Chapter XII: Introductions, Accusations and Explanations

(and some Jack/Riddick action! Yay! Extra note: sexual tension b/w Jack and Riddick would drive me absolutely mad. But, when I finish this one, I'll write another short one just centering around it. Just to spite.)

"Riddick!" Jack hissed. "Why didn't you just move?"

"Hitting her head on the stairs would've been a nasty bump, maybe a concussion. 'sides, she had to know about me sometime, right?" He replied, smirking just a little, just enough to piss Jack off even more.

"Well…fine! I'm going to get some coffee." She glared as she stomped off to the kitchen. Riddick and Imam looked at Liege as she still sat slumped in the chair.

Imam walked over and knelt by the chair, gently slapping Liege's face. Her eyes fluttered and at first her eyesight was curtained by her fiery hair, but she moved it away and had to readjust her sight.

"You!" She pointed at Riddick. "Jack…you…mercs…" she trailed off, as if she had forgotten an entire detail altogether.

"What about mercs?" Riddick asked, suddenly intent on knowing what this Irish girl had to say.

"We were waitin in the transport docks, and we overheard mercs talkin' about this crazy payday on yer head. I told Jack who couldn't hear as well as I and she got all nervous-like. Lass really likes ye, sir." Liege commented, ignoring the quirk of Riddick's eyebrow as she said that.

"So while we waited for boardin', I went off 'n disabled the damn mercs ship, stole their takeoff 'n memory chips. Jack's got 'em I believe…wait…so yer Riddick?" Liege finally asked, rubbing her eyes.

"Jack's a very smart girl, you should be proud Mr. Riddick." Imam noted, moving off to the kitchen to get something to eat for Liege.

"Jack's got the chips?" Riddick asked, surprised at how unshocked this girl was to meet him.

"Didn't ye just hear that! I just said the lass 'as got the damn things! What be ye, DEAF!" Liege yelled, her temper getting the better of her.

"Liege, don't yell at him. He's getting forgetful in his old age." Jack said casually from the doorway, walking forward to hand her friend a cup of coffee.

Grinning at Riddick's glare on the attack of his age, she stood next to Liege.

"Wasn't it a brilliant idea? I've got the chips upstairs. They'll be waylaid for WEEKS!" Jack exclaimed, takng a sip of her drink.

"It was dangerous, Jack. Planned way to quickly, too roughly and there was a complete lack of knowledge behind it. Did you even consider the consequences if she got caught?" Riddick questioned in a very cold, inhuman voice.

He felt something tear inside him when he saw that incredibly hurt and tortured look on Jack's face. What he didn't see was Liege standing up, a definite fury in her eyes.

"Ye leave that lass be! She's done nothing but help ye! And I can take of meself! I purposely left Jack behind cause I didn't want her to get hurt! I'll take blame for it, but don't ye dare go after 'er. A bloody bastard like yeself can't even accept help. Ye don't deserve Jack, tha' much is clear. C'mon, lass, lets get ye cleaned up." Liege snarled at Riddick, but her voice softened as she helped Jack up, putting an arm protectively around her shoulders.

Riddick didn't miss the tears that Jack tried to hide and he knew he had royally screwed up. Especially forgetting how quick to anger the Irish were.

Jack sat sniffling on her bed while Liege took a wet cloth and dabbed her face, speaking soothing words in a language Jack didn't understand.

The bright afternoon light filtered in through the linen white curtains and left stretches of light striping the room. Jack sat in one of these light stretches while Liege, preferring the shade, continued to clean up Jack. After the sniffles stopped, Jack pulled her legs beneath her and sighed.

"Liege, you shouldn't of snapped like that…" Jack started, swallowing the last of her dying sobs.

"'e had it comin' to 'im. 'sides, can't push down me heritage can I?" Liege replied, a small grin cracking her face.

Jack laughed quietly and pulled a strand of hair behind her ear before she continued. "He is so complex…making it impossible to predict him. Sure, it wasn't the best of ideas, but we pulled it off, so what's the problem? He didn't need to freak out like that."

"Aye, but he did." Liege put a hand up to stop Jack from interrupting. "'e wasn't knocking the plan, Jack. The reason 'e criticized it was because he cared for ye safety. Sure enough, I was the one doin' the dangerous part, but if something had gone wrong, ye coudld've been hurt. 'n I'm thinkin' thas the last thing he wants happen'in to 'is Jack."

"His Jack? When did I become his?" Jack asked, disbelief in her voice.

"Don't be silly now. Ye be wearin' a ring that says Possession of R.B.R., 'n not only that but ye've always belong'd to 'im. He claimed ye long ago, tha' I can tell by just watchin' him." Liege said knowingly.

"Woah, wait a sec. A) You've only seen him in person for at MAXIMUM ten minutes. B), how do you know he claimed me? Did he bite me in my sleep or something!" Jack exclaimed, scowling at Liege's grin at the bite comment.

"That be true, Jack, but when ye talked about 'im that night after the marketplace, what ye told me confirmed that ye belong to 'im. Furthermore, I don't think he bit ye in yer sleep. Unless tis somewhere I can't see." Liege joked, waggling her eyebrows.

Jacks eye went wide with realization and grabbed a pillow from behind her and smacked Liege on the side of the head. This caused Liege to laugh even harder as Jack shoved her off the bed. Soon Jack was smiling too and she grinned as she leaned over the side of the bed to see Liege rolling on the floor hysterically laughing.

Riddick jerked his head up when he heart this noise but soon relaxed, knowing it signaled that Jack was better. Her laugh made him calm and content and it reminded him of wind flowing through the wind chimes that the merchants hung in their stalls.

Shaking himself out of his thoughts, he turned and began to walk up the stairs, determined to talk to Jack. He knew he had messed up and he detested himself for making her cry. With these firm resolves he stood to knock on her door when it opened suddenly and a giggling Jack raced out and upon seeing Riddick, hid behind him.

She subconsciously grabbed the sides of his shirts and pulled herself closer to him, forcing Riddick to swallow deeply, not wanting to just toss her over his shoulder and have his wicked way with her.

He was met with an oncoming charge of wrathful Irish woman, who was shouting obscenities that even he winced at. She glanced around, not seeing Jack behind Riddick. She was about to stalk off in direction of the stairs when she looked down and saw two pairs of feet where Riddick stood.

"Ooooh, Jackie, me lass. Where be ye?" Liege crooned, sounding like a pirate from the old earth vids they watched. Jack couldn't suppress a giggle as her friend's imitation and Liege quickly turned and pulled Jack out from behind Riddick.

"Nooooo, you pirate!" Jack screeched, holding onto Riddick's arm as he stood watching with amusement. "Riddick! Don't just stand there! Aren't you going to save me from this vicious pirate!"

Laughing, Liege grabbed onto Jack's waist, trying to drag her away. But when Riddick saw the pleading in Jack's eyes he quickly twisted his arm back and grabbed Jack arm and with a sharp tug, pulled her from Liege's grip.

Jack was unprepared for this and she blushed when she realized that she had fallen right against Riddick and her arms and wrapped themselves around her neck. Hiding her face in his chest, she still heard Liege's loud laughter.

"This pirate be havin' better ships to pillage." She said, chuckling as she went down the stairs.

The two stood there for a few seconds before Riddick scooped her up in his arms and headed to his room. Toeing open the door, he gracefully tossed her to his bed, where she landed with an 'oomph'.

"Better ships to pillage, eh? Sounds a little…risqué if you ask me." Riddick commented, enjoying the way Jack instantly blushed at the comment.

"Riddick, you horny bastard, what am I going to do with you?" Jack laughed as he sat down on the bed, causing it to tilt in his direction.

He leaned over and propped himself up on his knees, his back bent away from Jack. He didn't turn his head when he heard Jack's laughter fade away, but was grateful when he felt her moved towards him and rest herself on his back.

Feeling her sigh, he glanced at her and saw that she looked completely content.

"You were right, you know. About the plan." She whispered, nuzzling his back. She didn't miss him instantly stiffen and relax at the gesture.

"Since it was successful, it was a decent plan. Just…not planned properly. Jack, if anything-" he was cut off by her shush and she wrapped her arms around his waist, pulling herself closer to him.

"I know, Riddick. I know." She replied quietly, ending the conversation. Her eyes widened slightly as he completely turned his upper body and wrapping one arm around her waist, pulled her onto his lap.

His head still bent, she rested her cheek against his clean-shaven scalp and gently smoothed a side of his face with her thumb. Riddick growled at this but pulled her closer and breathed in her scent, deep and clear.

They stayed like this for what could've been minutes or hours, but neither cared. Jack moved her hands to his neck and rested them there, enjoying the feel of his pulse against her hands.

"I missed you." She said so quietly he wasn't even sure she said it.

Riddick looked up at her and she pulled back and swore that in the dim light of the room, his eyes sparkled like finely cut diamonds. He brought his hand up to her cheek where she rubbed into it, making small mewling noises that caused him to growl.

Holding his hand there, Jack tried to separate and understand the emotions that quickly switched in Riddick's eyes, but she couldn't because the silver masked them. It flowed, twisted and swirled like mercury, making it nearly impossible.

"I missed you too, Jack." He said clearly, pulling her back to him. Jack wanted to cry with joy, but instead she just lightly kissed his head.

She felt one of his surprisingly smooth hands envelope one of hers and smiled softly as she felt him drag his lips across her palm, stopping to nibble the joint of her thumb. Closing her eyes, she didn't resist as she was pulled down the bed and turned to have her back facing him. Jack welcomed the warmth she felt as she was pulled against him and she took his hand from her waist and pulled it up so it would rest between both of her hands.

She fell asleep to his comforting heartbeat and for once, slipped into a deep rest with a smile on her face. Riddick's emotions still raced through him, but he knew as he watched Jack's body rise and fall with even breath that he had found his purpose. Feeling a surge of protectiveness, he tensed his arm and pulled her upper body even closer. Smirking as he felt her snuggle, he lay awake and kept his eyes trained on her face.