A/N:

Thank you all for reading my story and for the wonderful reviews! This didn't turn out as long as I was hoping for but I did put much of my effort into writing this.

Disclaimer:

I DO NOT own Resident Evil nor these characters. This is 100% fan made and was created and typed by me.

Please enjoy!

"L-Leon? What the fuck are you doing here?" Claire exclaimed in supreme bewilderment. "Well well well, seems like you've gained a new vocabulary since the last time we've met." Leon joked, reposing from his firing stance, showing that he too was not aware of this reunion. The flabbergasted look on her face commenced settling back into her habitual expression. "I'm sorry for my foul language. It's just that… I didn't contemplate the bygone time of the T-virus to repeat itself. I'm indubitably not looking forward to what's coming ahead in the near future." Leon nodded in accordance; then turning to the rattled girl that looked essentially glued to Claire, embracing a child whom was now weeping in her arms. As for the woman, Leon could tell she was timid by his abrupt appearance.

Kristen's cheeks grew hot and turned to a shade of pink as she discerned the fact that the attractive blonde man caught her gaze. As much as she preferred, she couldn't divert her sight afar from him, for she had never laid her eyes on a man as handsome as he was. The sole bright light they had was just enough for her to take in his every feature. Individual strands of blonde hair swooped to the right side of his face, scarcely concealing the top portion of his right eyebrow above his dark green eyes. His hair framed his gently curved face, with the jaw bone not too angled but just right to give him a strong-faced look. The black top he wore was skintight, making the lines that defined his six-pack abdominals become visible. The pants enclosing his bare legs wasn't as tight as the shirt, but was a type of bottom that you'd wear when you went out to hunt, also due to the camouflage pattern all around it. His footwear also aided his pants, as if he just came back from a hunting trip, but the thought of that gave Kristen suspicions of why he had ended up bumping into them in the promptly deserted city streets.

During her examination, Leon just stood there, starting to feel awkward as Kristen was inventively scanning his body. Just then, their "moment" was perished by Claire interrupting. "Leon, will you quit making goo goo eyes at my friend and start coming back to the critical spot we're in!" Claire gaudily reminded him in an infuriated tone. "Hmm, do I detect a hint of jealousy in your voice Mrs. Redifield?" Leon fought back. "In your dreams Kennedy!" Claire retorted. She glared at him as Leon tried to mimic her, contending to hold back the laughter that was building up in his chest as he looked into her fiery eyes and amusing expression on her face.

For just a few moments, they stopped and stared into each others' eyes. Never has she been so close to his face to notice the features upon it. He was quite handsome, but she hadn't come to realize it as she was too occupied with the zombies trying to devour her. Leon stared too, thinking the exact same thing about her.

As if an alarm to indicate that their time of horseplay was over, their only source of light started to dim out as they now knew that they should've continued to their destination a long time ago. "Would you please turn into your 'secret agent' mode so we can get to the airport?" Claire blurted out, breaking the enduring reticence. Abruptly, Leon's face grew stern at the mention of this, remembering his true objective. "Alright, the terminal is just up ahead, so we'll get there quickly if our travel is consistent." Leon announced in a formal voice. "Now that's more like it."

Claire slowly walked up to Kristen who, until now, hasn't calmed the sobbing baby down. "Let me take over so you can rest. Thanks for caring for the child. I know that the mother is very grateful that she's in your hands." Claire tells her in a calm voice. "No problem. I can't let this one slide, especially after the incident with my little sister." She replied coolly, not in any mood to consult her feelings of the abrupt memory flash. She gradually handed over the youth to Claire's slightly outstretched arms. Claire took hold of the baby, taking in the soft texture of her skin and sweet scent. She's held a small child in the past, due to the numerous babysitting jobs she took part in. "Whose baby is that?" Leon asked curiously. "She's one of two twin daughters of a woman that we aided while deserting the apartment complex. We managed to make it out safely, but her other daughter was drastically ill formerly and passed. Her mother didn't want to leave her deceased child's side and chose to stay. No further argument commenced, for there was nothing that could overcome the grieving mother, so she left us with her living child. She's not mine." Claire felt light-headed as she mouthed her last statement. "Oh thank god…I mean…that you were able to salvage that child." Leon stuttered, blushing as he regarded to how he had just responded. Claire's cheeks also began to feel warm at the potentiality that Leon might've been distressed if she had been impregnated by another man. 'What the hell am I thinking?' Claire thought, struggling to vacant her dirty observation.

The leaves of the shrubs behind the inadequately painted, wooden, and ferociously chipped fence that divided the survivors from the gloomy, somber forest began to rustle; a sound that snapped the young adults back to acting like adults. A duo of fists from the unknown thumped on the fence, pursued by more that pounded on the barrier amidst the living and the dead. One pair of tainted mitts managed to form a hole in the fragile fence, inducing Kristen, the newest member of the "survival horror crew", freeze with her mouth broadly open in hysteria. "We have to leave at once, for that cheap fence seems like it will give way at any second." Claire declared. Before a reply could be stated, Claire, once again, grabbed Kristen's arm and yanked her to start their hasty bolt.

The trees seemed to rush by, silhouetted by the moon's light in a uniform position, along with the multiple trees accompanying it. The air flew to the corresponding direction of their flee, as if the wind was dragging them back to the blood thirsty zombies.

Claire had regained her energy that had been drained from her last exertion, with the zombies tailing her imminently. She had plenty of stamina for a girl as youthful as she, a factor in her reputation of being the quickest runner in her graduating class. She was filled with feebleness just hours ago as she examined the action playing on the cable television, but was induced to finish viewing the clash between the two protagonists. The immediate urge of excitement synthesized with fear didn't reach her as it consistently did before an onslaught with the undead. Having to leave the apartment just when she was on the verge of collapsing on her old but satisfactory couch, running at an expeditious pace gave her the similar feeling as having to sprint an 800 yard race just after rousing out of bed after a prolonged, deep slumber; languid and dizzy. As of feeling like this, it was veritably complex to run while trying to avoid fainting. Now that there was no turning back, Claire had to hold herself up until there would be a time to fall asleep, especially with the young girl grasping Claire's neck and settling her small head on her shoulder.

She peered at Leon, who now took hold of Kristen's wrist, whom was following closely behind, the expression on her face displaying that she savored their contiguous contact. She happened to look upon Leon's, which seemed as emotionless and hard to read as it was supposed to be in a situation that they were in. At the sight of this, Claire queerly felt relieved, even though she hadn't reminisced why she had the feeling of distress in the first place.

Moving the though aside, Claire brought her focus back to her primary objective, only hearing out the sound of their restless panting and shoes clicking against the rough, stony road. The air abruptly became hushed, along with the birds perched on the power lines, gazing intently at them as they ran. Claire just discounted the moaning of the walking beasts from afar as they began to approach them in their conventional negligent pace, for this wouldn't be the only time she'd hear this.

But the unpredictable occurs.

A gang of rancid creatures, capacious prior to the previous one, was barricading their only path to the airport, which was now coming into view. The light reflecting off of the windows of the terminal revealed a brief estimate of the monsters blocking off their destination. "No openings can be made out between the mob." Claire said distraughtly to Leon, as if knowing that he'd know precisely what to do. She was absolutely right. "Well then that leaves us with only one option. We'll have to make an opening with force." Leon said mischievously as he pulled 9mm handgun from his right pocket and raised it in front of him with his arms outstretched; the weapon clasped amidst his hands that were covered up by his black, fingerless gloves. Claire smirked at his remark. "Alright." is all she said before gently handing the child back to Kristen, whom was once again standing there, watching her best friend risking her life for their continuance.

The disturbing sounds that escaped the zombies' mouths slowly grew quieter as each gunshot could be heard louder in the distance. Hope began to swell through Claire as each one of the creatures that tried to make a meal out of her flesh dropped to the ground with a hollow in the center of their forehead imprinted by the bullets that promptly emerged from the tips of Leon and Claire's guns. She felt a pang of excitement as she fired away at the undead, though any other girl her age would have found this to be very traumatic, just like Kristen; Claire never felt afflicted of knowing that she could be a little boyish. It had been awhile before she shot something, nonetheless any target practice.

Just as the strength of the group was starting to weaken, the quantity of spare ammunition lessened for every time she coveted reloading her gun. She was on a role until she peered down at her stash and was startled as not an individual bullet was present. She looked aside to Leon, whom was still firing, not faltering for a second or even looking down to confirm that he had anything to reload. Alarming him wasn't a decision to be made, for there wouldn't be anyone holding back the antagonists during the break to aid her.

A click sound was made as she pressed a button to unlock the bullet capsule. "Oh come on, now's not the right time!" Claire bawled at herself in annoyance because there was only one bullet left. "Wha-" Leon began. "Hold on a second." she interrupted as an object came into sight that would only need a single bullet to puncture and discord the crowd of zombies in one blow.

A barrel of oil that would explode when made contact with her bullet. But she only had one shot left which meant one chance or failure in the making. It could be perceived on the right side of the road sub sequential to an aggregation of clay and holes on the ground; cones of the color orange with a single white stripe in the median symbolized that it was a construction site.

Bingo.

"Leon, hold your fire! Go get Kristen and take shelter behind something distant from here. I have a strategy." Claire ordered intently. Leon desisted immediately, and without a single word conversed, he carried out her command by grabbing hold of Kristen and scampering to a dumpster that was blemished by recent disposals of rubbish and possessed a stench of spoiled milk; unfortunately the only substance big and far enough to secure them.

Claire took a few steps back that was just the right range to puncture the barrel with the rapid bullet but far enough to prevent getting hauled into the fire and flames. The creatures were drawing closer and closer and if she didn't dispatch the blaze, there would be too many of them occluding her target and hindering them. "Well, it's now or never." Claire thought, trying her best to induce herself sufficiently to raise the gun and pull the trigger. She did so, but not as fluid as expected, primarily since there were no second chances and this would ordain her fate. She concentrated on the goal with her keen eye and pinpointed a break intervening gruesome heads that directed to the smooth but stained exterior of the barrel. "There." she said presumptuously as she pulled the trigger with an index finger.

The moment went by so instantly, with indiscriminate events played at the same time. If it were any slower, the bullet would be visible as it charged out of her gun and made contact with the barrel, sending flames that burst out fiercely. The impact of the outburst incinerated all of the dead in the area, but a firm wave sent Claire flying backwards. She relinquished the clutch of the gun and obstructed at the pain sensation on her right arm that was drawn out to shoot. Ostensibly, the wave ferociously jerked her arm back, since it was the closest to the site of the abolition. 'Is this it for me?' she questioned herself as she hovered in a split second and began plummeting downwards to the coarse terra firma. She mentally braced herself for the solid contact with the ground, but stayed fixed as the pressure of the rushing air paralyzed her body.

Just then, she felt something against her back which she had previously assumed to be the rough earth, but instead felt two arms grapple her tightly. "Claire! CLAIRE!" She could sporadically pick up a man's voice calling to her as it became more audible as the constant ringing lodged in her ear began to pacify. The words of the unidentified individual sounded familiar but she didn't open her eyes to see who it was. She was shook gingerly as the man persevered to calling her name. She inaugurated to gain management of the rest of her body, her breathing revolutionized from hasty beats to its standard rhythm, and her heart reposed to steady pulsing.

But something wasn't right.

She tried to squeeze her hands shut, but only her left hand closed. The right felt utterly numb, remaining immovable along with the rest of her right arm. 'Damn, this is from the explosion!' Claire thought infuriately, almost bellowing out the words if it wasn't for the slow regaining of self control physically and mentally. Her eyes nonchalantly opened to reveal eyes gazing into hers fixedly, pools of green that submitted panic merged with faith. Leon had caught her and was now cuddling her securely but gently, mollified by the fact that his partner was animate. "I-I thought I died." Claire choked out, endeavoring to withhold her tears at the awareness that Leon had just saved her life.

Kristen kneeled down with the sobbing baby, who awoke from the boisterous boom of the intense destruction that occurred only a few minutes ago. She was lulled but is now completely conscious; not weeping or slumbering, but staring at Claire and Leon, who didn't move from their positions. Kristen averted, filled with fear of her best friend practically succumbed and begrudging of her now in the arms of the pulchritudinous agent. Claire hugged him back tightly with no hesitation, taking in the warmth of his body pressed against hers and his familiar but soothing scent that lingered on his shirt. Kristen couldn't stand looking at them any longer and stood up to breach their spark. "Don't you think we should be departing now?" Kristen catechized insignificantly too loud, making her discomfort of the sight of them perceptible.

Claire and Leon considered the hint in her voice and promptly broke away from their embrace; their cheeks becoming increasingly red as they regained the knowledge of how close they had just been. "A-Alright then." they both said in unison with an intonation of embarrassment. Leon rose and offered his hand to help Claire stand up. She accepted his aid and took hold of it before he gently pulled her upright. "Thanks." she said so softly that only he could hear it. "No problem. Let's go."

Their journey was full of reticence as they meandered along the city streets, coming across one streetlamp followed by more in addition. Kristen's brown, wedged boots clacked against the ground, which echoed all over the deserted road. The intonation that the ground gave off as they processed through the gravel remained the same until they reached the area loaded with ashes of scorched flesh; the distinct place where the oil barrel stood until it was fused by Claire's handgun. Lamentably, the only thing visible to Claire's eyes was pitch black as she was in deep thought instead of regarding to the fire show playing before her as she was flung into the air. Furthermore, Leon witnessed everything for the time being; Claire holding out her gun, shooting it, the barrel discharging conflagration, zombies consumed by the intense heat, and Claire being flung backwards off her feet. His expeditious reflexes had made him spring out and reach beneath her body just as it was about to hit the ground. But it wasn't the austere operative that would do anything to save others that drove him forward. It was…

Leon lost track of time as the obscurity of the night started to diminish as they drew nearer to the airport. "Thank God we made it!" Kristen spoke out as she sighed, heaving due to their running. The exorbitant parking lot consisted of numerous vehicles, connoting that there were still living mortals populating the airport. Furthermore, multi-colored lights flashed in contrasting directions as though planes were about to take flight. "Come on, we must ascertain that there are any planes left to withdraw the state." Claire declared. No one responded, for they knew that anymore interruptions could slow their only chance of continuity.

As they approached the slide-open door, they were all consumed by a tremendous amount of inhabitants whom had the same desire as they did at the time being. "We'll meet at the front if there's-" Leon announced, deferred mid-sentenced by the crowd swallowing them up. "-if there are no more flights left." Claire finished, as her words were only audible to herself. Kristen comprehended what her proposal was and pursued the wave of people, holding the child who was now cupping her ears to cut off the loud noises that pounded against her ear drums. The commotion filled with a variety of people's voices consisted of calls for help, words of fear and worry, and final goodbyes.

Claire had made her way to the digital overhead sign that read the flights, times, and destinations. It came to her convenience of coming to this airport before, for she knew where every station was located. The building was fairly large, but the only hindrance to its size was that it seemed too crowded with the quantity of people occupying the space today; there were generally more travelers than this, for, unlike any other place, only one airport was present for the whole state. It was a small place, but it would take many miles to get here if your estate was in the other side of the state border. She was lucky enough to live close by. Claire's heart sank as each word after the names of the flight's destinations read "departed." 'What the fuck? We can't stay here! First, we waste a majority of our ammunition and now we can't even fucking leave?' Claire screamed in her thoughts. Nothing could be worse than being stranded in a stuffed airport with nothing to do except to wait for the beasts to devour them.

A voice from an intercom disrupted her thoughts as the room grew quieter until all that was discernible was the steady beat of a fly rapidly fluttering its wings. The voice that filled the room was a low-voiced man that sounded like a 45-year old. "Due to recent events, there are no more flights available and the airport will shut down until further notice. We suggest that the lot of you leave without supplementary discussion, for the security will use force if necessary. Thank you." The sound of a beep indicated that it was the end of his message, as well as the start of a riot that was led by the crowd.

Did it get worse?

Hell yeah.

Many started heading out the door while some protested about the recent message at the front desk, struggling against the gorilla-like security team. Leon and Kristen could be seen in contrasting directions, heading to the front entrance where, strangely, a minority of the group exited. They were able to reach her outstretched arms held out to them and exit through the glass doors. Once again, they were swallowed up by the night, since the lights supported by the building began to close one by one.

"What are we going to do now that we're out in the open where we can be killed at any moment?" Leon asked, the secret agent tone in his voice turning into one of a startled adolescent. "I don't know. It's getting really late and we won't be able to see when all of the lights are ceased." Claire answered, sounding just as daunt as he was. A moment of silence passed until Kristen surprisingly spoke up. "There's a hotel nearby, so we can crash there throughout the night and head off in the morning. It'll take the zombies a long time to catch up if they continue to travel at their slow pace." Kristen said shakily. "Yeah, and there are a few taxis that we can 'borrow' until we get there." Claire said, now feeling slightly better by Kristen's assumption. Leon was now the one to speak with his voice now clear of any hint of fear, but replaced with playfulness.

"Alright, but I'm driving."

Phew! I hope all of you liked it! I don't know how long the next chapter will take but all I can say is that you'll know why I rated this story T (heehee). Please review and feel free to criticize any flaws in the story so I can do my best to make the upcoming chapters much better. Thanks! 3