Well, here it is, the epilogue. I would like to thank everyone who has stuck with this story, it means a great deal to me. Please leave any closing remarks you may have, it would mean a lot to me. Please enjoy and, once again, thanks for reading!

X X X

Ruvik pulled away from her in disgust. He rose from their bed, grabbed a vase and smashed it into the floor. Sophie wrapped the silken blankets around her as she waited for Ruvik to finish his anger fueled demolition. It had been six months since he had escaped from STEM and the transition thus far had not been a smooth one.

Leslie's body was significantly weaker than what Ruvik's had been in STEM and he hated his newfound restrictions. To make it worse, the abilities he had gained from Mr. Rankin- telekinesis and astral projection- were all but useless without the ability to draw energy from the electric grid. He had made headway with the telekinesis but he had abandoned attempts at astral projections. He found it tedious and deprived him of any energy he would have gained from sleeping. He had been able to come to terms with all of that, more or less, but his lack of strength and control over his environment were constant struggles for him. Not to mention the necessity to sleep like a regular person and not being able to transport himself wherever he pleases.

There had been some upsides. His business and savings portfolios had performed extraordinarily well over the years giving them all the money they need to start their life anew and plan their attack against Mobius. They had moved a week ago into a secluded and beautiful Victorian home that was built over a sizeable bunker of Ruvik's design. Ruvik had been almost unable to control his excitement when he put his finishing touches on a newly built STEM system and finished the last of his traps to protect his work. Yes, they had their ups but every now and then something would happen that would trigger Ruvik. Remind him that he was no longer powerful and virtually omnipotent. One of those things happened to be sex.

"Ruvik, calm down. It's not that big of a deal." Sophie soothingly coaxed him from the bed. He turned to her with fury burning in his blue eyes.

"This body is unacceptable! I barely lasted ten seconds and I feel drained and fatigued! Don't you dare sit there and tell me you received any sort of pleasure from our coupling!" He huffed, running a frustrated hand through his newly cut hair.

"This is only our third time attempting this, it's going to take time. Besides, you satisfied me during foreplay. I am not greedy, Ruvik." His eyes took on a cold look.

"It was better before, you can't deny that." Sophie fought not to roll her eyes. It wouldn't help the situation.

"Of course it was. You could regenerate at a moment's notice and look into my mind. It probably won't ever be like that again but it will get better than this, I promise." He grimaced at her.

"Yes, it will, because I will make it better." He turned on his heel and headed for the door. "I will be in my lab." The door closed behind him and Sophie let out an aggravated huff and threw herself against the downy pillows.

In all honesty, she thought this time had been a resounding success. The first time Ruvik had attempted sex had been a week after he had escaped STEM. His body was still too weak from years of neglect and malnutrition so he had been unable to keep an erection. Not to mention Sophie couldn't get into it since all she could think about was Leslie and how it was his body above hers. The second time had gone much more smoothly but had ended much too quickly for Ruvik's liking. Like the first time, they weren't able to reach penetration. Ruvik had reached climax from oral sex and became irate when he couldn't re-cooperate to continue. Sophie was more than pleased with the progress. Not only had he been able to maintain an erection this time around, but Sophie had actually been attracted to him.

Ruvik had gained some proper muscle mass and had the staining on his teeth removed which helped considerable in getting Sophie to differentiate between him and Leslie. What really helped was his newfound chosen haircut. It was considerable shorter and swept to one side, kind of like a World War I fighter pilot. It completely transformed his face and Sophie could even believe that he was a grown up version of the child Ruvik she had seen in the vision. Sophie wondered if the transition would have been even more difficult if Ruvik and Leslie hadn't looked so similar.

She shook her head. There was no point in thinking about it. She turned her head to the side where she was greeted with four pairs of eyes. One of them was returning from a reconnaissance mission to one of Mobius's centers but the other three were just normal ghosts here to annoy her and demand her attention.

Sophie let out a sigh, missing James immensely in that moment. He had been at Mobius's headquarters for a month now and she had no idea when he would return. Hopefully, he would gain enough relevant information so he wouldn't have to leave her for so long again.

"Alright, Natalie," Sophie said, swinging herself out of the bed and over to the awaiting spirits. "What do you have for me?"

X X X

One month later…

Sophie could feel her climax building inside her. Ruvik moved slowly within her, his eyes looking deep into her own.

"That's it Sophie, just let go. I want to feel you collapse around me. Come for me. Come for your lover." Sophie did as he commanded and reached that ever so sweet peak and came crashing down on the other side. Her toes curled in the bedsheets and her inner walls clasped vigorously around his manhood. He let out a low moan and he reached his own completion, his hips shuddering against hers as he filled her.

When he was finished, he remained above her, pressing his sweaty forehead against her own, his eyes closed. Sophie drifted her hands down the smooth expanse of his back as they remained there for several minutes in contented silence. After some time, he pulled away from her, stroking her face and hair. There was a strange look in his eyes, one that Sophie had never seen before. It was something past satisfaction or happiness but the right term eluded her. Before she could place it, it was gone. Replaced with an expression of surprise and realization.

"That's it," he whispered, before jumping out of the bed and collecting his scattered clothing.

"What's it?" Sophie asked, watching with wide eyes as he zealously put on his cloths.

"I have been trying to find ways to make STEM more effectual. To find new and more efficient ways to get people to accept my presence in their mind, to delve in at my whim." He finished dressing himself and turned to her, excitement evident in his features and stance. "I spent so many years with hate and vengeance on my mind that I only looked to hate and fear to further my research. I completely ignored affection, desire, and love." He moved to her and kissed her deeply before pulling away from her and moving quickly to the door. "I will be in my lab. I will require utmost privacy over the next few days so please see to any questions that may arise from my lawyers or business associates. Now that I no longer live in isolation those people feel the need to constantly contact me for frivolities. It is most distracting and annoying."

Ruvik was out the door already before Sophie let out a dumbfounded, "No problem." She wondered if he even realized that in a very circumvent way he just told her that he loved her. Or, at the very least, he held a notable amount of affection for her. After all, why else would he have this epiphany while gazing into her eyes? Sophie could feel a blush creep over her cheeks as she grinned from ear to ear. Things were finally coming together.

X X X

Four days later…

Sophie sat with her hands tangled in her hair, wanting nothing more than to rip it out in frustration. Not only did she have to return no less than eight phone calls to handle Ruvik's various business dealings, but the ghosts were being mutinous. Some of them were very upset that the one's helping her were getting special treatment. So, as a revolt, about fifteen of them decided to ban together and yell at her constantly. It had been going on non-stop now for over fourteen hours. Starting at three o'clock in the morning, just after she had finally gotten to sleep in her, once again, empty bed.

"I am not going to relent. If you want more help, then you must agree to my conditions. Otherwise, you have to wait until I can make time for you." Sophie screamed at them, knowing if anyone else were to see her act in such a manner, they'd think she was going crazy. Which she was. They were so freaking loud.

Much to her chagrin, another two ghosts materialized through the walls and joined in the raucous. She let out a groan and banged her head against her desk's table. She couldn't give in. If she did, then any other ghost who wanted her attention would just pull the same stunt. She had to remain steadfast or else they would have complete control over her life.

Out of nowhere, the volume of the screaming spirits suddenly diminished. Sophie looked up in confusion to see James pushing some of them out of the room. It was noticeable more difficult for him, it was clear he had lost a lot of his strength being away from her for so long. Sophie could feel her heart race at the sight of him. She wanted to cry she was so happy to see him. Between the ghosts, dealing with Ruvik's things, and the consuming loneliness; she had come to greatly miss her guardian angel.

After about thirty minutes, James was finally able to get the ghosts out and keep them out, at least for now. He turned to her with a weary smile and she jumped out of her chair and ran to him. She almost tried hugging him, but caught herself at the last second. Running through him and into the side table beyond would do nothing to help this day. Instead, she stood in front of him, beaming at him with the biggest smile she could muster.

"James, it's so good to see you! You have no idea how much I have desperately missed you."

"I think I have a fairly good notion, darling." He drawled, sounding weaker than usual.

"Ruvik, has been cooped up in his lab the past few days working on something big but he did say to notify him straight away when you got back. I hope he still means it. Are you up for talking to him?" He nodded.

"Might as well get this out of the way. I have a lot to tell so he best make sure he has the time to hear it." Sophie walked over to the wooden French doors of her office and flung them open only to be met with the angry gazes of several spirits. Sophie walked past them without a second glance, grateful that James' presence were keeping them quiet for now. After a few hours they'd work up the courage to once again continue their onslaught.

Sophie came to a wall and tapped rhythmically against the surface. Upon completion, the wall swung open to reveal a massive metal door. Sophie typed in the code, put her hand on the scanner and kept her eye open for an annoying amount of time for the retina scanner. She vigorously rubbed at her watering eye as the metal door slid into the floor.

She began her descent down the stairs, stopping halfway down to twist at one of the paintings on the stairwell. If she didn't, the stairs would open up and she'd fall through into a cage. Something she learned the hard way the first time she came down here. Of course, Ruvik had done it on purpose to make sure his trap worked. He was lucky the door opened up onto a bed or else she would have been livid. At least, more livid than what she had been.

She reached the bottom and turned the corner only to be met with two men in one of Ruvik's prison cells. She was taken aback at first because she had no idea when or how they got there. It seemed Ruvik had his ways. They both saw her at the same time and ran up to the metal bars, raising their hands toward her and begging in urgent whispers for her to help them.

She approached them in a daze of bewilderment. When her eye caught their white lab coats and the Mobius symbol stitched into the lapel, Sophie quickly realized why they had been selected.

"I must confess," she started, stopping just out of their arm's reach. "When I saw you two in there I thought Ruvik might be up to his old ways again. You can't imagine my relief when I saw who you guys work for. You should know right now that I am not going to help you, nor do I have the desire to help you." She completed in a deadpanned voice, watching their faces fall in despair at her words. Their crestfallen faces didn't bring her any joy nor did it elicit any feelings of compassion. Although, the saddened look she could see from James in her peripheral vision tugged at her heart. She had to ignore him. She couldn't be weak. These men probably would have experimented on her. No remorse. No pity. She would give to them what they would have given to her.

Sophie jumped slightly as an arm wrapped around her midsection and lips were pressed to her hair.

"Aren't I a lucky man, gentlemen? To have such a supportive woman by my side? Tell me, were your significant others as supportive when you told them how you tortured me for hours before ripping my brain from my skull? Or did you keep such sordid details out of the bedroom?" Ruvik said in a low, chilling tone. The raspiness of his old voice seeping through. "Do not worry, I will not be doing the same. One of you will experience something far, far worse while the other will experience joy and rapture beyond their comprehension before they too go through something far, far worse. It won't be much longer now. Preparations are almost complete. Keep your eye on the time." Ruvik, pointed behind him. Sophie turned her head to see an electronic clock counting down. The men had less than a day left.

One of men collapsed onto the floor in a series of fits and sobs while the other ran to the toilet and threw up into the metallic bowl. Ruvik guided Sophie away from the pair and down a hallway into the newly formed STEM room.

"I am assuming that James has returned and that is why you have come."

"Indeed, it is, but why did you bring me here?" Ruvik walked away from her and picked up a strange looking helmet.

"This will go by much quicker if we did this through STEM instead of you repeating everything he says. I can use the wireless capabilities to get you into the halfway point and James can enter your dreams, as he did before." He looked around the room, as though James would suddenly appear for him. "You still do not have my permission to enter her dreams outside of here, by the way." Ruvik said much too loudly into the cavernous room.

"We'll see about that," James said from beside her. Sophie saw no reason to tell Ruvik that James had every intention of disobeying him. It's not like Sophie could stop James even if she tried. She didn't have those capabilities.

Ruvik took her hand and led her to one of the pods. She hesitated from climbing inside, remembering everything she had experienced the last time they were there. Of being trapped in a world filled with monsters, lacking control of everything around her. She wasn't eager to return to such a place. Ruvik noticed her reluctance and put the helmet down, clasping her head between his hands and looking into her eyes.

"I am not a good man, Sophie. I have done unspeakable things and will continue to do them. There are horrors beyond anything I had created in my last version of STEM in this machine but you will be perfectly safe with me in the halfway point. I promise, you will never experience such horror again, I won't allow it. Unless you betray me, of course." He finished, ending with a small smirk.

"Of course," Sophie responded with a half way genuine laugh. She accepted his hand and stepped into the pod, forcing herself to relax as she gazed up into James' eyes who stood above her with concern tensing his shoulders.

"Do you trust him, Sophie?" He asked with trepidation. Sophie smiled weakly and nodded her head. Sophie could hear Ruvik climb into his own pod and shortly after everything went black.

When Sophie opened her eyes again, she was left breathless. They were in a large meadow of flowers of every shape and color as far as the eye could see. The only spot devoid of flowers was where they currently stood which had two couches also occupying the space. Ruvik walked up behind her and kissed her neck as she gazed at the beauty around her.

"I thought you would appreciate this locale more than a hospital waiting room."

"You would be right, this is simply amazing, Ruvik." She said breathlessly.

"I am glad that you are pleased. After your ghost is finished telling his tale, it is my wish to spend time with you here, alone." He said in a low growl, his hand drifting possessively down her body so she wouldn't misinterpret his meaning. "If you find that acceptable." Sophie felt her desire well up in her core, overwhelming her. She had to take a moment to collect herself before she spoke.

"I find that perfectly acceptable," she answered in a low, throaty voice.

"Are you quite finished or should I return later?" James asked in an anger laced voiced. Sophie quickly jumped away from Ruvik, her cheeks flaming red in embarrassment. She walked over to one of the couches and sat down, her head bowed so she wouldn't have to look at James. James sat across from her as Ruvik sat beside her, putting his arm around her waist and pulling her closer to him. He could be such an ass.

"Well, ghost," Ruvik said with slight abhorrence, "tell us what you have found." James jaw twitched in annoyance as he looked at Ruvik. He shifted his eyes to Sophie and noticeably relaxed as she gave him an encouraging smile. James reluctantly once again returned his vision to Ruvik, more collected now, before he continued.

"I guess that depends on what you know about Mobius' controlling company, the Umbrella Corporation."

X X X

Eight months later, Ruvik's point of view…

Ruvik sat in an oversized office chair, looking out at the expansive city below. He quite enjoyed the view. Not for the aesthetic of it, but for the feeling it gave him. It made him feel powerful, like how STEM once made him feel. He could enter STEM once more but it no longer garnered the same feeling that it had once elicited from him. The world of STEM now felt fake and unfulfilling to him. He wanted real power, real capabilities. He was so close now to achieving such a goal. Just a few more pieces of the puzzle.

As he leaned back in his chair, he heard the door open behind him. Heavy footsteps entered the room and stopped in the center.

"Please, have a seat," Ruvik said in a neutral voice. The visitor obeyed and sat in one of the extravagant chairs in front of his desk. Ruvik waved his hand, using his telekinesis to activate the traps embedded in the furniture where the newcomer now sat. The room filled with the sound of metal clacks and the hiss of locking mechanisms as the chair bound the man to the surface. The man laughed.

"You don't know who I am if you think this can hold me," the man said in a mocking tone. Ruvik heard him try, unsuccessfully, to try and break from his restraints. "What the hell!" The man exclaimed in aggravation. Ruvik swiveled his chair around to face the man before him, the previous chairman of the Umbrella Corporation.

"That is where you are wrong, Wesker. I am well aware of your superhuman strength and speed, not to mention you near immortality. So, yes, I know exactly who you are and what you are capable of. That's why there's a series of syringes now in your back pumping you with enough sedatives to kill several men. Or do you not feel them? Are you now incapable of pain? Please tell me. This will be useful to know before I start the experimentation." Ruvik said in a deadpanned voice. The blonde man smirked at him.

"Ruvik. Where have you been hiding? We've searched high and low for you. Is the medium with you as well?"

"We will not be discussing her."

"Ahh, has the little psychic caught your eye? I don't blame you, I was planning on having my fun with her as well before we incorporated her into STEM." Ruvik once again waved his hand and two spikes ripped through Wesker's legs, the man barely even winced from the pain. The smug smirk never leaving his lips.

"I said we will not be discussing her," Ruvik hissed. "If you haven't noticed, you have lost. I now own the Umbrella Corporation and I will fix everything that you and your incompetent cohorts have done."

"I am surprised, Ruvik. That's very righteous of you. Has the love of a good woman made you soft?" Ruvik waved his hand and spikes pierced through Wesker's biceps.

"Don't try my patience. I have no intention of humanitarian endeavors. I will continue with Umbrella's work but for my benefit and without the severe stupidity that has plagued this company thus far." Wesker laughed at Ruvik's words.

"What makes you think you have the capabilities or know how to run such an enterprise? That my people will follow you in any capacity? I am the only one who can control Umbrella, the only one who can keep it moving forward." Ruvik let out a low, throaty laugh as Wesker finished his little speech.

"You honestly believe you have aided this company over the years? It is nothing short of a miracle that it hasn't completely collapsed and that its programs still remain largely hidden from the public. It was pathetically easy to find out about the disasters in Raccoon City and Rockfort Island. Are these the examples of your so-called leadership? Your people will follow me if they wish to remain employed and living. It shouldn't be too difficult to garner their loyalty, a trained monkey could do better than what you have accomplished. You didn't even notice that large amounts of your stock was being bought up. You are pathetic. Did you think you were safe behind your powers? That your supposed intelligence would stop people from challenging you? Well, here I am, Wesker, and I have thrown down the gauntlet." Ruvik mocked him, standing from his chair with a flourish as he finished. For the first time, the smirk left the Wesker's face.

"It's only a matter of time, Ruvik. I am immortal and destroyed all the research that gave me the capabilities I now possess. I have all the time in the world as you try and discover the secrets of my body. I will find an opportunity to escape and take it. I will put you back in that jar and find your little psychic. Make no mistake. I always come out on top." Ruvik leaned towards him, leering down at him with a cruel smile.

"You have misinterpreted my intentions, once again. I didn't do all this," Ruvik indicated the chair Wesker sat, "in order to capture you for experimentation. I did this so I can look you in the face as I kill you." Wesker's eyes widened just before a large blade came from the back of the chair, severing Wesker's head and showering Ruvik in a hot splash of blood.

Ruvik moved around the desk and picked up Wesker's head from atop the blade, blood dripping down in streams from the opened flesh.

"You overestimated yourself, something I too was once guilty of as well. But I learned my lesson and shall never again make such a mistake." Ruvik carried Wesker's head to a small container filled with liquid and placed it in the canister, locking it. Ruvik moved once more to his desk, pressing one of the buttons on his intercom. I will be showering. I want the body removed and in the lab before I am out."

"Yes, sir." A voice answered back. "Will you be in tomorrow, sir?"

"No, I will be returning home immediately. Inform the pilot to prepare the helicopter." Ruvik stood there for a moment, looking at the bloodied body of Albert Wesker. His vengeance was now complete. It tasted sweeter than he could have ever imagined.

X X X

Five hours later…

Ruvik stood over a sleeping Sophie, looking down at the first thing that was his in this world, but certainly not the last. He stripped off his clothing and crawled in the bed behind her, stroking her hair and kissing her bare shoulder. She slowly awakened, raising her left hand behind to reciprocate the caresses. He captured the appendage and held it for a moment, kissing each knuckle. He put something around one of her fingers before he finally relinquished her arm. She brought her hand to her face and squinted in the darkness, confusion deepening her brow. Once she realized what he put there, she bolted upright, almost hitting him in the face.

"R-Ruvik, what is this?" She asked, holding up her now ringed hand for his inspection.

"I would assume you'd be familiar with the concept of an engagement ring." He said, raising a mocking eyebrow at her.

"Of course, I am just…surprised. Why are you doing this?" He reached up and pulled her back into his arms, breathing in her scent before answering.

"Is your answer, no, then?" She noticeably tensed at his question.

"Of course, my answer is yes, Ruvik. This past year has been the best of my life. I've never felt stronger and more certain of myself and that's all because of you. Not to mention the fact you're the only living person who I trust completely. Who also understands and accepts my ability and who I am. I would be insane to turn all that away." He kissed her deeply, spreading her legs with his hands and settling himself between them.

"Good, then you have an understanding of how I feel. I have no intention of letting you go, ever. I am a very possessive man and I intend to make you mine in every sense of the word. We are going to spend a long time together, my dear. Possibly forever, if Wesker's body gives me the information I need. We will be Gods in this world. We will control everything, all from the safe confines of obscurity." Sophie let out a small sigh at his words and from the entering of his manhood inside her warm entrance.

"You make it sound like we'll be the Illuminati." She said breathlessly as he moved his hips once more against hers.

"In a manner of speaking, we will be. But we will need people we can trust to aid us, I think heirs will do nicely in this endeavor." Sophie looked at him with wide eyes before letting out a pleasure filled moan.

"Is that why my birth control suddenly went missing last week?" Ruvik picked up the pace and she threw back her head, twining her feet around his back, urging him to go faster and deeper.

"Perhaps," he answered in strained gasps. They remained locked together for the next hour, sometimes going fast and fierce and other times slow and sweet. They reached their climaxes in unison, their pleasure filled cries bouncing across the room. Sophie fell almost immediately asleep with a contented smile.

Ruvik remained awake, holding her possessively in his arms as he ran a lone finger over her ring. For the first time since Ruvik was a child, he knew what it meant to be completely and totally content and he wasn't going to let anyone take it away from him again. Ever.

X X X

That's all she wrote. I actually intended this to be longer. The scene with the two men in the prison cell was supposed to be much lengthier but I decided to cut it down. Was anyone expecting me to bring Albert Wesker into the story? It was my intention from the get go to do so and I assumed everyone would know him from the Resident Evil games. If not, I am sorry for the confusion to anyone. Please leave a comment as to what you thought of the story, even if it's constructive criticism or an alternate ending you would have preferred to have seen. Now let's all cross our fingers and hope one day we get an Evil Within 2 game because I think we can all use a bit more Ruvik in our lives. See you later everyone!