DEAD and Rebirth

Alex floated out of the jeep lost in her own world. She heard maybe a third of what the driver had said. Something about relocating, more survivors, blah blah blah. Alex didn't care. The real world seemed far away and her smile radiant against the gathering clouds.

Misa met her at the door and immediately recognized the look on Alex's face.

"You just had closure, didn't you," Misa said kindly. The two girls embraced warmly.

Alex nodded vaguely and wandered into the bedroom she and Misa shared. Asuka came to the door, clutching what looked like a scrap of paper.

"We're moving again."

Misa tuned to face her older companion.

"We just got here," Misa said. She was becoming frustrated at the constant relocation. Truth be told, she preferred the house they recently left. Given half the chance, Misa would just as soon have remained there, but the exigencies of survival dictated moving to the safest location.

"Where are we going now?"

"To Haneda Island," Asuka replied while handing the slip of paper to Misa. "The soldier who gave this to me earlier said we are moving out tonight."

"Why Haneda?" Misa asked. Then she remembered what Aikawa said about the SAT securing the island.

"Because it's large, easily defendable, and there is plenty of space to house survivors," Misa answered her own question.

Asuka gently squeezed Misa's shoulder and went back inside. Misa stood on the stoop, watching the rain move in from the ocean. In the back of her mind, Misa recalled the lazy spring days when she and her childhood friends would run about and splash in the rain puddles. The air smelled so clean after a spring rain; it washed the stink of civilization from the skies and made everything green and new.

"Maybe it can again," Misa said aloud.

"What was that?" Asuka called from the kitchen.

"Nothing," Misa replied. "Just talking to myself."

"You'd better get in and out of the rain," Asuka warned. "You don't want to catch a cold."

"Yeah," Misa sighed reluctantly. "I better get our stuff together."

Misa the child stood on the stoop a few minutes longer, watching the ghosts of her past dance by without a care in the world before closing her eyes on her innocence for the last time. Misa the adult opened her eyes to the nightmare of the present and set her jaw, determined to live on.

Alex lay on the bed, the conversation with Franco playing over in her mind. Her father's last thoughts were of Alex and her mother…

"Mom!" Alex cried out.

Misa and Asuka ran into the room to see Alex wide-eyed staring at the closet door.

The two women sat on either side of Alex and wrapped their arms around her.

"I have no idea what happened to my mom," Alex said flatly. "I don't know if she is alive, dead, or…"

Asuka held Alex's head to her chest as she had in the bath the previous day.

"All this time, I'd been worrying about saving my own hide, I never even thought to try and rescue her, to see if she was okay."

Asuka and Misa shared a glance. This was going to be another rough ride for Alex, and no one had any words of comfort this time.

Unlike the bath, Alex only allowed herself to be rocked gently by Asuka. There were no tears, no further recriminations, only silence. Misa could feel her own regrets simmering beneath the calm exterior she fought so hard to cultivate. Asuka allowed a tear to escape her eye before closing herself off. All three women sat on the bed in a mutually assuring hug; hoping beyond hope that their families alone survived the horror of the last few days, yet understanding that the odds were not in anyone's favor but the Dead.

Time passed. Long moments in silence. No one broke the shared bond of sorrow and hope, fear and pain. The rain fell softly, hiding the ugliness around them in an impenetrable fog of memories and feelings. Misa watched her past, her ghosts fade into wisps of cloud. Asuka thought ahead to the future she would never share with the dashing soldier who saved her in the courtyard that afternoon. Alex dwelt on the present; her past too painful, the future out of reach.

The reverie was rudely interrupted by a loud knock at the door. Shaken so suddenly out of their moment, the women only stared at each other for a few seconds.

Another knock, this time accompanied by a voice.

"Is there a Miss Ikeda and a Miss Schweiger staying here?"

Asuka reached the door first and opened it to reveal a young soldier bearing a letter, a small wrapped package and a clip board.

"I am Miss Ikeda," she introduced herself.

"Ah, perfect," the soldier said. "This was left for you by the Brit, ma'am."

He handed Asuka the envelope.

"This is for Miss Schweiger, compliments of the LC," the soldier explained as he handed over the package.

"LC?" Asuka asked.

"Ah, sorry, ma'am; The Lieutenant Colonel," the soldier explained. "Also, don't forget, the LC is moving all civilians off Camp Zama to the rally point at Haneda International."

"Yes," Asuka said. "I was informed earlier."

"Be ready to move out at 1800hrs, that's 6 o'clock pm, ma'am," he said as he made a notation on the clipboard.

"Thank you, soldier," Asuka said as she closed the door.

She found Alex and Misa waiting in the dinning nook, expectant looks on their faces. Asuka sat at the table and hefted the envelope. It was heavier than a letter would imply. Asuka handed the package to Alex and opened her envelope.

"There's something heavy in here," Asuka observed.

As she did so, something small, round and metallic fell out, bounced off the table, and came to rest on the linoleum flooring. Picking it up, Asuka discovered the object to be a ring. In the middle, a blue sapphire set with small rubies in a square pattern. On one side, the initials "RE"; on the other, a sphere with a plume protruding from the top. Taking a note from the envelope, Asuka read it with ever widening eyes.

Alex carefully prized the note from Asuka's trembling hands and read it as well. Irritated at being left out, Misa gently nudged Alex in the shoulder and silently asked 'what's up'.

Alex handed the note over.

'My Dearest Asuka,
I fear I may be taking a supreme liberty in addressing you so informally. Despite only really getting to know you since the Outbreak, I believe it is trying times that bring out the truest sense of a person. I trust by now you have found my regiment ring. I am sorry I could not present a proper engagement ring to you on bended knee as befits such a declaration, but such are the current circumstances. It is my fervent hope and dream that you can accept the love and devotions of a humble soldier and stranger to your shores. I ask only that you consider my proposal. I will await your answer when you arrive safely in Okinawa.

With Love,
Shaun'

Asuka wept openly. Alex and Misa, caught completely off guard, could only offer joyful hugs.

"I will," Asuka whispered through her tears. "I will get to Okinawa and I will tell him yes."

A/N: and that is that, as they say. If I get enough clamoring, I might instruct the collective to aid in a new arc, but this chapter pretty much ends this arc here. I hope you enjoyed this story and I look forward to your reviews and comments. As a final parting, I wish to extend my heartfelt thanks to those of the collective who aided me the most. Draco38 for his ever present support and encouragement and jm1681 for never saying die and both for their time and energies in editing and proofreading. To all my readers, thanks to you who gave your precious time.