Funny patterns of light streamed in through the window and settled warmly on objects throughout the room including Riddick.  Sun-lightened shapes were scattered across his bare chest and arms making his deep golden skin appear to glow.  As the sun rose, the shapes moved lazily up his body to caress his face, waking him when they reached his still closed eyes.  He didn't wear his contacts when he slept so he was exposed to the unrelenting light from the blinding sun.

Groaning quietly, Riddick threw and arm over his eyes and reached out his other to the space next to him to find it empty and cold.  He reached blindly for his goggles and slipped them over his silver eyes.  It would be awhile before he was used to the fact that he didn't have to wear them as much.

Riddick sat up and listened for any noises in the apartment and couldn't hear anything but he knew Jack was still there…he could smell her.  Putting on his pants, he walked silently out of the room and down the hall.  As he passed the bathroom, the sweet scent of Jack's shampoo filled his nose and he faltered in his steps for only a second.  She wasn't in there but the scent of her, he realized, had a strange affect on him like nothing he's ever felt before.

He stopped in the doorway to the kitchen and watched Jack, sitting at the table, face resting in her hands.

"Hey, Jack," he said as he walked up behind her and put his hands on her shoulders.  Jack looked up at him and smiled as he kissed her on the forehead.  His eyes caught sight of what appeared to be her breakfast.  A bottle of Pepto sat half empty on the table.  "Nice breakfast," he commented.  Riddick headed for the counter to get some coffee.  "You okay?"

Jack let out a breath and looked over at him.  "I'm fine.  Just with test week and all, I've been a little stressed."  Riddick leaned against the counter and tilted his head.

"Why are you so worried?  You're smart, otherwise you wouldn't have gotten this far."

"I know, but if I screw one thing up, I'm out and that means going to a regular school for like ten years."  Riddick looked her over curiously.

"Is there anything I can do?" he asked.  Jack smiled weakly at him.

"Not really.  I'll feel better as the day goes on.  By the time I get home tonight I'll feel almost normal."  Jack had been feeling like shit since test week started.  At night she was okay but as she slept, the nervous tension began to build, filling her sleep with strange dreams that made her toss and turn.  And sure enough by morning, she was sick as a dog.  Luckily she only had two more days of this.

Riddick felt that wasn't the whole story but he wasn't going to force the issue.  His first thought was that she was regretting her involvement with him but that thought didn't last long.  She was a strong girl and if she didn't want to be with him, she wouldn't stay.

Riddick walked back to the table and pulled out a chair to sit in.  He stroked his fingers over the pale skin of Jack's cheek, feeling the heat as a blush colored where his fingers touched. 

Jack closed her eyes and leaned into his palm.  She could feel her heart beat quicken with his simple touch and really wanted to ask what it did for him.  The fact was, you didn't touch someone if you really didn't want to, so he must want to. 

Jack moved out of her chair and into his lap wrapping her arms around his neck.  It didn't surprise Riddick like he thought it would that she would do something like that.  He wrapped his arms protectively around her and snuggled into her neck.  Her scent overpowered him once again and his body began to shake with overwhelming feelings.  Jack didn't take notice to the almost none-existent tremors that wracked his body, she just held onto him tighter.

It was so perfect, in his arms wrapped in complete safety.  She felt better now, the cloak of sickness lifting away.  He was her drug, making everything better.  She didn't understand how he could make her feel this way by just holding her.  Most of his life was lived in darkness in one form or another, moving as one with it, becoming part of it.  But when he held her, he made her darkness disappear, bathing her in a comforting light.

She wanted to stay like this so bad but she had to go to work, she wanted to finish test week and be over with it.  So, reluctantly she pulled back and stood up.  Riddick kept his hands on her hips as she did, not really wanting to let her go either.

"What time will you be home?" he asked, looking up at her.

"Probably around six...just depends," she said, shrugging her shoulders.

"I'll be here," he said as he stood up and pulled her into his arms again.  "I want you to meet the crew tonight and we need to go over the details.  Our first run is Monday."  Jack pulled back enough to look into his protected eyes.

"That soon?" she asked.

"Yea, is that okay?"

"Oh…yea.  It's totally fine.  I guess I just figured you had to finish up some stuff."

"Nope.  Got it all done while I was gone."  Jack smiled.  She wasn't sure why she thought he wouldn't have it all done.  This was Riddick.  He didn't just leave things hanging; he always finished what he started.  Including the kissing he had begun on her neck, moving to her lips he kissed her softly but with so much power, Jack almost gave up on everything she'd worked so hard for just to stay with him.  But…he broke it off and turned her around, nudging her in the ass to get her moving.  He reached down and grabbed her bag and headed for the front door with her.

She opened it and stepped out into the cool morning but quickly turned back to him; leaning in to get one last kiss before she left.  It was meant to be quick but as soon as their lips met, Riddick was filled with that intense need for her and he pulled her back to him, kissing her with a fury that had her holding onto him as they explored each other. 

Separating breathlessly, Jack backed away, keeping her eyes on him until she reached the stairs.  She had to hold onto the railing because her body was weakened by his show of power.

Riddick watched her until he couldn't see her and started back into the apartment when he noticed across and down the hall a young man and woman standing motionless, staring.  He could see the woman was affected by his show of affection towards Jack, her mouth hanging open slightly, eyes glazed over.  The man on the other hand looked like he didn't have a clue as to what she was gawking at.  He couldn't help smiling at them, a smile that said, 'yea, I'm gettin' it, and I'm likin' it'.

************************************************************************

The day couldn't have gone any slower.  Jack was on automatic, seeing patient after patient, going through each motion as if it was no big deal.  Her thoughts, however, kept landing on Riddick.  It was like her mind and her body were two separate entities, but it was good because it took her mind off feeling like shit.

Halfway through the day, Jack took off her watch and put it in her pocket to keep herself from looking at it every few minutes.  It's not like she was stuck in a time loop or anything, even if it did feel like it, and Riddick would be home when she got there.  She wasn't worried; she just couldn't wait to see him again.

Finally, with work done for the day, Jack went home.  Her heart was tripping almost painfully in her chest as she neared the apartment and she had to force herself not to run the last couple blocks.  By the time she reached the front door she was out of breath as if she had run.

It was warm inside and the scents Jack had gotten used to were different now.  With Riddick back, he was all she could smell.  But then the smell of food invaded her nose making her stomach roll.  She leaned heavily against the door and waited until the nausea passed.

Riddick stepped out of the kitchen when he didn't hear Jack move away from the front door.  Worry flickered briefly over his features as he took in the paleness of her face.  He was still as he listened to her breathing shallowly; a cold sweat had broken out over her body that he picked up on as easily as the food he'd been cooking.  Just as he was about to approach her she opened her eyes and looked right into his.  Her gaze was as heavy as if she had placed her hand on him, caressing his face in a soothing way that only Jack could do.

Jack closed the short distance between them and wrapped her arms around his waist.  Riddick closed his eyes, enfolding her in his arms, holding her in the quiet of the room, in the safety of his embrace.

Jack sighed in content as his deep velvety voice broke the silence.

"Glad you're home," he said.

"Me too."

"How'd it go today?" he asked.

"Fine."

"Like I thought it would."  Jack looked up at him and kissed him on the chin.  Riddick dipped his head so she ended up kissing his lips.  The sweet taste of her flooded his mouth and his senses became alive.  He kissed her back, deeply, as if he'd been deprived of the sensation his whole life and was just discovering it.

His large hands roamed freely over her back and down to her hips.  Jack made little noises against his mouth as she smoothed her hands up the front of his shirt and around to the back of his neck.  Riddick pulled her in a bear hug and lifted her off her feet, slipping his tongue into her mouth to quench his thirst for her.

A loud beeping sound froze them in place.  They pulled apart and slowly turned their heads towards the source of the noise.  It was the vid-phone.  For a second they remained that way until the passion faded slightly enough for a little common sense to settle in.

"It must be someone from the crew.  I left this number in case they needed anything," Riddick said as he set her down and walked over to the vid-phone.  He stopped halfway there and turned around.  "Are you hungry or anything?" he asked.

"No, not right now."

"If you want, we can go meet everyone."

"Sure, just let me change."  She headed for their room unaware that Riddick was still watching her until she was gone.  The beeping sounded again bringing him out of his trance.

They walked to the docks hand in hand, the cool night breeze gently kissing their bare skin.  Jack soaked up her surroundings, looked up at the glittering stars in the sky, looked up at Riddick, who smiled but didn't look back at her.

His hand was warm in hers but he didn't keep it there for long.  Soon it was on her shoulder then he moved it to the small of her back.  He seemed restless, like he couldn't find the place he wanted his hand to be.  Not nervous because Riddick didn't get nervous; at least he didn't show it.

Ever since their incident in the shower the night before, they hadn't done anything else.  They were both tired and had fallen right to sleep once they were in bed wrapped in each others arms and with Jack gone at work all day she didn't get to see him.  She wondered if he was itching to get into her pants as much as she wanted to get into his.  Maybe that's why he was so fidgety.

Jack smiled to herself as she slid her hand over his ass and left it there, feeling the muscles working beneath his pants as he walked.  That got her heart pounding and her blood pumping, throwing her into a daze so she didn't notice that Riddick was watching her.

He looked at her profile, felt her hand on him, and smelled the air around them scented like Jack; forcing back the urge to drag her down every alley they passed and fuck her the way he wanted, in the darkness, in his element.  It wouldn't be long though, he was feeling little twinges throughout his body every time he looked at her and they were only getting more intense.

They finally reached the ship and Jack stopped to look at it, eyes wide, smile on her face.

"Wow," she said, walking slowly towards it.  The outside was a shiny black and Jack couldn't resist touching it, running her hand over its smooth surface.  Behind her Riddick shifted as he grew hard at the sight of her hand gliding over their ship.  With a quiet growl, Riddick shook the thoughts and feelings away and walked over to the ramp, unlocked it and listened as it descended.  Jack stepped up beside him and linked her arm through his.

"So how many people are there?" she asked.

"30, which you'll meet later.  I have files on all of them you can look over.  But for now you'll meet the ones you'll be seeing a lot of.  First there's Ellie."  Riddick started up the ramp with Jack in tow listening intently.  "She's going to help head up the medical department with you."

"Ellie…" Jack said quietly.  "Okay."

"Then there's the pilot, Julian and Eddie is the co-pilot.  Crystal is working navigation and mapping but I'll be helping with that."  Jack's eyes wandered around the hallway trying to take everything in she was seeing and what Riddick was telling her.  The ship was big and she had a feeling she'd be lost for a few days.  "There are five men heading up security, although, everyone on the ship is trained to handle any security issues."

They stopped at a door and Riddick pulled out a silver card and swiped it before entering the code.

"You'll have your own access to every door on the ship," he explained as he noticed her eyeing the card.  The door slid open and Riddick stepped inside.  "You're my backup, Jack.  If for some reason someone can't find me, they'll look for you.  You'll know everything I know."  Jack nodded and smiled at him.  He must trust her a lot to put her in that position.

The room was big, filled with a lot of equipment Jack had never seen before and would probably never use.  There were three men in the room working on various things that looked up when they heard the door open, nearly standing at attention when the saw it was Riddick.

"Jack, I want you to meet our pilot Julian and co-pilot Eddie," Riddick said as Jack shook their hands and said 'hi'.  "And this guy here," he said, turning her to the last one, "is Taylor.  He's the lead of our security team.  You need anything, you can ask him."  Jack shook his hand also, looking him over.  Taylor was almost as big as Riddick but the air about him was calm and comforting.  Unlike the intensity and seriousness one might feel in Riddick's presence.  A feeling Jack was very at ease with.

"Did your gear arrive?"  Riddick asked Taylor.

"Yea, Daven is picking it up right now."

"Good.  We got two days."

"We'll be ready boss."  Jack watched the interaction between them and to her; it looked as if they used to know each other a long time ago or something.  Riddick acted so personable with him that it baffled her.  She'd have to ask him about it later.

Riddick took her hand and pulled her back to the door.  They were silent as they walked through the halls.  Jack was feeling a little overwhelmed by all this so she held tightly onto Riddick and let him lead the way.  He stopped shortly after at another door and released her hand.

"Okay," he said looking over at her.  "This is our place."  When the door slid open, Jack stepped into the entryway of their new 'home' and her mouth dropped open.  The place was done in neutral colors making the room look warm and cozy.

"I love it!" Jack exclaimed as she moved through the room examining the details.  Riddick couldn't help smiling at the way she was smiling.  It made him happy to see she like the place because this is where they'd be calling 'home' for probably the rest of their lives.  Normally, Riddick would feel weird about wanting the same woman in his life forever but when he looked at Jack, he wouldn't have it any other way.  They fit so perfect together, she could tell what he was thinking, even if she didn't realize it, and he could always tell what she was feeling.  It would always feel new to him when he was with her and he hoped she wouldn't get bored of him.

Jack had finished in the living room and the kitchen and was now heading back to the bedrooms.  Riddick lingered in the hall as she had a look at the spare bedroom and bathroom, leaning casually against the wall watching the way she moved, wanting so bad to feel those new curves of hers.

Jack winked at him as she stepped out of the bathroom and walked across the hall to the master bedroom.  Riddick almost tripped over himself as he hurried after her; that wink was all the invitation he needed.  When he got to the room Jack was nowhere in sight.  She had slipped into the master bath so Riddick took a deep breath, shook the tension out of his arms, cracked his neck, and sat on the bed to wait.  He didn't have to wait long.

Jack gave the command to turn the bathroom lights off and stepped out of the darkness.  She kept her steps slow and deliberate, swaying her hips slightly as she went; keeping her head down, looking at Riddick from beneath her long eyelashes.  Riddick kept still as she got closer, feeling the familiar tighten of his pants as desire filled him.  He wouldn't let her tease him this time; he's waited too long for this.

When she reached him she put her hands on his shoulders and gently pushed, signaling him to lie back.  As he did she let her hands trail over his chest and abs, but she pulled back when she reached his pants.  Riddick had propped himself up on his elbows and watched as she started pulling her shirt up.  When she couldn't see him Riddick made his move.  He sat up and grabbed her hips.  His sudden movement startled Jack and she jumped but Riddick held her steady.

He hooked his fingers in her pants and pulled them down.  Jack's arms were still half way up, frozen there as she watched him unlace her shoes and help her out of them.  When his eyes traveled back up to hers, she suddenly became shy, covering her stomach with her hands.

Riddick sighed and shook his head as he took a hold of her wrists and pulled her arms away from her body.  Jack bit her bottom lip and closed her eyes as a heated flush spread over her skin.

"Jack," he whispered deeply.  "Look at me."  She reluctantly opened her eyes and looked at him.  "Don't hide from me," he said gently, releasing her hands.  "You never have to hide from me."  Jack's inhibitions slipped away with the feel of Riddick's hands moving up her legs and over her hips.  She wasn't sure where her shyness came from but he made her feel comfortable again.  All she wanted to do was please him, give him whatever he needed.  No teasing tonight.  She needed to feel the animal in him.

"Don't be gentle with me," she said, her voice husky with deep arousal.  "I'm all yours."  Riddick was prepared to be gentle with her but the way her voice sounded and her direct orders changed what he had in mind for her panties.  In one swift move, he ripped them clean away from her body, breathing in the scent of her desire as it was released into the air.  He had to hold back a little or she might be hurt, hell they might both be hurt, but he let the beast out just a bit.

His gripped tightened on her waist and he pressed his forehead to her stomach as his other hand fumbled with his zipper.  Jack's body tingled at the sight of Riddick's aggression.  She left her bra on because she wanted to feel the tug and snap of it as he tore it from her body.

Riddick gave up on the zipper and went for his shirt instead.  He pulled it over his head and threw it to the floor.  When he looked up at Jack, the first thing he saw was another piece of clothing she needed to be rid of.  He reached up with one hand and gripped her bra in the center, keeping his eyes on hers.  Her breasts were pressing against his fingers as she breathed short and fast.  He pulled back faster then she thought possible, breaking the hooks in back and freeing her of the self induced restraints.

Her breasts bounced free and Riddick eyed them hungrily, taking in the size and fullness of them.  Jack straddled him and pressed one of her nipples to his mouth needing him to take it.  He licked at it bringing it to a hardened peak.  She moaned with each lick but she desperately wanted more.

"Come on Riddick.  Don't be gentle," she said through clenched teeth.  Riddick was panting as he took her nipple fully into his mouth.  Sucking at first but then he bit down on her enough to make her gasp and grip his shoulder hard.  The sensation shot spikes of pleasure to her core, bringing on a sudden rush of wetness between her legs.  He must have been able to smell her arousal because his hand immediately went right to the source just to see for himself.  The shock of his touch depleted her strength and she fell heavily against him.

With Jack's body pressed against him, Riddick leaned back until they were lying down.  Jack had pulled away from him enough to release her nipple and found his mouth with hers.  He sucked on her tongue as she moved in rhythm with his hand, nearly putting voice to the panting she was letting out. 

Riddick removed his hand which brought a halt to her breathing.  He ran his tongue over her lips and along her jaw as he made another attempt to undo his zipper.  Jack braced herself with her hands on the bed so he could use both of his hands to finish the job.  He kept sucking at her neck as she rubbed her sensitive nipples over his chest changing the location of desire from down below to up above.  She knew if he touched her just right, he would send her into an orgasmic abyss.

Riddick groaned loudly as he freed himself from his pants; the cool air providing some relief.  Jack tensed slightly as she felt the tip of him rub over her.  He shifted his position and slid into her with a deep growl.  Jack gasped in pleasure as he filled her and began moving inside her.  She put her hands on his chest to hold herself up as he pushed into her with force but it just didn't seem enough for her.  His pants were rubbing against her thighs so she leaned forward and wiggled enough to move them out of her way and settled her rear back onto the soft skin of his quads.  Her adjustment didn't interrupt his movements, his eyes were closed in concentration and his hands gripped the sheets at his sides. 

It was a race to the finish as she matched his movements but he beat her to it, stilling suddenly inside her and releasing a groan of relief.  His muscles tightened and relaxed as he came.  Jack kept moving, pressing against him to bring on her own ending, which came faster than she expected.

She cried out as wave after wave swept through her body, the force driving the air from her lungs.  Jack half laughed half cried as her body eased itself down from her orgasmic high and she fell onto Riddick completely spent. 

Riddick wrapped his arms around her and held her shaking body close to his as his mind reeled with the reality of the situation.  This soft caring woman in his arms, the freedom he's finally been able to enjoy, and all this came about because of another woman.  Carolyn.  She gave her life for his and it gave him a second chance to really become the man he was supposed to be.  The man he was supposed to be for Jack.

He let out a deep breath as his heart rate returned to normal.  "Shall we meet the rest of the crew?" he asked, his voice coming out a little rough.  Jack pushed herself up and smiled.

"Okay, but I need to get cleaned up."