Her eyes opened suddenly. Immediately her hand reached out into the darkness as she fumbled for the light her mind barely registered the sound of the water glass hitting the floor as suddenly the room was illuminated.
Alone. She was alone.
The word seemed to echo in her mind as the last vestiges of the dream began to fade from reality. On the nightstand the red light of the clock read - 4 am. Could it really be that late? A ghost of a smile played at her lips despite herself. The restless dreams were coming farther apart now. The first night she had been returned had actually been the easiest like passing into a small coma sleeping for nearly twelve hours straight before finding herself surrounded by curious hospital personnel there were things she had wanted…needed to know. No matter how many times she tried to reassure them it had been taken care of it hadn't mattered. Procedure was procedure….
It was when she returned to her father's home that the nightmares had started. Waking in late hours sometimes covered in sweat or clutching the sheets. Restless and fearful once even waking to sound of her own choked voice as she attempted to call out. Others found her simply running from what couldn't be seen hearing only footsteps so close behind. Dark halls and whispered words only the echo of her footsteps as she raced along the way. Someone calling her name…so real she could feel the ache in her legs as she pushed them beyond what she had believed was possible. The only thing that mattered was making it to the voice his voice….
In some ways they were worse… waking alone in the dark room after believing she had found safety. Following her return from Pueblo her father had hired a few armed guards for outside her door at night. They tried making conversation with her during the day and she did her best to be polite. Trained by the CIA they had all the same training as Leon and more not to mention having better weapons than what could be found on the run. None of that seemed to make any difference.
The things she had seen in Pueblo were the kind of things no one should have to see in a lifetime. More akin to a Hollywood script than any type of reality, stories where kidnapping a president's daughter as part of a conspiracy were semi commonplace. The reality of it though had proven far worse than anything that could have been imagined. Ashley felt responsible in her way she had taken much for granted. In her own way she had become like many college girls "It will never happen to me" her fathers position had only worsened that condition for her making her feel all the more untouchable.
It was no wonder to her now that she hadn't seen or even heard the man approaching. Only the slightest pause had been made before she moved to enter the building but it had been enough at the late hour no one was awake… she was out before her book even hit the pavement. Her situation was made clear to her soon enough when she awoke to the sound of voices. Spanish a friend had taught her some of it in high school speaking it was out of the question but she could understand a fair bit. What she heard had done nothing to put the mind at ease. The ropes that held her hands to the back of the pole thwarted every effort she made to move, her feet were bound as well rendering her next to completely immobile. Something had broken in her then and she screamed as loud as she could for anyone who would listen. Didn't they know who she was? Didn't they know what would happen to them? Threats turned into pleading slowly and then silence as her voice grew hoarse and despite her best efforts exhaustion beckoned.
The pain she had felt in her neck she would later discover was from the injection that introduced the Plagas into her system. The realization that you are being used as a carrier for a parasite is bad enough even aside from the thought of how many others it had been done to. Ashley had had to try hard not to be awestricken by Leon when she had first encountered him in the dirty little village. The way he had busted in the door and managed to hold off the infested villagers trying to fight their way in was nothing less than awe inspiring. She had never seen anyone so quick with his or her reflexes. It was more than just firing and being able to aim steadily even when one of the infected villagers managed to get a hold of him he seemed to be able to fight them off with a relative ease that was much more impressive than anything scripted could ever be.
"These aren't zombies" at first his words had startled her although later she had learned he had been there during the Raccoon City tragedy. No doubt in her mind that had played a role in them choosing him for the job. When the T-virus had been let loose chaos had reigned. Just like something from a cheap horror film-the dead had walked the streets. It made her heart twist the thought of someone enduring these types of things not only once but being willing to enter into it again. It only made her admiration grow deeper.
Little did she know until later he had been infected with the Plagas as well. The parasite they soon found out through journals they had found slowly took over the mind and will of the one in whom it resided until the human body was little more than a mask. For the bravery Leon had shown even at the earliest points of their ordeal she could remember several times she had broken down. One such instance remained very clear in her minds eye at the moment. One of the robed villagers had managed to get a hold of her on the castle stairway. The agent had instructed her to wait so that he could clear the way. The blonde collegian had been so intent on listening for his return that her mind registered the shuffling feet behind her much too late—
Ashley had beaten it about the head and shoulders desperately trying to get the infected man to set her loose but they didn't seem to register pain. Opening her mouth she had screamed Leon's name, Over and over it echoed against the castle walls as the sound of his footsteps answering the call followed behind.
The shots rang once…twice…and she couldn't stop screaming until the final one rang out taking off the side of its face sending a thick spray of blood and matter across the side of her face as it fell to the floor taking her with it. For a moment she had been unable to move before her flight response kicked in and she rose to her feet barely making it to Leon's side before collapsing. The next thing she had remembered was the sound of his voice as he wiped the side of her face. She had made a vow in her mind then and there that she would try her best to be of more use to him they would never make it out alive if she continued to be nothing more than a dead weight.
That moment had only served to build up more of a trust in him a trust that turned into a mutual one as they worked together. She seemed to be able to pick up where he needed her to even if it were only in small ways. They celebrated their small triumphs at times even shouting. Quickly a bond formed between them. He teased her at times and she did the same as they at times filled the silences with small conversation. Though she would be taken from him twice more following that instance she never lost her trust.
The final time had been the worst. Leon had told her of how they were fighting against time. It was one thing to know it could happen and another thing to experience someone being able to take control of your actions through something placed within. When Saddler had used the Plaga to will her to him it had been the single most terrifying thing she had ever endured. Even now she knew nothing would ever come close to it.
Awaking later Ashley had found herself under glass in some kind of containment. One of the first things she noticed was how her breath formed in front of her. Outside she could hear muffled voices –Saddler and Leon but there was someone else. Opening her mouth she had attempted to call out but no sound would emerge. It hadn't mattered much within a moment the glass door broke as Leon began helping her out.
Just take her and go! The blonde had summoned up enough strength to look over and see the owner of the unknown voice. A tall Asian woman with shoulder length black hair, the red dress she wore had a slit up the side all the way to the hip. Looking between the woman and Leon it had seemed to the college girl that there was a tension there but it broke suddenly as she felt Leon begin tugging her onward and off the platform. Behind them she could hear the tell tale sound of gunshots as the mysterious woman fired the gun she had been holding close to her person. Judging by the rapid fire she doubted that Saddler could survive…. of course she had been mistaken about that in the end.
It wasn't far from that area when they had found the room with the machine that could remove the Plagas from the body. The warning on the console reminded of the danger…it could induce coma in some and in others be fatal. For her it had been harder to be the one operating the machine than going through it. It was more than just the knowledge that she couldn't survive it alone…as much as she tried to deny it she couldn't bare the thought of losing Leon then. The fear had proved groundless however as the laser operation went off without any trouble.
She had been surprised at how badly it had burned inside. Leon had flinched some during the procedure but nothing compared to what she felt. It was like a fire was being set within her squeezing her eyes tight she had braced herself offering a silent prayer that she not lapse into coma—or worse. The pain became so intense all she could do was dig her nails into her hands so hard imprints were left. She hadn't even known it was completed until she felt the restraints being loosened allowing her to sit up. Without even thinking she had thrown her arms around the agent beginning to sob softly against him as her emotion spilled over. He had moved her holding her back so that he could look at her.
Ashley are you alright? It was then that she had first noticed the deep gash on his cheek. How long had that been there? Her hand had come up fingers brushing over the wound briefly.
What is this?
What's important is that you're all right. She could feel her face warming with his words as they looked at one another a moment before he backed away from her suddenly.
Time we left this place for good.
It hadn't been that easy though, Saddler had proved more resilient that Ashley had given him credit for. Later she would learn from Leon that it had taken not only all of the ammo he had remaining but a shot from a rocket launcher. The space of time she spent standing near the bottom of the lift waiting for Leon to return had been etched into her memory. She had never felt so relieved as when he had come running off of it…. That was of course until he told her the island was about to be destroyed…
Come on Sweetheart, we're out of here. The statement barely had time to register before the agent had pulled her on board the Jet Ski looking back only once. You be sure to hold on now.
Maneuvering through the cave tunnels had suffered them more than a few close calls before they made it out. The wind whipping against her face, blonde hair obstructed her view almost entirely until the vehicle came to a stop. Even with the distant sounds of the explosions there seemed to be a deafening silence as he turned to look at her… and they started to laugh. Ashley knew it was from all the stress and just the release of it all but she couldn't stop she didn't want to… she had never felt more alive.
What do you say when we get back you pull some overtime?
I don't think that would be a good idea…. Leon had allowed the sentence to trail off feeling suddenly the mixture of discomfort and embarrassment she did her best to play it off as a joke.
So just who was that woman in the red dress? The teasing tone they'd used with one another so many other times along the way returned to her voice but not without effort.
Just someone from the past I can't let go of.
The tone of his voice at her reply had driven it home to her. She hadn't imagined what she had seen. Disappoint hit her hard as the conversation waned and then they fell into silence she had regretted even bringing it up. When they had been brought to shore military personnel had been called and was waiting. They had barely had enough time to say much of a goodbye before being taken off into observation. Later he had come to see her once while she was in he was the only one not family given clearance.
Months had passed since then she had tried to tell herself that in time she would realize how juvenile her feelings had been. She would always value the friendship they had forged. The dark circles had long ago begun fading now and when she looked in the mirror she saw a note of something new her eyes- a maturity that was along time coming a kind of strength she hadn't known was there and in a way she would always have him to thank for that.
Reaching to the bedside table the young woman paused remembering the fallen glass leaning over to retrieve it from the carpet. She admired it a moment before setting it on the nearby table the light from the lamp causing the drops clinging to the inside to illuminate in a whole new way. It had fallen far but not broken. She pulled the small cord then bathing the room once more in empty shadow another step on the road to recovery.