A short one-shot for your reading pleasure. Takes place near the end of RE5, when Chris free's Jill.

Chris felt the device start to give, and pulled with all his strength on it. It slipped out, with a sick squishing sound as it came off of Jill's chest.

He dropped back from her as she screamed, clawing at her chest, where the holes left by the device oozed out blood slowly. He tossed the device to the ground, stomping on it for good measure. He heard Sheva come up beside him, her weapon still half raised at Jill.

Chris holstered his weapon – he hadn't used it in the fight at all – and watched as she struggled about, before she collapsed to the ground, and stopped moving.

"Jill!" he started, as he immediately rushed to her side. "Jill!" He turned her over gently, taking her into his arms.

She was mostly limp in his arms, her eyes closed. Her blonde hair had partially come loose from the ponytail it had been in. He gently pushed it aside from her eyes. Damn it, she had to be ok. He had thought her dead and gone, and now just moments ago he had discovered what Wesker had done to her… it was all happening to fast, and yet it was her – it was Jill.

If his rush in removing that device had killed her, he'd never forgive himself.

But then he felt her stir in his arms. "Are you alright?" he asked concerned.

Her head lolled around a bit as her eyes flittered open, unfocused. Her now hazel eyes slowly started to look at him. Another change, just like her hair. Something weird had happened to her.

He felt his heart flutter a bit. God how he had missed her.

"Chris," she started, seemingly confused. She breathed heavily for a moment, appearing to be overcome with emotion. "I'm so sorry," she whispered out.

He didn't know what she was saying she was sorry about – being gone for so long, or for attacking them.

It didn't matter. "It's ok," he said soothingly. He didn't care what had happened before, it was over. They stared at each other a moment longer, before she finally broke his gaze.

She turned to Sheva, who was over his shoulder. "You're Sheva, right?"
"Yes."

Jill was overcome with emotions, the pain palpable in her voice. "I couldn't control my actions, but oh god I was still aware. Forgive me." Chris could feel the horror creep up his spine at her description. The things that she would have seen herself do and be impossible to stop – it would drive a person mad. Jill was strong, the strongest person he knew – but even she had her limits.

"It's alright," she said soothingly, as Chris suspected she would.

It was just what Jill needed. "Thank you." The relief was etched all over her face.

Jill started to rise, and Chris obliged by helpfully raising her to her feet. But as soon as she was up, she immediately pushed him away to his confusion.

"Listen, I'm going to be alright." The way she swayed on her feet screamed at Chris that she was going to be anything but. She slowly brought her face up. "You two need to stop him."

"We can't just leave you here!" shot back Chris quickly. He had just found her; there was no way he was letting her go now. She couldn't possibly mean it.

"You HAVE to. This is your only chance!" Jill immediately responded, her voice showing strength that her body didn't have. She was staring at him hotly, daring him to argue. "If Wesker succeeds, Uroboros will be spread across the globe. Millions will die!"

Chris knew that, but there had to be some other way. "Well yea but-"

She cut him off forcefully. "I'm alright. You NEED to stop him."

He broke eye contact with Jill, unable to look at her right now. How could she ask him to abandon her – how could she ask him to leave her when he just found her?

At that instance, he didn't care about the world. He just cared that Jill Valentine was in front of him. He'd lost her once, and he wouldn't do it again.

Apparently his thoughts were showing, as Jill grabbed him, forcing him to look into her eyes. She looked so sad, but had the fire in her eyes still. "Chris… You're the only one who can." Her eyes took on a haunted look. "Before it's too late." The horror in her eyes told him more than he wanted to know. He couldn't imagine what Wesker had done to her since her disappearance… what she'd seen… what she'd taken part in, even if against her will.

She dropped her arms, her shoulders. "Don't you trust your partner?" she asked, her voice pained.

He stared at her, blinking once. Of course he trusted his partner, how could she ask? He trusted Jill with his everything.

He slowly looked over at Sheva. He'd barely known the young woman a day. She was his partner as well after what they'd been through. But she was no Jill. Sheva looked back at him, and he saw the cool look of someone ready to do what it took to get the job done. She was a good woman, a strong woman. Couldn't she do this on her own?

He was sickened at that thought. Sending her after Wesker alone was the same as killing her. The two of them together was still probably suicide. But Wesker had to be stopped.

Why the hell did he have to do this? Why did the needs to the world always come before his own? Just once, he wanted to be able to say 'fuck it' and go home.

But he couldn't. It wasn't in him. No matter how much he wanted to just take Jill and leave, it wasn't an option.

"Alright," he said painfully, as he stared at Jill's eyes. He wanted to say so much more, there was so much to say. But he couldn't say it now, because if he started, he wasn't sure he'd stop. He wasn't sure he'd be able to go after Wesker.

But he knew one thing. He would make it back to her; he would find her after this. No matter what happened, he was going to be sure of that.

He turned from her, glancing at Sheva before taking one last look at Jill. He felt defeated, but strode to the elevator anyways, his ears roaring.
He would stop Wesker, and then he'd find his partner. She trusted him to do what he had to, and he trusted her with his everything. That would have to be enough for now.

Thanks for reading :)