Chapter 6

Kryptonite

Jack had been right; Riddick didn't make dinner that night. He wasn't really being an ass hole about it, he wasn't even mad that she had turned the lights on in his face. He was too busy stitching up his arm and talking to 'The Man' about his next job.

He often laughed about the fact that this guy referred to himself as 'The Man.' I'll show you 'the man,' he thought to himself when he first talked to the guy.

'Who does this guy think he is? 'The Man' Ha!'

What better job could he have wanted? It's not like he had ever really had a legal job, and killing is what he does best, so this suited him just fine. Though he knew it wasn't a good idea to inform Jack about his new job, she didn't need to know anything about it. If someone found her and questioned her, she wouldn't be lying about not knowing, and that was a good thing.

But they had to find her first, and if Riddick had anything to do with it, she would never be found. She was the only person in the world that could lead others straight to him, which wasn't really a good thing, but Riddick couldn't just tell her to leave. It was him, after all, which made the final decision to keep her with him. His logic was 'who knows what would happen to her. At least with me, I know she's safe. And that holy man… I've heard all about what those types do to young children, and no thanks. With me, she will never be hurt. I'd kill someone for her. Hell, I'd just kill someone.'

It was more of an attachment he had formed to Jack than a love. He wasn't capable of loving, not that he had ever tried. She made something inside him change, and he wanted to investigate that. Never in his life had he even given another person a second thought, not until he met Jack. She was the only reason he had gone back for the holy and Carolyn Frye, if it had been a normal day, he would have taken the power cells to the ship and left them all behind.

But that was before and this is now.

Riddick's POV

So, I'm talking to my boss on this radio/ phone that he gave me and he's telling me about my next… er… assignment. I don't mind it, but the last time, he didn't tell me there would be three guys. It's a good damn thing I'm a big man, because that could have turned out differently. And I would not have been amused in the least bit, that would have royally pissed me off, and he could very well have been next on my list.

God, why won't this guy just shut the fuck up? All I need to know is a name and a place; I don't need to know his fucking history. Why do I give a good goddamn where this guy came from? All I know is where I'm sending him, and that's good enough for me.

Ok, damn, after about an hour, I'm off that damn thing. That man has no idea who he is fucking with. Once the person on the other end of the phone goes silent, that should be key to just shut the fuck up. Just quit fucking flapping your dick sucker and hang up. What's wrong with people? Like I give a shit.

I've given myself those damn stitches… I don't know why Jack was so mad about it; in my opinion it's just a scratch. But, I did it to please her. Can't have the kid all mad at me now can I?

Jesus. That kid's going to be the death of me. Sometimes I just want to wring her little neck. She's so annoying, such a woman. Why did I agree to take her in the first place?

Shit fuck, it's midnight. I've got an early day tomorrow, need to go and scope this… what's his name? … Ah, I remember, Kent J. Rockwood. I need to see what I'm dealing with….

What the fuck was that?

End Riddick's POV

As Riddick sat, cooped up in his room, doing God knows what, Jack had fallen asleep. Rather early too, she opted to go to sleep rather than go and risk face Riddick. She wasn't sure if he was angry with her or not, so it seemed better to just go to bed hungry.

At midnight, right on the dot, Jack woke up from one of her nightmares, screaming.

Riddick leapt off his bed and ran into Jack's room, almost causing the door to slide too far, again.

He didn't turn on her light as he entered; it wasn't as if he had a problem seeing in the dark.

Once he was right beside her bed, not three seconds after hearing her scream, he almost yelled, "Jack! Jack, it's just a dream!"

She quivered under her blankets and reached out into the darkness for him. "Where are you? I can't see you. Please don't leave me!" Her tears, obvious in her voice.

He sighed, "I'm right here, kid," and he reached out for her hand, grasping it lightly in his own.

This was nothing new; Jack had these nightmares very often, too often. Riddick thought she would have grown out of them by now, but he was wrong. It didn't look like she was ever going to get past it. He supposed an experience like that, isn't something one just up and forgets about. At least, Jack couldn't.

Jack tugged on his hand and gave another involuntary shudder, "Stay with me."

He shook his head from side to side, not that Jack could see the movement, and sighed heavily. "Jack, I can't, you know that. You're almost eighteen, it isn't right for me to sleep with you."

She choked back another wave of tears, she knew it was a dream, but the only thing that made her feel better was when Riddick had her wrapped in his arms. For some unknown reason, she felt like the dreams couldn't touch her when she was asleep in his arms, and the funny thing is, she never had nightmares after she fell asleep with him.

"Please, just this once."

He shifted his weight from his right foot to his left, still holding her hand. "That's what you say every time, kid."

She grumbled, "I mean it this time. I swear!"

Again he answered, "You say that too."

She gave him a rough tug, "Come on, not even for me? I'm just a kid."

He gave in. Yes, he was a murderer and he was what some called a maniac, but he had a soft spot for Jack. "Okay kid, but I'm only staying until you fall asleep."

Jack smiled and scooted over in her bed, to make room for Riddick's massive size. "Okay then, come on. I made room, look." She moved her free hand to the space she had made.

He gave a low growl, "I see it."

With that, Jack let go of his hand and rolled onto her side, with her back toward Riddick. This was the sleeping position she preferred, as did Riddick. It didn't feel right to him, for her to face him when she slept.

Riddick kicked off his shoes and began crawling into Jack's bed. It wasn't as big as his of course, but they made due.

As soon as Riddick was in the bed, Jack rolled over on her back, "You can't wear your nasty jeans in my bed!"

Riddick's mouth fell open and he snapped his head toward her, "What? Don't you go and get picky with me. I'll wear what I want."

It wasn't like she wanted him naked or anything; she just didn't like the feeling of jeans on her bear legs, which was logical.

"Fine, I'll never go to sleep if you don't go put on some shorts. You're going to be here all night."

He rolled his eyes and got out of the bed with out a word. He was going to go change and Jack knew it. She always won these arguments and all she had to do was tell him she would never fall asleep unless he did this or that. She smiled to herself, knowing she had him wrapped around her little finger, in this situation anyway.

A few minutes later, Riddick reentered Jack's room, this time in a pair of black athletic shorts and a black tank top. What other color was he going to wear, right?

He walked lazily across the room toward Jack's bed and once he reached his destination, he sat down on the side of the bed and swung his legs up onto it. Jack scooted closer to him, and realized he was lying on his back. She huffed and puffed a few times which was the signal that she wanted Riddick to lay on his side. He followed suit, knowing she wasn't ever going to go to sleep unless he did.

When his enormous forearm was thrown over her waist, she finally settled down.

She stayed silent for a good ten minutes then decided to speak. "I'm sorry about being such a bitch earlier. And thanks for sleeping with me."

Riddick took a deep breath, taking in the smell of her almost dry tears, "Don't mention it."

It was odd how one's senses enhanced once another sense was impaired. In this case, his sense of smell as well as his hearing and taste took over, even though he could see in the dark. The shine job was a great advantage, but only in the dark. If anyone ever knew he was blinded when lights were in his face, they would use that to their advantage, and he may not be as high and mighty. Luckily though, not many people knew this, and most of who did, were dead. Riddick had heard that even the doctor that did his surgery had died in slam. He was, as far as he knew, the only person on the universe that had ever gotten a shine job, which was good.

Forty-five minutes later, Jack was asleep, and Riddick was too. Normally, he didn't fall asleep in her bed, not since the first six months they had been living together. He didn't think it was at all appropriate for him, a thirty… something year old man, to be sleeping with a child, or rather a young woman who was still under the age of eighteen. He was almost positive he didn't think of Jack in the same manner as he did other women, but he wasn't going to chance it.

He had caught her staring at him many times, and didn't think it was best to put himself in a situation where things may get too far. Even a hug that took too long was the wrong sort of situation, it just wasn't right to hang all over someone that was almost half your age. Not in his eyes. She was his roommate, nothing more, nothing less. She was just a kid for God's sake.

Many times he had thought 'What the hell is she staring at,' then he realized he was standing in a towel, or that he didn't have a shirt on. This is the reason he made the rule about not walking out of the bath room in a towel. Though, Jack didn't know that. It was more of a precaution, he knew girls at her age were hormone-driven and he didn't want to be the object of her affection.

For Jack's sake, Riddick was a very attractive, very dangerous man, what girl wouldn't fanaticize about him? He was her protector, her mentor (not that he knew this), and most of all, he was her best friend. The fact that they fought like an old married couple, didn't matter, not when it came down to it.

She would do anything in her power to protect him, not that she thought she could do much. Still, the offer was on the table. And she knew he too would protect her. He had shown that trait more than once, when he killed Johns because he wanted to feed her to those monsters. Again, he showed this when he didn't leave her behind on that planet. And yet again, every time he had gotten into a fight over her, in a bar, or on the street. Not only did he risk his freedom for her but also his life.

He was a big man, yes, and he was stronger than most anyone Jack had ever seen, but as she had learned early in life, there's always someone out there that's bigger than you. As it was, Riddick hadn't come into contact with this person, but Jack knew, eventually, he would and it wouldn't be a good day. Even though Riddick was somewhat a 'Superman' in her eyes, she knew someone somewhere out there had the kryptonite that would bring him to his knees. After all, kryptonite was the one weakness Superman had.

Little did she knew, she could very well be his Kryptonite.

A/N: Ok, heres another one for you all. I hope you are still enjoying it and if there's anything you feel needs to be done differently or that is incorrect, please feel free to tell me. As always, reviews are welcome. Sway