CHAPTER I

Chaos...Haos' shrieking...Chris' screams emanating from the escape pod...these are the noises Piers remembers last. Wait...what was it he hears now? Heavy chatter...periodic beeps from beside him...Chris' voice? Was that really the Captain?!

"He's coming to!" He heard someone shout to the rest of those present in the room.

Piers blinked his eye open with the small amount of strength he had left, his lid weighed shut from exhaustion. The white light that shone in his eye almost blinded him. It wasn't until after he opened his eye for a second time that he realized only the one was obeying his commands. His right would not reveal itself to the light.

'How long had he been "gone?" Who had found him? Why wouldn't his right eye operate? Was he actually alive or was this a cruel dream given to him by Death?'

Although hazy, Piers could see multiple bodies frantically moving from place to place in his field of vision, one of which looked very familiar. It looked like it was several meters away, but its hand reached out and touched his face. As his sight returned to him little by little, Piers could make out a figure of someone leaning over his body.

"Piers! Piers! Come on, man you can pull through!" exclaimed a voice he recognized.

A sudden chill was sent over Piers' body. His body felt weak and his heart beat fast, feelings he had only experienced around one person before.

"Cap-..." Piers mumbled meekly.

"Piers!" The voice answered back.

With a sudden burst of energy, Piers sat up. Sheer pain was sent shooting through his body in response to this violent action. The familiar figure helped Piers ease back onto his bed, a groan of agony escaping his lips.

"Take it easy, soldier." Chris told Piers with a gentle tone.

Piers opened his eye again and could finally make out the details of objects around him. He must be in a hospital. One thing caught his eye. Chris Redfield really had been the one speaking to him. The Captain was safe! And he was really alive! Again Piers asked himself who had rescued him from the underwater base. Right now, he didn't care. The only thing he cared about was that he had done his duty.

"C-Captain?" Piers tried again to speak.

"Yes, Piers?! Talk to me! Let me know you're going to be alright! Damnit Piers don't you leave me! I refuse to let this war against bioterrorism take my last man away from me!" Chris sounded desperate and confused. His voice was quivering. Piers knew only too well that Chris got this way when he was scared. Scared to lose another life under his command.

"Was...the mission...successful, sir?" Piers managed to ask.

"All thanks to you, soldier." Chris sighed. The quiver and excitement were gone. They had been replaced with relief.

"Good..." Piers relaxed at last. He was going to live. The world was safe again...for now.

"Piers, I-" Chris began, but was interrupted when Piers cringed and groaned in pain yet again, "What's wrong?!" The frustration in his voice had returned.

"Ugh...Captain...my arm..." Piers whimpered.

Piers' vision finally returned to him completely. He looked over to see his right arm wrapped in layers of gauze and with strange tubes running from it to machines around him. A strange liquid was being injected into him slowly.

Piers attempted to move his appendage, but it would not budge. He couldn't even get his fingers to obey.

Panicking, Piers had to ask, "Captain! What's going on?!" adrenaline flowing through his body.
Putting a hand to Piers' crippled arm, Chris tried to explain, "It's alright, soldier, it's only temporary. After you were recovered, we quickly administered 'Anti-C', the vaccine Jake Muller's blood helped create. Usually, at this stage it is fatal, but with you already..." Chris couldn't continue. He didn't want to say that last word.

"Gone." Piers finished.

"Yeah...we tried it anyway."

"So...how was I revived?" Piers asked with caution. He didn't want to cause the Captain any more stress. He had to admit he didn't want to talk about his own "death" either.

"That's more complicated. Sherry Birkin also helped. She donated some of her blood to give to you so your body could regenerate your infected organs and limbs. They had to strengthen it in some way and then stop it before it controlled you. A lot of risks were taken to get you back, but...I wouldn't let them give up."

Well, thank you Captain..." Piers was surprised to hear he was held in such high regard with so many people.

"Just call me Chris. You should get used to calling me by name. I'm not letting you work for us anymore. I won't risk it."

This hit Piers hard. "I will recover...right? Then I can go back to fighting sick bastards like Simmons."

"Yes, and No Piers. You will recover, but it will take a while and I will NOT let you risk your life like that again. Who knows what side effects could show up later while you're in the field? No, it's been decided and you can't change my mind." Chris said with conviction.

"But Captain!-"

"I told you to call me Chris!" He shouted.

Piers couldn't believe it. The Captain...or Chris...really was determined to keep him safe. That isn't what he wanted though. He wanted to keep Chris safe.

"You can't always be the hero." Piers stung back at him.

"...I never was one..." Chris' shoulders sank and Piers saw a sadness flash in his mahogany colored eyes.

"Chris...I never meant that-" Piers tried to atone.

"That's enough. You need rest, I will leave you alone for now. I'll be back tomorrow."

"Chris please!" Piers reached out his functional arm and grabbed Chris' own hand, "Don't leave, I have more questions! I need someone here to let me know this is all real."

"...Piers I can't stay. I have a mission and you know what the B.S.A.A. expects."

"The mission always comes first. Yeah, I know, but Chris I don't want you to leave! I-I..."

At this moment Chris put his hand over Piers' lips and said, "I know, Piers, you're scared. You've been through hell and I can't blame you for being afraid. You have to promise me that you will stay strong. I've seen what you can do and this is just another obstacle you can overcome. Trust me. Yes what you said cut deep...but I won't stop supporting you. If you can hold out for one more day, I will tell you everything you want to know. Now, soldier, if you pull through this, I might rethink taking you back in. Someone who lives through this shit and pulls through with his head held high is a man to honor."

"I'll try my best Captain." Piers answered with a weak smile. He did trust this man. The man who had protected him from the moment they met. The man he had respected above all others. Did the Captain really think those things? Had he really impressed him?

"There you go!" Chris smiled back and set Piers' hand back on the bed. "Now I'll see you tomorrow."

Piers watched as Chris left and he wondered what it was he felt towards the Captain. He felt something, but it wasn't just admiration anymore. He felt a companionship and an importance.

'Whatever it is, at least it means I'm alive. Emotion is good, I guess, so I'll see what happens. I should probably get some sleep though.'

With that Piers rested his head upon the pillow of his bed and tried to rest.