After several hours to collect myself and get over my ridiculous feelings of apathy and depression, I grabbed my riffle and headed out to the shooting range, shrugging a jacket on, on my way outside. The serene valley had always calmed me, but as every other Redfield before me, so did shooting a gun.

I tied my hair back off my face and looked through the telescope. I found the bulls-eye and fired. The recoil didn't even faze me now, and I chuckled as a memory of the first time I shot a gun flitted through my head. Chris had let me try when I was thirteen-he had been twenty-six then- and I had missed the target completely, the recoil taking me by surprise and I fell on my ass. Chris had laughed at me then, but I knew he had been a proud brother when I had joined the BSAA, twelve years later on my twenty-fifth birthday, only months after I had graduated college.

Chris had joined the BSAA two years after that incident, it was his twenty-eighth birthday. I was fifteen then, I remember dreading coming home to this huge empty house, but I knew that Chris couldn't stay home and watch after me forever. I learned how to forge his signature when I needed it for school, but he had taught me the basics about living on my own.

"I thought I might be able to find you out here," Chris said, walking up behind me. I jumped in shock, swiveled on my heel, pointing my gun at him. Realizing that it was only him, I lowered my weapon. Chris was alone, his hands in his pockets. I knew that he was going to apologize because he kept looking down and kicking his heel back and forth in the dirt.

"I'm just relieving some stress," I replied, turning back and firing again.

"I'm sorry Misty," Chris said, using my old nickname based off of my favorite lemon-lime soda.

"I know," I replied turning back to him. "I'm your little sister, you raised me. You have been my brother and my dad for so long. It is normal for you to react that way. I was upset about other things as well."

"Piers told me everything," Chris replied, still looking down. I swore and shot off another round.

"Misty, stop for a minute?" Chris asked, putting his hand on my shoulder. I sighed and nodded, I handed him the gun which he set on the ground out of my way. I looked up into my brother's eyes.

"I am so sorry, I couldn't have been there for you kiddo," Chris said in the most apologetic voice I have ever hear uttered from my brother's mouth, his voice was gruff with emotion. He pulled me into his arms, wrapped in a tight embrace.

"There is nothing to apologize for," I replied looking up. "You had your own business to attend to." I saw the look in Chris' eyes and I knew that he was about to protest, as he always does. "Chris, you can't protect me forever. I'm an adult woman now. I can take care of myself. You must take care of yourself, I'll be alright."

Chris sighed and nodded back, pulling away from his hug. He ruffled my hair, a clear sign that he was getting back to his own self. He only ruffles my hair because he knew it annoyed me. I laughed and rolled my eyes, pushing him away I saw that Piers had seen everything.

"Get everything worked out?" Piers asked walking over, picking up the rifle. He looked up at me and raised his eyebrow.

"Yeah," I laughed, pushing Chris. My brother scowled at me, but Piers intervened. He walked in between us and turned to me.

"Sierra, can we take a walk?" he asked. I was taken aback. He wanted to talk to me after I had shown such weakness?

"Sure," I replied.

"Have her back for dinner, soldier," Chris growled protectively. Piers laughed and saluted, then the two of us started walking, heading back towards the town. Piers didn't talk at first and I my mind whirred as I wondered what he possibly wanted to talk to me about.

About halfway to the town Piers let out an exclamation of pain, grimacing and gripping his arm. I pulled him to the ground and rested his hand on a frozen plod of dirt. I felt the electricity pass through his hand into the Earth below us. I tried to pull the pain out of his body, but that was much harder to help him with.

"Remember, you do not control the electricity. You guide it through you, you can release it, but you are not its master," I said.

"Thank you," Piers panted, wiping his brow when the episode had passed. I smiled and let go of his hand.

"Can we just rest here?" Piers asked looking up at me.

"Of course, I don't want to push you," I replied. I plopped down on the ground and rubbing my hands together for warmth. Piers sent me a questioning look, but I ignored him and put my fists up to my mouth, blowing warm air onto them. As much as I liked to be a hard ass, I hated being cold.

"Sierra?" Piers asked nervously. "Can I ask you for some advice?"

"Sure, what's bothering you?" I found Piers looking into the valley, twisting his sniper scarf in his hands. Something was troubling him and it was written all across his face.

"So… there is this person," he started. "They have become my whole world and I don't think that I can go a day without them. One smile from them is like the sun shining on me. My breath catches when they walk into the room. If I am away from them, there is this void inside and I look forward to the moment I get to see them again. "

"Sounds like you really love this person," I replied, a smile gracing my face.

"Yeah, but I-I don't know if I can tell them," he said, hanging his head. "I don't think they love me like I love them."

"May I ask of whom we speak?" I asked curiously.

"It's a inconsequential matter," he replied, shaking off my question. I shrugged; it wasn't really of any importance to me.

"Well, you can only take a shot in the dark," I replied. "Who knows, it could work out in your favor."

"Thank you, Sierra," Piers said softly, a smile creeping across his face.

"You're very welcome," I replied. We stayed there and chatted about other things for a while, until dusk started to creep across the valley, and shivers racked my whole body, my teeth chattering. Piers refused to see me suffer the cold and forced me to go home. I helped Piers stand again and together we walked back.

"Chris will shoot me if you catch a cold," Piers laughed.

We reached the manor well after dark had fallen and we entered as quietly as we could, so as not to attract my brother's attention. Unfortunately, Chris was waiting for us. He was leaning against the wall; his arms cross over his broad chest, a dark look plastered on his face.

"I am going to go take a shower!" I said quickly, escaping upstairs before my brother could protest. I felt kind of bad about leaving Piers to deal with my brother, but I knew that he had a better chance to explain things. Chris and I are both of the same hot headed and short tempered blood. If I had stayed it quickly would have turned into a screaming match.

I started the water for a shower and waited for it to warm up enough before stripping down. I let the almost scalding water wash over my body, rinsing away my worries and anxieties. Without realizing it, I had begun to sing my favorite Christmas carols, letting my contralto voice fill the steamy room. I was excited to have my brother and Piers home for Christmas this year.

It was almost an hour later when I stepped out again, feeling completely refreshed. I dried off and changed into a pair of gray yoga pants and a white tank top, pulling my green hoodie on over top. It was way too big for me, almost three sizes too large. It had been Chris' before he left to join the BSAA, but I had stolen just before he left, unbeknownst to him. It lent comfort and support when he was gone. I plaited my hair back off my face before heading downstairs. I was almost afraid to see how much damage Chris had done to Piers in the amount of time I had been in the shower.

I didn't hear any voices as I walked down the stairs, which struck me as strange. I would have thought to still hear Chris chewing out Piers. I walked through the kitchen, parlor, and dining room-nothing. It wasn't until I reached the living room that I found something. I walked around the corner and shouted in shock.

Chris had Piers pushed up against the wall. Piers' tight shirt was pushed up as my brother's large hand explored his rock hard abs, his thumb rubbing soft circles on Piers' flesh. Meanwhile Piers held Chris' face in his hands, ever so gently, lip-locked in one of the most passionate kisses I have ever seen. I could literally feel the love and the sexual tension passing between them. The two men jumped apart in shock, when they heard my shout, wide-eyed and panting slightly.

"W-what?!" I exclaimed, my mind reeling. I looked between the two of them. What the hell had happened while I took a shower?! How had they gone from Chris nearly killing his fellow soldier, to making out intensely?

"Sierra, I know this comes as a shock," Piers said, trying to explain the situation, but I cut him off.

"Hang on," I said, putting my hand up. Piers fell silent, Chris just stood beside him, his face flushed.

"So the person you had been telling me about, was my BROTHER?" I asked incredulously, looking at Piers.

Piers nodded sheepishly, sneaking a glance at Chris. Chris wouldn't look at me, he seemed confused about what had just happened. I leaned against the wall and breathed in.

"Okay," I said, smiling up at the two men.

"What?" Chris asked.

"Well, a lot makes sense now," I replied, wiggling my eyebrows. "You never came home with any women. Ever."

"I had to take care of you," Chris defended, his eyes flashing.

"Doesn't mean that you couldn't have had a girlfriend," I retorted, my hands on my hips.

"Do you realize how much energy I spent, raising you!" Chris exclaimed. "My sister comes first."

"You were afraid of dad," I exclaimed, a light bulb finally going off in my head. "You've known since at least since I was born that you weren't interested in girls! You only initially joined the military because of Grandfather's expectations!"

"I joined because I believe in this cause! Just like you Sierra!" Chris shouted.

"It would preoccupy your mind! You wouldn't have to focus on their disappointment! You could fulfill their hopes and dreams for the 'perfect son!'" I snapped. "It has taken you thirty-nine years to actually admit who you are!"

"Dammit Sierra!" Chris swore. I could tell that he was about to say something else, but Piers intervened, again.

"Both of you! Shut up!" Piers cried in exasperation. Chris and I looked at the other man in shock. We had almost forgotten he was there in the midst of our squabble.

"None of that matters!" Piers said sharply.

"You're right," I replied, breathing out deeply. "I am sorry, both of you." Chris hung his head and I could tell he felt as guilty as I did for our outburst. It was completely inappropriate for the situation at hand. We had acted like children, instead of dealing with it like adults.

"I do not want you to think I was upset with either of you. Simply surprised," I explained. "I think your personalities complement each other very well. I would rather Piers be with my brother than someone who doesn't appreciate him for himself. I am truly happy for you both."

"Thank you Misty," Chris replied softly. "It means a lot."

"Hey! Just cause I am your little sister, doesn't mean I can't be protective of you as well!" I laughed. A grin broke across Chris' face and Piers squeezed his hand.

"Well….that went better than I could have hoped," Pier said sarcastically, when the tense moment had passed.

"Hey, it's gunna take some getting used to, don't get me wrong," I replied, taking a bottle of water out of the fridge. "And I don't want to see….intimate moments!" The men saluted with crooked grins as I took a sip. I turned to leave, but Chris pulled me back and into a hug. I wrapped my arms around him and breathed in his scent, I could never be mad at my brother very long.

"Well, I think I am calling it quits for the night," I replied with a smile, turning to walk upstairs.

"Is that my sweatshirt?" Chris called after me. I turned with a grin and wiggled my eyebrows in response.

"It is!" he exclaimed with a laugh.

My stomach turned as I tossed and turned that night. I had reacted to Piers' presence in a way that I had not thought possible after Maverick's death. I had thought that maybe there was someone out there who could be interested in me; maybe it could have been the attractive man my brother had brought home for the holidays. Yet I had read the signs all wrong. He had never been interested in me. The only person he had eyes for had turned out to be my brother.

Piers was the first and only person I had ever seen Chris with. When he had come home, or whenever we had gone out somewhere, it had always been the two of us, and occasionally my boyfriend. Needless to say, whomever I had been seeing at the time had not stuck around much longer after their encounter with Chris. He was a large man, his five foot eleven frame weighing in at a little over two hundred and fifteen pounds of lean muscle. His stature and military background intimated most men I was interested. But now it was his turn to shine with this wonderful man. Piers was dedicated to keeping Chris alive, he had proven that, not only to Chris and I, but to the entire world. Anyone willing to sacrifice themselves for my brother was worthy enough to date them, at least in my eyes.

Finally I realized that I wasn't going to get any sleep, so I got up and went downstairs to watch a movie. I didn't want to disturb my brother, or Piers whom I had heard go to bed not long after I did. I tiptoed along the hall as quietly as I could and down the stairs.

After popping in my favorite Christmas movie, Miracle on 34th Street, I crawled on to the plush couch and wrapped a soft blanket around my shoulders. My head rested on the armrest, which had been crafted at the perfect angle for lounging.

I got through most of the movie, but about two-thirds of the way through, my eyes grew heavy. I tried to keep them open in an attempt to finish the movie, but I could not resist the callings of nature. My eyes closed and soon enough I had fallen fast asleep.