Author's note. Ok, señoras, we finally reached the Epilogue I. If I have to be honest with all of you, then I have to confess that during more than just a couple of months I REALLY thought I wouldn't see this post it. Ok, now onto the Epilogue.

It's really, really long, so it's going to be cut in three parts, and please note that you're going to find paragraphs writen in italic letter. There a bit of everything, and you know what I mean. So considered yourself warned.

I would like to give a big kiss and a big hugg to my beta E because with this one I've been a pain in her ass, I'm sure even if she has too much class to tell me directly. So, THANK YOU, E!

I would like to give thanks to all of you who are reading this story, but still not leaving feedbacks, reviews, opinions, thoughts, ideas. I'm telling you, guys. This is about to end, you better hurry up because you're running out of opportunities.

I would like to give a big thank you to:

XXXevilgrinXXX, you know how much I love you, woman, so…what can I say to you except THANK YOU!

dog-demon-emiko, Wow, that's a compliment you said, honey. I love when I can reach you in that way. I feel overwhelmed with your offer, and I'll think about it and I'll send it to you a message. And answering your question, well I'm definitively going to write more Riddick's fics. Thank you, love.

Nikita1506, glad to know I'm nor the only review whore around, honey. Thank you, Kita.

batphace, you better than anyone else know how much I appreciate what you said to me, Batty because we both love and admire Evil. So thank you, honey. I love you.

Animagious-White-Tiger, Yup! And if you remember, I almost killed him too a few chapters back, hee, hee. But, please, don't tell him or he'll go shiv happy on my pretty ass…LOL. ok, you're going to find answer to your questions along the Epilogue, so go read it and then leave me your feedback. Thank you, honey.

hurricanegurl18, thnak you, love. Here you have another one. Love you, HG18.

OK, señoras, with that said, let's make ourself confortable and be ready for a hell of a ride. I said it was worthy and you know that I always fucking mean it. I hope you agree with me. Enjoy it!

WARNING! This chapter contains material not suitable for people under 16. If you are easily offended, please don't read it! You've been warned! It's your responsibility if you keep reading the actual chapter and you're not allowed to do it. Once again: Consider yourself warned.

NJRD

Epilogue I (Part I)

Planet Helion Five. Six years later.

It took him six years and all of his credits. Not to mention the after effects. Six fucking years, all of his fucking credits and fucking painful after effects, but …. he found her.

Almost eight months trapped in a bed, unable to move a single muscle, healing his many injures plus one year of painfully intense therapy just to be able to walk again. One more year to find a way to get off that fucking rock and two years and four months traveling around the galaxy.

He had lost the vision in one eye and countless scars marred his skin. His body was full of implants to make his bones support his weight and he was now addicted to shit named 'heaven', a powerful drug he injected to suppress the pain. He walked with a slight limp in one leg and he had to learn how to shoot and fight with a shiv in his left hand because his right hand wasn't useful anymore. But, every time his bones and muscles screamed in pain, he shut his eyes tightly, gritting his teeth and conjured a vision. A vision of himself, raping her savagely, torturing her body slowly and painfully. Marring every single centimeter of her skin until she begged for him to kill her, and finally stabbing her to death.

He didn't know where to begin his search though but he always had been a lucky motherfucker, and in spite of his current state, that fact hadn't changed a bit. He was still alive, wasn't he?

He had gone in search of all thoes old partners who owned him favors; he had spent his little fortune, paying for false leads and dead ends, until one night, he run into a merc in a whorehouse.

A fucker who had been in the special forces for a couple of years with really high, strong and useful connections, better than himself or anyone else he would had met before in his damn life. That merc wasn't interested in the 'Big Evil' because there wasn't a bounty on his shaved head any longer. That merc even laughed his ass off, out loud, when he gave him his little speech about his motivations. "Revenge? What kind of fucking loser are you, man?" That merc had mocked him right to his face.

But he didn't care what anyone thought about him. Who cared about a fucking bounty? He was following another impulse and it wasn't credits. The only reason he had to survive his own endless living hell. Revenge. Sweet, cold bloody revenge.

The merc had looked at him as if he had grown a second head and after he had bought him all the drinks he could stand, the fucker finally said one single thing that made sense to him, pointing him finally in the right direction. "Wild animals go home to die." That merc had said before he stood and disappeared with two sluts in the direction of one of the rooms, stumbling over his own feet. He wondered how an asshole like that one could have such interesting connections?

He had been hunting the 'Big Evil' for years, always just two steps behind. He had almost caught him on a couple of occasions on his way to Xela, but the killer never left his guard down. Never trusted anybody, never left enough evidence to follow a trace, never slept twice in the same spot or nearby, until he came back home with his little bitch. And here he was, landing on the planet Helion Five, in a space port of a little town named Airun.

It took him six years and all of his credits. Not to mention the after effects. Six fucking years, all his fucking credits and fucking painful after effects, but …. he found her. He had finally found her.

Audrey Jacqueline Travis, alias Jack B. Badd, alias Jacqueline Fry, alias Kyra Mathews. No matter the name, she had been, was and would always be Riddick's little bitch and she wouldn't see another daylight. Yeah, he always had been a lucky motherfucker and that fact wasn't going to change, was it?

"Ready or not, here I come, little bitch." Damien sneered with a dirty grin on his lips as he shot himself with a double dose of 'heaven'.

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They decided to move to Helion Five because it was the further planet inside of the Helion system. Accordingly, the sun wasn't so bright and it wasn't heavily populated, but still a rich planet. Alain and Mariel moved there too.

New Mecca was a one day travel from Airun, one of the cities where they all lived together in a big complex located on the outskirts of town. Next to the complex there were two houses joined by a hallway. The Mathews', Kyra and Richard, lived in one of them; the Davis's, Mariel Elaine and Alain in the other.

'Little Jack' might look like a fragile piece of porcelain, but concerning sex, she was like an animal unrestrained. Riddick had loved every second of it, and so it wasn't long after they had settled on Helion Five, a couple of months after they had reunited with Imam, that Jack discovered she was pregnant.

Jack always dreamed of having a family, but through her veins still ran, mixed with her blood, all kind of viruses and their antidotes, and that fact was making her feel concerned. She wasn't sure if it would be a wise decision to have that baby. Actually, it wasn't that she didn't already love the idea of carrying in her womb Riddick's kid, but she was more than just terrified concerning the baby's health. However, Riddick and Jack made the final decision after the first tests were done, showing a baby that would be as healthy as it's parents and that those viruses would live inside of it's bloodstream the same as Jack's.

After Dr. Maurice Morris committed suicide, according to the authorities' final conclusions after the investigation, The Firm disposed of all his credits, properties and goods in a public auction. But, somehow, those goods ended in the hands of one nonprofit organization whose main administrator and manager was a corporation called 'Strays'.

'Strays' was dedicated to collecting kids from the streets, giving them a new kind of life inside of a family environment, showing those kids that they were worthy of love and respect. Of course, The Firm was oblivious to the fact that Riddick, Jack, Alain and Mariel were the ones behind that organization. Who would be better than Riddick and Jack, if somebody could understand those kids, it was them. The kids were going to live in a safe place surrounded by people seriously involved in the project, who were never going to abuse them in any way. Quite the opposite, all of them were there to help those kids in every possible way.

The process of selection for the staff was carried out by Jack and Mariel personally. They both were in charge of finding the perfect ones amongst those who applied for a permanent job with the organization. After a thorough investigation of their profiles made by Alain in which he searched if any of them had been related in any way with abusing children in the past, and only after they had a 'meeting' with Riddick in which he explained to them the rules of the game, the selected ones were ready to start with their obligations.

Concerning the kids, they not only received respect and love, at the same time, through the organization they could develop their capacities in different areas. The kids learned different subjects like Math, Literature or Physics and the like, but apart from these they received training in other really worthy disciplines which Strays' instructors and teachers considered valuable such as hacking computers, flying ships and self-defense. At the end, Riddick had found the perfect way to invest all the credits he had made while using his skills for The Firm's interest.

Alain created new identities for the four of them, with clean files and Mr. and Mrs. Mathews, as well as Mr. and Mrs. Davis appeared now as upstanding citizens. They even, from time to time, made their little contributions to those companies that belonged to The Firm but were developing their activities in fields that could be worthy for their organization. At the same time, Alain kept 'Strays' disconnected from themselves using an extremely complex net of corporations and their subsidiary companies spread all over the galaxy, just like he had done for years with the ex-soldiers at Xela city. So that way, nobody could figure out their exact location and in case The Firm was able to find them, they had their own security protocols to avoid the big corporation.

Alain as well as Riddick were more than sure that Alexander Koemborn was only waiting the perfect occasion to make his own move against them even if so far they had been living six years in relatively peace. Certainly, The Firm's president wasn't going to let them get with their own way. They both had learnt from their mistakes in the past, and even though there was no reason to suspect that The Board was scheming a secret plan to catch them, they weren't oblivious to the hazard of a sure retaliation on the part of its president.

Riddick knew Jack was still more than just worth the trouble to The Firm, taking into consideration the value of her bloodstream. Not to mention himself or Alain because their skills, or even Mariel because she knew more than just one top secret. They all suspected that The Firm was still on guard concerning them. So, none of them were taking for granted their peaceful existence. Nevertheless, they were enjoying their new lives more than air to breath.

However and in spite of all the precautions they took, nothing stopped a single man thirsty for revenge who avoided all their security measures following his bloody goal, guided by a blind rage against a twenty six year old woman who had stabbed him eleven years ago in a dark alley at a city named New Mecca.

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It was an unusually warm night, the streets were deserted at that time. Heavy clouds were covered the starry night, threatening to throw the more than expected summer rain upon the silent city. The alley was in shadows, just the outline of the buildings could be distinguished against the dancing moonlight as the clouds were sliding on the sky pushed by the warm soft breeze.

Riddick grabbed his shiv from his waistband and lifted his goggles, making them rest on his forehead. Slowly, he cracked his neck bones, tilting his head to both sides, easing the tension on his muscles as he narrowed his eyes in suspicion. Riddick came to a stop, surveying his surroundings, just his eyes were moving franticly. He took a deep breath and exhaled slowly and deliberately through his nose.

He had been following her faint scent through the streets until he spotted her at the end of the alley.

"Jack!" Riddick growled as he gripped the handle of his shiv. Hurried steps echoed in the dark, at the opposite side from where she was lying motionless. NO! In two seconds, he rushed to her side and knelt on the wet ground.

"Riddick?" Jack hissed weakly through clenched teeth as she grabbed her stomach, applying pressure, shaking uncontrollably.

"I'm here, beautiful." He said, stroking her cheek so gently that his touch was just a soft caress upon her skin. His voice sounded strangled and thick. Tightening his jaw, he glanced down and saw how her top was drenched with blood; her blood! Oh, fuck, NO! his mind screamed as Riddick breathed through his nostrils, feeling his inner beast roaring with wild rage at the smell of Jack's blood mixed with fear. Jack shut her eyes tightly, whimpering in pain.

"I'm cold, Riddick…. so cold…" her voice almost a weak whisper sent shivers up his spine. Riddick shut his eyes, cursing himself silently as he gritted his teeth. He lifted her torso with extreme gentleness and held her body against him, wrapping his arms around her. It was all his fault. All his fucking fault. "You promised me….Riddick…." Jack whispered hoarsely as a thin line of blood was visible from the corner of her mouth.

A gentle rain was pouring down upon them and Riddick lifted his head, looking at the clouded sky as a hopeless roar resounded along the street. It was an inhuman sound, a desperate cry full of unleashed rage and unbearable pain. The roar of a wild wounded animal, who's heart and soul had been stabbed to death. "NOOOO!"

Riddick awoke startled, snapping his eyes open as he looked around himself franticly, tightening his grip around a shiv that appeared from nowhere, its blade reflecting the moonlight. His heart was pounding inside his chest and his breath was ragged. He blinked furiously as he focused his vision, his body was covered in a thin veil of cold sweat. Fuck! He cursed as he held his breath, feeling adrenaline running through his veins and his inner beast roaring, caged and extremely agitated. Fucking nightmare… he growled, leaving the shiv at one side.

It was the same recurring dream that haunted him since he left Jack in New Mecca. It had been more than ten years since Riddick had last had that dream; the one in which Jack was bleeding to death in his arms, fighting for her life, and he was unable to save her. The one in which he was a powerless witness to Jack's slow and painful death. Back then, Riddick was sure that she was dying as a direct consequence of his inner beast's thirst for blood, but now, his animal side loved her as much as he himself did.

Riddick frowned, reliving the images playing inside his mind. The only difference from now and then was that eleven years ago, Jack was a fifteen year old tomboy with a shaved head and a skinny body, but now… she had turned into the woman she actually was. He growled, narrowing his eyes as Alain's words echoed faintly inside his brain. "…I met a kid once, who had dreams about his future. Dreams that always ended turning into reality…. dreams about death and blood." Riddick felt his inner beast grumbling, still pacing inside of its cage. Fuck, fuck, fuck… he cursed.

Jack stirred in her dream and pressed her naked warm body even more closely against his, pulling Riddick out of his thoughts, making him focus his attention on his wife. She was sleeping peacefully clasped at his body and Riddick let out the air he had been holding for quite long time with a heavy sigh and shut his eyes, rubbing his forehead. He tightened his embrace around Jack as he kissed her lips softly, just a brush.

Almost immediately, Jack's eyes fluttered open as she blinked in her sleep, smiling broadly, but her smile died on her lips as soon as she saw how his silver eyes were sparkling with the moonlight, showing an emotion she only had seen once before at Xela. Fear. Jack shivered and lifted herself slightly.

"Hey, what's wrong?" She asked, stroking his bare chest, her voice tinted with concern. Riddick held her gaze and sighed hard, feeling his inner beast being soothed by Jack's caresses.

"Nothing." He whispered as the beast snarled at that. In response Jack narrowed her eyes in suspicion. She could feel his heart still beating fast against her own skin as his eyes flickered to hers.

"You can't lie, Riddick, not worth shit." She replied softly as she made herself comfortable on him, straddling his hips. "Tell me what's bothering you, Riddick." Jack added, kissing his chest gently, lingering on her caress.

Riddick took a ragged breath, fighting with himself a silent battle. "It's nothing, princess. Just a bad dream…" he trailed off, frowning deeply, struggling with himself. Should he tell her about his nightmare and the implications of it? Riddick had never lied to Jack and he didn't want to start now, but still…Fuck, why now damn it! He cursed silently.

Jack swallowed hard and rested her head on his chest, listening as his heart skipped a beat, matching hers, as Riddick lifted a hand to stroke her hair, tugging a stray tuft behind her ear. Jack closed her eyes, breathing in his essence. She could recognize it amongst thousands, a mix of spices, sandalwood and sweat. It was powerful, strong and male, just like the man she loved with all her heart and soul.

She suspected he didn't want to talk about it and she wasn't going to push him, at least right now. Jack knew Riddick had been having nightmares over the last days, becoming more and more intense and consecutive. He tried to hide that fact from her, but Jack could read him like an open book and, whatever or whoever he was dreaming about was making him suffer in silence, to the point she could sense his internal turmoil and pain. Jack remembered how Alain had been talking about Riddick's nightmares when they were at Xela city. Death and blood, Jack said to herself.

There were only three persons in the universe who could cause such an effect on him in any way and they were connected with these premises. Lydia, their five year old daughter, Tay, their nine months adopted son, and herself. A huge shiver of fear ran across her spine and all of sudden, Jack wasn't sure if she wanted to know about his nightmare anymore. Riddick noticed it, as well as the subtle change in her scent and cursed himself silently because he suspected that his silence was scaring her and his inner beast growled in anger. He tightened his hold around her body and his hands moved from her hair to her back, stroking up and down, soothing her.

They had learned together how to be parents, lovers, partners, and it hadn't been an easy task because Riddick and Jack hadn't had experience, but they managed to get through every day, never taking for granted the time they were sharing. If any of them died, the other would be lost forever. Something would die inside and never would come to life again. Neither of them forgot about Xela and the following days, but, now they had two kids to raise, protect and love, and Lydia and Tay deserved a normal childhood, a normal life, the kind of life their parents never had while they were growing.

Jack raised her head and locked eyes with him, his warm fingertips drawing invisible circles on her skin, along and over her back and hips. A soft purr escaped Jack's lips as she pressed herself even more against his body, unconsciously rubbing her body against his, feeling his member coming to life. In response, Riddick grinned, applying a little more pressure as his hands slid down her back, grabbing her bottom, squeezing it. Jack moaned, feeling herself getting wet with the soft friction she was creating.

"Make love to me, Riddick." Jack whispered as she pressed down hard.

The unmistakable mix of desire, lust and love was sparkling in her eyes. The need in her voice and gaze was as clear as the reflection of the moonlight on his silver eyes. Riddick groaned, smelling her arousal and in one fast move, he rolled to one side, trapping Jack underneath him as she spread her legs, making room for him, grinning.

Riddick lifted his torso, supporting his weight on his arms as be bent his head, kissing her. As he slid his tongue between her lips, a tiny mewl of pleasure left hers and her own tongue slid past his and into his mouth, making him groan. They both were lost in that kiss, not wanting to end it, but finally breaking apart, gasping for air.

Slowly, he positioned himself as his silver eyes met hers. Jack shivered in anticipation and cupped his face with her hands, losing herself in his intense mercurial gaze. When she felt him pressing forward, sliding into her, she held her breath, staring at his eyes as Riddick buried himself to the hilt, growling.

"Riddick." Jack whispered as he went still, his body as deep as possible inside of her, closing his eyes, letting out the air he had been holding without being aware of it. Jack tightened her inner muscles, and a low groan escaped Riddick's lips as he slid out and then back in as slowly as he had entered her.

Jack moaned softly as her hands came to his broad shoulders, stroking all the way down to his bottom, squeezing it. Riddick growled deeply and pressed himself forward just in time with Jack's wet muscles clenching around his member and her hips thrusting upward.

"Fuck." Riddick hissed. "Hold onto me, Jack." He whispered, his lips capturing hers as he felt her arms pulling him closer. "You take my breath away, beautiful." Riddick whispered, feeling Jack arching her back underneath him, pressing her hips up, moaning his name as her legs spread further apart and Riddick pressed himself down. One hand buried on her hair and the other stroking all the way up to her hip from her knee. Jack arched her back again and when she clutched his member tightly with her inner muscles a deep growl resounded around them.

"Riddick…" Jack breathed as Riddick leaned down, kissing her neck, nibbling her shoulders, making Jack's soft hair stand at once. He then pressed his full lips to her ear.

"Are you with me, baby?" He asked as he slid in slowly and then out as slowly as he had slid forward, setting a painfully slow rhythm.

"Always." Jack gasped softly, stroking his back, her nails digging into his skin. Riddick grinned as he slid a hand under her bottom, putting the other against the center of her back and rising straight up, settling Jack against him as he knelt on the bed.

"Get closer, Jack…..Tonight I need you closer, baby." He whispered, making Jack shiver, hearing his husky voice.

He desperately needed to feel Jack's soft skin against his, so Riddick crushed her to him, burying his face in her neck, rocking slowly as Jack nipped gently along his shoulder. Riddick had to have her so close so that she was a part of his skin as much as she was a part of his heart and soul.

"I'm all yours, Riddick." She moaned, tilting her head back, nuzzling his cheek, whispering. "I love you, baby." Riddick shuddered at the sound of her words.

No matter how many times he heard her saying those words to him, they always had the same effect. No one would have been able to say them the way she did. It was the passion and the fire she put in each syllable and word.

They loved each other so much and with such intensity that sometimes it was almost painful. It was much more than just love that they felt for each other. It was an unique devotion beyond explanation. A need, so deeply stuck inside their souls that mere words couldn't make sense of it. It was a powerful addiction they developed, feeling the necessity of being touched by the other. A strong connection made of loyalty, respect and blind trust. Someone might be able to describe it almost as insanity, but it was exactly quite the opposite. What they felt was what gave them the sanity to go on living, bringing to their life the balance, keeping them on the right path.

Riddick grinned and slid his hands up her back, curling his arms around her shoulders. Jack pressed herself to him even more and wrapped her legs around his hips. A groan escaped Riddick's lips as he pressed up, then pulled back just to press up again, rocking up and down. Jack moaned, gasping soundly as her eyes half closed.

"Oh, God, Riddick…" Jack whispered breathlessly as he continued rocking up and down, knowing in advance that the movement was causing her clitoris to press against him.

Tonight it was completely different. Riddick had lost count of how many times they had made love over the last six years, and each and every time was unique, one of a kind, but tonight….tonight he had seen her dying in his arms, and the vision was still so painfully clear in his mind that Riddick felt the animal roaring inside his chest. His most horrifying nightmare came back to hunt him again, and the sensation of loss and powerless was so strong that Riddick found himself fighting back tears of anger and pain. He needed to feel that she was alive and in his arms, and that he never was going to lose her.

"Jack, look at me, princess." He whispered as he tilted his head back a bit, pulling away from her body. "Let me see your eyes, beautiful." Riddick need to watch her face, to lose himself in her beautiful eyes, to recognize in her gaze his own feelings, finding reflected in them the pleasure he was giving her. Jack moaned loudly as she locked eyes with him and Riddick found himself unable to let his gaze off those beautiful green eyes sparkling with their unique brightness.

Each move seemed choreographed, but at the same time so unexpected that Riddick shuddered thinking about his beautiful wife. He couldn't have enough of her. Another moan escaped Jack's parted lips and Riddick kissed her as if he never had kissed her before, as if he was sure that kiss would be the last one. His tongue traced her lower lip, wrapping around her own tongue as he rocked pulling back just a little, then pressing home again, increasing the rhythm slowly.

"I love you so much, Jack," he pressed her body against him, trying to get closer, almost knocking the air out of her lungs, as though he could get his body to somehow meld into hers. "I can't live without you, baby. I can't…" Riddick whispered, his lips full pressed against her ear. Jack shivered at his words. "I can't lose you, Jacqueline." His tone of voice sounded different all of sudden, his words held a desperation so intense and unexpected that Jack felt overwhelmed, and went motionless, feeling her heart stopping dead at the sound of her full name coming out from his lips. Riddick never had touched her or spoken to her the way he was doing now.

"You're not going to lose me. I'm not going anywhere, Riddick," Jack cupped his face in her hands, pressing their foreheads together. "I love you more than my life and I'll die before leave you." She whispered, fighting back tears. Riddick tensed, feeling his heart jumping inside his chest. "You're mine and I'm yours, got it?" she found herself saying fiercely, holding his gaze. "We're one." She said, stroking his cheek, putting as much reassurance as she could in her words. Riddick shivered and tilted his head back a bit, locking eyes with her.

"Show me how much you love me, baby." His words made her arch, pressing herself down onto him, driving him deeper inside her. Riddick hissed in pleasure and his hands supported her body. "That's it, beautiful, show me, Jack. Do that again, baby. Show it to me." In response, Jack pressed down hard as she clenched her inner muscles, gasping, moaning in pleasure louder as she did again and again. "That's it, Jack, fuck me." He hissed as his hips rocked harder, meeting her thrusts. "Fuck your man."

Jack cried out with every move he made, Riddick had been thrusting gentle at first but now he was going faster and harder. Then he grabbed her waist, guiding her onto him, thrusting deeper and deeper. Jack leaned her head back, biting her lip in a vain attempt to keep herself from screaming. But, Riddick wanted her screaming in pleasure, he always loved the fact that she was a screamer and that was the reason why their bedroom was sound proof. They could hear every single noise at the other side of those four walls, but no one could hear them.

Riddick changed the angle and her back arched hard of its own accord as her hips slammed down onto him, taking him even deeper. Jack then leaned back completely and the next stroke sent her out of control, making her scream his name as an overwhelming orgasm crashed over her body.

Riddick's head went back, thrusting his hips harder and faster as he held her hips. Jack was screaming, panting, writhing, thrashing, her fingernails scratched his forearms as Riddick roared in pleasure, coming so hard he thought he would die. Just then he thrust one final time, slamming into her as their gazes met.

They both were panting, their hearts beating in unison, pounding inside of their chests, their breaths ragged. Riddick lifted her and Jack wrapped around him, her arms holding his body tightly as he encircled her waist, burying his face in her neck. They were shaking, her inner muscles still spasming without control around him. Riddick took a ragged breath and blinked furiously, clearing his blurry vision as he felt Jack crying silently, her cheek on his shoulder.

Slowly, Riddick sat back on his heels and pressed his cheek against hers. He couldn't move, not that he wanted to. He could stay like this forever, buried inside of his woman, his wife. Jack sighed softly and felt his cheek wet. She shivered again and tilted her head back, locking eyes with him. Then, Jack lifted a hand and gently she cleaned a stray tear that was rolling down his cheek unnoticed.

End Part I

Epilogue I (Part II)

The following day

Mariel and Alain had offered to take care of the kids the night before to leave Riddick and Jack a long night for themselves, and Lydia had been jumping up and down. Her eyes sparkled like a Christmas tree just thinking about going to sleep at their house. She already knew that Mariel was going to cook her favorite meal, not exactly healthy for a five year old kid. Alain was going to play millions of games with her before she went to bed, surely later than she should. In the end, grandparents were supposed to spoil their grandchildren, weren't they?

Mariel froze at the doorframe at the vision in front of her. Alain was sitting in one of the rocking chairs, feeding bottle of milk to Tay who seemed mesmerized, his gaze fixed on Alain's silver eyes that were sparkling in the dim light. Mariel found herself thinking about how Tay became Jack's and Riddick's son.

She had been with Jack in the market, looking for the perfect gift for Riddick's birthday when they run to a girl who was pregnant. The girl approached them, asking for a few credits to buy something to eat. Two minutes later, Jack and Mariel were sitting with the girl in a cafe, talking with her, actually almost pulling the words out of her.

At first, the girl was frightened and she didn't want to talk, thinking that maybe these two women wanted to take her baby from her. It wasn't the first time that someone made that offer before, but after a moment, she finally relaxed and told them her story while devouring the meal Mariel and Jack bought for her.

It was always the same kind of sad story, repeated no end through the centuries. Her name was Cleo and her punk of a boyfriend had knocked her up, leaving her as soon as he knew about it. When her parents discovered that Cleo was awaiting a baby, they threw her out of their house, saying that they weren't going to take care of a little slut like herself and her bastard.

She had saved some credits, doing this and that. Cleo didn't want to go into specifics and neither Mariel or Jack wanted to know about them. They suspected what kind of things she had probably been forced to do in order to survive.

She moved to Helion Five from a nearby system as soon as she could buy a ticket and she had been living on the streets for the last month. So far the authorities hadn't noticed her, but it would be a question of days now because she was about to give birth at any time. Cleo was only sixteen years old and surely the local authorities were going to take the baby, giving him up to adoption.

Before the day ended, Cleo was registered at the clinic inside of the complex that belonged to Strays, giving birth to a little boy who weight just 5 pounds (2,26 kg). But Cleo had been severely dehydrated and even though the staff at the clinic did all they could to save her life, she died two hours after the labor, leaving the baby alone. Before Cleo died she made them promise her that they would take care of her baby boy whose name she had already chosen, Tay.

Tay had been crying non stop since he was born and nobody seemed to know how to calm him down. He had been fed and a complete set of tests had been run. His health was fragile but he was a strong baby.

Riddick entered the clinic, looking for Jack and she told him Cleo's story. Without a second thought, Riddick took the tiny baby in his arms, murmuring soothing words against his ear in his deep rumble as he rocked him back and forth, cuddled in his strong arms. As soon as Tay fixed his still newborn blurry vision on two silver pools that were staring back at him, and felt that deep voice resounding against his little body, he stopped his cries. Mariel and Jack crossed their gazes in silent dialogue and they both knew that Tay had met who would be without doubt his father from that night on.

Mariel blinked and her mind returned to the present. She never believed in blood laces and the evidence was in front of her face and in her life. Alain and herself had adopted Seth, a boy who was fifteen year old when Riddick brought him home one night, five years ago, and her relation with Jack was like mother-daughter.

Lydia was sitting at the table, having her breakfast while paying attention to every single word her 'grandpa' was saying. She was going today on an excursion to the city with other kids her age to visit a museum and Lydia was very excited because it was the first time she was going out of the complex.

Mariel's lips spread in a huge grin, thinking about the little girl who was physically a little version of her mother. Same green eyes sparkling like stars, same hazel hair, but that was all. The rest was purely one hundred per cent Riddick's. Lydia was only five years old but she had a strong character and she even wanted to shine her eyes, just like her dad and her grandpa.

Tay was now sleeping peacefully in Alain's arms. Lydia loved her little brother as much as she loved her parents and themselves, and Mariel had no doubt that Lydia would protect Tay with her own life if it was necessary.

Alain was telling her the story of how Mariel and himself were reunited after more than 35 years of being apart from each other. Lydia was listening to him with her big green eyes wide open as she played absently with Mariel's necklace that was now hung from her neck, while continuing to chew her cereal. Lydia was taking in each and every single detail about the story, and Mariel was lost in thought, hearing her husband describing the scene.

Flash Back

Mariel was sitting, her hands trembling slightly while holding a cup of steamy tea. She was as nervous as a teenager on her first date and, in some bizarre way, for Mariel it was her first date again even if she was in her mid fifties.

She had arrived two weeks ago in New Mecca, just a couple of days after Jack and Riddick, and she had stayed at one of the houses belonging to a close friend of Imam's. Mariel had been enjoying endlessly the company of other people; at the end she had been living confined at the military facility located in Onix since the day The Firm simulated her own death. Funny, she had been living in a golden prison, surrounded by all kinds of indecently expensive shit, but at the end she had been as much a prisoner as Alain, and she was now realizing that fact.

She had chosen, with the help of Jack and Danielle, a dress that matched the colour of her eyes and Lajjun had made her hair in a simple bow. The dress was an elegant classic model that revealed subtly her curves. She might be in her mid fifties, but she was still in shape and Mariel even flushed slightly when Riddick gave her the once over, letting out a soft growl just like he did the first time he laid eyes on her.

Jack and Riddick had driven her to the space port and now she was sitting with Jack at her side, waiting for Alain while Riddick had gone to look for him. The ship was about to land in the next minutes and Mariel found herself getting more and more nervous with every second that passed.

She took her cup of tea and sipped from it, making her best to not drop it. Jack smiled as she took her hand in hers, squeezing it gently and Mariel couldn't help but jump a little, causing Jack to grin like a loony.

"Don't you make fun of me, Jack." She whined. Jack smiled broadly, tapping her hand.

"You have to relax, Mariel." Jack teased as Mariel narrowed her eyes, groaning.

"That's ease to say, but difficult to do," she whispered, feeling her heart starting to race. Slowly, as if she was afraid to know the time, Mariel glanced at the clock that was hanging from the wall in front of her. It was almost 8pm in New Mecca. He will be at any time crossing that door. "Oh, my God! I think I'm going to have a heart attack." Mariel gasped, pressing a hand against her chest, feeling her heartbeat speed. Jack laughed softly and bent her head, kissing her cheek.

"Leave that line for tonight, sweety." Jack mocked, receiving on the part of Mariel a love tap on her hand.

"Aw, shut up, Jack." She hissed, rolling her eyes, but she couldn't stop the huge grin that graced her trembling lips. Jack shook her head and took a sip of her tea.

---------

All the passengers had left already the ship and no trace of Alain was detected. Riddick frowned deeply as he headed directly to the ramp, greeting a couple of employees who were working that shift. It had started to get dark in New Mecca, so he pulled up his goggles, fixing his gaze on the ramp when finally he caught a glance of Alain.

He was at the top of the ramp, looking to a spot only he could see and it seemed he was lost in thought. Riddick narrowed his eyes and walked the last steps, stopping at the end of the ramp.

"Ain't got the whole fucking night, old man, so you better move that skinny ass of yours." He growled, smirking. At the sound of his voice, Alain blinked furiously and focused his gaze on Riddick, a small grin tugging his lips.

"Give an old man a break." Alain scolded him as his grin grew wide. Riddick rolled his eyes, shaking his head.

"Save that line for your woman tonight, Hacker." He replied, chuckling. In response, Alain tensed slightly, his brain racing.

What was he going to tell her? How was she going to react? What if she didn't love him anymore? What if she didn't like his eyes? Alain was shaking like a teenager, his mind a complete chaos. More than thirty five years had passed. He was just a skinny old man with almost no hair, so full of doubts and so scared that he thought he was going to puke. His heart was beating fast inside of his chest and at any time he was going to have a heart attack. What was he thinking at his age?

Riddick watched his pale face, playing all the emotions that were overwhelming Alain and he couldn't help but felt pity for him. Alain was scared to death and Riddick started to suspect that the old man was going to faint at any time.

"Hacker?" Riddick called him. Alain stared at him. "Time to face your own fears, old man. You're not alone anymore and that woman has been waiting long enough." He added, his voice cold yet tinted with something else he even couldn't place. In response, Alain took a ragged breath and nodded 'yes', walking down the ramp.

Looking around her, Mariel started to play with the necklace, rolling the black lace between her fingers, biting her lower lip when from the corner of her eye, she saw Riddick, and behind him…. Oh my God! Her voice exclaimed silently as she saw Alain.

He was there, a few meters from her. As tall as she remembered him, dressed elegantly but not in excess, goggles covering his eyes. Her heart stopped dead just to match his, that was pounding like a drum. Slowly, Mariel stood and smiled shyly.

Alain's heart jumped inside of his chest at the vision in front of him. Mariel was there, looking at him, her eyes sparkling like he never had seen them before. His shined eyes took in every detail, fixing them in his brain.

Jack stood and went to Riddick's side, knowing that suddenly they weren't there for the couple.

The world had vanished completely a few seconds before and only both of them were standing, looking at each other, frozen in place not knowing what to do or say at that very moment.

How could mere words explain what they were feeling? There weren't words to describe the emotions that were overwhelming them, wrapping their hearts and souls like an invisible veil. Time stopped around them and it seemed as if all those years they were apart never existed. All doubts and fears vanished at once. They were again together and nothing else mattered.

Hesitantly, Alain moved forward, stopping a few feet from her and pulled up his goggles, blinking a couple of times, his eyes sparkling with unshed tears. Mariel held his gaze and felt her heart being ripped apart at the vision of those silver eyes flickering to hers. At that exact moment, she understood how much he had loved her if he had mutilated himself to make worth the sacrifice she made, and suddenly that sacrifice didn't mean anything compared to what he had done.

Alain lifted a trembling hand, and hesitantly, as if he was sure that she was going to vanish at any time, he lifted it to her cheek and stroked it softly, just to test if she was really there in front of him. Alain wasn't sure that he would wake up at any time, crying because she was dead.

All those years full of pain, desperation and anger were forgotten as soon as they were able to touch the other again. They went silent for a long moment, just feeling each other. Both of them were shaking and neither of them were sure if their legs were going to be able to support their weight. Finally, Alain took a ragged breath and swallowing hard the invisible knot in his throat, he found his voice that sounded hoarse and thick.

"No matter what they said. You were always my beautiful woman." He whispered, nose to nose with her, his eyes still closed. "I love you, Mariel." He said as he tilted his head back a bit, kissing her lips softly. Mariel felt her legs go weak as soon as she heard his voice and felt his lips on hers. She opened her eyes and lifted a hand, stroking his cheek.

"I always loved you, Alain." She whispered, silent tears rolling down her cheeks as she pressed her trembling body against his, kissing him.

End Flash Back

-------------

"So, you already told him," Mariel said as she made herself comfortable at Jack's side, taking her hand in hers. Jack nodded 'no' absently as she stroked softly her son's head who was peacefully sleep in his cradle.

"Not yet," she breathed.

"Why not?" She asked. Jack frowned deeply.

"I don't know….I was going to tell him last night, but…" She trailed off as a huge shiver crossed her spine, remembering how they had made love and Riddick's eyes sparkling with an emotion she only had seen once before. Fear. Mariel noticed and squeezed Jack's hand gently.

"Do you want us to go pick Lydia from that excursion to the city?" She asked, not letting go her gaze off her. Jack nodded 'no'.

"No. It's ok. You stay here with Tay. Riddick sent me a message, Seth is going to take care of that." She answered absently as she stood. "I'm going to the clinic." Jack added as she kissed Mariel's cheek, then went outside without another word, still unable to get Riddick's gaze off her mind.

------------

Riddick walked with long strides directly to the gym. As he walked he couldn't push aside the strange sensation that was overwhelming him with every minute that was passing by. His instinct was telling him that something was wrong, but Riddick couldn't place what exactly. His mind went back to his dream, the one from the night before, and in seconds, his animal side rose, rumbling agitated as his blood boiled inside his veins.

Jack sent him a message telling him that she would meet him at the gym because Seth was going to go pick up Lydia, leaving her at Alain's and Mariel's place. It seemed that Jack was going to leave Lydia and Tay with their grandparents for another night.

A soft growl escaped his lips when Riddick remembered how everything started six years ago with Seth becoming the first kid who gave sense and form to what would turn out to be their most precious project; 'Strays'.

If anyone would have been able to say in advance how Richard B. Riddick was going to use his knowledge; he would have burst out laughing, hard, shaking his head in disbelief. A convicted murderer training kids in self-defense? Memories came floating as he closed his eyes, sighing hard.

Flash back

Riddick had been fighting with Jack about some shit that right now he couldn't remember at all. Not that it mattered. It seemed as if lately everything he was doing, thinking or talking about always pissed her off. Surely the fact that her hormones were out of control wasn't helping either. Jack was pregnant with his baby. A girl according to the last ultrasound test.

As soon as Riddick knew about the sex of the baby, he braced himself for what was coming. He didn't know the reason why, but Riddick suspected that two women around him 24/7 wasn't going to be a joy ride at all. He frowned deeply, thinking in advance about how to deal with both of them when they were in that time of the month, and he couldn't help but laugh out loud because he was anticipating events that would take place a lot of years from the present moment. It felt really good to be able to make plans and think that far into his future. Yeah, Rick, it feels fucking good, he said to himself, still laughing.

However, tonight Riddick wasn't in the mood for another round of Jack's screams and tears, yelling at the top of her lungs that he was going to take care of himself from now on until his dick seemed a joystick, adding that it was all his fucking fault. As if she wasn't there when it happened. He chuckled silently.

So, Riddick decided that it would be better if he kept himself out of her sight, at least for a couple of hours. He knew full well what was going to happen as soon as he was back from his walk. A small grin graced his lips as he continued walking. At least when Jack wasn't bitching, she was fucking the shit out of him. Riddick's grin widened as he glanced at the open sky, giving silently thanks to Imam's God for pregnant hormones.

All of sudden, voices echoed in the almost completely dark alley, pulling Riddick out of his pleasant thoughts, making him come to a stop, hiding his presence in the shadows as his inner beast lifted its head in silent alert.

"Now, now, look what we got here, Mike." One man said, licking his lips. A short laughter was the answer from the man called Mike as he pulled out a shiv, the light reflecting on the blade when he brandished it in the air. "Come here, bitch. I've gotta have a piece of that ass." He added with a dirty grin on his lips, making the others burst out laughing.

It was then that Riddick saw him. A kid no older than fourteen, maybe sixteen years old. He was surrounded by four guys armed with blades. A deep low growl left Riddick's lips when he noticed the dirty glances those fuckers had flashing in their eyes and all of sudden he saw himself facing that same situation.

Riddick narrowed his silver eyes as his inner beast stood to pace the paths of its cage, rumbling. The kid was trapped with no way out, but Riddick didn't smell fear coming from him, quite the opposite, the boy pulled out a shiv and tighten his grip around the handle, facing them. Kid has balls, Riddick chuckled silently.

The kid's shiv was a fucking joke and his hand was trembling slightly and Riddick found himself shaking his head. You won't see another daylight, kid. With his eyes still narrowed behind his goggles, Riddick tightened the grip on his shivs and watched the kid's moves.

He was fast and graceful, avoiding the guys attack, but they were just playing him if the kid hadn't realized that by now. He was all heart concerning fighting, no technique at all, and definitively not enough coldness to get out of there alive. In minutes the kid was going to seal his own fate and everything would be done.

Riddick wasn't expecting this sudden change in the events and he sure as hell wanted to leave his past there, in the past. But Jack completed the circle, she made possible the miracle and now there was no turning back. He had changed forever. So, Riddick cursed himself silently and stepped out of his dark spot, reveling his presence.

The four guys were playing with the kid, letting him think that he was going to get out of there, but they were just exhausting him, making him rush to one after another. Suddenly, from nowhere they saw a man standing a few meters from them and they went motionless. The kid glanced at Riddick from the corner of his eye and, without a second thought, he used the distraction his presence caused to rush one of the men from behind, growling. It was just a stroke of luck, but he managed to slash the man's throat and the man fell to his knees, grabbing his neck just to collapse onto the ground already dead.

The kid moved backward, shocked, he couldn't believe that he had actually killed one of them. He went motionless, holding his now blood stained shiv in trembling hands, panting and sweating. He could feel his heart pounding inside his chest and swallowed hard, forcing his nausea back, as he fixed his gaze on his hand and saw it covered with blood. His eyes were wide open and he collapsed to the floor on his knees.

Riddick narrowed his eyes when he saw the kid's reaction and after a second, returned his attention to the three men who were still trapped in the shocking image displayed in front of them. Too fast for them to know what happened next. One second they were watching his partner dead and the kid on his knees, next second the man became a shadow in motion, slashing and cutting. The next thing the kid saw was the three men lying on the floor as dead as their partner, and the man was cleaning two curved shivs on one of the fuckers' shirt.

The kid swallowed hard, blinking furiously. He hadn't seen or had heard the man at all. His hands were still trembling and his heart was beating so fast he thought he would have a heart attack. He looked at the four corpses for a couple of seconds and then back at the man. He was tall, bald, dressed in black clothes and his body was radiating danger all over himself.

The kid felt his heart skip a beat and moved backward as soon as the man lifted his head, looking at him. It was then that he noticed the man was wearing goggles. Riddick couldn't help but smirk, now he could smell the kid's fear. He hadn't been scared of four men who wanted to rape and kill him, but it scared the shit out of him just looking at himself after what he had done. But, in spite of that fact, Riddick saw how the kid was staring at him straight in the face and Riddick noticed a slight trace of defiance in his eyes.

"Who the fuck are you, old man?" The kid asked, raising his chin defiantly, his voice didn't match his bravado, holding his fear. Riddick chuckled at his words and in one fast move he rushed to the kid, making him stumble and fall on his bottom, one curved shiv now pressed against his neck.

"Watch your mouth, kid," Riddick growled as he slowly lifted his goggles, resting them on his forehead. The kid's breath caught as he gasped in shock, but in spite of his fear, the kid found himself unable to take his gaze off Riddick's eyes. Swallowing hard, he cleared his throat.

"How can I get eyes like those?" The kid asked. Riddick knit a brow as he stood, releasing the boy.

"Gotta kill a few people." Riddick replied, a slight grin tugging his lips. The kid chuckled at his answer as he got to his feet, looking down at his hand. He then shivered and lifted his head, holding Riddick's gaze.

"I just did." He retorted as he mimicked Riddick's grin. In response, Riddick chuckled and turned around, looking at the four men dead, thinking if his acts were going to have other consequences apart from the fact that there was four fuckers less to worry about from now on.

Riddick didn't know exactly what pushed him, maybe it was the fact that he knew what was coming, or maybe because that kid and his current situation reminded him of himself too much, the result was that Riddick found himself not wanting to let that kid face his own damned fate and before his brain registered his words, Riddick was speaking.

"Have you got a place to go, kid?" He asked as he crouched at the side of one of the men, searching his pockets. "Family? Friends?" He continued looking for their ID cards, getting ready to make the corpses disappear. The kid narrowed his eyes in suspicion and after a moment of hesitation he got to his feet.

"I'm not a fucking kid and I didn't need your help." He said fiercely. "Been taking care of myself for a long time, old man." Riddick went motionless, and turned around, jumping to his feet so fast that the kid almost lost his balance again.

"Listen, kid. You don't know shit about me, so if I were you, I'd cut the old man shit. Got it?" His voice was cold and hard and the kid felt a shiver running down his spine. "I've saved your sorry ass, tonight, and I'm not gonna kill you, but don't push your luck, boy. I might change my mind at any time." With that, Riddick turned again and continued with his task.

The kid was lost in thought, struggling with himself, while watching how the man was still pulling out from their pockets any thing that could be used to identify those guys, recalling what he had said.

Certainly, if that guy with silver eyes wanted to kill him he would have done it already, and he sure as hell had saved him from a painful end to his short life, no matter if he wanted to make him believe that he didn't need his help. He had been living on the street for quite a long time now, since the day their parents died and so far he had survived. However, it was the first time that somebody else had helped him without asking for some kind of 'payment' in return.

He wasn't stupid, he knew full well that what had happened tonight could happen again. It wasn't that Airun was that dangerous a city, but still from time to time there were ships that landed with all kind of scum. At the end, Helion system was located on one of the main routes of the pilgrims on their way to the new territories at the frontiers.

He didn't want to face that uncertain future without being ready and sure as hell, he was more than tired of being alone, wandering and loafing around. The kid knew full well that he had been taking his luck for granted, but how much longer he was going to be able to survive on the streets? At the end he was just fifteen years old. Why didn't he deserve to have an opportunity like other kids his same age? Maybe that dangerously lethal man had crossed paths with him for some reason. Maybe it was a bizarre sign of how wrong he had been until know, thinking that he didn't need anyone else apart from himself.

Riddick glanced at him from the corner of his eye and noticed how the kid was deeply lost in thoughts. It seemed like he was a good kid with bad luck. Surely he had been living on the streets for a while, surviving on his own and so far he was still alive. Riddick frowned thinking about what Jack, Mariel and Alain would say about this, and for a second, Riddick couldn't help but curse himself silently. Fuck, Rick! You're just a damn hopeless case, a pussy, he scolded silently, shaking his head.

The kid was still lost in thoughts when Riddick spoke again. "What's your name?" In response, he shook his head and looked at him.

"Seth. Yours?" Riddick chuckled as he hoisted one of the bodies over his shoulder .

"You sure want to know, Seth?" Was Riddick's answer as an evil grin graced his lips. Seth narrowed his eyes in suspicion but found himself nodding 'yes'. Riddick tilted his head to one side, thinking if he should tell this kid his real name, pondering the after effects of saying it aloud.

He didn't use it anymore. Just Jack called him 'Riddick' and always in the privacy of their bedroom or when there was no one around, using 'Richard' if she was pissed off with him. Mariel and Alain stuck with 'Rick' and for the rest of the people he was Richard Mathews, self defense and pilot instructor. After what had seemed an eternity, finally Riddick broke the silence.

"Riddick."

Seth's eyes were wide open, his mouth hanging open almost touching the floor as soon as he put two and two together. Silver eyes, shivs, dangerous…. Shit! Seth exclaimed silently. He had heard about Richard B. Riddick, escaped convict and murderer. He was more than a legend amongst the strays from other planets that Seth ran with over the last year. Holy shit! His mind screamed.

Riddick was almost a myth. The stories about how he had escaped slams, where he had landed, including those that were triple max prisons such as 'Butcher Bay', 'Ursa Luna' and the old 'Xela', and how he had survived a dead planet that was full of carnivorous winged hammerheads were constantly on their mouths.

Of course, those stories had been exaggerated to the point that there were more than just one who really thought Riddick was immortal. Others used to say that God was scared of Riddick and that the Devil didn't want him around. And even some people believed that he had made a pact with the Devil itself to which they both stayed out of the others business. Nevertheless, no one had had news about Riddick over the last year. He had disappeared from the galaxy after the bounty upon his head was revoked. So, naturally, the absence of fresh news only increased the speculations about Richard B. Riddick's myth.

Riddick had laughed out loud about those stories. There was nothing exciting or exceptional in the kind of life he had been forced to live since he was a little child until he found Jack on Thalion. If only they had known that there wasn't anything more amazing for him than spending endless hours making love to his wife or sitting talking with Alain…. Richard B. Riddick wasn't any longer that outlaw who those kids venerated, he was now husband, soon father, partner and even son. However, he was still as dangerous as always and no one who crossed paths with him dared to fuck around with Riddick.

"Are you fucking kidding me!" Seth asked, his brows arched completely. Riddick rolled his eyes, shaking his head.

"No. Now move your ass and help me with these fuckers." He replied as he turned around, walking in the opposite direction from where he came. Noticing that Seth didn't follow him, Riddick spoke over his shoulder. "Ain't got the whole night, kid, so keep that ass moving." His tone of voice didn't leave any room to disobey, so Seth frowned deeply and after a moment, he went to one of the guys and grabbing his ankles, he started to drag the lifeless body along the alley, following Riddick.

End flash back

When he was about to open the gym door, he heard Seth inside, working out. Riddick glanced at his chrono, it was now 4 pm and he used to train with Seth and Jack after the training sessions when the kids were finished. Riddick pushed the gym door open and his eyes wandered around. Seth was lifting a set of dumbbells and he was alone. No trace of Jack. He then tilted his head to both sides, cracking his neck bones as he went to the boy's side.

"Hey, Seth, you already picked up my little girl?" Riddick asked as he helped Seth to leave the set of heavy dumbbells aside.

"Huh?" Seth replied completely puzzled as he grabbed a towel. Riddick glanced at his chrono, narrowing his eyes.

"I received Jack's message."

"What are you talking about? What message?" Seth asked. Riddick tensed all at once, feeling his inner beast, rising to its path, pacing its cage. In response, Seth looked at him completely lost. In two seconds, Riddick grabbed Seth's t-shirt, pulling the boy to him as his mind started to race. "I haven't seen Jack or Lydia since early this morning, man." He added quickly, sensing Riddick's beast, flashing in his eyes.

All of sudden, a vision of his most terrible nightmare popped into his mind. Fuck! Riddick cursed silently and released Seth, storming out of the gym, running as fast as he could. Seth blinked confused and after a second, he ran after him.

----------

Damien had been stalking them for more than two weeks. He wasn't in a hurry, he always had been patient. Damien had waited eleven years to carry out his revenge, he could wait a couple of days more. He had found where they lived and their routine. He knew they had two kids. Damien laughed out loud. The 'Big Evil' and his little bitch had their own family, what a pity they weren't going to enjoy their fucking happy existence much longer.

Damien decided he wasn't going to go look for them, he was going to make them go looking for him. Sooner or later the perfect chance would appear and finally it did. Damien couldn't believe his own luck. After more than two weeks, he finally found the perfect occasion. He was going to wait patiently for his prey to show up, using the only bait that would make them come crawling and begging. The perfect trap with the perfect bait. Fucking flawless.

Damien stared at the group of ten little kids. They were with two adults who were checking that all of them were keeping in line. The little kids were squealing in excitement waiting their turn to enter the museum. Damien narrowed his eyes as he spotted her.

She was dressed in pink cargo pants, matching t-shirt and white tennis shoes. Long hazel hair and big green eyes. Her skin was caramel colour, as if it were tanned by the sun. She was giggling at something another kid was saying. Damien's eyes sparkled with a gleam of pleasure. He could be as bloodthirsty as "Big evil" himself, if he was in the mood, and definitively, he was in the mood. Cute little bitch, he said silently.

Suddenly, she turned around and looked at him, holding his gaze. Damien tensed all at once and after a moment, he grinned, winking at her. She narrowed her eyes and returned her attention to her little friend. After a moment, the group finally entered the museum and Damien followed them inside. Let the fun begin, he said, smirking.

End of part II

Epilogue I (Part III)

Jack fingered the security code and the door slid open. She entered, looking absently around herself, lost in thought. She had the result of the test and it only confirmed what she already knew. She was pregnant. Jack didn't even know why she was suddenly upset. She should has been happy for both of them, but she couldn't push aside the weird sensation that everything seemed too nice, too perfect to be true.

So far she had everything she had always wanted, but never expected she would have. Two wonderful kids, three if she counted the one growing in her womb, a caring mother, two lovely fathers, good friends, an amazing, hot and sexy as hell husband, the best mind-blowing sex…. Jack grinned like a loony at her last thought, rolling her eyes. She was only five weeks pregnant and her hormones were already out of control.

She went directly to the kitchen, straight to the fridge unit, pulling out a bottle of ice water. Clouds had been sliding across the sky all the day and even though it was the rainy season, it was damn hot too. Jack sighed softly and opened the bottle, gulping almost half of it in one long draught. Looking through the window outside, she glanced at the open sky. Clouds had been threatening since early that morning to shed the more than welcome rain, but they seemed to be waiting for the perfect occasion to let themselves go. A beeping sound alerted her that a new message had arrived and Jack frowned slightly as she padded to the salon.

She sipped from the bottle as she keyed her personal code and the screen showed a picture of Lydia waiting in the line to enter the museum. Jack's eyes were wide open as a huge shiver of fear ran across her spine and all her soft hair stood at once. It wasn't the picture of her daughter dressed with the outfit she was wearing that morning that caused such effect on her, but the text blinking down below it. Jack's heart stopped dead at the vision in front of her eyes. Oh my god, NO!

"Say good bye to your little bitch, Mrs. Riddick."

Hundreds of images popped at once inside her brain when Jack read those words and the implied meaning. She felt unable to form a single coherent thought beyond the fact that her daughter was in danger and that she had to save her. Jack relived in a matter of seconds her painful past, memories long ago forgotten spread on her mind at once, and all of sudden the only thing that mattered was Lydia's life. Lydia was in danger.

Jack felt her maternal instinct taking hold of her actions, and without a second thought, she turned on her heels and ran outside the house in search of her daughter, leaving the message blinking in the screen.

---------

Damien had been making the tour inside of the museum, following the group of kids exhibition hall after exhibition hall. Pretending to be interested in what he was looking at, but waiting the perfect chance, cursing silently every time that the fucking little brats squealed, excited about something they were watching. Actually, Damien was restraining himself, fighting back the urge to snap their skinny necks, but that would meant a waste of energy and time even though those kids were getting on his nerves with every second that passed. Not to mention the fact that they were starting to give him a painful headache.

He had already sent the message to his prey, knowing in advance that being a mother, Jack would come. Looking for her little daughter and when she did it, he would catch her and then? then the real fun could start.

The merc licked his lips in anticipation, just thinking about the things he was going to do to the little bitch and her snotty kid. The unexpected addition of Jack's daughter in the game was just another sign of how lucky Damien considered himself to be. Now, he could play with Lydia while her mom was a powerless witness of the atrocities he was already planning inside his sick mind.

The tortures that the ex-soldiers at Xela had inflicted on Damien gave him a completely new perspective concerning the word 'pain', and the merc was going to enjoy endlessly showing Jack and her daughter the new meaning of that word.

He glanced at his chrono, laughing silently as he made a supreme effort, trying to keep himself focused, otherwise he was sure he would ended coming in his pants. Just playing in his mind with visions of himself torturing both of Riddick's little bitches, and that would ruin his flawless plan.

Damien had managed to get a draft of the museum's floorplan and he had been studying it. The building was all on one level but there was a large basement in which several pieces of art were stored while waiting the occasion to show them. It was the perfect place because its walls were sound proof and completely isolated in order to preserve the paintings. The only two ways to have access to the basement were the service lift or an emergency entrance located at the north side of the building that led to an alley.

A couple of days before, he had made himself pass as an art merchant who represented a bizarre business man who was interested in showing his private collection of oil paintings and pieces of art at the museum. So, according to his request and taking in consideration that it seemed that his collection was really valuable, the staff of the museum had showed him the facilities along with the security measures available. Damien made a mental note to bring with him everything he considered he was going to need to accomplish his goal while playing the role of his life, asking endless questions and showing his deep interest.

Damien glanced at his chrono one more time. It was now just a question of minutes before Jack showed up, searching for her little daughter, so he went directly to the restrooms and changed his clothes into a more suitable outfit. With that done, he took a deep breath and shot himself with a new dose of 'heaven'.

The group of kids was sat at the small auditorium ready to enjoy a virtual trip in which they would see different animals from the old Earth. The lights had been lowered in order to increase the visual effect.

Damien slid inside the room silently, his gaze wandering around, looking for the bait. After a few seconds, his eyes grew accustomed to the low level of light and he focused his vision. The teachers were as caught up as the kids in the images and sounds playing around them and Damien grinned evilly as he spotted her. It was going to be even easier that he thought at the beginning.

Lydia was completely absorbed, watching a black panther moving gracefully across the jungle while the voice was explaining how those ferocious animals from the old Earth lived and hunted in a wild habitat, and how they were silently dangerous in their lethal moves. The panther in the screen grunted, showing its sharpen fangs as a silver glitter sparkled in its eyes.

Some of the kids gasped scared, but Lydia giggle, thinking about her dad and how he used to play with her, pretending to be a panther, crawling and grunting in the darkness. Lydia had to hide from him and he had to find her. That was with no doubt Lydia's favorite game because when finally Riddick found her, he tickled her until she was gasping for air while laughing out loud. When she got her breath back, she always asked her dad for more and they started all over again.

Damien saw the perfect chance and made his move, sliding directly to where Lydia was. Suddenly the image on the screen changed, showing a brightly sunny day in a flat grassland with a herd of giraffes.

Lydia blinked, adjusting her eyes to the new level of light and saw a man moving toward her. He had a dirty grin on his lips and she narrowed her eyes when she recognized him. He was the man who winked at her when they were waiting in the line to enter the museum.

Lydia shivered as one word came to her mind. She didn't know the meaning of that word yet, but she herself as well as the rest of the kids her same age had been told to scream that word at the top of their lungs if they were scared of someone, no matter who that person was or where they were. So Lydia took a deep breath and yelled at the top of her lungs.

"MERC!"

At once, all the kids started to scream that word. Damien grunted, annoyed. What the fuck? Fucking little bitch. He cursed as he crouched between two lines of empty seats. The teachers jumped from their seats, looking franticly around, searching out the person who had scared the kids.

The images changed again into a nice view of a full moon reflecting it on a dead calm sea, plunging the auditorium into complete darkness for several seconds, and the kids started to scream, some of them already crying because they were afraid of the dark.

Lydia never was afraid of the dark because she knew who was there to protect her. For other kids the Boogie Man was awaiting them in the darkness, but for Lydia the darkness meant her dad. So, she slipped down to the floor from her seat, feeling her heart beating fast. Damien blinked furiously, his vision adjusting once more and got to his feet. Almost all the kids were crying scared while their teachers were trying to calm them.

Lydia crawled in the darkness, searching around for a place to hide until her daddy came to find her. She was hearing the other kids crying and the teachers trying to sooth them. Lydia took a deep breath and kept crawling until she found the perfect place. Daddy will find me, she said silently, as she crouched, pulling her little legs to her chest.

Damien tightened his jaw as he looked around franticly, trying to spot Lydia amidst the chaos in the almost dark room. Fuck! He cursed. Her seat was empty and there was no trace of her. Fucking little pieces of shit, Damien scolded as he headed toward the back side of the stalls, hiding his presence while waiting for all of them to leave the room.

In the meantime, the teachers finally calmed the kids and reunited all of them in one place. The lights inside of the auditorium went full on and it was then when they realized that Lydia wasn't there anymore. They started to call her, but Lydia kept in silence, hidden in her hiding place. She didn't trust anybody at that moment and she wasn't going to go out until she heard her dad's voice calling her.

The teachers crossed glances in silent dialogue and braced themselves for what would come next. How to tell Richard Mathews that they had lost his little kid after she yelled 'merc'. They shuddered in fear and went outside the auditorium with the rest of the kids in line.

When they reached the entrance of the museum, they saw Jack storming in. As soon as Jack saw them, she felt her heart jumping inside of her chest just to stop two seconds later when she couldn't see Lydia with them. The teachers explained to Jack as fast as they could what had happened. The security guards in the museum hadn't seen any little girl leaving the building; she had to be still inside, hidden someplace, so they started to look for her.

Jack went directly to the auditorium. "Lydia!" She called her. "Hey, baby, it's mommy. Where are you, sweetheart?" Jack asked as she looked around. Lydia heard her mom's voice and smiled broadly. "Don't be afraid, honey. Mommy is here now, everything is ok, baby." Damien laughed silently as soon as he laid eyes on Jack.

Lydia was about to leave her hidden place when she heard another voice, a man's voice and she went motionless.

"About fucking time, bitch," Damien smirked. Jack turned around fast, pulling out her shiv and found herself in front of a man. His face showed a dirty expression that sent shivers up Jack's spine and he was pointing at her with a paralyzer gun. "Been waiting long enough for you, Audrey." He added, shooting.

Lydia's eyes were wide open, gasping when she saw how that man shot her mommy. Her eyes filled with tears and shaking, she kept hidden in her place, waiting for her daddy to come. Jack felt a jolt of pain crushing against her chest as she threw her shiv at him.

"Fuck!" Damien cursed loudly when the shiv stabbed into his right arm. Jack groaned, feeling herself getting dizzy. Riddick…. She said silently and everything went black. Damien growled, kicking Jack's ribs. "Bitch!" He hissed, pulling out her shiv from his arm and turned around, narrowing his eyes. He still wanted to find Lydia but he heard the guards approaching the auditorium and cursing, he grabbed Jack's limp body and hoisted her onto his shoulder, heading directly to the entrance.

Just when he turned a corner, he saw two security guards coming toward him and without a second thought, Damien lifted his blaster gun and pulled the trigger, not even faltering on one of his steps. Finally he reached the service lift and stepped in, pressing the bottom to the basement.

Yeah, a nice quiet place for us, Audrey, he sneered silently as he glanced at Jack who was lying unconscious at his feet.

----------

"I should have killed that fucker Alexander." Riddick growled, his hands clenching into fists.

Alain watched Riddick and a strong shiver crossed his spine. He never had seen him so restrained since they met each other, and he suspected that Riddick was controlling himself in order to not let his emotion cloud his mind.

More than ever before, all of them needed to work like a perfect team and for that task, they had to remain calm and relaxed. They were running out of time, but rushing things would only lead them to make mistakes that could cost the lives of Lydia and Jack.

"It's not The Firm, Rick," Alain said as he swiveled in his seat. Riddick narrowed his eyes. "Alexander Koemborn would never hurt Jack or Lydia. They are too precious to the Firm, Riddick. It's someone else." Alain elaborated as he started to tap the keyboard of his computer.

"I don't fucking care. Whoever it is, they're fucking dead." Riddick tightened his jaw as he headed towards one of the closets.

Pressing a code in a panel, the double doors slid open and a room came into view. Riddick entered and walked directly to one of the shelves, picking up a small com. He attached it at his neck, then he picked two more shivs and put them in his waistband, hiding one more in his boot.

In the meantime, Alain had hacked the security system of the museum and the big screen was showing a view of the main entrance of the building. He was searching for the images recorded by the cameras over the last four hours.

"Rick, it's a trap," Seth stated, sighing hard. Riddick knit a brow and turned around, looking at him.

"I know, kid. That's why you stay here." He replied, pulling down his goggles. Seth tensed as he crossed his arms over his chest.

"What!" He asked, blinking shocked. "No way, I'm going with you. Jack and Lydia are my family too, Rick." Seth argued and Alain glanced at his son from the corner of his eye, feeling all of sudden really proud of him. In response, Riddick looked at him and frowned deeply.

It was true that all of them had become a big family and Seth loved Jack and Lydia as if through their veins were running the same blood. Riddick knew that that boy would die for any of them without a second thought.

"Rick, take Seth with you." Alain said, his eyes glued to the screen, searching something, anything that seemed out of place. "You might need some back up. We don't know what's going on yet." He added, his gaze still on the images playing on the screen when something caught his attention. Alain tensed and paused the image playing.

"Ok, but you do as I say." Riddick finally replied. Seth grinned, nodding 'yes' eagerly and grabbed his own shiv, putting it in his boot. Riddick rolled his eyes and tapped Seth's shoulder. "Come on, then." He added, turning around himself, getting ready to leave.

"Wait!" Alain said. Riddick froze and stared at the screen.

There was a man leaned against the banister of the stairs that led to the main entrance. Alain narrowed his eyes in suspicion as he zoomed the image. He had a bad feeling concerning him. Alain's silver eyes were wide open, gasping when he recognized that man. Damnit! Alain exclaimed silently. Riddick growled when he fixed his gaze on the man that appeared in that image.

"A fucking merc." Riddick muttered in disgust, his hands closed so tightly that his knuckles turned white under the pressure

"Fuck, Rick, that's Damien, the merc Maurice sent to kill me. I thought the fucker would be dead by this point." Alain said, his voice full of concern and guilt consuming him slowly. "I should had had Carl kill him…. Damnit!" he punched his desk, shaking his head as he shut his eyes.

Alain was now realizing what a terrible mistake he had made six years ago, letting Damien get away. Carl had told him that he would regret it someday and obviously the ex-soldier was right. Alain hadn't let Carl kill him and now...

Alain's mind started to race, trying to figure out the reason why Damien had come to Helion system, looking for Riddick. There wasn't a bounty in force anymore, so his motivations had to be something else. The old man with shined eyes, rubbed his forehead lost in thought. He knew full well that Damien didn't have honour or a code of ethics, his credo was credits just like the rest of mercs. Why was a merc was spending his time hunting Riddick when there wasn't a reward for his capture?

There was just one word that popped into Alain's mind. Revenge. But why? Why was Damien looking for revenge? He wondered lost in thoughts when all of sudden, he felt Riddick's hand pressed against his shoulder.

"Hacker, find anything about that fucker and when you have the intell, you contact me." Riddick said, his voice cold yet tinted with concern. Alain looked up at him, nodding and then looked at Seth.

"Take care out there, Seth." Alain said. Seth nodded 'yes'.

"Don't worry, dad. I'll be back in one piece." Seth replied, grinning, making Alain mimick his grin. With that said, Riddick and Seth left the house and headed toward the museum.

Alain hacked the main database and searched Damien's profile. After a few minutes the intell he was looking for spread in front of his eyes and Alain read it, trying to find some connection between Riddick and Damien beyond the fact that the first one was an ex- convict and the second one was a merc.

Finally the connection he was looking for was flashing at him on the screen. Damien had been admitted into a clinic in New Mecca eleven years ago and according to his medical profile, he showed a cut on his chest and a stab on his back. Actually, he had been lucky, because whoever stabbed him, had missed the sweet spot by a couple of inches.

Alain checked the date and realized that it wasn't Riddick because he was already working for The Firm, so there was only one other person who knew the Big Evil back then. Jack.

At that moment, Mariel entered the house, carrying Tay in her arms. They were back from her daily walking and as soon as she laid eyes on her husband, Mariel knew that something was wrong.

"What's the matter, Alain?" she asked, leaving Tay in his cradle, putting a couple of cuddly bears at his side. In response, Alain let out a heavy sigh.

"I made a mistake six years ago and now I'm paying the terrible consequences, Mariel." He answered as pressed the com to contact Riddick. In two seconds, the voice of Riddick sounded at the other side.

"Yeah." Alain took a deep breath and plunged ahead.

"Riddick, he's not looking for you. That merc is looking for Jack." He paused for a second as he heard Riddick grunting at the other side of the com. "She stabbed the bastard when she was a child in New Mecca, the day she disappeared. I assume that The Firm's men who kidnapped her were using Damien to find Jack, and the bastard was using them, expecting that Jack would lead him to you." Alain explained, as a new sigh escaped his lips. "I'm sorry, Riddick. This is all my fault. I should have killed him when I had the chance."

Mariel noticed the sadness in Alain's voice and went to his side, resting her hands on his shoulders, squeezing lightly. Alain closed his eyes for a second and took his wife's hands in his, kissing them, lingering on his caress.

There was a long pause at the other side and then Riddick spoke. "I'm not gonna lose my family, Hacker. I'll bring my wife and my daughter back home. I swear to you, old man." Alain took a deep breath and inserted the security codes to access all the systems that controlled the building while waiting for Riddick to arrive at the museum.

"You couldn't know it, Alain. You're the Hacker, but you're not a mind reader." Mariel said gently as she bent her head, kissing his temple.

What she said was true, but that fact wasn't making Alain feel any better. Jack was in danger and so was Lydia.

---------------

Damien stood back up admiring his work.

Jack frowned, groaning as she tried to move but she couldn't. Her right side hurt like hell at the spot where Damien kicked her and she winced in pain. She raised her head and saw that she was tied to a table. Her arms and legs were spread apart and she shivered with the low temperature when she realized she was naked.

Jack struggled to release herself from her restraints and went motionless when a cold laughter echoed around her. What the hell? She asked herself, blinking furiously, trying to clear her blurry vision.

A man was staring at her, a dirty grin still on his lips. He was looking at her from head to toe, as if he was admiring an expensive piece of jewelry long ago yearned for. Jack frowned deeply as she looked around her. It seemed as if she was in some kind of basement. The lights were full, almost blinding and she tried to see where she was exactly.

Finally the man walked to her side and Jack tensed slightly, noticing his gaze fixed on her naked body while he was licking his lips. She took a deep breath and focused her attention on him, trying her best to keep relaxed.

Damien watched her in complete silence, licking his lips. He had been dreaming of this moment for over six years and now that it had finally come, he didn't know where to begin. He could feel adrenaline running through his veins and 'heaven' working its magic upon his nervous system. Damien shook his head and locked eyes with Jack.

"Riddick's little bitch." The merc hissed as he circled the table where he had tied Jack, looking her over from head to toe.

Jack gave him a disgusted look. "I'm no one's bitch, you fucking asshole." She retorted as she narrowed her eyes, Damien laughed coldly and Jack felt anger rising fast. "What the fuck do you want?" She asked, following his moves. "There's no bounty in force anymore. No one is interested in Riddick." Damien chuckled at her words.

"Who said I came looking for the Big Evil?" He retorted, arching a brow as he stopped dead in his tracks. Jack frowned deeply. She didn't understand what was happening here.

If this fucker wasn't interested about Riddick then why he had kidnapped her? It was pretty clear for her that it wasn't Alexander Koemborn's hand behind this. Their security protocols would have been activated if The Firm would have made a move against them. Alain would have been alerted, besides, The Firm never would have hurt her, she was too precious for the corporation as well as Lydia.

"Then, why…?"

"What, bitch? You don't remember me?" Damien retorted, pressing a hand against his chest. "Ouch, that hurts, Mrs. Riddick…." he trailed off sarcastically, stroking her cheek. Jack tensed as she tilted her head out of his reach, but he chuckled and grabbed her chin, digging his fingers into her skin. "I thought I made quite an impression on you… 'cause sure as hell you did a number on me, little bitch." He added through clenched teeth, keeping his voice down as he let her face free, shoving her head to one side.

Jack frowned deeply, trying to put a place and a time to a face that seemed familiar. But, she felt a little dizzy and all of sudden she was fighting back her nausea. This fucker wasn't a soldier, he stank like a merc. Jack's brain started to race while watching at him. She had seen him before but where?

"I bet that you already forgot me, Audrey, but I do remember you since the fucking night that you, little whore, went shiv happy on me." He hissed nastily, pulling out his shiv.

Jack's eyes widen as she concentrated on keeping her breath even, just like Riddick taught her, without letting her gaze off the shiv he was gripping in his hand. And, all of sudden, recognition dawned and a vision of herself, rushing to him from behind, stabbing him, popped into her mind. The alley in New Mecca, The Firm's man she thought she killed. "… At least I killed one of them…." Her words to Riddick the first night they made love at Xela spread in her mind and Jack narrowed her eyes, grunting. Damn, Jack! She exclaimed and all of sudden she was annoyed with herself.

Damien pressed the edge of the blade against her chest and slid it down slowly, drawing an invisible line between her breasts not cutting her yet. Jack's soft hair rose all at once when she felt the cold blade touching her skin and she tensed every muscle in her body, thinking about her baby inside of her womb. Gritting her teeth, she forced her tears of anger back and swallowed hard.

"You, motherfucker…" Jack hissed. "You're not gonna see another daylight, I swear to God." She whispered menacingly. Damien's cold laughter echoed inside the basement.

"Save your energy, bitch, you're gonna need it. You'll pay for what you did to me, Audrey." He spoke as he continued sliding the edge of his knife when all of sudden he stopped at her right thigh. "Scream all you want, nobody will hear you." Damien hissed as he applied pressure. "Welcome to your worst nightmare, bitch." And with that said, he sliced a clean cut, drawing blood.

Jack hissed in pain and bit her lower lip hard. She wasn't going to give this bastard the satisfaction of hearing her scream in pain. Damien laughed hard as he made another cut just above the first one, but this time deeper. Jack shut her eyes tightly as she felt her nerves on fire, burning with searing pain.

She was breathing hard through her nose when she spoke. "Fuck you, asshole." Jack muttered through clenched teeth and Damien's eyes were wide open, mesmerized at the sign of her blood staining his shiv.

"Soon, Audrey, soon." He retorted, grinning nastily as he circled her, pressing the blade against her left thigh.

Jack swallowed hard and closed her eyes when all of sudden, she remembered the technique Riddick taught her to keep the mind out of the body, blocking the pain. "Really effective if you're under torture, beautiful" Riddick's words echoed faintly inside of her brain.

They had been practicing this ancient technique for endless hours. Riddick didn't want to think about Jack being forced to use it, but he had no other choice. He had promised Jack he would take care of her and that he always would protect her from anyone and everything. But, Riddick needed to make sure that if that time they feared finally came, she wouldn't suffer more than she could take.

Back then, Jack had even made jokes with him, saying that if she had survived Lydia's childbirth, anything else would be a walk by the river. However, Riddick had insisted without end until she could control it, and now, Jack was giving thanks for her husband's stubbornness. I hope it works, she said silently, knowing in advance that it would only serve for a while. You promised, Riddick, Jack said and taking a deep breath, she focused her thoughts on one vision and concentrated on it.

Jack was with Riddick and they were inside of their big bed, laughing and playing with Lydia and Tay. A few more seconds of unbearable pain and her mind flew out of the present moment, far from the painful reality that was surrounding her.

----------------

Riddick entered the museum and looked at Seth. "Wait for me here, Seth." He said coldly, not leaving room for complaint. Seth narrowed his eyes, tightening his jaw, but after a moment, he reluctantly nodded 'yes'. Riddick knew full well he was running out of time but he had no other choice right now. He needed to make sure that Lydia wasn't hurt and there was only one way to find her.

The auditorium was the last place where they had seen Lydia, so she was probably still hidden there. Without wasting any more time, Riddick headed there, pulling out his shiv. The lights were fully leveled and he took a deep breath, catching Lydia's essence, Jack's and….. fucking mercs.

Growling, Riddick pressed the neck com. "Hacker, turn the lights off in the auditorium."

Alain obliged, hacking the security system of the museum and inserted the new codes. All the lights went out in seconds, leaving the auditorium in complete darkness.

Riddick pulled his goggles up, making them rest on his forehead. Then, he closed his eyes for a moment as he breathed deeply, and concentrated all his senses on his daughter's scent. A few seconds and the beast roared in alert. Riddick could smell Lydia's fear mixed with her tears and let out the air he had been holding, giving thanks to Imam's God when he didn't smell blood.

"Lydia?" Riddick growled gently. Lydia sniffed, cleaning her tears as she lifted her head up, straining to hear. She wasn't sure if it was her dad's voice calling her, so she kept her silence.

Riddick heaved a hard sigh as he put his shiv back in his waistband. It was time to play Lydia's favorite game. So, Riddick crouched to the floor as he let out a deep growl that resounded throughout the small auditorium.

Lydia gasped, her eyes were wide open. She recognized that sound, she had been hearing it since she was a little baby.

"Daddy?" Lydia whispered, cleaning her tears with the back of her hand. Riddick grinned slightly as soon as he heard his little girl's voice and slid in the direction where her voice came from.

Growling loudly as he continued playing his part in their game, her essence grew stronger and Riddick came to a stop, crouching again in front of a panel located in the wall. He removed the panel and Lydia gasped as soon as she saw those silver eyes she loved sparkling in the pitch black.

"Come here, baby." Riddick said softly as he reached for his daughter, pulling her to him.

"You found me, daddy." Lydia whispered in a teary voice. Riddick held her against his chest, stroking her back up and down as she encircled his neck tightly.

"Yeah, sweetheart, daddy found you," he stroke her hair as he closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. "I'll always find my baby girl," he said gently as he tilted his head back a bit, kissing her wet cheek.

"He took mommy, the merc took mommy," Lydia whispered, shivering as she pressed herself against her dad. Riddick narrowed his eyes, growling.

"You saw him, baby?" He asked as he got to his feet, holding her. Lydia nodded 'yes' as fresh tears rolled down her cheeks. Riddick grunted seeing his little girl crying.

"Don't cry, baby. Daddy is going to find mommy and we're going to go back home, ok?" Riddick said, holding Lydia's gaze as he lifted a hand, wiping her cheeks gently. "I do promise you, Lydia. I'll find mommy." Lydia smiled a little and Riddick held her against his chest. He then turned around and saw Jack's shiv on the floor. Riddick picked up the shiv and put in his waistband, heading toward the entrance where Seth was waiting for him. "Hacker, where's my woman?" Riddick asked as he continued walking with long strides, while soothing Lydia.

Keying faster than anyone would be able, Alain accessed the main control system and checked the different areas inside of the building. After a couple of minutes, he finally found what he was looking for. Alain's eyes were wide open as he gasped shocked. Riddick heard him gasping.

"Hacker?" In response, Alain swallowed hard.

"Rick, turn the com into silent mode." He replied, redirecting the security camera to the spot where Jack was. At his words, Riddick frowned deeply as he handed Lydia to Seth who held her against his chest, kissing her forehead.

"Are you ok, princess?" Seth asked her, stroking her hair. Lydia nodded 'yes'. Riddick pressed the little bottom of his com and turned his back to them.

"Done." He replied coldly and Lydia narrowed her eyes. Now she couldn't hear her grandpa's voice anymore. Alain took a deep breath.

"Jack is in the basement." Alain paused and Riddick tensed all at once as his inner beast rose to its path, roaring. "Riddick, you better hurry up 'cause that merc is a bloody sick bastard." He added, sighing hard. Riddick then looked at Seth.

"Go back to the complex. Don't wait for us." He growled coldly.

"What about you?" Seth asked, concern written on his face. Riddick looked at Lydia, grinning.

"I'm gonna play my favorite game." He answered, winking at his daughter. Lydia giggled.

"Oh, boy, no one messes with my daddy." She said, her voice full of pride. Seth chuckled and Riddick knit a brow, grinning at his daughter's words.

"That's right, baby girl, no one touches what's mine," he growled as his grin widen. In response, Lydia grinned devilishly, mimicking his dad's grin without being aware of it. "I love you, kiddo." He whispered, kissing her cheek.

"I love you, daddy." Lydia said, smiling broadly.

"Your father knows what you all have to do." Seth's nodded 'yes' eagerly and turned on his heels, heading toward the street with Lydia held in his arms.

As soon as Seth left the museum, Alain blocked all the doors and disconnected all the lights, leaving the building in complete darkness.

"Riddick, watch out," Alain said, rubbing his forehead. "That merc is not after a bounty, he's looking for revenge." Riddick cracked his neck bones to both sides and pulled out his curves shivs.

"Too fucking bad for him 'cause I'm gonna play who's the best fucking killer and I'm not gonna show mercy." Riddick growled and the beast roared in anticipation. Inhaling deeply, he caught Jack's scent, floating faintly in the air. Just hold a little longer, Jack. I'm on my way, beautiful, he felt the animal within him let out a roar of blind fury as soon as could smell Jack's blood. I won't lose you, baby.

----------------

Damien gasped when all the lights went out, leaving the basement in complete darkness. Grunting, annoyed, he searched inside of his cargo pockets and pulled out his night vision goggles. Yeah, Big Evil, come whenever you want, motherfucker, he said silently, adjusting them onto his eyes. He then glanced at Jack, who had passed out from the lost of blood, grinning.

"I'm not done with you yet, whore," Damien muttered as he moved backward, hiding his presence.

Alain narrowed his silver eyes as he fixed his gaze on the big screen, watching Damien who was now crouched at one corner with his paralyzer gun pointed in the direction of the door of the service lift.

"Riddick, that fucker has a paralyzer gun and he's pointing it at the elevator, waiting for you." Alain said through the com to Riddick. In response, he grunted tightening his jaw. Alain then looked at the other screen that showed a 3D plan of the building, searching for the shortest way to reach the basement. "There's an emergency exit at the end of the hallway on your left side. The north entrance to the basement, it's located at the end of the alley."

Riddick ran along the hallway following Alain's instructions and reached the big double door. Kicking it open, he jumped outside and headed directly to the north side of the building. When he was in front of it, Riddick heard a soft click and the door was unlocked. Slowly, he slid inside, tightening his grip on his shivs.

Alain blinked furiously and focusing his gaze on Damien's face he noticed that the merc had night vision goggles. Grinning devilishly, Alain inserted a new code, accessing to the main generator of the building and connecting the energy while he spoke again.

"Riddick, pull down your goggles." Riddick obliged with no hesitation and came to a stop, looking around himself. "I'm going to blind that fucker." Alain added, linking all the energy to the lights.

From where he was, Riddick could see Jack. She was tied up onto a big table, seriously injured. The beast roared, lifting its claws at smelling her blood. He could see Jack's chest rising and falling slightly in time with her weak breath, she was bleeding through several cuts along her legs and arms, but so far, she was still alive.

"These fuckers will never learn the fucking lesson, Hacker," Riddick hissed as he slid like a shadow directly to where Damien was crouched. He was going to take his time with this one and he was going to tear the fucker apart.

As if Alain was able to read Riddick's thoughts, he zoomed in the camera, holding his breath. Time was running out and they didn't know how much blood she had already lost.

Riddick growled, narrowing his eyes when he heard Alain's voice. "Jack's alive, Rick, but we don't know for how much longer. Kill that fucker fast and get out of there." Alain hissed. He, more than anyone else aside from Riddick wanted to enjoy torturing the fucker slowly, but that required time they didn't have at that moment.

A deep growl thundered throughout the basement and Riddick unleashed the beast from its cage as he slid silently in search of his prey.

Damien jumped to his feet when he saw Riddick and rushed at him, completely sure that they were on the same level because now both of them could see in the pitch black. Alain tensed in his chair and pressed the enter key. At once all of the lights inside the basement came up full with such power than it seemed as if ten suns were shinning. Riddick narrowed his eyes behind his goggles, groaning as Damien screamed in pain, shutting his eyes tightly. The powerful lights stabbed his optic nerves, burning his retina, blinding him.

"FUCK!"

Damien fell to his knees, covering his face with his hands, his eyes bleeding behind his goggles. Riddick blinked furiously, tears rolling down his cheeks and cursed silently. As soon as Alain checked the effects he caused with his crazy but brilliant idea, he switch off the lights, leaving the place in darkness. Riddick will be ok in a few more seconds and Damien, well, he will be blind forever, not that it mattered at this point, he wasn't going to survive much longer anyway.

Fucking crazy old man, Riddick cursed Alain silently as he snatched his goggles. Blinking one more time, he went to Damien's side.

"I'm the best fucking killer, asshole." Riddick whispered in his most menacing tone of voice as he crossed his hands, stabbing Damien's chest just to uncross them, the blades tearing apart the skin, slashing it with one powerful move.

Blood splattered everywhere around them and Riddick roared. Damien cried out when he looked down at his chest. He couldn't see nothing, but when he touched himself, he noticed the slick of his blood. NO! he screamed silently. Riddick stood back up and circled the merc.

Riddick growled as he stabbed Jack's shiv at the fourth lumbar, the abdominal aorta; directly at the sweet spot. Immediately, Damiens' muscles tensed all at once, his eyes were wide open. Riddick kicked him roughly forward and Damien fell on his stomach. Then, he crouched at his side and grabbed his hair viciously, pulling up his face.

"Give my regards to the Devil, Damien." Riddick whispered as he snapped Damien's neck. Then, jumping to his feet, he rushed to Jack's side. In seconds, he removed the restraints and held her body against his.

"Jack…." He whispered, gently stroking her hair.

"Riddick?" Jack hissed weakly through clenched teeth, whimpering in pain as tears spilled down her temples. Riddick breathed through his nostrils, feeling his inner beast roaring with wild rage at the smell of Jack's blood mixed with fear, reliving his nightmare.

"I'm here, beautiful." He said, kissing her lips gently. His voice sounded strangled and thick. Tightening his jaw, he glanced down and saw the cuts on her body. Some of them were deep, but he had the perfect tool to make them disappear. It will hurt like a bitch, but it wouldn't leave any scar marring her body.

"I'm pregnant, Riddick…" her voice almost a weak whisper sent shivers up his spine. Riddick wrapped his arms around her with extreme gentleness, praying silently to Imam's god for that child, begging to let it survive this.

"Holy shit, Jack," he whispered, blinking back fresh tears. "You sure know how to shock me, beautiful." Riddick teased her, a small grin tugging his lips. Jack chuckled weakly.

"I knew you would come for me, baby…" Jack whispered as her eyes fluttered open. "You promised…Riddick…" She said, holding his gaze. Riddick grinned slightly.

"Yeah, beautiful, I promised you." Riddick replied gently as he cuddled her body, lifting her effortlessly. He then headed toward the alley.

A gentle rain was pouring down upon them and Riddick lifted his head, looking at the clouded sky. His nightmare became true but not exactly like it was supposed to. Jack was bleeding, fighting for her life but he wasn't going to be a powerless witness to her death. She wasn't going to die in his arms, at least not anytime soon, and sure as hell not tonight.

"I love you, Jack," Riddick whispered, kissing her lips. Jack pressed herself to him as a soft whimper escaped her trembling lips.

"I love you, Riddick," Jack breathed weakly.

Author's note: ok, guys. Like I've been saying in advance, I'm not done yet. The Epilogue II isthe nextpost.Leave your feedback, youalready know the deal.Thanks.

NJ