Chapter 5

Summery – It's short, but sweet. I just wanted to get it out before the weekend.

Disclaimer – Don't own, don't sue.

R

R

R

R

R

Where the hell did that come from?

"Huh?"

She looks up at me again and says "You said you never knew your parents. So who named you?"

Gotta laugh at that.

"I named myself. I don't know what my real name was. Don't know if I even have one."

"So where did the Richard B. Riddick come from?"

"Richard after the boyfriend, so I never forget why I am who I am. The rest is from my foster-sister. Brenna Riddick."

She nods again, looking away as she absorbs what she's hearing.

After a few moments, she turns around again.

"You're middle name's Brenna!"

"Brendon, if anyone has to know." I tell her defensively. "But yea. Sorta secretly."

"Sweet."

"I just knew that when she died, she'd be forgotten. Sent to a mass-grave planet and given a number. Another kid no one wanted. Calling myself Richard B. Riddick was a way of making sure she'd never be forgotton...and neither would her killer."

It's strange. I never told anyone any of this. Not the authorities when they asked if I'd seen anyone in the house that night. Not when they asked me if I had seen anything 'strange' around the last few weeks. Even when they asked if Richard had every hurt Brenna or me, I kept my mouth shut. I told them that Marli, my foster mother, had been sweet and loving, and that her boyfriend was a nice guy.

We were just a normal family.

I was just a normal kid.

"Riddick?"

Shit. I forgot she was even there…ain't that what I'm supposed to be good at not doing?

"Yeah, kid?"

"Rykangolls."

Shit.

I ain't met that many Rykangolls in my life, but the ones I did meet were nasty mother fuckers. Good for target practise, though. They were always looking to do some damage. And I know what they do to the people they can over power.

I know what they did to her.

"Are they dead now?" He asks softly.

J

J

J

J

J

I nod. I don't think I really trust my voice to speak right now.

He doesn't say anything else, and I'm relieved and worried at the same time. I don't want him to be pissed at me, but at the same time, I'm glad he's not asking any more questions.

"Are you mad?" I ask eventually.

"Not at you."

He shakes his head, and I think his eyes are closed behind his goggles. I didn't even know he's put them back on.

The silence settles in again, both the comforting silence between friends and the tension of questions we both wanna ask, but can't. I#m swept once more into drowsiness, and I yawn.

Riddick sees. "Sleep," he tells me as he rises from my bed.

"You know I won't." I tell him, "Neither of us will."

I don't tell him I want him to stay, but I know he knows that that's what I'm asking. We won't sleep, can we at least keep each other company?

"This ain't what I know how to do, Jack."

"Kyra," I argue, but without the conviction I had once had.

"I liked Jack better."

R

R

R

R

R

I'm a shit.

At least I can admit it.

I know why she told me what she told me. I told her somethin' 'bout me, she thinks that she's gotta tell me somethin' 'bout her.

I wanted answers. Now how the fuck do I give 'em back?

I asked if they were dead, because if they weren't, I would kill them myself. But hey, if they are, she killed them.

So no one's a winner, and either way, she gets hurt.

I slid my goggles back down over my eyes so that she can't see me. I always keep my goggles on when I don't want someone to know what I'm thinking

"Are you mad?"

Furious.

"Not at you."

At me.

I'm not mad that I left her on New Mecca…I'm mad that I knew her at all. Bad things happen to people who know me, the people I care about. That's always been the way. That's why I didn't want the kid to get attatched to me. It's why I tried like shit to make Carolyn hate me.

If I don't love them, they're safer.

It was a rule I always lived by, to never let myself get close to anyone. It's just that no one knew why. Shit, I don't even think I know all the reasons.

One of said reasons stretches beside me and yawns.

"Sleep," I tell her. I know she'll feel better if she can get some rest, but I know it'll be long in coming.

"You know I won't." she retorts, "Neither of us will."

She wants me to stay. She wants me to keep her nightmares away so that she can get some rest. She wants me to be her comfort.

"This ain't what I know how to do, Jack."

Comfort is somethin' you get from a soft bed and a soft body, and that ain't what I can give. Protection, sure, strength, whatever. I can give her anything a well wielded shiv can.

But I can't care for her.

"Kyra," She argues.

I stop on my way out of the door, but I don't turn around.

"I liked Jack better."

Because Jack I could save.

E

E

E

E

E

EN – I know, it's pathetically short, but I just wanted to stick a new chapter up before the weekend. BTW, I'd like to take this opportunity to appologise profusely to anyone who's still waiting for a 'family' update. I swear, it will get done…eventually.

As always, if you like it, tell me! If you don't like it…well, tell me anyway.