CHAPTER 1

It was a familiar feeling. Seeing the sand on her hand. Alice told her, everyone told her, she was leading a convoy through the desert of Nevada, searching for survivors, some months ago. She couldn't remember, but she knew the feeling of having sand on her hand, which runs slowly through her fingers back onto the ground. Although now she was sitting on a beach in Alaska and not killing hungry undeads in the heat of Nevada, the sand was the same. The world had changed, but at least some things stayed as they were before; before the Umbrella Corporation let the T-Virus escape. But there are things you can't change, like feelings, her feeling of emptiness except for..

"Hey.. what are you doing?" said somebody with a raspy voice behind her, interrupting her thoughts.

Alice was one of these things about she couldn't remember anything. But it didn't bother her as much as her past fighting zombies, no, it bothered her more than that. The woman with the cold glare found her here, she cared for her and Claire knew she could have confidence in her. She knew it, but she couldn't remember why. The moment Claire 'woke up', Alice was looking at her with those beautiful blue eyes. When Alice noticed that Claire couldn't remember any thing, she patiently told her the most important details, about her convoy, the helicopter and Arcadia. Claire didn't know if she should be grateful or just freak out. So she decided to keep quiet at that moment.

"Oh, hey, didn't hear you coming.. Nothing much as you can see" Claire let the remaining sand on her hand run off and rubbed her hand against her trousers to make sure all of the sand was gone.

"Can I join?" Alice asked her with a smile on her face.

"Um yeah, of course"

Alice sat down by her side and looked at the ocean "were you thinking about your past again?"

Claire just nodded, it seemed like Alice had told her that a thousand times..

"Claire, don't force yourself, the memories will come back and you will remember the time in the desert, you will remember your brother Chris and ..."

"And you, will I remember you?"

Alice stared at her, the look of consent slowly fading into one that seemed slightly confused.

"Of course you will remember me, Claire. Although at first you didn't like me much"

Claire didn't like a lot of people since she couldn't remember anything, that was true, but she didn't hate anyone, or at least show it. She always tried to treat everyone right. As she could remember, nobody ever told her that she wasn't being nice or that she didn't like someone. So, what did she do that Alice said she didn't like her at first? She felt that Alice was someone confident, loyal and she was sure she was a really special person. Even though she killed a lot of people and could knock Luther out with only one kick.

"Seriously? Why? I mean... I can't really understand that"

"You won't understand it if you don't know the story"

"Tell me? … Please?"

"Do I get a present afterwards?" asked Alice and lifted an eyebrow.

"I'll see, stop teasing me and tell me already!" She punched Alice at her shoulder and grinned.

"Ok I'll tell you. You remember that story with the crows, don't you? You came to talk to me after that had happened. I was standing at the gas station and you came to me. You told me the people were afraid; of what I've done, of what I was." Alice watched the sea, her eyes following every single wave. "You don't wanted me to stay first." She sighed and separated her eyes from the water and looked at Claire.

Claire felt a shiver down her spine as her eyes met Alice's.

She put a hand on Alice's shoulder, now caressing her. "But that was time ago, now we're all ok, aren't we?" Claire had the sensation that, that really hurt Alice, having 'rejected' her for being... Different.

Alice had a smile on her face, placing her hand over Claire's one.

"Alice, you know that without you, I maybe wouldn't be here now. Or I would be some kind of starving undead. Although first I was surprised by your actions, I guess, but now I don't care if you were 'infected' by the T-Virus or not. I appreciate you like you are, because I don't know what I would be without you."

Claire had a serious expression on her face, even though she was slightly blushed and tried to sound not too stupid saying those words.

"Alice, I like you the way you are, you did a lot for me... I can't remember maybe, but I can feel it."

Alice didn't know what to say and she wasn't really that type of person who didn't know what to say. Usually, she always had the right words for everyone. But now she was completely speechless, so she tried to reach out for the pale hand of the other woman, who was really blushing now.

"Claire... I.."

"Hey girls! Stop hanging around, we could need some help... Collect wood and stuff"

Claire turned her head by hearing the voice of her brother Chris. She took a look at Alice, who was still in a strange position.

"Um, thanks Alice, for talking... But I guess we gotta get up" Claire stood up and walked to her brother's side.

"Let's go then." She almost had turned around when she said "Alice, are you coming?"

It seemed like the brunette had woken up from a dream and it looked like she first needed to orient herself a bit. "Yeah, I'm coming, but I'll check the beach first so... you don't have to wait for me"

Claire looked like she wanted to protest, but she didn't.

Alice stood up, saluted Chris and Claire and started walking across the beach.

"You think that something is wrong with her? That was kinda strange." Chris asked his sister.

"Wh-What?"

"Woaaah, you've got almost the same colour on your face as on your head! What happened, sis?"

The redhead turned her face away. "Nothing, what should have happened? Let's get to work already!" She started walking faster towards the forest which was located behind the little village in which they lived.

"Damn. I still gotta think of some 'present' for her. She really deserves it." And with that, Claire let her mind wander.