A/N: Hiya! Here I am again, giving you another chapter. Thanks to those who review! ( Jynxie the Plague: Update soon woman!) So yeah . . . well, I don't have anything to say so. . . . let's just get to the chapter!

Redemption

Disclaimer: blah blah . . . you all know what's supposed to be here so . . . to spare myself from pain, I won't say, "I don't own the characters from Jak and Daxter, Jak 2, and Jak 3." 'Gasp' Waah! 'Runs away'

Chapter 4- New Feelings Rising to the Surface

Keira's POV:

I laughed as I saw the whole city swept past me. Torn and I were driving around Haven, trying to find a 'nice' hangout that wasn't destroyed. Sure, we could have gone to the Naughty Ottsel, but there was the possibility that Jak and Ashelin were there, and frankly, I wasn't really ready to face them just yet. And I had a feeling Torn wasn't ready to face them either. I know I said I would let go of Jak, hey don't get me wrong, I did, but even if I had already accepted losing him, I just wasn't ready. You never know. I might change my mind.

"Torn! Can you go any slower?" I asked sarcastically. He smirked at me and started increasing his speed. I yelped. What the heck? I was just kidding! Out of surprise, I wrapped my arms around his waist. "I was just kidding!" I laughed.

Torn gradually started slowing down. I realized I was still holding on to his waist, and I blushed. Why was I blushing anyway? I immediately let go of him.

We stopped a minute later, in front of a (surprisingly) still standing bar. Torn and I jumped out of the zoomer and surveyed the place. It seemed nice enough.

I glanced at Torn, trying to read his expression. He must have felt my gaze because he suddenly turned to me and I had to back up in surprise.

He chuckled. "What?" he asked innocently.

I shook my head, trying to tell him that nothing was wrong. I smiled and linked my arms with his. "Shall we go in?"

He nodded.

I had no idea how much fun that night would be.

Torn's POV:

I looked around the bar. It seemed very decent. There were very little people around. Good. (Again, I'm not thinking bad ideas okay? When I said "Good," I meant I did not want to be around such a large crowd. Uh . . . stop looking at me like that!) Most of the people there were soldiers from the Freedom League. I saw some of them give me a salute or nodded at me when I passed by them.

Keira and I grabbed an empty table on the far corner of the room. We sat down and remained in an awkward silence. My skin still tingled from where she had wrapped her arms around me. I glanced up at her. She seemed a little nervous. God. I wanted to know what she was thinking! My eyes searched her face, and my gaze fell down to her lips. 'I wonder what they taste like . . . ' My god. Why am I thinking this way? Could it be possible that I'm falling for this woman?

My own thought surprised me. What was I thinking? Even if I did fall in love with her, I'm sure it'll end up like all my other relationships had. She loved Jak. Ahh . . . what did I care?

I glanced up at her again, to see those beautiful green eyes of hers looking up at me. A smile was on her lips. She looked gorgeous.

"What's the smile for?" I asked, smiling back.

"Nothing. Just thinking."

"Care to tell me what about?"

She shook her head and laughed. She stood up and headed over to the bartender. I smirked and followed her.

"So. . . . what drink shall I order for Tattooed Wonder?"

Cute. "Martini" I smirked.

She giggled. "Just what I had in mind too."

We ordered our drinks and headed back to the table. We enjoyed the rest of the night talking and laughing about certain kinds of stuff. I admit. It was great. I really had fun. Who knew spending time with Keira could be so much better than doing my duties as Commander of the Freedom League? And to think that was my passion . . .

To tell you the truth, when I first met Keira I thought she was just another one of those ordinary girls around the world. I never knew there was something special about her. Something unique. Back then, I never even knew she existed. I just thought she was another one of those people who hang around Jak. Sure, I knew her name, but I didn't bother trying to get to know her. I ever knew that one day, we would be this close. Neither did I know that I would be wishing to spend all of my time with her . . . wishing to see her . . .

"Torn? Are you okay?" Keira looked up from her drink and up at me.

My heart thumped wildly in my chest, I was surprised it didn't just leap out and land into her hands. I swallowed hard and managed a gruff "Yes."

She nodded. I wondered if she could hear the thumping of my heart. She smiled that sweet smile of hers. "Shall we go then?"

I nodded back. We headed outside after paying our bill. Keira's arms encircled mine, and she leaned her head against my shoulder. I looked down at her and smiled.

"Ready to go home?" I asked silently, wrapping my arm around her shoulder. I wanted to stay this way. I wanted to have my arms around her.

She looked up at me and shook her head. "Not yet. I want to stargaze for a while . . ."

I laughed. We did just that. We walked around looking up at the stars, and to tell you the truth, I liked it. I never knew how many stars there were in the sky, and I never noticed how beautiful they were.

"They're beautiful aren't they?" Keira's soft voice made me look down and smile at her.

"Yes," I said.

Keira turned to me and raised her palm to caress my face. I leaned down, my lips ready to meet hers. We were so close, I could see the flecks in her eyes. I just had to move an inch then my lips would meet hers.

"Do you think we should stop while we have the chance?" she breathed.

"Is this so bad?"

"I'm afraid . . ."

"Of what?"

"If I kiss you now, I might fall in love with you . . ."

"I might do the same . . ." I confessed, stroking her cheek lightly. "But I'm not afraid . . ."

She smiled and pulled me to her. Her lips met mine in a passionate kiss. She wrapped her arms around my neck to pull me closer. My own arms encircled her waist. I never wanted to let go. I didn't want this to stop. I felt whole again.

Neither of the two of us noticed someone watching us from the darkness.

Jak's POV:

I was walking, trying to find some solace from a bar, besides the Naughty Ottsel. It wasn't because I was getting tired of hanging out there, okay . . . never mind that. I was SICK of that place! Not only was I sick of hanging out there, but I was also sick of the people hanging out there. I always saw the same face everyday: Daxter, Tess, and Sig. It was lucky I didn't have to encounter Torn. Or Keira, for that matter.

Keira . . .

My mind went back to the incident earlier this morning. Seeing Torn coming out of her house like that . . . Argh!

"When Jak?"

"When what?"

"When did you stop loving me?"

Damn. I really hurt her that bad. When? I asked myself the same thing. When have I stopped loving her? I honestly didn't know . . . One morning she was my everything . . . the only person I wanted to be with. Then suddenly Ashelin came. I was attracted to her the minute I met her. And suddenly, I realized, Keira and I . . . we were never meant to be.

So . . . why did I felt empty? . . .

I rounded up a corner, and my mouth fell open.

I could hear their conversation. My blood turned cold as I realized that the two people talking were none other than Keira and Torn. My eyes blazed as I saw how close they were . . . really close . . .

"They're beautiful aren't they?" I heard Keira say. I saw her looking up at the stars. Heh. Silly Keira. She was always such a big fan of the stars. What was so special about them anyway

"Yes." I saw Torn look up at the sky as well.

I could feel my blood boiling as I saw Torn bend down to kiss her. What the hell was he doing? He had no right, damn him!

I could see their lips moving, they were saying something I couldn't hear.

"If I kiss you now, I might fall in love with you . . ."

"I might do the same . . . But I'm not afraid . . ."

Keira pulled Torn close and kissed him. I watched. I watched them behind the shadows. Pain, betrayal, jealousy, anger . . . that was what I felt. How could she do this? What about me?

That was right . . .

"I don't love you anymore Keira . . ."

It was over between us. I broke off everything with her, claiming I loved someone else now. Was this how she felt when I told her I didn't love her anymore?

I was the one who had no right. I had no right to be wishing her back. I had no right to be wishing that I was the one in her arms right now . . . It was my fault.

I sighed and shook my head.

I was so stupid.

Keira's POV:

Torn and I ended our kiss a little later. I was out of breath. Never, in my life had I been kissed liked that. Gentle yet passionate.

Torn smiled down at me and stroked my hair. I closed my eyes feeling his touch. Who knew that Torn could be like this? I've always thought of him as an arrogant bastard, yet here he was . . .

"You're beautiful you know that right?" he smirked, kissing my cheek.

I blushed. I stroked my fingers lightly against his cheek. "Why do you make me feel this way, Tattooed Wonder? Why do you make my heart thump wildly, just by doing what you are doing right now? Why do you make me feel loved?"

He smiled. "I'm not paranoid then. I could ask you the same thing, Keira Hagai . . . why do I need you so badly?"

"Are you telling me you have fallen in love with me? You? Commander of the Freedom League, the silent yet tough guy?" I giggled. "The guy who can't dance?"

He chuckled at my joke. He placed an a hand on my shoulder and gently massaged it. "Yes. I think I have fallen in love with you."

I smiled. This was the most perfect night of my life. "As have I." Torn leaned down and captured my lips in his for the second time.

End

A/N: So . . . do you like it? I'm still thinking of bringing Jak and Keira together again, but I don't know . . . Should I? Should I not? Anyhoo . . . see you again next chapter!

Thanks to the following reviewers:

yuna-elena, Jaky, Scarab Destiny, shadows-of-flame, Jynxie the Plague, and Red Hawk K'sani

Thanks so much!