Claudia was playing in her yard, getting her overalls muddy, a muddy smear on one of her little cheeks. She laughed and splashed more in the mud.

Riddick was walking to her house, his coat collar was up and his hat, an old black fedora, was pulled down low, hiding his face and goggles. Out of the corner of his eye he saw someone following him, but was doing a good job of it, but not good enough. He caught a glint of dark hair that had been pulled back, pale skin, Jack. Smirking slightly he vanished in a dark alley, waiting for her to pass by. When she did, he reached out and grabbed her shoulder, spinning her around and pushing her back against the building wall, holding her wrists in one hand above her head.

"Tag, you're It." he whispered into her ear and her tense body relaxed. "Why are you following me Jack?"

"I just wanted to know who Claudia was."

"How did you know I as going to see Claudia?"

"You always go, for close to two and half weeks now, to see Claudia around noon. You became a creature of habit concerning her Riddick, and that is an exploitable weakness. What if a merc had been watching you, and instead of going after you they went after her? Is getting laid every day and night really worth it?" she asked and he released her, backing away, looking down.

"You don't know what you're talking about. Claudia and I aren't like that."

"Then how are you like? Who is she to you Riddick?" Jack asked lowering her arms and he looked at her. He whipped off his hat and goggles and looked at her seriously.

"You really want to know Jack?" he asked and she nodded. "Fine." He said and put his hat and goggles back on. He took her wrist in one of his large hands and half-dragged her out of the alley, slowing his pace when they got to more populated areas so they wouldn't attract attention. "Now are you sure you really want to know?"

"Yes." Jack said nodding and he let go of her wrist, hopping a short fence and vanishing around the corner of a house. Jack climbed the fence and followed him, stopping dead in her tracks at the sight in front of her.

"Claudia, Claudia, Claudia, you're a mess." Riddick said shaking his head and smiling and a small child with red gold ringlets and blue eyes looked up at him with an innocent smile.

"Hiya!" she said and Riddick crouched down, taking a bandana out of his pocket and starting to wipe a smear of mud off her cheek. When her skin was clean he put it back in his pocket.

"There that's better." He said and touched the tip of her nose making her giggle. "Claudia there's someone I want you to meet." He said and pivoted, looking at Jack. "Jack, come here and meet Claudia." He said and she walked forward.

"This…is Claudia?" Jack asked and suddenly felt foolish for thinking that Claudia was a woman that Riddick was having sex with.

"Yup, this is Claudia. Sweet, innocent, five-year-old Claudia." Riddick said looking at the child again with a fond smile on his face.

"Oh god don't tell me that she's your…" Jack started but stopped when he chuckled.

"No, she's not my daughter. She has parents."

"Then how did you meet her?"

"I'll tell you later. Claudia why don't you go get cleaned up inside? Huh?"

"Okay." She said and got up, running into the house and leaving little muddy shoe prints on the porch stairs and the patio. Riddick straightened and they stood there in silence, nervous in Jack's case and embarrassed in Riddick's. Claudia came running back outside in a new pair of overalls and a pristine white T-shirt, clean sneakers on her feet. She stood in front of Riddick and held up her arms. "Up?" she asked and he scooped her up in his arms, resting her on his hip and putting an arm around her small body. He took off his hat and put it on her head, it fell down over her eyes and he chuckled again. He tilted it back and she smiled at him. "Is your name Riddick?"

"Yes." Riddick said nodding, not a least bit surprised.

"Are you a bad man? Do you hurt people? My mommy says you hurt people."

"I only hurt the people who try to hurt the ones I care about." He said.

"Have you ever hurt someone that tried to hurt me?"

"Yes."

"Who?"

"He was a very bad man that wanted to hurt you very badly. I stopped him and now he can't hurt any one ever again."

"Oh. If you only hurt the people that want to hurt the ones you care about, then why are you a bad man?"

"Because at one time in my life, way before you were born, I hurt people because they made me angry."

"But you don't anymore right?"

"Nope."

"Okay. Who's your friend?" Claudia asked and looked at Jack.

"I'm Jack." She said stepping forward.

"Isn't Jack a boys name?" Claudia asked innocently.

"Yes, but I like being called Jack."

"I don't like boys, they're icky." She said and stuck out her tongue making them laugh.

"I'm a boy Claudia. Am I icky?" Riddick said and she turned her big blue, trusting eyes on him.

"No, you're my friend and that's different."

"I guess so." He said and she smiled, kissing his cheek. "What was that for?"

"I dunno." She said and Jack noticed something dark on her arm.

"Claudia what's on your arm?" she asked and Riddick's attention drew to it, his face suddenly became hard and his jaw muscles quivered. Jack knew that expression, she saw it when he had decimated those creatures on the dark planet. He gently lifted up her shirtsleeve and they saw the rest of a large dark bruise on her upper arm.

"What happened Claudia?" he asked and she put her head on his chest.

"Daddy got mad again."