Author's Notes: Hey, I'm not dead! Well...sorta. School and a nasty wandering stomach bug has kept me kinda dead. That and Katsucon last weekend, the costume and sewing rush is finally done. Anyway, interlude chapter kinda sorta. The part after is taking me some time to write. Anyways!

To recap: The crew is in Spargus and Jak attempted to tell Damas and Lena the truth about who he was.

Enjoy.

Chapter Ten
Calm Before The Storm

Keira walked quietly down one of the long hallways of the palace. There were windows that overlooked the vast empty wasteland, the sun's colors beginning to dim across the ground. Out in the wasteland, the days seemed to turn to night so much quicker then in the walls of Haven. The vast nothingness of the area was almost overwhelming to the eyes of those who had just seen it for the first time. There was a quickness in her steps as she moved, looking around franticly for Jak. As she hurried her pace a bit, the mechanic couldn't help but think back to the evenings events.

Jak had come into the dining area with a look of anger on his face. He didn't say a single word as he looked about at the others, but they could tell that something was seriously wrong. His face was slightly flustered and there was almost a confused and angered air about him. Although he pretended to put on a smile as he saw Daxter and the others, his body language told them something different.

But what confused them the most was when Sig entered the room. The young man shot a glare that could have killed a normal person on the spot. There was a burning hate in his blue eyes as he rose from his chair, telling them that he had suddenly lost his appetite. He then proceeded to leave, though Sig attempted to grab hold of his arm. Just as quickly as the wastelander had took hold of him had small sparks of dark eco come off of his body. He released Jak, grabbing his hand in shock and pain. And with that, disappeared into the large palace.

Coming up to one of the railings, Keira leaned against one with a heavy sigh. She had been wandering throughout the palace for what felt like hours, in hopes of finding the young man. Granted, it came off as if he didn't want to be found and that he needed time to cool off. But there was something wrong; something that he wasn't telling her. Jak was the type of guy that was never opened about the inner workings of his head. Even if it was her or Daxter, he would only tell them things on a need to know basis.

Pushing off from her resting place, Keira started off into the palace hallways once more. She made sure not to miss any hallways or out coves as she searched, trying to figure out what had happened.

'This is so strange,' she thought as she came up to a corner, 'Jak isn't being himself. He hasn't been since that night in the bar. And since we got here, he's been tense and a completely different person.'

Turning around the bend, the young woman's eyes locked instantly on a figure down the hallway from where she stood. The setting sun cast its rays onto his face as he looked out over the streets of Spargus. His arms were crossed as he leaned against the railing, slouched over slightly. Though his figures were linked together, he was playing with the edge of his fingerless gloves absent mindedly. A light breeze brushed his long hair about, framing his troubled face ever so slightly.

Smiling a bit, she started down the hallway at a walk, her arms crossed across her chest. "Ya know," she began, causing the man's ears to perk up and his head to turn. "You are next to impossible to find when I need to talk to you." She said with a smile.

Jak's expression remained unchanged as he turned back to the view of the city. He didn't even make any attempt to try and move away from her as he stood there, letting the young woman rest against the railing beside him. At that point, it didn't matter if he were to walk away from her or if he were to stay there. He was tired of trying to ignore them.

"I'm not gonna beat around the subject Jak," Keira began, mimicking his stance. Tilting her head to look at him, she let her eyes soften slightly, "There is something you are not telling me or anyone else."

Not a single word came from him as Jak continued to look out over the landscape of the desert city. The cool night air was starting to settle in as the sun began to sink into the distance. The scattered lighting of the street torches could be seen as the sky began to fade from its rich golds, reds, and oranges into a deep shade of blue.

Leaning in closer to him, Keira brought her hand to his arm, gaining a small glance from him, "Jak…I'm worried about you." She muttered quietly, hurt coming to the top of her voice. Looking up to meet the girl's stare, the young man was surprised to see a true look of worry written upon her features. Her green eyes locked with his blue as her touch to his arm became tighter. "I know you hate it when people worry about you. But you haven't been yourself since that fight with Mira. Your thoughts are always someplace else and you've been sick and not telling us."

Straightening up into a standing position, Jak began to turn away, "Keira," he started, trying to move from her. But before he could take a step, the woman tugged tighter on his shirt sleeve.

"You're lying to us when you say you have been sleeping. And now, you are angry with Sig and won't even tell us what happened with Damas!" Keira exclaimed, rage replacing the concern. Shaking her head slightly, she tried to fight off tears that wanted to come. Keira watched as the young man moved beside her, his eyes cast downward to his shoes. There was shame in his face, though his body remained tense.

"You wouldn't understand." He finally muttered under his breath.

Letting her jaw drop slightly, Keira shook her head, "What wouldn't I understand Jak?" she inquired.

"Forget it Keira. Sig tried to intervene and it just ended up badly," He growled in a very Torn like manner, catching the woman off guard. Turning to face her, he glared in her direction. "The sooner we get back to Haven, the better. There isn't anything out here we need to deal with. Everything is just…wrong."

Without a second thought, she released his arm at the glare. All she could think of was how he had shocked Sig when he had gotten angry, hurting his hand a bit. She didn't want that to happen, considering how much of a loose canon he was acting like. "What did Sig do that could have been so bad Jak?" she asked, trying to be more reserved.

Letting a loud sigh of annoyance escape him, Jak turned away completely, keeping his back to her, "It doesn't matter anymore Keira." Tightening his hands into fists, Jak's body tensed once more. He threw his head down, letting his long hair cover his face once more. "It doesn't matter who I am, was, or will be. I can't be---"

It took about five seconds for Jak to realize what he had just let spill out. Shaking his head slightly, Jak let his long hair fall over his shoulder. It almost seemed like an attempt to hide his face from her, covering his eyes in shadow. All of the tension he had within his body was gone as his shoulders slumped down. Everything that had been on his mind since they had arrived in the wasteland had just slipped out from his lips.

Turning back to face her, Jak was met with Keira's warm smile looking back at him. Instead of the suspected anger he was ready to see or even the look of surprise, all that was there was her sweet smile that could make him go weak at the knees. Within one movement, the young woman slipped her arms about his waist, clinging to him in an embrace. He let Keira hold tightly to him as if in surrender to her, though did not return her action.

"Jak," she began, looking up at him, "No matter what happened or does happen, I'll be behind you, no matter what." She told him softly, letting her smile broaden a bit. "You can trust me."

For the first time that day, Jak felt a smile cross his lips. Wrapping the girl into a tight embrace, he rested his head next to her own. Every time he held her close, Jak was always met with the same sweet smell of her. It was almost intoxicating to him, making her twice as beautiful in his eyes. He could feel her head nuzzle into his, trying to make herself closer to him. Pulling back ever so slightly, the young hero placed a hand to her cheek. He brushed some of the bangs from her face as he moved closer once more.

The kiss was deeper than Keira thought it would be, making her head feel dizzy. She got caught up in his hold, letting him run his fingers though her short hair. The cool night hair didn't even faze them as they stood there, drenched in the beautiful clear moonlight of the wasteland.

Moving back from the mechanic, Jak rested his brow to hers. "I know I can trust you Keira," he whispered as she caught her breath. "And I'm sorry that I didn't explain myself. But…" he trailed off, letting his eye avert to the side.

"But what?" she asked quietly, letting her smile from the kiss linger on her lips.

Jak could not help but take a moment to think of the right words to say. There were so many things that came to mind as he glanced back up to look at the young woman before him. But her brilliant smile made all the words he thought of seem obsolete. Leaning into her once more, he placed a light kiss onto her forehead, making Keira smile even more.

Pulling away, he smiled at her. "Until I know the truth, I can't tell you what really happened. I'm just…confused." He told, his voice soft-spoken and unusual for him. "Just give me the time to think everything through. Then I can tell you everything."

Keira looked into his eyes, searching to see if there was a hint of a lie somewhere in his words. But, he did not falter in his words and he did no tense. Whatever it was that was bothering him, for the first time since the bar, Jak was being truthful. She found a small grin as well, letting herself nod at this words. "Alright Jak. Take your time and think everything out. You know where to find me once you're ready to talk."

Author's Note: Fluff and whatnot. I'll get back into the story groove next chapter. Till next time!