Chapter Six-Escape from the Nightmare (Luciana's P.O.V)

Josh and Sheva were sound asleep in one of the rooms as I walked into the apartment's living room with a blanket wrapped around me. The other room only had a twin bed so Chris insisted that I take the bed; Chris had claimed that it was the 'gentleman' thing to do.

I peered over the couch top to see Chris wide awake, his eyes darted towards mine.

"Couldn't sleep," Chris asked.

I shook my head as I shuffled over to the a nearby chair, tugging the blanket closer around me. As I began to sit down on the chair, I noticed Chris' silhouette walk over to the fire place and turn the knob to where a dim flame showed.

Chris stood there with his dark brown hair all a mess, his cargo pants and no shirt. Right as he turned to look at me, I averted my gaze back to the flame.

"Usually when a person can't sleep it's a bad sign," Chris offered.

Chris sat down in the middle of couch and hunched forward, grabbing a plastic water bottle throwing it up at me. I grasped it just as it almost hit the floor making Chris stare at me with wide eyes. I gave him a small shrug of my shoulders and uncapped the bottle, taking a small sip. After putting the lid back on I chucked it back at Chris, making it land at his side and jump. The flames glow licked at Chris' chest giving me the detail of every scar that adorned him. Chris looked up at me making me quickly avert my gaze back to the fire as I silently prayed that he wouldn't see my blushing face. But to no avail I heard him snicker.

"What is so funny, Mr. Redfield," I huffed, biting back a smile.

Chris snickered, "Your cheeks look like cherries."

His comment made me blush even harder as I looked away.

"So, why can't you sleep Sanchez," Chris asked, as he gazed at the side of my face.

"You kept the nightmares at bay," I whispered just barely so Chris could hear me.

As soon as Chris started to say something, Josh's watch beeped signaling for us to get a move on. I launched out of the chair and into the small bedroom. I grabbed my pants off of the dresser and tugged them on, hearing the door shut softly behind me. I felt a hand rest on my shoulder, with its forefinger and thumb gloved while leaving the rest bare: Chris. I turned around causing his hand to fall but immediately shoot up to cup my chin.

"How do you think I feel," he asked as he stared into my eyes.

"The same way."

We all rushed down the hallway towards the escape hatch as infected grabbed at us. My brow glistened heavily with sweat as my body fought off all the multiple infections that I now had. With me protecting everyone from getting bit. Finally reaching the door, Josh yanked out a keyboard from the right side of the door and started punching in codes. I hobbled over to the other side as Chris and Sheva stood in front of us acting as a barrier between us and the infected. The sounds of their gunshots echoing down the long, metal hallway.

"Shit! Luciana, what is the password," Josh grunted, furrowing his eyebrows in concentration.

"Soccer," I managed to croak.

Chris and Sheva both turned to look at me. Chris just snickered and turned back to shooting at the infected.

"Seriously," Sheva asked.

"I didn't make the fucking rules, Sheva," I chuckled, biting the inside of my cheek and preventing myself to groan in pain.

I soon noticed that more and more infected began to surround us. I closed my eyes as their moans hummed against my ears. My eyes shot open as I saw Chris and Sheva both struggling with a individual infected, leaving them vulnerable. I launched from my spot in lightning speed throwing myself at Chris' infected, snapping its neck while flying back up and throwing my leg against the back of the other infected's neck on Sheva. It stumbled giving me time to launch a bullet into the back of its head. The only thought now was to get everyone up to the surface alive. I hustled over to Josh, the last of my infections gone as I gently shoved him out the way. I pulled up a file as the computer scanned my handprint and eyeball; approving of the self destruct sequence.

"Everyone get inside now and start climbing. I will back in after all of you have gotten safely to the surface," I ordered, cocking my handgun.

"No! Its too dangerous," Chris yelled, planting his fist into an infected's nose.

"Damn it, Chris! There is no other option now move it," I barked.

Sheva and Josh looked at me pleadingly but I shook my head, my decision already made. I backed up next to the keyboard as I took a deep breath. Sheva came over to me and hugged me tightly.

"Be careful," she whispered in my ear.

She quickly pulled away and ascended up the ladder as Josh approached me.

"Mind if I borrow your M-60 for a second," I chuckled.

Josh handed it over just as I grabbed it but he didn't let go.

"Your ass better be up there for all of our sakes," Josh murmured, his accent thick.

He glanced at Chris then back at me. I watched as he ascended up the ladder as well leaving me and Chris to the sea of infected.

"Chris get your ass in there!"

"No! I have lost too many to this nightmare, I'm not going to lose you too," Chris hollered, punching another infected.

I stood in front of him and shot every single infected in the head with Josh's M-60. Leaving space between us and the next wave of infected; turning around I shoved him into the escape hatch.

"You will never lose me," I said, looking up at him.

I took off my cross and placed it in his hand, giving him a small smile.

"Your ass better be up there or I'm coming down here to kill you myself," Chris said.

"You got it partner," I replied, giving Chris a small wink.

He finally holstered his gun and climbed up the ladder. I watched as he climbed as I turned back around, unleashing a spray of bullets as I backed into the hatch. I slammed the door shut and twisted the latch shut, as infected pounded on the thick metal door. I breathed in, the smell of Venice reaching my nose. Leaning my head back I saw the small speck of light above me and smiled. Knowing that their was a strong possibility that Azura was up there.

Part Two: Escape from the Nightmare (Azura's P.O.V)

I sat at the back of the jeep and clutched my M-16 to my chest. I looked over at the crowd of people behind the jeep and line up along the dividers between me and the other jeep. The escape hatch from the BSAA being at the edge of Venice, almost all of the cities population pressed against us. Both jeeps were flown in by helicopters with us following close behind with parachutes.

My father Miguel was on the other side of the jeep, away from the exit side, in old dark wash jeans and an old grey t-shirt. With a bullet proof vest on with his Desert Eagle at his side along with his BSAA badge dangling from his neck. Wearing his aviators with his lips set in a firm line. My dad looked like somebody off of CSI. Since my father and I both worked for the BSAA along with Luciana being stuck in this kind of situation, the BSAA found it fair to allow us near the site.

"Anything," my father grumbled.

I rubbed my eyes and replied, "Negative."

I turned to the opposite side just in time to see Sheva Alomar and Josh Stone climb out the hatch. Both of them sent in since they both had worked with Luciana and her partner on separate occasions. Worry began to grip at my gut as I tapped my foot. Finally a broad shouldered man clambered out of the hole.

Turning back to the crowd I saw a auburn haired woman jump over one of the concrete dividers and tackled the man, followed by Leon S. Kennedy. My eyes grew wide as I shook my head. Hopping down off of the back of the jeep, I removed my helmet and let my ponytail fall. I leaned my M-16 against the tail of the jeep while placing my helmet on its barrel. As I walked over to the small group, I heard my father follow close behind me.

"Which one of you is Chris Redfield," Miguel demanded, crossing his arms and setting his lips in a firm line.

The woman grew tense as she glanced nervously up at the man and chewed her bottom lip.

"Please, excuse my father. We both have a family member down there along with her partner and we were just curious to see if he was him," I explained, motioning towards the escape hatch exit.

Leon squeezed the woman's shoulder and gave her a comforting smile, making her instantly be put into ease. The man next to her furrowed her eyebrows and opened his mouth but was soon interrupted.

"Azura, Miguel… what are you two doing here," Sheva asked, as her and Josh approached us.

"I just graduated my BSAA training, and personally requested this gig," I said, giving her a small smile.

Josh cleared his throat and motioned to the woman and man, "Miguel and Azura, this is Chris and Claire Redfield."

Miguel's muscles relaxed and the worry flushed from his face. He shook Claire's hand then shook Chris', as I followed in the same pattern.

"Nice to meet you," Chris said, giving both Miguel and myself a smile.

As he shook my hand, I looked down at his other to find it fisted around Luciana's wire cross. I gulped, my tongue feeling like lead in mouth.

"Where did you get that," I croaked, fear gripping my heart.

Chris looked down at the cross then swiveled to the exit at the same time our heads snapped in the direction; standing and grinning like a fool in front of the exit hole was Luciana. With a cloud of smoke billowing up behind her from the exit, signalizing that the self destruct sequence was complete. She turned back around and removed a smaller stone plate to reveal a key pad; punching in codes, causing a metal door to lock into place over the exit. Luciana wiped her hands together then turned back to face us.

"You guys flatter me with all of the worry but at the same time I'm insulted. Please… if I can survive Raccoon City then I can survive a small outbreak," Luciana sighed, trying to suppress a smirk.

She walked in between us causing all of our heads to turn and watch her as she ventured forward as she shoved a M-60 into Josh' hands, while heading towards the paramedics. Explaining that the bites in her jacket had missed her, and the blood on her jeans was from a snag in the elevator after a close call. Asking for only some pain killers and a water bottle, she walked back to us. I tackled her and gave her a huge a hug.

Luciana chuckled as she embraced me and asked, "Miss me, Azzie?"

"Now why wouldn't I miss my partner in crime," I asked, pulling her away.

Miguel took her hand and squeezed it while saying, "Bambina, you're a tough one."

"I try my best, don't I?"

She gave him a huge smile, then removed her tattered jacket and tossed it aside. Showing her unscarred skin, knowing all too well that t-virus bites should be there. Luciana raised her gaze and landed on Chris who was smirking at her. She walked over to Chris and propped her hands on her hips. She raised one hand and flexed her hand, signaling "give me back my cross." Chris brought it up to Luciana's neck and clasped it on himself. As he pulled away, Luciana pegged him in the shoulder.

"Told you I would be back for it, partner."

"I think we may have exceeded that word," Chris murmured, cocking his eyebrow at Luciana.

Luciana furrowed her eyebrows together as she pursed her lips together.

Oh, God… I know that face, I grimaced.

"Chris, can we talk," Luciana asked.

He gave her a confused look and nodded. Luciana led him over to a vacant area over on the other side of the exit hole. Their voices were very low, making it almost inaudible to hear them. Chris' lips moved as Luciana's did and she took a step back. Their voices soon raising.

"I don't get you, Sanchez!"

"Chris… we were down there for almost four days. Things were said in the spur of the moment."

Chris muttered under his breath and stormed back in our direction and walked right past us. Claire glared after her brother and shook her head.

"She has a point," she said.

I looked over at her with a shocked expression then asked, "You're siding with her instead of your brother?"

"Just because I'm related to Chris, and I love him doesn't mean that I always agree with his point of views. When Leon and I were in Raccoon City we were the same way; agreed to be friends but the more we got to know each other outside of disaster areas, the closer we got," Claire explained, as Leon wrapped an arm around her waist.

"I pray to God that I'm not put in that situation," I mumbled.

Luciana walked back over to us, her arms wrapped around herself. Her face etched in stone with her eyes glossed over and staring off straight into the ground. Miguel walked over to her and wrapped an arm around her shoulders and brought her to his chest.

"I think its best if we all went to the a United States headquarters and far away from here," Miguel instructed.

"Why can't we just return to our homes and call it a day," Josh asked, crossing his arms.

Miguel eyed him then replied, "Because Mr. Stone, all of you need to file reports on the incident down there."

"Well, there are bloody fifty states in the United States and well over a thousand BSAA headquarter locations," Sheva remarked, her lips setting into a deep frown.

I looked over to my father who had a small smile.

"What better place then the City of Angels?"