Sorry this chapter is so short, but I needed to stop it where I did. I'm looking forward to the next few chapters, however. I hope you all do too.

Chapter 7: Fall Back

After the fight with the undead wolves they decided to take back to the road until nightfall. 'They' being Claire asking Alice her opinion on their next step and Alice gruffly complaining about exactly how much she didn't care.

After pulling over for the night and finishing their evening routines Alice decided it was time for another walk. Again she hadn't eaten, not since meeting up with the survivors or slept for that matter. She wasn't sure why, so she left to figure it out.

It was getting colder the further north they traveled. By the time they reached Alaska, probably in the first few days of September, the temperature during the day would be in the 50's, and near the 40's at night. As it was now, Alice threw on her leather jacket in the foyer of the abandoned, one-room house they'd found.

Truthfully, she was happy they'd stopped and discovered this place; Alice didn't want to spend another night cooped up in the hummer. She only took a few steps to the door when she was stopped by Claire.

"Where are you going?" Claire asked, more curious than worried.

The blonde let her shoulders fall in annoyance, but still managed a somewhat civil reply.

"Out." Alice met Claire's green eyes and reluctantly added, "I'll be back soon."

Before she could move on, the blonde saw K-mart point at her in a silent question to Claire.

The redhead sighed as she said, "fine."

The blonde didn't wait for K-mart as she walked into the woods opposite the residence, but the teen caught up to her just the same. She pushed through the cover of the forest and laughed as she heard K-mart get tangled in some brambles behind her.

"Following me again, hu?"

It's bad enough that I have one shadow…Alice thought as she watched the teen free herself.

K-mart didn't answer so Alice kept on, marching further and further into the dark woods. She put her mind to why she wasn't keeping her schedule. I'm just not hungry…not tired…Alice was lying to herself, but before she could admit it, K-mart spoke up.

"Wh-what you did back there – with the wolves – it was awesome."

Alice stopped walking and faced the teen as she leaned against a tree, soaking up the praise.

"Those were some pretty slick moves back there." Alice kept leading the others as Jill's comment began to seep in. The black-haired woman approached her and spoke again. "I'm good, but I'm not that good."

"You should be thankful for that."

"What do you mean?"

The blonde stopped in her tracks to face her. Jill actually did appear to be concerned.

"They did something to me. I barely feel human anymore."

I'm not human anymore, Alice thought to add, but was afraid too. She was a freak. The T-virus in her blood frightened her beyond belief, but there was an undercurrent of superiority that came with her new powers. She just had yet to fully realize it.

A payphone began to ring on the wall next to them, drawing their attention.

"We should keep moving," she said, "before the sound attracts anything."

Alice didn't reply to the girl.

"I had some questions, if th-that's cool," K-mart said.

To the blonde, K-mart was sounding more and more like the teen she was.

"If you were bitten by someone infected, would you change?"

Alice shook her head, but the teen seemed not to notice because she went on to try and answer her own question.

"I m-mean probably not; you did say you'd never be one of those things, but h-have you tested it out? Not that you'd really want to-"

A very curious teen apparently…who amusingly enough, was now pacing back and forth as she began to illustrate her words with her hands. Alice was never given a chance to respond to K-mart's rushed queries.

"Your mental powers – what would you s-say is there extent? I've pretty much only seen you shoot those rocks a-and stop the boulders. Oh! Do you think you could use them to enhance your strength or is your strength something separate? I guess that could go for a-all your heightened skills -"

K-mart was about to continue but Alice cut her off.

"Take a damn breath, girl."

The teen looked up and found the light smile on the blonde's face.

Alice watched her smile in return, but then her eyebrows came together in anxiety. Her hazel eyes were fixed on Alice's when she spoke next; her body completely still.

"Can you die?"

Best question I've heard yet. I wish I knew, little girl, Alice thought pessimistically. I really do.

Alice decided she was done being interviewed. It hadn't been fun the first time during the Raccoon City incident, and it wasn't fun now. She stopped the girl's inquiries with a taunt that was meaner than it was good-natured.

"You know – for someone who's supposed to be mute, you talk an awful lot."

K-mart's lower lip trembled and she looked down.

Shit, I've made her cry again, Alice thought, but she had no idea what to do about it. Comfort was out of the question, it would only encourage the girl.

"As far as I know…" K-mart perked up as Alice continued. "I'm immortal."

Alice wasn't sure if she'd rendered the girl speechless again by her previous mocking or by the serious implications of her answer. The teen bit the inside of her lip as the seconds passed uneasily for Alice.

The blonde was forced to look at her watch. 22:22:18.

"We should get back."

The two returned to the house to find Claire pacing inside, lit dramatically by the fluorescent lamp, her arms folded over her chest.

"Have a good walk?" she inquired with an inhospitable tinge.

Alice and K-mart merely looked at her in silence, one unwilling and one unable to answer.

Claire threw up her arms, "fuck it! Next time, I'm taking the walk."

Her voice lowered to a whisper, but Alice caught the jealous words anyways.

"…you two can stay and be all buddy-buddy…probably just sit there not saying a damn word…"

Alice pulled off her coat and then lowered her hood as she walked right past Claire and into the dusty living room. She could feel the heaviness of the redhead's stare upon her back. The blonde thought Claire should be envious, but not of the teen's fondness for her.

A moment passed and Claire spoke again before Alice could get too far.

"I made up the room for K and I…unless you'd rather have it…"

There was a kind of tone to the last bit of Claire's statement and she almost thought the redhead was trying to bait her for something. Well whatever it was, she wouldn't fall for it.

"No, thank you," Alice replied and hadn't known she was still capable of manners.

Claire's response in the form of a smile unnerved her, there was definitely something going on. She could only wait it out and decided she'd start doing so by crashing on the threadbare couch.

She fell back on the worn cushions as Claire picked up the lamp and left for the bedroom.

"Night, Alice," the redhead greeted but was given nothing in return.

K-mart followed her for a moment but then walked back in the dark. Alice listened to the teen's steps as they drew near, her eyes closed in mock sleep.

K-mart's voice came from above her, it was low and soft. "A-Alice, I'm sorry you ca-can't die. I ca-can't imagine the loneliness you feel."

She left and Alice kept her eyes shut tight against the words. Stupid girl, the blonde thought but couldn't figure out why she was. I'm not lonely.

The old couch was too short for her, her obsidian boots were elevated by an armrest as her head set on the other one, but it wasn't uncomfortable. She hadn't bothered to grab a blanket. It was chilly but she could handle it; she wanted to handle it. The slight cold let her focus; better yet, it let her thoughts freeze.

Better not to think at night, better to lie in the dark.

Lying was easy -

Especially, when Alice was cold…