((waves)) Hello everyone! This chapter breaks new ground in the fact that it includes a cameo from Hello Captain's super-cool fic Girls Will Be Violet! =D Violet fans will be thrilled! Even if you um...have no idea whatsoever what I'm talking about, I hope this chapter is as fun to read as it was to write.

I settled for nothing less than the best: I didn't just borrow Violet, half the credit of this chapter must go to my dear friend the Captain, as she wrote all of Violet's lines and half the chapter itself! =) This was a joint-effort by us, as will be the rest of the Violet-Cameo chapters.

((bows)) Thank you Captain! You are swell! =)

By the way...plugplugplug---if you haven't read Girls Will Be Violet I highly recommend it!---plugplugplug

Oh, and another thing: My character Alan Wesker was chosen to be placed on a website that is a shrine to Resident Evil OCs! Thanks there go to xDeadpan. Visit my bio for a link, and you can learn all about Alan, including the meanings in his name and what inspired me to create him. Plus surprising facts! The site also has the scoop on Violet who appears this chapter, so you can't go wrong.

Onto the fabulous

Chapter 20

Blackness. Deep and pure as the darkness which fills a dreamless sleep. This was a friend of the weightlessness which now gripped her; tossing her about gently like a butterfly in a light summer breeze. Gravity had no say here--wherever here was. There was nothing to be seen, nor heard, nor touched or experienced. A void. That was the best way to describe it: a lack of physical sensory as the unlikely traveler made her way across the delicate strings of time.

Light! Sudden and blinding. Gravity reasserted itself, and at last Alexandra was standing upright in the center of a well-lit room. Wow. That was...something else. She shook free of the dreamy sensation which still clung to the recesses of her mind and looked around.

The room was not overly large, nor was it small. It was, however, uncomfortably cold, and reeked strongly from a combination of some chemical substances she couldn't quite put her finger on, ? There were no windows. Lining the walls were bleached-white counters just wide enough to accommodate a wide selection of books, flasks, petri dishes, microscopes, Bunsen burners, and a smorgasbord of other scientific paraphernalia. Below these counters, of course, were several drawers and cupboards. A bookshelf stood to one far corner; a large rotund ant farm sat off to the other next to a sink and a wall lined with a bunch of charts displaying numbers, chemical formulas, and scientific equations. One wall boasted a sturdy-looking oak cabinet containing lord-only-knew what.

It was a lab. That was painfully, painfully obvious. However, Alexandra was far more interested in the female figure sitting at the workbench only a few feet from where she stood. This woman was slumped halfway over the table...her head resting peaceably amongst the army of coffee mugs and research notes which plagued the area. A microscope stood sentinel just inches in front of her face. Her back rose and fell slowly with the rhythm of sleep.

A scientist. If the setting didn't readily give it away, her attire most certainly did. Admittingly, the labcoat which hung about her skinny form was in shambles. Once upon a time it may have been a white-ish color, but now it was more of a grimy yellow riddled with stains and pocketed with several rips and tears to such the extent that, had it it's owner not been breathing, Alexandra may have mistaken her for a zombie. Since the woman's back was turned to her, the only other feature visible to Alexandra's eye was the sea of auburn curls which spilled down chaotically from the back of her head.

Alexandra's mind buzzed with questions. Where am I? Come to think of it, when am I? And who is that? Well, all these scientific instruments look fairly new, so I must not have gone all that far back in the past. But I need a clue here.

She was aware of Sultan beside her, nudging her knee gently with his furry head. He seemed rather edgy and at ill ease from his trip through space-time. Not that Alexandra blamed him. Hey! My Sultan is the first ever time-traveling tiger! Reaching down, she gently stroked a patch of orange fur on his head with just the tips of three fingers. The tiger responded by arching his neck up and mewling gently.

Alexandra shivered in the cold. Whoever ran things around here, heating was not their biggest priority. She felt as if she were standing on top of a giant ice berg at the North Pole. Which she very well could be, for all she knew.

Her heart went out to the scientist napping at the table--she was probably freezing her butt off. Poor woman.

Logic dictated that Alexandra should try the door while making as little noise as possible and just let the sleeping scientist lye. She really really should. But she felt sorry for this obviously overworked and underpaid young scientist. In the end, her heart, coupled with her natural curiosity, won out. She just had to have a better look. Who knew? Maybe this person could help her.

Quietly, the blonde-haired little girl made her way up to the reddish-haired scientist. She was still kind of hoping not to wake her until she had formulated in her mind exactly what she was going to say. What if the stranger wasn't friendly? Now they were almost face-to-face, and the woman shifted slightly in her sleep.

She wasn't terribly old. Alexandra placed her anywhere between the ages of 18 and 25. As far as looks went, she wasn't pretty, but it would be a false statement to say she was downright ugly or insipid to the eyes. A few disheveled, awkward curls hung carelessly about a pale face whose main highlight was a nose that had apparently been broken before judging from the disharmony with which it was proportioned. Situated along the bridge of this nose were a pair of thick glasses that were in such bad shape their owner had had to fix them with masking tape just to keep them functional. Beneath these, of course, her eyes were sealed shut in what appeared to be a much-needed slumber. All of this was further punctuated by a poor bone structure. The woman was definitely not supermodel material. Yet at the same time she was not so hideously ugly that Alexandra wanted to run off screaming 'My eyes! They burn! Ahhhh!'

The young Ashford glanced at the papers on the desk and was horrified by the sheer volumes glaring back at her. What does she do, live in the lab? If anyone ever needed a break...curious, she leaned over and peered in closer...

Aquamarine eyes snapped open instantly.

Startled, Alexandra stumbled backwards in a rush and nearly tripped over her own feet in the process.

Equally as surprised, the not-too-terrible looking scientist jerked her head up in a flash. " I..uh...um...Alex...uh...Dr. Ashford I was just...um..." She whipped around in a whirlwind speed, coming very close to falling off her seat and causing a couple sheets of paper to take the ungracious plunge to an unswept floor. " Oh my fucking bloody god, what the hell is that?! " Her now lively eyes were fixed firmly on Sultan.

So much for the serenity of the room.

Alexandra backed off a little more, nervous and unsure of what she should say. More than likely, it was a safe wager that 'Oh nevermind us, we just hopped in here through a magical portal' wasn't even going to register on the believable scale. So what do I say?

" I uh...sorry to have disturbed you." Alexandra said as she patted the tiger cub on the head, " This is Sultan. He's a tiger."

For his part, Sultan just sat still in regal comfort; light reflecting beautifully off his ornate gemstone collar. This was an unfamiliar place for him, but as long as his mistress was by his side he was disinclined to start mewling loudly or draw attention. In fact, this place smelled kind of like home. It put his mind a little more at ease. He was curious as well about the other human in the room; the one who wasn't his mistress.

The scientist bolted upright, rising to her full height. She was tall, awkward, and wearing a very unpromising grimace on her face which looked to be a mixture of both fear and surprise.

" I can bloody well see that! But what the hell is it doing here...and, oh, just while we're on the topic, who the hell are you?! "

Alexandra shrank back slightly and tried to make herself appear as non-threatening as possible. Being cursed at was nothing she wasn't already used to dealing with on a regular basis from living with her less-than-caring family, but coming from someone else it seemed alien and thus had an intimidating effect.

" I'm Alexandra. I uh...I'll just be going now and let you get back to sleep. I'm so sorry to have woken you." Taking Sultan by the collar, she did another visual scan of the room. Her eyes fell upon the only door. Because of her heightened hearing, Alexandra could make out the monotone buzz of the electrical current ensnared within the locking mechanism.

Rats. This was going to be a tough cookie. Especially since the woman scientist was certainly going to be curious as to how a young girl and her pet tiger of all creatures had managed to sneak into what was no doubt a locked room inside of a restricted area unseen and unheard.

The auburn-haired scientist narrowed her eyes suspiciously. " Oh god, not another one." She groaned, sparking Alexandra to wonder if maybe in fact this wasn't the first time something like this had ever happened around these parts, " You need a keycard."

" Where would I get a keycard? " Alexandra asked, more than a flicker of worry registering on her aristocratic Ashford features. She's going to figure it out, then what am I going to tell her? She's a scientist, she's not going to subscribe to the idea of time-travel, teleportation, and witches. Aw fudge. I am so royally screwed!

The bespectacled scientist opened her mouth for a second, then, at a loss for words, she closed it. Genuine bewilderment manifested across her face. " Um...small...child...thing? How did you get in here? "

Gulp. The question she'd been dreading. " You know, I was just ah...touring the base and then click! What do you know, I accidentally got locked in here." Okay, so maybe her wit wasn't razor-sharp today. Alexandra was a terrible liar. Her voice came out sounding squeaky and unsure. She shifted nervously on her heels, then scratched Sultan behind the ears to ensure he would stay put. She wondered what she was going to do if this woman decided to call security.

The scientist folded her arms across her chest and looked at her; frowning sternly but with a hint of good nature playing about her face, as if this were in fact better than her usual company.

" Yes, very good. So how did you actually get in here? " She then began to panic, " You didn't steal my card, did you? Because if I lose that again Alexia will have my fucking head..."

Alexandra's eyes went wide with fear. " Alexia?! You don't mean Alexia Ashford do you? " Oh sweet socks smothered in Tabasco sauce, my mother is here? And it doesn't look like she's any friendlier than when I left her...

Sultan perked his ears up at the familiar name.

" No, I mean Alexia Queen of the Fucking Desert." The scientist muttered, making no effort to disguise the biting sarcasm, " Yes, Alexia. My lovely, sweet-natured, and kind-hearted boss whom I love dearly and would never wish any harm upon at all, oh no." She cleared her throat and shifted her eyes nervously to the cub, then back to Alexandra. " Who are you? A relation, I'm guessing? You don't seem to want to shag her, so you definitely get points there kid, but will you fill me in here? "

Alexandra swallowed as per nervous reaction. " No, oh no." She muttered almost silently under her breath. She looked up meaningfully to the tired, obviously overworked employee of her mother. This stranger was a little testy and rude, sure, but given the circumstances Alexandra couldn't blame her. And Mother's too cheap too pay the heating bills...that was just ridiculous.

Nobody deserved Alexia for a boss. Nobody.

Here this young woman was, giving her best in her studies, and she probably hadn't had a decent night's sleep in a long time. But a person's best was never enough for Alexandra's ruthless mother. She treated people like machines and never took their personal feelings or well-being into account. Alexandra had seen her literally work people to the point of exhaustion. It was inhumane and uncalled for.

Back at home, Alexandra helped her Mom's employees whenever she could, and sometimes that included telling out-and-out lies on their behalf. This wasn't home. Still, this woman deserved the kindness she was undoubtedly not receiving at this establishment. And a part of her yearned for a friend. How much that would help in this strange time!

Okay, I'll give it a shot. " I'm Alexandra Ashford and I..."

" Oh man, this is all I fucking need! " The jittery scientist snagged one of the many half-filled mugs from the table, took a big gulp, then spit it out as it was ice-cold. " Another one. This place is like a fucking kindergarten. So what's your deal then? Torture? War games? Ants? You kids are fucking weird! "

Tell me about it. Alexandra silently agreed. Aloud she said, " Neither. I mean...okay, this is going to sound weird, but I swear it's true. I'm from...another place, another time. I'm Alexia's daughter."

She waited to see how the stranger would respond, mentally kicking herself for forgetting to ask her companion's name. It was, after all, her hope that they could become friends. It would certainly be better than being hog-tied and thrown to security.

The scientist snorted incredulously. She looked away for a second, and Alexandra didn't see her mouthing 'nutjob' to herself. When she turned to face her again, the youngest Ashford's worst fears were verified. " Yes, of course you are. And Alfred's your dad." She sniggered.

" He is, actually. Have you seen him? "

Of all Alexandra's family, only Alexis was more kind to her than her father. Behind Alexia's back, she often shared lengthy talks and discussions with him, and though his views generally tended to be...twisted, and sadistic, at least he would listen. Her mother, on the other hand, was likely to slap her or at the very least verbally reprimand her whenever she started talking about alternative ways to gain knowledge without hurting people or animals. Alexia had all the maternal instincts of a rock. At least Alfred tried. With each discussion he was starting to sway more and more towards her way of thinking.

It was baby steps, but at least it was steps.

With Alexia, you either shared her opinion or you died. Period. The woman had all the morals of a rattlesnake.

For a moment, the scientist looked utterly horrified. Then she remembered that this was an Ashford. Ashfords were never famous for their mental stability. She decided it would probably be best to just play along. " Um...last time I looked in on him he was torturing some small animals and looking up your 'mum's' skirt...that boy is one creepy ten year old." Her tone softened, " Listen ah...Alexandra...do you need help getting back to them...or...anything? " She was unused to dealing with children and felt like a fish out of water.

Alexandra blinked. " Ten year old?! Oh dear. I uh...that's alright. If I may ask please, what's your name? "

The scientist smiled in spite of herself. " You're awfully polite for an Ashford." She mused before crouching down and offering her hand to Alexandra in an act of sympathy for someone who didn't appear to be very fond of Alexia either, " My name's Violet Snowe. I'm Dr. Ashford's research assistant slash general dogsbody. Glad to make your acquaintance."

Yes! Alexandra could not contain her joy, " Pleasure's mine! " She beamed, happy to have made a friend in this foreign place and time, " You're my mother's assistant? That's very capital. What fields do you study? "

Violet grinned, finding a common bond with the little girl. " Well, I'm a microbiologist first and foremost, and virology is really my forte, but I'm also pretty competent in biochemistry, anatomy...actually just about everything. Except physics. I fucking hate physics." She wrinkled her nose. " So, are you in possession of any of Alexia's scientific prowess, or are you just a wee bit 'special' like Alfie? And if we can be serious for a moment, how exactly are you related to the gruesome twosome? "

Leaving Sultan and Violet where they were, Alexandra went over and sat on the bench, where she then proceeded to skim over Violet's work with rising interest. Some of these formulas look familiar...

" I'm quite adequate in those fields as well. Especially in biochemistry and virology." These papers were quite the page-turners..." What is it you're researching, Doctor? " Alexandra's innate curiosity got the better of her, and for one blessed moment the Hylen was forgotten.

Violet arched an eyebrow and looked mildly impressed. She went over and gestured to the petri dish in front of them. " Well, you're probably going to laugh, because it's slightly abstract, but uh...ant DNA. Alexia wants as much information on it as possible, although she wont say why. I suspect..." She trailed off, eyeing Alexandra suspiciously. Though she found herself warming to her, Alexandra was still an Ashford. Granted, a nice Ashford, but an Ashford just the same. It might be best not to say too much. Just in case. " I uh...I'm sure it's nothing."

Alexandra gazed up and caught Violet's eye. " It's for the T-Veronica virus, isn't it? " Her eyes fell down to her fragile-looking arms where she knew the virus was flowing just beneath the surface: as much a part of her bloodstream as the white blood cells.

" The T-whatwhowherehow? " Violet asked, puzzled. " Veronica? That's the redhead in the paintings that Alexander has the big hard on for, right? So Alexia is making a virus. I thought so..."

Uh-oh. Bad move, Alexandra, bad move! " Oh dear, I've said too much." She mewled, worry blossoming over her face.

This wouldn't do. This wouldn't do at all. If there was anything Alexandra knew her mother hated it was employees who knew too much. And thanks to her and her big mouth, Violet Snowe now fell into that category. This was dangerous knowledge for the scientist to possess. In this place and time, it could very easily get the both of them killed. For as much as Violet disbelieved the truth about Alexandra's genealogy and place of origin, a ten year old Alexia would never believe a word of it.

And this time, Veronica wasn't here to protect her. Nor would she have her father who--through his many faults--did actually love her. This was before Ash and Alexis's time as well.

Here she was all alone save a tiger cub and a skeptical scientist. She really didn't want Violet to get killed because of her.

She fingered the black diamond gemstone on her necklace, praying for some of the good luck Veronica had promised it would bring. " I swear I won't tell anyone."

Violet realized the danger too. She backed away slightly, a look of horror dawning on her face. " Oh fuck, she's going to kill me if she...fucking literally too."

Alexandra slid off the bench and faced her. She was about to say that she would make sure Alexia didn't kill her when Violet crouched down one knee so that she was eye-level with her. " Look kid, I would really appreciate that..." Her voice cracked, and Alexandra could see the fear welling within her eyes, " As much as I hate this place, I don't want to leave it in a box, y'know? " She sighed. " But look, now you've started, you might as well tell me what the bloody hell is going on here."

Alexandra tried her best at a smile, which might have worked better if not for the fact that she was just as scared as the person she was trying to comfort. " Don't worry. I would never let anything happen to you. You're the first person I've come across in awhile that didn't treat me like dirt. You deserve the truth. I am from the future. I really am the daughter of Alfred and Alexia. I was sent her by a white witch on a mission to retrieve a piece of a magical staff. It's the only thing that can stop my ancestor Veronica from destroying the world." She looked uncomfortable. " And...you probably think I'm nuts."

" It's not an inaccurate statement." Violet muttered frankly, " Have you been out in the sun too much? Oh no, hang on, we're in the middle of a fucking iceberg...uh...do you have any medication you need to take? " She stood back up.

Alexandra relented a sad sigh. And things had been going so well just a minute ago. Scientists were generally the hardest people in the world to convince when it came to magic.

" I knew you wouldn't believe me. But it's true." Yes, but how do I prove it?

This was too much for Violet. " You know," She snapped, fear making her a little harsher than she would have liked, " I'm really tired of pandering to sick little aristocrats with nothing better to do than..." She stopped--realizing she was ranting--and calmed down. If Alexandra really wasn't to be trusted, she didn't want her running to Alexia. " I...look, I'm sorry." She gestured to the huge pile of paperwork languishing about the table with a sad sigh, " I've been stuck down here for three days, I'm feeling a little testy. Can you give me a break here? "

It certainly looks as though someone should. Alexandra thought.

This was ludicrous. Why, if she were running things, she'd let her researchers take as many breaks as they needed. Within reason, of course.

" Alright. Ask me a question there is no possible way I could know the answer to." It worked in the movies.

" Wha? No! This is ridiculous! There is no way on God's green earth you can seriously expect me to believe that you're the incestuous spawn of the Ashford twins sent from the future by a white witch. This joke isn't funny anymore, kid. I've got a lot of work to do and..."

So much for that. Alexandra had to hand it to her: Violet was not gullible. It was an admirable trait to be sure, but now it was putting quite the damper on this friendship. True friends had to be honest with one another. Violet was making it clear that she needed visual proof. But what would that be?

Then it came to her. Ah, of course. My T-Veronica virus. She can't deny what's in front of her own eyes!

Decided, she sprang up, dashed back to the table, and ran her ice-blues once again over Miss Snowe's work. " You know that research you're doing? That's for the T-Veronica virus. How do I know, you ask? I have the same stuff in my blood. And just to prove that this, like everything else I'm saying is true..." She took in the polished oak cabinet in one corner of the room. It looked very heavy. Much too heavy for an eight year old to lift. Perfect. It would do nicely.

Leaving the bench, she sprinted past Sultan and kneeled down next to it. Thankfully, there was a perfect niche in the bottom design for hands to fit under. I wonder what she'll think of this?

Though she was not yet as strong as her mother, she was plenty strong enough to lift the cabinet up to her chest with little difficulty.

" Jesus, Mary, and fucking Joseph! " Violet exclaimed in horror, " But that's not possible! Alexia's work is still in the preliminary stages and...and..."

No sooner had a satisfied Alexandra set the cabinet back down than Violet was there, grabbing her wrist with a sense of urgency. " Let me prick your finger. Please? Let me see what the hell is on your blood."

Finally. " I would be delighted. But please take care. You see, my blood is very flammable and if it hits a surface too roughly it explodes into flames. And I would hate for you to get burned."

" I...uh..c'mere." Violet led Alexandra to the workbench and removed a scalpel from her pocket. This she passed quickly through the hot flame of a Bunsen burner to disinfect it. " Ok, just a little scratch, it'll nip for a sec but...oh my goodness this is so exciting! " She gushed, all else forgotten at the prospect of a new scientific advancement.

Alexandra never flinched as the razor-sharp scalpel pricked her finger. An excited Violet lost no time in squeezing the resulting drop of blood onto a clean glass slide. Before she could get it to the microscope, however, the blood burst into flames!

Violet instantly dropped the slide.

This was insane!

Leaping back with a yelp, she studied the shattered glass on the floor for a moment before adjusting her spectacles and babbling excitedly, " Amazing! Bloody hell! The erythrocytes appear to have pyrokinetic properties! How is that even possible? " She regarded Alexandra with complete amazement then pointed to the floor again, so excited her finger was shaking. " D...did that...just happen? " She sunk down on a stool and removed her glasses, covering her face with her hands. With a small groan, she asked, " Does Alexia know about...uh...that? "

Alexandra chuckled good-naturedly. " Alexia's the reason I have it. Not too long from now she injects her completed virus into her bloodstream and fakes her own death. Then Da...I mean, Alfred, puts her in a cryogenetic chamber where she sleeps for fifteen years to stabilize the virus. When she wakes up she has these amazing powers and can..." She made a face, " mutate and shift her shape at will. Well, a few years after that, she got pregnant with me and...I was born with the virus embedded in my DNA. So I'm pretty strong and I heal very rapidly. I can also throw fire if I have something with which to ignite the fluid which I can spray from my wrist." She frowned. " Mother is much stronger than me. She can throw fireballs and everything without any accommodation. She says that someday I will be able to as well."

" This...this is insane." Violet mumbled, " That really is some story and you really can't expect me to believe all that future stuff...but look...the real Alexia, the one that's currently upstairs playing a sweet little game of 'kill the dragonfly' with her brother, is not going to be happy with this...not at all...and if she finds out, she will have you killed."

Alexandra nodded sadly. Yep. That's pretty accurate. Then the sheer horror of the situation sank in. She didn't want to die! Terrified, she rushed over and hugged Sultan tightly around the neck, as if his very existence could somehow protect her.

" I don't know what to do...I'm...Violet, can you help me? You're all I have. " Her voice came out small and meek; a terrified urgent half-whisper. Her fine Ashford features were marred with abject fear, and...was that the trace of a tear Violet detected in her eye?

Violet rolled her eyes and sighed. Today is definitely heading down the toilet. She offered the scared child a small smile. " Yeah, go on then, kid. I wouldn't wish Alexia's wrath on anyone..." She shivered, partly from the cold and partly from trepidation, before kneeling down next to Alexandra; still eying the tiger warily.

She thought about the situation for a moment, wrinkling her nose up and fiddling with her glasses. " Okay, if you can keep your...abilities...under wraps, we can...I know! " Her eyes brightened and she grinned at Alexandra, " I have a cunning plan." She nodded for effect before continuing, " You've got some serious family resemblance going on there, no one can deny that. Maybe we could pass you off as a cousin come to visit? At least then you'd have somewhere safe to stay until we figure things out."

Alexandra's eyes regained their hopeful glean. " Yes! That's an excellent idea! We can say they sent me over here on a surprise visit. All we have to do is say that the people who brought me here already left. They'll just assume it was some careless bumble and miscommunication. Hopefully. How's that sound? "

" If we're careful, we can pull it off. I think Alexia trusts me to a degree, and I'll vouch for you..." Violet shrugged. " She'll be a little irate, but at least she wont have you shot, which is definitely a working start, don'tcha think, kiddo? "

Alexandra nodded, " Yes! Oh yes, please. Thank you. You're such a nice friend." She released her death grip on Sultan and lovingly petted the cat's fluffy fur.

Violet snorted. " Friend? That's a word I haven't heard in a long time. Hmm...not since I last saw Will..." She shook her head, frowning, " Well, I have this slight uh...tendency to get into trouble...so I may not be the best person for the job, but I'll certainly try." She awarded Alexandra a mock salute.

Alexandra saluted back. " Thanks again! And don't feel bad, I do a fair share of getting into trouble too." The faintest red flushes of embarrassment crept across her face.

" Well, a word of advice that I'm sure will stand you in good stead. When encountering football hooligans, it is generally inadvisable to use the word 'cretin' under any circumstances." She winced and stood up before offering her hand to the little Ashford. " C'mon, we can't sit about here all day. You up for some lies, deceit, and general betrayal of your family bloodline? 'Cause it sure sounds more appealing than looking at squished ants under a microscope."

Alexandra smiled. She wouldn't be in this alone. Now she had a friend to help her out. With each passing moment she found herself growing more and more attached to this awkward but well-meaning scientist.

Was she ready? If not now, then never.

Picking up one of her brother Ash's favorite phrases, she replied, " I'm game. Let's go seed the lies! "