Riddick stood there bewildered. What the hell was that?
Of course, he had expected Jack to be more than a little surprised to see him. Hell, he'd expected for her to take a shot at him, or at least verbally tear him a new one. But to have her just crumple to the ground shocked the shit out of Riddick. Shrugging he decided to move their little party out of the hallway and into the room. Hauling Jack up from her dead faint without pressing her almost bare chest against his proved to be quite a feat. In the end Riddick decided to just lay her out flat and search for her room keys.
When he had pulled both Jack and the dead man into the room he walked back into the hallway and wrapping the end of his cloak around his fist, punched out the hall light so the blood spatter on the wall wouldn't be as noticeable to passersby's. At least until morning, he thought closing the door behind him, but we'll be long gone by then. He not-so-gently tossed Jack onto the bed (she had signed up with mercs after all) and began cramming her belongings back into her bag.
Carrying Jack, as small as she was, back to the shipping yard, was out of the question. Even in a shithole like downtown Vero's, someone would notice that. He didn't need that kind of attention. So he grabbed the cup off of her bedside table and filled it to the brim with ice cold water from the bathroom sink. He sat down beside her on the bed and leaned over to look in her face. Brushing the hair away from her forehead, he frowned at the electric sparks that shot up his arm from this little bit of contact. Get a hold of yourself.
She still had those thick curly lashes and pouty lips that had given her away as a girl more than six years ago on T-2. She still smelled faintly like candy apples. She was beautiful; he had to give her that. Even with a knot starting to rise where her head had connected with the floor, and blood spattered on her neck, she was beautiful. She still calmed the beast. She made him feel. She's runnin' with mercs. And with that he sat back and dumped the water on her face.
She shot up on the bed spluttering and swinging. He deftly caught her fist before it connected with his face and pushed her back down onto the mattress only to have her spring up, whipping a shiv out from underneath the pillow. He stood slowly, towering in front of her; the shiv slipped from her fingers.
"Can't be dropping your weapons like that, kid," he said, pointing at the blade without breaking eye contact, "it'll get you killed."
She jumped at the sound of his voice; it was still gravelly and deep like he barely spoke. It still made her heart jerk around inside her chest. She forced herself to speak. "Are you here to kill me, Riddick?" Geez, why is my voice so shaky? Why is my fucking heart beating so fast? Cool it, Jack, take it easy.
He looked back at her, deadpan neatly in place. "Depends, Jack," he said, watching the emotion flit across her face, she needs to learn how to control that, he thought, "how bad you've fucked up since I've been gone?"
"What are you talking about," she asked, cursing her traitorous body for responding so much to the sound of his voice.
"Heard you signed with some mercs, Jack," he replied letting annoyance filter into his voice, "heard you took off to come find me." Silence. "Well, here I am. Happy?"
More silence. "Jack, I'm talking to you."
"No, Riddick, I'm not happy," she said looking down at Alex's blood spattered body. Funny, it didn't faze her in the least.
"Are you sure," he asked sarcastically motioning to the body at her feet, "cause you looked pretty fucking happy grinding your ass on him back at the club." She grimaced. So it was him.
"No, I haven't been happy for a long time Riddick," she said turning her eyes back to him, she took a step forward, "but you know what would make me happy?"
He smirked at her, crossing his arms over his massive chest, "No, princess," he laughed sarcasm dripping from every word, "why don't you tell…"
SMACK, the sound of Jack's open hand connecting with the side of Riddick's face echoed in the small dark room. But before she had a chance to pull her hand back to land a solid punch she found herself face down on the carpet with Riddick's knee in her back and her wrists in his hand.
"I wouldn't push you luck," he growled into her ear, "if I were you."
"Fuck you, Riddick," she spat struggling, "you're not me." He remained silent. "Get the fuck off of me Riddick, you bastard." More silence. "You cowardly sonofab…OW…" she cried as he pushed his knee deeper into her back.
"You kiss your mother with that mouth, kid?"
"No, but you should ask my boyfriend; he'll tell you exactly what I d…OWWW," she bellowed as he wrenched her wrists up painfully above her back, "Riddick what the fuck?!"
"Watch your mouth little girl."
She saw red. How dare he , she screamed in her head, after all these years, just show up and start telling me what to do, fuck that. She bucked against the floor, trying to throw him off. Pointless. "You don't get to tell me what to do anymore, Riddick," she said coldly, "you gave up that right when you left me… no abandoned me, in New Mecca." He sighed. He was really starting to get tired of this crap. They needed to get off of this rock, and soon.
She continued to rant, "You promised me," she yelled into the carpet, "you fucking promised, and then you run off, like the gutless coward you…"
"SHUT UP," he yelled yanking her wrists further behind her back, "I left you in New Mecca to keep your ass safe," he stood abruptly and swiped the bedside lamp of its table, "I told you to stay in New Mecca for a reason, godammit. Why did you not listen? I have mercs on my neck; I'll always have mercs on my neck…I spent five fucking years on a piece of shit planet, hiding in some goddamn caves to keep your ungrateful ass safe!"
He let all the emotion leave his face, "And for what? For you to run off with the same fake badges that wanted to cut you up and use you as b…".
"You left me Riddick," she bit out, picking herself up off the floor, body still tingling from having his pressed so close to hers (Jesus, Jack...the man pins you to the floor and you start getting off on it, get your head together for gods sake)…"you left me, and you knew I needed you." She turned her back on him, refusing to let her pain show. She just wanted him to hold her again, but she would die before she told him that. "Just tell me why you took off without talking to me about it first, Riddick, you owe me tha…"
"I don't owe you shit," he said, "except a swift kick in the ass for being so goddamn stupid. I left you there because it was what was best for you at the time. I don't have to explain myself to you, Jack, and I don't owe you, or anyone else, a motherfucking thing. Clear?"
"Crystal."
"Perfect," he motioned to her belongings on the bed, "now get your shit together, I'm taking you back to New Mecca."
"No, Riddick," she snapped folding her arms across her chest, which Riddick noticed, was still mostly bare.
"Excuse me," he took a menacing step towards her.
"I said 'no', godammit. I've established a life for myself. I've worked hard to get in with a crew and I'm making good money; Imam will understand why I can't just walk away from my new life."
He barked out a laugh, "I don't really give a shit what Imam does and doesn't understand, that's not my problem," he took a step closer, she took a step back, "my problem is that you are connected to me," he felt pang of guilt at the hurt look that crossed her face, but continued on, "and it ain't going to be too long until one of those punks you jumped in with, realizes that." He stopped, letting the gravity of the situation sink in.
He was pleased when she lowered her head in shame; serves you right kid, he thought, you should've thought about that before. "And as for this 'I-can't-just-walk-away' shit…I don't think you have much of a fucking choice," he threw her bag at her, "so grab your stuff and let's go. Now."
"I'm not a child, you asshole," she screamed, suddenly furious, "I'm almost 20 fucking years old!"
Fuck him, she thought, he doesn't own me! He can't tell me what to do!
Doesn't he Jackie girl? Can't he? A voice laughed in the back of her mind.
"Yeah, well I got ten years on your ass," he snapped back he was starting to lose his patience, he hadn't planned on this taking all night, ", which means I'm running the fucking show. Now I'm not going to repeat myself again Jacqueline," he said, delighting in the way her eyes flashed angrily, yeah she was beautiful. He felt his pants tighten and was suddenly glad that only he could see in the dark.
Little sister, Jack, kid in goggles; little sister, Jack, kid in gog…
We don't have time for this, his conscious nagged; let's get this show on the road.
Yeah, yeah, the animal drawled back, blow me. The animal in him was content watching the flush creep across her face when she realized he was watching her. The animal wanted to reach out and brush that stray hair out of her eyes, to kiss her and find out if she tasted like candy and apples too. It wanted to claim her as its mate, to bend her over…
"I'm ready," her voice interrupted his thoughts; she was standing there with her bag in her hand. He mentally shook himself, trying to rid his mind of the images that had started to form. The animal laughed smugly.
Good," he grunted, looking at everything but her, "let's go." He was moving towards the door when her hand on his shoulder stopped him. Turning he raised his eyebrow, looking at her dead in the eye. "Problem?"
"No," she said smiling a little, "no, but do you mind if I just wash this…stuff, off my face first?"
He continued staring silently at her so she shrugged and continued, "It's kinda gross."
He grunted once more before smirking, "Never figured you as squeamish Jack," he said, waiting for her to argue, she just shrugged again, "make it quick."
He sat down on the bed as she stepped over Alex's body and into the bathroom, "Leave the door open." She snapped her head around to face him.
"What am I Riddick," she spat, "your prisoner?"
"Just leave the goddamn door open Jack."
"No."
"Look…," he warned.
"NO!"
"It wasn't a fucking suggestion," he said raising his voice, "now hurry the fuck up before I change my mind."
"I have to use the bathroom, Riddick," she stated. "Then use it," he answered, running his hand over his face. Goddamn this girl was working his nerves. "Riddick!"
"Look, goddamn it, I don't know why you're pulling the 'modest girl' shit now, because you sure were sluttin it up with this asshole," he pointed his toe at Alex, "earlier tonight. Now you're starting to piss me the fuck off; so go take your piss and wash your face and let's GO!"
"Please…Riddick, I-I…," she whispered. He noticed how uncomfortable she looked. Damn it!
He nodded at her then, "Make it quick, kid…no bullshit, alright?"
She nodded back and closed the door behind her, he almost said something when he heard the lock slide into place but figured it would only lead to another argument, and he hadn't wanted to get off a planet this much since T-2. Listening to the sound of the faucet, he leaned forward cradling his head in his hands. What the fuck was he supposed to do with her now? Yeah, take her back to Imam. But was that it? The moment he had spotted her in that club he had been pulled to her. He had felt that same odd peace wash over him when he saw her smile. Richard B. Riddick was not a man who experienced peace very often. Being on the run was no piece of cake, but being on the run while worrying about the well being of another human being was damn near impossible. What was happening to him? Was he, Big Evil himself, going soft? Over some little wisp of a female? No fucking way. But why then, did his heart twist when he saw her tears? Why did the animal yearn to claim her? Not just as a female, but as his woman, as his mate. And why …why the fuck are you sitting here playing shrink when what you need to be doing is getting off the goddamn planet
His head jerked up as he was pulled from his thoughts by the animals snarl. It was time to go.
"Jack," he called. No answer.
"Jack," he called again, louder this time, not at all enjoying the annoying prickling sensation of his arm hairs standing up, "let's go." Still no answer. Fuck.
In two strides he had crossed the room and began rattling the door. Locked. "Jack!" I swear to god kid, you better…
WHAM, the door slammed back against the wall as his massive shoulder connected with it.
Son of a BITCH. The tiny bathroom was empty, and the glass pane from the little window above the toilet was now sitting in the sink, winking at Riddick as the overhead light reflected off of it. Riddick strode over to the window and looked out, anger spiking through him as he spotted the emergency escape ladder leading down into the dark alley below.
"JAAAAAACK," he bellowed out into the night before whipping around and heading for the door.
Three blocks away Jack doubled her pace, now flat out sprinting towards the shipping yard; just six more blocks, she kept telling herself, six more and you'll be safely back on the ship. She had heard his roar from three blocks away; so she knew he had discovered her missing. She also knew that she now had a very, very angry Riddick on her hands
Forget that girl, she told herself, wincing at constant pounding in her head, he left you, he gave you up and now he wants to come storming back into your life and start running it? Fuck that and fuck him. I've made a life for myself and I'm not going to let him waltz in and start treating me like a fucking child. Now he can see how it feels. How it feels to be left.
The whole time she ran, she was expecting at any second for his strong arms to reach down from a rooftop and swoop her up, or for his hands to grab her shoulder and pull her into an alley before kicking her ass. She was so paranoid that when she turned the corner and ran straight into a large well-muscled chest she automatically swung out trying to get away from Riddick. When a strong hand gripped her wrist she looked down to bite it only to see that it was covered in a black leather glove. What the fuck? Riddick only wore gloves when working a punching bag, he sure as hell wasn't wearing any that night. She pulled back ready to defend herself against this stranger, and found her looking into a pair of familiar ice cold blue eyes. Both of which were narrowed in confusion, quickly turning into anger. Oh shit. Oh shit. Oh…
"Shit," she squeaked, "Davis…"
