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

Ghosts of Our Past

She didn't go back into the house after the taxi pulled away. She stood there on the front doorstep and waited, looking in the direction of the port. It wasn't a long drive for them, and soon she would watch their ship lift off.

The minutes crawled and then she saw it, even heard the distinct sound of the Necro ship as it began its ascent. It was only then she allowed herself to cry. She didn't know why she tortured herself like this. It brought back the painful memories of watching Riddick's ship lift off the day after she turned fourteen. Somewhere deep inside, she had harbored hope he would change his mind and come back for her. But he didn't. For the second time, he'd left her behind for her own good, but to her, when her heart ached the way it did, nothing about this felt good.

She lay on the bed they had briefly shared and held his pillow to her face. His distinctive scent still lingered, which should've been comforting. Instead it made her insides twist painfully. She stood on her knees and threw the pillow across the room as she screamed in frustration. It collided harmlessly with the wall, even though she had been aiming for a nearby lamp.

"God dammit! I can't even break a fucking lamp!"

She got off the bed and marched over to the object of her frustration, but lost all desire to smash it. She glanced at the clock and it was past one in the morning. She had been lying there awake nearly four hours. Jack thought of her mother and realized she didn't want to be alone right now. She silently made her way into the house and up the stairs to her mother's room. She lifted her hand, poised to knock on her door, when she saw that it was cracked open and there was a faint glow of light.

"I wonder if she knew I'd come looking for her."

She slowly pushed it open and saw her mother's bedside light was still on and she was sitting up in bed reading.

"Jack." Kellan had not been surprised in the least to see her. "Come on in." She patted the bed next to her.

She didn't hesitate to accept her offer and plopped down on the bed. The minute she did, the tears started all over again. Kellan wrapped an arm around her and drew her in closer. The depth of Jack's sorrow almost brought tears to her mother's eyes. There were no further words exchanged between the two. This is what she needed. A comfort only a mother could give, which gave her enough peace to fall asleep.

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On board the Necropolis

"We'll meet first thing in the morning at eight sharp in my room before the general meeting at nine. That should give us enough time to go over what happened to Jack."

"And what happened to her in case someone asks us tonight?"

Riddick didn't blink an eye. "She's dead, Vaako. Killed in a car accident and leave it at that."

"What about the man you brought up here for questioning?"

"He was a witness to it, and I wanted answers. Is there anything else?" Both men shook their head. "Good. Eight sharp in my room."

Riddick took the quickest route, not bothering to exchange any pleasantries or even so much as spare an acknowledging glance. He paused at the door before opening it, knowing Jack's smiling face wouldn't be on the other side to greet him and he wouldn't have her warm, pliant form to wrap himself around. This trip was going to be hell in more ways than one.

Eron, on the other hand, was pleased to be back and headed straight for Shana's room. He had picked up a necklace that caught his eye in Aunt Dory's jewelry shop and couldn't wait to see it on her. He never made it to her room though. As he was about to cross the great hall to her living quarters, he heard his name being called. It was her.