Disclaimer: I don't own Pitch Black! :(

Um…so you know how I used the words 'all-revealing', and 'conclusion', in the end note of the last chapter? Well, turns out I was a little hasty and my 'conclusion' is stretching out to at least one other chapter after this one. I know, you must be heartbroken. ;P I'm so sorry. Can you ever forgive me? Um…one other thing…the ending to this fic might not be as 'all-revealing' as I'd wanted either. But wait! Don't lynch me yet! How about I do the 'all-revealing' part in a sequel? Eh? What do you think? Would you read a sequel to find out the background of how Rain got to be in that cryo tube in the beginning of this fic? Please Review and tell me what ya think!

Italics = Inner most thoughts

Bold Italics =Thoughts of the 'Beast'

Chapter 18

Rain arrives at the skiff intact. We made it. She's winded and weary, but unharmed.

"RAIN!" Jack is the first to notice her return. She runs out into the dark to meet her, ignoring Rain's startled expression as she grabs her by the arm and proceeds to drag her up into the lighted safety of the skiff.

"Thank Allah." Imam helps them both inside, looking relieved to see Rain still alive, and irate at Jack's recklessness in retrieving her.

Rain flashes them a quick smile of thanks before hunching over to catch her breath. I only ran like 50 feet. This is kinda embarrassing.She wheezes and pants, hands on her knees, head down.

"Holy hell, where have you been!?" Jack's shrill wail makes Rain wince. She glares down at Rain with her hands on her hips. "And where's Riddick?"

Huh? The mention of Riddick has Rain jerking her head up, turning her attention back the way she had come. "Um…behind me?" She sounds unsure, ending the statement as more of a question. At least he promised he'd be…

The space around the skiff remains empty…with no Riddick in sight.

"Oh god. Not good." Panic and new adrenaline surges through Rain. She moves to leave the skiff, to go back for Riddick.

Jack suddenly lurches forward and attaches herself to Rain's arm.

"Oh no you don't. I'm not leaving you alone ever again. You scared the crap out of me when you and Riddick disappeared the first time. You're staying here." Jack frowns in determination, clinging to Rain and preventing her from leaving. "He'll make it. I know it. Just give him a few minutes."

"But…"

"No!" Jack's stubborn side rears its' head. She switches her expression back to a glare. "No freaking way."

Imam immediately moves in to mediate, always the peacemaker. "Jack is correct, Rain. Riddick is resourceful. I am sure he will be here soon. Just give him some time."

Rain is still uncertain about leaving Riddick to fend for himself. She chews her lower lip and shifts from foot to foot. I don't like this. I don't like this one bit. He will come. Her beast is confident and unwavering. Rain sulks at everyone ganging up on her, sighing in defeat and nodding her submission to Jack.

"Great." Jack smiles, then tries to smooth things over with a peace offering of sorts. "So, I, uh, saved your backpack."

"Huh?" Backpack? Jack motions farther into the skiff, where Rain's chocolate brown backpack is stashed in one corner. Oh!

"You dropped it earlier, when you did your comatose impression." Jack looks a little sheepish, raising one arm to scratch an imaginary itch on her neck. "I picked it up for you. It's almost dry now; you guys were gone for quite a while."

Rain ducks her head to hide a blush, remembering what she and Riddick were doing while they were away. "Uh…oops. S-Sorry, Jack. Thank you."

Jack nods, satisfied, and Rain is relieved to escape explaining what took her and Riddick so long. She starts toward her backpack, squeezing by Jack on the way, but Jack's newest inquiry has her halting before she can reach it.

"Uh…Rain? Why is your shirt inside out?" Ahhhh, crap.

Riddick limps for the skiff, wounded in one thigh, bloody and exhausted. Did she make it? Just a little farther and you can see for yourself.He stifles a sigh of weariness and continues on, one slow step in front of the other.

It seems an eternity before he's within sight of the skiff; what he sees inside it has him sighing in relief. She's safe.

"RIDDICK!" Rain had been watching for him, calling out for him joyously when he steps from the shadows. She runs out to meet him, hair streaming behind her and tears in her eyes.

She slams her front into his and nearly sends them both to the ground. "I was so worried."

Riddick catches her, wrapping his arms around her tight and breathing in the scent of her hair. "I promised I'd follow you, didn't I?" He murmurs, nuzzling her neck and skimming it with his teeth. "Plus you still owe me a promise." There's no way I'm letting that go.

"Of course you remember that." Rain huffs into his chest, relaxing against him. The added pressure of her weight has Riddick shifting, grimacing at a stab of pain in his leg. Damn.

She notices, pulling away to scowl at him. "You're hurt." She reaches to touch the wound on his thigh; he catches her hand.

"Just a scratch. We can fix it on the skiff. Let's just get outta here." Riddick spins Rain around and urges her forward. "I can see Jack looking eager to leave."

She allows him to direct her, and they travel the few yards to Jack no time at all. Jack nervously awaits the couple on the ramp up the skiff, greeting them with a huge smile when they finally come aboard. "Never had a doubt."

Riddick winks at her in response. "At least someone had a little faith." He swats Rain's ass as he passes her on his way deeper into the skiff.

She lets out a girly 'eep', blushing and glaring at him. He grins. Cute.

Rain joins Riddick at the front of the skiff, claiming the copilot seat and settling in to watch him get ready for take-off. Jack and Imam sit in back, talking quietly to each other. I can't believe we're finally getting out of here. It feels like a dream.

The rumble of the engines draws everyone's attention to Riddick.

They wait with bated breath, for the lift of the skiff to signal their final escape…it doesn't happen. Riddick suddenly eases offs the engines and flips a few switches to send everything dark. ?

"Riddick, what are you doing?" Jack murmurs. That's what I want to know.

A loud clanging starts up from outside the ship. It takes Rain a moment to realize where it's coming from.

It's the creatures…they're trying to get in.

"Can we just get the hell outta here now?" Jack is starting to sound scared. Yes, please.

Riddick's low bass answers from the darkness. "We can't leave…"

What? One of the raptors slams into the glass of the windshield, making Jack and Rain gasp. Oh god.

"…without saying goodnight." Riddick finishes, shoving the throttle up and sending the skiff into the air, mowing down whatever creatures are unlucky enough to be in their path.

The screech of the wounded raptors is music to their ears; a little payback after losing so many people.

Once the skiff has broken the atmosphere, and settled into the quietness of space, Riddick unbuckles his harness and signals that it's safe to move around. Rain follows his example, happy to be free from the constricting straps. So what happens next?

Jack is the first one up, moving to stand between Riddick and Rain at the front.

"A lot of questions, whoever we run into." Jack shoots Riddick a sideways look. "Could even be a merc ship. So, what the hell do we tell them about you?" Hmm, good question.

Riddick appears to think it over, then tilts his head and turns to Jack. "Tell'em Riddick's dead. He died somewhere on that planet." Dead. Like so many of the others.

Jack nods in acknowledgement, loitering around for a few more minutes before retreating back to Imam.

"Dead, huh? So no more bounty? No more chains? Just freedom and a fresh start?" Rain can't help but tease him. "Will you even know what to do with yourself?"

Riddick smirks. "Fresh start? Are you trying to get out of that favor you owe me?"

Damn, he caught me. Rain sputters in astonishment. "What?! Me? Pish, wouldn't dream of it. But, you know, we never actually specified what the promise would be."

Riddick throws his head back and roars with laughter. He reaches over and drags Rain onto his lap, curling an arm around behind her and settling the other over her knees hanging in the aisle. "I'll have no arguing outta you, kitten. A deal is a deal. I pick what you'll owe."

Rain pretends to pout and struggle away, eventually giving in and leaning her side into him. She settles her head against his shoulder, raising her arms to wrap around his neck.

She freezes mid-action.

There's a strange marking on his arm. "What's that?" She grabs his right bicep, leaning forward for a closer look.

Riddick looks just as surprised to see the mark. He tilts his arm for a better view. "Dunno."

It is our mark.

What? Rain's eyes widen as her beast sends her a vision from earlier at the warehouse. A flashback of her beast scratching Riddick's arm and pressing her mouth to the wound; to the very spot the new mark has appeared. We tasted his blood. And now our mark is there for everyone to know he is ours. You have one too, where he first tasted us. Rain slaps a hand to her neck, remembering his bite there. What!? What does this mean?

The mark is the beginning of the bond. Bond? You're joking, right? Oh god, this isn't happening.

A/N: Ahhhh, I totally went there, didn't I! I couldn't resist the lure of them marking each other. Now, what should I have their marks look like? I'm imagining a tattoo-like mark; however, I struggle with making it be too cliché. Tribal tats are way common, but the blade-like designs are the main thing that comes to mind when I think of Riddick with a mark. Do you have any other ideas? Oh, and what do you think about me writing the final chapter in a 1st person POV? I've had at least one request for it, but I'm wary to switch writing styles in case it doesn't come out right. :S Please review and tell me watch ya think! Thank you!