Two days before…

"Are you really sure we can trust him?"

Chris was toying around with his handgun, plunging it into an endless cycle of cocking and loading. He kept his back at rest on the brick wall where they stood; a narrow alleyway just a few blocks away from the B.S.A.A. headquarters. The night was peaceful, such solace deep in this placid night.

"Of course," Jill replied confidently. "Don't you remember? He helped us pinpoint the location to the Russian Facility a few years back."

Chris raised a brow. "Wait, so he's the one who told you that?"

"Well... Maybe I forgot to tell you." She smiled innocently, her smile so pleasing and childlike that he never bothered to respond aggravatingly.

The sound of footsteps began to erupt through the path, and Chris' paranoia and presumed habits caused him to hold the incoming man at gunpoint.

"What the hell are you going to do? Shoot him?" Jill said, a little bit of frustration fluctuating from within her. "Don't be so paranoid, Chris. He's fine."

It took him a while before he noticed the frightened man just beyond Jill, the barrel of his firearm so accurately aimed at the man's head. This man had medium length brown hair, and a somewhat skinny appearance. He cowered in fear as the brute glared at him ominously.

Chris lowered his handgun and proceeded to rest on the wall again with his arms folded along his chest. "Sorry about that," he apologized. He lowered his head, still with his firearm at hand, and closed his eyes, looking as if he didn't anticipate his arrival at all.

The man, trying to excuse his dread of him, simply grinned in reply. "It's okay… I guess I'm so used to it now."

Yeah, and you weren't just trembling back there and shrunk behind Jill.

"It's been a while, Carlos." She held out her hand to shake hands with him. Carlos gladly accepted as he curved a smile between his lips.

"Still having fun in B.S.A.A.? Come on, Jill. I know you're not having that much fun with this big ol' guy!" He said blatantly, such exuberance in his voice.

Chris growled at him. "I could hear you, you know that?"

"Woops, sorry 'bout that." His apology was somewhat dull and not really remorseful. Chris just ignored him; he wouldn't want to flare up in front of his partner.

Sure enough, he wasn't truly aware with the fact that Carlos was her untimely savior. It was because of him, that Jill survived the incident, just a mere fraction away from being another advocate of the undead. After their near-death experiences in that city, Jill proceeded to find Chris while Carlos himself rebelled against his company. Being a former employee, receiving access to the company's hidden information outlets was definitely easy.

"You don't even know what I got this time," he teased at Jill as he waved around what seemed to be a file, placed inconspicuously inside a brown folder. It caught Chris' curious eyes.

"Let me guess… Another facility?" Jill said with a slightly questioning tone, yet deliberately joking in response. Carlos shook his head, and opened it.

Inside were two photographs, one was a picture of an aged man, obviously from his silvery hair and the abundance of wrinkles around his face. The other picture was a mansion, aloft by a tall cliff, its lavish features unmistakably patent. The report looked like a bio, and the sight of it made Chris jump in anxiety.

" Ozwell E. Spencer?! Where the hell did you get that?"

"That's classified information, Mr. Redfield." He mocked, but Chris ignored him as he rushed beside Jill who was busy skimming through the large block of text in the report.

Everything about him was there; his early life, his works, his current location. Chris beamed from the swarm of information that Carlos found, and to express his gratitude, he hugged him tightly. Carlos winced from the brute's powerful lock.

"Woah, calm down, big guy! I can't breathe!" Frantically, he tried to shove Chris away, but his surprising vigor was overpowering. Finally, Chris released him, and Carlos breathed in and out heavily, easing himself.

"God, Chris, you could kill someone with those," He shrugged, pointing out his overly worked-out biceps.

Jill was just relieved that they fumed down a bit, and bonding with each other in a more friendly manner. All of them shook hands before they parted once again, Carlos disappearing from the shadows like an assassin within the dark, baleful night.

As for the two agents, they strolled back to the B.S.A.A. headquarters across the empty streets of the city. Vehicles rarely passed through the paths they've walked through, and at common times, it was eerily quiet. But whenever they were together, they were an unstoppable duo. Not even the likes of thugs or gangs would dare challenge them.

"You should've introduced me to him sooner," Chris said with a delighted smile plastered on his face.

"I guess so. I owe him a lot, considering he saved my life one time."

"When did that happen?" Chris asked in curiosity.

"It was during the Raccoon City incident. I got infected back then, and Carlos risked his life just so he could go all the way to the hospital and fetch me an anti-virus. I was lucky he was there." Jill kept her features locked onto a blank smile, and it was hard to see for Chris what her true expression was.

Chris remembered the guilt he had felt back then after hearing her story, their fateful reunion…

A reminiscent dialogue made its way through his wary mind.

"Jill, I'm… sorry. I'm sorry I left you there. I had to."

I had to? What a stupid reason to say…

"Chris?" Jill called. She noticed that his face went blank in the midst of their discussion. "What's the matter?"

"Nothing. I just remembered something. That's all." The tone of his voice was clear enough to warn Jill not to delve in to that memory.

By far, Jill was sure that his melancholic mood still remains inside Chris, after leaving her like that, all alone to fend for herself in the city that people have actually used to call home. She didn't care too much at all. There's no use trying to take all that responsibility, he did what he had to do.

"So… When she would go and infiltrate the Spencer Estate?" Jill asked, changing the topic immediately. Chris removed his bland expression at her question and revealed a normal, yet soothing face.

"I don't really know. We could go tomorrow if you'd like," he shrugged. She shook her head.

"I still want to get some rest after our recent mission. My back's driving me nuts…" she complained with an exasperated stare.

"Okay then, how about the day after tomorrow? Sounds fine to you?"

She nodded in agreement this time, with an enthusiastic look on her face as she gazed at him.

Her gaze, so beautiful, so charming for Chris Redfield, that it struck him with a deep, irresistible thought. But he shook his head as it flowed into him.

Love is... absurd.

"Chris… I want you to tell me something." Jill's eyes were fixated right in front of her, avoiding eye contact as she made her request. Chris' inquisitiveness only rose as she refused to look at him.

"Yeah?" Chris had an eyebrow raised, awaiting her request.

"Do you… oh what's the word…" She bit her lip, failing to tell him what she wanted to say. Before Chris could ask, Jill cleared her throat, and began again.

"Do you have… feelings, for me?"

Feelings?

He didn't answer.

"You know, as in… love."

Love… He echoed in the confines of his mind.

He still didn't answer. But after a moment of silence, he tried to breathe out the words he wanted to say.

"I…"

Jill placed a finger on the surface of his lips, silencing him.

"No need, I know, you think it's ridiculous. I guess I got a way bit over the top back there."

Her reluctant smile struck Chris intensely, but as much as he wanted to say his words, he failed miserably to utter them. It was silent the rest of the way.

Relief dominated over them as the B.S.A.A. building came into their view, the unwavering structure hailing superiority across the somewhat utopian metropolis. Two cars were parked just around the corner, a black BMW and a red Sedan so cleverly designed and built, that not one mortal would ignore its flashy, captivating appearance.

"Ah finally, I sure hope I could get some good night's rest." Jill, bleary as she may seem, hastened her steps a bit, leading the way to the two cars. She broke the silence just like that, but still not a word about what she had asked him recently.

"Going to sleep early tonight, Chris?" Jill asked as they neared the two vehicles.

"Not really. Claire invited me to have dinner in her house. Heard she was a good cook. "

"Okay then, have fun, partner. Goodnight." Those were her words before she shut the door, disappearing through the safety of her Sedan. Moments later both agents parted ways, but Chris still could not forget her words.

"Feelings…" He whispered to himself before he drove off to Claire's apartment, with the thought still etched lucidly across his mind.

-----

A/N: Update! It could've been faster though, but I was a bit too busy studying for the exams. Now that it's over (and it resulted awesomely, mind you) I guess I could concentrate on the story a bit more.

I really think I did badly on this chapter. I guess I rushed it a little too much. x_x

Ultimolu, Stardust4, Natasha Sunderland, Kitty-Kat bebe, Tiger Snaps, Kenshin13:

Thank you very much for reviewing, I really, really appreciate it! Next update will be coming soon. :D