Keira'd been waiting for what felt like hours. To her, time seemed to pass so slowly with the everyday sounds of traffic and people locked outside. She didn't realize how used she'd gotten to listening to it until it wasn't there. On the upshot, though, it wasn't like she didn't have things to do. Daxter had managed to gloriously destroy the zoomer she'd just fixed for him. He'd slid off the track in the sixth turn, slamming into the wall, and crushing the engine's afterburners. She almost killed him for it.

"I don't know what you were thinking trying to take the turn like that!" She yelled at Daxter back in the garage,"If you think I'm just going to keep fixing things for you every time you decide you want to pull some stunt out on that track, you've got another thing coming!"

"I keep telling him he rides the turns too high,"Jak added, standing at his friend's side,"to tell the truth, Dax, you'd stay ahead of me more often if you took the turns on the inside."

"If you keep driving this way, you're not even going to finish the race at the next competion,"Keira spat,"we're going to have to drag you off the track before the fourth lap."

"Alright, alright, already, sheesh," Daxter mumbled,"I get your point. I'll try to be a little more careful."

Keira rolled her eyes. Daxter didn't exactly sound like he intended to keep that promise.

Just then there came a loud banging on the garage doors followed by a gruff,"It's me, Keira! Open up!"

"Torn! What are YOU doing here?" Daxter jumped as the second in command walked into the room. For a second the ottsel's eyes widened,"I KNEW IT! I JUST KNEW IT!" He screamed, pointing at both Keira and Torn,"You've got something going on, don't you!"

Jak's eyes widened, too, as his friend leapt up onto his shoulder,"What do you mean, Dax?"

"I mean these two have been acting all weird around each other lately, and it all started last night at MY bar!" Daxter shouted,"Now here HE is showing up at her work after SHE went to his house this morning."

"Is that true, Keira?" Jak looked hurt. Keira didn't understand why he would look at her that way. It wasn't as if he didn't have Ashelin. It wasn't as if he dumped her for that homewrecker, either. Jak shouldn't have a damn problem. It was as if he were trying to make her feel guilty about moving on. Or at least the possibility.

"So what if it is?"Keira snapped,"It's not as if I'm incapable of dating, and it's not like Torn doesn't have anywhere else to go but the Naughty Ottsel. We DO have lives outside of dishing out orders and fixing zoomers, you know."

"What in the hell? Do I need to come back later?" Torn asked from across the room. He was staring at Keira as if she were crazy.

"No," Jak said, never taking his eyes off of Keira,"Daxter and I were just leaving."

"Good,"she said to his back as he stomped out of the room. She shut the garage door behind him.

"What names of all the precursers was that all about? Should I even ask? Or am I to assume that the next person I see will think I'm dating you?" Torn growled.

"I'm sorry," Keira said,"Jak just got under my skin. You should have seen the way he looked at me. It was as if he couldn't believe that there was a possible chance that I may have moved on with my life. Or for that matter, you getting on with your life."

"So that was reason enough for you to throw it out there that we were seeing each other?" Torn asked,"What happens the next time he pisses you off? You tell him that we're sleeping together?"

"Yes, I blew it out of proportion,"Keira admitted,"and I'll tell Jak the truth later. At least the part about you and me."

"Which leads me to why I came here,"Torn said, crossing his arms,"there are things that aren't adding up to me, and I think you need to clarify yourself before I can help you."

"What do you mean?" Keira asked, backing away.

"I mean I need to know why you're so hellbent on keeping all of this secret,"Torn said,"I can't do this reasonably unless I know you have a valid reason for needing to keep this private."

"Why would that matter to you?" Keira asked,"people have their reasons for everything, especially me. Isn't that good enough for you?"

"No,"Torn said,"I've lied to almost everyone I know in just one day, and now I want to know what I did it for."

Kiera balked. The last thing she wanted was to tell Torn what no one else but her father knew. Up until now she'd done everything she could to forget about it. It was the one real reason that...that she and Jak had never made it as a couple.

"Well?" Torn was getting impatient.

"There was this thing that happened back when Jak and I were dating,"Keira's voice was shaky,"It was a little after the whole metalhead thing, and right before Count Veger took over the council. We'd been going steady for a while, and Jak was getting...frustrated. He wanted to take things to the next level and I..."

"You wern't ready?" Torn offered.

"It wasn't his fault!" Keira blurted,"It was Dark...Dark did it. We were arguing, and Dark came out, and...well..."

Keira crossed her arms for a second, not wanting to show Torn what he needed to see. But then again, she'd already come this far.

Reluctantly, she turned her back to him and lifted her shirt just enough for Torn to see the long, jagged scars running up her spine.

"By the precursers..."Torn murmered. Keira dropped her shirt and whirled around, trying to brush the tears out of her eyes. She hated those scars. They'd always be a constant reminder of the one thing she'd failed miserably at.

"Daddy was furious,"Keira tried to clear the warble out of her voice,"He almost killed Jak. He kept me under lock and key for months, saying I couldn't see Jak anymore for my own safety. Almost everywhere I went, Daddy went. He wouldn't even let me talk to him. I didn't get to say goodbye when he was kicked out of the city. But it's not really about that now. I guess what it is about now is that I'd just gotten my own life back. Daddy went back to arguing with Pecker and Onin, and I kinda got on with my own life. If any of this stuff about Jinx got out to him now, I'd be stuck with him until I was an old maid,"Keira gave a little giggle," and I'd hate to think what Jak would do. I don't think...he ever really forgave himself for what happened. He tried to make it right, but by then I was just...scared of Dark."

"Sometimes I think we all are,"Torn said, laying a reassuring hand on Keira's shoulder,"I can understand now."

"It was wrong of me to expect you to lie to everyone,"Keira said,"I overreacted. It doesn't matter what you say now. I won't hate you if you want to tell anyone else."

"Well, for right now let's just keep things as they are,"Torn smirked,"people need to be kept on their toes around here."

"And that stuff about you and me seeing each other?" Keira smiled.

"It's a nice reprieve from just being considered the town drunk,"Torn said,"you were right. There are other places I could be going other than the Naughty Ottsel."

"That sounds like you're hinting at a date,"Keira grinned.

"Let's not go that far,"Torn's smirk grew wider,"but if you're willing to offer, I COULD use an alcohol-free night for a change."

"How about dinner,"Keira said,"nothing more. Just as friends."

"Sounds great,"Torn said, opening the garage door and stepping out,"I'll have a guard escort you home, and I'll be over to pick you up later."

"Pick me up?" Keira asked,"Where are we going?"

"I know a nice place,"He said, and shut the door behind him.

Keira was flabbergasted. Did Torn just hit on her? It was hard to tell...

Sorry this one was short. I've been having computer problems, and updates are getting hard. (I hate viruses) I'll try to make things better for you all.