Noon.

"So yeah," Chris started. "I've got those two we just bought, I've got a Winchester rifle at home, and I've got another 1911." Chris was mumbling to Brad about the various guns he owned, while Brad nodded, pretending to be paying attention. At least he wasn't as annoying as Barry was on the subject…

They had already parked Chris's Blue '78 Camero, and were heading towards the café where they usually had lunch. Chris got to the door first, and pushed it open. He stood in the doorway and looked to a table…"Well, well, well…"

Jill and Rebecca had already arrived, and were snacking on ice cream cones. Jill was actually being civil? The ice creams had been the first thing that he had noticed.

Brad had eyed the second thing once he squeezed in through the doorway past Chris. Jill and Rebecca were dressed exactly alike, except Rebecca's top was green. He blinked a few times…"Whoa…We –are- in the right café, right?"

Chris shrugged.

Rebecca was the first to notice the two. She smiled and waved at them. "Heeey! Over here guys!"

Jill looked up from her ice cream to Rebecca, then where she was facing. She smiled. Chris just looked so cute in a suit. Kind of like Ethan Hunt or something. She waved lightly, pulling out a chair for Chris, as Becky pulled one out for Brad.

The two of them sat down at their respective chairs, The men piled their wooden cases onto the table, as the women looked at them. Jill spoke up…"Couldn't settle for just one gun, Chris?"

He shook his head…"Naah. Bought a Glock Seventeen and a Dual-Tone Beretta 92FS. Chickenheart here bought a SIG Sig Pro."

Brad looked to his box, then to Rebecca. He pushed it towards her…"Go ahead, take a look."

Rebecca opened up the sleek wooden box, and looked at the pistol…"Ickeh. It's too big for me."

Assuming Rebecca wouldn't know the answer, he asked Chris…"What does she use?"

Chris thought for a moment. "Becky uses a Walther P5 Compact Nine Mil. Unless she's gone and changed it on me."

Rebecca shook her head. "Nah, I still use it."

A waitress arrived. "What will the men have?"

Chris answered first…"I'll just have a coke. Brad?"

Brad answered second…"Blueberry Daiquiris."

The waitress walked off.

Rebecca and Brad began to talk quietly, as Chris looked to Jill…"So what did you buy?"

Jill looked from Brad and Rebecca, and laid eyes upon Chris. "I bought a couple of things. If we're still on leave tomorrow, I'll probably wear something of it."

Chris nodded. She didn't tell him specifically, but he'd find out in due time anyway. The waitress came back with their drinks. Rebecca immediately snatched the parasol from Brad's drink and stuck it behind one of her ears. She pecked Brad on the cheek as a sort of 'Thank you'. Brad blushed.

Chris opened up the can of Pepsi he had been given, and took a decent chug of it. Jill was watching a ceiling fan, while Chris was simply gazing at Jill. She was cute dressed like that.

But then, a familiar figure walked in through the door.

Chris looked over to the door from Jill. "Hey, Barry!"

Barry eyed Chris and the others, and walked towards them. "Hi Chris, hey guys."

Barry didn't bother to pull up a chair. He didn't plan on staying long anyway.

Jill looked to Barry…"How did it go?"

Barry shrugged…"Just told it like it was. If he thinks I'm crazy, then the chief can just go fuck himself."

Brad raised a brow at Barry's choice of words. Rebecca pointed her index finger at him. "No bad language, mister!"

Barry laughed, then looked to Brad and Rebecca…"The chief wants you two at the station, pronto."

Since Rebecca had gotten a drive with Jill and Brad had gotten one from Chris, and the fact that the station wasn't all that far away, they figured they could walk. They thanked Barry for telling them, then left, hand in hand…

Barry watched them leave…"Cute, isn't it?"

Jill nodded. "We just need to keep our spirits high for now, until we figure out what to do about Umbrella." She stole a sip of Chris's pop. Chris didn't complain.

"Whatcha gonna do this afternoon, Barry?" Chris asked.

Barry checked his watch. "I think I'm just going to explain to my wife what happened…"

Jill set down the can. "Are you sure you want to do that?"

Barry nodded. "Might as well tell her before she extorts it out of me. Besides…if we have to relocate, she might as well know why."

"But will she believe you?" Chris picked up the can. It was empty. He looked to Jill, who just grinned at him.

Barry looked at his wedding ring. "Rule number one of lovers: There are no secrets, no lies. I suppose I shouldn't tell my kids though."

Jill shook her head. "Probably not a good idea. Well, we'll see you tomorrow then?"

Barry shook his head. "No. Kendo's taking me fishing. I'll see you on Friday."

"Alright. Take care, man."

Barry took his leave.

Chris got up from his chair, pulling out his wallet, and handing Jill a ten. "That should cover the drinks and the ice cream."

Jill accepted the ten, but looked up to him, confused. "Where are you going?"

Chris looked behind him to Jill as he was exiting…"I just need to think."

And so he left, leaving Jill to sit there, wondering…



The Blue Camaro was burning up the rural roads of a mountain located near the outskirts of Raccoon City, going at upwards of eighty miles an hour. The speed limit didn't really exist out there. It was nothing but dirt. Nickelback's "Hero" blared from the speakers of the car, as the skylight was starting to disappear. He had been driving around for hours, not tiring of it. Whenever he was troubled, he'd just buy some gas and drove around until he forgot why he was doing it in the first place. But the graveness of the reason could never be forgotten.

Once he pulled out of a forest area, the car began to lose speed. He was approaching the lookoff for Raccoon City.

"Someone told me, love will not save us…But how can that be? Look what love gave us…" Chris was singing to himself. He had a pretty decent voice, when he was trying anyway. The car pulled up to the makeshift parking lot, as he turned the car off. He stepped out, and locked the car. His dress shoes imprinted themselves into the grass as he walked towards a bench off in the distance, which sat before a guardrail. He seated himself atop it. He slipped his finger gloves on, as the temperature dropped. He watched the sun slowly fall beneath the skyline.

He sat there and thought about a great many things. The mansion incident…their lives would never be the same again. Such madness and insanity had to be put away. What could he tell his sister? She never ever did let him stay silent about his problems. Then, he thought about Jill. He watched as the stars began to shine. He checked his watch. 10:12PM…

Then, he felt someone's hand on his shoulder, gently. He looked up. Jill was standing there, wearing her sweatshirt over her top, her legs freezing. She sat down next to Chris. He watched as she looked to the stars.

Chris looked to her…"How did you find me?"

Jill hugged her legs. She shivered lightly…"I followed my senses and the good tunes…"

Chris slowly pulled off his jacket, and placed it over Jill's legs, as a sort of blanket. The white shirt he wore under did nothing to conceal his build, nor the two holsters attached to the straps that he wore.

Jill looked at the jacket, then to Chris…"Won't you be cold?"

He nodded…"Probably, but you'll need it more then I will."

Jill nodded slowly, looking down at her hands clasped in her lap. She turned her head to look at Chris. "You never told me about your parents…"

Chris blinked for a moment, and then looked to her…"I didn't think it was important for you to know."

Jill nodded again, then slowly placed her left palm on his shoulder, looking at him in a meaningful way…"I'm your partner. You're allowed to share these things with me, you know?" She smiled for him.

Chris smiled for a moment, trusting Jill. He looked at the skyline…"Dad used to be a cop…"

Jill nodded, slipping over a little closer.

"He made a name for himself, by trying to do in some mob called 'The Authority'. That's how our family became a target…"

Jill gulped, wondering if this was worth asking to hear about.

"They poisoned mom, just to give him the message. When he tried to avenge her, they shot him…" Chris looked down again, trying not to tear up. He never wanted to think about these things. "Then there was the time they shot up the school trying to get to Claire and I…"

"Oh my…" Jill put her hand on his arm…"I'm so sorry, I didn't know…"

Chris blinked back tears, shaking his head…"At least I know dad went down fighting. I guess he inspired me to get into the armed forces."

Jill nodded. "Anything else you want to tell me?"

Chris shook his head. "Not this late at night." He thought for a moment, looking to Jill's pristine face…"What about your folks?"

Jill sighed…"It's no prettier than yours. Mom cheated on Dad, so he tried to kill her. Mom moved to Europe, dad's still in prison for killing her boyfriend."

Chris nodded. "I guess everyone's got a story. I wonder what Becky and Brad would say if I asked them…"

Jill looked to her hands again. "Their parents and siblings live in the city. Lucky them…"

Chris checked his watch. It was getting late…"Well…at least I've got a great partner, eh?"

Jill smiled, giving Chris a light hug. "Yeah, me too."

Chris patted her back, as the jacket fell to the ground. "It's getting late, it'll be eleven by the time I get home if I leave now…"

Jill nodded, pulling back. "I'll see you tomorrow, Chris."

She got up and walked towards her car, as Chris picked up his jacket. She wanted to tell him he loved her so much, but she just didn't have the courage to. She sighed, and entered her car, leaving the place.

Chris didn't bother to button up the suit; he just walked towards the Camero, and watched Jill's car drive away. He leaned against the frame of his car. The stress he was under prevented him from telling Jill how he felt. Well, tomorrow was always another day…

*****

Sorry about keeping you guys in the dark for a while. School's a bitch, and I'm just trying to get through the last months, so updates will be scarce for the next while. Chris and Jill are in love, but it's politics that prevent them from revealing their feelings. How will the two of them handle the psychiatric evaluations? Tune in to find out!