"Oh, how we lost our minds, when we fell in love that night. I never thought that I would ever leave your side. Oh, how we lost our minds, when we fell in love that night. Promise me you won't cry, this is our last goodbye." Last Goodbye by Kesha, Warrior (Deluxe Edition) 2013

The ABC's of Perfect Mistakes

Chapter Nineteen: S is for Serendipity

How'd it happen? No one knew and they didn't stop to ask the Metal Heads as they scaled the walls or ripped their family members open. Hiding in their houses didn't help, the Metal Heads broke through them and clawed at the crying Haveners. Parker screamed when the Grunt came at her, she pulled out her gun and fired at it before running into the Hip Hog in time to see Daxter jump off the arcade game Krew had installed years ago. A gold circular object shot out, with spinning parts that glowed.

"The Time Map!" Daxter shouted, just as Parker ran up to Jak.

"Jak there's some-"

"You know," Daxter said backing up. "Sugar plum, if any real Metal Heads came into town," Jak grabbed Parker so suddenly she yelped, he pushed her beside Tess as another Grunt came into the bar. "I'd bonk 'em!" Daxter laughed. "Just like I did in the game!"

"Daxter…" Tess said grabbing Parker's forearm.

"Ahh… Dax…" Parker started before she was cut off by Daxter.

"They'd be all 'Don't hurt me, please!' and I'd be all 'Too late Metal Monkeys, you die screaming!'" He chuckled. "You know what I'm saying."

"Um," Jak said loading his gun.

Daxter turned around. "Jak! I think these trophies are still walking!" He ducked as Jak fired at them, causing both Tess and Parker to grimace. "Ma-Ma-Ma-Metal Heads! Metal Heads! Where's Sig when you need him?!"

"Sig?" Tess echoed. "I think Krew sent Sig on one last mission. Something about using Mar's Ruby Key to open a secret door in the Underport."

"Of course!" Jak exclaimed. "Come on Dax, we need to get to the Underport right now!"

"I'll take the Time Map to Keira!" Tess said picking up the orb.

"Be careful angel cheeks, and your hero will return shortly!"

Tess turned to Parker. "Are you coming to Keira's garage?"

"No," She said running towards the door. "The shield is down, I gotta help the citizens of the city. Be careful Tess."

"Of course!" She laughed.

Parker nodded a final goodbye before running outside, she caught up to Jak and Daxter just as her communicator started to buzz. "The shield wall is down! I repeat the shield wall is down! Sabotage! Kor did it!" Parker stopped beside Jak, the same realization on his face. "Who knew Metal Heads would be the end of me?! Metal Heads are at the door! They're breaking through! There's too many of them, someone, anyone, Jak –help!" The line went dead and Parker looked away.

"I can't believe Kor betrayed us." Parker mumbled.

"Don't worry Squeaker!" Daxter laughed. "We'll get Sig and we'll blast all these Metal Heads sky-high!"

"Parker! You're assistance is needed in the Slums, Metal Heads are attacking the Hideout and we can't hold them off!" Parker glanced to the boys and gave a weak smile.

"Have fun in the Underport, and be careful."

Jak gave a blunt nod before running off to the Underport entrance. Parker on the other hand grabbed the closet zoomer and drove through the city.

As a child she always worried about seeing her beloved city in ruins. She'd have dreams about buildings burning, children dying, women burying their husbands and men crying over the bodies of the sons and daughters that they'd lost. She saw the Metal Head Leader eating Krimzon Guards and saw her parents, powerless, trying to heal people to no avail. When she was with Erol, she saw him trying to take on the Metal Head Leader but he'd only fail in a pile of blood rags, metal and skin. Before the Metal Heads could tear into her, Parker would always wake up, drenched in sweat. She normally blinked the images away but now, here on the zoomer, she couldn't do that. She kept her eyes focused on the streets, on the cobblestones that were now painted red. Soon the stones turned to dirt, she jumped off her zoomer and ran to the first housing unit.

The door was around cracked open, blood ran along the cracks with a single nail from a Metal Head. She kicked the door in and took out her gun. "Hello?" She called holding her gun up to fire whenever needed, she spotted a dead Cloaker on the ground. "Anyone alive in here?" She shouted out and heard a small whimper from the kitchen area. She walked in and spotted another Cloaker on the ground but with two adults lying around them, each one a mangled mess. Under the table though were two children, a pair little boys covered in blood. "Hey, are you two okay?" She asked bending down to them. "Is there anyone else in the house?" They shook their heads before the smallest one, dressed only in a diaper, crawled under the chairs and threw his arms around her neck. The other crawled backwards and whimpered again, Parker held out her hand. "Come on, I'm gonna take you some place safe." But he wouldn't come out, she could hear the screaming in the streets. She cursed to herself before scooping up the smaller one and running out, he started crying and hitting her shoulder for about a block before he stopped.

"Fire!" She heard Torn shout. A blast went off behind her as she passed through the barricade some of the agents had made. She ducked beside Torn and handed the child off to Amberly, who was collecting children. "About time you got here!" Torn shouted at her.

"What's going on?"

"The Baron's called all his forces to the main part of the city!" Torn shouted back over the gun fire. He grabbed a grenade and tossed it over the trench that used to be filled with water. "He's left all of us here to die!"

"Reminds me of good ol' times." She laughed leaning over the sand bags and firing upwards at the Metal Jackets that flew above them. "Do you have a mission for me?"

"Yeah, shot everything that moves!" He turned to her. "The Shadow and Samos need to get to the Stadium, get them there without any causalities!" He motioned behind them at the large zoomer that both men were sitting in. Parker nodded and took another gun pack before running to the zoomer. She jumped in the driver seat and looked back at the two old men. The Shadow looked calm and collective while Samos, apparently an older time twin of The Shadow, looked terrified as she hit gas and drove away from the protection of the Underground. When she worked in the KG she hated the Slums, trying to navigate through them on a cruiser was Hell. Although now, she was glad for the tall buildings and the cover they provided. The narrow passage ways were hardest but she slowed down and took the turns slow before speeding up.

"Heads down!" She shouted when they came to the entrance of the new district. There was a line of Krimzon Guards that blocked their entrance, Parker slammed on the brakes and changed driving zones. She felt the zoomer grind against the cobblestones, some of the guards tried to ram her but she sped up and they crashed into the ground. She laughed and threw her arms up as the older Samos shouted at her to put her hands back on the wheel. She turned the corner quickly dodging the hail storm of bullets from a group of Centurian that fired at them. As they drove closer to the stadium the groups of Metal Heads thinned out. She pulled up in front of the stadium to find Keira standing alone.

Parker jumped out the zoomer and helped both Shadows down before Keira ran up. "Daddy!" She said dropping to her knees and hugging the older version. "You're okay!"

"Now what?" Parker asked.

"We've got to find someone to transport my Rift Rider to the Metal Head Nest and then get the Rift Gate set up to send us back to our own time before-"

Parker held her hands up. "Whoa, slow down. You lost me at Rift Rider."

"Oh," Keira blushed. "Sorry, sometimes I get too caught up in my brain." She motioned towards a large machine. Parker nodded to both men and followed Keira to the so called 'rider'. It looked like a Hellcat but without the back compartment. "This is how we got to this time."

"This time?" Parker asked. "Like a time machine?"

Keira nodded. "Exactly! The Time Map had a bunch of old co-ordinates in it, I think it can take us back to our old time!"

"Who's going back with you?"

"Daddy, Jak, Daxter and me." Keira said with a smile. "I don't like this place, the people here as creepy and… it doesn't feel welcoming anymore."

"So you're going to leave the rest of us here to die?"

"I'm sorry Parker," Keira said with a sigh. "But I don't want to live here anymore."

"What about the people who helped you? Lena, Amberly and me? We stuck our necks out to give you everything! What about Daxter, he worships Tess, do you really think he's gonna want to leave knowing that Tess might die here? And Jak, he's made friends here. And you, you aren't the old girl you used to be." Parker said motioning to the teal haired girl. "When you first arrived, you never cursed or drank, are you really that perfect innocent girl you used to be?"

"I can try." Keira snapped before turning away and going to the other side of the Rift Rider.

"Last time I was here," A voice said behind her, Parker turned and looked down at the older Samos. "You weren't here."

"Huh?"

"There was no Drake House and you weren't around. There were rumours of course," Samos said motioning to her necklace. "That there were Green Eco Sages before Haven but I never took any notice." He sighed. "For once I'm interested to see how this will play out."

"Um… okay?" She stepped away from him just in time to see Jak come in on a zoomer. He jumped off and let the vehicle crash into the stairs. "Can you try not to destroy the zoomers?" Jak only gave her a smirk. "Where's Sig?" His smirk fell away.

"He didn't make it."

Her stomach dropped. Sig was their only hope against the Metal Heads after Jak left. She swallowed as Keira came up to them. "Hey guys. The Rift Rider's finished!" She said motioning to the machine. "But if my father's right, and the Rift Ring is somewhere in the Metal Head Nest, how are we going to get the Rift Rider there to use it?"

"Look!" A Lurker shouted. Parker had seen him before, he ran a trinket shop in the Bazaar. "Brutter just knew friends would need lift if Metal Headers attack." Parker looked up, seeing a peanut shaped balloon flying towards them.

"Brutter you the man!" Daxter cheered.

"Lurker balloons are finest lifters in world, but they easy target!"

"Right," Jak pointed to Brutter. "You guys get the Rift Rider to the nest, Daxter, Parker and I will cover your take off and getaway."

"What?!" Parker and Daxter shouted at the same time. "I didn't agree to that!"

"Once again being your friend stinks." Daxter huffed. "I wanted to ride in the balloon."

"You keep stadium safe, while we prep balloon for lift away." Brutter jumped back. "Oh no, here they come! Metal Headers!"

"C'mon!" Parker shouted grabbing Keira and dragging her away from the Rift Rider. Keira screamed trying to get back to her father but Parker shoved her to the ground when a Stinger lunged at them. Parker kicked upwards and shot at it, she grabbed Keira's hand again and started to run again. This time Keira didn't fight her, she just tried to keep up with Parker. At the lift, Parker shot a Metal Jacket down before stomping on it. She helped Keira climb onto the lift while Brutter adjusted the lines to fit the rider. Parker turned just in time to punch out a Grunt with the butt of her gun.

"Watch out!" Jak shouted hooking an arm around Parker's waist and yanking her off the ground, she yelped but didn't have time to yell at him. Parker rolled to the ground and fired at the Juice Goon that swung at her. Parker leapt up and took Jak's outstretched hand, he swung her around and she kicked the last Grunt to the ground. She landed beside him as he fired the kill shot.

"Up, up and away!" Brutter cheered.

"It must be nice floating away while we stay down here and die!"

"We'll meet near the next!" Keira shouted. "See ya soon Jak! Be careful!"

"Yeah JAK!" Daxter sneered. "Be careful!"

Parker gasped when her communicator started beeping, an alarm that used to be a part of the old system. The KG was overwhelmed by the Metal Head threat and the city was running out of soldiers to protect it. She looked to Jak. "We're running out of time."

"Jak…" A small voice whimpered from Jak's communicator. "Kor… construction site…"

"Oh Vin," Parker whispered before Jak took her hand.

"Come on, I have something to show you." Parker nodded and let him led her towards a zoomer, she climbed on the back and held on as Jak drove through the city. The guards that were protecting the entrance into the new section were gone and now Metal Heads ran free savagely attacking people. Parker held onto Jak tighter as they made a huge turn into the Slums, she expected him to go to the Hideout but instead he made his way to the Water Slums. They needed to go to the Construction Site and confront Kor, or look for a way to get into the Metal Head Nest, or –she held her head. There were too many things they needed to do. Jak parked at a single hut near the Pumping Station, Parker got off and followed him into the hut. Daxter jump onto her shoulder, Parker backed up a little when she saw the beautiful oracle. She never seen anything like it nor did she think anything like it existed.

"Now that you carry the weight of darkness on your shoulder," The oracle started before striking Jak with a beam of Dark Eco. "You alone cannot save us. Our last hope remains with one still untouched by pain and you must protect this young soul in our moments of truth." He dropped Jak, or the darker ego of Jak, to the ground. "The last Dark Power is yours." Dark turned to look at her, he twitched his claws and chuckled before passing by her. His black eyes looked her over before slinking outside.

"Where's he going?" Parker asked Daxter.

"Test out his new powers maybe?"

"Last Daughter of Drake," Parker jumped when the oracle spoke again. "The last night of Haven hangs heavily upon us, it's up to you to protect Haven from the threats outside and inside our walls. Find your family's heirlooms and protect us from the Hora-Quan."

"What the hell does that mean?" Daxter shouted.

Parker shrugged. "It's just oracle mumble-gumble. Let's find Jak."

It didn't take her long to find Jak. He stood over a group of disembodied Metal Heads, some missing their heads and others still twitching as their blood stained the water below the docks. Jak breathed heavily, looking at the carnage all around him. When she approached, Jak turned to her. "Let's go."

Parker nodded and followed him to the closest zoomer. She jumped in the passenger seat and sat quietly while they drove to the Construction Site. It didn't take long to get to the Construction Site, she followed Jak up a set of old stairs and into an open area where they spotted the Baron. They charged down to the pit before Kor dropped in between the group.

"Kor, what's going on?" Jak asked.

"I'm sure you know," The old man said walking up to them. "Deep down in your darkest nightmares…" Jak stepped back bumping into Parker when Kor's eyes changed colours and his teeth went sharp. "We've met before, remember?" He chuckled turning to the Baron. "Everything is going exactly as planned." He chuckled limping forward before tossing his staff to the dirt and stopping.

"Jak…" Parker whispered as a four wings sprouted from Kor's back.

"Jak! It's the Metal Head Leader!" Daxter shouted as Kor's neck grew long and a tail sprouted from his back. In a burst of pale yellow light Kor shed his skin and grew a large beetle like body with six legs.

"Now you see! Without the shield wall disrupting my powers inside the city, I am at my full potential! So for the last time, give me the Precursor Stone!"

"If the city must die, we all die!" Praxis shouted raising his sword and charging at Metal Kor. Parker screamed as Kor shot a beam of Dark Eco at Praxis and his men. They flew backwards into a tower of barrels and broke a couple wooden platforms. She jumped out-of-the-way as the barrels full of Dark Eco came crashing down around them. Kor flew up into the air.

"I will find that stone if I have to crush this city one brick at a time!" He flew away, his wings beating the air as Jak ran past Parker to the pile of rubble. He pulled a metal sheet off the Baron, who coughed and rolled onto his back.

"You are the supreme weapon, Jak. And I made you…" The Baron coughed out, Parker stepped closer as he held out a switch. "Still, any leader worth his salt always has a back-up plan…" He pressed the button and a metal door opened up, which caused a large bomb to rise out of the ground. "Remember the first rule in making a bomb… always make two!" He choked out before falling backwards. Parker stepped back. The Baron was dead…

"Oh okay," Daxter shouted as he and Jak ran up to the bomb. "I'm going in!" Daxter said hoping into the top of the bomb. "Man, what a mess of junk in here! All jumbled coils and switches. Should I unhook the blue wire? Wait! Are ottsels coloured blind?!" Parker looked to Jak with a panicked expression. "Let me just break a few more things and see if anythi–BOOM!" He shouted popping the Precursor Stone out of the bomb. Parker glared at Daxter as he slid down the side of the bomb. "Ha ha! Gottca! Like candy from a baby!" He jumped off the bomb and onto Jak's shoulder.

"Come on, we're going to the Metal Head Nest!" Jak exclaimed running out of the Construction Site. Parker followed and grabbed a one person zoomer following Jak to the Port. She slowed when her communicator buzzed, a message from Ashelin. She requested all Krimzon Guards, traitors, former, retried and current, to join her at the stadium to protect the people who were seeking shelter there. She temporary put up a shield but it'd only last for an hour until repairs were made. Parker jumped off her zoomer when she made it to the Port and only stopped when she got another message, the city's count was dropping every minute. The Slums were a bloodbath, the Port was being evacuated and the Industrial Section was blocked off. She stopped dead when another message came up from her Wolves, asking her to come to the Stadium, they needed her help. Parker looked up at Jak as he ran towards the Hellcat, he stopped and looked back at her.

"Parker?" Daxter asked. "Aren't you coming?"

A ball of emotion formed in her chest as she looked at her two friends. They were going back to their own time, back to Sandover Village and away from the darkness that was consuming Haven City. If she went with him to the Metal Head Nest she'd be left behind, left to deal with what was left of the Metal Heads and watch her city crumble under the power of the Metal Head Leader. Jak ran back to her and grabbed her wrist, he looked anxious and angry. "Come on, we don't have time for this!" He shouted dragging her before she pulled her wrist away from him.

"I can't come with you…" She whispered.

"What?" Daxter gasped.

"I can't come with you!" She shouted this time, loud enough to attract the attention of the guards that ran by. "I can't pretend that everything will be okay! You're going back to your own time and I'll be left here!" She stepped back. "We can't keep thinking that it'll be the three of us until the end."

Jak looked hurt and reached out for her. "Parker, you can't-"

"No!" She shouted backing up. "You've got Keira to worry about. I can't be your friend…" She felt tears start to burn her eyes, she took another step back. "So this is our end…"

"No." He snapped and grabbed her, he pulled her close and wrapped his arms around her. She choked on a cry as he took her hand. "You can't think like that."

"I have to…" She said stepping away from him, looking at his hand. She laughed. "I thought it would be us to the end." She smiled. "This is our last goodbye…" She gave it one last squeeze before turning and running away, grabbed her zoomer and didn't look back.

TBC…

Author's Note

And I'm back! My God, it's been a month since my last update. I can't believe I haven't been roasted at the stake or assassinated by now. My work schedule is now back to normal and hopefully the updates will go back to normal as of next week. Thank you to EcoSeeker for her reviews and chats on deviantART! Thank you to the guests for their reviews! Happy Pumpkin Flavoured Everything Month!