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.
Evana's POV
Yana and I arrived in my house before the sunrise. There was no sign of Chris. Everything was exactly in the same place as I left before leaving for work.
"You should change the lock of the doors." Yana suggested
I gasped, "As if it would make any difference for him to break in." I said referring to his size and strength
"So come and stay with me. You don't need 2 psychos after you."
I sighed, "Everything is going to be alright. He's full of money, he'll waste it on booze and might forget everything he said." I said heading to the bedroom
"I hope you are not willing to forgive that damn bastard!" Yana said following me
"I do forgive him. He said no lie and he was right feeling that way. He didn't try to beat me nor did really insult me… so everything is fine."
Yana sighed heavily rolling her eyes, "I can't believe you are willing to continue with him!" she said with a disapproving tone
"I don't think he's coming back. As a matter of fact, he doesn't even belong here." Evana replied while she threw some clothes from the closet on the floor
"What are you doing?" Yana asked puzzled
"What I should've had done a long time ago. Set fire on that!" I said with a determined tone
"These are your clothes!" Yana protested
'These are Scarlet's clothes. She's dead and I don't need that occupying space in my closet."
"They look good!"
"So keep it!"
"But sis…"
"I am Evana Novak. I am 31 years old, healthy and capable to start over brand new. I don't need Scarlet, I don't need Chris Redfield to stand up for myself. From now on Scarlet is dead and buried without any chance to revive. I am a grown up woman who doesn't depend on the fucking neighbors judgements about my self value, I don't need a man to make it happen, I get off being free. I don't need a man to make me feel good, I get off doing my thing. I don't need a ring around my finger to make me feel complete and no one will tell me what to do anymore. The critics won't affect me anymore because my skin is thick and I should've done that long ago and if I don't find a good place in this fucking town, I'll go anywhere else! Nothing is going to stop me to get my dignity back!" I spoke with a fierce composure
The ginger remained in silence and just picked the clothes up while I cleaned everything that belonged to my old self Scarlet.
"You know he never called me Evana. All the time he was referring to Scarlet. He was being harsh to her. He was killing her."
"As far as I know Scarlet would've told him to fuck off…"
"No, Scarlet would've given him a high price."
"If you say so…"
"Girl, it was just a matter of time until he would find out the truth. Of course I didn't want it to be like that, but now he knows it and he's free to make his choice."
"He doesn't know everything…" she spoke with a mumbling tone
I looked at my dear friend
"He doesn't know Why you had to do that."
"Yana, it doesn't matter. I did it and I can't change that. It's my past and it's what made me who I am today and now! I'm embracing my own story and living accordingly with the consequences. I'm not a victim of myself anymore. I might have started it because of my mother's treatment, but I still continued selling myself to Stan for 6 years."
"You fell in love with him."
"For a brief moment until he married someone else… I mean, he sold himself for her! You and I know he married her for her money."
"And then he called you the bitch! Hypocrite!"
"Yeah, the world is full of it. At least we admit we did it for money… You still do it actually."
"Yeah, someday I will stop. Maybe I will meet a temperamental American that will turn me upside down and make me stop forever." she spoke with a jocking way
I laughed, "I heard there is one lost out there in town."
Yana shook her head, "No! That one is old and taken. I prefer younger!"
"You like them young…" I joked and we both laughed
We continued the cleaning, Yana was excited with all those clothing and shoes for her. She walked until a drawer and found Chris's belongings.
"Eva, what are you going to do with this?"
I looked at her direction and saw his clothing organized inside the drawer, "Leave it at that. Maybe he will need it someday and come to get it."
"Alright…" the ginger replied closing the drawer.
She looked at the blonde who seemed a little affected after seeing that. She hadn't cried yet and that intrigued her. Evana was really changing. What a mess that American had done to her friend.
(**)
"Dear Diary,
Three days have passed since Chris found out my truth. I still couldn't cry for the situation, or maybe there's nothing to cry for. I already did that when Alek died 12 years ago in that car accident. He took with him all my wedding and family dreams and I buried it in the first time I took my clothes off for money. Things would have been different if my first and only boyfriend hadn't died so young, he was 23 years old. He promised we would marry when he returned from that trip. He never came back and all I got was the crashing news. He made me happy for 4 years and he was there with me in two of the most difficult times of my life. I hope he forgave me for my desperate decisions and now I hope to make everyone I lost proud for finally standing up clean. That's where Chris' role entered in my life. He made me face my demons all along until I couldn't run away from that anymore and all I could do was to accept my responsibility for my own decisions. No one ever forced me to do that.
I don't really know who Chris is or if it's just me that sees Alek in Chris's heart. If I just take in account Chris's memories, he wasn't the man he is with me. Chris have been into a lot of mess and trouble, but he can be so sweet and caring at times… I don't know what else to believe anymore. Maybe my heart just wants to see Alek again, or maybe Chris and Alek have a lot in common and he just doesn't remember that. Alek was stubborn and fearless. He loved helping people and didn't care about social status or labels. He sacrificed himself for the others… I guess I took that trait from him. However, Alek was incapable to raise his voice to anyone and he always had good words to say or a smile on his face. He never complained and dreamed of a better future, of a better world.
I still have problems believing that, I have seen the worst of people.
Now I can feel me free and ready to spread my wings.
But I still miss everyone I lost…
Including Chris.
So I pray…"
Chris' POV
"Why didn't you tell me your father was that famous thief, Dick Valentine?
– I'm not proud of his crimes.
– But what does it have to do? You are not like him.
– This is not how people think, I always have to prove myself and to the others I won't follow his path, plus he made me promise that.
– I believe you, I can see you are different and I'm sure he gave you the best advice.
– I know, but it's still hard to live under the shadow of my family's past, but in the end I know people still will doubt of me, so I prefer not to open up about it to anyone, but it doesn't mean I will deny my past when asked. It's his shame, not mine.
– Agreed.
– So doesn't it mean you can be my partner without any prejudice?
- I don't have such prejudices. I am no one to judge anyone's past. I would be unfair to you if I let that happen. I know you are a good person and we are going to be a great team.
(**)(**)
- Pinky told me she witnessed all the commotion…
- Pinky your hooker friend is your reliable source?
- Yes, is there a problem that she's a hooker?
- No, not at all. My father used to have a lot of hooker friends and contacts. They do witness many craps of the night.
- Yeah, they do, but why did you have to emphasize she's a hooker?
- I did it not because of me, I don't have problems with that, but you need to be careful when you report that. Our superiors might not have same the eyes and the case could go down the drain if you don't get other proofs better than her testimony."
(**)
It was early morning after one week since Chris and Evana broke up. Evana was doing her home chores after taking sleeping meds and waking up later than the usual. She opened the door and got a scare after seeing Chris' body lying on the ground.
"Chris!" Evana screamed in concern and kneeled down to try to wake him up. He didn't respond. She checked his vital signs to be sure he was just sleeping. Everything seemed fine, apparently he was just wasted once again and insisted more until he started murmuring. That sign made her relieved.
Evana looked to the sides and saw some neighbors looking at her direction, but she knew she couldn't count on any of them to help her to take Chris home, so she ran to her bedroom, got his sleeping bag and alone she placed it under him using all the strength she could to slid him inside.
Some time passed, Chris started to regain his conscience and the hungover affected him. As the usual he threw up a lot, not to mention the migraine. Knowing that detail, Evana took him to the bathroom when he was still unconscious and stayed with him all the time, helping him with cleaning him when he regained his conscience and then guided him to the bed so he could take another rest to recover from the hangover.
Chris' POV
"It was Winter when it all began…
We didn't know we would come this far.
I didn't know I would live the best cold days of my life because you always made them so warm and cozy.
You brought the best seasons to my life and I cannot be who I used to be before I met you.
You gave life to someone I didn't know existed in me and I fear the day I will have to leave your side. You and I know this day will come, but I run away from this as much as I can.
However, I'm coming to a point that I see that my presence just brings to people pain and death. Yesterday I remembered that so many people have died under my watch.
I don't know for how long I can live with this torturing responsibility.
That's why I need you by my side. I can't do this alone. You bring the best from me, yet, I fear bringing you more pain.
I hope you can forgive me and forget my words from that night.
I never wanted to hurt you, but it seems I tend to hurt the people I love and the ones who care about me.
What I am I supposed to do?"
TPOV
It was already night when Chris finally woke up. He looked to the sides recognizing that was Evana's bedroom. He didn't remember how he ended up there, the last memory he had was from the moment he tried to enter in her house and noticed the lock was changed. He knocked on the door several times, but no one answered, so he decided to wait for Evana since he thought she was working. He didn't have anywhere else to go, he had spent all of his money on booze.
Chris stood up from the bed and walked to the hallways to find Evana sleeping on the couch with the TV turned on, "Almost like in the first day…" he thought
He watched the sleeping woman and looked around to the place that have been his shelter, his home for five months, but that seemed like a longer period due to the intense moments he shared with that beautiful woman.
Evana woke up and got a light scare for seeing Chris standing in the hallway looking at her, "Are you okay?" she asked in concern taking a sitting position
"Yeah."
"How's the hangover?" she asked stretching herself
"I'm fine. I'm just thirsty."
"I made dinner; if you want I can heat it up for you."
"No, it's okay. I can do it myself."
There was awkwardness between them, yet, who would be the first to make the first step to break that ice?
Evana stood up to take a shower, while Chris headed to the kitchen to prepare his meal. When both were finished, they continued in separated rooms. Chris at the living room and Evana in the bedroom.
"Dear Diary,
He's back home. I don't know what to do, I don't know what to say. I didn't think he would come back after a week off home since that night at the nightclub.
I never had to reconcile to anyone, so I'm kind of lost here. I don't know how distant we are, how hurt Chris is or how to apologize for my long omission. My pride sucks right now!
I thought I had lost the love of my life and I even was starting to adjust to his absence. This separation is not like the first one…
I'm in a dilemma."
Some time passed. Evana was still in the bedroom when she heard Chris knocking on the open door, "May I come in?" he asked politely
"Yeah… why are you asking for permission?" she replied confused by his question
"To get the sleeping bag and go back to the living room… if you still accept me around." He said with an awkward tone
"You don't need to sleep in the living room… it's your home too." she said making a face
"With the door lock changed?"
Evana laughed a bit of Chris' face, "I'll give you the copy. I just didn't think you'd come back home." She said looking down a little embarrassed
"I had to work and since you don't have any technology to be contacted and I didn't have time to warn you… personally."
Evana lifted her eyebrows, "Oh…"
"I know I owe you an apology for my behavior that night… but I was really hurt for you not trusting me your life story after all we have been through together." He said sitting by her side on the edge of the bed
Evana looked at Chris, she could read Chris' honesty in his gaze, "You don't have to apologize, I am the one who didn't do the right thing… But I'm not proud of that and I wish you could understand my reasons for not telling you that and my reasons for had to do that."
"And I'm here to listen. I promise I won't judge you." He said taking her grip, "I know I am as much as impartial as I can about people's backstories. It's wrong to judge someone when you're not in their shoes. I know you didn't choose that because you wanted…"
Evana took a deep sigh, nodding in agreement, "I need you to believe that I never wanted to lie to you and I missed opportunities to come clear with you… But I was so scared to open up. that's my biggest shame and I feared your judgment and you would be ashamed for being involved with someone like me…"
Evana took her personal diary and delivered it to him
"What is that?" he asked a bit puzzled
"I want you to read it. It's my diary."
Chris looked at the object in his hand, it was undeniable he had interest in knowing her side of their story, but he didn't think it would be through notes.
"I know you're not drunk and you made the scene for feeling deeply hurt. I deserved it! But I was the one who owed you the full truth… I was always aware that I owed you the truth about my past since we got in a real commitment and I've struggled with that omission every single day…"
Chris remained in silence and then started to read her notes, in the meantime, Evana prepared herself to expose her past and finally let it all behind.
"I always thought this would end any time whatever the reason. It could be from learning the truth, or you could regain your memory back, or maybe you would get tired of me… I tried not to have feelings for you, but it was stronger than me… for people like me the happiness is forbidden and is natural to be hated." Evana spoke when Chris was finished with reading
"I did get hurt for your omission, but I know you tend to keep things to yourself, I noticed that about you, but I thought I had proven you could trust me and believed that my feelings for you are real and stronger than me! I know I never felt this way before, I never had such intense feelings before. you have changed me and showed me a better version of me, but I admit that because of that I have given a lot of myself and wrongly expected the same from you since I always told you even the worst things of my past…"
"I'm not as impulsive as you are, but you have changed me a lot too and I always felt bad for hiding this secret from someone I want to spend the rest of my life with…"
"I want to stay with you too and that's why I'm still here even after getting so much of my memory back… I chose you and I promise I won't judge you if you decide to tell me the whole story…"
"I will tell you the whole thing, but I guess you can see that it was a desperate attempt to try to make fast and a lot money to save the only blood close relative living I had in my life… my mother." She spoke with a sigh and taking a deep breath to start from the start
Chris watched Evana, watching her behavior. He could see that would be a painful travel in the past to face her biggest demon that affected her so much, somehow, just like his own about his memories.
"After my father's death when I was 16, my mother became the head of the family. This house belonged to my grandparents from her side and they let it for her when they died, but it was just a simple floor house. Mom changed it after we got homeless after my father's death. My mother hadn't being raised to be a chief, so there was a lot of things she didn't have experience. My mother was raised to be a homemaker; she never worked in her life. She married young and she helped at home with little homemade things such as baking cakes, cookies to sell in the neighborhood or sewing things while we waited my father's finances to be solved.
At that time, I had a boyfriend, my first and only boyfriend I had until I met you. Alek lived in Edonia and we met when I was 14 years old in one of my father's trips to there. I was 15 when we started dating and he was 19 and he was in college already. He was very sweet and kind, he loved helping people and he dreamed of doing a difference in the world; he had an adventurous spirit; he was curious about things and incapable to raise his voice, unless he saw some injustice. He became a lion to defend the others. He always had very clear convictions of what he wanted in life and he wanted to marry me when he finished his college. He had a wealthy family, but he was a very simple guy, so he used to donate money to needing people or charity institutions, of course he kept for himself too for his future plans.
At that moment of my life, I used to work as a model, but I had to make a pause in that career after dad's death. If it wasn't Alek, I wouldn't even had finished High School, so somehow, Alek was the only man mom and I had in our lives to support us. Then, with my father's Indemnities my mother made a reform in house and turned it into a flower shop, like I told you before."
"Yeah, I remember." Chris nodded
"However, sometime later, my mother's health started to give signs that something was wrong and Alek banked most of the treatment and also helped us home. I never asked him to do that, but could I say no when I really needed it? I worked alone in the flower shop even though I wanted to quit it and get a better job to have more money to help home, but my mother was reluctant to let go of that business. She loved it and she continued there until she her finals days that was 6 years ago." Evana spoke looking down fighting the forming tears in her eyes
Chris caressed her hand in support, "If you don't want to revive that, you don't have to."
She shook her head, "No, I will tell you everything."
"Okay."
"Things went really bad when Alek died in a trip in a car accident when I was 19. That was one of the worst days of my life and we were going to marry after that trip." Evana made a pause when some tears fell down on her face. She wiped it to continue her story, "My dreams died with him when I heard the news. We still had some money saved and I just had to move on. I got very depressed, but my mother needed me and for some time we had the help of a cousin of mine from dad's side. We used to be close when we were kids and I did some modeling's events to make more money to continue mom's treatment and that's when the dark days started." She took a deep breath, "As a model I did get dirty offers to make more money, but I always refused it because I had Alek at the time, but after his death and the persistent cancer mom was fighting, I got tempted to accept those offers. I didn't have anyone else and we had a lot of expenses with trips to the hospital in Edonia, daily rates, hospitalization, exams, and so many other expenses that we didn't have enough money. Gianni, my cousin, he helped more with watching her, or helping me to carry her, he couldn't help much with money. Some of the neighbors helped with little things too, but it wasn't enough… so with so much in mind and desperate, when I was 20 years old, I ended up accepting one dirty offer, but I was picky about such offers. I just accepted from wealthy clients. I thought that if I had to go so down, at least I should have a high compensation for that. The other way out would be doing illegal stuff and I wasn't capable of doing it. Prostitute myself was less worse than dealing with drugs or other bad things."
Chris watched her in silence, he couldn't judge her.
"I gave up of all of my romantic and beautiful dreams in the first time I took off my clothes for money. That day I told myself I didn't deserve anyone after my corruption. That day I buried all of my hopes and dreams alongside Alek's memories… He dreamed high for and that day I just let go of those beautiful and amazing dreams… I buried myself…" she couldn't help her tears
Chris took her into a supportive embrace. Evana cried on Chris's chest while he tightened the embrace as if cuddling her pain, her traumas. He embraced her past without any questioning and they stayed like that for some time until Evana was feeling good enough to conclude her story tale.
"I used to tell mom I had got good modeling offers, but she knew I was lying. Gianni learned about my dirty activities and we had a big fight in public. He rejected me and insulted me as a prostitute. It's a small town and people changed their behavior towards me. they still cared for my mother, but they hated me. I didn't get any decent job opportunities after that because of people's prejudice and so I started working at Burlesque, the gentlemen's club. I was already used to my sinful life and accepted extra offers, plus I used to get a lot of clients to the club and I got some special treatment there, I had my own bedroom and I accepted travelling around the world with special clients, that's how I made a lot of money for my mother's treatment. My mother always refused that money and we used to argue because she didn't want to continue her treatment because she didn't want dirty money for her life. So I decided to stop several times, but every time she had a relapse in her condition, it always made me got back to doing extras. Until I met Stan 7 years ago. He wanted exclusivity and he financed her treatment. My mother thought he was my boyfriend, but she never liked him. Then, in her final days she made me promise I would stop my dirty life and I still had time to start over…" she started to sob, that was a very delicate memory she had.
Chris gave her all the support once again and wiped her tears.
"And that promise became my new struggle. I did stop seeing other men, but I belonged to Stan, I won't deny I had some feelings for him for some time, but he ruined it by marrying a wealthy woman. I didn't believe there was hope for me and that's the problem when you get used to the cycles. I did try to leave him several times, I did try to stop having sex for money countless times, but it put food on the table. I was alone, I didn't care about people's judgments in town, but I felt horrible for my dead loved ones. I felt bad for them to be watching me from above and wondered how ashamed they were… And then things changed when I met you." She spoke finally concluding her story and taking several deep breaths
Chris cupped her face gently, making her look at him, "Your soul is finally washed and I will make sure to take care of you no matter what. You just made me love you even more for your braveness and touching story full of loss. I admire you even more because you are still standing on your own… I should do the same… You faced your demons, but I'm sure your loved ones are proud of you. People do worse things for way less than that. You did all you could to save your mother and desperate time calls for desperate measures and despite everything, your good heart is still intact. You are not that corrupted as you think." He spoke with a warming tone
Evana sighed and smiled softly. She was finally free from her biggest past chain. She still had flaws to change, but certainly taking all that from her chest was a soul relieving. A new Evana was getting born, but just time would show what and how the new Evana would be.
Thank you Xaori, HerpDerp and SUPASTAR89 for the reviews :D
Phew, that was a long chapter, but it had to be done, right?!
The moment everyone was waiting finally happened, but that is so far to end! muahuaahua
We are so close to the transition in the story and I just get sad in antecipation xD
Of course we still have a long run ahead, but I can't help the thought that at every chapter we are even closer to the end T_T
However, we are really close to an end... the end of the first half of the story. Many things are going to happen and definitely more drama ahead.
Thank you for staying with me for so long, thank you for the favorites, for the follows, for the reviews. You guys rock!
See you on the next update, stay tuned!
A/N: I cited a part of the chorus of the song "I don't need a man - Pussycat Dolls", I couldn't help it xD