I know this update is short, but I didn't want to just pump it with filler. It has what it needs, and I think that's good enough. I hope you all like it anyway.

Chapter 24: Only For A Moment

Claire had been watching Alice for some time without the brunette's knowledge. She'd returned hours ago, but just couldn't bring herself to go inside. Now that Alice was awake she was apprehensive. The redhead took another long sigh as she pulled out a cigarette from the carton in her back pocket. She'd given up smoking right around the time she found K-mart. The teen gave her something she'd thought was long gone. They were family.

"Claire, I'm sorry I never talked to you. I tried all the time, but I just couldn't do it. Then Alice came along, and I don't know-" K shrugged. "She just seemed so approachable."

The redhead chuckled. "Approachable is hardly a word I would use to describe Alice."

K smiled back at her. "You love her, don't you?"

Claire broke off from the teen's inquisitive gaze. The simple answer was no. The long and complicated answer was while Alice could be terrifying, she always felt safe in her presence; while Alice had done unforgivable things, she would always be the one to forgive her; while she'd lived without Alice before, she knew, that just like Alice, she wouldn't be able to after. The simple answer was a lie. The long and complicated one – was love.

The redhead sighed as she looked around their cell again. Her thoughts were a constant where Alice was concerned. Claire missed her.

"I do K," the redhead finally answered. "I really do."

Claire put the filter lightly in her mouth and dug around for her lighter. She pulled the plastic container out of her jean pocket and brought it up to face-level. The redhead struck the metal igniter with her thumb, and when she had a flame she sucked the fumes from the fire in waiting for the cigarette to catch. She became lightheaded as nicotine and smoke played in her lungs. The end of the cigarette glowed orange, and she released the lighter's trigger at the same time removing the cigarette from her lips and expelling the poisonous smoke.

She was a lot more like Alice than she ever thought. The brunette may've had drinking, but Claire could be just as self-damaging. She took another drag, this time much longer than the first. The redhead didn't know she'd missed the simple action of smoking. It was a habit she picked up in school to combat what she thought was stress at the time. Now she knew stress. Stress was not knowing when you're next meal would be, while trying to avoid being something else's next meal. Still that wasn't kind of anxiety she was fighting now.

She flicked her cigarette to knock off the ash as one word played over in her mind.

Alice…

Speak of the devil, she thought as the brunette suddenly emerged from the cabin. Claire put out her cigarette not wanting the smoldering orange light or the smell of smoke to bring Alice to her. She wasn't ready yet.

The redhead watched Alice look around, but the brunette never turned her way. Instead she seemed fixed on the Hummer. Alice buried her face in her hands on the hood, and Claire let out a silent sigh. True, she was bruised, but Alice seemed to be hurting much, much more.

The brunette suddenly picked herself up from the Beast and took a few steps back. Alice squared her shoulders and seemed to stare at the vehicle. What the fuck is she doing? Claire thought. Then the Hummer started to shake. Oh hell no. The redhead was instantly reminded of the Mustang, but that was nothing like the power Alice was showing now. Before the brunette could lift an entire car into the air, now she couldn't even make the Hummer levitate an inch off the ground.

Alice let out a sharp cry of pain, and it spurned Claire forward at a sprint. The brunette collapsed to the ground before she could reach her. Alice saw her and forced up a hand.

"Stop," she pleaded. Her voice was desperate, and the redhead could tell she was fighting pain.

Claire froze a few feet from her. She watched in agony as Alice moved her feet beneath her to stand on her own leaving her hand out to keep Claire away. The brunette teetered and had to place her hands on the Hummer for support. She didn't really understand why Alice was losing the abilities she had. It was probably because of something Dr. Isaacs had done to her, again.

Once Alice seemed settled on the vehicle, the redhead watched her turn around so that they were facing each other. Suddenly K appeared in the doorway of the candlelit cabin, wooden spoon in hand and Paco at her feet.

"Is everything…" the teen let her question drop at what she saw before her. "Dinner's in five." At that she went back inside, shutting the door behind her, but Claire thought she saw a smile grace the girl's lips first. She looked back at the woman before her.

Alice stared into her eyes, and Claire could've sworn that behind the cobalt blue she saw regret. The brunette spoke softly almost as if she took even a breath the redhead would startle, but Claire wasn't going anywhere.

"Claire?"

Alice already had her full attention, but she tilted her head to the side slightly in reaction. The brunette took a nervous swallow and began to wring her hands, but she never looked away from the redhead. Claire watched tears fall down the woman's cheeks.

"I'm so sorry for hurting you."

She could easily see Alice was telling the truth, and now it was Claire's turn to regret her actions. She'd been fully prepared to leave Alice behind on the Arcadia. Alice wasn't the only one who let anger get the best of them. When it became apparent that the brunette was intent to sacrifice herself Claire took the opportunity without a second thought.

She choked as she tried to get her breath back. The pain in her throat coupled with the ache in her back made it difficult. K was instantly at her side and trying to help her to her feet. She took the teen's outstretched hand and pulled herself up. Alice was already gone from her sight. Forget her, Claire thought, anger plaguing her mind. K had to be her first priority; she'd always come before everything else. She'll catch up – or she won't.

They ran to the stairs, intent to get to hanger. She cleared all of the Umbrella soldiers in their way with a slew of strategically placed bullets. They made it to the white hanger, and she made K take the lead. Suddenly Claire heard a sound behind her, and she turned ready to shoot. It was Alice. Her heart ached for the brunette to join them, but somehow seeing the right side of her face smeared with blood reminded her of a monster; it repulsed her.

Alice immediately turned on her heel as if she'd changed her mind. Then a whole team of Umbrella soldiers entered the hanger, and it seemed as though the brunette would rather stay and fight. That's her choice.

Claire ran to the Osprey and went straight to the controls. It took her a few seconds to find the correct switches, but she flipped the right ones as she came across them. The turbine engines started up, and she looked for the button that would launch them from the hanger. K wasn't saying anything and for once, Claire was happy with her silence. She didn't need K to tell her to that she was going to regret what she was about to do – she already knew.

She found the button, but didn't press it yet.

I think this may be the biggest mistake of my life.

The redhead didn't hit the button. Instead Claire stood from the pilot's seat and ran out of the Osprey to see Alice had lost. The brunette was a monster, but she was her monster.

So who besides me is sad as hell that this story is almost over? One chapter left...