Claire sees the way Alice watches her and Doc. How when Doc takes a step closer and takes her hand offering her soft words of reassurance and comfort Alice has a flicker of understanding across her face before she tears her eyes away from the scene unfolding in front of her to hide the look of hurt and disappointment echoing through her. But Claire saw it. Just like she did back in the desert when she said Alice couldn't stay with the convoy. When Claire couldn't remember who Alice was back in Alaska and the days leading up to the prison.
When Doc leaves the room, they descend into an uncomfortable silence. Both of them unsure where they stand with each other now. Alice stares off to the side to the side formulating plans in her head on her next moves on what is coming for them. While Claire was watching Alice taking in the fact that she is alive and here. That somehow, they have managed to find each other again settles this weight in her chest that has slowly been crashing her ever since the Arcadia was attacked by Umbrella.
Claire finds herself breaking the silence that has engulfed them. Awkwardly she looks at the ground to avoid Alice's gaze as she stumbles over what she is trying to say. "Me and Doc are..." Are what she asks herself. They never really defined what they were to each other. Causal uses of the word love have been thrown around by both of them, but she isn't sure what they have is love.
Maybe it's too soon for her to realise what she is feeling is love. That maybe she isn't as ready to commit to them. That his feelings have grown faster then hers have. That her own trauma is holding her back. The desperate need to bury her emotions in the desert to protect the people who looked to her for guidance. To remain strong and unemotional in the wake of so much death and loss.
Or it could be due to the fact that no one has made her heart race and feel more comforted or protected as the woman sitting in front of her does. How Alice was the one to bring her back to life in the desert. Who ignited something in her she once thought was dead.
Alice grimaces at her words finishing what it was she was trying to break to her. "I noticed." There is a bitter and painful twinge to her voice that has Claire shifting guilty.
This isn't how Claire imagined their reunion to be like. Not with Umbrella leading an army of undead to wipe them all out. Not with Doc creating a tension between the two of them. That the usual ease the two of them have always fallen into even when having just met and without her memory of the other woman there was always a comforting feeling shared between them. An unexplainable link connected them and held them together through the good and the bad times. A reliance on each other they wouldn't dare place on to another.
That feeling isn't here now. A wall has been formed between them. One that Claire desperately wants to tear down with her bare hands. But how can one see that barricade fall when she was the one to accidentally create this divide between them in the first place.
"How uhhh... How are you here." She was originally going to ask how did you find me but the idea of Alice saying she wasn't looking for her as Claire herself wasn't looking for Alice, Chris or K-Mart hurt far more then she thought it would.
Alice's eyes analyse her as she debates on how much she can tell her. How much she can trust her with which does leave a bruise on her heart at Alice's hesitance. "There's a cure," Alice tells her deciding to trust her with this sensitive information. "Umbrella created an airborne anti-virus that will kill everything infected with the T-virus. It's in the Hive. I'm heading there to release it."
Relief floods her body at hearing this. There is a way for this nightmare to finally end. Soon it won't be like every day is a fight for survival. Infected monsters won't roam the world anymore. People can start to rebuild the world and create a new type of normalcy. Children won't be terrified of monsters coming to kill them in the night anymore. Adults won't have to be on guard because they might be right.
Hope begins to build in her chest at this revelation. This hell is almost over. She flashes Alice a small smile at this thought and starts to wonder what her new life will look like after Alice releases the anti-virus. And what role Alice herself will play in her future. She knows what she wants Alice to be in the aftermath but it's the question of if Alice feels it too.
Only Alice doesn't return her smile. In fact, Alice looks away from her. Guilt and fear staining her beautiful features as these emotions are replaced with a look of determination. The way Alice's eyes seem to gleam with the promise of making whatever made Claire smile like that come to fruition. No matter the cost she will see it done.
Claire remains confused for a moment as she repeats Alice's words over in her head for what she missed. Kill everything infected with the T-virus repeats in her head over and over again. The hope that was just starting to grow within her crashes and burns with the horrific realisation of what Alice has implied but not told her. "But what about you." She pushes as fear and dread begin to consume her. "They infected you with the T-Virus. What happens to you when you release the anti-virus."
Alice shakes her head. "It doesn't matter." She tries to argue but Claire won't let her. A righteous anger takes over from the fear of losing Alice yet again.
Scoffing Claire moves closer to confront the dark haired survivor. "It doesn't matter." She repeats making Alice well aware of her anger and discontentment at her reply. "Alice I can't-"Can't what. Can't lose you again. Can't live knowing you died without knowing how much you mean to me. How she can't live without her again. That she can't let Alice go yet again.
Claire wasn't sure how she was going to end that sentence. And she never will because Alice cuts her off. "You know I'm right." Alice grits out so certain of her fate. So, accepting of it.
And Claire hates to admit that she is right. If it was anyone else but Chris and K-mart Claire wouldn't have batted an eye lash at letting someone sacrifice themselves to rid the world of the T-Virus. But this isn't anyone. This is Alice. And the thought of losing her after just getting her back is enough to make her eyes water. To make her heart stop in her chest and make her feel ill.
Claire shakes her head, turning away from Alice, not wanting the dark-haired woman to feel ashamed of her bravery. One of the first things she learned about Alice was the fact she has the weight of the world on her shoulders. How she believes she is the reason why everything happened. Which was bullshit and she even said as much. Alice then tried to explain how the outbreak happened. Told Claire about the Hive, Raccoon City and all the mistakes she made festering herself in guilt and her failures and inactions. But as Claire listened to her story, she didn't hear the tale of the woman who ended the world. No, instead she heard the words of a woman who fought tooth and nail in an attempt to stop it from happening. Who has spent years trying to atone for the sins of other people's actions.
In a way, she can understand why Alice is so determined to end all of this. That if she does, she can fix the mess she witnessed take place years ago. So, Claire can't fault her for that. What she can fault her on is the way she minimizes her own life. How she minimizes the way watching Alice die will have on Claire. She wishes they had longer together. Longer to talk about this. To talk about everything that has happened, and everything still left unsaid between them. But Umbrella is coming to once again tear them apart.
Only this time she won't allow that to happen. She let Alice leave once before in Nevada to wage her war on the corporation. To finish the threat that hung over them. She lost Alice amongst the chaos on the Acarida. She lost Chris and K-Mart on that day as well. She refuses to leave her again. To let Alice just walk away without a fight.
Unaware of her internal thoughts Alice stumbled up and out of the cot coming up behind as Claire made this promise to herself and to Alice. "I won't let Umbrella ruin what you have built here Claire. I can promise you that."
She almost wants to laugh at that. Of course, Alice will put her needs first. Fight battle after battle for her dreams and happiness but won't for a second even think about her own. Turning around Claire moves into Alice's space coming up to cup the older woman's face. An action she had thought about doing many times before. Dreamed about happening under very different circumstances.
Alice tenses for a second before sinking into her embrace. "I don't care about the settlement Alice. I care about you." Claire whispers hoarsely surprising even herself at the truth of the statement.
She sees the way Alice's eyes widen in shock at what she just said. The flicker of something a kindled to what she is feeling sparks in Alice's pale green eyes. "Claire." Alice rasps out but this time Claire is the one to interrupt her.
She's already gone this far. Already opened on the unspoken thing that ties them together. Might as well go all the way. "Tell me you don't feel the same way as me. That you don't see this thing between us for what it is." She challenges Alice to either admit it or end it. She's tired of this. Tired of having to hide the way she feels for Alice. Tired of pretending as if Alice doesn't mean everything to her.
"What about you and Doc." Alices resorts back at her as her arms circle around Claire's waist. Claire can feel the ever so slight tremble Alice has under her touch. How terrified she is to make the wrong move. How selfish she feels thinking this will be the end of them either way. How she desperately is trying to hold on to what little happiness she has left.
"You over Doc. You over everyone Alice." There is no space for doubt that she means what she said in her voice. "I will pick you every time."
Alice doesn't say anything in response to that. Her mouth melts against Claire's perfectly is all the answer Claire needs. Taken a little off guard Claire lets out a small gasp but returns the kiss just as feverously as Alice. Claire could have stayed like that forever. Relishing in the feel of Alice's soft but demanding lips. A demand she equals pushes back just as hard onto the other woman. Her hands holding Alice to her and lost in her hair. It's more then she ever dreamed it would be.
Reluctantly the two of them broke away. As much as they would both prefer to stay hidden away in this room with each other learning what the other likes and dislikes while exploring each other. They can't. Not with the clock on Alice's wrist counting down steadily. Not as Umbrella treks closer and closer to the tower.
Breathless from the kiss. From finally getting to kiss Alice Claire is on cloud nine. Maybe the anti-virus won't kill Alice. Maybe they can make it together. A chance to live in peace with Alice is all she needs. "When we defeat Umbrella then we will go together to the Hive and end this nightmare once and for all."
Alice beams that crooked side grin of hers when she is really happy. The most honest and dazzling version of all her smiles. The one she reserves for only those she really loves. The dark haired woman leans down and presses multiple soft and chaste kisses to her lips taking pleasure in the smallest of touches. "Together," Alice promises just like her. They will do this together just as it was always meant to be.