Disclaimer: I won nothing, just the store course.
A/N: Sorry it took me so long to update (well not thaaaat long but still) i couldnt find some time to write it down. I finally could today, so yay for me!
Well, i hope you like this new chapter! I'll be updating soon! Stay for the action and romance which is yet to come!.
Alice deposited Claire's limp body down on an improvised matress that Carlos had prepared for her in the back of one of the trucks. She covered the redhead with some blankets and once she was done she released a sigh. She was exhausted both mentally and physically.
Carlos, who was kneeling at the other side of Claire, brought a hand up to place it on Alice's shoulder.
"How is she?"
Alice gave him a quick glance but then returned her eyes back to Claire's sleeping form.
"I really dont know, Carlos" The man was surprised to hear Alice's voice uneven. He could clearly see how worried she truly was. "She should have come to by now"
Carlos gave her a comforting squeeze and then stood up. He motioned to the other side of the truck and opened the door. Before going out he turned back to Alice "We cant stay here, it's dangerous" The woman looked at him over her shoulder and nodded slightly with her head "There's a small town not far from here. All the trucks are loaded and everyone is ready, we should make it by nightfall. We could spend the night there"
"Sounds like a good plan" Alice forced a lopsided smile.
With that, Carlos gave her a nod and left the truck to inform the other survivors of their decision.
Half an hour later the convoy was back on the road. Alice hadn't left Claire's side once. She wanted to be there when the younger woman woke up, but meanwhile she had been absently staring at the redhead's chest rise and fall with each breath intake, her back resting agaisnt the sheet.
A weak gasp brought Alice back from her thoughts. Claire had her eyes wide open, as if she had seen a ghost and before she could stop her she was trying to stand.
Alice jumped to her side and stopped her in mid air. She carefully lowered Claire down to the matress again, finding no struggle."Where did you think you were going?" Asked Alice, still keeping the redhead pinned to the matress.
"Alice?" Claire's confused expression made the blonde lose her tight grip on her and sigh, sitting down on her hills.
"Yes, Claire. It's me" She brought a hand up to caress the redhead's cheeck lightly. She frowned at the touch. Claire's cheek was burning hot.
Alice checked Claire's forehead with her hand and confirmed what she was fearing.
"What's going on?" Came Claire's weakened question.
"You have a strong fever" Said Alice, concern showing in her features.
Claire couldn't bring herself to look into the other woman's eyes. She knew why she had fever, and she also knew it had to be kept a secret if she wanted to stay in the convoy.
The blonde moved to check for injuries on Claire's body again, fearing having missed something the first time. Maybe a concussion, internal bleed.. something that could explain the oddness of the situation.
"Does it hurt somewhere?" She asked with her hands pressing on the redhead's abdomen.
"It's a bit hard to breathe and i think my arm is going numb"
Alice looked at her in disbelief. That wasn't normal. She was sure she was missing something and that Claire knew what it was.
She suddenly stopped examining the redhead's body to look at her intensely in the eyes. She noticed that Claire was avoiding eye contact with her, but there was something else in there, a feeling that the convoy leader was trying to hide but that it was imprinted in her green eyes.
She saw fear, genuine fear.
"Claire, what are you hiding from me?"
The redhead bit her lip and fought back the impulse to push Alice aside and run away from her, where she couldnt be found, where her secret could be kept in the dark. Instead she slowly turned her head to meet the other woman's eyes. She knew she couldnt escape anymore. "A snake.. bit me" Claire said apprehensively, slowly lifting her arm to show the other woman the two marks the creature had left her. She didnt have to look at Alice to know that she was piercing her with her blue eyes.
"Why didnt you say anything, Claire? We could have helped you.." Alice was frowning and had her fists clenched tightly at her sides "...I could have helped you" She added in a mere whisper that went unheard by the younger woman.
"I was afraid that the snake was infected with the virus and that i would... that i would become..." Claire burst into tears finally releasing all the angst and distress she had been building up inside of her since the snake had bitten her. Without noticing, Claire found herself wrapped protectively in a warm embrace and soothing hands caressing her long hair. She tucked her head under Alice's chin and sobbed, not caring about being strong for just once.
"Shh... It's ok" Whispered Alice "Everything is ok now"
Claire found that Alice's words and gestures were very soothing and relaxing and soon she gave into the waves of tiredness that were overwhelming her.
When Claire awoke she saw that Alice had moved her onto the matress again and covered her with the blankets. She stirred and looked for the woman with her eyes.
"Hey... you're awake" Alice's small whisper broke the silence.
The blonde was sitting not far from her agaisnt the wall. She was smiling, though Claire could see she was deadly tired.
"How are you feeling?"
"Been better" The redhead gave her a shaky smile and quickly lowered her eyes to Alice's feet.
The younger woman watched Alice stand and kneel before her. She closed her eyes when she felt Alice's hand on her cheeck, enjoying the pleasurable sensation.
"You're still feverish" Alice got on her feet and started pacing back and forth.
Claire followed her with her eyes everywhere. She knew the other woman was struggling to say her next words. "If you still have fever, and by what i see you are doing worse than earlier, that means only one thing..." Alice made a halt. "The snake was poisonous".
To be continued...
What do you think guys? Tell me your opinions and if you'd like me to include something. I have the story all written down already but i might surprise you *wink* thank you so much for reading!
