Author's Note: I know. Oh dear, I know. It's so, so, so late. Next week is my last finals week and then I get all summer to write and be merry. I'm sorry, I really am. Things have been so hectic. Wondercon weekend was absolutely awful and it has one but huge bad spiral since then. I'm uploading this a day sooner than I was going to originally but expect a chapter next Friday as well!

Chapter 10

Never Assume The Obvious Is True

-William Safire

Chris entered the office Friday with his mind lost in the dinner party the team was attending. He understood Wesker could attempt the blackmail at any time and he had to keep a close eye on both Barry and Wesker. Barry couldn't be left alone with the blond. That was that.

But Chris understood it would be difficult to constantly watch the two and realized he probably wouldn't be able to necessarily watch them as closely as he liked.

Chris didn't move much from his spot at his desk that day. He remained seated, eyes flashing from Barry, who also wasn't moving much, to his desktop screen. Midway through the day, Wesker emerged from his office and Chris was visibly on edge as he felt the blonde's gaze on him. Chris just continued typing the report he had been working on and soon he looked up and Wesker was gone.

Slowly, the office began emptying out as it usually did on slow Fridays. Chris waited until Barry left before submitting the report he had finished hours before. He began shutting down his desktop and cleaning off his desk when Jill's voice rang out behind him.

"Hey, do you want to carpool? Jill asked, almost surprising him.

He assumed she left hours before as she was usually up to date on her reports. One of his favorite memories was being stuck in the office Friday evening with Wesker, Barry, and Brad trying to complete his reports before the weekend and never was Jill there with him.

"Yeah, I don't quite know where Barry lives," Chris sighed.

"You have the memory of a goldfish, Chris," Jill laughed. "Fine, I'll drive."

"Thank you," Chris sighed.

"We'll see you there, Captain!" Jill shouted towards Wesker's office. The blond appeared in the doorway of his office with a grimace and Jill immediately scoffed. "No, no, no! Don't you dare!"

"I am not backing out, Miss Valentine," Wesker assured with a dark chuckle.

"Damn right you're not. We need this. Our team needs this."

"I thought we're family?" Chris mocked, avoiding a playful slap to the arm.

"Shut up, Chris," Jill cackled before landing a punch to Chris' upper arm.

"Children," Wesker quietly chuckled from across the room and Jill simply smiled.

"See you there, Captain."

"Of course."

Chris finished packing his belongings and followed Jill to her broken down blue truck that was sitting in the parking lot. He climbed inside after glancing at the nearby impressively expensive cars and pulled the seatbelt down—it was broken.

"It's my dad's truck. I know I should get a better one but—"

"It's fine. You should probably get this fixed, though," Chris motioned to the missing belt.

Jill nodded, "I know, I know. I just got it. I was fine with carpooling with Barry but Dad needed the money."

Chris didn't respond and Jill started the car after several attempts. Halfway through, Chris almost suggested taking his car but the engine roared to life just as he opened his mouth. Soon after they were on their way towards Barry house in a comfortable silence with quiet classic rock playing on the radio. Jill drove through town and Chris, once again, began to watch the citizens of Raccoon City. Would these people die? The question repeated itself over and over in Chris' head as he grew a mild attachment to each person he laid eyes on. He watched a mother hold the hands of her two children as they crossed the street and felt a twinge of guilt within him despite being well aware that it wasn't his fault. The Raccoon City incident was not caused by STARS but that did not lift the guilt.

"You and Captain Wesker have been a little on edge lately. You two make up yet?" Jill asked, pulling Chris' attention. Chris looked at her and found her glancing toward him, dividing her attention between Chris and the road. She laughed and shook her head at the surprise from Chris. "You don't have to answer," she said, "I just want to make sure everything is okay."

"We were never fighting," Chris sighed, "It's complicated."

"Yeah, I know it's complicated. When Barry suggested it, I thought he was joking but now—" Jill paused and shook her head, "—it's impossible to miss!"

Chris allowed her to talk without a single idea as to what she could be referring to. He listened and remained silent while she spoke. Even after she was finished, he remained quiet but that didn't seem to be an issue as she just continued talking.

"Of course, I'm okay with it," she said quickly, "I just wish you would have told me about everything directly. I'm not blaming you though!" Jill sighed and shifted in her seat as she stopped at a stop light and finally looked at him—obviously missing his face that was twisted in confusion. "I'm sorry, I'm probably making you uncomfortable. I'm just glad you two worked it out, that's all."

Jill seemed to be babbling out of her own self-doubt—a habit she never outgrew—But Chris usually understood what she was saying through her babbling. At this point, he was more than a little lost and wasn't liking what she was insinuating if he was truly hearing her correctly.

"Worked what out?" Chris finally answered after attempting to work through his own confusion.

"Your issues with Captain Wesker," Jill said, her eyes back on the road as they continued through town.

"Sure, something like that, I guess."

The two were quiet and Chris was running Jill's words through his head. Whatever she was thinking, Barry was thinking it too, apparently, and he wasn't thrilled to have to face that. Just as the buildings around them began to disappear and fields of long grass came into view, Jill spoke again.

"So are you two together now?"

The question hung in the air between them for a minute… and then two, yet the smile on Jill's lips remained even as Chris stared at her in utter disbelief.

"I… what?" Chris asked.

"Together—like a couple."

"Why would we be?"

From Chris' time period, homosexuality was common. He wasn't remotely offended that she was questioning his sexuality because, if he was honest with himself, he was too versatile to really care about labels. Hell, one drunk night with Piers and one drunk night with Jill was the same for him and both had happened on multiple occasions. Chris was far more offended that Jill thought he would choose Wesker of all people.

Of course, from her perspective, Wesker is an attractive blond with power, looks, and an impressive mind. But to Chris, Wesker was nothing but a disgusting monster.

"Wasn't that why you fought? I mean you really can't miss the tension between you two. It was bad enough that Barry noticed so it isn't just me seeing things!"

"Tension somehow means we're together? That makes absolutely no sense, Jill," Chris sighed.

"You have yet to deny it, Chris. What else am I supposed to believe?"

"Believe that me refusing to talk about this is a sign that it's making me uncomfortable and we should change the subject because I am not dating our captain."

Jill gasped lightly.

"I am not fucking him either."

Jill laughed as she pulled into a neighborhood in the rural part of Raccoon City, "Fine, fine," she insisted, "I'll make sure to tell Barry you two aren't sleeping together."

"Can my nonexistent sex life not be part of your girlish rumors?" Chris asked with a smile and the two laughed for a moment.

"Yes, I promise. Unless you actually sleep with him—" Jill turned again, "—then it's free reign, Chris."

"Considering I won't ever sleep with him, I can allow that."

"You never know what might happen," Jill said turning into a driveway that Chris didn't remember very well.

"I really do," Chris laughed, "and don't bring this up with Wesker. He won't be able to laugh it off like us."

Chris glanced around and saw that Wesker had yet to arrive but Barry's car was sitting in the driveway. The screen door on the porch of the house was closed but the door was open and Chris could hear the sounds of pots and pans being shuffled around as he opened his door and Jill shut off the car.

"Yes, I promise that as well."

"Good."

Chris stepped out of the truck and glanced up to find Barry in the doorway with a smile on his face. He shut the door and heard Jill shut hers before Barry opened the screen door and greeted them.

"I just got a call from Joseph—He'll be dropping by in a bit. I guess his girlfriend isn't feeling well or something."

"Tell him to stay with her," Chris said without thought, "He should take care of her."

Barry laughed and exchanged a worried glance with Jill, "She has a friend taking care of her, Chris. I'm sure she's fine."

"Joseph's spent all day with us. He should spend tonight with her."

"Fine, I'll call him," Barry sighed and turned on his heel, "Come on in- make yourselves at home. Kathy took the girls to her parents' house so we have the place to ourselves tonight." Barry walked through the house with Jill and Chris on his heel. Both had been inside Barry's house before but Chris didn't remember any details. "Is the captain coming?" Barry asked as he stepped into his living room and motioned for them to sit.

Both took a seat opposite each other on the sofa and Jill answered Barry's question as Chris began to look around in an attempt to jot his memory. The place was large, perfect for Barry and his family. The living room had one leather sofa in it with a similar loveseat sitting opposite the couch against the wall. Between them sat a glass coffee table and a television was idle in the corner. It was older and clunky compared to what Chris was accustom to in his time period but it was large, had a VCR built in, and sat atop an entertainment center. Children's movies were set in rows on the shelves and pictures of the happy family could be seen lining the entertainment center. The carpet was brown and layered under Chris' boots and the smell of chicken filled the air around them.

"Yeah, Captain Wesker is coming. He had to close up the office and he threw a little bit of a fit—"

"Excuse me, I did no such thing," The trio heard from the front door.

Barry laughed and rushed down the hallway Chris and Jill had been led through before returning with Wesker on his heel.

"Sorry, Captain, but it's kinda true," Jill laughed as Wesker sat on the love seat and crossed his legs.

He removed the sunglasses from his nose and inserted them into his breast pocket inside his coat. He, apparently, had never been inside of Barry's house as he glanced around the room with mild interest before speaking, "I quite disagree."

"I'm sure you do," Chris sighed and turned back towards Barry, "You need any help?"

"Yeah sure, come on back."

Barry didn't actually need help, apparently, and spent a large amount of time reminding Chris that 'keeping things hidden from friends can't possibly be healthy' before Chris insisted, flat out, that he wasn't gay. Barry simply gave up and called Joseph to insist he stay with his girlfriend, a conversation Chris wasn't very interested in sticking around for but stayed and listened to Barry fight with Joseph a moment before the older man shot Chris an exasperated look. Chris, quickly, retreated and made his way back into the living room.

"I'm just saying if there's something going on between you two—"

"If there was, Miss Valentine, you nor anyone else would be aware of it."

"Jill," Chris sighed, "let it go."

Jill jumped and twisted around to look at Chris before smiling sheepishly and twisting back towards Wesker. The blond smirked and glanced toward Chris who pretended not to notice and, instead, rounded the couches to sit beside Jill.

"I was just insisting our relationship is purely professional," Wesker assured as Chris continued to stare at Jill who blushed.

"Fine, fine! I'll leave it alone," the brunet sighed. "But hey, I invited Rebecca. She's new to S.T.A.R.S and I know we won't be working with her a lot—"

"I think it was a great idea to invite her," Barry laughed, entering the room. The phone in his hand rang and he sighed before vanishing back into the kitchen.

"Yeah, I like the idea. Maybe she'll bring some of the others," Chris commented casually.

"I told her she should," Jill responded as she sat back.

Chris could feel the blond's eyes lingering on him. He refused to be the prey that Wesker was treating him like. Chris wasn't quite sure if it was his progressed personality coming out or the fact that his plan was slowly developing and coming together outside of work but either way he twisted his neck and met Wesker's dark gaze with his own challenging eyes. The two stared at each other silently. There was no movement, no nonverbal cues that would explain what they were doing to any onlooker who was currently Jill.

Wesker sat forward, forearms resting on his upper thighs and boots planted firmly on the floor. His usual vest was gone, left at the office, and a blue button up was left in its place. The sleeves of the shirt were bunched up around his large upper arms and his gloves were missing leaving him almost naked in the eyes of Chris who had grown accustom to seeing him in his full uniform the past few days.

Chris' own vest was left at the office leaving behind his white t-shirt with the STARS logo on the left sleeve. Chris was far less aware of his own body now and he felt very strange. He was so used to being much broader and he had grown quiet over the years as he preferred his own thoughts to dealing with people but he was never able to disappear like he wanted. Now that he was smaller, he found himself easily being able to slip out of a conversation and into another without anyone even noticing—except Wesker.

But now, not only did he have Wesker's eyes on him, but Jill's as well as she frantically glanced between the two.

The trio remained quiet and ever-glaring until Barry entered the room again with a heavy sigh.

"Where is that lovely wife of yours?" Wesker asked politely, pulling his gaze from Chris.

"She's spending the night with her parents and the kids. They have a cabin in the mountains—"

"They should consider moving," Chris said quickly, "In fact, if they need help, I'll be glad to—"

"They wouldn't move if the place caught fire. Anyway, that was Brad—"

Chris was standing now as he turned and looked at Barry, "No, Barry, they have to move. They could sell the cabin and go up to Canada—"

"Chris, are you okay?"

It was Jill's voice cutting through his words and Chris looked at her with mild anger at the interruption. He understood how insane he must have sounded to them but there wasn't anything else he could do. What if he failed? And worse, what if he succeeded?

Thousands would be saved but Umbrella never would have been discovered. He hadn't even considered Umbrella's fall. The entire reason the corporation stopped production was the ongoing investigation begun by the collected date from the Raccoon City incident. What would happen without the incident?

"Yeah, I'm fine," Chris said quickly before looking back towards Barry, "Where's your bathroom?"

"Through here—" Barry led Chris back through the hall they'd come and opened one of the closed doors Chris hadn't noticed.

"Thanks," Chris muttered before slipping inside and closing the door, allowing himself to sit in darkness for a moment.

Chris heard Barry's shuffling grow distant as he walked back into the living room. Chris flipped on the light of the bathroom and glanced in the mirror across from him. He would never get used to seeing such a young face look back at him. Chris always had an old soul but not like this. He had lived his life and it was the most exhausting thing he had ever done. Trying to survive was ridiculously difficult in his lifetime and Chris had seen far too many people die over the years.

And now, he was faced with the possibility to stop it all.

"I'm worried about him," Jill's voice echoed distantly.

"He'll be fine," Barry assured though his own tone wasn't nearly convinced.

"Christopher is strong. You needn't worry for him. If he wishes to convey what he is experiencing, he will in his own time. Now, who was on the phone, Mr. Burton?"

"You really don't need to—"

Chris blocked out the voices as he stared at his reflection. He could no longer do this alone. He needed help. And only one person made sense to ask.

Chris straightened, faked a smile in the mirror, and left the room. He was walking back into the living room when he heard the end of Barry's sentence, "—ad is on his way."

"Brad really should have said yes when we asked," Jill sighed though immediately smiled at the sight of Chris. "Feeling any better?"

"Actually, no. I think I'm going to have to skip out for tonight. I really hate to do this but Captain, do you think you could take me back to the station?" Chris asked, eyeing Wesker with a challenging gaze that he knew the blond wouldn't let go.

"I can take you, Chris," Jill offered with a smile.

"No, you should stay with Mr. Burton," Wesker responded without even looking at the woman.

"I told you, Captain—" Barry began.

"I'll return when I'm sure Christopher is home safe," Wesker assured.

Barry and Jill collectively sighed and exchanged glances as Wesker followed Chris out. Neither spoke but the two made their way through the front door and into Wesker's car without even saying goodbye to their colleagues. Wesker started the car and the engine purred to life while Chris buckled his seatbelt and relaxed in his seat.

"Where would you like to actually go?" Wesker asked.

"A bar. Somewhere we can talk."

"Very well," Wesker answered before taking his car out of park and pulling away from the curb. The two continued to remain silent as Wesker pulled out of Barry's neighborhood and began towards whatever bar he had decided on. Chris felt Wesker's eyes linger towards him every few minutes before Wesker finally spoke again, "Could you possibly tell me why I'm driving you to a bar?"

"You won't believe me until I explain."

"I see."

"You really don't 'see'," Chris laughed bitterly.

"Of course I don't. I don't understand what this is about," Wesker responded calmly.

Chris no longer cared if the blond pulled a magnum from under his seat and shot Chris. He wanted to wait until they were in a public place, at least, before bringing it up but maybe Wesker's curiosity would get the better of him. Maybe the blond would wonder how Chris could possibly know such valuable information and would spare him until they were finished at the bar. If Chris could get Wesker to believe his story maybe he, Chris, had a chance to stop the Raccoon City Incident.

Chris inhaled deeply, "I know about your plan to betray STARS set up by the Umbrella Corporation. You want out of Umbrella and I want to take Umbrella down. I think we can help each other." Chris exhaled.

Wesker smirked.