To Be With You

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~Tired Faith~

How long had it been since... Well, you know. Don't you? That incident at Raccoon City that took place and ended up getting the entire midwestern town blown off the map forever? How could you not know about that? Ah well I guess most people just choose not to remember it, not that I blame them of course.

I remember it like it was yesterday...

My mother had told me to go to the RPD and I was to remain there and stay hidden to the best of my abilities. I tried, I really did! But I was only 12 and there were so many monsters! And then they were there! The woman I would forever look up to as if she could have been my mother what with how she kept me safe and wouldn't let a thing near me. Anything that would even so much as try she put an end too. And then there was also him; an RPD officer at her side. They were like my guardian angles! Their names were Claire Redfield and Leon Kennedy. But to me they were heroes bent on survival.

Of course I've gotten older now and having a part of the BSAA thanks to Chris Redfield, Claire's older brother, I'm helping to do more good then I was before.

Oh Chris... I remember when Claire had shown me a picture of him back in Raccoon because she was trying to find him and make sure he was alive. Being only 12 at the time I had that little girl crush on him though I had never met him. Kinda like when you sit down and watch your favorite tv show and can't help thinking that one guy in it is super cute and then you sorta picture yourself with them. Yeah I was like that with Claire's brother, don't know if she ever knew that or not though.

Well I'm 27 now and all grown up! But I guess you could say I'm still crushing on that man. He's been through so much over the years I sometimes think of ways to try and comfort him, but he's just so... and I'm... 'sigh' Yeah what would Claire think of me? Or her brother for that matter! I might be older but she'd probably still consider him a 'cradle-robber'. I love Claire she still treats me on my birthday and at Christmas time. Even Chris did this past year!

It wasn't anything big but I loved it. Just a bracelet and I thought it so cute and sweet with the little charms dangling from the thin chain. I haven't taken it off since unless I'm in water or something. At first I had looked at him like a giddy teenager seeing as that's how he almost always makes me feel whenever he's around. I can't help it! I get all giggly and my heart beats a little faster and I listen to every word he says.

Oh! There he is now!

"Hey Sherry, how are you today?"

"I'm good Chris." I said with a bright smile. Despite how cold it was out right now in the middle of February I felt rather warm and comfortable. "How was the trip?" Chris shook his head a bit then looked out over the camp. "A bit more successful this time around. We can't seem to cut our losses, we're eliminating large amounts of B.O.W but I'm still losing more men than I should be." He sighed and looked down for a moment, "I just don't know how much longer we can keep this up."

I don't really know what to tell him right now, I feel so bad! "Is there anything I can do to help?" Ah ha! I got a small smile out of him!

"Nah Sherry you're doing more then enough right here." He said looking at me, "More then your fair share since our numbers have dropped."

"Chris."

We both turned to look at Jill who had Claire with her, "We just lost Lt. Spure."

"That new C-Virus is worse now then it was before." Claire added looking at Chris with serious concern. "Are you alright?" Jill asked stepping towards him. I could tell all he wanted was for it all to end just so he could try and go back to how everything use to be. "Yeah I'm alright, just sick and tired of the God damn fight now. Wesker is gone and Umbrella has fallen and it still hasn't stopped." He turned back around looking out over the camp once more. "Damn it!" He muttered under his breath. I wasn't sure if Jill and Claire had caught it or not, But I had.

"What do you want us to do?" Jill asked, the look on her face I couldn't describe. It was as if she was lost and confused all while being scared, something rare for her but had been reoccuring here these past few weeks.

"Just head back to the camp and seal up the gate. All we can do is rest for the night and head out again in the morning." He said with a heavy sigh. Claire and Jill nodded and went back telling the men Chris' orders. How I admired him when he took charge, not quite like this but when he gave orders... I don't know.

"Why head back out again so soon?" I asked turning to him.

"Because there's still B.O.W that we need to get rid of and-"

"But with the losses in men traveling out again so soon could be fatal to our numbers!"

He looked at me for a moment. He knew I was right, hell I knew I was right! "We've lost so much and I understand what has to be done but..." I paused to breathe for a minute, "One day to recuperate. Just one?" Looking at him I pleaded with my eyes. He was tired and worn even more then his men were and still he pushed forward. I didn't want to witness the day his men came back and something terrible had happened to Chris.

But then he smiled. It was a small smile but he did and nodded his head a couple of times. "You're starting to sound like my sister." I smiled in a way proud. Claire always had a way of getting through to her big brother. And then it happened! He hugged me! I just sorta stood there for a few seconds relishing the warmth of his body against mine before I finally brought my arms up and wrapped them as far around his back as I could. He was so much bigger than my small self and I admit it I absolutely loved it! I felt safe and secure in his arms as I turned my head slightly to rest it on his chest, I could hear his heart beat and his breathing both of which were calm and steady.

I closed my eyes for a moment and let my mind wander. I let it go to a place that may never, ever exist, so long as I may live. It was a place where I let the little girl in me take over and imagined for a moment that I was Mrs. Chris Redfield, and that things were normal, a life without these horrible monsters and nightmares, with Chris and a home and three maybe four beautiful children and Claire being the happiest aunt there could ever be!

But I came tumbling back to reality as I felt him pull away to head back to camp, but not before placing a kiss on my forehead which only made me smile the biggest smile I ever had. "Thank you Sherry." He whispered as he then started to walk back. I stood there a moment longer, the cold finally starting to nip at my face a bit with that big smile still plastered on it. And just like a giddy school girl I hummed to myself and twirled in the snow a few times as I made my way back to the camp as well.

My name is Sherry Birkin and I am the youngest survivor of the 1998 Raccoon City incident.