"We're going out to celebrate the engagement tonight. Are you guys coming?" Edward asks that Friday during their lunch break.

Ever since that night at the bar Edward's been going on and on about the wedding nonstop.

"I'll be there." Jill promises.

"Where is it again?" Chris asks.

"That new club off Linzer." Edward responds, clearly trying to move onto the next thing in his head.

"I'll take you since it's close to my apartment complex." Jill says as conversationally as possible.

"That'd be great actually." Chris says, "Let me give you my address."

Jill catches Edward's broad smile. It's almost as if this was all a part of the plan. Hell, maybe it is, god knows she's got plans of her own tonight.

She gets home that evening and makes quick work of getting herself ready, make up and all. She could pretend it's because this is the first time she's been to a club in two years (which is true), but she knows the real reason. Truth is, Jill is fucking tired of waiting for Chris to get his act together, and she is totally, 100% tired of fighting her feelings for him.

Now it's time to show him what he's missing out on, and it's going to be fun. She'd never admit to being the kind of girl who enjoys feminine things, mostly due to the job she's found herself in, but hell, she owns more dresses than she needs, applies makeup with an expert hand, and feels fucking beautiful when she looks in the mirror.

She wears a dress so short you wouldn't think it'd need a slit, but it fucking does and she revels in the exposed skin. Absentmindedly caressing her open collar bone, she admires herself in the ruby red dress, Chris is one lucky bastard – Jill almost wishes she could date herself. Checking one last time to make sure she stays looking this amazing, she slips on her heels and waltzes out the door like the confident goddess she is.

She slips on the jacket she keeps in her car for an added element of surprise before pulling out of her lot and driving to pick him up. If she weren't so into Chris she'd hate herself for acting this way, but something's got to give and it better be him.

He walks out of his apartment with swagger and just a bit of a stumble, still he's undeniably attractive in his ripped jeans and casual T-shirt. Not as attractive as she is, but she's gonna be hard to beat at this rate.

"Hey, you got all made up." He notes, putting on his seatbelt. He already smells like liquor.

"Yeah, I did, it's Edward's special day, can't be slacking." She claims, "Did you pre-game?"

"A bit." He snorts, "I figured I was going to need it."

"Why?" She asks.

"I uh… Alcohol is expensive?"

"Let's go with that."

He glances at her again, eyes lingering before falling to her exposed thigh. His gaze suddenly gets very intense and his ears grow pinker.

"You alright?" Jill asks sparing a glance towards him.

She notices him swallow thickly, lick his lips once, and blink several times, "I'm-… and… will… yes."

"Earth to Chris, you in there?" She waves a hand in front of his face.

"What?"

"Don't tell me you're smashed already."

"I, uh… sorry. I'm fine, I swear."

The last word of his sentence trails off as his eyes snap back to her thigh. She's starting to wonder if he can see her underwear or something, but decides she doesn't care enough to do anything about it.

"Well, if you say so." She shrugs, "I don't want you doing something stupid."

"Who? Me? Never." His laugh is nervous, and it makes Jill smirk.

They pull into the club parking lot just after that last quip and Jill is genuinely excited to get out of the car. Just seeing him act this way to her thighs, clears up the park incident a little bit; who'd have thought Chris Redfield would be the kind of guy who's brain short circuits when he sees a beautiful woman. She nearly can't wait until he sees her damn cleavage for the first time. It's been a while since she was this confident in her body, how she's missed the feeling.

They get out of the car, Chris rounding the front bumper to meet her halfway.

"Oh, hold on." She says coyly, taking off the jacket and tossing it on her seat. She's relieved to lose the extra layer in this heat and the look on his face is priceless.

"Damn." He says, though he covers his mouth the moment he's said it.

"Thanks." She winks at him, adjusting the straps of her dress to draw his attention back to her chest. His body acts for him, staring blatantly despite the clear protest going on inside of his head. It takes every ounce of will power Jill has not to bust out laughing.

"You ready to go inside? I want to dance."

"Dance." He repeats, still stuck in his shock.

"Come on big guy." She tugs at his arm with an airy laugh.

He stands still for another second, drinking her in like she's the last glass of water he'll ever have. She turns around, hoping that her exposed back gets a similar response as she heads inside.

"God help me." She hears him say before they're assaulted with the blaring music and blinding lights.

Reaching out, she wraps a hand around his bicep, getting close to his ear she asks, "Do you see them?"

"Not yet." He shouts back, and so they walk through the still small crowd. Jill lets go of him after a few moments so that she can look around herself and locks eyes with Brad, his mouth gaping open as he sees what she's wearing. Jill pulls at Chris she leads him towards the table.

"Hey!" She greets, hugging Edward, "Congrats on the engagement!"

"What the hell are you wearing Valentine!?" Edward laughs.

"You didn't tell me how hot she is!" The girl next to him, likely his fiancée Leah, smacks Edward's shoulder playfully.

"Of course he didn't. He's too in love with you to notice anyone else." Jill responds reaching out to shake the girl's hand but receives a hug instead.

"Thank you!" She laughs loudly.

Leah's a lot more petite than Jill imagined her to be, but she's beautiful all the same; all long blonde curls and a broad smile that could be seen from space. "Sorry, I'm a lot to handle."

"Absolutely not!" Jill puts a hand on her chest, leaning forward with the force of her laughter.

"Be careful, those things may pop out."

The other woman at the table, Jill assumes it's Masie with the way she's got her hand on Richard's shoulder, joins in the laughter. She, too, is a very pretty woman, and Jill wonders for a moment how any of the STARS boys have game, but then she remembers that she herself is trying to get into a STARS member's pants.

"Oh, they're staying put." She assures her, rounding the table to greet her. Somehow, it's fitting that Richard would date a redhead. She's dressed far more conservatively than Jill, but the greeting she give is genuine all the same.

"Drink run?" Kenneth asks, smirking at Chris's immediate answer.

"Yes!" Chris is gone in seconds while Kenneth, Richard, Brad, and Edward trail behind, laughing the whole way.

"Alright soooo, it is true that you're trying to get Chris to give it to you then." Leah laughs.

"If he weren't so stupid, it would have been done by now." Jill snorts, "I'm just about tapping into my last options here."

"Oh, don't worry. We'll get him babe." Masie puts a hand on Jill's shoulder. "With or without alcohol."

"God, he's thick."

"He'll come around, just fucking look at you." Leah chuckles.

"Tonight is also about you. Are any of your friends coming?" Jill asks, making small talk, not having heard much about them from their adoring boyfriends.

The guys come back with a whole platter of shots and mixed drinks, as well as Forest and Joseph. Both of whom give her wide eyed stares, but say nothing as the drinks are passed around. Jill is handed a shot of whiskey, and, despite hating whiskey, she downs it with the rest of the group.

Chris is back by her side, nudging the drink he got her into her hands. He says a few words, but Jill isn't sure it's a coherent thought, especially with the way he narrows his gaze after the words are in the air, "I got you drink."

"Yeah?" She asks with a laugh. He nods, still not convinced that he spoke at all.

After about a half hour of riveting conversation, the DJ announces that the group is celebrating an engagement. The STARS team whoops and hollers for Leah and Edward as the DJ starts playing some raunchy music that makes just about everyone cackle with laughter.

Leah yanks Edward over to the dance floor, followed by a blushing Richard and sweetly smiling Masie. The other guys give each other pointed looks before downing their drinks and following after the couples, leaving just Jill and Chris standing by their table.

"Wow, Edward's got moves." Jill chuckles swirling the little straw in her drink.

"Is that what we're calling it?" He asks.

"Oh yeah, what would you call it?"

"Flailing." He snorts.

"Awe, so mean." She reaches up and ruffles his hair. He shrugs soundlessly to which she responds, "What? Cat caught your tongue?"

"No." He claims quickly.

"Uhuh." She nods, "Think you're a better dancer then?"

"I-uh…" He shakes his head, sipping more of his drink.

"Are you okay?"

"I'm great."

"I think you're lying."

"I am not."

"Look me in the eye and say that." She laughs.

"I can't."

"Why not?"

"Because I'm lying." He admits with a chuckle, but shakes his head afterwards, covering his face with both hands.

"Are you?" She laughs.

"It's your fault." He claims, sloppy smile peaking out between his fingers.

"Oh, this will be good. How's it my fault?"

"Well, if you weren't so damn sexy-" He gapes at the words that come out of his mouth as if he can take them back by keeping his mouth open.

"Am I?" She snorts.

"Are you what?" He asks, face one of aghast horror.

"Sexy? Do you really think I'm sexy?" She feels like champagne inside, all celebration and bubbly.

"I never said that." He deadpans.

"You did too, just now." She teases, "Come on, say it to my face."

"No." He says picking up his drink, but she places her hand over the glass to stop him. They share a moment of eye contact before he stares down her lips, clearly desperate for a kiss, but she's not about to be the one to initiate. She wants him to relent, to give in to her, she's done enough work so far, he'll have to do a bit of leg work to match her.

Perhaps it's cruel, intentionally so to a degree, but she's given him enough signs hasn't she? Her intentions are clear, he needs to reciprocate.

The song changes before either of them moves. Jill takes her hand away from the glass to knock back the rest of her drink. "I'm going to dance, come with me if you want."

With that she saunters off towards the dance floor, hips swaying with each step because she's driving home a point, damn it.

When she reaches the dance floor she immediately locks hands with Leah who is relentlessly grinding on Edward. The single guys of the group have found random women to dance with and the whole scene is chaotic.

The whole affair is only made more hectic when Masie slides up behind Jill and starts swaying their hips together. Leah follows suit, detaching from Edward and pressing her body flush with Jill's. Granted, Jill hasn't had girl friends since high school, but she's never been in this type of position before. That and she's fairly certain her skirt isn't covering any part of her anymore.

There's a loud wave of hooting and hollering above the music, and Jill's at the goddamn center of it. She's struck with how far she's come over the last six months at STARS, what a different person she's become. Is it bad that she likes it this way?

As soon as the song ends, Leah and Masie go back their respective partners, but not before commenting on how sexy she is. Jill turns around to lock eyes with none other than Chris Redfield, his gaze is dark and needy, but she continues to play coy.

"Took you long enough sour sport." She teases, hand landing on his firm chest.

He gives her a smile so exceedingly telling he doesn't have to speak, he merely takes his time observing her body. She in turn starts to dance, hand moving to his shoulder as she swings her hips.

"You just going to stand there, Redfield?" She jests, about to pull away, but he laces his fingers with hers and uses her hand as a catalyst to start moving. She isn't sure if what this is can be considered dancing but it's fucking something, so she counts this as a victory.

His movements are jerky and awkward juxtaposed by her fluid motions, like they are listening to two totally different songs. It could be silent for all she cares, he keeps a hold of her hand song after song, slowly but sure coaxing him into a more comfortable state. They drift between closeness and noticing the others proximity and separating before they start dancing like a couple. It's one more game to add to the list, and this one, Jill can't say she minds too much; especially when their contact gets longer and longer. From brushing legs to hands slowly easing down the expanse of the other's body, Jill feels like she's won something.

They end up being the last ones to leave with Edward and Leah, both of whom are stuttering and stumbling, so Jill offers to take them home. It's an offer she regrets when they nearly bone in her back seat, but luckily, she gets to their condo before any clothing comes off.

Once they're gone, Chris speaks up, "I'm going to be stupid hungover tomorrow."

"Yeah, you are." Jill agrees backing out of the driveway.

"But like, what did you expect me to do?"

"What do you mean?" She asks.

"You're so hot."

"Thanks, big shot." She chuckles, "You're not so bad yourself."

"Really?" He asks.

"Yeah, wasn't it obvious?"

"Fuck…" He groans, "If I wasn't this drunk… man."

"Oh, humor me, if you weren't this drunk?"

"I'd take you home with me." He says, "Shit Jill, don't you know that I'm crazy for you?"

Her heart isn't even in her throat – it's on the goddamn moon.

"I wasn't positive, I was hoping though."

"Fucking sick." He fist pumps.

"You better be able to tell me this sober, Redfield. I'm not kissing you unless you're gonna remember it." She says resolutely.

"Jill Valentine wants to kiss me." He says voice light as air, "What a night."

"I'm serious, I'm not touching you until you admit this shit to me sober."

"Ma'am, yes ma'am." He chuckles, face so red she wonders if he can breathe.

She pulls into his lot and watches him try to get his bearings. "So, no hike tomorrow I'm guessing?"

"If I'm still alive tomorrow, I'll let you know." He snorts, "I'm so stupid drunk, and you're into me… Hell I might be dead right now."

"Do you need help getting to your apartment?" She asks, suddenly noticing how drunk his ass is.

"Hmmm." He doesn't give her an answer because she's already out of the car, yanking on his arm to get him upright.

"Jesus, you're heavy." She groans as he leans on her figure for support.

"It's ALL muscle baby." He slurs dramatically.

"Yeah okay, give me your keys." She rolls her eyes taking his keys out of his hand. Unfortunately, while she's looking for the right one he starts heaving into a flower bed.

"Great." She groans, finally getting the door open.

She waits patiently for him to stop vomiting before pulling him into his apartment. He meanders into what she assumes is his bedroom while she makes him a glass of water. Her gaze catches on pictures of him and his sister, and she smiles thinking that soon she may get an opportunity to actually meet Claire. Properly this time.

She finds him in the room he'd disappeared into – the bathroom, not his bedroom – pants thrown off lazily beside him along with one discarded sock. He's already passed out on the toilet seat, and somehow she isn't surprised. Leaving the water, a bottle of Tylenol, and wrapping a blanket she found strewn across the couch around his shoulders, Jill gets ready to leave.

Before she does, she leaves a kiss on the back of his head, thinking that she can't wait to do that when he's conscious.

Listen I know it's out of character for Jill, but guess what? It's finals week, I'm dying, I need humor, or I'll die. If I make Jill confident does that mean I get some too? Will I make it to my grad date? Who knows?

All of which to say… sorry. Whoops.