Keeping Me Alive

Summary: When Keira first arrives in Haven City, she is scared, lost, lonely and hurt. Luckily, the commander of the Krimzon Guard is more than happy to help her back on her feet. Erol/Keira, set during Jak II.

Diclamer: I do not, and probably never will, own Jak and Daxter.

Author's Note: A new day, a new fandom. Yes, this is my very first Jak and Daxter fanfiction. So you are warned. This piece of fanfiction was born because of verious reasons. For one, the other story I'm currently working on, Random Stranger, is not working with me (for the people who are waiting for me to update that, I'm sorry). For two, and more importantly, I've been wanting to write an Erol/Keira fic for quite some time now. Don't get me wrong, I think Jak/Keira is a much better match, but Erol/Keira just gets too little attention to my liking. I mean, come on, everyone went crazy over Jak and Ashelin (either in a good or a bad way) but Erol and Keira just don't get any credit anymore, while it was obvious that there was something there. Plus, I want Erol to be paired up with a girl for once, since everyone seems to thinks he's gay. Seriously, if anyone's gay in the Jak and Daxter universe, it's Razer, not Erol. So yes, this story will be focussing on the relationship between Erol and Keira. The entire story will be told from Keira's point of view. It starts at the beginning of Jak II, with the Rift Rider, and will be following the main events of the game. I hope that, even though this is my first Jak and Daxter story, you will enjoy reading it.

Chapter 1: A Change Of Scenery

Ever since I was a little girl, I have been fascinated by mechanics. I've always wanted to know how things work, and how I can make things work. Machines, control panels, vehicles… They amazed me. So you can imagine that, when I stumbled upon a machine which was more advanced than anything I'd ever seen, I was floating on cloud nine.

The vehicle-like machine, majestic and beautiful, was an absolute sight for sore eyes. I would've loved to take it apart piece by piece, to see exactly how it would be able to 'break through the space-time continuum', as Daddy tends to put it. I won't, though, unless I want Daddy to suffer from a heart attack.

Ah, yes, Daddy. He has been looking awfully worried for some time now, ever since we found the machine. He's spend more time with it than I have, which is odd, since he, as a Green Eco Sage, has never been too fond of metal constructions. He even gave it a name; the Rift Rider, if I remember correctly. Still, it was nice to see him sharing one of my main interests. And besides, today we're going to take this baby out for a test drive, so after that, Daddy should be able to relax a little.

It was a nice day for a ride. It hardly ever rains during the summer in Sandover. It is a bit troublesome for the farmer's vegetables, but hey, his Yakows bring in more than enough money, and the village can import its vegetables from Rock Village. Anyway, besides the old farmer, everyone in Sandover enjoys a nice, hot summer day. That includes one of my best friends, Jak, who was standing right next to the machine I so admire, smiling up at the sun.

Admitted, I've always had a little crush on Jak. Though the poor boy's a mute, he still knows how to show he cares. On the strangest moments he'd surprise me with a flower, a seashell, or, if I was lucky, a piece of metal he thought I'd be able to use. And, of course, not to forget how he single-handedly defeated Gol and Maia, a gone crazy Dark Eco Sage and his sister. Well, maybe not entirely single-handed, but still, getting help from someone like Daxter is almost worse than being on your own. Not to be rude, Daxter is great, but he's a bit… eccentric. And that is besides the fact that, thanks to some Dark Eco, he is now an ottsel.

My head shot up at the sounds of heavy, wooden footsteps I knew could only belong to one person. Daddy. For as long as I can remember, he's walked on two short logs. He told me it strengthens his bond with nature, since he had collected the logs from a magical forest a long time ago. I'm not sure if they're really that comfortable, but Daddy simply refuses to walk around barefooted like the rest of us.

"Today's the big day, Jak," Daddy told Jak when he had reached the Rift Rider. "I hope you are prepared… for whatever happens."

I noticed that Daddy was looking worried, even more than usual, as if he knew that something big was going to happen today.

"I think I've figured out most of this machine," I informed the other three, mostly to ensure Daddy that nothing could go wrong. "It interacts somehow with that large Precursor Ring."

Carefully, I sat down on the small bench in the Rift Rider; Jak followed my example. I looked over the many symbols and buttons, and then spoke my only, tiny hint of concern. "I just hope we didn't break anything moving it here to the lab."

Daxter, whom I hadn't noticed, suddenly popped up in between Jak and myself. "Easy for you to say!" he yelled at me. "We did all the heavy lifting!"

As if. It had mostly been Jak and Daddy who'd done the lifting. I had been coordinating, and Daxter had just lain in the grass, every now and then shouting something he called 'helpful advice'.

I watched as Daxter attempted to touch one of the many artefacts in the Rift Rider, boyish curiosity written all over his face. I immediately knew what was coming.

"Daxter! Don't touch anything!" Daddy yelled, as I'd expected. He and Daxter had never seen eye to eye. "Though the Precursors vanished long ago, the artefacts they left behind can still do great harm."

"Or great good!" I pointed out excitedly. "If you figure out how to use them!"

Daddy didn't seem to share my optimism. With a still worried face, he took the last spot on the bench. "I've had some experience with such things," he said while glancing at the Precursor Ring. "I know you can make it work."

Jak carefully extended his hand towards a big, heart-shaped, ruby button. All four of us stared at his hand as it, after a light hesitation, swiftly pressed the button.

Immediately, an egg-shaped object in front of me popped open, showing a yellow orb, surrounded by three rings that twirled around it. Amazed, I inched closer, trying to decipher the strange code that was inscribed inside the egg.

"Interesting..." I mused after a few seconds. "It appears to be reading out some pre-set coordinates…" I tried to see exactly what coordinates had been set, but suddenly the egg slammed shut and the Rift Rider started to shake violently. The Precursor Ring lifted and started to turn, showing us a strange, but somehow beautiful, purple portal.

"Wow! Look at that!" Daxter whispered, expressing the awe I felt towards the sight.

"Finally! The last Rift Gate has been opened!"

The voice, dark and evil, sent a shiver down my spine. Suddenly, everything changed. The sky darkened, the tension rose, and, to my great horror, terrifying flying creatures now came out of the Rift Gate.

"Aaagghh! What are those things?!" Daxter yelled, panicked, as one of the creatures flew right over his head, barely missing him.

"So this is how it happened…" I heard Daddy mumble, but I was far too busy dodging the flying creatures that tried to attack me to notice the deeper meaning behind his words.

A monstrous roar filled my ears, and again my spine shook violently. I stopped trying to fend off the flying creatures, for I had become completely paralysed by a new image that I was sure would be burnt into my retinas forever.

A monster, bigger, uglier, and more terrifying than anything I had ever seen, had emerged from the Rift Gate, floating somewhere between our world and wherever that thing came from. The creature pointed at Jak with one of the sharp nails on its claw. "You cannot hide from me, boy!"

I, by now, had completely freaked out. Those little, flying creatures were one thing, but this… this animal, this beast, was too much for me to handle. In terror, I screamed, "Do something, Jak!"

Daxter, who seemed just as panicked as I was, started going over the many buttons the Rift Rider possessed. "What's this do? Or that! How 'bout this one! Everybody, press all the buttons!"

As always, Jak was the one to take action, slamming his hand on the heart-shaped button a second time. The next thing I knew, the Rift Rider had left its place and was now shooting towards the horrible monster. I felt as if the machine was heading straight for the beast's wide open mouth, but against all odds, we slipped right through its claws.

"What was that thing?" I asked as soon as the monster was out of sight. No one answered, but I hadn't expected them to. They knew as little as I did.

The Rider went faster and faster, pushing me back in my seat. I was suddenly very aware of the fact that we were speeding through a seemingly endless tunnel of purple electricity without any protection. So I, instinctively, grabbed a hold of the iron bar in front of me tightly.

"Hang on everyone!" I heard Daddy call out when the speed was turned up yet another notch. In response, I grabbed onto the bar even harder, desperately hoping that we would make it through the end of the tunnel in one piece.

"Yaaaaaaahhhhh! I want off this thing!" Daxter yelled desperately.

His wish was granted, but a bit sooner than I would've liked. A lightning bolt hit the small vehicle, causing it to blow up into smithereens. I fell back screaming, seeing Daddy, Jak and Daxter disappear out of my sight in a matter of mere seconds. I had no choice but to continue the journey alone.

It seemed to last for hours, but finally I saw a light in the distance. Naturally, I was beyond relieved, and I tried to reach for the light that would free me from the horrible purple world.

My hand reached the warm, bright light. For a second, I was blinded, but soon I saw that I was hovering high above the ground, or more accurately, the ground and the water. However, that didn't last too long, for I, accompanied by that despicable purple light, was suddenly shot downwards.

I screamed as the surface quickly came closer and closer. I closed my eyes and extended my hands, hoping to somewhat break my sure to be painful fall. Too bad it never came.

Instead of hitting solid ground, I was launched into water, which was far from painless, but certainly preferred over the hard earth. I was submerged into the not too clean water for a few seconds before I could find the power to leap back up.

Gasping for air, I looked around, but saw nothing other than high walls and the dirty water I had landed in. It took me a while, but eventually, I spotted a ramp that would safely get me back on shore. I swam towards it, more than once having to deal with stray trash that some horrible person must've dumped there. I reached the ramp and tried to crawl back on shore, which proved to be difficult, seeing as I was soaking, slippery wet, and the ramp was made out of a smooth metal. Eventually, I managed.

Once I reached dry land, I fell to my knees, panting rapidly. Exhaustion quickly took over me, and if I hadn't been so full of adrenaline, I probably would've collapsed right there and then.

When I regained my breath, I got up from the unnaturally hard ground and had a look around. What I saw amazed me endlessly.

Metal. There was metal everywhere. The ramp I had climbed was made out of metal. The ground was made out of metal. The buildings were made out of metal. The bridges were made out of metal. All I could see was metal. Well, metal and water, but the water was only a small canal, the one I had landed in. Everything else was metal. I was supposed to be in heaven, and for a while, I was. Until I realized something was wrong.

I've had dreams about places like this, places made entirely out of metal. Beautiful, shiny metal. But this… This wasn't right. The metal was dull, the water was dirty, the air was polluted. It felt unreal, fake even. Where was the jungle, the beach, the endless ocean? Where were the small, wooden houses? Where was the volcano? And, above all, where were the people?

It was then when the biggest shock hit me. I was alone. Daddy, Jak, Daxter… They weren't there. There wasn't a single stranger on the streets; the place was completely deserted. I didn't even see a rat.

Panic rushed through my veins, but somehow, I managed to keep my cool and think logically. I had been separated from the others in the purple tunnel. They must've landed in a different part of this place. I would just have to find them, that was all.

The problem was, that I had no idea what this place was, how big it was, and where on earth I would have to start looking.

I took a deep breath to regain my calm, then tried to orientate myself.

Metal buildings were on both my left and right. I was standing in the middle of a road. The canal from which I had just emerged started right in front of my feet. It caused the road to split up in two, one on each side of the canal. I wasn't sure if I should go there or not. Daddy had taught me to follow water when I was lost, but this wasn't exactly a natural spring. Plus, I was already on the end of it. I could search for the other end, but I knew I wouldn't be able to reach that other end before either collapsing or the night falling.

I turned around, to see if there was a better option. And indeed there was. Closely ahead was an arch, which created a doorway through the stone wall that otherwise would've blocked my path.

To me, that stone arch almost seemed like a gate to heaven, simply because it was the first solid object I'd seen that wasn't made out of metal. Alright, maybe that was an overstatement, but I did know I would rather find out what was on the other end of the arch than what was on the other end of the canal. So, since I really didn't have any other options, I started my journey.

When I began to walk, I discovered that the metal ground wasn't just ugly and out of place, oh no, it was painful as well. For one because it was solid hard, and for two because it was burning hot, thanks to an entire day of sunbathing. And that wouldn't have been a problem, if I had been wearing shoes. Which I wasn't. It was never necessary to wear shoes back in Sandover. The few times I had worn shoes were the days Daddy had taken me to visit the Red Sage in the Volcanic Crater. It was only now I fully realized why. Hot metal wasn't pleasant on bare skin.

Luckily, the arch, and more importantly, the stone path that replaced the metal ground right behind it, was not too far from my landing spot. Soon enough, my feet hit the cool stone, and I let out a small sigh of relief. If I ever were to go back there, I would have to find a pair of shoes.

I decided that would be of later concern. Hey, for all I knew, Daddy would be right around the corner. I needed to move forwards, not backwards. And so I did.

The stone hall I was in now was rather simple. A wall to my left and right, a path beneath my feet, open air over my head. However, after a few steps, I noticed a large poster on the left wall. Curious, I tried to read what it said.

The text was written in familiar Precursor Language, so I didn't have any trouble deciphering it. In simple terms, it said that the NYFE Racing Season would start soon, and that people should get their tickets before they were all sold out. The text, however, was not what caught my attention.

What did attract my attention was the picture underneath the text. I blinked a few times, to see if my eyes were deceiving me. They weren't, though, and after staring at the picture for a while, I concluded that, strange as it was, it was true. The picture showed a zoomer.

It wasn't exactly my A-Grav, but it was similar. I could see my own design in it, only modified to be lighter and faster for racing. Judging by the armour on the front and middle of the zoomer, I'd say that was where the engine and fuel tank, respectively, were located. I tried to see exactly how the engine was linked to the tank, but unfortunately the picture was too small and under-detailed to show me that.

After a few more seconds of staring, I finally stepped back. I shouldn't be here, glaring stupidly at a picture of a vehicle; I should be looking for Daddy, Jak and Daxter. Priorities, Keira, priorities.

I tore my eyes away from the picture and continued on my way. I walked further along the stone path, which soon made a sharp turn to the left. I made the turn, expecting the path to continue behind the corner. Boy, was I wrong. Instead of a path, my feet met a staircase. And since I wasn't prepared for that in the least, I lost my balance.

I tumbled down the painfully hard stone stairs before hitting the floor. Immediately, all air was sucked out of my lungs. Every inch of my body hurt, and I could already see a few bruises coming up. Just my luck, huh?

It took me a minute, but eventually, I managed to get up from the floor. My sore body complained, but I ignored the nagging pain. Instead, I looked ahead, and immediately, my bruises were forgotten.

In front of me was a large, open area. It was beautiful, really. Here and there was a piece of grass and a tree. Firmly within the metal lines, naturally, but nonetheless, it was gorgeous green. In front of me, and also to my left and right, was a large statue of a man, who was holding a sword in front of him. The statue also served as a fountain, giving it an even better appearance. Two staircases, located between the middle and either the left or right statues, led up to a building, the centre of the entire area.

It was by far the most beautiful structure I had ever seen. It was a huge, oval building, entirely made out of stone, with an open roof. The curves and details were absolutely mesmerizing, and I soon found myself approaching the edifice. I slowly inched closer, and I had almost reached the left staircase when a harsh voice reached my ears.

"Freeze!"

Startled, I spun around. I saw a man, dressed in crimson red armour, striding towards me. He looked extremely pissed, so I wisely decided to follow his command and stay perfectly still. The man came to a stop right in front of me, staring down at me as if I were a pile of dirt on his brand new carpet.

"Citizens are not allowed into this section of the city on the seventh day of the week," he announced, as if I was supposed to know that. Well, at least I now knew why this place was completely deserted. It was a forbidden area.

"I'm sorry, sir," I said, trying to be as polite as possible. "I'm not from here, and I appear to be lost. Could you possibly tell me where I am?"

The man raised one eyebrow at me. "I'm not in the mood to play games," he snapped. "This city is the only one in miles. It is impossible for a little girl like you to travel all the way here without being devoured by a Metal Head."

"A Metal Head?" I asked, curious. "What's a Metal Head?"

My question had obviously angered the man, though I wasn't sure why. Was I supposed to know what a Metal Head was?

"I don't have time for this," he growled, and, to my horror, I saw how he retrieved a pair of handcuffs from the small holder on his uniform. "I hereby place you under arrest for trespassing."

My eyes widened, and I quickly backed away until I hit one of the massive statues. "No, wait!" I cried as the man approached me. "I'm sorry! I honestly didn't know I was trespassing! It won't happen again, I promise!"

Unfortunately, he didn't seem convinced. He grabbed my upper arm and yanked me away from the statue, causing me to cry out in pain. Of course he just had to squeeze one of my many bruises. Not that he cared. He took my other arm as well, and attempted to link them together behind my back.

I, however, wasn't prepared to go down without a fight. This was completely unfair, and I was not about to give in to this injustice. So, on good luck, I blindly kicked towards the man behind me. I could feel my foot connect with a hard bone, and I heard the man groaning in pain. His grip didn't budge, though. I hadn't accomplished anything but angering him even more.

"Resisting arrest," he hissed, obviously fuming with anger. "Have it your way, then."

Before I could ask what he was talking about, I felt a tremendous pain shoot through my entire body. The shock lifted me slightly above the ground, and I could vaguely see the blue electricity that was jolting through my veins. Naturally, I cried out in utter pain and terror.

It seemed to last for ages, but eventually, the electricity left my body. Completely drained of energy, I dropped to my knees. Warm tears started to well up in my eyes, and soon they were flowing down my cheeks rapidly, darkening the stone floor when they hit the ground.

The man didn't care about my despair. He grabbed my upper arm again and forced me to stand up. Too weak to resist, I simply closed my eyes as he pulled my arms behind my back a second time. I was absolutely pathetic. I hadn't been in this place for one full hour, and already I was going to prison. Daddy would be so ashamed if he saw me now.

I felt the icy cold metal against the skin of my wrists, and I expected to hear the clicking sound of the handcuffs closing. Instead, I was greeted by a new voice.

"What do you think you're doing?"

I slowly lifted my heavy head to look at the source of the new voice, and I was greeted by yet another man in a uniform. It was different, though. Through my tear-blurred vision, I could see blue and yellow besides the familiar crimson red.

"Sir!" the man behind me saluted the other man, keeping his hold of my wrists with one hand. "I found this woman trespassing, sir!"

I saw how the second man descended down the stairs, his attention focused on the man behind me. As he approached, I noticed his fiery red hair colour, his hawk-like, amber eyes, and his rather unique tattoos that somehow complimented his face. He came to a halt a few feet in front of us, his eyes shining with anger.

"Do you honestly think," he started in a low voice, "that this little girl will cause much trouble?"

"But sir, she was…"

"I don't care!" the red-haired man snapped at the man behind me. To my delight, I felt him trembling a little. "You are to patrol the Stadium in case of potential danger. Does she really look like a threat to you?"

"No, sir, but she…"

The second man raised his hand, effectively silencing the man behind me. "No, indeed. Return to your post."

"Yes, sir." The man released my wrists, and I had trouble to keep standing without his support. I saw him marching back to wherever he had come from, leaving me alone with the second man. I wasn't sure if that was a good thing or not.

I felt how his strangely mesmerizing amber eyes travelled up and down my body, taking in every inch of me, causing me to become very aware of my appearance. I was damp and dirty from the water in the canal, my exposed bare skin was showing signs of bruises and both my eyes and nose were bright red from crying. I must've looked like a vagabond.

He continued to stare at me, and the longer he glared, the more uncomfortable I felt. I let out the breath I hadn't realized I'd been holding when he finally looked away. He turned around and walked back up the stairs, leaving me behind. I watched as he stopped again on the middle of the stairs. He looked back at me, a smirk on his face.

"Come with me."

He continued his way up, but I was firmly nailed to the ground. Come with him? Was that an order? Was he going to arrest me anyway? Was he going to make me pay for trespassing some other way? The possibilities flowed through my head faster than a cluster of Blue Eco. Who was this man anyway? Should I go with him? Given, he had just saved me, but what were his intentions?

I wasn't exactly sure why, but I found myself moving forward, towards the stairs. Because, let's face it, what choice did I really have? I was lost and alone, and if I didn't go, he might just arrest me after all. I had no choice.

And so, I followed.

And that was the first chapter. I know I couldn't write Erol if my life would depend on it. But I think the idea is clear. I've always thought that Erol was one of the first people Keira met when she arrived in Haven, which is why she was so protective of him when Jak insulted him. Also, I figured that it would be difficult for a girl to just fall from the sky without being noticed, so I decided to insert the so called 'Sunday's rest'. I personally think it would be typically Praxis to close down the Stadium Section one day a week so Erol could train freely. Plus, it would explain why Keira would be able to land without gathering attention around her. So yeah, that was all I had to say. If you have the time, please leave a review so I can improve my writing skills. Until next time!