Waking in the cabin Jack pulled the blankets up to her
chin shutting out the chill as she yawned and
stretched. Christmas morning. Her smiled was filled
with excited anticipation as she slowly worked her
way, inch by inch, from her bed. Over to the window
she padded. She watched as snow blew from the pitched
roof in light clouds, danced about for a moment and
then was whisked away on the sharp winter's breeze. In
the distance, the sun was just rising in oranges and
mauves over the mountainous peaks. She loved this
place, so quiet and solitary. A person could live
their life here and never see another human and die
happy for it. This had been their place for well over
a year now. Riddick had searched tirelessly for just
the right place to settle after their nightmarish
encounter on a distant world where creatures stalked
you in the darkness.

"Jack!" She heard the bellow from below and giggled.

"Yeah?" she called back, walking over to the small
bureau and staring into a small artificial world where
a Santa was sliding down a chimney as snow swirled on
liquid currents ... her snow globe. Lifting it she shook it roughly.

"There's something down here for ya," Riddick
continued to shout as if she were miles away instead
of just in the loft.

"I'll be down in a second," she called, giggling as
she lifted her flannel night shirt over her head,
tossed it aside and slithered into a pair of jeans and
an oversized sweater. Down the narrow stairs she flew,
excitement bubbling from every pore of her body.
Christmas, her favorite time of the year.

"You ready to see what's under that tree?" The deep
voice came from behind her, reaching out to her from
the darkened kitchen. She jumped in her surprised and
turned to see two glowing orbs shinning through the
blackness at her.

"Couldn't be more ready!" she replied, her eyes
sparkling with anticipation, like any other daughter
on that most special of mornings.

"Then lets get to it." He moved toward her, his hand
extended as he came into the only slightly more
illuminated den. There were two mugs held in his
hands, one he handed over to Jack.

"Ugh! I hate this stuff!" She sniffed the thick creamy
eggnog, wrinkling her nose in disgust.

"Not the way I make it, kid," he teased as he pulled a
silver flask from his fatigue-like pants and twisted
off the lid.

"What's that?" She stared curiously as he poured a
generous amount of the amber liquid into his cup.

"Rum," he simply said, a smile on his lips.

She watched with a hopeful stare as he began to recap
the flask, and then noticed her pointed gaze. "Don't
start expecting this." He shook his head slowly, as he
let a few drops flow into her cup.

"I won't. I swear." She turned leading the way to the
tree, noticing the blazing fire in the hearth across
the room. "You did?"

He nodded, pulling his goggles from another of his
pockets and slapping them in place. "Surprised?"

"Yeah. I just thought that...." She sighed, feeling
the warmth of not only the fire but the company weave
around her. "I should have known you'd make sure
everything was just perfect. A real old fashioned
Christmas."

"That's what I was shooting for, Jack. I know how
you've been missing this. How much you've wanted it."
He shrugged, trying to curtail his emotional rambling.

"You're the greatest. You know that?" She was near
tears but managed to contain them, knowing it would
make him uncomfortable.

He pointed toward the tree and the small stack of
brightly wrapped gifts. "Those must be yours."

"OH! Wait!" She turned and rushed back toward the
stairs. Up in her room she pulled a small package from
beneath her pillow and raced back to the den. She
knelt beside the tree where Riddick was already
perched on his heels, sorting through her gifts deciding which she
should open first. He handed over the first of a long
line and she tore into the wrapping, flinging it with
abandon, reveling in every second. Half an hour later
she sat in a pile of winter apparel that would have
her outfitted like a princess. But, by far her
favorite gift was the pair of ruby lensed goggles that
he'd given her, telling her she could get rid of the
ones she'd had since meeting him. She'd never tell him
but she could no more throw away those goggles than
leave him.

Riddick sat beside her, watching every change and
shift in her features, thinking how Christmas had
never mattered to him before this moment, before Jack.
He didn't, couldn't, say anything as he watched her
reach under her bulky sweater and withdraw a small
gift.

"This is for you, Riddick. I hope you like it," she
rushed, shoving it toward him. There was a real fear
in her that he wouldn't accept it but to her relief he
grasped it. She giggled as he turned it over and
over in his hand like he wasn't sure what to do with
it.

"OPEN IT!" she shouted.

"Settle down. I was gettin to it." He tossed her a
teasing frown.

Quickly the wrapping was discarded and he open the lid
of the black box that was left. Inside lay something
precious. It was a watch. Not just any watch, it was
Jack's father's watch. The only thing she had left of
him. A maritime pocket watch, a majestic looking
schooner cutting through the waves was emblazoned on
the front. Popping the small delicate latch he opened
it to meet the flawless tick of the mechanism. Then he
noticed it, opposite the watch face there was Jack's face,
much younger and much chubbier. He figured she must
have been four maybe five in the picture. Emotion
welled up in his throat causing his voice to be
overly deep and raw. "Jack, I can't........."

"Yeah, you can. I want you to have it, Riddick. It was
my father's and he said he always carried it to remind
him of just how many minutes it was until he could be
with me again. Maybe, you could think of me like that
some day." She smiled, twisting her hand nervously in
the loose weave of the sweater.

"Already do, Jack. All ready do." He looked back to
the watch tracing the little face there with his
thumb. "Hey, bet you thought we were done didn't ya?"
He asked as his smile filled his face. A smile that
Jack had seldom seen.

"Well....Ummm...Yeah, I guess I did," she answered,
confused.

"Come on, stand up," he told her pushing to his feet.
"Cover up those eyes, kid." Placing his hands on her
shoulders he guided her to the back of the cabin to
the atrium like room that seemed one big pane of
glass. "Keep 'em shut," he commanded, as he released
her shoulders and leaned in and whispered. "Ok, now."

Pulling her hands away from her eyes, she gasped,
looking between the object that seemed to barely fit
in the room and Riddick. "How'd you know?"

He shrugged. "You talk in your sleep."

"I DO NOT!" she giggled, feigning indignation.

She was just about to take a step toward her last and
most sentimental gift when she felt his hands on her
shoulders again. "Wha....."

He pointed upward to the sprig hanging above them,
mistletoe. "You REALLY are the greatest! I mean that,
Riddick!" She leaned up on tip toes and wound her arms
around his neck as he leaned in turning his cheek to
her. He was delivered a big wet kiss and she bounded
off. In the room, she whipped off the big flowing red
ribbon from the piano, running her hand lovingly over
the surface.

Riddick leaned against the door frame, arms crossed
over his chest watching her as she sat down and played
the first few notes of I'll Be Home for Christmas.
 

With the blink of an eye the vision was gone, loss and
loneliness and heartach followed. That was Jack's idea
of a perfect Christmas, a time with just her and
Riddick. But it would never be, not now, not with him
half a world away chained in a cell. A cell that
probably wasn't much different than hers. Jack rolled
away from the wall in her narrow bunk the bars of her
cell close enough to touch as tears ran unchecked down
her face.

"Merry Christmas, Riddick," she whispered.
 

**********

Fini