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

Epilogue

Over the course of the next year...

Things around the Riddick household quickly returned to normal, then proceeded to become painfully quiet after Eron, Shana, Vaako, Anna, and Cherice moved out and into their own homes several months later. Shana and Eron soon married in the courtyard of their new home with Riddick and Jack by their sides. Two days later Riddick and Vaako left on a three week shipping run and that night Jack sat in the middle of her deathly quiet living room and wept. It didn't last long and she felt like a fool for doing it, but she missed having a house filled with people she loved. Randy was in the basement, but it wasn't the same, and it depressed her even further to know that one day he would leave, too.

Her one consolation was that Sophia had grown into a laughing, smiling, and extremely vocal baby. She didn't coo, gurgle, or babble like most infants. Instead she squealed and screamed, sometimes at the top of her lungs when she was really excited, and from time to time grunted, the last of which Jack completely blamed on Riddick.

Exactly thirteen days after his due date, Nicholas William Masters made his debut at eight pounds, fifteen ounces. Poor Eron hyperventilated while counting and passed out, but was revived in time for the last few pushes that brought his son into the world. And what a beautiful boy! Blond hair and blue eyes and, like his father, was constantly noisy.

After Nicholas' birth, all eyes were on Vaako who, unbelievably, got down on not one, but both knees and in public no less, to ask Anna to marry him. When asked what the delay was he had responded, "She wanted me to have a nice full head of hair for the pictures first."

Parting with the Mohawk had taken far more time than Anna had anticipated. Regardless, they were married a month later in the same courtyard where Eron and Shana tied the knot, which was when they announced they were already expecting their first child –a boy. And yes, Vaako took great pleasure in tormenting Riddick over that bit of news. Jack merely smiled and thought it was fitting. All of her men came in pairs, and now Sophia would have Eron and Vaako's sons, just as she had them.

Six months after Sophia was born, Grant proposed to her mother and she eagerly accepted. Grant, the man she already considered to be like a father to her, would have the official title of step-father, and she couldn't be more thrilled. Two days later, they left the twins with her for some supposed 'alone time', but flew to Chronus and eloped. Jack was crushed at first, but quickly forgave them. Getting even was much more fun anyway so she threw a huge party when they returned, thus ensuring anything but a quiet homecoming.

A month later, Vaako and Anna welcomed Raphael Vaako Silven. Nine pounds, five ounces, and twenty-one inches long.

Time passed quickly, except for when Riddick and Vaako were gone on runs and then it absolutely crawled, especially when the majority of their trips pushed three weeks. Granted they were home for long stretches, but it was still difficult. Anna would come and spend the night at Jack's house in her old room, which helped. It would seem being alone didn't suit either of them. And though they spoke to their men nightly, it was only like a band-aid, a temporary relief.

The reunions, however, were at least sweet and lasted...well, they lasted, and sometimes for more than a day depending on how long he was gone. For Jack, his absences were always too long , and sometimes she needed a little help to fill the void.

Unfortunately, Riddick found her 'help'.

"Jack!" Riddick began withdrawing objects from the bag he found under her side of the bed.

"Yeah? You need somethin'?" she called from the kitchen.

"Com'ere. I'm in the bedroom."

"Can't you come here? My hands are in raw meat."