Between

Annette lay awake in bed, staring at the bland ceiling in the vivid darkness as William slept soundly beside her. It was one of the very rare times that they were both at home at the same time, sleeping in the same bed. It was either one or both of them were working, so the couple didn't really get any chance to spend time together at their home. The only time they did spend together was at the labs, and even then it didn't really seem like they were in the same room. How could they possibly have time for each other when something of far greater importance required their undivided attention?

They had tried to spend time with Sherry, talk casually about trivial matters, but still it hovered over them like a ghost haunting their every move and thought. Silently it possessed them both, even when an hour or so earlier they had been entwined with each other and tangled in the sheets. Still then the ever-lurking presence whispered silently in her mind and it had been then she had suddenly realized just how consuming it was. It was as if they were simple puppets designed to solely produce the G-virus. Was that what they were both reduced to, robots carrying out a task? But even then, in her mind she was still thinking of ways to make more progress with the virus.

Annette's eyes dully scanned the ceiling above as her thoughts roamed. It doesn't even seem like William and I are married anymore… just automations of the virus. She had almost told him her thoughts… almost. But she just couldn't, it seemed wrong to let it fall from her mouth in words when the G-virus was so very important, not only to her husband but to herself as well. Still, she didn't like the thoughts… so dispiriting, so melancholy…

And those taunting thoughts didn't leave. They latched onto her mind still as she worked down in the labs the next day. Peering into a microscope, they spun round and round until she felt as if she could suffer from nausea at any moment. I'm being too reflective. I have to stop thinking like this. But she couldn't help it, bittersweet nostalgia washed over her in waves. They had been so similar in character when they had first met and they still were to some extent but it just seemed different somehow. Before, everything had been so simple. Life changes, you just have to deal with it. Now concentrate.

The woman straightened up, trying to clear her head of superfluous thoughts, sighing as she did so. However, it was nigh impossible to rid herself of the feeling of being alone in the room. She hated it. She wouldn't have found it so odious if she truly were alone in the room. But that was not the case. Only a few steps away, William stood doing his own part of the research. The room was quiet… Well, not quiet exactly… The room possessed sounds within it but it was completely void of any speech. The silence seemed to be tangible and disgusting and alive. She wanted to obliterate it.

She looked over to William, wanting a conversation or just a few spoken words, she wanted to get his attention if only for a moment. She noticed that he glanced at her for a quick moment out of the corner of his eye but he didn't say anything for a little while. But when Annette just kept gazing at him instead of working, William found it bothersome. "What is it?" He asked, looking down at some papers instead of his wife.

She felt suddenly foolish, she had no suitable reply for his question. "Nothing." She muttered quickly as she looked away with some slight embarrassment. Then there it was again, that silence, that presence, that thought. Then a new thought came to her and she couldn't help but wonder, Does William think about the same thing that is bothering me now? This lonely distance caused by the G-virus? She longed to ask him and the urge was too strong to ignore.

"William," she started but then faltered, "Um…"

"Yes?"

How exactly am I supposed to say this…? "Do you think that," she paused for a moment considering her words carefully, "our work is causing… distance between us?" Annette wasn't really a woman lacking confidence but she couldn't make herself look up at him through the awkwardness that she felt contaminated the air.

"Of course it is." He replied matter-of-factly. Annette then looked up at him, unable to neglect the hurt she felt at such a straight-forward reply. "But finishing the G-virus is of the utmost importance." And then it became painfully obvious, the precious virus had replaced what once was love.

I was listening to Between by Vienna Teng one day and for whatever reason it made me think of this. So I wrote it. I hope I did an all right job with portraying Annette, she's a character I haven't attempted writing for yet. Anyway, I hope you liked it and now you should all go listen to the song. :D

Disclaimer: Resident Evil (c) Capcom, Between (c) Vienna Teng