Chapter 23: Then It Was You

"Alice…can we talk?" Claire asked.

Or maybe they're not looking up at all, Alice thought, but quickly responded to the younger woman. "Of course; let's go back to the room, we can talk there."

Once in the cell, the taller woman sat on the cot against the wall and motioned for Claire to join her, but she stood perpendicular to her instead.

"Alice, about Chris…I do remember him. He was the one…holding my hand at our parents funeral." At this, Claire started to pace the length of room. "The last time I saw him was before the outbreak. I went to look for him; I knew he was in L.A., but I couldn't find any sign of him after that. Months passed, and I went off on my own and avoided everyone. Then one day I went into a deserted store in Texas to resupply. That's where I found K-mart." Claire smiled at the memory, but she continued to avoid Alice's gaze. "She was on her own and so young – I couldn't leave her behind, or maybe I was just tired of being alone; sometimes it's hard just living for yourself. After that, it seemed like every place we stopped we picked up someone new."

Claire's eyebrows knitted together in recollection as her pacing stopped. "Then it was Carlos and LJ, Mikey…and then…"

Alice could already see where this was going, and not for the first time, she dreaded it. The brunette stood.

"Then it was you," Claire said surprised, but then she smiled and practically shouted, "I remember you!" The redhead lunged at Alice and wrapped her arms around her in a blissful embrace, but the brunette was reluctant to return the hug.

Claire noticed Alice's lack of enthusiasm, and looked up at the taller woman without letting her go. Then she remembered those evocative blue eyes looking at her in another way, in a loving way beneath a desert moon. She realized now that it was how Alice always looked at her. She confronted the brunette about it; about the one night she could remember that was spent searching for pleasure and comfort, but discovering something more.

"Why didn't you tell me we were together?...That I love you, that you love me?"

There were those words again, and Alice wondered, did she mean that or was she simply recounting what was already said?

"I wasn't sure it still applied," the brunette answered wearily.

"What do you mean?"

"You'll remember soon enough." Alice recalled the destruction of their first relationship quite well; it pretty much happened right after its swift beginning.

Alice woke up in the dusty hotel room to find a naked Claire gently settled in her arms still asleep. The memory of what had taken place the night before made Alice gleeful. Then in an instant, regret overshadowed her feelings of warmth and contentment. She didn't regret making love to Claire; she would never in all her life regret that. It was because of what had to take place next that troubled her. Before she could think more about it, Claire woke and looked happily into her eyes. Now there's a smile to rival even the sun, Alice thought.

"Good morning," Claire greeted.

"Morning," Alice said as she brushed a lock of red hair behind Claire's ear. The next words were out of her mouth before she could stop them, "You are so beautiful." Claire blushed at the statement and the brunette couldn't contain herself again; she brought her lips to Claire's and kissed her soundly. Before she could be overcome with passion, Alice broke away. But the redhead wasn't finished; she continued to kiss Alice's naked body trailing ever lower, down the taller woman's neck to the firm skin of her collarbone.

Alice moaned, "Oh god." She wanted to continue badly, but this wasn't right. "Claire wait."

The redhead looked up, "What is it?"

Alice stalled, "I think we should get up. I can hear people moving outside," and then was surprised at how easily she lied.

"I don't hear anything. We have time," the redhead said mischievously.

The brunette sighed, she just needed to come out with it, but she was choking on the words. "No, we don't."