Hello my peoples! I bid you velcome! . :Bwahahaha: Hehe…. I've been having a lot of odd moments these days. Oh well. I'm sure my oddness amuses at least some people.

I'm really struggling with this story. It seems like the harder I try to make it better, the worse it becomes. I guess I'll have to just chill out and see how this chapter goes, huh? Right, so on with the story!

Disclaimer- I own nothing. :sniffle:

Riddick's POV

I knew she wouldn't be the same. I should have realized she would have been all grown up. She's so different now. So cocky and bold. But I can still see the scared little girl behind her eyes.

I look over at her in the chair next to me. She looks tired. But her eyes are bright and full of fire. I know I'm doing the right thing for her by getting her out of there. She doesn't seem to think so, though. Were sitting in the navigational room, and she's in the co-pilot's seat.

"Riddick?" she asks, without looking towards me. Damn, she's so beautiful now. I didn't really realize it back in her room. Her hair is longer. She has it up now, and I wish she would take it down so I could see just how long it is.

"Yeah?" I finally say, after I pry my eyes away from her.

"Where are we going?" she turns to me. I don't look at her. I'm not sure I would be able to look away, before she realizes I'm staring at her.

"It's a secret." I tell her. She doesn't need to know. She's gonna have other things to think about. She sighs and turns away, looking pissed.

Damn, this is going to be a fun trip.

"Come on kid, let me give you the tour." I stand up and leave; the doors swishing shut behind me. She gets up and follows me.

"This is a big ship. How'd you get the money for it?" she smirks, recalling my questioning.

"You're not the only one that money finds." I say, grinning. Actually, a few of the mercs that I ghosted carried their life's savings around with them. Which made it even more convenient for me to ghost them. But I wasn't about to tell her I kill people and steal their money.

"This ship is huge…" she says absentmindedly, looking around.

"Yeah, it's got the whole deal. Med bay, mess hall, some spacey rooms, a gym, etc…"

"Wow." Is all she says, her eyes wide.

"This is your room," I say, showing her the room that I had already gotten ready for her. She blinks in surprise. 'So he has been looking for me. This was all part of his plan. That asshole! Who does he think he is? What makes him think I didn't have a better life? I could have been married with kids! Oh, but I guess he always expected me to have a shitty life. Asshole!'

"My room's down the hall if you ever need me."

" I've lived this long without you. Why the hell would I need you now?" she says, and I can see what she's trying to do. The conversation was taking a sudden turn. 'Sorry Jackie, no fights for you.'

"And over there's the gym. It's got a sound system, incase your interested."

"I'm not." She snaps. Ah, a woman's scorn. She's must be pissed because I took her away from her wonderful "life." But she'll just have to deal with it.

"The mess hall is down that corridor and to the right." She's not even listening now. She walks into her room and locks the door, just like that. Wow. I walk over to her door and knock, me being the good gentleman convict that I am.

"Jack." I growl.

"Go away, Riddick."

"Jack, open the fucking door."

"Get the hell away from me, Riddick!"

"Stop being a drama queen, Jack. You're fucking better than that."

"Oh yeah? How the hell would you know? You haven't seen me in 6 years! What makes you think you know at all?"

"Jack, do not even fuck with me. I know you better than anyone."

" Oh really? How do you know I didn't find someone else while you were gone, Riddick? Someone a little more reliable?"

That stops me.

It's possible she could have met someone while I was gone. She told me she forgot all about me. What was to stop her from falling for someone else? Not me obviously. Shit.

"You're fucking with me." I say, hoping she is.

"You don't know if I am or not. You don't know anything about me!" she yells.

"Okay, Jack, I'll admit it. I don't know everything about you," I concede. I still know you though "So tell me, what's so important that I don't know?"

'I love you. I never really forgot you; how could I ever forget you? I'm so glad you came back for me. I always knew you would. I told Imam everyday, "He'll come back, just you watch." Imam would tell me, "He may not be able to." But I told him. Everyday. And you did. You asshole, what took so long?' Jack closed her eyes as she imagined herself saying everything couldn't bring her self to say.

"Jack?" Riddick's voice brought her back to reality.

"Go away, Riddick." She said wearily, "I just want to sleep." She crawled into bed and promptly fell asleep. She'd had a long day.

"Computer, unlock Jack's door." There was a click.

"Door unlocked." The monotone, mechanical voice stated. Riddick placed his hand on the touch-pad panel and the door opened.

Jack lay curled up in her bed, and from her breathing he could tell she was already fast on her way to being asleep. Her slim body looked so fragile lying there. He resisted the urge to climb in bed with her. It would only cause problems in the morning.

Riddick closed the door and walked to his room. Stripping off his clothes, he took a shower. With the near scalding water blasting on his back, he closed his eyes as his tense muscles finally relaxed. He couldn't stop going over what Jack had said.

" You don't know anything about me!"

He groaned in frustration. Somehow he would have to deal with Jack and figure out why she was so mad at him. Yeah, he doesn't know everything about her. Big deal. That's no reason to get all upset. That's no reason for her to hate him.

He turned off the shower and went into his room. He threw on some sweat pants and sat on the bed. He wondered if it was a mistake coming to find her. Maybe it would have been better if she had been left to live out her own life.

No. He had no choice about coming to get her. 'Imam, you owe me. Big time.' He thought, shaking his head in disbelief at the way life turns out. When Imam had contacted him a couple of weeks ago, Riddick figured it was to give him an update on how Jack was doing. He made Imam promise to keep him informed of her before he left. But Imam's face was graver than usual when he contacted him. Riddick remembered the day, a few weeks ago, when Imam had given him the news that made him regret leaving even more.

'Riddick. It is good to see you are well.' Imam's somber face on the vid screen betrayed his words.

'It's been a long time since you called,' was all Riddick said.

'Yes. Things have been very…chaotic lately.'

There was a long pause.

'Well?' Riddick finally said.

'Yes?' answered Imam. 'What the fuck is up….'Riddick wondered.

'Jack?' asked Riddick, nearly growling.

'Oh, yes! Jack! She's… um…doing well. I think. You see, she doesn't live here any more.' Imam said the last part so quietly, Riddick almost didn't hear.

'She…what?' Riddick growled loudly. Imam winced.

'She ran away. She was growing very troubled just before she left. I am unsure as to why. I can't find her anywhere and it's been weeks. I've had people from all over the planet looking for her and I'm convinced she's not here. She must be off world.'

'Why the fuck did you let her leave?' he demanded. Imam smiled.

'Jack is not one to be contained.'

Riddick growled angrily. He told him to take care of her. He told him to keep her out of trouble. And what happens? She disappears.

'There is one more thing.' Imam says and Riddick watches him pick up something from outside the view of the vid screen. He holds up a piece of paper and unfolds it.

Riddick remains silent as he recognizes what it is. On the piece of paper that Imam was holding up was a picture of Jack all grown up. 'Damn, she looks sexy,' He thought.

And then there was the amount of money she was worth alive, and the amount she was worth dead. There were probably dozens of those posted in every computer and major city in every planet in the system.

Jack had a bounty on her head.

'Imam, how the fuck did this happen?' Riddick growled angrily.

'I assure you, I do not know. I think that perhaps it might be a mistake. Perhaps she is mistaken for another person. Such a thing is not uncommon.'

Riddick didn't have a doubt in his mind that it was Jack who was wanted. He knew it wasn't a mistake. She's always been a troublemaker. But she had a big payday on her head. Paydays like that are only for the major criminals. Hell, hers was only a little less than his was.

'You must find her. You're the only one I know and trust who can. You must find her, and keep her safe.' Imam urgently told Riddick. A pained expression was on his face, and Riddick realizes he is like a father to her.

'So what does that make you' His beast taunted him.

Shut the fuck up.

'I'll find her.' Riddick said, without even having to think about it.

Imam sighed in relief.

'I worried you wouldn't. It has been a long time since you have last seen her. She has changed greatly.'

'Is there anywhere you think she might be?' Riddick asked, ignoring Imam's remark. Imam looked thoughtful for a moment.

'No…but I think she might be on a planet close to Hellion Prime. I don't think she wanted to be very far away.'

'Hmm…okay I'll contact you when I find her.'

'Thank you, my friend. I pray you have good luck and find her soon.' They both closed the vid screen. Riddick sat there a minute, thinking about what just happened.

He remembered what he had seen on the wanted poster.

He remembered why it said she was wanted.

Jack had killed someone.

I hope you all liked this chapter. It was pretty fun to write. I had to write an outline so I could get focused on how the characters should react, but after that, things went smoothly. So, review lots and lots! I love long reviews…. :sighs dreamily:

-AngelsTears15