No one let Jack read the news on the universal net, or watch the news when it played on the screen because none of them wanted her to know that the Massacre in New Mecca was still big news.

It was only when she walked in on them watching it, most believing she was resting did she rail on everyone, including Richard B. Riddick.

"When was anyone gonna tell me we STILL had prices on our heads?" she asked still wincing whenever she forcefully used her voice.

"Because of this very reaction Jack." Anne started holding up a hand and watching Jack double over in pain.

"Don't. I'm not a baby." She snapped. "So what the hell has been going on for the last two weeks?"

"Well, it seems we were very good, left no traces except for you and Anne being gone. All the women save Ziza and Farah were spared and they put two and two together and came up with Salim and I being the ring leaders of a revenge killing spree for Imam." Kalifa told her while Riddick walked her to a chair and sat her on his lap rubbing her side.

"Great, did anyone figure out who killed Faisal?" she asked her hands fisted at her side.

"Technically Jack, you did, I just put him in a world of hurt." He told her soothing the pain her ribs still caused her. She's actually letting me touch her…

Small steps dickey boy. Small steps.

She glared at him. But Kalifa continued. "The council is wanting our hides, and yours for instigating it in the first place by leaving the planet in the "arms of a man not your husband or brother.""

"You've got to be kidding. They nearly kill me and I'm the one with the payday?" she said incredulously.

"Sounds about right." Her mate crooned in her ear. "Something really sexy about sleeping with a wanted felon." He whispered and she poked him for that.

Small steps…

"So, what do we do now?" she asked rolling her eyes. He could feel the tension in her body and smell the acute fear that made her so jumpy.

"We keep doing what we're doing. Flying towards the Meterora system. Remember that planet I found?" Riddick asked her. Come on Jack, come out, don't be afraid now. We'll be safe. I won't let you get hurt, ever again.

There was a planet he had found during the four years they were separated that had a beach, blue skies and water just like earth except it had two suns, like T2 but no monsters.

He had spent about six months exploring it, loving it's lush green plant life, the lack of people who could fuck with them, the fresh air, and the sound of the sea. It was a place he could put down and not worry about much. It's the beach he pictured his kids playing on, and the one he'd hoped to come back to.

"Yeah, Talos 4?" she asked looking at him smile that wistful smile that he got when he remembered something. He stroked her back and knew that it calmed her but she flinched when his rough fingers made their way lower.

"That's where we're going and before that, we're hitting Talos Prime to get supplies, refuel and get refitted. After that we're gone. No one cares about an old man, and his kids settling down after drifting through the universe now would they?"

"Nope, I don't suspect they would." She told him smiling sadly getting up and running out of the room.

So it was settled. Jack ran to their room and closed the door and didn't come out for the rest of the day. Since she recovered she spent most of her time there, quiet and alone.

When she wasn't freaking out because of something someone said, she was inward and shy around them. Riddick opened the door and found the room lit only by three candles.

He sighed, Jack had been so abused that it could be months before he could have her back to her old self, if ever.

He preferred low natural light, the fluorescent tubes that ran through the ship hurt his eyes, and he removed his goggles. "Gotta come out of your shell sometime Jack." He told her closing the door.

She sat on the bed, hugging her knees and sighed. "No I don't, I like it just fine right here. Nothing can go wrong here."

"Jack." He said approaching her with caution. She was like a frightened kitten jumping at everything and everyone. "I'm not gonna hurt you."

"I know…" she said in a small flat voice.

"But…" he finished.

"I can't. I can't every time I close my eyes all I see and feel is them." She cried and all he wanted to do was pull her in his arms.

"Jack. Listen to me." he said moving like a panther towards her. "Let's make a deal you and I."

"OK." She told him as he sat on the bed. Okay Jack, small steps, that's what Sasha told me… Small steps.

"I won't do anything that you don't want me to. Any time you want to stop, I will no questions asked."

He remembered every night when she'd sleep how she'd scream and wake up covered in sweat smelling of fear screaming. He could only imagine what she'd gone through and Anne had approached him after a week with something so horrifying that he felt violent for hours after.

"Riddick?" she asked stopping on the bridge on night after a nightmare woke the entire ship.

"Yeah?" he said rubbing his face and sitting in the darkness. "What do you want?"

"Sasha has something you may or may not want to see. The portable Sashas were linked and the one I left in the room with Jack has some disturbing video that may be helpful…" she told him and his eyes snapped up and she could tell his heart was breaking.

He sat in the med lab, doors locked, alone watching everything that happened to Jack from the time Anne had to leave her, to their escape and her attackby Ziza and seeing her so brave, and so abused twisted his guts into a knot. From that moment, he made it his personal mission to bring her back, if it took the rest of their lives, to the woman he loved before his colossal mistake of going back to remove the bounty on their heads.

"All right. Anytime right?" she asked looking into his silvery pools and trying to smile.

"That's right Jack, anytime." He told her in a tender, calming voice. She sighed at the deep rumble in his chest and he knew that bit by bit he'd break down the walls she'd slapped up against him.

He sat next to her and inhaled next to her ear. "Beautiful." he purred and he heard her inhale nervously.

"No I'm not." She replied in a whisper.

"Oh yeah Jack, you are, so very beautiful." he said looking at her moving his cheek so close he could feel the heat off her.

But he didn't touch her. Now was not about touch, it was about trust.

"You know, Talos 4 is my favorite planet. The suns, the beach, the lush vegetation, its the perfect place to go and disappear." He said just sitting near her. "I know a spot," He said drinking up the closeness, "where the water is so warm that when I laid down on the beach I let it touch my feet and it felt like the warmest bath, like little fingers running up and down my legs."

Image is everything, dickey boy. Take her mind off the fact you want to fuck the shit out of her.

Shut up this is Jack.

"Must be nice to feel safe enough to lay on the beach naked letting the water touch your skin." She said.

"How'd you know I was naked?" he asked inhaling her again. He couldn't get enough of her scent, frightened or otherwise.

"I know you, you wouldn't take just your boots off if it felt that good."

"You're right." He laughed softly, The fact she didn't bolt was a good sign.

"I wondered what it would be like to have you sitting there, under the stars letting the water touch your feet, and hoped when I got back to you that you'd come and find out." He admitted taking his hand and tracing the outline of her palm.

The touch, slight and sensual, along with his words caused a sigh of pleasure to escape her lips.

Very good small step dickey boy. Watch your ass or it'll all go to shit.

Now you need to really shut the fuck up.

"When was that?" she sighed his face close and his lips whispering in her ear.

"About two years ago." he told her growling with pleasure remembering the moment he knew she was the one.

"And you didn't come for me then?" she quipped and he thought he heard her almost laugh. Almost.

"You were still jail bait Jack, and I didn't want a little sister." He crooned.

"Really now?" she countered and a little of old Jack began to emerge.

"Really. Saw a little of the animal in you and knew that all I had to do was wait." He remarked coming so close to her ear he could feel it against his lips. "Wanted to make sure you were just right."

"And am I?" she whispered leaning in slightly.

"Oh yeah. Imam kept sending me messages telling me how you were doing and I knew, I was coming back, taking you with me and having the life I'd been denied."

His warm breath against her neck, the closeness, his scent, the absolute trust he had let her know was all right to have, made her smile. A real smile that made his heart suddenly full. She needed to know that he loved her, that she was important and that nothing, absolutely nothing was more important than her.

"Even if I was skinny and gawky like I was." She asked suddenly unsure.

No Jack, stay here with me, keep feeling good. That's my girl.

"Didn't matter one bit, but I have to say," he said feeling the need to fuck with her. "You surprised me with that fine ass."

"This old thing?" she quipped feeling his cheek against her neck as he nuzzled her. "I wasn't uh, worrying Mmm. about that."

Her reaction was very positive and he tempered himself against going to far.

"Good. Cause that ass could drive a man to distraction." He said putting his lips against her skin and testing the waters once again.

"Riddick?" she stammered.

"Yeah princess?" he asked his hand still tracing circles on her palm while he lightly kissed her neck.

"That feels very good." She told him leaning her head away so he'd have better access.

"I know, I can smell you Jack. I hope to make you feel very good." He told her leaning up and smiling.

"What if I can't?" she asked suddenly worried he'd leave her if she couldn't.

"Sh. Just close your eyes and let me feel you, smell you, and we'll see how things go. I plan on taking my time, don't worry." He said looking at her and smiling.

His lips moved against her neck again and his cheek rubbed her skin and he felt the rush of blood through her body. Flush, that was a good sign. Her hand, the one freed now because he had both on the bed, one on one side of her so he could lean, the other in his lap, moved to rest on his chest, feeling the heart beating strong and hard.

"Holding back, for me are you?" she asked as her hand pressed against his flesh. The fact she was touching him sent a pleasurable shiver from the point of her fingers to his loins stirring them into action.

"I'd do anything for you Jack, and I mean that." He said rubbing his cheek against hers and whispering in her ear.

"That's good to know." She said and the grin he'd waited for came out and old Jack returned, even for the briefest of moments.

He chuckled and her fingers felt the vibration sending a warm sensation to her body like a warm breeze. "So, princess, how you doin so far?"

"Good. Waiting for something though." She said giving him a impish smile.

"And that would be?" he quipped fucking with her just a little.

"Talk less." She replied rubbing her face against his neck and licking it.

Holding back for Riddick was a difficult task. The feel of her wet tongue anywhere on his skin was electrifying. "Well, that's good to know." He said using the words she's said to him back at her. "I love you."

Those three words and the hand free to move touching her cheek, caused her to close her eyes and sigh. "I love you too."

Her eyes opened and she saw him looking at her and she knew he wanted to kiss her. Slowly, deliberately, he leaned towards her and gracefully touched his against hers in a chaste brush against her delicate mouth.

He purred against her lips enjoying the sensation so much. "I've waited a long time for that Jack." He told her leaning back and licking his lip.

She laughed and the sound made his heart leap. "Me too. Been a while huh?"

"You have no idea." He quipped wanting to try that again.

She answered his silent request by leaning in and kissing him again. "I missed how you tasted Riddick." She said breathlessly after their lips turned into a arousing tangling of their tongues.

Neither of them could suppress a whimper when the parted and it was Riddick that spoke first, his head still primal when he did.

"Mmm." He said kissing her throat, then her cheek and returning to her mouth, stopping her from talking. "You talk to much princess."

She laughed again. Twice, in the span of an hour she had gifted him with her laughter.

"It's good to hear you laugh again Jack. Real good." He told her as he sat back.

"It feels good. Thank you." she said and he saw that familiar twinkle in her eye.

He got up and walked to the cabinet, opening it to retrieve something from the drawers. "Are we done?" she asked and he was hopeful she wanted more.

"For now. Later, a little more if you like. I can wait." He hoped he could wait…

"By the way you're walking, you may need a little help." She said and he smiled.

He smirked looking through his shirts knowing that he loved it when she felt comfortable enough to fuck with him.

"Been worse you know, don't worry about me." he told her getting a box. "Nothing a long cold shower couldn't cure. Been taking a lot of those lately."

She smiled again and he could get used to seeing her like that. Her face, still so beautiful was free of bruises and the cut on her lip was gone too. She'd taken to wearing her hair back and he liked it. He could see her eyes, still sad brighten when she felt the power over him that he let her have, or did he let her have it? He didn't care, he wanted her back, back fully and he'd do anything to get her there.

"I think you need this back." He said taking it down and setting it in her hand.

It was his medallion, in a bit of fabric. He'd taken it off when he saved her and kept it because it was his mark that she was his.

"I don't." she told him staring at it as he took it out and placed it around her neck.

"You do, to remind you, that you're one of the few things that this fucked up universe has given back to me." he said kissing her cheek.

She began to cry, she couldn't help it. He went to leave, backing off rather than pushing her too far and was surprised when she ran to him throwing her arms around his neck and laughing.

His arms wrapped around her and savored the moment of intimacy. She began to laugh. "You're going soft on me Richard B. Riddick, you know that?"

"Not for a while Jack, not for a long while." I tell her, there's no way I'd go soft now if my life depended on it. I can still feel those breasts pressed against me and it's fantastic.

"Thanks, for being patient." She tells me, and I feel good hearing the voice I love being cheerful.

"Wanna go for a walk or something?" I ask, I'd do anything to keep her from shutting up again.

"No, I'm getting tired. You're wearing me out." She says and I just have to fuck with her a little.

"When I wear you out princess, you'll know it." I say and it's a promise not just a snappy comeback.

"Promises, promises." She quips back and I know the road may be hard but we'll get there, one step at a time.