Disclaimer: I do not own Pitch Black, Riddick, or Harry Potter. I do however, own all of the HP books kin various incarnations, and have seen all of the movies for both series… so I do know what I'm doing, though they come and go as they please.

A/N:All right, this is another new chapter *wipes forehead* and I like it. I hope you will too.

To curious: I have Harry calling him Rick, and him thinking of himself as Riddick, simply because Harry wouldn't call him by his last name, and Richard is a little long for everyday use. I'm also trying to show their familiarity without overdoing it, and Harry has known him since Riddick was very young, though not since birth, even if Harry was on Furya at that time. It's how I see it in my head. Thanks for reading and reviewing!

Warnings: WILL BE SLASH. Also, Riddick is not as soft as you'd think (I changed it finally because I realized that it really does sound rude the other way) around Harry, and Harry is slightly OOC, though after having lived so long, don't you think you'd have changed a bit, too? Mature themes, violence, swearing, and some sex scenes (clearly marked, as the violence will be, for the squicked or faint of heart). Oh yeah, it's also slightly AU as to Riddick's history, being that he was in Ursa Minor before working for the Company.

Pairing: Harry/Riddick

Summary: If you could live forever, what would you live for? The question was asked of Harry when he was younger, much younger, and he might have found the answer. Question is, can he protect those he loves? And how will his relationship with the convict Riddick change the events that take place?

Chapter 5

(Riddick's POV)

He couldn't believe that Orion had let his last secret be known to 7 other people, well, 6, since obviously, his daughter had the talent as well. He watched as the others scrambled, putting things together to go back over to get the cells. Riddick himself could have pulled all four at full weight in a pinch, and he knew Orion was aware of that, but there must be a reason that the smaller man didn't want his superior strength and stamina to be common knowledge.

He watched as the rest of them crept carefully out of the cargo hold, keeping a hand on Orion's arm so that he wouldn't rush in, or rather, out, of the area. Johns roughly pulled them apart, and it took almost all of his control not to gut the man right there. Luckily, the holy man took charge of Orion, and so he didn't have to worry as much, but he still growled threateningly when Johns pushed him toward the opening, with only an order to 'check it out.'

He lifted the goggles and looked into the darkness, trying to catch small movements that would denote one of the creatures. He then turned to Johns. "Looks clear." Even as he said it, he heard Orion's voice in his head warning him to duck. He dropped even as the screeching creature streamed from a hidden pocket of total darkness. Johns was livid, and told him to look again. "Looks clear," he repeated with a grin, Orion's laughter ringing in his head. Once inside, he stood with Orion while the latter lightened the cells enough that even the youngest children could carry them if needed.

They put the cells into improvised carriers that were secured on each of the adults' backs that weren't leading. At least, they were supposed to be. But Johns had disappeared, and Orion dragged him back into the main room quickly enough, grumbling under his breath about no-good blondes. Once everyone was loaded up, Orion made clear containers and placed brightly colored 'witch-lights' into them, handing one to each person, except himself and Riddick. For them, they actually used technology, two flashlights strapped to each of their backs, one pointing up, and one pointing down. He noticed that Orion's eyes were still 'shined,' though he could tell their color shone through, which made for an interesting look on the slighter man.

When the others were completely ready, Riddick pushed the doors open and stepped outside. "We'll be running 10 paces in front of you, we want light at our backs, not in our faces. We have one speed. Mine."

"You sure your whore can keep up?" Johns asked snidely, and Riddick just closed his eyes. The idiot obviously thought that Orion couldn't hear anything at all, forgetting that the man was nearly made of magic, and could poke into any mind he wanted to. He just happened to be tapping into Riddick's and since the comment was directed to him, Harry immediately knew about it.

"You know, William," Orion said silkily, stepping into Johns' personal space. "One of the older children can easily carry your weight, and I happen to like your gauge. You are grating on what little nerves I have left. Call me a whore again and you shall see what happens when they shred entirely." Riddick just let his smirk grow as Johns' face turned an unnatural shade of green. "And there are more ways to hurt someone than physically, though you'll wish I had just ghosted you when I'm through; do you understand?"

"Threatening a law-man is punishable by prison-" the blonde man tried to stammer, but Orion ran a fingertip down his unshaven jaw.

"You're as much a law-man as I am, William. Less, actually." Orion cocked his head, and Johns tried to move away, only to find himself caged because Riddick had moved himself into position, ignoring Johns, but watching his mate work.

"Back off of me, I've got the big gauge." Johns' voice was stronger now, even with two dangerous men surrounding him.

"Do you now?" Orion purred, a smile curving his lips, making him look evil as Riddick disarmed the merc. "I think you're wrong on that."

"This is getting us nowhere but wasting light and energy," Carolyn broke in finally, and Riddick noticed the kids, all of them but especially the little girl, staring at Orion like he was a predator, and if they moved too much they'd be the prey. At Carolyn's words, however, Orion slid away from Johns without warning, pulling the gun from Riddick as he did. The gun was in two pieces in moments, both of them dropping to the ground. Riddick also slipped away; having not turned his lights on yet, he melted into the shadows surrounding them. Orion's manner completely changed in the next second, and he became the Orion everyone else had been presented with in a split-second. Riddick was concerned; the Harry he'd known was never so mercurial, even after Sigma 3 and Ribald S. Something must have happened to the man in the intervening years since they'd separated; something bad.

Part of him wanted to drag Orion into the dark and hide from everyone, monsters and humans alike, and reclaim what was his; a selfish thought, because right now, everyone was relying on the two of them to save them. Another, more foolish but cunning part of his mind wanted to throw the girl over his shoulder, and order Harry to take them to the ship immediately. But that would tax even Harry's reserves, because while fairy-lights, eye-shining, and masking the scent of blood were minor, little things, easy to maintain and control, taking them partway across an alien world in the dark was a whole different animal.

Orion smiled at him, that private smile that no one else usually saw, and he quirked a grin in return. They were going to get out of this. They had to. The moment was broken as he heard the cries of the creatures, and Orion's head snapped up, smile gone and eyes intent on the closest flock, the fierce hope and pure want in them made Riddick feel a little bit of that sway, and he marveled that Orion had been able to resist, especially when the taste he was getting was nowhere near the full-on slam that Orion had been dealing with since nightfall.

The others made motions of impatience and fear, so he got Orion's attention and began to move, listening to the others behind him as they began to follow. Less than 10 minutes into their trek, Paris dropped his light and it shattered, the light retracting into Orion. Cursing, the man dropped his cell to the ground and then dropped himself as one of the creatures swooped over him. Like the little weasel he was, he grabbed for one of the kids' lights, succeeding only in breaking another one. He was nearly crying by that point, whining that it wasn't fair, and then suddenly, he was gone.

With no warning, the one that had swooped him carried him off with a shriek, one that was answered by an angry Orion. Riddick was in awe as the smaller man shrieked in the same manner as the creatures, and then he dropped to the ground like a stone, his eyes abruptly losing their shine though the lights In their containers stayed lit. Riddick was at his side immediately, holding him as he hissed under his breath in a language that was near to, but not, the language of the monsters. Slowly, Orion's tensed form relaxed, and he stood again, breathing slightly heavy, but not from exertion, at least not physical.

'You ready?' Riddick sent cautiously, and Orion nodded, creating another light for Ali, who had been the one Paris had grabbed at. Sulieman, as the oldest of the children, and about Paris' size, took up the cell, nodding when he was asked if he could keep up. The run continued, and Riddick noticed that something was wrong. There was a canyon ahead, so he urged Orion to circle with him, giving him- no, them, time to think on what to do. The canyon was full of the creatures, and unless Orion could hold a shield of pure sunlight over the group, at least one of them would be lost.

Eventually Johns noticed their tracks crossing and brought it up to everyone else. When asked, Riddick commented truthfully that he had circled to think. Orion kept silent, staring fixedly at the ground, refusing to listen to or meet anyone's eyes. Riddick left him with the group, asking Imam to watch out for him, and Jack to hold his hand or something, and stepped off with Johns.

"We're not all gonna make it, you know," Johns said conversationally.

"You're just now realizing that? Smart man, Johns, you're a genius."

"8 of us left. I figure getting through the canyon and losing just 2 would be a feat."

"Not if I'm one of them."

"What if you were one in 6?" Riddick's thoughts were jumbled, but one word jumped out of them. 'Listen.'

"I'm listening." He made it sound intrigued, and Johns ate it up like the sick bastard he was.

"Battlefield doctors decided who lived or died; called it triage."

"Kept callin' it murder when I did it," Riddick remarked candidly. 'Learn,' his thoughts whispered, and he recognized that Harry was talking to him, but trying not to distract him.

"Either way I figure it's somethin' you can grab onto," Johns said, cocky smirk in place. Riddick already had an idea of how this was going to end up, but he let the man continue talking his way into a hole he couldn't escape. It really depended on who he chose as the bait.

"Get 'em at the start of the canyon?" he asked, prodding the man. "Sacrifice, leave 'em there?"

"Trawl it. You got extra cable on the sled. I figure we drag the body 40, 50 ft behind us-"

"Nice embellishment."

"I don't wanna feed them, just keep them off our scent." Riddick knew harry was monitoring this conversation closely, and so he just let it ride, letting his natural responses come into play, knowing that he'd be kept in check by his rather more emotional mate.

"So which ones caught your eye?" he asked, glancing back at the group, who was huddled together, following behind them as they spoke.

"Don't look. Jesus, you stupid or something?"

"Or something," Riddick replied, smirking. They continued to walk, and he was itchy at the merc being at his back, but with that fairy-light, that was the only place he could be without blinding him.

"All right, enough of this. You do the girl, and the little boy, I'll keep the others off of you." For a moment, Riddick thought he meant Carolyn, and then an angry growl ripped through the back of his mind and he realized that the man meant Jack, his mate's daughter, and for all intents and purposes on this little jaunt, his responsibility. the other little one was cute, too. "Not too big of a job for you, is it?" Riddick stopped and turned, facing him head on, looking him in the eyes.

"I'm just wondering if we don't need a bigger piece of bait." He saw the realization in Johns' eyes, seconds before the man lunged at him. He deftly parried the gun and knocked the light to the ground. Somehow, it only bounced, not breaking, and he grabbed the gun from Johns, trying to shoot him quickly. The man got a lucky shot in though, and dislocated his elbow, knocking the gun to the ground. Riddick threw his good fist into Johns' face, almost skewering him on sharp bones.

While Johns was busy pulling himself free, Riddick reset his elbow, popping it back into place. Johns was more wary of getting close in now, but when Riddick pulled the lights from his back and turned them off, the only thing left was the eery green glow of the light in its container, and they circled each other. Knives came out, and it became a viscious hand-to hand battle, ending with Riddick pinning Johns to the ground.

He stared down at the other man; in another life, the man would have made a fun playmate, but this was involving family, and that was the only sacred thing he had left. "One rule," he purred into the downed man's ear, before flipping away. "Stay in the light." Johns lunged for him and he spun around behind him. "Remember that moment," he said, slashing at the man's unprotected back. As if in prearranged signal, the light began to die, and he watched dispassionately as the man flailed for his gun.

"Shoulda never let me free, Johns," he taunted as he picked up his lights and began to back away, amused. "You were one brave fuck before, with you badge, and your gun. And the chains, and the bit. Billy BadAss. Now you're just meat," he finished as the light completely died, and he melted into the shadows. The only light left was the small flashlight on the gun, and Johns struggled to his feet, swinging the light around crazily, trying to catch sight of him. "Told you to ghost me," he whispered as he slipped completely away, moving far enough to watch the mayhem as Johns was summarily torn apart by the creatures, who had gone mad for his blood.

He made his way to the group, which was huddled together, Orion in the middle, trying to find their way back to the ship. He crept up, and smiled when Carolyn let out a cry of fright. He looked to all of them. "Back to the ship, huh? Huddle together until Orion's exhausted and the lights go out? 'Til you can't see what's eating you? That's the big plan?"

"Where is Johns?" Imam asked guardedly, and he looked at him sharply, but with amusement.

"Which half?"

"We're all gonna die out here!" Jack cried out from where she was touching Orion, who seemed to be deep in thought, or meditation.

"He went quick, which is the way we should all go, if we get a choice." The girl was tearing up, and he stepped closer to her. "Don't you cry for Johns; don't you dare," he said hotly, before gathering Orion into his arms and walking back to where Johns' cell lay abandoned on the ground. He quickly strapped it to himself and returned to the group. They began to walk again, and this time it was all of the adults that were left, and Sulieman, surrounding Jack, Hassan, and Ali. Riddick went ahead, eventually putting Orion down after having brought him back to himself.

"Should we not pray?" Imam asked from his place, and Riddick stopped stock still. "It is painless."

"It's pointless."

"I know you do not believe-" Riddick cut him off, turning to face the rest of the group. Orion was behind him, eyes shining. They had had this conversation before, regarding religion, and the argument had been made already, so his answer, at least to Orion, was already known.

"You think someone can spend half their life in slams, with a horse bit in their mouth and not believe? You think someone can start out in a liquor store trash bin with their birth cord wrapped around their neck and not believe? Got it all wrong, Father; I absolutely believe in God. And I absolutely hate the fucker." Orion began to snicker behind him, and Imam's face betrayed his uneasiness at being so close to one who abhorred the very being he took direction and succor from.

"He is with us, nonetheless," the man finally said, rejoining his sons. Riddick turned and continued to lead the group, telling them not to stop for anything and keep the children close. He then began to sprint through the canyon, Orion at his side, though he could feel that the other man was tiring; the strain of trying to keep himself human and keep up the lights and protections that he'd set was telling on him.

"Hang on, Hunter," he said quietly, using the nickname he'd given the man years before in the Sweepers. "We'll get through this. For us."

"For Kyra," Orion gritted out, and a new life seemed to fill him. For the first time since he'd gone catatonic, Riddick really felt that they would get through this alive.

A/N2: So one more chapter of this one, and then it's on to the sequel, set between PB and CoR. I've gotta figure out what to do from here, because Crematoria and the Necros will also be a part of it, but the whole thing will have to come about differently.

Thanks for continuing to read my pathetic attempt at inserting HP into PB, and I hope you've enjoyed this installment.

-Ta!