Chapter 8

He'd unpacked their things, hung River's dress carefully on a hook, and eaten two meals before she even showed signs of stirring. In desperation he'd let Kaylee sit with her. The mechanic had been pacing back and forth in the hall above the bunk. He could smell how worried she was; it almost covered the scent of her affection for River. She'd brought girly supplies and magazines full of fashion pictures. So he'd tolerated the scent of nail polish polluting the air because his beautiful wife had been so delighted with the pretty dress. He figured she'd like more pretty things like polish on her toes and fingers.

So he'd taken measurements of her feet before Kaylee started on River's toes with the polish and he was working on a pair of moccasins for his wife. He didn't have any way of making them particularly beautiful. He took special care with the stitching and made sure they were soft inside. And when they were done River still wasn't awake.

Wash had knocked and asked if there was anything he could do. He'd brought a mug of steaming tea and his own worried scent. He hadn't stayed long, which was good because the bunk had started to feel a little crowded. But Riddick had heard him reporting to the rest of the crew that River was still asleep and being beautified and that her big husband looked worried as hell.

That was a little irritating. He hadn't thought he was so easy to read. But he supposed the frown on his face and the way he wouldn't leave his wife was a fairly obvious indicator of his concern. And from the whiffs of scent he was catching from the hallway above everyone was pretty worried about what he would do if River didn't wake up soon. That, he felt, was only fair. If something scared him then they damn well ought to be scared too.

Kaylee'd had to leave eventually and then the captain had come down. Riddick looked up in irritation and covered up his wife. He'd been measuring her for doeskin leggings and he wasn't keen to have Mal see his wife nude again, not in any form.

"You ain't really..." Mal looked at the deerskin laid out on the floor and the new moccasins next to River's overlarge boots. "Well I'll be damned. You really are makin' her clothes?"

"She needs something for hunting," Riddick grunted as he used a chalk stick to trace out the piece he'd need. "And if I don't keep busy I'll go nuts." He tilted his head and frowned slightly before he moved towards the bed again and pushed the quilt back. Measuring River's waist and hips with his hands was easy enough. Tucking the quilt back around her slender form he returned to the doeskin.

"You're usin' your hands to measure her," The Captain was leaning against the wall and watching him curiously.

"I didn't have a lot of tools when I was...marooned on a really inhospitable rock," Riddick shrugged as he altered the pattern piece. "I know how big my hands are. And I'm pretty certain I'll always have 'em with me." He worked in silence a little bit longer before he turned and looked at the Captain. "Why are you here Cap'n? You don't know me. You only barely know my wife."

"Girl was as crazy as I've ever seen a body," Reynolds said quietly. "She'd have screamin' fits. Throw things. But aside from that? River was sweet. Drove Jayne nuts with her 'girl's name' comments; that was always fun. She's...she was a girl. Needed protectin'. That's all I wanted. Give her a place to heal. Place to be safe. She loves this boat. Loves it like I do. Caught her a million times, wanderin' the halls, touchin' the metal. Just smilin' like she was home. Don't want her to lose that."

"Neither do I," Riddick said after a moment. "That's why I came aboard. Wasn't because I wanted to sail the Black. But I could tell, just from how she talked about you, about the crew, that she loves this boat. Loves this crew. Even loves her brother. It's why he's still alive." He frowned, grim purpose carving his face dark, "Well that and I might need him to tell me what he did. Might want him dead but he's more useful alive, at least as a doctor."

"I want you to know," The captain took a deep breath. "If it comes to that, I will put Simon off the boat before I'll cut you and River loose. She needs this boat a damn sight more than he does. I'm gonna tell him that in a minute. Wanted to let you know first."

"It's appreciated," Riddick looked at Reynolds and then at his sleeping wife. The Captain hadn't had to say that. Giving him some sort of idea of his commitment to River beyond their vows seemed equitable. "She changed me you know," He offered quietly. "Our vows... you make a promise it changes you if you actually mean it. I been nothing but angry all my life. My wife...she said I was the Honor of my people. Means something to me. Furya... I dunno if we'll ever find it. But she's Home for me now."

"Well you let us know when she wakes up. Kaylee's plannin' on makin' you two a weddin' supper," Mal half grinned. "That'll be worth wakin' up for little one so you just consider that all right?" He patted River's foot beneath the quilts and mounted the ladder again.

After that conversation Riddick had rolled up the doeskin and set it aside. He'd carefully tugged the long nightgown off of his wife and thrown it over a hook on the wall. His own clothing was tossed onto the floor in favor of climbing into the bed and holding River.

She was cooler to the touch than he liked but soon his skin was warming hers and he was trying to keep his breathing even. "You've got to wake up," He muttered and pressed his lips gently to her cheek and jaw. "You know I'm gonna go crazy soon. My wife...beautiful and so damn smart... you can't do this to me." He was starting to lose control, his voice rising a bit and he took a breath to try and calm down.

"Mmm... R'di'k," Her mumble was still half asleep but it was more than she'd said the whole day.

"River," He pinched her, not hard but just enough to get her attention. "Baby wake up. Damnit!"

"Wha'?" Her eyes fluttered open and then shut. "No pokin'."

"Son of a-" Riddick forced himself out of bed and pulled the hatch open to holler for Zoe or the Captain. Pulling on his pants was an afterthought though he did at least remember them. When Zoe came down the ladder Riddick pointed to his once again sleeping wife. "She woke up, she talked a little but she keeps going back to sleep."

"Uh huh," Zoe nodded and moved over to examine the smaller woman. "Naked. All right. Let's get the nightgown back on her. She's going to wake up the hard way."

"Shit," Riddick had the feeling he knew what that meant.

"And you might wanna put on something that isn't made of leather," Zoe suggested. "Cargo pants maybe."

"Shit," He dug through the drawers until he came up with a pair of them. He'd been wearing them when River married him. Well that made them the luckiest pair of pants he had. He jerked them on and ignored Zoe's blink of surprise when she caught him bare-assed. The night gown was easier the second time around though the First Mate gave him a strange look when she saw the little bruises and bite marks on River's pale skin. "All right," He gathered his wife up in his arms. "Go on. I'll be right behind you."

He'd been right. An ice cold shower was not the most pleasant of experiences. But River was definitely awake. Once she got a meal inside her she was better. Still tired from the sedative but at least she was talking and drinking on her own. Jayne had gone and grabbed the throw blanket from the lounge to wrap around River while Kaylee got them both clothing. She'd lent River a pair of her own pants since River didn't have many of her own. The sweater was the one River had worn when she'd married him. River was still shivering a bit but her eyes were clear.

Riddick grinned at her as River ate, "You're never getting rid of that sweater or that awful skirt." He told her. "And I'm keepin' these pants." She was sitting beside him, with his arm around her shoulders. He couldn't seem to let go of her, every time he tried, his arm refused to release her slender body from its embrace. Breathing in her scent and watching her sip at some water was the only way he could stay calm.

"Somethin' special about them?" Jayne wanted to know as he began to set the table. Inara came in and exclaimed happily to see River awake. She immediately began to bustle about and make hot tea for the two of them.

"Yeah," Riddick was so damn relieved River was awake. "I was wearin' these when River put that wreath on my head."

"Where is your tree hat anyway? Dunno what happened to mine, not that I care much either way," Mal commented as he entered the galley. "Good to see you with your eyes open little one. Had us all worried." The captain absently kissed the top of River's head as he passed.

"It's in the chest you carried up for us," Riddick shrugged. "Jacob's ma got it wrapped in some spare cloth."

"Kept it?" River's language had slipped a little. He guessed the drugs dulled her mind enough that she couldn't concentrate on grammar.

"Why wouldn't I?" Riddick looked down at her and smiled. Did she think he had beautiful women lining up to propose to him? No one in his life had ever offered that type of commitment. There was something he remembered hearing from a preacher a long time ago. About a woman worth more than rubies.

"Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies," River looked up at him, her eyes soft as she read his thoughts and replied to them. "The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil. She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life." – Proverbs 31:10-31:12

"Still woulda figured you for the type to love 'em an' leave 'em," Jayne's tone was curious though not intended to be disrespectful. "Get that you ain't gonna. Don' get me wrong. But if Saffron had done to me what she done to Mal…well…"

"Jayne believes in marriage but does not think a drunk marriage should count," River was burrowing into his warmth now and Riddick lifted her into his lap. "A cheap trick, akin to faking a pregnancy to entrap a man." Getting both arms around her and tucking her body into his relaxed the knot of tension he'd been carrying in his chest since he'd heard her cry his name for help. He took a deep breath and brushed his lips over her still slightly damp hair.

"That is low," Kaylee agreed from her spot by the stove. "Never understood that myself."

"That's why you're my fav'rit," Jayne told her with a grin. "Even if you are sweet enough to make my teeth ache."

"Could throw a wrench at ya," The mechanic told him cheerfully. "That'd sour you on me some."

"She has good aim," Zoe told Riddick as she grabbed glasses and filled them with water. "Don't mess with Kaylee while she's in the engine room. You'll end up seein' stars."

Riddick sat back and listened to the crew chattering and teasing each other and wondered how in the world River's brother had fit in to this group. He'd seen the three men united in their effort to bring River back to Serenity but apart from that, no one seemed to have much in common with the Core man. River and Kaylee seemed like good friends and the Captain doted on them both in his way.

"So, River, or should I call you Mrs. Riddick now?" Wash came down the hall from the bridge and gave Riddick's wife a teasing grin. "Maybe you could share with all of us why none of the men here were good enough to help you the way Rick could?"

Riddick looked down at his wife and her impish grin and smell of good humor warned him that this could be very amusing if he didn't lose his temper. "Dunno Wash," River drawled back at the pilot in his own accent. "Thought Zoe'd beat us both to death with her mare's leg or I'd 'ave made a play for you. Should I've taken my chances?"

The Pilot did a spit take of the water he'd been sipping just in time for Book to enter the galley. Sputtering his denial of any such intention, and looking frantically at his amused wife and the darkly grinning Riddick, Wash finally figured out River had been playing with him. "Oh hell, she's gonna be takin' the mickey out of all of us," He groaned in mock dismay and slumped in his chair.

Kaylee brought a pot of food over while Jayne carried a huge caldron of rice. "Does make me wonder, if it's 'cause Rick's Furyan," The curvy mechanic said as she sat down, Jayne right beside her.

Riddick watched as Mal began to dish up the meal Kaylee had created. Somehow she'd taken dried food vegetables, protein and spices and combined them into something that smelled wonderful. "I've been curious some on that myself," The Captain admitted. "Ain't that we aren't glad River's happy an' getting' to be sane."

"As sane as anyone on this boat ever is," Jayne put in wryly and got a roll of the eyes from his captain, along with grins of agreement from the longstanding crew.

"Yeah, barrin' that," Mal was forced to agree as his crew chuckled and smirked at him. "But if we'd known there was somethin' we could be doin' to help…"

"Needed the right time, the right environment, the right man," River murmured softly. "Told Richard there was another possibility but it was not perfect."

"Yeah?" Wash gulped down a mouthful. "Who? I mean what are the factors?"

Riddick sent the man a look that told him he might regret asking. Zoe just rolled her eyes, "Husband haven't you had enough?" The dark skinned woman could see River's expression just fine.

"Of all the men on the boat, one is married to God. One is married to the very impressive First Mate," River began listing the men on her fingers. "One is biologically related. Of the last two, one is non biologically related and the other… would possibly work but the likelihood of him accepting the match was almost nonexistent. Not a good enough reason to marry. Would be too worried about being swimming the Black minus a suit to touch her."

Riddick could see Mal trying to work out what she'd meant, "Okay, so Shepherd and Wash are out. Simon's out for obvious reasons." He shook his head. "I get that Jayne wouldn't touch you because he thinks I'd kill him and rightfully so. And at the risk of soundin'…well like the evil lecherous hump I was accused a being a few days back, what's wrong with me?"

The captain wasn't prepared for River's peals of laughter or for her to slip off Riddick's lap and attempt to kiss Mal soundly on the lips. The tall man fended her off with a very disturbed look on his face and, with Zoe's help, handed her back to Riddick with a sigh of relief. The sound was so heartfelt Riddick almost howled with laughter. "That is why," River couldn't stop giggling. "Could not marry my father! So could not marry my Daddy. Captain will not have me as a wife because sexin' his child is wrong."

"Non-biological relation," Book echoed her words with a chuckle. "Mal, she was saying you're her adopted father. Of course she couldn't marry you."

"Well thank the dear and fluffy lord for that," Reynolds relief was blatantly obvious. "Rather have her come at me with a butcher knife than lips with intent to kiss me."

River pouted at him, "Daddy doesn't think she's pretty?"

"Oh now you stop playin' with me," Mal pointed his chopsticks at her. "Or I'll really start actin' the Pa an' I'll turn you over my knee."

"Can't," River told him smugly from Riddick's lap. "That is her husband's job. But it is not a very effective punishment."

The effect of her words on the entire table was akin to a bomb going off. Wash turned red, Zoe smelt embarrassed even if she didn't show it. Mal gave a manly yelp of shock while Inara simply tilted her head in interest. Book pretended he hadn't heard a thing. Jayne was shifting uncomfortably, his neck slightly flushed but from his scent he was trying to control his urge to take care of something in his pants. Interestingly enough Kaylee was having the same reaction.

Kaylee was the only one ballsy enough to actually continue the topic, "I always wondered 'bout that." She ate some rice, "I got my pì gu (butt) paddled growin' up but it weren't no fun at all."

River leaned forward as if to discuss it but the Captain cut her off firmly, "Oh no. There'll be no talkin' on what you an' your husband do in your bunk. Not in mixed company. You an' Kaylee can have a girl party or somethin', talk all about it then."

Riddick tugged his wife back to his chest and growled teasingly down at her. "Gonna brag on me," He kissed her ear as he murmured into it. She shivered against him and nodded the scent of her desire heady in his nostrils. His hands tightened on her body possessively and he growled his pleasure against her neck. He needed to take her back to bed soon, to reassure the both of them that they were together. The animal side was still twitchy after what her brother had done.

"I got a question," Jayne spoke up after several minutes of eating and muttering of numbers under his breath. Something to control his blood from the sound of it. Riddick almost felt some sympathy for the man. "When you was proving that Mal's wife was up to no good, why'd you have Kaylee kiss Simon? I was standin' right next to her."

River tilted her head and smiled, "Several reasons." She looked at Kaylee, "Knew Kaylee was curious about kissing Simon. A good way to satisfy her curiosity without going through all the social drama of courting. Without hurting her heart since Simon is a boob with girls. Also because it wouldn't matter as much to Simon. Thinks Kaylee is pretty but his heart is not involved. And third," River shrugged, "Captain could catch Simon when he fell. Only one strong enough to catch you is Richard and his hands were busy caging Saffron. Did not wish to hurt your head. Jayne has been hit enough."

"Well I 'preciate that," Jayne muttered. He still smelt discontented and Riddick looked at him curiously and then at Kaylee. The senior gun hand looked up at Kaylee and gave her a lascivious grin, "So how was it? Kissin' the doc?"

Funnily enough the little mechanic didn't seem put off by the question or the manner in which he asked. "Eh," She shrugged. "It was all right. Could tell he was surprised. An' then he was just so… well mannered 'bout it."

Riddick chuckled and shook his head, "Figures." He pressed a kiss to his wife's head as he ate some more. Mal had seen how quickly both he and Jayne had emptied their bowls and refilled them without even missing a beat in the conversation.

"Guess River ain't polite from those marks I saw," Kaylee remarked with a lecherous grin of her own.

"If it's polite you ain't doin' it right," Jayne snorted and shook his head. "'Sides, that woman?" He nodded at River happily ensconced in Riddick's lap, "No disrespect meant. But that woman, way she carried on when she was nuts? Screamin' an' throwin' stuff an' dumpin' soup in my hair? That much energy? She's calmed down some, energy's gotta go somewhere. Surprised your back ain't bloody furrows."

"It is," Zoe said calmly and Kaylee nodded her agreement. "For all that Simon was goin' on about River bein' defiled, 'cause she's got some love bites an' such… He hasn't seen Riddick's back. Or the bite marks on his chest and shoulders." She looked at him, "You really need those cleaned out. Lotta germs in a human mouth. And back wounds are a bitch to keep clean, as bad as feet."

"I'll take care of it," River nodded. "Just can't go in the infirmary. Not for a while."

"Less you're dyin' I spect we can take care of anythin' you need in the bay or up here, even in the lounge if we gotta," The captain nodded his agreement. "Speakin' of the infirmary, I'd better go an' unstrap the doc." Riddick growled his displeasure at the thought of Simon Tam wandering free and Reynolds gave him a look that said plain as day to shut up.

When Riddick didn't say anything to follow up the growl Mal nodded. "Now River, he's under strict orders to leave you be. I'd appreciate if you'd not be alone in a room with him. I've had words with him about cornerin' you. You have free run of the ship. He don't. He ain't allowed past the galley unless it's an emergency an' I told him less he's eatin' I don't want him on this deck at all. No reason to be here really."

"I can recode the doors so they shut, won't let him past mid deck if he's alone," Kaylee offered.

"Let's wait on that until we know it's needful," Mal shook his head. "He's still crew, but so are River an' Rick. Best the doc learn that lesson. He knows he's on a short leash."

"Serve him right if you locked him in his room at night the way he tried to River," Jayne muttered and Riddick looked at him in surprise. "Hey, I know you think I wanted to sell her," The gun hand shook his head. "Bein' drunk I got no clue what was on my mind. But once she was used to the boat didn't seem like there was any harm in lettin' her wander. Keep the engine room and the bridge locked up. Weren't like there was anything she could hurt. Most irritatin' thing she did was sit an' stare when I was liftin'. Gorram creepifyin', them big eyes lookin' at me."

"Was admiring your muscles," River told him with a little smirk. Mal had gotten to the doorway and his 'gah!' of dismay echoed down the hall. "Very impressive. Made her reevaluate her criteria regarding what she found attractive in a male. But she did not like all the hair."

"Huh," Jayne grinned. "Wish I'd known. Might not a minded so much."

Riddick shifted slightly and flexed his hand on River's belly over the mark he'd given her. A low growl was starting in his chest despite his attempts to throttle back He did not care for Jayne's words or smile, not at all. Even less when he remembered every person here had seen his wife naked. She was his. His. There wasn't a woman in the 'Verse could compare to her. But he had to sit and face this man who'd been a possibility for River's husband, whom she'd admired, who'd seen her body and not kill the son of a bitch. His fingers were itching for his shivs suddenly.

His pretty little wife pushed her bowl away and turned in his lap to stare up at him solemnly. "My Riddick is perfection. My warrior. It is proved over and over on his body. Finds her husband's muscles vastly superior," Her soft murmur was sweet and husky with desire and for his ears alone. "Loves how he feels under her hands, smooth and strong. His body teaching her pleasure. Only his hands belong on her skin. Hers."

"Yeah," Riddick agreed. He was. He might act more possessive but he knew damn well his wife was his equal in that department. And being hers…well it made him feel better than anything had in a long time. He might not be as tall as Cobb but he knew he could beat the man in a fair fight or kill him in an unfair one.

"Jayne is a gun hand. But he is not Furyan. Not a warrior like my husband," River's fingers slid up his arms to caress his shoulders and neck before resting on his jaws. "Alpha Furyan, my Lord and Husband."

"Lady Wife," The words were dragged from some old part of his soul. Ancient words, lost to time and death. But if he was the last of Furya then she was his Lady. He pressed his lips to her forehead, to each cheek and then to her lips, as softly as he could. The Kiss of Peace it had been called. Embracing all sides of an individual. She pressed herself up so she was level with his face and her gentle mouth pressed to his forehead, his cheeks and then his mouth, a butterfly's kiss in its sweetness.

"Kiss of Peace, Acceptance and Promise," River whispered and it was as if she was the only one in the room. All he could see was her face, her eyes dark and filled with his future.

He would not bend her over the table and fuck her in front of her family and crew, Riddick told himself flatly. What they had just done was highly spiritual and should be celebrated privately later. Not immediately after the Kiss. He took a deep breath and kissed her again, keeping his mouth gentle on hers before she turned in his lap and leaned back against his chest.

"What…" Book had to stop and clear his throat. "What was that, if I may ask, it had the look of a ritual." Inara nodded her agreement. The other four were simply wide eyed.

He shrugged a bit uncomfortably and looked at River. From the look on her face, smug and amused he was stuck talking about it unless he wanted to ignore the crew. For a moment he considered that option but these people had waited and worried about River with him, he could throw them a bone. "Since I'm the last…got a bunch of, I guess you could call 'em racial memories, stuck in my head," Riddick explained. "Makes me act a little odd sometimes. It's why I need to take River hunting with me. Part of our way of life."

"The ways of your people won't be entirely lost," Inara sounded approving. "You're very fortunate."

"Richard was not…pleased that I had admired Jayne," River spoke idly. "Did not like that Jayne might have enjoyed her watching. Just as possessive as she is. Led to the Kiss."

"It's called the Kiss of Peace," Riddick shrugged. "It's complicated to explain." He shook his head, "A promise…" He really wasn't comfortable talking about this. Knowing, being sure, in his mind was one thing. Explaining it in detail to the crew was not something he was willing to do.

"A promise to accept each other as they are, faults, virtues, everything. Belief in each other, in the future forged together, can only be made with a whole heart given to the other and accepted," River continued when he couldn't think of the words. "Riddick carries the spirit of Furya within him. It is…implacable."

"What's implacable?" Mal asked. The captain was in the doorway and behind him was a slow moving Simon Tam.

Author's Note: Uh oh. Simon's back. Yeah…now Riddick really has to hold onto his temper. We'll see if he does well at that next time. Honestly I wouldn't blame him if he just gutted the man and read up on medical procedures himself.

I know we don't have anything from River's POV in this story and we won't. I didn't want to go over the same scenes from two points of view because it would feel redundant. But there will (eventually) be a companion piece to this story and it will be only from River's perspective. We'll get her reaction to seeing Riddick the first time, and how she feels about Simon dragging her into the infirmary nude and trying to perform medical procedures against her will.

I'm also planning to address the crew's (seeming) lack of reaction to Riddick's Wrath of Furya freaky blue light. So a lot of the gaps in this story will get fixed in that one. It won't be ready for a while, not until after this one is finished.

But there is a method to my madness.

Anyway, hope you enjoyed this bit. See you next week!

Chinese Translations:

pì gu – butt

Quote Sources:

Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies. The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil. She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life. – Proverbs 31:10-31:12