Saving Raylien

Disclaimer: In no way, shape, or form do I own Resident Evil 4, Leon, or any other character in this fan-fiction other than Raylien. All rights belong to the respectful owners. I write this for fun and to get the inner fan-girl out of me.

Side-note: Raylien, if you can't notice, is Ashley. I made her appearance and personality different from Ashley's, and although I will try to follow the main dialouge and whatnot, there will be scenes from my mind and not just the game. I will make most of it (hopefully) along the lines of the game, but some of it (maybe even more than 'some') will come from my mind. I know this game is old, and for anyone who actually reads this: thank you! *throws roses*

Side-side-note: I know the first chapter has no paragraphs. I've no idea how to fix it, trust me, I've tried a million times! The rest of them are paragraphed, though. Sorry for this one being... broken.

Rescued & Escape

When he first came to her, her first reaction was to throw whatever she could to distract him and run past. Escape. However, that isn't exactly how it went.

"What do you want from me?!" it was a rhetorical question, of course, as she threw the shattered barrel piece with all of her strength at his face. She charged forward just as he swatted it out of the air, turning to her with an unreadable expression just as her hands were going to plant onto his chest and shove him back. Raylien never got the opportunity to do just that, as he instantly grasped her wrists and pushed her back without knocking her over, rendering her action pointless. With an anguished cry, she ripped herself free from his grip and stumbled back from her own force, falling back onto her own rear. A whimper bubbled past her lips as he stepped forward, one hand stretching out as he crouched to his knees.

"Calm down, Raylien," the man said- the use of her name on the stranger's lips shocking her- "I'm Leon. I'm under the president's order to rescue you."
Relief racked through her so hot, so sudden, so complete that she saw spots- however, who was she to believe a stranger? Drawing her knees closer to her, Raylien attempted to make herself as small a target as possible.

"What? My... father?" she asked in a soft voice, her fern green eyes meeting Leon's soft yet determined blue gaze.

"Yes. Look," he reached in his back pocket and Raylien flinched as his hand grazed the gun in his holster, before flashing her his badge. "Now, I have to get you out of here. C'mon, with me." She swallowed down a relieved gasp and, still untrusting but believing he was her only chance, she reached out to his outstretched hand. Leon helped her stand, giving her support as she wobbled lightly in relief.

"Thank you," Raylien whispered to him, flattening out her plaid blue and purple skirt. The white blouse that buttoned up to her neck was adorned with a matching blue sash tied loosely around her neck. Her long brunette hair was pulled into a side-braid that carried down to the bottom of her chest, and her green eyes turned to study Leon though she had no chance as he grasped her wrist and tugged her towards the exit of the room.

He paused, though, and she stepped on her own foot to escape treading onto him. Leon pulled out a phone- or at least; something that resembled it- and spoke to a darker skinned lady on the screen. She didn't listen, the blood that was pounding in her brain so over-whelming she couldn't listen if she tried. Raylien was being rescued. Now, she took opportunity to study his back. He was lean and muscled, with grenades strapped to him and guns pushed into their holsters. He had dark clothes with black combat boots, the only thing light about him was his dirty blonde hair and blue eyes.

He was quite the looker, honestly, which was usually unlike most bodyguards and... secret service people.

After putting the device back into a pocket on his hip, Leon turned towards her and nodded, leaving the room after scanning for useful items. "Are you alright?" he asked her while he walked down the hallway, the handgun he used poised before him. She followed right behind him, glancing cautiously over her back seldomly.

"I'm fine," Raylien replied in a hushed tone, not wanting to disturb him. "...are you?" she asked after a moment of hesitation.

He was stunned, honestly, stilling in his spot for only a second before shaking off his shock and continuing forward. "Alright," Leon responded in a winded voice, the concern for his own being a shocker to him.

Pressing a finger to his lips for her silence, Leon turned back to the ladder and leapt down, knees buckling under the impact as he hit the ground. Raylien let out a gasp as he hit the ground, one hand against her lips in shock. He... oh, who was she kidding? He was an agent, of course he wouldn't waste time climbing down a stupid ladder. However; Raylien was no agent, and as she turned to lower herself down the ladder, she heard him hiss up at her. Looking down, she was shocked to see him with his arms held out to catch her.

He expected her to... jump? Was he crazy?! Her eyes widened and she shook her head quickly, but Leon scowled and maneuvered his arms forward, ushering her. "No time!" he whisper-hissed.

With trembling hands, Raylien pushed herself away from the ladder, yelping a tiny bit as she fell. Oh, God- she was going to hit the ground. Her heart hammered as the wind fell behind her, limbs flailing only for a second before she came to an abrupt, soft stop in Leon's arms. She looked up at him with amazed, scared green eyes and he grinned at her expression.

"It would've taken less time for me to climb down," she growled as he set her down, unfolding her legs as she touched the ground from her former bridal style.

"Next time, trust me," he whispered back harshly, then pressed his finger to his lips again and turned away from her, redrawing his gun as he jogged away. Raylien puffed out her breath, secret agent or no, it'd take her a while to trust him. He could've stolen the badge, could've been sent her to kidnap her from her kidnappers.

Well, it made sense in her head, absurd as it was.

Realizing she was alone, Raylien instantly sprinted down the hall and behind him. He sent a reassuring grin back to her and walked out from the cover of the wall.

Instantly, a voice invaded the silence; one too familiar and too scary. She instantly stilled and looked at it's owner.

"I'll take the girl," Saddler sneered and she swallowed a scream, stepping behind Leon.

"Who are you?" Leon snapped, instantly spinning towards the threat, his gun pointed at the purple-cloaked man. If you would consider it a man any longer.
"If you must know," he drawled, "my name is Osmund Saddler, the master of this fine... religious community."

"What do you want?" Leon growled, defensively blocking Raylien, a scowl pinching his eyebrows together.

"To demonstrate to the whole world our astounding power, of course. No longer will the United States think they can police the world forever. So, we, ehhh, kidnapped the President's daughter," at the mention of herself, Raylien quaked in fear behind Leon, who instantly lifted a toned arm to deflect- as if he actually could- the words from her, "in order to give her our power and then... send her back."

The words seemed to dawn a foggy memory inside her and she gasped out, "No!" as she turned her eyes to Leon, suddenly less fearful in the face of her realization. "Leon, I think they shot something in my neck," she stated, bringing a hand to her neck. The memory crashed down onto her like a bucket of ice water: She was strapped to the chair, as if she was actually able to resist or escape in her unconscious state. The needle had glown with purple contents as it tauntingly neared her soft, vulnerable flesh. All she saw as blackness, and as the stabbing needle penetrated her neck, all she felt was pain. Then nothing.

"What did you do to her?!" Leon growled, his voice so low and scratchy it reminded her of metal on bare rock.

"We just planted her a little... gift. Oh, there's going to be one hell of a party when she returns home to her loving father!" A coarse, insane giggling laugh erupted from his lips and he lightly tilted his head backwards. "Buuuut, before that, I thought I might bargain with the president for some... donations. Believe it or not: it takes quite a bit of money to keep this church up and running."

"Faith and money will get you no where, Saddler," Leon spat in retort.

"Oh, I believe I forgot to tell you: I gave you a gift, too," Saddler replied, brushing off the insult, grinning a demonic grin at the handsome lad.
"While I was unconscious..." Leon trailed off at the thought, lips tightening in rage.

"Oh, I truly hope you like our small, but special contribution. When the eggs hatch, you will become my puppets. Involuntarily, you will do as I say. I'll have total control over your minds. Don't you think this is a revolutionary way to... win someone's faith?"

"More like an alien invasion if you ask me!" Leon snarled. Raylien stood behind him by a few feet, arms crossed before her chest, head lowered when the door busted in behind them. Armed men, cloaked in black, stepped into the room, twin crossbows held before them, both trained onto Leon.

Instantly, the agent spun back to Raylien, his fingers a vice on her wrist while he started off on a sprint, leaving her to fall and stumble after him. She quickly gathered herself, running as quickly as she could after him... into a dead end. Leon didn't seem phased, but just as she began to slow down to question, twin arrows lit up with fire dug into the wall behind her back. She squeaked and instantly picked up speed to nowhere.

"Jump!" Leon demanded, throwing himself out the window. Glass shattered around them both as she mindlessly followed his order, not even realizing how insane this was as she flung herself out of the window. The ground rushed up under them and she grunted as she hit the ground, collapsing just as Leon picked himself up.

"You okay?" he inquired as soon as his voice returned, rolling over to stand up-halfway with a concerned look on his face, reaching out to pluck her from the ground.

"Marvelous," she sneered, pushing away his hand as he reached out to aid her. Breathing hard, she gathered herself onto her hands and knees, swallowing panic and forcing out in her calmest tone: "What... what's going to happen to us?"

"It'll be okay. We got into this mess, we'll get out of it," he reassured her. No, Raylien thought, I got us into this mess. You're getting us out. Not me. Her lip curled at the thought and she stood quickly, his gloved hands aiding her despite her silent protests.

"Thank you, Leon," Raylien told him, her green eyes seeking out his blue ones, but he'd already turned away. "Are you alright?" she asked again for what seemed the second time in only five minutes.

"Fine," he replied after pausing for a second, deluding the shock he still had at her concern.