Jack and Riddick sat in the intended dining room of the new house that Imam had bought, cross-legged on the padded floor. Jack was still amazed at the transformation of a respectable dining room into a training floor. Riddick watched her eyes rove curiously over the weapons rack for a moment, wondering if he was doing the right thing. Such a young kid… Got to. He opened his mouth to speak, but she beat him to it.

"Riddick, what are we doing here? I don't want violence, why do I need to be here?"

He spoke slowly, trying to be as tactful as possible. "You've been through a lot, Jack, but it's not gonna stop. I'll have to run soon-"

"No, Riddick, you can't! You can't leave me, I'll do anything-"

Riddick spoke over her. "I'll have to run soon, but that won't make you safe."

"Well, then why go? If it won't ch-"

"You stay with me, you spend your life hiding. You may be able to survive, but that would be all you could do." She seemed about to argue again, but stopped when he started reaching up to his face. Riddick pulled his goggles back over his eyes and growled, "You deserve better." The topic is closed, the action said, and she heard it loud and clear. Finally Jack was silenced, but the defiance in her eyes showed that she was willing to do it. Her posture and her smell said she didn't care, she would follow him whether he liked it or not. Damn it. He dropped it for the time being, and pushed on with the lesson.

"We will work on your awareness, armed and unarmed combat, and improvisation. I will teach you to use all senses at all times. We will have planned training sessions as well as random tests of skill." He said as he stood up and walked behind her. Jack whirled to look at his face. "What do you mean, random tests?"

"When I think you're ready, you'll be ambushed at any time. It'll keep you on your guard. Now stand." He ordered. She stared at him incredulously, but he leveled his eyes at her and waited her out. Finally, she scrambled to her feet.

"We start with rear defense." he began. "Turn around."

Imam stormed furiously into Riddick's bedroom. "What have you done to the dining room?" he demanded. Riddick didn't even look up from his boot polish. "'Something to occupy her mind," he rumbled. "That is exactly," Imam retorted, "why she will be going to school." Riddick slowly and menacingly stood up and looked Imam in the eye.

"She's not ready."

"But she is ready to play with knives?" he shot back. "I am enrolling her in school, and you are removing those weapons from my home." He scornfully indicated the intimidating gauge on Riddick's belt. Imam turned to leave, but heard a surprisingly terrifying whisper of metal on leather and froze before even registering his own fear. Elimam mustered the courage to turn. He flinched back involuntarily from the sight of the business end of a gun inches from him, but his face hardened right back as if it wasn't even there. It was the face of a father, Riddick realized. A real father, the kind he could never be.

"You would not kill me." Imam chided bravely. Riddick grasped vaguely that his was not the right response, but his hands remained steady. Long years had cut his muscles from his mind, and all his body knew was the thing in its sights was a threat to the only thing he had. Although Riddick's killer expression didn't change, and the gun barrel shifted to the muscle of Imam's leg with no sign of effort. Imam's eyes widened. My God, he is actually going to shoot.

"We will not be found on this planet." Riddick stated flatly, "The girl is not going to school. And you will deal with the guns and be thankful for your life." Imam looked at Riddick warily. "You cannot keep her, Mr. Riddick." he chastised him.

For a long moment nothing changed, as if Riddick was considering how to respond. Finally, he holstered the gun. "You can enroll her when I'm gone." Riddick was suddenly thankful for the goggles obscuring his expression, and was careful not to move discernibly as he raised his eyes to meet Imam's. "But give us both this time, Holy Man. I'll be out of the way soon."

Well, I finally figured out a suitable title, thanks for the help y'all. I would have had this up earlier, but I refused to put a second chapter on a story with no name. Anyway, please review! You don't have to sugarcoat anything, I love to hear how I can improve.

-Jacklyn