Author's Note: To answer a few questions, the ending won't be sad or anything. It'll just be dark, that's all. Also, I'm considering stopping this story but if I get enough people against it, I won't. I feel like I'm going to ruin a really great idea and I really, really don't want to do that!

.:Chapter 4:.

The Greater Good

Chris exhaled deeply, eyes on the picture frame sitting beside the bed. Did he really plan on ever returning? If he had, would it make a difference? Would anything make a difference? Albert was lonely in his predicament and wanted someone to help him. Chris didn't need the virus for that. No—Albert worried for Chris' safety. With the Majini simply wandering everywhere, Albert wanted them to see Chris as a higher being, as they saw him.

Not that Albert didn't trust that Chris could take care of himself, the blond made that increasingly clear and Chris believed him; however, the brunet knew far too well Albert was simply lonely and he was sure Albert would never put him into harm so the virus would be pre-approved.

But Chris Redfield always viewed the virus and it's productions as monsters. Even as he fell for Albert, he had to stare into those red eyes night after night and it excited him as well as disgusted him. Now, the sight of the eyes were comforting and empowering because they were used for protection over Chris instead of anything else and that's what Chris wanted more than anything.

So maybe, if used for good, the virus could be helpful.

That's what Chris thought, anyway.

And so when Albert walked into the room and Chris looked up, the blond found the brunet smiling.

"You seem rather cheerful."

"Of course," Chris chuckled and watched as Albert began to shed his clothing.

The blond made undressing seem so elegant—though the way he did everything seemed elegant. Albert allowed his leather coat to slide from his shoulders and he hung it over the side of a chair before unzipping his shirt and slinging it into a hamper across the room somewhere. Chris watched the blond with a fond smile and Albert chuckled then he turned and found the brunet staring.

Albert sauntered towards Chris and climbed onto the bed where Chris sat with his suggestive smile. A knee pressed on either side of Chris by the time the brunette could even comprehend Albert was straddling him. Chris sat up and met the blond halfway as Albert sat back onto Chris' thighs.

"Now, what could you possibly be cheerful about?" he asked with a smirk.

Chris hummed and Albert bent down to kiss the vibrating lips. Chris's eyes immediately closed, as he was fully prepared for the kiss. Albert led directly with his tongue, slipping it between Chris's lips and allowing the brunet to suck and play with it at his will before pulling the muscle away. Albert's teeth grazed Chris' upper lip and bit, pulling at the sensitive skin. A moan escaped Chris' released lips and the brunet licked at the inside of his upper lip with a smile.

"I want to be injected, Albert."

The blonde's smirk fell and a serious expression replaced the once playful one. Chris frowned at Albert's withdrawal and grabbed his hand before looking into those dull red eyes that he would soon possess. Albert's expression always held nothing when he was withdrawn. His eyes were his weakness and Chris exploited it every chance he got simply due to Albert's inability to express emotions any other way but it worked. Chris made it work.

"You don't have to choose now, Christopher," Albert stated calmly.

"I know," Chris said with a shrug.

"You don't have to do this for me, either."

"I know," Chris repeated.

"Then why would you possibly make a decision such as that now?" Albert asked in confused whisper.

Chris smiled and pressed his lips to Albert's in a chaste kiss. Albert pulled from the kiss and the yanked his hand from Chris' grip, staring at the confused brunet in surprise. Chris looked at him in disbelief, his eyebrows furrowed and jaw clenched.

"I didn't actively make a decision, Albert. I just feel like this is right, I guess." The blond sighed and dismounted Chris' lap, sitting beside the brunet on the bed. "I don't understand the issue."

"There's isn't an issue. I simply fear your intentions. You should not decide for me, Christopher."

"Albert, I wouldn't even be doing this if you hadn't offered." Chris paused and shook his head, "Either way, I'm doing this for you."

"I won't allow you to do that. You are not obligated to—"

"I know!" Chris shouted with a groan. "I can make this decision, Albert. I know what it involves and I am saying yes to your offer. Isn't that enough?"

"Very well. May I ask you something?" the blond asked, body rigid and voice cold.

"Yeah," Chris stated halfheartedly.

Everything had been so perfect before and now…

"What is the real reason you want the injections? Tell me and I will gladly do it."

Chris bit at his lower lip and his eyes downturned to his legs. His fingers began to play with the fabric of the blanket beneath him while his teeth began to nip and chew at the inside of his cheek. What was he supposed to say to that? He supposed the truth but would Albert really accept that as the truth?

"I used to look at your glowing red eyes and cringe but now…" Chris paused and smiled fondly for a moment, his eyes on his hands that were now fiddling with his nails in his lap. "They're comforting, I guess. I don't see these things like I did before. I don't condone them and yes, they are still monsters, but…" Chris paused again and looked up towards Albert who was staring intently at Chris. "I wouldn't mind being a monster as long as I'm not alone and I think that's what you are, Albert. I think you're alone."

Albert opened his mouth but Chris continued.

"I know you're going to claim that you have me and you aren't alone but I should be by your side, Albert. You are in constant worry over me and I may have full reign of the facility but I would really rather be with the researchers—with you. I want to stand beside you, not behind you and this may be the only way for you to be able to let go of that protective hold you have over me."

"I'm not lonely," Albert muttered.

"It's not a weakness, Albert. I'm right and you know it. So, is that good enough? Did I convince you, yet?"

"You weren't convincing me, Christopher," Albert stated simply.

"Then why did I just go on a full explanation of my reasoning for wanting this?"

"You had to convince yourself first and I wouldn't believe you really wanted something until it came out of your mouth with a reason behind it that you could fully support."

"And I passed the test, I assume?"

"Of course," Albert answered simply.

Chris lay in the warmth of their bed with his eyes on the shadowed ceiling. Albert's arm was slung across Chris' midsection where he subconsciously pulled the younger male close. Chris smiled when the blond would shift and tighten his hold on Chris for a moment before drifting back into sleep. He didn't know quite how long he had been laying there with Albert's quiet breath in his ear but it had been long enough for him to get lost in thought.

Chris wondered what Jill was doing and heavily feared what would happen if she decided to follow him all the way to Africa and uncover the truth of why he left. Would they fight? Would Albert try to kill her? Would Jill try to kill Chris?

And he lied to Albert about Jill—how could he? He wanted honesty from the blond but did he really deserve it if he couldn't give the same amount of honesty to him?

Chris was far too aware of the answer to that question and physically winced in regret. His eyes closed slowly and his breathing grew labored for a short period of time while he attempted to collect his thoughts. He had to be the one to deal with this. Chris couldn't possibly drag Albert into all of this with everything he's dealing with.

Chris pretended he didn't notice when he saw Albert wince out of the corner of his eye on occasion or when the blond has to excuse himself to fight the evolving virus pushing through his veins.

The brunet opened his eyes as the thought lingered on his mind—what if Albert isn't strong enough? Willfully, the man is as stubborn as a boulder but can he really fight such a thing for much longer? Chris almost felt bad for thinking such thoughts but it was a real worry that he simply could not push from his mind.

He was in such a worry that he didn't realize Albert's quiet snores vanish from the air.

"Christopher?" Chris froze and his head titled and found Albert's eyes staring up at him in the darkness. "You're still awake?" the blond asked glancing past Chris at the lit up clock. "It's almost five."

"I have a lot on my mind, Albert. Don't worry, go back to sleep."

Albert removed his hand from across Chris and pushed himself into a somewhat upright position. Chris couldn't hold back the chuckle that escaped him when Albert's hair fell limp in front of his face. The blond looked so disheveled yet so proper—it was unbecoming and attractive both at once.

"And you don't wish to speak with me about whatever that is troubling you?" Albert asked almost accusingly.

"It's not worth losing sleep over," Chris said offhandedly with a shrug.

"And yet, you are."

"It's not worth you losing sleep over. You've got enough to deal with, I can handle my own issues and if I can't, I'll tell you."

"You seem to be handling them swimmingly," Albert muttered as he settled back into the pillow beneath him.

"Go back to sleep."

"I'm attempting to."

Silence overtook the couple and Chris sighed heavily and closed his eyes in the darkness. Albert's deep breaths didn't resume but words weren't exchanged either. The air was heavy but not quite awkward and before long, Chris was yanking the blankets from his legs and climbing from the bed.

"I'll be back."

Albert grunted in response.

Chris stood, bending to grab his pants in a heap where he left them on the floor. He pulled them on and quickly buttoned them, zipping it as his eyes landed on his old gun. With a glance at the blonde's dark figure, Chris's hand grabbed the gun. The weight of the unloaded gun was suddenly much heavier than he had ever felt it before. His fingers gripped it by the muzzle, his fingers touching the S.T.A.R.S logo indented into the side.

Without another look to Albert, Chris left the room—shirtless and fingers gripped around the strongest link to his past he possessed.

Chris walked aimlessly around the facility. He couldn't shake the feeling of eyes constantly following him and, before long, began to notice the small cameras in the corners of corridors, elevators, and rooms. The blinking red light made him sigh and the firm grip on the gun in his hand tightened.

He found his way into the experimental part of the facility and began to pass glass rooms with scientists moving about inside. Some were overcrowded, others were empty and dark but the activity felt constant nonetheless. None of the scientists stopped to look at him though several scientists who passed by Chris smiled and nodded without stopping. Chris didn't respond the pleasantries.

Chris bypassed the security standing beside the entrance to the holding cells and he made his way down the long metallic hallways. He punched the button on the wall with his free palm and slipped through the door as it opened and closed behind him.

The grip lingering strong on the unloaded gun quivered as Chris stopped. Most of the lickers he found the previous day were gone. In fact, two remained. Both were quiet though alert of Chris' presence as they both cowered in opposite corners like dogs in trouble once he walked into the hallway. The duo growled faintly with their blind heads raised tongues in the air. Their long nails scratched at the floors beneath them when they shifted their weight to smell the air and, once they discovered they were to remain safe, they simply reverted back to their animalistic selves.

Chris glanced down at his gun and exhaled shakily before slipping the muzzle into the back of his pants.

Chris continued through the hallway and frowned as he stepped into another Licker holding cell area to find it completely empty. He continued and, again, found himself in the room filled with caged animals. Half were empty and half of that was awake, suddenly making sounds at Chris' arrival.

He found himself staring at a goat that had stirred and looked up at him from behind the metal bars. Chris fought off a small twinge of guilt somewhere deep within him.

Maybe Albert was right—what if Chris just couldn't handle the scientific world. Experiments were a large part of this line of work and Chris couldn't even handle being in the same room with monsters who were doomed to be experiments let alone animals.

The distant sound of African language caught his attention and he turned to look at the silver door in the corner across the room. He held no translation but the voice sounded desperate, lost, and most of all in pain. Chris followed the sound of the voice until he had the palm of his hand pushing against a cold metallic door.

The door opened with a click and he slowly pushed it open to find another room, much like the one he was exiting but it held cells. Bars created small, square cells lining the walls where people were being held. Most had dark African skin and all looked completely uninfected. Male and females were accompanying the cells and a majority of them looked as if they had given up.

Chris counted.

Eight.

Eight people in cells waiting to be experimented on.

Chris stepped into the room and allowed the door to shut behind him in his shock. He examined each with a keen eye, slowly walking the room. As a group they were all shaking in fear—the three females were crying and cowering in the backs of their cells; two men who were besides each other were shouting angrily and Chris realized this is who he had heard from the other room; the last three men were quiet and simply sitting as if they had given up all hope.

Chris was on the opposite side of the room when he heard the door open. He didn't bother to look who it was, he knew who it was. He looked up at the corners of the room and found cameras in all four telling him just how the blond knew where Chris was.

"You lied to me."

"I did not," Albert stated simply, looking at the experiments in disinterest. "It's rather loud in here, we should—"

"I'm not leaving until you explain yourself!" Chris shouted causing the two angry men to stop shouting and stare in wonder.

His hands were shaking at his sides and his knees felt as if they were going to buckle under the sudden heaviness he felt weighing from his body. Said body felt used and exhausted and he could hear the pounding of his heart in his ear. Everything felt quiet though he was sure there were noises he just wasn't hearing—the crying of the women, the quiet buzzing of the lights above them, and the ticking of the vents in the walls were among them. His head suddenly felt overwhelmed as if it was spinning out of control but nothing was moving.

Even as Chris watched Albert's lips move he didn't hear the words that came from them.

"Christopher!" Albert's voice sounded distorted and distant as if he wasn't standing several feet from Chris. Within seconds, Albert wasn't standing across the room any longer and, instead, had caught Christopher and saved him from completely falling over.

The lights above him were blindly bright and he closed his eyes to avoid the pain. His head began to reel with his eyes closed and he opened them to avoid feeling any dizzier. Chris looked up at Albert and tried to tell him to go away—Chris didn't want to be touched by him but Chris couldn't open his mouth.

"Chris, I need you to stay awake."

The words didn't sound as distant as before.

Chris mumbled something in response though it was supposed to be something along the lines of I don't care what you need but the words simply did not come out. Chris slapped Albert's hand from his cheek as the blond attempted to feel for a temperature and mumbled something again.

"I-I'm fine," Chris finally muttered as Albert sighed and shook his head.

"You almost fainted, you realize?"

Chris shook his head and pushed himself out of Albert's lap, backing against the wall before standing up. The prisoners around them were staring at the two and Chris shook his head again, exchanging glances between the prisoners and Albert who also stood.

"You should have slept," Albert stated.

"You should have told me. I knew you were hiding something but this? Human experimentation! I thought you changed," Chris scoffed and leaned back against the wall again to keep him from falling over again.

"Are you finished?"

Chris glared but nodded.

"First of all, Christopher, I did not lie to you. I allowed you to roam the facility as you wished and you were fully aware of Majini wandering around which meant it must have crossed your mind as to how they were made, correct?"

Chris froze.

It really hadn't.

Chris shook his head.

"Fancy that," Albert muttered with a roll of his eyes. "Second, if you assume I'm hiding something, running off after a night without sleep in search for something to blame me for is not what you should do. When I ask if there is something wrong, you are supposed to say yes and then inform me what that thing is—this is how a relationship works, Christopher."

"That's really great, coming from you."

"What have I done to deserve a statement like that?"

Chris grew quiet and exhaled through his nose.

"Thought as much," Albert muttered. "Third, you know very well my method of operations just as you know that won't change. You know my ultimate goal and you know that I am not your view of good, Chris."

"I don't know your ultimate goal, actually."

"I want to excel evolution—separate those who deserve to be here and those who don't. Of course, that requires having my own issues under control."

"How do you plan on…. doing… that?" Chris asked carefully.

"Not here, Christopher."

"Fine."

"Lastly, the only reason this is happening is because you searched for something to be angry about. Something that could stop you from doing something you truly don't want to do—"

"This isn't about getting infected!" Chris growled and pushed off the wall. He angrily pushed past Albert and left the room though Albert was on his heels.

"Right, I'll believe that as soon as you stop running," Albert shouted after him causing Chris to stop and turn on his heel.

"I didn't know you were still using humans for your experiments and I didn't know you wanted to take over the world—"

"I am not Spencer, I don't wish to take over the world. Imagine it, Christopher, a race worth living! A race of people like myself—with my abilities. You can't say that doesn't sound appealing."

Chris shook his head before turning and continuing wherever he was heading—he wasn't quite sure.

"I want to be alone, Albert."

"Christopher—"

"I'm serious!"

Albert stopped and sighed, crossing his arms in the center of the hallway where he stopped—it was the Licker holding cells. He looked at the remaining two lickers while his jaw clenched and his leather coat flapped from the vents blowing constant cold air around him. Albert wanted to do something—punch the glass of the cell, shout, tell Chris how wrong he was—but he simply stood there.

Just as Chris simply stood in the next hallway over where he had stopped to make sure Albert had stopped following him.

What had he gotten himself into?