Disclaimer: I don't own Pitch Black; but that would be so cool, right?

Sorry if this chapter is shorter than most of the others...I blame the dwindling reviews. :( I need them to motivate me, yet they are getting less frequent. If it continues at this rate, and eventually no one reviews, perhaps I shall abandon the story altogether? :C For now, thank you to those faithful readers that do keep it up; love you guys. :) Please, please, review!

Italics = Inner most thoughts

Bold Italics =Thoughts of the 'Beast'

Chapter 12

Riddick leaves Johns to his fate, satisfied that he won't be among the living for very much longer. Riddick's beast is finally content with Johns out of the picture, so he re-sheaths his shiv, grabs up the loop of lights he'd discarded earlier, and is ready to set out. Time to find Rain. Good.He doesn't have to go very far to find her.

Rain is huddled nearby, chewing on her lower lip in worry and squinting into the darkness, searching. Kitten is so cute when she's worried. Riddick smirks as he comes up behind her.

"What are you searchin' for, babe?"

"Holy freak, man!" Rain slaps one hand to her chest, the other latching onto Riddick's leg to steady herself. "Are you trying to give a girl a heart attack?" Rain straightens from her crouched position, snatching up her torch and frowning at Riddick. "I was searching for you, of course."

"Hmm. Well, I'm here now, kitten." Riddick steps up closer to Rain, pressing his front to hers, tilting his face away from the glare of her torch. "Whatcha wanna do about it?" Riddick leans his face forward, breathing in the scent of Rain's neck. She always smells so delicious.

"Um…uh." Rain loses her train of thought.

Riddick smiles against Rain's neck, before pulling back to peer in her eyes. "I have a few ideas." Claim her. We finally have her alone again. Not safe enough here. Later. But a little messing around might be okay.

"Huh?" Her expression is all confusion.

Riddick throws back his head and laughs, and Rain blushes in realization that he's picking on her again.

"Um…if you're finished…we should probably go find the others." She mutters.

Riddick sobers up and frowns at her. "Why would we do that?"

Rain is confused again. "Because they went that way, while the skiff is that way?" She points in said directions.

Riddick just stares at her. "We don't need them to get the skiff running; they left the cells. They chose to go back to the crash site on their own, shouldn't we respect that? Besides, I like having you all to myself." Riddick grasps Rain's waist and leans as if to kiss her, but she jerks her head to the side before he can succeed; his beast growls.

Rain pulls away from Riddick and quirks an eyebrow at him. "You're joking, right? If we leave them, they're going to die."

"And I say again, we don't need them, so why should we care?"

Rain steps further back from Riddick's grasp, and he drops his hands to his sides. "Because it's the right thing to do?"

Riddick throws his head back again, roaring with laughter even louder than before. "Is that right? And do I look like the type to do the right thing?"

Rain frowns at Riddick, worrying her lower lip again. She doesn't bother arguing with him, just turns and leaves in the direction the others went.

"Hey, where do you think you're goin'?" Riddick lunges for her, grabbing her arm and halting her in her tracks.

"To find the others." She's matter of fact and determined, glaring him down.

Just grab her and let's go. "And what's keeping me from throwing you over my shoulder and taking you to the skiff anyway?"

Rain appears to think it over for a moment. "You can't drag the sled and me both?"

Riddick grins at her. "Wanna bet?"

"Damnit, Riddick, this isn't funny. We're wasting time." Rain is exasperated.

Riddick growls low, "all the more reason to leave them. They're a waste of time."

Rain can't believe Riddick is being so stubborn about this. My conscious won't allow me to just leave them to those things without at least trying a little.

"I can care less about Carolyn, and the guys are nice enough, but above all, Jack is an innocent in this; just a kid. I can't just leave her to die. Besides, they can help get the cells to the skiff easier than just us." Rain gives sad eyes to Riddick, trying her best impression of puppy-eyes. "Please, Riddick?"

Riddick turns his face to the darkness, thinking.

"Maybe I can pay you back somehow, when this is all over?" Rain tries another tactic.

Riddick tilts his head and turns back to Rain, an interested look in his eyes. "Pay me back somehow?"

Uh oh, maybe I shouldn't have worded it that way? Too late now. Just agree vaguely and haggle the specifics later. "Yeah. Now can we go?"

"Hmm. I'll be holding you to your word, darlin'. You owe me." Riddick stares at Rain and she nods her consent.

Oh man, what have I gotten myself into now?

Riddick has no trouble tracking the others and leading Rain to them. He steps in Carolyn's path, making her scream and interrupting the groups' desperate flight. They're like frightened mice with no sense of direction. Rain looks a little amused as well.

"Back to the ship, huh? Just huddle together until the lights burn out." Riddick taunts Carolyn.

"Get away from us." Carolyn can no longer hide her fear of Riddick, she backs away from him, her eyes flitting briefly to Rain. So much for the brave 'captain'.

"Till you can't see what's eating you. That the big plan?" Riddick continues.

"Where's Johns?" Imam steps up, looking suspicious.

"Which half?" Can't resist fuckin' with them a little.

"We're gonna lose everybody out here." Jack mutters in a desperate tone. "We should've stayed in the ship."

"He died fast. If we have any choice about it, that's the way we should all go out." Riddick stares each person down, before stalking toward Jack when he sees her start to sniffle. "Don't you cry for Johns. Don't you dare." Not when that fucker was so eager to hack you and Rain up.

Rain frowns at Riddick as he storms away. She moves toward Jack and wraps an arm around her shoulders. "It'll be okay, Jack. We're gonna get outta here soon."

"Why don't we pray for a moment." Imam suddenly interjects. "For guidance, bravery, and gratitude."

"Gratitude?" Jack frowns.

"That we are still alive." Imam mutters to her.

"Oh."

Imam motions for everyone to gather around, raising a hand and chanting in Arabic. Rain has no idea what he's saying as he's praying, but enjoys the melodious cadence of his voice. Rain takes a moment for a prayer of her own. Whatever deity is watching over us in this place, please keep us safe. And Riddick, too.

Imam finishes praying with the group, tells them to rest for a moment, and leaves them in search of Riddick. When he returns, it's with Riddick at his side, having gathered the cells from the sled and secured them together with rope. Riddick's expression is even harder than before. What did Imam say to him?

The group sets out again before Rain has a chance to ask Riddick what turned his mood sour. I hope he's not rethinking our deal about abandoning everyone. Rain decides to stay close to Jack for their travels, to both give and get reassurance that they'll be fine. She's only pulled out of her dark thoughts by Riddick's voice.

"I only see one way. That way." Riddick motions down the middle of the canyon they had come through in the sand cat earlier. The canyon is surrounded by the awful creatures; they call and howl from the darkness beyond the light, unnerving Rain. "It's the only way off this rock. Just keep the girls between you." Riddick searches out Rain's eyes.

"What about the cells?" Imam looks worriedly at Riddick.

"I'll take those."

It's not too much, right? Rain is hesitant for Riddick, worried he'll take on too much.

Riddick leaves no time for argument as he moves to the back of the group, facing towards the canyon and pulling on his goggles. "Move."

"Are you sure you can keep up?" Carolyn asks.

"MOVE!" Riddick's command is louder this time, and the group is spurred into the canyon, running.

Carolyn leads them, Rain and Jack are close behind her, Imam and his charge follow, and Riddick brings up the rear, dragging the cells. Rain sends out one more silent prayer as she moves forward with the others. Please give Riddick the strength to get us through this.