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

Scents and Strong Sentiments

When Jack woke up, Riddick was already dressed and, from the looks of it, on his way out.

Stretching, she inquired mid-yawn,"What time is it?"

"Eight-thirty."

"Why didn't you wake me up?" He leaned down and kissed her neck.

"You still needed to catch up on your sleep, and you had a bad dream last night. You were tossin' around and talkin' in your sleep."

What in the hell did I say? "About what?" She was almost in a panic, but she kept control. He wasn't flipping out so she shouldn't either.

"Your dad it sounded like. Go back to sleep and get some rest."

"I can't," she complained, "I'm wide awake now." He sat down on the bed and his expression was serious.

"Vaako and I are gonna be extremely busy planning this recon and invasion."

She pursed her lips as if she was getting angry. "Translation: You're not going to be around much at all until this is all over."

"I know I said I wouldn't do this-."

"I'm not upset. This is different. I didn't want the inside politics of this place coming between us. This is something else entirely and it will be over soon. I can deal with it."

Something in her voice said she was about to lay a condition on it. "As long as...."

"I need Eron. If we're going to Earth within a week, it's the best place to let the people out that need to leave."

"Not a problem. What we're doin' ain't his field anyway. Bye." He ran his hand down her bare back as he kissed her neck again and quickly snatched it away before fisting his hand. "Don't look at me like that, I gotta get out of here."

"Like what? Like I love you?"

He smiled. He didn't go for all the mushy sentiment, so she wasn't constantly telling him how she felt, which was fine by him. She didn't need to anyway. He already knew. However, because he didn't hear it often, when she did say the words it killed him, but in the best possible way.

"I know that look and that ain't what I'm seein'."

His hand was on her back again. He pressed his fingers into her skin, then pulled it away and tugged off his shirt. "Thought you had to go, Riddick."

"Vaako can wait."

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Jack ended up falling back asleep, and would have probably slept until noon if it weren't for someone knocking at her door. She lazily opened one eye and read the clock. It was ten-thirty. The knock was growing louder.

"All right!" She got out of bed, grabbed a robe, and yawned her way to the door. She smelled food and her stomach growled.

The knock came again, this time followed by an insistent voice. "If you don't open this door, your food will get cold."

"Eron," she mumbled it to herself. "Keep your pants on, I'm coming." She turned the knob and pulled the door open.

"Took you long enough." A kitchen worker pushed the cart in for Eron, then took the cart from the previous evening out of her room.

"Don't you get snippy with me. I was asleep! Riddick sent you, I assume?" She prepared herself a plate of food and sat on the floor.

"Yes, and I quote, 'You can probably go get her lazy ass out of bed, but bring her food, so you won't get your head snapped off.'"