A/N: It's so short, and it took so long.  I'm sorry! *dives under a table*  I really really really really really hate this chapter.  I can't stand JakxKeira, it's just too fluffy allof the time *twitches*  Buuuuuttttt, it's necessary, so I suppose that all of us yaoi lovers will just have to hang on a bit.  I'll get the next chapter done soon, I promise!

Disclaimer: Yes.  Yes, I own everything.  Everything, you hear me? MUAHAHAHA! XD

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Part of him wanted to go.  Part of him didn't.  But apparently, the part of him that wanted to was overruling the part that did not, as he was walking slowly through the city to the restaurant where he was to meet Keira.  He knew full well what this date was about.  Keira was worried about him, she had told him so flat out when she asked him to come.  The bad thing was that he didn't know if he had the strength left to keep it all inside any more.

She was there waiting, he knew she would be.  She was always there when he needed her.  He noted uncomfortably the very worried look in her eyes as she looked him up and down.  Taking a deep breath, he forced a smile onto his face and sat down at the table.

"Jak…" 

He didn't want to have this talk, not yet.  Maybe he would be stronger after he had eaten, shoved the tasteless food down a throat that did not hunger for it.  He assumed as bright a countenance as possible for his current state of mind.  "Hello, Keira."

"Jak, are you sure that you're okay?" she asked, a slight tremor in her voice. 

Jak ignored her question, taking the menu from off of the table and opened it, pretending to be engrossed in its contents.  "I'm hungry!  What are you going to have?" he asked brightly, scanning the menu and all of the odd food contained within over.  He heard her sigh, and glanced up briefly just as she dropped her eyes, shoulders slumping.

Guilt shot through him.  "Keira?" he said softly.  Her aqua eyes immediately flew up to his, and the hero of Haven City was struck by the pain and longing that he saw there.  He put a small smile on his face for her.  "We'll talk later, okay?  For now, let's just enjoy our diner."

Smiling as well, she nodded.  "Okay."

Eventually dinner came, and they both looked at each other over the dying candle in the middle of the table, munching away and pretending that they liked the food.  At one point, Keira used her fork to pick something off of her plate and, for lack of anything better to do with it, flung it at Jak.  Jak ducked and the piece of food went flying over his head to get caught in the hair of the woman at the table behind him.  The lady shot out of her chair with a shriek, and both Jak and Keira immediately assumed innocent expressions and pretended to be engrossed in their food as the woman turned around to glare at everyone who could have possibly launched the projectile.

The second that the woman turned away and ran off to the bathroom, both elves burst out laughing.  "You know," Keira said in between giggles, "I don't think that I'll ever get used to the food in this place.  It's so…"

"Bland?"

"Yeah."

"I know.  Me either."  Jak didn't say what was on his mind- that there hd been a time when he and Daxter were working for the underground and were lucky to have enough food to fill their stomachs for a week at a time.  But now that Daxter was practically swimming in money and, more than likely, had plenty enough to buy himself a huge house with his chocolate-filled pool, Jak had the luxury of being able to hate what he ate.

"Wanna get out of here?" Jak asked after they had poked at their food for ten minutes more.

"Yeah," Keira said, putting her hand in her chin and smiling at him.  Jak paid for the meal and they walked out of the small restaurant in the bazaar.  As they emerged into the cool night air, Keira slipped her arm through his and snuggled up close to him. "Let's walk," she suggested.

He looked down at her.  "Aren't you cold?"

"Not really.  Not when I'm this close to you…"  She looked up at him, blushing, and Jak felt a blush spread across his face as well.

"Neither am I."

They walked in silence for a time, winding their way back towards Keira's apartment over the garage, enjoying each other's company.  When they stood outside of her home, Jak felt Keira look up at him.  "Jak?"

"Hmm?"

"Do you… do you want to come inside?"  He only smiled down at her softly in answer, one hand reaching up to stroke her face and his own lips coming down to rest lightly on hers.

When they broke their kiss, Keira smiled up at him, eyes sparkling.  "I'll take that as a yes."

She led him in, sat him down as she took off her heavy shoes and flung them into a corner.  Then, as she approached him, Jak began to rethink his decision.  "Jak, what's wrong?"  When he just looked at her, she continued, sitting next to him on the bed and taking his cold hand in her warm one.  "It's just… Jak, we're worried about you.  I'm worried about you."

He opened his mouth to tell her that nothing was wrong, that she had no cause to waste time worrying about him.  But the words caught, unable to pass the lump rapidly forming in his throat.  Despite himself, he began to shake, caught up and whipped around in the midst of the violently conflicting emotions within himself.  He wanted so badly to explain to someone, anyone, tell them that while he pretended that nothing affected him, that he was terrified of what was going on around him.  He was so tired of being the hero, of running to everyone's rescue while there was no one to run to his.  Despite himself, tears formed at the corners of his eyes as he wavered, wanting nothing more at that moment than someone who understood him… or at least, someone who had even the slightest inkling of what he was experiencing.  No one, not her, not even Dax, truly knew what went on in his mind, knew about the constant battle that he waged to keep his demon from taking control, a battle that was finally beginning to take its toll on him.

Suddenly, unexpectedly, Keira reached up and pressed her lips against his.  Too stunned to do anything, Jak simply sat there, eyes wide, staring down at her.  She finally withdrew from him, moving back only inches, her beautiful face still only inches from his.  He expected her to blush, but she did not.  On the contrary, she looked up at him, tears glistening in her eyes as they had been only moments before in his.  "Oh, Jak," she whispered, warm breath caressing his face.  "Please… I know that it hurts, but…"  She flung her arms around him, burying her face in his shoulder as her tears came more and more quickly.  "Please, Jak, tell me.  Don't keep it all inside of you.  I want to help you…"

He wrapped his arms around her sobbing form, tears that had been pent up for years inside of him flowing down his face.  Slowly, haltingly, he began to speak, telling her in a broken voice about everything, his capture, his panic, his torture, his demon, everything.  It all came out of him, words he had been longing to say for so long but unable to do.  He knew that she did not understand fully, could never even do more than scratch the surface.  But he had to try.  He was just so tired of being alone.

And so, even after the words had died away, replaced by the physical need for one another, Jak spent the night in her arms.  For one night, at least, there was someone who could be with him.