Sorry this took a while to post and that its so short. Good news is that my Van Helsing story will be done within a week, i bought the movie and now i know what to do. i've also been caught by the Anna Rice books so that is slowing me down. Not to mention that the firday before halloween, i'll be moving to somewhere in Florida.

Here's a moment of silence for my poor dead firend. who wouldnt be dead right now if she had just opened her pretty eyes and looked at her so called boy and some chick he is always with(who is named after a flower with thorns). But oh well.

Sorry for putting my problems on you my loyal reviewers. now on with the story. :-)

I shuffle the cards up, sitting in my little corner of the cell next to the bars where there is just enough light to read the suits and numbers. I glance at Riddick who is laying on his back. 'He's been that way for a long time.' I lean against the wall and call out to him, "Want to play?"

Silence.

"Come on, I cant play solitaire forever." I wait for a reply but it doesn't come. "Riddick I know you're not sleeping."

He makes an annoyed grunting noise.

"Oh, come on. Its just poker."

"Don't have anything to bet." He says.

"Strip poker?" I joke.

"You're a little too young for that game, Kid."

"Why do you call me kid? I'm not a kid. I'll be eighteen in a few days. Get your ass over here and play."

He walks over to me and takes a seat. "Strip?"

I shuffle the cards again, "You wish.'

He takes off his goggles and stares at me, emotionless. "Deal em' out."

After deciding what kind of poker to play, I toss him two cards and take two for myself. We each check our cards, 'Jack of diamonds and ace of spades.' I look at him keeping my face straight.

Riddick's two cards are face down on the floor. "Well?" he asks expectantly.

I set three cards face up in between us. 'Ace of clubs, ten of hearts, and jack of spades. Ha! Two pair!' Riddick takes the half-used cigarette out of his pocket and puts it down as a wager. I look at him, "I don't have anything to bet."

"Yeah you do."

"Really? What do I have?"

"Well," He puts his hands behind his head, "you have your cards, your little friend the guard, then there is," he puts his hands down and shrugs, "you."

"Ok there is nothing I want to bet. You gave me these cards, no way am I going to let you touch me, and I cant bet something that I don't own. Josh is my friend, not my property."

"You have to bet something."

I turn over the fourth card, 'Ace of hearts.' "Why would you want Joshy Poo anyways?"

"I have my reasons."

"If I bet him, its not permanent. I want him back just like he is now, deal?"

"Deal." He flips over the last card to show a king of hearts.

I smile triumphantly. "Guess I get to keep your death stick." I flip over my cards. "Three aces and two jacks." I reach for the cigarette but he grabs my wrist. He flips over his two cards and my eyes nearly pop out of my head. 'Jack, queen of hearts.' "A royal flush? No way, you cheated!"

"Sorry kid." He picks up the cigarette and lights it. "You stay in this cell for a few days until I say you can go."

"What?! I need to eat sometimes."

"Don't worry about it. Why don't you just play solitaire." He stands up and goes back over to the cot.

"You going back to sleep?"

"Just because I lay down doesn't mean I have to sleep."

I stand up and walk over to the cot. "Move over."

He scoots over so his back is to the wall and I lay down next to him. It's barely ten seconds before he puts his arm over my waist and pulls me against him. I look over seductively. He leans down and just as I feel the brush of his lips on mine I pull one of his shivs from under the cot and push it threateningly against is gut. He gives me a warning look making me smile cutely. "What? You didn't think you could do something like that and just get away with it."

He moves his arm off me and I replace the shiv under the cot.