A/N: HelLO everyone, thankyou for reviews! This one's literally hot off the press because I'm a lazy cow...who also has little time to get ahead of herself this-story-wise. I hate college...F'nar well, this is unedited, so sorry if you find any errors. Also, read, review, enjoy, clench thy fists in anger at Erol. Because that's who he is. ~ Mika

Erol strode confidently into the Palace, steadfastly ignoring everybody who stiffened up before and either side of him, getting out of his way. After this morning's little...incident, he felt a touch more confident than before, feeling a glow that normally only swept him post-coitus. He felt a little lighter today.

If only Keira would be more obedient, he thought, with just a whisper of regret underlining it, rather than flirting with everything that moved.

As quickly as that, his good mood disappeared, his blood boiling again, as it always did whenever he thought of her. Precursors, but he – whoa, old boy, wait up. He would admit he loved her, but that would be admitting weakness on his part. He...enjoyed controlling her. It gave him a sense of power his job did not.

"Erol," the deep, rumbling voice of the Baron reached his ears. "I need to speak with you. Come with me,"

Automatically, he stiffened up straight, giving an equally automatic salute. "Yes sir! What is the issue?"

"If you came with me, I would tell you," the Baron replied coolly.

Erol locked his jaw in something resembling embarrassment, dutifully following the Haven City leader into a large, sparsely-furnished room. The broad man in front suddenly stopped, turning to face the young man, who managed to stop before he bumped into him.

"First of all..."

"Yes?" the

"WHY DID YOU ALLOW THE PRISONER TO ESCAPE?" the older man roared, making Erol stumble back.

For a moment, the redhead was speechless, his murky eyes widening. "What? H-he escaped?"

"Yes he did!" the Baron seethed, as red as the Guard policing the city. "Someone sprung him from the Programme. What I want to know is why you did not return to kill him after the Underground's attack on the Weapons Factory?"

Erol was understandably speechless. "Sir, I was on my way to do so, but further incidents pushed that act to the back of my mind – "

"And then completely out of it, clearly!"

"Sir, you yourself understand how strong the Underground was in those six months before yesterday!"

The Baron growled, turning his back on the Captain, cloak billowing dramatically, whipping the younger man in the face. A few lengthened, silent minutes passed before he spoke again. "Despite this...mishap, I've asked you here to make you an offer. Commander Torn resigned yesterday. That position is still open and you are now the best man for the job..."

"C-Commander?" Erol breathed, still recuperating from that tongue-lashing. "Me?"

"Yes. You." The Baron turned back to face him. "Don't tell me you haven't secretly wanted it all along. I've seen you in your dealings; you have the right amount of ruthlessness and mercilessness to become Commander. So? What's it to be?"

"With all due respect, sir, I think you know my answer," the newly-anointed Commander answered, feeling very lightheaded.

"Excellent." The Baron did not smile. "I'll inform the armoury about this. Meanwhile, you're dismissed, Commander."

Erol saluted again, struggling to maintain his composure. "Yes, sir," he replied stiffly, before turning and striding out the room, a sharp grin on his face.

He estimated his first real duty as Commander would be to find the freak.

Or if not, he'll hunt him down personally.

~x~

Outside the Stadium, Torn switched off the engine and shifted around in his seat, checking quickly on the silent toddler in the backseat. He wondered why Keira was taking so long; the day was getting brighter and his stomach was rumbling. Truthfully, he thought he'd heard voices before chiding himself – you've been in the Guard too long, Torn. Daniel was still awake, rich blue eyes wide and fixed on the door, waiting for his mother to return. There was fear in that child's eyes, something which got to the former Commander. Sometimes, especially with situations such as this, emotion made him uncomfortable.

He sighed, opening the door and hopping to the ground, slamming it shut behind him. Daniel gazed at him silently from over the car door, a plea in his eyes. Torn sighed.

"Oh, alright," he said gruffly. "Sit back, kid, I'm gonna open the door on ya. 'Kay?"

Daniel nodded and sat back. Torn opened the door, pushed it to the hinges' limits and reached out to the kid. He was a little reluctant at first, but eventually placed himself between Torn's hands, which then grasped him and lifted him to the ground. The little one staggered a bit before looking up at the former Commander, who then offered a hand.

"Come on then," he said. "Let's go see what Mummy's doing,"

Nodding, the boy wrapped his fingers around Torn's calloused index and middle finger, and the two males walked towards the stairs of the Stadium, the wind whistling in their ears.

~x~

Back in the Mar Memorial Stadium garage, Keira didn't know how to react. Truthfully, neither did Jak. Laying eyes on her for the first time in the best part of two years, he was shocked to see the change in her. Two years ago, she'd stood with confidence and a touch of pride; now, she almost cowered before him, her shoulders slightly hunched, pulled in defensively. She was also very thin, much thinner than she had been. What exposed flesh was covered in faint but sickening green and yellow patches like combat gear.

Or almost as if she had been the opponent of some vicious enemy.

Fear rested in her eyes instead of the light and love he saw whenever he looked at her. He wondered if she'd heard about his...Dark side; news travelled fast in this town. He wondered whether she had ever truly given up on him; how long she had waited before finding this new guy of hers.

In his (admittedly limited) experience, f there was a sign of a woman giving up on a man, it was finding a new one to replace him.

A new wave of bitterness and jealousy swept over him as he looked at her. Suddenly realising what he was feeling, he looked away so she couldn't see what the Baron and Erol had put in his eyes.

"Jak?" she said softly. "Wha...You're alive."

"Yes, alive and well," he said, the bitterness evident in his voice, still not looking at her. He heard a small gasp utter from her, but no other movements.

"Where have you been?" she asked him.

"You don't want to know," he said shakily, returning his vision to her.

"Jak – "

"Honestly, Keira. You really...don't want to know." It changed me.

"Why do you sound so angry?" she said, softly, fearfully. "Why..." A shaky sigh. "You...y-you've changed. I can see that...I can tell..."

"People do, Keir," he said roughly. "You've changed too. What happened? This new man of yours?"

"Keira, is everything okay in here?"

All eyes immediately cut to the door where a thin, tattooed man had just walked in, small toddler in his hand.

"Oh look, it's the walking work of art!" Daxter cut in, slightly unnecessarily.

"Jak?" Torn's gaze fixated upon the changed twenty-four year old. "Shit. I didn't know you were alive..."

"You're only the second to find that out, Torn." Feeling his blood boil, the Dark Eco pushing at his skin, Jak cut back to Keira. "That means you can stop hitting and fucking my girlfriend now!"

The last thing he saw before blackness overtook him was Torn's eyes widening.

The last thing he felt was himself cutting through the air, hands aimed at the other man's throat.