(It's never specified where Jak and co. stay when they're not racing so lets pretend they're at an Inn in Kras City. Also the Dirt Stadium is just outside of Kras City, you can check Naughty Dog's website if you don't believe me. This is going to be a longer chapter than expected but it's worth it. Enjoy.)

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Chapter Three

Rayn, Sig, Torn and Ashelin sat at the bar in the lobby of the Kras City Inn. They each started to cough and their eyes turned red with the effects of the poison creeping through their bodies. With the exception of Sig who was smart enough not to show up to the Krew call in the first place and therefore avoided his poisonous toast. No one seemed to notice that Rayn seemed perfectly normal because they were too busy worrying about themselves. They decided if they were going to die, they'd do it drinking and laughing. The burn of the bitter liquor down their throats helped bring ease to the burn already in their throats and stomachs. Jak had been gone since 3 this afternoon and it was already nine at night. Gentle rain pitter-pattered against the long glass windows of the lobby, dressed in red velvet curtains, golden strings held them open. A long red carpet trailed from the entrance to the check in counter and to the left was a wall full of golden, framed faces of famous racers no one knew of. This Inn was popular in Kras City and sponsored the racing events for as long as history could tell. To the right was the wide-open hall with the bar, a grand ebony piano sitting upon a stage and some tables and sofas. It was a pretty classy place but with all the orbs won from the races and their lives at the brink, no one really cared about the cost.

Meanwhile throughout the drunken laughter and the snoring of Samos who had fell asleep on the velvet sofa by the sunken spot where his daughter once sat two hours ago, sat Keira on the far end of the hall in a dark corner. Her turquoise hair frizzed up and fallen against her worried green eyes, she stared out into the darkness through the long window next to her, getting lost into her memories. She watched as the rain drenched the window and her mind trailed back to a day just as gray and rainy as this one.

Flashback

Jak's blond, green hair stuck to his smooth face as the rain drenched him. He sat upon this grassy hill often. It was his favorite spot in Sandover where he can sort his thoughts. He could look out onto the rest of the village and see the sky. Tonight however, the rain had prevented him from staring up into the clouds and he wasn't in the mood for the sun anyway. He began to feel his body sink a bit into the mud beneath him as he huddled his knees but he didn't care. He just closed his eyes and let the rain bathe him, cleanse him, erase all that he worried for.

"Jak!" a young female voice interrupted his thoughts as he turned around to see her running through the rain to him. Her turquoise hair covered her eyes as her thin legs scrambled up the hill. Goosebumps covered her body from the cold. She plopped down next to Jak as he spread out his legs so that he can show that she had his attention.

"I was wondering where you were Jak. Don't you think it's a bit yucky out here to be sitting on this hill all by yourself?" she tilted her head as if expecting an answer from her mute childhood friend.

Her eyes showed so much innocence and curiosity. Only fifteen years of age and nothing had tainted her pureness. Little did she know that by the age of seventeen, she'd be in a broken down city full of criminals, metal heads and death, working in a dirty old garage trying to make a living. Yet in Sandover she was just an angel, trying to explore the world's wonders and she wanted to share them with the one person most important to her, Jak.

"Jak? Are you okay?" she continued to stare at Jak's young face, hidden in darkness, hair covering the thoughts hidden in his eyes. It was the first time she realized that even Jak, through his silent smiles and demeanor, through his heroism, he had things bottled up inside that bothered him, pain and worries that can never be understood. What was worse was at the time he couldn't share them even if he tried.

Keira's slender, delicate fingers lightly brushed the hair from his eyes upon his forehead. This startled Jak and caused him to turn to her and his body tensed up. His face was beginning to blush but she pretended not to notice and continued to bring her hand down so that she can link her arm with his. Her shivering body huddled up closer to his as she rested her soggy head against his shoulder. She felt Jak's body relax and his head slowly tilted against hers. They stood like that in the rain for a couple of minutes.

"I'm sorry Jak"

He lifted his head and looked down at her, a confused expression on his face, waiting for some sort of explanation from her. She looked up at him but couldn't look into his eyes.

"It's just that, sigh, I see you sitting here and I know you must be worried about things and there's nothing I can do about it. I want so badly to know but…I feel helpless"

His face began to show traces of guilt and right away she corrected herself.

"No, no it's not your fault! I know you can't talk and I don't expect you to. I know you don't mean to worry me so it's not that. It's just…" she glanced up nervously to see his blue eyes glaring down on her waiting to hear more, "…just that I don't beat up monsters or help save the world, I mean I'm not a hero so I don't know what it's like to be one or what you must be feeling at times. So at times I want to help you and share whatever bothers you but I can't do anything. I can't relate to you or help make things easier. I'm just the stupid damsel in distress that can't do any-" Her words were cut short as she felt Jak wrap his arms around her and hold her tight against him. It was the first time he took such swift action when it came to Keira. Usually he was hesitant to be too close to her and his cheeks were always flushing red when things got a little uncomfortable but this was different.

"J-Jak" she fumbled in her pocket for a small pad of paper that she always kept with her and half of a chewed up green pencil. She always kept this on hand when she couldn't resist reading Jak's actions and desperately needed to know in words. It was very rare that that happened but this was one of those times that she needed him to explain, even if not through his lips but on paper.

Jak expected this and took the pad from her. She continued to lean inside his arms as her cheeks heated up and her thoughts raced around her head and he calmly scribbled something. Slowly he handed it to her and re-wrapped his arms around her.

She brought the paper up to her face so that she could read his scribble scrabble through the dark and rainy night. Her eyes widened as she read.

You don't need to be a hero. Just be you. Just be there, That's enough.

She finally understood that even though she couldn't help him save the world or relate to him, being by his side through the times when he had so much bottled up had actually helped to ease the load on him. She smiled at this realization and quickly stuffed the pad of paper in her pocket again before wrapping her arms around his back. She gave him a short squeeze, "Thank you Jak, now I know. I'll always be here" and they stood embraced into the gloomy night. That is until Keira began to sneeze and Jak sighed in defeat knowing her fragile body would catch a cold easily. Then they slowly got up, shivering and coated in goose bumps, Keira's fingers innocently linked to Jak's pinky as they walked back to the village.

End of Flashback

Sigh…where are you Jak? Her hand cupped her delicate face now written with worry

Suddenly a tall, wet figure slowly emerged from the entrance. His blond hair sticking to him just like that day so many years ago. His feet squeaked as he entered the hall where the drunken group had noticed and Samos had awoken. Keira turned and got up quickly, walking towards his direction. She didn't like the look on his face, not one bit. It brought her a fear that words couldn't describe. Him not being able to look at her made her feel even worse. In his left arm was the container of antidotes and on his back lay a tired soggy ottsel, with the same dreadful expression on his face. He began to speak as the group got up from their places and gathered around him.

"Listen, this is how it's gonna go…" he looked around to make sure everyone was listening "We're one antidote short-" he held his hand up to stop the confusion already coming from their lips What? How? What do you mean? Once his hand was up they knew that he wasn't in the mood to explain or simply didn't have time to. Jak was a "get to the point" kind of guy.

"I decided that we're going to draw straws and whoever gets the shortest straw will not drink an antidote. This is the only way I can make it fair to all of us. I have to meet Mizo at the Dirt Stadium at midnight in order to get the final antidote for the last person. Even if I drink an antidote I will stay true to my word and make sure that the last person gets an antidote. No one will die in my hands, except for Mizo"

Everyone's eyes shifted around the room to each other. They were all lost for reaction and searching for something to say. No one wanted to die but at the same time they didn't want those they cared about to die either. It was a helpless situation for all of them.

Ashelin spoke first, a sound of defeat in her voice, "I understand, let us get some straws" she put a brief firm hand on Jak's shoulder so he'd know she understood that this was hard on him and then walked over to the bar.

Jak's eyes looked into everyone else's for reactions, Sig, Torn, Rayne, Samos, they each nodded knowing there was no time for question and they had faith in him. He then shifted his eyes to Keira who seemed to be hidden behind the group, avoiding his eyes, worry and fear in her eyes. She looked up at him and he regretted ever meeting her eyes. He knew that she saw through him, she saw his pain that no one else saw and he felt naked. He didn't feel like a big strong hero who knew all the answers around her, he felt like the Jak that no one else knew. Right now he didn't want to feel that. He didn't want to show fear. He wanted to be everyone's strength and not fear his own death or failure, but he knew that Keira knew. She saw that he was afraid.

Ashelin came back with the straws and one was already cut short. Jak took them from her and mixed them up in his hand.

"As soon as you pick a straw, if you get a long one, drink the antidote right on the spot to be fair and even" he held out the straws in his hand as the group formed a line. No one was in a hurry. No one wanted to cheat the other. Even if they drank the antidote, someone they care for might die. It wasn't a win win situation.

Ashelin picked first. She did it quickly, not being able to take the suspense and the dread in the atmosphere. She got a long one and was handed an antidote in which she quickly drank without question.

Then Torn and Rayn picked. Silently they grabbed long straws and drank the antidotes without a word, without wasting time. Jak could have sworn he saw Rayn hesitate but quickly dismissed it when she finally drank it. Traces of guilt seemed embedded in her eyes, was it guilt from poisoning everyone, including her or something deeper?

All that was left was him, Daxter and Keira.

Oh God Keira please don't let it be you. May the precursors grant me this one wish on my dark sinful soul, that you may live a long happy life even if I die tonight.

Jak nodded at Daxter as his orange furry ears drooped and he slowly grabbed a straw. He saw the pain in his best friend's eyes and it was unbearable.

To lose the woman you love or your best friend, oh God please let it be me.

Jak silently wished to himself not realizing the shocked silence in the room because Daxter had grabbed a long straw. He looked up at Jak from his shoulder nodding with disapproval "No way I won't do it, you're my best friend and that's Keira. No-"

Jak cut Daxter off "Just do it Dax, you're making this harder than it has to be. Don't you trust me?" he glared down at the orange ottsel on his shoulder. Daxter nodded and slowly drank the vial jumping off Jak's shoulder as he did. He felt like a two face being there now that he drank it.

Keira then walked up to Jak. She placed her hand on his, not to grab a straw but just to offer some sort of comfort to him although she knew it did nothing. She looked into his blue eyes that were trying not to betray what he really felt and slowly she let her hand unwillingly pull out a straw. The whole group stared painfully. Every second felt like hours. Suddenly the whole room gasped in shock.

Ashelin's hand unwillingly cupped her hung open mouth.

Oh my God, Jak!

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Hope you liked the cliffhanger! (Puts hands together, don't hit me I promise it'll get better) I wasn't gonna leave you hanging but I couldn't resist, plus I didn't want just this chapter to hog up all the JakXKeira action. So read on, you won't regret it.