ZRP-2: Chapter 3, The Coming Storm

(James)
=Once I saw the bus, I leaped down from the tank. Maybe that made it sound bigger than it really was, but it certainly fit. However, it was only then I took notice of the warm, wet sensation dripping over the right side of my face. The cut....shit. raising a hand, I gingerly felt along my face, tracing the path of the blade. It still stung, and I realized the cut stretched from top of my right eye-brow to end just beside the corner of my lip. It was a flesh wound, but it still hurt=
"Souvenir?"

(Sam)
=Getting out of my seat, I walked off the bus. First thing I saw was that James had a nasty cut over his face, the blood dripping down and onto his clothes. Made me wish I had a bandage for him. Then I saw Eve on the tank, and I was torn between who to go to first: the one that I loved, or the one that probably needed medical attention=

Hibiki was out and running to James, medkit in hand.
"Can't I leave you for any amount of time without you getting hurt?" She demanded.

Eve was in shock now, finally the weight of it alll...Her father was gone. She helped kill him.
But she didn't want to.
But James...
Eve hide her face in her hands. She could have saved James faster, he wouldn't have had a hard time. But she...
She coulsnt fight the programming.

Eve began to shake.

(James)
=Despite the stinging pain of the cut, I still smiled=
"Doesn't look like it."

=There was a sound of footsteps behind me, followed by someone punching my shoulder=

*Marcus*
"That was a stupid, reckless stunt back there James. You idiotic, suicidal...."
=Still, he clapped a hand over my shoulder, and I was vaguely reminded of the same gesture being done by my dad. It was a way of showing approval=

(Sam)
"Eve? Eve you okay?"
=I stood at the base of the tank, hand outstretched to her=

Eve looked between her fingers at Sam....then picthed forward and fell onto Sam arms outstretched, finally allowing a choked sob out.

Hibiki dressed the wound. "I still should slap him."

(James)
"Then save that slap for after the cut is healed?"
=I heard another sound, followed by a grunt of surprise. It sounded like Sam=

"Sam, you okay?"

(Sam)
=No I was not. Since Eve practically fell into my arms from above on the tank, and she still weighed a bit, my knees buckled and I went to the pavement, her on top of me=
"Just....peechy."

Hibimi turned and frowned. "Eve?" She asked tentatively.

Eve finally broke. Hiding her head in Sam's chest, she suddenly devolved into a torrent of tears as the weight of what happened and what she did finally crashed down on her as Sam held her hand out to her.

(Sam)
=Sighing, all I could do was wrap an arm around the girl, even as her weight pressed down on me. Not that her weight was that bad in this position, but it still made it hard to breathe=
"Eve...it's okay. It's going to be okay."

*Marcus*
"I hate to press, but we're exposed out here, and the smoke from thaat fire will draw more walkers. Not to mention the explosion. We need to move now."

(James)
"Just give them a moment Marcus. Three minutes of rest, then we move."

Eve tried to speak through her sobbing to some affect.
"I-I h-helped k-kill my f-f-father." She cried a hit harder. "I couldn't kill my father and save James. I could only shoot his knife away." She clung to Sam tightly. "And now he's gone. My last living family, gone. And I don't know if what I have will stay."
Now, if any of that was coherent, Hibiki thought was a miracle as she stood to the side quietly.

=I wake up after a few minutes, my body feeling a bit more willing to move than earlier. But I didn't want to spend my day cooped up in the room. I got off the bed and into the wheelchair, wheeling myself outside=

Well...so far so good. Nothing crazy has happened...well, not that I know of, of course

=I head out towards the arch, taking in a breath of the cool air around me=

(James)
"Eve....you couldn't have killed Jonah. I don't think it was ever really in you, to kill him. But I see now, that it was in you to help kill him."
=I turned away from Hibiki and her care, coming to kneel down before the girl=

"You saved my life, and gave me the chance I needed to kill him. And because of that.....the nightmare is over, for both of us. We're free Eve. And he was never your family, really. All he ever was, was your father by blood. But we're your family now Eve. And we won't go away."

(Sam)
"I certainly won't Eve."
Especially if you keep me pinned to the pavement.

Eve's crying started to subside, and finally she slid off Sam and sat up on her knees, but held Sam's hand to her chest.
"Thank you." Was all she could manage, going quiet. She didn't know what to say or do, so she sat there, holding Sam's hand.

(James)
=I placed a hand on her shoulder, gently shaking her so she looked me in the eyes=
"Now Eve....we have to go. We need to get back to the compound, where it's safe. Can you keep it together long enough for us to get back home?"

Eve looked at James, then at Sam. Her grip on Sam's hand tightened just a bit.
"Yeah." Because I can do anything as long as Sam is here.

(James)
"Good. Now get up and back on the bus. We have a long ways to go."
=Shaking a little, I got to my feet, though my balance wobbled a little. Dammit....flesh wounds, despite not being lethal, always resulted in a lot of blood. I was lightheaded, stumbling back to the bus=

Hibiki helped James baxk to the bus while Eve helped Sam up.

(Sam)
"Thanks."
=Soon standing up, I held onto her hand as I tugged her along back to the bus. Marcus went back to the tank, climbing back in=

(James)
=Already I could hear the moaning sounds of walkers, and as I looked around I could see that there were already several walking down the street toward us. But we were back on the bus, and the doors soon closed=

Hibiki floored it as Eve carefully laid her head on Sam's lap, slightly trembling.
"Please don't leave me when I fall asleep at the compound." She said quietly. "At least for a few minutes." She added.

(Sam)
"I promise."
=The rest of the drive went on in silence, as we drove past walkers that seemed to be at a standstill=

(James)
=Part of me felt relieved, elated even at the fact that finally, Jonah was dead. I avenged the caravan, and everyone who had died in it. But I still felt fear. There was the helicopter I saw, flying to the south. Chances were, it was a Shepherd vehicle though where they got it, or the fuel for it, was beyond me. And then there was this Pariah. What the hell was that? This victory almost seemed hollow, as I found myself facing new questions I didn't even want to know about=

Soon, Hibiki rolled theough the gates of the compound, slowing to a stop. She nearly slumped over the wheel.
"Buses are down for the rest of time. Good day."

Eve slowly sat up.

(James)
=I got up from where I sat, and saw my reflection in the mirror above Hibiki's head. Half my face was red, most of my blood having dried. I'd need a washcloth, but for now I think I was fine. It was going to scar though, but I had plenty of scars already. What was another?=

(Sam)
=Getting up from my seat, I moved for the door. God did I just want to rest, though looking at James I figured he could use it more than me=

Eve followed Sam quietly.

Hibiki looked at James.
"Can I have my wedding now dammit?"

(James)
"After everything we've been through today, you want the wedding now? Come on, give me a chance to rest."

(Sam)
=As we got off, I other people began to exit the bus, and the tank. Most headed for the hotel, others for the apartment building. Eve and I went for the hotel=

=I roll up towards the bus, hearing it as it came in and then spotting it. I few minutes later I arrive, looking at the group from a decent distance=

Damn...that must've been hell...good thing I warned them, though...

=I roll to a spot where I could just observe, knowing that certain people would need some rest. I however, get within earshot of them. I feel a chill zip up my spine, and not from the weather=

SHIT...! That's right...!

=I wheel back to hotel, my mind racing with panic=

Hibiki sighed. "No more fucking war. No more missions or delays or shit. Dammit James, how long arewe going to put it off? What if the next time, Eve misses?"

Eve looked at her feet. "I'm sorry I am a burden right now..."

(James)
"Eve, you're not a burden. And Hibiki.....alright. Give me a chance to clean up, and we'll do it."

Hibiki sighed. "Tomorrow. Give you a chance to rest. Eve a chance to recover. Maybe in two days...I want it soon. Not immediately."

Eve blushed, but stayed quiet.

=I raced back to the hotel, my heart pounding a bit in my chest=

Jeez...I feel like I'm back home again...except I'm not playing football...

=I wheel inside, my panic mostly gone. I then wheel back to the room, the sense of urgency gone=

(James)
=Sighing, I let my hang in relief=
"Thanks Hibiki. Besides, I think we're going to be a bit preoccupied. Celebrations are in order."

Hibiki scowled. "For some."

Eve tugged at Sam, wanting to go to their room.

=I stop before entering the room, curiosity getting the better of me=

Well...it doesn't hurt to ask what happened...

=I wheel back out to where I was beforehand, curiosity propelling me=

(James)
=Someone cleared their throat, and I turned to see that it was Cooper, walking up to us from the tank=

*Cooper*
"James, we're going to have to talk about what happened. Clarissa will want to know that Jonah is dead."

(James)
=I nodded, though I wished I could have some time to rest. He saw that though=

*Cooper*
"We'll meet in an hour, after you've had some time. Just meet me up at the top when you're ready."
=With that, he left=

Eve looked up at Sam.
"Good night."
Eve fainted.

(Sam)
"Oh, dammit Eve."
=I had to work to make sure she didn't collapse all the way to the ground, holding her up straight. Then I had to lift her up into my arms=

"I'll meet you guys later. Looks like she needs to sleep."
=I started walking off back to the hotel=

(James)
=Turning to look at Hibiki, I shrugged my shoulders=
"So....I think I could use a bath."

"We both could..." she sighed.

Now asleep, Eve's body visibly relaxed and went limp, her face softening.

But she dreamed.

(James)
=I wiped at my face a little, most of my blood now coating my fingers. The wound had stopped bleeding, and in time it would scab over. But I moved away from those thoughts, as I took Hibiki's hand=
"It's over.....it's finally over."

(Sam)
=When we got back to the room, I laid out Eve on the bed, covering her with a blanket=

Hibiki smiled. "Yeah..."

Eve looked peacefull.

=I wheel over=

What's finally over?

=I leave the question open-ended=

I'd fallen asleep during the fight. Alcohol was starting to catch up with me, it seemed. I used to take Vodka straight in droves and not even blink, and now a few beers and I was losing it.
Stress.

I'd left the bus a while ago.I wanted to talk to James, ask him how the attack had gone. I was starting to feel like dead weight in all of this.

(James)
=I looked up from the ground, seeing Andrew still in his chair=
"Just...the attack. I need to get some rest though man. you want details, you're going to have to wait."

=With that, I left him......sitting. Then I continued into the hotel=

=I give a thin smile=

Fine by me...I can wait

=I take his cue and follow him back into the hotel=

We both need the rest...especially you right now, my friend...

=And lord knows I needed that rest, too=

I sigh. Here I was at the Arch in St. Louis. And not with my... girlfriend. I don't know, I guess I can't face her.
Maybe because I went on the trip after all? Instead of being with her, celebrating the safety we finally have.
Yeah, probably that.

(Sam)
=I decided I'd honor the promise to Eve, and sat on the edge of the bed, staying with her as she slept=

(James)
=Once we were back in the room, the first thing I did was head for the bathroom. I needed a towel, or at least some toilet paper to wet and use to clean the cut. I stripped out of my shirt, and twisted the handle for the water faucet. As water began to pour out, I grabbed a small hand towel from the counter, holding it under, then bringing it up to my face, lightly dabbing at the cut, cleaning away the dried blood=

Eve's chest rose and fell gently, her face peaceful.
After the entire day...her body gave out. The loor girl was just exhausted.

Hibiki threw hr things down and collapsed onto the bed.

(James)
=Once my face was cleaned up, I looked in the mirror. I saw more of myself than I did in the driver's mirror. The same scars on my chest, and now the shiny new cut on my face. Despite being young, the scars made me feel very worn. With a sigh, I walked out of the bathroom, face still damp but only from the water. Hibiki was collapsed on the bed, but instead of joining her I grabbed a seat in a free chair=

(Sam)
=Honestly, I should have gone to sleep right next to her. But I still felt very energized, so all I could do was sit up and watch her sleep=

I barely caught them. I watched James and one of the others head up into one of the hotel rooms. I blew a strand of hair out of my face, and pouted.
"Pfft... not gonna interrupt them then. I can ask tomorrow."

Hibiki looked over to James.
"You ok?"

(James)
=I slumped in the chair a little, looking up at her when she spoke=
"Honestly? I should be feeling elated. Happy, jumping for joy. But I just feel.....tired. And like this victory....is hollow."

Hi iki sat up.
"What exactly happened in there?" She asked.

(James)
"I saw Jonah....standing up on the catwalk. Marcus and I could have run, escaped. But I made him leave, while I faced Jonah alone."
=I smothered the left side of my face with my hand=

"And during the fight, he just kept taunting me. Saying how Eve was always going to be a Shepherd, and was just biding her time before she betrayed us."

Hibiki looked at her lap.
"I didn't love her since that day. I haven't...until recently. I finally forgave her...finally saw her as what she always was. My daughter." Hibiki put her hands on her stomach. "And then?"