Summary: What if... What if Riddick got away from Johns before he could shove that horse bit in his mouth to try to ship him back off to slam? What if Jack wasn't just a child, but a teenager of sixteen with a budding animal inside her that takes Riddick's interest? What if neither of them were on that ship? What if certain events put her right in Riddick's hold, whether she wants to be there or not?

Jack had just wanted to spend some time with the first real animal she had come across. She didn't know that one weekend would earn her more time with him then she could have ever hoped for. She thought that Riddick was just playing with her when he said he'd take her with him. When it turns out he's very serious and she doesn't have a choice will she put up a fight or let him be the alpha to the beast lingering inside her.

She hit the ground running, just like she always did. She could hear her combat boots on the pavement, her heart beating in her chest, and the boots of men behind her rushing to see if anything had gotten in or out of the compound. They were always more concentrated on if someone got in instead of out, so she had the time to get into a darkened alley and around a building to catch her breath without anyone seeing her. Leaning her head back the teen turned green eyes up at the sky, as she plucked at her tank top, trying to cool off in the hot, dry weather. Using the back of her other hand she wiped at a cut above her eye before running the fingers of both hands through her short light brown hair.

"Hello freedom did you miss me?" The teen chuckled as she moved out into the street moving further away from the compound and closer to a little bar down the street that was only marked by an open sign.

Never even noticed the shadow watching her up on a roof of a nearby building, she just shouldered open the door to the bar and walked inside.

"Jack!"

"It's not serious." She breathed as she walked over to the bar and slid into her seat.

"You're bleeding," The bartender insisted pulling out a first aid kit. Regulars littering the bar didn't bat an eye. One or two shook their head in a "not again" manner. No one said anything though, because it was just the regulars tonight despite it being a Friday.

"I'm always bleeding," Jack shrugged lightly as she popped open the kit and went about tearing open an alcohol wipe and blindly cleaning up the cut just above her eyebrow as she looked around. "Anything new Jet?"

"You've got to be more careful Jack," Jet insisted as he opened a beer and slid it down to someone at the end of the bar. "What he does isn't your fault, but you should tell someone who can help you."

Sighing Jack set down a card with a red 10 on the screen in the middle the card itself reading Universal Denominations across the bottom. "Well what's going on Jet?" Jack asked as she watched him swipe the card. When he handed it back the card read 0 on it. If she paid for the information he shut up about her dad. Sure Jet meant every word he said, but she didn't want to hear it.

"There's a convict on planet, escaped from Ursa Luna… or was it Butchers Bay…?" Jet said as he took up cleaning a glass.

"Don't mess with the kid Jet, you know it was both," Mac, the man sitting a seat away from the kid said.

"No way!" Jack insisted gleefully as she bounced a bit in her seat. "Him? Jet it was really him?"

"I'm thinking so, but you know my policy," Jet said as he put the glass down and picked up another.

"You never heard it here," Jack droned before she grinned again. "So cool, how do you know? Is he here because the Lupus system has no extradition policy? Or is he here because he's shipping out to somewhere bigger soon?" Her mood dropped at that. With her luck he was probably long gone. You didn't go around telling people you were Richard B. Riddick if you were going to stick around. There was no extradition policy but that wouldn't stop mercs from finding you and hauling you in. Of course everyone that was usually in Jet's bar was hardly a merc, and they were usually too drunk (or pretended to be too drunk) to get a straight answer from if they were being bribed. Others were just too proud to sell out a fellow outlaw. The only time that changed was when the military stopped in for the booze.

"Said his name was Riddick, sure there are other's in the galaxy, but it was him. He didn't say his reasons for being here or how long he'd be planetside," Jet said with a shrug at the end. Really it concerned him that a sixteen year old girl wanted to meet such a man. Then again Jack wasn't exactly your normal girl. She was sitting in the middle of his bar ignoring that there was some spray in that kit to close hold the cut closed. She was sitting in the middle of his bar and all the men there regarded her as another regular. "If you're lucky he might come in again."

Jack snorted as she closed up the kit saying, "With my luck he's off planet already. Off to somewhere better than this heap."

Jet shrugged his eyes moving to the monitor behind the bar showing the entrance. "Eh, best get going Jack," Jet suggested as he jerked his thumb to the back door, "Wouldn't want the old man to make you bleed on my bar instead of just in it."

She was out of the chair before he finished talking, bolting into the back hallway as the door opened. Looking back Jack found she wasn't noticed as she slipped out the back entrance. By the sounds of it they were already half way to being trashed upon walking in the door. Closing the door quietly behind her Jack sighed looking around. Now she couldn't even hope he'd come in and she could talk to him. Stupid army base had to be right around the corner.

All this left was heading over to Babylon to have a good time, idling around the city, or going back home. The last one she didn't really see as an option. She'd definitely get caught going back in so soon. Best time to go back into the compound was the shift change around sunrise. Not that she wanted to go home anyway. What was at home anyway?

Frowning Jack started down the alley, her hands in her pockets. Her only warning that something wasn't right was the thud of something landing on the ground after she passed a fire escape. She tensed her shoulders but kept walking. She couldn't hear anything behind her, but she knew someone was back there. She was almost passed the mouth of an alley that would lead out onto the street before she darted down it. Before she was out in the open though some grabbed her wrist, and on instinct she turned aiming to punch the person in the jaw.

She pulled it at the last second as her eyes kicked a message to her brain. The person whose jaw her fist just connect with was built like a tank. She was in so much trouble. It was only when she was being shoved up against the wall next to them that she really realized who she was looking at. Her eyes widening as she insisted, "You're Riddick."

He grinned, smart kid, well, kind of. "You pulled your punch before you knew who I was. Even then, might not be the smartest move," Riddick said as he looked down at his prey through his welders' goggles. Though she wasn't in the danger most of his prey found themselves in. She was just interesting, something he wanted a closer look at.

"I'm Jack," she introduced herself, willfully ignoring his comment as she looked him over the best she could considering he was pressed mostly up against her. When he raised a brow she sighed asking, "Your comment or my name?"

Riddick chuckled at that and pushed her hair out of her face saying, "Both."

Jack let him hold her face after he pushed his goggles up on his head, "You're a lot bigger than me, it was startling, and Jack is so much better than Jacqueline." He was inspecting the cut on her forehead, but she was stuck on his eyes. Silver. He really did have a shine-job. Once he was finished his eyes fell down to hers, both of his hands still cupping her face.

Cute kid. She looked like she was seeing another person for the first time in her life. He smirked, saying, "Looks like you get in a lot of fights with things bigger than you, Jack. You're gonna get hurt if you scare so easily." Then again she might have just been seeing another animal for the first time in her life.

"Occupational hazard," Jack shrugged just before she realized that he said she'd been scared. Her eyes narrowed even if he could probably crush her skull saying, "I do not scare easily. Scared and startled are not the same thing." When he just grinned at her, letting her face go to prop his hands up on the walls on either side of her head, Jack tilted her head to the side asking off handedly, "Should I be scared."

She actually wasn't scared, and it was certainly a first that someone was asking if they should be fearful for their wellbeing around him. Riddick watched her for a second before shrugging, saying, "Not really." There was no reason to make her jumpy even if hanging around him might not have been the best move for the kid to make. She was just too fascinating to send away though.

Jack grinned deviously back at him guessing, "So what you're saying is that I'm not gonna die."

"Not unless I want you to," Riddick said with an amused smile as he moved away from her just enough to give her a good, full, once over. She was watching him intently, she seemed geared up. Like a puppy that wanted to play. Well if she wanted to play who was he to deny her? "With weak punches like that though, I can't promise much for when you leave my sight." Riddick goaded as he pushed his goggles back into place.

"I can do better than that!" Jack insisted as she stepped closer to him.

Laughing as they started to circle each other Riddick told her, waving her on, "We'll see about that."

ooo

Jack frowned as she laid her head on Riddick's shoulder. "I mean yay, I got a hit, but doesn't that sting?" Riddick was sporting a red line on his cheek just under were his goggles sat. He pulled a blade on her so she followed suit. He sliced her shirt a bit; she caught him on the cheek despite actually just trying to punch him. "I wasn't actually aiming to cut you."

"You're alright kid," Riddick chuckled as hefted her a bit higher on his back. He was impressed that she managed that, well almost, if it hadn't been a complete accident, but the kid had potential. As of right now though, she kept sliding down from where he was holding her now that she wasn't actively clinging to him for this piggyback ride. Jack was getting tired, but was refusing to go home. For reasons unknown to Riddick leaving her out like this and ditching her for the night wasn't something he wanted to do, so instead he was taking her to where he was staying. It'd either scare her into going home or... Riddick hadn't gotten to the "or" part yet. There was plenty that could happen if she stayed. "I can still head back, get there before that shift change when the sun comes up." Riddick told her if only because it'd probably spur her on to stay with him. Just because he didn't know why he wasn't sending her home, or what he was going to do with her didn't mean he wanted her gone.

Shaking her head a bit Jack held onto Riddick harder. "But I'm really not that tired," Jack insisted glaring at him a bit, just before she turned her face away to yawn.

"It's four in the morning Jack," Riddick laughed as his motel came into view. It had to be criminal how easy this was turning out to be. "No shame in being tired."

"Boo…" Jack mumbled before pressing her face to his neck. "I don't want to sleep. I don't want to go home to be whined at by my friend for not taking her clubbing because her boyfriend dumped her and I certainly don't want to go home to be yelled at by my father for not being around, even though he specifically told me to get lost." When Riddick made a noise of acknowledgement Jack nuzzled him, yawning again, before saying, "We can spar more, it was fun."

"While you don't need sleep, I specifically bought a room to sleep in," Riddick insisted as he walked around the main office to the seedy little establishment towards where the buildings with the rooms were located. He paid extra for a clean one. Apparently a maid was sent into his to clean and put new sheets on the bed, as well as opening the windows to make sure it was aired out. They'd see how they did if it wasn't clean he was getting his money back.

"You're just trying to get rid of me," Jack whined as she leaned away a little to look at him.

"Exactly," Riddick snorted, "Carried you all the way to where I'm staying to make you walk back home." Actually it was plan A but she didn't need to know that. Plan B was becoming more likely anyway. Instead of having to coax her into coming back out tomorrow she'd already be here. It'd be easier to figure her out if she willingly came to him instead of having to stalk her. Stalking her while not impossible would be a bitch with her living in that compound.

Jack looked around as Riddick easily bounded up the stairs to the first of three buildings that surrounded a small courtyard. "Should really start paying more attention…" Jack breathed as she squirmed a little. She hadn't been paying much attention to where he was walking to. Just that he was taking her with him. He'd let her tackle him purposely turning his back to her, but instead of pulling her over his shoulder he just took ahold of her thighs holding her to him as he told her he was done playing for the night.

"Not scared are ya Jack?" Riddick asked as he walked down the hall on the second floor, he looked over the railing at the courtyard, and around at the other buildings, but no one was around.

"You're not kidnapping me are you Riddick?" Jack asked back as she watched the numbers on the doors go by. She wasn't concerned if he was, she lived in hell. At least she liked Riddick.

"Not yet," Riddick said with a shrug as he stopped in front of B09 and let Jack down. After, he pulled out a keycard and slid it into the slot above the handle. Once the little green light went on he pulled it out and opened the door.

"Can't kidnap the willing I suppose," Jack added with amusement as she followed Riddick in. Jack looked around at the simple set up after Riddick put the lights on low with the little dial next to the door. There was a full size bed, a table with two chairs on either side of it, and two doors on the opposite wall. One was probably a closet, the other the bathroom. Riddick was looking around beside her; he must not have actually gotten a good look at his accommodations. "It's pretty clean for a motel."

"Paid extra for it to be cleaned while I was out," Riddick said as he walked over to the door to the left. Inside still sat his duffle bag. He'd check it out more thoroughly but it looked like he left it. "Wasn't going to pay for a dirty bed that smelt like fifty unwashed people."

"Probably a good idea," Jack said kicking off her shoes before moving over to the bed, sitting on the edge and watching as Riddick moved around the room checking things out. "Pretty much all of Lupus 7 is old, and shady. The police were so corrupt the government on Lupus Prime sent out the military to take over."

Riddick came back out of the bathroom after looking around and noting that the tile was supposed to be white instead of a faded grey color like he thought. He was glad to see Jack getting comfortable; because she was right he couldn't kidnap the willing. Going back over to the closet he pulled out his duffle placing it on the bed next to Jack. He unzipped it and rifled through it and grinned as he found the hundred UD card at the bottom. Pulling it out he looked it over. No maid looking though his things would leave this. Pulling out a little hand held scanner he turned in on and grinned as it beeped and told him there was nothing electronic in the bag.

"You always inspect your own stash Riddick?" Jack asked as she crossed her legs and moved to sit facing the bag and Riddick.

"Kid you're lucky I didn't pat you down for wires," Riddick said giving her a toothy grin as he pulled out a shirt and tossed it at her.

Jack caught the shirt and held it up; it was just a black tee. She didn't quite understand though. When she lowered it she tilted her head interestedly as Riddick pulled out of his shirt, dropping it on the floor, before he kicked off his shoes and pulled off his socks. She held it out for him, only for Riddick to shake his head.

"You wanna where your clothes to bed?" Riddick asked as he tossed the duffle back into the closet.

"We… we're just going to sleep right?" Jack asked hesitantly as she held the shirt to her chest.

Riddick looked at her for a second. Forced himself not to think about fucking her before he nodded, saying, "Yeah we'll just sleep." It hadn't been that long since he got laid. There was a very nice brothel down the street with a busty blonde who had looked convincingly happy to see him.

Jack paused going to say something before she got up. She only hesitated once more before saying, "Look Riddick, I have a particularly shitty life but I actually think you're pretty amazing, so all I'm asking for is a warning if you want to add to it."

Riddick went to say something but Jack ran off into the bathroom before he could, shutting the door behind her. Moving over to the door he waited for her to come out. His hands propped up on either side of the door as he looked down at the bright light that started to spill out the bottom. After a second it turned back off and he pulled his goggles off. When it opened again Jack was clad his T-shirt and he grinned at her saying, "Jack you're interesting, I'm checking you out. Scenting you I guess you could say. If I like what I find…" Riddick leaned down so he was looking her in the eye, "I could use a companion. I've spent a lot of time alone, a lot of time running. It could be time for a change. Of course then we might be doing something other than sleeping."

"But you can wait to see if you want me to stick around?" Jack asked as she watched him look her over. Getting out of this place, getting out of this place with Riddick, it'd be like a dream come true. She still had the articles for when his bounty went up to a million UDs, and when he escaped from Ursa Luna. She had no intention of saving herself for marriage and Riddick was hot, but she didn't want to be a one night fling.

"Yeah Jack I can wait," Riddick nodded before he reached out cupping the back of her head as he kissed her forehead.

AUTHORS NOTES:

KAY! So Here is Pack Animals the rewrite! Pack Animals 2.0! ... You get the idea.

For anyone who might have been in the middle of reading the old one I offer you the same option I gave my other readers and that is for you to contact me and ask to be sent the chapters of the old version. For everyone else a little incite on what you can expect.

First for those who read the old one. You'll notice right of the bat that while the beginning was almost exactly the same Jack actually stayed with Riddick. I intend to have them spend more time together initially then they did. Last one they were kind of just thrown together. This one they're getting a little chance to get to know each other before things get going.

For everyone else! I don't exactly remember if I describe her in this chapter, and I have to start remembering, but I did Jack more the way I imagined her growing up. So she's older than Jack in Pitch Black, but she's not as old as Kyra TCOR. Also she looks more like Jack then Kyra, she has the short light brown hair instead of the long dark brown hair, and she's softer then Kyra really. Probably more of the kind of interpretation you might get from someone who only saw Pitch Black.