The silent walk back to the docks was probably the most uncomfortable fifteen minutes of Jacks life. Davis was livid, the tick in his jaw was unnerving, his vice- like grip around her already bruised wrist was painful, but what actually scared Jack was his silence. It was a guarantee that whatever he was going to say to her needed to be said in the semi-privacy of the ship. Away from people. Away from witnesses. When she was alone. She could feel her heart beating rapidly and had to blink back the tears; forget the special treatment he sometimes showed her, forget their 'relationship'…none of it matters, she thought wincing as he dragged her through the perimeter fence, I'm fucked. Oh god Farris, I'm sorry…
Davis flung her in front of him as they approached the tarmac; she stumbled and almost fell but braced herself against the closed ramp of the Ishtar.
"Lower the ramp," he demended.
Her finger fumbled on the code pad, after what seemed like hours she entered the code and stood aside as the ramp descended, eyes never leaving Davis who faced straight ahead. She stood stalk still waiting for him to move first.
"Go wait in my cabin," He whispered as he walked down the corridor to the cargo bay.
"D-Davis…,"she began haltingly.
"Go wait in the fucking cabin!"
She jumped at the volume of his voice and fighting the urge to run, began walking quickly to the room they shared.
Riddick watched from the roof of a nearby building as Jack was dragged into the ship. This wasn't part of the plan; they should've been off that planet hours ago. To say that he was irritated with Jack would be an understatement to say the least. In fact a not-so-small part of him was considering just leaving her there.
The idea of getting into his ship and taking off to some deserted mining planet, preferably a warm one…with bars, was growing increasingly enticing as he thought about the situation he was now in. It would be so easy to just leave…except for the fact that sooner or later she's gonna get caught, which means I'm shit outta luck too, right? Damn. He knew he couldn't just leave her, even if he didn't feel some twisted sense of responsibility for her she was still….Jack.
He jumped onto the emergency escape ladder and held on as it rattled to the ground in the alley below. There was no way he was going to just barge onto the ship, guns blazing and carry her off, hell no, doing that would be like asking for a bullet it the ass, or better yet the head. These were mercs, he was a payday. Shit, he was THE payday. He swore to himself as he crept silently back to his own ship which, ironically enough, was docked about two hundred yards away from the one Jack had just been hauled into.
It wasn't going to be easy, this plan of his. It was going to require finesse, self-control, the ability to lie straight through one's teeth, and….and a place on the ship. He had no idea how many men were on that ship, he had no idea what position she was in now...the realization of what he was going to have to do made him want to leave her all the more.
The sound of wet hacking coughs drew him from his contemplation. He crouched down listening hard, trying to pinpoint the source of the coughs. Three ships over. Jacks ship.
He crept closer and let his shiv slide into his hand. Silently he rounded the corner and discovered that the coughs were coming from a man leaning into a large crate up against the side of the ship. The man wore a pair of grimy sweat streaked coveralls, his greasy yellow hair was pulled back into a matted ponytail and his odor of stale cigarette smoke reached Riddick's sensitive nose. Riddick approached from the side pursing his lips in disdain at the man's complete ignorance of his presence, he wasn't even trying to sneak up on the guy… Shit, he laughed to himself; this might just be easy after all.
The hum of the ships engines snapped Jack out of her haze. They were leaving, she was leaving…Riddick was gone. The raw and potent disappointment that settled in the pit of her stomach surprised her.
She didn't really know why she had run from him… well, she had thought she knew at the time…but now it seemed…well, stupid. Sure she had been drunk, scared, tired, in shock, and pissed at his self-righteous attitude…but still, finding him was the reason she was even there in the first damn place…maybe I need him less than I thought. Maybe I've grown up in this past year. The thought scared her a little.
She was pressed into the corner of the shower shivering underneath the spray that had long ago turned cold. She shut off the water and quickly dressed; she walked warily out into the galley praying that Davis was too busy on the bridge to notice her. Stealing over to the food processing unit she grabbed an apple and was making her way to the sanctuary of the dark tangled confines of the engine room when Farris limped into the galley.
Oh shit Farris. She had been back on the ship for two days and she hadn't even thought to find him and apologize – What kind of selfish bitch am I? – he had stuck his neck out for her and she just let the guillotines blade fall. Her eyes traveled over his cut lip and bruised eye – goddamn you Davis.
"Farris, I-I'm so sorr…"
"Save it Jack," he barked at her tearing open the cooler door, "I put my ass on the line for you.."
"Farris I'm sorry, I swear…" she interrupted pleading with him, god he was her only real friend on this damn ship, hell, he was her only friend period, "I'm so sorry, I'll do anything, oh my god Farris. I tried to get back to the ship I swear I…"
He held up a hand silencing her, she felt tears welling in her eyes, "Godammit Jack, I'm…I'm not mad at you! Well, actually I am…but not because of this," he motioned to his face, "you scared the shit outta me when you didn't show up, Jackie. I tried to page your comm. about a hundred times …"
"Farris, listen…"she pleaded.
He flapped his hand at her and continued his rant pacing pack and forth, "I almost went looking for you. What the fuck happened to you Jack, I mean c'mon?"
"Davis found me, and he…well he …." She faltered to a stop as Davis strolled into the room talking over his shoulder to someone else. He stopped short when he laid eyes on Jack and Farris, eyes narrowing before clearing his throat, "I don't think you two have met our new control-room operator, Frye…Jack and Farris."
Frye?, who the hell is… her thoughts died as her eyes swept over a very familiar face, only instead of liquid silver she was met with a pair of brown eyes, and…and – is that hair? Had the situation been any different she would've laughed.
"Motherfucker," she hadn't even realized that she'd said it out loud until Farris sniggered.
"Nice to meet you too," Riddick replied, leaning up against the doorframe. Jack was going to catch an ass kicking – no doubt about that – but even he couldn't stop the smirk that curled its way onto his face at the sight of her mouth opening and closing like a fish.
"Uh…yeah, the names…ah, Jack."
"Strange name for a little girl."
She shot him a glare and flopped back into the booth, feigning indifference when in fact it felt as if her heart was trying to crawl up her throat, "Yeah? Well you don't look much like a 'Frye' to me…more like a Richard…or a Dick."
His shot her a sharp look. You're pushing it Jack, you really fucking are.
She knew it.
She switched her gaze back to Davis, "W-what happened to Sieves?"
The quaver in her voice when she addressed Davis irritated Riddick more than he thought it should.
"I don't know…he just disappeared…"
Jack shot a look to Riddick who shrugged nonchalantly.
"…paged him a million times, he never called back so I put a call through to the station, requesting any available control operator…luckily, Frye here was lookin' for a crew position."
Davis turned back to Riddick, "We'll be entering the coordinates to our next port in a couple hours, I'll page you when I need you." And with that he turned and walked back out of the galley, letting the doors slide closed behind him.
"Well, isn't that…lucky." She glared at Riddick, wishing not for the first time that she could read him- not that it would do me much good anyways…I already know he's pissed.
Farris was now the only buffer between them. Oh yes, he was good and pissed and she knew it. She also knew that she was going to have to face him on her own sooner or later, as they were now living on the same ship.
"So…uh…Frye is it," Farris's voice cut through the tension filled silence, "you're the new operator?"
Riddick turned to look at Farris, as if he just realized he was there, and then without answering he faded back into the darkness of the corridor and made his way back to the control room – another time Jack, another time.
By this time Jack was slouched back in the booth, puffing on a cigarette, feigning disinterest badly…he could see the intensity on her face and he just could not handle the silence anymore!
"What. The. Fuck…was that," he demanded rounding on her, "and don't even try any 'I-don't-know' shit…because that," he said jabbing his finger repeatedly at the now empty hallway, "that…was definitely something."
She didn't feel like talking at that moment. In fact, the only thing she did want to do was curl up in a ball and sleep for a couple months…or years, either way was fine; but there was no way in hell that Farris was going to let her get away with that, plus she owed him. Big time.
Well hell, she thought stubbing out her cigarette, little secret had to end sometime. She grabbed his hand as she stood and drug him off down another walkway that led to the engine rooms. So what if it was loud? And humid, and hot…and dark. She liked it. It was her territory and it was the only place she could take Farris without fear of being overheard by Riddick.
As they situated themselves on some flattened out cardboard boxes- classy, right?- she placed her hands on his arms and leaned forward to talk in his ear; after the not-so-pleasant surprise of finding a disguised Riddick on what was supposed to be her getaway ship…she had one hell of a headache, and yelling over the engines just wouldn't do.
"Ryan," she said, using his first name for added seriousness, "you need to understand that what I'm about to tell you cannot, under any circumstances, be repeated to anyone….do you understand?"
She felt his head nod against hers, "I understand, but can I ask you a question before you get started?" She nodded. "Whatever you're about to tell me…is it something that could get you hurt?"
"It would most likely get me killed, Farris... and you too."
"Shit, Jack," he sighed.
"Yeah, I know."
"Well you might as well go on and tell me…you know you can trust me." She nodded again and scooted closer to embrace him, "Yeah, I know that…and thank you for it."
He patted her back in response, "Get on with it girl."
Well, here goes nothing.
"Remember when I told you that I lived with a friend of mine who'd saved my life when our ship crashed…when I was younger…" he nodded slowly.
"Well…the ship was…it was the—dammit—it was the Hunter-Gratzner… and my—uh—friend he…he…"
"Spit it out already Jack, damn! It's hot as fuck down here!"
"Look, this is serious shit that I've never told anyone before…so would you mind givin' me a fucking break?!"
"Ok, ok, ok…" he surrendered holding up his hands.
"Good. Anyways…my friend, he isn't exactly the most…legit guy around…you get me?"
"What d'you mean? Like he was a smuggler or something…convict? What?"
She smiled grimly- oh what she wouldn't do to see the look on his face as she told him this, "Not exactly…you see he's uh…you're not even going to believe this…my 'friend' that I told you about, he's Riddick."
She felt him stiffen beside her, "Come again?"
She sighed , "Farris, my friend, the one who saved me, the one I lived with…it was Richard B. Riddick. THE Riddick."
"You've got to be fucking joking."
" 'Fraid not. He saved me, he didn't have to but he did. And then he took care of me for almost a year…"
"I can't believe I'm hearing this shit right now Jack, I really really can't."
"Trust me, I know. After we got off that fuckin' planet, part of me thought that he would dump me with Imam - the only other survivor- and take off as soon as our feet touched New Meccan ground, but he didn't...he didn't. Part of me now wishes that he would've because then it wouldn't have hurt so bad. I would've missed him...but I wouldn't have needed him. But he stayed and things we're...good - not normal, or easy- but...good. He was...different...with me. Everyone thought he was some kind of monster, " she laughed shaking her head, " he might've been an asshole sometimes, but he was no monster. He left me though, eventually, I guess they always do..."
"Babe, what are you talkin' about?"
"I needed him Farris, at that point of my life...it wasn't some stupid fucking schoolgirl crush! I needed him there. For safety, shit...for sanity! To protect me from...myself sometimes. And he knew that. He fucking knew it and he left! He promised me and he fucking left me there! Son of a bitch!"
She was yelling now, and Farris was pretty sure that the piece of metal she was gripping her hand wasn't a fucking butter knife. "Jack, hey , calm down…"
"Calm DOWN," she shrieked, he was pretty sure everyone in the ship heard that, "calm down? I'm sitting here telling you that this motherfucker deserted me when I needed him the most; and you tell me to calm down? Fuck you, Farris! I don't need that shit! He broke my heart when he left, Farris. I lo…" she slapped her hand over her mouth, did I really almost just say that? It wasn't something that she hadn't thought about before…but saying it out loud…that made it too real.
Farris leaned forward and placing a hand on her shoulder, began rubbing her neck; it was comforting and extremely familiar; when she remembered why she jerked back as if she'd been burned.
"Don't do that," she glanced at him, he looked hurt, "no, no it's not you Farris…it's…ugh godammit- he- Riddick used to do the same thing when I was upset."
He sat back as if slapped, "What? Jack…you're going to sit here and tell me that Riddick. Richard B.-Motherfucking- Riddick rubbed your neck when you were upset?"
She nodded and he laughed, "No fucking way. See, now I know you're fucking with me. Because- because there's no way! There's just no way…next thing you're gonna tell me is that he painted your toenails and braided your hair."
She snorted in laughter at the thought but sobered up instantly as she remembered that the man she was laughing at was probably no more than 50 yards away from her, and he wasn't the moody-but-indulgent "big brother" from her past. He was the pissed-off Riddick, and she was the one he was pissed at…and they were stuck on a ship together. Fuck! Suddenly nothing seemed funny anymore.
"Seriously Farris. It hurt me a lot when he left. I never got over it. He's the reason why I'm even here! I left my home, my family…everything, to find him. I signed up with this ship because I figured a bunch of mercs would always be on the lookout for him."
He just sat there reeling. How could this be real? He knew she wouldn't lie to him…especially about something like this….but damn!
"Shit, Jack," was just about all he could manage, "w-why would you tell me this…I mean you know I would never fuck you over like that…. but I'm a merc Jack, this is my job..."
"I know…but you're….different," She patted his cheek like you would a child; "you're in this shit for the adventure…not just for the payday." He nodded; damn she sure had his number. He was growing tired, all of this stress in a period of two days was wearing on him, he was gonna but out his stash of tequila tonight…fuck protocol.
"Anyways…long story short, when I left my father...Imam- well, he's my adopted father now, but he's better than my real one ever was- he contacted Riddick and told him I had signed up with mercs which he, for obvious reasons, um…hates; so he came looking for me, found me in Vero's, saved me, yelled at me, tried to make me listen to him, yelled some more…basic pattern with him and I…."
She couldn't believe how flippant she was being about this; the exhaustion was definitely starting to get to her, that and the emotional mind fuck she had sustained not only from Davis but from Riddick himself.
"…except this time it was me who ran away; but, like the stubborn asshole he is, he followed me and found me again….and here we are…."
Farris head jerked up at those words, "What do you mean 'and here we are'?"
She giggled. What for? She didn't know…the situation wasn't at all funny, but she guessed Farris's cluelessness amused her. "Well, you wanted to know what all the tension in the galley was for."
He was shaking his head, "What does Frye have to do with th…" he trailed off, realization dawning. "No fucking way," he whispered, "that guy…tha-our control room operator…th-that…"
"That's Richard B. Riddick: escaped convict, murderer, and complete asshole."
"WHAT?!" His bellow sent her reeling backwards, as his mouth had been mere inches from her ear.
"Ouch Farris, shit! What the hell was that for…." She was cut off as he yanked her towards him whispering furiously-
"What the fuck is wrong with you? You let Riddick onto our ship! This is a merc ship, Jack for fucks sake! Are you crazy!? Is HE?! Are you two trying to get killed? Davis will murder you and turn Riddick in without batting a fucking eye! Fuck that, how do you know Riddick won't kill us all in our sleep? Huh?" It was his turn to rant and all of her objections were cut short as he waved his hand in her face. "You have gone completely off the fucking chart, haven't you?"
She laughed bitterly- maybe I have, because I can't even believe this is happening- rising she extended her hand to Farris who took it and hauled himself up, brushing off his pants repeatedly to mask the anxiety climbing in his chest.
"I didn't let him onto the ship Farris—c'mon let's get outta here—he followed me, and Davis won't find out that it's him…because I'm not going to say anything, and if you value your life…you won't either, besides that you don't have to worry about him hurting you…stay outta his way and you'll be fine; it's my ass he's here to kick anyways."
She left him and walked back to the galley by herself, she was starving and the thought of whipping up about twelve hamburgers with extra cheese –no onions of course – wiped all thoughts of Riddick from her head, for the time being.
Three hours later Jack was napping lightly in the galley when the sound of the doors hissing open caused startled her out of her slumber. The sound of heavy boots hitting the floor reached her ears and she stiffened unconsciously.
Riddick, she thought, willing herself to stay still, maybe if I don't move he'll go away.
She stayed frozen for what seemed like hours, and just when she was convinced that he had left the room a deadly cold voice whispered right in her hear, causing her to squeak in surprise.
"You really think that's gonna work?"
Shit! She lifted her head up off of her arms slowly and turned to look at him, she looked like a deer caught in the headlights of some rapidly approaching vehicle…or a teenage girl who's just been caught sneaking into the house by her dad after a night of partying. I can't deal with this now. Now right now.
She considered running to the engine rooms and locking herself in until she thought of a way to deal with him, but before she could fully remove herself from the booth he had his hands wrapped around her neck.
"Where do you think you're goin' huh," he snarled as he slammed her ass down into the table, making her cry out in pain.
" Gah…OW, you sonofa…," she cried. She snapped her knee up hoping to connect with his balls, but only succeeded in getting her legs pinned painfully between his.
She knew it was pointless, but she was too pissed to care. So she flailed, and bit, and struggled until he lifted her up off the table by her neck then slammed her back down, knocking the air out of her.
She lay there struggling to inhale while he leaned over her pressing his lips together in order to quell the urge to cuss her out.
"That hurt, you asshole," she spat glaring up at him.
"Shut up," he said pulling her head up to his mouth, "I should ghost your ass right here for pulling that shit." She went rigid, but he couldn't detect even the slightest whiff of fear from her...only anger mixed with adrenaline. It was a slightly intoxicating scent, pure Jack- hey asshole, you're supposed to be beating the shit out of her here...concentrate.
"Kill me then, shit. I don't give a fuck," she choked out as his hand tightened around her throat, "you don't either. So what the hell are you waiting for?"
That stung a little bit - I do care. Shit, I wish I didn't, but I do...too much for my own good, I think.
He pushed away from her with an incredulous look on his face, "What did you say to me?"
"I said you don't fucking care," she snapped back rubbing her neck and slipping back down into the booths seat. She watched him warily, but he just stood there deadpan in place. She had never wanted to slap someone so bad in her life. "I don't know why you came back, or what you were expecting…"
"Shut up, Jack," he interrupted pointing and her, "we're not going over this shit again. I left because that's what needed to happen. Stop being stupid."
"Stupid?" She sounded indignant, but at this point Riddick couldn't possibly care less, "How the fuck am I being stupid, Riddick, really? I'm only following your lead. Running when shit gets too close, too heavy. That's your M.O., right?"
He wasn't sure whether he wanted to slap her, or laugh. Goddamn, five years and that mouth of hers has only gotten worse.
"Kid, if you don't shut that goddamn mouth...I swear to god-," he was cut short by a snort of derisive laughter.
"You swear-to-god what, Riddick? Hmm? You gonna kick my ass? Shiv me, ex me out? What?! Just what the fuck are you going to do to me that hasn't already been done?" She was crying now, wiping the tears angrily from her face. "You have no idea what I've been through, the things I've done...just to find you."
Throughout her whole tirade, he had sat in silence watching the tears roll down her face had put his mind in a state of turmoil like nothing else ever had. Anger, he was used to; he knew how to deal with it, how to use it. Even sadness, what little experience he'd had with the emotion, was something that he could understand.
But the strange dull pain that settled in his chest at the sight of her tear stained face was something that he hadn't encountered in a long time; and for the first time in many many years he had no clue what to do.
What the fuck is wrong with me, he thought sliding into the bench across from her, noting how she jumped a little when his leg brushed hers, why do I even care this much?
"What the hell are you looking at, huh," she snapped scrubbing at her face with the hem of her tank top - stop crying godammit- "Does it make you feel good to see me cry, does it make-".
"Stop Jack," he started, what the hell am I doing, I have no idea what I'm doing. "Just tell me."
"Tell you what, Riddick?" She was beyond tears now, she was just tired. "What do you want to hear?"
"Shit, kid I don't know," he shrugged, "whatever there is that needs to be said, I guess." There were few times in their history together that Jack had seen him uncomfortable, this was one of them...and she took perverse pleasure in it.
She leaned forward raising her eyebrows, "You sure you wanna hear about the things I've done, Riddick? I won't be sweet little Jackie anymore."
He considered leaning in as well-it was a pretty basic intimidation technique, to get in someone's personal bubble- but he was trying to get her to talk to him, and the way her lips seemed be calling to him...well, it was just better if he stayed on his side of the table. "Sweet, Jack? You're a lot of things...but I'm pretty sure 'sweet' isn't one of them.".
"Fuck you, Riddick...and I'm more than pretty sure that you're not gonna like what I have to say."
Then as an afterthought she added, " Not that I've ever cared whether or not you liked what I had to say."
His mouth twitched upwards- that's more like it, kid. "What, kid? You break a couple laws? Smuggle some shit, what?" He was almost laughing, but stopped as he saw the look on her face, "You kill somebody, Jack?"
Shit, say no kid...not like me, say no.
"Yeah." She closed her eyes.
"Just one, kid," he asked, now leaning forward onto the table, "look at me...just one?" Silence.
I'll take that as a 'no'.
"How many?"
"God, Riddick...I don't want to talk about this," she sat back covering her face now.
"How many," he demanded trying to reign in his anger- this is why I left, this is why you were supposed to stay in New Mecca!
"Eleven," she whispered through her fingers, "I've killed eleven people. Seven men, four women."
"They were all smugglers on the ships we hauled in. Most of them went quietly, once we brought out the gauges, but some of them...some of them didn't."
My god ...I never wanted this for you. " Jack..."
"Don't, Riddick. Don't. I know what I've done is-is...I'm..." she exhaled a great quivering sigh and cradled her head in her hands and then laughed hollowly, "how about now, Riddick...does this make me a bad person?"
"Nope." It was his lack of hesitation that surprised her the most.
"No?"
"No. Remember who you're talking to, Jack. I know that you didn't ex anyone who didn't pull a weapon on you first, did you?"
"N-No."
"Didn't think so. And would they've killed you if you didn't kill them?"
She thought about this for a second, "Yeah. I think so."
"There's nothing to think about, Jack. They would've, don't you ever forget that, don't you ever hesitate. It'll get you killed".
God, he sounds just like he used to during my training...
"It was them or you. I've killed a lot more...for a lot less...so lighten up."
And she did.
It was amazing and infuriating at the same time. In less than two minutes, Riddick had soothed a years' worth of consuming guilt, it wasn't gone completely...but damned if it didn't feel better in this perspective. Son of a bitch.
"I really hate you sometimes, Dick, you know that?" She flashed him a watery smile, and suddenly he was reminded strongly of the 14 year old Jack he had watched over; that playful teasing quality was back for the first time and it pleased him beyond measure though he wasn't sure why.
"What did you just call me, "he demanded as he pushed up out of his seat and leaned over the table so he was towering over her. She took one look at the deep scowl on his face and bust out in nervous giggles.
"You think that's funny, huh?" She nodded enthusiastically, trying to hide the fact that she was sliding out of the booth inch-by-inch. When she had maneuvered to the edge of the seat his hand shot out from across the table and secured her wrist in an unbreakable grip and began pulling her towards him.
She resisted by planting her feet against the bottom of the booth he was sitting on, but he didn't stop pulling, so eventually she found herself with her legs locked out straight in front of her, with her wrists in his hands and her butt a foot off of the ground. She knew she must look like a petulant child resisting a parent who was attempting to pull them from the playground.
"Riddick, Riddick don't..." she pleaded in between giggles, but he now had what she used to call his 'Big Evil' smile on his face. The 'Big Evil' smile usually meant that he had thought of some particularly evil form of punishment; in her case it used to mean that he had come up with some exceedingly good payback for one of her smartass comments...like now.
"C'mon I was just kidding...Riddick...don't!"
"You wanna see something funny, Jack, c'mere..."
"Frye," Gerod's voice came from the intercom on the wall, startling the hell out of Jack, "Frye, Davis says 'e needs ya on the bridge. ASAP."
He turned his glance from the intercom back to Jack who grinned at him as if to say 'ha-ha you lose', "Saved by the bell, huh?"
He smiled sweetly back, "Not quite," and let her go; it took a lot not to laugh at the look of surprise on her face.
Her ass hit the ground with a hard thump, " Umph...ouch...you motherf- that hurt!" She tried to smother more laughter as she cursed at him, kicking at his shins as he stood over her. If it had been anyone else laying at his feet laughing after being dropped on their ass, he would've thought they were out of their mind...but it was Jack - a stupid fuckin commercial used to send her into hysterics.
Until that moment he hadn't realized how much he had truly missed her. Especially her laugh...and that smile.
He couldn't stop the rumble of laughter as he knelt down besides her brushing the hair out of her eyes, ignoring the alarm bells that went off in his head.
Close! You're too close! Back up, what're you doing?! His conscious screamed at him, you shouldn't be doing this you stupid motherfucker; but the beast just growled in response, Fuck it.
He pressed his lips against hers and a shock ran up his spine; it took a second before he realized that she had gone rigid underneath him- what the fuck?
He opened his eyes only to find her already wide, staring up at him through the mess of curls across her forehead.
She's scared...of me
...and why wouldn't she be, you idiot. She probably thinks you're some fucked up perv, pinnin' her to the ground like this...
I've gotta get the fuck outta here!
He pushed himself up off of her, turning his head away as he did, "Riddick, Riddick…wait."
He never turned around but rushed to the galley doors, slammed his palm into the pushbutton, and was halfway down the hall before the door hissed back shut; leaving Jack laying on the floor breathless, a little hurt and more confused than she had ever been in her life.
They had gone from fighting to talking and then to joking around within half an hour…but that was normal…at least for them. Hell, most of their arguments back when they lived together usually ended up with her on the floor begging him to stop tickling her; it was how they operated.
But that kiss…
(that was definitely something…)
It had surprised the shit out of her. She'd been kissed before…but it's never felt like that, I still feel like I'm …drunk a little bit…just from a kiss.
She wasn't sure if it had meant anything to him , or if he had even meant to do it…but she was going to find out. No matter how uncomfortable it made him.
She smiled softly as she pulled herself up off the floor, "Well, at least I know there's no where he can run to now."
Hey sorry the update took so long... don't worry I haven't abandoned the story...I hate it when ppl do that :)
FluidDegree: Yes...eventually I'll get to her uncle (I couldn't pass up the chance to delve into Riddicks dark side)...but it'll be later on ;)
DragonMamma: Thanks so much! I've tried not to let his emotions overpower his rough edges...I hope you continue reading!
FairyDust889: Hey thanks for the reviews babe! I might need you to critique me later on lol :P
To ALL of you who R&R: Thanks A Bunch! xoxo
