Was I missed? I'm sorry to anyone who's enjoyed this story for the looooong wait. However, I hope to make it up to you. I've rewritten the previous chapter because I decided it didn't do the characters justice and I was so filled with inspiration that I wrote this chapter too. R & R :)

Panic

I don't panic easily: I never have. But sometimes freaking out is perfectly justified. Spontaneously combusting is a panic worthy occasion. But as I stood there, every part of my body wreathed in flame, I didn't bother wondering why I was on fire. The only real thought that crossed my mind was that this was going to be very useful.

I took a few seconds to look down at myself. The fire wasn't actually touching my skin; it floated about a centimetre away all the way around my body. I couldn't see any point where it actually touched and I wasn't particularly hot. I ruled out attack as the cause. I knew that this was because of me: somehow I had unlocked an ability of my ancestors.

All these in depth observations only took a few seconds. My next step in this rapid chain of thought was Riddick. He had just seen me catch fire for no apparent reason. He is going to be so pissed. Then I began to panic. I had no way of turning this fire off.

I thought about water, I ordered it to stop, I considered rolling around on the floor like you do when you catch fire, but I wasn't on fire. I wondered in a detached sort of way if I'd stay like this indefinitely, until I ran out of energy and died. I was hardly going to let that happen.

Concentrating on the fire, I tried to master my new sense of self through the rising veil of panic. Somehow I managed to feel the fire as a part of me and as I did so I realised what fuelled it. The fire was feeding on my anger, my need for revenge. So I relaxed. I thought soothing thoughts, which was hard enough at that time, let alone that fact I was and had been a cold, heartless killer for quite some time. I didn't think happy thoughts.

Slowly, reluctantly, the fire dimmed and disappeared altogether. Riddick was still there, sitting against the wall, watching me.

"What was that?" His voice was calm, but I knew him well enough, had known him well enough, I corrected myself, to see he had been scared and shocked. I didn't answer him. Instead, I walked over to a section of the wall and reached up and behind me, feeling for the hidden alcove. I gratefully took a large mouthful of the distilled spirit within the flask I had pulled down. Then I tossed to Riddick. "I thought you said you didn't have anything stronger."

"I lied." We drank it turns quietly for what seemed far too long. I had to break the silence. "Sorry." He ignored me. "I had no idea that was going to happen. It never has before." Still nothing. I sat down in front of him. "We know I have elemental blood, it's not really surprising I suppose. Pretty useful really: being fireproof on a planet like this." He didn't even look at me. I shifted, uncomfortable at being in such an exposed position at his feet. "Come on Riddick, don't make me give you a blowjob just to calm you down." He grinned despite himself and looked up.

"If that's what you want to do Em, I'm hardly gonna stop you."

"You bastard!" I slapped him on the thigh. "You were just waiting for me to offer something."

"True. So are you gonna keep to your word?" I could feel my body reacting to his suggestion, his tone of voice. I shook my head.

"Nope. I never actually offered anything, I just suggested." It was his turn to look annoyed. Then he shrugged it off in disgust.

"It's probably for the best anyway, I bet you couldn't go down on someone to save your life; no practice at all." I smirked.

"Happily I know a great way to get around that." He raised an eyebrow to signal that I should go on. I felt my eyes change back to silver, although I couldn't remember them leaving it, as I moved up, closer to him. I stopped with my mouth beside his ear. "Teach me." I whispered. A growl began in his chest as he pushed me onto my back.

Later, after I had been given a thorough grounding in exactly the skill I had been told I lacked, I lay in Riddick's warm arms. I was just dozing off as I heard a whisper.

"I love you, Em. I always have." I frowned, I couldn't tell if the words had come from now or the pieces of my past that had been returned to me. Before I could figure it out, or turn around to ask Riddick, I had drifted into a much needed sleep.

--

So, another chapter is here. What do we think? It's a bit of a filler, but I'm looking for a way to incorporate all the back plot in a steady sort of way.