I'm sooo sorry for not removing but I haven't been feeling the vibe since I moved (aka BAD WRITER'S BLOCK). But, I'm back and ready to PARTAY! By the way: For all you artists out there, if you have been feeling the inspiration vibe, I would be honored to have you guys illustrate my fiction. I truly would, so no need to ask just draw!
Bring it!
Edit: I fixed Jack's pronouns in this chapter ( I used she instead of he, making some of my diligent reviewers question my sanity... Okay so they're too wonderful to question my sanity but they should of. NO Shay doesn't know Jack is a girl, she's in the dark about it just like everyone else (with the exception of Riddick, for Riddick knows ALL) it was just a slip up on my part)
Ch. 10: Paris's Shrink Service
Shay's POV ( I try to write in Riddick's POV but it always ends up REALLY sappy and it's just SO much easier to get inside Shay's head… because I created it… so yea)
I've always felt weak when compared to Riddick; I'm short, skinny, feminine (compared to Riddick at least). Which is why I tend to run my mouth… excessively shall we say? I tend to portray this façade, this 'tough chick' mask. I make threats I know I can't fulfill because I want to feel empowered, I want to feel like I belong with Riddick… because I don't, I don't belong here alongside the most wanted man in the universe; I simply don't.
I don't live up to my façade normally, so you can just imagine how much I live up to it now, with the monsters on the other side of a flimsy cargo hold door. I'm attached to Riddick like a damn barnacle, man! But I can't help it… ever since that episode in the hole, I haven't been able to push down the fear, I'm truly afraid. I don't think I've ever been this afraid… at least not since I joined Riddick… I know we aren't getting out of here alive… Riddick knows I know it, that's why he's letting me glue myself to him… Because otherwise he would tell me to suck it up.
Right now I can feel his breath on my skin as he whispers to me; trying to calm me down… he has to weld a hole in the wall so we can escape into another part of the ship since the monsters are tearing through the cargo hold door; he has to leave me here for a moment, but he'll be right next to me so I don't have to worry and he'll come back to me soon. I feel one large hand move to lower his goggles so I can't see his shine anymore and the fear begins to build. I squint my eyes as the cutting torch bursts to life and relief rolls over me ever so slightly because I can see him now.
He finishes cutting the hole and hands the torch to Paris as he grabs my wrist pulling me in front of him and through the hole. Once through the hole I feel his hand leave my wrist as it finds its way to my hip and I feel his words on my ear.
"I'm gonna have a look around stay in the light. Do you understand?"
I fumble for his hand, "Don't leave me."
"Shhh… I'll be right back. I'm not gonna leave you, I promise. 2 minutes at most."
I gulp and shiver as his body heat leaves my cold and alone.
Paris's POV (I had this profound idea…)
She's… different. The convict's woman, I mean. All that confidence, that witty vindictiveness is all but gone. That utter defiance has wasted away and all that's left in those eyes I once thought of as beautiful, is fear.
I watch her stick to the convict like a frightened child and I realize that's what she is… a frightened child hiding behind this mask of defiance and confidence. I mean she can't be any older than maybe 26, I'm nearly 40 now.
This… woman, I find it hard to call her a woman; there's so much she hasn't learned yet. I get the feeling that she was forced to grow up too fast; it's almost as if she living through that teenage 'nobody understands me' phase. I feel as if she hasn't found herself yet. It's an odd feeling to be sure… to feel this way about someone over 20.
I know how to describe her now, I remember the convict using the phrase first. Tag-Along. She's so busy tagging behind Riddick, trying to follow his footsteps, trying to carve out her place by his side, that she hasn't found herself yet. That's it.
Crash! I jump and we all turn the light towards the sound out of instinct catching the convict in his eyes. He makes a strangled noise and falls to the ground just as one of the monsters leaps for him. Johns luckily is able to shoot him and the monster in turn falls to the ground. And we discover that the monsters are 'allergic' to light, it scalds them. Good news to be sure!
When I turn back to the girl I find that Riddick has made his un-goggled way back to his woman. And I find another thing… there's a certain softest in his eyes when he looks at the girl. I realize that there is no reason for her to 'carve out' her spot beside him as I said before, because she already has a spot, she just hasn't realized it yet.
That man is so hostile to us and I was sure he was evil, but as look at him holding her, his eyes roving her body for a semblance of injury or harm, I feel as though I am spying on something I shouldn't, like I've been let into their world by accident.
But then again maybe I'm reading too much into this… maybe the care and concern I read in his eyes is just the faint glow of the blowtorch playing tricks in my mind… maybe.
Shay's POV
"Was that Hasan?" Imam whimpers toward Riddick, who nods semi-sympathetically in response.
"We'll burn a candle for him later, Com'n" Johns as per usual, kills the moment with his sensitivity to the plight of others… yeah we all know about that part of his soul… jeez.
Riddick lets me go to help the survivors push the cargo against the wall and I walk over and stand next to Jack, the poor kid is scared shitless. Eventually everyone is huddled in our little ring of light and I feel Riddick loop a finger through my belt loop and pull me against him. I welcome it. Riddick leaves his hand to rest on my hip… talk about weird.
They start to discuss our light sources because the monsters are afraid of the light.
"I think we might have enough." Fry comes to a conclusion.
"Enough for what?" Johns challenges and I can feel the tension, the hand on my hip twitches.
"We stick to the plan, get the four cells back to the ship and we're off this rock." Fry replies, ever the captain.
"I hate to ruin a beautiful theory with an ugly fact but that sand cat is solar, it won't run at night."
"Then we carry the cells; drag them; whatever it takes."
Frightened silence envelops us. Jack breaks it.
"You mean tonight? With all those things out there?" he's curled up in a ball and he shivers.
"Why not? It sounds fun," I voice trying to sound tough, like I should be.
Johns shoots me a knowing look, he knows I'm afraid, that my façade has faltered.
"Wait; back it up. How long can this eclipse last? An hour, a day?"
"I had the impression from the model that it would be a… lasting darkness." Imam cuts in.
Johns scoffs, "Those suns gotta back up sometime. And if thesebastards are really phobic about light, then we should just sit tight until then."
Fry glares at him and the tension builds again, "I'm sure that's what someone else said, locked inside that coring room."
"Look, we gotta think about everyone here, the kid especially. How scared is he gonna be out there."
"Oh, don't use him like that. He's not a smokescreen." I cut in; he's starting to piss me off… I believe I feel my second wind returning. (A/N: i.e. she ready to start trouble) I lean foward a little and stare Johns down.
"A smokescreen for what?" Johns sneers at me and Riddick's hand moves up towards my navel, pushing me back toward him.
"For your fear."
"Well, look whose talkin… Feel better now that you're in the light and Riddick's protecting you?" OH NO HE DIDN'T!
"Well it seems an idiot like you picked up on my fear so I must not be trying hard enough to hide it. Or maybe it's just because I'm better at accepting things than you are… not that it takes much to be better than you." Touché! I most definitely am back in business! I step out of Riddick's arms.
Johns takes a step toward me then, thinking better of it, he turns back to Fry as if our little spat never happened.
"I thought so." I snort and he turns back to me.
"Hey why don't you and the captain over there," He shoots a pointed look at Fry, "Shut up and let someone else come up with a plan that doesn't involve MASS SUICIDE."
Two seconds pass and Fry goes in for the kill, "How much you weigh, Johns?"
"What does that have to do with anything?"
She raises her voice, "How much?"
"Around 79 kilo-"
"Because you're 79 kilos of gutless white meat and THAT'S why you can't come up with a better plan." I stifle a giggle and Johns advances on me but Riddick's faster and blocks him. Johns raises his gun and places it under Riddick's chin. Only to look down and realize that Riddick's shiv is hovering over his… well you know.
"Please this solves nothing…" Imam sounds exasperated.
Johns chuckles nervously and backs down and Fry continues with her plan but not before I discreetly give her a high-five. We make almost make a better tag team then me and Riddick.
So, explanations: I wanted to make this sort of introspective so I used a disinterested third party, i.e. Paris, because despite the cowardice he seems to be the most intelligent and therefore most observational (can anyone think of a better word?) of the other survivors. So there… yea Onto Reviews:
Firstly I want to thank each and every one of you guys for pulling me out of my rut, so thank you so much!
FastFuriousChick: Thank you ye faithful reviewer. For you have not given up on me. Gomen for the wait.
Social Control: Don't worry I won't stop the music! Thank you and Gomen to you as well.
Briana: Is that kinda like Caffeine withdrawal? If so I know what you're going through and I apologize for the wait, thank you for putting up with me.
Shadowelf-88: Riddick in a tux… hmmm… I like it… And then the mercs come, he flexes his muscles and bye bye tux, hello wife beater! I like it even better! By the way, thank you and gomen!
Joker: Well, I wouldn't say better than the movie… just funnier. Thank you and gomen!
FluidDegree: You betcha he will! (holds a "GO RIDDICK" sign) Huzzah! Thank you and gomen
Sara: Herre ya go! Gomen and thank you!
Animagious-White-Tiger: They will eventually but not until the sequel… because I have plans! Thank you and Gomen!
Nien Zien-ya aka Oni-chan: Don't worry she'll live, cannot have a sequel without her, ne? Thank you and gomen!
Diesel-Chick: Yes for the love of sexy men I shall continue! Sexy men lovers unite! Thank you and gomen to you as well.
Rhiw: I'm glad and I hope you still continue to love it! Thank you and gomen!
Shadowcat: Thank you very much... you are very encouraging. It's relieving to know that Jack (Kyra)/Riddick lovers have a chance at not hating Shay… and to tell the truth a good convincing, older Kyra and Riddick fic makes even me happy every once in awhile, but there aren't many well-written ones anymore and I have a.. shall we say penchant for OCs… I stand accused! Thank you and Gomen
Lamyka: Thank you as well. I'm glad I'm still getting new screen names on my review page…
I'm like on cloud nine right now, I'M SO GLAD you guys don't think Shay is a mary sue. I try so hard to make her believable; to give her faults that make sense and strengths that don't make her seem too perfect. And if you guys don't write PB/COR fan fiction yourselves, you have no effin idea how hard it is to pair Riddick with any character other than Jack or Fry. Because you don't want her to be anything like Fry or Jack so you try to make her as different as possible; but at the same time the more 'different' your character is the easier it becomes for critics to label her as a mary sue… so yea it's hard, but wonderful reviewers like you guys help pull us writers through, so kudos to you guys!