Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters from Resident Evil.

Please R & R this excerpt from an upcoming story I'm writing it would really help me!

After the initial meeting was over Jill stepped outside onto the front veranda and found Carlos sitting on the edge near the stairs.

Without saying anything Jill sat down right beside Carlos and then turned to him, "Hey" she said softly.

Carlos first didn't even acknowledge Jill's presence and only sighed while staring across the field. He then turned towards Jill, "Remember when we both decided to come here? It was three years after Racoon"

Hearing this Jill smiled, she could remember the group all going their separate ways but after losing two good friends to a monster both Jill and Carlos had remained together. "Yes I remember it was at some run down café near California, but the funny thing was it took a further two years to travel over here what with the media circus and all"

"Those were the days, everything was so simple it was just the two of us and now…" he trailed off. "Alyssa's different we both know that but she isn't a killer"

Jill sighed, "That seems to be a recurring theme here"

Carlos then turned away from Jill, "I'm guessing I was voted out four to one?"

"Actually after you left the group switched to discussing the new target, it's going to be the complex not far from here"

But Carlos didn't seem to hear a word Jill said, "I started thinking the other day, if it got too much we could always move the Tasmania, there's plenty of places to hide there ever since it's been turned into a large nature preserve. We could all pose as a family it would probably fool the authorities"

"I don't think I'd be a great mother figure for Alyssa" Jill replied smiling. "What about Nemesis and Deception? I highly doubt they'd pass as family pets, then again I guess I could see you Carlos in a tweed jacket smoking a pipe sitting in an armchair watching TV"

"It was just an idea I didn't mean we should actually do it" Carlos said sounding hurt. Turning back towards Jill his face was serious, "Listen there's something I've been meaning to ask you for a few weeks now but it's kind of hard to say because I feel like a chump for even thinking it"

Jill seemed confused at Carlos's sudden change of moods, normally he was a joker hardly ever totally serious, she nodded, "Go on then I'll listen"

Carlos swallowed nervously and moved slightly closer to Jill, "It's just that we've been together ever since Racoon, that's almost five years now…well what I really am trying to say is have you ever felt…"

A large black form suddenly walked past the pair and sat in the wooden chair not far from where they were.

Jill didn't even need to look up to see it was Nemesis; the monster appeared to let out a silent sigh before leaning back in the chair. When glancing back towards Carlos, Jill noticed that he had once again taken a profound interest in the surrounding bushland.

"You were saying something before?" Jill asked.

Carlos only shook his head, "Don't worry it's nothing just some stupid thought that I was thinking"

Seeing Carlos like he was all nervous and jittery made Jill realize he was trying to tell her something and in the back of her mind she knew what that something was. Just say it Carlos I won't laugh why be so secretive about it?

Ever since teaming up with Carlos after Racoon, Jill had been close, both had been through so much together they'd faced monsters that defied explanation, uncovered the sinister experiments Umbrella still carried out in secret and yet despite all the horrors both had seen saying three little words was too much.

Jill really couldn't blame Carlos for not finishing what he was trying to say; there had been plenty of times when he thought that Jill was already in a relationship with Chris. That was never meant to be she thought. Even though she did have feelings for Chris Jill knew that it would never come to the point where both could be a couple. Chris was too security conscience, he'd left his apartment in Racoon in a great hurry not even pausing to say goodbye to Jill.

Then a few weeks later after the 'sanitation of Racoon' he appeared like a spectre at Jill's bedside in a darkened hotel room.

At that time Jill wasn't with Carlos preferring to find evidence on her own so it had given her a big shock when Chris materialized in the room talking softly and in a cryptic tone.

Chris had explained to Jill that he was going to investigate the European branch of Umbrella labs and hopefully meet up with his sister Claire who had disappeared a few weeks ago. He then refused to say anything else believing that the room could be bugged and didn't even look at Jill when saying that it could be a while before they met up again.

Before leaving Chris bent forward and gave Jill a quick kiss, but to Jill it seemed longer yet at the same time so short. His warm lips briefly touched her own and for a moment both seemed connected, Jill had a sudden urge to touch the hair on his head and wrap her arms around his body but she knew that Chris wasn't that type.

Then just like that Chris was gone, Jill never even heard the door close but she knew that he'd left. She was alone once again in a darkened room, huddled on an old hotel mattress, her lips still felt tingly from where Chris had touched them but the feeling was slowly disappearing.

It was a further two weeks before Jill had heard back from Chris, he told her that Claire had been found at an Umbrella base in the Artic and that the two of them were travelling back to Europe. But like Chris, the email he'd sent to Jill was cold and lifeless, the words carried no emotion or meaning, it was more of a typed clerical report then anything else.

Now five years onwards sitting on a veranda in Australia with Carlos and an eight-foot tall leather clad monster for company Jill's world had come full circle.

Getting up off the floor and stretching Jill lightly touched Carlos's shoulder, he looked up towards her, expectation flashing briefly across his eyes, "If you ever want to say something to me just tell me ok? I'd never think it was meaningless unless you said it was"

Appearing disappointed Carlos only nodded and sighed, "Yeah uh ok I'll do that"

"You coming back inside?"

"Actually I think I'll stay out here a bit longer if that's ok"

Jill only stepped away from Carlos and as she began to walk away she half turned, "Carlos?"

"What is it?"

Sighing and shaking her head Jill then took a few steps backwards, "Nothing, see you inside"

Walking off Jill was slightly frustrated, all this time she thought it was Carlos who was having trouble admitting to it when all along she was also to blame. Well no more dancing around it, tonight I'll tell him and if it has to be within earshot of Chris and the others then so be it!

The night that followed however would perhaps be the excuse needed to continue being apart and not as one.