A/N: I don't own anyone but Alex…..Capcom owns the rest


Alex hated large crowds. It stemmed from her trauma in Raccoon City and the subsequent PTSD that had followed. Every time she was in the presence of an impressive congregation of people, she could feel the cold panic begin to settle in, draining her veins for the adrenaline that would snake through the hollow microscopic tunnels and chambers. Her hand would subconsciously slap her right hip for a gun that didn't exist or curl into a vicious fist that cradled an imaginary bat. Her pulse would race if she ventured too close to any one group or gathering. Muscles would tense and contract in rapid response and anticipation for a fight. It had evolved into her second nature to prepare for such confrontation. Her enemy could be one of the men women or children that flashed into her line of sight. Alex would constantly shift her eyes and scan the perimeter or interior surroundings, breaking down each scenario and store like a coach breaking down a play book for the team.

Her mind would seek out all exits and doors, preferring to be seated near the closest emergency exit in a restaurant. It was better if she could go through a drive thru, be in control of her environment if all Hell broke loose again.

"Hey Alex what do you think of this?"

Claire waved the charcoal tinted cardigan inches from her face. She dropped her arm, replacing it with her fingers. Her thumb and middle finger struck against one another creating a sharp snap loud enough for her to hear.

"Alllllllleeeeeexxxxxxx….."

Her friend blinked a few times then exhaled like she was coming out of a deep trance. In reality, Alex had fallen into a state of catatonia. Her mind slipped back to the Raccoon City disaster, disfiguring everyone around her, morphing their healthy faces and bodies into rotted, decaying shells infected with the T-Virus. Their slow methodic movements through racks and aisles had shifted to erratic cumbersome twitches of their feet and arms. Off to her right a bright swath beckoned her vision towards it. The swept back streaks of blonde paraded through the aisles, weaving through the sea of infected without a second thought or look. The black shades concealed ruby rings of fire as the sinister grin slid upward on the corners of his mouth as they landed on their prey. Alex felt her heart stammering violently as she discovered her feet and legs refused to obey her command to move.

Hello….Alexandra…..I've been waiting…..Waiting so long…

No….No you're dead!

Oh but on the contrary dear heart…

Chris and Sheva watched you die in Africa! YOU ARE NOT REAL!

Alexandra you refuse to accept what is before you. I am very real…..We have much to discuss….

The specter of Wesker sidestepped the approaching infected, darting closer towards her. Alex shook as adrenaline swept in, preparing her to fight or fly. The memories of her captivity pushed on the walls she had thrown around her mind and soul, cracking the foundations that had sustained her sanity since then.

"Alex," Claire turned concerned. "Alex, are you okay?"

"Hmm?" Alex shook her head and took a deep breath. She blinked a few times and frantically scanned the racks. Wesker was gone. There were no infected. "Yeah…."

"It happened again didn't it?"

"I-I don't know what you're talking about."

"Your hands are digging into my wrist," Claire was strangely calm in what should've been a sharp painful observation. Alex caught the sight of her hands clawed around her friend's slender limb. Fortunately Claire was dressed in long sleeves or else blood would've been trickling over her fingers and pooling into the carpet below.

"Damn it," Alex released her wrist with a sharp lift of her hands like she had just touched the surface of a hot stove. "Claire I'm so sorry."

Chagrin was the emotion she could feel at the moment. It didn't help Chris was gone. It was the stress of being apart that was causing the hallucinations to blur her vision and cruelly trick her mind she would repeat over and over like a well crafted script. But even scripts were good for so long until they evolved into truth.

Claire replaced the sweater on the rack then guided Alex by the elbow towards the nearest ladies room. Alex didn't object as her feet obediently fell in, carrying her towards the back of the store, away from any curious glances.

Claire locked the door as it was a single stall facility. She flipped on the water, testing it with her fingers until it was pushing out hot water. Alex was slumped against the wall, mute and dazed over the latest episode. Chris had been told flashbacks and hallucinations could occur at any moment with or without a trigger. Claire had immediately volunteered to watch her when he was gone, knowing what needed to be done when it happened.

"Alright," Alex pushed off the wall, a mindless zombie following the sound of rushing water. She bent down and splashed the soothing offering over her face. How much longer could this continue? Would it be time to fall back on the bottle of blue pills that sat in the cabinet of the bathroom? Would it be enough though?

"Maybe we should go home," Claire understood they could come back another day.

"It wasn't your fault," Alex offered a shaky smile. "I thought I could do it."

"You did do it Alex. You didn't scream or try attacking anyone like what happened when the sales clerk approached us. "

"I appreciate your support Claire," Alex sighed and patted the scratchy paper towel on her face. "I was doing fine until….." She gripped the edges of the porcelain sink, pushing hard against the resilient surface. Claire could see her fingertips were turning deep to bright pink and red.

"I saw him…..He was here." Her voice was a clipped whisper.

"Come on," Claire gathered an arm around her waist and slipped from the door and towards the rear exit. There were less shoppers through that route which was what Claire was hoping for. Alex had claimed to see Wesker back from the dead, tormenting her in her dreams and when she was awake. Chris had been in a state of panic, trying everything to help her. The meds had exorcised the demonic visions but it wasn't meant to be.

One night she had bolted upright, unleashing an inhuman shrill that it jolted Chris awake and reaching for his Beretta. It had taken a few minutes until his mind registered the source of the soul shattering wail was Alex.

Damn it…..Not again…

"He's there!" She clawed at the headboard in a furious attempt to climb up the wall putting distance between her and the imaginary phantom. Chris rushed the light switch, flipping it up to allow the bright blinding flood to illuminate the room.

"Lexi," he gently caught her wrists while going to her. "There's nothing here."

Her pupils had dilated almost shutting out the pure crystal hues. She was having another panic attack. Her breathing went ragged as Chris felt her heart slamming against her sternum. Her head jerked around like a bird that was on edge, hoping to keep ahead of the predator that stalked it.

"He's here Chris…..He came back! He was right there! Standing in the doorway! I could see those glowing red eyes through the dark! Please!"

Chris had kept the light as he cradled her in his protective hold. Alex didn't fall asleep, frightened at the thought Wesker was waiting somewhere, in the dark, where Chris couldn't protect her. Chris stayed awake through the night, daring not to let his eyes close until the first glimpse of daylight peeked through the blinds.

"It's alright now," he kissed the top of her forehead. "He won't be coming back. I won't let him take you away."

"Promise?" He could hear the heaviness in her voice.

"I promise Lexi," Chris swore. "He won't come back ever again."

Alex nodded and shut her eyes as the darkness welcomed her weary mind and body. Chris maneuvered their bodies until they were stretched out in the center. His body protected her, blocking her back from any unseen foe. His arms latched across the front, creating a circle of warmth.


"Damn it fall back!"

Chris hollered at his company. Finn and Ben withdrew from their current positions, returning towards the barrier of sandbags and heavy artillery. This day brought new light and new B.O.W.s to eliminate. Piers covered his captain as he and others retreated. Shouting to his right distracted the young marksman as Ben emerged from the ruins of a medieval building. He dodged the clips of stone and rushed towards his captain.

"Sir, I found him. He's in there."

Piers was standing alongside Finn and Carl as their captain approached. Silence was their friend as the fallen comrade was attentively placed on the stretcher, careful to position his injured body.

"He was on recon…..alone." Piers spoke up for the group. How many men had they lost so far? The marksman had stopped counting at 24. Chris had warned them about separating from the unit as the J'avo were everywhere and had proven to be formidable against their bullets and firepower.

"Alright listen up," Chris stepped in the center of the huddled group. "In the BSAA, our job is to rid the world of bioterrorism and the only way we're gonna do that is by sticking together!"

"No one is expendable," Piers chimed in.

"Each and every one one of you may be ready to die for our cause, but it's my job to make sure we all get through this alive."

A light sniffling made Piers and Chris glance over at the youngest member of the group. Finn couldn't but help to be overwhelmed with emotion. He had signed up at 21 to join the BSAA and was in awe of the man that was Chris Redfield. He was what Finn dreamed of becoming: Strong, decisive, charismatic….a true leader that earned the respect of his men. A man that refused to leave anyone behind no matter the circumstances.

"Suck it up Finn," Piers ruined the moment. Finn nodded and stood up.

"Sorry sir," the rookie hastily apologized.

"No one gets left behind…..Not on my watch! Understood?"

"YES SIR!" The unit acknowledged in unison.

"Finn, give us the update," Piers went to the point.

"Yes sir," Finn snatched the device from his vest and flipped it on. Images of the J'avo raced across the small area of level ground. "It's been confirmed the rebels are using a new species of BOW. As everyone knows they are being called J'avo which is Serbian for demon. When attacked they extend a wind like appendage that's like Kevlar, ricocheting bullets away from their bodies. Unfortunately we have also seen they are extremely intelligent and possess superhuman strength. When trauma is acquired the area or areas afflicted mutate."

"Alright," Chris straightened his knees as he stood upright. "Break off into three teams and no one goes anywhere alone!"

The men splintered off into 3 teams, panning out into the war zone leaving Finn behind. The rookie was nervous even now as Chris approached. He had worked with the man for a few months now but still the glamour of working with the world's best known agent wasn't wearing off.

"Finn," the older man addressed him in a calm level tone. "I can see you're nervous. Don't worry," he clapped a hand on his right shoulder, "We have your back."

"Yes Sir," Finn nodded. Chris couldn't but help to feel responsible for the youngest member of the team. He reminded him of Claire when she was a naïve young lady. But that was all before Raccoon City had happened. Living the nightmare of Umbrella's own device had morphed the bubbly girl into a skilled fighter. Finn had potential, a diamond in the rough as the saying went. Once the green wore off he would be a great soldier and agent.

Chris shook his head as thinking of Claire led to thinking about Alex. He knew she was in good hands with his sister which was why he didn't stress over leaving her. But these missions had grown more dangerous within the last few years. He was feeling the old doubts of his ability to give Alex what she deserved needling in the back of his mind.

"Captain," Piers waved his hand up and down. "Captain are you alright?"

"Yeah," Chris dismissed his second in command's concerns. "Let's move out."

Piers watched as the backside of Chris turned the corner of the wall. He had seen that look and knew what or who was weighing on his mind. Chris didn't want to show emotion as he felt he had to be strong for the men as showing weakness would give the enemy an advantage.

He really does miss her…

At least he has someone to go back to…

The last relationship he held ended disastrously. There was screaming and accusations of infidelity between them. Piers had thought his good run of bad luck had finally ended. He had been wrong. So after moving out to a smaller place across town, Piers had sworn off women and focused on the missions. But when he saw how happy Chris was with Alex a pang of envy stabbed him in the chest. She was patient, something most women would not have for men like them. Her strong will and determination to keep the love they had from dying was hard to ignore. Her infectious laugh could brighten a room. She didn't speak of her time in Raccoon City and when the name Albert Wesker had been mentioned in certain conversations she would turn deathly silent and the bright rings would dull into dirty orbs of stone. It was those times Chris would turn defensive and change the subject to something else. Alex would reanimate like a wind up doll, picking up where she left off moments before.

Snap out of it Nivens!

Piers scolded himself for letting his mind wander like that. They were in a damn war zone! Letting one's guard slip could cost him more than a limb.

Finn came up beside the marksman, still in awe over the whole thing.

"Is he always this awesome?"

Piers sighed and shook his head before walking away.

Rookies...


The woman in blue watched the unit patrol the congest streets. The binoculars made out the leader, Chris Redfield, followed by Piers Nivens, the marksman.

"That's it boys…..Keep right on coming….."

She lowered her arms and smirked at her own thoughts. While the BSAA had been an ever growing pain in her ass, she could see how this could work to her advantage. She was in Edonia to procure something important and these men were going to help her do just that. Now all she needed was to create a diversion…..

Almost there to the heartache train! But we gotta bring in Jake ;)