The rainforest's treasure

Two months had passed since that fateful night. Shendu had been defeated for good, but the victory was bittersweet. Pemuya had been through hell, and now she carried a piece of that darkness with her. She had missed her period, and she had strange feelings in her belly. There was no doubt. "The father is Valmont," Pemuya whispered, her eyes cast down. Jackie's heart sank. "No," he said, shaking his head. "It's not possible. Shendu..." "...had raped me, using Valmont's body," she said, looking into his eyes. Jackie felt a surge of anger and despair, but he took a deep breath, fighting to keep his emotions in check. "We'll get through this," he promised, his voice a whisper of reassurance. "Together." "We should tell him," she said softly. Jackie nodded, his expression a mix of sorrow and determination. "Yes, we will," he agreed. "But not yet. Let's get you checked by a doctor first." The doctor's appointment confirmed Pemuya's suspicions. She was indeed pregnant, with a child conceived in the darkest of moments. The news sent a shockwave through the family, but Jackie and Uncle remained steadfast, supporting her through the turmoil of her emotions. Jackie held her tight, his heart heavy with the weight of her pain. "We'll raise this child as ours," he murmured, his voice a promise. "It's not about Valmont or Shendu. It's about love and protection." "But we must let Valmont know," she whispered. "It will be fair." Jackie sighed, his mind racing with the implications. "We will," he assured her. "But let's focus on your health and the baby's right now. We'll tell him when the time is right." Pemuya nodded, her eyes brimming with tears. She knew Jackie was right, but she wanted the man who was the father of her child to know about it. The sooner - the better. Days turned into weeks, and the bond between Pemuya and the child grew stronger. She felt life growing inside her, a testament to the horror she had endured. Yet, amidst the fear and anger, a spark of love began to flicker. One evening, as Jackie was putting Tohru to bed, she approached him, her eyes filled with determination. "We must tell Valmont," she said, her voice firm. "He deserves to know." Jackie sighed, his heart heavy. "I know," he admitted. "But how do we do that without causing more pain?" "We owe him the truth," Pemuya insisted. "He might have been under Shendu's control, but he's still the one who carried me to term." Jackie nodded solemnly, understanding the complexity of the situation. "We'll find the right words," he promised, stroking her hair. "But first, let's make sure you're okay." "I am," she said softly. "Let's not hesitate anymore." The following day, Jackie found Valmont, who was now in prison along with Ratso, Chow and Finn. "Chan," Valmont said, his expression a mix of relief and fear when he saw his old rival. "What do you want?" Jackie's gaze was steely, but his voice was surprisingly gentle. "Pemuya's pregnant. And the father is you." Valmont's eyes widened in shock, his hand flying to his mouth. "What?" he choked out. "How?" "You know how," Jackie grunted. "She sent me here because she wants you to be aware." Valmont's face paled. "But, but, it wasn't me! It was that demon Shendu!" "But the body was yours," Jackie sighed. "I don't blame you, but you must know that Pemuya is expecting your child. It will be a girl." Valmont sank to his knees, his eyes filling with tears. "I...I never wanted this," he whispered, his voice barely audible. "Don't be pathetic," Jackie said sternly. "Besides, you won't have to do anything. Pemuya and I will raise the girl, and I will love her as my own daughter." Valmont looked up at him, hope flickering in his eyes. "But what about me? Can I...see her?" "You can," Jackie shrugged. "Once you're out of the prison. But when it will be? Let me guess... In twenty years? Twenty-five?" "We'll see," he snorted, challenge in his gaze. "Guard! Take me back to my cell!" The guard nodded and opened the door, ushering Jackie out. As the heavy metal slammed shut, Valmont was left alone with his thoughts, his hands shaking.

* * *

Jackie returned to Pemuya, who was waiting for him at home, her eyes questioning. He told her about the conversation with Valmont. "He's going to escape the prison," she said cheerfully. Jackie looked at her, his eyes wide with shock. "What?" "He'll do it to see me," she said confidently. "And surely, he will escape with Finn, Ratso and Chow." Jackie frowned, his mind racing with the implications. "We need to be prepared," he said, his voice tight. "We can't let him near you or the baby." "Jackie," she shook her head softly. "Don't you understand they will never hurt me? Shendu is gone forever, so we don't have to be afraid of anything." Jackie nodded, her words resonating with him. "But we need to be careful," he said. "Valmont isn't the same as he was before. He's... changed." "To good," she said firmly. "And you know about Finn, Ratso and Chow. They're good men." Jackie nodded, understanding her point. Despite their past, he knew she had found some comfort in their kindness. "But we'll have to be careful," he reiterated, his gaze searching hers. "We can't take any chances." "As you wish," she shrugged, stroking her belly. "But I'm sure they're not dangerous." Jackie took a deep breath. He knew he had to trust Pemuya's judgment, but the thought of Valmont seeing their child brought a knot to his stomach. "Alright," he conceded. "But I'll be watching him like a hawk." "Okay," she smiled, stroking his nose. "You have such a nice beak." Jackie chuckled, his eyes twinkling. "Thanks, Pem," he said, kissing her forehead. "But let's not forget. We need to stay focused." "We need to have a good dinner," she said softly. "Who will do the cooking?" Jackie rolled his eyes. "I'll order takeout," he said. "I'm not the chef here." "No takeouts," she said firmly. "I'll cook a good delicious dinner for the four of us. You, me, Tohru and the girl. By the way, when Valmont will come here to see us, we must ask him how he wants to name her." Jackie nodded, his heart swelling with love for her. Her strength was something he had always admired, but now it was something he truly cherished. He watched as she bustled around the kitchen, her spirit unbroken by the ordeal she had suffered. Jackie watched her, his heart heavy with love and admiration. Despite everything she had been through, she remained so strong, so resilient. As she set the final plate on the table, Jackie stepped up behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist. "Thank you," he murmured, his lips brushing against her ear. "You're amazing." Pemuya leaned back into his embrace, her smile warm. "We are," she said, stroking her belly. Jackie felt the baby kick and his heart skipped a beat. Despite the circumstances, this little one was a beacon of hope in their lives. They sat down at the table, little Tohru babbling something, oblivious to the gravity of their conversation. "Pem, I need to talk to you about Valmont," he said, his tone serious. "I don't think it's a good idea for him to be involved in our daughter's life." "But he's the father," she said softly. "If he'll want to be a part of her life, no one can forbid him this." Jackie's jaw clenched. "I know," he said tightly. "But I don't trust him. Not after what he did." "That's Shendu who did all that," Pemuya shook her head. "Valmont and his people are not dangerous, not truly evil. Besides, I'm sure they want to change to good after what they had endured from Shendu." Jackie sighed, his arms tightening around her. "I just want you to be safe," he murmured. "And I don't want to see you hurt again." "They won't hurt me," she whispered. "I'm sure about it. Ratso, Finn and Chow are good. And Valmont will never hurt the mother of his child." Jackie nodded, his gaze still troubled. He knew she was right, but the thought of his enemy being so close to his family was hard to swallow. "Let's not worry about it now," he said, trying to lighten the mood. "Let's enjoy our dinner." "That's better," Pemuya beamed at him. "You're in charge for Tohru to eat all of his food." Jackie couldn't help but smile, her positive attitude was infectious. He focused on feeding their son, his mind racing with thoughts of Valmont's potential visit. He knew she had a point, the Dark Hand members had shown remorse and a desire for redemption. But could he really trust them?