Riddick instantly was no longer sleeping when he heard a strange noise, his eyes popped open as he sat up quickly in bed. He slid his hand under his pillow for the blade he normally kept there. He slid out of his bed to a low crouch on the floor. He sped across the hardwood floors swiftly and quietly, eyes quickly shifting to every inch of his well-known floorplan. He recognized the sound coming from the back porch, who or whatever it was, was sorely mistaken if they thought they were coming up in his house. Then the sound stopped and Riddick grew suspicious. He looked through all the windows in the kitchen but didn't see anything so he decided to open the back door. He slowly opened the back door more than halfway and craned his head out. That's when he saw what was making the noise on his porch, it was Cylus. He was sitting in the furthest corner of the porch with his knees pulled to his chest, his head resting on top of them and his arms wrapped around his legs. Riddick could see him shivering from where he was. He wondered how long he had been out there and why was he there.

"Cylus? Is that you, buddy?" Riddick said in a whispered gentle voice. Cylus's head lifted and Riddick could see the dried tear tracks on his face. Something in Riddick twisted when he saw the utter loss and sadness in those shimmering green eyes. Riddick walked over to Cylus and sat down next to him. "What's wrong, Cylus? Come on, buddy, tell me what's wrong."

A few long moments went by and then Cylus whispered, "I miss Kyra." His head dropped back onto his knees and Riddick heard a sob, it was quiet and he barely heard it but he knew a sob when he heard one.

Riddick reached out to Cylus, running his hand through his dark brown locks, and suddenly Cylus had his arms wrapped around his neck, his tears running down Riddick's chest. Riddick sighed and wrapped his arms around him, holding him while he sobbed. Cylus clutched at him as his sobs wracked his body.

"It's alright, Cylus, it's okay to miss her. I miss her too." He sat there for long minutes holding him in his arms, well after Cylus had stopped crying. "Are you ok, buddy?" he asked, Cylus shook his head no.

"Ok, I understand but can we go in the house, it is kinda cold out here." Cylus nodded and Riddick helped him up. Cylus moved stiffly as they shuffled into the house and Riddick wondered how long had he been out there, it was one in the morning when he had initially heard the noise. Cylus stood by him when he locked the back door and followed him as he walked through the house.

"Are you tired, Cylus? Do you want to –", Riddick stopped talking when he noticed that Cylus had fallen asleep standing up. He chuckled at this and walked over to him. He roused Cylus just enough to get him to lie down on the couch. He pulled off Cylus's boots and then pulled a quilt out of the chest behind the sofa and laid it on him. He smiled and then shuffled off to climb back into his own bed. 'Hopefully' he thought, 'Maybe things would look better in the morning.'

Riddick was jolted awake a second time by the feeling of the bed dip. He knew it was Cylus but he kept his eyes closed because he didn't want to scare him and once Cylus was settled, he slowly opened his eyes. Cylus was trembling and chewing on his thumbnail, He remembered Kyra telling him that Cylus only did that when he was scared and nervous.

"Cylus? He whispered and Cylus jumped. Riddick laid his hand on his shoulder and just slowly stroked his arm.

"Did you have a nightmare?" Cylus nodded and scooted closer to Riddick.

"Do you want to sleep in here with me, where it's safe?" Cylus nodded once again and scooted closer.

A gentle smile curved Riddick's mouth as his hand slowly slid to Cylus's back and pulled him closer. The moment their bodies were touching, Cylus sighed and completely relaxed into Riddick. Every time Riddick shifted away from him, he whimpered.

"It's okay, Cylus, I'm not going anywhere. I'm just trying to get comfortable." He whispered.

When Riddick had them settled, he noticed how Cylus fit into every nook and cranny of his body as if he was meant to lie in his arms. The way Cylus's nose was nuzzled against his neck, the feel of his breath as it eddied across his clavicle, how his body fit snugly against his own and even how their feet tangled together. He gave a soft chuckle and pulled Cylus closer, marveling at how his hand fit on the curve of Cylus's hip. 'Who knew', he thought as he slowly slid into a deep slumber, at peace for the first time in a long time.