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

Chapter XV: Home Sweet home

'I think I know where I am going to show you. What I meant.' - Sherry

Raccoonia Castle

"C'mon, it's clear."

The crack that he mentioned- that was not a crack at all. It was too big to be considered a crack, even someone with Jake's size could easily climb in and out of it, much less someone as small as Sherry. Who could have known that maintenance could be so terrible at the Palace? Maybe because it was facing the forest so no one bothered to deal with it?

Jake gave signals to Sherry and when she was right next to him, he climbed through the crack first fluidly, then followed closely by Sherry, "We can get to the city if we keep our path to the north." His index finger pointed to the depths of the forest, down the cliffs, "Just a short walk."

She nodded to his suggestion, but it was quite surprising for someone like the Prince who rarely been out of the castle to know so much about geography. Oh, right. He stayed at the walls all of the time. The young Wesker might had scouted out everything from there long time ago.

Sherry just had to trust him.

"Stay close to me." He whispered before readjusting his knapsack over to his shoulder and his left hand reached out for this sheathed sword. Then he took an experimental step over to the branches and dried twigs.

Of course she will.

So far, they hadn't ran in into any trouble and reached the city in just half and hour, considering that Sherry wasn't just some woman who tire out so easily. Jake was not surprised that she had stamina that par with his own - after all, she was Supergirl - she kept up with him effortlessly throughout the whole jungle trekking thing. He reckoned that if the scenario was replaced with Ashley, things might have turned out very differently.

The midnight city was quiet and of all, dark. But there were several fire lit here and there around shops and homes; fire banking as they called it, it was meant for midnight travelers just like Jake and Sherry now.

It was a better option than to light a fire with flint and steel.

"We need to find a stick to burn, we don't have a lantern now, do we?" Jake suggested, eyes were already scanning around his environment for one.

He heard shuffling from where Sherry were, "Hang on." She murmured, hands were digging her own knapsack, until she pulled out a long object from the side of her little carrier. The dim lighting highlight a small bulb shaped at the end of her object.

"Damn right you're Supergirl..." Jake almost laughed, "You brought a torch too?"

She smiled with glee as she ignored the Prince and went over to one of the fire and lighted it up herself. It burned through the bulb vigorously and the slightly pungent smell made Jake realized that Sherry had dabbed it with something flammable.

It smelt like the armory where they used to make gunpowder out of-

"It's sulfur, sire. I borrowed it from Sir Nivans. And the torch was borrowed from the tower." She beamed proudly, passing the burning torch to Jake, "Fire is pretty much an essential when it comes to travelling. So I came prepared."

Jake smirked; he didn't make a remark out of it but he was really, really impressed. Who could have known that a mousy looking girl like her could be so knowledgeable? Shining the light over to the pavement and the road, there was no one in sight, absolutely no one at all, not even a guard.

And Sherry was fidgeting right beside him, as if she was waiting for him to take the lead.

Turning his head to her, Jake whispered, "So, where and what is it are you going to show me at times like these? You said the 'reality outside', now we are here but... there's no one, Supergirl."

'Of course it is, silly man. It's now midnight, how am I going to show you?'

The stewardess shrugged, eyes looking around for something but she just found none, just people inside their own home fast asleep.

They walked themselves on the lonely streets quietly while Sherry busied herself trying to think of something to show Jake. She had meant to show how the society work outside the caste but now, they had just picked the wrong time. She should have thought about it somehow.

It went on as an fruitless walk like that until Sherry recognized one object that she sworn that she had been in this place once at some time of her life. Her path froze, and her eyes stared intently at the familiar scenery.

"What is it?" He asked.

"I think I've been here before."

Her answer was a hesitant one, then she looked to her left and right and saw the shop that she knew that she had once laid eyes on. But when? Jake just stood there with his torch watching her cautiously as Sherry dropped her head to the pavement then she turned around to relish the surrounding.

The rain.

Fever.

Sherry gasped. 'Of course, this was where I fell out cold before Claire and Leon found me here!'

Her body turned again to the opposite direction, 'In other words, this road will lead me back to—'

"Sherry? You okay?"

The gruff voice of his suddenly reminded of Sherry that she had a companion with him. Blinking her eyes several times, she switched her attention back to Jake with a quick nod. yet, he was still unconvinced by her gesture, "Was it something you remembered?" Now Jake approached her so that he was standing right in front of him. Sherry nodded out of reflex and her gaze returned to the trail that she left of earlier.

'That right! It wasn't very far off! If I bring the Prince-'

"Sir," she started with a firm look which startled Jake, "I think I know where I am going to show you. What I meant."

He said nothing as he returned the torch and followed her.

Arklay Region, Midnight

They trekked through another forest, although it was an easier one compared to their last due to the road constructed deeper into the trees and woods. Sherry walked without pausing to confirm her direction nor anything at all; she just kept walking like she knew the roads by heart.

Jake Wesker said nothing throughout the journey, surely she would have known where they were going.

Then he saw smoke up ahead where they were heading. A human colony was there. A small settlement, from what Jake could make out, there were only humble cottages and shacks made of out straws and wood unlike those of the city made with bricks.

They had reached the rural area.

And he saw a glow of fire too, highlighting the figure of a man. Possibly a night watcher.

"Prince, keep quiet and leave it to me, okay?" She warned.

He wanted to ask more questions but for now, he will have to comply to her request. He will have her explanation later. Taking a few more steps and they heard the possible watcher yelled at them, perhaps he had noticed the fire from Sherry's torch by now.

"Halt!" He shouted, then two more youngsters who looked like a man and a woman came up beside the watcher and raised their arrow. Sherry placed a hand to Jake's stomach and stopped their tracks although Jake's hand was gripping onto his sword just in case if anything happen. "Who are you? Identify yourself!" He yelled again.

A while, and Sherry replied, "Is that you, Mr. Thompson? And Lott? Lily?"

Perhaps it had struck something into the trio, Jake watched as the bows were lowered and the man shone his torch to them.

"You... you sound familiar." The so-called Mr. Thompson stuttered, then the other two smaller archers looked at the watcher, "Sherry? Is that you?" A feminine voice called out her name, possibly from the young lady Sherry knew her as Lily.

"Yes, Lililth Thompson. Can you please put down your weapons now?"

"Oh my god!"

A squeal of delight came and the next instant, Sherry was crushed into a bear hug by the young lady. Lily was already sobbing when Sherry laughed softly and returned her embrace with the same enthusiasm. Apparently, Lily was to absorbed on the reunion that she had barely noticed Jake's presence beside her. A small smile graced Jake's feature when he saw how... close these two women were. So Sherry knew the people in this place.

Meanwhile, Lott and Mr. Thompson ran back into the village and alarmed the rest of the people by Sherry's sudden return. "Wake up! Wake up! Look who's back!" their voice echoed through the night and the next instant, there were people scurried out of their little houses and more fire were lit all around the place. From how far the fire stretches, this humble village was not very big like Jake would have expected - from what he could see: five houses on the six on the right, tall fences were built using wooden planks and hard bricks circled the village; to mark their territory and to fend off animals.

Lily ripped herself away from the embrace but her arms were still ringed around Sherry's waist, her head tilted upwards a little to look at Sherry's face, "By the gods, after what we saw that day... we thought- we thought you were kidnapped and—" Lily jumped apart before she could finished her sentence when the flicker of fire illuminate the presence of another next to Sherry.

"Who are you?" Now she was addressing Jake directly, a sharp glare was cast to him.

Before either could say anything, Sherry's name echoed one after another when a small pack of people, mostly adults, came running with their torches, including Mr. Thompson.

Like Lily, Jake's presence made them all alerted.

And all eyes emitted hostility to him, to which Jake reacted by grasping his sword more firmly. The adults quietly pushed their children to their backs and shield them from anything.

Sensing the uncomfortable ambiance torrenting around her, Sherry took a step back and tugged Jake gently by his arm.

"Don't worry, everyone. He is not a bad guy."

But the tension was still there, although some villagers did relaxed their vigilance but not all of them. They were ready to raise their weapons against Jake if they only allow it.

"Jacob Muller."

Came Jake's answer to the questions running in their mind. Sherry could hardly believe her ears when Jake had deliberately lied about his real name - technically, he didn't because his name was Jake Muller Wesker - Jake was usually a shorter form of Jacob. So basically, Jake didn't lie to them.

But will he lie about his identity, as the Prince of Raccoonia?

Before Jake explained himself, he gave Sherry a questioning gaze, as if he was looking for her permission to something - something that she had no clue of what is it - but she nodded to him, she trust that he will handle the situation better.

Out of the blue, Jake took Sherry's hand in his and beamed, "I am Sherry's man."

Wait, what?

Perhaps in the villagers' eyes, Jake Wesker (they knew him as Jacob Muller) was still a foreigner, a threat to their little territory that their gaze to him was sharp and wary. Even right now as they sat in round inside a moderately spaced hall that the villagers' used as a meeting space for any event, even after Sherry reinforced Jake's previous statement that she was now Jake's.

For now, Sherry was no longer the center of attention, but Jake is.

Sherry didn't missed the fact that all eyes were still on Jake although she will be the one to explain both herself and Jake, "I guess you all knew about what happened to my home," She started, "but no. I escaped to the city instead. It was difficult, but somehow I was rescued by two good people to the castle. At that time, I thought that it would be a lot safer if I stay in the castle than if I were to return here."

"I am sorry for leaving you guys so suddenly, but whatever enfolded inside my house that day was... complicated. And that was the sole reason that I decided to leave this village and stay in the castle."

"What happened?" Came a squeaky little voice, it was a young child of seven.

Sherry smiled to her and the rest of the encirclement, "Sorry, little Clara. But I don't think I can tell that you today."

Then the villagers shuffled in agreement, okay, so the content in between were too explicit and with children in presence, Sherry's incident will have to wait.

"And so there am I, I became a servant under the Palace. And I met Jak- Jacob." Meekly she placed her palm on top of Jake's hand to emphasize that. A small smile to Jake and she blushed when he returned the smile. Although she had no idea if it were for the sake of their act or... otherwise.

"Oh god, Sherry. When we got to your house that day... we thought you..." Lily sniffed, "we couldn't find you hiding anywhere in your house and your mother was... yeah." A quick glance to the sleepy youngsters who were on the verge of falling asleep, "We buried Aunt Annette and we got a search party for you but we couldn't— We all thought that you got kidnapped and were sold to the brot-"

That's a worst case scenario they made up. Sherry laughed, "No, Lily, of course not. I met this wonderful guy and I am happy."

Another bright smile was cast to Jake and this time, he was the one taking her hand in his.

The couple (as the whole village believe) explained that they will be leaving before dawn break as Jake will have to report to the King early tomorrow morning. They didn't quite buy their excuse but they believed Sherry nonetheless.

Then finally, Sherry got the chance to show Jake her home village.

"Pretty conservative people, aren't they?" The comment was agreed by Sherry whole-heartedly as they strolled through the night where people gradually seeping back to their own little houses to sleep, especially the families with children, although there were some who stayed up to keep watch. And one thing Jake noticed, the villagers were pretty well-equipped with good weaponry, he saw bows and swords and spears and halberds too.

At that instant he saw there was a little house with an anvil outside by the entrance and smokes were coming out from it. Of course, a blacksmith. "That was Uncle Barry Burton's." Jake heard Sherry spoke to him, "He came here a few years back when I was eighteen and he was allowed to stay at the village because he was a big help. Then he started to make us weapons to take care for ourselves and he made the women some new cooking utensils too. And there were some travelers came specifically looking for him too, they said Uncle Burton was like a legend or something."

"Speaking of which... he wasn't there when we had a gathering just now, aye?"

She shook her head, "No, he wasn't. Maybe he was busy. He always work far into the midnight."

They approached the house of said man carefully, it was soundless unlike what Sherry had expected to be the sound of tinkering she always heard. There was no door on his smithy, his house was open for everyone anytime at all.

Barry was sitting by the fire, quietly smoking his pipe. Maybe he was taking a break from a long day work.

The twenty-one tapped onto the wooden frame, "Uncle Burton?"

Taken by surprise, Barry's head flashed to his back and the sight of the missing Sherry shook him, "By the gods, Sherry?"

"You weren't there when we had a reunion at the hall." Sherry giggled.

Barry shrugged, extinguished his pipe, "Naw, I thought it was Ark finding something. Never thought it would be you..." His eyes flickered to Jake then, "And this young man?"

"His name is—"

"Jake Muller Wesker."

Jake was as surprised as Sherry right now when Barry revealed that he knew Jake's real name. On the contrary, Barry looked extremely calm and collected when he met the Prince. A small smirk colored his face when Barry walked back to his seat by the fire and invited them along, "Don't give me THAT look, the both of you." He laughed, the gruff voice echoed in his smithy, "I met the Prince before."

But the Prince debated otherwise, "But I haven't seen you before."

"Of course you didn't remember, you were only three, your Highness." Barry huffed, "I worked at the castle's armory so I get to see the King. I recognized you because you looked so much like his Majesty. Heck, I even made his Majesty and Chris' sword."

The Samurai Edge.

Now, it all makes sense of why Barry was one hell of a blacksmithy. And why there were people all around the world looking for him in this little village.

He made swords for The King and the Grand General, to which they still had it with them as their prized weapon.

"Maybe I should make you one sword of your own, your Highness. After all, you are the only heir to the kingdom of Raccoonia. You can't always use a sword issued for regular knights, a man like you had to have his own trademark." Barry eyed the petty sword that Jake was carrying.

At that Jake said nothing.

"So how are you, Sherry?" The blacksmithy lit his pipe once again and they all sat by the fire.

She answered timidly, "Good. I stayed at the castle now. And... I am the Prince's stewardess." The response made Jake crackled up.

Barry took a whiff out from the tobacco, "Oh really? You are one lucky girl. The Prince was a gentleman as I remember, a fine man. He was polite to people and a great soldier. I suppose he didn't give you too much trouble then?"

Sherry said nothing as they patiently waited for Barry's laughter to finish. Jake had a frown on his face because he himself had to admit that the case was only the latter; he was a great martial artist but now, he was basically foul in communication. Looks like Barry retired from the Palace a little too early to know what will the 'fine man' Jake turned out to be.

"It's a good thing to hear that you're safe under the Prince's wing now... He is a great man." Barry's tone changed suddenly, now he sounded forlorn and faraway, "Your mother should be happy. I always prayed to her that she will bless you so that there will be no misfortune upon you, and now I am glad Annette did."

"Thank you, Uncle Burton."

They embraced one last time before Barry promised Jake that he will have what he had to have. Sherry and Barry bade each other farewell quietly. When they left the blacksmith by a good distance, Burton returned inside his own little sanctuary and blew his pipe again.

"Do you know, sir? There was a history behind Arklay Village."

"So, this place is Arklay Village?"

"Not exactly, this is actually a nameless village but the travelers came up with it since it was here in Arklay mountain."

Jake smirked, "So... what kind of history?"

"You don't mind if it's a personal one?"

'Definitely not.' Jake said that he didn't.

So she began, "When I was twelve, there was a terrible flood struck the whole village. Everything was destroyed, our homes, our food source - everything. The whole village was reduce to none. Only a small colony survived, I remembered that there was only twenty six survivors, including myself and my mother. And... the hardest part of the whole situation is for us to rebuild."

"We do not have a lead at all, from where to start nor how to finish. Without someone to lead us, we had to live by ourselves - growing our own food, building our own home - all of us too selfish that we refuse to help each others. Having nobody to watch over the village, there was no order or justice, crimes were left unpunished. Robberies were common. So there was one day, not long after my mother and I had build our own shack, we were targeted by a small band of desperate youngsters."

"What happened?" He asked at one point.

Sherry smiled sadly at the memory, "There were five of them. Children, they were all at least seven to ten years old. All who had lost their parents to the flood. It was midnight when the largest child sneaked into our home to steal our provision, but mom got up before he could do so. Then the rest came charging inside our shack...They were all holding sticks, threatening to attack us if we resist "

Jake smirked, "And you beat them all up?"

"Of course not! At that time, mom just smiled at them and lighted the candle. Then she cooked the rest of the grains and..." She smiled heartily, "We all had a big meal together and mom offered them to stay for the night. But the next morning, they left. We don't know where they went, but a villager said that they head out to the forest at the same midnight."

"Hmph... kids, robbery? Doesn't mix well with me. It's gotta be so bad that even kids rob, huh?"

Sherry nodded, "Anyone will do anything for survival. You see, Pri- Sir, someone will have to lead Raccoonia someday when the King is gone, so that there will be someone to tell them what was rightto do."

And he suddenly felt pathetic - no, it was not because he was lectured by her own stewardess - but it was himself.

Him and his own pathetic point of view.

As they journeyed through the village, Jake noticed that there were still people working inside their own houses - small candles were lit and he saw that an elderly looking woman in her sixties sewing by his grandchild's bed. It was a sad sight actually when she bend down to kiss the young one's forehead. "I am sorry, my dear," She murmured, stroking the delicate hair of the sleeping child, "if it wasn't for the tribute to the King, you might have a better day. If we weren't to pay for the King's representative tomorrow, perhaps you could have tasted bread in the city last night."

Sherry had to stop, because the Prince was no longer moving with her as he stared intently inside the house of the woman and her grandchild. Surely they had overheard her talking and... Jake was not at all happy to hear it.

"So, the verdict really struck here too..." Sherry whispered, it was numb feeling to know that much more poverty had torrent her home village.

He spat angrily in response, "And it's all Dad's fault. Hell, the kid couldn't even taste bread for goddamn sake?"

That was when Sherry stepped directly in front of the scornful young man. Jake was taken aback slightly by her actions but it was nothing compared to when Sherry took one of his hand in hers and sandwiched it between her two warm palms.

He had meant to pull his limb away from the gesture, but he didn't.

He couldn't find himself to do that.

"Listen to your mother," she said, trying to avoid anything related to the royalty such as 'her Highness, Queen, Prince' and so on, "It is time for you to step up and carry on the legacy: You have to change all this, you have more strength than anyone else, and yet you refused to play your parts."

"Like staging a coup against my father?" He chuckled, placing a joke at the wrongest time. Sherry frowned, so his vibration stopped.

Gently, very gently she petted the top of his hand, "I know I'll be condemned if I say this but... What he— His Majesty did to these people - my friends - it was wrong, they didn't deserve all this. Poverty. What it was before was more than enough, but the verdict was just... too much." Her voice was shaky, she had tried to avoid herself to swallow the hitch on the throat but failing miserably. "Please, sir. Listen to her Highness. You should have known how much meaningful yourself are. A word from you - even a single one - could bring so much happiness to these people than you can imagine."

He choked, "Why?"

"Because you are now the only one the King will listen to, if you stood up for them. If you have a heart to do something for the folks."

The way she did magic with his hand was like she was trying to pry into his very mind and to tell him directly from there.

Jake sulked. It's been a while since he realized that he longer have a heart for himself, much less for anyone else. And now she was convincing him to bring his heart out and to do something which he had forgotten to do six years ago. 'I couldn't. I just fucking couldn't, Sherry! You should have known what I'd been through that day! When they had me surrounded and they laughed and—'

"Please?" She begged.

Finally, all Jake managed himself to say was, "I'll think about it."

That was not a very satisfying answer, but nevertheless, Sherry sighed softly and released his hand back to its owner.

He'll think about it?

At least he had the intention to consider it.

It's already three hours since they had left the castle. There will be another four more hours before dawn break.

And since Sherry had shown him what she wanted to say, she suggested to the Prince that they should be heading back before anyone noticed their disappearance.

Until Jake debated otherwise, "Not so fast, Supergirl. There's still some places that you missed out."

"Where?"

The grin on his face brought a knot to her stomach, "It's actually two places. You always said that this is your home... Surely, you will have some place to live in, right? Your home."

Sherry stared blankly at him.

"I'll leave the second later until you let me visit the first. So?"

From her body language and her prolonged silence, Jake knew that she was currently hesitating. What secrets she was keeping that she need time to think about it before she can tell it to anyone? He was pushing her, he knew. But he was just too damn curious to know. And he was surprised with himself on how much he desperately to know about her.

'But will I be pressuring her too much? What if she hates me for it?"

Further encouraged by Sherry's reluctance, Jake knew that the second guessing was right, he shouldn't be forcing her to reveal herself if she didn't wanted to.

After all, he himself didn't, wasn't he?

Awkwardly he rubbed his back and made a light tap to her forearm, "Alright then, sorry for asking. Let's head back now, shall we—"

She ignored him and shook her head furiously.

Before he could ask her what happened, Sherry had already turning to a direction. Opposite of the exit.

And Jake was certain that she knew where that direction will bring them to.

Someplace deep. And dark.

A.N: Sorry it took me a while for this update. Have any of you read my profile? I had write something there to explain my lateness. :) So, any comments for this chapter? Sherry's home village? Barry was a nice surprise, wasn't he? And I know that Samurai Edge was invented by this Kendo guy but for the sake of this fic, let's just assume that it was Barry who did it, okay?

Next chapter should be interesting to write. And from next chapter onward, I promise that there will be more Jake/Sherry interaction than the chapters before. Some good and some bad. XD

RFF! :)