak was on the offensive the second his feet touched the ground. He launched himself at the nearest Guard, his fists and claws puncturing the soldier's armor. He latched onto his victim and catapulted him into a pair of troops trying to reload their weapons. The Krimzon Guards were caught off-guard by Dark Jak's vicious assault and quickly fell.

Daxter recognized some of Jak's moves from their adventuring days but most of the attacks were new. Crimson stained the floor making Daxter's stomach heave. She was starting to wonder what else happened while Jak was in prison.

With none of the Krimzon Guards still standing, Jak reverted to his normal form. He looked up at Daxter. "Are you coming? Or do you want me to catch you?"

Daxter scowled. "Give me a minute." She flexed her gloved hands and reached for a long pipe running from floor to ceiling. She grabbed it and shimmied down to Jak's level.

The carnage was worse close up and Daxter had to fight not to just shut her eyes. The smell of freshly charred meat hung in the air. Daxter looked around at the fallen Guards. The armor made it difficult to see whether they were breathing or not. She needed to take a closer look.

"Whoa, those are some nice moves buddy, a little gruesome but they get the job done," Daxter joked. She knelt next to an unmoving Krimzon Guard. "You really did a number on these guys." She placed two fingers on his jugular. Nothing. Absolutely nothing. The color faded from her face. "Jak?" Daxter's voice trembled. "They're dead."

"Really?" Jak asked. He looked at his oldest friend, concerned at her expression.

"Shit, Jak," she hissed, standing up.

Jak looked confused. "What, you didn't have any problem with me killing Lurkers."

"Well yeah, they weren't people," Daxter explained. "And you didn't really kill them they just kind of," she waved her hand in the air, searching for the word. "Turned into Eco blobs."

"They're Krimzon Guards Dax. They were going to hurt you," Jak said.

"That doesn't matter, Jak. There are worse things outside of the city than Krimzon Guards and we shouldn't kill the people who can take care of them," Daxter said. Her heart ached even as she said it. The image of Turk leaning over an electronic lock and teaching her how to open it came unbidden. She could feel the sting of tears in her eyes and she blinked to make it stop.

"Daxter," Jak started, gripping the redhead's shoulders. "I've changed—"

"Yeah, the talking was the first clue, big guy. I haven't exactly stayed the same either," Daxter snapped, a single tear leaking through. Stop crying, stop it, she chided herself.

Jak's grip tightened and Daxter fought back a wince. She was going to bruise if he didn't let up. Jak's face twisted in disappointment and anger. Jak spoke slowly and deliberately, "The Baron hurt me and I want revenge."

"Jak," Daxter cried, wiggling in his grip. The tears were coming freely now, despite her best efforts. "You're the hero, you're not supposed to kill people!"

That did it. Jak relaxed his hold on Daxter's shoulders and wrapped the small woman into a hug. "I'm sorry," he muttered. Jak rested his cheek against the top of Daxter's head. Daxter buried her head in the crook of his neck, soaking his collar.

Her hands came up and clung to Jak with all her might. Damn it, after two years they were together again and she had to pick a fight. It felt good having him near her again, even if they weren't at their best. As they held onto each other Daxter couldn't help but notice the new bulk on Jak's body. Apparently his hair wasn't the only physical change. The skin on his arms was still soft and the muscles beneath it were hard . . .

Daxter had to break that chain of thought now before something bad happened. She pulled back and squeezed Jak's forearms. "What'd they feed you in there? These are huge!"

Jak chuckled. "They didn't feed me much during the treatments, food made me sick. But on course days I got some pretty good stuff."

"Really? Figures you'd be eating like a king while I'm wasting away out in the cruel city streets," Daxter said. She threw her hand up against her head and made an exaggerated sigh.

Jak rolled his eyes. Daxter smiled. Good, they were okay again but she knew this issue wouldn't go away. "Come on, let's get out of here. This place gives me the creeps," she said.

-

They made it outside without running into any more Krimzon Guards, for which Daxter was grateful. Now they had to find a way back to the safe house. Jak and Daxter moved along the walls of nearby buildings, taking advantage of the cover of darkness.

"Once we find a zoomer, I'm driving," Daxter said.

"Since when can you drive?" Jak asked.

Daxter swore she could hear the pout in his voice. "Well it's not like I could just stick my thumb out and wait for a ride all the time," she snapped.

Jak frowned. "Who taught you?"

Daxter rolled her eyes. "What's with the twenty questions? Besides, I'm the one who knows where we're going and you couldn't hotwire a zoomer anyway."

At that moment a Krimzon Guard on a zoomer made a slow turn around the corner right in front of them. As soon as his head was in view, Jak punched the Guard right off the zoomer. "I don't need to," Jak said.

The blond hopped on and grabbed Daxter's wrist, pulling her up behind him on the vehicle. "Show off," Daxter muttered, grabbing onto him as they sped off into the city streets.

Daxter navigated them through the twists and turns to the safe house in the slums. Once there the twosome dismounted and went up to the decrepit building. Daxter spoke a simple password to the doorman and they were let inside. Although the safe house was hardly the best possible shelter, to Jak they were a lot better than the prison. Daxter led Jak up to her room and shut the door behind them.

For some reason, Daxter felt very nervous about having Jak in her room. When they were children it didn't matter but then again they were both male at the time. Daxter chuckled as she locked the door. "So anything you need Jakie boy? Water, food an escort service?" she joked. She turned around to find that Jak was standing right in front of her. How the hell did he get so close without her knowing it?

Jak was staring at her with the same enigmatic look that had bothered her so many years before. After all this time she still wasn't sure what it meant. "Jak?" she asked. She hated the uncertain whimper in her voice that made her sound like she was twelve again.

Jak raised a hand and stroked the side of her cheek. "He hurt you," he said. "Erol."

The name sounded familiar but she couldn't place it. "Who?"

Jak swallowed. He looked uncomfortable. "He touched you and—"

"I don't remember it," Daxter interrupted. It was true; she did not remember the incident in question. But how did Jak know about it?

"You don't?" he asked. His eyes were searching hers trying to figure out the truth.

Daxter squirmed under his scrutiny. She straightened up and stiffened her posture. "Nope. Got drunk and woke up with a hangover," she said.

Jak could tell she was leaving something out. "But he remembered. He told me things," Jak said.

Wonderful, he was being vague. "What kinds of things?" Daxter asked.

Jak stood there looking uncertain. He wouldn't answer. Daxter scoffed. "Jak, you're not making sense."

Jak frowned. "You really don't remember?"

Daxter shook her head. "Not a thing, babe."

Jak sighed. "I'll tell you later." He backed away and went to the couch. Jak placed a hand on it and pushed down. Finding it acceptable, he flopped onto it. A small smile curved on his face, the old couch was probably the most comfortable thing he'd sat on in two years.

Daxter exhaled and went to the small refrigerator she had in the corner. She took out two of the bland nutrition bars favored by the Underground and sat next to Jak on the couch. She handed him a bar and took a bite from her own. "So what do we do now, big guy?" Yup, it still tasted like nothing.

"We go after Praxis," Jak said.

Daxter scowled around her bar. "Jak—"

Jak wrapped a placating arm around her shoulder. "Daxter, I know you're mad about the Krimzon Guards but I can't let Praxis get away with what he's done."

"So you want to kill him," Daxter said around another mouthful of bar.

The hand on her shoulder began to stroke up and down. "And Erol. He's hurt too many people to let him go free."

Daxter shook her head. "Jak, killing's wrong—"

"What if I just kill Erol and the Baron but I leave everyone else alone?" Jak asked. He was looking at her with big blue puppy dog eyes. If he hadn't been asking her about something so serious she would have just said yes without a second thought.

Daxter bit her lower lip. Turk probably wouldn't approve but then again Turk wasn't around anymore was he? The Baron and Erol had seen to that. She could see that Jak needed this and quite frankly, she really wanted Erol to pay. "Okay, but remember no killing anyone, even Krimzon Guards. You can still maim them a little though."

Jak smiled like a kid during Winter Festival and squeezed Daxter to him. The redhead choked at the tight confinement. When Jak released her, she stood up and went to a trunk by her cot. She pulled out some blankets and a pillow and tossed them at Jak. "We got to get some sleep, I'm going to introduce you to the Underground tomorrow," she said.

"The Underground?" Jak asked.

"Yeah, you want the Baron, they do too. Just make yourself comfortable on the couch, big guy," Daxter said.

"Why can't we share the bed?" Jak asked.

Because my body's gone crazy and I might do something we'll both regret, she thought. "We aren't twelve anymore, Jak. Good night." Daxter turned off the light and slipped into her sleep clothes. She crawled into her bed and shut her eyes.

As her awareness started to drift away, she felt the bed shift behind her and a warm solid body spooned against her. An arm caught around her waist and pulled her tight against the man behind her. Jak cradled his head in the crook of her neck and she could hear his breathing slow. She felt a small tingle in her groin but it was easy to ignore. If she hadn't been so tired she might have pushed Jak off of her, but right now it felt like the most wonderful thing in the world.

It was amazing how the more things changed the more they stayed the same. And just like old times, if Jak didn't mention it than neither would she.

Yes, Daxter has a middle name and that name is DENIAL. Just had to say that. : ) They've had their first fight. sniff