A/N: Usual disclaimer…don't own Riddick. Hope everyone had wonderful holidays! The next chapter is the last one! We're about done, guys and gals. I posted this chapter twice, so sorry if you get another notification for it. I didn't like how I ended it and after starting on the next chapter, I realized it wouldn't work out how I wanted it to, so here you go. This one is the longest yet, but it had to be done.

Chapter 8

The two men were temporarily still, assessing each other. Even in my biased position, I'd put my money on Riddick – his rage was almost tangible. I sucked in a sharp breath when he made the first move, the deadly dance beginning. Knowing I couldn't do anything to help, I reluctantly tore my eyes away from the fight and scooted over to Imam, shaking his shoulder. "Imam, wake up!"

He groaned, slowly regaining consciousness. Satisfied that he was up, I glanced at Jack's still form and decided to leave her for now. Knowing her tendency to rush into things, I figured having her awake wouldn't be the best of ideas.

"What's going on?" Imam hissed, crawling over to crouch beside me. "What happened to you?"

Watching the fight in my peripheral vision, I gave the holy man a quick rundown of what happened and didn't protest when he took my hand away from my neck to inspect the wound.

"It isn't very deep," he whispered, "might scar, might not. I don't think you'll need stiches."

I closed my eyes in relief and put my hand back on the wound to keep the blood at bay, even though the movement made it sting like a bitch. A dull thud and groan snapped my eyes back open to see what was happening. The two men were moving in a blur, their attacks so fast I could barely keep up with who was hitting who. Junner was closely matched with Riddick in skill and I knew if he won we were all dead. Come on, Riddick, I encouraged silently, nervously biting the nails on my other hand.

I gasped when the two men ended up in a locked position, Junner breaking it with a kick that sent Riddick's shiv flying out of his hand. The convict wasted no time in retaliating, Junner's sword skittering across the floor a few seconds later, the both of them brutally going all out with their fists and bodies. I winced when Junner landed a good kick that sent Riddick crashing into a pile of crates. I reached out to grab my forgotten knife until Junner picked up his sword and pointed it in my direction, shaking his head. "Tsk, tsk."

I retracted my hand and watched helplessly as the tall man advanced on the fallen convict, my breath catching as he took a swing. Riddick rolled out of the way just in time, grabbing a thick cable laying on the ground and flipping a loop around Junner's neck, the muscles in his arms bulging as he tightened the makeshift noose. I felt a grim satisfaction watching the asshole choke, Riddick pulling the cable even tighter. In a sudden move, Junner brought his sword up and through the cable, plunging the room into darkness. Not daring to make a noise so as not to distract Riddick, I strained my ears. All I could hear was ragged breathing, then a sudden crunch.

"Aghhhhhh!"

Falling onto my ass in surprise, I grabbed blindly for Imam's arm at the bone chilling scream, not knowing who had gone down and fearing the worst. Please, please, please….not Riddick. A low hum filled the room followed by red emergency lights, just in time for us to see Junner's lifeless body hit the floor, Riddick's shiv buried in his eye.

"I told you that was coming," Riddick muttered to the dead man, his goggles perched atop his head. I felt tears of relief and who knows what else prick my eyes as Imam rose to his feet, then helped me to mine. Guess we'd be living another day. The convict snapped his head in our direction, his shined eyes zeroing in on me. The intensity in them almost made me take a step back, especially when he purposefully started striding my way. He looked like tired and was holding his one arm like it was injured, but as soon as he got close enough, his large hand grasped my chin and gently tilted my head up, the other hand removing mine from the wound.

"Imam said it wasn't too bad," I offered quietly, the holy man silent somewhere to my right. Riddick's uncovered eyes flicked to mine before going back to my neck, rough fingers gently probing. I hissed, tears of pain gathering in my eyes.

"With your skin, it's going to scar," he murmured. I wanted to be disappointed, but couldn't bring myself to really care. I was lucky to be alive, fuck some scar. I'd deal. "It isn't deep enough for stiches, but the bleeding needs to stop before we can glue it."

"I've been trying to keep some pressure on it," I said as he let go of my chin and started to take of his tank. "Wait, what are you doing?"

Are you seriously complaining about having a shirtless Riddick right smack in front of you Eris? I ignored my subconscious and watched as the convict ripped his tank into two long pieces. He slung one over his shoulder before motioning for me to pull my hair up. I obeyed, trying to keep my movements as still as possible – any sudden movement felt like fire at my throat. Trying to ignore his beautiful upper body, my breath hitched when he leaned in and began to quickly wrap my neck. His large body completely dwarfed mine and I involuntarily shuddered when his fingers grazed the back of my neck. He paused, then continued wrapping, tucking the loose piece under the last layer. How can such a rough man be so gentle? I wondered in awe as he stepped back, staring at me as I let my hair tumble down.

The moment was broken by a suspicious sounding cough from Imam. We looked over to see him cradling a still unconscious Jack in his arms. I hurried over to his side, gently patting the young girl's face, slightly worried when she didn't stir.

"Where are you going?" Imam asked, making me glance up. Riddick was walking over to the closest shuttle, holding onto his arm again.

"Gonna prep this ship and get off this heap," came his gravelly reply.

"So we can escape?" Imam asked, putting emphasis on the 'we' part. I sent him a look that he ignored. Riddick motioned with his bad arm and Imam brightened, making me chuckle. Jack started to stir, so I helped Imam prop her up while Riddick opened the door. "It is over. We have survived."

The holy man and I shared a smile, then we heard something I had hoped to never, ever hear again. I quickly turned to the ship as the hangar echoed with a feminine cackle. Chillingsworth, looking totally unglued and more insane than usual, stood with a gun levelled at Riddick.

"Back to hell with you, you bloody stinking savage!" she screeched, finger moving onto the trigger.

Before I could think, I was in motion, a small explosion going off close to my head as I tackled the woman to the ground. A cry escaped my throat from the pain at the sudden movement, but my focus was quickly redirected to the woman beneath me, who was clawing at me like a rabid animal.

"And you!" she shrieked, her long nails trying to find a spot to dig in, "You could have been beautiful! Forever!"

"Fuck you bitch!" I snarled, maneuvering so I was straddling her stomach, my fist connecting with her face again and again. Adrenaline pumping, I managed a number of good hits – she was really going to need some surgery after this – before her flailing nails finally succeeded in sinking a hit, right into the wound on my neck. Screaming in pain, I rolled off of her, my hands automatically covering my neck where I felt warm liquid seep through Riddick's makeshift bandage. Even with her face completely tore up, Chillingsworth wasted no time in rising to her knees, her gun aimed at me. I closed my eyes. This is it.

The gun went off and I swear time stopped. Everything seemed amplified…my heart beat, my harsh breathing…was I dead? I cracked one eye open and sighed in relief. I was still alive.

"Eris!"

My eyes focused on Imam's horrified gaze, then slid over to Jack's trembling form, holding Junner's smoking gun. I didn't even look to see what was left of Chillingsworth.

"I'm-" I started, before Jack shakily interrupted. "Yeah, we made it."

"Awfully uncivilized thing you did there, Jack," Riddick rumbled close to my ear. An arm under my shoulders, then my legs, before I felt myself lifted into the air.

"I can walk, you know," I grumbled halfheartedly, remembering Riddick's injured arm. His reply was a classic grunt as we boarded the ship, Imam and Jack following.

Smoothly setting me onto the bench behind the captain's chair, Riddick then moved into his seat and started the ship while Imam shut the door. Jack sat down beside me and I gathered her into a hug, Junner's gun clattering to the floor. "Thank you," I whispered, kissing the top of her head and then laying my cheek on her hair. She didn't reply, just hugged me tighter.

I kept my eyes closed as the ship took off and we left the Kubla Khan behind us. We were alive. I opened my eyes as Jack pulled away and wrapped her arms around her middle. "Hey, you okay?" She nodded, her body sagging slightly. I gingerly stood and walked over to a wall of metal drawers, opening each one until I found what I was looking for.

"Here," I said, returning to the bench and crouching beside it, a pillow and blanket in my hands. Jack sent me a small smile before taking the pillow and laying down, her head nuzzling the fabric in a cat-like motion. Hiding my grin, I stood up and unfolded the blanket, draping the cloth over her body and pulling the end up to her chin.

"Eris?" she asked softly, peering at me over the blanket's edge. "C-can I have the gun?"

I felt the grin slide off my face and quickly schooled my expression into one of forced calm. In all honesty, I was more than a little concerned with her reaction to killing someone, or lack thereof. My first time had me an emotional wreck and physically ill, even though it was done in self-defense…Jack was upset, I knew, but her apathetic attitude worried me, a lot. A quick glance at Imam, who had sat on the bench across from us, showed that his eyes mirrored my train of thought.

"I guess so," I replied hesitantly, picking up the weapon off the floor and handing it to the girl. It disappeared underneath the blanket and Jack closed her eyes with a sigh. I exchanged a wary look with Imam, then moved back over to the shelves, this time gathering medical supplies for my neck and whatever injuries Riddick might've sustained. I found some wipes and set to work thoroughly scrubbing the dried blood off my hands.

"Imam, take control," the convict instructed and I wondered how he knew what I had been doing, when he hadn't even turned around. Man must have eyes in the back of his damn head. Imam and Riddick switched spots, the larger man approaching the table where I had laid out all the supplies.

"What happened to your arm?" I asked when he stopped beside me, surveying the spread.

"Asshole landed a good kick," he answered vaguely, grabbing a bottle of antiseptic and a couple of gauze pads. "It'll heal in a few days."

"Right," I said, eyeing the bottle dubiously. "That's going to sting like a sonofabitch, isn't it?"

"Yep."

"Great," I grumbled, perching on the table and lifting my chin to give him access to my neck. I just rolled with him playing doctor and didn't ask why, not sure if I wanted to know the answer. Things between us had seemingly shifted once again and I wasn't sure what to make of it. I had just saved his life, so maybe this was just his way of saying thank you. Quit overthinking shit, woman.

The convict stepped in-between my legs and started unwrapping my pseudo bandage, tugging gently where it was stuck to my skin from dried blood. I lifted my hair off my neck to get it out of his way, wincing at each tug. He said I wouldn't need stiches, but that was before Chillingsworth clawed me and I was keeping my fingers crossed that his prior diagnosis was the same.

The ship was silent as Riddick reached for a small bottle of water, uncapping it and splashing it against the cloth. "Last layer, don't wanna rip the skin off," he explained, some of the water dribbling down my neck and in-between my breasts. I stared at a random point over his shoulder, gritting my teeth as he peeled away the last of his tank and tossed it onto the table. "You're lucky. She got the edge. No stitches."

I closed my eyes in relief, then quickly opened them when I felt Riddick's warm – and still bare – chest press up against my front as he reached over me to grab something off the table. My breath caught and our gazes met, his shined eyes boring into mine. He withdrew, a small tube in his hand. "What is that?"

"Medical glue," he replied, placing it on my leg and opening the antiseptic. He ripped open the gauze pads with his teeth, spitting the small pieces of plastic onto the floor. "Get ready."

I braced myself as he poured the antiseptic over the pads and placed them on my neck, almost squealing from the cold and sudden sting. Without thinking, my hands came up to grab his sides, my nails digging into the skin as I bit my lip to keep from screaming. Call me a pussy, but the cleanser hurt almost as bad as Chillingsworth scraping me. "Fuck!" I hissed, digging my nails further into his sides as he cleaned the edges. I felt his body shudder and inwardly grinned over the pain. Ha. At least I knew I wasn't the only one affected in whatever the hell it was we had going on.

"Don't move," Riddick ordered, dropping the bloody gauze onto the table and picking up the tube that still rested on my leg. I obeyed, keeping perfectly still as he applied the glue, his fingers holding the skin together. "This will probably have to be reapplied in a day or so, depending on how still you stay."

I snorted at that, one corner of his lip curling upwards. He capped the tube, and then wrapped my neck in proper gauze bandages, finishing it off with medical tape. "Thanks," I said softly, and then realizing that I was still holding onto him, let my hands drop into my lap. My eyes darted down to his sides and I felt them widen when I saw the red crescent shapes my nails had left in his skin. "Oh, shit, I'm so sorry!"

Riddick chuckled and placed both arms on either side of me, effectively trapping me. "Don't be," he purred.

I swallowed, his eyes piercing mine. I felt the familiar warmth pool in my lower abdomen and tried not to fidget. Before I could blink, his lips were on my mine, one of his hands coming up to lightly grab the back of my neck and hold me still. I placed my hands on his chest, my nails gently scraping the skin, Riddick releasing a low growl of pleasure. I felt the rumble as his chest pressed against mine, the table at a perfect height for our bodies to align and make up the height difference, though my head still only reached his chin. This is amazing, I thought dazedly, his teeth scraping over my lower lip. I whimpered into his mouth as whatever space had been between us vanished, his arm wrapping around me and pulling me flush against him.

A loud snore ripped through the silence, both of us jerking in surprise. Jack shifted on the bench and mumbled something unintelligible, causing me to smile. Riddick dropped a kiss onto the corner of my lip and withdrew, an obvious bulge in his pants that made me heat up all over again. "You should let me clean your cut," I said, clearing my throat when it cracked. I gestured to his eye. "You've got a decent gash above your eye."

He seemed to have a short internal struggle before he nodded. I twisted around, grabbing the antiseptic and clean pads, the convict moving forward to step between my legs again, though not as close as before. I quickly wet the gauze and reached up to wipe off the crusted blood, Riddick closing his eyes and bending forward slightly. The wound wasn't deep and wouldn't need glue, so I finished in record time, making sure to show the same gentle courtesy he had shown me. "All done."

Riddick opened his eyes and straightened, flashing me a genuine, breathtakingly sexy smile. I shook my head and slid off the table, gathering all the used supplies and throwing them away. A drawer shut behind me and I turned to see Riddick pulling a brand new black tank over his head. "How the hell do you keep finding clothes?"

He shrugged and didn't reply, just nudged me in front of him, towards Imam. I slipped into the co-pilot's chair while the two men exchanged seats, Imam sitting on the bench behind me.

"Riddick." The holy man kept his voice down so as not to wake Jack.

"Trouble?" the convict asked, lounging in the captain's chair.

"Yes. It is nothing back there," Imam replied. "What worries me lies ahead of us."

My eyes slid to Jack's sleeping form and I immediately knew what he meant.

"Jack," Riddick said flatly.

"I am concerned for her, Riddick, that she'll become-"

"Like me," Riddick interrupted.

I sighed and met Imam's worried gaze. Who knew what direction Jack would take. I couldn't stick around for long and I knew Riddick had promised her only one night. She'd be left with Imam, and I had no doubt he'd take her in, but it would fall on his shoulders to try and keep her on the straight and narrow.

The computer beeped, Imam and I leaning forward a bit to see the screen better. I caught a glimpse of the words 'UV system' before Riddick flipped a switch showing New Mecca on Helion Prime.

"What is that place?" Imam asked, referring to the earlier readout. I slumped back in my seat, trying to get comfortable, already knowing the answer.

"That's nowhere," Riddick replied shortly. "I'm dropping you guys off on New Mecca and staying for one night, only because I promised the girl I would."

"Aw, how sweet," I teased halfheartedly.

The large man shot me an unamused look, dropping his goggles back over his eyes. "Get some rest."

I heard Imam sigh and lay down on the bench behind me. Closing my eyes, I curled up in my chair, my head laying on the armrest closest to Riddick. At least these seats were a little bigger than the ones on our last ship and a bit comfier, too. I felt a weight on my head and tensed. "Relax." I obeyed, my body slowly going slack as Riddick ran his fingers through my hair, the wonderful feeling lulling me to sleep.