Chapter 4: Bodyguard

He went back over to the bed, he had to get away from her…there was a part of him that just wanted to tell her he'd help her. No, I CAN'T do that!

He laid back down, hands behind his head. Must be the fact that she looks a little like Erin. He remembered how he tried to protect Erin in the foster home, just to have her ripped from his grasp. Yea, that has to be it. Even though, Erin had blonde hair and green eyes, and was tan as hell…no…that HAS to be it! It CAN'T be anything else! Come on Riddick! You're supposed to be cold!

Jack stood there, uncertain of the whole situation.

"So you're not going to tell them?"

"No."

"Why?"

"I dunno." Hell, she had been honest with him, might as well be honest with her.

He saw her shift her weight, from her left to her right foot. Good going Rid, no one here's had any rest and you're hogging the bed making her stand. Wait…why do I care?

He moved over again making room on the bed, it wasn't large, but it was big enough for 2 people if they didn't mind being close.

"Come sit…or lay down…or something." He said, almost stuttering. Great, sound even more like a dumbass.

Well, he's being nice…he's probably the best ally I could have here. Plus he's hot, not like THAT would ever happen. She mentally joked to herself. She walked over to the bed and sat on the side. She wasn't sure she wanted to lie down, the wrap was really rubbing the skin raw, and the places where it overlapped caused little cuts in her skin. But she was so tired. She laid down on the bed and tried not to wince at the pain that was lashing across her back.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing," she lied.

"Bullshit…I saw you wince before…what is it?" WHY do I care?

"It's just the…the wrap. It's kinda old…and getting…uncomfortable." Why is it I've known this guy less than 30 minutes and yet I just spilled some very personal stuff?

He was sitting up, and she could tell he wasn't gonna let her rest. So she sat up letting out a sigh…might as well.

She lifted up her baggy shirt to expose the sweat, dirt and blood soaked bandaged wrapped so tight around her upper torso that if it had been around a limb, it would have caused it to fall off.

He visibly paled, and he got a look on his face that could have killed. It quickly turned from anger to what actually looked like…compassion.

"Good God…" he whispered. As he gently touched a piece of the cloth. Making her wince and him pull back immediately.

"Sorry…I didn't mean…how long…how long have you had this on?"

"Five weeks."

"Fuck."

He took her shirt in his hands and finished taking it off her.

"Riddick…what the hell are you doing?"

"Ssh…" he started to unhook the end of the long bandage, feeling the tug of the skin that was now attached to it.

"Ow, fuck! Stop!"

"Jack…this is wrong…you shouldn't…you shouldn't have to do this."

What the fuck! "Riddick, you know as well as I do it's better this way, if I had been a 'girl' all this time, I'd probably wouldn't even be alive."

"That's not the point." He said as he continued unwrapping her, cursing himself and whispering apologizes whenever her felt her cringe from the pain.

"Stop…Riddick…I'm just gonna have to put the shit back on…and it'd be a lot easier if you just left it on." She said as she grabbed his hand in order to still it.

He looked up into her eyes, and gently squeezed her small hand in his. "No, you won't…you're not putting this shit on ever again."

"Yea, right, so I'm supposed to just strut out there with a new found set of tits, and then if we get off this hell-hole, go land somewhere as a single girl…I don't think so…that's a death sentence and you know it."

Before his brain even comprehended what he was saying, the phrase "I'll protect you," crossed his lips.

"What?"

"I'll protect you Jack." He said.