A/N: MAJOR REVISION. Realized that it would have taken waaaaay too long to get where I wanted to be. Hope you like it. Please REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIEW.

Chapter 2.

Rae shot up, gripping the thin sheet in her white-knuckled fists. Her breath coming out in gasps, as her heart tried to leap through her chest. Looking around, she realized that she was in the small apartment she and her sister Jackie shared. It wasn't really an apartment but a refurbished storage room with a toilet. Her neighbors referred to her apartment as 'The Pen-house'. Seeing as many of them had spent some time in the local prison, she had to take their word for it. She didn't mind too much but she felt bad for Jackie. She wished she could afford and offer her 7-year-old sister more than the tiny room, and second hand clothes.

Her muscles started to slowly uncoil; as she fell back to the thin mattress they called a bed. Pushing the palms of her slender hands into her eyes, she growled. That made four nights in a row. The dream of her parents' murders had always plagued her, but never like this. It was as if it had just happened, it was so real. She even thought she could smell the evil bastard again.

Jackie shifted on the mattress to look at Rae, sensing the disgust rolling of her sister in waves, she asked "Again?"

"Yeah." Rae stated, with a sigh. She knew where this line of questioning was going to go.

"How far did it go this time?"

"When he shot Stinky".

Jackie knew the story, and knew it well. It never failed to amaze Rae Lynn though, how much Jackie loved to hear the story, over and over again. It also shocked Rae that she didn't mind telling it, just as often.

"Tell me what happened after that."

"You know the story Jack."

"Yeah, I know. But I like it when you tell me the story. Please, I always miss something here and there. Please?" Jackie begged. Rae realized that Jackie was kneeling next to her on the bed.

"Alright. But only until you fall asleep. You have school."

Jackie quickly snuggled up her sister, her head on Rae's shoulder, her arm thrown about her waist. It made Rae smile, as the eager young girl looked up at her, waiting for the story to begin.

"Well, remember, Riddick had just shot the bastard. I will never forget watching Riddick drag Wiffmans body down the hall by his arm. I really couldn't believe he killed him and not me. I got up off the bed to quiet you and walked to the door. I wanted to know where he was taking him. I watched as he easily dragged the dead man down the hall, towards the front of the house. Wiffmans foot had hit something."

"Mom's arm" Jackie blurted

"Am I telling this? 'Cause ya know…"

"No! I'm sorry, go ahead." Jackie apologized as she settled back into her spot.

"I almost threw up when mom's arm fell into sight. Riddick must have seen me and what I was looking at 'cause he moved it back out of sight and walked towards me, He wrapped his arm around my shoulders, 'Come on kid.' He said, and he walked me back into the room, and sat me down on the bed. 'Stay here.' Then he shut the door.

"I figured out later that he was moving mom and dads' bodies out of the way. But I just stared at the wall for what seemed like forever." Rae paused and looked down at her sister, "Jack, you were getting fussy again. Figured you need your diaper changed. So I quickly, well as quickly as I could, changed it. I had only seen mom do it twice, I thought I did rather well."

Jackie started to laugh at her sisters boasting.

"Hey, at least I didn't prick ya with the pins. Almost did, but I didn't. And it managed to stay on soo… "

"Yeah. That's what you say. How do I know you aren't just telling me that to make yourself look better?" Jack asked slyly.

"Anyways… The diaper change and new set of clothes still didn't make you happy. You were still fussy. I remember wanting to cry, and thinking that it was just you and me know." Rae gave her a small hug as she said the last part.

"Just then the door flew open," Rae blurted out, startling Jackie, and making her giggle.

Rae Lynn continued "'Easy kid,' Riddick said. God he scared me. 'What happens now?' I asked."

Making her voice deep and kinda menacing, Rae tried her best to imitate the big man, "'now?' He said 'Now you stay here in this room. You sit here. You wait. Most importantly, you keep that kid quiet.' He was harsh, but trust me, I needed him to be. Then I asked about food. He looked at me like I had three heads. I had to point out that you hadn't eaten in a while, and that's why I thought you were still fussy. I told him that there should have been some bottles in the refrigeration unit. He nodded at me and disappeared, returning a few minutes later with three bottles, some cookies, and a jug of water. He handed one of the bottles to me, and I started to feed you, while I watched him set the rest of the stuff on the bed behind us. Then sat down next to us. He was a big guy, not fat but solid, strong.

"He sat there, watching you as you ate. He gently rubbed your tiny head. It practically disappeared underneath his big hand. He looked troubled as he sat there, petting you when he blurted out that he was left in a garbage bin, his umbilical cord wrapped around his neck. I remember looking up at Riddick; his eyes were filled with…"

"Fear?" Jackie asked sleepily, cutting Rae off

"No. Not fear… grief, and sorrow, maybe even guilt…'I'm so sorry' I remember saying as I reached up and touched his face. He kinda flinched, there was panic in his eyes now, but he slowly closed his beautiful brown eyes, leaned into my hand, and sighed. For a brief moment, he looked totally at peace. All of the tension that I had seen in his jaw, neck and shoulders seemed to completely disappear. That moment actually only lasted a few seconds, before his eyes quickly shot open, and every ounce of his tension returned."

Rae Lynn looked down at her sister, who had finally drifted back to sleep." Thank god." Rae whispered. Now I can try to get back to sleep.

The harder she tried to sleep, the more she thought about the rest of the story, of how Riddick spared them. The memories came flooding back.

He said, 'I'm a good soldier. I have never disobeyed an order before. And I certainly have never killed a superior officer before. Don't make me regret what I have done for the two of you.' With that, he stood, un-holstered his gun, and pulled something from one of his pockets. He handed both items to Rae.

"Remember, stay here. At least 'til dawn breaks, and be quiet. Those goggles" he pointed, "are so you can see in the dark. If ANYONE comes through that door, shoot them" he paused. "Even if it's me. Got it?"

"Yes sir. Thank you Mr. Riddick" Rae said as she nodded. Though the words could never fully express the gratitude she had for this soldier in front of her, she was thankful she at least got to say them. Or rather, say anything at all.

She looked down at the goggles lying in her lap; she grabbed them and put them on her head, then looked at Riddick. He nodded at her and hit the light switch. The room disappeared, as did Riddick when the door shut.

Rae Lynn sighed as she heard another door slam shut. He's gone. She slowly lowered the goggles onto her face.

Rae sat there looking around her room with the goggles on. Everything was a different shade of green. She slowly looked down at Jackie, now lying peacefully on the bed. How lucky, she won't remember any of this, but she'll never really know our parents either.

She was sure her parents- well at least her father- put up some kind of fight. Stinky Man, No Rae, remember his name was Wiffman. She smirked at the thought of his name. Had a split lip, the cut looked pretty fresh so she told herself her father got in a good punch before they killed him. And her mothers screams- I'll never forget that sound.

Rae's mind raced trying to figure out which one of the soldiers killed her mother. Whether she couldn't remember, or she didn't want to, she didn't know.

Why did it really matter now anyway? Her parents were gone. She was still alive, resulting in Jackie not being left alone to die; the man that spared her life had killed the man that ordered him to kill her.

Rae thought about the soldier. She didn't now what it meant to be a soldier, but she knew he had broken every bond of trust he ever had with his comrades, just so he could look himself in the mirror in the morning. Rae Lynn's heart cried for him, when he told her of his abandonment. How could anyone do that to their own child? In that admission, he gave her a reason as to why he killed his lieutenant. Knowing what was done to him was not going to be done to someone else- if he could prevent it.

Rae couldn't understand it, but the more she thought about Private Riddick, the more she relaxed. She walked over and picked up some of the pieces of her ballerina that apparently had gotten kicked across the room. She held them together as if through contact alone the pieces would fuse to one another. Rae stood and walked to her dresser, gently setting the pieces down on the top of her dresser, and picking up one of the photo frames that had been knocked over. It was her favorite picture of her parents. She held it tight to her chest, as she walked back to the bed. She went to lie down next to Jackie, but stopped when she lay on the other things that Riddick had brought to the room. I forgot about this stuff

Rae put Jackie's baby bottles, and the jug of water on the floor. Easier to reach them there. Rae grabbed the cookies, She really wasn't hungry, but she took one and put it in her mouth, and went and set the rest on the top of her dresser.

As she climbed back onto the bed, she heard a familiar voice booming outside.

"Cap! Over here Sir! "Riddick!

Rae Lynn's eyes grew at the thought of what he said before he left If ANYONE comes through that door, shoot them, even if it's me. She grabbed the gun, not sure how to really use it but it made her feel safe while the other soldiers were this close.

"I found the Lieutenant!" Riddick rolled the lieutenant over "Looks like he was shot Sir"

It sounded as if they were standing just a few feet away.

"Thought these people had no weapons. Very well Private. Pick him up. Men! Let's get the hell out of here!" The Captain shouted

After a few minutes, Rae heard them leaving, so she figured it would be safe to take a quick peak out the window. Moving the shade just enough to look out the window with one eye, she watched at least a hundred soldiers marching away toward the docks.

My god! Look at all of them!

A big hand slid over her mouth, muffling the scream, and an arm wrapped around her shoulders, pulling her back. She started clawing franticly at the hand and arm holding on to her.

"Kid!" He said in a harsh whisper.

Rae immediately stopped clawing at him, turned and threw her arms around his waist. Grabbing her shoulders, he pried her away from him.

"Thought I told you to shoot anyone that comes through that door, even me," he whispered with a grin, knowing she could see him with the goggles.

She smiled back. I was right about that smile.

"I left you something in a bag behind the house. Hopefully you can use it to get off this rock. Can't spare ya, and let you rot here alone."

"Sir, No matter what life has in store for you, please know that there are at least two people that know you are a good man." Rae cried softly. "Hurry you had better get back"

He nodded, looking a bit sad. " Kid… Stay out of the other bedroom. There ain't nothing good in there. And try to leave soon, the clean up crews and salvagers have been called. They'll be here in a few days." He turned and left.