@TlazolteotlCharlie admitted, "I would certainly hope so. Though, I'm just one of them. There's his health, his family..."
She paused for some time as she took a sip of her drink. Truth be told, there was something she had always wanted to confess. And, for whatever reason, despite her apprehension, she felt now would be a good time. She let out a small sigh as she took another sip and contemplated the right words to say.
"His name is William Birkin." Charlie explained, "He wasn't always my partner at work. In fact, he started out as one of my patients. Before then, he was a brilliant virologist who worked for the Umbrella Corporation. He was also a terrible human being. Karma caught up with him and he was left for dead, but he injected himself with his own creation. The G-Virus. It saved him but it turned him into a monster incapable of controlling himself. His actions caused the outbreak in Raccoon City resulting in its eventual destruction."
She took another sip once again contemplating her words carefully. Charlie wanted to make sure her feelings were understood.
Charlie then continued, "Many years later, that's where I come in. I was tasked with cloning him. Initially, it was purely for research. To study the effects of cloning on those infected with viruses. That being said, I never treated the clones as anything less than human. They're still people regardless of origin. Initially, Birkin was deemed a failure. He was just as brutal and instinctive as he was before his death. I don't know why, but I convinced my superiors to give me more time to work with him. I'm glad they agreed, because over the next few weeks, Birkin regained his sense of self."
Another sip. Another moment to carefully find what she wanted, no, what she needed to say.
"I let him work with me in the lab. Initially, it was just as a form of enrichment to keep him from getting bored. For safety reasons, patients are to be kept quarantined in the lab until they're confirmed safe to be out in public. As time passed, however, we began to form a friendship and he became my partner. Those weren't the only changes that happened. It turned out the G-Virus that was inside of him had mutated. The first thing I, and others, had noticed was that he had begun rapidly putting on weight. In only a few weeks, he had put on nearly 200 pounds. Then, his behavior changed. Mood swings, heightened agitation. Turns out he had gained the ability to reproduce without needing to infect others. To say he was shocked would be an understatement."
She paused once again. Explaining to the bartender that she had cloned one of Umbrella's most infamous researchers was probably quite a shock to begin with, much less the reveal that he had somehow become pregnant.
After a moment, she continued, "After some time, he shifted into his fifth form, a massive blob thing, and gave birth. Long story short, his new mutations included a pouch like a seahorse where his offspring developed. It also explained why he had gotten so fat in such short time. That flab acts like both insulation and a protective layer for his children. Birkin does care for his children, in his own way, but his parental skills definitely need improving."
Charlie frowned slightly as though it was starting to become more difficult for her to choose her words. Still, she pressed on.
"I told him about what happened in Raccoon City. How he had killed his own wife, Annette. How he had tried to infect his own daughter, Sherry." she said solemnly, "That the entire city was wiped from existence. Annette was gone forever, but Sherry had survived. I had to break the news, however, that I was unsure of her location and that his prior actions meant a reunion was very unlikely. He took it hard. I think the realization of what his actions had caused resulted in genuine remorse. I'm not sure if it provided him any comfort, but I did tell him that while he couldn't change the past, he could make things better for the future."
Yet another pause, another sip.
"Something changed in me when I comforted him while he mourned his loss. I knew I had always felt something about him, something I had never felt before. And, that's when I realized, I love him. People may call me crazy, but I do genuinely love him. He makes me happy, makes me feel safe. I want to tell him so bad. I want to be able to embrace him, nuzzle against his warm soft belly at night. To be able to kiss him. Perhaps more someday. But, I don't know how he feels. I don't know if he's even ready or willing to form a relationship after all he's been through. It hurts. Wanting to tell him how I feel, how he makes me feel, but also fearing that doing so would break his heart." she finally confessed, "And, worse, I don't know if I will ever get the chance to tell him. The lab where I worked at was attacked by B.O.W.s and we were forced to flee. He had to go into hiding to ensure his safety, and I haven't been able to find him since. I feel so stupid now, I...I should've told him when I had the chance..."
She wiped a few tears from her eyes. Her expression was a mixture of relief, sorrow, and regret.
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