AN: Hey everyone! Thank you so much for the love. I really enjoyed this story, and I'm glad you all seemed to as well. This is the last chapter, and it is kind of short, but I think it is a good way to wrap up this little ficlet. Without further ado, here's Return to Quiet: Chapter 3 ^~^

Return to Quiet

"Leaving city safezone." The automated voice called out in its not-quite-deadpan way.

Smirking a little, Jak strode through the open portal, to jump through the warp gate, reappearing at the top of the cliff that would lead him into Haven forest. Ignoring the flipping platform, he jumped onto the hovering disc that would take him to the larger section of the forest. Daxter was chatting away on his shoulder, talking about the weather, time of day, and, as Jak set foot on fresh grass, Sandover.

"Yah know what, Jak? I think with a little poking around outside the city we could probably find a few of the old places we ran through in the past. The lava tube maybe? Or the snowy mountains? Like we could see from the palace, remember?" Daxter was smiling, walking back and forth in the spring grass.

Nodding, Jak smiled, peeling his boots off and shrugging out of his armor. Laying the morph gun to the side, next to the unbroken crates that were always waiting for him, the lean elf then shrugged out of his jacket, and stood. Dressed in a shirt with no sleeves, and trousers that ended about mid calf, Jak stretched, rotating his shoulders as Daxter jumped up to his familiar shoulder-plate perch.

Taking off at a run, he and his best friend leapt through the trees and bushes, easily clearing the little streams and hillocks that rolled through the small valley.

It was definitely not the Forbidden Forest, or the mountain pass, or any of the places they had traveled before their fated journey to Haven City, but if Jak only listened to Daxter, and the sound of the running water, and the wildlife they were disturbing, just for an instant, it was.

"Just like old times, eh pal?" Daxter murmured softly, his eyes half-lidded, seeing another time and place.

Nodding, Jak smiled again.

While he'd been sick, the young warrior had remembered what it was like to be mute, letting Daxter speak for him, and communicating only with expressions. It was kind of freeing. Jak found he had enjoyed being quiet, had really enjoyed letting go of ineffectual words to let his throat heal. More than his throat had been healed during those couple of days.

It had been his idea, silently communicated to Daxter, that the two of them head out to the forest and treat the day as though they would were they back in Sandover. Relive the last peaceful day they had before traveling through that rift gate. Ever supportive, Daxter had agreed and immediately told everyone the Demolition Duo would be unreachable for a full twenty-four hours.

It was incredible to Jak. With only his best friend at his side, and the barest of necessities needed for survival and minimal comfort, he found himself laughing and enjoying just running around, exploring trees, finding caves, and picking up a dusty precursor orb here and there.

Tuning back into Daxter's chatter, Jak was surprised to find the ottsel talking about their fight against Gol and Maia.

"I mean really, Jak. We should have known you'd be able to channel white eco. Remember back then? The sages made a little ball of it and you totally kicked that robot's butt with it! Say, think you might— Ya know what, never mind on that. I'll think about it later." Shaking his head, Daxter lifted his ears and jumped into a nearby tree.

"You want some fruit, Jak!"

Laughing, he reached up to catch the prize his best friend had found, Jak looked up at the blue sky through the leaves, for once, incredibly grateful for everything he had experienced. It made his memories of Sandover that much more precious and special to him.

As the sun was setting, Jak and Daxter set up a little campsite for themselves, grateful to stay the night out in the open air, away from the constant hum of the city. He thought back to Daxter's words as they had set off from HQ that morning, leaving behind their communicators and other gadgets their friends might use to find them.

'You know Jak, I think today is going to be a great day.'

Nodding as the boy-turned-ottsel settled himself on Jak's chest, the blond warrior smiled. 'Yeah Dax, today was a great day.'