Ok guys, here I am again with another Creva fiction. I just love this couple. Thanks for the reviews on Awareness and the private messages. This story was first named 'Alternative', because I wanted to make an alternate story of Awareness. What would have happened if Chris stayed in Africa? But I decided to change the name because I also wrote the characters under a different perspective. My new Sheva is way more strong-willed and sensual in this one. And Chris is a little more easygoing too... ;)

Check Awareness out, too! Have fun.

Disclaimer: I do not owe RE, that's only a FanFiction.


'Thank you for staying'. Her eyes said, firmly and gratefully at the same time.

'I wouldn't leave my partner behind. If something happened to you, I wouldn't forgive myself.'

She smiled, glad that he had eventually made up his mind.


She had told him the mission wasn't over yet. A lot had to be done and the infection was somewhat controlled, but they would need at least another couple of weeks to finish the job.

'How many?'

'Enough, Chris.'

'How many?' He asked again.

'Six.'

'Are you serious? After all we've been through they couldn't put more people to clean that mess? That really pisses me off. Lives are at risk.'

'We'll be fine, Chris. We're ready for this.'

'Sheva, you and Josh are the only ones ready for this. Still, when you were there with me, you could have died so many times…'

'So could you, Chris.'

'I know, but I was there … to protect you.'

'Chris, just drop it, will you? You were dismissed; you don't have to do that.'

'What if I want to?'

'Look', she responded impatiently, 'you don't want to. You feel you have to do this just because I decided to go with you and rescue you partner. Chris, you don't owe me a thing, seriously. Go and take care of her now. She also saved your life, right? You owe her more than you owe me.'

He was speechless by what she had just told him. Was she serious about that? He had a feeling that she didn't want him to go and he didn't know why.

'She told me to stay.'

'That's why you want to stay? Because she asked you to stay?' Sheva asked moodily.

'No, because she says she's fine and I won't need to stay around anymore. She won't go back to work in a long time. But she said you need me and I guess she's right.'

She sighed defiantly and shot back.

'Look, Chris. Think twice before you commit to something you aren't willing to do. Be reasonable.'

He was not so sure about what she meant.

'I will.'

She calmed down a bit.

'And say hi to Jill and tell her I wish all the best in her new life. Tell her to enjoy life and stop doing this shit we do.'

He laughed at her sincerity.

'She told me to thank you one more time last time I saw her.'

'I can't count how many times she's done that.' She chuckled.

'So…'

'Good night, Chris.'

Her eyes were cloudy and they weren't easy to read at all. It was hard to know what was going through her head now and that drove Chris insane. He didn't know what to do. He cared for Jill and wanted to make sure she would be alright, but she was confidently telling him to stay away and take care of his life. He had done enough for her and she was happy to go back home and start a new life. Could he trust his partner on that?


He purposely listened to their conversation after Sheva harshly wished him good night. He needed answers she wasn't willing to give him, so he didn't feel bad he wasn't minding his own business.

'Shev, are you ready?'

'I hope so, Josh.'

'Is Chris coming?'

'He doesn't know yet. I told him he didn't have to.'

'Well, I'd say having him on the team would be a great help.'

'I know, but we gotta concentrate on our task now. Is everyone ready?'

'Hopefully. Shev…' He called.

'What?'

'Are you avoiding him?'

She took a while to answer.

'No, Josh. I just don't want him to feel he owes me something.'

'Doesn't he owe you, though?'

'No, nobody owes me a damn thing.'

'So why the hell did you follow him around on that insane search for Jill, damn it? You disobeyed orders because of him. We were all worried as hell about you.'

'I knew he was sure Jill was alive and it broke my heart to know that a helpless woman needed our help. She couldn't stand for herself on that bastard's hands.'

'Ok, so you did that for a woman you never met before.'

She gasped.

'What are you trying to say, Josh?'

'Nothing, sister. It's just that I know you are the most unselfish person I've ever met and you help people without expecting them to do anything in return, even when they are willing to help you. But I notice you care a lot about Chris.'

'What the hell is that supposed to mean?'

Josh smiled and said good night to her, completely blowing her off. Chris left before Josh could see him and he also wondered what he meant.

He had made his decision. He would go with the team. He wanted to pay Sheva back for what she had done to him, saving his life many times and saving his best friend.

He also knew they both felt uneasy towards each other and he didn't know why.

He went back to his quarters and took a long shower. It had been three days since their mission was over. Jill was going back home the following morning and he was heading now to the hospital to say goodbye to her and to give her the news.

'Good job, Chris. I knew you would do it. You have a great heart.'

'I'll miss you.'

He hugged her tight and kissed her forehead tenderly. She looked deeply in his blue eyes.

'I'll miss you too. I missed you all those years. But I'm sure I'll be seeing you soon.'

'You sure you'll be alright?'

'Yes. And please, take care of Sheva, will you?'

She was also as unselfish as Sheva could be, he thought. But she had maliciously smiled as she made her request and Chris pretended he didn't get the joke. Jill had been potentially teasing him about Sheva's beauty. She openly insinuated that Sheva was attracted to Chris and so was he to her, but unfortunately he was too stupid to notice it. Chris just said she didn't know what she was talking about, always smiling, and teasing her that they were giving her too much medication.

He would miss his partner and best friend and the many times they bugged each other. She was so fun to be with, so sweet to him. He thought he was lucky to have had her as a partner all those years. He was also lucky to have found Sheva Alomar. Again, uneasiness.


BSAA, West Africa Quarters. 6:00am

'Everybody ready?' Josh cried out.

'Yes, sir.' They all responded in chorus.

Josh had a bright smile on his face as his eyes moved outside the circle.

'Good to see you, Redfield.'

She turned around fast and saw him coming. She couldn't believe it. He had really come. Chris noticed her eager eyes and thought he saw happiness in them.

'Good to see you, Josh. Sorry, I'm late.'

'Late but not least'. Josh replied still with a smile on his face.

She tried not to look at him anymore or it would be very suspicious. She knew Josh had already noticed her anxiety, but she could count on his discretion.

'Alright, guys. We'll be dividing into pairs or groups of three. We're definitely going to split. Mendez and Boya, you go to the west side here on the map. Gota, Jones, and I will keep the center of the city. Chris and Sheva, you'll head to the coast.'

'I didn't know the infection had spread that far yet.' Sheva commented.

'Chances are it has, actually, Sheva. Your job is exactly that: make sure it won't go further north, where we have a big concentration of people.'

'But why not send one of us to the center too? You are outnumbered and we won't be able to do much in the coast anyway.'

'You actually don't know about that, Sheva. The coast is our weakest and least guarded spot in the area, I count on yours and Chris's experience to deal with the unknown. I'm sure we will be fine and thanks for your concern. Go get your cars, our mission starts now and you'll be done at dusk. Keep your talkies with you all the time. Here are your maps, where you should go and where you'll lodge. I must reassign you if I need to.'

'Copy that.' They all said in chorus.

They were little by little hopping in their hummers and revving up to go.

Chris was driving at a steady speed, the dust of the road lifting up from the ground.

'Thank you for staying'. Her eyes said, gratefully.

'I wouldn't leave my partner behind. If something happened to you, I wouldn't forgive myself. Even if you weren't assigned, I'd still do it for Josh.' His voice was tender and firm.

She smiled gladly that he had made up his mind.

She seemed tired. Had she slept at all? Her head lazily rested on the seat and it was hard to know what she was thinking about.

'Are you ok?' He asked, concerned.

'Sure.' She responded without looking in his eyes. 'I just haven't slept well in a week.'

'Neither have I, Sheva. Are agents ever allowed to sleep?' He chuckled.

'Maybe not. But I seriously need a break soon.' She said bitterly.

'You're not happy we finally killed that son of a bitch and that we may be too close to shut down Umbrella's operations? I thought that was what you wanted.'

'Yeah, Chris, we killed him. Now what?'

Chris didn't know what to say but he knew exactly how she felt. Welcome to my world, Sheva. This unsatisfied feeling would never go away. It had accompanied him since he began to work as an agent. He was never fully satisfied, a lot more could always be done. Besides, he was always lonely, too. It was hard to keep a relationship and his whole life was turned around his sister, Claire. But she was no child; she would probably marry and have kids soon. And he would stay in the same abyss.

He sighed.

'I don't know, Sheva. I never know.'

She stared at him in search of an answer that she couldn't have.

'I figured as much.'

'That's who we are, unfortunately.'

And along the road they went, on one more endless mission in their lives.


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