Chapter 3

Jill was ticked. Not only did everyone in the building know about her and Chris, but Claire had even told Mrs. Burton. Had she told everybody? Jill was banging her head against Chris' keyboard at his computer. "You trying to type something?" he said from behind her. Jill turned. "Yes, my anger" she said. Chris laughed. "Just chill" he said. "How the heck can I?" she asked. "Now everybody knows, and I've lost a friend!". "Come on, it's not like it's hard to get friends" said Chris. "I mean, come on, your Jill Valentine, member of the BSAA, former member of S.T.A.R.S., the chic who was strong enough to resist the device that Wesker put on you from a few simple words from me" said Chris. "It's not like it's going to be that hard to make friends". Jill smiled softly. "Yeah, but it is kinda important to have a good relationship with your family members" said Jill. "Come on, it's Claire, she'll come around some time or another" insisted Chris. Jill quit banging her head. "I doubt it" she whispered. Chris put his hand on her back. It was so comforting, that Jill began to sob. Chris put his other arm around her and kissed her cheek. "You'll be okay" said Chris. "It's not like Claire can do anything to you, I mean, you kill zombies for a living" he said. Jill wiped her eyes. "So does she". Chris pulled her close. "How about we stop by your apartment, pick up some clothes and freshen up, then go to a Pizza Parlor" he suggested. Jill nodded. "I'll drive" she said. She grabbed her car keys from his coffee table in the corner of the room, where she had left them the day before. Together, they walked out the apartment and to Jill's car. She could see Claire watching angrily from the window. She got in to the driver's seat, and Chris got in to the passenger's side. "Claire really hates me" said Jill pointing to Claire, who was now sticking out her middle finger. "You have to admit, that is immature" said Chris. Jill laughed. "Ya think?". When they arrived outside Jill's house, they were greeted by her elderly neighbor. "Jill" she said. "We began to worry when you didn't come back last night". "I was with a friend" said Jill. She looked at Chris and smiled. "Who's the fine fellow with you?" asked her neighbor. Jill turned back to face her neighbor. "He works with me at the BSAA, and his name is Chris Redfield" said Jill. "We're partners". The old lady smiled and winked at Jill. Jill blushed. Maybe her neighbor took that a little bit wrong. She pulled Chris by the hand to her door and unlocked it. Her house was just as she left it, including the fondue on the table. "Feel free to watch T.V. while I shower" said Jill as she walked in to her bedroom. She closed the door and stripped. Of course, she didn't really need to close the door considering that Chris had already seen her this way, but she still did anyway. She walked in to her shower and slid the glass door closed behind her. She could see her reflection in it, and she was surprised when she saw that her face was still sunburned. Anyway, Jill flipped the shower on and allowed the hot water to drip down her back. It felt good, but not as good as being with Chris. She soaped a wash rag and washed, head to toe, until she felt that she was clean. Jill stepped out and pulled on an orange dress with yellow heels, and matching yellow earrings and a necklace. She felt beautiful as she looked in the mirror, her hair curly and brown. She put her clothes in the hamper and walked in to the living room. "Chris, do you think it's too much?" she asked, just trying to get him to look at her. "No, not at all, you look beautiful" Chris stammered. Jill turned all the way around, showing off her dress. "Thanks Redfield" she said. "Completely over ten" said Chris, remembering the waiter's question. Jill spritzed herself with the perfume that she had left on the coffee table and walked in to the laundry room. She lifted her now-fresh clothes in to her laundry basket and carried them to her bedroom. "I thought we were going to the pizza parlor" said Chris. "Sorry, I just had to do the laundry though" said Jill as she entered the living room once again. She and Chris walked to the car. "I forgot to lock my door" she said. "No time" said Chris. "It's about to close". Jill looked longingly at the door and got in to her car to drive. They drove to the pizza parlor, only a few miles from Jill's house. It smelled delicious as she and Chris entered. The waitress seated them. "Buffet?" she asked. Jill and Chris nodded. She walked away. Chris helped Jill up and they both walked to the buffet table. The pizza smelt wonderful, and Jill was tempted to eat all of it. Using self control, she simply put two pieces of taco pizza on her plate, along with cheese bread and seated herself across from Chris. She ate the pizza quietly, occasionally glancing at Chris. "You seem quiet" he said after a while. "Yeah" said Jill. "I was just thinking about that time I almost killed you" she said. "That was pure torture". Chris held her hand under the table. "That wasn't your fault" he said. "Wesker had you under his control, so who knows what he made you do". "Just think about the time you saved my life". "Sure, but even then Wesker was there" said Jill. "He's just plain aggravating". "It's almost like he stalks you". Chris laughed. "Crap, I hope not". Jill smiled. "Yeah lot's hope not". "Hey let's get a milkshake to share" said Chris. "Waitress!" he called. The waitress walked to their table once again. "Yes sir?" she asked. "Can we get a milkshake with two straws?" he asked. The waitress nodded. She walked off, not even asking what kind they wanted. "I hope she speaks English" said Jill. "Fluently". Soon, the waitress arrived carrying their milkshake with two straws. "First date?" she asked. Chris and Jill looked at each other. "Just best friends" said Jill. The waitress smiled and walked away. Jill took a sip from her straw, and Chris did the same with his. "Yum" she said quietly. She pulled the cherry out in the middle. "If you can tie a knot in a cherry stem, that is the sign of a good kisser" said Jill. "I already know that you can, but I want to try". Jill put the cherry stem in her mouth and finally pulled it out, in a firm not. Chris smiled. "Looks like that is actually a great way to determine it" he said. "Let me try". Jill handed the cherry stem to him. "Don't you want to wipe it off first?" asked Jill. "Why?". "Because it was in my mouth" she said. "So what?". Chris put it in his mouth and successfully tied it in a knot as well. Jill laughed. "You're right". "Open" she said. She put the cherry in his mouth, now stem less. Chris smiled. He began to kiss her over the table. Suddenly, the waitress walked up again. "More water?" she asked, stifling a giggle. Chris and Jill broke their lips apart. "Um, yes" said Jill, handing the waitress her cup. "Just friends, huh?" asked the waitress. Jill blushed, and felt Chris grab her hand again. This time, the waitress laughed. "Young people" they heard her say as she walked away. Chris laughed. "Wow" Chris said. "Don't let it bother you" he insisted. "You have every right to kiss somebody". Jill smiled. "I guess your right" she said. She took a forkful of pineapple turnover and put it in to Chris' mouth. "Tasty" he said. "Itchy tasty" said Jill. Chris laughed. "I can't believe you remember that" said Chris. "How can I not?" asked Jill. "That was probably one of the most disturbing things about the mansion" she said. "The diary was just laying there, and as that guy turned in to a zombie, he just started itching and tasting". "That is so gross". "Your lips taste better" said Chris. "Flirty much?" said Jill. Chris laughed. "Yeah best friend" he said. "Real flirty". Chris and Jill paid for their meal and walked out to Jill's car. "My house?" asked Jill. Chris nodded. "Sure Valentine" he said. They rode their, making fun of itchy tasty the zombie along the way. When they arrived Jill noticed something was wrong. "Chris" she said. Chris turned to look at her. "What is it?" he asked. "My door is open" she said. "What!" exclaimed Chris. "You wait here, and I'll go look around" he said. "No way" said Jill. "I'm strong" she said. "Besides, I have a handgun in here somewhere. She began to search in her purse for the handgun and finally found it. "Okay, we are ready to roll" she said. They both ran in, Chris having his fists up, and Jill having her handgun pointed. Nobody was there, but someone had been there. He chocolate fondue was overturned and dripping down the side of the table. Her picture of her and Chris on the fireplace was broken. Her locket with Chris in it was missing, and her remote was laying on the floor. Her cushions on her couch were ripped and torn with stuffing hanging out, the windows were broken, the coffee table was on it's side, her picture on the wall above the couch was upside down, her armchair was on it's side, and much more. "Oh my gosh" said Jill. She ran to check the gun safe. None of her guns were missing. She ran to her picture. "They must have taken this off of the wall" said Jill. She pulled it off and looked at the area under it. Underneath was the newly spray painted symbol of Umbrella. She was so shocked, she dropped the picture and it shattered on the hardwood floor. "What the heck!". Jill suddenly fainted. "Jill!". Chris caught her and layed her on the couch. He quickly picked up the phone. "911?" he asked. "Listen, my friend just fainted, and her house has been ransacked!" he exclaimed. The woman on the other end of the line told him to remain calm and wait for help. Chris kissed Jill on the forehead and laid her head in his lap. The police and ambulance soon arrived. They lifted Jill on to a stretcher, and instructed Chris to wait calmly for a call from them. "Why can't I ride with her!" he asked, suddenly ticked. "Sir, no one can come on the ambulance with a patient" they said. Chris felt a tear come to his eye. Was he crying? He sat on the couch and watched through the window as they drove away with Jill. "We have some questions for you sir" said a police officer. Chris nodded. "What was your relationship with Ms. Valentine"? he said. "What does that have to do with anything!" asked Chris. "Answer the question" they said firmly. Chris lowered his eyes. "Best friends" he said. "Partners at work". The police officers exchanged glances and walked over to the broken windows. "We found something" a group of officers said from outside the window. They handed something shiny over. "Best friends, huh?" asked the police officer dangling an open heart locket in front of Chris' eyes. In it, was a picture of Chris and Jill. Chris was surprised. Jill really liked him that much? "Sir, we ask that you answer questions truthfully" they said. "I am speaking the truth" said Chris. "Just best friends". "You can ask Jill". The officer raised his eyebrows. "Mind if we search your residence?" they asked. "No, not at all" said Chris. "Although you really need to be looking for Umbrella". Chris gestured toward the wall. The officers looked at one another. "That was probably something to throw us off the trail" said the officer. He looked at Chris. "We are going to your residence" he said. The police officer drove Chris in the police car to Chris' apartment, leaving Chris outside with some of the guards. Did they think that Chris did this? They entered it. Claire suddenly came out of her apartment. "What did you do!" she exclaimed. Chris shrugged. "Nothing". "Jill's house got ransacked by Umbrella" he said. "Then why are they searching your apartment!" asked Claire. "No clue" said Chris. Suddenly, the officer came out. "We found something" they said. What they had in their hands were Jill's clothes. Crap. She had left them in his closet. "And what are these?" they asked Chris. Claire, obviously aware of what it was, stared, wide-eyed. "Jill's clothes" said Chris honestly. "And why are they here?" they asked. "She spent the night last night, since it was a blackout, and it was storming so bad" said Chris. The officer smirked. "Yes, but don't you think that she had to have something to sleep in?" said the officer. Chris looked down. Claire laughed. The officer turned to her. "Do you know anything about this?" asked the officer. Claire nodded. Chris made the shut up sign. "They slept together last night" said Claire. "They kept almost the whole apartment complex awake" she said. Claire sneered at Chris with a look that clearly said "revenge". "Thank you" said the officer. "Why did you lie to us?" he asked Chris. "I didn't" said Chris. "We don't date". "You don't date, but you sleep together?" asked the officer. "That's what I said!" exclaimed Claire. The officer turned and smiled at her. "That makes me question you boy" said the officer. Chris frowned and pulled out his ID. "I would never do something like this" he said, showing him his BSAA card, and his old S.T.A.R.S. card. The officer looked uncertainly at him. "Hmmm" he said. "I'll let you go" he said. "After all, your position in the military seems higher than mine". He and his officers gathered up their equipment and left. "Claire!" said Chris. "What!". "I'm just being a troublesome little sister is all" she said. "Yeah but you could have gotten me in to serious trouble!" he exclaimed. "Payback" Claire whispered. Jill suddenly woke up. Where the heck was she! Everything smelt sterile, and she had an I.V. in her arm. Oh da. The hospital. She looked around. What had happened? All she could remember was her staring at that Umbrella symbol on her living room wall. "Chris!" she called out. The nurses in her room looked alarmed. "Are you O.K.?" they asked. "Where is Chris?" she asked. "I want to see Chris". The nurse looked confused. "Chris?" she asked. The other nurse turned to her. "She means the man who nearly forced us to let him get on the ambulance with her". Oh. How sweet. Chris had actually nearly forced them to let him ride with her. "Sorry, the police are questioning him" said the nurse. "Why?" asked Jill. "Because he might have done this". "No, he didn't" said Jill. "It was Umbrella". "I want to see him" she said again. "Visiting hour is over" said the nurse. "I don't care" said Jill. "I want to see him". The nurse handed her a phone instead. Jill called Chris' number. "Hello?". "Chris!" cried Jill. "Jill!" said Chris. "Are you O.K.?" he asked. "Yeah, I'm fine". "What about you?". "The police questioned me, and got suspicious when they found your clothes in my closet, which got Claire talking" said Chris. Jill laughed. "I'm glad your okay" said Jill. "The police thought that I was lying to them about me being just best friends with you" he said. Jill smiled. "I'll tell em'" said Jill. She hung up. "When do I get out of here?" she asked. "As soon as you feel like it" responded the nurse. "Then please unhook this machine" said Jill. The nurse helped her back in to the main hall, where Jill departed and took a cab to her house. When she arrived, she was all but sane. The house was now in flames, burning like a wheat field. She could already see the officers staring at it as well. Tears filled Jill's eyes. It was the house that she got her first kiss in, the house that she slept with Chris the first time in. Suddenly, something ran across her mind. "My locket!" she cried. The officers turned and saw her staring at the mass of flames. "Mam, we found your locket" they said. He handed it to her, in perfect shape. She held it to her chest. "Thank you" she whispered. "This is my prized possession". "Thank you for rescuing it for me". She began to cry. "Mam, you can surely find another residence" they said. Jill nodded. She turned and walked to her car, crying. She sat, and a tear dripped on to her picture. At least what mattered most to her was safe, she hoped. She quickly called Chris, since his number was on speed dial. "Chris?" asked Jill. Chris smiled. "Yes, Jill" he said in to the phone. "Does your complex have any apartments beside you for rent?" asked Jill. She heard Chris laugh. "Yes, why?". "Listen, Umbrella just left a fire at my house" said Jill. "Your kidding!" exclaimed Chris. "No" whispered Jill. "All they saved was my locket". Chris grinned. He recalled the picture of them within it. Jill hung up shortly after it to meet the doorman. She met him at the empty apartment itself. "So, you wanna move here now?" he said, laughing to himself about the "noise". "Yes, something happened to my house" said Jill. The doorman frowned. "Yes, well first month is free since your situation, um, yeah" he said. Jill smiled softly. "Thank you" she whispered. He gave her a stack of papers that he had her sign, and Jill was set. She sat down on the bare floor and looked around. Where was she going to get this furniture? For now, what she most needed was somewhere to sleep. Maybe she had a spare blanket in her car. She got up to go to the parking lot when a knock at the door sounded. Was it Umbrella? Jill quickly grabbed her handgun, and opened the door slowly from the side, so that she was not visible to her guests. What she saw was not Umbrella though. It was Chris. "Chris" she said. She wrapped her arms around his neck and cried on to his shoulder. He kissed the top of her head. "I am going to kill whoever ransacked and burned your house" said Chris. He wrapped his arms around her waist. She took the locket and clasped it around both of them, binding them together. Chris' lips met hers again, kissing even softer this time. His lips seemed to be even sweeter than before. Finally, Jill undid the necklace. "Thanks" said Jill. She looked in to his eyes. They were gleaming with delight. "Listen, Jill, I understand you don't really have furniture, so, would you like to spend the night at my place?" asked Chris. Jill nodded. "As long as I'm not a bother" she said. "Bother?" said Chris. "More like a favor.". Jill laughed. "It's a win-win" she said. She wrapped her arms around his neck again and he lifted her this time, holding her now. It was like she was sitting in his arms. He carried her to his apartment, making sure to lock her door this time. Claire was outside her apartment making out with Leon when she saw them. She was ticked and kissing at the same time. Good ol' multi-tasking Claire. Chris laid Jill on the bed again. He laid down beside her. "We need to get under the covers" said Chris. Jill laughed. She helped him pull it over them. This was so sweet. She could feel his warm body around her, his muscular arms surrounding her. She almost instantly fell asleep. This was perfect for Jill. It felt…. Right. It felt like this was meant to be, like it was supposed to happen. She clutched the locket in her hand as she drifted off to sleep…. Jill was in the Spencer Estate again. She was wearing the exact same clothes, and so was Chris. What was going on? "Chris?" said Jill. Chris turned to face her. "Come on" he said. "We have to finish our mission". "What mission?" asked Jill. "Why are we here again?". "Are you feeling O.K.?" he was asking her. "Answer my question" she said. "Look, you must be getting this confused with the mansion incident" said Chris. "That was eight years ago". "No Chris, it was eleven years ago" said Jill. "What happened?". "We were in the bed together, and". Chris looked bewildered, but seemed to be trying to hide a smile at the "in the bed together" part. "What the heck!". "Listen, Jill". "Are you okay?". Jill turned to look at Chris. "Don't you remember kissing me?" asked Jill. Chris was really looking screwed up now, trying to hide his excitement. "Don't you remember?". "We had sex last night!". Chris looked like he was about to explode at those words. "Chris answer me!". She wrapped her arms around his neck just as she always did and kissed him. He kissed her back. "You know, there's a bedroom in here" said Chris. Jill backed away. "Yeah I know" said Jill. "I've known for three years now". Chris looked confused. "Listen, all of this happened three years ago!" exclaimed Jill. "I was hoping you might have some ideas when we got in to that bedroom". "But we've already done that" said Jill. "Why are we in this time period again!" she cried. She sank to her knees. "This was one of my most horrid memories" she said. "Listen, tonight, Wesker will be in the top room" said Jill. Chris was staring at her in disbelief. "Tonight, Wesker is going to try to kill you, and I'm going to hurtle myself out the window with him over the cliff, to save your life". "He'll bring me back to health and use me to manufacture a deadly virus and to get rid of you". "He'll start a project called Uroboros, and I won't be able to control my actions, but I will be aware". "You'll get a new partner in Africa, named Sheva Alomar, three years from now" Jill insisted. "You're my partner" whispered Chris. "But all that's about to change". "You don't understand, do you?". "I don't know what's going on, but I know what's going to happen". Jill turned. "Chris!". "We have to retreat". "Jill" he said. "Listen, it's our only way". "Nothing will be gained from this experience". "Don't you trust your partner?" Jill asked. She knew she would say that in the future. She would say that when Chris had to go catch Wesker. "You don't know what you mean to me" said Jill. "This can't happen again". "Listen, Chris, I love you". Had she just said that? She finally had the answer to her question. She did love Chris. He was her most prized possession. Chris seemed amazed by her words. She looked in to his eyes. "I love you too" he whispered. He loved her this many years ago? Well of course, she had loved him then too. Suddenly, the mansion doors swung open. "Wesker!" said Chris. He jumped in front of Jill to protect her. "Well it looks like I have run upon a lovely little scene in this forbidding mansion, wouldn't you say so, Chris?" said Wesker. Chris pointed his gun at him. "This is loaded" said Chris. "Well look who has suddenly been drawn to the idea of stating the obvious". "He's going to kill you three years from now" said Jill. Chris and Wesker turned to face her. "I know the future". "You'll be burned and shot in a volcano Wesker" said Jill. Wesker looked over her maliciously. "You could be of use, knowing the future of one's life" said Wesker. "You might save me some effort on my future endeavors". "Never!" cried Jill. She pulled out a handgun and aimed at Wesker's head. Exactly 14 bullets like three years ago, when she had fired one of them at a door, trying to get it to open. "Well, you are being highly unreasonable today Ms. Valentine". "Or should I say, Mrs. Redfield" he added. Jill lowered her gun. "He hasn't purposed to me" she said. "Well, it seems that you are disappointed by this, I would say, Jill". "You seem to what to add on a yet to that statement, am I correct?". Dang. Wesker was smart. Wesker pulled out a gun of his own. "Give me the obnoxious little brat you call a girl, or I'll shoot her" he said. "It's a horrid situation, I know, but you must do as I say or two more corpses shall litter the floor of this dimly-lit mansion". "Chris" said Jill. "Don't do it". Chris looked to her. He aimed his gun at Wesker and shot. Wesker dodged the bullet and ran to Jill, flipping her to the ground. "Jill!" called Chris. "She is unconscious you ignorant fool" said Wesker. Jill shot a bullet in to Wesker's ankle. "Am not" she teased. Wesker fell to the floor. Chris and Jill both pointed their guns at him. "You are both magini is what you are" he said. "Magini?" said Chris. "It means evil spirit in Swahili" said Jill. Chris smiled. Jill and Chris locked arms and each, with one hand, shot Wesker in the head. Wow. So romantic. Blood spattered everywhere. Chris and Jill, covered with the blood of Albert Wesker, began to kiss. They kissed and kissed for what seemed like ever. Chris put his arms around her waist (like usual), and pushed her against the wall. Jill had blood all in her brown hair. It looked almost auburn. But soon, Chris started fading away.