Disclaimer: I don't own Pitch Black! I don't own much of anything, really.

Woohoo! More reviews! Thank you, thank you, thank you, for reading! I'm amazed at the wonderful response I've received for my first Fanfic. Please continue to review! You guys are great! And Happy Easter to those that celebrate, this chapter is your Easter gift!

Italics = Inner most thoughts

Bold Italics =Thoughts of the 'Beast'

Chapter 3

Rain reminds herself for the 'nth' time, to never again challenge the fates with future feelings of optimism. It seems that feeling optimistic encourages life to throw more difficult hurtles at her to keep her on her toes. The newest obstacles include the discovery of everlasting sunlight for the planet they had crashed on, as well as the escape of one Richard B. Riddick; though Riddick's escape doesn't really bother her. It's having Johns armed, tense, and in alert mode, that is alarming.

Rain absentmindedly caresses the small blade that she had chosen out of Paris's collection of antique weapons. Johns had insisted that everyone be armed; none of the others had the firepower that he did, though. She had found the 3-inch naked blade among Paris's collection, and cut a makeshift sheath from a piece of thick canvas she found in the crash debris. Rain then switched the red ribbon from her right wrist onto her left, and jammed the sheath of the blade beneath it, to trap the blade, hidden, against her left forearm. This allows her to draw the blade quickly with her right hand, as needed. Her only other option for storing it was her pockets, and pockets were never a good idea to reach for in tense situations. Too predictable.

When the group splits up, with half of them leaving in search of water, Rain opts to stay with the group that decides to hold down the fort and bury the bodies of the dead crash victims. Most of her decision is based on the fact that Johns is in the other group.

As Rain watches Johns' group disappear in the distance she takes her first swig of the bottle of wine that had been handed to her to make due until they return with water. It was the only other thing she had accepted from the others. Rain had opted out of one of the breathing devices that Shazza and Zeke had 'Macgyver'd' up. It's a small blessing that she seems immune to the feeling of "one-lung short" that the others are experiencing. God this crap is strong. Rain gives a shudder at the strong alcohol taste. I hope they come back with water soon, or I'm gonna be drunk in no time.

Getting out of situations that others think impossible is a sort-of talent of Riddick's. While many of the crash survivors were busy exploring the nearby cargo hold for salvageable shit, Riddick was making use of one of his many talents. Escape. Johns must be losing his touch, to make it so easy.

After ditching part of his cuffs in a false trail for Johns, Riddick headed away from the crash site with the light at his back. Discovering the graveyard of unknown giant creatures, and that the planet had another sun that kept him in constant daylight, didn't bother Riddick in the slightest. Adapt to survive. It was an opportunity to make a bone shiv, and glean some information from the group that chose to follow him; an opportunity, too, to test his beast against the scent of the blond woman. The way it had reacted to Rain earlier, with Johns around, was unsettling. Was it just her scent that gets the beast riled?

During a moment of rest for the group, among the vast graveyard, Carolyn is distracted by Johns and Riddick manages to cut a lock of her hair away to inspect. The beast's response to the scent of Carolyn's hair is disconcerting. It bares its fangs and turns its back, as if to say "She's not the right one. Her smell disgusts me", uninterested. What the Fuck?

Fine, you want to see the other woman again? The beast's response to his inner inquiry, about Rain, is almost startling. Its eyes light up and a surge of energy pushes Riddick to step in the direction of the old crash site. Riddick sighs and shakes his head, before giving in and leaving Johns' group behind; halfway eager to see Rain again as well.

"Leave the poor man alone, Jack." Rain had watched Jack startle Paris, and chuckles to herself; Jack grins at her in reply.

"You look a little unsteady on your feet, Rain." Jack abandons Paris and heads in Rain's direction.

"It's this damn alcohol; nothing else to drink." There's a noticeable slowness to Rain's speech, as if she's concentrating on each word in order to pronounce them correctly.

Jack gives a laugh. "Maybe you should sit down somewhere, or sleep it off."

Rain waves a placating hand. "Sure, sure," she soon finds herself back in the wreckage of the ship, at that same spot she had met Riddick, what seems like an eternity ago. This place is just as good as any. She sits in the spot Riddick had once been bound, curling herself up into a tight ball, after taking off her backpack to use as a pillow.

"Where are you now, Riddick?" She whispers aloud, drowzy.

Great, alcohol makes me talk to myself. Rain closes her eyes. Maybe some rest will help my sanity.

Riddick makes it back to the crash site with no issues. Once he arrives, however, one issue does arise. His beast refuses to do anything else until it's seen Rain again. Find her. Riddick is getting irritated at the demands of his inner. Whatever.

He finds her inside the Hunter Gratzner, in the very same spot he had been bound just hours before. She's curled in a ball, using a backpack as a pillow, fast asleep. In the dim light of the room, he's able to take off his goggles and get a clearer look at her. She's a tiny little thing, probably only 160-165cm tall, with a waist he could probably grab with two-hands and still overlap a few fingers. Nice legs, though, bet they'd wrap around me nicely. His beast purrs approval and Riddick gives a smirk. Lovin' them thigh-highs.

Squatting down closer, Riddick reaches forward and tucks an escaped strand of her hair behind one of her slightly pointed ears. Between the ears, her angled eyes, and her small body, Rain is almost cat-like. Perhaps her nickname should be kitten? Riddick studies her features, memorizing them, and calming his beast with her scent. He has the sudden urge to gather her sleeping form in his arms, and take the place of the backpack as her pillow; Riddick resists. I ain't no fuckin 'sop. He forces himself to get up and leave her there, his beast protesting the entire time.

Rain is awakened by the sound of distant screaming. Still half asleep, she yawns, stretches, and finally gathers her bag to find out what new terror has been thrown upon their group of survivors. Luckily, the alcohol induced haze of earlier has worn off. She exits into the sunlight, just in time to see Johns dragging a battered and near unconscious Riddick past her, and into the ship. They caught him? What happened? A sinking feeling pulls at Rain's stomach. They're not going to kill him, right? She follows Johns as he finds a new spot to bind Riddick, not bothering with a gag or blindfold like before.

"Piece of shit." Johns spares no roughness as he secures a seated Riddick and storms from the room.

Rain hides in the shadows as Johns leaves, unsure if she should leave too. Helplessness tears at her and she fights to keep herself from getting closer to Riddick. Just as she's convinced her body to let Riddick rest alone, he's recovered enough to notice her presence. A startling flash of silver freezes Rain where she stands. It's his eyes.

"Beautiful." She speaks the words aloud, unknowingly, and the corner of Riddick's mouth quirks up.

"Why don't you come closer kitten, and get a better look." The deep gravel of his voice makes Rain hot and weak-knee'd. Her breath comes quicker as she unconsciously obeys him. Locking her eyes to his the entire time, she moves slowly in the dim-lighted room.

"Good girl." He purrs in that lovely voice of his. She feels like she could listen to him talk all day and never tire of hearing him. It clouds her mind and drags unfamiliar responses from her body.

"My name is Rain."

"I know darlin'. Pretty name. You can call me Riddick."

She's finally right in front of him, and she stops. He stands slowly, and with her this close it brings him pressed against the front of her, despite the bindings that pull his arms out to either side. It feels like a challenge, of a kind, and Rain looks down and away from Riddick's piercing gaze.

"Ah, thank you," she replies.

His answer to her thanks is a low rumbling noise from deep in his chest, and Rain can feel it where she's pressed up against him. Riddick leans forward and buries his face against Rain's neck, breathing deep. She can feel his lips graze her pulse and she carelessly tilts her head back to give him more access, her eyes shuttering closed. Yes.

A/N: (Insert girlish scream here) What's gonna happen next?! I'm just as excited as you are! :)