Chapter Four

Thick.

Wet.

Spice.

She felt herself being dragged into someplace, heard her sister calling her name but couldn't find the strength to open her eyes. She heard Riddick leave and thought, Did I put I trust in him foolishly?

Her instincts tell her that she didn't.

Thick.

Wet.

Spice.

She can see the man in her mind's eye, hear him slapping Jack around, Jack screaming for her. Remembers how she had jabbed her needle into him, into that place called the sweet spot...

He had been thick-skinned, his blood dripping onto her hands, and she remembered asking Jack the color of it, thinking it tasted like spices...

"He's not coming back, is he?" Jack asked someone and she thinks to herself, What a tangled web we weave, when we first think to deceive...

And then nothing.

Riddick cursed as he stared down at Fry, who said, "I would die for them, Riddick. I would. I would die for them. Just like you'd die for Amelia and you know it."

He stared at her for a moment and said, "Let's go."

She opened her eyes as Jack said, "Amelia? Amelia, answer me!"

"What," she managed after a moment. "What happened to me?"

"I suspect," Imam said. "It was a reaction to your breather being broken."

"I didn't even notice," she murmured as Jack helped her sit up. "I was...dreaming. I didn't..."

The sound of gravel shifting and she looked towards where air came as Jack said, "Never had a doubt."

She felt Riddick take her by the arms and obliged as he said, "Hold onto me. Don't let go."

She closed her eyes as they ran.

She felt herself being dropped and let out a pained cry. "Riddick!" she screamed as s she reached out blindly, hearing a scuffle. She could hear him breathing heavily and felt fear ripple down her spine. I won't die here, she thought to herself and managed to pull herself to her feet. Her fingers fumbled for her needles and she kept them in her hand as she heard Riddick let out a scream of pain.

"Riddick!" she cried again as she heard Fry call her name. She turned towards her and said, "I can't hear him Fry! I can't-"

A thump and she fell to the ground, reaching out to touch his face. Something wet hits her fingers and she whispered, "Oh, God. Riddick?"

A pained groan and she said, "Okay. Fry? Help me get him to the skiff."

"Right," Fry said and they each took an arm, pulling Riddick to his feet. Amelia clutched onto his belt tightly and said, "We'll make it. We're going to live. We are."

Suddenly, she stumbled and Riddick landed heavily on top of her. Fry screamed and Amelia felt a whistle of wind. And there was only rain and Riddick screaming at the sky, "Not for me! Not for me!"

"We need to go," she whispered, tears spilling down her face, keeping a tight grip on him. "Help me up. We need to get off here!"

He crawled, pained to his feet, and Amelia rose with him. She turned and looked around, her dark eyes flickering towards the sounds. The whispers were screaming but she ignored them as Riddick helped her, both of stumbling. He hauled her into the skiff, her fingers numb inside of his belt as the screeching behind them grew louder and she grunted as she heard a whistle of sound from the outside. "Amelia," Riddick ordered his voice far away. "Let go."

She obliged, blinking in confusion as she felt Jack hug her tightly as she listened to the other three talk rapidly. As Jack helped her sit down, strapping her in, she could hear Riddick closing the ramp. She opened her eyes slowly and stared at her sister, who said, "Fry?"

"She's gone," she whispered numbly and heard Jack let out a sob. She closed her eyes and said, "Riddick?"

"Yeah," he said and she could hear the pain. She held out her hands and felt him slide his in. She opened her eyes and said, "We can't leave yet."

"What?" Jack said alarmed and Imam frowned. Amelia inhaled shakily, remembering Fry's screams. "We can't leave," she said again as she tightened her grip on Riddick's fingers. "Without saying good night."

"All right," he rumbled. "Imam, Jack. Strap in."

She heard them moving and felt Riddick cup her face with his large hands. She let her fingers grip his wrists, lazily, and he said his voice low, "She said she'd die for you all."

She let a tear slide down her face. "She was a real hero, Riddick," she said softly. "Let's go home Richard."

His mouth slid over hers, harsh and demanding, filled with desperation. She let herself sink into him and then he pulled away. Her eyes closed as Jack said, "A lot of questions, whoever we run into. Could even be a merc ship. So what the hell do we tell them about you."

"Tell them" she spoke up. "Riddick's dead. He died somewhere on that planet." She opened her eyes as Riddick took off. "He died, like everyone else did."

Riddick said nothing but Amelia felt a large, warm hand take hers, felt her fingers become entwined.

And she knew what he tried to tell her.

End Part Four