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

Chapter X: Turnaround

'I think the feelings is mutual, your Highness.' - Sherry

Raccoonia Castle, Morning

Jake Wesker was still bundled up in his haystack after the incident last night. He felt numb all over, his limbs refused to move; the angry and hostile glare that his 'ex-stewardess' had shot at him last night felt like needles stinging all over his entire being.

The visit that Valentine gave him wasn't helping very much either, they barely talked, if any. She just waited for him to start talking and he didn't, so she left.

After Sherry left last night, he felt strangely odd. Empty.

'No.' Jake brushed his face away from the melancholy, 'I shouldn't feel this way. This feeling is what that had nearly killed me.' The prickling edges of the hay made Jake twisted uncomfortably. Turning to face the door, he shot up when he saw that he wasn't alone in this humid room.

Sherry.

She was smiling to him as she bowed like she did to him every morning, as if whatever occurred last night hadn't happened at all, "Good morning, your Highness." She chirped. Jake arched an eyebrow when she did so, wasn't she so angry last night that she literally stormed out on him? Nevertheless, he smirked back at her direction, although the rational mind of his was screaming 'No'.

"Back for more?" He quipped, dusting himself off from the little hay sticks on his hips, "I thought you gave up last night."

She blushed, fingers toying with the lace of her dress and she apologized, "I am sorry for what I did yesterday. I was being too rude." Although it was obviously Jake's fault. She bowed, bending her waist completely, "But I have to add that whatever you accused me of is not real. I did not use you for certain; you are my master, and I am you servant. That is all."

"Hmph," he huffed, "personally, I don't give a shit. You mind your own business and I mind my own."

"I think the feelings is mutual, your Highness."

He stood there towering her, the sweet scent of hers that overpowered everything else in the room made him felt like squeezing her til she couldn't breath. But he controlled himself, walking past her by her side ignorantly and returned to his asshole self. 'No, Jake. Do not let yourself fall for anyone.'

Pulling the unhinged door with a sharp creak, Jake glared to his back where Sherry was standing, "Don't tell me my bath wasn't ready, Sherry." He smirked.

"Oh, no." Flustered, Sherry hastily dashed in front of him while mouthed "I am sorry." to Jake. Then she ran off to the courtyard with Jake watching amusingly. Although he was disappointed that she insisted to stay by his side and his hurtful words had no effects on her, a part of him was glad that they made a smooth recovery.

His last gaze to the disappearing Sherry was a remorseful one.

'Looks like; I have to kick things up a notch. If she will to leave.'

Training Ground, Afternoon

"There they are, sir."

Piers gestures to the entrance of the ground towards Jake and Sherry. Chris nodded approvingly, The Prince came voluntarily, unlike the times when he and Piers had to hunt him down all over the castle. Must be the Sherry girl doing something on the end again. When Nivans threw Sherry a wink, she only smiled shyly, fearful that the Prince might be watching. Fortunately he didn't.

As usual, Jake and Piers exchanged competitive glares before Jake focused his attention back to the larger man next to the 'puppy. "It's a pleasure to see you again, Your Highness." Chris congratulated him, "Today, I will let you choose whom shall be your opponent, Prince."

Jake smirked to his trainer, Chris might be a better choice for a better challenge. But there's still an unsettled score he had with his apprentice.

Drawing out his sword, Jake pointed the tip to Piers right to his neck, "Feeling up for it, puppy?" He taunted. But the young knight courageously swung the sword away with his and jumped a good distance away.

Since he had picked his opponent, Chris led Sherry to back away from the dangerous ground. Leaving the two in the middle of the spacious sandy ground. Chris led her to the spot where Piers and Sherry used to stand when Chris was the one Jake was taking on.

In the next instant, the two blades clashed, creating a horrific sound but Sherry didn't cringe anymore. She was used to it, it been a while since he had followed the prince to training. "My, you are one tough young lady, aren't you?" Chris commented, a playful smile when he saw how brave Sherry was to a fight.

"I have been watching the Prince fight for a while now, General," She smiled back, looking at the Chris, "there are things that you get used to when you had seen enough times."

"Aye." Chris agreed, "Just like how when we all have to deal with the 'new' Prince." His eyes focused back on the sword fight and he was amazed on how much Jake had improved.

The 'new' Prince. She had heard it a lot of times from the Queen and her stewardess, 'I wonder how the 'old' Prince act like?' She hadn't realized that the Grand General was looking back at her with two pairs of hard narrowed gaze. She had whispered those words out loud. When she did, she blushed, "I'm sorry, sire."

"Don't be, Sherry. It's natural that you're curious about him. After all, you are his Highness' stewardess." he chuckled, effectively easing up the flustered Sherry, "Well, the Prince I used to know... He talks a lot to people, the Queen especially. Like the King, he likes martial art a lot. You should have seen how he went up against General Kennedy when he was just fifteen." Chris' eyes brimmed, reminiscing on how Jake had dominated the stage when he fought Leon, "The only thing that he hadn't change is that he is still as grumpy. These days, even grumpier. I had never seen The Prince smile, not even before six years ago."

Then he added with a smile, "And apple. He loves apples. Never seen him without one back then."

Sherry noticed that a long time ago. Because Jake always reached out for the apple in the fruit basket each and every time after his meal. And he would demand one every minute.

Surely his mouth would taste like apple by now.

'Wait, what was I thinking?'

Meanwhile, the two men of the peers kept their swords firm in their grip, not letting the blade went out of hand with every blow they withstood.

The distance between the audience (Chris and Sherry) and them was pretty far off, so when Jake got into a deadlock with Piers, he smirked, "I heard that you fancy Sherry by now, aren't you, mutt?"

"I am not," With a strong push, Piers broke the lock and evaded the next vertical slash by Jake, "we are just mutual friends." He defended, all the while side-stepped away from the aggressive Jake Wesker's attacks. Piers was still getting used to Jake's sword playing ability since he was just too talented in that.

Jake's smirk broadened, "Oh yeah?" He stepped back, giving both the time to breath only once and they are back in a stalemate again, "if that's the case, then can you stop fancying her like you did every time you guys meet? It's so fucking annoying."

With a sharp hiss, both men exerted a forceful of strength and were knocked off the ground. Jake did and acrobatic back flip and Piers rolled off the ground, would be embarrassing to land on their asses for sword experts like themselves.

And a lady was watching too.

Smirking coyly, Piers windmilled his sword to taunt Jake, "I didn't know you care about her."

"I didn't. I just didn't want her to be following me around smelling like mutt." Jake rebuffed as easily as a breath of air, "But I have to admit, she's got a set of racks, despite her small size." Piers chuckled, clearly unaffected by Jake's sneer, "Don't tell me, sir, that you are just playing with her? Using her?"

"Hmph." Clearly angered by those words, Jake slammed his long sword onto Piers with such strength, One that Piers failed to deflect and rolled off defensively.

A few more exchange of blades and Jake pushed them off yet again.

"Why don't we settle the score like a man?" The Prince announced, pointing his sword right between Nivans' eyes.

The knight wordlessly agreed. It was what he intended to do at the first place.

Thus, both men ripped their protective gear away from their body. Aggravated, Jake even tossed off his upper garment, leaving himself bare up top for all to see.

"No! Stop!" Chris hissed against the bars separating the two animals when he realized how the spar turned heated. The fiery glare they shared were of two predators, ready to take down one another. Sherry clasped both her hands to her mouth when she knew that the next moment will turn bloody, now that they were both stripped of the armor and the Prince? Even his garment.

Jake's grinned slyly, flashing his teeth by a small gap, "No problem, Redfield. I don't plan to make it easy for puppy to die in a training."

"And I don't plan on having my ass chased the knights for murdering the Prince." Piers added.

Well, there's no way to stop the two. If there was one thing that the two twenty-three's have in common, they were both impulsive and determined. "Fine, but remember, we have a lady watching." Chris then comforted the scared Sherry, "Hey, don't worry, miss. If anything goes wrong, I'll be in there in an instant." The assurance was much needed. So Sherry put her hands to either side of her waist, she trust that the General will not let anything happen.

It was unbelievable.

Her eyes refused to blink as she stared at the Prince. He was famed for being such a lazy man, doing nothing around the castle and always slacked off when it comes to training. But his body, it was taut and well-defined, just like a man who had trained himself for years.

And the comet scar on his face was not the only scar he had. His torso and his back was too riddled with them, deep and shallow. 'So the Prince had his share of a battlefield too...'

And the way he maneuvered his blade, she had seen it for some time but she had never noticed how talented he was. Now she did.

How could a despised man like him could possess such wondrous traits?

The two rivals battled fiercely like a life-or-death situation but they better than to kill each other. But neither let down.

It was finally concluded when it ended with bloodshed, having Jake's back wounded by a short line and Piers sustained one around his waist where the blade whizzed by. Chris deliberately threw his Samurai Edge along with his scabbard between them, intervening the battle. The named sword stabbed to the ground and both Jake and Piers eyes onto it hesitantly and withdrew their weapons.

They picked up their armor, and when Piers went over to pick Chris' weapon, Jake gripped Piers by the shoulder, "Just so we're clear," he growled, "I do not use people."

"I hope your Highness keep you words then." said Piers, "And I am sure that our score was still not settled?"

"Damn straight."

They walked out of the ground sweaty and a little bloodied. None seemed to bother too much about their bleeding, not even Chris himself. Piers passed back the Samurai Edge to its owner and Jake walked straight to Sherry. He gave Sherry hid discarded robe and simply dumped the protective gear on the table, someone will clean it up.

He was more muscular she had expected.

"Let's go, I need to get changed. I am starting to smell like the mutt." He uttered and walked off.

"Your wound..."

"Forget it."

Courtyard, Afternoon

The walk back to Jake's bed chamber was a long one, and a difficult one. Topless and marred, Jake walked a few steps ahead of Sherry and that was the hardest part for the female. She was faced with his very, very muscled back which was just simply perfection - chiseled and yet not overly gross and he had a pair of broad strong shoulders. And a few old scars here and there and a fresh one from Piers. She had seen his front up close just a while ago, but it was just a glimpse before he decided to take his leave.

She wanted to see more though.

Who knew what the Prince had hidden beneath the thick layer of clothing now that autumn was here?

Her feet suddenly froze up to her ankle and she stopped. 'What am I... Why am I thinking all weird these days? I shouldn't be attracted to him! I am his servant!' She swallowed. A chill of cold numbing her feet and it was nothing compared to the breezy autumn wind.

"Hey, you coming?" Jake called back to her, snapping her out from her trance. She finally noticed that she was lacking behind for at least a few meters.

"Y-Yes, sir!" She gawked.

Even through her cotton dress, Sherry could still feel the chill through her clothing and she shivered. But Jake, even topless he was still completely unfazed by the cold, there wasn't even a single goosebump on any patch of his hard skin. 'He's like a polar bear.' She thought, 'Maybe not, maybe a snow wolf.'

If anything, he was distracting. "Umm... Your Highness?"

"Yeah?"

She clutched onto Jake's discarded robe from the fight with Piers earlier, "Should you... wear your robe back? You might not want to catch a cold." 'Please say no. Please say no.'

He smirked, taking the robe of her and hung it across his shoulder loosely. He was smirking at her like a mind reader when their victim took their bait, "You sure? Because I can tell that you are enjoying the view."

Oh no, he knew.

Sherry shook her head furiously, although she could no longer hide the flaring crimson on her face, "I-I did not!"

And the next second Jake had leaned in close to her, his lips right next to her ears. She was still in so much shock that her reactions were gone.

So, he whispered huskily, "Tell you what, you're quite cute for my taste. Maybe someday you'll get to see me full view... I might require your," He brushed his lips lightly to her earlobe, "extra service."

And she backed away instantly. Her eyes widen against his teasing ones and her hands trembled, tempting to slap him across his face for his lewd suggestion. Still in his trademark smirk, Jake turned and headed back to his bed chamber.

He was scary. Jake Wesker was scary.

Days ago, he was being extremely mean, acting like a total jerk. He was being so dismissive of her that he barely talked to her. But why did today - the first recovery after their quarrel last night - that he suddenly found her attractive?

Maybe that was what Helena meant when she said that he will do anything to get rid of her including... sexually stressing her? Like what he did to the last stewardess?

Sherry found it scary for what might is to come, even now when she will to follow him to his bed chamber. Her mind reminded of the Queen to calm herself. 'No, the Prince would not be such a worthless man. I must have faith in the Queen. The Prince is not like this.' She chanted in her head like a good luck charm.

But the scariest part of all is that, instead of finding herself disturbed by Jake, she found herself incredibly tempted.

Jake's bed chamber, Afternoon

Sherry followed Jake as he took a seat at the couch, groaning a little as his arm bent to reach the bloody spot on his back. The blood had clotted and he could only feel the dried out patch of solidified blood. She only stood there frozen when he reached for the tub of water that he used earlier this morning and rinsed the sand off his body.

That, until he attempted to reach the wound on his back.

"Let me help you with that, sire," the stewardess spoke softly behind him and her hand touched the wash cloth from Jake, "you wouldn't want to enlarge your wound."

He passed the damp cloth without a word but a ghost grin was forming on his face when he did so. Very gently, she dabbed the brownish blood away from the line. Jake thought that she will only help him with that patch until she started to reach out for the rest of his back. It was a fine opportunity for him to throw another innuendo at her but he did not, instead, he just stood there and patiently waited until she's finished.

Jake got dressed later; he was done with his cloth belt when Sherry asked, "What are you going to do later today, your Highness?"

He shrugged, "Dunno. Maybe hanging around? Although... it would be fun to go and annoy puppy."

"May I suggest that we visit the Queen?"

She was smiling when she said so, Jake narrowed his gaze on her, "Why would I wanted to see her?"

Sherry kept her smile on, "It's been a while since we see her Highness. I though she might be happy to see you, sir."

He said nothing else and frowned.

Queen's bed chamber

The color on her face had turned better. Gabrielle was an obedient patient, she took her medicine on time and she got enough rest for a day.

Of course, the biggest credit goes to Jill Valentine for being such an excellent stewardess. She had memorized everything about the Queen's medication by heart.

The Queen was spending her time with a book when there was a soft knock on her door.

"Jill, answer the door for me, will you? It must be doctor Chambers." She said as she flipped onto another page of her book. Nodded quietly, Jill walked over and opened the double door.

Sherry with a grin, and Jake Wesker.

"Oh, goodness." Jill gasped in surprised. Without a word, Jake entered the room to greet his mother whereas Jill gave Sherry a panicked glance, "Does he-?" She whispered and Sherry shook her head in response. They both followed after Jake and the younger female gave her friend a meaningful wink.

Gabrielle was delighted to see her son too, so much that she had the strength to stand and to greet her son. The radiant smile she was giving him was not returned, but she was happy nonetheless. Although Sherry would be happier if Jake would wipe that stupid frown off his face.

"Hello, Jake." She managed, "I am so happy to see you." She truly is, or else she wouldn't be smiling like that. Her hand reached up to the taller man to touch his cheek and luckily, Jake made no move to stop her.

Jake gave an uninterested grunt, "Yeah. I've got nothing else to do and Sherry kept begging me somehow."

Jill secretly nudged Sherry behind the mother and son and giggled. It was her sign of gratitude for making the Queen so happy. Gabrielle looked at Sherry briefly then back to see her beloved son, "That sweet child." She referred to Sherry, "I am so happy that you listened to her."

It was a surprise that Jake hadn't seen the change in the Queen yet, even the first time in a while when Sherry visited Gabrielle, she did noticed the difference in her but Jake? He acted like he hadn't noticed a thing.

"You look sick, mom." Jake suddenly commented, "Are you alright?"

Sherry and Jill were scared out of their wits if the Prince discovered her secrets (although they wished that he did) but the Queen covered herself very quickly and effortlessly, "The autumn wind is not good for my health. I always catch a cold these days."

The Prince asked her to sit then, "Take care of yourself then." He said coldly and turned to Sherry. His attitude reminded Gabrielle of her husband the last time she saw him months ago when he appointed Excella as his personal stewardess.

Jake was already starting to make his way to the door when Sherry wanted to open her mouth in protest.

But everything came to a stop when they heard a loud thud behind them. And Jill's deafening shriek of the Queen's name.

Jake looked behind him then. Only to see his mother on the ground. Eyes closed.

A.N: *Gasp* Oh, no... D:

So much for a Jake hitting on Sherry. RFF!