The meeting point was in the abandoned parking garage beneath the building. It was cold, damp and dimly lit but Sherry found herself relieved as they approached the group of shadowy figures.
Chris gave her a welcoming nod as she approached, which Sherry returned with a genuine smile. Their time working together after China, after Jake, had been chaotic... but also insightful. Sherry would never tell Jake but Chris had helped her take a step back from the edge of the cliff she'd been dangling over. He'd recognised her slow path into self-destruction when she'd taken one too many impulsive risks. After threatening to kick her off the mission he'd forced her to confront the reasons why she was behaving... well, like Jake. He was more like Claire than Sherry would have guessed. Which made sense since Sherry saw her like the sister she'd never had, while Chris was more like the wise, older brother who knew when to call her out on her shit.
"Sherry, Jake." Chris greeted.
Jake made a sound in his throat that was surprisingly friendly, considering their history, as he leant up against one of the rusted cars. Sherry noticed he kept his distance from her but tried not to read too much into it as she eyed the two strangers behind Chris instead.
A woman who looked a little older than herself with shoulder length silvery blonde hair and sharp features gave her a half-smile. Beside her was a man who stood about as tall as Jake, although he was bulkier. His shirt strained against muscled biceps as he folded them over his broad chest. Sherry noted the faded tattoos that covered both his arms. He was an imposing figure, but radiated a calm energy that kept her at ease.
"This is Joy Harper, our expert in tech, and my second-in-command Miguel Garcia. You'll meet our last team member soon, he's on watch." Chris began, wasting no time on meaningless pleasantries.
"I noticed you were taking security pretty seriously," Sherry replied, unable to keep the concern from her face. Either Chris was falling down the paranoid rabbit-hole or there was something Sherry didn't know about.
"With each of these fighting rings we bring down, the more whoever is organising them step up their own security. This isn't just a few dealers and people with more money than sense anymore. They're organised and they know what they're doing."
"I guess a lot can change in a few months." Sherry said flatly, wishing she'd remained in the field. But Chris had suggested she take some time off and for some unfathomable reason she had agreed. She'd lasted a week until the boredom left her feeling worse than ever and returned to work only to be put behind a desk. Sherry had barely left her office since their mission together. It dawned on her that Chris may have fed back to her director about his concerns. The thought stirred up a mixture of feelings toward the man she'd thought off as brotherly only minutes ago, but for now she pushed them aside and refocused.
This was her chance to prove to everyone that they hadn't made a mistake by trusting her to get the job done.
Unseen by Sherry, Jake was watching her from the corner of his eye, taking in the series of shifting emotions on her face.
"So are you going to fill us in on the plan or what?" An edge of irritation sharpened his voice as he found himself annoyed by his inability to read her expression. There was a time when he'd know exactly what she was thinking by the smallest change in her tone or the way she shifted on her feet. He supposed his frustration was undeserving. The divide between them now was his fault after all.
Sherry saw the tightening of Chris' shoulders as he pointedly ignored Jake's exaggerated yawn. "Harper, I'll let you take this one."
The woman stepped forward, pulling from her pocket a holo-disc that she pointed toward the ground. A map appeared in front of her feet which shifted and grew to depict a scaled-down model of the very city they were in.
"Muller's instincts about the docks were right," she began with a voice that was clear and captured everyone attention immediately. "We've retrieved footage of unregistered vessels moving through the city overnight. Cargo was unloaded, large steel crates that were put onto the backs of unlicensed trucks and taken to here..."
A red dot appeared beside the river which then stretched toward the outer limits of the city, not too far from where they were at that moment.
"This is what's left of the business district," Joy explained, "Retail, hospitality-"
"A whole lot of civilians, all living and working above what we suspect to be the holding facility for these BOWs." Chris interrupted, his expression darkening.
Sherry stared down at the map, the light of which illuminated them with an eerie glow that cast shadows about them all. "Why there, with all those innocent people nearby?"
"Because they don't care about innocent civilians." Jake answered curtly, "Plus a bunch of trucks just making deliveries in the busiest part of the city; it'd go unnoticed. My guess is the location for their upcoming cage match will be in the same area. They won't want to keep moving the BOWs."
Chris was nodding silently as Joy fiddled with the disc in her hand. A series of images replaced the map, faces Sherry didn't recognise.
"These are the suspects for who we think is organising the ring in this area. They're our targets to bring in for questioning. Once we infiltrate the facility we need to find where the BOWs are being held before we can secure our targets. Then we can move in and eliminate the BOWs."
"How are we planning to get inside?" Sherry asked.
"We're going to walk right in," Chris replied, "Or you are, anyway."
Sherry didn't have time to respond when Jake stepped forward, his jaw tight as he glared at Chris. "Hold up. You didn't mentioned anything about Sherry going in alone. I thought this was a team effort."
"I didn't say she'd go alone. Eric will accompany her, as a bodyguard. Sherry will be undercover as one of the VIPs invited to the event."
Sherry assumed Eric was the solider she was yet to meet. "And where will you all be?" she asked cutting Jake off as he opened his mouth to argue.
"On stand-by amongst the rest of the crowd. It'd be too suspicious if a large group of new players entered the game at once. Sherry and Eric will infiltrate the more exclusive section while we keep our heads down and wait for them to ID our suspects. We need evidence that they're involved. Garcia and Harper will find the source of the BOWs so we can secure a route when the time comes to eliminate them."
Jake leaned back against near-by rusted car, his arms folded over his chest as one foot tapped against the ground. Sherry recognised the way his jaw clenched tightly as his eye narrowed almost unnoticeably. He was pissed, and she was surprised by how well he was holding it in.
"Which leaves you and me to do what? Place a few bets?" he snapped.
"We'll be keeping an eye on the crowd."
"We're the back-up." Jake said, his disappointment clear in his voice.
Their shadows faded as Joy pocketed the holo-disc. "We need to cover all areas. It makes sense." she declared in a manner which dared anyone to argue.
Jake scoffed but said nothing. Sherry chewed the inside of her lip as she often did when thinking hard. It was a risky plan with such a small team, and they had no immediate back-up.
"What's our priority?" she asked, "Capturing the suspects or eliminating the BOWs."
Chris shifted back a step, his expression darkening as he avoided Sherry's gaze. It was Garcia who replied.
"Our goal is the information we can gain from the targets. There are plans in place to control the situation should the BOWs fail to be contained."
Sherry felt something cold and sickly uncoil in her stomach. "Plans... what sort of plans."
Chris placed a hand on his companions shoulder, fixing him with a hard look before meeting Sherry's eyes with an apologetic expression. "A drone attack. On the city. To prevent the risk of-"
"I know what they want to prevent Chris." Sherry hissed as anger replaced the sickness she'd felt. Beside her she saw Jake take a sideways step, turning himself toward her as a hand came up as if to touch her before it dropped back to his side. Sherry was too furious to take much notice as Chris was suddenly flanked on both sides. He raised his hand, beckoning for them to stand down. He gave no attention to the murderous expression on Jake's face as he spoke to Sherry with earnest.
"I can understand how you feel, but this wasn't a decision made lightly. In fact I was only informed of it a few hours ago. It's a failsafe. A precaution. So as long as we do our job there'll be no need to-"
"Murder a city full of innocent people." Sherry finished for him, seeing images of a smoking crater surrounded by collapsed buildings in her mind. Her hands trembled before she clenched them tightly at her sides, feeling her nails digging into her skin.
She could tell Chris was growing impatient, he wasn't used to being questioned like this, but he also knew that Sherry was always able to think logically. He appealed to the side of her that knew there would be no other choice, "You think allowing them to be torn apart by BOWs would be better? To allow another outbreak?"
There was no argument to be had and Sherry hated it.
"Look," Chris continued, his voice firm but lacking any anger, "this mission is going ahead with or without you. But we'd be far more likely to succeed with your help."
Sherry could sense Jake beside her as if awaiting some unspoken instruction. He knew the horror she'd lived through, the nightmares he'd had to calm her from in the middle of the night. To be put in a position where she could be held responsible for another city suffering the same fate... it was why he hated the sycophants whose employ he was trapped in. Just when he'd thought Chris was in some way tolerable he had to go and pull this shit.
So when Sherry turned to face him he almost couldn't believe the words that came out of her mouth.
"Did you know about this?"
His eyebrows could have hit the roof before he scowled darkly at her.
"You think I'm on team let's blow ourselves to hell? Fuck no."
"Like I said," Chris interrupted as Sherry's mouth opened and closed silently, "the decision was only finalised this morning. But we either go in tonight, or not all and we risk wasting more time looking for the next location."
Tonight, Sherry thought wearily. So soon...
Jake was trying to stop himself from pacing like a caged animal. He didn't like the plan, not one bit. It seemed desperate and like it had the potential to turn into one hell of a shit-show. He didn't think much of the BSAA, but even he expected a little more than this.
"I'm in," he heard Sherry day. She sounded confident of her decision but Jake was accustomed to the slight edge of her voice that told him she was making her choice because she felt she had no other. It was the same voice that told him 'sure, okay' whenever he suggested take-out food she knew she wouldn't like but didn't want to say no to. Because Sherry rarely had the opportunity to say "No" in her life.
But Jake was under no duress to take this job. He'd agreed because he'd not been making much headway with Ivan's organisation even with Claire's help, so it made sense to jump into bed with those who were.
He could feel eyes on him almost like a challenge to see if he'd stick around once she'd accepted the mission. Chris knew Jake looked out for himself above all else, but he also knew he was a man with pride. And Sherry was still his weak-spot.
"Fine." Jake sniffed, pushing himself off the side of the car as he rolled his shoulders in an attempt to relieve the building tension. "Sounds like we all need to hit the sack, we've got a big night ahead."
Sleep was the last thing on Sherry's mind but she knew she needed to rest, especially after her flight.
"I'll relieve Eric from his watch," Chris nodded in agreement, "Remember, we dress as civilians. Except you Sherry, Harper will be by in a few hours with the necessities."
Sherry's mind was filled with too many racing thoughts to question him further. Instead she found herself following Jake's lead as he made his way through the gloom and back to the stairway. She really must have been lost in thought as she only snapped back to reality when the door closed behind her and they found themselves back in the living room that smelled like it hadn't had a window opened for years. Jake dropped to the couch without a word, swung his legs up and placed an arm behind his head. He closed his eyes, his other arm resting over his stomach as Sherry watched the too-slow rise and fall of his chest.
They hadn't really fought much in the past, they lived their lives in such synchronicity that there really wasn't much to argue about. Jake was a surprisingly tidy person whereas Sherry enjoyed the freedom of her own space. He never seemed bothered by the shoes she'd leave abandoned by the door no matter how many times he tripped over them or the fact that most mornings would involve a frenzied dash around their apartment to find her belongings before work. So they didn't have fights like a normal couple, over normal things, like whose turn it was to do the dishes. The familiar thin line of his mouth and furrowed scowl reminded Sherry of the one real fight they'd ever had...
She'd returned home feeling exhausted. The incident in China had finally come to a close along with the investigation into her involvement with Derek Simmons. Of course it would be understandable that there would be suspicions when her childhood guardian, who then became her employer, turned out to be behind one of the worst Bio-Terror attacks to date. Sherry's suspension had ended but she was still being bombarded with interviews and debriefings.
The main source of her exhaustion was currently resting upon her leather couch, one leg sprawled over the cushions while the other dangled to the floor. Jake looked comically too large for the two-seater and Sherry couldn't help but smile warmly as he snored.
It had only been a month since they'd said their goodbyes when he'd called out of the blue in the middle of the night. They'd talked for hours until the sunlight began to break through the gaps in the curtains. They'd even managed to talk about their time in Edonia without Sherry breaking out into a cold sweat. She still had nightmares about being chased by the giant BOW sent after Jake, although in her dreams it would often morph into a man with light blonde hair and eyes just like hers.
Jake wasn't too forthcoming with the details about what he'd been up to since their parting, but Sherry could hear something different in his voice. As if he'd finally dropped his guard for once. He was still a wise-ass, of course. There was no stopping Jake Muller's relentless sarcasm but Sherry enjoyed the back and forth teasing they'd fallen into. She didn't dare think it at the time, but it had almost felt like flirting.
When he'd turned up on her doorstep a week later with a grin on his face and bag over his shoulder she found herself not just surprised, but embarrassingly flustered when he reminded her she'd made an offer to give him a tour of the city.
"You keep telling me America isn't all that bad, so prove it. Come on supergirl, there must be something fun to do around here."
Honestly, Sherry hadn't known what to say. As much as she'd craved her freedom, to live her life outside the confines of the labs, once given that chance she hadn't known the first thing about how to live. She felt a sense of shame rising. How could she sing the praises of a life she still hadn't experienced? But Jake had either been oblivious to this realisation or was smart enough not to push the subject. Instead he'd dropped his bag on the floor in the hall and strode on in, grumbling loudly about the shitty plane food.
Sherry followed, picking up the take-out leaflets she kept on the table by the door and offered them up for Jake's choosing. Of course it would have made more sense to go out to eat, but Sherry was too shaken by Jake's sudden arrival to contemplate what was appropriate hosting etiquette. He'd chosen a restaurant with food she didn't recognise the names of and realised she needed to start throwing away her junk mail more often. As he'd leant against her kitchen counter, waving his fork in the air as he talked animatedly, she'd had no clue that the bag beside her front door would stay there for much longer than anticipated... until it would be moved beside her bed.
So when she came home to the familiar sight of him sleeping with a book on the floor beside him, the pages open and fluttering in the breeze from a nearby open window, she'd considered why she still hadn't mentioned her new house guest to her employers. In fact they still believed him to be somewhere on the outskirts of Siberia.
"An old friend owes me one," he'd winked at her when she'd questioned why the BSAA or the DSO didn't know he was in the States a few days after his arrival. "It's easy enough to pay someone to feed false information back to you guys. Honestly, you should look into that..."
"Doesn't sound like much of a friend if you have to pay them," Sherry had said dubiously.
"Well... more of an acquaintance. He shot me once, just a graze though," he explained at Sherry's alarmed expression, "It's fine. He took me for a drink the next time we saw each other. We were just working for different people at the time, it happens. Nothing personal about it."
Sherry skirted around the subject until Jake finally asked why Sherry hadn't told anyone about his presence in her home. She'd begun to blush as she explained she wasn't sure. That perhaps she was worried about what would happen if they found out.
"You worried you'll get in trouble supergirl? Should I go?"
She'd shaken her head, suddenly unable to look him in the eye. She knew it would look bad, in fact it may very well cost her the role as an agent which she'd fought so hard to keep after Simmons' betrayal. But what she really didn't want...
"They'll say you can't stay," she told him quietly as Jake grew very still, "I don't want you to go."
For those few, silent seconds in which Jake simply regarded her with an unreadable expression, Sherry wished she could take back those words. She hadn't expected anything from him, but there was no denying the company was nice. Jake, who was usually so curt and to the point, would talk for hours about the journeys he'd been on.
Some things were off limits, of course. Both of them seeming to know instinctively what was and was not okay to ask. Sherry supposed it helped that she would eagerly listen with rapt attention when he described the various countries he'd travelled too or the food he'd tasted and even tried to teach her a new language or two. In turn Jake would sit with her in comfortable silence in the evenings when she was too exhausted or distracted to talk. A book would usually rest against his knee with his chin resting in the palm of his hand as he frowned at the pages. Sherry briefly wondered if he needed reading glasses until she realised he always had that expression when concentrating or processing new information.
Just like when she finally looked up at him, after making her confession, to see him watching her with eyes that were wrinkled slightly in the corners and lips that looked like they wanted to smile.
"I won't," he'd assured her, "not until you tell me to."
Except he did, twice in fact.
The second time had led to Sherry finding him bruised and bloody in the hospital which led to their current mission.
The first had been the day she'd returned to find him sleeping on her couch, just as he was now. He'd opened one eye to catch her staring and motioned with a jerk of his head for her to join him. Sherry sighed as she slipped off her blazer and pulled her blouse loose from the fitted skirt she'd chosen for that day. She'd started making more of an effort in how she dressed recently, not that it mattered. For the last few weeks Jake cared more about her clothes being on the floor than on her body.
As she'd nestled against his chest she'd wondered how long they could do this. It had been months since his arrival and still no one knew he now had a drawer in her room filled with his clothes and a toothbrush resting beside hers in the bathroom.
"Long day?" he'd asked as he kissed her hair gently, his hand sliding beneath her blouse to run against her spine.
Sherry shivered at the sensation, "Always. Especially when I know you're here waiting for me."
Jake chuckled quietly, making her head bounce against his chest. "You make me sound like an embittered housewife."
"Did you do the laundry and clean the dishes?" Sherry teased.
"Yes dear."
The stresses of the day were already fading as Jake's hands began to wander lower, resting against the tightness of her skirt as Sherry began to feel him harden against her already. She lifted her head where she looked at him with amused eyes and raised brows.
"Aren't you exhausted from last night?"
"S'why I had me a power nap. Not everyone has your stamina supergirl."
Sherry blushed, knowing full well the reason for her tiredness that day was of her own making. But she just couldn't help herself when it came to Jake. There was something about him that was all consuming. If she had it her way neither of them would ever leave her apartment again. They could stay naked and exhausted for the rest of their lives ordering the weird take-out food Jake liked. The last few weeks after he'd finally kissed her had been the happiest days of her life. She still remembered the questioning look in his eye as he'd doubted that she wanted him too, but Sherry had only pushed him away to give herself a second to accept that yes, he too must have wanted this for just as long as she had.
Leaning up to kiss him Sherry forgot about the other reason she'd felt so keen to return home and forget about her day. Just out of sight behind the couch was the work bag Claire had bought for her as a gift, and in said bag was a file that had slipped free as Sherry had dropped it to the floor. Neither of them noticed the picture printed in the top right hand corner, a face so similar to the man who was had rolled Sherry onto her back and was hastily pulling at her buttons. Not until much later when she had fallen asleep in Jake's arms and he had managed to slide free, wrapping her in a blanket as he pulled on his jeans and made his way to the kitchen for a much needed snack.
With a sigh and a roll of his eyes he picked up the discarded bag and began to gather together the messy pile of papers... until the black and white image of his father staring up at him made his heart stop. The bag fell from his hand as he scanned over the file, wondering why Sherry hadn't mentioned she'd brought it home. Not that he'd given her much of a chance, he reasoned with himself. But every conversation about his father had been brief, the subject still too raw for them to speak about.
Besides, Sherry had always told him she didn't know all that much about Albert Wesker... so why did this file appear to be a report based on her own experiences with him as a child?
Jake knew he would regret what he was about to do, but he was already in the kitchen pouring over every word before he could stop himself. After their business in China was over and he'd donated all the samples needed to create their vaccine, Jake had asked to know about that man whose blood made his own so important. He'd been unable to find out much, the word 'classified' being thrown in his face at every turn. But here, in Sherry's own words, was a full account of Wesker's personality, his desires and his oddly intense relationship with her own father.
His fingers had crumbled the edge of the paper as his free hand clenched at his side. A sound from behind him caught his attention and he turned to see Sherry watching him sleepily with the blanket wrapped loosely around her shoulders. She was about to ask what he was up to until Jake's sharp tone left her frozen as she spotted what was in his grip.
"What the fuck is this?"
Sherry tried to keep her composure, certain that Jake had already read every word by the slightly mad glint in his eye. "It's just a report for work..." she began weakly, too caught off guard to come up with something that didn't sound quite so pathetic.
"A report about my father that you wrote even though you said you knew nothing about him! You lied to me." The papers were slammed against the countertop as Jake stared her down, refusing to accept no less than the truth. There would be no more tip-toeing around difficult conversations.
"No, Jake... I really didn't know him-"
"He came to your fucking house Sherry. He worked with your father, why did you never tell me? Was he the reason for what happened to you?"
Sherry couldn't stop shaking her head. She was so stupid, bringing a file like that home, her every move was already being scrutinised daily and now...
And now Jake had read it.
"Jake, it's complicated. I'm sorry I didn't tell you more it's just..."
"What?" he snapped, wondering what possible explanation she could have for him after all this time, all the long nights spent talking before the long nights spent... doing less talking.
Sherry already hated herself for what she was about to say, but it was the truth. Mostly. "...I haven't been authorised to share that information, with anyone."
Jake recoiled, restraining himself from swiping the offending papers to the floor in a fit of anger.
"Jesus Sherry, I'm not just fucking anyone."
"I know-"
"So why would you bring this home, huh? If not for me, then who?"
"I was supposed to deliver it to back to the archives." Sherry tried to explain, "They just wanted to know what I remembered about him, about his involvement with my parents. Their work."
"So you'll spill it all for the people who tortured you but not the guy you're sleeping with. Do they know about that yet? Or are you too ashamed to admit you're fucking the son of a psychotic megalomaniac?"
This time is was Sherry's turn to flinch at his words. She wrapped the blanket around herself tightly, suddenly feeling exposed and vulnerable for the first time since Jake had entered her home. Her eyes dropped to the floor as he remained frozen, waiting for her response. He watched her turn her back and make her way back to the living room, hidden from his view as she dressed quietly. It gave her time to think as she wished she had something else to cover herself with.
It wasn't that Sherry didn't want to tell Jake everything she knew, the memories were just too painful. Jake knew enough without having to share in all the dirty details of her history. And his father's.
But she couldn't disagree that he had every right to know. No matter how uncomfortable it may make her feel. But Jake... he already held so much hatred in his heart for the man he would never meet, and for himself just because of the blood tie between them. She'd only wanted to protect him from knowing the worst, because there was so much she wished she didn't have to know.
She returned to the kitchen no longer feeling quite so unprepared for the cold stare that greeted her. Sherry tried not to fidget with her skirt, a nervous habit she'd had as a child and one of the main reasons she'd avoided wearing them as an adult.
"So... what would you like to know?" she asked, her voice sounding far more confident than she felt. The sickly twisting in her stomach that told her this conversation was about to change everything.
Jake didn't move for a few moments as she waited. He noticed the way she clasped her hands tightly and the slightly raised tempo of her breathing. He knew he'd crossed a line, Sherry may have her home and her work but she was still very much a pawn with no other choice but to play the game she found herself in. But it had hurt to learn she'd kept so much from him when he'd spent the last few months pouring his heart and soul out to her, playing fucking happy families just like they were normal people.
"Why lie?" was the first question that fell from his lips. He wasn't demanding anymore, but there was still an edge of anger in his voice.
Sherry paused, contemplating her answer carefully.
"Because I didn't want to cause you anymore pain." she eventually told him.
Jake lifted one thin brow and tried not to sneer, "What the hell kind of excuse is that?"
Sherry rifled through the papers on the counter until she found what she was looking for. The file didn't just contain her own report but a brief summary of Wesker's death. She slid it toward him and pointed to a paragraph near the end.
"I know you had so much hope for the man your mother told you your father was. I know you'll never have the chance to confront him, to learn who he was for yourself. But here," she tapped her finger for emphasis, "...confirmation of the death of one, Albert Wesker, as witnessed by the following; Chris Redfield and Sheva Alomar, allows for the release of one, Sherry Birkin, from the protection of her guardian Derek C. Simmons and all Government Custody..."
Jake's confused frown turned to a scowl as Sherry finished reading. She waited for his reaction, but none came. Instead his expression blanked out as he stepped back, resting his palms against the sink behind him while he stared at the papers.
This was what Sherry was truly afraid of. Jake knowing that the reason for her release from the hell that had been her life for over a decade was the murder of the man he'd been desperate to meet one day. She waited as the familiar sense of shame and guilt grew within her. It seemed like no matter how hard she tried she could never escape the reach of her parents obsession with their work. If only they'd never met Wesker, Raccoon City may never have even happened. Who knew what Wesker would have achieved but at least she would have played no part in his story.
But she would also have gone on with her life like a normal child and never found herself in the whirlwind of events that had led her to meeting the man in front of her.
"My life after my parents died was unbearable," Sherry began to tell him as her voice began to break, "but I'd go through it all again because it meant I found you."
The look on Jake's face was... well, Sherry could barely tell as he shifted from one emotion to another. Eventually he shook his head, running a hand over his slightly longer hair as he pushed off the sink and strode past her. Sherry didn't dare move as he entered the living room to retrieve his shirt. She thought he had perhaps calmed down enough that he was able to understand why she didn't want to talk about Albert Wesker anymore than she did about her time with Simmons or as a lab rat. She waited for him to return to the kitchen, only to hear the opening and closing of her front door.
Her blood ran cold as she realised he had walked out without a word.
Sherry ran across the cold tiles, her heart in her throat as she reached the door and wrapped her hand around the handle.
She stopped, the other hand coming out to steady herself against it as she wondered just what she could say to bring him back.
Would he come back?
As Sherry watched him now the memories of their murky past faded from her mind. He had come back, eventually. And she had been right, that night had changed things between them. She had been so desperate to cling on to what they'd before that she'd ignored the fact that the evenings between them were no longer spent in easy silence, or that Jake had stopped telling her stories and teaching her dirty words from languages she didn't understand.
But he had tried, for her, to make it work. Until he couldn't.
And now he was here, working with a man he could barely stand and an ex-girlfriend who could have saved him so much turmoil if she'd just left a damn file at the office. Sherry wondered how long she could have kept her secret from him, perhaps that was why she allowed herself to feel so much anger at him for leaving. She knew he wasn't at fault, not really. But it was easier to feel the hate than the hurt, the betrayal rather then the shame.
Sherry headed to her temporary bedroom and decided to try and catch some sleep.
At least she knew Jake would be there when she woke this time, or so she hoped.
Note: It's been a while and my writer's block seems to finally be shifting! I love this couple and all the messy trauma that comes with them. I might actually write a prequel for them with more detail about their relationship. There'll be a bit more from Jake's POV regarding this conversation and why he left, but imagine learning the woman you loved spent ten years locked away because your dad was a psycho who would use her for his own nefarious means if given the chance (as per the Res Evil wiki page!). Gonna cause a few cracks in the relationship I think...