10. Riddick: What Normal People Have

She didn't wake up even when she started crying in her sleep and he held her through the tears, murmuring to her softly, wordlessly, stroking her hair and back. As much as he wanted her, he held back. There would be time. And there was something strangely wonderful about the idea of just falling asleep with her in his arms. It was something he had never experienced before, with anyone. One of those things he'd always told himself happened to "other people," "normal people," people unlike him.

Finally he fell asleep as well, lying on his back with Fiona curled against his chest.

Neither one of them would see Johns come into the room, nor see him leave a moment later in enraged disgust.

11. Fiona: Being Brave

When she'd first awakened after the crash, Fiona had had no idea at all where she was. She was even more disoriented now. She'd never, ever in her life found herself waking up with a man in her bed.

Distantly, she could hear Imam singing morning prayers. She was lying face-down, on top of Riddick, her head resting on his chest. He had his arms around her, one hand on her shoulder and the other on the small of her back. His breath, when he exhaled, ruffled at the hair on the top of her head.

She supposed she should be afraid, but she wasn't. In sleep, Riddick looked amazingly peaceful. The taut energy had left his body for the moment, taking with it the sense of danger about him. What was left was simply Riddick the man, and Fiona was captivated.

A quick glance showed her that they were both fully dressed, although Riddick had removed all of his hardware and set his goggles and shivs on the nearby nightstand. Those were his only personal belongings, she realized. She wondered if he'd been touching her while she slept. The thought made her oddly giddy.

She turned her attention back to him. There was a patch of moisture on his shirt. God, had she drooled on him? No, it was too high. Tears. She must have been crying, but she didn't remember that. She shifted her position slightly so that she could watch him sleep, watch him breathe, until his eyes slowly fluttered open.

"Good morning," she whispered softly.

He grinned slightly, lifting his hand to shield his eyes from the light. "Is there such a thing as morning on this planet?"

"I don't know. But, since we just woke up, I declare this morning."

Riddick smiled slightly. "Works for me." His hand began stroking her hair again. Fiona suddenly had a powerful sense that he'd done this before to her, sometime... but she couldn't remember exactly when. It felt incredibly familiar, though. After a moment she closed her eyes and rested her head on his chest again.

"Mmmm. I like that."

"Me too," he whispered. "But I'd enjoy any excuse to touch you."

After a moment, Fiona sat up and looked down at him. He was watching her through slitted eyes, shielding them against the still-considerable light level.

He could have done anything he wanted to me, any time, she reflected. They had been alone for hours, but all he had done was hold her. She was sure of it. And she was suddenly sure that she wanted much, much more than just that.

Be brave, she told herself, and reached up to the window slats, pushing them almost all of the way shut. Then she leaned down and kissed Riddick on the lips.

The shock of it coursed through her body even as his arms circled her waist and pulled her closer to him. Then his hand was on the back of her head, pushing her even deeper into the kiss as his lips forced hers open. His other hand began exploring her body, molding the shapes of her breasts, stomach and thighs, before sliding inside her shorts.

She gasped as his touch sent a powerful jolt through her body.

"Do you like that?" He whispered into her mouth. "Oh yes, you do. You're all wet..."

Abruptly, he lifted her up and turned her over onto her back, so that now he was above her. He reached down and dragged her shorts and panties down over her hips, down her legs, pulling them off and tossing them to the dusty floor. In the darkness, she could barely see him above her, just the strange glow of his amazing eyes, and a small sliver of light tracking along his jaw.

"You're shaking," he murmured. "Don't tell me you're afraid of me now."

"It's not you, I'm not afraid of you, but... I've never..."

He went completely still above her. "You've never been with a man before."

Fiona could only nod.

"Hmmm." It almost sounded like a growl. Suddenly Riddick stood, and walked to the door.

"Where are you--" Fiona started to sit up, but Riddick simply closed and locked the door and then turned back.

"If that's the case, we're going to need some time. And no interruptions." He walked back over to her side, then deliberately lifted her halter top over her head. She was completely undressed now, and completely in his power. She could barely make out the smile touching his lips. "Lie down, Fee."

She did, and he knelt beside the bed. Slowly, so slowly, he passed his hands over her body, as if memorizing her contours. Then he rose, just a little, and covered her mouth with his again. This time he was more forceful, his tongue probing past her lips, running along her teeth, then deeper, twining around her own. His hands continued to stroke her.

His mouth left hers and moved to her throat, and she gasped again as one of his fingers slid deep inside her. He kept it there, sliding it back and forth slowly, while he used his mouth to explore her. His lips and tongue left a trail of fire on her skin. Then he was pushing her legs apart, coming around the bed, lowering his head between them.

She couldn't suppress a cry when his lips and tongue touched her flesh, nor the tremors that began to rack her body. It spurred him on, making him more aggressive, forceful, enthusiastic. She covered her mouth with her hands, trying to muffle her own cries as wave after wave of pure pleasure crashed over her. His arms encircled her waist and he held her until she shuddered and went limp.

He slowly rose up, carefully wiping his mouth.

"Now," he said gently, "I'm going to hurt you. I hope not too much."

Standing at the foot of the bed, he pulled off his shirt and pants. Then he climbed onto the bed, poised above her like a mountain lion over a deer.

"I want you to tell me if the pain gets too bad, Fee."

She nodded, barely able to speak. She could feel him positioning himself to enter her -- god it was huge, it couldn't possibly fit--

Sudden pain speared through her and a whimper escaped her lips. Above her, Riddick froze. He reached out and gently stroked her hair and face. Slowly, the pain subsided.

"Are you all right?"

"Yes," she whispered, hoping that her voice would stay steady.

"Do you want me to stop?"

"No."

"Okay," he murmured, and moved forward again. The pain sliced through her again. He held her, gently, and kissed her forehead while she shook, waiting for her to tell him she was okay. Then it began again. Pain, a pause while the pain receded and he held her, murmuring gently, then more pain again as, bit by bit, he pushed further into her.

The pain was reaching an almost-unbearable crescendo. This is never going to work, I'm being torn apart, Fiona thought, Oh god...

"It's okay, Fee, it's okay," Riddick whispered into her ear. "I'm all the way in now."

He gently stroked her face again, wiping away the tears that she hadn't even realized were pouring down her cheeks. Then he shifted his position slightly, lowering his upper body down onto hers, and began a slow, steady rhythm inside her.

The pain was rapidly being overwhelmed by something else, something indescribable. Fiona clung to him, burying her face against his chest. His arms slid under her and he pulled her close, even as his thrusts became stronger, more forceful. Fiona felt herself slipping into a strange delirium. His hand was over her mouth, and she realized that her cries -- is that my voice? My god -- had been rising in pitch and volume. Suddenly the world came apart in fire.