The characters from the game belong to Capcom. The OC's and story background belong to me.

A/N: I'm not english native speaker, so you might find some typos or grammar mistakes, I do apologize for that.

There he was…

Fourteen years later Christopher Reed assisted the girl, now a woman, who saved his life when he was a twenty-one-year-old young man. Full of dreams and idealisms. A young man that wasn't so marked by life experiences.

He held the redhead's hand as he observed all of her traces.

If he was correct, Angelique was now a thirty-one year old woman.

A woman!

Now looking at her face, and her closed eyes, he realized how time had flew!

She still had delicate features, but something was different about her.

Part of the innocence she had so evident on her face was gone. Matured.

Her hand was still soft just as he remembered. She didn't color her nails nor used makeup, just as he remembered, but she looked a bit more feminine now.

Her lips so pinky, her hair was longer, her face the same he loved to admire 14 years ago.

That woman was definitely Angelique Stafford.

But no longer His Angelique…

Now that woman belonged to another man.

At that thought, unconsciously he squeezed her hand.

"Angely…" he whispered watching her

It was so long ago since they stayed alone. When he watched her sleep. When he saw her unconscious…

The last time he had seen her, she had gone through some fainting. And silly of him not having considered her condition back then.

Maybe that was the case again…

However now he was sure it wasn't his seed provoking that…

He squeezed her hand again and inhaled deeply. His Angely was George's…

He heard her mumble.

"Angely" he called her excited

He waited her time to regain her forces and open her eyes.

His heart pounding in his chest in nervousness as it was just a matter of time until their gazes would meet.

Eternal seconds. The time slowly torturing him as she regained her conscience.

"Christopher…" she whispered

Her kind voice was still the same. The green-eyes were still the same, and her gaze when scared hadn't changed.

"Angely…I'm glad you're awake!" he spoke nearly whispering, containing whatever exaggerated excited expression. Probably he failed doing that.

"What are you doing here?" she frowned, letting go of his grip

He tried to ignore the pain of her attitude.

"I needed to see you…"

"Why?" she asked almost in a defensive tone

He looked confused. He wasn't ready for her questioning behavior. He was still having a hard time processing her distance even so close to him.

"Because…"

He left his sentence in hang. His mind went blank as they heard a noise at the door and Angelique's attention immediately dragged to the little male toddler at the door.

"Mommy…" the little brunette, green-eyed boy called, requesting her attention

In order to help her avoid making too much effort and leave the bed quickly, Christopher in a quick reflex walked over the boy and took him in his arms to deliver him to the redhead, sitting up on the bed.

He had done that so many times with Kat and their children…it was a natural act for him.

"Thank you…" Angelique smiled faintly and looked at the boy, "Say thank you your majesty" she instructed the boy

"No… it's not needed. I'm just a civilian here…"

"But I need to teach him how to address to you when you're not a civilian… it's your title"

"You know I don't really care about that"

"But it's the tradition… he needs to learn how to address to people like you"

Christopher let out a sigh.

"So what does your majesty is doing here? Do we owe you any tax or money?" she said almost in a cold way

"No… I came to see you"

"You already saw me… I'm sure you have other things to do…"

"Are you kicking me out?"

"The civilian yes. You have no reason to stay here… I'm already fine! Or will you use your title at your convenience to impose your wish to stay longer than necessary?"

"I could do that…but I won't… not with you"

She gasped

That moment their attention turned to Margareth, followed hurriedly by her son George and Doctor Vladimir as they entered the chamber.

Christopher caught George's glimpse and the sparkles of mutual jealous was exchanged by both men.

"Oh thank god darling, you're awake!" said the woman with relief

"My love…" George said as he sat at her side and held her grip, "How are you feeling?"

"I'm sorry if I caused any concern… I'm feeling better" Angelique spoke apologetic

"I'll still examine you… just for precaution" Vladimir said

Christopher, George and Maggy left the bedchambers. The woman, noticing the atmosphere between the men, and knowing her son too well to know he wouldn't stay silent in that man's presence, she preferred to leave them alone alongside her grandson Victor.

"What are you doing here? Did you come to torment my wife?"

Christopher gasped, "Why would I torment your…wife?"

"She fell sick because of you!"

"She fell sick because of her own lies"

"Her lies?" George gasped

"Your lies?"

"Our lies?"

"Don't play the fool. I know the truth."

"If you really knew the truth, you'd know who the true liar really is…which in the case is you."

"Me?"

"You!"

"Low your voice!"

"Or what? You'll send me to prison just because you think you can? You and Katarina deserve each other!"

"As a matter of fact I don't think I can, I actually can! I don't need permission to visit the population and please leave my wife's name out of your dirty mouth. She has nothing to do with your lies!"

"Leave my manor. No one wants you here!"

"My son does!"

"You don't have any son here! Both boys are mine!"

"Oliver is my son!"

"He's My son, he's a Talbot! You can see that in his birth certificate! So with all the respect, please leave my property. You have nothing to do here"

That moment, the bedchambers doors opened, stopping the men's discussion

"Doctor, how is my wife doing?" George asked in concern

"Your wife is perfectly fine, her collapse was due to her condition"

"What?"

Christopher didn't say it loud, but his expression was the same as George's listening to those words. His eyes immediately turned to look at Angelique who was sitting on the bed as Vladimir informed George about her pregnancy.

For an instant, their gazes met. Angelique could read the pinch of pain in her old love's eye. She briefly looked down, she never expected him to be there when her condition would be informed to George. That moment was quite embarrassing considering all their current circumstances.

George Talbot could not hide his excitement as he entered the room to greet her.

Christopher Reed definitely had nothing else to do in that place, for that day… Knowing his presence was inconvenient and unpleasant for him to witness the happiness of his rival, the new sovereign of Bohma decided to leave and save the little dignity he felt he still had.

As if in slow motion, the old lovers were separated again. By the news. By the circumstances. By the time.

Twelve years had passed since they had last seen each other. They could wait a bit more to meet again.

Christopher's primary reason had been concluded. He confirmed "his" Angelique was still alive.

That little detail could cause major problems and he knew that.

Legally speaking.

Legally Oliver was George's son. Legally Angelique was still alive. Legally they were still husband and wife as his divorced status was based in her death. She wasn't dead.

Angelique was still his…

His legal wife.

Legally Oliver could still be a Talbot, as per registration. Yet, he was a Reed.

And Katarina and their children… the real bastards of the story.

Legally, he could be accused of bigamy.

And so could Angelique. She also could be accused of false misrepresentation.

As the new sovereign, he had the power to decide her fate. Their fate.

Katarina has now become his long-standing mistress.

Maybe that's the reason why he was never capable of loving her entirely. A married man could never belong entirely to his concubine. The law kept them apart.

If the population learned that, the biggest scandal would have unimaginable consequences.

Christopher feared Katarina's reaction if she ever learned that, but he knew she would explode.

He had now become an accomplice of that big lie as he had chosen to keep undercover Angelique's alive status.

As he had chosen living his life with Katarina as at the same time, he had to accept sharing his Angelique with George.

He wondered for how long he could stand that.

Which side would he chose: love or duty?

Edonia, Market

Jillian Valence was doing her groceries when she stopped by a shop of fabrics. The owner of the shop immediately came to attend her and showed her other varieties colors of silk.

"Blue? That color suits you well your grace" the man spoke politely

She smiled softly

Leonard Keane walked hurriedly among the crowd in the streets of the open market on his way to the castle after receiving the message from Katarina.

He was passing by the narrow street near the fabric shop when he saw Jillian talking to a man in front of the fabric shop.

They seemed comfortable with each other. He could see the gallant look of the man.

He bit his lips and subtly walked over her.

"Good morning your grace" he said interrupting their conversation

Jillian looked to the side and gasped, "Good morning" she replied politely

"May I help you with the bags?" he said beckoning

Noticing the duke's behavior, the shop owner decided to leave them alone and entered back the shop to attend another costumer who was talking to his assistant.

Jillian noticing Leonard's behavior stepped away from him subtly, "What's wrong with you Leonard?" she lectured him as she walked over an ally

"What was that?" he asked following her

"What was that what?"

"You and that…man?"

"He's the owner of the shop! I came to buy some fabrics…"

"And did you need to be so smiley and approachable?"

She smirked, "What? Why are you having this tone with me?"

"I saw you!"

"Watch yourself Leonard Keane!"

"I didn't like what I saw! You're a duchess!"

"I don't owe you any explanation!"

"You don't, but you need to impose respect!"

"Hold your tongue! I'm not what you're implying!"

"I'm not implying anything! I saw the way he looked at you! You were being easy on him…"

She slapped his face. The sound echoed across the walls of the ally, "Shut up! Who do you think you are to talk to me like that? I'm no hooker and there's nothing wrong moving on with my life and being friendly with someone"

Leonard could feel the burn on his face, not as much as his boiling blood of jealousy. Jillian deserved a man at her level and not a simple shopper. She deserved better than that.

"I'm trying to protect you"

"Protect me?"

"Yes, protect you from the nefarious interests of an average man!"

"So I guess you're talking about yourself!"

"What? Me? Why?"

"Because you are committing the crime of cheating! You should respect your wife and leave me alone!"

"I don't love her! My love is you, Jillian!"

"So you should've had loved me… Now deal with it, Leonard"

"I regret it so much every single day Jill… I can't accept I lost you…"

"You preferred the nightstand. So deal with the consequences and leave me alone!"

"I know I was weak… but you destroyed my hope in making me wait without an answer…"

"I was mourning my husband! I couldn't answer you right away… you should've had been patient… so please, let me move on!"

He grabbed firmly hold of her grip, "I can't…" he whispered, "Everyone makes mistakes…we all deserve a second chance…"

"We had our chances Leon… But we ended up marrying other people…"

"I just married her because she was pregnant… you know that…"

"So you should've had kept your dick inside your pants when you knew I was free and only mourning my late husband… he let a piece of him with me…I couldn't just let you come in when the bed was still warm… you know people talk…"

"I never touched her since then… my marriage has not been consumed… I will divorce her"

"And leave your son without a father?"

"No… I'll forever be his father! But a man and a woman don't need to stay together to be parents…and a loveless marriage is bad to everyone!"

She looked down, confused, and then back at him as he lifted her chin up, "You really haven't consumed it?"

"I'm incapable of touching her! I only want to touch you…feel you… love you…" he whispered as their bodies were inches distant

They could feel the warmth of their bodies. Their hearts racing in their chests,

His voice so smooth like velvet. The smooth touch of his hand on her delicate face skin causing her shivers.

Alone in that narrow alley, nobody witnessed the couple struggling to not surrender to their electrical touches,

There was a long while since Jillian Valence had been touched by a man. She had forgotten how good that could be. Especially if the touch came from the man she most loved, Leonard.

They were so little inches apart, yet so distant.

If he was being sincere, there was a long while since he didn't feel a woman's skin and that was intriguing. A flirty man like Leonard Keane living in celibate seemed to be impossible to believe.

But he wasn't so flirty as before. So true fact that she never saw him teasing Katarina or ever gracing her beauty.

Was he just fooling her to ease her? Or…

Before she could continue questioning that mentally, her mind stopped as her lips felt the smoothness of his lips. The warmth of his mouth. The caresses of his longing kiss. How she missed that. how she longed for him and his skin.

She let the bags fall to the ground as she enlaced her arms around his neck and surrendered to the passion of that kiss as he pressed her against the wall with his body.

The dark alley hid two souls in love… two souls that could make love right away, but they couldn't! that couldn't happen.

Jillian Valence wasn't woman to be any man's mistress, even if the man was the love of her life.

In an abrupt movement, she pushed him away.

"No!" she screamed, "This can't happen! This is wrong!"

Gathering her things from the ground, Jillian Valence ran away.

"Jillian, wait!" Leonard screamed as the woman in blue dress disappeared in the crowd

Frustrated, tormented and delayed, the duke made his way to the castle.

Castle of Bohma

"She's pregnant…"

Those simple words echoed in his mind. Those simple words tortured his heart. His Angelique, his Angely and that…man! They…Ugh… he couldn't stand it.

He saw the embarrassment in her gaze. Twelve years had passed but she still was as transparent as the crystalline water of the lake they met.

She was aware they were still connected.

But why? Why did she hide from him all those years? Was her love for George stronger than the truth? Were her feelings for George stronger than the purity they lived?

She was pure, right?

Ugh! It didn't matter anymore…

She conceived his son, his firstborn male child and not Kat as he had believed. However, Kat gave him his firstborn female child, Lilly.

Oliver was a Reed like Lilly. Like Beau and Phillip. His beloved blood children.

Three boys and a girl. He was good making male heirs!

He giggled. He was a proud father.

Unfortunately, he wasn't a proud husband. Probably he didn't have that right.

He hadn't been a good example of a husband either. At least not towards Kat.

But he never cheated on Angelique, and never felt like doing it. His heart was entirely hers when they were together and for so many years even after her "death". Reason why he was a careless husband to Katarina.

He wasn't proud of that.

Yet, Katarina hadn't been the best example of wife either. She lied to marry him. He remembered they didn't have the actual intercourse to impregnate her. For some time he had doubts if he had done it all that night on his 23rd birthday. Combined with the devastation of the news of Angely's death, he had no reason to oppose that lie.

He bought Katarina's lie and he tried to punish her with his distance. His indifference. As if testing her. Her so called love. Her tolerance. Her patience.

He wasn't oblivious to Katarina's horny side. He knew her too well for that. Initially he didn't mind as he kept Angelique in his heart.

That changed the night he sent Angelique's belongings to the mausoleum. From that night on, he decided to give Katarina a chance.

Maybe it was too late for that. He had hurt her enough with his cheatings and his stubbornness in keeping a wall between his feelings and hers.

So late that she slept with Pierce, but he knew she tried to fight it. She tried to resist, but he needed to be sure her heart was entirely his, as he knew about their past and how she broke the man's heart when he appeared alive. She was willing to marry Pierce when she believed he was dead.

The same case of him and Angelique's.

However, Katarina's cheating didn't hurt him as much as Angelique's did, as it was a part of his secret investigation.

He had a completely different vision of the redhead girl. So angelical. So pure.

Only his…

She wasn't.

Not anymore…

And that crushed his heart.

Twelve years were too long to resist. Twelve years changed everything. Twelve years separated them.

Twelve years had passed since the time had stopped at the lake moment…

He sighed deeply with a heavy sadness.

He had to accept his destiny wasn't with his Angelique as he wished. As he once believed. As he once craved so hard.

He wanted to cry, but men don't cry… he had to sink in all the pain of his youth memories and be a real man. A thirty-five year-old man. The head of family.

And the current head of the state!

He let out a heavy and frustrated long sigh and looked around to bring himself back to the reality.

He was learning to harden and silence butterflies.

Castle of Edonia, Throne Chambers

Leonard Keane entered chambers and walked over the lady in a sumptuous red gown, made of the finest silk and jewelry, and a red crown. He bowed to her as he greeted her.

"How can I serve you?"

"Why did you take so long?"

Leonard cleared his throat, "I was at the market"

"The groceries could have waited!" Katarina almost yelled

"Forgive me. That won't happen again"

"You'd better because I need a responsible man to represent me well!"

"What do you mean?"

"I need to make a trip to Bohma and I need someone of my trust to take care of the affairs here"

"I thought Pierce was that person…"

"Pierce is gone as well" she spoke in an annoyed tone interrupting him

"I beg your pardon. I didn't mean to annoy you…"

"So do not speak stupidity!"

Leonard bowed in acceptance

"So… back to what I was saying… I need someone of my trust, and that person is you. You are a duke and you are used to such affairs and handling subjects of territory."

"May I ask how long will you be out?"

"I do not know. I hope to be quick, but… but that do not only depend on me"

"Alright… and when will you be leaving?"

"Right away. I was just waiting for you"

"You can trust me your majesty. Have a safe trip"

"Keep me posted"

"I will!"

21st Century

Bohma, Lake House

Sitting on the edge of the wooden pier, Angelina Schmidt was holding a notebook on her lap and a pencil. She made a pause to admire the landscape surrounding her. The enchanting blue of the water, so crystalline that she could see the depth.

She let out a long sigh, looking distantly.

Looking back at the notebook on her lap and the drawing of a face of a man, "Chris…" she whispered

Passing her fingers delicately, smoothing the pencil effect, she wondered where that certain captain had been.

"Oh, there you are"

Angelina turned around and saw Mr. Lionel coming at her direction walking slowly, she placed her notebook to the side and stood up to help him walk, "Mr. Lionel, you shouldn't make so much effort. Your assistant should've had called me to go inside"

"Oh no darling, I need to feel the fresh air. I spend so much time in there that I almost feel like being part of the furniture" the old man spoke in a playful way

The young redhead laughed. She loved the old man's sense of humor.

That old man had a youthful spirit. His smile and playful mannerisms covered his terminal condition. At least, that was what the assistant had told her about Mr. Lionel's health.

Flashback

"I noticed you look more concerned than the usual and I also noticed Mr. Lionel has spent most of his time sleeping or resting. He's not even going to the museum anymore…"

"That's indeed true, Angely…Mr. Lionel's great-grandson will take care of the museum from now, so Mr. Lionel took some treasures to the lake house as there are things the public don't to know…"

"I understand… considering his history…"

The mid-aged man looked to the side with a saddened expression

"How long do you work for Mr. Lionel?"

"I know him all my life…Our families used to be close, but I moved to Bohma when I was 18 and since then I never let his side"

"So he's like a family to you…"

"Yes, he's my family and my mentor for 40 years… I have spent most of my life dedicating myself to him than to my own family…"

"Do you have children?"

"Yes I do. And a wife too! But she understands… sometimes she spends time with us too"

Angelina smiled softly, "It must be hard for you to see him that way…"

"It is… but Lionel decided to suspend the meds… he's ready to leave… and a part of me agrees that this decision is the best for him…every mission has an end…" the man spoke saddened

Angelina didn't know what to say and just placed her hand on the man's shoulder in support. She presumed Mr. Lionel had a terminal disease and preferred not to get into such details.

End of Flashback

Angelina walked alongside the old man and couldn't help her observation. Mr. Lionel was good in covering his condition. No one could tell that old man was so ill, despite his tired look… but well, no one could judge that on a man of his age!

They entered the lake house. Her eyes immediately dragged to the portraits on the walls.

She couldn't help but to feel like in a time machine and back to the past of that location.

A feeling of nostalgia took over her. That happened every time she visited that house. That land. She avoided the barn for some reason.

The paintings on the walls of important figures in the history of Bohma and Edonia seemed so real as if they were old pictures.

The woman whom had a similar name to hers definitely had a talent she herself somehow envied. She wished she had that level of technique, that's why she practiced daily. Always improving herself.

She noticed new objects and some boxes were piled near the large portraits of Katarina and Angelique behind Mr. Lionel's desk.

"Those are gifts I have to deliver for special people" the old man broke the silence, "I just hope they will come to receive it…after you inspect it"

Angelina made a puzzled face, "After I inspect it?"

"Yes darling… I want and need you to know the whole story of this nation…"

She opened her lips to say something, but she just couldn't. Her voice failed. Her brain failed processing any sentence to be spoken.

"I can sense your curiosity and connection to Bohma… and somehow you are…"

"It's a beautiful place, especially this land…"

"And I'll return it to the original owner soon…"

"Is that why you want me to inspect things?"

"No…I just… I believe you're ready to know the whole truth and with that knowledge you'll be capable to make the right decisions when the times comes…"

"What do you mean?"

"The calling…the encounters…reunions…"

"I'm sorry Mr. Lionel…I don't understand…"

"You will…"

Angelina made a face. She really didn't know what to think or to say, and she also didn't want to sound disrespectful.

"I saw you draw Christopher… I mean, Chris…"

Her heart accelerated for no reason, "Oh… yeah…I…" she stuttered

The old man laughed, "He's a distinct man for you"

"He saved my life! Did I tell you that story?"

The old man smiled, "What goes around comes around…"

"Huh?"

He grinned, "Don't worry darling… I know I don't make sense sometimes… but tell me again, how did he save you?"

"When we met last year. In Edonia. I was running away from a dead-alive creature when I stumbled… thank god he was there and killed the creature! I never thought the dead could get back to life!"

"Oh dear, they can! They surely can…"

"You don't seem surprised…Have you heard of those creatures he fights? The zombie-like or something?"

"Yes darling I did…I've lived long enough to have heard and faced all the weird things…" the old man sat by her side, "and that reminds me of a tale… the tale of that woman…" he said pointing out to the large portraits of Katarina and Angelique

"Which woman?" Angelina asked

Thank you Pin for the review! :D

Well, well, well... so many mysteries, especially when Mr. Lionel is around huh! You'll have to be patient until he reveals it all! mauahuaha xD

Christopher and Angelique finally met after twelve years, but nothing like they could've had imagine how it would be... They're close, but still so far...

And Katarina seems to have a one hell of intuition. She senses danger in miles! xD

Stay Tuned!