FINALLY AN UPDATE! I am trying to get back into writing this BIWEEKLY (every 2 weeks) preferably. I wrote a bunch of good stuff literally one year ago, edited, lost a bunch of stuff I wrote when it didn't save, got pissed at that, left it, got sick, came back, edited, got sicker, edited, gave up, played lineage 2, came back, edited, split it into more chapters, edited, yadda yadda. I'm a perfectionist. I like 10,000 word chapters. Etc. I like a certain pace and I wasn't getting what I wanted out with my real life stuff. I think this is a bit slower paced but has a tonne of story in it so I hope you are all happy with what I have produced and will continue to write. This chapter features emotional turmoil as usual, whats going on with Jake and Sherry, most importantly, the way this new virus I've been working on works, etc. It is setting up for the next chapter which is sort of writen but contains a lot fo things I need to again, re-edit, expand on, redirect, finalize. I decided this is where I want to put what really happened with Jake and Jessica as well, hinting at my villians and motives. Without any further ado, enjoy my lovelies!
"On a stormy sea of moving emotion, Tossed about, I'm like a ship on the ocean" Carry on my Wayward Son, Kansas
"Jake?" Sherry looked at him with wide eyes in disbelief. Had he forgotten everything he had done to piss her off? The jealousy, the women he had brought home...? Now he was so nonchalant about it all? He stepped back from the door and gave her a look of annoyance and disgust as he furrowed his brows.
"What?" He shifted his weight from one foot to the other before joining her at the other doorway. Sherry shook her head, walking back into the room they had come from.
"Forget it... We don't have time for this now." She sighed and stormed off. Jake jogged to catch up with her in the next doorway. He tugged her arm back by the elbow as she opened a door.
"Hmm what, like I did everything else?" Jake nearly stammered as his view went between investigating their safety in this apparent, office room, and Sherry's defiance. "What the hell..." Jake spun her around to face him.
"Really?" Her eyes widened at him as she paused to gather herself, "You tell me? What do you remember." Sherry pulled her arm away and began to look around and closed her eyes softly before looking away. "Or do you choose to forget." Jake rolled his eyes. He wasn't used to Sherry showing this much emotion and she had every right to. He hesitated before releasing her and dropped his shoulders, arms to the side, defeated. Sherry pouted at his frown and walked off to a desk in the room.
Jake began eyeing Sherry's investigative work. The past few months were coming back in patches along with everything else that happened before the accident. Jake was trying his best to piece together, who he used to be, who he was now... no, who he IS now. His fragmented memories offered both clarity and confusion. It just wasn't fair and he was etting frustrated with Sherry's attitude towards his amnesia-induced behaviors. He growled lightly and shook his head. He made a tiny grunt of realization in the back of his throat. That bimbo he brought home two months ago with the big blue eyes and brown, wavy locks. Jess. "Heh. Tck." He shook his head as he dug his hands into his kahki jacket and gestured his head towards the window. "Thought we already cleared shit up back at the house." His eyes burned intensely as he narrowed them on her, his lips pursed in defiance.
"Yeah?" Sherry breathed softly, ignoring him as she walked through another open door frame and past a reception desk, "...and that jealous thing was about...?" Jake chuckled to himself, a lowly growl at the back of his throat as he straighted up and crossed his arms.
"I don't trust that guy... Ray. You act like he's replaced me." Sherry stiffered for a brief moment before continuing her work, still ignoring Jake. She wasn't even going to entertain that challenge... not yet.
"Now is not the time. Let's get what we came for, find our group and get out of this mess." Sherry shook her head and closed her eyes softly, clutching at her heart before she defiantly went into the next room. She frowned to herself on the inside.
"Replaced you!? How!? You haven't been you in two months... You don't even know us. You don't know me..." There was simply too much to argue about. There wasn't anything to replace right now but her memory of them, of everything. Just another darkness to bottle and hide in her mind, a challenge to overcome. She bit her lip until she tasted blood on the inside of her mouth. She repeated the words knowing one day she'd believe it. "Today is not that day."
This was a detectives office from the look of the place. One secretary's desk at reception, right at the front of the room, then through the open doorframe several desks in an organized fashion. Stacks of files were on some of them. She began to look through the files, trying to find anything significant.
"What are we looking for?" Jake handed her a map as he looked around. Sherry shoved it in her pocket and continued to flip files without an ounce of acknowledgement. Jake stared down at the file she was looking at, annoyed with her decision to ignore him. He took a set of keys out of his pocket and tossed them onto the open file in front of Sherry. "I already found the armory. It's up on the second floor. Got this shit off a zombie." Sherry looked over at the keys, trying to hide her annoyance but failing miserably.
"Thanks." She paused, "Jake?" she paused again, "Are you spying on me?" She scooped them up and put them into her pocket with the map then opened another file without any eye contact.
"Hey," Jake growled darkly as he walked in front of the desk and slammed his hands onto it. He leaned forward and stared at her an inch from her face, "What's your problem, super girl?" She finally raised her glare into his and it was equally unfriendly as they squared off. "I'm not supposed to care about your safety?"
"I'm supposed to worry for yours. That's all there is to this situation now." She challenged his gaze, then broke it. "That's all there is to us." She scooped up the files and stood in front of the secretary's desk. Jake shook his head, rolling his eyes before he stormed after her. He stood three feet away from her, studying her. "I have other people to worry about now. Claire, Ray... They are civilians. We were supposed to be airlifted to safety." She flipped some pages, looking through the file as she began to pace. "While we're here, lets see if there is anything recent that might have to do with these outbreaks." Jake continued to look at her with his steel gaze and blue eyes.
"Always work and no play." He paused in a realization of de ja vu. He walked around the room and began to fiddle with other desks, peering in drawers. One drawer wouldn't open it. He thumbed the opening. There was no key hole. He took a keycard from ontop another desk and slid it in through the bottom, jiggling the card.
"That guy you are all buddy with for the past two months, Ray was it?" Jake paused, "Are you..."
"Oh my God Jake, really!?"
"Are you fuckin' him?"
Sherry ignored Jake. She paced as she looked through the file. "It seems this officer had been trying to link some cases; an Alaskan oil refinery and rig, a Canadian diamond mine. The mine is close by." Jake watched as she flipped through the files delicately. Sherry skipped through the connected, questionable murders linked to... Her eyes lit up. "Bingo!" ...the red powder they had seen before, the P-Virus. A picture of the locations of murders, crime scenes, victims and a picture of a powder sachet were in the file. Sherry wished she had her phone to take pictures. She left the files there and went to check random desks for cameras and recording equipment. She flipped on a computer, hoping the files were already scanned then sighed deeply as it refused to boot. She frowned at the error message. "Harddrive's gone." This was not her style, being ill-equipped and unprepared with a nagging ex-or-boyfriend or whatever he was at this point, distracting her with her emotional baggage. Jake went to the file Sherry had on the desk and opened it.
"What's this have to do with us being here?" He asked. Sherry dug in another desk and bit her lip, pretending she could hide her annoyance. She needed some quiet time, not drama right now. Sherry stood, frustrated and stood up. Jake came over and sat on his knees. He slid under the desk for a moment and fiddled as Sherry watched him quietly. She couldn't help but check him out. The skin-tight thermal, black thermal suit he was wearing clung to his muscle and hips like it was painted on him. If it wasn't for his tall winter boots and khaki jacket he'd be naked. Sherry bit her lip, wondering what he did with his khaki pants. She smiled softly to herself, giggling on the inside like a schoolgirl, cursing herself. The C-Virus must have made him too hot in that thermal outfit. Did he have to look that good in it?
"Hah!" Jake startled Sherry as he pulled out the cheap cardboard at the bottom of the drawer. A camera fell out from under it along with a file. He passed it to Sherry who smiled with satisfaction as the camera booted up. Sherry's smile softened as a distant sadness filled her eyes as she took the file. Jake could tell she was holding something back. She paused with her mouth open and looked at the camera, then up at him.
"Do you... really not remember anything?" She softened her tone as she stuttered slightly. She cursed at herself. "Why is it so hard to let this go? To let you go! She paused and gathered her composure, "I mean, anything about your life before the amnesia?" She back her tears as she held back her true question, "Our life before the amnesia?" She asked him honestly, her eyes full of hurt and sympathy. Jake stared at her stoically. After a moment he sighed and shook his head. Sherry looked away. "Oh... You seemed to remember something during the fight at the house." She bit her lip again, "I... Must have been mistakened." She clasped her bracelette on her wrist and played with the pendant on it. "I'm sorry I asked." She seemed lost in the moment, forgetting everything she was so adamant about just moments before.
"That explains where the past two months went." He shrugged, "It's honestly all a blur. The last two months, my life before. I don't know yet whats real and whats... new. Still piecing flashes of things from both the real world and the hell I went through of not knowing who I was." He rubbed his chin and began to pace the room then smiled devilishly, "The last thing I remember about me and you? Is fucking your brains out, knifing a bunch of zombies and trying to run from the BSAA." A smirk came to his face as he shrugged, his eyes lighting up with a twinkle of trouble. "Speaking of fucking your brains out... When was the last time we..." Sherry hadn't realized Jake had closed the space between them while she was dazed in her own thoughts. He gently slid his hand up her wrist, brushing past the bracelet softly and up to her neck. He breathed in her scent, smelling it past the blood and death still stamped to their clothes. A nostalgic feeling of joy flowed through him, as he instinctively placed a kiss up the nape of her neck, trailing up to her ear. Sherry melted for a moment with a soft gasp.
"Jake!" Sherry said his name firmly as she snapped back to reality. She turned away from him and headed to the secretary's desk with the camera he found and began to take pictures. Her face was flushed and her emotion changed from concern to anger, "The last thing I remember you fucking...?" She trailed off with a shake of her head and an angry huff, "...You seriously don't remember?" Jake shook his head with a frown.
"You lost me, super girl." He put his hands up in surrender, proclaiming innocence. Sherry found two ear-peices in the drawer, brand new, with batteries and cut them out with scissors. She put batteries in from the drawer and played with the frequencies before passing one to Jake.
"That brunette!" Sherry raised an eyebrow as she put one in her ear and picked up the file again, barely eyeing Jake over the file as she continued to read. Jake furrowed his brows, rubbing his chin. He put the earpeice in his ear and played with the settings and flashlight.
"What brunette?" He was obviously annoyed, frustrated he couldn't remember.
"Well, it wasn't me..." Sherry chuckled as she tried to hold back her anger and frustration, "I'm not exactly a brunette. I just had to walk in on it though... In our bed, too." Jake pinched his nose and shook his head. Sherry sighed, "After you kissed me and walked out on me... Again."
"Yeah, that brunette." Jake scratched his head, "Jealous much?" Sherry ignored him. He shrugged and shook his head, "Why?" He stood between her and the desk, trying to catch her view. He shrugged and threw his hands out, "We weren't even a couple then, super girl, you and I..." He trailed off as he tried to remember. "Where we ever a couple!? That would explain..."
Sherry's face flushed with anger, anger she could no longer hold in. Even if Jake couldn't remember what they were, what they should be, what they weren't now, he could be more sensitive to her feelings. She dropped the files on the desk and lashed out at him. She caught the unsuspecting Jake off guard as she pushed him back. He flipped backwards over the desk and fell to the floor behind it. Sherry couldn't hide her satisfaction as she snickered at him.
"Maybe that will jog your memory!" Sherry smiled smugly and dusted off her hands as she stared at Jake on the floor. He cocked his head with his his finger pointing at her. Sherry turned around with a huff. It was hard to render Jake speechless. Sherry curled her lips into a soft smirk as she grabbed a pen and notepad, ignoring Jake as she made her own notes for the file. Before Jake could get to his feet, the door flew open.
A tall figure near Jake's height stood in the doorway, gun drawn. Familiar copper-blond locks parted over his eye and hung in his face, brushed slightly to the side. His muscular frame was under a thermal-lined, black jacket. A blue thermal suit peaked out from his jacket, holster straps unhidden from clear sight, matching black pants with utility pockets full of gadgets on his legs. He tilted his chin up as he looked around the room, his look as shocked and curious as the Sherry's. His slight smile turned into a frown as he slightly shook his head. "Sherry!?" His voice was husky, masculine and curious. He was neither happy nor excited to see her. He relaxed his posture slightly before stiffening again. He was here and he was here for a reason. Somehow, Sherry was a part of that reason.
"Leon!?" Sherry made a gesture to Jake to stay down with one hand behind her back as she pointed to the files. She scribbled down something on a post it note and shoved it in her pocket, dropping the pen on the floor. She flipped through a file, acting casual as she took pictures of the contents.
"Sherry..." Against his better judgement, Leon put his gun away and took a few steps forward. "What are you doing here? You went MIA in Russia and didn't contact anyone." Sherry dropped her jaw slightly while she searched Leon's face for words he would believe. She closed her eyes and frowned lightly as she tried to keep her eyes off of Jake, who crawled under the desk.
"I... It's a long story. Sherry shook her head softly, "I wasn't running away... It's... classied." Sherry nonchalantly returned to her files, flipping through and taking pictures, "Besides, I couldn't return without solving the case. I need to clear his name." Sherry trailed off as she snapped another picture from the file. She wasn't lying. It was the truth... As much as she was willing to share. She hoped her poker face wouldn't falter as she locked eyes with Leon before taking another photograph of the files. She picked up the current file and handed it to Leon, changing the subject as she dropped her tiny ball of yellow paper. "Take a look at this." Sherry pointed to some of the pictures in her camera. "Someone was drawing a connection between these companies and the bath salts I was investigating in Russia." Leon took a look at the file, eyeing Sherry every now and then over it. "Is this case even solved yet? The P-Virus." Sherry asked honestly. Leon looked at her hard for a moment, then closed the files.
"Not completely... Most of this is... 'classified' though." He wondered how much information he should share with Sherry. She was now a rogue agent and a missing B.O.W. with a dead suspected-terrorist for a boyfriend whose name she intended to clear. It was her case though. Sherry was waiting for an answer. She knew it was her case and she wanted answers weither she was authorized to or not. Leon decided to fill her in. "It's not just Advanced-C... They combined it with the T-Abyss. It's been tampered with beyond that though. This information is also, classified."
Leon put his hand out, waiting for Sherry to hand over her camera. She pursed her lips for a moment, "Classified until it's needed?" Sherry frowned then passed it to him. He was right, she now had no authority on this case.
"Thanks." Leon read the name on the file and turned it to the last few pages first, "This is exactly what I came here for." Leon flipped open the file and glanced at the officer's name and signature on the last few pages of the file, as well as the picture and serial numbers. The officer had yellow-blond, salt and pepper hair assymetrically parted to one side, cropped shorter on the back and sides. He looked around Leon's age, possibly slightly older. Caucasion, blue eyes, a soft smile and kind face. He had a thin goate and beard with a two day scruff growing in. Leon glanced through the res of the files and looked at the samples and their information. "Looks like McGivern's gone missing, as we thought." He looked it over in more detail as he speed-read through.
"Who?" Sherry furrowed her brows slightly. She'd never heard that name before.
"Agent Bruce McGivern, one of our experienced agents." Leon exaggerated the word experienced, as in, experienced with bio-organic weapons. "He went under cover six months ago." Leon paused for a moment then decided Sherry looked concerned enough to help. "He was researching non-pharmaceutical companies with ties to... various, classified, orgazations. The same ones connected to your case." Leon looked at Sherry hard for a moment as he paused, "He took over when you wet MIA two months ago after finding a link between the two." Leon flipped back a few pages, "Looks like he found a lot about this..." He made eye contact with Sherry again. "I have to find him. There's no time to waste. It could already be too late."
"For what?!" Sherry moved from around the desk to meet Leon on the other side, "What about the outbreak? The town!" Sherry frowned. "The coffee shop, the nice old lady next door that gave us fruitcake when we moved in? The old perv that likes to check out my butt then tip me at work, well... my fake work. My fake life. The real people that became a part of it, for better or worse. The survivors of our crash? Ray? Chris? Chambers?"
"Yeah, about that." Leon frowned, "I haven't found a single surviror yet. The outbreak wasn't a part of this mission." Sherry stared blankly past Leon and took a deep breath. Leon shook his head softly, his copper-blond hair fluttering over his brows, "It never is, though." Leon sighed and walked away with the file, "... and neither is breakfast." He squeezed Sherry's shouler gently, bringing her back to the present then slipped the file into his jacket pocket. He walked away to give her some space as he waited in the doorway. "Let's get moving." She sighed and nodded as she went to join Leon.
"Wait, Leon!" Sherry paused and gasped in realization. Was she really so distracted?
"Claire is in the building somewhere. We split up briefly." Leon turned around sharply.
"Claire!?" Leon looked away in disbelief for a moment until he realized Sherry's seriousness, "Why is she here!?"
"She was visiting her brother. The BSAA have a base close by. She and a civilian named Ray were in another room not long ago. They went upstairs to find the armory. They should be waiting there for us!" Leon nodded sharply.
"Alright... Let's go."
"Please, let's... Let's work together. This outbreak has to have something to do with these files, right?" She took the key and map from her pocket and handed it to Leon, "This is the armory key and a map. I got them off one of the roamers here..." She placed them in Leon's hand and folded hers over his, her eyes begging him, "Please, I'll tell you everything... Let's just solve this first." Leon eyed her for a long time before nodding. Their footsteps disappeared quickly down the hall.
Jake slid out from under the desk and grabbed the little post it note. He got to his feet with a sigh as he read it. "Your name is Jake Muller." Bellow it was a radio frequency and definitely not the one they were supposed to be using. He frowned at it. Sherry had never really flipped out on him like that before, not that he could remember way back but for sure not in the past 2 months since they sort of reconciled. Yes, she had stood her ground many times before. She wasn't the type to take his shit. This was the first time that she that she got physical. He sighed to himself. He knew what he had done deep down. She had every right to be angry and maybe he should have been more sensitive to her. He frowned and shrugged it off with a scoff. He had bigger fish to fry right now, like staying out of Leon's way and making sure Sherry wasn't going back to the DSO, not without her freedom. He had to make sure of that. However, what Sherry didn't know, was what Jake hadn't done.
Jake and Jess... two months ago...
"Masquerading as a man with a reason, My charade is the event of the season, And if I claim to be a wise man, Well, it surely means that I don't know" Carry On Wayward Son, Kansas
"My song's playing." The brunette with the fiesty attitude who said her name was Jess, walked over to the Juke box. Jake shook his head and looked past her at the machine.
"Really? People still use those!?" He slid his double-sambucca-spiked espresso cup back to the bar tender with some cash and stood up. Leaning against the bar, he tugged down his winter hat to his ears and leaned back. He took in the scent of the place. Coffee, booze and cigarrettes. It almost smelled like home if only he could hear gunfire and smell sulfur and death in the air instead of bodyodor from other guys in the bar. He frowned to himself as his steel gaze gave away none of his thoughts. He wondered where home was anyways and why that kind of image would be a fond memory. He shrugged it off and continued to watch the brunette wind her hips slowly to the music, a beer in her hand as she sang along to the music. Some oter guy came over and started to talk to her.
"Hey." She pushed him away, "I'm just dancing here." She grumbled, "Move along." Jake looked towards the door, then back Jess. He frowned.
"Can't leave a lady out here on her own like this." He sighed and and got to his feet properly then put his arm around Jess. "Sorry guys, this one's coming home with me." The guy harrassing her looked up at Jake's height and noticed the scar on his face. He made a face and pointed to the door.
"This town don't need no trouble. Get the hell out before it finds you." Jake found himself making a fist. His eyes lit up from the lighting of the bar as he clared down at the man.
"Be sure it doesn't find you first." Jake grumbled, "Do the lady a favor? Get out of my way." The man stood aside, obviously knowing he wasn't a match for the younger, taller man. "Thanks." Jake put his arm around Jess' waist and tugged her outside. Let's get some real coffee." Jake groaned in her ear. "I'm beyond buzzed." Jess giggled and took his hand. She pulled him close as they walked down the street. They passed a bench and Jake looked at it quietly for a moment before deciding to slump down. He put his head back and looked at the stars for a moment. It was dark as usual. The northern lights weren't dancing yet. It was still night then. He closed his eyes and groaned deeply in the back of his throat. His head was foggy and his balance was off.
"What's wrong?" Jess sat on his knee. Jake wrapped his arms around her and pulled her up to sit in his lap.
"Nothin... Just really... really drunk. Didn't notice my limit with this medication I'm taking." He rubbed his eyes then ran his fingers through her hair. It was so long since he had a woman to himself. He breathed in her scent as she pressed her breast to his chest. Even through their jackets he could feel her figure.
"For?" Jess smiled. She wiggled her butt down onto his lap, "Ooh I hope it's not viagra." She giggled like a naughty vixen as kissed Jake softly on the lips. He opened his eyes and staired up into hers without an ounce of emotion. They were a pretty, dark blue. She was beautiful, mediteranian looking. Just his type with her tan and nice round ass. She slid her thighs over his and watched him, the stars dancing little flecks of light in her eyes. She eyed his lips and he eyed hers and she went in for another kiss. Jake parted his lips, unwilling to fight off the unwelcomed but not unwanted attention. "Mmmm..." She whimpered as he kissed her back. Their kiss broke after a brief moment, "I love Sambucca and coffee." She looked into Jake's eyes and he stared at the sky, still in his quiet state of thought. He closed his eyes and breathed in the cold night air. He looked at his watch. It was still pretty early.
"Maybe we should have more coffee." Jake smiled softly and looked into her eyes. She nodded and got to her feet before giving him a hand to get up. She giggled as she pulled him to his feet. He flopped over onto the snow, landing ontop of her. She laughed it off as he looked up and groaned.
"Sorry." He smiled softly as he got himself to his feet and helped her up.
"It's ok." She giggled, "If you weren't so damn handsome that would have been a strike out." She smiled, "I guess I can let you walk this time." She put her head under his shoulder and supported him slightly. "C'mon ya big dumbie." She giggled as they went to the coffee shop.
Several cups of water and a few donuts later. "I'm having a great night, Jake." The brunette popped herself up on her elbow and was staring at Jake with affection as she stirred her coffee. "You sure you feeling okay? That's quite a bit of water you drank." Jess took her pie for the waitress pushed it towards Jake. Jake was staring at the menu for a moment, taking in the shop.
"I think Sherry should work here," He grumbled to himself and pinched his nose. Then smelled the apple pie. The cinnamon and brown sugar was heavenly but it missed that hint of something else. Something that reminded him of a time he couldn't remember and the pie sitting for him at home.
"Who?" The brunette asked non-chalantly as she looked around, "Oh... the not-sure-if-she's-your-wife?" Jake sighed and stretched.
"Yeah... Sorry." He frowned slightly, "Was thinking out loud." He took a bite of the pie. It tasted just like Sherry's but was missing the nutmeg and cloves. He sipped his bottle of water and stared at the ring on his hand, thinking of when it was given to him at the BSAA. If the ring was fake and a part of his back story for his new life, then what else was? He wound it left and forth on his finger, then took it off and slipped it into his pocket. "Its a witness protection thing... I think." He mumbled softly before looking at the gorgeous girl before him. "If its all a charade then why do I have this nagging sense of guilt." He took another sip of water and looked up at the brunette. She had blue eyes that sparkled, surrounded by dark lashes as long as a supermodel's. They were beautiful, but they weren't Sherry's clear blue, concerned eyes. Always full of hope with a glimmer of sadness. Her lips were full and painted a dark berry shade with lipstick and gloss. So soft in the harsh cold weather. He leaned in and kissed them again. He found himsef thinking of Sherry's soft, naturally pink lips. The natural, shy blush on her cheeks when he broke the kiss. The confusion nestled in her brows, her soft lips parting to ask him why he kissed her. The guilt he felt that made him turn and leave, unable to look her in the eyes. What was he doing here? Jessica broke the kiss that wasn't really there.
"Maybe I should go?" She sighed and sat up. She nodded to the man behind the counter and asked for the check. He was a tall redhead with his hair swept to te side. He gave a nod and rang up their tab. Jake reached his arm out and grabbed Jess' jacket softly. She reached out and took the bill with her other hand.
"No. I'm, I'm just groggy still. Sorry." He frowned, "Did you want to go for a walk?" She smiled and took his hand.
"Yeah, let's go for it. It's still early. You can walk me home." Jake took a deep breath, then looked her in the eyes with a soft smirk.
"I have other ideas." He stood and pressed himself against her as he put cash down on the table for the waitress. He slid his hands around her waist and kissed her deeply this time with intension. "Is this too foward?" He smiled softly and whispered in her ear as his hand slid down to her ass and long legs.
"Oooh, I like forward." She giggled. They kissed once more in the empty, dimly lit caffe before she followed him out into the snow.
"Good." He smiled softly with a wink as he cocked his head, "I live just around the corner from here, literally."
Jake paused before opening the door to kiss Jess. He didn't feel love for her but he felt enough to drown his emotions within her. He slid his hand behind her neck and leaned into her, pressing his body to hers. He slid her hand ip the door with his own, above her head. She unzipped his jacket with her other hand and slid her hand up Jake's shirt to touch his chest and abs. She giggled with her mewls as he kissed her deeply. "My my you are built." She giggled as he unzipped her jacket and kissed the nape of her neck. "Mmm... You want some of this?" Jak giggled and slid his hand down the back of her pants. She was wearing a thong. He giggled down in his throat, imagining how the rest of her felt without her clothes. She answered with small gasps as he knelt down and nipped at the front of her pants and stroked her thighs.
"Oh Jake!" She moaned as gasped in surprised as he unzipped her pants. The cold air nipped at her stomach. "No no no... Do you not feel the cold?" She rolled her eyes and dragged him to his feet. "We're in Alaska. Let's do this inside." Jake smiled wickedly as he pulled out his keys. He paused before opening the door, then opened it quietly. He peaked through the kitchen and over the living area. The loft bed above the livingroom was empty. He ;ooked over to the left and pinched his nose. He groaned softly then pulled Jess inside. He put a finger to his lips.
"We gotta keep it down. Looks like she skipped work." Jess narrowed her eyes in annoyance. Jake frowned, "Let's go to your place." Jess shook her head no.
"It's cold. I like the first idea better." Jake and Jess quietly took off their jackets and boots and outterwear and quietly made their way upstairs, but not without Sherry's home-made apple pie that was still on the counter. They ate the pie while chatting and fooling around on the bed. Jake turmed on the radio and cuddled up with Jessica. Guilt began to eat as him again as Jess complained about the cold.
"I'll be back." Jake snuck downstairs and covered Sherry with a blanket. He put more wood in the fireplace and poked it until it re-lit. He sat there in his pajama pants for a while, just watching and poking at the fire. He finally forced hmself up to leave but glanced at Sherry and stood dead in his tracks. He couldn't resist the urge and kissed Sherry softly on the head before returning to bed. He did so and paused again before going back upstairs. Jess was sleeping soundly on the bed in her top and panties when he got back. The black satin sheets were thrown around from their fooling around. The pie pan lay on a night stand.
Jake smiled softly, sadly, and cuddled Jess, pulling the blanket over them. he felt confused, frustrated, angry. He just wanted to stop feeling out of place with everything. His head spun from intoxication. He closed his eyes and tried to sleep.
Sometime in the night, Jake woke to Jessica grinding on top of him and a sharp pain in his arm. He awoke, disoriented before he remembered where he was. "Ooh." He smiled and dropped his head to the pillow. "Hello there, little lady." He rubbed his arm at his elbow and Jess pressed her palm against it as she tugged down his underwear. He raised his head and remembered how drunk he was not so long ago.
"Shhh..." She whispered, "Just lay back and enjoy." She smiled wickedly, "Sorry I knocked out earlier. I guess I have to make it up for you." She giggled and licked her lips. Jake gasped as her tongue slid down his shaft. He forgot how to use his limbs in his stupor.
"Goddamn..." He groaned as her mouth closed down on him. He forgot all about the pinch he had felt on his arm. He shut his eyes tight and breathed in deeply, trying to steady himself as she became vigorous with her tongue. "What a way to wake a man..." He grumbled and raised his head to watch, still dizzy from before. Jes mewled and moaned, her voice vibrating on his manhood. She took her hands and led his to be tangled in her hair. He took her her beauty with a smooth whistle before grunting loudly. He closed his eyes tight again and breathed in, trying to slow his shallow breath.
"Fuck she's gonna wake Sherry." Jake slid his hands to her shoulders. "C'mere." He pulled her up onto his abdomen, her sex sandwiched his between herself and his stomach as she rode her sex and ass on him. "Oh my god." He groaned as she slid his hands to her breasts. She moaned as she tossed herself back and forth ontop of him. "No no no... Shhh... Sherry is going to hear." He sat up and whispered in her ear, "Shhh..." Jake grabbed his cock in his hand and began to suck and kiss her breast, then sighed in disappointment. Despite having a gorgeous, voluptuous, very naked woman all over him and doing her job so damn well, he was suddenly a no-show. He put his hands on her hips and stopped her.
"What?" She whined and looked down, "Oh woe is me." She whined.
"Fuck." Jake moaned under his breath. He looked away and groaned. "Maybe its the medication. Or the alcohol." He sighed and was going to lay back. Jessica put her hand on his shoulder and becan to play with him again. Her other hand led his to her breast. She smiled wickedly.
"You're almost there... I'm sure I can fix this... Mmm... It's nice to play with such a big boy anyways." She giggled and began to work her hands like magic. Jake titled his head back as she kissed him deeply. He lay back onto the bed and let Jess work her magic on top of him again. He let himself go and tried to hold in his grunts and groans, drowning out his thoughts with her mewls. Just then he heard small footsteps bolt up the stairs and he click of a gun's hammer being pulled back. Jess looked over her shoulder, breaking the kiss. Jake found himself instantly aroused at the sight of Sherry in her Pajamas and then the guilt came flooding back to him with other feelings. He pinched his nose and tried to act non-chalant. He gave Sherry a wink and looked up at Jess, who ignored the blond and continued to do her thing.
"Hey, the more the merrier, snowflake. Wanna join the fun?" Jake threw on his best poker-face smirk, hoping she wouldn't be as pissed as he knew she would. Sherry dropped her gun, her heart sinking as her face flushed with shock and sadness. She looked away, unsure of how to feel. She should have felt angry, cursing at herself for not expecting this but no, Jake was a free man and he felt nothing for her. It wasn't his fault. Still, it didn't make Sherry feel any better. The invitation angered her. Sherry was good at hiding her feelings but this rage that took over was overwhelming. She glared at Jake and his woman, still in the act, then scooped her gun up slowly and put the safety back on before slipping it into the back of her jeans.
"Umm... No, it's a little, crowded, in here. I... I'm sorry..." She stumbled backwards, nearly tripping down the stairs, then turned and went to the kitchen for her purse.
"Where you goin', Snowflake?" He called out, "Sorry you missed the party but the fun is still goin' if you change your mind."
"Yeah?" Sherry narrowed her eyes, shaking with rage as she found herself fingering her gun. "I thought you were in trouble. You better burn those damn sheets!" She threw on her jacket and stumbled out into the snow. Jake began to feel both pity for her and amusement. Hearing Sherry curse was like seeing a small child swear, both hilarious and wrong at the same time. He was too drunk to know what he did this time.
"God, I have a right to live my life," he looked up at the brunette, "Am I right, gorgeous?" He pulled the brunette down into a kiss and flipped her onto her back beneath him before he continued his romp, ignoring Sherry. Just like that, before he could enter Jess, Mr. Happy was Mr. Unhappy. "Fuck... goddamnit..." Jake closed his eyes in frustration and rolled over onto his back.
"Again!?" Jess fummed, "You really need to get your shit together, handsome." She grabbed her clothes and got dressed.
"No no wait... Don't..." Jake groaned.
"Yeah, um. Try calling when you figure things out." She shook her head. He had nothing to say as she stomped off. He pinched his nose and threw the bedsheet over himself as he heard the door downstairs slam for a second time.
"Fuckin... got two women pissed at me." He burried his face into the sheets. "I don't even have her phone number." He groaned. He didn't really care either. All he could think about was the angry little blond running off into the street on her own, pissed off at him and his intoxicated ass feeling guilt for his actions. He wanted to be angry at Sherry for everything. For taking his memory and not filling him in on it. For intruding in his fucked up life. For not getting pissed off for his actions like she didn't care. "Why should she?" He groaned to himself. He was just a burden to her anyways. All he saw in her eyes everytime he looked at her was sadness and he could no longer stand seeing her that way.
Two months and very few arguements or even conversations later and here Jake was, laying on the floor like an idiot while Sherry finally showed some emotion. She was still trying to protect him after the shit he pulled. "Damn my fuckin' pride."
"Once I rose above the noise and confusion, Just to get a glimpse beyond this illusion, I was soaring ever higher, but I flew too high" Carry on my Wayward Son, Kansas
Leon and Sherry followed the map, clearing the hallways as needed to make their way to the next floor. Sherry stuck close to Leon as she was basically unarmed and Leon came prepared for the situation. She was stuck with just her agility and martial arts moves. She missed having a taser or stun rod. It would have made her feel more independant. Instead she felt like a little girl in Racoon City again. In need of protection except this time Leon was more of her captor than her savior. For the most part it was awkwardly silent until Leon broke the ice. "So what brings you to Alaska, Sherry?" Leon's smooth, deep voice was casual and sarcastic as usual, "Don't tell me it's the hospitality and ice fishing." His lips quivered into a smirk with a huff for a brief moment before going into their usual, solemn from. That was Leon for ya. He'd been there and done that. There was no fooling him. They took cover in an empty office, peeking over a fallen desk to see what lay ahead.
Sherry paused for a moment then answered.
"I was rescued by the BSAA. They picked up me with Claire and a few other civilians. My rental cabin was destroyed in the outbreak."
"Okay...?" Sherry knew that tone. It read, "Details details?" His blue-green eyes bore down on Sherry like an angry parent. She gulped, trying to hide her intimidation. "...Before Alaska?" Sherry pursed her lips and looked away.
"I'm under protection by Captain Redfield of the BSAA." She shook her head at Leon, "Anything you need to know you'll have to..." Sherry looked away from him as his eyes narrowed, "...find him and get the clearance for what you need to know. I plead the fifth." Leon smiled softly with a huff.
"I had a feeling you'd say that. The fifth doesn't apply to us, Sherry. You know that." He sighed, "If you don't come clean, there are people that will make you talk." Sherry pouted.
"The BSAA has the backing of the UN. You won't protect me?" She searched Leon's eyes for an explaination. He saved her in Racoon City. They were both victims to the system. "Surely you of all people would know..."
"Did you really think its as simple as running away from the government? Taking the first offer you got from an outside source?" Sherry was starng at the floor. Leon paused and took in Sherry's bodylanguage. The fact is, he was lecturing a victim. Leon put his hand on her shoulder. "Hey, you okay?" She startled and looked up at him, her eyes holding back tears. "C'mon, this comes as no surprise to us, Sherry." He frowned, "This isn't the first time we've gottened screwed by default."
"What do we do?" Sherry shook her head. Leon frowned.
"Well. Are you ok now? Are you ready to return to the DSO? Accept a desk job with obvious supervision." Leon asked gently as he reached into his pocket and took out a small device. Sherry nodded softly. A desk job was still a bigger prison cell than what she grew up in. Leon continued as he set the device up, "I no longer have the authority to know what disciplinary action they might have in store for you but I did negotiate that much in hopes you would turn up unharmed." He slid his hand from her shoulder and grabbed Sherry by the wrist. He put a little trigger divice against her sleeve. Sherry grunted softly as the device took her by surprise. It made a noise as it went off and it hurt like hell.
"I hope that's sterile." Sherry grumbled with a pout and stared her arm. Leon didn't even smirk in reply. His face did read genuinely read, "This hurts me more than it hurts you." She yanked her arm away from Leon when he released her and rubbed the spot. Sherry hated trackers. Her virus kept trying to push it out of her body and it would ache for a while before it realized it was futile. She cursed to herself, angry that she was so close to escaping this type of life. Or was she? It was just a fantasy to think she could escape. Sherry grumbled sarcastically "That better be the C-Virus vaccine... I'm immune either way."
"I'm sorry, Sherry." He put the device back into it's holder and back into a utility pocket. "I had a report you may be out here. It's for your safety." He frowned, "We need to track you. You were under my protection and I let you get injured and lost." He shook his head, "I can't let that happen again. Especially now that I'm the one that has to bring you in. What if someone like Wesker or Carla kidnapped you and used you as an experiement again!? You really think you are ever working a simple field case after you disappeared in Russia?" He took a look over the desk again. It seemed the J'avo in the building were dispersing. "Seriously, Sherry. Everytime you poke your head out something happens. It's been plaguing you since Racoon. The higher-ups are being real dicks about it right now and I don't want to see them make a decision I can't live with." He tipped her chin up to face him. "Sherry, they think you are involved with whatever Jake was doing in Russia."
Sherry's eyes burned with anger for a brief moment but she held it in. She took a few deep breaths before speaking softly, slowly, as respectfully as she could. "The first time I had your protection we ended up in a government facility. If it wasn't for Claire's visits... Simmons feigning care and sympathy..." Leon looked away, obviously hurt by her admission of his failure to do more about her situation. He was powerless, as much a victim as Sherry. Sherry cupped a hand over her mouth. "I'm... I'm sorry." She stammered and rubbed her arm, remembering her place in their world.
"It was to protect you. If I didn't sign up God knows how much worse it could have been for you. They protected you from Jake's father. If he had gotten a hold of you...? The research he did on others like you...? Sherry... I'm so sorry." Leon shook his head, a solomn look on his face. "I went into this job to guarentee your safety, not to abandon you. I did my best, what I had to do to protect you. If not..." He sighed, "...I'm sorry if you will resent me for it forever." Sherry balled her hand into a fist over her heart, tears in her eyes. She threw her arms around Leon and gave him a tight hug, her small, curvy frame pressed to his.
"I was out of line. You saved my life." She nuzzled her face against his chest like the 12 year old girl she was that day in Racoon but she was definately a woman now. Leon found himself briefly distracted. Sherry spoke softly in his ear. "I'm sorry, and, thank you. but..." Sherry leaned back and stared straight into his eyes, "I'll return with you only if you help me clear Jake's name." Leon was still in surprise with the hug. The petite, curvy blonde was no longer a little girl. He noticed for the first time she was beautiful and curvy with the smoothest lips he'd ever seen on a woman. Her nose brushed close to his as she planted a kiss on his cheek. He thought for a moment as he tried to gather her words and his thoughts, wondering why she would want such a thing. Why did that even matter? He nodded in agreement with her. "Thank you, Leon." Sherry kissed his cheek again before letting go. She looked at the map again. "Claire and Ray are somewhere in the building. I sent them upstairs because of the C-Virus gas. It's clear now but we need to find them."
"Ok," Leon nodded, "But I lost contact with FOS since I got here. There has to be a communication jammer somewhere. It's on the long list of things to do." He closed the map and tucked it into pocket inside his jacket beside Sherry's camera. "Let's move out."
Leon and Sherry detoured on the second floor on a landing above the station's lobby. A fire and the crashed BSAA chopper had blocked their path. They finally made it upstairs to the armory. Sherry and Leon inspected the armory. It was nearly picked clean. Leon sighed, "They must have armed the entire town! There aren't enough hunting guns in Alaska?" Sherry smiled slightly, pursing her lips.
"It's still a tragedy but thank god this place is smaller than Raccoon City. We'll have to make due." She gripped Leon's arm reassuringly. He gave her a nod.
"They even cleared out the 'Armaggedon' box." Sherry smiled sadly as she looked at a list beside a little box that once held civilian officer badges. Sherry ditched her jacket to reveal a black sweater over her Khaki BSAA loaned pants and fatigue boots. She strapped on holsters for her newly aquired handgun and other weapons. It was nice to have a good handgun again. She smiled as she picked up her favourite, a semi-automatic triple shot.
"So who are we looking for in here." Leon continued to open cupboards for ammunition, medicine, bandages.
"We came here looking for Chris, Leon. Claire, Dr. Chambers, a civilian named Ray with some sort of military background. Only one of the BSAA guys that came with us may have lived. A girl, I think. She was wearing a pilot's helmet so I couldn't see her face. They said that a group of army guys came through, too. It would explain the uniformed J'avo." She adjusted her scarf around her neck and replaced her BSAA jacket with a civilian one.
"Yeah," Leon nodded, "There is a winter survival training camp a couple towns over. Not too many from the army up here at this time of the year. They can do winter training at home."
"I'm worried about Claire and Ray." Her eyes pleaded with Leon, "We have to find them. Chris and Dr. Chambers aren't civilians and I know you and Claire..."
"Don't worry," Leon gave her shoulder an assuring squeeze, "Claire can handle herself." He loaded and cocked a shotgun before slinging it onto his back, "Let's go find the communication blocker, pick up any survivors on the way." He took his earpiece off. "Have you had any short-range reception? What frequency have you been operating on?" Sherry read off the BSAA's frequency.
"It's a standard FOS frequency. Ready?" She shoved some ammo and a knife into one of her side-packs and loaded her handgun.
"I'm just about done here." Leon looked at her for a moment too long, trying to figure out if Sherry as up to anything funny. Then he headed to the door. "I hope whatever you are up to was worth the trouble." He put his handgun into his holster and left the room. Sherry nodded softly and joined him at his side.
Leon and Sherry came to another stairwell. It was quiet, too quiet. The blood all over the walls gave him an eerie feeling. Some corpses, military, police, civilian, lay dead on the floor. Some were half eaten, others had bullet holes. Leon bent down, recognizing both shotgun blasts and a smaller caliber bullet wound in one of the corpses. He looked up the staircase again, wondering if whoever shot these zombies went upstairs or down. Some ash also littered the floors, a few burn marks were on the walls. J'avo as well? Sherry and Leon exchanged glances, "This is just the usual C-Virus, isn't it?" Sherry sighed.
"Looks like the T-Virus, too." Leon groaned. Things were never easy, were they. "The lab must be in here, just like Raccoon City. This place is too damn big for just police and fire in a small town like this." The power suddenly went out. Sherry and Leon turned on the flashlights on their earpieces. Sherry pulled her gun out and gripped it tightly. Leon noticed the flash of worry in her eyes, remembering the same look from when she was a frightened schoolgirl that he rescued.
"We better keep our eyes open." Leon nodded at her. Sherry nodded back, pursing her lips. Just because she was and agent and had done this many times before, it didn't mean she would ever get used to the dark. She found herself staying close to Leon like a magnet. Sherry bumped into an over-turned desk in the hall, its contents spilling onto the floor. Leon looked around with his flashlight. He picked up a small bottle of medication.
"According to the files," Leon handed a bottle of pills to Sherry, "This is the P-Virus." Sherry read the prescription bottle with concern as Leon continued, "It's combined with an infected parasite in a cyst form. It only does its job in the right environment. Thanks to the C-Virus vaccine, it only works with the right amount of parasites to take control of the host. Anyone who has the C-Vaccine is immune to an ounce of cysts or less." He continued as Sherry listened, "It produces a chemical high to toxins released as the paracitc cysts are killed by C-Virus-anti-bodies. In the immunocompromised or those who take too much... We get Russia." Sherry frowned as Leon continued, "That's all we know for now."
"And people without the anti-bodies?" Sherry enquired hastily.
"Let's just say it's not pretty." Leon frowned. "That's why you were researching this originally. It was supposed to be an open and shut case. Not something so... complicated. It's not just a street drug. It's a bio-organic weapon disaster and we haven't cured it yet." Sherry continued to stare at the bottle. Leon's hand touching her shoulder softly startled her. She dropped the bottle, spilling the familiar pills everywhere. "What's the matter, Sherry? Know anyone who has seizures?" A familiar hissing sound drew their attention to the end of the hallway. Sherry could hear liquid falling as droplets onto the floor. Something scratched and scraped around slowly as it crawled near the floor. Leon put a finger over his lips and checked with his flashlight to see how much fun they had run into.
My original "Im not dead" update with Q&A and what's in store:
working on releasing new chapters this week = back on track
Sorry this is just an authors note for now: I'd like to answer all the comments and such if I can before I release anything I've written:
A Big Thank You to the fans!
We don't all celebrate Christmas but Happy Holidays and we can all agree on one thing: "Let there be peace on Earth and goodwill to all!"
I'll first fill you in on why I haven't been writing and then I'll give you some input on what to look forward to if you enjoy my writing.
1. I'm not dead! XD I have not been well though! :( I am getting better!
I have, however, been dealing with fibromyalgia (feels like arthritis in the muscle) and severe anemia (iron/blood loss) with no known cause. I have finally gotten the anemia under control for now and am storing iron. Pain, fainting, dizziness and faling asleep severely impacted the past 3 years of my life but the past year was really bad. I'm now doing much much better and do wish to start writing again.
2. Personal life drama rollercoaster of my own!
Been busy sorting out crazy marriage stuff with husband. Doing really really well. Divorce isn't always an answer when people are willing to work on past faults, forgive, not forget, but to move on and embrace a life together. Sometimes you need distance to realize who you are, who you were, who you want to be and what you want from your life, personally and as a family unit. This has gone well for me and has been a work in progress for literally one year now but it is going really well. Also, now that I'm well I will be trying to be the primary caregiver for my daughter fulltime. She is now 3. Her grandparents have been helping out for 3 years because I've been ill which is why I had time to write before. Getting my health and life on track and I'm very happy about this. I think taking time out for myself has also given me time to tie all my ideas together.
3. Technoloy:
I had to buy a new laptop as my old one died (makes a great toaster if it would turn on). Let's hope my kid doesn't beat this one up like she did the last LOL! My iphone was also destroyed by the toddler so I didn't have much to write with. Windows 8 sucks btw because there isn't a package for word that is priced at for-moms-with-no-money-recovering-from-illness-and-not-wasting-money-on-herself.
4. Sidetracked:
I got sidetracked returning to Lineage 2 (North American Bartz Server if anyone plays and is interested, contact me) so I had some obligations there for the past 6 months or so as well but I'm now putting that on a major break/downsize of responsibilities because I'd rather be mom now that I'm doing better.5. Kinda OCD: Revelations 2 has Claire Redfield.
I FINALLY bought RE: Revelations and will be playing it as I do have Raymond and Jessica in the story but want more insight than just spoilers and youtube. Also, a big halt for me is Claire being in RE:Revelations 2. I am big on continuity and staying in character and the final season/episode/chapter/whatever isn't being released until March, 2015. HUGE downer for me. I enjoy Claire and I CAN re-write her out but do I really want to? Maybe I'll re-write my accidentally over-written stuff for now, no idea.
What's in store!
I've had time to have a plot, villians, virus insights, interesting material and game-style story content, however, I've needed to find the time to get on paper (per se). I've put a ton of thought into who will be appearing and what will be happening in the story. I have some unique twists as usual and the OC villians will be making sense and will all tie in together, especially since they all had rather quick deaths.
When you've taken a break like this you need to re-read your own story back a few chapters just to see what everyone is wearing lol.
The drama? There will be SOME relationship drama. I don't really see this so much as, establishing, their relationship too much as relationships do change as they mature. One element I have really embraced since writing the first little romance bit and lasting through is the dark side of RE6. The no-hope theme. Everyone wants hope and a happy ending and everytime they have come close, the shit hits the fan. It's both enjoyable to see that they keep trying but nerve racking because we all want a happy ending. Stories are for us to escape and hope for a better ending. I actually really enjoy the no hope theme. We all found the end of RE4 cheesy lmfao. However! There will be hope as Jake and Sherry were the only two to really have any hope in a very hopeless existance. That's what I love so much about their pairing. Personally, they have influenced me for the better in my own relationship and I do want to see them happy but as we all remember most fairytales are dark and tragic and happily ever after can come with a price. I'm not giving much of a yes or no here am I. :) I love character and relationship development. :) There will be a surprising villian that is not Albert Wesker that I don't think anyone would have made return. I'm glad I took a year off to think of it. I bet you will all be surprised Muhahahahaha!
So I'm hoping capcom isn't dumb enough to kill off Claire. Glad I didn't put Barry and his daughter in like I wanted to. Just knew they'd come up. Let's hope RE:Revelations 2 leads to RE7 and I'll keep writting it that Claire is alive and not a bow or something LOL! I was going to start publishing again and then capcom dropped this bomb! XD
I love you all and thank you for reading, liking, supporting my fanfiction. :) Now get "They fell inlove in a hopeless place" out of your head. This story will end eventually... at the end of a long escape. ;) Hopefully they stop escaping the inevitable... a happily ever after! Can't always be simple getting there. :)