The morning sun in Antarctica dispelled the chill and exhaustion within the cabin.
Two days later.
Virginia, a private medical center not open to the public.
With top-tier medical care, everyone's injuries were properly treated and recovered.
Chris's ribs were set, and Leon's knee had finished physical therapy; though he still limped slightly, he had already discarded his crutches.
Noah's shoulder wound, under the dual effects of the g-virus and modern medicine, had completely healed, leaving only a patch of slightly lighter skin as a witness to that tragic battle at the end of the world.
December 31st, the last day of 1998.
Manhattan, New York.
Heavy snow fell gracefully from the gray sky, draping a soft white blanket over the steel jungle.
In the upscale neighborhood by the Hudson River, warm lights and festive decorations shone from every window.
The four-bedroom, two-living-room villa Noah had bought was also lit up; the crackling of firewood in the fireplace sent a cozy warmth to every corner of the room.
Having missed Christmas, the group planned to make up for it.
"Hey! Buddy! Give me a hand!"
In the afternoon, a rugged Ford pickup truck stopped at the villa's entrance, its bed carrying a huge Christmas tree tightly wrapped in a dust cloth.
Chris jumped down from the driver's seat and shouted toward the door.
He wore a thick wool jacket and looked hale and hearty, though he was somewhat cautious when moving heavy objects.
Jill got out of the passenger seat and patted the truck bed with a smile.
"Leon! Stop playing dead! Get out here and work!" she shouted as well.
The villa door opened, and Leon walked out limping in casual loungewear, an exaggeratedly complaining expression on his face.
"My God, did you guys kidnap the King of the Forest? This thing is way too big!"
"Cut the crap," Chris laughed and scolded, "it's better than an injured guy like you mooching off others' homes."
It took the three of them a massive effort to move the Christmas tree, which almost reached the ceiling, into the living room.
The room was instantly filled with the crisp scent of pine.
Claire came out of the storage room with a box of decorations; seeing the massive Christmas tree, she let out a cry of surprise.
"Wow! Chris! Where did you get such a magnificent big guy!"
"From an old friend's farm," Chris patted the pine needles off his hands, a hint of pride on his face, "I guarantee this is the best Christmas tree in all of New York."
The group began busily decorating the living room and the Christmas tree.
Jill and Leon were responsible for hanging the lights, bickering as they worked; Leon kept trying new tricks, resulting in either tangling the lights or nearly falling off the ladder, earning him several eye-rolls from Jill.
Claire and Chris worked together, hanging exquisite ornaments, bells, and snowflakes on the branches.
While Jill and Leon were noisy at the other end, Claire leaned in close to Chris and lowered her voice, a hint of girlish bashfulness on her face.
"Chris..."
"Hmm?" Chris responded casually as he carefully hung a glass star at the very top.
"Noah and I... we have a pact." Claire glanced at Noah, who was busy in the kitchen, her voice very soft.
Chris's movements paused; he turned his head to look at his sister's sparkling eyes, reflecting the glow of the colored lights.
"What pact?"
"He said... once we found you..." Claire's cheeks felt hot as she took a deep breath, "we would get married."
The glass star in Chris's hand swayed gently.
He looked at Claire, at that familiar face he had watched grow up, now overflowing with a sense of happiness and longing belonging to a woman that he had never seen before.
An indescribable mix of emotions welled up in his heart.
It was as if a treasure he had carefully tended for years was about to be completely taken away by another man.
It felt a bit bitter, a bit hollow, but more than anything, it was a heartfelt sense of relief.
He remembered the moment in Antarctica when Noah used his own body to withstand Alexia's impact, creating an opportunity for everyone.
This man was worthy of having his sister entrusted to him.
"That kid..." Chris cleared his throat, trying to use a relaxed tone to hide his emotions, "he certainly moves fast."
Seeing that her brother didn't object, Claire's smile grew even more radiant.
She tugged on Chris's sleeve again, her tone becoming a bit more serious.
"There's one more thing, about Sherry."
"Sherry?" Chris's brow furrowed slightly; he remembered the name, William Birkin's daughter mentioned in the Raccoon City incident report.
"Noah and I adopted her," Claire said softly, "she's living with us now and attending a private school."
Then, using the most concise yet painful language, she told Chris about Sherry's background, her experiences in Raccoon City, and the g-virus inside her that was like a ticking time bomb.
The smile on Chris's face gradually vanished.
He couldn't imagine how such a young girl had witnessed her own father turn into a monster and kill her mother, then become infected with that evil virus herself, struggling to survive alone in that Hell-like city.
"Umbrella..." He squeezed the name through his teeth, his fists tightening unconsciously.
He looked at Claire, his eyes full of praise and affirmation.
"You did the right thing, Claire." His voice was low and firm, "That child has endured too much suffering she shouldn't have to bear. She needs a home, she needs someone to love her."
"Yeah." Claire nodded heavily, "She's a good kid, very sensible and strong."
Just then, the doorbell rang again.
Afterward, the villa became even more lively.
Ada appeared at the door wearing a well-tailored black cashmere coat and carrying a bottle of expensive-looking Burgundy wine.
She took off her sunglasses, and her face, which always carried a hint of mystery, softened slightly upon seeing the lively scene in the house.
Then came Barry Burton; the man, as sturdy as a bear, gave Chris a solid hug as soon as he entered, making Chris wince.
"Chris! You brat! You look like you're recovering well!"
Rebecca Chambers arrived as well, still looking like the girl next door, holding a beautifully wrapped gift box and smilingly greeting everyone.
In the villa's spacious living room, a low table was set on the warm wool carpet.
Barry, Jill, Chris, Rebecca, Leon, and even the usually solitary Ada sat cross-legged on the carpet.
They were playing a game of Dungeons & Dragons.
"I'll roll for investigation! I want to see what kind of ghost is hiding in that hole ahead!" Leon excitedly picked up his twenty-sided die and threw it hard.
The die rolled on the table for a long time, finally stopping on a "1".
"Critical failure!" Chris, acting as the Dungeon Master, announced the result expressionlessly, "Your character, a self-proclaimed agile rogue, slipped while peeking in and tumbled headfirst into the hole, waking up a nest of sleeping Hobgoblins inside."
"Oh, damn it!" Leon wailed, covering his face.
Everyone burst into laughter.
"Don't worry, Leon," Rebecca held up her character card, "my Cleric can cast 'Bless' on you!"
"Too late! It's my turn!" Barry roared excitedly, picking up a handful of dice, "My Dwarf Warrior initiates a charge! For my beard!"
Ada sat to the side, a faint smile playing on her lips.
She rarely participated in such activities, but watching this group of companions who usually struggled on the line between life and death now acting like children, happy or sad over a game, she felt an unprecedented sense of relaxation.
In those eyes that were always wary, there flowed a hint of genuine pleasure that she hadn't even noticed herself.
In the kitchen, the warm aroma of food filled the air.
Noah, wearing an apron, was focused on preparing a massive turkey, his knife skills exquisite and his movements fluid.
Claire was beside him, humming an out-of-tune Christmas song while sprinkling powdered sugar on a freshly baked pumpkin pie.
A small figure, like a happy butterfly, flitted between the living room and the kitchen.
She wore a brand-new red dress, her golden hair neatly combed, looking like a little adult as she served tea and water to everyone, hosting the guests.
She ran into the kitchen from time to time, looking up at the busy Noah and Claire.
"Brother Noah, Sister Claire," her voice was crisp and pleasant, "this is the... the best Christmas I've ever had, even if it's a late one."
Claire stopped what she was doing, knelt down to pull Sherry into her arms, and kissed her forehead.
"From now on, we'll spend every Christmas together like this."
"Mm-hmm!" Sherry nodded vigorously, then as if remembering something, she leaned in close to Claire's ear mysteriously, "Sister Claire, I made a new friend at school."
"Oh? Really? That's wonderful!" Claire was happy for her.
"Her name is Ashley Graham; she's a very gentle older sister. She knows I just transferred and don't understand many things, so she takes special care of me." Sherry's face was filled with a happy smile.
Noah's movements slowed for a moment, while Claire stroked her soft golden hair, her heart feeling tender.
Seeing Sherry emerge from the shadows of the past to have a normal childhood again and make new friends was the greatest wish for her and Noah.
A sumptuous New Year's dinner filled the long dining table.
Golden, succulent roasted turkey, baked lobster with herbs and cheese, colorful vegetable salads, and sweet-smelling pumpkin and apple pies.
The light from the fireplace reflected on everyone's faces.
Chris stood up and raised his red wine glass.
The noise in the living room gradually subsided, and everyone's eyes focused on him.
"Uh... ahem," he wasn't used to being the center of attention and cleared his throat awkwardly, "First of all, I'm very glad that all of us can sit here safely today."
"We've been through a lot—Raccoon City, Rockfort Island, Antarctica... We've lost many comrades and witnessed too much madness and evil."
His gaze swept across everyone present—Barry, Jill, Rebecca, those old S.T.A.R.S. buddies who had fought alongside him.
Then he looked at Leon and Ada, those reliable comrades-in-arms he had met in Hell.
Finally, his gaze fell on his sister and the young man beside her.
"But life goes on." Chris took a deep breath, a somewhat clumsy but incredibly sincere smile appearing on his face.
"Today, I have... a piece of good news to announce."
He looked at Claire and Noah.
"My sister, Claire Redfield, and Noah, the two of them, have decided to get married."
The entire dining room went silent for a second.
The next moment, Barry was the first to burst into thunderous applause and cheers.
"Oh! Fantastic! I knew it! I knew it!"
Jill and Rebecca covered their mouths in surprise, then also started laughing, sending their blessings to Claire and Noah.
Leon let out a loud whistle and winked at Noah.
"Congratulations, buddy, you've finally won the beauty's hand!"
Ada also raised her glass, nodding slightly to the two of them, a sincere smile in her beautiful eyes.
Claire's face was already as red as the cranberry sauce on the table; she leaned happily against Noah's shoulder, while the latter smiled, calmly accepting everyone's blessings.
"Let's all together!" Chris raised his glass high, "To the new couple! And to all of us, to every tomorrow we are still alive! cheers!"
Cheers!
The crisp sound of clinking glass merged into a joyful symphony.
A little white mouse happily ate the cheese Sherry had prepared for it under the dining table.
Outside, the heavy snow still fell silently, dyeing the whole world pure white.
Inside the villa, the warm light shone through the glass windows, spilling onto the snow and reflecting a peaceful, tranquil orange glow...