Disclaimers: I do not own anything out of Resident Evil. All of the contents belongs to Capcom.

Chapter XII: Nightmare

'I didn't say anything weird in my sleep, did I?' - Jake Wesker

Raccoonia Castle

Days passed rather uneventfully, or rather, differently.

Jake Wesker was still his old ignorant - 'never wanting nor bothering to talk to people' - self but they could see that he was slowly readjusting himself back to his mother and to Sherry. He frequented his visit to Gabrielle to her surprise, although he never really did say anything much to his mother every time he was there and he acted like he didn't care. About the small yet courageous stewardess, Jake had stopped bullying her the hard way - those were replaced with his cheesy innuendos to which Sherry found hating (and secretly liking) in it.

Throughout the period that Sherry witnessed the change in Jake, she noticed one particular trait of him: He do enjoyed talking from time to time (although there were more profanity in the intervals than it is comfortable), but she could tell that he was somewhat reluctant to show that.

She remember one day when he was talking a bunch to her, then he suddenly stopped mid-way of his sentence when he realized that he had spoken too much. Then he would revert to his cold, silent self like an alter ego.

It was like as if he was trying his best to keep his distance with people.

It was little, but still a positive change.

One morning Gabrielle begged Jill to bring her to her favorite room, the large hall with the piano; her only object of leisure. Reluctant as Jill might be but Rebecca encouraged her to do so because it was a good idea for the Queen for some exercise, even walking a short distance. To reinforce herself, Gabrielle also stated that she might be not able to walk at all some day when the cancer will be on higher stage, so she should do things now while she still can.

"Don't be silly, my Queen. Of course you will get better." That's what Jill retorted.

Thus, Valentine guided Gabrielle out from her chamber. Luckily, Gabrielle still had the strength to move her legs or else Jill would have to move the piano to her bed chamber. While they were making their way there, they were some oblivious servants who threw Gabrielle the looks. Jill couldn't blame them, Gabrielle had not been outside for a while and her physique changed a lot too. She just hoped that they will not inform the King of what they had seen.

They got to the piano without trouble. Gabrielle wore a radiant smile on her face when she touched the lid of the instrument, as if she was greeting an old friend of hers.

The piano itself had a sentimental value - it was a gift by Albert Wesker before he married Gabrielle Muller. He imported it from Gabrielle's home country, and she was the only person in Raccoonia who knew how to play that instrument.

She started with a simple tune which she simply name it as 'The Beginning' because it was the tune she played before she started the next. Even Jill knew the tune by heart for listening to it for years (she could play it too, but with only her pointer finger).

"Mom, you in there?"

Jill winked to the beaming Gabrielle and quickly went over to open the door for her visitor. Jake Wesker had his hands shoved into his clothes and Sherry smiled to Jill politely as she invited them in.

Standing on the corner, Sherry and Jill let Jake talk to his mother whereas they will remain a good distance with them. "Is it you again, miss Sherry?" Jill mouthed, when Jake hovered to the empty spot next to his mother. Sherry denied Jill, "No, the Prince himself said he wanted to see her Highness."

"I guessed you must be here, you're not in your bed chamber after all. Looks like you still have some fight in you, mom." Jake observed the way his mother play carefully, but his fingers remained static on the top of the piano. It was his way of saying 'How are you, mother? I'm glad to see that you've got better'.

Gabrielle gave herself a small laugh at his comment, surely she was comfortable with the rascal's potty-mouth and his good will. She made a move to stroke his buzzed hair but Jake ducked away before she was able to even reach his shoulder, "Stop that already, I am in turning twenty four next spring, mom." He whined, swapping the hand away from himself.

"Aww, you are just too cute to pass up, Jake." Gabrielle giggled and Jake noticed immediately that she was not the only person laughing at him. A brief glimpse over his shoulder and he could see that the two stewardess were watching them closely too.

It was bit of embarrassing. To have Sherry laughing at him.

To curb that, Jake cleared his throat louder than it was necessary, effectively make the ladies all coughed.

So, it ended up with Gabrielle stroking the top of his hand; that he allowed. She was especially cheery that morning.

"Did dad know about you?" He asked out of nowhere.

The ambiance of the room suddenly grew tense upon that question. Gabrielle tore her gaze away from him but her smile was still intact, although Jake easily saw how the smile grew sadder and sadder. Gabrielle only sighed, the exhale was deep and heavy. "He didn't, did he?" Jake sounded more like a statement than an actual question.

Finding no excuse to lie to her son, she nodded.

Jake's lips twitched in annoyance but not to his mother.

It was for his King father.

Albert had abandoned Jake's mother even since that Excella Gionne came by.

No wait, it's Excella Giovanni now. She had changed it for Albert's sake. He didn't bother to find out why she did that or who she really was before she became Albert's stewardess.

"I've guessed, bastard didn't bother asking, so why would he even bother to come see you?" He jeered.

This time, instead of defending his husband like she usually would, Gabrielle said nothing. Because Jake was not accusing Albert wrongly, he was stating a fact.

Albert Wesker did abandoned her, although they lived under the same roof.

Jake, Sherry and Jill sent Gabrielle back to her chamber later on and the former head off to his scheduled training.

It took Gabrielle everything to get Jake comply to her request: not to let Albert know about her disease. He was insistent at first but he saw her point later on.

Sitting on the single couch near her favorite window, Gabrielle entertained herself with a book while Jill made her the medicine, pouring the thick liquid from the smaller bottle into a glass of water. She gave it a stir til the color dispersed evenly before handing it carefully to Gabrielle.

"My, your Highness, you looked particularly happy today." The cheerful remark made Gabrielle grin even wider that the corner of her lips would reach her ears. Gabrielle took a long sip of her medicine but paused on her half, "Of course I am! Did you see how Sherry had changed Jake in many ways?"

"Yes. And for once, your Highness, I will have to agree with you that she truly did. Even for a little."

Jake's bedchamber

"So, this is the Prince of Racconia, huh? Pretty tough for a young un'."

"Who the hell are you?"

"Oh, that you need not to worry. But really, I suggest that you would worry about yourself because-"

"What the fuck are you think you're doing?"

"Giving you a quick reminder."

"NO!"

"Prince!"

Jake's body shot up like an arrow and the horrid scenery melted into his own room. The darkness, the soft bed, the table. And Sherry, whom he glad what he was seeing right now. His heart was thumping so madly inside his ribs, then his skin felt another warmth on his face - Sherry. She had one of her hand on his right smooth cheek and the other was holding a lone candelabrum. Still in the trance of his nightmare, Jake impulsively slapped her hand away from his face. But he regretted it soon after when he saw the hurt and deject that she was trying so hard not to show on her face.

"Uh... are you okay, your Highness?" He hadn't noticed how his own jaw trembled until he tried to answer her. Instead of telling her vocally, Jake put his hand around his temple - breathing deeply - and nodded.

Sherry fought the urge to touch him again, although she desperately wanted to comfort him from whatever he had seen in his slumber, but she reminded herself how Jake had rejected her consolation just now so she just stared at him with concerned eyes, "Should I get you some water?"

"No." He finally regained his voice. It was hoarse and dry but Jake needed nothing right now. Ripping his hand away from his head, he took a moment and looked around his surrounding, as if to make sure that this was reality and he was no longer in that place.

He saw the sun had already set out his window, night had fallen and Jake dragged the sheet down his torso. The dim candlelight from Sherry highlighted the sheen on his bare chest, he was sweating a lot, cold sweat on top of that.

Was he really that terrified?

'Again, that same fucking dream...' His left thumb traces along his jagged scar that became his trademark.

On the other hand, Sherry couldn't stop the blush that was creeping up to her face upon the sight of his godlike body, there was one scar that she hadn't noticed all along until now - tattered onto the left side of his chest that was so close to his heart - the Prince failed to noticed that Sherry was in fact, admiring him.

She wanted to touch him. No, that wouldn't be right.

Jake pushed his feet down to the plush carpet - Sherry quickly stepped away from him and lighted the largest candle on his table - and he sat on his bed for a while before his eyes finally hovered to hers, "How long had I been out?" He asked breathlessly. The additional lighting made him felt a lot safer than he had been earlier.

"...Four hours, your Highness."

"Shit." He grunted, "I didn't say anything weird in my sleep, did I?" Luckily that nightmare had only lasted for a few minutes. Jake remembered how he had finished his training that same evening and he went to bed after dinner, stating how Chris had worn him out.

Sherry shook her head.

For a while he just sat there without another word, his fingers once again found his way to his facial scar and he hissed; the pain was no longer there but the lingering memories were as painful as when the wound was made. Then he glanced at the damp spot of his bed where he had lied on, 'No way I am going back to that place again.'

So Jake climbed out from the bed and grabbed his neatly folded clothes from the table he left off earlier, it was folded by the time he went to bed - must be Sherry's work. As usual, Sherry made no questions about his intention to leave his room again, nor did she made a remark about his dream that will bound to annoy him. Jake grabbed an extra down-to-knee coat from the shelf, and she knew that he will not be sleeping here in his room tonight.

The walls.

Jake sling the warm piece of thread on his shoulder before making his way to the exit, "I'm not going to be here tonight. You can stay here if you want." He inquired softly.

As tempted as she was to to say yes, Sherry waved off his idea, "No, sir. Of course not. It is my duty to be by your side."

"Suit yourself." He shrugged carelessly, "And Supergirl?"

"Hmm?"

"Sorry for uhh... just now." The hand slapping.

She smiled and nodded to him.

Sherry finally understood why he avoided sleeping in his own room; the nightmares. She had heard his soft whimpers through the wall lately and her fear was proven true today when she finally decided to see what he was up to.

Although she desperately wished to know what had scarred Jake Wesker so much, so much that his own personality changed with him.

Walls of the Castle, Night

They climbed up to Jake's regular spot where he used to be before he had a habit to sleep in his room recently.

The autumn breeze was nice, although a bit too cold but it was refreshing, at least for Jake.

"You can go back to your room if you want." Jake offered one final time before he got to his spot in the middle of the long walkway, he could see the reluctance on her face but she insisted that she will be staying with him. He made himself comfortable staring up at the sky while Sherry settled herself a few feet away from him, hugging her knees.

There were no stars tonight to Jake's dismay, and the moon was nowhere to be seen. Except that he could see the red lining on the clouds and that very familiar flash that had him jolting upwards and stared intently at the sky.

Exactly that moment, a deafening thunder roared through and a blinding lightning crackled upon them. Very close to where they were.

"Jesus!" Jake shrieked, slightly stunned by the sudden impact - his hands were instinctively brought up to his face to cover himself from the light. When it subsided a few seconds later, Jake refocused his attention to the sky with a snide remark, "Damn, looks like weather was shit tonight. Isn't it—" The quick glance backward and Jake realized that his companion was no longer at the open air with him, "Sherry?" There was no answer from her and Jake smirked, "Well, her reflex was faster than the lightning."

Another thunder crashed through and Jake winced again, before heavy rain poured down in the next instant. The sudden storm made Jake cursed his own luck and he retreated to the wall tower where the stairs were located.

It was dark under the roof, the candles were blown off by the wind and Jake huffed when he was under the cover from the rain. There was no small drizzle to warn him and now the rain was pouring down so heavily that Jake could barely see the other end of the wall, "Uhh... looks like I gotta head back tonight."

That.

Until Jake suddenly heard a foreign noise that made his steps halted before he was able to reach the dark stairs.

It sounded like a whimper, sobbing, but the surrounding was pitch-black that he could barely see a thing except the crates that he was able to outline them with his night-vision.

Jake had to strain his ears to pick out the distinct noise, it couldn't been Sherry. She had left.

"Who's there?" He called out, his voice was edged with hardness. Jake carelessly flailed his coat to his shoulder and his knuckles were ready.

The next brief flash of lightning and he finally saw the figure.

Sherry.

Cowering herself.

The sight of her made Jake's heart stopped. Her knees were brought up to her chest and her face was buried onto them. Both her hand were cupping her ears tightly and her body was trembling ruthlessly. He could see hat she was leaning her side against the crate for some sort of protection.

She looked very helpless.

Like a lonely, desolated child seeking desperately for help.

With muted steps, Jake approached her silently, and crouched in front of her shaky figure - his hand extended to touch her hair. The contact made Sherry winced violently and Jake retracted as if it burned his hand. Sure, some women do fear thunder and lightning but not as much as how Sherry reacted now on her age. She was twenty-one for god's sake. And Sherry was a strong woman inside, how could thunder and lightning defeated her so easily?

It was not normal. Her reaction was too exaggerating that Jake thought that she might be faking it.

But it was too true to be fake.

"Sherry? Are you alright?" He said with a high volume to best with the rain outside. She showed no respond, still cowering herself in that miserable state, perhaps it was her hand covering her ears, "C'mon, snap out of it. It's me, Jake!"

He forcefully pulled her arms away to her side so that her ears were exposed to the beating sound of the rain and him. Sherry showed fierce resistance as she struggled to free herself away from the vice grip applied to her hand, it was futile, considering Jake's immense strength compared to hers.

"Look at me, dammit!" He beckoned, half-shouting on her hair. She must have heard him, Jake was grateful when she lifted her face from her dress to meet with his. Unfortunately, the moment she did so another lightning flashed across and Sherry cringed, jerking her face back to the safety of her knees. Then the thundered roared tumultuously.

Sherry squeaked and shivered, "No—" She murmured, "— Stop— don't hurt her—"

The young Wesker suddenly realized that Sherry's state of mind was not in a bit focused onto him nor to her surroundings, but she was trapped in her very own living nightmare. 'Her?' The grip on her wrists loosened a little when another series of thunder and lighting soared.

What happened next wasn't what he expected in the least. Sherry pushed herself forward and her head was quickly buried right on his broad chest - her sobbing continued. One of her hand bunched Jake's tunic by his chest and the other fist itself. Jake wasn't aware at all when did he released her hand in his grip but he didn't care.

Judging by how traumatized she was now, she'll hug an elephant no less.

The rain was still plummeting down mercilessly outside. The twenty-three shifted with his best attempt; Jake sat down with his back leaning against the crates and he pulled her in. Sherry refused to let him go for even a second and her shaking was yet to cease, "Shh, it's okay."

Jake moved themselves so that he was leaning comfortably on the wooden crates and he tugged Sherry closer to his chest, "Come here." which she complied gratefully. Sliding the coat he had with him away from his shoulder, Jake blankets both him and her and he quietly stroked her back whenever she winced when the natural phenomenon struck.

"It's alright." He repeated it over and over.

The way she was clutching to his chest and shivered made Jake felt sorry for her.

She was so small. So defenseless. So vulnerable.

He so wanted to kiss her forehead and make her problems go away.

Jake was about to do that, but he noticed that Sherry had finally stopped shaking and he could no longer feel the tightness across his chest where Sherry had his tunic bundled in her hand.

Pulling away slightly, the Prince was glad when he saw that Sherry had calmed and she had fallen asleep in his arms.

His eyes were getting a little itchy and drowsy too.

The experience made Jake learnt one thing: Like him, Sherry do have a dark memory she hid within herself that made Sherry so... unlike her. He always knew her as a strong and independent woman, but what he had seen tonight proved him otherwise: it was just a façade, she do have her own moment of weakness.

What could he connect with Sherry's fear to rain storm?

For tonight, all Jake could do was to make his own inferences which fail to satiate his curiosity. He was surprised with himself too, he never care to bother the misery of other but not for Sherry.

He wanted to know her. Her past. What happened to her. Everything.

Maybe tomorrow he could question her about it.

If she refuse to tell, then he'll have to find it out his own.

And he did learn that up close, she smell like cherries.

A.N: I'm back! Yeah, so I finally got my laptop alright. XD But there is a bad news: I still need to get everything set up again for my work so it might take some time before I can resume my speedy update. Sheesh, my real life is so tough. :(

Forget about that.

Anyways, looks like Sherry had her own dirty little secret too! Jake might have his uncovered past but so does Sherry. So now we have two unanswered questions... But here's a hint for Sherry's problem, remember the prologue? When Sherry ran in the rain and stumbled across Leon and Claire? I'll leave some imagination there before I will reveal it. ;)

Oh, and does anyone know where the Capcom main center is? I think I might want to purchase Jake Muller for myself, and I don't think I'll share him with Sherry. :P For now, he's all hers. She deserved a hot guy like him. :)