Hello all how are ya'll doing? Good I hope. Not much to say this time so I'll continue on.

Chapter 13: What Really Matters

As I watched Johns throw Fry to the ground, I winced. I knew I should do something, I WANTED to do something, to shove the flare Johns just lit, up his pompous ass. But I couldn't; Riddick was holding me like he knew I was going to do something. I sighed in defeat and made to help Fry up but Imam got to her first and at the same time Riddick turned, pulling me with him.

We walked in silence at the front of the pack for a while, a good ten minutes before Johns's heavy footfalls disturbed my thoughts.

"Ain't all of us going to make it." Johns fell in step beside me and gave me a look, making sure I knew who he thought was going to die.

"Just realized that?" Riddick shifted me to the other side of his body, not even looking at Johns.

"Six of us left. If we could get through that canyon and lose just one, that'd be quite a feat, huh?" Johns eyed me once more before Riddick answered him.

"Not if I'm the one."

"Well what if you're one of five."

Riddick nudged me towards the others, who were traveling 10 feet behind us. "I'm listening…"

"Riddick, I…" Johns eyed me as Riddick smirked wickedly at him and I rethought my words.

"Go Shay…" and I left the man I loved with the lowest form of life in the universe.

They jumped as I approached them, "Shay what's going on?" Fry looked at me.

I shuddered; I knew what was going on, I heard the words as I left. Johns wanted to kill Jack... Riddick wouldn't. Would he? No, I wouldn't lose faith in him now; he wouldn't let Johns push him around. I sighed, shook my head at Fry and went to stand beside Jack.

"Don't worry 'bout it…" I moved to clap Jack on the shoulder but I heard Johns's gauge go off and I bolted for Riddick. I knew I shouldn't have left… I felt an arm around my stomach as Fry yelled for us to move in the opposite direction. I vaguely felt my feet leave the ground as Imam threw me over his shoulder. I could feel the blood in my ears and the strain of my throat, but it didn't matter, Riddick might be on the ground over there, staring down John's rifle, looking at his death and the fucking Chrislam had the nerve to throw me over his fucking shoulder.

After a while, I just gave up struggling, for all I knew my sobs were audible, but why should I care? I turned my head as Fry yelped but I let my head fall back down.

"Back to the ship huh?" I knew that voice; I started to struggle again. "Let her down Holy Man…" Riddick's voice sounded dangerous as Imam let me down and I stared at him in shock as Fry confronted him.

Fry looked shocked, "Get out of our way, Riddick."

"So everyone just huddles together until the lights burn out? Until you can't see what's eating you? Is that the big plan?" Riddick growled out sarcastically.

"Where's Mr. Johns?" Imam gasped out.

"Which half?" Riddick shot back and I shuddered.

"We're gonna lose everyone out here." Jack sniffed and Riddick's head snapped over to her.

"He died fast. And if we got any choice that's the way we should all go out." He circled behind her, squinting from her torch, "Don't you cry for Johns don't you dare."

The second the words left his mouth, Riddick was moving towards me and I flew into his arms. The survivors just stared at me as I embraced the man they considered dangerous, the man they called a murder.

Eventually I let go of him and we continued our journey, we walked for about a half a hour before Riddick called for a break.

I hadn't realized I had stopped moving until I heard Riddick call to me. I looked over at him and then down at his outstretched hand. I tried to smile, but I was so tried, so I simply walked into his open arms.

He led me over to a series of skeletons and I sat down as he made his way over to what looked like a skeleton of the predator in the dark. I must have been dosing off because the next thing I knew my cheek was against Riddick's thigh and I could see his hands moving jerkily, tying something.

"Just because you do not believe in God, does not mean God does not believe in you…" the pilgrim's voice filtered over my ears.

"You think someone can spend half their life in a slam with a horse bit in their mouth and not believe? You think he can start out in some liquor store trash bin, with an umbilical wrapped around his neck and not believe," He paused and I wrapped a hand around his arm, " You got it all wrong holy man, I absolutely believe in God and I absolutely hate him." (Yes I know I edited this… I couldn't bring my self to type it… sorry)

Imam looked surprised but he defiantly added, "He is with us nonetheless."

"Two of your boys are already dead. How much faith do you have left father?" Riddick taunted up at him. I almost felt bad but in the back of my mind, but the anger at Imam hadn't yet dissolved and I found myself at odds… In the end, I sided with Riddick just like always.

Imam took his liquor lamp with him and we were left in the dark, Riddick finished tying the cells together and I just stared into the darkness too emotionally tired to think or be scared or anything like that.

"What's wrong?"

I looked up knowing I would only be able to see Riddick's eyes and shrugged, "I'm tired."

"Sleep," he ordered and I felt his hand on my shoulder.

"Can't."

"Why not?"

"I don't know…" I yawned against his leg.

"Scared?"

"Probably… emotionally drained more like," I smiled up at him and yawned again.

"It's been a long night…"

I raised an eyebrow at this, "Small talk Riddick? It really has been a long night."

I flinched waiting for him to pinch me, poke me, punch me in the shoulder, anything but the pain never came. I looked up at him, and even though I couldn't see him, with just the look in his eyes I could imagine what his expression must be like. I could only find one word: tired.

I felt my heart soften at this and I tried to stand up as best as I could in the dark without falling over. I felt his hands on my hips and then I felt my hip collide softly with his knee and then my other with his inner thigh.

I tried my best to smile but there was this sudden tension in the air. I saw Riddick's eyes swivel for mine, and then shoot down as he looked at my feet. I closed my eyes knowing they weren't much good at the moment and I suddenly felt this heavy, breathing wait on my chest. I was confused, I knew to whom the mass belonged to but I didn't understand why his head was there in the first place, then I heard Riddick murmur something and the deep vibrations of his voice reverberated through my whole body.

"I don't think they're going to make it."

"What?"

"The others: Fry, Imam… Jack."

"Why?"

"Because when it all comes down to it, they don't matter."

"You're kidding me." I smiled despite myself, I knew he wasn't kidding. He looked up into my eyes and even though his face was nothing but a hazy shadow; I knew that look, "They are not staying on this hell-hole Riddick…" I looked down at my hands, "I can't live with that… that weight on my shoulders."

"Shay, if I have to, I will leave here them to keep you alive."

"I know you will but I- I can't let you do that…"

Riddick's POV

"Shay…" I reached up and held her face in my hands… she was crying. I smiled at her and opened my mouth to say something but she cut me off.

"Don't give up on them just yet… they're stronger than I am." She smiled bitterly.

"I don't care Shay, you're all that matters and I'm not leaving you here, even if it means they're going to die."

I watched as she grinded her teeth, "I will not let you leave the only people to ever see as anything more than your whore on this fucking planet."

I sighed and stood up, she couldn't see me but she backed up a step and without thinking I pulled her to me and kissed her.

Shay's POV

He kissed just like that. I was shocked to say the least, almost too shocked to respond… almost. When we separated, I sunk against his chest, he wrapped those massive arms around me. I breathed heavily against his shoulder for a minute or two before I caught my breath and cleared my head.

"Why'd you do that?" I breathed against his shoulder, he shrugged and I almost grinned as the muscle rippled against my cheek. I opened my mouth to say something but I was interrupted by Riddick's flinch as the other survivors came toward us ready to move on.

I'm sorry I'm so late, I had a play and most nights I didn't get home 'til late. Then I had trouble making this chapter believable… Late is better than Never, right?