My computer got wiped, so i lost the original versions of all my work. luckily i had some backups, but unfortunatly i hadn't take the time to back-up the last few chapters of each of my storys. its going to take a little time, but i'll get them back. promise- in the meantime, thank you for all your reviews!

It was dark, though for Riddick the night shone as bright as day from the tiny slit of light from the opening door. It creaked a little, he glanced over as the slender figure crept up to the bedside. He shifted as the body hesitated. A tiny smile, and the mattress creaked from the added weight.

"Bad dream?" he grumbled.

"Just a little one." Jack smoothed the blanket over Riddicks shoulder before he could sit up.

"You want me to check the closet?" he teased gently. She smirked, as he knew she would, and lay down with her eyes looking into the strange gleam that came from his. He could almost hear her thoughts, a slight whisper as her breath let out heavily. He lifted a corner of the blanket and draped it over her shoulders. She let him gather her in like a giant teddy bear.

"They won't leave me alone." She whispered onto his bare chest. Her breath was warm, but she shuddered as she remembered. "They grab me, and I can't get away." She was shaking violently, he tightened his grip, "Why won't they leave me alone? Why can't I remember?" she cried and wrapped her arms around him, the only solid, constant thing in her life.

"Don't." Riddick growled in her ear as she hiccupped, trying to calm herself down. "Don't think about it. You'll know when you need to, when the time is right, you'll remember who hurt you…" He promised pressing her head to his chest, "And when you do, we'll kill them together, and the dreams will stop."

"But what if they don't?" Jack breathed him in, that solid scent that held the mysteries of the universe. Dirt, damp, blood.

"I'll make them." He held her, and stared at the wall as the heart he refused to acknowledge bled for the girl who fell asleep, safe in his grasp.

She was gone when he woke from a fitful sleep. He yanked himself from bed and realized the hollow where she had been was cold. She'd been up for a while, and had probably left before he started thrashing. He was grateful. She had enough to deal with from her own nightmares, he didn't want her to know about his. He grabbed a fresh shirt and towel, walked into the hall, and passed the holding cell on his way to the bathroom.

"So he was standing there, at the pit and they all thought he killed…" Jack looked up and saw Riddick at the open doorway.

"What did I tell you about this door?" he asked calmly. Jack wasn't fooled, neither was Rieder, he wasn't calm, he was pissed.

"Its supposed to stay closed?" Jack hazarded a guess.

"Surprise, surprise, a correct answer." His eyes went cold, Rieder felt a chill down her spine, "Now what did I tell you I would do if it didn't stay closed?"

"Please don't." Jack bit her lip and hugged her arms to her stomach defensively.

"Riddick-" Rieder stood and placed herself in front of Jack.

"Don't get in the middle of this Bounty hunter." Riddick snapped and started down the hall.

"Please!" Jack ran after him, stopping at the doorway, "I don't think my stomach can handle your cooking!" Jack complained, "Please stay out of the kitchen!" she slapped her hand to the door lock and followed after him.

"Cooking?" Rieder sat and bit her lip. "He threatens her with eggs?"

"She was really nervous." Jack smirked. "She thought you were going to hit me or something…"

"I just might if you keep leaving doors open like that." Riddick growled and dunked his head into the sink.

"Na, you'd space me in a second if I was in your way, but you'd never hit me." She looked away and whistled when his head came up, dripping.

"What was that?" he blinked, dimmed the lights over the mirror and looked over to where she was sitting on the toilet seat.

"Nothing. You wanna cook? Teach me a lesson?"

"I can't handle my own cooking today. Toast me up something, would you?"

"No prob." She got up and was half way down the isle toward the galley when his head stuck out the bathroom door.

"I wouldn't space you…" he scowled, "so just forget it."

Jack turned on her heel when his head disappeared again, and whistled as she thought of omelets.

"Breakfast?" Jack asked as she opened the cell.

"Richard make those?" Rieder asked as Jack set down a plate of cheddar omelets.

"Richard?"

"Riddick, his first name is Richard."

"I know, its just weird." Jack shrugged, "and what if he did make these?"

"I'm not hungry."

"I made them, eat up." Jack went back and locked the door, then sat with her knees drawn up to her chest against it.

"Thanks." Rieder took a bite, then devoured the first one. "Good." She mumbled through a mouthful.

"Why are you here?" Jack asked as she started on the second.

"You captured me." Rieder set the plate aside and took a sip of juice.

"No, you could have gotten away when we took the upper hand in the hotel. You chose not to." Jack got to her feet but stayed against the wall. "Why? What does Riddick have of yours that's so important that you'd let yourself get hijacked?"

"Its really none of your business kid." She finished the omelet and pushed the tray over to Jack. It bumped against her toes, she looked down.

The metal wasn't shiny-new, but it reflected well enough. Her brown hair wasn't long, or shorn to her skull anymore, but it flirted with her cheekbones, tickling her nose. She was her own person, much more than she had ever been before Riddick.

"I love him, and if there is something you are going to do that is going to hurt him, I'll have to kill you."

"You don't know what love is kid." Rieder got to her feet and mimicked Jacks pose against the wall.

"I don't mean how you mean it. Riddick is my family, he could have, and probably should have, killed me along time ago. If it would make him happy I would let him kill me. But somehow he's managed to keep me alive. I love him, and I will protect him."

"What the hell did he do to you? He's not a good guy!" Rieder yelled, flinging out her arms, "He is an assassin!"

"I know what he is. And he knows what he is. And if you don't see how that affects him, then you don't know who he is. If you're done with your breakfast, I'll leave you alone now." Jack bent to pick up the tray, turned it carefully and aimed the reflection straight at the mercenary. "Look at yourself, and ask yourself where it got messed up. I'm trying to." And with that she unlocked the door and disappeared into the dim hallway.