Written for Misery's-Toll who requested this many many many months (was it a year ago?).
Once again, I do not own Resident Evil 4.
Ashley cursed herself again for the millionth time. Why was she always the damsel in distress? She hung her head in shame, her dirty blonde hair hanging around her face. She stared into the blade in front of her, her amber eyes staring back at her in a face that was dirty with grime.
What was she going to do now?
Ashley closed her eyes and then peeked at the two robed monsters standing on either side of her. She couldn't move even though she knew they wouldn't kill her outright. After all, they needed her kind of alive right? Still, staring at the blade in front of her and the blade she felt pressing into her back, she didn't dare move.
Slanting her dark amber eyes, she stared at Salazar, the sleazy short man. He sat in his chair like all his problems were solved and Ashley squashed down her urge to rip his ugly face off. Leon would definitely come for her and when he did, she hoped Salazar would be getting his. She just wished she could kick him at the very least.
As if knowing what she was thinking, Salazar turned his head and smiled at her, his red eyes glinting. Ashley shuddered at his grotesque smile and closed her eyes, lowering her head. She hoped Leon was okay, knowing that he had a tendency to get into trouble. Was he late? How much time had lapse since those creepy bugs had carried her off?
Ashley groaned. Oh Leon, she thought, please be okay.
Suddenly, she felt her stomach clench. A burning started to erupt and she felt the insane urge to cough. Ashley squashed it down roughly remembering the last time she had felt the same burn. Was she turning into one of those things? She bit her lip in despair.
A relieved voice broke through her dismal thoughts, "Ashley."
Ashley slowly looked up and saw Leon standing before her, looking no worse than when she left him. A relieved sigh escaped her.
"Leon."
Leon felt a little knot that had formed in his stomach and had gotten bigger every minute that he had been away from Ashley unravel. His blue eyes gentled. She was alright.
Leon's mind registered the precarious situation Ashley was in, taking in the blade in front of her chest and the one behind her, and he ran forward to her, not knowing how he could help her, just wanting to get to her and to make the fear in her eyes disappear.
Leon heard the creepy giggle and felt the hair on the back of his neck stand on end. Not the little midget again. Seriously, it didn't help that the guy reached to his waist but he had to have a slimy little girl laugh too. Leon turned to Salazar and glared, his eyes darkening. Salazar definitely needed to die.
Salazar giggled, his long fingers clasping each other in front of him.
"Mr. Kennedy," Salazar said, his voice light and playful as he leaned back in his high throne, his red eyes glowing with a suspicious light, "Don't you know when it's time to throw in the towel?" His playful voice ended disappeared and he raised his hand, slamming his finger down on the red button connected to his high chair.
Leon stepped back, his sharp blue eyes catching the motion before the floor beneath him dropped, Ashley's horrified voice echoing down the tunnel.
He had a moment of panic falling through the air, before he grunted and grabbed the hook hanging by his side, tossing it up and hoping it caught onto a ledge. He heard the hook catch and felt the rope go taunt, suppressing a moan when the motion jerked him bringing to life the numerous bruises he had received.
Ashley stared with wide, distraught amber eyes at the open hole. Could it be? Could Leon really die so easily? Tears gathered in her eyes and she struggled against the ropes binding her hands.
Salazar cocked his head to the side in confusion, listening to the tube next to his ear.
"Hmmmm," he murmured, his voice light with sick curiosity, "where is the satisfying sound of one's impalement?"
Ashley tilted her head and looked at him, the tears in her eyes stopping. Leon survived? She felt her heart swell with relief and she looked back at the hole, willing him to be okay.
Leon smiled grimly, holding onto the taunt wire with one hand.
"Won't fall for this old trick," he said, reaching behind him to grab his gun. He narrowed his ice blue eyes, his hair falling into his left eye, and shot at the tube hanging off to the side, smiling with satisfaction at the ping.
Salazar yelped with pain and threw the tube away from him, his eyes glowing in anger.
"How dare you!" He screamed, his voice shrill, "No more games!" He stomped his feet in childish anger and yelled, "Kill him!"
Ashley smiled at Salazar, her dark amber eyes glaring at him, the little evil pint got what he deserved. There was no way Leon could've been killed by something like that.
Salazar glared at her, his dark eyes staring ominously at her, his face twisted in anger, before switching his attention to the robe monster in front of her.
He screamed shrilly, "Kill him!" and motioned his arm towards the hole. The robe monster glided forward and Ashley breathed a little easier now that she didn't have a long blade in her face.
Anxiety bloomed again as she watched the monster move smoothly away, knowing that it was going for Leon. She bit her lip, her amber eyes reflecting her worry.
Salazar walked towards her, his face still tight with anger. "Quickly! We shall prepare for the ritual!"
Ashley felt the long blade behind prod her in the back and she stood up, her knees and legs aching from kneeling on the cold, hard ground. Salazar walked on ahead of her and she felt the blade connect with her back, forcing her to walk. She kept her amber eyes on the hole, her heart clenching painfully. If something happened to Leon, it would be her fault since he was here because of her.
The blade connected with her back a little more painfully and she walked forward, craning her neck to watch the ground. Please, if anyone was listening from above, let Leon be okay. As long as he was okay, she didn't mind what happened to her.
Ashley closed her eyes and forced herself to think more confidently. Leon was okay, he'd be coming for her before she knew it. She opened her hard eyes and looked towards the hole one last time.
"Leon, you're alive," she whispered, her eyes lighting up with hope. She looked away as she felt the blade hit her in the back making her wince. It would be okay though. Stupid robed freak would get his when she was out of these binds. She could be patient, she just needed to wait for Leon right now, that's all that mattered. Leon would save her and she'd make it out of this "ritual" perfectly fine.
Words cannot express how badly I feel about neglecting this story. In my defense, I had many obstacles to overcome, including a bout of amnesia. Hard to write a story about these two when I didn't even know who they were. But everything is okay now and I'm going to pick up this story again and am going to try very hard to finish all these requests.
To apologize, another update will be very soon. Please, look forward to it?
Requests:
1. Rescues her form the church ending at where they jump out the window. (Done) Proposed by: kelley28
2. Uses the machine to get the Las Plagas out. (Done) Proposed by: kelley 28
3. Leon has to shoot off the straps without killing Ashley. (Done) Proposed by: Kawaii Usagi Chan San
4. If Leon had said yes to Ashleys proposal of overtime. (Done) Proposed by: thecutiedisease and Kawaii Usagi Chan San
5. Where Ashley has to find her way back to Leon after he free's her, ending with a kiss. (Done) Proposed by: Gotta Dance 88
6. A kiss somewhere. (Done) Proposed by: AV
7. Follow up to Too Late, chapter 8 of Hopes. (Done) Proposed by: Kawaii Usagi Chan San and Misery's-Toll
8. Follow up of Leon fulfilling his promise to Ashley. (Done) Proposed by: Misery's-Toll
9. Ashley is jealous of Ada. (Done) Proposed by: LilyKat14
10. Leon is jealous of Ashley's connection with someone. (Done) Proposed by: LilyKat14
11. Original character, Matrix Jones, saves Leon and Ashley, after he leaves, and we could get a hint of their feelings for each other. (Done) Proposed by: Cody Smith
12. Follow up to Reunion, chapter 10 of Hopes. (Done) Proposed by: Sert
13. Ashley relieved upon finding out Leon didnt hit the bottom of the trap door. (Done) Proposed by: Misery's-Toll
14. Leon finds out he was too late to save Ashley from ritual. (In-Progress)Proposed by: KnightRogue
15. When Leon lets Ashley out of her cell. Proposed by: DRKSilent-Killer
16. After Leon kicks the "big cheese's" butt. Proposed by: DRKSilent-Killer
17. Ada saves Ashley. Proposed by: Misery's-Toll
18. OC Matrix Jones FBI agent. Proposed by: Cody Smith
19. Ashley is captured by flying insects. Proposed by: Tibarn'Worshipper
20. Ashley saves Leon with her mad bulldozer skills. Proposed by: Smileyfax
21. Ashley is present for RE: Degeneration. (Done) Proposed by: Smileyfax
22. Ashley dies during rescue. (In-Progress)Proposed by: Smileyfax
23. Ashley goes to Dr. Leon, AU. Proposed by: Analia
24. Ashley's La Plagas are no longer removable. Proposed by: Smileyfax
25. Continuation of AU 19. Proposed by: Smileyfax
26. Leon comes up with reasons to see Ashley. Proposed by: Stormbringer333
27. Las Plagas take control over Leon. (In-Progress)Proposed by: Natureboy3