Brief notes:

Thanks to:

TotallyRiddickObsessed

NightmareWeaver –wheeeoooh, sorry I'm late on the updating.

FluidDegree – thanks for the constructive criticism, it really is helpful. This is my first jab at Pitch Black/Chronicles of Riddick fanfiction, so I'm still working with the characters and such. Thanks again. Hope you keep reading.

Chapter XXVII: Animal Quarrels and Comfort

Note: This is a very long chapter. Hence the one update. Well, long for me, anyway.

Jack shifted, trying to snuggle closer to Riddick when she realized that there was no Riddick to snuggle against. Blinking rapidly, she sat up too quickly, resulting in a rush of blood, making her grumble.

Rubbing her eyes she tried to climb out of the bed, only to have herself entangled in the sheets, causing her to nearly fall to floor before she felt a familiar strong arm sneak around her waist and balance her, her nose mere centimeters from the hard floor.

She was pulled up and landed back into his chest, curling up against the warm body, she purred in contentedness, making Riddick's body work without order. Growling, he shifted her, forcing her to look up at him.

"Good morning to you too, Richard." She joked, pulling back and slipped underneath the still-warm sheets.

"Jack."

She knew immediately something was wrong when he used that tone and she suddenly looked at the wall, hoping to see through it and see Liege still sleeping.

"Yeah, Jack, she left."

"Did she…"

"If she did leave a note, you'd have to check yourself. Not my place." He grunted, standing up from the bed. She looked up at him, as if asking for help, but none was given.

Tripping out of the bed, she walked out of the room and straight into her room, biting her tongue when she saw the empty beds. Looking around for a note, or some sort of sign, she let out a shaky breath when she found nothing of the sort.

Quickly pulling on clothes, she slipped a shiv in the waistband of her pants and started to head out. Before she reached the stairs she felt the familiar aura of…her lover? She wasn't sure what he was now, but that wasn't the problem at hand. Pushing the thoughts aside she turned to be greeted by black goggles.

"Did I say you could leave?" He asked coldly, moreso than he meant to be, but he did not like the thought of Jack outside. Alone.

"Didn't ask your permission." She snapped and began to head down the stairs, not looking back. Jack ignored the feeling of him trailing her, even as she went through the door.

When she felt it once she out of the courtyard, a feeling hit her and she pushed it aside too. Halfway down the block, the guilt overwhelmed her. He was going outside to protect her in the broad daylight, where he could easily be spotted and thrown into a triple-max slam. Cursing, Jack swallowed her tears and angrily turned on her heel and headed back.

When she walked back into the dim coolness of Imam's house, only then did she feel the sudden loss of Liege. Clenching her teeth, she opened her eyes to see him waiting for her only a few feet away, goggles still on.

"Jack. Don't be stupid." He growled quietly, but as soon as he said that he smelled the guilt and sadness pouring from her. Frowning, he had her in his arms in two strides, not knowing what to expect. Yet, without fail, he was soon filled with two armfuls of crying Jack.

"Riddick, she's out there alone! They'll kill her!" The pain in her voice was more than he could bear and he silenced her with a kiss. Unwillingly, she melted into it and when they broke apart for air, she suddenly felt calmer.

She looked down at the floor as she felt his hands gently run up and down her back. Jack looked up in surprise when she felt a kiss deposited on her forehead.

"I don't want to have to do that again, are we clear?" Riddick instructed, adding a little amusement in his voice.

"Crystal, sir."

"Don't 'sir' me. No note?"

"None." She said, sighing as she pulled back from him, subconsciously wrapping her arms around her. One hand held the other at the elbow, while the free hand played with the silver ring that rested on her chest.

"We should wait, Riddick."

Of all the answers he expected, this was the last one. Jack? Patience? The two just never seemed to click with each other and he was surprised by her. 'Always am, always will be. Kid's full of surprises.' He thought.

"Liege won't leave us standing. She'll send us a message, signal, something. Besides, she'll need time to plan too. Maybe we can see Khan." Jack ventured, breaking her gaze from the open balcony window to watch Riddick.

"Khan?"

"Don't play dumb, Richard." Her old voice was back as she walked towards him, then past him as she began to walk up the stairs. "If we're going to make some sort of plan, let's do it somewhere comfy."

Without reply, Riddick followed her, wondering how he had become so obedient to Jack. Yet, the longing feeling of freedom still kept him in mental balance. Kicking off his shoes, he slipped into bed with Jack, letting her position herself on him, using him as her couch.

"You know who Khan is." She said, looking up into his goggled eyes.

He didn't reply but smirked as she glared at him. "You know who he is, and I think he can help us. And I'm sure you already know where he is hiding out right now."

"Perhaps."

"Richard B. Riddick. The things I put up with. Just to be with you." She scolded, scooting up so she was face to face with him. Leaning in as if she was going to kiss him, he readied himself for just that but was shocked when he felt the pull of his goggles then the sharp snap of them back onto his face.

Roaring, he lunged, going to grab Jack but she was already out of the room, laughing with her genuinely content feelings. Launching out of the bed, he easily caught up with her and pinned her hard up against a wall.

The laughter died in her throat as she saw the murderous expression on his face. Struggling, she realized he wasn't letting her go. Panicking, she swallowed her sudden wave of fear that was starting to drown her. This was all too familiar and Jack began to make small whimpering noises that grew into sounds of an animal being abused.

'Why wasn't he letting her go? What sort of punishment was this? He was her father, he shouldn't do this!' Were the thoughts that ran through her head as she continued to struggle.

"Jackie, Jackie, Jackie. What did I tell you about hiding from Daddy?" The voice echoed in the dark apartment. A much smaller version of Jack crouched huddling the darkness of the closet. Then the darkness protected her, now it was a curse to her.

Trying not to make noise, she pulled herself into an even tighter human ball. Swallowing she closed her eyes tightly as she heard the heavy footsteps outside the closet.

"You know Daddy won't be pleased…Jackie." He added her name on, making her shiver. His voice was so sinister, so dark that he made the darkness curling around her the light of heaven.

"Sweet, little, innocent, Jackie. Come out and play, little Jack. She called you a child of God, but you're nothing more than the whore of the devil…you tempted him, and you tempt me, Jackie. Why won't you come out and play?" The voice continued to haunt her.

Hearing the footsteps still, she thought he had left the room when he violently flung up the closet door, making her shriek. Grabbing her roughly by the neck, he dragged her out of the closet pinned her up against the wall.

Riddick's wrath clouded his other senses and he didn't see the pain of memory whip through Jack's eyes as she continued to struggle. But the moment the blood-curdling scream erupted from her throat, he stepped back in surprise, letting her body fall to the floor.

Jack's eyes snapped open and she scrambled for the closest corner. Panting, she curled up into a small ball, trying desperately not to make noise.

When her surroundings came back to her, she realized she wasn't squirreled away in the corner of her old closet, her toes digging into the dirty carpet. She didn't hear her father's voice and she didn't feel the comfort of darkness.

Looking up she was met with the cold, yet confused stare of Riddick, who stood a few feet away from her. 'What the fuck was that?' He wondered, not being able to smell anything but intense fear.

So much had happened that morning, which caused Jack to over-think, to stress and end up digging up unwanted memories. Calming her breath, Riddick stepped a foot closer, now cautious around Jack.

"Jack…" he almost whispered, crouching down to her level. Sitting on the floor he laid his palms to the floor, showing that he meant no harm. He knew Jack had some animal in her, and if anyone could calm a wild beast, he could.

With a darting glance at Riddick, she tried to curl up even tighter when something inside of her realized he wasn't a threat. Uncurling, she slowly made her way towards him and in the last few inches she just pushed herself against him, causing him to lean back and hold her tightly to himself. He was not going to ask what had happened, and he guiltily knew he had gone too far. Yet holding her like this was what was best for her, gentle human contact, because from what he had just witnessed, Jack had been treated with anything but gentle human contact in her younger years.