I don't own Left 4 Dead and/or it's characters. The beautiful, brilliant brainy peoples at Valve do.

First time writing a Left 4 Dead fan-fiction. Hope you enjoy! Happy reading and please review! :)

Thank you to those who have faved, followed & reviewed.

I'm still continuing due to lack of reviews – hope you like this next chap! Belated nod to the Resident Evil movie back in Chapter 2. that gave me some of the inspiration for this fiction. That and The Walking Dead.

Rated T

Drama / Adventure / Friendship

Zoey & Bill

English

Alive

Chapter Six

The several days of waiting eventually turned into a week. A week with him gone and what could be shown for it?

Her sling now unneeded, her heath slowly returning to normal. Both the females were glad of that.

Louis' work in the basement over and done with. The geeks and grunts showing their thanks only after being told of Louis' achievement.

Francis was even warming to Samantha after spending more nights in one room – Bill's. They managed to tell one another of their days. What it brought them, what they did and if anyone knew of when their leader was returning.

Sam had managed to sneak her possessions into hers and Zoey's room. Now making their room seem more homely and not a portion of Army barracks.

The presence of the Army men and woman patrolling day and night became a norm. Them and their weapons. Francis was still moaning and groaning about the state of the food. More than once in the past he'd possibly physically mourned for the passing of fast food chains and restaurants.

It felt like Bill had been gone for weeks.

And gave her not so much in his place.

Her sneaking into his room at numerous points of the day became more often. Once, having a chance to chat with his room mate. The soldier working nights.

He was all for her gun training, more than pleased she'd be teaching others it after surviving something so young. Putting her time to helping those shipped out from safety - a place in the military had it's perks – with little to no idea how bad it really was out there.

She didn't broadcast it on all channels like someone in her team. But if someone asked, she would kindly answer.

Her new gun training had been... fun.

Samantha was right about some of the Army guys not wanting to get taught by a woman. But with some of her father's anger, not to mention shooting ability had helped.

Along with Sam offering to get her hands on her ponytail to turn it into a Samantha Frost inspired bun. A speech had followed her question as to how she switched dream careers for bed pans and blood bags. A seminar in hair dressing then a job doing what she set her sights on changed when a doctor came in claiming those wanting to join the profession was falling and that those needing medical care was rising.

How could she not join? Her mind had changed right there, right then. Just in the time it took for her to fix the Doc a pixie cut.

At least that's what Zoey remembered about her new friend's insightful talk.

Cardboard Joe and his similarly flat brothers with multiple fresh holes in several limbs was undoubtedly proof Zoey's first shooting had gone down a storm.

She'd made cardboard mincemeat out of her standee near enough, had then earned the respect of the Army guys and gals to either show off in front of teacher or to prove to each other how good they were.

The rest was history.

Pride nestled in her heart many hours after the training but the time to brood after Bill's decision had quickly returned. Thankfully it was before the time the lights shut off for the night and when Bill's room mate was on shift.

Zoey had chomped the pillow with her woes and whys as to why he would do such a thing. Always very near to forgiving him before sleep clawed at her mind. Always waking up and feeling the forgiveness didn't stay within her as she had slept.

That had too, become the norm. Coffee in the morning, then again before the gun training, dinner in the late afternoon and more of the stuff with her day ending missing his presence still...

Sleep's gentle pull had loosened her from it's grip and Zoey had this time when waking not been greeted by the florescent light's rays in her eyes. Her steady breathing and not so much throbbing wrist calmed her.

"Well at least you don't snore like some of us..." Bill chuckled lightly.

Zoey flinched or rather jumped as she wiped sleep from her eyes and pushed her hoodie from her body which acted as a makeshift blanket for the night. Sleeping in his bed without him there seemed just a little bit too freaky, even for her.

She blinked a few times from confusion and the dim light.

"Bill? I almost gave up hope. Was already contemplating coming out there after ya." Zoey smiled.

Bill shook his head.

"Took a while to get the newbies here."

She couldn't miss the smirk in his voice.

"But we got back home eventually." He looked over at her.

Zoey had titled her chin up on his pillow to try and meet her gaze with his. She could barely make out his silhouette in the darkness, his voice was the only thing that registered his presence. "Get some kip, kid. Somethin' is about to kick off. Get your A game on." He gave a quick shake of her shoulder and was gone from eye- earshot.

The cold blue rays in her eye made her groan, rising from the bed Zoey pulled her hoodie around her shoulders. After finding it fallen off her skin during the night. The smell of burnt rubber made a vast anomaly out of the usual sights and smells installed in the science building.

She stood at the far end of the main area. Watching five battered and bruised survivors be checked over from top to toe by some of Sam's colleagues.

"Guess who's home?" Sam whispered in the brunette's ear. She gave a slight push to get her in the direction of the new arrivals and returned Army personnel.

Casting a small look over her shoulder, the ever present half smile on the Doctor's lips was there once again.

Zoey reached the brute metal door, seeing the armoured truck parked beyond. Finding the ground of Army men still sat in back.

"I'm so damn glad we found some. Not that I don't mind killing the undead guys... but we found some survivors. It would've been a pretty sorry and pointless mission if we didn't." The unmistakeable New York accent from the Army guy Zoey first saw greeted her ears. Someone turned off the still gunning engine so she could listen in more. But Mister blonde and blue eyed New Yorker saw her before he could continue. "Hey there, gorgeous."

"Before you start tryin' ter get in her knickers too. You should know she's with me." Bill.

Lit up and cheerful say the least appeared inside the truck. "After listening to your stories of 'the good old days' surely ya didn't think I wouldn't have learnt something from them?"

The soldier shrugged and walked off chewing gum and carrying his helmet, hopefully now uninterested.

Bill threw his combat clothes to the floor of the truck and stepped onto the opened electronic door touching the tarmac outer ground.

He walked down it, blowing out a big puff of smoke. The look on his face was a picture. A picture that told her he'd not took a drag for a while.

Each footstep he made gave a small clunk underfoot on the metal.

"Just got here?" Zoey innocently asked.

"Yeah. Why?" Placing the cigarette back in his mouth he had reached the end of the door.

"I... nothing."

He gave a small shake of head. Never, ever would he understand the brain of that girl.

But, he'd take care of her even if she came out with movie quotes and trivia as odd times.

Hell, he'd even missed them,

"So," he threw a smile at her. "Missed me?"

"Like hell." She returned his affections.

Happy New Chapter everyone! :P Hope you like this new bit.

Quite different from my other stuff but, hey, new year. New work. I started reading again, too. So that may've made an impression. Hope you like it!

Please review! *bribes with zombie shaped cookies*