Author's Note: So much for updating more frequently as I said I would! Blame my dead hard drive which ate my chapter before I could back it up. This chapter was the most difficult so far as it wasn't planned out ahead of time like other chapters. Please enjoy my efforts with this troublesome chapter. ;)
"Nothing I would rightfully acknowledge."
It became a moment frozen in time. The ebb of the wind, the lapping of the waves around her shins and the fear gnawing away at her core. As those words were spoken, Annette felt as something within herself start to unravel. Her eyes lingered downwards, unable to completely to break her unknown infatuation with the murky water. She didn't know why she held such a fear even to this day. Her father would only give her that stoic half-shrug that he knew more than he was letting on. Now she was paralyzed in front of the last person she wanted to face this fear with.
"Acknowledge?" Her voice strained, her clammy hands rotating the sample counter-clockwise. "Isn't easier for you to put up that wall and continue to run away like a coward?"
It wasn't long that she heard his footsteps enter the water again behind her. She knew that had hit a nerve and right now she didn't honestly care to dance to Albert's tune. She noticed as his boots stopped within a few feet in front of her, the water rippling momentarily in his wake. With one dry gulp, she was able to find the courage to glance upward to see what she had started. His expression was unreadable as expected, his dark glasses concealing the truth that his eyes might tell.
Regardless of his stance, he spoke coldly. "I am not the one frozen by fear in the shallows of a lake."
Annette gritted her teeth together as she wavered between fear and anger. "If you had given me a straight answer as to what we were going to do out here, this could've been avoided easily." She paused, licking at her chapped lips nervously. "I... didn't expect the reaction to still be this bad."
"Your record stated nothing of such a phobia. Care to enlighten me?" He took a step forward. Subconsciously, she took a few steps back to keep that precious distance between them.
She frowned deeply, her loose hair pushing away from her face as the wind shifted. "It's none of your business. We have the sample you came for. Can you please help me back to shore?"
"Tell me." He asked once again, his windbreaker billowing behind him as he kept his arms crossed over his chest.
Annette scowled as her anger was overriding her better judgement, directing it all at the man standing in front of her. "Perhaps I don't know the reason why? I've avoided this kind of situation since I was a kid, so that's why it's not 'on my file' as you so eloquently put it! Why do you honestly care or this another way to manipulate me to do your bidding?"
"Withholding information not only jeopardizes yourself, but everyone else around you. I did not tell you since it was not necessary." He took two steps forward. "Give me the sample before you crack the glass with the pressure you are applying."
She wanted to sorely wipe that slight smirk off his face so badly. Her eyes narrowed as she tried not stare at light reflecting off his glasses. "I'm not that strong to crush a solid glass jar..." At that moment, she realized that she was no longer in the lake, her bare feet sinking into the soft sand of the shore with Albert still standing where the waves lapped at his boot heels. Damn him. In his runabout way of doing things, he did get me out of the lake. For that, I will let this slide. The lake can't hurt me now... Thank you, Albert.
Annette held the jar freely in one hand, pushing her loose hair behind her ears with the other. "Why, Albert, you did help me after all. How kind of you." Her voice filled with sarcasm, handing the sample to Albert as she headed further in to where she had left her backpack and boots by a fallen log. I need to sit and collect myself. I'm a bit too on edge.
Plopping down with little grace, Annette observed Albert standing on the lake shore, his back turned to her as he gazed over the gleaming water. She took a deep breath of the fresh air, feeling peace seeping back into her addled senses as they took a lengthy break. The breeze was starting to die down as the day drew closer to dusk. She couldn't believe it was close to five in the afternoon according to her watch, wriggling her drying toes absently.
"The day is getting late. It would be best if we started to head back before the sun starts to set." His voice became louder as he approached from the shore at an even gait. Albert shifted his pack to his side, attempting to get the sample back into its designated spot. He took a seat next to her, removing his pack to assure the sample was situated.
Annette watched out of the corner of her eye, dragging her backpack in front of her. The lunch she had packed had completely slipped her mind until she unzipped the main pocket to look within. "Would it be alright to eat something first before we head back?"
"I suppose that would not be a bad idea. The sun will not set for about three more hours." Albert commented, resting his pack on his knees as he took in the sun's position in the sky. He unlatched his canteen, removing the cap for a brief sip.
Removing three plastic containers from her backpack, Annette chimed up. "Would you like...?" She noticed he had just pulled out a wrapped protein bar. How typical. He travels light so he probably knows this forest like the back of his hand.
Annette cleared her throat, managing to get his attention on her first try. "You can save that for another day. I went to the trouble of bringing along lunch for the both of us."
"I did not ask you to go to the trouble." Albert observed, tapping the wrapped bar against his other palm.
She rolled her eyes briefly, placing a container next to him on the log. "Judge for yourself."
Albert kept his pack on his knees, his gloved fingers procuring the square-shaped bin to his attention. With his thumbs, he popped open the top to see what was contained within: a toasted turkey club sandwich, a few small cherry tomatoes and a small apple bran muffin. He could not resist smirking. "My, my. This is rather quaint. I will surmise that you have been sneaking glances at what I typically eat for lunch. However, this muffin is a bit of a stretch."
"I saw you polish off the rest of my muffin after we had that little chat in the cafeteria. If you don't want it, I'll gladly take it back." Annette pointed out, wasting no time taking a bite of her own turkey club sandwich.
Albert returned the food bar into his pack, his hands moving to take off the lid fully. After slipping it under the container, he picked up one diagonal half of the sandwich, biting off a corner cleanly. Despite pointing out the muffin, he made no move to return it to her. Eating together like this is quite soothing, yet it can't push away my agitation. Not completely.
They continued to eat in companionable silence, staring forward at the gentle waves of the sun-brightened lake as their source of entertainment. Albert finished his meal first, closing the container as he waited for her to finish.
"That was surprising. The lunch was better than I expected." Albert took another long draw on his canteen before snapping it in place on his pack.
Since he appeared to be content to sit for a little while, Annette tried to finish a little sooner so she could breach the subject that was weighing heavily on her heart. She had been avoiding it as much as possible, but it always creeped back into her thoughts when she was idle. I hate to ruin this quiet mood between us, but it's going to be harder for me to work with this hanging over my head. I just hope he's feeling receptive after such a nice meal.
Once she had placed all the containers back into her backpack, Annette ran a hand through her loose hair out of nervous habit. "Albert?" Well, here goes nothing...
He tilted his head in her direction, his shielded gaze only served to fuel her growing unease. She cast her gaze downward, her fingers plucking at the zipper on her pack. "There's something I need to discuss."
"Are you leaving the research?" He asked disapprovingly, jumping to the obvious conclusion in his mindset.
Annette pursed her lips tightly. "You know I will assist you as much as I can, but there are elements that are outside of my control. William is one..." She paused, her hands braced her knees now. "You are the other."
Albert raised an eyebrow. "How do I stand in the way of my own research?"
She closed her eyes quickly, trying to hold back the annoyance his answers would bring when she was being serious. "Don't play dumb, Albert. It might work well for everyone else, but I know that you're trying to turn this around to where you aren't liable at all."
Her response only served to get a low chuckle out of him. "Is that what you believe? It appears anything I speak lacks any sort of truth by your standards."
Annette inhaled deeply, only to exhale with an exasperated sigh. "Remove your glasses."
"No." Albert's voice had lost all that idle amusement, replaced with a directly cold retort.
One layer down, another to go. Annette tossed her backpack out of her way, standing with a quick flourish. She moved to stand close enough in front of Albert that he would have to move her physically to stand himself. "The only time you seem to be truthful is when those are off."
"Did you not hear me? I will not remove my glasses." Albert answered in a very decisive tone.
Annette leaned in, shadowing over him. "Will you speak the truth when I ask my question or will we continue to play these little games?"
"What is your question? Be quick." He seethed, definitely not appreciating being under such pointless scruntiny.
Annette steeled herself, her jaw clenched as she was able to find the words. "Why in the hell did you kiss me? You know full well what kind of relationship I have with William, yet you did that anyways."
"If I recall, not only did you want it to go further, you returned it in kind." Albert mused, busying himself with adjusting the straps firmly on his pack. Her thoughts raced. He's right. I could've just backed away, yet I put up no resistance. I really should put an end to this for William's sake, but I have no idea what I'm feeling. I can't bring myself to totally hate this man before me. What exactly makes me want to stay with this self-serving, manipulative glacier of a man? Would he be alone otherwise? I don't want to see him alone even if he would want it that way.
With a brief nod, her hair slid over her right shoulder lazily. "That I did. Do I regret it? No, it was a beautiful moment regardless of what you say or do to tear it asunder."
Annette saw her opening in that fraction of a second, her hand snaking out with more speed than she knew she was capable of. To her amazement, she was able to slide the glasses away without him catching her like the last time. Second shield down, now it's time to face what's beneath.
"How deceptive. All for one simple, futile answer. Now that you have taken my spectacles hostage, what is your next course of action?" Albert leaned back against the tree behind the log he still sat on, his blue eyes barely hinting at the anger lying under the surface.
Annette folded the glasses in her hand. She knew he could easily overtake her and get them back, but he had relaxed against the tree as his cold stare bore into her relentlessly. "A real answer, Albert."
"It might be better to ask yourself: When have I ever lied?" He bristled, his patience waning.
That statement was enough to clench her teeth immediately, tucking the glasses into her snug blouse pocket. He had a point; he didn't really lie more than he danced around giving a straight answer. Still, he was being unnecessarily elusive. She wondered what exactly it would take to crack his resolve yet she already had her answer. It might work, but it'll only make things worse, yet my feelings will never have an answer if I let him go. I don't have time to think this through. Action will speak louder than words. Oh hell.
Albert rubbed two fingers at the bridge of his nose, his eyes half-lidded to shield the remainder of the sunlight that Annette's shadow did not. "It appears I have hit a nerve." As he opened his eyes from a moment's respite, her face hovered in dangerous proximity to his own. Their eyes locked again; his icy blue on her fiery blue.
"Albert, it's time to stop with these charades." Her lips spoke these quiet words, her steady gaze issuing a challenge as her spayed hands rested on the tree behind Albert.
He did not back down, his expression revealing nothing even with his guard down. "There are no char..." His words were cut short as her lips pressed firmly to his in one deft motion.
It would have been quite easy to extract himself from this situation, but why would that be necessary? She was playing into his hand quite easily without much effort on his part. As she tried to loom imposingly over him, it took a good deal of effort to keep a straight face as she grilled him for an answer. What does she honestly expect? The only answer that would soothe her troubled conscience would have to found by her alone.
"Albert, it's time to stop with these charades."
Wesker continued to observe Annette as she leaned so very close in front of him. He did not see much point in interrupting her escapades. It did entertain him as he had an idea as to where this was going. She would break down when she could not find that answer, expecting him to put the pieces back together. While that would give me future leverage, I doubt I would need to ever utilize it. It has never been a problem to motivate her where she is needed.
He would keep dodging her questions until she tired of this chase. "There are no char..." The tangible feel of her lips brought his voice to a halt, allowing her to remain so close for a few seconds. With a careful motion, his hand pulled her away, his hand locked in a vice-like grip along her jaw. While he did not mind such an interaction, he did mind becoming something he did not intend: a second option.
"This will not assist you in sorting out your emotions. It will only serve to drag you down needlessly. If you want someone to cater to your needs, Birkin has made it unerringly clear that he is that person."
Their eyes were on the same level with no less intensity, yet the words that were meant to demoralize her on her current course of action did little to remove that inner fire. The silence hung between them as neither would back down. Annette managed to find a few words. "That is beside the point."
Wesker decided to test her resolve, his grip easing as he rubbed a gloved thumb across her warm cheek slowly. "Oh? You clearly took the initiative this time. Where are you trying to take this, dear heart?" He could not remember the last time he used that little term of endearment. It had almost become a standard with every woman that had breezed through his life, whether as a grab for a powerful contact, a useful source of information or both. Annette was different from those vapid women. So why use this phrase now? He figured it was out of force of habit.
Annette wrenched free from his light grasp, shaking her head before she rested her cheek fully into his unsuspecting hand. "Tell me no." With those few, unnecessary words, her hand slid down to cup his cheek tenderly, watching carefully for any sign of reaction.
He would never give anyone the satisfaction of catching any errant emotion across his features. As her eyes bore into him, he did not flinch or draw away. He arose to the challenge and she was not going to get away this time. If she thought she had the upper hand, she would be in for a rude awakening.
"No." His usual wry smirk slid onto his features, taking the situation into his hands quite literally. With a quick sweep of his right leg, Wesker applied enough force to unbalance her, making her fall down into his lap. Her face contorted in a momentary cringe, her eyes reopening to find her body pressed in full against his with his chiseled face only a scant breath away.
As dusk started to fall upon them, there was little hesitation as their lips touched again in a longer, deeper kiss. There would be no more words spoken, no more pointless circling, no more playfulness. When the kiss finally broke, Annette breathed in deep of the night air, her hands clasped together behind his neck. He did not give her time to regain her senses, reclaiming her mouth with renewed vigor.
Annette did not back down from his touch, taking the initiative from him when her fingers started to unbutton the front of his black shirt. The chase was giving way to a frenetic game of tug-of-war that she ultimately lost, most of her clothing discarded while he only had an opened shirt, windbreaker and the removal of his gloves. That fact did not seem to deter her, watching him watching her. She is unlike the others. That fire. That strength. There has not been a woman who did not cower under my ministrations. With every advance I make, she rises higher.
Wesker quietly enjoyed the feel of her fingers running into his sculpted hair, their bodies returning together as she straddled his lap with the wordless insistence of his hands on the small of her back. As they came entwined once more, it would not be an act of lovemaking nor deep-seated passion, but the desire of two personalities that would not back down for the other.
As the crest of their flight merged and dissipated, he allowed himself that one moment to feel something, burying his face into the crook of her neck, holding her tightly against him as that silent sensation swept past. In return, she gently cradled him the best she could, her fingers stroking over the nape of his neck.
Wesker rested against the tree trunk again, his arms loosely still around her while his gaze took in the emerging stars above. He could not deny the serenity existed for this very brief period of time, deciding inwardly that Annette would have the rare pleasure to make a decision where he was concerned. Her head rested on his shoulder, her warm breath apparent on the side of his neck. The languid stillness continued as the gentle rhythm of chirping crickets welcomed in the early evening around them.
It did not take long as the chill of the night air started to get to her, shivering despite her best efforts to hide that very fact. He made no move to pull her tighter. He did not want this situation to become more than was originally planned. Instead, her wistful voice brushed past his ear. "As I speak, I'm afraid of breaking this silence. I feel there aren't any words that can do this any kind of justice, so I just want you to know that I'm here and always will be for you."
As she rose from his lap, Wesker rearranged the mess his clothes had become before her frantic actions. He was not entirely sure what to make of her kind words. What is she trying to gain? Does she expect me to spout the same flowery nonsense that flows out of Birkin without fail?
"All I wanted to say that I am here. I'll always support you however I can. Just know - you aren't alone." Annette ran a hand through her tousled hair, only clad in her open blouse as she stood facing the glimmering lake. "It's selfish of me to say these things as we know full well what kind of relationship I have with William. It's not fair to me, nor you. Regardless, I want to be true to my feelings, so that's my stance."
Wesker watched her silhouette, listening to her words intently as he buttoned his shirt. It was an odd sensation: it was almost scenic as she stood there, speaking words that she could not fathom the gravity of their meaning. Does she honestly think that I am so weak? Of course it was not fair, but I am not after her. I am pursuing something greater than she can imagine, I do not have the time or luxury to chase after nonsensical emotions. Yet here she stands, bared to the world and to my eyes.
"Now, where are my pants?" She huffed, her hands rested on her hips, turning back around to make a better attempt to clothe herself.
Leaning over to his right, he started to salvage her clothing she had tossed in a pile close by. Once he pooled the clothing in a spot in front of his feet, he glanced back to only find her standing a few feet away, watching him once more. Her blue eyes aglow in the dim radiance of the sunset, her blank face partially shrouded by her errant bangs. Why does she persist with such a look of pity? What does she exactly see when she looks upon me? Perhaps something to feel sorry for? She will not find weakness here.
It was difficult to judge what passed over her face. Her brows furrowed together for a brief second, her eyes breaking away to return their attention to redressing herself. After everything was back into place, she knelt down in front of him to be on eye-level once more. A bright, open smile emerged on her face, her right hand pulling his glasses from her blouse pocket. "I envy these glasses. They will stay with you and protect you more than I ever could. Regardless, these are a part of me that will protect you now."
Wesker allowed a faint smile to skirt his features. "You? Protect me? That is quite debatable. You do not know what the future has in store for yourself. How can you be so certain that you can keep to such spirited words?"
"I'll try with everything I've got, that's why. For me. For you. For William. For the future." Annette answered, still holding his glasses with care. "I'll continue to work with you as much as I can, but I feel there's another goal I need to pursue after our walk through the forest."
He arched an eyebrow, glancing down at her hands. "So long as it does not cut into our own research, I will not tell Birkin that you are trying to undo his progress."
"I'm not trying to undo anything, but there needs to be a failsafe. My expertise lies in reverse-engineering formulas and the T-virus is an extremely infectious strain. Now I'll just need to learn how to add more hours to a day so I have to time to juggle it all." She sighed softly.
Annette shifted her focus down to her hands upon noticing where his gaze lingered. When he caught sight of her face, there was a sheen of unshed tears in her eyes as she leaned close to slide his glasses smoothly back into place on his face. "Perhaps one day, I'll be able to give you a reason not to wear these anymore. Until then, I will miss seeing your eyes, Albert."
Wesker straightened on the log, adjusting his pack back into place on his lower back. She rose back to her feet, her gentle smile persisted as her fingers moved to slick back his hair even when her own was in disarray. It is time I put some distance between us. If this was another place and time, things might be different, but I have more important matters to attend to. I have tarried long enough.
"Stop." His voice commanded. Her fingers retracted from him, that infuriating smile of hers still present as she sat down to quickly put on her boots and shrug on her own backpack.
Annette shook her head, chuckling under her breath as she knotted the second lace. "Never, Albert."
Wesker moved away from the log, his arms crossed in front of his chest as he waited for her to ready herself for the trek back on the mansion. "Good. That is the answer I want to hear." When Annette approached his side, he spoke, letting himself slip into using contractions for the first time in years. "Many things will be changing from this day forward. It is best if you don't call me Albert from this point forward. If you're going to be childish about this matter, I will dissolve all favors owed for this alone."
She stared over the lake, listening in the same manner he had. "I can't promise anything, but I'll try. I will miss saying your name, Albert. It suits it much better than Wesker does as I've said before." Turning, she started to pace towards the forest before he could get another word in.
Wesker followed behind her for a short time before taking the lead, steadying a flashlight as they traversed through the night. Someday, she will understand. I should chide myself; perhaps I will miss hearing my name on her lips. Ah, Birkin, today you win a battle I can not fight. It is time to move on. The new data on Spencer awaits.