AN: If you find the name Heather in this chapter please tell me and I'll fix it. When I first wrote this I named the girl Heather, and later changed it to Rachel.

Difference – Unexpected

Riddick jolted awake when the doctor returned, he had shut the door and a tray sat on a table by the bed, several needles gleamed in the low light. Riddick took one look at the concern on the man's face then stood up to leave. "You might want to get some sleep… this may take a while." The man said.

Riddick nodded then made his way out of the room. He went back and collected his shirt and the things he had left on the chair in the exam room then made his way to where he had come in. Spying a couch he lay down on it and after a few moments. Shut his eyes and went to sleep.

…

Two weeks later saw Riddick returning to the clinic with a duffle bag and a slight smile on his face. He had been to see her the night before and she had woken up. After the doctor had reassured her she was safe, Riddick had left to find out just who Rachel Gray really was. Now he was going back, and hopefully, she would be healed enough to walk around some.

Riddick approached the door in the back alley where at eight in the morning, the light above the door still flickered. Looking up, he frowned at the light, and then waited for the door to open. When he didn't hear the customary grinding of the locks, he set the duffel down and pulled a shiv out of hiding. Lightly touching the door, he was surprised to see it move. Pushing harder, he stepped back, waiting for an attacker. When no one came at him, he slipped inside and made a check of all the rooms. In the back hall, he found the doctor with his throat slit, the blood had begun to congeal and dry, and the Doctors pulse was missing in his cool neck. With a grunt Riddick pushed himself to his feet and began to search for Rachel. After making a silent sweep, he went into the back office and storeroom and found the storeroom in shambles. Examining the office, he saw the safe was missing, along with every sort of drug the place had had in it. When he went to leave he heard a quiet moan. Pausing, he reached out and shut the door. Not moving he waited until he heard a gentle sigh, then he spoke. "You gonna come out?" he heard an audible gasp come from the area of the desk. Crossing over to it, he put the shiv away then bent down next to it.

"I'm surprised Rachel; you got some survival instinct." At the sound of his deep voice she relaxed, remembering the man who was crouched down by the corner of the desk.

With wide eyes she looked out at him, and he winced. The yellow rings around her fading bruises made her look worse than she had before. Crouched there, she looked younger than the age listed on her files. But then again that was real time, and she had been kidnapped when she was twelve.

…

Rachel woke up suddenly, a scream frozen in her throat as her heart pounded in her chest. Taking a few deep breaths she tried to calm herself before looking around at her unfamiliar surroundings. She lay in a relatively long and narrow bed; the white sheets a close match to her own pale skin. Looking around the small room she noticed the sound proof padding that covered the walls and ceiling and the metal grating that served as a floor and easy to remove access panels. Several crates were stacked in the opposite corners of the room, taking up most of the space while a small light glowed dimly from its fixture in the ceiling. The windowless and steel plated walls had Rachel questioning her own sanity as she sat up in the bed and threw the covers off of her body. Examining the shirt she wore, she felt the tightly wrapped bandages around her chest and stomach shift, as she moved her tender body. As she let a soft swear past her lips, she let her legs drop off the side of the bed and with a considerable amount of both determination and strength, pushed herself up off the mattress. As she stood swaying slightly in the small room, her hands strayed to the hem of the black shirt she wore, tugging gently at it she inched the hem down to the middle of her thighs, then slowly made her way to the door of the room.

Pausing to rest against the doorframe, her small hand was reaching for the handle when she heard a muffled yell and a loud thump. Eyes wide with fear, Rachel twisted the knob of the door. When the door refused to open to her light push, she leaned harder on the door. When it remained closed she felt the fear rush through her. Releasing a strangled cry she clawed and banged on the door desperate to gain her release. After several minutes he cries turned to sobs as she sank to the floor, her back to the closed door. When Rachel heard more yells coming from the other side of the door, she let loose an ear-piercing cry. She didn't notice when the yells ended. The heavy footfalls that stopped in front of the door when unnoticed as Rachel continued to cry.

When the door opened, she was pushed forward on the metal grating. Letting loose a cry of surprise, she crawled away from the doorway as fast as her limbs could take her. When Riddick opened the door all the way it was to see Rachel her arms around her legs as she sat with her back pressed to the side of the cot she'd been sleeping on.

"You okay?" he asked.

"I heard screams." She whispered her eyes filled with fear.

Riddick sighed then walked into the room he sat down on the edge of the cot and watched as she shied away from him. A growl of irritation rumbled in his chest as she looked up him green eyes rimmed with unshed tears.

"there wasn't anyone screaming on this ship kid," Riddick said, then his thoughts turned to jack and the screaming she'd done when he dropped her and Imam off at New Mecca. She had raged at him for hours while they had waited in the stolen ship for Imam to secure a place to stay for the two of them. Imam had been unsure of Riddick's leaving, yet knew from their conversation on the skiff that he thought he was doing what was best for all three of them. "Least not for a while." He murmured then looked back down at the girl.

"You got a place to stay?" Riddick asked, and then mentally kicked himself. Getting soft Dickey boy, he told himself as he stood to leave the room he paused in the doorway when she spoke.

"A cousin," She said the fear in her voice making it waver as she watched him make his way to the door. "I was staying with my cousin." She reaffirmed, hoping that her cousin really wouldn't mind if she suddenly showed up on his doorstep. Riddick grunted then continued out of the room.

…

Riddick sat in the small cockpit of the ship, one booted foot resting on an empty area of the forward control panel. Sighing heavily he tried to banish the image of Jack from his mind as she stood fear and so many other emotions flitting across her features, watching him walk away. He had seen that same look on Rachel's face as he walked into her room. The pain and anguish had mixed with the fear to leave her close to tears. And so many months in the past when he'd taunted Caroline Fry, told her that it was better if she went with him and left the rest behind. The pain of contemplating breaking a promise to a twelve year old girl in order to save herself, flashing in her eyes. Forget about her dickey, humanity isn't going to help you; some noble sacrifice isn't going to keep them from dieing. They all die eventually. He told himself as he leaned his head back on the hard head rest. "But what if I cant forget about them? What if I have to try anyways?" He asked his harsh whisper filled with the pain of indecision he himself felt.