XXII. Falling Out Of Place
"What seems to us as bitter trials are often blessings in disguise." – Oscar Wilde
Going back and forth with setting her purse down then picking it up, Claire argued with Sheva over the phone. She gripped the phone tighter in her hand when Sheva told her once again that it wasn't necessary for her to come over. Knowing that something was terribly wrong but also not knowing what it was that was wrong, Claire wanted to yell at Sheva for being so secretive.
"Really, Claire," Sheva repeated. "Everything is fine. Please stop worrying."
The shakiness in Sheva's voice was evident, giving clear indication that everything was not fine and indeed Claire needed to worry. Finally settling with the fact that Sheva wouldn't allow her to come over, she sat on the couch in her own home, taking a deep breath to calm her jittery nerves.
Ever since last night, Christmas evening, all was not right in Claire's world. Sheva had thrown a dinner party for the holiday and it seemed to be going splendid. That was until something had happened between Sheva and Chris. The thing is Claire had no idea what it was that made Chris leave in a hurry while pulling Jill along with him. She had tried calling her brother that morning but he was already on his way to the small outbreak close to Canada, leaving her only option for answers to Sheva. The night prior, Sheva was too disorderly as she cried that she was in no ability to speak or explain what had happened with Chris. Claire had hoped maybe something romantic happened, but the longer she went without knowing the real reason, the more she doubted it was romantic.
"Fine. I'm not coming over, but will you just please tell me what happened last night?" Claire begged, twisting the hem of her shirt anxiously.
"Nothing happened," was Sheva's only response.
A scoff escaped the redhead's lips. "Like hell nothing did. Sheva, I know something happened. Chris would never leave so abruptly like that and you wouldn't have cried like you did if nothing happened."
There was a long silence on the other line. Finally, Claire could hear her friend sigh a shaky sigh. "Please Claire. I'm tired and I don't really want to talk about it."
Ready to throw a cushion at someone, Claire took yet another deep breath. "Will you tell me tomorrow? Or at least soon? If something really bad happened, I have the right to know. You're my best friend and he's my brother. How are you two going to handle being in the same room together if you don't open up to someone?"
"I'll deal with it when it happens."
"Alright, fine. If you don't deal with it at work with him, then you'll have to deal with it at Becca's party. And since you won't tell me, I hope it's really awkward for the both of you," she stated with an annoyance in her voice.
"Claire, stop. Don't be so rude when you don't know what happened," Sheva ordered.
"Then tell me what happened and I won't be rude!" The irritation of her friend's attitude and the fact that she didn't know what the hell was going on made Claire beyond peeved. "If you don't tell me then I'm going to force it out of Chris and make him tell me everything." What Sheva said next made Claire take a few steps back.
"Please don't say his name," Sheva whispered so quietly that Claire wasn't sure if she had actually said anything.
"Ugh, Sheva, please just tell me what happened. I won't be angry or judgmental."
"Before I talk to anyone, I need to talk to him or at least get past this," she explained tiredly.
Sighing heavily, Claire fell back on the couch and closed her eyes. "So you admit something's wrong?"
The silence returned, staying for nearly ten seconds. "Yes," the woman on the other line said. "Something is wrong and I have to fix it, Claire."
Neither feeling satisfied nor glad that Sheva finally admitted something was wrong, Claire knew this was a fight not worth fighting to get information out of her friend. "Okay. If that's what you have to do, then do it quick, Sheva. I hate seeing you like this and I hate being out of the loop. Please be okay and talk to me soon, alright?"
"Alright, Claire," she surrendered. "I'm trying to get through this."
"Then don't make yourself go through this alone. Don't you understand? I'm here for you no matter what and I want to help."
"I know, Claire, I know. I have to go. Goodnight, Claire."
As Claire was halfway saying her goodbye, Sheva had hung up the phone and left Claire to a dead line. Tossing the phone to the side, Claire rubbed her eyes roughly while trying to come up with ideas of what was all happening. Not at all scared or surprised, she felt Leon's hand rest on her thigh gently.
"It's all right, Claire," Leon murmured. "She'll talk to you and so will Chris. Just give it some time."
She welcomed Leon's arms as he pulled her up and into his lap, resting her head on his shoulder. "What if it's my fault?" she asked. "What if I was pushing them too hard and now they hate each other and me because of what I did."
"Well, maybe this is your lesson to leave certain things alone. Especially if it wasn't your business in the first place." Claire frowned but listened. "They won't hate you. Neither of them could ever hate you. Just let it go for now and let things fall into place like they should."
Winter in northern Montana was a bitch. It felt like your fingers would break off at any moment, but it was so cold you would have no sensation of your fingers falling off. This was the least of concerns on Chris's mind, though. As he leaned against the Humvee, he pulled a long drag on his cigarette while he watched on as his team patted one another on their backs, cheering that the mission was finished.
The outbreak on the border of Canada and America was neither small nor big. It was the size and severity that one team could handle if they knew what they were doing. Chris had pride in his team. They were good, strong men that not only followed orders easily but knew how to survive if they were separated from the group. However, with the new addition to Alpha, Chris chose to stay away from the celebration that was now going on a few yards away from him.
He watched as one of his most dedicated members, Marco Rose, raised a hand to signal for the team to quiet. Marco spoke aloud as he patted Piers on the back.
"Can we all just take a moment to congratulate this punk right here," Marco exclaimed as he grabbed Piers' shoulder and gave him a friendly shake. "Who did so well on his first mission with Alpha!"
Everyone calmly cheered the youngest agent in their team. Even some joked how Piers had saved their ass with his excellent sniper skills. Piers remained humble, thanking them all and recalling moments of the mission with them. He laughed with Alpha as Chris stood further away with a frown on his face.
Yeah, Nivans did well on his first mission on his team, but there was a lot more going on between them than just an outbreak in winter. Even though he'd never openly admit this, Chris was resentful of the guy. Throughout the entire mission, Chris had one thing on his mind and that one thing was Sheva. His thoughts would start out with sadness—depression would creep up on him as he thought how she had retreated from him once again in his life. Then they'd drift off to anger—he'd boil over the reminder that she called what happened between them last night a "mistake". And lastly, his thoughts would turn to plan for revenge—she had hurt him all over again and it hurt just as bad as all the others times. He wanted her to hurt like he did. He wanted her to feel the rejection he felt. He wanted her to feel that anguish when something you so badly wanted and needed is taken away from you when it was only inches from you. He wanted her to feel the way he felt.
Watching Piers get along with his team, it riled him up and urged him to make Sheva pay for what she had done. Terrible thoughts that Piers would go home to her and have her all to his self, made Chris rage inside. If Sheva made sure he couldn't be happy, then he wanted to make sure she wasn't either. All he needed to do was get her alone, then do his work. He was going to wreak havoc.
Clicking the mute button, Sheva placed the remote on her nightstand and let the flashing lights of the television illuminate her bedroom. She spent her night alone, refusing anymore calls from Claire or Rebecca, not evening enjoying the company of Fat Marvin for he didn't want to be around her. For some horrible reason, the feline kept his distance, as if angry with her about something.
She stared at the ceiling as she thought about her predicament. She hadn't cried anymore since last night about what happened between she and Chris, but maybe that was because she had cried all the moisture out of her eyes to be able to produce any more tears. Her mind swarmed with polar opposite thoughts as her hands gripped the comforters she lay on.
Regret was already running through her body for what had happened between her and Chris last night. She regretted kissing him because it meant that whatever friendship they had built was now back to zero percent. Whether friendship could be rebuilt was a whole other thought for another day. She also regretted what she had done to her and Piers' relationship. She'd have to tell him, right? She'd have to tell him that she had kissed Chris but she had also initiated the kiss.
The worst part of it was that her thoughts were not really on Piers nor her true woe over what occurred. The worst part was the tingling in her body as she thought of Chris. The way his body had felt against hers for that short time. It brought back so many memories when they spent that time together in Lagos. She'd try to shake this feeling for it stirred her until it was painful. When she had felt his warmth last night, it was like this hunger rose inside of her and she was hungry for him.
She was hungry for his touch, for the contact of his skin on hers, the sensation of him kissing her everywhere. She wanted to feel him and she wanted him to feel her. She lusted for him like she hadn't in a long time. God, she wanted him so badly.
But this was wrong. She shouldn't be lusting and longing for a man that wasn't hers. It was wrong when she already had someone and so did Chris. This was all wrong, but that didn't stop what her body was doing. The more she thought of it all, the more she thought of her time with Chris years ago in Africa. The way he made her feel. So insecure yet so beautiful at the same time. How he seemed to make every nerve in her body shake with pleasure. When he'd revive all the passion in her blood as he devoted himself into her desire.
Before she knew it, her left hand was trailing down her abdomen and past the waistband of her underwear as she thought more and more of her time of pleasure with Chris. Even if she tried, he wasn't leaving her thoughts anytime soon and this tingling wasn't going to go away for the rest of the night. So she fell into a night of indulgence with her own body as she thought of the man she could never have and as she deceived the man that she was supposed to be devoted to.
Authors note: So much going on! Claire is going crazy not knowing what is happening, Chris is musing over revenge on Sheva, and Sheva is torn between two men but seems to be wishing for one more than the other. Drama-rama.
HolleringHawk65: And I agree with your words. Sheva should have gotten in the pet carrier with Marvin long ago and gone to America. Aw, thank you, I love Creva. But Sheva and Piers together are super cute, So, are they called Alovans? Shiers sounds a little odd, but it still works. You mean as Piers comforts Sheva after what happened between her and Chris? Well, Mr. Nivans has an idea what's going on… But our dearest Piers is a little preoccupied with his mom right now. Thank you! :)
toby7400: Piers is like the oddball between Sheva and Chris because he still has a parent left… A subtle earthquake will happen because of the kiss. Maybe not entirely subtle, but anyways. I was looking on the RE Wiki page and it said Revelations is set one year before Jill flies out the window with Wesker. So yeah, four years before Sheva came along. The RE timeline has caused me more headaches then writing these fan fictions. And thank you for giving me inspiration. Hmm, it'll be further off when Jill should darken her hair, I think. Like a last step before she goes with Carlos or something along those lines.
wolfspiritqueen: It's killing me too! And I'm writing this so I want to bonk myself on the head. I'm kidding. :)
Sheva Redfield: I have mixed emotions about Chris now too. But we both now he's a softie at heart and always wants to do the right thing. However, I will be upset with him until he treats Sheva kindly, haha. I get email alerts when a review comes in, so yes. I read them as the author of the review submits them. Why? I hope school is going well and the family problems smooth out for you very soon. XOXO, bye. :)
mrssherrybirkin: Yay, I'm happy you liked it! Uh yeah, that is sad to think of Piers' mother that way when he kills over… But I think he'll be at peace to know his mother wouldn't suffer and grieve over his death, right? Oh, I don't know. It's all sad. Thank you. I can't wait either! :)
TheHappening: OH MY! Thank you, hope you like the update. :D
ShevaGiulia: Haha. The wine just loosened Sheva up a little that's all. Eek, I agree about more than once is enough, but it'll happen one or two more times in the story… D: Haha, right? I'd throw all my fears too the side if Chris was there! Thanks. :)
boristmortys: Haha, Fat Marvin wasn't fast enough to come to the rescue on Christmas because he is too fat! But that's okay because the best cats are fat. Awesome, thank you. I think I know what I want to do with Carlos. I just have to come up with a name for his organization and exactly what it's for. Hmm, I guess no one walked in on Chris and Sheva because it was meant to be uninterrupted?
Mss. KB: Aw, thank you! I'm super-duper happy you like it, Miss K. :)
JustSomeGirl17: Nah, if you got rid of the kids then you'd probably start to miss them! Haha, Chris has standards with who he hits, though he seemed to really wanna beat up Carla… :P I'm still pissed off about that bullet grazing his cheek when Jake shot him! Such a badass. Haha, of course I remember Peach Hulk! So Carlos better watch his face and look out for punches around Chris? It'd probably be a good idea, and Piers should do the same. :) Sheva is playing the field, no? Haha, she's just going wild in America that's all. ;D Yeah, Piers' momma is mentally sick. I didn't want Piers to be a complete orphan like Chris and Sheva! D: The gag reel would possibly be the best thing ever! But if this was a TV show, I'd make an effort to keep up with it. :D Arrivederci, dearest cherry blossom!
In the next chapter, it's the last major holiday; New Year's Eve. Lots of stuff goes down including this "revenge attack" of Chris's on Sheva. The plan doesn't go as expected and might just dig Chris a bigger hole. Piers opens up to Sheva about his ill mother and Sheva still has heavy guilt for what she's done. Yadda, yadda.
-Sarai
