Disclaimer: I don't own Pitch Black or the Chronicles of Riddick which are the creative and legal property of David Twohy. Any constructive criticism is welcome.

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Reflections

Chapter Four - Looking Back

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Jack sighed for the umpteenth time that day, staring blankly at the soft swirling patterns on the ceiling. They would have been calming, if her brain could stop thinking for two seconds. Sighing again, she flopped onto her stomach, wincing as her back started to ache.

It had been two days since she had seen Riddick. Two days that he had left her to mull over his and her own words. She had been so angry when he left and refused to let any of what he had said sink in. But as time ticked on, she couldn't help but repeat the conversation.

"I hate you, I HATE Jack. Jack's gone… Jack's weak… she's weak."

"Jack… Jack, was never weak. Even in her fear, she stayed strong. Even knowing it was more than likely she'd die, she stayed strong. You're not weak. Kyra's weak, runnin' away… you're better than that Jackie."

"Kyra. My name is Ky..." she grimaced at the taste of the words. Who was she kidding? She wasn't Kyra, anymore. Riddick was right. Kyra was weak, running away from everything. Even in slam, as much as she fought, the people she had beat down just to clamber over them in her escape from her past, her thoughts always came back to the people who had impacted her life the most.

She strived day in and day out to be as much like Riddick as she could. She'd lived by his example, done all the things he told her not to do, to get sent to slam. He'd been her childhood hero, her strength in the night. She'd loved him for being there for her on that planet years ago and hated him for leaving her behind when it was all over. But she still tried to emulate him, to draw courage from his memory. It had worked until she had found a doctor willing to do the shine job… Then she faltered. Couldn't go though with the last irrevocable change. It would have defiled him, the memory of the good he'd brought her and changed her completely into Kyra.

When he found her, she threw it back in his face, screaming at him, challenging him. The desire almost strong enough for him to just end it. Put her out of her misery. Let her forget.

"Jack." The name felt heavy on her tongue. Even it was a façade she used to escape her life. The life of a poor, unloved little girl, Audrey. She didn't know who was worse. But ultimately, they were all her. She was still Audrey, the frightened little girl. Jack, the girl masquerading as a boy to escape the discrimination and abuse. Kyra, a way to hide from the pain of losing everything she wanted, and had had for such a short time.

"Jack…" as much as she didn't want to face up to the pain, she wanted to be Jack again. She wanted to have that life with all the good and bad memories. She had Riddick back that was a start, after all.

Riddick, he had called her Jackie. Last time he'd said that to her was on the planet where they lost everything… where they lost Carolyn.

Tears slipped down her cheeks, the memory of the blonde woman bringing bile to her throat, burning it. She couldn't bear to say the name over the choking lump in her throat. Swallowing the name and the memories she shook the thoughts from her mind.

A scuffling of shoes made her sit up, expectation lighting up her face. 'Oh, it's just the doctor.' Her face fell as she stared at the man she had no interest in seeing.

The doctor rolled his eyes as he watched the girl's expression. His entire form oozed contempt. "Are we going to have any problems today, miss?" He asked. The title 'miss' dripping with distain, as he glared down at her.

Sighing, Jack rolled her eyes and levelled him with her own glare. "Not unless you give me a reason to start causin' 'em."

Raising an eyebrow at her cheeky response, he shook his head smirking. He knew how to get her to back down, how to break her. But it was her fight that made the task so much more satisfying. With an air of arrogance he made his way to the storage cupboard lined with tranquilisers.

Opening the door he looked back at her, "Are we going to have any problems today, hmm?"

"No," she sighed in defeat when she realized the hidden threat in his actions. "No problems."

The door clicked shut and he strode to her bedside, indicating for her to lie on her stomach. He leant over her, untying the fasteners of her medical shirt to examine her back. She jumped as he prodded the tender flesh.

"Hey! Watch it!" Turning on her side, she tried to swat at his hand.

Ignoring her efforts, he gave her a snide grin, "Oh, I'm sorry, did that hurt you? I have to check that the skin is healing properly. Did it cause you pain, when I applied pressure to the area?"

"You know damned well that it hurts asshole! Just… do what you do and get it over and done with."

He shook his head as he added further notes on her recovery to the holographic chart. He had actually expected her to fight him on it further. Something must be wrong with the girl if she wasn't rising to the challenge. He found it most disappointing.

Rolling over, Jack tentatively settled herself against her pillows so she could watch him as he moved around the room. She didn't trust him as far as she could throw 'im. If he had the opportunity, she reckoned he'd shove a knife in her back and twist.

Turning back to her, he let go of some of his animosity, "Would you like to view your progress, see how your back is healed?"

"Ah… Sure." She was surprised by the question. Suspiciously, she slid her bottom to the edge of the bed, slipping her feet onto the cold floor. Gripping the side of the bed, she shook her legs; one at a time, to make sure her pant legs fell neatly into place. The ploy hid the fact her knees felt like jelly and her head swam. It was the first time she'd been out of bed since she was brought here. Taking tentative steps, she moved slowly to where the doctor was standing.

He looked briefly at her, before he turned toward the door. "Come on, I haven't got all day."

"Yeah, yeah. You try walkin' after layin' in bed for a week and see how fast you move. Jerk." She snarled at his back

The Nercomonger let out a brief chuckle and looked over his shoulder, letting his eyes trail down the length of her person. He'd never admit it, but he rather enjoyed her spirited nature. It would have been a shame if the Conversion had taken and she'd become one of the living-dead. As it was there seemed to have been some lasting affects. She was much more docile, the rage that had been in her had lessened.

"What?" She asked, feeling a bit awkward at his appraisal. Not trusting the look in his eyes. 'Had he just checked me out? Weird...'

She followed the doctor to the mirror and stared wide eyed at her reflection. Moving closer to it, she examined her appearance. Her curls were wild, flying in all directions. Self-consciously she tried to brush them down with her hand. Stepping hesitantly closer to the looking-glass, it was painfully evident by the changes in her body that she hadn't eaten for a long while. Gripping the sides of her shirt, she turned slowly so her back was to the mirror. A little apprehensive about what she might see; her grip tightened, as she pulled the sides of the shirt apart. She took a deep breath and slowly rotated her head to examine the exposed flesh.

Staring, unblinkingly at the mirror she carefully inspected the reflection of her back. 'Oh holy… wow. My back is… wow.' All and any thoughts and preconceptions fell from her head, out of her ear at what she saw. Changing her grip to hold the shirt in one hand, she twisted her left arm to run her hand over her exposed flesh. The area still stung a little when her fingers grazed over it but nothing like she expected it to.

Nothing. Not a thing, no scar, no bruise, no scab, nothing! The only indication there was, that something might have happened to her, was a circle of skin, a shade lighter, than the rest of her back.

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One day later:

Riddick stormed through the ship on his way to the Medical Bay. He was still irritated from the nothing fight he'd had with Vaako. All he wanted to do was sink his shiv into someone's spine and relish the copper tang of their blood. But right now wasn't the time to think about these things. He'd received progress reports from the doctor as to Jack's recovery, but he needed to see for himself how she was doing.

As he walked, he thought about the young woman. 'Jack. Kyra… you like runnin' away don't ya kid. Ahh… shit kid! Why'd ya do it? Steppin' into my fight. I don't wanna lose another one, not after I just found you again. I ain't… I ain't getting' the other one back this easily. Damn it Jack!'

Blindly he turned down another corridor, lost in his thoughts. Two soldiers were walking his way, their ridged forms bowed in respect to the power he held.

He gave each a small almost polite nod of acknowledgement in response, one beast to another. The power of the Necromonger's was not something to dismiss. And he rather enjoyed the fights, they let him get out his built up frustration about Jack. But since the fight with Vaako, challenges against his strength had stopped. He could see the unease they had around him, unease that meant fear. Fear was good; it was something he could work with.

Riddick made it to the medical bay quicker than he expected. 'Lost in thought… always lost in thought. Need to cut this shit out.' He stepped quietly through the door of Jack's room. She was lying on her stomach, head facing the foot of the bed she began to stir at his presence. Lifting her head slightly, she looked at him with a guilty face.

"Hi, Riddick."

"Hey kid."

"Don't call me that. I don't like it."

"Too bad, kid, cause it's stickin'."

Flopping onto her back she gave-up a defeated sigh. "Ya know, you fuckin' suck." She tipped her head to look in his direction.

Chuckling he moved closer to the side of her bed. "So I've heard." He looked around the room until he spotted a chair. Picking it up, he placed it a few feet away from the bedside. He sat down and leaned back, swinging his right foot up onto the opposite knee. "How you feelin' kid, you got knocked around pretty good there."

Arms folded she huffed and turned her head away from him, mumbling into her shoulder.

"Sorry kid, I didn't catch that." He knew very well what she'd said, but he wanted to work her over a little, get her a little riled, and open her up.

"I said it's not like you give a fuck, so why bother askin'. Why don't you just go away and leave me the alone." She snapped, and turned to face the opposite wall. She didn't want to start an argument, but something in her couldn't let it go of the fact that he had let her go.

Laughter rumbled from deep within Riddick's chest, as he leant forward, elbows on his knees. "Oh, but I do care Jackie. Shit, you could've made a big mess on my shinny new floors, couldn't have that now could we? 'Specially since everythin's under new command, it would make a bad impression."

"What the fuck! Oh I'm so sorry to have made a mess of your floors mister Riddick! Not likely to happen again I'm sure. You'll probably just dump me at the next station and I'll be on my way." Pouting, she picked imaginary lint off of the sheet on her bed. She couldn't stop herself. Every feeling of doubt and hurt fell from her mouth like a waterfall.

With an exasperated sigh, Riddick straightened his posture and rubbed his forehead above the straps of his goggles. They'd been through this before. "Listen Jack, I do care all right, really. You had me worried for a while there, thought you weren't gonna make it."

With her head still tilted down, she looked at him through the tangled mop of hair on her head. "Really? You're not jus' sayin' that, right?" She looked like an insecure kid.

"'Course I do Kid. But don't you be tellin' anyone that, you hear me." He stood pointing an accusing finger at her.

He smirked at her as she bit her lip and tried to hide her smile. It was easier for him to talk to her now after the blow-out they'd had a few days ago. It had cleared the air and gotten things in the open. It made it easier to slip back into the banter they'd had before, back on that eclipsed planet. The planet where he had lost so much just to gain what little freedom he could, but still ended up running like a hunted beast.

"I'll see you tomorrow, kid." Riddick said as he loped to the door. He hovered in the frame and turned back to take one last look, his left eyebrow raised in query as he waited for her response.

"Yeah, okay tomorrow. I'll see you tomorrow." Her head dropped in defeat.

Signing, he rubbed his forehead. "Yeah, we'll be gettin' you outta here and into your own quarters."

Her head snapped up, shock on her face. She opened her mouth to speak, but he was already out the door. Grinning to herself she settled down to sleep for the night, flopping on her back with a happy sigh.