Come Back to Me

Chapter one She's Gone

The afternoon breeze blue his long, blonde and green hair and the small, green goatee that clung to his chin as Jak stepped out into the open and looked around at his surroundings. Even though the city was rundown and practically falling apart, it looked like something of upper class to him, considering that he had spent four years in that dark and disgusting rat hole that they call a prison. Four years… day after day…looking at the same four walls that surrounded his extremely cramped cell…not a window in sight…dark, damp…those gray walls…parts of them had been chipped away and there were tally marks engraved in some places in the thick, unrelenting concrete…and that carving of a girl…of a woman…Keira…Some days it was hard to think about her because of the pain that sliced through his weary heart like a dagger…it still hurt…not to mention that he was tortured relentlessly each and every day…giving him some strange and unexplainable dark powers… That was all he knew for four years: Pain, hurt, and heartache.

He looked to his furry companion on his shoulder that had assisted in his escape from prison. "Dax?"

The ottsel shaded his eyes from the early afternoon sun as he surveyed the area. "Yeah buddy?"

"Where are they…?"

"Who?"

"You know. Our friends…Samos and-" he stopped, but added slowly and more quietly, "Keira…"

"Oh yeah! I guess I was so happy to finally see you again, that I forgot to tell you about everyone." Daxter directed his friend through the city as they spoke. Strangely, no one seemed to notice, or care that this blonde guy was talking to a yellow-orange rat that was currently perched on his shoulder. Daxter looked prideful as he said, "I own a bar now, The Naughty Ottsel." Jak seemed mildly impressed, but he didn't comment so Daxter went on. "Keira has her own race team and Zoomer repair service that she runs from the garage under her apartment. She also makes an awesome jet board. Maybe we'll get lucky and she'll give us one of her famous jet-boards for free! And Samos…is the same old greenie that he always was."

Jak chuckled a little to himself before cutting his friend off. "So can we go see her? Keira I mean. Can I see her?"

The ottsel smirked. "A little eager…aren't you?"

Jak blushed furiously. "What? Uh…no! What are you talking about?"

Daxter laughed deviously. "Nothing… Let's go partner. I'll take you to your woman."

He growled under his breath. "Knock it off Dax. I just want to see her."

"Ok. But I should warn you-"

"I don't care about whatever it is. I just want to see her."

The fuzzy creature on the man's shoulder shrugged. "Ok. You're driving." Jak hopped on the Zoomer that Daxter said was his and he started it, and raced off down the dusty street. It had been years since he had driven one of the Zoomers that Keira had invented back in Sandover, but he soon became accustomed to driving all over again.

Keira's Garage

Jak slowed the vehicle and parked it near the entrance to the ally, which contained the entrance to her garage and from there, the stairway up to her house. Neither Jak nor Daxter said a word as they approached to open door to her garage. Jak was silent because he was too nervous, he was, and after all, going to see the woman he loved after four whole years. He figured that she thought he was dead, or had completely forgotten about her. The truth was just the opposite. He could think of nothing else, but her. Daxter was silent, for once, and only because he knew that Jak wanted to be the first one to talk to her, and besides, Jak would shut him up if he tried to speak anyway.

The two friends stepped through the doorway with Daxter on the ground and slightly ahead of Jak who hung back slightly. When he had mustered up enough courage to see her, he stepped in the door and his eyes darted to her figure bent over peering into a Nyfe-Racer; a wrench in her fingerless gloved hands; as beautiful as he had ever seen her. Perfect. Just like he remembered her.

Jak worked up the courage to speak to her and after clearing his throat he said in a slightly timid voice, "Hey Keira."

She turned quickly and after taking in who it was that was standing there her hand fell limp and it sent her wrench clambering to the cement floor. "J- J- Jak…?" she stuttered in disbelief. "I- is that really- you…?"

Daxter stood tall and puffed out his furred chest in pride. "I busted homeboy here out of prison."

Jak kept silent and turned his gaze to the cracked, cement floor under his feet. "P- prison?"

He looked back up at her as he spoke up again. "Yeah. The guards arrested me on some false charges and I was there until, well, today." She approached him swiftly and without warning threw her arms around him and to hug him tightly.

He could tell by the sound of her now muffled voice that she was crying and he wrapped his arms around her and held her tighter. "Oh Jak. I can't believe you're here. I thought I lost you…" She leaned back to look at him and he brushed a stray tear from her cheek with his thumb. She sniffed a little and wiped her eyes before continuing. "It's been so long… I though you were dead…or you forgot about me…"

Jak was right on target with what she was thinking. "I could never forget you Keira, you are my best friend and the girl that I lo-"

He was cut off instantly when she burst out to the man that now entered the room. "Errol!" Jak sighed in disappointment, but almost got sick when he saw Keira, his best friend and the person that he was going to confess his love to at that very moment, run over to a red haired man with several tattoos on his face, and kiss him! Jak was mad at himself, but mostly at the man that had just stolen Keira's attention away from him. He gritted his teeth and his hands formed into fists as he tried to contain his anger and frustration. Not only was this 'Errol' taking away her attention, but this was also the same man who was in charge of torturing him while he worked under the Baron. 'Errol' was the one that had injected dark eco into his veins; and now he was kissing Keira!

Keira turned to Jak and Daxter, who was now sitting atop the table where she had been working. "Oh, sorry." She looked slightly embarrassed when she took in the shock and disappointment that currently played across Jak's features. "I guess I forgot to introduce you two." She said looking from the man beside her to Jak who was across the room. "Jak, this is Errol, my boyfriend-"

The red haired man snaked an arm around her slim waist and sneered at Jak, knowing instantly who he was. He cut her off and said with arrogance, "Uh, fiancée."

Keira blushed and looked down shamefully and fidgeted nervously under Jak's intent gaze. "Uh yeah…fiancée…"

Errol never took his stare from Jak, knowing all to well that this was killing him to here that she was already taken. Jak swallowed hard to keep down his anger and then stammered, "So…you're getting married soon…?" He wanted to look away from seeing her in another man's arms, but he needed to see if it was the truth so he stared into her eyes, looking for an answer.

She looked back up at him and her emerald eyes welled up with tears when she saw the pain and disappointment on his face. But she had to tell him. It was the truth. "Yes…the wedding is going to be a week from now… I'd really love it if you would come!"

She was trying to cheer him up, but it just hurt him more knowing that not only was she going to marry this creep, but he was also going to have to be there when it happened. "Sure…if that's ok with Errol here…" he said while glaring at the man across the room.

Errol laughed a fake, hate-filled laugh; his plan against Jak was working perfectly. He may not have gotten to kill him in prison, but this was certainly better and more enjoyable for him to watch. "Of course you can come!" he said with utterly bogus enthusiasm. "I wouldn't want it any other way."

This part was true. Errol wanted Jak to be there to watch him marry the woman he loved. He wanted him to watch as he hurt Keira during what he figured would be a short, unhappy, and abusive marriage. Jak would have a front row seat to when he would hurt her emotionally, and physically. His payback to Keira for not sleeping with him until they got married, and his payback to Jak because he didn't get to kill him in prison, and he knew all to well that Keira still loved Jak…and he would get his revenge on both of them at the same time. It was all too easy and perfect for him…

He turned to Keira after a tense moment of silence between the three, in which all of his horrific thought had taken place, and said with a false genuine voice, "I have to go, babe." He leaned to kiss her, but she turned so his lips only met her cheek; she didn't want to kiss him in front of Jak. Errol suppressed an annoyed growl at her motion. "I have to get back to work." He strode over to Jak maliciously and held out his gloved hand. "So nice to meet you, Jak." He grinned spitefully, but Jak held back his rage and irritation so that Keira wouldn't see it.

Jak gathered up the best smile that he could give to someone that he wanted to kill and said furtively, "I think we've met before, haven't we."

Errol restrained his astonishment at his bold statement. "I don't think so."

Keira was completely bewildered. "What the heck are they talking about? Jak was in prison and Errol works for the crimson guard…there's no way they could have met unless Errol worked at the prison…but he never mentioned anything about that…"

Errol grin deceitfully. "So I'll see you at the wedding, huh Jak?"

Jak scowled at his comment and he no longer cared if Keira saw his reaction. "Yeah…I'll be there." He said sternly. Errol exited the room after giving Keira another peck on the cheek and left Daxter sitting in silence, Keira in confusion, and Jak in fury and aggravation.

She looked to Jak solemnly and after he was out of earshot he blurted out, "Stupid bastard!" and he proceeded to violently thrust his boot-covered foot into the nearby counter, causing it to dent.

This shocked Keira, but she strolled over to him and placed a hand on his arm. "And just what is that supposed to mean?"

He looked at her carefully, but her eyes showed no anger, just confusion. "I mean he is the one that…that tortured me in prison!"

"Jak! How dare you accuse him of that! Errol has done no such thing!" Jak attempted to protest, but she was all up in his face yelling. But even as she did so he could see doubt creeping across her features. "How can you say that? You of all people should know that I would never marry someone that did anything like that!"

"Well, in a week you will be! I know him Keira, and he knows me! I will never forget his face! I had to see that shit head every day of my life for four years! You know I wouldn't lie to you."

"Yeah…I thought so too…I thought I could trust you Jak… I can't believe you could be so jealous of me and Errol that you would make up a lie about him just so I would be with you again!"

"Is that what you think I'm doing? You think I would go to all that trouble just so you would be mine again?" Keira looked away and bit her lip to try and keep from crying. "Well I've got news for you, Keira Hagai," his voice softened now, "you're right."

Keira looked back into his ocean blue eyes. "W- what?"

Jak put both of his hands on either one of her shoulders. "I said you're

right. I am jealous of you and Errol because I do still care about you. But I'm only telling you what I know about him because I don't want you to get hurt."

She abruptly pushed herself away from him. "Bull shit! I know Errol and he's never told me anything about working in the prison!"

He was mildly taken aback at her 'less than proper' language, but he went on calmly. "Maybe you don't really know him like you thought you did."

"No Jak… I don't know you like I thought I did."

Suddenly furious at her resistance to believe the obvious truth of his words, Jak stormed out of her garage with Daxter tagging along behind him. He said coldly over his shoulder, "Fine! But don't come crying to me when you find out who he really is and he breaks your heart."

Keira sat down solemnly on her metal stool that stood near her table that Jak had kicked. She knew he was telling somewhat of the truth, but somehow she couldn't except it. A few lone tears escaped from her eyes and trailed down her cheeks and then onto the hard, cold floor. She hated to hurt him, because despite her willing against it, she was still deeply in love with him. But he had been gone for four years, and she had to move on, she had to give up on him coming back and move on to second best, which was Errol.

Three Days Later, Four Days Until the Wedding

Jak woke up gradually and sat up in the small bed. He sure was lucky that Daxter had found a place for him to stay. It was Daxter's old apartment, and now that Daxter was living with the bar tender, and his girlfriend, Tess, he was letting Jak stay there. He glanced at the pillow beside him and wished that somehow she would be there sleeping calmly beside him. He quickly dismissed the seemingly absurd idea and rose from under the sheets.

After taking a quick shower and dressing, Jak left his small abode and hopped on to the zoomer that he had bought from Keira with the small amount of precursor orbs that he had in his possession. He was thankful that even though he and Keira were fighting, she sold him one of her vehicles for next to nothing. He had also graciously taken a bar tending job at Daxter's new bar the Naughty Ottsel so that he would have some cash. His thoughts wandered as he sped off to her garage to apologize to her; there was no sense in being immature and staying mad at her. He would have apologized sooner, but he had been busy working to try and repay Daxter for giving up his apartment, (although maybe Daxter was happy to give it up since he was going to be staying with Tess from now on…) Staying mad wouldn't help to get her back, maybe nothing would… "I wonder why she likes that bastard…he's defiantly no good for her… How the hell am I supposed to get her to realize that he doesn't care about her as much as I do? Keira's a smart girl…why can't she see that he doesn't love her…? Maybe I was stupid to expect to come back after four whole years and have her fall right back into my arms like I was never gone…It's that bastard Errol's fault that I went to prison in the first place…and then when he got me out of the way…he goes and marries Keira! And she won't even believe me now…it's like I don't even know her any more…I hate this! I have to get her back…No matter what it takes I can't let her ruin her life by marring that little shit! I don't care if she comes back to me…I just want to see he be happy…"

When Jak slowed his electric blue zoomer and hopped off of it he could here her working. That was one of the many things that he loved and cherished about Keira; the way she always could work with her hands to build or fix things on her own. Jak never went for the girly girls that wore tons of makeup and had long, polished nails and always wore a skirt or fancy dress; he liked a woman that could take care of herself, but still wanted him to take care of her. That's why he fell in love with Keira, even at a young age because she never tried to hard to look good. She always had on pants or capries and a plain tee shirt. Her long aqua hair hung loosely around her shoulders or was pulled back in a casual ponytail and she always wore sneakers or boots and rarely touched makeup. The very few times that she did wear some sort of makeup Jak had wished that she hadn't. That's what was so special about her: she was amazingly beautiful without doing anything to her self, her beauty was natural.

As he stepped into the race garage he eyed the many gold and silver racing trophies, she was obviously still an excellent race driver, like she had been in Sandover. Then he rested his eyes on her as she crouching by one of her many Nyfe-Racers with a welding torch in her hand and a welding mask protecting her heart-shaped face from the air-born sparks that flew from the metal. His heart ached for her again but he cut it short, he wouldn't have himself sounding pathetic when he came to offer he a simple apology.

He watched her until she stopped welding and lifted her mask to look at him. "Jak? What are you-?"

She flung her mask onto a nearby table with a thud and he moved closer to her said sincerely, "I came to apologize…for the other day." She opened her mouth to speak but he continued. "I shouldn't have said all that stuff about Errol… If you love him and you want to marry him…then I'm happy for you." He secretly wished that she would announce that they had broken up because she really loved him, but he knew that wasn't going to happen.

She strode over to him and gave him a quick friendly hug. When she pulled away from their embrace she looked him in his cerulean eyes and said, "Thank you so much, Jak. That really means a lot to me. I really needed someone to approve of me marring Errol…" She turned her face away from him.

His eyes showed concern. "What do you mean…? Samos doesn't approve of this?" She shook her head slightly but her gaze never returned to him. "I'm sure he's just nervous…you are his only child…he's just not ready to give you up yet, that's all…I'm sure he approves…" Jak lied to cheer her up and he gave he a little smile when she looked up at him once again.

"Yeah…I guess you're right…" she said doubtfully.

"He loves you and he only wants what's best for you…like I do…" She looked back up at him suddenly. "I overreacted the other day…I guess you being my friend and all…I got a little protective." He smiled and laughed lightly but his smile soon disappeared when he said as an afterthought, "We are still friends…right?"

Keira laughed and put her arms around his torso and pulled him into another embrace while saying playfully, "Of course."

He pulled back from her and moved towards the exit because he didn't want to stay there any longer for fear that he would be late for work. His best friend may have been his boss now, but he still had a responsibility to show up on time. "So…I'll see you at your wedding then?"

"Uh yeah…"

"So…uh…I'll see you then."

"Yeah." She said this positively but when he was out of the room she murmured to herself, "Yeah…I'll see him at my wedding…but he won't be the one standing by the alter with me…" she sighed and went back to her work solemnly.

(A.N.)

So how do you like it so far? Love it Hate it? Please review to tell me what you think so far or if you have any questions or comments. Tks! (Ok. Let me clarify some stuff. In this story, everything that happened in Jak 2 that involved Jak DID NOT HAPPEN! This fic is about what could've happened if Jak was left in prison for FOUR years NOT TWO! So now Jak shows up after 4 years and Errol didn't die, Daxter owns the bar but Jak didn't kill Krew, Torn or somebody else from the Underground did. Jak never went to Spargus or saved the world like in Jak 3 because Errol never met Jak outside of prison and therefore he didn't try to get his revenge on Jak like in Jak 3. So basically nothing that happened in either game happened...and now I'm rewriting both game's story lines.)