Chapter 22
By shadows/of/flame
A bit of Ashelin OOCness. Just a warning ;)
Daxter made no signs of movement as the renegade and the red-head ran down the hallway, feet echoing dully through the interior. Ashelin kept her gun out and loaded just in case anymore guards came, and Jak held Daxter securely in his arms, not daring to let go.
Ashelin saw dark eco everywhere - but strangely enough, no dead guards in sight.
A dark smear above one of the doors caught the pairs attention, and they walked carefully over to it, examining it with utter care and precision.
"Dark eco..." Jak murmured, touching the dark substance and feeling the familiar tingle as it swept into his skin, from there into his blood.
"Then Torn must be near!" Ashelin said desperately, and Jak couldn't agree more, though his agreement to her words was a silent one.
"Come on, what do we have to lose by going in there?" Jak asked, looking for some sort of way to open the door.
His hand was on the handle, and he was about to rip it open when the door swung towards him, almost knocking him off his feet.
"Whoa!"
Ashelin caught him by the shoulders before him and Daxter fell to the floor, keeping the renegade steady as he found his feet.
Keira almost died when she pushed open the door.
Someone was holding the handle!
Torn stumbled into her, and she flung out a hand to stop him from falling through the door.
"Come on Torn, at least make it out the door..." she grumbled, and he shot a half-hearted glare her way, coughing.
Gingerly, the mechanic peered around the doorframe, wondering who had had their hand on the door.
If it was anyone bad, they were weaponless, Keiras gun having been ruined in the attack.
So she was definitely surprised AND scared out of her mind when she saw Jak, Ashelin and Daxter bundled in Jaks scarf.
"Oh my go... Holy Mar! Jak! Ashelin! Daxter!" she screamed, and Ashelin looked up from examining Daxter.
"Keira! Torn! Tess! You're all alright!" She yelled, enveloping Keira and Torn in a hug.
Torns knees went weak, and he soon joined Jak on the floor, coughing.
"No time for lengthy reunions, I'm afraid." Ashelin said solemly, pointing to Daxter. "We have to get him to the vet before its too late. Or the Shadow." she added as an afterthought.
"Jak has also sustained injuries, and by the looks of things Torns not much better. We'll get out of here, and then we can talk."
Keira looked fearfully at all of them, and Torns breathing became more and more shallow.
"Torn, please, stay with us!" she begged, helping him up as Ashelin did the same with Jak.
Torns eyes were drained of emotion, and he didn't speak as Keiras arms slipped around him for support, wincing only as her hand gingerly swept over his chest wound.
'Please... hang on... for me...'
Keira didn't know if she was thinking or saying these words, but they were the only ones going though her mind as the group started to make their way out of the sewers.
Tess was also now snuggled in Jaks arms, making sure Daxter was alright so that Jak could focus on putting one foot in front of the other instead of glancing to Daxters pain-wraught face every few minutes.
Though her minimal comfort didn't help Jak, as his face was twisted in a mixture of fright, worry and pain.
Ashelin helped Jak walk, and with Keira helping Torn the group soon made it safely to where the first sentry gun was.
The first sentry gun.
Oh dammit.
Tess screamed as bullets flew towards the group, Ashelin yanking her fiance out of the way just as a bullet pounded the air where he had been a few minutes ago.
"Holy Mar!" Ashelin swore, looking around, and wondering how they were going to get past it.
Tess looked around, and when Ashelin wasn't looking stole Jaks little pistol from the pocket of his pants.
"Good thing these things are ottsel sized..." she muttered dryly as she slid down Jaks arm, shooting a loving gaze at Daxter before sneaking off towards the gun.
"MOVE BACK!" Tess yelled as she pulled the trigger of the gun, narrowly missing the last round of bullets the thing fired at her, and smashing into a wall as the debry went everywhere.
"Tess!" Ashelin and Keira yelled worriedly, and the small female ottsel dug out of the rubble dazedly.
"Oh Tess, that was stupid!" Keira scolded, though admiration was clear in her face as Daxters girl curled up in Jaks arms and fell unconcious.
Ashelin became even more worried if possible at that point, and she urged for Keira to keep going.
"We're nearly out of here, lets not falter now!" Ashelin begged, clinging to her last hope as tightly as she could, not wanting to die so short of her wedding day.
Keira nodded, and as Ashelin pulled open the next door with all her might, she was astounded to see...
Light.
Bright, pure, light.
Sunlight.
Air.
Oxygen.
Freedom.
Several Freedom Guards looked at them strangely as they collapsed to their knees, Keira almost going as far as to kiss the ground in relief.
"Commander! Baroness! Call in the Shadow, we have 6 injured here! NOW!" one of them roared into their communicators, and Torn could barely remember being picked up, let alone still being alive.
As a Freedom Guard picked him up and carried him away on a stretcher, his hand automatically reached out for one that wasn't there.
Keiras hand.
"Don't worry sir, everything will be alright." the Freedom Guard said, and after that, all Torn felt was the jab of a needle, a feeling of happiness, love, and then the impending darkness.
0o0o0
Waking up was the strangest part for Torn.
He expected to wake up, and find himself connected to thousands of tubes and wires, in a hospital being fed by a drip.
But the first thing he noticed when he woke up was that he was free of wires and food, and when his heavy-lidded eyes opened for the first time in a week, he awoke to a surprised squeak, and a bright smile.
He had hoped she would be there.
"Torn..." she murmured, taking his hands in hers and squeezing tightly.
"Keira..." he replied solemly, beckoning for the girl to come closer.
Worry lines creased her forehead, and she moved closer towards him, him feeling her slight weight as the dent in the bed sagged slightly more on his end.
She shook her head slowly, taking his face in his hands and smiling.
"Just shut up. Shut up and kiss me."
He complied, bringing her closer to him and sitting up as their lips crushed together, the passion and lust of not being able to kiss for so long almost getting to them.
"I can't even begin to say how much I've missed you..." Keira breathed, her breath tingling his cheeks as they pulled apart, foreheads almost woven together.
Torn chuckled, drawing the young mechanic onto his lap, and almost letting a small, uncharacteristic smile cross his face.
"I return the feeling, if that helps at all." and Keira started giggling.
"That helps... a little." she teased playfully, a smile eating up her whole face as Torn held her close.
"I don't even think you can begin to imagine--"
Torns little speech was interrupted by the door opening, and Ashelin coming in, wearing the biggest grin he had ever seen since he met her.
"Keira! Jak, Daxter and Tess will be OK! They're recovering as we speak!"
Her breath caught in her throat as she saw Torn.
"Torn! Y-you're OK?" she squealed, almost giggling with joy.
"You're uncharacteristically happy." he grunted as he reluctantly let Keira slide off his lap.
"Well, all of our friends will be OK! And so will you. Also, me and Jak have a day set for the wedding! Isn't that awesome?" she smiled, twirling around as though her wedding dress was already on her, and she was lost in the fantasy of getting married to the one she loved already.
Keira would have danced gleefully with her friend too, but she kept her happiness under control, grinning instead.
"OK, everyone that is happy get out of my room." Torn grunted, and the two girls shot evil glares at him.
"Fine! We'll be happy elsewhere! Come on Keira." Ashelin said, poking her tongue out at Torn as she left, Keira in tow.
The two girls walked around the hallways happily, until the red-head almost knocked Samos over.
"Watch where you're going! Old men break easily." he muttered, and Keira giggled.
"Sorry daddy. But Torns woken up, and our friends are going to be fine, so we're happy."
At the mention of Torn, his face darkened.
"Keira, my girl, go and get Torn. We need to have a discussion."
"OK daddy."
She went off to get him, and after a few minutes delay, her and Torn made it to the Shadows office, hands interwined.
"Yes daddy?" Keira asked innocently, grinning as Torns arms snaked around her waist.
"I have something to discuss with you and Torn."
Torns non existant eyebrows raised, almost disappearing into his brow.
"Oh please." Keira pleaded, her face flaming. "Not a sex talk or anything!"
Torns face flamed red too, and the old man almost broke all his bones laughing.
"That comes after your honeymoon." he winked, making the two flame an even darker red.
"No, I was just going to say... Your mission together is not yet over. Together you have faced many a trial, but this will be your biggest yet. All I will say at the moment is that the answer lies in Haven Forest, but for now, I will let you prepare for this journey and think about whats to come."
Torn and Keira looked at each other, fear evident in their eyes.
Another mission?
What could possibly be in store for them now?
"Its after Jak and Ashelins wedding. Straight afterwards, you are to change and take your gear straight to Haven Forest. You'll see when you get there."
"Can I pack a bikini?" Keira giggled, not taking it seriously at all.
Samos' eyes twinkled behind his scratched old glasses as he stood, smiling.
"I strongly recommend it, my dear." he said, leaving the couple alone to ponder their mission.
Another mission?
Oh boy.
Only two more chapters to go everyone. Sequel or not:)