Disclaimer: I do not own the Resident Evil genre although writing on a FAN FICTION site should be a clue. This is the only disclaimer you will see as I fail to see the point of repeating the same disclaimer over and over again just to increase my pitiful word count above 3000 words per chapter. I am not making any money off this fic and it is being posted purely to set my mind at rest after a dream I had detailing how different things could have been. This is and AU verse so some events occurred differently and this means that if you review telling me I got a date wrong or a character too out of cannon proportions then you are an idiot incapable of grasping basic NvsN scientific psychological development prospects. – Thank you for your time, but please feel free to give CONSTRUCTIVE criticism. If you think something's bad (other than the summary) then say so this is a relatively free site and you can say mostly what you like with out it being censored.

-0-0-0-

Chapter 1.

Redemption of an Ashford -

Blue eyes with a tint of both brown and green shimmered in the glow of the bright light. The constant noise and bustle didn't seem to affect the relaxed stance of the young woman as she patiently waited for her flight to arrive. The Santiago airport was filled to the brim with panicky families as well as happy and celebratory faces; however not all was as it seemed. Outside the building a great commotion was in progress as dozens of countless protesters filled the outer lobby clamouring for a chance to get a reaction for the legendary Senator Ron Davis.

Most politicians would be flattered to be the centre of attention, bar a major scandal or catastrophe, sadly for Davis this was the case of a major scandal. Seven years ago Senator Davis had been part of a committee that deemed the only way to dispose of the viral outbreak caused by the multi-national pharmaceutical cooperation, known as Umbrella. It was decided to deploy a tactical nuke in Raccoon city to curb the spread of the viral outbreak in 1998.

While the information at the time was covered up the survivors made it their mission to prove that the fault lay directly in the hands of Umbrella. Following the outbreak and the subsequent escape from the city each took a different stance on their fight against Umbrella's biological horrors.

Claire Redfield turned sighing deeply, no matter what she did, Claire couldn't seem to help reminiscing on the events of the past few years and the horrors she had been subjected to. While the others – bar Rebecca – had taken up the roles of fighters she had preferred the role of 'rescuer' helping the helpless and keeping them from Umbrellas web of destruction.

In January 1999 one year after the incident of Raccoon city Claire had found herself on Rockford Island after being taken from an Umbrella facility in the North of France breaking out of the prison with the help of Steve Burnside and inmate at the prison she had escaped the island. However the crazy Alfred Ashford, who had already made several attempts to kill her under the mistaken assumption that she was leading the attack had followed her and shot her escape craft down over the Antarctic. Surviving the crash through sheer luck she and Steve had split up roaming the facility looking for not only an escape but further answers to the events they had been subjected to.

Sighing once more Claire looked up and smiled a woman with long blonde-green hair was walking nervously towards her, the woman's arms tightly shackled by intimidated guards. Claire waited until the guards had stopped before approaching the party of six.

"Afternoon." Claire smiled, the guards winced before one stepped forward and drew and official looking document from his top left jacket pocket.

"Claire Redfield, Chief advisor for Terrasave International, we of the BSAA hand over custody of Alexia Ashford after her 4 year sentence for experimental bio-weapons research and human testing." With a disgusted look he motioned for the chains and shackles to be removed. The pale skinned woman let a hopeful look creep back onto her face of as the Ashford woman looked up pathetically at Claire. Her expression made it look like she was a wounded puppy rather than an accused homicidal maniac of with a reputation more terrifying than Dr Mengele the Nazi experimentalist herself.

"On behalf of Terrasave International I accept custody of Alexia Ashford in association with the rehabilitation act of 1993 and respectfully thank you for your assistance." Smiling at having completed the official procedures Claire turned her attention back to the guards who were now suburb-speciously making their way towards the terminal exit and onto a return flight.

"Hey!" Claire called out happily, and the lead guard turned briefly to her, "Do you want to come celebrate with us?" Looking at her like she was insane the guards snorted disgustedly before turning and resuming their path to the exit.

"Hmph, bunch of wankers." Claire began to turn before a huge force impacted her at knee length, the startled gasp from the woman at her side let Claire look down to face her attacker, a small child with dark coloured skin and a bright smile greeted her. Smiling in turn Claire regained her balance before picking up the child in elation. "Rani, my you've grown." The girl giggled even as a bustle woman, also of dark-skinned origin, came into view.

"Claire good to see you again."

Hefting the small girl to her shoulder Claire smiled at her colleague from Terrasave Dranjia Mayborne who was escorting her daughter Rani Mayborne. Suddenly a startled gasp cut her off as she looked behind Claire to her left. Rani had begun to whimper. Placing the little girl down Claire turned swiftly; Alexia was sporting a horrific glare upon her face centred at the child and mother who were being so affectionate with Claire.

"Oh I'm sorry," Turning back to the Mayborne's, Claire proceeded to introduce her current companion, "Everyone this is Alexia, she's a very good friend of mine and I came here to pick her up." As the words 'very good friend' left Claire's mouth the expression on the Ashford's face disappeared and brightened immediately combined with a light pink tint to her cheeks.

Looking uncomfortable, recognition clear on her face Dranjia turned, hesitating before heading towards the luggage depositories, turning briefly she called to Claire. "Look after Rani; I'm just going to get our luggage." Puzzled at her colleague's reaction to Alexia, Claire proceeded to call back that it was ok.

Just then a man bumped into Claire. "Oh I'm so terribly sorry..." he spoke apologetically with a thick British accent. As she looked up she was impressed by the man's manner his appearance seemed carefully tailored in that of his professional looking grey suit and the clear glasses gave him the impression of a polite and pleasant person. Of course the easy-going smile gracing his features probably helped refine his appearance.

"Not a problem." Claire replied, happy for the chance to talk to someone intelligent looking as she waited for her Terrasave colleague to return.

"Fredrick Downing at your service, I must apologise for my inconsiderate manner I wasn't being careful enough and I will endeavour to do so differently in the future." Bowing slightly in further apology he turned and sat upon the nearest seat, to avoid standing over him Claire sat down in the seat one across from him.

She heard a growl from her left and turned to see Rani nervously sitting in the seat next to her, with Downing on one side and her colleague niece on the other Alexia had no where to sit except for further down. Looking heart broken Alexia sank into the seat next to Rani, still looking mournfully at Claire. Just then the volume on the nearest airport flat-screen increased as the news report was aired for maximum projection of audience involvement.

The reporter was standing outside the airport with the mob of angry protestors visible within the range of her partner's camera behind her. "Today many protestors have shown themselves due to the imminent arrival of Senator Ron Davis of the Wilpharma, rightly objecting to the un-ethical clinical trials conducted inAsiathe figurehead for the company faces a wave of unending public anger for his barely legal involvement in these events. Also the rumours of a new Wilpharma research lab to be built in Harvardsville has further agitated the crowd and they impatiently await the appearance of the Senator himself."

The news report then switched to a shot of a not-so-happy looking Senator Davis, "Senator Davis, you serve as a special advisor to the Wilpharma cooperation, after viewing photos of their latest human test subjects what are your thoughts?"

A sneering expression briefly made its way on to the balding Senators face before a public mask of innocence attempted to cover his features. "That Halloween is celebrated earlier in Indian than in the US?" Laughing at his own poor joke,Davisturned and walked out of range of the camera. Hearing a snigger across from her Claire turned away from the broadcast to give Alexia a disapproving look as the former Ant-Queen of the Ashford family quickly schooled her face to avoid further dispassionate glances for fear of reprisal.

"Huh, how utterly tasteless." Downing stated as he shook his head and turned back to the screen, as a second thought he turned back to face a startled Claire. "I apologise but people like that man deserve, well… urg." Grunting in disgust he Downing shook his head again in abject disappointment.

"No its okay, I can relate, Senator Davis hasn't just brought his problems here it's like the wacko circus is in town, every new station trying to grab a piece of the action." Resting a hand on Rani's back she smiled calmly. Downing smiled back before hesitantly glancing at his watch before sighing deeply. "I'm sorry but I think I've waited long enough, good day ladies." With one last smile and polite wave Downing made his way towards the exit after picking up a light looking silver attaché case.

Quick as a flash the Lady Ashford had stood up strode purposefully passed the little Asian girl and re-seated herself in the seat that Downing had just occupied. A smug look graced her previously icy features and she leaned her head against Claire's shoulder.

Turning her head to observe the woman Claire smiled lightly before stroking Alexia's head with the tips of her fingers briefly. The Ashford leaned into her touch just as briefly as the fingers had descended. They were interrupted from their oddly intimate moment by the young Asian girls' shouts. "Hey look that's the bad man, that's the bad guy from TV!"

Turning both their heads the two women saw that Rani was facing behind them and pointing directly at a large man wearing a professional looking suit and… a baseball cap? Looking more closely Claire could see the resemblance to the horrible senator she had dealt with in the past. As people turned and pointed at Davis reporters bustled in trying to get close to the Senator, his two body guards worked in synchronised defence with the assigned airport security to keep anyone from getting near the Senators personal space. Suddenly Claire heard a noise she had dreaded hearing since the first day she heard it. It was a combination of a moaning, groaning, breath of desperate destruction and hunger.

The guards turned towards it and reached hesitantly for their guns, the 'Zombie' shambled forward towards them moaning and groaning hungrily at an animated pace. "Stay back," one of the guards had his gun out and the Zombie continued to slowly advance, Claire acted quickly. She got up and strode forward before ripping the mask from the fake zombies face.

"This really is too much!" Furiously she threw the mask on the floor, gulping the man turned to see the incredibly hostile faces of the bodyguards before making a break for it across the lobby. Obviously frustrated at their lack of action the Airport security guard marched up to Claire from where he had been cowering behind the nearest pillar.

"Were you involved in this?" The guard questioned suspiciously, while reaching for his cuffs.

"Well yeah I was…" Click the first cuff was sent over her wrist, "Hey I was just trying to help!" Ignoring her smugly the guard turned away, just in time to flinch at the death glare he was receiving from pale skinned woman in front of him, he hoped it was his imagination but he could have sworn the new woman's eyes had glowed golden brown for a second in anger. Reaching across to where he had started to cuff the redhead the new woman reached out and with two fingers, snapped the metal cuffs in two. Eyes wide in terror the guard stared at the horrific gaze and 'knowing' superiority that washed down upon him.

Before the others could properly react to the situation another groaning was heard, looking back across the lobby three more 'zombies' were making their way towards them, each wearing masks slightly more realist than the first, and stumbling at a slower pace. Courage obviously gained from Claire impromptu attack on the fake zombie a blonde news reporter ran into view confronting the nearest zombie, the man should have been happy to get an interview, but all the fake zombie did was turn and groan hungrily at her.

'Sniff'

Claire stopped startled, Alexia had once told her she could detect when other infected people were near due to the power the Veronica strain gave her in communing with the Hive mind of the T-infected, just like how the Plagas samples that the US government had discovered and used to develop and antigen to kill the parasites cells, with this control like power the lower infected would obey a higher infected and follow its basic commands – in theory – though it was not something anyone had ever had a chance to test relating to the T-virus.

Calling out in desperation to the foolish news reporter Claire tried desperately to save the hapless girl, "No Stop!" but too late the 'fake zombie' turned and took a bite out of the reporters arm.

For a moment their was a stilled silence in the airport terminal, before the panicked screaming started, people ran in all directions as the undead appeared to come out of every crevice of the terminal and then headed for the living with their never ending hunger. The bodyguards started trying to fire into the crowd as Senator Davis hid cowardly behind them. Seeing the futility of staying both guards sized up the Senator before running towards the exit, abandoning their employer, valuing their own lives more than loyalty to their disgustingly obese boss.

Suddenly she felt a draft by her legs and saw that her colleague niece, Rani had run off back towards the seats for cover. Turning she gave Alexia a look who sighed but headed towards the girl, feeling a tug on her sleeve, Claire turned violently to find the poor Senator looking helplessly at her. "Please help…" he stammered off, before she could even think about replying she heard Alexia yelling "Claire, RUN!"

Turning at what she obviously assumed would be infected closing in Claire was shocked to see a jumbo jet baring down fast on the airport and, right towards her. With little time to spare Claire pulled the Senator and began to run for Alexia and Rani. As she heard the crash behind her and the increased screams she gave a final jump and pulled herself and the Senator to safety. Quickly regaining her footing she turned to the crashed plane which had removed the majority of the zombies from the living world.

However the day was not over yet and the giant aircraft was single handily blocking the main exit, hearing a thud as the passenger door was knocked away the four survivors turned to look at it, could it be their were more survivors from the terrible crash. However as the first body began to walk forward, it seemed to forgo trying to climb down carefully and let itself fall dangerously to the ground from the plane.

"No…" Claire whispered as more and more zombies began to exit from the plane, her nightmare had begun again. Quickly gathering her wits Claire pulled the others up and headed for the back exit where the V.I.P lounge was located with the barricaded protection doors encase of an emergency. It was their best bet to contact an outside line and wait for help to arrive.

As they walked quickly towards their destination, the Senators weight resting on her shoulder as he hobbled as quickly as he could, Claire couldn't help thinking back to the Antarctic facility. Everything had seemed simpler there. Solve the puzzles, find the answer to the experiments, and escape the base. With only her and Steve as the 'good' guys and everything else the bad guys it made the situation easier to deal with in her mind, more like a game where if she played to the ruled right she wouldn't, no, couldn't die.

The last few years had changed her; Claire could no longer see the world in black and white. Seeing Alexia, crying, weeping and ready to die after her brother had been seemingly murdered in front of her had left Claire feeling horrified with herself, at Steve's vicious laugh and taunts to the pale skinned woman Claire felt more horrified by the minute. When Steve had reached up to fire the rocket launcher at the girl and 'end the madness of the Ashfords!' Claire had stepped in front of Alexia and pleaded with Steve not to kill the woman.

If things had been different Alexia would have pursued them across the facility with a terrible vengeance, as it was she had merely reached for a syringe and thrown the contents with deadly accuracy at the boy. The needle punctured his eye and forced its way through into his brain killing him instantly. With this act completed Alexia had continued to cry, Claire lost in her own thoughts and comforting the fragile nude woman had missed this event and had simply gone to Alexia and hugged the pale woman telling her everything would be alright. After a moment of stiffness Alexia relaxed into the hug and continued sobbing, albeit at a lessened rate.

When Claire had next turned around she had been just in time to see Albert Wesker standing over the body of Steve his hand grasped around the syringe embedded in Steve's eye. Claire had wrongly assumed that the former S.T.A.R.S Alpha squad captain had ruthlessly added another victim to his list, Wesker didn't even have time to start taunting or explain himself before Claire had unleashed a barrage of bullets into him. The bullets probably wouldn't have hit him if Alexia hadn't chosen this moment to begin her transformation and hurl a ball of fire at him. Too shocked to resist Wesker had been blasted back through a window screen into a dozen oil tanks and from there blasted from the explosion of fire and oil through another window and out of the facilities building onto the icy expanse below. Quickly reverting to her original form, Claire had therefore missed Alexia's transformation and merely begun to plan and escape for herself and the newly awakened Ashford heir.

With her brothers arrival and the helicopter he had secured they boarded their escape craft quickly as the detonation charges that Chris had previously set went off. The journey back to the Olympic Carrier, a naval ship the American government had investigating the incident on behalf of the BSAA was their first stopping point never the less it was an awkward occasion. Claire had objected to the Ashford's treatment and had won Alexia's eternal loyalty, promising to free Alexia as a way of making up for killing her brother Claire had spent the next 4 years actively campaigning and promoting herself into a position of authority within Terrasave International.

But none of that mattered now, she was placed back in a situation where she would need all her wits and strength to survive and keep the people around her safe from infection. During her reminiscence their party had reached the V.I.P lounge as Claire cautiously opened the door she caught sight of Alexia and smiled at the Ashford heir, what ever it took she'd get through this, Claire knew it.

-0-0-0-

Chapter 2.

Old Friends Reunited -

After phoning through to his cooperate headquarters Senator Davis was remarkably calmer in his assumption that everything was going to be all right. Upon reaching the V.I.P lounge the only occupant appeared to be the serving maid who had stayed in fear of the screams and explosions, in the case of a fire she would have probably ended up burning to death but the fear had instead saved her from a grisly death of infection or being trampled to death by the escaping masses.

Claire felt a tug on her sleeve as her friend's nervous niece looked worriedly up at her, before flinching from the rather customary growl given by Alexia. Claire was beginning to find that Alexia was rather jealous of anyone being friendly with the redhead in more than a professional working manner. Then again Alexia had spent four years in a bio-terrorist prison facility, compared to the fifteen years she'd spent in that glass tube it had to have been better, but that was still nineteen years that Alexia had missed out on experiencing life to its fullest.

While patting her colleague niece on the head she turned to the surviving Ashford heir and gave her an apologetic smile, instantly the previously grumpy expression vanished in a flash replaced by a briefly innocent blush before resuming once more to the obviously grumpy persona that Alexia had spent years of perfecting herself on. As they waited for the rescue team that Davis had been promised Claire thought back to the years of campaigning actively in Terrasave once she found all the normal channels blocked relating to the matter of Alexia's freedom.

Originally Terrasave had been based in the United States but with Claire's careful work and promotional ideas she took control of the weak 'hippies' who had started the environmentally based organization. After months of careful planning she had manipulated the board into creating a sub-division of the company to deal with overseas problems, this was only her first step however and compared to dealing with her brother Chris, it was infinitely easier.

Chris tended to be manipulated easily enough but his short attention span and hot-headedness tended to get the best of him when he forgot everything he had agreed to, thankfully the Terrasave board had been far easier to control. Claire wondered if the things she'd done to take control of Terrasave hadn't been a bit selfish as a Redfield her drive to complete a task could be as unstoppable as her brother but unlike him Claire didn't know if her reasons for taking control of the company made her any better than the cooperate tycoons who had used their power and influence to control Umbrella. It was not a comparison she enjoyed but Claire was always worried of becoming a monster, it was easy to reassure herself that she'd done it for the good of the world. After all what could a bunch of weapon fearing hippies really done against cooperation's like Umbrella, other than launch protests and sign petitions.

Not much that's for sure.

With Claire at the helm, Terrasave International had taken control and assimilated the smaller protest groups on animal rights and environmental problems and accumulated them into one big Umbrella hating army. It wasn't hard to convince the paranoid schizo's that Umbrella was behind the majority of animal testing and environmental catastrophes that had plagued the world in the last few decades, heck for the most part Claire didn't even have to fake evidence to convince them. Umbrella doomed itself from the beginning, it sometimes even seemed to Claire that Umbrella kept spilling dangerous viruses on purpose, but that was absurd. Umbrella was just incompetent, powerful and dangerous, but incompetent.

Of course this was probably what made them a more dangerous combination of their opposing enemies in Terrasave. The International part of the company had given Claire more sway over important issues and finally letting her call in favours and re-arrange informational distributation. By 2002 Claire was the Chief Advisor for Terrasave International and behind the scenes she controlled the company. Finally in a position to do something about the remaining Ashford's imprisonment, after a year long campaign all the promises Claire had been given of even a trial for Alexia had fallen through and Claire's visiting rights had been revoked.

In the following year Claire initiated a crack down on terror campaign that led to more than twenty-eight successful raids on bio-weapons technology and their development. In the summer of that year Claire publically announced that the US government was run by a lying tyrant who refused to give a trial to an innocent women, convicted of biological experiments on animals before the idea of even protecting animals had been remotely established. Revealing the imprisoned to be the 'child genius' Alexia Ashford and playing heavily on the fact that Claire herself would not release a bio-terrorist/scientist Claire organised a public trial. In 2004 the trial took place and with the evidence Claire presented the verdict was unanimous.

Alexia Ashford would be transferred and released in September 2005. The final decision to release Alexia was made when she demonstrated her ability to transform into not only her enhanced form but that of a giant ant, who's blood was not only capable of exploding after more than three seconds contact with the air, but who could spit acid. By displaying Alexia's abilities Claire was taking a chance, but it paid off when she informed the Court that Alexia's peaceful nature would not allow her to use her powers against others.

While laying this on a bit thick, Claire was so close to finishing her promise and giving the Ashford's life new meaning again in the modern world.

Once the trial's verdict had passed Alexia was to be given a month to prepare for life in the outside world, however with the fear of Alexia's powers it was decided her care could not go to just anyone and for this Claire stepped in again offering herself as guardian to the remaining Ashford.

Seeing the sky darken outside Claire looked over at Alexia who was lightly dozing on the comfortable sofa next to her, Rani had her head laid gently on the Redfield's lap while Senator Davis swirled his coffee brought by the anxious maid who cast frequent glances at the one door, barley barricaded (the Senator had stubbornly refused to give up his seat for the barricade). Outside a light shone against the window, for a moment Claire thought it was the moon. Suddenly the sound of the whirring blades of a helicopter became present. The surrounding party of survivors looked up and drowsily moved to the window.

Down below the entire front of the airport was filled with tents and camouflage painted army vehicles. Smiling smugly, Davis turned and sat back down once more swirling his coffee in its cup rather than drinking it. As Claire watched a black Chinook landed and a mob of blonde hair was briefly visible in the over lapping search lights before it disappeared into the inky black of the perilous night.

"Hah and just think If I wasn't here then they wouldn't have sent anyone to get your out!" Laughed the pudgy man, the sneer once again distorting his glaring features, Davis seemed the epitome of a stereotypical politician, snide and two faced with the ability to get under everyone's skin bar his own supporters.

"Of Course they wouldn't have had to come for you if you ants had not abandoned you like a faulty queen." Claire groaned, sometimes she really wished Alexia didn't use metaphors it really wasn't something she was good at, a brilliant scientist but quite inadequate in nearly every other field. Claire still remembered a rehabilitation release session where Alexia had order the stove to fetch her a servant to turn it on. She had finally hit the stove in frustration and it was pure luck that a small portion of her blood had ignited and burnt through to the gas control, lighting the stove ready for cooking.

Claire had decided from that point on to never let the Ashford near cooking equipment again for all their sakes; she was more likely to cause a biohazard in the kitchen than in any science experiment. Over the years of fighting for Alexia's freedom Claire had sent the girl gifts to keep her mind occupied, Dolls were the foremost as remembering the Ashford's room Claire thought it might calm her. The younger Redfield had also sent science and history magazines to help the Ashford catch up with the progressions in the world since her time in isolation.

The Internet had been the biggest surprise as its steady progression and expansion had amazed the Ashford heir in a way she would never have thought possible. Claire found that Alexia had an untold innocence behind her sneeringly cold exterior. The girl had grown up in a family of inbred psychopaths and had pandered to her families delusions to the best of her ability, in the process Claire believed that Alexia had lost some of her sense of reason.

Still as she turned to face the puzzled Senator, Alexis did have a point; Davis was awfully full of himself for a man begging on his knees hours before.

"What are you talking about you daft woman?" demanded Davis furiously. "Ant hills and Bees? What are you taking?" Considering Alexia hadn't even mentioned Bees, Claire wondered if the Ashford's metaphor had really been that confusing to someone unused to Alexia's way of talking. Or if the Senator really was that stupid.

Suddenly there was a thud followed succinctly by two more right above their heads. Everyone was silent for a moment, Alexia was the first to move, tilting her head curiously the Ashford looked at the ceiling puzzled.

"What was that?" Cowered Davis as he shrunk into his seat more, letting the coffee cup fall loosely in his hand. Warily Clare approached the door reaching towards the coat rack for something that could be used in her defence it an attack was imminent. Feeling a hand on her shoulder she half turned to see Alexia standing firmly behind her, a stubborn look plastered across her face. A succession of loud bangs, resembling the discharge of guns signalled a terrified scream from the maid.

'sniff' "Three non-infected humans have entered the premises, they are heading this way."

Claire smiled as Alexia easily sussed out the situation, it looked like their rescue team had arrived already. Of course this bit of good new didn't seem to help the Senators personality.

"Are you joking? Its probably just some nut that found a gun and shot off at some infected. He'll run out of ammo and be dead pretty soon… if he's not already." The maids shocked gasp was all Claire needed to be spurred into action once more. Her keen rescuer personality reactivating now the first horror of the situation had past.

"I'm going to go out there and find them; if they haven't been infected I'll bring them back here." Before Claire could get any further she felt Rani impact her legs again for the third time that day. Holding tightly to her one link to her family Rani cried bitterly into the redhead's trousers.

"Don't go, people always leave, they always say they'll come back…" pausing to take a deep breath Rani carried on her tirade "My father promised he'd come back, but he didn't and then…"

"Oh stop whining you snivelling brat." Alexia's harsh voice cut through the air like an axe through flesh. Claire snapped her gaze back up to face her with a shocked look with visible disapproval clearly apparent. Wincing at the look she was getting from her the Ashford heir hesitantly backed off, obviously not wanting to offend one of her few friends any further.

"Look do we have anything that can be used as a weapon?" The room erupted into movement as everyone bar Davis and Alexia made a frantic task of searching for a suitable weapon Claire could take with her on her unwise excursion back into the viral infested areas of the airport building. Finally with the search completed Claire stood at the door ready to leave. "Thanks." She smiled briefly at the occupants of the room. "Don't open this door for any except me or the rescue team; it wouldn't do to get infected from someone's careless mistake." With nods of agreement all round the doors to the V.I.P lounge were opened and after a brief look outside into the dimly lit corridor, Claire stepped through the door.

Just as the door was about to close after her another figure stepped through as the doors swung shut with a barely audible click and scratch of wood. Looking at Alexia's worried face Claire smiled before looking at the weapon she had been handed. "Hmph never saw this coming…" Claire snorted as she held the red and dark pink striped umbrella in front of her. Alexia stepped in front of her the stubborn expression replaced the worried look in an instant.

"I'll protect you."

The words were spoken with such incision that Claire was sure that Alexia could break someone with just her voice alone if she wanted to. Claire considered asking Alexia to go back and protect the others, but time and again Alexia had proven that her loyalty was to Claire and not anyone Claire liked or even held respect for. Sadly Claire had become disillusioned and now understood the way the world worked, meaning she no longer had a wide range of figures to draw inspiration from.

"Alright, let's go then." Smiling and trying to think of better things Claire started cautiously down the long corridor, just because she had someone like Alexia as backup didn't mean she wasn't going to take her usual precautions. As she advanced Claire called out, not only was this method a useful way of attracting survivors but it would mean infected would have to come round the corners first giving her a chance to escape, or for Alexia to kill them. As she called further she reached up and tied the umbrellas holding cord to make the umbrella into a more club or spear like weapon.

Cautiously she turned the closet corner hearing a 'sniff' from Alexia she waited for an update, "There are now four non-infected heading this way, however I also detect a small group of infected heading this way to."

Sighing Claire continued on, her guardian angel watching her from behind.

As she turned the next corner a light was shone into her face, then two simultaneous voices overlapped, "Claire get down," "Get down, now!" Years of highly trained reflexes and the luck of a Redfield let Claire dive for the ground while the bang of a gun as a bullet flew thought the air where she had just been. Four more shots occurred, taking down her would-be infected attackers. A hand reached down to help her up as the sound of more footfalls headed towards them.

"Claire, nice to see you again." Looking up Claire saw with joy that the face greeting her belonged to an old friend, Leon Scott Kennedy a fellow survivor from Raccoon city.

"Leon," the redhead smiled up at him and accepted his hand, looking past him she saw a blonde haired woman, her hair tied back in a firm ponytail while a clean shaven black haired man with a startling resemblance to her brother stood behind her. Both were wearing Search and Rescue Team uniforms and were packing the equivalency of a personal army of weaponry on them. A dark-blonde haired man stepped out from behind the female SRT soldier and smiled hesitantly, it was one of the aides Senator Davis that had fled towards and exit in the first wave.

Turning they began to make their way back to the V.I.P lounge as Claire stayed relatively silent, Alexia moved closer to her and reached down for Claire's hand. Surprised but happy to oblige Alexia with affection to keep her in a good mood Claire briefly held her hand in turn as they continued carefully back to the room.

"Is this it?"

"Yep."

"Reinforcements?"

"None."

"Is it too much to hope you at least have a plan!"

"We're gonna run across the lobby."

"Are you completely frigging insane! The lobby's crawling with those things, its suicide!"

Claire tuned out Leon's battle plan with the Senator constantly objecting to every idea Leon put on the table. As she comforted Rani Claire heard a further growl she looked up briefly to see Alexia holding a showdown stare contest with the man of Leon's accompanying rescue team. Smiling at how far Alexia had come in her development of social skills Claire started to think back briefly to when Alexia's response to an insult had been to either throw the insulter into a wall or smash them over the head with the nearest large object. Before she could reminisce further on the past she heard Leon arguing that it was necessary to leave through the wider area. Seeing that not even his team was agreeing with him Claire decided to back up her old partner.

"He's right, if we're going to escape taking the wider area route seems more sensible, less places for an infected to surprise us from and their not exactly fast, if we conserve ammo and only take head shots we shouldn't have a problem getting out with out any casualties." In surprise at this unexpected back up the Senator turned his attention to her instead.

"What! And we should just listen to you why?" Davis burst out furiously.

"Because she's one of the rare survivors of the Raccoon city incident." With that Leon turned to stare into the distance obviously experiencing a flash back to a time when he too had suffered at the nightmarish horror of the cities infection and destruction. The other members of the room turned to each other all asking the same question in whispered tones, 'She survived Raccoon city?'

-0-0-0-