Luther walked in, closed the door behind him, and leaned on to it. His dark eyes focused on Alice's blue green eyes as she looked up.
"You know, there is such a thing as knocking Luther," Alice said with her eyebrows slightly raised in surprise. She wasn't expecting his company, but it also didn't mean she wasn't hoping for it.
"You are right. I should have knocked first. Bad habit I guess," Luther replied with a smile. He rubbed his neck and shifted from one foot to the other, all of which Alice observed. To Alice, he looked a bit antsy.
Alice got up from the bed and walked up to Luther. She sighed. "Look. I'm sorry about the way I acted earlier. It's just hard to explain right now and I wasn't ready to respond to you. In a way it's probably my fault you ended up being kicked around by Jill."
Luther chuckled a bit.
"What?" Alice said defensively as she folded her arms and leaned on one hip.
"Oh nothing Alice. It's just your apology was turning out so nice and then you add that slight remark about me fighting Jill. What makes you think I got my ass kicked anyway? Maybe I actually won."
Alice couldn't help but smile at him. She poked him in the ribs and laughed. "Well I didn't say that you lost, I just assumed that you did because you had been punched by her before. The way she launched you that day was not pretty."
Luther stood with his chest popped out, his ego still inflated as ever. "Well I think I won this one if you ask me," he huffed.
Alice rolled her eyes as she aimed for a playful hit to his stomach, but Luther grabbed her wrist before she could get to him.
He moved in closer to Alice, still holding her wrist gently. He peered down at her, his expression serious. "Alice, be careful when you head out. You don't know what is going to be out there."
Alice could have easily broken from his grasp. She could have easily pushed him away from her, but she just couldn't. Alice was afraid to admit it, but she actually liked Luther's presence and his touch. It reminded her slightly of Carlos. No. Carlos was dead. She had to forget him. Luther was an entirely different person. Her mind screamed to not let Luther in, but her heart disagreed with that logic.
Luther braced for Alice to slap him or just shove him aside. He was prepared for it, but that moment never came to his utter surprise. Alice placed a hand on his shoulder. "Look, I'll be fine Luther. Don't worry about me."
"It is kind of hard not to worry," he muttered as he released his grasp.
Alice daringly leaned in closer to Luther and whispered in his ear. "I'll be back before you even know I'm gone."
Luther relaxed a bit at her comforting whisper. There was just something about Alice's voice that managed to always reassure him.
Not trying to make the moment awkward, Luther backed up slightly from Alice and gave her a small smile. "Well you better keep your word on that. I will see you tomorrow Alice."
With that being said, Luther turned around and exited the cabin, leaving Alice dumbfounded and slightly wondering what had happened. She never felt like this around any other person. Her heart fluttered every time Luther got near to her, and she felt so relaxed when she talked to him alone. It was as if he could easily lift all her worry from her shoulders by just talking in that deep caring voice of his. "How do I always get myself into situations like this?" she said to herself.
XXXXxxxxXXXX
Just as Chris was contemplating whether to get some food before heading off, his cabin door opened, and Jill walked in with a tray of hot chicken noodle soup and a thick slice of bread.
"Oh wow you are just so kind Jill," Chris said with a grin as he clapped his hands together, ready for the meal.
"What are you talking about? This food is for me," Jill simply replied as she sat by Chris on the bed with the food on her lap.
Chris's face fell slightly as she said that. Jill smirked before handing him the tray. "I was just kidding. I already ate, but couldn't help saying that. The look on your face was priceless."
"Aww that was mean," Chris responded, but he took the food without hesitation. "And thank you Jill. You saved me the trip to the cafeteria."
"It's the least I can do for you Chris. Considering I'm stuck babysitting the survivors that absolutely loathe me while you head out with Alice." Jill couldn't help but feel a pang of jealousy that Alice was going to go with Chris.
"I would rather have you recover for today than head out," Chris informed her. "The survivors just need to accept the fact that you aren't the bad guy anymore. It was never your fault to begin with."
Rather than awkwardly watch Chris eat, Jill laid down on the bed with her arms behind her head as she stared up at the white, dull ceiling. "Well they just won't understand that Chris. Not after what I did to them."
Chris frowned slightly before taking a bite of his bread. "In time they will Jill."
Jill sighed. "I certainly hope so." She closed her eyes for a bit, savoring the quiet moment by Chris's side.
Once Chris was done with his food, he washed it down with a couple of gulps from his water bottle, placed the tray on his bedside table, and turned to look at Jill. She still had her eyes closed. He visually traced her body with his eyes. She was still as hot as ever. Her body was still toned, her hair was still the same style, and her face was still as beautiful as ever. She was still the same Jill he had fallen for years ago.
Chris playfully poked her face to get her to open her eyes. She swatted his hand away. "I want to sleep," she muttered quietly.
Chris chuckled. "That's what you have your own room for. But since my bed is just so much more roomy and spacious, and just because I am so kind, you can sleep in my room for today."
Jill opened her eyes and gave him a rare smile. "Well thanks for the offer. That is just so nice of you," she said a little sarcastically.
Chris braced himself to get up from the bed. "Well I better get going already."
Jill grabbed his arm before he could get up. "Hold on Chris." He turned to face her, a questioning look on his face.
"Just be careful when you are out there. Don't do anything stupid," she told him softly. Very unlike the tough Jill she usually acted like. This was another side of her Chris never really got to see. It made her seem defenseless and vulnerable. It made Chris care for Jill even more if that made any sense.
Chris turned to lean over Jill. His goofy smile still was showing on his face. He daringly traced his fingers on her jaw line. "I'll be fine Jill. I'll be back before you even know it."
Chris forced himself with all his might not to kiss her. He wanted to plant a kiss so badly, but didn't want to risk their friendship if she didn't want what he wanted. He got up from the bed, holstered his weapons, and opened the cabin door. His eyes met once more with Jill's before he turned and left.
XXXXxxxxXXXX
"Right on time Redfield," Alice said as she grabbed the crank to lower the boat into the water. "It's bright and earlier and a perfect time to head out."
Chris yawned. "A little too early if you ask me. I'd rather be asleep right now."
"The lack of action and fighting has made you lazy. Careful there Chris, you might get fat with missing all of that exercise," Claire commented as she approached the two.
Chris looked down at himself and frowned. "No I won't." He said it more to reassure himself rather than Claire.
Claire approached Chris and flung herself at him, giving her brother a big, clingy hug. "Be careful Chris. You are the only family I have left now you know."
Chris returned the hug. "I'll be just fine. Not like I'm leaving for that long Claire."
Alice fake coughed, effectively grabbing the Redfield's attentions. "Well just remember that we have our walkie-talkies. Make sure to have it with you at all times so we can relay if you need to leave the area."
Claire nodded. "I'll make sure to do that. I can't afford to let the survivors down. In the mean time, I already relayed a message to everyone on deck to remain in doors for the day."
"Good."
"We will see you later Claire," Chris informed her once more.
Both Alice and Chris hopped down the ladder on the side of the ship, and headed down onto the boat that waited beneath in the choppy blue water.
"You steer the boat and I'll be the lookout," Alice told Chris.
He merely nodded in agreement and started the motor.
XXXXxxxxXXXX
"Looks like they are sending out scouts. The little boat has the all too familiar Umbrella symbol, but its two occupants don't resemble typical Umbrella agents," the young man said to himself as he peered through the scope. He was still debating whether to pull the trigger, or catch them by surprise and have them answer questions. He chose the latter of the two options. He got up from his position, placed the rifle back underneath the leaves, and pulled out his two handguns instead.
XXXXxxxxXXXX
"Remind me again why you are making me pull the boat up the shore," Chris complained as he tugged.
"Because you are strong and I'm busy tying it to this dead piece of wood."
"But you have special powers that make you stronger. You have manly powers," Chris remarked with a smirk. "Ouch!"
Alice had thrown a good sized rock at him from the shore for the snide comment. "Oh sorry. My hand slipped. I meant to throw that into the water."
"I'm so sure," Chris replied as he rubbed the back of his head. He could feel a good sized bump already forming.
"Quit complaining. Let's go already."
With that they both jogged off the beach and on to the lightly snow covered ground, carefully observing their surroundings as they passed by multiple trees and clearings of grass covered with snow.
Alice stopped as she approached the edge of a thicket full of trees and bushes on the outer edge of the embankment.
Chris lifted one of his guns carefully. "What is it?"
"I'm not sure. I thought I heard something." Alice approached the bushes, only to have a winter rabbit jump out and skitter away.
Chris jumped at the sudden movement. "Whoa! That actually scared me. I guess I'm just so use to zombies popping out that I didn't expect that."
Alice rolled her eyes at Chris. "You are such a chicken." Secretly the rabbit had scared her too. She could still feel her heart beating rapidly in her chest.
Reassured it was just the rabbit, Alice moved in further through the pine trees, Chris right behind her. As Alice placed her foot on a small pile of what looked like leaves, something tight wrapped around her ankle.
"Shit!" Alice looked down. A tough, cable looking rope was wrapped around her ankle.
"What is it?" Chris asked alarmed. Oblivious to what she was staring at. Alice being pulled upward and dangling upside down by a steel rope grabbed his attention though.
"Behind you Chris!" Alice yelled as she grabbed one of her guns while upside down.
"Don't move," the man said calmly, his gun pointed at Chris's head, and the other at Alice.
"Drop the weapon," he stated. Pushing his gun harder into Chris as a sign that he wasn't afraid to shoot."And you up there. Don't even think about touching your weapons or I'll shoot your friend before you can even grab them."
Alice clenched her teeth in frustration as she remained dangled by her leg up in the tree. She could feel the blood pulling to her head. What annoyed her most was that she could easily get out of it. But with her partner at risk, she couldn't.
"Who are you and what do you want?" Chris spit out angrily.
"How about I ask the questions and you do the talking instead?" The young man replied. Calm as ever. "First off. Why are you here?"
"As if we are going to tell you. You will just bring your Umbrella friends into this!" Chris said.
"Well to me it looks like you are the ones that work for Umbrella. After all, the ship you just left is an Umbrella ship."
"Well I'd just love to inform you that we don't work for a piece of shit Corporation such as that."
Alice peered at the young man. She noticed the R.P.D badge on his left shoulder. "Hold on. You worked for the Raccoon City Police Department?"
The man looked up in surprise. "Yes, I did."
"How the hell did you get out of there then, and what is your name exactly?" Alice continued to ask.
The man, realizing his two captives were not Umbrella agents, lowered his weapons.
Chris swiftly moved back from his captor, but didn't raise his weapon.
"I managed to get out before the infection was at its peak. Before that bastard Caine sealed off Raccoon City. My name is Kennedy. Leon S. Kennedy."
Alice grabbed a pocket knife and broke the rope that held her upside down. She landed perfectly on both of her feet.
"My name is Alice Abernathy. I used to work for Umbrella Security at a place called the Hive. Long story short, I'm aiming to destroy that corporation that led to the destruction of this world by releasing the T-virus."
"And my name is Chris Redfield. Former S.T.A.R.S unit member. I'm in the same boat as Alice. I want Umbrella to suffer for what they did."
Leon placed his weapons in their holsters. He ran a hand through his weirdly cut blonde hair. "Well then, I'd like to apologize about the predicament earlier."
Alice smirked. "No worries. We probably would have done the same thing."
So I did manage to get this chapter up on Saturday...just very late at night lol. Now for me to hide from the criticism of this chapter!
