When Jack woke the next morning, she knew right off something wasn't right. Riddick, normally an early riser, wasn't awake, the vid-phone was blaring and the clock in her quarters indicated that they had slept over ten hours.

And, to her dismay, she was in her own bed.

Since they'd run from Hellion Prime, the max they could get at a time was three to four hours and far as sleep went. Despite the hangover, Jack felt pretty damn good about the whole birthday bash. Kissing Riddick was the best part, after the necklace. Now, if she could convince him that she wasn't a kid anymore and that it was okay for him to want her too, it could get a great deal more interesting.

Dressed in her one pair of black jeans, a tight fitting long sleeve shirt and her mechanics boots, she looked all business. They were arriving at New London, and she wanted to look less like a girl and more like her old self, tough as nails Jack.

Her hair was in a tight braid down her back and she decided to wear her necklace, a choker made of deep blood red stones in an intricate silver weave because it pleased her and she knew it would please him.

The lack of light coming from his room, did not surprise her, neither was his open door. She'd left it open in case something happened and also in case she felt the need to check on him. Tip toeing into it she inhaled and smelled him. Carrying coffee, she placed it on the dresser and walked tentatively over to his bed. She was hoping that he wasn't as hungover as she was, given the fact that he had downed his limit of the volatile fluid before passing out.

She stood there in the darkness, waiting for him to growl at her for disturbing him. When he continued to snore softly, she figured that if hadn't already pounced her, and it was safe enough to try and wake him.

"Riddick?" she asked walking towards his bed.

No response.

She came closer, and again no response. "Riddick, wake up. The vid-phone has a message and we've come to the shipping lanes."

Before she realized what was happening to her she was flat on her back, pinned to the bed by a huge chest, and massive hips. In the darkness, his silver eyes stared at her and looked deadly.

When Riddick came to full wakefulness, he realized that he had Jack on her back and his hand was around her slender throat.

"Rid-" she choked.

"Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! Jack Jesus!" he said quickly releasing her. The pain in his eyes made her wince which made his discomfort all the more tormenting. He'd nearly strangled her and he wasn't even awake at the time.

"T-time to wake up sleepy head." She wheezed still pinned down by his other hand. Her were arms above her head she was at his mercy. He let them go and she laid them back against the pillows.

"Jack! Say something!" he nearly shouted. He began to panic in earnest when she didn't respond right away.

"Air would be nice big guy." She smirked at him when she realized she was still pinned, she smiled. "unless of course you something else in mind to make it up to me?"

"First mistake, never wake me up." He said groaning when he realized the same thing. "I could have killed you."

She tried to squirm and made him growl in her ear. "Second mistake, never let me drink again. God Jack, my fucken head."

"Duly noted, but Riddick? All this growling in my ear is turning me on so if you don't mind, clothes would be a really good idea now. Cause, baby, you got a problem." She whispered in his ear moaning against him.

Her breath was warm on his neck and he could feel her body pressed against him. He noticed her hips, the flatness of her stomach, the rise and fall of her breathing and her scent, and the breasts he longed to taste right there for the taking.

'Oh shit, I'm fucken naked.' He thought.

"Glad it's dark?" she said smiling. "Need any help with that?"

"Out! I'm gonna shower." He growled moving to the bathroom and looking at the dresser. "Jack, thanks for the coffee."

"You don't want your good morning kiss now?" she quipped.

"OUT." He ordered as she closed the door.

When Riddick arrived in the mess Jack had already eaten and had been to the med lab for something to counteract the hangover for him.. She sat there just as pleased as she could be, with her feet up on one of the tables sipping coffee and looking at the news, playing on a large screen in front of her.

"Audrey Richards, pictured, age 17, is wanted by the New Mecca council of Elders to fulfill her obligations as…She has been seen in the company of Richard Anderson… Price for her safe return, $1,000,000 credits. Price for Anderson, dead or alive, 150,000 credits. Contact Faisal Mohammed New Mecca Pilgrim Authority."

"Knew it come to a payday one of these days." Came a familiar voice from behind her.

"Yeah, look, I'm worth more than you." she smirked rubbing her neck and sighing.

"Look kid I'm sorry." He said watching her move to sit on the back of the couch.

He came to stand between her legs and ran his fingers along her knees looking guilty.

"No biggie, the whole huge dick thing kind of washed away any abject terror." She said smiling. He looked up and shook his head.

"Can't help the equipment I've been given." He smirked. Take that Jack.

"You really want to make out with me right now don't you?" she quipped standing firm a wicked twinkle in her eyes. Bring it on big boy.

"Every minute of every day princess. Where's my good morning kiss?" he growled in her ear.

"Well, that depends Mr. Try and strangle your…" she tried to finish but stops. "co-pilot?"

He stiffened. "You aren't going to let me forget that are you?"

"Do you do that often? The strangling your friends thing I mean." she asked hugging him. "I'm sorry too. I should have been more careful. Thank god I didn't wake up there…"

His arms held her tenderly and he felt so bad about the entire event. "You smell good. I don't recognize that scent."

Now it was her turn to look guilty. "Missing anything?"

He had to think, "Come to think of it, I don't remember taking my…off… Hey, I didn't do anything last night cause the last thing I remember was…"

"No, I put you to bed like a good girl and was going to wash your shirt, but kind of woreittobedinstead." She said quickly and looked anywhere but at him.

He laughed hard and loudly. "Good morning Jack. I smell good on you." then he kissed her cheek and went to get some coffee.

"You know, for a cold blooded killer that's feared throughout the systems, you're very affectionate when you're content." She said sitting back down to watch more of the news. "I guess you've changed since your untimely demise."

"Well, feeling free, even for a little while will do that to me. Plus, I had fun last night. Didn't you?" he said sitting down and accessing the terminal.

XXX

"Here, for your hangover." She says to me not answering the question.

"I'll be fine." I tell her. I need this headache to remind me how close I came to ghosting her ass.

"So, what's the message?"

"Coordinates for the pick up." I say and she's looking uncomfortable. Now, I'm starting to worry. "Uh Jack, is there something you're not telling me?"

She's shifting and I take that as a yes. "Jack?"

"What was the last thing you remember?" she asks me and I know something's up.

Shit. What the hell did I do?

I try and recount the previous night. 5 shots, ugh… Kissing, pinning, whispering dirty things in her ear, laughing about the fucking thing, oh yeah forgot about that. That makes me smile. She was so pissed.

Way to go to be a gentleman asshole. The last thing, oh shit. I remember now. That little sneak…

"You stole my shirt. That was not the last thing I remember princess." I'm fucking with her now because its all a bit fuzzy still. Maybe she will tell me and I'll remember.

"Besides that, anything else?" she's beat red now. That little shit…

"Oh, nothing. You know our new idents will work great and I've got money on credit chips too." She says trying to change the subject.

I'm not buying. "Jack?"

She's squirming now. "You're gonna laugh at me and I'm gonna have to kick your ass for it."

She touches my face for a minute to try and distract me, bringing back memories of a good night kiss and me passing out. "Sorry, I have to go." She says and bolts out of the room at top speed.

She's not leaving it like that.

"Jack!" I yell and I find her in her room. "Don't move."

"Go away." She says looking towards the bathroom. "I'm a terrible person."

"No you're not. Sneaky but not terrible." I tell her and make it a point to not go near that bed.

"We're coming up to New London. I think we need to talk about something before we land."

"In my defense you were still coherent when you asked for it."

"I remember, it just took me some coffee to jar it loose. You little minx." I say standing in her way. "So."

"So." She says uncomfortably. I love having the upper hand.

"I'm sorry. I couldn't help myself." she tells me. But I remember her feeling so good and it wasn't the fact that I was drunk as hell. I never black out, pass out yeah, but I remember everything up to that point.

"So I guess we're even." I tell her. "You had something to be guilty about, and so did I. Granted mine was a bit worse than yours."

"Okay we're even."

"How are we going to work New London? I think that the way I look now will cause us to be recognized. I was thinking you could help me with that."

What is she suggesting? Then I see her come out with my shiv. "Cut it off." She says holding out her hair. "They won't recognize me then."

Aw Jack, not that. Please not that. "I want to be free Riddick, they're looking for a woman with waist length hair. Cut it off."

"Jack, we don't have to do it. I could go alone. Man, not the hair, it's so…Shit Jack."

"Give it to me." she said hand out.

"No. I'll do it you're right." I say seeing the point. If I leave up to her it'll be bald again. Not a chance. I take it and cut just below her neckline, and the braid is in my hand. That fucken gorgeous hair, gone.

"Thanks, now I won't stand out." She tells me. Fat chance of that happening.

All I can do is stare, and hold her hair in my hand. "You liked it long?"

"All men do Jack, it's a guy thing."

"Sorry."

"No you're right. It's a liability. But this it's okay." I say, don't whine Riddick, then you're just one big pussy.

"How are you feeling? Want some food?" she asks trying to change the subject. Good kid, I'm feeling kind of shitty about that.

"No, food is not a good idea right now." I say feeling my gut want to rebel.

"Hey, I wanna show you something." She smiles.

Come here. I wanna show you something to. I put the braid down and she walks over to the dresser and pulls out her lap top. "Let's go to the mess, you'll want to see this there."

She's right because if I get a hold of anything of hers on that bed, she's history. And there goes me being the good guy.

We both sit on the couch, coffee for both and she shows me how she makes up idents. She's been busy and I've got three and she's got two. Each time we're married. "Hey, is there something I should know? You trying to get in my pants?" I smirk, sorry Jack, I had to go there.

"Do you want me to be your sister?"

HELL NO.

"No, just checking. So what does this mean? We pretend while in public?" I ask, hey this could be fun. "Holding hands, smiling you adoring me?"

"It depends on you." she tells me looking at me with a smug grin.

"Really? Who copped a feel when I was passed out?" I counter. Go there Jack, come on, you know you want to.

"You were not passed out and I did not cop a feel, your hands were on my ass so let's stand on the record here." She says pissed.

"Okay, since we're standing on the record here. You started the entire night by suggesting that fucken game."

"Oh but you brought the whiskey so I rest my case. Cause stone sober you wouldn't dare do what you did."

I'm about to say something but that would only inflame an already very volatile situation. She's like playing with fire. "See, I thought so."

I sit back down and run my hands over my face. "I'm trying here Jack."

"Denial isn't a river in Egypt. Riddick. When you figure out what you want let me know. I'm gonna go punch the shit out of something." She says leaving me alone in the mess.

Her laptop is blinking and her files are unsecured. I can't seem to help myself.

Accessing personal vid data:

password:

Riddick.

How cute, that's my name. Lame Jack. I'd of thought of something more complicated, HOLY FUCK.

XXX

Riddick sat with the laptop on his lap as the photos of her taken by Kalifa came into view. The first was her against the wall, low rise jeans and her black shirt. The second, right next to the first was her laying on her stomach completely naked. Her tattoos fully visible and her hair was pulled back. She was laying on a red blanket draped across a settee. He adjusted himself when the next one, then the next, all of her and absolutely beautiful.

He closed off the files and walked directly towards the gym. "Jack. I want to talk about what you said."

"I don't." she said hitting the punching bag. "I get it its okay."

"No it's not. We've got to go." He said instead. She pinned her hair back and walked off. That did not go as he intended.

He walked next to her as she went to her room and grabbed her hand. "What the hell are you doing?"

"Stop." He ordered standing in front of her. "Listen, Jack, it's not… I knew when I brought out the bottle what could happen. I wanted to…"

"Just spit it out." She said looking at him with big hurt eyes. "Tell me it was a mistake and I'll forget the whole night happened. Will that make you feel better?"

She slipped out of his grip and grabbed her coat. "We've got to land, you'd better get to the cockpit."