Reset 267

Rita fell onto her face as usual when she woke up. She was angry. Lee had killed her. What the bloody hell?!

"And you said-" he started, smirking. She got up and shoved him hard, making him fall onto his side.

"What the f***?!" she shouted, shoving him again.

"Rita!" he yelped, putting his arms up to protect himself. "What the hell?!"

"You killed me!" she yelled. Lee was staring at her. She suddenly remembered that he had no idea what she was talking about.

"What the hell are you on about?" he demanded on cue. He didn't appreciate her being so rough with him, especially for reasons he had no clue of. She stormed over to the controls and turned off the machines. When he got to his feet and went over to her, she whirled and hit him. Stunned, Lee stared at her. Why was she doing this? When she went to hit him again, he grabbed her wrists and slammed her into the wall.

"You do NOT get to hit me for something I have no idea about!" he shouted. He felt her shaking then, and he knew he'd scared her. "I'm going to let go, but you can't hit me anymore until you tell me what I did wrong." He tentatively released her, and she touched her wrists gingerly. He was strong. She had forgotten that.

"I was affected by the blood of an Alpha Mimic," she started, jutting her chin out. "I stole the ability to reset the day from their leader, the Omega. I can live the same 24 hours over and over again until I find that bastard and kill it. We got so close, so close, last time, and you decided to shoot me in the face without telling me why!"

"I have no idea why, Rita," Lee said. "I'm still trying to wrap my head around what you just said."

"Take a minute. It'll sink in," she snapped. He glared at her. "267 times, Lee. That's how many times I've done this. Yesterday was the closest I ever got to finishing this war, and you killed me. I am very angry with you right now."

"I wish I could remember, Rita, but like you said, you have the ability, not me. I don't have a clue," Lee retorted back. His mind was spinning, but clearly this was really happening to her. Clearly they'd had this conversation multiple times.

Rita fumed. He had a point. She would never know why he did that to her when they were so close to killing the Omega.

"You are not coming with me anymore," she said, storming off.

"Rita," he called after her.

"No!"

She would get there on her own.

Reset 273

Rita had to give in and tell Lee. She couldn't get out of the battle field without him no matter how hard she tried. She didn't want to tell her whole team again either. It was what made Lee realize something and kill her. If they were alone, he might not figure it out. She was still angry about that.

"You're pissed at me," Lee noted. Rita refrained from rolling her eyes. How the hell did he always know what she was thinking?!

"No," she lied. They were driving to Luxembourg again. So far it was devoid of Mimics.

"You are," he pressed. "What did I do?"

"It's nothing. It was stupid." You killed me before I got to save the world.

"Did I sleep with you and never call you again?" he teased. Rita froze. She hadn't expected him to say that. He noticed immediately and suddenly wondered just what she wasn't telling him. He hit the brakes hard, making her hands fly out to grip the dashboard, and he parked.

"What the-" she started when he turned to look at her.

"Did we sleep together, Rita?" he demanded.

"I don't..."

"Tell me!" he shouted. He was shaking. It was one thing for Rita to keep living the same day, but it was another to keep something so intimate and personal they had done together from him. How could she not have told him?

She closed her eyes briefly before opening them again.

"Yes."

"When?"

"126 resets ago," she answered softly. Lee fell back against the car seat, shocked. His head hurt just thinking about it.

"What else?" he asked.

"I know about Lacy, your full first name, that you saw your real dad as a kid," she said quickly. Lee gripped his head and felt dizzy. He grappled for a memory of telling her this stuff, but then he remembered he had none.

"So you know all this shit about me, and I know nothing about you," he said finally. He was angry now.

"I can tell you everything all over again when this stops," she promised.

"Oh that's nice," he snapped.

"Lee, I'm sorry."

"How many times?" he asked.

"What?"

"How many times have we slept together?" he asked, not looking at her.

"Just that one day, but it was a few times during it," she answered. The words settled in the silence around them. Lee hated himself then, that he'd do it knowing full well later he'd be pissed that he couldn't remember. What an asshole he was.

"We need to go, Lee. We can't waste anymore time," Rita urged.

"How did I react to this when you told me before?" he asked. He had to know.

"This is the first time I've told you about it," she confessed.

"That's just great," Lee growled. He threw the car back in gear and started driving again. So he'd be angry every time. He just knew it. She'd never tell him again.

"I know you don't remember, but it meant something to me, Lee."

Lee didn't answer. He didn't know what to even say. It turned out they didn't live long enough anyway to talk about it further.

Reset 280

Rita started to feel that the Mimics were different in battle. She wasn't sure what it was, but it seemed they weren't just automatically killing her anymore. This time she couldn't get access to a vehicle to escape to Luxembourg. They were all over the place. Then, she stepped on another f***ing land mine.

Reset 281

Lee died in her arms again. Brady was already gone. Mark was shouting something at her, and James was trying to keep them alive. Rita looked down at Lee and felt completely, utterly broken.

Reset 282

Brady was killed right in front of her. Rita knelt beside him while Lee fended off the Mimics. She gripped his face with her hands.

"Tell Melissa I love her," he gasped. "And the kids. I love them so much."

"I will, Brady," Rita said, her throat tight. "I will."

Reset 286

This time she died before anyone else did. Lee was shouting her name, pulling her into his arms. She could have swore he was crying.

"Make...sure...I...die," she gurgled. He nodded vigorously, pulling out his gun.

Reset 290

Both Lee and Brady died at the same time. Lee had been trying to save Brady since Rita had told him Brady always dies.

"NO!" she screamed. James had to hold her back. Mark kept fighting the Mimics around them. She pounded her fists on James's back as he carried her away from them.

"PUT ME DOWN!"

"No," he answered. They walked farther and farther away. Rita's last glimpse of Lee was his staring eyes as they crested the hill.

Reset 291

The car spun and spun. She reached for Lee's hand as her door flung open and a Mimic dragged her out. Lee lost his grip on her, and she tumbled out. The car went over the cliff, and she immediately leaped after it before the Mimic could kill her. The fall killed her instead.

Reset 292

"I'm going alone," she ordered, getting into the helicopter they found. Lee argued with her.

"You will die," he said.

"And maybe this time, you won't."

"You're not going alone."

"I can do this alone. I need to." You friggin killed me last time I got close.

She yanked the door closed and flicked the switches. She didn't even get it into the air.

Reset 299

Lee was running behind her when he was taken down. Rita killed the Mimic and dropped beside him, pulling him into her arms.

"Come on," she begged. "Come on!"

"Rita," he said hoarsely, his blood soaking her. "It's okay. It's okay."

Reset 300

It's okay.

Rita woke up with tears in her eyes as she collapsed to the floor. Lee's voice echoed in her brain. It was not okay, but she couldn't tell him that. She was feeling funny. She felt like she was underwater. She felt drained. Her heart was hurting, and her mind was racing. How long could this go on? Would she ever find that damn Omega? She had this weird premonition that she was on her last day. It was reset 300, and she still hadn't found the Omega.

"And you said you wouldn't fall asleep during meditation," Lee chuckled. She looked over at him, and he saw her wet face.

"What's wrong?" he asked, concerned.

"Nothing," she whispered, getting up and going to her room. She couldn't even bear to tell him in that moment, not with the image of his blank stare trapped in her mind.

Morning

"It's go time!" James shouted.

"Hey, sleepyhead. Battle awaits!" Brady yelled through her door. She didn't want to do it. She couldn't watch him die again. She couldn't listen to him crying and telling her to tell his wife and kids he loved them. Today, she just couldn't do it.

"Rita?" Lee's voice said. She opened the door to see him with coffee. She hated coffee now too.

"No thanks," she said flatly, refusing the cup.

"You all right?" he asked, concerned. He set them down on the table beside her bed. He had wanted to chase after her last night, but something told him to not to.

"No," she replied.

"Something you wanna tell me?" he pressed, knowing from her face there was. Rita didn't want to tell him. She didn't want to hear him say all the things he said over and over. It was exhausting. However, she needed him. It was a fact. He got her where she needed to go. Granted, the whole team was better, but she couldn't risk Lee shooting her again when they reached the cathedral.

"Wow," he said when she finished explaining it all to him. For some reason, she decided to tell him about their relationship too. The funny feeling in her stomach felt like a warning. She wanted him to know in case this was the last time.

Lee stood there feeling like he'd been sucker punched in the gut.

"Are you mad?" she asked. "You got really mad last time you found out."

"I'm not mad," he answered truthfully. "I'm...confused, but I'm not mad."

"You die every time," she went on. "You and Brady. I can't stop it from happening. You always die whether you're with me or not."

"That's war, Rita," Lee said.

"I know it's bloody war, Lee, but I can't take it anymore," she cried, sitting down on her bed and burying her face into her hands. Lee looked at her thoughtfully before joining her. He took her into his arms and pulled her onto his lap. She cried herself out before resting her head against his shoulder.

"You can do this," he said after, making her look at him. "I know you can."

"I don't have that belief anymore," she shook her head.

"Rita, you have to," he urged.

"Don't come today," she whispered. "Please. Something doesn't feel right."

"I'm going. I have to," he said. "I'm sorry."

She hung her head, knowing he would refuse staying back. He gave her one last tight hug before he got up. He went out of her room without looking back.

...

"Where's Brady?" Rita asked, looking around the plane. James and Mark were surprised as well to not see him there.

"He broke his foot," Lee answered, not looking at her. She stared at him. He wouldn't...would he?

"What did you do?" she demanded.

"It wasn't me," he lied. He knew she didn't believe him, but he also knew that if Brady came on this mission, he would die. Lee knew if both of them died, Rita would probably fall to pieces. She had to be strong, so he took care of Brady.

Rita knew he'd done it. A part of her was furious, but another part of her was grateful he cared enough about her to prevent Brady from dying today. The plane shook, and she felt sick again. Something about today just didn't feel right.

...

Rita saw him fall, and she felt the frustration even though she had seen him fall over and over and over again. This time was the final straw.

"LEE!" she screamed, unable to control her emotions. Today was just not a good day for being strong. She slaughtered Mimic after Mimic to get to him, falling to her knees as the terror continued around them. She picked him up into her arms, and he coughed up blood.

"Lee," she said, gripping his face. He opened his eyes and saw her, and he smiled.

"Are you an angel?" he asked.

"Get up," she ordered.

"I'm done," he said. "I'm sorry. He got me good."

"No, no. You are NOT done. Get up!" she shouted.

"Rita, luv, it's over," Lee said, reaching to touch her face. "Go save the world. You know what to do."

"I don't want to win this without you," she said, reaching for her gun. Truthfully, she couldn't do it without him. He didn't know that part. She would end this now and bring him back. He gripped her hand, knowing what she was intending on doing.

"No," he said, squeezing her wrist. "You said you've done this repeatedly, and there's no way out of it. I die. Go and stop the Omega. Go now."

"I can't," she gasped, tears threatening to fall. She hated the wretched things, but here they were.

"You can. I'll be right here," he said, tapping his fist against her heart. "Save us. Go!"

"Lee," she said, kissing him then. She didn't know what possessed her. She knew she was wasting time, that she was being stupid. She'd come back to life, and he'd be fine, just like always. If she killed the Omega, then he would surely still be alive. It would be fine.

"I love you," she told him, making him smile.

"That's the first time you've said it, isn't it?" he asked. She nodded and rested her forehead against his, taking in the last moment with him. Then he pushed her away. She felt sick at the amount of blood he'd lost already.

"Go," he ordered. She stumbled to her feet, turning to look at him one last time. He gave her that crooked smile and a wave, making her almost lose it. She forced herself to turn away, to forge on and save Earth and humankind. She had to.

...

By some miracle, she reached a car without incident. She wished Lee was there beside her. She wanted to feel braver. Then, out of nowhere, she was attacked. She dodged the rocket and hit the ground hard. Another rocket soared past her head. She got to her feet, ready to fight. Then, she was thrown back by another blast. She could hear Mimics shrieking around the battlefield. One launched at her from nowhere, and she fought it hard. Its arms slashed at her side and leg, and she cried out as she went down. It gave her a look before racing off to find another victim. Those bastards were really starting to piss her off. She scrabbled for her gun but couldn't find it. If she bled out, it would be fine. She'd see Lee again. She'd have another chance at finding the Omega. It grew dark and fuzzy, and then she was gone.

...

Rita woke up with a start and immediately noticed all the bright lights. She looked around and panicked when she realized where she was.

"No," she gasped, sitting up. "No, no, no!" She looked at the bag beside her and knew exactly what had happened.

"Hello, Rita," a nurse said, coming in.

"What have you done?!" Rita exclaimed.

"We saved your life," the nurse chuckled. "That blood transfusion is what did it. You were nearly gone when Mark found you."

"No, no, no," Rita said, shaking her head wildly. It couldn't be gone. It just couldn't be, but she knew it was. She already felt very different. There would be no more resetting of the day. Lee was lost forever.

"Get some rest," the nurse advised. "You guys had a major victory today. Some are calling you the Angel of Verdun."

Rita didn't respond. She closed her eyes and willed the tears to go away. She had lost Lee, someone she never expected to fall in love with but did. Her heart was completely broken.

"Rita?" Mark's voice said. She opened her eyes to see him standing there holding his hat in his hands all twisted. "Are you all right?"

"No, Mark. I'm not all right."

"Lee," he nodded. "I'm sorry." He couldn't find Lee, and he had tried so hard.

"It's not your fault."

"James and Brady say hi. They're worried about you."

"I'm fine."

Brady. Rita felt a flood of relief that he was all right. Lee had saved him after all.

"I'll come back later," Mark said, seeing her wet eyes. He knew she hated anyone to see her cry. When he was gone, Rita let it all out.

...

Rita spent the next couple of weeks feeling like a shell of her old self. She didn't laugh. She didn't join in with others who were doing something fun. She focused only on training. It was worse than when Misty had died. She had no one to bring her out of it this time. James, Brady, and Mark left her alone, knowing that if they pushed, she would probably crack in two. Her heart constantly ached from missing Lee. She missed his laugh, his jokes, and his teasing. She missed the way he looked at her. She missed the way they could do combat together like dancers. She missed everything about him. She had no idea how to move on from here. Things just didn't feel the same. They never would again. She felt herself hardening into a cold person who would never get hurt like this again.

Months Later

She couldn't believe what she was staring at. The man was telling her everything that was about to happen. It was almost as though he had done it before. Could it be? Could they get that lucky again?

"Come find me when you wake up," she said to him.

"What?!" he shouted.

"Come find me when you wake up!" she shouted back louder. His face showed understanding, proving that she was right, and then she died.

So this is where the film starts of course. I'm not going to write about that. I am going to post an epilogue, though, for when the war is won.