Quick Break
Everyone is busy doing their job for the preparation for a fight against Dr. Isaacs who will be in their settlement in about an hour or so. Alice is pretty exhausted so she retired herself from what she was doing and let the others take over her work. She wanted to have a quick break before going on with another fight again. For this day she already got into two fights and she can't afford to lose this one so she decided to regenerate herself for the time being. Before retreating, Alice took glance at everybody and found Claire busy doing her job with the canned oil. Unknown to her when she turned her back, the redhead caught sight of her leaving figure.
She decided to stay on the lower deck of the rooftop where benches are installed. She sat in one of them and stared over at the horizon as her mind finally drifted away from her own thoughts. Finally, I could end all this, she thought. But the thought of ending all these, means ending her life, too. Once she releases this airborne antivirus, it's going to kill her, like what Claire had told her earlier when she talked about the matter with the redhead. But if it means saving the lives of the last of remnants of this dying world, then so be it. She's more willing to sacrifice her own life for everybody since she already lost interest in living because living nowadays means surviving, killing, and running. Surely, survival is a bitch.
She was back with her senses when someone patted on her shoulder. She looked up and found pair of cold blue eyes staring at her. It's Claire. The redhead sat beside her and handed her a silvery rusty can with water in it. Alice accepted it without hesitation.
"What's this? Homemade herbal medicine brought to you by your lover?" Alice had to smirk at that. But she got a light slap on her shoulder serves as the redhead's response.
"Sorry to disappoint you but it's pure water only. Well, I noticed your lips are as dry as the earth. You might not have been drinking enough fluids these past few days." Claire rolled her eyes and looked over at the horizon where Alice was looking before she interrupted her with her thoughts.
"Who else does?" Alice drank the water to empty and placed the can beside her. On the other hand, Claire lit up a cigarette and made two puffs before handing it to the woman beside her.
"This is the last one from my pack." Claire stated. The older woman gladly accepted it though she feels like teasing Claire again.
"Doc will be disappointed if he found out you gave this to me." Alice grinned. Then another light slap on her shoulder was thrown by the redhead.
Alice raised an eyebrow, still with a grin on her face as she looked away from her companion. "What? You're not used to being teased then? Guess old Claire Redfield is still intact in your flesh."
"Whatever Abernathy. You haven't changed a bit." Claire rolled her eyes with a small smile plastered on her face. She surely missed this kind of light conversation with her.
"Well, you still have that tough personality in your attitude. Hard as a metal but really a softie." Alice mused.
Claire narrowed her eyes at Alice. "Like you're not, huh? And where in the Hell did you pick up that language 'softie'? It's not in your character, Alice." The redhead grinned.
It's now Alice's turn to roll her eyes. "Well, I got this hobby like reading a book while I was on the road and a hunt for Umbrella facilities. I was scavenging in a small store and found a chick flick novel. It caught my attention so I decided to give it a try and read it."
"You're amusing me Alice."
"You're amusing me, too, Red."
"And what the Hell is that supposed to mean?"
"I never thought you would let your guard down. You got yourself a guy. You see, when I first saw you in the Nevada Desert, you appeared to be as tough as nails. It was like no man can get into your pants. Guess he's one lucky guy, after all." Alice replied and couldn't help but grin. This time, Claire slapped her shoulder hard enough for Alice to feel it. Alice had to laugh at her companion's reaction.
"I prefer to take that as a compliment." Claire said. "Well, I take back what I've said."
"What is that?"
"Well, you changed a bit though. You laugh now. The first time I saw you, you only had this annoying smirk plastered on your face when something's actually funny. But now, you're more of a…" Claire paused.
"Human?" Alice finished then Claire nodded. "Well, seemed like time for a change. And if tonight will be the end of me, why not have a little fun with an old friend, right?"
Both of them smiled at the thought of catching and patching up the lost time with an old friend. Sure they were aloof with each other when they first in met the Nevada Desert when Alice saved them from the infected crows and that went on for some weeks. Well, to support that, both women has a strong personality, always ready to clash in an argument. Both are dominant in their own way and neither was letting their guards down when it comes to each other. But when they already warmed up with each other, they became friends and inseparable. Alice became Claire's confidant when it comes to saving her people. Claire has a high respect on Alice for always saving people while she risk her own life for them as Alice is to Claire as being the leader of the people she barely knew. And people around them that Claire used to save respected them also in their own unique way. It was like, Claire is more on logical thinking and decision making and Alice will do the action. Both women were like heroes to people they were trying to protect. But they got separated when Umbrella fucked up their lives. And now, they were given another chance to meet but soon will be separated again…by death.
Alice caught sight of one of Claire's rare smile that she used to wear when she feels relaxed. As to Claire, is the same, she noticed that rare smile of her friend that she used to have way back in Nevada and LA.
"You still have that smile." Alice commented.
"You still have that on you, too."
Both women fell silent. Neither is speaking. Alice is busy with her thoughts on how is she going to take Umbrella down after she fights Dr. Isaacs. She has to keep these people alive for all she knows will be dead if she makes the wrong move. Apparently, she's strategizing things from here and after she gets in the Hive. The Hive. Suddenly, memories of her former comrades when she was trying to escape Raccoon City years back crossed her mind. How they died one by one because of the crawling bitches they never thought that were already infected and dead, or shall I say undead. Her features turned from calm to being angry. She couldn't wait to take Umbrella down. She tried to hide from Claire but it is already visible in the latter's naked eyes. Claire is watching her closely trying to read what is going in Alice's mind. Unluckily, she's not a good mind reader and she couldn't figure out what the fuck is in Alice's head. This lonesome bitch is really hard to read, Claire thought and smirk at her own thought.
"I'm coming with you." Claire muttered, not looking at Alice.
Alice raised an eyebrow. "Huh?"
Claire rolled her eyes. "You heard me. I'm coming with you."
"As if I would let you."
"As if I'll let you go there alone."
Alice looked at Claire seriously this time. "Claire, do you know how dangerous it is to be in the Hive? You know what Wesker is capable of."
"I don't know how dangerous that Hive is and yes I know what Wesker is capable of. But there's one thing I know for sure, I'm not gonna lose a friend this time. Not you Alice." Claire met her gaze.
"What about your people here? Everyone? Your friends? Doc? They need you here." Alice said.
Claire sighed heavily then looked away from Alice. "They've survived before I arrived. I know I owe them my life, but if helping you mean helping them, too, then I'm on your side. They will understand for sure. And who knows, they might help you out, too."
Alice sighed. "No. I'm not risking their lives."
"Then let me go with you." Claire said sternly.
"You're really stubborn."
"Coming really from you, huh?" Claire smirked.
Alice made her last puff of the cigarette then threw it. "Missed you Red."
"Missed you, too Superwoman." Alice smirked then they did the fist bump without looking at each other.
"Let's get this done." Alice said.
"Yeah, let's do this."
AN: Just another plot I have created after watching The Final Chapter. R&R?