Hello there! Thank you for the reviews and sorry I'm late. Oh and sorry about the last chapter. I don't know what was up with everything being underlined and my link being cut off :/ Okay, so I want you to go straight to a music downloader and download 'After the Flesh' by My Life With The Thrill Kill Cult. When you listen to it with the club scene, it's pure perfection. The song made me think of the dance scenes anyway. And I'm bringing in another character in the next chapter. One of my own J

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I smiled and waved at Jak as he arrived in second place, behind Ashelin. He didn't win, but the race thrilled me nonetheless. They all skidded across behind them. Ashelin, Jak, Cutter, Torn, Shiv and Edje. Rayn clapped and cheered next to me. I looked down at the screen, at the forth one, and saw Jak leap out of the Road Blade.

"We can go meet them, now that they've come to a complete halt." Rayn stated.

I ran down the aluminum stairs of the watching booth and down the edge of the road. I waved my hands in the air enthusiastically and clapped like a cheerleader. "Yeah, we won!"

Ashelin smiled and we high-five. "Not bad for a girl, huh?"

"No, it's not because you're a girl, it's because you're Ashy-lin!" I said grinning.

"Don't worry" She reassured me. "You'll do great."

I frowned and shrugged. The other team had already disappeared and we made our way to the booth and boarded the large black car-like zoomer that had gotten Rayn and I there.

Back at the main base, I plopped on the couch and Daxter sat next to me. We chatted for a really long time, about how life had been since we'd been apart, about the opposing racing team, he picked on Torn some, we talked more about life, he smacked Ashelin's butt, receiving a wedge on the ears and a low warning growl.

He told me that when I left, Jak didn't really talk much at all for the next year. The second year, he lightened up and became more social, but every time he saw a short, thin girl with long blonde hair or a young couple laughing together, he seemed to cringe or turn around displeasingly. He also said he drank more often when no one was around and didn't get out to saving people much. But he tried to be as nice as he could, as not to worry everyone else. Daxter said Jak had a photo of me that he kept in his pocket everywhere he went, so he wouldn't forget my face like he forgot his father's when he was younger. Of course he met Damas later on, but never knew he was his father for loss of sufficient memory.

After he told me this, I wasn't aware of how much he would miss me, or how much my disappearance would effect Jak. I really didn't honestly see that it was a big deal, for he had to know I was some place safer. Sure, when I got home, I cried every so often or would try to imagine that my realistic life was the dream and I would wake up any second with the love of my life smiling down at me. But that was the normal behavior of a teenage girl who missed someone. Jak simply went nuts.

I sat on the couch observing my surroundings blankly, staring at each aspect blindly. The window panes reflected the golden rays of the evening sun beyond the glass and bold shadows outlined the room as though they were in a material battle of light and dark.

Daxter noted how the past couple of days seemed to slur, and suddenly speed up when I made my return. Time flies while you're having fun. I thought of how I had suddenly disappeared two years ago. Was my time limited once more? Would I have to leave right when our relationship had reached a high level?

"Hey."

I looked up instantly. Jak was looking down at me. His smile fluttered uncertainly. "You alright?"

He sat next to me and I simply nodded and leaned on his shoulder. His arm wrapped around my shoulder. Daxter leaped up and headed to the window, glancing around in a bored fashion. Then he walked away, out of our line of sight.

I looked up at Jak's face and we smiled at each other. He leaned in and kissed me lightly. Now instead of butterflies in my stomach like every time I touched him, my skin heated up in shyness and enjoyment. And then, aware of the company around us, I pulled away politely and buried my face in his chest to hide my red face. I smiled against the denim and the butterflies came back. His free hand came up and rested on my waist lightly.

Ashelin and Rayn walked in together, and Ashelin was clearly irritated about something. Jak suggested that maybe Krew was just yanking our chains and the poison was fake. But Ashelin had had the bottle tested and discovered Black Shade within the pits of the wine. They were most defiantly poisoned, a foreign substance running through their veins. I frowned. "We have to win the whole damn thing then."

"They're crazy though." Keira said bluntly.

"Yeah. But we'll just have to get just as wild." Jak replied.

Torn rolled his eyes and got up, rubbing his head. "Right."

I watched him and then looked at the others, their faces not so confident like Jak and I. The other team was clearly putting them down and by the looks of the race, they were dirty competitors. Their driving reminded her of GTA, like they were simply playing to hurt people. Cutter had given Torn a good push in the race, nearly making him break through the metal barrier separating the city from the ocean. Torn could've saved himself but it certainly made me aware of how I must stay away from the maniacal masked racer.

"You know what I think?" I asked the room.

"What?" Rayn replied.

I sat up, smiling. "I think we should go out and celebrate our first win."

Torn and Ashelin looked uncertain but Jak, Daxter and Rayn agreed, thinking it would lighten us up, make us feel better.

I got up. "Come on. You'll be happy you did once you get out."

"I don't know-" Torn started but I was already pulling him back up when he tried to sit back down. He stumbled a little, a brief flash of irritation in his hardened face. But when he looked at me, his grey-blue eyes softened and he sighed. He turned to look at Ashelin. "She's right. Maybe we should try to loosen up a little before the next race."

She nodded once, her face still a little doubtful. But she was the only one in the room who hadn't yet agreed. I smiled at her, trying to make her more assured of the decision. "Trust me. You'll feel great."

I straightened my shirt and bent over to whisper to Jak. He looked at me and nodded. "There's one right in Kras city."

I smiled and looked around. "Dress nice, but something to move in."

I hurried by Keira and grabbed her arm, pulling her along with me. She followed me with a puzzled expression on her face. Ashelin shrugged and went to her room and so did the others.

In Keira's room I sat her down on her bed and sighed. "Can I borrow some of your clothes again?"

She blinked but then smiled. "Yeah, of course! My pleasure."

"Thank you." I replied and looked in the mirror. "We can coach each other now."

"What?"

I smiled and gestured toward her closet. "We're going out to a dance club. A good one. And we need to dress appropriatly. But we have to not look like losers either."

Her eyes widened. "But...I can't dance."

I shook my head. "Well you're wrong. Because anybody could dance better than me. Now get up and we'll dress you first."

We went through quite a few things before Keira could quite make up her mind. With her skin and hair, it was hard to decide on a single thing. But we eventually got her into a white halter with a baggy pair of jeans. She liked it but she didn't really think much of any other outfit than what she was used to wearing. We then curled her hair into tighter locks and put a bit of makeup on but not alot. She looked gorgeous. I was amazed at how much more feminine she could be. But she was still dressed to dance. I was especially excited about dressing her nice, because then maybe we could find her a guy to dance with.

I myself had an eye for one outfit. A dark blue strapless shirt with black jeans that were ripped up the sides. We curled my hair also, but with large locks, and let a few long bangs hang around my face. When we both felt confident with what we wore, we stepped down the hall, past the guys rooms, who were already in the main room and knocked on Ashelin's door. For a moment we didn't hear anything. But then after a brief rustling, she opened the door. "What?"

"What are you gonna wear?" Keira asked her.

"I...think I've decided." She pulled the door open to let us look.

It was a green tanktop that showed her tummy with a matching choker and black pants. She looked stunning also. But Ashelin was always stunning. I grinned and nodded. She smiled and complimented us on the way out. When we walked into the main room, Daxter greeted us and shook his hips. "Hey ladies."

Keira and I laughed and he growled. I walked around the couch where Torn and Jak were waiting. They looked up at us and didn't say anything for a moment. Then, before they could, I looked around. "Where's Rayn?"

"Here." We whipped around and our mouths dropped slightly.

Her dark hair was feathered, her almond colored face was accented with a dark blue jump-suit that was slightly zipped down, revealing a white undershirt. I raised my eyebrows and told her just how wonderful she looked. She blushed and shook her head and tried to fire it back.

"Well." Jak said getting up. "Let's go."

I was overwhelmed when I finally saw his chiseled arms revealed by a black muscle-shirt. He also looked better without his goggles and I ran my hand through his hair to let him know. He grinned and hugged me, telling me I looked nice, and when I picked up the scent of his aftershave I giggled. Jak shaved. Wow.

Torn didn't look too bad in a snug black t-shirt and simplistic blue-jeans. I couldn't argue. It was Torn, after all. He pulled Ashelin toward him as we all walked out into the dark evening, ready to dance.

When we arrived in town in the large zoomer, I glanced at the club. I wasn't worried about getting in, just about who was in there. I looked at Jak and asked him if he was sure this was a safe place. He nodded and pointed to the sign (and I had him read it off). No Drunks Tolerated! I felt a bit better but had to take a deep breath. No different from an after-school senior party. Maybe flashier with older people but that was expected. I was with Jak and I was fine. I smiled to myself and we all walked in together.

Immediatly I felt the musical vibration in my body and the dark blue and black flashes pierced the crowd of dancers on the over-sized dance-floor. I was excited. Keira grinned at me. "We should go dance together!" She shouted over the music.

I nodded and told Jak and he said he would be at the bar.

Keira and I ran out into the middle of the floor danced in front of each other, giggling like the little girls we were. We were just acting silly for the fun of it and to make us feel better about dancing with the guys. After the song was over we squeezed through to the bar and found Jak hunched over it, drinking something light. He swiveled around in his seat. "Did anyone touch you?"

I paused briefly and then laughed. When I spotted Ashelin and Torn next to each other, I approached them, Keira and Jak right behind me. They watched the other dancers and talked with each other. I yelled over the thumping of the bass. "You're not supposed to talk, you're supposed to dance!"

They looked at me and then each other and then back at me but didn't say anything. I grabbed their hands and pulled them out on the floor, and pushed them against each other. They smiled and Torn put his hand on her waist and they began to move in rythym. As I was walking back I glanced at them and saw that they were now grinning at each other. I gloated to myself about how I was right and then someone grabbed my wrist. Fearful at first I jerked away and looked at them. But it was only Jak.

"Oh."

He grinned and lightly pulled me back with his hand on my hip. "Dance with me!"

I blushed and my skin started to heat again, but the urge to be with him was stronger than the shy. (This is when you make sure the song is on!) I thought about the girls at my school and how they danced erotically, teasing the boys so they would grind against each other. That wasn't how I planned on everyhing being. But Jak was patient and moved steadily to the beat, waiting to see how I would move with him. His eyes gazed into to mine, his crooked smile placed on his lips. I knew that being how young I was, I couldn't really do anything extremely passionate with him. I had too much integrity and I was willing to give myself up to anyone. My contact with Errol had shaken me. I often kicked myself around about it and promised myself I would never give out my body in that way. So for my own self-esteem and Jak's I could at least dance with him however my hormones pleased. But not in a nasty sense.

I pressed forward, inches from him, my face in his and he grinned. I simply danced how any girl would to trance music, rather than hip-hop. My hands above my head, twirling around and occasioanlly brushing my lips against his. His hand would hover over my skin, but sensing my caution, would tease me also. It was more fun and loving than sexy and passionate. Finally at the end of the song, I curled my leg around his and ran my fingers through his soft hair. He kissed me and said he'd be right back and to check on Keira. I nodded and turned around. I peered through the throng of people and saw Rayn dancing with a clean-shaven man and decided he was safe. I searched for a while and saw her walking out from the restroom. I smiled and turned back around. But I froze. I wasn't sure why. There was one tunnel of sight through the dancers, to the other side of the room. A shady man lurked in the corner. His arms were folded across his broad chest, a cigarette hanging from his mouth. His hair was beetle-black and slicked away from his face and his goatee was equally the same color. He was already watching me when I turned around and he didn't look away when I stared back.

He pulled his cigarette from his mouth and dumped the ashes on the ground, his gaze never moving from my face. I blinked and found that I couldn't really look away. He puffed on the cigarette and inclined his head, interested in me for some reason. I tilted my head also. But then Jak approached and grasped my arm.

"What is it, Kirsten?"

I shook my head, still looking at the shadowy man. Jak glanced at him and a warning look hit his face, anger rising in his head. His muscles tensed. But I tried to calm him, turning my face for only a minute. When I looked back the man watched us and put out his cigarette. He grinned smugly and his shoulders shook, chuckling. He vanished momentarily. I looked at Jak and his face was still solid.

"I think we better go." He said bluntly.

I nodded and we gathered up the others, and headed home soonthereafter.