A/N: I don't own anyone but poor Alex...Though a certain BSAA agent shakes his head adamantly...

HI KIDS! GUESS WHO IS BAAAAAAACK!

Frustration would've been an understatement.

The Czech Republic had of course, been another goddamn dead end; if one didn't include the run in with the mutated Dynamic Duo that is. Snow, cold, snow, and more cold had compounded the misery. Alex and Piers didn't speak of the night in the hotel, but it haunted their minds, refusing to let go. It was wrong, so goddamn wrong but the tiny voice in the back of her mind screamed it was RIGHT!

It did hurt.

No, it didn't hurt.

It fucking burned!

It felt like her body was inject with sulfuric acid then doused in gasoline and set ablaze.

It felt as if a million syringes filled with cyanide were stabbing her body over and over without pause.

The same pain which radiated through her being was almost on the same level as her time as Wesker's little guinea pig. While it was physical more so than mental, it still burned with the same ferocity.

Did he even care if they were looking for him!?

Would he even go back if they found him? What if he said no? Then what? Did she use every ounce of strength to drag him back?

She could use her strength to "persuade" him to go with them, but would it intensify any anger or resentment that resided in his being? Would he hate her? Would he shun her for the actions she carried out because she loved him?

Too many questions, no answers to silence any.

Alex paused from staring at the screen and towards the door, detecting the water exploding from the faucet. Piers was in the shower, hoping to ease the achy muscles which greeted him at first light. She didn't have such misfortune though she didn't have an easy night herself. She opted for the couch as to avoid keeping her companion awake with her incessant tossing and turning. Comfortable as it was, it couldn't give the solace her body and mind so desperately sought. But she was kidding herself in the same thought. It was also to distance herself from him.

"Damn you Chris," she heard the words flow immaculately from her lips in a low bitter whisper. "Damn you for this."

She ceased typing and scrubbed her hands across her face as her eyes had started to burn as her stare had been transfixed upon the screen for hour upon hour. Thankfully, the clicking of keys had not awakened Piers as 2 AM had beckoned her. So, she sat, cross legged on the love seat, sending off haphazard emails, excusing her words in the first sentence before firing off a tirade of emotions and incoherent thoughts to Claire and Jill. Alex promised to keep in contact which she remained adamant to abiding by. It was touch and go from Josh as he was deployed to another biological attack; some corner of the Dark Continent which was going through a "democratic process." Democratic process her ass!

They were still out there, the splinters of what had been Umbrella, watching, plotting, carrying on as though Raccoon City, Harvardvile, and the other collateral damage had been nothing more than simple interruptions in the status quo.

Alex paused, folding her hands over her mouth and nose like a fleshy mask and taking a deep breath, letting her eyes gently close with the intake of air.

"Damn you Spencer; damn you Wesker."

The two she held ultimately responsible for their current states though Ada was in a very close second. The two who were now hopefully in the 10th Circle of Hell. Thankfully, the rest of the Wesker Children were dead; well, all but one anyways or rather unknown if dead or not.

Alex Wesker: Whereabouts unknown.

It would be their luck this one had survived somehow. Just what they fucking needed.

Her thoughts drifted to the Wind crest she had recalled on the screen.

Another one had turned up, this time in Raccoon Forest alongside train tracks. This time it was the Moon. Whoever was doing this had a seriously fucked up sense of humor because no one, especially her, was laughing. Jill wasn't laughing either as she recanted what Josh had told her and now this latest finding so close to where it all started, and Claire wasn't exactly finding humor with the revelations either. All it did was trigger memories all three had battled to suppress; battles waged against their own minds.

Sighing, Alex closed the laptop and fell back on the couch. One arm draped over her eyes, shielding them from the invading dawn. Faux reassurances of promise from the warmth struggling to breach the curtains; promises of a new day, a new beginning, a new chance. All Alex could think about was those damned crests! Sun had been one of them, but it would only be a matter of time before another one turned up. Alex couldn't put her finger on it, but something told her this wasn't over.

Hell, it never ended.

Once Piers got out of the shower, the restaurant downstairs was getting a visit. It would be a welcome distraction from the morning's events. While she didn't require food in the sense that Piers did, meaning sustenance, Alex still had desires of the senses which needed to be fulfilled; the restaurant downstairs, would sate that urge. The minute apparition of heaping scrambled eggs with potatoes and fresh fruit made her mouth water along with rich Arabica coffee.

The abrupt rapping on the door rudely jerked her from the visions dancing in her head. Who the fuck was it? An Umbrella relic? Neo Umbrella? Some moron who forgot their key after a hard night of partying only to be knocking on the wrong door?

Alex grabbed the Samurai Beretta that sat faithfully on the coffee table, not needing to check the chamber; she kept it locked and loaded.

Walking heel to toe, Alex stalked towards the door, hearing the heartbeat of the other strumming calmly on the other side. They didn't order room service that much was certain. With hands curled around the grip, she reached the door and peered through the hole. The tension which had gathered in her shoulders, back, and biceps receded as she took a step back and exhaled.

"Son of a bitch," Alex shook her head and unlocked the deadbolt and lock on the knob. She swung the door open and greeted the unexpected visitor with a narrow smirk. "How did you find me?"

"I'm BSAA now remember!?" Her unexpected visitor crowed with a shit eating grin.

"You bastard," Alex laughed and let one Crispin "Dee Ay" Jettingham in. "You said you were being deployed!" As he crossed the threshold, she playfully punched him in the arm to which he feigned hurt and mockingly rubbed the spot.

"Well, like Raccoon City, we went in, kicked ass, and came home. Now come here."

Alex fell into his open arms, feeling relieved to see his face again. While she was close to Jill and Claire, the former government ops member was her best friend. Unbreakable bonds forged in the fires of Raccoon City which had not wavered despite the separation which had expanded into years. Now part of the BSAA, Jettingham continued doing what he loved: Fighting the bad guys.

"Hey, hey," Crispin abruptly pulled back, feeling her arms constricting tighter around his waist with tiny tremors rocking her form. He took her face in his hands, seeing the narrow trails of red fracturing the pristine white. He dropped his head and said a few choice words before meeting her watery gaze. "You haven't found him, have you?"

"No," Alex dropped on the couch, placing the Samurai on the table. "It's been dead end after dead end. I-I don't know what to tell Claire and Jill back home. Writing 'No, we haven't found him,' or 'We hit another dead end' is getting old fast. Starting to feel like this is turning into a wild Chris chase."

Crispin hung his head in his hands, sensing his own anger stirring. Alex had kept him abreast of the situation since she and Piers left to look for him only to hear heartbreak in each message, he received from her when they turned up empty handed.

"Son of a bitch," he growled into his open palms, seething at the sight of Alex as she sat there, hurting.

"No, no, don't...please," Alex shook his shoulder, imploring him to stop. "Don't get angry. I think I've been angry for everyone."

"No, it's not right!" She was defending him?! "He abandoned his friends, his family, the BSAA, and worse, he abandoned YOU!" Alex knew he was right but couldn't bring herself to say it and instead chose to let her head drop, averting the gathering swells which pricked the corers of her eyes. His words echoed Piers'.

"Which is why we're looking for him. After what happened in Edonia, Hell, further back to the Mansion, he hasn't been the same. Claire even noticed it was as though a part of his soul died after that night then a little more after Africa, and then Edonia."

"You're making excuses for him Alex. Why are you doing this to yourself?! I HATE seeing you like this! The last time I saw you like this was when-"

"When we find him," she spoke with dead calm which effectively silenced him, "we will get answers. I just," she paused and took a ragged breath and grappled his hands in desperation. Crispin couldn't but help to reciprocate, only in a display of silent repose. "I just want to know why. What was it that pushed him to do this? I keep trying to answer myself, but it always turns into a mental marathon; I just go round and round, arguing with myself!"

"You're not doing this alone."

"But I'm not," Alex lifted her head showing off the crimson webbing which crisscross her eyes. "I haven't been doing this on my own."

Her eyes drifted towards the bathroom door where Piers was now standing. One hand was locked in a fierce grip on the towel draped around his hips. Droplets of crystal cascaded down his exposed skin and hair. A curious stare was fixated on Crispin who was equally perplexed by this new development.

"Alex, why in the HELL is there a strange guy wearing just a towel in your room?!" What in the FUCK had she gotten herself mixed up in this time?!

"Wait!" Alex shot up, keeping Crispin seated on the couch. "Before you say anything or attempt anything, hear me out okay? It's not what you think it is."

"No, it's not," Piers felt he had to intervene. "I'm helping Alex search for Chris."

"And you are..." The deep almond rings hardened into suspicion and followed the younger man as he approached. His free hand came up in a sort of truce to which Crispin hesitantly accepted with his larger hand, covering Piers' with ease.

"Piers Nivans, BSAA."

"BSAA..." Crispin parroted softly.

"He was Chris' partner back in Edonia."

"And you are?" Piers returned the favor.

"Crispin Jettingham, Captain Crispin Jettingham, BSAA; European Division."

"Why does your name sound familiar?" Piers retraced his hand and assumed the spot to Alex's right.

"I was in Raccoon City," Crispin straightened in his seat. "Government Ops."

"He saved mine, Jill's and Carlos's asses back in Raccoon City; not to mention Claire and Leon."

"And Sherry Birkin's," the former government agent chimed in.

"Sherry Birkin?! We crossed paths in Edonia before-" Piers caught himself-before he could mention the ambush. "She's a government agent now. Some mercenary was under her protection." Crispin's interest piqued at this little bit of information.

"She was protecting a mercenary? But why? What could some paid for hire thug have or know that the government would be willing to protect their ass? As far as I'm concerned, they're no different than the USS forces my team crossed paths with back in Raccoon; only difference is they fight for the highest bidder."

"Exactly," Piers shook his head with contempt. Humans and their self-serving purposes. So long as it benefited them then collateral damage was an afterthought if that. "I didn't understand why Chris allowed him to go! How many of us have died because of assholes like him?!"

"Because," Alex released a humorless laugh, "It wasn't part of the mission. Am I right?" She looked expectantly to Piers.

"We couldn't lose sight of the BSAA's mission," the mocking undertone was out of anger and not an insult towards his brethren.

"Sounds like him alright." She nodded then stole a glance at Piers' state of dress, wait, undress. "Piers, you might wanna," she flailed a hand in random chaotic patterns.

The younger BSAA agent peered down at the lone rectangle of cloth draped tightly around his torso. "Oh," he felt the blush creeping up on his cheeks and neck, "Excuse me."

He scurried up and for the bathroom, grabbing some clothes along the way. Alex softly laughed and shook her head. Crispin arched an eyebrow, seeing the deep longing gaze the sniper directed towards her behind her back. Piers failed to notice he had been caught.

"Sorry, he can be..." she started to apologize.

"Protective?"

"Yeah," Alex reluctantly acquiesced. "Ever since we left the States. He's taken it upon himself to be my 'bodyguard' which we know I don't need. But still, he insists."

"What are you not telling me Alex? And don't lie because I know when you're lying. I caught the look Piers gave you behind your back. What is going on?"

Crispin sat expectantly, waiting for her to answer. The deep almond rings bore hard into hers, demanding the truth. Alex sighed but felt her hand reaching around and rubbing the back of her neck before joining the other in a symphony of flying frustration. Her eyes squeezed shut and teeth ground together; her hands clenched into identical fists as her head shot up showing the turmoil of emotions raging within. How would she tell him? How would he react? Fuck it! Fuck it! Fuck it! FUCK IT!

"Okay, so something happened." Alex angrily twisted her fingers in her hair, refusing to cast her eyes towards her best friend. Her cheeks burned at the confession; her mind awaiting his harsh stinging words. "Please, don't be angry. We both realized our error."

"Alex, Alex, please look at me?"

Strong chapped hands enclosed her smaller trembling ones, untangling the taut digits from her now unruly locks.

"Whatever you have to say, say it okay?" Her voice shaky, breaking every syllable that broke her quivering lips. "I probably deserve to hear it." Shame blanketed her heart and mind while her body quietly trembled.

"Say what? Alex, who am I to judge you? And deserve what?! You're human for crying out loud! I know you love Chris. Shit, the first time you two laid eyes on one another that night at the bar I could see it. But I also know that you've been through Hell where he's concerned too. Your heart was broken; twice. I mean, shit, Lex."

There was the big brother in Crispin. Always and ever protective.

"That I shouldn't have feelings for someone else; I shouldn't have almost fucked him, last night, in that bed," Alex jerked her head back towards the bed. "Is that what someone who claims to only love ONE person does?!"

Crisping heavily sighed, seeing the turmoil and self-loathing. This was killing her.

"Hey," he shielded her with his embrace, "No one said love would be easy."

"I told another man I had feelings for him," she started taking a deep slow breath.

"Yeah, well, it happens. I'm not going to sugar coat anything because it would be a disservice. I can't tell you what to do next; but I'll be there. But you do need to find Chris."

"That's what Piers said."

"It's obvious he respects what have with Chris; even if he isn't the one."

"And it's killing him."

"If there was a manual on these things, life would be so much easier; but it's not."

"Nothing has been easy for us since Raccoon City. I suppose we should be used to it," she offered a humorless smile. Cripsin merely embraced her, wishing he could do something.

"Just don't do anything too crazy. You're my sister, my best friend..."

"You missed the incident where Piers found out my secret. Two J'avos found us and he saw me get injured..."

"How did he react?"

"He didn't freak out. In fact, I told him part of the story. I haven't gotten to the good stuff yet, though."

He only held her tighter, remembering that day they found her. He was hell bent on helping Chris. He had been adamant he was on every mission, every trip, anything that involved bringing her back home.

Piers listened with the door ajar. He wouldn't pry her for the next part but he deduced she would tell him.