A/N: Once again, as always, thank you to all of meh reviewers. I wish I had something else to say for an author's note, but that... seems to be it, heh.

Total-Jewel: Your very very welcome!

Silver Draggon: Short review or long one, I just enjoy getting them, so it's all good. Thanks mucho!

Von: That's a good guess, but you're gonna have to wait and find out to see if you were right or not. Glad you like the story so much and ta da!! Voila, here iz zee next chapter.

Yami Kanis: Haha, glad to see I've struck a nerve here o.o! As for Daxter getting some sort of chance, you'll have to read and find out.

Kyrie Sanctus: I think the world is full of many Keira haters. I'm semi- one myself, I just tried hard not to completely rip on her in this story, but that didn't last very long. (muwahahaha) And thank you, of course. I didn't think my story had the quality to make anybody go teary eyed, heh.

Midnyte Wolf: What a sweet and cute review. Hopefully, you didn't have to wait TOO long for this chapter to come, and that it's just as pleasing as the others were.

Yakow: Yes, yes, I'm going as fast as I can. And I'm trying my best to keep you all interested. So I'm uber happy to see I still have readers! WEEEE!

Krimzon guard bites baron praxis: First, let me just say I love that name, lol !! And I know it's not showing TOO much yaoi reference yet, but we still have a long way to go!

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Disclaimer: Not mine, only Novanya 'Snake' is mine. Oh and the story.

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Time must have slipped my mind because that one single hour that I was supposed to be gone quickly turned into two hours. Two hours turned into three hours. Before too long, I lost track of time. But every so often I would tell myself it was time to turn back; I've been out longer that I should've been. Staying out here this long all by myself - and without Jak - was unhealthy.

And every time I told myself that, I would only stay out longer. You would think I would've had enough time to think things through by now. But the truth is, I was having a pretty hard time with that.

That's right, I can't even think to myself without screwing up.

I wonder if Jak knew I was gone... Or if he even cared? Maybe leaving him while he was in the presence of Keira wasn't the hottest of ideas. She would win either way. If he didn't know I was gone, that means Keira has accomplished her mission and had his full attention. If he knew I was gone, that would only give that woman all the more reason to suck up to him and get on his emotional side. She would no doubt comfort him, saying that everything was fine and that I was safe, taking every opportunity she could grab at and using it to its full potential. I really - REALLY - should start heading back, you know.

I just wish I knew where back WAS.

Gritting my teeth, I spun around sharply, examining my possible choices of where to scamper off to.

Let's see... Nothing looked too familiar.

My feet started walking towards the nearest road-like path before I had fully decided that was the direction I wanted to take. But I had followed through with it and then and only then did I realize how dark it had gotten. Lights were starting to turn on, and hover crafts turned theirs on as well, almost blinding me in the process. It's a good thing they actually HOVER; otherwise, I would have been an ottsel omelet a long time ago.

The path I had chosen was littered with people, pushing through the rest of the crowd to fulfill their own needs and to get to their own destinations, not caring at all for who or how many they shoved around to do so. So while they tried to pry through bodies, I was busy dodging their feet from a much lower altitude.

I only managed to get my tail stepped on once, by a very large man who didn't seem to notice. When I had made it through the jumble of people I sat against a pillar and cradled my tail, half muttering how rude it was of him, half grumbling at the fact that I had gotten myself... just a little bit lost in the first place.

Just when I was beginning to think that things weren't... TOO bad, thunder rolled about the sky, echoing through my ears and rattling my brain. Great... Just grand. Only when I looked up did my nose get the pleasure of experiencing the very first raindrop. And as people started to pick up their paces and cover their heads with whatever was available at the time, I stared ahead of me at nothing in particular, still holding my tail in one hand as the rain suddenly ambushed the city, and I was dripping wet in only a matter of seconds.

For some unknown reason I stayed there, watching people run for shelter. I let the rain fall on me and soak into my fur and into my eyes. I almost...enjoyed it. More than I ever knew I could. And somehow, the rain under my eyes felt a little hotter than it was anywhere else.

But as much as I was relaxed as these drops hammered onto my skull, plastering my ears even more onto my head, staying out wasn't the brightest of ideas. So again I started walking, my feet splashing carelessly into puddles as I passed them. I brought my shivering hands up to my arms and hunched over. This rain was pretty heavy... and freezing cold.

When I scanned the area to decide my next path, I noticed the streets were completely deserted. I was alone again, even in the endless city. The rain was so heavy, I squinted my eyes to see, eventually pulling down my rarely-used goggles. Puddles were forming and the skies became darker than they already were, if that were at all possible.

Instinctively, I bolted into the streets when the next thunder clapped loudly over my head. I turned corners and slid a few times on the wet pavement, eating mud as I fell a few times. My fur caked in rain and dirt, I kept running until I had finally found a scene that I recognized. This city is so confusing, and so damn big, it's easy for a little guy like me to get lost every once and a while. So I was semi-thrilled when I ended up at the Naughty Ottsel.

Upon entering, I found it to be filled with only a handful of citizens, most likely there to escape the sudden storm. I placed my goggles back onto my head and paid no attention to them and hopped over the bar top, ignoring the obvious existence of Tess, and started to rummage through the drinks that were behind the counter. It was hard to ignore Tess standing over me, most likely staring at me with those big, flirtatious eyes of hers. Her pale skin stood out in this light, and her scent was forcing its way into my nostrils. If I didn't say anything to her, she would definitely say something to me.

"Heya, Sweet cheeks, just checkin' the inventory." I said, not even bothering to look up. I kept my sight pinned on the drinks in front of me, reaching my hand further and further back into the shelf, hoping to find something worth while.

Tess squatted down and scratched behind my ear with her slender finger. "Daxter, is there something on your mind?"

"Nah, I'm just..." I thought for a moment. "I'm taking a day off. Being a hero ain't easy, sugar."

It was partly true. The whole purpose of my little 'walk' was to get away for a while. I care about two things right now: Jak, and why I'm so damned upset about this whole thing. It should be nothing, right? I mean, it's not like they DID anything. But Jak and I have always been together, always been there for each other, and now Keira had the spotlight. MY spotlight.

At this thought my brow lowered into a strong V, and my rummaging became rougher, glass clicking against each other.

"Alright, Daxter, if you say so."

It was obvious that she wasn't convinced, but Tess wasn't the kind of girl to pry into ones personal matters - unless ordered to, of course. Still, I didn't miss those random glances she gave me when she thought I wasn't looking. It was hard for her to make herself look preoccupied when there was no business going on, so she disappeared into the back room after a little while, uncomfortable with my uncharacteristic silence.

My fingers slowed their movements and steadied themselves on the rim of a wide bottle. Pulling it out, I set it on the ground in front of me, sighing. Before I had the chance to pick it up and jab it down my throat, my conscience gave me a good kick and I followed Tess into the back room.

"Hey Daxter," She said, trying her best to sound and act normal, stuffing as many bottles into her arms as she possibly could and then attempting to carry them past me. I placed a hand on her ankle as she tried, and she stopped, kneeling down and setting the bottles carefully on the ground.

"Hey sugar," I tried so hard to smile. I should be good as forcing smiles by now, but my lips wouldn't do anything for me. "Got the time?"

Reaching into her back pocket she pulled out a small watch, giving it a good look before shoving it out of view.

"About a quarter after eleven, Daxter. Why?"

"Six hours," I forced a small laugh. I had been gone for six hours. It seemed like so much shorter a time than that, and yet it seemed like forever. "Hey, do you think I could--"

"Tess!"

I was just about to gain permission to stay the night with Tess, just to get away for a while longer, when I was cut off by a voice calling from the bar. Tess, whose eyes were intently cutting into my own, sincerely worried about my well-being, snapped up to the door frame. The rest of my question came rolling out as a sigh and I turned my head with her. That voice... I knew that voice. That was Jak's voice.

He had... come looking for me. He cared, he really cared. As I sat musing over this, Tess strolled past me and greeted Jak at the countertop.

"Can I get you anything? Business is... rather slow today." Tess drawled. Jak took a quick peek around the room, nodding his head in agreement as the last two or three people left the building while the rain was at a temporary halt.

"That's not why I'm here," Jak told her. I kept myself hidden in the back room, listening to them. I was trying to prepare myself for Jak for when he told Tess he was looking for me. Because he was worried about me. I licked my finger, trying to hide the dirt clots in my fur, and smooth down the random cowlicks. I shook myself quickly to shed some of the water that still dampened my body. Tugging at my gloves, I waited for the next part, my mouth finally beginning to form a small grin.

"Have you seen Keira anywhere?"

My grin faltered and I nervously bit my lower lip, brows arching and eyes casting downward. The sound of my heart hitting the floor and shattering into a million billion pieces murdered my eardrums. My feet that were starting their march to Jak's field of vision had halted and nailed themselves to the floor.

He hadn't come looking for me. He came looking for... HER. Keira... He was just with her six freakin' hours ago when I left, and now he was here looking for her in the same spot I came to get away from her. Life is just... full of little surprises, isn't it?

"No, I haven't seen her, why?" Tess showed mild concern, leaning onto the countertop, keeping eye contact with Jak.

"Don't worry about it. Just let me know if you hear anything," With that, he saluted and left the Naughty Ottsel. Tess snapped her head in my direction as I dragged myself out of the back room and to her feet. Plopping myself on the floor, I reached out for the bottle I had found earlier. I found myself sucking down air instead of alcohol and when I opened my eyes, I saw Tess holding my bottle.

"Daxter, did something happen?" She asked me, once again kneeling down to my level. When she was close enough I snatch the bottle out of her loose grasp and gulped as much as I could down before she knocked it out of my hands again. The bottle slid across the floor behind me, spilling the remainder of the liquid onto the clean floor as my drowsy eyes were held prisoner by Tess' concerned ones.

How could she NOT tell something was up? Just look at the obvious clues!

Jak come in looking for Keira and not his best friend. That said best friend had moped in here a few minutes earlier, frustrated and confused and looking to drown things out with a few drinks. That same guy came in with dirtied, matted fur, and refused to look someone in the eyes and speak at the same time.

"No. Nothing happened." Nothing DID really happen, I guess, if you think about it. I just got upset over what was probably nothing to begin with, and was only making it worse for myself by thinking Jak didn't care when I knew damn well that he did. Unless, he STILL didn't know I was missing. Unless he didn't notice that bare spot on his shoulder - that missing weight. Surely he noticed that lack of chattering at his ear.

But when he came in looking for Keira, of all people, it struck some sort of nerve I didn't know I had and I became angry as all heck at that moment. I stormed away from Tess, leaving her uninformed and speechless in her spot behind the bar, and positioned myself at the whack a metal head game that I had quickly mastered.

No one dared tried to beat my top score. It was a really high score, and not many people were willing to go through the short shock you get when you whacked the wrong metal head. But I was the current champion of the game, and I didn't want anyone stealing my title. It was one of the very few things I had to take pride in.

Sticking a coin into the slot, I grabbed the hammer and waited.

A grey one and a yellow one popped their heads out, and I just blankly stood there. Still waiting.

Another grey one. Then three of them at the same time.

I gripped the hammer harder, my knuckles cracking from my fierce hold. A red head poked out of one of the holes, small shots of electricity running through it. I swung my weapon down as hard as I could, connecting with it fully.

A jolt of pain quickly shot through my small body, shooting up and back down my spine, tingling my limbs and almost making me lose my hold on the hammer. I found I was holding a small - almost invisible - smile on my face. My fur stood up a little as I waited again. Two yellows....a grey....two grays.....two grays and a yellow....

Upon the next red one, I brought the hammer down to meet its head, and let another wave dance through my system.

I don't know why I was doing this. That pain was almost... inviting at that time. I was angry... Angry at Keira, and a little frustrated at Jak, and furious at myself for not saying something, for not doing anything when Keira took him behind that curtain, for not trying harder to pry whatever it was out of Jak that was bothering him.

I should have stopped for a number of reasons.

I was ruining my score on the game. My body was starting to feel a little tingly and even numb in some places. Tess was staring at me from behind the countertop, covering her mouth in worry, gasping every time I nailed another bad metal head in the game. I was also getting a little dizzy, my vision blurring and my lids drooping.

But every time the pain was gone, I found another thought or image of Keira running through my mind. Thoughts of her with... Jak. Memories of them, and fears of them becoming an item and things that COULD happen if I let things go too far. And I didn't want to think about that.

I saw a blur of red and my hands automatically lowered the hammer onto it, another jolt making its way into me and shaking me. The hammer was beginning to get heavier in my hands, but I still managed to hold it up.

I waited and waited for the next head to pop out of one of the holes, but it never came. I lifted my head to see the problem and the problem was holding the plug to the game, dangling it in the air.

"I think that's enough, Daxter," Her voice was firm, yet I could still make out the worry that etched its way into her tone. I was about to tell her that I know when enough is enough, but the hammer dropped to the floor with a clunk, and I fell right after it.