Lost in Nightmares Ch. 2
by ~UmbrellaXstaff

It felt good to get out of the house.  For what it was worth, Ada was enjoying herself.  She got a short break of being a parent, the daily demands no longer weighing her down for a night.  Leon loved his party, and many of his government agent friends were there.

"Ada!" he called, waving her over to where he was.  "Ada this is my friend Benjamin.  We trained together in the academy."

Ada gave the man a charming smile, letting him kiss her hand.  "Is that an engagement ring?" he asked curiously.  Ada blushed some, looking over at Leon.

"Well, yes.  It was from my late husband.  After he died, I didn't have the heart of getting rid of something so beautiful..."

Benjamin gave a small smile.  "It doesn't compare to you though, my dear." he chuckled.  "What do you do for a living?"

"I'm a stay at home mother," she said sheepishly.

"Don't be so ashamed.  A single mother eh?  How old?"

"She's three now, four in November," Ada smiled.

"Troublesome threes,"  Benjamin teased.  "Well I'm sorry about your husband.  Perhaps one day you'll remarry?"

"Maybe.  If I can find someone who can put up with everything that goes on in my life..."

Benjamin remained silent, noticing something was bothering her.  "Would you like to dance?" he asked.

"I'd love to," Ada nodded, taking his arm and walking with him towards the dance floor.

Benjamin proved to be very light on his feet for such a well built man.  The only one she could compare him to was Albert.  But Albert had more class... He preferred to always look his best, where I can tell this guy would rather just have on jeans and a T.

"Do you miss him?" Ben asked quietly as he placed a hand on her hip.

Ada was surprised to be asked such a question.  "I have mixed feelings about it.  I loved him, but he was always away on business..."

"You were lonely,"  he sighed.  "You never cheated?"

"Never.  I wasn't desperate for sex, I was desperate for company.  I didn't have very many friends back then."

"He sounds very controlling.  I'm sorry.  I would have been your friend."

Ada smiled and laughed at him.  "He would've killed you..."

"Excuse me?" he asked surprise.  "Is there... something you're not telling me?"

"There is a lot of things I'm not telling you; it would only make you run away..." she sighed, leaning her head against his chest.  "But I thought you wanted to know more about me, not my husband."

"You're right, sorry. How about I go get us some drinks?" he suggested.  Ada nodded in agreement, letting him go.  She fiddled with her ring a moment.  As she looked up and around, a certain face caught her eye.  Those familiar sunglasses, that perfectly slicked back  hair...  "No..." she whispered, turning around quickly and shoving people out of her way.  She was yelled at by a few people, but it didn't matter.  She just wanted out.

Going out a side exit, she shut the door quickly and leaned against the brick wall outside.  Her heart was beating erratically and she thought she was going to explode.  Albert Wesker was dead.  He had been dead for nearly a year now, and nothing would change that.  If that was true, then what was he doing here?

Ada was suddenly embraced by strong arms, and she didn't fight it.  Warm lips grazed hers in the nighttime darkness as a drink was pushed into her hand.

Ada gave a sigh of relief, thinking it had to be Ben.  "Christ I thought you were someone else..." she breathed against his mouth.

"Were you expecting someone else?" a gravelly voice chuckled in her ear.

Ada's stomach twisted into a tight knot, the glass slipping from her hand and breaking onto the ground.  "Please don't do this... You're dead..." she whimpered, helplessly trying to get out of his grasp.

"Oh Ada, surely you're not shaking because you're cold?  It's the middle of summer!"  he teased, brushing her hair behind her ear.  "Or maybe you're just afraid for your friend?  I don't think he's any good for you, be careful."

"This isn't real...  This is just my mind playing horrible games.  Or maybe I'm dreaming...  It's just another nightmare.." she cried to herself.

"Lost in nightmares are we?  I assure you Dear Heart, this is no dream.  I'm back,"  Albert purred.  "I've cheated death yet again, and I've come to claim my shiny prize."

"No!" she screamed, shoving him back.  Ada used that moment to get away. She ran back inside and found a corner, shrinking down and crying into her hands.  She felt a hand on her shoulder, and she hit the person.   "Don't touch me! Get away!"

"Ada calm down!  It's me, Leon!"  he frowned, helping her to her feet.  "What happened?  Are you okay?"

"H-he's back Leon!  I knew it!  I knew he wasn't dead!"  she sobbed, clutching him tightly.

"Ada I don't understand.. Who isn't dead? Wesker?"  he frowned.  "Are you sure?"

"I have to leave before he starts killing people... I'm so sorry.  I didn't think he would show... b-but he did.. A-and now..."

"Ada you're rambling!  I'll get Ben to take you home.  What about-"

"No!  Don't say it.  He'll hear you!  I can't risk it."  she begged.  Claire had joined them now, wondering what the commotion was.

"Ada what happened?" she asked worriedly.  "Did someone hurt you?"

Leon shook his head.  "She says it's Wesker... but how could he have gotten in?"

Ada wiped her tears away, trying to stand on her own.  "It doesn't matter!  You can't kill the devil.  This is nothing more than another game to him, and I don't want to know what happens when he wins."

"Ada nothing is going to--  hey!  Where are you going?  Ada wait!" Leon called.

"I'm going home Leon.  Happy birthday,"  she called back.  "I'll call you tomorrow."

"Need I remind you who you're married to?"  he growled, gripping the back of her head.  "Were you out with him tonight?"

"There is no one..." she cried softly, "Albert you're hurting me..."

"I think you're lying to me again Ada.  You're only bringing on more pain for yourself," he told her, tightening his grip.

"Albert I love you... only you..."

"If it's not Nicholai, who is it?  Leon?  He's too far away.  Who did you go out with?" he demanded.

"I went out by myself.  I needed some fresh air...  I swear!  Let me go!" she pleaded.

Wesker clenched his jaw, throwing her onto the ground.  "You've truly stooped to your lowest, haven't you Ada?" he mocked.  "Pathetic."  Albert raised his leg up, prepared to bring his heel down and crush her head.  As soon as it was brought down, Ada woke up.  This truly had been the worst night of her life.  No matter what she did, she couldn't escape him.  She always blamed herself for him leaving months at a time.  Maybe if she had been a little more supportive, or maybe if she had held her tongue more he wouldn't have always been so angry.  Ada rubbed the back of her head, the pain still fresh in her mind.

"You were a bastard..." she whispered, gripping the blankets tight with her other hand.  "You didn't give a shit about me.  You hated coming home because there was nothing here for you.  No love, no control.  It drove you crazy..."  Ada threw the covers off, feeling the need to take her anger out on something.  "No matter how much you tried, I never cracked did I?  At least not when you were around.  I wouldn't give you that satisfaction, not when you had already taken so much..."

Ada made her way to the basement where she had turned it into a little gymnastics area for Adeline.  Off to the side, she had her own punching bag that she used to help keep in shape.  Taking her stance, she let out a slow breath before attacking it.  "I bet you enjoyed running back to that little whore you always lied about...  As if I couldn't smell that disgusting perfume all over your clothes!  Or how about that time when I found some of her hair on your suit... If anyone deserved to be beat down for cheating it was you..." she fumed, her hands becoming raw and sore as she relentlessly punched the heavy bag.

When Ada woke up again, she was disoriented.  Her hands hurt just has badly as her head did.  She looked over to her nightstand and was surprised to see pills and a glass of water.  She took them and slowly got out of bed, heading to the kitchen for something to eat.

"Benjamin?" she asked surprised, stopping in the doorway.  He set the paper down and smiled at her, getting up and kissing her cheek.

"Hey.  I hope you're feeling better.  Leon and I came early this morning to make sure you were okay.  We found you passed out in your basement, so we wrapped your hands and carried you back to bed.  I decided to stay just in case." he explained.

Ada hugged him, not knowing what to say.  "Thanks.  You really didn't have to do this.  You must think I'm crazy..." she sighed.

"Not at all.  I think you just need someone to talk to.  Someone who will relieve some of the pain you're feeling," he soothed, rubbing the back of her head.  "And I'm all ears."

Ada smiled some, not having been touched with such tenderness in a very long time. "I remember when Albert used to rub my head like this..." she whispered.

"Your husband?  I thought he was never around?"

"He wasn't... But before the trips, before the loneliness, he was so gentle.  There was so much passion in everything he did.  And before I knew what was happening it was gone," she said sadly.

"Ada... you were more than just lonely, weren't you?  You were beaten and neglected.  He broke you down, blamed you, and there wasn't anyone to tell you any different!" he scowled, making her look at him.

Ada's eyes were misty with tears as she tried to hold it back.  "I think you should go.." she told him, letting him go.

"Ada I'm just trying to help..."

"I was not a victim!" she said angrily.  "He may have been rough, but most of the scars he gave were the ones people couldn't see.  Now get out."