disclaimer: i own nothing Resident Evil related on this fanfic, just my own ideas for somewhat of a story, all characters and possible brands citations are property of their own respective owners.
Returning Home
Returning home from Africa hadn't been exactly what she hoped for. Of course, everybody was happy that she was alive and back, but after the few days of "festivities" the serious part started. She had been put through test after test to verify how far the mind-control Wesker exerted over her had affected her after the fact, and if any of it still lingered, and how much of the virus was still present on her body and how, if any, it was still affecting her. All the while she was under protection of BSAA, meaning she couldn't leave headquarters, and guards accompanied her everywhere, to every exam, only time she had for herself was when she was back to her room to sleep, seemed more like imprisonment then anything, just with nicer accommodations and free time for visits. With the constants physical and psychological tests her mind, which was already on the verge after Wesker had done to her, started to crack. It didn't take too long, after around 5 months of the repeated routine it started. At first it were small signs of non-compliance, not wanting to be put through yet another test of the same kind, not answering yet another of the same questionnaires, wanting out of the so-called cage, but being denied. It resulted in a sudden burst of anger, just a second of loss of self-control, and she had all the security on the lab room down on the ground, with injuries varying from small bruises to broken bones, all starting with a guard suddenly placing his hand on her shoulder from behind, when she wasn't expecting it. Her brain just burned up, and instinct took over. After it was over she was horrified, she hadn't imagined she could lose control like that, that something like that could happen even after she was free of Wesker's control.
"Just what have you done to me you monster." she cursed under her breath. In a matter of seconds security was crowding the room, guns pointed at her, and everybody had a hard confused expression that she swears she'll never forget. She was the first to move.
"Halt!" screamed one of the security suits.
"Nobody is moving, and these men need medical attention. I'm no medic but I have enough knowledge for first aid if nothing else." was her response, sounding colder then she imagined on her mind.
She took a quick glance around the room, and moved again. She heard some weapon's safety locks being removed but nobody did anything, and after a few seconds the other doctors on the room recovered the composure and started to treat the wounded. That's when it finally hit home. She started to cry, small tears at first, and then full out sobs, all the while trying to help patch up the most beat up security guard. She tried to read his nametag on his uniform, but couldn't see it anymore.
"…I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, I'm sorry, sorry, sorry." -she cried in almost a whisper.
Her voice trailing off every so often and then starting again. Most other injured people had already been moved, and the lead psychiatrist convinced the security to leave, that all should be fine from now on. Eventually a soft, slow touch on her shoulder. From the front this time, surprisingly enough from the injured man.
"It's ok Miss Valentine, err, mam. I shouldn't have grabbed on your shoulder so hard without any warning knowing what you went through." he tried with a somewhat lopsided smile. He did understand what happened, he wasn't mad at her, but damn it still hurt.
A small silent filled the room, Jill small sobs were the only thing breaking it every now and then.
"Ok then!" and a loud hand clap that seemed to snap everyone to attention. "The young man says he is fine, or will be fine after we properly fix that arm and leg of his, but no hard feelings it seems. You should be happy Valentine, that could result in at the very least a suspension for you." said the oddly enthusiastic psychiatrist; that had entered the room during the commotion; after the security had finally left. She was an aged woman, looked around her 60s or early 70s if Jill had to guess, had a serene expression on her face, but her eyes told stories, as if she saw many things during all her time on this planet.
"Now stop bandaging the poor man before he becomes a mummy, you already used about 3 rolls of gauze and nothing of it is actually helping."
Turning to the rest of the staff he ordered 2 of them to take the man to an infirmary, and avoid creating a scene as much as possible, and that anybody talking about this incident outside this laboratory would face severe consequences on top of losing their jobs. After most people left she finally turned to Jill and half grinned.
"Good morning, how are you today Jill?" in the most cordial possible manner, and before Jill could answer- So, we finally get to see how far the whole experience affected you, if only a little.
Jill's first reaction was of confusion, while still controlling her dying sobs, she turned to see the doctor that positively looked like some mad scientist to her right now.
"You see, everybody, or well, most of us, have been more worried about your lack of...shall I say, normal response to the trauma then how good or bad your general behavior have been since your return. But as we just witnessed, you are suffering for PTSD, seems it needs some kind of trigger for it to actually affect you, but nonetheless it is there, which proves to us that you, my dear colleague, is still just…human." looking around the room and seeing the chaos and near carnage that could have happened, she corrected herself. "Well, mostly. The virus is still obviously doing something to you biologically, but clearly not as strongly as it did before…not that I think you would have any problem dealing with a bunch of trainee soldiers either."
"What, had she just said trainees?" that surprised Jill. "Wait, you mean they were all rookies? Why-"
"Why would I do something like that? Because I wanted to try some unexpected environment, see if any changes at all occurred, your lack of response and general complying were simply not normal for your case. I understand you have been through hell before, but even if I was not there myself I can see from the reports, I can see on your eyes that it was worse this time."
"…So you planned this? Someone could have died!" Jill said standing up, practically shouting the last part.
"Yes and no. You see, I just wanted some sort of reaction, I never though any of them would try to inadvertently directly touch you like that. And will you please calm down, before we have those stupid soldiers running back here brandishing their guns at innocent people again."
"Innocent people." Jill noticed the doctor included her on it when she said that. Suddenly feeling exhausted she just fell to the ground, with a long loud sigh.
"So what now? Am I crazy and a danger to others or what?"
"Yes and yes.
"…"
"But that's where we come in, we can start treating you, helping you with the best we can give, or get if necessary. It won't be easy, and despise your resistance to it, you'll actually have to be properly medicated for depression and stress disorders, only more tests will indicate which medicines should better fill the bill though."
As if suddenly remembering it, Jill started "But the virus, you said it's still-"
"It's still active, yes, but clearly weaker, as I said. And from the results we got from blood tests so far its slowly dying, your body, somehow, it's just…getting rid of it? We really can't explain why, there's nothing abnormal on any other tests, it's just beating the virus out, at a good pace too. It should be inactive in about another six months or so, if that long."
"Inactive? So I'll still have it?"
"Yes, unfortunately. But if you think from a bright side, you'll also have the antibodies for it, so you have a cure for it as well if it would ever be needed, assuming we can synthesize it. I don't think you can infect anybody with it though, even if you bit people or just bled all over them, if you were worried about that too."
"Finally some good news." Jill said closing her eyes, feeling a big weight being lifted from her shoulders, a weight she didn't even know was there.
"But for now, more test!" the doctor said, opening a wide grin that made Jill cringe. "And after the lab is done with you I'll be waiting on my office. We'll start more focused treatment for depression and general PTSD."
And then the circle started anew, more tests, more visits to the psychiatrist, but both were slowly reducing in number. And she felt better, but not perfect. The nightmares still haunted her, awake or asleep, it didn't matter what time of the day. But over time it got more bearable, it started to feel normal, or as far as normal as something like that could be.
Between trying medicines to see which worked better for her or simply being too drugged from tests or suppressants, time seemed to skip several times, some gaps smaller, some gaps larger. At the eight months mark the quarantine due to the virus was removed, since no lab could find any traces of any possible contagion agents on her, and at 1 year and 3 months she was released from her imprisonment. She still had to report monthly and visit the psychiatrist for reevaluations, but she had most of her freedom back. Or as much freedom as she could, with how long she had gone her apartment was clearly given to someone else, so she had to move, and it was uncomfortably close to a BSAA building. She didn't know if they pulled any strings for it, but she felt better looking at it from the outside instead of confined inside it. And at 1 year and 8months
*knock knock*
"Coming" came a voice from inside the room.
"Excuse me."
It was a cold room, but just in temperature, the carpet, leather chairs and divan made for a comfortable environment, or at least one that Jill had come to feel comfortable in the last few months. The strong smell of tea, incense, paper and wine permeated the room, giving it a somewhat haze-like atmosphere. A large table was in the corner of the room, covered in files on top of files and mountains of paper sheets.
"Probably from all her cases, or all the cases in the psychiatric-ward even."
"Well, Miss Valentine" started the psychiatrist "As far as our time together…I think it's coming to an end. Not completely mind you, you are welcomed if you feel the need to return for any further consultation, and of course to get new prescriptions since your medicine are made especially for you, but there are no orders from above compelling you to come here so often other then the periodic check ups."
"Compelling…"
"Yes I know, more like coercing then compelling, they'd probably arrest you as a threat or something if you didn't obey at first, I'm aware. But, as I said, you are free to come and go as you please now. Oh, they did ask me to tell you a few things."
"Oh?"
"Well, first, you won't be sent on any field ops for at least another year or so, they want to make sure you are not only up to par with your training but also that there's no lingering effect by part of the virus since, even if good, it could jeopardize your unit. My opinion? They honestly just don't know how to handle Jill Valentine the Legend. Mister Redfield would probably take on you on his team but he has a full roster from what I heard. All that, and, frankly, I think some people just want to give you a break. It's terrible that you had to go through what you did and then spend practically another 2 years pretty much as a lab rat and mental patience. No offense."
"None taken. I…can see what you mean, though I don't think I agree with the legend bit."
"Oh you'll see, you've been cooped in here for too long, once you step outside and actually start to get back on your routine you'll notice it very fast. Some fear you, some gawk just at mentioning your name; it's like a celebrity really. Granted it's dying down now. Guess Redfield going around nearly threatening people telling them you are just you, Jill, the same as always, makes them either start to lose interest, or just be too afraid to act on it." she turns around to write something on a file, presumably Jill's file, grabs another paper and writes down some more. Jill waits for few minutes, that feel more like eternity, now that she was ready to step out of this place.
"Here, your prescription, your first case of medicine to take on your own. I believe you are a grown up enough woman to know to take them at the right dosages and at the right times, I wrote everything down in case you forgot anything. You can request more directly from me or from the pharmacy on the third floor once it's over, just show them this paper." she pulled yet another paper from her desk. "Oh, and, here."
"...Numbers? Whose?"
"First one is mine case you ever need to talk about anything…or be admitted back in." the doctor said with a small grin.
"And the second and third one?"
"Second one is from...Philips was his name? The guy you wrapped like a mummy, he is doing fine, but I figured you'd want to try apologize yet again, so making it easier on you. The third one…well." This one is awkward, Doctor Cassandra from the lab asked me as a personal favor.
"Did she want to run more tests or…?"
"That would be between you kids. I know nothing, heard nothing, and wrote nothing if anybody asks."
After a few seconds of complete confusion comes some understand and what the doctor was hinting at. "Oh..." and light crimson flushed across her face.
"And she blushes too! I don't know for whatever reason" said the doctor rolling her eyes up in a comical manner "but seems like a healthy enough person to me. And that'll be all Jill." she says turning around and stamping a piece of paper. "You are released from this hole, as you call it."
"Thank you. For everything, really."
"Just another day of work, or, well, year, you get what I mean. Now off you go." she waved Jill off, as if shooing her off the room and turned around to her papers.
On the way out she crossed a familiar face, but not knowing the name she just smiled and nodded, without even realizing. Later she would realize that was the recruit that had been bad injured on the earlier incident, and that he had vehemently requested to be stationed at the psychiatrist ward at least during Jill's stay. "Be there for her, my form of paying her back for not killing me I guess." he would say with a crooked smile and a blushing face.
Outside no parties or welcome committees as one would expect for legends, but exactly who she wanted to see. The remaining STARS members waiting by Chris' car. She stopped at the top of the stairs leading out, suddenly feeling anxious about leaving. And then took her first step down, and then the second, and it only became easier. They all greeted her, nobody asked about the treatment, or her time in there, they just received her as if she had arrived from a trip. Only one that said anything relating to it was Chris, holding her back for a second while they crossed the parking lot.
"All good?" was his short question, with a serious face.
"Yeah, guess so."
"Jill. I mean it."
"Yeah…thanks. I'll be fine. And thanks for bringing everyone."
"Oh I was coming alone, Claire was the one that wanted to transform this in a welcome home party kind of thing. Err."
"What?"
"You didn't hear that from me ok?"
"You are not making sense…wait, there's an actual party? And you just spoiled it?" she said stiffing a laugh.
"Yeah yeah, laugh while you can. Claire will have my head if I destroy her surprise so…act surprised yeah? Shouldn't be too hard."
With that they started to walk back to the others that had stopped just a few steps forwards, giving the two partners some space alone.
"Oh and Jill." came Barry's voice. "We got you a little upgrade." He said while tossing her a key ring, with a small bullet tied to it acting as a keychain.
She had no idea what it was, so she clicked the central button on the key, and a motorcycle a few rows down lighted up.
"You had a car and a bike that were mostly just gathering dust while...well, all this time, so we sold both, added some money, and got you one of these new model motorcycles, hope you fancy them."
For a second Jill didn't know if she should be mad that they sold her things without consulting her, or happy that they got her a present of sorts. It looked…huge, like a Harley, but it's body was clearly larger, the back wheel was so thick that the thing could probably stand straight up on its own without any help thanks to it. Two large, nearly square shaped, leather bags on the sides of the rear wheel, and another large one behind the seat, this one having more width and height.
"See, comes equipped with bags already so you can carry all your stuff on it." chimed in Rebecca from behind.
And after a few tense seconds of no reaction.
"Claire's idea I take it?" Jill asked with a knowing smile on her face.
"Bingo." came the answer of the other three people beside her.
"And don't worry, we took all your stuff out of your car and old bike before Claire went off to sell it, so it's all on your house."
"My…house?"
"Yeah. You probably don't know the specifics yet, but BSAA pulled some strings and got you a nice place across town."
"More like you pulled some strings Chris."
"Not a word Barry. Anyways, it's closer to where Claire and I live, and feels a little more like home then living out here by yourself."
Dark thoughts of being under surveillance, or being pitied by her friends quickly crossed her mind, but she dismissed it.
"Ok. Well, that's a lot to take in. I…am in no condition to drive right now though. So, could I take a ride with you Chris?"
"Sure. Rebecca can you take the motorcycle for her?"
"Err, sure. But it'll take a while, I'm not so confident in driving two wheel."
"Don't worry. I'll come take it by the morning. I just really am in no shape to drive it right now. I appreciate it though guys, thanks."
"Don't mention it, then we'll take my car. Barry, you can drive Rebecca and meet us back at my place?"
"Wah, but I wanted to talk with-" Rebecca started but was cut off by Barry that grabbed her by the mid-section and started dragging her back.
"Sure thing, we'll meet you there Chris."
"Thank you."
"See you later."
Barry and a complaining Rebecca got into Barry's truck and left the parking lot, while Chris and Jill just watched them leave.
"So now it's our turn." after putting all her things on the back sit, that amounted to little more then a couple change of clothes, Jill sat on the front sit beside Chris who had already started the car, closing the door and putting on her belt while he made his way out the parking lot. When he turned to talk with her, she was already asleep.
"What did they do with you in there Jill? What did Wesker do to you?" With those two questions in mind Chris just drove silently till he got home.
The so called party was actually way shorter than anybody hoped for, they sat for dinner, and tried to start a topic or another of conversation, but Jill would either not participate or have any talk directed at her shot down as fast as possible. So while not unpleasant, it also left a taste of unfulfilled in the air. Around two hours later, dinner was done, and Jill was heading out, having Chris drive her home, it was a short drive just 5 minutes, but she slept the whole way.
"Tired I guess."said Chris in somewhat low spirits.
"Jill. Jill, we are here."
"Ok." was the short response. Like she was not even actually asleep. Getting out of the car she started getting her things, Chris moved to help but was cut short. "No, it's ok. I want to carry it myself. Not like there's a lot of things anyways."
He moved back, a little unsure what to do at the display of animosity, even if small.
"Say, Chris, do you have some time? Do you want to come up?"
Couple seconds passed and as he opened his mouth to say something.
"Nothing changed, I just…want to tell you everything that's happened. It's only fair. I'd appreciate it if you kept the most important stuff a secret from others, if not all of it." "Or at least tell you some of it...even if just a part of it."
He nodded finally understanding while she felt so on edge since getting there.
They went up the stairs, her apartment was on the very first floor, left front side of the building, but she would only notice by the morning, she was too busy right now to pay attention to details like that. And she told him everything she thought she could and should, from what she remember with Wesker, the experiments, how her mind was there most of the time but she couldn't control her body, and all that happened at BSAA too. And the two talked the night away.
Around 4 am, Jill got up from her bed and went to the living room, Chris was asleep on the sofa since it was too late for him to go back once they were done talking and Claire and Rebecca both thought it was a good idea for her to have some company on her first night on the new house. She went to her bags and rummage through it a little and found the case she was looking for. She took it back to her room with her, and opened it, taking out of it her custom made Beretta 92F "Samurai Edge", quickly assembly and putting it on the side of her bed.
"Guess this where I'll be living now." were her last coherent though as she went to sleep.
Across the wall, on the living room, was Chris, that had seen the whole scene. Her taking the familiar case, and heard the clicks and clacks of it being put together. It was too late, and he had a lot on his mind right now, so all he did was let out a tired sigh before he went back to sleep.
AN:
So, as usual, R&R. Reviews greatly appreciated, i haven't written anything in a more creative sense since...gods, it's been nearly 10years, and that was helping a friend with lyrics for a small local band. Just try to not be too brutal if possible. hehe
This chapter was longer then i expected to be honest, but still feels a little confusing and incomplete. But after rewriting it 3 times i decided to post it as is and see what other people think before changing anything else. The idea so far for each chapter is to have full circle of events, so i don't think many will end on cliffhangers but i hope the story or the general happenings are interesting enough to keep people at least checking on it.
For future references, regarding OCs like Cassandra, and Phillips wont be used often, and when they do its just a minor role to either move the story forward or put a plot point in motion, so don't worry about them being a constant if OCs bother you while reading fics.
Also, english is not my main language, i'm confident enough that i can write it in a pretty legible way, but feel free to point any grammatical errors or inconsistencies.