Disclaimer: I do not own Kyra, Riddick, or anything else from Pitch Black or Chronicles of Riddick.

Summary: AU Jack's all grown up and become a new person, Kyra. Now it's time for her to face the man who left her years ago and show him exactly how much she has grown up.

Note: Well, here's Chapter Two. I hope you guys like it, and feel free to mention anything that seems out of character or is unbelievable. Riddick is a very hard character to write and I have noticed that some people cannot exactly get his character down pat and they go OOC a lot, no offense. This is my biggest fear, so I would heart you guys forever if you were to correct me in the nicest way possible. Constructive criticism is taken much better by me than flames are. Oh, and a better summary coming your way soon. Plus, there are some phrases that I took from Chronicles of Riddick. Don't sue me.

Transitions
Chapter Two

Beeping. That's the only sound that filled Kyra's ears. Beeping. She shifted uncomfortably in the captain's seat and fixed her eyes on the controls. A neon green light blinked on and off. As she moved closer to the light, she groaned.

"Shit!" she exclaimed kicking the bottom of the control console.

"2 percent fuel level. Re-fuel soon," the computer stated. The beeping ceased.

"Yeah, yeah," Kyra mumbled as her fingers flew over the center console. She was searching for the nearest space station or planet. After a few minutes, she found a Setae space station that was close enough for her to get to without running out of fuel. Setae was a prominent planet in the Tycromen system. The Setaens were actually the first race of people to develop warp speed technology as well as a cloaking shield. Needless to say, the planet was far more advanced than any of its neighbors. Kyra programmed the station's coordinates into the computer before standing up and stretching her legs. According to her chrono it had been 0400 hours since she had departed Lacroas. Beeping filled the air again and Kyra felt the urge to scream, "What now!"

She moved closer to the controls and saw that there was an incoming message. Immediately, she sat down and accepted the message. The image of a man, who was not too bad looking, popped up on a vid screen in front of her. An image of her had popped up on a vid screen on the station as well.

"Incoming vessel, please state the name of your ship, the ship's captain, and your purpose for visiting the Setae Space Station," the man stated professionally.

"This is the U.S.S. (Universal System Ship) Nightingale, which is captained by myself, Aja Tailynn. My purpose is to refuel aboard your ship. The Nightingale is currently running on 2 percent fuel levels."

The man typed the information into a computer that sat in front of him before returning his eyes to her. "You may enter at Docking Bay 3C."

Before Kyra could reply, the screen went blank. "So much for the hospitality," she mumbled under her breath. She put the coordinates of the docking bay into her ship and leaned back in her chair.

Her thoughts led her back to her encounter with Riddick. It wasn't the one that she had envisioned for years. She imagined that he would come back for her and admit how he was wrong and that he should have taken her with him. But now that she thought about it that seemed completely out of character for Riddick. The sound of her ship powering down caught her attention and she saw that she was already docked in the Docking Bay and the bay doors were shutting behind her.

Kyra stood up from her seat and grabbed the duffel bag before typing in the code so that the loading ramp would lower. Once it was down, she walked out of the skiff and found herself face to face with the man who she had spoken to earlier. He was much more handsome than before. The video feed did him no justice. He stood at 6'3" and had short brown hair and the most gorgeous green eyes she had ever seen before.

"Mrs. Tailynn, my name is Captain Pike, and I would like to welcome you aboard the Setae Space Station," he said, sticking his hand out for her to shake.

Kyra sat the duffel bag on the ground before shaking his hand. "It's Ms. Tailynn, but you can call me Aja. I see no need to be formal. I'm here to refuel and get out of your hair as soon as possible."

The captain nodded curtly. He knelt down and took her bag. "If you will follow me, I will show you to your quarters."

Kyra smiled, attempting to stay in character. "Aja" was friendlier and more lady-like than Kyra. Her only fear was that she would slip up and go out of character. She followed Captain Pike out of the docking bay and into a corridor. They walked for what seemed like hours before coming to a door.

"This is your room," he said, handing her bag to her. He put in a six-digit code and the doors opened with a slight whooshing sound. "Your code is 48-93-65. If you need any assistance or have an inquiry about your ship, there is a console across from your bed. Just press the 'call' button and ask for me. I will assist you in the best way possible."

There was something in his voice that made it sound like he meant more than he said, but Kyra shook the thought from her head. Being suspicious kept her alive for the better part of a year, but it also made her miserable. Suddenly, the captain's possible secret motives filled her head. Get in, get out. Worry about yourself and no one else, she told herself mentally.

"Thank you, Captain," she replied with a smile before stepping into her room. The captain stepped in the doorway behind her, preventing the doors from shutting. "Please call me Tanor."

Kyra smiled softly. It felt nice to have someone be civil with her; however, she knew that good deeds didn't mean that Tanor was a good person. For all she knew, the captain knew who she was and was going to hold her hostage until the next merc ship passed. She shook the thought from her head. If that happens, she told herself, I can handle myself.

"Well, Tanor, I really do hate to do this, but I am truly exhausted and I need to get a bit of beauty sleep. I will see you when I wake."

The captain nodded and stepped back into the corridor, with the door closing behind him. Kyra sighed and plopped down on the bed. It was quite annoying acting as if she was a proper lady. If Riddick were around, she was sure that he would have found it quite amusing.

Riddick…

Kyra grabbed a pillow and threw it at the door. No matter what she did, no matter how hard she tried, she could not get him out of her mind. A low growl came from her throat, and she grabbed the other pillow and smashed it in her face. She fell back on the bed and screamed into the pillow.

Somehow, Riddick had managed to once again come into her life and send it into disarray. She thought she had learned her lesson the first time. He was not to be trusted. Riddick would leave in a heartbeat. She had known that all along, but she still found herself yearning to see him again.

She screamed once more into her pillow. Oh, what she would give to be impervious to emotions just like him. Kyra moved the pillow from her face and peered up at the ceiling. Minutes later, she found herself slipping into unconsciousness.

Kyra awoke later at 0900 hours and felt refreshed. She slipped from her bed and grabbed the duffel bag, which she had dropped unceremoniously upon entering the room. She searched through the bag and pulled out a pair of tight fitting black pants and a maroon tank top. The straps and collar of the tank was trimmed in a white lace, adding what she hoped appeared as a girly design. Once she had her clothing in her hands, she walked over to the bathroom and dropped the clothes on the sink counter. Within seconds, she had stripped down and climbed into the shower. After turning the water onto the hottest setting available, she proceeded to wash herself and her hair. It felt good to be able to take a hot shower and not worry about if there would be any one waiting for her when she stepped out; however, it also felt unnatural.

A soft sigh escaped her lips as she turned the water off and stepped out of the shower. Her body itched for a fight. But she knew that she could not fulfill that urge on the space station. A fight would be out of character for Aja, which would set off alarms in the captain's head instantly. She slipped on her clothes after she dried off. A pair of heels sat in the bag and Kyra grabbed them. Her feet slipped into them and it felt a little weird. She could feel her feet protesting. They screamed for her boots but Kyra knew she had to keep up appearances. The sound of her stomach growling filled her ears and her feet carried her out into the corridor. She looked left and right in search of which way to go and decided to go right. Minutes later, she found herself at the entrance of the mess hall. Her eyes peered around the room and she hesitated before entering.

"Aja!"

It took Kyra a second to realize that the voice was directed toward her. She glanced in the direction where the voice had come from and found Tanor walking toward her. She put on a fake smile.

"Hello, Tanor. How are you this morning?"

"I am all right. And yourself?"

"I find myself a bit famished."

Oh dear God, someone shoot me now, Kyra groaned mentally. She stepped away from Tanor and got in line so she could get some food. Tanor got in line behind her. There was some small talk between the two as they got their food and found a place to sit. Kyra couldn't help but feel a bit giddy. It had been too long since she had been treated like a girl and not a convict. She took a sip of her water and listened intently to Tanor as he described his first day as captain. She couldn't help but giggle at some parts. Immediately, she felt as if she were out of character for Kyra. Part of her was slipping back to Jack. However, there wasn't as much fear in her heart as she thought there would be. A sad sigh escaped her lips as she realized that the second she left the station it would be back to Kyra and a life of loneliness. But hey, that's what she was best at, wasn't it?

A hooded figure sat in the back corner of the mess hall and kept his eyes fixed on one person. The sound of her giggle filled his ears and he clenched his jaw. A feeling was arising in him. A feeling that was unknown to him. The feeling had a name, he was sure of that, but he dare not speak it.

Heatedly, the figure shoved himself from the table and walked out of the mess hall. This action gained several curious stares from across the room.

Kyra smiled at Tanor as he walked her to her door. He continued to assure her that the Nightingale was ready to leave the station at anytime, but then he extended an invitation for dinner in his quarters at 2000 hours. She couldn't help but blush. Things were just so weird now. She didn't know what to think any more or which was up. All she knew was the Riddick was gone once again and a man was showing a romantic interest in her.

"I'll contemplate the offer, Tanor, and get back to you later. Thank you, very much for the lunch. It was quite nice."

Butterflies filled her stomach as he leaned closer and at the last minute kissed her cheek.

"Have a nice day," he whispered before walking off. Kyra turned to reply but found the captain gone. With a shrug of the shoulders, she put in the six-digit code before slipping into her room. She felt as if she were on cloud nine. Things couldn't get much better. Or at least that's what she thought before she was thrust against the wall and a shiv was pressed firmly against her throat.

Kyra was instantly snapped from her happy mood and went into 'survival' mode. Her hand reached for the spare shiv that she kept in her shoe, but the shiv was pressed harder against her throat.

"Easy there, big boy," she said to the hooded figure in front of her. She looked into the face of the figure and instantly knew who it was.

"What a way to greet an old friend," she spat, bringing her knee up to meet Riddick's groin. The attack was blocked when he shoved his body onto her body. Kyra responded with a grunt.

"Like to keep you on your toes… You've changed, Jack."

She clenched her jaw and glared up defiantly at Riddick.

"Kyra," she spat.

Riddick moved the shiv from her throat but didn't move his body. A line of blood formed where the shiv had been. Kyra brought her hand up to the small wound and shook her head.

"Always did keep 'em sharp."

"What are you doing here?" Riddick asked, ignoring her statement. He backed away from her a bit, but not a lot. There was only enough room for her to slink past him.

"I could ask you the same damn thing."

"Asked you first," he replied as he placed his blade back in its spot, which was tucked carefully in the back of his pants.

"A little old to be playing games, don't you think?" she called over her shoulder as she made her way to the bathroom so as to examine her neck. She didn't hear Riddick follow her and was unaware of his presence until he replied to her comment.

"I'm waiting."

She jumped a bit and glared at him. "It's unnatural for a man of your size to move so quietly. You've got to be taking something," she murmured. Riddick didn't look amused. In fact, his face was emotionless. Kyra sighed. "I am waiting for my ship to be refueled so I can get off this station and get as far away from you as possible."

Still no emotion.

"Your ship is refueled. Has been for the past 4 hours. Why are you still here?"

Kyra peered at him curiously. "I think you gave up the right to play the concerned father when you ditched me on Helion Prime, so don't bother now."

She brushed past him and attempted to walk out the door, but she didn't get more than a few steps from Riddick. He grabbed her wrist and pulled her to him. His silver orbs fixed her in her place.

"What happens when Captain Kirk realizes who you really are?" he asked.

Kyra glared up at Riddick. She was pissed at him because he had voiced her biggest fear at the time. Part of her felt something for Tanor, but the other part was yelling at her, telling her that it could never be.

"What happened to the care only for yourself, Riddick? Or was that just a bunch of shit?" she hissed at him. "You left me. You left me when I needed you most. Don't you realize that I hate you for it? I have hated you with every fiber of my being since I was twelve. Since that day where you left my ass on Helion Prime.

"You know, when I was kid, I had this romanticized version of you. That everyone else had it all wrong. Richard B. Riddick was an unknown hero. He wasn't as bad as everyone thought he was. Well, you know what. I was wrong. Dead wrong. You're just what everyone said you were. A murdering bastard."

Riddick growled and slammed her against to wall. Another grunt escaped her lips.

What's with the pushing? she asked herself.

"I heard you came looking for me," he said into her ear, completely ignoring her previous outburst, like he always did.

"Is that all? Then you missed the good part. I hooked up with some mercs out of Lupus Five. Said they take me on, teach me the trade, give me a good cut. They slaved me out, Riddick. Do you know what that can do to you when you're that age? When your 12-years-old?"

"I told you to stay in New Mecca," he said, interrupting her. "Did you not listen?"

He screamed the last part causing her to jump. Finally, she thought, some emotion out of him.

"I had mercs on my neck. I'll always have mercs on my neck. I spent five years on a frozen heap just to keep 'em away from you. And you go and sign up with the same fake badges that wanted to cut you up and use you for bait."

"What are you pitching, Riddick? That you cutting out was a good thing? That you had my ass covered from halfway across the universe?"

"You signed with mercs." He sounded disgusted.

"There was nobody else around," she whispered.

Riddick stared at her as Kyra strained to keep the hurt and pain from her eyes. It was proving to be a harder task than first imagined. He pushed himself away from her and walked over to her bed. She watched as he laid down and closed his eyes.

"We leave at 1900 hours." That was all he said before appearing to fall asleep, but Kyra knew better.

She looked down at her chrono and saw that it was 1100 hours. "You can't control my life, Riddick. I won't let you," she spat before walking out of her room, leaving Riddick on the bed.

Kyra found herself, minutes later, on the bridge of the station searching for Tanor. She found him in the captain's chair talking to a woman, who was probably a member of the crew. Slowly, she approached the two and waited for their conversation to cease. She couldn't help but eaves drop. They were talking about the next round of cargo and passenger carrying ships that would be coming through. Once the conversation was over, Tanor noticed her immediately and smiled.

"What can I do for you, Aja?" he asked.

Kyra cleared her throat. "I need to leave as soon as possible. As in, right now."

Tanor looked concerned. "What's the matter? Is it anything that I could help with?"

Kyra smiled softly. "No, I'm afraid not. My dearest uncle has become incredibly ill over night and it seems that he may not be around for much longer. I need to get back to Reynar 4 as soon as possible."

Tanor appeared disappointed, but Kyra refused to let it get to her. 'Survival mode' had kicked in. She had to get away from the station. She had to get away from Riddick. Tanor led her out off the bridge and they walked to the docking bay. While they walked, Kyra thought over her feelings for Riddick. She hated him all right. She hated him for every damn minute that she spent without him. But then again, she loved him. He was Riddick. Her idol. The love of her life, but she could never tell him that. She would be embarrassed for the rest of her life. Richard B. Riddick could and would never love her. It wasn't in his genes.

"Here we are," Tanor said, snapping her from her thoughts. "Do you need you stuff?"

Kyra shook her head. "I'm good. Just throw it away or give what you can to those who need it," she whispered as she walked up the loading ramp. She couldn't look at Tanor as she closed the ramp.

She walked over to the captain's seat and waited patiently for the room to be cleared so that Docking Bay doors could be opened. They opened seconds later. Kyra powered up the skiff and pulled out of the Docking Bay. A sad sigh escaped her lips. Part of her felt bad for leaving Riddick behind, but she knew that it was for her own good.

She laughed slightly at the irony of her situation. Riddick had left her and he claimed that it was for her own good and now she was leaving him for her own good.

The Nightingale was bigger than the skiff that she had been on when Riddick, Imam, and she left the godforsaken planter of T2. The one she was on now had a small bedroom and bathroom on the left side and a kitchen on the right. It could hold two people max, but Kyra never planned on having more than one person on it.

Silence filled the skiff as she ran her fingers over the controls in search of a planet to land on. The sound of metal clearing material was all that she heard before she reached to grab her shiv. Instantly, she bolted out of her seat just in time to see Riddick step out from the shadows. A chill ran down her spin as she watched him approach. Kyra clenched her jaw and forced all emotion back.

"I should have known," she said with a little laugh.

Riddick chuckled. "Can't escape me, Jack." A small smirk somehow found its way onto her face.

"Damn. Guess I lose at hide and seek."

Kyra noticed the shiv in Riddick's hand and tilted her head to the side a bit. "What are you going to do? Kill me? I'm sure I've got a nice bounty on my head."

Riddick didn't respond, but then again he never did. It seemed as though he liked silence over conversation. Kyra dug her toes into her heels and stepped into a fighting stance. There was a certain tension in the air that both of them felt.

"You goin' to fight me, Jack?"

Kyra could tell that he was mocking her. She certainly didn't look intimidating in heels. God how she hated herself for putting them on.

"If that's what it takes to keep you away from me."

"Why would I do that?" he asked rhetorically. Kyra opened her mouth to reply, but he cut her off. "I thought you wanted me to come after you, Kid."

Kyra scoffed at this. "You really don't get it, do you? I hate you. I hate you for everything you've put me through. I hate you because I know that once we get to wherever we're going, you'll leave and I'll never see you again."

There was silence. Kyra closed her eyes and turned to sit back in the captain's seat.

"Jack…"

She turned around and peered at Riddick. He stepped closer to her, but the anger that was building up inside refused to let him get closer. Kyra moved away from the control panels until she was a couple feet in front of Riddick. She shifted her stance a bit and glared up at him. Seconds later, she spun on her left foot and attempted to kick him with her right, but he caught it effortlessly. Kyra spun her body in his grasp and caught the side of his head with the heel of her shoe, causing him to drop her foot. She rolled onto the ground and popped up into a fighting stance without missing a beat. A small line of blood fell down the corner of Riddick's eye, but it did not faze him. However, the heel of one of her shoes broke, so she kicked them off quickly.

"That the best you got, kid?" he asked.

Kyra yanked a shiv from its rest position against her leg. Just like Riddick, she always had a blade on her somewhere. She slashed at Riddick, but he blocked her attack easily with his forearm. Kyra twisted her body and kicked at his abdomen, hitting him in the center of his chest. Riddick brought his blade down and slashed her arm. Blood seeped from the wound, but she blocked out the pain. Finally, she was going to show Riddick that she had grown up. A transition had taken place. She was no longer Jack. It was Kyra now. Jack was weak. She couldn't cut it.

Riddick and Kyra circled each other, looking for weakness, but they both had none. Kyra swung at him, but yet again he ducked the attack. As she straightened up, Riddick grabbed her wrist and pulled it back to where she was facing away from him and her arm couldn't go any further back without breaking. She held on tight to the shiv, determined not to drop it.

"Good, but not good enough."

Riddick let go of her wrist before shoving her forward. She barely managed to get her hands in front of her in time so that she was able to brace herself. The shiv clattered to the floor, but she did not fret. Kyra spun on her feet and kicked the shiv up to her hand. After repositioning it in her hand, she charged at him and slashed at his torso. Riddick attempted to jump back, but ended up hitting the wall. Kyra's shiv cut his shirt open and left a small line of blood. Riddick ran his hand by the wound before looking up at her. Kyra felt drained. Her hand shook slightly and the shiv once again fell to the floor with a clatter.

What's wrong with me? I've killed dozens of men before. Why am I freaking out now?

Kyra looked up at him, unsure of what to say. She didn't expect what he did next. Riddick stepped forward and the two stared at them. No words were said. Kyra was trying her best to clear her mind and figure out just what the hell was wrong with her. Her eyes trailed down to where a line of blood had formed and blood began to seep from the wound. A point had been proven by Riddick. No matter what, he would always be a weakness for her. That's why he couldn't have taken her with him. He was her weakness and she was his. Kyra didn't know what took over her as she closed in the space between them and kissed him. Slowly but surely, she felt all of anger draining away, but she knew that Riddick would leave and she would once again be alone.