Author's Note: The last one of the Valentine's dedications, this one to Divine Arion. Shit, Sammy, sorry I took so long to post it. Although it's short, I hope you still enjoy it; took me its time. Thanks for creating such an awesome and funny character as Audrey! That, I have to say^^

Disclaimer: I do not own Resident Evil or any of its characters. // Audrey Wesker belongs to Divine Arion.

Together, We're Strong

"How dare you occupy my bed without my permission?"

Chris' eyes snapped open at the sound of Audrey Wesker's funny and soft voice, and he found her leaning against the doorway, only sporting a pair of slacks and her undershirt. Chris saw it was a tight one, accentuating her curvy figure. He lifted his brow in surprise and he flashed her a wide, goofy grin.

"Well, if you want me to leave you just have to say so!" he suggested with a flicker of his hand, and Audrey shook her head with a chuckle. They remained in silence, gazing at each other thoroughly, and Audrey's lips twitched into a warm smile, which only brought another to Chris'. With that, he sighed and laid back on the bed, closing his eyes.

"Is there something wrong?" she asked, approaching Chris and sitting down next to his relaxed frame.

"No, nothing at all, Aud," he replied, jerking awake with a sincere smile. Audrey made a faint grimace and averted her gaze from his, which was what made Chris frown and realize that he hadn't tread carefully. He soon came to know the reason behind Audrey's change in her demeanour, even though he was already aware of it.

"I've hit a nerve, I know that," Chris observed, taking her hand in his. Audrey's head perked up, her gaze meeting his, and she gave a reluctant nod.

"It's just..." She pursed her lips. "You calling me 'Aud' reminded me of Albert. It's no used thinking about him now since I can't change his mind, but..." She fell silent, her brow creasing. Chris slid an arm around her shoulders, holding her against him and rubbing her upper arm with affection.

"I'm sorry."

"No need for you to be, Chris," she answered, smiling. "It's senseless talking about it now. I'd rather speak about you."

Chris lifted his brow in surprise. "But you know everything about me already! What else there is to tell?" he questioned, ruffling the top of her head. Audrey smirked and laughed.

"You can tell me why you're here with me, for example." With a grimace in mock-pensiveness, he tapped his chin with his finger.

"Because..." he paused deliberately slow, emphasizing the final 's' sound, "I love you."

"What? Did I hear something?" she asked, her tone sly and mischievous.

"I love you," Chris repeated with a curious grimace. "Deaf, are we?"

"What?" Audrey persisted. "I guess I didn't hear you." She inched in closer, a rather sly and seductive smirk across her features. Chris grimaced again, and Audrey chuckled with mirth. After clicking his tongue, Chris smiled and faced her, staring deep into her eyes.

"Duh, let me kiss you and you'll hear me" e offered, his tone as sly as Audrey's. And without anything else, without waiting for a reply, he crushed his mouth against hers, and Audrey returned the gesture with more fierceness, entangling her fingers in Chris' dark hair. For both of them, the time they stayed kissing felt just like ages, but with that sensation came another one, a sensation of satisfaction they hadn't felt in a very long while. They kissed, they touched, they tasted each other until Audrey 'broke' the kiss, pinching Chris' side and making him jump with a gasp.

"The mighty Redfield is ticklish!" she exclaimed with a lopsided and wicked grin. "You've got a weakness and I'm about to exploit it, Chris."

Chris lifted his hands in defense, warning her with a frown.

"No, I'm not. I'm sensible, that's all," he protested as he shrank. Audrey giggled and then lunged at him again, her hands attacking his sides as mercilessly as she could.

"Sensible my foot!" she exclaimed -almost yelled, "You can't escape me!" she added, watching Chris wriggling with laughter as he fought to get rid of her. Her laughter soon joined his, and it was then when Chris found his chance to bounce off the bed and keep his distances, his body still convulsing with random laughs as he tried to calm down.

"You're... you're going to kill me, Audrey!" he complained, leaning on his knees to catch his breath.

"Oh, did you really figure than one out by yourself?" she retorted, causing him to chuckle bitterly. She stood up, approaching him, and looked at him in a somehow patronizing way.

"It wouldn't surprise me, y'know Au- Hey!" He couldn't finish his first sentence because of Audrey's elbow on the nape of his neck. She was leaning against him, not allowing him to straighten himself.

"I am evil, lo and behold!" she exclaimed with a false wicked cackle. Chris rolled his eyes before grabbing hold of her hips and lifting her up in his arms. With a faint 'whoa', Audrey held on to his neck and crossed her legs behind his lower back, and then she laughed.

"Please, Aud, you're more than evil," he remarked with a wink.

"I know, and I'm proud," she replied with a kind smile of her own. She slowly leaned in and claimed his lips once again, taking his face with both hands and pulling him close. Chris' hands moved up her back, indulging his sense of touch in the softness of her skin for the umpteenth time. Deepening the kiss a bit more, Audrey slid her nails down his temple and cheek, and he momentarily broke the kiss with a faint,

"Ouch, that hurts."

"Oh, quiet," she chastised, silencing him with another gentle, chaste kiss. It was brief, and then Audrey piped up with, "Happy Valentine's."

"What, what?" Chris murmured, confused. "Oh, right! Yeah, I remember now. Well, likewise, Aud. What to do today, I wonder?"

Audrey fell silent and took a deep breath, rleasing it against the exposed skin of her lover's neck.

"Dunno, really," she replied with a shake of her head. "I've never known what to do the 14th of February. I guess we could go out like any other couple will, but I don't feel like it if you want me to be honest." With that, she smiled again and rested her forehead against Chris', closing her eyes and breathing in. "For now, I want to spend today with you." Her gaze met his, and Chris smirked.

"That's a start," he said, his voice pitched low. "Want to keep going? I wouldn't mind."

Audrey slapped his shoulder playfully. "Of course you wouldn't, you dumbass."

"And who're you calling a dumbass, you dork?"

"And who're you calling a dork, handsome?" Audrey's reply was the final one, a Chris found himself falling silent. Audrey smirked. "Women have the power; I win this one."

"As if!" Chris laughed right after that and embraced her tightly. She returned the gesture, holding him as if he were going to vanish into thin air; Chris could tell this out of the strength of her grip. He let out a sigh when he felt Audrey's nail tracing circles on his back. He closed his eyes, pacing the room with Audrey still in his arms, both in silence.

"Aud?" he called at last.

"Yeah?" She withdrew to gaze at Chris, who was smiling at her. "Hey, what's with that goofy smile of yours? You're scaring me."

"Nah, it's nothing," he replied shaking his head. "I'm really glad you're here with me, that's all. I'm not very good with romantic things, so-"

"I never asked for it-"

"-and now I'm putting you down because you're heavy," he joked, doing so. Then, at the same time he put her down, Chris lowered his face to hers and kissed her again, inching closer. A guttural laugh came from Audrey's throat as soon as their lips made contact and she slid her hands up his chest and then into his hair again.

God, she drives me crazy...

Audrey pushed her hips against Chris' with an elegant, swift and lithe movement that triggered a moan in disapproval from Chris, and he separated from her with gentleness.

"Oh no, that's not fair," he said, mischievous.

"We still have a long night ahead of us, handsome." Audrey grinned, running a fingertip down his jaw. "Shall we?"

"Ooh, I really like the sound of that... Come here, little one," Chris told her, leaning in closer, and he entangled his fingers in Audrey's long and soft tresses. She gazed up at him, her intense eyes staring deep into his, and they kissed again. This time, the slowness of the kiss was deliberate; they weren't in a rush, they had all the time in the world, they had each other to enjoy.

That nigh, Chris understood the meaning of true love, understood the meaning of the typical sayings that went like, 'Feel the woman you love even through your veins', understood what it meant to be loved in return. That night, Chris Redfield understood where one of his strengths and one of his weaknesses laid: they were together.

And together, they were strong.

A/N: How was that? Hope it pleased you Sammy, and I still apologize for its briefness. Even so, it has its share of fluff x333 Anyway, thanks for reading!

Reviews are appreciated!^^