Chapter 22: Deciding Upon A Mission
Author's note: Happy Hump Day! Haha. Hope you all are having a wonderful day and please read on! I really like this chapter :).
To Sheva Redfield: Honestly, I find incredibly flattering that you want to read the next chapter right away! Thank you for continuing to read my story :). Bye!
To Justsomegirl17: Thanks! Oh, and don't worry about coming up with intricate reviews. Just that you type a few words are appreciative enough! Hahaha, I hope Sheva gets really sick, if you know what I mean ;D. Oh, that sounded really bad! Maybe it is Jill…hmmm, maybe she's hiding the time machine! Arrivederci, my dearest!
To Sivan IXXX: I agree. Every couple has to fight once in a while. How will they survive otherwise! With how much 'pillow fights' they did in Edonia, Shev better be pregnant. I mean really! Hahaha. Wedding bells? You can hear them, too?
To Fugisawa Loser: You are correct. And they worked overtime! Haha.
To ShevaGiulia: It's sweet how he needs her. I feel like that's the same way as well as in the game, too. She had to keep him in reality and she helped him the whole way through :). Thank you my love!
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the RE characters in this story. Capcom does.
Chris shook his hand tentatively. He didn't know the man in front of him, but the man knew him.
"So what's going on Piers?" Sheva asked while she watched the two shake hands.
Piers let go of Chris's hand and crossed his arms over his chest. "Well, things are happening in Lanshiang, China and it appears that the C-Virus might have been exposed there."
"Are you serious? Are you sure that this is happening?" Sheva asked rapidly, taking a step towards Piers.
Piers nodded sternly, "Positive. It seems a number of growing cases have affirmed that the C-Virus is playing a part with whatever these cases are. We need to get over to China quickly before the virus spreads. We called for Captain Redfield to come back, because he's dealt with the C-Virus before."
Sheva was about to say something but Chris spoke over her, "What? I don't even know what the C-Virus is and you want me to go to God knows where and fight? I'm sorry, but that's not happening."
"Captain, we need you there. The team needs you there," Piers said while looking into his eyes with assertion in his voice.
"I'm not going."
Piers growled under his breath, "You have to. For the team!"
Chris could feel his anger rising and his blood boiling. "I don't have to do shit."
Sheva stepped in front of Chris and placed a hand on his chest. She looked at Piers with an apologetic look, "If he says he won't, Piers, he doesn't have to."
"Don't tell me you're too scared?" Piers asked, belittling him.
Chris tried to take a step towards him but couldn't move with Sheva in front of him. "I'm not scared of anything! I'm being the smart one here and saying no. I'm not going to go out there and get another team killed."
Sheva looked to Chris, dumbfounded. "Killed? Chris, what do you remember?"
Chris suddenly was hit with flashes memories and images. He took a step back and rubbed his temples. In his head, he saw things that looked like cocoons that were yellow colored and looked slimy. Then he saw a man, a young man, reaching out to him. Then the images and memory cut out.
"Chris? Honey, what's wrong?" he heard a feminine voice calling to him. Sheva's voice slowly became clear and he looked to her.
"Nothing's wrong, I'm alright. Just a headache."
Piers scoffed, "A headache? Do you remember me at all? Do you remember the team? Finn Macauley?"
Chris shook his head violently, trying to rid Piers' voice from the room. "Will you shut up already?"
Piers took a few steps towards Chris, "So that's it? You're just going to cower away and hide?"
Chris's anger was beyond controllable and he swung his arm at Piers. However, Piers caught his fist in his hand and stared into his eyes with such intense proclaim.
"What's it going to be Captain? Are you going to fight?"
Chris pulled his hand out of Piers' and looked to floor, trying to collect his thoughts then looked to Sheva. She was looking at him with concern and anticipation written all over her face. She stepped towards him and placed a hand on his bicep.
"You don't have to go, Chris. But it's up to you. If your gut is telling you to go, then follow it. But don't do it because you feel obligated."
He nodded and looked into her eyes for a moment. He took a deep breath and looked at Piers. "I'll go."
Worry was the first thing to wash over Sheva. She was scared something might happen to Chris in China, something she can't control. She nodded to him, accepting his decision and decided for herself as well.
"I'm going, too," she said matter-of-factly.
"No, you're not," they said in unison.
Sheva looked at them both, angered at their response. "Yes, I am. I'm going to China with both of you."
Chris pulled her to the side of the room, "Shev, you can't. I can't have you there…I'd be worrying about you the whole time and I wouldn't be able to focus on the mission."
"I can fight for myself, Chris. I'll be fine."
The way Sheva was acting reminded Chris of the girl he had teased only a week or two ago, when she had said she was strong enough and could fight her own battles. Chris smiled at the memory. That was the first time he admitted to himself he liked her when in Edonia.
"Please, Sheva. I know you're strong, but I will screw everything up if I know you're fighting some monster and in danger."
"Chris is right, Sheva. You need to stay here. We need you to help with the research and rescue team for the mission here, so we can have contact to HQ," Piers said sitting on the edge of his desk.
Sheva could just slap and yell at them both and tell them she was going. But she wasn't in the mood to fight with two boneheads, who were claiming they were just trying to protect her.
'Whatever,' she thought with attitude.
"Fine," she said with disdain in her voice. "But if either of you get hurt, it's your fault. And you will know, I could have been there to back you up but you told me to stay back."
Piers laughed and Chris nodded. They talked a little more about the details and Piers announced they'd be leaving very soon, within the next few days, possibly tomorrow. Sheva wanted to get out of there; she was still slightly angry and felt claustrophobic in the small office. She and Chris were about to leave when Piers asked if he could talk to Sheva alone. Chris said he'd be in the lobby waiting for her.
As soon as Chris left, Piers spoke up, "What's going on between you two?"
Sheva sat down in the chair in front of his desk, looking at him. "I don't know what you mean."
"Don't lie to me, Sheva. There's something going on and you could get in trouble."
"I won't get in trouble, Piers. We're not mission partners anymore. It's my personal life anyway, the BSAA can't do anything about that," she said while she sat back in the chair.
"Just be careful, alright? If either of you slow down a mission because of one another, then you could get demoted or something," he said.
"Piers, Chris and I are professional about everything we do with the BSAA. Neither of us will slow down anything and we'll keep our relationship out of the office."
Piers went back to his chair at his desk and puffed air from his lungs. "Fine. You can go."
Sheva stood and headed for the door, she was about to leave but she turned back and smiled at him, "Be safe on the mission Piers. And please watch out for Chris."
Piers nodded and waved her out of his office. Once he saw the door close, he threw his head back and stared up at the ceiling. For a while now, he had had feelings for Sheva, basically a crush on her. He knew the BSAA wouldn't really do anything about hers and Chris's relationship as long as they kept it in their personal lives, but he was so surprised by the discovery of their new relationship. He admitted he was slightly jealous of Chris, because he got the girl. He was going to ask Sheva out when she got back from Edonia, but that idea was quickly shot. He really had no chance with her now.
He sat up in his chair and thought about what she requested from him. He was going to watch out for Chris, whether or not she asked that of him. But now, for sure, he was going to make sure the Captain avoided injury and he would have his back the whole time. He just hoped that Chris was ready to fight again and hoped that he wouldn't remember Ada Wong.
Before Chris had a chance to really walk into the lobby of the BSAA, he heard someone calling out his name. He saw a burnet woman smiling and walking towards him.
"Chris!" Jill stopped right in front of him and looked up at him, "How are you?"
"Hey Jill," he said her name a little too slowly, as if he was either hesitant or not sure if he was saying her name right.
Jill did her best to stifle a laugh, "Yeah, it's me Jill. How are you doing, Chris?"
Chris sighed in relief, glad that he remembered her name. "I'm good, how are you?"
She could feel the awkwardness rising, "I'm very well. How's your memory?"
Chris was surprised by her bluntness; however, he remembered her always being direct. "Uh, it's coming along, I guess. I can't really say how I'm doing, but I think I'm remembering a lot more."
"I'm glad to hear that. This is kind of weird, I have to admit," she said with an arched eyebrow. "Anyway, how's Sheva?"
"Shev is in Piers' office talking to him. But from what she tells me, she's good."
"Good. Sheva is a nice girl and I like her, so be good to her," Jill said frankly.
Chris just stared at her, "Yeah, I know, Jill. I'll always be good to Sheva."
Jill smiled widely, "You better! She cares for you a lot."
"Jill, I know. I care for her a lot too. What is this? I feel like I'm talking to some dad interrogating me about my intentions with his daughter…"
"Yeah, sorry about that. I just want to see the both you happy. Look, Chris, I'm sorry for everything I did and said to you before you went to Edonia. I've wanted to say sorry ever since you left, but then you went missing and, well…the rest is history," she said in a small voice.
Chris was silent. He wasn't sure how to respond. He didn't really know what she was talking about, but he said, "I don't know exactly what your apologizing for, Jill. But it's okay. Whatever it was is in the past, right?"
Jill nodded softly, "Right."
"And as for me and Sheva, we are happy. Thank you for worrying," he said while he put his hand on her shoulder, trying to reassure her.
"I'm happy for you two. Really, I am." She looked behind Chris and waved with a warm smile, "Sheva, hi!"
Sheva walked over to them and hugged Jill, "Hi Jill, whatcha up to?"
"I was just talking to the oversized man here," she said as she nodded at Chris.
"Oversized man?" he asked in disbelief.
Sheva laughed, "He is pretty big."
Chris watched as the two went back and forth teasing him. He wished they'd leave him alone but he was pleasantly surprised by how well they got along. Chris cleared his throat trying to gain their attention, but they kept talking. He cleared his throat more rough and loud and finally they looked up at him.
"You're going to tear up your throat if you keep doing that you know," Jill said.
Chris scoffed at her. The two just laughed again and hugged.
"I guess someone's getting grumpy," Jill said while laughing. "I'll see you soon."
"I seems so," Sheva shot Chris a teasing look. "Bye Jill."
They said goodbye and parted ways. Sheva held onto Chris's hand as they called for a cab, neither really sure where they wanted to go. When they got into the back seat of the taxi, Sheva gave the driver directions to a place Chris didn't know. This driver was much more tolerable than the one before. He was quiet and didn't bother talking to them.
Sheva talked to Chris, but he wasn't really listening. He was too caught up in his thoughts; thinking about his next mission. He wondered what the C-Virus was and what kind of things would that be trying to kill him this time. He was glad that Sheva was going to be in New York where it was relatively safe and with Claire. He didn't know what would happen or what he would do if he knew Sheva was hurt.
The cab came to a stop on a busy street and Sheva made sure to hand the cab driver the cash before Chris opened the door. She said thank you and followed Chris out.
"I hope you're hungry, because I am and were going to this diner," she said while pointing at a small restaurant.
Chris chuckled, "Yeah, I guess I'm hungry."
They walked into the small diner, their hands linked, and seated themselves at a small, two-person table. A waiter came by and they order waters. She was quiet and Chris thought that maybe he should have been paying more attention to her in the cab.
"You alright?" he asked, looking into her eyes.
"Huh? Oh, yeah, I'm fine," she said. She stared at her hands resting on the table. "Actually, no I'm not. Chris I want to go to China with you."
Chris sighed and reached over to grab her hand, "Shev, it's not a good idea. If you're there, possibly getting hurt, I wouldn't be able to focus on the mission at all."
"But Chris—"
"No buts, Sheva. You're staying here. If you got hurt or worse, I wouldn't be able to live with myself. So, please, stay here with Claire and stay safe," he pleaded.
Sheva wouldn't look at him. Her stomach had been uneasy all morning and she felt dizzy. "But what if you get hurt?"
He held onto her hands tighter, "Sheva, look at me."
She looked into his eyes reluctantly. "Shev, I'm going to be fine. Granted, I don't know what the C-Virus is but I'll be on high alert, watching my team and my own back. Alright? I promise I'll be coming home."
She looked back down at her hands and nodded. "You better come home, Christopher."
"I will, sooner than you know it. And you better be ready for me," he said in a sensual tone.
Sheva forced out a laugh. She was still uneasy about him going to China and she felt even worse knowing that he was going to be an ocean away. She could feel her stomach tightening. She let go of his hand and excused herself. She didn't wait for Chris to say anything; she was up and headed for the ladies room. She burst in through the door and went to the first stall. She hunched over the bowl and heaved up her early breakfast. After a few moments, she gathered enough strength in her limbs to stand and wash her mouth out with water at the sink.
"Why do I feel so sick?" she asked herself.
"Maybe you've got a bun in the oven," a woman said as she walked out of a stall. She had light hair and bright eyes.
Sheva stared at the woman, "What are you talking about?"
The woman scoffed, "I mean, maybe you're pregnant."
"I can't be pregnant. Too soon."
"Never too soon, honey. You could be starting symptoms. But, who knows, maybe you're not pregnant."
Sheva turned back to the sink and washed her hands. She looked at her reflection and studied herself. She looked normal, maybe a little tired but that's because she had a lot on her mind. She couldn't be pregnant. She and Chris only slept together a week or two ago. It was too early to show any signs. She remembered they didn't use any condoms though…
She shook her head, waved at the woman and walked out the door. She saw Chris sitting forward in his chair, watching her come towards him. His face was written with worry and concern.
He stood when she was near, "Sheva, what's wrong? Are you alright?"
She rubbed his arm and sat down, "I'm fine Chris, just a little sick. I think I lost my appetite though."
"Let's go then. We can go see a doctor."
"No, it's alright. Let's just go home," she said.
Chris put a few dollar bills on the table to cover the tip. He grabbed onto Sheva's hand and watched her carefully. He was worried about her. He worried that she was feeling sick because he was leaving her for a little while. He hoped that wasn't the case, because sadly, he couldn't do anything about it.
They made it home and Sheva plopped down on the couch. She held her stomach and curled into a fetal position, doing her best to get comfortable and ignore the pains.
'I can't be pregnant. I can't. It's too soon to show signs and I take birth control. Oh, God, we need to start using protection,' she thought, not daring to speak aloud. She didn't want to scare Chris, especially now that he was going onto a very important mission.
Chris walked over to Sheva and kneeled by the couch. He ran his fingers through his hair while he studied her expression. Her eyes were closed and she held her knees to her chest, "What's wrong?"
"Nothing's wrong, Chris. Stop asking."
He removed his hand from her hair and sighed.
Sheva opened her eyes and looked at him apologetically, "I'm sorry. Thank you for worrying, but I'll be feeling better really soon. I know it."
He just stared at her, not knowing what to say let alone what to think. He worried for her, but he knew she was strong. He leaned over and kissed her forehead.
"Can I get you anything?" he asked.
"A blanket maybe?"
Chris smiled and slipped his arms under her. She made an 'oof' sound and held onto his arms, making sure not fall out. He held her and walked into the bedroom and placed her on the bed. He pulled the blankets over her and kissed her forehead.
"Get some rest," he said as he looked down at her.
She simply nodded and pulled the blankets tighter around her, "Thank you."
Just as Chris was about walk out, he heard Sheva's phone ring. It was in her pocket, so she sat up and pulled it out. She flipped it open and held it to her ear, "Alomar."
"Sheva, I need to talk to Chris," Piers said on the other line.
Sheva scoffed under breath. She reached the phone over to Chris, "It's Piers. He says he need to speak with you."
Chris grabbed the phone from her and held it to his ear, "Yeah?"
"Captain, we will be moving out at 900 tomorrow morning to head for China. Be ready."
"I'll see you then," Chris said then shut the phone. He placed the phone on the nightstand.
"What was that?" Sheva asked, obviously curious.
Chris sat down on the bed, "We're leaving for China in the morning."
Sheva sat up and looked at him. She knew he was leaving for the mission, but not so soon. "In the morning? Does it have to be so soon?"
Chris sat down on the edge of the bed and admired her beauty, "I know. I wish it wasn't so soon, but the sooner I can get it done, the sooner I'll be back home with you."
"You're right, but we just got back…"
He ruffled her hair playfully, "Yeah, I know."
She kissed his cheek and pulled the blankets off of her. She stood and walked towards the dresser and pulled open a drawer. She dug through clothing for a small while then she found what she was looking for. She closed the drawer and walked in front of Chris.
She opened her palm and inside laid a necklace with a silver chain and small pendant hanging from it. "It was my father's. He only wore it on special occasions, but it always looked nice on him. I want you to have it."
Chris watched her lips as she talked. He looked down to the necklace in her hand and said, "Shev, are you sure? It means a lot to you…"
"You mean a lot to me, Chris. Yes I'm sure." She unclasped the necklace and wrapped it around his neck. She leaned over him to see the clasps connect and lay flat on his neck and shoulders. She looked at the humble jewelry and ran her fingers along the chain. She kissed his forehead and hugged him.
Chris held her to him, "I care for you a lot, too Shev, so much. I love you."
She hugged him tighter, "I love you, too, Chris. Please be careful in China."
He lowered her onto the bed and pushed the blankets back on top of her. He brushed the bangs off her forehead and kissed her temple. If it was up to him, he'd make love to her all night before he left. But the moment was already perfect and she wasn't feeling well enough to roll around all over the bed and probably the apartment.
"I'll do my best. I'll be okay. Now get some rest."
Sheva soon fell asleep and her stomach had settled down slightly. It was still in knots but she knew that was from worry and stress for Chris. Before she slipped into slumber, she prayed to God that he protect her lover and friend and to please bring him back home to her soon.
Author's note: What a wonderful present that was Sheva gave him :). I want to mention that the necklace exchange was ShevaGiulia's idea! She suggested I put it in the story and I loved it, so it made it in there :) Hope you all enjoyed it and I'd love if you could review and favorite/follow for me!
In the next chapter, Sheva confides in Claire about what she's feeling and Chris lands in China. If you've played RE6 or watched walkthroughs of it on YouTube, you know what goes down in China!
See you all on Friday, Sarai :).