Will you be the kind to stick around (if the stars fall down)
When Jhalya reviewed "Almost Lover"she said that it felt like "a reincarnation story." So I thought I'd take that idea of reincarnation and run with it. What I didn't expect was to run right into the X-files with it. You'll find the same elements of "Almost lover" here(the marks, the words, etc.) But I suppose it's up to you, the reader, to decide just which version of Carolyn this is, the savior or the soul-mate. Or something else entirely.
Riddick was on the ship, biding his time, waiting for Vaako and the fleet to return from the Underworld. "Transcendence, my ass," he muttered as he stood, arms crossed, glaring into the depths of space.
His consort, the only person in this fleet that had ever been loyal to him, approached. "Lord Marshall," she murmured quietly as she bowed before him.
Using his finger, he tilted her head up and motioned for her to rise. "What is it?" he asked watching as she toyed with the remote pad she held in her hands.
"Commander Vaako. He was…busy, in your absence."
Riddick's curiosity peaked at what Vaako had done that he would be interested in. "Busy how?"
The consort held out the pad for him to take.
Taking the pad, he recognized the image of one of the smallest transport ships in the fleet. It was made for long-term habitation as were all the Necro ships, but this was one of the ships that held unconverted prisoners until they were sent through the purification process.
"He picked up some very interesting prisoners in the event of your return. I think you'll want to see them for yourself."
He stalked towards her, pleased that she didn't back down, instead lowering her head in acknowledgement of his position over her. He reached out squeezing her arm. "You've never lied to me have you?"
"No, Lord Marshall and I would not begin now."
Docking in the transport hold, Riddick took in his surroundings as he shut his ships systems down. There was minimal crew from what he observed which was standard on these vessels. The occupants would have already been broken by the Necros destruction and not likely to give them trouble.
Stepping out on the deck, he paused for a moment. If there had been hair on his sleek head it would have stood straight up. As it was his skin began to tingle.
A single guard met him at the bay doors. "Lord….Riddick."
"Take me to the prisoners," he demanded.
"Lord Marshall Vaakos' orders are that no one is to have contact with them."
"Lord Marshall Vaako, eh?" Riddick chuckled before grabbing the man slipping a knife under his armor. Letting the man drop to the floor he moved further into the ship, instinctually knowing where to go even though he'd never set foot on one of them before. He had banned purification during his reign as Lord Marshall under the threat of death for new conversions. It had made him wildly popular if assignation attempt after assignation attempt were any indication.
Walking past a set of doors Riddick stopped, tilting his head slightly. He could actually feel the energy pulsing in this room. Planting his feet in front of the door he placed his hands on his hips as alarms began to blare and the doors in front of him slide open. He was met by over two dozen shined eyes staring back at him. Slowly but surely, his gaze fell on each one of them. The sight was nearly enough to take his breath away. The sight of the blonde holding a little girls hand with a toddler propped on her hip did. Unconsciously taking a step back, he breathed in deeply through his nose.
"Who's in charge?" Riddick finally asked the room at large. He watched as looks and nods were passed around the room before a large, dark-skinned man and the blonde with the children stepped forward.
Carolyn stepped forward, looking the Alpha over. She had never seen one in her lifetime. Granted she had never stepped foot on her fathers' home planet of Furya, having been raised in the aftermath of the Necromonger invasion on an identical neighboring planet that had been promptly renamed Furya 2 by the survivors. She knew that many of their people had been captured by the Necro's and that many more had fled the planet, some never heard from again. Her father had been one that was off world at the time, returning when he had been summoned by the council, new bride in tow. His first wife, his soul-mate, had died in battle years earlier. That and the fact that their race was now an endangered species was the only reason her mother, an off-worlder, had been allowed to stay, the council giving them their blessing. Despite being a half–breed, Carolyn was raised as a purebred Furyan when a soul mark was present upon her body at birth, being taught their laws and traditions when it came to soul mating.
Shaking her head out of her thoughts, she looked at the man in front of her wondering what it was like not knowing who or what you were. It was obvious that while he knew they were the same species, he had no idea what he was, how incredibly important he was to their race. She knew they'd have to deal with that eventually, but now her only interest was in getting these people home.
Riddick watched the blonde, as her eyes, locked on his, became unfocused as a myriad of thoughts ran through her head. Standing quietly he gave her a moment, just to see herself shake her head, knocking herself out of her head space. He looked at the man instead.
"I need some men to help dump the bodies. If you have someone who knows where you want to go and how to fly I'll get them to the command center"
"Herne, Ginessa, Taliesin and Barden," the large man called out, getting the attention of two men and women.
Riddick looked them over. "Don't you think the women should stay here with the kids?"
Carolyn growled, the sound making its way out of her mouth before turning to her people. "We need to sweep the ship for dead Necros. Put their bodies out an airlock. Sciiti and I will head to the command center. We're going home."
The four who had stepped forward broke into pairs and left the room. Carolyn bent down to speak quietly to the little girl next to her who nodded and took the toddler, making her way to a man in the corner busy herding several other children.
"The infirmary is that way," Riddick said to the room at large, pointing to the right, "for anyone who might need it. The galley is that way. There'll be more than enough for everyone. Give us a few minutes to get this deck cleared."
Murmurs broke out among the others and the man who took the toddler along with a few teens herded the kids up clearly intending to get them fed, while another man was getting his patients ready to take to the infirmary.
Riddick gave his attention back to the other two.
"I'm Sciiti," the large dark man said holding his hand out. Riddick moved to shake his hand but the man grasped his forearm instead. Riddick copied the action.
"Carolyn," the blonde said holding her hand out. Riddick grasped her forearm before jerking back as a bolt of electricity shot through his body. Carolyn gasped, taking a step back as she shook her arm.
Sciiti snorted beside her, as he watched the two idiots, causing Carolyn to shove an elbow in his ribs. Sciiti just shrugged, who was he to say anything? Riddick for his part simply stood watching her with an indescribable expression on his face.
"Shall we?" Carolyn asked motioning to the door. Riddick turned on his heel and took off towards the infirmary, so Carolyn headed towards the galley; Sciiti shut the door behind them walking over to check on a Necro lying on the floor. Tossing the man's weapons to the side, he lugged the soldier up over his shoulder and made his way to nearest air lock tossing the body in. He saw Carolyn coming out of the Galley on his way back, heading to the room next door as he bent over to pick up the discarded weapons. As Carolyn came out of the room heading in his direction, a door a few feet down opened revealing a Necromonger soldier.
"Caro" Sciiti shouted as the soldier pointed an energy gun in her direction.
Carolyn hit the deck in a roll, pulling a knife she had in her boot. Coming out of the roll she extended her arm releasing the knife, watching as it flew through the air lodging deeply in the Necros eye socket. Sciiti rushed the soldier putting him on the ground, snapping his neck. Carolyn stood, nodding at Sciiti. Riddick who had seen the entire thing walked over pulling the knife from the body. Wiping it off he handed it her. Carolyn took it, slipping it back into her boot.
"Down boy." She said brushing her way past him to give her fellow companions the all clear, waiting till the last person had left the room. "You were saying something about a Command center?
He jerked his head leading them up a deck.
Carolyn slid easily into the pilot's chair, looking over the systems as Sciiti walked the bridge familiarizing himself with the other controls. Riddick bent over Carolyn's chair pointing a few things out to her, watching her nod as she listened to his explanations.
"So Carolyn, where do you plan on taking us?" Riddick asked his voice turning husky, the current between them nearly a living, breathing thing.
Turning her head, their mouths nearly collided from their close proximity. Carolyn licked her lips as she studied his mouth. "I'm taking us home, Riddick."
Running his eyes over her face he stood abruptly. "I'll leave you to it, then."
Carolyn nodded; turning her attention to the controls in front of her while Riddick gave his attention to Sciiti answering a few questions he had. Riddick felt the overdrive engines on the ship kick in moments before the thrusters kicked in and the ship shot across space like a bat out of hell leaving nothing but a streak of plasma in its wake.
"They'll be able to pick our trail." He pointed out as she stood.
"Does it matter? They've destroyed our parents' planet. Terrorized our home world, raping it of its people. Our only hope is that our collective Lords have pulled their heads out of their asses and asked my mother's people for help." Carolyn stalked angrily out of the room leaving the two men to scramble out of her way.
"Has she always been so…passionate?" Riddick asked the man next to him.
Sciiti shrugged. "Never met her until the day we both ended up here. But everyone knows who Carolyn Fry is. She's the only known half-furyan."
At Riddick's look, Sciiti continued to explain as they made their way below deck. "Right before the original invasion, her father, Cavan, was an ambassador off world. While there, he met and fell in love with Carolyn's mother. Since he felt as though his obligation to his own race had been fulfilled he was willing to never return home, living with his wife on her world the rest of his days.
"And then the Necros' invaded." Riddick commented.
"Yes. Everyone off planet was ordered back home. As Cavan was the highest ranking Lord of his region left alive, his wife was accepted by our council. Carolyn was born with a mark and after that her parentage became a moot point."
"Mark?" Riddick asked.
"You truly have no knowledge of your own race?"
"I was abandoned as a newborn."
Sciiti gave him a long look. "Somewhere on your body there is a mark. The blackest of blacks." Sciiti pull his sleeve up reveling a series of triangles on his left forearm. "There are only two marks like this in the world. This one and the one belonging to my soul mate. Their positions mirror each other. Do you have such a mark?"
Riddick nodded silently
Sciiti clapped him on the back smiling. "Excellent. Now that you're going home perhaps you'll find her. She might even be closer than you imagine," he said with a wink. "I'm going to go check on those in the infirmary. I'm sure Carolyn will be in there with the children." Sciiti said pointing towards the galley.
Sure enough, Riddick found Carolyn sitting at a table with the little girl next to her, the toddler from earlier on her lap and another small child on her other side, coaxing them into eating the food on their plates. Other adults, children and teens were scattered about the room. Fixing himself a plate he stopped next to her table, unable to stay away. "Mind if I join you?
"Only if you think you'd have better luck getting that one to eat," she said pointing towards the girl next to her.
"You're not eating?" He asked the little girl with a frown.
Keelia, the child in question looked down scraping the toe of her shoe against the deck. "It doesn't taste very good."
"No it really doesn't, does it?"
The little girl shook her head.
"Have you ever needed to be brave before? When all you wanted to do was hide somewhere really safe?"
Keelia nodded, giving him her full attention. "This is another one of those times you to be brave and eat the food so that all the other kids will know that they can do it too."
"Ok," the child mumbled clearly not happy about not getting her way, but yet wanting to make this new important man in her life proud of her.
Carolyn smiled at the little girl as she began to eat taking a moment to stroke her hair.
"Thank you." She told Riddick, shifting the child on her lap as she fed him. "Do you know if there are crew quarters on the ship? We've been kept in that one large room for weeks now with nothing. It would be nice to get everyone cleaned up and in decent beds if there are any available." Riddick nodded. "Two decks up. As soon as you're ready I'll take you."
When Keelia and the other child finished eating, Carolyn stood talking to the room at large. "Crew quarters are two decks up. If you're ready, I'm going now."
A few stood to join them while a woman and some teens starting picking up plates. 'We'll stay for a bit and make sure those in the infirmary have eaten and settled."
Carolyn nodded, "Thank you, Kennocha. Please tell Sciiti when you see him."
Carolyn followed Riddick up two flights with her charges in tow. Riddick hit the door release in front of them reveling a bunk room.
Carolyn met his eyes.
He simply shrugged. "It's an improvement to where you were." The children all chattered as they made their way into the room claiming their bed for the night as Riddick opened lockers tossing out the clothes that the soldiers wore under their armor. "They're at least clean."
Shoving the toddler, Driscol, into Riddick's arms, Carolyn herded her charges into the communal showers stripping the youngest down and giving them what she hoped was a bar of soap to share. Tugging her tall boots off, she took Driscol from Riddick who had held the squirming boy at arm's length. "Would you make sure others find their way up?" She asked distractedly as she started removing the boys clothing.
Simply nodding he turned, walking to the other end of the barracks to wait by the door. Carolyn sat Driscol on the floor between the two girls as they played in the water watching them make him laugh as she stripped out of her own clothes, taking her time as she unwound the twists pinned into her hair. With a sigh she reached up scratching her scalp as she joined the children.
Not realizing that communal showers were nothing out of the ordinary for Furyans, as modesty had no place on the battlefield, Riddick stopped at the entrance to the showers taking in the scene before him. Men, women, teens and children wearing nothing more than the skin they were born in, were visiting as they bathed and washed clothes. Children laughing and women gossiping could be heard over the sound of the water hitting the floor. Riddick sought Carolyn out finding her near the end as she spoke with another woman roughly her own age. The woman said something causing Carolyn to look over her shoulder, smiling when she saw him. Finishing their conversation, the woman turned away picking up some wet clothing as Carolyn bent over picking Driscol up. Riddick's eyes narrowed in appreciation at the sight, watching as she picked the little boy up clutching his slippery body to her chest as she made her way to him. Riddick let his eyes roam up and down her body as she approached, wrestling the squirmy child in her arms, internally chiding the child for keeping parts of her body from his view.
"Thanks for getting everyone up here."
"Looks like everyone's settling in."
Caro looked back over the people in the room, her chest swelling with pride. They were such a resilient people. It was in their DNA. Nothing could keep them down for long.
Following her out into the dressing area, his eyes soaking in the view, He lent against the door frame watching as she bundled Driscol in a towel. A teenager appeared from behind him taking the child from Carolyn with her murmured thanks, wrapping a towel around herself before turning to face him.
"There's not enough bunks in here for everyone, but there are several set of officers' quarters that hold up to four."
Carolyn nodded taking in the information. "All of the kids can stay in here, and we'll divide the adults into the smaller cabins. They're nearby if we're needed during the night?"
"Up and down the other side of the hall."
"Thanks." Carolyn ran her fingers through her damp hair pushing it away from her face, "You've been a big help."
"I'll be staying in the room at the end of the hall."
Carolyn watched him go.
He was laying on his bunk a few hours later when the door chime went off. Getting up, he found Carolyn leaning against the door. "Looks like I'm crashing with you." She said flapping a hand in the middle of his chest as she walked into the room dumping her shit on the table as she began to spread damp clothes on every available surface. Looking down the hall he saw Sciiti in the doorway of another cabin grinning broadly at him. Riddick hit the door control and turned his back.
"Everyone settled?" he asked watching her move around the cabin.
"Yes, finally," she answered hanging a scrap of cloth from end of the bed that Riddick eyed suspiciously. "It took us a while to improvise a crib for Driscol so no one would have to worry about making sure he either didn't fall or escape. I've got about eight hours before I'm needed back in the control room. Leith and Herne will be taking the night watch." She plopped down on the bunk that he had occupied sighing at the softness and warmth beneath her. "Goodnight Riddick."
"Goodnight Carolyn," he whispered collapsing into a chair, hand fisted against his mouth.
It would take over eight weeks to get home. The first week on the ship was spent getting everyone up to speed in the command center. They didn't have to know how to pilot, they just had to know how to identify a problem so that one of the four pilots could be summoned. Rotation lists were made for the command center, the galley and for helping with the 6 children. In their off time the adults worked with the teenagers on their hand to hand combat. Riddick had joined in that a time or two teaching moves that not even the adults had seen.
He spent much of his time with Sciiti, who had no problem giving him a crash course in Furyan, and as much time as possible observing Carolyn without actually interacting with her. His only explanation when Sciiti made mention of it was that she reminded him of someone he knew a long time ago. He would hide in the shadows unobserved as she worked with the teen's one on one, spending extra time with those who were struggling, her combat skills impressive.
"We're born to be survivors, warriors, but not all of us excel at it. Those who are still struggling or lagging behind by their eighteenth birthday will be given the option of taking administrative positions." Sciiti explained one day as he joined him. He would eat in the galley watching as she helped teach the youngest their lessons, often inviting him to join them. The one place he avoided her was in their shared cabin, finding other places to sleep. The few times he had run into her there she almost always had the two youngest children, Driscol and Nara with her settled in his bunk. She would smile and shrug and explain that she had no siblings and had become attached to these two in their time together.
They were a week out when they were able to establish contact with their planet. He watched as Sciiti and Carolyn shared a look of relief. Carolyn began making a list of the names and colonies of the survivors, hoping that someone would recognize the smaller children from their names and descriptions only. The early days on the ship were a bit of a blur for most of them, many of the captives being hauled off to never be seen again. Carolyn supposed they were lucky to at least know the children's names. She also included a note relaying the existence of an Alpha male among them.
They were given instructions to go directly to the capital. They would land at the Councils private port and be taken to the Council building where they would be reunited with their loved ones.
As Sciiti and Carolyn oversaw their landing, the other adults took charge of getting ready for departure. They were as excited to be home as they were nervous to discover if their families had survived the attacks. There were tears as the absence of those who hadn't survived were made known, Carolyn making it a point to stop and speak to each person that had survived that ship with her. She hoped that their experience would help them to bring peace between some of the more conflicted colonies.
Moving to the back of the room, she felt Riddick's presence beside her. Your family couldn't be bothered to greet you?" he asked watching the reunions that were taking place around the room.
"My father is on the Council. The citizens come first."
Looking down at her Riddick knew that this was something that had probably been repeated to her since the day she was born. Her needs always taking a back seat to others. Placing his hands on her shoulders, he pulled her to stand in front of him, feeling her tense up first and then relax against him. That electric current was back, humming between them as they stood in companionable silence.
Carolyn felt Riddick tense as the air around them fluttered. "Mother, please." She said.
Riddick dropped his hands from her as an older, blonde haired woman appeared before them holding her arms out to her daughter. Carolyn went to her instantly. Riddick's face transformed into a thundercloud. "Your mother is an Elemental?" he growled.
Carolyn tilted her head. "Mother, this is Richard Riddick. Riddick, this is my mother, Zenevieva Fry."
Riddick took a step back as the elemental took a step forward. "Riddick," she breathed her eyes sparkling as she looked him over. "My mother, Aereon, mentioned you often."
In the blink of an eye, he had a knife to her throat. "What's going on?" He growled as Carolyn cried out.
"Riddick, no!"
A knife appeared under Riddick's chin stretching his neck up. "Perhaps you'd like to take the knife away from my wife's neck and we can talk about this civilly?"
Riddick slowly lowered the knife tucking it away in the sheath on his arm. The knife on his throat was drug away slowly. "Father!" Carolyn hissed rushing to Riddick's side as she ripped a piece of her shirt holding it to the thin cut that stretched across his neck.
Cavan Fry moved to his wife's side, touching her face gently as he inspected her neck. "I'm fine, Cavan." She said shushing him. "You've met my mother, his reaction is completely understandable." Cavan Fry chuckled. "Yes, she did tend to have that effect on people."
"Carolyn?"
Carolyn looked up from where she wiped the thin bead of blood from Riddick's neck.
"Please," her father asked holding his arms open. Meeting Riddick's eyes, Carolyn turned to her father walking into his embrace. "I'm so happy you're alive," he whispered into her hair, closing his eyes for a moment as he held his only child.
"I missed you as well," she murmured with a smile.
"This is Riddick, Father. The man I told the council about in my communiqué."
"The Alpha. Yes, we have many questions for you." The large bear of a man said looking Riddick over.
"But not today," Zenevieva announced to her family. "We're going to take Riddick home with us and make him feel welcome. There will time for that tomorrow.
Riddick simply nodded as his head as he processed this new-found knowledge.
Riddick stayed quiet as they made the trip to the Fry home. Carolyn watched the Alpha who could be made of stone as much emotion as he's showing. Her eyes flicker between this man she's undeniably drawn to and her parents. Her mother had completely shut down which signaled to Carolyn that this, whatever this is, is bad. Logic, numbers, calculations, those are what her Mothers people know. Not the passionate emotions that run through Furyan veins, her veins. However, she remembers meeting her Grandmother once, years before. She reminded Carolyn of a wise old owl she had once seen pictures of in a story book at school.
"She's perfect," Aereon said lifting Carolyn's chin to get a better look at her. "She'll be perfect for him. She'll be both Savior and Soul-mate."
"Mother," Zenevieva pleaded, "We have no right to interfere. It must play out the way it's meant to play out."
"It's my fault. I cursed them both with the prophesy. Let me at least try to make it right."
"Carolyn?" She hears Riddick call her name through the fuzz in her brain, her parents bearing silent witness, her mother suddenly wringing her hands.
"My Grandmother. You knew her?" she suddenly asked him.
"Yes." He nodded leaving much unsaid.
An agonizing awareness descends upon her. "It's her fault. It's her fault that your home was destroyed. Because she told them about him." Carolyn whispers at her father, afraid to raise her voice.
"Carolyn," her mother pleads.
"Who was she?" She suddenly demands from Riddick.
Riddick stared stoically back.
"The savior, the one that I look so much like you can barely stand to be around me."
Riddick looks away, his hands fisting at his side. "Her name was Carolyn. Carolyn Fry. She gave her life for mine."
"My Gods!" Carolyn cried out to her parents. "What did she do?"
Standing, Cavan grasped her shoulders, "She just wanted you to have a chance at happiness."
"Does this look like it's going to end well, Father?" Carolyn snapped.
"Carolyn, we still don't even know that its him for sure. We haven't seen his mark."
"And we're not going to either," she hissed, pointing her finger at her mother. "Your Mother destroyed his life. I will not be the one that takes anymore away from him, simply because you want your daughter to be happy." She growled at her father as the shuttle came to a stop, the door hissing open. Running down the ramp she was out of sight.
Cavan looked at his wife. "I suppose that could have gone better."
Riddick sat in the bedroom of Carolyn's house. She lived on her parent's property but had maintained her own household for years. His hands fisted under his chin as he waited for her to calm down enough to come home. He knew the anger of manipulation. Knew the white-hot heat it could generate. There was nothing to be done now but to deal with it and where it took them.
The anger had flown out of Carolyn almost as quickly has it had come leaving her saddened for the both of them. No one deserved to have their life played with like that. No one. For the first time in her life she was ashamed of her family. Ashamed of being the half-breed. She wondered if her Grandmothers manipulations went all the way back to the death of Olwen, her father's soul-mate.
Wearily she locked the door behind her, undressing in the laundry room, leaving her boots near the door as she began unpinning her hair on the way upstairs. Going straight to the bathroom, she washed her face and brushed her teeth before walking over to her bed determined to not think for at least the next eight hours. She was pulling back the blankets when he spoke.
"I don't blame you."
"What in the bloody hell are you doing here, Riddick?" she demanded turning to face him.
He looked at her with a flicker of unnamed emotion in his shined eyes.
Standing, he walked until he was less than an arm's length away from her. "You have no idea how long I've looked for this place. How long I've wanted to find a place where I belong. I really don't care if I've been manipulated or not. There are things that are mine on this planet and I want them."
Carolyn's mouth went dry. "Those things that you want will tie you to this planet."
He reached out running a finger from her shoulder to her wrist. "I'm very aware of that."
"Once you say the words, everything will change. You can no longer live the way that you did."
"That's not going to be a problem," he replied wrapping a hand around her wrist drawing her closer. "How is it that not once in all those weeks on the ship, all those trips to the shower to watch you, to talk to you, I never once saw this?" he asked reaching out to run a finger around the mark circling her areola, watching as it pebbled under his touch.
Carolyn sucked in a breath, "I don't know. You were probably so obsessed with me looking like her that you never noticed."
Riddick's eyes flew to her face; a hand followed clutching her cheeks. "She's not here. You are. You will never have to worry about competing with a ghost."
As she closed her eyes, Riddick pulled her closer, placing a kiss on her forehead. He and her parents were the only ones that would ever know the truth about just how much manipulation had really been done by Aereon. Picking her up, he laid her on the bed, a knee between her legs as he reached up pulling his shirt over his head. He watched her mouth open and close a few times before she reached out with her hand, running her finger around his mark. He gave her a minute before dipping his head down, tracing hers with his tongue before sucking the nipple into his mouth, smiling at the noise emanating from her throat. Carolyn's hands clutched at his waist as he nipped his way up her neck to her ear, repeating the words he had learned from Sciiti.
"I vow you the first of everything I touch. I shall be a shield for your back as you'll be for mine. No stranger shall utter a grievance against you in my presence, and from this day forth it will only your name I cry out in the night. Blood of my blood, bone of my bone, you shall be my Anam Cara through this life and into the next; this is my Gealltanas Siorai to you, an bean cheile.
Carolyn let out a tiny sob. "We're not doing it right."
"All that matters are the words. Say them, Carolyn. Say them for me," he whispered huskily, running his hand down between her legs using his fingers to arch her back off the bed.
Carolyn met his eyes. "I accept you as my Anam Cara; blood of my blood, bone of my bone. You cannot possess me for I belong to myself, but I give you that which is mine to give. You cannot command me for I am a free person, but I will serve you in those ways you require, this is my Gealltanas Siorai to you."
Riddick walked across the open field with Driscol perched upon his shoulders to where Carolyn and the girls were picking fruit off the vines that grew on their property. When Driscol saw his adoptive mother and sisters, he began bouncing, demanding the Riddick put him down. With a chuckle he placed the boy on his feet and watched as the toddler made his way to Carolyn, clutching one of her legs. Carolyn laughed, bending down to kiss his pudgy cheek before handing him a basket and letting his sisters ply him with berries. He watched as she sought him out now that their children were occupied. She had decided to adopt the three orphaned children that had been on board the Necro ship with them and he had stood behind her in that decision claiming them as his own.
Even after a year he still wasn't used to the constant state of twilight that their planet existed in, inhaling deeply the smell of his home, bending down to touch the soil. He had been to the original Furya, what was left of it anyway, and knew now that his home wasn't on a planet. It was with his people. With his family.
As he watched Carolyn approach, he wondered when she would tell him that their family would be growing. Standing, he reached out pulling her in tight, before turning her so that they could keep an eye on the kids. Rubbing his hands up and down her arms, he finally let them fall to her waist, resting them over the small swell of her abdomen where his child lay.
"The girls were wondering when you would get here."
"Hmm," he hummed into her neck. "Driscol thought a game of hide and seek was in order."
Carolyn laughed at the antics of their two-year old. He definitely kept them on their toes. She watched as the girls placed a flower wreath upon his head causing him to giggle as it slid sideways tickling his ear, her face going soft before tilting her head, kissing the underside of Riddick's jaw.
"Perhaps we should hope this one is a girl as well. I'm not sure if he could handle sharing his sisters with anyone other than his daddy."
Pulling away slightly to look her in the eye, his hand reached up to cup her cheek. "Thank you," he whispered before brushing his lips softly against hers.
"For what?" she asked.
"For always giving me exactly what I need."
"And I always will," she said softly placing her hand gently on his chest where his soul mark lay.
The End
Anam Cara: Soulmate/Friend
Gealltanas Siorai: Eternal Promise
an bean cheile: Wife