The ghosts that we knew

~And I won't hear you cry when I'm gone

I won't know if I'm doing you wrong~

Chapter 6

Weeks later…

Carolyn slumped down in a chair as he managed to lose the fighter following them.

"Where are we going, Riddick?"

"I'm taking you home. Then I'll deal with Imam."

"Take me with you."

Riddick looked over his shoulder at her before turning his attention back to piloting the ship.

"Please, Riddick."

"He never should have brought you into this."

"But he did."

"No!" Riddick growled loudly, it coming across as a roar in the small space.

"Riddick," Carolyn said softly, placing her hands upon his shoulders, "He has a wife and child, now. Please don't hurt him."

Tilting his head to the side, Riddick stilled for a moment, feeling the slight weight of her hands on his shoulders, the warmth of her breath against his skin. "Then he should understand my anger."

"Riddick," she soothed, running her hands down his arms.

"I'll try," he ground out, causing her to lean down to place a kiss upon his cheek before moving to the co-pilots station, tapping in the coordinates to her home.

"Just put her down here," she said pointing the spot out to him on the screen. "With all the trouble in town, I doubt if anyone will come looking for it and if they do I can play dumb."

He nodded and the rest of the trip was made in silence.

"Come to the house, I have some clothes you can change into and you'll need a ride."

Riddick stood looking at the small two-story house before taking the hand she held out to him. "It's just a house. I promise it won't bite." She said playfully bumping his shoulder leading him inside. Latching the door behind them she led the way upstairs to her room.

Digging through her closet she emerged with a cry of triumph. "I knew I had these buried back there somewhere," she said with a smile. "Clothes you left behind. Last time."

Laying them on the bed she turned back to the closet and took out a long, dark, hooded cloak. "I'll go and get your ride to town ready."

As she moved towards the door, Riddick's hand shot out and caught her arm, pulling her to his side.

Carolyn looked up and smiled. "I'll see you downstairs.'

He gave her a brief nod and watched her go before turning back to the clothes in front of him.

He found her a bit later up to her elbows in the engine of a transport out front, watching as she hauled back and kicked the thing causing it to start. "Piece of…." He heard her muttering under her breath as she turned towards him. "She's always a bit temperamental when she's been left alone for a while," she said with a wink. "She'll get you to town though." Wiping her hands off on a rag, she pulled out a piece of paper handing it to him. "Directions to Imam's. Can't have you running around the city getting caught."

He tucked the paper into a pocket before reaching out and squeezing her neck lightly.

Watching him go till she could no longer see him, Carolyn let herself back in the house. Walking up the stairs she undressed, throwing her clothes in the same pile as his, before padding over to her bathroom. Climbing in the shower, she let the tears slip down her face. It was easier to convince herself that it didn't hurt as much as it actually did.

Tossing their clothes into her laundry room, she scraped together a meal out of the things in her cupboard before heading back upstairs to dress. She was antsy, wanting to get out of the house now that the sun had set. Pulling on her boots, she grabbed a jacket out of the hall closet slipping it on. She was stunned when the ground beneath her suddenly started to shake. Running out the door she looked back towards the city, staring with an open mouth at the monstrosity standing against the night sky. Crying out in surprise, she ducked back in the house when a fighter ship crashed nearby bursting into flames.

They had to get off this planet now. She could only hope that Riddick would appear with Imam and his family in tow, so the best place for her to wait would be the merc ship. Lighting a few oil lamps as the power was out; she grabbed a bag from her hall closet and headed up stairs. She was stuffing it full of clothes when a noise caught her attention. Turning, she discovered two men standing in the door way to her bedroom.

One had hair as dark as the other's was light. Both were big and both had shined eyes. "Can I help you?" she asked them trying to ignore the quiver she heard in her voice.

"The Furyan. Where is he?"

Caroline's eyes flitted back and forth between the two. "The who?" she asked taking a step back as the dark-haired man took a step forward.

"The man who was here earlier. The one that you arrived with."

Carolyn took another step back. There was no way anyone knew exactly who was on the ship today. "And I'm sorry, you are…?"

"Friends." The light-haired man said.

"Right." Carolyn answered realizing that they had her backed into a corner.

"We don't have time for this." The light-haired one said.

"Agreed." Replied the other.

As the blonde moved towards the door, the other grabbed her arm. In her struggles, Caroline knocked the oil lamp over on the floor, her bedding instantly catching fire.

She was drug out the room and down the stairs, watching in horror as her house went up in flames.

Realizing they were taking her towards the merc ship, Carolyn ripped off her necklace letting it fall on to the dirt packed ground leading away from her home, leaving a trail of initials like breadcrumbs, barely managing to hold onto the R. She only hoped someone would find the clues and realize what had happened to her.

Securing her on board the ship, the men and their crew prepared for immediate take off.

"Who are you?" Carolyn demanded of the dark-haired man.

"We represent a party that wants The Furyan."

"Riddick?" Carolyn asked. "If you want Riddick, then what are you doing with me?"

"He will be back for you as soon as he finishes the task he has set for himself."

Carolyn snorted. "I don't know where you got your information from but I can assure you that Riddick will not be back for me. He spent five years on a frozen dung heap trying to stay away from me. I'm nothing more than a warm body to him."

"For your sake you should probably hope differently."