Disclaimer:All the characters are not mine. Just I want to play with them.

Warnings:Chapter 1


Flashback – continue

The survivors rode for hours, always in search of some food or refueling.

It was not long before the radio made a static sound and finally Claire's voice came out of the speaker. "Thank you for really leaving me," there was a faint tone of amusement, but I knew her better, obviously she was still sad about my decision.

Alice looked a little uncomfortable but just looked out the window. We had chosen the truck because the tension inside the Hummer would be unbearable. Part of me was very happy to not leave Alice alone with Carlos anymore. Do not read me wrong, I'm sure the man is made of the best material, but I can not help but feel a little jealous and grab the idea that I'm her choice. There is no explanation for this connection from the first moment, from the first days. I could not just go over that connection. It's not the kind of thing you ignore during the end of the world, and on each of those brief days I could only notice how much someone can mean the whole world while all is lost.

Carlos seemed completely oblivious to the feelings in the air, but sometimes I think he simply decides not to show what he thinks. He's a smart man, we all know that, and there are not many who can count on him to throw himself between anything, alive or dead, running toward you.

"Sorry Claire, the landscape here is nicer," I replied with a laugh, it would be much simpler if we just calmed the nerves. "I really hope you're talking about Carlos or the K-mart desert," she replied, and while I could imagine those eyebrows getting wrinkled I could still hear Alice's laughter beside me. "You know it's that not Claire..." I reply and while Alice does her best to look like an ice statue, Carlos wraps an arm around my shoulders and pulls me harder against him. He does not take too long to raise a finger against Alice about to complain, but still nothing prevents me from holding her hand in mine.

They stopped for the night. It was dawn when Alice saw K-Mart if she was unbalanced from sleep and ignoring the glances of the other survivors, the brunette hugged her and let the girl sleep on her own chest. She made a mental note to find a car or even a camping tent in the next day so they would not need a campfire to stay warm. Alice could only remember how her heart had warmed up for K-Mart. The young woman does not look at her with fear, ambition or just sexual tension. She felt almost normal close to her. Maybe she could have a fresh start now. Perhaps.

/

"That one sucks." Alice pointed to the cigarette in her hand. She had seen the brunette coming and lighting up a good old Marlboro before offering it to her. Soon she sat on the stone next to the blonde, they were almost on the edge of the sensors and security cameras. K-Mart extinguish the half-smoked cigarette and put it into her pocket. You never know when the scarcity can reach...

"I should not smoke..." she complained as she took the cigarette from Alice's hand. How damn good it was... "Why? Claire does not like it either? "Alice played with the lighter. "No, Alice. This can gives cancer." K-Mart replied with a mocking smile. "Perhaps. But I think you should do what you want though." Alice smiled back. "I'm not sure what I want," she replied before swallowing once more and returning the thing to Alice. The woman looked at her a little confused and then her mouth opened into a small O as the realization hit her. "Claire tried-" "Yes." A strange silence surrounded both of them.

"But..." Alice tried, the problem was that Claire was coming toward them. K-Mart snorted loudly and waited until the redhead arrived. There was no way to have this conversation now. "K-Mart, go to the Hummer, please," the woman asked and the young woman just took the cigarette from Alice's hand. "No."

"Are you smoking?" Claire's eyes were wide. "Yes, more than a year," the blonde let out the smoke and Alice hold the laughter about Claire's expression. "Give me that-" Claire stepped forward and K-Mart stood up. "Claire! You're not my mother! "-"Absolutely! You do not kiss your mother that way!" The redhead screamed and for the first time, K-Mart was not frightened by it. "No, not kiss. And it's not you I want Claire. So stop that fucking jealousy!" She replied and held the woman's gaze for long enough to make the point. Claire looked at Alice and before any word was spoken, the alarms sounded.

"Shit" the three of them spoke at the same time as the first undead made his way toward them. And he was not the only one.

"It's just me who think our conversations are never complete? Every time we are interrupted..." Alice snorted and pulled the Kukri out of the hem and began to walk toward the undead. K-Mart pulled the pistol from her right boot and thanked the heavens and Alice for knowing how to shoot. In seconds, they were surrounded.

"You did not feel them coming?" Claire asked as she strayed from the bodies on the floor. She was unarmed. Of all the days to have an attack, it had to be exactly the day she was unarmed?

"Let's take Claire to the Hummer, everyone else is awake now. And no, I did not feel any of them. Do I look like a sniffer dog by case?" Alice said almost offended. "But you're still a bitch," Claire thought aloud. "Good time to annoy those who are armed and you are not Claire" K-Mart shot a zombie very close, it seemed it was just to make a point. They would not let her die. Alice's eyes met those of the redhead for a moment, "Caraminholas on Redfield's head?" She tapped her finger and Claire blinked angrily. Damn.

"K-Mart, come in"

"K-Mart, follow me"

The girl stopped and froze in place, both women looked at her waiting for the answer. "Good time for a decision," she sighed to herself. They both looked around and then back at her. "K-Mart, I do not want to die here," Alice said and fired at two undead who were close enough. That seemed to pull the girl back.

"I'm sorry, Claire. I want a love, not a leader." She followed Alice then.

Everyone on the train picked up in time for the vehicles. Carlos managed to get the cameras and they left. Alice picked up the saddlebags and hurriedly put it on the moto, and with a sad look she said goodbye to the slight sense of normalcy that was to live with a cluster of human beings again. She and K-Mart got on the moto and finally got out of there.

Alice said nothing. K-Mart does not either. They saw the look of pain on Claire's face. Even worse pain in Carlos's eyes and other people they could consider friends. There was no celebration, but Alice still could not hide the small smile as K-Mart hid from the wind, nestling her face into her neck.