Disclaimer: Nothing new here, I still don't own Resident Evil.
A/N: I think there might only be one or two chapters left for this story. It was originally planned to be longer but I dropped a few story arcs involving K-Mart due to a lack of interest. But when I finish my other work I may come back to this and add on to it. Who knows?
A/N2: I almost made myself nauseous with how sappy the first part of this chapter is, so I hope it's not too unbearable to read.
Alice collapsed on top of the redhead, panting heavily and completely exhausted.
"Wow" Claire sighed. "Maybe I should let you leave more often if this is how it will be when you come back."
"I try." Alice replied with a smirk before rolling off the redhead and laying on her back.
Claire snuggled into the brunette's side. "I really missed you." She whispered. "You were gone a lot longer than I thought you would be."
"I missed you too." Alice rubbed Claire's back affectionately. "But you didn't doubt whether I would come back did you?"
The redhead squeezed Alice tightly, as if a loss of physical contact would result in her disappearance again. "There was never a doubt in my mind you would be back. K-Mart was a little worried there for a while but you've already proven that there is nothing that can stop you from getting back to me. But that doesn't mean it was easy for me to sit here and wait for you."
"I know, and I'm sorry. I wish things could have been different but it doesn't matter now. I'm back and I won't leave you ever again."
Claire was thoughtful for a while before she spoke. "I like that I'm the only one who gets to see you like this. No one would ever believe how sweet and loving you are, that you like to cuddle and can't sleep properly unless you're wrapped around me."
"You are exactly the same way." Alice countered, moving her hand upwards to thread through long red locks over and over. "I know I wasn't the only one spending the last few months tossing and turning every night trying to fall asleep."
"True." The redhead agreed. "I could almost fall asleep right now, but I just got you back and I don't want this feeling to end yet."
"What feeling?"
"It's more of a combination of feelings really. It's like relief, calmness, and excitement all at once. It's a feeling I get a lot actually. When I see you first thing in the morning, or after hours of us being apart." She shrugged, "I am really bad at explaining this."
Alice shook her head. "I think I know what you mean."
She stopped playing with Claire's hair and bit her lip in contemplation. She couldn't decide if this was the right moment to bring out the small box burning a whole through her bag in the corner of the room. Alice hadn't given it much thought since picking it out in the jewellery store at the mall but now the image kept racing through her mind.
"I got you something." she stated after a long time of comfortable silence between them. It was either now or never and she wanted it to be now.
"Is it cigarettes?" Claire asked, excitement flashing in her eyes. It faded quickly when Alice shook her head.
"Sorry, for some reason I couldn't find any," she pondered. "Hopefully you'll think it's better than cigarettes. Stay right there." Alice instructed, giving Claire a quick kiss before climbing out of bed. She padded across the room to retrieve her bag which had been carelessly discarded on the floors hours ago. Picking it up she returned to the bed, fishing the small square box out she threw the bag back to the floor and faced the redhead.
"So what is it?" Claire asked getting impatient when Alice didn't hand her the box right away.
"Impatient much?" Alice teased. "Fine, just don't get mad because I didn't give you some sappy speech first." Claire just looked at the brunette in confusion. Alice sighed, mentally berating herself for not thinking this whole thing through. She should have consulted K-Mart first and come up with a plan. This might be the most important gift she ever gives the redhead and she had decided to wing it, how stupid was that? But it was too late to back out now, not after Claire had seen the box. "Here," Alice decided to just hope for the best and see how things turn out. "This is for you." She handed the box to Claire and watched as the redhead opened it with wide eyes.
"It's beautiful Alice." Claire whispered staring at the ring for a moment before raising her eyes to the brunette. "But what's it for?"
"Uh, it's for you." Alice answered, not really certain she knew what the redhead was asking.
Claire smiled at her girlfriend's confusion. "That's not what I meant. What does it mean?"
"Whatever you want it to mean." Alice said with a shrug. The brunette was pretty sure this was going badly, she had no idea what she was doing. "What do you want it to mean?" She almost cringed at herself. Here she was giving Claire a ring and then forcing the redhead to decide what it meant.
Claire was silent a moment. "I don't know. Before all of this I never wanted to get married because I never thought I would meet someone as amazing as I am." She said with complete seriousness and Alice just shook her head in amusement, glad that Claire had alleviated some of the tension she felt. "But then the world went to hell and I was all alone. Then there was the convoy and K-Mart, and then I met you." She gave Alice a sincere smile. "I didn't know what to make of you at the time, you were so different and not just because of the things you could do but because of the things that you've seen."
"We've all seen terrible things in this world Claire."
"But not like you, you've been through more than anyone else." She reached across the bed to grab Alice's hand. "But you didn't let those things break you. You wake up everyday and do the best you can to take care of everyone, and take care of me. I know I'm not the easiest person to be around but you don't seem to mind. I love you Alice so if it's alright with you, I'd like to let this ring be an official symbol of my willingness to be tied down to you forever."
"Tied down eh? I think I can agree to that." Alice laughed, the feeling of elation at the redhead's words making her swell with pride. When it came to facing physical danger she may have been the brave one, but when it came to emotions Claire was the one willing to put herself out there and at this moment Alice could not be more grateful for it. "Wait, did we just agree to get married?" She asked, confusion now adding to her mix of emotions.
"I don't want a wedding, do you?" Alice shook her head so Claire continued. "Right so let's just say we're married and be done with it."
Alice barked out a laugh. "Aren't we romantic," her sarcasm didn't seem to affect Claire though.
"I think it's appropriate seeing as it's you and me. Something like this would never fly with K, so I hope you haven't been giving Seth advice on telling K-Mart he's in love with her."
"We did talk about it."
"What? I was just kidding, he's really in love with her?"
"It's not that surprising Claire. K-Mart doesn't have to worry though, I think he'll plan something exceptionally sappy for her."
"Great, more late nights on the couch for me listening to her gush." Claire huffed. "Speaking of K, we'd better go tell her we're married. You know she'll be pissed if she doesn't find out right away."
Claire tried to get out of bed but Alice pulled her right back down. "We can tell her later, after we celebrate."
The redhead chuckled. "Of course, how could I forget the honeymoon?"
"What the hell is going on here?" Claire yelled and immediately Seth and K-Mart shot up awake.
It was almost dark outside, hours having passed since the teens had retreated to Seth's house to talk and the pair had fallen asleep on the boy's bed. Unfortunately, this was where Claire and Alice had found them when the redhead had finally insisted they leave the house to inform the others of the change in the status of their relationship.
"What's going on?" Seth asked groggily as he pushed himself into a sitting position, K-Mart having already scrambled out of the bed fearing the redhead's wrath.
"That's what I'm waiting to find out." Claire said, crossing her arms and her foot tapping the floor rapidly. Alice was standing next to her, mild amusement apparent on her face.
"Nothing happened Claire." K-Mart assured her.
"I'm supposed to believe you two were just sleeping?"
"I don't think they're lying Claire." Alice commented gently, laying a hand on the redhead's shoulder.
"What makes you so sure?"
Alice smiled at the teens before answering. "Look at them Claire, both of them are fully dressed, plus the door was open." She indicated the doorway she and Claire were currently occupying. "It was open when we got here remember?"
The redhead relaxed her stance, Alice's hand rubbing gently along her back helping to sooth her suspicions. "Seth," the boy immediately launched himself from the bed, almost falling in his haste.
"Yes ma'am."
"Tell me what you two were doing." She instructed, counting on the boy's fear of her to make him tell her the truth.
"We were talking, K-Mart told me you shot a bear.." Alice gave the redhead a sideways glance and Claire just gave her a sheepish smile indicating they would discuss it later. "...and I was telling her about our mission and then I guess we fell asleep."
Claire nodded, finally appeased. "Alright. Well I need both of you to come out to the living room, Alice and I have an announcement." She turned and left the doorway, Alice shrugged at K-Mart and followed the redhead.
Seth let out a deep breath. "Am I safe? Or is it a trick so she can kill me later?"
K-Mart giggled. "Don't be silly, she's not going to hurt you. You told the truth, she knows that; but that's because she knows you would never do something completely stupid like lie to her." She took a step closer and grabbed Seth's hand to pull him from the room. "Come on, let's go hear that announcement."
"Wait," he said as he walked over to the wall where he'd dropped his backpack when they came in. "I have something for you." He searched the bag until he felt the familiar object. "Sorry it's a little late, but I hope you like it." He pulled out a worn copy of Pride and Prejudice and held it out for K-Mart to take.
The blonde took the book out of his hands and turned it over, dragging her eyes over the cover. "It's great, but..."
"But what?" He asked.
"What's it for? Why are you giving this to me?"
"It's both a belated birthday present and an 'I'm sorry for being such an idiot please forgive me' gift." He paused for a moment trying not to mess up his words. "I'm really sorry for the way I behaved before we left. I was selfish and didn't think about your feelings. We didn't talk about our fight earlier but I don't want it hanging in the background of our relationship. I hope you'll forgive me."
"I forgive you Seth, and I'm sorry too. I wasn't exactly fair and you can be friends with Tim if you want. And I'm sorry I didn't say goodbye to you when you guys left. I know I never would have forgiven myself if the last time we talked had been a fight."
"Then let's agree never to fight again."
"Agreed." K-Mart laughed at the improbability of them never fighting again but was more than happy to have their first fight finally behind them.
The couple walked into the living room as Alice and Claire were talking to Chris and Luther. K-Mart pushed Seth over to the only remaining empty chair, she sat him in it, then placed herself in his lap. Seth blushed but didn't protest to the seating arrangement; and when Claire didn't comment he relaxed, wrapping his arms around the blonde.
"So what's going on?" K-Mart asked, her curiosity piqued.
Alice and Claire shared a look, the brunette shrugged leaving it up to Claire on how to tell everyone. After a moment the redhead lifted her left hand, displaying her ring. "Alice and I got married.
K-Mart was out of Seth's lap and throwing herself at the women within seconds. "Oh my God!" She exclaimed wrapping her arms around both of them. "Congratulations! Oh my God! Tell me everything!"
Chris cleared his throat and K-Mart let go of Alice and Claire before returning to sit with Seth. "I'm happy for you both, but" he gave Alice a stern look. "I would have liked if you had asked me if you could marry my sister."
Alice shrugged. "Technically I didn't ask her."
Now Chris' eyes were wide, but his glance was directed at his sister. "Claire? You proposed to Alice?"
Claire shook her head. "No." When she noticed she and Alice were the only ones in the room who weren't confused she elaborated. "Alice gave me this ring, I asked her what it meant and we agreed that we wanted to be together forever, so we're married."
K-Mart planted her hand into her face. "Oh my God!" she huffed in frustration. "You two are ridiculous!" She shook her head. "No romance whatsoever." She looked over at the couple. "So no wedding?" Alice shook her head. "No party?" Claire answered in the negative as well. "You guys suck, the perfect excuse to get dressed up and have a party and you two just want to skip ahead to the boring old married couple routine." She stood up from Seth's lap again. "Let's go Mrs. and Mrs. Boring, it's getting late and I'm still sleepy." She pulled her boyfriend out of the chair and the teens left the room.
"Honestly," K-Mart said as she put her coat on in the hallway. "We could all use some fun around here and they want to keep the celebration to themselves." When Seth didn't reply she looked at him. "Sorry for venting, they just can be so frustrating sometimes."
"It's ok, I don't mind listening to you rant." He gave her a smile. "Will you come over tomorrow? We didn't get much chance to catch up today since we fell asleep."
"Of course. I doubt Alice and Claire will get out of bed all day so I'm all yours tomorrow." She leaned up to give him a kiss goodbye and they stood there kissing until Alice and Claire finally decided to leave.
"Bye Seth." Alice announced as she pulled the redhead out of the house before Claire could make a comment to the couple.
He detached himself from the blonde. "Night K."
"Goodnight Seth." She replied and then followed the other two out into the night.
She traipsed lazily behind them, kicking at the snow as they made their way home. She looked around at what little she could see through the darkness. They should rename the town to 'Buttfuck, Nowhere' cause that was exactly where they lived. It hadn't really bothered her much until this moment as she watched the happy couple holding hands in front of her. Alice and Claire had decided they were married but didn't have a wedding or a celebration or any kind of official proof of their union, and she wondered if that was what her future would look like too.
The blonde could hear Claire whispering to Alice as they walked. "She's being too quiet Alice, I don't like it." The redhead looked behind her at the teen and raised her voice a little. "You're not mad are you K? It's not like Alice and I could have had a real wedding anyway."
"I'm not mad, I'm really happy for you guys." She took a few more steps in silence. "It's just..." the blonde trailed off, not exactly sure how to articulate what she was trying to say. "It kind of bums me that you can't have a real wedding, but it's not just that. Everything that was 'normal' in our lives before is different now. We can't go on vacations or eat at a restaurant. I won't graduate highschool or go to prom or college. I know we're lucky to be alive and I'm happy we're all safe, but it still sucks to think about how everything has changed."
Claire stopped walking, giving K-Mart a chance to catch up and wrapped an arm around the teen. "You're right K, it does suck. I want you to have all those things and it breaks my heart I can't give them to you."
K-Mart looked at the redhead and shook her head. "There isn't anything you could give me that you haven't already; a home, a family..." It pained her to see Claire looking so disappointed with herself. "I know I don't need any of those other things, it's just bumming me out right now. Don't worry Claire, I'm fine." The blonde tried to smile but she knew it didn't reach her eyes and she hoped Claire couldn't tell.
When they got home, the teen retreated to her room on the argument of still being tired and collapsed into bed, hoping to dream of a normal life.
Early the next morning Claire bolted up in bed, wide awake with a crazy smile plastered across her face.
"I've got it!" she exclaimed. Hearing Alice mumble groggily next to her Claire began to shake the woman until green eyes opened. She lowered her voice from her previously excited tone, knowing it was still early and not wanting to wake up the teenager down the hall. "Alice wake up, I have the perfect idea on how to cheer up K-Mart." Despite the blonde's attempt the previous night to convince her otherwise, Claire knew K-Mart was more upset than she was letting on. And because of a promise she had made to herself in the desert long ago, it was her job to fix it. If K-Mart wanted some semblance of normalcy in her life, than that was exactly what Claire was going to create.
The brunette rubbed a hand over her eyes as she sat up, watching Claire already out of the bed and getting dressed. "Ok, what did you have in mind?"
"I'll tell you later, now get up. We're going to need Chris and Luther's help and we don't have a lot of time." The redhead then began throwing clothes at her new wife, eager to get started on her surprise for the blonde.