Regeneration

Chapter 5: Snow Day

*Important note. All places and street names are made up. I have never been to Colorado.

Claire Redfield

"Great! You got the shirt?" I said into the phone.

"I told Sheva to stop telling people about the boulder thing. We were in a serious situation with Wesker, and it had to be done."

"Doesn't make it any less funny."

"So when are you coming to visit me?"

"Chris, just because you're on break doesn't mean I am too."

"You can't go off to some zombie-infested city and fight without me. I'll go crazy worrying."

"You know that's not what I'm doing. I hung up my gun a long time ago, Chris, but I'm still working towards beating these viruses.

"And I get prouder of you every day. Maybe I'll come over to you."

"What?" I said. "I thought they were making you take six months off?"

"Ha. I chose to take the six months off. To look after Piers, remember?" Chris said. "So don't think I can't find out where you are, get there, and beat your ass for not listening to me." Chris said, laughing. "None of your little escapades, remember? There are men and women out there who will do it regardless. You aren't one of them, hear me?" Chris challenged.

"Sorry, whadja say?" I said, smirking against the phone, but deep down I knew I would have to listen to Chris. He was right, it would only be fair to stay safe while he was looking after his friend. Plus, he knew more about this war than I did.

"You heard me, you little smartass." Chris said, but I could hear him stifling a laugh too. "Stay where you are, unless it's to visit us."

"You really care about your friend, huh?" I said. Chris was silent for quite a while. After about ten seconds, he sighed, saying "Yeah, I do. He's one of the best friends I have. And even if he wasn't, I'd still stay. This is the cure for the virus, you understand that, don't you? This could potentially reverse all the damage done in the last fifteen years, with work."

"Yeah, I get that. I'll come visit you sometime, okay?"

"I'll be waiting." he said. "Bye Chris, love you. Stay well." I said.

"Love you too, Claire. Bye." he said, hanging up.

I took a deep breath. Well, no China aftermath scene for me. Now what was I gonna do?

Chris Redfield

I sighed and hung up the phone. I hoped Claire would listen to me and that TerraSave wouldn't let her anywhere dangerous. I didn't know how much the infection was still spreading. She could be stubborn before. But then again, so could I. I slipped off of the recliner and thought about checking up on Piers. Actually, I thought, I've seen Piers almost every day for the past two weeks. He may be just about sick of me. I could always call him, I guess. He didn't have a cell phone yet though, so I was hinging on him being in his bedroom. I decided to give it a try.

I picked up and dialed the number on the notepad on my desk. After two rings, the phone was answered. "Hello?" Piers said. "Hey Piers, it's me."

His voice perked up. "Hey Captain—I mean, hi Chris. What's up?"

"Oh, not much. Just thought I'd call if you were in your room. Whatcha been up to?"

There was silence for a few seconds. "Um, not much." he said. "I've been resting a lot more than usual lately. I thought I'd come down and get a dose of some fresh air."

"Great. You want me to come with you? If I can, that is?"

"Sure! Just gimme a minute to get ready and I'll be down in a minute." he said. "Okay then."

With that, I set down my phone, got some warm clothes on, and set off for Piers' quarters. I walked through the B.S.A.A. hallways, and when I got to the end of Piers' designated area, he was waiting for me, wearing a red Dr. Pepper t-shirt and a long black sleeve over his left arm, and sweatpants. I looked him over quickly. "'I'm a Pepper'. Nice." I said with a grin, and he smirked. "It's cold out, Captain." I laughed at that, then noticed his arm. "Holy shit, Piers. That's some serious improvement."

Piers' right arm was now a lot smaller than it had been. There were no bumps or blisters. In fact, his arm looked a lot like a normal arm in shape. It was entirely grey now, with thick, leathery, shiny skin. It was very muscular, disproportionate to the rest of him, but not by as much as it had been. The hand was still overtly large, but there were four distinct fingers and a thumb now. "Yep. The doctors say I have to decide today whether I want them to modify the antivirus."

"What for?"

"They think they can make it where I can keep my bioelectric and aeroaquatic properties or whateverthehell."

We started walking through the corridors. I didn't like the sound of that, and judging by the expression on his face, Piers didn't either. "You think you want to?"

"Actually, no. I just wanna be back to my regular self. No fancy Zeus Nivans crap."

"I can understand that." We were at the lobby now. "It's pretty cold out there Doctor Pepper." I said with another grin. "Really, are you sure that's enough?"

"I'll be fine." he assured me. Then we walked out of the door.

There was a lot more snow on the ground than I remembered seeing. We trudged quickly through the pile blocking the entry doors, with Piers gesturing to the left, indicating he wanted to walk down Copper Street. I followed him quickly, shoving my hands in my jacket pockets. We were silent for a while.

"Piers, I'm really glad you're getting better. You just don't know."

"I'm glad too, Chris." he said quietly.

"You eager to get back in the field?"

"It'll be a great day when I do. You?"

"You know it." I said. We were silent again. I got the feeling that Piers really hadn't thought we needed to talk. I was kind of thinking the same thing. It was nice just to take a walk with my buddy, see him happy and healthy. I could see it starting to snow gently. I opened my mouth and, in a few seconds, felt a snowflake melt on my tongue. "You do that too, huh?" I heard Piers say. I turned to my left and saw his head tilted at me, a small smile playing at his mouth.

"Yeah, sometimes. You?" I said, mimicking his response to me.

"I used to, a few years back. But I haven't had much of a chance to fool around in the snow like I used to. I miss it." he said. I nodded. "You and me both."

We walked quietly for a little while longer. There were surprisingly few people on the street. After a short time, Piers slowed down, coming to a stop at a bench on the sidewalk. He sat down on one side and patted the seat next to him, offering it to me. I took it, sitting down beside him. He leaned back quietly, still not saying anything. I breathed in the cold, fresh, unpolluted air. "Feels like I should have a cigarette in my mouth."

"Feel better without it?"

"Yeah, actually."

"Captain?" Piers asked. "Mmm?" I said.

"Um..."

"What is it?"

"Well, it's just that...We've known each other a while now. And I was wondering..."

"Yeah?" I said. It felt like what Piers wanted to ask was important.

"...what do you want for Christmas?"

I sat there for a minute, feeling like I'd been hit over the head. For some reason, I hadn't thought that was what he'd been about to ask. You'd think the idea of springing for a Christmas gift was on equal terms to asking for a pay raise coming from him. "Wha-? Christmas?" I asked.

"Well, yeah." Piers said, looking away from me. "It's the middle of November." he said, a little defensively. "I thought I should think about it."

"Piers..." I replied, touched. "C'mon, you don't have to—"

"I do! I mean, I want to."

"...Piers..."

"So? What do you want?"

"You really, really don't have to get me anything. It's okay, Piers I'm good to go."

"Well, I'm going to." he said firmly. He looked me straight in the eyes. "It would be easier if you just told me." he said assertively.

I turned away and reached into my shirt pocket for a pack of smokes, not finding any and being frustrated about it. "It's alright, really."

"It is not!"

"Piers, why don't we discuss this later? You being healthy again is my Christmas present."

Piers stared straight at me for a second, clearly surprised. I realized I was surprised, too. Had I really just said that? I must seem clingy or something to him. "Sorry...I just meant that—"

"I know what you mean, Captain." Piers said. There was a look in his eyes I couldn't quite place. I hope it wasn't sadness. If it was sadness, I was going to kick myself. "Why...don't we go back to headquarters, Piers. If anything, now would be a great time to start decorating." I suggested.

"Well, it does sound like fun, decorating...your face!"

In an instant, I found I could no longer see, as a pile of snow had been flung straight at me face. I spat out sleet and water and wiped my eyes clear to find Piers grinning at me, his left hand the guilty one. "You little shit!" I said, laughing. "Come here!" I yelled, grabbing for him, but he was too quick for me. He danced off the bench, reached into the snow on the ground, and shoveled it at me. I raised my arms, covering them in powdery whiteness, and held back a fit of laughter. "You're gonna be eating that snow!"

This really could count as a miracle, I thought briefly. Were we really doing this, were we getting into a snowball fight? What were we, five?

"Let's hope I don't eat most of your meal then." he said, readying another snowball. I hid behind the bench, now laughing uncontrollably, and started hurling snowballs of my own. For the longest time, we took turns throwing snow at each other, with me taking shelter behind the bench, and him dodging freely. It continued like this until he had the fucking nerve to say "What's wrong, Captain? You never hide. And I don't think that thing is covering you too well."

I sprinted out from behind the wooden seat and launched myself at him. I tackled him onto the snow-covered ground, and started wrestling with him, trying to force his hands onto the ground next to his head. I held my feet on his knees so he couldn't roll over. It was a pretty even match. I knew I was pretty strong, but I knew Piers had strength that was almost as much, if not on par with my own. Especially with his mutated one. We kept pushing against each other, me baring my teeth, him just grinning, until my left hand slipped out from his right's grip and landed in the snow next to his face. I wobbled over him and tried to regain my balance, but before I could, I felt Piers' grey hand on my waist.

"Yaaah!" I yelped. I felt electricity surging up my spine, and smelled singed fabric. I rolled off of him and he immediately came to rest in a sitting position beside me. I went to my knees, teeth chattering, holding my side. "Damn, Piers."

"Sorry Chris." he said somberly. "Needed to get you off of me somehow. Did I hurt you?"

"No, I'll be fine."

"Good." I regretted saying those words, immediately finding snow in my face and spitting it out, true to Piers' threat from earlier. "Hahaha, gotcha good, didn't I?"

"You...sure...did..." I said, giggling uncontrollably. My sides hurt, more from the laughter than the pain. "Alright, I give, you win soldier."

"The Great Chris Redfield, surrendering defeat? That's a first."

"And a last." I said, glaring up at him, but still smiling. I got a punch on the arm for my determination. Piers adopted a ridiculous face and said "Ah, and ye shall rise through the ranks, and shall become, the most wondrous snowball-fighter the world has ever known—"

I fell down on the ground again, rolling over on my back, laughing. I couldn't stop, I was having such a good time. To my surprise, Piers laid down next to me in the snow. "Fun?"

"Yeah." I sat up suddenly. "I guess I have to ask you what you want for Christmas, too, huh?"

"Not telling you until you tell me."

"Come on."

"I asked first. It's fair."

I got up and dusted myself off. "Then I'm not telling. I guess you'll just have to surprise me." I said. He raised an eyebrow up at me. "Challenge accepted." he said with a smirk.

"Wipe that grin off your face."

"Try and make me." he said, the grin growing wider. I was tempted to, too. "Well, dammit, maybe some other time. I think it's about time for some coffee, or maybe some hot chocolate, don'tcha think?"

Piers smiled and got up. "Good plan."

Piers and I were sitting, bundled up in blankets, in front of the B.S.A.A. lab, watching the scientists do all their virological and research stuff. None of them really seemed to mind. I had a coffee, and Piers had hot chocolate. It wasn't the ideal holiday scene, but hey, maybe when the holidays finally did come around, a better one would be available.

I looked over at Piers, who was watching the scientists look at an X-ray of his brain, then his arm.

He looked into my eyes. "It would be easier if you just told me."

For a second, I wondered if I, Chris Redfield, were just a little bit clueless.

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