A Kid Like Her (A Riddick - Jack Romance/Adventure Story)

Backed Into A Corner

He felt himself sliding down the wall and pushed himself off it. Still unsteady, he bent over, his hands placed firmly above his knees, arms straight supporting his upper body. He wasn't ready yet to walk over to her. Didn't even know if he could.  A part of him couldn't see her like that and he closed his eyes at the thought of it.

Footsteps approached, but the last thing he wanted was to hear one word out of the Purifier's mouth. Not one word of sympathy, not one word about what she did, and definitely not one word about the Lord Marshal. Instead, he remained silent, a step or two away, perhaps waiting for Riddick to make the first gesture. But what could he say or do? He was completely drained and devoid...of everything. Wondering why the man had been just standing there and not saying a damn thing, Riddick opened his eyes and saw bare feet and the hem of a woman's dress grazing the tops of toes.

I'm fuckin' hallucinating.

Eyes tightly clenched shut, he simply wanted was to block out the vision. Then finger tips caressed the side of his head and he heard her speak.

"Riddick?"

Her fingers came down the side of his face and he looked up, then stood up, slowly, still wondering if his mind was playing tricks on him. He touched her face. She was real. He seized her shoulders and pulled her against his chest, enfolding her in his embrace. He expelled the breath he was holding. This was no apparition. This was silky hair against his face, a warm breath against his neck, and her warm hands on his skin. He pulled her back slightly, framing her face with his hands and her beautiful, tear-filled eyes met his. Relieved, he leaned his forehead against hers. He would have given anything to have had his lenses in so he could see her in color. He pressed his lips against her forehead, savoring her scent, then ensconced in his arms once again.

"Riddick, Eron br-."

"Stop. You can tell me how later. Right now, I don't fuckin' care."

"We thought.....we feared the worst after seeing the two of you fight. Eron couldn't go back out in time to watch before it ended. He went into the hallway, but didn't hear anything. He said he should've heard something either way it played out, just not deathly silence."

"It's over Jack. He's gone."

She took in a shuddered breath knowing the ramifications if he answered her question positively. "By your hand?"

"Yeah." He heard boots coming down the hall and met Eron's eyes, who had also heard them.

"I'll take care of it, but should they ask, what are your orders concerning this planet?"

"We're not destroyin' shit and I want these people off this planet."

As soon as he heard Eron speaking to the men in the hallway, he shut the door and escorted her to the sofa where they both sat. He didn't say another word, didn't touch her or look at her. Instead, his He gaze was aimed down, his body tense, and his hands were fisted. Something was bothering him and her instincts told her it was better not to ask. Then Riddick bent over, rubbing his head with his hands, which she knew wasn't the best sign. He rose and walked a few steps away and when he turned around his face was livid.

"Just what the FUCK did you think you were doin'?"

She jumped back in her seat when he roared. Then her mouth dropped open and she angrily sprung from the sofa and pushed him as hard as she could.

"You bastard! Saving your goddamn life, that's what I was doing!"

"I didn't need your help, Jack. I was doing just fine."

She snorted and walked around him. "Well it sure as hell didn't look like that from where I was standing. He had you! He was going to kill you!"

He turned around to face her and grabbed her upper arms. "What the fuck do you know? All you saw was his back!"