Here's my 2nd ever RE fic, mainly focusing on Alice's thoughts at the end of Afterlife, with a bit of interaction thrown in. Still not quite romance, but close ^.^

Hope it's not too boring and angsty! Enjoy!-Nikki

*Add Depressing Disclaimer Here*

The halls of the Arcadia were filled with people. All wearing white, they sluggishly filed out onto the deck. Alice watched as Claire took K-Mart's hand, and the younger girl smiled in relief of rescue. She was happy for both of them, happy that they were reunited, happy that they were safe. She felt herself smiling as well, and wondered how long it had been since she had actually felt happiness.

A sudden loneliness crept over her as Claire walked ahead, K-Mart on one side and her brother not far behind. She had no-one to celebrate the moment with….it was true that she felt joy for all of the people now free from Umbrella's experimentation, but it did nothing to fill a certain void deep within her. She knew this feeling well….she'd quelled it for many years now, ignored the pain of being alone. Now, watching all of the smiles around her, she could not.

She remembered Carlos. He'd died for her, for Claire and K-Mart, for all of them. She had felt something for the man; she knew this as a truth. If they had the time, if the world had been different, if the circumstances better, maybe….

She shook her head and felt something terrible and searing fall down her cheek. A tear slipped hot and unfamiliar, leaving an emptiness in her chest as she realized she had not cried in years. Another tear followed…she suddenly felt so human….

A third dripped from her chin, the people around her did not seem to notice, and she was glad for it. They continued about their way, and Alice stood stock still in the hallway. The exit to the deck was not far away. She should dry her tears and join her friends, she knew….and yet they kept coming….she was sobbing now….what was wrong with her?

She was lonely. She missed Carlos. She missed Matt. Both were good friends in the short time she knew them. She missed being truly human, and she missed life without battle and pain. She missed the world before the T-Virus…the world before the undead and constant struggle for human survival.

Alice suddenly wanted to fall. Her knees felt weak and she absent-mindedly lifted a hand to the wall next to her. She was sinking….sinking into her own lonely thoughts like the sea that surrounded them outside. And she knew, she just knew she had no-one to catch her…

And then he did. Alice fell forward; her tears falling in silence, her face hit the soft cloth of Chris Redfield's shirt. She hadn't even realized he was there. She hadn't even heard him call to her from the doorway outside or felt his footsteps coming toward her until he had caught her mid-fall. Her knees had buckled, and he was the only thing keeping her from hitting the floor of the ship.

"Are you okay?" His voice….it was unusually soft, and she suddenly felt calmed by it.

"Alice?" She hadn't answered him, and now his voice held a worried tone. He didn't even know her, and yet…here he was…

"Um ,yeah, I'm fine, just…tired. I'm tired." She answered, finally, and noticed that her face was still buried into his shirt. His arms continued to support her, even though she had regained conscious control of her rebellious legs. He smelled good….despite the sweat and blood and zombie muck they had swam in earlier…he smelled like comfort.

She looked up, and his blue eyes held her gaze for just a moment before darting to the side.

"Everyone is heading outside. Maybe some fresh air will make you feel better?"

His hands slowly slipped from her back. She missed them as soon as they were gone. He smiled just a bit as she nodded quietly in response.

He didn't say anything more, but reached up, very quickly (almost too quick, her reflexes nearly retaliated), and wiped the last lone stray tear from her cheek, before turning abruptly and walking toward Claire and K-Mart who stood waiting just outside.

A brief image of Carlos flooded her brain. She missed him, the ache in her chest told her as much….

But the flutter she felt when Chris Redfield had held her told her that she was truly not alone.