"C-Chris.." Piers finally mumbles, with obvious difficulty.

Even so, it is enough for Chris to let out a sigh of relief. Piers hasn't forgotten him - the mutation hasn't done damage to his memory. Chris doesn't know who to be thanking - the doctors, a deity or Piers' relentless spirit. It's probably a combination of all of them.

"How are you doing, kid?" Chris asks, letting a small smile slip. Piers is going to be okay. He can finally believe it now.

Piers coughs lightly, squeezing Chris' hand in his and attempts to smile back.

"M losin' my looks, captain." he laughs a little which turns into another small cough. Chris gives him a semi-stern look in response as the nurse giggles behind him at Piers' joke.

"Don't say that, Piers." he says, using his "commanding captain" tone. "Muller's anti-bodies are being turned into a cure for the mutation as we speak."

Piers nods shortly, turning his gaze down as his mutated arm moves and sparks lightly with an electric charge. Jane Lauren steps closer to the bed immediately, ready to rush everybody out of the room. Chris gives her a look, willing her to show patience and understanding before turning his attention back on his partner.

"It doesn't feel... as s-strong." Piers rasps out. "Like.. like it's sleeping."

Chris turns his frown to Lauren who nods at him. "We can't do any more than this until a cure is developed." she says, her eyes moving between Chris and her patient as she speaks. "We have stopped it from taking over Mr. Nivans' body entirely - this is as good as we hoped to achieve at this stage."

Chris nods firmly. "Hear that, Piers?" he looks the younger man in the eye again. "You're doing well. You just need to hold out for a few more hours. Think you can do that for me?"

Piers lets out a heavy sigh, his tired gaze holding Chris' stubbornly. "For you... I will, Chris." he mutters, a strong promise in his voice.

Chris huffs, nodding his approval and sense of pride at the younger man's spirit. He glances down where Piers is still weakly holding onto his hand and something coils in his chest. "I'm staying here." He says decisively, barely looking at anyone else in the room but Piers. "It's not up for negotiation."

Jane Lauren speaks up after a short pause. "Very well." she says, but her tone is stern. Chris doesn't have to look at her to know she is about to tell him a bunch of rules he needs to follow if he intends on spending more than a few minutes by his partner's side.

"Mr. Nivans needs as much rest as possible in order to stay strong and accept the medicine we administer well. This means no prolonged conversations, no strongly emotional moments, no physical activity beyond lying down. That means, that it is up to you, Chris-" Lauren makes a pointed pause here "to keep your interaction in check and be as professional and responsible about it as you can. Nothing too personal yet, understood?"

Chris gives her a sideways look, trying to determine what she means by 'too personal' but his mind reading skills are not that impressive.

"What does 'too personal' entail?" he asks, clearly aware of Piers' consistent squeezing of his hand. He squeezes back once, to assure his partner he's paying attention to him, albeit less obviously now.

Lauren gives him one of her unreadable looks then says "Nothing that will get Mr. Nivans' heart racing."

At that, Chris frowns, considering the topics that could possibly get Piers upset. Unfortunately, in their line of work, aside from small talk everything they can talk about has the capacity to get either or both of them worked up. Regardless, Chris fully intends to spare Piers anything that might cause the younger man to feel bad. Piers has already put himself on the line for Chris' benefit more times than Chris can count.

"Got it, doc." he finally says before motioning around the room. "Can I get a chair here?"

Jane Lauren gives the young nurse a signal. "A comfortable chair for Mr. Redfield, Sally, if you will."

Sally, as the impressionable girl is apparently called, hurries out of the room with a smile plastered on her face. Chris idly wonders what she's so happy about but his thoughts are interrupted.

"If you two will excuse me, I have a cure to develop." Jane Lauren says as she exits the room.

Chris watches the door close behind her back and turns his gaze back on his partner straight away. Piers' is watching him, gaze hooded, betraying his exhausted state. Yet despite of it, the younger man seems keen on remaining awake and focused. He finally lets go of Chris' hand with a soft smile.

"I'm glad.. you're here, captain." Piers mumbles, stiffling a cough.

Chris reaches out to fix his pillow, more to distract himself from his partner's apparent weakness than anything else. "I'm glad you're here, Piers." he replies, sneaking a glance at Piers' face. "Was a stupid thing you did down there." He can't help but add.

Piers lets out a sigh, shaking his head some. "Won't.. let you.. make me feel...bad."

"I'm not trying to make you feel bad, Piers." Chris answers immediately, in a hurry to make sure Piers doesn't misunderstand him. However Piers is already scowling.

"Bullsshhit." The younger man grunts and the heart rate monitor shows an increase in his pulse. "You.. you would have done the same.. for me, Chris." Piers growls, glaring up at Chris in his defiance.

Whatever argument Chris may have had on his mind vanishes. He reaches out and squeezes Piers' shoulder lightly, enough to peace him some. "You're right." Chris says, deciding to abandon his pride. "I don't hold it against you, Piers, you got that?" He's staring down his partner's eyes with every once of intensity he can feel.

Piers hesitates for a second, then his anger seems to diminish almost entirely. Slowly, he nods. "You better not." he says, leaning his head back further into the pillow, his breathing going deeper and steadier.

Chris watches him for a long moment, then relaxes some and straightens up just in time for nurse Sally's return. The girl, who objectively can't be more than 110 pounds is pushing a leather armchair which probably weighs as much as she does through the door and into the room.

"Here is your seat, sir." she pants from the effort, but keeps on pushing with dedication that Chris truly admires. He reaches to help her and she waves him off. "Oh no, I'm fine, sir, really." she says lightheartedly, pushing the armchair towards the side of Piers' bed. "I decided to bring this because I know you will probably be spending a lot of time in here with your partner." When she's finally done, she smiles at him and Piers, saying something under her breath so quietly Chris can't make out what it is. A second later, she's gone from the room.

Looking down at Piers who's drifting off into sleep, Chris sighs. They'd almost got into a fight just now despite Jane Lauren's warnings. As he sits down in the armchair, Chris vows not to let Piers get angry again anytime soon. No more bullshit on Chris' part. He owes Piers as much.