I was so amazed by what I had just seen Val do that I couldn't stop staring at her. She had mowed through the guards effortlessly, looking like a lethal ballerina from the graceful moves that she nailed. I felt a huge emotional weight lift from my shoulders, knowing now that I had underestimated the whole situation. I thought that she still looked so fragile and breakable until now. To my defense I hadn't seen her do anything like this before, I saw her as the Valerie that she had always been. But now…

I couldn't help but feel a little bit better about what she would face at the end of all this. I knew that the fact that it was Phil didn't make it any better, but at least now I knew that she had a genuine fighting chance. Val looked up at me with her big bright green eyes and I felt my heart start to race. She was so beautiful, so amazing, so… badass. It was really a huge turn on. I smiled back at her.

"You know your really going to have to put this superhuman stuff aside when you can. It could really hurt my ego." I told her, trying to look serious.

She laughed. "I could have taken you without all of this superhuman stuff. Remember the wrestling matches?"

"You played dirty." I scowled.

"I always do."

I grabbed her and swept her up off of her feet, twirling her around while she lazily smacked me. We were so caught up in our own world and I was happy for these moments. I felt like we were back home just fooling around as usual. The thought of home made my stomach jump, I would see my parents after all of this first. I placed Val on her feet after attacking her with kisses and then looked around. Jill, Leon and Carlos were disappearing into the chopper, Claire was holding Alexia and they were talking quietly.

I turned back to Valerie, opening my mouth to joke about how we had time to sneak away for a minute or two. But she wasn't looking at me, she was looking in the direction of the chopper. Her eyes widened and I watched her pupils dilate as her face went completely blank. I whipped my head around to look at what she saw and my heart dropped. Three more guards were coming out of the chopper with Jill and Carlos who had their hands tied behind their backs. Another three advanced from the side, with a tall and official looking man holding Leon. I didn't need to be told who it was before my jaw clenched painfully.

The man that I knew was the famous Spencer clicked his fingers together and another two guards came out with an elderly man also, his hands behind his back and a gun to his head. I stepped in front of Val to shield her and was surprised that she didn't object. Claire and Alexia started to back away and then the little girl shrieked.

"Daddy!" She started to squirm in Claire's arms but Claire held her close.

"That's right darling." Spencer said, his accent a thick English. "I caught your Daddy talking to Jill Valentine at her residence. Unfortunately the information he shared with you all couldn't help you out of the city. This helicopter was made for one subject and only one. Now I suggest, Ms. Redfield, that you put down the little girl so we can see a happy little reunion…"

When Claire hesitated Spencer took his own gun and pressed it against Leon's head. I wanted to tell her not to hand Alexia over but before I could get anything out before I felt two sets of hands grab my arms from behind. I struggled against them, turning to see where they had Val, but she was still standing there. Looking at the same spot I had seen her look last, her expression blank staring in the distance. I was being dragged away from her frozen form, I looked at Claire in warning but she did nothing. I was thrown down on the other side of Jill. Dr. Ashford was soon forced down on the other side of me.

I looked to Jill and Carlos kneeling to my left, Leon was standing up with Spencer, the doctor to my right. Back where I had been standing before was frozen Val, a peculiar expression on her face now. She looked like she was struggling against an internal battle, but she never moved and no guards came to grab her. Claire was still standing helpless in the middle of it all, holding onto Alexia who looked like she desperately wanted to be with her father. Spencer started to threaten Claire with Leon's life.

"It's as easy as letting her run into her fathers arms. Why would you deny a child that when a mans life was at stake? What if I switched up the playing field?" Spencer handed Leon over to another guard and he was thrown down on the left of Carlos. Then he walked to my right and forced Ashford to stand, pointing the gun at his head now. "Would you keep that protective hold over the child so she could watch her dear old daddy die?"

Claire's eyes widened slightly and her grip on Alexia loosened a little. I couldn't see any way out of this for her and Alexia. There were guards ready to grab her if she made any movement that didn't have to do with giving the little girl up. I looked up so I could read Spencer's face more clearly, but it was blank and calm. I looked back over to Val, hoping to see a spark of life or even a slight movement from her. She had gone back to staring in the distance, no more fight in her expression.

Then everything seemed to slow down. Claire put Alexia to the ground and let her go, Alexia cautiously advanced to her father. A gunshot rang through the eerie silence and my head jerked to my right in time to see Dr. Ashford's dead body slam to the ground. As if carelessly being disposed of. My voice clenched up in my throat and I quickly looked at Alexia, not hearing the shriek that was clearly coming out of her tiny mouth. The smell of fresh human blood overwhelmed me and I tried desperately not to look down to where I could see a puddle of burgundy slowly seeping its way toward me from Ashford's head.

"You bastard!" I heard Claire yell from a distance. "You asshole! I'm-"

I snapped my head up when I heard another crack, terrified that Claire would be joining Ashford on the ground. But it had been a taser gun that had been fired at her, and even though she hit the ground and her body started to twitch as a guard advanced on her, I felt relief run through me. Claire's limp body was drug over to us and she was handcuffed and thrown beside Leon. Alexia started to run back away from everyone, I watched her disappear behind the chopper wanting to shout at her to stop but something else caught my eye.

Val was gone.

"Find her! NOW!" Spencer yelled when he noticed the same thing that I had. "And get that little brat over here!"

The guards started to obey, but before any of them took three steps Val appeared behind the helicopter with Alexia in her arms. There was a lethal and angry look in her green eyes that appeared venomous. Spencer's men paused, looking at each other and then back at him quizzically. My eyes were glued on Valerie, who was looking at everything and everyone with a swift sweep of her eyes and then landed right on Spencer.

"Ah, my beautiful little killing machine." Spencer cooed, and I could see the look of disgust on Val's face. "Our guest of honor… How about handing over the girl so we can get to the real purpose of this madness?"

"You wont touch the girl." Valerie said, her voice full of meaning. "You wont hurt them either-"

"So confident." Spencer interrupted her. "The decision is not your's to make however."

"You have what you want right in front of you… Me. What's the point of keeping all of them hostage? I'll give you your 'epic battle,'" She threw quotation marks in the air when she said this. "But only if you let them go. Out of the city."

"And why would I deny your friends and your…" Spencer began walking toward me, I could see him advancing in the corner of my eye. "Handsome and loving boyfriend," He ruffled my hair and I jerked away from him, anger welling up in the pit of my chest. "A chance to see you fight for your life?"

I looked over to Val and her eyes met mine for only a split second. But in that moment I found myself silently agreeing to something I never thought I would, total silence. She warned me with her eyes to stay put and say nothing. After all, Spencer knew that I would be her one and only weakness. So I couldn't fight like she could, and since I had been disarmed like the rest I was screwed. It wasn't easy to, but right now I would do anything to help her.

"He's not my boyfriend…" She said this so convincingly that my heartbeat dulled slightly. "They're all expendable to me. But for what it's worth, they all helped me to get where I needed to be. Here. So I figure I owe them a favor."

I glanced to my left and could see the shock on everyone's face. Everyone but Jill, she was the least watched as of now and I could see her shoulders moving steadily. Her face was completely calm, and the way she looked at Val now seemed to be with admiration. Val herself didn't give me a second glance, or acknowledge anyone else. Alexia still cradled close in her arms.

"Expendable?" Spencer let a wicked laugh escape him. "That is very brave of you to declare… So if they're so expendable then I believe this wont bother you at all."

I felt the barrel of the gun Spencer had killed the doctor with pressed to my right shoulder blade. Then, before I could brace myself or take a second breath, he pulled the trigger and a pain like I had never felt before darted from the spot and overwhelmed my chest and put knots in my stomach. I fell forward, face first into the concrete, the impact sharpening the pain. My left shoulder burned as I lay there, the cold concrete the only soothing thing I could focus on while I battled to stay conscious. I could feel the wound beginning to pulsate, the ach intensifying.

I lay there in complete shock for what felt like an eternity. My vision hazy, I was slipping. I knew that I wouldn't die from this, so I felt no need to start saying my goodbyes to the world. But I wanted more then anything to stay awake, if they needed me… Then what made everything more real started to slowly pour into my vision. My blood was beginning to puddle around me, I watched it seep closer to my face. A wave of nausea caught in my throat and my head started to spin. Then I realized that I wasn't breathing and slowly allowed myself to take a breath.

There was movement from above and I could hear my name being called frantically. I wanted to tell whoever it was that I was okay, even though I felt far from it. But I couldn't make myself say or do anything. I was trapped in my own pain, mind and body slowly drifting from consciousness. I allowed my eyes to close slowly, and a picture filled the darkness instantly…

I was five again and was playing in the sandbox that I loved to escape to so much. My imagination was vivid and running as I made figures out of the sand. Building people and houses… A kingdom. A little girl was stepping into my box, bare feet and in a white summer dress. Anger flared as she intruded my little world.

What's your name? She asked me.

Edward.

Do you believe in fairytales Edward? I looked up to see two big bright green eyes shine at me, full of excitement.

Yes.

Do you believe in nightmares?

I looked away and smashed a small hand into one of the houses that I wanted to rebuild. What's your name?

Valerie.

I don't like nightmares. As I said this her green eyes dimmed and shifted away to the big castle that I had taken an hour to perfect.

Me either.

But if you want to… we can get through them together?…

Together. Together… they could get through this together, and she needed him. Just as she had then when they had first met. I needed her as well. I forced my eyes open and oddly felt a stinging pain on my cheeks. My vision was blurred and I tried to focus on the figure above me.

"Val?"

"Get up Edward." It was Jill's voice speaking, and I felt a small ting of disappointment. Then confusion.

I obeyed and sat up quickly, my shoulder reminding me that there was more blinding pain. My head spun, and then started registering other noises. Loud noises. Jill helped me up and I turned to see what was going on. Blinking over and over again to catch what was really happening.

Val was fighting the Nemesis. No weapons, hand to hand combat. The strikes so fast that her hands were a blur, and the big guy was taking them without so much as a wince. Chaos surrounded them. Each of the guards were fighting someone. Leon was taking on two at a time, Claire had just beaten down one and grabbed his gun pointing at another. Fires were shot off from Oliveria who had his hands on a gun, and Jill grabbed his hand taking him away from the battle. Away from Val.

On the other side of the chopper where we were well hidden, Jill forced me down to the ground helping me balance so I would remain seated. She took my jacket off, which was extremely painful.

"The bullet went right through your shoulder, thank god." She told me quickly. "Listen, I'm going to have to take off your shirt, I'll cut it so you don't have to lift your arms."

"W-what the hell went down… Wait. We shouldn't be wasting time trying to patch me up-"

"Your going to bleed to death there trooper." She said, giving me a look and I fell silent. "Don't worry about everyone else, they've got everyone covered." She took out a knife and went for my shirt, answering my questions before they were asked. "I had the knife hidden in my boot, got loose, passed it, and tahdah! We all sprang to fight after Val was occupied with her brother. Spencer took off, but I'm pretty sure he's not far from here because there are zombies that have surrounded us and are moving in fast. A city full as a matter of fact. We have little time to board that chopper and get as far away as possible or we're going to die."

"Thanks for the play by play."

With great care, she sliced into the Tee that I was wearing from the bottom and jerked her knife upward, then slowed again at the collar. She put the weapon back in her boot and ripped what was left of the shirt apart. Slowly, she opened the ruined shirt and peeled it off of me. Wading the cloth up she pressed it to each side of the wound. I rested my head on the metal behind me, breathing evenly, listening to the battle that was very few steps away.

"I keep forgetting how old you are." Jill said, as if small talk would ease the tension.

"Whys that?"

"Because look at you." I looked at her to see what she was talking about and saw her staring at my bare chest. "Your possibly the best looking bastard I have ever seen."

"Thanks awkward… Your not too bad yourself. I never asked you if you had some unknown relationship… With someone named Chris maybe?"

Jill looked at me full meaning in her eyes and opened her mouth to say something-

There was a distant sound of another helicopter in the sky and Jill paused and we exchanged a puzzled look. Without another word we stood, and I noticed that the pain was gone only because adrenaline had just replaced it. Was it possible that our time was up?

We advanced from our hiding spot, Jill taking a gun out of the back of her waistband. As she popped a few more guards to the ground, I looked over to see if Val was still holding up. She had two metal rods in her hand that the guards had been armed with and was going at it with Phil. He had a metal strip with a jagged point at the end, near him I could see where he had gotten it. From a pole that seemed to have no use for anything at all. There was a rusted pointy edge from where he ripped the slab off. If anyone would run into it…

Thinking along the same lines Val threw what she had to the ground and kicked the Nemesis square in the chest with enough strength to send him stumbling backward. She repeated it, and with a gruesome impale Phil was punctured through the gut from the rusted edge. Val continued to kick until the monstrosity that used to be her brother hit the pole itself, and the jutted edge of what he had torn off was a foot deep inside of him and had come out of the other side.

I numbly walked forward, realizing that this was a moment where I wanted to be beside of Val, this was the most important… I could see tears leaking from her eyes as she looked up into the single eye of a beast. When I finally stepped in beside of her, I looked from her pain stricken face up into Phil's. There was a glimmer of what he used to be there. He looked down at both of us in sorrow and pain… and love. His face was suddenly swimming in my own tears.

"Phil?" We said it at the same time, Val and I. She was hoping too that there was someway that we could fix him. Maybe reverse the effects. A cure? Anything…

There was applause that was so foreign and made my stomach clutch up coming from behind us. Silence had fallen, something the two of us hadn't noticed in our moment with Phil. As I looked behind us, Spencer showed his sorry ass, hands clapping, Alexia in his arms. An anger like no other built in my chest, I was ready to kill.