Okay, okay, okay, no shooting the author—I know this is really late—but with school, work and college coming up, I've been severely stressed. Sorry about the lateness, but I hope you like it—Kita
Lamyka—aww, thanks—that makes me feel so special—sorry this took so long—my muses have been very unhappy with me—enjoy
Njrd—well, Marq knows Jack and he knows how she's never really been happy since 'Richard' left and then he finds out its Riddick, but he thinks back and realized that Lyia is right (not to mention he's got a thing for Lyia) so he wants to help—just you wait—
Back in Jack's suite, Riddick lay in the darkness, watching her sleep. He would do anything to protect her. Anything at all, even if it cost him his freedom. Quietly, he watched her deep, even breathing and knew that she was sleeping, not just pretending to sleep like she used to. Riddick smiled into the darkness as he thought back."Riddick!" he heard her scream.
Riddick jumped from his bed and ran into her room to see her thrashing about on her bed. He knew she was having another nightmare about the planet. Quietly as he could, he slipped into her bed behind her and held her tightly to him. She calmed down almost immediately and rolled over in his embrace. Her voice broke into his thoughts.
"Riddick?" she asked quietly.
"I'm right here Kid," he replied as he stoked her back and held her.
Jack nuzzled her face into his chest.
"Thank you," she said sleepily.
"For what?" Riddick asked.
He heard her breathing start to even out, and wondered if his just being there was really helping her, or if she was just pretending.
"For saving me," Jack said as she let her voice drop.
She wanted Riddick to think she was sleeping so he would talk to her again. He'd done that on the skiff; spoke to her while she was asleep. She always knew what he said. He didn't disappoint her.
"Always Jack."
She nuzzled her head into his chest again, hoping he would continue. Riddick kept stroking her back and bent his head down so his cheek rested on the crown of her hair.
"Can't wait til this grows out Jackie. You'll look so beautiful with your hair long. You promise me that you'll never cut it," Jack heard, and felt, him chuckle to himself, "If you knew what I was thinkin' right now, you'd probably want me as far away from you as possible. I don't know what you did or how you did it kid, but you got to me somehow. And I'll do anything to make sure that you're okay. Doesn't matter what it is, even if it means I have to go back to the slam."
Jack tensed in his arms, and he thought she was about to have another nightmare. He tilted his head down more so he could whisper in her ear.
"I'm right here Jack. I'll always be here for you, all you have to do is remember that."
The next morning, he'd found out that Jack had been awake, because she'd taken his ring and put it on a chain around her neck. She was the only one who could ever get away with doing anything like that. For the first time in his life, Richard B. Riddick was truly happy. His happiness lasted about a week, and then he was found. Riddick frowned into the dark and pulled Jack tighter to him, being careful not to harm her. It had taken a small group of mercs 6 days, 15 hours and 24 minutes to find out that he was on Hellion Prime with the Holy Man and the girl. He knew that they were coming; he had contacts on the inside. Jack and the Holy Man had gone with him to see him off, and Jack had begged him to take her with him. But he knew that he couldn't. What kind of life would it be for a girl only twelve to be running from mercs constantly? Not the kind of life he wanted for Jack. But he promised her that he would come back, and he kept his promise. But that day on the docking bay still haunted him. That sad look in her eyes invaded his dreams until they were full of her and nothing else. It was that look that Riddick wanted to take away from her.
"I'm never leavin' you again Jackie," he whispered into the darkness.
Sleepily, Jack shifted in his embrace, "Hmm?" she asked.
She felt Riddick smile and then felt his lips on her forehead.
"Nothing," he growled, "Go back to sleep."
The vibrations from his voice had Jack purring at the sensation. Lazily, she stretched and opened her eyes slightly. She put her arms around Riddick's neck and smiled.
"Make me a promise?" she asked softly.
Riddick said nothing, but she saw him nod.
"Next time you have to leave," Riddick stiffened briefly, "Take me with you."
He relaxed and chuckled, then his lips found hers and kissed her with such passion that there was no way Jack could keep the tears from forming in her eyes. When they parted, she looked up and saw his silver gaze watching her.
"Promise," he said quietly.
Jack snuggled closer to his warm body and let sleep take her again. Riddick followed soon after. A little later, a knock on the door had Riddick's eyes opening as Jack stirred. Sleepily, she patted the arm around her waist.
"I'll get it. You might want to go into the back room," she turned her head to look at his face, "Your eyes will give you away."
Jack leaned up and kissed him, then stood from the couch. When she reached the door, she looked back and smiled when she saw Riddick was hidden from sight, but could feel his gaze on her, watching over her. She opened the door and saw Jonathon standing on the threshold.
"Jon, what're you doing here? It's," she glanced at her watch, "three in the morning."
"I need to talk to you," Jon slurred.
Jack stepped back and winced, "You're drunk," she said.
Jon barged into the room and looked at Jack, wild-eyed.
"It's not right," he said, grabbing her arms, "You should be mine!"
"Jon, please. Let go of me."
"Why?" he growled, shaking her, "Why?"
Jack winced, Jon's grip was getting tighter.
"Jon, let go of me," she said quietly.
"NO. Why should I? You belong to ME Jacqueline! ME!"
One of Jon's hands released her arm and swung back to hit her, and Riddick came out from the back room. Growling, he grabbed Jon's arm and pulled him away from Jack. Roughly, he pulled Jon's arm behind his back and grabbed him by the back of the neck. As he pushed him towards the door he growled in his ear.
"You will not touch her. You will not talk to her. If I hear you've been harassing her, I'll kill you. Got it?"
In pain, Jon winced and nodded. Riddick threw him out the door and slammed it shut behind him. He looked back at Jack and the animal that had been barely at bay, calmed immediately and whined. She was shaking, he could tell, though her tremors were slight.
"Jack," he said softly.
He walked towards her and carefully put his arms around her, holding her to him gently. Jack burrowed into Riddick's warmth, glad that he was with her. Riddick felt her sigh and carefully moved so he could pick her up. He carried her into her bedroom and gently laid her down. Then he lay down behind her and pulled her close to him. After a minute, Riddick heard Jack mumble something.
"Come again Jack?"
Jack rolled over to face Riddick and looked into his eyes.
"Thank you," she said softly.
He pulled her even closer and kissed her forehead.
"You're welcome Kid."
Jack put her arms around Riddick and rested her head on his chest, listening to his heartbeat.
"You're probably going to be bruised for a while," she heard him say.
She smiled slightly at his concern.
"It's okay. I'm used to that."
"What?" Riddick asked sharply.
Inwardly Jack groaned and Riddick felt her sigh. She shouldn't have said that.
"Before T2," she began, "when I was with my mother, I used to get hit. Melinda liked to drink, and she was a mean drunk. She was okay when she was sober, but as soon as she reached for that bottle, I knew to stay out of her way. If she yelled for me, I had to be fast. If she had chores for me," Jack sighed, "I learned the hard way that things had to be done quickly, quietly and very good."
Riddick merely looked down at her with a raised eyebrow, making Jack sigh again and sit up. Carefully, she took off Riddick's old wifebeater and turned her back to him. Riddick's eyes widened and he growled low in his throat. He sat up and studied Jack's back. She closed her eyes, tears beginning to fall. She felt ashamed. She bit her lip when she felt Riddick's hand on her back. Gently, he traced each scar with his index finger, then kissed each one in turn. At the first touch of his lips, Jack gasped quietly. When he had finished kissing every scar, he put his arms around Jack's waist and pulled her to him, laying down. Jack was confused, this was a side of Riddick no one had seen. She felt him nuzzle the back of her neck, then kissed it.
"Sleep Jack. We'll talk tomorrow."
Jack sighed and closed her eyes.
"Good night Riddick," she said quietly.
"Night Jack," she heard him say tiredly.
"Love you," she mumbled as she dropped off to sleep.
