The creature moved towards her unstoppably and he knew what was about to happen. He was trapped, there was no way she could hear his voice. What could he do? No! God, help me, please.

He didn't have a good angle to shoot the thing, but he pointed his Vz61 and precisely shot the rundown ceiling over her head, hoping she would get the clue. She turned back right when she was going to be attacked and stopped the creature from moving forward by, instinctively, shooting it in the middle of the head. Their eyes crossed from far away and he tried to read hers anxiously. He could see a mix of gratitude and sadness.


Sheva fell down on her knees and breathed heavily as if she was having an asthma attack. Chris desperately rushed through corpses and junk to get to her as fast as he could, even though he knew she was already safe.

She sat on the floor, exhausted and overwhelmed. It seemed she was going down an immeasurable abyss with no turning back.

Chris had never been emotional during a mission, but he couldn't help himself when he neared her shady figure on the floor. She was crying like she hadn't cried for years in her bitter life. All that angst and sadness buried inside her for a long time was slowly coming back to surface. He cupped her face with his hands and asked her if she was fine, his eyes agonizingly searching for an answer.

'Oh my God, Sheva, are you okay? Are you hurt?'

'No… I'm fine.'

'Why are you crying? Are you in pain?'

He swore to himself that he had never seen such pain in someone's eyes before.

'I wish he had killed me.'

Her words and sobs made him shiver. He knelt down by her, holding her head and pressing it against his chest, protectively. His eyes wouldn't stop wandering around to see if the danger was really gone. So far they had killed only ten infected. Sheva was right about that area not being really hit, but he understood that Josh just wanted to prevent an epidemic rush towards the coast. Besides being a more populated area, that's where the main businesses, jobs, and tourism were concentrated, and the infection would cause a devastating panic and evacuation, destroying the city's economy.

'Calm down, Shev. It will pass.'

She told herself to stop being so stupid. She had always been so strong. She reminded herself of when she was part of the militias. She had never been afraid of shooting a gun, partially because she was just an innocent child who didn't know what was going on. But later she believed that she was now facing her life's worst atonement for being a killer. Get a grip, Sheva. Stop being such a weak and crying over some random dude's arms. But he was no random dude and she knew that. She had no idea why she trusted him so much, with her life and now with her feelings. They had been through hell together, that could be the reason why, but still. She wasn't going to let him inside her shell that easily.

'Chris, Sheva, you still there?' Josh's voice roared through Chris's talkie, echoing in the abandoned building.

'Positive, Josh. Sheva was almost hit, but nothing happened. She isn't feeling good, though.'

'I'm fine, Josh'. She responded, upping her head towards Chris's talkie and giving him a pissed off look.

'Copy that. Do you think there are any left?'

'I guess not, but we'll check. This is the only place in town where these sons of a bitches could be moving, according to the Intel. We should be looking into another area nearby tomorrow to make sure they haven't escaped.' Chris replied.

'Roger that. Go ahead and finish the search, then you're dismissed for the day. We'll be at the coast; everyone is heading to your direction tonight. Meet you guys in two hours by the beach.'

Sheva stood up and wiped her face.

'Chris, let's go check. I want to be done with this soon.'

'It's a good idea.' He answered, coldly.

Chris was a little disturbed with her attitude. Since they started the mission, she'd been cold and distant, and now she wanted to die. What the fuck was going on?

'Chris.' She stopped him, placing her hand on his back. He stared at her eyes, which seemed to be pleading for something again.

'Yes, Sheva.'

'Forgive me.'

'For what? It wasn't your fault.'

'For being so weak and mean. I've got a lot on me lately.'

He sighed comprehensibly and responded, staring at her eyes.

'I always got a lot on me, too, Sheva. It's fine. You're just now reacting after all that happened in Kijuju. I remember my first mission and I felt exactly like that.'

He leaned towards her and kissed her forehead. It was the first genuine gesture of affection he had ever shown to a new partner in a mission. He had always learned how to keep his distance. Jill and he had shared some intimacy moments before, but they had known each other for years.

'Thanks for saving me.' She said, still a little antsy.

'Thanks for being there for me when I needed, too.' He gave her a reassuring look and they kept going.


They got back to their log cabins in an hour and rapidly got their stuff out of the car. Sheva rushed into her cabin, saying that she needed a shower right away. She had faced death closely and was apparently still shaken by the thought of it.

Chris also entered his room, took off his shoes, and got in the shower. It had been a really hot day. His cabin was small but much nicer and comfortable than the piece of shit room he was given at the base, he thought. It smelled fresh and new and he was looking around when he saw rose petals on the floor. What the hell? Well, he didn't actually care. He just threw himself under the cold shower.

He felt the cold water gradually running down his body. He couldn't get her out of his head. What the hell was going on with him? He saw so much sadness in her eyes that he wished he could take it all to him just to see her smile again.

Chris was astonished by Sheva's beauty when he first saw her in the morning after the day they arrived from the mission. Jill was still in hospital and he had come back to the base to talk to Josh when he spotted her walking in the refectory. She was so pretty with her hair down and a little wet and her white crochet dress. She was smiling and talking to one of the crew members, and she didn't look like the same person. He couldn't take his eyes off of her until he heard Josh calling his name repeatedly. He knew Josh had noticed, but whatever. She was so damn pretty that it was worth to be caught staring.

After seeing her that morning, they bumped into each other a couple of other times. She went to visit Jill in the hospital and brought her flowers and a tribal bracelet, with words that stood for 'Strength' in Swahili. Jill loved the bracelet and put it on her arm right away. They connected quite fast and easily. Chris had left the room to give them some feminine privacy and they talked for an hour. He never dared to ask Jill about it, though.

He had seen her during meal times. Their eyes crossed curiously and she would smile at him. Chris had never been a guy who smiled much, but he couldn't help it but smiling back. Anyway, it was that type of thing that you couldn't exactly avoid. He thought she was really attractive and he knew that, in another time or place, he would gladly flirt with her and invite her out. But he knew how torn and unsettled he was. His missions were the only certainty he had in his life and he had never been given the right to have a normal personal life.

He had considered being with Jill a while back in time. They were in a relationship for a short period of time, but mostly because it was convenient. They were both in the same business and both understood each other really well. But Chris thought that it was not fair to any of them and they decided they should be only friends. He loved her maybe more than he had ever loved a girlfriend, but in a different way. She was family. There were two women he could die for and they were Claire and Jill. And now this young and new girl just shows up in his life and starts messing up with his thoughts.


Sheva wanted to disappear after her mission. Why had she done that for Chris anyway? She was absolutely honest with herself, maybe more than Chris was with himself. She knew she liked him the first moment she set her eyes on him. She was always prone to pick the rude cocky guys who usually didn't care about her. He was definitely her type.

Why couldn't she just love a nice African boy? Most guys she had been in love with, since college, were stupid and spoiled Americans. They had destroyed her self steam and made her doubt about love and relationships. She had once talked to her best American girlfriend about relationships and she had told Sheva that it wasn't the ethnicity or where her boyfriends came from necessarily. She was always picking the wrong guys as a self punishment for being a rebel in her teenage years. Her friend told her to stop doing that to herself; that there were lots of nice guys out there anywhere in the world, ready to commit to such a dependable and nice girl like her. She truly wished her friend was right.

She didn't know who Chris Redfield was, though. He could be really nice and reliable, even though he sometimes showed very little of himself. She had made him smile a couple of times and she was proud of that. His smile was beautiful and genuine and she wondered if he was as unhappy as his eyes looked.

Her stream of thoughts was interrupted by his voice at her door. She was wrapped in her towel, combing her hair and sitting on the bed.

'Sheva, you ready?'

'Are they here yet?'

'They're waiting for us at the beach. They're ordering something to eat at the bar close to the shore.'

'Go ahead, Chris, I'll be there in a second. Order something for me, please. I could eat a lion right now, so I imagine how hungry you must be.'

She could hear him chuckle outside.

'Alright. What do you like?'

'Anything with meat and vegetables.

'See you then.'

'See ya.'

Ugh! How she hated herself for crying around him. What the hell had just happened? She was really the most honest person she ever knew and never tried to hide her feelings from herself. She was tired of that stupid life, tired of being alone. And it had hurt her badly to see him rushing to help his older partner when he didn't even ask her how she was doing the following day. She had bruises all over her body by being thrown up in the air uncountable times by Wesker. He had assumed she was fine because he was Mr. Invincible Redfield, but couldn't he have at least asked? What an asshole. He had thanked her, though, but still. However, meeting Chris was just the tip of her iceberg of problems.

She decided to stop being so cranky and, feeling good with herself, put on some beautiful makeup on her face, including a wine colored lipstick. Her hair was down and wavy and she liked what she saw on the mirror. Her long emerald green dress matched her hazel eyes perfectly. She wanted to eat dinner, drink some wine, and laugh with the guys. She knew that nights out with them were always very fun and they would usually sit down by the fire, get wasted, tell stories, and laugh. She felt that was home. They were her family.

But she knew the makeup wasn't intended to the guys, but to someone else. Ugh, idiot!


She arrived at the bar & restaurant half an hour later. Guys were already drinking beers and eating steak and fries. She said hi to everyone and sat down. Chris had eyed her fixedly from the moment she arrived to when she sat down by his side.

'So, what did you get me?' She asked in a much happier mood.

'Fish Potjie.'

'Wow,' she exclaimed surprised, 'how did you know I like that so much? Hum, I guess you had some help.' She commented suspiciously.

'Caught.' He smiled and she beautifully smiled back.

The guys were so concentrated talking to each other that they didn't hear any words shared between them. Chris felt being emerged in a lavender scent. Her smell. So good.

'Looking good.'

Had he just been flirtatious?

'Thanks, same to you.' She kept her eyes on the menu, choosing something to drink.

She called someone's attention and ordered something in Swahili.

He didn't know what to say. He felt awkward sitting by that very beautiful woman and surrounded by his colleagues. He needed to break the ice.

'So, what's with the roses and petals?'

Sheva laughed spontaneously.

'I thought I should've warned you, but I preferred to see you surprised.'

'Excuse me?' He asked confused.

'This area is usually destined to honeymooners. Love is actually its main economy'. She winked as if she had told him a secret.

'Oh, I got it. That explains.'

'Yeah, that also explains the three boxes of condoms I found in my closet today.'

Chris laughed, unconstrained for the first time.

'Well, at least they're doing it right.'

'Agreed, there are too many babies in the world already.'

She was little by little coming back to 'herself' and he was enjoying seeing her in a better mood. She looked pretty and natural.

'So, anyway,' she continued, sipping her drink, 'there are lots of nice resorts in this area. We're actually staying in the 'economy class' cabins.'

'How could they've done that to us? They should have at least given us some cleaner sheets.'

She made a yucky face.

'Did you notice that too?'

They burst out laughing and the guys finally looked at them, wondering what was going on.

'What's so funny, guys?' Josh asked.

'Our rooms smell like sex.' Sheva honestly replied.

'Is that so bad?' Gota happily questioned.

'Well, somebody else's sex is really bad.' Sheva replied.

They all laughed together. It was nice to see Sheva joking and smiling widely now. Chris thought it was interesting how she openly talked to the guys about anything. They were all family to her. She practically heard guy talk everyday, so obviously she would shamelessly talk about sex around them too.

After a great meal, they all sat by the fire and shared stories. First they talked about the mission and other things related to work. Some time later, when the wine was making effect, Josh made everyone share embarrassing stories that had once happened to them. They were picking on Sheva all the time, trying to make her mad and embarrassed. Their favorite stories were those of when she had first moved to America and felt like a lost bird there.

'Sheva, tell the guys about Mr. Clean Feet.' Josh started.

'Mr. What?' Mendez asked.

'Josh, I hate you sometimes…' Sheva had a mad look at her face, but also mixed with fun. She continued. 'You know, guys, I was 18 when I moved there. After some time I got to know people better and speak the language well. So I had a couple of boyfriends…'

'The type who won't make their own beds and live off mom and dad's wages…'

'Exactly. The guys I met in college seemed way too immature to me. Nothing like you guys who had to become a real man early to help supporting your families… So… I got tired and kicked them out.'

'And then she hooks up with a guy twice her age…' Josh devilishly adds.

'Josh, will you stop?' She pretended to throw ashes on him, as they were all laughing and anxious to hear about the story.

Chris watched her curiously, also delighted by her storytelling.

'It was supposed to be secret back then. He was my professor.' She covered her face with her hands, laughing, embarrassed.

'Way to go, Sheva!' Some of the guys commented.

'So… It was a great experience, much better than the other guys I dated before…'

'Except that he was…' Josh interfered, saving his breath to laugh later.

'He was OCD.'

Chris smiled and asked.

'Why is that?'

'Can I tell him, Sheva?' Josh asked.

'Josh, you're probably having more fun than anyone else by telling this story, so go ahead. Ha ha.'

'So… Chris. The old man would invite her over to his house to do whatever.'

'Whatever…' The guys repeated in unison, embarrassing her even more.

'He wasn't an old man, he was 40, damn it!' She said, defensively.

'You were 20, though.' Josh remarked.

'Whatever, guys.' She shot back.

'So,' Josh continued, 'he would be really happy to see her there. Except he had something he had to do whenever someone came to visit.'

'What? What?' The guys all asked.

Sheva had tears in her eyes of laughing so much. She buried her face under her knees before he could answer.

'He would take Sheva to the bathroom and wash her feet.'

'Wtf?'

'Yeah, Mendez. He would wash her feet because he had a $100.000 carpet installed.'

'No f* way.' Chris said, laughing.

'True, man. So Sheva never needed a pedicure back then.'

'Did he do your toenails too, Sheva?' Boya asked.

'Enough, guys, ok? You've had your fun today!' She said in a grumpy mood.

'Ah come one, Shev! I didn't even tell the guys about Mr. Dildo in the post office.'

'Josh! Ugh!' Sheva groaned.

They embarrassed her for another half hour. Chris was feeling really good to see her in a better mood and to hear funny stories about her life. It felt like finally he was getting to know her. She looked so lovable and sweet sometimes, nothing like that strong-willed rebel young girl he first thought she could be. And he loved the fact she said she had dated an older guy, too. He was twelve years older than her and he always thought that could be an issue. She seemed too sure of herself, though, nothing like an average 23-year-old back home. If he didn't know her age and she didn't look so young, he would say she was at least thirty.

But why are you having these thoughts anyway, Chris? He couldn't shut up the voice on his mind.

Man, it was getting hard to control his feelings for her. It was a mix of gratitude, friendship, and desire. Real desire. He was in flames at the thought of her naked on his bed. It must be the wine, Chris.


Chris went to the men's restroom and splashed water all over his face. He starred at himself in the mirror. He didn't know what to do with his life anymore. He was getting old and tired of all those crappy missions. He would really have to reconsider a life change when he got back home. He had killed Wesker, or at least apparently. But he still wanted to make sure the son of a bitch hadn't survived.

What about Sheva? He couldn't answer. He didn't even know what to say about her, actually. She was amazing. Beautiful, delicate, and strong at the same time. Sexy, super hot... What wouldn't he give to be alone with her for one night… He just didn't know if he could handle having her for one night only. The thought of her leaving made him uneasy. He may have just a couple of weeks in Africa and he had no idea where fate would take them. More likely apart. And he would be lonely and unhappy again.


Chris was walking back to the group when it was Josh's turn to go to the restroom. He noticed Sheva wasn't there.

'Hey. Where is Sheva?'

'Oh. She walked up to the beach.'

'Why?'

'Well, it seems her parents liked to take her there when she was little, so she goes there whenever she can. She's been quite emotional lately, you know.'

'Tell me about it. She was really messed up today after she was almost killed.'

'It'll pass. I guess she just realized what it takes to do what we do. She's still fresh, though she's great with guns. And you guys didn't seem to have a nice time chasing Wesker down.'

'I told her that. It's still hard to believe she's handling that well.'

Josh looked at Chris as if he was analyzing him. He let out a grin, as if he knew what was going on between them.

'Go out there and bring her back.' He winked, walking away.

Great. He had noticed. Chris had a desperate urge to talk to her, even though he didn't know why.


She was sitting on a rock by the shore. She had her sandals on her hands and she was playfully soaking her feet in the low tide water. She could instinctively sense he was coming behind her.

'Hey, Chris.' She said without looking.

'How did you know it was me?' He curiously asked, sitting beside her, and removing his shoes.

'I just can feel you.' She said softly, looking deeply in his eyes and grinning.

'Is that so?' He asked a little flirtatiously.

'Yes. I can smell you within a mile.' She said shameless yet not provocatively.

'Wow, I'm impressed with your sixth sense.'

'Seventh, actually.'

'What's the sixth then?'

'You'd better not know.' She answered, giggling sheepishly.

'Ha ha. I confess I'm afraid to know the answer after all those stories I learned about you.'

He paused, looked at the waves, and took a deep breath.

'How are you feeling?'

'Better.' She smiled honestly.

'Josh said you were here. I didn't track your smell.' He winked.

It was good to see him more open, making jokes and smiling.

'Yeah… I'm here because this place has its share of good memories. When I was little, dad would bring me here.' She said nostalgically.

Chris had heard she usually didn't talk about her parents. It might still hurt her much. So he intently let her go on.

'My dad was such a handsome guy, you know.' She said smiling. 'He kind of looked like you.'

'I guess I should definitely take that as a compliment.'

She chuckled and continued.

'He was Dutch. Actually his family was but he was born here. He used to tell me stories of when he first met my mom and I can still remember that. He said he knew he loved her when he first set his eyes on her.'

'Wow…'

'Yeah. His family wasn't so happy about it, though. They were very racist. My mom was a native from the island, poor, but really, really pretty. They fell in love instantly. And then I came nine months later.' She said genuinely.

'A beautiful mix.'

'Thanks', she smiled. 'I'm really proud of my color. I'm a physical proof that the world could be a great place when races and cultures don't actually exist anymore.'

He smiled at her comment. He really agreed with her. He loved her caramel mocha skin and her hazel eyes. God, if he could at least touch her that moment. But he didn't want to break the spell. She was finally talking about her past and that was important to him that she opened up.

'I miss them. I remember how happy they were, always dancing and kissing each other. It was like a fairy tale.'

'Sheva, you should be happy you actually experienced that. When my parents were alive, I just remembered them fighting all the time, ha ha.'

She looked at him surprised.

'Did they pass?'

'Yeah, a long time ago.'

'I'm so sorry, Chris.' She said with a really sad look on her face.

'It's okay, Sheva. But they gave me Claire. My sister is my everything.'

'Nice. I wish I had a sibling. But it would have been a lot more complicated if I had to watch for him or her. I had a hard time watching for myself.'

'I'm sorry…' He said with tender eyes.

She touched his hand.

'It's okay, Chris. We'll all be fine in the end, right?' He tenderly smiled.

'Right…'

He wrapped his arm around her and she comfortably rested her head on his shoulder, watching the waves come and go. At this point, he didn't give a damn anymore. He was allowing himself to be a little bit more welcoming and open-minded to whatever was coming next.

'You know, Chris,' she whispered almost faintly, 'you can be really nice sometimes.'

He smiled at her honest remark.

'When am I not nice?'

'Like now?' He laughed. 'You're so cocky sometimes, you know.'

'I know. But honesty is a virtue.'

'See that?' Sheva shook her head unbelievably, smiling.

He could let her rest on his shoulder forever, he wouldn't mind. It was great to have her so close, even though he was scared as hell about his feelings for her. Again, he didn't care at this point. Let life lead the way, Chris.


They were back after a while to meet the group. Everyone was ready to head back. They all had drunk a lot of wine and Josh agreed that, even though they needed a break, it was necessary to be focused on the mission the next morning. Chris and Sheva would remain at the beach area, but would move about 20 miles north. The other crew would stay in the same place they had been before.

Chris and Sheva walked slowly on the way back home to avoid saying goodbye so soon. When they reached their cabins, Chris kissed her goodnight on her forehead. She gave with a soft kiss on his cheek in return, what gave him quivers. He felt like a high school boy. He really wanted to kiss her on her lips but he knew it wasn't the appropriate time. She was still pretty much shaken with everything that was going on lately and he could tell that all she really needed at that moment was a friend. And he was there for her. Partners till the end, like she once told him.

He could tell the sadness in her eyes when she got in the cabin and closed the door.

'See you tomorrow.' He said unwillingly.

'Sleep well, Chris.'


He couldn't sleep. He saw their faces coming close, grabbing him with their huge arms, trying to kill him with their 'tongues'. He had these awful visions over the last two days. He got up and went to the fridge to get some water. He looked out the window. Sheva? He was surprised to see her up, sitting on the small porch outside of her cabin. She hadn't seen him. She got up, and then went inside.

He knocked at her door in three seconds.

'Chris?'

'I saw you were up. You okay?'

She smiled at the way he was concerned.

'Why not, Chris? It's just insomnia. I'm still tense.'

'Still thinking about your parents?'

'About all sorts of things, actually.' She lowered her eyes.

'It'll be all fine in the end, as you say.'

'I guess… Anyway, what are you doing still up?'

'Can't sleep either.' They both chuckled.

'Why is that?'

'Nightmares. And thinking about all sorts of things, too, actually.'

She gave him a beautiful and peaceful smile.

'Want to come in? I guess I could use you as a pillow a little bit more.'

Chris was surprised with her attitude. Sheva truly didn't look like the kind of woman who would easily put a new man on her bed. Maybe that wasn't exactly what she wanted.

And it wasn't. He lay down in bed with her and she rested her head on his shoulder again. She cuddled up like a child who goes to his parents' bed after having nightmares. She sadly whispered, almost inaudibly.

'Chris, tell me how to stop.'

'Stop what?'

'Thinking that I might have chosen the wrong path.'

He wasn't sure about what to say.

'Tell me if you find the answer for that, Shev…'

And they fell asleep together, emerged in their past, bitterness, and disillusions.


Hope you guys like my new Sheva and Chris. I tried to build them a lot deeper in this stories. The truth is, we all have our share of angst and insecurity. Please review!