Disclaimers: I do not own anything out of Resident Evil. All of the contents belonged to Capcom.

Day Four (Part Two): The Dance

'Why don't we go for a dance?' - Sherry Birkin

El Convento
6th July 2014, 7.00 P.M

Jake Muller was partially impressed on how well thought out his partner were. Apparently, this dancing ball they were invited to was a formal occasion, in other words, he need to dress himself in suit and tie. He was silently thankful that Sherry decided to make one for him during their visit to the mall days ago, because Leon somehow had forgotten to provide him a formal attire in the suitcase.

"Now, how do I get this fucking thing on?"

He got his black slack pants zipped up, the complementing white shirt all buttoned up, the dark single breasted jacket on unbuttoned, the white socks warming his feet. But there's still one more thing left...

The silk tie, the long red striped piece of thread.

Not that Jake had never seen them on a human being, he had seen countless rich politician dressed in suit to hire him to do their dirty work. But he had never wore one himself ever. And Jake himself had never expected that he would ever wear one.

Twisting and twirling it around his neck, Jake grunted in frustration after long minutes to figure it out, but never ended in the right knot. Eventually, he gave up trying; he didn't want the tie to end up wrinkled and crumpled. 'Wait a minute, Sherry worked at the DSO office. She might know how to get this shit on.'

It's been at least twenty minutes since they went separate ways to get changed. Jake took the parlor as he usually did and Sherry of course took the bedroom since it was her space - the vanity table was there. He waited impatiently outside the door to the bedroom. If he forgo the tie, he would have done at least five minutes ago.

Straining his ears, Jake detected no sound inside the bedroom. Woman. Just what did they do inside to take it so long? "Uh... Sherry? You okay in there?" Two soft knocks landed on the wooden door and he finally heard her reply.

"You're already done, Jake? Come on in."

So Jake obeyed as he pushed the door open. As expected, she was fixing herself up at the vanity table in front of the antique mirror. He froze there, stunned.

She had her hair brushed and she was just done putting on all the makeups. After putting on the light pink lipstick on her already shiny lips, she finally stood up as she smoothed her dress - Jake now believed that blue was definitely her color; that baby blue glittering dress that ended on the middle of her thighs, revealing a nice portion of her legs. And the gap on her cleavage, thank god it was not revealing as much as Jake would have approved of.

Thank you, Claire for picking that perfect dress for her.

She was picking up her high heels that she had left next to the table when she turned her attention to the man who was standing there like a statue, both was equally impressed on how each other look on their formal attire. But it was Jake who spoke first, "Wow...you look..." He paused, there's almost a million words running through his mind to describe how she looked like, "...Stunning." That was not a metaphor - he was stunned the moment he entered the room.

She giggled on his comment. Sherry thought that it was quite funny for a man as hard as he was to actually complimenting someone, he was complimenting her on top of that! "Why, thank you, Jake." She coughed as she took her handbag with her and walked past him to the exit, which he followed closely behind. He was eyeing to the handbag just as curiously when she scoffed, "Don't worry. There's only women stuff in it."

He nodded with an amused expression on his face as they walked down the hall. Jake's right hand was still holding onto the tie when Sherry was sitting down to the sofa, putting on her high heels. "I need help in this." He finally admitted to her when she was done fiddling with her lower garment. Sherry looked up and saw his puppy eyes pleading for help, "You didn't know how to tie a tie?" She asked incredulously and Jake was slightly offended with her surprise, "No." He breathed through his teeth.

Suppressing another giggle, Sherry went over and picked up the red silk tie from his hand and he was almost glad to be rid of it. She smoothed the crumples that Jake made and wound it over his collar. Although she meant to keep a comfortable distance between them, the fact that Jake towering height made her stepped in closer as she worked on the appropriate knots.

And then the tension dissipated as another kind of tension sets in between them. Their closeness to the point that Jake could smell her perfume and she could smell his cologne had made her work somewhat distracted that her fingers nearly stopped working. She slowed down when her eyes accidentally caught his and Jake was staring down at her intently, not tearing his gaze for even a second. His usually dark cold eyes was now a little warmer but still so piercing that Sherry fidgeted.

It took her some time despite that Sherry knew that she could work faster than that but she still got the four-in-hand knot done as she pulled it upwards. "You're all done." She quietly informed.

"Thanks." It was barely a whisper.

There was a slight tremble on his lips as he was nearly dying to kiss her again. With her standing so close to him now, he knew that this would be the perfect opportunity. Thus he leaned in.

But it landed on her cheek instead.

It was a quick peck, but it was enough to send electricity to her cheek as she felt numb on the spot where he had kissed her. Jake was relieved that she didn't show the reaction that he didn't wanted to see - wide eyes and open mouthed. Instead, she brought her hand up to his collar as she readjusted the hard collar and buttoned the last button on top of his dress shirt.

Sherry was biting her own lower lips when a phantom smile curved, "You look great."

He was smiling back as he took her hand.

San Juan Hilton Hotel, Puerto Rico
6th July 2014, 8.30 P.M

They drove themselves with the same Ford Mustang to the hotel that the invitation card had dictated. By the time they had arrived, there were several others people in their dress and suit stopped at the entrance. Sherry recognized them as some important icons and celebrities on Puerto Rico that she had seen on the magazines.

Corbero is something.

The hall was spacious, providing enough room for everyone to have their time. Jake and Sherry resided at a quiet corner as they keep an eye out for Corbero. He should be there, considering that he will the host for this ball. The crowd of people made things a little difficult to locate their target.

"Mr. Muller!"

They heard someone hollered at them from a distance. Great, spare them the trouble of finding the big man.

Corbero was as nicely dressed as the rest of the people present in the room. but the suit still make him as a 'pig in suit'. There was a huge grin on his face and another friend of his was following him by his side. "I knew that you will come, Mr. Muller. And you look smokin' hot, Mrs. Muller." Corbero extended his hand to her which she reluctantly let him kiss her hand.

Damn she need hand-sanitizer. "Thank you, Mr. Corbero."

"Pleasure's all mine. And yes..." He gestured to the man standing beside him as he pushed him forward. Up close, Corbero's friend was a tall, stocky man. The suit fitted his large build just perfectly and he was even taller than Jake himself They didn't miss the scar running along his forehead. "Meet Vector Alcott. He's my best business partner."

At least his partner was better looking than Corbero himself despite the smile on his face still make him look threatening - hair-slicked back and there was an intimidating look on his face. One of his hand was hidden on his pocket and the other was extended to Jake in a handshake, "Vector Alcott, Mr. Muller." His gruff voice wasn't accented on Spanish as they had expected.

"Jake Muller, Mr. Alcott." Jake reciprocated. Then another kiss to Sherry's hand as he bowed politely, "A pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Muller."

It was better than Corbero's, she thought. "Sherry Muller. It's nice to meet you too, Mr. Alcott."

"Sherry, huh?" He whispered under his breath with a smirk then return his hand to the warmth of his pocket.

Corbero chuckled heartily when another businessman greet him from a distance. Another close friend of his, they presumed. Corbero waved back but not before leaving a goodbye for them, "I've got some guests to see to. Vector, you don't mind entertaining Mr and Mrs Muller now, do you?"

Alcott trailed an eye to the couple with a smile, "No. Of course not. It will be nice to have a chat with them."

"So, from what I've heard from Aldiel... You two are here for your honeymoon?"

Vector Alcott was a gentleman. As revealing as his scar on his forehead might have been, the way he spoke had never hinted him to be once a very foul-mouthed person. Unlike Jake who had tried to restrain himself from cursing from time to time. Jake was never used to talking to people this politely.

He nodded, "Yes."

And Alcott smiled slightly, "Aldiel also mentioned that you've involved in... 'some business'."

Finally, something informational. Jake's lips raised into a smirk that mirrored Alcott's when he replied dryly, "Yes. 'Some business' would be the right word." He paused, "What about you, Mr. Alcott?"

"I am just Aldiel's investor."

That's it?

Just then, Corbero called him from where he was standing. Alcott waved back slightly as he smiled curtly to them one last time, "I guess I'll talk to you soon."

"Yeah. See you."

They watched with a strange intuition as the broad man walked away.

Vector Alcott wasn't this simple.

Hunnigan will see to that.

Ball wasn't something that Jake Muller would used to go, brawl would be appropriate.

And now here he was, standing in the middle of the rich fools that were glancing to his scar once in a while. Sherry noticed Jake's uncomfort so she gently tugged his arm for attention, "You alright?"

"I'm fine." Or so he thought. This mission was so on and off. Sometimes Jake would enjoyed the mission so much, then the boredom ticked him off at times. Right now, Jake was wishing that he could be in the middle of the J'avos, running and gunning in the smoke and blood while screaming and cursing to the mutants - rather than standing there under the candle chandelier and sparkling things looking like an static human statue.

"Why don't we go for a dance?" She nudged him to where people were swaying gently to the small band of violin and guitar and trumpet and bass and the piano. Jake huffed, "I don't dance." She got to be kidding. Him? Jake Muller? Dancing like a freak? "Dancing are for idiots, and I'm definitely not compatible with that." He said dismissively.

Sherry shook her head in defiance, "It's not exactly dancing with those busty moves. It's just swaying back and forth." Then she purposely crossed her arms in a mocking manner, "C'mon, I can teach you! Don't tell me you're not up for the challenge..." She trailed off in a challenging tone that she used back at the beach. She knew Jake's ego. He certainly won't back down like that.

Jake was glaring at her and he offered his hand to her, "Bring it on, Supergirl."

It worked. Good job, Birkin. Sherry hid her ghost smile as she took his hand and lead them to the dance floor. The people were kind enough to make space for them as they went to the middle of the crowd. Not having the slightest clue of what to do next, the mercenary let Sherry adjusted their position as she put his hand on her slim waist while hers was resting on his shoulder.

"It's easy, Jake. Just relax and... move." Her instructions weren't helping as much because he was sluggish and clumsy at first - Going out of tune and stepping on to her occasionally. But he learnt. And being a fast-learner he always was, he got the hang of it very soon as he began to move smoothly in tune with her. "Not bad for a first-timer."

"You should have known better than to challenge me, Supergirl."

They were staring into each others eyes intently as they moved, each not letting go of the contact. Sherry's mouth was slightly opened because she was breathing through her mouth, indicating her nervousness. "Jake..." She didn't even realized that she was in fact whispering to him, "I... just wanted to say..." She stuttered, her eyes looked down to their shoes in embarrassment, unable to continue.

"Tell me." He ushered, his mouth was just next to her ears to due his height. Jake sounded like he was returning to his old mercenary self. His low voice felt like it trembled along her ears as his voice traveled through her brain. She was starting to feel giddy and light-headed, "These few days that we spent together... I wanted to..." She breathed, "Thank you."

It was done.

But Jake was unsatisfied that Sherry had left her sentence hanging there, "For what?"

'Dammit, Jake. Why did you just have to ask?' She was now breathing haggardly, but she try to hide that from him.

"For making me so happy in my entire life." In one breath, she confessed it. She warily gauged his reaction when she had finished. For a moment, she was feeling too anxious that she couldn't hear anything else except for her own breathing.

And Jake smiled to her. Accepting and approving. "Me too."

The butterflies in her stomach was now gone as she buried her head comfortably to his wide chest. He didn't push her away, instead, the hand on the side of her waist wound itself around her petite frame - pulling her closer to him.

Even though they were in the midst of many other couples, it felt like it was just only him and her.

Jake tilted his head a little to the side to have a better look to her face. She seemed to be intoxicated, a slight red blush blanketed the smooth skin of her cheek.

"Sherry..."

She looked up, meeting his gaze.

And he leaned down to her.

"Are you sure about what you said, Vector?"

There was a sadistic smirk on his scarred face as he joined the obese man to watch the couple. His hand was on the ramp of the second floor and his large silhouette was mostly shielded by the curtains. Pulling off the cigar off his mouth, Vector nodded, "There's no mistake about them. They were the ones that my predecessor had targeted."

"So, what are they here for?"

"Us... You. To be specific.""

"And what are we supposed to do now?" He was now starting to feel afraid.

"No worries, Aldiel. I had just the perfect plan for them. But I will have to need your help."

"I can get away soon after that?"

A short silence.

"It will only benefits you."

San Juan Hilton Hotel, Puerto Rico
6th July 2014, 10.00 P.M

This would be the third time they had kissed. But this time it was totally different.

Because this wasn't for an act. It was for real. He kissed her because he wanted too. And she kissed him back because she needed to.

He was gentle and slow at first, wanting to leave his taste on her lips as much as possible. She was too eager to oblige when she followed his lead. But it wasn't very long before his tongue darted out to graze her upper lips which she was more than glad to part for him.

Despite the fact that they weren't very experienced kisser that the amount they had kissed were countable by their fingers, they were breathless by the end of it. And she smiled sheepishly when he reluctantly parted for the sake of air. "I should have done that earlier." She heard him murmured and she couldn't agree more. "Yeah."

Sherry was silently glad that Claire wasn't here to witness the moment; she knew Claire will approve of Jake. But she didn't want Claire to spend hours nagging and teasing her about the kiss.

"Hey, Supergirl..." He sounded just like when he was on his cocky side, a sly smile plastered on his face, "I've forgotten about the mission completely." She nodded in unison and her hand slowly reaching out for his face as she slowly wipe the smeared lipstick marks on the corner of his lips with her thumb.

"Jakey!"

The fuck?

They'd almost sprang apart when Corbero hollered at him yet again. Jake grunted in annoyance, why did he just have to interrupt their moment?

Walking out of the dance floor, Jake could have swore that he would beat the crap out of this fatso if it wasn't for the sake of the mission. He'll just be patient with him now. He wasn't exactly angry, just annoyed that Corbero ruined his moment. "Is it something wrong, Mr. Corbero?" Sherry had to answer for Jake since he was literally fuming.

"Oh, no. I'm just here to- Am I interrupting?"

'Yes. Thank you very much, asshole.' Jake's teeth was gritting together as he answered quickly, "Not anymore. What did you want?"

"Nah, I'm just here to invite you guys for another private party of mine tomorrow."

Again?

Sherry was more than glad to accept it, thinking it as another chance for them to interrogate Corbero again.

Unfortunately, Jake was thinking otherwise.

Before Sherry could even answer, Jake had already did it before her, "No, thanks." He wound an arm around Sherry in an attempt to silence her. "Jake-"

"We'll think about it, Corbero. And I think it's about time we take our leave." His eyes were firm, his previous answer was telling her, "Better?"

Corbero's lips was thinning, but the curved had yet to cease, "Hmm. If you say so. then I will expect your call tomorrow."

A few minutes later

"So how did it went, Aldiel?"

"They seemed to be reluctant about going into our plan."

"I've guessed. Jake Muller seemed to grow a dislike onto you."

"Then what the hell are we suppose to do if they didn't show up?"

...

"We'll go for Plan B if it's necessary."

"Plan B?"

San Juan, Puerto Rico
6th July 2014, 10.30 P.M

They were an uncomfortable silence throughout the ride back to the main hotel. Although the intimate moment earlier had them feeling... more for each other, but their conflicts of opinion about Corbero's invitation had them not wanting to talk to each other for the moment. Or they avoided talking to each other.

Anger always had its way with people, so neither wanted to argue for now. Sherry will not risk having Jake lost his temper and to drive like a lunatic. And Jake won't risk having Sherry yelling at him.

The road was very smooth with very few cars in this late night hours, only one or two passing by at the opposite direction.

It became unbearable, the silence between them. Even the soft bass music playing from the radio station weren't helping either way. She peeked over to him, his face was calm - precisely, empty. He wasn't biting his lower lips nor his eyebrow furrowed. his face was stoic and unreadable.

Typical Jake.

"Jake," She began timidly, the male only scrunched his nose as an acknowledgement, at least he was rational enough to listen to her, "What were you thinking?"

"About what?"

She snorted, he just have to play stupid now, does he? "Corbero."

"Oh. That." Came his simple reply, he didn't sounded too interested to be talking about the topic.

His oblivious expression was getting on her nerves, "You know that we're in a middle of a mission. Hunnigan said that she will not be risking anything for this mission. So you shouldn't be rejecting-"

"Personally, Sherry, " He cut her off and she went mute, "I don't care about Corbero."

"Huh?"

"We've arrived."

The light was finally entering through the window of their car when Jake had pulled over to the parking lot. Found the spot near the elevator as he did so.

He turned everything off as quickly as he could so that he could just get out of the car. Because he knew that Sherry would dare to say anything out of place if there were in public.

El Convento
6th July 2014, 11.00 P.M

Shaking the moccasins away from his feet, Sherry darted pass him as she went to a corner to remove her high heels. It must have been very uncomfortable for her, Jake thought when he saw as she rubbed her ankle with her thumb.

He tried to ignore her when he went to the kitchen to grab a beer out of the fridge. Screw the fancy cocktail they had been serving back then, Jake didn't like his drink to be funny. But then he changed his mind as he grabbed the whiskey out from the shelves, leaving the beer at the counter. A proper drink is exactly what he needed right now. It ought to help him to get away from what had happened at the ball.

About that kiss.

Shit.

He poured to a shot glass, Jake wouldn't want a hangover at the next day when he brought the glass out of the kitchen. He was still wondering why there was a sudden change in her mood right now. Just ago, she was so into the moment, then of all of a sudden, she was angry with him right now.

Woman.

But he stopped on his track when he met Sherry's glare boring holes at him. One of his arm was planted to the frame of the door while she was glaring at him like an eagle to her prey there at the living room.

"We have to settle this out. Now." She declared. And Jake merely sipped his whiskey like a connoisseur as he scowled, "Fine by me."

Seeing that he had no intention to get close to her, Sherry began,"So, Jake Muller, why did you want refuse Corbero's offer?" She even sounded like Hunnigan.

Jake sighed, "Because I wanted to."

Rolling her eyes in frustration, Sherry let out a grunt, "Urgh. Seriously, Jake, can you stop acting like a damned kid and just tell me what you're up to?"

"I'm just sick of seeing that swine bugging me all over. I would rather just search the whole Puerto Rico to find his BOW breeding ground than to question him like some stupid ass paparazzi." He was being honest. He was sick of Corbero's behavior.

"Don't you think I ain't sick of him all along, Jake? I am too. But I bear with it for the sake of the mission. You and your ego is driving me crazy-"

"Shut up already!"

She froze, startled when she had heard Jake's angry shriek combined with the sound of glass slamming to the table. The shattered pieces of glass lied there on the table where Jake had used to vent his anger, his eyes were burning. Seemed like the shot glass wasn't very sufficing to calm him, "Listen. As much as the lady boss didn't wanted to risk anything for this mission. I also had something that I didn't wanted to risk myself..."

His low voice had Sherry being alarmed, she gathered her voice back to ask, "What was it?"

His breathing was hard and slow, "You."

Sherry's heart skipped a beat on the last word. His burning eyes which was burning in anger was now smoldering into something else. Another kind of fire. And it was glowing dimly in the lack of lighting in the hotel. She listened carefully as he continued because his voice was now lower and thicker with something she couldn't express, "I don't want to risk you. Being ogled by that swine all the fucking time."

He took a step forward to her and she couldn't help but to take a step back but not because she was afraid of him; she was not afraid of him. But it was because the way the tide was now change - when she was predator earlier, now Jake Muller was the predator, and the only prey available was her.

It felt like he was going to devour her in the next second.

But she wasn't feeling scared. No. There was no fear in her eyes.

When her back eventually hit the wall behind her and she knew she was trapped, Sherry's heartbeat rapidly increased when Jake was closing in on her.

And she was suddenly reminded when Jake kissed her in the middle of the dance floor.

She felt thirsty.

A.N: Cliffies! Yay! Okay, please keep all your bazookas and flamethrowers from flaming me. ;)

Some fluff to keep you entertained, ladies and gentleman. Guess that their development had now reached its peak, isn't it?

And the mission had now just gotten more serious. All the hints were there, Aldiel Corbero had now realized something. I didn't want Jake and Sherry's mission to go of out hand. Expect more actions going in the next chapters to come.

And... yeah. Okay. I'm speechless.

See you again in the next chapter! :) You know where to find me. *wink*