Wake Up

Chapter Seven

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Freedom of the Press

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She had tried to get out of the house in the past few days, running little errands here and there, mostly trying to pass the time and occupy her mind. She’d found a place to call home in her little apartment and had gotten a few things to make it feel more inviting to others but mostly to herself, including a can of pepper spray and several knife stands, fully loaded. She didn’t know what kind of safety that would bring her, but it was more reassuring then having nothing although having a gun… well that was something she‘d have to prep herself for.

That’s how she ended up at the library-- trying to buy her time and possibly find a book about weapons safety. She’d walked there since she hadn’t had a car and wasn’t able to really get around by herself yet. Plus she was nervous to be in a car alone after all the things she’d been through. She’d entered the public library thinking that she’d find something to familiarize her with the equipment enough to actually step into a gun store without simply passing by it on the street as she had been doing.

‘I want to be able to protect myself, even if I know I’m just a little girl…’ she thought as she scanned the gigantic bookshelves. She’d obtained the help of a library assistant who had written down the section and the area where she could find that kind of information. The assistant, a woman, recognized her as the president’s daughter and had given her a strange look at her request.

Almost as if to say, “you’re such a pampered princess, why look up guns when you could just get one from the secret service agent you’ve probably got mulling around after you.” She had tried to ignore it, but it seemed even American kindness extended in the forms of looks and raised eye brows couldn’t be ignored. It seemed almost petty that the woman had to treat her that way-- but she must have been the same way before everything happened to her-- before she changed.

Her eyes lightly scanned the books; she was trying to find something in particular-- a book about realistic weapons that a civilian could own. Something like the pistol Leon carried with him at all time-- the silver one. He always had it on him, he hadn’t even gotten rid of it when he’d bought the

She stopped herself in the middle of the path and chided herself for thinking about him. She had hoped that maybe when they got out of here he might show her how to work one of those things-- so he wouldn’t have to worry about protecting her any longer. She was trying to forget everything that had happened while in Spain-- every detail-- and thinking about him made her insides quake despite his image only being a part of her memories now.

“Looking for something specific?” came a voice from behind her, startling her and causing her to drop the book she was holding. She turned, startled, her eyes clouding with instant fear as she saw a young, blond haired man leaning over to pick up the book she had just dropped like a fool. She felt her whole body tensing as she forced herself to relax. Breathing deeply she pasted a shaky smile on her face.

“Oh…” she said, “I’m sorry-- I didn’t mean to drop that on your foot you just-- startled me…” she trailed off uncomfortably as he stood back up. Like most men, he was much taller then her-- that she was used to, but his bright blue eyes seemed so friendly-- the reminded her of someone else who was taller then her…

“Ouch, I’m wounded!” he said playfully as he pretended to hobble, grabbing at his chest sarcastically, “You might have to take me to a doctor, stat-- I think I might lose a limb…” and his voice was friendly too, and despite herself she began to relax as he spoke again, “or you could just give a shot?”

Eyeing her up and down he seemed to recognize her after a moment of silence and said, “Hey, you’re the president’s daughter aren’t you?” he smiled. He had a crooked grin, a lazy one-- and she noticed that his smile seemed fake, almost too perfect and picturesque-- like something you‘d see in a commercial for a dentist. She smiled without trying to be too friendly and took the book back. It was called; “Handguns for the Common Civilian“.

She nodded and started to put the book away but hesitated, “Well since you know my name, you might want to give me yours-- it’s only polite.” giving him a curt look from over her shoulder. His grin, if possible seemed to engulf his entire face as he smiled wider still, and with a shake of his hands, bowed gracefully as if he was a member of the highest court.

She laughed despite herself and she thought how weird her laughter seemed to her now. She hadn’t really laughed in a long time it felt like-- certainly she had never laughed with Leon…

“The name’s Rick Reynolds, at your service my lady. And what, may I ask, is such a beautiful example of female species doing looking up a book on handguns at a private library, if I may ask?”

She recoiled from the sound of his voice, instantly going defense and side stepped him. Wrapping her arms around her chest, she tried her best to cover the books titles and bindings but to no avail. He simply crossed the distance between him and peeking through her slender arms, read the second title out loud as they were crossing the library. She just wanted to get away from him at this point-- it was none of his business!

“You may not ask-- and frankly I think that’s rude of you. I have a term paper to write about the use of weapons in society-- don’t you know my father is against civilians owning guns? Or do you not read up on politics?” she asked, sticking her nose in the air as she marched towards the front desk. She wasn’t concerned that he followed her, just that he was so… persistent.

“Hey hey hey,” he said and grabbing her gently by the arm trying to swing her around. She froze instantly-- memories smashing into her at the touch. Instant tears blotted her eyes as she gasped, seemingly in outrage at his audacity although she herself was trapped in her own bitter memories. Her own nightmares that she couldn’t even escape while she was awake were flashing before her eyes.

She uttered a short shriek and jerked away, almost losing the armful of books she was clutching to her chest. Her eyes widened as she felt the clammy touch of a Ganado reaching for her-- it’s grasp chilling to remember as she recalled how desolate she felt when they grappled against her struggling limbs.

He stopped, “Wow, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to make you cry-- I know the subject must be hard for you to have to research-- my bad…“ Ashley felt her eyes starting to focus as she realized that people were staring at her. Yes. ‘It is hard to research‘, she thought angrily as she came more and more to her senses, ‘not like it’s any of your business, creep…’

“…I was just trying to get your attention in any way I could…” he trailed off and while Ashley was nodding at his face-- she was trapped in her memories. She could only faintly hear him speaking and even then she wanted to tuck tail and run as she’d always done with Leon. But running away? There was nothing to run away from here except herself.

“Are you okay, Ashley?” he asked, concerned as she continued to not respond. He gave her shoulder a shake and like a bubble bursting, her eyes gained their focus and looked up at him. For some reason her instincts were on fire-- and adrenaline was pumping. Without any warrant she peered up at his face-- searching for something, anything-- something her mind was telling her to find.

“What happened to you nose?” she asked, still a little dazed but becoming clearer headed by the second. The boy seemed to rub his nose sheepishly, nervously scratching his head as he did so.

“Oh this?” he asked, pointing to the huge hump that had seemingly formed there at some point, “I broke my nose a couple months ago and didn’t have the strength to set it myself. I wish I had-- but now I look back and feel a little silly about the whole thing.”

“Nobody was willing to help you with it? I bet that hurt like hell…” she mumbled, trying to make up for her blunder. Not only had she just been incredible rude, she’d obviously brought up painful memories for the poor guy. She felt bad, and wanted to put the situation back into a friendly court.

“Yeah well-- live and let live!” he said with a guarded smile. She could tell he was hiding something, but then again she wasn’t about to start spilling all her dark secrets to a stranger either. He’d probably gotten into a fight with his girlfriends lover or something like that and simply didn’t want to admit he’d gotten his ass kicked. Yeah, that sounded better…

“Well, it is good to see you’re able to get over the things that happened in the past and smile about it now. It was a pleasure meeting you Rick, thanks for the company.” she said, turning away from him with an obvious “goodbye smile”. She wanted to groan in frustration as he jogged to catch up to her, apparently intrigued.

“And what’s that supposed to mean? You can’t?” he asked, as they neared the front counter where she’d check out her books and be gone. Gone from this strange, friendly man.

“Are you always this persistent?” she asked, turning to look at him, unknowingly throwing him a flirtatious smile from across her shoulder.

“Only with a beautiful lady.” he replied instantly.

“And do they always fall to your charms?” she said with a laugh, stopping at the counter and placing her books, binding away from his eyes and face down.

“I always get what I want, ladies are no exception.” he said with a dangerously sly smile. Despite herself it made her shiver, “but you’re the same way right? Surely being the First Daughter has its perks?” he asked coolly, and she let out a harsh laugh despite herself.

Her face morphed into a blossom of red as he and the store clerk gave her strange stares. She hadn’t meant to scoff that loud but the thought that being the president’s daughter gave her perks-- was laughable. Some perks. Yes paid vacation to Spain where you could have adrenaline pumping action thrills complete with your very own insectoid monster implanted in your chest. Yes… it sure had perks.

Choosing to ignore him from that point, she turned to address the clerk who had treated her like a snob earlier. She didn’t look any better. Her upper lip seemed to be fused with her other as she gave her a pointed stare-- obviously trying to show her dislike to the attention she got. She probably assumed she got it because she was the first daughter. But if only she hadn’t been-- she would have traded places with her any day.

“I need your library card, Ms. Graham-- or don’t you have it?” she asked coolly, and Ashley felt her blush deepen as she realized her wallet had disappeared back when she was kidnapped and her new one only had a few things in it. Rick who was standing too close for comfort, was watching her sift through her bag as the lady continued, “well do you have it or not-- I don’t have all day.”

She felt tears dot her eyes as she delved into the bag, finally closing her fingers around her license which wou. She pulled it out and offered it mutely to the store clerk, embarrassed that it was all she had. She hadn‘t even thought about getting a new card-- it was just by chance her replacement license was in her bag floating around in the abyss.

She looked at the license with a pointed glare, “this isn’t a library card, you know?” and gave her a sneer. Ashley started to say something but stopped as Rick interrupted her first;

“I don’t think the Manager here would like the way you’re treating Ms. Graham. Let alone the secret service that is probably watching her in here. I’d be quite or she’ll have you looked up for months…” he said with a low tone. Both girls had to stretch forward to hear what he said-- and both got cold shivers at his words. Ashley had never in her life demanded someone be locked up-- and if the girl felt the need to spread rumors, it certainly wouldn’t help her father any.

“Well she should’ve been more prepared!” she snapped blushing furiously as she began checking out the books to her. He looked over at Ashley and winked and she felt an odd feeling rise up her spine. He seemed friendly enough-- but it was high time she got back to her apartment. Being out and about without anyone here to protect her made her feel vulnerable-- plus she had to get home to make a lunch for two.

“Well, thanks for all you help, Rick-- it’s been nice.” she said, picking up her books and turning away from him. She smiled, intent on leaving. He stepped forward slowly as she turned to leave and called out to her--

“Well how about you and I go catch a bite to eat or stop at a bar and talk some more-- I’d really like to get to know you a little better.”

Laughing she said, nearing the door without looking back, “Sorry, underage-- can’t drink at a bar.”

“Well how about a party?” he said, making a silly dance move resembling the fish at the counter with a goofy grin on his face. He sure did try hard but for some reason, like all the other guys she’d ever been around-- she just wasn’t interested in anything-- hadn’t been-- and certainly wasn’t now. Not after Spain. Not after Leon. It would never be the same for her again.

“Sorry,” she said, opening the heavy oak door with one arm, her other securely wrapped around the books she’d just checked out, “I’m not a clubbing type of girl.” and with that she stepped past the door and let it slam shut behind her.

…

He’d tried to settle into his new home as best he could, but it was so large that the entire place ended up looking like a pauper had come calling and was simply staying the night while the real owner was away on vacation. He barely had anything to cover his room. He didn’t know why he needed such grand lodgings, it wasn’t like he liked it anyway-- he preferred something quiet and peaceful-- and not on the water either.

But it was part of his mission in the end and there was nothing he could do about it. His new mission… which wasn’t all that different from the first one was going to be very troublesome. He was supposed to report in today but he’d intentionally procrastinated-- delaying every possible second in hopes that somebody in the higher up would change their mind.

“I’m trusting you in more then one way…”

When the president had said that-- it had made him quiet literally sick to the stomach. What the hell did he mean by that? Did he even what to know what meant when he said he was entrusting his daughter to him? Somehow the thought of pissing off the President of the United States didn’t seem appealing-- although after everything he’d been through in his young life, he didn’t have the strength to be concerned over a single man regardless of his position of authority.

‘Ashley…’ he thought, his mind wandering the First Daughter. It had been so long since he’d seen her in person. He still could remember every feature and expression (usually fear) and the thought made his eyes soften. He was proud to say that he’d gotten her out of there-- proud that he‘d managed to get her home like he said he would. Too many times people died senselessly and she didn‘t need to be the next statistic. Not on his watch.

Not like either of them really had any control. Hell, if anything, they needed each other a shit load to get out of there. He wasn’t the only brains in that operation although he certainly was the morphine to her hysteria. Without him, she would have come home a little more special then she already was and without her, he’d never made it out period.

To think that someone could actually concoct such a ridiculous, perverse plan-- well that was the kind of thing that made him never want to have children in this world. Nothing seemed like it could amaze him anymore, although watching that spiny, membranous whatever-it-was shoot out of that living, breathing human being’s stump of a neck… well, that had taken the cake at the time but it seemed like child’s play really or something from a bad zombie flick. If only the world knew the true evil that was cultivated in those susceptible to evil.

Thinking about it, Sadler had been a sad, sick little man, controlled by power and greed but he had lacked the true dementia that was able to fabricate such a convoluted masterpiece of horror. He’d let the Plagas monster be implanted into the townspeople surrounding his families castle-- his very own land but all because he was weak and feeble minded enough to be controlled as he had been by Salazar.

So many people… The people at Raccoon City and Ashley-- not to mention all the villagers that Salazar was able to infect-- they’d all suffered unnecessarily under his cruelty and the anger he had from his first day on the job so long ago flared violently within him. People like that-- those people were the ones who hurt innocent people. They gave him a job.

In some respects he was grateful for that. If it hadn’t been for this whole ordeal, he may have not met Ashley. He never would have met Seth or even Ada-- he’d probably still be a cop and the world would be different without it. Thinking about the what-ifs never gave him any peace of mind but oddly this time around he was almost, relieved that history was already finished and that the present was all he had to worry about.

His present that involved Ashley. The thought of her made a nervous, sickening excitement race through him as if he were a child eager to open presents at Christmas. He had no idea what she was really like in real life-- and even if he did, would he really allow himself to delight in that one small pleasure. He knew damn well just how easily he’d given in to those “desires” before and it was hard for him considering he’d never been in any relationships, be it friend or otherwise, with a woman for very long.

What horrors she had had to endure. She was a girl, almost as old as he was when he had been in Raccoon city-- but he was a man. There was a different kind of protection a girl needed from horrors of that nature. She had innocence, virtue-- so many other things that were theirs for the taking. And they took all they could-- her terrible nightmares were a direct reflection of that. But even still, he was unwilling to see-- unwilling to realize just how damaged she had become from that trip and he hadn’t even seen her yet.

Part of him wondered if she’d revert right back to type-- a typical college girl. But he found the prospect of being around her when he was trying to save both their asses, in a normal situation-- oddly exciting. He had to get up and pace around his gigantic room as the nervous energy filled him as he thought of her. He’d been with her for weeks and he’d only ever seen her in one pair of clothes-- with one look-- dirty.

He could hardly imagine her as anything else although the picture he had of her which he kept locked away showed something vastly different then the girl he’d been protecting-- who was scared but strong. Who whined and had been a complete bitch…

Yes… she’d not been the poster-child for a heroine, but it made her unique. He couldn’t imagine being a girl, trapped in another country with only one other person to help her. Not to mention, both of them were infected with a drug that could cause them to lose control and hurt the other. As much as he hated the shrill sound of her scream, he didn’t fault her for it. If anything, the sound made him want to drag her close…

“Jesus…” he whispered hoarsely into the empty apartment. He rubbed at his eyes, trying to keep them from watering with sleepiness. He hadn’t slept much himself since they’d gotten back-- instead he dreamed. But what used to be dreams of Ada had become a terrible mixture of the two women he’d ever protected. The worst part was waking up and knowing that neither of them was close-- that there was nothing that could be done for either of them.

He remembered the way she sounded while she slept and found himself feeling like a fool for feeling sleepy. If anyone got terrible sleep, he knew that was Ashley. But as terrible as it was, he was almost glad when she would dream. It gave him a reason to get close to someone in a confusingly positive way. He felt like with his touch he could help her, save some part of her from herself, but he could see now that he was just trying to satisfy some of his own needs as well.

God… he hadn’t been innocent and thinking about it now made his stomach roll with shame and a lust so powerful that it made him slump into the creaking chair at his table, his elbows on his knees as he swiped at his hair. Oh, he remembered the first time he’d touched her as if it was happening that instant-- every breath and trace of skin perfectly memorized within him…

…

He wasn’t able to sleep the entire night. When Ashley began to stir in her bed he had first thought she was merely waking, but she rolled over onto her side and continued to groan. Not wanting to alert anyone around them of their presence he had returned to her side, for what felt like the 30th time that night, and peered over her shoulder to see her sweat covered face contorted into pain. Grabbing her by the shoulders he rolled her gently so that she faced the wall where he was sitting. He felt her relax under his hands and he again returned to his perch, carefully avoiding looking at her face.

But less then an hour later he heard that ruffle of the sandpaper sheets against each other as she started to pedal her legs as if running in her sleep. It took only a few moments before she was thrashing wildly in the bed, her eyes opening in alarm and catching his with a dead look that made him realize she was still sleeping. As her eyes rolled back into her head she began to cry, tears leaking onto the stained sheets as she moaned repeatedly his name.

. He’d gotten up from his perch and plucked her off the bed where she was flailing in her sleep, fighting enemies he couldn’t see-- couldn’t shoot-- couldn’t save her from. She moaned in pain, her head rocking against his arm, her mouth opening in a O of terror as she wordlessly blubbered pleas into the warmth of his wide chest-- her voice notably dropped as he touched her and her screams instantly abated.

Cradling her close to his body, he pulled her warmth against him as she seemed to fight him off initially. He held her firmly so she could accept the strength he was offering her and bit his lip at the situation he’d been put into. He was able to feel the rapid racing of her heart against his back steadily slow as she began to still-- her dreams subsiding… her fears fluttering away like a bird to the sky. She was again sleeping, her mouth partially open and moist from talking. Tear streaks showed smudges of dirt trials that revealed a beautiful, lovely tan skin on their moist trails.

He groaned as she shifted, her bum pressing against his groin unknowingly and squirming as she resumed trying to get comfortable in his arms. He watched as she shivered and without thinking leaned back against the bed, drawing her body down with him until he felt her back touch the rough sheets. She groaned again, fearfully but with reserved emotions and he moved one hand to her face, smoothing her hair back from her scalp where it had stuck to her sweat.

…Leon groaned inwardly at the memory, and despite himself he felt a wave of desire swirl through him at the memory. He couldn’t stop it from replaying in his mind-- as it had so many times before. It wasn’t the last time either, which made it worse. This scene had played out so many times while they’d been abroad-- and now that he was home in a room by himself, the memory was harder to control.

She was lying mostly on her back, but turned in towards him so he could share as much warmth with her as possible, at least, that’s the excuse he gave himself at the time. In truth he had only wanted to stop her screaming-- they didn’t need to alert anyone to their presence and she certainly didn’t want to wake up from a nightmare to see she was really living in one. He tried to stay as still as possible as her breath fanned against his skin, making him shiver with something other then cold.

“Leon…”

The sound of her whispering his voice brought his attention back to her face, staring intently at her to see if she had awoken his eyes wide at their awkward positions. He didn‘t think he could stand having to hear it from her for hours and hours about how he‘d groped her in her sleep. But she never remembered those dreams and her voice had sounded so pathetic and so childlike… he shamefully felt an instant burn of passion flare through his veins as the sound replayed in his ears and he visualized how her lips would look saying his name as she had.

Ah yes…

It was… so slow yet so quick. His eyes dropped to her lips, curious and he’d leaned forward without thinking and barely inches from her lips felt his face burning with something he couldn‘t place. He wasn’t thinking, his focus only on the sweet parting of her lips as she breathed, and the smell of her body even without having bathed. She was so sweet that he felt like he was lost in a sea of warmth, trapped against the constant rolling of the passionate waves of desire to its ultimate end on the shoreline-- her mouth.

Before he’d could even think-- or comprehend-- he’d lightly placed his lips on hers feeling the crash of rolling waves of desire sweeping over him and consuming every possible coherent thought he held. He lost himself against the soft swell of her lips as he felt his tongue slowly taste the softness of each part of her-- delighting in the taste as he hadn’t ever delighted in any woman before. Distantly he felt the pull of sanity and reason at his mind but he could no sooner stop this emotional onslaught then he could have the sun from rising-- or his enemies from knowing their position.

As protectiveness flared within him he drew her closer to his body, letting one leg wrap around her tan thighs to draw her closer to him, her soft curves molding against him instantly. He felt his body pulsing with adrenaline as he tried in vain to rain in the control he’d let loose only moments ago. That control which he so prided himself on had been set free by the lustful demon that was aflame within him.

She was sleeping beneath him but his eyes had already fallen closed and he hadn‘t realized that she was beginning to wake. His lips continued to graze hers, pressing lightly against the rounded flesh that seemed to swell with pleasure at the touch. He felt himself melt against her mouth, her lips parting as she began to pant in her sleep. Seeing her open for him so wantonly made fire erupt in his belly as he slid his mouth over hers hungrily, delving his tongue inside of her mouth like the stab of a sword.

“mmmuhhmmm mmuhh….”

Sudden reality seemed to slam him in the face as he opened his eyes and gazed in horror down at the girl below him who was just starting to wake. Her soft brown eyes were opened partially but still held the haze of sleep, her lips slightly swollen from the intensity of his kiss. He instinctively rolled away, falling off the bed with a less then graceful crash, dragging part of the sheets with him. As he tried desperately to catch his breath he swiped at his lips, leaning with his back against the bed-- every inch of his body screaming for a release he knew wasn’t possible.

Struggling for the first time in all his years of training to catch his breath he peered at her through his hair and studied her. She was indeed waking up as she groaned and smacked her lips together. He sighed, trying to relax as pulled his knees towards his chest and placing his elbows on his knees, buried his head in his hands. He was sick with himself. He couldn’t even begin to fathom what he’d done and God help him-- he wanted to continue.

He took a deep breath and turned to look at her one last time, studying her features in dank room-- curious as to what it was about her that drew him in this way. He was confused beyond anything he’d ever been and he felt like he was a nervous teenager all over again.

…cool skin shimmering against the soothing flow of light reflecting off the moon. Her features were bathed in the blue light, her blond hair a halo around her head… her eyes… eyes that so easily could flare up with passion and anger in an instant were closed in gentle repose, her lashes lightly touching the smooth curve of her cheek. She was so peaceful… so calm right now that he might have thought she was perfectly normal.

Looking at her then… he could maybe fathom what it was that was so alluring about her to him… maybe…

…

Even now he could still feel the taste of her lips… and the thought gave him an unpleasant jerk in his pants that he viciously shoved back down again. He wasn’t a creature of passion-- he lived to protect a person, that’s what he had devoted his entire life too-- working his way up through the agencies in order to get further and further up. He wanted to be a private bodyguard-- for one person. Finally he was approached on a mission and after 1 year of training-- here he was.

He wasn’t one to easily fall into the throes of passion, so why now? Why with her. There were so many other things that were going through his mind that he seemed almost lost. He couldn’t let himself care about another woman, couldn’t fail another woman-- but try as he might he simply couldn’t get her eyes out of his mind. Those honey colored eyes that seemed so utterly innocent yet strangely seductive.

It must have been the way she appreciated him-- her need for him, be it protection or otherwise, was written clearly in her eyes when she looked at him. They held a pain, a wound that was too deep a river to cross. So many times she seemed like a doe, frail in the moonlight gazing at him in wonderment that was almost childlike, but very ethereal in its beauty. He didn’t like reflecting on her-- it simply wasn’t any good. But he couldn’t deny the fact that he was almost eager to be with her again-- if only to validate that he had succeeded in protecting, in some way, this small girl.

A sound caught his attention suddenly, and he turned towards his door surprised at the interruption. He wasn’t someone to eaves drop but his instincts told him to listen closely. It sounded like a domestic disturbance next door. As the sound interrupted his thoughts he felt the strong vibration of his cell phone against his thigh and he reached into it but stopped as he heard something he hadn’t expected.

His blood turned to ice as he cursed Seth and bolted for the door.

…

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Hope you liked that chapter.

Let me know what you think and also be aware that this chapter is still up for revision! Everyone if you’d please say a little prayer for my mom and that we’ll be able to do all the things we need to do to help her get her health back… If you don’t pray, then wish us all luck!

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-Luky