He was back. The clever mouth was on hers once again, slowly tantalizing and manipulating her into a boneless mush like he used to. She gripped at his jacket, but she didn't know if it was to pull him closer or push him away. His mouth and hot and dark with just a taste of sweetness. Oh yes, he was definitely back. He was just like she remembered him; there was nothing that changed about his face, except for his eyes. They seemed older somehow, granted she hasn't seen him for 5 years; she had no idea what had happened to him. She wishes she knew. With much effort, she pulled away from his lips and shied away from him as he reached out to her again. "Jackie," He said softly, she didn't look at him, she couldn't. "Jackie I'm sorry, I'm so sorry" Because she knew how much it meant to him to say that, she looked up at him. She had never seen him so sad, she wanted to reach out and just hold him like they used to, but it would be different. "Why did you leave me?" She asked in a soft whisper. He took a step back and took everything about Jack in. Her hair was the color of brown sugar and he decided she looked younger then 23.

"I wanted to come back sooner Jackie" Jack looked over her shoulder nervously to make sure Rozi or Matt hadn't woken up. "Yeah, then why didn't you?" Riddick almost sighed. Jack wasn't going to make this easy for him at all. "I tried" Jack raised her eyebrows and said almost bitterly. "What, where you afraid?" Riddick looked away from her for a minute before saying softly. "Yeah I was"

Jack looked at him with a little shock. She knew how much it meant to him to admit he was afraid of something. "What were you so afraid of?" He sighed and shifted a little uncomfortably. "Not the police, I couldn't give more then a chicken shit about them, I was afraid I've never see you again. I was afraid I'd never hear you laugh again. I was afraid I'd never see you smile, or never see our children grow up. But most of all, I was afraid you wouldn't love me" Tears burned in the back of Jack's eyes and they threatened to spill over. Didn't he know it was impossible to stop loving him? With another sigh, he continued. "When the nights were cold I would reach out for you in bed, I would only grab at the chilly air and not have you, those nights I thought I would die. I tried to forget about you by drinking, but I couldn't, you run through me like blood Jackie, there was no way I could have gotten you out of my system." The tears finally slipped over her cheeks and Riddick gingerly reached out and caught it on his finger.

That was the last thing that broke the barrier she had spent years building up towards him. Like a dam, everything she had been holding in rushed forward and she wrapped her arms around him tightly and cried into his chest. He caressed her silky hair. "I love you Jackie," He said into her ear. She looked up at him with tearful soft green eyes and smiled softly. "I know, I love you too, and that's how I know that in time, everything is going to be just fine" He cupped her chin in his hand and lowered him lips to her and kissed her tears away (Yes I know it's corny)

Jack took his hand in hers and examined it. There were a few little scars on it, but they didn't really bother her. "I guess I should probably asked you were you've been for five years" He looked down at her with a small smile and said. "I think you have a good idea of were I've been" Jack's brows furrowed in concentration before she said with a little laugh. "You were in Canto" He smiled and said. "That's not all of it though" Jack laughed and kissed him fiercely. "You were with that Perez guy" Riddick nodded and said. "Luis Perez, aged 55, blind in his right eye but still loves to paint, he has arthritis in his hands, so I convinced him I'd to the farm work for him" Jack smiled and eyed him muscled body. "Of course"

As a woman and his wife, the navy shirt that clinged to his torso, made her want to rip it off him and see if his body still tasted as sweet as it did 5 years ago. They sat in the kitchen and Jack set a cup of coffee in front of him. "You hired someone," He said randomly. Jack looked up a little surprised. "How did you know?" He laughed. "Because the house is spotless," Jack pouted. "Is it that hard to believe that I could keep a house clean?" Riddick looked at her solemnly. "Yes" Jack gave up on looking sad and laughed. "Yes, I hired a girl named Kathleen Archer. She's truly amazing, she and Mark-" Riddick's eyes latched on hers and hardened. "Mark, Mark Hurley?" Jack bit her lip and nodded. Like a shot Riddick was out of the chair and it toppled to the floor with a crash.

Jack was at his side and was gently placed a hand on his arm. "Riddick relax," She said in a quit voice she used when Rozi or Matt were upset. "That asshole is here?" Riddick demanded. Jack nodded slowly and as he charged forward she wrapped her lean fingers in his shirt and made him look her in the eyes. "Riddick! God will you relax? It's fine, everything is fine, and he helped me look for you." He reluctantly looked into her moody eyes and sighed. "Fine, you're right, you're always right Jackie girl" Jack smiled smugly and kissed him. "Now come on, there's a problem" "What?" Jack picked up the coffee cups and said. "You need sleep, and you definitely need a shower" Riddick smiled and took her hand. "Wanna come with me?"

Shower forgotten, they toppled into bed together kissing fiercely. She had missed this about him as well. The taste of his mouth, dark and a little dangerous, the way his muscled tensed if she kissed him in the right spot. He ripped the soft cotton of her shirt and ravished her breasts. His mouth was rough on the soft mounds, but Jack didn't mind. She tipped her head back and moaned. His teeth nipped and his tongue soothed. Moans where ripped from their throats and sweat beaded his taught caramel skin as she thrust her hips up to meet him. He panted her name and she almost screamed when they were finished. Their bodies were lying at odd angles on the white tangled bed sheets, hot and spent. His mouth found hers again and gently kissed her like a warm and tempting summer breeze on a white-sand beach.



Jack finally lured him into the shower, not much washing was done, but they both left satisfied. Her hair was wet and slick and clinged to her face like a second skin. "Riddick that wasn't what I meant when I said to take a shower, but that worked too" Riddick laughed and wrapped an arm around her thin body. She kissed his neck and kept herself busy by running her fingers over his tight muscles. "Jackie?" He asked almost sleepily. "What?" She asked looking up at him with passionate eyes. "Yes?" Riddick swallowed deeply and asked. "Do you still love me?" Jack's passion turned into something more brutal. "How you could think I wouldn't? Of course I do!" Riddick smiled and kissed her fevered lips. "Justin making sure"

The next morning there was almost explaining on Riddick's part. Everything was the same in the kitchen when he woke up. Jack was sitting at the glossy coffee table drinking something in a steaming mug, Mark Hurley had definitely grown up and he was flirting with a slim innocent looking girl with honeyed eyes. "Riddick" Jack said when she saw him walk into the room. Mark and Kathleen turned to him and she offered him a sweet smile. "Good morning sir, would you like some coffee?" He shook his head but Jack said. "Yes he would. Kathleen makes amazing coffee" Riddick shrugged at sat next to her.

Mark sat on the other side of her and played with the ends of her hair absently and earned an evil glare from Riddick. Mark stopped playing with the ends of her hair and gave Riddick an apologetic grin. Riddick accepted the cup from the pretty young woman with a grin and took an experimental sip and grinned as he deemed the coffee a godsend. He took another sip and swiftly and slyly kissed Jack with all the passion of a new lover.

After a civil breakfast that made everyone's mouth water just thinking about it, Jack made an excuse that she had to go see her boss so she could take the kids to the park. She wasn't sure if she was ready to let Riddick into their life yet. She had no doubt that he would be an amazing father, he was sweet and kind, but his temper sizzled closely to the surface, and she was worried that it would break through when Matt or Rozi were around. Her children weren't at all stupid and pretended Riddick wasn't there, they saw him all the time and unconsciously had an idea why Jackie didn't want them to spend time with him, even though they wanted to.

That day had the most perfect weather to go to the park and play. The snowy clouds of December were gathering closely but the warm breezes and hot nights from the summer were still around. The 3 of the headed to the swings and Jack dutifully pushed them. After a while of swinging, Matt went to climb on the monkey bars, but Rozi was still laughing gleefully. "Higher Mama!" She cried and Jack gave her another push so her fine black hair flew out like angel wings and her beautiful green eyes were alive with laughter.

Jack was wearing a loose light blue dress the color of the sky and never felt younger or more in love in her life. As she took a walk along the pathway by her house that led to a lake after Matt and Rozi were put down for their nap, she noticed the big bright red roses and the little yellow birds that flittered and sang happily in the trees that lined that path. She plucked a rose from one of the bushes and sniffed in delicately. A few sandy brown squirrels scrambled along the path and sat and chattered at her softly. Jack smiled and they went scattering off again.

It amazed Jack how everything seemed different and more vividly beautifully when you had the one you loved. The sun beat down on her skin and made it feel golden. She waved at a Kathleen's little dark blue car as she drove by and started whistling to herself. She walked to the lake and gently pealed away the petals and tossed them into the rippling lovely crystal blue water and watched them float into the tall green reeds and laughing softly as she saw a little dark green and white duck nibble at one and smiled as it ducked its head underwater and the water roll off in little beads on its back.

When she got home she was smelling like roses and sunshine, Matt and Rozi were still sleeping and Kathleen was keeping herself busy by tidying up the already spotless kitchen. She walked into the bedroom and saw Riddick wearing a gray muscle shirt and black flight pants and almost had sex with him at that moment. "Hey" She said happily and kissed him and snuggled his chest softly before pulling away and pulling her hair free from her ribbons. "Hello darling, you're certainly in a good mood" Jack sent him a wide grin. "I am. I'm having the most wonderful day" Riddick sat on the bed and the look on his face gave her stomach a little jerk.

"What's wrong sweetie?" She asked and went to sit next to him. He looked at her out of the corners of his eyes and sighed deeply. "I don't want to ruin your good day" Jack snorted rather unladylike and wrapped her legs around his waist. "Nothing could ruin my day today, now tell me" Riddick sighed again and rubbed a hand over his forehead. "Where are Matthew and Roselyn?" He asked after a moment. "I knew I wouldn't been able to avoid that question forever. Matt and Rozi are sleeping now Riddick" She said softly looking at the door. "I want to see them when they wake up" Jack began to protest, but she knew fighting with Riddick was useless, especially when he was using his ' no discussion' tone of voice. "Fine. They wake up from their nap in about 2 hours, you can see them then" Riddick nodded slowly. "I love you Jack, even though I'm not very good at showing it all the time" Jack smiled sadly at him and said. "You do just fine" and wrapped her arms around him.