"So what do we tell them about you?"

"Tell them Riddick died somewhere on that planet."

This conversation had been going through Riddick's brain over and over. The kid looked up to him, and he didn't know why. 'I'm no father figure.' He looked around the semi-lit skiff to make sure Jack was asleep. He needed to fix his leg, and there was no private compartments large enough for his use. He looked around and found the med kit, and gingerly stripped off his dirty slacks. As he examined the wound, he felt eyes on him. Looking up, his shined eyes met with Imam's wizened, tired, brown eyes, and acknowledged him with a grunt.

"That looks pretty bad." Imam commented.

"Yeah, well looks can be decieving." Riddick took the burner from the kit and began the slow process of melting his skin back together.

'This is nothing' he told himself, driving down the small part of him that was wary of pain. He let the part of him that desired pain overcome him. 'Shine was better than this.' He smirked in his dry humor. After he had finished his bandages, Riddick pulled back on his slacks, readjusted his goggles and leaned back to 'sleep'. He never really fully shut down, only part of his brain to recooperate the rest. Meanwhile, Imam said a silent prayer for his two unconventional traveling mates. 'Please Lord, let Riddick know you care.' He looked down at the little one, Jack, soundly sleeping on his lap. 'And let her be at peace with the world around her.' Slowly Imam let his eyes drop into a sound sleep.

Surprisingly, Jack was the first one to wake the next morning. Slowly she got up, as not to disturb the two sleeping men, and made her way into the small, clausterphobic bathroom and did her business. Then, since her true identity as a girl was out, she decided that she no longer needed the chest wraps she had been using. They were useless now. Jack also gave herself a long hard look in the mirror, and examined her stubbly hair. She thought about what had happed barely a day before. Zeke, Shazza, Paris, the boys, Fry, heck even the stranger and Johns. So much death in one day. So much death, it was uncomprehensible. She felt the tears well up in her eyes, but critisized them before they could fall. 'Not here. Not with Riddick, I'll be strong. I won't let him see me cry. I don't want to give him a reason to leave me. I can't let him show I'm weak.' As she left the bathroom, she noticed that Riddick had awakened, and was back in the cockpit. Complete darkness surrounded him, and only his glowing eyes gave his postion away.

Before Jack realized what she was doing, she was walking up there. To him. As she sat down in the co-piolet seat, her brain went into overdrive. ' What the HECK am i doing here??? Crap... to late to go back now...' She cast a nervous glance to Riddick who was gazing out at the stars.

"Hey."

Riddick turned away from the veiw and laid eyes on a very scared looking girl. "Look kid, I didn't make ya come up here. I didn't force you. Plus, I didn't take you from that planet just to kill ya here."

Jack gulped, but began to relax. "It's ok to talk to ya now, huh? So... where are we headed?"

Riddick looked down at the controls as though examining their position, and suddenly shifted in his seat, causing Jack to jump. "Jumpy kid. Skittish."

Laughing nervously, Jack began to get her trademark cockiness back. "Well, I've never actually had a conversation with an escaped convict slash murderer before."

Riddick began to laugh his deep, unseating laugh, "Skittish to guts. Thats good. We're gonna try to hit a merchant ship up for a ride."

"Won't they recongnize you? Sorry, but you don't blend in really well."

Chuckling "Yeah, not if they're from the skirts. Thats what mostly travel on this lane. So kid tell me, whats with the getup?"

Jack paused, thinking of how she wanted to word her explaintion. "Jack. J-A-C-K. And because...'cuz you can stand up to anything. Fearless..." 'Like i want to be.' Jack added to her thoughts.

Riddick seemed to be thinking this over. "Hmmm. Interesting. Very interesting."

Hey all, thanks so much for reading. This is my first fic ever, so please review so I know if I should continue with my story. Thank you!!!