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It was perhaps surprisingly straightforward. Very clinical, for lack of a better term; I certainly didn't see anything wrong with it at the time.

[...Much to...no one's surprise, probably...]

That's not really all that surprising...

[Of course you didn't.]

Well, thanks for sharing, I suppose...? What a strange memory...

...The other memories I've received recently have been a bit strange as well, but nothing terrible. I'm just not altogether certain what to think of them. In most of them I was being surprisingly decent to Chris, even though I had no real reason to be.

The last one I received before...that with E-001 was somewhat less pleasant; I nearly killed him. Choking him again, before moving to punch his ribs out. Jill was there, this was happening right in front of her.

[You were really fond of trying to choke Chris, huh...]

I'm sorry to hear that. It must have been difficult to remember that. Are you okay, Albert?

...I believe so. It's unsurprising to me at this point, remembering things like that.

I'm not surprised to hear that. It's happened quite a few times now, ja?

[He moves a little, leaning in closer before settling again.]

Even if it's not surprising, it's probably still difficult. If there's ever anything I can do to help, you can let me know. Even if it's just sitting here like this, you know I'll always do what I can for you.

[...]

Sometimes I still dream about them. Chris and Jill, primarily. Once in a while I have dreams about Birkin as well, back when we were in the compound together.

They're almost never bad dreams anymore; they're usually positive, oddly so. I'm not sure what to make of that.

Oh, that's...

[...hang on, let him shift a little so he can get a better look at you.]

That's wonderful to hear. I didn't think you were having as many nightmares anymore, but hearing that you're having positive dreams with them in it... That's great, Albert. That's really nice.

I...

[A reasonably short while ago, he would have said he doesn't deserve anything like that, wouldn't he?]

...I think so too, yes.

[He knows, and he's so happy Wesker doesn't say it now.]

I'm really pleased to hear that... Thank you for telling me. I... I'm really happy.

[He shifts a little at that, pulling Jaeger closer against him and just holding him a bit.]

I didn't realize that it would be so important to you.

[Oh, that's nice...]

Of course it is. I do worry about you, you know! It's nice to know I don't have to worry as much, about that at least!

[It's gentle teasing, but it's true...]

The nightmares have been subsiding a good amount. Once in a while I still have them, but it's not nearly as often anymore.

[It's been good, honestly.]

A good amount of the positive ones take place back in Raccoon City, before the outbreak - back when I was working with S.T.A.R.S. I don't think they're actual memories; they feel different. But it's good to have them regardless.

I'm really glad they aren't as common now.

Those do sound like interesting dreams, though! Are you going on missions or is it downtime that you're dreaming about?

A bit of both, though it's usually the latter. Spending time like normal people for once.

Ah, that does sound nice... Do you like those dreams?

[He can see where it might just be really weird, honestly.]

[He sort of has to think about it for a moment; they certainly aren't bad, it's just sort of weird to quantify whether he likes them or not - he hadn't really thought about it.]

...I think so. It's a little strange to think about; I don't know if I ever really spent time with people like that or if I kept to myself back then. I suppose it's possible that it's just what I would have wanted for myself... Either way, though, I think I like them well enough.

I think that's normal, to have wanted something different for your past life. I'm glad you like them, though! They do sound like lovely dreams.

Yes. And I did like Chris and Jill to at least some extent. I couldn't relate to them at all, of course, but they were decent people and they were never terrible to me. They respected me; they treated me well.

I don't think I really knew what to think of that back then, other than expecting it to some extent simply due to my station. But I imagine it was a good thing, given that they remained important to me until the end.

[Not...important in a good way, necessarily, but...]

[Y-yeah...]

Yes, I think so too. I wonder if you liked them too, it just wasn't something you were fully aware of and didn't really know how to handle. I do wish things could have been different and maybe you could have gotten along with them better.

[But he wishes a lot about Wesker's past life was different, and it's not like there's any changing it.]

[Mm.]

The Umbrella Corporation ensured that I didn't know how to handle a lot of normal things like that. I knew that what was happening there was abnormal - I wrote journal entries regarding how everyone in the compound was insane, and it was only going to keep escalating the longer we were kept there - but I also didn't know anything else, and so I wasn't sure how to handle or relate to other people.

I do think I liked them, however, in my own way.

It sounds difficult. I'm glad you were able to leave Umbrella eventually, even if it wasn't the way you'd hoped for.

[...]

I'm sorry things were so difficult in your past life. I know you're upset by a lot of what happened there - both what happened to you and what you did - but I really do believe that if things had been different, you wouldn't have turned out like that.

I am glad you had people you liked, though. It's a shame things couldn't have gone better with Chris and Jill.

[He lets his grip tighten against Jaeger a little bit at that - nothing desperate, it's gentle, just enough to be felt.]

It's a lot to come to terms with. It's...merciful, really, that I don't remember much of what was done to me back then; what Spencer said about it, and about me, affected my past life far more than it affects me now. It was painful then, in ways that I wasn't used to and didn't know how to handle.

What I did is always going to be difficult for me to deal with, I think. But it's getting easier.

[He'll shift a bit to return that, before nuzzling Wesker a bit.]

I know. I don't think that's something that most people could ignore or be at peace with. It's difficult, but I'm very glad that it's getting easier for you. Last year was... was really rough. But you do seem to be doing better now, and I'm really happy to see it.

No matter what you have left to remember, we'll make it through. I'll always be right here beside you.

...I know last year was hard on you.

[He'll return that nuzzling, all right, even if it's a bit awkward.]

I know that I haven't always been able to be there for you, or to be good to you in the way that I should have. But I'm doing what I can now, and I intend to keep it that way.

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