Chapter 5: Painfully and desperately apart.
3 days, 8 hours, 7 minutes and 52 seconds had passed since the last day I saw Claire alive. I had gone through quite a lot these past 72 hours. Now I have a daughter, Becky. She joined me on the journey I began when I tried – And succeed – to escape from Umbrella's Corporation installation with Ada Wong and Albert Wesker's help. But as always, he tricked me into his sick trap.
Now, because of his own and only wish, I got my powers back. The ones I've always tried to suppress when I possessed them back then. And things couldn't get worst; I work for Umbrella again. But first, I set up some conditions to Wesker. In order to do whatever he wanted me to do, I wanted time to rest; get on conditions, find Claire and Becky's protection no matter what would happen to me. I don't care how many men would die in order to protect her. I promised her she'd be safe with me. And I'm not the type of person who breaks her promises.
My heart is pounding on my ears and all I can focus is the big red punching bag right in front of me from Umbrella's training room. I can feel every beat on my head and my hands shake as I've been hitting it for quite a lot time. My eyes snap all around and scan every corner of the big white room. Still unable to get used to the god damn powers back. I've got used to their absence and their return caught me under guard.
A small fist gets wrapped on the very bottom of my shirt, pulling it softly. I turn around quick enough for the tiny version of myself to jump back scared. "I'm sorry sweetie." I mouth for her to understand me, and she nods looking at me with her eyes piercing my skin face. Her hand is holding a wrinkled small piece of paper and her eyes are deep and thoughtful "Who's this?" she says without dropping her gaze from mine, showing me a small picture of Claire I found between Chris' stuff when we were revising him. I took it with the selfish reason of having something that reminds me of her.
I gulp, my heart sinking on my ribcage as I don't have quite an idea of how do you explain your recently adopted 9-years-old daughter that the picture of the woman she's flashing in front of my face belongs to the woman who loves me the way I love her. That woman who would save her life, just like I would, the same amount of times.
That one whose absence makes me cry to sleep every night.
I sigh looking at her and I kneel down, our gazes never breaking away. "Look Becky… There are a lot of things you don't know about mine and your life… But, I promise that I will explain everything to you and that I will clear any doubt that you might get, but not now. Not today." She nods looking at me and her tiny arms surround my neck in a blink, holding her tightly against me. I wrap my arms around her small back, pulling her as close as physically possible to me. Her tiny heart beating fast on her small chest, while her tiny hands get stuck on my chocolate brown short hair as she tries to suppress all of her fears.
I haven't realize till now about how the truth would impact on her since her life reality was utterly different to what the world actually was when I found her. She might have been created with one finality but that didn't make her any less human than me or the rest of the survivors.
She pulls back smiling at me and I poke her small nose with my index, making her giggle a little. I wink at her and she leaves running out of the room, passing by Jull, as she walks in smiling at the sight of the tiny blonde little girl running through the hallway on her way to our room. "Would you believe me if I tell you that she talks about you non-stopping?" She says turning her head to look at me once Becky is out of sight. I smile weakly and stand up from the floor. "Wouldn't surprise me. From middle class home mom to an Umbrella Corporation's fighter is a huge change." I look at her while she steps closer, and folds her arms over her chest. "So… You will adopt her?" She says looking at me, while I play nervously with the vends on my hands. I sigh and look at her "I adopted her in the exact moment she hugged me back there, on the neighborhood scenario." I say, flipping my hair back with my head. Jill steps even closer, her hand resting on my cheek, looking right into my eyes. Gulping, I look back down, while she looks at me "Anything new?" I say breaking the silence that's surrounding us. Clearing her throat, she shakes her head "Ada won't tell me anything, even when I keep asking her. And Wesker, well… He's Wesker. You know how he is." I nod and step apart from her, walking away "Sorry Jill… But I got to find Claire."
The wooden door resounded under my knuckles beating against it softly. "Come in." His deep voice comes from the inside, and I close my eyes softly, holding my anger back. Stepping in, I find Wesker sitting on his high back chair, with his hands intertwined in front of him. "Alice. I must say I'm not surprised of seeing you here. Please have a sit." I shake my head eagerly and sigh "Look, Wesker, I need to find Claire. I… need to find her…" He nods and cracks a fake laugh "See, I've already seen this coming. Why don't you go to your room and worry about your fight strategies and leave this love duty on my hands?" He says cocking one of his eyebrows. I feel a huge lump on my throat, looking down at my hands. After brief moments, I look up at him and nod. Stepping out, I feel a huge bag pack being taken out of my shoulders.
When I step into my room, I find a small little girl half asleep on her small bed, right next to mine. A small smile gets drawn on my lips, as I stare at her. She looks purely innocent. Yet she's a fighter. Sitting on the edge of her bed, I caress her hair looking at her tiny face. She turns around and smiles a little to me "Sleepy?" I sign to her and she signs me back. I nod and kiss her forehead "I'm gonna take a shower, okay? I'll be right there." I sign pointing to the bathroom of our room. She nods, and turns around, falling utterly asleep.
The sprays of the shower hit on my back, making my muscles relax from their soreness. All the feelings, all the pain and all the fears drawn on the hot and steamy shower. I squeeze the shampoo bottle with chocolate scent filling my nostrils as I begin to massage the white substance on my hair. And once again, memories of Claire assault me.
Claire grabs the bottom of her shirt, pulling it over her head. She's wearing a white bra that holds her magnificent breasts together. I look right at them, my throat tightening. Her hands go directly to my face and she leans in slowly. Her soft lips finally meet mine, slowly and carefully pressing together. My heart beats crazily and my hands go to her waist, pulling her even closer. Her soft and humid tongue parting my lips to find mine, softly caressing it. She presses herself against me, moaning a little at the cold contact of water against her warm skin. After a couple of minutes, she breaks the kiss and stares into my eyes. "Al... What were we?" She asks breaking the kiss, looking at me. I gulp and look at her "Claire we... We were together. We, were a couple." I look at her, guiltily. She smiles victoriously and presses our lips together once more, surprising me this time. I follow the trace of her jawline, going right to her weak spot, right below her ear. I press my lips against it, the very tip of my tongue against it. Her body shivers under my touch, while the very tip of my fingers traces the form of her waist, pulling her in closer. I keep tracking down, to her neck. I caress the back of her waist, pulling myself against her. She moans softly, searching for my lips. I kiss her, soft and slow, holding her tight against my body.
My eyes snap back open, while my throat decides is a good time to create a lump as the feelings assault me. Tears begin to form on my lacrimal. I sigh and finish the hair washing. It's time to get rid of these feelings. I'll find her.
A white robe is waiting for me on the door's rack. I slide myself into it, feeling the silk cloth beginning to absorb the humidity from my body. When I open the door, I'm received by a white, big bedroom. The master bed is located right on the middle, and a few feet away another bed, but smaller, is located right against the wall. I can see Becky sleeping from the bathroom door. A large panel of white light is located right between the space of Becky's bed and mine, with curtains that allow the light to filter on drab shades. A small led tv is hanging right above the door, connected to a camera that was located on the hallway.
The soft cotton of my pajama caresses my skin. It's based on a simple tight long sleeve shirt with Umbrella's logo right on the middle of your chest and silk white pants. Simple, but comfortable.
I slide into the coziness of the bed, covering myself above my waist with the white duvet. The goose feather pillows receive my head and embrace it sides softly, helping me jump into the sweet and desired slumber.
A soft hand caresses my cheek, fingers tracing my features. For a couple of minutes, I believe this is a dream, but when all of a sudden the heat that this hand irradiates becomes more extensive over my face, my eyes fly open, grabbing the wrist of the person who's touching my face with delicate movements.
I am sitting on the bed from one moment to another, and my jaw falls in shock.
"Claire?" My eyes fly all over her face, staring at her with delightfulness. My voice is broken, and filled of fear and weakness.
I must be dreaming... A dimpled smile flashes in front of my face.
"Good Morning Al."
A/N: Tadaaaah! I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. I will probably be updating a new one tomorrow. Got too much caught on this story ;)