::Her Perspective::

Words, seemingly endless break free of their chains and tangle through my mind. I'm being suffocated by this onslaught of emotion and…fear…of the unknown. Fearing that I may never see my world again. A place I've called my sanctuary. The oceans of my home will never be seen through these tired eyes. Not now anyway. Why did this have to happen? I was lonely yes, but I was content in my everyday mundane life. Now that's all been taken from me. Just for the sake of Love. Love…a word I'm beginning to despise.

I think I'm starting to become bitter. It's a weird feeling, and yet very familiar. Almost…dare I say it…comforting. I've had my share of the dark side. I know how dangerous my mind can get if I sink too far into the depths of my internal darkness. I've been like Riddick, oh man…I've been there. I've had that placid, unemotional expression on my face. It was my power, my mask of secrets. People, the ones I loved and called friend, started to become afraid of that mask. Because when they'd look at me, the face a stone cold reminder of the pain I had been through, they'd see something dancing behind my hardened gaze. There was a veil of chaos just behind the shimmering surface of my eyes.

If it wasn't for my friends…I would have ended up like Riddick… Or possibly worse.

But now I don't have them to fall back on. I no longer have my pack to bring me back from this madness my soul is becoming consumed by. It's a natural defense I picked up after years of countless bad relationships. People I thought I could trust, those same people that I would have given my life for… Abandoned, broken, and left me with nothing but a shadow of who I once was. Being so vulnerable…something decided to fill the void to save what was left of my shattered sanity.

It grew with each fading tear, strengthened with every pulse of resentment that streamed through my veins. I gave it purpose. When the last tear fell, anger and rage now the replacement for my broken innocence… It began breathing. It began thinking. In my broken state…I had brought life to the darkness inside of me. And it was hungry.

Overtime I learned how to control this newfound creature. Learned how to cage it…but was never able to tame its dangerous nature. It must have been a sleeping guardian, that had awakened at my most desperate hour. It's been quiet for some time… But I've felt the stirring, the slight movement somewhere deep within. I think…no, I'm pretty fuckin' positive it's woken up. And I have a strong feeling… She's Pissed.

::His Perspective::

Onyx is staring out the window, one of many in the main hull of my ship. She's been quiet for almost an hour since we broke orbit. For someone who's never been in a ship, let alone away from her home planet, she's shown an amazing resilience to the G's. Her body has never been through this before, or even close, and she's completely fine. She's showing signs of someone who's done this a thousand times over.

Johns has been shown to his quarters. I made a point to show him the same hospitality he's shown me time and time again. I wonder how he's holding up in his new cage? Heh…fuckin' pussy of a Merc has probably shit himself by now. I hope not, I don't want to have that smell lingering around for the rest of the trip home. I hate the fucker, and I intend to keep him locked up until I know what exactly those corporate bastards are up to. For all I know, he's just the bait. Well if that's true, which I'm guessing it is, they're about to find out why no one fucks with Richard B Riddick.

No One.

"Is it always this beautiful?" Her voice, so soft, so beautifully melodious in its reach my ears… I bet she can sing too. Haven't heard a woman sing in a long time. Wonder if she'd do that for me?

Onyx is standing in front a small window, just big enough to place both of my arms at either side, my fingers touching the edges. Her back is pressed against my chest. I take in a slow breath, her scent reminds me of an exotic aroma, the one that hits every pore right after a heavy rain in a jungle. "Mmm Beautiful." I drawl out in a long winded growl and watch the very fine hairs on the back her neck sway and stand on end. I crack a small smile as her right hand reaches up and rubs the excited area.

"I hate it when my body reacts to you." She says with a soft chuckle as her hand then touches the bun on the back her head and disappears back down her body. "It feels like electricity."

"Does it?" I purr, low and deep. My mouth inches away from her left ear. "Describe it to me…"

Leaning her head back on my chest she closes her eyes and begins speaking in the most sensual of voices. "Your presence reminds me of hot rain trickling all over my body. I can feel it reach places I never new I had nerve endings. It's warm and inviting. It tingles against my flesh and somehow burns just beneath my skin. I feel like there is a small current of energy in every drop, every small trickle dancing down my body. Filling me with warmth. Filling me with a sense of peace. A sense of being loved by the rain. Loved by you." She pauses and opens her eyes, looking up at my face. "Is that a good description?"

"Wow…" I'm amazed…That was so effortless… Damn if I didn't know any better I'd say she's a poet. "You put that beautifully. I've never been described like that before."

She turns her body so she can look up into my uncovered gaze. "You're serious?" I can only nod in reply as emotion begins to travel up my throat choking my words. "Jesus Riddick…" Her voice trails off as her small right hand touches my cheek. "Come here."

She gently coaxes my face down, both hands on either side of my face and brings my forehead to her lips. Soft…so unimaginably soft. She kisses the furrow starting in the middle of my brow, pauses, then kisses the bridge of my nose. At this point my arms have become too heavy and are at my sides, my hands gripping her shoulders. Slowly, she kisses the tip of my nose and then leaves a tender kiss on my lips as that old sting hits my eyes. I clench them shut, trying to block it out, but I fail and feel a single tear escape down my face.

"I Love You." She says in a whisper and places her forehead against mine.

I wrap my arms completely around her smaller frame and choke back my broken breath. "I Love You too." I say in a shaky voice, my chest tightening, my world caving in. But she's with me, holding me…keeping me from falling. The only thing stable in my life…the beacon of pure light in my pitch black existence. Her light doesn't burn my eyes, it accepts me, showers me in forgiveness. She is the Angel that has come from beyond the stars, reached into the darkest reaches of hell…and has saved my soul.

::Outside Perspective::

Riddick, with his massive arms wrapped possessively around her much smaller form, starts to tremble. Onyx holds onto him as his shaking becomes stronger until the choked sound of his silent tears overwhelm him. His knees buckle as his body collapses to the ground. His face is buried in her stomach as his arms clutch her waist. She bends over, and lays her head on his, her arms wrapped around his powerful shoulders. She can feel his silent sobbing, a release of years of pain…and finds herself sharing those tears.

Two broken souls…share a moment of understanding. Knowing that finally…they're no longer alone.

-End Chapter Ten-