****Just to clarify something. Jack at this point in the story is now 18 but no birthdays will be celebrated, just because. Thanks for the reviews everyone and please keep 'em comin'.
Jack's first week back to work was harder than she thought. She liked the routine they were in but now there were adjustments to be made.
Jack worked nights so she got home in the morning after Riddick left and she left for work at night before he got home. The only times they hugged or ate breakfast and dinner together were when they weren't working and Jack was really starting to miss the contact. Sometimes she would leave him notes on the bathroom mirror just saying hi and he sometimes wrote back. It always made her smile but it wasn't enough. He was here but she missed him.
After two weeks of this, Jack talked to her supervisor and managed to get switched to the day shift. To celebrate, she bought steaks for dinner and decided to surprise him that night.
Barely making it home before him she quickly got things set up to make dinner. She heard the door open and he stopped when she peeked out of the kitchen at him.
"What are you doing home?" he asked gruffly. That was usual for him after work.
"I switched my shift and I thought I would make us dinner." He grumbled something about a shower and headed to his bedroom. She was used to that but he'd be better after he showered but when she never heard him come out of his bedroom she began to worry. A gut feeling told her something was wrong so she put the food away and went to his bedroom door. Knocking and calling to him got no response so she opened the door. At this point she didn't care if he got mad because she disturbed him.
"Riddick?" she called out as she entered the room. After her eyes adjusted to the darkness and with the help from the hallway light she finally saw him lying on his back on his bed. "Riddick, are you okay?" She got right up to the bed and she heard him say something about being bit. "You were bit? Bit by what?" She sat down on the edge of the bed and leaned closer. The heat from his body was so intense she almost backed up. He was fevered. Grabbing his shoulders, she shook him and repeated herself. "What were you bit by?" He raised his head and focused his silver stare on her.
"A bug," his said, letting hid head drop back to the pillow.
"What kind of bug?" She shook him again.
"I don't know. It was big and black." An alarm sounded in her head as she remembered a few cases she took care of the week before. All of them bug bites.
"What color were the eyes?" For a moment he didn't say anything. "Riddick, what color were the eyes?" Just as she was about to shake him he answered.
"Purple." Jack jumped up so fast her vision began to swim.
"Oh shit!" she yelled as she sprinted out the open door. This was not good. The bug was a Delegniford, newly discovered when the city decided to expand farther into the desert area. The bite was deadly and if not treated fast there would be no hope.
Moving fast, she grabbed her medical bag from the closet and went to the com-link system to get in touch with the construction site that Riddick worked for. Talking and prepping a syringe of medicine to reduce his fever and counteract the poisonous bite, she warned them of the bugs and anyone who has been bit needs to high-tail it to the emergency room.
Rushing back to Riddick she found he hadn't moved.
"Lights 20 percent." She needed some sort of light to give him the shot and check his temperature. Jumping on the bed she grabbed his arm and quickly injected the medicine and then checked his temp. 103. Not good. The medicine would keep him from succumbing to the poison but she still needed to get his fever down fast.
"What did you just give me?" he asked in almost a whisper.
"Medicine. A kind of anti-venom." She put the syringe on the night table and turned back to him.
"Am I dying?" He wasn't worried or scared and didn't sound like it either.
"No, the medicine will help you but we need to get your fever down."
"I just need to sleep." He started to roll over but Jack stopped him and pulled him back.
"No, we need to get this fever down now," she said sternly
"You said I won't die so just let me sleep it off." She let him roll over this time but she wasn't through with him yet. Running to the bathroom, she started a bath and added some herbs to the water to bring the chill, caused by the fever, down. She lowered the lights and set up some clean towels on the counter before going back to his room.
Riddick had covered himself up with blankets and Jack suddenly felt sorry for him and afraid for her own well-being. How was she going to get him up? Would he fight her? She sat on the bed and pulled the covers down so she could see his face.
"Riddick, I need to bring this fever down so I'm running a bath and I need you to get up." She kept her voice calm and reassuring.
"NO!" He pulled the blankets back up over his head. "Leave me alone," came his muffled voice from under the blanket. Jack was angry now. He didn't understand what could happen to him with this fever so with shaky hands, she grabbed the covers and pulled them all he way off in anger.
"Why won't you let me help you? You've helped me, just let me do this." The shock made Riddick just stare at her. His body began shaking as the cold came over him. "Get the fuck up now or I will drag you're ass to that bathroom," she said through clenched teeth, which got her a reaction.
"I'd laugh at that but I feel too much like shit," he groaned out as he sat up slowly. Jack gently grabbed his arm to help him up. All of her anger was gone now.
"Do your muscles and joints hurt?" she asked, draping his arm over her shoulder and heading for the bathroom.
"Yea." He leaned into her and was pleased to find she could support him. She nodded and guided him into the bathroom. Riddick didn't exactly like the idea that he had to depend on anybody but he really didn't have a choice.
Jack let him go but kept her hands on his arms to steady him.
"Are you going to be okay to get in there yourself?" she asked. He eyed the water before responding.
"I'm sure I can manage." He sounded weak and that worried Jack to almost tears. Riddick was never weak and now she realized how much she depended on him and his strength.
"If you need help just yell." Reluctantly she turned and left him alone in the bathroom, closing the door behind her.
In the kitchen Jack prepared a massage lotion with some herbs and a heating element that would help with his sore muscles and joints. After ten minutes she was done and decided to check on Riddick. She opened the door slowly not wanting to barge in on him.
"Why did you make the water so fucking cold?" Relieved he was still alive she moved closer the tub.
"Honey, the water's not cold. It only feels cold because your body temp is 103." He pulled back the glass so he could look at her.
"Wow, that's high." Jack knelt down next to the tub and put a hand on his forehead. Still warm but not like before. She reached behind her and grabbed a washcloth off the counter.
"Here, lean forward." Riddick brought his knees up and rested his arms on them, letting his forehead drop to his arms. Jack dipped the washcloth in the water and ran it slowly over his back. He groaned in response to the 'cold' water on his back but as she continued he became quiet.
She ran the cloth over his arm and used her free hand to cup the water and let it run down his neck. Each time she went for more water she let her hand run down the smoothness of his back and for awhile she didn't notice that Riddick had turned his head to watch her. This would have been a very intimate act if he hadn't been sick and Jack noticed a tingling sensation between her legs. Shaking her head as if to get rid of her feelings she finally noticed Riddick watching her and the butterfly's began to consume her once again.
"Uh. I think it's time to get you outta here." She stood up and reached for a towel, backing away from view to give him privacy. When he was up she handed him the towel without looking even though she wanted to. He stepped out and now she couldn't help but look. The water ran over his skin and all she could do is stare at his body and the way the water streaked over the hills and dips of his stomach muscles, twinkling in the dim light like liquid diamonds.
Jack shook off those thoughts and grabbed another towel. Stepping up close to him, she wrapped it around his shoulders.
"I need to take your temperature again so dry off and I'll be right back." She hurried from the room and grabbed the thermo patch from her bag instead of the thermo scan. This would go on his wrist and would monitor his temp and heart rate.
Back in the bathroom she saw he was dry and without speaking, put the patch around his wrist. Riddick put his arm around her shoulder on his own and she led him to his room. His bare skin felt good next to her and he smelled good.
"You want anything to wear?" she asked as she sat him on the bed.
"No," he replied.
"Good." Realizing what that must have sounded like she began to explain. "I mean I have some stuff for your muscles and it would help if you weren't dressed." He listened to her in amusement and she gave up hope on this conversation. "I'll be back," she said in exasperation.
Returning with the bottle of lotion she found he had covered up again. 'Poor guy' she thought as she removed some of the blanket to find his hand, the one with the patch on it. His temperature had one down to 101 degrees. That was a good sign.
