In This Together (RE2:Leon Kennedy x OC)

Chapter 1

     She slowly shakes her head, closing her eyes.

     "Hey." I give her a smile when she looks at me. "It's alright."

     She slowly nods. I begin to look around, for anyone besides us. "Hello? Is anyone there?" I walk over behind the desk and to the laptop.

     I click and type, looking at the cameras. "There has to be someone here..." I find movement on one of the cameras, an officer running from a zombie. "Not good." I expand the camera.

     "David?! Marvin?! You there?!" He looks up at the camera, holding up something. "I found a way out! It's in here!" He shoots a zombie and pushes it off when it grabs him. "Send reinforcements! East hallway!" He runs off camera, zombie following.

     I click off and pull up the map, the east hall flashing. "I gotta find that guy." I step away from the laptop and look at the woman. I walk towards her, causing her to look at me.

     "I have to go help someone. I want you to stay here where it's safe. I'll be back."

     She shakes her head, eyes wide. I read her pale red lips as they move. Don't leave me alone. Take me with you.

     I shake my head, a large sense of protectiveness kicking in. "No. It's safer for you to stay here. Those things can't get to you here. And there are places you can hide." I try to convince her, but she shakes her head.

     She grabs my arm, looking up at me with her emerald eyes. I feel safer with you.

     I feel my heart flutter a little in my chest. 'If she's with me, I can protect her. If I leave her here and one of them somehow gets in...' I slowly nod. "Alright. Alright."

     She nods with a small smile. I walk over to the east entrance and pull the lever. It only opens a little bit. I kneel down with my flashlight. "Just enough for us to squeeze through." I look up at the woman, who stands behind me, looking around the place.

     I stand back up and quickly take off my jacket when I notice her shiver. "Here." I hold out the jacket for her to take, which she does.

     I watch as she puts it on before hugging herself with it, a small smile on her lips. I feel my cheeks heat up a little and my heart flutters again. 'It looks great on her... Focus Kennedy! Officer in trouble.'

     I force myself to look away from her. "I'll go through first." I get down on the ground and crawl through a little, I use my flashlight to look around before I crawl all the way under. I crawl under completely and look down the hallway. "Ok."

     I kneel down and hold my hand out to the woman. She takes my hand and crawls under, slipping through easier than me. I help her to her feet before pulling my gun out. "Stay behind me."

     She nods and grabs onto the back of my shirt. I nod before leading the way down the dark hallway. I hand her the flashlight when we come to a blocked path. I pull the cabinet until it's standing upright again. I take the flashlight back and we continue.

     I look down at the bodies and blood as we get closer to where the officer is. "Jesus..."

     I feel the woman move closer to me and jump when someone yells.

     "OPEN UP! HURRY! OPEN UP!"

     I grab her hand and pull her into the small office. I have her stand back as I rush to the door.

     "OPEN THIS GODDAMN DOOR!"

     "I'll get you out!" I call out to him as I lift up on the door.

     His hand shoots out first and then I can see him. "HELP ME! PLEASE! HELP ME!"

     "Gimme your hand!" I grab his hand and start pulling on him. "Gimme your other hand!" He rolls onto his back as we get him halfway through. I get a tighter grip on him and keep pulling.

     Then it happens so fast. He starts screaming, there's blood. "Hang in there!"

     I pull him through completely except his lower half is gone in a bloody trail of flesh and insides. "Oh my god."

     I fall to my knees, grabbing his shoulders as he struggles to hang on before going limp. "Jesus Christ..." I breath out, looking at the mess.

     Zombies start to bang against the door. I look at the door before looking at the small notebook he dropped. I pick it up and shove it in my pocket as I quickly stand.

     I look at the woman to see her staring at the torn officer in horror. 'She should have never had to see this...'

     I move towards her, pulling her into my arms. The door to the office gets banged on before one of them bursts through the door. I maneuver the woman to stand behind me as I take out the zombie officer.

     "Come on!" I hold her hand tightly in mine as we run out the door. I hear a window behind us break as we're running back down the hallway. A door in front of us bursts open and more zombies appear.

     "Jesus! They're everywhere!" I shoot them and we run past them. We make it to the door and I pull up on it so she can go through first. "Go go!"

     She slips through with ease and I get down, crawling under. She grabs my arm and pulls, helping me get through faster. Just as I'm almost in the clear, a zombie grabs my leg. "Goddammit!"

     It starts pulling it's way under the door while trying to get me. I struggle against it before I'm pulled completely away by someone new. I move onto my back as the man moves to the door. "Watch out!" I call out to warn him.

     "I got it." There's a sickening crunch as he slams the door down, crushing the zombie's head. The man looks back at me, leaning against the door and holding his side. "You two are safe... for now."

     The woman behind me pulls me into her arms, holding onto me as I try to catch my breath. "Thanks."

     "Marvin Branagh." He introduces himself.

"Leon Kennedy..." I lean back, resting against the woman. "There was another officer... I-I couldn't... I couldn't..." I shake my head, not being able to finish, the image of the torn officer stuck in my mind.

     The man stands back up and steps towards us, holding out his hand. "Here..."

     As much as I want to stay in her warm embrace, I grab his hand when the woman releases me. He pulls me to my feet and looks at me. "I'm sure you did what you could Leon."

     I just nod before turning to the woman. I take her hand and pull her to her feet. She throws her arms around me the second she's standing. I hold her trembling form close, resting my chin on top of her head.

     'If I can't save anyone... If I can't protect anyone, not even myself. No matter what, I will protect you. I promise.'