Disclaimer: see chapter 1.

A/N: One reviewer asked about their interactions. Oh, dear. I am so sorry! I guess in my head, they are kind of dancing around each other, which translated to physically avoiding each other somehow? Well, I aim to please, so here you are!

You don't talk very much, do you, Mr. Riddick?

Riddick's mind replayed the words of the concerned companion as he lay in bed.

We all love River dearly, and since you seem to have taken an interest in her, we merely wish to know more.

Damn protective people. Riddick had to remind himself that this was what being part of a pack entailed. Concern. People. Talking.

"We have no reason to distrust you yet, but no reason to assume the best scenario. Also," she added with a little levity, "River will most definitely know if you are lying."

Riddick chuckled at his memory of the companion. She wasn't much of a fighter, or animal like him and River, but she was smart. Smart enough to use her own tools to get her way.

He sighed out loud as he thought over his predicament. It's too soon, he repeated. Too soon. It's barely been over a year since he landed in this 'verse, and only five days on this boat with her, and here his past was giving him visions. River's body as she danced in the sheets with him. Gently rubbing a calloused hand over River's big belly. Little brown eyes with iridescent pupils smiling at him.

Riddick growled in frustration. Furia can just go fuck itself for all he cares about continued the damned race. It's too soon.

River sat looking at her wall. Her eyes had opened at the sudden thought that flowed into her mind. It wasn't her thought, no, it was someone else's. Unfortunately, it didn't take too much effort to deduce whose thought it was. It was spoken with an animalistic timbre and a slight twinge of hate. Riddick.

The one thought that reached her even then was, Too soon. It's too soon.

River's normal confusion over the mystery that was Riddick tripled with the almost mantra she heard. What does he mean by that?

His mind was tired yet held tightly together. Proximity. That would amplify her gift. Making the decision, she headed down to his bunk. River admitted to herself the slight doubt and fear that his being a part of Mother's pack was too soon. Settling down, even to this extent, was too much right now for the lone wolf.

She reached the guest quarters with barely a whisper of her bare feet against the metal floors. River heard him tossing and turning, mind continually repeating the phrase.

"What's too soon?" she asked innocently as she opened the sliding door.

He didn't move, but he did let out an aggravated sigh. "Not your business, girl."

River rolled her eyes as she stepped inside the room. Plopping on the opposite bunk, she smiled slightly, hoping to put him at ease with her relaxed scent.

"Can't sleep. Your thoughts are too loud, so you can't sleep either," she stuck her tongue out at him, attempting to introduce some levity.

Riddick chuckled, sending delicious vibrations along River's front. She nearly wanted to curl up into his chest to treasure those tingles they caused.

"How did talk with Inara go?" she desperately needed to know.

"Thought you were a reader," he joked.

River rolled her eyes. "Was busy. Little Zoe girl wanted to play, and her thoughts so loud. Lots of music and opinions."

He sighed again after the space had gone quiet. "What are you here for?" he asked seriously. Riddick's dark and deep tone surprised River.

"Now? On Mother? Or in existence? Multiple factors led to each."

At this, Riddick sat up in his bed. "Why do you exist, River? Why does anyone?" His moonshine eyes sought hers. The darkness that battled with the catches of light in those orbs made her heart stutter. She paused to realize that such a phenomena doesn't actually happen, it only feels as if it does because of the increased pulse due to arousal.

"Many theories. No one person can know for sure." Despite her reluctance to answer so, River felt she had to give such a vague statement. With what happened to her and what she had seen from Riddick's verse, the universe was not so quantifiable anymore.

Riddick nodded slightly. His stoicism easily covered any mental processing he was conducting. However, River's hypothesis about proximity proved correct. His mind flashed with images of a young girl, bald with imitation black goggles. She rarely smiled, but River could sense in Riddick a sense of fondness for the creature. River saw her again what looked to be like years later. Her long hair was held back and she wore a dark dress. "I'm always with you, Riddick," she said moments before her death.

River couldn't hold back anymore. She needed answers. "Who is she?" River nearly cringed at the obvious morose tone in her voice.

Riddick chuckled sightly, "Jealous?" At River's blush and shy glance, he held back. "Don't be. Saved her, tried to help her, and failed. A little too headstrong and worked too hard to keep up." His detached voice hid his heartbreak at her loss. River felt it even so.

"Working hard not a weakness," she couldn't help defend. Wash was a great man, but he had a strength in character different from Jayne's or Riddick's strength.

"No, but it can be. Work too hard for too long and everything is weak." Riddick sighed as he ran a hand down his face. Suddenly, River sensed his exhaustion. She heard him softly think, So tired of this game.

River held her breath as she examined him. She saw they weren't talking about the young girl anymore. "Why try if too hard?"

Riddick met her gaze as he steely answered, "Sometimes just trying is worth it."

River felt goosebumps run down her sides and arms.

Riddick nearly laughed in amusement at this woman. Nearly everything he did caused a domino reaction in her. He was tired, and he was trying, which he realized was extremely odd for him. However, there was something about this... woman, dancer, warrior, girl, reader, whatever she was, that called to him. She was his equal, and everything in him felt it.

After smelling faint hints of her arousal, Riddick chuckled again as he turned and laid down once more. Despite the brevity of their conversation, Riddick felt like he learned a lot from her.

She was most definitely, absolutely attracted to him. She just didn't know what to do with it. Apparently, neither did he.