So, I have been using military time and will continue to do so in this fic. If you don't know how to read it I'll help you out, it's pretty simple. Basically 0000 (or 2400, they are interchangeable) hours is midnight and 1200 hours is noon. The last two digits will never go above 59 (just like on a digital clock). So here's an example class, what time is 1637 hours? ...Anyone?...Ok you there in the back who's raising their hand like mad, what's the answer? "4:37 pm" Yeah! I've taught you so well.

Chapter 4: Hesitation

The ex-project looked down at her watch, 0600 hours. We should get moving, she thought. Until, and if, Claire gets her memories back Alice's plan was to just go west and head along the coast. Alice felt useless. Although she had found one survivor it had seemed that she failed the rest. It was her fault they'd come up here in the first place to an unknown fate. If she hadn't shown Claire and Carlos that book things would be different now.

"Let's go back to the plane," Alice said to the younger woman who was still sitting on the log, tied hands in her lap. The brunette offered her help up, but again Claire rejected it. Alice didn't know what to make of this new Claire. Some things were the same like her stubbornness, but the uncertainty in herself and the cold disrespect of Alice was upsetting.

Back at the red single-engine airplane Alice riffled through her belongings, and pulled out a siphoning hose and empty gas can. It didn't take her long to fill up her plane and the extra can. She only wished she could cart more fuel, but the plane could only hold so much weight especially with another passenger onboard. As Alice went from plane to plane draining it of its fuel, Claire sat by the dying embers of the fire and pulled the blanket around herself that she'd used the night before. The redhead was trembling, but she didn't really know if it was from the cold or the fear. Secretly she was grateful for the taller woman's presence. The younger woman had no idea how she'd survived on her own. Minutes passed and she finally felt warm enough to remove the blanket, but her shaking continued.

"You hungry?" Alice asked and it startled Claire out of her thoughts. The longhaired woman shook her head no; the thought of eating anything after watching that video made Claire nauseous. "Ok, how about washing up then? I noticed a small lake east of here when I was landing." Alice had a feeling that Claire wouldn't pass this opportunity up even if the water was freezing. Claire got up and started walking towards the sun. "Wait a minute – I have to grab some things."

If the redhead thought stopping was an inconvenience, she quickly changed her mind when she saw what Alice held in her hands; a towel, a fresh set of clothes, and a hair brush. For the first time in 18 months, Alice had made another human being smile, and the brunette smiled in return.

"You can wash your old clothes too, and we can dry them before we leave," the taller woman commented.

When they reached the water's edge Claire held out her hands to be untied, but Alice looked at her with one eyebrow raised.

"Are you going to attack me if I cut you loose?" Alice questioned, pulling Claire's knife out from under her coat.

Claire smiled in anticipation, and brought her hands closer to the taller woman ready to be freed, but as she did Alice put the knife away and said, "Sorry, you hesitated." Claire grunted in disappointment. "I'm kidding, just don't do anything crazy," Alice said as she redrew the knife and sliced through the rope. "And I'm still keeping this," Alice referred to her recently acquired blade.

Claire rolled her eyes, and once freed rubbed her wrists attempting to get some amount of motor control back into them. When she was ready to start undressing she noticed that Alice was still standing right in front her seemingly oblivious of what was about to take place.

"Um, turn around," Claire demanded while twirling her finger.

Alice smirked and threw up her hands in mock surrender; if she didn't know any better she would say that she was feeling playful. She took a few steps back and did as the redhead requested. Seconds later she heard Claire gasp and whipped around. Her eyes scanned the area for danger, but the most dangerous thing she saw was a partially submerged and naked Claire giving her the look of death.

"Sorry," she mumbled in the direction of the redhead, and decided it would be less tempting to look again if she sat and meditated. It was a technique Alice used often to quiet her mind back when she was more than human, and it helped her settle now.

Claire didn't last long in the cold water. She quickly dressed and was ready to be warm again. The clothes Alice had given her were a little long, but over all they fit well enough. She wrapped her old clothes in the towel, and set them near the shore as she picked up the brush and ran it through her dripping hair. When she was done she noticed that Alice was sitting very still beneath an old tree her eyes closed. She almost didn't want to disturb the woman because she seemed so peaceful, but she approached Alice anyway and tried to be quiet about it.

The redhead walked past her a little ways, then turned to face her as Alice opened her eyes. Claire looked like a new woman.

"Th-thanks." Claire tried to offer Alice back her brush but the woman wouldn't take it.

"You're shivering," Alice said concerned. She stood to take off her coat and handed it to the redhead. Claire accepted the fur-lined fabric and wordlessly put it on.

When they got back to the make shift camp, Alice stoked the dying fire until the flames were brought back to life while Claire set out her clothes around it.