Forever
-chapter six

When the visions around you,
Bring tears to your eyes,
And all that surrounds you,
Are secrets and lies,
I'll be your strength,
I'll give you hope,
Keeping your faith when it's gone,
The one you should call,
Was standing here all along.

And I will take,
You in my arms,
And hold you right were you belong,
Till the day my life is though,
This i promise you...

-N'Sync, " This I Promise You "

" Truth or Dare? "

" Dare. "

" Dare you...hmmm...dare you to...what do you think, Bec?"

" I dunno...just keep it clean, Claire...we gotta get to sleep guys, we wake up early t'morrow. "

" I got a dare!"

Jill cringed.

" Well? "

" I dare you to go into Chris' room and bring back a pair of his underwear from his drawer."

" What the-..Claire, this is childish. "

" Come on, Jill, just 'cuz you're twenty-five doesn't mean you can't take a break now and then and act sixteen again. Besides, you're all lovey dovey with him now so you got nothing to lose... You're acting like an old lady, Jill! "

Jill held back the urge to cause some bodily harm to the younger Redfield in some way, but she knew that it might cause some noise and possibly wake up Chris, who was already asleep in the next room. Three hours had passed since the team broke up at McDonald's, and since then Claire had accompanied Jill to her apartment to pack her things, and Chris to Rebecca's to do likewise. Now she was helping Beccy organise her belongings in Claire's room, where Beccy was to sleep, before going to sleep herself. Jill, after much bickering with both other girls and a rock-paper-scissors tournament, had won the opportunity to spend the night in the guest room of the Redfield house, away from both the younger girls.

" Come on, Jill, you're gonna see his underwear one way or another-"

Jill grabbed the closest pillow and threw it as hard as she could at Claire on the bed, who caught it and still wore that annoyingly happy smile that never once wasn't on her face. With the long nightshirt she wore and her ponytail neatly divided into two pigtails, the younger Redfield sibling looked more 12 years old than the 21 years she possessed.

" So what is it between you two? Are you 'officially' together now? "

" Yes..no, we aren- yes, well, in a way...shut up, Claire. "

" Come on, I'll know one way or another so it's best to tell me straight up."

" Jill's right, Claire, if she doesn't want to tell you about Chris then you should just leave her alone and respect her privacy... " Beccy said.

' You can always count on Beccy. '

Jill slapped Beccy a high-five. Beccy was always there to rely on, and though she was about the same age as Claire in both Chris and Jill's minds she was infinitely more mature than Claire could ever be. Claire could be very caring and sensitive when she wanted to, but unlike Beccy, she only rarely showed that side. Beccy began to speak.

" ...unless she wants to...is he a good kisser? "

Jill gave Bec a soft push.

" Well...yes...of course..his lips, his...shut up! I'm goin' to sleep! " Jill said, as she got up and began to stomp to the door to Claire's bedroom. Claire and Beccy both called after her to keep her inside, but she ignored their calls and closed Claire's bedroom door behind her. She leaned against it, enjoying the fresh air and absence of twenty one year olds that were the better personality traits of the Redfield hallway. She buried her face in her hands, rubbing her eyelids for a second, and was about to leave to go to her guest room when a familiar, deep, voice interrupted her.

" Am I a good kisser? "

...Chris said, casually, as Jill spun around and found him leaning against his bedroom door, which was at the far end of the hall. He had a glass of milk in his hand, the other in his pocket, and that familiar smile on his handsome features. Currently Chris wore checkered baggy pajamas and an equally large white sleeveless t-shirt with the S.T.A.R.S. logo on the chest. His ankle was taped up tightly with athlete's tape, to prevent it from getting any worse. Just by the way Chris was looking at her, Jill swore she would melt. Suddenly she was very aware of what she looked like to him.

She was wearing only a baby blue long nightshirt that reached only to mid-thigh, revealing a lot of her long, creamy legs. It was fairly tight, showing off the highly agreeable curves of her body. No make up whatsoever, her hair in a complete mess, but Chris was certain she was obviously the most beautiful girl he had ever met.

' And she's in love with me..'

" You surprised me, Chris. " The surprised look that crossed her features suddenly changed into a sly smile. She slowly moved up to Chris and put her hands on his chest, then gave him a quick, friendly kiss on the lips. As she did so it took her a split second to move her hand down his arm and steal his glass of milk, then turned around so her back was facing him. She took a gulp and looked back at Chris.

" Screw you and your kissing, got milk? "

He responded with a small laugh and slipping his arms around her, and she leant back against him, enjoying the warmth of his body behind hers. Together they just stood there, staring at an empty hallway in front of them.

" How'd you get so good at stealing things? "

" It's not all that hard when the person you're stealing from is as dumb as you are, Chris. " She said with a smile, taking another gulp.

He responded by putting a finger to her lips, and she half-turned so she was facing him, with her back still pressed against him.

" Shh...let's go in my room, " he said in a whisper, " Claire and Beccy'll hear. "

" Okay, lover..." Jill responded softly, trying her best to sound seductive, catching on to Chris' intentions. Her hand moved to open the door they were both leaning on, not once taking her eyes off Chris'. After Chris was in the room she remained in the hall, quickly took the last gulp of milk, and tossed him the empty glass which he caught. He stood there, with a surprised expression on his features, which soon turned into a smile as he realised she had foiled his plan.

" Like hell I'm sleeping with you, Redfield. " she grabbed the door and closed it, leaving Chris imprisoned inside his own room. As soon as she did so she turned around and leaned on his bedroom door, then she sighed. Less than four inches away, Chris was doing the same, leaning on his door.

" At least...not yet. " they both said softly.

After a few more seconds of contemplating the eventful day both S.T.A.R.S. veterans went to sleep.

" Goddamnit, Chico. "

" What, Chris? "

" You really need to bring that umbrella wherever you go? "

" Aye, de sun can do some crazy things if you ain't under some kinda protection, and protection from the sun is wat dis umbrella is for."

" I said it once, I'll say it again; that's what hats, visors, and sunscreen's for. "

" I said it once, I'll say it again; de hair is what makes de man, senor. "

" Good call. "

Chris took the now-familiar looking blue and white umbrella off Carlo's hands and then put it on top of the already overflowing trunk of the Pathfinder. The sun had begun it's war to take back the dark night sky, birds were already singing the first verses of their daily song, and slowly the lights on the Redfield block were beginning to light up as Chris finally managed to pack the umbrella in the trunk. His wrist watch beeped a small cry. Chris took a glance at it.

" 5:56. Leon's got four minutes to get here. "

" Give him ten more minutes, bro. " Claire said in defense for Leon. She leant on the side of the car, tying her hair back into it's usual ponytail. She wore a blue shirt not unlike the one Jill wore the day before, but in typical Claire fashion she pulled up the end of the shirt and tied it off so it showed off a bit more skin. Finishing the outfit was a small orange vest and khaki cargo shorts that were just slightly longer than a pair of underwear.

" Aren't you cold? " Chris asked.

" Naw, I'm cool. Whaddabout you?"

Chris' brows furrowed following the irony of her last sentence, after he realised he himself was wearing a sleeveless Nike shirt and wide-leg carpenter jeans. He was about to correct her when a pair of bright headlights shone in his eyes. Chris, Carlos, and Claire both shielded their eyes from Leon's car's lights. A disheveled, messy Leon Kennedy stepped out of the convertible, shirt half-buttoned up and a half-eaten bagel in his mouth.

" Swfoory I'm fate! " he managed to get out past the bagel.

..Claire moved to him and began to button up his shirt, while at the same time kissing him good morning. Chris, happy to relieve himself of the vision of Leon and his sister liplocking, moved to the front door of his house to see how Jill and Beccy were doing and inform them of the fact Leon had arrived.

" Jill! Beccy! Leon's here! Let's move! "

Beccy appeared in the foyer several seconds later, tying a red bandanna around her chocolate hair, dressed in tear-away track pants and a short red t-shirt. Like Leon, she had an item of food in her mouth, in her case a salt cracker.

" Where's Jill? " Chris asked, eager to leave before the morning rush hour began. Beccy took her cracker out of her mouth and was about to respond.

" Jill's right here! " Jill said, as she suddenly appeared from the stairs leading to the second floor. She had a short navy skintight sleeveless shirt she as putting on but was only half accomplished the feat, as she jumped the last couple of stairs and finished pulling down the shirt over her flat stomach. She tied off the drawstring of the pair of baggy low-slung khaki cargo pants she was wearing, then bent to tie her shoes. Chris noticed that she was showing off a bit more of her midriff today, and wondered if it was because of yesterday's events, but he dismissed the thought when Jill opened her mouth to speak.

" Jesus! Can't a girl put on a top before going into the public? "

" You can walk out here naked for all I care. " Chris responded with a smile.

Jill finished tying the shoe and then moved to Chris, then pushed him in the shoulder playfully. She kissed him good morning lightly on the cheek, then moved out to the driveway where the other four would-be road trippers were waiting. Chris took the blue puffy vest off a coat rack, put in on, took one last look into his house to make sure everything was okay, then closed the door and locked it shut behind him.

Leon had cleaned himself up, albeit with Claire's help, and was sitting in his car with Claire in the passenger's seat. The top was down on his convertible and both it's passengers were looking intently at a map Leon had spread in front of him. Claire was pointing at something at the map when Chris moved up.

" Ready to leave? " the older Redfield asked.

" Sure. I'll lead, " Leon said, " I know a shortcut. "

" Alrighty...your 'shortcut' better not end up with us having to ask directions, Leon. " Chris said, as he moved away and motioned to Carlos, Beccy, and Jill to get into the Pathfinder.

He left the convertible and took the driver's seat in the Pathfinder, as Carlos climbed in front with him, and Beccy and Jill took their customary places in the back. Chris pulled out a sheet of looseleaf paper from his vest where he had scribbled the directions to the cabin on the night before, and handed it to Carlos.

" Can I trust you to navigate for me? "

" You know it, Chris. "

" Did anyone forget anything? "

" Naw. " all three passengers responded in unison.

" Last call! "

" Just go, senor. "

" Alrighty. "

After Leon pulled away from the driveway Chris put the SUV in reverse and the mini-vacation began.

...all the women who independent

" Throw your hands up at me! "

...all the women who crop the dollars

" Throw your hands up at me! "

...all the honeys who make the money

" Throw your hands up at me! "

...Jill and Beccy shouted at the top of their lungs, waving their hands in the cabin of the Pathfinder, in response to the well-sung verses of Destiny's Child. Twelve minutes into their trip and Beccy had sweet-talked Carlos into putting her personal mix of music into the CD player.

It was a decision both Carlos and Chris regretted since then.

" Girl I didn't know you could get down like that! "

...Jill and Beccy half-shouted half-sung, at the top of their lungs, a sharp contrast to the well-executed notes of the three girls of Destiny's Child. Both of the young women exploded into laughter. Carlos had both hands pressed to his ears, trying in vain to block out the horrendous singing of the girls in the back seat. Chris, who had one hand occupied with the steering wheel and the other pressed to his ear, was faring slightly worse than Carlos was.

" Charlie, how your angels get down like that? "

Both the young men in the front seats that the women in the back seats could dance much better when they wanted to, but instead they were shouting/shrieking out of the intention of driving both men crazy.

" Can we change the song? " Chris asked, having to raise his voice over a solo Beccy was trying to perform.

" Change that and I'll never let you touch me again! " Jill retorted, once again having to raise her voice over Beccy's screeching.

Chris was immediately silenced for the rest of the song. Carlos, unable to do anything else, was also silenced. They both sat there, trying to endure the rest of what seemed like a song that would never end.

" Why is it that I had a feeling this would happen? "

" Shut up, Chris, I was sure this was the right way...I knew I should've taken a right at Alberqerque."

Leon stared blankly at the map he had laid down on the hood of his convertible, as the team had pulled over at a rest stop next to a river and taken the opportunity for a break. Carlos and Beccy had already begun a friendly game of poker on a picnic table and Claire was looking for a drink to steal from the cooler Leon had brought along. They all knew that it would be some time until Leon found out where to go next.

" Admit it, we're lost, Leon. " Jill added, with a hint of frustration thrown in. She was leaning on Chris' shoulder, staring at the same map.

" Jus' gimme a sec, I'll find out how to get there. "

Chris and Jill both sighed and turned away, and walked to the picnic table Beccy and Carlos were sitting on.

" What are yall playing? " Jill asked.

" You know the rules, Jill, when you go on vacation it's a rule to play one game, and one game only. " Beccy said, as a sly smile appeared on her face.

" And what would that be? " Chris asked.

" Strip poker, senor. " Carlos finished.

" Hah! Like hell I'm taking my clothes off. " Jill commented.

" I'm with Jill. Taking her clothes off is something I should do. " Chris joked.

Jill landed a shot to Chris' kidneys with a right fist, and Chris took a couple of steps when suddenly he felt the sharp pain of his sprained ankle shoot up his leg and the foot give way. The young man bent and clutched his leg with a grimace, as Jill realised the error of her ways and knelt beside him. She slipped his arm over her shoulders, and pulled him up.

" Oh my God...sorry! We should re-tape that ankle, I have some tape in the back seat." she apologised.

" Just make sure my seat ain't all wet and sticky when we get going again! " Beccy joked. Chris and Jill both shot her a look and decided to ignore the comment.

" It's okay...God, this looks like it's gonna be a painful relationship. " Chris answered, as Jill and himself began to limp over to the Pathfinder where Jill had brought a roll of tape just in case, as Beccy and Carlos continued on their game. Jill thought of doing some more bodily harm to Chris after his last comment, but decided not to.

' You've done enough damage, girl. '

Jill opened the back door with a free hand and Chris hopped in, albeit slowly, using his strong leg. Jill moved around the vehicle to get to the other door, and opened it, climbing in herself in the back seat. Opening a med-kit Beccy had brought along, she picked out a roll of tape. Chris had removed his shoe, and Jill picked up the leg and placed it on her lap.

" Goddamit, Chris, would it kill you to find some matching socks? "

" Are you gonna tape the ankle or what? "

" Okay, okay. " Jill said, as she removed the blue and grey sock from Chris' foot. She found the open part of the tape and began, slowly, to tape up his ankle. She began at the ball of his foot and worked up to the ankle, as Beccy had once shown her. Chris wasn't moving, he just leaned against the door to the back seat and another smile appeared on his face.

' Goddammit...she's...she's...Jill...'

A stray lock of hair swept into Jill's eyes, and she was about to brush it behind her ear, when Chris leaned forward and did it for her, carefully taking the strands of chocolate hair and brushing it back behind her ear. She smiled back at him, her cheeks suddenly making a tilt towards the red color spectrum.

" Thanks..." she managed to get out.

Chris merely nodded at her, with that sly smile on his face. For several seconds Jill looked straight into his eyes, maybe pondering something, but she continued on Chris' ankle and within several seconds she was done. She ripped the end of the tape off and placed it back into the med-kit.

" All done! " she stated.

" I see. What can I do to repay you? "

That sly smile was still on his face. Jill caught on to why it was there. She drew closer to Chris and rested her head on his shoulder. She put her arms around his waist, so they were both lying down on the back seat.

" What is the obesession you have with my shoulder? "

Jill socked him a hard one in the stomach.

" Shaddup. "

" Sorry...You know I'm just kiddin' with ya now. "

" I know. "

Chris began to stroke her hair lightly. He moved down to place a soft kiss on the top of her forehead. Jill smiled up at him, then gave him a small kiss on his cheek.

" What was that for? " Chris asked.

" For everything. For yesterday. "

Chris' smile widened, remembering the fruitful events of the previous day. Eyes met, blue sapphires meeting Chris' hazel eyes. He put his hand to her chin, slowly tilted her face up, then slowly moved his face to hers until their lips finally met. Jill accepted the kiss lovingly, moving herself closer to Chris and placing a soft hand on his cheek. Chris was surprised when he felt Jill's tongue crawl slowly, softly into his lips and mouth, and he returned the favor, doing likewise.

For several long minutes the couple expressed their feelings towards each other through their kiss. They both forgot about the road trip and Leon getting them lost. Only Chris and Jill existed, and both knew that this was the way they wanted it to be.

Chris' hand moved down to Jill's bare stomach, caressing it softly and tenderly, as they both continued to kiss. Feeling a bit more adventurous, he moved the edge of the shirt up, revealing more of her soft skin to his hands, moving the shirt further up her body, until it reached just under her breasts. Jill felt this and made a soft sound into the kiss, as if to encourage Chris to go on.

" HEY GUYS! I KNOW WHERE TO GO NOW! I WAS LOOKING AT THE MAP UPSIDE DOWN! "
..Leon yelled. In the back seat of the now steamy Pathfinder, Chris and Jill both groaned. Leon couldn't have picked a worse time to grow some brain cells.

Jill broke the kiss and smiled up at Chris, who wore somewhat of a "i-can't-believe-what-just-happened" look on his handsome features. She regretfully disengaged herself from his arms, pulled her shirt down to full length, and opened the door and hopped out of the Pathfinder. She smiled a sly smile at Chris and opened her mouth to speak.

" Maybe some other time, lover. "

Chris could do nothing but curse his luck as everyone began to pack up and get ready to continue the road trip.

Author's note:
' = indicates a character's thoughts, double quotes indicates what a character says.

Well there's chapter six! I apologise that I didn't get it out earlier than I could have, I just wanted to make sure everything was just right. I just wanted to say thanks for everyone who reviewed my work. Your input's given me a lot more confidence in my work. Look forward to Chapter Seven, within a week or so tops. Same Fan-Time, same Fan-Author, same Fan-Site!

AND THE QUOTES OF THE DAY ARE:

" Never frown 'cuz you never know who's fallen in love with your smile. "
-May Dela Cruz

" Every strike has a possible counterstrike. "
- Itsacon, Portent Forums

" Don't be afraid to close your eyes and dream, but then open them and see. "
- Sean "Puffy" Combs

" When life gives you lemons, make lemonade, then throw it at the people to gave you the lemons and take the oranges you asked for in the first place. "
-Phil Hartman