Chapter Two: Got Cash?

Three months pass and Chris Redfield and Jill Valentine are the most decorated officers in the Special Tactics and Rescue Squad. They also become best friends outside the workplace, occasionally hanging out at each other's house or at one of Raccoon's local hangouts.

During that time, Jill was starting to look at her partner/best friend in a different way. She found herself to be attracted to him, not because of his past accomplishments, but the fact that he was down-to-earth, funny, and sometimes, cocky to boot.

Chris was also begining to realize that he was attracted to Jill. She was smart, funny, sweet, and independent. But neither was willing to let the other know about how they felt about each other, that the person that was their friend wanted to be something more than just friends or partners.
***
Summer, 1997.

"So where do you want to go for lunch?" Jill asked as she leaned over Chris's desk.

"I don't know," Chris replied. "Where do you want to go?"

"Well, Emmy's Diner has a special today."

Chris finished up his work and stood up. "Sounds good. Let's go."

"Good. You're paying."

Chris stared at her. "Me?"

"Yes, you, cause I paid the last time. And did I mention you eat like a horse?"

Chris rolled his eyes. "Whatever. Seeing as how I'm gonna be footing the bill..." He pulls out his wallet and finds out he doesn't have enough money. "...we're gonna have to make a stop at the bank."
***
-Raccoon Central Bank-

Chris and Jill are in the teller's line, Chris muttering under his breath about the ATM outside being busted, forcing him to go inside.

Now he was at the very back of the line with Jill, and was wondering how the day couldn't get possibly worse.

Then it just did.

"EVERYBODY ON THE FLOOR! NOW!"

Two masked armed men came charging into the bank, brandishing firearms and knocking random people over. Chris grabbed Jill and brought her down to the floor with him.

"Okay, do as we tell you, and no one will get hurt!" the head gunman barked out. He trailed his gun onto the teller. "You, start forking over the cash!"

While the gunmen were busy robbing the bank, Chris was forming a plan in his head. "Jill?" he whispered.

"What?"

"You got your gun?"

"Yeah. You got yours?"

"Yup. You thinking what I'm thinking?"

Jill nodded. She got up and walked up to the nearest gunman and tapped him on the shoulder. Chris was behind her. "'Scuse me?"

The gumnan turned around. "What?!"

"Um, you really shouldn't rob this bank," Jill replied. She pointed to Chris. "Y'see, my friend and I had been casing this place, and right now, you're stealing our thunder."

"Yeah," Chris agreed. "This is our score."

The gunman trained his gun on Jill. "And what do you expect to do about it with a gun aimed at your chest?"

Jill held up something in her hand. It was the magazine for the gunman's gun. "And what do YOU expect to do anout it without THIS?"

Chris blinked. He didn't even see Jill snatch the magazine out of the machine gun.

Jill smirked at Chris and the gunman's expression. Before the gunman could get the second clip into the machine gun, Jill had smacked him across the temple with the handle of her Custom Beretta handgun, knocking the gunman out before he even hit the floor.

The second gunman already had Jill in his sights.

"Move!" Chris yelled, pushing Jill out of the way with one hand, his own Beretta in his other hand. The gunman fired a shot, then Chris returned fire, this time, shooting his arm, then his knee, effectively disabling him.

It was all over in under two minutes.

While Jill was handcuffing the two would-be robbers, Chris was speaking to the crowd. "We're with the RPD S.T.A.R.S. unit. Is everyone okay?"

There were nods and mumurs of yes. Then the doors busted open and several members of the Raccoon Police Department cane charging in, Browning handguns drawn. Several of them aimed their weapons at Chris and Jill. "Freeze! R.P.D.!"

"Don't shoot!" Chris yelled out. "We're with the S.T.A.R.S. unit!"

Jill pointed to the two incapacitated robbers. "Those are the guys you're looking for!"

The cops looked at the two robbers, then they looked at Chris and Jill. Then they turned their attention to the two men. As she was placing her handgun back inside her holster, Jill saw the red stain on Chris's arm. "My God, Chris, your arm."

Chris looked down at his arm. "Must've caught one from when I was saving your ass. Looks like it just grazed me."

"Whatever," Jill replied. "We got to get that wound dressed."

Chris sighed. "So much for lunch," he replies as he follows Jill out of the bank. "Hey, I gotta ask. How did you do that thing with the gun?"
***
Squad cars and media vans were all around the bank when Captain Wesker, Barry, and Chief Irons arrived in a squad car Barry had commandered from the RPD. Upon arriving at the bank, they were ambushed by a throng of reporters and journamists. Irons dealt with them, while they went searching for their two subordinates.

They found them at an ambulance, Chris was getting his injured arm tended to by one of the paramedics, while Jill was nearby.

"Are you two okay?" Barry asked.

"I'm fine," Jill replied.

"I'll live," Chris replied, pointing to his now-bandaged arm.

"At least the both of you are okay," Wesker said. "That's what matters. You know I want a report on what had happened here."

Both Chris and Jill nodded.
***
Later on, after the report was filed, Wesker gave Chris and Jill the following day off. On their way to the parking lot, someone was waiting for them.

A tall man with reddish-brown hair approached them. "Excuse me? Chris Redfield and Jill Valentine?"

They both nod.

The reporter introduced himself. "Ben Bertolucci, Raccoon Press. I was wondering if I could ask you two some questions on the bank robery that you two had stopped earlier."

"Maybe tomorrow," Jill replied.

"Yeah," Chris chimed in. "Right now, we're tired and we really need to get home."

Ben nods. "That's okay. I'll see you two around some other time," he said as he walked off in the opposite direction.

Chris grunted. "That went well."

Jill sighed. "I don't want to see another reporter or journalist for the rest of my life."

Chris chuckled. They walked in silence, ofted being congradulated by a passing cop or two. When they reached the parking lot, Chris walked Jill to her car.

"See you later," Chris said as he headed to his truck.

"Bye," Jill replied. "Chris?"

Chris turned around. "Yes, Jill."

She moved over to him and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek.

That caught Chris off guard. "What was that for?"

Jill smiled. "For today." With that, she got into her car, and drove off. Chris smiled to himself and walked to his own vehicle, wondering what the future may hold for the both of them.