Disclaimer: I don't own RE

It's getting late, I'm trying to finish a major work due in tommorrow and I've already ingested vast quantities of Redbull. So now, in true unmemorable fashion, I am procrastinating. Good news though, you guys are benifitting, so yay!
Also, a little, slightly weird, side note, I have now dubbed those, who have stuck by me with reviews, my ghosts :) If you are confused, re-read author notes in earlier chapters. Blame the dangerous levels of caffine for the removal of my filter . . . and the rambling. Sorry, I'll stop now and let you get on with the reading and reviewing (hint hint). Wow, little bit of alliteration there, what with all the r's.

Alice sat on the floor, leaning against the wall with her legs stretched out in front of her. From her position she could see the controls and wouldn't be noticed straight away if someone happened to walk into the room. She was watching Claire as she paced back and forth across the room. Tiredness had slowed her steps though so she was mostly shuffling instead of the brisk pace she usually maintained when she was thinking.

She eventually came down to sit with Alice; lifting Alice's uninjured arm so that it was around her shoulders.

'Can I tell you something?' Claire asked. Alice just looked at her with her eyebrows raised, 'Yeah, sorry.' She wriggled closer into Alice's side, 'Sometimes I think about leaving. Just packing up my things and jumping ship.' Her hand slide under Alice's shirt as if she was trying to burrow her way in, 'Does that make me a bad person?' It relieved Claire when Alice didn't answer straight away; it meant she was really thinking about it.

'I think it's not right for one person to have to shoulder so much responsibility. You've taken such good care of these people. You've kept them safe, you're guiding them to a home and you have to put up with all the craziness that can happen. You're definitely stronger than me at this stuff.' Claire didn't say anything for a while, then,

'Would you come with me? If I ever left.' Alice chuckled.

'You know the answer to that.' Claire reached up and kissed her softly.

'I love you Alice, you know that right?'

'Yeah, I know that.' Claire wrapped herself around Alice's body as much as she could and resting her head on the brunette's shoulder she began to drift off to sleep, 'I love you too.' Alice whispered.

It was an hour after Alice's shift was supposed to end when Chris stumbled in.

'Sorry, we forgot to actually set someone. . .' He trailed off when he saw Claire curled up around Alice, asleep. Claire still had her hands buried beneath Alice's shirt and one of her legs was curled around Alice's as well.

Neither of them spoke. Most of Claire and Alice's friends knew there was something more between them but they'd never openly acknowledged it. This was the first time that Chris had ever seen them in anything more than platonic.

'It's alright. She needed the sleep.' Alice began carefully, 'Are you taking the watch then?' he nodded in reply. Alice turned to the sleeping figure beside her. She shook her gently but Claire still woke with a start.

'What's wrong?' She sat up quickly, 'Are you okay?' Alice smiled.

'Everything's fine, we're going to bed. Come on.' Alice stood up then reached down to pull Claire to her feet, 'Have fun Chris.' She touched two fingers to her head in salute as they left; when he smiled in return she knew he was over the shock of seeing them together.

'Did we scare my big, bad brother?' Claire asked, grinning.

'No, I think it was just shock.' Alice barely smiled. She had smiled more in the passed few days than usual and her reserves were drying up.

'You haven't slept in a while. Will you stay with me?' Alice didn't even consider declining. This was usually the time she went to bed anyway, and she couldn't refuse Claire anything. She wasn't sure she was going to let Claire sleep though. She had been afraid when she knew where the potential murderer had been going. She had realised something then; she never wanted to be parted from Claire. She would stick with her no matter what, and in the midst of death she was in life.

She scanned the corridors, but the hour was still just early enough for no one to be completely active; they'd most likely be in the cafeteria.

Alice smirked at the reaction she was about to cause, then she turned and pushed Claire up against the wall. Before Claire could speak Alice crashed their lips together, dragging at the redheads hips so they were flush with her own. When she felt greedy hands twist their way into her hair she knew Claire was passed the stage of protest. Alice pulled back for a second, giving her time to rip the shirt from Claire's shoulder. She nipped at the pale skin there whilst her arm wound around the redheads back, drawing her even closer. She felt the vibrations of Claire's moan in her chest; the sound brought the blood boiling to Alice's skin. She reached down with her other hand and squeezed her lover's ass; grinding against her in at the same time. Claire's breathing came faster, until she was almost panting. The heat was too much for Alice; she fumbled at the redheads buttons and unzipped her jeans. When she had them open she pushed her hand in. The action caused Claire to uncontrollably arch into the pressure and her hands dropped to grip at Alice's waist. Before Alice could completely find her way to the apex of Claire's legs, the redhead whimpered her name.

'We can't,' a moan stopped her words for a moment, 'do this . . . here.' She dropped her head into Alice's neck, unwilling to stop what Alice was doing but knowing that someone was bound to come across them sooner or later. Alice had made it to the place where the heat was the most intense and it was having a very detrimental affect on Claire's speech, 'Alice.' She gasped. Alice's reply was almost a growl. She pulled back from the redhead but left her hand where it was.

'Are you sure you want to have to stop this,' she pushed with the hand still inside Claire's jeans to emphasise her point; the redhead's eyes closed and she bit her lip, 'walk all the way to our cabin with our clothes buttoned up then have to restart all over again?' Alice murmured in a teasing tone. The desire in her voice made it nearly impossible for Claire to respond; she seriously considered letting Alice have her in the hall, but the thought of someone coming across them wasn't far from her mind and she didn't want that embarrassment. This wasn't three o'clock in the morning. The chance of someone finding them was exponentially higher, know matter what Alice thought. So she nodded her head reluctantly and dragged Alice's hand out of her pants.

'Yes, I do want to walk all the way back to our cabin with our clothes on . . . but maybe we can hurry.' Alice grinned at her then took her hand and practically dragged her down the corridors.

As soon as they were safely inside their room Alice returned to her previous attentions; with no less desperation. Claire lost her shirt in seconds and her pants not long after. Alice pushed her back onto the bed; she then divested herself of her own clothes. She paused a second to drink in the sight before her. Claire's eyes were dark with lust and she smirked up at Alice. She slowly reached down, her hand sliding along her abdomen, and hooked a thumb in the band of her underwear. Alice watched the movement with greedy eyes. Before Claire pulled them off though she sat up slightly and unclipped her bra. Alice's eyes darted up as the fabric loosened. The only thing that could drag her gaze from the sight of the naked flesh was the return of Claire's hand to her underwear. She slipped them slowly down her legs then ran her hand up her own thigh. Alice tracked that wandering hand as if her life depended on it. Before Claire even made it all the way, Alice snapped. She rushed forward and pushed Claire's body back with her own. Claire wrapped her legs around the brunette's waist, drawing her closer, and running her hands up the smooth skin of Alice's back. Alice's hand was already reaching down between them and Claire's eyes closed involuntarily as Alice touched her. Claire gripped Alice's shoulders as she set the rhythm. Alice wasn't satisfied with drawing it out though and she quickly had Claire shaking and gasping. Claire clung to Alice as she collapsed and the feel of her naked body made the sensation so much more intense.

It took a few minutes before Claire was able to open her eyes again. Alice was leaning over her; watching her. When Claire looked at her she smirked.

'You are so going to pay for that.' And she flipped them both so she was on top.

They both lay exhausted in the bed. When they had both got their breathing under control Alice turned on her side and wrapped an arm around Claire's waist.

'What was that all about?' Claire wasn't complaining but it had been even more unexpected than Alice's usual demands.

'Nothing.' She shrugged. Claire was silent but Alice had no delusions that she'd dropped the subject.

'Alice.' It was a warning.

'I was just scared for you, that's all; I don't like feeling like that.' She said it lightly; she hated talking about feelings.

'Right, you were scared for me so you jumped me in the middle of the hallway.' She paused, 'I can see how that makes sense.' Alice wasn't sure if she was been sarcastic or not so she kept silent, 'I'm not going to leave you Alice, I promise. You're the one I kind of like having around the most you know?' She was embarrassed at the admission but she meant it all the same.

'I know this is going to sound creepy and dependent and all that,' Alice began, 'But I won't let you out of my sight.'

'Yeah, you're right. That did sound creepy and ultra dependent.' But Claire turned in Alice's arms and held her close, 'You do realise,' she mumbled into Alice's hair, 'You never really let me out of your sight anyway. Don't think I don't know when you're watching me. I can feel it at night when I go walkabout; you're always there.' She felt the vibrations of Alice's chuckle.

'I don't mean to follow you; I just find you and decide watching you is better than walking about in the cold.' Alice's voice was getting quieter and Claire knew she wasn't far off sleep.

'Why do you do that?' Claire asked.

'Hmm?' Alice murmured.

'Why do you walk out there all by yourself in the middle of the night? Why don't you just stay here with me?' Alice's reply was a long time in coming, but, just as Claire decided she'd fallen asleep, she answered.

'I need to make sure everything's safe. The only time I can do that without having to see people, is at night. You cannot believe how hard it is to drag myself away from you though.' But, as if in contradiction, Alice removed her arms from around Claire and stood up. Claire looked up at her questionably but she merely moved to drape a shirt over the porthole to stop the early morning sun from coming through. She then returned to the bed, crawling in beside Claire and holding her once more, 'Now no more questions, I need sleep.'

So now, to satisfy my need for closure, I bid you goodnight (or goodmorning depending on where you are reading from) :)

-B