We have entered the last chapter of 2019 and we're entering 2020. We're actually getting close to the end of what I planned to write. my initial plan was for around 46 to 50 chapters so we have roughly 14 chapters left. Part of me wants to keep writing but at the same time, I'm also hesitant to just go free reigns outside of mapped-out lore territory. So for this, I leave the choice to you. If you don't feel like leaving a comment/review to tell me what you prefer, I have a strawpoll set up. I had to enter a few spaces so the writer wouldn't autodelete it, but if you want to participate in the poll here is the link.

www. strawpoll .me /45386343

The options are A) continue writing this one, but write a parallel Heisenburg/OC story to build lore off each other. B) Just keep writing, screw lore. C) Wait and see if they release any DLC and if not, keep writing. D) stick to the original plan and stop at 46-50 chapters.

Song suggestion: Be Somebody by CVBZ

Disclaimer: I own nothing! -throws confetti- CapCom please don't sue me for being a simp.


November turned to December and winter took autumn's place as the trees became bare of leaves once more and the sun set earlier and earlier each day. Those who walked outside stayed bundled up to stay warm. On this particular night, residents of the all-too-familiar apartment complex stayed inside to avoid the frozen winds behind closed doors. Two held each other close in the dark between shifting fabric while breathing heavily. A whimper, a moan, a grunt, and a groan. Pounding hearts, dilated eyes, and curled toes.

The two eventually lay to rest and Emma nuzzled her face against Chris to get comfortable as he put an arm around her waist. They were quiet for a while before Emma leaned over to kiss Chris' neck. "How was work?" she asked with a hint of a smile as she went back to resting.

"It was work," he replied with a slight smirk, keeping his eyes shut. Emma chuckled at this. The answer had returned but she didn't mind. It was the same answer as always, yet somehow it was different now that she understood what work was for him. "How goes job hunting?"

Emma grumbled in return. "Nothing yet," she said with a tired sigh.

She had returned home a week after the Halloween incident to find a lovely pile of mail on her counter, including a letter saying the label was shutting down due to lawsuits from the incident and their connection to 'illegal substances' and that she'd get a four-month severance package since she worked there for about eight years, six years prior to the merger and almost two after. But she was out of a job. Not that she was surprised. If anything, she felt lucky the director didn't use her as a cover story for the incident. 'Crazed employee turns to arson from stress and sets building on fire.' Instead, they went with another gas leak story to try to explain why the surviving workers were 'seeing things,' claiming it was all in their heads.

"You'll find something," Chris replies with a slight shrug.

"Yeah," Emma replied with a short nod. "Have you heard anything from Mrs. Russo?"

"Mh-mh," he replied as a quiet no.

Emma frowned upon hearing this. "She's been so quiet as of late... I'm worried."

"Hmm," Chris replied in quiet contemplation.

"Maybe I'll stop by tomorrow and see if she wants to bake or something. Just to make sure she doesn't need anything..." Emma said, thinking it over. "It's not much but it would put my mind at ease."

"Hm." Chris gave a short hum of approval.

At this point, Emma noticed the trend in his answers, and her expression shifts to one of amusement. "After that, I might see if I can visit Chel. She mentioned having a plan for holiday shopping that required putting an elephant on the sun, but we'll see. I'm not sure about how, but it seems interesting," Emma said, seeing if he'd notice the stray detail.

"M-hmm" Chris replied with a slight nod. That would be a solid no to the unasked question 'are you paying attention?'

"Mmkay, well, I'll be heading out then," Emma said with a chuckle, giving his chest a pat before she moved to get up and crawl out of bed.

"Huh?" Chris said. That got his attention. He stopped her, hooking her waist to keep her from leaving.

"I asked if you were tired and you said yes," Emma said in response with a smirking smile.

"That's not what you said," Chris replied with a slight frown.

"What did I say?" Emma asked with a smug grin. Checkmate.

Chris remained silent but cleared his throat.

Emma gave him a peck on the nose before getting out of his bed and starting to get dressed. She could shower once she got back to her place. "Get some rest," she said.

Chris got out of bed and pulled her close once more so her back was against his chest. "You could always stay?" Chris offered as a playful smile crossed Emma's face.

"Mh-mh," she replied to poke fun at the man standing behind her.

"It's late. Duke will be fine till the morning," Chris said, kissing her gently.

"Hmmm," she replied, still smiling as she was enjoying her little game.

"You can have the first shower," he offered, which got her attention.

"Hm." Offer accepted. She leaned back and gave him a peck. "Fine," she agreed. "Mind if I borrow a shirt then?"

"Vulture."

"Stingy," she replied and stuck out her tongue. Chris laughed and gave her another peck before letting go and getting her the requested shirt.

"Pretty sure my nickname has always been Alpha," he said with a smirk as he offered the shirt.

"M-hmm," Emma replied with a hint of sarcasm, still smiling playfully as she accepted the shirt and turned to leave. "Yeah, I'm not calling you that."

Chris gave her a gentle swat to the rear in response, causing her to yelp from surprise.

"Chris," she cried, amused, but swatting his arm away in return as he laughed. After more playful banter the two were finally able to wash up and settle in for the night to sleep. It was a dreamless sleep, but those tend to be the more peaceful nights for the BSAA agent.

Emma eventually woke up as her alarm sounded at six thirty, earning a grumble from Chris, whose alarm wasn't for another forty-five minutes. Emma turned off the alarm and got up with a stretch. Food. She nodded at that thought and put on her jeans to head back to her apartment, feed Duke, and walk back with a few supplies. It was out of order, but she didn't usually spend the night. She dug through a few cabinets to get what she needed and started making of breakfast. A few slices of bacon, some eggs, and toast.

Chris' nose twitched slightly as the scent of breakfast made its way to his room. Again, he grumbled and checked his phone. He still had twenty minutes... but he gave a tired sigh and got out of bed. She was going to turn him into a morning person, wasn't she... He stretched, cracking his back, before getting dressed for work and heading out to find Emma sitting at the island, eating breakfast and still wearing his shirt.

"Morning," Chris said groggily as he walked over and placed a hand on her shoulder, leaning forward.

"Morning," Emma replies leaning back to give him a quick kiss.

At this point, he noticed there was only one plate of food. "So, do I get any?" he asked curiously, gesturing to the meal.

Emma chuckled. "I wasn't sure when you were going to wake up. Your plate is in the microwave. It should still be warm."

He nodded at that and walked over to retrieve it along with a fork, before walking back to take a seat next to Emma.

[Emma] Chris report: Doing well. Having a real breakfast for once not a meal supplement bar.

[Claire] It's a Christmas miracle lol.

[Emma] Can't guarantee it, but depending on how work goes, he should be in a decent mood when you arrive later. Are you sure I shouldn't tell him you and your BF are stopping by?

[Claire] Positive. He's going to be cranky. It's just a matter of how long he's cranky.

[Emma] Okay, I'll trust your call on that.

[Claire] Thanks.

"Who are you texting?" Chris asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Your sister," Emma said casually and continued to poke at the device.

"When did you get her number?" he asked with a mixture of surprise and confusion.

"Back at the beach," Emma said before taking another bite of food. "She asked me to give her updates on how you're doing every once in a while," she explained, which caused Chris to shake his head before eating his breakfast.

Once he finished his meal, he got up to put his plate in the sink. "I'm heading out."

"'Kay. Oh, try not to work too late?" Emma requested. "I'm gonna put in a roast so I'll need help eating it," she offered as an excuse. Claire owed her one for this.

"I'll see what I can do," Chris agreed with a shrug and headed out. He drove to work with a contemplative expression. Emma had spent the night, made breakfast, and was making dinner later all in the span of twenty-four hours. She was up to something. The question was, what?

Once Chris was gone, Emma smiled and sent another text.

[Emma] Is roast beef okay for dinner?

[Claire] Sound great, Thanks again. We should be there around 6:30/7

[Emma] Not a problem.

With that taken care of Emma cleaned up around Chris' apartment before heading to her own. She took care of Duke before heading back again, washing her hands, and starting up the oven to slow cook the roast. Into a large covered roasting pan went the beef roast with carrots celery, onions, and a modified version of that tomato sauce recipe that Mrs. Russo gave her. It took about an hour to get it all set up, but once she had, she nodded and set a timer. It was nine, so by two she'd need to flip it and cook it for another four hours while working on the rest of the meal. From what Claire had said, Chris didn't have the best opinion of this boyfriend of hers and they only sometimes got along. Hopefully, if they were both busy eating and on semi-neutral grounds, they wouldn't be arguing.

With that thought, Emma cleaned up the kitchen, washed her hands again, and headed out to see if Mrs. Russo was home. It was kind of nice being home during the day. Usually, she'd be working on job applications but, she figured she'd give herself a day off after a month of little to no success. It took a minute, but the door eventually opened, revealing a tired but happily surprised-looking Mrs. Russo.

"Emma, what a surprise," the woman said with a soft smile.

"Hi Mrs. Russo," Emma said, smiling back. "I was wondering if I could maybe get your help. If you have the time."

"Of course, dear, what can I do for you?" she offered as she opened the door further.

"Well, I'm having guests for dinner tonight. I was trying to think of a dessert to make when I remembered those cookies from the last New Year. The Pizza-lles?" Emma explained, attempting to pronounce the name of the cookie.

"Pizzelle," Mrs. Russo corrected. "They are a classic this time of year," she said with a short chuckle. "They require a special iron and anise to make though."

"Ah shoot," Emma frowned slightly, but the woman motioned for Emma to enter the apartment.

"Come in, you can borrow mine. I'll show you how it works," she offered and Emma smiled.

"Thank you, I appreciate it," Emma replied as she walked in. The place looked... honestly like a mess. It only made Emma worry more. Mrs. Russo was usually so tidy.

"What are you serving for dinner?" Mrs. Russo asked curiously.

"A simple slow roast, nothing too exciting," Emma replied with a shrug.

"Hmm. Anise doesn't usually pair well with beef," Mrs. Russo said. "May I suggest something else instead since you're here?"

"Sure, I'm all ears," Emma said with a nod.

"A simple Semifreddo would taste much better. It's more of a summer dessert, since it's served cold, but some still prefer it with winter fruits. The light flavor will help after such a rich meal."

"That sounds perfect." Emma smiled at the adjusted plan. She honestly didn't care what they made, she just wanted to make sure the woman was okay, and by the looks of it, she wasn't.

"Hmm, we'll need a few things from the store... but you've already started your roast, right?" Mrs. Russo asked.

"It's okay. I can just order what we need and have it delivered," Emma said as she took out her phone. "What do we need?"

"Let's see... some roasted hazelnut halves. Almonds would be fine if the store doesn't have them. Cranberries, some dark chocolate, and some heavy cream. That should make a good winter Semifreddo. I already have honey, rose water, and the other basics."

Emma nodded as she added the items to the shopping cart and ordered the ingredients before switching to send a few messages to Chris.

[Emma] I don't think Mrs. Russo is doing okay. Her place is a mess.

[Chris] I just helped her clean it last week...

[Emma] I'll see what I can figure out.

"There we go, they should be here in about thirty minutes," Emma said as she puts her phone back into her pocket.

"Good, just enough time for us to do of prep work," Mrs. Russo said while digging out various supplies that they'd need. Emma worked on washing the Sink full of dishes. Mrs. Russo protested at first but thanked Emma after she insisted that it was the least she could do in exchange for the help she was receiving from the woman.

Before long the kitchen was clean, the groceries arrived, and the two got to work. Thanks to their prep work it didn't take too long for them to make progress. It would take them an hour tops between making the heavy cream into whipped cream to make the base of the Semifreddo and macerating the cranberries into a sauce.

"How have you been doing by the way?" Emma asked when they were about halfway done making the base.

"I've been holding on," Mrs. Russo admitted. "It's difficult without Marco, God rest his soul, but each day is a blessing."

Whoa, what? "Is he still not feeling well?" Emma asked, confused.

"Oh. Right," Mrs. Russo said sadly as she stopped working with the mixture. "I'm sorry Emma but he passed away last month..."

Oh my gosh. "I'm so sorry, I didn't realize," Emma replied, stunned.

"I haven't exactly wanted to talk about it... It would have been difficult for you to know," Mrs. Russo admitted quietly.

"Still," Emma said with a sympathetic frown.

Mrs. Russo made a waving motion at her to tell her to stop. "It was his time," she said, though sorrow is evident in her tone. "It was a nice funeral, though. Marco never was one for theatrics so just a small gathering of family."

Emma nodded understanding. He had usually kept to himself, so it made sense that it was a more private event.

Mrs. Russo pushed herself to smile as she gave Emma a small side hug. "It's good you stopped by though. This is nice," she said appreciatively, seeming to want to change the subject.

"Of course, I'm home most days at the moment so if you ever want to talk or need anything let me know," Emma offered but Mrs. Russo shook her head.

"I'll be fine, sweetheart. But thank you," Mrs. Russo replied.

The two continued to chat and Emma even stayed an extra hour just to listen to the woman speak about whatever was on her mind. They talked about her plans for the holidays, and how excited she was to see her kids and grandkids. Before long Mrs. Russo walked over to the fridge, retrieving the berries and the now semi-frozen mixture in a small bread pan.

"There we go. Now, just keep this in the freezer until you're ready to plate and serve it. Put the macerated cranberries and almond halves over top before slicing it up," Mrs. Russo explained.

"Thanks again. I'll make sure to drop off a plate. Seems only fair to share since you did most of the work," Emma replied.

Mrs. Russo chuckled. "You're sweet. I'll look forward to trying it," Mrs. Russo agreed with a nod before sending Emma on her way.

It was almost noon by the time Emma got back to her place. She put away the two containers, one in the fridge the other in the freezer, before texting Chris to let him know what she found out regarding the Russos. Then she got back to work cleaning up her apartment. At two she flipped the roast and put it back into the oven. By five she had the table set and the sides started.

6:40 rolled around and Emma started plating the dessert, taking it out of the bread pan and putting it on a serving plate before putting the berries and roasted almond pieces over it. Then she put it back into the fridge. It would keep it well enough until it was time to serve it. She had just started putting together a dinner plate for Mrs. Russo when she heard a knock at the door. Duke started barking in response.

Right, Claire mentioned he was twitchy around dogs. Um... "Duke, bedtime," Emma said and the dog gave an indignant huff in response. Someone was at the door. "Duke, bed," she repeated, and this time the dog grumpily trotted into her room. Emma closed the door behind him before heading over to the main entryway.

Waiting outside were Claire and a man in a leather jacket with what appeared to be an early 2000's style Emo bangs haircut. It was a choice.

"Claire good to see you," Emma said with a smile, welcoming the two into the apartment.

"Good to see you too," Claire replied as she walked in with the man and Emma closed the door behind them.

"I was just about to drop off a plate with the neighbor, but feel free to make yourself comfortable," Emma explained as she went back to serving up the extra plate.

"This is a nice place," Leon said as he casually glanced around.

"Thanks. Leon, right?" Emma asked as she got a small dessert plate for a slice of the Semifreddo to take over as well.

"Yeah. Emma?" he asked in return.

"Yep. Nice to meet you," she replied before picking up the plates. "I'll be right back."

Leon looked over to Claire after Emma left. "We could have gone anywhere for a vacation and we're visiting your brother."

Claire rolled her eyes at that but smiled. "It's the holidays, you're supposed to visit family."

Leon just wanted to spend some time alone with Claire, but his last few attempts at a vacation were botched and this looked like it was probably going to join the list. "I'll behave if he does."

"It's one night, you can do it," Claire said with a chuckle as she took a seat.

"Yeah," Leon replied, sitting next to Claire.

Eventually, Emma returned and headed to a few empty glasses on the counter. "I'm not sure when Chris will be here. Can I get you anything to drink?" she offered. "I have water, and some red wine."

"Water's fine," Leon said.

"I'll try some wine," Claire said with a smile.

"Coming right up," Emma said as she poured two glasses of wine, a glass of water, and a glass with two fingers of bourbon. She picked up the water and liquor first.

"Claire mentioned you prefer heavier drinks. It's bourbon. Hope that's okay," Emma said, putting the glass down next to the cup of water by Leon's plate.

Huh... maybe it wouldn't be a complete bust... Leon accepted the peace offering giving a slight cheers motion before drinking from it. Claire smiled at Emma. Operation 'keep the boys in a good mood' looked like it was going to work. Claire might get her family photo yet.

Emma walked over with their glasses and put them down before starting to move the main dish and sides onto the table. It was almost seven. Just as she was taking her seat a click could be heard as the door opened.

"It smells good. What's the occa—" Chris started as he walked in and closed the door behind him before noticing the additional people in the apartment. "—sion... Kennedy." So that's what she was up to.

"Redfield," Leon replied with a casual nod.

Last names only. Well, this was going great so far... Claire gave her brother a sheepish smile "Good to see you," she said looking at Chris. "We were in the area."

Chris looked over to Emma with a slightly annoyed expression. He did not believe that they 'happened to be in the area' when they were a four-hour flight away. Emma had known.

Emma gave a small smile in return while making a vague gesture to the empty seat next to her before starting to serve herself so the meal could begin. "If you're not hungry that's fine," she offered as an out for him. She wasn't going to force him to stay.

Chris thought it over but took the seat. It was only a few hours.

"Can I get you anything to drink?" Emma offered as she watches him serve himself.

"Sure, whatever you have is fine," Chris replied and Emma got up.

"How was work?" she asked with a smile to get him used to talking.

"It was work," he said, a grin starting to form. How this had turned into a joke for them was beyond him, but it helped him relax all the same.

"I see," Emma said as she grabbed a cup of water and a beer from the fridge. "Claire, any plans for the holidays?" she asked as she walked back and placed the drink in front of Chris then took her seat once more.

Claire smiled at the question. "Just traveling around, though while we're here, I was thinking maybe we could take a picture together for the holidays?" she requested.

Chris raised an eyebrow. "You flew all the way out here for a picture?" he asked, confused. Why not just use one of the pictures from the beach trip? Emma's mother had taken plenty of just him and Claire during the visit and had given them both copies.

"Not like you were going to go to her," Leon mumbled into his drink.

Chris stood up abruptly. Leon did so as well, drawing a pistol out of instinct while Chris grabbed a knife from the table. Claire rose with her own weapon pointed at Leon.

"WHOA! All of you. Talk about overreacting! Not in my house," Emma declared, though she remained seated, not wanting to further escalate the situation. Not good. This was bad. "Either you sit and be civil, or you two are kicked out. I'll have a lovely dinner date with Claire instead, and we'll take a holiday photo by ourselves," she offered as an ultimatum.

Claire lowered her weapon first, then Leon, and finally, Chris put the knife down.

"Thank you. I already looked under the beds. There are no Bioweapons in the house. Please put guns on the island counter, those are not welcome at this table," Emma said, trying to keep an authoritative tone. She did not spend all day cooking and cleaning for there to be a Texas stand-off before she even took a bite. She looks to Claire with an annoyed 'what the shit was that' expression. Emma offered her home as a neutral zone and they both brought pistols to dinner?

"Sorry," Claire said quietly as she set her gun down. Leon hesitated but after a glance from Claire, he relented and did so as well, while Chris takes a seat again.

Once Claire and Leon were both seated, Emma nodded. "Okay, now, let's try this again." Emma's tone said she was done with any shenanigans. "It's so nice of you three to join me for dinner. How have you been?"

This time around the meal went much smoother, but it barely evolved past small talk. Plans for the holidays, different shows that they were keeping up with, books they were reading, complaining about paperwork, and the like. But they were talking at the least.

Once dessert was served and finished Emma shifted to get up. "You mentioned wanting a picture with the boys, right? Why don't you three, go stand by the tree real quick. I'll take the picture," she offered and Claire smiles at this.

"Sure, that would be great," Claire agree, rising. The guys got up shortly after, clearly not thrilled, but willing to go along with the request. "You should be in the picture too, though," Claire said as they walked over to the tree.

"That's sweet of you, but I don't have a tripod to hold up my phone," Emma said with a slight smile. Oh well.

"Ask Bastion?" Chris offered as a solution.

Emma was surprised he'd be willing to wait since he still seemed annoyed about earlier. "Oh, um sure let me see if he's home." Emma was a little hesitant, but she left the three alone before returning with the nail tech.

"All right, let's take a picture," Bastion said with a smile as he accepted Emma's phone. "Gals to the middle, guys to the side, so you don't block the tree," he instructed. Once everyone was in position, he took the picture. "Hm. You're all stiff-looking..." He frowned.

Emma looked at Chris and made a silly face, which caused him to laugh. His laughter made Claire chuckle, and in turn, got Leon to crack a smile. Click.

"Okay and one more time, smiling at the cameraman," Bastion requested as everyone looked back at him. Click. "Much better. Okay, you're free to move," Bastion said as he walked over to Emma and handed back her phone.

"Thanks," Emma replied, then forwarded the three pictures to Claire.

"Not a problem. I'll be heading out unless you need anything else," Bastion said.

Emma shakes her head. "That should be it, thanks again for the help. Feel free to steal of dessert on the way out," she offered.

"Not a problem, and oh, don't mind if I do." Bastion got a small plate and fork from the kitchen to serve himself a slice of the mostly frozen whipped treat. "I'll stop by tomorrow with the dish. Thanks, Em."

"Not a problem," she said, waving him off.

"We should probably head out too. It's been great to see you both," Claire said with a smile.

"Yeah, this wasn't so bad," Leon admitted with a chuckle as he offered a hand to Chris, which he accepted and shook.

"Travel safely," Emma said in parting before both of them left, closing the door behind them, and Chris took a seat on the couch.

"You couldn't have told me they were going to visit?" Chris asked as Emma sat next to him on the couch with what was left of her glass of wine.

"Claire told me not to because you'd be cranky," Emma replied with a shrug.

"I'm kind of cranky now," Chris said in turn with a slight frown.

"She mentioned that would happen either way." Emma put the glass down on the coffee table. "It wasn't that bad, right?"

"Yeah, no. I loved the part where I had a gun pointed at me," Chris grumbled, causing Emma to shake her head before getting up and walking around to stand behind where Chris was sitting on the couch.

"It was nice to see Claire again," she offered as she gently rubbed her thumb against the back of his neck to try to relieve some of the tension.

He sighed quietly in response. "Yeah, it's nice to see she's doing well." Emma smiled, but that faded quickly when Chris went on. "I still think he's an ass though."

"You are determined to be cranky, aren't you?" Emma asked as she shifted to working a knot out of his shoulder.

"A little bit," he admitted.

"Okay grumpy Gus. how about we make a bet then," Emma offered as she stopped what she was doing to give him a hug from behind, leaning over the back of the couch so her face was next to his.

"I'll hear you out," Chris agreed. He was still miffed that she didn't tell him about the whole dinner plan thing, though.

"I'll bet that I can get you to smile with one word. if I'm wrong you can be grumpy all you want, and I'll drop it," Emma suggested, feeling rather confident.

"Seems easy enough," Chris agreed with a nod. "I'll accept."

"Alpha," Emma said before giving him a peck on the cheek.

Shit. A small smirk started to form and the more he tried to suppress it, the worse it got.

"Alpha," she said once more this time in a sing-song tone as he moved to pinch the bridge of his nose.

"That's cheating," he said with a chuckle.

"Should have made that a rule before accepting the bet," Emma chided with a giggle.

"Get over here." Chris reached around and pulled her over the back of the couch to get her to rejoin him on the seat. He gave her a peck on the forehead. "So... about the holiday photos. Do you think you could text them to me?" Chris requested, surprising Emma.

"Oh. Yeah sure," she agreed, though her confusion was evident in her tone.

"Thanks... I promised I'd send out a card," Chris replied, and Emma smiled.


Whooo boy the start of this chapter was a struggle to write X'D I'm really not good at this stuff but hopefully, the attempt is appreciated by those who were hoping for more spice. That and dang it, I'm sad cause I killed another character. OTL With this we're now on to the year 2020. I'll see you in the next chapter.

Review Responses:

Luffy the Fox - Aw :) thanks so much! I'm glad that you're enjoying the story VuV it's certainly an unusual one XD so I'm glad that I'm able to write something out of the ordinary that is enjoyable. I'll try and go back through what I have already and do some edits soon for typos and grammar.