Author's notes: hey all! Sorry for the mondo delay! I'd written half of this chapter weeks ago, but ive been busy busy busy so it took ages to write. Just a mini warning about this chapter.. the end of the chapter might get a bit graphic –both sexually and violently.. but what's so new about that!? ROFL! Also, If anyone wondered, I havent seen the riddick cartoon that's out.. I didn't even know it existed until someone mentioned it in a review! LOL! Don't forget that I'm trying to keep Riddick as a hard-ass but at the same time, wondering about his humanity. Don't forget to review!!!
Ch3: detachment from a teenage drama queenRiddick let Jack's last comment slide. He had no rebuttal that was able to shake Jack's feelings of Riddick testing her and taking her with him. Honestly, he wasn't sure himself why he'd acted in that way. 'I just did what I did without thinking. That's not like me.'
He continued to watch Jack fail, fail and fail again miserably at shooting the first can. He figured that they'd be there all day so he got up from his spot under the tree. "You're starting to get on my nerves," He grunted. Jack stopped and turned around to look at Riddick with a glare. "Aim at that can," Riddick instructed, pointing to the can to emphasise his point. Jack rolled her eyes and aimed as instructed.
Riddick wasn't sure how Jack was going to react to his next move, but it was the only way to teach her how to aim that bloody handgun. Riddick walked up behind Jack and wrapped his large muscular arms around Jack's and steadied her hands with his own. Her hands were so small, delicate and thin. They looked child-like next to Riddick's large, calloused hands. His hands had seen many battles and they seemed to be able to guide Jack in aiming at her target.
When she first felt the warmth of Riddick's large frame up against the back of her, Jack stiffened, remembering the last time they were body to body he was wanting to sleep with her. But, realising what Riddick was doing, she relaxed and safe, and let him do his thing.
Riddick, being the undersexed male that he was, didn't hesitate to take in the feel of Jack's small body within his arms and taking in smell that was Jack. "You're taking too long to aim it. Feel where you're pointing it with your hands. Like when you throw a ball, you need the same hand-eye co-ordination."
Riddick's hands guided Jack's and squeezed the trigger. Before Jack knew it, the first can had exploded and processed meat went flying in all directions.
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Riddick let Jack continue on for another half an hour. While she was left to her own devices, Riddick began planning on how to get himself a ship to leave New Mecca. He needed to go out and get new ammo and some new clothes because he was still wearing the same torn singlet and ripped cargoes since Johns captured him a week ago.
Riddick looked over towards Jack when he noticed green peas exploding. "WHOOT! YEAH!" Jack squealed with glee. She happy-danced to herself and glanced over at her idol.
Riddick smirked over at the teen as she shook her hips and swung her arms around in celebration. No matter how much of a bad-ass Jack tried to be, Riddick saw that she was still this innocent teenage girl with a sparkle in her eye. It was this innocence that Riddick didn't want to kill by letting her hang out with him. "It's about time you shot one," Riddick teased in his deep gruff voice. "It only took you thirty-seven bullets to do it," He leaned back on the tree and put his hands behind his head, emphasising that they're going to be there for a while.
Jack stuck her tongue out at him and wiggled her butt to tease him back. "Yeah yeah, whatever," She replied as she went back to aiming for the third can.
Riddick grunted at how innocent Jack looked. There was just something about how child-like and happy she was that seemed to rub off on him at that moment. He wondered if this is what being part of a family felt like. 'Family' was a concept that Riddick had given up on and forgotten. And now he was planning to leave Jack behind on New Mecca. Riddick was doomed never to have this thing called 'family'.
He looked up at the sky. The sun had set and the stars shone brightly. He hadn;t sat and relaxed while looking at the stars since he was a kid. He wasn't used to just sitting around doing nothing. He would never be able to fully relax. He had too much going on. Mercs chasing him, the bounty on his head, always looking over his shoulder. It was getting late. Riddick was getting bored watching Jack miss.. miss.. miss again at her target. The girl had no skills with a handgun.
"Okay, pack it up," Riddick announced as he got up off the ground and pat down the back of his pants. "Time to go."
Jack groaned and turned around to complain to Riddick. "Aw, Come on! One more can?!" Jack pleaded.
But Riddick wasn't budging. "It's taken you two hours to hit one can," Riddick explained. He picked up the second handgun Jack had brought with them. He aimed the gun at the remaining eight cans and shot them all, one by one in a matter of seconds. "Honestly I think you have more talent killing people with your legs than you do with a gun." He joked, even though he was telling the truth.
Jack raised the handgun to Riddick's chest. "That's not funny," She said, hurt that she had been reminded of what she'd done earlier that day and because Riddick said she was a hopeless shot. Riddick dropped the other handgun he had been holding. He then took a step closer until his solid chest was pressed against the barrel of the handgun. Oh, how many times he'd been in that position, secretly hoping someone would pull the trigger and end his life on the run. But at the same time, he had such finely tuned survival instincts, the one holding the gun would usually be dead before their brain could send the message to their finger to pulling the trigger.
"Killing isn't funny," Riddick explained, looking deep into Jack's eyes. She held the power in the situation they were in. She was the one holding the gun, Riddick was the one with the gun pointed at his chest. Jack looked up at Riddick's silver eyes. Her eyes showed Riddick that she was holding the gun to his chest without any intention of killing him. There was no fire, no spark in her eyes. Riddick smirked. He had the upper hand, even with the gun to his chest. With lightning speed, Riddick grabbed Jack's hands, which were both holding the gun and he pushed her hands to the side, aiming the gun away. His large hand had enveloped both her hands and the gun, so she was unable to move them or shoot him. With his right hand, he grabbed her by the neck and hoisted her up off the ground. "But killing can be fun," His voice deepened and growled to the point that Jack was scared. He squeezed his large hand around her neck ever so slightly, as he had no intention of killing her. This was the side of Riddick that he wanted Jack to see. The animal. He wanted her to see just how dark he can get.. hoping it'd push her away.
Jack was stunned that Riddick had gotten the upper hand so easily. Tears began to well in her eyes as the feeling of Riddick's hand on her neck brought on the pain already caused by the bruises he gave her before. "Just because you have the gun, doesn't automatically give you the upper-hand," Riddick explained. Jack was trying her hardest to hold back the tears. He could hear her breath start to wheeze and Riddick figured she'd had enough. He lowered her back down onto her feet and let her go. "You're more a hands-on person. Try shivs next time."
Jack dropped the gun and rubbed the skin around her neck, trying to soothe the pain. She realised that Riddick was just standing there, watching her behind stoic silver eyes. She needed to show Riddick that she was able to keep up with him and his standards. She needed him to see that she was worthy enough to go with him when he left New Mecca. "I'm not afraid of you," Jack growled at him, glaring at Riddick.
Riddick cocked his head and wondered why Jack acted the way she did. He was a total bastard to her and yet she kept on idolising him. 'This is one fucked up kitten,' he thought to himself. "Why do you do that?" Riddick asked her. Jack looked confused at him. "What do you want from me, Jack?"
Jack had to think about it for a few seconds. "I want to hang out with you," She said softly, still peeved at him but wanted to tell him how much she needed him around. "You're life is so cool! I want a shine-job like yours and I want you to train me to be like you."
Riddick rubbed the back of his head. "You think I'm this guy that I'm not," Riddick explained. "You think it's cool to be on the run and to kill people? I don't do this for fun," Riddick explained. "Okay, admittedly sometimes it is fun and has its perks. But I had no choice to be like this!" Riddick raised his voice at the end to emphasise a point. "When you killed that guy today," Riddick saw that Jack had begun to look away because he mentioned the arms dealer, so he used his fingers under her chin to bring her face back up to his as he leaned closer. "When you killed that guy today, you may have just been defending yourself, but that's how it always starts." Jack's began to cry again, reliving the visions of her boot crushing bone and getting covered in blood. "But you have a choice in what life you can live next. Forget all this. Go to school, find some scrawny boy to date and live like a normal kid." He removed his fingers from her chin and stood up straight.
Jack listened to Riddick's words. He was right. She had the choice to stay with the holy man and live like a normal teen. But there was something so exotic and exciting about the life Riddick led. Jack didn't want to be a normal, boring teen. She wanted to learn about combat, weaponry and how to fly a ship. There were things most teens don't get to learn. "I could go to school," Jack said, "But if I'm going to learn about life, I want to learn from the best."
Riddick's eyes widened. 'This kid idolises me way too much,' Riddick thought to himself. Before he could say anything back to Jack, he was taken back by suddenly feeling Jack's tiny frame up against his own. Riddick wasn't sure what to do. He felt Jack wrap her arms around his waist as she rested her head on his chest. Hugs weren't something Riddick was used to. The last time he'd hugged anyone was the last time he had sex and hugged as they slept. But that was years ago and the situation was different. Right now, he had a fifteen year old girl wanting comfort.
"Please take me with you.." Jack whispered as she cried into Riddick's chest. Riddick looked down at the crying girl. She was hugging him. She wasn't afraid of him. She looked up to him for strength. She didn't care how horrible he'd been to her. Riddick took a deep breath. Unsure of what sort of reaction he'd receive from Jack, Riddick put his arms around Jack and held her tight. 'I'm going soft..'
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Riddick drove the four-wheeler to a random house a few streets away from Imam's house. He wouldn't want to lead the authorities straight to his safehouse by leaving the vehicle out the front of it. He looked over at Jack and saw that she'd fallen asleep on the ride back. He would normally have just woken Jack up and made her walk back herself, but looking down at the bruises on her neck, he realised that he'd put this kid through enough for today.
Riddick hated this little voice in his head that told him that she was too innocent and pure for him to be contaminating her. The little voice wasn't there before, before he saw how excited she was over his shine-job. It wasn't there when he was asked to lead them through the dark. It only started to rear its cream-puffed cloudy head when he'd left Imam, Carolyn and Jack in that crevice and he was about to take off without them. Hearing a conscience again felt like an itch that Riddick couldn't scratch. He wanted it to go away but he just couldn't reach it to scratch it. He hated it. He hated what Jack and Crolyn had done to him. They both reawakened something inside him that Riddick thought he'd killed years ago –his humanity.
Riddick sighed to himself. He turned and reached in the back to grab the duffle bag that Jack had carried the guns in and he put it over his shoulder. He then got out of the four-wheeler and walked over to Jack's side. He looked at her sleeping figure for a moment. He may have been everything she wanted to be, but Riddick felt she was everything he wanted to be. He was jealous of Jack in a way. When Riddick was her age, he was spending two years in a slam for murdering a woman and for the suspected murder of four others. But Jack was at a point where she had a choice to veer away from Riddick's lifestyle. He wished that he were in her position again.. But of course he'd never say that aloud.
He leaned forward and picked up Jack in his arms. Jack mumbled something in her sleep, but she didn't wake at being picked up. Riddick, still on the alert for Mercs, he walked around the back of Imam's house and in the back door.
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Riddick felt like he was a high school kid, sneaking in after a late night. Imam was standing in the back lounge room, waiting for Riddick and Jack to come home. He stopped just inside the lounge room and raised an eyebrow at the holy man. Seeing Riddick holding a young woman, sleeping peacefully in his arms was not something one saw everyday.
Seeing the holy man's unimpressed look, Riddick joked, "What? I got her home before midnight." Not waiting for the vision of Imam rolling his eyes, Riddick walked across the room, in the direction of Jack's bedroom. The holy man followed quietly behind. The entire house was silent, other than the deep thuds of Riddick's combat boots on the floorboards as the two men walked down the dark hallway to Jack's room. The holy man had prepared himself to say a few things to Riddick, but he was almost afraid to stand up to Riddick. But seeing Riddick now, showed a softer side to the big guy. Watching the back of Riddick as they walked down the hallway reminded the holy man of a big cat, prowling gracefully without missing a beat. The holy man understood why Jack had taken a liking to Riddick. He was a man of charisma. There was just something about this man that made eyes draw towards him. The irony was that Riddick was always trying to be invisible.
Riddick walked into Jack's room and lay her down gently on her bed. He then turned to see the holy man was standing in the doorway. Imam took a step back and made room for Riddick to leave the room. When Riddick passed him, Imam took it upon himself to cover Jack with the blanket that was folded at the foot of her bed. He then Followed Riddick into the kitchen.
"What do you think you are doing, Mr. Riddick?" Imam asked as he watched Riddick look through the cupboards.
"Looking for something to eat," Riddick replied, not bothering to turn around and look at Imam.
"I mean, what do you think you are doing with Jack?"
Riddick found himself an energy bar and sat himself down on a stool at the counter and began to eat. "I ain't doing nothing with the girl."
Imam sat himself down next to the murderer, feeling no fear as Riddick has been good to them since they got to New Mecca. "The blood on her boots. Teaching her how to shoot. Mr. Riddick, correct me if I'm wrong, but to me is seems like Jack wants to be exactly-"
"Like me?" Riddick cut him off.
Imam sighed and leaned his elbows on the counter top, clasping his hands together. His sigh was all Riddick needed in reply.
"You think she's going to turn out to be a killer like me." Riddick commented.
"I know you think it too."
Riddick put down the rest of the energy bar and stood from his seat. "That ain't gonna happen, Holy man."
"I don't think telling Jack that is going to be so easy."
"Nothing's ever easy."
Imam also stood from his seat. Before Riddick left the room, Imam had another question to ask. It was something he hoped he wouldn't even need to ask Riddick, but now that Jack was getting close to the big lug, it was an issue needing addressing. "Do you plan on taking Jack with you?"
Riddick shook his head and walked over to the door. He stopped in the doorway and turned around to face Imam. "She has a chance for a better life. She deserves to live her life like a normal teenager."
"So.. you're leaving her here?" Imam asked, unsure of what Riddick meant.
Riddick nodded. "She just doesn't know it yet," he replied and walked out of the room.
Imam sat back down on his stool in relief. "Thank God," he sighed to himself.
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Riddick walked back to his room and closed the door behind him. He wasn't used to so much human company for so long. He needed time to think. He needed time to be alone. He'd spent so much time with Jack that he hadn't been able to think about his preparations for leaving the planet. He knew he had to commandeer a ship, but wasn't sure how or when just yet. He also knew he had to go out and buy more ammunition, but knowing Jack, she'd want to tag along for that again.
Riddick lay atop of his bed and rolled onto his stomach. His eyes were sore and were begging to close. He rolled off the bed and stood. He pulled his goggles from around his neck and over his head, and placed them on the nightstand. He then pulled away the blankets. He then got in under the covers, boots on and all. He was a man always prepared for an ambush. He got so used to sleeping fully clothed, with his boots on, that if he didn't, he wouldn't be able to fall asleep anymore. If anything happened that needed him to fight or run away quickly, getting dressed and putting on his boots would just take too long.
The silver-eyed man rolled onto his back, dreaming up a plan of how to leave the planet and of friends he's made without realising it.
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Riddick barely heard the light tapping on his bedroom door. It was the faint sound of Jack's knuckles rapping on his door, softly enough so that if he were awake, he'd hear it, but miss it if he were asleep.
"Riddick?" Jack whispered through the door. "You awake?" Riddick didn't answer. He was still waking up from his slumber and he only managed to open his right eye just a crack. He watched as his bedroom door opened and Jack's bald head appeared. She peered from around the door and looked right at him. When she saw the glisten of his silver eye staring back at her, she smiled warmly at him. "Hey!" She greeted cheerily. She then took it as her cue to open the door all the way and walk into his room. "I'm going out. How do I look?" Jack asked, twirling around before facing Riddick.
Realising what she was wearing, Riddick opened both eyes and checked out the younger girl. She wore dark brown knee-high boots and a navy-blue and white plaid miniskirt that fanned out and lifted itself slightly as she twirled around. His eyes rode up to see her wearing a black backless halter top. Her bald head did not stunt her beauty one bit as she smiled warmly at her idol. "So, what do you think?" she said, walking over to Riddick's bedside so he can get a better look.
Riddick knew better but he couldn't help but want to be honest with the 15 year old before him. "I think it'll give men the wrong idea," He replied stoicly, not wanting Jack to know that he found her attractive –even if she was still a kid in his eyes.
"Oh," Jack playfully raised an eyebrow at him. "And what 'idea' is that?" She asked, sitting on the side of his bed, next to him. Riddick smirked. He knew when someone was playing with him and for some reason she wasn't afraid of him. Not even a bit. And Riddick was prepared to take advantage of that fact.
"That you're wanting to be fucked," Riddick said bluntly as he stared at her bare knees and upper thighs.
"You sound like my father," Jack groaned.
Riddick bit his bottom lip for a moment as he savoured the sight before him. He had a young woman in front of him, barely dressed and was sitting on his bedside, so close that he could smell her fruity perfume. His male libido was kicking in and he was horny as hell. Being the confident man that he was, Riddick moved his right hand off the side of the bed and up onto the side of Jack's knee. He used his thumb and began to caress Jack's leg just above her knee. "Thank God, I'm not," Riddick replied and finally looked up into Jack's eyes. Unlike the last time he made a move on her, Jack's eyes showed no fear. Rather, the twinkle in her eye showed Riddick that she longed for him. Riddick smirked and took it as his cue to inch his hand slowly up the side of her silky-skinned thigh. Jack's breath began to deepen and lengthen. Riddick could feel her legs begin to tremble as his hand moved around to her inner thigh. Riddick groaned in frustration as he felt himself go hard as his hand made its way up her thigh and reached the cotton of Jack's underwear.
"No.. You're.." Jack stammered as her breath stopped when Riddick's fingers reacher her underwear, "Not.."
Riddick was so sexually frustrated that he needed to release some of it already. In one smooth move, he quickly grabbed Jack around the waist and threw her on the bed beside him. He then rolled over on top of her.
"Riddick.." Jack whispered. She brought her left hand up to Riddick's cheek and stared into his silver eyes. "Where can I get eyes like that?" She smiled as she asked a question that showed Riddick how much she envied him.
Riddick turned his face and playfully bit Jack's wrist. He then moved down and started kissing Jack's exposed neck. His pants felt too tight for his liking and he was aching for some release. Hearing no objections on Jack's end, he lifted himself off Jack for a moment as he manoeuvred her legs so that they were spread and up around his hips.
Jack groaned as she felt herself graze up against Riddick's rock hard groin. Riddick could barely believe her aching for him, after she'd freaked out when he made a move on her earlier. He moved his hands up the side of her body and up to her neck.
Only seconds ago, he ached for her.. and now something snapped. Something was happening to him. It felt like a switch had just flicked. He looked at her and lusted for something else from her. He lusted after the rush that came with the kill. Riddick watched as his hand wrapped itself around her neck and squeeze her –hard. Jack could barely spatter out his name as her ability to breath was hindered. Riddick felt like he'd detached from his body and he began to watch himself lift Jack out from under him and throw her off the side of the bed. He watched on as Jack's body flew across the room and onto the floor like a lifeless doll.
He was now standing on the other side of the room. He could still see himself sitting on the bed, looking over at Jack's limp body. "Hey!" Riddick yelled out at himself. "Hey!! What are you doing?!" Riddick ran over at the bed and leaped over at himself, attempting to jump on him –but Riddick flew right through him like a ghost. Riddick landed on the ground next to Jack and quickly to his feet. "What the..?" He said to himself as he couldn't help looking at his hands to see if he was see-through.
He quickly got back to the issue at hand and looked over at Jack. Her eyes were blank and lifeless and she was staring right at him. It scared him to see Jack like this. He touched Jack's cheek with the back of his fingers. She was still warm. He turned around to see what his other self was doing. The other Riddick was sitting on the bed, staring at Jack with cold, heartless eyes. Riddick was almost afraid of what he was seeing. This is how he looked to all his victims. The cold, piercing eyes with a thirst for the kill.
"What did you DO?!" Riddick yelled at his alter-self. He felt his heart ache over what had just happened. He'd faught to protect Jack and now she was dead.
The other Riddick ignored his yelling and got up off the bed. Riddick watched as the alter-Riddick stalked over to Jack's lifeless body and crouch down beside her. "Why did you do that!?" Riddick yelled at his alter-ego.
"She's making you weak," replied the alter-Riddick with a deep rumble in his voice. "She's making you think twice about everything we've done." Then he looked up at Riddick. "And I can't have that.."
Riddick took a step back at those words. He then realised what was happening. He'd split in two. He, the human half, watched on as his animal side reached over to grab Jack's lifeless neck again. Riddick watched on, unable to stop the animal-Riddick from punching Jack's face over and over again. It was like when Jack had killed the arms-dealer earlier. The sounds of bones crushing and blood splattering made Riddick feel physically ill.
"I need this!" Riddick yelled at his alter-self. "Without her, I'm.. I'm YOU!"
Riddick's eyes opened and he shot up in bed. He was sweaty all over and his breath sounded like he'd just run a marathon. He'd had nightmares before, but this one was different.. very different.
He got up off the bed and over to the door. He stopped for a moment, wondering why he was going to do this to begin with. He had to check up on Jack. He knew it was just a dream, but he needed to reassure himself. He opened the door and walked out into the hall. All the lights were off and it was pitch black outside, no problem for Riddick. He stalked down the hall, careful to not let his combat boots make too much noise as he walked across to Jack's room. He stealthily opened the door to her room and peered inside. His night-vision came in handy as Jack's room was as dark as the rest of the house.
Jack was sleeping soundly and very much alive.
'He was right. She's making me soft. And I can't afford to be soft.'
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Author's notes: tum tah tah taaah! Okay I had a totally different idea for that last nightmare but it sort of wrote itself and I hope I didn't confuse you all! If I did, just ask and I shall answer! Yay! I tried to touch up on everything ya'll have been asking for, so I hope you all enjoy! Don't forget to review! I wanna know whatcha all think! Hate it or love it?! Only a few of chapters left!!!