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 Twelve

B

Update Oct-30-2015: 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.

Update Jan-08-2020: 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 starting anything new!

- 12 -

- Jill -

She was out of bullets. Both her pistol and shotgun, now discarded somewhere in the jungle, were useful in taking out at least ten of those creatures. She used the shotgun as a club, bashing in their malleable skulls, blood and brains spraying her jumpsuit and face. Her arms ached from playing zombie baseball and her feet were throbbing in her combat boots. Speed and agility, two qualities those things chasing her were lacking, were her only weapons now.

The moans and gurgles of her followers was fading as she could make out the blue ocean only a few hundred feet ahead. Jill pushed herself harder, praying Alice and the other's were already at the beach, and did not leave without her.

A loud roar erupted behind Jill as she turned, seeing a large, four-legged, skinless creature jumping down from a nearby tree. Instantly she recognized it as a Licker; the same creature that attacked her in Raccoon City. The monster's long, barbed tongue flopped from it's jaws, snaking it's way in Jill's direction. The beast was about her size with claws as big as her fist. It had no eyes, but she still felt the thing staring her down. The shore was within reach, but there was no outrunning this thing. In two jumps it would be on her.

Jill noticed a thick vine on the ground next to her. Crouching, she kept her eyes on the beast as she reached out to grab it. Once it was in her hand the beast pounced. With only seconds to react, Jill swung the vine as she dove out of the line of fire, the vine wrapping around the Licker's neck. She pulled, tightening the grip as the beast struggled to break free. To her left was a tree with a low hanging branch. She ran, using the trunk as a spring board and grabbed the branch with one hand, while holding the vine in the other. The Licker struggled as Jill got up atop of the branch, dragging the beast towards the tree. She then jumped down, pulling the vine over the branch like a pulley as the Licker raised into the air struggling for breath.

Jill tied off the vine, smiling at her handy work when she heard boat engines. She gave the creature the middle finger before taking off once more towards the beach.

- The Beach -

As soon as the truck was on the sand the team make quick work of loading the supplies onto the boats. Chris and Luther readied the boats as Claire and Alice scanned the treeline for Jill.

"Is this the same Angela-" Claire asked Alice, nodding at the young girl who was sitting in Luther's boat, huddle among the supplies.

"Yes, I can't believe she's alive." Alice replied.

It had been at least three years since they parted ways. A bond unique to them was formed in Raccoon City, both being infected by the T-Virus, but with positive results. They separated only a few months after they broke her out of the Umbrella Testing Facility. It was too dangerous for them to stay together, for there was no telling what Umbrella would do to them if they were caught. Alice had asked Jill to take Angie away and keep her safe. She parted ways with them in Montana on her motorcycle six months before she found Claire and her crew in the Nevada desert.

"We need to go!" Chris yelled from the boat.

Claire looked at Alice, "We gave her a chance, but we need to go Alice."

Alice scowled, "I'm not leaving without Jill."

Claire furrowed her brow, knowing Alice was not going to back down and she was not going to leave Alice here alone. She looked back to Chris, waving for him to go, "You head back, We'll follow!"

"Hell no! We leave together." Luther called from the other boat.

"Then we stay together." Alice replied as something dashed from the tree line, "There!" She exclaimed, pointing towards the flash.

They all raised their weapons as Jill came barreling out of the trees, kicking beach sand as she ran in their direction. As she approached the team, six undead appeared on the shore. Luther and Chris returned fire from the boats, covering the women as they trudged out towards Luther's boat for it was closer.

"I thought you left without me." Jill replied with a smile, climbing up the ladder.

"We're not in the business of leaving people behind." Alice replied, following Jill into the boat.

Claire barely had her feet out of the water when Luther opened the engine, turning the boat around and headed back towards The Arcadia. Chris and most of the supplies were not far behind. Jill collapsed with exhaustion, cupping her hands in the ocean water to wash the blood from her face. When she looked up, Jill noticed ta young woman was on board. Even though years had passed, she instantly recognized her.

"Angie?" Jill whispered, catching both Alice and Claire's attention.

The young girl looked up, eyeing the blonde in a purple jumpsuit. She knew that voice.

"Jill?"

Jill nodded, feeling the tears well in her eyes. She was never one for emotions, always taught to be tough, that only sissy girls cry at the drop of a hat. Flashbacks crackled in her head, snip-its of Angela and her together after Raccoon City.

Angie embraced Jill, running her hands around the side of her face, "You look so different. What happened?" She asked.

Jill shook her head, "I-I don't know. My memory, it's a bit foggy."

Angela frowned, looking to Alice, "Umbrella?" She asked.

Alice nodded, "Jill was under their control by some sort of Medusa Bug. It injected her with some sort of drug. Her memory will come back, it will just take time." Alice stated, looking to Claire.

Angela looked back to Jill, "I did what you told me to do."

"What do you mean?"

Angela grabbed a rucksack from behind her, pulling out a metallic lunch box. The picture on the front had been faded beyond recognition, but Alice remember it was Superman.

"I kept it safe, just like I promised." She whispered.

"Kept what safe?" Claire asked.

Jill looked at the box, "The antivirus. The cure to the T-virus." She whispered.

"Someone's connecting the dots." Alice stated with a smile.

"There's a cure?" Claire stated baffled.

"My father manufactured the T-Virus, mostly so I could walk as a child, but he knew Umbrella would exploit it for their own needs. He manufactured a cure, a fail safe in the event something horrible was to happen to me." Angela explained, opening the box. "I had three vials of it concealed when Raccoon City was destroyed. I only have one left."

Claire looked in the lunch box, her eyes widening at the metal vial full of red liquid a top of a pile of mementos Angela had collected over the years. She looked at Alice in disbelief, "You didn't tell me their was an anti virus." She stated as Angela closed the lunchbox up again.

Alice shook her head, "I didn't think any still existed."

"I can't believe you still have this," Jill replied, running her hands over the weathered lunch box.

Flashes of when she found Angela in the school in Raccoon City filled her head. The school was crawling with infected children and rabid dogs; half their bodies disintegrated by the virus. That was were they lost the reporter; eaten alive by a group of children. Angela had survived because she was immune. The infected, they treated her like one of their own.

"You're infected."

Angela nodded, "Umbrella was following us. The night before they took you-." She stopped, tears misting her eyes, "You told me to hide, and to keep this safe. I stayed underground for two days before I started in search of food and survivors."

Claire recalled what Alice had told her about Angela Ashford of Raccoon city two days ago. It was a touching story, but Alice had conveniently left out the part about the girl carrying with her what possibly remains of the anti virus.

"The infection. It's how you've been able to stay alive for so long isn't it?" Alice stated, locking eyes with the young girl, "They won't attack you."

"I never told anyone the truth. I was afraid they would kill me thinking I was one of those creatures out there."

Alice and Claire exchanged glances, "Yeah, how bout that." Claire quipped, dismissing the scowl on Alice's face.

- The Arcadia -

When they returned to the ship, Chris, Luther and Jill unload the supplies from their boats while Alice and Claire led Angela to their stateroom. The young girl needed a rest before being grilled for answers from Jill and subjected to the bubbly K-Mart, who was already more than happy to have a fellow teen aboard.

Claire got up from her chair, gently opening the door as to not disturb the young girl. Alice glanced at Claire, seeing she was leaving.

"Where are you going?" She whispered.

"I'm going to go see how the supplies are coming. You stay here with Angie. I feel you two have a lot of catching up to do when she wakes up." Claire replied with a smile before closing the stateroom door once more.

Alice turned her attention back to Angela, watching her chest rise and fall with each breath she took. She was curled into a tight ball under the covers, still dressed in her hoodie and jeans. Her ratted hair was out of it's braids, draping over her shoulders, and framing her face. She was never scared, not even in Raccoon City. Her father had told her about Umbrella; coached her on what evil could come from what he created. It was because of that, that she was able to survive. It amazed Alice how she was able to stay alive all alone, for so long.

Her coveted lunch box was on the bedside table and still within arms reach. Alice gingerly grabbed it, careful not to disturb Angela as she slept. She blinked away tears while running her fingers over the lid, remembering the horrible memories this relic brought back. She glanced back at Angela, making sure she was still asleep before opening the lid to see what was inside.

Small trinkets, nick-knacks, and memento's from every place she had visited filled the tin box. Seashells from the beaches of Florida, little bottles of sand with masking tape, and the words "California", "Florida", "Key West", and "Nevada" were neatly printed on them. Angela was smart, knew it was best to keep on the run. Staying in one place for too long was always a bad idea. Alice paused, picking up the gold patch of the emblem for the Raccoon City Junior High. The only thing she kept to remind her of where she had come from.

Alice looked up, feeling the presence of someone standing in the doorway. Jill was leaning against the frame, eyeing the young woman on the bed. She had changed out of her purple jumpsuit into a pair of green cargo pants and beige tank top that Alice instantly recognized as Claire's. Her blonde hair was pulled back into a french braid, her skin clean of blood and dirt.

"How is she?" Jill whispered, staying in the threshold.

"Good, exhausted." Alice replied, closing the lunch box and replacing it back on the bedside table. "How are you holding up?"

"I'm-" Jill was about to say she was fine, but Alice would know it was a lie, "Confused, I guess."

Angela stirred, but did not awaken. Alice got up, ushering Jill out into the hall to allowing Angela to continue sleeping peacefully.

"That's understandable. I have questions, so I can only imagine how you feel." Alice replied.

Jill nodded, "It seems I impressed the team. I've been given a room, and Claire officially recruited me as the latest Arcadia crew member." Jill replied with a smile.

Alice smiled back, placing a hand on her shoulder, "Good, you saved our lives, my life, in Mexico. I'll never forget that."

Claire rounded the corner, seeing Jill and Alice talking outside the stateroom. "Sorry, am I interrupting?" She said, looking from one woman to the other.

"Not at all. I'll leave you to, to catch up" Jill replied with a wink, disappearing down the hall.

Alice looked at Claire, seeing that something was at the top of her mind. "I know that look Claire Redfield."

Claire approached Alice, sadness in her eyes, "Alice, we need to talk." She said, squeezing her hand tight.

"Okay. What about?"

Claire sighed, locking eyes with the blonde, "I feel like I am loosing you."

"Loosing me?" Alice questioned.

"First Jill and now, Angela."

Alice sighed, "Claire we already went over this. There's nothing romantic happening between Jill and I-"

"I don't mean romantically," Claire interrupted, "I thought, when you told me about your past a few days ago, you were opening up to me. Now, with these people from your past coming back into your life, I feel, unwanted."

Alice cupped Claire's cheek, feeling her resist at first, but then give in, "You are never unwanted Claire. When Jill, Angela and I separated years ago, I thought I would never see them again. I thought, for the longest time, they were dead." She explained, fighting back tears.

"Bullshit! Jill was captive for days aboard this ship and the nightmares, they were eating you alive!" She yelled, jabbing her finger into Alice's chest. "I was the one who saved you. I'm the one who's in love with you!"

Alice stood in shock, closing her eyes and taking a deep breath to contain her anger, "You're acting childish Claire. You're jealous of a lifetime that you should be thankful you never had to experience."

Claire slapped Alice across the face. It was a knee jerk reaction, but still felt warranted. "Don't patronize me Alice. We've all suffered and lost people we loved."

Alice rubbed her cheek, feeling the sting of her skin, "I'm sorry. That was unfair."

"Today in the jungle. I felt lost. I felt forgotten." Claire muttered, tears flowing down her face.

Alice frowned, upset Claire would think she would ever do that. She would fight for her, sacrifice herself if that meant Claire could keep going. If Claire was ever hurt or, god forbid, killed, Alice would be beside herself with grief.

"I love you Claire. I would die for you." Alice confessed, pulling her in for an embrace, "I'm sorry, and I know I've been apologizing a lot recently, but I truly am sorry." She muttered into her hair, kissing the top of her head. "I'm not used to this whole relationship thing."

Claire laughed, forcing herself to smile,"I can tell." She said, her sour mood lifting. "I'm sorry I slapped you."

Alice smirked, "I deserved it." She replied, leaning in and kissing Claire gently on the lips, "How can I make this up to you?"

Claire attempted to stay strong, to resist those dopey eyes and over exaggerated frown on Alice's face like a dog who was just caught destroying a roll of toilet paper. It was pointless; Alice always had a way of tugging at her heart strings.

"I want a date." She stated triumphantly.

"A date?" Alice stated suspiciously.

"Yeah, you know what people used to do to get some alone time before the apocalypse."

"Interesting. Where do you want this date?"

"Out in the ocean on one of the lifeboats, in the moonlight. Just you and me. No interruptions. No sneaking around." Claire lulled seductively, watching Alice's eyes brighten at the thought of what they could do to each other alone on the water.

Alice didn't need to be told twice, "I'm in. You name the night." She replied.

"Tomorrow."

"Tomorrow?"

"It's Valentine's Day." Angela's voice squeaked from the cracked open door, catching both women off guard.

Claire looked to the young girl and smiled, "Exactly! The most romantic day of the year."

Alice scowled at Angela as the girl retreated further into the room, her cheeks crimson and blue eyes glinting with embarrassment. She was now convinced the young woman had listened to their entire conversation.

"It's a date." Alice replied before heading down the hall and out of sight.

T.B.C.