Epilogue

When he woke River was still asleep, her hair was perfume in his nose and her body soft in his arms, pressed to his skin. She was sleeping deeply. He'd managed to exhaust her, at least for a while, with all the attention he'd given her last night. The escaped convict had noticed that when they had sex until she fell asleep that she didn't have nightmares. That was a cure he could definitely get behind, not like it was a hardship to sex his beautiful wife.

He took a moment to look around the room. It looked pretty good, a place he'd enjoy spending time with the woman in his arms. The quilt and bedding from Triumph wasn't quite large enough for the new bed but it would do until he could find bigger. He had no way of telling if the quilt matched the rug with his eyes, but River hadn't said anything. So either it didn't matter to her or she'd figured they couldn't afford to redecorate. He still didn't know her well enough to say which.

Riddick smiled and smoothed a strand of hair out of his little woman's face. He was looking forward to something for the first time in more than a decade. He wanted to get to know her better. He wanted her to surprise and annoy him and make him sleep on the floor when she was mad. Not that he'd do it but it would be fun to watch her try. And damned if he'd let her storm off in a snit and sleep on the couch herself. As long as he was alive they'd sleep together. A fight wasn't worth giving up the feeling of her in his arms.

He smirked to himself. He got the feeling that any fight they had would be worked out in bed, in a shouting match or with sparring. His wife had dropped quite a few hints that she was combat trained and that, combined with the sheer grace of her dancing, would make her a damned enjoyable opponent. Another thing he was looking forward to trying out.

River stirred sleepily against him and he couldn't help it when his smirk softened into a smile. "Hey there beautiful wife," He murmured. Would he ever get tired of calling her that? He doubted it. She was his. Home. Her skin and smile and eyes were very quickly becoming his world. Maybe that was as it should be, in a marriage. He had no way to know.

But he didn't mind. River had made it very plain that she respected and enjoyed his skills. If he started to dull his own edge on her she'd kick him until it stopped. He got the feeling that she wanted his edge sharp as much as he did. That her own edge had been slightly dulled with drugs and mental fatigue and her brother's smothering nature. He wanted to help her make it sharp again. And he couldn't do that if his own was dulled.

"Husband is right," Her soft voice was sleepy but her words were anything but. "She will never encourage soft living, dull his edge, never. Need him sharp, helps keep her sharp. Furyan by name and nature. This bunk is our refuge. Does not make us soft. Makes us married. The 'Verse will keep us sharp."

"Love how you know what I'm thinkin'," Riddick pulled her closer and brushed his lips over her forehead. "Figure I show you again how much fun we can have in the bunk, then we go have some fun outside of it. Like to spar with you finally."

"Hmm...It will be good to stretch," River's hands wandered over his chest. "Prepare us for the work to come."

"Yeah?" Riddick looked down at her curiously. "Where're we goin'?"

"Two weeks on Beaumonde, then a quick hop over to a place called Higgin's Moon for a smuggling run," River told him with a mischievous grin. "We will have to keep Jayne out of trouble. I will get to play client and you can be my bodyguard. Very serious job."

Riddick laughed, her smile and amused scent tickled him. "Yeah that sounds like a helluva lot of fun baby." He rolled over her and kissed her hard on the mouth, "Life with you won't ever be dull will it?"

"Nope," She giggled under his mouth. "She will never let him be bored. Keep him sharp, wicked and dangerous. Perfect man."

Riddick grinned down at her and kissed her again. He could worry tomorrow about mercs and feds and the price on his head. Besides, with River on his side, the odds of staying out of a slam just kept going up. No way would his possessive little wife tolerate him getting taken away from her. And that was just fine with him. Her brother would learn to accept it or he wouldn't but they were both done taking shit from Simon.

He knew damn well he wasn't perfect. Neither was she. But they could be some fucked up version of perfect together and right now that was all he cared about. And on this screwy ship with all its crazy crew...well his evil self and twisted little wife would fit in just fine.

The End...

For now

Author's Note: So here we are... our pair is done for now. Like I mentioned before I'm working on a companion piece from River's perspective. Not sure when that will be done. I've got multiple projects going now and health problems along with work taking up my time.

So if you're hungry for more Riverick check out a few of my other stories and I'll see you with an update to Animals sooner rather than later I hope!

Thanks for all the support and reviews, faves and follows. You guys are awesome.