IMPORTANT NOTE: the first part of this chapter is Pre Chapter Nine. It's after Jak completes the mission Krew gave him but BEFORE Daxter goes to the Hip Hog.

It hadn't been a particularly difficult mission, point shoot and guard. All Krew had wanted was for Jak to escort a few men down into the sewers. He didn't like the mission; it had been too dull. He had had gotten used to the sewer routes and though they took a new tunnel the metal heads were predictable.

There was the blond one's banter. Jak squinted his eyes as he exited the sewers and he thought hard to remember the name. Acting on impulse, as he left the sewer, he didn't bother hot wiring the parked zoomer but knocked off a man who was already riding along.

Jinx, that was the name. Mindless talk the whole time. It grated on his nerves how the blond acted so friendly and those wandering hands that apparently didn't only work with explosives. The first few gropes Jak had naively believed were accidental but then when Jinx had leaned in close –like that man- hot breath like smoke –what terror would bring- Jak understood and let off a blaster shot very close to Jinx's manhood.

They believed it was a warning shot, that the big bad blond spoke more with guns then a voice. It was actually more simple then all that. Jak had gotten distracted by the sound of a nearing metal head and missed. If anything it had been bad aim. There was no more touching but the chatter and stray remarks about his pretty boy looks continued.

Jak ditched the zoomed on the roadway above Onin's home. Several angry civilians began yelling profanities, so he turned and shot the zoomer with his blaster. The vehicle exploded and the rush of power made him smile. He wasn't helpless anymore.

The civilians complaints dealt with Jak hoped off the bridge and onto his hoverboard as he headed to the house.

Attention, the class two races are about to begin.

Jak tripped off the hoverboard and stumbled to a stop. He had completely forgotten about the race. He got back on the board as he skirted through the bazaar to Keira's workshop.

As he turned around the corner looking for Keira, Jak knew she would be raving mad at him. He knew the race had already started, there was no way for him to enter now. Tess and Keira looked at him as he came into the workshop. Tess barely looked up; she looked like she had just lost her best friend or puppy. Keira stood up from her work. "Jak, there you are. Daxter had to take your place in the race."

Jak flinched back with the sudden image of a human shaped crater in a wall somewhere near the starting line. "I'm going to go watch then."

And shoot any racer who even tries to touch him.

"You two got in a fight didn't you?"

Jak was started by Keira's words. He looked at Tess but she wasn't looking at anyone. She looked though finding a chest of precursor orbs would not lift her spirits. "Did Daxter tell you?"

Keira folded her arms there was something a bit strange about her. She seemed distant to him. "He didn't say in so many words but why else would he have your communicator and not you? Come with Tess and me to the Hip Hog, relax a bit. If Daxter loses he loses and we'll think of a new way for you to get into the Baron's palace. Besides, Daxter is such a hot head, win or lose he's just going to be bragging to every man woman and child he comes across about how he even got in the race. Give a thought to others Jak, I never get to see you. Drive me and Tess to the Hip Hog and tell me how things are going with you."

Keira… He didn't want to tell her that he didn't want to talk to her about it. Talking about the past made the past seem real. He wasn't ready for it to be real, not yet, but somehow he found he was nodding to her request and smiling back to her smile.

Once they had reached the Hip Hog Tess had excused herself and started work early which was fine by Krew so long as he didn't have to pay her overtime. At one of the booths both Jak and Keira had taken to quietly talking.

Keira sipped her light ale. She put the drink down tracing the lip of the mug with her nail. Jak's attention wasn't divided; it was barely on her at all. He had been watching the door for Daxter and speaking in short answers to everything she asked. Her lips pulled together tightly, as she became resolute. If she was going to get anywhere in their relationship she was going to have to be the aggressor. She was getting sick of waiting for Jak.

She pretended to start to take another sip of her drink but purposely spilled some down her top. It caught Jak's attention when she gave a feminine oppsies. She set the drink close to the edge of the table, by accident of course. Her drink set into her white top quickly, tanned skin beneath became quite visible.

He was becoming rosy cheeked as he kept looking away only to look back. Keira press herself against him, in a friendly way as she reached for the napkins. Clumsily her hand knocked down her drink into Jak's lap. Jak flinched as Keira gave an apologetic cry. She grabbed the napkins and started trying to blot away the beer from Jak's pants. "I'm so sorry Jak!"

She glanced up at his face as she started innocently rubbing and bloating out the beer. Her eyes hidden behind her dark lashes she could see Jak eyes fade slightly as he looked down her beer soaked top.

She smiled. She had him. She finally had him!

Abruptly he stiffened, and far from any pleasurable way. He pulled back into the chair; he then looked at Keira and not her top. "I have to find Daxter."

He left the bar with no other comment. Keira looked at the door in disbelief. She didn't know what had gone wrong, he liked it. She knew he liked it, he was starting to get off watching her so what the hell happened. Her hand clenched into a fist and hit the table.

Keira ran a hand through her hair. She refused to cry, she absolutely refused. Her cheeks were hot from embarrassment over what she had done and failed to do. Jak liked her, he liked curves, and he'd been staring down her shirt blushing for precursor's sake.

Her hand covered her mouth as she looked blankly ahead. Daxter. Jak had enjoyed it, she wasn't mistaken but he must have thought of Daxter, he thought of Daxter when Keira had been turning him on and that reminded him that Daxter still wasn't back.

And then he had realized what was really happening.

"Hey miss. That bloke don't have any idea how to treat a woman of your fine caliber. Let me buy you a new drink, eh?"

She ignored the request getting up with her pride and started heading to the ladies room. The man grabbed her arm. "Hey princess, no rush now."

She turned toward him and the man smiled down her shirt. Her knee crushed his rising interest and then with all her rage and inner pain she back handed him across the face hard enough to render him unconscious on the floor. The bar was silent for a moment before erupting in cheers. Her chin raised and pride restored she walked to the ladies room. And only then did she wince and clutch her poor hand, "that guy had a brick for a jaw. Ow…"

Post chapter Nine (Jak and Daxter just miss each other then after a little while Jak return's to see if he really did just miss Daxter.)

Daxter spotted him when there was a small hush to the bar. He had looked over to see what it was and there was Jak, dark blue eyes that mirrored his own Jak took one look at Taryn and was out the door again. "Jak!"

Daxter tripped over the barstool he was sitting on as he reached for the retreating blond. He hit the tile ground, Tess had just cleaned and he struggled to catch hold and get back up. When he did the door was already closed but that didn't stop him.

He was out the door and felt the first few pelting drops of rain. "Jak?"

Daxter spun around, he couldn't see Jak. There was thunder in the sky; he shivered involuntarily at the sound. "Dax."

"Jak?" He slipped falling to the wet stone. He yelped and moved to rub his ankle that now refused to let him ignore the abuse it had to endure twice.

Tears burned at his eyes. Daxter was never any good with pain but right now he had to speak with Jak. He had to ask him about Errol. "Daxter?"

Surprised he looked up; Jak was standing beside him looking very tense. "I have to ask… what happened? With Erol, the dark eco? What did they do?"

Jak moved back, he stumbled a few steps shaking his head. "No. Don't ask me that!"

"Jak! Please! I'm begging here."

There were tears now Daxter shook his head as he looked away from Jak, fearing he'd lose his resolve. "Whatever happened… it's my fault Jak. I didn't save you in time, I want... I have to know what I'm responsible for!"

There was the sound of a revving zoomer and Daxter wide eyed looked back up to see Jak leaving him. "Jak?"

He'd never left him like this. Daxter was hurt, Jak knew it, at least Daxter thought he did. And Jak left. Around him people were watching, staring at him for the outburst and tears, guards were coming.

Taryn headed them off, scooping up Daxter's arm and wrapping it over her shoulder for support. "A few too many drink there? A night's sleep and you'll be back on the saddle."

The pedestrians eyes wavered, the guards kept walking. Taryn's comment had made them all believe it was just a drunken outburst of emotion. Something that wasn't too uncommon in the troubled city. He was being taken away so there was no need to stare, normality would return.

Daxter wheezed as his body trembled violently, what had he done? He'd pushed, he pushed Jak. Taryn gave her shoulder a little flick to move Daxter. "Hey now Cowboy. You'll hyperventilate if you keep that up, you'd be lucky if I know CPR to revive you then."

An opening. She was trying to bring him back down from the emotional high. Choked throat made it difficult but he managed a smile, "I feel a full blow heart attack at your words. Better get started with mouth to mouth right away, get some practice in."

She smiled back at him and started heading back to the bar. Taryn was a bit surprised to see the drop dead gorgeous bar tender wringing her hands anxiously, waiting for them at the door. "Is she a friend of yours Cowboy?"

Daxter looked up to see Tess hovering around the bar door anxiously. She wanted to go to him but she couldn't leave the bar or she'd be fired, she was stuck with hand wringing and anxious hope he was coming back. "That beautiful blond is Tess. Real knock out ain't she?

Daxter didn't miss the crooked smirk on Taryn's face as she looked over the blond. "I'd say so."

They got close enough that Tess dared to move out of the entrance of the bar to wrap her arms around Daxter's neck and rub her cheek against his. "Oh! Daxter I saw you run out after Jak and I was worried!"

She now noticed Taryn; Daxter's arm looped over her shoulder and Daxter was keeping one foot tentatively off the ground. "You're hurt?"

She scooped up his other arm and helped Taryn led him into the bar. When the patrons looked over Daxter felt very smug. To his right, the busty blue haired Taryn, to his left the even bustier bubbly blond Tess. It helped his spirits a bit to know he had friends like them. They went to a booth closest to the bar. It had curtains and the most comfortable cushions. Naturally it was occupied.

The patron there seemed very rooted despite Tess telling him to go. With her free arm Tess pulled free her pistol and aimed it at the man. "Listen, boy. I'm pissed at a great number of things right now in life, it's my time of the month and I don't like your drink. Piss off or make my day."

He left graciously after that. Tess gave a small giggle and was looking at Taryn as the woman holstered her gun. Taryn and Daxter settled in at the booth, Tess glanced anxiously to where patrons were starting to get annoyed with the lack of service. Taryn winked at her, "Don't worry I'll keep our redhead company."

Was it his imaginations or was Tess blushing? She turned away and nearly tripped over a barstool. She quickly worked to recompose herself and started serving drinks again. "So, what's all this about Cowboy? Was that stick up his ass blond the Jak you were telling me about?"

Daxter smiled, his body position was open but it seemed like a lie to Taryn. He was playing the relaxed card but there was a tremble to his shoulders, a smile that was hard to maintain, and eyes that were too reflective at the moment. "Yeah that was Jak… he, ya know. Regular stick up his ass… mind you it reminds me…"

Taryn tilted her head confused. Daxter couldn't finish his sentences. His shoulders were shaking more visibly now and his head bowed down. "It ain't Jak's fault Taryn… It's mine… I'm such a bleeding coward. And now here I am griping to you when we haven't seen each other in months… Precursors I'm sorry you had to see me like this babe… I'll pull it together… just… just a sec 'kay?"

He was shaking so badly that it frightened Taryn. She'd only seen one person in her life reach a breaking point and that was enough. That was why she worked alone. Daxter couldn't break, he couldn't.

"No. You listen Daxter. You are brave. That's what I love about you. Think back, you say you never do anything dangerous but where are you when danger is around?"

"Behind Jak?"

"I never even saw Jak before tonight. No I saw you, dealing with metal head bugs armed with a fuzzy tail and a century old flyswatter. Then I give you a nerve toxin for the bugs and you're taking on full sized metal heads. You even killed metal head queens, on your own, without a gun or armor. I'd say that's courage to the extreme."

Daxter was looking away; Taryn frowned as she realized he was trying not to listen because he didn't believe a word she was saying. Gently she put her hand under his chin and tilted his face back to her. She waited, holding his chin delicately till he looked up at her. "Why is it you think I call you Cowboy? Despite anything you say Daxter you're right there when people need you. Why is it you can't see that? What are those fancy words and jokes hiding? I'm glad I got to see you like this. If I had tried to say anything like this while your defense was up you wouldn't have listened. But now, maybe there is a chance I can reach you. What do you think, Cowboy?"

Tess came then and put down a large glass in front of Daxter. A wood umbrella pierced through mango slices and fresh cherries. The drink smelled of a variety of berries and was also laced with coconut vodka. "You're favorite Daxxie. It's on me. You can sleep all night in this booth if you want. It's about the only thing I can do for you right now."

She momentarily looked sad but when Daxter smiled at her she perked right back up and went back to the bar. The smile faded as he started downing the drink, Taryn frowned and glanced over to Tess who was busy with other customers. "I heard you're not exactly the iron stomach you claim to be. Maybe you should slow down a bit."

She paused listening intently. When Tess had come over he had reverted to his carefree self, no shakes or anything but now Daxter's shoulder's were starting to shake again. She couldn't see his face with how hunched over the bar he was; she could not hear what he was saying. She leaned closer her face very close to his as she could smell the different drinks he'd had, but also a pleasant natural smell that reminded her of country air and fruit. "Daxter?"

"I tried… I tried really hard to find him. I looked. I… ran. There were krimzon guards; we'd never been in the city before. I was scared, I'd never even seen a gun before but they came and surrounded us. I ran. I left him."

Taryn nearly had her chin against the counter top to see Daxter's face. He was smiling, but there were tears running down his cheeks, collecting and falling from his chin. She'd never seen anyone smile while they cried, for some reason it only made the sight sadder. He was starting to raise his hand for another drink. Taryn gently put her hand atop his and lowered it back to the counter. "Come on Cowboy, let's get you in a bed. You need rest and about twenty to thirty pounds of food."

She pulled his arm over her shoulders and helped steady Daxter out the door. It was then as the door closed behind them that the weight of what she was doing fell both literally and figuratively upon her. Looking down she saw how Daxter's hair fell limply around his face, the so very strange two tone color of the fire he so often imitated. "What am I doing?"

No voice answered her but the one inside herself, letting her know she couldn't leave a comrade behind. They'd fought together, and she knew the proverbial ringer Daxter was being put through was something he was doing to himself as much as anyone else was. "I'm useless… couldn't find Jak, couldn't stop Erol."

Taryn shifted is weight and hunched a little, she knew it to be impossible but it really felt as though her friend was shrinking somehow. "You're not useless, you're depressed. And half of it is the alcohol talking. I'm not letting you outta my sight till we have a long heart to heart.

"Taryn?"

His voice was slightly panicked but before she could look over his hand, shrunk, beneath her grip. She stumbled as his weight fell from her. Down by her feet was a large pile of clothing, which began squirming. An ottsel leapt out and surveyed the clothing in a panic. "What? What in the name of the Precursors happened?"

His ankle still very sore protested when he tried to stand, he walked on three legs and balancing his tail to keep the pain away. Taryn squatted down. "I have no idea Cowboy, but I might know someone who does."

Vin.

Author note: O-O I'm doomed… A question to authors reading this, are you supposed to start with a plan and work from that? A lot of the time everything just pieces together without me even knowing how it happened till it happens.

If people have ideas or things they want to see (or read) please don't hesitate and post it in a review. Ideas make the chapters come faster because they get me to think. They really, honestly, truly do. I sometimes stare at the posted reviews hoping to get some idea of what people liked most and what to do next. Things like; well, Jak should go back to the bar. There should be a scene with Torn and Ashelin.

I wasn't planning on sending Jak back to the bar but I think, pros and cons of Jak going to the bar. And toss the idea around. Torn and Ashelin, they're not the main characters but they could say or do something to progress the story.

Nicend, Aunt Rackie, ShadowChild Of Death, Night Fox Hiten, OttselDaxter, Sedgehammer; thank you all very much for your reviews and help. Sorry I didn't reply to everyone last chapter I've just been a bit out of sorts lately.

Love and cookies for all! (Lots of cookies, crumpets, tea and milk for all)