Chapter 18: Pondering the Past and Present
Author's note: Chapter 18 already? Seriously?! I feel like I just started this story. Anyways, here is the next chapter and I trust that you all will approve :). I don't know why, but I really dislike the title for this chapter…oh well.
Thanks to DarkLink1601 for favoriting and following this story!
To Justsomegirl17: Hahaha, yes it decided. We love the game! Google Translate: bad. Chopin: Great! Jill and Sheva as besties: Wonderful! Haha, time to give your poor hands a rest! :) Glad you liked the last chapter, and even though you say that I don't need to say it: I hope you like this one! Haha, arrivederci, lovely!
To Sheva Redfield: I'm excited, too! Hahaha, there will be plenty of Sheva and Chris, of course. Hope you like the update and I shall talk to you soon!
To Sivan IXXX: I think Chris and Sheva would have the cutest babies :). Haha, I think you're right, he really would be over the moon!
Much love and thanks to you guys, Sarai.
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the RE characters mentioned in this story. Capcom does. Except for Sophie the cat. Sophie is mine!
"Chris? Is that you? Oh my goodness, please let it be you?"
Chris could hear the love in his sister's voice. "It's me, Claire. How are you?"
"How am I? How do you think I am?! I've been worried sick about you for over five months now and I couldn't find you—no one could find you! And you ask me how I am?!" Claire's voice was dripping with anger and worry.
Chris rubbed his temple with his fingers and sighed. "Claire, will you calm down? Everything's okay, I'm okay. I'm sorry I haven't called…"
"I am calm!" Claire took a deep breath, trying to calm herself. "Look, I've just been so scared that something had happened to you. Chris I almost thought you were dead. I don't know what I'd do if you were gone."
"I know, Claire. I didn't mean to scare you. It's just…I couldn't remember anything and I was too scared to do anything about it. But I'm starting to remember." Chris could feel Sheva's hand stroking his back.
Claire sighed. "I'm glad you're remembering. But I'm even gladder to hear your voice. I miss you so much big brother."
Chris smiled warmly to hear his sister's empathy. "I miss you, too. But I'll see you very soon."
"Yea, Sheva told me you're coming back home. I can't wait." Claire was quiet for a moment. "But, uh, I kind of sold your apartment…"
"You what? Why did you do that?" he asked in shock.
"You left! I couldn't pay your rent and neither BSAA nor TerraSave was willing to pay. Sorry…but you can stay with me and Leon until we find you a new place."
Chris groaned. He had forgotten that his sister was in a relationship with Leon S. Kennedy and that she was now living with him. Unfortunately for Chris, he remembered Kennedy perfectly. He didn't really have anything personal against the guy; it's just that if anyone was a possibility of breaking Claire's heart, he easily disliked them.
"Eh, I think I'll just stay at a hotel until I find a place again."
He could hear Claire scoff on the other line. "Fine, be that way. But if you're not going to stay with me then stay with Shev, yeah? I'm sure she'd love you there with her," she said in a suggesting manner.
"Yeah yeah. Don't worry about it, Claire." Chris and his sister talked for a long time, catching up and just talking easily to each other. He loved his sister with all his heart and would die for her. They said goodnight to one another and Claire demanded he call her again soon.
Sheva lay on her side facing away from Chris, fast asleep. He put the phone on the bedside table and cuddled up behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her close to him. He listened to her steady breathing and soon could feel his eyelids starting to become heavy.
He thought about his upcoming reunion with his sister and everyone else he used to know. He thought about Jill Valentine and prayed to God that they weren't a couple anymore. He hoped Sheva was right about them being broken up. He wanted to be with Sheva so badly. He decided he would ask Claire about it another time.
The sky was dark and the night was welcoming him into safe slumber. He soon fell asleep with Sheva in his arms.
Chris slowly opened his eyes, trying to wake up. He squinted when he felt the sun on his face. He noticed that Sheva was not in his arms and slowly sat up. He looked around the room to find himself alone. He got up and went to the bathroom, hoping to find her there. Again, nothing.
He thought that maybe he should check his room but decided not to, because there was really no reason for her to be over there. He saw Sophie sitting by one of the legs of the bed. He lay back down on the bed, starting to worry, fearing the worst.
"Where is she?" he asked himself.
Sheva was walking back to her motel room. She had just gone for a five mile jog and she so badly wanted a hot shower. She hoped Chris was still asleep so that once she was done with her shower she could just snuggle back into bed with him.
She opened her motel door and found a very worried looking Chris pacing around. Sophie's head was moving, watching him go back and forth. When Chris saw her walk in, he quickly strode over to her and grabbed onto her hand.
"Where the hell were you?" he asked, urgency evident in his voice.
Sheva was caught off guard by his sudden worry-state. "I went for a jog…"
"You couldn't tell me where you were going? I was starting to get worried."
"Starting? Look, I'm sorry. You were asleep and I didn't want to wake you. So I thought I'd go for 30 minutes and come right back. And that's exactly what I did." She wasn't sure how she felt about him worrying about her in such an extreme way.
He cupped her face with his hands and kissed her lips. Sheva wasn't sure what kind of kiss it was. It was loving but there was something else. Fear?
She wrapped her arms around his muscular chest and looked up to him. "Why did you get so worked up about it?"
He sighed and wrapped his arms around her. "I thought you left me. That I was too fucked up and you wanted out."
Sheva was surprised by his confession. She caressed his cheek, "Look at me." He did as he was told and brown eyes met hazel. "You are not fucked up. If I wanted out, I wouldn't have come here in the first place. I would never leave you, Chris. Not in million years. I love you too much to do something like that."
She reached up on her tip toes and kissed his lips gently. Chris responded quickly and kissed her back. He picked her up and started walking towards the bed.
Sheva broke the kiss and looked at him, "Uh, I kind of need a shower."
Chris chuckled and kissed her neck softly, "No problem." He headed for the bathroom and turned on the shower. He sat her down on the counter and started taking off her clothing. She let him undress her and giggled the whole time. Soon she was completely naked.
Sheva stood and walked into the shower, pulling Chris with her. They just washed each other and kissed, nothing more; just enjoying one another's presence. Once they were done, the stepped out and Chris grabbed a towel and started to dry her. He had become quiet, lost in thought. He was drying her shoulders, using his hands more than the towel.
"Is something wrong?" Sheva asked, becoming uncomfortable with the silence.
Chris was taken aback. "No. Why do you ask?"
She turned around and looked into his brown eyes. "You just got quiet all of a sudden. Are you sure you're alright?"
He tucked a lock of damp hair behind her ear. "In the past, did we ever…get together?"
Sheva knew what he meant. She was wondering when he was ever going to ask. "No, at least, not really. When we first met, I had the biggest crush on you," she said sheepishly. Chris chuckled. "But Jill needed you and I didn't want to keep you from her. So I stayed back and kept my mouth shut. She loved you so much and she still does. Anyways, when I moved to America, you were helping me move in to my new place and we talked for hours."
The look in Sheva's eyes was distant, as if she was in another time. "I guess you could say we had a moment. I don't know. It went so fast and then I pushed you away. I felt like a home wrecker. We never talked about it and acted like it never happened. So really we've just been friends."
Chris stayed quiet. The memories that had come back to him not so long ago were still slightly foggy. But he did notice that none of the memories he had with her were ever romantic. He could recall having feelings for her, though.
"What do you mean by a 'moment'?" he asked.
She smiled, "You kissed me and believe me; I kissed you back. Then I freaked out and it was over. It got really awkward and you left after that. Then life went back to normal, I guess."
The memory became vivid at that point for Chris. He could remember opening boxes and helping her put things away. They talked openly and freely and after a while they settled down and rested. He remembered her talking about her time in college. She had said that even though she studied in America, she never actually got the chance to travel and that she'd like to sometime. Then she opened up about her past and he became so enchanted with her. He listened to her and he almost fell asleep just listening to the soothing tones of her voice. Just like it was now.
They had talked for hours. Then when she was getting up to start unpacking again, he spontaneously pulled her down to him and kissed her with so much affection. Sheva was right about the fact that she did kiss him back; and with just as much warmth as she was receiving from him. Then, out of the blue, when things were starting to become intense and hot, she pushed him away.
She hid her face in her hands and asked herself how she could do this. She apologized to him and told him that it was a mistake and reminded him that he was in love with Jill. He had forgotten about Jill and soon realized the consequences kissing Sheva had. It had indeed gotten awkward and he quickly said goodbye and left. And that was it. They never talked about it and went on with life.
He never told Jill, because he knew she was already in a fragile state from being a prisoner of Wesker. He couldn't hurt her like that. But man, he felt so guilty. Not only because he had been unfaithful to Jill but also because he had put Sheva in that spot. He never worked up the courage to apologize to her for kissing her though. But, actually he knew why he couldn't. It was because he wasn't sorry. He wanted to kiss her at the time and he wanted to kiss her again. And again, and again.
He never acted upon his desire though. Sheva never implied that she wanted him to and he was still with Jill. Chris could remember that at the time he cared Jill. He guessed he still did to a certain extent, but he couldn't remember her well enough to know.
He was brought back to the present when he felt Sheva's hand on his cheek. He looked at her and saw that she had a smile on her face—that beautiful, perfect smile she always had.
"I love you," he said as he pulled her into a tight hug.
She sighed happily and rested her cheek against his chest. "I love you, too. Very much."
They didn't do much for the rest of the day. They lay around, talking and making love. They were like teenagers who had discovered the amazingness that was sex and could not stop touching and caressing each other. They decided they wanted to go to the bar that night and have a farewell drink to Edonia, both praying they'd never have to come back here.
It wasn't until the wee hours of the night when they got back. They both were exhausted from having sex all day and then getting drunk. But both also had to admit that it was a great day. Sheva rested her head on his chest and placed a leg on top of his and they were soon fast asleep wrapped in each other's arms.
Author's note: Love is in the air my friends! Hope you enjoyed this chapter and please leave a review and favorite/follow this story!
In the next chapter, we're off for America and Chris and Claire are reunited!
See you on Thursday, Sarai.