The characters from the game belong to Capcom.

A/N:I'm not English Native speaker, so you might find some typos or grammar mistakes, I do apologize for that. I hope you enjoy it.

Scarlet's POV

I woke up to the sounds of the man moaning by my side and saw him stumble towards the toilet, when I opened my eyes to check on him and saw him spilling his guts in the toilette, there was no doubt that he was wasted. As much as I was cringed off the whole scene, I moved to fetch him a clean towel.

I stayed by his side, while he carried on with emptying his stomach in frequent intervals. I couldn't help but be reminded of my childhood and most importantly of my mother, and how she used to care for my father, when he came home drunk and wasted. Maybe it was her influence that was making me act such a way towards my drunken guest as well. Even the way he cried whilst throwing up was same as my father.

After some time the man finally seemed much better from the hangover, even though he was somewhat sprawled on the bathroom floor. I let out a sigh and fetched him the chair from the dressing table, and set in next to him. With some effort I helped him up on the chair.

"Are you feeling alright?", I asked him looking down at him in concern and pity.

"I… I'm fine", he answered looking up at me and his voice was hoarse.

"You should take a shower", I said looking down at the mess he had on his clothes.

"I don't need a shower", he grumbled.

"Yes you do!", I spoke with a firmness on my voice, "You're not exactly smelling like roses you know."

The man smelled himself and didn't seem to be pleased as well, "I don't care", he said to my surprise, "My daily rate is ending and I cannot pay you for the water bill either. I should get going and find work, so I can pay you back. Thank you for your hospitality", he added annoyed and made an attempt to walk out but I could see that he couldn't really keep his balance.

I didn't really want to and I shouldn't have but I ended up laughing, as I watched him trying to walk out, "And you think you will walk in public with your butt showing off and get some work in those puke stained clothes, not to mention again you smell horrible!"

The guy looked down at his clothes, "But this is only pair of clothes I have", he said.

"Why don't you come here and take a shower", I said putting the chair under the shower, "While I wash those clothes, and clean the mess you made last night."

"I'll go clean that up right away", he turned to head that way.

But I stopped him, grabbing hold of his arm, "You just take a shower and leave the rest to me", and he opened his mouth to say something, "Don't worry about the water bill, I don't mind if your debt is just the water bill."

"Why do you care so much", he asked looking me in the eyes.

"I…", I began but I didn't know the answer to that myself. I hadn't even realized myself that I was going out of my way to help out this stranger, maybe because I was still clouded by my past, "I guess it just seems the right thing to do", I answered with a shrug.

"Thank you!", he said sounding sincerely, "And I am sorry for whatever I did last night, I am not proud of it."

"It's alright", I spoke to him, "Not the first time someone got drunk and got out of control", I let out a sigh remembering my father's drunken tantrums, "Anyways you don't need help with the shower, do you?"

"No, I'll be fine", he answered shaking his head in negative, "It would be too awkward for both of us, for me to be naked like that."

"Okay, then just toss your clothes out of the bathroom and I'll take them", I said stepping out the bathroom.

Chris's POV

I removed my clothes, opened the bathroom door a crack just enough to slip my hand out of it, so I could toss out the dirty clothes to Scarlet. I locked the bathroom door, turned on the shower and stepped under it, not really bothered by the cold water. There were more important things on my mind, like why I acted like that when I saw that news on the TV. What did I remember? Was the news related to me?

"Who am I? What happened to me?", I asked myself, tormented by the memories that I didn't even have.

Scarlet's POV

I cleaned up all the mess in the living room, thoughtful about the recent turn of events and questioning myself, why was I so cool about this man's presence after all the trouble he had caused me so far? I knew that I wasn't thinking straight to just bring home a stranger like this, and it wasn't like he had money to pay for it. I was sheltering a homeless broke guy and I didn't even know why.

"Maybe it's his looks…", I talked to myself and then shook my head, "What am I saying!", I was a little surprised thinking such a way. It wasn't like I hadn't seen handsome men in my life, of course they weren't this hot, but well I should just stop thinking about him. I focused on cleaning and not let these disturbing thoughts get in my way.

I had just finished cleaning, when I noticed the man standing at the entrance of the corridor with just a towel around his waist to cover his lower body. I was really taken aback by such a view, which seemed to be right off some male fitness magazine. He had a very toned and muscular body with perfect abs, and if that wasn't enough his after shower look with his hair wet, added to his sex appeal.

I tried to take it easy, telling myself that it wasn't such a big deal to see such a tall and handsome man, there must be many like him. I looked away from him and moved to put the trash in can but in a clumsy moment, I let accidentally knocked off the trashcan.

"Crap!", I cursed, knowing that I'll have to gather it once again.

"Should I help you with something?", he asked stepping closer to me.

'Yes, you should leave my house so I can I have my old routine back', I thought, "No, it's alright", I replied to him, "I am done with it anyway."

"Okay...", he replied with a slight nod.

"You should start hydrating yourself.", I said stepping away from him, "Once your clothes are dried, I'll take you to that hospital."

"I don't want to go there.", he spoke seemingly not too keen about the thought.

"Well you can't stay here either.", I stated a fact.

"I am not intending to.", he replied shaking his head, "I was already walking out that door…", he stopped in midsentence, "I'll leave when those clothes are dried and start looking for a job, so I can live on my own and settle my debt with you."

"No one gets a job right away, especially in this town.", I spoke practically, "The crisis because of the war is affecting the business. Where would you stay during your search for job, on the street? Make an igloo with the snow?"

"I am sure I'll get a job quickly.", he contested me, "People always need someone to repair something or the other in their houses."

"Yeah but you don't know our language...", I told him, "And most people don't know English here."

He let out a sigh of disappointment, "Don't you know anyone, who could employ me?", he asked me, "I can't mooch off you forever."

"Well most of the people here have independent jobs or run small family stores and as such", I told him thinking about it, "And given the fact that you're a stranger, who has no memory about himself, doesn't even know his name, I don't think it will be easy for you to get a job. It's better for you to go back to the hospital, they'll help you find your family and friends. I'm sure they registered you there!"

"Maybe you're right", the man said looking down at his feet, "But I am not ready for it; I wouldn't have made a run if I was ready to face them. I appreciate your concern but I can't go back there, at least not now. Thanks for your help; I'll manage on my own somehow."

I breathed our heavily, "So here's the deal, you can stay here but you have to make a promise", I didn't even know why I was saying such a thing.

"What promise?", he asked.

"No, alcohol in the house or getting wasted", I stated it as strictly as I could, "As long as you do that you can stay here, of course that's just until you get a job and a place to live. I can't have you repeating last night scene once again, if you do then I won't hesitate to kick you out of my house."

"I promise to not do it again", he agreed to that deal.

"Okay, good then", I was more than relieved to have to know that, "I'll go make breakfast."

(TPOV)

Chris just nodded in response and Scarlet walked to the kitchen to prepare the meal. He walked to the couch and sat down, looking around a little bit. He didn't really remember much of last night and it was clean now but for Scarlet to make such a condition for letting him stay, he knew that it must have been some big deal.

He looked up and just stared blankly at her, while she worked her way in the kitchen. She was humming some tune, which was unfamiliar to him and he assumed that it must be some local song. He cleared his throat to get her attention but she didn't take notice of it.

"So…", Chris began a little loudly and she looked his way, "Was I really bad last night?", he asked her feeling remorseful.

Scarlet gave him one long look before replying, "I don't really know, I wasn't here when you had your drunken fit.", she continued to cook breakfast, "But I don't want to see my home trashed every time I return from work and I can definitely do without the attention from the neighbors. I already have plenty of it."

"I am sorry for all the embarrassment I caused you...", he apologized to her once again and just felt worse every time he did it, "I don't know what happened, but believe me I am not like this."

"How can you be so sure?", she asked him letting out a slight laugh while she poured coffee for them, "You don't remember anything about yourself."

"Don't my feelings count?", he asked her feeling really ashamed about it all.

"As far as I know drunkards tend to have raw emotions for every fleeting moment", she commented, "So, no it doesn't really count in your case."

Chris looked down feeling guilty and knowing that whatever she said was right. He was still struggling with those invisible demons and they could jump on him sooner or later. He couldn't convince the woman that he'll fight those demons, when he himself didn't know what they looked like.

He sighed lifting his eyes to the woman and following her every move. She intrigued him. She wasn't the really talkative type, but she used to say the right things at the right time. She had good intentions, but she kept herself at a distance. And even after she had seen so many shades of him, when he was at the cold, or when he was wasted and naked at the bathroom, she still looked at him the same way she did before.

"Breakfast's ready! Come and have your fill", Scarlet called out to him, taking a seat on the small table herself.

Chris moved to join her on the small table, taking his seat in right front of her. They ate in complete silence and barely looked at each other. Chris was the first to finish his meal but he stayed at the table, sipping on to his black coffee.

"I just hope my clothes dry soon enough", he made a random comment, just to break the silence.

The woman looked at him somewhat thoughtfully, "About that", she spoke wiping her face on a napkin, "I guess we have to get you some clothes. I mean you can't do away with just one pair of hospital dress."

"True", he agreed to her.

"I have a friend whose build is just like you and he owes me some favors", she told him, "So let me ask him if he can spare his old clothes to you."

"That would be great", Chris said delighted, "Another favor in my debt book."

"Okay so I'd head out to get them in a bit", she said lifting herself off the table, "Let me take care of the few things", she added moving to take their dirty.

"Let me do it", Chris said stopping her by grabbing hold of her hand, "I really don't want to be a burden on you, so let me do what little I can do."

"Alright", she agreed and he took those dirty dishes to the kitchen.

"And also you can have your bed from tonight", he spoke while doing the dishes, "I'll take the couch."

Scarlet laughed a little, "I don't think you'll fit in the two seat couch, Handsome", she said to him and before Chris could say anything to her, "I have a sleeping bag, you can sleep in that."

"Okay that's fine too", Chris agreed to that.

"So you carry on with your work, I'll go have a shower and then go out to get those clothes", she said moving away and left him be.

Scarlet took a quick shower and dressed herself in her everyday winter clothes and headed out, not before warning Chris to behave. It was still early in the morning when she stepped out of her house. Some of the early rising neighbors were going through their daily routine but not even a single one of them failed to throw a nasty look at her way, thanks to her adorable guest.

Scarlet ignored all those hateful looks, and carried on her way silently. It was nothing she wasn't used to; she has always been the centre of commotion in this neighborhood from long before that stranger arrived. She walked through the street for some 5 minutes or so till she reached to her friend's place.

(**)

Scarlet entered inside a yellow loft, where her close friend Yana, mostly known as Ditta, rented a room. She knocked on the door and her friend got the door for her immediately. It seemed that she was waiting for Scarlet, since the latter woman had called the former on her way to her place.

"Is everything okay?", Ditta asked checking on her.

"Yes", Scarlet replied stepping inside, "Why the surprise?", she asked not knowing why Ditta asked her such a question.

"You called me so early in the morning, it's not very usual of you.", her friend explained still making the effort to wake up.

Scarlet gave her slight smile, "I needed your help."

"With what?", Ditta asked her sounding a little concerned.

"I need clothes for my guest...", she told her coming straight to the point.

"What! He's still there?", her friend didn't hold her voice down while exclaiming in surprise.

"Yeah…", Scarlet answered feeling not so proud about it, and almost embarrassed about the whole thing.

"Are you out of your mind…", Her friend began her lecture.

"I know!", Scarlet cut her in between.

"So why is he still there? You should have gotten rid of him by now!", she scolded her once again.

Scarlet sighed out of frustration, "Listen to me, before you start lecturing me, okay?", the ginger woman rolled her eyes and let out a sigh of disapproval, "I know what he did and that is enough to kick him out, but we had a talk and he apologized and also promised me that he won't do it again, so I'm letting him stay, " Ditta opened her mouth to say something but Scarlet spoke fast, "Only until he gets a job, and for him to get a job, he needs some clothes. So, I am here after I tried to borrow some of J.D.'s old clothes. I tried calling him but he didn't answer, so I called you. Help me to get him some clothes, so he can get a job and leave my house forever."

"So, he's staying indefinitely...", Ditta asked crossing her arms over her chest.

"Are you going to help or not?", Scarlet asked her not hiding her impatience, she had reached her limit to tolerate Yana's single track lectures.

"Yes, of course", she replied dropping her hands to her side in defeat, "I guess there are some old clothes of my brother in the drawer", she spoke leading her to a room, "He's not as big as your guest, but he likes wearing sizes bigger than his so maybe it will fit", she added pulling out her brother's clothes from a drawer.

"He won't have any problem with me taking it, right?", Scarlet asked after having a second thought.

"He won't even notice it, I think", Yana replied, "I'll just tell him that I did some charity when he comes here to visit."

Scarlet couldn't help but laugh, "Thanks Yana, you're the only one I can count on", she moved to hug her friend.

"I know", Yana didn't deny it and both the women laughed once again, "Okay so don't get mad but I am little curious as to why you're doing so much for a stranger. I have never seen you going out of your way to help someone."

"Well it's because I have never came across someone who needed my help", she answered, "I could help him, so why not?", she asked back with a shrug.

"Because he's a fugitive", her friend gave her the reason.

"We don't know for sure", Scarlet reasoned with her.

"He's a foreigner, and he ran away from a hospital", Yana stated the obvious.

"I guess he wasn't even thinking when he ran off", Scarlet presented her own theory in the matter, "All I know he's a nice guy!"

"How can you know that in just one day?", Yana argued with her once again.

"Two days actually", the blonde corrected her.

"Still not enough to know someone", the ginger stuck to her point, "You're attracted to him aren't you?"

"What?!", Scarlet exclaimed in surprised, "No!"

"You're just in denial", her friend smiled at her teasingly, "Don't let his cute ass blind you… or is there something more than that?"

"Pff… I didn't do anything", Scarlet just rolled her eyes, "He can't even afford to pay the rent or his food!"

"Many will do him for free, don't you think?", the ginger asked her with a sly smile on her face.

"Seriously, now?", Scarlet said slightly annoyed, "He's just a guy, a handsome guy for sure, but nothing special. He needed help so I am helping him."

"I hope you're just helping him and nothing more", Yana spoke in a very serious tone, "I just don't want you to repeat your mother's story."

"I am not", she answered firmly, "Don't worry about it. Everything is under control and like I said it's temporary, once he gets a job, he'll leave."

"I just hope he doesn't get you in trouble", Yana said with a sigh.

Scarlet just smiled in reply, completely understanding her friend's concern and knew that Yana was right but also knew that she herself wasn't wrong either. Both them gave each other a good bye hug, before Scarlet headed back home.

Chris watched TV while he waited for Scarlet to return, and he was still dressed in just a towel. He skimmed through the channels trying to find something of his interest but most of the things were in local language. He paused on the News and had no idea what they were saying but from the images flashing on the screen told him it wasn't something good. It seemed like some sort of Civil War was going on in the country that had been the cause of too much destruction, including what seemed like a hospital.

Chris had a very vague memory from the time when he made his run, and he recognized the hospital that was going up in smokes on the TV to be the one where he had run from, "I guess running away turned out to be a blessing in disguise...", he muttered to himself, "On the downside, I might not be able to know about myself anymore…", he sighed out of distress.

He turned off the TV, telling himself it was enough for today. He didn't want to wake up the demons inside him once again, even though he knew it was just a matter of time before they are unleashed but he wanted to control it as much as he could. He just walked back forth through the house, exploring it a little since he had nothing much to do. The house had just one floor with only a single bedroom and a bathroom. The other room had the living area and kitchen area sharing the space, just separated by the kitchen counters and a very small area for laundry. It was enough for a single person.

He stepped to the window in the living room and looked outside just to entertain himself. There were some people walking in the small street and some opening their little stores around the corner. "Simple life...", he muttered to himself smiling a little, feeling at peace for some time, "I wonder if my life was as simple as these people?", he asked himself as he watched those people, "Probably not!", he answered himself. He had a strong feeling that his life was nowhere near as calm as it is here. It was then that he spotted a familiar figure making its way through the crowd, carrying a small bag, 'Scarlet…', he thought recognizing her and it brought a smile to his face. He kept his eyes on her as she walked past the people and couldn't help but find it odd that she didn't greet anyone and not a single person greeted her either; instead they had somewhat condescending look on their faces.

Chris stepped away from the window when Scarlet drew close to the home and in few minutes the woman unlocked the door, "Oh wow nothing is broken!", she commented stepping inside the house.

"Yeah", Chris responded not taking offence of her little joke.

"Here I got some clothes for you", she held out the bag to him, "I hope it fits. Not many have the same size as you here."

"It's alright", he replied looking inside the back, "It's better than freezing my ass."

"Yeah", the woman agreed with a hearty laugh, "Why don't you try them on in the bedroom."

Chris nodded and headed straight for the bathroom. He didn't take too long to try those clothes on. There were two black pants, one black shorts, one green T-shirt, two black shirts, a black coat and a pair of shoes that luckily fit him. They suited better than his expectations and he left the room wearing one of the pants and the green T-shirt.

"Thanks a lot for these clothes, now I can go look for a job", Chris expressed his gratitude, "You really have a good eye for men's fashion."

The woman just smiled at him, "I didn't get you any underwear, but I can lend you money to buy them or can sew them out of those hospital clothes."

"You know how to sew?", he asked her not hiding surprise in his tone.

"Yeah my mother taught me all typical 'woman' skills", Scarlet replied with a smile.

"Impressive", Chris said in appreciation, "So what's next on your list?"

"Not much, have to buy groceries", She answered his question, "Might have to go for work later tonight."

"So, let's go then", Chris said with a friendly smile, "We could go shop for groceries together."

"No, that's fine", she shook her head, "You need some rest and your feet were hurt too.

"It's all fine now", he told her the truth, "And to be honest, I am really bored of being locked in the house and I could help you carry groceries and heavy stuff too."

"Sounds perfect then!", the blonde agreed to the arrangement.

"So lead the way then", Chris asked her with an amiable smile, which made him look even more handsome.

They both left the house together, and a lot of people shot curious gazes at them but they ignored those judgmental looks from the small town people. They both talked a little whilst their outing and Chris noticed Scarlet was a very closed about her personal matters but he didn't mind about it much, after all they were practically strangers still now. But he knew it was a matter of time before they get to know each other and become friends.

(**)

"Dear Diary,

I don't really know what I just did…. Actually I don't know what I've been doing for the past 48 hours.

It was just another day at work, until I found that guy freezing himself out in the cold. I have no idea why I brought him, a complete stranger, to my home and allowed him to live with me since then.

Yana has been lecturing me since the time she helped me carry that man to my place. And she almost ate my liver, when she learned about the little deal I made with the man.

I don't know what's gotten into me. I know he's a fugitive and I don't have any problem in 'hiding' him.

But… I don't feel he's a bad guy… there's something different about him… I can tell from experience that he's not like the other men I have met.

I want to understand him better…"

I hope you liked the chapter. Thank you Xaori , Bearfield003, ChrisRedWing and Otori Kaede for the reviews :D

A special thank you to my great friend JennaWilliams for helping me with the chapter :D

Any thoughts, comments or questions? Let me know, stay tuned, there's much more to come! See you next weekend.