After dropping the girls off for class Carolyn headed up a few decks to the temporary market that the civilians had set up. She had told Aereon that she would pick the girls up after school and not to worry about it if she didn't hear from her before then. She wanted to get out and be away from everyone for a few hours. She was also craving a cup of coffee, which she hadn't had in forever. She and Riddick had a room clearing argument when he had decided she no longer needed caffeine. She snarled to herself thinking about how he had won that argument. All she was allowed to have these days was a sad excuse for tea. Rumor had it that there was a place in the market that served a mean espresso and she planned on having one in her hand in the next 30 minutes or so. She was a woman on a mission.

It was more like an hour after making chitchat with various people who stopped her along the way but soon enough she found herself tucked away in a corner with a cup of espresso and an honest to gods' book. It was some silly romance novel but she forgot how much she enjoyed reading and was soon engrossed, by mid morning there was a lull in business and Carolyn needed to find a bathroom. The baby had woken up and was using one hand to wrestle with her bladder while also deciding that now was a good time to start using her internal organs for kickboxing practice. Ok, maybe the espresso wasn't the wisest decision she had ever made but it sure was good and what Richard didn't know wouldn't hurt him, she thought with a smirk.

Upon leaving the public restrooms she had turned to head back towards the more populated areas when she heard a noise behind her, why the Necros felt they had to hide the bathrooms was beyond her. She stopped for a moment to listen but didn't hear anything. However, once she started forward she heard it again and this time louder. Turning towards the sound Carolyn made her way down the hall one hand on the wall as the other covered her burgeoning belly. Rounding a corner she saw a door open midway down. She could now clearly hear someone calling for Riddick but couldn't make out anything else. She slowed as she neared the doorway leaning her forehead against the wall closing her eyes. It was Jackie's voice calling for him, she remembered the exact instant that it happened, she was asking him to wait on the rest of them as they helped Imams boy through the exoskeleton of some creature. Just as she took a deep breathe and opened her eyes a hand reached out covering her mouth and an arm wrapped around the top of her pregnant belly under her breast dragging her the rest of the way to the room and throwing her in.

Carolyn stumbled and caught herself before she landed face first. She heard the door slam shut and lock behind her as she scrambled ungracefully to her feet. Reaching the door she realized that there was no handle on the inside, so she started banging on it with her fists.

"Hey! Can you hear me! I'm in here! I'm inside! Please! Can you hear me?" She yelled until her throat and fists were swollen. Finally she turned and inspected the room. There wasn't much. A blanket, a bucket that appeared was to be used for bodily functions and a half dozen bottles of water. Lovely. She grabbed the blanket and a bottle of water and using the blanket for a cushion sat down in the corner furthest from the door. She decided that perhaps this would probably beat out the espresso in worst decisions made today. No sooner had she sat down but the lights in the room were turned up brightly and it started warming up. Quickly. And then the noises started.

Carolyn's chin quivered. It was a sound she would never forget and had hoped never to hear again. Then the voices came. It was a recording of the cockpit data. It had to be. There was no other way. Tears ran down her face as she listened. "Recommend purge now. I gotta dump more load! Don't you touch that handle Fry! I'm not gonna die for them!" She closed her eyes and the scenes were just as vivid in her mind as the day it had happened. Then there were just animal noises until Jackie's voice called out "Wait! Riddick! Wait!" Then her own "Get off of her! Get off of her!" More animal noises and then the cycle started all over again. And it was only getting louder. Carolyn lifted her bottom up far enough to drag the blanket out from under her. She tried wrapping it around her head to help block out the light and the sounds but it was so hot she could only do that for a short time. At some point she decided that the lights had finally stopped increasing along with the volume. Regardless they were both sending her into sensory overload. She didn't dare open her eyes as the light hurt them and was so bright she couldn't see anything anyway and the noise was all consuming.

At first she was so upset all she could do was cry but now it was like it had become a part of her. She just sat in the corner with her head on her knees and her arms covering her head rocking back and forth. After what seemed to be forever the lights and the noise and heat all started to diminish. Carolyn took in a shuddering breath. She still couldn't see anything when she opened her eyes but at least it didn't feel like her retinas were being seared off. She praised Allah for the fact that she was wearing a dress today as she hitched it up and felt her way to the other corner finding the other bottles of water. Dragging them back to her corner she drank one completely and opening another poured half of its contents over her head and down her dress. She reached down between her legs and pulled the back of her skirt through her legs gathering it up with the front and tying it in a knot at her waist. She figured it wasn't attractive but it was a hell of a lot cooler. She settled back in her corner waiting for Richard to save her or whatever came next. Whatever came first.

As no one was missing her and wouldn't until the girls returned home from school by themselves, Carolyn had lots of time for many various variations of this particular hell. She realized the heat was going back up but this time the lights stayed out as the noise grew in volume. Her back was beginning to kill her from sitting on the floor so she decided to pace. The next go around had her in dim light and some type of sprinkler system was put into use along with a temperature that plummeted. Carolyn couldn't help but wonder how much stress this was putting on the baby as she sat shivering in the corner trying to keep her body covered with the blanket.

When the girls returned home by themselves, Aereon, beside herself with worry sent the door guard off to find Riddick and Vaako. Riddick had immediately become enraged upon learning that Carolyn was missing. He instituted a ship wide lock down and a room-by-room search. Ship wide announcements were made and anyone with information about her whereabouts was asked to contact the command staff immediately. Talking to Aereon and the girls they decided the marketplace level was where they needed to start. They were just about to leave when the owner of the coffee stand that Carolyn had visited that morning made contact with them. He told them what he knew. She had stopped by his shop and sat reading for a while and he had last seen her midmorning. He led the men to where his shop was located and Vaako thanked him and sent him home. As each room was searched it was marked off the ships schematic. Vaako watched as Riddick paced a trail in the metal deck. Finally, after what seemed like hours, a guard came running back to their post. "We've found something. A room we cannot get into with loud noises coming from within."

"What makes you think it might be her?" Vaako asked.

"Because Commander, we've never heard a noise like this before."

"Show me!" Riddick demanded.

"Jesus!" he whispered as he arrived outside the door hearing the noises emanating from within it. "There's no way to open this door?"

"Not with out the key," Vaako answered from behind him "we're going to have to blow it open."

Riddick eyed him. "You realize my wife may be in there."

"I am very much aware of that."

Riddick nodded. "Explain."

Vaako relayed orders to several different men and they went to find the supplies he required. "We'll place a small charge here by the lock. Nothing big just small enough to get the door open. As long as she's not sitting against the door she should be fine."

"Should be?"

"The woman is six months pregnant."

"Don't remind me."

Walking over to the door he began banging on it. "Carolyn! Can you hear me! Carolyn! I need you to move away from the door! Move away from the door!"

Carolyn could not hear him over the noise in her temporary cell. After the first four or five sessions she discovered it was easier to get through if she let her mind wonder. There was no way to get away from the blinding light, agonizing noise and repressive heat but she was getting very good at pushing them aside. With her dress hiked up she had managed to shimmy out of the arms as well. Lying on her side with her back to the door she had her arm thrown over her eyes to provide some relief. She heard a loud explosion and a man screaming but didn't move. She didn't have the energy to nor did she care any longer.

Outside the room, as soon as the lock had been blown, Riddick had kicked the door in and then yelled in outrage as the bright lights blinded him. Struggling to slip his goggles on he grabbed Vaako who was helping him to stand. "Get those lights out!" he bellowed to the men standing near him. They all scrambled into nearby rooms looking for the source to the controls. They found them in a storeroom a few doors down. As soon as the lights went off Riddick entered the room. The heat was like a furnace, but they had found the controls for the volume as well as it finally stopped. He quickly looked around the room and found her in a corner not moving with her back to him.

He knelt down beside her, rolling her over onto her back. "Carolyn?" He choked out. The arm covering her eyes flopped out hitting him blindly in the chest. "Riddick?"

"Strong survival instincts, I admire that in a woman" he said gruffly bringing her hand up to his mouth. "You're going to come with me; here I'll make it easy on you." He told her wrapping her arm around his neck as he gathered her in his arms. "That's a good girl," he murmured as her other arm snaked around to meet the one already wrapped around his neck as she buried her aching eyes in his shirt.

"You do know I'm the Captain of this ship right, Riddick?" she replied playing along.

"Never had a doubt."

"Are you my God, Riddick?"

He chuckled, "Well, Carolyn, as it turns out." He was delighted that she was so responsive after going through gods knew what. He needed to get her home, now. As they rode in the lift on the way back to their floor Carolyn stirred in his arms.

"Richard?"

"Yeah babe?"

"I still can't see yet. The light was so bright."

"It's ok. The Doc will get you fixed up."

"I know. I just didn't want you to worry when you finally realized. It'll come back in about an hour or so."

Riddicks head thumped back against the wall of the lift. He wasn't sure if he wanted to know how she knew that or not. While he was pondering that, he felt her tug at his ear and turned his head to look at her. "There's one more thing I need to tell you, ok? But you have to promise not to get made at me."

"Carolyn, have I ever been mad you?"

She gave an unlady like snort. "Where would I start?"

"What do you need to tell me?" He was looking at her intensely and could feel his blood pressure starting to rise. "Carolyn?"

"I was a very bad today."

"Excuse me?"

"I had coffee this morning. I'm so sorry. It'll never happen again"

Biting his lip he did his best not to laugh at her confession.

He tightened his hold on her, "We'll talk about that later, ok."

"Ok," she sighed.

After what seemed to be an excruciatingly long ride they finally reached their floor. Chode who was waiting for them, threw open the doors to let them in. He followed them as Riddick strode quickly through the suite to their room. The doctor was already waiting for them when Riddick gently laid her on the bed. He moved back as the doctor started fussing.

"Now aren't you glad that I made the big man trade for all this medical equipment on that last trip?"

"You bet Doc."

Riddick turned to Chode raising an eyebrow. "Aereon is with the children. If you'd like I can send Vaako to help assist but whom do you think helped Aereon with her back before the good Doctor arrived? She's already comfortable with me." Riddick frowned but agreed with his assessment.

"Mr. Riddick," the doctor called out, "I'm going to need for you to get Mrs. Riddick undressed."

Chode went to the closet and pulled out two sheets while Riddick moved to help her stand up from the bed. She bent over from the waist with a groan. "What's wrong? He asked in alarm.

"It's just my back. The floor didn't do it any favors."

Code returned and held a sheet out in front of Carolyn as Riddick helped her disrobe. After she was undressed Riddick unlaced his boots kicking them to the side and handed the Doctor all of his weapons. At which point he saw the bruises on her ribcage and brought a hand up to gently brush them. "It's ok, Richard," Carolyn whispered. He piled up pillows and sat down and spreading his legs, dragging her down between them.

"What are you doing?"

"You said your back hurt."

"Yes, and?"

He shrugged even though she couldn't see him, "This way I can rub it."

Carolyn shook her head, settling herself between his legs. Chode then gently laid the sheet over her and folding the other sheet a certain way he covered her hips before pulling the top sheet up to adjust and tuck in the bottom in all the way.

She held out her hand, "Chode, is that you?"

"Yes, Mistress," he answered taking her hand in his.

"Haven't lost your touch I see," she said with a smile.

"No, Mistress. I'll have you fixed up and ready to go in a moment."

"Thank you, Chode."

He finished with the lower sheet and whipping the top sheet off of her proceeded to fold it the same way and then placed it over her breasts having Riddick help her to lean forward so that he could secure it behind her.

Turning to the doctor, Chode took Riddick's weapons and placed them in a drawer on the bedside tale. He turned to leave calling out over his shoulder, "I'll be right outside if you need me."

The Doctor picked up a tray and set it beside Carolyn, "Well let's get to work shall we?

The first order of business was hooking up an IV to start replenishing her fluids. Then after peeling off the adhesive backing he stuck a small wireless baby monitor to her abdomen. "This must be how they practiced medicine in the old days," he mumbled to himself as he fiddled with the hand held touch screen that the baby's readings were being transmitted to. "It's not high tech," he told the couple on the bed, "but it'll do the job."

"Is the baby ok?" Carolyn asked tiredly. "I was worried about what kind of effect everything was going to have her." Riddick reached out taking her hand and placed them both on her belly.

"Right now the only thing I'm worried about is getting your blood pressure down and fluids up. The baby's readings are a bit high but that's because of maternal distress. Once we get those two things are taken care everything will even out."

"Are you sure?"

He patted her arm, "Pretty sure. How are your eyes feeling?"

"Better. I can see shapes again. Everything's just a bit fuzzy. And I have a hell of a headache."

Riddick started rubbing her back again as the doctor put something in a syringe and administered it into her IV. "I've put a bit of a painkiller into your IV it should help both your head and your back. I want to give you a brief exam if that's ok, then we'll let you get some rest." Carolyn just nodded lying back against Riddick as the drugs started working.

Finishing up the doctor showed Riddick how to read the hand held screen and what he was to keep an eye on and then left the couple. Riddick was to send someone for him before her IV bags went completely dry.

Riddick relaxed his body scooting down on the bed a bit so he could cradle her better.

He stayed with her until the doctor finally took the IV out of her arm. Her blood pressure was back to normal and the baby's readouts were good. Riddick called Chode back in after the doctor had taken all his equipment off of her and asked for his help in cleaning her up and getting her at least halfway dressed. He could do it himself but was afraid of hurting her bruised and tender skin anymore than he had to and an extra set of hands would come in handy. Riddick sponged her down, cleaning the sweat off of her body when Chode reappeared with some type of long chemise. He dried her off and held her as Chode slipped the chemise over her head and her arms through the straps. He let Riddick pull it down as he returned with a fresh set of sheets. "If you'll hold her, I'll strip and remake the bed."

Riddick picked her up, carrying her over to the chair in the room setting her upon his lap. She stirred a bit her warm breath hitting his neck, "What's going on?"

He kissed her forehead. "Chode's changing the sheets and then you're going back to bed."

She snuggled in close to him. "That sounds heavenly," a soft snore immediately following. Riddick chuckled and laid her upon the freshly made bed pulling the sheet up to cover her legs and stomach. Stroking her hair he turned and turning out the lights quietly made his way to the living area where Chode was waiting on him.

"Aereon and the children are next door staying with the doctor for the night. Butcher and Prowse will stay with them. We have groups of men doing room by room searches and Vaako is looking through footage that was pulled from that area trying to find any clues."

"Who's here to keep watch?"

"Sulaco and one of Vaakos' men."

"Let's go. I want to start with Vaako."

"Of course"

They left the room and Sulaco gently closed the door behind them.