A/N: SO SORRY this took so long! but yay! new chappie! enjoy!

Chapter 2: Dismantling

"Lord-Riddick, you cannot be serious!"

"Very serious, Vaako," Riddick snapped back as they both marched down the hall, neither one in their armor as they headed away from the throne where Riddick had just made his announcement.

"But, you understand, these men have nowhere to go," Vaako continued, trying to keep up with Riddick's hurried pace.

"Sure they do," Riddick spat out, whirling around to stare the Necro in the face as Vaako stopped in his tracks to stare into glowing, silver eyes. "They can head back to wherever they came from."

"Most of us don't even remember where we came from," Vaako reported. "We only know what we are. Necromongers."

"Well, we'll just have to jog everyone's memory, won't we?" Riddick smirked evilly in thought and ordered, "Have everyone that can't remember their past head for that chamber where you figured out who I was."

Vaako frowned for a moment in thought then guessed, "The Quasideads? You want to use the Quasideads to delve into our minds for our memories?"

"Yeah," Riddick nodded. "Do it now, and let all the others that were converted, off."

"And what do you plan to do with the ships?" Vaako wondered before Riddick spun around to continue marching down the hall, the Necro hurrying after him again.

"I'll figure something out," Riddick muttered, waving him off and not looking at him.

"There's something else I wanted to speak to you about," Vaako called, as he stepped up next to him.

"What?" he groaned in exasperation.

"What do you plan to do with your…harem?"

Riddick instantly stopped and looked at Vaako with a deep frown as the Necro Commander swallowed, silently.

"Harem?" Riddick echoed in wonder. "I have a harem?"

"As an inheritance of your Lordship," Vaako nodded, hesitantly. "The previous Lord Marshals never took advantage of the privilege, but I wasn't sure if-"

"Let 'em go," Riddick cut in, flatly before turning to head down the hall again.

Vaako didn't follow this time as he stared wide eyes at the Furyan walking away, but for the first time in a long time that he could remember, he gave a genuine smirk of happiness as he murmured, "As you wish."

The ship shook subtly and he felt his heart imitate it. He turned and marched through the ship until he reached a door that was becoming familiar. He shoved it open to find the guards gone, but standing and wringing her hands was the very person he hadn't stopped thinking about since seeing her earlier that day. Lenore turned when she heard the doors open and smiled widely as he stepped into the outer room of the harem, shutting the door behind him. Without a word she ran toward him and threw her arms around his neck, making him stumble a step back, but he managed to catch her as she hugged him fiercely.

"I came here after Lord Marshal made his announcement," she reported, pulling away to look into his eyes. "Do you know what he's going to do with us?"

"I asked him, "Vaako nodded, his hands settling on her hips. "He's ordered your release."

Lenore grinned and pressed her lips to his for a deep kiss, her hands on either side of his face. Vaako was shocked for a moment before allowing himself to melt into the kiss and pulled her closer as his tongue lunged into her mouth for a few strokes before he pulled away to breathe.

"Damon," she breathed, catching his gaze and not letting him go. "I'm going back home, and I want you to come with me."

Vaako's eyes widened as they both stood tall, still in each other's embrace as her hands ran down his neck to rest on his shoulders.

"Lenore, I'm married," he reminded her.

"Leave her," she nearly spat, making his eyes widen a bit more. "When will you see what she is doing to you? She's using you!"

"That may be," Vaako nodded in agreement, "but that is my problem. I will take care of it."

"How?"

"I will find a way," he assured her.

"You didn't answer my question," she recalled, drawing his gaze to hers again. "Will you come home with me? Please say yes, Damon. I can't stand the thought of you roaming the universe alone."

"I won't be alone, Lenore."

"If you tell me you'll have that evil woman with you, I'll scream!" Lenore hissed, her burning, amber gaze boring into his dull, green-hazel one.

"I can't go back, Lenore," he murmured, instantly calming her as her eyes widened in wonder. "I can never go back there."

"Why not?" she frowned. "Why would you say something like that? It's…It's home."

"Not to me," Vaako mumbled, shaking his head and placing his hands on her arms to push her away a bit. "It can never be my home again."

"Damon, why are you saying this?" Lenore breathed. "What's gotten into you?"

Vaako stared at her for a moment before shaking his head and lowering his hands, saying, "If I told you, you would hate me. And right now, I need someone that truly knows me by my side."

"Will you at least think about coming with me?" she hoped, breathlessly as she felt tears coming to her eyes at hearing him say she truly knew him.

"Lenore-"

"Tell me you'll think about it," she pleaded. "Just think about it. Please?"

Vaako gave a sigh but nodded, making Lenore smile weakly before she leaned toward him and pressed a tender kiss to the corner of his mouth. Vaako sighed quietly, again at the tenderness of her touch.

His wife had never touched him like this. She always liked the rougher side of love, which wouldn't have bothered him if she'd expressed some tenderness once in a while, like Lenore was now. It took everything in him to keep from pinning her to the wall to taking her in that outer room outside the harem.

Lenore lowered her head to set her forehead on his shoulder, her hands now running down his chest as he stood rigidly.

"You could never know how much I care for you, Damon," she breathed. "I've always cared for you, do you know that?"

Vaako swallowed before replying, "Yes, I do."

Her shoulders began shuddering slightly, making Vaako's heart clench in guilt. Of course he knew. He'd always known, but he never admitted to himself, especially after he became a Necromonger and married Dame Vaako.

"Lenore-"

"Don't," she shuddered when he tried to soothe her, taking a step back and shaking her head. "I know you didn't mean to make me cry. It's just something that happens, you know?"

Vaako nodded mutely as Lenore tried wiping away the tears she'd shed silently and looked up at him with a weak smile. The sight of her was more than he could stand and without hesitation, he stepped toward her again and cupped her face in his hands to press his lips against hers, softly before pulling away to brush more tears from her cheeks.

"I have to go," he breathed, and she nodded with a sniffle. "You and the other girls will be brought before Riddick and asked if you remember your home planet."

"What will happen to those that don't remember?" she wondered, wide-eyed and breathless.

"They will be taken before the Quasideads," he explained, flatly and Lenore nodded in understanding. "Thankfully you won't be taken to them. You would have resisted and hurt yourself."

"What makes you say that?" Lenore retorted with a small smirk and Vaako gave an equally small smirk as he leaned toward her.

"I truly know you, Lenore," he murmured as she swallowed, their gazes locked and she nodded hesitantly. "Stay here until everyone is called. He's trying to get those who've been taken from Helion back to their lives."

"Rather nice of him," Lenore muttered. "He's a slick-shit killer with a heart."

"Don't read too much into it," Vaako warned. "He only wants to be rid of his rank and this army."

"I don't blame him," she blurted, causing Vaako to grip her chin and bring her face to his, looking into her eyes.

"Of all people, you know what an honor it is to become Lord Marshal," he growled, lowly.

"An honor that he can't understand," she reminded him, calmly. "He is no Necromonger, and you know that."

Vaako thought for a moment then nodded and let go of her, stepping toward the door as he said, "I will see you in the throne room."

Lenore nodded back and turned to head into the inner room of the harem. She nearly had the door completely open when it was slammed shut by a hand that placed itself flat against door. She trailed her gaze from the hand and up the arm until she came face to face with the Necromonger that belonged to the long, slender arm.

"Dame Vaako," she smirked, mischievously as she turned to lean back on the door and face the other woman, crossing her arms over her chest. "To what do I owe this pleasure?"

Dame Vaako said nothing as she lowered the hand leaning on the door to grip a handful of Lenore's hair, making her give a startled and pained noise. Dame Vaako pulled down of her hair until Lenore was kneeling in front of her, head pulled back to expose her neck to a cold blade that suddenly came to her throat.

"You may know him, but he loves me," Dame Vaako hissed as her dark brown eyes met Lenore's bright ambers. "He could have married anyone he wished, and he chose me." The knife dug into Lenore's neck enough to draw a small trail of blood and make Lenore give a small noise of pain. "You'll do well to keep that in mind the next time you get the bright idea of telling him what a bitch I am."

The blade came away from Lenore's throat as Dame Vaako knelt down, still holding the other woman's auburn hair in a death grip and watching the trail of blood run down her neck.

"He chose me, not you," Dame Vaako ground out and yanked on her hair before releasing her, causing Lenore to slam back against the door before sliding to the floor as the dame stood tall, glaring over her. "Stay away from him."

Lenore placed a hand over the cut on her throat and lifted it to her gaze to see her own blood on her fingers, her eyes wide in horror. Dame Vaako watched as Lenore stared at her hand then lowered it to her lap and lifted a burning glare to the other woman. They stared each other down before Lenore scoffed and lifted her bloody hand to show off to the dame who gave a small frown of wonder.

"Best you can do, Dame Vaako?" she retorted and Dame Vaako glared at her through a narrowed gaze as Lenore stood to stare her down. "And yes, he chose you, but you will never have his heart. I know that. He doesn't love you, no matter how much you delude yourself into thinking he does."

Dame Vaako raised the knife to strike as Lenore only smirked in triumph, not flinching, but she felt her heart nearly stop when she saw the blade coming closer before she shut her eyes, tightly. She held her breath, but when the blow she was expecting never came, she cautiously opened her eyes then shot them open when she saw Riddick standing behind Dame Vaako and gripping the woman's armed hand in one huge hand.

"Lord Marshal," Lenore gasped, and quickly bowed her head as Dame Vaako glared over her shoulder at Riddick.

"How many times am I gonna have to tell all of you not to call me that?" Riddick snapped, pulling Dame Vaako to face him then shoving her arm down harshly as he growled, "Get outta here before I take that knife and use it on you."

Dame Vaako glared at him before stepping around him and strolling out the door, Riddick watching her the whole way but not moving. Once she was gone he turned back to look at Lenore who still stood with her head bowed and without a word he lifted a hand to her chin and tugged it up to see the cut on her neck.

"You should get that looked at," he advised as he lowered his hand and she let her gaze turn down again.

"Yes, Sir," Lenore mumbled with a small nod, making Riddick frown but he didn't address it, deciding to change the subject.

"So, I hear this is the harem I inherited," he noticed, glancing at the door behind her before looking at her and she only gave a silent nod. "Vaako told you I've let you all go?"

"He told me, Sir," she replied, still not looking at him. "I haven't told the other girls yet."

"Good," he nodded, and that made Lenore shoot her gaze to his shining silver one in wonder. "This damn stressful job's got me all wound up. I need something to calm me down."

Lenore looked away in shock as he stepped around her and into the room. She spun around and followed him in as he looked around at the girls who all froze and stared at him with wide eyes. They all lined up in front of him, twenty or so, with Lenore hurrying out from behind him to do the same. They all knew what they had to do when the Lord Marshal came to look them over, but they somehow knew this time was different. This time, it was Riddick, a Furyan looking them over, and they all guessed he was there to pick one of them to bed.

Riddick stepped down the line, taking a moment to examine each girl before he finally stopped in front of one of them: Lenore. She felt her heart pound in panic as he took an extra long look at her, and feared the worst when he didn't walk away or continue down the line. She kept her gaze down as she had before. She guessed he was attracted to fire the women he spotted, and she knew her eyes held all the fire she had in her. Her heart thumped even harder when he gripped her wrist and pulled her toward the door.

"I don't know the protocol for this, but I'm sure you get the drift," he muttered, shoving the door open as Lenore stumbled behind him, her heart pounding in her ears.

She thought to struggle, but his grip on her wrist was tight enough. She thought tell him no, but she knew she didn't have the right to refuse the Lord Marshal. All she could do was hope he would maybe change his mind and let her go. It wasn't the fear of whether or not he would hurt her, it was the fear that once he had her, Vaako would never look twice at her again.

He has to understand, she assured herself. I can't refuse him. He's Lord Marshal now. And even if he said he'd let us go, he has the right to change his mind.

Riddick shoved his chamber door open and Lenore swallowed harshly before he pulled her in and shut the door behind them.

A/N: um, i think this is an 'oh crap' moment, wouldn't you say? reviews?