Chapter 5- Steve's back

[Authors note] I really should update more often, which is what I'm going to do from now on. By the end of the month I hope to finish off this chapter… but ya gotta leave me a review so I know what to write about and what I can improve ^_^ Hope you enjoy this chapter!

(All thoughts coming from the character's are in brackets since this stupid italics thing doesn't work… argh!)

"Claire... you came here to look for me?" Steve asked whilst Claire tugged at the ropes which held his arm against the wall.

"Yes, I did."

"Why?"

"Well-" Claire paused to think whether she should tell Steve the real reason... that she had come to reply to the words he last spoke, but finally decided against it. "Wesker told Chris that you were still alive, so I came to rescue you of course."

Claire pulled off the last string of rope wrapped around Steve's body, and helped him stand up.

"Ouch!" Steve said, slightly wincing at the pain he felt. "I haven't stood up for days…"

Claire laughed. Steve looked her in the eye and knew he still had feelings for her. He blushed slightly at the fact that Claire probably knew he was staring at her, but it was hard for him to keep from looking.

(Those beautiful blue eyes of hers…)

"So, are we going to get out of here or what?" Claire said breaking his thought.

Steve reached for Claire's hand and brought it up to his chest, pressing it lightly against his heart. He hoped it would help Claire understand his feelings for her. Claire's heart skipped a beat at the warmth of his hands enclosed in hers.

"I missed you Claire," Steve said stating the obvious.

"I missed you too," Claire said throwing her arms around him in a tight hug.

Steve put his arms around her feeling overwhelmed that Claire had liked him… maybe even loved him enough to come and find him.

"Claire we gotta get out of this place," Steve said. "Wesker is around this place somewhere. I heard him come in here about half an hour ago."

Claire nodded in agreement. Steve took Claire's hand in his and walked towards the door, hoping he remembered the way to get out of the facility. As Steve was about to pull the door open, someone had already jiggled the handle from the other side. Claire and Steve exchanged glances and they both knew what they were expecting- Wesker. Suddenly the door was pulled open within a second and to Claire's surprise stood Chris and two men behind him.

"CHRIS!" Claire exclaimed.

"CLAIRE!" Chris said in unison with Claire.

Chris put his gun down and put his arm on Claire's shoulders, stunned she was still alive. It's what Barry and Leon had been telling him all along whilst he was thinking the worst had happened.

"Claire, you idiot! You had me worried sick! What the hell were you thinking?" Chris said shaking Claire back and forth.

"Chris I told you not to come… I said I would be back soon," Claire said nervously shifting from one foot to another. She looked over Chris's shoulder and saw a familiar hair cut which could only have belonged to Leon, and a head with… not even a strand of hair on it, which meant Chris had invited his "old partner" Barry. "Hi Leon… hello Barry…" Claire said waving, slightly embarrassed at the idea that Leon was going to meet Steve.

"I was so worried," Chris said letting go of Claire's shoulder and letting out a sigh of relief.

"Me too," Leon added in staring at Steve's hand, which was still wrapped around Claire's.

"This is Steve," Claire said.

"So you're the guy my sister risked her life for?" Chris said

"Um… I guess so," he replied slightly unsure as to whether it was a joke or not.

Chris smiled slightly to show that he was ok with everything. Leon and Steve exchanged an icy smile.

(So this is the guy who escaped from Raccoon City with Claire? Hah… I could beat him up any day…) Steve thought to himself.

(Get the hint. She's mine. Go find someone else!) Leon thought.

"Uh… guys hate to break up the party but…" Barry interrupted.

"Yes, we'd best get going," Chris said finishing off Barry's sentence.

Barry reached into his pocket and pulled out ammo. He reloaded his gun and stood next to the door peeking outside to make sure the "coast was clear". It reminded Claire of that police movie she had seen. She rolled her eyes and pushed open the door. Barry grinned.

Chris and Barry led the group out of the room and into the lab they had met with the hunter. Leon hung back near Steve and Claire, watching closely Steve's every move.

"Claire!" Leon called to get her attention.

Claire looked at Leon who slowly began to walk towards her. He was biting his lip, still thinking of what he wanted to say. Anything to keep her from talking to Steve.

"I was worried about you… did you get hurt?" Leon asked faking his concern.

Leon knew Claire was a tough girl. She could look after herself for she had done so twice already.

"No," Claire smiled. "I'm fine, I found Steve as soon as I got here so I didn't really meet anything besides zombies."

"That's good… you got a gun?" Leon asked taking out an extra handgun.

Claire reached into her pocket and pulled out a handgun.

"Um… I don't have one," Steve said opening his hands.

"You know how to use a gun?" Leon snickered.

"Hell yeah! I shot down a couple of hunters, zombies… basically everything you've seen," Steve proudly announced then added, "I protected Claire from one of those long armed things too."

"Riiiightt of course you did, "Leon said slightly laughing to himself at the fact that this young boy had the nerve to try and impress Claire.

"OK, ok guys stop!" Claire said before Steve came back with a smart comment.

Leon looked at Steve and smiled, even though the smile was nowhere near sincere. Steve grunted and frowned, resting his arm on the wall.

Claire looked at Leon and knew why he was being this way. He had asked Claire out on a date to the movies not long ago, and they did go… but it seems Leon had mistaken her for his girlfriend. It was hard not to keep thinking about it for the rest of the walk through the lab.

Chris felt tremors under the floor once they had got to the next room, which was a hug hallway with many painting and a lovely white couch. Too welcoming for a facility, so Chris had guessed it was the main entrance hallway.

"Does anyone else feel that?" Chris asked, bending down so he could listen.

"I think someone is trying to start up the facility," Leon suggested.

"But who?" Claire asked.

At once an outburst of laughter could be heard as they all looked to the end of the hall. There stood Wesker smiling at them. With his slick blonde hair, black suit, boots and of course, his trademark sunglasses, Chris knew it was him instantly. Wesker walked towards them, one step, and another step, as he got closer Chris saw his eyes flash red.

"I knew having Steve kept here would be a useful thing," Wesker said raising his right fist.

"It comes as no surprise having Claire here… but I never would have expected you to come Chris. And with such a small army too," Wesker paused and waited for Chris to answer, but when he didn't he continued, "When you know how powerful I am now."

Claire grabbed Chris's arm as he was about to move forward.

Barry raised his gun and aimed it at Wesker, "I say we kill the bastard."

"Uh… not a good idea Barry," Chris whispered from in front.

Steve grabbed Claire's hand and pulled her towards the door.

"STEVE! NO!" Claire shouted.

Leon saw Claire and Steve run off and ran with them. It wasn't that he was chicken, but he didn't trust that Steve. For all he knew, Steve could be working for Wesker. This only seemed to anger Wesker as he threw back his fist and got ready to move forward to attack. Chris and Barry looked back as the door slammed shut.

"Shit. Where are they going?" Chris said to Barry still watching Wesker.

Wesker ran forward but missed both Chris and Barry as they dodged from his view. Chris didn't know what to do, to run or to stay? But before Chris could even make a decision, Wesker had jumped and grabbed him from behind, twisting him so he could grab his neck.

"Chris!" Barry yelled jumping back.

Barry looked around for something to hit Wesker with. But there was nothing besides a couch, and a couple of soda machines. Wesker held Chris against the wall as Chris gasped for air.

"Let me go, Wesker!" Chris shouted kicking Wesker wherever he could.

(Ok, I'm going to die here…) Chris said to himself as his head began to fill with negative comments.

Wesker tightened his grip around Chris's neck and laughed at the thought that this was it. Chris was going to die here and now. Suddenly, his glasses were slapped off and as he turned to face Barry, Barry sprayed a can of soda in his eyes. And it stung. Wesker let go of Chris and covered his eyes, just about opening them enough to see them both run through the other side of the door from Leon, Steve and Claire. Wesker rubbed his eyes continuously until they adjusted to the brightness of the room, and slowly the images became clearer. He would kill Chris and Barry for this… he'd make sure of it somehow.

Barry and Chris smiled as they ran through to the next room. Chris put his arms on his knees and took in a breath of air.

He patted Barry on the back and said, "Thanks, man. I owe you."

Barry rested his arm on the table, "Yeah. You owe me a buck for the soda."

They both laughed until Barry took out his wallet and opened it, "Seriously though. You owe me a buck." ^_^

[Authors note] Well that's all for now. Hope you liked the chapter. Please leave a review.