Revised 06.25.2022


Nova woke up with the sun inching itself across her face. Riddick was still fast asleep and she had to go to the bathroom. She moved as stealthily as she could so she wouldn't wake him up. She went over to the drawers to grab something to wear so she wouldn't be walking naked through the halls. The dresser had some religious robes in them. She put on a top and bottom with no underwear. Once she was done using the bathroom she went back to the room and snuggled up to him, stirring him from his sleep.

"Morning. How are you feeling?" Riddick asked.

"Fine, I'm a little sore though." Nova said.

"You'll be okay after a while." Riddick said.

There was silence between them as they lay in each other's arms.

"So-" Riddick said.

"So-" Nova encouraged.

"How do you feel with me?" Riddick asked.

"What do you mean by that?" Nova asked.

"Like, do you feel safe with me?" Riddick asked, stroking Nova's cheek and neck with his thumb.

"Of course! We just survived one of the most dangerous and traumatic experiences of my entire life together, and you had my back the entire time. Why wouldn't I?" Nova said.

"... If you stick with me... you'll have to keep dealing with mercs. They're always on my neck." Riddick said.

"You've proven time and again that I can trust you to have my back, and I can also take care of myself. I may not have been in the slam system for as long as you, but I know what it's like." Nova said.

Riddick took one of Nova's hands in his own and interlaced their fingers. She turned her head to bury her face in his neck. She inhaled his musk and and relaxed further into his arms.

"So, how are you feeling about round two?" Riddick asked.

Nova looked up at him with a mischievous smile.

"I think I could do round two." Nova said.

Nova buried her face in Riddick's neck again and bit him, making him somewhat clamp her face between his neck and shoulder. Riddick was surprisingly ticklish in his neck area.


After their second roll around the bed they had breakfast with Imam and Jack. Neither of them mentioned any noise from last night, so they either didn't hear anything or they were keeping last night to last night.

"I plan on going down for prayer. Would any of you like to join me?" Imam asked.

Jack, Riddick, and Nova all looked at each other to see who would take Imam up on his offer. All three of them stayed quiet.

"Well then, I think I can read between the lines." Imam said, getting up to go downstairs. "If you change your minds I'll be in the building to your immediate left when coming down." He finished.

"So, what are we going to do guys?" Jack asked.

There was more silence.

"Um, you know what, Jack. You and I could go walk around the grounds and see what this place actually looks like." Nova said.

Nova figured Riddick would rather not go out in public. Especially, with him being an actively wanted, high profile criminal.


When they got back all the shades were drawn. They guessed it was Riddick since his eyes were so photosensitive. Jack and Nova had gone back to their own rooms to rest after having been out and about for a few hours. When she got back to their room Riddick was still lying in the bed.

"Nova." Riddick said.

Nova hearing Riddick's voice all of a sudden startled her.

"Yes, Riddick?" Nova said.

Riddick turned over to face her while continuing their conversation.

"Imam said he wanted to talk to us together when you finally got back." Riddick said.

"About what?" Nova asked.

"I don't know. He just said the three of us would talk when you came back." Riddick said.

"Okay." Nova said.


"Do you plan on staying here?" Imam asked.

"At the temple or on New Mecca?" Nova asked.

"Neither." Riddick said.

"Does that go for the both of you?" Imam asked.

"Yes." Riddick said.

Nova's face did not match the certainty of Riddick's tone.

"Well, I mean. We might be able to stay for a while. Maybe until we heal, and I get back in touch with my family." Nova said.

"What?" Riddick said.

"I know we had a brief conversation about what we would do, but after walking around I realized I didn't really think about what my next move would realistically be." I have to find my way back home, to my family. I can't just run off with some guy." Nova said.

"Wow. So, now I'm just some guy?" Riddick said, his jaw starting to clench.

"I- I mean- Riddick, that's not what I meant" Nova said.

Riddick looked like he wanted to say more but decided not to for both of their sakes.


The original mood when they first arrived seemed to take a downward shift. Riddick was more quiet as the days went by. Everyone was recovering at a steady pace, which meant their time together could be coming to an end. Riddick was quiet during the day, and even more quiet during the night. There were still times where they were intimate and affectionate with each other, but there was a shift for that as well. Their actions felt cold and shallow. He seemed to be checked out when they were being intimate. Like his attention was miles away and he couldn't keep himself in the moment. When it was officially time for them to make their final decisions to leave, they had their final conversations.

"So-" Nova started.

Riddick stayed silent, he just continued to pack a bag that was provided to him, along with some supplies to get him to his next destination. Nova realized she would have to be the one having the conversation on her own.

"Listen, I meant what I said when we were talking about us possibly being a thing. Unfortunately, I forgot what that would mean when it came to seeing my family again. You said you'll have to keep running because you're a high profile criminal. M-Maybe you can stay with-" Nova said, before Riddick cut her off.

"No." Riddick said bluntly.

"No?" Nova said.

"So, what? You want us to see if we can play house together? I meet your family? We have cookouts on the weekends? I become a stay at home spouse? Because like you said, I'm a high profile criminal. I can't exactly just walk around everywhere all the time." Riddick said, each word carrying more and more weight.

Nova went to go touch Riddick's arm. Having been talking to his back the entire time. He pulled his arm away immediately.

"Don't! ...Just... don't" Riddick said, his voice going from stern to exhausted.


Watching Riddick go was hard. He'd left without really saying goodbye to anyone. Nova saw him take a pause when it came to him having a conversation with Imam. They both looked up into the window that Nova has been standing at. Her breathe caught in her throat all of a sudden. She felt an overwhelming amount of guilt.

"Riddick! Nova! Imam!" Jack called.

"Yeah, what's up?" Nova said, stepping out of her room into the hallway.

"Where'd Riddick go?" Jack asked.

"I don't know. He didn't tell me." Nova said, her voice and demeaner filled with sadness.

"When is he coming back?" Jack asked.

"I don't know. I don't think he is." Nova said.

'What? Why!? And he left without you!? I thought you guys were, like, together!" Jack exclaimed in surprise.

Nova felt herself becoming emotional. She looked down and her feet, unable to make eye contact with Jack.

"I mean. ...I think we were supposed to be, but I really screwed things up with him." Nova said, feeling tears begin to prick her eyes.


That night Jack and Nova shared a room. Jack was sad that Riddick had left without saying anything, and Nova was sad that she ended up unintentionally lying to Riddick about them having an actual chance together. There was nothing more to be done except continue on and find her way home. The night was fairly quiet, save for the light sound of Jack's breathing and the muffled sound of Imam's snoring. Nova stared up at the ceiling until she eventually drifted off to sleep, with the thought of hoping she would manage to see Riddick again one day.