Slamming her hand down on the horn, Robin watched as her father approached the Jeep from an immaculate row of banks, government offices, and law firms. Aside from a few stubborn greys and some faint laugh lines, Barry Burton hadn't changed at all in the last twelve years - he even still sported his familiar penchant for red. Striding over to the front passenger door, Barry got into the green monster, setting his briefcase in the back. The second things were settled, she sped off like a bat from hell, sending both of their heads jerking back. On the drive home, they discussed the ramifications of concealed weapons. Surveying at his oldest daughter as she parked in the driveway, he reached into his jacket and pulled out his .357 Colt Python, the very same that had been with him during the Mansion Incident, and he looked at it as if he were about to part with his very life.
"Robin, this gun has gotten me through some tough times." Barry had shared his experiences with Robin, who had also survived her fair share of terror, so she knew exactly what they had been through, "If you're sure, then I want you to have it."
Robin took the gun, weighing it in her hand to get used to it, "Are you positive that you want to give this to me, daddy?"
"You're my little girl, and if anything were to happen to you, I'd never forgive myself." He must have thought long and hard about this, becuase the Colt Python was his most prized possession, possibly even the sixth family member.
Comprehending what it meant to be given this particular gun, she could only gape at him. In giving her this gun, he was keeping her safe while allowing her to live her own life. Passing down the magnum to his daughter was his way of granting his blessing for her to chase her dreams and make them a reality. In handing her that gun, Barry had given her his permission to join the BSAA...
One Year Ago...
Black sludge coated his skin, the unnatural remains of Uroboros, and ash from the volcano was caked over that. His uniform was soaked with sweat and blood, both his own and that of the enemy, and it was worn so in thin places, holes were beginning to form on the newish fabric. The stubble he had started the mission with was way past a five o' clock shadow, and his hair was matted with dirt and who knows what else. Bone tired and ready for a long vacation, which he requested when he sent in his report with Jill, who who no doubt be kept busy for the next few weeks, it felt as if some horrendous monster was going to jump out from every corner. But that wasn't a new feeling for him by any means, not after the Arklay Mountain Incident. He was a complete wreck inside and out, but as he saw a group of familiar faces waiting to greet him at the airport, none of that mattered.
"Chris!" Barry mirthfully shook his hand and clapped him on the back when Chris reached his friends.
Among the welcoming party was Barry Burton, his wife Kathy, their oldest daughter Robin, and Rebecca Chambers, all of whom he greeted enthusiastically. However, Chris noticed with disappointment that his younger sister, Claire Redfield, was not there to greet him with the others. He figured that she must have been busy doing something important for Terra Save, the non-governmental human rights organization she belonged to. Well, this wasn't the first time they missed each other, and he was positive that it would not be the last.
"Long time, heh, Chris?" Kathy zealously shook his hand, her words reminding him ever so briefly of Wesker.
Rebecca, long since retired from the field and now working as an ordinary doctor, smiled at him, giving him the thumbs up, "I knew you'd make it! So, what happened?"
He knew that the events of Kijuujuu were classified, so he would have to wait until they were out of the open to fill them all in, "It's a long story, but it sure is good to be back."
Last to greet him, but certainly not the least, Robin broke out in hysteric tears as she wrapped her arms around his neck, "I was so worried about you!"
Kathy held a hand out to her daughter, but retracted it at the last possible minute. Barry noticed her gesture, glancing at his naturally nurturing wife questioningly. Since when had Kathy ever let her daughters cry without trying to comfort them? Though it might have escaped her husband, she knew how much Robin cared about Chris, that she had considered him a very good friend, so she shrugged, shaking her head at him. Who were they to stop their friendship? If Chris and Jill had been any closer, they could have passed for Siamese twins, and at the same time, there was nothing romantic going on between them, though not for a lack of trying. Not that she wanted her daughter to try. Heaven forbid the day that Robin, or Moira or Polly, discover sex!
Focused solely on Robin at the moment, he wanted anything but to see her cry, so he rubbed her shoulders as he embraced her in the friendliest of ways, thinking that it was the same type of thing he would have done for Claire, "I always keep my promises."
Sniffling her tears away, she nodded begrudgingly, "I know you do, Chris, but when I found out how bad things were in Kijuujuu... I got so scared for you! I thought that I would never see you again..."
Rebecca, who knew Robin the longest, pulled her away from Chris and stroked her arms in a sisterly fashion, "You weren't the only one who was worried about him. Just think of how his poor sister must have felt."
Saving Robin from having to answer that, Rebecca's pager went off. Groaning, she let go of her old friend, "The hospital needs me yesterday... I'm so sorry about this!"
Understanding the importance of work, Chris nodded for her to go, "Duty calls."
"We should get going too. Moira and Polly need me to pick them up," Kathy had stealthily pulled a clunky cell phone from her large white purse and was in the middle of reading a text from one of her younger daughters, "And I have to take Barry back to work before his lunch break ends."
Barry kissed the side of Robin's head, "Think that you'll be alright with her taking you home?"
Chris nodded, "It should be fine. You guys go."
After saying their goodbyes, Robin helped Chris put his luggage in the back seat of her jeep, well, what luggage he actually did have, which was really only a suitcase. She had stopped the tears a while ago, but she hadn't said much since saying goodbye to her parents. It wasn't an awkward silence, just a sort of revelry that two people might enjoy after a long separation. Fair enough, in Robin's eyes, it might have just been a one-sided emotion, but regardless, the silence was anything but strained. Maybe not knowingly, Chris also felt a sense of delight at seeing Robin again.
"So, what DID happen on your mission?" Robin asked once they were on the road to his place, which she probably could have found blindfolded, "In Kijuujuu, you were looking for leads on Jill... Did you find her?"
Admittedly, there was a considerable age gap between them, but he still viewed the girl as a close friend, "Wesker was controlling her with some kind of device, but my partner and I were able to save her. She should be back home soon."
She almost swerved off the road, though at the same time, she couldn't have been more thrilled to hear about Jill, "Wesker is still alive?"
Chris patted her knee comfortingly, "Don't worry, he's not coming back again."
"Do you really believe that? I mean, he's faked his death so many times now, how can you be sure?" Robin frowned, hating the thought of Chris having to fight the superhuman Wesker again.
Wesker had used the Uroboros on himself, even knowing that the virus was weak against fire, and Chris himself had seen him rise from the lava only to fall back under to a pair of RPG-7 rockets, "He's finished."
Believing him at his word, she pulled up to his apartment, taking in his things while he settled himself, "I hope you don't mind, but I took care of your bills while you were gone."
She knew where he kept his spare key, so for the last couple of years she took it upon herself to care for things while he was away. Over the years, she knew his small place almost as if it were her own. The lackluster carpet was the same brown as wet dirt, the alabaster walls were hung with newspaper articles, awards, and a photo or two, and the simple furnishings were burned out and haggard. It was a place that was clearly lived-in, and yet, it seemed kinda empty, so over time, Robin had added a few things to make the place seem less like a cheap motel room and more like a home. She put a diminutive fern in the corner between a sage-green armchair and the flat screen, a silver, velvety soft throw on the back of the distinguished hunter-green couch, and a chart of proper firearm use on the barren bathroom wall. Chris was impartial to her additions, so as long she didn't add crap, he was fine with her doing that.
Walking into the living room after him, she wished that she would have cleaned as well, but he didn't seem to mind, "Much appreciated."
"It was no problem," She shook her head, swinging his suitcase around, "Um, where do you want this?"
He was already halfway to the bathroom, "You can just set it in my room."
Poking her head in the door, she looked inside his room. It was the same as ever, but now that he was also in the building, it seemed... different somehow. Placing his suitcase on the edge of the military-neat bed, she was slightly surprised to hear the sound of running water. Of course he would want a shower, but was she supposed to go, or did he want her to wait here? Unsure of what to do, she sat next to his suitcase, fiddling with her necklace. Before she knew it, the shower had stopped and he was standing in the doorway, completely naked. All she could do was stare at him; his killer abs, the way the water glistened on his skin, the size of his -
"Robin, I thought that I told you to wait in the living room." He did tell her that, but she didn't hear him say it, because at that time, he had started the shower, "I forgot to grab a towel."
Snapping out of it, she looked away, eyes shut tight as he put on a pair of charcoal boxer briefs, "I'm so sorry about that... I wasn't sure if I should leave or not, so I just stayed in here... At least now I know that the muscle is all you...Sorry. God, I'm so stupid!"
Moving the suitcase to the floor, he sat next to her, "I should have told you that I was going to take a shower."
"It's your place," As if he needed to be reminded of that, "I shouldn't have stayed here. In the bedroom..."
She trailed off, so Chris looked at her, smirking when he saw the look on her face, "Are you blushing?"
Robin's stomach lurched, the events of moments ago finally catching up to her. She had just seen him naked... Chris Redfield, her father's best friend in the whole wide world, the man that was perhaps her closest friend, the man that she idolized and adored more than anything... The man she loved...
AN: They say that steroid use in men shrivels up their junk, and from what Robin sees, Chris ain't taking 'em. To quote Moulin Rouge, "He's got a huge talent!".
To recap this chapter: Barry gives Robin his magnum from the original Resident Evil, which she correctly interprets as him giving her his blessings to join the BSAA. Turning back the clock, Chris returns from Kijuujuu and is greeted by Barry, Kathy, Rebecca, and Robin. Having a nice little moment, Kathy acknowledges Chris and Robin's friendship, comparing it to Chris and Jill's friendship, revealing that they had had a failed romance. Called away for work, every leaves and it's up to Robin to take Chris back home, where she sees that he didn't take steroids to bulk up.
Disclaimer: Capcom owns Resident Evil, not me. All I can lay claim to is the Varis family... and this work of fiction. Any game-related information used in this story comes from the Resident Evil Wikia, actual game play, and videos (official ones of the games) come from YouTube.