Author Note: Some of the timeline will be off for this one, but I was not planning on following the script of the Resident Evil movies, but instead using the characters you all love to create my own story line. Please, enjoy, be courteous, & review (I do take constructive criticism!)

Disclaimer: I do not own the Characters, but a girl can dream right?

Without further adieu…here comes Chapter Four

B

Update Oct-14-2015: As I prepare to add more to Calm Before the Storm I figured I should go back and look over what I posted almost two years ago to the story that started it all. This way I can make some editorial changes while also refreshing my memory on what things I left off with in the end.

Updated Dec-13-2019: I haven't created any FF in awhile, and would like to get back into it, specifically with some RE stuff. To do so, I figured I would edit some old work to try and get some ideas percolating in my head before the Christmas holidays

- 4 -

- Holding Cell -

After successfully knocking Jill unconscious with powerful tranquilizers, Chris and Alice made quick work of dragging her out of the cell and handcuffing her to the chair. Alice didn't know why she didn't think of this before, but the plan was working, as long as the drugs they just injected into her system were not some discarded batch of Umbrella's T-Virus serum.

"She's been out for at least an hour now," Chris said, looking to Alice, "Are you sure she isn't dead."

Alice stared intently at the Medusa Bug, watching it still glow in a rhythmic pattern, "She's alive," Alice stated, gripping her hunting knife tight in her hand, "Time to get to know the old Jill."

Chris stayed where he was, watching as Alice used the tip of her knife to pry at the underbelly of the Medusa Bug. Blood dripped down the front of Jill's chest from where its legs were embedded under the skin. When it was lose enough, she abandoned the knife and pulled at the body of the bug with her hands, imagining the screams of agony Jill would be uttering if she was conscious.

"Get ready to fire," Alice called over her shoulder as the last of the bug's legs ripped free from Jill's chest.

Alice tossed the squirming bug on the floor, it's silver mechanical legs flailing in the air as it tried to get back upright. Chris opened fire, spraying small metallic pieces in every direction until the red hue of the body went dark.

"Jesus," Chris breathed, looking at Alice, "How did you know that would happen?"

Alice stepped back from Jill, her head still slumped forward, blood staining the front of her purple jumpsuit. Suddenly she had flashbacks to Claire in Alaska, images of her string like hair, torn clothing, and grimy skin flashed before her. Like a flash, the murder in Claire's eyes was gone, and replaced with anger and confusion.

"Remember when Claire didn't remember who you were?" Alice said, unlocking the handcuffs from around Jill's wrists, her arms going slack at her sides.

"You mean-"

"Yes, she too had one of these bastards on her in Alaska. Within minutes of it being removed, she returned to the woman she was before. Albeit slowly, but it still happened." Alice looked at Chris, nodding to Jill's unconscious form, "A little help."

Chris went to the other side of the chair, slinging Jill's arm around his broad shoulder and using his strength to lift her from the chair. They brought her back to the cell, laying her gently down on the cot. When they exited the cell, Alice locked the door behind them, just as a precaution until she was deemed fit to be trust outside these walls.

"How can you be so sure she'll be back to her old self?" Chris asked.

Alice looked up at him with narrowed eyes, "If she doesn't, I'll give you the honour of putting a bullet through her skull." She snapped, heading for the door.

"What do you want me to do if she wakes up?" Chris asked.

Alice stopped in the threshold, "I'm going to talk to Claire, I'm back on prisoner duty." She explained and left the room.

Too preoccupied with how she was going to break the news and get into Claire's good graces, Alice did not notice the two men standing in the shadows jotting notes in a notebook.

- The Bridge -

The bridge was quite late at night. No one ever came to see her, not even K-Mart. Out front was darkness, the bow lit up by the flood lights on the overhang, but nothing more. The ocean was black like ink, and tonight their was no stars, or moon to highlight the ripples of the water out in front of them. Based on the ships navigational system, the Arcadia was not far from the coast of Northern Mexico. About an hour ago Claire had decided to switch on a revamped emergency message to broadcast for survivors as Alice's voice flooded the room.

"This is Arcadia broadcasting on the emergency frequency…"

She set all engines to full stop and releasing the anchor, this stretch of ocean was their new home for the next forty-eight hours. Any longer than that, and they risked being exposed to Umbrella. Tomorrow afternoon a search team, led by Alice and Claire, would take the only two functional small watercraft's on board and head inland. When the Umbrella operatives under Wesker had abandoned ship, they cleared the ship out of their lifeboats.

While down in the armory earlier today, Claire had made a list of supplies they needed to find on land. Rations of food, ammo and even weapons were all very low and in desperate need of restocking. If they were lucky, they would also find a few survivors to add to their floating community. It was very possible the Arcadia could become the birth place of the human race once again.

Claire could feel her eyes beginning to droop, exhaustion settling in as Alice's voice playing over and over again was hypnotic. Soon, Luther would come to relieve her so she could go and get some shut eye. The muscles in her shoulders and neck were twisted in tight knots; the responsibility for the worlds population was weighing on her shoulders. Normally stress did not bother her, but since Alice's morning confessional, her mind had been preoccupied, particularly surrounding her lover's current whereabouts. Valentine was bad news, she could feel it in her bones that something was not right this evening.

She awoke with a start as the metal bridge door squeaked open, having Alice's voice finally lull to her sleep. Claire rubbed her eyes, thinking it was Luther coming to finally take over her post, but was shocked to see Alice standing in the threshold

"Everything okay?" She asked with a yawn.

"We got the bug off her Claire." Alice said, revealing the twisted metal carnage in her outstretched palm.

Claire narrowed her eyes, "Who exactly is this we?"

"Chris and I. We came up with a plan, and it worked. Soon she'll be getting back to her old self."

Claire turned to look out the window, afraid she might cry. "You really think you can change her don't you?" She asked, watched Alice's reflection in the mirror move to the chart table, discarding the remains of the Medusa bug on the table.

"Of course I do. You did, why not her too?" Alice replied, catching Claire's eye in the glass.

Claire wanted to scream that not everyone was worth saving. Valentine and her army killed countless innocent lives aboard the Arcadia, and still Alice wanted to save her. She glanced at the destroyed bug, a reminder of what Umbrella had done to her. Valentine was a product of what could have happened if she didn't escape their capture on the beach in Alaska. But there was something else, something that was really nagging at the back of her brain, that she just needed to get off her chest.

"Do you love her?" Claire asked, turning back to Alice.

"Why would you think that?" Alice replied, her heckles raised.

"Well there has to be some reason why you want to save the person who tried to murder you and the rest of us aboard this god for saken ship!"

"She rescued me from Umbrella after the fall of Raccoon City. I owe it to her to at least try and bring her back."

Claire scowled, not wanted to hear this right now. She tried to make a move for the door, but Alice stepped in her way.

"She's a fighter Claire, a survivor, just like you and me. We can use someone like Valentine in our crew." Alice reasoned, locking eyes with Claire. "I promise, there never was, nor ever will be anything between Jill and I." Alice grabbed Claire's hand, bringing it to rest upon her chest, "I love you Claire, and no one else."

Before Claire could resist, Alice kissed her, pressing her body against Claire's as they stumbled back against the chart table, upsetting the Medusa Bug carnage. The hatred Claire felt for Valentine disappeared as she deepened the kiss, running her hands through Alice's blonde locks, feeling Alice moaned with passion.

At that moment Luther had stepped into the room, catching the two women, for the second time, deep in a passionate lip-lock. It wasn't until he cleared his throat that the women took note of his presence, abruptly ending their kiss.

"You're free to go." Luther said with a smile.

Claire quickly nodded, feeling the heat rise from her neck and spread across her cheeks. She walked past Luther, avoiding eye contact as Alice followed behind, giving a playful salute to Luther before closing the door behind her.

"Are you still mad at me?" Alice asked.

Claire smiled, grabbing Alice's hand and leading her down the steps, "I can think of a way you can make it up to me."

T.B.C.