You can tell I was a lot more motivated writing this chapter than the last one by how fast I did it xD - and for good reason ! Hope you guys enjoy, and the next chapter is coming up soon !


Chapter 5. I've Got You

Though the screams were faint, there was no denying that they belonged to Ashley. After spending so much time together both outside and in close quarters, he could recognize her voice anywhere. And so he reacted before thinking, sprinting out the elevator – right past the armed guards, hearing Alice shout behind him, "Don't shoot, he's got security clearance !"

He probably should've presented his newly-acquired card, but anything outside of getting to Ashley didn't matter – not when her voice was laced with such sheer agony. Fury like he'd never felt before fueled him, and he burst through the first door he saw like a crazed bull, whipping out his pistol at the nearest person. "Where's Ashley ?!" He demanded to the target of his gun, who happened to be a greying man in his late forties.

"Who do you think you are to barge in here like this ?!" The man spat angrily, apparently indifferent in the face of danger.

Leon forced himself to calm down, though all he wanted to do was shout even louder. "Agent Leon S. Kennedy." He said through gritted teeth, taking a moment to show his card. "Where the fuck is Ashley Graham ?"

When the man refused to answer – still peeved by Leon's sudden appearance, the latter briefly considered resorting to violence. The thought was becoming more appealing with every second that Ashley's screams were prolonged, when a woman said, "She's down the hallway – take a turn left, then continue straight ! You'll find her behind the first door you see !"

He didn't bother to thank her, spinning around to follow her instructions. He must've on the right track, because Ashley's screams were becoming gradually louder – escalating to the point of shrieks like nothing Leon had ever heard, so primal in their fear and pain that it shook him to his core.

Like he'd been told, he continued down the corridor after making the turn, and kicked through the first door by the end of it – sending it flying open with a metallic clank.

A group of scientists and the like were hovering near numerous consoles, but Leon barely saw them. There – taking half of the wall was a one-way mirror, and Ashley was on the other side of it; the sight made his stomach drop.

She was lying in a chair similar to the one Luis had invented to remove the parasites, but the difference here was that Ashley's wrists and legs were bound by metal cuffs – her entire body surrounded by a glowing, red bubble that seemed to crackle with electricity. But shocking as that was, there was nothing more horrifying than seeing Ashley's back arched to its peak, her mouth stretched at its widest as she screamed without end…her eyes a vibrant, all too-familiar crimson. "Make it stop !" He yelled through the noise at the scientists, but all they did was glance at one another.

Leon didn't have time to fiddle with the buttons – he went straight for the door and slammed his shoulder against the solid material, once, twice, until he broke through and stumbled forward.

Ashley was being tortured, and the sight of it – the sounds, were even more traumatizing up close. He didn't try to find out what the electric bubble was – he just rushed forward, dropping his gun to grab her, shaking her shoulders. "Ashley, snap out of it !" He yelled, but even though her eyes were open, she couldn't hear him.

I have to get her out, he thought, looking at the unfamiliar machine. Left with no other choice, Leon went about undoing the cuffs that held her captive using his knife, and – one by one, managed to undo the cuffs without harming Ashley with the blade, though the process was painfully slow as she continued to scream and writhe in pain.

But as soon as all the cuffs were disconnected, the machine seemed to turn off – the red bubble disappearing, along with the source of Ashley's agony. She slumped limply against the seat, her eyes closed. The sudden quiet was unsettling, and Leon reached forward to touch the her cheek. "Ashley, hey. Wake up."

Her eyes fluttered open to tired slits, looking up to Leon. She sobbed at the sight of him – causing his chest to tighten at the helpless sound. "Shh, shh, shh. It's okay, I've got you." He said with a gentle smile. "I'm going to lift you, okay ?"

She nodded weakly, and Leon lifted her into his arms in one go. She yelped in pain as her body was moved, but quickly settled after – falling asleep as soon as her head touched his chest, exhausted. They did this to her, he thought resentfully, glaring at that damn chair. He had a mind to destroy it…but he knew he couldn't go that far. Besides, right now, his priority was getting Ashley out of here.

"Wait." A voice said as he walked out of the containment chamber – more like torture chamber, and looked to the man who had addressed him. The tag on his coat read, James Shepherd. "You can't just take her."

"Watch me."

"She's dangerous ! We don't know if or when she might turn –"

"She's with me !" Leon snapped, raising his voice. His quota of patience for the day had run out. "Nothing's going to happen as long as I'm with her."

"And if you're not ?"

Where was Leon's gun ? Ah, right. It was still on the floor where he'd dropped it, next to the chair. Shame. "That's not going to happen. But word of advice ? Maybe you should think about that, next time. You know, before torturing the people you're supposed to help."

"We were, Mr. Kennedy." An older voice suddenly said, and Leon searched for its origin. A man was standing at the far-end of the room, leaning against one of the consoles with a smirk.

"Yeah ? And who're you ?"

"Derek Simmons, lead scientist in Ms. Graham's case. As you've surely been told, her body is still infected with the last Plaga that inhabited her. That machine you just damaged is an upgraded version of Luis Sera's invention – designed to exterminate any alien matter in a person's body."

"Seems to me like your machine's flawed." Leon retorted.

"Ah, but that's the thing, Mr. Kennedy. The machine is perfect, it made no mistake. But Ms. Graham reacted the way she did, not because of the Plaga, but because she has become the Plaga."

Leon didn't let them see how rattled he was by the news. He didn't know what made him more angry – the fact that Ashley was thrown right back into another nightmare, or that their machine, made for 'extermination', had been outright killing her. And the man – the lead scientist, Derek Simmons, was not only openly implying that, but showing no remorse over it.

"I've heard enough." Said Leon, and adjusted Ashley's body against his. He made for the exit – when James tried to stop him once more.

"Wait ! Didn't you hear a word he said ? You can't just –"

Simmons interrupted, cutting off the younger man. "That's enough, Dr. Shepherd. Mr. Kennedy will come back when he requires our help." He said this with such confidence – such assurance, like a prediction of the future, that it made Leon nervous.

But he ignored the man and carried Ashley out of this cold, horrible place.

Ashley had no awareness of time or space, just that she was being carried, and Leon's warmth comforted her – both emotionally and physically, as she slipped in and out of consciousness. Her body felt like it had been ripped to pieces and then put back together, still raw with pain…but Leon's touch soothed her; it felt like home.

Leon's arms were aching with carrying Ashley's entire weight all the way to his apartment, grunting as he shouldered his way through the doorway – making sure none of her limbs got knocked over in the process. Closing the door with his foot, he then walked into the living room, where he gently lowered Ashley's body onto the couch.

Now what ? He wondered, looking at her sleeping form. She didn't seem injured, but whatever damage that machine had caused, it would be on the inside – therefore unseen to the naked eye. "Helpful," He mumbled to no one in particular.

He figured he should keep watch over her during the night, give her some time to recuperate before he tried anything else. With that decision made, Leon went to his bedroom and came out with a fresh blanket, covering Ashley with it. He then proceeded to pull out a chair, where he sat…and waited.

One hour went by.

Two hours went by. Daylight had come and gone by then.

His phone suddenly went off, startling even him. Why was his ringtone so loud ? Cursing under his breath, Leon quickly crossed the distance to his bedroom so that the sound wouldn't disturb Ashley, and began closing the door behind him…but stopped midway, hesitating. He left it ajar, uncomfortable to have Ashley out of his sight for even a second. What if something happened when his back was turned – what if she needed him ?

"Hello," He said as he answered the call.

"Leon ! You said you were going after my daughter – it's been six hours since then ! What's going on with my little girl ?"

Shit. In his hurry to find Ashley – and relief when he finally did, he had completely forgotten to notify Mrs. Graham. But what could he tell her ? We found out your daughter's body has mutated into something unknown due to the parasite that once nested inside her, and as a result she was being tortured by scientists who would sell their souls to the devil - and more, if it got them what they wanted. Yeah, no. He didn't really see that conversation going well.

"Ms. Graham is safe. There have been some…changes in her physical condition, but I'm sorry to say I can't go into any details right now." He'd let the D.S.O deal with that later, once he figured out why they'd fallen so low. Or…did his superiors even know what was going on ? He put a raincheck on the thought.

"What do you mean, changes ? Is my baby girl okay ?" She still asked, her voice trembling on the 'baby girl'.

"She'll be okay. She's resting somewhere safe right now, but we're keeping a low profile until this whole ordeal gets sorted out, and the D.S.O shines some light on what's going on."

Leon thought Mrs. Graham would argue more – given her tenacity over the smallest things, but instead he heard her sigh in relief. "I loathe this ridiculous secrecy thing, but I can't say I'm unfamiliar with the concept, living as the president's wife and all…either way, I trust you, Leon. That's the only thing keeping me from completely losing it right now, because I know you'll keep Ashley safe."

"Thank you, ma'am." Was all he could think to say. Part of him was moved that the woman trusted him so deeply, but part of him felt guilty. He glanced at Ashley's unmoving form, aside from the slow rise of her chest – signifying she was breathing. As of this day, he'd failed to protect her when she needed him most.

It's the last time, he promised to himself. No more. He wouldn't let anything or anyone hurt Ashley like that ever again. "Have you managed to reach the president ?" He asked, snapping out of his thoughts – now was not the time.

There was a pause. "…his secretary will pass on the message. Let's hope he's not 'too busy' to come back for his daughter." Leon sensed bitterness behind the woman's words, though he decided the best course of action was to stay out of it.

A few more minutes passed before he hung up and returned to Ashley's side. She seemed so peaceful in her sleep…if only it could last.

Ashley felt like she was on fire. She was too hot and aching everywhere – and the slightest movement made her whimper in pain. "Ashley ?" A voice suddenly called out.

She couldn't even open her eyes, at least not at first. She eventually managed it, and saw Leon's face…he was worried, Ashley could tell by the way his forehead was creased. She opened her mouth to say something, but her throat was too dry – and twice as painful as the rest of her body, feeling like she'd been stabbed there and lived to tell the tale.

But her tense muscles relaxed when a hand touched her forehead – Leon's hand. "Jesus, you're burning up. We need to cool you down." He disappeared right after saying that, before coming back with pills and a glass of water. "Do you think you can swallow this ?"

Swallow ? The pain in her throat was saying a hard no. Ashley shook her head, though the movement was weak, practically nonexistent. She was so tired.

Leon looked troubled at this, before disappearing once more. He came back a couple of minutes later with the same glass, but the water was murky now. He must've crushed the pills and mixed them with the water.

"I'm going to have to lift you up, okay ?" Ashley nodded. She didn't even have time to brace herself before Leon lifted her against him. She groaned at the pain, feeling like she'd tumbled down a mountain and broken everything inside her. "You okay ?" He asked as he held her, an arm around her waist to keep her from falling.

"Dumb question," She muttered, and to her surprise – like every other time, Leon laughed.

"You're right." He chuckled just above her ear. "Here, try to drink this. It's an anti-inflammatory and painkiller."

This time Ashley did brace herself and sipped on the medicine – which was bitter, but the coolness of the water soothed her ravaged throat. "What happened to me ?" She asked after a few sips.

"We'll talk about once you're feeling better, okay ?" He was speaking so softly to her. When had he become so gentle ?

She acquiesced with another nod. "Can we stay like this a little longer ?" Ashley wrapped her fingers around his arm, while her head laid atop his shoulder.

"Sure. Whatever you want."

Her heart would usually be beating up a storm in such close proximity to him, but all she felt now was peace.

Ashley had fallen asleep. Leon gazed at the top of her yellow head, his arm still circling her back. I'm just doing my job, he told himself – and immediately knew that was a blatant lie. So much for not getting involved…he was in too deep now.

To be continued…