Fiona's eyes shot back and forth between the two suns that were rising; the blue orb that had been high in the sky earlier was now departing off the edge of the planet. She was only permitted to stand still for a second longer before Johns shoved her forward, a leering look upon his face asking her to make his day. He wouldn't go as far as to physically abuse her in front of everyone but Johns was good at saving up pay backs and he was sure to illicit her reward when they were off planet heading to slam. Her eyes traveled back to Riddick who was taking up the rear. He enjoyed it back there - keeping an eye on everyone.
They were trekking off to some little village the scavenger group had stumbled on before being pulled back to the ship at the sound of gunshots. Fiona wanted to ask Riddick if he had gotten that far as well before turning back, but Johns made sure to keep them apart the second they exited the ship. She was forced into helping the shaky woman who had lost her husband, not a single word emitting from her lips the majority of the time unless they were orders.
The kid was made to help them too, so Fiona learned a lot about his nervous ticks, watching as he helplessly tried to channel his condolences into Shazza, since she wouldn't listen to him talk.
Fiona just wanted to talk to him. What he had said in the ship had not been explained, neither had his actions. She had been chained up, bruised, beaten, showing so much weakness and all he had had for her was something she had never seen from him. And she knew, no manner of prying would get a true explanation from him, but she could take the smartass one and turn it over and over in her head until she decided on what he meant. This being in the dark business was never good and here she was, wading in confusion knee deep as he walked behind them his eyes ever glued on her. She'd never been the self-conscious type.
"So just like that. Wave your little wand and he's one of us now?" Paris shoved his glasses up on his nose, glancing back at the shadow that loomed behind them all.
"Didn't say that. But least this way I don't have to worry about falling asleep and not waken' up." Johns' southern drawl was showing as he looked over to Paris, noting what he meant was sinking into the man's mind. He was going to make them all afraid of Riddick if it was the last thing he did.
"So can I talk to him now?" Jack perked up, taking his attention off Shazza for a moment. Both Imam and Shazza answered with a resounding no. Fiona cracked a smile, watching as the pout formed on the boys face. He was so young, and so soft. His idolizing of Riddick wasn't in the plans as the rest of the adults were realizing just how impactful the murderer was.
"You think that's funny do you?" Johns grumbled from beside her, shooting a look back at Riddick as if to check if he was still there. It didn't seem right, the bounty hunter leaving his bounty out of sight behind him, but she wouldn't ask about that now. Johns never trusted anyone so why would he start now?
"It's a charming endearment if you're looking for an answer."
"We don't need another you. Love sick kids tripping over murderers like they're candy."
"I suppose we all have our vices Johns, you feeling alright?" He was shaky, his hands the most evident. The settlement was just in front of them and she could see the longing for a little pick me up coming to him. He didn't shoot a glare at her, didn't respond to her chiding whatsoever. He merely pulled her along, ending the conversation there as they descended out of the bone graveyard and the valley onto the settlement they had found.
The highlight of the trip was the skiff. Everyone pooled around the able body device, wings ripped up, hull needing patched, like it was the saving grace of the day. Which in most cases it would be but judging by its capacity and the amount of people around, it was no secret that not everyone would be fitting.
"Little ratty-ass." Johns muttered, kicking the side of the skiff and shaking his head in disappointment.
"You expecting a first class freighter Johns? Hold in a bit longer I'm sure the search party for you will show up eventually." Fiona tempted stepping into the ship, smiling at the glare that Johns was sending in response her way. She might as well rack in the points while she had the time to take the shots; the payment would be fair considering how pissed he was looking.
By looking at it, she could tell that the skiff needed the cell to run the system check but it would need a lot more to get off the ground; if it could get off the ground. She could see in the shadows inside that the power cells were drained, all of them needing replaced. Her fingers were itching to slide over the buttons and figure out the problems. There was only one thing she loved doing more than flying and that was fixing up the flyers themselves.
"Nothing we can't repair—so long as the electrical adapts." Carolyn made her authoritative response and took center stage.
"Not a star-jumper." Shazza put her two cents in, looking up at the captain with a reassuring smile. They all seemed to put so much faith into the two figures that were taking steady control of the situation.
"Doesn't need to be. Use this to get back up to the Sol-Track Shipping Lanes, stick out a thumb. You'll get picked up."
Fiona chuckled as Riddick spoke, his words like a knife cutting up the good feeling of the situation. Everyone turned to him like they had forgotten he was there, remembering slowly of what he was, his features dead cold as they always were. His eyes remained forward, looking directly at the captain as she registered his knowledge of her past time. "Right?"
When the captain denied a response, finally asking for the help she needed to get that cell up into the ship, Riddick was ready to assist. Fiona cut in front of him though, missing the eyes of Johns as she took a hold of the power cell and hoisted it into the ship with the captain. Her eyes quickly scanned the insides, taking note of the system, of the configuration, and of what she knew exactly about the skiff. She'd need to actually play around with it to put her assumptions in a better position. With Johns focusing on Riddick she had time to get a complete understanding of the shit-shooter that was their saving grace.
Johns had stopped Riddick, directing him off to one of the buildings to look for supplies, as expected. When she could see all she needed her eyes moved to Riddick's retreating back, watching as he wandered off, following directions so easily. She furrowed her brows, not fully understanding the depths of the deal he had obviously made with Johns. She wasn't the curious type, especially when it came to Riddick, but this was personally gnawing at her.
"Now now Fiona. You know better than that. I'll help the captain, you go find something else to toy with." Fiona frowned, stepping down the ramp. Johns was the only one in the known verse it seemed that connected two and two together when it came to her abilities. She had actually been startled when he realized she was the main pilot of the duo. He was smarter than he looked, sometimes.
They were all scattering now. Fiona watched as the holy man and his boys trekked around the outer exterior of the town, the scrawny man behind them. Jack stood absolutely still, trying to make up his mind on following the mini search party or keep to Shazza's side. He picked the latter, siding up next to her when she headed into a shaded little building off to the side.
Fiona headed in the direction Riddick had gone, not noticing it directly. Not all the buildings had doors and the ones that did were unhinged; ajar. Just by looking in she could see the wasted food, clothes, and supplies that had been left in haste.
"Didn't let you stay either?" He always surprised her. He enjoyed it too; time after time; it was easy for him. He stood directly behind her as she looked into yet another abandoned room, this one looking like a medical station. She only nodded, stepping into the shadows, eyes sliding over all the items looking for anything that could be helpful.
Gauze, bandages, she found a cheap first aid kit under the dust. Her cut was still nasty, still needing to be cleaned. She could feel his eyes on her as she set out what she would need, pulling up the edge of her shirt and looking down at her abdomen. Her entire waist was a mixture of dirty skin and bruises. She frowned as she slid light fingers over her flesh, hitting the tender cut, hissing at the pain.
"Not winning Miss America today…" She assumed her comment went on deaf ears.
When his warm callus hand took hold of hers and pulled her fingers away she looked up at him confused. He put her hand down at her side, taking the edge of her shirt and pushing it up further, rolling it so it wouldn't drop. She watched as he rummaged through the first aid kit, taking out a small bottle of alcohol followed by the mini tube of Neosporin. He pushed her back slightly, her butt hitting the table.
"I can do it myself."
This Riddick scared her. He wasn't meant to be nice and she didn't now how to function with him having even a slight caring bone in his body. She needed him to walk away and leave her be so she could put herself back together without anyone watching. Her nicks, cuts, and bruises were her own.
She tried to push his hands away but he only managed to take hold of hers again, eyes moving up to her face. He put her hands down at her sides, his own now retreating back. He lifted his goggles off without hesitation, shine job staring her in the face. She didn't get to see him like this in such a lighted area usually.
They had a milky glow to them, white iris. They were staring into her deeply. So many nights she had seen those eyes shinning in the darkness just before someone died; usually to save them both. They took on a different beauty however, as he looked at her now. She only found herself more worried as he moved his fingers to her sides, eyes returning to the bruises on her body. He nimbly brushed his fingers over them; as if he was apologizing for them.
He wet the gauze with alcohol, giving her fair warning before brushing the gauze on her skin. She hissed, her hand latching out to his shoulder instantly. She steadied herself, scrunching up her face, fingers digging into his flesh as he continued to clean out the wound. He didn't stay just on the surface; as she watched him meticulously clean out sand that had gotten trapped in the folds of her cut.
"See, and you wondered why I wanted to do it," Riddick muttered quietly to her.
Fiona let out a small yelp when he brushed a newly wetted piece of gauze over the cut. "Anything to make me scream."
Riddick chuckled, using the rest of the gauze to clean up her bruises. She could feel a knot growing in the pit of her stomach; his fingers brushing on her flesh ever so slightly. She watched his fingers, the sting slowly subsiding as she became used to it. When they dipped down to her belt buckle, stopping there, she scaled his chest to meet his eyes. There it was again; that emotion she didn't understand. Her hand on his shoulder suddenly seemed so out of place, her fingers quickly pulling away from his hot flesh. Just when she thought he would finally look away, that he would finally pull away and leave her to reassemble herself, he stepped closer, his chest brushing against hers.
He put the wet gauze on the table, his fingers coming up to brush behind her ear, tucking a loose strand of hair in. She was transfixed in those milky orbs as he examined her face, anger entering his features when he noted the cuts from Johns.
"I've had worse." She muttered it, almost a whisper. Any loud conversation seemed pointless with him this close. His eyes shot back to hers, as if she had awakened him. She shivered when his fingers slid down along the curve of her neck, tickling down her arm and ending back at her now clean waist.
"I'm not fond of him touching you." His words held so much meaning. He took the step back away from her after grabbing the Neosporin. He spread the cream easily on her flesh, wrapping her up with the rest of the gauze and the bandage. She added what he had said to the long list of things that perplexed her about him as he slowly pulled her shirt back down where it belonged. When his eyes looked back up at her she embraced his closeness as he moved towards her again. He leaned into her this time, arms wrapped around her body, causing comfort more so than pain. He buried his nose in her neck for a second, giving her a tight squeezing before stepping back.
She reached up and took a hold of his goggles, sliding them down over his eyes to hide what she didn't want to think about right now.
"When it gets dark you need to stay close." I won't be coming back for you... the words remained unspoken but she could feel them in his tone. With a short nod she stepped back away from him, and watched as he exited the building and stepped into the blinding sun.