17. Jill

She couldn't remember when the last time she had some girls-only time; perhaps it had been before the events of Racoon; when her life could be considered normal. However, now that the opportunity came, she was delighted that Saya had asked her to help with Claire's change of image. Both women had gone shopping the day before, and they had bought all makeup, accessories, and hair extensions that matched Claire's auburn colored hair for their little project.

Claire was a pretty woman, but having grown surrounded mostly by men, she'd grown to be a little tomboyish. Of course, she had her small feminine traits, but she wasn't someone who worried about her hair or wearing makeup unless it was extremely necessary, and even then, she would only use eyeliner and some lip gloss. In this case, that worked much to their advantage; since it meant that with the right touches, Claire would look different enough to not be easily recognized.

"Auch…" Claire complained as Saya was busy putting the extension clips on her head.

"Sorry…" Saya had said, "There, first one set."

"You know, that looks good on you, Claire…" Jill smiled, looking at the new layer of wavy auburn waves that fell over the woman's shoulders, "Did anyone ever tell you that you should wear the hair down more often? You look so pretty."

"Surprisingly...yes," Claire replied, looking at her new hair.

"Oh, it wasn't Wallace, was it? His opinion doesn't count since he's way too biased."

"No, it wasn't Wallace…" Claire said, annoyed," Actually, it was Leon."

"Ohh, the husband? When did that happen?" Saya teased.

"Eight months ago, when we were stuck in Germany. How much longer?"

"Stay still. I'm almost done…" Saya replied, "There! All set. Oh, look at you. We haven't even started, and you already look like someone new."

"I doubt adding hair changes me that much…"

"No, it's true. I mean, the style is favorable for you," Jill smiled, "and green eyes really suit you too. It makes you look very Irish…"

"I am supposed to be Welsh…"

"It's the same thing. All of them are Celtic…" Jill laughed, "Now, let me put on that makeup…"

"Do I really have to?"

"Yes, you do…"

Claire sighed in defeat as Jill began working.

"I feel stupid. This is a bad idea…"

"Claire, you're looking great so far. How can it be a bad idea?"

"Because everyone will think this is ridiculous...that's why…"

"No one will think that. Believe me, I bet Leon's colleagues will be envious after they see you," Saya laughed.

" And Chris will have to start kicking some BSAA asses when those soldiers start following you around…"

"Oh, I'm sure Leon will kick some, too… she's his wife, no?"

Jill and Saya giggled as two teenage girls, and Claire frowned.

"You sound like high schoolers."

"And you like a grumpy granny…"

Jill smirked as she watched Claire and Saya exchange a couple of arguments. It was nice to have an all-girls chat for a change, and perhaps it was the perfect opportunity for her to satisfy some of her curiosity.

"So….Leon commented on your hair before?"

"It was a random comment. It was just a little before you came for us." Claire shrugged, "Leon is a flirt, so I don't take his compliments too seriously…"

"Are you sure? I was under the impression that he was rather serious when it came to you..." Saya said, crossing her arms.

"I'm not sure about that..." Claire shrugged, "but if he does, it must be because we are friends."

"Oh, come on. We are among ladies right now, so why aren't you honest, Claire?" Jill said.

"Honest about what?"

"Well about...you know…"

"I know?"

"Leon…" Jill said.

"What about him?"

"Oh, please...about your relationship… Like how things are between you two?"

"Between us? Jill, as I said, we are friends. We've always been. I save his butt and he saves mine. That's pretty much how it goes."

"I wasn't talking about that. You know, there is a reason why Chris seems to freak out about him when it comes to you, Claire…"

"Chris freaks out about everyone, and then you ask where I learned to be a paranoid…"

"I know Chris, and it isn't paranoia, Claire."

"Okay, fine...I had a crush on him when I was nineteen, and I made the stupid mistake of letting Chris know big deal." Claire pouted, " I was a stupid teen in a city filled with zombies and quite a hot cop on my side. You would have crushed on him too…"

"And there you admit he was hot. Are you sure that little crush isn't still there?"

"God, I just said he was handsome once, and that was because you asked...does that automatically mean I still like him?"

"No, but it means you find him attractive…" Jill laughed, "You know, I really think you two could make quite a pair…"

"Leon doesn't like me that way, okay? End of the story…"

"How do you know that? He was pretty messed up when you disappeared. I mean, Chris was bad, but Leon wasn't too far behind…" Jill said, "I heard from his operator…"

"Leon gets a little depressed sometimes...it's not the first time he goes in that mode."

"And don't forget the orchids…"

That caught her attention. Jill looked at Saya curiously.

"Orchids?"

"Yeah, the man bought a bouquet at least once a month and left them in Claire's memorial. He made time to come to the office just to leave some flowers personally. Isn't that considered devotion?"

A sudden memory passed through Jill's mind. The day that Adam summoned them to TerraSave HQ to let them know about Claire, she and Chris had found a beautiful bouquet of orchids on the table. She had thought that it'd been Chris, but the man had quickly denied it and said it was probably one of her colleagues, but it had been Leon. Suddenly, it made sense.

"As I said...we are friends. Friends do that…"

"Oh, come on, Claire. Can't you at least accept that the guy has some interest in you?"

"I second that. Claire, I really think there's something in there…"

"You two are delusional. Leon has his head all over Ada…"

"You mean that Asian spy?"

"Yeah, that one. Those two have a story, and I don't want to get caught up in between by accident."

"So he said he had something with her?"

"No, he said it was complicated…" Claire said, and shrugged, "and?"

"Well, you're the one with the ring…"

"Fake….remember?"

"Human mind works in curious ways, Claire. You never know what can happen when you plant a little seed…"

"You are over analyzing things. This is just another mission for Leon…" Claire sighed.

"No, actually, she may have a point…" Jill said, "You two will be spending lots of time together, Claire. How do you know nothing will come out from it? You two certainly have chemistry..."

Claire seemed to think her words, but she didn't reply. Jill found it amusing. Claire could be a genius in some things, but when it came to relationships and feelings, she was as thick-headed as her brother.

"God, what happened to the world during the eight months I was gone? Why is everyone suddenly shipping me with Leon?"

"Shipping?"

"Oh, that you can blame it on Wallace. It means wishing for two people to enter a relationship," Saya explained, "We have a geek in our team, and he has kind of inserted his vocabulary on us."

Jill wasn't sure why she found that small fact particularly amusing.

"The point is...suddenly everyone seems to be interested in seeing Leon and me being together. No one ever cared before."

"Things had happened in the past eight months, Claire."

"Yeah? And exactly what might have happened that would suggest that Leon and I are a thing?"

"Well...you died…" Saya replied, "Losing someone important often reveals things we didn't see before…"

"Forgive me if I don't see it…"

"Look...I'm not saying it'll happen, but maybe…" Jill continued with a smile "but you must know, Claire, that Chris isn't the only one with a soft spot for you. Kennedy has one for you, as well, and even Chris knows it, or at least, his big-brother radar senses it. In one way or another, Leon is attracted to you. Whether it is romantically or not, we don't know; but sometimes those feelings need a small opportunity to come out, and what better chance than this?"

"You two are determined to convince me, aren't you?"

"Maybe we kinda want to see you together for real…" Saya admitted, "but that's because you two seem to be a good match. Come one, Claire…"

"I don't know….I really don't know…" Claire sighed, "I just don't want to fall into the love wave and have my heart crushed again. I've had enough heartbreaks already…"

"All we are saying, Claire, is that if the chance comes, grab it. Don't hesitate; because I feel that there is a nice chance for you in Leon hasn't figured it out yet; I mean... men are often too foolish to notice what they really feel..." Jill told her with a sweet smile.

"I don't know where you are getting that idea, Jill."

"Called it a sixth sense, Claire. I just have a little feeling that there's much more than just friendly feelings..."

Claire let out a guess that denial was a habit of the Redfield siblings, but she had the way the agent looked at Claire, and there was something in him that just did not fit in the concept of friends' perspective.

"Are you done, yet?" Claire asked impatiently.

"Yeah, just a second. There, perfect…" Jill smiled proudly, "Beautiful…"

"Ah, don't forget the glasses," Saya said, passing her the case.

Claire put on the black-framed glasses and blinked. She walked up to the mirror and stared at her reflection shocked. The two older women smiled at the sight. No one would ever think this was Claire Redfield at first sight. The hair extensions reached a little over her hips, and they curled into some lazy waves that fell over her shoulders; Jill had touched up her profile and contoured her factions, finishing up with a nice nude shading that made the green lenses pop up nicely. The glasses helped her hide her obvious traits and made her look smart and elegant at the same time. Jill had to admit she was rather proud of the job.

"God...that's totally not me…"

"That's the whole point of the disguise, isn't it?" Saya replied, grabbing her shoulders, "But you look gorgeous….trust us."

"Yeah…" Jill agreed, "Your brother will pass out when he sees you."

"God, no...I can't get out like this!"

"Oh, yes. You can. In fact, let's visit the gentlemen. Your husband will be delighted to see you at…"

Claire wanted to complain, but Jill and Saya grabbed her arms and dragged her to the meeting room where Chris, Barry, and Leon were working. Jill was the first one to enter.

The three men were leaning over a map. Each of them was pointing at some point and commenting on the possibilities. None of them seemed to notice her presence in the room.

"Eh-hem…" Jill coughed to catch their attention.

The three turned to her, surprised.

"Jill, what are you doing here? I thought you were helping Claire…" Chris said.

"I was. We just finished…"

"Oh, how did that go?" Barry asked, "How's Claire looking?"

"Why don't you judge that yourself?" Jill smiled, pushing the door open with a smirk.

Claire was too busy bickering with Saya to notice that the door was open, and Jill noticed, with great satisfaction, that the three men were pretty much shocked. Chris's mouth was open, and his eyes were wide as plates as he stared at his sister; Barry was chuckling to himself, and Leon seemed a little too shocked to react, and Jill felt full of contentment.

"I told you I'm…" Claire didn't end her sentence as she suddenly realized the door was open, and she was staring at her brother and company. Her face turned almost as red as the lipstick that Jill had put on her lips. Her face showed the panic of a deer that had just been found by hunters.

"Gentlemen...Clara Driscoll….or should I say, Kennedy." Jill added with a smirk, and she saw Claire glaring at her.

"Well, look at that.." Barry laughed, "Our little goose turned out to be a pretty swan…"

"That has to be the most cliché compliment I've ever heard, Barry…" Claire laughed nervously, "but I guess it worked, then?"

Barry gave her a thumbs up and a big nod.

"You've got my approval."

"Jesus…. Claire, you look…" Chris said with a grin walking to her " I knew you were pretty, but...this is a whole new level. Now I'm starting to be glad that you're supposed to be married. Otherwise, I'd have to court-martial half of my men…"

"Only half?" Jill laughed.

"Okay, maybe more than half. Make sure none of them touches her, Leon...I'm warning you."

"As if I would let that happen. Don't forget she's supposed to be my wife…" Leon smirked, " You look spectacular, Claire."

"Okay, thanks, but cut it down with the compliments….I don't think my capillaries can't take it." Claire said, looking away, embarrassed.

"Too shy for her good…" Saya shrugged, and Claire elbowed her.

"I'm not...this is just embarrassing…"

"Normal people don't get embarrassed for looking fabulous."

"Oh, I think we already know that I don't fall within the norm," Claire mumbled sarcastically.

"Should I send a picture to Wallace?"

"Don't you dare…"

"He's going to see you eventually...!"

Claire was glaring at the doctor, but with her new look, it only made her look cute rather than threatening.

"I think it should be enough to fool most people." Jill smiled while Claire was busy bickering with Saya.

Chris stared at his sister with his head slightly tilted aside.

"Yeah, it works perfectly. I can see Claire in there because I know it is her, but if I didn't know I'd probably not see it, at all…" Chris agreed, "She looks a lot like our mom…"

Jill looked at the older Redfield. Chris didn't talk much about his parents, and she had heard little about them in all the years she'd worked with him.

"Oh, that's right. Adams called..."

"Huh? Did something happen?"

"He called to see how Claire was. It seems like Rebecca is having troubles with the viral sample she received some days ago."

"You mean the one retrieved from Mexico?"

"Yeah, he'd like Claire to take a look, but…"

"You're worried about throwing her straight back into that, right?"

"She's just returned; I'll be lying if I said I don't want her to take it easy for a while. What if throwing her back into all these crap triggers something and she starts remembering things that she shouldn't?"

Jill understood the struggle that Chris was having. It was always tough when it came to family.

"Chris, those memories are bound to come someday. Good or bad…" she said softly, "Claire is a strong girl, and I don't think she'd want to be kept out of this. If Rebecca is having troubles, CLaire might be the only one that can help…"

"I know that…" Chris sighed, "I should have suspected she was the one behind all the data we kept getting about the viruses. I can't believe how she managed to keep it all secret for how long."

"Well, she had help, didn't she?" Jill shrugged, "We owe her a lot. Most of the new vaccines that Rebecca and her group managed to create was thanks to all that info we received. It's a little unfair that she never got the credit for it, but I don't think she cared about that…"

"Claire prefers to stay low. I don't think she ever realizes that she usually gets too much attention, unwillingly..:" Chris chuckled.

"Yeah…"

Jill looked back at the younger Redfield. She had stopped bickering with Saya and was, now, hiding her face behind her hands. Barry had probably said something that made her embarrassed; right next to her stood Leon. The man was shaking his head with an amused look.

Looking at them like that, Jill was convinced that those two really made a good match.

"I guess I'll accept Adams's request. "

Jill nodded. She patted his arm and smiled, trying to assure him that everything would be alright.