Jill is not one to find solace in tripe things such as ledgers or paperwork organization. However, if this is the price to pay for a world without undead, she is more than willing to pour her life into the monotony. The months begin to melt away as she and Rebecca begin refining and distributing the T-virus vaccine all over the world.
Even with the knowledge that this discovery will lead to a period of peace, Jill's life still feels chaotic. Her father's health remains on the precipice of failure, the managing of shipments on a global scale, upkeep in her distant relationships, and processing all that had happened in London; life has never been so tiring and yet so rewarding.
Perhaps she should have realized something was off about her mother that morning, with her general lack of urgency when they were meant to be meeting with the Vickers' for a picnic. Mrs. Valentine is not one to dally, after all, and if she has a timetable to keep there can be no question about her punctuality.
Jill sits by the entryway of the estate, reading the latest news from Claire about her return to London. The young woman claims the city is practically unrecognizable from the year prior and the disarray in which she'd left it is no more. Apparently, Mrs. Rebecca Coen has whipped the Umbrella well into shape for production of the vaccine and is investing in future cures for other diseases.
And Jill, oh we cannot wait to see you, it has been far too long. Can you believe it has been two years since the last Redfield ball! My dear, it's a scandal I tell you, I'm well aware that other matters took precedence, however, it is my opinion that merriment is a necessary partner to hard work. We've been sorely lacking in such fun and I am thrilled to finally have the opportunity to dance once more.
London truly feels empty without you and you're the only one who can keep Rebecca in line! Why, you'd think marriage helped her grow a spine, which, as I'm sure you know, has very much the opposite affect if the world's husbands are to be believed.
"Jill dear, don't you think you're dressed quite informally for our meeting?" Mrs. Valentine appears before her daughter, "You've had all the time in the world and your hair is still down?"
"It's an informal engagement as far as I am aware, what with your tardiness." Jill teases with a grin.
Mrs. Valentine chuckles, "Next you'll tell me loose curls are the style of the decade."
"And perhaps it will. Why, on the horizon I predict fashion will become senseless without the need for it to be practical." Jill tucks the letter away into her book as she stands.
"Oh, can you imagine? Full skirts, hair down, shoes with heals, the gall of it all."
"Shall we go?" Jill gestures to the door.
"You're in quite the rush, I've still got a few things to gather." Mrs. Valentine waves her hands as she bustles passed her mother.
"With a pace like that we'll be lucky to meet them before dusk." Jill's complaint falls on deaf ears.
She stands with her arms crossed in the foyer rattling off a list of things she could be doing as opposed to waiting around. For a moment, she considers opening the most recent of Chris's letters, but she hesitates to do so. Her mother tends to hover when she notices the handwriting of the young man, and of course, they've no hope of leaving then.
"Jill! Come here!" Her father calls from his study.
"Papa, I'm about to leave!"
"I don't care, come here!"
Jill rolls her eyes as she complies with her father's request, making certain that her last steps sound heavier as she approaches.
"In all my years, I've never known either of you to be so frivolous with time." Jill pauses as she opens the door to the study.
The breath in her chest can hardly settle as she takes in the well-traveled appearance of Mr. Redfield, though the smile he wears betrays such a sentiment.
"Mr. Redfield." Jill raises a hand to her collar, "What are you doing here?"
"I thought I'd surprise you. Seeing as I've an estate here to manage and… I missed you."
Jill barely recognizes that her father has approached her until he places a heavy hand on her shoulder.
"Go easy on him." He says fondly before walking past her.
Shaken by the statement for a brief moment, Jill watches the door close before returning to herself.
"You should have told me you were coming." She smiles, walking forward with a sway in her step.
"I take it you're surprised then? A very good thing for me to know that you're not totally all-knowing." He chuckles. "You are pleased by my presence, aren't you?"
"Of course, I'm pleased. I simply would have liked to know." Jill claims, "Claire made no mention of your travels in her letters."
"She's much too distracted by London at the present."
Jill adjusts her stance before speaking once more. "I missed you…"
"And I missed you, everyday I thought only of seeing you again." His eyes soften as he speaks, his hand reaching towards hers.
Jill breathes softly, "Time has been such a strange presence, but I am grateful it has barely touched you…"
His skin feels so familiar against hers as he places a kiss on her fingers. "You're more lovely than I remember, perhaps I should have a painting commissioned so I never again commit such a heinous crime as forgetting your beauty."
"Oh, stop it." Jill chuckles, her eye catching on the jade hilt of her father's dagger. "I see that old habits don't fade so easily."
"Of course not, it's a beautiful piece now, one that displays my status as beloved by a Valentine." He smirks.
"You were beloved by my mother the moment she discovered your existence, that is not the feat you imagine it to be." She laughs.
"I find your mother delightful."
"I did not say she was the opposite, rather that her affection is easily won."
"But yours was not." He notes playfully.
"I should hope not, if you did not pursue my friendship with such vigor I would have tired of you much quicker." She sighs meeting his gaze with a reverent smile. "Does this mean you'll be escorting me to London? For my business of course."
"I believe that would swiftly become you escorting me."
Jill rolls her eyes, "I meant my question, sir. I have every intention of leaving for London in the next week or so. It would bother me greatly if you came all this way in the hopes of pursuing some time of our courtship in person, only for us to be parted just as swiftly."
He chuckles then, his blue eyes turning towards the floor.
"I hope I have not upset you, but I felt this matter deserves to be addressed candidly." She claims.
"And I appreciate that, my dear, but you aren't making… No, it's simply no matter at all."
"How do you mean?"
"Would you be so kind as to continue your honesty?"
"Should I ignore that you think me to have ever been dishonest?" She teases with a smile, he responds with an equally cheeky grin.
"Do you feel that our time together in London had shown you an indication of our relationship? Even if it was not inherently romantic in nature?"
Jill thinks on the question for a moment before speaking. "I believe that some instances proved our reliance on one another as… partners first, second to that I would hesitate to call it friendship, but I find no other word to explain our situation. It was… undoubtably a strange occurrence that I'd have never envisioned for myself."
"On the field of battle… You said that you trusted me without question. Could you say that sentiment still holds true?"
"Undoubtedly. And you Mr. Redfield? You seemed ever so willing to follow me blindly throughout that chaos. Do I still hold your trust?"
"You are the one person in all the world I trust without question, to give you my heart would be easy if I still had possession of it. But I am afraid you have already taken it for your own." Mr. Redfield mimics her words back to her.
She'd spoken them, of course, upon her initial admission of great care for the man before her. In one of their first letters, he expressed remorse for past deeds and she had reiterated them as reminder of her devotion. Now she smiles at him, her heart swelling as she speaks.
"I see your memorization skills have improved."
He let out a bark of a laugh before speaking. "Miss Valentine, those words are all consuming. I think on them so often it has become a part of the gospel I worship and I… I love you. Sometimes I feel my heart must break in order for me to love you as much as you are worthy of."
Jill feels a blush creep up her cheeks as he speaks, it is not as if she has not heard him sing her praises. His letter were drenched in adoration, but to hear the words come from him instead of imagining them; it brings her a sense of completion in her own reverence of him.
"Have you any more questions in dire need of my frankness? You must be hungry from your travels and I'd imagine exhausted as well."
He shakes his head, "None of those feelings are more pressing than my need to be beside you."
"Mr. Redfield, we may not have much time here, but we've enough for you to rest."
"There could never be enough time with you…" He seems to hesitate and Jill begins to worry.
"Is everything alright?"
Mr. Redfield nods, "Miss Valentine, it may perhaps be forward of me to speak thusly, but I want to spend every waking moment with you."
Jill is confused by the notion at first until the realization of his implication strikes her.
"I have loved you for so long, it seems, and you have consumed my life in the past two years of our acquaintance. I watched you save the world and knew I couldn't imagine my own world without you in it."
He slowly begins to lower himself to one knee, still holding onto her hand as he beams up at her. Jill feels breathless and idiotic as she blinks blindly at him.
"I thank god everyday for granting me the opportunity to love you, it would be more than a blessing if you and I were to be bonded forever. Miss Valentine, would you allow me the honor of becoming your husband?"
Once the shock of his question washes over her, Jill can finally bring herself to smile back at the man before her. He who worships her above all else and covets her as every great lover should. In the old world she knew, Jill would have taken great pleasure in rejecting this man. Now she could never fathom such a thing, she grips his hand in hers and she nods.
"Yes." She hardly speaks the word, it sounds more like a breath falling out of her mouth.
Mr. Redfield practically leaps to his feet, lifting her into his arms as he does so.
She laughs in his strong hold until he returns her feet to the ground.
"Yes?" He asks, quite nearly in disbelief.
"Yes." Jill nods again, this time repeating the word louder.
Mr. Redfield laughs again, "God has been too kind to me."
"No, I believe that honor belongs to me." Jill laughs as he brings her in for another embrace.
There's a heartbeat of silence between them, where Jill turns her gaze up towards Mr. Redfield and she truly believes he will kiss her. A proper kiss, that is, and she finds herself yearning for him to do so.
However, instead Jill's mother erupts into the study, tears streaming down her cheeks as she steals her daughter from her betrothed.
"Oh, Jill." He mother sighs. There's something forlorn in her gaze mingling with all the joy she exudes. "How is it possible that I can be so happy and yet so sad?"
"Mother-"
"I did not think it would be so hard to let you go… after everything…"
Jill tucks her mother into her arms, chuckling slightly as she assures her mother. "I'm not married right this very second, we've sometime before that day comes."
"I know that." Mrs. Valentine pulls away from her daughter, brushing back the long locks of Jill's hair she smiles. "You're happy?"
"More than I feel I've any right to be." Jill admits.
"Good." Mrs. Valentine kisses her daughter's forehead before embracing her future son.
Mr. Valentine had trailed in after his wife at his feeble pace, his eyes also shine with emotion as he approaches his daughter.
"You've satisfied your mother quite thoroughly, Jill. Are you proud of yourself?" He asks with a chuckle.
"I am indeed."
He nods, "I would have never admitted such a thing before, but I am quite relieved that you've found a life partner."
"Didn't want me joining the army?" Jill teases.
"Of course not." He scoffs, lifting one hand to her cheek. Jill squeezes his hand until he speaks once more. "I'm so thankful to know you're in good hands…"
Jill watches her father move to Mr. Redfield and in mere seconds Mr. Valentine has pulled a knife out on the younger gentlemen.
"You know what I'm going to say, don't you?"
"Papa!" Jill gasps, mildly humored by the look on her fiancé's face.
"If you so much as entertain the thought of hurting her, you'll lose more than your life." Mr. Valentine threatens.
"Papa, I'm surprised at you! You think I wouldn't have killed him three times over before you even caught wind of trouble? Do you think so little of me?" Jill jests as her father lowers the knife.
"I could never, but I know men better than you ever will." Mr. Valentine shakes the hand of a visibly rattled Mr. Redfield. "You're a fine young man."
"Th-thank you."
"I have lunch ready in the garden for you, oh this is so exciting! A wedding!" Mrs. Valentine hurries off towards the garden in question.
"You best come quickly before she starts crying again." Mr. Valentine chuckles, "Or worse yet, I start to cry."
Jill takes Mr. Redfield's hand and smiles at him, "Come on now, don't stand there gawking. It's time to impress them."
"Oh… joy." He laughs.
"They already love you, don't be afraid."
"I need something to fear in this world now that unmentionables are going extinct." Mr. Redfield chuckles.
"And that will be me, won't it?"
"I imagine the Redfield name will only give you more reason to combat me, so perhaps you're right." He laughs.
"What would your parents have thought of me?" She asks.
"Mother would have absolutely adored you." He says wistfully. "She'd have laughed when hearing about our meetings and then would have told me I deserved every last one of your dressing downs."
"They weren't that common…" Jill claims wracking her memory for just how many instances of abrasiveness he endured to gain her affection.
"Father would have wanted me to marry you the second he heard your last name. He had such a fascination with great military leaders, your father's accomplishments were well spoken of in our household. And then if he heard that you'd befriend Claire I would have had no say in the matter."
"Really?"
"Oh yes, he worried for Claire greatly, she had seldom few friends growing up. It was a great fear of his that she would end up alone in the world. I know exactly how it would have gone as well."
"Pray tell."
"The moment he'd caught wind of you befriending my sister he'd have sat me down and instructed me to court you."
"And when he heard of our first meeting?"
"He'd probably drag me to this very estate and demand I apologize."
Jill laughs lightly, "I do wish I could have met them."
"As do I, perhaps you are their last gift to Claire and I. You're everything either of them could hoped for… For both of their children."
"The same can be said of you and my parents, mother was more than thrilled to have you as a son the second she heard of your arrival. And my father only cares for my happiness, the poor man."
"And are you happy with me?"
Jill pulls his arm so that he stands closer still to her, "I was simply happy to have your letters, to have you here is more than that. You know the weight of which I give you, do you not? My name, my heart, my loyalty; the least I would ask in exchange for that is happiness and yet from you I need not ask for any of it."
Mr. Redfield beams at her as they reach the garden, their conversation coming to an end with the both of them positively gleeful. Mrs. Valentine is quickly beginning to rifle through appropriate lengths of time for an engagement. She reiterates many points that Jill does not heed at all, her mind is far too wrapped up in thoughts of her beloved.
Mr. Redfield is a wonder with her mother, entertaining everyone of her ideas with vigor and interest. Jill cannot help but think upon all that has brought her to this very moment.
She is content and in love, two ideas that should be impossible. In all things, perhaps fate is a kinder creature than she had ever believed. What a fool she'd been.