Disclaimer: I don't own Resident Evil. It's all Capcom & Paul Anderson (I think lol)
AN- Alrighty so how many of you saw the new movie? IDGAF what anyone says, it was freaking awesome. And that fight with Alice & Jill at the end? I think I shit myself it was so damn cool! BTW, Am I the only one who fell in love with the whole Becky/Alice relationship?
Anyway there's a lot of awesome stories out in this fandom, each one creative and entertaining, but I haven't seen too many telling the stories of the characters before the outbreak. This is my attempt to do that. At the same time I'll be setting up a side plot. I'll be borrowing a few things from "My Life To Dream" because I plan to write a sequel and this sets things up smoothly. Hope you'll stick around :) R&R?
Alice stared at Wesker. 'I'm the ultimate weapon?' She thought, contempt twisting her lips. Leon mentioned something about an ultimate weapon. Seemed Wesker had it all planned out...
At the chairman's signal a giant flood light turned on overhead, swooped down over the inky darkness, revealing the source of the eerie cries and piercing screeches, sounds she hadn't noticed when they landed a few short minutes ago.
Her eyes adjusted. A sickening wave of horror, disgust, and disbelief rippled through her core.
Every monster imaginable -and some so horrendous she couldn't picture them in her wildest dreams- swarmed the grounds near the White House. Lickers, Cerberus, Executioners, Las Plagas, Kipepeo, and thousands –no, millions!- of zombies all gathered round the man made barriers, each creature striving to get past their defenses and tear their blood thirsty maws into what remained of the human race... There must be billions of those things out. Against their what? Two or three hundred soldiers? That's assuming the Red Queen didn't deploy an army of backup Rain's, One's, Carlos', Jill's and Alice's as well. If that happened, Alice didn't see this ending well for them. Fighting mindless instinct driven creatures was one thing- fighting plotting, conniving soldiers was another story...
"This is humanity's last stand," Wesker continued softly, his gaze swooping over the scene, "...the beginning of the end..."
Alice shuddered, momentarily overwhelmed by this revelation. No matter how hard she tried, no matter how far she ran, how high she flew, or how deep she sank the nightmare kept finding its way back to her. Was there simply no end to the suffering? No end to her suffering? She blamed herself for everything, for all of this. Rationally she wasn't at fault, but if she'd fought harder, if she hadn't turned the other way when Umbrella was still striving to get the T-Virus off the ground, if she hadn't stopped those officers at Spencer Mansion this would have never happened... No. She couldn't think about it now. It was too late. Wishful thinking won't change the past or its outcome.
"We need your help, Alice." Wesker persisted. His gaze darted to the others, who up until now remained in shocked silence. Inside he was laughing but he retained a somber expression. These people were his aces, his triumph cards. "THEY need your help. They won't survive without you."
Alice forced her gaze away from the pulsing sea of monsters and focused on her—what were these people to her? Allies? Acquaintances? Friends? The enemy of an enemy? Jill glanced up at her looking pale and uncertain. But she also looked angry and determined. Becky clung to the blonde's hand as if it were a life line, partially hidden by her. They'd bonded in the chopper ride back and she was thankful to the ex police officer for being there when she couldn't be as swam in and out of consciousness.
As far as she was concerned humanity sucked. In her opinion, a lot of people were getting exactly what they deserved. Herself included. Each and every one of them had a hand in its own self destruction. This was karma, their just desserts... But she wasn't God. She had no room and no right to judge. Besides,
There were still some people left whom she whole heartedly believed were worth fighting for. Like Chris, K-Mart, Jill, Becky, and Claire.
Claire...
The mere thought of the redhead sent her into a tailspin, hopeless to put her feet on the ground. If there existed any reason for her to fight this fight it was in the hopes of one day reuniting with her. Their time shared kept getting cut short, as if the universe decreed they not be together. This time she was determined to keep her by her side.
'If she's still alive.' A dark voice within her sang. 'What are the chances?'
"Perhaps you need a little time to adjust," Wesker suggested, his grin melting into a scowl. "This is a lot to take in."
Alice sucked in a large gulp of air, holding it in her lungs, enjoying the way her body hummed with new found strength and power. As much as she hated to admit it, she'd missed this. Especially after a round with a bio enhanced Jill and Las Plagas infected Rain.
She met Wesker's stare with a heated one of her own. One day humanity would take back this world, they would learn from their mistakes, try again. One day she would wake up in bed next to her lover, they would smile at each other, share a passionate kiss, get up, share breakfast with their daughter. And it would be real. One day this would all be nothing but an unpleasant, distant memory, eventually it'd be forgotten, just another story in a million year history full of them. One day that bell would ring, and she will have won the round...
But for now Alice had one more fight left in her.
"Point me where you want me."
Jill's eyes danced around the living quarters Wesker arranged for them, drinking in the pale tired faces of its occupants. Many of them she recognized from her time spent as Umbrella's puppet, others were the faces of people she'd known long before, in a life far away from this one. Well, she sort of recognized them. Her memories were still hazy at best. For eight years she'd been controlled via the use of drugs and Umbrella's personal favorite mind fucking device- the scarab. She was kicked out of the driver's seat and forced to watch as someone else steered the wheel. The experience left her feeling shaken, disturbed, and terrified.
Even now, knowing fully well that she was free from its powers, she could almost feel the steel legs of the device shifting inside her chest. Were these really her own thoughts? Or was this Umbrella playing God with her life once again? Was she really free? Or would she forever be a flesh and blood puppet for the evil corporation?
Jill shook her head, shoving the idea to the far recesses of her mind. These were her thoughts. She was sure of it. How else could she entertain the idea of slitting Wesker's throat without feeling a sharp stab of pain in her head warning that her thoughts were off track?
Instead she focused on Alice.
Since she'd been freed of the device the urge to reconnect with the woman was damn near irresistible, almost like the feelings she had for her had been placed on hold for eight long years and now they were pressing play. Nothing had changed. Not for her anyway. She'd have to be very stupid and naïve to think nothing changed in eight long years. Even if the opportunity had not presented itself to speak to Alice, she could see it plain as the light of day. Alice wasn't the same woman she'd met in Raccoon City. Hell, she hardly recognized this calm, mature version of the hot headed, impulsive, raunchy woman.
There was so much Jill needed to say, so many things she needed to apologize for. Now simply wasn't the time. There were too many people here, there were too many problems to solve- no need to add any more. The opportunity would eventually present itself.
Alice glanced around the room, her attention waning from the discussion at hand. She found her eyes constantly jumping from Jill to Claire. As if the emotional overload of the last few days wasn't enough she suddenly found herself caught in the middle between the two women she'd come to feel for. It wasn't the ideal situation, but she wouldn't deny the immense amount of relief and even the inkling of happiness she felt seeing those she cared about safe and alive.
When Wesker said he brought along a few friends for her she'd almost expected another clone of Carlos or Rain or even one of herself to be in the room. Never in a million years did she think to find Chris, K-Mart, and Claire, perfectly alive and perfectly safe, waiting to be reunited with her.
Her heart wanted to break through her ribcage in excitement. They were alive. CLAIRE was alive...
The moment was over quickly however as the hard facts of reality slapped her across the face. If Wesker took the time to find Chris, Claire, and K-Mart then chances were he planned to use them. Nothing Wesker did was without reason. She'd learned that the hard way. He was a slippery weasel of a man, a damn snake, a lion waiting to devour. She could think of a thousand other things to compare him to- none of them too friendly. But the man had never given her a reason to think of him as anything other than scum.
What were his intentions towards her friends now? He claimed they were all on the same side now but she wasn't stupid enough to believe that and anyone who was certainly deserved whatever they got. Did he plan to use them as leverage against her? Were they his hostages?...
Her thoughts took her back to that cold, fateful night in Raccoon City when Timothy Cain ordered her to fight the nemesis. She refused. He threatened to kill Carlos, Angie, Lj, and Jill. She'd shrugged, gambling with their lives.
'What makes you think I care?'
Then Dr. Ashford found himself on the business end of a bullet. Punishment for her inequities.
She did care then. She certainly cared now...
After having spent 18 months not knowing if Claire was okay, then finding her only to lose her again, Alice wanted nothing more than to show the woman she cared. But how could she when she knew Wesker would watch their every move in the hopes of snaring her into a trap? He was and never would be above using the people she cared for as a gambling chip.
Things were certainly complicated now. Just when she thought it couldn't possibly get any worse.
Alice felt a tug on her hand. She craned her head to look at Becky who smiled with all the enthusiasm of a seven year old girl. She pointed at the bed, silently asking if she could lay down.
"Of course." Alice signed.
"Will you still be here when I wake up?" She asked, brows dipping in concern.
Alice couldn't help the pang of guilt in her chest. She leaned down and kissed the girl's head, ruffling her hair affectionately. "I'm not going anywhere. Promise."
That seemed to have the desired effect. "What about Jill?" She asked through a yawn.
"I'll be right here." Jill spoke and signed her response. She gave the girl a reassuring smile. "Sweet dreams."
Certain now that she wouldn't be left alone again, Becky climbed to the head of the bed and squirmed underneath the covers. Her head barely hit the pillow before Alice heard her soft snores.
"Poor kid. She's exhausted." Jill commented.
Alice nodded, there was a spark of amusement as she recalled Angela Ashford taking a liking to Jill as well. The officer had a way with kids. She was a natural, she simply didn't know it.
"Yeah..."
She was grateful for Becky, the little girl served as the perfect distraction if only for a moment. Eventually the small talk died down. Eventually everyone's need for answers drew their attention back to her.
Chris Redfield, Ada Wong, Leon S Kennedy, K-Mart, Jill Valentine, Becky, and Claire. They all watched her now, waiting, waiting for answers she didn't have.
"What do we do now?" Leon wondered.
Several minutes passed until they realized as much. Chris broke the silence with a loud yawn. He stretched his arms over his head and leaned back on his elbows besides K-Mart.
"I don't know about you but I'd kill for a bed, a real bed."
K-Mart snorted, rolling her eyes at the rugged man. "Hot water." She said after taking a moment to consider her answer.
"I could go for a vacation." Leon added, a far away look in his eye. Alice was willing to bet money the man's thoughts were centered around a certain assassin.
K-Mart looked over her shoulder at Claire, who up until now remained uncharacteristically quiet. She figured it had something to do with Alice. Since the redhead met the eccentric woman her world revolved around her.
Claire looked up, feeling everyone's stare on her. She'd been so caught up in her thoughts she hardly registered anything else. 'Anything but Alice.' She thought wryly.
"Cruising down the beach on my Harley." She said quietly. "That's what I miss the most. That and hanging out with Chris and my parents."
Chis smiled softly at his baby sister. Well, Claire was far from being a baby. The last time he'd seen her she was 17 and headed off to college. Eight years was a long time and he couldn't possibly imagine what she'd had to endure during that time. When he looked at her now he didn't see the young, naïve girl from before. What he saw was a strong, beautiful woman, a woman who could probably kick his ass now.
"Jill?"
Their gaze shifted over. Jill stared at her hands, wringing them in her lap. "There isn't much."
"Ah, come on. I'm sure there's something." Chris encouraged with a friendly grin.
"Really. There isn't much. I was never close to anyone. I was too absorbed in my work. Growing up I didn't have a lot of friends. My dad moved us around a lot." A sardonic grin lilted her lips. "It wasn't until the cops raided our apartment one night that I realized we moved so much because he was running away. He was always one step ahead of the cops. I guess he slipped up." There was a distant look in her eyes. "That's what made me decide that I wanted to be a cop." Finally, she looked up, meeting sympathetic gazes all around. "I guess I miss being a cop."
The group grew silent, each one losing themselves in the present to travel far back into the past, to a time when trivial little things like fashion, the latest gadgets, money and finding a way to live the good old American dream were their biggest concerns.
Alice snorted softly. "Do you even remember what it was like to wake up in the morning in bed and not on some filthy, dusty floor wondering if today's the day that you die?" Her eyes locked on Claire. The redhead met her gaze. "I don't... It seems like a dream now. Like it never really happened."
Silently Leon, Jill, K-Mart, and Chris nodded their agreement...
"What were you doing?" K-Mart suddenly piped up. She looked at all of her friends, curious. "I mean, when all this happened?"
Leon spoke up first. "I was headed to Raccoon City. I had just been offered a job at RCPD. I was running late and by the time I got here it was too late. Zombies had taken over the place." He turned to look at Claire. "That's when I met her."
Claire nodded slowly, recalling the memory. "Yeah... I heard about the murders in the Arklay Mountain. Chris hadn't called in a few days and I got worried so I drove down to Raccoon City to find him."
"Wait a minute." Jill jumped up, growing excited as her mind made connections between them. "What position were you hired for?"
Leon frowned, scratching the stubble on his chin. "STARS. Two of their top officers were just suspend- wait... You were one of them, weren't you?" His eyes sparked with recognition. "I heard about you and your partner. Chris Redfield. You were the ones that got suspended for-"
"-ratting out Umbrella." Alice cut in. She licked her lips, sifting through the memory in her mind. "You tried to seal the lid on the company. What you didn't know was that Umbrella had already bought off your superiors."
Jill shot Alice a cutting glare. "How do you know this?" Deep down she already knew the answer but she refused to believe it. She needed to hear this from Alice- the truth. The truth about how all this began.
Alice found herself caving beneath the blonde's hard stare. An insurmountable sense of shame wrecked havoc within her. "I was the head of security at the Spencer mansion." She admitted reluctantly after a brief hesitation.
"That's the entrance to the Hive." Chris murmured distractedly. Physically he was in the room but mentally he was twelve years in the past, a rookie STARS officers sent out with his partner to investigate the crash of a fellow team's chopper.
"That was in the Arklay Mountains." Leon thought out loud. It was for his benefit more than the others- he knew they'd already made the connection.
"Where the outbreak began..." Claire whispered, growing pale as realization sunk in.
Over the course of the apocalypse she'd often wondered just who was responsible for everything that happened. And she'd promised herself that she ever met the ones responsible for ruining her life she would make them pay. Too much had happened, she'd lost too many friends, had been broken too many times not to want to revenge on the people who caused it all. She never actually expected to run in to the ones responsible- she figured they were long past dead. Just as it should be...
To find herself sitting here now, looking into the very eyes of the person who might be directly responsible for it all- the same eyes of the woman who saved her countless time, who brought her back from the brink of death, who would do anything to protect her- left her reeling.
Alice felt like the air was being squeezed out of her lungs by a pair of invisible hands. The hurt and betrayal painted across Claire's expression broke her.
"Claire..."
"Tell us." Claire whispered, voice raw with emotion.
"Claire-" Alice tried to explain. The redhead shut her down with a scathing look.
"Tell us. Tell us who you are."
Alice sighed, combing shaky fingers through her unruly hair. Her body, it seemed, was still getting used to the effects of the T-Virus. It needed time to adjust to the virus running rampant through her system again. She drew her hands into her lap, hiding them from the view of the others. Her confidence was waning beneath their steely stares and any signs of weakness wouldn't bode well for her.
"Do you want to know why I fought so hard to keep Becky alive?" She asked, her question directed at Jill and Leon.
"Why?" Jill answered, leaning forward in his chair. Leon chose wisely to keep quiet.
"Because she's my daughter..." Upon no reaction she elaborated. "My real daughter."
Jill shook her head like a dog shaking off water. Incredulous. "No. She's a clone. I saw her in the biovat."
"Where do you think they acquired her DNA for the cloning process?" Alice snapped. She softened a bit as she reeled in her emotions. This wasn't Jill's fault. She looked apologetically at the blonde. "I didn't always work for Umbrella. I wasn't always a tough a security operative... I used to have a family, friends, a job, and a life before all of this."
Despite herself, Claire's anger abated giving way to a burning curiosity she felt powerless to stop. Alice never spoke about herself or life before the virus broke out. She was an enigma, a mystery she was dying to figure out.
"What happened?"
Alice readjusted herself on the foot of the bed. She kicked her feet back and forth lightly, as if the motion would somehow kick start her memories, then stopped them, thinking she looked like a bored kid forced to sit in on an adult conversation. She looked around at the faces of her allies, noting their expressions. Leon looked stern (as always.) Chris and K-Mart looked curious. Jill looked angry. Claire looked neutral.
She fixed her sight on Claire, finding that concentrating on the redhead helped ease some of her inner turmoil. There was a sense of peace and tranquility she felt whenever Claire was around.
"When my daughter was born she was diagnosed with a rare disease. The doctors said she would never get better, only worse. They said this disease would eventually kill her. Her father was devastated by the news, so much that he packed his bag the night before we were scheduled to leave the hospital and left. I never saw him again."
"Asshole."
"Bastard."
Jill and Claire simultaneously cursed. Alice smirked lightly at the two women.
"The medication regime she was put on was expensive, but with the money her father sent every month and my job supplementing us, well, we were able to live a pretty comfortable life... Then suddenly the money stopped coming. I wasn't making enough to afford the medication, and the Doctors said without it-" She stopped, unable to continue.
How long had it been since that day? Almost fifteen years. The blow of the Doctor's words still felt as real as it had that day. She felt desperate, outraged, and terrified, all these emotions as strong as they'd been that day.
She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, willed her resolve to pull her through the hard times once again.
She could see it in her mind's eye now- the clinic, the nurses, the Doctors, the blinding white florescent lights, her daughter's sickly, pale face. Beside her an elderly couple waited patiently talking amongst themselves and every once in a while the woman turned to smile sweetly at them. She could smell the standard sterile scent all medical facilities seemed to reek of. Disinfectant and cleaning solution. It made her sick to her stomach.
She was there again, sitting in that clinic in those hard steel chairs fighting the nausea threatening to choke her. A cold sweat dripped down her back, soaked her brow. Her hands constantly trembled in her lap. She fought the urge to break down and cry even as she smiled at her daughter and reassured her that everything would be okay...
It wouldn't be okay.
TBC?