The apple fell to the ground with a dull thud, rolling until it met the blood-smeared boot of a young woman who didn't even notice the bruising fruit. Sherry Birkin was distracted by the look on the man's face to whom the apple belonged. Jake Muller's mouth was opening and closing soundlessly as he tried to process what he'd just been told while Sherry felt her insides squirming with embarrassment. She had to find a way to fix this. If only she could take it back, had time travel been invented yet? She sure as hell couldn't think of any other way of getting out of the predicament she'd just dropped herself in.

"I mean... when I say 'love' I don't mean like, Love love..." she rambled, fully aware that this was not the best time to be having this particular conversation. The pair of them had barely escaped an onslaught of the C-Virus enhanced B.O.W's and finally found a moment to take shelter amongst the debris of an abandoned fruit stall. Jake had crammed his pockets with apples after placing one in his mouth, biting down with a satisfying crunch after declaring how hungry almost dying always made him. Sherry rolled her eyes as she peered over the top of their cover. How he managed to eat whilst caked in blood and guts was beyond her understanding.

"You need to take this seriously Jake. No one's coming for us this time and we're surrounded."

Jake smirked, picking up a handful of discarded apples and beginning to juggle them before grinning at her furious expression. "I'm just celebrating the fact that we're still alive super girl."

"And I'd like to keep it that way," she almost hissed as he wiggled his eyebrows at her tauntingly, still juggling those damn apples, "I don't want to have to watch anyone else I love die at the hands of these... what? Why are you looking at me like-"

Which was how Sherry had come to find herself desperately trying to backpeddle as Jake's shocked expression slowly began to blank out.

"Of course," he said steadily, "Not Love love..."

Sherry felt her chest tighten as she prayed for the timely interruption of another B.O.W attack right then and there. Of course none came. She hoped Jake would drop the subject, that they could brush it off as a slip of the tongue and go about their purely professional, platonic, monster-hunting relationship as if nothing had happened.

"So what do you mean?"

Damn it.

Her curse was silent as Jake's gaze intensified. Sherry felt her insides churn and grow hot as they always did when he looked at her like that. Like he was staring into her soul. She'd only seen that look on the few occasions when they'd talked about their pasts. Sherry always tried to put a positive spin on the trauma that had been her youth and Jake always saw right through her. Not that he called her out on it, everyone had their way of coping after all.

The seconds ticked by and Sherry realised the longer she took to respond the less likely it was she'd come up with anything convincing. She wasn't sure when her feelings for Jake had started to change, all she knew was that no one in her life had ever made her heart thud and her blood quicken with just a glance and a half-smile before. And when he grabbed her hand or pulled her from a barrage of bullets, claws and teeth she always felt the cold loss of his touch when he let go.

"I just mean, after all we've been through... you're one of my closest friends. Like-"

"Like Leon. Or Claire." Jake interrupted, his voice too calm. Too controlled. Sherry noted how his shoulders had tightened as he hunched over, kneeling low on one knee.

It was the perfect explanation. Of course Jake would qualify to take a place in her heart alongside two of the people she trusted most in the world. All she had to do was nod her head and be done with the awkward situation. After all, in the year that they had worked together he'd never, not once, shown any kind of interest as anything other than her partner. Their friendship had grown so naturally that conversation flowed easily between them, they made each other laugh and smile during their down time from work... and when those moments passed they could sit and simply enjoy being in the others company, even if it was in total silence.

And they had each other's backs. Always.

So why, why, couldn't she just nod her damn head and stop herself from ruining the best thing she'd had in years.

Instead she blinked a few times and made a pathetic "Mmm-hm." sound that had Jake cocking his head to one side as his eyes narrowed.

For a second Sherry thought he was about to call her out on her denial. Instead his eyes shifted to something behind her, just above her head. Sherry moved instinctively, as in tune with the way his body moved as she was with her own. Jake's hand went for the gun at his side as she dived forward, feeling something swipe at the air just behind her head as Jake jumped to his feet. He was already reloading the clip in his gun when Sherry flipped onto her back, taking aim at the B.O.W who was distracted by the bullets Jake had unloaded into its chest. Stumbling back as blood hit the ground around them, hissing and bubbling as it scored the concrete. Sherry fired. Two bullets hitting it directly between it's overgrown eyes as a raw, animalistic shriek escaped its twisted throat. Without missing a beat Jake spun, his leg coming up to roundhouse kick the creature clear across the empty marketplace. The thing writhed as it hit the ground with a sickening crunch, screaming a few more times before going limp. It hissed and oozed before dissolving, its own blood swallowing up tissue, muscle and bone alike.

"You okay?" Jake asked, his hand reaching down to pull Sherry to her feet.

"I'll never get used to how gross these things are." Sherry confessed, feeling her stomach swirl as the smell of rotted flesh hung in the air.

Jake wasn't listening. He was too busy grabbing her shoulders roughly and spinning her on the spot.

"Ow, Jake! What-"

"You're bleeding." he told her, a hand brushing her blonde hair to one side as fingers felt the base of her skull for injury.

Sherry made an 'oh' sound, realising the B.O.W's claws must have grazed her skin and healed before she'd even noticed the wound. "Well it's fine. See, already healed." Her hand came up to inspect the area for herself, feeling the wet trail of blood on her neck before touching something warm and solid. Jake's hand was still in her hair, his thumb carefully tracing a line that made Sherry shiver.

He paused, and Sherry wasn't sure if it was because he'd felt her tremble or because her fingers were almost intertwined with his.

She couldn't see his face, but she could feel his eyes boring into her now. She could sense his urge to question her further before he even had a chance to speak. Realising the attack wasn't going to be enough to make him forget their conversation Sherry took a deep, steadying breath before turning.

"About what I said..."

Jake's eyes were fixed on her, his mouth a hard line as Sherry tried to decide just honest she was going to be. Until she realised his hand was still cradling the back of her head. To an onlooker they were in the precarious position of looking like two lovers gazing into each others eyes, but Sherry had learnt a long time ago that Jake simply took little notice of other peoples personal space. He was surprisingly touchy. She wondered if he even realised how his fingers had slipped slightly so his thumb was now pressed to the space just below her ear. It made the hairs on her neck stand on end and she supressed the urge to reach up and clasp his forearm tightly, not wanting him to let go anytime soon.

"I don't want to make things weird between us." she finally admitted, knowing it was a direct answer but feeling too self-conscious to actually say the words. If she wasn't so terrified of the damage she was about to inflict on their friendship she'd have been impressed by the total lack of reaction from her partner. She also felt the slight sting of his impending rejection that was sure to come. Bracing herself for his reply Sherry tried initiate as much damage control as she could.

"I mean it when I say I trust you and consider you one of my closest friends, but I guess I also kind of like you. Like like you." Sherry inwardly cringed at how pathetic she sounded. This was not the confession of a teenage crush, this was a man who's risked his life for hers time and time again. And she had done the same for him. That kind of bond went beyond the realms of "I like you."

"Like, like?" Jake echoed, not mockingly but also... not happily either. "That's not what you said before. You said love."

"I did." Sherry nodded, unsure of what else to say. She was no liar and Jake was far too perceptive and stubborn to allow her to evade this particular truth.

"So which is it?"

Jake's tone was no longer a carefully controlled monotone. Something was seeping in and Sherry couldn't figure out why he suddenly sounded so impatient. Was he angry with her? Sherry knew she was putting him in an uncomfortable position. Perhaps if she laughed it off they could go back to the way things used to be and forget about her silly, momentary crush. Jake would tease her no doubt, and they'd go back to doing what they did best. Killing monsters and saving lives.

So why couldn't she bring herself to just lie. To tell him she loved him like a brother in the same way she loved Claire like a sister. So what if she found him attractive? Maybe he'd be flattered.

"It just slipped out! I'm sorry Jake, I know it's not professional of me-"

Jake growled in frustration, cutting off Sherry mid-sentence as her eyebrows shot up in surprise. It wasn't an angry sound, rather it was as if he was releasing something that had been pent up inside him for a long time. Before Sherry could respond further Jake moved forward, closing the gap between them so they were almost nose to nose.

Sherry felt her throat close up as her heart leapt into it.

"Professional? Jesus, Sherry... is that why you've not said anything all this time?"

Blinking in confusion as her lighter blue eyes fixed on his, she tried to make sense of what he was saying.

"You... knew?"

Still with his fingers softly pressed into her hairline Jake's shoulders lifted in a half shrug. "Hell, I knew there was something happening between us. I just didn't think you wanted to do anything about it. Was I wrong?"

Sherry couldn't reply. Her brain was too busy trying to process what Jake was telling her. There was something happening between them, which meant Jake must have feelings for her too. But he hadn't said or done anything about them because he thought she wasn't interested.

"We are both so stupid." she muttered.

Jake quirked one eyebrow, the corner of his mouth lifting along with it. "Not the answer I expected."

Sherry laughed, the sound escaping her throat as tension flowed from her muscles to be replaced with something new. Warmth... and something that sent a jolt of electricity through her blood and made her feel a little light-headed.

"I didn't think you thought of me like that." Sherry admitted a little reluctantly.

Jake pulled back just enough to spear her with an incredulous look. "Are you kidding? You think someone like me wants to work for some suit behind a desk? No, Sherry I agreed to this gig because... because after I left you in China I couldn't get you out of my head. You think I answer the phone in the middle of a gunfight to every girl that calls?

Sherry stared up at him, unable to formulate a coherent sentence as she realised what this meant. Jake had feelings for her since China? Also-

"Just how many girls call you midbattle then huh?" she asked with frown, half-joking... half unreasonably irritated. His life in those months that they had been apart for were nothing to do with her, she begrudgingly thought.

Jake let out a short, breathy laugh. "Just a figure of speech."

Sherry tried to shake off her reaction even as her face grew warm as the memory of that particular call crept into her mind. It had been late and she was feeling extra grouchy lately since she'd been put on reduced duties for another month while the investigation into her former boss was being tied up. Her days had been spent at a computer screen, typing up reports as she waited to be told if her future as an agent was over before it had even begun. That night she'd wandered her home feeling lost and frustrated before curling up under a blanket and playing idly with her phone. She was thumbing through the short list of contacts when Jake's name appeared. That was the first time she'd felt it, the tiny jolt in her heart and the twist in her stomach that told her... she missed him.

He'd answered the call after the third ring, sounding so casual as the sound of gunshots and shouting in the background had her wincing.

"Is this a bad time?" she'd asked.

"For you super girl, never."

How had she not realised.

Sherry was quickly pulled back to the present as Jake's fingers slid from the hairline to her jaw as he leant toward her. "But that doesn't clear up my earlier question," He began before his mouth turned upward in that beautiful smile that Sherry knew spelt trouble. His warm breath tickled her cheek. "Is it like... or love?"

Sherry's brain blanked out. Jake's fingers on her skin felt like burning, but it wasn't painful, far from it... it left Sherry wanting to press her her cheek into his palm and the rest of her body-

A snarl interrupted the tidal wave of thoroughly indecent images suddenly running through her mind. Jake leapt away from Sherry with a curse, gun raised as he shouldered her back from the source of the sound. Sherry couldn't believe they'd actually forgotten where they were this whole time. They'd been standing in the open, a target that couldn't be missed, completely unaware of the danger around them. A second growl drew her attention and they began their assault on their enemies in perfect synchronicity.

"Don't think this conversation is over!" Jake called over his shoulder as he dodged a jagged tail swung straight at his head.

Sherry, who was busy reloading her gun as she dodged and dived claws and teeth, shot him a withering look, "Is now really the time?"

A flurry of punches, kicks and more gunshots later and Jake found himself back to back with his partner, "I've been waiting over a year for this super girl," he panted as Sherry holstered her now empty weapon and brandished her electro-rod instead. Jake's bloodied fists were up, a knife gripped firmly in one of them. "And if we don't make it out of here-"

"We're getting out." Sherry interrupted with determination, "But just in case, Jake, I l-"

"Son of a bitch!"

Jake threw himself over Sherry as a barrage of bullets suddenly reigned down from the sky. A light pierced the gloom as it sought them out, illuminating their blood-soaked figures as the B.O.W's circling them were torn apart. Sherry panicked, sure that they'd been discovered by the terrorists they'd been sent to neutralise until she recognised the name Jake was grumbling under his breath.

"Redfield."

Looking at the chopper hovering low in the sky Sherry recognised the B.S.A.A logo and let out a relieved laugh, her arms coming up to hug Jake tightly even as he loosened his grip on her shoulders.

"I thought you said we were alone in this." he muttered, throwing a filthy look at the man waving at them from the open chopper door. Sherry waved back as a ladder dropped down beside them, ignoring the wounded look Jake shot her. He and Chris may have made their peace with each other months ago, but that didn't mean Jake had to like the guy.

"Last contact I had was that there was no way to extract us without being noticed, maybe they found a way?"

"Oh yeah, 'cause this is real discreet." Jake said as he gestured toward the carnage around them. Still he held the ladder steady as Sherry began to climb, making sure to follow after her closely.

He knew he was being unfair to Redfield as he imagined the satisfaction of pushing his stubble covered face straight out the air, the guy had a habit of always showing up at the both the right and wrong time. So what if he'd been literally seconds away from being horribly mauled to death, at least he would have died knowing that the woman he'd been pining over for the last year like a school boy felt the same way. At least, he assumed she felt the same.

He couldn't do it. He couldn't get on the chopper and sit beside her waiting for one more moment before hearing her say the words.

"Sherry!" he called over the sound of the wind which was blowing them from side to side.

The woman looked over her shoulder, worry etched over her features as her eyes darted around them, looking for danger. After seeing none she frowned at Jake. What could possibly be so important that she had to stop climbing when they could come under attack again at any-

"I love you too, just so you know."

Her limbs dangerously turned to jelly as Jake grinned up at her. He... really just said that, she thought incredulously.

She also realised he'd obviously drawn his own conclusions about her unsaid declaration and almost laughed at his audacity. "Good. Now that's all cleared up... let's go home."

"Hey!"

Sherry grinned back at him teasingly, "Oh come on, I'm just messing with you. I... love you, Jake."

In that moment Jake found himself forgetting once again just where they were as they smiled widely at each other, until a voice broke the tender moment like a hammer smashing through glass.

"Are you two coming or what?"

With a yelp Sherry started climbing the ladder as quickly as she could, her cheeks reddening as she prayed the sound of the chopper's blades had covered the conversation they'd just had. Jake grumbled to himself, the annoyance in his chest lessened by their shared admission as Chris grabbed a handful of his shirt and helped pull him aboard.

"About time," the man told them as he slid the door shut with a loud thud. Sherry's ears rang loudly, the noise outside muffled as they soared into the air. "Everyone okay?"

Sherry nodded, her heart still racing and her skin feeling hot and sweaty. She knew Chris would assume the sheen of her skin would from the aftermath of battle, but as Jake ran his eyes over her body from head to toe, scanning for injuries he knew wouldn't be there, she felt herself shiver involuntarily.

"We're fine," she answered, tearing her eyes from Jake before he could fix her with the stare she knew was coming. The one that would make her melt like it always did.

"Good, I'm glad we found you in time." Chris told them both seriously, "I've got one thing to ask you, it's of utmost importance."

Jake and Sherry both sat up straighter in their seats and fixed Chris with a worried look. Had there been a problem with the mission?

Chris' frown wobbled before he broke into a wide grin, "So tell me, when's the wedding?"

Jake rolled his eyes and flipped Chris the finger as Sherry felt her cheeks burn. Their comms! Had they been connected all this time? Was that how Chris found their location?

It didn't matter, Sherry thought as Chris laughed loudly and shook his head, muttering something to himself about losing a bet to Leon and Claire. Opposite her she saw Jake's foot slide into her view, pressing against her own until she lifted her eyes to meet his. The hard line of his mouth relaxed and his eyes smiled warmly at her.

"I think a winter wedding would be nice. Something in the snow..." he mused easily, leaving Sherry to stutter and stare at him in shock. Was that... did he just...

"Was that a proposal?" she blinked, waiting for Jake to start laughing too. Surely he must be going along with Chris' joke. After all, marriage? Already?

"Nah, but I'm just sayin'... one day..."

Chris had gone quiet beside them, his eyes looking pointedly anywhere but at them. Sherry could see the incline of his mouth though, which told her he was smiling to himself as he fidgeted with his belt.

"Sure... I guess... one day."

Jake nodded, crossing his arms over his chest as he slid his eyes closed. Sherry could feel it too, the exhaustion beginning to settle in now that they knew they were safe. Sherry tried to relax but her mind was racing. In her head she tried to picture it, the rest of her life with this blood-stained, impulsive, frustrating man who hid a soft, lonely heart. The image of herself in a white dress amongst the snow, Jake wrapping a black tuxedo jacket over her shoulders as he kissed her... it made her cheeks glow with a happiness she thought she'd never have.

The mission certainly hadn't gone to plan, and maybe the start of the next chapter of her life with Jake was a little unusual. But that was nothing new to her. Sherry nestled back in her seat and let her eyes close, making a sleepy mental note to have a word with Leon and Claire about this supposed bet, she fell asleep with Jake's words ringing in her ears, and a smile etched upon her face.

Note: Well, I am suffering some serious blockage with my other works so I googled a few writing prompt ideas and decided to just try and write something light and easy for fun. I hope you enjoyed! I also started a one-shot based around these two that is only halfway through and already over 10,000 words... and now I'm stuck again as I love the idea of it so much I need to get it perfect. It's a vicious cycle of inspiration, self-doubt and writer's block!