Summary: Once upon a time a little girl was saved from monsters, by a monster. In this story she stayed with her chosen guardian, but once another story started she wasn't safe anymore. Different monsters are invading her story again, and her monster savior has to come back. Will he save the girl again? Or will he just steal her away and keep her for himself? Can a monster go against it's nature for that long?


"Once upon a time there was a little girl who hadn't seen her mother in seven years. She was forced to dress in iron clothes and was told: "When you wear out your clothes you can go back to your mother." The girl rubbed her clothes on the wall trying desperately to tear them... When they had finally been torn, she got some milk, and bread, and a little cheese and butter, and set out for her mother's house. In the wood she met a wolf who asked what she was carrying..."*

The story paused as Ziza crawled from her mothers hold to the end of her bed leaning out a little to see who the footsteps in the hall belonged too instead of the beautifully painted pictures in the book. Her big brown eyes lit up and she smile wide as she cheered, "JACK! Jack's home!"

"Jackie? Hun?" Lajjun asked as she sat up, waiting for the teen to pop her head in the room. Ziza was still bouncing so she knew the teen was still out there. "Jacqueline?"

Sighing Jack squirmed a little before putting on a sheepish look sticking her head in the room to smile at the mother and daughter saying a short but pleasant "Hi." Ziza made a happy noise and Lajjun still looked regal even in her robe, settling in for the night. She also looked concerned. Probably because while Jack had finally come home today, and for her it was early in the night, now that she'd graduated high school this year it wasn't likely she'd be there when anyone woke up unless she came back when the sun came up and crashed in her room.

"You've been gone since yesterday Jacqueline..." Lajjun pointed out with a light frown. "Didn't you get Abu's message?"

Jack's smiled faded a little. "We have some sort of visitor coming tomorrow?" She had even stepped outside to listen to the message. He'd looked sort of grim on the small screen of her vid-phone, but like he was trying to be happy about it. Encouraging her to stay home tomorrow, that she should wear the new outfit they got her...

Red, bright, deep bleeding, red... stark contrast to the powdery pink one that Ziza had been prancing around in the night before last before bed. Jack had carefully packed the beautiful outfit away in her closet, and now she suspected that she should have burned it like impulse had dictated upon seeing it. Ever since she heard the story Lajjun was currently telling her daughter she'd never been very fond of the color.

"You're going to be home right?" Lajjun asked, still frowning, even worrying her lip a little with her teeth.

"When are they coming?" Jack asked as she slipped into the room a little more. It prompted Ziza to pounce her and crawl up into her arms. Jack busied herself with propping the five year old on her hip. She nuzzled the young girl's bouncy, curly hair. Soft.

Right Lajjun didn't like repeating herself.

"-Afternoon."

Well Jack caught something. All else fails ask the small one with the bright smile. "When Ziza?"

"Early to mid afternoon," Ziza chirped with an adoring look that Jack sort of remembered giving... him...

"Jack!" Lajjun admonished.

Couldn't get her real name out of the woman unless she was outraged. Sighing Jack bounced Ziza a bit and asked, "So who's coming that I need to be here? Wouldn't most guests appreciate... my absence?" She censored what she was really going to say, something less polite. Granted she would have just been downing herself.

"Why wouldn't our guests want to meet you?" Ziza asked pouting and wiggling about Jack's side.

"'Cause I'm not as cute as you," Jack cooed jokingly rubbing her nose against Ziza's, it got the little girl to smile and giggle. Kids it seemed were easy to distract, was she like this?

It did not miss Jack's attention that Lajjun hadn't answered her. Walking over to the bed Jack let Ziza down to crawl back up to the pillows while she eyed the older woman warily. "Who's coming Lajjun?" Jack asked raising a brow, but softening the wary look now that Ziza had turned around to sit against the pillows and look at her.

"A friend of Abu's," Lajjun said vaguely. They had all learned at the beginning of their relationship that Imam was not dad, and while Jack loved Lajjun just as much as she loved Imam now she was not mom either. After the initial awkwardness everyone accepted it and realized it made everyone happier this way. Lajjun put an arm around Ziza as she reopened the book she had been reading. "Why don't you come listen to the story Jackie?"

Jack felt uncomfortable. Why couldn't she know?

"I... don't know... is, uhm, Imam in his study?" Jack asked, wondering if he'd tell her who this mysterious visitor was.

"He is," Lajjun nodded. When Jack turned around though the mother called out comfortingly, "You'll be okay Jackie."

Jack looked over her shoulder wondering why Lajjun looked worried again. Walking out of the room with a goodnight farewell to the pair Jack made a mental note to master that tone of voice even when she was upset. It seemed like it could come in handy.

Down the hall Jack found herself in Imam's doorway. His study was spacious, filled with books, right below the attic space she took to hiding in when she had nowhere to go, but didn't want to be home. She hadn't been up there lately, not since he and Lajjun had the what is she doing with her life conversation a little over a week ago. They seemed worried she'd do something dumb. Either way though, he was reading a book, so she politely cleared her throat. For a second she felt like she was twelve again the first night after he left, wondering how this was going to work. Imam looked up much like he had then, slightly confused, mostly curious. Six years was a long time.

"Jack you're home," Imam smiled warmly motioning for her to sit in on of the arm chairs opposite his desk.

Jack walked in the room looked at the chair, again much like she had that night, but didn't sit down. Instead she put her arms behind her back asking, "Who's coming tomorrow that I need to be home?" Her voice wasn't demanding, merely questioning. She learned a long time ago how to hide that bite in her tone it didn't ever get her far. Swallow bite, swallow a little pride, and wash it out with a smile and people melted.

His warm smile faded a little before he set down his book. "Someone important," Imam replied cryptically. When Jack finally did sit, he recognized that look. It was stubborn, unwavering, and worst of all she could still sit like that for more than an hour. "The government has hired someone for any up and coming problems we might have with the Necromongers. It's very hush-hush..."

Jack frowned, skeptical. Yes it was leaking out that these necro-things were going to eventually end up coming to Helion Prime. No one seemed to have an answer to the problem, Jack doubted one man would do it. If one man could... Jack didn't think she wanted to meet them, she didn't want to look at a guy and instantly know that there was someone better for the job. She spent all of high school dateless because none of them were ever as good as him and they never would be. "Why is this person coming here?"

"I've offered our hospitality until his home is set up near the outskirts of the city," Abu answered readily. That one he'd planned the answer too. Unfortunately Jack always had a way of asking the one question he didn't have a solid answer to.

"Why do I gotta dress up for this?" Jack asked boredly as she relaxed a bit in the soft chair. "Shouldn't you want your outspoken daughter-figure out and away from anything I might mess up?" Wouldn't be the first time she stormed out of a room after saying something rude and slightly threatening to someone military.

"He... uh, expressed interest in meeting my entire family," Abu offered haltingly. Jack didn't look impressed. "It's just... politics." Imam said even more unsure.

When they sat at an impasse for too long Jack stood deciding that she'd just have to see what was going on here. "Fine, I'll stick around tomorrow, I'll even wear the new sari." Jack had to wonder why Imam didn't look like he was getting what he wanted. It made the eighteen year old pause, frown, and walk over to stand right in front of the desk saying, "I don't know what's going on here, but I don't like it holy man. I'm not happy."

It was an old useless threat that she hadn't used for years...

He... Riddick... told Imam, shiv pressed to throat, that he was to keep her safe and happy or he'd make him sorry.

This was the first time it looked like the threat worked...


*Disclaimer: Along with Riddick and his verse not belonging to me (obviously) the story Lajjun was reading to Ziza at the beginning I got from the movie Jin Roh, and I'm not sure where they got it from, but the point is it's not mine. Just to clear that up before anyone goes on a rant about me stealing one of the many versions of Red Riding Hood. This disclaimer will be for the rest of the fic because the story will make more appearances.

AUTHORS NOTES!

Okay! The beginning. Sorry about the summary, I really do hate those things and I didn't know how to explain this one except in that horrendous fairytale beginning way. I now this chapter is small, but the next one which will be posted in a little bit (probably already be up by the time you read this) will be longer.

Huh other than that I really don't know what to say about this one. It was an odd idea I had because of my odd Red Riding Hood obsession... Mixed with the fact that Riddick sure as hell wouldn't save any world for free if Jack didn't run off and go all Necromonger on him. This is set a long little while before they actually invade, so there's time before that.

Reviews, Questions, and Comments are welcome, and much appreciated!